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Title: Paradise CoveAuthor: Patrice WiltonNarrator: Cynthia VailLength: 7h 53mPublisher: Patrice WiltonSeries: Paradise Cove, Book 1Genre: Contemporary Romance![]() ![]() A new series by Patrice Wilton, NEW YORK TIMES and USTA TODAY best selling author. This new heart-warming contemporary romance takes place in the Florida Keys and promises romance/passion, family values, and plenty of adventure. Cardiac surgeon Sean Flannigan lost his daughter to a rare form of leukemia; he can mend broken hearts, but his is beyond repair. Kayla Holmes, along with her sisters, inherited guest cottages in the Keys after their stepfather died. Their high spirits and positive energy are a beacon of light that directs Sean's sailboat into Paradise Cove. Can Kayla's compassion find a crack in Sean's armor? Sometimes love isn’t enough to heal a wounded heart. ![]() Patrice Wilton knew from the age of twelve that she wanted to write books that would take the reader to faraway places. She was born in Vancouver, Canada, and had a great need to see the world that she had read about. Patrice became a flight attendant for seventeen years and traveled the world. At the age of forty she sat down to write her first book—in longhand! Her interests include tennis, golf, and writing stories for women of all ages. She is a mother of two, has four lovely grand-daughters and one grandson, and a wonderful man at her side. They live in West Palm Beach, Florida, where he teaches her golf, and she teaches him patience. She has twenty-five books published on Amazon, and is a NY Times and USA Today best selling author. Website⎮Facebook⎮Twitter⎮Goodreads⎮Pinterest⎮AmazonCynthia Vail is a fulltime professional voice actor with more than a dozen years of experience and national clients such as McDonalds and Starwood. ![]() Voicing Kayla and Paradise Cove: Cynthia VailI fell in love with Kayla the moment I started reading Paradise Cove. She is a wonderful blend of being unassuming, stubborn, and sharp. It was a joy to get those nuances of her character and really grow with her as she comes into her own. She can be so stubborn and sexy at the same time. I won’t give anything away, but she makes a wonderful centerpiece for the story and a perfect way for the amazing Patrice Wilton to start her heartfelt series about these three different sisters. People are always curious about my steps to voicing a novel. First, I block off time to get cozy and read the whole book to myself. Then, I read it again in a “work” frame of mind… making notes, highlighting the heck out of individual lines, and using about 100 sticky notes to flag certain sections. Plus, I always have questions about pronunciations of local spots… just to make certain I say things the way a local would. For Paradise Cove, Patrice was my guide to saying things like Islamorada! Once this process is done, I have a really well-rounded feel for each of the characters. For Kayla, I was able to understand her motivations, fears, and loyalties—and infuse them into her voice right from the start. Now it gets really fun! You know how it is when you read to yourself and you can actually hear certain voices are in your head? I’m fortunate enough to be able to let those voices out! Contrary to what some people might think, reading the different parts really isn’t difficult. Each voice, whether it’s male, female, old, young, from different parts of the world can be varied by pace, tone, and accents. You never want the accents or pitches to get too crazy because then the listener will be just hearing you-- and not the words. Subtle is best, even with variations in character. It’s the author’s words that are important… not the voiceover artist’s range of talent. I read aloud several chapters a day, then I go back and edit where it’s needed and upload the chapter files so Patrice can hear them. She’ll catch errors or want me to re-do certain sentences that don’t sound quite right. As needed, I’ll go back and redo the sections and edit them back into the chapters and re-upload them. This is a great system so that the final product that you hear is free of flubs! There’s always a sense of accomplishment, but also of wistfulness, when an audiobook is completed. I felt so connected to Kayla and her whole family. Fortunately, Hooked on You was right around the corner! It’s a lot of detailed work, but as Kayla would tell you… hard work is always worth it in the end. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ➜Sign up as a host here
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![]() Losing Gameby Tracie Delaney Winning Ace #2 Publication Date: July 31, 2017 Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Serial ![]() BUY (#FREE with #KINDLEUNLIMITED!):Amazon: http://amzn.to/2qorocU ![]() SYNOPSIS:Can love overcome betrayal, or are some things broken beyond repair? Too hurt to look into who might have sent photos of Cash Gallagher kissing another woman, Tally McKenzie flees to a secret hideout in Brighton and tries to forget her lover. Stubborn to the last, Cash tracks Tally down and wins her back by confessing his darkest secret. Now he can only hope his demons don’t become headline news and threaten his role as the reigning bad boy of centre court Can Cash and Tally’s deepening relationship survive all the challenges, or is the hot tennis ace about to discover that the prospect of losing his precious career is the least of his woes? *Please note this novel is written in British English and includes British idioms. Losing Game is the second novel in the Winning Ace series. To have the best reading experience, the books are best read in order. ![]() DON'T MISS WINNING ACE, THE FIRST BOOK IN THE SERIES!BUY (#FREE with #KU):Amazon: http://amzn.to/2r6VRz SYNOPSIS:When the opportunity arises for journalist Tally McKenzie to meet tennis ace Cash Gallagher, she grabs it without hesitation. Desperate for a killer story to advance her career, she’ll have to betray her idol and her own morals into the bargain if she is to succeed. Renowned bad boy Cash wants one thing; to remain at the top of his game. He’s fought hard to get there, and he’s not about to lose his crown, especially over a woman. When Cash divulges personal information, Tally seizes her chance and writes an explosive article. Incensed, Cash sets out to get his revenge. Except the darling of centre court gets more than he bargained for—a passionate affair with a woman he should detest. But Cash is a man with secrets—secrets that could destroy his career. Dare he take the risk? Or is the cost too great, even for his perfect match. ABOUT TRACIE DELANEYTracie Delaney is the author of the Winning Ace trilogy. She loves nothing more than immersing herself in a good romance, although she sometimes, rather cheekily, makes her characters wait for their HEA. When she isn’t writing or sitting around with her head stuck in a book, she can often be found watching The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones or any tennis match involving Roger Federer. Her greatest fear is running out of coffee. Tracie studied accountancy, gaining her qualification in 2001. Her maths teacher would no doubt be stunned by this revelation considering Tracie could barely add two plus two at high school. Tracie lives in the North West of England with her amazingly supportive husband. They both share a love of dogs, travel and wine. Website | Facebook | Twitter | ENTER THE GIVEAWAYBlog Tour:Knights of Stone:Calum(Highland Gargoyles Book 5)byLisa CarlisleJul 31st - Aug 7th
When a short-term mission turns into a battle between love and duty...
Calum lives for thrills both on and off stage as lead singer of the Knights of Stone. During a night flight, he witnesses a dragon chasing a pegasus and his gargoyle instincts kick in. When the rescued pegasus turns out to be a beautiful shifter named Arielle, he sets off on a dangerous mission to help her. Arielle never should have wandered from her pegasi herd. Not only did she attract the attention of a dragon who wants to steal her magic, but they've ended up lost in another realm. If she even makes it through the night, how will she ever return home? Calum and Arielleâs chance encounter in the Scottish Highlands turns into something more. Can Calum help Arielle return to her realm, when he wants to convince her to stay? For a hot Highland shifter series set on a mystical isle shared by gargoyles, tree witches, and wolf shifters, meet the brothers in the Knights of Stone today!
Calum needed to fly, to escape the claustrophobic confines of the pub in Inverness. Only flight could provide relief from the stuffiness closing in around him. The stale stench of beer and perspiration tingled his nostrils. The din of voices around him reverberated in his head. The Knights of Stone, the band he and his brothers had created, had played until midnight. Although the lassies surrounded him after their set, as they often did, he avoided their attention to head for the exit.
âYouâre not leaving again, are you?â his older brother, Gavin, asked.
âI need air.â
âItâs the third time in a fortnight. Somethingâs definitely off with you lately.â
Maybe Gavin was right. Calumâs usual restlessness had shifted recently. Instead of chasing the lasses after the rush onstage as front man of their band, heâd been escaping to the wide-open space of the night skies.
He searched the shadowy area behind the brick building for a hidden spot where he could shift to his winged form. Humans were out this evening, but none were attracted to the dark alley.
Calum cloaked himself before shifting. He flew away from the club up toward the crescent moon, which was clouded by a swirl of mist. Nothing like soaring through the night to invigorate him. Flight calmed him, as it did for most gargoyles. While he spent much of the day restoring his energy in stone form under the sun, at night he came alive. Heâd then pursue one of his three favorite activities â flying, performing, orâentertaining. He smirked. He and Gavin relished the female attention, especially after their three brothers had found mates. Since their brothers had placed bets on whoâd be next to find a mate, both Calum and Gavin pushed to the extreme to avoid it.
Although Calum still burned from the rush on stage, something was missing. He had everything he thought heâd wanted with the band and living with his brothers in their small clan on the Isle of Stone, yet he sought solitude in flight more often.
Why he did plagued his mind as he sought the clarity during the flight. A short break had turned into a longer flight, full of introspection. Calum soared farther than heâd planned, along Loch Ness and then inland. The shadowed mountain peaks ahead framed a foreboding entryway under the lingering fog that clouded the night.
He paused, hovering in the air. His gargoyle instincts flared. Something was off. He engaged all his senses, listening for a sign of distress, anything to identify the source of his unease. He flew deeper inland, the rolling fields darker than emeralds under the stars, and the disturbing sensation heightened.
USA Today bestselling author Lisa Carlisle loves stories with dark, brooding heroes and independent heroines. Sheâs honored to be a multi-published author writing in different genres since sheâs wanted to be a writer since the sixth grade. For much of her professional career, sheâs written non-fiction â but sheâs discovered writing romance is the most fun. Her romances have been named Top Picks at Night Owl Reviews and All Romance Ebooks.
When she was younger, she worked in a variety of jobs, moving to various countries. She was deployed to Okinawa, Japan, while in the military; backpacked alone through Europe; and lived in Paris before returning to the U.S. She owned a bookstore for a few years, as she loves to read. Sheâs now married to a fantastic man, and they have two kids, two kittens, and too many fish.
You can also find her at the Red Hot Authors Cafe and Sweet and Sexy Divas.
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![]() Sins of the Heart
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GIVEAWAY! ![]() Chance Seductionby Jess Dee Publication Date: July 24, 2017 Genres: Adult, Entangled: Brazen, Contemporary, Romance, Erotic BUY:
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Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/2vJWxtT
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2uRgenb
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SYNOPSIS:When Lexi Tanner’s unbelievably hot one-night stand turns out to be the same man she needs to approach for a hefty donation, things certainly get complicated. She’ll do anything to raise the money needed for the children’s charity she’s starting—but how can she ask AJ Riley for money now? Adam knows he’ll never love again. He’s been there and done that. But the sexy woman he had an unbelievable night with causes cracks in his emotional defenses as well as cranks up his libido. One night should have burned her out of his system, but this kind of heat comes with strings…![]() ![]() ABOUT JESS DEEJess Dee lives in beautiful Sydney, Australia, with her husband, their two sons and their insane dog – a ridiculously overweight puggle named Luigi. An avid romance reader since her early teens, Jess knew one day, when she grew up, she’d have to write her own love stories. It might have taken a while, but in December of 2005, she finally got “the call.” Her first book, Photo Opportunity had been contracted. Now you can’t hold her down. She’s completed a whole host of books, and is finally doing the work she loves most— writing romance.Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Newsletter | Amazon Author Profile ENTER THE GIVEAWAY![]() Not his Werewolf
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GIVEAWAY! ![]() About the Book Title: Trolling Author: Emma Brady Genre: Romance / Urban Fantasy Lily Faye-Richardson thought her bad luck was ending when she and her sisters inherited her uncle's house. Finding a green man chained in the basement changed that. Now she must trust this sexy troll to take her into a magical kingdom and rescue the only family she has. Theno woke up with missing pieces to his memory but an angel saving him. When her sisters are kidnapped, he is willing to do anything to help her in return. The problem is, if he can't remember who he is, how can he trust himself not to hurt her? Together, the two of them will go to the land of Tammara to bring back the other Faye girls. They will have to face an Evil Queen, who wants to find the door and cross over into the human world. There is also the matter of an intense sexual attraction between them and the need for Theno to discover his identity. Does a troll get to have a happy ending? CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE Author Bio Emma graduated with both an English degree and a library sciences degree. She has always been an avid reader of romance, since she first fell in love with Wuthering Heights. After college she decided she didn’t want to just read books and started writing them. She has already started in both urban fantasy and historical romance, but doesn’t rule out other projects in the future. Living in Kansas with her tiny lapdog and a couple rambunctious nephews, she spends most of her time reading, writing and enjoying a good cup of coffee. Follow her at facebook.com/hotbooklover EXCERPT
A gasp caught in her throat at the sight of the massive man being held up by thick metal chains. He was bigger than any man she had ever seen before. Not just tall, although he had to be well over seven feet, but also wide enough to fill the breadth of the room. There was no fat that she could see, just muscle upon muscle. When her eyes traveled down she found he was also stark naked and rather impressive. But it was his skin that kept her from moving any closer. In the light cast by the flashlight it appeared to glitter both green and gold at the same time. It was hard to tell if it was real or not, but her gut said it seemed real enough. The man's head hung down and his blond hair hid his face from her. Lily could see the steady rise and fall of his chest, but nothing else gave indication of life. The chains seemed sturdy enough to hold him, so Lily scooted forward one baby step at a time. "Save me." The voice was deep and scratchy, but unmistakably male. Something in the tone of it hummed through her like a shock. It compelled her to move forward even more, to be within reach of him. "Save me." His head hung down and she saw no movement when she spoke. Her skin was beginning to grow warm with a flush she could not explain. Lily wanted to touch him so badly that only her tight grip on the flashlight stopped her. "SAVE ME." ![]() Duplicityby Jane Haseldineon Tour July 1-31, 2017Synopsis:![]() In Jane Haseldine’s new novel of riveting suspense, Detroit newspaper reporter Julia Gooden is up against the city’s most devious criminal—and her own painful past. Julia Gooden knows how to juggle different lives. A successful crime reporter, she covers the grittiest stories in the city while raising her two young boys in the suburbs. But beneath that accomplished façade is another Julia, still consumed by a tragedy that unfolded thirty years ago when her nine-year-old brother disappeared without a trace. Julia’s marriage, too, is a balancing act, as she tries to rekindle her relationship with her husband, Assistant District Attorney David Tanner, while maintaining professional boundaries. David is about to bring Nick Rossi to trial for crimes that include drug trafficking, illegal gambling, and bribery. But the story becomes much more urgent when a courthouse bomb claims several victims—including the prosecution’s key witness—and leaves David critically injured. Though Julia is certain that Rossi orchestrated the attack, the case against him is collapsing, and his power and connections run high and wide. With the help of Detective Raymond Navarro of the Detroit PD, she starts following a trail of blackmail, payback, and political ambition, little imagining where it will lead. Julia has risked her career before, but this time innocent lives—including her children’s—hang in the balance, and justice may come too late to save what truly matters… What Reviewers are Saying about Duplicity:“Haseldine has a gift for atmosphere, setting, and suspense, and the many twists and turns will keep readers guessing.”—Library Journal “Julia, introduced in The Last Time She Saw Him (2016), is ferociously bold and persistent as she deals with professional and personal adversity laced with duplicity in this action-packed, plot-driven mystery. This is hard-bitten crime fiction with changes ahead for its unrelenting series protagonist.”—Booklist “Haseldine (The Last Time She Saw Him, 2016) uses her experience as a crime reporter to bring authenticity to this exciting and gritty tale.”—Kirkus Reviews
Read an excerpt:Chapter 1 Glenlivet, light on the rocks. A cocktail waitress with bright fuchsia lipstick delivers the drink and motions her head in the direction of the aged fifty-something women two tables down. The recipient of the cocktail turns his head toward the hoots and low whistles from the likely recent divorcees who are ogling him like a lusty spectator sport. “Want to join us, hon?” the ringleader asks and adjusts her leopard print halter-top to reveal an extra inch of orange, tanned cleavage. In case her intent wasn’t clear enough, the woman scoops a sugar cube from her champagne cocktail, places it between her teeth and starts sucking. “No thank you,” the businessman answers coolly and places the unwanted drink back on the cocktail waitress’ tray. He turns his back on the spurned women and locks in on a tall, willowy blond in a white dress that clings to her slender curves as she moves fluidly across the casino floor in his direction. She pauses at his table, slides into the empty seat across from him and carefully tucks a leather briefcase between her legs. The rowdy commotion from the neighboring table of women abruptly stops as they wordlessly concede, they’ve been bested by a thoroughbred. The businessman slips an Italian charcoal grey suit coat over his tall and tightly muscled frame. He tips back the last few sips of the drink he ordered for himself ten minutes earlier and heads toward the lobby, not bothering to look back. He knows the blond will follow. In the elevator, the mouth of a camera lens captures its occupants’ activities. The pair stand close, but just far enough apart so it doesn’t look obvious they are together, just two attractive strangers in an elevator heading up to their respected rooms. The blond stunner holds the briefcase in her left hand and takes a risk. She lifts her pinky finger up and brushes the back of the businessman’s hand for less than a second. The elevator arrives on the VIP floor, the best the MGM Grand has to offer. The blond bends down, slides a key out of the front pocket of the briefcase and opens the hotel room door. Inside, the man stands in front of the floor to ceiling windows. He takes a quick pan of downtown Detroit and then snaps the curtains shut. When it is safe, when they are alone, the blond, now anxious and wanting, drops the briefcase and goes directly for his zipper. “Wait.” He takes the briefcase over to the bed, opens it, and fans the stack of bills across the mattress like a seasoned blackjack dealer some thirty stories below. “Two million. You don’t trust me now?” the woman asks with a contrived pout. He ignores the question until the cash has been fully accounted for. “Come here,” he commands. He starts to remove his coat, but she is already there. “I’ve missed you,” she whispers and cups her long, delicate fingers around his crotch. He reciprocates by running his hand across the thin silk of her dress directly over her breast, and then squeezes until the blond lets out a gasp. The blond easily submits when the man pushes her down hard on the bed, letting him believe he still has the upper hand, that he is the aggressor. She stares up at his beautiful face, his breath coming faster now as his body starts to move in a rapid, steady rhythm above her. She doesn’t mind when he closes his eyes. He wants her again, reestablishing her position of control, at least for now. That’s all that matters. When they are finished, the businessman turns toward the wall in disgust. “I knew you weren’t through with me yet,” she says. “You take all your hostility out on me in bed. You’re a rough boy, but I like it.” He ignores her, gets up from the bed, still naked, and heads to the bathroom. The blond is useless to him now. She knows it but still holds on. “The birthmark on your ass is so sweet. It looks like a crescent moon with a shooting star underneath,” she remarks. “Come back to bed and let me take a closer look.” The man spins around, anger flashing in his eyes as if the blonde’s comment violated something personal. “Shut up,” he says. “No need to talk dirty to me. You know I’ll give you what you want, as long as you give me my share of the money.” “When it’s over, you’ll get it. That’s the agreement.” “How do I know you won’t screw me?” “Because I’m not that guy. The money will be in a safe place.” “I want access to it.” “I don’t think so.” The door to the bathroom slams shut and she is dismissed. Inside the shower, he scrubs every trace of the woman off his body, hoping she will be gone when he comes out. But the blond is still in bed. At least she is sleeping. The businessman climbs back into his suit, grabs the briefcase and closes the hotel room door quietly behind him. The second elevator in the hallway opens and he disappears inside just as elevator one chimes its arrival to the VIP floor. Its single occupant emerges, a man, squat and thick but moving swiftly like a gymnast. He wears all black, a bulky windbreaker, sweatpants and a baseball cap as if he’s just come from the hotel gym. He lets himself into a room with a key he extracts from a bulky fanny pack that flanks his waist. Inside, he quickly assesses the scene, pulls a tiny camera out from its hiding place inside a fake antique clock on the dresser and tucks it into his coat pocket. He then retrieves a razor blade and scarf from the pack and heads toward the bed where the blond is still sleeping. The man moves silently as he eases his body onto the bed. He inches forward across the mattress and then straddles the blond with his hips, locking her in place until she is prone and pinned to the bed. Without opening her eyes, she smiles, thinking her lover has returned. She flicks her tongue across her lips and then opens her mouth expectantly. “Shhh,” he whispers. “You pay now. We know what you did.” The woman’s eyes fly open, and she tries to scream out her assailant’s name, but he cuffs one stubby hand across her mouth before she can utter a word. He lifts the razor from his pocket and begins to gently slide the unsharpened side of the blade down her stomach until it reaches the top of her public bone. “Please!” she begs. “I’ll give you what you want.” The razor stops short before it makes its final descent. His breath is warm and steady against her ear. “How do you know what I want?” “Money. I’ll give it to you.” He pauses as though considering the request and flicks the dull side of the blade back and forth across her skin. “God, please. You don’t want money then. Okay. Just tell me what you want and I’ll give it to you.” He shakes his head and teases the sharp edge of the razor blade against her leg. “Who is it?” he whispers as the razor makes a tiny, precise knick on the inside of her thigh, drawing a single drop of blood that trickles down her ivory skin like a crimson teardrop. “The name. I’ll give you the name!” she pleads. “Sammy Biggs, the Butcher. He’s the one. I just found out, I swear. I didn’t betray you. He did. Now please! Let me go.” The hired hand sighs deeply, as if savoring an indulgent pleasure, now finally satisfied. But not quite. Lessons must be learned and never forgotten. The man stuffs the scarf down the woman’s mouth to muffle the pain of her penance. It is engrained in his soul those who sin must atone. He clasps the razor blade between his thumb and middle finger and cuts the blonde’s left earlobe off in one clean slice. “Hail Mary, full of grace,” he prays as he pulls out a locket from underneath his black T-shirt. He kisses a likeness of the face of the blessed Virgin Mary etched into the front of the gold necklace charm and stuffs his newly won keepsake from the blond into his pocket. Chapter 2 Concrete, grey, cold, and quickly passing is the only thing Julia sees. The running started the previous summer when she was at the lake house, the place she mistakenly thought would be a sanctuary for her boys after the separation from her husband David. The runs started as just one lap around the rocky coastal loop along Lake Huron. But when Julia migrated back to the Detroit suburbs for a second shot at her marriage, her runs progressed and three times a week turned into seven and the start times became earlier and earlier. Five a.m. Julia conquers the stretch of her Rochester Hills comfortable suburban neighborhood within five minutes. She expands her perimeter to downtown and then all the way to the Auburn Hills border. Ten miles today. No negotiation. Julia races through the darkness just starting to break and ignores everything she passes, the funky downtown stores, the tidy homes with daily papers waiting on the icy driveway blacktops and the Assembly of God church with its bulletin board warning “Sin: It Seemed Like A Good Idea At The Time.” None of the scenery matters. The steady rhythm of her sneakers pounding against the concrete pushes Julia forward, getting her closer to some invisible finish line as she race her one constant opponent: herself. Spring officially arrived in Michigan a week prior, but the depressing mounds of frozen grey snow from another cruel Midwestern winter obviously didn’t get the memo. Julia pushes herself harder and starts to sprint as she passes her oldest son Logan’s middle school, her half-mile mark to home, and breathes in deeply. The cold air stings as it goes down, but it’s worth it. Julia is certain she can smell the beginnings of the ground starting its impatient thaw and the bulbs, in a deep slumber since October, beginning to stir. Change is coming and she is ready for it. A car drives by slowly, reaches the corner and then turns back around in her direction. Julia instinctively moves away from the curb and reaches down toward her waist pack. Instead of a water bottle, Julia packs protection, pepper spray and a folding knife with a three-inch blade. Paranoia always ran hard and deep after what happened to her brother when Julia was a little girl, compounded by twelve years covering the crime beat, not to mention a deranged religious fanatic who kidnapped her youngest son. For Julia, it all adds up to one thing: Trust no one. The car slows to a crawl as it approaches a second time. A dark sedan, nondescript, probably a Ford model about five-years-old with tinted windows, Julia calculates as her hand sweeps inside her pack. She runs her fingers across the flat side of the knife’s blade as the car’s driver side window opens. “Hey, Gooden, I thought that was you. If you’re going to jog in the dark, you better wear brighter colors or you’re going to get mowed down out here,” Detroit Police Detective Leroy Russell says. Julia recalls Russell lives somewhere in the Rochester Hills community, where his ex-wife is an assistant professor of journalism at Oakland University. Julia finally exhales, her breath turning into a puff of white that disappears into the frigid late March morning. Now knowing she won’t have to engage in hand-to-hand combat, Julia fixes her gaze back on Russell whose trademark Mr. Clean buzz cut looks freshly-shaven. She feels the sting of adrenaline coursing through her body as the fear leaves her. She begins to respond to Russell when the smell hits from the open car window. Julia makes out the distinct aroma of almost metabolized late-night, heavy drinking and Old Spice, the latter applied so liberally, it makes her eyes sting. “How are you doing, Russell?” Julia asks. “Are you on the early shift?” Russell reaches toward his glove compartment and extracts a green bottle of Excedrin which he pops open and then crushes four white tablets under his tongue. “Retirement party last night for Sergeant Walter Shaw,” Russell explains. “I’m meeting Navarro for breakfast, so hopefully an order of scrambled eggs and home fries will soak it all up before a hangover hits.” “You and Navarro are meeting up to discuss the Rossi trial,” Julia states, no question necessary. “I caught both your names on the prosecution’s witness list.” “That’s right.” Julia jogs in place without realizing it and strategizes how she can pump Russell for information for her story. The court part of the crime beat is her least favorite, despite the fact Julia is married to a lawyer. To her, courtrooms feel like tight little boxes where various versions of the truth run fast and loose amidst the big show, and the winner is often selected not by the culmination of the presented facts, but by which side puts on a better performance. “I heard there’s going to be a surprise witness the prosecution is going to pull out at the last minute. Do you know anything about that? We can go off the record. You know I won’t burn you. I just need a name,” Julia pushes. Russell reaches up and massages his right temple with his index finger. “I don’t know,” he says. “Even if there is some last-minute witness, Judge Palmer probably won’t allow it if they aren’t on the list. Why are you asking anyway? You’ve got a much better source at home. You and David are back together, right?” “We’re working on it. I can’t ask David though. It would be a conflict of interest. The D.A.’s office doesn’t want to get sued for leaking information to the press. Plus, David and I are pros. Neither of us would cross that line.” “Come on. You can’t tell me you don’t pull some favors in the bedroom to get your husband to talk. Sex is a woman’s secret weapon. It always has been since the dawn of time. A sweet, firm ass has toppled many a mighty man. I’m more of a leg man, myself though,” Russell says as he gives Julia’s well-toned runner’s legs a nod of silent approval. At thirty-seven, Julia has long mastered the fine art of the dodge and weave around unwanted advances. Unless the guy is completely out of line, Julia ignores the come-on like it never happened. The talent serves her well covering the cop beat, where egos and virility are often intertwined, enormous, and surprisingly fragile. “Where are you and Navarro having breakfast?” she asks. “Chanel’s in Greektown. You want to join us?” Julia gives just a hint of a smile. Dodge and weave successful. “Thanks for the invite. I’ll try.” “All right, Gooden. Tell the assistant D.A. we’ll see him later. And be careful out here in the dark,” Russell answers and raps a red-chafed hand outside his driver side window before he disappears behind the tinted-glass. Julia watches Russell’s car pull away and a small shiver runs down her back. (Don’t ever take a ride from a stranger, Julia, or I swear, I’ll kick your butt). The sudden childhood memory jolts her, and Julia starts to sprint as if she could race fast enough to outrun the passage of time and warn her younger self to lock the door the night her older brother Ben was taken. Julia finally reaches home, nowhere left to run. She drops onto the front step, looks up at the first soft lights of dawn finally penetrating through night’s heavy cloak of darkness and chokes back a sob. She knows how to get through the pain. She always has. Julia pushes her emotions down deep and focuses on what she can control. Her mind clicks off the pieces of the Rossi story she will have to assemble and file into some kind of compelling piece to run in the paper’s online edition before opening arguments. The facts will be the bones of her story: Nick Rossi’s illegal Detroit empire is believed to encompass hijacking and shipping stolen goods, mainly computers and electronics, illegal gambling and drug trafficking. Both the feds and the Detroit PD had been trying to nail him for years. Rossi finally got busted in a city police sting courtesy of hidden cameras placed in the VIP suites of the MGM Grand Hotel. Images on the tapes showed payoffs to the former Detroit mayor and a city councilman, in addition to drug trafficking and cash exchanges for high-stakes gambling bets. Julia kicks at the frozen ground with the toe of her sneaker and assembles the color elements she will add as sidebars to the main article, the ones that will make the story real to the readers and ultimately make them care: the seventeen-year-old West Bloomfield high school track star who overdosed and died at a party after he graduated that night from ecstasy to heroin for the first and final time, courtesy of Rossi’s stash. Then there is the story of Rossi himself, only nine years old when he witnessed the rape and murder of his mother during a home invasion while the young Rossi bore silent witness as he hid inside a closet and watched the horror unfold through a crack in the door. Since Rossi’s dad had taken off before his son was born, the young Rossi moved in with his uncle, Salvatore Gallo, who ran a moderately successful dry cleaning business with a small bookie operation on the side. Julia and Salvatore Gallo have history, and Julia makes a mental note to herself to call Gallo before she gets to the courthouse to see if he’ll talk. Julia’s cell phone buzzes inside her waist pack. She looks suspiciously at the phone. 6:15 a.m. Even as a reporter, no one calls that early unless it’s an emergency, and she knows David is still at the house with their boys, Logan and Will, who are sound asleep. She is about to hit the ignore button but stops at the last second when she recognizes the number. Gavin Boyles, the acting mayor’s chief of staff. The other piece of color she needs for the story. “Gooden here. You’re lucky I’m up.” “You told me you ran at dawn, so I figured I’d catch you before you got into the newsroom,” Boyles answers. “I checked online a few minutes ago, and I didn’t see your story posted yet.” “It’ll be up later today. Do you have something for me?” Boyles, a former TV news anchor before he became a flack, still has the oozing, ultra-smooth voice of a game show host. Julia met him ten years earlier at the scene of a major fire that obliterated a Detroit high-rise and eighteen of its residents who were trapped inside. Boyles showed up late and asked Julia if he could take a look at her notes and she could debrief him on the situation. “Always working the story, that’s why you’re so good,” Boyles says. “You’re too kind,” Julia answers and plays the pleasantry game while she waits for Boyles to cut through the bullshit. “Are you including Mayor Anderson in the story? “Acting Mayor Anderson?” Julia asks. “Semantics. We’d prefer not to have Mayor Anderson’s name mentioned unless it pertains to how he is working tirelessly to turn the city around since former mayor Slidell’s indictment for his involvement in the Rossi case. If you write another story about how Slidell took bribes from Rossi to shut him up, you’re doing a disservice to the people of the city. Detroit has suffered enough, don’t you think? You could turn this into a positive story.” “And how has Anderson turned the city around exactly?” “Public perception. I want to share something with you. This is off the record for now, all right?” “Of course,” Julia answers and wonders whether the call might not be a complete waste of her time after all. “Mayor Anderson will be holding a press conference today announcing a strategic task force dedicated solely to promoting all things positive in Detroit, including a volunteer-driven beautification project to help improve blight. It was my idea. Detroit is trying to make its way back. The residents don’t need a rehashing of another corrupt city official story.” “Politics isn’t my beat.” “Neither is business, but your articles are hurting the casinos. Detroit got gutted after the auto industry crashed, and God knows we can’t afford to take any more hits. There’s a responsibility, a fine line, we journalists need to ethically tow.” “I’m still a journalist. Last I checked, you weren’t.” On the other end of the phone, Boyles blasts an obnoxious guffaw. “Always blunt, aren’t you? The press conference is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. on the steps of city hall. I assume you’ll be available since the trial will break for lunch. Mayor Anderson specifically asked for you to be there.” “Thank you for the invitation. I’ll run this by my managing editor and let her decide who to send. You know how this works. It’s not my call.” “Got it. I’ll call Margie myself and put in the request. I’m surprised the paper is letting you cover the story when your husband is prosecuting it. Good for you though. You won’t have to work as hard this time.” Julia grits her teeth and forces herself to still play nice. She may need Boyles in the future. “I always work hard.” “I just meant…” Julia cuts off Boyles before he can finish. “Thanks for the call and the heads up on the press conference.” Julia gives her phone the finger, the sentiment she’d really like to give Boyles directly. Instead, she shuts her phone off and heads into the warmth of her house that hits her like a blowtorch. She strips off her North Face jacket and then peels off her running pants and nylon shirt that stick to her clammy skin. She frees her curly, dark brown hair from its ponytail and pads softly down the hall as not to wake the boys. Inside the office, she leans over the desk and begins to search for her competitor’s coverage of the Rossi trial. She pulls up the Detroit News website and feels a tug in her stomach. In addition to a big picture preview story on the case, Julia knows the Detroit News reporter is writing a sidebar profile on David as first chair for the prosecution and his likely run for D.A. next year, a promise David made to himself after he gave up a lucrative private practice partnership six months earlier to become a public servant. Still standing, Julia bends down closer to the desk and begins to search whether the Detroit News found out about the surprise witness, or worse, if they got the name before she did. *** Excerpt from Duplicity by Jane Haseldine. Copyright © 2017 by Jane Haseldine. Reproduced with permission from Jane Haseldine. All rights reserved. Author Bio:![]() Jane Haseldine is a journalist, former crime reporter, columnist, newspaper editor, magazine writer, and deputy director of communications for a governor. Jane writes the Julia Gooden mystery series for Kensington Publishing. Catch Up With Our Author On: Website ?, Goodreads ?, Twitter ?, & Facebook ?!Tour Participants:Visit the other great hosts on this tour for more great reviews, interviews, guest posts, and giveaways!Join In for Your Chance to Win!This is a rafflecopter giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours for Jane Haseldine. There will be 2 winners of one (1) $20 Amazon.com Gift Card. The giveaway begins on July 1 and runs through August 1, 2017.a Rafflecopter giveawayGet More Great Reads at Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours![]() Pink Lock Picks and Sequined Witch Hats
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New Hobbies Daddy told me years ago that to succeed in life I need a strong plan, the right tools, and the gumption to follow through. His words of wisdom helped me get elected homecoming queen, become co-captain of the cheerleading squad, and voted on the student council. Now I plan to use them to help me pull off my first burglary. My plan is solid. I’ve also never backed down from a challenge, not even last year when Brittany Thomas became overly friendly with the entire football team in a sad attempt to deprive me of my crown. People say I started the rumor about the rash of STD cases spreading through the boys’ locker room faster than a brush fire. I didn’t, of course. Why start gossip when the squad of doctors from the local Health Department did it for me? I take a deep breath as I enter the Trinity Building. At almost four o’clock on a Friday before a three-day weekend, the place is deader than a PTA meeting. It helps that today is the hottest July first on record for Central Texas and the air conditioning in this building is dismally subpar. The Trinity Corporation may claim to have the most upscale rental space in town, but one look at the gold leopard granite floor paired with peach-painted walls shows that’s a downright fib. The only guard on duty leans back in his chair and sucks down a Sonic Route 44 Coke like his life depends on it. I wave as I pass the security desk, wearing a megawatt smile and fully confident in the strength of my lavender-scented Lavanila deodorant—vegan, of course. Deputy Dawg gives me his usual perv stare before returning to the comic book balanced on his knee. Centex Therapy, LPC occupies most of the first floor office space. A small bell tinkles when I open the frosted glass door. What decorum the overall building lacks, the waiting room has in spades. Brown leather chairs sit on a bamboo rug and pastel paintings from local artists brighten the walls. A tall grandfather clock in the corner softly chimes four times. This late on a Friday means the room is empty of other patients. Perfect. Jane, the receptionist, fans herself with a copy of Country Living. “Cutting it awfully close, Gracie. Go on in.” Dr. McDozzle gives me a pained smile as I enter the room. “Good afternoon, Miss Mason. Have a seat.” For a head shrinker, he’s incredibly formal. And a non-Texan, who hates football and sweet tea. I haven’t learned much more about him in the last month, but that’s enough to get him tarred and feathered if word got out. The leather recliner squeaks when I sit down. “Thanks for seeing me on a Friday, Doc.” I twirl a strand of newly highlighted platinum hair around my finger. It goes wonderful with my bubblegum pink manicure. “Mr. Anderson, Daddy’s new lawyer, is now insisting I have two sessions a month with you. Of course, Mama’s lawyer says once a month is just fine, seeing how I’m such a well-adjusted high school senior and all. Almost a senior, I guess, since school’s not started.” Dr. McDozzle straightens his glasses. “Yes, well, your parents do seem to have quite the barrage of attorneys involved in their divorce. Have you worked on the homework I gave you during our last session?” This is such a waste of time. My parents have spent the last five years embroiled in a divorce dirtier than a greased pig-wrestling contest. Both sides of the family have more money than sense, much to the delight of every lawyer in the tri-county area. Not that I want my parents to get back together. Anytime they’re within spitting distance of each other, the tension between them gives me a migraine. Besides, if they hadn’t split up, I never would’ve met Ben. Ben’s the son of Daddy’s ex-girlfriend. Until four months ago, they all lived together in Daddy’s condo. Ben is a sophomore at the local college and is truly hot, in a geeky, stud muffin, save-the-world, kinda way. Crushing on my almost stepbrother might seem a bit sketchy, but it’s legal—I Googled it twice. Which means it’s time to start step one in my Get Ben Plan. I toss my hair over my shoulder before pulling out a pink glitter notebook from my Eiffel Tower-shaped mini-purse. “You wanted me to write down my feelings about my parents’ shared custody thing. Honestly, I don’t understand why the lawyers are so panty twisted about me spending a week with Mama and the next with Daddy. It means I get double the wardrobe. Hello? What girl would say no to that? It’s way better than Heather’s situation. I told you about her last time, I think. The girl with the hideous frizzed-out curls but drives a cute BMW Z4 roadster? Anyway, her parents are insane.” I continue a steady stream of babble until Dr. McDozzle’s eyes glaze over. There’s no clocks in the room, but Dr. McDozzle keeps checking his watch. I’m sure the poor man created a nice therapy plan for me, but I’ve completely derailed it. Mama always says a girl has many tools to choose from in her arsenal—perfectly curled hair, well-placed boobs, and endless chatter are my faves. Besides, Daddy’s been paying therapists a fortune for years to show the divorce court how concerned he is about me. Dr. McDozzle’s earning his car payment today.
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