Friday, March 30, 2018

Hacking It by Kimberly Dean




HACKING IT by Kimberly Dean, Romantic Suspense, 200 pp., $8.99 (Paperback) $3.99 (Kindle edition)


Title: HACKING IT
Author: Kimberly Dean
Publisher: Independent
Pages: 200
Genre: Romantic Suspense


Independent software developer Kylie Grant is on top of her game in the world of IT. She has loyal clients, a good reputation, and a prestigious membership in technology giant Afire Industries’ small business accelerator. Things are going well until she stumbles across an innocuous issue with the lighting in the building where she rents space. When she digs into the problem, she discovers something unexpected—a hack.

The incursion doesn’t affect her, but Kylie leaves enough clues to fix the problem. That earns her a visit from Luke McAllister, Afire’s chief security officer. Luke is handsome and rugged and everything that Kylie likes in a man, but she soon finds that he is blaming her for the security breach. Before long, the two are on a collision course, but also secretly looking at more than each other’s digital footprints.

When a fluke accident sends Kylie to the emergency room, Luke fears that the beautiful developer is in danger beyond the online world. Little does he know that she is also hiding a secret that threatens to jeopardize their now sizzling relationship.

Can Kylie fix Afire’s problems without falling victim to the hacker? And can Luke learn to trust her and keep her safe before their enemy strikes again?

My Thoughts:
I completely enjoyed this geeky romantic suspense!  The author did a great job in showing how kick butt women are in they cyber world when it doesn't seem to 'fit' them.  I loved how quirky Kylie was and how much she enjoyed what she did.  Not only that, but she loved helping people.  Luke is a hottie and completely smitten.
Their first meeting was great.  I was sitting there giggling as I read because I 'saw' it play out in my head and it was just too good.  After that, the way they get together was believable.  Their working together and each having their own expertise made it flow well and the overall story was good too.
It was a 4/5 for me.  I truly enjoyed it and want to read the next in the series now!

Order Your Copy!

https://www.amazon.com/Mistress-Suffragette-Diana-Forbes-ebook/dp/B06XG3G2TF



Prologue

It was too danged bright in here again. Kylie Grant pushed back from her desk and glared at the overhead fluorescent lights. It was a subtle change, but, like most developers, she preferred her working space darker. She spent her days staring at a computer screen writing code. The last thing she wanted was more artificial light waves hitting her eyeballs. Grumbling, she grabbed her laptop and headed for the seating area by the fireplace.
This was the third time this week that she’d noticed the change. She tended to stay later than most people at Start ’er Up, and the sun had already set over Puget Sound. That was when the glare became most noticeable. Still, she was surprised that nobody else seemed to be bothered by it.
She stopped at the grab ’n go area for some trail mix and a cappuccino. She liked the coworking space where she and a group of small business owners gathered every day to pursue their entrepreneurial dreams. She didn’t want to have to go back to Starbucks, where she had to listen to college kids moaning about their love lives or hipsters strategizing about how to get ahead in the corporate workplace. She’d been there and done that—and gotten precisely nowhere.
She shuddered a bit as she sank onto the sofa. The idea of returning to the cubicle environment or, worse, the open-office land of chaos? No way. If she had to deal with a little glare, she could do it. She used the remote to turn on the gas fireplace and relaxed against the cushions.
Still, she squinted.
She blew out a breath of frustration.
Josie stuck her head around the corner. “I’m heading out.”
“Okay. Have a good night,” Kylie said. She was the last one here, as usual. She was a night owl who didn’t do mornings, but she wasn’t concerned. The building where Start ’er Up was housed was fitted with all the bells and whistles of a “smart” building. The doors operated on a badging system, cameras monitored all entries, and even the shades on the windows operated on a set timetable. Right now, they were down tight. Still, they were in the heart of downtown Seattle. The women here looked out for one another.
“I’ll be here for a little while longer,” she said. She had a website template due for a client tomorrow. It wouldn’t take her long to finish it up, but there were a few other things she wanted to putter around with.
“Hey,” she said after a moment’s thought. “Does the lighting in here seem off to you?”
Josie paused. “Not that I’ve noticed. What’s wrong with it?”
“Too bright.” But maybe not as bright as Kylie thought. She’d seen devs scatter like rats when a light switch was thrown, while the business types just looked at them strangely.
“Let’s check it out.” Josie pulled her laptop out of her bag and took a seat on the puffy chair at the end of the coffee table. She tucked her legs up underneath her as she opened the software for the building system controls.
Josie was the office manager, people connector, and general idea machine of Start ’er Up. She ran the place, but was actually an employee of Afire Industries, the tech giant next door that supported the small-business accelerator. Kylie had never met someone whose brain functioned on all cylinders in so many different areas. Her own mainly functioned in the land of Java and Python.
“It looks like everything is set correctly,” Josie said as she paged through the lighting controls.
Kylie glanced over her shoulder at the screen and scrunched her nose at the page design. The 2000s were calling; they wanted their styling back. “Can you send me that link?”
Josie lifted an eyebrow. “Do you need me to make you an administrator?”
Kylie shrugged. She’d see.
The corners of her friend’s lips quirked upward. She went ahead and added Kylie anyway. “Don’t stay too late.”
“I won’t,” Kylie murmured. She was already mulling over how a bug might be the source of her discomfort.
There was nothing a developer despised more than a bug.
She didn’t even hear Josie leave as she began exploring the software. Building control systems were all the rage these days. They saved money on energy, increased safety, and provided a ton of data on building usage. When she left here tonight, the swipe of her badge would let the building know to turn down the heat and shut the lights off entirely. Maybe a setting Josie hadn’t noticed had gotten bumped or a sensor that monitored ambient light was going bad.
Kylie felt her curiosity start to bubble. The final touches on that website were going to have to wait.
She fell into the zone. Being added as an administrator saved her some time. She quickly checked out the most obvious possible causes, but soon, she was poking here and prodding there. She downed her cappuccino and munched on her trail mix. She was well into her second helping when some cross-site scripting opened a door and begged her to enter.
“Well, hello there.”
She sat up straighter when she realized what she’d uncovered. This was no bug. The building control system for Start ’er Up had been hacked.
She worried her teeth against her lower lip as she assessed how bad it was. The infiltration was clever. Whomever had hacked the system had gotten in by way of the Internet of Things—all those computer-chip controlled devices that were hooked together to make operating the building easy. Anything with an IP address could be hacked. That meant the routers, the printers, the smart phones, and potentially even the coffee maker were susceptible to cyberattacks. She’d secured her own devices the moment she’d bought them, but Start ’er Up had obviously been vulnerable.
And they’d been breached. By somebody pretty good, she had to admit. They’d tried to cover their tracks, but she could still see the path they’d taken. From what she could tell, they’d only made one mistake. Her lights.
“They’re mine now,” she said as she fixed the glitch in the lighting system.
She secured the network in a matter of minutes. There was only one problem.
The hacker was already in. By now, they’d made other entryways.
She crossed her legs at the ankles atop the coffee table and stared into the flames jumping in the fireplace before her. What to do… What to do…
The hack had been on Start ’er Up, but who’d want to hack a group of small potatoes like them? All the small companies here had potential—well, some of them—but most were still struggling to get off the ground. The hack could have been made by a green hat (a hacker just cutting his teeth), but those types usually started with the Wi-Fi systems of the neighbors next door.
No, there was a much more obvious reason why Start ’er Up had been chosen: Afire.
The innovative giant owned this space. The building, the computer network, and even the sofa on which she was seated were its property. Afire supported the entrepreneurial ecosystem by providing a coworking space for fresh thinkers, but by doing so, it had left itself vulnerable.
What to do… What to do…
Kylie rubbed her hands over her face. This wasn’t her problem. She was just a renter here. It wasn’t her fault that Afire’s security team had 1) left a back door open and 2) hadn’t noticed the breach. She didn’t even like Afire.
Well, it wasn’t so much Afire Industries, per se. It was that whole hotshot male-dominated tech industry. She’d given too many headache-filled hours to a company just like that and been discounted, overlooked, and basically taken for granted. It was why she’d set off on her own. She was her own boss now, primarily making websites and databases. And doing other odd jobs… It paid the bills. She liked setting her own hours and working with her own clients, and her aching head felt so much better.
The ceiling in the tech industry wasn’t made of glass; it was made of titanium.
Her sensitive eyes had led her to find the hack, and she’d fixed the lighting problem. She wanted nothing to do with any more of this.
But Josie…
Kylie groaned and dropped her head back against the sofa. She didn’t want her friend to get in trouble for this, and, darn it, she was still a recovering good girl. As much as she wanted to just walk away, she couldn’t. The temptation to follow the hack was too strong. How deep did it go? How much havoc had it caused?
“This isn’t your fight,” she warned herself. Afire could protect itself or pay the price. Still, her curiosity had been roused.
“Drat it all.” Deciding that sleep wasn’t going to happen tonight, she returned to the grab ’n go area for another cappuccino before diving back in.
Her fingers flew across the keyboard, and, soon, it wasn’t caffeine that had her mental juices flowing. She found the knothole where the hacker had moved from Start ’er Up into Afire’s systems. Time flew as she followed them behind the firewall into areas where she wasn’t supposed to be. Keeping an eye out for security flags or trapdoors, she followed the hacker, learning more and more about Afire and the hacker himself as she went. More than once, she had to remind herself that this was a scouting mission only.
It was well after midnight when she finally backed her way out. She closed the lid on her laptop and stretched to pop the kink in her back.
“Ahh,” she said with a sigh.
The infiltration was like a cobweb branching out across Afire’s massive network. She’d been tempted to dig even deeper, but in the end, she’d decided to just leave breadcrumbs pointing out the breach to the people who were supposed to be watching for those kinds of things. Maybe that would light a fire underneath them.
She chuckled to herself. “Good one.”
And she’d been good for as long as she could stand. She turned off the fireplace and gathered up her things. Her work was done. Afire’s so-called security “experts” would have to take it from here.




When taking the Myers-Briggs personality test in high school, Kimberly Dean was rated as an INFJ (Introverted-Intuitive-Feeling-Judging). This result sent her into a panic, because there were no career paths recommended for the personality type. Fortunately, it turned out to be well suited to a writing career. Since receiving that dismal outlook, Kimberly has become an award-winning author of romance and erotica. When not writing, she enjoys movies, sports, traveling, music, and sunshine.

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Thursday, March 29, 2018

Book of Watchers by Mary Ting

Title: Book of Watchers 
Series: Watchers #1
Author: Mary Ting
Genre: NA Fantasy
Release Date: March 26, 2018 
Before the Bible, there was Book of Watchers

Enoch wants to live an ordinary life. He’s content to lie low, skip his college classes, and avoid committing to any one girl. But ordinary isn’t on the syllabus for Enoch because at night, he dreams of demons. Vivid dreams that leave him wanting escape more than ever. When they escape his dreams and attack him during daylight, his reality becomes a nightmare. 
As he pieces together the meaning behind the encounters, supernatural creatures emerge. Demons. Vampires. Witches. Angels. And they all want something from him. In a supernatural world he never thought possible, Enoch uncovers a secret that either will destroy him or force him to become much more than he ever wanted. 

My Thoughts:

Wow, this book starts off with a bang and just doesn't let go.  I have to say, this author has a wonderful style that I've grown to completely adore.  This book was unlike all her others but still has the same style to pull you in and force you to turn the pages as fast as you possibly can to find out what happens next.
Enoch is just a normal, messed up guy.  He likes women, but not for too long and has family issues.  Then he finds out that there is a lot more to the world than he ever imagined.  Angels, demons, witches and more.  His friends are still his friends but more.  I loved the different viewpoints.  The first part of the book made me wonder but it just fits.  You will get freaked out, cheer, be excited and every other emotion you can think of while reading this book.
It was a 5/5 for me.  I cannot wait for more! 
Thank you to the author/publisher for the review copy of this book.  I received this book in exchange for an honest review and the opinions stated above are 100% mine. 




International Bestselling/Award Winning Author Mary Ting/M. Clarke resides in Southern California with her husband and two children. She enjoys oil painting and making jewelry. Writing her first novel, Crossroads Saga, happened by chance. It was a way to grieve the death of her beloved grandmother, and inspired by a dream she once had as a young girl. When she started reading new adult novels, she fell in love with the genre. It was the reason she had to write one-Something Great. She also toured with Magic Johnson Foundation to promote literacy and her children's chapter book-No Bullies Allowed.
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Wednesday, March 28, 2018

A Tangled Web by Mike Martin

A Tangled Web (Sgt. Windflower Mystery #6
Book Description:
Life is good for Sgt. Windflower in Grand Bank, Newfoundland. But something’s missing from the Mountie’s life. Actually, a lot of things go missing, including a little girl and supplies from the new factory. It’s Windflower’s job to unravel the tangled web of murder, deceit and an accidental kidnapping that threatens to engulf this sleepy little town and destroy those closest to him. But there’s always good food, good friends and the love of a great woman to make everything better in the end.

My Thoughts:
This is a good story with a lot going on.  I love how competent Windflower is in his investigations.  He may not feel like he is making progress but he pushes forward anyway, determined.  I enjoyed how realistic the story was to the setting as well.  Windflower jumped in with both feet to find a missing child, but that isn't the only thing on his plate.
This is apparently several into a series but I didn't find it difficult to pick up and read in the least.  There is quite a bit going on, stories affecting and overlapping other stories and it all just worked together really well.  Overall, I enjoyed the book and would be happy to read another from this author.
This was a 3/5 for me.  A good, solid story.
Thank you to the author/publisher for the review copy of this book (via PUYB).  I received this book in exchange for an honest review and the opinions stated above are 100% mine.

Tuesday, March 27, 2018

Ivy Vines by Judy Serrano

Ivy Vines VisionsBook Description:
Moving to Sedona was the only way Ivy could think of to start over. She would meet her high school sweetheart and work on making things right between them. Her psychic abilities were gradually becoming a curse and she needed a new start. Little does she know that when she applies for a waitressing job at a local, upscale French bistro, she will come in contact with the dark and mysterious Eli Dubois. What she doesn’t realize is she has just walked into the middle of the Vortex Murders, which involve a great deal of paranormal activity. Elijah’s army of seers are being murdered, one by one, which seems to be magnifying Ivy’s special abilities. 

Eli's best friend, Jake, arrives on the scene and reveals the secret that changes everything. With nowhere to turn, Ivy leans on the two men who offer her solace. And who is the old woman in the shroud? Is she a vision, a dream, or is she real? Only time will tell.

My Thoughts:
This is a good book.  Ivy is running from her past and runs straight into a convoluted future.  There are good men, bad men, and sometimes it is hard to tell the good guys from the bad.  She moves in with a friend she had known in high school but as soon as she reconnects, the problems from her past come back.  Who she thought she was there for, wasn't who she wanted any longer.
Eli is her new boss, but also something more.  She feels drawn to him and he pulls her into a life she had no clue existed.  He also introduces her to his friends, including his best friend Jake.  There is  a lot that goes on in the book that keeps you turning the pages to find out what happens next, and sometimes you still aren't sure!  I know I want to read the next in this series because I want to know what happens to all these characters.
It was a 4/5 for me.  I enjoyed the story.

*contains adult themes and some sensitive subject matter.  I would recommend only for those 18 and older*

Thank you to the author/publisher for the review copy of this book (via PUYB).  I received this book in exchang for an honest review and the opinions stated above are 100% mine.

Friday, March 16, 2018

Beneath the Surface by Lynn H. Blackburn

Beneath the Surface (Dive Team Investigations #1)Book Description:
After a harrowing experience with an obsessed patient, oncology nurse practitioner Leigh Weston needed a change. She thought she'd left her troubles behind when she moved home to Carrington, North Carolina, and took a job in the emergency department of the local hospital. But when someone tampers with her brakes, she fears the past has chased her into the present. She reaches out to her high school friend turned homicide investigator, Ryan Parker, for help.

Ryan finds satisfaction in his career, but his favorite way to use his skills is as a volunteer underwater investigator with the Carrington County Sheriff's Office dive team. When the body of a wealthy businessman is discovered in Lake Porter, the investigation uncovers a possible serial killer--one with a terrifying connection to Leigh Weston and deadly implications for them all.

Dive into the depths of fear with an exciting new voice in romantic suspense. Award-winning author Lynn H. Blackburn grabs readers by the throat and doesn't let go until the final heart-pounding page.

My Thoughts:
I completely loved this book.  Leigh has returned home because though she loved her job, things got a little scary with a patient.  Now home, she is back around her childhood crush, Ryan.  He is a homicide investigator and pretty hot!  I love the way he and his colleagues interact.  While all of them are capable, they do depend on each other.  I also love that Leigh isn't exactly a damsel in distress.
While she is in distress throughout, she handles it well.  The team includes her in everything going on because a big part of it is her safety.  I have to admit I had a theory from the start on who was behind everything and I was wrong!  I was so sure, but am also glad the person I suspected is a good person.  The dive team along with the others they brought in were a great cast of characters.  I want to know more and see what happens next with this team.
It was a 5/5 for me.  This is an author I will absolutely be following from now on!

Thank you to the author/publisher for the review copy of this book.  I received this book in exchange for an honest review and the opinions stated above are 100% mine.

Tuesday, March 13, 2018

Once Upon a Quest

Once Upon a Quest: Fifteen Tales of AdventureBook Description:
Fifteen brand new fairytale twists from the bestselling and award-winning authors who brought you Once Upon A Curse and Once Upon A Kiss! With inspirations ranging from The Ugly Duckling to Snow White, and everything in between (including trips to Camelot and Oz), these fabulous tales are full of adventure, magic, and a touch of romance.

WEST OF THE MOON by Annie Bellet
When her twin brother sacrifices his freedom to save their starving family, Lina embarks on a quest through a magical forest to save him and restore their fortunes.

A BELL IN THE NIGHT by Evelyn Snow
For Stevie Silver, waking the beautiful boy in the glass box is only the beginning, as her mysterious past catches up with her.

MISTRESS BOOTSI by Anthea Sharp
A girl sets out to seek her fortune - and luckily, she has a clever cat for a companion...

WHITE ROSE by Phaedra Weldon
Jack Frost must find his true love and save her from the Snow Queen's icy shards before he loses her - and his chance at humanity - forever.

THE GOBLIN AND THE TREASURE by Alethea Kontis
Out-of-work soldier Kira Kobold is handpicked by the High Wizard Zelwynn to go on a quest. Her companions? A growly ogress, a surly dwarf, a dimwitted troll, and an overly optimistic goblin. This wasn't exactly the quest she was looking for...

THE RUINS OF OZ by Alexia Purdy
The Land of Oz was the last place Thea thought she'd find herself after falling through her mother's enchanted mirror. If the stories she's been told are real, why is the Emerald City in ruins?

A TOUCH OF GOLD by Rachel Morgan
When Tilly helps two strangers escape from danger, she becomes part of their quest to keep a powerful magical ability out of the wrong hands ...

MAGIC AND MACHINERY by Jamie Ferguson
Maude works with machinery, not magic. Can she find a way to escape the magician's grasp and free her beloved brother?

BLOW YOUR HOUSE DOWN by Nikki Jefford
In a brave new world, three wizards journey through wild shifter territories to find somewhere to begin anew.

BANE AND BALM by Jenna Elizabeth Johnson
When the stream providing healing water to Claire's sick aunt dries up, she must venture into the dreaded Dorcha Forest, where she discovers a stranger willing to risk his freedom in order to help her on her quest.

CAT WHITE by Kay McSpadden
He thought he was following the music, but a white cat led him to realize life held more adventure than he'd guessed.

KING ARTHUR AND THE CHALICE OF LIFE by Julia Crane
Camelot may be at peace, but betrayal and death lurk within the mists surrounding it.

FEAR OF FALLING by Shawntelle Madison
Cast from her griffin's nest, Ireti is forced into the cruel world of the ground-walkers below. Before she can fly, Ireti must find the strength to walk, and the key to acceptance lies in an undiscovered place-between two worlds.

THE MERROW'S GOLDEN RING by Sara C. Roethle
Ailios was taught to never believe a promise from one of the Faie, but that doesn't stop her from doing it anyway.

TAKE MY MONSTERS by C. Gockel
In the wilds of the barbarian north, Roman slave Margusa meets a warrior enchanted and enslaved by an Elf Queen. To set him free, Margusa must first confront the monsters within herself...

My Thoughts:
I've read about half of these short stories now and have thoroughly enjoyed each of them!  I got them to review for a couple of authors that I just love to review for but fell in love with the whole collection.  There is a wonderful mix of stories, none of them very long but all of them will catch your attention and you will want more from these authors.
I really hope some of them make these prequels to new books of theirs. The book about the griffin and how the siblings stayed together and helped each other was touching.  I want to know what happened to each sibling now! Does Dorthy's granddaughter go back to Oz again? Some of these are questions I really want to know more about.  It makes me want to buy these author's books just getting a little taste of their writing.
It was a 5/5 for me.  I have loved all the stories I've read and fully intend to finish all of them!

Thank you to the author/publisher for the review copy of this book.  I received this book in exchange for an honest review and the opinions stated above are 100% mine.

Monday, March 12, 2018

Requiem for a Rescue Dog Queen by MK Scott

Requiem for A Rescue Dog Queen (The Talking Dog Detective Agency, #2)Book Description:
Pre-school teacher turned private eye Nala Bonne, and her opinionated dog, Max, have a nose for evil doings in Circle City. They’ve recently gone to the dogs, make that rescue dogs. Not everyone in Indianapolis has a soft spot for a homeless pup. Someone has it out for the dogs and the people who love them. A midnight call jolts Nala and Max into action as they rush to the aid of a local rescue dog queen, but it may already be too late.

My Thoughts:
Ok, this was a fun mystery.  Nala is a PI, but business is slow so she is still subbing as a pre-school teacher.  I liked how she was instantly ready to help when her friend called and said that she was needed.  Fiona, the now missing shelter owner, wasn't liked by many and the police don't see any need to investigate.  
I loved that there were so many dogs in this story.  Max was, of course, my favorite.  He talks!  Who wouldn't love it if their dog could talk!?! I also enjoyed the family interactions and that Nala had them to go to.  Max being trained by Nala's dad gives him skills for Nala's PI business.  The other characters brought in just make the book.  Overall, it was a really enjoyable book!
It was a 4/5 for me.  I want to see more from this author soon!

Thank you to the author/publisher for the copy of this book (via PUYB).  I received this book in exchange for an honest review and the opinions stated above are 100% mine.

Saturday, March 10, 2018

Collision Point by Lora Leigh

Book Description

Thursday, March 8, 2018

Someplace Familiar by Teresa Tysinger

Someplace Familiar FB Banner copy


About the Book

Book Title: Someplace Familiar
Author: Teresa Tysinger
Release date: May, 2017
Artist Livy Johnson needs a fresh start. That’s what a broken heart and forgotten dreams can do to a person. On little more than a whim, she reclaims her grandmother’s old home in quaint Laurel Cove, North Carolina and vows to restore its original charm. When she literally collides with childhood friend, Jack Bowdon, Livy wonders if she’s back for an entirely different reason.
Jack can’t believe his childhood crush is back. As the owner of Bowdon’s Supplies, and once again the town’s most eligible bachelor, he offers to help Livy with repairs. Together they embark on the project – and an undeniable whirlwind romance.

But it’s not all smooth sailing. Can they survive the destructive pain of their pasts and discover God’s grace waiting to renovate their hearts?


My Thoughts:
This was a sweet romance! Livy is needing a fresh start and buying her grandmother's house seems like fate.  I really disliked her ex, he was a jerk.  Jack recognizes Livy when they run into each other but I like that she didn't recognize him.  That made it even better.
Jack is completely sweet and I loved his group of friends.  Actually, I loved the whole town. The group that pitches in and helps just because and not expecting anything.  That is how I grew up and I miss people like that! I felt so bad for Livy and what she had to overcome.  Emotional abuse messes with people on so many levels and the author handled it well and realistically.
It was a 4/5.  Absolutely sweet book. Thank you to the author/publisher for the review copy of this book.  I received this book in exchange for an honest review and the opinions stated above are 100% mine.


About the Author

TeresaTysingerTeresa Tysinger is a wife and mother transplanted from North Carolina to North Texas. When not working as the Director of Communications for a large downtown church, she writes charming southern romances inspired by grace. Her debut novel, Someplace Familiar, released this summer. She also is a contributing writer for the Fort Worth Moms Blog (part of the national City Moms Blog Network). A member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Religious Communicators’ Council, and the Association for Women in Communications, Teresa has spent over a decade committed to telling stories of faith through written word. She loves coffee, caramel, and stories with happy endings.

Guest Post from Teresa Tysinger

Someplace Familiar began way back in 2014 when I participated in National Novel Writer’s Month, a challenge to write a 50,000 word novel during the month of November. It was an exhilarating, albeit exhausting, experience! Since then, the book was workshopped with a critique group, had large portions rewritten countless times, pitched at workshops, edited by two editors, and even renamed (original title was Good Graces). After a lot of prayer, I decided that self-publishing would give me the greatest flexibility and control while being able to maintain my responsibilities as a wife, mother, and full-time communications director. It’s been a wonderful ride!
About the Inspiration for Someplace Familiar One thing I’ve learned about myself through writing Someplace Familiar is how much I am personally drawn to setting and place. The idea for the book was born out of my desire to introduce readers to the charming small-town life found in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina where I went to college. Laurel Cove, the fictional town where the story is set, is directly based on my best friend’s hometown of Burnsville, NC. The other source of inspiration comes from my great-grandmother’s tiny bungalow home in West Palm Beach, Florida. Long weekends and summer vacations spent there were full of imagination, adventure, and sweet memories. The scents of her garden, feel of the damp earth beneath my feet, slow pace matching gauzy curtains dancing in the breeze—it all is mirrored in the cottage home of Livy’s Gram in the book. The rest of the story formed around my desire to capture my childhood memories of this home that was so magical and safe for me.
About My Writing Style Here are a few ways I would describe my writing style: Sensory—I aim to provide readers with an experience that enlivens all of their senses. Relatable—It’s my hope that readers see themselves in realistic, flawed characters trying to make their way to discovering grace in a less than perfect world. Charming—Like any good southern fiction, there’s a good dose of charm in these pages.
My prayer is that Someplace Familiar will touch readers with an awareness of God’s grace even during circumstances and within relationships that feel hopeless. Restoration is possible!

Blog Stops

Just Commonly, March 1
Pursuing Stacie, March 1
Among the Reads, March 2
Bigreadersite, March 2
Quiet quilter, March 3
C Jane Read, March 4
Remembrancy, March 5
Book by Book, March 7
A Greater Yes, March 10
Carpe Diem, March 13
Simple Harvest Reads, March 14 (Guest post from Mindy)

Giveaway

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To celebrate her tour, Teresa is giving away a grand prize of a gift basket that includes a signed copy of the book, an Original Painting by Author’s Sister (artist Cyndi Browning), and a $10 Amazon Gift Card!!
Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries! https://promosimple.com/ps/ca5b