Giveaway Contest, Book Promo and Excerpt post for Hot Springs

Giveaway, Book Promo and Excerpt post for Hot Springs

       Sponsored by Enchanted Book Promotions

Welcome to Books, Books, and More Books.  I am pleased to share this book with you.  Thank you for visiting and please come again.

Blurb : 

The Wonderful Adventures of Godfrey and Chucky

Godfrey is young, wealthy and able-bodied. He has all the women you can imagine, and unbelievably deep pockets. But Godfrey wants more. His Great Greatness wants to rid the world of a menacing scourge, and restore what is truly superior to an elevated position. Why would anyone stop him? Who could possibly stop him?

Chucky arrives as the new assistant, and tries to perform every duty that is handed to him. What challenges for a dull servant! Look at him muddling through! With passports of exclusive privilege, the two adventurers make a splash in tropical Langkawi, where the water is blue and the girls are brown. Then they rendezvous with the locals in Singapore, where pleasures are plentiful and multicolored. Food and money are found in piles. 

Life in a global city should be, possibly, one of uninterrupted leisure…shouldn’t it?

Desire is a seductively red piece of jade, which resides even in our dreams.

"I am a healthy, strong and sexy male with a life, most of it sex life." - Godfrey Mann

"I did not know how to reply, since the words were difficult to speak." - Chucky

About the Author:

I committed myself to writing playful and profound books for discerning readers of good taste. I hope to give to my readers delightful characters in moving scenes that will help all of us to appreciate life better.

I have lived in parts of Asia, USA and Europe, so I hope to combine these diverse experiences to craft some great literature.

Contacts:

Goodreads

Author Website

Buy from Kobo

Other Tour sites:

April 16: Starter Day Party @ I Heart Reading

April 18^th: Book Excerpt @ The Book Daily

April 19: Book Excerpt @ I Heart Reading

April 21^st: Author Interview @ Cassidy Crimson’s Blog

April 23^rd: Book Excerpt @ 365 Days of WordPress

April 24^th: Book Excerpt @ Bookaholic Ramblings

April 25^th:  Author Interview @ The Single Librarian

April 26^th: Book Excerpt @ Forever Book Lover

April 27: Book Excerpt @ Books, Books and More Books

April 29^th: Author Interview @ Majanka’s Blog

April 30^th: Book Excerpt @ I’m an Eclectic Reader

Giveaway:

If you can give an answer to one of the three questions below, you’ll be entered into a raffle for one of five eBook copies of Hot Spring. Please mail your replies to ddaiichi@gmail.com and put ‘Enchanted Book Promotions’ in your subject line.

If you can’t find your answer in the excerpt here, check out the other excerpts featured during the tour for an answer.

Godfrey and Chucky giveaway quiz
1. Chucky is Godfrey’s

• a. Golf buddy
• b. Temporary servant
• c. Love interest
• d. Page boy

2. What is Godfrey’s other name?

• a. Godly
• b. Goodness
• c. Gawd
• d. Godzilla

3. Where do Godfrey and Chucky stay in Singapore?

• a. A Bed and Breakfast Inn called Geylang Eggs
• b. A modern business hotel called Quickie Profits
• c. A colonial style luxury hotel called the Raffles Hotel
• d. A Chinese-themed luxury hotel called the Red Jade Palace Hotel

2) The author would prefer different excerpts on each on the tour stops, so if it's possible, would you please put up this excerpt instead of the old one? I'm very sorry for the sudden change. *sigh*

Excerpt:

Godfrey and Chucky discover a great way to fly.

Just like Master Gawd’s fast car, this big bird-like thing has seatbelts. We watched a TV program where the Singapore Airlines girls, called SIA girls, showed us how to evacuate in the event of an emergency. I looked around and noticed that very few people were paying attention to the TV program, and my master himself was alternating his gaze between the dinner menu and the SIA girls that walked down the aisle. From the behavior of my fellow passengers, I could only conclude that air emergencies did not happen very frequently, so I felt reassured. They sound quite scary, these emergencies.

My master proclaimed, “They should have given us bigger seats, don’t you think. There’s just barely enough space for me to stretch my legs. What if one of those hot girls comes to sit on my lap?” He slouched forward and wiggled his feet.

“They seem to be busy standing up and walking about to get us things, master,” I replied, trying to defend the air servants.

“We might even have been short-changed, Chucky. Look at this picture,” said master, pointing to the Krisflyer magazine. “They got these first-class seats where you can like, lie down and roll about. That’s the way it should be, don’t you think?”

“Yes, master. I guess they only have it for the bigger planes.”

“They gave us a small plane, Chucky. This sucks.”

I was feeling a little upset because my master was not too satisfied with our business class seats. It is very important that servants work hard for the sake of higher authorities. I was actually quite happy that we could get tickets just like that with our credit card, but I did not dare to mention it to my master in case he would get angry. Usually when I book the train in the Eastern Heaven, I have to make reservations beforehand.

Now, I was expecting this to be an unpleasant flight for my master, but it turned out that things went the other way. The SIA ladies started to walk down the aisle and gave us these strange-looking black things wrapped in a see-through bag. There was one lady on Master’s aisle, wearing the interesting dress with the shape of the female body and hair rolled up into a bun with a neat, shiny side-parting. There was one lady on my aisle too, wearing the same interesting dress with the shape of the female body and hair rolled up into a bun with a neat, shiny side-parting. Both had a mild smile on their faces and were walking down the aisles at about the same speed. When the lady walking down Master Gawd’s aisle met Master Gawd, her smile widened and she started talking a lot in a loud voice. Master Gawd greeted her and introduced himself as ‘Great Godfrey’, and she chuckled and introduced herself as ‘Mindy Wong’. Master mentioned that it was his ‘first time on your wonderful airline’ and she proceeded to explain to Master that she was giving him headsets for entertainment and that her beautiful dress was called the Sarong Kebaya. Her English pronunciation was not the most clear and I think I might have heard ‘headsex’ but I probably was mistaken. From my master’s reaction and smiling face, the lady must have been quite beautiful and pleasing to his taste.

When the lady walking down my aisle met me, her already-thin smile almost vanished. She took out a yellow piece of headset and passed it to me in silence before moving on really quickly. The yellow headset felt a little tight as I spread it around my ears. I was fumbling about with the controls while Master Gawd was already fully plugged in and flipping through the channels. Then the most mysterious thing happened: the same SIA girl whom I saw just a short while ago comes down the aisle once again. This time she looked at me, with the same face as before, and spoke: “I’m sorry sir, my colleague just now gave you the wrong headset, which is for children. Here is the correct one.” She passed me a black headset just like the one everybody else had.

I am blinking my eyes looking at this same SIA girl who I saw moments ago. I think the take-off is making me imagine things, don’t you think?

“Is there anything else I can get you, sir?”

“Sorry…I mean no. Well, I don’t know, it’s my first time. Never mind.” I stammered.

The colleague who looked the same as the same-looking colleague I met before, walked off briskly, leaving me to my confusion. Perhaps this is what the ancient sages call ‘mystery of mysteries’.

When I was going to the washroom, the curtain happened to be drawn and down the aisle I noticed a whole new area to the aircraft with many people inside. The seats looked smaller than ours, and every seat had someone in it. They were being served by a male steward, and when I asked him what this area was, he stared at me with a confused look, and replied “This is economy class, sir.” I felt somewhat relieved that I was not the only confused man on the aircraft. This economy class seems to be quite popular though.

Our dinner was served to us in small boxes. Master Gawd exchanged many words and glances with Mindy. I was not used to the descent to Changi Airport, so I threw up into the throw-up bag. I felt a bit embarrassed, but Master Gawd did not seem to mind.

This product or book may have been distributed for review; this in no way affects my opinions or reviews.

Book Review of The Royal Flush

Book Review of The Royal Flush

Sponsored by Innovative Book Tours

Welcome to Books, Books, and More Books.  I am pleased to share my review of this book with you.  Thank you for visiting and please come again.

Blurb : 

The Royal Flush is the third novel in the edgy, action-packed, sexually-charged, Knights of the Darkness Chronicles. In the third installment of this tale, the hunt is on! The coven, Pack and Pride must join forces to stop a group of big game hunters by any means necessary! Hold on to your seat as the Knights take you on yet another wild ride that will not let you go until the last word is read and the book is closed!

Original, sexy and gritty, the Knights of the Darkness Chronicles will suck you in and
take you for a ride you won't forget!

About the Author:

D. N. Simmons lives in Chicago IL., with a rambunctious German Shepherd that's too big for his own good and mischievous kitten that she affectionately calls "Itty-bitty". Her hobbies include rollerblading, billiards, bowling, reading, watching television and going to the movies.

She has been nominated at Love Romances and More, winning honorable mention for best paranormal book of 2006. She has won "Author of the Month" at Warrior of Words. She was voted "New Voice of Today" at Romance Reviews and "Rising Star" at Love Romance and More.

To learn more, and have the opportunity to speak with the author personally, please visit the official website and forum at www.dnsimmons.com . D.N. is always interesting in meeting new and wonderful people.

Contacts:

Website: http://www.dnsimmons.com

Youtube - http://www.youtube.com/user/dnsimmonsKOTD?feature=watch

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/DNSimmonsKOTD

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000552496587&ref=tn_tnmn

Blog: http://authordnsimmons.blogspot.com/?zx=824e0b32bd268e30

BUY NOW LINK:

Amazon

Barnes & Nobles 

All Romance E-books

Other:

Excerpt:

The Royal Flush

Chapter One

Walter Bailey, the owner of the Esquire Hotel chain, entered the brightly lit den and began eyeing the other occupants. Standing six feet tall, with thinning salt and pepper hair, thick mustache and eyeglasses, he looked as powerful and self-assured as any man could. He tossed an unopened pack of playing cards on a round green-felted table.

“All right everyone, what game have we chosen to play this time?” he asked. His brown eyes panned over the faces of his eleven comrades who were standing around the table. The other occupants, nine men and two women began darting glances at each other. Finally their gazes settled on the pack of cards.

“I say we play gin-deuces wild,” suggested Miriam Foster, the twenty-nine-year old president of Synblood Corporation; also a graduate from one of the country’s most prestigious colleges in only three years, which was most impressive. Even more so was the fact that in less than eight years she had risen to become one of the most powerful and famous female entrepreneurs in the country and the first woman to grace the cover of Parkers’ Business Magazine.

“Nonsense! Gin just isn’t appropriate. I’d say we settle this like gentlemen…” Richard Parker began. He paused, glancing at the two females and smiling slightly, he added. “... And ladies.” He settled into the chair in front of his gold name plate. “We’ll play poker this time around.”

As if on cue the others sat in their designated chairs, following Richard.

“What about the teams?” Walter Bailey asked.

Richard smiled. “We have two new members joining us for this hunt. So I suggest we separate into four teams of three. The team captains should decide who will be on each team.

 “Make no mistake, this will be an elimination round of poker. The winner of this game will have first choice for their hunt. Then the next team who wins the following game will choose out of the remaining prey and so on. Agreed?” He waited for a response from the others. The room was quiet as everyone considered the arrangement.

“Agreed,” they responded.

“Excellent, then it’s settled,” Richard said as he opened the box of cards, shuffling them evenly.

The seating arrangement was in representation of each person’s financial prestige. Richard Parker, the wealthiest man at the table and owner of the largest cigarette company in the world, Old Ports, sat in the upper center. In clockwise formation; to his immediate left was the second wealthiest person at the table, Miriam Foster, and so on, ending the circle with Andrew Houston, the vice president of Caster Financial Bank. The four longest standing members--Richard, Jesse, Amanda and Peter--were also the team captains who would decide which members would join their teams on the hunt. Richard dealt the cards and the game began.

The game was intense. Team captains Jesse Harthorn of Harthorn Advertising Agency and Amanda Patrick of Amanda’s Fashions folded in the first game which left the remaining team captains, Richard Parker and Peter Johnston in a head-to-head standoff. Peter was the owner of the KOTD Radio station, one of the top rated radio stations in the country. The station was well known for playing popular hits, both new and old. The members on Richard’s and Peter’s teams each hoped that their representing captains would win the game, thus gaining them the most coveted prey.

“Give it up, Peter, the vampire is mine,” Richard declared as he stared intensely at Peter in hopes that the other man would fold under the pressure.

“Enough talking. Lay down your cards... that is, if you’re not bluffing,” Peter challenged, a smirk spreading across his face as he glanced at his own set of cards.

“Not before you,” Richard’s round, blue eyes narrowed slightly as he stared at Peter. He toyed with his lucky half-dollar coin in his other hand, twirling the coin between each finger.

“Why? Are you feeling defeated already?” Peter teased.

Richard smiled slyly, shaking his head. “No, of course not, I just hate to see you torture yourself. You have no chance of winning this game.”

“If you say so,” Peter retorted. “But I think that you may be too confident, Dick.” He placed his cards on the table making sure to spread them out, face up so that everyone could see. He smiled triumphantly at Richard. “A Straight Flush. Don’t worry, the other prey should provide you and yours with plenty of fun.” He chuckled as his hand snaked out to retrieve the slip of paper with the species of their prey written on it.

“Not so fast, my friend,” Richard protested, smiling wickedly at Peter as he exposed his cards, laying them on the table. “A Royal Flush.”

Peter’s triumphant expression faded as he looked up to see his opponent laughing.

Richard snatched the slip of paper from between Peter’s fingers.

“My team shall hunt the vampire,” he announced, rising from the table.

“Bastard,” Peter whispered softly, but Richard overheard him which caused him to laugh even more boisterously.

Richard approached Peter from behind, clamping his hand on the man’s shoulder.

“Well, you know what they say, Peter. ‘Sometimes you win some, and sometimes you don’t.’”

Peter snorted. “I think the saying goes: ‘Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose’.”

Richard laughed. “You’d know, wouldn’t you. I’m sure you hear it a lot more than I do.”

“I could do without your belittling sarcasm, Dick,” Peter retorted.

“Now, now… none of that. Don’t be a sore loser, Peter. It doesn’t become you.” Richard looked at the others. “Please continue.”

With that, he left the room.

Amanda brushed her long blond bangs from her green eyes as she began dealing the second hand. The games continued until each team had chosen their prey. After winning the second game, Peter’s team chose the wolf. Amanda’s team chose the leopard and Jesse’s team would hunt and kill the tiger. Richard re-entered the room, eyes scanning over the others who were now casually chatting amongst themselves.

“I take it; every team has its mark?” Richard asked, bringing attention to himself.

“All we need are the weapons,” Peter said, he looked towards one of the men sitting on the opposite side of the table.

Richard nodded.

“George, how are the negotiations going with the contact? How much longer are we going to have to wait until we get our merchandise?” he asked. He was growing increasingly annoyed by the run-around they had been getting.

George sighed. “Well, it’s not as if we don’t have enough weapons to work with if we don’t get this ship-”

“That’s not what I asked you. I’m not concerned with the weapons we have. What I want to know is where are the weapons we’ve paid for?” Richard waited for his answer.

They had agreed to let George Masterson handle the arrangement for the weapons. Standing at six feet, with an athletic build. George was the third youngest in the group at thirty-five years old. He was also the manufacturer and distributor of KRS-19, UV-LG7 and SLN-22 weaponry exclusively designed for the renown S.U.I.T. organization.

However, the transaction was taking longer than expected, since they were having to work with a third party to cover their tracks. Unfortunately, it was their first time dealing with these new people and they were all growing impatient with how the arrangement was being handled. Especially Richard, he was a man that was very much used to getting exactly what he wanted, when he wanted it.

“I’m just making sure none of this can connect us,” George said in his defense.

“I want Brian to procure the weapons,” Richard demanded.

George’s brow furrowed in anger. “You don’t trust me to get the job done?”

“How can a cobra trust a rattlesnake?” Richard said with a smug smirk. “Have Brian report directly to me once he makes contact with your man. This is not a suggestion.”

“As you wish, but we should be receiving the shipment within the next three days, maybe sooner,” George said.

Richard huffed.

“Let’s hope that it will be sooner. We’ve already waited long enough as it is,” he complained.

“One more thing,” Governor Andrew Wallace began.

“And what's that?” Richard asked, eyebrows cocked.

“We need to make sure that none of this, and I mean none of this falls back on me. I can't risk being exposed.”

“You're not taking any more of a risk than the rest of us, Andrew. Why do you think I've gone through such annoyingly great lengths to make sure we have as much distance from us from our targets?” Richard waited for his response.

“I know, but it was some of my intel that got us our targets, I don't want to be linked to any of this,” Andrew said.

Richard huffed. “Were you exposed in Washington? Were you exposed in Colorado? How about in Miami?”

Andrew shook his head.

“No? So why the sudden paranoia now?” Richard asked, folding his arms across his chest.

“It's closer to home for me and I just want us to be careful, that's all,” Andrew said.

“Oh for crying out loud, if you don't have the balls to go through with this, Andrew, get out now. Otherwise, shut the hell up about it. Either you trust me or you don't. Which is it?” Richard glared at the man.

Andrew sighed. “I trust you.”

“Anybody else having reservations?” Richard asked the others.

They all shook their heads or remained silent.

“Good. Now if you would excuse me.” Richard turned and exited the room.

Review

OMG.  I loved book 1, but book 2 was just as good or even better.  I loved the growing relationship between Natasha and Darian and Xavier.  So sexy.  The hunt (see excerpt) was a thrilling addition.

I give this book 4.5 out of 5 clouds.

This product or book may have been distributed for review; this in no way affects my opinions or reviews.

Giveaway and Book Review of A Note of Scandal

Giveaway and Book Review of  
       A Note of Scandal

             Sponsored by Enchanted Book Tours

Welcome to Books, Books, and More Books.  I am pleased to share my review of this book with you.  Thank you for visiting and please come again.

Blurb : 

What’s the harm in a little white lie?

Especially when it could carry so much good: a new life for a wounded soldier, catharsis after long years of war—and an opportunity for lady composer Olivia Delancey to finally hear her music played in public.

Newspaper publisher Will Marsh refuses to compound the sins of his father’s generation by taking money to print propaganda. But with the end of the wars in France and America, he needs something new to drive Londoners to grab his paper first. Why not publish the score of the “Tune That Took Waterloo,” by a wounded vet, no less?

As Olivia struggles to keep her secrets from this unsuitably alluring publisher, and Will fights to find the truth without losing his hold on this bright-eyed angel who has descended into his life, both discover another sort of truth.

Being the talk of London can be bad—or very, very good.

Interesting elements:

The newspaper-publishing setting is very rare in regencies but fascinating to the author, a former newspaperwoman.

Music plays a big role: Olivia plays pianoforte and Spanish-style guitar; there are three very different concerts in the story.

Water also is big: the hero falls in the sound and nearly drowns; the heroine surprises the hero during a steamy bath.

Olivia lies to help a wounded veteran and he is a strong secondary character. Services and conditions for war veterans were poor at this time.

About the Author:

Nicky Penttila writes stories with adventure and love, and often with ideas and history as well. Her favorite settings are faraway cities and countries, because then she *must* travel there, you know, for research. She lives in Maryland with her reading-mad husband and amazing rescue cat. She’s chattiest on Twitter, @sunshinyday, and can also be found at nickypenttila.com and on Facebook.

Contacts:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/sunshinyday

Website: http://www.nickypenttila.com/

Facebook Page: Nicky Penttila, author: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Nicky-Penttila-Author/264840016929109

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5857925.Nicky_Penttila

Pinterest (sometimes): http://pinterest.com/nickypenttila/

Present but rarely on: Google+, FriendFeed, new.myspace.com, shelfari, Kindleboards

Member of: Washington Romance Writers (Romance Writers of America), The Beau Monde (RWA), Historical Novel Society, National Association of Science Writers 

BUY NOW LINK:

·         Amazon

·         B&N 

   
Other:

Giveaway link

Excerpt:

Olivia’s face mirrored her surprise. She had lost track of him for only a moment, and yet he had snuck all the way up on her. Had he caught her surreptitiously watching him?

“The music does not inspire you?” He gestured at Rosa, but his gaze remained on her.

“It does,” she said, trying to pull on her familiar careless-girl mask. “I must ask after her tailor.”

“That sentiment isn’t worthy of you.” He whispered, but he could have spoken aloud, as little attention as anyone was paying them in the midst of Rosa’s aggressive arpeggios.

“Jealous?”

Her mask faltered. “I did not mean it so.”

“Then how?” He slipped to her other side, effectively cutting her off from Mr. Mellon, who did not seem to notice. Too close. She took a step to the side, turning to face her interlocutor.

“She is part of our family now.” Her voice sounded breathy, unsure.

“I heard you arranged this performance.” He stepped closer. “That shows a spirit of generosity, despite your words.”

“She deserves the opportunity. And it is right to salute Spain.”

“Our esteemed ally.” He nodded, leaning in. “But perhaps it is difficult, to see a woman who is allowed the freedom to perform, to create? Who can let her hair down in mixed company?”

He looked away from her a moment, gazing at Rosa. Olivia did not dare look away from him. She let out the breath she didn’t realize she had been holding. Her mind was addled; she was reacting too strongly to this man, to his words. To his smell, deep and rich. Sandlewood, but hints of the flesh within.

The corner of his mouth turned up. He teased her? The thought cast out her breath again. Her ears had a buzzing in them, unrelated to the passionate rhythm of the guitar.

He could read her. He saw far too much. She reached out to touch him, no, to push him away. He turned at her movement, stepping into the path of her hand.

A thrill of power coursed through her arm. It filled her center with energy of an unfamiliar sort. Unable to stop herself, she jumped. Then quickly looked around to see if anyone saw.

She could never make a scene. Not here in public. She took another step back, pulling her hands tightly behind her, as if they were tied.

Step by step, they sidled to the side of the great room. Toward the shadows.

“Are you disappointed your fiancé found someone else?”

“It isn’t that.” She was not quite sure she could call up a vision of Richard at the moment. Her awareness was centered on the man in front of her.

They passed the seven-foot-high sterling candelabra and into the shadows, far from the crowd. Olivia would not have believed she could feel so alone in the midst of a gala. Alone, but for one other.

Review

Funny, sad, eye-opening, all these apply to this novel.  I have always heard about how bad hospitals were especially for soldiers during the early American wars, but I never really thought about how veterans from other wars faired.  I realize that this is not the central theme of the book, but this glimpse into history is only one aspect of this novel and shows how well the author knows her subject.

I laughed at how the heroine fought against the constraints on women, especially women in the peerage, because I often think that would have been me.  The story also reduced me to tears at times.

The characters were well rounded and “real” in this story, so that I almost felt as though I was watching a younger cousin or relative live through the story.  The rich landscape of the fall of Napoleon, the end of the war, and its impact on the characters was fascinating.

I give this story 4.5 out of 5 clouds.

This product or book may have been distributed for review; this in no way affects my opinions or reviews.