On Tour: Catching the Bad Guy by Marie Astor, an Excerpt and a Tour Giveaway!

Janet Maple and Dennis Walker make a good team: she is a top-notch white collar crime investigator, and so is he. Both Janet and Dennis are thrown in for a loop when Janet’s treacherous snake of an ex-boyfriend, Alex Kingsley, is appointed as their new boss, and the case that was supposed to be the highlight of their careers is dismissed for lack of evidence.

To make matters worse, Alex is asking Janet to get back together, and the one man she wishes would ask her out sees her as nothing more than a coworker. Janet’s love life soon becomes the least of her worries, as she begins to suspect that Alex’s rekindled interest in her is driven by ulterior motives. She is determined to get to the bottom of things, but she can’t do it alone.

Together, Janet and Dennis team up to solve a tangled white collar crime web that leads to powerful politicians and corporate executives. Armed with their keen instincts and skills, Janet and Dennis are bound to succeed. There is just one glitch: both are attracted to each other, and both refuse to admit it. Will Janet and Dennis solve the biggest case of their careers or will their attraction to each other get in the way?

*Catching the Bad Guy is book two of the Janet Maple Series, but it can easily be read on its own.*

An excerpt

Janet brought the pizza into the living room and saw that Dennis was busy tinkering with a gadget in his hands. “It’s the transmitter for the bug,” Dennis explained.

“Is it working?” Janet asked as she placed the food on the reading table.

Dennis adjusted the controls, and distant human voices erupted from the speaker. “It is now. Can you recognize Muller’s voice?”

Janet recognized Muller’s cocky inflection emanating through the receiver. “Yes, that’s him all right!” she exclaimed, straining her ears to make sense of the conversation that was taking place on the other end of the transmitter.

“Now all we have to do is sit back and wait for the evidence to glide right into our hands.” Dennis took a bite of pizza and chewed it with relish.

Janet resisted the urge to smack the man. “It would also help if we could actually make out what they are saying,” she added pointedly.

“Let them settle in first. They are just shooting the breeze for now.” Dennis took a swallow of his beer. He handed Janet her beer. “Here, let’s toast to success.”

“I don’t want to jinx it.” Janet took the beer bottle from Dennis’s hand and placed it on the table. “And I don’t drink on the job,” she added because that was all it was—a job. Even though it was Saturday night, and a handsome man was sprawled out on her couch, drinking beer, he was nothing more than a colleague. A colleague who also happened to kiss her earlier but, as Dennis had made clear, that too had been part of the job, and Janet had no intention of disappointing him.

“Fine, be boring.” Dennis shrugged, reaching for the beer. “I on the other hand think that there’s nothing wrong with combining business with a little bit of pleasure.” 

Maybe it was the tone of Dennis’s voice, or maybe it was the way his lithe, muscular body lay stretched out on Janet’s couch only a few inches away from her, but she felt her face growing hot. Actually, she sensed her entire body temperature rising. This will not do, Janet thought, this will not do at all. There she was, on the brink of closing what could easily turn out to be the biggest case of her career, and all she could think about was the tantalizing scent of Dennis’s cologne and the sexy, although admittedly smug, smile on his face. She forced herself not to think about the glint in his blue eyes, the faint stubble on his cheeks, and the hollow of his throat that, along with a bit of clavicle bone, was peeking through the open collar of his shirt.

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About the author

Marie Astor is a die-hard romantic, which is why she loves writing in the contemporary romance genre. She is the author of Janet Maple romantic suspense series: To Catch a Bad Guy and Catching the Bad Guy, contemporary romance novels This Tangled Thing Called Love, Lucky Charm, Smitten at First Sight, and a short story collection, A Dress in a Window. Marie is also the author of young adult fantasy adventure novel, Over the Mountain and Back. Marie’s next novel, book three of the Janet Maple Series, is expected to be released in late fall of 2013.

In her spare time, Marie enjoys being adventurous out-of-doors. She often gets new story ideas while she is hiking up a mountain or trying to avoid bumping into a tree while skiing.

Marie loves hearing from her readers and always answers all of her email personally. Please visit www.marieastor.com to join Marie’s mailing list for updates on contests and new book releases or drop her a line at marie.astor@yahoo.com.

Connect with Marie

Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter

Buy the book

Kindle | iTunes | Kobo

  

And now for the tour giveaway! 

This is what is up for grabs! 

Be sure to go to the tour page to enter! 

**Everyone who leaves a comment on the tour page (click here) will be entered in the giveaway! Anyone who purchases their copy of Catching the Bad Guy before June 10 and sends their receipt to Samantha (at) ChickLitPlus (dot) com, will receive 5 bonus entries! 

Want to receive more bonus entries? Get 1 point for liking Marie's Facebook page, and one point for becoming Marie's fan on GoodReads! Please leave your points in your comment section on the tour page (click here)  Five individual winners will receive a piece of jewelry shown above, and one bonus winner will receive a $20 Amazon gift card! Please note this is open to US residents only.**

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Book Spotlight and a Giveaway! Temptation by Douglas Kennedy

Temptation

I always wanted to be rich. I know that probably sounds crass, but it’s the truth. A true confession. 

Like all would-be Hollywood screenwriters, David Armitage wants to be rich and famous. But for the past eleven years, he’s tasted nothing but failure. Then, out of nowhere, big-time luck comes his way when one of his scripts is bought for television. Before you can say “overnight success,” he’s the new toast of Hollywood as the creator of a hit series. 

Suddenly a major player, he finds that he’s reinventing himself at a great speed, especially when it comes to walking out on his wife and daughter for a young producer who worships only at the altar of ambition. But David’s upward mobility takes a decidedly strange turn when a billionaire film buff named Philip Fleck barges into his life, proposing a very curious collaboration. David takes the bait and suddenly finds himself inadvertently entering into a Faustian pact and an express ride to the lower depths of the Hollywood jungle. ~~ synopsis from Goodreads

About the author

Douglas Kennedy was born in Manhattan in 1955. He studied at Bowdoin College, Maine and Trinity College, Dublin, returning to Dublin in 1977 with just a trenchcoat, backpack and $300. He co-founded a theatre company and sold his first play, Shakespeare on Five Dollars a Day, to Radio 4 in 1980. In 1988 he moved to London and published a travel book, Beyond the Pyramids. His debut novel The Dead Heart was published in 1994.

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On Tour: Kate Bishop, Author of Breathe Talks About Her Voices

Kate Bishop is the collective spirit of three friends with a shared passion for writing, yoga and a good, old-fashioned (or New Age) love story. Breathe was inspired by their experiences both on and off the mat and was born of a genuine desire to throw some love, light and laughter into the mix.

I have heard other authors say that they 'hear voices in their head' and that is how they write their books: the characters are telling their stories. Not being a writer myself, that concept has always intrigued me. 


When some people hear voices, we get them medical attention, others end up becoming writers. Does this happen to you? How do you come up with your stories?

Great question.  I think we all, at some point in our lives, have heard voices in our heads. The compulsion to write Breathe arose when we started talking back to those voices. Our husbands have often joked (or maybe they were serious) that they planned to team-up and write the book, "Why Being Married to Someone Writing a Book Will Destroy Any Marriage." Our characters became so present that we often fell asleep and woke interacting with them, ignoring whoever happened to be beside us. 

Since life continued at the same frenetic pace while we were writing, we began to look to our characters for guidance. When obstacles surfaced at work, in yoga classes, with friends and family, or at a dinner party, we found ourselves wondering what Alex would do or say? Or Nancy? Or Galen? Not to mention, waking in a post-writing blur at five AM for work became normal for us. So yes, we'd often spend the drive to work or school talking out loud to Andy.  He’s a great listener.

About the authors

Kristin Tone graduated from Bowdoin College with a B.A. in Psychology and received an M.A. in Education from Lesley University. A yoga teacher and an educator, she currently teaches at  PS1 Pluralistic School in Santa Monica, CA.

Talie Kattwinkel earned a degree in Women’s Studies and Creative Writing from the University of Arizona. She currently specializes in bodywork and healing.

Bridget Evans attended the University of Maryland where she studied education. She taught in the Marin County school system for ten years and co-created OUTWORD, an outdoor writing program for children. She is also a yoga teacher. All three women are mothers to small children.

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Connect with Kate 

Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter | Publisher

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On Tour: Breathe by Kate Bishop

Alex thought she had married the man of her dreams: successful, gorgeous, and delighted by her small-town charm. When he walks out six months later, proclaiming to have 'found himself' (with the help of a stunning yoga teacher), she 'finds herself' alone in an unfamiliar city, vengefully drinking through his prized wine collection, living on takeout, and refusing to answer the door. When this fails to cure her broken heart and bruised ego, she reluctantly allows her new friends to intervene. Slowly, Alex learns to define success on her own terms; she discovers the secret to love in all its forms, and the perfect flying crow pose, one breath at a time. ~~ synopsis from Goodreads

My thoughts about Breathe ~~

Let me just say that I thoroughly enjoyed Breathe. I do not begin to understand yoga, have never tried it, can't even begin to imagine my body in some of those positions. But this story about Alex and how yoga fit into her life and her thinking grabbed me and kept me enthralled.

Breathe has some great characters that I loved getting to know. Alex has a wonderful group of people in her life, some old friends, some new friends, who help her get through the rough times. And they are there for her as she is 'trying to figure it all out'.

I was unaware of the fact that three friends wrote this story together. I cannot even imagine how that is possible. The story is very seamless and flow as a great story should. And actually, I felt very relaxed as I read this book. Hmmm, maybe I did learn a little bit about meditation and yoga after all. 

Visit other stops on the tour 

About the authors 

Kate Bishop is the collective spirit of three friends with a shared passion for writing, yoga and a good, old-fashioned (or New Age) love story. Breathe was inspired by their experiences both on and off the mat and was born of a genuine desire to throw some love, light and laughter into the mix.

Kristin Tone graduated from Bowdoin College with a B.A. in Psychology and received an M.A. in Education from Lesley University. A yoga teacher and an educator, she currently teaches at  PS1 Pluralistic School in Santa Monica, CA.

Talie Kattwinkel earned a degree in Women’s Studies and Creative Writing from the University of Arizona. She currently specializes in bodywork and healing. 

Bridget Evans attended the University of Maryland where she studied education. She taught in the Marin County school system for ten years and co-created OUTWORD, an outdoor writing program for children. She is also a yoga teacher. All three women are mothers to small children.

Connect with Kate 

Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter | Publisher

Be sure to check the sidebar for my current giveaways!

ABQ or Bust!

As you are reading this, I am on a road trip to Albuquerque (from now on it will be referred to as ABQ ~ it's just too hard to spell), New Mexico! I and three of my good friends are driving to ABQ ~ 18 hours, one way ~ in an RV!! 

How does that sound? Fun?? Crazy??? 

A very dear friend of mine has gone through two bouts of cancer. She and one of her co-workers have a very, very dear friend (their former co-worker) who now lives in ABQ. The four of us are traveling there so that she (and all of us, for that matter) can spend some time with this lovely lady. 

I have never met Keenie but everyone who has just absolutely loves her. She is some kind of special lady, from what I hear. I am excited to meet her. 

An interesting observation ~ when we women talk about this trip with other females, they are excited for us and just a tad jealous. But when we talk to men, they think we are nuts. Personally, I think being nuts is what is going to make this trip so much fun!! 

So anyway, posts will be sporadic for the next week or so as I am not sure what my internet access will be like. I do have some post scheduled to go up so The Book Bag will not be completely dark. 

So tell me, have you been to ABQ? Or maybe you're from that area? What should I expect? I have never been to any place like ABQ, so I am not really sure what to expect. I guess I am just along for the ride. 

But, oh, what a fun ride it's going to be! 

Be sure to check out the sidebar for my current giveaways. Those are still going on even though I will be 'on the road again!'