Be sure to sign up for The Romance Reviews Sizzling Summer Reads going on all June. It’s free to sign up and play to win free books. I do pretty good with this contest and have enjoyed books by new-to-me authors.
Have fun!
Un-Neigh-Borly Behavior – Blurb and Excerpt
My newest release Un-Neigh-Borly Behavior is available as an ebook for $2.99. If you like murder mysteries, women sleuths, horses, and Standardbred horseracing check it out at Amazon!
Blurb:
Racing Standardbred horses is usually all the excitement DeeDee Logan needs in her life, until suddenly she’s dealing with an amorous polo player, jealous twin sisters, a lovelorn horse groom, and a racetrack derelict intent on medicating her horse.
Trying to get away from the recent craziness in her life, DeeDee saddles up her horse for a relaxing ride through the woods, but murder gallops after her when the horse leads her to the polo player, Miguel, dead on the trail.
When fingers start pointing to DeeDee as a suspect, she and her husband Grant discover some of those accusers had motives for eliminating Miguel. To avoid becoming next on the hit list, Grant and DeeDee must use good old horse sense to find out what happened to Miguel and race to stop a killer.
Excerpt:
I guided my Appaloosa horse, Jupiter, into the trailhead and moments later we were swallowed up by the brush. Well, I could see the twin’s farm through the trees but I believe I was pretty much concealed from their peering eyes. That is if any of them were actually awake over there other than their barn boy, Harvey. Jupiter walked out quickly, his ears perked ahead. I was just ready to squeeze my legs into his sides and let him run when he came to a dead stop, causing me to temporarily lose my balance and my chest smacked into his upraised neck. He snorted.
“Hey, boy. What’s up?” I murmured, suddenly all too aware that I was a woman riding alone in the forest early in the morning and that Grant had no idea where I was. What if there’s an evil person waiting to attack me? I briefly thought about those courses I’d seen advertised in horse magazines offering riders instruction on how to protect themselves from danger. As luck would have it those courses were all offered in New York and California. None of them local or I would have considered attending. I contemplated ending my ride and turning Jupiter back home when he took a couple of cautious steps, halted, and snorted. I tensed up, hating myself for doing so, knowing full well that my smart horse would pick up on my nervous energy. He warily took a few more steps and I was fully alert looking all around me and ahead down the trail for any danger. I perked my ears as best I could, but not as good as Jupiter who held his head high and slightly to the right, rigid ears pointing ahead. I couldn’t hear a thing other than birds whistling in the distance and a light wind rustling the branches. I prepared myself in case Jupiter made an abrupt about face and ran back to the farm. I was thinking that heading home might not be a bad idea. Jupiter plodded a few more steps and then sidestepped to the right. He held his head high, staring to the left with his eyes bulged out. He snorted and stopped. What was he looking at? As hard as I strained my eyes, I couldn’t see. Though I did notice how the grass and plant life were pushed down as if someone had walked this way or pulled something into the woods. Has somebody dragged garbage out here again? I hate it when that happens. You name it, I’ve seen it. Old fridges, car parts, kitchen sinks, and household crap. That’s what had my silly old horse acting weird. Some jerk had dumped their shit out here. I relaxed and urged Jupiter ahead so I could see what was hidden amongst the plants. Depending on what I found Grant and I could return later to remove it or contact the city to pick up the rubbish if it was too big or bothersome for us to handle. At first I didn’t see anything, but then I saw what looked to be clothes. Blue jeans caught my eye, and then a black jacket and boots.
And the man they belonged to still wearing them.
Winning Books
During the recent Romance Reviews 2nd Anniversary Party I was both a book donator and a player. I donated a copy of my ebook Horseman Spell and I won 4 ebooks. The players don’t choose which book they’d like to win. There are over 100 books available each week and books and winners are randomly drawn and matched up. The one thing they’ll have in common is that they’re all romance, which some people not familiar with the genre don’t realize there are many categories of romance books. Some are contemporary man/woman romances. Others are man/man. Maybe a threesome. There are romances that feature vampires, werewolves, shapeshifters and other creatures. There are historical romances, futuristic romances, and many other subgenres.
There are some websites I visit that have contests to win a specific book. If it doesn’t look like the type of book that I’d normally read I don’t enter the contest. I’d rather the author/publisher have that book end up in the hands of someone who would love to read it.
My Kindle has lots of books I’ve never read, some I’ll probably never get around to reading. Same as real books that are on my bookcase that people have given me throughout the years or that I bought and never got around to reading.
Last week I was pleasantly surprised by a package in the mail that came from Book Girl TV. I subscribe to their newsletter. At some point when I signed up, though I’ve long since forgotten about it, I obviously gave my name and mailing address. They have contests for their subscribers and I was the lucky winner of a book called Come on Shore and We Will Kill and Eat You All. First of all I was mortified that someone spent $14 on postage to send a book to me. If I’d know ahead of time that I was the winner and how much it was going to cost in postage I would have suggested they donate the book to a senior’s residence or a charity. Next the title threw me. I’m not sure if that’s supposed to be funny but it’s not the type of book I would have chosen for myself. I would never have entered a contest to win this book so that’s what makes me think I’m entered automatically in book giveaways. I know that some Pacific nations practiced cannibalism and this book is partly about 18th and 19th century explorers encountering cannibals from New Zealand plus it appears to be partly autobiographical and about the author and her native husband.
My reading preferences run mostly to cozy mysteries and I also like romantic suspense and romantic comedy. I read other types of books too but those are what I mostly read. And these days I read mostly ebooks. I rarely read a real book that I can hold in my hands.
I just feel kind of bad that they spent so much money on postage and time to wrap the book and mail it to me. The book was nicely wrapped in purple tissue like wrapping paper. Someone put a lot of thought into this.
The way I was brought up is to send thank you notes for gifts, which I have done. Now I have this book sitting in my to-be-read pile and I’m not sure I’ll ever read it. My apologies to the author and the people at Book Girl TV. I might get around to reading it but that title doesn’t pull me in.
Winner of Horseman Spell!
Congratulations to Trix who won a copy of Horseman Spell in the recent contest held by The Romance Reviews in honor of their 2nd anniversary!
Horseman Spell Question Featured Today on The Romance Reviews
If you haven’t already signed up for The Romance Reviews 2nd Anniversary Party its not too late. Contest is open until the end of the month to win books and gift certificates.
http://www.theromancereviews.com/event.php
Huge hint for Horseman Spell question – the answer is a) Scott!
The Romance Reviews 2nd Anniversary Party all of March 2013
The Romance Reviews 2nd Anniversary Party is on for the entire month of March 2013!
There are over 400 books and gift certificates waiting to be won. Its free to sign up and play each day. There are 10 to 15 multiple choice questions daily and hints to the correct answer. Its easy to play and the more you play the more chances you have to win a prize. There is more information at the Romance Reviews 2nd Anniversary Party page.
My novel Horseman Spell will be featured on March 26! Good luck to all players!
Excerpt from Horseman Spell by Cheryl Rhodes
“Ladies,” greeted Bob. “Pam, I’d like you to meet Scott.”
Pam had put her hand out to shake the newcomer’s, but snapped it back to her side as if it had been burned. Scott wheeled to face her.
“You!” Pam backed up a step.
“You!” The accusation in his tone cut off and filled the room with an awkward silence.
They stood motionless glaring at each other.
“I, uh, take it you’ve already met.” Bob cleared his throat and twirled the beer bottle in his hands.
Scott set his bottle down on the fireplace mantel and Pam scurried to the front hall. She grabbed her coat from the closet and curled her fingers around the front door’s handle.
“Don’t leave on my account,” the sarcastic voice behind her mocked. “I’ll go.”
Looking over her shoulder, Pam saw Joanne and Bob frozen in the doorway of the living room. They looked dismayed, but she couldn’t deal with them now when they only thing on her mind was putting some distance between her and Scott. She gripped the doorknob tighter, turned it, and marched out of the house. Hearing Scott’s footsteps close behind, she quickened her pace, reached the car and fumbled for the keys.
“I want to talk to you.”
“Forget it. Nothing you have to say interests me.” Pam tugged her car door open and slid into the driver’s seat. Before she could slam the door, Scott maneuvered his body between the open door and the driver’s seat. He braced his hands on the roof of her car and used his body to prevent her from closing the door. Pam desperately fought not to notice his thigh muscles bulged against his blue jeans as he flexed against the door at her eye level.
“You need to hear this.” Scott slapped the roof of her car once.
Pam raised her eyes and his dark eyes stared back into hers. Frown lines wrinkled his forehead and he scowled at her. Pam swallowed, remembering how many times she’d seen that expression before.
“Leave me alone or I’ll scream so loud I’ll have every person within five miles running to help me.”
“When are you going to grow up?”
They glared at each other. Scott bent down, his mouth drawn into a hard, thin line, his face getting closer to Pam’s. She pulled the seatbelt out, clicked it into place, turned away to put the key in the ignition, and started the car. Scott backed away from the car, palms toward her as if he were trying to ward her off. Just before Pam slammed the door shut, she heard him say, “You can’t avoid me forever.”
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Horseman Spell can be purchased from just about every online bookseller including iTunes. Here are some purchase links:
