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Wednesday, August 7, 2019

The Maine Nemesis by R. Scott Wallis - Book Tour - Book Sale - Guest Post - Giveaway - Enter Daily!


Hello, lovelies!  It gives me great pleasure today to host R. Scott Wallis and his new book, “The Maine Nemesis”!  For other stops on his Goddess Fish Promotions Book Tour, please click on the banner above or any of the images in this post.

Be sure to make it to the end of this post to enter to win a $50 Amazon or Barnes and Noble Gift Card!!!  Also, come back daily to interact with Scott and to increase your chances of winning!

This book is on SALE during the book tour for ONLY $0.99!!!  See below for more details.

Thanks for stopping by!  Wishing you lots of luck in this fabulous giveaway!


The Maine Nemesis
by R. Scott Wallis

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GENRE: Suspense

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BLURB:

Fiercely independent, insatiably curious, and always up for an adventure, public relations hotshot Skyler Moore is a hero for our time. She's decidedly not a sleuth by trade, but mayhem often comes knocking as she and her friends visit the small towns and big cities of America.

In "The Maine Nemesis," Skyler decides to spend the summer at her seaside cottage in Wabanaki, Maine, with her best friend—celebrity chef Brenda Braxton—and they have no idea that murder will be on the menu. But women are turning up dead in the once sleepy village where nothing ever happens. With the residents up in arms and the rinky-dink police force overwhelmed, Skyler and her friends feel compelled to lend a hand to save the town they love so much. The backdrop is classic New England Americana: lobster rolls, the whole town out for the Fourth of July, and summer evenings cooled by the ocean breeze. That...and an occasional murder, a kidnapping, and a few dangerous liaisons.

Skyler's mile-a-minute adventure will keep you turning the pages to see what comes next for her and her Down East 'friends.'

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EXCERPT TWO:

There were only a handful of orangeries in the United States and Lois Millhouse had one in her side yard. The tall metal and glass structure was an architectural marvel—fashioned after the original 17th century orangery on the grounds of the Palace of Versailles in France, albeit much smaller—and had been featured in several magazine and newspaper articles over the years. Most recently, House Beautiful did a cover shoot on the property.

Inside, orange trees flourished year-round at one end and flowering plants such as Tropical Anthurium, various varieties of roses, African Violets, and scores of orchids were extremely well maintained on the other. Lois employed three part-time employees to tend to ‘her babies’ and she toiled in the greenhouse herself most mornings after she ate breakfast and had carefully read every page of the Wall Street Journal. She had a thing for financial news and plants, in that order.

And, of course, for making Wabanaki everything it should have become decades earlier.

On Tuesday morning, she was on her hands and knees cleaning up a broken pot and spilled soil when she heard someone approaching. She turned her head to see Skyler holding a pie plate and smiling widely.

“I hope I didn’t startle you,” Skyler said. “I was knocking, but I don’t think anyone heard me.”

“I don’t startle too easily, Skyler,” Lois said, getting to her feet. “How are you, dear?”

“I’m fine. I brought you a pie. It’s apple. Not blueberry.”

Lois chuckled. “You are very sweet. And, yes, I do not eat blueberries anymore. I appreciate them, mind you.” She waved her arms around like a flight attendant pointing out emergency exits. “I wouldn’t have all this without those little blue berries, now would I?”

“I have a feeling that you’d be successful no matter what.”

“You didn’t come over here just to give me a pie, now did you?”

“You’ve seen right through me.”

Lois pulled off her gloves and set them on the potting bench. “You’re working with my grandson to keep the Chowder House from sinking in bad press.”

“I am.”

“Thank you for that. And Wabanaki thanks you.”

“Well, Madam Mayor, I too have dedicated my life to this town.”

“I know that very well,” Lois said. “Let’s go get some coffee. There’s always a fresh pot in the kitchen.”

Skyler followed the old woman through a side door, down a covered breezeway, and up a few steps into the main house. They were in the cavernous kitchen and sitting at the built-in banquette sipping coffee out of enormous mugs when a young woman appeared out of nowhere and set a plate of muffins in the center of the table. She was gone as quickly as she appeared.

“Who was that?”

“Midge,” Lois said softly. “She’s new. And like a ghost. I hardly hear her moving about the house but she manages to clean and bake and sort the mail and she changes my bed sheets every day like at a first class hotel. I’m paying her next to nothing. It makes me feel bad. But I enjoy the help.”

“Maybe she deserves a raise,” Skyler said, biting into a muffin. “These are amazing. And still warm.”

“I will be sure to compensate her appropriately. So, what is on your mind?”

“Brenda and I were talking yesterday and she told me that she had a drink with an old mutual friend of ours, a man named Augie Alameda.” Skyler stopped and inspected the woman’s face for some kind of recognition.

“And?” Lois asked evenly.

“Well, to be very blunt, we wondered if perhaps you hired him.”

“Hired him to do what?”

“Seriously? Do you not know him?”

“It’s really none of your business, frankly.”

Skyler blushed. “It’s sort of my business. I mean, that’s my business. I’m a public relations professional. It’s what I do. And it’s what I’m doing for Tanner and the Chowder House. We all want to see Wabanaki overcome this slump, don’t we? Especially the mayor?”

“My dear,” Lois began sweetly, “I want nothing more than for this town to flourish. Just like my plants out there. But I did not hire this Mr. Alameda to do anything and I have no idea what he does anyway. How could he possibly help?”

“You said it was none of my business, like there was something there.”

“Because I meant that, not because I actually have something to hide from you. I don’t think I like you coming in here and interrogating me, that’s all. You’re a P.R. professional, not a detective on the Wabanaki police force.

“I see. And I am sorry if I upset you.”

“I’m not upset. But I will bite. Who is Augie Alameda?”

Skyler gave the woman a rundown of Augie’s credentials and history. “And he got Brenda her start.”

“But you don’t like him?” Lois asked.

“I don’t, but that’s because we worked together a few times and we’re both pretty much independent contractors. We’re both solo practitioners, if you will. We butted heads and it wasn’t pretty.”

 “But he can get the job done?”

“Oh yes. He can. And he most certainly will. Which is why the Chowder House and the Lobster Shanty and the Sea Captain’s Inn and all the businesses in town need to be prepared. Combined with the Boston Globe piece that’s coming, we could get quite busy.”

“I’m thrilled, Skyler,” Lois said, standing, indicating that the visit was over, “I really am. But it wasn’t me.”

They exchanged pleasantries and Skyler was shown the door. It didn’t actually slam shut behind her, but it felt that way.

Skyler was more suspicious than ever and wondered if the Mayor was lying to her…or if someone else was behind Augie’s coming to town.

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GUEST POST:

Some of My Favorite Items in My Office


I’ve had my own home office for decades, but it wasn’t until I moved to Las Vegas, Nevada, in January 2018—after 25 years in Washington, D.C. and a short six-month stint in Santa Fe, New Mexico—that I finally stumbled upon my dream space. It’s where I spent a great deal of my time these days, since I write novels and produce a pop culture podcast fulltime, so it has to be perfect, right?

In our new house, my dedicated office is on the first floor, close to the front of the house. Many might call it a library or a parlor. It has large windows facing both east, toward the street and west, into our courtyard. But it’s the layout that I love most. Since I refuse to sit facing a wall, my L-shaped desk is in the center, facing out, with bookcases behind me. I always work on my Apple MacBook Pro, but because I like to have multiple screens open while I work, I’ve connected a large 26” monitor to one side. I typically have my notes and the internet on the laptop screen and my Word file on the big monitor.

But I can’t write my Skyler Moore Thriller series without all my notes and toys around me. I have a set of vintage “Dallas” television show trading cards in a bowl (that’s Lucy Ewing on top). I’ve got various Mulder and Scully figurines from “The X-Files.” And no desk of mine would be complete without a glass bottle of Schweppes Club Soda—I’m addicted to fizzy water, of all things. No sugar for me.


On the wall behind my desk, I have a 36” x 24” canvas blow-up of the cover of THE MAINE NEMESIS—it’s pretty nifty how affordable getting that made was. I don’t think I paid more than $40 or so. (It’s cool, for now, but NEMESIS is getting a new cover this fall, as well as book two, THE NEW MEXICO SCOUNDREL, which is available now, too, so that all the books will be tied together. Book three, THE NEVADA SABOTEUR, comes out September 27.)


On the credenza to my left, I have stacks of NEMESIS and SCOUNDREL to give away to folks, as well as photos of my grandparents, a bowl of hotel keycards from my travels, and the White House Christmas card that was sent out by the First Family the year I worked for the Vice President.


And, in the front corner, I get to look at my wall of fame, including snapshots of me with Ricky Martin, Aisha Tyler, Kathy Griffin, Andy Cohen, and the cast of the recent “Bohemian Rhapsody” movie that I covered for a digital magazine.

The one thing that my personal creative space is not, is neat. Maybe it gets picked up a bit when guests are expected, but otherwise, it’s my space, and I do with it as I see fit. And that’s the way it should be!

I typically get up with the sun—I have no choice; my two rescue dogs insist—and usually sit at my desk to write from about 6:00 a.m. until 10-ish. I’m good for about four hours a day. If I listen to anything, it would be jazz or classical music without lyrics, because they distract me, and I end up singing along. In the afternoons, I do emails, pay bills, and do my marketing, which, as any independently published writer will tell you, is a second fulltime job.


I encourage all writers to personalize their space, no matter how small or large. You’ve got to be comfortable, at peace, and inspired to write great stories.

All PC’s - @ R. Scott Wallis

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AUTHOR BIO:


R. Scott Wallis is endlessly inspired by his surroundings and adventures. And he thrives on new chapters and creating unique projects to keep himself out of trouble. Scott started his working life as an advance person and assistant to a sitting United States Vice President. Later, he served as the creative director for a leading Washington think tank. That led to working directly for one of the richest men on Earth, conceiving and executing exclusive events for his billionaire friends. Tired of working for the man, Scott became a top-rated pop-culture podcaster and celebrity interviewer, while also dabbling in both the worlds of clothing manufacturing (creating his own baby clothes brand that was sold in over 300 stores nationwide) and retail sales, with his own well-received men's clothing store.

Always willing to lend a hand or donate what he can, he's an enthusiastic philanthropist, championing causes such as childhood bullying, animal adoption, and feeding the less fortunate. A wide-eyed world traveler, Scott has been to four continents, mostly by sea. While he loves exploring Europe and the Caribbean islands, it's the vast United States that he likes best. He's been to Alaska four times, Hawaii twice, and can't wait to explore the eight states he hasn't been to yet. Technically a Connecticut Yankee, Scott grew up in historic Williamsburg, Virginia, and lived for 25 years in the Washington, D.C. area, before recently discovering that the American West is where he is most at home. He lives in Las Vegas, Nevada.

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CONNECT WITH SCOTT:

Website:

Email:
scott@skylermoorepr.com

Facebook:

Instagram:

Goodreads Author Page:

Goodreads Book Page:

Amazon Author Page:

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BOOK BUY LINKS & BOOK SALE INFO:

**The Maine Nemesis is on SALE during the book tour for ONLY $0.99!!!**

Amazon Kindle eBook:

Amazon Paperback:

Barnes and Noble Paperback:

The Book Depository Paperback:

BAM! Books-A-Million Paperback:

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GIVEAWAY INFO:

Scott will be awarding a $50 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour.


**This post contains affiliate links and if clicked and a purchase is made, I may receive a small commission to help support this blog.  This does not cost you anything, it just helps pay for all those awesome giveaways on here.**

This contest is sponsored by a third party. Fabulous and Brunette is a registered host of Goddess Fish Promotions.  Prizes are given away by the sponsors and not Fabulous and Brunette. The featured author and Goddess Fish Promotions are solely responsible for the giveaway prize.

10 comments:

  1. Scott ~ Good morning! Welcome to FAB! It is so great to have you here! Congrats on your new book and good luck on the book tour! :)

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  2. Hello! Thanks so much for sharing your book with us. Always fun reading about another book to enjoy.

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  3. How many books have you written so far? Congrats on the release.

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    1. This, as well as book two, THE NEW MEXICO SCOUNDREL, that is also out now, plus book three that comes out this coming September 27. :)

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  4. Sounds like an amazing read! Thank you for sharing with us!

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  5. Your office looks like a fun place to be!

    --Trix

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