Fabulous and Brunette

Thursday, August 26, 2021

Ghost's of New England: Skullery Bay Anthology - Jilly's Dilemma by Nancy Fraser - Book Tour - Book Sale - Book Trailer - Guest Post - Giveaway - Enter Daily!

Hi, lovelies!! It gives me great pleasure today to host Best Selling and Award Winning Authors: Nancy Fraser, Lisa A. Olech, and Kathryn Hills and their exciting new Book Box Set Anthology “Ghosts of New England: Skullery Bay,” here on FAB!! While this exhilarating Book Box Set consists of FOUR books, which span over FOUR different centuries, today’s post will focus solely on the last book, which is set in present day, Book Four, “Jilly’s Dilemma,” by Nancy Fraser. For other stops on their Goddess Fish Promotions Book Tour and to check out the other wonderful THREE featured books in this Book Box Set Anthology, 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 $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble Gift Card!! Also, come back daily to interact with Nancy and to increase your chances of winning!

The Ghosts of New England: Skullery Bay Book Box Set Anthology eBook which includes Nancy’s Fraser’s featured book, “Jilly’s Dilemma,” is on SALE during the book tour for ONLY $0.99!!!! Yep – that’s right!!! FOUR FABULOUS EBOOKS FOR LESS THAN $1!!!! See below for more details.

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

Ghosts of New England: Skullery Bay

Book Box Set Anthology

by Nancy Fraser, Lisa A. Olech, and Kathryn Hills

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Jilly’s Dilemma

by Nancy Fraser

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BOX SET ANTHOLOGY OVERVIEW:

An anthology unlike any other...

4 Different Centuries

4 To-Die-For Romances

The Same 2 Ghosts!

Widow’s Walk (1737)

RITA nominee & Best Selling Author, Lisa A. Olech

He’s the infamous pirate, Captain John Jacob Wilder.

She’s the daughter of his fiercest enemy.

Their love is the beginning of the legend.

Cast to the Wind and Waves (1837)

Best Selling & Award-Winning Author, Kathryn Hills

She’s the heiress determined to restore Fairwinds to its former glory.

He’s the solicitor working as a caretaker because of the deadly curse.

Their love will rebuild the legend.

The Bootlegger’s Daughter (1924)

Best Selling & Award Winning Author, Nancy Fraser

She’s the daughter of one of the FBI’s most wanted criminals.

He’s her bodyguard, and not at all what he seems.

Their love will return dignity to the legend.

Jilly’s Dilemma (Present Day)

Best Selling & Award-Winning Author, Nancy Fraser

She’s the new owner of Fairwinds, a flaky artist who talks to ghosts. Repeatedly.

He’s the staid, young professor there to document Fairwinds’ history.

Their love will make you believe in the legend.

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BOOK BLURB:

Jilly’s Dilemma (Present Day)

She’s the new owner of Fairwinds, a flaky artist who talks to ghosts. Repeatedly.

He’s the staid, young professor there to document Fairwinds' history.

Their love will make you believe in the legend.

When Jillian Barclay inherits the family estate of Fairwinds from her father, it comes with the provision that she must live there for a minimum of three years before she can sell the property. Jilly grew up at Fairwinds, so she’s more than aware of the strange occurrences, the presence of the ghosts of Captain John Jacob Wilder and Lillian Wilder—the infamous 18th century pirate and his beloved wife. As a matter of fact, Jilly talks to them on a regular basis.

A renowned sculptor, Jilly reluctantly relocates her studio to Fairwinds and sets out to honor her father’s wishes. There’s a second provision in her father’s will that has her more concerned than having to put up with the home’s extremely active spirits.

Nicholas Martin, PhD is about to become Jilly’s other problem. An associate professor of history, Nicholas has been granted five days’ access to Fairwinds to study the home’s history as part of research project for Harvard University’s history museum.

Expecting a stodgy old professor, when Jilly meets the professor, she’s wishing he was there to model for her rather than study her home. Younger, and far sexier, than she’d pictured, she’s immediately drawn to the handsome professor.

Nicholas has spent the previous three weeks studying five other homes on the list of historical New England homes, all of which were inhabited by octogenarian, cat-loving spinsters. He has no reason to believe Fairwinds will be any different. The young woman with the wild red curls and penchant for talking to spirits is the last thing he expected, and the one thing his usually buttoned-up personality needs. Desperately.

Will opposites truly attract? Or is it just the unusual effects of the ghostly carnal encounters that drives them into one another’s arms? And when they can no longer resist their desires, will they be able to find a working compromise to his professional career and her legal commitments?

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EXCERPT:

Dammit all,” Jilly groused, setting aside her trowel and thin-edged knife. Glancing at the grandfather clock on the far wall of her studio, she grabbed a rag and wiped the worst of the clay from her hands. As usual, she’d become engrossed in her work and lost track of time. “Coming,” she called out as she crossed through the rotunda, and out into the foyer.

Pulling the door open with a hard yank, she raised her head and met the gaze of a young man, his black-rimmed glasses unable to disguise his beautiful sea blue eyes.

The rest of him wasn’t half bad either—once you got past the rumpled jacket and button-down oxford shirt.

“May I help you?” she asked. Obviously, this wasn’t the company she was expecting, but a definite upgrade. Absently, she wondered if one of her artsy-fartsy friends had sent her an Adonis to model for her next project.

And, would he be willing to pose nude?

“I’m Dr. Nicholas Martin,” he responded, his deep voice sending a flutter to her pulse. “I have an appointment with Miss Jillian Barclay. If you wouldn’t mind letting her know I’m here, I’d appreciate it.”

Jilly stepped back and motioned him inside. “I’m—” she began, stopping short when he looked past her and toward the double doors leading to the rotunda.

“No doubt you’ve got work to get back to,” he said, his tone all but dismissing her. “I don’t want to take up too much of your time.”

Oh, this was perfect. He thought she was the help.

“That’s okay, I don’t mind.” Giving her hands another swipe across the front of her clay-crusted apron, she tilted her head to the right. “If you wouldn’t mind waiting in the library.” She pushed the door open, and offered, “Feel free to browse while you wait.”

“Thank you.” He turned, his gaze slowly scanning the many books before coming back to her. His very nice smile spread in obvious appreciation. “I will definitely have a look around while I’m waiting.”

Jilly exited the library and made a dash for the first-floor powder room. The least she could do was wash her face, discard the apron, and comb her hair for such distinguished company.

Distinguished, my ass. You think he’s hot–in a geeky sort of way.

Off in the distance, the parlor door slammed with a resounding crash, followed by the dining room door, and then the door leading to the kitchen.

Beneath her breath, she mumbled, “Back off, Jake. At least let the man get comfortable before you drive him away.”

***

Nicholas ran his hands across the leather-bound, first edition classics lining the back wall of the Fairwinds library. An outstanding collection. Lifting a gold-leaf trimmed copy of Gulliver’s Travels from the shelf, he ran his fingers across the raised lettering, admiring the exquisite attention to detail.

This was the type of history he lived for; devoted his entire academic career—as new as it was—toward. All the previous stops on his information gathering tour shifted to the back of his mind.

Fairwinds was the holy grail of this entire project.

He’d read the sketchy research already gathered on the place, the tales of the pirate owner and reports of ghost sightings. Although he questioned a good portion of the writings, he’d reserve judgement until his visit was concluded. Assuming the spinster Barclay wasn’t senile, he looked forward to learning all there was to know about the home and its colorful history.

And what was with the housekeeper anyway? With her dirty apron, unkempt red curls flying around her face, and the way she’d slammed the doors on her way to announce his arrival. He was pretty sure she was angered at having her duties interrupted by his presence.

The initial agreement called for him to stay at Fairwinds for a minimum of five days, which included a room and meals. Absently, he wondered if the young woman with the mud-crusted nails was also the cook.

He hoped not.

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BOOK TRAILER:

Check out the Ghost's of New England: Skullery Bay Anthology book trailer below!!!

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GUEST POST:

My Favorite Scene in This Book…

There were so many in Jilly’s Dilemma, choosing one was difficult... which was why I chose this question. It made me stop and think.

Given the anthology covers four different centuries, creating the last one (Present Day) became more of a challenge than I’d anticipated. I mean, how many more times can we re-hash family history and still make it fresh?

I realized I needed to create a moment between my heroine and hero that spoke to the history in a different way than just repeating facts.

Since my hero, Professor Nicholas Martin, is also a deep-sea diver who hunts for lost treasure, I decided to have him discover something that directly relates back to the heroine. What better item than a spyglass that once belonged to her ancestor-pirate, Captain John Jacob Wilder.

The “scene” actually unfolded in two parts. First, when Nick realizes that one of the items he’d found on a previous dive was actually part of Jilly’s family history.

Then, of course, the pivotal scene where he gives her the spyglass as a gift. His generosity was not only appreciated (quite nicely) by Jilly, but also by the Captain who ends up returning something he’d taken from Nick as a ‘thank you’ for returning the lost property.

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AUTHOR BIO:

NANCY FRASER—Jumping Across Romance Genres with Gleeful Abandon—is an Amazon Top 100 and Award-Winning author who can’t seem to decide which romance genre suits her best. So, she writes them all.

Nancy has published over forty books in full-length, novella, and short format. When not writing (which is almost never), Nancy dotes on her five wonderful grandchildren and looks forward to traveling and reading when time permits. Nancy lives in Atlantic Canada where she enjoys the relaxed pace and colorful people.

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CONNECT WITH NANCY:

Website:

http://nancyfraser.ca

Newsletter:

http://eepurl.com/bxkKvD

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/NancyFraserAuthor

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/nfraserauthor

Pinterest:

https://www.pinterest.ca/fraser425

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/romauthor_nancyfraser

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3gC68iMStwKCr4v_S6fMIA

BookBub Author Page:

http://bookbub.com/profile/nancy-fraser

BookBub Book Page:

https://www.bookbub.com/books/ghosts-of-new-england-skullery-bay-by-nancy-fraser-and-lisa-a-olech

Goodreads Author Page:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7206382.Nancy_Fraser

Goodreads Book Page:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58547966-ghosts-of-new-england

Amazon Author Page:

http://amzn.to/2twAFAA

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BOOK BUY LINKS & BOOK SALE INFO:

**The Ghosts of New England: Skullery Bay Anthology eBook, which contains ALL FOUR Stories in the Book Box Set, including the featured book, “Jilly’s Dilemma,” by Nancy Fraser is on SALE during the book tour for ONLY $0.99!!!**

Amazon US Kindle eBook:

http://amzn.to/3mwRn1S

Amazon US Paperback:

http://amzn.to/3mA68B9

Amazon CA Kindle eBook:

https://www.amazon.ca/Ghosts-New-England-Skullery-Bay-ebook/dp/B096N3DP4H

Amazon CA Paperback:

https://www.amazon.ca/Ghosts-New-England-Skullery-Bay/dp/B09BY8526M

Apple Books eBook:

https://books.apple.com/us/book/ghosts-of-new-england-skullery-bay/id1573672754

Barnes and Noble NOOK eBook:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ghosts-of-new-england-nancy-fraser/1139730516

Indigo CA eBook:

https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/ghosts-of-new-england-skullery/9798201026974-item.html

Kobo US eBook:

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/ghosts-of-new-england-skullery-bay

Kobo CA eBook:

https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/ghosts-of-new-england-skullery-bay

Universal Buy Link – Books2Read:

(eBooks/Paperbacks)

https://books2read.com/Skullery

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GIVEAWAY INFO:

Nancy, Lisa, and Kathryn will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble Gift Card to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

**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.

Wednesday, August 25, 2021

Death's Curses by Becca Fox & Martha Agundez - Blurb Blitz - Giveaway - Enter Daily!

Death's Curses

by Becca Fox & Martha Agundez

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GENRE: Urban Fantasy/Romance

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BLURB:

After one screw up too many, Esmeralda Barnes is shipped off to Seattle to start her first semester of college while living under the strict guardianship of her great aunt. She’s prepared to serve her time in simmering silence when she meets Charlie Campbell, the only person worth talking to at the tiny community college she’s being forced to attend. His efforts to scare her away don’t work, not even when he lefts it slip that he has a psychic twin sister who helps their uncle—a police detective—solve murders. As the former member of a gang, Esmer’s confident she’s tough enough to take anything he throws at her in stride.

Then she has a near death experience. And Charlie is the first person on the scene. It turns out, his sister isn’t psychic but she does have a special connection to Death. She and Charlie both.So maybe this friendship will take a little more work than Esmer originally thought. But hey, it’s better than the gang. Even after being pulled into a string of grisly murder investigations, running with people possessing supernatural abilities, and dealing with the very real presence of a minor goddess, Esmer’s pretty sure hanging with Charlie is better than being back with the gang. Yep, pretty damn sure.

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EXCERPT ONE:

Esmeralda

I threw the door open to the men’s restroom, skidded to a halt just inside, and fell back against the closed door. Straining my ears to hear over the pounding of my heart, I bit back a smile.

“Dammit!” Randi hissed.

“Let’s just go in and get her,” Karen snapped.

“We are not getting caught in the guys’ bathroom! Let the bitch get a bad rep with Security. We’ll hang back and teach her a lesson when no one’s looking. Just keep an eye on the door for now.”

Mumbles and grunts betrayed the rest of the gang’s disappointment.

“Sorry, bitches. Not today.” I glanced at the guy standing at the urinal, giving me an incredulous look over his shoulder. “Hey. How’s it going?”

“Well, I was trying to take a piss before some girl decided to come barreling in.”

“I ain’t some girl,” I said, crossing my arms. “I’m Esmer.”

The guy scoffed. “What kind of name is that?”

“The name a couple of gypsies thought would be wicked pissah,” I said with barely suppressed annoyance.

“Wicked...what?”

“Pissah,” I repeated with a raised eyebrow. “Cool? Grand? Don’t you west coasters have a word for that?”

“Yeah. It’s cool or grand. Where are you from?” he asked, like he was pretty sure I’d been raised by wolves.

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AUTHOR BIO – BECCA FOX:

Becca Fox is a socially awkward introvert who loves to read and write, binge watch crime-solving shows and anime, and play videogames next to her gamer husband. She also loves to bake, and plan trips she hopes to one day take. She has a toddler and a crawler, which means that her house truly is as messy as you’re imagining.

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CONNECT WITH BECCA:

Website:

http://becca-fox.com

Blog:

https://fanofthefiction.wordpress.com

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/beccajfoxauthor

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/Bears_Goose1

Pinterest:

https://www.pinterest.com/beccajayfox

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/rjagundez.5

Goodreads Author Page:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17274613.Becca_Fox

Goodreads Book Page:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58241211-death-s-curses

Amazon Author Page:

https://www.amazon.com/Becca-Fox/e/B076PTNPV9

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AUTHOR BIO – MARTHA AGUNDEZ:

Martha Agundez has a BA in English from Sacramento State University. She worked as a tutor at the Sacramento State University Writing Center for two semesters and was a journalist for The State Hornet Newspaper for one semester. She was also the Calaveras Station Literary Journal Fiction Section Editor for a semester. She has worked as a 916Ink manuscript copy editor for three years and counting, while also offering her editing services as a freelancer.

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CONNECT WITH MARTHA:

Blog:

https://blog6436.wordpress.com

Twitter:

http://twitter.com/martha_agundez9

Goodreads Author Page:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21561343.Martha_Agundez

Goodreads Book Page:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58241211-death-s-curses

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BOOK BUY LINKS:

Amazon US Kindle eBook:

http://amzn.to/3ymewXe

Amazon US Paperback:

http://amzn.to/38qJ27P

Amazon CA Kindle eBook:

https://www.amazon.ca/Deaths-Curses-Becca-Fox-ebook/dp/B0949T79FL

Amazon CA Paperback:

https://www.amazon.ca/Deaths-Curses-Becca-Fox/dp/B095MG3PWF

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GIVEAWAY INFO:

Becca and Martha will be awarding a Special Prize Pack (US Only) including exciting items such a Custom-Made Bookmark, a Candle Inspired by One of the Characters in the Book, AND an eBook copy of the featured book, “Death’s Curses,” in Winner’s Choice of format via MOBI or EPUB to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tuesday, August 24, 2021

Nature Is Unlimited Broadcasting Station: Flowers She Wore on Her Feet by Bertha & Edward Mkwelele - Book Tour - Exclusive Excerpt - Giveaway - Enter Daily!

Hi, lovelies!! It gives me great pleasure today to host Bertha Mkwelele and Edward Mkwelele and their new book, “Nature Is Unlimited Broadcasting Station: Flowers She Wore on Her Feet,” here on FAB!! For other stops on their 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 $15 Amazon or Barnes and Noble Gift Card!! Also, come back daily to interact with Bertha and Edward and to increase your chances of winning!!

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

Nature Is Unlimited Broadcasting Station: Flowers She Wore on Her Feet

by Bertha and Edward Mkwelele

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GENRE: Biography

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BLURB:

'Flowers she wore on her feet'.

This is the story of an extraordinary girl and young woman with a brilliant mind, a heart of gold, and who is gone too soon. Neema was a priceless gift to us. Neema was an extraordinary young woman, with joy and wisdom, and remarkably profound and greater understanding about herself and others. She taught us everything worth knowing about life and love, everything about what it means to be a best friend. Neema, outlook for future is something about this book. Neema would have wanted the world to hear the voice of children and young people, girls and young people in particularly young women around the world, their walking sound when they walk wearing their beautiful flowers on their feet. Meaning that those girls and young women around the world have worked hard the same way Neema did, searching for their favorite flowers and they were able to see them and finally finding their ways to broadcast them, and therefore, finding their unique values. This is what Neema would have wanted the world to hear from children and young people saying that we go out and we're asking for help and support, they will wear flower on their feet because they worked hard to get see them and therefore they can now see themselves, and therefore , the walk by itself is a voice and a cry for help and they are saying help us because we would like to contribute to the world and we're read and we know what we love and what we want to do and what we're loving doing and we just want opportunities to let us equip with knowledge and skills then we will all be ready and set to contribute to the world we live in our own unique way happily.

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EXCLUSIVE EXCERPT:

We were happy to take our new challenge, and we supported Neema in every move until she got settled into her new school. With time we came to learn more about the school Neema went to, the national secondary school. The national secondary school Neema went to after completing her primary school level at standard eight was one of the most famous national secondary schools.

This school was a well-known national secondary school in Kenya because of its reputation in the country, because a good number of famous female politicians attended that school. We still remember the names of those female politicians because Neema had told us about them. Neema told us that the national secondary school she was attending has a good reputation in Kenya, and a lot of parents who had their girls schooling there spoke well of this school. We enjoyed this perspective and understanding, and as parents we continued to be proud of our daughter. So far, Neema was using her voice in a unique way, and we told her that we could hear her and her tone of voice. In a different way, Neema was telling us to just wait and see and watch her, and keep watching her, because she was going to set herself on a journey of becoming another famous young woman like them.

We were not surprised by this because the tone of voice from Neema clearly said it all, that the school itself and its name was already an inspirational setting. Neema was going to make use of this inspirational environment and national secondary school. It was a perfect moment for her because this was a secondary education level with lots of learning, experiments, practice and challenges. Above all, it was the perfect environment to grow up and become a young woman, make friends and continue her education journey and its adventure and have fun. Neema took her new journey seriously, and she did it well. It was at this secondary school where Neema started creating her own unique lifestyle. She was not shy in starting, showing the world the real values of who she was. More important to us was that we began to see our Neema clearly, that she was showing herself to the world, showing what a young woman she was, what she believed as a young woman, what she loved and enjoyed doing. She began to show the world around her what she truly loved, her love for nature, and the work she was doing would always be something to connect her with nature. Neema told us that reading gave her true pleasure and peace.

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AUTHOR BIOS:

Bertha Mkwelele and Edward Mkwelele are co-founders of the Neema Edward Mkwelele Wellness Foundation, where they empower young girls in Tanzania through education. Visit www.neemaedwardmkwelelewellnessfoundation.org to learn more.

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CONNECT WITH BERTHA:

Website:

https://berthamkwelelebooks.com

Website:

http://www.neemaedwardmkwelelewellnessfoundation.org

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100006661997988

Goodreads Author Page:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19040209.Bertha_Mkwelele

Goodreads Book Page:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45317378-nature-is-unlimited-broadcasting-station