BOOKS AND BLOGGING PHILOSOPHY

Philosophy is defined as a theory underlying or regarding a sphere of activity or thought. Well, my theory is if I can add at least 10 new books to my Wishlist and move at least 5 older Wishlist selections to my TBR list every month, then life is a ice cream sundae. And if I can find those 10 books from at least 5 new blogs each month then that's the cherry on top.

NEW VISITORS AND OLD- WELCOME!

NEW VISITORS AND OLD- WELCOME!
Well, I've made it almost 5 years now, so for better or worse, I continue on. I tend to blog in spurts as the urge to be creative erupts. As I don't have an artistic bone in my body, you will see very few changes in the layouts. Hey, I'm a reader not an artist like so many of the awesome bloggers I follow. I know you don't always have the time but if you stopped and looked, take a half a minute and say your piece. Recommend a book that you have enjoyed or hated for that matter. Thank you to all who visit.
Oh, and I moved my Google Friend Connect info and share this buttons to the top, as without our friends, who are we?


Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Author Cynthia Eden Character Interview and Contest LIVE at BIttenByBooks!

No one that deadly should look that good. Hybrid demon Zane Wynter specializes in tracking the most lethal criminals, whether human or Other. But Jana Carter is nothing like his previous targets. She's an Ignitor, able to conjure and control fire. She's also sexy beyond belief--and used to playing dirty... 

Jana knows she's being set up. She even knows who's responsible: Project Perseus, a secretive group that plans to rid the world of paranormals by any means necessary. From Louisiana's sultry swamps to its desolate cemeteries, Jana and Zane must race to destroy the mastermind behind Perseus before their world goes up in flames--and with it, a desire that burns too hot to resist...



CONTEST INFO: Open to Readers WORLDWIDE!
Prizes:
1 - $30 Amazon.com electronic gift card
2 copies of Eternal Hunter
2 copies of I’ll Be Slaying You
5 winners

Come by BittenByBooks today for a chance at these fabulous prises.

Author Christina Henry Interview and Contest 11/30 - at BittenByBooks!!


“As an Agent of Death, Madeline Black is responsible for escorting the souls of the dearly departed to the afterlife. It’s a 24/7 job with a lousy benefits package.
Maddy’s position may come with magical powers and an impressive wingspan, but it doesn’t pay the bills. And then there are her infuriating boss, tenant woes, and a cranky, popcorn-loving gargoyle to contend with.
Things start looking up, though, when tall, dark, and handsome Gabriel Angeloscuro agrees to rent the empty apartment in Maddy’s building. It’s probably just a coincidence that as soon as he moves in demons appear on the front lawn. But when an unholy monster is unleashed upon the streets of Chicago, Maddy discovers powers she never knew she possessed. Powers linked to a family legacy of tarnished halos.
Powers that place her directly between the light of Heaven and the fires of Hell…”

Black Night – 2nd book in the series to be released Autumn 2011



CONTEST INFO: Open to Readers WORLDWIDE!
Prize: $50 Amazon.com electronic gift card

Come by BittenByBooks and meet this debut author and ask questions about this fabulous new series.

Author Marjorie M. Liu Release Party and Contest LIVE at BittenByBooks!

She could never forget the boy with the ice blue eyes . . . 

She was only twelve when she saw the silver boy on the beach, but Jenny has never stopped dreaming about him. Now she is grown, a marine biologist charting her own course in the family business - a corporation that covertly crosses the boundaries of science into realms of the unknown . . . and the incredible. 

And now he has found her again, her boy grown into a man: Perrin, powerful and masculine, and so much more than human, leaving Jenny weak with desire and aching for his touch. 

But with their reunion comes danger. For Perrin and Jenny - and all living creatures - their only hope for preventing the unthinkable lies in a mysterious empire far beneath the sea . . . and in the power of their dreams.



CONTEST INFO: Open to Readers WORLDWIDE!
Prize: $100.00 Electronic Amazon Gift Card

Author Lisa Desrochers Interview and Contest LIVE at BittenByBooks!


CONTEST INFO: Open to Readers WORLDWIDE!
Prizes: 5 copies of Personal Demons and an iPod Shuffle
Frannie Cavanaugh is a good Catholic girl with a bit of a wicked streak. She has spent years keeping everyone at a distance even her closest friends and it seems like her senior year is going to be more of the same...until Luc Cain enrolls in her class. No one knows where he came from, but Frannie can t stay away from him. What she doesn t know is that Luc is on a mission. He s been sent from hell itself to claim Frannie s soul. It should be easy all he has to do is get her to sin, and Luc is as tempting as they come. Frannie doesn t stand a chance. But Luc has to work fast, because if the infernals are after her, the celestials can t be far behind. And sure enough, it s not long before the angel Gabriel shows up, willing to do anything to keep Luc from getting what he came for. But if Luc fails, there will be hell to pay...for all of them.

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Brought to you by Robert- RECOMMENDED STRESS MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUE

 Just in case you are having a rough day, here is a stress management technique recommended in all the latest psychological journals.  The funny thing is that it really does work and will make you smile…


1.       Picture yourself lying on your belly on a warm rock that hangs out over a crystal clear stream.

2.       Picture yourself with both your hands dangling in the cool running water.

3.       Birds are sweetly singing in the cool mountain air.

4.       No one knows your secret place.

5.       You are in total seclusion from that hectic place called the world.

6.       The soothing sound of a gentle waterfall fills the air with a cascade of serenity.

7.       The water is so crystal clear that you can easily make out the face of the person you are holding underwater……..

Series of the Week- Monére, Children of the Moon Series & Demon Princess Chronicles

Now this paranormal series is a bit different from the other paranormals that I generally read as the romance is much more erotic. Not too much but just enough to keep you flipping the pages. I was lucky enough to take 5 of these books to the beach with me last summer and read them nonstop for three days. A totally fascinating series that kept me reading  long into the night each day. I was excited to see that a new release is coming out in April 2011 as it has been 2 years since there was a new release.

Monére, Children of the Moon Series

Mona Lisa AwakeningMONA LISA AWAKENING
Golden Leaf Award winner for best Paranormal
Award of Excellence winner for best Erotic Romance
Write Touch Readers’ Award winner for best Erotica
2007 PRISM 2nd Place winner in Erotic Romance
Publisher: Berkley Trade
ISBN-10: 0425211606
ISBN-13: 978-0425211601
Release Date: September 5, 2006
Erotic Paranormal
Monére, Children of the Moon Series#1
From the time she was an orphan child, Mona Lisa knew she was different—but she never knew how different until a man of otherworldly beauty arrived during her night shift in the ER. Gryphon is hurting and hunted…and he attracts her as no man ever has before. He is a Monère, one of the children of the moon—and what’s more, so is she…
Long exiled from the moon, the men of the Monère serve—and mate—with imperious Queens, who can channel the rays of their far-off homeland. Gryphon believes that Mona Lisa is a Queen—perhaps the first of Mixed Blood ever known. But her introduction to the nighttime court of the Monère, simmering with intrigue, casual lust, and calculated cruelty, is far from smooth. The other Queens are infuriated by her potential powers, and they are all menaced by a group of rogue males who have broken away from the women’s sway. Even as she battles threats from within and without, Mona Lisa is determined to discover who she is, and to explore the limits of her growing power—and her secret desires…

Over The MoonOVER THE MOON
“Mona Lisa Three”
USA Today bestseller
New York Times extended list bestseller
2008 PRISM Award winner for best Novella
2008 Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence novella finalist
Publisher: Berkley
ISBN-10: 0425213439
ISBN-13: 978-0425213438
Release Date: January 2, 2007
Erotic Paranormal
Monére, Children of the Moon Series#2
When it comes to sexy werewolves, fairies, and magic, there’s only one place for readers to go this winter: Over the Moon.
Angela Knight ventures to the borders of Mageverse, a land ruled by vampire knights.
MaryJanice Davidson returns to the wicked lair of the Wyndham werewolves.
Virginia Kantra finds magic and wonder in a strange fairy kingdom.
And Sunny discovers a Mixed Blood Queen in command of a new realm in Mona Lisa Three.

MONA LISA BLOSSOMING


National Bestseller
2008 PRISM Award winner for best Erotica/Romantica
Romance Reviews Today Erotic La Grande Mort Nominee for Best Book of the Year 2007
Passionate Plume Award winner for best Paranormal/Time Travel
2008 Golden Quill Awards Erotic finalist
CRW’s Award of Excellence Erotic Romance finalist
Publisher: Berkley Trade
ISBN-10: 0425214338
ISBN-13: 978-0425214336
Release Date: February 6, 2007
Erotic Paranormal
Monére, Children of the Moon Series#3
From the time she was an orphaned child, Mona Lisa knew she was different—but she never knew how different until the truth was revealed. She was a Mixed Blood of the Monère, the children of the moon. Stronger, faster, and more beautiful than any human, they were the origins of Earth’s darkest legends—and Mona Lisa was their newest Queen…
Accompanied by a loyal cadre of warriors and kin, Mona Lisa enters her territory of Louisiana for the first time. She slowly learns the erotic and savage customs of the Monère elite—though some of her new subjects are uneasy at being ruled by one whose lineage is diluted with the blood of humanity. Her reign is threatened by enemies old and new, and she is ensnared in the thrall of dark forces she cannot deny. In a hidden world of animal passions and unrelenting lust, Mona Lisa soon grasps the tremendous power she must command if she is to hold her realm together…and if she is ever to come into her own.

On The ProwlON THE PROWL
“Mona Lisa Betwining”
USA Today bestseller
New York Times extended list bestseller
2007 PEARL Award winner for best Paranormal Anthology
Publisher: Berkley
ISBN-10: 0425216594
ISBN-13: 978-0425216590
Release Date: August 7, 2007
Erotic Paranormal
Monére, Children of the Moon Series#4
Alpha and Omega by Patricia Briggs
The werewolf Anna finds a new sense of self when the son of the werewolf king comes to town to quell unrest in the Chicago pack-and inspires a power in Anna she’s never felt before.

Inhuman by Eileen Wilks
Kai has a secret gift of sensing thoughts and desires. What she senses in her neighbor Nathan could be dangerous. Because he has a secret gift too, and it’s about to be let loose…

Buying Trouble by Karen Chance
A Lord of the Fey crosses paths with a fiery red-headed mage named Claire in a New York auction house. But in this strange underground society, the rarity up for sale is Claire herself.

Mona Lisa Betwining by Sunny
Among the children of the moon, Mona Lisa is of mixed blood-part Monère, part human, and destined to be alone. Until she meets a man who could be her salvation-or her downfall.


Mona Lisa CravingMONA LISA CRAVING
National Bestseller
2009 PRISM winner in Dark Paranormal
Publisher: Berkley
ISBN-10: 0425217450
ISBN-13: 978-0425217450
Release Date: January 2, 2008
Erotic Paranormal
Monére, Children of the Moon Series#5
From the time she was an orphan child, Mona Lisa knew she was different—but she never knew how different. As daughter of the Mixed-Blood of the Monère, she has arrived to rule a new domain in the Louisiana Bayou. Now, under the full moon, she’s feeling a new and uncontrollable surge—and an instinctive new craving…
Dante, the warrior son of a healer, was cursed by the high priestess to endure a never-ending cycle of life and death, born and reborn into an ever-diminishing bloodline. Someone shares one of his past lives. Her name was Mona Lyria. Back then, on the moon in another world, she was his victim. Today, she is Mona Lisa. This time, she is his savior. Dante’s wish is to die by her hands to end his cursed existence. But she feels fate has given them both a second chance. For even stronger than her craving for blood is her craving for what every Monère female desires, and needs…to bear life. Now she has found her mate. But with this blessing could come a new curse under the shadow of a new moon.

Mona Lisa DarkeningMONA LISA DARKENING
2010 RomCon Contest finalist in Erotic Romance
2009 Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award nominee for best Erotic Fiction
2009 CAPA Award finalist for best Fantasy Erotic Romance
Publisher: Berkley
ISBN-10: 0425226476
ISBN-13: 978-0425226476
Format: Mass Market Paperback
Release Date: January 2009
Erotic Paranormal
Monére, Children of the Moon Series#6
From the time she was an orphan child, Mona Lisa knew she was different—but she never knew how different. As a Mixed-Blood daughter of the Monère, she rules her own domain in the Louisiana Bayou. But her life of power is about to be lost, and Mona Lisa must survive a realm in which she is divided from within…
On the vernal equinox, when night equals day and the barriers between worlds become gossamer thin, Mona Lisa gathers her people beneath the full moon. Instead of drawing down the replenishing white light of the moon, a terrifying darkness descends upon her and takes her into NetherHell—the cursed realm of the damned. In this place, the evil queen whose essence shares Mona Lisa’s body is strong enough to fight her host for control—and she does.
But in NetherHell, Mona Lisa’s internal struggle is only the beginning. Captured by a Gargoyle warlord who wants her for his own, Mona Lisa is torn from both within and without by desire, love, and ecstasy. And when her first love crosses the boundaries of the world to rescue her, she must choose her own destiny—before others choose it for her…
MONA LISA ECLIPSING
Publisher: Berkley Trade
ISBN-10: 0425238946
ISBN-13: 978-0425238943
Release Date: April 5, 2011
Erotic Paranormal
Monére, Children of the Moon Series #7
From the time she was an orphan, Mona Lisa knew she was different. As a Mixed-Blood daughter of the Monère, she rules her domain in the Louisiana Bayou. But she’s about to become the hunted as her mind begins playing tricks, and no one is who they seem.
Roberto Carderas, a dangerous drug lord of mixed Monère heritage, arrives in Cozumel to eliminate a rival. But the jaguar-shifter has encountered a much more valuable prize on the island: Mona Lisa, the first female Monère he’s ever met—and one especially vulnerable in that she has lost her memory. Now, with all knowledge of her real life as stripped away as her defenses, Mona Lisa can be manipulated into believing…anything.
Convinced that Roberto is her kind and sensual protector, Mona Lisa thwarts all attempts at her rescue—including those made by her desperate lover Dante. As Roberto’s devious scheme gets underway, Dante can only hope that the touch of his warm flesh will reignite total recall in the body and mind of the woman he loves. But escape for both of them could be as forever elusive as Mona Lisa’s past.


Demon Princess Chronicles

Lucinda, DarklyLUCINDA, DARKLY
National Bestseller
2008 PRISM 2nd Place Award winner in fantasy
2007 Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award nominee
for best Paranormal/Fantasy/Sci-Fi Erotic Romance

2008 Golden Quill Award finalist in Fantasy/Science Fiction/Futuristic
Publisher: Berkley Trade
ISBN-10: 0425214648
ISBN-13: 978-0425214640
Release Date: August 7, 2007
Erotic Paranormal
Demon Princess Chronicles#1

For centuries, Lucinda has endured her agonizing reality. As daughter of the High Lord of Hell,she rules over nothing, retrieving the occasional wayward demon and feeding off of the savage Monére—of whom she was a member before she died.
Then she encounters the Monére warrior Stefan, who offers himself to her. She is moved beyond measure by her desire for him—and soon finds herself drawn back into the heady eroticism of the Monére. There, she must carve out a home between the jealousy of the dead and the violence of the living, if she is to keep her newfound love—and life…



LDangerLUCINDA, DANGEROUSLY
Publisher: Berkley mass market paperback
ISBN-10: 0425228983
ISBN-13: 978-0425228982
Release Date: October 2009
Erotic Paranormal
Demon Princess Chronicles#2
Intimately bonded to both a Monére warrior and a black creature from Hell, demon princess Lucinda has gained powers no demon dead has ever possessed. Now returned to the world of the living with her two bondmates, her lover, Stefan, and his ward, Jonnie, she hopes to carve out a new life for herself and her small mixed family.
But soon after returning to her territory, Lucinda is kidnapped and imprisoned by her demon enemy, Derek. He takes her to a hidden outland in Hell, a bleak and desolate landscape riddled with disfigured rejects. At first enraged by Lucinda’s new abilities, Derek soon realizes that he may have stumbled upon a way to regain his power—and Lucinda’s new life is the sacrifice…

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Author Katie MacAlister Guest Blog and Contest 11/23


CONTEST INFO: Open to Readers WORLDWIDE.


Prizes: 3 copies of Love in the Time of Dragons
If only a broken heart were all she had to deal with…
…but there are Viking ghosts, gods, werebeings, and one sexy as sin vampire on Francesca’s case. And her biggest trouble is Loki, the trickster god.
When Fran arrives at Goth-Faire to deal with him, things go from bad to worse, for her immortal ex, Benedikt, is there…with a new girlfriend.
Shapesifters, Vikings, and a town filled with deranged opera fans…it’s a good thing Fran’s no ordinary mortal…

Friday, November 19, 2010

Cartoons for Twisted People- Brought to you by Robert

As someone who lives in a small rural farming community, 
I can really appreciate these.

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Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Series of the Week--Coffeehouse Mystery Novels

I love to read series. While I love them, I hate the wait between books so often find myself with as many as a half dozen books on my hands before starting a series. When this happens I will treat myself to a series marathon and read nonstop, for days, even weeks sometimes. How about you? How do you feel about series and what is your favorite? Over the next couple of months, I'm going to share some of my favorites with you.
 

Cleo Coyle launched her Coffeehouse Mystery series in September 2003 with On What Grounds. It is now in its 15th printing.

There are currently 8 books in Cleo's nationally bestselling series with the 9th, Roast Mortemjust released in hardcover from Penguin's Berkley Prime Crime imprint. And the 8th Holiday Grind, now available in paperback format.
Scroll down to read  more about each of the books in this series of culinary mysteries set in a landmark Greenwich Village coffeehouse.  

The Coffeehouse
Mystery Novels
in order...

 Book #1
On What Grounds

"The perfect cup of coffee is a mystifying thing. To many of my customers, the entire process seems like some sort of alchemy they dare not try at home...."
Ten years ago, Clare Cosi left an unhappy marriage along with a job she loved: managing the historic Village Blend coffeehouse in New York’s Greenwich Village. For a decade, she was happy raising her daughter in the quiet suburbs of New Jersey; but now that Joy is grown and gone, life has gotten way too quiet for Clare.
     With a little cajoling from Madame, the Blend’s flamboyant, elderly owner (not to mention a persuasive pot of Jamaica Blue Mountain), Clare agrees to return to her old job—and right from the start she gets one heck of a jolt.
     On her first morning back as Village Blend manager, Clare unlocks the front door to find her beautiful, young assistant manager, Anabelle Hart, unconscious in the back of the store, coffee grounds strewn everywhere.
     As Anabelle is rushed to the hospital, police arrive to investigate, but Detective Mike Quinn finds no sign of forced entry or foul play, and he deems it an accident. Clare disagrees; and after Quinn leaves, there are a few questions she just can’t get out of her mind, like why was the trash bin in the wrong place? If this wasn’t an accident, are her other baristas in danger? And are all NYPD detectives this attractive?

Book #2

Through the Grinder


 "She had to die. The Genius knew this and was absolutely fine with it. The problem, of course, was how...."

Clare’s new life in the city is percolating right along, with her grown daughter, Joy, close by in culinary school; and her ex-husband, Matt, working even closer as the Blend’s coffee buyer. Even better, their newest loyal customer is Mike Quinn, the NYPD detective who helped Clare solve the murder of assistant manager Anabelle.
     Turns out Detective Quinn likes Clare’s lattes as much as hearing her opinions about his current cases, including his latest one: a suicide. Or was it? Soon after stopping at the Village Blend coffeehouse, a regular customer jumps to her death in the subway. Or was she pushed?
     Detective Quinn is convinced that someone has an axe to grind, especially after the “suicide” of a second female customer. Unfortunately, his prime suspect is Bruce Bowman, the new man in Clare’s life. Bruce is the perfect blend of rugged good looks and potent personality. Too bad the women in his life keep turning up dead. Now Clare will have to risk her heart—and her life—to follow the killer’s trail to the bitter end.

Book #3

                      Latte Trouble



" 'Men are pigs. They should die!' Tucker Burton's words were audible over the steam wand's hiss...It wasn't that I disagreed with Tucker about men. When they acted like pigs, I wanted blood too, so to speak...."

The barista meets the fashionista! For years, fashion designer Lottie Harmon was the toast of New York’s fashion industry until something happened that made her close up shop and leave the city. Now she’s back, making a splash with an ingenious new collection of coffee-inspired accessories. Because Lottie was always a loyal customer of the Village Blend, she chooses Clare’s coffeehouse as the stage for fall Fashion Week insiders to view her new line of “Java Jewelry.” During the launch party, however, Blend barista Tucker Burton unwittingly serves a poisoned latte to one of Lottie’s guests. Chaos ensues as paramedics rush in, and the police arrest Tucker.
     Clare is certain her barista is innocent, and she suspects the real target may have been Lottie herself. Now Clare must protect her thriving business from negative publicity, Lottie from any further danger, and Tucker from murder charges—even if it means jolting the fashion world with some shocking secrets.

Book #4

Murder Most Frothy

 
"Hours before I found the body, one of Detective Mike Quinn's pithy comments came back to haunt me: 'You know, Clare, it's a little known principle of physics that a great deal of money can create a completely separate universe....'"

 Clare Cosi's new friend, millionaire entrepreneur David Mintzer, makes her an offer no New York barista could turn down: an all-expense-paid summer away form the sticky city.
     At David’s oceanfront mansion, Clare plans to relax, soak up the sun, and (oh, yes) train the staff at David’s new East Hampton restaurant, Cuppa J, in the high rituals of proper coffee service. Packing up her daughter, her former mother-in-law, and her special recipe for frothy coffee frappes, Clare expects to have a de-latte-ful summer. But her carefree vacation grinds to a halt when an employee turns up dead in David’s bathroom.
     Because of the Fourth of July fireworks, no one heard any gunshots. That doesn’t worry Clare. She’s just starting to investigate, and the disturbing facts she uncovers are going to keep her up at night—even without caffeine.

Book #5

Decaffeinated Corpse

 

"In 1862 New York instituted its first gun control law, banning rifles to discourage hunting within the city limits. Nearly one hundred and fifty years later, at least one hunter failed to be discouraged...."
 At the Village Blend, Clare Cosi’s best baristas may refer to a decaffeinated espresso as a “why bother?”, but Clare knows a good percentage of her customers prefer the neutered brew. So when Ric Gostwick, a charismatically handsome Brazilian, develops the world’s first botanically decaffeinated coffee plant, Clare can see why Matt (her ex-husband and business partner) gets into bed with the deal.


     Unfortunately, Ric is also getting into bed with more than one woman. And when an attempted murder happens right outside the Blend’s back door, Clare suspects more than Ric’s revolutionary new plant has its roots in some dirt.
     
As she begins to investigate Ric’s background and business connections, a trail of clues leads to a pile up of casualties and an international roster of suspects. Now Clare knows she’s got to find the murderer before one of her near and dears takes a fall. Otherwise, her latest addition to the Village Blend menu will prove to be a real buzz killer.
  Book #6

                                   French Pressed


 “'Ugh,' I murmured. 'This coffee is absolute poison...'
     No, the lukewarm ebony liquid sloshing around my bone china cup wasn’t actually lethal, just bitter, old, and lifeless—the kind of adjectives I would have been mortified to hear uttered about my coffee, God forbid my person..."

Clare Cosi's daughter, Joy—a girl who doesn't always make the *best* decisions—is finishing up her culinary studies with an internship at Solange, one of New York City's hottest French restaurants. She's also getting way too intimate with her boss, the older, married Executive Chef Tommy Keitel.
     Clare's not buzzed about the relationship (to put it mildly), but what twenty-something takes romantic advice from her mother? Resolving to keep a closer eye on Joy, Clare makes a deal to micro-roast and French press exclusive coffee blends for Tommy, a man she wouldn't mind seeing roasted and pressed himself! Then the competitive kitchen turns cutthroat, and the NYPD marks Joy as a murder suspect. To clear her daughter of the crime, Clare knows she must catch thereal killer...even if it lands her in the hottest water of her life. 


             Coffeehouse
Mystery #7
ESPRESSO SHOT
                                                                 
 As manager and head barista of the landmark Greenwich Village coffeehouse The Village Blend, Clare Cosi doesn’t get steamed up about much. But ever since her ex-husband started planning his second wedding, she’s been making some vows of her own...
 Clare’s been hired to create a gourmet coffee and dessert bar for a New York wedding to be held at the world-renowned Metropolitan Museum of Art. Famous chefs will be there, celebrities, members of the press, well-known politicians—so why isn’t she thrilled to have this chance to shine? Because the person tying the knot is Matteo Allegro, her ex-husband and current business partner. And while Clare has no designs on
ever marrying Matt again, she’s afraid he’s making a terrible mistake.
 The bride-to-be is Trend magazine editor Breanne Summour. Beautiful, wealthy, and sophisticated, the snarky tastemaker has never been a low maintenance kind of gal, and now she’s in full-blown bridezilla mode. The only way Clare can possibly deal with her is to put her misgivings aside and focus on business. But as a successful amateur sleuth, murder is Clare’s business, too, and when fatal accidents begin befalling people close to Breanne, Clare becomes suspicious. Is someone trying to sabotage this wedding? Even kill Breanne?
Between persuading a sexy Italian sculptor into lending her a one-of-a-kind fountain and roasting some of the rarest coffee beans on earth, Clare starts to investigate. But what she unveils, amid melted chocolate and steaming mochaccinos, may just get her burned....
   


                                    Coffeehouse
Mystery #8
HOLIDAY
GRIND

 There’s nothing cozier than a winter evening in Greenwich Village. Streetlights shimmer through icy flakes. Cafés glow with welcoming warmth. Boots crunch along cobblestones, and a layer of snow dusts historic townhouses like powdered sugar on holiday confections. Murder has no place in such a pretty picture, until now...

 Coffeehouse manager Clare Cosi has grown very fond of Alfred Glockner, the part-time comic and genuinely jolly charity Santa who’s been using her Village Blend as a place to warm his mittens. When she finds him brutally gunned down in a nearby alley, a few subtle clues convince her that Alfred’s death was something more than the tragic result of a random mugging—the conclusion of the police.

 With Clare’s boyfriend, NYPD Detective Mike Quinn, distracted by a cold case of his own, and ex-husband Matt investigating this year’s holiday lingerie catalogs (an annual event), Clare charges ahead solo and discovers Santa had a list that he was checking twice—and the folks on it were notvery nice. Then someone tries to ice Clare, and she really gets steamed.

Between baking delicious holiday goodies and fending off the attentions of a persistent professional elf, Clare sets out to solve Santa’s slaying. But she'd better watch out, because if she fails to stop this stone cold killer, she may just get the biggest chill of her life.


 Just Released!
 Coffeehouse Mystery #9
 ROAST MORTEM


The nationally bestselling
author brews up a 
HOT new mystery...
 
C
lare Cosi, manager and head barista of
the landmark Village Blend coffeehouse, has
perfected the pulling of steaming hot espressos.
But can she keep New York’s Bravest
from getting burned?
Arson leads to murder when Clare investigates
the torching of an elderly friend's cafe.
Soon she's facing off with a hardheaded FDNY
fire captain, who insists that none of his men
aided this firebug in his or her crime.
Clare isn't so sure. As she doggedly digs for the truth, firefighters begin to die in suspicious ways
and soon someone is threatening
to extinguish 
her...


Roast Mortem
Teaser Excerpt...

 
First came the sound, a monumental whoosh followed by a hissing roar. The white-hot concussion rippled through the air, the caffè’s front window exploded outward, and the blast washed over me.
     My eyes had been at keyhole level while I worked that stupid, stubborn lock, and the force of the firebomb knocked me right through the doorway.
     Sprawled on my back on the debris-strewn sidewalk, I turned my head, stared at the carpet of glass shards. Blood was pumping through my system so fast I could barely recognize voices yelling, a car horn beeping.
      I was unhurt. Small scratches maybe, a few bruises, a little bleeding—big deal—I was okay otherwise and I focused on throwing off the shock.
     Wheezing and coughing, I got back on my feet. Smoke rolled out of the caffè, the noxious fog billow ing upward in a succession of black, misshapen balloons. I scanned the sidewalk for my beer-filled barista.
     “Dante!” I shouted, rushing to the caffè entrance. “Dante!”
     Flames painted the caffè’s walls, spilling their colors onto its tables. The searing light in the urban night would have been beautiful if it weren’t so deadly.
      “Dante! Answer me!”
      Smoke stung my eyes. I gritted my teeth, swiped at my cheeks, peered harder into the chaos.
      Up front, the heavy marble espresso bar counter appeared undamaged. But in the rear of the shop, the embroidered fabric that had masked the utility room was a raging curtain of flame.
      Finally I spotted him—or, rather, his big, black Diesel boots—sticking out amid a cluster of overturned tables.
      Taking a deep breath (and praying to God it wouldn’t be my last), I went in....