Phoenix Entertainment and Development

Phoenix Entertainment and Development

Tuesday, December 27, 2016

Shadow Tech Goddess by Ren Garcia






Beware the woman who does not exist, yet is everywhere. Paymaster Stenstrom and his Countess-in-Waiting, Lady Gwendolyn of Prentiss, are paid a bounty of riches to perform a simple task, and then everything changes. The weight of the Universe comes down upon them. Paymaster Stenstrom learns he is in the gaze of the destroyer of universes, the Shadow tech Goddess, and also that he is in a race with sinister forces hoping to curry her favor and bring about the end of all things. It is a race he and Gwendolyn must win. They will investigate ancient places hidden in plain sight and travel to long lost worlds unseen in ages. They will feel fear such as they have never known and walk in a Garden of Horrors where all is revealed and Stenstrom comes to know the truth of his place in the universe. The Shadow tech Goddess silently watches the doings from her throne in the Hall of Mirrors, seeing all, collecting information, and her verdict might finally be cast one way or the other.







Ren Garcia is a Science Fiction/Fantasy author and Texas native who grew up in western Ohio. He has been writing since before he could write, often scribbling alien lingo on any available wall or floor with assorted crayons. He attended The Ohio State University and majored in English Literature. Ren has been an avid lover of anything surreal since childhood, he also has a passion for caving, urban archeology and architecture. His highly imaginative "League of Elder" book series is published by Loconeal Publishing

  



Connect with the Author here: 

Facebook ~ Website ~ Amazon ~




The knob, Bel, the knob! Did you turn it?”
Through the dull, fear-clouded passes of his mind he recalled the Anatameter and its innocuous little knob. “Yes…”
“How many times?”
His mind was numb. “One, I think …”
The woman shrieked and shook him. “EIGHT TIMES, BEL!!! EIGHT TIMES, NOT ONE!!!”
--The Woman with the Gun to Paymaster Stenstrom in the Ruins of Clovis


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Saturday, December 17, 2016

Christmas Countdown Day 12: Laura L. Walker





Laura L. Walker grew up in a large family in the beautiful Gila Valley of southern Arizona. From the time Laura was young, ideas for stories bombarded her brain. She would spend hours drawing her characters on paper and fantasizing about their adventures. Life became more serious, however, when Laura met her own hero while at college in northern Arizona and they later became the parents of six children. In between spurts of grocery shopping, sewing costumes or quilts, transporting kids to practices, and making dinner, Laura still enjoys putting her imagination to good use. Laura is the author of two LDS contemporary romances, Pierced by Love and The Matchup. Caitlyn’s Christmas Wish is her first e-novella.


Q & A With The Author:

5. What is the hardest thing you've ever done?

Even though I've lived through several difficult events, I would have to say the hardest thing for me is raising my six children. I love them all to pieces and wouldn't trade them for the world, but each of them has presented unique challenges to me. As their mother, collectively, I feel exhausted at times but am especially proud when they accomplish or pull through something that was hard for them.


6. Now that we've gotten to know each other, tell me a story. It can be long or short. From your childhood or last week. Funny, sad, or somewhere in between. Just make sure it's yours. What's your story?


True story: My favorite all-time movie is The Sound of Music. As a tween, I was absolutely enthralled with that story (and to this day, I can't even explain why). Maybe it was the songs Julie Andrews sang, maybe it was her character or the gorgeous scenery . . . I'm not sure. For me, all of the story elements in that movie combined to make the perfect story for me. I watched it so many times on television that my adult brothers now will not allow their wives to watch it. This is something I only found out about a few years ago when I was sitting at a table with my sisters-in-law. I was stunned and felt so bad that I ruined it for them.



Connect with the Author here: 


Just when former model and single mother Caitlyn Drevier Reel has finally put her life back on track after a divorce and six-month stint in rehab, she is surprised to receive an invitation from her ex-in-laws to spend Christmas with the family. After all, she reasons, her ex-husband Grant is constantly on the road with his band and it's only fair to allow them to get to know her young son, Brody. What Caitlyn isn't prepared for, however, is the spark of attraction she feels for Ridge, Grant's older brother, or the sense of belonging to their wonderful family once again. Ridge, who is recovering from his own personal heartache, seems to feel the same about her. As they work together to ensure the success of the Winter Festival that his parents have organized for their small Wyoming town, Caityln begins to envision a bright future. But will Grant's unexpected arrival keep her Christmas wish from coming true?





~ Amazon ~ Amazon UK



Top Ten List:

1. my hubby and children 
2. red roses 
3. chocolate chip cookies 
4. swimming pools 
5. writing 
6. clean and uplifting romances 
7. music 
8. quiet (when the music is finished and the kids have gone to bed) 
9. pumpkins 
10. Thanksgiving and Christmas


To view our blog schedule and follow along with this tour visit our Official Event page 



Friday, December 16, 2016

Christmas Countdown Day 11: Brenda Novak





Brenda Novak’s latest “digital box set for a cure,” ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS, is a contemporary romance collection of delightful and romantic Christmas stories. It features Brenda's Rita-nominated novella, “A Dundee Christmas”, as well as stories by some of the biggest romance authors of our time, including #1 New York Times Bestselling Author Debbie Macomber and romance favorites Bella Andre, Melody Anne, Violet Duke, Marie Force, Heather Graham, Laurelin Paige & Kayti McGee, Jane Porter, Melanie Shawn, RaeAnne Thayne, Melinda Curtis, Anna J. Stewart and Scarlett York. The set sells for only $9.99 (less than $1/story) and is up for pre-order now wherever e-books are sold. The box will be released November 1st and will only be available through December 31st.

All the proceeds will go to Boston University to help Dr. Ed Damiano (who also has a son with Type 1) finish engineering the artificial pancreas. Why is his work important? Because the artificial pancreas will go far toward helping insulin-dependent diabetics remain healthy until that elusive biological cure can be found. So, please, pre-order this boxed set today and encourage your friends and family to do the same. You'll get many hours of enjoyable reading in exchange for a small donation that will help a lot of people.


Q & A With The Author:
5. What is the hardest thing you've ever done?

Saying to to those I love (my kids, especially).


6. Now that we've gotten to know each other, tell me a story. It can be long or short. From your childhood or last week. Funny, sad, or somewhere in between. Just make sure it's yours. What's your story?

When my youngest son was only six, a cousin, older by five years, slipped into the attic where my husband and I were storing a great many things and ferreted out the presents I’d put there at least a month before Christmas. Armed with the knowledge of what those presents were, it seemed he took some kind of perverse pleasure in destroying Thad’s fantasy of Santa Clause. He told Thad everything he was going to get—and let him know that Ted and I had bought each item and tucked it all away for safekeeping until December 25th, when we would pretend that Santa had come down the chimney and left those items for him.

When some children learn the truth, they get angry with their parents for perpetuating this myth. Thad didn’t react that way. He was angry with his cousin for destroying the magic we were trying to keep alive for him. He wasn’t yet ready to let that go. But I had gotten Thad something for Christmas this cousin failed to mention, probably because, in his mind, it was “just a book.” I have to admit Thad didn’t entertain himself with that book first of all. It wasn’t until later in the day, after the excitement of playing with his other toys had worn off a bit, that he and I sat down together to look through THE POLAR EXPRESS.

The book had come with a tape we listened to. I remember both of us being a little awed by the beauty of the illustrations and the way the words rolled off the narrator’s tongue as that tape played—“hot chocolate thick and rich as chocolate bars…” Sometimes I still think of that line, when it may have nothing to do with Christmas. But it was this gift that turned out to be the one I was most grateful I’d purchased because that story helped my little boy get beyond the disappointment of losing Santa Clause.  He took the same ride as the protagonist, who goes to the North Pole and is lucky enough to be selected to receive the first gift of Christmas. He shared that boy’s wonder and his joy when he received the bell from the harness of Santa’s reindeer that was supposed to help him believe in the magic of Christmas. Thad also shared in the disappointment when that bell was lost and was elated when spared the boy that loss by leaving it for him under the tree. Somehow that book softened the jarring blow of reality because it taught Thad that even though there may not be a jolly man dressed in a red suit who delivers toys to all good girls and boys, the magic of Christmas is real—as long as he chooses to believe.


Now I’m much older. But, like the narrator of that book, I can say, “the bell still rings for me.” I hope Thad will always be able to say the same.



All the Assorted Author's links are on the book's Amazon page: 
 ~ Amazon ~



“5-B POPPY LANE” by Debbie Macomber
Come visit with Helen Shelton, her granddaughter Ruth and Ruth's husband, Paul. They'll offer you a cup of mulled cider and the story of how they met.

“KISSING UNDER THE MISTLETOE” by Bella Andre
For Mary Sullivan Christmas has always been about family. As she hangs her ornaments, she's swept back to the first days of her whirlwind romance with her husband--and the love that would be the foundation on which they built their family.

“FINDING EACH OTHER” by Melody Anne
Brayden Steele gave up his love of Christmas many years ago when he lost his mother and father in a car wreck. But the magic hasn’t given up on him.

“BEFORE THAT PROMISE” by Violet Duke
If anyone can make Drew Lawson believe in the magic of Christmas, it's the girl-next-door he's classified as completely off-limits.

“CELEBRATION AFTER DARK” by Marie Force
On the occasion of their 40th wedding anniversary, Big Mac and Linda McCarthy take a look back at how they came to be, while each of their children confront a new challenge in their own lives. 

“SPIRIT OF THE SEASON” by Heather Graham”
While struggling to raise her newly orphaned nephew, Davey, widow Becky Wexham must deal with the feelings she experiences when she once again comes into contact with Tim Yeagher, an old flame and Davey's Little League coach.

“A DUNDEE CHRISTMAS” by Brenda Novak
Welcome to Dundee, Idaho, where the town is small but the hearts of the people living in it are large. A woman seeking refuge in an unfamiliar town during a snowstorm is taken in by a man who helps her discover a new sense of home. 

“UNMATCHABLE” by Laurelin Paige and Kayti McGee
After Jane Osborne is unceremoniously dumped by a rich man, and then invited to his wedding, on (Christmas Eve no less), she decides to hire a date from Craigslist and pass him off as an upgrade.

“CHRISTMAS MIRACLE FOR DAISY” by Jane Porter
When his goddaughter, Daisy, is orphaned, confirmed bachelor Cormac Sheenan adopts her. All goes well until Marietta's seasonal Santa Claus promises his daughter a mommy for Christmas. 

“CHRISTMAS WISH: A HOPE FALLS HOLIDAY NOVELLA” by Melanie Shawn
For the movie star and the single mom, will a Christmas Wish become their new reality? 

“A COWBOY’S CHRISTMAS MIRACLE” by RaeAnne Thayne
Widow and caterer Jenna Wheeler is determined to spin Christmas into the stuff of magic for her four children, even if that means helping out her new landlord, sexy billionaire Carson McRaven..

"THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS" by Melinda Curtis
Simon Castle' s on his way to a make-or-break meeting unseasonably scheduled for December 25--until the gorgeous redhead subbing for his limo driver takes him on a detour.

“GINGERBREAD DREAMS” by Anna J. Stewart
Can carpenter Hamish MacFadden show free-spirit Essie Goodman how magical family--and Christmas--can be?

“CRUEL INTENTIONS” by Scarlett York
For fans of Pretty Little Liars…It’s hard to be a rhinestone in a diamond world...I was far from living the dream, but now I'm stuck in a nightmare of lies, deceit....and murder. Merry Christmas to me.







Top Ten List:


1. Brenda has been on a reality TV show (as a judge for cover models).

2. Brenda has met Fabio. 

3. Brenda started writing because she caught her daycare provider drugging her children with cough syrup to get them to sleep all day while she worked as a loan officer.

4. Brenda edits her work while riding an Exercycle (daily).

5. Brenda comes off as an extrovert but is really an introvert.

6. Brenda has raised nearly $2.6 million for diabetes research.

7. Brenda has written nearly 60 books.

8. Brenda has just become a grandmother for the first time with the birth of her grand daughter, Ella Rose.

9. Brenda was with the same editor from the beginning of her career until just last June, when Paula Eykelhof retired (very unusual in the publishing world).


10. Brenda's dream is to visit Antarctica.



To view our blog schedule and follow along with this tour visit our Official Event page 



Thursday, December 15, 2016

Christmas Countdown Day 10: Ann Acton, Liz Adair, Terry Deighton







Ann Acton lives with her husband and children in a tiny town in Washington state. She loves the feeling of Christmas and usually finishes her shopping on Christmas Eve. She is also the author of The Miracle Maker.





Liz Adair, a native of New Mexico and mother of seven, lives in southern Utah with Derrill, her husband of 50 years.

A late bloomer, Liz published her first mystery (The Lodger) just as AARP started sending invitations to join. After writing three in the Spider Latham series, Liz moved into romantic suspense. She feels writing in that genre doing so is a service project. "I remember when I was a young mother with all those kids and a slender budget," she says. "I was so grateful for books that let me go places and meet people who carried on adult conversations That's what I want to write--cheap vacations."
"Amy's Star" brings both Liz and her writing to Kanab, Utah. Look for new Spider Latham mysteries set in Kanab.

Terry Deighton lives in Washington, the state not D.C., with her husband, Al. Their six children are grown and gone, and pets tend to complicate life. When she is not visiting her children and grandchildren, writing and revising, again and again, she works as a substitute teacher. Mr. Goetz in the Tweaks series is wiser and cooler, but he's made up, so it doesn't count. Mrs. Deighton started out to be a high school English teacher, but raising kids turned into a full-time job. During those years, her dream of writing books for young people grew until she had to do something about it. Her Tweaks series is a fulfillment of that dream. Her love of Christmas naturally prompted her to write "Whit's End" in this book and "Just Say No-el," a companion novella to these three stories.



Q & A With  Author Liz Adair:
1.  Describe yourself in 50 words or less.
I’m 75 on the outside, 39 on the inside. I still think of myself as tall and statuesque, but who is that hefty, swollen-ankled women looking back at me from the full-length mirror? I’m a hearth-tender, but my explorer husband entices me to experience the wonders of the outside world.

2. What do you love most in the world? In all the world, I love family the most. I love the ties that bind generation to generation. I treasure the pictures my heart carries of my little, bird-like grandma, my Auntie-Mame mother, my children as they toddled around my farmhouse kitchen, and the fine people they have become.

3. What do you fear most? I’m afraid of the dark. A vivid imagination is great for writing murder mysteries, but it’s a curse on a moonless night when I’m alone, the power’s out, and something’s creaking in the next room.

4. What is your largest unfulfilled dream, and what are you doing to reach it? The largest of my few unfulfilled dreams is to hit the USA Today best seller list. To reach it, I’m learning to be a savvy marketer. This last year, I hit #1 in the Amazon Bestseller list and stayed there for almost all day, so I’m making progress. 

5. What is the hardest thing you've ever done?  It may be a little indelicate, but I’ll state this: When I was having children, natural childbirth was the usual path chosen. My last child was breech. ‘Nuff said.

6. Now that we've gotten to know each other, tell me a story. It can be long or short. From your childhood or last week. Funny, sad, or somewhere in between. Just make sure it's yours. What's your story?

This is my Christmas story:
Red Taffeta, by Liz Adair
When I was in the third grade, we moved from southern New Mexico to Wyoming for my father’s work. In the fall, before we knew we were leaving the temperate New Mexico climate, my mother had made me a little black velvet cape for a winter coat. It had a red taffeta lining and was trimmed with a rabbit-fur collar.
The cape was adequate for the first Wyoming autumn months, but then the air turned really cold. The constant wind cut through the two layers of cloth like Mama’s sewing shears, no matter how closely I wrapped the cape around me.
Because of the influx of construction workers, the little housing that was available was very expensive. Our family’s budget didn’t stretch to house rent and a new coat for me.
Two weeks before Christmas, a frigid front swept down from the north, pushed by a howling gale.  In spite of the storm, I had talked my parents into taking us to the movies. I can still see the scene in my mind’s eye: we’re getting ready to go. I’m full of anticipation, and I put on my velvet cape. As the wind whistles outside, Mama stands at the door, her hat on and her purse in her hand. She stars at me for a moment, then two, and she seems to be making up her mind about something. “Go get the box from under my bed,” she says.
I feel the hard linoleum of the floor on my knees as I look under the bed and pull out a substantial box, wrapped in Christmas paper. “Bring it in here,” Mama calls from the front room.
I carry it in and set it on the coffee table. “Open it,” she says.
I tear off the paper. There’s no excitement. Christmas is still two weeks away, and this is just strange. I lift the lid and find a winter coat: gray, nondescript, probably woolen. Mama has me put it on, and I wear it to the movies. 

That was in 1949. I don’t remember Christmas morning that year. I don’t remember anything else about that gray winter coat. But to this day, I can remember the way that red taffeta lining felt as it rubbed against my bare, eight-year-old arms.



Connect with the Authors here: 


These three Christmas novellas will get you into the holiday spirit. 

Christmas Gift - Christmas for Amanda Grover is usually a chaotic marathon in search of the perfect gifts. This year, she thinks she's got it all under control—until she's roped into doing service on Christmas Eve. What should be a simple night turns into a series of chaotic events and a gift she never expected. 

Amy’s Star: A Spider Latham Christmas Story - A new star rises above the southern Utah town of Kanab and draws some surprising visitors on Christmas Eve. 

At Whit’s End - When Whitney Saunders and her husband buy their first home, it jump starts her desire to make everything, especially Christmas, perfect. She soon finds out it’s more work than she thought, and she begins to wonder what perfect really is.









Snippet Amy’s Star:


At the back door, Spider could see Laurie at the table with Amy opposite. They both looked up as he opened the door.
“Hi,” Laurie said. She smiled, but it wasn’t an automatic, come-from-the-heart, Christmas Eve smile. It was a wooden, brave-faced turning up of her lips.  
Amy smiled, too. Hers was genuine. Five-hundred-watt incandescent. 
“Hello, girls,” Spider said. “How’s it going?”
“Fantastic,” Amy said. 
Laurie cleared her throat. “Amy stopped taking her meds.”
“So I heard.” Spider tipped his head, regarding Amy. “Is that wise?”
Amy covered her face. “No. I know it’s not, but listen.” She let her hands slide down, so her eyes were peeking above her fingertips. “I just wanted to feel the Christmas joy. You don’t know what it’s like to have everything—” She made a horizontal motion. “—even out. I want to feel something this Christmas!”
Spider grimaced. He understood what Amy was saying, and right now he hated the responsibility he had inherited. “This thing with President Obama and the Bethlehem star. It wasn’t real, you know.”
Amy stared at Spider, chewing on her lower lip. “The big black limo? The tinted windows going silently down?” She pantomimed the windows lowering. “The man in the back leaning forward and taking my hand, telling me he had this great thing for me to do? You’re saying it wasn’t real?”
Spider nodded. “That’s what I’m saying.”
Amy looked at Laurie. “It was real to me.”

Ten fun facts about Liz Adair 

1.    I lived in Alaska while it was still a territory.
2.    I was born in Hot Springs, New Mexico, but they changed the name of the town to Truth or Consequences.
3.    The smell of an outhouse doesn’t repel; it brings back memories of staying with Grandma.
4.    I had a small wholesale bakery for 15 years making home-made pies for 22 restaurants.
5.    During my ‘Mother Earth’ decade, I learned to make Mozzarella cheese.
6.    Also, while doing the ‘Mother Earth’ thing, I delivered a baby burro.
7.    I was once fluent in Spanish.
8.    I have seven children: four biological and three adopted.
9.    I’m an intrepid ATVer.
10. I’ve been married for 53 years.



To view our blog schedule and follow along with this tour visit our Official Event page