Phoenix Entertainment and Development

Phoenix Entertainment and Development

Thursday, June 30, 2016

Book Blitz: Run Away to the Keys by Miki Bennett





Miki Bennett is a stay at home wife who has an intense love for the beach. Her passions include art and various crafts where she has won numerous awards over the years. She also calls herself the resident family tech geek, always checking out the latest gadget that comes out on the market. Most of all, she loves visiting the beach as much as possible, trying to fit all family vacations close to an island or beach if possible.
Miki began working for her parent’s family business when she was just eight years old and continued until they sold the company in 2007. At this time, she wasn’t sure of her next step in life and started learning as much as she could about the things that interested her the most: website building, painting with acrylic paints, new crochet techniques, photography, and many other venues trying to find out her next stage in life. This lead to her newest pursuit: writing.
She lives in Charleston, South Carolina with her husband, Jeff and their little dog Emma. They are a blended family with three grown children thus consider themselves empty nesters. Miki graduated from high school and went on to the College of Charleston but her interests were so varied that she couldn’t decide on a particular degree so she decided to learn on her own. Her life long pursuit of knowledge has lead her in many directions.
Miki is also a cancer survivor after having treatment in 2002 for Uterine Cancer. In 2013, she was diagnosed with Mastocytosis, a rare, incurable disorder in which patients can have life threatening allergic type reactions to the simplest things even though they are not truly allergic to the item: food, water, sun, heat, cold, sound, etc. Miki had lived with symptoms since she was a teenager but was given one diagnosis after another ending up with twelve different ones before she found the true cause. And since she looked fine on the outside, many didn’t believe she truly was ill. Once receiving the correct diagnosis, she is now on a mission to help others who deal with “invisible diseases” since these can be so hard on the patients. To the outside world patients look perfectly healthy though inside they deal with symptoms both physically and mentally.

Connect with the Author here: 


A handsome marine biologist comes to Key Largo and meets a beautiful and vivacious boat captain. Sounds perfect, right?
Unfortunately for Garrett Holmes and Skylar Cartwright, meeting and falling in love isn’t all smooth sailing into the Florida sunset.
Despite their mutual attraction and growing feelings for one another, Skylar’s rocky relationship with her wealthy parents and Garrett’s jealous research assistant, Casey, make life plenty hectic for the new couple.
When Skylar’s ex-boyfriend, Andrew, appears on the scene, things get really complicated, forcing Garrett and Skylar to question if love is enough to sustain them through the social storms.
An engaging and spirited romance story set against the luscious backdrop of the Florida Keys, Miki Bennett’s third novel will sweep you away to a world of warm sun and emerald waters.



Snippet:
 #1
   “Is this the Sea Gypsy?” the man said to Skylar as he approached the boat.
   “Yes, it is. Are you Garrett Holmes?”
   “Yeah. Who are you?”
   “Skylar Cartwright, your captain. Welcome aboard.”
  To say that Garrett Holmes was just handsome did not do him justice. This man temporarily took Skylar’s breath away. His short, wavy dark-brown hair was a bit unruly but gave him a rogue look that was intriguing. The muscles that she could see since he was wearing a tank top and shorts were taut and tanned. He’s gorgeous, Skylar thought as the man continued to stand on the dock, looking at her as if she had lost her mind.
   “You are the captain. No way!”


 #2
  “You’re going in the water one more time.”
   The female voice came from behind Garrett. He spun around so quickly he almost became tnalged in his own equipment. Skylar had wrapped a towel around herself, but she still couldn’t hide her beauty. And for the first time in such a long while Garrett found himself thinking about something else––or should he say someone––while on a boat at sea. This woman, who was beguiling and also his sea captain, had tatally captivated him on his first day aboard, but it was not as if he would admit it to anyone.



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



Wednesday, June 29, 2016

Book Blitz: Zenobia by Russ Wallace




Russ Wallace is life-long student of history, religion, politics, and social issues. As an instructor, he came to value the critical thinking so necessary to navigate the minefields of propaganda while searching for truths. As a world traveler, Russ learned the opposing views and prejudices underlying many of the problems in human society, ancient and modern.

He employs a vivid imagination to fill in the life of Zenobia, a real historical figure and one of the most fascinating women who ever lived. He is working on future books in the Zenobia book series.

Connect with the Author here: 

Sequel to the award-winning Zenobia - Birth of a Legend.

The continuing saga of the deadly young warrior who will one day challenge Rome for the supremacy of her world. As the dynamic girl continues her education in Egypt, for a time she is diverted from her warrior path. Complicating Zenobia's life is a budding romance with her brilliant and charismatic instructor. The challenge - he is the scholar, she the warrior. Can they blend their worlds to become the most exciting couple in Alexandria?

Learning of a slave trade in kidnapped young women, Zenobia determines to free the oppressed. Warrior skills will not be enough. Her new challenge - to become a pirate, then a temptress in her fight for justice.


              


Character Casting

Zenobia- Born in the Syrian Desert; Educated in Alexandria, Egypt. History describes her eyes as captivating, almost like they sparkled. She’s strikingly beautiful with black long hair to the middle of her back, soft brown skin that appears flawless.  Zenobia has a strong love of justice. She’s a critical thinker, calculating, and deadly.





Zelina is Zenobia’s mother. She’s pretty with dark features and very intelligent. She’s married to Sheik Zabbai, the leader of the Syrian tribe. Zelina likes the finer things in life but she isn’t too worldly.


Cam is a Syrian warrior and the Sheik’s right hand man. He’s powerful and wise and a deadly archer. He’s seen many battles. He mentors Zenobia.



Longinus is a professor in Alexandria, Egypt. Most days you will find him philosophizing in his white toga and sandals. He’s known as a walking encyclopedia. Zenobia is the most extraordinary woman he’s ever met.




Salim is a Syrian warrior. Zenobia and Salim became friends while training as warriors.


Tyrianna is kidnapped into a sex slave trade. She is trying to escape and return to her family in Nubia.


Patricia is kidnapped into a slave trade. She becomes friends with Tyrianna.

Shanzar is a Syrian warrior and Salim’s friend. He’s a great cook. 




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



Tuesday, June 28, 2016

Spotlight: Poppy by Clarissa Johal

Welcome to the Blog Tour for POPPY by Clarissa Johal.

Follow the tour for reviews, interviews, guest posts, and book spotlights.

Make sure to enter the giveaway below!


Book Details:

Title: Poppy
Genre: Paranormal
Author: Clarissa Johal
Editor: Kathryn Galan
Publisher: Faeriemoon Press
ISBN-13: 978-0692708873
ISBN-10: 0692708871
Number of Pages: 234

About POPPY:

A red-headed, pink-loving mortician who speaks to the dead.
A moody, unsociable funeral director.
Poppy and Dante from Struck are back.

Something is lingering around Skyview Funeral Home—and it's stealing souls of the dead.
With Dante in tow, Poppy is determined to put a stop to it.
Can she protect those who are trying to cross over, or will her soul be next?

Amazon Link:

http://amzn.to/23e4QJn

Read an Excerpt:

The root cellar was a small space with a low ceiling. At one point, it probably smelled of apples and potatoes, but now, there was nothing but the scent of lawn mower gas, dirt, and cold stone. Poppy reached into the darkness, searching for the light bulb string. Her fingers connected, and she pulled it on with a click.

“Gladys?”

Weak light illuminated the usual garden-equipment clutter. Rakes and shovels were piled against a stone wall. Several cans of gasoline sat next to an old lawn mower. Bags of fertilizer and garden fungicide sat beside them. Gladys was nowhere in sight.

A rustle sounded from a darkened corner. Fully expecting to see a rat or trapped bird, she held the bulb in such a way to throw light on it. The door slammed shut behind her.

“Geez!” Poppy lost her grip on the light. The swinging bulb cast rising and falling shadows on the walls. She made a move to push the door open when the lightbulb suddenly shattered, leaving her in darkness.

“Gladys?” Poppy kicked herself for not waiting until morning, when Dante could have accompanied her. The grating sound started up from the corner of the room. It ran slowly along the ground until it stopped in front of her. That’s not Gladys. You walked right into this one.

She clutched the jar to her chest, her heart thumping. “I have the locket, if that’s what you want.”

The answering silence lay across the cellar like a shroud.

“I’ll make you a deal. You leave my dead alone, and I’ll leave the locket right here.” Her voice sounded against the close confines. “Good luck with the sea salt, if that matters.” Poppy inwardly cringed as she felt a trickle of blood from her nose. Dammit. She attempted to put up her barriers, but it was too late.

A heaviness descended upon her shoulders like a mantle. Something lashed out and scratched the skin of her throat.

Meet the Author:



Clarissa Johal is the bestselling author of paranormal novels, Poppy, The Island, Voices, Struck and Between. When she’s not listening to the ghosts in her head, she’s dancing, taking pictures of gargoyles, or swinging from a trapeze. She shares her life with her husband, two daughters, and every stray animal that darkens their doorstep.

Find Clarissa Online:

Author Website
Blog
Facebook
YouTube
Twitter
Goodreads
Amazon Author Page
Pinterest

Enter the Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monday, June 27, 2016

Book Blitz: My Pineapples Went to Houston by Lee Gaitan



Lee Gaitan is a wife, mother, teacher, author and speaker, but above all she is passionately committed to overcoming life’s obstacles, surviving sometimes by the skin of her teeth, but always with humor and optimism. She shares her experience with anyone who will listen with the intent to encourage others to use humor to their benefit.

In the past twelve years Lee has had to deal with more than a healthy helping
of “are you kidding me?” moments. In 2002, she hit rock bottom. It was so bad shelovingly refers to it as a year of “shock and awfulness.” That year her father died,her mother was in the hospital, semi-comatose from grief, and her husband of 22 years lost every penny of their money BEFORE running off to Arizona with his girlfriend, who just happened to be a former stripper. 

That was just the beginning. She spent the next decade struggling with loss and challenges on every front, from finances and family to health and career.

While there have been many bounces up and down over the years, Lee has finally
bounced back and it was well worth the effort. She has happily remarried, working at a job she loves and has published her second book. She even has children on three continents and a granddaughter far too far away!
Connect with the Author here: 

Heartbreak, Humor and, ultimately, Hope
That’s the message that comes through loud and clear in My Pineapples Went to Houston,  Lee Gaitan’s personal and powerful tale of surviving a decade of relentless chaos and loss. The “shock and awfulness” began in 2002 when her father died, her mother teetered on the brink of a coma and her husband of 22 years secretly lost all their money and ran off with a stripper. And it was all downhill from there!   
 Then one day in the midst of all the chaos—somewhere between loud cursing and crying—she recalled an amusing anecdote she’d heard about pineapples that spoke to her circumstances in such an unexpectedly humorous way that she couldn’t help but laugh out loud.
“That moment of laughter was a small epiphany for me. I realized that I had allowed my sense of humor, which had always mitigated the bad breaks in my life and enhanced the good ones, to fall victim to the machete my ex-husband had taken to my life. I determined right then and there that I could no longer permit that. I instinctively knew that humor was the most potent, and just about the only, protection I had at my disposal to survive the crises unfolding around me, and I vowed to keep it alive.”


Told with honesty and insight—and, of course, humor—My Pineapples Went to Houston both inspires and entertains readers and offers hope and encouragement to those struggling with their own “plans gone outrageously awry.”




Top Ten List:
1.       Peanut M & Ms
2.       Ice cream—I mean, I LOVE ice cream and if I could eat stracciatella gelato in Italy every day, I would be in paradise. I’d also be in an XL muu-muu!
3.       Massages—head, body, hands or feet and preferably all of those!
4.       DOGS!
5.       Music
6.       Sleeping in
7.       Movies, especially foreign films
8.       Eating outside
9.       Hart to Hart reruns on The Hallmark Channel, seriously.

10.   The Grilled Market Salad at Chik-fil-A—I’m kind of obsessed with it right now, actually. I ate it four times in one week and didn’t tell my husband.


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



Detective Ryan Series Countdown Day 7



Thank you for joining us on The Writers Revolution. This week we are celebrating the release of Conviction (book 3 of the Detective Ryan Series). Today is the release and release party. Join us each day as we bring you more from the Detective Ryan Series, including teasers, reviews, and even an excerpt.
https://www.facebook.com/events/201092486943774/



 What would you do if your whole world just shattered into tiny pieces? Most would curl up and hide from the world, but Detective Ali Ryan wasn’t most people. After suffering the lethal combination of heartbreak, betrayal and death, Ali must find the will to pick up the pieces and solve the biggest case of her life. With the lives of her loved ones at stake, Ali will do everything to uncover the truth. And the question everyone has been dying to know will be answered; WHO IS THE PUPPET MASTER?






Sitting in the confines of his pitch black office, the man the police once labeled as the Puppet Master pulled out a wrinkled piece of paper from the cold metal desk. He clicked on the light and stared at the names crossed off with red marker. Four names remained on the list, but when his eyes found Matthew Alvarado, he merely laughed while inking out another name.
Tucking the paper away, he took his suit jacket and exited the room. The T.V. in the bedroom could be heard down the hall as they announced the funeral for latest victim of his manipulation. The evil grin was unmistakable as he looked in the mirror. He remembered the carnage from a week earlier as Matthew’s body was wheeled out of Detective Ali Ryan’s home. The blood soaked, white sheet was secured around the deceased, keeping from the public’s view.
Much deserved, he thought. At least you won’t get in my way of killing her again. His hands gripped the black tie and tugged it tightly at the memory of his foiled attempt to drown Detective Ryan only few months prior. He would have to settle for seeing the devastation in her eyes as she watched the man she loved get lowered six-feet beneath the ground. The thought calmed his anger long enough to fix his tie.
He arrived at the funeral. There were so many people there, blending in was easy. There were so many grieving men and women there, no one would think twice about questioning who he was. He slipped into a chair without drawing attention to himself. There would be no master plan, no attacks or murders. He was there to watch Ali Ryan’s spirit get crushed beneath his brilliance.
Matthew’s family naturally stood at the front, welcoming everyone as they paid their respects. A large group of people walked by, making it increasingly difficult to hear anyone approaching. At the tail end of the group were three people whose names were inscribed on his list.
The man bringing up the rear was the most recent addition. Detective James Thornton, the man who was so full of himself he believes he’s god’s gift to women. The man had a habit of getting what he wanted and leaving a trail of broken hearts behind. In front of him stood Amanda Ryan, Ali’s sister. Her coal black hair and thin body’s appearance made her look anorexic compared to the rest of her friends and family.
The sick smile returned to his face, remembering six months earlier knocking her onto the train tracks at the Poughkeepsie Train Station. As much as he would have loved to watch her death eat away at Detective Ryan, he was happier to see Amanda’s boyfriend jump down to save her. The unfortunate bastard never had a chance. He saved the girl only to be crushed by the inbound train. Amanda’s cries for help may have alerted others to her impending abduction, but failed to stop him from escaping with her. Taking her captive was the perfect way to cut Ali deep enough to make her snap. There was never an intention to kill Amanda, she was the bait to lure the police away from Ali’s pursuit of Nick DeFalco. The plan worked to perfection as Ali pulled the trigger, killing his little protégé.
DeFalco wasn’t considered a big loss. He was viewed as a necessary expenditure, a loose end that couldn’t be left for the police to interrogate. If they arrested and questioned DeFalco, they would know he had an accomplice.
The Puppet Master’s eyes moved to Detective Ali Ryan. She looked stunning in the black dress her sister picked out for her. It showed off her curvaceous body, but maintained the class she wanted to show as she hugged the mother of her deceased boyfriend. The tears ran down her reddened cheeks. It was a sight he wanted to savor. She was a pure emotional wreck and the man sitting three rows from her was to blame.
If only you knew the truth Ali, he thought. He watched the ceremony proceed without a hitch. Then it was time for those closest to the deceased to add a rose to the top of the casket. He watched as Matthew’s mother and brothers gently tossed the roses into the grave, landing on top of the box. A high pitched wail came from Mrs. Alvarado as turned away. Her sons grabbed her arms and directed her back to their seats. More of their family huddled around her after depositing their roses on the casket.
The Puppet Master searched his cold, black heart for any sign of remorse. Sympathy and empathy went out the window long ago. The pain Mrs. Alvarado felt was one he knew all too well, but wouldn’t allow that tragedy to get the better of him when he was so close to reaching his ultimate goal, to kill Ali Ryan.
Once the family paid their respects, they brought Mrs. Alvarado to the side, hoping it would help to calm her down. Then Ali and her sister approached with their new bodyguard. The sisters stood in front of the old woman and cried in each other’s arms.
Before he could lose himself in savoring the moment, the procession line of people paying their respects moved to his row. He was obligated to participate. If he didn’t, he would start to stick out. Getting up with the rest of his row, the Puppet Master collected the rose and approached the grave.
“Don’t worry,” he whispered. “I’ll make sure you are with Ali again very soon.” He dropped the rose and started to walk back to his car. With one last look, he saw a tall, husky man moved with a purpose towards Ali as she left Mrs. Alvarado. Now this should be interesting.
Detective Thornton jumped between Ali and her now former partner, Detective Rodney Johnson. There was nothing but anger and hatred burning in Ali’s eyes. The Puppet Master believed if Ali were given the chance, she would murder Rodney in cold blood.
“Listen,” Rodney shouted. “I didn’t pull the trigger.”
That was not the response the Puppet Master thought he would hear. He thought Rodney would beg for forgiveness or for Ali to help him prove his innocence.
He wanted to listen to their conversation, but knew if he got too close, they would turn their attention to him instead of where he wanted it diverted to.
Turning his back to the group, the Puppet Master walked back to his car, hearing Rodney shout, “You think I’d bash my own head in to cover up an accidental shooting?”
Rodney must have found some way to prove he was attacked. If he has enough evidence, he’ll be cleared of the shooting and my plan will be over.
The Puppet Master jumped in his car and pulled away slowly, continuing with his role as a grieving friend or co-worker. Once he pulled up to a stoplight, his fist connected with the steering wheel.
“I’m done waiting. She needs to die.” He looked up at the light with the evil smile. “Ready or not; I’m coming for you, Detective Ali Ryan.








If we've piqued your interest, be sure to pick up a copy of the third book in the Detective Ryan Series, Conviction
https://www.amazon.com/Conviction-Book-3-Detective-Ryan-ebook/dp/B01FSV8AI4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1466019901&sr=8-1&keywords=conviction+andrew+hess