USA Today Bestseller Madison Johns: July 2012

Friday, July 27, 2012

Lazy days of Summer beach reads and review contest ~ prize $25 Amazon gift card!

Brought to you by that wild and zany Author Madison Johns!

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

It's been awhile since I have done a wow Wednesday, and I think today is a great day for it to make an appearance on my blog.

Today I'm featuring Shoe Marks by Karen Vance Hammond, someone I call friend. We have chatted online, messaged each other, and talked on the phone, but that's not the reason I want to feature her on my blog. It's because of her amazing paranormal Shoe Marks. We had swapped links and I blew her off on a few occasions, but finally bought her book. I could talk at length about what Karen has overcome, but I want to wholly focus on the book Shoe Marks. Oh did I mentions that Shoe Marks was a #1 bestseller at her publisher Synergy?

An unsuspecting young family moves into their dream house or is it? The realtor left out an important detail like that it's haunted! When they first came to the house the door mysteriously opened before Jeremy even inserted the key.

Excerpt:

After the kids came home from school, Laura grabbed a knife off the kitchen table, opening a cardboard box. Inside, she smiled as she lifted Meredith and Robert’s baby books. She pulled back the kitchen drapes, watching her children play with a ball and stick. She couldn’t believe how fast time had flown since they were born.

Inserting the baby books in the living room bookshelf, she smiled back at her sweet baby, who slept soundly in his playpen, and covered him up with his blue-and-white blanket.

“Mama, Mama, Mama.” Laura cocked her head to one side. She thought she heard Meredith calling her, and once again she pulled back the drape. She could see Meredith and Robert playing down by the pond. Then she heard the small child’s voice again: “Mama, Mama, Mama."

Knowing she and James Collin were alone in the house, she felt sweat bead on her upper lip and forehead. Her chest tightened, with her heart pounding out of control. Laura closed her eyes, taking deep breaths. Try to ignore it, she said to herself. She cut her eyes toward the stairs as she heard the child’s voice again. “Mama, Mama, come here Mama."

My take

This is not my usual genre, but I must say that this story is so riveting that it will hook you from page one. It sure did me. I highly recommend Shoe Marks for anyone that loves a good scare or for those that don't. It's just a great book and would make one heck of a great movie. Thanks Karen for writing Shoe Marks and I can't wait to see what you come up with next.

Please check out Karen at Synergy, Amazon, Smashwords or check out her website.

I messed up some of the quotation marks, and take the blame ~ Madison

Saturday, July 21, 2012

Madison's Words of Wisdom

~ When life throws you lemons, throw them back ~

~ Sometimes even with the best of intentions, things go to shit ~

(I hope you wasn't expecting a picture for this one).

~ With age comes great wisdom ~

~ You never forget how to ride a bicycle, but stopping is a whole other matter ~

~ When faced with adversity, try harder ~

~ There are days that life will bring you down ~

~ There will be days that you'll bounce off the walls ~

Smiles and have a great weekend ~ Madison

Saturday, July 14, 2012

Book Launch ~ Prizes

Hello again I wanted to again remind you that on July 19th at 7 p.m. EDT I'm sharing the stage with Jane Carroll, who is the author of Bertha Size You Life. This is a unique way to do a book launch party, one that I hope will continue in the future. This way guests have the opportunity to get know two authors instead of just one, in a very fun way.

There will be plenty of games and prizes ~ who doesn't like prizes, right?

Prizes ~ Madison

Bath and Body Works gift set

I'm also giving away four $5.00 gift cards

Juicy Couture Viva La Juice perfume

Signed copy of Armed and Outrageous

I'm also giving away a signed proof copy of Armed and Outrageous. What author do you know that does that?

Pink Purse

People that can't qualify for this coveted prize want it!

Outrageous Feather Headband

Authors have lined up to give away books too.

Jane Carroll is giving away plenty of prizes too, feather boas and way more. I hope you all will attend! Please check out more about the event on Facebook.

You'll also get the opportunity to win books by the following authors.

Karen Magill: The Bond and Mystique Rising (The Bond in PDF, ePub or MObi Mystique Rising is in Kindle and I will have to get the person's email addy and then gift it to them)

Raymond Frazee: Captivate and Control

Catrina Taylor: Book one of her series: Birth of an Empire: The Beginning and two related shorts; Surface and Change by Design—to be given as a set or separately—Kim’s call. Catrina can’t be there that night because her brother is getting married the next day.

What She Knew: Kindle version — T.L. Burns and K.R. Hughes

Ed Griffin: Veto The novel Veto is an ebook, a Kindle book. It's on Amazon. If I find out the winner, I can just email the book, attaching it to an email. I have it in epub and in mobi(kindle) Ed

Beverly Mahone: "Don't Ask and I Won't Have to Lie"

Laura Clark: Music Speaks

Wendy Siefkin: Kai’s Journey…paperback and Kindle…

David Bishop: The Blackmail Club

Sunday, July 8, 2012

Sample Sunday Redneck Romance

I wrinkled my brow as my Corolla began to jerk. Oh no! I can't be out of gas? I rocked my body toward the wheel and back, as if I could rock the car further than the gas would allow.

I spotted a truck filled with what I'd call rednecks passing me. They were hooting and hollering like they had just escaped from the law. Their faced dirt covered and hairy, their grimy fingers gripped 12-gauge shotguns.

That's all I needed. To be taken hostage by a bunch of Bubbas.

I shook my head.

Stop it Kelly, you're losing it.

I could just hear my mom now. "I tried to tell her, but oh no, what does a mother know, right?"

I felt sweaty between my legs but not in a good way. I noticed just ahead there was a gas station. The small oval sign with an emblem of Pegasus looked rusty, but I saw cars parked along the road including the truckload of rednecks.

My car chugged to a stop ten feet from the driveway.

Thursday, July 5, 2012

Book Release Party July 19th

I'm teaming up with Jane Carroll, author of Bertha Size Your Life for a book release party to celebrate the recent releases of our books. We both write about outrageous characters and it's fitting that we join together for this special event. It's both Jane Carroll's and my way of giving out prizes for the attendees. This will be a virtual party in the online conference room over at Master Koda. Dress for the event can be whatever you want. I'm dressing up in old age apparel or my version. I can be as loud as you want or nothing at all, lol. July 19th 7pm EDT click here.

Bertha:

If you crossed Lucy and Oprah and dressed her like Peg Bundy you might just get Bertha…a zany redhead in lime green spandex and high-heels…she’s always up to something…positive that is…as she flings downhome wisdom and perky advice to anyone who will listen. She is frequently found standing on a soapbox or going head to head with the cat. But for all her Pollyanna ways Bertha does have a nemesis…Rita…who can and occasionally does bring her down quicker than a new daddy passes off a baby with a dirty diaper. Bertha is more than a book character…she’s a…character!

Agnes:

72 year-old retiree turned sleuth after the disappearance of her granddaughter and now another young tourist. The widow of a State Trooper, Agnes formerly worked as a private investigator and is no stranger to danger…or love…for that matter…and she certainly finds both without any difficulty…reconnecting with her former boss, Andrew. If Agnes had a motto it just might be…why should I act my age when there’s so much fun to be had?

Eleanor

82 years old but not forgotten…Eleanor is definitely up for adventure and refuses to let Agnes go it alone as she sets out looking for clues. Being plus sized doesn’t squelch Eleanor’s appeal to the gents which lead to altercations with a disgruntled wife or two…but nothing that a pocketbook swung in the right direction can’t handle. Also known to shoot a bad guy in the butt…Eleanor is definitely a force not to be reckoned with!

Prizes

Jane:

Feather boas with a matching canvas bag

Hot pink jeweled trinket box

Pink and green balloons and markers

Mardi Gras mask

High heeled picture frame thing

Purse picture frame

Bertha ink pen with matching note cards

Pictures of Bertha with flamingo and on the car

Paperback copies—signed

Madison:

Pink purse

Juicy Couture perfume

Signed copy of Armed and Outrageous (Proof Copy) Also will be signed by artist. (Grand prize winner).

Pink lipstick

Bath and Body works gift set.

Four $5 Amazon gift cards.

Another signed copy of Armed and Outrageous, not proof and ebook copies, please specify if you'd prefer Amazon or Nook formats.

Other Free books: