Tegon Maus, Author of ‘Service Before Self’: On Tour

This post was most recently updated on July 2nd, 2015

Tegon MausPublisher:  Tirgearr Publishing (February 24, 2015)
Category: Mystery/Thriller/Suspense
Tour Date: May/June, 2015
Available in: ebook, 154 Pages

A recent transplant to Southern California, Toby Grant has landed his dream job. He’s a service tech for Handy Dandy Services—the premier handyman service in the southland.

Things don’t go well for Toby on the first day when he is teamed up with Ryan Burnell, a twenty year veteran of Handy Dandy. Toby quickly learns the hardships of being Ryan’s partner, and finds himself in one uncomfortable situation after another.

In an effort to understand his new partner, Toby accidentally uncovers Ryan’s unsavory past involvement with drugs, burglary and other things he shouldn’t know about. He also learns that Ryan’s last partner of five years—Delsin Honaw— had been murdered…stabbed twenty-seven times.

Haunted by one misunderstanding after another, Toby learns the true meaning of the company’s motto—“Service before Self.”

Praise for ‘Service Before Self’ by Tegon Maus:

“From eccentric waste billionaires and very flirtatious women, to unbelievable roach problems and ghosts in the attic, Toby’s numerous adventures in this book will make you laugh repeatedly, however, be aware some will also make your skin crawl. And, all the while poor Toby has to follow the deadpan instructions both gestures and verbal of the reluctant Ryan and do his bidding at a flick of a coin.

This story is not only a very funny, if cringe worthy insight into the working day of company representatives, and what sometimes they see when entering other people’s homes; but also an extremely gripping thriller in parts as Ryan is pulled back, yet again, into the world of drugs he left behind five years previously.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading every page of this story and would happily recommend it as a brilliantly entertaining book.”-Susan Keefe, Book Reviews by Susan Keefe

Praise for Tegon Maus’s ‘Bob’:

Whether or not you believe the outcome, there is no denying that you will have great fun reading this very enjoyable science fiction story. It has all the essential components, good characters, a great plot and plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing, right up until the end.”- Susan Keefe, Book Reviews by Susan Keefe

“I love Bob! And I love Bob. Both the character and the book left me wishing for more. Bob, the character is great. His character had me cracking up for most of the book. Not that Bob is trying to be funny. It’s just that he is. And Bob the book is better because of Bob the character.

Whenever a problem arises, Bob tells Pete not to worry….he’s “got cousin.”

This book is great. You will be both laughing during and enthralled by the story. The characters are perfectly written and the dialog is wonderful. The way the story flows keeps you reading quickly and you’ll find yourself at the end of Bob way too soon. The story is a must read for any sci-fi lovers, but even if you aren’t a sci-fi person, you’ll enjoy the story….mostly because of Bob.”- Christy M., Christy’s Cozy Corners

“Bob is science fiction but it is also suspenseful and funny. The characters are delightful. Bob, the man helping Peter (for a cost), is one of a kind. He’s not only funny and overbearing but he always comes through. He always has a “cousin” who can help them out. Emma is also unique as well as mysterious and Peter and Bob feel they need to help her.

I was actually surprised at the end which is always good. I definitely recommend BobIt has a little bit of everything: science fiction, humor, adventure, and suspense.”- Dawn, Bound For Escape

“There’s lots of action in Bob and the story will hold your interest from beginning to end. It’s an easy book to sit down with and read late into the night with.

I thoroughly enjoyed Bob’s cousins, from the black-skinned cousin to the Italian cousin that spoke only Italian yet seemed to answer Peter in English every question. I thought that the plot was plausible and the characters were realistic.”-Kathryn Svendsen, Shelf Full of Books

About Tegon Maus:Tegon Maus

Tegon Maus was raised pretty much the same as everyone else… devoted mother, strict father and all the imaginary friends he could conjure. Not that he wasn’t friendly, he just wasn’t “people orientated”. Maybe he lived in his head way more than he should have, maybe not. He liked machines more than people, at least he did until I met his wife.

The first thing he can remember writing was for her. For the life of him he can’t remember what it was about… something about dust bunnies under the bed and monsters in my closet. It must have been pretty good because she married him shortly after that. He spent a good number  of years chasing other dreams before he got back to writing.

It wasn’t a deliberate conscious thought, it was more of a stepping stone. His wife and himself had joined a dream interpret group and we were encouraged to write down our dreams as they occurred. “Be as detailed as you can,” we were told.

He was thrilled. If there is one thing he enjoys it’s making people believe him and he likes to exaggerate. Not a big exaggeration or an outright lie mind you, just a little step out of sync, just enough so you couldn’t be sure if it were true or not.  When he writes, he always write with the effort of “it could happen” very much in mind and nothing, he guarantees you, nothing, makes him happier.

He has consistently placed in the top 3 in 189 writing contest in a variety of genres and has been featured in magazines a couple of times to raise money for Saint Jude’s Children’s Hospital.

Tegon Maus Website: http://www.tegonmaus.com/
Author on Tirgearr Website: http://tirgearrpublishing.com/authors/Maus_Tegon/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TegonMaus
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tegon-Maus/150255051766767
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/tegon/tegon-maus/
Google+: https://plus.google.com/101974688416833509592/posts

Buy ‘Service Before Self’ by Tegon Maus’:

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Follow the ‘Service Before Self’ by Tegan Maus Tour:

Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus May 6 Interview & Giveaway

Inspire to Read May 8 Excerpt

Books, Books & More Books May 13 Review & Excerpt

StoreyBook Reviews May 19 Review & Excerpt

Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus May 22 Review

Indie Review Behind the Scenes May 22 Live Interview  6 PM cst

What U Talking Bout Willis? May 26 Excerpt

PRATR May 27 Review

Lisa’s Writopia June 3 Review

Pomegranate Radio June 5 Podcast Review

Num Reviews June 8 Review

Jen Writes (Pricilla) June 9 Review

Cindy’s Amazon Reviews June 11 Review

Lisa’s Writopia June 11 Guest Post

Yvette Ash Amazon Reviews June 12 Review

INFINITE HOUSE OF BOOKS June 12 Excerpt

J. Linson June 15 Review

Deal Sharing Aunt Jun 18 Interview

Service Before Self

Vera Jane Cook, Author of Pleasant Day: On Tour

This post was most recently updated on May 28th, 2015

Vera Jane CookPublisher: Moonshine Cove Press  (February 1, 2015)
Category: Contemporary Fiction/ Women’s Fiction/ Southern Fiction
Tour Date: April-May, 2015
Available in: Print & ebook,  285 Pages

With murder in common friendship is inevitable:

As fifteen year old Pleasant Day struggles with her mother’s distance, her father’s infidelity and the death of her best friend, she draws closer to Clarissa, an older woman with the secrets to heal her. But Clarissa has struggles of her own as she faces betrayal and seeks to come to terms with old wounds. With her unpredictable but psychic ability to ‘read people’ Clarissa uncovers the answers to a deadly crime and to Pleasant’s true identity. In the end, both Pleasant and Clarissa’s worlds are transformed by the truths they’re forced to accept.

Praise for ‘Pleasant Day’ By Vera Jane Cook:

“Absolutely unputdownable, a real page turner. Be prepared to clear your schedule for the day. You’re going to read this one straight through! This is Vera Jane Cook’s best one yet!” –Wall to Wall Books

“A beautiful blend of past and present with loveable, memorable characters and a page turning pace, I was sorry I couldn’t read it in one sitting.” –Jenn Doyle, Books & Life. 

“A beautiful piece of southern fiction…a great page turner…this book is filled with delightful characters, charm, warmth, love and last but certainly not least, wonderful humor.”-Arlene Uslander, Editor and writer.

About Vera Jane Cook:Vera Jane Cook

Winner: Eric Hoffer Award for publishing
excellence and the Indie Excellence Award for
notable new fiction!
5 Star Clarion ForeWord Review!

Vera Jane Cook, writer of Award Winning Women’s Fiction, is the author of The Story of Sassy Sweetwater, Lies a River Deep, Where the Wildflowers Grow, Dancing Backward in Paradise and Annabel Horton, Lost Witch of Salem.

Jane, as she is known to family and friends, was born in New York City and grew up amid the eccentricity of her southern and glamorous mother on the Upper West and Upper East Side of Manhattan.

An only child, Jane turned to reading novels at an early age and was deeply influenced by an eclectic group of authors. Some of her favorite authors today are Nelson DeMille, Calib Carr, Wally Lamb, Anne Rice, Sue Monk Kidd, Anita Shreve, Jodi Picoult, Alice Walker and Toni Morrison. Her favorite novels are too long to list but include The Story of Edgar Sawtelle, Cheri and The Last of Cheri, The Picture of Dorian Grey, Wuthering Heights, Look at Me, Dogs of Babel, The Bluest Eye, The Art of Racing in the Rain, Body Surfing, Lolita, The Brothers Karamazov, She’s Come Undone, Tale of Two Cities, etc., etc., etc.,

Vera Jane Cook’s Website: http://www.verajanecook.com/

Vera Jane Cook on Twitter: https://twitter.com/verajanecook
Vera Jane Cook on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vera.j.cook

Buy ‘Pleasant Day’ by Vera Jane Cook:

Amazon
Barnes and Noble

Follow the Tour:

Teddy Rose Book Reviews Apr 7 Spotlight & Giveaway

Bound 4 Escape Apr 8 Review

Confessions Of A Reader Apr 9 Interview

Mythical Books Apr 14 Interview

Room With Books Apr 15 Review & Giveaway

Always Falling For Book Guys Apr 20 Interview

Elizabeth McKenna Romance Author Apr 20 Excerpt

Wall To Wall Books Apr 21 Review

Teddy Rose Book Reviews Apr 24 Review

From Isi Apr 27 Review

Writer In Progress Apr 28 Review & Giveaway

Sapphyria’s Book Reviews Apr 29 Excerpt

The Book Diva’s Reads Apr 30 Review & Excerpt

What U Talking Bout Willis? May 1 Review

Suko’s Notebook May 5 Review                                                                  

Deal Sharing Aunt May 6 Review & Giveaway

Lightning Chronicles May 12 Review& Interview

Indie Review Behind the Scenes May 14 live I 6 pm cst

Melina’s Book Blog May 19 Review & Giveaway

Cassandra M’s Place May 21 Review & Giveaway

Jersey Girl Book Reviews May 22 Review & Excerpt

Pinky’s Favorite Reads May 26 Review

Pinky’s Favorite Reads May 27 I & G

Bassgiraffe’s Thoughts May 28 Review

Lloyd Lofthouse, Author of ‘The Redemption of Don Juan Casanova’: On Tour

This post was most recently updated on July 31st, 2015

The Redemption of Don Juan Casanova by Lloyd Lofthouse:

Redemption of Don Juan CasanovaPublisher:  Three Clover Press (May, 2015)
Category: Crime Fiction, Mystery, Thriller & Suspense
Tour Date: May/June, 2015
Available in: Print & ebook, 325 Pages

From the award winning author of ‘My Splendid Concubine’ and ‘Running With the Enemy’ comes ‘The Redemption of Don Juan Casanova’!

Honorable mention in general fiction-2015 San Francisco book Festival

1st place winner in the mystery category at the 2015 Beach Book Festival

Don Juan Casanova wants to discover what it’s like to be loved by only one woman. His problem is that he was raised by his grandparents to become a Lothario, who loves and then leaves women for the next conquest. As he approaches 40, he is facing a crisis.

His grandfather and then younger brother have been viciously murdered, and Don is the prime suspect. As he struggles to stay out of jail and end his life of serial seductions and find one woman to love, he’s discovering it isn’t easy to kick an old habit. His mother isn’t helping by quoting scripture every chance she gets in an attempt to change her son’s lifestyle of sin for one of piety.

Only $0.99 on Kindle, now-June 5, 2015!  Go get it now:

Kindle

Praise for ‘Running With the Enemy’ by Lloyd Lofthouse:

Runner Up in General Fiction:
2013 Beach Book Festival

Honorable Mentions in General Fiction:
2014 Los Angeles Book Festival
2013 San Francisco Book Festival
2013 Hollywood Book Festival
2013 New York Book Festival

“Obviously drawn from the author’s first-hand experiences as a Marine serving in Vietnam, Running with the Enemy is a rough but occasionally heartfelt war story. … The book is sometimes too obviously drawn from his experience. But ultimately that’s a small complaint about a book that, on the whole, is quite good and has a lot to say about the nature of the conflict .”  – 21st Annual Writer’s Digest Self-Published Book Awards commentary from an anonymous judge

“This book grabbed hold of me. It has left me knowing just how horrific conditions were for those who fought in Vietnam, and I applaud those who survived.”-Lisa Binion, The News In Books

“I found Running with the Enemy captivating and well worth reading and enjoyed such a different type of historical novel from Mr. Lofthouse than his previous. Since Mr. Lofthouse is a former Marine and Vietnam veteran, I am sure he drew from some of his personal experiences and I shudder to think of some of these experiences.”- M. Denise C.

“Running With the Enemy is a gut-wrenching page-turner at once a historical rendering of the Vietnam-American war, a suspense-thriller involving the framing of an innocent man forced to go on the run, and a passionate love story.  As an historical novel, it renders an intricate tapestry of the era, the geography, and the several cultures in confrontation at that time. As a suspense-thriller it grips on page one and keeps your heart racing page after page with hardly a paragraph of relief. As a war story, it depicts war as the bloody, hell that it is–a place in which the mettle of the honorable is tested and honed in the same landscape where sociopaths thrive and reach the heights of power and influence.   As a love story, it portrays the way a bond between two hearts can transcend race, religion, politics, national identity and family loyalty, defying all convention, tradition, prejudice and law to claim their right to have each other.
The characters are all deftly drawn and believable and if they exist beyond a page or two they will leave their mark on the reader who has come to care about them whether it is to love them, admire them, hate them or simply be amused by them.  I can wholeheartedly recommend Running With the Enemy as a story that rewards the time and effort invested. Its impact will linger long after the last page is turned.”-Joystory

Praise for ‘My Splendid Concubine’:

Finalist in Fiction & Literature: Historical Fiction:
The National “Best Books 2010” Awards, December 2010

Honorable Mentions in General Fiction:
2012 San Francisco Book Festival
2012 New York Book Festival
2012 London Book Festival
2013 DIY Book Festival

“My Splendid Concubine is packed cover to cover with intriguing characters and plot, a must read for historical fiction fans and a fine addition to any collection on the genre.” Midwest Book Review

“Lloyd Lofthouse believes Hart was motivated to destroy his papers not out of shame but out of privacy: ‘What he had with Ayaou was something special he wanted to keep to himself. I don’t think he would approve of My Splendid Concubine … but we live in a different age than Victorian England. I feel that this love story deserves to be told.’ ”- Anneli Rufus , East Bay Express

“Historical fiction potboiler, yes. But where the `Concubine’ saga truly shines is its thought-provoking passages on relationships, attitudes and cultural differences.”-Tom Carter, author of China: Portrait of a People

“Told in descriptive detail and such beauty of the Chinese culture that I did not want it the story to end. A very well written and impeccably researched story that I highly recommend to the historical fiction fan. A lot of history but not written like a history book. This book does have a lot of sexual content in it but told in a very tasteful way. I really enjoyed this book.”- Kathleen Kelly, Celtic Lady

About Lloyd Lofthouse:Lloyd Lofthouse

Lloyd Lofthouse is a former U.S. Marine and Vietnam Veteran, who worked as a maître d’ in a 15 million dollar nightclub for a few years. He also taught English literature in the public schools for most of 30 years where he explored Romeo and Juliet with thousands of high school students.

A romantic at heart, in his award winning novels, he tests true love in difficult situations and the challenges of keeping that love alive. My Splendid Concubine, his first novel, is an epic love story that teaches acceptance and respect for other people and their cultures. Running with the Enemy, his second novel, is a love story that will either cost the characters their lives or will complete each other’s hearts. The Redemption of Don Juan Casanova, his third novel, is the story of a man raised in a world of sin and seduction, who craves the love of one woman but fears, because of his infamous reputation as a libertine, that he’ll never find a woman to love who will trust him to be faithful.

Lloyd Lofthouse lives with his family in California’s San Francisco Bay area.

Website: http://lloydlofthouse.org/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/lflwriter
Facebook: 
https://www.facebook.com/lloyd.lofthouse
Google+: https://plus.google.com/116728680363586998839/posts

Buy ‘Redemption of Don Juan Cassanova’ by Lloyd Lofthouse:

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Apple
Scribd
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Follow the ‘Redemption of Don Juan Cassanova’ by Lloyd Lofthouse Tour:

Indie Review Behind the Scenes May 1 Live Interview  6 PM Centeral

Teddy Rose Book Reviews May 4 Spotlight & Giveaway

Cassandra M’s Place May 6 Guest Post & Giveaway

Mythical Books May 8 Guest Post & Giveaway

I feel so unnecessary May 11 Review

Lisa’s Writopia May 14 Review

Lisa’s Writopia Interview

What U Talking Bout Willis? May 18 Feature

What U Talking Bout Willis? May 18 Excerpt

M. Denise Costello May 20 Review & Interview

Inspire to Read May 22 Guest Post

Cassandra M’s Place May 25 Review

Pinky’s Favorite Reads May 26 Interview

Teddy Rose Book Reviews May 27 Review

The Discerning Reader June 1 Review & Giveaway

Teddy Rose Book Reviews June 2 Guest Post

A Father, Writer, and Logistics Wizard June 3 Interview

A Father, Writer, and Logistics Wizard June 4 Review

Sapphyria’s Steamy Books June 5 Guest Post

Deal Sharing Aunt June 13 Review & Interview

P. Benson June 14 Review

Redemption of Tour

Bobbie Pyron, Author of Lucky Strike: On Tour

This post was most recently updated on May 15th, 2015

https://www.virtualauthorbooktours.com/?p=4173Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books (February 24, 2015)
ISBN: 978-0545592178
Category:  Children’s Fiction, Middle Grade, Fantasy, Magic, Friendship, Bullies
Tour Date: April 1-May29, 2015
Available in: Print & ebook, 272 Pages

By the award winning author of ‘The Dogs of Winter’, Bobbie Pyron.

A rich, southern voice tells the unforgettable story of two vulnerable outsiders, the lightning strike that turns their world upside down and the true meaning of lucky.

Nate Harlow has never had a lucky day in his life. He’s never won a prize, he’s never been picked first, he’s never even won a coin toss. His best friend, Genesis Beam (aka Gen), believes in science and logic, and she doesn’t think for one second that there’s such a thing as luck, good or bad. But only an extremely unlucky person could be struck by lightning on his birthday… and that person is Nate Harlow. By some miracle, though, Nate survives, and the strike seems to have changed his luck.

Suddenly, Nate’s grandpa is the busiest fisherman in their small, beachside town. And Nate finds himself the center of attention, the most popular kid at school, the one who hits a game-winning home run! This lucky streak can’t last forever, though, and as a hurricane draws close to the shores of Paradise Beach, Nate and Gen may need more than just good luck to save their friendship and their town: They need a miracle.

Praise for Lucky Strike by Bobbie Pyron:

“This well-told story of growth, friendship, and small-town life hits all the right notes. The quirkiness of the characters and the town never goes too far, and there is an overall cozy feeling to the book. Genesis’s dad is the preacher at The Church of the One True Redeemer and Everlasting Light, but she is a scientist through and through, which adds complexity to the text, including musings on destiny, fate, probability, and weather. Fans of Susan Patron’s Higher Power of Lucky (S. & S., 2006), Sheila Turnage’s Three Times Lucky (Dial, 2012), and Ingrid Law’s Savvy (2008; both, Dial) will find something new for their to-read shelves.”- School Library Journal starred review

“Even lightly sketched characters leap off the pages, adding rich depth to an already satisfying tale. In the slightly fantastical Gulf Coast world that Bobbie Pyron (The Dogs of Winter, 2012) has imagined, people can change in unexpected ways. With just a spark of magic, bullies can become true friends, those without humor can learn to giggle, and perennial victims can emerge victorious. Amusing, endearing and sometimes even electrifying.”- Kirkus starred review

“Bobbie Pyron offers a gentler take on survival and friendship than in her gritty novel The Dogs of Winter. A dramatic and sweetly poignant story, enlivened by a dash of magical realism.”- Publisher Weekly

Praise for The Dogs of Winter:

Junior Library Guild Selection

Kirkus Best Books of the Year!

Packs plenty of punch.” The New York Times

“This story is amazing. I read it in one sitting, I couldn’t put it down. The writing is captivating and the story is heartbreaking. The characters are wonderful, both the good and the bad. The writing is descriptive and filled with emotion. An absolute MUST read.”-Bev Sharp, The Wormhole

“An amazing story that was emotional and realistic? The book is written in first person, and I think this is a perfect story for young adults and older adults alike. The tenacity of the dogs and the boy will enthrall you.
There were no boring portions of the story, and I believe that the author captured the emotions of the characters perfectly. I look forward to reading more by this author in the future.”-Ruth  A. Hill, My Devotional Thoughts

” I loved this book. I loved the writing. I loved the characters. The book is adventurous, engaging, happy, sad, and an overall emotional roller coaster all rolled into one.”-BookAngel, As I Turn the Pages

“Bobbie Pyron has a gift for creating characters that live in my heart.  She did it with A Dog’s Way Homeand she’s done it with this one, The Dogs of Winter.  I wanted to dive into the story, take Mishka in my arms and just love him.  Bobbie Pyron has created an emotionally powerful story about survival, love, and healing.  This is not a story I will ever forget.  It is a truly thought-provoking and unforgettable read.”-Heidi, GEO Librarian

About Bobbie Pyron:Bobbie Pyron Outside

Bobbie Pyron was born in Hollywood, Florida and spent her growing up years up in the panhandle, swimming in the Gulf of Mexico and dreaming of being a mermaid.  She has degrees in Psychology and Anthropology, and a Masters degree in Library Science, and has worked as a librarian for over twenty-five years.

Her first book, a novel for teens titled The Ring (WestSide Books), was published in October of 2009. Her second book, A Dog’s Way Home (HarperCollins/Katherine Tegen Books), was published to starred reviews in March of 2011. The Dog Writers Association of America recently awarded Bobbie the Maxwell Medal of Excellence and the Merial Human-Animal Bond Award.  It was also named a Banks Street Best Books of the Year.

Bobbie Pyron’s book, The Dogs of Winter (Arthur A. Levine Books/Scholastic), came out October of 2012. The Dogs of Winter is a Junior Library Guild Selection and a Kirkus Best 100 Children’s Books of the Year. Bobbie lives in Park City, Utah with her husband, two dogs, and two cats.

Bobbie Pyron’s Website.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/BobbiePyron
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/bobbie.pyron?fref=ts

Buy ‘Lucky Strike’:

Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Book Depository
Indie Bound

Follow the Tour:

Teddy Rose Book Reviews Apr 2 Spotlight & Giveaway

Rockin’ Book Reviews Apr 7 Interview & Giveaway

Hott Books Apr 8 Review

Always Reiding Apr 9 Review & Excerpt

Geo Librarian Apr 10 Review

Curling Up With A Good Book Apr 13 Interview & Excerpt

fuonlyknew Apr 14 Review & Giveaway

Once Upon A Story Apr 15 Review & Excerpt

Beneath the Jacket Reviews Apr 16 Review

Indie Review Behind the Scenes Apr 17 Live I 6 pm cst

Cassandra M’s Place Apr 20 Review & Giveaway

In Bed With Books Apr 22 Review & Excerpt

In Bed With Books Apr 22 Interview

Allison’s Book Bag April 24 Interview

Allison’s Book Bag April 24 Review

Mary’s Cup of Tea Apr 27 Review & Giveaway

Deal Sharing Aunt Apr 28 Review, Excerpt & Giveaway

Bound for Escape Apr 30 Review

What U Talking Bout Willis? May 1 Review

Lisa’s Writopia May 4 Review

Books, Books, and More Books May 5 Review & Excerpt

Beth’s Book-Nook Blog May 8 Review

Sweet Southern Home May 11 Review

The Crypto-Caper Review May 12 Review

One Frugal Girl May 15 Review