Thursday, March 31, 2016

#Feline #Togetherness--#Cats This Week by Karen Rose Smith


We all cherish quiet alone moments when we can regroup from a hectic day or totally concentrate on a project we are working on. We also enjoy together moments with family, neighbors and friends when we can share conversation, food or perhaps just hold hands with our significant other while watching TV. A healthy balance of the two is the ideal.

Our furry friends also seek a balance of alone time and together time in their daily routines. Paddy often goes off on her own to nap on her favorite chair and Clyde, our newest outside visitor, can be seen napping under a tree or on the deck without his sister Bonnie.
London prefers to be separated from our other inside cats, so she spends most of her day in an upstairs bedroom in her heated bed. Zoie Joy will often decide to nap in my bedroom closet, and even Halo will occasionally abandon her usual spot on the bed to nap by herself on the top shelf of the cat condo. But they all also enjoy companionship--sometimes up close and personal with another feline, other times at a distance in the same room while I am busy at work editing a manuscript or doing computer work. Even London enjoys taking an afternoon nap with my hubby. 

This week, I captured some sweet "togetherness" photos of the Smith felines to share with you.   

Bonnie and Clyde arrive together for their evening meal. 

Although they each have their own servings,
Bonnie and Clyde often eat from the same dish.

After supper, Bonnie and Clyde share
an intimate moment, deciding where
to venture off to next.

Paddington and Halo observe Zoie from
the top shelf of the cat condo. They seem
to understand that there is strength in numbers.

Paddy and Halo enjoy warm summer breezes together
on an early spring afternoon.

Three cats napping together in the same bed
don't leave much room for human companionship.
 

Halo and Paddy share a special mother/daughter hug.
Wishing you many quiet moments to find peace of mind and body and just as many tender together moments to appreciate how valued you are by those around you.

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Available April 26, 2016 from 
KAREN ROSE SMITH
Book 5, Caprice De Luca Mystery Series







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USA TODAY Bestselling Author Karen Rose Smith is an only child who delved into books at an early age. She learned about kindred spirits from Anne of Green Gables, solved mysteries with Nancy Drew and wished she could have been the rider on The Black Stallion. Yet even though she escaped often into story worlds, she had many aunts, uncles and cousins around her on weekends. Her sense of family and relationships began there. Maybe that's why families are a strong theme in her novels, whether mysteries or romances. Her 95th novel will be released in 2016.

Readers often ask her about her pastimes. She has herb, flowers and vegetable gardens that help her relax. In the winter, she cooks rather than gardens.  And year round she spends most of her time with her husband, as well as her four rescued cats who are her constant companions. They chase rainbows from sun catchers, reminding her life isn't all about work, awards and bestseller lists. Everyone needs that rainbow to chase.

Karen looks forward to interacting with readers. They can find her at the links below. 


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Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Visit with D.R. Grady--Author of The #Dragon Chronicles, Book 3: Healing, #Paranormal #Romance via Karen Rose Smith



Today, I'd like  to reintroduce you to D.R. Grady who has blogged with me before.  I first spoke to D.R. at length when we were signing buddies at an event sponsored by our writers' group, Central PA Romance Writers.  She's a lovely woman and a talented writer.  I hope you enjoy her new release The Dragon Chronicles--Book Three: Healing.

Here is a message from D.R. Grady.


Hi, Readers--

Healing is the final story in the Dragon Chronicles Series. Therefore, this third book has to tie up all the loose ends. The first book came about because of an unwanted medical diagnosis. Now, at the conclusion of the series, what has kept up the momentum, what propelled the storyline, can be revealed.

The dragon and her controller have to face an enemy no one else can. An enemy manufactured by humans and paranormals alike. He is the product of negativity.

We’ve all stood in a line at a store and listened to someone berate a harassed store employee. Many of us have heard language we’re not comfortable with in what should have been an innocent environment. We’ve met those who feel they are entitled to things others must work for.

Negativity is a part of life. It’s there, and it needs to be there. But what if it spirals out of control? Then, a positive force is necessary to counter it, to cleanse the negativity, and that’s what this final book, what the entire series, is about.

It’s about finding balance in a world of chaos. About locating a power that is stronger than the surrounding negativity.

That’s precisely what Lindy, the dragon and her dragon controller, Alex must do. With the help of Ewain and Marissa, powerful healers, and their fellow Healer Keely and her alpha mate, Hugh, they must combat a force so negative it can leave a path of destruction akin to several natural disasters.

They are engaged in a war for their very lives, and it will take every bit of strength they and their swelling numbers of allies possess to combat the encroaching evil.


There is only one power stronger than the surrounding negativity and they must discover it to save their world, their very lives.

D.R.Grady


The Dragon Chronicles Book 3: Healing

Ewain Douglass and Marissa Mays are dedicated healers who work together, and live together, in tight confines. Too bad they set sparks off each other. They might struggle to remain professional to each other, but they’re working on it. Then the enemy sets his sight on the unmated, and targets Marissa with a vengeance.

Meanwhile, Lindy and Alex, the dragon and her controller, are still seeking to learn all they can about their abilities and their future. They tremble once they learn the identity of an enemy no one wants to face. One only the dragon has a chance to defeat.

The dragon has called her allies together and many have come. Paranym soon becomes crowded with the family members of family members. A war for their very lives looms. 

Ewain and Marissa don't have time to declare war on each other.

Excerpt:

Ewain soared ahead of her, banked with ease, turned and zoomed straight at her. Hopefully a flying elf didn’t cause her a sudden heart attack.
As he hoped, Marissa screamed and hit the brakes. She wrestled the car to the side of the road and shoved it into neutral. Her hand was plastered over her chest as though she tried to calm her racing heart. Breathing too hard, but she did yank up the emergency brake. He landed right beside her door and drew in his wings.
Using his most compelling pitch, he convinced her to unlock the vehicle. Opening the driver’s door, he unhooked her seatbelt and nudged her into the passenger seat. “I’ll drive.”
“Are you crazy?” she whispered, hand still pressed against her heart.
“There is some speculation.” He adjusted the seat and mirrors. Then watching traffic, he neatly turned the car around and started for Paranym.
“What are you doing?” Her scratchy voice wavered.
“I’m taking you back to Paranym.” He kept his tone calm and steady as he shifted through the higher gears.
The residual scent of her fear circulated through the car. He adjusted the vents.
“You do know I could have hit you, right?” Voice acerbic, Marissa stared straight ahead. Her hand shook. It still clasped against her chest, although not as firmly.
“I made certain you wouldn’t.” He accelerated as the road opened. “What were you running from?”
She made a rude noise in the back of her throat, and turned away from him to gaze out the passenger side window.
“Not going to tell me?”
“No.” Her voice was firm.
“You’re not in trouble, are you?”
Marissa didn’t answer at first and his stomach muscles tightened. “You are in trouble?”
A jerky shake of her head was his only answer.
He sighed. “Marissa, you can tell me.”
“No, I can’t.” Her voice was taut but also resigned.
“I am a healer.”
Silence as the trees whizzed by on either side. “I can’t tell you.”
“Why not?”
Again, she shook her head. The paroxysmal movement caused a bit of fear of his own to spurt. For some unknown, crazy reason, her fright twisted his heart. Her fear scent, although faint, curled his fists as he was denied the option to pound something to a pulp. Preferably, whoever caused Marissa’s terror.
“How far would you have gone if I hadn’t stopped you?”
“I don’t know.”
“Where were you going?”
“I don’t know.”
So she ran like a scared rabbit. “You didn’t even have a destination in mind?”
“No, I just got in my car and drove.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Neither do I.” Now her voice was an odd mixture of frightened and sad.
What was she afraid of?
“You do know that by running like you did, you could have been in further danger, right?”
“What?” She did turn toward him this time, but with all the activity around them, he couldn’t take his eyes off the road.
“You’re safest at Paranym. Nothing is going to harm you if you remain there.”
She nodded but didn’t say anything. She did bite her lip. Hard enough she winced.
Did I finally strike a nerve?
“Lindy protected you?” The random question from him caused one of her eyebrows to take wing.
“Yes, while we were helping at the Tri-City Pack.”
“Oh yeah. Still, I’d like her dragon to try protecting you again.”
“Okay.” Marissa was responding, but he didn’t think she was even listening to the conversation. Without moving physically, she slipped further and further away from him.
It was so like his last nightmare, his stomach muscles clenched tighter.
Hopefully when they reached the school, Lindy would know what to do.
Or the dragon, or Keely.
He certainly had no idea.



D.R. Grady


D.R. Grady lives with her husband near Hershey, PA. She adores chocolate, laughing, collecting bags, books, and shoes, and writing stories that resonate with others.






Twitter: @drgradybooks  https://twitter.com/drgradybooks


Facebook Page: D.R. Grady https://www.facebook.com/drgradybooks

Google+:  D.R. Gradybooks   https://plus.google.com/u/0/114138197846185543554/posts




Available April 26, 2016 from 
KAREN ROSE SMITH
Book 5, Caprice De Luca Mystery Series







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USA TODAY Bestselling Author Karen Rose Smith is an only child who delved into books at an early age. She learned about kindred spirits from Anne of Green Gables, solved mysteries with Nancy Drew and wished she could have been the rider on The Black Stallion. Yet even though she escaped often into story worlds, she had many aunts, uncles and cousins around her on weekends. Her sense of family and relationships began there. Maybe that's why families are a strong theme in her novels, whether mysteries or romances. Her 95th novel will be released in 2016.

Readers often ask her about her pastimes. She has herb, flowers and vegetable gardens that help her relax. In the winter, she cooks rather than gardens.  And year round she spends most of her time with her husband, as well as her four rescued cats who are her constant companions. They chase rainbows from sun catchers, reminding her life isn't all about work, awards and bestseller lists. Everyone needs that rainbow to chase.

Karen looks forward to interacting with readers. They can find her at the links below. 


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Sunday, March 27, 2016

#Caprice De Luca Home Staging #Mystery #Titles ON SALE by Karen Rose Smith




Dear Readers,

I have terrific news! In conjunction with the release of my fifth Caprice De Luca Home Staging Mystery--SILENCE OF THE LAMPS--on April 26, the first four books in the series will be on sale until April 30. This is a great opportunity to catch up on any titles which you have missed so you are up to date with Caprice's family, her love life and her stray animals. In SILENCE, our rescued cat Halo makes an appearance...and Caprice might have to decide about a marriage proposal!

Caprice's house staging is disrupted by Drew Pierson, her sister Nikki's business rival. The caterer opened Portable Edibles and plans to bury Nikki's Catered Capers. His successful launch deal for his blackberry barbecue sauce must have stirred up his enemies. When Nikki visits the house where Drew lives with his grandmother to resolve differences, she and Caprice find him dead--murdered with the base of a valuable Tiffany lamp. And Nikki is the police detective's #1 suspect. 




Pre-order SILENCE OF THE LAMPS on Barnes and Noble


These days, home stager Caprice De Luca's calendar is a full house. Her grandmother's health is failing, her wayward uncle is stirring the pot, and she's torn between two equally eligible suitors. With so much drama in her personal life, Caprice is grateful to have Ace Richland, a former 80s rock star, ask her to stage his girlfriend's house. But Alanna Goodwin is a tough customer who balks at Caprice's ideas and all but commandeers the staging. Caprice almost isn't surprised when the snappish Southern belle is strangled to death with a tieback from her tacky velvet drapes. But just as she draws back the curtains on the truth, Caprice realizes she may be next on a murderer's set list… 



Caprice De Luca's latest house staging is all about hearts, flowers, lace and chintz since Valentine's Day is around the corner.  She never expects her client to be murdered in the greenhouse the day of the open house.

With her six-month-old cocker spaniel pup Lady by her side and her own love life in disarray, Caprice ferrets out clues from the victim's best friend, Caprice's mother, the housekeeper and a special male friend who insists his relationship with the victim was platonic.  However, as Caprice digs deeper, she finds the victim's past is filled with secrets that she kept from her husband for thirty years.

The past isn't merely history.  The present isn't always what it seems.  When hearts are involved, passion and even murder aren't far behind.



Quiet Kismet, Pennsylvania, may look like any other small town, but as a home-stager, Caprice De Luca can see behind closed doors—and it seems someone has designs on murder...

Life is a full house for Caprice these days.  She's dating, she's rescuing adorable cocker spaniels, and she's decorating the roomy interiors of Kismet's most well-heeled residents with fun fantasy themes.  But when a house painter Caprice frequently employs is found dead, it's time for Caprice to stage an investigation.  She must shift her attention from finding the perfect curtains to finding the perfect culprit.



Welcome to Kismet, PA, where home stager Caprice De Luca helps her clients shine in a lackluster real estate market—and where someone may only be in the market for murder...

Caprice De Luca has successfully parlayed her skills as an interior designer into a thriving home staging business.  So when her old high school friend Roz Winslow asks her to spruce up her mess of a mansion to perk up a slow buyer's market, Caprice is more than happy to share her skills.  But when Roz's husband Ted is found skewered by one of his sword room's prized possessions, it appears the Winslows have a few skeletons in their palatial closets.  With the stage set for murder, Caprice will discover she can track down an antique tapestry and a cold-blooded killer with equal aplomb—as long as she's not the next victim.






I hope you enjoy all of Caprice's adventures and feel as if you're part of the De Luca family. I love to chat with my readers and I do much of that on Facebook on my KarenRoseSmithBooks page. I will be having a launch party there for SILENCE OF THE LAMPS on April 26, 2016 which is release day. There will be prizes every 15 minutes from 7-10 p.m. EDT as well as conversation and fun. You're welcome to join in.






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USA TODAY Bestselling Author Karen Rose Smith is an only child who delved into books at an early age. She learned about kindred spirits from Anne of Green Gables, solved mysteries with Nancy Drew and wished she could have been the rider on The Black Stallion. Yet even though she escaped often into story worlds, she had many aunts, uncles and cousins around her on weekends. Her sense of family and relationships began there. Maybe that's why families are a strong theme in her novels, whether mysteries or romances. Her 95th novel will be released in 2016.

Readers often ask her about her pastimes. She has herb, flowers and vegetable gardens that help her relax. In the winter, she cooks rather than gardens.  And year round she spends most of her time with her husband, as well as her four rescued cats who are her constant companions. They chase rainbows from sun catchers, reminding her life isn't all about work, awards and bestseller lists. Everyone needs that rainbow to chase.

Karen looks forward to interacting with readers. They can find her at the links below. 


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Thursday, March 24, 2016

Happy #Easter From the Smith #Felines--Cats This Week by Karen Rose Smith



As Easter approaches, we're readying the gardens for spring and making them cat friendly.  Hopefully we'll have a fountain with circulating water, cat mint for them to nap in and nibble on, snapdragons and zinnias to nestle in and make paths through without fear of harm. We'll lay some straw in the garden near the foundation of the house for our more regular visitors to nap on. Pampas grass will provide shade and hopefully the St. Francis statue will bring down blessings on our feral and stray visitors.

It will be fun to sit on the patio again, soaking in the warm sunshine and conversing with Bonnie and Clyde, our new stray visitors, while they eat breakfast or their evening meal.




Inside, the Smith felines are enjoying the Easter throw on the bed and have even decorated 

their own scratching house for the holiday. Zoie has been spending more time on the bench at the bedroom window, listening to us talk to Bonnie and Clyde or plan our patio landscaping below the window. Halo and Paddy have also been spending more time watching the robins in the yard gather nesting materials. As we trim the outside trees and shrubs, it 's always interesting to find the remnants of last year's nests in places we had no idea they had nested. Perhaps we should play closer attention to the areas that capture the cats' attention as they watch the outside goings-on!



We had an early Easter dinner and Zoie "decked" herself in some spring colors while Paddy patiently awaited the table to be set and food to be served. 

 My Easter wish for you is much warmth, renewed joy and time to enjoy the beauty of nature's revival.  

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After a hearty Easter dinner, 
Halo settles down with a
really good book!





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USA TODAY Bestselling Author Karen Rose Smith is an only child who delved into books at an early age. She learned about kindred spirits from Anne of Green Gables, solved mysteries with Nancy Drew and wished she could have been the rider on The Black Stallion. Yet even though she escaped often into story worlds, she had many aunts, uncles and cousins around her on weekends. Her sense of family and relationships began there. Maybe that's why families are a strong theme in her novels, whether mysteries or romances. Her 95th novel will be released in 2016.

Readers often ask her about her pastimes. She has herb, flowers and vegetable gardens that help her relax. In the winter, she cooks rather than gardens.  And year round she spends most of her time with her husband, as well as her four rescued cats who are her constant companions. They chase rainbows from sun catchers, reminding her life isn't all about work, awards and bestseller lists. Everyone needs that rainbow to chase.

Karen looks forward to interacting with readers. They can find her at the links below. 


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