Friday, March 29, 2013

Happy Easter/Passover to all!

Meow, I would like to wish all our readers a Happy Easter/Passover this week! I shall be helping the HUMAN color some eggs and perhaps participate in a bunny hunt (there are several that hang around our apartment building!)  as well as indulge in some bird watching!

Hopefully we have all seen the last of OLD MAN WINTER and spring has sprung!

Don't forget our HP Mallory contest which is on til midnight of Sunday, March 31 - enter to win one of 10 e-copies of Better Off Dead.

April will be an interesting month - with visits from Ashlyn Chase (April 9) Alexandra Ivy (April 16) and LeeAnn Sweeney (April 30).  Meow!

And soon we will post news about our KIDS NEED TO READ fundraiser for the summer....perhaps a BROWNCOAT basket this year????????????  Only time will tell.

Happy Easter/Passover, Everyone!
See you next week!



ROCCO
INCREDIBLE BLOGGING CAT

Monday, March 18, 2013

Can we ever have enough steampunk cats? Guest Heather Massey debates! Plus...You could win a box of books! Spring Cleaning Hop!.

Linky to Hop
 
 
 
 
 
There Can Never Be Enough Steampunk Cats

Image Source: Cheezburger

Today I, Heather Massey, must issue a public apology to Rocco, esteemed Head Cat and Blogger. In fact, I should issue an apology to Rocco on behalf of all cats, everywhere, and also to those furry felines of the past, present, and future.

Why is an apology needed? Well, I’ll tell you.

Rocco, I must apologize for an egregious omission of mine. You see, I have a new ebook out from Lyrical Press called Iron Guns, Blazing Hearts. It’s a steampunk romance adventure set in the American Old West.

Here’s the least you need to know:

TRUE GRIT gets steampunk’d when Violet Whitcomb, an inventor’s daughter, joins forces with dangerous gun man Logan McCoy and an automaton gunslinger to rescue her father from the clutches of an evil overlord known as the Iron Scorpion.

I included many things in this story: a smart heroine whose most important accessory is her steam gun, a mysterious hero, and a quirky automaton gunslinger sidekick.

Additionally, Iron Guns, Blazing Hearts offers readers action-adventure, Weird West steampunk fun, and a romance with a “sweet” heat level. However, I came to realize that it lacks one very, very important element.

A cat.

I know—I know! How could I have overlooked such a supremely important detail? I can hardly bear to meet your gaze, Rocco, for the shame of my oversight.

It’s not like I didn’t include any animals in the story. There are horses and those of the canine variety (oh please don’t look at me like that, Rocco.). The heroine must contend with pesky flies while braving the raw plains of the Wyoming territory in 1875. The characters also encounter birds and bison during their journey.

But alas, no cats. Not a one.

So, my dear Rocco, please accept my humble apology. Can we still be paw pals?

About the author

Heather Massey is a lifelong fan of science fiction romance (and a cat lover!). She searches for sci-fi romance adventures aboard her blog, The Galaxy Express. She’s also an author in the subgenre (and will be sure to include at least one cat in a future story). To learn more about her published work, visit heathermassey.com.


The West just got a whole lot wilder.

A woman on a mission… Scientific achievement isn’t enough for Violet Whitcomb. Life working alongside her renowned scientist father is filled with intellectual challenges, but what she truly craves is love and adventure. She’s resigned to a fate of academic pursuits–until a fateful trip across the American frontier changes everything. A rogue inventor known as the Iron Scorpion kidnaps Violet’s father and she alone is left to plan his rescue.

A man with a secret… Logan McCoy knows firsthand going up against the Iron Scorpion is suicide, but he can’t let Violet waltz into the villain’s lair alone. She may be a stranger, but she’s also the most compelling woman he’s ever known.

A perilous quest… Their attraction is undeniable, but their alliance turns contentious when Violet insists on including a third partner on their mission: her father’s latest invention and the world’s most advanced automaton, Arthur. The reason for Logan’s resistance isn’t clear until Violet comes face-to-face with the Iron Scorpion’s diabolical devices, and by then, it’s far too late.


MEOW! Thanks for the guest post, Heather!  and the book sounds purr-fectly fantastic!

and now, as part of our "Spring Cleaning Hop", guess what!!!!!!

POT LUCK BOX BOOK GIVEAWAY!
Hey, we're giving away two boxes of books as part of our participation in our Spring Cleaning Hop!  Each box contains 8 or more books, an assortment of paranormal, romance, anthology and mystery with lots of your favorite authors!  To enter, just leave a comment with your email address - two winners will be selected at random to receive Box 1 and Box 2.

Remember, each box contains a mix of mystery and romance books! All are in very good shape! You might find some old favorites or some new authors to try!  Each box contains books by authors such as: Carole Nelson Douglas, Jill Myles, Claire Donally, Delia Rosen, Lucy Finn, JD Robb, Judi McCoy, Lilian Jackson Braun. 

In addition, Heather Massey has generously consented to give another lucky reader a digital copy of IRON GUNS BLAZING HEARTS!  So we will have three winners!

What are you waiting for!!!?????

Next week...Author HP Mallory sits in my hotseat! Meow!

ROCCO
INCREDIBLE BLOGGING CAT



Friday, March 15, 2013

ADOPT US! CLIFTON NJ SHELTER CATS! - SPREAD THE WORD AND YOU COULD WIN A COPY OF PATRICIA BRIGGS FROST BITE!

Meow! Every cat should have it as good as I do...and being a former Clifton Shelter resident, I can vouch for the care they give each and every animal!

Here are a few residents looking for a loving home.....

Hi -- my name is Callie.I am a 2-3 year-old Calico who was brought in as a stray. I am spayed and up to date on vaccines. I was shy and nervous in the shelter with all the new sounds and smells, so I am currently being fostered by a volunteer. As you can see by my picture, I am much more comfortable in a home and I have really come out of my shell. If you give me the chance to get to know you, I will give you lots of love. I just need to find my perfect family.

Hi, My name is Dillon. I am quite the handsome boy. I am 8 years old, neutered and up to date on vaccines. I was surrendered by my owner when she was moving and could not take me along. My sister, Miss Kitty is also looking for a home and we do not need to go together. I was raised in a home since I was six months old and hope to be adopted soon. I miss having a bed and someone to snuggle up with at night. I LOVE attention and am quite playful. My favorite toy is a laser pointer. Please do not overlook me since I am an established adult, I have many great years ahead to share with my new family.



Hi, my name is Kitty. I am a sweet cat who is 3 years old, spayed and up to date on vaccines. I was surrendered by my owner because they did not have enough time to care for me. I am a calm girl who does not require much-some love/attention, food, water and a clean litter box. I have been at the shelter since October waiting patiently for someone to pick me. My favorite thing to do is hang out with people getting attention. I would do better as the only cat in your house, since I want to give you all my love and attention as a thank you for rescuing me. I like to sit on laps and get brushed. I have beautiful green eyes and so much to offer-I just need someone to take a chance on me!

WE TRIED TO GET AUTHOR PATRICIA BRIGGS FOR THE BLOG BUT ALAS, SHE WAS ALL BOOKED UP FOR 2013.....HOWEVER......
SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT CLIFTON SHELTER CATS AND YOU COULD WIN A COPY OF PAT'S LATEST, FROST BITE!  JUST LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW WITH YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS AND TELL US HOW YOU'VE SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT CLIFTON SHELTER CATS!  WINNER WILL BE CHOSEN BY RANDOM.ORG.   CONTEST CLOSES MIDNIGHT MONDAY, MARCH 18!

START SPREADING THE NEWS.....ROCCO

Monday, March 11, 2013

Gayle Trent aka Amanda Lee...in the hotseat!

Meow!
Today I'm pleased to welcome author Gayle Trent to the blog! 

Gayle lives in Southwest Virginia with her husband and two beautiful children, a boy and a girl. She's a full-time writer/editor/mom/wife and chief cook and bottle washer, and she writes a cake decorating cozy mystery series featuring , cake decorator Daphne Martin.

Under the pen name Amanda Lee, Gayle also writes a  cozy mystery series featuring a heroine who owns an embroidery shop. The series is set on the Oregon Coast and features Marcy Singer, a spunky, thirty-something, entrepreneur who is handy with a needle.

Now in my hotseat: Gayle/Amanda!

R:  Tell us a bit about yourself and how you became interested in writing.

I’ve always been interested in storytelling, so I think it was only natural that I’d turn to writing.  As a child, I’d enlist the neighborhood kids to help do these improvisational epic sagas. The storylines would sometimes go for days! J


R: Tell us about your two series. You write the embroidery mysteries under Amanda Lee and the Daphne Martin Cake mysteries under your own name, Gayle Trent.  How did you decide to write about two such different careers?

It’s complete serendipity that I write a cake decorating series as well as an embroidery series. I had an idea for the book MURDER TAKES THE CAKE, and I pitched it to my agent at the time, Jacky Sach. She said that cozy mystery readers like to be educated as well as entertained and asked if I had any hobby I could include in the book. I said, “My daughter and I just finished a cake decorating class.” She said, “Go with that.”

The embroidery mystery series was the brainchild of my editor, Jessica Wade. She was looking for someone to do the series, and I was familiar enough with cross-stitch and needlepoint to volunteer. With both cake decorating and embroidery, I know just enough to admire those who are good at their craft!

R: Which of (your character) adventures was the most fun for you to write? Were any of them the least amount of fun?

I had a lot of fun with the embroidery mystery that’s coming out in August, CROSS STITCH BEFORE DYING. The plot centers around movie making, Hollywood, and Bollywood. I also had fun with THREAD ON ARRIVAL, which involved sunken and buried treasures. The research on that one was terrific. I got so involved that it was hard to put the research away and get down to the business of writing.

In my first published book, PHOTO FINISH (now out of print), I killed off a secondary character. I cried over that for two days. I’d have to say that was the least amount of fun I had writing. In fact, I couldn’t continue on with the book until I changed it to where the character was merely wounded. And then, of course, the book took an entirely different direction.  

R:  Do you have an “how I got my agent” story you’d like to share?  How did you feel when you got the call your first novel had sold?

I have a funny story (funnier, in fact, when I tell it in person) about how I got my current agent, Robert Gottlieb. I received an email telling me that Mr. Gottlieb had read MURDER TAKES THE CAKE and was interested in talking with me about representation. I was familiar with some of Mr. Gottlieb's clients, so I thought the email was a hoax. I was outraged that someone would be soliciting clients under his name, so I called Trident Media Group to let them know. It turns out, he really DID want to speak with me.

As for how I felt when I got the call that my first novel had sold, I felt sick. I was so nauseous, I had to run to the bathroom and bathe my face. It was exhilarating, but it was also terrifying that people were now going to be reading my book.

R: What’s a must have for you when you are writing? What aids the creative process?

Silence. I don’t know how people who write in crowded coffeehouses or on subways do it. I’d be too distracted by the people around me.

R: What is one thing your readers would be most surprised to know about you?

I have Flat Shawn and Flat Gus (from Psych) in a mug on my desk.

R: What is the craziest thing you've ever done? 

That’s a toughie because I’ve done some pretty crazy stuff. I’d have to say the prize probably goes for calling the FBI and asking what a frozen corpse looks like. They referred me to the morgue…and probably put me on a number of watch lists.

R: What do you hope readers will most take away from your writing?

Laughter, entertainment, a little time away from the stresses of their lives….
R: What are you working on at the moment / next?
I’m currently working on the third book in the Myrtle Crumb series. It’s a series I have in Kindle form on Amazon. The books are .99 each, and I put them up so that people could get a taste of my writing to see whether or not they might like my books. The first two have been so popular that I’m working on a third, tentatively titled, MATA HARI KARI.
R: Are you a plotter or a pantser?
Both. I try to do an overall synopsis of the book so I know where it’s going, and then I try to let the writing direct me. I do plot out individual chapters before I begin them to try to keep myself from going too far afield.
R: What do you do when you’re not writing? Any hobbies or party tricks? :)
I wish I could do party tricks, but unfortunately, I can’t. I do embroider some, and I’m big into reading and watching shows on Netflix. I think writers can learn a lot about pacing from both comedies and dramas.
R: Do you have any advice for beginning writers?

Only to keep at it and never give up. It’s hard work, and people can be both wonderful and hurtful. Believe the good reviews; chuck the bad.

Here is a link to exactly what to expect:


R: What other writing genre would you like to try that you haven’t yet? Historical, screenwriting, etc?

I think I’d like to try screenwriting sometime. I’d love to see one of my stories acted out on stage or screen!



Just for Fun:
Night or Day?  Night
Dog or Cat? (answer carefully)  Both—we have four cats and two dogs!(R: Now there's a diplomatic answer - ever consider politics heh heh)
Beach or Pool?   Beach
Steak or salad?  Steak
Favorite Drink?  Diet Coke
Favorite Book?  Bible
Favorite TV Series?  Psych
Favorite Movie?  An Affair to Remember
Favorite Actor: Johnny Depp
Favorite Actress: Reese Witherspoon
Dirty Martini or Pina Colada? Pina Colada
Hawaii or Alaska? Hawaii

Finish this sentence:  If I could meet anyone in the world, past or present, it would be Johnny Depp.
If I had just one wish, it would be that my children are always content.
If I could trade places with anyone in the world, it would be Angelina Jolie—but just for one day.


Thanks for a great interview, Gayle! Folks below are all the places you can learn more about Gayle and her books:

Fatal Foodies: http://fatalfoodies.blogspot.com/ (post day – Friday)
Killer Characters: http://www.killercharacters.com (post day – 12th of each month)

And now...our giveaway!
One signed paperback copy of THREAD ON ARRIVAL is up for grabs; or if you’d prefer, you can get one copy of THREAD ON ARRIVAL (or any of the other embroidery books) for your Kindle or Nook.
Just leave a comment in the section below with the book of your choice and your email addy. The winner will be chosen at random using random.org. Contest closes midnight, March 17!

Remember, for extra entries, you can:
Friend Gayle on Facebook or follow her on Twittter
Friend the Human on Facebook or follow moi, RoccoBlogger, onTwitter
Tweet or post on Facebook about this contest (3 extra entries)

Don't forget to list everything you've done in your post!

MEOW!

The winner of our Kari Lee Townsend giveaway is...Nikki!  Watch for an email from the Human to claim your prize!

 
ROCCO

Friday, March 8, 2013

March Pet of the Month and other news!

Herro, kitties!

Hope you are enjoying our Kari Lee guest post, as well as all the great interviews from February!

Once again, it is time for my Pet of the Month! and the winner is:

Layla Saul!  Her proud human is Frank Saul! And a beauty she is - (for a dog, heh heh)  That is her sister Lola in the background.  What lucky canines indeed, living the life of Reilly with their master (newly retired..he's a lucky dog himself, heh heh)



As part of my campaign to find homes for the homeless, we will be presenting at least once a month (possibly more) cats and dogs that are up for adoption at our local shelter here in Clifton, NJ, so watch for those!

Next week...Gayle Trent visits!

MEROW!


ROCCO
Incredible blogging Cat

Sunday, March 3, 2013

Back again...Kari Lee!

This week I'm pleased to welcome back to the blog author Kari Lee Townsend!


Kari Lee Townsend lives in central New York with her understanding husband, her three busy boys, and her oh-so-dramatic daughter :-) She is the National Bestselling Author, Agatha & RT Reviewer's Choice Award nominee for her Fortune Teller Mystery series. Kari also writes romance under the name Kari Lee Harmon. Small towns, mystical elements, quirky characters and a few chuckles along the way are what her books are all about. To find out more about Kari and all of her books, check out her websites at: www.karileetownsend.com & www.karileeharmon.com

The latest in Kari's Fortune Teller Mystery Series from Berkeley Prime Crime debuts Tuesday,  March 5!


TROUBLE IN THE TAROT (book 3 of the Fortune Teller Mysteries – March 5, 2013)
For psychic Sunshine Meadows, sometimes fortunes can be deceiving…

Lately Sunny has been experiencing a period of big opportunity: her business in Divinity, New York, is thriving, and Detective Mitch Stone has finally agreed to take Sunny on a date. But thanks to her clairvoyant abilities, Sunny knows better than anyone that life deals out bad cards along with the good.

When Sunny agrees to read tarot cards at the annual summer Solstice Carnival, she meets her Granny Gert’s “arch nemesis” Fiona Atwater, and is overcome by a vision of Fiona in a violent argument. Sunny knows trouble is brewing when Granny and Fiona start having squabbles all over town. But the fighting comes to a head when a local baker gets run over by a big white Cadillac—and Granny and Fiona are found at the crime scene.

Sunny knows she should step aside and let Mitch handle the investigating, but she’s not about to ignore her visions and leave her granny’s life in fate’s hands…


Read my Night Owl Review of Trouble in the Tarot HERE
and now our Guest Blogger, Kari Lee Townsend!


Thanks Rocco!
Since I enjoy Top Ten Lists, here's one I thought your readers (and fans of the Fortune Teller series) might also appreciate:
Jo’s Top 10 Reasons Why Sunny & Mitch Should Be Together

10) Everyone needs to be loved and Sunny’s best friend, Joanne Burnham, wants a couple for Cole and her to double date with.

9) Opposites attract and Sunny and Mitch couldn’t be more opposite.

8) Everyone can see Sunny and Mitch are crazy about each other, even if they won’t admit it.

7) Sunny (aka Tinkerbelle) fills the other half of Mitch (aka Grumpy Pants’) half empty glass.

6) Grumpy Pants Keeps Tink from getting into too much trouble.

5) Tink amuses Grumpy Pants, keeping his life interesting.

4) Grumpy Pants challenges Tink to push herself, keeping her on her toes.

3) Tink sees through Grumpy Pants’ tough guy wall, soothing his wounded soul.

2) Grump Pants stirs Tink’s emotions like no other, making her feel things she’s never felt before.

1) Why the hell not?




Meow, great post, Kari!

Kari will be giving away a copy of TROUBLE IN THE TAROT to one lucky reader! To enter, leave a comment on this blog post with your name and email address (entries without email will be disqualified). For extra entries, you can do any or all of the below:


* Follow this blog, Cats, Books and More Cats (+ 1 point)
* Follow me on Twitter (+ 1 point) (Link:
https://twitter.com/RoccoBlogger)
* Tweet about the contest (+ 1 point)
* Friend me on Facebook (+ 1 point) (Link:
https://www.facebook.com/ToniLotempio)#!/
* Mention the contest on Facebook (+ 1 point)
* Mention the contest on your blog (+ 1 point)

Winner will be chosen at random using random.org.  Don’t forget to mention all you’ve done in your comment. Good luck!

The winner of Moishe's giveaway is Maggie!  She will receive a Hannah Swenson "goodie bag". Watch for an email from the "Human" to claim your prize!