March Mania at The Tiki Hut and The Boomtown Craze Launch Party

Source: www.publicdomainpictures.net

Carol Kilgore is running all over the blogosphere this month for her March Monday Mania event, and I am excited to be holding down the fort  Under the Tiki Hut today in her absence. As part of the mania, Carol is giving away a copy of her novel In Name Only and I am giving away an ebook copy of Polar Night, so visit Carol's site if you'd like to find out how to enter to win. Or just come to chat with me about Alaska and the Arctic while we hang out at the Tiki beach.

Today is also the day for M. Pax's Boomtown Craze launch party, and I'm thrilled to be taking part in the celebration. Congratulations, Mary!!

Here is all the info on the latest in the totally fantastic Backworlds series.

A Grand New Age of Boom or Dust?

Boomtown Craze, Book 3 in the Backworlds series is here!

In the far future, humanity settles the stars, bioengineering its descendents to survive in a harsh universe.

To secure his future, Craze must propel his world into a more prosperous era. Only days away from the grand opening of his new and improved tavern, he is confronted by a loony Backworlder intent on mucking up his plans. Gaunt and trembling, she claims her spaceship is possessed. She also has a connection to the underworld that shakes loose the dark past of one of Craze’s closest friends. It all threatens to end Craze’s prosperity before it begins.

Meanwhile off world, Captain Talos works desperately to outwit the mercenary Jixes and lure them away from his and Craze’s budding prospects. The mind-control weapon Talos uses against them is wearing thin, and his next move may be his last.

Will Craze and Talos’s efforts bring about a grand new age of boom or damn them to forever struggle in the dust?

Available in ebook at:

AmazonUS / AmazonUK / B&N / Smashwords

Other Outlets can be found at http://mpaxauthor.com

It will also be available in paperback from Amazon shortly.

About the author:

M. Pax is a Browncoat and SG fan, she’s also slightly obsessed with Jane Austen. In the summers she docents as a star guide at Pine Mountain Observatory where the other astronomers now believe she has the most extensive collection of moon photos in existence. No fear, there will be more next summer. She lives in stunning Central Oregon with the Husband Unit and two lovely, spoiled cats.

Website/ Blog ~ Twitter ~ FB ~ Goodreads

You can also find M. Pax on LinkedIN, Pinterest, YouTube, and Wattpad

Mary is hosting a great giveaway of both paperbacks and ebooks at her site, so visit her here to find out how to enter. If you haven't already read The Backworlds, you're missing out! I've no doubt this third installment will be as fantastic as the first two.

Congratulations again to Mary and I'll see everyone over at The Tiki Hut! :)

Welcome Carol Kilgore!

I'm excited to have Carol Kilgore as my guest today as part of her In Name Only blog tour. Carol is stopping by to talk about one of my favorite subjects - dogs!


Take it away, Carol.

Hi, Julie. Thanks for hosting me here on What Else Is Possible. I'm excited to be spending some time with you and your followers.

I know you are a big pet person, so I thought I would talk about a pet that appears in my debut novel, IN NAME ONLY. The pet is a little coppery-colored Chihuahua named Chica.

Just like her human, Maxie Lamar, Chica is full of pep, with a personality to match. She is definitely the hero of her own story. And you'll need to read IN NAME ONLY to see how it plays out.

As soon as I knew the role Maxie would play in the story, I knew she needed a companion. The first thing I thought of was a cat, but almost as soon as the word cat formed in my mind, I knew Maxie wouldn't be content with a cat. She needed a small dog—one that was her canine equivalent. Given the Padre Island setting for the story, a Chihuahua seemed appropriate.

What do I know about Chihuahuas? I grew up with one named Little Bit, but I know I'm not an expert. 

So I looked online before writing Chica's part to make sure my memories were correct. Most were. But I had an ace in the hole. My neighbor has a Chihuahua. Our backyards join, so I spent some time standing on a bench and peering over the fence to watch the Chihuahua and her sisters, two toy fox terriers.

I have two large male herding dogs, a rescue border collie and a blue heeler (Australian cattle dog). Both of our dogs have strong herding instincts, but each herds in a different way. Our heeler even tries to herd ducks. I love watching them try to herd each other.

But when our boys and our neighbor's girls are all together, there's not one bit of herding going on. The little Chihuahua rules. Just like Chica!

No home. No family. No place to hide. For Summer Newcombe, that's only the beginning.

The night Summer escapes from a burning Padre Island eatery and discovers the arsonist is stalking her, is the same night she meets Fire Captain Gabriel Duran. As much as she's attracted to Gabe, five years in the Federal Witness Security Program because of her father’s testimony against a mob boss have taught her the importance of being alone and invisible.

No matter how much she yearns for a real home, Summer relinquished that option the night she killed the man who murdered her father. But Gabe breaks down her guard and places both of them in danger. Summer has vowed never to kill again, but she's frantic she'll cost Gabe his life unless she stops running and fights for the future she wants with the man she loves.

 

Carol Kilgore is a Texas native who has lived in locations across the U.S. as the wife of a Coast Guard officer. Back under the hot Texas sun in San Antonio, Carol writes a blend of mystery, suspense, and romance she calls Crime Fiction with a Kiss. She and her husband share their home and patio with two active herding dogs, and every so often the dogs let them sit on the sofa.

Learn more about Carol and follow her here:

Blog: http://www.underthetikihut.blogspot.com

Website: http://www.carolkilgore.net
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/carolkilgore.author
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/#!/carol_kilgore
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6094110.Carol_Kilgore

Amazon Link: http://www.amazon.com/author/ckilgore

WWW Wednesday

I've been meaning to participate in this weekly meme for a while but kept forgetting each week until Wednesday had come and gone. So I'm glad I finally remembered and am able to join in this week.

The meme is hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading and I learned about it from my buddy Susan Oloier's site.

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

1. What are you currently reading?
2. What did you recently finish reading?
3. What do you think you’ll read next?

What are you currently reading? 

Before I started watching Game of Thrones on HBO last year I'd never heard of George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series. I originally thought I didn't want to read the books because I love the show and didn't want it to be spoiled, but I got so addicted to the whole universe that I changed my mind and started reading the books. I'm glad I did, because I'm now on the third book and I love the books even more than I love the tv show. I am obsessed and a total Westeros fanatic now. :)

I was so happy to finally be able to order Carol's In Name Only yesterday, and it's a great read so far.

What did you recently finish reading?

Easily one of the best books I've ever read. I couldn't put it down.

What do you think you'll read next?

I did mention I'm obsessed, right? :D

I'm also looking forward to reading the latest from J.L. Campbell. I loved reading J.L.'s posts about her native Jamaica during the A-Z in April Challenge, and I know I will love her new book as well.

I've been doing a lot of reading this summer, which of course is never a bad thing, and I'm looking forward to participating in this meme and learning about more great books. Thanks to MizB for hosting!

In Name Only Release Party

Today is the big day and In Name Only is officially available! Congratulations to Carol Kilgore on the arrival of her new baby! :)

If you've not heard about "In Name Only," here are some enticing details from Carol's website:

No Home. No Family. No Place to Hide.

For Summer Newcombe, that's only the beginning.

The night Summer escapes from a burning Padre Island eatery and discovers the arsonist is stalking her, is the same night she meets Fire Captain Gabriel Duran. As much as she's attracted to him, five years in the Federal Witness Security Program because of her father’s testimony against a mob boss have taught her the importance of being alone and invisible. No matter how much she yearns for a real home, she relinquished that option the night she killed the man who murdered her father. But Gabe breaks down her guard and places both of them in danger. She's vowed never to kill again, but she's frantic she'll cost Gabe his life unless she stops running and fights for the future she wants with the man she loves.

 

 

To purchase "In Name Only" for your Kindle, click here. If you'd like a paperback version, you can purchase that here.

Carol will be my guest here on August 6 as part of her blog tour to promote "In Name Only." I know she will have a wonderful post to share, and I'm excited to have the chance to be part of the tour.

Congratulations again to Carol!!