#LoneStarLiteraryLife

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The Knotted Ring #NewRelease #BookReview @lonestarlit @MyraHMcIlvain #Giveaway

THE KNOTTED RING
BY MYRA HARGRAVE MCILVAIN
Historical Fiction / Family Saga / Historical Romance
Publisher: Next Chapter
Page Count: 412
Publication Date: December 7, 2023
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Susannah Mobley, expecting a baby by her lover, a slave owned by her family, submits to an arranged marriage to Hezekiah James who is headed to Texas to claim a Spanish land grant. Caught in a series of lies about the origin of a beautiful ring woven from her red hair and the circumstances of her pregnancy, Susannah embarks on the harsh trip to Texas, grieving for her lost love and determined to control her destiny.
On the wagon train journey, Hezekiah is tested by his beliefs and strengths with his slaves and Native Americans, as well as a strange Mad Stone. His determination to build a plantation as fine as Susannah’s home place and to make the best decisions for Susannah fails. Susannah will have to decide if she can live with the consequences of her lies and open herself to this man who shows every form of contrition or if she will allow longing for what she cannot have to destroy her life.
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The Knotted Ring is currently a semi-finalist status
in the Laramie Awards for Western and Americana Fiction.
“An often engrossing and well-handled story of the 19th century.”
—Kirkus Reviews
~~~
CLICK TO PURCHASE!

Barnes & Noble │ Google │ Kobo

Myra Hargrave McIlvain, a sixth-generation Texan, is a storyteller who has written Texas historical markers (yes, real people write those things lining Texas highways), articles for newspapers and magazines such as Texas Highways, and six nonfiction books about famous and infamous Texas characters and places.
McIlvain found her real love when she wrote her first historical fiction. All her tales take place in Texas during major periods of its history. However, The Knotted Ring was inspired by an old family story, and in her search to understand what may have happened, she imagined their lives set in a time that she knew well––the establishment of the first Anglo colony.
McIlvain views history as the story of a people; the people she knows best have made Texas home.
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THREE WINNERS
1st Prize: Autographed hardcover & tote bag; 2nd Prize: Autographed paperback + candle; 3rd Prize: Autographed paperback
(US only; ends midnight, CST, 02/29/24)
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Amethyst, The Shallows #BookBlitz @LoneStarLit @Abernathykellye

AMETHYST, THE SHALLOWS The Companion Novel to The Aquamarine Surfboard By KELLYE ABERNATHY Young Adult / Magical Realism / Coming of Age Publisher: Atmosphere Press Pages: 296 pages Publication Date: February 6, 2024 NEW RELEASE! "This is a night for being brave." In the aftermath of a devastating sickness that shatters their close-knit beach town, …

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Courting Miss Emma #NewRelease @LBroday @LoneStarLit

I love it when I get to promote one of my sister’s new books! I loved this story.

COURTING MISS EMMA
The Hangman’s Daughters, Book 2
by
Linda Broday
Western / Clean & Wholesome / Sweet Romance / Historical Fiction
Publisher: Severn House
Date of Publication: November 7, 2023
Number of Pages: 203 pages
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Texas, 1868. Emma Taggart has finally found a place to belong – setting up Heaven’s Door orphanage with her sister Maura was a new beginning for her – and one she will do anything to protect.
When guarded ex-army man Stone Landry buys the neighboring land and moves in – camels and all – Emma’s world changes forever. He is an infuriating man who instantly gets under her skin – in ways she never dreamed possible, and despite herself, Emma starts to wonder if, just maybe, he is man enough to take on a Hangman’s daughter . . . But their newfound connection is quickly tested by violent night raids, kidnappings, and underhand tricks by powerful rancher Zeke Parker, who is intent on running them out of town and taking the land he deems to be his. Can Emma find enough courage to trust in Stone to give her the life, the family, she’s always dreamed of?
I’m a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of western romance novels and short stories. Watching TV westerns during my youth fed my love of cowboys and the old West and they still do. On a still day, I can often hear the voices of American Indians, Comancheros, and early cowboys whispering in the breeze here on the high West Texas plains. We refer to this land as “cowboy” country and men here still ride the range just as cowboys of old. My stories focus on family life and almost all have children.
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FOUR WINNERS:
1st $25 Amazon gift card;
2nd autographed hardcover copy of WINNING MAURA’S HEART;
3rd eBook copy of COURTING MISS EMMA;
4th audiobook of ONE SHOT AT LOVE.
(US only; ends midnight, CDT, 11/17/23)

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Dead by Proxy #NewRelease #BookReview @LoneStarLit @manningwolfe

 
 
 

DEAD BY PROXY
Proxy Legal Thriller Series, Book 1
by
Manning Wolfe
 
Legal Thriller / Suspense / Action
Publisher: Starpath Books, LLC
Date of Publication: September 15, 2023
Number of Pages: 324 pages
 
 
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In this lawyer-on-the-run suspense drama, attorney Quinton Bell loses the trial of his career, and possibly his life.

Dead By Proxy takes you on a heart-pounding journey through the life of a criminal defense attorney whose world is wiped out. When Quinton loses a career-defining case, he finds himself being hunted by the very client he tried to save.

As Quinton navigates the treacherous path of survival, he is running from a powerful and relentless adversary who will stop at nothing to see him silenced. Finally landing in Houston, he hides in plain sight while re-inventing his new life as a trial lawyer.

When he’s forced to take on a high-profile murder case, he exposes himself and those he loves to danger. With each passing moment, the noose tightens, and he must draw on every ounce of wit to outsmart those who still want him dead.

Will Quinton Bell find a way out, or will he forever be a target in a deadly game of cat and mouse?

Dead By Proxy is the first book in the edgy Proxy Legal Thriller Series. If you like memorable characters, smart gritty action, and jaw-dropping twists, then you’ll love Manning Wolfe’s fast-paced page-turner.

PRAISE FOR DEAD BY PROXY:

“A riveting read that expertly teams courtroom drama and legal maneuvering with imminent danger, spine-tingling suspense, a touch of romance, and non-stop action. Talk about an adrenaline rush!” – Reedsy


“Manning Wolfe just put herself on my list of must-read authors!” – John Ellsworth

CLICK TO PURCHASE!

 
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkrbpTnBYtA?si=79iMMG5J3rIXW8QC]
 
 
Manning Wolfe, an award-winning author and attorney, writes cinematic-style, smart, fast-paced thrillers and crime fiction. Manning was recently featured on Oxygen TV’s: Accident, Suicide, or Murder, and has spoken at major book festivals around the world.
 
Manning’s legal thriller series, featuring Austin attorney Merit Bridges, includes Dollar Signs, Music Notes, Green Fees, and Chinese Wall.
 
Manning’s new Proxy Legal Thrillers Series, featuring Houston attorney Quinton Bell, includes Dead by Proxy, Hunted by Proxy, and Alive by Proxy.
 
Manning is co-author of Killer Set: Drop the Mic, and twelve additional Bullet Books Speed Reads.
 
As a graduate of Rice University and the University of Texas School of Law, Manning’s experience has given her a voyeur’s peek into some shady characters’ lives and a front-row seat to watch the good people who stand against them.
 
 
 
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THREE WINNERS
Grand Prize: eBook copy of Dead by Proxy + $25 Amazon gift card
2nd & 3rd Prizes: eBook copy of Dead by Proxy
(US only; ends midnight, CDT, 10/13/23)
 

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Rip The Sky – Mark Packard #NewRelease #BlogTour #Review #Giveaway @LoneStarLit

RIP THE SKY
by
Mark Packard
Speculative Fiction / Fantasy / Science Fiction
Publisher: Bluestreak Publishing
Page Count: 317 pages
Publication Date: August 21, 2023
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After a shocking courtroom tragedy, a disturbed Vietnam veteran and the vindictive judge who sent him to prison become an unlikely pair of time travelers in a chaotic multiverse. The fallen angel who rescues them wants to guide them to a radiant new life. But first they must return to the scene of a ghastly crime.

Billy Worster was a naïve teenager ill-prepared for the gruesome realities of war. The sole survivor of a deadly massacre in a Vietnamese jungle, he avoided certain death only because he ran away when the shooting started. Riddled with guilt, he comes home to a dusty Texas farm with post-traumatic stress disorder and the crazy notion that he can fly in and out of parallel worlds.

As Billy struggles with addiction and questions his sanity, he is arrested on a drug charge and ends up in the courtroom of Judge Madeline Johnston, a bitter old judge tormented by a dark secret surrounding her father’s death. She callously tosses Billy into prison, but when a greedy executor files a lawsuit to steal his inherited land, Billy is hauled back to her courtroom in chains, where a stunning twist of fate launches them into the sky on an odyssey of discovery and healing.

Spanning forty years from the jungles of Vietnam through infinite, parallel worlds, Rip the Sky examines how the power of forgiveness can lead us toward a better life, no matter how many worlds we may live in.

XTRA Promo
Mark Packard spent the last 38 years as a trial attorney and is now retired from the courtroom and working as a mediator. In a life before lawyering he was a journalist and regrets waiting far too long before returning to his roots to write his first novel, Rip the Sky. Though he knows he should have jumped off the merry-go-round years ago, he hopes to hang around long enough to craft a few more tales. Connect with the author:
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ONE WINNER
Signed hard copy of RIP THE SKY & $50 Amazon gift card
(US only; ends midnight, CST, 10/13/23)

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For the Minds and Wills of Men #BlogTour @LoneStarLit

I am super excited to share this book from Jeff Lanier with you. Don’t miss my review below!

FOR THE MINDS

AND WILLS OF MEN
by
Jeff Lanier
 
Mystery / Art History
Publisher: Boyle & Dalton
Date of Publication: October 16, 2022
Number of Pages: 310 pages 
 
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A gripping, historical art mystery set in 1950s New York, For the Minds and Wills of Men is a story of art, love, and Cold War fear, suspicion, and betrayal.
 
MANHATTAN, 1953. Fear of communist subversion and espionage are tearing America apart. Abstract expressionism is on the verge of exploding, making New York the cultural epicenter of the world. While recovering a stolen Jackson Pollock for a wealthy client, art insurer Will Oxley falls for the client’s daughter, Liz Bower, who leads him deep into the rebellious and seductive world of the abstract expressionist painters, their Village bar haunts and East Hampton binges. But when Will learns the painting-and Liz-may be hiding communist secrets better left hidden, he finds himself torn between exposing the girl he loves or risking his life by trusting her instead. Realizing nothing is as it seems, Will is caught between communist espionage, secret government programs, and the grip of cold war fear, suspicion, and betrayal where trust is all he has left…
 
With post-World War II New York, 1950s avant-garde art world, and the House Un-American Activities Committee hearings as background, the novel tells the story of abstract expressionism and mid-century American politics- through the thrilling search for a stolen Jackson Pollock.
 

PRAISE FOR FOR THE MINDS AND WILLS OF MEN

*2023 INDIEREADER AWARD WINNER: 1ST PLACE FICTION*


“Lanier brilliantly evokes the energy and excitement of the New York art world in this Cold War thriller with an artistic twist. Along the way, he gives us fascinating insights into Abstract Expressionism and the power of art to communicate values and ideas.”

–Ross King, Acclaimed art historian and New York Times bestselling author of The Judgment of Paris, Brunelleschi’s Dome, and Michelangelo and The Pope’s Ceiling.

Click to Purchase!
 
 
 
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8u-gm12tVB8]
 
 
Jeff Lanier is an award-winning author. He earned bachelor’s degrees in history and art History at the University of Texas, Austin, with a focus on the History of American Culture through Art and Literature. He has a master’s from Rice University, is a member of the American Society of Aesthetics, and currently lives in Houston with his wife and three children.
 
◆ WEBSITE ◆ INSTAGRAM ◆ AMAZON ◆ GOODREADS ◆
 

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ONE WINNER:
Autographed hardcover copy of
For the Minds and Wills of Men
(US only; ends midnight, CDT, 8/4/23)
 
 

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Ghostly Bugles – #NewRelease #Giveaway @LoneStarLit @knightml_author

It is an honor to feature a new Historical Fiction release from this author! Read to the end to see my review, and don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

 

GHOSTLY BUGLES
by
Max L. Knight
 
Historical Fiction / Texas History
Publisher: Wild Lark Books
Date of Publication: February 23, 2023
Number of Pages: 210 pages
 
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Do the souls of the dead reach out from beyond the grave? Do echoes of the past resound through the ages? Are such insights a privilege or a curse? An old man grapples with these questions and his own mortality as he re-examines one of the most famous battles in history – the Alamo.
 
The 1836 siege and battle, as well as current efforts to restore Alamo Plaza to hallowed ground and create a world-class attraction unfold as the old man tries to make sense of his memories, dreams, and perceived outreach by the dead whose souls cry out to him for inclusion and recognition. Beyond the myth and the legend are their stories as well as his own.
 
Ghostly Bugles is a fictional re-creation of the Alamo story, rich in historical detail with a unique paranormal element. The narrative combines elements of the traditional storyline with contemporary efforts to “Re-imagine the Alamo.” The dual timelines balance our understanding of this world-renowned event and provide new perspective and appreciation for the courage and sacrifice of everyone involved – Texian and Tejano defenders and Mexican soldiers.
 
 
CLICK TO PURCHASE
 
 
 
MAX L. KNIGHT was born in Panama and grew up in the Canal Zone and in San Antonio, Texas, where he and his wife reside. In addition to degrees from Texas A&M University and Campbell University, Max served twenty-four years in the United States Army (1973-1997), retiring with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
 
He became the first Alamo Docent in 2004, but the tragic events of 9/11 compelled him to reactivate his security clearance and, when the approval finally came through, he returned to work in support of U.S. Counterintelligence operations. A stage IV throat cancer diagnosis in 2014 abruptly ended that phase of his life, and he turned to writing to help him get through the chemo, radiation, and surgeries. Max is currently cancer free.
 
His other works include Silver Taps, Palo Duro, and Tarnished Brass.
 
◆ WEBSITE ◆ FACEBOOK ◆ LINKEDIN ◆ AMAZON ◆
◆ TWITTER ◆ PINTEREST ◆ GOODREADS ◆
 
 
 
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TWO WINNERS:
Signed copy of Ghostly Bugles
(US only; ends midnight, CDT, 5/25/23)
 
 

A Rafflecopter giveaway

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Murder’s Legacy (A Tori Winters Mystery Book 2) @anita_dickason @LoneStarLit

I am thrilled to bring to you the second book in the Tori Winters Mystery Series! Take a look!

MURDER’S LEGACY
A Tori Winters Mystery, Book 2
by
Anita Dickason
Mystery / Amateur Sleuth / Women Sleuths
Publisher: Mystic Circle Books
Date of Publication: February 17, 2023
Number of Pages: 378 pages 
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Secrets that defy time!
An inconceivable disaster brings Tori Winters’ plans for the historic house she inherited to a traumatic standstill. A section of the escape tunnel built by her great-grandfather, a notorious Dallas gangster, has collapsed. Within the rubble, there is a gruesome discovery. A skeleton with a bullet hole in the skull.
The shocking cave-in triggers an ominous scheme to condemn her property as accusations arise that the tunnel is dangerous.
Embattled, Tori soon discovers that more than the destruction of the house is on the line. It seems she can’t escape the past. It keeps clawing its way into her life with deadly consequences.
Who hides in the shadows with a motive for murder? And … is Tori the target?
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhcQjUUKzR8]
Award-winning Author Anita Dickason is a twenty-two-year veteran of the Dallas Police Department. She served as a patrol officer, undercover narcotics detective, advanced accident investigator, tactical officer, and first female sniper on the Dallas SWAT team.
Anita writes about what she knows, cops and crime. Her police background provides an unending source of inspiration for her plots and characters. Many incidents and characters portrayed in her books are based on personal experience. For her, the characters are the fun part of writing as she never knows where they will take her. There is always something out of the ordinary in her stories.
In Anita’s debut novel, Sentinels of the Night, she created an elite FBI Unit, the Trackers. Since then, she has added three more Tracker crime thrillers, Going Gone!, A u 7 9, and Operation Navajo, which are not a series and can be read in any order, and Deadly Business, a crime thriller.
As a Texas author, many of Anita’s books are based in Texas, or there is a link to Texas. When she stepped outside of the Tracker novels and wrote Not Dead and the Tori Winters Mysteries series, she set them in the small Texas communities of Meridian and Granbury, respectively.
◆ WEBSITE ◆ FACEBOOK ◆ TWITTER ◆ AMAZON ◆
◆ PINTEREST ◆ LINKEDIN ◆ GOODREADS ◆
AUTHOR YOUTUBE CHANNELS:
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THREE WINNERS:
eBook copy of Deadly Keepsakes, Tori Winters Mystery #1
+ tote bag & personalized coffee mug
(US only; ends midnight, CDT, 3/24/23)
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Stolen Obsession #BookBlitz @LoneStarLit @ewephoric #Mystery #LSBBT

      STOLEN OBSESSION Annalisse Series, Book 1 Updated for 2022! by MARLENE M. BELL   Genre: Romantic MysteryPublisher: Ewephoric PublishingDate of Publication: March 20, 2018, Revised 2022 Number of Pages: 284 Scroll down for the giveaway!         PEOPLE DIE, BUT LEGENDS LIVE ON. Manhattan antiquities appraiser Annalisse Drury dreams of …

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