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    Guest blog: Mandy Baxter on U.S. Marshals …

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    View More: https://kminterphoto.pass.us/mandy-bonillaToday, I am happy to welcome Mandy Baxter (aka Amanda Bonilla) to my blog. Mandy’s new romantic suspense book, One Night More, comes out on Sept. 2. As Amanda Bonilla, she writes the Shaede Assassin urban fantasy series.

    Q&A WITH MANDY BAXTER

    Jennifer: Welcome, Mandy! Please tell readers about your upcoming release, One Night More.

    Mandy: Thanks for having me on your blog, Jennifer!

    Jennifer: This is the first book in your U.S. Marshals series. Can you tell us a little about the series?

    Mandy: The U.S. Marshals series focuses on a new hero and heroine in each installment. Each marshal is on a case that the heroine is involved with in one way or another. My poor heroes are torn between duty and love and they try to close out the cases they’ve been assigned to work on, while protecting the women they’ve come to love.

    Jennifer: What appeals to you about the romantic suspense genre?

    Mandy: I’m an action movie junkie! Writing RS is fun because I get to channel my inner action movie star. It’s the perfect combination of romance and action!

    One Night MoreJennifer: What inspired you to write the U.S. Marshals series?

    Mandy: I’m a huge fan of the series Justified. Not to mention the fact that Timothy Olyphant is yummy! I’ve always been intrigued by the marshals service so it was a natural fit when I started working on a proposal for a romantic suspense.

    Jennifer: What are some of your favorite romantic suspense books/authors and why?

    Mandy: There are so many great authors/books out there! I love Julie Ann Walker, Julie James, and Carolyn Crane to name a few. I love their snappy dialog, unique voices, and blend of action and steamy romance.

    Jennifer: Have you always wanted to be a writer? What got you started on your writing journey?

    Mandy: Definitely! I started writing when I was sixteen. I played with it off and on for a couple of decades. LOL. Then, one day I decided that if I really wanted to be a writer that I needed to sit my butt down and finish something. After I finished my first book, I was hooked. I just kept writing and writing and writing. I doubt I’ll ever be able to quit.

    Jennifer: You also write urban fantasy as Amanda Bonilla. Will you be writing more books in your Shaede Assassin series?

    Against the DawnMandy: I’m definitely going to see Darian’s story through to the end. I’ll be publishing a novella in November and book 5 will be out next spring. The series will end at six books, though I’ve been tinkering with the idea of spin-off books for some of my favorite characters that I can’t seem to let go of.

    Jennifer: What were some of the challenges of writing in a new genre?

    Mandy: It took me a bit to get comfortable writing 3rd person, multiple point of view. I was so used to writing in 1st person that it felt foreign. In the past, my books have had an emphasis on action/plot with romance being secondary. It took me a while to get used to making the romance/sex the primary focus of the story. Not that I’m complaining. Hehe.

    Jennifer: What’s next for you? What are you working on?

    Mandy: I have a pretty full plate at the moment. I’m working on getting the next two books in the U.S. Marshals series ready for publication as well as a PNR series for St. Martin’s Press that will be released next year. I’m also plugging away on the Shaede Assassin series. No rest for the wicked! LOL!

    Thanks again for having me as a guest on your blog, Jennifer!! XOXO

    MORE ABOUT MANDY

    Mandy Baxter lives in rural Idaho. She’s a part-time pet wrangler, a full-time sun worshiper, and only goes out into the cold when coerced. She loves black clothes, pink appliances and thinks junk food should be a recognized food group. In the summer, she can be found sitting by the lake, enjoying the view from her dock.

    For more on Mandy’s books, visit her website or follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr.

    GIVEAWAY TIME

    Mandy is offering a print copy of One Night More. You must be 18 or older to enter/win. The giveaway is open to U.S./Canada residents only. To enter, use the giveaway form below.

    a Rafflecopter giveaway

  • Checking out the TBR pile …

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    So I thought I would share some books that are waiting in my TBR pile and some others that I am looking forward to that are being released soon. Silly work, getting in the way of my reading time. LOL.

    Note: The descriptions are from Goodreads.

    Ruin and RisingRuin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo

    The capital has fallen.

    The Darkling rules Ravka from his shadow throne.

    Now the nation’s fate rests with a broken Sun Summoner, a disgraced tracker, and the shattered remnants of a once-great magical army.

    Deep in an ancient network of tunnels and caverns, a weakened Alina must submit to the dubious protection of the Apparat and the zealots who worship her as a Saint. Yet her plans lie elsewhere, with the hunt for the elusive firebird and the hope that an outlaw prince still survives.

    Alina will have to forge new alliances and put aside old rivalries as she and Mal race to find the last of Morozova’s amplifiers. But as she begins to unravel the Darkling’s secrets, she reveals a past that will forever alter her understanding of the bond they share and the power she wields. The firebird is the one thing that stands between Ravka and destruction—and claiming it could cost Alina the very future she’s fighting for.

    Wake of the Bloody AngelWake of the Bloody Angel by Alex Bledsoe

    Twenty years ago, a barmaid in a harbor town fell for a young sailor who turned pirate to make his fortune. But what truly became of Black Edward Tew remains a mystery—one that has just fallen into the lap of freelance sword jockey Eddie LaCrosse.

    For years, Eddie has kept his office above Angelina’s tavern, so when Angelina herself asks him to find out what happened to the dashing pirate who stole her heart, he can hardly say no—even though the trail is two decades old. Some say Black Edward and his ship, The Bloody Angel, went to bottom of the sea, taking with it a king’s fortune in treasure. Others say he rules a wealthy, secret pirate kingdom. And a few believe he still sails under a ghostly flag with a crew of the damned.

    To find the truth, and earn his twenty-five gold pieces a day, Eddie must take to sea in the company of a former pirate queen in search of the infamous Black Edward Tew…and his even more legendary treasure.

    Heir of FireHeir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas

    Release date: Sept. 2

    Lost and broken, Celaena Sardothien’s only thought is to avenge the savage death of her dearest friend: as the King of Adarlan’s Assassin, she is bound to serve this tyrant, but he will pay for what he did. Any hope Celaena has of destroying the king lies in answers to be found in Wendlyn. Sacrificing his future, Chaol, the Captain of the King’s Guard, has sent Celaena there to protect her, but her darkest demons lay in that same place. If she can overcome them, she will be Adarlan’s biggest threat – and his own toughest enemy.

    While Celaena learns of her true destiny, and the eyes of Erilea are on Wendlyn, a brutal and beastly force is preparing to take to the skies. Will Celaena find the strength not only to win her own battles, but to fight a war that could pit her loyalties to her own people against those she has grown to love?

    What’s in your TBR and what books are you looking forward to as we get closer to fall?

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    Poison Promise, Elemental Assassin #11, released …

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    Book #11 Poison Promise, Elemental Assassin #11, has been released. Huzzah! As always, I hope that everyone enjoys reading about Gin’s latest adventure.

    Poison Promise is available in print, e-book, and audiobook formats from all the usual retailers, including the following:

    Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Books-A-Million / iTunes / Kobo / IndieBound

    The audio book is available through Audible, and the awesome Lauren Fortgang is once again the narrator.

    And here is the cover blurb for Poison Promise. This does contain spoilers for previous books in the series:

    I specialize in making death wishes come true.

    Pop quiz. Which do you think is deadlier: Burn, the nastiest drug ever to hit the mean streets of Ashland, or me, Gin Blanco, the assassin known as the Spider? Answer: Me—because I don’t kill you slowly.

    Normally, drug dealers aren’t my department. But I’m turning up the heat on some relentless Burn-pushing thugs who won’t leave my friends alone. Pushers who have my cop sister beside herself with rage, so I’m stepping up to keep her from doing something stupid and getting herself killed. Once I’m in, I’m in, and these folks have picked their poison: the Spider’s venom. But even bad guys have their good days, and sometimes even my Ice and Stone magic isn’t enough. For behind the drug is a vicious vampire with a scientific eye for results. And behind him… trouble like I haven’t seen since I took down my legendary nemesis, Mab Monroe.

    To read the first chapter of Poison Promise, go here, scroll down, and click on the Read Excerpt tab.

    Hope everyone enjoys the book. Happy reading!

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    Poison Promise up for pre-order …

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    Book #11 Poison Promise, Elemental Assassin #11, will be released next Tuesday, July 22, in print, e-book, and audiobook formats. Huzzah! I hope that everyone enjoys Gin’s latest adventure.

    If you’re buying a print copy, you might want to check at your local bookstore this weekend, and see if the booksellers have put the book out early. Also, most of the time, Barnes & Noble will start shipping the print copies the weekend before the Tuesday release date.

    If you’re buying a copy online, you can get Poison Promise at all your usual book retailers, including the following:

    Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Books-A-Million / iTunes / Kobo / IndieBound

    The audiobook will be available through Audible, and the awesome Lauren Fortgang is once again the narrator.

    And here is the cover blurb for Poison Promise. This does contain spoilers for previous books in the series:

    I specialize in making death wishes come true.

    Pop quiz. Which do you think is deadlier: Burn, the nastiest drug ever to hit the mean streets of Ashland, or me, Gin Blanco, the assassin known as the Spider? Answer: Me—because I don’t kill you slowly.

    Normally, drug dealers aren’t my department. But I’m turning up the heat on some relentless Burn-pushing thugs who won’t leave my friends alone. Pushers who have my cop sister beside herself with rage, so I’m stepping up to keep her from doing something stupid and getting herself killed. Once I’m in, I’m in, and these folks have picked their poison: the Spider’s venom. But even bad guys have their good days, and sometimes even my Ice and Stone magic isn’t enough. For behind the drug is a vicious vampire with a scientific eye for results. And behind him… trouble like I haven’t seen since I took down my legendary nemesis, Mab Monroe.

    To read the first chapter, go here, scroll down, and click on the Read Excerpt tab. Hope everyone enjoys the sneak peak at the book. Happy reading!

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    Poison Promise audiobook up for pre-order at Audible …

    Book #11The pre-order link for the audiobook for Poison Promise, Elemental Assassin #11, can be found by clicking here.

    The audiobook will once again be available through Audible, and the always fabulous Lauren Fortgang will once again be doing the narration for Gin and the gang.

    Click here to see all of my audiobooks that are available at Audible.

    Also, I wanted to mention that if you buy e-books at Amazon, you can add Whispersync for Voice. Basically, you can switch back and forth between reading the e-book and listening to the audiobook. Usually, if you get the e-book at Amazon, you can get the Whispersync audiobook for about $4 or so. To see what I mean, check out the Amazon page for The Spider, Elemental Assassin #10.

    Hope that everyone enjoys the audiobook. Happy listening!