Mini Q&A: Author Linda Bloodworth

“The author takes us on an emotional rollercoaster ride… Yes, I know we are heading into hell in this book and the author explains her version of hell with great detail. I was hooked by the end of chapter one… once you finish the first book you will want to dive right into this book… if you want a series that will keep you on the edge of your seat… this is the series for you.”

– Patricia, Amazon Reviewer

It’s been four years since Linda Bloodworth released her first book, A Raven’s Touch. Now, she’s releasing the sequel, A Raven’s Revenge. I had the opportunity to ask her a few quick questions about it. Check out what she had to say.

Q: What was your writing process like?

Linda: This time I really took my time to research Hell. If someone were to look up my search history they might be concerned. I looked up demon babies, what happens to suicides, various kinds of demons and much more. While I was writing the story I had a literal come to Jesus moment. I suppose one can’t write about angels and demons without letting the subject matter seep in. I lost track of how many times I was sidetracked, going down the rabbit hole to say, and it lead to deep conversations about why we’re here and where we’re going.

New Release & Giveaway: The Black Widow

I have enlisted the help of Xpresso Tours to celebrate the release of The Black Widow. More about the book follows. Plus, see the giveaway below for your chance to win a $20.00 Amazon Giftcard!

The Black Widow
Christa Simpson
(Dark Secrets Duet #2)
Publication date: October 28th 2019
Genre: Psychological Thriller

Day by day, piece by piece, he puts it all together. What will happen when he finally realizes what I’ve done?

 

There was a time when I thought I was simply a magnet for trouble. Now I know better. If you want to call me the Black Widow, I’m going to own it. You want a monster? I’ll give you one. I’ll alienate you from everything you know and love. You will learn the hard way that evil doesn’t only lurk in our imaginations.

 

The tall, dark and handsome cop would be well-advised to steer clear of me. He knows better than to get tangled in the web I’ve weaved. I warned him. I told him not to mess with me if he values his life. You’re probably wondering what’ll happen when my darkest truths unravel. It’s not my problem anymore. If he sticks around, he will be the author of his own misfortune.

 

Caught in my own dangerous game of elimination, will he be the last nail in my coffin?

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Smashwords

Special price for release week only!

Book Review: The Wife Between Us

From Goodreads:

When you read this book, you will make many assumptions.

You will assume you are reading about a jealous ex-wife.

You will assume she is obsessed with her replacement – a beautiful, younger woman who is about to marry the man they both love.

You will assume you know the anatomy of this tangled love triangle.

Assume nothing.

Twisted and deliciously chilling, Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen‘s The Wife Between Us exposes the secret complexities of an enviable marriage – and the dangerous truths we ignore in the name of love.

Read between the lies.

MY REVIEW:

I love a good domestic thriller. This story was twisty and intelligent, cleverly written and filled with unexpected twists and turns. The Wife Between Us is one thought-provoking book, and apparently I’m a bad book detective.

---

I did not see that first plot twist coming at all. I actually had to flip back a few pages to reread the end of Part One and see if I had misread something. Nope! I was thankful for that first big twist, though, because the pace picked up to my speed from there and swiftly became a page-turner.

“You need to remember that even when I’m not there, I’m with you.”

Creepy, much?! That one line sent chills down my spine. No, it’s not meant to be sweet or romantic. I saw right through that from the start. The mental illness and emotional abuse in this story was all too believable.

All I can say, without giving the main plot points away, is things are not always what they seem.

This book seems to have received mixed reviews, which is what made me so curious about it. It was a solid 4 star read for me. I think you really have to read it for yourself to be the judge of that.

If you have read the book, what did you think?

Did you know Playing House is a domestic thriller too?

Readers are saying, if you enjoyed The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen, you will enjoy Playing House and The Black Widow!

DOUBLE Cover Reveal: A Raven’s Revenge by Linda Bloodworth

It’s been four long years since Linda Bloodworth released her first book, A Raven’s Touch. Today, I’m revealing two new covers for her with special news to follow!

A Raven’s Touch
Justice St. Michaels has a secret. Not only is she the Heaven’s chosen one, but none of her friends are even human. Justice meets mysterious stranger, Darien Raventhorn who says she holds the key to his curse. To avenge a family death, Justice must embrace her birthright, and slay a demon before all Hell breaks loose.

A snippet of A Raven’s Touch:

It started two days ago.

Every night, I hoped to wake up in my bed. Instead, the sound of rushing water always caught my attention. Tiny droplets of mist kissed my skin. Pine needles pricked my bare feet as I shuffled along. This certainly wasn’t my bedroom. The ever-shifting twilight surrounded me. What was I doing in the Rouge Valley forest, again?

A streak of pain crackled through my body, and my head snapped forward. I let out a scream as my back burned like it was on fire. A flock of small birds took to the sky, causing the leaves to shudder. I hugged myself as if I could stop the throbbing. My entire body felt like a fresh wound. With tears in my eyes, I looked up to the Heavens for guidance, but the silence was deafening. To my left, little feet hopped through the bush. I could only imagine what I must have looked like, with long, black hair strung about my pale face, and the dark circles I’d had of late. I’d run away from me, too.

I staggered and wobbled my way to the closest tree, since my feet were half-asleep and not cooperating. The minute my back made contact with the rough bark, a fresh surge of pain bloomed, and I breathed fast and hard to stop myself from passing out.

“Please, just stop,” I begged through the tears.

For a blessed moment, the pain subsided. I let out a deep breath of gratitude. Slowly, something trickled down my back. That didn’t feel like sweat. My hand scrambled like a live wire to investigate. Immediately I felt my fingers become covered in blood, and the rich smell of copper flooded my senses. My fingers circled around to find two bone-hard lumps. Investigating further I felt around them, and I figured they were each the size of a split English muffin. Not too large, but definitely there. I was bleeding again.

“What the…?” I pushed myself off the tree, and my stomach churned from the wet-Velcro sound.

The sun was starting to peek through the tall pines. I was about half a mile from my house. I stepped away from the tree and bit back the urge to throw up. I didn’t even want to think about my blood- crusted back. I had to get home. Every bone in my body wanted to rest, but there was no way I was staying here. Thank goodness the county voted for street lamps, or I really would be lost. My shadow on the pavement stretched far and danced out to the next spotlight. The one-dimensional version of myself was footloose and fancy-free. What I wouldn’t give to not have dangerous night-walking spells.

Soon enough, I was walking up my driveway and heading for the side door. My hand wrapped around the handle, and I quietly pushed the door open. Living in the boonies, we’d never locked our doors, and at this point, I was grateful for small favors. I avoided the squeaking tiles and tiptoed up the stairs to my bedroom, then headed straight into my bathroom. I stripped off my clothes, leaving them like a breadcrumb trail to the shower. As I tried to remove my T-shirt, I winced; my back muscles hurt so bad I almost screamed out. Finally, I managed to shimmy the shirt over my head. The back was ripped and reeked of copper. Wrinkling my nose in disgust, I balled it up and tossed it in the garbage.

Cover Reveal: The Black Widow by Christa Simpson

Title: The Black Widow

Author: Christa Simpson

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Series: Dark Secrets Duet

Release Date: October 28, 2019

BLURB

Day by day, piece by piece, he puts it all together. What will happen when he finally realizes what I’ve done?

There was a time when I thought I was simply a magnet for trouble. Now I know better. If you want to call me the Black Widow, I’m going to own it. You want a monster? I’ll give you one. I’ll alienate you from everything you know and love. You will learn the hard way that evil doesn’t only lurk in our imaginations.

The tall, dark and handsome cop would be well-advised to steer clear of me. He knows better than to get tangled in the web I’ve weaved. I warned him. I told him not to mess with me if he values his life. You’re probably wondering what’ll happen when my darkest truths unravel. It’s not my problem anymore. If he sticks around, he will be the author of his own misfortune.

Caught in my own dangerous game of elimination, will he be the last nail in my coffin?

AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER AT THE FOLLOWING RETAILERS!

| BARNES & NOBLE | KOBO | APPLE | SMASHWORDS | AMAZON |

The most unputdownable psychological thriller you’ll read this year from the bestselling author Christa Simpson. If you love THE WIFE BETWEEN US by A.J. Finn or THE TURN OF THE KEY by Ruth Ware, you’ll be totally hooked on THE BLACK WIDOW.

ADD TO GOODREADS!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Christa Simpson is the Bestselling Author of contemporary romances with a twist and dark, twisty psychological thrillers. Her stories are loaded with passion, suspense and sarcasm, much like her life. She’s a small-town Canadian girl living in Southwestern, Ontario, with her husband and two beautiful daughters. Check out her stories and get ready for some emotionally charged entertainment!

| www.christasimpson.com |

| Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Goodreads | Amazon | Instagram | LinkedIn |

Mark your calendars. The Black Widow hits online shelves on October 28! Get started on the book 1 today!

I have a confession

You probably thought I fell off the face of this earth because I haven’t had any new releases for two long years! But guess what? The sequel to Playing House is finally complete!

This duet has been so wild and intense that… I didn’t know if I was ready to unleash it into the world!

WELL, I’M READY!

How about I tell you about the amazing opportunity I have to offer you today?! That’s coming right up.

Hard to believe it’s already been two years since I last put a new book out into this world. For that reason alone, I want to do everything I can for this book. And, as you probably already know, when I go underground, I go in all the way and don’t emerge until I have something freaking awesome to share.

 

How Would You Like to Read My Next Book for Free?

I’m only one month away from launching my next book, The Black Widow: A Psychological Thriller. I can’t lie… I’m super excited about this one, and the launch is going to be huge. Where do you come into this equation?

Worry Less in 4 Simple Steps

Constant worrying, negative thinking, and always expecting the worst can take a toll on your emotional health.

Here are 4 Simple Steps to Help You Worry Less:

The Secret to Happiness

Whenever I think of self care, I instantly recall the emergency instructions given by flight attendants before an airplane takes off.

Before you help others, you must first help yourself.

In my experience, helping others is next to impossible when there’s turbulence in your own life. If you can’t manage your own situation, how can you possibly help others with theirs?

Photo by Jerry Zhang on Unsplash

Well, I challenge you to take care of yourself first this week. I know it can be hard. I’m a mom, wife, daughter and sister too. It’s the second week of school. Homework and forms and meetings. Oh my! And those work deadlines!

Oh, but I dare you to try.

• Get 8 hours of sleep tonight.
• Wake up 30 minutes earlier than you have to tomorrow.
• Eat breakfast.
• Bag a lunch.
• Drink water.
• Exercise 30 minutes a day.
• Eat a healthy dinner.
• Organize a closet.
• Get rid of something you don’t need.
• Cuddle with your pet.
• Enjoy a coffee.
• Read a book.
• Phone a friend.
• Take a deep breath and…
• SMILE.

Progress, not perfection.

Let’s face it. Self-care, gratitude, and the secret to happiness is within you.

You have so many reasons to be grateful today. Do you have a roof over your head, food on the table, good health, parents, a partner, friend, coworkers, or pets?

Focusing on the bad–what we don’t have–is easy. It’s way harder to remember all the things we take for granted every day, but we must remember to be thankful for all those little things.

There are things some of us forget are a luxury, like Netflix, smart phones, and internet. Hey, I’m not pointing any fingers, I was guilty too.

I was forced to go without internet for a week this year, which meant

Not a HORROR. The horror!

Was this book well-written? Of course it was. Hello… Stephen King. What I wasn’t expecting from King was a heart-warming, small town drama.

A fascinating mystery…

Hello Again by Brenda Novak is a fascinating mystery weaved into a chilling romantic suspense novel.

The paperback was a gift and it certainly sounded like something I would like to read.

Blurb:

SHE CAN MAKE SENSE OF A COMPLEX CRIMINAL MIND.

Evelyn Talbot, a psychiatrist at a maximum-security prison in Alaska, studies some of the world’s worst serial killers. But she’s about to meet her most elusive patient at Hanover House yet: Dr. Lyman Bishop, AKA the Zombie Maker given his fondness for performing ice-pick lobotomies on his victims. A brilliant cancer researcher, Bishop is either the most cunning psychopath Evelyn has ever encountered―or he is wrongly convicted.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A CRIMINAL CAN SEE INTO HER OWN?
When a new ice-pick fatality occurs, it seems Bishop really was wrongly convicted. Except…Evelyn has a personal connection to the victim and that suggests the killer may be someone from her own past: Jasper Moore, her high school boyfriend who tortured her and left her for dead when she was only sixteen. Jasper also murdered three of her friends―and was never caught. Is he trying to send a message with this copycat crime? The only thing Evelyn knows for sure is that if Jasper is on her trail, she might not be able to escape again . . .