Thursday 24 October 2019

Book Birthday Blitz with Excerpt: The Summer Springsteen's Songs Saved Me by Barbara Quinn




The Summer Springsteen’s Songs Saved Me by Barbara Quinn

Coming home to catch her husband with his face between the long, silky legs of another woman is the last thing Sofia expects—and on today of all days. So, after scratching an expletive into his Porsche and setting the cheating bastard’s clothes on fire, she cranks up her beloved Bruce and flees, vowing never to look back.
Seeking solace in the peaceful beachside town of Bradley Beach, NJ, Sof is determined to start over. And, with the help of best friends, new acquaintances, a sexy neighbor, and the powerful songs of Springsteen, this may be the place where her wounds can heal. But, as if she hasn’t faced her share of life’s challenges, a final flurry of obstacles awaits.
In order to head courageously toward the future, Sofia must first let go of her past, find freedom, and mend her broken soul.


My stomach growls, reminding me no sustenance has passed my lips since breakfast yesterday. Shop for food goes down on the first line of my pad, followed by a number of items to purchase.
A lemon cake.
A bag of lemons.
Jerome hates anything lemon.
Tea bags to brew fresh iced tea.
Lettuce and veggies.
Sliced turkey and reduced-fat mayonnaise.
I pause. I no longer need to buy any of the crap Jerome consumes. Sugar-laden cocoa cereal, salt ridden cheesy puffs. For God’s sake. He possesses terrible eating habits. I never allowed Ben to eat empty cereal or snacks, even though boxes stayed stashed in the back of the pantry at Jerome’s insistence. Plus, there’s Jerome’s dried beef stick habit. I shudder. He goes everywhere with one of those rods of desiccated meat that smell like excrement. I intend to implement a healthy diet and lifestyle plan. What better time to start than now?
Except for lemon cake. I absolutely need a slice.
And a bottle of Jameson.
And some chocolate. Dark chocolate is medicinal after all.


Barbara Quinn is an award-winning short story writer and author of a variety of novels.
Her travels have taken her to forty-seven states and five continents where she’s encountered fascinating settings and inspiring people that populate her work.
Her many past jobs include lawyer, record shop owner, reporter, process server, lingerie sales clerk, waitress, and postal worker. She’s a native New Yorker with roots in the Bronx, Long Island, and Westchester. She currently resides with her husband in Bradley Beach, NJ and Holmes Beach, FL. She enjoys spending time with her son and his family and planning her next adventure. She wants to remind everyone that when you meet her, SHE’S NOT SHOUTING, SHE’S ITALIAN.

New Release Spotlight: Silent Money by G.D. Harper



Silent Money by G.D. Harper

Glasgow, 1972. Michael Mitchell is ambitious, talented and determined to succeed. But he learns the hard way that he will never achieve his goals in life – unless he plays by a different set of rules.
He partners with a small-time crook to help the Glasgow underworld launder the proceeds of their crimes. As the operation grows, Michael is forced to become more and more ruthless to protect what he has built.
Shocked by who he has become, he vows to leave the criminal world behind and start a new life. But the past has a way of catching up. Finally, he gambles everything on one last desperate attempt to break free.

Amazon UK      Amazon US 

I was placed third in the 2015 Lightship Prize for first-time authors, won a 2016 Wishing Shelf Award Red Ribbon, been shortlisted at the UK Festival of Writing for Best First Chapter, longlisted in the 2017 UK Novel Writing Competition.
In 2017, I was one of twelve authors selected for Authors in the Spotlight at the Bloody Scotland book festival in Stirling, showcasing who they considered to be the best emerging talent in crime fiction, and was the only self-published author to be chosen. I have spoken at numerous other book events, including Blackwells' Writers at the Fringe at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe; a stand-alone slot at the Byres Road Book Festival in Glasgow, and the Aye Write! Book Festival, also in Glasgow.
I went to Glasgow University in 1975 and lived in the city’s West End, the time and place for the setting of the majority of Silent Money.


Facebook: @gdharperauthor