Tag: #series

Book Tour/Feature Post and Book Review: Frozen Lives by Jennifer Graeser Dornbush

FROZEN LIVES

by Jennifer Graeser Dornbush


October 7 – November 1, 2024 Virtual Book Tour


A Coroner’s Daughter Mystery

Hi, everyone!

Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for FROZEN LIVES (Coroner’s Daughter Mysteries Book #4) by Jennifer Graeser Dornbush on this Partner’s-In-Crime Virtual Book Tour.

Below you will find a book description, my book review, the author’s bio and social media links, and a Kingsumo giveaway.

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Book Description

Chicago surgeon Emily Hartford has never quite shaken off the dust of her hometown in Michigan. She may be a professional success and have a princely boyfriend in the Windy City, but she can’t seem to let go of being “the coroner’s daughter” from Freeport.

Once again, she finds herself pulled back upstate during a wintery late March when Jeremiah, the eleven year-old son of her best friend, Jo, goes missing on the frigid shores of Lake Michigan. Emily immediately joins the search for the boy.

To everyone’s relief, Jeremiah turns up days later, alive and unharmed. But tensions remain high, and suspicions of every sort continue to grow. Jeremiah’s account of his abduction doesn’t add up and Emily worries about Jo’s unraveling marriage. Jeremiah’s recovery, it turns out, is not the end of their terrifying tale. It’s only the beginning …

For moving among them is a devious, malevolent force. Sowing panic while seeking to fulfill his own twisted needs, this wolf in sheep’s clothing leaves a trail of rack and ruin, negligent to the damages in his wake … and the bodies he leaves behind.

Emily solidifies her role as coroner’s daughter when she puzzles out this madman’s chilling machinations. Risking everything dear to her, Emily goes the icy distance to end his killing spree.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/209528321-frozen-lives?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_12

Frozen Lives

Genre: thriller, suspense, female detective
Published by: Blackstone Publishing
Publication Date: October 29, 2024
Number of Pages: 350
ISBN: 9798212638364
Series: The Coroner’s Daughter Mysteries, 4

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My Book Review

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

FROZEN LIVES (Coroner’s Daughter Mysteries Book #4) by Jennifer Graeser Dornbush is an edge-of-your-seat crime thriller/amateur sleuth mystery featuring Chicago surgeon Emily Hartford who gets pulled back to her small hometown of Freeport, Michigan when her best friend and son go missing. This is easily read as a standalone crime thriller and the author does a great job of intertwining Emily’s life from the previous books, so I never felt lost with her current relationships.

Emily is happy sharing a surgical practice in Chicago with her boyfriend, but she just cannot let go of her smalltown roots and all of her friends in Freeport, Michigan. She receives a call for help when her best friend Jo’s son, Jeremiah, goes missing. He is discovered a few days later unharmed, but the man who took him is still free. With accusations only ramping up the tensions in Jo’s crumbling marriage, Emily feels the need to support her friend.

As they all try to get back to a normal routine, no one knows the danger has not passed them by and it is about to become a race to find a twisted kidnapper and rescue Emily’s friends from a possible watery grave.

I could not put this book down and I am surprised that I had not read any of this series previously. If you have not either, this is a good book to jump in on because the author does a great job of giving the reader enough of Emily’s past and relationships so as not to be confusing. That said, I will be going back to read the previous three books because I enjoyed the author’s fast paced crime plot and hope the other three are just as interesting and well written. Even knowing who the kidnapper/killer is does not distract from the increasing tension and emotional involvement as the book races to a climax. I am excited to read the next book now that Emily has accepted the role she was born to have and to see what happens with her surprise personal ending.

I highly recommend this crime thriller/amateur sleuth mystery and look forward to reading more in this series.

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Author Bio

The television or movie screen is the closest most people will ever come to witnessing the forensic world. But Jennifer Dornbush was raised in it. As the daughter of a small-town medical examiner whose office was in their home. There were body parts in the fridge. She investigated her first fatality, an airplane crash, when she was 8 years old. Picking up pieces of skull with her father who simply saw it as an anatomy lesson. The first of many coroner lessons she experienced over two decades.

After exploring journalism and high school teaching, Jennifer turned seriously to screenwriting where she began to connect her coroner world to her writing. She sought out a degree at the Forensic Science Academy in Los Angeles to gain more forensic training and earned a unique kinship with LA’s top CSIs, fingerprint specialists, DNA scientists, and detectives.

To share her love of forensics with the writing world, she authored the top selling non-fiction authoritative book, Forensic Speak, used by not only by show-runners and writers, but also crime investigators and law enforcement.
She created an Amazon top selling mystery novel series, The Coroner’s Daughter, which she is currently developing as a series for TV. Her crime thriller, Hole in the Woods, is currently optioned for screen. She is a contributor to mystery anthologies, Hotel California and Thriller. She has also penned two true crime books.

As a screenwriter Jennifer wrote the theatrically released film and novel, God Bless the Broken Road (2018), adapted a popular YA novel to script, and sold a children’s show. She is currently developing TV drama series and feature films with various productions companies.
As a forensic consultant, she is frequently asked to consult with TV writers on shows such as: Bull, Conviction, Hawaii Five-O, Leverage, Suits, and Rectify. She teaches screenwriting and mentors aspiring writers.

Jennifer is a member of the Writers’ Guild of America, Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, International Thriller Writers, Crime Writers Association, & the FBI Citizen’s Academy Alumni.

Social Media Links

www.JenniferDornbush.com
Goodreads
BookBub – @jgdornbush1
Instagram – @jgdornbush
YouTube – @ForensicSpeakJenniferDornbush
Facebook – @JGDornbush

Purchase Links

Amazon –     https://pictbooks.tours/jofJf    
BN –     https://pictbooks.tours/VXE6b      
BookShop.org –     https://pictbooks.tours/OI98e    
Publisher –     https://pictbooks.tours/JmCiC  

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KINGSUMO GIVEAWAY

https://kingsumo.com/g/199o7d1/frozen-lives-by-jennifer-graeser-dornbush

Book Review: A Gathering of Secrets by Linda Castillo

My Book Review

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

A GATHERING OF SECRETS (A Kate Burkholder Novel Book #10) by Linda Castillo is a gritty new small-town police procedural/crime thriller featuring Chief of Police Kate Burkholder in Painters Mill which is in Ohio Amish Country. This book can be read as a standalone for the crime thriller plot, but Kate’s personal and professional life have evolved throughout the series, and I enjoy reading them in order.

Chief of Police Kate Burkholder is called late in the night when an Amish family’s barn burns to the ground and their son is missing. The fire investigator is called when the fire fighters smell gasoline and a charred body is found locked in the tack room. The body is identified as eighteen-year-old Daniel Gingerich who appears to be a well-liked and hard-working Amish young man, so who would want him dead?

As Kate investigates Daniel’s life, she finds herself impeded by the Amish community of which she was once a member. As dark secrets begin to surface, Kate is forced to once again face the personal crime perpetrated against her in her youth which has an eerie similarity to what is whispered about Daniel Gingerich. While the Amish are a peaceful and loving community, there are certain things that are not discussed and can go unpunished due to shaming of the victim, and which are crimes in the Englisher world. Kate has many suspects, but the solution to this crime will lead to danger and sorrow.

I love reading this series and following Kate’s life. Kate is a complex character. She at times misses the Amish life but accepts her current path is the right one for her, especially when it comes to justice for everyone. All of Kate’s officers have a strong bond, Tomasetti is once again a great personal partner, and finally Tomasetti has popped the big question. Yeah. The crime plot was dark and gritty, especially juxtaposed against the assumed always perfect Amish way of life. This crime thriller is perfectly paced with plenty of surprise twists along the way and a surprise ending I was not expecting.

I highly recommend this small-town police procedural/crime thriller!

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About the Author

Linda Castillo is the author of the New York Times and USA Today bestselling Kate Burkholder series, set in the world of the Amish. The first book, Sworn to Silence, was adapted into a Lifetime original movie titled An Amish Murder starring Neve Campbell as Kate Burkholder. Castillo is the recipient of numerous industry awards including a nomination by the International Thriller Writers for Best Hardcover, the Mystery Writers of America’s Sue Grafton Memorial Award, and an appearance on the Boston Globe’s shortlist for best crime novel. In addition to writing, Castillo’s other passion is horses. She lives in Texas with her husband and is currently at work on her next book.

Social Media Links

Website: https://www.lindacastillo.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lindacastilloauthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LindaCastillo11

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/a-gathering-of-secrets-by-linda-castillo

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36187085-a-gathering-of-secrets?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=nLYt7sV3tQ&rank=1

Feature Post and Mini Book Review: The Wraith’s Return by Raemi A. Ray

Book Description

Some secrets are safer lost at sea…

London based lawyer Kyra Gibson returns to Martha’s Vineyard and the beach house she inherited for an extended summer holiday. Still reeling from her father’s brutal murder and the role she and the handsome detective, Tarek Collins played in uncovering it, Kyra is hopeful for some peace and quiet. But when a summer squall reveals the wreckage of the pirate ship, Keres, rich with rumored treasure, all hopes of peace are dashed. Conservationists and treasure hunters descend on the exclusive island to lay claim to the ship. When two of the salvagers are killed, Kyra and Tarek’s friend, pub owner and amateur historian, Gully Gould is arrested for murder.

Determined to prove Gully’s innocence, Kyra, Tarek, and reformed playboy Chase Hawthorn team up to clear their friend’s name. But someone wants the treasure for themselves. And with someone willing to kill for it, there is more than just danger lurking along the island’s caves and coves. There is death.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/205807378-the-wraith-s-return?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=wllnrQjvsf&rank=1

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My Book Review

RATING: 3.5 out of 5 Stars

THE WRAITH’S RETURN (Martha’s Vineyard Murders Book #2) by Raemi A. Ray is the second book in the Martha’s Vineyard Murders series with Kyra returning to Martha’s Vineyard for an extended summer holiday and finds herself and her island friends helping one of their own accused of murder. This story can be read as a standalone, but I feel the books are best read in order as the main characters continually evolved in their relationships from book one.

This book has murder, conservationists vs. fisherman, islanders vs. vacationers, and a historical pirate story, and treasure hunters all combined in this mystery read. I am not sure if it is because there is so much going on, which should have made for many red herrings, but when I reached the end, I felt the killer was just there with no build up of tension or foreboding until very close to the end. All the information and side characters were interesting, but at times slowed the plot pace. I love Kyra, Tarek, and Chase and find them all to be interesting characters. I look forward to following them in future books, but I have to say that I liked the mystery plot in book one, A Chain of Pearls, better. The characters pulled me through this story more than the mystery plot.

Overall, a little bit of a let down after such a great debut.

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Author Bio

Raemi A. Ray’s travels to Martha’s Vineyard and around the world inspire her stories. She lives outside Boston. When not writing or traveling she earns her keep as the personal assistant to the resident house demons, Otto and Dolph Lundgren.

Social Media Links

Website: https://raemiray.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RaemiRay/

Instagram: @miss_raemi

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/the-wraith-s-return-martha-s-vineyard-murders-book-2-by-raemi-a-ray

Friday Feature Author Interview with Elise Cooper: Last Mission by Lisa Childs

Book Description

Even the best-laid plans can go up in flames…

Mack McRooney is retired from military special ops, but there’s one final mission he has to take on—catch the saboteur targeting his brother-in-law’s firefighting team…even if that means becoming a firefighter himself. Partnering with state trooper Wynona Wells, however, was not part of the plan. Mack and Wynona are fighting their fiery attraction to one another and a deadly saboteur. And if they lose this fight, they might just also lose their lives…

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Elise’s Thoughts

Last Mission by Lisa Childs is the series finale.  Those who like the characters will be saddened that they will not be able to read any more stories about them.

In this one the hero is Mack McRonney, retired from military Special Ops.  After his brother and sister were targeted by the saboteur, he decides to go undercover to find the culprit, working for the Hot Shots. Also, trying to find the antagonist is State Trooper Wynona Wells, who feels she has something to prove to the townspeople. Both are equally distrustful of each other and suspect that each might be a person of interest.

To keep an eye on each other, both decide to reluctantly work together, and neither is happy about the sparks of attraction that affect them. They fight against them, but ultimately, their feelings are too strong to resist. However, each has baggage from their past, making it difficult to open their hearts. They grow closer and take each other off the suspect list after they are targeted, many times saving each other’s life.

The epilogue was an excellent wrap-up for the books and series. There are a lot of twists and red herrings, making the book mystery more enjoyable.

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Author Interview

Elise Cooper: Is this the last book in the series?

Lisa Childs: Yes, this is the last book in the series.  This branch of my Hotshot heroes is done. Emotionally it was hard to say good-bye to the characters. I had in my head for a long time that the hero would be Mack, and the heroine would by Wynona for the finale. The series came about when my husband who used to work for the US Forest Service when in college went out with a Hot Shot team.

EC: How would you describe Mack?

LC: He is mysterious. No one knew what he did for a living. He is very independent and is used to working alone.  He is a quick thinker, having been in dangerous situations before. Some of the other characters might think he is cocky, but I think he is confident because he always survived the dangerous military missions he undertook.

EC:  How would you describe Wynona?

LC: She feels she has had to prove herself.  Determined, fearless, lonely, persistent, self-reliant, and independent. Since she lost her parents, she feels adrift.

EC: What about the relationship between the two of them?

LC: There is a book quote, ‘she can trust Mack with her life, not just her heart.’ She can never figure Mack out; afraid he would leave to go on a mission and not come back. They distract each other and keep secrets. They have some trust issues. Wynona has not had the best of luck with her choices and those around her, so she does not trust her own judgement. Ever since his mom abandoned Mack and his siblings, he also has trouble trusting people to stick around.  They both have the same type of conflict, which draws them together. She sees him as intriguing and infuriating. He sees her as fascinating and mystifying.  She has built a wall because she is afraid of losing those she loves, especially after her parents died.

EC: What is the role of Mack’s sister, Sam?

LC: She is very similar to Wynona.  They both are in careers with male egos who do not respect women for doing their jobs. Sam is very tough and independent.  She is worried Wynona will get hurt by Mack because she does not think he will stick around.

EC:  What is the role of Mack’s brother Trick?

LC: He is the younger sibling.  He looked up to his brother, but he also was hurt by him. Even as he idolizes him, he is resentful of Mack for leaving.

EC: How would you describe the saboteur?

LC: He is frustrated for being overlooked.  Does not feel as relevant. Resentful, angry, and has rage. He is out for revenge. The rage built as he kept doing things.  He is arrogant in that he enjoys getting away with it. He is punishing everyone for not getting the respect he deserved.

EC: Next books?

LC: This year out in September will be The House by The Cemetery and out in September of next year will be Only the Dead Within, both part of the Grave Digger series.

I have a few coming out next year. In January will be A Match for the Sheriff, part of my cowboy series. In February there will be Hostage Security, a romantic suspense. In May the book out will be Personal Security, part of the bodyguard series.

THANK YOU!!

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BIO: Elise Cooper has written book reviews and interviewed best-selling authors since 2009. Her reviews have covered several different genres, including thrillers, mysteries, women’s fiction, romance and cozy mysteries. An avid reader, she engages authors to discuss their works, and to focus on the descriptions of their characters and the plot. While not writing reviews, Elise loves to watch baseball and visit the ocean in Southern California, with her dog and husband.

Feature Post and Book Review: The Paris Daughter by Soraya Lane

Book Description

Paris, 1939: Gazing out at the glittering skyline, Evelina clutches the letter from her love in shaking hands. “I know I do not deserve you, my darling, but I pray that you will change your mind. You have my heart, and I hope that nothing will keep us apart…”

London, present day. Blake gazes down at a scrap of shimmering silver velvet attached to a faded dress design, tracing the details with wonder. They were left with her grandmother at Hope’s House, a home for unmarried mothers, before she was adopted. Now her beloved grandmother has passed, the beautiful fabric and the designer’s signature are the only clues Blake has about her biological family. Will she be able to unravel the decades-old family secret?

Blake can’t get the intricate drawing, and what it could reveal about her family, out of her head. Armed with a plane ticket, a Paris address and the details of a handsome fashion curator named Henri, Blake is determined to find out the truth about her talented great-grandmother Evelina’s life. Perhaps doing so will help Blake get her old spark for designing back, after her dreams have sat forgotten for so long.

Soon Blake is walking down the Champs-Élysées and enjoying intimate dinners with Henri, who is researching Evelina’s work as one of Paris’ most celebrated designers, whose bold designs rivalled Coco Chanel’s. As Henri and Blake grow closer, they uncover Evelina’s legacy, and her forbidden romance that set the fashion world ablaze.

As Blake discovers the impossible choice that caused Evelina to flee the most romantic city in the world, she wonders if she too could risk everything for love. Could hearing tales of her great-grandmother’s bravery encourage her to take a chance on a new life with Henri? Or will the fallout of Evelina’s heart-wrenching past drive Blake back home?

A completely addictive and emotional novel about family secrets, forbidden love and having the courage to follow your dreams.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/209482244-the-paris-daughter?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=VU4jGuQgcw&rank=3

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My Book Review

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

THE PARIS DAUGHTER (The Lost Daughters Book #5) by Soraya Lane is a captivating and emotional dual time-line women’s historical fiction from start to finish. Each book in the series stands alone with the connection being Hope House, a home for unwed mothers in London, England. This series and author are both new to me, but after reading this beautiful story, I will absolutely be reading the other books in the series.

1930’s Paris France is all about high fashion. Eighteen-year-old Evelina has been dreaming and drawing to be just like Coco Chanel her entire life. Her farming parents hate the decadent city and do not support her dreams. They tell her she must marry or leave home. Evelina goes alone to Paris and is willing to work hard for her dream, which over several years, she accomplishes. She is the exclusive designer for the most prestigious department store in Paris.

In present day London, Blake receives a wooden box meant for her grandmother who has passed away. Inside is a chic dress drawing and a luxurious piece of fabric. Blake proposes writing a series of articles for her job as she searches to find the connection between this mystery box and her grandmother. She is desperate to find out who this designer may be and if she was her grandmother’s mother. The search will take her out of her normal everyday existence to the world of high fashion houses and designers in Paris. Could this connection be the spark to reignite Blake’s designing talent and forge a new life she has only every dreamed of?

I loved this book so much and I cannot believe I have not heard of or read the other books in this series. These books are easily read as standalones, but I am glad I read this book first because Evelina was the first occupant of Hope House. Ms. Lane brings these two women to life on the page as well as Paris in the past and present. The story seamlessly flows between the two time periods which led to me not being able to put the book down because I was so engrossed. This story has so many emotional parts, both happy and sad as the two women learn to be true to themselves. Their courage, tenacity, and love are evident throughout. I am so looking forward to reading about the other daughters in this series.

I highly recommend this extraordinary and beautiful women’s historical fiction novel.

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About the Author

Soraya Lane graduated with a law degree before realizing that law wasn’t the career for her and that her future was in writing. She is the author of historical and contemporary women’s fiction, and her novel Wives of War was an Amazon Charts bestseller.

Soraya lives on a small farm in her native New Zealand with her husband, their two young sons and a collection of four legged friends. When she’s not writing, she loves to be outside playing make-believe with her children or snuggled up inside reading.

Social Media Links

Website: https://www.sorayalane.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SorayaLaneAuthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Soraya_Lane

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/soraya-lane

Feature Post and Book Review: Her Last Cry by Pamela Fagan Hutchins

Book Description

A young woman has vanished into thin air.

When much-loved Annabeth Dillon is reported missing during a snow storm in Kearney, Wyoming, Detective Delaney Pace is called in. The search leads to a remote woodland cabin, and Delaney is distraught to find Annabeth’s lifeless body on the bed, dark red ties gripping her tight, long black hair covering her face. Searching the scene, she spots a dark figure at the window and rushes to give chase, but he gets away. Could it have been the killer?

Another victim is about to be taken.

As a local activist, Annabeth had a lot of enemies and she was no stranger to death threats. So why was she alone in an isolated cabin? And when one of Annabeth’s colleagues is found dead in her own home, Delaney fears that the murders are linked. Were the women hiding a secret that someone killed to keep?

A twisted killer is in town and they’re only just getting started.

Days later, Delaney discovers that the murderer left DNA evidence on the body, and she’s shocked to her core when she learns who it belongs to. She knows the killer. As she jumps to action, another call comes in—someone close to her has gone missing. Delaney knows just how dangerous the killer is, but she’s prepared to risk everything, even her own life, to save the life of another innocent victim. Will she find them in time?

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/202526500-her-last-cry?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=iS3ZxR1tiQ&rank=1

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My Book Review

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

HER LAST CRY (Detective Delaney Pace Book #3) by Pamela Fagan Hutchins is a chilling, edge-of-your-seat crime thriller/police procedural featuring Detective Delaney Pace in Kearney, Wyoming. This is another action-packed addition to the series that I could not put down. I would suggest reading this series in order because Delaney and all the auxiliary characters continue to evolve and there is an overall plotline that intertwines throughout the series involving Delaney’s family.

Detective Delaney Pace and Sheriff Leo Palmer are called for a welfare check on an up-and-coming activist and politician in a remote vacation cabin. They discover her naked dead body tied to the bed. After searching the scene, they check out the other cabins and Delaney is attacked, and the suspect gets away. The local activists are trying to stop the wealthy outside invasion that is destroying the pristine Wyoming terrain.

As Delaney and Leo search for a killer, a county commissioner with a grudge is also setting Delaney up and interfering with her adoption proceedings. If that isn’t enough, Delaney discovers her brother is back as the body count increases and they still have a traitor in the Sheriff’s office. As all the puzzle pieces begin to come together, Leo’s family is taken and he and Delaney must find them before they become victims, too.

I love this series! It keeps getting better and better. Delaney is such a strong and resilient protagonist. Leo is a great pairing for her. He loves his tablets and updating technology in the office while Delaney uses hers as a coaster. Delaney can handle any weather in her hometown, while Leo is a fish out of water. It makes for some laugh out loud situations. All the secondary characters are fully developed and believable. The crime plots have many twists and surprises that keep you turning the pages. The tension is high and seldom lets up with everything happening, both personal and criminal.

I highly recommend this crime thriller/police procedural series!

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About the Author

USA Today bestselling and Silver Falchion Best Mystery winning mystery/thriller/suspense author (and recovering attorney and investigator) who splits time between an off-the-grid lodge on the face of Wyoming’s Bighorn Mountains and a rustic cabin on Maine’s Lake Mooselookmeguntic with her husband, kids and grandkids, rescue pets and sled dog, and draft cross horses.

Writes for Bookouture and independently.

Host of Crime & Wine: Novelist Chats with Pamela Fagan Hutchins.

Social Media Links

Website: https://pamelafaganhutchins.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pamela.fagan.hutchins.author

Twitter: https://twitter.com/PamelotH

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/pamela-fagan-hutchins