This week, I have Karen Cino on my blog and she's here to promote her new book, The Boardwalk. She is also the author of Roses (April 2012) and her upcoming series Mystical Wonders (February and April 2013), so don't forget to look for those as well!
Karen
Cino is an author, poet and former journalist. She’d been writing
since she was fourteen years old. She started her career by writing
poetry, short stories and articles for her high school newspaper and
the Staten Island Register. After reading Jackie Collin’s “Lovers
and Gamblers” she knew she found her niche, writing women’s
fiction.
Her
daily walk down at the boardwalk is what gets her muse going. It
clears her mind and helps her find realistic plot ideas and
characters, boosting her muse. She loves writing about local places
that people can relate to.
Karen
is a single mom living in Staten Island, New York with her two adult
children, Michael and Nicole, and three cats.
Secret
Cravings Publishing published her debut novel Roses in April 2012.
Coming in early 2013 is her two book series: Mystical Wonders –
Circle of Friends, and Mystical Wonders – Second Chances.
Karen's Links:
After an accident at
work, Brooklyn DeMelli walks every day down at the boardwalk as a way
to keep active and have a semi normal social life. She meets up with
the regular morning walkers, while enjoying the beauty of the beach
and the scent of the ocean. To keep busy she started her own
company, making beaded jewelry for parties and flea markets.
Mario Morales is the
hippy that plays acoustic guitar every morning at different ends of
the boardwalk. The music captivates Brooklyn. Following the muse,
she meets Mario who turns out to be a narcotics detective working
undercover on a huge investigation. When Mario finds out Brooklyn is
inadvertently involved in a drug trafficking ring, it leads to a
series of events, which puts Brooklyn’s life in jeopardy, while
forming a romantic bond between them.
Excerpt:
When she heard strains of guitar in the distance, her memories faded
away. She hadn’t heard the music in days. Now that she finally had
the time, she planned to find the musician who brought such sweet
melodies to her ears.
The music led her to the jungle gym by the bocce ball courts. A few
days ago she heard the same Beatles song being played at the
opposite end of the boardwalk at Midland Beach/Miller Field. She
decided to investigate, walking the path under the trees in the
shade, blocking her from the intense heat of the sun.
She spotted the musician, a guitarist, who sat with his back to her,
and she listened as he changed his style from classical to a
blues-jazz number. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes. For a
brief moment, she felt the music flow through her, sending a chill
down her overheated body.
Across the bocce ball courts hung American and Italian flags along
with a banner announcing the semi-finals of the Italian-American
Bocce Ball Association. The guitarist gathered an audience of men and
women clapping from the courts. When he began playing again, they
turned their attention back to the game.
Brooklyn moved closer, listening to his muse. At the close of the
song, he looked up and their gazes met. Raven eyes enhanced his
jet-black hair that was neatly pulled back into a two-inch long
ponytail. His bronzed skin from the summer sun and lips were oh so
inviting.
“Beautiful music.” After she spoke, Brooklyn knew she sounded
like a complete idiot.
“Thank you.” He stood, putting his acoustic guitar down on the
wooden bench. “I’m glad you enjoyed the tunes.”
“Are you the same musician who plays down the other end on the
beach by Miller Field?”
“Yes I am. I move around every so often sharing my music.”
Brooklyn tried not to stare, but couldn’t help it he was gorgeous.
His muscles bulged out of his white T-shirt, displaying a tribal
print cuff on his left forearm. “I’m glad I ran into you today,”
she said staring at him from behind her dark sunglasses.
“You come down here often?” he asked in a husky voice.
“I’m down here everyday.”
“Maybe I’ll catch you again.”
Brooklyn dropped a five-dollar bill into the guitar case before
jogging back onto the boardwalk. What a wonderful way to start her
day. She headed toward the fishing pier, humming the guitarist’s
tune.
Reviews:
*The boardwalk of Staten Island provide a place for Brooklyn DeMelli, a
woman still grieving the loss of her husband, to heal both physically
and mentally. It's also where she first encounters Mario,a handsome and
sexy detective who's undercover as a "hobo-type" street musician. Danger
and romance await them both as the case Mario is investigating becomes
linked to Brooklyn's freelance business. Both Brooklyn and Mario must
come to terms with their own personal losses and become willing to love
again. Colorful characters, lively dialogue, warm humor, and local
setting add to this fast paced and highly enjoyable erotic romance.
- Catherine Greenfeder
Buy Links:
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