Blessed Are Those That Mourn Virtual Book Tour

Welcome to today’s stop on the Blessed Are Those That Mourn Virtual Book Tour – Hosted by Reading Addiction Virtual Book Tours.

Without further ado, let me introduce author, Kristi Belcamino. Kristi

Tell us a little about yourself.

I’m a newspaper reporter, crime fiction writer and Italian mama who bakes a tasty biscotti!

Each writer has their own rituals – some listen to music while others drink coffee.  What do you do to bring on your muse?

I must have caffeine – usually a double espresso when I sit down to write. Other than that, I need a spot for my laptop and I’m good to go.

 

How important are names to you in your books? Do you choose the names based on their meaning or because you like how it sounds? What other things do you consider when naming your characters?

Names are very important to me. Before my first Gabriella Giovanni book was published, I was devastated to get a cease and desist order from a handbag company that was named Gabriella Giovanni! Luckily, the company’s claim (or concern) that it’s customers might be confused by the same name wasn’t a valid argument. Hard to mix up a fictional character with a handbag, right?

 

Thinking about your latest novel:  If one of the supporting characters could step off the page and join you for lunch, which would you choose and why?

Chris Lopez. He’s the most badass newspaper photographer who ever lived! I love the guy!

Writers tend to spend a lot of time alone.   When it comes to socializing, do you prefer a small group of close friends or large and rowdy party?

I love throwing small intimate dinner parties. If I have to attend a party, I am the one off in the corner having a deep conversation with one other person.

Which would you prefer:  Hiking/Camping   or   Dinner/Movie

Dinner and movie. I got all the hiking/camping out of  my system as a kid growing up in Northern California.

Everyone dreams but not everyone remembers their dreams.  Do you remember your dreams and have they ever inspired a story or a scene in a story?

I remember my dreams, but they haven’t inspired a story. However, I have woken in the middle of the night with a breakthrough idea for my current novel. It’s why I keep a pen and paper on my nightstand.

At the end of your life, when it is all said and done, what would you want your tombstone to read?

Her family was her everything.

About her novel: blessed are those that mourn

San Francisco Bay Area reporter Gabriella Giovanni has finally got it all together: a devoted and loving boyfriend, Detective Sean Donovan; a beautiful little girl with him; and her dream job as the cops’ reporter for the Bay Herald. But her success has been hard-won and has left her with debilitating paranoia. When a string of young co-eds starts to show up dead with suspicious Biblical verses left on their bodies—the same verses that the man she suspects kidnapped and murdered her sister twenty years ago had sent to her—she begins to question if the killer is trying to send her a message.

It is not until evil strikes Gabriella’s own family that her worst fears are confirmed. As the clock begins to tick, every passing hour means the difference between life and death to those Gabriella loves…

Author Bio:

Kristi Belcamino is a writer, photographer, and artist. In her former life as a newspaper crime reporter in California, she flew over Big Sur in an FA-18 jet with the Blue Angels, raced a Dodge Viper at Laguna Seca, watched autopsies, and interviewed serial killers. She is now a journalist based in Minneapolis and the Gabriella Giovanni mysteries are her first books. Find Kristi on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/kristibelcaminowriter or on Twitter @KristiBelcamino

Contact Information

Website: http://www.kristibelcamino.com/

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kristibelcamino

 

Purchase Links

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Blessed-are-Those-Who-Mourn-ebook/dp/B00SG1ELNW/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/?ean=9780062389428&cm_mmc=AFFILIATES-_-Linkshare-_-MdXm68JZJz8-_-10:1

HarperCollins: http://www.harpercollins.com/9780062389428/blessed-are-those-who-mourn

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Book Review – Just Two Weeks by Amanda Sington-Williams

I hate reviews that are full of spoilers.  I mean, why bother reading the book if I already know what’s going to happen…  That is why my reviews are spoiler free.

If you enjoy thrillers, then check out my review for Just Two Weeks by Amanda Sington-Williams

 

jtwcoverAmazon’s Description:  

After being made redundant from a seemingly secure job Jolene Carr takes a two week break in the sun. On the first day she meets Raquel, another hotel guest. Little does she realise how this apparently innocent acquaintance will lead to terrible and lasting consequences. After a frightening incident she hits a conspiracy of silence from the locals and over the rest of the holiday she feels herself slipping into a vortex of fear. Back home, the nightmare continues and she realises that Raquel is stalking her. Her hippie mother and her partner Mark tell her she is imagining it all. All certainties, even about relationships, become fluid and treacherous as her past begins to unravel. If it wasn’t for Rob, her ex-lover who Jolene thinks has his own agenda, she would be left to cope on her own.
How much fear and betrayal can one person take?

 

What I Thought:

We first meet Jo (Jolene Carr), the main character,  as she begins her vacation – alone – in Sri Lanka.  The author did a wonderful job introducing Jo and setting the scene – from the drops of water slowly dripping from the ceiling, the smell of musty tropical air, to the phone call (no answer but Jo can hear the caller breathing)… Perfect. 

As the story unfolds, we witness Jo’s paranoia and at times, we wonder if her imagination is getting out of hand.  The author sprinkles the story with little hints about what is coming while steadily building tension.  This is where she shined. 

The characters are well-developed, each having their own voice. 

The author tells a riveting story which captured my imagination.  There were times my heart was literally pounding!

Amanda Sington-Williams is a gifted writer.  She shares a tale of psychological suspense that is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat. 

 

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**I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.**

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