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SAVOR the moment

October 4, 2013 By Barbara Leave a Comment

SAVOR, the 3rd Fredrickson Winery Novel, is now available in paperback and ebook at most online stores. The last two posts here and here are excerpts from the first two winery novels, Entangled and Crushed. So if you missed them, you can catch up today.

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Savor the moment, cause it just might be your last…

Newly married, Billie and Handel find themselves knee-deep in another mystery. Defending awealthy San Francisco businessman against capital murder charges, Handel soon discovers that media attention brings more than fame and fortune. When Billie’s life is threatened, he believes it’s connected to the case, and he’ll do whatever it takes to keep her safe.

Across the vineyard, Margaret has problems of her own. Davy’s Italian grandfather is in town and starts right in where his son left off. Throwing the weight of his money around, he intends to prove that Davy would be better off living with him in Italy. To complicate things further, Billie and Adam’s mom flies in from Minnesota and starts dating the man who is making Margaret’s life miserable.

~~~Now here is an excerpt of SAVOR. Enjoy!~~~

Margaret closed her eyes and tried to feel relaxed and confident as Carl had instructed, but at the sound of an unfamiliar voice booming behind the closed kitchen door she jumped. Her eyes flew open as a handsome, distinguished looking man pushed through the doors following Carl into the dining room.

Edoardo Salvatore wore a charcoal suit with a white shirt and slate blue tie. He was taller than his son, and broader through the shoulders. He must have been nearing sixty, but his hair was still dark and thick with just a sprinkling of grey. Of course that could have been the work of a talented hairdresser.

His eyes held hers as he approached, his gaze icy cold. But at Carl’s introduction, he took her hand and was all suave charm and kind words. She thought perhaps it was those pale blue eyes beneath dark lashes that made her think of ice. Agosto’s eyes had been so dark they were almost black. He must have taken after his mother in that regard.

“Ms. Parker,” he said, holding her hand a bit longer than necessary. “My son always did attract the most beautiful women.”

Carl clasped his uncle’s shoulder. “Please have a seat, Uncle. I’ll bring a bottle of wine.” He gave Margaret a reassuring smile and hurried off.

Edoardo Salvatore took the chair across from her, straightening his jacket as he did. “So, we finally meet,” he said, his eyes resting somewhere south of her chin for long seconds making her decidedly uncomfortable. “Agosto should have brought you home to Italia years ago. He always was a playboy, unwilling to compromise his enjoyment for a wife and children. He refused to see the bigger picture.” He sighed and lifted his shoulders in an expressive shrug.  “Without heirs, we work for nothing. Sons are the future. They are our legacy.”

Margaret thought about all the hurtful things Agosto had said before he deserted her and his unborn son all those years ago. He was more than just a playboy; he was a cruel, heartless bastard. He thought the world revolved around his needs and everyone should fall into line and enjoy being used. They certainly shouldn’t expect anything in return. She squeezed her hands together nervously in her lap, fearful of saying something to offend this man, but not willing to let him roll right over her and Davy like a freight train. As the saying goes, the apple never falls far from the tree.

“Mr. Salvatore, I hope you won’t consider me rude, but as a single mother I do have responsibilities and a full-time job. May I be direct? What is it that you want?”

~~~

Purchase SAVOR:  Amazon    Apple iBookstore    Barnes & Noble

There is also a Goodreads giveaway going on right now! Enter for your chance to win a paperback of SAVOR

~~~

Thanks for stopping!

Barbara

Barbara is the author of 9 novels. She lives in Minnesota with her husband and two lovable mutts.
Barbara is the author of 9 novels. She lives in Minnesota with her husband and two lovable mutts.

 

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Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Barbara Ellen Brink, Crushed, Entangled, excerpt, fiction, FredricksonWineryNovel, mystery, Napa valley, new release, Savor, wine

Harvest in Napa: CRUSHED

October 2, 2013 By Barbara Leave a Comment

Continuing the celebration for the release of SAVOR, I have an excerpt for you from the 2nd Fredrickson Winery Novel: CRUSHED 

Enjoy!

“I can’t believe you’re really here.” Billie released Adam from a rib-crushing embrace. She motioned him into the house and watched as he hefted his bag. “You brought your guitar? You must be planning a long visit.” Her brows drew together in a little frown.Crushedfrontcoverweb

Adam grinned to hide his uneasiness. “Sure, why not? I’m out of school, looking for my path in life. I might as well search in California as well as Minnesota.”

“I thought you already had a job offer.” The reprimand in her voice was obvious but instead of waiting for a reply she closed the door and led him through the house, down a hallway into a guest room.

A tall four-poster dwarfed the space, but the painting at the head of the bed immediately grabbed his attention. The surreal vision of vibrant colors fighting one another to dominate the canvas was almost more than he could take in. Billie was right when she told him her uncle was exorcising personal demons with his art.

“Uncle Jack’s work?” He dropped the bags and stepped around his sister to get a better look. “I thought you auctioned them off or something.”

She shrugged and lifted her chin. “I kept a couple. It seemed wrong to sell all of them. He was our uncle, after all. Besides, I see them in a different light now.”

“Really? In a dark room with a dim flashlight?”

She smacked his shoulder. “Same little smart aleck you always were,” she said, her voice light with laughter. “Are you hungry?”

He nodded and followed her to the kitchen.

“What did Mother say about you flying out here?” She pulled leftovers from the refrigerator; chicken breast, wild rice, and broccoli materialized from containers. She lifted a carton of milk. “Seems funny she didn’t call me.”

Adam scratched at the stubble along his cheek. “That’s cause I didn’t mention it to her.”

She looked up from her preparations, amusement flickering in the depths of her eyes.

“She’d just try to talk me out of it. You know how she is.”

Billie bit at her bottom lip, a longtime habit since she was a kid, and slipped the plate of food into the microwave. “Haven’t learned how to deal with Mother yet without running away?” she asked. She turned to face him as they waited for the food to heat.

“Hey! I’m not the one who moved to California,” he reminded her.

“I didn’t move here to get away from Mother. That was a bonus.” She smiled smugly.

“I’m going to tell her you said that,” he threatened, and pulled his cell phone from his back pocket.

She laughed and shook her head, unafraid as ever. “No you won’t. Cause then she’ll know where you are.”

“You’re right. I’d rather be sucked into quicksand than have that conversation now. I’m too tired and hungry to deal with thirty questions.” He sat at the butcher-block table, and propped his head on his hand. “You aren’t going to quiz me, are you?”

“Not tonight,” she said as she set the plate before him. “Maybe tomorrow.” She watched him eat with obvious sibling affection.

~~~

Purchase links for Amazon: ENTANGLED  CRUSHED  SAVOR

Purchase links for Barnes & Noble: ENTANGLED  CRUSHED  SAVOR

Available at most online stores.

There is also a Goodreads giveaway going on right now! Enter for your chance to win a paperback of SAVOR

~~~

Thanks for stopping!

Barbara

Barbara is the author of the Fredrickson Winery novels, Entangled, Crushed & Savor, the award winning thriller, Split Sense, and Christian suspense novels, Running Home and Alias Raven Black. She lives in Minnesota with her husband and two lovable mutts.
Barbara is the author of the Fredrickson Winery novels, Entangled, Crushed, & Savor; the award winning thriller, Split Sense; and Christian suspense novels, Running Home and Alias Raven Black. She lives in Minnesota with her husband and two lovable mutts.

 

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Revisiting Entangled

September 30, 2013 By Barbara Leave a Comment

In celebration of the release of the third Fredrickson Winery Novel this week, I’m revisiting the first two novels in the series. Today I have an excerpt for you from ENTANGLED. 

Enjoy! entangledfrontcover2013

Dreams of shadows hovering over me stole the restfulness from my sleep, and I woke still tired and irritable. I got up and moved about the room, admiring the view from my window, and taking a closer look at the artwork on the walls. In here too was an assortment of paintings, abstract and bold in composition, frightening in intensity. I didn’t like them and blamed the room’s heightened atmosphere for my less than adequate nap. I promised myself that I would take them down and store them in the back of the closet before I slept in here again.

I stole into my mother’s room and saw that she was still sleeping, a little mascara smudged beneath her eyes, but her hair quite perfect in its protective shell of spray. Mother was one of those people who always woke fresh as a spring flower, happy and talkative. When I woke, no matter how long I slept or how still I lay, I always looked like Attila the Hun after a night of pillaging and mayhem.

The sound of a child singing wafted through the open window, and I tiptoed past the bed where Mother slept to lift a slat of the closed blinds and peer out. Our rooms were situated at the back of the house where the view of the vineyards was obscured by dozens of full-grown oak, redwood, and eucalyptus trees. A small boy of about six was sitting in a tire swing, suspended from the branch of a tall oak. He pushed his bare feet against the ground for momentum as he sang at the top of his voice.

“Mamas, don’t let your babies grow up to be cowboys…”

I watched him for a moment, a smile on my lips, as he swung higher and higher, his voice floating up into the branches of the trees. Suddenly I felt a shiver run down my spine as the scene changed and I imagined myself as a little girl sitting in that tire, swinging back and forth, back and forth, like the pendulum on a clock, unable to stop or get off.

I closed my eyes and swallowed hard. What was wrong with me? I wasn’t remembering this place, that swing, the week I spent here as a child. I blew out a breath of exasperation, realizing my imagination was working overtime. My father had hung a tire from a large maple tree in our yard in Minneapolis when I was seven. That’s what I remembered. I’d fallen out of the thing one time and broke my arm. I turned away from the window and silently exited into the hall, closing the door behind me.

Exploring the house alone was like rummaging through a stranger’s underwear drawer. I felt strangely voyeuristic. I knew it would all belong to me eventually, once the paperwork went through, but I didn’t necessarily relish the idea. Inheriting “holdings” was one thing, but becoming the proud owner of someone else’s toilet brush, kitchenware, and music collection was quite another. I made a mental note to schedule a yard sale as soon as possible.

The kitchen door opened into the backyard, and I went out in search of the boy. Was he one of the field worker’s sons or a neighbor child wandering aimlessly, looking for entertainment in the long afternoon? I followed a path of stepping-stones through the trees to the back section of the house where I’d seen him swinging. The tire hung empty now, but still moved gently with the breeze as though a ghostly hand were in control. I stood there a moment, straining for the sound of his voice in the distance, but there was nothing but the creak of the branches above me and the rattle of leaves in the wind.

I walked toward the front of the house, following the flagstone path back past the kitchen windows and on around to the garage. Rose bushes climbed a trellis along the outside wall, reaching for the sun, their blooms a deep, startling red against the pale brick. I picked one and held it beneath my nose, breathing in the heavy, sweet fragrance that I loved, enjoying the touch of the delicate petals against my skin.

“I see you’re making yourself at home.”

Handel’s caustic voice brought me out of my mellow mood and straight into defensive mode. “You startled me.”

“Sorry,” he said, stepping closer. He’d changed clothes at some point. Now wearing khaki slacks, a pale blue polo shirt, and a dark blue sport-jacket, his hair combed straight back from his forehead; he looked like a model for a sailing magazine. “Did you find everything to your satisfaction?” he asked.

I met his gaze, my eyes narrowed against the setting sun, and nodded politely the way I’d been raised to. My mother would be so proud. “Yes, thank you.”

“Well, if you and your mother are interested I could give you a tour of the winery before dinner.”

“My mother is sleeping. Traveling always wears her out. But I’d be interested, if it’s not a bother,” I said, giving him my brightest smile. Perhaps the old adage was true, you caught more flies with honey. Not that I wanted to catch him. I just wanted to be treated with respect, and ironically, also admired for my long legs.

“No bother. Most of the employees have gone for the evening. You won’t be in the way now,” he said, as though my presence earlier would have set back wine production indefinitely. “Shall we go?”

I breathed in the heady fragrance of the rose bushes once more before following Handel Parker toward the winery.

~~~

Purchase links for Amazon: ENTANGLED  CRUSHED  SAVOR

Purchase links for Barnes & Noble: ENTANGLED  CRUSHED  SAVOR

Available at most online stores

There is also a Goodreads giveaway going on right now! Enter for your chance to win a paperback of SAVOR

~~~

Thanks for stopping!

Barbara

Barbara is the author of the Fredrickson Winery novels, Entangled, Crushed & Savor, the award winning thriller, Split Sense, and Christian suspense novels, Running Home and Alias Raven Black. She lives in Minnesota with her husband and two lovable mutts.
Barbara is the author of the Fredrickson Winery novels, Entangled, Crushed & Savor, the award winning thriller, Split Sense, and Christian suspense novels, Running Home and Alias Raven Black. She lives in Minnesota with her husband and two lovable mutts.

 

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SAVOR an Excerpt!

September 10, 2013 By Barbara 7 Comments

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SAVOR will be officially released September 29th, so I thought I’d let you get a taste of the 3rd Fredrickson Winery novel. Here is a short excerpt. (giveaway is now past) Don’t forget to leave a comment! Enjoy!

Chapter One

 “You surely can’t expect the bank to give us another loan based on this.” Billie shook the copy of the financial statement her brother had printed out for her. “Didn’t you even try to make us look good? I mean, really – the government puts out statements all the time that don’t divulge the entire truth. They just skim the surface. Can’t you do that for Fredrickson’s, or are you too busy playing musician every night?”

Any man of mine, better walk the line, better show me a teasing, squeezing, pleasing kind of time…Shania’s twang burst from Billie’s cell phone sitting on the desk across the room, but she was too caught up in her argument with Adam to pick up. Handel would understand she was busy and leave a text like he always did.

Adam slammed open the file cabinet. He’d been growing a scruffy beard for some reason and looked more like a deer hunter than an accountant, but apparently it was what all the happening musicians were sporting these days. “Don’t come down on me because your numbers are in the tank. You’re the one who thought you could go from being a little known lawyer to running a little known winery without any little known expertise.”

“Whoa!” Sally stepped between them, eyebrows and hands raised in self-defense. “Let me exit gracefully before you come to blows, please. I don’t want to be a witness in the trial to whatever is about to happen.” She pulled open the door and escaped down the hall.

“Thanks a lot!” Adam huffed. “Now you’ve scared Sally away from her desk and I’ll have to answer the damn phone.”

“As if! When’s the last time it rang?” She threw the papers down on Sally’s desk and crossed her arms, blowing an angry breath through her nostrils. “We are sinking here, Adam, and this is not going to help.”

He ran a hand through his hair and shook his head. “I can’t change the numbers. You know that. Either the bank gives us another loan based on our forecast or they refuse based on our past. There’s no magical number crunching I can do to change their policies. We just have to hope they see a future for Fredrickson’s.”

She was silent, staring at a coffee stain in the carpet at her feet. All the anger had drained away in her tirade, but her shoulders drooped at the weight of responsibility she felt for the winery’s employees and their futures. Sally. Margaret. Even Loren and Ernesto had become good friends and were like family to her now.

“Billie,” Adam reached out and put a hand on her shoulder, squeezing gently. “It’s going to be all right. If the bank won’t give you the loan, I’m sure Handel would love to invest in Fredrickson’s. He even – ” He broke off at the look on her face.

“You didn’t tell him that we needed the money, did you?” she demanded.

“Are you delusional? I don’t need to tell him anything. He already knows we need the money. Just because you refuse to speak with him about it, doesn’t make the problem disappear. You’re married now, Billie. Try acting like it.” He turned to open the door, but she jumped in the way.

“How dare you tell me how to act! You don’t know anything about my relationship with Handel. Fredrickson’s has nothing to do with our marriage and I intend to keep it that way.” She glared at him, arms crossed.

He just looked at her for a long moment, his face softening despite her attitude. “You might believe that, Sis, but I’m pretty sure Handel sees it differently. If you can’t even share the ups and downs of your life with the man you married, then what’s the point? Fredrickson’s is a big part of you now and it’s still a big part of who Handel is, whether he’s monetarily invested in it or not. He wants to be a part of your life, not just the man who shares your bed. If you can’t see that, then you need a heart transplant.”

He reached around her for the handle of the door and she automatically stepped away. A tight ball of fear and guilt twisted her insides, but she fought to tamp it down. Adam didn’t understand. He didn’t know how hard it was to stay in control, to keep the different aspects of her life separate. She didn’t want to worry Handel with her business woes. He had enough of his own problems, with a client he was trying to save from a murder conviction. Besides, he didn’t need her input on his court case anymore than she needed his on the winery.

And yet… Handel did share his work with her. He often asked her opinion and discussed aspects of his cases in a general sort of way without infringing on his attorney/client confidentiality clause. He cared what she thought.

Why couldn’t she do the same? Sometimes she had whole conversations with him in her head, but then face-to-face she struggled for words and many times things went unsaid. As if not saying something took away its power to hurt them.

Just this morning he’d called to talk before he went into court. He chatted about the weather, his client’s terrible new haircut, and randomly announced that when or if they had children, he knew they would be extraordinary. She’d gone all quiet, unable to get past the glibness of the comment to what lay beneath. Knowing how much he loved Davy and spending time with the boy, she was confident he would make a wonderful father, but… she wasn’t so sure about being a parent herself. She barely passed as an adult, much less an example to small clones.

She drew a deep breath and slowly expelled, loosening the knot around her chest. They really needed to talk when he got home. She missed him when he was gone overnight. This case had been taking him away far too many nights already. It would be a relief when it was over. She never slept as well when he was gone. Wrapped secure in Handel’s arms, her nightmares no longer stood a chance.

Sally pushed the door open. “All clear?”

“Everything’s fine. Don’t worry about it,” Billie said, retrieving the papers she’d thrown on the desk.

“Look,” Sally said, taking her arm and gently turning her around. “Everyone around here knows that things aren’t fine. The economy sucks. Why should Fredrickson’s have it easy?” She sighed. “You should give your brother a break.”

“I know,” she said, “and I’m sorry you were forced to witness another one of my meltdowns.”

“Meltdown? That was nothing.” She waved a hand as though shooing away a fly. “You should see the fights my family get into at Christmas. Since there’s no snow to pelt each other with, we just run the hose in the backyard and mud wrestle.”

Billie shook her head, grinning. “Someday I’ve got to meet your family. For some reason I keep imagining you as a foundling left on the doorstep of the winery.”

“Not far from the truth,” she said, slipping back into the chair behind her desk. “I’ve been here nearly that long.”

“And?” Billie asked, knowing there was always more to Sally’s stories.

“Adam’s right. Handel’s already invested in Fredrickson’s because he’s invested in you. He married you, didn’t he? So talk to him. Let him help, even if only as a listening ear for you to vent.  He needs you to trust him, to confide in him.”

“Why? Did he say something?” Billie asked, suddenly afraid her perfect world was about to crumble.

“No. He doesn’t have to. Billie, he’s your husband!” Sally dropped her head on the desk and bumped it repeatedly against the surface, auburn curls flopping.

“I suppose that’s your way of saying I’m really dense.”

She straightened, a small smile of satisfaction on her lips. “Now don’t go putting words in my mouth.”

“Right.” Billie pulled open the door but glanced back. “Thanks, Sally. If anybody needs me, I’ll be down in the cellar.”

•••••

Handel pulled into traffic and sped up, eager to be home and spend what was left of the evening with Billie. The jury had been selected, the date had been set to begin, and Judge Matthews had reminded them all that this was a high profile case and she better not hear of anyone discussing any part of the trial or she would rethink her position on sequestering. Handel wasn’t due back in court until Monday. He had the whole weekend to remind his new wife just whom she was married to. The past couple of weeks they had slept apart more than together, him spending lonely nights in the city working. He would be happy when it was over. Maybe they could get away to Maui for a few days or take a few weeks and visit all the islands – if Billie would trust her staff at the winery and leave it all behind.

Traffic slowed to a crawl on the freeway and he flipped the radio on as a distraction from the boredom of his commute. Smooth jazz played softly over the speakers, soothing the edginess he always felt sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic. Thunderclouds rolled in from the bay, but there was little chance of rain this time of year. All the hovering clouds managed to do was keep the stench of pollution at ground level. He wrinkled his nose and turned on the air-conditioner. It had climbed to eighty degrees in the heart of the city, but once he got out into the country the temp would drop into the low seventies. This time of year in the valley was usually pleasant, with gentle breezes and clear cerulean skies.

Cars began to move forward in the lane beside him and soon his lane inched forward as well. He changed the station on the radio to the evening news and listened to the drone of the newscaster with only half his attention. A familiar voice interrupted his wandering thoughts. The Deputy District Attorney usually spoke in a blustery sort of way that put his listeners on the defensive. But today Alec Melendez sounded calm and sure of himself when he’d answered the reporter’s questions outside the courtroom earlier.

“Mr. Kawasaki has maintained his innocence and pleaded not guilty,” the reporter said, “He was even quoted as saying he had nothing to hide and would testify in his own defense. Do you think that will be enough to sway members of the jury to his side?”

Melendez gave a short laugh. “Mr. Kawasaki’s attorney, Handel Parker, is a well-seasoned litigator, so I doubt he will allow his client to testify. No matter the smoke screen they throw up, I will prove to the jury without a shadow of a doubt that Sloane Kawasaki is not only guilty of illegal business practices and money laundering, but he was also an abusive husband who planned the murder of his own wife, and then proceeded to personally follow through with that murder even after a failed first attempt by a hired thug. Jimena Alvarez-Kawasaki deserves justice and I plan to see that she gets it.”

From the sound of it, the deputy DA was getting a head start on his opening statement – or running for office. He was definitely not stating proven facts, but rather innuendo from an unreliable source. Sloane’s secretary had admitted that she was jealous after he married Jimena and made up stories to anyone who would listen that her boss was connected with gangs. The so-called first failed murder attempt had been a hit and run. Someone side-swiped Jimena when she stepped out of her car on a busy downtown street. She was battered and bruised but nothing had been broken and the hit and run driver had never been found.

Other reporters yelling out further questions faded into the background as the newscaster tied up the story. “That was Deputy District Attorney Melendez outside the courtroom this afternoon after the jury selection ended and the trial date was set to begin next Wednesday.”

His cell phone buzzed over the speakers and he pushed the Bluetooth answer button. “Handel Parker here.” There was silence for a moment and he thought maybe he’d been disconnected. “Hello?”

“I have information for joo about joor murder case.” The man’s voice was deep and raspy, with a strong Mexican accent.

“Who is this?” he countered, eyes narrowed as he glanced in the rearview and changed lanes. “If you know something about Jimena Kawasaki’s murder, I am obligated to tell you to take it to the police.”

“Dat’s not going to happen. I don’t talk to no police. Only to joo.”

Handel’s mind raced. “Fine. Talk to me. What do you know?” He didn’t want to scare off a potential witness. If the man wouldn’t go to the police then he should at least hear him out. He was probably a crackpot. They’d certainly attracted plenty of them during the discovery phase.

“I don’t want to say over the phone. Can joo meet me by the dock…”

Handel cut him off. “No. That’s not going to happen,” he said, repeating the man’s words back at him. “Tell me what you know and I’ll decide whether it’s worth my time.”

All four lanes of cars came to a dead stop and Handel slammed on the brakes. He breathed a sigh of relief when the cars behind him managed to stop in time as well. Just what he didn’t need was to be in a freeway pileup.

The man sniffed. “Look, I need money. I’ll tell joo everything for two grand.”

Handel laughed. “I’m hanging up now.”

“No! Please. Listen. I’m telling the truth. I know who killed Jimena.”

The way the man said her name… it was personal. Intimate. Like he’d actually known her. Maybe he wasn’t a crackpot. “All right. I’m listening. But I need something from you before we can go any further. I’m not going to meet you or give you two-thousand dollars without a compelling reason.”

He heard traffic noise and a car horn over the speakers. “I loved her,” he said, his voice so quiet Handel had a hard time hearing. “Jimena was going to leave Kawasaki and go to Mexico with me. But her brother told her I was a heroin addict.”

“Manny?”

“Sí.” The small affirmative was filled with raw anger. “He didn’t want her to go. Said she had to stay married to that chapete,” he spit the word like a curse, “because she had made a vow.”

Handel suddenly had a heroin addict thrown into the mix of his trial. Not exactly someone above reproach, but that wouldn’t stop the prosecution from using him to prove Kawasaki had motive for killing his wife. Why hadn’t Manny mentioned this person before? Especially if the man was seeing his sister romantically and he knew about it. He rubbed a hand over his stubbly five o’clock shadow, thinking. “So you want me to believe that Jimena, a beautiful woman married to a rich man, would leave all that for you, a drug addict?”

“I quit eight months ago! I promised Jimena I was done with the life.”

“And what were you doing at the Kawasaki residence the night of the murder?”

“We were leaving for Mexico. She finally decided it was time. I went to pick her up but he…”

A guy on a Harley flew by his door, riding between lanes, and passing everyone with devil-may-care nonchalance in a leather vest and red bandanna. The loud thumping of the exhaust pipes drowned out the man’s words.

“… and when I woke up she was dead,” he finished.

Red taillights flared on the pickup in front of him as it suddenly came to a complete stop. Handel slammed on the brakes. His dream of a getaway with Billie evaporated with a glance in the rearview mirror. A truck was bearing down and there was no way it could stop in time to avoid rolling right over him. He twisted the wheel hard to the right and pulled into the next lane without knowing for sure if there was enough space between vehicles. The screech of metal on metal as he slid past the edge of the pickup’s bumper drowned out the last of the man’s words. Handel was flung forward against the steering wheel when the truck slammed from behind. An explosive sound reverberated in his head and glass exploded around him.

“Mr. Parker? Mr. Parker?” He thought he heard a voice calling and then it faded away.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The first two Fredrickson Winery Novels are available at all online stores:

Amazon: Entangled     Crushed     Barnes & Noble: Entangled     Crushed

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Barbara

Barbara Ellen Brink is the author of Entangled, Crushed, Split Sense (winner of the Grace Award), Running Home, Alias Raven Black, & The Amish Bloodsuckers Trilogy.
Barbara Ellen Brink is the author of Entangled, Crushed, Split Sense (winner of the Grace Award), Running Home, Alias Raven Black, & The Amish Bloodsuckers Trilogy.

 

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Good and Plenty, Now & Later!

September 7, 2013 By Barbara Leave a Comment

Announcing the release date of The 3rd Fredrickson Winery Novel!!

** September 29th! ** savor4close

fredwineseriesonlinead800pxSAVOR will be available September 29th at all online stores & in paperback. Check back at your favorite store to Pre-Order. Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Smashwords, and Apple should have it available for pre-orders soon!

Savor the moment, cause it just might be your last…

 Newly married and trying to keep the romance flowing along with the wine, Billie and Handel find themselves knee-deep in another mystery. Defending a wealthy San Francisco businessman against capital murder, Handel soon discovers that media attention brings more than fame and fortune. When Billie’s life is threatened and someone starts vandalizing winery property, he believes it’s connected to the case.

Across the vineyard, Margaret has problems of her own. Davy’s Italian grandfather comes to town and starts right in where his son left off. Throwing the weight of his money around, and using the rash of vandalism as a weapon, he tries to prove that Davy would be safer and better off living with him in Italy.

Romance is in the air at the Fredrickson Winery this summer. Sip a glass of Sangria and fall in love with the characters all over again.

 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

While you are waiting for the release of SAVOR, here is another exciting novel to pass the time…  SPLIT SENSESplitSenseAdsmall

FREE for the weekend, Sept. 7-8 only! If you have been leery about picking this one up because you just don’t know if speculative suspense is for you, now is the time to set those qualms aside. Trust me. You’ll like it. You may love it. It’s still my favorite of the books I’ve published and I wouldn’t lie to you. Download it today!

 SPLIT SENSE

When a senator and pharmaceutical giant partner to experiment with a new drug on pregnant women, they tap into a world they never knew existed – the supernatural touching the natural – and it will cost the innocent more than they know. Split Sense interweaves the lives of two families, twins separated at birth, and two different but powerful gifts that each child discovers which impacts their lives in unbelievable ways.

Barbara

Barbara is the author of the Fredrickson Winery novels, Entangled & Crushed, the award winning thriller, Split Sense, and Christian suspense novels, Running Home and Alias Raven Black. She lives in Minnesota with her husband and two lovable mutts.
Barbara is the author of the Fredrickson Winery novels, Entangled & Crushed, the award winning thriller, Split Sense, and Christian suspense novels, Running Home and Alias Raven Black. She lives in Minnesota with her husband and two lovable mutts.

 

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Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Fredrickson Winery Novels, mystery, new release, series, Split Sense, suspense

Summer book tour: DARKEST HOUR

August 26, 2013 By Barbara 1 Comment

Continuing the Grace Award summer book tour, I am hosting Nike Chillemi today and showcasing the latest book in her Sanctuary Point series, Darkest Hour. grace awards launch badgeSet in the 1940’s, these historically intriguing romantic suspense novels will keep you coming back for more!

DH, coverAmazon Lg

 

A petite widow, medical secretary and sole support of her young son and grandparents, is framed for the murder of her boss. Wealthy village residents conspire with the DA to indict her and stop further investigation. The medical examiner thinks the shooter was a tall individual. When his report is shoved aside, he starts his own side-investigation trying to clear her and in the process he falls in love with her.

Lucinda Byrne lost her husband and parents at sea. When she discovers the body of her boss, his A-List society fiancee, backed up by her powerful family and a corrupt DA, accuses Lucinda of murder.  She struggles on shielding her five-year-old son, her feisty grandfather and arthritic grandmother from the ugliness of her situation. She mistrusts the dapper ME, thinking he’s a ladies’ man, but soon realizes he may be the only one in her corner.

Hank Jansen, the county ME who’s had his share of pain and loss, doesn’t know if this little widow was in on the murder, but he knows by the trajectory of the bullet she’s too short to have pulled the trigger. His professional opinion ignored, he begins his own investigation and at least one cop accuses him of an ethics violation. He certainly can’t deny he’s fallen head over heals for the accused, and also is crazy about her son. A huge problem is there’s a leak inside the investigation and the murderer is always one step ahead of them.

~~~

An interview with Nike:

Barbara: In DARKEST HOUR, your heroine Lucinda Byrne isn’t as feisty as your previous heroines have been. Can you comment on that?

Nike: Lucinda Byrne certainly is strong, but she doesn’t shoot from the hip the way my other heroines did. She’s much more careful. I think a woman can show strength in many ways. Lucinda is a widow, the mother of her five-year old son, and the sole support of her grandparents. Her strength comes through as she handles her responsibilities with courage and grace while powerful individuals in the village seek to destroy her. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy writing spunky heroines, but in this story, I wanted Lucinda to have poise and dignity, first and foremost. Still, she can and does stand up for herself to the village detective and to Hank Jansen, the medical examiner, who she’s falling in love with in spite of the fact that she doesn’t know if she can trust him.

Barbara: When we first meet Hank Williams it would never occur to me he’d take any personal risks to help a young woman he hardly knew. How did you create this character?

Nike: That’s right. Hank wouldn’t be seen as a man to go out on a limb for anyone. It’s not that he’s cowardly. He’s got a backbone. It’s just that he’s been so hurt in the past he doesn’t extend himself for other people. He’s as surprised as anyone when he decides to help Lucinda Byrne. Perhaps it’s because his professional opinion has been ignored, and the one thing he’s got left is his career. Then he begins to see her as someone who’s being unjustly hurt. He can certainly identify with that.

Barbara:  How did you develop the plot for DARKEST HOUR and how did you come up with the name?

Nike:  In my Sanctuary Point series, one novel flows out of another. Main characters in one novel will appear as subordinate characters in the next one.  Hank Jansen, the Nassau County Medical Examiner, first appeared in my Christmas/New Year’s novel in the series, GOODBYE NOEL. Then he popped up at the murder scene in PERILOUS SHADOWS. I got to like him and thought he’d be a terrific hero. He is the most flawed of my heroes, but like all my others, he seeks to right injustice. So, he needed a heroine, but I wanted a gal who would be put off by him at first. So, I created a widow with a young son who is dignified and protective of her family. At first she thinks Hank is a ladies’ man and too cavalier for her taste. Then, of course, he grows on her. It helps that he’s practically the only one who thinks she’s innocent of murder. The name DARKEST HOUR came to mind because things in this story get so scary for the heroine.

Thanks for stopping, Nike. It was great to learn more about Darkest Hour and the entire Sanctuary Point Series.

You can purchase Nike’s novels here: 

Amazon/Kindle

Barnes and Noble/Nook

Author bio:

You might call Nike a crime fictionista. Her passion is crime fiction. She likes her bad guys NikeAuthor, pixreally bad and her good guys smarter and better. She is the founding board member of the Grace Awards and is its Chairman, a reader’s choice awards for excellence in Christian fiction. You can read more about Nike & her books at her author website: http://nikechillemi.wordpress.com/

~~~

Barbara

Barbara is the author of the Fredrickson Winery novels, Entangled & Crushed, the award winning thriller, Split Sense, and Christian suspense novels, Running Home and Alias Raven Black. She lives in Minnesota with her husband and two lovable mutts.
Barbara is the author of the Fredrickson Winery novels, Entangled & Crushed, the award winning thriller, Split Sense, and Christian suspense novels, Running Home and Alias Raven Black. She lives in Minnesota with her husband and two lovable mutts.

 

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Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: 1940's, Darkest Hour, Grace Awards, mystery, Nike Chillemi, Sanctuary Point Series, suspense

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Award winning speculative Christian fictiion!

Split Sense

Split Sense

When a senator and pharmaceutical giant partner to experiment with a new drug on pregnant women, they tap into a world they never knew existed – the supernatural touching the natural – and it will cost the innocent more than they know. Grace Awards Winner!

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