~A Dream Called Marilyn by Mercedes King~ Historical Fiction/ Thriller

Title: A Dream Called Marilyn
Author: Mercedes King
Publisher: Triumph Productions
Pages: 177
Genre: Historical / Modern Historical / Psychological Thriller
Format: Kindle

In the summer of 1962, nothing could prepare Dr. Charles Campbell for his first meeting with new client, Marilyn Monroe. A reputable L.A. psychiatrist, he’s been hired by a studio executive to treat and subdue the star, no matter what it takes. Although he’s been warned about Ms. Monroe’s unpredictability, she’s not what he expected. Gaining Marilyn’s trust means crossing doctor-patient boundaries, and trying to separate fact from Hollywood-fed-rumors proves destructive to both Charles’ career and his personal life. As Marilyn shares her secrets and threatens to go public with information that could destroy President Kennedy’s administration, Charles’ world turns upside-down. He sinks deeper into her troubles than he should, but Charles becomes determined to help her, even though it means endangering Marilyn’s life and risking his own. 

For More Information

• A Dream Called Marilyn is available at Amazon.
• Discuss this book at PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads.

Book Excerpt:

Dr. Charles Campbell tightened the knot in his tie, knowing that today was the biggest day of his career. Maybe even his life. He promised himself--no, swore to himself--that he wouldn’t let his infatuation get the best of him, that he would hold it together when he met her for the very first time, right there in his office.

He’d cleared away the dust, made sure his diplomas hung T-square straight, and he’d washed his hands. Repeatedly. He’d made sure his gray suit and navy blue tie were pressed to perfection. Like most red-blooded, breathing males he’d taken a beating from inside his chest whenever he saw her on the screen. She had that way about her, being able to stir a man’s desires and make you fall in love with her effortlessly. With that teasing smile and that vulnerable naivety she exuded, she could make any man melt, abandon any morals he held. And her curves. Well, Charles couldn’t think on that. Not today.

He’d treat her the way every psychiatrist was expected to treat a patient. Charles promised himself he wouldn’t flinch or become a caricature of himself when he touched her hand. There would be no unbuttoning of his collar or adjusting the air conditioning unit. And his eyes would not wander. That was his resolve.

He dabbed the beads of perspiration from his forehead. Theirs would be a business relationship, he reminded himself. According to the studio contact, the man who’d arranged today’s meeting, this was a woman in desperate need of his professional services. They would establish a doctor-patient association. Yes, simple as that. Charles would uphold the fine reputation he’d built in Los Angeles and tend to her like he would any female client.

Why, he’d treated a number of actors and actresses, from those struggling with sexual identity issues to depressive diseases. Those famous for their cowboy roles, those noted for their singing and dancing. Even those known for the flip of their hair or their on-set tantrums.

But who was he kidding? There was no one like her. Would she notice his resemblance to Rod Taylor? Remark that his hair was lighter, but that the similarities uncanny. Perhaps his only hope was that she

A knock sounded, interrupting his rambling thoughts.

Charles opened the door to his office.

And there she was.

“Ms. Monroe.” He stepped aside, held out his hand to welcome her in. “Please.”

Her eyes flashed that shy but friendly grin he’d seen in her movie characters as she entered, a crème-colored shawl hugging her bare shoulders. Interesting, Charles thought, for a sultry June afternoon.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Monroe.” Charles offered his hand.

Marilyn stole a surmising glance of the room, the outer room and waiting area for Charles’ practice. How he wished he’d spruced up the walls. She shook his hand, almost as if the gesture were new to her. Her pink linen dress reminded him of her outfit from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, when she sang, “Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend”. This dress was shorter, sleeveless but with a high neckline, and sans gloves and diamonds.

A founding member of Sisters in Crime Columbus, Ohio (affectionately dubbed SiCCO), Mercedes King can be found elbow-deep in research, reading, or enjoying the local bike path. Combining her love of pop culture with history, she created A Dream Called Marilyn, a fictional take on the last weeks of Marilyn’s life. With an unquenchable thirst for a bygone era, she’s also written O! Jackie, a fictional take on Jackie Kennedy's private life--and how she dealt with JFK's affairs. Short story fans would enjoy The Kennedy Chronicles, a series featuring Jackie and Jack before the White House and before they were married. Visit Mercedes’ website at www.mercedesking.com to find out more.

For More Information

• Visit Mercedes King’s website.
• Connect with Mercedes on Facebook and Twitter.
• Find out more about Mercedes at Goodreads.
• Visit Mercede’s blog.
• More books by Mercedes.
• Contact Mercedes.

 My Review:

 Who doesn't like Marilyn Monroe? Who doesn't wonder about how much bigger her star power would have been if she hadn't died? This book was a quick read for me, but one that kept me thinking. The writing is on point and smooth. Marilyn comes across as a real person, as she should, instead of a "character" as some fictionalized stories can feel like. 

I enjoyed the pacing, characterizations, and plot. The characters are pretty well fleshed out for such a short story, and that says a lot! I enjoyed the plot and honestly couldn't come up with anything to "fix" or change. Maybe it could have been longer? lol

All in all, A Dream Called Marilyn made me happy. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

 

~Nightkind by Robin Bonzon~ Promo Blitz with Giveaway!

Welcome to the blitz tour for Nightkind by Robin Bonzon!

About the Book:

An ancient vengeance threatens to arise when Jenna is visited by a cryptic man who desperately needs her help to break an evil curse. She reluctantly agrees and soon discovers that there's always more to any situation than meets the eye. Can Jenna tap into a power hidden deep inside of her and save them both? Or will her growing affection for the mysterious man serve as their demise?

Amazon | Goodreads | Kobo | Barnes&Noble

 


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Excerpt:

3:32a.m.

The clock flashed in the darkness, mocking her sleeplessness and paranoia. The recurring nightmare of her childhood – the one where she saw herself laying in a vast clearing in the woods under a full moon, bleeding to death – hadn’t haunted her in years. Tonight, however, it shook her from her sleep, and she was wound too tight to lie back down.

The night seemed to whisper in a tone meant to caress her soul, but the sound was tinged with something darker than the moonless sky outside her house. It chilled her to the core. She anxiously searched the room again for something tangible causing her fright, but it was an exercise in futility. Nothing lurked behind the cracked door to her closet, and no frightening devils under her bed waited to grab her and pull her into the Netherworld. She was utterly alone.

And perhaps that’s what was most frightening.

Her terror overwhelming, she offered a prayer against the darkness in a frantic whisper. Her mother used to recite this prayer with her, over and over, until she put aside her fear of the dream and fell asleep. As a child, it had been her only sanctuary.

Now, she was on her own, and she spoke the words fervently, hoping to find the same peace it had brought in her youth. “Please do not forsake me to evil. I ask you to protect me from whatever beast, man, or spirit steals my peace and robs my sleep.”

A cry ripped through the heavy silence, shattering the last of her calm. She cringed against the headboard, backed away from the sound of large wings flapping outside the large window that now seemed like a portal into hell. She drew the thin sheet up around her neck as if it offered protection. The darkness seemed to thicken and solidify before her eyes as she stared at the delicate glass, and a scream bubbled in her throat. She swallowed against it as the first tear spilled down her cheek.

The whispers came one on top of the other. Try as she might, she couldn’t make out the words, and they jumbled in her head in a painful knot. Her heart pounded near explosion, and she gulped deep, sobbing breaths. “Please, God, no!” she cried, though she didn’t know what threatened her. Wisps of night swirled around her like clouds, brushing against her cheek and leaving a trail of ice in their wake. She swatted at them, and her sheet slid to the floor, leaving her feeling exposed and vulnerable. As she prepared to cry out, the voices condensed, and a single word rang so clear she didn’t know if it was aloud or in her own head.

Jenna.

About the Author:

Robin Bonzon has been writing since she was a child, and has always been passionate about the stories in her head. She has a penchant for the Paranormal and can't resist hoping that werewolves and vampires really do exist. She lives in Dallas, TX, where she spends a great deal of her free time watching horror movies with her husband, Justin, and dancing with her very mature 1-year-old son, Tristan.

Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

Giveaway

The author is offering e-copies of NIGHTKIND to 5 winners of the Rafflecopter.

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~Untouchable by Elizabeth SaFleur~ Guest Post and Giveaway

Title: Untouchable, Book #2 of the Elite Doms of Washington series

Authors name/Pen name: Elizabeth SaFleur

Genre: Contemporary steamy romance (BDSM elements)

Release Date: Untouchable: April 3, available for pre-order at discount of $2.99

(July 3 release date)

Wealthy, Washington DC attorney, Carson Drake, is fascinated by public relations princess, London Chantelle. But hidden secrets and workplace conspiracy could crush this alpha male's special weekend and his only chance at real love.

With fiery exchanges in the workplace, public relations princess, London Chantelle, intrigues and provokes the alpha male in wealthy attorney Carson Drake. He'd like to bend her over his knees--among other things. Outside the office, an unexpected meeting at a local BDSM club suggests she is the ideal candidate for a weekend of sensual submissive pleasure. Mistrustful yet fascinated, London agrees to his proposal. Finally, she can satisfy her unwanted, darker longings. Their passionate weekend stuns them both and London wants more of Carson Drake and his firm handling. But the assumptions each hold about love threaten their budding relationship—even more than a blackmailing co-worker and London’s long-buried secrets.

Buy Links:

Untouchable Pre-Order: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00V8CZ3KG

Lovely available here:  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00P3CHMQ0

Authors Bio:

Elizabeth SaFleur is an erotic romance author and recovering public relations practitioner who writes, tweets and posts under a pseudonym since her former business clients might be shocked at her new career choice. She wrote the Elite Doms of Washington contemporary erotic romance series after a thirty-year career serving D.C. clients. Today Elizabeth shares twenty-eight, wildlife-filled acres in Virginia with her husband and dog. Elizabeth is a member of the Romance Writers Association and the Washington Romance Writers. Her first novelette, Holiday Ties, has been nominated for a BDSM Writers Con Golden Flogger Award.

Author’s Links:

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/elizabethlovest/

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ElizaLoveStory  (@ElizaLoveStory)

Google+ profile: google.com/+ElizabethSaFleur

Website: http://www.elizabethsafleur.com/

Guest Post

The Elite Doms’ Guide to Washington, D.C.: Sexy and Sensual Places The Locals Recommend

Washington, D.C. is more than our nation’s capital and seat of our federal government. A whole lot of living, loving and, ahem, playing goes on in the District of Columbia. The Elite Doms are a group of Dominants who regularly partake in some of the more special benefits of living in a town where almost anything can happen.

Let’s forget the usual tourist places, like the Smithsonian, and concentrate on a few hidden spots that the locals would recommend. Where would a wealthy, Dominant take someone to impress them? Or, perhaps have their way with them? Read on . . .

Hillwood Museum and Gardens

Lavish. That’s the only word to describe this former home to heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post. The expansive, 25 acre estate, museum and gardens will impress even the most cynical Washingtonian (or visitor). Tucked into a quiet Washington neighborhood abutting Rock Creek Park, Hillwood is a respite from the hustle and bustle of D.C. The museum offers world-class Russian imperial art and French decorative arts as well as many showings of Miss Merriweather Post’s private collections. Visit in May or June, if you can, and stroll through the beautiful, well-manicured gardens. You might stumble upon lovers in one of the many hidden alcoves—even a few you might recognize.

The Mandarin Oriental

The Mandarin Oriental hotel and spa is one of the more exclusive and expensive venues in Washington. An Elite Dom would put his visitors up at the Mandarin, and perhaps book a few spa appointments for his guests. The restaurants, Muze and the lobby-facing Empress Lounge, offer fantastic food. Only the service beats the dining. Expect to return to your room after dinner to find a set of slippers by your bed, soft music playing on the TV, and a bottle of water on the nightstand. That’s the kind of luxury a Dominant expects.

Try to book this room for unparalleled views of the Potomac and memorials:

Plume

If you don’t want to dine while you’re staying at the Mandarin Oriental, try one of Washington’s finest restaurants, Plume. Their wine list alone is special, designed to please Thomas Jefferson if he were still alive today. Most people would choose to book this table:

An Elite Dom would choose the one below instead. Can you see why? (Hint: Imagine wandering hands under that tablecloth.)

Jefferson Memorial

After dinner, nothing is more romantic than strolling around the Tidal Basin to end up at the Jefferson Memorial, especially around 8 p.m. on a summer weekday evening when it’s less crowded. (If you go during the day expect tourists. Lots and lots of tourists.) But if you go later at night, you may catch Untouchable’s hero, Carson Drake, strolling about. He often visits to read this inscription:

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, that to secure these rights governments are instituted among men.”

-Excerpted from the Declaration of Independence, 1776

Harold Black (an intimate speakeasy)

I’m probably going to get spanked for sharing the semi-secret speakeasy in Eastern Market, Harold Black. But you won’t tell anyone, will you?

After dinner and a stroll, head over to this hidden bar for a nightcap. The venue offers darkened lighting, private alcoves, and discreet staff. They also take their cocktails very seriously. It’s perfect for a romantic tryst, which is why it’s a favorite spot of Carson’s. Unmarked and intimate, one can get away from prying eyes and gossip here. No cell phones are allowed at the bar, either.

(Harold Black is so secretive, they don’t have a web site.)

     

     

                Harold Black’s interior

 

Harold Black’s door 

The Spy Museum

·         Even work-centered Washingtonians like to play. There’s no better place to let loose your inner James Bond than the Spy Museum. Expect to spend many hours here where you can let your inner alpha take over (or pretend to be the damsel in distress?). Visit on a weekday, and be sure to check out The Aston Martin DB5 from Bond film, Goldfinger. In addition to exhibitions, this museum offers interactive experiences where you can pretend to save the world. Afterward you can stop into the Spy Museum Store and purchase your very own tools of the espionage trade.

 Links:

Hillwood:

Mandarin Oriental:

Plume:

The Spy Museum:

Spy Museum Store:

_Giveaway: 

_{Elizabeth is giving away a HUGE amount of goodies! 12 winners will have their chance to win these amazing prizes!}

--$50 Victoria’s Secret gift card

--Five e-copies of Lovely, Book #1 of the Elite Doms series, contemporary erotic fiction

--One purple, Lelo-brand silk blindfold

--Four Trapp Fragrances votive candles in sexy cinnamon scent

--One Trapp Fragrances sexy cinnamon-scented room freshener

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