Saturday, November 14, 2009

Celebrating the Release of A BOX OF TEXAS CHOCOLATES

Today we're celebrating the release of A BOX OF TEXAS CHOCOLATES, the third annual anthology by the talented Final Twist authors! Their first two books, DEAD AND BREAKFAST and A DEATH IN TEXAS are both mystery anthologies, while their new anthology includes other genres.


Just like opening a box of chocolates, you never know what you're going to get with this delicious assortment of fourteen stories. Mystery, Suspense, Romance and Sci-Fi themes, all set in Texas, with a serving of chocolate!


Stories and Authors: A Box of Texas Chocolates by Linda Houle; Getting a Clue by Pauline Baird Jones; Dying for Chocolate by Laura Elvebak; The Invisible Hand Will Smear Chocolate on the Face of Tyranny by Mark H. Phillips; A Recipe To Die For by Sally Love; The Bavarian Drop Killer by Cherri Galbiati; Bitter Sweet by CeCe Smith; The Cowboy's Rose by Betty Gordon; Books and Bon Bons by Charlotte Phillips; Valentine's Day by Diana L. Driver; Jadead by Iona McAvoy; Deep in the Heart of Texas by Autumn Storm; Truffles of Doom by Mark H. Phillips; A Bona Fide Quirk in the Law by Cash Anthony.


BUY THE BOOK



A BOX OF TEXAS CHOCOLATES by The Final Twist

A Box of Texas Chocolates by Linda Houle
Megan’s Chocolate Death Kiss cookies weren’t really supposed to kill anyone at the murder mystery party. Who added poison, and why?

A Recipe to Die For by Sally Love
Gretchen Schultz inhaled the glorious aroma of her chocolate cakes. Every year just as she geared up for the Thanksgiving and Christmas season, the siege by the town’s women began. Her so-called friends mounted an assault to steal her recipe. How could she halt the incessant hounding? Gretchen must arrange something appropriate.

The Bavarian Drop Killer by Cherri Galbiati
Rina Blakely, out for a morning jog with her dog, finds one of her co-workers murdered. It is the third murder in six months, leaving the women in Sandy Creek, Texas, filled with fear. When Rina pokes her nose too far into the investigation she finds herself not only a target, but coming face to face with the killer, alone in her home.

Bittersweet by CeCe Smith
With the help of a demented friend, chocolates and an unexpected twist of fate, a villain is revealed…

Dying for Chocolate by Laura Elvebak
A meek child care provider for three toddlers suspects that one of the mothers is having an affair with her husband. Abused and controlled by her husband for years, she turns her anger on her unsuspecting employers and invites them to stay for a special box of chocolates and a game of truth or dare.

Getting a Clue by Pauline Baird Jones
A Hatfield and a McCoy had a better chance of getting together than a Trapini and a Molony, but there's not enough chocolate in the world to stop the heart from wanting what it wants.

JADEAD by Iona McAvoy
Chocolate martinis mix with chocolate marbles and death. While hosting a gala event for her mother’s pet charity, Camellia Nordin finds mystery, new love and frightening legends. While avoiding her mother’s fashion make over from her rock climbing gear to fashion diva, Camellia struggles to discover who really attacked the greedy fiancee of her brother’s ex-bimbo. Love, mystery and chocolate stones from across the world mix with Houston’s society to create a tantalizing puzzle. Are the chocolate jade dragons really protectors of the Emperor or merely instruments of death?

The Cowboy’s Rose by Betty Gordon
Cowboy Hank returns to ride in Ft. Worth, Texas' Stock Show and Rodeo when he comes face to face with a gun toting man aiming the barrel of a six-shooter right between his eyes. The shooter demands he hand over a package and he won't take 'No' for an answer. Hank has no idea what he's talking about. Hank soon discovers his chances of staying alive are much better on the buckin' bulls than working his way through this mysterious maze of suspense.

Truffles of Doom by Mark H. Phillips
Innocent homeless poor have been struck down by poisoned Christmas chocolates. Detective Eva Baum tracks a fiend without conscience or remorse to deliver a present of her own: Justice.

Valentine’s Day by Diana L. Driver
Erin and Larry were newlyweds and money was tight. When Erin insisted that Valentine's Day meant nothing to her, Larry took her at her word. Would their first Valentine's Day hold no special memories?

Books and Bon Bons by Charlotte Phillips
A scrumptious assortment of deserts, a seminar on herbal poisons, and a harridan bent on evil, tempt a waitress towards the biggest mistake of her young life. But vengeance can have unintended consequences.

A Bona Fide Quirk in the Law by Cash Anthony
Writer and amateur sleuth Jessie Carr creates “entertainments” for Texas B&Bs while she carries out various legal and extra-legal jobs on the side, sometimes as an Avenging Angel. While out riding her motorcycle one summer evening, she’s terrorized by a rogue cop who gets away with it. When a Houston debutante is arrested for a sex crime (selling “marital aids”) and asks for Jessie’s help, guess who’s the arresting officer? Jessie gets sweet revenge.

Deep in the Heart of Texas by Autumn Storm


The Invisible Hand Will Smear Chocolate on the Face of Tyranny by Mark H. Phillips
The Rell are buying up the cultural legacy of Earth with the merest trinkets of their advanced technology. Earth monopolists and Rell exploiters beware: rogue entrepreneur Kinkaid will sell Earth's sweetest secret, chocolate, but only at the price of revolution and freedom

BUY THE BOOK


WIN - Join the party by leaving a question or comment today over here on our Cyber Launch Party and you'll get your name in the hat for a $40 Amazon Gift Card courtesy of The Final Twist Authors! The more comments you make, the more times your name goes in the hat! The winner will be announced right here, tomorrow - so be sure to check back!

48 comments:

  1. Welcome to your cyber launch party Final Twist Gang!!!

    Congrats on the new release - reading and chocolate - two of my favorite things!!!

    Authors, please tell us a little bit about yourselves and I'd love to hear more about your group - The Final Twist.

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  2. Sounds like a great read. Happy cyber launch :-)

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  3. Sounds absolutely delicious! Would satisfy my craving for fabulous fiction!

    gcwhiskas at aol dot com

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  4. Our thanks to Author Island for connecting us to our wonderful readers. I joined The Final Twist not too long after its inception and the organization's mentoring accompanied me along the road to publication.

    My writing credentials started with poetry, escalated into short stories and finally into novels. I love writing in all forms.

    Our writers have created wonderful stories for your enjoyment in this anthology, "A Box of Texas Chocolates." The stories are fun and fulfilling (more ways than one). We hope you enjoy.

    Again, thanks to Author Island for this opportunity and look forward to visiting with all of you.

    Betty Gordon

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  5. Sounds great! Thank you!
    joannereynolds@sbcglobal.net

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  6. Bon Bons and Chocolate too!!! What a great giveaway contest!!!

    mitzihinkey at sbcglobal dot net

    Thank you.

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  7. thanks for stopping by! And yes, we think the book is delicious! LOL!

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  8. I'd like to ad my thanks to Author Island for this wonderful launch party!

    The Final Twist started six years ago with a vision to support member authors and mentor aspiring writers. In three short story collections, we have introduced at least six newly published writers who nurtured and polished their stories to acceptance.

    We meet the first Saturday of most months and hold outside critique sessions. All are welcome. Our next meeting is in January. Find more information and meet some of the writer here: http://thefinaltwistwriters.ning.com/

    A Box of Texas Chocolates is my favorite TFT anthology so far - and it isn't just the chocolate:-).

    Thanks again to Author Island for this party,

    Charlotte Phillips
    MarkandCharlottePhillips.com
    Hacksaw
    A Death in Texas
    A Box of Texas Chocolates

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  9. Thank you Author Island for this opportunity to connect with readers!

    Valentine's Day is my third short story - and my first romance! I loved writing it and the feedback from readers is so encouraging that I'm going to write more in this genre!

    Diana L. Driver

    Ninth Lord of the Night-novel/action-adventure
    The End of the Tour - Dead & Breakfast anthology
    Die Mahnung - A Death in Texas anthology
    Valentine's Day - A Box of Texas Chocolates

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  10. For some reason, I always have trouble posting in my browser, until I can click on a comment link. It's weird, but seems to have worked out now. :-)

    Like the others, this is my third anthology and I also have a romance story--which was a lot of fun to write. I think we all had fun mixing it up this time with a multi genre anthology (our other two were mystery anthologies).

    Pauline Baird Jones
    The Key
    Girl Gone Nova (4/2010)
    Men in Jeans, Death in Texas Anthology
    Do Wah Diddy Die Already, Dead and Breakfast
    Getting a Clue, A Box of Texas Chocolates Anthology

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  11. Joining this group of authors was great fun and sampling different chocolates -- what can I say?

    Betty Gordon
    Murder in the Third Person
    Deceptive Clarity
    Dead by Breakfast,Dead and Breakfast Anthology
    Veiled Deception, Dead and Breakfast Anthology
    Anna Rose,A Death in Texas Anthology
    The Cowboy's Rose, A Box of Texas Chocolates Anthology

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  12. May I add my appreciation to Author Island for hosting our launch party! Our group of writers had many different approaches to the chocolate theme, but the stories are all tasty and fun.

    I found this wonderful group about five years ago, and I can attest that support from your fellow writers makes a huge difference in your productivity. I've enjoyed creating a series of short stories about Jessie Carr, writer/detective/motorcyclist/avenging angel, and more are in the hopper.

    Many of Jessie's adventures are based on real incidents from my own travels cross-country on my bike. To me, writing short stories is a fun, quick, and useful creative outlet, as my main area of endeavor is writing screenplays. The stories have help me hone my skills and focus, and I can see my writing getting better all the time.


    Cash Anthony
    A Bona Fide Quirk in the Law, A Box of Texas Chocolates anthology
    The Best Man, A Death in Texas anthology
    The Stand-in, Dead and Breakfast anthology
    The Calendar Codex - screenplay, adaptation
    Taking Up Serpents - screenplay, feature
    A Racing Heart - screenplay, feature
    Do Me No Favors - screenplay, short
    Complaining Witness - screenplay, short
    False Negative - screenplay, short

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  13. What a fun sounding anthology! I love each of the story titles (affterall they incorporate one of my favorite things--chocolate).

    Are all of you planning future projects together? You seem like you have a great connection.

    joderjo402 AT gmail DOT com

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  14. Joder, we are compiling another anthology at this time. Texas Landmarks will be highlighted in the new work and we are very excited about it.

    Our group of writers are extremely productive and it's fun to present a collective work.

    Thanks for responding, Joder.

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  15. Our chapter will celebrate its sixth year in February. It was started by the amazing Diana Driver (if you are fascinated by the Maya, her book is awesome!) and we're thrilled that with the success of our anthologies. I didn't finish my story, well, I kind of finished it but it was too long, for the new anthology, so will be sitting that one out, but I got a possible novella out of it, so I'm happy. :-)

    Pauline

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  16. This one sounds great!! Any time I see chocolate mentioned in any context, I'm there. To combine it with reading is heavenly.
    Nancy

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  17. Hi, Nancy! Chocolate and stories get me buzzing, too. LOL! Thanks for stopping by. ;-)
    Pauline

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  18. Great contest!
    Patsy H.
    mom1248atatt.net

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  19. What a great looking anthology. Congrats on the release!

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  20. Well, whoop-te-do, I'll take that gift coupon, thank you very much! Seriously now, I just posted a bit to DorothyL about reading and loving regional mysteries. I mentioned Oklahoma, Idaho and New Mexico. Next time I should say a few words about Texas. Your anthology sounds great. Best of luck with it, and thanks to Pauline Jones for bringing it to my attention on the Sinc-IC list.
    Pat Browning,
    an Oklahoman who still misses California

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  21. Hi, Pat! Waving from Texas! And thanks for stopping by! Also Karen! Pull up a chair and set a spell. LOL!

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  22. love to be entered!!!!!!!!!!!

    blackroze37@yahoo.com

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  23. though i live on 3 states, im in corner of tn, ga, and nc . cuold hopscotch back and forth between states LOL

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  24. Congratulations on your new release!

    Wishing y'all every success!

    Jacqueline Seewald

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  25. Jacqueline and all...thanks for stopping by.

    blackroze...love the name.

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  26. Chocolate and reading two of my favorite things and the chance to win a gift card too. I feel lucky.

    loretta canton
    lbcanton@verizon.net

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  27. Thanks, all! Appreciate you all stopping by!

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  28. Congratulations on the new release. Fabulous anthology. I look forward to reading it.

    marypres@gmail.com

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  29. I've never been to Texas and I may not get there, so I plan to learn all about it in the stories you all tell. Plus, it's the perfect time for the shorter stories when life gets busy during the holidays. Adding this one to my wish list. It sounds great!

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  30. Oh, and chocolate. That's something I just can't resist! lol

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  31. kammiew, good reading!

    I hate to be a party-pooper, but all good things come to an end. I have to say 'good-bye' and say thanks to all who stopped by. Good luck on the contest. A special thanks to Author Island.

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  32. Wow, while I was off nursing my cold the party got a little busy! Hi Robyn! thanks for stopping by!

    And Kammi. :-)

    We so appreciate everyone stopping by today!

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  33. Marybelle! Almost missed you.:-) Thanks for checking us out. :-)

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  34. they all sound yummy! sign me up for the drawing, please. crmcc at setel dot com

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  35. Evening guys...Autumn Storm here....I'd like to add my two cents and my thanks to Author Island for hosting our party today. I joined The Final Twist group almost two years ago. Nowhere will you meet a better bunch of guys and gals. Not only are they creative, but they have shared everything they know and they have inspired me to reach for that shinning star.

    If you ever find yourself in the Houston area....please stop by for a visit...we'd love to have you.

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  36. Happy cyber-launch! These books look wonderful, I've got to put them on the list!! This is an amazing contest, please enter me.

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  37. Sounds intriguing! Sign me up for the drawing too. Congratulations to the authors.

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  38. What a fun book. Anything with chocolate has got to be good. It will be one I will order for sure.

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  39. These sound like not only interesting, but also like fun reads. Love Texas, love choclates, love mysteries and I'd love to see how you all put these stories together.
    These books sound great thanks for sharing with us.

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  40. It's late, but wanted to once again thank everyone who stopped by today!

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  41. congrats on the new book sounds awesome i have yet to read the other ones but after reading the blurbs for this one i want them all ty for sharing

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  42. This anthology sounds interesting; I look forward in reading it and the previous books.

    Thanks,
    Tracey D

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  43. Thanks so much to all the readers who stopped by to celebrate with The Final Twist Gang! And thanks to Pauline and The Final Twist Gang for offering such a fantastic prize!

    Today's congrats goes out to SiNn - you win the $40 Amazon gift card - Woo Hoo!!! And just in time for the holidays! Please email me at AuthorIsland at yahoo.com with your info so we can get you your prize!

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  44. Thanks again to everyone who came by and congrats to our winner!

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  45. Wow - many more visitors after I shut down for the night yesterday. Thanks to all of you for stopping by and especially for taking the time to leave a little note.

    Congrats to SiNn - happy shopping:-)

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  46. I admire authors, and wish I could be as knowlegable and write stories.

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