Cover Reveal for Ring Around the Rosie by Julie Coulter Bellon

Here it is!  The conclusion in Bellon's Hostage Negotiation series titled Ring Around the Rosie, a full length novel, will be released May 2014.

The sneak peek of the first chapter of Ring Around the Rosie will be posted at Julie's blog http://ldswritermom.blogspot.com tomorrow in conjunction with the cover reveal.

The four novels in the Hostage Negotiation series are All Fall Down, Ashes Ashes, Pocket Full of Posies and now Ring Around the Rosie.

Pocket Full of Posies was reviewed on My Bookshelf (http://shirley-mybookshelf.blogspot.ca/2014/01/pocket-full-of-posies-by-julie-coulter.html) January 1/14. 

 "This is one of those read as you stir, while you eat, in the tub kind of books that we all love!"

I purposely booked few reviews over the holiday so I could treat myself to my choice of a "read for pleasure" book. Pocket Full of Posies was my selection.  I'd earlier read Bellon's Time Will Tell (http://shirley-mybookshelf.blogspot.ca/2012/04/time-will-tell-by-julie-coulter-bellon.html), a suspenseful romance, which offered my first introduction to this author's work.  I enjoyed it so much that when Bellon's most recent, Pocket Full of Posies, was released I asked to read and review it on my blog. 

Bellon writes suspense as if she worked with the teams who fight terrorism, with accuracy and commitment to research so her novels have a true authentic feel.  If you like action, suspense, and crime dramas with a touch of romance mingled in, then Bellon's books should be on your radar.  Personally I can't wait to read Ring Around the Rosie.  I just have to see how it all plays out!

Be sure to connect with Julie Coulter Bellon's  blog http://ldswritermom.blogspot.com February 28 for a sneak peak inside Ring Around the Rosie.  I predict you'll be hooked!

Julie is married with eight children and ten published books. She loves to travel and her favorite cities she's visited are probably Athens, Paris, Ottawa, and London. She would love to visit Hawaii, Australia, Ireland, and Scotland someday. She loves to read, write, teach, watch Castle, Hawaii Five-O, and eat Canadian chocolate. Not necessarily in that order. You can find out more about Julie and all her projects at www.juliebellon.com

Why a Traditionally Published Author Chose Indie Publishing - a Guest Post by Author Julie Coulter Bellon

There are so many roads to publishing in today’s world and I’ve been privileged to be both a traditionally published author as well as dip a toe into the indie published world. Both experiences have taught me a lot. When I was first trying to get published, I submitted my manuscript to the three publishing houses that I felt were my top three. Over the next few months I received three rejections of my work and I was heartbroken. I took it personally, like my writing wasn’t good enough, and I shoved my manuscript under my bed where it gathered dust for a year. After that year was up, however, and I’d had some distance from the situation, I started really looking at the rejections and the suggestions they’d made to make my manuscript better. Then, I was talking to another author friend and she encouraged me to finish the changes and submit again. Which I did. And within ten days of submission I had more than one offer of publication. It was my dream come true. I ended up traditionally publishing six books and the great thing about being traditionally published, (besides the fact that I felt validated that someone believed in my work and thought I was a great writer), is the team of experts you have behind you. I had editors and cover designers that made my book look good. I had a marketing team that got me on television and into bookstores for booksignings. They provided things like ARCs and bookmarks and advertising so I could build my fanbase and get my name out there. Of course there is a downside. As an author I didn’t get to choose the titles or covers for my books. Some changes were made to my books that I didn’t really like, but were done anyway. And my royalty percentage wasn’t what I really wanted and it took almost two years from the time of submission for my book to get on the publication schedule and into stores. Of course I looked past all that when I saw my book arranged in a display pyramid when I walked into the book stores. Or when I was doing booksignings next to some of the authors I’d always been a fan of and owned all their books. But then the indie publishing wave came along and I grabbed my chance. My publisher had said they weren’t interested in my next work, so I was free to do what I wanted with it. Since I had worked as an editor, I had some friends who were editors, I found a cover designer, and I started looking into what I needed to release the book on my own. It was a huge learning curve wearing all the hats of a marketer, editor, and cover designer, but I loved the end product. And so did my fans. With indie publishing, I’m able to get my books into the hands of my readers quickly. I get to choose the covers, the way the book is edited, and the title. I get a much higher royalty percentage. It seemed like such a great opportunity and I grabbed it with both hands and haven’t regretted it. I’ve published four titles independently and the first book in my Hostage Negotiation Team series, All Fall Down, won the RONE award for Best Suspense/Thriller. So, for me, being traditionally published first was a great foundation for me in learning the business and how to put out a great product. I found some of the greatest and most loyal fans with those first six books. And I got the validation that I needed that I was a good writer and a publishing company wanted my work. But, in indie publishing, I feel like I’ve been able to spread my wings a bit more and put out a product that is totally me---something near and dear to my heart. I’m so grateful that my fans have stuck with me through this journey and I hope they will for many more years to come. I have some exciting novels coming out that I know you’ll like, and of course, the final book in the Hostage Negotiation Team series is coming out in May. If you want to know more about me and my books, you can visit my website at www.juliebellon.com I also blog at http://ldswritermom.blogspot.com where I review some of my favorite TV shows, books that I’ve loved, and offer writing tips. I hope you’ll check me out!

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My sincere gratitude to Julie for taking time out of her very busy schedule to write this fabulous article on the benefits of both traditional and indie publishing.  Now I know you'll want to check out her books!  Here are a couple of hers that I've been privileged to read.

I've reviewed both these books on this blog.  Time Will Tell and Pocket Full of Posies.  Please click on the titles to read the reviews.  Julie has several more titles to her name.   Feel free to visit her at www.juliebellon.com for more.  

Pocket Full of Posies by Julie Coulter Bellon

Pocket Full of Posies

Author:  Julie Coulter Bellon

Published: October 2013

Publisher:  Independant

Pages:  210

Genre:  Romantic suspense

ISBN 9781492990918

Source:  a copy was sent to me by the author in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

http://www.juliecoulterbellon.com

*all photos, book summary and author bio are courtesy of Julie Coulter Bellon's blog and/or author website, used with permission.

They say to keep your friends close and your enemies closer . . . 

Hostage Negotiation Team member Bart Gutierrez is shocked to find Lucy Aguayo, a girl he knew as a teenager, working for the deadly Castillo drug cartel. This revelation uncovers a secret in Bart's family so big it forces him to accept a dangerous offer: infiltrate the cartel to keep his family safe. Once inside the cartel’s headquarters he discovers that a large-scale attack on America is imminent and the only way to prevent it is to bring Lucy in on his plans---and hope she doesn’t betray him. 

Lucy Aguayo has become a key player in the Castillo cartel, but not for money or power---she's on a mission of vengeance for her father's murder. Just when she gets a chance to bring down the cartel leader responsible, Bart Gutierrez appears, stirring up buried feelings and disrupting all her plans. But as the enemy closes in from all sides, Lucy must choose between being free from her past or finding justice for it. Can she give up everything she’s ever worked for and reach for something more? 

My thoughts:

If you're looking for a novel that is quick to read by virtue of its compelling plot and writing, then you should check out author Julie Coulter Bellon's newest novel in her Hostage Negotiation Series, Pocket Full of Posies.

Oddly, I don't recall reading how this novel got its title.  I thought I'd find something along the lines of the children's verse:  "Ring around the rosie, pocket full of posies, hush a, hush a we all fall down."  My imagination took me on a different kind of adventure but I readily admit I like where Bellon took this plot with a drug cartel, a reunion of old friends who find they're in love, and some very dangerous secondary characters like a hezbollah leader and terrorists.  There are some tense moments when lives are in danger and you just can't put the book down, not for a minute.  This is one of those read as you stir, while you eat, in the tub kind of books that we all love!

I noticed a few editing oversights but they do not distract from the experience of reading this novel.

Available on Amazon.com

Meet the author:

Julie is married with eight children and ten published books. She loves to travel and her favorite cities are probably Athens, Paris, Ottawa, and London. She would love to visit Hawaii, Australia, Ireland, and Scotland someday. She loves to read, write, teach, watch Castle, The Blacklist, and Hawaii Five-O, and eat Canadian chocolate. Not necessarily in that order.

Honestly, when does she find the time?

Time Will Tell by Julie Coulter Bellon (book review)

Time Will Tell
Author:  Julie Coulter Bellon
Published:  March 1, 2006
Publisher:  Spring Creek Book Company
Pages:  224
Format:  Trade paperback
ISBN 9781932898484
Genre:  Romantic Suspense/LDS Fiction
Source:  I borrowed a copy from the author's father (Thank you Robert for introducing me to this author!) which in no way influenced my opinion of the novel.


From the cover:

Jason Wright, a former undercover operative, is now selling his country’s secrets to the highest bidder. If he is successful, his actions will set off a chain of events with worldwide repercussions. Andrew Blythe, a Canadian CSIS agent, races against time to stop the exchange, knowing that a dangerous terrorist organization is using Jason to try to gain control of the Baku oil leases in the Caspian Sea. If they win, the terrorists will have a controlling interest in the world’s energy market and be able to finance a weapon of mass destruction.

From GoodReads:  After a chance encounter with Andrew Blythe, a Canadian CSIS agent, Ashton Carlson becomes the target of terrorists and is swept up in the sinister world of espionage. Andrew will have to stay one step ahead of the game to keep Ashton alive and the terrorists from carrying out their plan and all is lost. From the rugged terrain of Turkey to the Rive Thames in London, this novel will take you down a path you'll never forget.

My Review:  

The prelude to Time Will Tell is an emotional beginning as the main character's son is killed in a car accident while serving a mission for his church in England.  Following which, an already rocky marriage ends, leaving Ashton alone.  Relying on her LDS faith, Ashton moves forward, with a career and life alone.  A trip to England to visit friends takes a whirlwind turn when Andrew commandeers her vehicle and the two careen through the city, racing to the airport while evading a danger unbeknownst to Ashton.   Afraid he will be compromised, Andrew leaves a thumb-drive in Ashton's briefcase which sets off a chain of events that finds Andrew and Ashton together again.  The chemistry is strong between Andrew and Ashton, but the mission is high priority.  The thumb-drive, which Ashton mistakenly mailed to her friend, must be located to save the country and Ashton's life.

Time Will Tell is a fast-paced suspense novel of espionage which incorporates clean romance and faith.  I like the role model the reader sees in Ashton.  She is independent yet reliant upon her faith, confident and strong, and despite her heartbreak, still willing to open her heart to others.  I recommend this for lovers of romantic suspense who prefer their romance clean.  Time Will Tell is my first Julie Coulter Bellon novel but it will not be the last.  No language, nor compromising scenes to be found here.  Just good clean adventure, with a helping of romance on the side.

Rated 4.5/5

About the Author:

 Julie Coulter Bellon is the author of six international suspense novels: Through Love's Trials, On the Edge, Time Will Tell, All's Fair, Dangerous Connections, and Ribbon of Darkness. You can read deleted scenes from All's Fair at her website, www.juliebellon.com.  She also has one non-fiction title: Be Prepared: A Parent's Guide to the Duty to God and Eagle Scout Awards---What You Should Know and is part of a true Christmas story compilation, How Will Christmas Find Us. 

She is the mother of eight children and when she's not busy being a mom or a writer, you will find her browsing through bookstores to add to her book collection, at the library borrowing books, or reading the treasures she's found. You can keep up with Julie at her blog:  http://LDSWriterMom.blogspot.com  (from GoodReads)