Tag Archives: international thriller

Books, Promotion

99c specials – A mixture of genres for you to devour

April 16, 2020 Karina Kantas Leave a comment

I’ve collected a pick and mix ranging through all the fiction genres. And all just 99c. So you can download now and start reading straight away.

Collection of flash fiction / all genres – HEADS & TALES

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http://bit.ly/HEADSCOM Amazon.com
books2read.com/HT – iBooks, Kobo, B&N

Dystopian Romance – Dystopian Erotica – TOXIC

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https://books2read.com/ToxicKM – romance
https://books2read.com/ToxicAE – Adult

Vampire horror- comedy – Sex, Blood, Rock ‘N’ Roll and Vampyr

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https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MQPJ9TS

Sexy paranormal romance – Beloved Titanian

He’s a riddle I can’t solve…until one night rips away the veil. (1)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07Z43452G

Hard Science-Fiction – The Allien That Never Was

M1 (3)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07VQJXNLY

International thriller romance – The Coin.

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https://books2read.com/u/3kpyGK – iBooks, Kobo, B&N
http://bit.ly/TCKIN – Amazon

Short story collection / mixed genres – Glimmer and Other Stories

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https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00H89AN1M

Books, Promotion

THE COIN international thriller -cover reveal

November 29, 2019 Karina Kantas Leave a comment

Is proud to reveal the NEW book cover for the international thriller, The Coin.

Book Description:

WHO EVER THOUGHT FINDING A COIN COULD GET YOU KILLED?

Set in the exotic French Riviera, The Coin is a story of hatred, betrayal, love and duty—of terrible and painful choices that, nonetheless, bring about personal triumph.

A DANGEROUS FIND

For artist Gabriela Martinez, life has become complicated: she suspects her mentor and friend wants her as his mistress, her husband is neglecting her, and her latest illustration is ruined. Seeking peace, she visits her favorite thinking spot in La Marbriére, the mountain overlooking her home in the Côte d’Azur. Distracted, she winds up in an unfamiliar clearing, where she discovers a 1945 French coin half-buried in the ground. Delighted with its beauty, she has it set on her favorite bracelet.

TREACHEROUS KNOWLEDGE

Richard Harrison, an American intelligence officer, is livid. A simple favor for his boss has turned his vacation in the French Riviera into a hellish assignment. Now, not only does he learn the truth about the coin, but he must also protect Gabriela from a cunning killer who will stop at nothing to keep his secret safe.
TIME IS RUNNING OUT

Together with Maurice Nôret, from French intelligence, Richard attempts to discover the madman’s identity, except his budding love for this beautiful artist is turning into a dangerous handicap. Every one of his moves is thwarted with brutal countermoves. Soon, the psychological games to terrorize Gabriela escalate beyond his control. If Richard doesn’t find a solution, it may be too late for them both.

Created by Scott Carpenter

Editorial Reviews:

“In her debut novel, Alonso-Sierra blends action, suspense and steamy romance to tell the story of an up-and-coming artist and the secret agent assigned to protect her against an anonymous terrorist. Alonso-Sierra wonderfully builds suspense, and her psychological-thriller plotline enhances the sexual tension between Gabriela and Richard in an intriguing manner; their restrained romance quickly becomes the driving force of the novel. The character development is on point as well, with unexpectedly multilayered supporting characters such as Albert, Gabriela’s artist mentor; and Bernard, her alcoholic friend. A suspenseful, sexy romantic thriller.”
— Kirkus Indie Reviews, 4/12/2014

“Suspenseful, thrilling, and action-packed are apt words to describe The Coin by Maria Elena Alonso-Sierra, a mesmerizing story with great potential to have readers utterly captivated. It all starts with a coin, a mysterious, coveted coin, but what is the value of a coin that people are killed and the lives of many put in danger? Set against the lush backdrop of the French Riviera, this novel explores very powerful themes such as lust, love and betrayal, and many things in between.
The setting is very beautiful and the idea of the “coin” is just brilliant and enigmatic, something of a mystery which adds to the pervading sense of danger that dominates the entire story. The characters are well crafted and explored in great depth, and the author does this without sacrificing her powerful plot points and her oh-so-beautiful prose. Maria Elena Alonso-Sierra’s work is one of the craftiest stories that will make readers fall in love with the exotic French Riviera. The Coin is hugely entertaining!”
– Arya Fomonyuy for Readers’ Favorite

About the Author:

Maria Elena Alonso-Sierra is a multiple award-winning, romantic suspense author with a unique point of view. Her thrillers take place in locales across Europe and the United States, reflecting her international upbringing and extensive time as a global traveler. In her duology, The Coin and The Book of Hours, her characters, Gabriela and Richard, walk the same paths as their creator, though her life was never in so much danger.

Her multiple award-winning short story collection, The Fish Tank: And Other Short Stories, is an imaginative ride through various genres. One section in particular, “Soul Songs”, delves into the gut-wrenching experience of exile, with fictionalized Cuban Diaspora stories based on the author’s own experience of exile.

Another short story, “Retribution Served”, is featured in the anthology Book Dreams: Volume 1, and has been well received by readers.

Ms. Alonso-Sierra’s writing career began circa age thirteen with a very juvenile science fiction short story, but the writing bug hit, and she has been writing, in one capacity or another, ever since. She has worked (and not necessarily in the following order) as: a professional dancer, singer, journalist, and literature teacher in both the university and middle school levels. She holds a Masters in English literature and loves to hear from readers. When not writing, she roams around to discover new places to set her novels.

She is currently working on her fourth book, a Detective Nick Larson novel, and lives in North Carolina with her husband and her dog, Amber.

Where to find The Coin

iBooks, Kobo – https://books2read.com/b/49QpK0

B&N – http://bit.ly/TCBNEB

Amazon – https://www.amazon.com/Coin-Hours-Cycle-Book-ebook/dp/B00K56ET60

Tour hosted by Author Assist

Books, Promotion

Fantastic International Thriller

June 3, 2019 Karina Kantas Leave a comment

Maria Ellena Alonso Sierra – best-selling author of The Coin Duology

I’m a medievalist.
I think I have been since I was six years old, when my sister and I rummaged through our parents’ library to study and read the illustrated books gracing most of the bookshelves. You see, my mother and father were ballet dancers and choreographers. For inspiration, they not only based their works on classical music, but they also based costumes, ballet poses, and story inspirations on the classics—Greek myths, Shakespeare’s works, medieval manuscript illustrations. One award-winning ballet, choreographed by my father, was Orfeo, based on the Greek myth of Orpheus, where my mother danced as Eurydice, Orpheus’ wife. My mother choreographed another award-winning ballet, based on Shakespeare, but with medieval costumes and some poses. My Masters’ thesis is on 12th century French romances and the interconnectivity between their plot and the law, the latter which was burgeoning as universities were being established throughout all of Europe during the mid-to-high Middle Ages.
So, how could I resist not making my main character, Gabriela Martinez, into an artist, an illustrator to be exact, whose main goal had always been to reproduce the illustrations of medieval manuscripts?
I couldn’t.
In my first suspense novel, The Coin, my other main character, Richard Harrison, learns Gabriela is a painter/illustrator. Intrigued, not only about her skills, but also about the woman he is now falling for, Richard spends some time with Gabriela in her studio office, watching how she works. In my original draft, I had a scene where she spoke to Richard about several illustrations she had on her desk that had to do with the topic of the follow-up novel, The Book of Hours. But, after a couple of edits, I had to take the scene out because it did not advance the plot/suspense. I did keep, however, the suspense point where Gabriela gets into trouble because of her love of manuscripts, as well as her desire to reproduce them.
And that appears in chapter seventeen of The Coin, where the reader really understands what her goals are for the future:

Excerpt:

Albert smiled and guided her through the rose garden. “Glad to hear it, especially after the news I received this morning.”
“What news?”
“There are two properties near Dublin which I’m interested in acquiring—for investment purposes, of course—and I’ll be traveling there at the end of month.”
Gabriela’s forehead crinkled in confusion. Why on earth was he bringing this up? Unless this was his way of telling her he’d no longer be able to promote her works. “Hey, don’t apologize on my account. You have a profitable business to run, and I’ve already usurped enough of your precious time. And with the quantity of work I have now, I’ll be busy for the next year and a half.”
Albert shook his head. “As I was saying, I’ll be leaving for Dublin at month’s end, and I was planning for you to accompany me.”
Gabriela stopped. With hands on hips, she turned to stare at Albert. “What do you mean, you want me to accompany you?”
Albert ignored her suspicious query. “Through a titled friend of Saint-Jore, I have been able to get an introduction to the curator of the library at Trinity College. We have been corresponding back and forth now for about three months. A week ago, I sent him a fax and advised him of my plans to visit the area. I also requested a small favor. He gave his answer today, and it was affirmative.”
Gabriela was mystified, her mind trying to put the pieces together. Trinity College Library? What on earth did that have to do with her? “You’re not going to give me any more hints?” she asked.
“What does that library have that interests you?”
Her eyes widened in shocked incredulity. “The Book of Kells?” she breathed softly, afraid the rising hope and excitement in her would evaporate in the air.
Albert smiled in triumph. “I knew you’d come up with the answer.”
“But, Albert, the Book of Kells? Are you sure they’ll let me see it?”
“Not only see it, but study it. Of course, you’ll have to be accompanied at all times, wear protective gloves and I don’t know what else, but that shouldn’t pose any problems for you.”
Gabriela closed her eyes, wondering what she had done to deserve such a magnificent friend. The Book of Kells was the most beautiful manuscript ever created and to study it personally was a chance in a lifetime, especially since she wanted to create one of her own, using all the ancient techniques. It was a personal dream come true.
“It will require that you leave for several days, of course. That’s why I was worried you’d allow Roberto to get in the way.”
“He wouldn’t dare, not after what I’m sacrificing for his damn contract.”
Albert eyed her with curiosity. Her tone had been almost vicious. “What sacrifices?”

Amazon Kindle The Coin http://bit.ly/TCKIN
Amazon Paperback The Coin http://bit.ly/TheCoinPP

The Coin Nook B&N – http://bit.ly/TCBNEB