Mystical Wonders - Second Chances by Karen Cino

Good morning, dear readers! Before I introduce today's extra-special guest for Coffee with Colette, I wanted to let you know about a few things happening this week. On Thursday, I am interviewed on the Vision and Verse website, and if that isn't enough of me, I will also be Wt Prater's guest on his radio program Write on the Edge on Blog Talk Radio. Then on Friday, I have a special guest blog post on Savvy Authors. 

Now, without further ado, it is my honour to introduce the amazing and talented Karen Cino. She is a fellow Secret Cravings Publishing author and has dropped by to tell you about her New Release, the second volume of her Mystical Wonders series, Second Chances! Plus, Volume Three is due out in September, so maybe we can talk her into coming back to tell us about it! Well, let's not get ahead of ourselves. If you haven't read the first one, you much check out Circle of Friends, but you can enjoy this newest addition without having to read them in order. After you hear about it, I know this one will jump to the top of your TBR list. (And I know you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but that is some cover, isn't it??)

~Colette

Good Morning. Thank you so much, Colette, for joining me this morning for a cup of coffee. I want to start by telling you that I just love the summer, to me, the hotter the better.

All my books I outlined and edited on the beach. I love the sound of the ocean and the feeling of sand oozing between my toes. I’m not a big water lover, but I will go in up to my knees and splash myself to keep cool.

My books also take place in Staten Island, New York. I love writing about the places I go to on a regular basis. I write stories that people can relate to or know someone who has gone through the same situation.


My new release Mystical Wonders – Second Chances is the second book of a four book series. Here’s the Blurb:

Madison, Shari and Cassie play a major role in protecting Fay, while digging into Angelo’s past. Shari still can’t channel into Angelo’s mind, leading the women to believe he has something to hide.

A reunion with an old love puts Madison’s relationship with Sal to the test, causing her to reevaluate her life. While family secrets continue to be exposed, Cassie’s life spirals out of control. Both women will be forced to make life changing decisions.

Having gained Fay’s trust, Angelo is ready to move forward with his plan no matter what the consequences.

Cassie seeks Shari’s help on a case. While they uncover pieces of the puzzle, they get closer to the truth about Angelo’s past. Madison, Shari and Cassie come together, racing against time, to save Fay from a disastrous fate.

Four friends, four lives intertwined together, setting the stage for second chances.

Now Available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Secret Cravings Publishing.

 

Excerpt from Second Chances

      “I need you right here with me,” Shari whispered. “You have to be the lookout at the door while I look around. Do you have rubber gloves with you?”

“You’re scaring me. Why do I have to be the lookout? We have full permission to look through the room.”

“Because, I have a strange suspicion there’s more here than we can see. I just get this feeling something went on in this room prior to her abduction. Now do you have those gloves?”

Cassie took a pair out of her pocketbook and handed them over. “I hope you know what you’re doing, because we can be in deep trouble if we overstep any boundaries.”

“If nothing went on in here, then there is nothing to worry about. But my feeling is Nancy kept a diary, which might be a significant key in this investigation. So keep your eyes by the door and let me follow my gut.”

Shari walked around the room, letting her fingertips graze every item on her dresser and desk. Still nothing. She opened and closed the drawers feeling around for something, anything besides clothes. Again, she came up empty.

Over here.

Shari swung around trying to figure out where the voice came from. “Over where?”

“What did you say?” Cassie said.

I’m here. You have to find me. I’m lost. I can’t breakout. Shari walked to the closet. The
closer she got, the more intense the vibe.

“It’s here in the closet.”

“What?”

“The diary’s in the closet. I feel it. Don’t take your eyes off that door. I have to search and I know time is limited.”

The closet door creaked when she opened it. A lone string hung from the naked light bulb on the ceiling—so much for living in a multimillion dollar mansion.

Shari combed every piece of clothes hanging, making certain to check every pocket, coming up empty. The shelf above the pole housed a dozen boxes. One at a time, she took them down and looked through all of them. Some boxes consisted of knickknacks while others were filled with scarves, gloves and other winter accessories.

“Cassie,” she called.

“Did you find something?”

“No…”

Don’t give up. You’re close. Keep digging.

“Where?” Shari said staring into space. “It’s somewhere here, and I’m going to find it.”

Sweat dripped down Shari’s face. She was close. Kneeling down, she stared at the shoeboxes lining the floor. Could the book be in one of these? Again she riffled quickly through each one, coming up empty-handed. “Where?” she asked again, slamming her hands on her thighs. She’d checked all the usual places. “It has to be here. Where the hell would a girl hide her diary?”

Please don’t leave me in the closet.

Shari moved the shoeboxes out of the way. She ran her fingers along the carpet on the closet floor on the left side from front to back. Nothing. She repeated the process on the other side. This time, she felt a bump.

With her car key, she picked at the carpet in the corner until it came up. She pulled the plush nylon back and there it was—Nancy’s purple and white zippered diary. Without hesitation, Shari put the book down the back of her pants and pulled her shirt over it. She arranged the shoeboxes the way she found them and closed the closet door.

You’re not done. The voice called after her as she walked toward the door. Keep on going. There’s more.

“Who are you? What do you want from me? Show yourself. Talk to me. Tell me what I’m missing.”

“Shari, who the hell are you talking to?” Cassie asked.

“Don’t ask. There’s more here. I just don’t think we’ll have the time to look without causing suspicion.” Shari took off the rubber gloves and shoved them into her front pocket.

“What do you want to do?”

“I’m ready to leave now. I know there’s something more in this room, some sort of evidence. We don’t have enough time to look without causing Barbara to suspect us of something though. I have this strange feeling she’s involved in this.”

“Sh.” Cassie covered her lips. “Don’t say another word until we’re out of the house.”

“Okay.”

“Are you removing anything from the premises?” Cassie asked from the doorway.

“No,” Shari lied. “Why, does it matter?”

“Yes. Anything confiscated without a search warrant has to be reported to the owner. We don’t want to ruin any evidence.”

“I totally agree with you.” Shari rolled her eyes. She’d wait until they were off the property before she revealed that she found the diary.

“You ladies find anything?” Barbara asked when they returned to the waiting room.

“No.” Pointing to the clock over the mantel, Shari said, “It’s getting late. I have an appointment at three-thirty. I can’t be late. Would you mind if we came back to look for more clues?”

“Not a problem. I’ll be leaving in a few days for Brazil. I’ll let the guard at the gate know you might be returning.”

“Thank you. I’ll be in touch with you,” Cassie said.

They slid into the car and Cassie pulled out through the big metal gates.

Shari looked through the rearview mirror watching the gates close behind them.

Unlocking her seat belt, she leaned forward and took out the diary. “I got half of what we needed to find.”

“No! You didn’t find the diary and take it out of the house!”

“Yes, I did. And leaving for Brazil when her daughter is missing?”

“Yeah, I know. Why would you go on vacation when you don’t know the whereabouts of your daughter?”

“I’d be devastated if anything happened to Thomas. I’d be running around looking for him, putting out flyers, going to the media. Something isn’t right.”

“I totally agree with you. I’m not psychic, but I got a disturbing vibe from Barbara.”

“And now I know there is more to this than Barbara, with her expensive clothes and jewelry, is letting on.” After opening up the book cover, she read.

“Dear Diary, I hate my father and my mother’s boyfriend Angelo…”

About the Author

Karen is an author, poet and former journalist. "Life as a writer is fun, adventurous and can also be quite rewarding". Her years of being a freelance journalist at The Staten Island Register were some of her best. The afternoon, she received her newspaper and saw her article on the front page...well let's just say that the whole neighborhood herd her yelling in the middle of the street.

I've been writing since I'm fourteen years old. I started my career by writing poetry, short stories and writing articles for the high school newspaper. After reading Jackie Collin's Lovers and Gamblers and Jacqueline Susann's, Valley of The Dolls, I knew I found my niche. I wanted to write women's fiction. I wrote my first book during the summer before I started college.

My daily walks down at the boardwalk is what gets my muse going. It clears my mind and helps me find realistic plot ideas and characters boosting up my muse. I love writing about local places that people can relate too. The late Paul Zindel's books took place in Staten Island and reading them, especially My Darling My Hamburger, still brings back many memories.

Finding love and happiness is what keeps you alive inside, having it is what life's all about. It's strange but some days love comes easy, others you have to work hard at it. I'd rather have it come easy, but it's on those hard days that I built characters.

The world is at our fingertips. Dream, imagine and love.

Karen is a single mom living in Staten Island with her two children, Michael and Nicole, along with three cats. Secret Cravings Publishing published her debut novel Roses in April 2012 and The Boardwalk in June 2012. Mystical Wonders – Circle of Friends is the first book of a four book series.

Website: karencino.com
Blog: karencinobooks.com
Facebook: facebook.com/karencino
twitter: twitter.com/karencino

Roses April 2012
The Boardwalk   June 2012
Mystical Wonders - Circle of Friends  April 2013
Mystical Wonders - Second Chances   May 2013

Coming Soon
Mystical Wonders - The Right Call  September 2013