M.M. Hudson's Blog, page 26

Grandma Is Acting Funny by Lori Aden & Sheila Parsley #Giveaway #spotlight #Alzheimers #Childrensbooks

 

[image error]
[image error]

Grandma Is Acting Funny: The Beginning Stage

A Children's View of Alzheimer's

by Lori Aden & Sheila Parsley

Genre: Children's Picture Book, Alzheimer's 

[image error]

Little Dreya has been noticing that her grandma is starting to act funny, but she doesn’t know why. Her family explains that all these new funny and strange behaviors are a result of an illness called Alzheimer’s. In this first book, Dreya notices that Grandma forgets her name, loses track of things, and asks questions over and over again. Join Dreya and her whimsical family as she shares a heartwarming story of her memories with Grandma before Alzheimer's along with the new behaviors she is noticing in the beginning stage of this disease.

Get it HERE!

[image error]

Grandma Is Acting Funny: The Middle Stage

A Children's View of Alzheimer's

[image error]
  Little Dreya's grandma is still acting funny and strange. She learns that her grandma is now moving into the Middle Stage of Alzheimer's. In this second book of the series, Dreya shares some of these behaviors, such as how her grandma got lost one day, doesn't want to take baths and doesn't like to eat her broccoli anymore. Join Dreya and her whimsical family as she explains how she feels when she notices these unusual behaviors.

Get it HERE!

[image error]

Grandma Is Acting Funny: The Late Stage

A Children's View of Alzheimer's

[image error]

Little Dreya’s grandma is now in the Late Stage of Alzheimer’s and her funny and strange behavior continues. In this third and final book of the series, Dreya shares how her grandma puts her clothes on backwards, forgets simple tasks like how to eat, and doesn’t talk clearly anymore. Join Dreya as she shares these and other behaviors about the Late Stage of Alzheimer’s.

Get it HERE!

[image error]

Dr. Lori Aden is an educator by trade with over 30 years of experience in K12 and higher education. With a master's degree in Education Technology and a doctorate in Teacher Leadership, Lori used her education experience to research Alzheimer's caregiving from many different perspectives while caring for her mother. Lori successfully completed the EssentialALZ@ Alzheimer's Association Training and Certification program to become a more knowledgeable advocate for Alzheimer's caregiving and education. She works full-time as a program coordinator for one of the largest education service centers in Texas and part-time as an adjunct instructor for a community college. However, her proudest roles are wife, sister, mom, and nana. Most importantly, she is the devoted daughter of Marylin, who is the inspiration behind this book series and her first book, "I Remember Me - The Mom Chronicles."

Sheila Parsley, sister of co-author Lori, earned a master's degree in Counseling and has worked in the mental health field for over 23 years. Sheila successfully completed the EssentialALZ@ Alzheimer's Association Training and Certification program. When she is not working, she can be found reading or in the kitchen baking for family and friends with her Texas Cottage Bakery business called "Treasured Treats and Trinkets." She loves all things dragons and was the inspiration behind using a whimsical dragon family for this book series. Sheila was an integral part of the caregiving for her mother, Marylin. She would drive to Dallas every other weekend for over six years to spend valuable time with her mom and give her sister and brother-in-law respite breaks.

Website* Lori's Amazon* Sheila's Amazon

[image error]

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

$10 Amazon

a Rafflecopter giveaway

#Spotlight: Deadly Traditions by (Several authors) #giveaway #anthology #Cozymystery

Deadly Traditions: A Cozy Mystery Christmas Anthology
Cozy Mysteries
Grace Abraham Publishing (September 27, 2022)
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0B2LHQ2G9
Purchase Link - Amazon
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Have yourself a DEADLY little Christmas. Celebrate the holidays with mistletoe, mayhem, and murder. Join your favorite authors as theycozy up by the fire with twelve festive short mysteries that feature treasured holiday traditions.Serve up a slice of fatal fruitcake and deck the halls with danger, because the holiday season hasnever been so much fun. 
This original collection is available for a limited time only, so grab your copy today.Includes:A Pickle in a Pear Tree by Erin ScogginsMistletoe and Murder by Dianne AscroftO Deadly Night by Estelle RichardsLarceny and Gingerbread Lattes by Justine MaxwellHave Yourself a Scary Little Christmas by Gayle Leeson
About the Authors
About Gayle LeesonGayle Leeson is a pseudonym for Gayle Trent. Gayle has also written as Amanda Lee. She iscurrently writing the Kinsey Falls chick-lit/women's fiction series, the Down South Cafe cozymystery series, and the Ghostly Fashionista cozy mystery series. Her book KILLER WEDDINGCAKE won the Bronze Medal in the 20th Anniversary IPPY Awards. Gayle lives in SouthwestVirginia with her family and enjoys hearing from readers.
About Mollie Cox BryanMollie Cox Bryan writes cozy mysteries with edge. She's the author of several bestsellingmystery series, also writing under the pen name Maggie Blackburn. Her books have beenselected as finalists for an Agatha Award and a Daphne du Maurier Award and as a Top 10Beach Reads by Woman's World. She has also been short-listed for the Virginia Library People'sChoice Award. She's also penned a historical fiction: MEMORY OF LIGHT: ANAFTERMATH OF GETTYSBURG. She's the mother of two nearly perfect daughters, eachpursuing careers in music.
About Erin ScogginsUSA Today Bestselling Author Erin Scoggins is a long-time Southerner with a fondness foroffbeat humor and fresh fried chicken. After fifteen years in marketing with a Fortune 500company, she traded her MBA for fictional crime scenes and feisty small-town families. Shewrites fun, flirty mysteries that are celebrations of food, family, and the killer South.Visit her at www.erinscoggins.com for book news and shenanigans.
About Estelle RichardsEstelle Richards lives in the beautiful American Southwest and writes cozy mysteries. Connectwith Estelle at estellerichards.com 
About Justine MaxwellJustine Maxwell writes cozy mysteries with brave heroines, strong family bonds, and a touch ofromance. She has degrees in psychology from Northern Arizona University and Grand CanyonUniversity. She hopes to one day become a reclusive author in a mountain cabin near Flagstaff,AZ. Until then, she'll be a busy mom of four small children and one (allegedly) hypoallergenicpup, writing in the midst of chaos.
About Wendy H. JonesInternational Award Winning Author Wendy H. Jones lives in Scotland, and her policeprocedural series featuring DI Shona McKenzie are set.Wendy has led a varied and adventurouslife. Her love for adventure led to her joining the Royal Navy to undertake nurse training. Aftersix years in the Navy she joined the Army where she served as an Officer for a further 17 years.Killer's Countdown was her first novel and the first book in the Shona McKenzie Mysteries.Killer's Crew won the Books Go Social Book of the Year 2017. The seventh book in the series.Killer's Curse will be released early august 2020. The Dagger's Curse, the first book in TheFergus and Flora Mysteries, was a finalist in the Woman Alive Magazine Readers Choice AwardBook of the Year. Turning to humorous crime the Cass Claymore Investigates series was born.She is also a highly successful marketer and is currently in the process of rereleasing hercompletely updated marketing book Marketing Matters. This will be part of the Writing MattersSeries following the release of Motivation Matters. She is also the author of the Bertie theBuffalo picture book and associated soft toy and colouring book. Wendy is delighted to be one ofthe authors in two anthologies aimed at empowering women - The Power of Why, and WomenWin Against All Odds. She is proud to be the President of the Scottish Association of Writersand is the host of The Writing and Marketing Show podcast, a writing and marketing coach. andCEO of Writing Matters online writing school, Authorpreneur Accelerator Academy.
Dianne AscroftDianne Ascroft is a Canadian writer living in Britain. Since moving to Britain in 1990 she haslived in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Online she can be found athttp://www.dianneascroft.com.She writes cozy mystery, historical and contemporary fiction, often with an Irish connection. Hernon-fiction articles and short stories have been printed in Canadian and Irish magazines andregional newspapers including the Toronto Star, Ireland's Own, Senior Times, Celtic Connectionand Irish Connections Canada.She was co-editor of The Fermanagh Miscellany, the Fermanagh Authors' Association's yearlyanthology for several years and she also contributes material to other local history and writers'anthologies.Dianne is a member of the Alliance of Independent Authors, Sisters in Crime, Historical NovelSociety, Writers Abroad, Fermanagh Authors' Association and Fermanagh Writers.Dianne started life in a quiet residential neighbourhood in the buzzing city of Toronto and hasprogressively moved to smaller places through the years. She now lives on a small farm in
Northern Ireland with her husband and an assortment of strong willed animals. If she everdecides to write her autobiography the working title will be 'Downsizing'.Sam CheeverUSA Today and Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author Sam Cheever writes mystery andsuspense, creating stories that draw you in and keep you eagerly turning pages. Known forwriting great characters, snappy dialogue, and unique and exhilarating stories, Sam is the award-winning author of 80+ books.NEWSLETTER: Join Sam's Monthly newsletter and get a FREE book! You can also keep upwith her appearances, enjoy special content, and get previews of her upcoming work!https://www.samcheever.com/newsletter...
Giveaway: a Rafflecopter giveaway

Photo Finish by Lori Roberts Herbst #guestpost #giveaway #cozymysteries

4th in Series
Setting – Colorado

Independently Published (September 13, 2022)
Number of Pages: 310
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0B6DDSK75

Hello my readers and followers. I am once again hosting a guest to my blog. This time it is author, Lori Roberts Herbst. She has written and is currently touring her newest book, Photo Finish. 

She is here to discuss character development for her books. If you would like to know more about her and/or purchase her books, the links are below this post. 

Welcome Lori and take it away.

~Michelle, Reading Authors Network

_____________________________________

A group of journalism students recently interviewed me, one of whom asked me about creating characters. "How do you come up with them? Are they based on people from your life?"

The creative process has always fascinated me, so these were questions I'd considered many times as a reader. Every author is different, I'm sure, but this is how I invent the people who populate my books.

Sometimes, a character fills a need in a story line. It's as if I'm creating a puzzle piece in the shape of a hole in a pre-imagined picture. Mrs. Finney offers a good example. When I was writing Suitable for Framing, the first book in the Callie Cassidy Mystery series, I knew Callie needed a human helper, someone who wasn't what she seemed. A person began taking shape in my imagination—a quirky older woman, always dressed in shades of purple polyester and spouting philosophical axioms. An outsider might see her as benign and unassuming, but her unexpected past left her with...a certain skill set, as they say. When I created Mrs. Finney, I intended her to leave town after book one. Then I fell in love with her, and so did readers. Now, Mrs. Finney is in Rock Creek Village to stay.

Other characters come to life as personifications of certain traits I want to portray: narcissism, arrogance, vengeance, desperation. I build brand new people around these core qualities, always striving to keep the characters from becoming caricatures. Like twins Banner and Braden Ratliff, these people may start as a mere means to an end, but I add layers until they are three-dimensional. At least, that's the goal.

The inspiration for some characters springs from a conglomeration of actual humans I've known, but I'm not usually consciously aware of that. It's as if I'm rummaging around in a big box of acquaintances, past and present, and I snag someone who interests me. I'll pluck that person from the mental box and squeeze out their fascinating elements. Then I'll grab someone else and squeeze, then another person. At the end, I've given birth to a unique character.

Rarely do I base characters on real people in my life. Two exceptions would be Maggie and Butch Cassidy. Callie's mom and dad are patterned after my own parents, both of whom have passed away. Maggie carries my mother's dry wit, her unconditional love, and her sharp intellect. And when Butch rushes outside into the frigid, snowy weather to start his daughter's car for her, it's something my father would have done. These two characters serve as tributes and legacies.

Another question the journalism students asked is whether my protagonist, Callie Cassidy, is a fictionalized version of me. It's a tough question, and the answer isn't yes or no. They say write what you know, and to a degree, that's true of Callie. She has a journalism background, and I was a high-school journalism teacher for many years, including photography. While I never pursued Callie's career, I was familiar with the field. As far as personality, Callie and I share a few attributes. The prospect of exercise or healthy eating does not appeal to either of us, but we force ourselves into it—occasionally. We are both sometimes short on patience. We love a good mystery, though Callie is apt to get physically involved in solving it, while I would rather sit back and pull the strings from afar. Most important, we are both imperfect human beings striving to grow.

Writing mysteries is a multi-faceted endeavor that involves coming up with a believable plot, a satisfying resolution, a visual setting, and so many other elements. But for me, the most enjoyable part is creating characters that I would want to know in real life and some I'd run away from as fast as I could.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Lori Roberts Herbst, who writes the Callie Cassidy Mystery series, spent much of her life writing, editing, and psychoanalyzing. Through thirty years of teaching journalism, advising newspaper and yearbook staff, instructing budding photographers, and counseling teenagers, she still managed to hang on to a modicum of sanity. Her books have earned first-place CIBA awards in the Murder and Mayhem division. She currently serves as secretary of the Sisters in Crime North Dallas chapter and is a member of the Sisters in Crime Guppies and the Mystery Writers of America.

Author Links:

Website: https://www.lorirobertsherbst.com

Purchase Link – Amazon

Giveaway: Reading Authors Network is not responsible for prize distribution. If you are the winner, you will be notified by email that you are required to enter. All emails will be erased after the giveaway is over. Giveaway ends: Sept 19th at Midnight AZ time.Only 18+ may enter this giveaway. It is open to US & Canada. ONLY A KINDLE VERSION will be given no substitutions. a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Meld: Magic, Please by Kelley Kay Bowles #Giveaway #YA #Paranormal #spotlight

About The Meld: Magic, Please

Young Adult Paranormal1st in SeriesSetting - The fictional Mountain West town of Pinewood, Colorado 

All Things That Matter Press (July 3, 2022) 

Paperback ‏ : ‎ 143 pages 

ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8986288529 Kindle ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0B5RZPXCX

The Meld, an otherworldly group of six, has gathered in the past millennium to bestow gifts on the most interesting of all populations: adolescents. The Meld members comprise a yin/yang of deadly behaviors which qualified their membership: half took lives for noble reasons, half for selfish ones. They completed their circle with Delilah Mackley in 1962 and have since been operating at full strength to give a supernatural gift to their chosen charges. This time, they choose Colorado sophomore Millie Mahoney.

The murder of Millie’s mother and the resultant self-destruction of her father have rendered her life chaotic, which Millie fights by immersing herself in her great passion: words and their power. The Meld gives her the ability for her words to become real:

Everything she writes comes true.

While she’s too smart to bring her mother back to life, Millie does look for a way to heal her family … and maybe catch the loving attention of Derek Samson while she’s at it.

About Kelley Kay Bowles[image error]

Kelley (Kelley Kaye, Kelley Kay Bowles, Kelley Gusich) taught High School English and Drama for twenty years in Colorado and California, but her love for storytelling dates back to creating captions for her high school yearbook. Maybe back to the tales she created around her Barbie and Ken. A 1994 MS diagnosis and many years of fertility struggles have (circuitously) brought Kelley, finally, to the life of writer and mother, both of which she adores. Death by Diploma, released by Red Adept Publishing in February 2016 and #1 for cozy mystery on Amazon in August that same year, is her debut cozy mystery, first in the Chalkboard Outlines® series. Book 2, Poison by Punctuation, was released on April 24, 2018, and the latest, Strangled by Simile, was released in March 2022. Her debut Young Adult Paranormal, Down in the Belly of the Whale, received the 2017 Indie Book of the Year from Aionios Books, which published the book on May 5, 2018. The first of The Meld YA Paranormal series: Magic, Please, was released July 3, 2022.

She’s also working with her husband to raise two active and busy teenage sons.   Author Links Website - https://kelleykaybowles.com/ GoodReads Link -  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1380492.Kelley_Kay_Bowles   Purchase Link - Amazon  
  a Rafflecopter giveaway 

Herlot of Alonia by Maria Rosestone #YAFantasy #spotlight

 

The Herlot of Alonia Series, Book 1

Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, Young Adult Fantasy

Published: April 7, 2020

Publisher: Book Baby

 

Experience a heroine's journey through magic, battle, and ancient secrets in HERLOT OF ALONIA, the first book in a medieval fantasy series.

In the small village of Alonia, tucked away in the kingdom of Eraska, a baby girl named Herlot is born into the world beneath a full moon and a grove of willow trees. Herlot is healthy and clearly touched by magic, which forever marks her as an outsider. The people of Alonia worry that the strange events that surround Herlot mean she is a bad omen, but Herlot learns to rely on her imagination and makes new friends, like the unicorn Devotio, folding herself into the magical world around her.

“No matter what happens, the stars can see you....You’re never alone.”

Just as Herlot turns eighteen and has found her place in her village, the kingdom of Eraska is invaded by the evil King Felix--a man willing to perform unspeakable acts in his search for a source of power to conquer all. It is time for Herlot to find her voice, embrace her magic, and save her people.

 

Praise for Herlot of Alonia:

“Herlot of Alonia breathes new life into the meaning of magic, belief, and freedom told through an epic adventure that delivers action-packed moments, a journey of self-discovery for a dazzling heroine, and a heartwarming bond with a unicorn." - Liz Konkel

"Rosestone has crafted a truly enchanting novel that encompasses everything that a traditional fantasy tale ought to have but also expands into so much more of an emotive coming of age tale… [An] inspiring and engaging tale that is pure magic on every page. Overall, I'd highly recommend Herlot of Alonia for fantasy fans everywhere." - K.C. Finn

"Herlot of Alonia is without a doubt a classic tale reminiscent of the wondrous adventures of The Lord Of The Rings. Steeped in the small kingdom of Eraska, we fall under the spell of Herlot, her family, friends, and the magical creatures that surround her, as she grows up in a land where riches are measured by the contents of souls, and gold is taboo to all.” - Steven Robson, Reader’s Favorite

About the Author

Maria Rosestone is a historian and instructional designer who can always be found with a book. She particularly likes ancient and medieval history. If she is not researching or writing, she loves to go for nature walks with her family and dog.

Contact Links

Website

 

 

Purchase Links

Amazon

The Adventures of Nicky + Charlie Through the Sprinkler by Charlie (Sarah Grace) #spotlight #giveaway

 

[image error]
[image error]

The Adventures of Nicky and Charlie Through the Sprinkler

by Charlie (Sarah Grace)

Genre: Children's Fantasy Picture Book 

[image error]

This book is the first in the series about two young brothers who beat the heat on a lazy summer day by using their imaginations to travel to different lands by transporting through a magic sprinkler. The pictures are meant to look like one of the boys drew them to help make the book more relatable to children and inspire imagination.

**Get it on Sale Now and get FREE stickers and bookmarks!**

Amazon Website Goodreads

[image error] [image error]

Sarah Grace enjoys a variety of writing. Sarah is a mother of 3, and has worked in multiple careers. Sarah has a Master's Degree from National Louis University and she loves music, traveling and her family and friends. This story is based on games from her childhood.

This story is special because it transports adults back to the free and innocent play of their childhoods. Parents can enjoy it with their children and appreciate a sense of nostalgia while children expand their imagination and experience entertainment without a screen. It is designed to look like the characters drew the pictures to inspire creativity! 

[image error]

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

Signed copy of the book with custom stickers and bookmarks,

$10 Amazon giftcard,

1 winner each! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Girl From St. Petersburgh by Joyana Peters #Spotlight #giveaway #Historicalfiction #bookseries

The Girl From Saint Petersburg An Industrial Historical Fiction Series
Publisher: Amaryllis PressDate of Publication: July 25th, 2022ISBN: 978-1736937327ASIN: B0B64DHZFJNumber of pages: 122 pagesCover Artist: Domini Dragoone
"Sacrifice, Starvation and Survival. What will she do to stay alive?"
Book Description: 
Russia, 1905: Thirteen-year-old Ruth dreams of growing up to marry the boy next door and living peacefully ever after. But when he and her father are forced to flee to America after the Bloody Sunday Massacre, Ruth and the other female members of the family are left behind amid the violence and chaos of revolutionary Russia. Overcoming violence and hunger with a strength she never knew she possessed, Ruth resolves to do what it takes to keep her mother and sister alive—whether it be work, beg or steal.
Then she lands herself in a predicament that threatens to put her own neck in a noose. This time she may not be able to keep them all safe, at least not without sacrificing their love for her and all that makes life worth living.
In this prequel to the award-winning novel, The Girl in the Triangle, author, Joyana Peters, portrays a tight-knit family fighting to endure at a precarious and crucial time in Jewish history. Join the countless readers who can’t get enough of Ruth and her story.



Amazon     


About the Author:
Joyana Peters is the Indie author of the best-selling novel, The Girl in the Triangle. The Girl in the Triangle won the SCBWI's YA Spark Honor Award, the IBPA’s Ben Franklin Award for Historical Fiction, the Book Excellence Award for Multicultural Fiction and was a Top Five Finalist for Shelf Unbound’s Indie Best Book of the Year.
Joyana got her MFA in Creative Writing from the University of New Orleans in 2014. She has taught literature and composition on both the secondary and university levels. She also writes non-fiction and has been published in digital and print publications nationwide.
Joyana currently lives in Northern Virginia where she takes in the sights of DC with her two kids, husband, and goofy Yellow Lab, Gatsby.
You can follow her adventures at: 
https://joyanapeters.com/
Join Newsletter for a Free eBook https://bit.ly/3PAgOeC
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21516102.Joyana_Peters



a Rafflecopter giveaway

RESERVED POSSIBLE ALT DATE

The Inked by Kristina Streva #YA #Halloween #Giveaway #spotlight

 

The Inked
The Inked Series

Book One
Kristina Streva

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Date of Publication: 2022
ISBN: 978-1-5092-4381-5
Number of pages: 306
Cover Artist: Diana Carlile

"She’d been love struck… poisoned by his venomous charm."

Book Description:

Yuri and her sisters, Britt and Tanis, were born with eight long tentacles instead of beautifully jeweled and sequined fishtails. Banned from Atlantis because of their deformity, they live hidden away and are forbidden from entering Merfolk territory.

 

Britt unknowingly crosses over the ocean's divide and leads her sisters into a sea of trouble. A flesh-hungry beast is hunting them while something much more foreboding is hunting the beast-Kaleb and Neo, the Princes of Atlantis, who are competing for the throne. Whoever kills the beast first becomes the rightful heir, but fate holds other plans.

 

Can the three sisters survive a torrent of danger, desire, and deceit?

Amazon     BN    

Excerpt:

Kaleb, the son of King Oasis, sat on his red and gold chariot. Large black seahorses adorned with golden paint pulled it forward as his army followed behind, saddled on their seahorse steeds. With each command from the King’s son, they drummed their fists on their armor made from reinforced turtle shells, all stunningly painted and garnished in sequins and gold.

A few days ago, King Oasis had proudly declared that there would be a competition between him and his twin brother, Neo. A beast had been terrorizing Atlantis, and whoever brought him the head of this creature would take the throne and the enormous bounty that came with it.

“Forward! We can’t afford to lose the trail of this beast!” Kaleb shouted as he lifted a long golden horn to his lips and blew.

His army moved forward in unison. He trailed behind them in his chariot, gripping his long-pronged golden trident in one hand and horn in the other. Kaleb was on the hunt, much like the monster who had hunted the occupants of Atlantis. Just last week, two more children had gone missing, and now that his troop had moved forward, he could search the area for survivors.

His eyes carefully scanned side to side, above, and then finally to the bottom of the seabed. To his left, he spotted a damaged boat flipped upside down with a large, jagged hole in one side. He tightened his grip on the trident, swimming down toward the dilapidated rowboat. Silver strands of hair stuck out of the damage in the boat’s side, looking like kelp waving in the current.

“Hello?” His body crept forward hesitantly as he cleared his throat. “By order of the King Oasis, reveal yourself!” Kaleb’s voice bellowed through the water.

The rowboat stirred as the head of a young girl tentatively made its way out of the hole. Her pale body followed, embellished in a purple laced corset that ended where her long black tentacles protruded.

Kaleb’s mouth dropped open. Now, Yuri swayed before him. His wide eyes traced her body up and down.

What…what is this girl doing here? Oh!

“Do you mean to harm me?” Yuri asked, cutting through the silence, her tone sharp as a blade.

Kaleb’s mouth curved into an amused smile. She’s bold. He had not seen her kind very often—they stayed hidden. This was new to him.

It was for a fair reason they hid away since his people hated hers, after all. Despised them with great passion. He ran his hands through his light-brown hair and then down to his chiseled jawline.

What if my father had found her? He shook his head, refocusing mossy green eyes on Yuri as he studied her.

Her hair was beautiful, and much like that of the mermaids he had grown up with, it was long and flowed behind her in the water as she moved. Yuri’s eyes met his, and he held her gaze, staring at the stunning icy-blue that looked back at him. He traced her pale complexion from her face down to her skinny arms, now held bent and stiff against her hips.

“Do you not know who I am?” He wore a cocky smile that hollowed into dimples at his cheeks.

Yuri’s brows furrowed. Her sharp glare stabbed at his ego, causing his dimpled smirk to retreat from his face like a wounded soldier. “Honestly, I don’t care who you are. Answer the question.

Are your intentions to harm me?” Her eyes darted to his pronged trident.

Kaleb’s grip loosened on his weapon as he stooped toward the seabed, his eyes remaining focused on Yuri’s icy-blue scowl. He opened his palms, letting the trident roll out of his hands and onto the sandy seafloor.

Inching back, he straightened his arms, outstretching his hands high over his head. “No, I don’t wish to harm you. Do you wish to harm me?” He wiggled the fingers of his empty hands.

Yuri crossed her arms over her puffed-out chest.

“That entirely depends on you,” she sneered. Her nostrils flared.

The once-retreated smirk returned to Kaleb’s face. How could such a small and petite girl have so much attitude? This girl is feisty! As his heavy trident sank deeper into the ocean floor, he lowered his hands and tapped awkwardly at his sides. His armor clung to his broad, muscular chest as he gestured in a proper bow. I might as well introduce myself properly.

“I’m Kaleb. My father is King Oasis of Atlantis. My troops and I came out here to hunt the beast that terrorizes these waters.” Kaleb paused for a response that didn’t come. He waited.

His stomach knotted at Yuri’s silence. It twisted like the ends of a fishing net. Her deep-blue eyes stared off to the rowboat in which she had emerged. “And you are…”



About the Author:

Kristina Streva grew up in Rockland County, New York. As a chronic daydreamer, she took up writing as a hobby and soon realized the magic in creating fantastical worlds. She loves museums, thrifting, movies, art, crafting, reading, and all things creative.

https://www.instagram.com/author.kstreva/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22510176.Kristina_Streva

Tour Giveaway

1 copy of The Inked and a mermaid glass mug! Open to US Shipping

 

 

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Superwoman by Mona Andrei #spotlight #giveaway #humor #adultnonfiction

 

 
Book Details:

174 pages
Genre: HUMOR / Topic / Marriage & Family
Publisher: Cynren​ Press
​Publication Date: March 2021.
Content Rating: PG-13: No violence, but a splattering of profanity (including the F-word) and discussion of bad marriages. 

Book Description:
 

They put the tiny, red-faced bundle into her arms, and time stopped. She gazed at that puckered little face and whispered, Welcome to the world, baby girl. Little did she know that within weeks, she would become a single mother—not exactly what she had imagined for her daughters and herself, but exactly what needed to happen. This is the story of a single mother, but it’s more than that. Sometimes funny, sometimes reflective, it’s also your story—a story of that peculiar, trying, and wonderful state of motherhood.

In Superwoman: A Funny and Reflective Look at Single Motherhood, popular humor blogger Mona Andrei brings you her sage and snickery insights on being a single mom, with all its gore and glory. Through a series of interviews, you’ll also get a voyeuristic peek into the lives of other single mothers—and don’t we all love that feeling of Thank goodness, I’m not the only one! We’re all superwomen here.

BUY THE BOOK:
Cynren Press
Amazon 
add to goodreads  Meet the Author:

Mona Andrei’s adulting journey took an unexpected turn when she realized that the father of her children was not committed to the family they had started together. At the time, she was twenty-four years old. With a baby in her arms and a toddler in tow, she soon realized that everything had fallen on her shoulders, including any chance for a secure future for her and her girls. With humor and candor as her strongest tools for survival, she went from struggling single mother to accomplished wordsmith to member of an award-winning advertising team to top 100 humor blogger. Today, she continues her journey, writing and speaking about her experiences as a single mother with a focus on changing the way that single mothers are respected and appreciated in the workplace: a win–win for both.

​
Enter the Giveaway: 

Superwoman: by Mona Andrei Book Tour Giveaway