C.A. Milson's Blog, page 114
February 22, 2022
IT TAKES TWO – Book Tour
It Takes Two
by Nicole Sallak Anderson
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GENRE: Contemporary Romance
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BLURB:
Twenty years ago, Willow Dwyer nearly died in a school shooting that stole the life of her true love, James. Now she’s forty, infertile, newly divorced from a man who refuses to leave her alone, and on the brink of a breakdown.
Even after all this time, she still finds herself unable to move forward from the dream of a life and family she lost that day of the shooting. At the suggestion of her therapist, Willow takes up the tango, the dance she’d mastered with James before his death. It seems an innocent enough plan, until Willow dances with Merrick Montagne.
Merrick is a strikingly handsome, twenty-year-old college student with an uncanny ability for the tango. He makes her heart race for the first time in she can’t remember how long, and the strangest thing is, he claims he’s been searching for her his entire life. Willow doesn’t know if she believes him, or if she can handle the scrutiny she’s sure to get for dating someone so much younger than her. Yet no matter how hard she tries, she just can’t seem to walk away. When revelations begin to connect Merrick even further to her past, Willow must decide how much she’s willing to risk for a love that should be impossible, a love she’s not sure she could survive losing again.
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EXCERPT
“Excuse me,” he said, his blue eyes piercing, as if he could see into her soul. “What is your name?”
Her body quivered. Why did she feel like she was going to fall over? Two gin and tonics was nothing for her. It had to be his eyes—they reminded her of James.
“Willow.” Even her feet were now numb. “And yours?”
He gazed at her as if appraising a new car, and then smiled. “Merrick Montagne. May I have this dance?”
She nodded and followed him to the dance floor. The touch of his hand was electric, familiar, warm. She wanted to cast off the spell, but instead decided to be curious. Who was this young man? Merrick took her into his close embrace, and she smelled his neck—cologne but not obtrusive, mixed with the scent of a male, pure and raw. He led her in a sequence that slowly came back to her.
Milonete, step, step, cruzada, hesitate…hesitate…enganche…embellishment…dibujo…
Willow held her ground, drawing tension out of Merrick. He waited for her, cheek to cheek, as she dragged her foot up his leg, one millimeter at a time, leaning her breasts into his chest. He gasped, and his heartbeat quickened against her own. When his body trembled like a taught bowstring, she placed her foot on the ground and he walked her again, releasing his breath as she granted him control of the dance. By the end of the triplet, the two of them were breathing as if they’d jogged for an hour.
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Nicole Sallak Anderson is Computer Science graduate from Purdue University, and former CTO for a small Silicon Valley startup, turned novelist, speaker, and blogger. Her essays range from AI and Zen to direct democracy to the loneliness of modern parenting— featured as a top twenty story on Medium. She is the author of The Song of the King’s Heart Trilogy, is a series about the last native Pharaoh of Ancient Egypt and his quest to take back his ancestral kingdom from the Ptolemaic Empire. All three installments, Origins, Blood and Chaos, and Civilization’s End, are available on Amazon. Origins is also available on Audible.
Her recent novel, It Takes Two, is about forty-year-old Willow Dwyer, who takes up the tango and finds herself dancing in the arms of Merrick Montagne, a man half her age who claims he’s been searching for her all his life.
You can keep up with all her latest writing on her website nicolesallakanderson.com or by following @NSallakAnderson on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Medium. Feel free to contact her, she always answers any query or comment!
Amazon buy link: https://www.amazon.com/Takes-Two-Nicole-Sallak-Anderson-ebook/dp/B09R16JT8Q/
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RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY
Nicole Sallak Anderson will be awarding a $20 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
Production Status – Disaster Dates
Disaster Dates – FIlm Production
Disaster Dates is a comedy, very loosely based on a previous project called Bogan Bachelor. Each skit goes for 5 minutes, 6 at the most.
Plot Outline: Mike and Susie decide to explore the world of online dating. However, they find out that dating has changed quite a lot, and everything that can go wrong, does go wrong as they have one disasterous date after another.
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Mikes Dates:
Date 1: The “Not a ONS, but really is a ONS” – Mike meets Gabriela. A woman who has lived in Manchester for 5 years. She works as a cleaner. During the date, she says that he would not be able to live under her “strict rules”. He then goes on a series of hilarious questions such as: What rules would those be? Does that mean I cant shag the sofa? Can I still spread kitty litter all over the floor? Can I still drink from the toilet? Can I still do ass race across the carpet with my dog? What about shagging your leg? Am I allowed to do that? What about the GILF who lives next door? Can I still shag her leg? Am I allowed to throw my cat up on the roof and see how long it takes for him to get down? Can I chase the postman and cars? What about the dog biscuits? Am I allowed to still eat those with my dog? Can I fart all over the house like my dog and blame it on the cat? Can I still howl at the moon in the middle of the night? What if my balls are itchy? Can I lick them myself or will you do that for me? She does not understand his humor, and calls him some colorful names then abruptly leaves.
Date 2: The Wanna-Be-Spokesperson – Mike meets Rita. She has ambitions to make it big on social media as a spokeswoman. Every chance she gets, she will break into product placement lines, even when there is no camera on her. Mike thinks she is a bit of a loon, especially when she orders a meat pie with adding “Because your Pies are not the only meat I like in my mouth”
Date 3: The Cling-On – Mike meets Karen. A separated woman in her 50’s who drinks too much, sleeps in separate bedroom to her husband, likes to give unwanted advice to “potential” lovers, and wants to be a model, even though she is not suited to do anything in modeling.
Date 4: The Psycho – Jeannie is a woman in her late 30’s. Control freak and if a partner does not comply to her “wants” she yells at him and goes on a massive rant. The date ends after a few minutes when Mike orders for himself a drink that is not what she wanted him to have, and she starts verbally abusing him.
Date 5: The Stalker – Carol is in her early 40’s. She takes an instant attraction to him, and after the date ends she starts to follow him, to the point when after he notices her following him, he walks off faster, and then runs off with her running after him, yelling “Wait Mikey! Dont go! I love you!” He manages to loose her in the shopping mall and quickly goes home.
Date 6: The Alcoholic – Betty is in her 40’s and a constant drunk.
Date 7: The “DOLE” girl – Sharon is in her late 30’s but looks to be in her 50’s. Making a living on the Single Parent Pension, she is always on the lookout for her next “donor” so she can claim benefits for another child. She is foul-mouthed, loud, a stoner, and doesn’t care about creating a scene in public, especially at the welfare office when they “stuff up her payment” and how the current PM can’t house anyone.
Date 8: The “Good Religious Girl” – Mary is from a very religious and strict family. Mike is waiting for her at the cafe, and when she arrives, he is taken-aback to see that her father has turned up as her chaperone. Instead of getting to know her, Mike is given the “20 questions” routine by her father, and then when he “summizes” that Mike is not good enough, he tells Mary that they are going, then has some choice verbal abuse for Mike as they leave.
Date 9: The “I Have A Secret” Girl – Dayanne. Late 30’s. Dresses nice. Works as a secretary for a law firm. She seems to be a little bit too perfect. After a while he realizes why she looks familiar, as he saw her on TV a while ago, wanted by the police for murdering ex boyfriends in various cities.
Date 10: The “This Could Be The One” Girl – Mike meets Katrina, or Trini/Kat to her friends. She works at a restaurant nearby as a manager. She is level headed and knows what she wants in life. They hit it off, and there is that “instant” connection between them. We see the ending scene of Kat and Mike cuddled up in bed, and her sharing a startling secret of her own.
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Susie’s Dates:
Date 1: The Yella – Gary – Late 30’s. He thinks he is high class and can cook meals that would want the royal family approve of him being their head chef. He likes to boast of his “royal” connections and expensive taste in wines, but in reality, he lives in a very modest flat, his cooking skills are limited to ‘baked beans on toast’, the only ‘royal’ connection he has is the brand of cat food he buys, and he has a habit of screaming ‘shut up!’ to anyone who does not see things his way. Needless to say, the date ends after he yells at Susie when she remarks that he did not need to wear a tux to a casual date.
Date 2: The Redneck – Darren (Dazza) – He knows all things Holden, Beer, Smokes, AFL and classic Aussie rock. Wears flannel shirts without the sleeves, mullet hairdo, talks like the typical Bogan. Date with Dazza ends before it begins as he walks up to her table at a cafe and slams his foot down on the table and says “G’day love”. Little did he realize that his balls are exposed for everyone to see. Susie abruptly leaves.
Date 3: The Yuppie – Teddy, 40’s. Teddy is a yuppie through and through. He turns up for the date, carrying 2 cell phones, hair slicked back, designer sunnies. During the date he talks only about himself and shows vain interest in her.
Date 4: The Boaster – Peter, early 50’s. Peter dresses smart and has a habit of wearing a drivers cap whenever he goes out. He has a humor that ponly himself thinks is funny. He has a habit of boasting (several times) how much he makes Nett (repeatedly, NETT) a year. Little does Susie know is that Peter is married. For him, he is only looking to get laid.
Date 5: The Gambler – Brad, late 30’s. Brad lives in a HMO. A hard worker but has an issue with drinking and gambling. He never sees any of his own money, as his salary is deposited into his sister bank account and she pays his rent and gives him allowance for his shopping. Otherwise, he’d gamble the lot away. Date ends after he asks her for £100 for a quick gamble.
Date 6: The Cop – Mark, late 40’s. Mark is an undercover cop. He takes his job way too seriously and thinks everyone is guilty of something, except himself. He has a dark side to his personality, and compares himself to Justin Statham. He takes a shine to Susie, only because he has another agenda…
Date 7: The Comic – Jim, late 40’s. Jim takes care of himself. He lives in a modest 2 bedroom flat. Divorced, no kids. A dog owner. He works for a staffing agency in town, and has a very comedic side to his personality. He is known to do the comedy clubs in Manchester, where he is a stand-up comic, and still waiting for his big break. He considers himself the next Jim Carrey.
Date 8: The Chopper – Reece, 50’s. Reece is a biker and used to be part of a gang in the 80’s, when street violence was a ‘thing’. He is as rough as they come, and the mouth to match. Despite his tough appearance he does have a soft spot for kittens.
Date 9: The Klepto – Spencer, late 30’s. Spencer is a thief, plain and simple. During the date with Susie, he is fidgety and nervous, then when he see his opportunity he snatches her handbag and runs off, with her in distress. Fortunately for her, Mark (The cop), apprehends him and saves the day. Little did she know is that it was a set-up by Mark.
Date 10: The Mr Perfect.. Or is he …. Malcolm, 40’s. Malcolm is intelligent and has a good balanced SOH. Never married. He has a mental ‘check list’ of what he expects in someone. Susie suspects something is not quite kosher with this date, expecially when he orders steak, raw.
Final Date:
Susie and Mike. Both Mike and Susie are fed up with the whole dating disasters they have both been on, and giving it one last try, they meet. The conversation starts awkward at first, then opens up when Mike asks her about her previous dates. From there, there is a connection between them. We see them having a meal, a glass of wine, sharing laughs, then afterwards see them walking down the street, hand in hand.
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Some of the production team for the comedy film, Disaster Dates
February 9, 2022
VBT – THE ORDER OF TIME SERIES
The Order of Time Series
by Scott P. Southall
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GENRE: Middle Grade Fantasy (Mythology/Ancient History)
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BLURB:
About the Series
Picture two twelve-year-old fraternal twins who are like night and day. She is a smart and highly organised MMA fighter. He’s not a fighter, he’s a lover of history, art and Star Wars. Despite their differences they are one formidable team. Together Anastasia and Edward Upston travel through time and navigate ancient civilisations, angry gods and mythical monsters in their quest to protect the integrity of human history.
About The Order of Time
Anastasia and Edward Upston are eleven year old twins who are different in almost every way. Despite this they are inseparable and he best of friends. They tackle the highs and lows of sixth grade together whether they are fending off bullies at the elite Blake Academy or examining rare antiquities at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. Then: life gets complicated.
They discover that their friend and mentor, Dr. Gregorian, is part of a secret society called the Order of Time. It turns out that time is not fixed, it’s a fluid continuum where changes to the past can create ripples all the way through to the present. It unwittingly falls to the twins to travel back through time to ancient Egypt where they must overcome deadly assassins, evil high priests and vengeful gods in order to prevent disaster. Together Anastasia and Edward must navigate all obstacles to preserve the past and find their way back home.
About The Order of Time and Odin’s Door The orange light bathed the snow-covered fields as the fiery globe began to dip below the horizon. It was strange that something so beautiful could signal the arrival of something so evil. One thing twelve-year-old twins Anastasia and Edward Upston knew for sure was that when mortals were caught between two bickering gods nothing good would come of it. Surviving the Viking Age may be the hardest thing they ever do, if they can…
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EXCERPT
Excerpt From The Order of Time
They started to leave when the room suddenly lit up with a strange purple light coming from under a closet door.
“Why is the closet glowing?” asked Edward, his voice trailing up an octave. “Maybe we should get out of here.”
“What if Dr. G’s in there? You know he always locks his door, but it was open tonight. Maybe he’s still here. He might need our help,” Anastasia said emphatically.
The light was getting brighter by the second. Now Edward could also hear a low humming noise.
“Stop being crazy, Anastasia! This is the part in the movies where you yell at the screen for the characters not to open the door. We are not going to open that door.”
“I’m not being crazy. If Dr. G is in there and needs help, we’ll never forgive ourselves.”
Edward looked at her pleadingly, but she wasn’t giving in. His shoulders slumped in defeat. Oh god, please don’t let there be a monster or anything really scary in there. Anastasia dragged him over to the closet door. The light pouring out around the cracks was incredibly bright and the humming was getting louder. She gripped the large, brass doorknob, took a breath, and opened the door.
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Scott is an American author and banking executive who lives in Sydney, Australia. He grew up in the suburbs of Washington D.C. and attended Georgetown University. While he loves his job as a global banker, his true passion is making up stories with his children. His debut novel, The Order of Time, reached #1 in its category on Amazon and was the 2021 Reader’s Favorite Gold Medal Winner in the Children’s – Mythology/Fairy Tale genre.
https://www.scottpsouthall.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-southall-6bab5a4/
https://www.instagram.com/scottsouthallauthor/
https://www.facebook.com/scott.southallauthor
https://twitter.com/SSouthallAuthor
The book is on sale for $0.99 during the tour.
https://www.amazon.com/Order-Time-Scott-P-Southall-ebook/dp/B07Z3XWJQ9
https://bookawards.com/book-award/the-order-of-time
https://readersfavorite.com/2021-award-contest-winners.htm#the-order-of-time
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RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY
One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card.
Enter to win a $50 Amazon/BN GC – a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Author Interview …
Q: What is something you’ve lied about?
A: When I was five I lied about my age so that I could play on my local neighborhood soccer team. I had been watching my older brother play for a few years and I was desperate to play. The rules were that you had to be six to be eligible to play and I missed the cutoff by a month or two. In my mind the age restriction was the height of injustice and oppression. So, I told a big fat lie on the registration form. I was definitely six! Luckily registrations for the Thunder Hill soccer team weren’tchecked by FIFA and I wasn’t barred from the game for life.
Q: Who is the last person you hugged?
A: I hugged my six year-old daughter when she woke up this morning. She is a big-time cuddler which I love. It could have been because she loves me. It also could have been because it was cold outside this morning and I am always warm. Either way I will take it while it lasts. I’m not that picky.
Q: What are you reading now?
A: I’m reading Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi and the Golden Son by Pierce Brown. Aru Shah has been a lot of fun. It’s taking me way past my paltry knowledge of Hindu Myths that I learned in my college Hinduism class. Roshani Chokshi is also very funny. I really enjoyed the first book in the Red Rising Saga so Golden Son is one that I am looking forward to getting into.
Q: How do you come up with the titles to your books?
A: It’s not scientific for me. Naming a book is all about feel. I knew that The Order of Time was the title for my fist book as soon as I named Dr. G’s secret society. I loved how it was both a cool name for a mysterious order and how it reflected the concept of the integrity of human history. I was slightly stressed when I discovered that Physicist Carlo Rovelli had published his book of the same title about ten months before mine. Did I need to change titles? In the end, I decided that we had drastically different target audiences so it was going to be okay.
As for the second book, I had to search a little more. The working title started as The Test of Time. About half way through writing I decided that it just didn’t work me. I had half a dozen different titles that I kept trying out as I saved my working drafts. I eventually settled on The Order of Time and Odin’s Door. It establishes the book’s connection to the series and will hopefully be intriguing enough to draw new readers in.
Q: Share your dream cast for your book.
A: I’m going to skip the twins and the other kids as I imagine them as undiscovered actors. However, I will give the rest of the characters a go as they say in Australia.
Dr. Alfred Gregorian – Robert Redford
Soren Magnusson — Alexander Ludwig
Erik the Red – Kit Harrington
Sir Archibald Davenport – Michael Caine
Raphael Augustino – Al Pacino
Florance – Meryl Streep
Lucia – Courtney Eaton
VBT – CHANDELIER
Chandelier
by Michael Leon
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GENRE: Sci-fi/ Fantasy Romance
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BLURB:
CHANDELIER is the genre-bending sci-fi/fantasy-romance novel follow up of Michael Leon’s 2019 fantasy-romance book, PHANTOMS. A century has passed since the fabled Phantom ruled the Garnier Opera House. Technology has advanced, and AI has evolved beyond human knowledge. They reside in a virtual Earth, free from the ravages of an environmentally damaged Earth where humans and post-humans live under AI’s qualified governance. CHANDELIER follows one AI sentient’s journey, Benny, whose loyalty for a famous opera singer, Madame D’Arenberg, sets him on a dangerous course, entangling him in The Phantom of the Opera’s deadly web.
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EXCERPT
A human whistling sound, distant but growing louder permeated the chill of the room. An unearthly chilled breath wafted over his face. He opened his eyes and looked up to its source, but he was alone, until light formed on the wall behind Gaston’s bed. Shapeless light swirled as if blown by that same breeze. The foggy disturbance slowed, allowing the swirling shape to take form. It was human but completely covered in black, bar the shape of a smooth ghost-like face. As the contours sharpened he realised it was a mask. Was he looking at the phantom? If he was, Gaston’s stories had all been real!
Fear gripped him to the seat. He wanted to flee but dared not move. Before the apparition suddenly looked Flynn’s way, turning his fear to terror.
“Who are you?” He asked feebly, but the apparition remained silent.
Flynn went to stand but a second shape appeared from behind him. A man dressed in white walked toward Gaston’s bed, making no sound as it glided across the room. Both apparitions studied the body for a time, ignoring Flynn before vanishing through the bedroom wall, leaving Flynn alone. He immediately stood and left the room, fearful they may return, not daring to look back. Whatever he witnessed, he didn’t wish to see again. Flynn was a scientist who staunchly refuted Gaston’s ramblings about ghosts as the product of a vivid imagination. They had spent many years arguing over their existence. Perhaps this was his friend’s final wish, to show him that everything he had written and said was true.
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Michael Leon is an explorer, writer and author of the new novel, Sentient. Professionally trained in international trade, Michael has spent the last decade reading and writing SFF novels about new worlds to be explored in the future. His latest work, Sentient, imagines Earth in the year 2120. His next novel, Chandelier, will be released in 2022. Michael has travelled extensively around Europe, walking the paths of his characters, from the famous European opera houses in Phantoms to the mountain tops of Switzerland in Emissary.
Website: https://www.michaelleon.com.au
Twitter: https://twitter.com/michaelleon0433
Blogger: https://michaelleoncommentspage.blogspot.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5369984.Michael_Leon
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Michael-Leon/e/B01LNQALBW%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share
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RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY
One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card.
February 1, 2022
VBT – THE SHOE DIARIES
The Shoe Diaries
by Darby Baham
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GENRE: Contemporary Romance
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BLURB:
It’s never too late to put your best foot forward
From the outside, Reagan “Rae” Doucet has it all: a coveted career in Washington, DC, a tight circle of friends and a shoe closet to die for. When one of her crew falls ill, however, Rae is done playing it safe. The talented but unfulfilled writer makes a “risk list” to revamp her life. But forgiving her ex, Jake Saunders, might be one risk too many…
From Harlequin Special Edition: Believe in love. Overcome obstacles. Find happiness.
The Friendship Chronicles/Book 1: The Shoe Diaries
“Reminiscent of Sex and the City and the Shopaholic series in the best possible way. Her stories are a lot of fun and yet she still tugs at your heartstrings.”–Gail Chasan, Special Edition Editor
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EXCERPT
Romance
February 13, 2016
“With this ring, I thee wed, and with it, I bestow upon thee the treasures of my mind, heart and hands…”
Staring at my friends from my seat, I noticed more than just their words as they recited their vows. I saw their hands clasped together throughout the ceremony, and the smiles they wore even through their tears; the way they focused on each other like no one else was present even while a hundred and fifty of us stared at them with glee. But most important, I saw the love that was undeniable between the two of them. Strange, but I was all at once happy and sad, amazed and hurt. In them I saw hope for a future. Here were two people who’d found love and decided that nothing else was more important than their union. Yet, standing less than two feet away from them, I also saw the man I’d hoped would be my future—and it hurt me to my core to know that we would never have this same moment.
Every few minutes I caught myself peeking over at him during the ceremony, hoping he would turn to me, and we would have some kind of knowing thought between us. That we would have a brief second where no words were necessary, and through our eyes, we’d say, “I know it didn’t work for us, but I still love you.” I craved that moment more than anything I’d ever wanted before, wishing with all my might he would just look over. Just glance at me…and smile.
That look never happened.
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Darby Baham (she/her) is a debut author with Harlequin Special Edition and a New Yorker of five years who sometimes desperately misses the sprawling shoe closet she had while living in Maryland. She’s had personal blog posts appear in The Washington Post’s relationship vertical and has worked in the communications industry for more than two decades. The New Orleans, LA native is also a lover of big laughs and books that swallow you into their world. Her first book, The Shoe Diaries, debuts in 2022.
Author Website www.DarbyBaham.com
Linktree https://linktr.ee/darbybaham
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/darby.baham/
Twitter https://twitter.com/darbybaham
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/darbybaham/
Darby Baham’s Washington Post bylines
I had the perfect date dress. Why did it hang in my closet unworn for more than a year? — March 2016
When it comes to relationship advice, sometimes it’s best to ignore your friends — February 2016
I’m the oldest sister in my family and I’m single. And that’s okay. — March 2016
I was afraid to say ‘I love you.’ Here’s how I found the courage. –
NOTE: Here is the link to subscribe to receive books specifically from Harlequin Special Edition — https://www.readerservice.com/content/series/harlequin-special-edition/
Darby’s book will be included in the January edition.
The Shoe Diaries Sales Links
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-shoe-diaries-darby-baham/1139911402
https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Shoe-Diaries/Darby-Baham/9781335408365?id=8355481149755
https://www.harlequin.com/shop/books/9781335408365_the-shoe-diaries.html
https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781335408365
https://books.google.com/books/about/The_Shoe_Diaries.html?id=bU06EAAAQBAJ
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RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY
One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card.
Enter to win a $50 Amazon/BN GC – a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Q&A
How many pairs of shoes do you own?
I used to have at least 200 pairs of shoes. When I moved to NYC a little over 5 years ago, I had to downsize, so I’m probably down to about 75, give or take a few.
Did you ever have to part with a pair of shoes you loved? And if so why? (this question is not so about you throwing away shoes but also about you having to leave a place bc you loved a pair of shoes but you couldn’t get them for some reason etc.)
I can’t think of a time as an adult when I saw a pair of shoes I really loved and I didn’t ultimately get them. Maybe that’s a problem! I will say that the incident that Reagan’s friend remind her about, when she lost a shoe after making out with a guy who performed oral sex with her for hours, that was absolutely inspired by a similar incident that happened to me. So that was certainly a time when I had to part with a pair of shoes I loved.
Favorite pair of shoes?
Today, it’s my maroon SJP heels that I bought for myself when I signed my deal with Harlequin. Tomorrow, it may be the next pair I obsess over before purchasing.
January 31, 2022
VBT – CAN’T THINK STRAIGHT
Can’t Think Straight
by Isabel Scheck
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GENRE: poetry/lgbtqia/romance
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BLURB:
A collection of 35 poems in which a poet thinks about women a little too much… (Sapphic poetry)
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EXCERPT
Poem no. 2: Love Is…
I am in love with love
Love is blonde hair and green eyes.
Love is infectious laughter and soft smiles, Love is cuddling while watching a movie.
I am in love with love
Love is caring and loyal.
Love is pretty and tells me she loves me
Love is patient and laughs at my stupid jokes.
I am in love with love.
Love is playing with my hair and kissing my forehead. Love is comforting and wipes away my tears.
Love is mine and I am hers.
I am in love with love.
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Isabel is a self-published author and artist who comes from England, but lives in Switzerland. She works with children, which she adores, but she also loves to write; especially in the genres of fantasy, poetry and romance. She uses experiences and images as inspiration to create words. Isabel also loves to express herself by drawing.
Instagram: Isabels_artwork
Tumblr: Hues-of-Purple
Twitter: IzzyS97
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThePoeticQueen97/
Lulu spotlight for all of my books: https://www.lulu.com/spotlight/isabelscheck
Link to Can’t Think Straight: https://www.lulu.com/en/gb/shop/isabel-scheck/cant-think-straight/paperback/product-mv998q.html?page=1&pageSize=4
Buy link: https://www.amazon.com/Cant-Think-Straight-LGBTQ-poetry/dp/1387843052/
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RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY
Isabel Scheck will be awarding 1 of 2 autographed books to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
Enter for a chance to win 1 of 2 autographed books – a Rafflecopter giveaway
January 30, 2022
Book Blast – THE LAST KEEPER
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
A young boy’s prophetic visions.
Blind at birth, Daemus Alaric is blessed with the gift of prophetic Sight. Now, as a Keeper of the Forbidden, he must use his powers of the Sight to foil the plans of a fallen Keeper, Graytorris the Mad.
An elven Princess with a horrifying secret.
Princess Addilyn Elspeth travels from Eldwal, the magically hidden home of the Vermilion elves, to begin her life as a diplomat to the human capital of Castleshire. During her journey, she stumbles upon a mystical creature foretelling ill tidings. A terrifying force of evil.
Daemus’ recurring nightmare vision threatens to catapult him into a terrifying struggle that will leave the fate of the Keepers—and the realm—hanging in the balance. Daemus and Princess Addilyn must set out to face the menace that threatens their very existence. Will the entire realm fall to its knees?
The Last Keeper is the first book in The Warminster Series. With gripping, epic action and heart-pounding adventure, you’ll love this new adventure series.
Read an Excerpt
He watched as an ethereal figure emerged from the mist, hovering over the water’s surface and meandering closer to him. It was a man, hunched and cloaked, his eyes hidden by greying bandages stained with blood—familiar, but only from his dreams. His face seemed to twist and change from night to night, growing darker and more haggard, though Daemus knew it was the same man each time. He always seemed unable to sense Daemus and was certainly unable to see him. Yet when the man was near, Daemus never felt safe. He looked like terror and death and emptiness. It was all Daemus could do not to scream.
As though tied to the same puppeteer’s strings, both Daemus and the man grew still at the same moment. Distantly, Daemus registered that something new was coming. His dream had never taken him this far, and that knowledge was terrifying. He didn’t want to know what would happen next.
His mind moved sluggishly, as though he was being slowly trapped in hardening amber. Perhaps the fog itself had clouded his mind when he was breathing it while desperately seeking his way. Panic crept up his spine, his eyes diluting as the fight-or-flight response kicked in. The man was so close that Daemus could smell the tracks of fresh blood crawling down his cheeks. It smelled of rusted swords and the bile of ruptured organs.
The man raised his head, his bloody countenance impassive, his robed arm reaching out for Daemus. It weaved through the air mere inches in front of him, as though the blinded man was looking for a stitch in the fabric of reality. Somehow, he seemed to be unaware of Daemus’s presence, though his gnarled finger was so close to the young man’s face that Daemus could see the dirt caked beneath the beds of the nails.
Daemus tried to move again, but his body refused to obey his mind’s desperate commands. He swallowed, his dry throat savoring the precious saliva, and fought back the tears that threatened to overwhelm him.
He opened his mouth and screamed.
The shrill sound ripped through the silence like a bell ringing in a sleepy village. Daemus’s hands flew up to his face as though to force the sound back in, but it was too late. Daemus knew in that moment that he’d made a fatal mistake. The figure had been unaware of him… until then.
The stranger turned.
“Finally,” he said with an evil cackle. “You’ve come for me, Daemus Alaric.”
Daemus opened his mouth to scream again, but the mist was sweeping back down from the mountains and swallowing up everything around them. Even the blinded man was no exception, and he melted away from Daemus along with everything else. Darkness overcame him, swirling into the blackness of unconsciousness as the stranger’s harsh laughter continued to echo in his ears.
About the Author:
Born of steel, fire and black wind, J.V. Hilliard was raised as a highlander in the foothills of a once-great mountain chain on the confluence of the three mighty rivers that forged his realm’s wealth and power for generations.
His father, a peasant twerg, toiled away in industries of honest labor and instilled in him a work ethic that would shape his destiny. His mother, a local healer, cared for his elders and his warrior uncle, who helped to raise him during his formative years. His genius brother, whose wizardly prowess allowed him to master the art of the abacus and his own quill, trained with him for battles on fields of green and sheets of ice.
Hilliard’s earliest education took place in his warrior uncle’s tower, where he learned his first words. HIs uncle helped him to learn the basics of life—and, most importantly, creative writing.
Hilliard’s training and education readied him to lift a quill that would scribe the tale of the realm of Warminster, filled with brave knights, harrowing adventure and legendary struggles. He lives in the city of silver cups, hypocycloids and golden triangles with his wife, a ranger of the diamond. They built their castle not far into the countryside, guarded by his own two horsehounds, Thor and MacLeod, and resides there to this day.
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J.V. Hilliard will be awarding a $10 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
January 24, 2022
THORN OF SECRETS – Book Blast
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
In love with the same face that haunts me….
The falling leaves of autumn are like the deceit in my family lineage. Closing the door on the infinite cold—winter blossoms into the spring of new beginnings. In the next season of my life, I’m mending the pieces back together. Opening myself up, I even begin to date, which is a big step for me.
After graduating from high school, a shocking development causes me to be on alert. When nothing comes of it, I move forward, wanting desperately to put the past behind me.
About to start college, I bump into someone from my complicated past, and my heart is torn. The dilemma I struggle with: Do I let other people’s opinion define who I am? I must decide if I’ll push through the ridicule and pave my own path. Could the face that’s scorned me be the key to my resolve? I’ll never know if I take the easy way out.
I’ve unlocked my darkest secret only to have it return to torment me. As the thorns of his obsession encompass me, I discover I’m part of a twisted ploy. If I don’t figure a way out of this predicament, then the life I’ve known may cease to exist.
Don’t miss the riveting sequel to Madison’s story that will have you dangling on the edge of your seat.
Read an Excerpt
A thunderous rumble jolts me awake. I blink in the darkness, wondering what the awful noise is outside. Another blaring sound pierces the air, causing the hair on the back of my neck to rise.
Is that an ambulance?
I cover my ears, hoping to dampen the onslaught of sound. As I gather my bearings, I remember we’re in the middle of a hurricane. On the dirty side, to be exact, and the roaring is not a good sign. Justin slept in the game room with me. The ear-splitting howl snaps him awake.
“What are those sounds?” I ask, my voice elevating.
Justin’s eyes widen as he scurries from the sofa over to the window. I doubt he can see much with the blackout. The only light in the room is from the kerosene lamp.
“I can hardly make out anything.” Justin confirms what I thought. “But something seems to be coming towards us quickly. I … think it’s a tornado.”
“What?” I hop off the sofa, quick, fast, and in a hurry. “Please tell me you’re joking?” From the look on his face, he’s not. The wind is whipping so hard, I fear the windows will break at any second. The booming roar sounds like a freight train about to run straight through the house. That’s the best way to describe the hideous noise.
Jackson races down the hall with Tanya on his heels. “What the hell is that?” he asks.
“More than likely a tornado and the blaring noise is probably the warning alarms. We need to get to the half-bath downstairs!” Justin shouts.
It’s becoming difficult to hear anything but the roar as it moves closer.
“You don’t have to tell me twice.” Jackson takes the stairs two at a time.
Tanya is right behind him. Justin pulls my arm to follow. He is going so fast it’s hard to keep up. Halfway down, my toe smacks a step wrong, and I trip, colliding into him. The force of me bumping into Justin causes him to lose his balance. We tumble the rest of the way down the stairs, landing with a thud.
Tanya halts on the end of the staircase. “You’re such a klutz.”
I’m too dazed for a comeback. Justin’s weight is crushing me.
He scrambles off. “You okay?”
“I’ll be fine.”
About the Author:
B. Truly has wanted to be an author since she was fifteen years old. She is grateful to have accomplished this dream. B. Truly has very vivid dreams and a wild imagination. She likes to read, watch tons of TV shows, and movies. She’s addicted to romance and gets a thrill out of suspense and sci-fi. She writes young adult, new adult, and adult romance, sci-fi, dystopian, and paranormal genres.
B. Truly likes to explore conflicted plots of romance with thrilling twists. She also loves creating impossible situations for her characters to grow from and try to overcome.
B. Truly has three wonderful children, and a husband who defines the person that she is today. She works full-time as an Ultrasound technologist in Houston, Texas.
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B. Truly will be awarding a $10 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
January 23, 2022
THE DEMOCRATIZATION OF THE PRIVATE MARKET – Book Blast
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
Facebook, Uber, Robinhood: all were private companies at some point. Historically, there has been no way for investors to easily buy and sell shares in private companies. With the introduction of blockchain technology, digital securities, and decentralized financial solutions, the ability to grow the private market is on the horizon. Regulators around the world are rushing to catch up and understand how to protect investors who want to participate in this market. This book reviews the regulatory, technical, and societal challenges to open this asset class to more investors in the future.
Read an Excerpt
Currently, US residents who want to invest in the private market need to have a certain net worth to participate. Under the cover of this exclusive private club is access to investment opportunities, supporting innovation, and extreme risk. As the private market has grown, the types of investment instruments and the complexity of the investment structure has increased significantly. Unlike investing in the public market, investing in private ventures can be complicated and requires an understanding of securities law, tax strategy, and, in many cases, future technology that can only be envisioned by innovative entrepreneurs. The key characteristics of the private market are: • Less company regulation • Limited public reporting requirements, especially for smaller companies • A lack of information symmetry • Only investment professionals, or the ultra-wealthy, can invest (accredited investors) With the changes in technology solutions, the advent of new financial solutions, and a change in the way some founders approach building their companies, these characteristics may change as the private market grows. Dan Gallagher, General Counsel of Robinhood and a former Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Commissioner, describes the private market as “a vibrant ecosystem.” Capital is key to growth in a private company, and it can come from various sources — professional individual investors (sometimes called “angel investors”), venture capital firms (VC firms), friends and family, and crowdfunding campaigns. Private equity (PE) is sometimes confused with private company investment. PE firms tend to acquire mature companies and recapitalize and re-organize their targets. PE firms generally aren’t looking to make individual investments alongside other investors. For the purposes of this book, we will mostly focus on non-PE owned companies, although we do discuss liquidity in PE funds. The private market is attractive because investors in privately held companies hope to quickly increase the company’s value, then sell their stakes later through a buyout, trade sale, recapitalization, or listing on a public market via initial public offerings (IPOs).
About the Author:
Carine Schneider, FGE (Fellow of Global Equity) is an experienced and well-connected leader in the private market and global compensation industry with deep experience working in consulting, technology, and financial services. She is the President of AST Private Company Solutions (AST PCS). She was named one of the 100 Influential Women in Silicon Valley by the Silicon Valley Business Journal and one of 17 “Women to Watch” in 2017 by Brown Brothers Harriman Center on Women and Wealth. Carine was formerly the President, Nasdaq Private Market and has been the founder and CEO of Global Shares, CEO of Certent, and Partner at PwC. She has also held senior level positions at Morgan Stanley and Willis Towers Watson. She was the founding Executive Director of the National Association of Stock Plan Professionals (NASPP) and founded the nonprofit Global Equity Organization (GEO) where she is now Chair Emeritus, after serving as Chair for eighteen years. She 103 started her career as Manager of Shareholder Relations at Oracle Corporation where she assisted in the IPO. Ms. Schneider was born in The Netherlands and received her degree in psychology and sociology from the University of California, Santa Cruz. She is a frequent speaker at conferences around the world, including at President Obama’s 2016 Global Entrepreneurial Summit, and has authored various articles and chapters in industry publications. She currently serves as a member of the Board of Professional Business Women of California (PBWC). In 2019, she received the UK ProShare Award for Service to Employee Share Ownership.
Carine Schneider will be awarding a $10 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
January 11, 2022
WHAT A GODLY PRIVILEGE TO BE BORN A MAN
What a Godly Privilege to Be Born a Man
by Tabitha Biel Luak
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GENRE: FICTION / African American / General
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BLURB:
This book is inspired by true events.
Chosen from among the mob of her boyfriend’s girlfriends, married in the most secure, respectful, and honourable way known to the people, Nyayang Jock, a girl born without a brother, won the race, defeating her top co-girlfriend, Sarah, by being the youngest over Sarah born with brothers. At the least, unlike ninety-nine percent of the girls of her generation and how they were married, it is safe for Nyayang to say she was married for love to Chuol Malual, a businessman who was born into a big, rich family.
Nonetheless, unlike the expectation of her in-laws, the unattended attitude of the nature secretly stabbed Nyayang in the back, leaving her to fail and creating the family Chuol and his family fundamentally paid the forty cows for. After waiting for what seemed like a decade for her to get pregnant, she gave birth to a girl, a thing that only fueled the resultant ager. Taking a long time to get pregnant and only giving birth to a girl when she should have birthed a boy called for a quick search for another wife. For Chuol’s parents, this was a search for a working womb, but for Chuol it was just a search for wife number two, which he found hard now that he realized most girls showed many of the characteristics Nyayang had shown; however, eventually all displayed some problem.
But that all changed when he accidentally stumbled upon Sarah again, who instantly restored his manhood. Sarah not only filled Chuol’s life with the boys he had been looking for, but she had her chance one more time to not only show Nyayang that it is the woman born with brothers who wins, but that the woman who has the ability to birth boys is the ultimate winner. But values-setting, worth-determining, and love are all weaknesses in society. There is only one true winner, and that is the neighbor, the seasonal enemy, the chaff buyer, the Murlen man.
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EXCERPT
NBTM: What a Godly Privilege to Be Born a Man by Tabitha Biel Luak
FICTION / African American / General
There is a famous saying among the Nuer people which goes a little like this: “Every family has its way of talking and eating.” I don’t know what thoughts may pop into your mind upon hearing this saying. Personally? I see it as a universal family description—or perhaps the nature of these two things, “talking and eating,” are indeed that which differentiate us, the human race, universally.
Of course, there are other differences amongst people. And although one of the obvious differences is the colour of skin, there are also things formed with conscious intentions for the purpose of them becoming our ways of life. In most cases, although this can’t really be said about skin colour, there are persuasive goals set prior to forming a way to live. For instance, we teach children how to do well behaviourally so tomorrow is a bit clearer for them. However, within a formation, a tendency is developed. Sometimes, these tendencies come in the form of beliefs, which influence what and how we teach them.
Take this belief from the place I call home. Where I come from, in South Sudan, it is overwhelmingly believed that there is a difference between a male child and a female child. Of course, there is a difference. And so this difference is often exhausted and exploited to identify potential inequalities between the two. Unfortunately, the further this persists, the more limits we place on what we consider males and females to be capable of.
Nevertheless, humans are known to loathe dwelling in a valley of non-competitive spirit. Therefore, the only way forward is still to lean iii strongly toward one side and confidently unwrap the other side as if someone was there when she was all assembled.
It has always been the belief here at home, exhaustedly theorized and relentlessly practised, that one thing must be different from another. Often, to roll out one thing is enough but the other is not. In a remote way, this perception unconsciously brings us to inherently believe one is the product while the other is the producer. In other families, this way of reasoning may look a bit different; nonetheless, the derivation of the tendentious tendency in this family walks its way persistently from a claimed, precise understanding of fullness that can only be explained in four ways.
These involve precise understanding of the structural beauty of appearance, the strength of the structural body, the enormity of the group to which one belongs, and the sophistication or smoothness of the tongue. As a result, every response, every act and every performance revolves around these four things. Therefore, how each family teaches the two is different, for each family believes the two exist for different, unbalanced reasons. And that, unlike other families, this family eats and talks differently.
The stories you are about to read, with the exception of names and certain places, are real people’s stories, which, to this day, are still happening. As you flip through the pages, I urge you to ask yourself the following questions: What, then, is human? Who is human? And what does it mean to be one?
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Tabitha Biel Luak is a South Sudanese-Canadian author. Tabitha was born in South Sudan, Africa. She relocated to Edmonton, Canada in 2011. Tabitha is a mother of two beautiful girls. She is currently taking her bachelor degree in Psychology. She is very passionate about helping her community grow. She is involved with youth in helping them reconnect to their roots by learning about where they come from. Tabitha is a gospel singer who also writes and sings songs about social issues.
CONNECT WITH TABITHA BIEL LUAK
WEBSITE https://tabithabielluak.com/
FACEBOOK https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100070181181965
INSTAGRAM https://www.instagram.com/authortabithabielluak/
GOODREADS https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21733664.Tabitha_Biel_Luak
TWITTER https://twitter.com/tabithabiel?lang=en
YOUTUBE https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLocipq1VzLO7xWepXZKfzQ
PURCHASE LINKS for WHAT A GODLY PRIVILEGE TO BE BORN A MAN
AMAZON.COM https://amazon.com/dp/0228851858
AMAZON.CA https://amazon.ca/dp/0228851858
BARNES & NOBLE https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/what-a-godly-privilege-to-be-born-a-man-tabitha-biel-luak/1139976565
SMASHWORDS https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1097942
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RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY
Tabitha Biel Luak will be awarding a $15 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
Enter to win a $15 Amazon/BN GC – a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Author Questions
Tell us about you as a person.
My name is Tabitha Biel Luak. I’m a South Sudanese-Canadian Author. I’m a student and a mother. I’m a gospel singer and a poet. I love reading. I also love helping my community. I’m current running a nonprofit organization that serves to bring back our youth to our roots.
If you could hang out with one famous person for one day, who would it be and why?
This famous person is no longer with us, but I would needfully hang out with Nelson Mandela. I don’t even know if one day would be enough. But since one may be all there would be, I would hang out with him and make use of that day. The former South Africa president, Nelson Mandela was a man of some mystery ability. He was prisoned needlessly under a case that involved racism for almost three decades. However, 27 years later, he came out and reached out to all who made his life difficult. I would hang out and ask him one important question. And that would be: how did you do it without the need to retaliate what was wrongfully done unto you?
What’s the story behind your latest book?
Really, the story behind this book is about the current mindset toward women in my belove nation as we are talking. Girls are for the following reason: to be married and thereafter, give birth and serve men. Like many male-dominated societies, girls are considered second citizens of these places and have no right to education, to choosing to love or to knowing who they will spend the rest of their lives with. They are to be commoditized and exchanged for things men rather value.
What is your writing process?
My writing process begins with a prewriting or an idea. I normally do not plan or outline how I’m going to write; however, I do consider whatever I write first as the first draft and keep redrafting and eventually revise it all together.
If your book was to be turned into a movie, who would play the lead role(s) and why.
Thanks God this is going to come true one day. I would want both Eddie Murphy and Lupita Nyong’o to play the lead roles. I feel like they would bring out the emotions of the story.
What advice do you have for other writers who want to get the word out about their latest book?
The first thing you must know is that the first existing part of writing is accomplished already by you. And congratulations on that. First, let people know about it. Speaking to people who may have not known you have written a book is the first step in spreading the news. Word of mouth spreads very well. People love to help. Once you told others, they will tell other people they know and so on. Second, use social media. Many people are on social media. When you share the news about your project, people get it instantly. People, even the ones you don’t know have ways to see what is being shared and always desire to pass it on to those they know. Third, bring it to bloggers like CA Milson. This is one of the ways your work can get in the hands of professionals.
List 5 things on your bucket list.
My current bucket list consists of the following desires:
To finish my current projectTo exercise regularlyTo eat healthyTo read my current choice of booksTo study hard for my studiesIn what way do you think that this current pandemic has changed the book & publishing industry?
This current situation has sure changed the way the book and publishing industry works. I’m not exactly sure in what way it has changed as far as negative or positive since we are still in it. In general, however, this pandemic has taught people that, norms can be threaten at any given moment and that people must be opened to adapt to new ways. I believe, since it happened, companies have adapted new skills and technologies and book and publishing companies are no different.
Any final thoughts?
Thank you for asking these questions and thank you for giving me this chance to share my thoughts on your websites.
