C.A. Milson's Blog, page 131
May 11, 2020
VBT – 7 STEPS TO CLARITY
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Please click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
The sheer amount of decisions in life can become an overwhelming burden. Sometimes we just want to know the answers to our questions. We want to know we are making the right choices. It can be hard to see the right path with the noise of the world. There are voices and media all around us, influencing everything we do. In all that noise, where is the true voice, the one that knows? You can call it God or Source or the Universe or your Higher Self, but it is contained within you. Accessing it and giving it room and silence to speak to you is the real key to achieving your best life.
In seven steps, Nicole Stephen shows the way to a happier, more peaceful daily life. To reclaim yourself, you need to shut out the “shoulds,” but in order to do that, you need to notice them. Exploring the questions and challenges that Nicole includes in this book will open your eyes to the pressures that you may have been submitting to unknowingly. In clearing up the way you see the world, you can clear a path to knowing yourself, and with that true voice guiding you, you will always find the way.
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Read an Excerpt
Do you ever wonder what your life is all about? Why you are here? You are not alone. As a coach and teacher for many years, there is a common thread that runs through students, young professionals, and even CEOs at the height of their careers: “So what? Now what?” And there is confusion, lots of confusion. “Do I stay in my current job? How can I get a better job? Do I start a family? Do I stay with my current spouse? Why haven’t I found love yet? Why didn’t I stay in the band? I would have had such a diff erent life. Maybe I should be doing something more important, something worthy to impact the world in a positive and meaningful way?” What if I told you that there is a guru—a genie perhaps—that can answer all your questions? This person can make themselves available to you day or night, can answer any question, and can give you clear insights on any situation or decision, no matter how small or diffi cult. And this guru is free of charge and full of love and support for you. Too good to be true? Well, it is true and the person who has all the answers to unlock your potential with ease and fun is, yes, you may have guessed it, YOU!
About the Author:
Nicole Stephen is the founder and principal consultant for Miramar Group. During her 20-year career as an executive coach and organizational development consultant she has worked to help individuals, teams, and organizations accelerate growth and realize their potential. She holds a Masters’ and PhD in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from Virginia Polytechnic and State University. Nicole lives on the coast in the San Francisco Bay area with her husband, two children, and dog Henry.
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20026975.Nicole_Stephen
https://www.miramarconsultinggroup.com/
Links to buy:
Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/Steps-Clarity-Personal-Guidance-System/dp/1734181443/ref=sr_1_1
The author will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter.
May 7, 2020
VBT – MAYHEM AND THE MARQUESS
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.
Daughter of an infamous murderer, Ivy Wollard now wields knives instead of needlepoint to survive in a society where no one wants her. When the Marquess of Blackbourne comes along and ruins her chance at a better life, she decides she’d rather have her toes eaten by eels than agree to his proposed scheme. There’s no way her surrender has anything to do with the mesmerizing angle of his jawline or the wicked twinkle in his eyes.
But Asher Blackbourne has a secret. He knows it’s just a matter of time until he goes mad and loses his illustrious title, so when Ivy falls into his path, he realizes he could use her to keep his house of cards from falling down. If every illicit touch between them doesn’t drive him mad first, that is.
Yet Ivy cannot escape her grisly legacy and the dark desires of her father’s admirers. What if violence runs through her veins, and no one who gets close is safe? Mayhem will descend as this rake finally falls for the enigmatic woman who might be just his brand of poison…Er, cure, of course.
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Read an Excerpt
Blackbourne came towards the clawfoot tub, running a finger along the porcelain edge.
Ivy shrank back instinctively into the steam.
He chuckled. “Don’t worry, love. I won’t bite,” he drawled, and then paused. “Yet.”
She inhaled as his eyes flashed promises of things she wasn’t sure she understood.
“Your bathwater is quite thoroughly unrevealing with all those suds. What a pity.” He sighed, pulling the nearby chair closer to the tub and lowering himself down into it. “Will you wash your hair for me?”
Ivy blinked “Right now?” she choked, reaching up to pat her hair, which she’d styled in a high chignon.
He nodded, his posture relaxed, although Ivy knew this to be deceptive. He was waiting to hear her answer with taut focus. When she didn’t move a muscle, Blackbourne interrupted her tumultuous thoughts with a soft suggestion. “Let me help you.”
The words reached out to her with tendrils that wrapped her consciousness in a sensual fog, causing the hair on her nape to rise. This was not done, she knew. A proper lady would never allow a gentleman to touch her hair, much less while she bathed. But what about any of their arrangement was proper in the first place? Who would even know?
Besides him.
So she reached up slowly so as not to disturb the water covering her chest and drew the stickpin from her hair, letting its length fall in a heavy coil down her back.
His sharp intake of breath echoed in the tiled chamber.
Was that a good thing? Ivy’s body trembled as she watched him rise and come towards her through the steam…
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About the Author:
Win Hollows is a multi-award-winning romance fiction writer who still believes that love conquers all. She currently lives in Colorado with her own real-life hero and their three fur babies. Her passion is writing stories about love and intrigue and will continue to do so as long as characters keep having conversations in her head. Hollows’ other interests include traveling to places with delicious food and languages she can’t speak, having wilderness adventures, and, of course, reading! She loves connecting with readers and fans on Facebook, Instagram, and through her website.
Social Media Links:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/winhollows/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Win-Hollows-166439534079985/
Website: http://www.winhollows.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/44526655-mayhem-and-the-marquess
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Buy Links:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Mayhem-Marquess-Lords-Havoc-Book-ebook/dp/B07NHR2TYQ
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/mayhem-and-the-marquess-win-hollows/1130949870
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/929031
Publisher: https://www.evernightpublishing.com/mayhem-and-the-marquess-by-win-hollows/
The author will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn commenter.
May 6, 2020
Book Blast – THE RIGHT TO REMAIN SILENT
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.
The Right To Remain Silent
He never expects to find her there…
Officer Quinten Blackthorne is working undercover to bring the Rudnikov Mob Empire to its knees. He never expects to find his best friend’s baby sister, Becca, in the center of a powder keg situation at the infamous mobster’s home. With her life on the line, he does the only thing he can think of to save her – he pretends that she’s his fiancée, who knows nothing of his clandestine activities with the criminal enterprise, and stands as her stalwart protector.
Forced into marriage…
But Quinten never expects the mob boss to force them into marriage at gunpoint as a test of loyalty. Not to mention, the idea of her belonging to him isn’t unappealing, nor is he as averse to the prospect as he lets on. Becca, with her sweet curves and take no prisoners attitude, fascinates him, stirs him, and leaves him craving her submission. Yet his past is fraught with broken dreams and death, so he uses his friendship with her brother as a shield against his yearning to claim her as his own.
Resistance is futile…
However, circumstances soon compel Becca and Quinten to become the most unlikely allies in a deadly game of deception. Now they must depend on one another for survival. As they race to unlock the keys to breaking the case, will Quinten be able to maintain his hands-off policy with Becca? Or will he surrender to the earth-shattering passion and turn their marriage of convenience into the real deal?
Publisher’s Note: This steamy friends to lovers romance contains elements of power exchange. While it’s the third in the Crescent City Kings series, it can be enjoyed independently.
Read an Excerpt
Quinten beg someone? Yeah, right.
She imagined even the Hell’s Angels motorcycle gang moved out of Quinten’s way when he approached. In front of the entire crime entourage, he snarled, “What the fuck are you doing here, Becca?”
Rudnikov glanced between them, speculative interest and suspicion in his dead gaze. “You two know each other, Quinten?”
Quinten grabbed her hand and squeezed her fingers. Hard. Like he was trying to pass along a meaning that she still didn’t understand—mainly because her entire day had taken on a weird damn Twilight Zone bent, with danger and betrayal filtering in through every crack. Quinten, with her hand still gripped in his much larger one, turned to Rudnikov and said, “Yes, we do know each other. She’s my fiancée, sir. She doesn’t know that I work for you.”
At the pressure on her hand, and Quinten’s declaration, Becca stared at Quinten like he had gone mad. Fiancée? What the hell? What was the man playing at?
“Is that a fact? I don’t see a ring on her hand,” Rudnikov replied, his face an inscrutable mask.
That was it. They were dead. Her story would end, here, now, holding Quinten’s hand. On the bright side, Becca thought, she wouldn’t die alone. Tension oozed in the room. She’d frozen and even forgot to breathe. The guards had their hands in position against their firearms. Becca prayed she wouldn’t pass out or pee in her pants in terror.
“That’s because she’s miffed with me. We had a fight the other night and she took it off. But she loves me.” Quinten stared down at her from his six foot plus height, his cognac gaze imparting a play along message while he pretended to be a man besotted.
Becca didn’t understand—any of it. Not why Sasha had betrayed her trust, or whether Quinten was a dirty cop and only coming to her rescue because he was friends with her brother, or whether the mob boss intended to let her walk out of his house alive.
“Is this true, Miss O’Malley?” Rudnikov asked like he was daring her to dispute Quinten’s outlandish claim.
Pain shot up her arm from her hand as Quinten squeezed. Becca tried to keep her expression serene. Doubt shrouded Rudnikov’s hard glare. Better to have the crime boss believe she was with Quinten than alone and at his mercy. With a silent prayer, she tossed her lot in with the devil she knew. “It’s true, Mister Rudnikov. I’m engaged to the big lug—for now, at least.”
“And why just for now?” Rudnikov’s stare made her want to squirm. But she held it together—barely. Staring Rudnikov in his eyes the color of mahogany, Becca knew what it was like to stare evil in the face. The man would have no qualms about ending her life, right here, right now. The bastard wouldn’t even flinch at the blood spilled in his ornate sitting room.
“Because the blasted man keeps dragging his heels. Any time I try to set a date, he gives me the runaround. He’s the one who proposed and made me all insane with wanting the whole fairytale wedding deal. It’s almost like he doesn’t want to marry me, and I took the ring off until he’s willing to set a date. And why didn’t you tell me about all this, sweetie?” She glanced at Quinten and found approval there.
Rudnikov chuckled and said in a deprecating manner, “Because business is the providence of men, Miss O’Malley… and to show that there are no hard feelings, I will help you young lovebirds out. I can’t have one of my men breaking a vow with my newest business associate, now can I? You’ll marry. Tonight, in fact. Robbie, call Father Vincent. Ask him to be here within the hour to perform a marriage ceremony.”
“But, but… I don’t think—” Becca sputtered. Marry Quinten? Was Rudnikov serious?
Quinten’s hold on her hand tightened even more. She wondered if she would have any bones left before the night was over, or if they would crack into jagged pieces. Quinten protested, “Sir, that’s a generous offer. But she wants a big church wedding and I don’t—”
Rudnikov waved him off. “Nonsense. It will happen tonight. You can always do the fancy wedding later.”
Becca opened her mouth to refuse but shut it again at Rudnikov’s piercing glare. In the game of chicken, he had called their bluff and was waiting to strike. Becca moved closer to Quinten, choosing her side.
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About the Author:
Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Anya grew up listening to Cardinals baseball and reading anything she could get her hands on. She remembers her mother saying if only she would read the right type of books instead binging her way through the romance aisles at the bookstore, she’d have been a doctor. While Anya never did get that doctorate, she graduated cum laude from the University of Missouri-St. Louis with an M.A. in History.
Anya is a bestselling and award-winning author published in multiple fiction genres. She also writes urban fantasy, paranormal romance, and contemporary romance under the name Maggie Mae Gallagher. A total geek at her core, when she is not writing, she adores attending the latest comic con or spending time with her family. She currently lives in the Midwest with her two furry felines.
Visit her website here: http://www.anyasummers.com
Visit her on social media here:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AnyaSummersAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/anyabsummers
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15183606.Anya_Summers
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Anya-Summers/e/B01EGTVRKC
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/anya-summers
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anyasummersauthor/
Newsletter: https://anyasummers.com/newsletter/
Available at:
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2URBzY2
Nook: https://bit.ly/2JBc20b
iBooks: https://apple.co/3bUKuPv
Dungeon Fantasy Club Series
Her Highland Master, Book 1 https://www.amazon.com/Highland-Master-Dungeon-Fantasy-Club-ebook/dp/B01E9UB8SO/
To Master and Defend, Book 2 https://www.amazon.com/Master-Defend-Dungeon-Fantasy-Club-ebook/dp/B01FNG23HI/
Two Doms for Kara, Book 3 https://www.amazon.com/Doms-Kara-Dungeon-Fantasy-Club-ebook/dp/B01GXGOAK0/
His Driven Domme, Book 4 https://www.amazon.com/Driven-Domme-Dungeon-Fantasy-Club-ebook/dp/B01IIUY8Y2
Her Country Master, Book 5 https://goo.gl/YWhLqm
Love Me, Master Me, Book 6 https://goo.gl/QlTE9u
Submit To Me, Book 7 https://goo.gl/Or8pYr
Her Wired Dom, Book 8 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MRJY9TF/
Pleasure Island Series
Her Master & Commander, Book 1 https://www.amazon.com/Master-Commander-Pleasure-
Island-Book-ebook/dp/B06Y5SVVB9/
Her Music Masters, Book 2 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0711R9D1H/
Their Shy Submissive, Book 3 https://goo.gl/ufyJLn
Her Lawful Master, Book 4 https://www.amazon.com/Lawful-Master-Pleasure-Island-Book-ebook/dp/B073SRDNNT
Her Rockstar Dom, Book 5 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075VSGP8Q
Duets & Dominance, Book 6 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075TG9RYC
Her Undercover Dom, Book 7 https://goo.gl/HKhVba
Ménage In Paradise, Book 8 https://goo.gl/qce2BD
Her Rodeo Masters, Book 9 https://goo.gl/HDZw6v
Cuffs & Spurs Series
His Scandalous Love, Book 1 https://www.amazon.com/Scandalous-Love-Cuffs-Spurs-Book-ebook/dp/B079GBB57Z
His Unexpected Love, Book 2 https://www.amazon.com/His-Unexpected-Love-Carter-Beginning-ebook/dp/B07C2NBGLQ
His Wicked Love, Book 3 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07B661RP1
His Untamed Love, Book 4 https://www.amazon.com/Untamed-Love-Cuffs-Spurs-Book-ebook/dp/B07D9ZDHMH
His Tempting Love, Book 5 https://www.amazon.com/Tempting-Love-Cuffs-Spurs-Book-ebook/dp/B07HYT1GVQ
His Seductive Love, Book 6 https://www.amazon.com/Seductive-Love-Cuffs-Spurs-Book-ebook/dp/B07KXP3MMF
His Secret Love, Book 7 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07NKN5Y2S
His Cherished Love, Book 8 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07SBDTVMV/
The Alcyran Chronicles
Taken by the Beast, Book 1 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FYNT21L
Claimed by the Beast, Book 2 https://www.amazon.com/Claimed-Beast-Alcyran-Chronicles-Book-ebook/dp/B07Q3HNP26/
Loved by the Beast, Book 3 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07W3QFLJW/
Seduced by the Beast, Book 4 – Coming Soon
Chosen by the Beast, Book 5 – Coming Soon
Crescent City Kings
Lone Survivor, Book 1 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07X4JN5DX
Far Reaching Consequences, Book 2 https://amzn.to/2SmLqWm
The Right To Remain Silent, Book 3 https://amzn.to/2URBzY2
Bound To Protect, Book 4 – Coming Soon
Self Sacrifice, Book 5 – Coming Soon
Never Surrender, Book 6 – Coming Soon
Oath & Indenture, Book 7 – Coming Soon
Boxed Sets
The Dungeon Fantasy Club https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07H6FPSFV
The Pleasure Island Collection https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07N2NLY3L/
The Cuffs & Spurs Collection https://amzn.to/35dAZb4
Anya Summers will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
May 3, 2020
VBT – Murder on the Mountain
Emma Thomas hasn’t been home in years. Only back in Staunton for a few months, she plans to put her investigative reporter skills to use in exposing the trafficking group using her peaceful, idyllic hometown to move drugs. But when she stumbles onto more than drugs, bullets start flying and she has to ask the one person she left Virginia to avoid for help.
Detective Adam Marshall has been working this cartel case for months. On the precipice of breaking the organization wide open, he can’t believe the one woman he’d never been able to get over now holds the key to closing his case. His head warns him to steer clear, but his heart won’t let him walk away when Emma’s life is on the line.
Thrown together by chance after so many years, Adam and Emma work together to break the biggest case of both of their careers and heal some old wounds in the process. Falling in love wasn’t on the docket for either of them, but things don’t always go as planned.
Buy your copy here
Science teacher by day, writer and baseball mom by night, Carolyn LaRoche lives near the ocean with her husband, two boys, rescue puppy and four cats.
She loves crocheting, books, food videos and trying new recipes.
Connect with her online
Emma clapped a hand over her mouth to stifle the scream that tried to escape. The shooter looked toward the window. Had he heard her? She turned to run, her boots instead slipping on some leaves, sending her crashing to the ground.
Heavy footsteps moved across the floor of the cabin, echoing in the quiet woods around her.
Emma scrambled to her feet and ran for all she was worth, crashing through the brush, no longer even trying to be quiet.
The door to the cabin slammed open as she sprinted for the pathway back down the mountain to her car. The air reverberated with the echo of several gunshots. Tiny hairs prickled on the back of her neck as a light whistling noise passed her ear.
“Stop! I’m warning you! Stop or I’ll shoot you!” The man’s voice echoed off the trees but she kept running. It was a stupid thing to say, since he had already tried to shoot her. Her gut told her there was no way she’d get out of this alive if she stopped moving.
Halfway down the mountain, Emma’s toe caught one of those roots again. The action sent her sprawling to the ground, and she began to roll down the mountain. Grabbing at branches and brush, she finally stopped herself and pulled her aching body up off the ground. Her knee burned where the fabric had torn and flesh had scraped against the ground. Footsteps and voices sounded behind her, but they were further away than she’d expected. Her little fall seemed to have given her an advantage. She pulled herself up, ignoring the pain in her injured knee, and ran as fast as she could.
The sun had almost completely become lost below the treetops; the darkness made it hard for her to navigate. Finally, Emma burst out of the trees, gasping for air and sweating like a fiend. Her old car sat quietly, right where she’d left it. She dug in her pocket for the keys, but they were gone.
She must have lost them on the way down! Running straight to the back of the car, Emma groped around up under the bumper. Her fingers grasped the small magnetic box and she pulled the hidden key out of its safe storage container, grateful her father had insisted on putting it there when she left for college. As she ran to the driver-side door, the back door window exploded beside her, covering her in tiny little pieces of glass.
Yanking open the driver door, she jumped into the seat, slammed the door shut, and jammed the key into the ignition. Just as the engine turned over and she floored the gas pedal, the man from the cabin ran out of the woods. Her tires ground into the shoulder, spewing a cloud of rocks and dirt. Eventually, she gained control of her car and took off down the mountain roadway known as the Blue Ridge Parkway. Clutching the wheel, she prayed she’d stay on the road.
All the way back to Staunton, she kept an eye on the rearview mirror. When a dark-colored car came into view, she panicked, but it had a different shape than the one she’d seen and turned off a couple of exits later. As soon as Emma hit the Main Street exit, she drove straight through town.
Twelve years she’d stayed away from Staunton, avoiding her hometown and missing her parents, to not have to do the very thing she was about to do. Emma took a deep breath and steered her car onto the street that housed the Staunton Police Department. She had no other choice. There was only one man who could help her figure this out.
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April 30, 2020
Book Blast – ESCUCHA MEANS LISTEN
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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.
Take a journey through the world — just listening. Escucha Means Listen helps children discover sounds around them in both English and Spanish. A beautiful picture book with lyrical prose and delightful illustrations, from lawn mowing to the splish-splashing of rain puddles.
Read an Excerpt
Buzz. Buzz. Qué oyes? (What do you hear?)
Las abejas (The bees) circling the flowers.
Woosh. Woosh. What do you hear?
El viento (The wind) is whistling by.
Shh. Shh. Qué oyes? (What do you hear?)
Las hojas (The leaves) are dancing on the trees.
About the Author:
Talia Aikens-Nuñez wanted to be a meteorologist, a politician and a lawyer. She never thought she would be an author. It was the birth of her daughter that caused her to start writing. Raising a bilingual child inspired Talia to write multicultural children’s books.
Talia’s family loves nature so much that she and her husband vowed that they will always try to live close to water. She and her family live in Connecticut with a little pond.
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/talia_n
Website: Http://www.kidslitbytalia.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/taliaaikensnunezchildrenswriter
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Escucha-Means-Listen-Talia-Aikens-Nu%C3%B1ez-ebook/dp/B01AP0I57O/ref=sr_1_1
Talia Aikens-Nunez will be awarding a $20 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
April 20, 2020
VBT – A Struggle for Independence
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A Struggle for Independence
by p.m.terrell
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GENRE: Historical novel
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLURB:
Sometimes a woman comes to the realization that she has built the perfect life but with the wrong man.
It is 1916 Ireland, and Independence Mather has settled into a tedious routine in an arranged marriage when she meets an architect hired to add a wing onto her husband’s vast estate. She soon falls in love with the charming, attentive Nicky Bowers, but he has secrets to hide. When she discovers he is an Irish rebel, events propel her into the middle of the Easter Rising. Now she must decide whether to remain the wife of a British loyalist or risk everything to join the rebellion and be with the man she loves.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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EXCERPT
The flames danced and pirouetted like so many ballet members assembled on a stage, their movements mesmerizing, even hypnotic. The warmth, however, was wanting, with a single peat brick trying its hardest to do its job but failing like a tiny child not meant to go it alone. I felt sorry for it falling short of the success it strove so hard to achieve, and then I grew discouraged as the cold pervaded.
I lay on a bed of straw faintly scented with what must have been last year’s lavender blooms, as it was too early in the current season for them to make their appearance. The straw packed under my weight until I felt the pricks from shoulder to knee, and as I turned from one position to another, I eventually felt the hard dirt floor upon which the bed was laid. The blankets meant to cushion and warm me were worn so thin, I could see the outline of my clothes underneath them, and despite wearing several layers, I could not get warm.
Nicky’s breathing had been measured, but now I could no longer hear him, and I struggled to see him through the gloom. He lay facing me—that I was sure of—but the shadows prevented me from seeing the details my heart desired. We’d talked until he’d fallen asleep, seemingly unaffected by the cold, and now I longed to hear his voice again. Despite his height and his brawn, his voice was gentle and reassuring, so very different from Stratford’s brusque and impatient tenor.
Shivering, I stood and gathered the blankets about me as best I could and made my way to Nicky’s side. I dropped to my knees upon his straw, which was a great deal thinner than the bed I’d been given. I was surprised to find his eyes open and watching me.
“It will be warmer for both of us if…” my voice trailed off as I felt the heat rising in my cheeks.
He opened his blanket as if inviting me in. I crawled in beside him, my back to his front. Unlike myself, who was wearing every stitch of clothing I’d brought in an attempt to stave off the chill, he was wearing only a gray shirt and trousers. My cold stockinged feet found him, and he covered us with both our blankets and then wrapped his arm around me. I placed my hand upon his and snuggled more deeply against him.
“Are you warmer?” His breath tickled my hair as he whispered, his lips close to my ear.
“Yes,” I said. “Much warmer.” I knew he could feel the beating of my heart; it was thumping wildly in both my chest and my neck, and I felt as though I could not catch my breath.
He settled in behind me, and I tried to listen to the rhythmic breathing I’d heard when he first slipped into slumber, but it did not come. His arm grew heavy across me like a weighty coat determined to protect me from the chill. Then he shifted, his head moving down to my neck where his lips brushed against my skin.
I turned in his arms, and he came upon one elbow to peer into my face. The darkness enveloped us, and I found myself searching out his eyes with a longing to see into his soul. I placed a hand upon his face, running my fingers along his jawline, feeling the stubble that had formed there since his last shave. And then my fingers found his hair and intertwined around the thick locks.
“You don’t have to do this,” he said hoarsely. “I gave you my word.”
“I know. But I did not give you mine.” I pressed upward to find his lips, my own whispering across his, savoring the fullness and the sweetness before his lips parted, and he returned my kiss with a passionate one of his own. I became lost in his kisses, my body burning for his, the longing mounting within me. “You don’t have to do this,” I whispered when we pulled back for a brief moment. “Or do you want to?”
“Desperately,” he answered as his hands followed the lines of my body as if memorizing the bend in my back, the flare of my hips.
“I love your curves,” he whispered.
“I am a bit hefty,” I answered, suddenly self-conscious.
“Oh, I beg to differ,” he said, his voice becoming serious. “I love every curve. Your body might not be perfect, but it is certainly perfect for me.”
I felt as though a thousand pounds had been lifted from my shoulders, and suddenly I felt like the most beautiful woman in the entire world. As if to drive home his point, he set about exploring each curve, and in the process, he set my body on fire. Mountains of clothing and blankets peeled away, and somehow, the peat grew warmer until the room was awash in our moans and our heat, our limbs intertwined, our skin glistening, and I knew with all the assuredness in my soul that I was precisely where I was meant to be.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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AUTHOR Bio and Links
p.m.terrell is the pen name for Patricia McClelland Terrell, the award-winning, internationally acclaimed author of more than 24 books in multiple genres, including contemporary suspense, historical suspense, computer instructional, non-fiction and children’s books.
Prior to writing full-time, she founded two computer companies in the Washington, DC Metropolitan Area: McClelland Enterprises, Inc. and Continental Software Development Corporation. Among her clients were the Central Intelligence Agency, United States Secret Service, U.S. Information Agency, and Department of Defense. Her specialties were in the detection of white collar computer crimes and computer intelligence.
A full-time author since 2002, Black Swamp Mysteries was her first series, inspired by the success of Exit 22, released in 2008. Vicki’s Key was a top five finalist in the 2012 International Book Awards and 2012 USA Book Awards nominee, and The Pendulum Files was a national finalist for the Best Cover of the Year in 2014. Her second series, Ryan O’Clery Suspense, is also award-winning. The Tempest Murders (Book 1) was one of four finalists in the 2013 International Book Awards, cross-genre category. Her historical suspense, River Passage, was a 2010 Best Fiction and Drama Winner. It was determined to be so historically accurate that a copy of the book resides at the Nashville Government Metropolitan Archives in Nashville, Tennessee. Songbirds are Free is her bestselling book to date; it is inspired by the true story of Mary Neely, who was captured in 1780 by Shawnee warriors near Fort Nashborough (now Nashville, TN).
She was the co-founder of The Book ‘Em Foundation, an organization committed to raising public awareness of the correlation between high crime rates and high illiteracy rates. She was the founder of Book ‘Em North Carolina, an annual event held in the town of Lumberton, North Carolina, to raise funds to increase literacy and reduce crime and served as its chairperson and organizer for its first four years. She also served on the boards of the Friends of the Robeson County (NC) Public Library, the Robeson County (NC) Arts Council, Virginia Crime Stoppers and became the first female president of the Chesterfield County-Colonial Heights Crime Solvers in Virginia.
For more information, book trailers, excerpts and more, visit the author’s website at http://www.pmterrell.com.
Website: https://pmterrell.com/
Twitter: @pmterrell
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pmterrell.author/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/pmterrell/
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RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY
p.m.terrell will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
Enter to win a $25 Amazon/BN GC – a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Thanks for being here today. Please tell us about you as a person.
I knew I wanted to be a writer from the time I was nine years old. Two things happened that year: my school principal encouraged me to write a story, and I won a school poetry contest. The combination of completing that first story on pieces of cardboard and walking across the stage to accept the poetry award hooked me. I was discouraged from my pursuit of writing as I neared high school age, and I ended up in the computer field. Years later when I was burned out from that work, I returned to my love of writing.
If you could hang out with one famous person for one day, who would it be and why?
At this point in history, I believe I’d like to hang out with Nostradamus. I would love to know if his visions of the future have become a reality, or if there are clues around us that we are missing. I would also enjoy hearing about his impressions of the future of humankind and this planet.
What is the story behind your latest book?
A Struggle for Independence is about Lady Independence Mather and her struggle between an arranged marriage with a cold and aloof man, and the Irish rebel she truly loves. I wanted to go back in time to show that all eras were filled with uncertainty. In 1916, The Great War was in full swing, and it often appeared as though the Central Powers could win against the Allied Powers. Though fighting had not yet come to Ireland’s shores due to its location as an island in the extreme western edge of Europe, all of that would change on Easter Monday, 1916. It was mainly led by a group of poets, writers, and actors that declared Ireland independent from England. When England intercepted information that the Germans were supplying the rebels with weapons and ammunition, they responded to Ireland’s declaration with a heavy hand.
What is your writing process?
I generally write in silence because I become concerned that words from a song could find their way into my writing. However, when I feel, I often turn to film. In two hours, I can get into the groove of a romantic scene by watching films such as The Lake House or a series such as BBC’s The Musketeers. I will watch documentaries regarding battle or historical information after I have thoroughly researched it, because the action on film provides that extra layer.
Tell us about your main character.
Lady Independence Mather is a quiet, unassuming woman that has been in an arranged marriage for more than a decade. She has fallen into a routine of walking from the main house past the horses she loves to a tiny cottage she has turned into her art studio. She lives her life through the paintings and sketches she creates, looking inward for the images and inspiration. All of that changes when her husband hires architect Nicky Bowers to build an addition onto their home. She falls in love with the attentive, charming man. He introduces her to a world she never knew existed, taking her to the Wicklow Mountains and further south, showing her how the average Irish citizen must live. As her heart begins to open, she discovers Nicky is an Irish rebel, and she is caught up in the rebellion known as the Easter Rising. Now she must decide whether to remain in a loveless marriage that will provide for her financially, or leave everything behind for an uncertain future.
If your book was to be turned into a movie, who would play the lead role and why.
I would love to see Saoirse Ronan play Independence Mather. She is an Irish actor that grew up learning about the Easter Rising, the War for Independence, and the Irish Civil War, and I can easily see her transition from the insulated life of a British loyalist to the grit and determination required to join the Rebel forces. Plus, she has the accent down pat!
What are you working on next?
I am working on two books at present. One is a ghost story set in a dual timeline, which will be the sequel to April in the Back of Beyond. The second one takes the heroine in A Struggle for Independence into the Irish War for Independence.
What advice do you have for other writers who want to get the word out about their book?
It is a crowded field, and it is often challenging to break away from the rest of the pack to have your voice heard. Rather than market with a shotgun effect, it is best to identify which groups would be most interested in your work and then go after those groups.
What is your favorite book on your shelf right now?
My favorite book tends to be the one I am currently reading. I find an author I enjoy and purchase whatever they write. Contemporary authors I particularly enjoy include Maggie Thom, Kathleen McGurl, and Susanna Kearsley.
Do you have any special/extraordinary talents?
I have been told I am a super organizer and planner. This was put to the test when I founded the annual Book ‘Em North Carolina Writer’s Conference and Book Fair. I have since handed it over to Robeson Community College, but I thoroughly enjoyed pulling everything together.
You are given the choice of one superpower. What superpower would you have and why?
I would like to see the guardian angels that live among us. I often feel them and sometimes hear them, and I think it would be incredible if I could see them moving among us as well.
List 5 things on your bucket list:
Live in Ireland.
Live in a little white cottage.
Live by the sea.
Okay, so I’d like to live in a wee Irish cottage by the sea…
And write there.
Where can readers find you on the web?
Check out https://pmterrell.com/a-struggle-for-independence/ for more information about my current book, including a book trailer and buy links. You can also view the book trailer on YouTube at https://youtu.be/gXjzd0Lmfz4.
Any final thoughts?
Thank you for hosting me here today!
April 5, 2020
VBT – Vengeance of Grimbald
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Vengeance of Grimbald
by Richard Hacker
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GENRE: Fantasy Thriller
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BLURB:
Addison and Jules, members of the League, a secret alchemist society of Inkers who protect the time continuum, believe they defeated their enemy, Cuthbert Grimwald, known to them as Kairos. When he resurfaces filled with vengeance, intent on destroying the League, and acquiring the Alchimeia, a book of such power the League has hidden it for millennia, Grimwald leaves a path of destruction across centuries. As he quests for absolute control of reality, Addison and Jules pursue him through time and death in a desperate struggle to save the world from his vengeance.
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EXCERPT
“You’ve done well my friends. A bit of a shaky start, but in the end, I am pleased with the result.”
Jules glanced to Addison, who was also pulling himself up to stand. “What are you talking about? You could have killed us.”
“If I wanted you dead, we wouldn’t be talking.” Boggy raised his hands as if to parry their blows. “Today’s lesson is partnership. Do you see?”
Addison slowly rotated an arm with a grimace. “Keep talking.”
“Inking is a dangerous enterprise. You find yourself in a foreign world in an earlier time, often fighting to survive long enough to complete your mission. But the physical dangers of inking do not hold a candle to the emotional and psychological dangers. Your consciousness, the essence of your being, occupies the mind of another. With each passing moment, a small part of who you are slips out of your grasp unless you master the relationship between Inker and host. You must die to live, right? But all living creatures naturally gravitate toward life and away from death. The world of an Inker is therefore a paradox of conflicting realities. Without a partner, you struggle alone against insurmountable odds. Partners have each other’s backs, keeping the hosts alive and the mission viable. And upon completion, partners ensure their hosts die. Because we never leave an Inker behind. Never.”
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AUTHOR Bio and Links
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Richard Hacker, lives and writes in Seattle, Washington after living many years in Austin, Texas. In addition to the science fiction/fantasy novels of The Alchimeía Series, his crime novels ride the thin line between fact and fiction in Texas. Along the way, his writing has been recognized by the Writer’s League of Texas and the Pacific Northwest Writers Association. As a judge in literary contests shuch as PNWA and ChicLit, and as a freelance development editor, he enjoys the opportunity to work with other writers. In addition, he is the Sci-Fi/Fantasy editor for the Del Sol Review. DIE BACK was his first novel in the Alchimeia series.
Del Sol Press books by Richard Hacker are available at Amazon
The Alchimeía Series
DIEBACK: Book One
VENGEANCE OF GRIMBALD: Book Two
Other books by Richard Hacker:
Nick Sibelius Crime Series
KILL’T DEAD OR WORSE
BUZZARD BAIT
ALL HAT AND NO CATTLE
Follow the author at www.richardhacker.com
Or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RWHacker
Amazon buy link:
https://www.amazon.com/Vengeance-Grimbald-Alchime%C3%ADa-Richard-Hacker/dp/0999842595/
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RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY
Richard Hacker will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
Enter to win a $25 Amazon/BN GC – a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Richard, thanks for being my guest. Tell us about you as a person.
I’d say people who know me well, know me as creative and willing to fall flat on my face. So I took up drawing last year after not drawing anything but stick figures since childhood. I kept a sketch journal on a recent trip to Europe. Urban sketching is the sort of thing where you’re putting yourself out in the world. You’re standing on a busy street drawing the scene. People come by to chat, to see what I’m up to. It’s still a bit scary, but I keep on doing it. And what a great way to see the world with new eyes! Another thing that takes me out of my comfort zone is singing in a vocal jazz ensemble. I’ve always enjoyed singing—choral music & singer-songwriter music with a guitar, but doing a scat solo in a performance is pretty challenging (to me, least). One other thing most people don’t know about me is that was an instrument rated private pilot. I’m not active anymore, but flying is a peak experience in my life.
If you could hang out with one famous person for one day, who would it be and why?
Barak Obama. Have a beer, shoot some hoops, talk about the world. What a day that would be.
What’s the story behind your latest book?
Six hundred years after a fifteenth century scryer gains the alchemical knowledge to create a dark future in his own image, Addison Shaw inherits a destiny: to fight this ancient war that threatens all he loves with extinction. Using an alchemical pen, he writes himself into past lives, leaving his body in the present. Upon completion of his mission, he must die in order to break the link and return home. Addison, and his inking partner, Jules, are members of the League, a secret alchemist society of Inkers who protect the time continuum. They believe they defeated their enemy, Cuthbert Grimwald, known to them as Kairos. When he resurfaces filled with vengeance, intent on destroying the League, and acquiring the Alchimeia, a book of such power the League has hidden it for millennia, Grimwald leaves a path of destruction across centuries. As he quests for absolute control of reality, Addison and Jules pursue him through time and death in a desperate struggle to save the world from his vengeance.
What is your writing process?
My writing process is intentionally unstructured. I’ve got lots of colleagues who like to have a certain environment, like yourself, certain music, a specific location. I know one writer who has to have a latte and chocolate or it’s just not going to happen. LOL. Each of us has to find our own path. Mine is to ready to write anywhere, anytime, under any circumstance. I’ve written on planes, trains, buses and cars; in coffee shops, studies, offices, park benches; morning, day, and night; in silence or with music. I will say, while I do try to be flexible, some situations provide more challenge than others. I was on a plane with a small extremely unhappy child (and a parent with weary survivor eyes) screaming. Yeah, it was a bit difficult to concentrate.
Tell us about your main character.
Addison Shaw is a twenty-something young man whose father was brutally murdered. He walks with a cane because of a leg injury he received in a car accident as a teenager. Addison is emotionally fragile, especially in light of the loss of his father, but he also has an deep inner strength that enables him to persist even when his world appears to be falling apart.
If your book was to be turned into a movie, who would play the lead role and why.
I think I’d go with either John Krasinkski (The Office, Jack Ryan) or Anthony Mackie (The Hurt Locker, Altered Carbon). Both of those actors do a great job of projecting their humanity and internal pain while having the ability to be pretty kick ass.
What are you working on next?
I’m currently working on the third book in the Alchimeia series—untitled at this point. And I’ve got another project I’ve worked on and off over several years, a humorous science fiction story along the lines of Tom Holt’s novels, called THE BIFURCATION OF DUNGSTEN CREASE. Hopefully, Book 3 of the Alchimeia will be out in 2021.
What advice do you have for other writers who want to get the word out about their book?
I’ve done a lot of different things from book tours to release parties to email campaigns. I can’t say I’ve found any one thing that is the silver bullet. The book business is very crowded these days, so I think you just have to be persistent. Keep putting yourself out there.
What is your favorite book on your shelf right now?
If you by shelf you mean what I’m reading right now, well I got inspired by the HBO version of His Dark Materials to read Pullman’s trilogy again. I’m currently on the last book and it still reads well. If you mean my fav from anything on my bookshelf—way harder question! Books that come to mind: Ian Tregillis, The Mechanicals; Iain Pears, The Instance at the Fingerpost; William Gibson, Neuromancer; China Miéville, The City In The City. But I could go on and on.
Do you have any special/extraordinary talents?
Not sure how special they are. I draw, I write, I sing, and I cook. Occasionally I do one of those in an extraordinary way—I hope.
You are given the choice of one super power. What super power would you have and why?
Mind control. We’d always go to the restaurant of my choice and I’d guest post on your blog. (Dammit! Didn’t mean to say that. (I’m gazing at you with my super-power mind control eyes). You have just forgotten what I said about guest posting…
List 5 things on your bucket list:
Tour Japan
Tour Australia
See the Northern Lights
Speak a second language fluently –I’m going for Spanish
Stand on the site of first powered flight at Kitty Hawk.
Where can readers find you on the web?
Thanks for having me on the blog and thanks readers for dropping in today. Please check out DIE BACK and VENGEANCE OF GRIMBALD. Both are available on Amazon. And I’d love to hear from you. Visit my website, www.richardhacker.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RWHacker and drop me a line.
I don’t have a trailer for Vengeance of Grimbald, but I do for Die Back and it’s a good visual introduction to the series. You can find it here.
Any final thoughts?
Two things I’d like to add. First, the underlying message of the Alchimeia series is about courage and perseverance. When life looks hopeless, when everything seems to be turned upside-down, the people who make a difference are not superheroes, but people like you and me, who persevere in spite of the odds. And second, readers are the reason for the season. Without you, writers would be lonely people sitting in coffee shops pounding on laptops. With you, we become the tellers of fantastical stories, entertainers, philosophers, and poets. And together, a writer and a reader, we make magic. Thank you for sharing some of your life with me.
April 2, 2020
Book Blast – PARAGON
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.
Now that high school is over, Randi just wants to live her quiet life in her little town, but it doesn’t feel right without her friends there. Ever the daredevils, they’ve gone to seek adventure in the capital city of Grandin, and Randi can’t help but feel left behind. Not to mention she definitely can’t stop thinking about that kiss she and Eddy shared before he left.
When Randi discovers a mysterious mark on her skin that matches an illustration in “A Handbook on Paragonhood”, she’s thrown into a world of powerful gods and ancient magic that she thought only existed in the myths. She’ll have to step out of her comfort zone—and into the dangerous streets of Grandin—to find a way to protect herself and the people she loves.
Randi’s not the only one with a secret, though, and she finds herself questioning who she can trust. Randi will have to wrestle with what it means to be a Paragon and how far she’s willing to go to do what’s right.
With the fate of the world on the line, can she live up to being one of the chosen?
Read an Excerpt
Louis comes into view as I round the corner of the restaurant into the simple, well-kept yard. He’s facing the other way, holding a wooden staff, not even wearing a coat. I’m about to call out and let him know I’m there, but before I can, he spins in a circle, extending the stick as gracefully as if it were a part of his arm. His movements are soft and flowing as he twists around a large cobbled circle in the middle of the yard. It looks like a gentle dance, but it’s evident from the way he maneuvers the stick and guards his torso that it’s also a fight.
Louis comes back to a neutral position and bows to an invisible adversary before him. “That was the swan,” he says, making me jump. “And this is the dragon.”
He steps aggressively, each strike hard and fierce. He jabs the staff out before him and twirls, nearly horizontal with it. A few stances later, he accidentally whacks himself in the shoulder with the practice weapon.
He bursts out laughing. “It’s not my best form.” He approaches me while massaging his shoulder. “Good thing you’re not my grandma, or you’d make me practice until I got it right.”
“I like the swan better, anyway.”
“Me too.” He blinks as a raindrop falls on his cheek. We both turn to the sky as thunder rumbles in the distance. “Looks like it’ll be a downpour.”
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About the Author Shauna Alderson began writing teen fantasy even before she was a teen. After she “grew up”, she completed creative writing courses (and a BA in Development Studies) at the University of Calgary. When not reading or writing, she can usually be found teaching ESL, composing on the piano, creating art, or volunteering abroad. She also enjoys dessert, Studio Ghibli films, and being the silliest person she knows.
Website: https://shaunaalderson.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/AldersonShauna
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Paragon-Shauna-Alderson-ebook/dp/B0851YGGTW/
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/paragon-shauna-alderson/1136514085?ean=9781643901275
Chapters: https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/paragon/9990058018816-item.html
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/paragon-8
Shauna Alderson will be awarding a $20 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
April 1, 2020
FEED YOUR READER Special Promotion
Staying home to stay healthy? Looking for things to do? Reading is always one of our favorite ways to pass the time, so let us help you keep busy.
Here’s a great way to fill up your eReader and save money, too!
Do you like romance?
We have it!
Do you like mysteries?
Yep, we have that too!
Click on this link: http://www.goddessfish.com/promo/feed-your-reader-bargain-books/ to find books in your favorite genres that are currently only $0.99 or maybe even FREE and feed your reader!!!
OR
Go directly to your favorite genre:
Contemporary Romance (erotic and non-erotic)
Historical Romance (erotic and non-erotic)
Science Fiction or Fantasy Romance (erotic and non-erotic)
Romantic Suspense (erotic and non-erotic)
LGBTQ Romance (erotic and non-erotic)
Non-romance Mystery/Suspense/Thriller/Horror
Non-romance Historical Fiction
Non-romance Science Fiction or Fantasy
Literary Fiction/Contemporary Mainstream Fiction
There’s also a chance for you to win a $25 Amazon/BN GC – check out the Rafflecopter at the end of the post.
Giving away a $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner
a Rafflecopter giveaway
VBT – MERLIN RAJ AND THE SANTA ALGORITHM
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The author will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn commenter. Click the link to see the other stops on the tour.
My name is Merlin Raj. Usually, I only have to worry about being the best service dog. I help my boy, Matthew, walk at school. But when my human Mom has to go away for winter break, getting ready for the holiday becomes a mess. I might be a super-smart golden retriever who wears glasses, but could I help my best friend with more than a disability?
Gulp.
Will a class on algorithms get me barking up the right Christmas tree?
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Merlin Raj, The Santa Algorithm is the first installment in the Merlin Raj, Computer Science Service Dog chapter-book series. With a Computer Science degree and a passion for preparing kids for the future, author D. G. Priya blends technology with animal stories to stimulate a desire to read. Each book in the series introduces a new programming skill, complete with study guides for educators. If you or your child like delightful dog tales, practical examples, and accessible learning tools, then you’ll love D. G. Priya’s tail-wagging adventure.
Read an Excerpt
First snow brushed the ground with white. I loved winter. My fur kept me nice and warm on most days. For freezing cold days, my human mother, Mom Raj, had bought me a bright, thermal rain slicker. It was sky blue with a service-animal label.
Blue best matched my golden fur, which I liked to keep well brushed at all times.
Even my glasses were on a stylish athletic band, and they matched Matthew’s glasses. My nose twitched from the cold.
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About the Author:
D.G. Priya is the pen name of Bestselling Author Priya Ardis. She obtained her Bachelor’s of Science in Computer Science from the University of Texas at Austin, #6 in the world (Academic Ranking of World Universities, 2014) and #8 (US News, 2020) in Computer Science. Her advocacy of early education in computing and the challenges of childhood disabilities come from her experience as a parent and volunteer. Her love of dog stories comes from the antics of her own golden retriever.
Talk to me!
Website: http://www.dgpriya.com
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/dgpriya
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/dgpriya
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/priyaardis
Instagram: http://www.Instagram.com/priya_ardis
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/priyaardis
D. G. Priya will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
