C.A. Milson's Blog, page 144

Spotlight – My Last Baggage Call

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About the Author

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Sergeant First Class Glenn W. Powell (Retired) is a native of Toledo, Ohio. He enlisted into the United States Army in 1982 and retired in 2002. During his military career, he served as a heavy vehicle driver, a squad leader, and non-commissioned officer.

In September 1991, SFC Powell joined the George HW Bush White House as a chauffeur, and in 1992, was promoted to transportation coordinator for the white house Press Corps, serving in the Clinton Administration.

In December 1995, he assumed the duties of transportation supervisor for Air Force One.

In January 2001, during his service under President George W. Bush, SFC Powell was transferred to the White House Military Office, Customer Support and Organizational Development where he served as deputy director.

SFC Powell retired with distinction from the Military in 2002. He received numerous awards and decorations throughout his service, including the Legion of Merit Metal, Meritorious Service Medal, the Joint Service Achievement Medal, and the United States Army Achievement Medal with four oak leaf clusters. He received U.S. Service Ribbons for both domestic and overseas service.

Glenn and Ronda Holloway Powell have been married for 25 years, and have three sons, Darius, Warren, and Glenn, II. They reside in Virginia.

His latest book is My Last Baggage Call Aboard Air Force One: A Journey of Sacrifice, Service, Family and Friendship.

For more information, or to contact Glenn Powell regarding availability for speaking opportunities, please email him at glennwpowell@aol.com . Visit his website at: http://www.gwpowell.com

Follow on Facebook!

https://www.facebook.com/GlennWPowell

Follow on Twitter!

http://www.twitter.com/glennwpowell1

About the Book:

Title: MY LAST BAGGAGE CALL ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE

Author: Glenn W. Powell

Publisher: Independent

Pages: 226

Genre: Memoir

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BOOK BLURB:

This exciting memoir chronicles the life and memories of SFC Glenn Powell, a 20-year veteran of the U.S. Army, and 10-year veteran of the White House where he served under Presidents George HW Bush, President William J. Clinton, and President George W. Bush.

SFC Powell was born and raised in Toledo, Ohio. He says his real-life journey began in 1982 when he bypassed his high school graduation to join the U.S. Army. That journey would take him from Fort Dix, New Jersey, to Manheim, Germany where he met Ronda Holloway, a young, beautiful soldier and fellow Ohioan, who has been his wife and soulmate for 25 years.

Powell’s poignant and inspiring story includes both, his own memories, and memories from some 50 white house colleagues, family members and lifelong military buddies who enriched his life, and made an indelible impact on his journey. SFC Powell’s story is that of a restless young man who grew up in a working-class environment with ample opportunities to journey down the wrong path. Yet, thanks to his childhood village –the many role models whose lives exemplified the best in American values—made all the difference in his journey.

Except for that “village,” of his childhood, Glenn believes his story might have had a different ending. The hardworking citizens living purpose-filled lives, served as a buffer against the discontent and civil unrest plaguing the rest of world. The centerpiece of that village, Glenn says, was his parents who, while they never lived under one roof, both loved him unconditionally.

Margaret Powell was a young single working mother, and a constant reminder of the importance of working toward excellence at one’s chosen career. She would become Kroger Stores’ first African American manager. His father, a prominent entrepreneur in the Toledo area, would remain a constant in Glenn’s life until the end.

Glenn says these lessons sustained him throughout his journey – from the pampered child, to the responsible teen, to the ambitious young soldier, to the doting husband and father; and the loyal and “never say never” Sergeant and aide to the President of the United States of America.

“My Last Baggage Call Aboard AF1” chronicles a most amazing journey that magically transformed Glenn Powell’s life, and so richly impacted those who knew him.

Glenn W. Powell was a featured speaker on The Christian Authors on Tour TV Show. Hosted by Leroy Mckenzie Jr. and Lynn Pinder. Watch the CAOT TV replay of the interview: https://youtu.be/1OfUReG_VAk

Purchase My Last Baggage Call Aboard Air Force One by Glenn W. Powell

Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/Last-Baggage-Call-Aboard-Force/dp/1986878406

Kindle

https://www.amazon.com/LAST-BAGGAGE-CALL-ABOARD-FORCE-ebook/dp/B078KQ9Z89

B&N

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/my-last-baggage-call-aboard-air-force-one-glenn-w-powell/1128407880

Book Excerpt

A Soldier’s Story 

Shortly after I turned 18, I enlisted in the army. Around that time, I learned that the young woman I’d been dating was pregnant, so going into the army would be an opportunity to provide for my child. The army sent me to Fort Dix in New Jersey for boot camp training on April 22, 1982. It was the perfect enlistment site for me.

Because of the popular television show, Dallas, I had in mind that I wanted to go to Fort Hood, Texas and meet JR Ewing. Not only did I meet Larry Hagman, the actor who played JR, but I also met the entire cast at one of the big Dallas malls. That was in the 80s when the networks spent money to have cast members show up to greet their fans, and when fans could easily get a photo with the stars. Meeting JR had been on my mental bucket list. Later I learned that “Klinger” from Mash and Danny Thomas were both from Toledo, and so I added them to the list.

In 1983, I re-enlisted and chose Hawaii as my next army stint. There for 18 months, I’m convinced that the Hawaii move helped me look long and hard at myself and my future. In Hawaii, I decided I needed to better myself. I enrolled at the Wahiawa Community School for Adults and got my high school diploma. My mother was so disappointed when I didn’t graduate from high school, so I did it as much for her as for myself.

My long transportation management career began in Wahiawa. I was one of a large number of applicants who applied for a temporary mission of driving for the Sergeant Major for the division. He was the senior enlisted man at the post. I beat out the other candidates for that position. Later, I drove for the one-star general at the post. After that, I returned to my unit and worked as the battalion mail clerk until he left in 1985. While there, I met friends and mentors who would help me decide on my career journey. That same year, I was asked to re-enlist, and First Sergeant Herbert Harris became a lifelong mentor and friend. Sergeant Harris recommended that I choose Fort Eustis in Newport News, Virginia for my re-enlistment. I remained at Fort Eustis from April 1985 until January 1988.

I became a squad leader, and for the next six months, I managed a squad of truck drivers in and around the base. After that, I was set on transportation becoming my specialty, but my career trajectory changed some when I was appointed to head up NCO Training, where I was responsible for the training of 270 soldiers.

Around this time, I met First Sergeant Fletcher Walker. He was sent in to straighten out our company, and he did just that. He would stand up at the top of the stairs with his hat covering his eyes, but looking down at us. Sergeant Walker was a ‘soldier among soldiers,’ an airborne paratrooper, a Vietnam Veteran who had been shot three times. There was no one more surprised when he chose me to run the training.

I knew he had high expectations, and I was determined not to disappoint him. He was the kind of leaders for whom soldiers would fight and die. He was a true hero who taught me how to be a soldier and a man. He shared a lot about life with me. I imitated him in many ways so much that everyone would call me “Baby Walker.” I met his family and it was an honor. He retired as a Command Sergeant Major.

Spotlight – MERIDIAN CHRONICLES BLACK WIDOW CURSE & THE COVEN

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About the Author

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I am a wife and mom to three boys. I am an animal lover especially horses that I used to ride, train and show. Someday will do once more!

Favorite books are anything astrology, self help, motivation, romance and humor.

I love chocolate, coffee, my family (not in that order), and the beach.

I like to garden, hike, jog, swim and travel. My oldest two boys tell me I am weird as they laugh and I’ll take that as a good thing. I am told I am witty and sarcastic and I believe that comes out in my writing. 

The third installment to this series comes out September, 2019 and I am nearly finished with the last book to the series that comes out in 2020.

Website Link: www.mdfryson.com

Twitter Link: @madelyn_fryson

About the Book:

Title: MERIDIAN CHRONICLES BLACK WIDOW CURSE & THE COVEN

Author: M.D. Fryson

Publisher: AMF Publishing

Pages: 408

Genre: Paranormal Romance

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BOOK BLURB:

MERIDIAN’S curse has left her in a state all her own of amnesia. She is on Earth lost and afraid with only fragments to piece together her mysterious circumstance. The curse has taken the unimaginable from her, but that is just scratching the surface. The Black Widow curse will reveal itself through the demon’s riddle, the Coven and the Fairy Nymphs.

A trip back to Salem is just what the psychic ordered, but treachery lurks with an ex coven member who calls on demons. The demon realm offers more riddles than answers, but a stroke of luck from the high demon court, brings in a sophisticated demon, Lahash who has grown tired of the games. 

The curse hides Meridian’s identity and her memory will unlock the Universal secret of her twin soul to find her way home. As Meridian finds Aiden so do the impacts of her curse and what it could do to their budding relationship. 

Meridian’s soul and fate are in the cross hairs, while the odds rise between the demons, witches and the fairies. 

Finally having found Aiden, the Fairy Queen comes through to send aid to Meridian, but she still doubts herself and contemplates running away from it all. Who is Meridian’s twin soul? Will she go back to Etheria or will the curse reign down on Meridian?

Find out in this dark and twisted paranormal romance. 

ORDER YOUR COPY:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FDB677Q

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/meridian-chronicles-md-fryson/1127896815;jsessionid=EBD1EC14FF1A7890BFF25262A6DC8416.prodny_store02-atgap01?ean=2940162087151

Book Trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=14&v=-JBhIUwdXgo

Book Excerpt:

First Chapter

The air was crisp and cool as it danced around her face and through her messy raven hair. With a quick stop to investigate the window of the restaurant, she paused at the reflection staring back at her; Meridian did not recognize who she was. Her disheveled look was unflattering, and her dark and ominous wardrobe gave her the appearance of someone heading for a funeral, a fan of Johnny Cash, or on the other end, a lover of all things gothic. Wincing, she turned away from the stranger in the reflection and continued to walk down the street that she had once known in another life. Meridian had no idea where or who she was, or how she had arrived in such a state. With overwhelming emotions raging inside, the flush on her face gave color to her pale face, and her eyes appeared even more piercing with the compliment of the blush in her cheeks.

As she walked down the street from Aiden’s old school, her mind scrambled with thoughts. Her face devoid of movement, like a statue, it would not have been hard for any onlooker passing by her to see how lonely she felt. All Meridian could remember was Aiden and a distant memory of a name, Talon, but she was not sure why these names came to her and what the importance of these names was. The more her mind obsessively ran over thoughts of things she didn’t understand, the quicker her pace became as though she was running from something. Maybe she was running her way back to, in the very least, a clue that would brim with familiarity.

Meridian passed a few shops and a small bar that were out of place amongst the administrative offices and city hall. Meridian was unaware though; she wouldn’t have known what was out of place in this world. She stopped outside the bar, looked in the windows, and did not see anyone there. Moments later, she heard voices from inside as the door came open. A woman dressed very strangely was saying goodbye to the owner of the bar. “I will see you later, Stephanie!” she yelled out to the bar owner.

There Tallulah stood, looking at Meridian, adorned with jewelry of Celtic and Wiccan symbols. Her light brown hair was long, but strategically swept up in a messy bun atop her head and looked as though it had not seen a wash in a couple of days. Her clothes hung loosely on her large curvy body giving it a boxy appearance, her feet were hidden by the overture of her long dress, and she smelled of patchouli. Although Meridian was not quite sure what the scent was, as she had not encountered it before, it somehow gave her a sense of knowing and comfort. Meridian stared at the woman as she was trying to put together this feeling of familiarity. Tallulah waved her arms in sync with her exchange with the woman inside the bar, her large and gaudy bracelet chiming with every move of her hand. Meridian could not help but stare at the eccentric lady as she spoke to the other woman.

“Sure thing. Come by for a chat soon,” Stephanie answered back as Tallulah closed the door and took notice of Meridian’s stare. Tallulah’s smiling face quickly changed, and the twinkle in her eye disappeared as she looked at Meridian. Meridian’s expression struck Tallulah; as a psychic, she was too sensitive of a person to just walk on by.

“Hi, how are you?” Tallulah asked with concern.

Meridian stood with her arms crossed barely making eye contact. She kept her head down, kicking a small pebble on the ground as though that it was more important than Tallulah engaging in conversation with her. After a very long pause, she allowed her deep and mesmerizing green eyes to look up and quietly answer, “I am okay.”

“You sure you are okay? Are you looking for someone?” Tallulah asked.

“I really don’t know. I mean I do not know if I am okay or not, and I am looking for someone, but I do not know how to find him. His name is Aiden,” Meridian quietly explained, keeping her voice down as passersby continued to stare.

“Aiden? Hmm, I do not know anyone by that name. Are you from around here?” Tallulah inquired further.

“No, I am from out of town, and I do not know anyone here.” Meridian realized how she must sound to the stranger she was speaking to. She worried that this somehow familiar woman would see right through her, and in Meridian’s mind, there was no telling what that would entail for her.

“How did you get here? Do you have any parents or family? I see many people in my line of work, but I get the feeling I know you. Have we ever met before?” Tallulah was a little taller than Meridian, and she was bent at the waist just low enough to try to peer into Meridian’s eyes that were still locked on the ground. Her questions though innocent felt invasive to the lost and castaway spirit guide.

“What is your name, sweetie?” Tallulah pressed on after receiving no reply, “I am sorry I am asking you so many questions. Where are my manners? In a small town, we all try to help one another; we are all like family. I didn’t stop to think about how that may come across to a stranger.” Tallulah looked away from Meridian.

Meridian stopped kicking the pebble and looked up to the woman who had now stopped trying to make eye contact. “Meridian, I think. I am not sure. I can’t really remember things.” Meridian looked around seeking any clue to remind her of who she may be, but nothing was ringing any bells. As she heard herself speak, it left her feeling even more vulnerable and embarrassed.

“What happened? Were you in some sort of accident? I can call someone for you or take you somewhere if it would help you out,” Tallulah explained as she fumbled through her big purse digging for her cell phone. After several minutes of digging through a seemingly endless purse, Meridian put her hand out to Tallulah.

“No, no, it is fine, really. I don’t need you to call anyone for me. I don’t know what happened to me exactly. I just know I woke up in the high school parking lot, and I went into the school. The Principal called the authorities, but while I was waiting I asked if he knew where Aiden lived, and he said that he lived in a farmhouse off a county road outside of town. That was where I was headed when I stopped here,” Meridian said.

“Well, there aren’t but a few county roads around here in this small town. How come you didn’t wait for the authorities?” Tallulah asked further as she looked back at Meridian.

“I don’t know. I don’t think I have done anything wrong, I just had this name in my mind, and I wanted to find him.” Meridian paused. “I don’t even know him… I don’t think I do. I just…” Meridian stopped herself. She did not want to say anymore or mention Talon’s name.

“So, you do not remember anything but this Aiden’s name, and you do not know him, and you don’t know what happened?” Tallulah’s eyes were dark and soulful, like deep pools of water that were still and quiet. “I do not want to push, so I am going to get back over to my shop. If you change your mind, I would be happy to call someone for you. I do hope you are okay. Here is my card.” Tallulah had managed to pull an old bent up business card with her information on it and handed it over to Meridian. Tallulah began walking away across the street and back to her place.

Meridian took a glance at the card, and then she looked around at the street at all the people walking around. She looked back at Tallulah who had just made it to her door, and she was again digging through her big purse looking for her keys.

Meridian dashed across the street. “Right, but the strange thing is you seem familiar to me too, but I don’t know how,” she said.

Tallulah smiled as she pointed at a sign on the door that read ‘Psychic readings by Tallulah’. Meridian glanced up at the sign while Tallulah unlocked the door and walked in, leaving the door open for Meridian to follow. Tallulah went through her living area straight to the kitchen and set her things down. “I am the town psychic, and perhaps you came to me for a reading? I know that you seem familiar to me as well, but I have done so many readings that I cannot always remember each person.”

“Maybe I did. That could have happened.” Meridian walked in and took a look around. Tallulah had an old light brown carpet on the floor that looked as though it had been well maintained. Her walls were an old wood paneling job that were decorated with paintings of country fields and purple coneflowers. Scents of lavender were heavy as Meridian continued toward the kitchen. Tallulah’s table was small and decorated with a cheap linen cloth with red stripes and a centerpiece of large crystal quartz, set on a mirror with a crack in the center.

“Would you let me take you to the hospital to be checked to make sure that you are okay, at least? I can try to help you find your friend, and maybe he can help you find your parents and family. I am sorry I am not more help; I am uncertain what else I can do for you.” Tallulah filled her teapot from the sink and moved over to heat it up on the stove.

“Hmm, I do not want to go to the hospital right now. Is there something else I could do? Do you have any more suggestions?” Meridian dropped onto Tallulah’s large couch. Sitting down, she scooted all the way to the back of the couch where her feet dangled off the ground.

“Sure, I could give you a reading on the house? I may not be good at many things, but I am good at a reading – or so I am told.” Tallulah’s eye’s twinkled in the light coming in from her large picture window.

Tallulah led the way into her favorite room – the reading room. There were crystals placed throughout, and smudge sticks sitting on a shelf for customers to purchase. A red curtain separated the living-waiting room from her small and private area for clients. The charm hanging from the ceiling fan switch was two half-moons on either side of a moon with a Witch’s pentagram in the center, and Meridian walked over to the fan to reach up to touch the charm.

“That is my wind chime. I bought it while I went on a trip to Salem, Massachusetts… you know, for Halloween weekend. I always did enjoy going to Salem. I have plans to go back this year.” Tallulah attempted to hand Meridian a cup of tea, however, Meridian had not pulled her eyes away from the charm, barely taking notice of what Tallulah was sharing. Her thoughts were interrupted by a divine scent that immersed through the air as Tallulah stood next to Meridian holding her tea.

“What is that wonderful smell?” Meridian looked into the cup and inhaled the steam floating away from the cup.

“Oh, that is chamomile tea. I thought you would want a cup to warm you up. Fall is certainly in the air. I love to have my teas,” Tallulah said as she sat down at her table putting away her tarot cards. “Now, what can you remember about yourself?”

“I truly do not have a clue about my whereabouts or even where I come from. Judging by the way I am dressed, I look like I am going to a funeral, I guess?” Meridian looked down at herself and opened up her arms as she explained herself. “Well, maybe not a funeral. I am sure I would wear a sweater over a shirt like this.” Meridian pulled the end of her sheer black shirt that showed through to the black bra she was wearing underneath. The only thing she had on over her tawdry shirt was a black leather waistcoat that barely zipped up over her large breasts.

“Well, you look like maybe you like gothic style, and there is nothing wrong with that. It’s all right to be proud of your body. I mean, as long as you are comfortable with that kind of attention. I see a lot of that with my clientele. This little town is a wonderful place away from the bigger cities. It is small enough that most people who have lived here a long time know each other. However, it is growing, so we do see new faces more frequently. If you like the beach, we are just about an hour away, and there is plenty to do down at the boardwalk.

Meridian looked right at Tallulah. The psychic had jumped from her comment on Meridian’s wardrobe right into her sharing information on the area, but Meridian got hung up on Tallulah’s remark about her outfit. “Attention? I don’t understand.” Meridian took the seat across Tallulah’s reading table.

“Oh, now you have to know what kind of attention that you get. I am sure all the guys must look at you. I mean you definitely have the body to pull off your look well. Don’t be ashamed.” Tallulah didn’t give the raven beauty any time to respond, and she moved right on to what she knew she did best. “So, let us do a reading and see what I can help you out with.”

Tallulah closed her eyes. Soon she began to see images flash through her mind of Meridian and what she looked like as a guide. She had platinum blonde hair and a glowing tattoo on her wrist that represented Infiniti. She caught a glimpse of her own self and the woman she was reading back when Meridian, Relic and Caius came in to talk with her. She remembered that day and how odd it was to have spirits talking to her in the way they were with their strange requests. Tallulah could not get any more on Meridian, but she did see a glimpse of Aiden driving down his grandparent’s long dirt road to their home. With his window rolled down and his rock music blaring, his long blond hair blew around with the wind and his bright smile spread across his face. Tallulah opened her eyes, and she looked at Meridian with some confusion. She remembered the names of the guides, and it startled her that one of the spirits she had spoken to had the same name.

“What is it, Tallulah? Can you tell me anything?” Meridian’s excitement did not give Tallulah another moment to collect thoughts any further. She was leaning in and studying Tallulah’s face.

“Well, I got a flash of you, but you looked different. Can I see your wrist?” As Tallulah examined Meridian’s wrist, the tattoo was there, but it was not glowing white like she saw in her mind, it was just a simple black tattoo of the infinity symbol. Tallulah’s face showed her confusion, and Meridian was becoming just as confused. “Meridian, did you dye your hair? Or was it another color before?”

“What? I don’t think so.” Meridian walked over to the mirror on the wall as she looked at herself. “I would think that I have always had black hair and green eyes.”

“Well, in my vision I see you, but your hair is platinum blonde, and you still have green eyes, but they are a very light translucent green and they are very, well… deep would be a good word to describe them. They do not look like any green eyes I have seen before, and the tattoo was glowing and a silvery color, not black like it is now. The mark on your wrist seemed like a hologram that floated above your wrist, casting a dark silver or grey shadow, but it isn’t a shadow. This is all very different, compelling, and strange. I also saw a vision of a boy and wonder if this is your Aiden. He had blond hair, about shoulder length, and he was driving a black truck down a dirt drive to a farmhouse. That house looks like the one I pass on the way out of town, and I think this must be him. This is very strange,” Tallulah repeated as she questioned herself.

Meridian continued to study her reflection. Long, flowing jet-black hair and piercing green eyes. Her eyes were the only thing that made sense to her, but she still remained puzzled with her fuzzy memory, in contrast with what Tallulah said. Meridian’s delight left, and her statue-like expression returned – accompanied by the slump she had carried when she and Tallulah had met on the street. She plopped back down onto her seat at the table and put her head in her hands as she stared at Tallulah.

“Meridian, I was doing a reading last year for a client of mine, and I had to ask her to leave because I was getting some spirits making strange requests. They spoke to me, and I could hear them, and their names were Caius, Relic and…Meridian.” Tallulah stopped as she saw Meridian’s face light up. “They were Spirit Guides that watch over humankind.”

“Are you saying I am her? I am Meridian the Spirit Guide?” Meridian’s voice drifted as she pulled a strand of her hair in front of her eyes, for a closer look. “This makes no sense; how can I be a spirit and be here talking to you?”

“I don’t know, child. This is the strangest thing that has ever happened to me, and trust me, I have had some strange experiences. They were asking me about a Fairy Quartz stone and how to locate the family or persons who had it. I never truly answered them; I asked them to leave. I knew where the stone was, but I was afraid to say anything.” Tallulah took pause as she waited for Meridian’s reaction.

Meridian stood with her hand over her wide-open mouth, the shock evident in her expression. “Tallulah, I think I am her. I remember… I remember being here and seeing you and the stone, but I have no idea why I needed it. I am so confused, but this seems more like a dream I had. Nothing that would be realistic.” Meridian walked over to the couch and sat down in disbelief of her own thoughts. “Maybe this is a dream, and maybe I don’t remember because I was in an accident or something? I mean isn’t this backwards? Shouldn’t it be a human goes on to the spirit world, not the other way around?” Meridian looked to Tallulah for some semblance of comfort, but as she looked at the psychic, she did not find what she was looking for. Instead, Tallulah appeared to be just as confounded as Meridian.

After much urging from Tallulah, the pair went down to the hospital for a full work up, and to make sure there wasn’t anything that they could find to piece together Meridian’s circumstance. Tallulah had taken on quite a bit, and she questioned herself as to if this was really something she should be involved with. After the hospital checked Meridian, and they saw no signs of trauma, Tallulah felt better knowing that at least physically, Meridian was okay. The pair sat in the waiting room as they waited on more test results coming back from the lab.

“What else do we need to have tested?” Meridian was impatient as she sat drumming her fingernails on the magazine that lay on her lap.

“Well, I have never had this happen to me either, but I think it makes sense that we have you checked out. The next thing we will look at doing – if we can’t locate your family – is finding a place for you to stay. There are shelters here for folks who have nowhere to stay.” Tallulah sat with her large purse in her lap digging for her wallet, so she could get a drink from the vending machine. Meridian raised an eyebrow and smiled as she watched the digging.

“Why don’t you get a smaller bag?” Meridian elbowed Tallulah gently and laughed.

“Why should I? I like having what I need. It just takes me a while to get it!” She popped back at her new acquaintance. Tallulah made her way to the vending machine, and as she was putting her change in, one of the doctors who had seen Meridian for her checkup approached with a clipboard and some papers. Meridian stood and watched the pair visiting. Tallulah appeared confused as she shook her head several times and shrugged her shoulders as she responded to the doctor’s inquiries. After a few more moments, the doctor, alongside Tallulah, walked over to where Meridian was sitting in the waiting area.

“Meridian, I have the results of another set of labs we ran, and I am troubled by some of the results we have uncovered. It appears that you do not have a blood type. No matter how many times we rechecked for errors, the results are always the same. The strangest thing is, you seem fine, and there are no indications of anything that could be wrong with you. I have no reason to hold you here, except by you volunteering to run some more tests. Maybe there is something else that is going on with you that we have yet to uncover. I seriously think you should come back for some additional testing. If you don’t want to do it now, you can go to the front with an order, and they can schedule it.” Dr. Jones walked away leaving Meridian and Tallulah with an order to take for an appointment.

“I don’t want to do this!” Meridian shouted at Tallulah.

Tallulah paused and looked around struggling with what to do. “Okay, okay; calm down. You and I both know that there is more to you than we can share with just anyone. I am happy to know for the most part you are all right. We can hold onto the work order for now. I have some friends that may be able to help you, but you have to promise me that if for any reason we can’t uncover what we need to in order to satisfy your mystery, that you will come here and allow the staff here to take care of you.” Tallulah’s tone was forceful.

“Well, it doesn’t sound like you are giving me an option. I will only do so if they do not have a clue how to help me. It sounds to me as I am being volun-told,” Meridian acquiesced with a guarded endorsement. They left the hospital and found a shelter that Meridian was welcomed to stay in. Tallulah left Meridian there while making a few calls to help her out. One of those calls was back to her dear friend, Stephanie. Tallulah was hopeful she could put Meridian to work while they worked out the young woman’s perplexing circumstance.

Book Blast – LILY’S TRUST

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Lilli Carlisle will be awarding a copy of Omega’s Choice + Ceva’s Chance to 2 randomly drawn winners via rafflecopter during the tour.

LOVE AND SACRIFICE

Omegas choose their mates, and Lily had been certain Jensgar would be happy she had chosen him. Instead, the former general of the king’s army refused her, forcing her to the leave the pack she’d adopted. Humiliated and heartbroken, she returns to the Black Ridge Pack, only to find the pitying glances and hushed comments too much to bear. She has no home, and no one to call her own. Convinced she has no other choice, she flees to the forest to live as a wolf. She is shocked when Jensgar, in wolf form, comes for her, and slowly convinces her to trust him again. But the woods hold secrets, and danger. When Jensgar’s life is threatened, Lily gives up everything to save the man she loves, and once again puts her chance for happiness in peril.

Read an Excerpt

Lily had been gone only a few hours before the Black Ridge pack began looking for her. After their initial attempts to convince her to return to the pack house, they’d decided on a wait-and-see kind of approach. Little did they know, Lily did not intend to ever return to her human life.

Her paws swiftly carried her over the uneven ground, as she dodged trees, fallen logs and rocks in her way. The wind ran its warm fingers through her fur as the sun guided her. Her trailing party made noise to alert her that they were a couple yards back pacing her, but never coming any closer. Of course, it wasn’t exactly as if Lily had welcomed their visits, growling whenever someone came too close, but they kept coming back. She wondered when they would finally understand there was no life for her to return to.

Increasing her speed, she tried to lengthen the distance between them, but to no avail. Why would the alpha bother? Sure, send out a warrior or two. But to come himself and bring Marcus, Jensgar’s son, along was disconcerting. Why wouldn’t the pack leave her alone? It wasn’t as if she were a viable omega anymore. True, she still had her gifts, but she wouldn’t be sharing them with anyone.

The lake gleamed and sparkled in the distance calling her forward and leaving her thoughts where they belonged, behind her.

About the Author:

Lilli Carlisle, lives outside Toronto, Canada. She’s a member of the Romance Writers of America and its chapter, Toronto Romance Writers. Lilli is a mother of two wonderful girls, wife to an amazing man and servant to the pets in her life. Lilli writes both contemporary and paranormal romance and believes love should be celebrated and shared. After all, everybody needs a little romance, excitement, intrigue and passion in their lives.

Connect with Lilli –

http://facebook.com/lillicarlisleauthor

http://twitter.com/LilliCarlisle

http://instagram.com/lillicarlisle

BUY LINKS:

http://www.boroughspublishinggroup.com/books/lilys-trust

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/lily-s-trust

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/922048

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1130530610?ean=2940155970590

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/lilys-trust/id1451771182?mt=11

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07NGTC5F3

Lilli Carlisle will be awarding a copy of Omega’s Choice + Ceva’s Chance to 2 randomly drawn winners via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

VBT – My Darkest Prayer by S.A. Crosby

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My Darkest Prayer

by S. A. Cosby

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GENRE: mystery/suspense

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BLURB:

Whether it’s working at his cousin’s funeral home or tossing around the local riff raff at his favorite bar, Nathan Waymaker is a man who knows how to handle the bodies. A former Marine and Sheriff’s deputy, Nathan has built a reputation in his small Southern town as a man who can help when all other avenues have been exhausted. When a local minister with grandiose ambitions is found dead, Nathan is approached by his parishioners who feel the local police are dragging their feet with the investigation. What starts out as an easy payday soon descends into a maze of mayhem filled with wannabe gangsters, vicious crime lords, porn stars, crooked police officers and a particularly treacherous preacher and his mysterious wife. Nathan must use all his varied skills and some of his wit to navigate the murky waters of small town corruption even as dark secrets of his own threaten to come to the surface.

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EXCERPT

I handle the bodies.

That’s what I say when people ask me what I do for a living. I find that gets one of two responses. They drift away to the other side of the room and give me a sideways glance the rest of the night or they let out a nervous laugh and move the conversation in another, less macabre direction. I could always say I work at a funeral home, but where’s the fun in that?

Every once in a while when I was in the Corps, someone would see me at Starbucks that modern mecca Wal-Mart in my utility uniform. Sometimes they’d catch me in my dress blues after a military ball just trying to grab something before heading back to the base. They would walk up to me and say, “Thank you for your service.” I’d mumble something like “No, thank you for your support” or some other pithy rejoinder, and they would wander away with a nice satisfied look on their faces. Sometimes what I wanted to say was, “I took care of the bodies. The bodies with the legs blown off or the hands shredded. The bodies full of ball bearings and nails and whatever some kid could find to build his IED. I loaded the bodies up and dragged them back to the base, then went back out on another patrol and prayed to a God that seemed to be only half-listening that today wasn’t the day that someone would have to take care of my body.”

But I don’t think that would have given them the same warm and fuzzy feeling.

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

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S.A. Cosby is a writer whose work has been published in numerous magazine and anthologies. His story “Slant-Six” received an honorable mention in Best Mystery Stories of 2016. His life experiences include being a retail manager, a bouncer, a forklift driver, a landscaper, a roadie, a construction worker, a mortuary attendant, and he once wore a cow suit when he worked for Chik Fil-A. He majored in English at Christopher Newport University and now lives in Gloucester, Virginia.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blacklionking73/

Twitter: @blacklionking73

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1940758866/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_taft_p1_i0

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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE:

S. A. Cosby 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

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

S.A. Tell us about you.

Well I w as born in a small southern town. My parents separated when I was five. My mother was disabled when I was seven. We had to move in with my grandparents. It was there I discovered a love for reading and writing. We were very poor. We didn’t have cable or more than one tv. My grandmother would let me read her True Story magazines to keep me occupied. Soon I became a voracious reader. Eventually I began writing my own stories. I had complained to my mother about how some of the books I read ended and she encouraged me to tell my own stories. That way I could end them anyway i wanted to.

If you could hang out with one famous person for one day, who would it be and why?

Wow ,that’s a great question. I think if i had a chance to hangout with Walter Mosely that would be a great way to spend a day on this good ol’ space rock. He’s a black crime writer and he is a fascinating person. I would love to pick his brain. Not just about writing but about his life and the inspirations for his great characters.

What’s the story behind your latest book?

M Y DARKEST PRAYER was born out of my desire to tell a story that incorporated the traditional noir tropes but tell the story through the prism of a man of color in the South. I felt like it was a story no one else was telling . I had a hard time finding a way into the book though. In my experience a murder in small town is rarely a whodunit. It’a a can we prove it. So I had trouble visualizing a situation where a private investigator would solve a crime in a small town. One day i was talking with my friend Todd Robinson , a great writer and the creator of ThugLit, and he told me i should just make my MC a trouble shooter. My day job is at a funeral home. To paraphrase Todd there are hundreds of ready made stories walking through your door every day. It was like a light bulb went off in my head. After that came to me pretty quickly.

What is your writing process?

F irst I have to be alone. I sometimes talk to myself when i write and it’s just less awkward if I’m by myself. I usually have some type of music playing. Different songs for different scenes. If i am writing a fight scene then I’m listening to something aggressive. If I’m writing an emotionally wrenching scene I will listen to something more nuanced like jazz or trip hop. I usually will get up and walk around to work through plot points that are giving me trouble. I used to have a writing hat but my dog (RIP Pugsley) ate it. That didn’t kill him but I never replaced the hat.

Tell us about your main character:

The main c haracter of MY DARKEST PRAYER is Nathan Waymaker. Nathan is a biracial man living in a small southern town. A former Marine and ex-sheriff’s deputy Nathan left the force after the police declined to charge the man who killed his parents in a road rage incident. Blackballed and unable to find work Nathan takes a job working for his cousin Walt at Walt’s funeral home. Nathan becomes a bit of a guy Friday at the funeral home. He also moonlights as a troubleshooter. An unlicensed investigator for people who can’t or won’t go to the police. I envisioned Nathan as another iteration of the the traditional noir hero with just a few differences. He is a damaged character but he retains h is sense of humor. He is a man of color living in a state that was once the home of the confederacy. He is a hero but a tarnished one. He is capable of great violence but also great love and caring. The main thing i wanted to accomplish with Nathan was to make him likeable enough a reader wouldn’t mind spending 220 pages with him. I hope i succeeded.

If your book was to be turned into a movie, who would play the lead role and why.

When I first starting writing MY DARKEST PRAYER I had the idea that Nathan looked a lot like Dwayne The Rock Johnson. But upon reflection I think he has more in common with Jason Momoa. They share a self deprecating sense of humor but also embody a strong aura of determination and fierceness.

What are you working on next?

Right now I am in the middle of edits for a rural heist novel. I have also been working on a revenge thriller that would tackle some delicate social issues in the rural community. I am also working on several short stories for various projects. And I am scheduled to read at several NOIR AT THE BAR events. These are events where crime writers read short stories in a an appropriately noir setting, a bar.

What advice do you have for other writers who want to get the word out about their book?

Go to where the people are. Go to conventions. Live reading. Join a writing group. Make people remember your name and the title of your work. Network with other writers. Having friends in the writing community will help you promote your work and will make you a better writer.

What is your favorite book on your shelf right now?

THE DEVIL ALL THE TIME by Daniel Ray Pollock. It is a haunting novel.

Do you have any special/extraordinary talents?

I am a fair chess player. but I still can’t beat my uncle who taught me how to play.

You are given the choice of one super power. What super power would you have and why?

Invincibility so I could stop wearing my seatbelt. I really hate that thing.

List 5 things on your bucket list:

Go to Paris.
Swim with dolphins.
Compete in a sanctioned boxing match.
Make a perfect pancake and flip it in the pan.
Meet Barrack Obama.

Any final thoughts?

I just hope people will buy MY DARKEST PRAYER and enjoy it. At the end of the day that’s all any writer really wants. To make people happy. And lots and lots of money LOL. Kidding. (not really)

VBT – PIRACY

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. L. P. Maxa will be awarding a copy of Royalty + Legacy to 2 randomly drawn winners via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

No one has more fun than Jett Matthews, and he intends to keep it that way, but he has to convince the girl of his dreams, Devin King, that Jett’s brand of fun means forever.

Read an Excerpt

My plan for this upcoming takedown was to wait in the dark until I saw her stumble into the building. And then, I’d follow her stealthily into the classroom. Stalking probably wasn’t the number one way to get a girl, but it was all I had at the moment. I didn’t know her name, which was my bad, so I couldn’t look her up on social media. And I hadn’t seen her around campus that morning, so I hadn’t been able to accidentally “bump” into her.

Thus, the shadows.

I chuckled quietly when I saw her enter the building, instantly dropping her cell phone on the hard laminate flooring. This chick. I shook my head and left my hiding place, falling in step behind her and trailing her into the classroom. Then down the steps and across five people to sit smack-dab in the middle of the row. I had to make people move down so I could get a seat right next to her. And through it all, she never turned and noticed that I was behind her. Not once did she glance over her shoulder. She was completely unaware of her surroundings.

I pulled out my tablet and then watched as she once again set up her desk with more supplies than she’d need for the whole semester. I waited patiently, hiding my smirk behind my hand while she fumbled a pen and sent it sailing two levels down.

“Hi.” I spoke close to her ear, but not so close that it would be considered “rude.”

She jerked away from my lips in surprise and turned to glare at me. “What are you doing here?” I found that I enjoyed the flare of irritation in her eyes as much as I’d enjoyed the blush on her neck the first class we’d shared.

I raised an eyebrow, pointing to my tablet. “I’m in this class.”

Her eyes narrowed even further, and her lips made that straight line for a moment. “Yeah, but why are you here, next to me?”

About the Author

L.P. lives in Austin, Texas with her husband, daughter, three rescue dogs, four chickens, two dwarf goats, and one adopted cat. The fish died. She is a full-time writer, and part time business owner. L.P. says she loves to read as much as she loves to write, and reading a good book is her reward after writing one. In her spare time, she fosters puppies for a rescue organization based in Austin.

Connect with L.P. –

http://www.lpmaxa.wordpress.com

http://www.facebook.com/pages/LP-Maxa/1442560722667127

http://www.twitter.com/lpmaxa

http://www.instagram.com/lpmaxa

BUY LINKS:

http://www.boroughspublishinggroup.com/books/piracy

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1130013235?ean=2940155910930

https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/piracy/id1446963890?mt=11

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07LD9D7HW

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/piracy-2

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/912640

L. P. Maxa will be awarding a copy of Royalty + Legacy to 2 randomly drawn winners via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Blast – FOR FOX SAKE

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Susan Mac Nicol will be awarding a copy of Feat of Clay + Damaged Goods to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Tate and Clay’s newest case has all the earmarks of typical investigative work: lies, deception, collusion, and a dead body – except the body was found in Fetish Alley, and nothing that happens there is typical.

Read an Excerpt

Tate sat beneath the covers, his iPad propped up against raised knees as he scrolled down the screen. His brow furrowed as Clay climbed in next to him. “Look at this. Rick’s sent me the police report from Dixon’s case. No one could find them earlier in the station. He made a stink about it and hey, presto. Now we have it.”

Clay picked up his reading glasses from the bedside table, unfolded them, and perched them on his nose. “What am I looking at?” he enquired, peering over at the tablet.

Tate’s finger moved across the screen as he pointed out areas of interest. “The man who alerted the cops didn’t find the body himself. He saw a severed hand, and what appeared to be a costume, then called the cops.”

Clay blinked. “But Dixon wasn’t missing any hands.”

Tate nodded. “I know. Turns out it was a prop, something used in a previous production of who knows what. The place was full of old stage stuff.” He ran his finger across another area of the report. “The cops checked it out, just in case, and they were the ones who discovered the real live body.” He sniggered. “Well, not live, but you know what I mean.”

Clay did. His partner’s dark and often twisted sense of humour was entertaining even if sometimes it bordered on being downright scary.

Tate frowned. “They found Dixon in the basement, still dressed in his fox costume. He must have had his suit on underneath, because, look here.” Tate pointed to what looked like an amateur mobile phone shot. “There’s a cufflink right there.”

Clay leaned in and sure enough, there was a gold cufflink in the shape of a fox in the right shirt cuff. “Hmm,” he mused. “The report says he’d collapsed there on the spot. Then the doctor on scene confirmed it looked like a heart attack and that was it. No bloody post-mortem or anything.” He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “He must have been boiling in his suit and the costume. I suppose it was a cold night, and it was raining, so that might explain it. I’d be interested as to why no one saw a man dressed as a fox walking down to the theatre. I mean it’s not that far from the club, but the area is populated.”

Tate nodded. “I wondered about the lack of witnesses too. Someone should have seen something. And how could the cops not find the death suspicious, even a little, when the man was wearing a fox costume over his suit?”

About the Author:

Susan writes steamy, sexy and fun contemporary romance, some suspenseful, some gritty and dark, almost all M/M, and some stories that she hopes makes you think. She’s also Editor in Chief at Divine Magazine, an online LGBTQ e-zine, and a Charity Board trustee at The Being Me Campaign in London.

Susan attained PAN status with the Romance Writers of America with her first M/M book, Stripped Bare. She’s currently a member of The Society of Authors in the UK, and the Authors Guild in the US. She enjoys being a member of Queer Romance Ink, All Author, Book + Main Bites and the Paranormal Romance Guild.

The ‘Unofficial’ stuff

She loves going to the theatre, live music concerts (especially if it’s her man crush Adam Lambert) walks in the countryside, a good G &T, lazing away afternoons reading a good book, and watching re-runs of Silent Witness.

Her chequered past includes being mistaken for a prostitute in the city of Johannesburg, being chased by a rhino on a dusty Kenyan road, getting kicked out of a youth club for being a ‘bad influence’ (she encourages free thinking), and having an aunt who was engaged to Cliff Richard.

website: http://www.authorsusanmacnicol.com

facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Author-Susan-Mac-Nicol

twitter: http://www.twitter.com/SusanMacNicol7

instagram: http://www.susiemax77

linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/susanmacnicol

BUY LINKS:

http://www.boroughspublishinggroup.com/books/for-fox-sake

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07N6NHB7Z

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/920347

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/for-fox-sake-susan-mac-nicol/1130409817?ean=2940155957775

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/for-fox-sake

Susan Mac Nicol will be awarding a copy of Feat of Clay + Damaged Goods to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

VBT – THE MOMENT BETWEEN

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THE MOMENT BETWEEN

by Gareth Frank

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GENRE: Psychological Thriller

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB

After four years of mourning, Doctor Hackett Metzger is determined to stop letting his wife’s death control his life. He is finally beginning to live again, but his recovery leads to an unexpected fight for his own survival and startling revelations about what happens to all of us in The Moment Between.

Hackett, a brilliant neurologist, is a skeptic. He doesn’t believe he will one day be reunited with Jean, or dwell with God in heaven. What he does believe is that he should have seen the warning signs of her heart attack; he should have saved her. He also cannot accept the possibility that his clinical study of near death experiences could prove the existence of a conscious afterlife. When Hackett falls for the mother of a patient, grief finally begins to fade. But he has no idea his new love is hiding her dangerous past. Will Hackett’s damaged spirit endure another heartbreak?

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~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EXCERPT

In those first months, he tortured himself with the notion that Jean’s voice had been real. He was sure that she had been present while he tried to save her. He prayed that she lived on in death, hoped that even as he failed, she had a soft landing on the other side. Her voice became his torture.

And so he understood death as he never had before. He understood grieving and pain. He understood what it meant to miss someone and to know that he would never see that person again. He understood loneliness. Most of all he understood the foolish and painful illusion that life might somehow continue. There was no voice. Jean had not talked to him from beyond. He had tortured himself from within. She was dead. He had learned to accept that cold hard reality. Anger had settled into the dark hole that was his memory of that day, poisoning his spirit. For weeks he stayed home from work, for months the blackness held him captive, until slowly he emerged into the world once more. His sanity hinged on his acceptance that Jean’s voice had been an illusion. Death was just death.

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Gareth Frank is a former union organizer and administrator. He received a Master’s Degree at the University of Wisconsin and later studied at the Writer’s Center in Bethesda, Maryland. The Moment Between is his first published novel. His short stories have been published in various journals and have been nominated for the Pushcart Prize as well as the Silver Pen Write Well Award.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GarethFrankAuthor

https://www.amazon.com/Moment-Between-Gareth-J-Frank/dp/1732294208

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RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY

Gareth Frank will be awarding a $50 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

Enter to win a $50 Amazon/BN GC – a Rafflecopter giveaway

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gareth, tell us about you as a person. 

Some people live life on automatic pilot. They do what comes easy. I like creating new chapters in life and becoming proficient at new things. That’s one of the big reasons I became a writer. When I retired seven years ago, my entire portfolio of creative fiction could be held in a child’s notebook. I knew how much work it was to write a novel, but I also knew that if I challenged myself I could do it. That’s a lesson I learned early in my career as a union organizer and administrator. When I was in my late twenties, I sat in one meeting after another watching people duck new or challenging assignments. Being a little nervous, that’s what I, too, did at first. I quickly learned that gets you nowhere. I decided that I would volunteer as much as I could, especially if it was something new. It has proven to be an invaluable approach to both work and life in general.

If you could hang out with one famous person for one day, who would it be and why?

I have always been fascinated by Albert Einstein, for both his intellect and humanity. I have even included a little popular physics in my psychological thriller, The Moment Between. But, it wouldn’t be him. I would be lost if he talked physics, and I think he might be a little boring in person. I’d take another physicist, Richard Feynman. He was brilliant, but also a hoot. He absolutely loved music, played practical jokes on stiff shirts in the academic world, and even liked to think through his theories while sipping orange juice in a strip club. Read his books, especially Surely Your Joking, Mr. Feynman.

What’s the story behind your latest book?

Steven King once said: “(The writer’s) job isn’t to find ideas but to recognize them when they show up.”

For me, the idea for my novel showed up in the mail. I received a Christmas card that mentioned the death of a friend’s brother and alluded to his wife being the murderer. A very strange Christmas card, indeed. I couldn’t stop thinking about it. When I called my friend and asked what had happened, I found out that, as they say, fact was stranger than fiction. I used the woman in question to create one of my characters. Some people think I created a monster. The truth is, real monsters are often real people. That was the genesis of my storyline.

The theme of my book grew out of my fascination with near-death experiences, and what they tell us about the conscious mind. Polling has shown that about 70 percent of Americans believe in some sort of afterlife. We all struggle between two competing natures, the logical and the spiritual. Where we lie between those two points largely defines who were are. That dualism lies at the heart of my book.

The Moment Between is a psychological thriller that brings death to life.

What is your writing process?

I know it’s bad for my posture, but I grab my laptop, get comfortable on my couch and write. Like Albert Einstein who often sat in his bathtub lost in thought hour after hour, I can hang out on the couch writing all day.

Tell us about your main character.

After four years, Doctor Hackett Metzger is a neurologist still recovering from his wife’s death. He is a likeable, brilliant doctor and also a bit of an awkward nerd. His attempts to find romance and companionship are comical at best. He is also a skeptic with respect to the afterlife. For him, death is too painful. To hold out false hope might break him. Even though he considers near-death experiences to be little more than hallucinations, he is talked into supporting a medical study of people who suffer cardiac arrests and are resuscitated. At the same time, he is charmed by a woman with a dangerous past.

If your book was to be turned into a movie, who would play the lead role and why.

Paul Giamatti would be the perfect Hackett.

What are you working on next?

The working title of my next novel is Torn Skin. The name is taken from a song written by Jonny Pirpal, a punk rockin, freight train hoppin loner who attained rock and roll fame in the nineties, only to lose everything in a single day. Syeira, a mystic who quite literally saves lives by being in the right place at the right time, has also become a loner though for very different reasons. They meet as Jonny’s past is catching up with him.

What advice do you have for other writers who want to get the word out about their book?

I read a quote from an Indian businessman. I have no idea why he was being quoted about writing, but his words stuck in my head. “Writing is like prostitution. First you do it for love, then for a few close friends, then for money.”

I have no idea why he thought prostitution was something you do with a few close friends, or why he thought writer’s write for money. The truth is, one million books are published in America each year, so getting the word out is hard. The most important word in a writer’s vocabulary has to be perseverance. First create a buzz among friends, family, coworkers and other acquaintances, then look for every opportunity to spread out. Who knows when the big break could come.

What is your favorite book on your shelf right now?

It’s a toss-up. The Cemetery Keeper’s Wife, by Maryann McFadden or Beartown by Fredrik Backman.

Do you have any special/extraordinary talents?

I wrote a novel. That should count.

Spotlight – Sgt. Windflower Mystery Series

SGT. WINDFLOWER MYSTERY SERIES 

by Mike Martin, Mystery








 

The Sgt. Windflower Mysteries are a light mystery series set

in Newfoundland on the east coast

of Canada.

These cozy-like books follow the adventures of Sgt. Winston Windflower, a Cree

from Northern Alberta as he finds a new life and new loves in the tiny village

of Grand Bank. There are crimes and mysteries for the Canadian Mountie to investigate

and solve but the Sgt. Windflower Mysteries are more about family, friends,

good food and good times.

The recurring cast of characters include the love of his

life, Sheila Hillier who keeps him well-fed and grounded in reality. There’s

also his fellow Mounties like Corporal Eddie Tizzard and a long list of bad

actors, both local and just visiting, to cause havoc in their sleepy little

town. Windflower brings his native background and traditions with him and finds

ways to use them to help himself and his friends through difficult times.

Rounding out his life are his collie, Lady, who often has adventures of her own

and some new additions to his family that appear in the latest book, Darkest Before the Dawn.


The Walker

on the Cape (Book 1)
A man’s body is found on the Cape in a

small fishing community on the East Coast. At first everyone thinks it’s a

heart attack or stroke. But then it is discovered that he was poisoned. Who

would do this and why? Finding that out falls to Sergeant Winston Windflower of

the RCMP along with his trusted side-kick Eddie Tizzard. Along the way they

discover that there are many more secrets hidden in this small community and

powerful people who want to keep it that way.







Windflower also discovers two more things; a love of

living in a small community that is completely different from his up-bringing

in a remote Indian reserve and maybe the love of his life. He gets a taste of

East Coast food and hospitality as well as a sense of how crime and corruption

can linger beneath the surface or hide in the thick blanket of fog that

sometimes creeps in from the nearby Atlantic Ocean.


The Body on the T (Book 2)

The Body on the T is the second book

in the Windflower mystery series and it follows up on the highly acclaimed

premiere, The Walker on the Cape. The story begins when a body washes up on a beach near

Grand Bank, Newfoundland. There is no identification on the body and few clues to

identify who the person was or where they came from. The case becomes the

responsibility of Sgt. Winston Windflower of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police

and his trusted side-kick, Corporal Eddie Tizzard.But this is just the beginning. There is also a

devastating accident on the highway and another suspicious death to deal with.

Throw in a rogue police officer and an international drug ring operating in the

waters off the coast and Windflower’s peaceful world is turned upside down.

This time Windflower’s adventures take him to the scenic town of Burin

where Captain Cook once patrolled the waters looking for French mercenaries.

And to historic St. John’s where he faces down an armed suspect on a parking

garage rooftop in the midst of a busy downtown evening.

Along the way Windflower also continues to enjoy the

food and home-style hospitality of this part of the world. Cod tongues, pan

seared scallops and even figgy duff become part of his diet, and his long list

of favourite foods. Windflower may be a long way from his Cree home in Northern Alberta

but he has found a new place to love in the fog and mist of Newfoundland.

 

 

 

 

Beneath the Surface (Book 3)

 

Sgt. Windflower is back and as usual

he’s loving life on the east coast. He may be a long way from his home in Northern Alberta

but he has been adopted by the locals as almost one of their own. He has a good

life, good work with the RCMP, and a good woman that he has grown closer to in

his years on the southeast coast of Newfoundland. But trouble is brewing just beneath the surface of this

calm and charm-filled existence. It begins with the discovery of a dead girl’s body in St. John’s, the capital city of Newfoundland and Labrador. The girl is from Grand Bank where Windflower has been

stationed for the last few years. Sgt. Windflower and his associate Corporal

Eddie Tizzard are pulled further and further into the case. The situation also

grows to include a whole array of criminal activities from human trafficking

and even the Russian Mafia.

Along the way Windflower not only has to deal with this

crime wave operating all around the region, but with some challenges in his own

life. He has to go back to his Aboriginal roots to find the answers to some

very deep and disturbing questions. But nothing seems to bother his appetite

and joy for life, especially his appetite. He continues to sample traditional Newfoundland dishes like fish and brewis but he also expands to include

pan-fried sea trout and baked salmon, along with a range of desserts from

blueberry buckle to his all-time favourite, peanut butter cheesecake.

His faith in the police force, that has become his

life, is also threatened by a series of events that he becomes aware of that

are certainly immoral if not even illegal. He is forced to face not only his

own personal demons but those in real life that are lurking all around us.

Sometime they are right in front of our face, but at other times they are

hiding deep beneath the surface, waiting to be resolved.

A Twist of Fortune (Book 4)

A Twist of Fortune is the fourth book in the Sgt. Windflower Mystery Series and it continues the adventures of Sgt. Windflower as he tries to solve crime and experience the joy and the sadness of life in a small maritime community. Follow along as he feels the sometimes bitter taste of an east coast winter and the unique culinary delights

of this part of the world.

A Long Ways From Home (Book 5)

A weekend visit to picturesque Newfoundland by a large crew of outlaw bikers leaves behind another mess

for Sgt. Windflower to clean up. This time he’s facing violence, murder,

mystery and intrigue. This adventure has Windflower questioning everything he

thought he knew. There are troubles on the home front, cutbacks in the policing

budget, old friends leaving and new ones not quite here yet. Windflower is

seeking to find answers in territory that is both dangerous and unfamiliar.

This instalment in the Sgt. Windflower Mystery series

has our hero dashing all over the beautiful little island of Newfoundland. Along the way he never wavers in his pursuit of justice.

But he stills tries to find a way to enjoy the natural beauty that lays all

around him, and to bring out the best from everybody he meets.

A Long Ways from Home is about more than just homicides

or the dirty dealings of outlaw bikers. It is also about helping people and

communities face up to and overcome new and very difficult challenges.

Windflower relies on his friends and allies, including some four-legged ones,

to help him and them find the answers. He also discovers that we are never

really alone, even when we are a long ways from home.

A Tangled Web (Book 6)

Sgt. Windflower is back on the case

in Grand Bank. This time there’s a missing girl, trouble at the factory and

signs of danger everywhere. But there’s always good food, good friends and good

company to make life worthwhile. All the usual characters and a few new

suspects are back to help Windflower unravel the web of deceit and deception

that threatens the small community.
  

Darkest Before the Dawn (Book 7)

Darkest Before The Dawn is the

latest adventure in the Sgt. Winston Windflower mystery series, the popular

Maritime tales about a Mountie who finds himself with a new family and a new

life in tiny Grand Bank, Newfoundland. Ghosts, mysterious deaths, and a new, perplexing character

confront Windflower, Tizzard and the other police officers in Grand Bank as

they unearth secrets that have been lying hidden in the sleepy hamlet for

decades. A fast-moving mystery, Darkest Before The Dawn is also a story of

love, loss and learning how to grow old gracefully; a tale of family, community

and looking after each other, of not giving up hope, just before the dawn.
ORDER YOUR COPIES:
Amazon

 

The Sgt. Windflower Mysteries are a light mystery series set in

Newfoundland on the east coast of Canada. These cozy-like books follow

the adventures of Sgt. Winston Windflower, a Cree from Northern Alberta

as he finds a new life and new loves in the tiny village of Grand Bank.

There are crimes and mysteries for the Canadian Mountie to investigate

and solve but the Sgt. Windflower Mysteries are more about family,

friends, good food and good times.

The recurring cast of characters include the love of his life, Sheila

Hillier who keeps him well-fed and grounded in reality. There’s also

his fellow Mounties like Corporal Eddie Tizzard and a long list of bad

actors, both local and just visiting, to cause havoc in their sleepy

little town. Windflower brings his native background and traditions with

him and finds ways to use them to help himself and his friends through

difficult times. Rounding out his life are his collie, Lady, who often

has adventures of her own and some new additions to his family that

appear in the latest book, Darkest Before the Dawn.

Website: www.sgtwindflowermysteries.com

Twitter: @mike54martin

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheWalkerOnTheCapeReviewsAndMore/

 

 

 

 

Spotlight – Moses & Mac

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About the Author

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Franca Pelaccia is the author of Moses & Mac, a fast-paced and lively action/adventure/mystery and the first book of the Vatican Archaeological Service series published by Solstice Publishing. The second book is tentatively entitled Mac & the Crusaders. Under the pseudonym of Kirsten Paul, Franca is the author of two romantic comedies for the Calendar Men of King Court series. The first book, The Hockey Player & the Angel will soon be published by the Wild Rose Press. The second book, The Detective & the Burglar is in progress. Writing as Francesca Pelaccia, Franca self-published The Witch’s Salvation, a historical paranormal novel, which won the Beck Valley Reviewers’ Choice Award for 2013. An avid reader, Franca reviews novels for the Historical Novels Society.

Website Address: https://francapelaccia.com/

Blog Address: https://francapelaccia.com/blog/

Twitter Address: https://twitter.com/FrancaPelaccia

Facebook Address: https://www.facebook.com/pg/FrancaPelacciaAuthor/

About the Book:

Title: MOSES & MAC

Author: Franca Pelaccia

Publisher: Solstice Publishing

Pages: 303

Genre: Women’s Fiction/Adventure/Mystery

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BOOK BLURB:

On her dismal 30th birthday, unassuming Victorian scholar Mackenzie Braden receives a mysterious package from her Aunt Sara, urging her to locate Moses’ rod. The most powerful weapon in history will start global chaos if it lands in the wrong hands. Sara was an agent for the top-secret Vatican Archaeological Service. She has also been dead for 30 years and the agency dormant for just as long. Mackenzie’s only clue is a souvenir figurine of Moses, and except for hunky ex-military pilot Eoin Reilly, her allies are as inept as she is.

But nothing is going to stop Mackenzie from recharging her lacklustre life, fulfilling her mission, finding answers about her aunt, and making Eoin her birthday present. Armed with the figurine, Mackenzie sets off with Eoin for the Middle East. There she has to fend off a Ph.D. candidate turned terrorist, a dysfunctional family of treasure hunters, a fake Mossad operative, a manic former VAS agent, the underground tunnels of the Gaza Strip, and a whole lot of rocket launchers. But this is training for the ultimate confrontation with her aunt’s and now her greatest foe, a charming deposed Saudi prince with world domination on his mind.

ORDER YOUR COPY:

Link to book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1625268602 (Print)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KPK56HK (ebook)

Book Excerpt:

A birthday no one remembered was outright unforgivable. A birthday that would change all those to follow was downright insane.

It was a changing of the guard birthday. The one when everything went thicker—face moisturizers, waistlines and mindsets, and the absence of a credible man in my life was tossed around me, over me, behind me, and in front of me by all my loved ones. But, instead of a “Happy Birthday, Mackenzie” call from a mother who was never supposed to forget. Or a “You thought your old man forgot, didn’t you, Mackie?” from a father who pretended to forget. Or some form of birthday sympathy from any of my three older sisters, I got a call from ancient Father Somerville.

Father Somerville saw through my god-forsaken soul, or made me believe it, even now in my supposedly all-powerful thirtieth year of life. In his sixty-year-old seasoned pulpit voice, he declared I had received a package from my Aunt Sara. A package from her would have been great on a birthday no one remembered, if Aunt Sara hadn’t vacated her office and neglected her duties as lecturer of biblical archaeology over thirty years before and been declared dead twenty years ago.

Aunt Sara was my father’s youngest sister. She was also my godmother. Along with my Uncle Tony, she had held my tiny head over the baptismal font thirty years before. She had posed for pictures with every relative on the Irish side of the family and wisely followed that up with everyone on the Italian side. She enjoyed the seven-course meal at my Uncle Gianni’s restaurant, left to catch a plane to Cairo and was never heard from again. Unless there was delivery from heaven or as both rosary-touting grandmothers would say, from that other place that can’t be named, the package had to be a joke from one nasty person.

But, heck, it was my big 3-0 birthday. Maybe this was some ploy, although on the dark side, to get me to a big birthday bash.

VBT – ON THE COUNT OF THREE

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ON THE COUNT OF THREE

by Carolyn Arnold

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GENRE: Thriller

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BLURB:

And they thought prison was hell…

When a woman’s disappearance ticks off all the same boxes as two unsolved murders, Miami homicide detective Kelly Marsh is convinced there’s about to be a third. If she’s right and the killer sticks to their previous MO, she only has three days before Jenna Kelter’s decapitated head will show up somewhere in the city. With no time to waste, Kelly reaches out to the one person she knows can help: her former mentor and family friend Jack Harper, who just happens to lead a team with the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit.

BAU special agent and profiler Brandon Fisher easily sees the similarities between Detective Marsh’s missing person case and the two cold cases: all three victims served time for DUI vehicular homicide and disappeared three days after being released from prison. But is that enough to assume Kelter has been abducted by a serial killer? Brandon’s not so sure and fears his boss may have let his personal connection to Marsh cloud his judgment. Surely there isn’t any other explanation for why they jumped into an investigation less than twenty-four hours after Kelter was reported missing. Then again, maybe Brandon is letting his own differences with the detective affect his perspective. He’ll need to move past it, though—and quickly.

After all, this killer has evaded capture for the past six years, and they may be looking at a lot more victims than originally suspected. This serial killer is calling the shots and pulling them into a macabre game of cat and mouse. While the team has no choice but to play, if they don’t make the right moves, one of them may not make it out of Miami alive.

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Excerpt:

“We’ll start on the count of three,” he said in a singsong voice. The Night pulsed beneath his skin with a heartbeat of its own.

“No, no, please!” the woman screamed.

It pierced his ears, but he smiled, moving into position next to her. “One…” He reached out for the chain that suspended the blade. “T—” His phone rang. His body quaked, the tremors of the Night snaking through him.

He grabbed a roll of duct tape from a nearby utility shelf and slapped a piece across her mouth. He normally didn’t have to worry about their screams out there, but he wanted to answer this call. The ringtone told him it was his girlfriend, Roxanne. She fit into his life plan—at least for now—and he didn’t want to mess things up with her.

He kept his eyes on the woman as he answered his phone. “Hey, sweetie.”

He listened as his girlfriend prattled on about their plans for the following evening—dinner, then a movie. Nothing new there. She said maybe dancing afterward, but they’d never make it to a club. She’d be ready for bed by ten, and he’d tuck her in. She was as predictable as drying paint and about as exciting. But she played along with his sexual fantasies without contention, and she’d do anything to make him happy.

“You’ll pick me up? My place at six o’clock?” she asked.

“I can do that. I’m looking forward to spending some time with you.”

“Love you,” Roxanne told him.

“Love you, too.” He hung up, smiling, and let the expression carry for his victim to see. He set up his cell phone to record again and walked toward the woman. “Let’s pick up where we left off, shall we?”

She was screaming behind the tape and bucking her head wildly. She was clearly trying to slide back, as if she could worm her way out of the guillotine.

Yes, fight. It makes it so much more fun…

“One,” he roared above her. “Two…” He wound the chain around his fingers. With a flick of his wrist, he released it. “Three.”

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

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CAROLYN ARNOLD is an international best-selling and award-winning author, as well as a speaker, teacher, and inspirational mentor. She has four continuing fiction series—Detective Madison Knight, Brandon Fisher FBI, McKinley Mysteries, and Matthew Connor Adventures—and has written nearly thirty books. Her genre diversity offers her readers everything from cozy to hard-boiled mysteries, and thrillers to action adventures.

Both her female detective and FBI profiler series have been praised by those in law enforcement as being accurate and entertaining, leading her to adopt the trademark: POLICE PROCEDURALS RESPECTED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT.

Carolyn was born in a small town and enjoys spending time outdoors, but she also loves the lights of a big city. Grounded by her roots and lifted by her dreams, her overactive imagination insists that she tell her stories. Her intention is to touch the hearts of millions with her books, to entertain, inspire, and empower.

She currently lives in London, Ontario with her husband and beagle and is a member of Crime Writers of Canada and Sisters in Crime.

Connect with CAROLYN ARNOLD Online:

Website – http://carolynarnold.net/

Twitter – https://twitter.com/Carolyn_Arnold

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/AuthorCarolynArnold

And don’t forget to sign up for her newsletter for up-to-date information on release and special offers at http://carolynarnold.net/newsletters

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RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY

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