C.A. Milson's Blog, page 15
February 18, 2025
Chasing Headlines
They’re chasing the same dream…
Too bad they’re not on the same team.
Chasing Headlines
Chasing Victory Book 1
By J Rose Black
Genre: Sports Romance, Enemies to Lovers Romantic Comedy
They’re chasing the same dream…
Too bad they’re not on the same team.
When Breslin Cooper’s major league dreams go up in flames, he’s left with his
backup plan: college baseball at Texas State Tech. But his altercation with a
reporter saddles him with probation, therapy–and a toxic “Storm
Cooper” reputation no baseball scout will touch.
Liv Milline’s family name is practically synonymous with IML
baseball. Yet despite her love for the game and her dreams of becoming a
baseball scout–her father holds one, ironclad rule: No baseball for Olivia.
Her one loophole? Playing sports reporter for Texas State
Tech.
Chasing similar dreams, Liv attempts to befriend Breslin.
But the amazingly talented, pain in her aperture has only two words to say
whenever she’s around: “No comment.”
When a lapse in judgment catches Breslin in a real-world rundown, jeopardizing
his probation and scholarship, his only choice may be to rely on Liv—the
aggravating, attractive, relentless reporter, chasing her latest headline.
Order your copy today!
[Book one of a series, Chasing Headlines ends with a HFN,
no cliffhanger, but lingering / unresolved issues waiting to bite them in the
butt in Book 2.]
J. Rose Black weaves stories about redemption and the
transformational power of love – with a few side-helpings of snark. Now an
award-winning and Amazon Top 1000 chart-topping author, Rose writes about
broody alpha males and plucky, no-nonsense women ready to fight for what they
believe in. Her novels have been praised for their realistic mental health
representations, with narratives offering a unique balance of romance, humor
and tougher, real-world issues.
When Rose isn’t deeply immersed in her latest manuscript,
she’s working in cyber security and thwarting the next generation of internet
bad guys. Out of the office, she’s #Shipping with friends over her favorite,
swoon-worthy couples, heading to the gym to battle the great evil that is
Unmovable Baby Weight, or complaining about her husband’s addiction to 3D
printing. Also: nagging her children to eat something other than cheese.
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Chasing Headlines Swag Pack,
1 winner each!
The Pumpkin King & Asteroid 6
Step into a world where the Pumpkin King reigns supreme, and other tales haunt your every thought.
Or step out of this world into the sheer terror of the unknowable and incomprehensible deep space.
The Pumpkin King and Other Tales of Terror
by R. David Fulcher
Genre: Horror Short Stories
*Eulogy to E.A. Poe
*Marienburg Castle
*The Pumpkin King
*Heavenly Strains
*A Matter of Taste
*My Days With Mahalia
*A Night Out With Mr. Bones
*Merry Are We of the Lake
*The Night Flyer
*Pumpkin Seed Spit
*A Night for Animals
*The Man Next Door
*Extra! Extra!
*The Flight Dummy
*For the Children
*The Watcher’s Web
*Dreaming, The Copper City
*The Huntress
*The Faerie Lights
*The October Man
Features a wrap-around cover and contemporary design. Perfect for Halloween or dark, rainy nights.
Asteroid 6 and Other Tales of Cosmic Horror
by R. David Fulcher
Genre: Science Fiction Horror Short Stories
ASTEROID 6 AND OTHER TALES OF COSMIC HORROR! The companion book to R. David
Fulcher’s 2023 indie horror hit, THE PUMPKIN KING AND OTHER TALES OF TERROR!In this newest collection, Fulcher explores concepts of the insignificance of
human existence, terror of the unknowable and incomprehensible, and more motifs
found in edlritch horror. Fulcher draws his influence from a wide assortment of
authors ranging from Poe and Fritz Leiber to Stephen King and Dean Koontz.The title story features an astronaut named Jones who, while on
asteroid-clearing duty, crash lands onto a massive asteroid where he is drawn
to an alien monolith and discovering an ancient race trapped in stasis. Does he
dare set it free?Don’t miss this one-of-a-kind collection!
R. DAVID FULCHER is an author of horror, science fiction, fantasy, and poetry. Major literary influences include H.P. Lovecraft, Dean Koontz, Edgar Allen Poe, Fritz Lieber, and Stephen King. Fulcher’s first novel, a historical drama set in World War II, Trains to Nowhere, and his second novel, a collection of fantasy and science fiction short stories, Blood Spiders and Dark Moon, are both available from authorhouse.com and Amazon.
FULCHER’S work has appeared in numerous small press publications including Lovecraft’s Mystery Magazine, Black Satellite, The Martian Wave, Burning Sky, Shadowlands, Twilight Showcase, Heliocentric Net, Gateways, Weird Times, Freaky Frights and the anthologies Dimensions and Silken Ropes. Fulcher’s work can also be found in the DPP collection Halloween Party 2019, available at Amazon and at the DPP online store. A passion for the written word has also inspired Fulcher to edit and publish the literary magazine, Samsara (samsaramagazine.net), which has showcased writers and poets for over a decade. Fulcher resides in Ashburn, Virginia, with his wife Lisa, and their rambunctious cats.
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February 17, 2025
Would You Rather…
The luck of the
draw has never been riskier.
Would You Rather…
part of The Haunting of Pinedale High Series
by Kimberly Baer
Genre: YA Paranormal
Pick a card, any card…
Would you rather be an amazing artist or a brilliant mathematician?
Would you rather lose your mother or your father?
Would you rather roast to death or freeze to death?
It’s a silly game hosted by a substitute teacher, an exercise in exploring the
workings of the teenage mind. Twenty-three students make their choices, and the
game is forgotten—until the chosen scenarios start coming true. Classmates Ava,
Blake, and Charlie are determined to track down the mysterious teacher and
persuade him to end the curse. But the clock is ticking, lives hang in the
balance, and the foe they seek is more menacing than they could imagine.
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Kimberly Baer is an author and professional editor who was born and raised in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, a
town marginally famous for having endured three major floods. She even lived
there during one of them. She enjoys power-walking on days when it’s not too
hot, too cold, too rainy, too snowy, or too windy. On indoor days, you’re
likely to find her hard at work on her next novel or binge-watching old
episodes of Survivor, her favorite guilty pleasure.
Kim has had her nose in a book practically since birth. Her first story, written at age six, was about a
baby chick that hatched out of a little girl’s Easter egg after somehow
surviving the hard-boiling process. These days she writes in a variety of genres,
including young adult, middle-grade, and adult romantic suspense. Her books are
published by The Wild Rose Press and have won several awards.
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February 16, 2025
The Archer’s Diary
“The Archer’s Diary” shines in its masterful combination of
medieval history with contemporary family drama and adventure.
The Archer’s Diary
Book 1
by Liam Cadoc
Genre: Historical Action, Adventure, Crime Thriller
THE LEGEND IS REAL
Since the 14th century, Robin Hood has proven to be one of
the most enduring and versatile folk heroes. Medieval historians believed Robin
lived during the 12th or 13th century but despite decades of intense research
by contemporary scholars, solid evidence has never been found.
Until now.
Logan Daggett, son of Donald Daggett, well known CEO of one
of Australia’s largest international corporations, has his 21st birthday
celebrations disrupted by a family tragedy, the revelation of his mother’s
decades-old secret—and a birthday gift of a collection of centuries-old family
heirlooms. This series of events contrive to change the course of his life
forever.
Accompanied by his two closest friends, the young Aussie
sets out to uncover the truth behind the accident that irrevocably changed his
life, and to research the authenticity of the priceless heirlooms, completely
unaware of the adventure and dangers lurking around every corner.
During the course of their journey they uncover irrefutable
evidence that causes further turmoil among the family, spark controversy among
medieval scholars worldwide, and the potential of sparking upheaval to a
country’s history and creating conflict between two nations.
Liam Cadoc’s stunning debut to historical fiction sweeps
readers into a ruthless world where greed and corruption threaten to deprive a
nation of historical riches and the world of the truth behind a legendary hero.
This is Book 1 of a 2-book set.
**On Sale for 25% off at Smashwords with code PUHT7**
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Cadoc endeavors to create a feasible balance of historical
fact and fiction into his writing in order to meet his obligation, as an
author, to his readers. To that end he spends a large part of his conceptual
writing on researching the world in which the characters will inhabit.
“I’ve always had a fascination with history, particularly the medieval
period of England and the Arthurian Legend. Though my genre is historical
fiction, I hope that my readers will come away with a better understanding and
appreciation for how people survived and endured before the inception of the
basic luxuries we take for granted each day.”
Retiring in 2016, he then spent 9 years working on THE
ARCHER’S DIARY, his first historical fiction / modern thriller adventure novel.
Most of that time was devoted to in-depth research.
He penned his first fiction while in high school and was
quickly recognized by the English staff and his class for his vibrant
imagination. He was also a talented artist and, after graduating, followed a
45+ year career as a graphic designer in the publishing industry compelling him
to put aside writing for a number of years.
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February 15, 2025
Outlaw Redemption
Get your motor revving with this action-packed and
fast-paced MC Romance!
Outlaw Redemption
Berzerkers MC Series Book 4
by Linny Lawless
Genre: MC Romance
Ajax is a dangerous, over-the-top alpha outlaw and a
Berzerkers MC Maryland chapter member. His ego is damaged when his VP patch is
taken from him, but he rides to the Virginia chapter as a Nomad. Ajax meets Lou
and saves her from a brutal attack. He knows Lou wants more from him, but women
are for one-night stands. His path in life is riding and fighting. Ajax doesn’t
do complications, but his world is turned upside down when Mick shows up in
town.
Will redemption be the new path for Ajax, and can he find
his place with the Berzerkers MC Virginia chapter?
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Struck in the Crossfire (Book 1)
Crossing the Line (Book 2)
Highway to Home (Book 3)
Linny grew up, resided, and worked in Northern Virginia,
close to Washington, DC. She’s a bookworm, biker chick, and international
best-selling indie author. Linny published her debut novel, “Salvation in
Chaos,” in January of 2018, and she’s very passionate about writing suspenseful
and action-packed stories. If Linny is not busy traveling, working, and
writing, she spends her days at home in Front Royal, Virginia, with her
husband, Norman, and 4 Brussel Griffons named Verdy, Simon, Daisy, and Emma.
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February 13, 2025
Delay of Game
Football was my first love. Now I’m playing for my only
love.
Game Time.
Delay of Game
Game Time Series Book 4
by Tam DeRudder Jackson
Genre:
Contemporary Sports Romance
the friend zone five minutes after we met. It’s taken years to stop thinking
about him at least once every hour. It helped when he enlisted in the Air
Force. But he’s back, and he’s walking onto the football team. He could go to
college anywhere, so why does it have to be Mountain State?Even best friends keep secrets from each other.When Danny earns a spot playing receiver for the Wildcats, I’m in the clear. I
can admire him from the stands and go back to my boring life of finishing my
undergrad and resigning myself to being married to my career. After what went
down with my one-and-only boyfriend last semester, well, I need to stop
dreaming about happily-ever-after. Which makes the head games Danny is playing
with me so painful. Why is he acting like he wants something more with me?Five years ago, I made a colossal mistake.I need a second chance. Growing up a military brat, the one constant in my life
was playing football. Though I met all kinds of people while switching schools
on the regular, one look at Taryn Hamilton and she’s my girl. Yet after we met,
I discovered quick she was off-limits if I wanted to catch passes on Friday
nights. I paid a big price for my bad choice. Now after giving Uncle Sam four
years so I could attend college, I’m at Mountain State where I’m taking every
opportunity to show Taryn how I truly feel—how I have always felt about her.
She is so much more than my best friend.Football was my first love. Now I’m playing for my only love.Game Time.
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Finding the End Zone
Game Time Series Book 1
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Out of Bounds
Game Time Series Book 2
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Offsides
Game Time Series #3
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Tam DeRudder Jackson is the author of the paranormal romance
Talisman Series and the contemporary romance Balefire Series. Her favorite
“room” in her house is her patio where she dreams up stories of romance and
risk. When she’s not writing her latest paranormal or contemporary romance, you
can find her driving around in her convertible or carving turns on the slopes
of the local ski hill. The mom of two grown sons, Tam likes to travel, attend
rock concerts, watch football and soccer, and visit old car shows with her
husband. She lives in the mountains of northwest Wyoming where she spends most
of her free time trying to read all the books. Her TBR piles are threatening to
take over her office, and she’s fine with that.
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INN THE DEAD OF WINTER
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.
Welcome to Spirit Lake in the dead of a Minnesota winter, where the brutally cold temp isn’t the only thing to fear.
Andie Rose Kaczmarek, a six-year sober life coach and owner of the haunted Spirit Lake Inn, has learned the hard way that the living are far more dangerous than anything in the spirit world.
When a controversial guest fails to return to her room on the same night a body is discovered in a fish house on Big Spirit Lake, Andie Rose teams up with her sponsor and sidekick, Sister Alice, and her emotional support red retriever, Aspen, to solve the case.
After Andie Rose discovers illegal activity on the inn’s property that ties to the murder, the investigation shifts into high gear. As she uncovers shocking secrets of those she thought she knew, someone is intent on keeping her quiet at any cost.
Can the inn’s resident ghost save her from impending harm when it seems the ones closest to her pose the greatest threat?
Read an Excerpt
Tootsie’s attitude hung between them, and I held my breath for a moment.
“Knock it off, Toots.” Simon’s voice was a low grumble.
“Knock what off?” She turned on him. “Showing the ladies how to live a little? That they’re not only a mom and a wife, but they’re also their own person?”
Simon grasped his wife’s upper arm. “Toots,” he warned. He turned his attention toward Bobby and Jerry. “You’ll have to excuse my wife, gentlemen. She’s become a bit too, shall we say, independent, as she gets older.”
She released a heavy sigh. “Lighten up, Simon. You say that like it’s a bad thing. I have always been independent. This isn’t the dark ages. Women have every right to be independent of men.”
Again, I agreed wholeheartedly with Tootsie, but swallowed my retort to Simon. A gift sobriety had given me. The ability to keep my mouth shut sometimes.
“Refreshments,” I said merrily as I could to lift the cloud that levitated in the room. Two guests had been smart and skittered from the room unnoticed from all except me.
“Aspen’s with Jade,” Sister Alice said as she came through the door. She quirked a brow as she scanned the guests and touched the crucifix that hung around her neck. “Do I sense tension in the room? What did I miss?”
Tootsie took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “My husband emerging from a cave.”
Abut the Author: Rhonda is an avid reader, writer, coffee and dark chocolate connoisseur, and certified life coach. She has 10 independently published novels: The Inheritance, a contemporary fiction novel; seven books in the Melanie Hogan Mysteries; and Finding Abby and Abby’s Redemption in the Whispering Pines Romantic Suspense duology. She was awarded the 2022 Master of Literary Arts Award from the Brighton Chamber.
Website: http://www.rhondablackhurst.com
Personal Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rhonda.blackhurst.1
Author Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rjblackhurst/
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BookBub: https://partners.bookbub.com/my_books
TWRP Buy Link: https://wildrosepress.com/product/inn-the-dead-of-winter/
Rhonda Blackhurst will be awarding a free e-book of Inn the Dead of Winter or book one, Inn the Spirit of Murder to a randomly drawn winner.
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February 12, 2025
Crossroads of Empire
The story of Evan Sinclair that began in Wages of Empire continues in Crossroads
of Empire.
Having survived
German artillery, poison gas & friendly fire, Evan barely survives his
hospital ship’s sinking by a German U-boat. Left with amnesia, he no longer
remembers who he is.
Crossroads of Empire
Book 2
by Michael J. Cooper
Genre: YA Historical WWI Fiction
Winner of the 2024 CIBA Hemingway First Place Prize for 20th Century Wartime
Historical Fiction
2024 SF Writers Conference Writing Contest Finalist-Adult Fiction
“. . .
both a gripping page turner and a series of carefully observed character
studies. Beautifully written in a voice and in details that capture the
era, Crossroads of Empire is a must-read for readers of all
ages” -Chanticleer Book Reviews
The story of Evan
Sinclair that began in Wages of Empire continues in Crossroads
of Empire. Having survived German artillery, poison gas, and friendly fire
in helping to turn the tide of the war in its first months, Evan barely
survives his hospital ship’s sinking by a German U-boat. Left with amnesia, he
no longer remembers who he is.
Likewise, Evan
doesn’t recall that, despite the European war, the true source of conflict is
in Ottoman Palestine, since it’s from Jerusalem’s Temple Mount that Kaiser
Wilhelm II dreams to rule as Holy Roman Emperor over Arabian oil reserves and
the Suez Canal.
The Middle East
Front soon explodes with pitched battles at Suez and Gallipoli as Evan’s story
is interwoven with those of historical figures Gertrude Bell, T. E. Lawrence,
Winston Churchill, Faisal bin Hussein, and Chaim Weizmann.
During his quest
to recover his memory Evan will discover far more: love for his father, grief
for his late mother, and hidden secrets of his bloodline-an unbroken lineage
that stretches back to the Crusades and will determine his future role in the
Great War.
**On
Sale for Only .99cents until Feb 7th!!**
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Wages of Empire
Book 1
Grand prize winner – 2022 CIBA Dante Rossetti Award for YA fiction
First place honors – 2022 CIBA Hemingway Award for wartime fiction
#1 Amazon Best Seller—Jan 2024—Historical World War I Fiction
In the summer of
1914, sixteen-year-old Evan Sinclair leaves home to join the Great War for
Civilization. Little does he know that, despite the war raging in Europe, the
true source of conflict will emerge in Ottoman Palestine, since it’s from
Jerusalem where the German Kaiser dreams to rule as Holy Roman Emperor.
Filled with such
historical figures as Gertrude Bell, T.E. Lawrence, Winston Churchill, Faisal
bin Hussein and Chaim Weizmann, Wages of Empire follows Evan through the
killing fields of the Western Front where he will help turn the tide of a war
that is just beginning, and become part of a story that never ends.
“Masterful storytelling will keep you furiously turning the pages of this compelling
(historical WWI) novel. A winner!”–Andrew Kaplan, New York Times Best-Selling
Author of Blue Madagascar and the Homeland Novels
“The characters, historical and fictional, come to life on the page as the storyline
drives relentlessly forward. Bravo!”–Matt Coyle, bestselling author of the Rick
Cahill novels
“A beautifully written tale…exhibits seamless research in illuminating unforgettable
historical and fictional characters…a tour de force!” –Professor Ronit Meroz,
Dept of Jewish Philosophy and Talmud, Tel-Aviv University, Israel
“This superb historical novel is a must read…directly relates to issues we face today.”
–Rizek Abusharr – Emeritus Director General of Jerusalem International YMCA
“Cooper has made this period of history come alive. It is a treat to read.” –Rabbi David
Zisenwine, Ph.D. Professor Emeritus of Education, Tel Aviv University
“A Young Indiana Jones–style adventure.” –KIRKUS reviews
“Story is gripping and the characters that he describes come alive through his skillful
writing. I couldn’t put it down!” –Rabbi Gordon Freeman, Ph.D., Rabbi Emeritus,
B’nai Shalom, Walnut Creek, CA
**On Sale for Only .99cents until Feb 7th!!**
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Michael J Cooper
writes historical mysteries set in the Holy Land at major turning points of
history—all the while subtly promoting the notions of coexistence and peace.
His books have won multiple awards and include; Foxes in the Vineyard (winner of the 2011 Indie Publishing Contest
Grand Prize), set in 1948 Jerusalem, The
Rabbi’s Knight (finalist for the CIBA 2014 Chaucer Award for historical
fiction) set at the twilight of the Crusades in 1290, and his current novel, Wages
of Empire set at the start of WWI in 1914 and winner of the CIBA 2022 Grand
Prize for young adult fiction as well as the Hemingway first prize for wartime
historical fiction. A sequel of Wages of Empire, Crossroads of
Empire, will be published in the fall of 2024, and the unpublished
manuscript has already won first prize honors in the 2023 CIBA Hemingway
wartime historical fiction category.
A native of
Berkeley, California, Cooper absconded to Israel after high school and spent
the next eleven years studying and working there. He lived in Jerusalem during
the last year the city was divided between Israel and Jordan, studied at Hebrew
University, and graduated from Tel Aviv University Medical School. He returned
to the US to specialize in pediatric cardiology, and after 40 years of
practice, he continues to return to the Middle East for biannual volunteer
missions serving Palestinian children who lack access to care. Otherwise, he
lives in Northern California with his wife and a spoiled-rotten cat. Three
adult children occasionally drop by.
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FANNY FITZPATRICK AND THE SIRENS
FANNY FITZPATRICK AND THE SIRENS
Dana Hammer
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GENRE: MiddleGrade Fiction
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLURB:
It’s the end of the school year. For most kids, it’s time to relax and get ready for summer. For Fanny, there’s work. She has a brand-new baby brother, and she’s been hired by Zeus to look after his “injured” son. And she still has her and her friends’ cheesemaking business! Fanny is overwhelmed.
But then she meets three sirens who want Fanny to join them on Feather Island for a summer of singing, instrument playing, and fun at the beach. The program is totally free and could start an amazing musical career-the thing that Fanny has always wanted the most.
Athena and Gemma are dead set against it. Athena says that the sirens are bad news; that their whole purpose in life is to lure men to their deaths with their beautiful singing. Gemma says that Feather Island is part of a network of unmappable islands, the type of place where criminals and sketchy organizations hoard their wealth and do their crimes.
Surely, the sirens don’t do that anymore, right? All that stuff was a long time ago. If the sirens want to keep their island paradise a secret, well, that’s not so weird, is it? Fanny has talked to them, and she just knows that they aren’t as evil as everyone says. They are perfectly nice ladies.
Right?
Follow Fanny Fitzpatrick as she navigates big sisterhood, friends who disapprove of her life choices, burning ambitions, and a bunch of sirens luring her away to their private island.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EXCERPT
The thing with funerals is, you have to be sad. Or at least, you have to act sad, because it’s ghoulish and weird to be happy at a funeral, even if you really, really didn’t like the person who died. But when someone dies, you can’t say you didn’t like them. You have to pretend that whoever died was a nice person, who you will miss very much.
That’s the situation I’m in today. I’m at a funeral for my cousin, Ava May. And it IS sad that she’s dead. OBVIOUSLY. My aunt and uncle are devastated, and my mom has been crying all morning, and even my dad got a little teary, and I don’t think he liked Ava May either, but of course he can never say that, because she’s dead.
The thing with Ava May is, she was never nice to me. Ever. She was always saying terrible things about my family because we don’t have as much money as hers. My aunt is an oceanographer and a college professor, and my uncle is an investment banker, and together I think they make a lot more money than us, but that doesn’t mean my family is trash or whatever. My family is fine. But Ava May was always like, “Oh my god, who doesn’t have a pool in this day and age? Don’t you get hot in the summer?” And “I can’t believe you’ve never been to France. You’re so provincial.”
But now Ava May is dead, and I can’t be mad at her anymore, because A) it would be petty and B) it wouldn’t do any good.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Dana Hammer is a novelist, screenwriter and playwright. She has won over forty awards and honors for her writing, few of which generated income, all of which were deeply appreciated. She is not a cannibal, but she is the author of A Cannibals Guide to Fasting. Dana is also the author of middle grade fantasy My Best Friend Athena which was inspired by a desire to write something her 9 year old daughter could read.
Website: https://www.danahammer.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/danahammerwriterofthings
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Fanny-Fitzpatrick-Sirens-Dana-Hammer/dp/1962308243/ref=sr_1_1
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY
Dana Hammer will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift certificate to a randomly drawn winner.
Enter to win a $10 Amazon/BN GC – a Rafflecopter giveaway
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Q & A With …
Tell us about you as a person.
I am chronically stressed. I love bears, and will probably die trying to give a bear hug. I don’t believe in Bigfoot, but I hope so badly that I’m wrong. I love cheese. I think Jurassic Park is a really great idea that suffered from poor leadership and bad execution.
If you could hang out with one famous person for one day, who would it be and why?
Jeff Goldblum. He seems like a genuinely wonderful human being, and I’d like to hang out with him while he’s Jeff Goldblumming around.
What’s the story behind your latest book?
Fanny Fitzpatrick and the Sirens is the third book in the Fanny Fitzpatrick series. In it, Fanny is recruited by sirens — she is invited to attend a summer camp on the mysterious Feather Island, where she will learn the secrets of becoming a real live siren. Her friends tell her not to go, because sirens are dangerous and they kill people with their beautiful singing voices. But Fanny really wants to be a professional singer, and besides, all those murders were a long time ago…right?
What advice do you have for other writers who want to get the word out about their latest book?
Do virtual tours and guest blogs like this one! Post about it on your socials. If you have the budget, do advertisements. Try to get your friends and family to talk about it. Donate books.
List 5 things on your bucket list.
1) Attend as many hot spring resorts as possible.
2) Make sure my daughter becomes a healthy, well-adjusted adult.
3) Hot air balloon festival in Switzerland.
4) Find a gluten free croissant that tastes good.
5) Hug bears.
Any final thoughts?
I really hope you read and enjoy my book! If you do, please leave a review!
FANNY FITZPATRICK AND THE SIRENS
FANNY FITZPATRICK AND THE SIRENS
Dana Hammer
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GENRE: MiddleGrade Fiction
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BLURB:
It’s the end of the school year. For most kids, it’s time to relax and get ready for summer. For Fanny, there’s work. She has a brand-new baby brother, and she’s been hired by Zeus to look after his “injured” son. And she still has her and her friends’ cheesemaking business! Fanny is overwhelmed.
But then she meets three sirens who want Fanny to join them on Feather Island for a summer of singing, instrument playing, and fun at the beach. The program is totally free and could start an amazing musical career-the thing that Fanny has always wanted the most.
Athena and Gemma are dead set against it. Athena says that the sirens are bad news; that their whole purpose in life is to lure men to their deaths with their beautiful singing. Gemma says that Feather Island is part of a network of unmappable islands, the type of place where criminals and sketchy organizations hoard their wealth and do their crimes.
Surely, the sirens don’t do that anymore, right? All that stuff was a long time ago. If the sirens want to keep their island paradise a secret, well, that’s not so weird, is it? Fanny has talked to them, and she just knows that they aren’t as evil as everyone says. They are perfectly nice ladies.
Right?
Follow Fanny Fitzpatrick as she navigates big sisterhood, friends who disapprove of her life choices, burning ambitions, and a bunch of sirens luring her away to their private island.
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EXCERPT
The thing with funerals is, you have to be sad. Or at least, you have to act sad, because it’s ghoulish and weird to be happy at a funeral, even if you really, really didn’t like the person who died. But when someone dies, you can’t say you didn’t like them. You have to pretend that whoever died was a nice person, who you will miss very much.
That’s the situation I’m in today. I’m at a funeral for my cousin, Ava May. And it IS sad that she’s dead. OBVIOUSLY. My aunt and uncle are devastated, and my mom has been crying all morning, and even my dad got a little teary, and I don’t think he liked Ava May either, but of course he can never say that, because she’s dead.
The thing with Ava May is, she was never nice to me. Ever. She was always saying terrible things about my family because we don’t have as much money as hers. My aunt is an oceanographer and a college professor, and my uncle is an investment banker, and together I think they make a lot more money than us, but that doesn’t mean my family is trash or whatever. My family is fine. But Ava May was always like, “Oh my god, who doesn’t have a pool in this day and age? Don’t you get hot in the summer?” And “I can’t believe you’ve never been to France. You’re so provincial.”
But now Ava May is dead, and I can’t be mad at her anymore, because A) it would be petty and B) it wouldn’t do any good.
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Dana Hammer is a novelist, screenwriter and playwright. She has won over forty awards and honors for her writing, few of which generated income, all of which were deeply appreciated. She is not a cannibal, but she is the author of A Cannibals Guide to Fasting. Dana is also the author of middle grade fantasy My Best Friend Athena which was inspired by a desire to write something her 9 year old daughter could read.
Website: https://www.danahammer.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/danahammerwriterofthings
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Fanny-Fitzpatrick-Sirens-Dana-Hammer/dp/1962308243/ref=sr_1_1
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RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY
Dana Hammer will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift certificate to a randomly drawn winner.
Enter to win a $10 Amazon/BN GC – a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Q & A With …
Tell us about you as a person.
I am chronically stressed. I love bears, and will probably die trying to give a bear hug. I don’t believe in Bigfoot, but I hope so badly that I’m wrong. I love cheese. I think Jurassic Park is a really great idea that suffered from poor leadership and bad execution.
If you could hang out with one famous person for one day, who would it be and why?
Jeff Goldblum. He seems like a genuinely wonderful human being, and I’d like to hang out with him while he’s Jeff Goldblumming around.
What’s the story behind your latest book?
Fanny Fitzpatrick and the Sirens is the third book in the Fanny Fitzpatrick series. In it, Fanny is recruited by sirens — she is invited to attend a summer camp on the mysterious Feather Island, where she will learn the secrets of becoming a real live siren. Her friends tell her not to go, because sirens are dangerous and they kill people with their beautiful singing voices. But Fanny really wants to be a professional singer, and besides, all those murders were a long time ago…right?
What advice do you have for other writers who want to get the word out about their latest book?
Do virtual tours and guest blogs like this one! Post about it on your socials. If you have the budget, do advertisements. Try to get your friends and family to talk about it. Donate books.
List 5 things on your bucket list.
1) Attend as many hot spring resorts as possible.
2) Make sure my daughter becomes a healthy, well-adjusted adult.
3) Hot air balloon festival in Switzerland.
4) Find a gluten free croissant that tastes good.
5) Hug bears.
Any final thoughts?
I really hope you read and enjoy my book! If you do, please leave a review!
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