Sandra C. Lopez's Blog, page 104
September 30, 2023
Review: BUFFY, THE VAMPIRE SLAYER Issue 10 by Jordie Bellaire
A new slayer shows up and it’sKendra! The arrival of Kendra was kind of cool, but, again, not much action inthis one. An okay read.
Rating:3 stars
Review: BUFFY, THE VAMPIRE SLAYER Issue 11 by Jordie Bellaire
Kendra, the slayer, attacksXander, the vampire. Buffy is dead because that’s the only way a new slayer isactivated. This one gives us a little backstory on Robin Wood, who was the sonof a slayer. We get some creepy cool graphics toward the end. A good read!
Rating:4 stars
Review: BUFFY, THE VAMPIRE SLAYER Issue 9 by Jordie Bellaire
Whoa, I guess Xander became avampire after all! Besides Xander’s fight with the vamp, this issue was totallyuneventful. Not a good read.
Rating:2 stars
Review: BUFFY, THE VAMPIRE SLAYER Issue 8 by Jordie Bellaire
Can’t really tell what’s going onin this one. Dru captures Buffy’s mom…I think? Not the best read.
Rating:2 stars
September 29, 2023
Blog Tour: WHO BURIED SARAH by Eden Monroe
WHO BURIED SARAH
by Eden Monroe
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GENRE: Historical fiction
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLURB:
Sarah,the only child of Rev. and Mrs. Cranston Estey, was betrothed to Connor McLagenof the affluent McLagen family. The McLagens were socially revered, althoughthere were rumours of nefarious underpinnings to their substantial wealth, andthe God-fearing Esteys were not in favour of the marriage.
Threedays before the June 1927 wedding, Sarah disappeared. Her note said she’dchanged her mind and decided to leave town.
Aweek later she was found, buried in a rose garden, the gruesome and sensationaldiscovery knocking New Brunswick prohibition wars out of the headlines.
Therewere many with secrets to keep…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Excerpt One:
“Then stop playing with fire. Look, I like it that you wantto … go further … but not now, darling. We have to wait for the right time andI promise to live up to your expectations. There will be nothing holding usback then, but I promise I will be gentle.”
Shifting away from him slightly, she gazed out across theriver. “I understand that. I’m not exactly inexperienced about such things,Connor.”
Had she really just said that aloud? She was aghast that thesecret she knew she had to share with him at some point had spontaneouslybubbled to the surface. This was probably the worst time for such a revelation,but there was no turning back now.
There was silence as she waited for the fallout from thebomb she’d just dropped, not daring to look at him.
“Excuse me?” he asked after a moment, his voice gone hard.“What did you mean by that, Sarah?”
Apparently this had unexpectedly become the time for truthtelling. She was as surprised as he was it was happening, but she loved him toomuch not to be completely honest. She’d just thought it would somehow be easierto do. “What I mean is … I’ve … ahhh … been with a man before.”
He was deadly calm. “In what way?”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Please describe apivotal scene in the book and why it’s important
A pivotal scene in the book is when Maude, trying to staybusy with housework to keep her mind off the discovery of Sarah’s body, decidesto clean the back porch. There she’s surprised to find her husband’s muddyboots hidden behind a stack of boxes destined for the church rummage sale. Givenhis cold indifference and his reluctance to cooperate with police, she has longsuspected his involvement in Sarah’s disappearance.
Filled with white-hot anger she is ready to confront him withwhat she feels is proof that he was involved in their daughter’s death. She hasbeen subservient to him during their entire marriage, relentlessly bullied, howevernow, enraged at what she feels is evidence of his guilt, she snatches up theboots and marches down the hall to his study. Ignoring his standing order thatshe never to disturb him while he is preparing his weekly sermon, she throwsopen the door and marches inside, boots held high, and tells him of hersuspicion. Naturally he pushes back hard with righteous indignation, but sheholds her ground in the face of his outrage and finally speaks her mind – abouteverything.
I think it’s a pivotal scene because a browbeaten womanfinds the strength to stand up to her verbally abusive husband. That momentwhen she has grown enough to withstand a confrontation with him. That she hasdecided to take what would have been a highly frowned upon step in the 1920’sand leave the marital home, something even a few short weeks before, MaudeEstey would have found unconscionable. That she is prepared to withstand thescandal of separating from a man of God and a highly-respected member of thecommunity to find peace of mind; willing to strike out on her own at nearlyforty years of age rather than go on living as she had been. It would require anunfathomable amount of courage.
Maude became my favourite character because she showedenormous personal growth, even beyond my own expectations.
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
EdenMonroe writes about real life, real issues and struggles, and triumphingagainst all odds. A proud east coast Canadian, she enjoys a variety of outdooractivities, and a good book.
https://www.facebook.com/AuthorEdenMonroe/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GIVEAWAY
Theauthor will award a $20 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Blog Tour: RACING THE DREAM by M.T. Bass
Racing the Dream
by M.T. Bass
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GENRE: Action and Adventure
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLURB:
“If everything seems under control, you’re not going fast enough.”~Mario Andretti
Strapdown the 5-point harness in the cockpit of a Formula 1 air racing plane andjoin Hawk as he chases victory! First on their amateur make-shift course overAntelope Acres, then on the re-emerging pylon racing circuit in the early1960s. And finally, as Hawk battles 7 other top-level pilots at the very firstNational Air Racing Championship event in Reno!
Abandoningthe cloth and his African mission, Father Bob returns to his slide rule todesign Hawk’s racer. Sparks, his loyal yet surly mechanic, built it andwrenching both on the engine—as well as on Hawk—keeps them at the front of thepack. Home again in Los Angeles from behind the stick of a T-6 Texan as amercenary in the Congo civil war, air racing is a new aviation adventure forHawk. Ride along as he tangles with fellow pilots in “uncooperative formationflying” at two-hundred miles per hour a mere fifty feet off the ground!
Andthen one day cruising home to Van Nuys airport, Hawk spies Allison, abeach-blonde surfer girl, insanely wing walking on the top wing of a StearmanPT-17 bi-plane. He quickly sets his sights on her.
Flylow…Fly fast…and Turn Left…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Excerpt One:
Chapter 1 — Antelope Acres
I chased Scotty down the long straightaway. Three hundredfeet back. A hundred feet off the ground. One hundred seventy knots.
Quick looks at the panel: Thirty-six hundred RPM. Look:engine oil pressure—green. Look: oil temperature—green.
All good.
Banking hard into the “pylon” at W Avenue G and MyrickCanyon Road over the desert, a shadow on the ground to my left crawled towardmy British Racing Green colored wing. He had to be outside. You can’t look tothe right. It’s just not safe. But the sun was behind us…
I lofted a bit in the eighty-degree turn—climbed twenty feetor so—then quickly dove back down to close another hundred and fifty feet onScotty, picking up a bit of his wake turbulence.
Rolling out and down the front straightaway, I found smoothair twenty-five feet above his hot red Jensen Cassutt.
We used the crossroads, a pile of rocks, a little hump inthe desert sand, and a windmill water pump to set up our three-mile ovalcourse. I knew Scotty from Van Nuys, but the other three guys were new, fromother SoCal airports. We were all on “Company Frequency,” one-two-three pointfour-five. We joined up in a loose formation for a pace lap, then got down tobusiness with a flying start.
Like Henry Ford said, racing began five minutes after thesecond airplane was built. And that’s where Father Bob came in. There were aton of modified Cassutts out there. Anybody could buy the design for $20. ButFather Bob used his engineering skills to develop and, with Sparks’ help, buildWhite Hawk Redux, an 85 horsepower, Continental C-85 Goodyear racer that wewere pushing over two hundred miles an hour.
It was all unofficial because, after fifty years of glorioushistory, airplane racing fell off the face of the earth for a while in theSixties. There were no sanctioned races around anymore, so we made up our owncourse, kicking up dust devils and rooster tails over the desolation ofAntelope Acres. Our version of California street drags.
Of course, I didn’t really know what I was doing, but I waslearning fast.
Around the windmill and up to the forty-foot hump in thesand. I chased Scotty down foot by foot. I knew I could take him.
Only two laps left. It was now or never.
Banking hard into the crossroads, I juiced the power up nearfour thousand RPM and pulled back on the stick to take Scotty up and outside.
But dammit, I missed him—
In my peripheral vision, a Tweety-yellow racer on my rightcame toward me.
I flattened my wings and rolled off the power sweeping belowhim to keep from colliding. But I caught the tornado of his wingtip vorticesand involuntarily flipped inverted.
A Joshua tree bloomed overhead in my canopy as I arcedupside-down towards the ground at two-hundred-fifty feet. Gravity pulled myshoulders down against the straps of my five-point harness.
Without thinking, back pressure on the stick moved quicklyforward to illogically raise the nose with a nudge of left rudder to roll leveland maxing out the power…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sandra’s Book Club
Racing the Dream Release Blog Tour Guest Post
September 29, 2023
http://sandrasbookclub.blogspot.com/
Antelope Acres
Strapped intohis Formula 1 airplane, Hawk—unofficially—racesagainst six other pilots over the desert north of Los Angeles in “AntelopeAcres,” the first chapter of Racingthe Dream. Thescene highlights the technology, the competition, and the dangers of pylonracing, as well as demonstrating Hawk’s flying skills.
Air racing isthe “world’s fastest motorsport” and the health of your airplane is justas important as the skills of the pilot. Hawk must divide his time between thecockpit gages and chasing down his competitors:
I chased Scotty down the longstraightaway. Three hundred feet back. A hundred feet off the ground. Onehundred seventy knots.
Quick looks at the panel: Thirty-sixhundred RPM. Look: engine oil pressure—green. Look: oil temperature—green.
All good.
Pylon racingis considered “uncooperative formation flying.” All the planes are flying right offeach other’s wings, but no one is staying in the same position, like what yousee when you watch the Blue Angels or the Thunderbirds at an air show:
Banking hard into the “pylon” at W Avenue G and Myrick Canyon Roadover the desert, a shadow on the ground to my left crawled toward my BritishRacing Green colored wing. He had to be outside. You can’t look to the right.It’s just not safe. But the sun was behind us…
I lofted a bit in the eighty-degreeturn—climbed twenty feet or so—then quickly dove back down to close anotherhundred and fifty feet on Scotty, picking up a bit of his wake turbulence.
Rolling out and down the frontstraightaway, I found smooth air twenty-five feet above his hot red JensenCassutt.
And then, ofcourse, there are risks:
Banking hard into the crossroads, Ijuiced the power up near four thousand RPM and pulled back on the stick to takeScotty up and outside.
But dammit, I missed him—
In my peripheral vision, aTweety-yellow racer on my right came toward me.
I flattened my wings and rolled offthe power sweeping below him to keep from colliding. But I caught the tornadoof his wingtip vortices and involuntarily flipped inverted.
A Joshua tree bloomed overhead in mycanopy as I arced upside-down towards the ground at two-hundred-fifty feet.Gravity pulled my shoulders down against the straps of my five-point harness.
Getting allof the elements of air racing into the first chapter was crucial to setting thestage for my story—kind of like the opening chase scenes of a James Bond movie.
Of course,Hawk is the main character and since this is the first chapter, he does recoverfrom his low-level aerobatics.
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
M.T. Bass is ascribbler of fiction who holds fast to the notion that while victors may get towrite history, novelists get to write/right reality. He lives, writes, fliesand makes music in Mudcat Falls, USA.
Born in Athens,Ohio, M.T. Bass grew up in St. Louis, Missouri. He graduated from Ohio WesleyanUniversity, majoring in English and Philosophy, then worked in the privatesector (where they expect “results”) mainly in the Aerospace & Defensemanufacturing market. He is the author of twelve novels, two novellas, and abook of verse. His writing spans various genres, including Mystery, Adventure,Romance, Black Comedy and TechnoThrillers. A Commercial Pilot and CertifiedFlight Instructor, airplanes and pilots are featured in many of his stories.Bass currently lives on the shores of Lake Erie near Lorain, Ohio.
M.T. BassAuthor Links
Website: https://www.mtbass.net
Blog: https://www.owl-works.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/owlworks/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Owlworks
Amazon AuthorPage: http://www.amazon.com/author/mtbass
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5270962.M_T_Bass
Racing theDream Purchase Links
Author Web SiteInfo Page: https://mtbassauthor.wordpress.com/racing-the-dream-white-hawk-aviation-stories-3/
Amazon (KindleUnlimited): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CCSVMSQV
Stories by M.T.Bass
White HawkAviation Adventure Stories
My Brother'sKeeper
Jungleland
Racing theDream
***~~~***
Murder byMunchausen Sci-Fi Thriller Series
Murder byMunchausen
The Darknet
The InvisibleMind
MotherlessChildren
Murder byMunchausen Trilogy: Books 1-3
***~~~***
Article 15
Somethin' forNothin'
In the Black
Crossroads
Lodging
Untethered
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GIVEAWAY
M.T. Bass will be awarding a $25 Amazonor B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Blog Tour: SINGLE WITH CAT by Rosa Silva
I am thrilled to be hosting a spoton the SINGLE WITH CAT by Rosa Silva Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check outmy post and make sure to enter the giveaway!
About The Book:
Title: SINGLE WITH CAT: A feel-good romanticcomedy (New Beginnings)Author: Rosa Silva
Pub. Date: August 6, 2022
Publisher: Rosa Silva
Formats: Paperback, eBook
Pages: 202
Find it: Goodreads, https://books2read.com/SINGLE-WITH-CAT
Read forFREE with a Kindle Unlimited Membership!
Can she save the Happy EndingsBookstore and have the happy ending she deserves?
Olivia is back in her hometown to reopen the bookstore her grandmother lefther. She has a whole plan mapped out for the Happy Endings Bookstore. Just oneproblem – she finds out the bank is ready to foreclose on the bookstore’smortgage.
Gabriel, the bank manager, is as drop dead gorgeous as he is grouchy. Oliviahates the guy, but her cat Chili seems to love him. Now Olivia has three monthsto save the bookstore and rub it in Gabriel’s face.
Olivia tries everything to save the bookstore, but with a quest to find out theidentity of an anonymous romance writer, her mother wanting to find her a husband,and her grandmother’s grouchy neighbor making her life hell, Olivia has a loton her plate.
The tension between Olivia and Gabriel escalates as the deadline to save thebookstore approaches, but as the two slowly begin to let their guard down, theymight learn that sometimes stepping outside one's comfort zone can lead to thegreatest reward.
Single with Cat is a feel-good romantic comedy perfect for readers who lovecats, books, and happy endings.
GUEST POST:
We NeedBooks as Much as We Need Food
"Single with Cat" is myfirst full-length novel, and it is a feel-good romantic comedy that I thinkit’s perfect for readers who love cats, books, and happy endings. The storyfollows the journey of a young woman named Olivia, who is navigating life as asingle woman with her beloved cat, Chili. As she pursues her dreams of becominga bookstore owner, she finds herself falling in love with her neighbor,Gabriel.
The inspiration for "Single withCat" came from my own experiences as a single woman who loves cats andbooks. I wanted to write a story that was relatable, heartwarming, and fun. I alsowanted to explore the themes of following your dreams, finding love, and theimportance of reading. That’s why the story revolves around Olivia’s journey tosave the Happy Endings Bookstore.
In "Single with Cat," Iexplore the power of books and reading through the eyes of the characters. Hereare five quotes from my book that highlight Olivia's love for books and therole they play in her life:
- Booksare like chocolate. Once you taste it, you’ll get addicted.
- Weneed books as much as we need food. Food feeds our body, books feed our soul.
- Onceyou learn to read you can be whoever you want.
- Ordinarypeople buy the last smartphone model. Extraordinary people buy books.
- HappyEndings Bookstore - because the world needs more happy endings.
Writing"Single with Cat" was a labor of love, and I poured my heart and soulinto every page. I wanted to create a story dedicated to all the book loversout there because I believe we need books as much as we need food. Foodfeeds our body, books feed our soul.
*You candownload bookmarks and posters with some of these quotes from my website rosasilvawrites.com.
RosaSilva
About Rosa Silva:
Rosa writes fiction with a bit of humor. She’s not anaward-winning author, but she wrote several humor books for cat lovers thatwill make you laugh your head off. She’s the author of Single with Cat, afeel-good romantic comedy perfect for readers who love cats, books, and happyendings.
Subscribe to Rosa’snewsletter!
Website | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon
Giveaway Details:
1 winnerwill receive a $10 Amazon Gift Card courtesy of Rockstar Book Tours,International.
Ends October17th, midnight EST.
a Rafflecopter giveawayTour Schedule:
Week One:
9/25/2023
Guest Post
9/26/2023
IG Post
9/27/2023
Guest Post/IG Post
9/28/2023
#BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog
Blog Spotlight
9/29/2023
Guest Post
Week Two:
10/2/2023
Review/IG Post
10/2/2023
Review/IG Post
10/3/2023
IG Review/LFL Drop Pic/TikTok Post
10/3/2023
Review/IG Post
10/4/2023
Review/IG Post
10/4/2023
Review/IG Post
10/5/2023
Review/IG Post
10/5/2023
Review/IG Post
10/6/2023
IG Post/TikTok Post
10/6/2023
IG Review
September 27, 2023
Blog Tour: THE PRAYER WARRIOR by Traci Wooden-Carlisle and D. Tina Batten
The Prayer Warrior
by Traci Wooden-Carlisle andD. Tina Batten
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GENRE: Speculative fiction
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLURB:
There is a thin line between the natural andthe spiritual realm.
Ms. V., a humble servant of the Lord, has beenplaced on assignment at Center of Hope Christian Academy.
By day, she serves as a trusted counselor forstudents, giving them a safe haven to pour out their innermost feelings whileproviding professional and honest truth wrapped in a firm kindness and lovethat inevitably draws them closer to Jesus. Not to be outdone, the faculty alsobends her ear from time to time.
By night, Ms. V. enters the spiritual realm andtakes her place on the battlefield as one of God’s faithful prayer warriors.She wields her whispering sword, slicing through the enemy’s plans to bind theprecious hearts under her charge.
Her assignment’s burden on her physical body istaxing, but can she withstand the strain and remain victorious?
Saving souls is her true mission, but at what cost?
Readers are in for a journey of spiritual intrigueand biblical insight as they experience the ramifications of each character’slife-altering decision.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Excerpt One:
The mist settling over the earth was about five inches high.It nearly obscured the ground in front of her as far as her eyes could see. Shewas reminded of mud-covered battlefields with little to shield one from enemyfire.
The clouds hung low, making the whole scene look likesomething out of an apocalyptic dream. The fallow ground before her was vast.It was a wasteland, offering only the promise that nothing would ever growthere again. The desolation could have gone on forever, except for the demonicpresence that lined itself up like a dirty barrier of windows used to dim andconceal what was on the other side.
She felt them, though. She felt each and every one of thechildren held in bondage on the other side of that transparent demonic force.The thought brought to mind a scripture, and she looked down at the writing onthe sword in her hand. She could have spent time thinking about how odd it wasthat she didn’t remember taking a sword with her, but there were more pressingmatters, and she was happy to have the weapon to wield.
She began reading the inscribed scripture out loud, hervoice ringing across the barren land slick with mud. “For we wrestle notagainst flesh and blood,”
As the words left her lips, they solidified in theatmosphere, charging toward their mark like a spear. They reached the barrier,causing it to shift and ripple but not tear.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Topic: Whatchallenges did you face while writing this book?
Traci: Formyself, I really wanted to work on a project with D. Tina Batten. I hadattended some of her shows and staged plays she produced, and I marveled at herimagination and God-given talents. One of the issues was that we shared thesame work ethic. Which meant that we were both incredibly busy. I think ourdesire and the Holy Spirit’s promptings made us push forward. I don’t know toomany people who would call each other for two years to see a book to its end.There were some gaps and delays due to family emergencies. But, when we gotback together, it was almost like we had not skipped a beat.
Anotherchallenge was the time difference because I live on the West Coast and Sis.Batten on the East Coast. Early morning conversations were nonexistent andlate-night edits were full of uncontrollable giggles due to pure exhaustion (inthe best kind of way).
Tina: Honestly,even though my co-author, longtime friend and sister in the gospel, Traci and Ihad a blast creating such a phenomenal project for our readers, we also faced afew challenges along the way. One of which was the issue of time. Not only dowe live more than two thousand miles apart in two different time zones, but wealso work on other projects. We overcame that challenge by committing to carveout time every week for ourselves to work on our project. For the first time weboth put ourselves first.
Anotherchallenge was actually naming the book. After going around and around, addingmany possibilities to a list, the perfect name of the book was right in frontof us the entire time. We shared a moment together overcoming that challenge.We had an “Ah-ha” moment, some might say.
Wewere also faced with the challenge of pronouncing the main character’sname. I double dare you to try it for yourself. Ms. Vacherchesse.Say that three times, fast in a row ;-) I know. Not easy.
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
D.“Tina” Batten is a loving mother, wife, sister, daughter and Mima to hergrandchildren. She is a gifted visual storyteller who is passionate aboutbringing encouraging messages of inspiration and hope to the world.
Tina Batten, a writer for over eighteen years of various dramaticworks of performing art via stage, and film, encompasses unique ways of creatingfascinating story concepts that touch the heart of most who view or read herwork. She is both honored and thrilled to have teamedup with long-time friend, sister in the gospel and co-author Tracy on thisphenomenal collaborative book project. With such a humble heart and desire tobring people together in love and unity, Tina Batten will continue her work asa visual storyteller spreading the good news of Jesus Christ one projectafter the other.
AsAlways, D. “Tina” Batten gives God All the Glory!
Youcan find her at the following social media platforms:
Website: http://www.sisterbatten.com
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Sister-BattenCom-Sister-Batten-Productions-157650117630075/
FB: Tina Batten Profile: https://www.facebook.com/tina.batten.18
IG: https://www.instagram.com/sisterbatten/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/sisterbatten
Subscribe to Sister Batten YouTube Channel
Walking in the Spirit Trailer
https://vimeo.com/ondemand/sisterbattenfilms
If Not For The LORD, Where Would I Be? Delicious Episode Trailer
https://vimeo.com/ondemand/sisterbattenproductions
TraciWooden-Carlisle
TraciWooden-Carlisle began writing to publish in 2011 and enjoys writing storiesthat provoke thought and evoke emotions. Her desire is to draw readers into thelives of her characters and share messages of God’s love, His faithfulness andpeace. The messages in her books speak to her way before they speak to herreaders.
Tracilives in San Diego with her husband, David. When she isn’t writing she doessome light traveling or assists people with their physical fitness, createsgraphics, designs pretty things for her jewelry business and swag for authors.
Youcan find her on the following social media platforms.
Website:www.tawcarlisle.com
Newsletter:www.tawcarlisle.com/subscribe
Amazon:http://www.amazon.com/Traci-Wooden-Carlisle/e/B00OIAS208/
Goodreads:https://www.goodreads.com/Author_TraciWCarlisle
Facebook: www.facebook.com/traciwoodencarlisle
Instagram: www.instagram.com/tawcarlisle
Bookbub:https://www.bookbub.com/authors/traci-wooden-carlisle
Twitter: www.twitter.com/traciwcarlisle
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/tawcarlisle
Book Video: https://youtu.be/lw3DiS_-E0A?si=1DjRSVTB3Ggqg9pT
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GIVEAWAY :
Traci Wooden-Carlisle and D. Tina Batten will beawarding $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner viarafflecopter during the tour.
September 26, 2023
Blog Tour: SAM TIME by Donna Balon
Sam Time
by Donna Balon
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GENRE: Historical Fiction, TimeTravel
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLURB:
When her fiancé is away on business, lonely Samantha Hunterdespairs and absorbs herself in historical research. Her nighttime dreams beingso vivid, Samantha believes she’s traveling to a past century. As she navigatesthe Victorian era rules of dos and even more don’ts, she charms Ulysses S Grantwhile struggling to maintain her present-day romance.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Excerpt One:
During the night, Samantha had a vivid dream. She was in arural town wearing her Victorian-style dress. The weather was cool so shewrapped the crocheted afghan around her shoulders. And her sockless feet werecold in her slip-on shoes.
The few men she saw were in worn, soiled work clothes andwalked with purpose. The so-called roadways were not paved but dirt paths. Nocars or trucks, but horses and carts. A few wooden one-story buildingsscattered here and there.
This must be a dream in which the clock has been turnedback, Samantha thought. But where am I?
She strolled, aware she had not seen any other women.Pulling the afghan around herself snugly, she walked with her head tilted downto avoid catching the eye of any man in whatever this place was, glancing upoften to learn more of her surroundings.
Then two women hurried toward her, each carrying a woodenbucket of water. Their cotton dresses hung to their ankles, with full skirtsgathered at the waist of fitted bodices. Plain white cotton bonnets coveredtheir heads, and shawls were wrapped around their shoulders. They looked atSamantha disapprovingly. Her dress was too fancy for this rural town. Moreover,she wasn’t wearing a bonnet or hat; a bare head was a means of solicitation byprostitutes. She hugged her body with the afghan, which served as a shawl tohide her uncorseted torso.
The dream seemed authentic. Despite her uneasiness, shethought, Enjoy the dream. If I don’t like it, I’ll wake myself up.
Around a corner, she spotted a few men in uniform. Soldiers.Maybe the army. This might be a small town next to an army fort, Samanthaguessed. Still, not a good place for a woman.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Author DonnaBalon debuts Sam Time, a novel well-researched and professionally edited byquality talent from the publishing industry. Donna resides in Las Vegas,Nevada, with her husband.
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/41018186.Donna_Balon
Website: https://samtimebook.com/about/
Amazon: https://amazon.com/author/donnabalon
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GIVEAWAY
One randomly chosen winner viarafflecopter will win a $25 Amazon/BN.com gift card.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
September 25, 2023
Blog Tour: RESPARKING CREATIVITY by Fatemah Mirza & Sumayyah Rafiq Haider
RESPARKING CREATIVITY
by Fatemah Mirza &Sumayyah Rafiq Haider
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GENRE: Nonfiction / Career Guide
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLURB:
Accelerateyour marketing career by learning concrete strategies to reignite your creativespark and build a compelling case for your promotion to director. From creatinga standout project portfolio to evaluating your skills to salary negotiation, networking, andinterviewing best practices, this book equips ambitious marketing professionalswith the tools necessary for long-term success.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Excerpt One:
As a marketingleader, you also play a vital role in elevating the standard of living. Thanksto government regulations, marketers cannot make false or misleading claims.This means that you help consumers make informed decisions on the basis ofmarketing. They can be made aware of major changes in ownership or products,what new features are being developed, and which brands to trust. This comes togetherto create brand value and loyalty towards trusted companies.
At a companylevel, organizations cannot survive without marketing. You cannot establish abusiness and expect people to find you. There is simply too much competitionand information bombarding society. For businesses to survive and thrive, theyhave to develop effective marketing strategies. And for this, they needexperienced professionals like you with highly creative mindsets.
But it isdifficult to contribute in this way to an organization or society if you feelburned out, uncreative, or feel an inability to work at your full potential.
If you feel thesame way then this book is for you.
I’m going toshow you how to be at the forefront of driving demand, understanding consumer needs,and providing critical contributions to your career growth. And to get there, this book is going to helpyou address:
• Being underpaid
• Being dictated to
• Burn out
• Intellectual disengagement
• Uncertainty about what steps to take
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Guest Post
Topic: Whatdo you hope readers will gain from this book?
I want readers to know a fewthings.
First, I want them tounderstand what employers, hiring managers, and recruiters are looking for.This is not something a lot of people talk about. A lot of times, thisdiscussion happens in broad terms but we break it down into specifics. This ishow you precisely determine what they’re looking for and what kind of languageyou want to use. So, I want people to use that information as they apply forjobs.
Second, I sincerely hopethat readers gain a fresh perspective on their worth. This is something so manypeople struggle with, within marketing and outside. It’s so hard for us to lookback at what we’ve done and see the impact we’ve made. But I hope that throughthe book exercises, people gain new insights into their strengths and successstories. And through that, they get more energized and excited about what theydo! I want people to ride that positive energy toward their next promotion.
Finally, I want readers tobe less fearful of the whole salary negotiation process. That’s one part of thejob process that so many people stumble or undersell themselves in. They couldhave made an incredible impression during the interview process but as soon asthe conversation shifts to salary, they’ll falter. Either out of anxiety or anincorrect assumption that “it’s rude to negotiate for the salary. I should justaccept whatever I’m offered.” Using my book, people gain a clear roadmap intoentering any salary negotiation conversation with confidence.
Those are the big three thingsI really want readers to take with them.
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Fatemah Mirza is a Certified Resume Master and a highlysought-after speaker and coach who helps ambitious job seekers findhigher-paying, more fulfilling jobs. She’s been helping job seekers since 2010when she founded CareerTuners, which is a small team of skilled professionalsfrom various industries who specialize in providing professional resumes, coverletters, LinkedIn profiles, and many more career-related services to helpambitious people land their dream jobs and achieve career goals.She has createdfree resources that have seen more than 160,000 downloads, helped hundreds ofclients increase their pay, and built a network of more than 3000 recruiters.
Sumayyah Rafiq Haider is an experienced author and career mentorwith a passion for helping individuals excel professionally. With an MBA inHuman Resource Management and SHRM-CP certification, Sumayyah has assistednumerous clients in their job search, providing guidance on resume writing,LinkedIn optimization, cover letters, interview skills, and career direction.
Website: http://www.careertuners.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/careertipsfromct
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Fatemah-Mirza/author/B0C781LXCS
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Sumayyah-Rafiq-Haider/author/B0C781ZBXN
Amazon Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C73VXSHL
THIS BOOK IS AVAILABLE TO READ FOR FREE ON KINDLEUNLIMITED
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