Sandra C. Lopez's Blog, page 132

Review: SHOCKING TRUE UBER STORIES by W. Sage

You would think that an Uber driver would have some pretty unique stories to tell. But these stories were really not that interesting, and you could tell it was written by somebody that didn’t have a decent handle of the writing craft or how to tell a story. This just wasn’t good.

 

Rating: 1 star

Review: THE GIRL OUTSIDE by James Caine

Story had an easy narrative with a few typos that were inexcusable to miss. It takes a while to settle into the story of a single mom of a soon-to-be high school graduate. The mom is feeling depressed and lonely, and often has to run to the bottle or a bootie call. By chapter 4, she realizes that her daughter was missing. It’s really quite slow and uneventful.

It’s somewhat suspenseful, but not really a whole lot.

Overall, an okay read.

 

Rating: 3 stars

Blog Tour: THE FILE by Gary Born

 

The File

by Gary Born

 

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

 

GENRE:   Thriller

 

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

 

BLURB:

 

Debut author Gary Born erupts into the literary scene with a nail-biting thriller centered on international espionage in “The File." Leaning into his experience as a preeminent international lawyer, Born weaves an exciting tale that spans Africa, the Middle East and Europe in a relentless pursuit of WWII Nazi intel that will enthrall the reader from the first page.

Enter Sara West, a tenacious botany graduate student on a scientific expedition in the heart of the African jungle. During her research, she stumbles upon a cache of WWII Nazi files in the wreck of a German bomber hidden deep within the jungle. Those hidden files reveal the location of a multibillion-dollar war chest, secretly deposited by the Nazis in numbered Swiss bank accounts at the end of WWII. But Sara isn’t the only one interested in the war chest. Former KGB agent Ivan Petronov and Franklin Kerrington III, deputy director of the CIA, both have deeply personal reasons for acquiring the files Sara has found.

With two dangerous men — and their teams of hit men — on her trail, will Sara be able to escape the jungle alive?

 

 

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

  

Excerpt One:

 

She spent the afternoon in the car, trying to make sense of the past four weeks. She still hadn’t fully digested what had happened. She wondered if she ever would. Her life had been ordered and comfortable — a fiancé  and a promising career. She had been a relatively normal, well-adjusted graduate student, with a predictable, reasonably settled life. Exotic treks in obscure jungles were a little out of the ordinary, but tenure at a good university, marriage and kids lay reliably ahead. And she had been happy. Or at least content.

 

That was all gone now. Two teams of trained killers were probably still hunting her, willing to stop at nothing to get their hands on the files that she had found in the jungle. She was having tea with another killer in the middle of the Libyan desert, and she was about to be smuggled into Italy by yet other killers. And, truth be told, she was not that different from any of these men, not anymore, as her bamboo spears and the grenades had revealed. She realized, with a sort of clinical detachment, that she didn’t know herself anymore, that she didn’t really know who she had been or who she had become. Which of the people was really her — the geeky botanist and happy girlfriend, the terrified victim, running for her life, or the killer with the bamboo spears and machete? She wasn’t sure anymore.

 

 

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

 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

Gary Born is widely regarded as the world's preeminent authority on international commercial arbitration and international litigation. He has been ranked for more than 20 years as one of the world's leading international arbitration advocates and authors. “The File” is his debut novel. Connect with Gary on LinkedIn.

Amazon buy link: https://www.amazon.com/File-Gary-Born-ebook/dp/B0B72ZT3WL/

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

 

GIVEAWAY :

Gary Born will be awarding a $20 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour: THE BREAKS BETWEEN YOU AND ME by Taiya Collier

The Breaks Between You and Me

by Taiya Collier

 

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

 

GENRE: Young Adult Fiction Romance

 

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

 

BLURB:

 

Somewhere out in the hills of Montana, 17-year-old Harper Cassidy has a home. Really, she does! And so does her sister, Lil. But since all they’ve ever done is skip across the Pacific Northwest from town to town, following her mom’s every desire from Montana to California, it’s been getting harder and harder to feel rooted anywhere.

 

Until tragedy strikes. And, before she knows it, Harper is... free. Free to go home to Montana and return to a stability she never had. Only, there are several problems standing in her way.

 

First, she has to create a stable life for her and her seven-year-old sister. Second, she has to do it alone. And third, worst of all, she has to keep her mother’s absence a secret from the people she grew up with: her grandfather, her aunt, and him, the boy.

 

Andy Madden is Harper’s best friend, and the answer to her aching loneliness, but he is also the threat to containing the secret that her life depends on. A secret that seems just a little too heavy for any one person to keep.

 

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

  

Excerpt One:

 

Younger me goes wild running across these floors. In the kitchen I’m making jam with Mom. On the living room’s stained couch, there’s me, my scraped-up arm, and you, busy patching up scrapes with Spiderman Band-Aids with an ironic amount of doctor formality. On the four-seater table a couple steps away, are the piles of magazines I would bury myself in because I liked the feeling of losing myself in vivid, exaggerated, and bold colors and shapes and silhouettes. Younger, nostalgia-bound me runs across the dusty dirty floors of this house boundless and uncatchable and she laughs and giggles loud enough that it can no longer be considered music.

 

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

 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

At just eighteen years old, Taiya Collier is already making a name for herself as an author. The Austin-native has set her sights on creating age inclusivity within young adult fiction and shattering the notion that writing about teen life can only be done by middle-aged writers who lack true understanding of the experience. She's published four books so far, each filled with riveting storylines sure to enthrall readers from start to finish! By inspiring other teens towards authorship, she hopes to build up a new generation of YA novelists capable of capturing accurate accounts of today’s youth culture. Taiya is currently attending college full time while continuing to write as often as she can. Her recent works explore themes of identity, strength, growth, and resilience in young adulthood—all of which are important aspects of her journey as a writer. In addition to writing her own stories, Taiya is also involved in various literary events and speaking engagements throughout the year. As an advocate for literary inclusion, she uses these opportunities to spread awareness about the importance of diverse representation on all platforms.

 

www.taiyacollier.com  

https://instagram.com/authortaiyacollier 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BJJF1XZ5

 

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

 

GIVEAWAY 

 

Taiya Collier will be awarding "bookish" sweatshirt and sticker pack (US ONLY) to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour: SON OF ASMODEUS by Barb Jones

 

SON OF ASMODEUS

by Barb Jones

 

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

 

GENRE:  Paranormal romance

 

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

 

BLURB:

 

Birthright. Protector. Heaven. Hell.

 

A lone demon hunter, his true birthright unknown, roams the streets of Los Angeles while killing demons to prevent atrocities against the world. As the son of Asmodeus, Sully is a hunter feared by both demons and angels. His world was not the same once he walked into a bar and offered to help Mick, a gothic bartender.

 

Mick worried about her missing friend until the day she met Sully. The minute he walked into her bar and offered his help, her world changed. Secrets of her destiny unlocked, and he was at her side everywhere she turned. Friend. Protector.

 

Can they live with the secrets that are revealed to them? Will they survive the chase for the truth between Heaven and Hell?

 

 

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

  

Excerpt One:

 

“Demon hunter.”

 

“Prick,” was all John had to say before the demon made the first strike.

 

As the demon punched John in the side of his face, he shook off the initial shock. Tasting a drop of blood from the corner of his mouth, John cocked his head to the left and then to the right while flexing his neck muscles. Before the demon could land a second blow, John pulled out his blade. The blade was black, cut uniquely, and the hilt bore symbols that were not known to many outside the inner circle of Hell. As he angled the blade to hit the light a bit more, the demon’s eyes grew narrow.

 

John realized the demon was more afraid of the blade than him. He used that fear against the demon. He waved the blade, taunting his enemy. Tossing the blade from hand-to-hand excited John before the kill while he watched the demon’s fear grow.

 

“You smell of Asteroth. What does he want with me? Do you like my toy? Want to play with it, prick?”

 

“Too many questions, hunter. Asteroth wants your head; then again, don’t we all?” The demon snickered while shifting in his stance. “This body, do you like it, hunter? I thought it would be capable of killing you. This body is strong, hunter. Strong enough to kill you.” The demon shifted in the body he possessed and then went to move closer to John.

 

 

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

 

NOTE  FROM THE AUTHOR

 

Please note that this book is being made into a movie in 2023. Filming begins in May 2023.

 

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

 

 Topic:  What do you hope readers will gain from your book?

 

When I began to write Son of Asmodeus, I didn’t think much about what readers would gain from the book because honestly, I wasn’t even sure where the book would lead me. But after the first two chapters, it dawned on me that readers are going to just fall in love with Sully or Mick, or even both. You can sense that there is a chemistry between these two, even though they don’t realize it at first. From their first meeting, it was more of Sully, a lone demon hunter, helping out a cute gothic bartender. As they learned more about their individual birthrights, the chemistry grew only more intense.

From that point, I had hoped that readers would relate to them in some way and maybe see a little of themselves in the two characters. My characters are written so that a reader can relate to them in some way or simply, just fall in love with them. While this is not a full blown romance, there are elements of romance throughout the book with the flair of the supernatural.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

 

Barb Jones is an author of paranormal romance and horror for adults, including her best selling series Blood Prophecy and her newest series, Heaven and Hell. She was born and raised in Hawaii, where her love for the supernatural began. When not writing, she is not only an IT professional but a mother of two highly gifted young adults, who are her inspiration. She can be found haunting bookstores, enjoying ghost tours, traveling, chatting with her readers, and baking. You can chat with Barb on Instagram at @thebloodprophecy or check out her website at www.thebloodprophecy.com.

 

https://www.thebloodprophecy.com

https://www.facebook.com/BloodProphecyBooks

https://www.instagram.com/thebloodprophecy/

https://www.amazon.com/Son-Asmodeus-Barb-Jones-ebook/dp/B0BLXMTCXC

 

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

 

GIVEAWAY

 

The author will award a $15 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner and a signed copy of the book to another randomly drawn winner. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour: A COP'S NECKLACE by Norm Meech

A Cops Necklace

by Norm Meech

 

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

 

GENRE:   Thriller/Mystery

 

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

 

BLURB:

 

It has been nearly a year since the murder and kidnapping happened at the McPherson mansion. Everything has returned to being quiet and normal around the mansion until a package is delivered to Alex McNeil.

Inside the carefully wrapped package, Alex finds an expensive-looking antique necklace. There is also a note inside the package that reads, "Mr. McNeil, you have exhibited the ability of being a good investigator. Find out who stole the necklace, and you will find out who murdered her."

Investigation determines that the necklace belonged to missing Bisson City police sergeant Jennifer Thomson, who was presumed to have been kidnapped and murdered 10 years ago. Alex takes a leave of absence from the McPherson mansion, and is hired by the Bisson City police force on a short-term-employment contract. Alex teams up with his old police partner Stephanie Foster, and they renew their close friendship while investigating what happened to their missing colleague, Sergeant Thomson.

 

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

  

Excerpt One:

 

"I then commented that Machen (Mickey) Chang was the boss of the Wolfang Warriors Clan and that one of our Asian informants in our witness protection program had been killed by a sniper.  I explained that on August 26, 2008, Bobby Cho, age 31 had been shot and killed exiting our safe house on the way to court.  Cho was supposed to testify against Chang, on a murder charge.

 

The murder had questioned our police services ability to protect people in our witness protection program.  Apparently, Jennifer was angry that she had lost a witness and she took it personally."

 

 

 

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

Review: This all started with a mysterious package with a necklace and a note.

“Find out who stole the necklace, and you will find out who murdered her.”

It was the one case Alex McNeil was never able to solve. This was the motivation that brought Alex out of police retirement for at least a month.

Story had a good diary-style narrative; however, it tells much more than it shows. Rather than illustrating the dialogue as dialogue, the character tells us what was said in summary instead. Too passive and less active.

The story had a compelling start and premise, but it does take a while to really get into it as the main character was more focused on explaining the odds-and-ends of the police force. Very mild and tame with some repetition. In chapter 2, the police reports exactly what Alex already told us in chapter 1. Needless to say, the police overview was also a little dry and technical.

After the briefing, which really wasn’t that brief, the narrative continues with the minutiae of trivial routines and bland pleasantries. What should’ve been more exciting was really very trifling. There was an interesting case somewhere in this pile of lengthy narratives and precise dictations, but you really have to look deep to get a glimpse of it.

Overall, this was a fairly nice and structured read.

Rating: 3 stars

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

Norm retired from the Barrie Police Service on December 31, 2021, and he believes that, besides his family, one of his greatest's accomplishments was to be employed as a police officer for over 44 years.

 

Metropolitan Toronto Police Cadet: October 1976 to September 1978

Canadian National Railroad Police Constable: December 3, 1979 to June 6, 1997

Barrie Police Service: Constable/Staff Sergeant June 9, 1997 to December 31, 2021

 

Norm is enjoying retirement. and fitness is a part of his life. He is gaining more knowledge and experience as an author, and he plans on publishing more fiction books in the future.

 

Norm Meech | Facebook   https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100078187723504

Norm Meech (wordpress.com)   https://normmeech.wordpress.com

Norm Meech Instagram https://www.instagram.com/normmeech/

Amazon buy link: https://www.amazon.com/Cops-Necklace-Norm-Meech/dp/0228887879/  

 

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

 

GIVEAWAY :

 

Norm Meech will be awarding a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour: THE LEGEND OF THE MICK by Jonathan Weeks

 

THE LEGEND OF THE MICK

by Jonathan Weeks

 

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

 

GENRE:  Sports Biography

 

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

 

BLURB:

 

In the 1950s, America entered the television age. And Mickey Mantle, a country boy from Commerce, Oklahoma, was made for the moment. Signed by the New York Yankees as a teenager, he made his major league debut in 1951 as a right fielder alongside Joe DiMaggio. When DiMaggio retired at the end of the season, Mantle inherited not only Joltin’ Joe’s position in centerfield but also his stature as the face of the franchise. His boyish good looks, breathtaking power from both sides of the plate, and blazing speed on the basepaths made him an instant superstar. He won league MVP three times, came in second three times, was a 16-time All-Star, a Triple Crown winner in 1956, and a seven-time World Series champion.

 

Mickey Mantle’s career was the stuff of legend and in this book, Jonathan Weeks tells us why. Mantle’s extraordinary (and at times incredible) tales carry readers on an enthralling journey through the life of one of the most celebrated sports figures of the twentieth century.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Excerpt Two:

 

THE PRICE OF FAME

 

Anyone who has lived in the public spotlight for an extended length of time would agree that there is a dark side to being famous. For Mantle, it was darker than most. In early-September of 1953, the Yankees received an anonymous threat in a letter postmarked from Boston. It stated that if Mantle played at Fenway Park over Labor Day weekend, he would be shot.

 

Taking no chances, the Yankees contacted the authorities and the FBI became involved. With agents keeping a close watch over him, Mantle appeared in both games of the scheduled holiday doubleheader against the BoSox. In the opener, he blasted a 2-run homer off of Mel Parnell. He later joked that he had never rounded the bases so quickly after a home run.

 

The 1953 incident was not the only one of its kind. In July of 1960, Mantle was opening mail in the visitor’s locker room at Cleveland Stadium when he stumbled upon an envelope postmarked from Tonawanda, New York, which is located just north of Buffalo. It contained a hand-written letter that read precisely as follows: “I had a son that was drafted with a bad leg and bad eyes he got killed but a rotten draft dodger that could run like you gets turned down. I have a gun with microscopic lenses and I’m going to get you thru both your knees and its going to happen soon.” Again, the FBI became involved and nothing came of the ominous note.

 

Mantle dealt with other unpleasantries over the course of his career. A female stalker once threatened to kidnap his wife and one of his sons if he didn’t buy her a diamond ring. And in 1958, he was attacked twice. One of his assailants was a 13 year-old girl who slapped him in the face and pulled his hair as he was exiting a cab at the players’ entrance to Yankee Stadium. Earlier that season, he was poked in the eye and punched in the jaw by an unruly group of fans, one of whom stole the cap right off his head.   

 

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

 

What inspired you to write this book?

 

            I have been a fan of baseball since I was about nine years-old. I grew up in the Capital District Region of New York State, where the most popular teams were the Yankees, Red Sox, and Mets. The Red Sox participated in the first World Series I ever actively followed and I liked a lot of their players. But the first big league game I ever attended was at Yankee Stadium. I still remember so many details about that trip vividly. The thing that really grabbed my attention was the yearbook my Dad bought for me at the Stadium. Inside of it, there were photos and thumbnail biographies of all the famous players who had worn Yankee pinstripes over the years—guys like Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio, and Mickey Mantle. I had heard their names before, but didn’t know too much about them. Once I learned about their amazing accomplishments on the diamond, I became a Yankee fan for life. 

            As time marches on, old stars are replaced by new stars. Players of the current era soak up a majority of the attention. While most fans today know a little something about the Babe, The Mick, and Joltin’ Joe, a lot of details about their lives and careers have been lost to the mists of time. My love of Yankee lore inspired me to write a trilogy of books covering these remarkable players. The first one—Lore of the Bambino: 100 Great Babe Ruth Stories—was published last year. Legend of the Mick: Stories and Reflections on Mickey Mantle is the second book in the series. Tales of the Yankee Clipper—a DiMaggio bio—is currently being considered for publication.    

            My goal in writing these books was to bring baseball history to a new generation. Life moves faster nowadays and time is shorter. I have tried to adapt my writing style to account for this. While most biographies are filled with mundane facts, the books in my Yankee trilogy are equivalent to a greatest hits collection. All the most popular stories appear in concise chapters that provide convenient stopping points for readers. I honestly hope that people have as much fun reading them as I did researching and writing them.

 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

Jonathan Weeks spent most of his life in the Capital District region of New York State. He earned a degree in psychology from SUNY Albany and currently works in the mental health field. He has written several sports biographies and two novels, one of which was a posthumous collaboration with his father.

 

BLOG: www.jonathanweeks.blogspot.com

GOODREADS AUTHOR PAGE: https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/5862273.Jonathan_Weeks 

AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Jonathan-Weeks/author/B00DXL3JM4

 

Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/Legend-Mick-Mickey-Mantle-Stories/dp/1493070177/ref=sr_1_1

 

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

 

GIVEAWAY 

The author will be giving away a $25 Amazon/BN Gift Card to a randomly drawn winner.  Please use the following code on your post:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour: ONE SOUL'S JOURNEY: SECOND COLLECTION OF SHORT STORIES by Barbara Daniels Dena

Second Collection of Short Stories Book 2 of The Soul Series

Fictional Humor Short Stories

Date Published: 01-25-2023

Publisher: Magic Zoe Publishing

One Soul's Journey is an eclectic and extraordinary collection of short stories.

The ingredients: imagination, a dash of real life, inspiration, and lots of love. If you've read and loved her first collection, “For the Soul,” this book will delight you.

Praise for The Soul Series

5.0 out of 5 stars

“Delightfully charming short stories”

“Excellent book. A must-read”

EXCERPT;

 

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

Martin Luther King

 

            As a young child, I was taught early on the difference between right and wrong, injustice, and rude behavior. Those were lessons that followed me to this day.

            Several times around the age of twelve, we rode the rail transportation of the Rock Island Lines to ferry us four kids back home from Illinois to Colorado after summer vacations. My parents would drive us to my grandparents’ home, and then they would send us back on the train.

            At that time, my grandfather would find a porter. His instructions were to watch over us. He was to supply us with blankets and pillows and ensure we were well taken care of during our trip.

            Gramps told me, being the eldest, that ‘George’ would be nearby to help us if we needed anything. George did an excellent job of treating us like family. I always hoped my grandfather paid the kind, Black man for his services, but, in later years, I pondered whether that would have been a custom of the times. I learned that all porters were called George as it was easier for ‘White folks’ to remember one name for all people with darker skin color. Even at my young age, I found that preposterous. How disrespectful was it not to use a person’s real name?

            Recalling an earlier event, before these rail trips took place, our family took a trip to Arkansas to visit my mother’s brother. I was seven years old. This was before we moved away to Colorado. I remember how hot and sticky it was in that summer heat. Illinois could be humid but nothing like this. The trip was miserable.

I recalled that my uncle owned a rather large home compared to our small one, where we all shared bedrooms. What struck me as odd was the large dining room table where we sat for our lunch. Fancy dishes and glasses were set out for this noontime meal or maybe to show off. The oddest of all was a Black lady in a black dress with a white apron who served our food. My uncle would tell her what to do and say “that will be all” while we all sat there. Even at a young age, I thought this was rude.  Didn’t these people have manners? Why would anyone treat another person this way? My mom would have paddled me for sure if I spoke to anyone like that.

            After lunch, we strolled around the town square to buy ice cream. Of course, I could read, and for the life of me, I could not figure out why the printed water fountain sign said, ‘for white use only.’ What did that mean?

            Then there were signs in the window which read ‘coloreds served in the rear.’ Finally, my questions were answered, first by people-watching and then by explanations from my parents. This was the way of life here. I was so shocked that I had no words. To me, people were people. There should be no difference. How in the world could people do that to each other?

 

1957-1962 true story.

And my thoughts are still the same.

 

Review: In “A Writer’s Courage,” it took bravery to try a task in which one might be “rejected, criticized, ridiculed, or hurt.”

“A Child’s Musings of an Unjust World” shares a glimpse of racial inequality.

A baby sister gets lost and causes hysteria. A story from the view of a shelter dog—a dog with the uncanny ability to match the animals with their forever homes. The mysterious death of flowers. A temp agency hires an ex-con.

Short and quick, these were simply delightful reads. The author has a clever way of making you think one thing only to reveal something different in the end. Quite frankly, the flower shop stories weren’t that interesting. Some weren’t that great, but, for the most part, they were pretty good reads.

Honest and insightful, these stories are the author’s personal recollections and interpretations. These tales are full of heart. A nice collection.

Rating: 4 stars

About the Author

Barbara Daniels Dena is an American best-selling author and influential writer of her eclectic short stories in 'The Soul Series.'

The author's stories are almost a memoir and are a unique collection of inspiring short stories of 'good ole fashioned living,' along with many past and present memories and life experiences that tug on the heart, warming stories, and fictional tall tales and doggie tails delighting readers worldwide. The books are available on Amazon Books, Kindle, and many fine online book sites.

Barbara began writing at an early age as a lover of "Make-Believe." Today, her writing has developed from memories of family experiences, various compilations of events in her life, and her love of animals. She is willing to admit that her vivid imagination plays a role in her stories. The author is an Illinois native who has lived in many places; as Barb says, like a free-spirited "Gypsy," she has lived and worked in Illinois, Washington, Idaho, and Georgia, but Ultimately, comes home settling back in the Quad Cities area of Illinois.

She is a proud mother of two grown children. She was a business owner, ran a Temp Agency, transitioned into her passion for floral design, and opened, owned, and ran several floral shops. Her favorite flower is the "Casablanca Lily." Her favorite color is Red, and when she isn't writing, Barbara spends her free time oil painting and enjoys quilting, knitting, and reading.

Her favorite book is "Death Be Not Proud" by John J. Gunther. Her first love will always be playing with her fur baby; a little Yorkie named Zoe. She continues to write from her cozy nook as she gazes over a pond full of geese and ducks. On many days it is more gazing than writing.

 

Contact Links

Facebook

Twitter

Blog

Goodreads

All Author

 

Purchase Link

Amazon

 

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway 

Blog Tour: VINDICTIVE TOO by Ryan Lawrence

Vindictive Too

by Ryan Lawrence

 

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

 

GENRE:   Thriller/LGBT

 

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

 

BLURB:

 

The best revenge never includes forgiveness. To truly punish the guilty, something worse must be done to them.

A chain of vengeful events is set in motion when a man's brutally murdered body is found in an alley behind a seedy bar. Inspector Declan James is put on the victim's case, only to discover his intimate connection to the slain man. After a not-by-chance meeting with the mysterious Véronique, a woman on a mission to right a terrible wrong, Declan finds himself mired in an intricate web of corruption, lies, and coverups.

Marie and Jacques Bergé, the owners of the internationally renowned Château Bergé, act publically as the pinnacle of society and wealth, but behind closed doors, their lives are in turmoil. From Marie's erratic behaviour and bizarre disappearances to Jacques's not-so-secret love for another woman, Fairporte's "it" couple teeters on the edge of destruction.

In the shadows, a bearded man, powerful and dark of heart, secretly orchestrates his machiavellian manoeuvres from a place of sadism and despair.

From the bustling core to the rustic outskirts of Fairporte, ON, secrets, suffering, and rage are found everywhere. As the cruel desire pain, the wronged seek retribution, and the fragile break, will anyone get their revenge before death or madness claim them?

 

 

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

 

 

Excerpt One:

 

The alley was off Vanier Avenue in a less-than-savoury section of Fairporte continuously ignored by developers, including the Bergé family and Cartell Worldwide. Plans for gentrification had yet to be proposed by city officials. Declan was familiar with the area, having frequented several of its local watering holes.

 

This part of the city was home to many of Fairporte’s undesirables and unwanted. The seedy bars, the strip clubs, and most non-white collar criminals thrived here.

           

Declan was looking for anything he might have missed. He had a feeling, a hunch that something small but pivotal during the initial lookover had remained unnoticed. He had to find that obscure piece of evidence. Declan made it his mission, his responsibility.

 

He recalled the male victim’s clothes were nothing but tatters of fabric: slashed, ripped, and bloody. They held no discernible shape or style to offer aid in identifying the poor bugger. Even the tags and labels had been removed.

 

Severely beaten, the body had been robbed of all identification and personal belongings. All digits had had their pads burnt off. Declan thought that was excessive, but it could suggest a professional hit. Worst of all, the victim had been shot in the face and skull several times.

           

His detective prowess exhausted, Declan considered the body currently unidentifiable. He had faith that Forensics would eventually discover its identity.

 

It? Declan quickly corrected himself. Him! While a lack of respect for a victim’s corpse had infected many of his colleagues, Declan refused to give in to that dehumanization. He fought to stay compassionate, and sometimes he failed, but he refused to stop trying.

          

 

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

 GUEST POST

What Makes Your Book Different From Others in the Genre?

 

While entrenched in the Thriller Genre, Vindictive Too diversifies itself by adding elements of melodrama, an active queer voice, and a Canadian setting.

 

Having read many traditional, often one-note Thrillers and Crime Fiction novels, ones that focus almost exclusively on gritty urban settings, morally flawed protagonists, and bleak endings, I wanted to write something that could move the needle forward and explore broader narrative elements. I'm not trying to reinvent the wheel here (well, not too much, LOL), but I want to expand what novels in these genres can deliver by incorporating more camp humour, wider emotional variance, and clever wit into the text. I'm always striving for the passion of a telenovela but filtered through the lens of Twin Peaks’ cleverness. And finding the right balance is challenging, but I feel the payoff is well worth the effort.

 

Also, providing a place for queer voices in contemporary Thriller and Crime Fiction allows for more inclusive story-telling featuring marginalized voices too often ignored or misrepresented in fiction. As an L(G)BTQ+ person, I want more diversity in these genres where queer characters have agency and play an active, thoughtful role in the story arc. In these gritty, noirish, mystery thrillers, queer people need to be far more than caricature villains, disposable victims or the protagonist's token gay bestie or roommate who still usually gets killed! (I'm laughing while also shaking my head.) In Vindictive and my latest novel, Vindictive Too, queer characters definitely play prominent, active parts in the narrative.

 

As for having a distinctly Canadian setting for my novels? Well, growing up in Guelph, Ontario, I read many books set in non-Canadian cities, from Charles Dickens's London to James Baldwin's Paris to Anne Rice's New Orleans to countless books set in New York. I rarely got taken to a Canadian backdrop. Canada has a remarkable landscape: Saskatchewan's rural prairies, Ontario's quaint small towns and metropolitan cities, the bucolic countryside of Quebec, and the Maritime provinces' seascapes. With the Vindicive books, I wanted to reflect a landscape close to my own urban upbringing. I've always yearned to read stories where a location I was more familiar with was brought to the forefront and made modern, not another gumshoe period piece. I think I've accomplished this with my Vindictive novels through my fictional city Fairporte, Ontario, its surrounding countryside, and my incorporation of Québécois characters and vernacular.

 

 

 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

Ryan Lawrence was born and raised in Guelph, ON, and he is a graduate of the University of Guelph in English Literature. Ryan lives in London, ON, with his husband, Todd, their cat Dora, and his massive comic book collection that once fell on Todd. He's okay.

 

Ryanlawrenceauthor.ca

Ryan Lawrence (@RyanLAuthor) / Twitter

Ryan Lawrence (@ryanlawrenceauthor) • Instagram photos and videos

Ryan Lawrence Author | London ON | Facebook

 

Amazon buy link:

https://www.amazon.com/Vindictive-Too-Ryan-Lawrence-ebook/dp/B0BPYGP6W1/

 

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

 

GIVEAWAY :

 

Ryan Lawrence will be awarding a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: MEN OR PAWS by Rich Amooi

“Giving my dog away was out of the question.” That was the way it was even for a sought-after, hardworking Hollywood actor like Rocco. Currently, Rocco was looking for a new TV project. If only he could get someone to look after his dog, Houdini. Then his agent suggested a dogsitter, a woman named Beth. To quelch the actor’s concerns, Beth was no fan of Rocco, and she made sure to tell him that on the phone when he called her. I wonder if she would’ve been that insulting had she realized she was actually speaking to the real Rocco Romano and not some comedian brother practicing his impersonations. Oh my, how embarrassing. When Beth found out the truth, she wasn’t exactly sorry about it considering she hadn’t forgotten the restaurant incident with Rocco getting her fired. But who could possibly scoff at making $15K in 3 weeks? I’ll do it!

As far as Beth was concerned, there would be no sex. To actually write it down in the contract? Really? How full of himself was he? “At some point, his good looks will fade, his muscles will droop, and all he will have left is his big ego and a pile of money that won’t buy him happiness.” Of course, her jaw sure did drop fast when she saw him walking out of the pool in spanking speedos. Yowza!

Beth sure did like to contradict everything Rocco said. So, the whole time, we have a push-pull thing going with them. It was fun! I loved the Rocco wasn’t attracted to the Hollywood type, but the everyday, no-nonsense girl. What you see is what you get. Houdini is an amazing dog. Seriously, a dog that can open doors and do math?

Could Hollywood’s biggest star ever be with an average girl?

A funny and entertaining puppy love story!

 

Rating: 5 stars