Sandra C. Lopez's Blog, page 143

Blog Tour: VINDICTIVE TOO by Ryan Lawrence

Vindictive Too

by Ryan Lawrence

 

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GENRE:   Thriller/LGBT

 

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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?

 

 

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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.

          

 

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 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/

 

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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

Review: THE BACKUP GROOM by Rich Amooi

A chance to inherit $5 million dollars! But…according to her uncle’s will, Amber would only get the money if she married Ryan Scott. What?!

Uncle G’s will reading was blunt and hilarious—a great start to kick of this story! Way to stick it to those nieces, Uncle G!

Marry Ryan Scott, a guy she hasn’t talked to in years? The good news was the Ryan she knew still looked good. The bad news was he was already married. Oh crud! Looks like she was out $5 million bucks. Hold up…the will didn’t say which Ryan Scott she had to marry. She just had to marry A Ryan Scott—ANY Ryan Scott. Ah, a loop hole! Time to find a backup groom.

While Amber’s out hunting for a husband, a greedy cousin is around to sabotage her. It was great! I enjoyed the playful banter between Amber and Scotty, her favorite coffee guy.

So witty, clever, and too funny! The selections of Ryans included a Bohemian fitness instructor that was into naked yoga, a George Costanza look-alike, and a proctologist built like a linebacker. Little did Amber know that she had a real Ryan Scott right in front of her the whole time.

A wildly enjoyable romantic comedy! A must read!

 

Rating: 5 stars

Review: GET LUCKY by Lila Monroe

Waking up naked to a man draped over you? Oh dear!

Neither Julia nor Nate knew the who, why, or the how of it all. Then we back-track to a day or so before to find out the events leading up to that confusing and naked morning. This is where it gets slow and stale. It started off good, but then you kind of lose interest after a while.

Eh, an okay read, but not the greatest.

 

Rating: 3 stars

Review: THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT A COWBOY by Rich Amooi

Only 2 words could describe 45-year-old divorcee Amy: cranky and lonely. But she didn’t care. The last thing she needed was a cowboy. She certainly had her fill of them.

On a night out, she goes head-to-head with a cocky cowboy, whom she believed wasn’t really a cowboy. When a scorching kiss with the cowboy goes viral and her adoring grandparents see it, they mistakenly believe she was engaged to the cowboy stranger. Oh no! Time to have a fake fiancé.

The narrative was kind of silly. I get that it was going for that humor, but it was still silly and cheesy, making it too long and drawn-out. For godsakes, the girls spends so much time trying to figure out what to wear. C’mon already!

I’ve seen this kind of story play out so many times, which makes this book very unoriginal. It’s a typical fake romance story that turns into more. Same ole, same ole.

Eh, it’s not great, but it’s okay.

 

Rating: 3 stars

Review: HALLOWED HOOKUP by Crissy Larson

What do you do when you find your ex at a Halloween party? Hook up with some other hottie.

This one had a slow start with a slow progression. It takes a while to meet the guy and get to his apartment. There’s a lot of sexual foreplay that takes up a lot more time than it should. Eh, this was just an okay read.

 

Rating: 3 stars

Blog Tour: WHEN THE SMOKE CLEARED by Bill Powers

 

Book Details:

Book Title:  When the Smoke Cleared (A Murder Mystery in Malden) by Bill Powers
Category:  Adult Non-Fiction (18 +),  400 pages
Genre:  True Crime
Publisher:  PowersCourt Press
Release date:  Oct, 2022
Content Rating:  PG-13 Some violence some profanityBook Description:

There is no greater distinction or responsibility for a law enforcement officer than to be selected to investigate homicides. The same is true for a prosecutor. It is analogous to a call up to the big leagues where the curveballs or slapshots are frequent and more challenging, the lights are brighter, the audience larger and louder, and the scrutiny and demand for perfection can at times be a bit overwhelming.

This story follows an extraordinary murder investigation from the crime scene through to the arrest and into the courtroom. It is narrated by retired Detective Lieutenant Bill Powers, the former commander of the State Police Detective Unit for the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office in Massachusetts: 

"When the smoke from the fire cleared and the water level receded, it was visually evident that a violent struggle, quite possibly a homicide, had preceded the fire. But where was the victim? The waterlogged bloodstains in the function room told us it wasn’t likely they stood up and walked out the door. We were confronted with an unusual dilemma. We not only had to investigate what happened and develop probable cause to make an arrest, but we also had to locate the poor soul who had spilled so much of their blood.”

Walk the path of the investigation with Bill and his team, and then follow in ADA Adrienne Lynch’s footsteps as she guides the trial from opening statements through to the final verdict; a truly unique accounting with a bird’s eye view.

Beyond a police and courtroom procedural, this story is about the personal struggles in the victim’s life and how her death impacted her family’s lives in ways no one could have foreseen. It is a love story that grew from unspeakable tragedy.

Bill Powers writes from the heart because he spent twenty years living the life of a homicide investigator. He went to literally hundreds of death scenes and, while each made its mark, none had more of a personal effect on him than this case.Buy the Book:
Amazon.com 
add to goodreadsMeet the Author:

Bill Powers has been active in the Massachusetts law enforcement community since he joined the Massachusetts State Police in 1974. Over time he rose through the ranks and was promoted to the rank of Detective Lieutenant. He commanded the State Police Detective Units (SPDU) in both Middlesex and Suffolk Counties, where he had direct oversight and involvement in more than one hundred homicides. His State Police career came full circle when he was named Commandant of the Recruit Training Academy. He retired as the director of the Media Relations Section. Following his retirement, Bill was appointed as an Assistant Professor in the graduate program for forensic sciences at the Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM). For the next seven years he lectured on criminal investigation and expert testimony to the graduate students. In addition, he produced training seminars for police investigators covering a wide variety of topics. Following his tenure at the BUSM he returned to the law enforcement profession as the Director of Public Safety at Wentworth Institute in Boston. Bill earned an undergraduate degree from Northeastern University with a major in Criminal Justice and a Juris Doctorate degree from the New England School of Law.

He resides South of Boston with his wife Jane. Their two daughters and their families live nearby. He has been blessed with five remarkable grandchildren who sparkle like bright stars in the night sky.

connect with the author: website ~ facebook ~ goodreads
WHEN THE SMOKE CLEARED by Bill Powers Book Tour Giveaway

Blog Tour: FOOL HER ONCE by Joanna Elm

 Book Details:

Book Title:  Fool Her Once (A Novel) by Joanna Elm
Category:  Adult Fiction (18 +), 416 pages 
Genre:  Thriller
Publisher:  CamCat Books
Release date:   Feb, 2023
Content Rating:  PG-13 + M. There's adultery, language, some sexual content, and violent crime, but no explicit descriptions of the crimes.
Book Description:

Some killers are born. Others are made.

As a rookie tabloid reporter, Jenna Sinclair made a tragic mistake when she outed Denny Dennison, the illegitimate son of an executed serial killer. So she hid behind her marriage and motherhood. Now, decades later, betrayed by her husband and resented by her teenage daughter, Jenna decides to resurrect her career—and returns to the city she loves.

When her former lover is brutally assaulted outside Jenna’s NYC apartment building, Jenna suspects that Denny has inherited his father’s psychopath gene and is out for revenge. She knows she must track him down before he can harm his next target, her daughter.

Meanwhile, her estranged husband, Zack, fears that her investigative reporting skills will unearth his own devastating secret he’d kept buried in the past.

From New York City to the remote North Fork of Long Island and the murky waters surrounding it, Jenna rushes to uncover the terrible truth about a psychopath and realizes her own investigation may save or destroy her family.Buy the Book:
CamCat Books
Audible ~ Amazon
B&N ~ IndieBound ~ BookShop
BookBub
add to goodreads

Review: Jenna Sinclair was a soon-to-be divorced mother and sought-after reporter. Soon after spending the evening with an old flame, Jenna is questioned by the police about his “accident.” Could she have caused him to end up in the hospital? Or was it someone else?

The cold thought hit her hard: Could this possibly be the revenge of a serial killer’s son for an exposé she wrote many years ago?

Story shifts between the present and the past, relaying the events that may have led to the cataclysmic state of her situation. Jenna traces back to that old exposé that ruined a family so many years ago—the one that killed a whole family. That article ruined every chance the man had for a family. Now it seemed that the evil man’s spawn was stalking her.

Even though the mystery lurked in the background of this story like a creepy shadow, it was still compelling from the beginning. At first, it mostly details Jenna’s marriage, the problems with her daughter, and the article that may have set the perilous things in motion. The narrative naturally draws you in for the most part, but it can be a little slow at times, detailing the minutiae of the day-to-day stuff. To be honest, this was kind of long at 65 chapters and 500 pages. After a while, it gets a little daunting in some areas.

Needless to say, Jenna was on a mission to find the spawn, Denny Dennison. The further you read, the more you realize that people close to Jenna have been keeping secrets, particularly Jack King, her husband and father of her child. Talk about a whopper of a secret with that guy.

Meanwhile, Jenna’s more insistent than ever to find Denny Dennison to put this whole thing behind her and get on with her life. However, the casualties were piling up—an attack, a disappearance, and a murder. How would all these pieces tie together? And will Jenna find out the truth to all this? How many times can you fool her?

Full of mystery and intrigue, this book was just too good to put down. You just had to find out what happened. It truly was an addicting read!

Rating: 4 stars

Meet the Author:

Joanna Elm is an author, journalist, blogger, and attorney. Before the publication of her first two suspense novels ( Scandal , Tor/Forge 1996); ( Delusion , Tor/Forge/1997), she was an investigative journalist on the London Evening News on Fleet Street in the U.K. She also wrote for British magazines like Woman’s Own.

Then, she moved to New York where she worked as a writer/producer for television news and tabloid TV programs like "A Current Affair." She was also the researcher/writer for WNEW-TV’s Emmy-award-winning documentary "Irish Eyes." In 1980, she joined the Star as a reporter, eventually becoming the magazine’s news editor and managing editor before moving to Philadelphia as editor of the news/features section of TV Guide.

After completing her first two novels while living in South Florida, (Nelson DeMille described  Scandal  as “fresh, original and unpredictable”) Joanna returned to New York, enrolled in law school, graduated summa cum laude, passed the NY Bar exam, and worked as a principal law clerk for an appellate division justice in the prestigious First Department. She has been married to her husband Joe for 35 years and has one son.

connect with the author: website ~ instagram ~ twitter ~ bookbub ~ goodreadsFOOL HER ONCE Book Tour Giveaway

Blog Tour: THE SURFING MOUSE by Stefan Piccione

The Surfing Mouse

by Stefan Piccione

 

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GENRE: Children's Fiction

 

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BLURB:

 

Everyone's afraid of something. "The Surfing Mouse" is the story of a brave young mouse who overcomes his fear of surfing big waves. It shows how determination, strength, and a strong belief in yourself can help you achieve your dreams and goals. With stunning illustrations and a catchy rhyming story, this epic "tail" will surely captivate your children. Surf is definitely up!

 

 

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EXCERPT

 

 

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 Review: 

Meet the Surfing Mouse.

“I was excited as I should be! The waves were perfect for a rodent like me.”

But, alas, looks can be deceiving, and the waves can turn just as easily.

At first, it seemed that this was real, but then a scene shows the mouse in bed dreaming. Was this real or a dream? That part was a little confusing.

The illustrations were simple and colorful. I especially liked the color blend in the waves, which were like lush paintings. The rhymes were surely nice. I liked how the mouse didn’t let his size come between him and the what he loved to do: surf.

“I conquered my fear, and it meant a lot to me. I had such a great time…just a mouse and the sea.”

A quick read and a lovely inspiration.

 

Rating: 4 stars

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

Stefan Piccione has enjoyed a lifelong passion for the ocean, an unrelenting love of surfing, and a great appreciation for a well-crafted story. This combination would eventually inspire him to write a children's book about a courageous young surfing mouse. Stefan graduated from Fairfield University with a degree in film and a minor in Italian studies. Having written a myriad of songs, short films, a feature film, web series, and numerous children's books, "The Surfing Mouse" is his very first children's book. Outside of writing and surfing, Stefan enjoys playing guitar, soccer, basketball, and beach volleyball. He is an avid environmentalist, regularly cleaning up ocean and coastline plastic while out on his paddleboard or walking the beautiful beaches of Rhode Island. Stefan currently resides on the coast of Eastern Connecticut.

 

https://www.instagram.com/stefanpiccione/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/23022306.Stefan_Piccione

 

https://www.amazon.com/Surfing-Mouse-Stefan-Piccione/dp/0228872324

 

 

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GIVEAWAY 

 

The author will be awarding a $15 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour: THE LOST JOURNALS OF BUD WIPER by S.M. Morgan

Middle-Grade Fiction

Date Published: 03-10-2021

Publisher: Morgan Publishing

 

 

"Help!! My head is being lowered into the swirling vortex of a toilet!”

My name is Teddy, and I’m in the 6th grade. It’s my first day at a different school, and so far, the only person I know is Zane, the school bully. I was just your everyday kid trying to stay off everyone’s radar, but when I met my new best friend, Bud Wiper, everything changed.

Bud is a 6th grade millionaire from 60 years ago.

Yep, that’s right, Bud Wiper is a treasure hunter from the 1940’s who left behind his journal full of life and adventure, and even though we’ve never met, I think he might be the only thing that gets me through the 6th grade alive.

The Lost Journals of Bud Wiper is a fantastic story of bravery and friendship, perfect for kids, middle school students, and adults.

Review: “This was my life now as a 6thgrader—the lowest kid on the totem pole—fresh meat for 7th and 8thgraders to torture.”

Fortunately, Teddy’s mom, feeling guilty about the new move, was gracious and generous enough to allow him to skip school the next day. That’s when he gets to visit  the old mansion, where Teddy discovered a secret room and the lost journals of Bud Wiper.

The diary narrative of the lowly 6thgrader was simple and easy enough to fall into; however, it can get a little long and rambling sometimes. The boy often distracts himself from his pathetic life by reading the journal entries of Bud Wiper. So, we basically go from one diary to another.

Teddy had some good quips in his day-to-day observations, and some of the entries were mildly amusing with some half-baked hijinks. But, of the most part, the day-to-day stuff wasn’t that exciting. With two journals reporting daily activities in two different lives, it was like we had two different stories here. We got one boy trying to survive middle school, and we had another boy running from the Nazis.

The stories (yes, I say “stories,” because we had two very different stories) were long and slow for the most part. There was no clear correlation between Teddy’s life and Bud’s journals.

Overall, this was a suitable read for middle schoolers, but I just felt that it needed more direction and excitement. Perhaps making this one story instead of two.

Rating: 3 stars

About the Author

S.M. Morgan is the author of The Lost Journals of Bud Wiper — A Middle Grade Adventure. He lives in East Texas with his wife, daughter, and son, and when not writing potty humor for kids, he is trying to get alone to read more mystery adventure stories.

When the real world calls him to be social, he can be found canoeing with his family or trying to convince his wife to watch action movies.

Contact Link

Website

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