Sandra C. Lopez's Blog, page 150

Review: A CRY IN THE NIGHT by Mary Higgins Clark

Jenny, a single mother of two, was working a gallery featuring famed artist Erich Krueger, whose painting of his mother bore a striking resemblance to Jenny. In a flash, the rich and handsome Erich was swooping Jenny off her feet, arranging all kinds of conveniences, and making impromptu dinner dates. It was happening so quickly. After a week, he proposed and she accepted. Everything was set. She’d be Mrs. Krueger, the kids would be adopted, and they’d have this perfect life. But it’s never usually perfect. There was something about Erich that seemed…off. He was tooperfect.

Erich’s farm house in Minnesota still had his child-like bedroom intact, making one suspect that Erich had severe mother issues. Well, he would have if he married a woman that looked like his mother. Very Norman Bates. Very creepy.

This one was rather slow to compel me. It mostly describes the house, the rooms, and the farm. It felt like all I was getting was scenery. No story. It doesn’t take reading the whole book to know that something was seriously wrong with Erich. So long and predictable. Ordinarily, I wouldn’t mind an MHC novel to be so long because it would be too good to put down. But I had no problem putting this one down.

An okay read, but definitely not MHC great.

 

Rating: 3 stars

Review: LET ME IN by Adam Nicholls

Never would I let some pizza guy into my house to use the bathroom. No way, you go to the McDonald’s or Taco Bell or something. Of course, letting him in, you pay the price when he kills you. That’s when P.I. Morgan Young is called to the case.

The read was quite procedural with very little action and suspense. It certainly doesn’t live up to the Mason Black books. It was a decent read, but certainly not great.

 

Rating: 3 stars

Review: OUT FOR BLOOD by Adam Nicholls

A girl has been missing for 2 weeks. What were the chances that she’d be found alive? P.I. Logan Fox would find out. Unfortunately, she was found dead…with her eyes missing. Now, Logan was in a cat-and-mouse game with a serial killer.

Logan never got close to anyone because that would make one too comfortable, and comfort led to a weak spot left open for the enemy. He’s a tortured guy. Okay, I get it. But it just seemed that it just kept talking about how tortured he was. Okay, enough already.

This was a decent read with mild excitement. Definitely not like the Mason Black series, but okay.

 

Rating: 3 stars

Review: CORPSE AT THE CHRISTMAS COOKIE EXCHANGE by Cindy Bell

The bakery ladies were getting festive for the Christmas Cookie Exchange. The dead body was not found until the end of chapter 4, which was way too long for a good cozy mystery. This was not a mystery that you easily fell into like in most of Cindy Bell books. Unfortunately, this was a dull one. Ms. Bell needs to get back to the writing board on this one.

 

Rating: 1 star

Blog Tour: JANE AUSTEN TIME TRAVELER by Rachel Dacus

Jane Austen Time Traveler

by Rachel Dacus

 

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GENRE: Sci-Fi

 

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BLURB:

 

Lonely Regency romance writer travels to the future, meets her fans, dips into a pearly swimming pool, and falls for its owner. Can she ever go home again…

 

If Jane Austen’s novels had never ever existed, would we have rom-com movies and women’s fiction? But the young writer is discouraged by a publisher’s rejection and ready to give up writing. And an unwelcome marriage proposal she has rashly accepted spells her doom.

 

Someone must save history and Jane Austen! When a stranger calls and claims to be an interested publisher, a desperate Jane agrees to go with him to his office. That office turns out to be in the future. And it's not an office, but a bookstore in southern California in 2024 where fans of Jane Austen gather every month to discuss her works.

 

Jane greets the Jane Austen Superfan Club, only to find that superfans can be super picky. Discouraged by their critiques, Jane wants different adventures. Even deadly, dangerous ones. And oh, yes! Romantic ones.

 

Her “publisher” had hoped to inspire Jane’s writing by showing her a book club devoted to her writing. But when she meets a tall, handsome superfan, Jane decides to chart her own course. She disappears with her new friend, and history may have to save itself …

 

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EXCERPT

 

Jane sat up and looked out of the wall of glass. It overlooked the pool they had walked beside last night. Will was swimming with a most peculiar stroke, like a butterfly spreading its wings. He leapt from up the water and then disappeared under again, doing a stroke she had never seen, even at the seaside when the boys played in the ocean.

 

Jane lay still, contemplating the day and the swimmer.

 

She should get dressed and join him at the pool, to watch from nearer. Having only her new, silky outfit from last night, Jane wondered if she could wear it for another day. The idea of returning to the hotel and lacing up the layers of her old life returning made her shiver with dread.

 

Will had left George a message, Ubering their whereabouts, he had said. George would have to rest content with her absence for at least another morning.

 

Will’s rhythmic swimming mesmerized her as she listened to the sound of his hands and feet slapping the water. He changed to a smoother stroke, swimming quickly back and forth the length of the pool.

 

Jane dressed and joined him. The day’s warmth was beginning, so she was glad she had left off her jacket.

 

Will swam over to the side of the pool, dripping like the statues of Attic gods in fountains in Hyde Park.

 

“Did you sleep well?” he asked. When she nodded, he said, “I made breakfast for us, if you’re ready.”

 

“Breakfast would be wonderful.”

 

He swam to the far end of the pool, walked up the steps. Drying off with a blue towel, he wrapped it around his hips, which made Jane look up and around at the sky and gardens, anywhere but at the living statuary that was Will Fleming, a man who had kissed her last night.

 

 

 

 

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 Review: 

“The name Jane Austen will never be on any volume. I shall quit writing.”

“To write another book would be to release my arrow with no target in sight.”

Fast-forward to 2084: Something was altering the space time continuum and the course of history.

In the beginning, the read is quite dry and technical. It certainly wasn’t too alluring. But once you sift through all the details, the bottom-line was this: someone was tampering with Jane Austen’s life. Making her book, Pride and Prejudice, sink might take the author with it. Without it, women’s fiction might’ve gone a different way, and, with it, women’s future.

This mission: travel through time to rescue Jane Austen.

Okay, now we got a compelling concept.

Story shifts back-and-forth between the past and the future with the time traveler zig-zagging everywhere. This gets a little confusing. Jane’s part in the past is very slow and uneventful. The best part are the scenes with the time traveler. Story, all in all, had a lovely prose, very flowery and so consistent with a typical Jane Austen book. That’s all it really felt like—nothing but pretty words with no real push to the story.

The book was certainly well-written, but I just didn’t feel too involved with the story. Usually, a good story sucks me in from the beginning ‘til the end. I liked the concept of getting history back on track and saving the future.

It’s a fairly nice read, but I guess I just expected to like it more.

 

Rating: 3 stars

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

 

RACHEL DACUS writes about history, love, family, and art -- with a touch of magic. Rachel is the author of both prose and poetry. When she’s not writing or reading, she listens to music and walks through the beautiful San Francisco Bay Area, where she lives with her architect husband and a lively Silky Terrier. She blogs about books and the writing life.

 

Website: www.racheldacus.net  

Twitter: @Rachel_Dacus

Instagram: racheldacusauthor

Facebook: RachelDacusAuthor

 

Buy Link:

 

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Jane-Austen-Time-Traveler-Timegathering-ebook/dp/B0BDVXLXC1

 

 

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GIVEAWAY

 

 

 

Rachel Dacus will be awarding a $20 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour: MERINGUE SNOWFLAKE MAGIC by Tena Stetler

 

Meringue Snowflake Magic

by Tena Stetler

 

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GENRE: Paranormal Romance/Mystery

 

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BLURB:

 

After being in the wrong place at the wrong time, Wynter Dahl finds herself with a new name and new home. Whisked into the Witness Protection program she finds herself in the Podunk town of Raven’s Hollow, Colorado. She has more than one secret to keep and is not sure who she can trust, though the deputy sheriff is hard to resist.

 

Braydon “Blaze” Nightwing, owns Dragon Fire Pizza and takes his job as deputy sheriff seriously. He means to protect his town and its residents, including the mysterious newcomer. He rescues her after a tumble and finds himself in over his head. He senses she’s more than she seems but so is he.

 

When her cover is blown and her life is in danger it will take the whole town to save her and their annual holiday festival and cookie contest. What is Christmas without a little magic?

 

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Excerpt One:

 

After toting the last cardboard box into her new cottage in Raven’s Hollow, Colorado, she kicked the door shut with her foot and collapsed into the purple recliner. She’d bought the chair along with its matching sofa at a thrift store before falling off the grid. Both pieces of furniture were in perfect shape. She pushed the button, and the footrest came up. She sighed. Guess the color was off-putting to some. Resting her head against the soft back pillow, she glanced reassuringly at the 9mm pistol she’d taped under the coffee table next to the chair and closed her eyes for only a moment.

 

An insistent pounding startled her out of an impromptu nap. She kicked the footrest down and bounded out of the chair. Who the hell is at my door? A door belonging to her that no one should know existed. Silently padding to the door, she grabbed the weapon and stared out the peephole. You got to be kidding! She rubbed her eyes, peeked again, snapped the tape from under the table, and then tucked the gun in her waistband.

 

A large woman in a floral dress holding a basket stood on her porch. The woman peered over wire-rim spectacles at the door. Her dark hair wound up in a towering bun on top of her head. Glancing to the right, then to the left, she paused for a moment to glare at the pickup truck parked in the driveway, then pounded once more.

 

“Wynter Dahl, you in there?” The woman scooched to the left and peeked in the large bay window, and pressed her nose against the pane steaming the glass.

 

 

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 Review:  Tindra Shebolt was Wynter Dahl as she was now living in Witness Protection in the small town of Raven’s Hollow. She was stuck in a “Podunk town, cut off from family, friends, and her world.” She takes a tumble in the snow and is rescued by the handsome man that owned the pizza place.

What set Wynter apart from the other members of the community was that she was a magical witch. On the other hand, the town had its own secret. Apparently, the town was full of shifters. Did Wynter know that?

Apparently, the big deal around this town was the holiday cookie contest.

The narrative was easy to get into, although it was kind of slow and long at times. Story was rather witty and overall, a nice read. Towards the end, it does get kind of technical with all the wizardry and devices. It’s so dry and techy that you almost lose sight of the story. I didn’t really like that it got so complicated. But if you ignored that last part, this turned out to be a pretty decent holiday romance.

 

Rating: 3 stars

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

Tena Stetler is a best-selling author of award winning paranormal romance/mystery with an over-active imagination.  She wrote her first vampire romance as a tween, to the chagrin of her mother and the delight of her friends. Colorado is home; shared with her husband, a brilliant Chow Chow, a spoiled parrot and a forty-five-year-old box turtle. When she’s not writing, her time is spent kayaking, camping, hiking, biking or just relaxing in the great Colorado outdoors.

 

 Her books tell tales of magical kick-ass women and mystical alpha males that dare to love them. Travel, adventure,magic, and a bit of mystery flourish in her books along with a few companion animals to round out the tales.

 

Social Media links:

Website: https://www.tenastetler.com

Authors’ Secret’s Blog - https://www.tenastetler.com/category/authors-secrets-blog/

My Say What Blog - http://www.tenastetler.com/category/my-say-what-blog/

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/tenastetler.author

Twitter Page: https://www.twitter.com/TenaStetler    

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14187532.Tena_Stetler

Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/author/tenastetler

Newsletter: https://www.tenastetler.com/newsletter-signup/

Pinterest:  https://www.pinterest.com/tenastetler

Tribber - http://triberr.com/TenaStetler

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/tena-stetler

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tenastetler/

Trumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/tenajean2014

Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tena-stetler-10057978/

 

Buy Links:

Universal link: https://books2read.com/u/bzVO19

 

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Meringue-Snowflake-Magic-Tena-Stetler-ebook/dp/B0BD2Q9C28

 

AmazonCA https://www.amazon.ca/Meringue-Snowflake-Magic-Tena-Stetler-ebook/dp/B0BD2Q9C28

 

Amazon UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/Meringue-Snowflake-Magic-Tena-Stetler-ebook/dp/B0BD2Q9C28

 

Amazon AU https://www.amazon.com.au/Meringue-Snowflake-Magic-Tena-Stetler-ebook/dp/B0BD2Q9C28

 

Barns&Noble - https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/meringue-snowflake-magic-tena-stetler/1142096821?ean=2940186631217

 

 ibook – https://books.apple.com/us/book/meringue-snowflake-magic/id6443378690

Bookbub - https://www.bookbub.com/books/meringue-snowflake-magic-christmas-cookies-by-tena-stetler

Goodreads –https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63198534-meringue-snowflake-magic

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GIVEAWAY

 

Tena Stetler will be awarding a $15 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour: THE KEY TO CIRCUS-MOM HIGHWAY by Allyson Rice

 

The Key to Circus-Mom Highway

by Allyson Rice

 

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GENRE: Contemporary fiction (family dramedy)

 

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BLURB:

 

In an attempt to secure an unexpected inheritance—and hopefully find a few answers—two estranged sisters and their newly discovered brother embark on a comically surreal trip through the Deep South to retrace the life of the mother who abandoned them as infants.

 

On a Tuesday afternoon, sisters Jesse Chasen and Jennifer McMahon receive a phone call notifying them that their birth mother has died, leaving behind a significant inheritance. But in order to obtain it, they must follow a detailed road trip she designed for them to get to know her—and that includes finding a brother they never knew existed.

 

For the next week, this ill-assorted trio treks across Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia to meet their mother’s old friends, from circus performers to a juke joint owner, each of whom delivers a shocking vignette into the life of a young mother traumatized by loss and abuse. Along the way, these three siblings—Jesse, whose fiery exterior disguises a wounded, drifting musician stuck in a rut; Jennifer, whose carefully curated family life is threatened by her husband’s infidelity; and Jack, whose enigmatic Jackie, Oh! persona in the New Orleans drag queen scene helps him escape the nightmares of Afghanistan that haunt him at night—must confront their own demons (and at least one alligator). But in chasing the truth about their real mother, they may all just find their second chance.

 

This uproarious debut novel is a reminder that sometimes, the family you’d never have chosen may turn out to be exactly what you need.

 

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Excerpt One:

 

Westley re-entered with five boxes of food that said Zunzi’s on the side. “Best sandwiches in Savannah! We’re going on a traveling picnic. There’s a young couple, just got married, staying here tonight too, so they’re going to join us. I hope you don’t mind.”

 

Duke and Ivy Parker had met at the Monster Truck Destruction Tour in Lubbock, Texas a mere two weeks ago. Christian Rock radio station KZOL was having their annual Monster Truck ticket giveaway to the first two callers who could answer these two questions correctly:

 

1) What former WrestleMania star has driven a Monster Truck in a movie and has also founded a church? (answer: Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson); and,

2) According to Wikipedia, what Christian Grindcore band has said that their band name was inspired by Revelations 3:15-16? (answer: Vomitorial Corpulence)

 

Complete strangers, Duke and Ivy had been the first two correct callers, at number fourteen and number thirty-one, respectively. When they both showed up at the Monster Truck event wearing the same vintage edition Bigfoot Monster Truck t-shirt, they were convinced that it was The Lord that had guided them to each other in Section 104 Row 25 Seats 16 and 17. They knew it was literally “a match made in Heaven,” and so they eloped.

 

Right on cue, Ivy and Duke, an excruciatingly gung-ho couple in their early twenties dressed in color-coordinated NASCAR gear, entered, holding hands.

 

 

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What I’ve Learned from Being a Published Author:

Book Marketing is the Monster Under the Bed

 

I initially thought completing my novel was the Herculean aspect of being an author. Not to downplay the accomplishment of actually finishing a book–I’m extremely proud of the fact that I got from the seed of an idea to a finished product–but… one of the biggest things I’ve learned so far as a debut author is that writing and publishing a novel is not unlike a massive iceberg. The writing of the book is the tip of the iceberg, the visible part. But the other part, the ginormous part below the surface, is the aspect of marketing and promotion. It’s gargantuan.

 

Honestly, the complete mystery (to me) of book marketing and promotion was the primary reason I didn’t want to be an indie author. But, eventually, my desire to have the book out there in the world was greater than my aversion to learning about marketing. Though I was suddenly regretful about the shortsightedness of not expanding my social media presence before now. (Kind of like when I didn’t take typing class in high school. As a burgeoning actress, I had this flawed idea of not wanting the “fallback option” of secretarial work. Fast forward a decade or so to me hunting and pecking with two fingers on each hand on my new personal computer keyboard… Who saw that coming?!)

 

If you’re an indie author, you’re familiar with the overwhelming number of books for sale about marketing, YouTube videos, and people trying to sell you their online video classes. It could take another year to weed through it all. I didn’t know what to spend my money on.

 

Meanwhile, I found a professional editor for the final proofreading on Reedsy with years of experience in the industry as a publisher/editor/book marketer. She was excellent, so I asked about her marketing services. There were three tiers in terms of cost. Though I had zero money set aside for this, I went with the third tier anyway, because it included having her and her business partner do all of the promotional outreach, and having someone reaching out on your behalf is almost always preferable. So I went into debt on my credit card, did the initial several-hour information-dump Zoom call and took detailed notes, I received the contact lists of specific people at newspapers, magazines, blogs, etc, and I opted to be blind-copied on their hundreds of outreach emails so that I could see how they were worded, what the tone was, and what information was presented. I wanted to absorb every precious drop of experience in case I needed those skills in the future.

 

I’ll share one of the best pieces of advice I got from her throughout this process: reviews sell more books than ads do. I had no idea that some of the most respected outlets offer paid review options. You’re not paying for a guaranteed good review; you’re paying for the guarantee of being reviewed. You can submit your manuscript for a potential review for free, but indie authors are not often chosen for those limited spots. So you’re rolling the dice with your money (it would be horrible to pay hundreds of dollars only to receive a bad review), but she said that a good phrase or sentence from an outlet like Kirkus Reviews, BookLife/Publisher’s Weekly, or Foreword Clarion, can be worth its weight in gold in terms of marketing.

 

You’ll come across conflicting opinions about this online. But if someone is considering purchasing your book (in an over-saturated market), knowing nothing about you or your writing, review excerpts can convince them that their money will be well-spent. Thankfully, I got great review excerpts to put on my book cover. And when you send your book to reviewers or contests, don’t underestimate the subliminal effect those review excerpts will have as they look at your cover before they even begin reading it, creating a snowball effect. The more advance reviews you gather over the six months before your launch, the more you can incorporate them into your book’s sell sheet, in the editorial review section on Amazon and other bookseller sites, and in the metadata on Ingram if they’re distributing your book for booksellers and libraries to see.

 

After you’ve met the marketing monster under the bed with some good review excerpts in hand, the next step… virtual book blog tours!... That’swhat I’ve learned (so far) as a published author. 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

Allyson Rice is the author of the novel The Key to Circus Mom Highway. ("Fans of family drama, road trips, and non-stop laughs will love this cross-country adventure."–BookLife/Publisher's Weekly). She's an award-winning mixed media artist, and a producer with Atomic Focus Entertainment.

 

After spending many years as an actress on stage and on television, she left acting and spent the next decade running yoga/meditation retreats, women’s retreats, and creativity retreats around the country. After that, she pivoted to focus once again on her own creative work. In addition to her writing and art, she’s also a photographer (her work was most recently seen in an exhibition at the Soho Photo Gallery in NYC).

 

Some random bits of Allyson trivia: 1) She’s been skydiving, paragliding, bungee jumping, ziplining through a rainforest, and scuba diving with stingrays; 2) she has an extensive PEZ dispenser collection; 3) she played Connor Walsh on As the World Turns for seven years; 4) she’s been in the Oval Office at the White House after hours; 5) she’s related to the Hatfields of the infamous Hatfield/McCoy feud; and 6) her comedic rap music video “Fine, I’ll Write My Own Damn Song” won numerous awards in the film festival circuit and can now be seen on YouTube (https://youtu.be/7Xe3nuVDkC4).

 

Also available from Allyson Rice is her line of women’s coloring books (The Color of Joy, Dancing with Life, and Wonderland), and The Creative Prosperity PlayDeck, an inspirational card deck about unlocking and utilizing your creative energy in the world. She’s currently at work on her second novel and her fourth women’s coloring book. But she is most proud of being mom to musical artist @_zanetaylor.

 

 

My Websites:

 

www.AllysonRice.com   (My Author Site)

www.Allyson-Wonderland.com   (My E-commerce site)

 

 

Social Media Links:

 

IG:

https://www.instagram.com/allysonriceauthor/

https://www.instagram.com/officialallysonrice 

https://www.instagram.com/allysonriceart 

 

FB:

https://www.facebook.com/AllysonRiceAuthor/

 

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/CircusMomHwy

 

 

Buy Links:

 

Amazon book Link

https://www.amazon.com/Key-Circus-Mom-Highway-Allyson-Rice/dp/0982185545/ 

 

Barnes & Noble book link

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-key-to-circus-mom-highway-allyson-rice/1142037363?ean=9780982185544

 

KOBO book link

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-key-to-circus-mom-highway 

 

Target book link

https://www.target.com/p/the-key-to-circus-mom-highway-by-allyson-rice-paperback/-/A-87939489  

 

Goodreads book link:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62003645-the-key-to-circus-mom-highway

 

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GIVEAWAY

 

Allyson Rice will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Blast: LAST CHANCE by Darren E. Watling

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Darren E. Watling will be awarding a $15 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

The earth's epilogue was a forgone conclusion.

Our World selects seven of the best human beings that man, woman, and other could put their faith in, to ensure human existence, each displaying traits of a master in his/hers/its field.

However, not all traits are in the best interest of humankind.

Out of this World places seven hospital patients on a Plan B shuttle. Life was difficult on Earth. A new planet presents new problems. The ex-Fruit and Nut Friendly Psychiatric Hospital patients are up for the challenge.

Into the Other World—The Twist. Not only a mid-1900s dance, it is also associated with a lemon, a warped shape, a frame of mind, a warped frame of mind, a face you pull from sucking lemons and an end of story, unexpected finish, not to be given away, glancing at the back cover.

Read an Excerpt

“Panicked, Venus had no idea where to go from there. She began to run down the almost deserted street. Her thoughts were a collective mess. The torture of the woman, Paul Elkato, FILTH, and the APC filled her less-than-settled mind. She ran, turning in only one direction, checking behind her the whole time. She had now lost her sense of direction. Venus was extremely hot from the unintended, fast-paced getaway, and she felt as if a huge cloud had covered her entirety. She was out of oxygen, and it seemed the whole universe was spinning in the opposite direction. Dis-orientated, she kept moving. Realising the gravity of the matter, she knew she had to seek refuge and hide from Paul and FILTH. Investigating her surroundings, she noticed a large sign. With limited options, Venus reluctantly entered the establishment.

“Hello, and welcome to The Fruit and Nut Friendly Psychiatric Hospital,” came the receptionist’s opening dialogue.

Venus, wishing to keep her new secret, declared she was a nymphomaniac and needed help. The bi-sexual receptionist was more than willing to admit her into the system. Venus would only stay a short time before the doors to freedom were unintentionally opened.”

About the Author: Born Darren Edward Watling, Subiaco, Western Australia, 1966. Darren excelled in English, maintaining ‘A’s, throughout his schooling and wrote a play, ‘Laughing Gas’, for his school at the age of 10. Credited with one small, published article, Darren found inspiration and reward, arriving at his latest piece, ‘Last Chance’.

He completed an apprenticeship, as a fitter, at Princess Margaret Hospital, while continuing his passion for short story writing.

Traveling Australia for three years on a private bus gave Darren a beginning to the experiences and continued, humorous outlook he has on life.

Darren approached his mother Jill Stubbs Mills and asked for her blessing to take her short story, ‘Deception’, and rewrite it into a novel. (The feedback from her publisher about her story was exceptional). Jill agreed to her son’s request. Sadly, Jill now suffers with dementia, but, keeps her sense of humour.

Various forms of employment, including a movie extra, a welder on a crocodile farm, a drummer for a touring band and currently a roof plumber, gave Darren considerable ‘fuel’, for a fired up, comedic novel.

Darren has had several passions over the past 56 years while walking this Earth. Drums, Karate, tennis and continuing today- comedic writing.

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Blog Tour: THE SECRET OF ALVITON by L.V. Clark

 

The Secret of Alviton

by L.V. Clark

 

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GENRE:   YA Fiction - Fantasy

 

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BLURB:

 

Alviton was a strong, prospering country, full of light. The people worked side by side with the Fae, creatures blessed with magic. But that was before the war. Massive genocide and fear of the Fae touched everyone as brother turned against brother. Years later, and still reeling from the war, the new generation has clawed and connived to remove the stains left by their predecessors.

Sheltered from this reality, Nydia lives her life relatively happy and ignorant, surrounded by smoke and mirrors. But eventually glass shatters and smoke settles. As she struggles to unveil the truth about herself and the people around her, danger lies on the horizon, threatening to extinguish the small flicker of light in this dark and twisted country.

 

 

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Excerpt One:

 

“Magic is as real as you and me. It flows, like life, throughout everything, though humans don’t necessarily have access to it, though I hope to figure out a way,” he mused.

 

“Well, have you ever heard of a human using them to share visions like this?” I asked.

 

“Heh,” he lugged over two large blue and red books, “I haven’t even read of the Fae doing something like that. So, you’ve actually given me something else to be looking into.”

 

I wrung out my hands, feeling anxiously defeated. “So, tell me more about yourself Brian. You’re obviously different from most people in our kingdom,” he asked, not really looking up from his desk. “Well, I’m a merchant. I’m married to a designer named Lillian. I grew up in Valicitor,” I started.

 

“Ah, Valicitor? That’s interesting.”

 

He looked at the map again. “You wouldn’t happen to be related to the new governor of that city, Kale Valen?”

 

A mix between pride and shame that I couldn’t quite pin shadowed over me. “Yes, he’s my brother.”

 

“No kidding? Heh,” he crossed his arms and propped against the table.

 

“Please tell me how a man like Governor Valen and you get along?”

 

I looked at the ground, conflicted. “It’s okay. It must be hard, but rest assured my family and I are doing everything in our power to stop the branding, isolating, selling, and abusing our citizens because they lack a piece of paper stating their lineage. Such an outdated practice that has only been proliferated by greed and selfishness.”

 

A ray of light shone through the shadows of my mind. “You are?”

 

 

 

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What are some of the reasons you chose to write in this genre?

 

Because it's my favorite genre to read, haha! It's the go-to, default genre that makes my heart happy! Out of all the genres I've read, fantasy, action, and (side-story) romance have been my favorite. 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

Clark has had this story in their head for over a decade, and they finally got it on paper. Clark used their other hobbies—weight lifting and crocheting—to help develop ideas and work through any blocks. They grew up in the south of the United States with their large family. Clark is happily married with two sweet dogs and an apathetic ball python.

 

I hope you enjoy this book as much as I enjoyed writing it. Expect more to the story!

 

CONNECT WITH L.V. CLARK

 

WEBSITE: www.LVClarkauthor.com

INSTAGRAM: @lvclarkauthor

 

 

PURCHASE LINKS ${book title}                

 

AMAZON.COM

https://amazon.com/dp/0228883172

 

BARNES & NOBLE

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-secret-of-alviton-lv-clark/1142525851

 

BOOK DEPOSITORY

https://www.bookdepository.com/The-Secret-of-Alviton-L-V-Clark/9780228883173

 

 

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GIVEAWAY :

 

L.V. Clark will be awarding a $15 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour: SKULL'S VENGEANCE by Linnea Tanner

 

Skull's Vengeance

(Curse of Clansmen and Kings Book 4)

by Linnea Tanner

 

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GENRE: Historical Fantasy

 

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BLURB:

 

A Celtic warrior queen must do the impossible—defeat her sorcerer half-brother and claim the throne. But to do so, she must learn how to strike vengeance from her father’s skull.

 

AS FORETOLD BY HER FATHER in a vision, Catrin has become a battle-hardened warrior after her trials in the Roman legion and gladiatorial games. She must return to Britannia and pull the cursed dagger out of the serpent's stone to fulfill her destiny. Only then can she unleash the vengeance from the ancient druids to destroy her evil half-brother, the powerful sorcerer, King Marrock. Always two steps ahead and seemingly unstoppable, Marrock can summon destructive natural forces to crush any rival trying to stop him and has charged his deadliest assassin to bring back Catrin's head.

 

To have the slightest chance of beating Marrock, Catrin must forge alliances with former enemies, but she needs someone she can trust. Her only option is to seek military aid from Marcellus—her secret Roman husband. They rekindle their burning passion, but he is playing a deadly game in the political firestorm of the Julio-Claudian dynasty to support Catrin's cause.

 

Ultimately, in order to defeat Marrock, Catrin must align herself with a dark druidess and learn how to summon forces from skulls to exact vengeance. But can she and Marcellus outmaneuver political enemies from Rome and Britannia in their quest to vanquish Marrock?

 

 

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Excerpt Two:

 

Chapter 1 Portals to the Otherworld

 

Antonii Villa in Gaul, Eve of Samhain, 31 October, 27 AD

 

Exasperated, Catrin drew in a sharp breath. Then, she considered Trystan’s impassioned plea to meet with two of her most hated enemies. Recalling how her father had respected his second-in-command’s advice, she reluctantly conceded and squeezed her legs against her horse’s flanks to move toward the campfire’s glow.

 

The night’s chill mysteriously transformed into an embracing warmth as they neared a roaring fire with a black cauldron hanging over it. Sitting behind the crimson flames were two obscured figures.

 

“Welcome, Apollo’s Raven,” a woman’s deep voice intoned. “Come to our fire. Join us in the dance of souls.”

 

Though Catrin hesitated to join them, the fire’s radiance mesmerized her, luring her closer to the orange flames. She dismounted and handed the reins to Trystan, who quietly remained with the horses as she sat down on a fallen log near the roaring campfire.

 

“Drink the magic from the cauldron,” the woman offered. “It empowers all who partake with the knowledge of mystical mysteries from the ancient druids.”

 

“I already have that power,” Catrin proclaimed, trepidatious that perhaps Rhan had dropped hallucinogenic ingredients into the bubbling mixture. Thick steam flowed over the cauldron’s edge and down its metal surface in a thick, greenish fog.

 

“We know, my love, but you have only had a taste,” Rhan replied in a hypnotic voice. “You do not know how to control this dark magic. But we do.”

 

Suddenly light-headed from the smoky fumes emanating from the cauldron, Catrin struggled to maintain her wits. “Once before you said this, when you tried to trick me into revealing how I can travel to the Otherworld.”

 

“Believe me, this is no trick,” Rhan said soothingly. “I’ve seen your father’s spirit wander the top of cliffs, near a dagger embedded in a serpent stone. It is the blade on which my curse was etched.”

 

“I sense the curse has altered again, but I can’t see how the etched wording has changed on the blade,” Myrddin interjected. “You must help us solve the riddle of how the dagger got there.”

 

Catrin inhaled sharply, realizing Myrddin and Rhan had discovered the location of the dagger she had thrust into the stone. The image of her running away from the Romans played in her mind, and her thoughts transformed into words.

 

“After the final battle, I tried to escape the Romans, but…but there was nowhere to go, except jump off the white cliffs. At that moment, I chose to die rather than be captured.”

 

Rhan rose to her feet, walked around the fire, and sat next to Catrin. “But you didn’t die, did you?” she said, touching Catrin’s arm.

 

“No. A riderless horse galloped to me, stopping in front of me. My father suddenly appeared and told me not to jump,” Catrin disclosed, reliving the supernatural moment in her mind. “I couldn’t believe my eyes that Father was there. I knew Marrock had beheaded him. Yet, I felt his essence and his love radiate into me.”

 

Tears swelled in Catrin’s eyes as remorse that she had been unable to save her family from Marrock’s brutality overwhelmed her. She swallowed down a sob before continuing her story.

 

“Father told me to lift the cursed dagger toward the sky. To my amazement, sunlight flashed through the dark clouds, almost blinding me. He then ordered, ‘Thrust the dagger into the serpent stone that I create.’ What I saw next was not a vision. It was real.”

 

Catrin grimaced as she recalled the burning pain she’d felt as she’d held the hilt of the dagger.

 

“The blade turned orange, as if it had been taken out of a furnace. Father’s spirit burst apart into gold dust and melted into the blade’s etching. Serpents massed together on the ground. The venom dripping from their fangs hardened into stone. Somehow, I was able to push the dagger into the hard rock, like it was butter. And, and…”

 

“And what, my dear?” Rhan pressed.

 

Catrin’s voice cracked. “I was collared by the Romans and put on a warship.”

 

 

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

Award-winning author, Linnea Tanner, weaves Celtic tales of love, magical adventure, and political intrigue in Ancient Rome and Britannia. Since childhood, she has passionately read about ancient civilizations and mythology. Of particular interest are the enigmatic Celts, who were reputed as fierce warriors and mystical Druids.

 

Linnea has extensively researched ancient and medieval history, mythology, and archaeology and has traveled to sites described within each of her books in the Curse of Clansmen and Kings series. Books released in her series include "Apollo’s Raven" (Book 1), "Dagger’s Destiny" (Book 2), "Amulet’s Rapture" (Book 3), and "Skull’s Vengeance" (Book 4). She has also released the historical fiction short story, "Two Faces of Janus."

 

A Colorado native, Linnea attended the University of Colorado and earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in chemistry. She lives in Fort Collins with her husband and has two children and six grandchildren.

 

You can follow her on her website: https://www.linneatanner.com/

 

Amazon Buy Link:  https://www.amazon.com/Skulls-Vengeance-Curse-Clansmen-Kings-ebook/dp/B0BC2GCFGG/ref=sr_1_1

 

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GIVEAWAY

 

One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card.

a Rafflecopter giveaway