Sandra C. Lopez's Blog, page 152
January 11, 2023
Blog Tour: GINGERBREAD DEAD by Lori L. Robinett
Gingerbread Dead
by Lori L. Robinett
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GENRE: Cozy Mystery
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BLURB:
This fun cozy mystery features a “colorful display of Christmas suspense and intrigue” perfect for lovers of true crime and mysteries.
Jessica Barker blogs about true crime for an online magazine. Blogging for others is far from her dream job, but she's willing to pay her dues so that someday she'll have a podcast of her own.
Then, Jess witnesses what appears to be her next-door neighbor in distress and Jess is the only one who seems to care. When the cops dismiss her as a bothersome true crime reporter with an overactive imagination, Jess must delve into the life of her mysterious neighbors, Rory and John Regan – with hints at embezzlement and gambling – before someone ends up dead.
Lori L. Robinett introduces a new series about the adventures of an aspiring podcaster that will appeal to fans of true crime and cozy mysteries.
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Excerpt One:
The wife was still there, sitting at one end, so she appeared in profile. Jess frowned and leaned forward. The man still walked around the table. He moved slowly, as if out for a Sunday stroll, but there was something ominous about the motion. The woman sat upright in a chair, her arms dangling at her sides. Her head tipped forward, her chin nearly touching her chest, face hidden by a curtain of golden brown hair. The man loomed over her, his face flushed red, his mouth moving. The brunette raised her head and it bobbled as her mouth worked.
If only Jess could hear her. Frustration made Jess grip the edge of the table, her knuckles turning white.
The woman sank slowly, slipping from her chair like the sun into the horizon, disappearing inch by inch. Her husband stood watching, as if completely unconcerned. He made no move to help his wife, but calmly sipped his red wine, then turned back to the stove as if nothing had happened. He stirred something in the pot, then lifted the spoon to his lips and tasted the concoction, nodding as if satisfied.
Jess stretched up, trying to glimpse the wife, but she must be on the floor. The husband turned from the stove and carried a pot to the kitchen sink. His face was completely calm and unaffected.
A click sounded behind Jess and the living room floor lamp snapped on. Light flooded the room. She jumped and spun around. The automatic timer. Damn! She turned back to the window and stared across the yard.
The Regan house was dark.
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Review: Jess was a stay-at-home true crime blogger. One night, she witnesses a startling and confusing scene of her new neighbors. Did the wife have a heart attack? A stroke? If so, why wasn’t the husband doing anything? Was he somehow responsible? Not one to mind her own business, she gets involved. Unfortunately, the cops don’t believe there was a crime. But Jess just knew something was going on.
Most of the time, Jess was just spying on these neighbors, noting every little movement. There was certainly something odd about the lopsided woman with slurred speech. It definitely piques your curiosity here. What if the wife was getting abused by the husband? Can Jess figure this out before anything else happened to the wife?
I liked this story. Jess was a ballsy, brazen, and clever broad. Unlike most cozy mysteries, which traditionally has a murder to solve, this one was all about preventing a murder. Jess asks a lot of questions to try to figure things out. There were some areas that were slow and unamusing, and it was a shame that nobody died. But, overall, this was a nice read.
Rating: 4 stars
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Lori L. Robinet is a paralegal by day, writer by night. She’s the author of several books, including mysteries, thrillers, and contemporary western romance. She also offers online writing courses through WriteScouts (her signature course is Blank to 50K). Lori and her husband of 25+ years live on a hobby farm in central Missouri maintained for the comfort and enjoyment of their Beagle and Snorkie and two rescue calico cats. When not writing (or reading), you can find Lori crafting or indulging in her TV addiction. Her favorite authors are Stephen King, Tierney James, Carolyn Paul Branch, Micki Browning (and soooo many others!).
Social Media links:
https://www.facebook.com/LoriLRobinettauthor
https://twitter.com/LoriRobinett
https://www.tiktok.com/@writer1701
Buy link:
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GIVEAWAY
Lori L. Robinett will be awarding $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
January 10, 2023
Book Tour: BLOOMING ROSE BLASTS OFF! by Lauren Piland
Book Details:Book Title: BLOOMING ROSE BLASTS OFF! by Lauren Piland
Category: Children's Fiction (Ages 3-7), 38 pages
Genre: Children's Picture Book
Publisher: Mascot Books
Release date: Jan 10, 2023
Content Rating: G for all kids.Book Description:
Rose loves to write, draw, and play―but what happens when she has to face a project she’s never done before?! With encouragement from her best friend, Brady, and some brainstorming with Dad, does Rose’s rocket launcher project turn out to be less than stellar or out of this world?!Buy the Book
Amazon ~ B&N ~ Target ~ Bookshop.org
Mascot Books
Blooming Rose Kids
Review: This is the story about a girl named Rose and a project that just seemed impossible. All she had to do was build a rocket ship. A rocket ship…sounded…easy. And the rocket launchers were due on Monday. Right away, the anxiety levels were sky rocketing.
But, as her dad said, everyone has to learn to practice to be good at something.
Through trial and error, Rose and her dad try out different ways of building a rocket.
“3…2…1…Blast off!”
The illustrations that filled these pages were cute and colorful. I liked the concept of having to practice to learn something, which is something that should be embraced by everyone. It would’ve been nice to have seen a few more trial-and-errors before Rose finally figured out something that worked. It just seemed a little too easy for her after only just one try. Still, the message is the same: Don’t stop trying and don’t ever quit. It’s normal to find challenges difficult, but it’s when we push through and try our hardest that makes us most proud.
A nice and inspirational read.
Rating: 4 stars
Meet the Author:
As a former second grade and elementary art teacher, Lauren Piland is a Louisiana native turned Texas homesteader who knows the importance of engaging read-alouds both in class and at home. After taking a step back from the classroom to raise her second child, she realized the gap some campuses face between the undersupported emotional struggles of students and the overwhelming responsibilities of teachers. “When we can use tools such as books and relatable characters to open up those more meaningful conversations, both at home and in the classroom, it aids in that process of peeling back layers of getting to know each other better and building trust,” says Piland. “Children need to feel seen, feel heard, and feel protected. And we do that by tapping into our emotions.”
Piland also wanted to further support teachers by including ready-to-use, curriculum-based exercises to go along with each book that focus on learning objectives such as reading comprehension strategies, vocabulary building and word mechanics exercises, writing prompts, whole group projects and STEM exercises with differentiated versions for students in Pre-K all the way to fourth grade.
connect with the author: website ~ facebook ~ instagram ~ pinterest ~ youtube
Enter the Giveaway:BLOOMING ROSE BLASTS OFF Book Tour Giveaway
Blog Tour: THE START OF SOMETHING by Tanith Davenport
The Start of Something
by Tanith Davenport
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GENRE: Erotic romance
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BLURB:
Pop-rock singer Tamsin Keller likes to dominate, but when she breaks up with her cheating ex-boyfriend, she visits BDSM club Dante’s for another reason—to submit.
Her experience is heightened when she locks eyes with a mysterious stranger, who turns out to be rock star and Dominant Aspen LaRoche. Fascinated by Tamsin, he invites her to his holiday home for the weekend and Tamsin accepts, hoping to discover more about her submissive side.
Aspen proves to be an expert tutor, and Tamsin finds herself addicted to the pleasures he shows her. When Aspen also discovers she is a singer, he offers her band an audition with his recording company, and Tamsin jumps at the chance, knowing he can provide opportunities that she has never had before.
But when Tamsin’s jealous ex reappears in her life, will Tamsin’s career and happiness be over, or will this be the start of something for both her and Aspen?
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Excerpt One:
“You’re still in that band, right? Urban Skin?”
Tamsin raised an eyebrow, surprised that he had remembered. She rarely discussed her work when at the club.
She had been the lead singer of Urban Skin for the past two years. Initially having their origins as an all-woman rock band, in recent months they had been working on a poppier sound, mostly at the instigation of their lead guitarist, Jil, who thought they would be more successful that way. Tamsin hadn’t been keen, but she had ultimately decided that success in any form was better than spending night after night playing rough pubs where nobody was interested in anything more than drink and fighting.
That had been the plan, anyway.
Instead it had turned out to be an exercise in frustration. Tamsin had been the primary songwriter for their rock tracks, but Jil had taken over for the pop songs, leaving Tamsin with little to do except play music she didn’t particularly like. And the release of their first new single Blink had been underwhelming, to put it mildly, despite constantly pushing it on social media. It hadn’t charted—it had barely registered.
But Jil was insisting it would work. And it wasn’t as though their rock music had lit up the charts either. Their drummer, Lucy, and bassist, Roxie, had gone along without complaint, so Tamsin had too, but God, it made her grind her teeth sometimes.
“Yeah, why?”
“You might want to have a chat with that guy over there.” Ryan gestured discreetly towards the other end of the room. “Do you know who he is?”
Tamsin looked at where he had indicated.
It was the blond man. He was at the bar, again nursing a glass of whisky.
“I’ve never seen him before.”
“You’ve heard of him, I guarantee it. That’s Aspen LaRoche.”
“Aspen LaRoche?” Tamsin kept her voice light and mildly curious, even as sparks started flying in her stomach.
Oh, she had heard of Aspen LaRoche. Everyone had heard of Aspen LaRoche. The lead singer of the rock band Vegas Dreams, who had recently branched out into record production after the success of their fifteenth album. He had been on the cover of every music magazine she had heard of, blue eyes coolly gazing back at the camera as journalists everywhere raved about his songwriting, his guitar playing, his stage presence.
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Review: “Outside its walls, she was Tamsin Keller. Within its walls, she was Lady Night.”
In this book, we enter a world of BDSM. What do you do when the start you’ve been crushing is also into it?
For me, this story was rather slow and pretty mild. The writing was pretty good and the characters were okay. For a short novelette, the narrative was quite slow. I guess it was a good thing that what the characters had in common was the BDSM stuff, but there was really no real connection beyond that.
Overall, this was a fair read.
Rating: 3 stars
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
I first started writing seriously when my tutor on a creative writing course pointed me towards the Romantic Novelists' Association and their New Writers' Scheme. Thanks to them, my debut novel "The Hand He Dealt" was accepted by Total-e-Bound in 2011 and was nominated for the Joan Hessayon Award for 2012. I haven't stopped writing since.
My new novella in the Rock My World series, "Hyperventilating", will be out on 21st June 2022 and the second in the series, "The Start of Something", will be out on 27th December 2022.
When I'm not writing, I love to read historical fiction and non-fiction as well as anything paranormal. I love to sing, watch horror movies and go to rock concerts. I also have two cats who like to hide all day and then destroy the house at night.
www.facebook.com/TanithDavenport
www.twitter.com/TanithDavenport
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GIVEAWAY :
Tanith Davenport will be awarding a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
January 9, 2023
Blog Tour: LEGEND OF THE TRAGIK by Chad L.E McGhie
Legend of the Tragik
by Chad L.E McGhie
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GENRE: Fiction-Fantasy
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BLURB:
Not all fires are welcoming.
After decades of war, this had never been more true for the neighboring kingdoms of Tristren and Zemotze. Locked in a tense armistice, there was a promise of a treaty in the air. However, as the Blademage Volgare flees from his enemies, he can see through the wall of deception that clouds the land.
Meanwhile, in the bustling city of Brigandee, the shadow of the weapon known as the Tragik has crept in closer than comfortable. The young man named Hinro Gaskette lives a simple life, expecting little other than to be a soldier like his father before him.
Those expectations are shattered, however, when tragedy awakens a nightmarish power from within . . .
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Excerpt One:
“You humans come with all sorts of trickery. Elves are no different - I am a lover of riches, but an even larger admirer of strength. To you, it seems that the Zemotze are merely power hungry. But, their mission is to establish dominance in the world that is supposed to be in place…it seems necessary, no? The world is weak, Volgare, and the Zemotze only seek to make it stronger. The time of Tristren is over. Your armies, your monarchy...and even your weapons have fallen to them.”
Volgare tried to pull himself free, but was surprised to have a shock of lightning run through him as he did. The sting lasted for merely a second, but it was strong. He breathed slowly to relieve the pain.
A laugh came now from the cold voice. He knelt down beside Volgare, his breath becoming profound to the ear. “You tell me where the rest of your bloodline lives, and you may just be fortunate enough to leave this barn once again.”
“I am the last,” Volgare replied, voice raspy now. A foot met his stomach, and the earth met his face once again. “Deceit will only bring death – not like that is avoidable in the broad picture. Even now, my master’s army marches south through your lands. It is already over, Volgare.”
Swallowing, Volgare only breathed heavily, praying that the assassin’s words were false.
Leaning so close Volgare could smell his breath, the elf whispered. “We can end this peacefully...you could put your bloodline to a well placed, and even applauded...use.”
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What have you learned from being a published author?
The one thing that I have learned, from not only being a published author, but the numerous challenges that life brings in general, is this: nothing that is actually worth doing will ever come easy. Whether you have aspirations to become a doctor, to purchase a home, to become an athlete, to become a tradesman, to raise a family…the list goes on: usually, the things you want the most will require the utmost effort to achieve if you truly want to see it become a reality. Dreams and goals take dedication, hard work, and sometimes, a little bit of luck.
Childhood, for me, was largely magical. I was born in a small oilfield town in Canada to a Christian, traditional family, where ruggedness, toughness, and overall success is largely determined by how much oil you pull from the ground, and how much alcohol you drink while doing so. No family life is perfect, but I had plenty to be blessed for: my grandparents owned a gravel business that provided employment and stability for basically everyone else, including my Mom and Dad. Yet I always struggled to ‘fit in’ or find a comfortable place that I actually felt like I could be myself, bouncing around social circles throughout school. Early on, though, I fell in love with reading, writing, art, video games, as well as snowboarding, quadding (riding an all-terrain vehicle, in proper English) hockey, and outdoor exploration. My imagination ran wild, and the best place to set it free was on a piece of paper. I penned the first version of Legend of the Tragik by age 12, all by hand in an old green binder from school on looseleaf paper. I would then translate it to paper, and in high school, I self-published the very first edition that was released as The Legend of the Tragic. That did not occur, however, until after many challenges and tragedy had happened.
Some of my fondest memories come from my grandparents: on my Dad’s side, my younger brother Dustin and I would go to Sundre every summer for a week, touring all over central Alberta visiting zoos, amusement parks, and more. On my Mom’s side, my grandparents were adventurous and took us to our first trips to the mountains and B.C. The pinnacle of those trips, however, was when we drove all the way from Drayton Valley to Los Angeles to go to Disneyland and Universal Studios, and back up the west coast. I saw much of the western United States, and so much more that I could never remember it all. Our grandparents were planning a return trip one summer to expand those memories and experiences. However, those plans would never come to fruition: one week while we were in Sundre with our grandparents in Sundre, my grandpa had gotten the call that my Mom’s Dad had passed away suddenly from a heart attack. Whenever I heard the news, that is when life changed, and the real challenges began.
Loss is something we must all deal with numerous times in our life, but Pa’s death hit me hard. It affected the entire family just as much, and all the stability and structure we knew as children vanished. He died 4 days before my 14th birthday, and within the next two summers, my parents were headed for divorce, and I was beginning to dabble in alcohol myself. But someone who did not give up on me, despite her own pain, was my grandmother. Her and my brother Dustin faithfully read Legend of the Tragik as I wrote it way back in the day, along with the sequel I had already penned. By age 17, she helped me fund and self-publish The Legend of the Tragic. I was ecstatic: I did book signings and interviews, and for a young adult, the money I did receive was far too tempting. Instead of reinvesting into the book, I simply partied my profits away - I bought into the very social acceptance that I thought I had achieved.
A lot of those people are now lessons I put into Legend of the Tragik so it becomes successful for my family. Having many children of my own, I know how lucky and fortunate we were to even have the opportunity to go on the trips and adventures our grandparents took us on, and I understand how much they had to sacrifice in order to be able to do so. The first version of Legend of the Tragikis something I was never satisfied with, because I knew that it wasn’t as complete as it could be, and I largely did the roll-out wrong. I have spent the last 14 years honing my craft in writing, music, and marketing, while building a beautiful family of my own. Through hard work, dedication, and a healthy mental environment enabled me to fulfill Legend of the Tragik as you see it now, and I could not be more proud of it now.
Nothing worth doing is easy - sometimes, you lose a lot along the way. But that makes it all the more rewarding whenever you do win in the end. Hopefully, I will be taking my own kids to Disneyland, and everywhere else our grandparents took us - that is what I do everything for.
AUTHOR Bio:
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Chad L.E McGhie, also known as Chad W. McGhie, is a diverse and exciting entertainer from Alberta, Canada. A father of five, author, and hip-hop musican, his life is full of adventure and excitement that he only hopes translates into his creative works. Whether you are enjoying his music, attending a performance, or now reading his novels, Chad L.E McGhie aims to please his audiences wherever they may be.
You can find Chad L.E McGhie on YouTube, streaming platforms, most social media websites, as well as www.everestingenuity.com.
Chad sincerely hopes you enjoy the journey that is Legend of the Tragik, and thanks you for coming along.
CONNECT WITH CHAD L.E MCGHIE
WEBSITE: https://everestingenuity.com/legend-of-the-tragik
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/chadlemcghie
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/chadl.emcghie/
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PURCHASE LINKS LEGEND OF THE TRAGIK
AMAZON.COM: https://amazon.com/dp/0228862310
AMAZON.CA: https://amazon.ca/dp/0228862310
INDIGO CHAPTERS: https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/legend-of-the-tragik/9780228862314-item.html
BARNES & NOBLE: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/legend-of-the-tragik-chad-le-mcghie/1142370897
BOOK DEPOSITORY: https://www.bookdepository.com/Legend-of-the-Tragik-Chad-L-E-McGhie/9780228862314
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GIVEAWAY
Chad L.E McGhie will be awarding a $15 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
a Rafflecopter giveawayJanuary 6, 2023
Blog Tour: FAMILY PRIDE: BLOOD FEVER by Deborah A. Bailey
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Deborah A. Bailey will be awarding a $30 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.
Book two of the Family Pride Paranormal Romance Series
After claiming Zora Mason as his mate, and fighting off a threat to the MacKinnon pride, Mac is more than ready to get back to managing his coffee bar and settling into mated bliss. But just when it looks like things are quieting down, Mac and Zora find more challenges ahead.
Plans for Zora and Mac’s official introduction to the pride, and the opening of the new coffee bar may be derailed when, gripped by a mysterious blood fever lingering after the leadership challenge, Mac is driven to the edge of his endurance as he fights to keep his inner lion under control.
Juggling her responsibilities in the business and her position as the mate of the pride leader becomes even more challenging when Zora is forced to confront her fear that Mac is changing into someone she doesn’t recognize.
As the fever pushes Mac to the edge, the revelation of an old, painful family secret proves to be the key to saving Mac’s life. Zora and Mac come up with a plan to end the threat of the fever forever, but that same plan may destroy them both.
Is their love strong enough to defeat the blood fever, so they can live happily ever after as mates?
Read an Excerpt
"After Mac fought Eldon it was like he'd gone into some kind of trance. He was in and out of consciousness for a couple of hours."
"I heard about that," Lena put her arm in Zora's and they started walking again. "So many things have happened at once. The challenge, his mating with you, the new shop--it's all coming down at once. Surviving a challenge alone would be enough."
"Lena, I can understand the challenge being stressful, but the mating? It wasn't like it was the first time we'd been intimate."
"There's more involved in the process than it might've seemed. Being at the waterfall where Stephen and Ellen were mated, where I was mated, and generations before me…surrounded by the pride members…it connected you both and made you part of our family," Lena explained. "It's part of a transition that we go through. As a human, you wouldn't have noticed it. But for him, it was a big step away from his life as a nomad."
"But if that's true, what about last night? If we are connected to each other, how could the blood fever make him act that way?"
"Blood fever makes the predator inside him stronger. Those impulses were always there, but my grandson channeled them into his work."
"So, what do I do?" Zora asked.
"Don't show fear. No matter what. Fear feeds the predator inside him. The more fear, the more control the blood fever will have over him. I know he doesn't want to admit this thing could overpower him. But if he tries to fight it, he will lose."
"Lena, do you think he could hurt me?" As she asked the ques-tion, a chill went through her, like she'd been dipped in ice water.
"No, my dear. Blood fever will not make him do anything that he wouldn't normally do. Not really," she replied, as she grasped Zora's hand.
About the Author:
Deborah A Bailey's Romantic Fantasy, Paranormal & Science Fiction Romance novels include suspense, a bit of mystery and a lot of romantic heat. Her short stories have won awards from the Philadelphia Writers' Conference and have been published in US1 Magazine and the Sun and are included in, Electric Dreams: Seven Futuristic Tales. She's the author of non-fiction books, and articles for various online publications.
Visit her website for more information and subscribe to the newsletter so you'll be the first to find out about giveaways, book launches and sneak peeks.
Website
Newsletter
Amazon Author Page
BookBub Author Page
Family Pride: Blood Fever and Family Pride: Love and Challenges will be on sale for 0.99 on Amazon, B&N, Apple & Kobo from 12/26/22 – 1/9/23
Universal Buy Link
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January 5, 2023
Blog Tour: ANY FIN FOR LOVE by Petie McCarty
This post is par of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Petie McCarty will be awarding an Autographed paperback copy of Cinderella Busted (US only) to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on a tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
She could almost hear the fish laughing at her . . .
Cody Ryan’s father never missed fishing the annual Loon Lake tournament until his unexpected passing. So this year, Cody packs up her how-to fishing videos and her dad’s old johnboat and gives him one final entry.
Gage Connor needs some R&R away from his coast guard deployment catching drug smugglers along the Louisiana coast, so he borrows a bass boat from his buddy and heads to Loon, Alabama to do some fishing.
When Gage and Cody meet at Loon Lake, their attraction is immediate and intense—until the two discover there is only one boat slip left on the lake and they both need it, and there’s only one vacant hotel room left in Loon and they both want it. Thus, their competition begins. Both vow to keep their distance from the other to fight the temptation, but fate has other plans. The tournament pairing party picks the two-man teams and chooses Gage as Cody’s partner.
For two days.
Alone on a boat.
Working as a team.
Good things come to those who bait . . .
Read an Excerpt
Feeling the hotel room being yanked out from underneath her, Cody lost her grip on her temper. “I don’t care. I arrived here first.” She wheeled on Velma. “Tell him.”
Velma had a hard time meeting the man’s glittering green eyes, and Cody feared the worst. “Velma, you have to go with the first person who arrived here, and that was me.”
Velma visibly wavered, and her gaze bounced between Cody, Mr. Never-Had-Any-Patience, and her twin, who looked ready to burst into tears.
“It’s not your fault, Sister.” She patted Delma’s hand. “You didn’t know we were upstairs. I’ll handle this.”
Velma faced her two potential guests and announced, “We’ll flip for it.”
Delma immediately beamed.
“What?” Cody cried.
“Fine by me,” the stranger snapped and crossed his arms on his oversized and quite muscular pecs. Not that Cody was staring.
Velma reached into her apron pocket and drew out a silver dollar. She smiled at Cody. “Since you were here first, you can call it, and you can have heads if you want. I always liked heads in a coin toss, and I always got lucky calling heads.” Her eyes twinkled at Cody.
“Fine. Heads it is,” Cody said.
The coin flipped high in the air. Velma deftly caught it with her right hand and smacked the coin on top of her left. “Heads it is,” she proclaimed.
Cody blew out a sigh of relief.
“Hey, wait a minute,” the stranger complained.
“See for yourself.” Velma angled her hand for him to snatch a glimpse and then chucked the coin back into her pocket.
Cody stared him right in the eye. “I win.”
He eased closer—almost nose to nose—and she reconsidered her idea to gloat. His emerald eyes darkened, turned almost black, and locked onto hers. She could hear and feel each breath he took, because she held hers. Waiting.
“Share it with me.”
His gaze never wavered. She could feel it, almost like a caress.
“I promise I won’t touch you . . . if you don’t want me to.” The latter implied he wanted exactly the opposite.
About the Author:
Petie spent a large part of her career working at Walt Disney World—"The Most Magical Place on Earth"—where she enjoyed working in the land of fairy tales by day and creating her own romantic fairy tales by night, including her new series, The Cinderella Romances. She eventually said good-bye to her "day" job to write her stories full-time. These days Petie spends her time writing sequels to her regency time-travel series, Lords in Time, and her cozy-mystery-with-romantic-suspense series, the Mystery Angel Romances.Petie shares her home on the Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee with her horticulturist husband and an opinionated Nanday conure named Sassy who made a cameo appearance in No Angels for Christmas.
Website
Goodreads
BookBub
Amazon Author Page
Amazon
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Blog Tour: DOOMED, UNLESS by Luc Gagnon
Doomed, Unless
by Luc Gagnon
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GENRE: Non-fiction
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BLURB:
In this book, you will learn how political correctness has greatly underestimated climate change impacts and overestimated the benefits of new technologies. This is a recipe for disaster. There is still hope if we eliminate political correctness from climate policy, as many options are available to save modern civilization.
QUOTES FROM ENERGY EXPERTS
Luc Gagnon's book is a breath of fresh air in the climate debate. Based on rigorous analysis and a critical eye refined over his long career, the author offers us a raw picture of the failure of climate policies. Too often, these policies are fueled by good thinking and political correctness rather than by facts... A book to read and discuss absolutely.
- Normand Mousseau, Professor, Physical Science, Montreal University
We need a new way of understanding the energy transition. This book sheds a harsh light on why inertia is winning, despite the importance of our scientific knowledge... Almost no one has the courage to clearly identify (the needed) changes for fear of offending this or that group. Luc Gagnon has that courage.
- Pierre-Olivier Pineau, Professor, Hautes Études Commerciales, Montreal University
The author has the lucidity to accept the real causes plaguing humanity and ultimately threatening its survival. Clearly, without deceit. An essential work.
- Jean-François Lefebvre, Sustainable Development, Quebec University. at Montreal
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EXCERPT
Air pollution from fossil fuels is responsible for 6 or 7 million deaths, each year. This is due to pollutants such as nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, and volatile organic compounds. The assessment does not consider greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs), and the effects of climate change.
A complete assessment should include climate change, which increases the intensity and frequency of floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, heat waves, droughts, bushfires, and forest fires. In the future, the annual number of victims will be calculated in millions.
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
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This book on climate change is unique because the author has experience from different, even opposite, perspectives:
• University teacher in Urban Planning, Environmental Science, and Engineering.
• 15 years of work for environmental groups dealing with climate change, public transit, and sustainable development.
• 20 years for Hydro-Quebec as Senior Advisor, Climate Change.
• Years of research on life-cycle assessments (LCAs) of energy options.
• His expertise in energy was recognized by the International Energy Agency and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). He has published numerous articles.
• With a life-cycle approach, he is able to identify when promoters or politicians make misleading promises due to political correctness.
He was nominated, on three occasions, as Expert reviewer for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
Dr. Gagnon has published numerous articles on greenhouse gas emissions and the energy payback of energy options.
His expertise in life-cycle assessments allows him to identify when promoters or politicians make misleading promises due to political correctness. In sum, he is able to detect when communications are self-serving and designed to impress, without concern for the truth.
Amazon buy link:
https://www.amazon.com/Doomed-Unless-Political-Correctness-Civilization/dp/0228883628
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GIVEAWAY
Luc Gagnon will be awarding a $15 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
a Rafflecopter giveawayJanuary 4, 2023
Blog Tour: ALL WE LEAVE BEHIND: TRANSITS OF THREE by Benjamin X. Wretlind
All We Leave Behind: Transits of Three
by Benjamin X. Wretlind
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GENRE: Science Fiction
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BLURB:
Following the exodus from rising floodwaters, the surviving descendants of those who came to create a society on a planet far from Earth have struggled to rebuild within the remains of an ancient temple. Now, as disease and an unfamiliar environment threaten to destroy them yet again, everyone seems to have an opinion about what to do next.
Miriam and Tobias Page, newly married, believe there may be a possible home beyond a distant canyon. Their journey with a quarter of the population doesn’t start well and soon nature and their own humanity will conspire to end it all. Meanwhile, Miriam’s two cousins, Joel and Micah, have different ideas. Joel is convinced the best course of action is to return to the mountains they left to mine for the ore that would make a great return to Earth possible. Micah hopes to stay, learn all he can about the temple’s previous occupants, and prove both of them wrong. But soon, he and his new partner Patience realize that no option is truly safe.
As the transits of three different groups get underway, new dangers and surprises emerge from within the rainforests, mountains, and deserts of the planet…and one of those may have followed them from Earth. While a final home is a dream away, present nightmares must be dealt with first if any of them are going to survive.
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Excerpt One:
“How many?” Moran asked.
“Four. Just up ahead.” Tobias tightened his grip on his weapon.
“Bethany is waiting for us.”
Moran stopped and watched as the caravan slowly edged toward the right, away from immediate danger. “Wish we had more to spare.”
“So do I.” Tobias took in a calming breath and let it out slowly. The nervousness in his stomach eased up. Miriam had taught him several techniques for dealing with fear, for calming his anxiety and sharpening his mind. He would forever be grateful to be married to a counselor, a therapist, a wise wizard of the brain’s complications.
“Ready?” Moran asked.
They both walked slowly toward Bethany’s position, their eyes locked on the trees where Tobias saw the four animals.
“Eight,” Bethany whispered as they approached. “Four more in a cluster of trees to the right of the others.”
“Typical pack. Haven’t heard the growl, yet,” Moran said. “Maybe they didn’t see us.”
“Oh, they did.” Tobias pointed to the tree with the first rychat he spotted. “I swear I saw that one lick its lips.”
“Well, we’ll have to take care of that.”
Moran raised his crossbow and took aim at the one Tobias pointed out. In tandem, both Tobias and Bethany raised their own weapons.
“One on the trunk,” Tobias whispered.
Bethany responded. “The big one to the right.”
The three were silent as they steadied themselves.
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Topic: What things have you learned from being a published author?
1. This is a marathon, not a sprint. Take a breath.
I started my first book when I was in high school. Twenty some years later, I finally finished it...after having written another book that took seven years and starting a third. Life will get in the way, and unless you compartmentalize your writing, you may have problems finding the time to do what you dream. It’s okay to write a book a month, a book a year, or a book a decade. You’re not competing against those who can write a book a week.
2. Art escapes.
Supposedly, Leonardo da Vinci said “Art is never finished, only abandoned.” I’m not a Renaissance historian, so I can’t confirm the source, but nevertheless, I’ve lived by those words. If you strive for perfection before letting the world see what you’ve written, you probably won’t get much out there. Even after ten years, I still find things I want to change in work that I’ve long since marked complete.
3. Celebrate the success of others and support everyone.
I have tried my best to do this, if not verbally, then mentally. The success of others is important, not only for them but for you. When another writer is proud of a review, be proud with them. When they cry, cry with them. I started a program on my blog where I buy, read, review and market 12 books by Indie authors who need that support and encouragement. If they succeed in achieving their dreams, then I’m happy for them.
4. It doesn’t matter if you get a bad review; your work is not for everyone.
This was the hardest lesson for me to learn until I finally separated myself from the work. An attack on my books is not an attack on me. Everyone has likes and dislikes. If you think the big name authors don’t get bad review, look again. There are some mean people out there, but you can only control your reaction to their behavior.
5. There are 8+ million books on Amazon. Stand out.
Do everything you can to get your work into the hands of others, and remember this: with 8+ million books, if you rank 250,000, then your book is in the top 3%. Celebrate that!
6. Edit, edit, and when you’re done, edit some more.
This goes without saying, but I have run across books that need a few more edits. In my own work, I may find something a month or a year later. Thankfully, with control of the work comes the ability to make quick corrections. Find a “there” instead of a “their”? Panic not! Within a few hours, you can correct your work.
7. Don’t go it alone.
This is hard for an introvert, but it is necessary. I wanted to do everything alone when I started, but I ended up with a myopic view of my work. You need beta readers, editors, and ARC readers. You need people who want to hear what you’re working on. If that’s just one person, okay. Add another then another. You need to know what you missed...and you willmiss things.
8. Social media is a tool, not a requirement.
Every year, there is a new thing--TikTok, Mastodon, etc. Unless you have the funds to hire a social media marketing manager (I don’t), focus on one or two social media platforms only. If one doesn’t work for you, try a different one. If you don’t understand one, that’s okay. If you don’t do this alone, you’ll have people to back you up. Maybe they’re great at social media. Lean on your resources and focus on the writing.
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
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Benjamin, a speculative fiction author, ran with scissors when he was five. He now writes, paints, uses sharp woodworking tools and plays with glue. Sometimes he does these things at the same time.
Benjamin lives with his wife Jesse in Colorado.
Twitter: @bxwretlind
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bxwretlind
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bxwretlind/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2900267.Benjamin_X_Wretlind
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/benjamin-x-wretlind-73b7dde4-3fc4-4b7c-a57f-97db25374b10
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GIVEAWAY :
Benjamin X. Wretlind will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. a Rafflecopter giveaway
January 3, 2023
Blog Tour: THE PHANTOM GLARE OF DAY by M. Laszlo
The Phantom Glare of Day
by M. Laszlo
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GENRE: Historical (Metaphysical) Fiction / Coming of Age Fiction
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BLURB:
In this trio of novellas, three game young ladies enter into dangerous liaisons that test each one’s limits and force them to confront the most heartrending issues facing society in the early twentieth century. The Phantom Glare of Day tells of Sophie, a young lady who has lived a sheltered life and consequently has no idea how cruel public-school bullying can be. When she meets Jarvis, a young man obsessed with avenging all those students who delight in his daily debasement, she resolves to intervene before tragedy unfolds. Mouvements Perpétuels tells of Cäcilia, a young lady shunned by her birth father. She longs for the approval of an older man, so when her ice-skating instructor attempts to take advantage of her, she cannot resist. Not a month later, she realizes that she is pregnant and must decide whether or not to get an abortion. Passion Bearer tells of Manon, a young lady who falls in love with a beautiful actress after taking a post as a script girl for a film company—and is subsequently confronted with the pettiest kinds of homophobia.
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Excerpt One:
London, 29 September, 1917.
Sophie paused beside a stock-brick building, and she listened for the unnerving rumble of an airship’s engine car. How long has it been since the last bombardment? Sometime before, as she had stood in this very spot, she had heard the Zeppelin clearly enough.
At that point, a Royal-Navy carbide flare had streaked heavenward. Then, from the neighboring rooftops, fifty or more pom-pom guns had opened fire–and the night air had filled with the odor of something like petroleum coke.
Yes, I remember. Now she braced herself for a salvo of fire.
No deafening tumult rang out. Neither did any sickening, stenchful fumes envelope her person.
No, it’s just my nerves. She glanced at the sky, and she whispered a simple prayer of thanksgiving.
From around the corner, an omnibus approached.
She climbed aboard and rode the way to Mayfair Tearoom.
The establishment had never looked so inviting as it did that night. By now, the proprietress had decorated the tables with Michaelmas daisies the color of amethyst, and she had adorned the china cabinet with ornamental cabbage. Moreover, how appetizing the scent of the fresh Eccles cakes.
The tearoom had attracted quite a crowd, too, the young ladies all decked out in silken gowns.
I wonder why. Sophie removed her coat, and she suddenly felt underdressed—for she had not worn anything too fancy that evening, just a puffed blouse and a fluted skirt. At once, she sat down at one of the last available dinette tables.
An eclipse of moths fluttered through the transom, meanwhile, and even they looked better than she did. What beauty the creatures’ wings—a fine royal purple.
Don’t look at them. Alas, when she turned her attention to the doorsill, a dull ache radiated up and down her left arm.
Not a moment later, a tall, gaunt lad, his eyes a shade of whiskey brown, entered the tearoom.
For a time, he glared at the patrons—as if at any moment he might remove a musketoon from beneath his frock coat and shoot everyone.
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
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M. Laszlo is the pseudonym of a reclusive author living in Bath, Ohio. According to rumor, he based the pen name on the name of the Paul Henreid character in Casablanca, Victor Laszlo.
M. Laszlo has lived and worked all over the world, and he has kept exhaustive journals and idea books corresponding to each location and post.
It is said that the maniacal habit began in childhood during summer vacations—when his family began renting out Robert Lowell’s family home in Castine, Maine.
The habit continued in 1985 when, as an adolescent, he spent the summer in London, England. In recent years, he revisited that journal/idea book and based his first work, The Phantom Glare of Day, on the characters, topics, and themes contained within the youthful writings. In crafting the narrative arcs, he decided to divide the work into three interrelated novellas and to set each one in the WW-I era so as to make the work as timeless as possible.
M. Laszlo has lived and worked in New York City, East Jerusalem, and several other cities around the world. While living in the Middle East, he worked for Harvard University’s Semitic Museum. He holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Hiram College in Hiram, Ohio and an M.F.A. in poetry from Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, New York.
His next work is forthcoming from SparkPress in 2024. There are whispers that the work purports to be a genuine attempt at positing an explanation for the riddle of the universe and is based on journals and idea books made while completing his M.F.A at Sarah Lawrence College.
https://www.amazon.com/M-Laszlo/e/B09PGPTWQ5/ref=aufs_dp_fta_dsk
NOTE: THIS BOOK WILL BE $0.99 DURING THE TOUR.
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GIVEAWAY
One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card.
a Rafflecopter giveawayBlog Tour: NINE BEAR LODGE by Keith A. Hamilton
NINE BEAR LODGE
by Keith A. Hamilton
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GENRE: Fiction
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BLURB:
The beautiful Bella Coola Valley in British Columbia provides a dramatic backdrop in a story of two men who crossed paths years before, who meet again by chance. Taking his family on a bucket list vacation, a former smuggler confronts the former policeman who had arrested and tortured him many years before. The family enjoys the luxury setting and the variety of activities provided by the Nine Bear Lodge, while the two men come to grips with their shared past. Will one man take the ultimate revenge, or will they both find a path to redemption and reconciliation?
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EXCLUSIVE EXCERPT
They had been travelling for almost two full days. A father, his two sons, their wives, and three grandchildren made up the party. First the flight took them from Frankfurt directly to Vancouver, from where they had rented a minivan for the rest of the trip. Twelve hours cooped up together in the van brought them to this place. A friend had once extolled the virtues of this seemingly out of the way haven. A hidden gem, he had called it. He had gone on for days about the place, the people, and the wildlife. But mostly he had been effusive in praise for the resort. He had failed to mention just how far out of the way it was. The drive out of Vancouver wasn’t much different from the crowded Autobahn of Granpapa’s younger days, but as the route went further north and then west, the similarity to anything they had known before gradually faded.
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Since the early 1990s, Keith A. Hamilton has lived and worked in small remote Indigenous communities throughout Northern and Western Canada. He has made Bella Coola his home since 2016. He and his wife and their dog enjoy the beauty and serenity of the Central Coast region.
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/23022323.Keith_a_Hamilton
https://www.amazon.com/Nine-Bear-Lodge-Keith-Hamilton-ebook/dp/B0BL3VB5WF/ref=sr_1_1?
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GIVEAWAY
The author will award a $15 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn host.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
