Sandra C. Lopez's Blog, page 206
December 6, 2021
Blog Tour: BETRAYAL AT THE BORDER by Mark M. Bello
Betrayal at the Border
by Mark M. Bello
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GENRE: Legal/Political Thriller
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BLURB:
In Betrayal at the Border, attorney Zachary Blake returns to tackle two cases that strike at the heart of our nation's contentious immigration debate.
In Riverview, Michigan, undocumented immigrants Miguel and Mary Carmen Gonzalez are determined to realize the American dream. They find jobs at a local filler plant, have children, and lead an all-American life, that is until ICE raids their plant . . .
Canan and Karim Izady are naturalized citizens of the United States. They have immigrated legally from Kurdistan and have an American born daughter, Hana. Unable to persuade her mother to follow the young family to America, Canan and Hana travel to an ISIS hotbed so the child may meet her grandmother for the first time. With the war over, what could possibly go wrong?
Two unique immigrant families, two uniquely dangerous consequences of America’s dysfunctional immigration system. Enter Zachary Blake, superstar lawyer.
But, for the first time in a long time, Blake is out of his element—immigration law calls for the expertise of his specialist/partner, Marshall Mann. Together, two extraordinary lawyers take on a terrorist network and a broken immigration system. And master investigator Micah Love returns, racing against the clock to prevent tragic circumstances. In our politically charged, anti-immigrant international climate, will a Hail Mary be their only move?
Award-winning legal thriller author, Mark M. Bello, pits our nation's broken immigration system against important human and social justice rights issues, spinning a tale that shines a bright light on the everyday fears of immigrants all over these United States. Can Blake, Mann, and Love prevent a Betrayal at the Border?
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Excerpt One:
The Gonzalez children were both born in Lincoln Park. The city was a part of the Downriver Community, southwest of Detroit. Their little three-bedroom bungalow was the only home they had ever known. In a city of approximately 37,000, only 20% were of Latino descent, nearly a 50% increase since 2010.
Emma and Emilio’s parents, Mary Carmen and Miguel Gonzalez, immigrated to Lincoln Park in 2011 when Mary Carmen was pregnant with Emma. Papa found a job, mixing compounds at an adhesive and filler plant in nearby Riverview. Emma was born soon after her parents moved into the house. Two years later, her little brother was born.
When they were old enough to be placed in daycare, Mama secured a job at the same filler plant as her father. The two siblings depended on each other. They were attached at the hip until Emma was old enough to go to Kindergarten. It was a very traumatic time for Emilio. He started behaving as if his sister died.
Emma promised to play with him after school, but Emilio carried on to the point where Emma pushed back and refused to go to school. Promises of candy and ice cream after Mama got home from work finally persuaded both children to go separate ways. As time went on, they adapted to the new routine.
Two years later, Emilio started Kindergarten, and all was forgotten—the siblings were reunited at Raupp Elementary School. Both children spoke fluent Spanish and English and did well in school. The children were now entering fourth and second grade, respectively, and thriving.
The Gonzalez children made friends easily and were well-liked in the school. Emma and Emilio were Americans. Although Mama taught them Venezuelan games and customs and tried to convey a sense of their Latino heritage, the kids had experienced life in no other country but America. They spoke fluent English, celebrated the Fourth of July and Thanksgiving, and proudly recited the Pledge of Allegiance. Emma collected dolls while Emilio collected baseball cards—he worshipped Miguel Cabrera of the Detroit Tigers and treasured his 2012 Cabrera Triple Crown card. Emma and Emilio did everything other American children did.
Their parents were determined to raise them in America, with American values and an American education. They dreamt of a better life, with higher education and, perhaps, affluence for their children. But these dreams were clouded by a secret reality—the Gonzalez family, as ‘American’ as they appeared, protected an important family secret, far more important than the Frozen game. This one could derail all of their dreams.
Emma and Emilio were taught to be careful and quiet, even though they didn’t understand why this was a big deal. But they knew Mama and Papa feared their secret would one day be discovered. Their parents’ fear was so intense; Emma and Emilio were frightened too.
Emma was conflicted. Mama once taught her that telling and keeping secrets was bad. She shouldn’t tease her little brother by telling him she knew something he didn’t know. She shouldn’t keep things from her friends, and, most of all, she shouldn’t keep any secrets from Mama and Papa. So, why was this secret okay?
Mama carefully explained the delicate situation to her children: She and Miguel came into the country legally but stayed longer than they were welcome. As a result, Mama and Papa were not citizens and did not have the protection some of their friends’ parents had. They could be picked up by the police at any time, put in jail, and even sent back to Venezuela, where conditions were terrible, especially for people who ran away and were later returned by government mandate. It didn’t matter if their minor children were citizens. If the family secret were discovered, her mother decried, it could mean hasta la vista, forever.
The threat of permanent separation from her parents terrified Emma. A secret preventing her from losing them, perhaps forever, was one worth keeping. Emilio was too young to understand, but Emma made him pinky swear to silence.
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Guest Post
Topic: Please describe how a new book from you comes about - from idea to publication.
I am a legal/political news junkie. After I wrote and published my first book, Betrayal of Faith, a fictional account of the case of my life, the remaining novels were written from events reported in America that I believe required my personal legal 'slant.' I try to choose relevant topics, those on the tops of our citizens' minds. Clergy abuse, white supremacy, abuse of presidential/political power, police brutality, school shootings (and evil gun manufacturers), truth to power and sexual assault, and my latest novel, Betrayal at the Border, about our nation's dysfunctional immigration system and foreign policy initiatives.
Choosing a topic is a function of reading an article or story about a particular event in America, and getting angry enough to write about it. Police officers shooting or abusing innocent black men, inspired by actual events. The Kavanugh hearing inspired a nove about a supreme court candidate who once sexually assaulted a young woman. Parkland inspired a school shooting/bullying novel. The 2016 election inspired a book about the abuse of presidential power, white supremacy, and a bigoted president.
Once I choose a topic, I try to decide who the client would be and how super-lawyer, Zachary Blake would take on "Goliath" and what impact his crusade would have on a "real" client. After mapping out the plot and legal strategy in my head (I rarely outline a novel), I begin to write. Sometimes, the book follows the roadmap I laid out for it; sometimes, my imagination takes me in a completely different direction.
When the book is completed, my long-term editotial assistant and I read and preliminarily edit the book. She formats and prints, and we send to our proof-readers and/or street team for review. Once that process is completed and we have solid comments and advice, the book is 'revamped' as necessary, then professionally edited.
After that, we develop a cover idea and share that with our cover designer who usually takes the idea and makes a far better cover than I could ever have imagined. My assistant again formats and edits, the book is revisited for last minute changes, and placed on Amazon and other booksellers. An author's proof is purchased, the novel is re-read for formatting and content. If fine, it is left alone. If it needs finishing touches, the book is pulled, edited and re-installed. Once we have a finished product, we hit the 'publish' button. I wish I could control the buying process, too. I'd have a lot more sales.
***
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
As an attorney and civil justice advocate, author Mark M. Bello draws upon over 40 years of courtroom experience in his Zachary Blake Legal Thriller Series.
A Michigan native, Mark received his B.A. in English Literature from Oakland University and his law degree from Thomas M. Cooley Law School. After working extremely high-profile legal cases, Mark wanted to give the public a front-row glimpse of what victims face when standing up for justice.
Combining his legal experience and passion for justice with a creative writing style, Mark not only brings high-quality legal services to his clients but captivating novels to his readers.
When Mark’s not writing legal and political novels, he writes and posts about fairness and justice in the civil justice system on his website, Legal Examiner and NotFakeNews. In his spare time, Mark enjoys traveling and spending time with his family. Mark and his wife, Tobye, have four children and 8 grandchildren.
For more information about Mark, please click here(https://medium.com/authority-magazine...)
Mark loves hearing from his readers! Drop him a line on the Contact page or follow him on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, or Bookbub.
Contact: https://www.markmbello.com/contact
Website: https://www.markmbello.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarkMBelloBooks/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarkMBello
@MarkMBello
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16283795.Mark_M_Bello
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/mark-m-bello
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Betrayal-Border-Zachary-Blake-Thriller-ebook/dp/B09FYJ6MWN/
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GIVEAWAY :
Mark M. Bello will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
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December 4, 2021
Review: KISS ME IN THE SNOW by Rich Amooi
Sophia is a famous actress looking to seek validation and respect from Hollywood. With everything she had, she wanted that Academy Award more than anything. To forget her obsession on her career and for her sister to forget about her divorce, the two agree to go on a snowy vacation to Lake Tahoe. One rule: No Men.
Ethan is a bachelor ski instructor with a good life—a life without stress, which included women. What more could a guy ask for, right? He hated anything to do with Hollywood because his cheating ex was a fanatic.
Sophia and Ethan meet. You can kind of see where the direction was going, of course. Ethan was going to be Sophia’s ski instructor. Of course!
With its predictability, this one was not as good as the author’s previous books, but still a nice holiday romance.
My rating: 3 stars
Review: NOT YOUR AVERAGE VIXEN by Krista Sandor
A Christmas wedding and Bridgett, the baker, was planning the whole thing for her little sister. She was re-creating the wedding her parents had at this posh mountain resort. Everything was perfect for her sister. But things weren’t going so well for Bridget with being fired and cheated on by her boyfriend.
Story was nice and sentimental—perhaps TOO sentimental. The whole thing was as sugary as those holiday treats. Kind of long and boring.
Rating: 2 stars
Review: LOVE ME by Alexa Verde
“Some people said life started at forty.”
Kristina was divorced and returning home to tend to her failures and broken heart; then she meets a widowed father.
This was a nice story, but it’s kind of slow and a little too religious. I thought the list of “things to do before 40” aspect was pretty interesting and wish it would’ve been played up as that was the whole reason I got this book.
This was very sappy and sentimental. An okay read.
Rating: 3 stars
Review: GIRL GEEK by Brenna Aubrey
Mia was the Girl Geek, the game blogger. With med school, work, and blogging, dating was NOT in the works for her.
This all started off nice and well…until we got to the gaming narrative. Did we really need to hear every part of the game? We really needed to know who moved what and what each game piece was wearing? Not very interesting, you know. This is where it totally lost me.
Rating: 2 stars
December 3, 2021
Blog Tour: THE INFANT SPIRITS by Janice Tremayne
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Five winners will receive a digital copy of the book. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
When a poltergeist takes root in a hospital, can a determined ghost chaser undo a devilish long-lasting curse?
Clarisse Garcia has always fought evil. A driven spirit hunter, she demolishes demonic threats before they can corrupt the innocent. But even this hardened woman is stunned when she enters an eerie Tasmanian maternity ward filled with the anguished cries of babies’ souls.
Undeterred, Clarisse dives headfirst into helping release the spirits bound to a sinister demon. But when the foul entity targets the unborn life in her womb, she faces her toughest battle yet to save her offspring’s future.
Can this spiritual warrior protect her child and free the tormented young ghosts?
The Infant Spirits is the fourth standalone book in the blood-curdling Haunting Clarisse supernatural horror series. If you like chilling apparitions, wicked demons, and a mother fighting for her child’s very existence, then you’ll love Janice Tremayne’s bedtime nightmare.
Read an Excerpt
WHAT EVIL LURKS BENEATH
Lindsay looked on as Father O’Connor tried desperately to control his emotions. He thrust the old skeleton key into the mortice lock of the basement door, fixated on one thing only—to confront his deepest fears that lived in that room. Just being in Ward C of Willow Court Asylum was enough to set off an emotional reaction—to get even with the devil in there.
“The demon knows we’re here,” Father O’Connor said. He was holding his cross in one hand and a small bottle of holy water in the other. Although he was composed, the sacred water rattled in his hand.
Lindsay looked back at him as his eyes filled with sadness for all the victims who had lost their lives to the wicked Dr. Pendergrass. “The demon mustn’t sense any fear, or it will take advantage. We come armed with God’s word, filled with the Holy Spirit. We’re strong, Father. Don’t fear the evil that has tormented us for over a century.”
Father O’Connor didn’t respond. He knew Lindsay was right, because the only way to defeat a demon was not to expose your worst fears. Demons had an uncanny way of measuring your apprehension and using it to their advantage.
Lindsay turned the key quickly until he heard the click of the mortice lock disengaging. Then he raised his foot and kicked the door open as he shone his lantern into the room.
He placed his hands over his mouth. The room smelled like it had been untouched for a hundred years; a putrid stench that was not from this time and had carried over from generations.
“Is this what spirits smell like?” Father O’Connor asked.
“It’s the signature of evil you are smelling, Father. They all have a different odor. It’s how we identify them.”
Father O’Connor sensed the evil in the air—the rotting moisture of death and the blood curdling screams of babies and their mothers who had died in this den of horrors.
“So, now you hide from us, demon? Behind the pitch-black curtains of your own hell!” Lindsay called out. “Show yourself, you scum of the Earth and murderer of mothers and children!”
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Review: The abortion room of the asylum was “a dungeon of misery, cursed by the screams of the dead women and their unborn children.”
A woman about to give birth unaware that her unborn child was choking to death. The experimental procedure would end both their lives. But what if…she could have a healthy delivery? What if her child could live? A deal with a poltergeist could change everything.
Present Day: a couple expecting their first child is sent to investigate paranormal activity at the old, abandoned asylum.
Story had a good, strong start, but getting into the present really slowed things down at first. After long introductions, once they dive into the investigation and review the history concerning the doctor and the pregnant girls, it starts getting better.
Story was well-versed and captivating overall. It definitely has the haunting and grisly aspect and the whole thing was rather smart and inquisitive; however, it spends a lot of time going over technical strategies and theories. The eerie and chilling scenes as well as the visions of the dead were described well, almost as if you were right there. The lengthy narratives do take time and slow down the pace dramatically, which lessened the excitement. For a haunted ghost story, you expect it to be quicker and more stimulating. Instead, this story is more calculating and scientific.
A fairly nice read overall.
Rating: 3.5 stars
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About the Author: Janice Tremayne is an Amazon bestselling and award-winning ghost and supernatural writer. Janice is a finalist in the Readers' Favorite 2020 International Book Awards in fiction-supernatural and was awarded the distinguished favorite prize for paranormal horror at the New York City Big Book Awards 2020.
She is an emerging Australian author who lives with her family in Melbourne. Her recent publications, Haunting in Hartley and Bolder Blindsided, reached number one in the Amazon kindle ranking for Occult Supernatural, Ghosts and Haunted Houses categories hot new releases and bestseller. Janice is well-versed in her cultural superstitions and how they influence daily life and customs. She has developed a passion and style for writing ghost and supernatural novels for new adult readers.
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Book Blast: BITE ME FOR CHRISTMAS by Megan Slayer
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Megan Slayer will be awarding a prize pack featuring a necklace made by the author to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
He came to her in a dream, but he’s more like a nightmare in tight jeans, and she wants a taste.
Rachael isn’t good at magic, and she’s not versed in life, but this witch wants to lay her hands on the sexy vampire who’s come to her in her dreams. Can she have her Christmas wish -- the vampire?
Gavin wants the witch, but he doesn’t believe he’s worthy of her. Part of him wants to devour her magic and save himself, but what if being saved doesn’t involve dying?
Anything is possible with a little Christmas magic.
Read an Excerpt
©Megan Slayer, 2021, All Rights Reserved
Rachael admired the twinkle lights she’d strung around the kitchen. Somewhere people were enjoying themselves. They might even be making love under the Christmas tree. She’d like to try that -- sex in front of the tree.
Instead, she’d pulled the chore of kitchen clean-up. She always pulled that chore and the rest, too.
She draped the washcloth over the faucet and surveyed the room. Everything appeared to be back in place.
When she peeked into the living room, Serena and Millie were deep in another round of cards. The last Rachael knew, they were playing hearts. Rachael tiptoed out to the back porch to admire the snow. The cauldron bubbled with some batch of potions. She had no idea what her sisters made, only that she had to clean out the pot when they finished. The tangy smell filled the enclosed space and made her dizzy.
She crinkled her nose. If she knew how, she’d change the scent to something nutmeg-y or pine -- anything but the overwhelming aroma.
Something flashed among the white snow. She folded her arms and stepped up to the screened-in windows. Maybe the flash was the play of firelight on the snow.
The snow glittered and mesmerized her as it fell -- that had to be it. The flash was falling snow.
She hummed the tune of a Christmas carol and fought back tears. Christmas shouldn’t be this depressing, but she couldn’t help herself. She tried to make the day bright, but Christmas Eve would forever be the day her parents died and her world turned upside down. The loss turned her sisters bitter, too. The official account said nothing about her being at fault, but her sisters swore she’d created the fog, which caused the collision.
She wished she knew the truth.
One day, she wanted to know, but she also wanted to replace the sad memories with good ones. She’d never forget her parents, but she needed to move forward with her life.
Someday.
The flash returned, but this time, a man appeared among the snow.
Her blood sizzled, and she gasped. She knew this man.
Her vampire.
“Gavin,” she whispered. “You’re here.”
“You did ask for me for Christmas.” He moved across the snow and stood in the doorway to the porch. “Said you wanted a vampire for Christmas.”
She longed to touch him, but feared she’d draw her sisters’ attention.
“You did request me, didn’t you?”
About The Author:
Megan Slayer, aka Wendi Zwaduk, is a multi-published, award-winning author of more than one-hundred short stories and novels. She’s been writing since 2008 and published since 2009. Her stories range from the contemporary and paranormal to LGBTQ and white hot themes. No matter what the length, her works are always hot, but with a lot of heart. She enjoys giving her characters a second chance at love, no matter what the form. She’s been nominated at the LRC for Best Author, Best Contemporary, Best Ménage, Best BDSM and Best Anthology. Her books have made it to the bestseller lists on Amazon.com. When she’s not writing, Megan spends time with her husband and son as well as three dogs and three cats. She enjoys art, music and racing, but football is her sport of choice. She’s an active member of the Friends of the Keystone-LaGrange Public library.
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Book Blast: SHATTERED by C. Lee McKenzie
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. C. Lee McKenzie will be awarding a $25 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.
Read an ExcerptCourage put Libby Brown into the final selection for the Olympics, but betrayal crushed her spine and her chance at the Gold. Now she has two choices, use her courage to put her life back together, or remain shattered forever.
For a while, silence filled the dark room, but I could feel that Harley was still very much awake.
“You can walk,” I finally said.
“Right. I noticed that.”
“I’m kind of jealous about it.”
“I know,” Harley said, “but I try to ignore that in you.”
The silence came again, but undercutting that silence was a soft sound of pain.
“Are you crying, Libby?”
“Yes. Don’t rag on me.”
“Have I ever ragged on you?”
“Only all the time, Harley C.” I felt Harley’s arm around my shoulder.
“That’s because I love you, you jerk.
About the Author:
I’m someone in love with the English language...well, any language for that matter. How did we decided to use words, intonation, structures to communicate? Does our language come from our culture or does our culture come from our language? I love to drive people nuts with questions like this. I have a background in Linguistics and Inter-Cultural Communication, but these days my greatest passion is writing for young readers. My young adult novels are Sliding on the Edge, The Princess of Las Pulgas, Double Negative, Sudden Secrets, and now Shattered, A Story of Betrayal and Courage. Sometimes I write Middle Grade Fantasy and have four of those stories published.
When I’m not writing I’m hiking or traveling or practicing yoga or asking a lot questions about things I still don’t understand--like what is language anyway?
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December 2, 2021
Blog Tour: THE ADVENTURES OF AMBER: WALK IN THE WOODS by Isabell Hayden
Walk in the Woods
Children's Book
Date Published: June 10, 2021
Publisher: Mindstir Media
Amber, a nature-loving girl who enjoys afternoon walks in the woods with her grandma and puppy, has an adventurous spirit and a heart that belongs to Mother Nature. She takes you on a magical journey in the woods near her grandparents' mountain cottage. Immerse yourself in the magnificent beauty of nature with the experiences from Amber's perspective. This book will inspire readers to go outdoors and appreciate the wonders of Mother Nature.
Review: Meet Amber, an adventurous girl that loved nature. See what happens when she and her grandma take a walk in the woods. Fallen leaves, birds chirping, blooming flowers, and crawling insects.
Fun and colorful, story is a lovely illustration of the wonders of nature. The lush landscape sceneries were just wonderful. It’s as if you were right there with them, taking a walk in the woods. A good read!
Rating: 4 stars
About the Author
Isabell Hayden is a child author. She loves to draw, dance, read, and write. Isabell also enjoys building LEGOs with Dad, baking cupcakes with Grandma (while wearing matching aprons), solving challenging puzzles with Grandpa, playing beautiful tunes on the piano for her pup, Daisy, and, last but not least, reading a good book with Mom. Isabell hopes to write more books to share her love of nature and all things fun and creative.
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December 1, 2021
Blog Tour: A ROSE FOR GRANDMA by Christiana Egi
A Journey Through Alzheimer's
Children's Book
Date Published: April 14, 2021
Publisher: MindStir Media
Annie loves spending time with her grandparents; they're some of her favorite people. One day she notices Grandma acting a bit strangely, and Annie learns that her warm, creative, loving grandma has Alzheimer's Disease. Although at first Annie is worried, as she learns more about dementia, she makes up her mind to help Grandma in any way she can.
Review: Meet little Annie, and this a story about her grandma. Her favorite thing about her grandma was her rose garden because “a rose can speak a thousand words.” Annie would love visiting her grandma, but, then, one day, she noticed that she was acting strange—lost and confused. She was forgetting things that she used to know. Later, her mother explained that Grandma had a brain disease called Alzheimer’s. Saddened by it, Annie wonders how she can help her grandma. Then it hits her: a scrapbook!
Sweet and heartfelt, this book takes the reader through the steps of having an old relative with dementia. A nice, little read!
Rating: 4 stars
About the Author
Christiana Egi wrote A Rose for Grandma as part of an ongoing effort to eradicate the stigma around dementia and mental illness. She spent 10 years of her 34-year nursing career working in the crisis unit of Canada's largest psychiatric hospital and owns and operates Alexis Lodge Retirement Residence, Memory Care Facilities in Toronto, Canada. She believes in treating everyone with love, respect and dignity, and she has a passion for helping families and individuals as they adjust to the changes that often come with Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia. Christiana is a woman of faith who uses her belief as a guide as she and her staff provide daily care to individuals with Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia. This is her first children's book.
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