Sandra C. Lopez's Blog, page 209
November 13, 2021
Review: PEPPERMINT FUDGE AND FEARS by Patti Benning
A candy shop owner entered a gingerbread contest for the holidays. Someone collapses. An okay read, but it’s not always focused on the mystery.
Rating: 3 stars
November 12, 2021
Blog Tour: HAUNTED ENDS 4: DEAD IN THE WATER by Elizabeth Price
Haunted Ends 4: Dead in the Water
by Elizabeth Price
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GENRE: Paranormal Mystery Horror
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BLURB:
The crew of Haunted Ends is diverted from filming their show when a cursed and extremely haunted pirate ship, the Serpents Cross, docks off the coast of San Francisco. After repeated attempts by the Coast Guard to tow the pirate ship back to the sea have left many hospitalized, they call Rocky and Sam to help. The paranormal duo must persuade the Serpents Cross’ phantom captain to leave San Francisco Bay peacefully. However, if the Captain's requests are not satisfied, he has deadly plans for the citizens of San Francisco.
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Excerpt One:
Rocky said then tapped his phone. “Rose, would you believe I was just about to call you. Sam—“
He paused, listening to Rose on the phone. “The news? Yes, it’s on in the bar. I was wondering why all the residents were watching. Hold on.” He waved for Sam to follow him into the bar.
At the doorway of the bar, he watched one of the televisions. The news was featuring a rather peculiar ship that resembled the Flying Dutchmen. For some unknown reason the ship had floated into San Francisco Bay.
Sam pointed to the television. “That’s what I wanted to call her about. I watched that ship float into the bay around sunrise. I was with Arthur when he saw it and he completely freaked out,” he said, excitement ringing in his voice.
“Wait,” Rocky held his hand over the phone’s receiver. “You were with Arthur? That low-unlife? Seriously, Sam, he’s a bad influence. You don’t need to be hanging around that—!”
Sam rolled his eyes. “The point is that Arthur knew that ship. He called it the… the…” he smacked his forehead to think, “…the Serpent’s Cross. That’s it!” he exclaimed. “He took off as soon as he saw it, leaving Alexis and me behind. He looked like he had seen the devil,” he added.
“Alexis too?” Rocky huffed. “Come on, Sam. You’re floating with the wrong crowd. You’re going to get yourself in trouble,” he groaned.
Sam waved him on. “Yes, mom. I’m dead. I could hang out with Al Capone if I wanted. It’s not like I couldn’t get any deader than I already am,” he mentioned. He pointed to the television again. “How about focusing on the real problem. That ship shouldn’t be here let alone be seen by the living.”
“Rocky!” Rose screamed through the phone.
Rocky placed the phone back to his ear. “Oh, yeah. Sorry about that. No, it’s Sam jabbering on about this ship.”
“Jabbering? Do I look like a jabberer to you?” Sam asked a passing spirit. The spirit turned to him, looked him up and down, then continued into the bar to watch the television.
“Sam says that a friend,” Rocky sneered in disgust, “told him that the ship’s name was the Serpent’s Cross. This friend is an old ghost, so I can only assume it’s a really old ship. What was that? Oh, is it Haunted?” He glanced at Sam, who shrugged.
“Skeletons were hanging out on the deck, you tell me,” Sam spoke condescendingly back.
Rocky held his hand over the receiver. “Skeletons?” he asked. Sam nodded. “Yeah, we’re not sure. Assume it is. Oh, okay. We can do that. I’ll let you know what we find.” He hung up the phone.
“What did she say?” Sam asked.
“She wants us to grab Marcus and check it out,” he said, walking back to his room to grab his Haunted Ends gear, T-shirt, and baseball cap.
Sam followed Rocky back into the lobby. “Investigate an ancient ship filled with walking skeletons? Is she crazy?”
“You already know that answer,” Rocky jabbed back.
“Okay, okay, no, seriously, that ship has to be crawling with police and the Coast Guard. How are we going to get on board?” Sam questioned.
“Apparently,” Rocky glanced to his left thigh were Sam hovered, “they asked for us by name.”
“Of course they would.” Sam paused in the hall while Rocky went inside his room to change. His eyes grew wide and he began to nod slowly as he thought. “What could possibly go wrong talking to a ship full of skeletons?”
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Elizabeth Price is best known for her Paranormal Mystery series Haunted Ends, which makes light of the dark side of death. Born in Southern California, Elizabeth has always been drawn to Science Fiction and fantasy stories. Having also lived and worked in haunted buildings for many years, she has a deep interest in the paranormal and anything that goes "BOO!" in the night - with the exception of critics that is.
You can connect with Elizabeth on Facebook at facebook.com/authorelizabethprice or on Twitter @Chaosonpaper. You can also visit her website, espwriter.com, to sign up for emails about new releases.
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GIVEAWAY:
Elizabeth Price will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
a Rafflecopter giveawayBook Blast: A DEAD END JOB by Justin Alcala
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Justin Alcala will be awarding a $50 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.
Fans of Terry Pratchett and Shane Kuhn's THE INTERN'S HANDBOOK will love this noir supernatural thriller.
Death needs a vacation. Badly. But there's a catch: There are people who cheat the system, always falling through the cracks and not dying like they're supposed to. Who's going to take care of them while Death's sipping on sangria?
The answer is simple: Death needs an intern, and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize that one prospect, Buck Palasinski,-a bankrupt hitman with a roleplaying addiction-might have what it takes. While scoping out his next target, Buck gets drilled in the forehead by a bullet and falls right into Death's lap.
If they shove him back into his body, he'll have a few weeks to prove that he has what it takes to be Death's right-hand.
All he has to do is take out Public Enemy No. 1, John Dillinger, and quit smoking.
Read an Excerpt
Today was going to be busy. I don’t know how I’d fit a murder into my schedule.
For starters, I was out of coffee. I don’t think anyone can really start the day unless they have a cup of joe. Not me at least. Since I live in a more affordable part of Chicago, there were no corner coffee shops charging mortgages for a fix within walking distance. Which means I had to drive deeper into the city to feed the shaky caffeine monkey beating on my back. I joined a local horde of zombies in a hipster neighborhood called Bucktown as they waited in a Disneyland-worthy line for a chance to be a real boy or girl again. This gave me time to think about my to-do list.
I needed to return my library books. I was finally catching up on my Bukowski novels after years of recommendations from friends. Why is good advice so hard to swallow? Since I paid for everything in singles and change, I couldn’t just buy a book online. I had to check them out whenever a reading itch needed a scratch. Afterwards, I’d need to replace the squeaky brakes on the van, shower, and then pick up a new hammer strut pin from Denny’s Pawn Shop. Denny and I had built a relationship based on trading illegal firearm parts, which was great for a guy that doesn’t like proof of sale when it came to his career tools. Finally, my role-playing group had a six o’clock table reserved for our D&D campaign at the neighborhood gaming store. We were nearing level ten, and as the party’s wizard, they’d need me to survive our latest adventure. Hmm, when could I possibly squeeze in work?
“That’ll be twelve-fifty,” declared the barista with black framed glasses.
“For a cup of plain coffee?” I stared at the register’s cost display. “I mean, seriously?”
The acne covered art history major working the register didn’t flinch. He must have been seasoned.
“Do I get a veteran discount?”
He shook his head. I used my sparse wallet insulation to pay for the mud, but only after my debit card declined. Now I was really running late.
About the Author:
Justin Alcala is a novelist, nerdologist and Speculative Literature Foundation Award Finalist. He’s author of the novels Consumed, (BLK Dog Publishing) The Devil in the Wide City (Solstice Publishing) and Dim Fairytales (AllThingsThatMatterPress). His dozens of short stories have been featured in magazines and anthologies, including It Dances Now (Crimson Street Magazine),The Offering (Rogue Planet Press) and The Lantern Quietly Screams (Castabout Literature). When he’s not burning out his retinas in front of a computer, Justin is an adventuresome tabletop gamer. He’s also a blogger, folklore enthusiast and time traveler. He is an avid quester of anything righteous, from fighting dragons to acquiring magical breakfast eggs from the impregnable grocery fortress.Most of Justin’s tales and characters take place in The Plenty Dreadful universe, a deranged supernatural version of the modern world. When writing, Justin immerses himself in whatever subject he’s working on, from research to overseas travel. Much to the dismay of his family, he often locks himself away in his office-dungeon while playing themed videos and music over, and over, and over again. Justin currently resides with his dark queen, Mallory, their malevolent daughter, Lily, and their hellcat, Misery. Where his mind might be though is anyone’s guess.
Website: https://www.justincalcala.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JustinAlcala
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justin.alcala
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7862799.Justin_Alcala
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Dead-End-Job-Justin-Alcala/dp/1956136096
BN: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-dead-end-job-justin-alcala/1137956585
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Book Blast: ENOUGH TO MAKE THE ANGELS WEEP by Ernesto Patino
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Ernesto Patino 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.
Hired to investigate the murder of an 84-year-old widow, P.I. Joe Coopersmith hits one dead end after another in his search for leads. With few clues and no suspects, he nearly gives up, until he uncovers a connection to a bizarre plot to kill the descendants of Irish soldiers who fought for Mexico during the Mexican-American War. Known as San Patricios, they belonged to the St. Patrick's Battalion, an elite Mexican unit composed mostly of Irish immigrants. When a well-preserved diary of an Irish soldier turns up, Coopersmith knows he's on the right track. He digs deeper into the plot, soon learning the identity of the man behind it and his warped motive for the cold-blooded murder of the elderly widow.
Read an Excerpt
Excerpt from the diary of Kevin O’Leary.
September 13, 1847
I am writing this from the home of Father Bernardo, who is not only my protector but my only source of information about what is happening throughout the city. This morning the last of the condemned San Patricios were hanged within view of Chapultepec Castle. Father Bernardo witnessed the event, which he described as barbaric beyond belief. With nooses around their necks, they waited over 3 hours before they were hanged. May they rest in peace and may Mary, our Mother, watch over them for eternity.
As I deserted after the battle of Monterrey, I know the Americans will show me no mercy. But I thank God that David McElroy and John Brooke were spared the noose because of their youth. They were with me when we slipped away from the Americans as they celebrated their victory.
About the Author:Ernesto Patino has been a musician, soldier, schoolteacher, FBI agent and private investigator. He is a multi-genre author whose books range from Mysteries and Thrillers to Romance and Children’s books. His published works include In the Shadow of a Stranger, Web of Secrets, The Last of the Good Guys and One Last Dance. He lives in Southern Arizona with his wife Pamela with whom he shares a passion for ethnic cuisines, classical music and foreign films.
Website: http://www.ernestopatino.com
Amazon Author Page: http://wwww.amazon.com/author/ernestopatino
Amazon Buy link: http://amazon.com/dp/B09FJ4Q136
a Rafflecopter giveaway
November 11, 2021
Blog Tour: SCARLET AT CRYSTAL RIVER by Randy Overbeck
Scarlet At Crystal River
by Randy Overbeck
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GENRE: Mystery
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BLURB:
All Darrell Henshaw wanted was to enjoy his honeymoon with his beautiful wife, Erin, in the charming town of Crystal River on the sunny Gulf Coast of Florida. Only a pair of ghosts decide to intrude on their celebration. And not just any ghosts, the spirits of two young Latino children. Unwilling at first to derail the honeymoon for yet another ghost hunt, Darrell finally concedes when a painting of the kids comes alive, weeping and pleading for his help.
When he and Erin track down the artist, they discover the children’s family were migrant workers the next county over. But when they travel there, their questions about the kids gets their car shot up and Erin hospitalized. Torn between fear and rage, Darrell must decide how far he will go to get justice for two young children he never even knew.
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Excerpt One:
Darrell started, “Like I said back there, it’s complicated. We—”
Erin’s side window exploded. The fractured glass shot slivers across the front seat. The sound of an explosion followed a beat behind. Erin screamed. Something stung Darrell’s right arm. He grabbed a cut on his skin and then looked across the seat. Damn. Erin’s arm was bleeding, bad.
He couldn’t breathe. “Erin?” He stared at her for a second and then jerked his gaze back to the road and straightened the car.
Something hit the rear window. Luis yelped. The glass shattered and a second later, another crack followed. Luis fell forward. Was he hit? Darrell’s gaze jumped from the road to Erin to the back seat. Luis had fallen to the floor. Darrell couldn’t see him.
“Luis?” Erin called.
No answer.
Dragging his eyes from the road, Darrell shot another glance at Erin. Her entire arm was now turning red, the edge of her short sleeve wicking up the scarlet. The fingers of her left hand gripped tight around her right arm, the knuckles turning white. The blood still seeped through.
Dragging his eyes from Erin for a second, he turned in his seat to try to look.
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Review: A newlywed couple, a trip to Crystal River at Christmas, and a foreboding warning.
Not wanting to spoil the honeymoon, Darrel, figured he’d handle it. But when he saw the disappearing kids, he wasn’t so sure. Those same from the prophecy kept ringing in his head: “I see a malevolence, a great danger lurking nearby.” This is repeated so often in the beginning that it takes a while for the mystery to get going while the characters navigate through their vacation spot. Darrel kept insisting on his refusal to let two ghosts ruin his honeymoon. But things slowly started happening, like the crying painting.
A good ghost mystery is always intriguing, and this one certainly was. The writing was good with an easy-going narrative. Story kept a steady and consistent pace, careful not to reveal things too quickly, which was fine but not overly exciting.
Overall a nice read.
Rating: 3 stars
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Dr. Randy Overbeck is an award-winning educator, author and speaker. As an educator, he served children for more than three decades in a range of roles captured in his novels, from teacher and coach to principal and superintendent. His thriller, Leave No Child Behind (2012) and his recent mysteries, the Amazon No. 1 Best Seller, Blood on the Chesapeake and Crimson at Cape May have earned five star reviews and garnered national awards including “Thriller of the Year--ReadersFavorite.com, “Gold Award”—Literary Titan, “Mystery of the Year”—ReadersView.com and “Crowned Heart of Excellence”—InD’Tale Magazine. As a member of the Mystery Writers of America, Dr. Overbeck is an active member of the literary community, contributing to a writers’ critique group, serving as a mentor to emerging writers and participating in writing conferences such as Sleuthfest, Killer Nashville and the Midwest Writers Workshop. When he’s not writing or researching his next exciting novel or sharing his presentation “Things Still Go Bump in the Night,” he’s spending time with his incredible family of wife, three children (and their spouses) and seven wonderful grandchildren.
Social Media Handles
https://twitter.com/OverbeckRandy/media
https://www.facebook.com/authorrandyoverbeck
https://www.instagram.com/authorrandyoverbeck/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-KOC0LH2GQRSAjwxOFr5rg
Tik Tok @authorrandyo
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GIVEAWAY:
Randy Overbeck will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
a Rafflecopter giveawayNovember 10, 2021
Blog Tour: SEARCHING FOR TRUTH by Barry Finlay
Searching For Truth
by Barry Finlay
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GENRE: Mystery
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BLURB:
Former journalist Jake Scott is bored and lonely, having lost his wife and retired from his job. His daughter has moved with a boyfriend to another city. All that keeps him going is a weekly breakfast gathering with friends and a temperamental, overweight cat named Oliver. Things change when one of the breakfast attendees, a beautiful police detective with a troubled teenage daughter, suggests Jake should write a book. When he takes her advice and researches a convicted murderer’s case, he finds out something is terribly wrong. Could a member of the breakfast group be hiding a secret deadly enough to commit murder? Jake follows leads that uncover a disturbing rollercoaster ride of clues, all while his attraction for the detective grows. An attempt to force the true murderer out of hiding results in a terrifying ordeal on the coldest night of the year.
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Excerpt One:
They used the next few minutes to discuss their future, ever watchful of the other car. The tension in Melissa’s body eased, comforted as she was by Matt’s words. She wasn’t a stunning beauty, but the smile that came readily to her face, and the dimples it created, attracted Matt from the beginning. She found the humor in anything, tonight being an exception. He found that incredibly attractive. The first time they met, when she patched him up in the hospital after a bicycle accident, the smile and her sense of humor drew him like metal to a magnet. She made him laugh by emphatically imagining a curb leaping in front of his bike at the last second. It took his mind off the pain. He noticed her wedding band only after he asked her out for coffee, and she accepted. He wondered if she took it off when she worked, but he never asked. The affair had been ongoing for months.
Her hands ran nervously through her hair as she talked about leaving her husband, but she continually glanced over Matt’s shoulder to see if the dark car had moved. Matt listened as she talked. He had heard it all before, and he didn’t actually believe it. Melissa was too timid to walk out on her husband. She was too afraid of what her husband might do if she left him. But he listened, nodding at the right time, and deliberately, tantalizingly, letting his fingers wander under her skirt.
Melissa stopped him. She said, “Matt, listen to me. I have a plan this time. We will be together. I’m going to leave him.”
Her voice trailed off as a sharp knock on the window startled them. Neither had noticed the man approaching from the black Mercedes. It wasn’t a hand knocking. It was something metallic rapping against the glass that set both their hearts racing. Melissa gasped. Matt turned to peer at the intruder, but a piercing flashlight beam blinded him. He threw one arm up to block the light while he pressed the button to roll down the power window. Nothing happened because he had turned off the car.
It didn’t matter.
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Barry Finlay is the award-winning author of the inspirational travel adventure, Kilimanjaro and Beyond – A Life-Changing Journey (with his son Chris), the Amazon bestselling travel memoir, I Guess We Missed The Boat and five Amazon bestselling and award-winning thrillers comprising The Marcie Kane Thriller Collection: The Vanishing Wife, A Perilous Question, Remote Access, Never So Alone, and The Burden of Darkness. His new novel, Searching For Truth, introduces the Jake Scott Mystery Series. Barry was featured in the 2012-13 Authors Show’s edition of “50 Great Writers You Should Be Reading.” He is a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee medal for his fundraising efforts to help kids in Tanzania, Africa. Barry lives with his wife Evelyn in Ottawa, Canada.
Contact Barry Finlay
Author Website: www.barry-finlay.com
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorBarryFinlay
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Karver2
Buy the book: https://amzn.to/3wUP4qR
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GIVEAWAY:
Barry Finlay will be awarding a $15 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
a Rafflecopter giveawayBlog Tour: YESTERDAY'S GONE by Kelly Pawlik
Yesterday's Gone
by Kelly Pawlik
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GENRE: horror sci-fi
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BLURB:
Book one of the Olympic Vista Chronicles novella series follows Darius and Adelaide as they explore a house rumoured to be haunted. What they find is so much worse.
An eager new kid, a deadpan music-lover, a fast-talking troublemaker, an anxious bookworm and a girl torn between popularity and adventure. Follow this group of friends as they delve into the mysteries of their small town while juggling the trials and tribulations of their home lives.
A tale of friendship, love, and coming of age (with a healthy dose of horror) in the late 1980s.
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Excerpt One:
Darius glanced over at Adelaide. She looked out toward the playground. “So, I heard this place is weird,” he said. “Because of The Link.”
Adelaide’s gaze was still on the playground. Tetsu shrugged. Sophie flicked her hair over her shoulder and smiled.
“They do a lot of experiments there, I guess,” Kurt said. “They say it doesn’t affect us and there’s a lot of safety protocols in place. Between you and me, though,” Kurt said, leaning in, “it’s full of commies. They are the real threat.”
“Come on, Kurt,” Sophie said as she rolled her eyes.
Kurt pursed his lips and looked at the ground. “That’s what my dad says.”
“No one believes that. And the other stuff is just rumours,” Tetsu said. “Got nothin’ to do with commies or Nazis. It’s just some stupid science building and observatory.”
“What about the haunted house?” Darius had thought about it nonstop since he’d heard about it yesterday. He wanted to ask Dillon or the twin boys more about it, but he hadn’t seen them at the school. “Have you guys ever gone there?”
“What haunted house?” Adelaide’s eyes flicked back to him.
“The one on Hyacinth Street. It isn’t far from where I live.” Darius liked her eyes on him.
“That’s a really nice area,” Sophie cooed.
Darius shuffled a step away from Sophie. Unlike with Adelaide, he didn’t like how she looked at him.
“I was going to check it out.” Darius ran his hand through his hair, and looked back at Adelaide. “Tonight.”
Adelaide cocked her head and looked at him. “I’m in.”
Darius grinned.
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Review: A haunted house? Sounded like just the mystery for 12-year-old newcomer Darius.
Story carries a nice and easy narrative that engages the reader overall, but it does take a while to get going as characters get introduced and Darius gets mixed up with the local kids. In fact, they don’t get to the haunted house until Chapter 4.
The author does a fairly thorough job of painting this scary and creepy house with its shadows and sounds. I mean, who doesn’t love a haunted house story, right? The plot certainly was interesting and it turns out that the mystery was more puzzling and more complex than we thought. Story didn’t move as quickly and smoothly as it should’ve, but it had all the elements that one would like in a mystery.
Overall, this was a fairly nice read.
Rating: 3 stars
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Kelly Pawlik dabbled with story writing from a young age. She spent her childhood reading, dressing her beloved cat, Midnight, up in doll clothes and hunting garter snakes in the backyard. Her childhood dream was to be an author and she is proud to have made her fiction debut with the Olympic Vista Chronicles novellas.
Kelly is a tabletop roleplaying game (TTRPG) writer and has released multiple RPG supplements with her husband under their micro-publishing company, Dire Rugrat Publishing. She has also contributed to several best-selling works with Kobold Press.
Kelly lives on Vancouver Island, BC with her husband, their three inquisitive children, and two lazy cats.
Yesterday’s Gone is available FREE at your favourite ebook retailer.
Songs from the Wood, book two in the Olympic Vista Chronicles series, is available now.
Costumes & Copiers, book three in the Olympic Vista Chronicles series, is available now.
You can follow Kelly on:
Facebook: kellypawlikauthor
Instagram: kellypawlikauthor
Twitter: @KellyPawlik84 or visit her website at olympicvistapublishing.com
FREE SHORT STORY: Sign up to receive Kelly’s newsletter and get access to sneak peeks of upcoming novellas, behind the scenes information and other exclusive content. PLUS, you’ll get “Snow Day,” a short story set in the Olympic Vista Chronicles universe, right away! Sign up now.
Yesterday's Gone is free for the length of this book tour so pick up a copy today!
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GIVEAWAY :
Kelly Pawlik will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
November 9, 2021
Blog Tour: LITTLE SWEETPEA TEACHES LITTLE POSSUM A LESSON by Halle J. Ladd
Little Sweetpea Teaches Little Possum a Lesson
by Halle J Ladd
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GENRE: Children's
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BLURB:
What do Little Possum and Little Sweetpea get up to in the garden? This is a charming story with some facts about the two characters. Also, it engages young children with fantasy. Little Sweetpea teaches Little Possum compromise with a slight feminist twist!
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My review: What can Little Possum eat? Find out the lesson by Little Sweetpea.
The drawings had a plain, simple, and childlike quality. They weren’t as vibrant to make them pop and there was a tad too much white space in some (one just had a small tree in the corner.)
It’s a cute, little story with a play on words.
My rating: 3 stars
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Halle J Ladd has had experience as a teacher in mainstream schools and special needs. She specialised in a school library for some time and engaged children of all ages and abilities in these roles. She has a Master's of Teaching and a Bachelor of Arts (Sociology) and loves to see the enjoyment of books through young eyes.
Book Purchase Links:
Amazon.ca :https://amazon.ca/dp/0228840473
Amazon.com : https://amazon.com/dp/0228840473
Bookshop.com : https://bookshop.org/books/little-pos...
Barnes and Noble : https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/litt...
Book Depository : https://www.bookdepository.com/Little...
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GIVEAWAY :
Halle J Ladd will be awarding $10 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Book Blast: MERRY LITTLE WISHING SPRITZ by Cherie Colyer
This pos is part of a virtual book tour organzied by Goddess Fish Promotions. Cherie Colyer will be awarding a $10 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.
Modern-day witch Cassie Moore’s cozy life turns upside down when her friend foresees the wrecking ball that threatens to destroy Cassie’s home and workplace. But Cassie isn’t giving up without a fight. She casts a well-intended spell meant to save her apartment and her job. But magic is unpredictable, especially when her friend casts a little charm of her own that has Cassie lusting after the man she desperately wants to despise.
Jack Quinn has had his eyes on Lakeside Books for years, and he couldn’t be happier the owner is finally ready to sell. He has big plans for the cozy waterfront property, but he didn’t expect to care about the store or its employees. And he never imagined he’d be drawn to a certain brown-eyed saleswoman.
Almost as if by magic.
Read an Excerpt
Jack tucked the midnight blue candle under his arm and picked up one of the beaded bracelets.
“The magnetite stones help to ground the wearer,” I said.
“Do you believe in that sort of thing?”
I nodded. A person didn’t have to be a witch to believe gems, stones, and herbs had mystical properties. He rolled the black beads between his fingers. “Magnetite also attracts love, loyalty, and commitment, if I remember correctly.”
“You’re right,” I said, amazed he knew the property of the stone.
He held onto the bracelet and wandered to the suspense sections.
I followed. “If you buy Lakeside Books—” His gaze met mine, one eyebrow hiked. “ ‘If’?” My fingers trailed over the nicked shelves as I walked. “Now that word is out the store is for sale, you might not be the only one interested in purchasing it.”
The corners of his mouth curved into a smug smirk, implying he wasn’t worried. Would he up his offer if I countered? Jack reached for a book.
Frustrated at the whole store situation, I flick my finger, sending several paperbacks flying off the shelf with the one Jack grabbed. Books pelted his chest.
I jumped back, acting shocked by the books jumping off the shelf. I couldn’t exactly tell him I did it. “We must have packed them in too tightly.”
I pressed my lips together to hide my smile and helped pick up the fallen books.
“This is quite popular.” I held one out. “Lots of twists and surprise attacks.”
Jack glanced sideways. “Is that right?”
About the Author:
Professional network technician by day, novelist by night, Cherie lives a quiet life in the Chicago suburbs with her charming husband. She has four amazing sons who she loves dearly. Cherie magically weaves together stories with a paranormal twist. She’s the author of the Embrace series (Embrace, Hold Tight, and Entwined), Challenging Destiny, Damned When I Didn’t, and Friends to the End. She waltzes into the adult novel world with this enchanting holiday romance, Merry Little Wishing Spritz.Keep in Touch:
Website: https://cheriecolyer.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Cherie-Colyer-author-250631921629169
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CherieColyer
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/cherie_colyer/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5288487.Cherie_Colyer
Bookbub author page: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/cherie-colyer
Buy links:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09FWZYS9Z
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/merry-little-wishing-spritz-cherie-colyer/1140147083
Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/merry-little-wishing-spritz/id1585526848
Universal link: https://books2read.com/u/m0BJBV
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/merry-little-wishing-spritz-christmas-cookies-by-cherie-colyer
a Rafflecopter giveaway
November 8, 2021
Book Tour: NOMOPHOBIA by JD Wise
Nomophobia
by JD Wise
Genre: Children's Picture Book
Welcome to NOMOPHOBIA ! A PLACE IN TIME WHERE OVERUSED CELLULAR DEVICES TURN CHILDREN INTO OGRES.
This is a sumwhat true, mostly exaggerated story of modern day children. Children that have spent way too much time on their phones.
One night the children are mysteriously turned into ogres.At first the children blame each other for their condition.When they finished blaming each other,they worked together to find a cure.
They searched the house for a cure...But they could not find one.
They tried to wash the ogre off...But it stayed on.
They had all but given up when sissy*s phone accidently falls into the fish tank. When the phone gets wet, a hidden message appears.
YOU WERE TURNED INTO OGRES,BECAUSE ON THE PHONE YOU DID STAY! NOW, PUT IT AWAY AND GO OUT AND PLAY!
So the children rushed outside, where they returned to normal.
That day the children learned a valuable lesson.
OVERUSED CELL PHONES TURN CHILDREN INTO OGRES.
I hope that you have as much fun reading this book as we did in writing it!
THANK YOU ALL SO VERY MUCH!
JD Wise is a West Virginian-born author who believes that the world can be changed for the better, by one person, one time, doing the right thing.
“Just think what would happen if we all did that,” said Wise.
Wise is happily married to the love of his life. Together, they have four wonderful children, who are the true inspiration for the book.
Review: This is a rhyme of kids with too much phone in their lives. Everything seemed fine…until, one day, they woke up and realized that they had turned….GREEN.
Filled with interesting and colorful illustrations, this book narrates the possible ramifications. See how these kids struggle to find the cause and solution to their problem.
A funny, little tale and a great way for kids to see that they can have fun without a phone.
Rating: 4 stars
Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!
$10 Amazon giftcard,
Print Copy of Nomophobia
- 1 winner each!





