Sandra C. Lopez's Blog, page 40
December 6, 2024
Blog Tour: MAGGIE THE CAT LOVES PIP'S THANKSGIVING SURPRISE by Julia Russo
Maggie the Cat Book 2
Children's Book
Date Published: October 15th
Publisher: Jan-Carol Publishing, Inc.
Wonderful illustrations bring us back up to Grandpa's mountain farmhouse for a Thanksgiving homecoming. Pip will soon have a Thanksgiving surprise, but what exactly will it be? Will it have to do with the treats in the oven? Pecan pie with oatmeal? Cornbread? Dutch apple pie? Mmmmm, they all smell so good!
Will it have to do with a new park for all of the children to play in, being built at a neighbor's farm? Wow! A brand new park where everyone, and I mean everyone, is working very hard. Will it have to do with little Barney who is the littlest goat ever and who is really working hard and chomp chomp chomping away to make the park soft and free of brush?
Or finally, will it have to do with Pip's best friend ever, Maggie? Read along, and let's find out together. We don't have that long. Thanksgiving is coming very soon!
Review: A little girl spends Thanksgivingwith her grandpa, her cat, and her grandpa’s goat. See what they do over theholiday break. And it all culminates info a fun surprise at the end. With an easynarrative and cute, little illustrations, this story is full of warmth andlove. Great if you love animals and the fall season! Truly reflects the powerof love.
Rating:4 stars
About the Author
Julia Russo spent many winters in the mountains along with her little dog, Chloe, and her sweet husband, Kent. She continues to live in Atlanta but her heart is really in those woods.
One of her favorite things ever was hearing her first graders read aloud. She sometimes wrote for the government and companies, and later wrote descriptions of homes. She even spent time as what is called a roustabout!
After her debut book, Maggie the Cat Who Came Home for Christmas, released in 2023, Julia is excited to continue the series. She visits her mountainside cabin often. One of these days, she’s hoping to get a little goat.
Contact Link
Blog Tour: A VERY RETRO CHRISTMAS by Pamela Spradlin Mahajan
A VERY RETRO CHRISTMAS
PamelaSpradlin Mahajan
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GENRE: Holiday Romance
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BLURB:
Whatif the future you always dreamed of, was actually in the past?
Socialworker Cat has no intention of falling in love or getting married—much to hermother’s chagrin. While mourning her paternal grandmother’s passing, Cat opensan heirloom left by the matriarch—a coveted Christmas ornament—and findsherself transported to December 1936.
HandymanEli spends his days doing odd jobs around town and his nights hammering away onhis house—whatever it takes to keep his mind off the awful year he’s had. Whena mysterious young woman drops into his life seemingly overnight and wants torent his guest house, he is at first annoyed and then more than a littleintrigued
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ExcerptTwo:
Eli charged across the dirt driveway, flung open the door ofhis truck, and slid into the driver’s seat. Hunched over the steering wheel, hepushed the key into the ignition and glanced at the closed back door of thehouse.
Nosy woman, wasn’t she? Asking him questions that weren’tany of her business—questions he had no intention of answering. Eli ground hisback teeth together. Why did Cat have to bring up the one thing—the oneperson—he worked so hard not to think about every second of the day? And lastnight she’d asked him about the crib…A cramp pierced Eli’s chest.
It was good that Cat was staying in the detached house.Maybe her presence would expel some of the old energy and stagnant memories ofwhat the space was supposed to be.
He turned on the truck, backed up, and hurtled down thedriveway toward the main road. He took a deep breath as he pulled onto thetwo-lane street, vaguely aware of his fight-or-flight response receding. As hisbody unclenched, an image flooded his mind of the woman sitting at his kitchentable right this very minute. When she’d spoken, one of her blonde ringlets hadfallen into her eyes. The way she’d flicked her head just so to get it out ofher face…it did something to Eli. His mind was a rush of color—the flush of herpink cheeks, the flash of her hazel eyes, and the straw-colored hue of a bouncyringlet.
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Topic: Please describeone of your favorite scenes from this book and why it is your favorite
I actually have two favorite scenes from my new Christmasromance novella A VERY RETRO CHRISTMAS. They both contain my male and femalelead characters and are vivid in my mind.
The first image that comes to mind when I attempt to envision myfavorite scene from the book is one that arrives near the end. It’s a scene inwhich my male and female leads, Cat and Eli, come together at the town’sChristmas dance. One reason this scene appeals to me is because of how vivid Ican see it in my head. From the twinkle lights crisscrossing the high ceilingsto the ruby-red silk cape Cat wears knotted around her bare collarbone, it is ascene I feel I was present for.
Another component to the scene that makes it one of my favoritesis Eli’s obvious adoration for Cat. I was happy with the way I was able topresent his feelings for her on the page. Also, the moment is a climactic oneas it takes place after a bout of conflict which makes it ever more satisfying.
The second scene that comes to mind when I think of my favoritein A VERY RETRO CHRISTMAS is near the beginning of the book. It is the scene inwhich Cat finds herself—and Eli finds her— in the decade 1936. I especiallyenjoy this scene because we see Eli’s gruffness as well as, I hope, hisunderlying gentleness. It is also the first time Eli and Cat meet so there ischemistry between them, not to mention some important insights into each oftheir characters.
Thanks for this thought-provoking question. I enjoyed relivingthose scenes and analyzing exactly just why I enjoyed them!
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
PamelaSpradlin Mahajan is the author of women’s fiction and romance. Her debut novel,“Skye, Revised,” was released in early 2024. Pamela has a bachelor’s degree inpsychology and creative writing from Missouri State University and a Mastersfrom the University of Missouri School of Journalism. Her recent short storieshave appeared in the online literary journal "They Call Us" and shehas been honored in the WOW! Women on Writing Flash Fiction Contest. A nativeof Springfield, Mo., Pamela lives with her family in Kansas City, where inaddition to writing women's fiction and romance, she also works as acopywriter, journalist, and reseller.
Website:https://pamelamahajan.com
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/pamelajsm/
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GIVEAWAY
PamelaSpradlin Mahajan will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawnwinner.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Blog Tour: RAW SILK by Lisabet Sarai
RAW SILK
Lisabet Sarai
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GENRE: Multicultural romantic erotica
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BLURB:
Ina foreign land, a woman discovers exotic new realms of the senses.
“Youwere born to this. You may not understand, yet. You may not believe. But I willteach you.”
Whensoftware engineer Kate O’Neill leaves her lover David to take a job inThailand, she embarks on a sensual journey that will change her forever.
Inthe glittering City of Angels, Kate becomes sexually involved with two verydifferent men—a handsome and debauched member of the Thai aristocracy, and thecharismatic, dominant proprietor of a sex bar. With Anand Rajchitraprasong, shediscovers her own almost unlimited capacity for erotic pleasure. Meanwhile,Gregory Marshall shows her what she has hidden from herself: a deep desire tosubmit, to surrender herself body and soul to someone with the power andcompassion to master her.
Eachlascivious adventure binds her more closely to her lovers. Then David comes toBangkok, and Kate realizes that she must choose one of the three men who alldesire her.
Longconsidered an erotic classic, Raw Silk chronicles one woman’s intimate voyagetoward love and self-understanding. This twenty-fifth anniversary edition hasbeen freshly edited and includes a new introduction plus a bonus chapter.
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EXCERPT
Theroom stayed bright with moonlight filtering in through the translucentcurtains. The sliding door to the balcony was open. Through the screen, thegentle breeze brought the garden scents into the room.
Despiteher exhaustion, Kate found it difficult to sleep. After all, it was the middleof the day back in her normal time zone. The moon made patterns on her closedeyelids. She tried the strategy of focusing on them, watching them ebb and flowlike wavelets on a beach. She began to drift a little along with themoon-tides.
Then,she heard a sound, or thought she did, a human sound like a cry or moan.Silently she rose, and went over to the balcony door, peering between thecurtains. Was there someone there, perhaps hidden in the deep shadows under thetwining tree? Then she heard the noise again, from the left, the far corner ofthe garden, where the moon shone full on an intricate sculpture of a Thaitemple.
Atfirst she could not see anything. Then, as her eyes adjusted to the brightness,she discerned discerned two figures below the temple on its pedestal. A man anda woman, in a fervent embrace.
Ae’smulticolored sarong revealed the identity of the woman. Her companion’s facewas in shadow, hidden in the luxurious mass of her hair.
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
LisabetSarai became addicted to words at an early age. She began reading when she wasfour. She wrote her first story at five years old and her first poem at seven.Since then, she has written plays, tutorials, scholarly articles, marketingbrochures, software specifications, self-help books, press releases, afive-hundred page dissertation, and lots of erotica and erotic romance, innearly every sub-genre—paranormal, scifi, ménage, BDSM, GLBT, and more.
Twenty-fiveyears ago, Lisabet published her first novel, the exuberantly erotic romanceRaw Silk. The 2024 edition of this classic introduces a new generation ofreaders to this intense chronicle of one woman’s sensual journey.
Lisabetlives in Southeast Asia with her husband of over forty years and several rescuecats, where she pursues an occupation completely unrelated to her literaryendeavors.
You’llfind information and excerpts from all Lisabet’s books on her website, alongwith more than fifty free stories and lots more. At her blog Beyond Romance,she shares her philosophy and her news and hosts lots of other great authors.She’s also on Goodreads, BookBub and Twitter. Join her VIP email list here:https://btn.ymlp.com/xgjjhmhugmgh
SocialMedia Links
Website:https://www.lisabetsarai.com
Blog:https://lisabetsarai.blogspot.com
Goodreads:http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/83387.Lisabet_Sarai
AmazonAuthor Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/lisabetsarai
SmashwordsAuthor Page: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/LSarai
Twitter/X:https://www.twitter.com/lisabetsarai (@lisabetsarai)
Medium:https://medium.com/@lisabet_63394
Bluesky : https://bsky.app/profile/lisabetsarai.bsky.social
BuyLinks
AmazonUS: https://www.amazon.com/Raw-Silk-Lisabet-Sarai-ebook/dp/B0DF6Q2S2B
AmazonCA: https://www.amazon.ca/Raw-Silk-Lisabet-Sarai-ebook/dp/B0DF6Q2S2B
AmazonUK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Raw-Silk-Lisabet-Sarai-ebook/dp/B0DF6Q2S2B
Addon Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/218068923-raw-silk
Addon Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/raw-silk-by-lisabet-sarai-2024-09-01
KinkyLiterature:https://www.kinkyliterature.com/book/1666-raw-silk-a-sensual-journey/
Paperback(Amazon): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DKJ2PW92
Smashwords:https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1611408
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GIVEAWAY
Theauthor will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
December 5, 2024
Blog Tour: PIECES OF YOU by April Farlow
PIECES OF YOU
April Farlow
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GENRE: Christian Living
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BLURB:
Knowingwho you are has always been challenging, and in today’s world, more and morevoices are coming from more and more places telling us who we should be. Theresult? A broken sense of identity that we’re struggling to put back together.
InPieces of You, April Farlow shares how she discovered her identity is formed bythe God who made her. Along the way, she’s learned that if we want to put thepieces of who we are together in a real, lasting way, we have to look to Whosewe are for help.
It’stime to take a look at the unique pieces that make up who you are …
Thepieces you compare …
Thepieces informed by the father figure in your life …
Thepainful pieces …
Thepieces of your relationships …
Thepieces on which you’ve built your beliefs …
Thepieces that give you rules and boundaries …
Thepieces that show what you value …
Thepieces that give you purpose …
Thepieces that help you build a vision for what’s to come.
Aswe work to put those pieces together, we’ll look to the God who made us, knowsus, and loves us to guide us. Because when you take all your pieces—the good,the bad, the broken, and the beautiful—and place them in your Heavenly Father’shands, there, you’ll find peace. There, you’ll find security. There, you’llfind a real sense of who you are and Whose you are.
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ExcerptThree:
Asit turns out, relationships are complex, wonderful, and constantly changing.Whether it’s a relationship with a spouse or significant other, a familymember, a coworker, a friend, or just a neighbor we cross paths withoccasionally, we don’t always appreciate the complexity or influence theserelationships have on the pieces of who we are. We don’t always see how theyshape not just how we see who we are but how we see who others are, too.
Relationshipsare complex. They’re made up of people who are flawed and imperfect, and wewill inevitably get it wrong a time or two. And that means they likely deserveway more work and attention than we give them. After all, relationships caninfluence who we become. They leave a permanent tattoo on our skin, ourpersonality, and our ability to have other relationships. They’re strong enoughto give us a common bond yet powerful enough to tear us apart.
Butyou don’t need me to tell you this, do you? You experience the complexity ofrelationships in your life regularly.
Imean, even science is backing us up here. Social psychologists have claimedthat our identity is often shaped by what we think other people think of us. Ifthe people we’re in relationship with label us as beautiful, we believe it. Wehold on to that if they say we’re smart, personable, or athletic. We think itabout ourselves. We let it become a piece of who we are.
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What do you hope readerswill get from your book?
“Pieces of You” is writtento help readers discover who they are in light of Whose they are.
Iwrote the book because I spent the last 20 years helping business leadersdefine and communicate who they are. Ifound that when you are not able to align this with Whose you are, then youalways come up with missing pieces. Mytime away from work is spent with women around my age juggling career andfamily. I noticed that when I describemy work, friends lean in with curiosity about how to apply the exercises Iteach in their work and families. Thisprompted me to invite 30 friends to discuss “who you are,” both as a person andas a follower of Jesus Christ. We cametogether for 3 sessions to beta the content for this book and my friends keptasking for more. I discovered that womenare hungry to make their lives count and find space to grow their faith andtheir families intentionally. This bookis a collection of the exercises and stories that we shared in our meetingswith the ladies I refer to throughout the book as my kaleidoscopes.
Those meetings helped medetermine the ‘pieces’ that had the greatest impact:
The pieces you compare…
The pieces informed by thefather-figure in your life…
The painful pieces…
The pieces of yourrelationships…
The pieces on which you’vebuilt your beliefs…
The pieces that give yourules and boundaries…
The pieces that show whatyou value…
The pieces that give youpurpose…
The pieces that help youbuild a vision for what’s to come.
I wrote this book to helpput those pieces together, to help women look to the God who made us, knows us,and loves us to guide us. Because, when you take all of your pieces—the good,the bad, the broken, and the beautiful—and lay them at your Heavenly Father’sfeet, there, you’ll find peace. There, you’ll find security. There, you’ll finda real sense of who you are and Whose you are.
I pray readers finish thisbook and walk more securely in their identity andpurpose with an unshakable sense of confidence in who they are and Whose theyare.
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
AprilFarlow has spent the last 20 years motivating audiences to get out of theircomfort zone, speak up, and represent their values. In corporate environments,one piece is missed—the ability to talk about forming your identity in God.Today, as a speaker, author, coach, and non-profit leader, April is changingthis by sharing her faith journey and helping others do the same with clarityand conviction.
In2017, after speaking to a group of foster youth, April founded Lydia’s Place, aministry serving young adults who have experienced foster care or homelessness.April and her husband have four girls and live on a mini-farm outside ofAthens, Georgia.
http://www.instagram.com/aprilwfarlow
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GIVEAWAY
Theauthor will be awarding a $15 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
December 4, 2024
Book Blast: CURVEBALLS by Gail Taylor
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Gail Taylor will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
Here you are on the brink of a journey all about self-discovery and chasing dreams. With personal stories and tools that shaped the author's path, she focuses on embracing authenticity. You'll explore how living with purpose and passion is achievable. This personal-growth book combines cutting-edge technology and music interaction, reflecting the author's belief that music can transform and positively impact individuals and communities.
Read an Excerpt
If we could look through the ideas swimming around in virtually any person’s head, we would likely find a few limiting beliefs. We can all relate to harbouring these self-defeating thoughts; however, you could build awareness around where limiting beliefs show up for you, and remove them from your mind like gardeners remove weeds from their cherished crops.
Before we talk more about defeating the beliefs that hold you back in life, we will define “limiting beliefs.” First, the adjective “limiting” is not one you would want to use frequently if you are striving to become your best self. We can focus on perceiving our possibilities and abilities as having few limits. The second word, “beliefs,” is also important to consider. We are not talking about facts when we discuss limiting beliefs. They are not necessarily logic or fact-based thoughts, such as two plus two equals four. Beliefs, limited or not, are simply ideas you have based on your past experiences. Unfortunately, they can manifest as a thought or state of mind that you think is the absolute truth and that is what can stop you from doing certain things. They can also be formed by well-meaning people trying to protect you from hurt or embarrassment.
Limiting beliefs are something you might have adopted at an early age, accepting them as facts. You didn’t do well on a math test so decided you couldn’t work with numbers . . . ever. Nerves got the best of you during a class presentation, so you avoided public speaking for the next three decades. A Grade 3 music teacher told you you couldn’t sing, so you never sang again. This is NOT cool, but I actually met a young woman in vocal classes that experienced this, and she had a beautiful voice.
Obviously, beliefs can wield enormous power over your life. The people who have mastered the power of belief are the ones who have learned that self-fulfilling prophecies often manifest in their lives. This explains the optimistic nature of the predictions they make. I fit squarely into the optimist box, and I am constantly and affectionately informed by my husband, Harold, that I wear rose-coloured glasses. Heck, I sleep in them!
I came across this saying early in my journey: “If you think you can, you’re right, and if you think you can’t, you’re right.” How can both possibilities be true? Both possibilities consider the incredible influence your beliefs have over the outcomes. Limiting beliefs can have the power to shut down your dreams before you even start to chase them. The upside is that, once you learn to recognize these adverse beliefs, you can challenge them, which results in their losing their ability to interfere with your growth.
I have found over the years that people have limiting beliefs of various types. They tend to contain phrases like, “I cannot,” “I will never,” “There is no point in trying,” and “I tried that before and it didn’t work, so no use trying again.” They often grow stronger when they are allowed to take up permanent residence in your head. Repeated enough, they become part of you. I have one I’ll share. “I grew up in a family that had no desire for material goods, so I must be damaged for wanting a sports car or a luxury coat.” You can become so attached to these limiting beliefs that you feel threatened when something or someone challenges them.
Imagine your optimistic friend is encouraging you to go back to school (for my friends, the optimist would be me). “You would be great at operations management,” the friend says. “Think of everything you could do with that degree.”
About the Author: Gail Taylor, a Canadian songwriter, keynote speaker, entrepreneur, and author, is celebrated for inspiring others to take charge of their lives. With forty years of studying personal growth and peak performance, she proves that designing your own life is possible, regardless of your beginnings. Her expertise has made her a sought-after guest on numerous podcasts.
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Curveballs-Unlocking-Potential-Personal-Inspirational/dp/1779622015/ref=sr_1_1
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Blog Tour: THE VICIOUS AND THE VIRILE VII by Luki Belle
THE VICIOUS AND THE VILE VII
Luki Belle
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GENRE: Dark Fantasy
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BLURB:
Acollection of short horror stories, The Vicious and The Virile VII offers acaptivating combination of unique and varied short stories emblematic of thedark fantasy genre.
KaranLloyd Hamilton: when touring a fictitious national park in India a wealthyAmerican couple, Judas and Priscilla Hamilton are attacked by tigers and getphysically separated. The mortally wounded wife, pregnant with male twin, diesgiving birth in the wilderness to healthy babies. Only one twin is found andreturned to Judas who survived the attack. The grieving father returns toAmerica with his newborn and the corpse of Priscilla. The boy, Karan LloydHamilton, grows up to be a Wall Street investment banker. He bears a physicalscar from his traumatic birth which has transformed Karan into a predator bynight in the streets of Manhattan.
KartikShiv Yuvarajan: the second twin boy of Judas and Priscilla Hamilton did not diebut was taken by the mystical tribe of the national park. The tribe hides thebaby until he is stolen and given to a tour guide of the park, Arjun. Afraid ofthe consequences of taking the baby to the American embassy, Arjun adopts thechild, gives him the name Kartik Shiv Yuvarajan and then returns to hisancestral village. Kartik bears a similar mark upon his body like his twinKaran. This mark brings about strange physiological changes in Kartik and leadsto unexpected events that threatens his life in the village. Arjun must nowdecide whether to let Kartik know of his identity or whether to flee once againwith the teenager.
Houndsof the Monks: a warrior flees with his family to save his daughter from thelustful, cruel king of the land. When the king’s army gives chase to bring backthe young girl, the warrior separates from his wife and daughter to protectthem. Mother and her girl seek shelter in a monastery only to realize that theholy surroundings may be equally dangerous.
DesertFrogs: a film producer with her adolescent twin sons and a film crew travel toa fictitious nation, Gapharkh, to shoot a few scenes in the country’s legendarydesert. A civil war is imminent in Gapharkh between the military regime and thenomadic tribe of the desert. Unexpected connections quickly form between thetwin boys and the nomads while the war heats up in the backdrop as the filmcrew rushes to complete their work. Discovering that there was a dark motivebehind allowing the foreign film crew to shoot in the desert, the producerdesperately tries to escape Gapharkh with her sons and her crew.
StolenPrincess: Rosemarie, a young woman rescued from prostitution, finds herselfalone and homeless when her husband is lost at sea and her in-laws throw herout of her husband’s home. Rosemarie’s fate momentarily worsens when she israped and almost killed but, miraculously, she is saved by strange old womenwho take Rosemarie to a secluded, enchanting island. The heavenly place seemslike freedom until Rosemarie realizes that there are sinister forces around herwho intend to keep her captive in the isle. Rosemarie’s past may be her onlysalvation.
Bastardof the Mist: Angeline a young widow, arrives at a remote and beautifulrehabilitation center for veterans to work as the assistant of theinstitution’s co-founder. Angeline is supernaturally gifted. Her dark powersclash with evil forces that exist in the forests surrounding the institutionwhen she discovers a sinister plot by her employer Professor Kvalish, a manwith a mysterious past. An unraveling thus begins and threatens the existenceof everyone at the rehabilitation center.
Nature’sCall Girl: in a futuristic Earth a global war is ongoing between humankind andnature. Here, a fictitious country Parakrytheon, has built a nation devoid ofplant and animals with artificially created weather to protect its humans fromnatural predators. On a fictitious island Kamin, humans live harmoniously withnature and beast. This place has the resources that Parakrytheon needs todefeat its natural enemy. Twin brothers Hagaath and Laksha, and their sisterKamina, are the means to this end.
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ExcerptThree:
Excerpt from Story 3 - “Hounds of the Monks”
The doors of the monastery noisily opened as though thehinges had not been used in the longest time and lacked grease. Shamini slowlystood up and called to her daughter, but Zehera had fainted. Shamini was aboutto stoop down again when through the open wooden doors appeared a hooded monkin a brown garb, holding a thin candle in the grip of his bare palms, his armscloaked under the bulky sleeves of his robe.
Shamini could not see the monk’s eyes which were coveredunder the garb’s hood. From the light of the candle’s flame, she saw that theperson was a man, from his chiseled jawline, mouth, and chin.
“Holy monk…please help my daughter…please help us…there arehounds chasing us…please we are fleeing danger…” Shamini said frantically asshe knelt beside Zehera.
“Zehera…my girl…Zehera…get up…look…we are safe…look!”Shamini nudged her daughter, gasped momentarily thinking the worst, thenhastily put her ear against Zehera’s chest to listen; her daughter’s heart wasstill beating with life.
“She needs food and water!!” Shamini exclaimed and looked updesperately at the monk who was quietly standing by the door. She tried to liftup Zehera in her arms but lacked the strength to do so.
The door opened wider on its own and now Shamini could see alarge rectangular empty room behind the monk.
The place was mostly dark except for at the far end, on theother side of the chamber, in front of an arched entrance, stood two more monksin hoods, holding tall candles in their hands.
“You may enter woman” said a deep youthful voice of the monkwho stood by the monastery’s open doors.
“My daughter…” Shamini said in an exhausted tone stilltrying to lift up Zehera.
“Brothers!” the monk called loudly over his shoulder whileplacing the candle in his hands by the foot of the doors.
Quietly then the monk lifted Zehera in his arms and turnedaround.
“Go with my brethren” the monk said as he carried Zeherawith him into the large rectangular room behind him.
“She is bleeding and badly injured! The dogs bit her…she hasfainted…”Shamini said anxiously while following the monk. The other two monkswere approaching her from the other direction, and they blocked her path.
“Your daughter is in holy care. Have faith” said the secondmonk.
“You woman must come with us” said the third monk “Your bodyis weak and your soul needs salvation.”
Their voices sounded almost like the first monk to Shamini,their tones were hypnotic. They stood around her,
hooded and taller than her. Their breaths smelled sweet, thefabric of their garbs exuded a flowery freshness, their lips bore faint smiles.Shamini watched as the first monk with Zehera, disappeared through the darkarched entranceway.
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Luki Belle works in the media industry. Inaddition to The Vicious and the Virile VII, she is the author of three othernovels: The Delicate Affair of Colonel Baquiste, The Sexy Seven Supernaturals,and Shakti of the Illuminated Lotus. Storytelling has been a fixture sinceLuki's childhood when she would listen to stories told by her grandparents,parents, sisters, and cousins reading to her from diverse cultural fictionbooks. Paranormal characters existing as and amongst humans-while exalting intheir mystical powers-have always fascinated Luki. She loves to exploremagical, futuristic, fantastical, and ancient realms in her stories where herhuman and supernatural characters are thrust together, and their conflicted andtormented natures collide.
Amazon:https://www.amazon.com/Vicious-Virile-VII-Freaky-Stories-ebook/dp/B0DCDKMMV6/ref=sr_1_2
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GIVEAWAY
The author will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN GC to arandomly drawn winner.
a Rafflecopter giveawayDecember 3, 2024
Blog Tour: BOOTY IN THE BACKSEAT by Karen C. Whalen
BOOTY IN THE BACKSEAT
Karen C. Whalen
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GENRE: Cozy Mystery
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BLURB:
High-heeledtow truck driver, Delaney Morran, is shocked to discover bags of money in thebackseat of a Volvo she was hired to tow. She’s even more amazed to find asevered hand in one of the bags. She learns the car belongs to the aunt of herfriend, Rory. The booty in the backseat, amounting to half a million dollars,raises questions, but more mysterious is the disappearance of Rory’s uncle.Spruce Ridge, Colorado is home to the rich and famous, and the uncle is awell-known movie producer. With that much money…and a severed body part…and theuncle gone AWOL…Rory fears a kidnapping. When his aunt finally admits toreceiving a ransom demand but was warned against calling the police, Delaneyagrees to help. Is the kidnapper a drug kingpin seen with the victim? Hisneighbor who has reckless parties? Someone connected to his new film? Or,perhaps the victim’s spouse trying to cover up the murder of her husband? Whena dead body turns up next, and it’s not the kidnapped victim, Delaney has twocrimes to solve.
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ExcerptThree:
My palms were sweating so I ran them down my jeans.
“Lance, how do you think this is going to go down?” I neededsome reassurance.
“We need to see to it those two don’t act stupid.” His eyesscoped out the parking lot with people queuing up for the next bus.
“Act stupid? What do you mean?”
“Iceman could snatch those two along with the wad.” Thegangster gazed straight ahead, immobile, looking calm, while I stifled thescream at the back of my throat, ready to explode from the tension.
“So, you think Iceman’s the kidnapper?”
“Don’t you?”
A Chevrolet Suburban, rear-wheel drive, stopped in front ofus, obstructing our field of vision. An attractive blonde my mom’s age got outand strode in our direction. Wait, it was Mom.
Mom?
My mom? Good. God.
I shot out of my Fiat and ran towards her. As I approached,she grabbed both of my arms. “Laney, I’m so glad I spotted you. I have a realcrisis on my hands. I need—”
“—Not now, Mom. Now’s not a good time.”
“When I saw your car, I just had to tell you—”
“—Mom, not now. Wait, how’d you notice my car?”
“I’d recognize your tiny silver Fiat anywhere.” She gave mean up and down look. “You all right?”
“No.” When I saw her blanch, I changed it to, “Yes, I’mfine. Mom, you need to leave.” I glanced over at the gangster in my Fiat. Hewas flailing his arms around, then stopped and patted his jacket, mouthing,“You need help?”
There was no doubt about it, I totally needed help.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Karen C. Whalen is the author of two mystery series for The WildRose Press: the Dinner Club Mysteries featuring Jane Marsh, an empty nester whohosts a gourmet dinner club, and the Tow Truck Mysteries starring DelaneyMorran, a super feminine shoe-a-holic who drives a tow truck. Both are cozymysteries about strong friendships and family ties set in Colorado. The firstbook in the Dinner Club series tied for First Place in the Suspense Novelcategory of the 2017 IDA Contest sponsored by Oklahoma Romance Writers ofAmerica. In the Tow Truck series, Eyes on the Road was a Second Place winner ofthe 2023 Firebird Book Awards in the Cozy Mystery category. Whalen worked formany years as a paralegal at a law firm in Denver, Colorado and was a columnistand regular contributor to The National Paralegal Reporter magazine. Whalenloves to host dinner parties, entertain friends, ride bicycles, hike in themountains, walk on the beach, and read cozy murder mysteries. Murder at SeaOats Beach is her first book published as an indie author.
Website: http://www.karencwhalen.com/
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/karen-c-whalen
Twitter: https://twitter.com/whalenkc
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karen_c_whalen_author/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whalencozyauthor
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Booty-Backseat-Truck-Murder-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B0DGQS1W1R/ref=sr_1_1
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GIVEAWAY
Theauthor will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
December 2, 2024
Blog Tour: THE MYSTERY OF LOVE'S MANOR by D.W. Thompson
THE MYSTERY OF LOVE'S MANOR
D.W. Thompson
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GENRE: Cozy Mystery
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BLURB:
EmmaLove never thought she'd return to her hometown after years away from herestranged family. But when her sister-in-law is kidnapped, Emma puts her lifeon hold to help an old flame, Deputy Sam Mattingley, solve the case and bringGwen home. With a degree in Criminal Justice and part-time experience workingat a detective agency, Emma's skills are tested. As the layers of secrecy arepeeled back, Emma realizes the mystery shrouding Love's Manor and her brother'smarriage is more intricate than anyone could have fathomed. Can she navigatethe convoluted trail of clues and locate Gwen before it's too late? And what ofher long-suppressed feelings for Sam Mattingley…are they merely a product ofnostalgia…or something more?
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ExcerptThree:
While we waited for our food, Sam started the same game weenjoyed together years ago.
“What about the lady with the blue windbreaker, Emma?”
“Hmm, let’s see. She’s a practical woman judging by thewindbreaker over the dress clothes she has on under it. It is a brisk daytoday. I think she is having marital problems or thinks her husband ischeating. She keeps twisting her wedding band around her finger. She may beplotting an indiscretion of her own by the way she keeps looking nervously overher shoulder at the entrance. She’s expecting someone she probably shouldn’t beseen with. That’s why she picked the shadowed booth in the corner.”
“Not to mention the sunglasses worn inside?”
“Exactly. How about that guy across from us with thepin-striped suit?” I whispered.
“Despite the cheater’s ring around his finger, I don’t thinkhe’s cheating, but the lady with him isn’t his wife. I’d say a first or seconddate after his divorce, perhaps. Wearing a suit, even a threadbare one, in avery casual restaurant, he’s trying to impress her, and she’s laughing tooheartily at his jokes. She’s nervous as well. I’d bet she’s been on too manycrappy dates since her divorce. They’re both trying too hard.”
We both laughed when a man entered with dark glasses, duckedhis head, and made his way to the first lady’s booth.
It was a good lunch. There’s nothing quite as satisfying assharing a meal with a good friend.
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What was your writing process like when writing this book?
WhenI’ve written my historical fiction novels, I’ve been more of a plotter. I havethe facts, pertinent dates, and the established events I want to write about(or manipulate for my evil purposes). There’s still leeway (you know—thefiction part), but a general timeline is set, and often, known entities are inplay.
“TheMystery at Love’s Manor” did not fall into this category and was new territoryfor me—the mystery genre. Although I had a general feel for the story’sdirection and the important scenes I wanted to convey, I was more of a “pantser”with this story than any I’ve written before.
Mymain character, Emma Stone, was determined to thwart my understanding of her. (Andshe didn’t mind waking me in the middle of the night to insist she would nothave said something or acted in a particular way. I spend much time with thecharacters in all my books, though. A story isn’t relatable if the charactersare not. I think Emma is a character a reader will get behind and cheer for.
Ido much of my writing perched behind floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking anOld Order Mennonite farm. Horse-drawn plows and old-school buggies provide aunique background and a peaceful space to conjure my tales. Most of my stories(including this one) are set in mythical towns in Southern Maryland, a place Iknow and love.
WhenI’m most pleased by my efforts as a storyteller, I find myself surprised atcertain events and by my characters doing the unexpected. This seemedespecially important to me while creating a mystery. I hope the reader finds itworthwhile and is enthralled by the characters as I am.
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
D.W.Thompson is the mystery genre pen name for award-winning author David W.Thompson. As a multi-genre author, he's been awarded membership in the HorrorWriter's Association, The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association andthe Mystery Writers of America. David lives in picturesque Southern Marylandwith nearby family and dear old friends.
Whenhe isn't writing, Dave enjoys time with his family, kayaking (flat water,please), fishing, hiking, archery, gardening, winemaking, and pursuing hisother "creative passion"- woodcarving.
He'dlove to hear your thoughts on his tales that he describes as occasionallytwisted, but always honest and original!
https://www.david-w-thompson.com
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15425511.David_W_Thompson
https://www.instagram.com/dwthompson1/
https://www.facebook.com/davidw.thompson.1238/
https://www.amazon.com/stores/D.-W.-Thompson/author/B0DHY6G5FM
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GIVEAWAY
Theauthor will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Blog Tour: CHILD PROTECTION BEHIND CLOSED DOORS by Jo Cooling
CHILD PROTECTION BEHIND CLOSED DOORS
Jo Cooling
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GENRE: NonFiction
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BLURB:
Inthe beginning, a tragic event started me on my journey to a destination and mylove for helping children of all ages and their families.
However,what I was not prepared for was that the people who assisted me and paved theway for my advancement in my chosen career in Child Protection were the samepeople who tried to bring me down.
Thisbook will give you insight into what it is like to work in Child Protection. Itwill show you the difficulties and sometimes dangers workers face on a dailybasis. Furthermore, the novel will also highlight the satisfaction you get whenyou can assist a child and their family through a traumatic event.
Mycareer at Child Protection spanned nearly a decade, and during that time, I wasbullied by management. I observed management bully other workers; I was alsoaware of workers consuming drugs, both outside work hours and during workhours.
Thisnovel is a behind-the-scenes look at what really happens at Child Protectionwhen the public is not watching or listening.
ChildProtection is not an easy career path, but it can be a good job if you likelong hours, have a thick skin, keep your head down, keep your mouth shut, andabide by everything that management wants you to do, even when you know it iswrong or unfair.
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Becausethis book contains content that is 18+ with various trigger warnings, we do notfeel excerpts will be applicable. It discusses Jo’s time as a child protectionworker and features substance abuse, sexual assault and various othertriggering topics.
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Why did you decide to write this book?
A: Initially, I waswriting my story as a mental health exercise until I received a phone call froma retired Child Protection Supervisor. They informed me that after I left work,Management directed my colleagues to cease all contact with me. I couldn’tbelieve what I was hearing. I had left work for medical reasons, having beendiagnosed with epilepsy three years earlier. My condition involved full-bodyseizures where I stopped breathing, which posed a danger to others and thechildren I worked with as the seizures became more frequent.
When I left work, I was at my lowest pointmentally. I had lost my job, my independence as I could no longer drive, and Ibecame depressed. Discovering that Child Protection Management had furtheradded to my suffering by taking away my lifeline was devastating. Myexperiences of bullying and other systemic issues within Child Protection—notonly in Australia but worldwide—motivated me to write this book. These issuesincluded a lack of support from Management, drug abuse, overworked staff, andpoor decision-making by both management and workers.
My personal experiences and the harsh realitiesof the child protection system drove me to address my own mental health andexpose the bullying and loss I faced. Writing this book allowed me to grow as aperson and stand up against what has become acceptable behaviour in this field.My goal is to address these issues and bring about change in an industry thathas long plagued our society, and hopefully prevent others from going throughwhat I endured.
Child Protection Behind Closed Doors is a novelthat provides readers with a bird’s eye view of the process of how the systemdoes and does not work. I have tried to give insight into bullying, drugtaking, and bad decision-making, which ultimately affects our most vulnerable.If you look at some of the issues on the internet today, they are still thesame as they were back when I was a Child Protection Worker —lack of support bymanagement, bad decision-making. You are sometimes talking about life and deathdecisions.
While the workload may never change, as it isan industry that requires long hours, work-life balance is something thatshould be prioritized in all jobs.
There have been many articles and many concernsraised about Child Protection. Furthermore, there have been many whistleblowersin the past, but for obvious reasons, they have kept their identities a secret.I wanted to write a book and own it, I wanted to set off a fireworks display, puta bomb under a system that needs to be blown up and rebuilt to ensure thesafety of our most vulnerable.
I also wanted to write a book that wasavailable for everyone to read; you would be surprised how many people have hadexperiences or know someone who works with Child Protection but do not reallyknow what goes on behind closed doors because workers are forced to keep theirmouths shut.
We need to support those families who arecaring for our most vulnerable and support the workers who are supposed tomanage the system. However, how can they do that when senior management is notsupporting them?
What the public doesn’t see is that ChildProtection impacts so many other important services, for example, MentalHealth, Domestic and Family Violence, Drug & Alcohol, Juvenile Justice,Homelessness—the list goes on. When you look at those agencies that rely on aseamless approach and partnership with Child Protection to care for our mostvulnerable, what service delivery are they going to get when they are dealingwith a broken Child Protection System? What hope do our most vulnerable membersof society deserve? It’s about time somebody asked the question.
For Whom This Book Is Written:
This book is for everyone who cares about childwelfare—parents, educators, social workers, policymakers, and the services thatinteract with Child Protection. and concerned citizens. It is for those whobelieve in the power of truth to drive change and are committed to creating asafer and more just world for our children. Whether you are directly involvedin the Child Protection sector or simply want to understand more about thechallenges faced by those who are, Child Protection Behind Closed Doorsoffers invaluable insights and a call to action that cannot be ignored.
This book is also for anyone looking for acompelling read they can’t put down. Comprised of short stories, it’s an easyand engaging read. To counterbalance the weight of the content, each storyconcludes with a positive affirmation, ensuring that readers finish eachchapter with a sense of hope and encouragement.
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Thelife of Jo Cooling is like living in a theme park: one minute, it's like ridinga roller coaster, baking cupcakes, cookies, and slices. With a kitchen coveredwith chocolate, flour, and cooking utensils. Also trying to develop new tastesand ideas for her growing baking business.
Sometimes,she feels like she travels through life in a Dodge 'em car. All the while, sheworks to complete two novels while caring for two Cavoodles, who believe theirmother was placed on this earth purely to play with them 24 hours a day.
Butno matter how out of control her life can be at times, eventually, she ends upsailing around on the Walt Disney teacup ride on top of the world. However,when she relaxes, the Cavoodles see this as an opportunity to snuggle on Mum'slap.
Jo'swork career has been just as colorful as her current life. She has worked inhorse and car racing, sold lingerie, designed websites, been a PersonalAssistant, and worked as a Law Clerk.
Jolooks at life like a box of chocolates: each day unwraps a new layer, revealingunexpected flavors and textures.
CONNECTWITH Jo Cooling
WEBSITE: www.jocooling.com
INSTAGRAM:@jocoolingauthor
PURCHASELINKS Child Protection Behind Closed Doors
AMAZON.COM:https://amazon.com/dp/1779418698
AMAZON.AU:https://amazon.com.au/dp/1779418698
INDIGOCHAPTERS:https://www.indigo.ca/en-ca/child-protection-behind-closed-doors/9781779418692.html
BOOKTOPIA:https://www.booktopia.com.au/search.ep?keywords=9781779418692
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GIVEAWAY
Theauthor will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
November 30, 2024
Review: STAR MAKER by Jessa Nevins
Do any of these young musicianshave what it takes to be a star? That’s evidently what it’s all about in StarMaker. Among them are Kit and Joe, best friends since childhood with rock n’roll dreams. Kit was a hot red-head studying entertainment law and looking forthe next top band to manage while Joe was a lead guitarist for a popular group.Because she got Joe where he was, Kit was deemed the Star Maker by her friends.
It was interesting to dive intothe Hollywood music scene in this book. The whole thing was basically awhirlwind lifestyle of studying law, managing a band, and partying in L.A. Theread was much longer than it should’ve been, but it was still nice and easy.There’s definitely a nice romance that slowly develops, which was the huge drawfor this book. I’d be interested to see what this author comes up with next. JessaNevins is definitely a star!
Rating:4 stars
