Sandra C. Lopez's Blog, page 56

Blog Tour: THE PATH OF REVENGE by Tom Haward

 

THE PATH OF REVENGE

Tom Haward

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

GENRE:  Historical Fiction/ Alternative History

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

BLURB:

 

Therebellion is in hiding. It has been a year since Boatman King attempted tooverthrow the Empire, but instead had to escape London with his wife and theirclosest allies.

 

Notall of Boatman King’s allies are in hiding. Maverick “The Beast” Kirabo is on amission to finish what he started on the streets of London. The formergladiator has a score to settle and revenge to unleash: Rome will fear him asthey once adored him.

 

Despiteits failure, Boatman King’s rebellion has spread disquiet in Rome’s politicalcircles. Grand Protector Faust dispatches a pair of hunters to search thecountry and bring Boatman and his followers back to London for reckoning.Although Faust is the official face of Rome’s leadership, Emperor Maximus isthirsty to stamp his mark on the world and step out from his dead father’sshadow.

 

Unbeknownstto Faust and Maximus, a terrifying presence is watching the unrest andrelishing in the vulnerabilities it’s causing.

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

ExcerptTwo:

 

It was a chilly Autumn morning with barely a breath of wind.He gazed over to the other side of the channel to see a seal lazing on the mud.A heron landed a few metres away from Boatman, unperturbed by the man’spresence. It only took ten minutes to leave shore and get to the oyster beds byboat, but it felt like a wilderness. For a moment, Boatman felt like the traumaand stress of the past few months had evaporated, out here in this tinywilderness.

 

“I definitely prefer hitting a Roman in the face to this.”Tobias’s words brought Boatman back to reality.

 

“Being out here is good for the soul,” said Boatman.

 

“What the fuck happened to your soul? It’s muddy, wet andcold. If I wanted that combination, I would have gone to fight in the Aestiiregion.”

 

“You need an open mind, Tobias.”

 

“No, I need to be somewhere hot. I used to have a gorgeous,golden tan. Do you remember that? Do you remember my tan? I looked good.”Tobias looked down at himself, mud splattered up his oilskin overalls, “Now Ilook like a pale hobo.”

 

“Did Maverick know where your off switch was? Because itwould be really handy right now.”

 

“I came out here with you. Voluntarily.”

 

“Only because Bella didn’t want you.”

 

“I’m offended she didn’t want me to go with her.”

 

“She’s hunting birds. It needs to be done quietly. As in, noconstant talking,” said Boatman.

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Please describe acompelling scene in your story and why it's important.

 

Bjorn Askå is the major villain in The Path of Revenge. Hisorigin and his history is a mystery, but I wanted to write a scene whichdepicts the horror he personifies. I also wanted to bring together theconnections between certain characters to highlight that although the reach ofthe Roman Empire is huge, the thread that runs through humanity actually makeit a small world. Therefore one scene in question describes Askå’s veryintimate connection with the highest powers of Roman government.

 

Askå is a terrifying presence, but for fear to be realisedit comes from the unknown. A lot of our fears are more based on what we don’tknow and that not knowing makes our hearts beat faster and irrational thoughtsto come through. I wanted a scene with Askå to highlight that, but then put aslight twist on it where knowing Askå was just as horrific.

 

The Path of Revenge is very much about visual action andexcitement, so this scene, with Askå is a deliberate jarring of that and bringsan element of horror in to the book. I was conscious of doing such a thing soto grab the reader by the scruff and make the reader sit up and take note ofAskå and what he’s capable of. I’m really proud of it as I think it not onlycements Askå as a great villain, it also highlights the humanity of othercharacters, which may not have been noticeable previously. 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

Tomwas born in Essex and, at 4 months old, he and his identical twin were adoptedinto an oyster farming family. Tom now runs the business as generation eight ofHaward oyster farmers.  He has a fiancée,baby daughter and a cockapoo.

 

Tomhas an MA in Creative Writing and The Path of Chaos (Cinnabar Moth Publishing)is his debut novel, which was released August 2023. The Path of Revenge is thesequel in The Path of Chaos series and will be released August 6th 2024.

 

Website:https://tomhaward.co.uk/

Twitter:https://x.com/HawardTom

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/tomhawardauthor

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

 

AmazonBuy Link:https://www.amazon.com/Path-Revenge-Tom-Haward/dp/1962308138/ref=sr_1_1

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

GIVEAWAY 

Theauthor will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour: DEATH SECRETS by January Bain

DEATH SECRETS

January Bain

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

GENRE:  Crime Thriller

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

BLURB:

 

Agripping thriller that explores the lengths one will go to for family, and theresilience needed to stand against the darkness.

 

Inthe shadow of Alaska's towering peaks, Anna Hale is haunted by a past paintedin flames and betrayal. Marked by the tragic death of her mother and the scarsof a childhood marred by violence, Anna has fought tirelessly to build asemblance of normalcy, only to have it shattered again and again. The latestblow comes when her sister, Tia Pace, vanishes without a trace, reigniting oldwounds and casting Anna into a nightmare where she's the prime suspect.

 

Asshe grapples with her stepfather's execution and the weight of suspicion,another crisis looms: Zoe Pace, her other sister, has disappeared in an eerilysimilar manner. The only clue a sinister black rose and a chilling letter. Whenher brother Josh, now a dedicated cop in the Anchor Police Department, begs forher assistance, Anna is pulled back into the fray. Despite the agony ofreopening old wounds, she embarks on a desperate quest to unravel the mysteryof her sisters' disappearances.

 

Facedwith the unforgiving Alaskan frontier, Anna must confront a tangled web ofcorruption and deceit, with a copycat killer moving in the shadows. With everytick of the clock, Anna's hope for a normal life slips further away, but herresolve to find her sisters and bring them home burns fiercer than ever. WillAnna's journey through the cold, dark paths of Alaska lead her to her sisters,or will she find herself lost in the depths of a conspiracy that threatens toconsume everything she holds dear?

 

Diveinto this chilling tale of loss, courage, and the relentless pursuit of justiceagainst the backdrop of Alaska's unforgiving wilderness. Order your copy now.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ExcerptThree:

 

Anna hammered her stepfather with another right hook,ignoring the pain that ripped through her shoulder, sweat dripping in her eyes.She didn’t see the beat-up old punching bag swaying and jerking before her, butthe face of a killer. Nineteen years, six months, and twenty-four days she’dbeen waiting for the appeal process to end, for justice to be served. She hitthe bag again so hard on the backswing that her knuckles cracked wide open,payment for her being too impatient to bother with gloves. Damn it. Now therewas blood dripping on the garage floor. After grabbing a rag from the dustbin,she wound it around her hand.

 

The door to the adjoining house opened and Tia stepped outonto the cement. Anna waited for her to speak, her breathing ragged and harsh.

 

“I packed a bag. I’m going with you,” Tia said, her stancedefiant, her blue eyes flashing with meaning, her normally loose blonde hair upin a tight bun. Her go-to hairdo when she meant business.

 

Not this again. Unease coiled in her stomach.

 

A bang on the garage door alerted her to other company. Badtiming. But when had her life ever been anything but bad timing? She ignoredthe inopportune knock, needing to have her say first.

 

“You can unpack right now. I told you. I need to do thisalone.” She braced herself for any objection. This was her burden to bear.Alone. She wouldn’t let that monster take anything more from anyone she loved.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 Review: 

Anna Hale thought that she leftthe horrors of her childhood in the past, which was the murder of her motherand the stepbeast that took her life. But she was wrong. After the monster’sexecution, Anna finds out that her adopted sister was missing. Only a blackrose and a letter were left behind. Soon, it becomes 2 sisters that weremissing. Anna Hale was putting her P.I. skills to the grueling task.

This case was an interestingmystery full of witty speculation and searching for clues. Anna Hale is onetough chick. It was kind of hard to gauge how the undertaker and the mayor’sson tied into things as we get their perspectives in the story. This definitelycould’ve used more proofing with minor inconsistencies like the odd switchingof his and her and misspellings like “reality” instead of “realty.” It made forsome odd reading in those instances.

Story was slow in some areas, but,overall, this was a quick read that you can get through in one sitting. Youjust can’t help but be curious at how this whole thing ends. The ending, quitefrankly, wasn’t as climactic as I would’ve liked, but I still enjoyed itoverall.

A good mystery overall.

 

Rating:3.5 stars 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

January Bain is an award-winning author who firmly believes thatstories unite us, that good stories help us to discover the commonality of thehuman experience by supporting values, empathy and understanding. She writeswith her heart, mind, and soul, hoping that her novels will touch your life,giving you moments of freedom as you fly with her to other worlds.

 

Bain has had the pleasure of select novels being turned intogames, and her work is also available in different languages.

 

January and her husband live in rural Canada on peaceful acreagewhere a variety of wildlife comes to visit regularly and expect to be fed andpaid attention to.

 

Blog Address - http://januarybainjourney.blogspot.ca/

Twitter Name – https://twitter.com/JanuaryBain

Facebook Page – https://www.facebook.com/january.bain

https://www.facebook.com/JanuaryBainAuthor/

Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6437282.January_Bain

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/january.bain

TikToc: http://www.tiktok.com/@januarybain

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

GIVEAWAY 

JanuaryBain will be awarding a limited edition print of a wolf family to a randomlydrawn winner.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour: THE PAINTED LADY by Avery Sterling

THE PAINTED LADY

Avery Sterling

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

GENRE:  Historical Romance

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

BLURB:

 

Aspiringartist Delaney Harper sails to New Orleans after her mother’s death. On thenight of her arrival, she’s welcomed by a masked stranger who steals onebreathless kiss.Alderic Beaumont is a fallen aristocrat. Once a corsair and nowa smuggler, he’s a force to be reckoned with. On the night of his friend’scelebration, he’s captured by an irresistible beauty. He kisses her, promisingto find her come morning.By then, Delaney’s world has crumbled—the truth abouther mother reveals Delaney now owns a brothel. With Alderic, Delaney embarks ona path of intrigue and passion. Her wit and artistic skills help conceal heridentity and restore the once-prestigious bordello...but her deceptions couldcost her Alderic’s heart.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

ExcerptThree:

 

Alderic couldn’t lie; he was fascinated. She was anexquisite creature. He shook his head and tried to gather his wits. What waswrong with him? He finished his wine and was ready to leave. He couldappreciate beauty and intrigue, but his reaction to this place was disarming.To find himself on the opposite side of seduction, and succumbing to it like anunseasoned boy, bothered him.

 

He set his wine glass on the nearest server’s tray and spunon his heel. That was when he nearly fell over the madam. A nagging sense thathe knew her plagued him.

 

“Monsieur Beaumont, what are you doing here?” she asked, thefaintest smile crossing her lovely mouth.

 

“I was invited...it is Madame Cardui, no?”

 

“Oui,” she replied.

 

He smiled. “How do you know who I am?”

 

“I should not be surprised that you were discovered amongstthe birds.”

 

She hadn’t answered him. Perhaps he did know her? “I’veheard that a couple of times tonight, madam. Tell me, is it my lavish attire,or my charm?”

 

“Neither, monsieur,” she said, waving her gloved hand andturning away. She gave him one last glance over her shoulder, and said simply,“You are quite tall. You stand above the crowd.”

 

A wicked grin formed on his lips as she walked away andweaved through the crowded parlor.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

AverySterling's love for the romance genre began in her teen years when she pickedup her first novel. She was captivated by the sweeping scale of emotionsbrought about by the words. The experience catapulted her towards learning theart of wielding a breathtaking adventure, with a love that felt authentic.Wanting to inspire people with her own thoughts and words, she finished herfirst novel at sixteen. It was a step towards understanding the essence of whatshe wished to create. Most of her youth was spent traveling, searching out theromance and beauty in her everchanging world. From the waves that crashedagainst the rocky shores of Downeast, Maine, to the warm breezes of theCaribbean, she discovered that love was universal, apparent in its grandest andsimplest of forms. Her goal is to write novels an audience can relate to, onethat conveys the truth and nature of love… with all that steamy romance.

 

 

Website:  https://www.avery-sterling.com

Amazon:https://www.amazon.com/stores/Avery-Sterling/author/B07ZRQV7JG

Twitter/X:https://twitter.com/AverySterling17

Pinterest:https://www.pinterest.com/avsterling8

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/avery.sterling.125

TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@averysterlingauthor

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/avery.sterling17

Bookbub:https://www.bookbub.com/authors/avery-sterling

Goodreads:https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19674760.Avery_Sterling

 

BuyLink: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D48B7VXP/ref=sr_1_1

 

 

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

GIVEAWAY

AverySterling will be awarding a $15 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: MY ALIEN PARENTS by R.L. Stine

 

Have you ever wondered if yourparents were aliens? Rob’s parents were certainly acting weird—so unlike them.What gives? But who was the real alien here? Loved that twist in the end! Agood, quick read!

 

Rating:4 stars

Review: THE THIRD HORROR by R.L. Stine

 

A movie was being filmed at theactual house where the horror took place at 99 Fear Street. An 18-year-oldreturns to where it all went deadly wrong to play the part of her dead sister.Well, her dead sister wanted to see her, too. And that’s when the freakyaccidents started happening on the set, and Kody was being blamed. After all,who would suspect a ghost?

 

A good, scary read!

 

Rating:4 stars

Review: SECRET ADMIRER by R.L. Stine

 

Did the star actress of the schoolhave a secret admirer?

 

“I’m always watching you, Selena.”

 

It would seem Selena had a stalkerthat wanted her to quit the play and would do anything to keep her away fromit. A dead rat. Poison ivy. Someone wanted to hurt her, but who?

 

The mystery grabs you right away.As more people were getting killed, Selena was getting antsier and moreparanoid. Will this play be her final curtain call?

 

A good read!

 

Rating:4 stars

Blog Tour: MIRRORED WOUNDS by Rebecca Christo

 When the present mirrors her past wounds, Laura begins to unravel  

Mirrored Wounds

by Rebecca Christo

Genre: ContemporaryWomen’s Fiction, Psychological Mystery

 Laura's life was finally good. She'd freed herself from the clutchesof an abusive partner, left an unrewarding career as an interiordesigner to follow her dreams of becoming a writer, and was finallyhappy. And things were only getting better. Her very first novel hadstruck a chord with readers and become a bestseller, but when themurder she'd described in its pages suddenly gets played out in reallife, with her beloved husband as the victim, it is obvious to herthat she looks guilty, despite having an alibi that would have beendifficult to fake.

As the investigation proceeds, withlittle or no progress being made, bizarre happenings in thesecurity-protected home she'd shared with her husband have herquestioning her own sanity, despite the reassurance of her therapist.Could she have murdered the first man to ever make her feel trulyloved and secure and then just ... forgotten somehow? Surely not. Butas even more troubling events come to light, with no logicalexplanation besides her own guilt, she finds herself questioningeverything she knows to be true ... including her own innocence.

Amazon* Apple* B&N* Google* Kobo* FriesenPress* Bookbub* Goodreads

Review: Laura, a career-driven interiordesigner takes a shot at online dating. Too bad the first guy she meets was apsycho that almost killed her.

Ten years later, she was marriedto a wonderful man and writing her first novel, which becomes an instantbestseller after publication. It takes a while to get through some lengthynarratives, but, as you read on, you learn a little bit more. For severalnights, Laura is consumed by fear, anxiety, and paranoia. By chapter 17, herhusband was found dead. Now, we were getting somewhere. It seemed her husbanddied in the same manner that she wrote in her book. Fortunately, she wasn’tconsidered a suspect because of the alibi. What really grabs you is when Laurastarts getting messages from her dead husband’s phone. From the killermaybe? 

Laura continues to go from onescary crisis after another in this harrowing tale. Her sanity was definitely inquestion at the end after meeting the hypnotherapist, who puts her on somewhacked-out medication. Who takes pills from a stranger? She was so drugged-upthat she could barely take care of her dog. I found the dog getting hurt to bevery upsetting. I’m surprised the author, being a dog-lover, would write thatin. Glad the dog turned out okay.

This story all came down to ashocking and gratifying conclusion. A good read!

Rating:4 stars

 Avid dog lover and Author Rebecca Christo was born in Toronto,Ontario, where she developed an early love of both reading andwriting. Of particular interest to her was creating a story withemotionally mature content that was still entertaining enough to beread for fun on a relaxing vacation. She hopes she’s succeeded withher very first published novel: Mirrored Wounds.


Whenshe’s not travelling with her husband, Darcy Christo, Rebeccaenjoys spending time with him, her children Ali, Brittany andMaxwell, and her puppies (Lucy and Winston) in Wasaga Beach, Ontariowhere she currently lives.

Website* Instagram

Followthe tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

$20 Amazon

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour: IMPERFECTIONS by Ann Chiappetta

 

IMPERFECTIONS

Ann Chiappetta

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

GENRE:  YA Contemporary Fiction

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

BLURB:

 

ForLainie, feeling unwelcome is only the beginning of her struggles. Her mom isaddicted to painkillers, her stepfather is a felon, and her dad traded her infor a new family.

 

Sowhat if she’s kicked out of high school? Determined and attractive, Lainie setsout to make her own path.

 

Shane,the young man she begins dating and believes is trustworthy, transforms into apossessive and cruel boyfriend. When Efren, Shane’s older cousin, enters herlife, Lainie grasps onto a shred of hope, falling in love. Shane’s obsessiveand abusive treatment of her, however, casts a deep shadow over Efren andLainie’s chance to find  safety and afuture free of the fear of Shane’s sadistic retribution.

 

Willtheir love persevere, or will Shane’s pervasive and negative influence pushLainie and Efren apart, forcing them to love secretly?

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

 

ExcerptThree:

 

Shane wasn’t who he once was, and I needed to do whatever Icould to help her feel safe. Witnessing the abuse and shame she’d enduredbecause of his sick obsession twisted me, and I wanted nothing more than topummel his snotty little face until he begged for mercy. How could anyone abusesomeone like Elaina?

 

She strode past Shane and into my suite with the finalarmful , ignoring him.

 

“I’m done,” she said.

 

“I hope she doesn’t disappoint you in bed,” said Shane.

 

The anger boiled, but I kept myself in control. “Enough ofthat. This isn’t the time to rearrange your face, you snotty wanker,” I said,my voice thick with anger.

 

I waited until Shane dropped his gaze, then I said, “I hopethat day comes soon, cousin. I hope you step over the line so I can make someimprovements to your complexion.”

 

He retreated to his room. I heard the lock engage, and Ipermitted myself to feel a little regret at not defending Elaina’s characterwith direct contact of my fist against that arse’s face.

 

I entered the room. Elaina had stacked her belongings, herlife, into a corner of the sitting area. It saddened me to know that a fewcases and boxes were all that remained after Shane had stolen and sold the restto get high.

 

There was so much about her that I wanted to know. Why herfather never helped her. Why she didn’t ask for help from her relatives in NewYork. I knew her mother was an addict and that she and Elaina did not speak.She was enrolled in East Bay Community College and was close to earning anassociate’s degree. She wanted to obtain a bachelor’s degree in kennel andstable management. So focused, and yet she seemed sad.

 

The fair gowns hung on a hook in the closet. Her fingerscaressed the pewter and black one.

 

The gesture brought me a sense of gloom, as if she weresaying goodbye. After I had crept into Rita’s box and listened to her sobbing,the moderate measure of guilt I felt for punching Shane, the wanker, thenasking Rick to assist in throwing him over the fair gate, had been assuaged.Shane should have gotten a sounder beating, but he was still blood kin. Thatwas the only thing that had saved him from my rearranging his mug.

 

Listening to Lainie’s sobs, I realized I wanted to pick herup off Rita’s back and be the one to absorb those tears. I needed her to trustme. She was so vulnerable and isolated that I wondered if she would ever take achance on sharing the abuse I knew she had endured during her time living withShane. I hoped when she finally decided to trust me, I would be able to handleit.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Whatdo you think readers can learn from your characters?

 

Ifind this question to be packed with potential. I write with character-focusedintentions. I strive to ground the setting so readers connect with the feelingor emotion of the scene and arc of the message of the story. How else could Ido this without relying on the characters? It is the characters who emote, whofeel and who act and react to one another and situations and consequences inthe context of a story.

 

Asfor the characters in Imperfections, I presented Lainie as essentially acomplete personality with a little wear and tear; she attracts people and isn’taware of why it happens because she views herself as broken and missingsomething. The quest for purpose and self-worth is Lainie’s story.

 

Sometimesthe character is concrete, like Ray Miller, Lainie’s employer and owner ofHuntsman Canine Academy. He sees Lainie as worth the time and trouble and hisinstincts are correct. The reader learns Ray is grounded and trusts his innervoice. The reader learns to trust Ray a step ahead of Lainie.

 

Effrenis a bit Pollyanna about Shane and his predilections until he is faced withdealing with them directly. Yet, he holds back, the reader is clued into someof his doubt but not all of it until the last part of the book. Will he bestrong enough to handle things or not?

 

Asfor Shane, he is the human representation of the ugliness in the world. He isunrelenting, cruel and suffers from bad decisions and neglect . Readers may ormay not believe Shane and his pain to be realistic; the purpose of Shane in thestory is twofold; push Effren into a place where he doesn’t have all theanswers and to challenge Lainie’s trust in herself and learn to trust othersand stop blaming herself.

 

Anothermajor part of Imperfections is the thread of trauma, specifically, sexualtrauma, introduced and processed in the book.

 

ForLainie it is the angry outbursts conveying how much she is effected. Once aperson is touched by it, trauma is never gone; it resides in us inertly oractively, depending on the type of trauma and the person touched by it. I hope thestory shows readers caring and purpose are two strategies to counteract the lessproductive paths of coping.

 

Thanksfor hosting me and my book on your blog.

 

 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

AnnChiappetta, M.S. Poet and author

Ann’saward-winning poems, creative nonfiction, and essays have appearedinternationally in literary journals, popular online blogs, and printanthologies. Her poems have been featured in The Avocet, the Pangolin Review,Plum Tree Tavern, Magnets and Ladders, Oprelle, Western PA Poetry Review2024and Breath and Shadow. Ann’s short story, The Misty Torrent appeared in theArtificial Divide anthology published by Renaissance Press (2021).

 

Annis the recipient of the 2019 GDUI Excellence in Writing award and the WDOMI2016 Spirit of Independence award.

 

Independentlypublished since 2016, the author’s seven volume collection includes poetry,creative nonfiction essays, short stories and contemporary fiction.

 

Diagnosedin 1993 with a rare form of progressive retinal disease, Ann accepts visionloss as part of her life but doesn’t let it define her as a whole person.

 

Theauthor resides in western Pennsylvania with her husband, retired guide dog petdog and cats, striving to develop a mutually-beneficial relationship with herassistive technology.

 

ContactAnn by visiting her website: www.annchiappetta.com

Subscribeto Ann’s blog www.thought-wheel.com   

Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/verona.chiappetta/    

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

GIVEAWAY

AnnChiappetta will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawnwinner.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour: HEART AND SOUL by Toby Negus

 

HEART & SOUL

Toby Negus

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

GENRE:  lyrical inspirational prose

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

BLURB:

 

Truthsbeautifully expressed

 

TobyNegus, author and illustrator of The Heart Knows What the Mind Cannot See, hascreated a collection of lyrical inspirational prose messages coupled withcolorful and mesmerizing symbolic illustrations that speak to the soul.

 

Theauthor has continued his exploration of the most transformationalpsychospiritual concepts that lie deeply within all humans, bringing the wisdomof heart and soul into the light for our minds to connect with and grow from.He weaves his messages through a variety of topics, including love, freedom,choice, truth, self-awareness, the now moment, healing, peace, and mostimportantly, the role of the heart and soul in enlightening humanity’s journeyon Planet Earth. Connections are made among these concepts to help readers makethe same connections in order to find peace in their own lives.

 

Asan artist, the author takes his ethereal subject matter, fuses it with thecolors and shapes presented by his own spiritual muse, and gives the reader avisceral inner transformation through symbol, intense color, and cosmic shape.

 

Heartand Soul creates a deep and beautiful immersion for the reader into their ownheart’s beautiful depths.

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

Excerpt One:

 

There is adirect correlation between the amount of love we feel in life and the freedomwe give to our soul.

 

It is true thatthe heart knows what the mind cannot see, and it is also true that the soullives in what the heart loves.

 

The loves wehave in  life allow us to know the soul’sresolve. They are urges of the soul’s wish to know life. They give us signpostsof our soul’s intention, and where the heart can find joy.

 

They are theaspects of life where the soul seeks freedom; the times and places where webecome, in that loved moment, set free from our labour and become the dreamthat we love.

 

We are thenboth lost and found at the same time. Lost to the mystery of life and foundwithin the company of the love we have made.

 

If we do notlove we confine our soul, for it is in the quest of love that the soul fulfilsits purpose on earth.

 

Our love may beknown from a sight in nature, a piece of art, a song, within the company ofloved ones, or any of the thousand things that lighten the heart and inspirethe mind.

 

Our loves arealways close, beckoning us to adventure. Their presence has pushed and pulledus throughout our life.

 

Theirpersuasion is for us to make a way that is true to ourselves; an indigenousjourney that honours the deeper truth of who we are.

 

They light thepath to our true happiness, and often, to our greatest self-learning. For thejourney that loves take us on is often not what we expect.

 

They will causeus to dig deep into the mystery of ourselves in order to summon the courage tosurrender our old security for the adventure that love will always bring.

 

But when welove what we do, put our heart into it, then love’s providence empowers theheart and inspires the mind.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

TobyNegus is an artist, both with paints and of the spirit. His work reflects adeep commitment to meeting life on its terms and an equally deep understandingof human nature.

 

Tobyhas studied and taught spiritual and personal development in the UK and aroundthe world for over two decades. He is qualified in advanced counselling, as alife coach and as a Cognitive Behaviour therapist. He is an Amazon best-sellingauthor of a collaborative Conscious Creators book and has illustrated and selfpublished two books on the subject of self-awareness and the spiritual journey.He has articles published in national magazine and has given talks and runworkshops in support of his published work within the UK.

 

Inthe last few years, he has created many pieces of artwork that are a reflectionof his spiritual journey. These have appeared in magazines and have beenexhibited in the UK.  

 

Website:www.tobynegus.com

email:toby@tobynegus.co.uk

Youtube:  www.youtube.com/c/TobyNegus

Facebook:www.facebook.com/OriginalArtWords

AmazonAuthor page: www.amazon.com/author/tobynegus

Twitterhttps://twitter.com/tobynegus

Instagram@tobynegus

AmazonAuthor page https://www.amazon.com/stores/Toby-Negus/author/B00PS7U9VK

 

 

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

GIVEAWAY 

Toby Negus will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift cardto a randomly drawn winner

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour: PIRATE'S PROMISE by Bobbi Smith

 

PIRATE'S PROMISE

Bobbi Smith

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

GENRE:  Historical Romance

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

BLURB:

 

Talland strikingly handsome, Adam Trent could tempt any woman, especially in hissecret disguise as the swashbuckling Captain Spectre. But when this daringbuccaneer wagers a seductive campaign against a beauty whose passion matcheshis own, he’s not prepared for what awaits him…

 

WINNINGHER HOME WAS EASY…

 

Throwinga young woman out of her home is hardly decent behavior—even for a pirate. Butwhen Adam Trent wins the Ducharme plantation in a card game, he knows it’s theperfect base for a covert scheme of revenge in which he sails the bayous asCaptain Spectre. Adam agrees to let Lianne Ducharme stay until she comes ofage—a decision he soon regrets. For Lianne fascinates him, and Adam cannotafford the distraction…

 

WINNINGHER LOVE COULD COST HIM EVERYTHING

 

Toobad that the most virile man Lianne Ducharme has ever met is also the mostinfuriating. With no choice but to stay at Belle Arbor as his ‘guest’, Liannegradually yields to her own desires. But there is far more to Adam than Lianneknows. And succumbing to a pirate’s promise of bliss could be the surest pathto heartbreak…

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

ExcerptThree:

 

Lianne was working in her flower garden when she heard acarriage coming up the drive. She hurried to the house to find two strangersgoing up the steps of her home. The man was tall, handsome and leanly muscled.Lianne knew she had never met him before, because if she had, she would haveremembered him. There was a beautiful, well-dressed woman at his side.

 

The contrast between their appearance and her own currentstate of dress left her feeling even more painfully aware of her own woefulcondition.

 

“Pardon me, but may I help you?” she asked as she emergedfrom the shadows.

 

The feminine voice that called out to Adam was cultured andrefined, but the woman he found it belonged to left him staring in surprise. Heturned, expecting to see a lady approaching, and instead found a dirty,disheveled young woman standing at the bottom of the stairs.

 

“Yes, you can help us. I’m Adam Trent, and I’d appreciate itif you could tell whoever is in charge here that the new owner has arrived.”

 

His statement left Lianne in shock. What??? A new owner???What was this idiot talking about? Belle Arbor wasn’t for sale. It had been inher family for generations, and it was going to stay that way. Surely he wasmistaken. She bolted up the steps after them.

 

“Wait a minute!” she yelled as they were about to go inside.“There must be some mistake.”

 

“This is Belle Arbor, isn’t it?”

 

“Yes, it is, but…”

 

“Then tell the person in charge that I’m here.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

Afterworking as a department manager for Famous-Barr, and briefly as a clerk at abookstore, Bobbi Smith gave up on career security and began writing. She soldher first book to Zebra in

1982.Since then, Bobbi has written over 40 books and several short stories. To date,there are more than five million of her novels in print. She has been awardedthe prestigious Romantic

TimesStoryteller of the Year Award and two Career Achievement Awards. Her books haveappeared on numerous bestseller lists. When she's not working on hernovels, she is frequently a guest speaker for writer's groups. Bobbi ismother of two sons and resides in St. Charles, Missouri with her husband andthree dogs.

 

Website:https://bobbismithauthor.com/

Goodreads:https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13375.Bobbi_Smith

 

Readfree on Kindle Unlimited.

 

Amazon:https://www.amazon.com/Pirates-Promise-Girl-Nowhere-Into-ebook/dp/B07W68CJR2/ref=sr_1_1 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

GIVEAWAY

BobbiSmith will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner.

a Rafflecopter giveaway