Sandra C. Lopez's Blog, page 98
October 26, 2023
Blog Tour: THE SIPS TEAM series by Robin Murphy
MarieBartek & The SIPS Team - A Paranormal Mystery Series
Asseen on NBC, ABC & FOX and voted one of The 50 Best Indie Booksof 2016
Sullivan'sSecret
MarieBartek & the SIPS Team Book 1
byRobin Murphy
Genre:Paranormal Mystery Romance
Dr.Marie Bartek enjoys a simple life as the veterinarian of Sullivan'sIsland — until her psychic abilities suddenly return after eighteenyears.
Shakenby the spirits that now haunt her every moment, Marie confides in herbest friend. Together, they form the Sullivan’s Island ParanormalSociety: SIPS.
Asnew and unlikely friendships begin, Marie learns to channel herpowers. When they find out that the spirits are trying to warn her ofan evil presence on the island, Marie and her friends set out tobring a vicious serial killer to justice.
"Communingwith the spirits may leave you with some very unwantedresponsibility. 'Sullivan's Secret' follows Marie Bartek as sherediscovers her talents to communicate with spirits. Working withfriends in a paranormal society, she finds that her skill leaves herwith the responsibility to stop murders from sweeping her town andshe has to put out her own neck to stop the hysteria. 'Sullivan'sSecret' is a fascinating read that will be hard to put down." -Midwest Book Review-
**Getit for FREE!**
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Secretof the Big Easy
MarieBartek & the SIPS Team Book 2
Dr.Marie Bartek is struggling to gain control over her new psychicabilities while attending a veterinarian conference in the FrenchQuarter of New Orleans.
Marie'srecent visions prompt her to work with local police and members ofthe Sullivan's Island Paranormal Society team to help solve asuccession of heinous murders, while fighting against a demon fromtaking over her mind.
SecretOf The Big Easy is the second book in Robin Murphy's mystery serieswith Dr. Marie Bartek and the SIPS team.
"Grabsthe reader's attention and keeps it until the final page." -Readers' Favorite
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FederalCity's Secret
MarieBartek & the SIPS Team Book 3
InFederal City's Secret, Dr. Marie Bartek and the SIPS team investigatespirit activity in the heart of Washington, D.C.
Marielearns more about her psychic abilities, bringing more depth andintrigue into their ghost investigations, as the SIPS team lands inthe middle of conspiracy, politics, secret societies and murder.
Throughthe help of a spirit, Marie discovers that the mafia doesn't takekindly to strangers taking what isn't theirs. Can the SIPS Team getto the bottom of things before more lives are lost?
Thethird book in Robin Murphy's Marie Bartek series, Federal City'sSecret will captivate you with murder, suspense and the world of theparanormal.
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Secretof Coffin Island
MarieBartek & the SIPS Team Book 4
Dr.Marie Bartek and her fiance, Police Chief Cory Miller, have finallytied the knot. Their wedding festivities are interrupted, however, bythe discovery of a body.
Whilecriminal investigations are Cory's milieu, Marie and her team ofpsychic researchers have been instrumental in solving mysteries inthe past, and she has already received visions that seem to pertainto the mystery at hand.
Hermentor Myra, who had passed after suffering a heart attack, hascontinued her mentorship from the other side, and Marie takes comfortfrom both her presence and her guidance. Marie's also been asked tohelp with the case of Isabella, a young woman whose mother isconcerned that she's been possessed.
Acompelling cozy mystery with a paranormal twist, Secret of CoffinIsland is the fourth novel in Robin Murphy's Marie Bartek And TheSIPS Team series.
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Savannah'sSecret
MarieBartek & the SIPS Team Book 5
Afterreturning from their honeymoon in France, Marie, Cory, and the SIPSteam find themselves on another case in the historic district ofSavannah, Georgia.
Tryingto help a young girl who discovered a beast killing their livestock,they find a body on Tybee Island with wounds in the neck. Soon after,the team learns that there is more to learn from those keepingsecrets from behind their masks at a masquerade ball.
Butis there such a thing as real vampires, and can Marie and the SIPSTeam receive help from a famous young spirit in time before morelives are lost?
Acompelling cozy mystery with a paranormal twist, Savannah's Secret isthe fifth novel in Robin Murphy's Marie Bartek And The SIPS Teamseries.
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**Book6 is Coming Soon!**
From Sullivan's Secret: Her eyes staredmotionless into infinity and bulged while her skin was gray and red streaked.Most of her hair had fallen out, and her mouth, lips, and tongue were swollen.Found floating face down was the description Chief Cory Miller received duringthe five a.m. phone call Sunday morning that woke him out of a deep sleep.
Sullivan's Secret: Why was Marie seeing and hearingspirits again? She was hoping the paranormal group she was starting with herfriend would help her find the answer.
This sounded interesting to me asI love stories involving the paranormal. In the beginning, all they talkedabout was the gathering of the group, coming up with a name, and getting thepatents for it. The dialogue on this was quite stilted and repetitive. I mean,how often can you ask if the name, SIPS, was okay? So, right off the bat, thisgets off to a slow start.
The whole pace is slow even afterthe discovery of a body in the water. There’s a lot of prep work in the groupbut not much investigating. This was clearly and literally the beginning storyof the series and how everything all started, which was fine but not verycompelling. I honestly expected to be drawn in more.
It’s a short and quick read, andit’s a decent start to the series. It’s definitely worth a try.
Rating:3 stars
RobinMurphy is an Amazon best-selling author of a paranormal mysteryseries, and also writes chick-lit, and nonfiction. She is a speakeron author platforms, self-publishing, and marketing. She currently isa virtual admin and a freelance writer.
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Followthe tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!
$10 Amazon
Blog Tour: STARLIGHT BENDER by Sofia Nedic
Starlight Bender
by Sofia Nedic
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GENRE: Fantasy
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BLURB:
Imani Stone has a secret—she possesses an ancestral power to bendstarlight.
Havinggrown up in the lush, magical hills surrounding the ancient city of Lumenor,she is no stranger to star-gazing, potion-making, or tarot-reading. However, inthe time of civil war in her city, Imani must hide her power to avoid beingrecruited by the queen’s legions or killed by the ruthless rebels. Buteverything changes once the city learns of an incoming army of warriorsthreatening to destroy Lumenor and steal their starlight crystal. Imani is metwith a choice—remain in hiding and help her family or risk everything and jointhe queen’s legions.
Butdoes she have what it takes to be a legionnaire?
Canshe help save Lumenor, or will she be the cause of its demise?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EXCERPT:
The ages-old rooftops of Lumenor stretched eastward, crownedby the white-gilded dome of Kirrah’s Temple. The goddess’ statue struck theskies beside it, her jewels gleaming in the night, rivaling the stars.Waterfalls of blue flower vines rushed down the tall stone fences of Old Town,and guards and folk crowded the streets, heading home after a night ofdrinking. Music spilled through tavern doors, singers’ voices blending with thesubtle notes of lute and harp. The moonlight bathed the city in its silvergleam.
“The best thing you’ve ever seen?” Tain asked softly.
He crouched beside me and our elbows touched. I could almosttaste the scent of mint and leather that was on his hair and skin. His demeanorwas now gentle like the summer rain, contrasting with the quiet storm hecarried when we were training earlier. It made me wonder which one of themrepresented the real him.
I sighed. “Second best,” I said. “Old Town is magnificent,but you should see the view from the very edge of the Mounds, the entirety ofLumenor stretched out before you. Nothing can best it. I stand by that.”
Tain was taken by surprise, staring at me in disbelief. Heunrolled the sleeves of his shirt to protect his elbows from scratching againstthe stone. “In that case, you need to take me there. I would love to see it.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Sofia Nedic isa Slavic immigrant living in Austin, Texas with her husband and pup. She is atech and fantasy nerd, and an avid enjoyer of ancient history, spirituality,and alchemy. When she is not working or crafting stories, she is exploringnature, reading books, visualizing her daydreams through AI art, or immersingherself in tarot and astrology.
Sofiavisualizes the scenes and characters from her stories with AI art on herInstagram @starlight_bender.
Amazon buylink: https://www.amazon.com/Starlight-Bender-Archives-Book-ebook/dp/B0C9V599K3/ref=sr_1_1
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GIVEAWAY
Sofia Nedic will be awarding a $20Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
a Rafflecopter giveawayBlog Tour: THE WITCH WARS by Gail Roughton
THE WITCH WARS
by GailRoughton
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GENRE: paranormal romance
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BLURB:
ArielAnson thinks she has her life in order. She’s young, smart, and beautiful, even if she doesn’t believe thebeautiful part. She’s a paralegal with a great career and a fiancé who’s a CPA.You just can’t get any steadier than that.
Thenshe meets private investigator, bounty hunter, process server Chad Garrett.What does War-N-Wit, Inc. stand for anyway? Warlock and Witch? For real? Oh,yes! For real. Now every day is full of strange powers, secret societies,clandestine agencies, and out-of-this-world adventure. Her life as she knows itis over!
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Excerpt One:
No lightningbolt streaked from the sky the day my life as I knew it began to end. There wasno warning at all. Nothing. There I was, sitting at my desk, minding my ownbusiness, doing my job. My official job title is “legal assistant.” The moreexotic sounding title is paralegal. In the old days when folks called jobs whatthey actually were, the title was “legal secretary.” Me? I answer to any of theabove. Or just to Ariel. That’s my name. Ariel Anson.
Now, I know thegeneral public thinks a law office is an exciting place, full of fascinatingcases and esoteric points of law highlighted with flashes of legal genius,something different every day. Not. Trust me on this. You seen one accidentcase, you seen ‘em all. And corporate law? Business law? Wills and estates? Oh,man, you don’t even want to go there. Domestic law? Right. The only thing worsethan a divorce case is an estate fight. At least folks involved in a divorceare supposed to hate each other whereas a fight over Daddy’s will? Oh. My. God.
Anyway, that’swhat I was doing. Just minding my own business in the course of my humdrum dayand doing my job at the century-old, prestigious central Georgia law firm ofBaker, Lawson, Abercrombie & Hunter, where the partners walk around inblissful ignorance of the fact the firm is referred to in legal circles asBLAH. All us legal assistants think that’s a hoot.
I was the onlylegal gal who worked for three partners. Some of the girls had just one, mosthad two. Sort of gave me a certain mystique of extreme competence, you know? Inall honesty, most of the time the three attorneys I had were cakewalks, thoughI wasn’t about to announce such to the powers-that-be lest I end up with fourattorneys to babysit. It all depended on who the three partners were. And minewere hand-picked, a luxury I had because I was good, good enough after elevenyears in the business to pick and choose the attorneys I worked for.Diplomatically, of course. So diplomatically that nobody knew that but me. Andmy little sister.
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
GailRoughton is a native of small town Georgia whose Deep South heritage featuresprominently in most of her work. She’s aparalegal who’s lived in a law office for over forty years, during which timeshe’s raised three children and quite a few attorneys. She’s tried retirement but it didn’t take.Through it all, she’s kept herself sane by writing novels and tossing them intoher closet. Thanks to BWL Publishing,Inc., most of those novels have now emerged in published form. A cross-genre writer, her books range fromhumor to romance to thriller to horror and she’s never quite sure what toexpect when she sits down at the keyboard. She usually has a project or two on the backburner but doesn’t discussthem for fear of jinxing herself. Givenher affinity for the supernatural, this should come as no surprise to anyreader.
https://bookswelove.net/roughton-gail/
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GIVEAWAY
Theauthor will award a $20 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner.
a Rafflecopter giveawayOctober 25, 2023
Blog Tour: THE UN-DIET DIET by Dr. Douglas Pooley
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Dr. Douglas Pooley 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.
The UN-Diet Diet is a health reclamation strategy. It is designed to give the participant simple and effective tools to aid in improving overall health, effectively deal with weight management issues, and to serve as a guide for empowered aging. The program is aimed at those over the age of 55 with existing health compromise. It examines the true genesis of both health and disease through the lens of our evolutionary footprint, drilling down to the essence of what it means to be alive. It is here within the principles which create and maintain life, that we also find the keys to health and longevity.
Read an Excerpt
We have been so conditioned to tie well-being to pills and/or altering our eating habits that we instinctively look for a medication or diet to solve our health problems hoping that directional change will miraculously offset years of accumulated insult and neglect. The truth of it is, the more we come face to face with life’s challenges but fail to resolve them, the easier it becomes to sidestep the warnings than it is to act, so we end up sliding deeper into that pit of denial or regret.
In purchasing a book called the Un-Diet Diet, I am assuming that this is likely not your first rodeo; you have already come face to face with the pressure to change, felt the pain, made what you thought were the right moves but inevitably ending up back at the same place. After each bout, even though you feel further depleted and a little more discouraged, you keep looking for something better. As such, you plunge down the latest rabbit hole, only to find the frustration of repeating things you know don’t work… because you have done them before. At the end of the day, as a matter of course, you tend to slide back into old routines and habits only to emerge at a familiar crossroads going nowhere.
You want to scream, “What the hell am I doing, and why is it not working?”
Einstein supposedly said something like, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again but expecting a different result.”
***
Review: “Who is this program for? Frankly,this is designed to be of benefit to just about anyone! If you are chronicallyunwell and want to experience your world again as it was intended, the Un- DietDiet program has the potential to put you on a track towards rebuilding yourhealth or, at worst, improving it.”
Reading this made me feel like Iwas taking a course on the health care system, world ideologies through time,and the myths of age and disease. It’s quite involved and lengthy. It certainly takes a while to sift throughthe loads of information in it.
What does it mean to be healthy? Theauthor relays a lot of statistical data, patient examples, and populationbeliefs to answer this.
This book is an overload ofinformation, some of which was rather interesting, but I felt that most of itwas tedious. I liked that the author was able to insert a level of wit into thewriting, which made it a little less humdrum. The author uses a lot of examplesto explain his theories and concepts. Like I said, there’s a lot of informationin these pages and some may even find some encouragement in the patients’stories, but I honestly didn’t get as much from this book as I thought I would.Perhaps if this would’ve been a little easier to read, then I probably wouldn’thave felt so bogged down by it. It almost seemed like this wasn’t written forthe everyday reader. It seemed like you almost had to be a scholar for it.
This book may help some peopleunderstand the concepts and theories within if those people take the time andeffort to properly invest in it.
Rating:3 stars
About the Author:
Dr. Pooley has been in practice over 43 years, and during that time worked with over 20,000 individuals in close to 500,000 clinical encounters. He is married to his soulmate Patti Mugford-Pooley and lives in Lighthouse Cove in Canada. He has served his profession and community in various roles, and lectured nationally and internationally on professionalism as well as the importance of natural approaches to health and wellness. Doug is a former bodybuilding champion and continues to explore new frontiers in health and successful aging.He is currently in his early seventies going on seventeen.
Website: https://theun-dietdiet.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheUndietDiet/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/DRDOUGPOOLEY/
BN: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-un-diet-diet-healthier-boomers-in-21-days-dr-douglas-pooley/1143853597
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Diet-Diet-Healthier-Boomers-Days-ebook/dp/B0CD436TVR/ref=sr_1_1
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Blog Tour: TWIGGY AND THE LOST SOCKS by Renée DeVincent
A Rhyming Backyard Adventure
Children's Book
Date Published: September 2023
Meet Twiggy! He loves to explore with his family finding treasures to store before winter. Fall is ending, and Twiggy finds a soft and fuzzy treasure to keep him warm during colder days. Unknown to him, it belongs to a girl searching for her favorite lost sock. Find out what happens when Twiggy and the girl come face to face. How will they cope with their complex emotions about the situation and each other?
Review: Twiggy was a little squirrel thatlived in a tree. One of Twiggy’s favorite things to do is explore. One day, heventures off and discovers the allure of the sock. He had it, but then he lostit to the girl that it belonged to. He tried to get it back, but hecouldn’t…realizing that the sock was never his. The sock was returned to itsrightful owner.
But then Twiggy gets a delightfulsurprise he never expected.
The illustrations were simple andcolorful. It would’ve been nicer if all that extra blank space could’ve beenfilled, but they were still lovely to look at.
A cute story with fun rhymes.
Rating:4 stars
About the Author
Renée DeVincent was born on an Army Base in Savannah GA. Her passion for reading and creativity developed at a young age. Growing up in a military family and moving frequently, books and art became a source of comfort and escape. Later in life, she embarked on her writing career, grant and technical writing, shortly after receiving her M.Ed. in Counseling. At the same time, she continued to develop her passion for fictional short stories, literature, and art, leading her to get an AAS degree in Graphic Design.
Reading books to her daughters inspired her to write and illustrate her first Children's Book, Twiggy and the Lost Socks. Renée believes reading and storytelling are powerful ways to connect with others and foster a love of learning. Using a lighthearted rhyming style, inspired by nature, Renée uses her colorful illustrations and writing to encourage self-awareness, responsibility, positive relationships, and a solid character.
Currently, Renée resides in the heart of Kansas with her two children and supportive husband of 30 years. When not writing or creating art, Renée loves to spend time with her garden, nature, the outdoors, and her many fur babies. Hazel the Doberman and Milo the Ragdoll cat, provide many hours of writing inspiration.
Contact Links
October 24, 2023
Blog Tour: HIGH POINT by Susan Zoe Bella
High Point
by Susan Zoe Bella
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GENRE: Contemporary Romance
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BLURB:
It’s only rock and roll but I hate it.Groupies, parties, a cheating ex, and a dark night spawned a wake-up call. I’dshifted my focus to work and avoiding social media. Singing lead for a famousband had become nothing more than a steppingstone to my true dream of racingPro Motocross. I hadn’t dated in years. Then ‘she’ showed up and everything inme longed to be with her. I was stoked she’d agreed to join me at High PointRaceway for the weekend, even if it meant putting up with Mack. Better still,Mia wasn’t a groupie, not even close. She wasn’t even a fan of our music. Iflove at first sight had a name, it would be Mia Fringe and I had to make her mine.~ Jett
I’d seen him in passing over the years. He was theneighbor of my best friend. But we’d never officially been introduced until thenight Mackie badgered me into meeting him after attending his band’s concert. Itried not to look awestruck, stunned that someone this gorgeous had been withinmy scope for years but had not caught my attention. He had success written allover him. Girls like me didn’t end up with guys like him. Recently unemployed,still living on the family farm, and recovering from a nervous breakdown, I wasa mess. But Jett saw something in me that nobody else ever had…worth. ~ Mia
Action, drama, and chaos kick off right from thestart at High Point Raceway when Mackie has second thoughts about playingmatchmaker between Mia and Jett. However, when the week of bliss comes to anend, Mia is heartbroken and confused as to why Jett doesn’t keep his promise.She accepts a job as a reporter three thousand miles away to escape the pain.
Ten years later, Mia and Jett cross paths in themost startling way. She’s about to discover the truth of what really happenedso long ago. Will she be able to trust Jett again when he pleads for a secondchance? Can love and forgiveness conquer a decade of hurt? It all goes down inthe dirt during the last race of the season.
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Excerpt One:
A shadow of disappointment prowled through my mind. He’dslammed on the brakes. I could’ve taken it as rejection. But he was no fool. Hewas bound to uncover the truth before giving too much of himself.
“We forgot to bring lunch,” I pointed out as we entered thecave.
“Oh yeah. I had other things on my mind. Maybe we’ll findsome berries.”
“In May?” I giggled. “For that matter, why not root aroundin logs for honeycombs.”
He laughed. “We could do that.” Then he dipped his brows ina comical expression and said in a deep voice, “I’ll fight off the bears foryou, my love.”
Love? He dropped the L-word? I stared at him. Was it a slip?Or a mere casual expression? After all, Europeans used it very casually. Mythoughts went into overdrive. I hated when that happened.
“Let’s explore. Maybe the natives left behind some jerky,”he teased with a grin.
“The eternal optimist,” I countered. “I love it.”
We wandered deeper into the cave between moss-covered slatewalls. Water trickled down the sides. The cave smelled musty. Somethingskittered across the rocky floor. I screamed and leaped sideways.
“There are creepy crawlies in here!”
“I saw that,” he said. “No worries. They’re more afraid ofus than we are of them.”
“Uh…speak for yourself.” I shrieked again. “Jett!” I hadjumped onto a ledge a foot above ground and clung to the wall. “I’m not thismuch country. Can we go please?”
“Okay, doll.” He smiled apologetically. “There’s nothing tosee in here anyway. I didn’t mean to frighten you.”
Something sticky brushed my face. I swatted frantically butseemingly had entangled myself in a web. The more panicked I became the worsethings got. My flailing arms gathered more webbing. I slipped off the ledge inall my thrashing about and tumbled to the ground, scraping my arms and legs onthe way down.
“Mia!” He caught my arms. “Stop. Baby, stop moving!”
“Oh no…” I whimpered. “What is it?”
“Nothing,” he replied calmly but apprehension snuck into hisvoice. “Just stay very, very still, doll.”
“Omigosh,” I cried.
He snapped a twig from a branch sticking out of the wall andin my peripheral vision his arm moved painstakingly slowly. I held my breathand didn’t dare twitch. A couple of agonizing minutes later, he tossed thestick aside then swept me into his arms.
“We should get the hell out of here,” he muttered.
I clung to him. “What was it?”
“You don’t wanna know.”
“Ew. Ew. Did it bite me? Am I okay?”
“Sshh, you’re safe now. It never touched your skin. It sawall that beautiful blonde hair and thought, hm, a perfect place to spell outthe word radiant.”
“Omigosh. It was one of those…I can’t even say it. Ew. Ew.Get me out of here.”
He broke into a run with me in his arms. I didn’t take afull breath until we exited the cave.
“I need another bath.” I continued frenetically brushing myarms and head, still in panic mode.
We made our way back to the waterhole and I didn’t hesitateto strip down and dive in. I submerged myself, scrubbing my face and hairfuriously. He dove in with me. When I finally calmed down, convinced I’d ridmyself of anything that’d hitched a ride, I relaxed and casually swam around.
“Seems I’ve discovered your one fear,” he said upon swimmingover to me. “You don’t like bugs.”
“No. I don’t. Especially the kind that makes webs.” Ishivered at the thought.
“I’m really sorry.” He began to laugh. “I had no idea. Idon’t mean to laugh. Honest. I’m not mocking you. But you were a sight backthere.”
“Ha-ha.” I scowled. “Why’d you sound so urgent when tellingme to stop moving?”
“I didn’t want it to bite you. Those things typically aren’taggressive unless they feel threatened. And you, my dear, were definitely in afrenzy.”
“Now I’m cold, hungry, and freaked out. I’m never going intoa cave again.”
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Topic: Please describea pivotal scene in this book and why it's important.
The day after Jett spots Mialurking in the woods watching his band, making him revisit all the evidence asto why she broke up with him. Once he finds the evidence of Kat and Mackie’sdevious plan, he races over to Mia’s house to talk with her, but she’s alreadyleft for California. Jett briefly meets her mom and gets a glimpse of her lifeon the farm. He’s heartsick over what happened and angry with himself forfalling for Kat’s tricks. This scene is from Jett’s point of view and portrayshis deep emotion over the entire situation while showing his inner strength andintegrity. In this scene, the reader is given a deeper insight into Jett’sheart and values. This scene also is a major turning point for Jett as he facesoff with Mia’s enemies and makes a life-changing decision. I love this scenebecause it shows how emotionally devastated Jett was when he found the note,how emotions can cloud a person’s thinking, how people messing with others’lives can cause so much damage, and how Jett’s love for Mia drives him touncover the truth. I took great care in writing this scene from his POV, notleaving out any details. It is a very pivotal moment in the story and changeseverything. Yay, Jett! He will always be my hero!
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
"I am a fan of happily ever after. My novels aretoo!"
Susan Zoe enjoys creating contemporary, paranormal, fantasyand romantic suspense stories with a gritty flair. Her stories are her own, andshe typically writes outside the box. She’s always been a leader not afollower. Writing is her mental filter and how she processes the world aroundher, a fictional place where she can control the outcome at her comfort levelwith justice and happy endings. Her imagination is her greatest strength as itcarries her away from daily stress.
As a survivor of hardship and chronic disease, she takes oneday at a time and treasures the simple things in life. Susan Zoe is aChristian, loves animals, and practices being kind and generous every day. Whennot immersed in new stories, she enjoys watching movies, Motocross andSupercross, playing Yahtzee with her fiancé, and hanging out with her loyal24/7 companion and trained service dog. She’s not a fan of sitcoms as theydon’t offer enough mental stimulation. Losing herself in an intense story givesher brain the workout it needs to manage OCD, anxiety, depression, and stress.
Her achievements thus far include The Golden Wings Award forher debut novel The Satellite, the UK Nobel Pin and Editor’s Choice Award forher poem The Lonely Man, numerous 5 Star Reviews from Fallen Angels Reviews,Coffee Time Romance, InD’tale Magazine, Goodreads and more for current andretired novels. She was also a RONE Awards Finalist in 2017.
She loves to hear from readers and chat!
In her words, “Writing is the only time I’m truly free.”She’s happiest when her intriguing characters come to life and steal her awayinto their worlds where anything is possible.
Website:http://www.susanzoebella.com
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/AuthorSusanZoe
Twitter:https://twitter.com/AuthorSusanZoe
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/authorsusanzoebella
LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/authorsusanzoe
Universal:https://books2read.com/u/3k6n8K
Amazon:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C9XNS82K
Barnes& Noble/Print and eBook: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/high-point-susan-zoe-bella/1143732985?ean=9798223585893
Smashwords:https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1417168
Kobo:https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/high-point-1
Apple:https://books.apple.com/us/book/high-point/id6450857036
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GIVEAWAY :
Susan Zoe Bella will be awarding a $20 Amazon orBarnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during thetour.
a Rafflecopter giveawayBlog Tour: THE PUMPKIN BUTTER MURDER by Meg Benjamin
The Pumpkin Butter Murder
by Meg Benjamin
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GENRE: Cozy Mystery
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BLURB:
Theirgourmet dinner turned deadly. And now the murderer is after her. RoxyConstantine is looking for a way to spend her winter down time. Her true loveNate Robicheaux has a suggestion: she can serve as his sous chef when heprepares a dinner party for possible investors. But when several guests becomeill and the hostess herself dies after eating their food, Roxy and Nate couldbe in deep trouble. Now they need to find out what really happened, and whowanted their hostess dead, before their culinary reputations go down in flamesand the murderer turns his attention to Roxy herself.
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EXCERPT
Across the room, Herman’s head came up. But he wasn’tlooking at Uncle Mike. He made a sound low in his throat.
“Herman?”
Herman’s growl became louder. He came to his feet quickly,stalking toward the door. And then he started to bark.
Herman’s normally a very relaxed dog, although he’s a verylarge relaxed dog. He seldom barks at things unless it’s something unusual. Nowhe was barking his head off, stalking toward my front door as he did.
“Herman, shut up,” Uncle Mike snapped.
“What going on, dog? It can’t be trick-or-treaters.” Istarted across the room toward him and a dark shape moved across the frontwindow as I did.
“There’s something out there.” As soon as I opened the frontdoor, Herman shot by me into the rain-sodden yard.
“Herman, damn it, get back here,” Uncle Mike yelled. “Nowhe’s going to get all muddy.”
I was more concerned about the person I thought I’d seengoing by the window. I started out the door after Herman, but Nate grabbed myarm. “Let me go first.”
I stood aside to let him get by, then followed him out ontothe front porch. “I don’t see anyone,” Nate said.
I looked around the yard, rubbing my arms against the coolair. “I don’t either. But somebody was at the front window. I saw them moveaway when I got to the living room.”
“Well, there’s nobody here now. Herman,” Uncle Mike yelled,“come on back.”
I stared out into the darkness, trying to decide if I’dactually seen something or if I’d gotten spooked by an animal or a bird. We doget deer at night sometimes, and occasionally coyotes and raccoons. I thought Iheard a car driving away on the main road, but it was a county highway. Carswent by regularly.
Herman finally padded up, thoroughly wet and muddy. “Damnit, dog,” Uncle Mike muttered, “now I’ve got to take you up to the house andhose you off.”
Nate stepped into the house and then re-emerged with theflashlight I kept near the door. “Let me check the window.”
I followed him out into the light drizzle. He played theflashlight across the muddy ground near the window, then paused. “Footprints.There.”
I looked where he was pointing and saw two distinctfootprints in front of my window. I shivered with a sudden chill.
“What the hell?” Uncle Mike squinted in the darkness. “Who’dcome out here at this time of night?”
“Prowler?” Nate asked. “I can’t think of any legitimatereason for a person to be standing out here when we were inside.”
“Why would a prowler come here? There’s nothing tosee.”
“There’s you,” Nate said flatly. “He could be looking foryou.”
A moment of silence stretched after that. My heart waspounding so loudly I was amazed they didn’t hear it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Meg Benjamin isan award-winning author of romance. Meg’s Konigsburg series is set in the TexasHill Country and her Salt Box and Brewing Love trilogies are set in theColorado Rockies (all are available from Entangled Publishing and from Meg’sindie line). Her new cozy mystery series, Luscious Delights from Wild RosePress, concerns a jam-making sleuth based in the mythical small town ofShavano, Colorado. Along with contemporary romance, Meg is also the author ofthe paranormal Ramos Family trilogy from Berkley InterMix and the Folk trilogyfrom Soul Mate. Meg’s books have won numerous awards, including an EPIC Award,a Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award, the Holt Medallion from VirginiaRomance Writers, the Beanpot Award from the New England Romance Writers, and the Award of Excellencefrom Colorado Romance Writers.
Meg’s Web siteis http://www.MegBenjamin.com.
You can followher on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/meg.benjamin1), Pinterest (http://pinterest.com/megbenjamin/),Instagram (meg_benjamin) and Twitter (http://twitter.com/megbenj1).
Meg loves tohear from readers—contact her at meg@megbenjamin.com
The buy linksfor The Pumpkin Butter Murder are:
And https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/book...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GIVEAWAY
Meg Benjamin will be awarding a $10Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
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October 23, 2023
Blog Tour: KILLTOWN by Chad Lehrmann
Horror/Thriller
Date Published: 10-23-2021
Publisher: Didactic Cafe Press
Can you survive the night when a murderous competition arrives in a small East Texas town with one road in and no way out?
The Invitation…
The stark white light bulb swayedever-so-slightly on its bare cord in the dark room, casting strange shadows onthe shape bent over a workbench. It wasvaguely human, but contorted as it worked on something intently. Something that would be deadly and vile andmonstrous.
Someday.
So far, the shape had onlyplanned. Planned death, destruction,murder, torture, and terror. Planned tobring forth a darkness that would shake people to their core. To make death art, and to make itprolifically.
But no blade had split flesh, nobullet had puckered skin, no bomb had charred and blasted bone from bone. Novictim had experienced absolute terror as they breathed their last.
Yet.
A single ping made the shape turnits head, and the slight movement of the stark bulb momentarily illuminated ayouthful face, the face of a man who was barely that. But it also showed eyes that were dark anddevoid of hope or joy or even life. Theywere the eyes of a man who would kill you- if only the opportunity presenteditself and his will was strong enough.
He moved over to the small monitorrigged up by his own hand, connected to a port that allowed him access to theblackest of black on the dark web. Ithad been in the recesses of the black pits of evil that he first dared sharehis dream of malice and mountains of blood. It was there he found...dare he say it? Friends. And that distinct pingtold him that a particular friend had just sent a message.
Those blank eyes scanned over asimple message, while his fingers idly played with the object he had beencrafting- a six-inch blade with sharp wings going in all directions for maximumcarnage when inserted into a person.
The eyes ran back and forth over thesimple words and numbers glowing white against a black background. He read itagain and again, a tiny bit of drool beginning to form and ooze from the cornerof his mouth.
They read:
“Killtown”
Sundown tomorrow.
Kingston, TX
11:57:42
The countdown continued to tick away. After a minute or so, the white letters beganto wash in a blood-red shade.
He smiled, and for the first time, those dead eyes showedlife.
His moment had come.
11:56:52
11:56:51
11:56:50
About the Author
Chad Lehrmann is the author of numerous novels and also finds time to teach AP History to high school students. The product of a small town in Texas, he knows all too well the secrets that live in those supposedly idyllic villages.
Contact Links
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October 21, 2023
Review: GOOSEBUMPS: THE CURSE OF CAMP COLD LAKE by R.L. Stine
“How can you have fun up to yourneck in a freezing cold lake everyday? In a camp miles from any town?Surrounded on all sides by thick woods?”
Shy Sarah was miserable at CampCold Lake and was having a hard time fitting in with the other campers. Things onlygot worse with the kids playing pranks on her. Sarah vowed to show them thatcan play a joke, too. But then the joke ended up being on her. After a fakedrowning incident, Sarah found herself in a cold, gray, silent world, where shemeets a ghost named Della, who wanted her to be her buddy. If Sarah was meetinga ghost, that meant that she was dead, too. Yikes! She drowned! Fortunately,she doesn’t stay dead long and returns to the land of the living. But the ghostcontinues to follow her, wanting her to be her buddy.
A chilling ghost tale by the greatR.L. Stine.
Rating: 4 stars
Review: BUFFY, THE VAMPIRE SLAYER Issue 2 by Jordie Bellaire
This begins with a fiery nightmarefrom Buffy. The scenes were pretty cool. Buffy involves herself more in schooland meets uppity Cordelia. There were hardly no fights in this one and, withSpike coming into town, that’s disappointing. You don’t really know much aboutwhat’s going on, except a scary demon gets loose. An okay comic.
Rating:3 stars
