Roxanne Rhoads's Blog, page 74

A Bewitching Wednesday

A Round-Up of Daily Tour Stops

INTERVIEW - YA FICTION - THE MAN WHO CAME AND WENT by Joe Stillman #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/SUm650Lyy74

Author Advice Advice from Author and Editor Michelle Browne
https://paranormalists.blogspot.com/2...

VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR: The Meaning Wars: The Complete Omnibus by Michelle Patricia Browne (Excerpt & Giveaway + Playlist & Pinterest board)
https://neverhollowed.com/2022/11/09/...

The Art of Always by Patricia Friedrich Virtual Book Tour #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/nIAU50Lyy3l

Crazy Witch by C.S. Edwards #PNR #ParanormalRomance #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/oan850Lyy0A

Introducing Author Ian Conner & Black Raptor Books
Ian Conner is retired and spends his days gardening, crafting beautiful stained glass, creating worlds on the page, reading, writing, and reviewing books.
https://www.blackraptorbooks.com/blog
#Author #BookReviewer #Crafter #BookReviewer #BookReviews

Hollie Smurthwaite's Hot Spiced Apple Cider Recipe #IntheKitchen #Recipe #HotSpicedAppleCider #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/UrUj50Lxmkq

Survive a Zombie Apocalypse with LJ Ambrosio #FictionalMemoir #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/2wia50LxlWB

In the Kitchen with Patricia Friedrich Recipe for Brazilian Moqueca #InTheKitchen #moqueca #BrazilianFood #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/TaKx50Lw2cG

A Reservoir Man by LJ Ambrosio #FictionalMemoir #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/seL550LyxXm

A Bewitching Tuesday

A Round-Up of Daily Tour Stops

In the Kitchen with Ello Morgan Recipe for Labskaus #InTheKitchen #Labskaus #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/vgVb50Lxmiv

Hollie Smurthwaite's Hot Spiced Apple Cider Recipe #IntheKitchen #Recipe #HotSpicedAppleCider #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/UrUj50Lxmkq

DIY Pumpkin Chain of Lights with Author Elli Morgan #HowToHalloween #DIYPumpkinChain #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/eGU050LxmB4

The Man Who Came and Went Joe Stillman #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/IIo050Lxmo6

Survive a Zombie Apocalypse with LJ Ambrosio #FictionalMemoir #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/2wia50LxlWB

Elli Morgan's Top Ten Favorite Vamps #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/te6z50LxlUy

THE ART OF ALWAYS ~ PATRICIA FRIEDRICH #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/nfX650LxmbB

The Waxing Moon by Elli Morgan - Paranormal Romance - Vampire Interview #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/GsMC50Lxmvk

Introducing Author Ian Conner & Black Raptor Books
Ian Conner is retired and spends his days gardening, crafting beautiful stained glass, creating worlds on the page, reading, writing, and reviewing books.
https://www.blackraptorbooks.com/blog
#Author #BookReviewer #Crafter #BookReviewer #BookReviews

PNR Author Elli Morgan: Paranormal Romance Haikus + giveaway #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/QQXw50LxmLZ

INTERVIEW - CRAZY WITCH by C.S. Edwards
https://thebookjunkiereadspromos.blog...

INTERVIEW - PARANORMAL - THE WAXING MOON by Elli Morgan
https://thebookjunkiereadspromos.blog...

In the Kitchen with Patricia Friedrich Recipe for Brazilian Moqueca #InTheKitchen #moqueca #BrazilianFood #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/TaKx50Lw2cG

Release Day Blitz The Waxing Moon by Elli Morgan #PNR #ParanormalRomance #NewRelease

The Waxing MoonElli Morgan
Genre: Paranormal RomancePublisher: The Wild Rose PressDate of Publication: November 7th, 2022ISBN: 978-1-5092-4400-3 ISBN: 978-1-5092-4401-0 ASIN: B0B8XPWTWTNumber of pages: 252Word Count: 57649Cover Artist: Jennifer Greeff
Tagline: How far would you go to escape mundanity, and what would you risk for eternity with your beloved?
Book Description:
Lilah Neumann has longed for something beyond the mundane for as long as she can remember. A chance meeting with a mysterious and sexy vampire turns her dreams into a reality filled with adventure and excitement. She has no plans to return to her previous dull life.
After spending 400 years as a lone mercenary, Cain finds more than a companion in 19-year-old Lilah. Yet he can’t shake his past and struggles to suppress his feelings to protect her from the dangers and temptations his kind offers.
When Cain abandons her to keep her safe, Lilah finds herself on a journey through Europe to overcome her human limits and fight for a place by his side. But can a human survive in a vampire’s world?

Book Trailer: - https://youtu.be/8FwCHzk7a4Y

Amazon     Books2Read

Excerpt Chapter 2

The crescent moon hung high in the dark sky as Lilah roamed the deserted streets of her neighborhood. Logic told her she shouldn’t be out alone at this hour, but she didn’t care. She’d always loved the mystery of the night. Even as a child, she slipped outside and gazed at the stars when she felt sad. They gave her hope that life offered more than what she knew. Besides, she needed to clear her head, and the fresh air on this warm summer night calmed her.

With worries about an uncertain future preoccupying her mind, she didn’t pay attention to her surroundings until a shiver ran through her body. She didn’t recognize the street she walked on, and her instincts told her she wasn’t alone. Someone—or something—was lurking in the shadows, watching her every move.

It’s not human. It was a silly thought or maybe wishful thinking. Most of the books, movies, and TV shows she devoured featured vampires and other things that go bump in the night. Meeting someone, or rather something, right out of her favorite works of fiction excited her.

Or maybe the prospect of something supernatural lying in wait comforted her more than the idea of a serial killer or rapist stalking her. Either way, she stopped to look around in hopes of finding a way out of a potentially dangerous situation.

Old-looking town houses lined the narrow, cobbled street. They were dark. Their inhabitants were asleep or not at home. The only light came from a single streetlamp behind her, about two meters from where she stood. Only her breathing interrupted the silence.

She took a few more steps before pausing again. Apart from her feet echoing on the cobblestones, there was no sound. Nothing hinted at anyone walking nearby, following her, or breathing in her vicinity. And yet, the goose bumps on her skin convinced her otherwise.

She preferred finding out about her pursuer sooner rather than later. As she couldn’t achieve anything by staying quiet, she summoned up her courage to speak. “Stop hiding yourself. I know you’re there…I can’t see or hear you…But I can feel you watching me.” With a whisper, she added the word “vampire.”

A chuckle coming from behind her broke the silence. She squealed, and when she turned around, a tall, young man with shoulder-length, chocolate-brown hair, pale skin, and a long, dark leather coat was standing below the streetlight. He hadn’t been there when she’d checked her surroundings earlier, and there had been no footsteps indicating anyone had walked up to her.

“Interesting,” he said. “I didn’t expect you to notice me. How did you recognize me for what I am without even seeing me?” He spoke softly, as if not to frighten her.

How indeed? She did not have a rational explanation.

“Call it a gut feeling or a verbalization of my deepest hopes.” Her heartbeat thrummed in her ears. Was she actually talking to a vampire?

“Your deepest hopes? Why do I, a vampire, instill hope instead of fear in you?”

“I’ve prayed for something more than a mundane life. Meeting a vampire is not an everyday experience, so I’m thrilled.” And possibly screwed, depending on what he wanted from her.

The vampire smiled, revealing his fangs. “Even if meeting me is the last experience you’ll ever have? Aren’t you afraid to die?”

She’d never contemplated her death. The possibility of her life ending in an instant stole her breath. But wasn’t a short, exciting life worth much more than a long and boring existence? Didn’t meeting with a vampire top everything she could hope for, in a world which often felt meaningless?

“I’m more afraid of living without ever feeling alive.” Despite her words, her voice trembled.

“So you’ll give me your blood and your life?”

“I don’t mind donating some blood, but my life is a different matter. If it’s up to me, I’d prefer to keep it.” She gulped. Did she have a choice? “Death by vampire doesn’t sound too bad, though. There are worse or more boring ways to die. And when you talk about taking my life, does it mean I’ll die for good, or will your bite turn me into a vampire as well?”

He answered with a dry laugh. “I’m sorry to disappoint you, girl, but a simple bite won’t turn you. We’d be out of food in no time if every human we bit became a vampire. No, we can choose to turn a human, but it’s not a choice taken lightly. I won’t condemn anyone to this miserable life.”

“You’ve got a sad view of your life.”

“You’re one to talk. Your life doesn’t seem to fascinate you either.”

“It didn’t until today,” she admitted. “You’ve shown me something fascinating. The existence of vampires and a world beyond the one I know as a human is giving me hope for a more interesting tomorrow.”

The vampire vanished from where he stood, only to appear right behind her. “What a pity there won’t be another tomorrow for you.”

About the Author:
Elli Morgan was born in 1991 in a small town in Germany. Although she only started learning English in sixth grade, she quickly fell in love with the language. To improve her skills, she spent a year working and traveling in Canada and the US.
As a teenager, she devoured countless fanfictions and vampire novels. During that time, she also developed the idea for her first book, but she didn’t write it down until the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020.
Apart from being a writer, she’s also a trained mathematician, working as Business Intelligence Developer at an IT company. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, traveling, and all kinds of games.
Website: https://ellimorgan.com/  
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorElliM
Newsletter Sign-Up: http://eepurl.com/hTrj8D
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorElliMorgan
Books2Read: https://books2read.com/ap/xogLN3/Elli-Morgan
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Elli-Morgan/e/B0B94PSS5S 
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ellimorganreadingcave
GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22705044.Elli_Morgan  



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Meaning Wars Omnibus: A Queer Space Opera by Michelle Browne

The Meaning Wars Omnibus: A Queer Space OperaThe Meaning Wars Book SixMichelle Browne
Genre: Science Fiction, Space OperaPublisher: Magpie EditingDate of Publication: Nov 10, 2022ASIN: B0BHXRZ8NPNumber of pages: 550 Word Count: 237,000Cover Artist: Kateryna Kyselova
Tagline: Two best friends search the galaxy for love – while an oppressive human government hunts for them.
Book Description: 
Two best friends looking for love.
An oppressive interstellar government.
Adulthood has never been so stressful...
For the first time, all five books in The Meaning Wars are united as a complete collection. In this queer space opera featuring a diverse cast, a found family navigates the politics of revolution and freedom. 
Join Crystal, a wormhole engineer, and Sarah, an English Literature graduate with a chip on her shoulder, as they try to find romance and friendship - while an oppressive interstellar government watches their every move. 
As Crystal deals with her faltering marriage, Sarah makes risky career decisions - by doing what's morally right. Running from the surveillance state of the Human Conglomerate, will the Interfederation's multi-species alliance prove their salvation? A crew of old friends and a union of renegade space pirates may be their way out. But first, they have to save rebel icon Patience Ngouabi from arrest and certain torture - and make sure they all get out alive.
Fans of Ruthanna Emrys' A Half-Built Garden and Becky Chambers' Wayfarers series will love the cosy yet intense adventures of this crew of misfits fighting for political and social justice.
Amazon

Excerpt:

The leaves and trees here were soft shades of blue, ranging all the way to bold indigo. It was a sharp but not unlovely contrast against the pale sky, which looked white or a little yellowish because of the thick, protective atmosphere, shielding them from the insistent blue luminance of the F-class star. They’d seen patches of gold and yellowish plains, and even plenty of familiar Earthly green plants, which grew here quite well, but the native vegetation tended towards navy, periwinkle, and turquoise.

“Good job back there,” said Sarah in a whisper. “I thought you were gonna crack, to be honest.”

“Me too. But I kept thinking, ‘What would Sarah do?’ and I just tried to look bored,” Toby whispered back. He shot her a smile that started a bit wan, but gradually brightened. “Hey, we did it. And now we’re going to rescue someone.”

“Speaking of,” said Paulo, stumping over, “I finally got this shit figured out. Goddamn map was in really poor resolution and didn’t account for this fucking river valley having a flooded area. They sent me archived shit. I just figured out the discrepancies.” He sighed. “Sorry for snapping at both of you. I’m just worried and stressed.”

Sarah inhaled and let out a long breath. “You and me both. It’s not like I’m rescuing someone who’s basically my hero or anything, while caked in mud and preparing to flee for our lives—oh wait, yes I am. This is a nightmare.”

Toby bumped her shoulder and wiggled his feet in his boots, sluicing the mud off. “At least you’re not having this nightmare alone.”

Paulo pointed. “C’mon. Over there. Who knows how long we have before there are guards or a collection force? Those fake identities won’t hold forever.”

A cold pit formed in Sarah’s stomach. What if this was an elaborate trap? She’d seen that letter, sure, but did they know for certain that Patience was still alive? What if the guards had found her already?

“We’re in disguise,” Toby ventured, a tremor in his voice. “Um. Just so you know. That’s why we look like guards. But we’re not.”

There was a rustling. Didn’t sound like anything bigger than a rabbit—if those had even been introduced here.

The two guards circled them both, the person with sideburns keeping their gun trained right at Sarah and Toby’s faces.

“Wait. There’s supposed to be a woman here that Patience talked to,” said the one on the right.

Silently, a third person crept out of a hidey-hole Sarah hadn’t even noticed. Moss and a snarl of brush against the arch of a tree root parted and revealed a rather small woman with dark skin and large, anxious eyes, and a larger gun.

And then, abruptly, Sarah was face-to-face with her—Patience Ngouabi.

For many reasons, she was one of the most beautiful women Sarah had ever met, known, or heard of. Her skin was perhaps duller and less perfectly even in tone than it looked in interviews, but was still the glorious brown of fresh clay, with a hint of rust.

Still, she had the angelic features Sarah had seen in so many interviews: that heart-shaped face, broad, gentle nose, soft cheekbones, and full, plush lips. Her wide, dark eyes searched Sarah’s face in momentary confusion.

She had really been hoping to meet Patience under different circumstances—not while going by a dead woman’s name. If she took Patience’s hand, she thought, Patience would be touching the skin of a dead woman, not Sarah’s.

“I’m Sarah Jean White,” she said, just managing to hold her voice steady, trying to pretend she wasn’t starstruck.

“I’m afraid we’ll have to do the formal introduction later. There are soldiers on the way!” said Patience, without much of her name.

About the Author:
Michelle Browne is a sci fi/fantasy writer. She lives in Lethbridge, AB with her partners-in-crime and their cats. Her days revolve around freelance editing, knitting, jewelry, and nightmares, as well as social justice issues. She is currently working on the next books in her series, other people's manuscripts, and drinking as much tea as humanly possible.
Blog: www.scifimagpie.blogspot.ca
Facebook: www.facebook.com/scifimagpie
Twitter: www.twitter.com/scifimagpie
Instagram: www.instagram.com/scifimagpie
Tiktok: www.tiktok.com/@scifimagpie
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/~/e/B00BGWZRCW
Mailing List: https://mailchi.mp/87fd9fb37a5e/scifimagpie
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3301336.Michelle_Browne



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A Bewitching Monday

A Round-Up of Daily Tour Stops

In the Kitchen with Patricia Friedrich Recipe for Brazilian Moqueca #InTheKitchen #moqueca #BrazilianFood #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/TaKx50Lw2cG

Character Confession from Flexix from gods on Trial: The Series - Beyond the Father by Opëshum Patroz #bewitchingbooktours
https://paranormalists.blogspot.com/2...

INTERVIEW - MEMOIR - A RESERVOIR MAN by LJ Ambrosio #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/i14950Lw1lF

Crazy Witch by C.S. Edwards Virtual Book Tour #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/v3bh50Lw1Rr

In the Kitchen with Opëshum Patroz #InTheKitchen #TealOil #bewitchingbooktours https://creativelygreen.blogspot.com/...

Spotlight on #MagicalRealism: Joe Stillman’s The Man Who Came and Went #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/fHjS50Lw2Py

Halloween Decorating Tips from Opëshum Patroz #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/Fz5X50Lw26g

Release Day Blitz gods on Trial: The Series - Beyond the Father by Opëshum Patroz #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/n2Cx50Lw1GF

RELEASE DAY BLITZ - SCI-FI FANTASY - GODS ON TRIAL: Beyond the Father by Opëshum Patroz #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/q7lc50Lw1ie

The Kindle versions are all on sale right now.
Ghosts and Legends of Genesee & Lapeer Counties
https://amzn.to/3UvYXra $2.99
Haunted Flint
https://amzn.to/3Un0tw0 $2.99
Pumpkins and Party Themes: 50 DIY Designs to Bring Your Halloween Extravaganza to Life
https://amzn.to/3DNlXvk $1.99

Hollie Smurthwaite's Top Ten Paranormal Book Boyfriends #ParanormalRomance #Suspense #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/eOmx50LufQE

In the Kitchen with C.S. Edwards - Recipe for Bourbon Bread Pudding #InTheKitchen #BourbonBreadPuddingRecipe #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/rT4U50LsVum

Author Interview - gods on Trial: The Series - Beyond the Father by Opëshum Patroz #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/7hl050Lw1Jl

Author Interview- The Color of Betrayal by Hollie Smurthwaite #ParanormalRomance #Suspense #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/jlv250Lw2xT

Release Day Blitz gods on Trial: The Series - Beyond the Father by Opëshum Patroz

gods on Trial: The Series - Beyond the Father Opëshum Patroz 
Genre: SciFi/Fantasy Publisher: 1iR3 Publishers, LLC   Date of Publication: 11/7/22ISBN: 979-8-88757-307-6Word Count: 72,000 Words
Cover Artist: 1iR3 Publishers Art Co-operative Tagline: Join the Xżyberians on their Journey
Book Description:
Beyond the Father sets the scene for the 8-book Sci-Fi Epic gods on Trial: The Series, delving into life’s determination to transcend all limitation.  Set on the planet Xżyber, citizens of the Sub-Median Region, imperfectly reborn into metal, oppress those who are organic. 
Elsewhere, in the Central Kingdom, religion supports royalty’s brutal domination of the lowest class.  War over scarce resources is coming, revolution within each region is brewing, and none know of the eccentric god who created them. This being watches, has fascinating conversations with his often-wiser companion, occasionally learns, and rarely intervenes.  The many levels and threads of struggle distract nearly all from a far greater threat.  
Meanwhile, the young Prince Anglid’s vision quest into the unexplored Area X may ultimately change everything.  However, just when you think you know the direction of the story, the author has yet another surprise.
Amazon

Episode 7 - Bitter-Sweet Choice

“Fleet number, rank, and make?” asked the assignment officer at GATE 11, on the central floor of Team Command.

“44772PX, cadet, 40% Non-Mollard,” the next in line replied, quickly.

“Cleared. Report to HAS 4 in Field 8,” the assignment officer abruptly responded. “Next?
I need Fleet number, rank, and make!”

“23619RX, cadet, 30% Non-Mollard,” replied the next in line

“You’re cleared. Report to HAS 1, in Field 10,” said the assignment officer. “Next!” “Thank you, yes! I’m next,” responded another cadet, rushing up to the window. Her
rucksack slid off of her shoulder, where the stub of a missing arm stuck out just beyond the sleeve of her shirt. “Here are all of my papers,” the cadet said, spreading out a pile of disheveled notes.

“Hold it! I just need a fleet number, a rank and your make. I don’t need your life story,” snapped the officer.

“Of course. I’m 24005RX . . . sub-cadet, 100% Non-Mollard.”

The assignment officer studied the cadet disapprovingly. “100%—non-Mollard,” he repeated, carefully scanning the cadet’s face. “Didn’t know they still let your kind in. And who is your commanding officer?” he demanded.

“Umm . . . Officer Liara, sir. And my name is Purvi,” continued the sub-cadet.

The assignment officer pushed the papers back at Purvi and frowned. “I don’t need all these papers,” the officer scowled. “And I don’t need your name!”

“I see. Thank you, sir,” Purvi responded, retrieving her papers. But then she paused. “But, you’re a Non-Mollard too, aren’t you?” she pressed. “In which case . . . well, it’s just so hard connecting with anyone here. My whole fleet is mostly Mollard, and . . .”

“Why are you still talking?” the assignment officer interrupted, while entering something into his database. “You’re cleared for HAS 12 over in Field 3.”

Realizing her gestures were unwelcome, Purvi quickly repositioned her rucksack and turned to walk away. But then she turned back around and reapproached the window, consumed by what had become a theme in her life—the burning desire to challenge what she felt was wrong. “Why are you so full of hate when you are still part flesh yourself?” she challenged.

Shocked, the assignment officer slowly looked up to meet Purvi’s bold stare and revealed the circuitry behind his colorless, prosthetic eyes. “How dare you talk to me that way, you little ‘scunt!” he seemed to growl through clench teeth. “How dare you even open your mouth to speak to me without being asked a question? You remind me of everything that shouldn’t be.

You’re an unfortunate arrangement of flesh and mineral—with a mouth!” Growing even more impatient, the assignment officer stood up quickly from his chair. “You are just a waste and a burden to us all. Your kind shouldn’t even be here,” he sneered, leaning forward to make his point. “Make no error in. I am part of the new Xżyber and you’re . . . you’re completely expendable.” His voice became deeper, as did his frown. “Now get out of my line!”

Purvi’s face turned red as her anger mounted inside of her. The unfriendly exchange reminded her of the last time she spoke with Timmons, her grandfather. It was the day he had declined his chance to be uploaded to the Vangora Rima and achieve eternal presence.

It was a sullen afternoon, with the family and Timmons’ doctor. As they huddled around the bed where Timmons lay weak, his doctor implored him to reconsider his decision, given he was in the last few days of his life. However, Timmons refused to agree to the upload.

This was an opportunity his family could not fathom he would turn down, and an option only typically available to those who were at least 80% Mollard, or to those who had the means to invest in the technology.

However, Timmons, a brilliant Xżyberian—whose only misfortune was the constraints of poverty—had managed to write numerous social advisories intended to promote harmony between Mollards and Non-Mollards. He’d had hopes that his musings would provide him a source of regular income, but his published works were only well received by some. Highly criticized by most, he quickly won the label of an iconoclast and found himself forced into obscurity.

Yet still, his message captivated the Luminaries—the presiders over news and commentary—who deemed that Timmons’ writings could be useful in the management and wellbeing of the Non-Mollard community, and should be archived as a collection of noble artifacts.

With this came the rarest honor—the right to upload his consciousness to the Vangora Rima until a fully prosthetic body was constructed for him.

Purvi’s mother, who was the only surviving daughter of Timmons, sat by his bedside pleading with him to accept the offer. And Purvi, almost nineteen-years-old at the time, sat on the floor weeping.

“Dearest father, the Vangora Rima has never been within our family’s grasp before,” cried Purvi’s mother, Ariel. “We may never get there—any of us. So, why would you walk away from this now?”

Timmons struggled to speak. “Take my hand, Ariel,” he said through strained breathing. “Please remember what I taught you . . . what I taught all of you about desperation.” Timmons opened his eyes slightly. “It can and will cloud your view and disrupt your clearest thoughts.”

“But, Grandfather!” interjected Purvi. “We love you, and we want you to live forever!”
Purvi placed her head down onto the bed, wiping her tears against Timmons’ frail arm.

“Ah, Purvi. My little Purvi,” he said, stroking her hair. “The Vangora Rima would not give you back the grandfather you know. The system would scrub me clean of what it deemed were my imperfections: my concern, and my empathy…my ability to love you.”

“I don’t care about how much it would change you, Grandfather,” Purvi cried. “I have enough love for the both of us.” Purvi looked up, her eyes filled with so much water she could barely see. “I am stronger than you think I am! I will love you even if you can’t love me back!”

“Shh . . . my darling, Purvi.” Timmons whispered. “Please gather yourself and listen to what I have to say.” Timmons removed a ring from his smallest finger and placed it in the palm of one of her hands. “One day, Purvi . . .” he whispered. “One day, when you are fully grown,
 you will look into the face of pure evil, and I am eternally grateful that that face will not be mine.”

That was the last time Purvi heard her grandfather speak.

“Are you gonna move, or do I need to have you discharged?” The assignment officer’s voice seemed to pierce through the tender silence. “Get this ‘scunt out of my line!” he yelled, talking to one of the other officers.

Before Purvi could gather herself, she felt an abrupt yank on her shirt as she was pulled out of the line and pushed onto the ground. And before she could determine what was happening, her head was pinned to the ground by the boot of her assailant.

Purvi looked up to see two officers over her, both pointing their weapons, ready to remove her for good.

“I’m sorry! Please—” Purvi said. But then, realizing they were Mollards, and that her pleading would get her nowhere, she quickly used what she knew would save her life. “Thank you for teaching me to respect your power. I detest this flesh of mine. I honor all that is Mollard. I honor you! I honor you! Please…I honor you!”

About the Author:
Opëshum has been writing since she was a child, and believes that authors are selected by their characters to bring their stories to the world. Incredibly shy and introverted, Opëshum does not make public appearances. She prefers to remain behind the scenes as the characters in her books take center stage. Her current work, the 8-Book SciFi Epic gods on Trial: The Series™ kicks off with Book 1, BEYOND THE FATHER.  
Opëshum calls Sheridan, Wyoming her home, where she is currently writing Book 2 of this series. She lives in a modest Cape Cod dwelling on 3 acres of land where she lets a robust variety of sunflowers grow wild and untamed, while Aloe Vera and other succulents decorate almost every ledge within her house. An avid writer in the early morning and late at night, Opëshum often works on her manuscripts in rooms lit only by homemade candles.
She enjoys nature walks, full moons, and open spaces where she can stare up at the stars. 
"I live my life in the shadows, and I am shy. For I know that my appearance is not pleasing to the eye." - Opëshum Patroz
https://twitter.com/1iR3Publishers 
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100084210977128 
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22660923.Op_shum 

A Bewitching Friday

A Round-Up of Daily Tour Stops

Hollie Smurthwaite's Top Ten Paranormal Book Boyfriends #ParanormalRomance #Suspense #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/eOmx50LufQE

Crazy Witch by C.S. Edwards #PNR #ParanormalRomance #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/KLZw50LufOQ

A recovering alcoholic woman with the ability to experience people’s memories helps a secret government agency take down drug syndicates. But when she meets an artist, she loses focus and opens herself to danger https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B...
#pnr #pnrbooks #paranormalromance #amreadingromance #psychics #romanticsuspense #bookworm #reader #bookaddict #bookaholic

In the Kitchen with C.S. Edwards - Recipe for Bourbon Bread Pudding #InTheKitchen #BourbonBreadPuddingRecipe #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/rT4U50LsVum

A Bewitching Thursday

A Round-Up of Daily Tour Stops

In the Kitchen with C.S. Edwards - Recipe for Bourbon Bread Pudding #InTheKitchen #BourbonBreadPuddingRecipe #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/rT4U50LsVum

Conversations with Roxanne Rhoads
https://voyagemichigan.com/interview/...

A recovering alcoholic woman with the ability to experience people’s memories helps a secret government agency take down drug syndicates. But when she meets an artist, she loses focus and opens herself to danger https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B...
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What does Bart Babington’s love life, a legendary key, and the Goddess of Death, have in common? Well, Bart is about to find out... Hop on this romcom ride and discover the world of Witch Doctors and Rabbit Hash, KY. You might just fall in love - Bart does! https://amzn.to/3VFETUD
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Author Interview - The Color of Betrayal by Hollie Smurthwaite #ParanormalRomance #Suspense #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/YX0c50LsVqO

Author Interview - The Color of Betrayal by Hollie Smurthwaite #ParanormalRomance #Suspense

Does writing energize or exhaust you?  

I'm lucky to be someone who is energized by writing most of the time. It's fun to see a story take shape.

Did you ever consider writing under a pseudonym? 

Yes. If I ever write erotica, it would be under a pseudonym--at least while my parents are alive.

Do you try more to be original or to deliver to readers what they want? 

I write the stories I wanted to write without thinking along clear genre lines. At the same time, I read the genre I write in, so I’m hoping it meets most genre reader expectations.

If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be? 

You don't know as much as you think you do.

What was an early experience where you learned that language had power? 

I don't know if I can describe this accurately, but I'll try. My grandparents were visiting my dad, and I was getting ready to leave and I told them I loved them. Now, telling family you love them isn't exactly a novel thing, but I swear when I said the words, they landed in a powerful way that all of us felt. It had a resonance that solidified for a few moments, and I've remembered it ever since. Similarly, I also remember saying, "Fuck you," to a boyfriend and having the same sort of resonance, though not quite as feel-good. My immediate thought after that was that I'd gone too far.

As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal? 

Ugh. Maybe a coked up hamster on a wheel?

How do other writers help you become a better writer? 

Community is important to me. I take a lot of classes and attend conferences and seminars, but I also meet every week (now virtually) with a group called Just Write Chicago, a Meetup group, just to talk about writing. It's invaluable to speak with other authors about what we've learned, what we're struggling with, and share accomplishments. I'm also part of a critique group that's been meeting for several years. Without their feedback and perspective, my writing would be awful. And I have an accountability group that meets virtually every week to check in on our writing.

What does literary success look like to you? 

Money is great, but I'd rather have a well-read novel. I'd like to reach at least 10K readers to start. For me, particularly as a no-name indie writer, I’m playing the long game. My plan is to keep producing until I can generate some momentum.

If you didn’t write, what would you do for work? 

I can't imagine a different occupation right now, but if I needed cash, I'd probably have to go back to office management. If I had to pick a hypothetical, new career, I'd go with: high-end spa reviewer. 

The Color of BetrayalThe Psychic Colors SeriesBook TwoHollie Smurthwaite
Genre: Paranormal Romance, SuspensePublisher: Hollie SmurthwaiteDate of Publication: 10-31-2022ISBN: 978-1-7371189-6-1ASIN: B0BD2NYV8WNumber of pages: 344Word Count: 98,000Cover Artist: Sarah Hansen at Okay Creations
Tagline: No Secret is Safe . . . 
Book Description:
As a memory surgeon, Jolene can slip into other people’s memories. She can see them, experience them, even steal them. To atone for her past, she’s been using her gift to help the Agency, a secret government entity, taking out drug lords across the US. After a screw-up on an assignment, she’s back in Chicago, where her own worst memories live.
The last thing she needs while trying to make up for her mistake is a sexy distraction.  Cass is a little sweet and a lot gorgeous.  The only problem: she can’t have him and the job.  But when he offers his friendship, she can’t resist. 
While Jolene and Cass try to pretend there is nothing beneath their friendship, her mission spins out of control. Now, both their lives are on the line. Will her growing powers be enough to save her? Or will secrets send her right back to the darkest depths of her past?
Amazon      BN     Kobo

Excerpt:

After only three weeks of dating, Jolene and Colton had fallen into a routine: dinner (both) and drinks (him), binge-watching various flavors of CSI at his downtown Boston condo (him), and a few hours of surreptitiously delving into Colton's memories (her). Jolene's practice run as a spy in the field was going well.

The late August night was cool enough for Colton to crack open the sliding glass door to the balcony to let the night air clear his lingering cigarette smoke. Jolene kicked off the stiletto heels and inwardly sighed. After some complex maneuvering, she managed to tuck her aching toes under her too-bright skirt.

The next part of the evening promised to be worth the discomfort of a thong up her ass crack to avoid panty lines.

Without asking Jolene what she would like, Colton switched on the obscenely large TV and pulled up Hulu, lounging like a czar on his pristine white couch, which was a stupid color for anyone but particularly ludicrous for a smoker who drank too much and worked with dangerous people.

In another life, he would have been regal with golden hair, long limbs, straight nose, and a boyish, charming smile. But this wasn’t another life.

As a midlevel lackey in the Red Flames criminal organization, he was not proper boyfriend material, even if he made enough cash to buy a downtown place on a high floor and have it professionally, if foolishly, decorated all in white.

Jolene wiggled her toes into the plush cushion and ignored the stale-smoke smell mixed with Colton’s spicy cologne. Any moment, Colton would slip into a CSI coma, and she would slip into his memories.

“This looks like a good one,” she said. What she always said, because why mess with what worked?

“Yeah,” Colton agreed, as he always did. He lit a cigarette and “politely” blew the smoke toward the balcony doors, tapping the ash into an antique crystal ashtray on the glass coffee table already holding three butts.

The first week, she'd been terrified he'd somehow feel her inside his mind, though she'd never had that happen before or heard of anyone sensing the process. Not that Jolene still had contacts in the memory-surgeon community, small as it was, but that sort of revelation would put memory surgery back in the 24/7 news cycle, like when they’d first been legitimized. Semi-legitimized.

This first assignment was nothing more than an exploration of what she could do on a real mission. Since Colton was a gangster and she had no close backup, fear nibbled, but confidence had outpaced her worry.

Jolene rested her head on his shoulder, slipped her arm through his, and slid her hand down his button-down shirt to rest on his hand. As soon as skin-to-skin contact was made, she mentally reached out to him. Colton's mind rose up inside her own. To boost her concentration, Jolene closed her eyes.

Within the blackness, bubbles sharpened. The different shapes and colors bobbed and slid around one another. In her mind's eye, she moved into the middle, staring at them as if in an aquarium. The memories never touched her, but she could reach out and sink into any of them. If she did, she experienced the memory in its entirety, exactly as Colton had lived through the event at the time. If she wanted, she could remove memories, but that was a level of violation she resisted unless absolutely necessary. Besides, if she took something, she had to keep it, and she didn't want to keep anything of Colton's.

Jolene already had an entire dossier in her head of all things Colton. She’d cataloged his fears: multilegged insects like millipedes terrified him, as did his brother when his eyes went icy, and his jaw shifted to the right.

Shame occupied its own section: bed-wetting for a month when he was twelve. The time he'd slapped his girlfriend after she'd gotten pregnant and decided she didn't want it. Red Flames passing him over for job after job.

Still, inside, people were infinite, and she had more to learn. She avoided the pink bubbles, as they were filled with his worst memories, and her reactions to living them were difficult to hide. Reds gave her the best intel so far. Angers, suspicions, smackdowns.

Truthfully, she should have wrapped up the mission a week ago since she wasn’t finding anything new. But playing spy and the unfettered access to Colton's recollections had been too enlightening to quit quite yet. Her skills had grown, and she didn’t feel guilty about messing in his brain because of his criminal history. She was three weeks into her two- to three-week mission, so she needed to skip out soon.

Jolene decided to make a game to test her memory-reading skills. She had recently learned how to peek and not immediately experience a memory. It allowed her to see more since she didn’t need any emotional recovery time, and she processed what she encountered more quickly.

Tonight, she wanted to test how many memories she could scan during commercial breaks, since Colton was too cheap to pay for the commercial-free version of Hulu. She’d hop through his memories like jumping into puddles.

Commercial.

A mahogany memory: his brother, Walther, stood over him, watching over his shoulder as Colton did algebra homework. Whenever Colton squirmed in his chair, Walther flicked his ear. It didn’t hurt much, but Colton’s face burned every time, and his muscles shook with the stress of not moving to avoid Walther’s attention. “Knock it off,” he grumbled, earning another sting. Colton tensed—

A buttercup-colored memory: “Mama, Mama, Mama,” Colton said, running around his mama as she walked in the park. If he ran fast enough, he would fly, his head already lightening. He stumbled and giggled, his mama laughing. Something shiny glinted in the sun. What was it? His mama scooped him into her arms before he grabbed it. She smelled of flowers and oranges.

About the Author: 
Hollie Smurthwaite is a paranormal romantic suspense author of The Color of Trauma and The Color of Betrayal. The Color of Trauma was the winner of the 2020 Soon to Be Famous Illinois Author Project in adult fiction. She lives in Chicago with her husband, son, and too few pets. In past lives, she's been a checkout clerk, massage therapist, office manager, recruiter, magazine staff writer, pepper spray hawker, and belly dancer.
Website: https://holliesmurthwaite.com
LinkTree https://linktr.ee/hollie_smurthwaite
Twitter: https://twitter.com/H_Smurthwaite
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/2336027206
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hsmurthwaite/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HollieSmurthwaiteAuthor/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hollie-smurthwaite-03376516b/
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/hollie_smurthwaite
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/75834809-hollie-smurthwaite



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A Bewitching Tuesday

A Round-Up of Daily Tour Stops

THE COLOR OF BETRAYAL-The Psychic Colors Series Book Two by HOLLIE SMURTHWAITE #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/6MvF50LrMRr

Conversations with Roxanne Rhoads
https://voyagemichigan.com/interview/...

What does Bart Babington’s love life, a legendary key, and the Goddess of Death, have in common? Well, Bart is about to find out... Hop on this romcom ride and discover the world of Witch Doctors and Rabbit Hash, KY. You might just fall in love - Bart does! https://amzn.to/3VFETUD
#magicandmayhemuniverse #UnleashTheMagic #csedwardsauthor #fallinlove #rabbithash #rabbithashky #newrelease #sassysouthernstoryteller #witchdoctorsseries #pnrromcom #pnr #pnrbooks #paranormalromcom #romcom #romcoms #romcombook #romcombooks #paranormalromance #paranormalromancereads #paranormalromancebooks #paranormalromancenovels #paranormalromanceauthor #paranormalromanceseries #paranormalromanceauthors


Crazy Witch by C.S. Edwards #PNR #ParanormalRomance #bewitchingbooktours #books http://ow.ly/QM0C50LrMQv