Roxanne Rhoads's Blog, page 81
September 12, 2022
A Bewitching Monday
In the Kitchen with Charity Mae - Cheese Wonton Recipe #InTheKitchen #CheeseWontonRecipe #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/eW1c50KGKfM
Interview- Sleep Not My Wanton by Gary Bills - Period Gothic Fantasy #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/pvBz50KGK4C
Spooky Spotlight: Ghosts & Legends of Genesee & Lapeer Counties #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/kP0750KGJWV
The Girl From Saint Petersburg by Joyana Peters #HistoricalFiction #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/nXnq50KGKhv
KIM BARTOSCH (ASK THE GIRL)
https://supernaturalcentral.blogspot....
Book Spotlight ~ The Talking Cure -A Novel of Magic and Psychiatry (The Cutter/Mann Series, Book One) by Barbara Lien-Cooper and Park Cooper ~ Paranormal Romance #PNR
@parkcooper
#bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/KH5550KGK70
Seekers: The Winds of Change
With war imminent and the unknown ahead, will the Seekers triumph, or will they be swallowed by the turbulent, relentless Winds of Change? #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/rRJA50KGK2F
Haunted by Natalie Zeigler [Tour Spotlight] #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/Pcgy50KGJZ3
Arch by Michael N. Riley #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/GmXk50KGJRL
Ghosts and Legends of Genesee Lapeer Counties by Roxanne Rhoads & Joe Schipani #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/ITvs50KGJY6
Excerpt: Sleep Not My Wanton by Gary Bills http://www.ismellsheep.com/2022/09/ex...
The Enthronement by Charity Mae #YoungAdultFantasy #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/5JBE50KGKeQ
Ask The Girl
Revenge is her desire but forgiveness is her salvation. #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/ERaA50KGJVC
Join us Friday, September 16 for books and tea!
Drop in and get a signed copy of Ghosts and Legends of Genesee & Lapeer Counties and sample Tea Bee's fall flavors.
https://www.facebook.com/events/42923...
Arch by Michael N. Riley Virtual Book Tour #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/yHgf50KGJSN
Book Spotlight ~ Sleep Not My Wanton by Gary Bills ~ Period Gothic Fantasy #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/pKyN50KGK9u
Haunted by Natalie Zeigler #YAFantasy
#bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/qfjl50KGK0g
Haunted by Natalie Zeigler #YAFantasy
HauntedBook OneNatalie Zeigler
Genre: YA Fantasy Publisher: Black Glory Publishing HouseDate of Publication: January 3, 2023ISBN: 978-1-7356641-4-9Number of pages: 294 Word Count: 97,833Character Art by Diletta De Santis Cover Design by Lesley Worrell
Tagline: In a kingdom terrified of magic, the Chieftain’s daughter must face her growing power…
Book Description:
Mäzzikim (Maze) is the youngest daughter of a powerful chieftain, but beneath her obedient façade she’s haunted by disturbing necromantic visions—a rare power bestowed by the gods. With her ruling father vowing to destroy magic in all its forms, Maze languishes under the weight of her heavy secret.
But as her power grows, Maze’s ability to speak to the dead draws her closer to the truth behind the realm’s mysterious past. Struggling to find the truth while navigating volatile family tensions and clan politics, Maze has no idea that an evil threat lurks where she least expects it. Maze’s gift could prove to be the salvation of her people, or the ultimate proof that magic corrupts everything it touches. Either way, the destiny she faces will change her and the realm, forever. Haunted is book one of a gripping YA fantasy series of the same name.
Goodreads
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About the Author:
Natalie Zeigler studied journalism and English literature at Loyola University Maryland and health communications at American University. By day, she is a communications director at a federal agency. By night, she is an author of YAfantasy series. She lives near Washington, D.C., with her husband and two children, which whom she enjoys epic dance parties.
Instagram https://t.co/AqvqsPI5Bp
Twitter https://t.co/1dS7Yz3bbc
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/55862803-natalie
September 9, 2022
A Bewitching Friday
Writing Horror from Kim Bartosch #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/SgGN50KFkcO
Music Playlist for The Enthronement by Charity Mae #YoungAdultFantasy #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/BzgC50KFkrw
INTERVIEW WITH GARY BILLS (Sleep Not My Wanton) #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/JXQy50KFkq9
The Girl From Saint Petersburg An Industrial Historical Fiction Series Book One by Joyana Peters - Historical Fiction - Sacrifice, Starvation and Survival. What will she do to stay alive? #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/kwQe50KFktz
THE TALKING CURE BY BARBARA LIEN-COOPER AND PARK COOPER - BOOK TOUR #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/4p5J50KFkvh
Ghosts and Legends of Genesee and Lapeer Counties by Roxanne Rhoads and Joe Schipani #HauntedHistory #TrueCrime #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/SZta50KFkeJ
Haunted
In a kingdom terrified of magic, the Chieftain’s daughter must face her growing power… #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/3KB650KFkm4
Sleep Not My Wanton by Gary Bills #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/x8F250KFkqO
The Enthronement by Charity Mae (Book One)
https://www.bookishtrisha.com/booktou...
Haunted Book One by Natalie Zeigler - Genre: YA Fantasy - In a kingdom terrified of magic, the Chieftain’s daughter must face her growing power… #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/CB1b50KFkl5
Ask The Girl by Kim Bartosch Virtual Book Tour #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/t2UY50KFkcf
Sleep Not My Wanton by Gary Bills #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/cmym50KFkpy
YA Fantasy Pre-order: Haunted (Book One) by Natalie Zeigler #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/wXX450KFkk8
My Failure as a Gardener Guest Blog with Barb Lien-Cooper #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/VzGG50KEgTO
Charity Mae's Top Ten Halloween Movies #YoungAdultFantasy #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/FxyZ50KEgPw
SATURDAY AT 2 PM – 4 PM
Ghosts and Legends of Genesee and Lapeer Counties Book Signing
R&B Used Books 12830 S. Saginaw St. Suite F, Grand Blanc, MI
https://www.facebook.com/events/39527...
Character Confession from Sleep Not My Wanton by Gary Bills #GothicFantasy #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/uvNf50KEgGW
The Enthronement by Charity Mae #YoungAdultFantasy #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/I5tK50KFkss
September 8, 2022
A Bewitching Thursday
My Failure as a Gardener Guest Blog with Barb Lien-Cooper #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/VzGG50KEgTO
Charity Mae's Top Ten Halloween Movies #YoungAdultFantasy #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/FxyZ50KEgPw
Character Confession from Sleep Not My Wanton by Gary Bills #GothicFantasy #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/uvNf50KEgGW
INTERVIEW - YA PARANORMAL - ASK THE FIRL by Kim Bartosch #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/HU6q50KEgc1
Flint author publishes ghost stories from Genesee and Lapeer counties
https://flushingview.mihomepaper.com/...
[Spotlight & Giveaway] Seekers by Troy Knowlton #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/3Lfm50KEgAR
SLEEP NOT MY WANTON BY GARY BILLS - BOOK TOUR #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/pA0b50KEgNI
Book Spotlight ~ Haunted, Book One, by Natalie Zeigler
@NerdyNatWrites
#bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/MIp750KEgvb
Book Spotlight & #Giveaway ~ The Girl From Saint Petersburg (An Industrial Historical Fiction Series, Book One) by Joyana Peters ~ Historical Fiction #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/Atr250KEgro
Sleep Not My Wanton by Gary Bills Virtual Book Tour #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/f8wl50KEgK5
[Tour & Giveaway] Ask the Girl by Kim Bartosch #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/9nGY50KEggo
Ghosts and Legends of Genesee and Lapeer Counties by Roxanne Rhoads and Joe Schipani #HauntedHistory #TrueCrime #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/yGE950KEgk0
September 7, 2022
A Bewitching Wednesday
Ghost Hunting Tips and Tools with Kim Bartosch #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/PsHJ50KBYaK
INTERVIEW WITH CHARITY MAE (The Enthronement)
#bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/iP9M50KBYka
[Spotlight] Sleep Not My Wanton by Gary Bills #BEWITCHINGBOOKTOURS http://ow.ly/MNtr50KBYil
In this prequel to the award-winning novel, The Girl in the Triangle, Joyana Peters, portrays a tight-knit family fighting to endure at a precarious and crucial time in Jewish history
The Girl From Saint Petersburg #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/AFej50KBYlm
Sleep Not My Wanton by Gary Bills #GothicFantasy #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/HwjR50KBYjh
HAUNTED BY NATALIE ZIEGLER - BOOK TOUR #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/3Myu50KBYfV
Ask The Girl by Kim Bartosch [Tour with Excerpt] #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/rzch50KBYaa
The Talking Cure -A Novel of Magic and Psychiatry by Barbara Lien-Cooper and Park Cooper #PNR http://www.roxannerhoads.com/2022/09/...
Seekers: The Winds of Change by Troy Knowlton #YAFantasy #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/P9NE50KBYgY
Ghosts and Legends of Genesee and Lapeer Counties by Roxanne Rhoads and Joe Schipani #HauntedHistory #TrueCrime
#bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/2Y9s50KBYeh
The Enthronement by Charity Mae #YoungAdultFantasy
#bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/AGX650KBYbn
The Enthronement by Charity Mae #YoungAdultFantasy
The EnthronementBook OneCharity Mae
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy/RomancePublisher: Knighted Phoenix PublishingDate of Publication: 6 September 2022ISBN: 978-1-958797-01-3ASIN: B0B6SHNL8HNumber of pages: 411Word Count: 189,088Cover Artist: Charity Mae
Book Description:
You'd think winning a princess test is easy. It's a lot harder when you have to kill the prize.
Becoming princess was always expected of Kascia Thorapple Custod. It's her duty as a Custod, but all she wants is her own perfect partner she's found in her arranged engagement. But duty gets in the way when the only way to end the five-hundred-year war between the kingdom of Purerah and the three rebel factions is for Kascia to join the Enthronement, enabling her to assassinate the royal family. Everything is on the line in this political romance as love and duty battle in ways she never expected.
A war taking place two-thousand years after Cedrick Custod freed their world from the dark sorcerer Heklis, fans of The Custod Chronicles will find something familiar and excitingly new in this latest installment to the Custod world.
Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/JtskUPs7NAg
Excerpt
I shut the door behind me as politely, and yet, as quickly as I can. My feet march on the path I know so well without much conscious thought. I need something concrete. I need an embrace to remind me what all this is for. And I know where to get it.
Normally, it’s from my Dad. But as that won’t work, I know who can fill the emptiness and fear I feel with warmth and hope.
I hug myself as I push past the trees, old berry bushes, and mossy stones until I reach our spot. Like the other night, the water sparkles in the moonlight and the lantern light.
Beside the lantern, sitting on the mossy rock that is our bench, waiting for me with a smile that lifts my heart like the rising sun, is Jake. I knew he would be. He opens his arms wide to me.
My heart lifts again. The smile escapes before I can process it. In moments, I’m engulfed in his loving embrace. I smile and hide in it. I shut my eyes and listen to Jake’s breathing and heartbeat.
In my life, that sound was one of the few things that was truly mine. I adore my music and dance, but they are not mine, but my mother’s and the theater’s. I relish in fencing and my swordplay, but that’s Dad’s. Jake's warmth, his embrace, and his love are mine, and mine alone.
And Dad wants me to betray the one thing that is mine.
My heart sinks at the thought, but then Jake hugs me tighter, squeezing the despair out of me. He chuckles at my delight, making my heart sing. Oh, how I love that feeling. I soak it in along with the sound of his breath, the tinkle of the river, the distant rush of the seaside. I take in the scent of the evening air on Jake’s clothes, the smell of his breath, the mossy scent in the air. I can hide here and enjoy the one thing that is mine. The thing I can’t betray. I’m reminded of how I had the strength to reject my Dad though I never had before.
“Even after all your work during the day, your hair always smells so sweet,” Jake says.
“Like coconut and the sea.”
“We do live next to the ocean,” I point out, delighting in this banter.
Jake smiles. “Yes, but you are far more beautiful. I can’t wait to enjoy it more once we’re married.”
He entwines his fingers with mine, playing with each finger as I had his earlier. He plays with the ring on my right hand most. It’s our secret bond to one another.
It’s of two hands reaching for a heart in the center with a crown on the top. I wear it with the heart pointing inward to show I am taken, but wearing it in this manner meant only dating to most. But not to us. We know what it meant. He wears one like it, only his is pure silver. Mine has an opal in the heart. It is a tradition handed down by my family. And it suits our secret engagement well.
I sigh heavily as I watch Jake fiddle with my fingers. I had wanted to talk to him so badly about it, but now, I just want to avoid it. He is too busy kissing the tips of my fingers to notice my mood yet.
He pulls back just a bit, still smiling. “I brought something for you.”
I gasp in delight. “Jake, you didn’t?” But I hope he did.
Jake grins like a cat over milk and steps back to his bag. He pulls out exactly what I love most, a yellow cake with chocolate frosting, cream in the center, and a small blue flower on top. My eyes pop out in delight. That is an expensive and rare treat for a girl who is on a strict diet and small budget.
Jake laughs in pleasure. “Those blue eyes could outdo the sea for vastness when I bring you cake,” he says. “It’s worth every gemlet."
“Oh Jake, you’re the best!” I kiss him on the cheek in excitement, my heart brimming with happiness. How I love him. How he looks after me. How much he gives up for me.
“I know,” Jake sighs dramatically, making me giggle. “Come on then.” He sits on the rock, putting his arm out, so I can sit and lean against it.
I sit down and let him wrap his arms around my shoulders. I smile as he hand-feeds me bites, taking bits for himself now and then, but he gives me far more of it. I never let him not at least share a little. But it also means the world to me how he wants to give me the most.
I hold Jake’s arm around my shoulders, hanging my hands off arms almost like I am going to pull myself upon them as I lean against his chest and enjoy our shared treat.
I wish this would never end. The perfect sunset, the glitter of the water, the sweet treat, his warm arms around me. I just want to turn and kiss him, give him everything. But that’s not for today. We still have to wait. If I break my oath, we’d be in far worse trouble.
We finish the treat, and Jake puts the box aside. I lean deeper into his arms, holding him tight and sighing in contentment, shutting my eyes. I needed that. I wanted to vent to him when I came, but now, I just want to enjoy the moment.
I close my eyes, taking in all the smells, savoring the chocolate and cake flavor on my tongue, listening to Jake’s breath and the wonderful waterworks around us. This is heaven. I can’t betray this. I can’t lose this.
“How was your raid?” I ask in a relaxed tone, eyes still shut, wanting to forget why I’d come into this magical place so upset.
Jake’s exhausted sigh shakes me from my moment. I frown in concern for him. He sounds so tired. I turn to look at him as he lets his head plop back on the tree behind him.
“Not great,” he laments. “It wasn’t one of the Enthronement loads like we hoped. We hardly got enough to feed those who helped us, let alone help the others.”
I feel the sadness and weight that came with those words. Jake is dedicated to the Loyalist rebellion, most of all, in its efforts to feed those in the ranks who want to support themselves. He sounds worn already, and we aren’t even on the throne yet. My heart aches for the stress and exhaustion in his voice.
“We’ll figure it out.” I assure him.
“I just wish we knew how they were transporting all their money. They tax it. It should go right to them, right? How are they spending it if it never gets into the castle?” Jake scowls.
His frustration makes his breath hot, his arms tense, and his movements haphazard as he moves his free hand about. “We tried the sea. It’s not coming in there, and what we get in raids is nothing, hardly enough to feed the palace for a day. So, what in creation are they doing to get the money?”I have no answers. I never do. I don’t think anyone does or we’d have tried it by now. I wish I was more helpful, but I feel useless when it comes to this kind of strategy. I would support Jake on the throne, but I feel much more confident in helping with orphanages and schools and programs to help people get jobs than... this.
“I just wish...” Jake sighs, all the anger draining out of him in a heavy sigh, “…we had enough. I’m so tired of looking at the small ones begging for food and... being powerless.” Jake drops his head.
I know what that means. They lost another child to illness or hunger or who knows what. Each one strikes Jake hard. We try, but... how can we help those starving children when we can hardly help ourselves?
“H-how many this time?” I ask as gently as I can, trying to comfort him and let him vent.
Jake swallows hard. “Five died in the last month,” his voice shakes. “We got three more. I don’t know how we’ll keep feeding them if we can’t find out how to get the money back from the royals.” Jake shakes his head. “We tried. It goes into that storehouse, and we attack all the carts going to the palace we can. And it’s always chump change. We feed our troops, sure, but that’s not the goal.” He lets his head fall against the tree, “I just want this life to be over.”
Well, I don’t want all of it over. I don’t want to give up my shows, but I know this means the world to Jake. And for him, I’ll give it up. I shut my eyes to dream of what it will be like.
But instead, all I can think about is Dad’s plan that would change everything. My heart drops, and I tense as if to defend the one dream I was allowed to have for myself.
Jake frowns. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” I say too fast.
“Kascia.” I hear the hint of a scold in Jake’s voice as I stare into the running water. “We both know it’s not nothing. Something’s wrong.”
I sigh heavily and hold him tighter. “Nothing, just...” I try to find the words to dismiss it,
“It’s not really important right now.”
“So are you saying that to assure me or avoid it?” Jake asks carefully.
I have to admit I’m not even sure. I bite my lip. If I don’t tell him, does that make it as if it won’t happen? Maybe if Mom agrees with me, but she didn’t seem to at dinner. Would I ever find a way out of this? Maybe if Jake doesn’t agree, I’ll have a leg to stand on. Why I felt I had to talk to him at all, but I don’t want to lose this magic. “I love you.” I choose to say instead.
“Kascia, what’s the matter? Did something happen today?”
I nod, biting my lip harder and taking a deep breath to hold in the anger and pain. “Yes, but it’s not something we need to talk about now.”
“If it upsets you, we do,” Jake disagrees. “That’s how we got over ourselves, remember?” He smiles playfully.
“I screamed I didn’t like you. Then we realized we had something in common. Took years.”
Jake smiles. “You were worth waiting for.”
He kisses me deeply; I suck it in. Dad can’t take this. He can’t take the thrill I feel as the energy of that kiss rushes through me, or the intoxicating dizziness I feel at his touch, or the pleasurable press of his lips on mine, and the delightful soft bite of his lips on mine. He just can’t take it. I won’t let him.
“So, tell me,” Jake says when he pulls back, “what is bothering you? Saying it and screaming at each other is always better. You can throw anything at me. I’ll take it.”
“It’s not you,” I insist, grunting in annoyance.
“I didn’t mess up?”
“No,” I kiss him to assure him, “not this time.”
I kiss him deeper, harder. He grins and puts his other arm around me as I push myself up a bit to kiss him better, again and again, sucking his lips into mine, turning and releasing his arm to put one hand to his cheek, while I hook my other hand to his shoulder, keeping him close. I run my hand through his hair on the way to the back of his head. I press closer, almost sitting on his lap.
How I adore him. How he looks after me. How he makes me feel. His strong chest so close to mine. His breath against my skin. How his thick lashes tickle my face as I turn to get at his lips. His arm wraps around my waist. I all but dig into him, kissing him harder and harder, encouraging him to hold me tighter. This is what I wouldn’t give up.
Jake falls for it. He always does, then again, so do I when he tries it. He returns my intensity and fights for that passion too. We struggle for the feeling, relishing every bit of it we dredge up.
I gasp as he switches from kissing my lips to kissing the round of my shoulder. I shut my eyes and relax a little as he kisses down my arm, inch by inch, until he reaches my hand and presses his lips to it, holding it closer to him. I sigh again, eyes fluttering at his touches. I want more of his touch. I want that touch more than anything.
I leap forward and kiss his jaw, yanking his face to mine, bringing him down with me. Jake returns it, kissing me again, and again. I feel myself tilt back as he gets into it.
“Kascia,” he breathes. I love his breath on my skin.
“What?” I ask, kissing his cheek.
“I can’t ever get enough,” he sighs heavily.
“Have enough,” I tease.
“We know better. We’ll lose what made our fathers agree,” he reminds me.
This floods me with anger. Who cares anymore!? Maybe if we just caved in, Dad couldn’t make me lose my whole life again. “I don’t care what he wants!” I snap and kiss him harder.
“Woah.” Jake pulls away and puts a hand to my cheek to hold me back. “Kascia, what is that?”
I hate him for denying me this. I push him away, turning my back to him. I fold my arms tightly and don’t turn around, pulling into myself as if to protect myself.
“Kascia?” Jake frowns deeply. “What’s really going on? What did your father do?”
“You don’t care,” I snarl back.
“Yes, I do.” Jake runs a hand down my arm, starting at the round of my shoulder again. I shut my eyes. Yes, touch, his touch it’s all I want. Dad can’t take it.
I shut my eyes as tears come. “Will you all take it?”
“Take what?” Jake kisses my cheek from behind.
I adore that. I turn to him to kiss him hard, but Jake holds me back. “What is it?” he asks.
I roar in frustration and shove him away. “He can’t take it,” I insist. “So why must you?”
“What am I taking?” Jake asks. “I love you.”
“Do you?”
Jake smiles gently and pulls me closer like a toddler refusing to sit next to her parents and puts his arm around me again, kissing my cheek. I lean into it. I need it.
“Yes, I do,” he assures me. “You can throw anything at me.”
“The only thing I need to throw at you is me.” I don’t want to discuss Dad taking him from me. Even if the plan is to go back to him, I couldn’t be gone that long. And we’d never gotten into the castle. No rebel had in my lifetime.
“You normally are good at taking no for an answer, just like I do when I get too intense.”
Jake rubs my shoulders. “I’m not pulling away, Kascia. Just keeping our rule. What’s the change?” He kisses my shoulder and neck.
“He wants to end it.” I finally admit as hot tears come.
“End us?” Jake laughs.
I turn to him in shock. He’s laughing at this?!
“That’s not what the plan means,” Jake is still laughing.
“Excuse me?” I snap. “You know?”
“He proposed his plan to get us inside, right?” Jake asks, still smiling at me like an overreacting child.
“Which is?” He can’t know, can he?
“To use the Enthronement to get a girl on the inside,” Jake says. “And as you’re the best princess we know. It’s why I love you,” he adds, “he figures you’ll get in, piece of cake.”
I gape at him. “What?” I can’t believe this. “You knew he wanted me?”
“Who better?” Jake asks innocently.
“Do you not understand what the Enthronement is?” I demand, pulling away to see him better.
My anger mounts, but it’s just to cover up the hint of fear. I feel my heart stilling, afraid it’s going to have to deal with the hints of a crack that are threatening to form depending on the answer I’m about to get.
“A contest to prove yourself a true princess?” Jake looks at me as if I’m crazy.
“With what goal?” I demand.
“Uh, for you, it doesn’t matter. You’ll let us in before it’s even over.”
“And you think courting the prince isn’t part of that?”
“So?”
“So!” I clench my fists and stand up as the flood of emotions rises in me, wanting to break out like a stormy tide against a coastal wall. One wave is anger; how could he not understand!? The next: desperation, he had to be thick because if he isn’t, the last wave strikes: fear.
It was an old fear I’d not thought about in many years. So buried I’d all but forgotten about it until this moment. That the love we’d built was forced so unreal. Did this mean what I’d feared, deep down, for so long, our love was manufactured, fake, unnatural?
About the Author:
Charity Mae lives near Mt. Shasta in Northing California and loves the nature there (though she’d like some more snow and rain). She wrote her first 700+ book when she was eleven-year-old and published her first book when she was twenty-one.
When she’s not reading and writing, she enjoys making and watching YouTube videos, gaming, hiking, swimming, and sitting outside while working on projects.
Web: www.charity-mae.com
Blog: www.charity-mae/blog
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Ghosts and Legends of Genesee and Lapeer Counties by Roxanne Rhoads and Joe Schipani #HauntedHistory #TrueCrime
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Ghosts and Legends of Genesee and Lapeer Counties Haunted America Series Roxanne Rhoads and Joe Schipani Release Date: August 29, 2022
Book Description:
Ghost stories and urban legends lurk throughout Genesee and Lapeer counties.
A Clio man's spirit is thought to still reside in the junkyard office where he was murdered. For almost two centuries, the Flushing area has been fascinated by tales of the wealthy Brent family whose land is connected to numerous tales of murder, mystery, and ghosts.
In Lapeer County, the Bruce Mansion's unnerving façade hints at the specters inside, and the land and buildings once belonging to the Lapeer State Home are plagued by haunting cries and ghostly activity.
Join the authors of Haunted Flint , Roxanne Rhoads and Joe Schipani, as they take you on a tour of Genesee and Lapeer counties’ most haunted locations.
Amazon Arcadia Publishing Walmart BN ThriftBooks
Excerpt - Intro:Spooky stories and terrifying tales lurk in dark rural corners and on historic main streets throughout Genesee and Lapeer counties. Hospitals, cemeteries, and historic homes have numerous ghosts attached to them.
The secrets of the dead can be buried in history, but we like to dig into the archives and coax the stories back to life, if only for a fleeting moment with words on the page.
Several chapters in this book feature locations where history, true crime, and the paranormal intersect. These sinister tales of murder have led to locations full of paranormal activity. A Clio man’s spirit is thought to still reside in the junkyard office where he was murdered. The incident was billed as the internet’s first murder case and made nationwide headlines as the Instant Message Murder.
For almost two centuries the Flushing area has been fascinated by tales of the wealthy Brent family whose land is connected to numerous tales of murder, mystery, and ghosts. The land may also have ties to the brutal 1928 murder of 5 year old Dorothy Schneider.
The Lapeer State Home has ties to unethical medical practices, eugenics, and murder. The land and remaining buildings that once belonged to the home are considered to be extremely haunted.
We dive into the history and uncover the dark truths that have lead to such haunting tales. We hope you enjoy this tour of Genesee and Lapeer counties’ most haunted locations.
Roxanne Rhoads is an author, book publicist, mixed media crafter, and lover of all things spooky. Her books include Haunted Flint and Pumpkins and Party Themes: 50 DIY Designs to Bring Your Halloween Extravaganza to Life. She is the owner of Bewitching Book Tours, a virtual book tour and social media marketing company and she operates a Halloween blog- A Bewitching Guide to Halloween. She sells handcrafted jewelry, art, and home decor through her Etsy store The Bewitching Cauldron. When not reading or writing, Roxanne loves to craft, plan Halloween adventures, and search for unique vintage finds. https://www.patreon.com/RoxanneRhoads
https://www.tiktok.com/@roxannerhoads76
https://www.abewitchingguidetohalloween.com/
https://www.bewitchingbooktours.com/
https://twitter.com/RoxanneRhoadshttps://www.instagram.com/roxannerhoads/
https://www.facebook.com/ABewitchingGuidetoHalloween/
Joe Schipani is an integral part of Flint’s art community, with ties to local artists, galleries, bookstores, and the Flint Cultural Center. As the executive director of Flint Public Art Project, he has curated an outdoor mural gallery in the City of Flint, with over 200 murals from artist all around the world. He also serves as the one of Flint’s Historic District Commissioners and loves learning about the history of old buildings. In 2019 he co-authored Haunted Flint with Roxanne Rhoads.
https://www.haunted-flint.com/
https://www.facebook.com/HauntedFlint
https://www.facebook.com/flintprojecthttps://www.instagram.com/schipanijoe/
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September 6, 2022
A Bewitching Monday
Supernatural Tales Recommended by Barbara Lien-Cooper and Park Cooper #PNR #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/LTz850KAShL
INTERVIEW - GOTHIC FANTASY - SLEEP NOT MY WANTON by Gary Bills #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/SCr750KASC2
INTERVIEW - YA FANTASY - The Enthronement by Charity Mae #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/7yuu50KASB5
INTERVIEW - YA FANTASY - SEEKERS: The Winds of Change (Seekers Saga, #1) by Troy Knowlton #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/O9SU50KASpR
Release Day Blitz Ask The Girl by Kim Bartosch #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/A9fp50KASe9
THE GIRL FROM SAINT PETERSBURG BY JOYANA PETERS - BOOK TOUR + GIVEAWAY #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/5ubw50KASJp
Release Day Blitz: Ask The Girl by Kim Bartosch #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/nEiA50KASuk
Ghosts and Legends of Genesee and Lapeer Counties Haunted America Series by Roxanne Rhoads and Joe Schipani - Ghost stories and urban legends lurk throughout Genesee and Lapeer counties. #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/LE1950KASx1
In a kingdom terrified of magic, the Chieftain’s daughter must face her growing power…
Haunted by Natalie Zeigler https://amzn.to/3ARQHJX
#Haunted #PreOrder #YAFantasy #Fantasy #YA
SATURDAY AT 2 PM – 4 PM
Ghosts and Legends of Genesee and Lapeer Counties Book Signing
R&B Used Books 12830 S. Saginaw St. Suite F, Grand Blanc, MI
https://www.facebook.com/events/39527...
Ask The Girl Kim Bartosch #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/yRS750KASvv
Review- Final Heir by Faith Hunter
Final Heir Jane Yellowrock Book 15by Faith Hunter The stakes couldn’t be higher in the newest novel in the New York Times bestselling, pulse-pounding Jane Yellowrock series.
Jane Yellowrock is the queen of the vampires, and that makes her a target as she fights to maintain control and keep peace in the city of New Orleans. She has enemies at every turn, because vampires live forever, and they keep their grudges alive with them. That includes the Heir, the vampire sire of the Pellissier bloodline, which gave rise to Leo Pellissier himself—Jane’s old boss and the former master of the city.
With the Heir and all the forces of darkness he can muster arrayed against her, Jane will need all the help she can get. She’ll find it in her city, her friends, her found family, and, of course, the Beast inside of her.
Amazon
My Review
A satisfying end to one of my favorite series.
I hate saying goodbye to Jane but I hope she'll pop up from time to time in the Soulwood series and hopefully a spinoff with the Everhart witches because after reading all the short stories there are a ton of plot bunnies I need to know more about. (Please Faith give us a series about the Everhart sisters, Angie Baby, and the Everhart witch who had a relationship with a certain male Cherokee shapeshifter. I really need to know more about certain witches and their vampire daddy- and what happens when they find out!)
Final Heir is jam-packed with violence, drama, and Jane reminiscing about where things began and what her life has become.
I have fallen in love with these characters and hate saying goodbye but I know everything must come to an end eventually. Jane is tired of it all and wants to live a more peaceful life. And damn has she earned it.
I'm glad it was not an "everyone's dead the end" ending like so many paranormal/fantasy series like to do. This leaves things open for a return to the series (Like Kim Harrison did with The Hollows) or even just touching base and having characters appear in future books since she still writes the Soulwood series set in the same world.
The ending was satisfying and hopeful.
View all my reviews
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Ace Mass Market Original | On sale September 6, 2022
Excerpt
Chapter 1
Like a Stray Animal
Haunting Aggie's Home
Eyes closed, I felt the movement of unexpected cool air as the sweathouse door opened and shut. Last week, I had learned that Aggie One Feather, the Cherokee elder leading me into understanding my personal and tribal history, sometimes left and reentered when I was sweating through a haze of her herbal infusions and my own hidden memories. She said humans couldn't survive five or six hours in a sweathouse like I could, let alone all night, so she would slip out and back in.
I had asked her if she had a nanny camera hidden in the sweathouse to keep track of me. Her reply had made me laugh: "You need a legion of angels to look over you, but a nanny cam could help."
The rustling of her cotton shift, the sound of her breath, and the crackle of flames seemed loud as she settled across the fire from me and fed the coals. I smelled cedar and burning herbs and heard the scritch-grind of her mortar and pestle. Behind my lids it seemed lighter than before. It had to be near dawn.
It occurred to me that the ceremonial fire was, itself, symbolic. It was parts of this world and the next, the two halves of the universe, energy and matter. It was wood and air and energy, and together they made flame and smoke, the destruction of matter into energy. Then that thought wisped away with the fire.
Aggie said, "Drink."
I opened my eyes against the crack and burn of dried sweat, and studied the small pottery cup she held. On the third try I managed to croak, "Eye of newt? Ragweed? Mold off your bathroom floor? Peyote?"
"That never gets old," she lied, amusement hidden in her gaze. "I have no mold on my bathroom floor."
Which meant the liquid could be composed of the other three. Or not. I took the cup and drained it. The decoction tasted of lemon peel, fennel, wild ginger, something I couldn't identify, and salt. I turned the empty, handleless cup in my fingers. It wasn't traditional Cherokee work, but something fired in a modern kiln and given a bright blue glaze.
"What did your dreams show you?" Aggie asked.
I handed back the cup and said, "Same as last time. The angel's location looks a little like my soul home. Walls that curve in toward the ceiling, dark streaks of water on them. Wings that seem to lie flat across the ceiling and down, as if dripping to the floor. Light that comes from nowhere and everywhere. There might have been a puddle of blood on the floor. Hard to tell. But unlike my soul home, I keep seeing people standing along the walls."
"People or other angels?"
I frowned at the question. Had there been wings behind the people? "Maybe. Maybe a suggestion of wings, like shadows. Or maybe I just want to have seen that and so I remember it now."
"Did you see yourself in your dream-state?"
If I watched myself, as opposed to being an active part of the dream, that would tell her a lot about whether this was a vision teaching me about myself and my life path, a prophetic dream portending something about the future, or if it had been a memory. I closed my eyes again and pulled at the fragments. The angel's wings draped, so much larger, longer than in artwork depicting the messenger beings. I heard the faint drip of water, but the echo was different from the usual loud reverberations of my soul home. This place itself was subtly different from previous visions.
In the memory of my vision, I saw myself. My hair was braided into a fighting queue and I was dressed in armor, one of the latest models Eli, my brother of choice, bought these days, now that money wasn't an object. In teaching visions, I usually wore tribal clothing, the kind my father had worn when I was a child.
In addition to the armor, at my waist I was wearing the Mughal blade that Bruiser had given me.
That was interesting.
In the dream-state I did nothing, said nothing, so it probably wasn't a vision teaching me about who I was or guiding my path through life. Seeing myself meant it wasn't a memory. The ancient knife itself was part of a prophecy, and I seldom wore it, mostly for ceremonial occasions when the prophecy did me no good. Only rarely had I worn it into battle.
When he gave the blade to me, Bruiser had said, "A certain wily salesman suggested that the damascene blade is charged with a spell of life force, to give the wielder the ability to block any opponent's death cut. Pure balderdash, but it makes a nice tale." Except that Alex, the tech-genius of Yellowrock Securities and Clan Yellowrock, had traced the blade back to the seventeen hundreds, and there were stories over the centuries about people surviving the death stroke of an opponent's blade.
"Prophecy?" I asked the universe. Or God, if he was listening. Not that anyone answered, not even Aggie. And since I hadn't looked for the future in rain droplets in months, I might not know what this meant until it was too late. However, if I went searching for the meaning in the future, I probably wouldn't understand it anyway, and if I saw danger-and I would-I might feel forced to meddle in time. Meddling in time-timewalking, time-jumping- might trigger the return of the magic cancer. All of which was why I hadn't tried. Seeing the future was like that. Helpful. Until it wasn't. And then it tried to kill me.
I inhaled and caught a familiar scent. He had to be close because I was human-shaped, and my nose in this form was unspectacular. I cleared my throat again and warned, "Werewolf."
Release Day Blitz Ask The Girl by Kim Bartosch
Ask The GirlKim Bartosch
Genre: YA Paranormal MysteryPublisher: Woodhall PressDate of Publication: 9/6/22ISBN: 978-1954907218ASIN: 1954907214Number of pages: 110Word Count: 47, 000Cover Artist: Kim Bartosch and Wendy Bowes
Tagline: Revenge is her desire but forgiveness is her salvation.
Book Description:
Nobody believes sixteen-year-old Lila Sadler, who was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Nobody believes that Lila’s sister Rose is possessed by the ghost of Katy Watkins. As Rose’s health worsens each day, the only way to save her is to uncover the awful truth of Katy's death so many years ago.
And nobody knows what happened to Katy on October 31, 1925. Not even Katy.
Unaware that she was murdered, Katy has wandered for a hundred years in complete ignorance, until the day she meets Rose and Lila. Together Lila, Rose, and Katy must confront their demons to escape this hell. But will they be able to escape? Can they forgive the unforgivable?
Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/dueV9sN29xM
Amazon BN Bookshop
About the Author:Kim is a young adult writer of paranormal mysteries and thrillers. She is fond of ghost stories and has experienced many hauntings during several paranormal investigations. She has contributed many articles regarding travel, hauntings, and more on various sites. Kim has been on several ghost hunts across the U.S. with her sister. She photographed a ghost at the Crescent Hotel in Eureka Springs, Arkansas.
As an advocate for Autism and Bipolar Disorder, Kim offers her support to many charities and programs, such as Joshua Center and Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA). Kim feels there aren’t enough programs for mental disabilities. Her goal is to give as much help to set up these organizations for success so individuals, such as her autistic son and bipolar sister, will have the support they need.
Kim is an avid member of the Society of Children Book Writers & illustrators (SCBWI.org) contributing her time to many events and conferences.
Website: https://www.kimbartosch.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KimBartosch/
Blog: https://kimberlybartosch.wixsite.com/blog
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kimbartosch/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100069061958912
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Kim-Bartosch/e/B0B26BQ8LQ
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