Victoria Simcox's Blog, page 23
July 2, 2021
Hunting With Dinosaurs
A hunting party is sent to catch and kill raptors that have escaped Dinosaur Falls Restricted Area and murdered nearby hikers. But the hunters find the raptors are unlike any creature they've ever hunted, and soon one lone bowhunter is running for his life through the Perdidos Mountains. He discovers an old wilderness survival trench and burrows in deep, but eventually the raptors come for him. His only salvation is to befriend a wolf hellbent on destroying the raptors. If they can come together, they can form a pack the world has never seen, but if they fail, the raptors are waiting with their sharp teeth and elongated claws...
About Doug Goodman Hi! My name is Doug Goodman. I live in Houston but I was raised in Lubbock, Texas. I'm an animal writer. It doesn't matter if the animals I write about are zombie-hunting dogs, dinosaurs, or giant kaiju monsters, I'm interested in that area where animals and humans intersect. I'm especially curious about the mind meld that happens with working animals. This is my point of view for examining human nature, and why I enjoy writing these books so much. My website (dgoodman1.wordpress.com) says I'm a writer and an explorer. My wife and I are "often" travelers. Thanks to my work, I sometimes get the opportunity to visit extraordinary people in out-of-the-way places. In recent years I've explored parts of the Navajo Nation, Michigan's Upper Peninsula, and I did a mesmerizing 20-state roadtrip with my supportive family. I've been to all but four states in the United States.
I live with two awesome kids (though one is having her own adventures in college), one amazing wife, and two white German Shepherds. Thank you for stopping by, and please check out one of my books. (They are all available from Amazon as paperbacks and e-books.) Since mid-2019, I've been donating twenty percent of my proceeds to charity. If you want to see where I donate, I update my donations via my blog. LinksAmazon https://tinyurl.com/bkwe8n4aFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/doug.goodman.585Twitter: @DougGoodman1
July 1, 2021
The Secret of the Great Red Spot: The Jupiter Chronicles - Book 1
The family adventure of a lifetime begins! Book One of the Epic Steampunk Series, "The Jupiter Chronicles"
It is the year 1892 and Ian and Callie Castillo have had to suffer the hardships of a single parent family since their father went missing five years ago. Since then Ian has refused to use the last gift that his father left the wounded boy; a telescope that sits collecting dust in the attic.
When Callie decides to peer through its murky lens it activates the device and sends the Castillos to the steam-powered floating cities of Jupiter where they discover the secret behind their father's disappearance. But can they uncover the secret behind the Red Spot and save the Jovians before the Martians launch their attack?
About Leonardo Ramirez Leonardo Ramirez is an American science fiction and fantasy author of Puerto Rican descent. He is also a screenwriter, singer and a martial artist with a 4th degree black belt in Karate and a brown belt in American Bushido Kenjutsu which is the study of the katana (samurai sword).From his humble beginnings in Bronx, New York, he's bootstrapped his way into the hearts of science fiction/fantasy readers--young and old alike. As a husband and father, his family is his first joy. As a child, he's lived through the hardships of extreme poverty and homelessness in a single-parent home. But these have only brought him to recognize the strength of family and the faith in God that keeps them bound together in love.
This is truly a man who understands that life is for the living and he helps every one of his readers live life to the fullest through the wonderful adventures of his written worda! He also has a soft spot in his heart for people who are hurting. These can be kids who have had to grow up in a single-parent family as was the case in the popular steampunk kids' series, THE JUPITER CHRONICLES. It can also be young girls who have suffered an assault like Haven did in HAVEN OF DANTE. Those are the kids and adults he wants to speak to share his message of hope.
Leonardo Ramirez lives with his wife Kristen, their daughter Mackenzy and their two dogs, Duchess and Tinkerbell in a small suburb of Nashville, Tennessee.
Links:Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/468zvrtm
Website: Leonardoverse.com Twitter: @leonardoverse
June 30, 2021
Us vs. the Rest of the World
Thirteen-year-old Maddie knows about loss. Still coping with the death of her father, her world starts to go horribly wrong in more ways than she could have imagined. The adults who have always defined her are acting strange and then… are simply not there at all.Now living with her older sister and a small group of friends, they must work together to find depths of resilience as their community battle to survive. There must be an answer to the chaos that is erupting around them – it is just a matter of finding it.
About Julia Cowan Julia Cowan lives in Bedfordshire with her husband, two children and two cats. She works as a Teaching Assistant in a small school and loves supporting the children and sharing her love of writing. When she is not at her laptop, she enjoys learning the piano and going to the theatre. Cells is her debut novel which was published in March 2020.Us vs The Rest of the World is her second novel and published January 2021.
Julia is now working on her third book whilst also writing short stories. LinksAmazon: https://tinyurl.com/2ddn6huwBarnes & Noble: https://tinyurl.com/3543p6jx
Twitter: @juliacowan74
June 29, 2021
Felix and the Sword of Sefu
Can Felix save his little brother and stop an evil wizard?
Twelve-year-old Felix Snow has just moved with his family to a strange new town with bizarre weather, peculiar animals—and a few jerks—and the whole place is really weirding him out.
And to top it all off, he's just started hearing voices in his head.
When a freak storm whisks Felix and his siblings, Sadie and Ethan, to the faraway land of Kimaji, Felix finds more magic—and danger—than he ever imagined. For shortly after their arrival, Ethan is kidnapped by a troll. And it soon transpires that the troll may be the evil sorcerer Silk in disguise. Silk is a master of illusion and has been holding the country ransom for a legendary sword—the sword of King Sefu.
Armed only with an enchanted bag of coins and an ancient riddle that points to the location of Sefu's sword, Felix sets out with Sadie to find the sword and use it to fight the sorcerer for the return of his little brother. If he doesn't succeed in finding the sword and defeating Silk, he, Sadie, and Ethan may be lost forever.
Felix and the Sword of Sefu is a fantasy adventure tale set in a mysterious, magical land. If you like haunted castles, riddles, swords, and death-defying action, then you'll love this page-turning book by Catherine Mesick.
Pick up Felix and the Sword of Sefu to start an exciting new adventure today.
Catherine Mesick
is the author of Pure, Firebird, Dangerous Creatures, Ghost Girl, and A Maryland Witch. She is a graduate of Pace University and Susquehanna University. She lives in Maryland.
Links
Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/vbx52u79
Twitter:@CatherineMesick
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/PureBookSeries/
Website:https://catherinemesick.com/
June 28, 2021
Scripting the Past
Declan lives in the shadows, helping deliver people out of the worst moments of their lives. After his military career ended, he joined a foreign land team putting the most lethal skills in his toolbox to best use, all the while watching over his only family from afar. He wants his sister, Morgan, to enjoy all the best in life, free from the confines of the knowledge of what he does and the evil that threatens their world daily. When his sister’s life is unexpectedly jeopardized, though, he will need to break every rule to help find answers to historically altering events that will change his world and cause him to question everything in the pursuit of truth.Alessa has always lived a sheltered life under her parents' overly watchful eye; even after their untimely deaths, she follows their advice to the letter. Avoiding people, technology, and any social interactions, except being her best friend and editor friend Morgan, she maintains the solace she was born into and knew best. When secrets from her parent’s past start threatening her, Morgan, she will embark on a journey toward answers with the most brusque, infuriating man she didn’t know she would never be able to live without.
About Angelica Kate
Angelica Kate writes contemporary romances with strong characters and inspiration to keep the readers coming back for more. She is a lifetime scribbler who has been journaling since an early age and finally parlayed that into more structured storytelling. Angelica loves strong female leads and the men that adore them, despite their scars and baggage. When not writing, she spends time on Florida's sunny shores near her home in Sarasota, FL, with her puppies Tesla and Harley Quinn, her daughters, and a host of kooky amazing friends.TWITTER: @AngelicaKate5
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/authorangelicakate
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/aknaff12/
Email Angelica directly: angelicakateok@gmail.com
HAPPY READING AND CHASING HAPPINESS WHEREVER YOU CHOOSE TO FIND IT!!
June 27, 2021
Conner's Contrary Bride: (Matchmaker's Mix-Up Book1)
“They were as different as a moonbeam from lightning, or frost from fire.”Elsie Crenshaw of Gobbler's Knob, West Virginia, runs from a cruel stepfather to take refuge with a widow who introduces her to a successful matchmaker. Elsie, having no family, feels the need of a protector after what she endured from her stepfather. Elsie gives the matchmaking ad a try.Dr. Conner Van Beauregard Van Gates the IV, has lost his wife during childbirth. He lost his successful practice in Missouri and moves to Hays City, Kansas. After two years, he finds himself lonely and needing help running his clinic. His faithful housekeeper talks him into trying the matchmaking service.
How could either Elsie or Conner know a naughty cat messed up all the matchmaker’s matches? How could Conner put up with such a contrary bride? How do bank robbers and the evil stepfather bring them to realize opposites can attract?
About Barbara Goss Amazon best-selling author, Barbara Goss, is married and lives in Western New York and to date has written 50 Christian/Clean Romance books, mostly westerns. She enjoys crossword puzzles, reading, swimming, and her feline writing helper, Molly, but not necessarily in that order. She writes exciting stories with a bit of God's word spread within, without dominating the story.Barbara began writing in 1988 and her first book, Forbidden Legacy, won first prize for fiction at a Christian Writers Convention in Titusville, Florida in 1989. This won her a book contract with Publishers: Fleming Revell and later Baker Books. She wrote four books for them under contract. She then took a few years off to work full time as a secretary to the county hospital and the local school system.
Barbara's greatest influence in writing is the 100 books written by Grace Livingston Hill. As a Christian writer, Barbara weaves some godliness into the romance and adventure yet her books are always clean. Barbara is well on her way to catching up with Ms. Livingston.
She is now turning her wonderful Ebooks into Audiobooks. Look for them on Amazon and Audible.
Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/h8trjek6
My website: http://www.barbaragossbooks.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BarbaraGossBooks?ref=aymt_homepage_panel
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Barbee44
Sweet Wild West Reads is a Facebook group and a wonderful place for sweet western romance authors and readers to discuss their favorite stories, thoughts, and authors. Join the group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/1832790870336744/
June 26, 2021
Spotlight: Storm Portal (Quantum Touch Book 1)
When history teacher Fritz Russell walks through his classroom door, he finds himself in the company of General Robert E. Lee - over 150 years in the past.
Fritz finds his sudden time trip to the past both a gift and a chance for great adventure. But when a portal opens to the Oval Office, he realizes that the mysterious gate could also be put to a more serious purpose.
When the president hires him to help with national security, Fritz doesn't believe there is any danger in traveling across time and space. But will his own government consider him expendable if he cannot solve the mystery of the portal?
Praise:
★★★★★ - "Michael R. Stern brings a new twist to the concept of time travel in this fun, fast-paced and inventive read."
★★★★★ - "An exceptionally fine science fiction novel."
About Michael R. Stern Michael Stern has said that he would like to be remembered as a great storyteller. "I've been telling stories since childhood. I still love a good story, no matter the source." Since he began writing as a career later in life, he has learned how difficult good writing can be, and strives to improve his grasp of the nuance of powerful storytelling. "Many good writers ply their trade, but few are great. Many good writers are financially successful because they write stories that captivate an audience at the right time. Great writers transcend time, at least in part because they speak to the human condition regardless of time or location. They create memorable characters, thrust them into conflicts internal and external, and take the reader to emotional attachment found only in a well-structured story."Mr. Stern began his writing career at the confluence of tragedy and opportunity. The death of his father led to his first book, "Reflections on a Generous Generation." Initially intended as an anecdotal remembrance for his family and friends, his research expanded his appreciation of the lives of not just his father, but of a generation that changed the world, and left a blueprint for future generations to follow. After his award-winning first book, his focus turned to learning how to write fiction. "I thought that meeting people from the past, and learning from them firsthand would be a fascinating experience. Alas, as they say, once you're dead, you're dead. I've been a history buff my entire life, and one figure stood out for me--Robert E. Lee." His interest in the American Civil War has been life long, so a time travel story seemed a reasonable next step. His Quantum Touch series begins with "Storm Portal," a best-selling and award-winning story of a high school history teacher whose classroom door opens a portal in space-time. Not only does it open to the past, but becomes a passageway through the present, a kind of "Beam me up, Scotty" moment.
"As a student of history, I am a follower of current events, and being able to move from event to event by stepping across a threshold grabbed hold from the start. My protagonist, Fritz Russell, is the history teacher who accidentally meets the President of the United States by barging into the Oval Office through the portal. Thus begins the relationship that continues through the series. In addition to the president, the cast of characters represent everyday people who are thrust into roles requiring courage and thoughtfulness, as well as a willingness to step beyond personal safety and security in the betterment of the world." Quantum Touch is an adventure, wrapped in political suspense and mystery, with a science fiction underpinning.
Mr. Stern lives in New Jersey outside Philadelphia with his wife, Linda, who is also an author. A graduate of Cornell University, he has pursued writing as a "perfect ending to a successful career."
LinksAmazon: https://tinyurl.com/58sd798kFacebook: https://tinyurl.com/4ynd6yxs
Email sternmike52@gmail.com
June 25, 2021
THE MISSMAN: The Mafia's Most Inept Hitman
Frank Santini spent most of his life of crime trying to recapture the respect and adoration he once felt when he first broke into the rackets in the late 1940s. Though, once regarded as a celebrated hitman for famed New York mobster—Bugsy Siegel—Santini’s career as a gangster subsequently spiraled out of control after a series of bungled hits and botched beatings earned him the nickname “The Missman.” It wasn’t until his twilight years when he was offered one last chance at glory by assassinating a high-ranking member of the New England mafia. Frank accepted, and along with his dimwitted sidekick, Milo, the pair embarked on a mission filled with poor planning resulting in a number of historic disasters. However, no one in their right mind could have predicted how the light would shine on The Missman once all the dust had finally settled. Marc Zappulla
Marc Zappulla is an American author from the Boston suburb of Medford, Massachusetts. He has worked as a ghostwriter for celebrity figures such as Hockey Hall of Fame goaltender Gerry Cheevers, and TV personality and host of NESN's Charlie Moore Outdoors, Charlie Moore a.k.a. The Mad Fisherman.He was inspired to write his first novel The Last Longshoreman by his father's thirty-year career as a longshoreman. Zappulla currently lives in Boston and is busy working on his next book. Links Amazon https://tinyurl.com/2pmy99yc
Twitter: @MarcZappulla
FaceBook: https://tinyurl.com/yj97y9ak
October 1, 2020
Interview with Larry Landgraf, author of The Adventures of Ollie Orangutan
In the beginning, all animals were born wild and free. Ollie, however, was born in a cage and has spent his entire life in a zoo. Everything he knew, he learned from his mother and through the bars of his confinement. His life was totally dependent upon humans. He always had plenty to eat and it was fun watching the humans who visited daily, especially the little ones. Life was comfortable and Ollie grew up soft.
But as fate would have it, that is all going to change. Ollie is thrown into a completely new environment of which he knows nothing. Ollie will have to learn new things in order to survive without the help of humans. He will make new friends, but the real world is wild. He will also find those who would hurt him. Can he toughen up and make a new life for himself?
About Larry Landgraf Larry Landgraf was born and raised on the Guadalupe River Delta on the Texas Gulf Coast.
They say a picture is worth a thousand words. That being said, I have created two video slide shows set to music. They are "Who Am I?" and "Life in My Swamp". They are in the videos (positions #1 and #2) in the slideshow to the right. Know me first and you'll know why I write what I write. Thank you.
Interview with Larry
How difficult was it writing this book?
The stories I write always flow like water. That voice (muse) has been with me for six years. I would never tell him to go away. He's been a great friend and writing partner. I wrote a poem about him called "A Voice in My Head". I'll read it to you if you'd like.
Did you ever experience writer’s block and, if so, what did you do to overcome?
How long did it take you to write The Adventures of Ollie Orangutan?
I think I finished the first draft in about a month. It took another two months to polish, get it edited, re-written, and proofed. It didn't seem like a long process as with some of my really long novels.
Who is your publisher and how did you find them or did you self-publish?
I'm considered self-published but I go through Fresh Ink Group to get everything done right. They are a group of authors who write and help others get everything finished properly.
Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?
Drink more caffeine and don't worry about waking up in the middle of the night. Keep a pen and pad next to your bed but if the story that comes to you late at night sounds like something others would be interested in, do get up and crank up the computer. Also, live a great life... have adventures, work hard, and generate those stories. When you finish the story, re-write. Then edit, edit, edit, at least one by a professional, and a final outside proofreader
Links Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/y3gqj2lh Twitter: https://twitter.com/riverrmann Website: https://intoautumn.com/ Facebook: https://tinyurl.com/y54ddxgl
July 16, 2020
A Little Book on Joy: The Secret of Living a Good News Life in a Bad News World
The author embarks on a quest to rediscover the joy of being a Christian. It is perfect for use with the Bible because it has study questions that follow each chapter. It is also a prayer guide for "The Great Ninety Days of Joy after Joy." Daily Texts with Prayers to Gladden the Heart from Ash Wednesday through Pentecost makes this book a perfect devotional guide for Lent and Easter.
Author
Matthew Carl Harrison is the 13th and current president of the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod. He was first elected to the presidency on July 13, 2010 at the synod's 64th regular convention in Houston, Texas
Illustrator
Kurt Onken is pastor of the Messiah Lutheran Church Marysville WA. He is a member congregation of the Northwest District of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. Check out his blog @
https://tinyurl.com/y92yjjs2Facebook: https://tinyurl.com/yasoeufn
Buy your copy on AmazonLink: https://tinyurl.com/y7mn3hv9
