Brenda Whiteside's Blog, page 20

Victorian Women & Vice – The Struggles and the Triumphs by Rachel Brimble #Vice #Prostitution #Romance

 MUSE MONDAY

Please welcome Rachel Brimble to Muse Monday on Discover... Her triology sounds fascinating. 

The idea for my latest trilogy, The Ladies of Carson Street was inspired by my reading The Five by Hallie Rubenhold and watching and loving the TV series, Harlots.

Once I had finished reading and watching, I was enveloped in the need to write about the world of vice and prostitution but with some sort of happy ending for the protagonists. This, of course, presented a problem because there are not many (if any) stories of life ending well for these women. But then I convinced myself that as I am writing fiction, I can make it possible!

I am known for setting my historicals in Bath and this trilogy would be no different.

The first book, A Widow’s Vow, introduces the main character, Louisa, but also the two other women who will go on to have their own, centre-stage, moments. Between them, Louisa, Nancy and Octavia are a force of nature, their loyalty and determination unwavering.

This series is about 19th century women and how so many of them fell unwittingly into the world of vice for reasons out of their control. It was this aspect of tumbling towards rock bottom with nothing to cling onto that made the message (or even lesson) of The Five so utterly impossible to ignore. Prostitution is rarely, if ever, a choice and many Victorian prostitutes came from wildly different backgrounds with wildly different stories.

I wanted this to be the case with Louisa, Nancy and Octavia, too – all three have completely different reasons why they came to be living and working in Bath’s backstreet taverns, clubs and houses.

So, what about their happy endings?

Well, they come for each of them in different ways – yes, they meet the men who will change them forever, but it is Louisa, Nancy and Octavia who do the work, fight for independence and life on their own terms. Writing about female empowerment is one of my favourite things to do and I believe there is absolutely nothing wrong with throwing a hefty dose of love and romance into the mix!

All three books in the trilogy, A Widow’s Vow, Trouble For The Leading Lady and A Very Modern Marriage, can be downloaded as a complete set on Amazon, but here is the blurb and buy link for book 1…

Happy Reading!

Rachel 

A Widow’s Vow

From grieving widow...

1851. After her merchant husband saved her from a life of prostitution, Louisa Hill was briefly happy as a housewife in Bristol. But then a constable arrives at her door. Her husband has been found hanged in a Bath hotel room, a note and a key to a property in Bath the only things she has left of him. And now the debt collectors will come calling.

To a new life as a madam.

Forced to leave everything she knows behind, Louisa finds more painful betrayals waiting for her in the house in Bath. Left with no means of income, Louisa knows she has nothing to turn to but her old way of life. But this time, she'll do it on her own terms – by turning her home into a brothel for upper class gentleman. And she's determined to spare the girls she saves from the street the horrors she endured in the past.

Enlisting the help of Jacob Jackson, a quiet but feared boxer, to watch over the house, Louisa is about to embark on a life she never envisaged. Can she find the courage to forge this new path? 

A Widow's Vow is the first in a gripping and gritty new Victorian saga series from Rachel Brimble. You won't be able to put it down.

BUY: https://geni.us/sHuF

Excerpt 

Louisa marched ahead of Nancy, pulling a brass front door key from her purse. Purposefully, she drew forth her anger at Anthony’s lies, betrayal and cowardice. Lord knew, she would have to take strength from somewhere if she was ever to believe such a property was now hers to do with as she would. Lifting her chin, she shrouded herself in an invisible layer of protection against whatever further hurts were to come in her uncertain future.

The house was beautiful. Built in a butter-coloured stone, its sash windows were flanked with velvet drapery, the front door painted a dark grass-green, complete with brass knocker and a stone ornament decorating its step. The longer Louisa stared, the more strongly inevitability enveloped her. She had survived this long and she would continue to survive, come what may.

After all, she and Nancy had the most pleasing of houses as their foundation.

She softly smiled as a whisper of positivity, of belonging… maybe even destiny, seeped deep into her heart. Could it be she was meant to be here? That Anthony had known this house would one day be hers. Maybe her conceptions of his subterfuge were actually initiated in wonderful surprise rather than treachery.

She slid the key into the lock, her heart beating hard. She and Nancy stepped into a large hallway, painted in the softest hue of lemon and white, the floorboards a beautiful dark wood.

As Nancy closed the door, Louisa’s momentary notion that the house might have been meant for her wavered. There was something distinctly female about it whereas she had been expecting the décor to be entirely male. A bad feeling whispered through her even as she admired the colours, the spray of flowers in a porcelain vase, the framed embroidery on the walls and the floral, ruffle-edged umbrella in a stone stand.

A door farther along the hallway clicked open and a high-pitched gasp reverberated around the space. ‘Who the devil are you and what are you doing in my house?’

https://geni.us/sHuF

Rachel lives in a small town near Bath, England. She is the author of 29 novels including the Ladies of Carson Street trilogy, the Shop Girl series (Aria Fiction) and the Templeton Cove Stories (Harlequin). Her latest novel, Victoria & Violet is the first book in her new Royal Maids series with the Wild Rose Press and releases 17th October 2022.

Rachel is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association as well as the Historical Novel Society and has thousands of social media followers all over the world.

To sign up for her newsletter (a guaranteed giveaway every month!), click here: https://bit.ly/3zyH7dt

https://bit.ly/3wH7HQs

Twitter: https://bit.ly/3AQvK0A

Facebook: https://bit.ly/3i49GZ3

Instagram: https://bit.ly/3lTQZbF

Life is for Living: Empowered Single Moms by Janina Grey #SingleMom #romance

MUSE MONDAY

Please welcome Janina Grey to Muse Monday on Discover... Not only did she write an entertaining book, but it's a story with a message.

Single Moms are the epitome of empowerment. Whether by choice or fate, more and more women are facing the daunting reality of being a single mom. For the longest time, being a single mom was labelled as an embarrassment by society and was hidden and never discussed.  

But in today’s world, single moms are rocking it! Being a single mom nowadays is way different from facing an unwanted pregnancy in the 1950s. These days, it’s a badge of honor. It’s a way of life. It’s a warning to the world that there is no messing with this woman; she knows what she wants and she’s going for it. And if you try to mess with her or her kids while she’s focusing on work or the house or striving to get along with the children’s father for their sake, you will probably regret your decision.

Single moms can appear to have it all together, yet, be breaking on the inside. Or, they can look like they are falling apart on the outside, but in reality, they are strong as steel. Give them a minute and they’ll be back on their feet facing the world with a tenacity stronger than superglue.

Jayde, aka Lilac Locks, is a single mom of four-year-old twins, by choice. The last thing she wants is a man in her life out of pity or responsibility. She works. She raises her kids. Quality time is a priority. She reads with them, dances with them, teaches them responsibility, and most of all, she loves them with all her heart and soul.

I modeled Jayde after so many single moms I’ve come to know, but especially my sister, Jeana. She
raised her two sons from the time they were infants, worked full time, put herself through college, brought them on vacations, and was as protective as a Mama Bear and her cubs. But really, Jayde is a tribute to all single moms who get up every morning and go to bed each night working tirelessly, focused and driven and rocking life as an Empowered Woman.

LIFE IS FOR LIVING                                                                   

Book 2 Earth and Sky Series 

A control-freak single mom and barefoot pagan bachelor discover some one night stands are meant to last forever.

Blurb

Single mom Jayde MacMillan does not need the headache of another man in her life, as she devotes her every breath for caring for her two toddler twins, and working full time to give them a stable and happy home.

Daniel Cameron is a free-spirited lover of all things beautiful—including women. He’s perfectly content with drumming around a fire and winding his way barefoot through the forests of upstate New York. 

Neither expected to see each other again after a wild and passionate night of lovemaking at a local spring festival. A chance encounter and two precocious toddlers four years later says Fate has other plans for Jayde and Dan. 

Some one-night stands are meant to last forever. 

LIFE IS FOR LIVING (Excerpt- Chapter One) 

“Well, enjoy the rest of your afternoon,” he said, slipping Jayde a look that nearly made her knees buckle. “Bye, kids. Remember to listen to your mama. She’s a smart lady.”

Directing his full attention on Jayde once more, he said, “I swear I know you from somewhere.”

Struggling to find a witty comeback, Jayde watched him hesitate, and when she didn’t respond he headed toward the door.

“See ya,” he said as he dipped his head and gave the slightest wink.

“Uh . . .” she stammered, getting her wish as Barefoot Dan disappeared out of her life once again. Her heart resumed its normal beat, while the kids tugged at each other from around her legs. Her knees were no longer buckling, and every flutter of anxiety disappeared like a bunny in a magic trick as the café door closed behind the mysterious, unwitting father of her children.”

 

BUY LINKS 

LIFE IS FOR LIVING/ Earth and Sky Series Book 2. FEATURED BOOK

soulmatepublishing.com/life-is-for-living/

amazon.com/dp/B09WNG7J7F/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2Z5TAIXVGZNJ7

barnesandnoble.com/w/life-is-for-living-janina-grey/1141939531?ean=9781647163006  

BUY LINKS: Earth and Sky Series

amazon.com/Earth-and-Sky-Series-2-book-series/dp/B09238RJZ8

 

Janina Grey
Not everything is black and white when it comes to love.

Janina Grey has been writing since she could hold a crayon, and there has been no stopping her since. Journaling, short stories, poetry, newsletters, news, feature, columns, Op/Eds, and press releases have kept her busy her whole life. But it was the sweet Harlequin romances she read in her downtime that stayed forever in her heart and gave her the inspiration to write her own contemporary romances now published with Soul Mate Publishing. 

By day, Janina guides domestic and sexual assault survivors down their path of healing and empowerment. But in the wee hours of the morning, she hunkers down at her childhood writing desk with Imagine Dragons, Coldplay, Elton John, Fleetwood Mac, or Led Zep streaming through her earbuds while she brings to life her characters as they face their real-life sorrows and successes, and best of all, their happily-ever-afters. 

Growing up on Long Island and living periodically in Tennessee as a youth has given her the opportunity to meet many different types of people and experience many different lifestyles. After moving from Long Island to settle in the Mohawk Valley in Upstate New York with her family, she found the support needed to pursue her writing endeavors with Central New York Romance Writers and Romance Writers of America. 

When Janina is not writing, she may be marching for women’s rights, kayaking, camping, drumming, or dancing around the fire. 

With the kids grown, she and her husband, David, share their 115-year-old Mohawk Valley farm house homestead with a few resident spirits and a very squawky murder of crows.

Websites:
www.janinagrey.com
amazon.com/author/janinagrey
Email: janinagrey143@gmail.com

Patreon: www.patreon.com/janinagrey
Facebook:facebook.com/janinagrey
Goodreads:goodreads.com/author/show/18967836.Janina_Grey
Instagram: @janinagreyauthor
Twitter: @janina_grey
Bookbub.com: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/janina-grey

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Book Tour and Gift Card-Fun Galore #NewRelease #GiftCard #BookTour

The whirlwind starts today. Silver Dagger Book Tours kicks off for The MacKenzie Chronicles. In particular, Curse of Wolf Falls book 3 will release in just a few days on September 5. Grab it now at a reduced price and have it delivered into your eReader on the 5th. 

AMAZON BUY LINK

And secondly, but no less exciting, Secrets of The Ravine book 1 is on sale for 5 days only at $.99. If you haven't started the series yet, this is the best of times to do so.

AMAZON BUY LINK

The list below is the tour schedule WITH THE LINK FOR YOU TO VISIT. You'll want to check in everyday and have that many more chances to win a $10.00 gift certificate and discover some great blogs in the process.

SECRETS OF THE RAVINE, THE MACKENZIE CHRONICLES BOOK 1

Lies can haunt, but the truth will kill.

Magpie doesn’t believe in coincidence. But when a ringer for her long-dead love walks into her life the same day skeletal remains are unearthed, she’s convinced the universe is sending her a message. Using decades-old clues and Zac’s déjà vu moments, they embark on a treacherous race. Will she face a murderous fate, or will love be the final casualty?

CURSE OF WOLF FALLS, THE MACKENZIE CHRONICLES BOOK 3

Secrets can protect what the truth will destroy.  

Elidor has the ability to absorb joy, pain, and suffering of others. She's spent her life running from what she considers her curse. Now she’s come home to make amends, but greed-driven scavengers are following.  

With Jules by her side, Elidor is determined to outrun the scavengers, guard the secret, and renew their love. But fate is coming after her, and there's nowhere the couple can hide.

September 1
kickoff at Silver Dagger Book Tours
Bedazzled By Books
Craving Lovely Books
The Bookshelf Fairy

September 2
Lady Hawkeye
Book Reviews by the Reluctant Retiree
The Sexy Nerd 'Revue'
The Book Dragon
Word Processor, Romance, Cats, Kids and Creed

September 3
4covert2overt ☼ A Place In The Spotlight ☼
Books a Plenty Book Reviews
Midnight Book Reader
Sylv.net

September 4
Naughty Nightie Book Blog
❧Defining Ways❧
Insane Books
Scrupulous Dreams

September 5
Kate Hill's Romance, Writing, and More Blog
Books all things paranormal and romance
Girl with Pen
Inside the Insanity

September 6
Anna del C. Dye official page
eBook Addicts
Literary Gold
Momma Says: To Read or Not to Read
Twisted Book Ramblings

September 7
Lyndi Alexander's world of wonder
Sharon Buchbinder Blog Spot
#BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog
ⒾⓃⓉⓇⓄⓈⓅⒺⒸⓉⒾⓋⒺ ⓅⓇⒺⓈⓈ
Stormy Nights Reviewing & Bloggin'

September 8
Journeys with Jana – GUEST POST
Maggie Blackbird – GUEST POST
A Wonderful World of Words – GUEST POST
Valerie Ullmer | Romance Author

 

#CharacterInterview and #NewRelease Strong Enough by Jana Richards

MUSE MONDAY

Please welcome Jana Richards, author, and Damon Greyson, hero, to Muse Monday on Discover... We love character interviews. You're going to want to buy the book and learn more. Okay, take it away Jana and Damon. 

Jana Richards: Why did you move to Masonville?

Damon Greyson: My sister was already here, and after my grandfather died and left a large three-story building in Masonville to me in his will, I wanted to turn it into something useful. It’s going to become a retreat for veterans with PTSD, a place of healing. I teamed up with my sister Blair and her new husband Garrett, who himself is a veteran. On the farm that Granddad left to Blair, we will incorporate equine therapy for the vets. They have four rescue horses now and my hope is that the retreat allows Blair to rescue more horses in the future, something she’s passionate about.

But mostly it’s about family. Now that my brother Ben and his family live here in Masonville too, I want to stay close. I steered clear of the idea of family for a long time, but now I realize I need my siblings. 

JR: What did you think of Charlotte Saunders when you met her again for the first time in years?

DG: I thought she was beautiful, just like she was as a teenager when I had a huge crush on her. Maybe even more beautiful. But she’s changed. 

JR: What do you mean?

DG: Charlotte is still kind and funny, but she’s far more cautious now, and less outgoing than she used to be. She seems…less than she used to be. It concerns me. 

JR: Why does it concern you?

DG: Because when we were kids, Charlotte was so vivacious. She was up for any adventure and ready to take on the world. The woman I see now is far more subdued and anxious. She was going to travel the globe with Doctors Without Borders and make a difference in people’s lives. I’m sure she still makes a difference in people’s lives in her job as a nurse, but she never left her hometown. I know people change. They grow up and mature. But I have a gut feeling something happened to Charlotte to make that change. 

JR: What do you think that was?

DG: I don’t think Charlotte would want me to speculate publicly about that. 

JR: All right, fair enough. What about you? You say you had a huge crush on her as a teenager. Did you ever tell her how you felt about her?

DG: Hell, no. Charlotte was way out of my league. I was so shy and awkward and filled with shame back then that I could barely speak to her. I was happy she simply talked to me. Charlotte was always kind to me. She tried to draw me into conversations and included me in activities when I would have hidden away. And she defended me. Aside from my grandparents, no one had ever defended me before. 

JR: Why do you say you were filled with shame?

DG: I’ve been open for several years about being sexually abused as a child. It wasn’t until I was in my twenties that I could speak about it. When I was a teenager, I felt so different, so isolated from other kids my age. When I finally stepped forward and got some help, I was shocked at the number of survivors there are out there. I went through a lot of therapy to get to where I am today. 

JR: What do you want your relationship with Charlotte to be now that you’re both adults?

DG: (Damon hesitates before speaking.) I would like to be friends. I hope someday she’ll be able to confide in me. 

JR: Is that all you want from Charlotte? Friendship?

DG: If that’s all she has to give me, it will have to be enough. (He stands up.) Are we finished? I’ve got things to do. 

JR: Sure. We’re done for now. Maybe we can talk later?

DG: (Walks away.) Maybe. 

JR: (Watches Damon walk away.) I doubt I’ll get him to talk much more about Charlotte. 

STRONG ENOUGH, book 4 in the Masonville Small Town Romance Series

Now Available!

https://books2read.com/Strong-Enough-by-Jana-Richards 

Excerpt:

Blair stepped outside, leaving Charlotte and Damon alone in the kitchen. Charlotte looked everywhere but at him, appearing ill at ease. He was sure their kiss last night was the cause of her discomfort.

“How are you this morning, Charlotte?”

She shrugged. “I could use more coffee, but other than that, I’m good.”

“We’ll take a coffee break later.” He set his box on the table and moved closer to her, keeping his voice low. “I don’t regret our kiss last night for a minute, but I don’t want you to be uncomfortable around me, okay? I won’t say anything. It’s no one’s business but ours.”

She gave a slight nod. “Okay.”

“I would never hurt you, Charlotte.” His fingers itched to touch her, but he sensed it would be exactly the wrong thing to do right now.

For the first time, Charlotte lifted her eyes to his and met his gaze directly. Again, the image of the skittish colt came to mind. Last night, in a moment of high emotion, she’d let down her guard, and he’d experienced the passion that lay just under the surface of her control. He wanted that again, he realized. Again and again.

“How do you know I won’t hurt you?” she whispered.

Book Links:

Amazon- https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09VNRFZW7

Amazon CA - https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B09VNRFZW7

Amazon UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B09VNRFZW7

iBooks: https://books.apple.com/us/book/strong-enough/id1615684106

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/strong-enough-jana-richards/1141265231?ean=2940161031278

 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60582342-strong-enough

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/strong-enough-masonville-series-book-4-by-jana-richards

Author Bio:

When Jana Richards read her first romance novel, she immediately knew two things: she had to commit the stories running through her head to paper, and they had to end with a happily ever after. She also knew she’d found what she was meant to do. Since then she’s never met a romance genre she didn’t like. She writes contemporary romance, romantic suspense, and historical romance set in World War Two, in lengths ranging from short story to full length novel. Just for fun, she throws in generous helpings of humor, and the occasional dash of the paranormal.

In her life away from writing, Jana is a mother to two grown daughters, and a wife to her husband Warren. She enjoys golf, yoga, movies, concerts, travel and reading, not necessarily in that order. She and her husband live in Winnipeg, Canada. She loves to hear from readers and can be reached through her website at www.janarichards.com

 

Social Media Links:

Website:  http://www.janarichards.com

Blog:  http://janarichards.blogspot.com

Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/JanaRichardsAuthor

Twitter:  http://www.twitter.com/JanaRichards_

Amazon Author Page:  http://www.amazon.com/author/janarichards

Amazon UK Author Page:  http://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B002DEVWWG

Newsletter Signup: http://janarichards.com/contact.html#newsletter

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2892274Jana_Richards

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jana-richards

Starting Over is Fearless by Shirley Goldberg

FEARLESS FRIDAY

I never did the online dating thing, but I can see where that would be a fearless adventure...especially later in life. Enjoy my guest, Shirley Goldberg's fearless endeavors.

Thanks so much, Brenda, for inviting me to participate in Fearless Fridays. I can assure everyone reading that I never felt fearless when I embarked on starting over.

My decision to start over after my divorce meant moving 8,000 miles to go back to school later in life. Since my marriage hadn’t been a happy one in many years, I also wanted to move on in the man department and decided to try a dating site.

Online dating was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. While dating, I kept a diary, scribbling notes in the ladies’ room sometimes during dates, sometimes in the car after a date. Eventually, this became my novel Middle Ageish.

My heroine, Sunny Chanel, moves from Paris, France to New Haven, CT, goes back to school, and online dates. She scribbles notes in the ladies’ room too, after her dates.

Turning my online dating experience into fiction, well, that caused my chest to squeeze in not a good way.

Part of the need to write a fictionalized account of my experience came from reading
other books where online dating was misrepresented. Women met the love of their lives on the first date. Or the men were caricatures, asking dumb questions or appearing in weird outfits or running out without paying for their coffee. 

I have to give my friends credit for their patience while I was writing the book. I tended to talk about my characters as if we met for Friday night happy hour and had dinner together. My real friends started looking at me funny.

“When will this book be finished?” one friend asked around the one-year mark.  By this time, they were familiar with the main character, Sunny, who was deep into online dating. Over happy hour appetizers and wine, they’d pepper me for answers. “How much is autobiographical?” “Was that a true story about the 300-pound man Sunny dated?” “Did you really go on six meets in one week?”

Sure, there’s a bit of me in Middle Ageish, because turning experience into a belly laugh is much more fun––and work––than humans should have. And I was having the time of my life, pumping my checkered past for “copy” as Nora Ephron (or was it her mother?) called everything that was story material.

Starting over is a real thing. It resonates with happily married women because they have no idea about how tough online dating can be. And they’re fascinated and glad they aren’t dating. Divorced women, on the other hand, are often intimated by the pitfalls and stories they’ve heard.

Got questions? I’ve got a website chock full of tips and suggestions for anyone starting over. There are articles for men, too, such as how to entice a woman to email him back, written with Peter, a friend of mine who’s been around the dating block a few times.

Thinking about venturing out there? When it comes to online dating, remember that nothing counts until you meet. Emailing and zooming aren’t dating, but they’re a good start.

You’re never too old to start new.

 

Check out my website, read an excerpt of Middle Ageish ,and get a free romantic short story: https://midagedating.com/

 

Grab Middle Ageish at your favorite book vendor: https://books2read.com/u/mY7jvV

 

Wickedly Funny by Penny Goetjen #WickedWednesday

WICKED WEDNESDAY

Wickedly funny characters are the best kind of wicked. Penny Goetjen has written just such a character.

Some characters drive the plot forward or create tension in the story. Others provide comedic relief for the tension that’s created. The latter is the role of Millie, mother of protagonist Victoria Sands, in The Woman Underwater. And she’s a Wickedly Funny character.

Torn between hanging onto the hope her husband is still alive, after his disappearance seven years earlier, and the desire to move on with her life, Victoria is caught in an undertow of unanswered questions, submerged in a watery vortex—one that no one can predict how it will play out.  

Exhibiting early signs of dementia, Millie is unpredictable at best and agonizingly energy-zapping at her worst. But in all her quirkiness there’s an amusing—often entertaining—side of her. 

For Millie, there’s nothing that a good strong cup of tea can’t fix, but there are times when a good belt of bourbon is in order—neat with an aromatic cigar.   

She pulls together one-of-kind outfits, often with an exaggerated animal print, snug leggings and oversized fake pearls in the mix, while Victoria wishes she would dress more appropriately—like the time she visited her grandson’s private boarding school. Upon her arrival, however, her grandson gushed over her outfit, only encouraging her outlandish style. 

A casual conversation might go something like this after Millie enters the kitchen with a life preserver strapped to her torso, carrying a couple of paint cans:

 

Victoria: Mom, what’s on your agenda today? [She learned early on not to say anything like: “What are you doing?” so as not to put Millie on the defensive.] 

Millie: Why? Does the life preserver throw you off? 

Victoria: Well, I have to admit I’m... 

Millie: Nervous? Unsettled? Panicking? 

Victoria: Yeah, one of the above. 

Millie: Don’t be, honey. I just thought it would be fun to wear. Haven’t had a reason to for a while. 

Victoria: [She isn’t going to point out she still didn’t have one.] So how about the paint? 

Millie: The paint? 

Victoria: [Opening the oven door to toss in a couple trays of cupcakes] Yeah, you’ve got a can of paint in each hand. 

Millie: Oh! I forgot about those. Look at that. 

Victoria: [Waiting for her mother to continue but when she doesn’t, adds] And? 

Millie: Yeah, I don’t know. I must have had a good reason, but I can’t think of it now. I found them in the garage. Oh well. I’ll put them back. Maybe it’ll come to me. [She heads out of the kitchen but in the opposite direction of the garage.] 

Victoria: [Contemplates following her but then remembers to set the timer on the oven.] 

Millie: [Popping her head back into the kitchen.] We could paint the driveway. 

Victoria: [Nearing spraining her neck to catch her mother’s expression.] Paint the driveway? 

Millie: Yeah. I’ve found a couple of pretty colors here. [She raises the cans for Victoria to see.] I think there might be a few more we could use too. Just think of it. You could have the onlydriveway in the neighborhood that’s actually pretty. We could paint flowers and make it look like a garden.

Victoria: But Mom, that paint won’t wash off. How about using chalk? 

Millie: That’s the whole point. With paint, it will last. 

Victoria: [Struggling for the right words.] I…like the driveway the way it is. 

Millie: [Scrunching up her face like a two-year-old before a tantrum.] But I don’t. [Her face brightens.] I think there’s some black paint in the garage. If you don’t like it when I’m finished, you can just paint over it. [With that, she disappears through the door to the garage with Victoria at her heels.] 

Book blurb:

In the seven years since Victoria’s husband disappeared, no witnesses have stepped forward and no credible evidence has been collected—not even his car. He simply vanished from behind the stone walls of a private boarding school where he taught—the same school their son now attends. But someone has to know what happened. And that someone may be closer to Victoria than she realizes.  

AMAZON BUY LINK

Bio:

National award-winning writer Penny Goetjen is the author of six mystery and suspense novels, her latest The Woman Underwater released 7.26.22. A self-proclaimed eccentric known for writing late into the night by the allure of flickering candlelight, she often weaves a subtle, unexpected paranormal twist into her stories. When her husband is asked how he feels about his wife doing in innocent people with the written word, he answers with a wink, “I sleep with one eye open.” 

#FreeBook Limited Time #Review #NewRelease

 NEW RELEASE   NEW RELEASE   NEW RELEASE

Curse of Wolf Falls (The MacKenzie Chronicles Book 3) is currently on preorder, and you can grab a copy for free if you’re willing to post a review on Goodreads, Bookbub, and Amazon. This is a time-limited offer because once it releases worldwide on September 5, the offer disappears. 

There are two sites that have those copies for you: 

Story Origins:

https://storyoriginapp.com/reviewcopies/99bfb906-14ed-11ed-9ac6-0bce41a6ae28 

Book Funnel:

https://dl.bookfunnel.com/z6nqom3s4y 

Please be sure you can read and review within a couple of weeks before you choose to grab a copy. These sites are for the serious readers who agree to review. 

And if you don’t think you can jump on that offer, then jump on this one: The eBook is on sale, preorder special, until September 5th. You can get a deal now! And the book will appear on your reader September 5thso you can read at your leisure. I’d still love a review whenever you can get to it. 

Preorder sale price here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B663MY1D

Secrets can protect what the truth will destroy.   

She's spent her life running from what she considers her curse. Now, her best friend is dead, and she alone holds the key to an archaeological discovery that could destroy a culture. With newfound inner peace, Elidor has returned home to make amends and guard the secret revelation. But greed-driven scavengers have followed her. Once again, the energies of Joshua will stir the hurricane, with her at the deadly center.  

Jules never got over Elidor. Twenty years and a famous journalism career later, he's back in Joshua—and so is his first love. If his heart can stand the torture, he'll risk reviving their relationship. But  

Coffee...the New Zen Activity by Terry Newman #romance

MUSE MONDAY

Oh my gosh! Today's guest, Terry Newman, and I are on the same coffee wavelength. And her book sounds like a great read. Have fun, Readers...

Coffee. It’s more than just a morning pick-me-up. Perhaps that’s why it always plays a role in my books. In my latest work, Heartquake, my main character owns a coffee shop and as you might expect quite a few scenes take place there.

While my love of coffee originated with my need to stay up all night studying in college, it evolved over the years. Few activities in life make me happier than sitting down with a good cup of coffee and a dear friend.

I’ve recently discovered this just isn’t one of my quirks. No, psychology now explains there are three positive benefits to carving out time to meet a friend for some coffee.

That cup of joe can actually improve your social relationships, according to an article in Psychology Today. Its caffeine content provides you a light stimulant while you’re chatting with your bestie. This results in a boost in your memory and nudges you to linger and talk.

Just the pleasure of a good cup of coffee with a friend increases your level of endorphins, those infamous feel-better hormones. And according to psychologists, this sense of wellbeing allows us to kick back and actually relax. And that opens us to appreciate the friendship.

Finally, and this is my favorite benefit, sharing a cup of coffee and conversation provides us with the opportunity “to be fully present.” Psychologists explain a coffee date contributes to our “cognitive and emotional reserve.” And that not only strengthens us, but it offers the opportunity of “genuine happiness,” found in the small details of life.

Sharing a cup of coffee, it turns out, is a Zen activity. Who knew?

Now that we know its remarkable “perks” we really should “stop and smell the coffee” more often.

BLURB FOR HEARTQUAKE

Coffee shop owner, Charlee Lightheart, views corporations with contempt. She believes her father died at the hands of the pharmaceutical industry. When she's approached to run for city council on an anti-fracking platform, she's reluctant. She's not sure this movement is her cause.

Billionaire Riley Brockton has given up on love. Then he walks into Charlee's shop. All he wanted was coffee and muffins. From that first electrifying touch, he knows he needs more. He withholds one piece of vital information: he's a lionshifter.

A rogue reporter sets out to reveal the one secret that can destroy the anti-fracking movement and the couple's relationship. Can their love survive the truth and public exposure? 

EXCERPT FOR HEARTQUAKE

His hands seemed more like paws. Not destructive mauling paws of a feral beast, but the large loving ones of an animal dedicated to protecting those he loved. She feared if he kept his hand on hers too long, she would start to think about love at first sight again. Yet she didn’t move it.

When he did remove his hand from hers, she felt an immediate and crushing disconnect. She fell back to earth and experienced the gripping weight and limitation of the force of gravity. Did an astronaut experience this remorse and loss of freedom when he re-entered the earth’s atmosphere and found himself bound by gravity?

“I apologize,” he said, as he shook his head slightly. “I think I’ve overstepped my bounds. That’s not at all what I intended to happen. That was uncharacteristic of me.”

“Don’t be,” she said. She couldn’t take her gaze from his eyes.

“Pardon me?”

“Don’t be sorry.”

Buy links

Amazon

B&N

Kobo

Google Playbooks

Social Media Links  

https://terrynewmanauthor.com/

Facebook: Terry Newman

https://www.facebook.com/terry.newman.31521

Twitter: @tnewmanwrites

https://twitter.com/tnewmanwrites

Instagram: terry.newman.31521

https://www.instagram.com/terry.newman.31521/ 

TikTok: @terrynewman614 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60574351-heartquake?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=99H2V7dnWm&rank=1 

Bookbub: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60574351-heartquake?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=99H2V7dnWm&rank=1

 

The Human Side of a Villain by Gretchen Lovett

WICKED WEDNESDAY

Please welcome today's guest blogger to Discover... Gretchen's villain sounds like we might want to get to know him! 

I love a good villain! I think what makes them interesting is their human side. In Second Chance Louisiana, the villain is a bank robber who has a mysterious connection with our hero. The first time Tyler sees him when the bank is being robbed, he feels like he knows the man. Then when our villain shows up at Tyler’s home ten years later, his feeling is confirmed.

Karl is just down on his luck. He fell in with the wrong crowd and ended up committing one crime after another. He doesn’t know how to get out, and while he continues to make bad choices, he’s not an evil person. 

Excerpt

Tyler took his opportunity, wrapping a hand around the stock and yanking it up. The stranger cried out in surprise, firing up into the heavens. Tyler felt the heat wash up the barrel and the explosion rattled his teeth.

He punched the guy hard, determined to put an end to this tragedy before it began. The criminal fell back but didn’t let go of the gun. He swung around, kicking at Tyler, connecting with the ex-con’s knee. Tyler felt a blast of pain race up his thigh, and staggered, holding onto the gun for dear life.

He knew that whoever let go first was a dead man. He had to survive; Misty was counting on him. Just a few days ago, he might have struggled a little less, might have let the bastard get one over on him. There were times in prison when he wished for a swift end. But after this afternoon and the successful conclusion of their first marital spat, Tyler was feeling good about his future. He wasn’t ready to give it up. He didn’t want Misty to give it up either. This idiot stole fifteen years of Tyler’s life from him. He deprived Savannah of a father and Misty of a husband. Tyler wasn’t going to kill him because he didn’t want to risk another jail sentence, but he was going to make the man pay. 

Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/Second-Chance-Louisiana-Western-Redemption-ebook/dp/B09TTN6W1C

Author: Gretchen Lovett

Author Bio:

Gretchen Lovett is a romance writer, ghost writer, freelance writer and lover of all things literary. She has a bachelor’s degree in behavioral science and worked as a secretary for a large nonprofit organization up until COVID. After the lockdowns, she stayed home and began to take on writing jobs. Through Magnolia Blossom Publishing, she released seven romance novels. After signing NDAs, she has worked on 21 romance novels for various clients and six nonfiction titles on subjects ranging from parenting to healthcare. She has two brilliant, handsome young men in her life who are getting ready to leave the nest. They are not allowed to read her books, nor are they interested.

 

Newspaper to Law by Alana Lorens #FearlessFriday

FEARLESS FRIDAY

Please welcome Alana Lorens to Discover... for Fearless Friday. Young divorced mother to family law. That's a huge fearless jump...

Once upon a time, I was a newspaper reporter in a tiny town in deep south Florida called Homestead. My husband and I had moved there in the late 1970s as he was attached to Homestead Air Force Base, which figured pretty largely earlier on because of its proximity to Cuba. Our second daughter was born there. One thing led to another, and we divorced, so I was a single mom with a five-year-old and three-year-old.

One of the folks I interviewed regularly for the paper was the city attorney for the next town over, Joe Tomassi. When I expressed frustration at only being able to help people so far as a reporter, he suggested I go to law school. Now this is something I had never wanted to do in my whole life.,. The more I thought about it, though, it kinda made sense. Well, except for the whole single mom of two preschoolers thing.

But I thought, well, I’ll take the LSAT entrance exam and see how I do.

I did great.

Wow. So I applied to the University of Miami, being the closest school, and I got in. Also wow.

As a private school, one can imagine (even in the 1980s) that it was not cheap to attend. So I applied for financial aid. And got it. And on-campus housing for me and my kids. There was an on-campus day care and kindergarten for my child just up the road/

How could I say no?

Thus began a thirty-year practice of family law, which indeed helped many more people. It has also well informed my Lady Lawyers series, and also a many-years’ love affair with the Florida Keys, which has led to PROPHECIES AND PROMISES, my new historical novel set in Key West at the time of the Spanish-American War.  A twist of fate led us to homestead, another to divorce, but the biggest leap of all was reaching for the new life of a lawyer—and all the steps that fell into place to make it happen. 

Book Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFWs54EUJeU 

Blurb:  Tamsyn McKiernan thinks her dreams have come true. She’s engaged to a dashing Key West bachelor and finally in her widowed father’s good graces. But in her heart, she knows something’s wrong. She loves the ocean and the quiet pleasures of nature—so what does the aristocratic life she’ll lead truly hold for her?  

Mercenary captain Drake Ashton is neck deep in preparations for the Spanish-American War, running guns and other supplies to Cuban natives who want out from under their Spanish masters. He and his brother Freddie risk their lives daily, focused on saving his friends on the island. Nothing else matters but his mission. 

A chance encounter with a spiny sea urchin brings the two together, and neither of their lives will ever be the same again.

AMAZON BUY LINK

 

Alana Lorens has been a published writer for more than forty years, after working as a pizza maker, a floral designer, a journalist and a family law attorney. Currently a resident of Asheville, North Carolina, the aging hippie loves her time in the smoky blue mountains. She writes romance and suspense as Alana Lorens, and sci-fi, fantasy and paranormal mystery as Lyndi Alexander. One of her novellas, THAT GIRL’S THE ONE I LOVE, is set in the city of Asheville during the old Bele Chere festival. She lives with her daughter on the autism spectrum, who is the youngest of her seven children, and she is ruled by three crotchety old cats, and six kittens of various ages.

Author Links

Website      http://Alana-lorens.com

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

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4829967.Alana_Lorens

Amazon Author Page

https://www.amazon.com/Alana-Lorens/e/B005GE0WBC/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

 

Bookbub:   https://www.bookbub.com/authors/alana-lorens 

Twitter:  @AlexanderLyndi 

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