Linda Nightingale's Blog, page 12
October 25, 2020
Charity Sunday at Author Lisabet Sarai’s today
Lisabet will donate $2 to The Trevor Project, an organization that operates twenty-four-hour phone and chat services for LGBTQ youth at risk for suicide.
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https://lisabetsarai.blogspot.com/2020/10/charity-sunday-for-lgbtq-youth.html
Every comment means $2 for LGBTQ youth. Furthermore, every comment that includes an email address counts as an entry in her No Tricks, Just Treats giveaway I wrote about yesterday.
Drop by and leave a comment. Lisabet will do the rest for this worthwhile cause.
October 24, 2020
Halloween Giveaways! from Lisabet Sarai! Books & Gift Cards!!
Help Lisabet Sarai celebrate the spooky season. She’s got gift certificates and free paranormal books up for grabs, and lots of ways to enter. For details, visit http://bit.ly/WinTreats.
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October 23, 2020
Quirky Romances Offer Unexpected Love Stories
Posted for Toni V.. Sweeney by Linda Nightingale
Recently, a very unusual romance collection was released by Wordwooze Publishing. Guaranteed to prove that Love is not only blind but also extremely nearsighted, the collection consists of four novellas written under one of my pennames, Icy snow Blackstone.
Even before the reader opens the book, the title, Her Blue-JeanedDemon and Other Quirky Romances, gives a hint that the stories have more than a little paranormal touch.
Within its 225 pages, are four stories proving that Love is grand, and sometimes utterly wild, and often totally unexpected.
Katy yearns for the ultimate Bad Boy, and the devil grants her wish…sort of.
Can a monumental underachiever of a demon and a “good girl” find true love?
Lisa helps an old gypsy woman and is given a black cat and a wish charm that works…at the wrong time.
Who knew…
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October 20, 2020
Hollywood’s Harsh Portrayal of Writers in Movies
Humphrey Bogart – In a Lonely Place
Film Poster for In a Lonely PlaceHistory has recorded countless brilliant writers who turned to alcohol or drugs for their muse. And Hollywood has not been anybetter in its portrayal of writers in the movies.We’ve been depicted as irresponsible, conniving, manipulative, depressed, and even demented.
Writers understand that showing them at work is dull. Who wants to sit and watch someone type or stare blankly at a clean, white sheet of paper or computer screen for hours?
In the 1950 film noir,In A Lonely Place, Humphrey Bogart plays Dixon Steele, a famous and distinguished writer, who is a genius at screenplays, but has an explosive temper.
But showing us in trouble is a different story.
As the movie opens, Steele is a down-on-his luck screenwriter, yet likeable and intelligent. He has one last shot at writing a movie treatment on…
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October 16, 2020
The Trey Parker Story: Case of the Lost Child by R.W. Reels
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. RW Reels will be awarding a $20 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
The Trey Parker Story II: Case of the Lost Child, the second novel in this paranormal thriller series, will make readers keenly aware of the unseen world around them. After hiding away in a small farm town in the Philippines, Trey Parker is compelled to return to the States to assist Detective Landis in finding a lost child. Trey’s wife, Iris, fears that the secret government agency that monitored Trey since his Near-Death Experience and took the lives of the tenants of the Sundance Apartments will be waiting for him upon his arrival. Iris believes Trey leaving so close to her due date is reckless and that he is oblivious to the perils.
Back in Tacoma, Washington, Detective Landis is still unable to cope with the loss of his daughter and his ex-wife Jada, even as the Detective struggles with a new relationship. Landis’s past is not so easy to escape, as Thomas Barstow attains parole and looks for the opportunity to settle the score that can only be resolved through bloodshed.
The lives and souls of all hang in the balance and divine intervention may be only the solution.
Read an Excerpt
“I don’t think you can understand how it feels. Having a miscarriage is not the same as losing an eight-year-old child…”
BUY LINK: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08HHQ8F98
About the Author:
My infatuation with writing was born before I ever took my first breath, somewhere on the rural plains of Eastern North Carolina, nourished by the adventures of my grandmother’s childhood. From the time I was only four or five years old, her memories gave flight to my imagination and fuel to my curiosities. Her stories widened my eyes to the fascinatingly bizarre in the everyday.
As a young girl, my grandmother would bring her puppy with her to stalk rabbits every morning. The two of them would chase an unlucky long-eared rascal until it escaped into a hollow at the base of a tree, and she would run a stick around the inside of the opening as though churning butter. The spell of the sound and vibration would lure the rabbit out of the tree and into her hands.
Good fiction, inventive and provocative fiction, reverberates in readers and spellbinds them. It can spur surprise, delight, discomfort, and revelation and defy reason. As a storyteller, I strive to help others solve their problems by sharing things that I have read about, heard about, and seen. But I also prize the look on people’s faces when they hear the brilliant punch line of a joke, or when they experience an epiphany that knocks the logical wind out of them. These are the reactions that I live to inspire in my audiences when I write paranormal thrillers.
My obsession with the extraordinary in my writing might also, ironically, stem from my 20-year career in the U.S. Army. I can allow my mind to wander in the extraterrestrial sphere while my love for my country keeps me grounded in domestic affairs. Of all of my accomplishments, serving as a paratrooper in a Special Forces Group and a Field Artillery outfit during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm claims high rank. Few situations force a person to confront his humanity as painfully as going off to war, and this experience taught me both to accept accountability for my actions and to trust others. Eventually, I became a successful Army Recruiter and Station Commander, earning the Top Recruiting Station awards in Dallas and Seattle Recruiting Battalions. North Carolina Central University granted me a Public Service Award for my work in the local community. And currently, I serve fellow veterans as an HR Specialist for the Department of Veteran Affairs.
Other passions of mine include playing chess, photography, traveling, and indulging in my contrarian nature by instigating debate. Spending time with my wife tops the list of my life’s privileges, however. Whether I am entertaining her with my emulation of Laurence Olivier as Marcus Crassus or protecting her from an elk during one of our photography excursions in the wild, I treasure her companionship and affection.
When I was twelve years old, I announced to my Aunt Becky and Cousin Tony that I wanted to write a book. They stared at me in astonishment. The world of publishing was an enigma to simple country folks in Beaufort, North Carolina in 1982. These days I am achieving my dream with the ebook, a medium through which I can express my individuality without sacrificing my voice to expectations of marketability, popularity, and deadlines. My goal is to create an opportunity for escapism that is bold and absolute.
BUY LINK: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08HHQ8F98
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/RReels
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheTreyParkerStory
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13334662.R_W_Reels
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October 12, 2020
The Texas Ranger and the Professor by Susan Payne
Today, I’m happy to have author Susan Payne in the Chateau with her book about a topic I enjoy, both in movies and books–Texas Rangers, As Captain Kirk said in Star Trek, ‘Susan, you have the com’:
(Photo from Wikimedia Commons)
Texas Rangers
The Texas Rangers have captivated imaginations for decades. The group was formed by politicians and has been disbanded, ignored, as well as praised through-out its history. It was begun as a means to fight the Native Americans somewhat like a National Militia. The Ranger had jurisdiction over the entire Texas lands often following raiding parties and desperados over the Mexican border without regard to legalities.
They had no uniform, no formal badge until 1900 when the circle star was designed and used, and often were forgotten when it came to a payroll. Men would continue to do the job for months without pay or even rations. The men were expected to furnish everything from their own horse and saddle, clothing, bed roll, guns and ammunition. In recompense they would receive, when the state was able, a months-worth of rations and $1.25 a day. Little more than a cattle drover yet were expected to go into trouble when called upon. Often having only one Ranger no matter how desperate the need for more. Outmanned was a badge of honor with these men.
Although it was often thought of as an advantage by the Rangers not to have a uniform or badge to set them apart from other men, some fashioned their own out of a 5 peso silver piece. Larger than a half-dollar it was cheap enough to carve out a five-point star within its edge. The bottoms of tin cans were also known to be used since they were pliable enough for carving and bending – and free.
A typical Ranger ration contained items such as rice, flour, sugar, coffee, salt, bacon, and onions. They would buy or swap for other provisions. There was no central fort or camp, no one to cook for them or find them proper sleeping quarters although some larger cities had cabins. Most had only tents they shared until sent on assignments.
It would be fair to say many people mixed up the Rangers for the men they were running-to-ground since there was little difference between them. Most Rangers were young, unmarried men looking for excitement and with the need to be of service. No one can deny they had a place in history by making the Republic, and then state, a safer place for homesteaders. Seeing the early photos shows they were a pretty sorry looking lot.
During the Civil War, the Rangers were disbanded so they could fight for the Confederacy which they did. Returning after the war to continue pushing the Native Americans and then Mexican Nationals out of the state. Between 1870 and 1873 they were returned into more of a state police and monitored by the state legislature.
Reading about the earlier exploits, the dedication and selfless service caught my attention. I have 8 romance novels about Texas Rangers and how their time in service shaped their future lives. I always enjoy seeing one on the horizon of my mind and waiting while they tell me their story. Meet the strong women they found to marry and finally settle down with. There are similarities as young men but then they form into their own person needing and wanting their own special woman. I am glad to tell that story.
I thought I would share how some of my stories came to me. Why I chose, or rather how they chose me, to write about them. Each are real to me. Each are unique in their thinking and plans. Each are Texas Rangers with a story to tell and wanted me to put onto paper. I hope you will enjoy my first one, The Texas Ranger and the Professor released on October 12, 2020. There will be others following next year.
Buy link https://www.amazon.com/Texas-Ranger-Professor-Susan-Payne/dp/1509232958
http://www.authorsusanpayne.com
authorspayne@gmail.com
Tweet @SUSANREID460
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
[image error]A voracious reader her whole life, author Susan Payne loved the written word. When reading more than fifty books per month wasn’t enough, she decided to allow her mind to take flight and write all the many stories that kept intruding in her life. She blended her love of history and her love of words to create over eighty stories. All historical and centering on a couple finding love and a happy ever after together.
The author has published a series of stories surrounding fictional Sweetwater, Kansas beginning with Harrison Ranch through The Wild Rose Press and Montana Lineman by Literary Wanderlust due out by end of 2020. Also, contracted through Wild Rose Press this summer was The Persistent Marquess, Forever Kind of Woman, Rescued by a Highlander and to be released yet this fall, Texas Ranger and the Professor, Regency Christmas Anthology, Three Sisters and Blind Faith.
BLURB:
Retiring Ranger Edwards has one last assignment. Female professor Jessie Reeves is out to prove she can make it in a man’s world. When their lives cross paths, they are never the same.
EXCERPT FROM The Texas Ranger and the Professor
[image error]“I can’t marry you, Edwards. We did what we did because I begged you and I am still grateful. You eased my mind when my world was spinning out of control and I thought life as I knew it would be over. I do not want you to feel obligated in any sense, here. I can financially afford this child and I will work out a believable story and raise him or her as I was raised.”
“But what about me? Am I to simply forget I have a child somewhere, living who knows where? I don’t think I can agree to that. We will have to come to some other arrangement.” He paced in front of her. “You must recognize that I’m part of the equation, now I know. You and I are irrevocably joined.”
“I’ll let you know whether it’s a boy or girl. You can visit, but I can’t give you more than that.” She couldn’t look into his eyes to see the recrimination she knew would be there.
“No, Jessie, we’ll need to do better than that or I’ll go into that house and tell your uncle you and I spent weeks in a single tent together and now you are having my child.” She knew he was trying to force her hand.
“Don’t, please, don’t do that. He controls my money for another couple of years, even the money I make on my books and lectures. I won’t be able to live if you turn him against me.” The tears in her eyes started to roll down her cheeks and splash onto the apron.
October 8, 2020
For the Love of Hawthorne by Diana Rubino
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Nathaniel and Sophia Hawthorne called themselves Adam and Eve as he suffered the shame of his family’s connection to the Salem Witch Trials.
Meet Diana
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My passion for history and travel has taken me to every locale of my books and short stories, set in Medieval and Renaissance England, Paris, Egypt, the Mediterranean, colonial Virginia, New England, Washington D.C. and New York. My urban fantasy romance, FAKIN’ IT, won a Top Pick award from Romantic Times. I’m a member of Romance Writers of America, the Richard III Society and the Aaron Burr Association. My husband Chris and I own CostPro, an engineering firm based in Boston. In my spare time, I bicycle, golf, play my piano, devour books of any genre, and spend as much time as possible living the dream on my beloved Cape Cod.
About FOR THE LOVE OF HAWTHORNE
Salem, Massachusetts witnessed horrific and shameful events in 1692 that haunted the town for three centuries. Accused as witches, nineteen innocent people were hanged and one was pressed to death. Judge John Hathorne and Reverend Nicholas Noyes handed down the sentences. One victim, Sarah Good, cursed Noyes from the hanging tree: “If you take away my life, God will give you blood to drink!” She then set her eyes on Judge Hathorne. “I curse you and your acknowledged heirs for all time on this wicked earth!” Hathorne was not only Sarah Good’s merciless judge; he also fathered her son Peter and refused to acknowledge him.
In 1717, Nicholas Noyes choked on his own blood and died. Every generation after the judge continued to lose Hathorne land and money, prompting the rumor of a family curse. By the time his great great grandson Nathaniel was born, they faced poverty.
Ashamed of his ancestor, Nathaniel added the ‘w’ to his last name. His novels and stories explore his beliefs and fears of sin and evil, and he based many of his characters on overbearing Puritan rulers such as Judge Hathorne.
When Nathaniel first met Sophia Peabody, they experienced instantaneous mutual attraction. Sparks flew. He rose upon my eyes and soul a king among men by divine right, she wrote in her journal.
But to Sophia’s frustration, Nathaniel insisted they keep their romance secret for three years. He had his reasons, none of which made sense to Sophia. But knowing that he believed Sarah Good’s curse inflicted so much tragedy on his family over the centuries, she made it her mission to save him. Sarah was an ancestor of Sophia’s, making her and Nathaniel distant cousins—but she kept that to herself for the time being.
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Sophia Peabody’s home next to Charter Street Burying Ground, resting place of Judge Hathorne, Salem, MA
Sophia suffered severe headaches as a result of childhood mercury treatments. She underwent routine mesmerizing sessions, a popular cure for many ailments. Spirits sometimes came to her when mesmerized, and as a spiritualist and medium, she was able to contact and communicate with spirits. She knew if she could reach Sarah and persuade her to forgive Judge Hathorne, Nathaniel would be free of his lifelong burden.
Sarah Good’s son Peter had kept a journal the family passed down to the Peabodys. Sophia sensed his presence every time she turned the brittle pages and read his words. John Hathorne’s legitimate son John also kept a journal, now in the Hawthorne family’s possession. Living on opposite sides of Salem in 1692, Peter and John wrote in vivid detail about how the Salem trials tormented them throughout their lives.
Nathaniel finally agreed to announce their engagement, and married Sophia on July 9, 1842. They moved into their first home, The Old Manse in Concord, Massachusetts. Wanting nothing else but to spend the summer enjoying each other, we became Adam and Eve, alone in our Garden of Eden, Sophia wrote in her journal.
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The Old Manse, the Hawthornes’ first home as newlyweds
As success eluded Nathaniel, they lived on the verge of poverty. After being dismissed from his day job at the Salem Custom House, he wrote The Scarlet Letter, which finally gained him the recognition he deserved. But the curse he believed Sarah cast on his family still haunted him. In the book he asks for the curse to be lifted.
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The House of the Seven Gables, Salem, MA, built in 1668
Sophia urged Nathaniel to write a novel about the house, knowing it would be cathartic for him. While they lived in Lenox, Nathaniel finished writing The House of the Seven Gables. The Gothic novel explored all his fears and trepidations about the curse. He told Sophia, “Writing it, and especially reading it aloud to you lifted a tremendous burden off my shoulders. I felt it physically leave me. I carried this inside me since my youth and couldn’t bring it out to face it. And I have you, and only you, to thank.”
But he did not believe the curse could be lifted.
Sophia invited renowned spiritualist John Spear to The Gables. She explained that she needed to complete one final step to convince Nathaniel the curse was lifted.
Read More About John Spear
http://mysteriousuniverse.org/2014/06/the-bizarre-mechanical-messiah-of-john-murray-spear/John Spear
John Spear urged Nathaniel to forgive Judge Hathorne. “You don’t have to say it out loud,” John said. “Just forgive him in your heart.”
Nathaniel whispered his forgiveness.
John, Nathaniel and Sophia went to Judge Hathorne’s gravesite to give the journals proper burial.[image error]
Grave of Judge Hathorne, Charter Street Burial Ground, Salem, MA
Why I wrote FOR THE LOVE OF HAWTHORNE
I live near Salem and have been to all the Hawthorne landmarks there, and in Concord. The House of the Seven Gables has been my favorite house in the world since I’m a kid. I’ve always felt a strong spiritual connection to Salem, and always wanted to write one of my books set there, including the witch trials.
I read several of his books and stories, to get a better background on him. Nathaniel wrote from the heart, about his true beliefs, and his loathing of how the witch victims were treated. He did consider it disgraceful, and it certainly was. He added the ‘w’ to his last name to distance himself from the judge. That tormented him and his family all his life. It must have been cathartic to him to have his writing as his outlet.
Visit Salem
I was fortunate to get a private tour of the House of the Seven Gables when I was writing the book; two of the guides, Ryan Conary and David Moffat, showed me around, and it was fabulous.
Click here to see their book about the house.
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The Wayside, the only home the Hawthornes ever owned, in Concord, MA
Nathaniel added that room at the top for his writing studio
An Excerpt From FOR THE LOVE OF HAWTHORNE (Sophia and Nathaniel’s visit to his cousin Susan Ingersoll at The House of the Seven Gables)
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I went over to a curio cabinet and swept my eyes over the items on the shelves—a china doll wearing a calico dress, a stack of gold cups and saucers, a red and blue glass checkerboard propped up to display its surface…and a wooden hammer on the top shelf. Upon closer inspection, I saw it was a gavel that judges use in trials. Out of curiosity I picked it up and a shock ran through me as if electrified. Dear God, was it that gavel?
I dropped it to the rug. It landed with a thump. I bent to retrieve it. Somehow I knew it wouldn’t shock me this time—that was only an initial warning. “Something about it made me want to touch it, to pick it up and hold it.”
Nathaniel approached me. He stared at the gavel in my hand, horror darkening his eyes. His lips parted but no words emerged. I knew what he was thinking—the curse. He turned to his cousin, pointing at the gavel, his arm trembling.
Susan hurried over to us, took it from me and placed it back on the shelf. “Yes, it’s Judge Hathorne’s. What happened, Sophie? Are you all right?”
I looked down at my open hands, palms up. They burned as if I’d touched a hot poker. “That gavel—it carries something evil. Has anything happened to you with this, Susie?”
Nathaniel backed away and before Susan could answer me, he grasped her arm. “I begged you to get rid of that accursed thing! You know it shouldn’t be here!”
She looked from him to me, heaving a deep sigh. “I’m not inclined to dispose of it, Natty. It’s a family heirloom, notwithstanding its past.”
He gripped the chair, his face drained of color. “It’s downright evil. You know what he used that thing for.”
She held her hands up in surrender. “Very well, I’ll conceal it.” She took it off the shelf and slid it behind the checkerboard.
“That should not be in this house!” He stood his ground, his eyes fixed on the checkerboard as if it would melt in such close proximity to that horrid object.
“It’s fine there, Natty. It’s concealed from sight now.” She looked at me and gestured for me to sit again. I sat and gulped my sherry.
“Nathaniel’s always overcome with distress at the witch trials.” Susan explained what I already knew.
“And so should you be,” he cut in.
“If I must speak for Judge Hathorne, I heard stories of him from my grandfather.” Susan looked from Nathaniel to me. “The whole hysteria that caught up the judge was started by unscrupulous men to further their own riches. But spectral evidence was still admissible. No sane person could believe that blithery.”
Purchase FOR THE LOVE OF HAWTHORNE
http://getbook.at/LoveOfHawthorne
Connect with Diana
http://www.dianarubinoauthor.blogspot.com
https://www.facebook.com/DianaRubinoAuthor/?ref=hl
https://twitter.com/DianaLRubino
October 6, 2020
The Trapped Daughter by Jay Kerk
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Jay Kerk will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
Have you ever been trapped somewhere? I have.
Have you ever found that the world does not believe you? I did.
I have been betrayed by the people I trusted the most. They coil around me like snakes, lulling me with whispers about protection and safety and for your own good.
They offer up pills like sweets, promising me relief. Just take the meds and everything will be fine, Belle – the meds, Belle, the meds.
Everything will not be fine, and it never will be again. Justice is gone from the world. I have been wronged by Gabe, the man I loved most, and when I turned to others for backup, they sided with him because he’s a star. When I ran to my father for safety, he locked me up in his great big mansion and threw away the key. Now I drift like the ghost Gabe pretended I was, my bare feet tasting the coldness of rich tiles, my breath turning to ice.
Gabe isn’t real, they tell me. They insult me, they spit at me, then smile and pretend that they wish to help. Meanwhile, Gabe is out there, luxuriating in all that I won for him, and I suffer and burn.
Read an Excerpt
About Gabe: 2011
We met for the first time on a dry autumn day. If I had known who I was going to meet on that day and what he would do to me, I would have turned back… but innocent me had no idea.
It was the kind of clichéd meeting most hopeless romantics dream of.
The ground was carpeted with leaves, and I was surrounded by the huge oak trees they’d fallen from, trying to cram my way through the crowded main entrance to the university. The passage could probably hold a few hundred of the thirty thousand students registered in an academic year at once, and it was hot with the smell of excitement and sweat.
I am a shy person, but back then – there should have been a stronger word to describe how shy I was. I walked with my gaze on my feet, my hair across my face, my shoulders hunched inwards as others bumped and barged me from left and right. I walked as one who wants to be invisible, and has almost – almost – achieved it.
The last bump was hard enough to knock my notepad out of my hand. I bent to pick it up, and was faced with a hand that wasn’t mine on the pages. I lifted my head and saw Gabe squatting in front of me.
Our eyes met, and I felt the butterflies, felt my mouth turn dry. I crouched motionlessly, bewildered by how perfect he was. Without a word, he gave me the book and hurried away, looking at his watch. I told myself, this is fate. I will marry this man one day.
I didn’t want anyone else. I loved him before he became a superstar – and once he did, I adored him.
I wish I could to listen to his music, waltz into one of his shows, a casual observer with nothing to lose, nothing to care about. People die from broken hearts, but I haven’t died. Yet.
I never I imagined I could stay in love with someone for so long.
About the Author: As a physician, I used my clinical background to keep the readers on their toes. All options are on the table. Is Gabe real? Did Gabe ever love her? What was their relationship? Was he her husband, and did she kill him? Is Gabe her brother?
My name is Jay Kerk, and I am a 33 year old. I am a medical doctor, and I use my background to illustrate unlikely but realistic situations revolving around the alterations of the mind. My first book A Predator and A Psychopath, self-published in July 2019, received five stars from Readers Favorite and 4 and a half stars from Self-Publishing Review.
http://www.Jaykerk.com
https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJayKerk/
https://www.instagram.com/authorjaykerk/
https://twitter.com/KerkJay
https://www.goodreads.com/jaykerk
https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B07V8SRM47
Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08HXQFHSB/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1
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October 1, 2020
When Lions Roar by Karen Leigh Gruber
Why I write
My first experience with getting published, was a collaborative effort in a self-help book for moms, The One Thing Every Mom Needs to Know. The book was extremely successful: number one, international bestseller in several categories and in six different countries. Although the writing format for that book was extremely structured, I walked away from that experience believing I could write.
Later that same year I had an amazing opportunity to participate in a writing retreat in Hawaii. I went with an open mind and an open heart, and there When Lions Roar was born.
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I have found that writing is a major stress reliever and a great source of healing. For me, it doesn’t matter if I am writing in my morning pages, writing an article or creating a book. It is all a deep healing process and an incredible creative outlet for me.
I never thought of myself as a creative person until I began to write. Even the things I write just for me allow me to express myself, my visions, my soul in a creative way. Writing helps me organize my thoughts. It helps me find my true voice and expression as they bubble up as words on a page. Sometimes I’m quite surprised, by what ends up on a page, but I trust it is there for a reason. It is there for me or for another who comes across these words.
I try to write every day, even if it’s just my meandering thoughts in the moment. Some of my best ideas have come from writing with no end game in mind.
So far, I have found that fiction writing affords me a lot more freedom. I can just let it flow and allow for whatever comes. For me, writing fiction sparks more creativity and imagination to come forth. The African Folklore, magical realism section of When Lions Roar was a huge stretch for me creatively. I have always been intrigued with authors who can weave the real and the make-believe skillfully, making the transitions seamless and drawing the reader in with enough intrigue that they willingly suspend their belief in order to come along for the ride.
Ultimately, I write to express myself creatively. I am still discovering my unique voice and my message in this world. Writing creates a space of stillness and quiet that enables my voice to come through without overthinking, without self-censorship, without trying to get it right. Writing brings clarity to my voice, my thoughts, and my beliefs. It is extraordinary what I uncover through my writing. It has the power to heal and uncover hidden nuggets I never knew were buried deep inside. It is a process where I get to face my truth and come out a different person on the other side.
I believe that everyone has access to their own healing and discovering their truth through creative expression, writing is not the only medium for this opportunity. Any creative outlet you choose provides a restorative result. It is my desire for every woman to fall in love with her unique creative expression.
GENRE: Women’s Fiction
BLURB:
Two women from different lands, each struggling to survive; a child’s mysterious disappearance will alter both their lives forever…
Maggie has become unrecognizable to herself, succumbing to the predictability of being a mother and wife. Every day she reminds her daughter to brush her teeth, has the same conversation with her husband about what’s for dinner. Maggie struggles to cope with the disenchantment of the monotonous tedium that has become her life. Despite her boredom, when her husband David is called on assignment to South Africa, Maggie resents having to rearrange her life just because David has decided they all need to traipse halfway across the globe.
While on safari, Maggie awakens one morning to a mother’s worst nightmare; their daughter Hannah has gone missing. Just when things can’t get any worse, Maggie is confronted with the harsh truth of her emotionally abusive marriage and what she has allowed her life to become.
When Lions Roar is set against the backdrop of the exotic and intriguing landscape of South Africa, when the country is reeling from the aftershocks of apartheid. Will Maggie find the strength and courage to abandon the fragile ties of her marriage and confront her self-destruction in time to save the life of her daughter?
Excerpt:
[image error]I moved from the hall into the kitchen. Without a moment’s hesitation, I reached for the cabinet door, the one that is closest to the refrigerator, the one that contained my relief. I reached for the bottle. It slid off the shelf with a satisfying sound, but I quickly realized it only had a sip or two left. Damn it, not nearly enough. I padded out to the garage where we keep all our spares. Just the way David likes it: spare toilet paper, spare baggies, backups of all our canned goods, and for me, of course, a generous backup supply of alcohol. I grabbed my favorite vodka and headed back inside. On the way in, I noticed a candy wrapper on the floor of the garage—a Dum Dum wrapper, to be exact—Mystery Flavor, if I was not mistaken.
I’ll pick that up later, I thought to myself. My hands were a bit full. And right then, I had more important things to tend to.
Back in the kitchen, I pulled myself a nice long pour, then to the fridge for some juice. Damn it, again. I was out of cranberry juice. It would have to be Diet 7-Up today. I topped off my glass with a splash of the soda, and I headed back to the front of the house. I passed the mirror yet again. For the third time that day, I looked into the mirror, but this time I raised my glass, and looking into my own deep blue eyes, I mocked, “Here’s looking at you, kid.”
I regarded myself as I took a deep, long drink.
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Karen Gruber is an international #1 best-selling contributing author, inspirational speaker, and a Leadership Development Coach for women and moms. She specializes
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Young woman running on seaside path. summer time.
in inspiring moms to realize their potential as mothers, women, and leaders. Karen has had extensive specialized training in parenting, feminine spirituality, and leadership. Over the past 15 years she has provided innovative leadership coaching for moms and has dramatically transformed her own life.
Sharing her life with her husband Jim and daughter Jaymie, presenting her message to other women, and traveling the world bring her the greatest joy.
She is the founder of The Inspired Mama, a company located in gorgeous Denver, Colorado that focuses on the inspiration, leadership, and wellbeing of women and moms.
When Lions Roar is Karen’s debut fictional work. She is freakish about Christmas lights and loves to play Baccarat.
Website: https://theinspiredmama.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/karen.kraussgruber
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inspiredmama/
Book Pre-sale: https://theinspiredmama.com/product/when-lions-roar-pre-sale-copy/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/When-Lions-Karen-Leigh-Gruber/dp/1734976004
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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE
One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Follow Karen on her tour! Just click on the Tour Banner before the blurb and it will take you to the tour stops and links. More chances to win and interact with Karen.
September 30, 2020
My Heart Weeps by Pamela S. Thibodeaux
Today, I’m proud to introduce Pamela Thibodeaux, but many of you will already know her and be familiar with her books, but maybe you’ll learn something new about a lovely lady and a fine writer.
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Tell me three words that describe yourself starting with A, B, and C
Attentive, Blessed, Caring
Which genre or genres do you write or prefer to write? And why?
I write Inspirational romance and women’s fiction. I absolutely LOVE reading these genres so writing them comes naturally. Faith is very real and personal to me so it’s only right that it be the same for my characters.
What gets your creative juices flowing?
Nothing in particular gets my creative juices flowing but being organized and setting aside quality time to write helps. The members of my writing group get together on Facebook to write every Tuesday night and I try to join them as often as possible because as busy as my life is, that may be my only time to write so I make the most of it.
Who would you love most to meet ‘in person’ and why?
Nora Roberts – well I met her in person a long time ago and so much has happened since then so I’d love to meet up with her and be able to have a sit-down conversation about how she juggles her life and writing while maintaining her prolific career.
Do you have a favorite snack that you like to munch on while writing?
Not really but I always have my glass of water next to me.
Do you have a hobby?
Other than read? LOL! I love to travel! I also enjoy hiking, horseback riding and dancing. I’ve found playing Word Scapes or Yahtzee or Solitaire on the phone is fun too.
Do you read your reviews on your books? Do they influence your story at all?
Sometimes I read them, but I don’t think they truly influence my stories or writing.
What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I do not listen to music while I write. I know many authors do, but I tend to get too caught up in the music and lyrics to pay attention to my story so no radio or CD or I-pod…I write better when it’s quiet.
Do you have another profession besides writing?
Yes, I am a licensed insurance agent and sell Home, Life and Medicare plans. I also have an accounting and tax background.
If you could go back in time, where would you go?
I would love to go back in time to Jerusalem to Jesus’ time. I know things weren’t near as convenient and easy as they are now, but I would love to have known Him and the women He touched.
What’s the one thing you would do if you could be your character for a day?
I’ve been my character for a day – in fact for years. You see, My Heart Weeps is the story of one woman’s journey from wife to widow to individual. In other words, through grief after her husband’s death into new life and the possibility of new love and parallels my own after the death of my husband in 2009.
What was the inspiration for “My Heart Weeps”?
The first gentleman I dated after my husband’s death was a very sweet man and when he professed his feelings for me, I told him…. “I feel your love with every fiber of my being and my heart weeps because I’m not ready for anything more than friendship.” My next thought was That sounds like the title of a book!
Will there be more books in your series, or can you tell us about any previous books?
My Heart Weeps is not part of a series but a stand-alone women’s fiction novel. I do have my 5-book Tempered series as well as a spin-off story, two more WF novels and 1 novella, 1 more romance novel, 1 WF novella, an anthology of romantic short stories and a WF Christmas novella.
What is your favorite part of this book and why?
I think my favorite part is when Melena stands up for herself with her family on decisions that she felt were necessary to her ultimate healing. This shows strength of character and faith.
What are you currently working on?
My current WIP is titled Kyleigh’s Country Christmas OR Kyleigh’s Cowboy. I’m also working to get my books in audio. Tempered Hearts, Tempered Dreams & Tempered Fire are already up & Tempered Joy will be available this fall. I’ve also completed the 5th Tempered book Tempered Truth. It too will be released sometime this fall or perhaps early next year depending on how busy Medicare season is for me. After that, who knows? I have a whole slew of ideas in various stages of development to work on.
Title: My Heart Weeps
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Blurb: After thirty years married to the man of her dreams, Melena Rhyker is devastated by her husband’s death. Relief comes in the form of an artist’s retreat at the Crossed Penn ranch in Utopia, TX. She rediscovers a forgotten dream as her artistic talent flourishes into that of a gallery-worthy artist. Will she have the courage to follow the path she was destined to travel?
Garrett Saunders has been on the run most of his life. Abused and abandoned as a child, he escapes the clutches of a past filled with pain and shame, and hides from his calling as a Native American healer. His years as a CIA agent aid in overcoming his childhood and honing his talent and skill as a fine art photographer.
Follow their journey as two people who come from totally different backgrounds, but share gifts of gigantic proportions, find meaning and purpose in the Texas Hill Country.
Excerpt: With the energy of a wet noodle, she eased out of the sauna, rinsed the sweat off her skin, and tied the sarong around her waist. She tossed the damp towel over her shoulders, put on her sandals and headed to her room to shower and change. Fresh fruit and pastries left over from breakfast lay spread out at the buffet like a feast for the famished. Melena filled a plate and had taken two steps toward the stairs when Anne Penn entered the room flanked by a handsome hunk of man Melena hadn’t seen before.
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“Hi, Melena. I’d like you to meet Garrett, our new part-time wrangler, part-time maintenance man.”
Eyes the color of Texas bluebonnets swept over her in a gaze as potent as a caress, then locked with hers. A dimple danced in the cowboy’s cheek when he tipped his hat and grinned.
“Ma’am,” he drawled.
Melena tugged the ends of her towel together and down over her skimpily clad bosom, muttered a quick hello, and escaped. Racing up the stairs as fast as possible on legs that wobbled, she entered her room, all but dropped the plate on her nightstand, and sat down onto the bed.
Never had she felt the pure sexual punch of such raw masculinity in a single look.
Purchase Link: https://bit.ly/MyHeartWeeps
[image error]Author bio: Award-winning author, Pamela S. Thibodeaux is the Co-Founder and a lifetime member of Bayou Writers Group in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Multi-published in romantic fiction as well as creative non-fiction, her writing has been tagged as, “Inspirational with an Edge!” 
and reviewed as “steamier and grittier than the typical Christian novel without decreasing the message.” Sign up to receive Pam’s newsletter and get a FREE short story!
Links:
Website address: http://www.pamelathibodeaux.com
Blog: http://pamswildroseblog.blogspot.com
Newsletter: http://bit.ly/psthibnewsletter
Face Book: http://facebook.com/pamelasthibodeaux
https://www.facebook.com/pamelasthibodeauxauthor
Twitter: http://twitter.com/psthib @psthib
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/pamelasthibodea/
Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.to/1jUVcdU
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/pamela-s-thibodeaux
Instagram: https://instagram.com/pamelasthibodeauxauthor
Pam is giving away 1 Ebook, 1 Autographed Print Book, 1 Audio Book, a $15 Amazon Gift Card, a 1-month Audible membership and a SURPRISE Giftpack to 6 lucky winners! (1 prize per person) Names will be collected throughout the tour which ends Sept. 30th. Winners will be notified, and prizes awarded by October 10th so be sure to leave your EMAIL Address!
Blog Tour Dates/Stops:
8/11 Gail Pallotta’s Peering Through Life’s Window
8/13 Liz Flaherty’s Word Wranglers Blog
8/15 Clare Revell’s The Word Can Wait Blog
8/18 Southern Writers Suite T Blog
8/18 Alina K Field’s Simply Romance Blog
8/20 Penelope Marzec’s Bookish Thoughts Blog
8/25 Jana Richards’ Romance Story Board Blog
8/27 Beverly Bateman’s BLOG
9/1 Valarie Goree’s Facebook Page
9/5 D. V. Stone’s Campfire Blog
9/9 Jacqueline Seewald’s BLOG
9/11 Linda Rondeau’s Snark & Sensibility Blog
9/14 Patricia Kioyno’s Four Foxes, One Hound Blog
9/18 Diane Burton’s BLOG
9/22 Alicia Dean’s BLOG
9/25 Jeny Hickman’s BLOG
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