Diane Bator's Blog, page 39
October 7, 2021
Mystery writer Laurel Heidtman shares her Top Shelf, Kisses and Killers and Eden series
Welcome to author Laurie Heidtman!! Tell us a little about yourself!
I’m retired from the nine-to-five life and live with my husband, two dogs and two cats on private land inside Daniel Boone National Forest in Kentucky. I have loved fiction since before I could read and, according to my mother, made up stories based on the pictures in the books. Now that I no longer have the excuse of not enough time, I’m fulfilling my lifelong dream of writing novels. Over the years, I’ve paid the bills by being a dancer, a bartender, a police officer, a registered nurse and a technical writer. Now I’m drawing on that life experience and my two English degrees to create stories that I enjoy writing and hope readers enjoy reading.
The photo above is from 2018. The medal is the bronze medal from 2017 Wishing Shelf Independent Book Awards.
I write mysteries and thrillers under the name Laurel Heidtman, and I write cozy mysteries and romantic suspense under the name Lolli Powell.
Websites:
Facebook:
Laurel Heidtman: https://www.facebook.com/Laurel-Heidtman-Author-1493519914256076/
Lolli Powell: https://www.facebook.com/lollipowell
Twitter:
BookBub:
Laurel Heidtman: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/laurel-heidtman
Lolli Powell: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/lolli-powell
What is your latest release?
Bottoms Up (6/12/21), the fifth in my Top Shelf cozy mystery series that I publish under my Lolli Powell pseudonym.
What are you working on now?
The Ghost Wears A Badge, the first book in a new cozy series called The Spirit of the Law. I don’t plan on releasing it till I have the second book finished or almost finished.
Was there a person who encouraged you to write?
Several creative writing teachers in college encouraged me. And while my mother didn’t specifically encourage me to write, she always made sure we had books (both ones I could read on my own and ones she read to me) in the house even though we were very poor. Loving to read books is the first step toward loving to write them. And reading a lot of fiction is the best way to learn to write fiction.
What would you say are your strengths as an author?
Varied life experiences. Those include growing up really poor (as in no-running-water-or-central-heating poor) during the fifties and sixties. My family (I was an only child; my mother and I lived with my maternal grandparents) didn’t have a television till I was 13, but as I said, we always had books in the house. I’ve also worked in many different and widely varied professions. I spent my twenties as a dancer and sometimes bartender, during which time I also paid my way through a B.A. in English with a Creative Writing Emphasis. After I graduated (at age 30), I became a police officer and spent my thirties in a cruiser. At age 40, I was ready for a change and went back to school for a Master’s in Technical and Scientific Communication, worked for a short time as a technical writer, then returned to school again for an Associate Degree in Nursing. I worked approximately four years as a registered nurse on mental health and substance abuse units, then took another technical writing job with a company that wrote software for large court systems. I did manuals, and later, online help. They allowed me to work mostly from my home (on private land inside Daniel Boone National Forest), and I did that until I retired from outside work. I often say I never could decide what I wanted to be when I grew up, but the truth is, I always wanted to write fiction. But like a lot of people, I ended up following the path of “find a profession you can depend on.” Sure, I wrote on and off during those decades of doing other things, but I never really concentrated on it till I had more time in retirement.
How often do you write, and do you write using a strict routine?
I write most days. There are always times I can’t work it in, like when I have appointments or errands I have to run. We’re 10 miles from a county road, 26 miles from the closest supermarket, so errands can take a while. I also edit for a few other writers, so sometimes that interferes with my writing. I don’t have a strict routine, as far as writing at a certain time. With dogs and cats and just waking up, I seldom get started writing or editing before 10AM, but more often it’s afternoon.
Five years from now, where do you see yourself as a writer?
With (I hope) 15 to 20 more books than I have now. I currently have 14 that I’ve self-published under both the Laurel Heidtman and Lolli Powell names, plus a couple of boxed sets. I’m gradually getting better about writing faster, and if I can do 3 to 4 books a year, I will be happy. This year has been good for me so far in terms of sales and pages read increasing, and I can see no reason why that won’t continue. I believe that writing and self-publishing (and probably traditional publishing as well) has to be looked at as a long game. Write books that entertain people, learn to market the books, and you’ll eventually find your readers. To paraphrase a well known movie phrase, write it and eventually they will come.
WHISKEY KILLS
On sale for 99¢ from October 8 through October 14!!
Whiskey with a murder chaser!
Big cities are known to be dangerous, but former New Yorker and bar owner Ricki Fontaine is finding the small town of Waterton, Ohio, is proving to be the murder capital of the world—well, at least her world.
The new Top Shelf is open for business, but business as usual for Ricki and the Shelf translates to another dead guy. Ricki’s friend, Ruby Fogarty, is charged with murdering her boyfriend by clubbing him to death with a bottle of whiskey. The police consider the case closed, but Ricki is convinced Ruby is innocent and sets out to find the real murderer. Although Waterton police detective Gabriel Russell is crazy about Ricki, he isn’t too crazy about her trying to do his job.
The killer’s not too happy about it either.
THE BODY ON THE BARSTOOL (A Top Shelf Mystery)
Get cozy with The Body on the Barstool!
New Yorker Erica "Ricki" Fontaine's n'er-do-well uncle has dropped dead and left her a dive bar in a small Ohio River town. Now she's trying to change the Top Shelf from a bar known for its Friday night fights into the kind of drinking establishment where you can bring your granny. But finding her ex-husband dead on a barstool at opening time one morning just might put a kink in those plans.
UNDERCOVER (A Kisses and Killers Thriller)
Luke Savage is a DEA agent assigned to go undercover in a criminal organization that wants to expand its “business.” Bree Kelly is a local cop assigned to go undercover with him. She thinks he’s an arrogant sexist. He thinks she’s an irritating liability.
Their cover? They have to pose as a loving couple—and they don’t even like one another.
The assignment could last for weeks or even months as they try to uncover their target’s plans and who the organization has on the inside of local government and police departments. The success of the assignment—and their lives—depend on them working together as partners. But can they trust one another even though they don’t like each other? Can they share an apartment for as long as necessary without killing one another?
And the biggest question of all—will the loving couple act stay an act?
getbook.at/KissesandKillersSeries
CATCH A FALLING STAR (An Eden Mystery)
Missing treasure, criminals, cops, co-worker hostility, the surprise appearance of an ex-lover, and murder — definitely not what mystery novelist Kate Rawlings expects when she accepts a summer teaching position at her alma mater in the peaceful college town of Eden, Kentucky.
Michael Mabry was Kate’s lover in college, but did she ever really know him? Thirty years later, he’s on the run from his partners in a Chicago museum heist in which two people were killed and a valuable ancient Indian artifact called the Shooting Star was stolen. Michael escaped with the Star and his life, but he needs money to get out of the country. After so long, Eden should be the last place anyone would think to look for him, but his partners and an insurance investigator with his own agenda are hot on his trail. Kate finds herself suspected of involvement in the heist, but when a murder occurs in Eden, she also finds herself suspected of murder.
October 5, 2021
Welcome to Andrea Johns and her incredible life story Like Dandelions in the Wind
Welcome to author Andrea Johns and her incredible story!
I am a wife, a mother, a grandmother and recently a great grandmother… and now they tell me I am an author at 71.
It has been a very long hard road for me, with my limited education, but I persevered and I did it, if I can do this, anyone can.
I grew up with a father who would not stay in one place longer than a year or two. I am sure he had Gypsy blood running through his veins.
He was a chef, a barber, dabbled in the occult, a con artist, a fortune-teller, a medium…, but above all, he was a loveable larrikin. My mother on the other hand was a very religious, quiet, hard working woman. The complete opposite to my father.
I was born in Cyprus and so were my grandparents and parents, arriving in Australia on my first birthday. Cyprus is a beautiful Mediterranean Island situated between Egypt, Greece, Israel, Lebanon, Syria and Turkey Many invaders, settlers and immigrants have come to Cyprus over the centuries. Many have tried taking it for themselves. and as recent as 1974 Turkey, who managed to take half of the Island. Unfortunately, we were there in 1974 and experienced it firsthand. You can read all about in the second part of my book.
Therefore, torn between my rich cultural roots, growing up in Australia and living with my very diverse parents, I had to learn to adapt and survive the best I could.
My childhood was certainly unique. My education came from real-life scenarios. Growing up in Australia with my lovable rascal of a father was always an adventure, for me. For my mother, on the other hand, she went through hell.
I would often relate my stories to friends and workmates. I lost count of how many times I heard the words, 'you should write a book’. I could never have imagined I would actually write a book! I did however, decide to jot down my memories on the many trains and busses travelling to and from work, over 30 years ago. Over the years, I filled many small note pads. I then put them away and forgot all about them.
They surfaced again when I received my first second-hand computer about 14 years ago. I started to transfer my memories onto a word document. Unbelievably, I lost all my hard work a couple of times, before someone taught me to save my work to external drives.
After writing over 198,000 words, with the help of an editing program and my lovely daughter. I managed to get it up to a standard where I could publish it. My story now is a two-part book and I am so very excited to share my life with you all. I hope you find my crazy life an interesting read. Like a Dandelion in the Wind is based on a real story. My story!
https://www.facebook.com/likeadandelioninthewind/
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55576618-like-a-dandelion-in-the-wind
https://likeadandelioninthewind.godaddysites.com
https://australianauthors.store/andrea-johns/
Was there a person who encouraged you to write?
There were many people, over the 30 years since I started to jot down my memories, that encouraged me to write. It actually took me 14 years to get it to publication at the age of 70. Friends, workmates, family all encouraged me to write my story. However, the biggest encouragement came from my daughter. Every time I felt like giving up, she kept me focused. She would remind me that I was not a quitter.
What would you say are your strengths as an author?
Determination to finish telling my story, the ability to remember things that happened to me from a very young age, not giving up on my dream.
How often do you write, and do you write using a strict routine?
No I did not have a strict routine, over the 14 years from when I started to actually write my story on a word document, I would write continuously for a week or so and then not go anywhere near it for weeks or months at a time.
I am actually in the middle of writing another book based on my paranormal experiences. Hopefully, I will finish this one in a lot less time. I cannot see myself as a full-time writer, but who knows. Five years from now is a long time.
If you could offer one piece of advice to a novice writer, what would it be?
Jot your ideas or memories down as soon as they come to you. I filled countless note pads on trains and busses to and from work, for many years before I sat down to write. The most important this is to never give up on your dreams, never!
What would you consider to be the best compliment a reader could give your book?
“I could not put your book down, from the minute I read the first page”
LIKE A DANDELION IN THE WIND
Andrea endured many hardships in her life while travelling around Australia with her lovable rascal of a father. She was taught cunningness, survival, love, gambling, hunting and fishing, unlike any education you get from sitting in a classroom. Taken out of school at barely 13, she lost count of how many schools she attended in her mere 5 years of education. Engaged at15,married at 16 and a mother at 17. War and the traumatic birth of her second child only made her stronger. Evacuated to London, she spent two harrowing years trying to return to her beloved Australia. Once back, she fought the biggest battle of her life, saving her children from an evil spirit. You will, laugh, be amazed and sometimes a little frightened as you travel with the dandelion seeds, through the pages of this beautiful book.
Like A Dandelion In The Wind is available as an e-book and paperback.
From the following links:
https://australianauthors.store/andrea-johns/
https://www.facebook.com/likeadandelioninthewind/
What Andrea’s readers have to say:
Such a wonderful book! A light-hearted easy read.
Andrea’s journey through life will have you laughing and crying throughout, as you travel this journey with her x ~ Hayley A
Andrea is an amazing woman and reading her life story has made me realise why.
Like a dandelion in the wind is a really enjoyable read. You will laugh, cry and be amazed at the extraordinary life that Andrea and her family have lived.
Thoroughly recommend this book for anyone who knows Andrea. I couldn’t put it down from the moment I read the first page. ~ Jo W
From the first initial meeting with Andrea, I knew she was an incredible individual.
Reading her magnificent book that outlines her life story only confirms what a magnificent daughter, wife, Mother, Grandmother and friend that she truly is...
highly recommend reading the book. 🙏 ~ Betty D
Like A dandelion in the wind, Found the book full of interesting stories. Enjoyed reading during the cold winter nights. This book was full of surprises found myself as one of the characters (Patrice). Have the pleasure of knowing Andrea for most of my life and she has been an inspiration to me...love her dearly. Still think of her as my Snow White! ~ Patricia S
I have just finished one of the best novels I have read in a long time. There was not a point I wanted to put it down. I was so eager to find out what happened next in Andrea's bright astonishing life. what an amazing read it has been. what a beautiful strong inspirational women Andrea is and it is depicted well in her novel. I absolutely admire her strength. what a wonderful read. Highly recommended. ~ Mary U
What a wonderful story Andrea has written about her amazing life. I first met Andrea when I was eight years old, and thought she was the most beautiful little lady I had ever seen. So to read about her life, her loves and her adventures was fascinating. I loved this book about her well-lived life, and I thank her for sharing it, and may she continue to enjoy the spoils. I hope someday Andrea gets her kisses on the beach. ~ Helen D
Andrea! Wow, what an amazing read. Once I started reading your book I didn’t want to put it down. I have known you for at least 35 years and have only heard snippets of your life experiences. As I was reading your book I felt like I was by your side living them with you. I felt your joy, grief, pain, frustrations and fears. I commend for your resilience, strength, perseverance and unconditional love for your family throughout your journey. Your mother was a beautiful soul and I now have an even greater respect for her and the sacrifice she made for her family, she would be so proud of you. ~ Anna G
I've just finished reading this book, Andrea has had an amazing life and I recommend her book to anyone who likes a good read. Knowing Andrea is a pleasure, and I could hear her words as though she was reading the book to me. Congratulations x ~ Barb M
October 2, 2021
Alex Dunlevy features the Nick Fisher thriller mysteries
Welcome to Mediterranean author Alex Dunlevy!
Alex Dunlevy abandoned a career in finance at the age of forty-nine and spent a few years staring at the Mediterranean, contemplating life and loss. Finally, he accepted what his heart had always known. So, he joined a local writing group and he began to write.
He has now completed two novels in a series of intelligent crime thrillers set on the island of Crete and featuring British protagonist Nick Fisher. The Unforgiving Stone was the well-received debut, awarded 5 stars by 65% of its Amazon reviewers (overall average 4.6) and earning a B.R.A.G medallion in the USA. Beneath the Stone is the second in this series.
Alex has also published a collection of short stories, The Late Shift Specialist. These are quite different from his crime writing. Uniquely personal - and quirky, funny or sad - they are written straight from the heart.
Simultaneously, he has been working on other ideas including a black comedy set in the world of corporate finance and a bitter-sweet, coming-of-age story set in the 1960s.
Born in Derbyshire, Alex now divides his time between Wiltshire, England and Crete, Greece, where he has an old, stone house in the central south of the island, between the Amari Valley and the Libyan Sea.
CONTACT
If you would like to get in touch with Alex, please visit his website: www.alexdunlevy.comwhere you can register for his newsletters, if you wish, listen to him read, and find out more about his writing. Alternatively, just drop an email to: alexdunlevyauthor@gmail.com
Website: www.alexdunlevy.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Alex-Dunlevy-583302162346450
Twitter: www.twitter.com/@AlexDunlevy
Instagram: www.instagram.com/alexdunlevyauthor
Strengths as an Author
Readable and engaging; readers find my books easy to read and hard to put down
Good quality prose with few errors
Good scene setting
Original stories
Writing Routine
I try to write every weekday and to write 1,500 words, however long that takes. On the rare occasions when it takes less than four hours, I carry on until the four hours are up. On occasion, I have written well over two thousand words in that time. I normally start at ten and write till two or later. A carrot and stick approach works best for me. I live in Crete much of the time, so I can promise myself a trip to the beach once I’ve done my work. I will write at weekends, too, if I get behind. For any book, I have a day-by-day, week-by-week programme through to launch. This isn’t set in stone but is only changed with great reluctance and much guilt (even though it’s only for me!)
Five Years Hence
I would like to have extended the Nick Fisher (series of crime thrillers set in Crete) to at least five novels, but I would also like to have written at least two novels in different genres. I have solid ideas for these and have already written 50k words of one of them. One is to be a black comedy set in the world of corporate finance and the other a bitter-sweet, coming-of-age story based around a European tour in 1964. I also enjoy writing short stories, even though they are a tough sell, and would like to release a second collection. If I achieve all this, I will have nine books published, five years from now. In my dreams, one or more of these would have been picked up by a mainstream publisher or spotted by a TV or film producer!
Advice
If you want to write, start writing. Don’t read zillions of books on how to write, just a few of the best ones, and don’t attend endless courses, webinars and so on, just a few of the best to get you started. Most of all, don’t wait for inspiration. For most of us, that doesn’t exist. It’s a job, hopefully one you will enjoy now that you’ve chosen it. It might be a second job, or you might be lucky enough for it to be your only job, but that’s what it is. You need to treat it as such. Put it first. No excuses. Get up in time. Do the hours. Work at it. You will get better. And don’t hide in your garret all the time. It’s important (even if uncomfortable) to share your work, seek and give feedback, so you must join a local writing group. Take their criticisms on board but decide for yourself how (or whether) to deal with those issues.
Best Compliment
"I love crime thrillers, but this one was so beautifully written, and it really moved me."
Working On
I am working on the third Nick Fisher novel, which I hope to publish early in 2022. So far, I have written 46k words. The working title is The Stone Skimmer. It is set in Crete, but northern Greece and Turkey are also featured. I am aiming for an exciting thriller that includes some emotional passages and explores some major issues and moral dilemmas, the grey areas between right and wrong.
THE UNFORGIVING STONE
We all have a breaking point…
Nick Fisher and his son have not spoken for years.
But, when the boy brings the girl he is about to marry to the island of Crete, Nick is persuaded to travel to the remote south-west coast, seeking a reconciliation.
Instead, he discovers that a body has been found on the beach. His son has disappeared and is now prime suspect in a murder case.
In a race against time, ex-cop Nick must call upon his old skills and instincts to find his son, then convince the Greek police of his innocence. To do that, he must seek out other suspects and track down the one who was driven to kill. The one who reached their breaking point.
Only success can save his son. It might even restore Nick’s own self-belief.
Failure is unthinkable.
https://www.amazon.ca/Unforgiving-Stone-Nick-Fisher-Novels-ebook/dp/B08KTN2MK5
BENEATH THE STONE
Be careful what you seek;
you just might find it.
When Nick Fisher agrees to work with Leo’s feisty, young protégée Náni Samarákis, he doesn’t bargain on facing death or finding love or hurting his son again.
A missing person case morphs into a grisly murder when a body part is found in the sea. But who would carve up the body and why? Were they the killers or was it that mysterious, hooded man, if he even exists? And why does the tracker dog lead them to a stone wall?
In a dark village with a tortured past where resentment festers, Nick and Náni must work together, despite their differences, to peel back layers of complex relationships, some leading back to wartime Crete.
Only then will they find out why a young man had to die.
https://www.amazon.ca/Beneath-Stone-Alex-Dunlevy-ebook/dp/B0913H88KP
https://www.amazon.ca/Late-Shift-Specialist-Alex-Dunlevy-ebook/dp/B08PPQN1M7
September 30, 2021
Fantasy author Tahani Nelson tells us about the Faoii Chronicles
Get your warpaint on, readers! It's time to welcome fantasy author Tahani Nelson!
Tahani Nelson is an author and English teacher in Billings, Montana. With hundreds of 5-star reviews and an ever-growing army of Faoii at her back, Nelson has become a common attendee at author events, Renaissance festivals, news programs, and conventions across the US-- always wearing full armor and a face resplendent with warpaint. While her most notable appearances have been at the Indie Audiobook Awards and Fantasycon discussion panels, she most frequently gives presentations about empowerment and creating strong, healthy female role models in modern media.
Website: TahaniNelson.com
Facebook: Facebook.com/TheLastFaoii
Twitter: @TahaniNelson
Instagram: @TahaniNelson
Do your characters come before or after your plot?
Before. I usually have some control over the plot of a story, but not so much with my characters. They come to be fully fleshed out and usually in armor, much like Athena from Zeus's head in Greek mythology. So I build my worlds and my plot around my characters, and much of the plot is driven by how they react. It really makes the story much more character-driven, though it is often annoying when they don't behave the way I expect. That probably sounds ridiculous, but a lot of authors have the same issue: sometimes your characters just don't do what you want them to. So you're forced to adapt. Honestly, I don't think I'd want it any other way.
How do you choose a villain and how do you make them human?
Much like my protagonists, my villains also seem like real, fully-developed people from the moment I start writing them, and they are as flawed and faceted as we are. All of my villains see themselves as the heroes (or did in the beginning), and their backstories make them real and relatable. I usually try to sprinkle in their backstory throughout the story for the benefit of the reader, and that's made some of the storylines much more nuanced and gritty. I enjoy writing books with shades of gray.
Do your reading choices reflect your writing choices?
Often, yes. I prefer reading and writing fantasy, so the idea of heroes and destinies and magic are easier to write than other genres, and it doesn't take a lot to immerse myself in those worlds. I also enjoy reading horror, though it's not something that I like writing as much. If I read a horror book I usually have to take a couple of days off before I go back to writing my own novels, or the two genres bleed together too much and it feels much less like my regular writing, as the story suddenly gets darker or hopeless. My alpha readers can usually tell when this happens, and they'll make suggestions pushing me back towards my own, recognizable style. I might try my hand at horror in the future, though, after this fantasy series is finished.
Which type of characters are your favorite to write?
I started writing the Faoii Chronicles because there were so many heroines that young me looked for and couldn't find enough of. I like writing women that lead armies and wear functional armor and whose goals and dreams don't change when a man suddenly entered the picture. I want to explore the worlds and ideas of classic fantasy, but with less of the character tropes the genre has become known for, and more diversity in the storylines. Fantasy is supposed to be an escape where anything is possible, so I've never understood why it's always looked the same. It's an honor to build on the foundations of those who came before me.
What are you working on now?
Currently, I'm finishing up the last novel in the Faoii Chronicles. Faoii Ascended takes a hard look at the aftermath and political fallout from the first two books while also introducing a much larger and more frightening enemy that has been lurking behind the scenes for the entire series. It should be an amazing and powerful end to the saga.
What sort of research do you do for your work?
There's a lot of research that comes with writing female-led military fantasy. I wrote an entire language to reflect my matriarchal society and then only used six words. Sometimes I have to do in-depth research on siege weaponry or how to construct fortifications in different environments. Sometimes magic plays an important role in a scene and I have to learn about thermodynamics to describe it correctly. I've done a lot of research on matriarchal societies, myths, and belief systems to create the Faoii, and I'm constantly learning new things. I know the world is mine and I can do basically anything I want with it, but I want it to feel real, and like there's an entire society and history behind the people you meet in the chapters. That takes a lot of research and world building that doesn't explicitly make its way into the books themselves.
Book 1: THE LAST FAOII
The Faoii have protected Clearwall with both magic and blade for generations. But when her monastery is attacked and her sisters slaughtered, only young Kaiya is left alive.
Forced to cope without the traditions of her Order, Kaiya travels the country on a mission to avenge her sisters and preserve her heritage. The search brings her not only to dark discoveries and ancient family secrets, but also to something she never wanted or dreamed of: an estranged brother.
Thrust into a war at the heart of a broken empire, the siblings face a dark past and darker future while Kaiya learns the true state of the world outside her monastery's walls, the true threat of the army seeping across the land, and her own innate abilities as the last of her kind.
Buy Here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0861HYQ6G
Book 2: FAOII BETRAYER
Ilahna Harkins will do whatever it takes to save her brother.
Two centuries after the Godfell War, Ilahna knows that the only way to survive in Clearwall is to be faster and smarter than everyone else. She stays on her toes, steals what she needs... and never EVER mentions magic.
Because magic is the way of the Faoii, and witches get burned in Clearwall.
Being silent isn't always enough, though, and when her brother starts manifesting mysterious powers, Ilahna knows they don't have much time.
Hunted across Clearwall, the siblings must unbury a lifetime's worth of lies and secrets with the help of unlikely allies...or find themselves lashed to the pyre like all the Faoii that came before.
Buy Here:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B089XWN9FL
September 28, 2021
MONEY PLAIN AND SIMPLE a stunning debut by Steven J. Spence
MONEY PLAIN AND SIMPLE
What the Institutions and the Elite Don't Want You to Know
A STUNNING DEBUT BY STEVEN J. SPENCE
Released and published by Lucid House Publishing!
The book is available worldwide in paperback and ebook!
A straightforward guide to understanding the global monetary system and why the shine is off the U.S. dollar's position as the Gold Standard of world currencies. Steven J. Spence, a military veteran and corporate employee-turned-entrepreneur, lays out a concise history of the U.S. monetary system. He's candid about his own life lessons and then shares how he came to discover the hard realities revealed in this informative read. The author explains in layperson's terms how the institutions behind money work and how it affects you. He also offers timely insight into what's going on right now from crypto currency to inflation and hyper-inflation and steps you should consider to secure your own financial future.
Barnes and Noble: Money Plain and Simple: What the Institutions and the Elite Don't Want You to Know by Steven Spence, Paperback | Barnes & Noble® (barnesandnoble.com)
ABOUT STEPHEN:
Steven J. Spence is a retired US Air Force veteran, airline mechanic, aircraft builder, and an owner of a real estate rental investment company. Throughout his military and airline careers, he taught airline safety to groups around the world. Spence grew up in poverty with a single mom, who immigrated from Germany with her American military husband only find herself alone with two young sons in the wake of a divorce. With no role models, he had no understanding about how to build his financial future. Now a successful entrepreneur, Spence focuses on financial literacy as it relates to the ordinary person. He and his wife Adriana have two daughters, Shannon and Rachel, a son, Lucas, and one grandson, Julian.
To request additional review copies or an interview with Steven J. Spence, please contact Mickey Mikkelson at Creative Edge Publicity: mickey@creativeedgepublicity.com / 403.464.6925.
We look forward to the coverage!
September 25, 2021
WAY OF THE ARGOSI The Newest Young Adult Fantasy By Sebastien de Castell
WAY OF THE ARGOSI
The Newest Young Adult Fantasy By Critically Acclaimed Author
Sebastien de Castell
THE ALCHEMIST meets THE THREE MUSKETEERS- with card tricks. A brilliant origin story of adventure, wit and philosophy to enrapture devotees as well as newcomers to the SPELLSLINGER series.
A merciless band of mages murdered her parents, massacred her tribe and branded her with mystical sigils that left her a reviled outcast. They should have killed her instead.
Stealing, swindling, and gambling with her own life just to survive, Ferius will risk anything to avenge herself on the zealous young mage who haunts her every waking hour. But then she meets the incomparable Durral Brown, a wandering philosopher gifted in the arts of violence who instead overcomes his opponents with shrewdness and compassion. Does this charismatic and infuriating man hold the key to defeating her enemies, or will he lead her down a path that will destroy her very soul?
Through this outstanding tale of swashbuckling action, magical intrigue and dazzling wit, follow Ferius along the Way of the Argosi and enter a world of magic and mystery unlike any other.
Perfect for fans of The Dark Tower, Firefly, Terry Pratchett, Ben Aaronovitch and Jim Butcher.
Published by Hot Key Books, this YA Fantasy is available in in all formats on Amazon in the U.K.
Way Of The Argosi
ISBN: 978-1471405525
Amazon U.K: Way of the Argosi (Spellslinger): Amazon.co.uk: de Castell, Sebastien: Books
More From Sebastien de Castell:
Praise For Sebastien:
A tremendously fun read full of wit and action.”– James Islington
“An intriguing system of magic, wry humor, and a twisting plot make for an entertaining series debut.”– Kirkus
About Sebastien:
Sebastien de Castell had just finished a degree in Archaeology when he started work on his first dig. Four hours later he realized how much he actually hated archaeology and left to pursue a very focused career as a musician, ombudsman, interaction designer, fight choreographer, teacher, project manager, actor, and product strategist.
His only defence against the charge of unbridled dilettantism is that he genuinely likes doing these things and that, in one way or another, each of these fields plays a role in his writing. He sternly resists the accusation of being a Renaissance Man in the hopes that more people will label him that way.
Sebastien's acclaimed swashbuckling fantasy series, The Greatcoats. was shortlisted for both the 2014 Goodreads Choice Award for Best Fantasy. the Gemmell Morningstar Award for Best Debut, the Prix Imaginales for Best Foreign Work, and the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer. His YA fantasy series, Spellslinger, was nominated for the Carnegie Medal and is published in more than a dozen languages.
Sebastien lives in Vancouver, Canada with his lovely wife and two belligerent cats. You can reach him at www.decastell.com
Sebastien is available for interviews, media appearances, speaking engagements, and/or book review requests - please contact Mickey@CreativeEdgePublicity.com by email or by phone at 403.464.6925.
We look forward to the coverage!
September 18, 2021
I'm on Vacation!!
I'm taking a much needed vacation until September 25! I will return September 26 with a new author and more interesting books!
Please be sure to download Dead Without Honor for FREE and enjoy!
FREE BWL PUBLISHING NOVEL DOWNLOAD FOR SEPTEMBER
DEAD WITHOUT HONOR
BY DIANE BATOR
The scroll of the Four Possessions of the Samurai holds the key to a deadly mystery…
Gilda Wright thinks she’s landed a dream job as the receptionist at a karate school. Her boss, Sensei Mick Williams, is almost as demanding as he is sexy, but Gilda is inspired by the strength and courage of the people around her. When Gilda finds the body of one of the instructors in the dojo with a sword through his chest, she must find her own inner strength and fast! The police regard everyone in the school as suspects, including her boss, and it’s up to Gilda to find out what really happened. She follows the clues of the missing scroll of the Four Possessions of the Samurai down a deadly path filled with lies, deceit, and poisoned ninja stars. If she doesn’t watch her back, she just may become the killer’s next target.
To Get Your FREE Copy click here!
September 16, 2021
Mandy Eve Barnett shares The Commodore's Gift
Welcome to author Mandy Eve Barnett!
THE COMMODORE’S GIFT
Fighting against society’s feminine expectations, Owena’s excellent strategic and swordsmanship skills come to the fore after an attack and imprisonment of villagers. Running for their lives, a small group escape persecution but find new dangers ahead. Propelled into the world of rebel forces, she joins the battle against the Buldrick Empire. After seeing the failings of the rebel encampment, she makes changes – some well received, others not. Her unlikely champion is a giant of a man, who is feared by all. Their mutual respect and his acceptance of her as an equal propels them to organize a win or die fight to restore the rightful King to the throne.
Amazon.com
Amazon.ca
THE TWOSOME LOOP
An eighteenth century picturesque Italian Villa holds a hidden past of a pact between two lovers to live forever. They believe their deadly secret will die with them but in their last moments a vengeful spirit follows them into the abyss. Decades later, four modern day guests, all craving a unique and lasting love, experience flashbacks of their past lives. The betrayed wife running from her deceitful husband, the lonely widower unable to find love again, the adulterer searching for the ‘one’ who will accept his specific cravings, the camgirl in search of fulfillment. Attractions, jealousy, forbidden love, all play a part in making the past collide with the present, and the subsequent repercussions.
Amazon.com
Amazon.ca
MANDY EVE BARNETT currently lives in Alberta, Canada but is originally from England. Her background is diverse and gives her rich experience to utilize in her writing. She has traveled throughout Europe, parts of America and Canada and was born in Africa.
Mandy is passionate about writing to the point of obsession and she succeeded in becoming a published author in record time. Mandy’s venture into freelance writing has been successful and she regularly contributes to Strathcona Connect, an e-zine and the Never Been Better page in the Sherwood Park newspaper, as well as satisfying numerous freelance clients. She is also the Secretary for her local writing group, Writers Foundation of Strathcona County and Secretary of the Alberta Authors Cooperative.
Writing in various genres, Mandy has been published in anthologies, on numerous web sites, as well as regularly blogging about her writing journey at www.mandyevebarnett.com
Her published works are constantly growing with numerous manuscripts pending and ideas flowing - there is no end to her stories. Each tale has a base theme of love in all its forms. Mandy has a deep love of the natural world and a childlike wonder of the magical fairy realm.
For more of Mandy's books please visit www.dreamwritepublishing.ca
To request additional review copies or an interview with Mandy Eve Barnett, please contact Mickey Mikkelson at Creative Edge Publicity: Mickey@CreativeEdgePublicity.com | 403.464.6925.
We look forward to the coverage!
September 14, 2021
V.S. Holmes releases Heretics, book 4 of Nel Bently Books
Featuring V.S. Holmes and book 4 of Nel Bently Books
The fourth book in V. S. Holmes’ archaeological sci-fi about where we come from and where we’re going arrives in stores on May 8th, 2021!
Hot-tempered Dr. Nel Bently is not cut out to save the world. After her last project ended in fire and death, Nel must put aside her distrust of just about everyone and embark on a lo-fi search for a deadly radio transmission.
Earth’s survivors are torn between the austere superpower of IDH and the high-tech grassroots Los Pobledores. At every turn more allies go missing and Nel questions where everyone’s true loyalties lie--and on which side Lin will fall when a line is finally drawn.
They need experts. They need firepower. But it looks like the only thing standing between Earth and devastation is Nel: archaeologist, asshole, and functioning alcoholic with anger issues.
V. S. Holmes
Title: HERETICS
ISBN: 978-1-949693-67-6, 978-1-949693-66-9
Series: Stars Edge: Nel Bently
Pages: 358
Stockists: Ingram, online retailers
Website: www.vsholmes.com
Series:
Travelers
Drifters
Strangers
Heretics
Fugitives* (forthcoming)
Disciples (prequel novella)
V. S. Holmes is an international bestselling SFF author. They created the Nel Bently Books and the Blood of Titans series. Their debut, Smoke and Rain, won New Apple Literary's Excellence in Independent Publishing Award in 2015 and a Literary Titan Gold in 2020. Travelersis also included in the Peregrine Moon Lander mission as part of the Writers on the Moon Time Capsule. They also work as an advocate for disabled and queer representation in SFF worlds.
V.S. Holmes is available for interviews, media appearances, speaking engagements, and/or book review requests - please contact by email at mickey@creativeedgepublicty.com or by phone at 403.464.6925. We look forward to hearing from you about coverage.
September 11, 2021
Diane Scott Lewis dredges up murder in Ghost Point
Welcome to fellow BWL Publishing author, Diane Scott Lewis!
Diane lives with her husband and one naughty dog in western Pennsylvania.
Website: http://dianescottlewis.org
FB Fan Page: https://www.facebook.com/Diane-Scott-Lewis-277223019312535/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3999998.Diane_Scott_Lewis
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dhparkin/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DSLewisHF
What was the most difficult section/piece you ever wrote? What made it difficult?
The Battle of Yorktown in my Revolutionary War novel, Her Vanquished Land. I wanted it as realistic as possible, but told through the eyes of a young woman who is masquerading as a boy. Grit and terror combined.
What sort of research do you do for your work?
I read books set in the time-period, recent and past research non-fiction, and extensive searches on the internet. I actually enjoy the research aspect of writing. I like to discover that exact shoe worn, book read, and the historical impact as in war and other upheavals.
Which books and authors do you read for pleasure? Is there an author that inspires you?
I love an author who writes lyrical prose, with beautiful metaphors. At my own publisher, Nancy Bell writes heart-warming stories that inspire. And Katherine Pym’s seventeenth century tales are full of quirky characters, period dialogue, and an adventure that draws you into that era.
Was there a person who encouraged you to write?
My mother when I was very young. And later on, teachers in English and Creative Writing classes. Best-selling author Sherryl Woods also encouraged me when I took a workshop from her years ago.
What would you say are your strengths as an author?
Making my stories as authentic as possible, and trying not to bog down the tale with too many details. I’ve found major historical mistakes in novels that would have been so easy to research with the internet.
How often do you write, and do you write using a strict routine?
I try to write every morning, from when I first rise to lunch. That’s when my mind is the freshest. If I’m working on something vital or time sensitive, I’ll put fingers to the keyboard at any time during the day.
GHOST POINT
A marriage in turmoil—with lives in danger. Luke becomes tangled in the fight over the Potomac River rights in 1956 Virginia. He and his wife clash over his illegal dredging of oyster beds. His life is under threat from Maryland’s notorious Oyster Police.
Yelena, the once pretty, popular girl, struggles to rise above her dull existence. She defies Luke and takes a job in a used bookstore. A mysterious older man is interested in her, or is he simply after her husband for his unlawful activities? She's tempted to plunge into intrigue. Can Luke and Yelena rekindle their love will both become victims of the sinister acts on the river?
Buy link https://www.amazon.com/Ghost-Point-Murder-Thwarted-Potomac-ebook/dp/B098PRQ1YQ
