B. Roman's Blog: Inspiration From Unexpected Sources, page 2

A Man's Face Hot Deal

Your Kindle edition of "A Man's Face" is free thru 2/17. A client's innocence hangs in the balance. His mother's murder must be solved. The woman he loves is a fire starter. What next? Grab a copy of this latest thriller now. When you read, remember to review! Authors depend on you!

"Before the Boy" an afterlife adventure romance

The Kindle edition is free through Aug 30.
Even in death a mother guides her son through triumphs and tragedies to his true destiny.

Billie Nickerson must accept her own mortality as the only way she can assure her son will receive the intuitive gifts he was born to inherit, to save her family - and perhaps the world - from a disastrous fate. But learning that she has died too soon creates a Karmic crisis as Billie tries to escape the afterlife and return to her loved ones.
In this chilling prequel to The Moon Singer Trilogy (The Crystal Clipper, The War Chamber, The Wind Rose) we learn the uncanny circumstances that informed Billie Nickerson’s decision to raise her son, David, to become a seeker of spiritual truth. As his teacher and mentor she gave him the courage to overcome his unexpected deafness, to excel at music - and to hear the voice within that speaks from his soul.
Though Billie’s life is fraught with danger and dark spirits, and the power that David acquires places him in grave jeopardy, the story is an illustration of a mother’s love and devotion that transcends the boundaries of the here and the hereafter.
Before The Boy: The Prequel to The Moon Singer Trilogy
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Have You Written Your Favorite Book?

We all have a love/hate relationship with our books. An idea germinates and then flourishes. We are in love with the plot, the characters, the whole idea of putting them into a manuscript. At last we are done. It's a book. But did it truly say what you wanted it to say? Did you express eloquently the vision in your head? Ah, yes, you say. I'm so happy with the result. Shortly thereafter perhaps when it's finally in print and out into the world you might say, "OMG, did I really write that?" (love it or hate it)

Then there are times that we have a book that so resonates within us it doesn't matter what the world or reviewers say (good things, we hope...). It's our favorite book. Somehow it just flowed from our consciousness to our fingers as we type (or write long hand). It is transformative and inspired and says exactly what we wanted it to say.

For me, "Alicia and the Light Bulb People in Star Factory 13" is my favorite book. It began as an inspired essay of mine "Reaching for the White Light" (found on my blog) which compares the colorful personalities of people to light bulbs and the influence they have on our lives. They can be dim or twinkly, glaring or annoying. But there is only one true white light: "Stumbling in the darkness, all you need do is remember it, envision it as it once was, and its radiance will be there, white and pure and all encompassing. Yes, there are many different kinds of Bulbs in the world, but only One True Light. If you are lucky enough to find it, reach out and touch it, unafraid."

That is what I express in "Alicia and the Light Bulb People in Star Factory 13." Through friendship, courage, and the magic of believing we can all reach our Star Potential. I chose to put this into a children's fantasy to demonstrate the whimsical nature of the story and inspire children to overcome any obstacle or challenge in their lives. But there is no age limit to its message and I encourage adults to read it as well. As one reviewer said, "Your life will be forever changed."

Review of "Penniless Souls"

Eve Gaal opens her novel with a tribute to Woman’s power, and notes that hers came through her religious faith and literature. What follows is a thoughtfully written, and sometimes ironically humorous, glimpse into the trials and travails of marriage, parenting, and the evils of human sex trafficking. Her faith runs like a golden thread through the story but is never heavy handed or preachy. Instead, it acts as a solid foundation for her heroine, Penny’s, bravery and sure-footedness.
Life, as in a casino, is a game of chance. Why are some of us fortunate and others experience loss, sometimes devastatingly so. But what keeps people coming back for more - to a shaky relationship or to a slot machine? Hope. And Faith. In this continuation of Lost Compass Love Book One, “Penniless Hearts,” Penny & John, married in Hawaii now living in California, are suffering the blows of the recession, which is driving a wedge between them. Jobless, (she a newspaper writer and he a contractor) and potentially homeless, Penny reluctantly agrees to move with John to Las Vegas for new work opportunities. To add to their troubles, their adult daughter Lani is dealing with a broken heart, but they must leave her behind to live with John’s aging spinster sister. A bizarre stroke of fate in the form of a huge sum of money left to her by a shady criminal from her past, who has met a grisly end, changes Penny’s outlook. It could be financial freedom. But, feeling that its dirty money, she keeps the windfall a secret from John, lest he go berserk. She first needs to figure out how to tell him and how to use the money wisely.
On the dark, lonely desert road to Vegas, Penny & John’s imaginations run to wild, hazardous, deathly scenarios but their “rescue” by 2 strange men inadvertently leads them into a vicious sex slavery operation hidden behind a famous artist’s reputation. Initially, the men, pretending generosity, exploit Penny’s artistic talents and consign her to paint murals in what is to be a posh Vegas “spa.” Penny soon learns it is a front for a bordello that will employ European sex slaves.
All the seemingly innocuous decisions we make can pull us towards peril, defying every instinct that says run like hell in the other direction. But soon Penny finds herself, John, Lani, and some innocent young women at the mercy of a crew of murderous gangsters. Like a first responder running towards danger instead of away from it, Penny devises a courageous plan, with the help of good friends and that huge sum of money, to thwart the villains and bring them down. Though John’s moods and loyalties at times swing like a pendulum, and their marriage and family bonds are tested beyond what most people can endure, his love and admiration for Penny transcends their Job-like challenges. And without giving anything away, fortune smiles on them. After all, fortune favors the brave.
Gaal tackles serious issues - the sex slave trade, and the seamy side of Vegas - with honesty and well-researched facts and details. At the heart of her story is the desire to bring to light the nefarious exploitation of women who are vulnerable and have nowhere to turn and no one to save them. She has been hurt in her own life, and her understanding of the pain and sorrow that are suffered by those who feel powerless is her Muse.

FREE for FALL - A Message for All

If you have my books on your "to read" list watch for these FREE Kindle edition offers in October:
"Hubert in Heaven - a hi-tech angel gets his wings" October 2 - 6
"The Wind Rose" - Book III of The Moon Singer Series October 8 - 12.
Both books are very personal to me.
"Hubert..." is a humorous look at our attachment to hi-tech devices, to the detriment of our ability to rely on our own talents, instincts and efforts. As Hubert has discovered, this addiction does not bode well especially in Heaven where you "have to figure things out for yourself" if you are ever to earn your Angel Wings. I think I'm the last hold out for getting a Smart Phone - my cell phone is a relic and is hardly ever on, unless I need to make a call or I'm expecting one. I love to be without any reliance on a "device" to live my life, find quiet time, and enjoy just being.

"The Wind Rose" speaks to my belief that music has powers that go beyond making us feel good or evoking emotions and energy that improve our quality of life. The universe - our bodies, too - are comprised of musical vibrations that resonate throughout the cosmos, and can create or destroy life. In the story, I do try and impart the magnificence of the Pythagoras theory and the Music of the Spheres. Of course, it's a story and it's meant to entertain as well as enlighten. Read how a mad music professor uses his brilliance as a musician for malevolent purposes and how music prodigy David Nickerson counters his evil plan by using his own musical "soul codes" for a higher purpose.

I hope you enjoy both books! Remember, reviews are most welcome and very much needed.

Happy Children's Book Promotion Event 2018

Thanks to LANN Consulting for including me and "Alicia and the Light Bulb People" in the Happy Children's Book Promotion.

Readers, please check out some of the amazing books and read the author interviews with these talented authors.

Thank you, Ndeye
http://lannconsultings.com/childrenbo...

AUGUST FREE FOR ALL

It's always exciting to do a book promotion, and especially to have your publisher do a good bit of the work! Thank you Creativia Publishing for giving my books an extra boost this month.

If you have any of my books on your "to read" list, now is your chance to obtain a FREE kindle edition during the month of August.
RIGHT NOW "Whatever Became of Sin?" is on special through August 9.
Beginning August 20, "Before the Boy" will be Free for you to download.
On August 24 - TWO of my books will be on special: "The Crystal Clipper" and "Alicia and the Light Bulb People" - both of which are Readers Favorite 5 Star books.

As always, be kind and after you read please review. It's the best way for authors to know if we are writing books that entertain you, engross you, enlighten you - or not!

I hope you all have a wonderful AUGUST of reading terrific books.

It's Wonderful to Receive Sincere Reviews

As authors, we write because we are inspired, driven, hooked on a story we are compelled to tell, and in love with characters who have taken on a life of their own.
Once done, the story must have readers, and if we are fortunate we have readers willing to write a thoughtful, insightful review. It validates our work, and gives us impetus to continue on in our quest to become better writers and storytellers.

I am thankful for all the readers and fellow authors who have taken the time to read and enjoy my books and have published reviews that make my heart sing. Today I found another such review on Amazon for my latest book: "Before the Boy" and I would love to share it with you -
"A Delightful Read About Family and Love"
Usually, I’m not a very big fan of prequels as most of them feel a bit forced and coming out of nowhere. With Before the Boy, there’s a feeling of plenitude, almost as the Moon Singer Trilogy needed this prequel to truly be understood at its core.
Although it’s better if you’ve read the trilogy before, this book is perfectly fine as a stand-alone. Reading through it you uncover the story of David and Sally’s parents and the reasons behind the loss of their mother. The story touches in a deep and meaningful way in an array of topics from loss, spirituality, death and, most importantly, love and family. As always, B. Roman writes a great novel filled with deep emotions and valuable lessons in a language that goes beyond mere words. The way she describes the characters and how we’re involved in the story is stellar and worth of the great reviews she’s been getting.

No one ever fails in Heaven

If you have my children's book, "Hubert in Heaven" on your To Read list, watch for the 99cent Kindle promotion coming February 21 and 22.
And to inspire you further, here is the latest review, this one from Reader's Favorite. Happy reading - and reviewing!

Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite

Hubert in Heaven: A Hi-tech Angel Gets His Wings by Barbara Roman begins with the newest group of Soon-to-be’s sitting on their cloud pillows and listening to the Grand Transition Master on rules of conduct in heaven. He tells them being an angel is a responsible task and they have many tasks to perform before they earn their wings. As the Master is pointing to the screen and explaining, a four-star collision causes the screen to go blank. A little fellow comes tumbling in. The Master is annoyed that his lecture has been disrupted. The little fellow introduces himself as Hubert and tells them that he is a hologram in a video game and he wants to get back to his rightful place. The Master tells Hubert that, for the time being, this is his place and gives him some tasks. Will Hubert be able to perform the tasks, find his purpose, and finally get his angel wings?

The story is magical and has a lot of good messages for children, that life can be lived without always punching the keys of a computer, accepting that everyone is different, and that we need to value the abilities we have. The illustrations are beautiful and they add to the whimsical element of the story. It is a good story to help children understand about being unique and different, and the author does it with expertise using Hubert. It is a good bedtime storybook for children and can be given as a gift during the Christmas season. Tutors and educators can use it in classrooms and school libraries for read aloud sessions during the Christmas season as well as any time of the year.

An idea from "out of nowhere"

It can take months and even years for a story to germinate, to make any sense whatsoever, and give an author direction on how to build it: from foundation up? Or walls first and floor next? Or just pieces of note paper thrown into a file that we know must be valuable for something. Then one day, Voila. A story takes shape. It grabs hold. It compels and, no matter what, we must write it.
“Whatever Became of Sin?” is a book that came from out of nowhere, from a reference in a magazine article about “the passenger in 7f.” What if, I mused, the passenger in 7f switched his seat with another passenger who was the target of a murder plot? An in-flight murder ensues. The plot thickens, a heinous scheme is revealed, and the original passenger, attorney Michael Warren, learns the past 12 years of his life has been a lie!
I love good books and films about the human psyche (not Psycho; that scares the Bedevil out of me), but how the choices we make lead us down the path of goodness or to the path of wickedness.
My books only contain implied violence (I’m very squeamish) and absolutely no blatant sex (I’m terrible at writing it - and I take heart in knowing that John Grisham says the same about his attempts at writing sex scenes!) But conflict and chaos being very appealing to readers, my stories have those ingredients galore.

It all begins on a flight to New Orleans, a stopover on Warren’s trip to D.C. to testify before a Senate Committee. As an avid environmental lobbyist, this would be Michael’s opportunity to destroy plans for a housing development built on land tainted with the same kind of toxic waste that killed Michael’s six-year-old daughter, Dominique.
But an audio cassette handed to Michael by a stranger on the plane is thought to contain damaging evidence about the developer. Instead, it renders his daughter’s life and death a lie: Dominique was not Michael’s real daughter; his real baby girl was kidnapped at birth and replaced with another newborn with the intent that the whereabouts of Baby Girl Warren would forever be unknown.
When the stranger dies in a bizarre murder mid-flight, Michael is sidetracked in New Orleans, where he and his family once lived. Here, two enigmatic people further complicate his life: the stunningly beautiful Celia Stone, a New Orleans obstetrician; and Madison Bouvier, the dapper, ambitious New Orleans district attorney. Michael hopes to enlist their aid in finding his real daughter but, unknown to him, they surreptitiously thwart his every move, each with their own agenda for revenge and profit.
To further complicate matters, Michael’s wife Elaine now resides in Twelve Oaks Sanitarium, seemingly contented to dwell in her illusionary world of ignorance to the truth about her daughter’s death.
When Michael discovers the truth about who is involved in his daughter’s kidnapping, he is faced with the most difficult decision of his life: Shall he expose them all and jeopardize his daughter’s well-being? Or shall he submit to their conditions in order to bring her safely home?
The shrewd compromises Michael Warren must make in order to see justice done provide the surprising and satisfying ending. I do hope you agree>