tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72478396488163956482024-03-27T02:38:13.349-04:00Kit 'N Kabookle has moved. You'll be redirected in a few seconds.Mary DeSantis, Editor/Story Whispererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18207560013680468072noreply@blogger.comBlogger483125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247839648816395648.post-91297294408494412102021-05-21T13:43:00.003-04:002021-06-22T12:30:48.102-04:00Kit ‘N Kabookle has moved. You're being redirected.<P>Kit ‘N Kabookle is now on Wordpress. You’ll be redirected in a few seconds.</P>
Mary DeSantis, Editor/Story Whispererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18207560013680468072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247839648816395648.post-65320613627975952432021-05-20T00:30:00.008-04:002021-05-20T00:30:00.212-04:00Guest Post+Giveaway: Bolder Guilt-Edged by Janice Tremayne<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiPo_ugHGq9kLMww9L6pzaxpdbjaRFjH_FpoFRkn1AypTzag4Vu1FMo3s-7G27LYLOoFpD2FVD8IJDksixg0OO79LE5foYGxWEw-2Zvs10nrx2pgh00Ui-KRJ3y_H2AuY3lV6uk8EW2oM/s1200/TourBanner_Bolder+Guilt-Edged.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="Goddess Fish tour banner for Bolder Guilt-Edged" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiPo_ugHGq9kLMww9L6pzaxpdbjaRFjH_FpoFRkn1AypTzag4Vu1FMo3s-7G27LYLOoFpD2FVD8IJDksixg0OO79LE5foYGxWEw-2Zvs10nrx2pgh00Ui-KRJ3y_H2AuY3lV6uk8EW2oM/s400/TourBanner_Bolder+Guilt-Edged.jpg"/></a></div>
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<h1>Bolder Guilt-Edged</h1>
<h2>A supernatural suspense/thriller by Janice Tremayne</h2>
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<P>A demon hell-bent on playing psychological games to torment its victims. A guilt-edged past comes to the fore to be relived again. Can Bolder overcome his mental suffering and destroy the voracious demon?
</P><P>In the Australian ghost town of Ravenswood in North Queensland, a gruesome suicide occurs after the famous annual Halloween ball. Bolder is called in by Detective Wellock to help track the evil incarnate responsible.
</P><P>However, has Zack Bolder met his match? Can a trained parapsychologist by the Church withstand the guilt-edged torments of the demon? This poltergeist dangles psychology as its weapon by tempering that frail part of the mind to those that get in its way. Bolder is taken back to relive dark secrets—ridden and guilt-edged.
</P><P>Can Bolder overcome this tempest of the mind and save the town before more people take their lives?
</P><P>This post contains affiliate links. <a href=http://kitnkabookle.blogspot.com/p/disclosures.html>Click here for the full disclosure statement</a>.</P>
<h2>Excerpt</h2>
<P>Bolder handed him the book of prayers and marked out the section containing the love of worship. “We plan to compel the negative energy to leave her body and direct it to another place—to cross over to the other side. We are lightworkers, remember? Not exorcists.”
</P><P>“I can at least bless her with holy ointment … can’t I?”
</P><P>Bolder nodded and said, “Well, why don’t you start with that first?”
</P><P>Father Brennan walked toward Kelly as the old rustic timber floors creaked underneath. He opened his small container with holy ointment and brushed his index finger across it. Then he gently marked her forehead with the sign of the cross.
</P><P>“In the name of the father, and the son, and the holy spirit … amen.”
</P><P>Kelly jolted as though something had bitten her and her body trembled for a few seconds. She was still sleeping but aware of what was going on around her.
</P><P>“What was that?” said Bolder.
</P><P>“What was what?”
</P><P>“You mean you didn’t see it? The dark shadow that was standing beside her.”
</P><P>“I didn’t see it ... but I felt something gripping my hand.” Father Brennan was perplexed.
</P><P>An ominous image of a woman in a faint white dress glided across the bed—motionless and stoic but holding her stomach with both hands in hurtful prose. Within seconds it was gone with barely enough time for Bolder to capture a glimpse of it.
</P><P>“I sense something else in the room,” Bolder said.
</P><P>A pulsating wave of energy screeched from within, penetrating the bodies of Father Brennan and Bolder. They shook from the sensation—there was no movement or breeze, and the windows to Kelly’s room shut. But it still required they hold their balance as the snappy spiritedness vibrated their eardrums with a ringing noise.
</P><P>“Whatever is in here is not going to give up with prayers of love,” said Father Brennan. He was ready to launch into a full-blown exorcism.</P>
<br>~Buy Bolder Guilt-Edged on <a href=https://amzn.to/3u6SMgH target=_blank>Amazon</a>
<br>~<a href=https://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2021/03/vbt-bolder-guilt-edged-by-janice.html target=_blank>Follow the rest of the tour</a><br>
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<h2>Guest Post from Janice Tremayne</h2>
<br>Q: How do you get in the right mindset to write psychologically twisted scenes?
<P>This is an interesting question that I have often had challenges. I have learned during my writing process to write twisted scenes; I need to be in my element. I mean that the environment has to be suitable to allow your creative forces to come forward. I need to remove myself from the structured and conditioned world and go through the escapism of the mind. To allow my mind to roar with ideas and to leave my mind exposed—to let my guard down. I have to be in my element.
</P><P>Because I write in the horror and supernatural genre, I need to do this more than other authors writing in different genres. I have to touch, feel and experience the emotion of a confrontation with a dark ghost from the spirit world or a demon. Because if I can’t do that, my readers won’t be able to experience it either. I write in the third person omniscient, so I know what every character is thinking and feeling. That’s is no easy task for a writer and can be difficult.
</P><P>Lucky for me, I’ve always had a creative side and an incredible imagination since I was a child. Not everyone has this ability, and it can be difficult for some authors who are more technical in their approach. I develop relationships with my characters, and they become my friends. I hope that doesn’t sound weird, but it’s how I tap into their minds. The setting is also essential—if it’s a haunted church or house, you need to feel the walls, hear the creaks and the dark spirits moan.
</P><P>So how do I do it? It’s a personal experience that works for me, and I have to be in the right frame of mind. The elements of the Earth help me—I like the sunny days where the endorphins kick in. In a café near a lake or a beach where I can see the waves rushing in, and the sun permeates over me in a shaded café or apartment balcony. I am an Australian, so I have been to Fiji and Northern Queensland in Australia to experience their beaches and climate. Disconnect and dissociate from the daily grind and routine. I also use music to push along the creative thought, and you will often see me with wireless headsets talking to myself. Now that is weird to someone else who doesn’t know you’re an author.
</P><P>I suppose what I am trying to say is to write twisted, psychologically bent scenes; you need to be non-conforming, unstructured in your thoughts, and trust your feelings. The rest will flow like a morning tide.</P>
<h2>About Janice Tremayne</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmgBUH9_jD7NpB_G_CpoTH_YyFm260BeOsfBfe1G-j99KI_FFVCKV8faA7QIDsiZr52RLVU_XmwfZebTHjM6qEVETb2Mi5Lur8WFPg90qxQCGdMpEHX7Z_Rf4wkUMOkhg4HvJGvM1Mwsg/s1080/author+image.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="Janice Tremayne author image" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmgBUH9_jD7NpB_G_CpoTH_YyFm260BeOsfBfe1G-j99KI_FFVCKV8faA7QIDsiZr52RLVU_XmwfZebTHjM6qEVETb2Mi5Lur8WFPg90qxQCGdMpEHX7Z_Rf4wkUMOkhg4HvJGvM1Mwsg/s320/author+image.jpg"/></a></div>
<P>Janice Tremayne is an Amazon bestselling and award-winning ghost and supernatural writer. Janice is a finalist in the Readers' Favorite 2020 International Book Awards in fiction-supernatural and was awarded the distinguished favorite prize for paranormal horror at the New York City Big Book Awards 2020.
</P><P>She is an emerging Australian author who lives with her family in Melbourne. Her recent publications, Haunting in Hartley and Bolder Blindsided, reached number one in the Amazon kindle ranking for Occult Supernatural, Ghosts and Haunted Houses categories hot new releases and bestseller. Janice is well-versed in her cultural superstitions and how they influence daily life and customs. She has developed a passion and style for writing ghost and supernatural novels for new adult readers.</P>
<br>Find her online:
<br>-<a href=http://www.www.janicetremayne.com.au target=_blank>website</a>
<br>-<a href=https://www.facebook.com/hauntingclarisse target=_blank>Facebook</a>
<h2>Giveaway</h2>
<P>Janice Tremayne will be awarding 1 of 5 digital copies of the book via BookFunnel to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.</P>
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<h2>Follow the Blog</h2>
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Mary DeSantis, Editor/Story Whispererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18207560013680468072noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247839648816395648.post-64256649884763377522021-05-19T00:30:00.006-04:002021-05-19T11:44:59.315-04:00Exclusive Excerpt+Giveaway: Sorcers Reborn Earth by Richard B.<a href="https://www.bloglovin.com/blog/21000801/?claim=gzncxw2zx9c">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>
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<h1>Sorcerers Reborn: Earth</h1>
<h2>A fantasy by Richard B.</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK9S-AyzqJcGWIpxlaXCizKfJYEDw7D8-E5p5PL3fMBqQmDByOyLXsIkeHotV1-UbIFiJs_ktNDoVOQJOV3ca1_TwXxuieuNJnWmC1I09Fmvznk5bm5MYFCV3MDN-izhm3h3sr6lIh0tE/s1236/BookCover_Sorcerers+Reborn.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="cover of Sorcers Reborn Earth by Richard B" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="1236" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK9S-AyzqJcGWIpxlaXCizKfJYEDw7D8-E5p5PL3fMBqQmDByOyLXsIkeHotV1-UbIFiJs_ktNDoVOQJOV3ca1_TwXxuieuNJnWmC1I09Fmvznk5bm5MYFCV3MDN-izhm3h3sr6lIh0tE/s400/BookCover_Sorcerers+Reborn.jpg"/></a></div>
<P>Sorcerers Reborn is Book One in a series that begins here on Earth and takes you on a new and exciting journey in the world of Sorcerers, Dragons, Elves and more.
</P><P>Midnight stops. She feels something she hasn’t felt in three thousand years, something that possesses magic. It’s to the east in the mountains. She runs toward the beacon. She stands in front of a sheer stone wall hundreds of feet tall. There is a cave three quarters of the way up where the magic resides. If she tries to reach whatever is up there, it could potentially kill her. She’s come this far, but her journey isn’t over yet.
</P><P>Midnight was exiled to earth with six Sorcerers by the evil Sorcerer Tay’Ron. She is a creature of magic, created by magic. She holds the gift of Sorcery from six Sorcerers who have passed on, and she is on a mission to find people on earth who are worthy of possessing this power. Her legacy must continue. Time is of the essence.
</P><P>She possesses the gift of Sorcery. Midnight is a creature derived from magic, a fairy creature created from magic. She is not a Sorcerer. The six other Sorcerers are the six she carries inside of herself.
</P><P>This post contains affiliate links. <a href=http://kitnkabookle.blogspot.com/p/disclosures.html>Click here for the full disclosure statement</a>.</P>
<h2>Exclusive Excerpt</h2>
<P>The men discovered that Jason was the only one who could read the book. They had all picked the book up with no ill effects—but none of them could open it, let alone read it. The women reported the same results when they tried.
</P><P>Midnight mused on the artifacts. <The book, I have never seen before. The writing is foreign to me, but I believe that stone is a dragon’s egg. I have never seen one myself, but I have had them described to me by a real dragon. It was said that Tay’Ron stole one of these eggs some four thousand years ago, and from what I know it was never recovered. Perhaps this is that egg.>
</P><P>“A dragon’s egg! I doubt that will hatch after thousands of years.”
</P><P>“Dragons are creatures of magic. That egg is infused with magic, you said so yourself. Trust me when I say that egg is still viable.”
</P><P>Midnight narrowed her focus to Jason alone. <Jason can we talk? You have asked me if there are any other secrets I am keeping, and there is one more thing you need to do. There is an island off the west coast that has some magical items I need you to retrieve. I haven’t been there for three thousand years so don’t expect my memory of the place to be accurate.</P>
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<br>~Buy Sorcers Reborn:
<br>-<a href=https://amzn.to/2S5yRjR target=_blank>Amazon US</a>
<br>-<a href=https://amazon.ca/dp/0228837995 target=_blank>Amazon CA</a>
<br>-<a href=https://bookshop.org/books/sorcerers-reborn-earth-9780228838005/9780228837992 target=_blank>Bookshop</a>
<br>-<a href=https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/sorcerers-reborn-earth/9780228838012-item.html target=_blank>indigo Chapters</a>
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<br>-<a href=https://books.apple.com/us/book/sorcerers-reborn-earth/id1547509133 target=_blank>iBooks</a>
<br>~<a href= https://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2021/04/excerpt-tour-sorcerers-reborn-earth-by.html target=_blank>Follow the rest of the tour</a>
<h2>About Richard B.</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzvmuMvKF1TCnFcxIB93M56cyU-OZYqSrliqgnhYPfxQi-Y9p8Aomg_UzyL_T-fMYgJeOUu4-hHZDS88ZQ7trqYdcG2_kj9Cpbm-NAQQb9pd2GuboFJ9OmCv3jbUTCmMuF7BOZop1OeRY/s1208/Author+photo.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="Richard B author image" border="0" height="320" data-original-height="1208" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzvmuMvKF1TCnFcxIB93M56cyU-OZYqSrliqgnhYPfxQi-Y9p8Aomg_UzyL_T-fMYgJeOUu4-hHZDS88ZQ7trqYdcG2_kj9Cpbm-NAQQb9pd2GuboFJ9OmCv3jbUTCmMuF7BOZop1OeRY/s320/Author+photo.jpg"/></a></div>
</P><P>Rick (Richard B.) Ogle was born in 1951 in Northern Ontario. This is his first appearance in the writing world. He worked for forty-five plus years as a journeyman fabricator/welder. In 1978 Rick wrote a short story titled "Storms" that turned into two books. His work always came first, so writing took the back burner. Writing of Sorcerers Reborn began in late 2000, but again work came first, so the book was not revisited until he was force into retirement in 2013.
</P><P>In 1998 Rick went back to school to learn something that would get him out of his chosen trade as a fabricator/welder. In 1999 he spent six months as an adult literacy tutor and found that was rewarding when he saw the progress each student was making. He currently holds an Adult Instructors Diploma. He completed a six-month course to obtain an A+ computer technicians' certification. He has an AutoCAD certificate in drafting and design. He instructed classes for Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Access at the North Cariboo Community Skills Center in Quesnel BC.
</P><P>Rick is self-taught in HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language) code and built his website in 1998 while he was in school. He named his website "Poems and Short Stories by Richard B". That website is still going today. Home page URL: <a href=http://www.richardbees.ca target=_blank>richardbees.ca</a></P>
<br>Find him online:
<br>-<a href=https://sorcerersreborn.ca/ target=_blank>website</a>
<br>-<a href=https://www.facebook.com/sorcerersreborn target=_blank>Facebook</a>
<br>-<a href=https://twitter.com/richardbauthor target=_blank>Twitter</a>
<br>-<a href=https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5255029.Richard_B_ target=_blank>Goodreads</a>
<h2>Giveaway</h2>
<P>Richard B. will be awarding a $20 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.</P>
<a class="rcptr" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f3727/" rel="nofollow" data-raflid="28e4345f3727" data-theme="classic" data-template="" id="rcwidget_s7j9dkv0">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
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Mary DeSantis, Editor/Story Whispererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18207560013680468072noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247839648816395648.post-16613722396165624592021-05-18T00:30:00.005-04:002021-05-18T00:30:00.218-04:00Review+Giveaway: It Happened on Thunder Road by Susan Antony<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaNdB7lBsYPsNLlhYpyTRu1vXhVMSNDDett7QK18OxtY7q5GKjEgVbnL_BFKRSONScqftOY5tUj3LkQykiWiNVAPm7rglijPSlKc1RRLPxoHqWYrxO-juHXzGMiI_yCYAyplFvQS1P1fs/s1200/Tour+Banner_It+Happened+on+Thunder+Road.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="Goddess Fish tour banner for It Happened on Thunder Road" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaNdB7lBsYPsNLlhYpyTRu1vXhVMSNDDett7QK18OxtY7q5GKjEgVbnL_BFKRSONScqftOY5tUj3LkQykiWiNVAPm7rglijPSlKc1RRLPxoHqWYrxO-juHXzGMiI_yCYAyplFvQS1P1fs/s400/Tour+Banner_It+Happened+on+Thunder+Road.jpg"/></a></div>
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<h1>It Happened on Thunder Road</h1>
<h2>A YA fantasy by Susan Antony</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRP5C9nlhpYdQjG5tNAH_nGwdFLHj62ZvG1qTZTZbOTyzUoE9nvxoq2gtweude-A1jsN3Z2dcAV-60lDkxu7CWh65JsLGw9YKVlLinvmLoWcKd3n0BVWDt9qO1Be5G555YhwhuB9_3njY/s2048/BookCover_It+Happened+on+Thunder+Road.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="cover of It Happened on Thunder Road by Susan Antony" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRP5C9nlhpYdQjG5tNAH_nGwdFLHj62ZvG1qTZTZbOTyzUoE9nvxoq2gtweude-A1jsN3Z2dcAV-60lDkxu7CWh65JsLGw9YKVlLinvmLoWcKd3n0BVWDt9qO1Be5G555YhwhuB9_3njY/s400/BookCover_It+Happened+on+Thunder+Road.jpg"/></a></div>
<P>When Emmy Russo returns to high school in Moncks Corner, South Carolina after summer break, she discovers some changes. First: Mom has a boyfriend. Second: the cute new student, Charlie Fields, is a Rockabilly greaser with a gang who obeys his every command. Third: attractive Keir Harper wants to be more than just her best friend. And fourth: a perplexed Emmy soon finds herself drawn to two extremely different boys. How do you choose between sweet and smoldering?
</P><P>Then tragedy strikes on desolate Thunder Road. Strange things start happening, with Emmy in the middle of it all. Intent on finding the truth, she must fight for her heart, her life, maybe even her soul. Because someone wants to possess all of Emmy. And they will be together, no matter what the cost. For eternity.</P>
<h2>Excerpt</h2>
<P>I hadn’t expected that. And I wasn’t sure I wanted to respond. The old me, the good girl from New Jersey, wouldn’t have choked. She would have told Charlie to take a hike. But the new me didn’t want to let him go.
</P><P>What was it about this strange boy with greased hair that attracted me so?
</P><P>“What’s the matter, New Jersey? Cat got your tongue?”
</P><P>My face flushed. “Why don’t you quit asking me ridiculous questions and do something that you’re good at?”
</P><P>“What’s that?”
</P><P>“Drive, Teddy Boy.”
</P><P>One of Charlie’s brows tipped upward in a cocky salute. His knuckles whitened as he gripped the T- shifter, while rivers of veins formed on his muscular forearm. With a look of steely determination etched on his face, he slammed the shifter into first gear and jammed the accelerator pedal to the floor. The car rocketed forward. My head slammed against the seatback, and I dug my nails into the black tuck and roll upholstery.
</P><P>“You scared, New Jersey?” Charlie asked, his eyes aflame.
</P><P>“No,” I said as the blood left my face.
</P><P>“Then hang on, baby, ’cause you’re about to go for the ride of your life.”</P>
<br>~<a href= https://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2021/03/review-tour-it-happened-on-thunder-road.html target=_blank>Follow the rest of the tour</a>
<h2>Review</h2>
<P>This book definitely delivered on the blurb’s promise. There are two boys for which “sweet” and “smoldering” are extremely appropriate descriptors. Furthermore, there is definitely some strangeness going on. If you like your YA romance with a dash of the paranormal and a dose of boy-ness, you’ll enjoy this.
</P><P>For me, I liked it, but I didn’t quite love it. The drag racing aspect was neat. That isn’t something I’ve run into (pun?) before, and the dynamic around the entire car-loving gang almost felt like I was reading what a book based on “Grease Lightning” would look like. Major Grease vibes in general, actually. Perhaps a bit too much.
</P><P>To expand on that, I actually forgot at several points that this wasn’t “historical,” if Grease-era is “historical.” Without spoiling, some of that Grease-era stuff got resolved, but a lot of it didn’t, which left me hanging. At one point, one of the characters casually looks at their smart phone, and I literally full-stopped because I had to think about the fact that this is set in modern-day. Then I double stopped because I haven’t heard anyone call them smart phones in a while. It’s either iPhone or just phone, and that started me back on the “when was this set” track. Those little reminders cropped up just enough to jar my reading experience, and I never really got fully immersed in the story.
</P><P>I also struggled to connect with Emmy. She had a pretty bad attitude from the get-go, and I never felt like I learned anything about her to justify her being so mean to everyone. Even more, she comes back to town after a summer away, and she already knows people. This is fine, except I felt tossed into the fact that she already knows them as a given—thus there being no need to explain her existing relationships with any of these people. I had to play catch-up for a while until I realized who everyone was and how Emmy knew them. As a result, the relationships didn’t feel as fleshed out as they could have been.
</P><P>Long story short, this one wasn’t for me, but other readers may definitely feel differently. If it sounds like something you’d like, give it a shot.</P>
<h2>About Susan Antony</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVGUVc7lH1cq39CafgenBnJgo0QoiYVVZuX75_54SzOe-FgVz32ch1HepeQwsRezhmTOhACAUxuumXs9Lj8EL4Sywz2HF54AILZi04NRulSmYGpfZdltDKxjjVlYGP-kDOgdf1hdfPpVA/s856/author+image.jpeg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="Susan Antony author image" border="0" height="320" data-original-height="856" data-original-width="579" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVGUVc7lH1cq39CafgenBnJgo0QoiYVVZuX75_54SzOe-FgVz32ch1HepeQwsRezhmTOhACAUxuumXs9Lj8EL4Sywz2HF54AILZi04NRulSmYGpfZdltDKxjjVlYGP-kDOgdf1hdfPpVA/s320/author+image.jpeg"/></a></div>
<P>Susan Antony is an IT by day, hip-shaker and writer by night, artist whenever possible, and an internet addict. She lives in the sunny south with her teenage son and two Cairn Terriers. Cherokee Summer placed first in the Missouri Romance Writers of America "Gateway to the Best" contest, was a 2019 OKRWA finalist, was a 2020 Author Shout Recommended Read, took 1st in the 2020 Write Touch Readers Award, and took the bronze metal in the 2020 Readers Favorite Contest.
</P><P>It Happened on Thunder Road placed 1st in The Southeastern Writers Association 2020 Contest.</P>
<br>Find her online:
<br>-<a href=https://twitter.com/SusanAntonyCS target=_blank>Twitter</a>
<br>-<a href=https://www.instagram.com/susanantonyauthor/ target=_blank>Instagram</a>
<br>-<a href=https://www.facebook.com/SusanAntonyCS target=_blank>Facebook</a>
<br>-<a href=https://www.pinterest.com/susanantonycs target=_blank>Pinterest</a>
<br>-<a href=https://www.tumblr.com/blog/susanantony target=_blank>Tumblr</a>
<br>-<a href=https://www.tiktok.com/@susanantony1 target=_blank>Tiktok</a>
<h2>Giveaway</h2>
<P>Susan Antony will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.</P>
<a class="rcptr" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f3703/" rel="nofollow" data-raflid="28e4345f3703" data-theme="classic" data-template="" id="rcwidget_j05vc6fz">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
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Mary DeSantis, Editor/Story Whispererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18207560013680468072noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247839648816395648.post-69393896102321749832021-05-17T00:30:00.010-04:002021-05-17T00:30:00.211-04:00Excerpt+Giveaway: Fostered Identity by Maggie Thom<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMJa7gFPeuEnadj5er5uWJMeVFJBo8vP7EOLs5s7l8T1zm7JxZ1Fvzwr09u973CxdfNq_LrjF27cN7-AVDmz-I0iw_QONsUKAHKpQE3R3ZVVkLJuHCJXEHmN8EfKt_FMdt1peAZxQ9VnI/s1200/TourBaner_Fostered+Identity.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="Goddess Fish tour banner for Fostered Identity" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMJa7gFPeuEnadj5er5uWJMeVFJBo8vP7EOLs5s7l8T1zm7JxZ1Fvzwr09u973CxdfNq_LrjF27cN7-AVDmz-I0iw_QONsUKAHKpQE3R3ZVVkLJuHCJXEHmN8EfKt_FMdt1peAZxQ9VnI/s400/TourBaner_Fostered+Identity.jpg"/></a></div>
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<h1>Fostered Identity</h1>
<h2>A mystery/suspense/thriller by Maggie Thom</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9saNlFj8hwTjQaRZatUS9M8Vu9HTVrMMH1CYVgDHNmiEvEYh6Cx01WjlwWUIFzUD8T7Mxq1ZjT6ezcR-TDgGhJIHOpfq_K_7o3ykdWKN7tVOm3-jGf9qE2ZcaeWY9PW2gRGBGcXLDHgA/s2048/BookCover_+1+-+Fostered+Identity+BW+-+F.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="cover of Fostered Identity by Maggie Thom" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9saNlFj8hwTjQaRZatUS9M8Vu9HTVrMMH1CYVgDHNmiEvEYh6Cx01WjlwWUIFzUD8T7Mxq1ZjT6ezcR-TDgGhJIHOpfq_K_7o3ykdWKN7tVOm3-jGf9qE2ZcaeWY9PW2gRGBGcXLDHgA/s400/BookCover_+1+-+Fostered+Identity+BW+-+F.jpg"/></a></div>
<P>Her teenage sister has run away. It's her fault. And on her watch.
</P><P>Shyla thought she was doing the right thing by helping her teenage sister get a little freedom. She never expected she'd bolt on her. Desperate to keep their mom from discovering she has a missing daughter, Shyla sets out to find her wayward sister.
</P><P>A fluke encounter gives Shyla a clue. Only she gets a lot more than she bargained for. She finds her sister, but she gets pulled into doing a heist. An impossible heist. And not just any heist but that of stealing her mom's million-dollar jewelry. Ones that recently arrived, with no explanation.
</P><P>Damien is a good guy running from an awful past. When his brother ends up in the hospital, Damien is determined to stop the one man who has and is destroying their lives—their father. Damien will break all of his promises, even steal, if it will end their father's control.
</P><P>Shyla and Damien find themselves thrown together, not trusting each other but not having any choice. They will have to work together if Damien is going to stop his father once and for all. And if Shyla is going to protect her family. An impossible crime that will bring them surprises they didn't see coming.
</P><P>Can they catch a thief by being a thief?</P>
<br>Book 1
<br>The Twisted Deception Series
<P>Emerald grew up in a foster family. It wasn't an ordinary foster family. She was the first of eight girls to move in. The jewels that she was given to play with as a teenager, that she was told were baubles, are now resurfacing thirty-five years later. They are worth millions. And it appears worth stealing. Who is sending them out? And who wants them back at all costs?</P>
<blockquote>…fast-paced and kept me guessing. I like a mystery enveloped with family secrets and jewel thieves. I want more, and I want to know the secrets. I will be excited to read the second novel…</blockquote> -Author Christine H-Jackson
<P>This post contains affiliate links. <a href=http://kitnkabookle.blogspot.com/p/disclosures.html>Click here for the full disclosure statement</a>.</P>
<h2>Excerpt</h2>
<P>"You want to talk about Hannah?"
</P><P>"Where is she?"
</P><P>"Sleeping in."
</P><P>"Are you going to tell her?"
</P><P>"No."
</P><P>"Mom, come on. That's not fair to her. She has a right to know."
</P><P>"Why are you butting in? We've had this conversation before."
</P><P>"Not like this. And that was a few years ago. It's time to tell her."
</P><P>"What would you like me to tell her? I adopted you when you weren't even two. I have no real history on you." She looked down at the table, rubbing her thumb up and down the side of the mug. "I think you were in the same shitty system that I was as a kid. I don't know where your mother is, just like I don't know where mine is. You came to me with a birth certificate that said your mother was Mary Smith. Could you get a more common name?"
</P><P>Her eyes lifted and her gaze bore into Shyla as she continued. "You were born at home by a midwife. The midwife is dead and after searching four hundred and fifty Mary Smiths, I have no idea who birthed you." She gave her that look of I've tried to do something, but I've found nothing. "I can't do that to her."
</P><P>Shyla frowned as she thought about what she'd just been told. Most of it she'd never heard before. "That sounds fishy. I mean about Mary Smith." What she really wanted to say was why have you never told me or Kal, any of this before?</P>
<br>~Preorder Fostered Identity for 99c (released May 25)
<br>-<a href=https://amzn.to/3f9LVwr target=_blank>Amazon</a>
<br>-<a href=https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fostered-identity-maggie-thom/1138918935 target=_blank>B&N</a>
<br>-<a href=https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/fostered-identity target=_blank>Kobo</a>
<br>-<a href=https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=rqwgEAAAQBAJ target=_blank>Google Books</a>
<br>-<a href=https://books.apple.com/ca/book/fostered-identity/id1556127213 target=_blank>Apple Books</a>
<br>~<a href= https://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2021/04/book-blast-fostered-identity-by-maggie.html target=_blank>Follow the rest of the tour</a>
<h2>About Maggie Thom</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-cnqbkT-lVUDTETBQntTQfFruPj6cuJ97hEt8ArWh7ZQcFYN7OKTUbhnJI3LY-ygMNLpLU9Z_m3mQviRFF2IDnemiTJWL9u9XzlEXj6btI2DkI0tcAKRnXQPdo877AKdVX2sOreOo6as/s579/Maggie+Thom+3.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="Maggie Thom author image" border="0" height="320" data-original-height="579" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-cnqbkT-lVUDTETBQntTQfFruPj6cuJ97hEt8ArWh7ZQcFYN7OKTUbhnJI3LY-ygMNLpLU9Z_m3mQviRFF2IDnemiTJWL9u9XzlEXj6btI2DkI0tcAKRnXQPdo877AKdVX2sOreOo6as/s320/Maggie+Thom+3.jpg"/></a></div>
<br>Take the adventure beyond your fingertips.
<P>Multi-Award-Winning Author, Maggie Thom has written all types of stories but finally settled on her love of puzzles, mysteries, and rollercoaster rides and now writes suspense/thrillers/mysteries that keep you guessing and take you on one heck of an adventure.
</P><P>She is the author of 8 suspense/thriller/mysteries. The award-winning Caspian Wine Series – Captured Lies, Deceitful Truths, and Split Seconds – and her other individual novels Tainted Waters, Deadly Ties, and Fractured Lines. And now a new series – The Twisted Deception Series - Fostered Identity, Book 1. On her website, you can find her free novel – Blurred Lines.
</P><P>Her motto: Read to escape … Escape to read …</P>
<blockquote>Maggie Thom… proves her strength as a master of words, plots and finely chiseled characters… she weaves a brilliant cloth of the many colors of deceit.</blockquote> Dii – TomeTender
<br>Find her online:
<br>-<a href=http://www.maggiethom.com target=_blank>website</a>
<br>-<a href=https://www.facebook.com/authormaggiethom target=_blank>Facebook</a>
<br>-<a href=https://www.bookbub.com/authors/maggie-thom target=_blank>Bookbub</a>
<br>-<a href=https://www.twitter.com/maggiethom2 target=_blank>Twitter</a>
<br>-<a href=http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6549592.Maggie_Thom target=_blank>Goodreads</a>
<br>-<a href=https://pinterest.com/maggiethom2/ target=_blank>Pinterest</a>
<br>-<a href=https://www.amazon.com/Maggie-Thom/e/B009WSTDG8/ target=_blank>Amazon Author Page</a>
<h2>Giveaway</h2>
<P>Maggie Thom will be awarding a $20 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.</P>
<a class="rcptr" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f3716/" rel="nofollow" data-raflid="28e4345f3716" data-theme="classic" data-template="" id="rcwidget_b0fuaenz">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script>
<h2>Follow the Blog</h2>
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Mary DeSantis, Editor/Story Whispererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18207560013680468072noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247839648816395648.post-55446384904509330782021-05-14T00:30:00.008-04:002021-05-14T09:29:11.826-04:00Interview+Giveaway: Tying the Knot by E.C. Bell<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0H2shtUlGgjDhV2-q0k7uckeeEWKvwrV2J_U4gEmE-FrmfL8rJJVWmzFrI_OKrixm1Xgfpu5BwwIc9afsSxAMfgnTka-ZOKvmKzjSyr2a1My9c1SOndf9nMhp6gEI34AALxLCA0BOBtI/s1200/TourBanner_Tying+the+Knot.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="Goddess Fish tour banner for Tying the Knot" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0H2shtUlGgjDhV2-q0k7uckeeEWKvwrV2J_U4gEmE-FrmfL8rJJVWmzFrI_OKrixm1Xgfpu5BwwIc9afsSxAMfgnTka-ZOKvmKzjSyr2a1My9c1SOndf9nMhp6gEI34AALxLCA0BOBtI/s400/TourBanner_Tying+the+Knot.jpg"/></a></div>
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<h1>Tying the Knot</h1>
<h2>A paranormal mystery by E.C. Bell</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiNM7pDsUpkp531IKMaHmMGijIlXkHUn7W1c7KpBpXlzC9pserY31PymQoE70sKLbM18uRGm3pcdM_CXsJv1lrUy__mvt8xg-PS6uc3rMeBC7q4cXjwUtMBHiobW7AanxPWScimgI5as4/s1280/BookCover_TyingtheKnot-Kindle.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="cover of Tying the Knot by E.C. Bell" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiNM7pDsUpkp531IKMaHmMGijIlXkHUn7W1c7KpBpXlzC9pserY31PymQoE70sKLbM18uRGm3pcdM_CXsJv1lrUy__mvt8xg-PS6uc3rMeBC7q4cXjwUtMBHiobW7AanxPWScimgI5as4/s400/BookCover_TyingtheKnot-Kindle.jpg"/></a></div>
<P>Marie Jenner just wants a Vegas holiday.
</P><P>When psychic Crystal Demoines tells James Lavall that his uncle’s spirit is trapped in Las Vegas, Marie is thrilled. All she’ll have to do is help Jimmy “anything for a buck” Lavall move on to the next plane of existence, and then she and James can have the holiday of her dreams.
</P><P>But she never dreamed that a lieutenant of the drug kingpin from Edmonton would be staying at the same hotel as her and James, and that James would become his new best friend. Or that she’d have to find Jimmy’s girlfriend Rita—who disappeared the same night Jimmy died—before he would finally move on. Or that the most powerful man in the hotel would be looking for Rita too. To find the money she stole.
</P><P>And Marie never dreamed that she’d be planning a Vegas wedding in the middle of it all. But she is.
</P><P>Looks like her dream vacation is about to become a nightmare.
</P><P>This post contains affiliate links. <a href=http://kitnkabookle.blogspot.com/p/disclosures.html>Click here for the full disclosure statement</a>.</P>
<h2>Excerpt</h2>
<P>WE DROPPED THE rental car off with the valet and got the keys for our room on the sixth floor.
</P><P>“Can you remember what room your uncle died in?” I asked as we waited in a small crowd at the bank of elevators. A couple of people glanced at us, looking fairly aghast, and I wished I hadn’t said anything.
</P><P>“Room 214,” James replied. “According to Crystal.”
</P><P>The crowd around us backed away, and I guessed that people didn’t want to hear about someone dying here. Even though it was the truth.
</P><P>The elevator opened and two men walked out. They pushed past us like we weren’t even there, and I glared, trying to think of a truly cutting remark to make. But I stopped, because there was something familiar about one of the guys. At least I thought there was.
</P><P>Seeing people out of context sometimes made it very hard to connect the dots, memory-wise, but I was certain I’d seen him somewhere before. Not recently, but when I opened my mouth to ask James if he recognized him, he gently placed his hand on my arm like he could read my mind.
</P><P>“Not now,” he said.
</P><P>So I shut my mouth and watched the men walk past. They were dressed in suits, and I blinked when I realized I could see the outline of a gun under the armpit of one of them.
</P><P>Who the heck were they?</P>
<br>~Buy Tying the Knot on <a href=https://amzn.to/3uA4qAE target=_blank>Amazon</a>
<br>~<a href=https://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2021/04/vbt-tying-knot-by-ec-bell.html target=_blank>Follow the rest of the tour</a>
<h2>n Interview with E.C. Bell</h2>
<br>-What inspired you to become a writer?
<P>I loved telling stories when I was growing up, and found it was easier to keep track of them if I wrote them down. (I also liked messing with my English teacher’s heads, to be honest.)
</P><P>I started with short stories, but soon realized that the stories I was writing were longer and more complicated. So, I started writing novels. I started with a bloody awful Western that I never finished, and then a bloody awful romance (which I did finish, but luckily never sold.) and then I started writing urban fantasy. And oh, I do like that genre!
</P><P>Then I found Canadian authors who inspired me. Who wrote unashamedly about all things Canadian, and they pushed me to own where I live. And write about it.
</P><P>So I guess my short answer to the question is, I liked my own stories enough that I wanted to keep them. Which meant I had to write them down. And then, eventually, when I was brave enough, I decided to share them with the world.</P>
<br>-If you could visit your book’s world for a day, what one thing would you do?
<P>Honestly, I’d go to Marie Jenner’s office and hang around with her. She is as much of a coffee snob as I am, so I’m pretty sure I’d like her brew—and I REALLY want to meet the next ghost who walks through her door!</P>
<br>-It’s two in the morning. What does your protagonist reveal in confidence? (Don’t worry, we won’t tell.)
<P>Marie is pretty tight mouthed, but I think if you pressed her, she’d talk about her experiences with Arnie, the ex boyfriend who drove her out of her home town and forced her to live in Edmonton. She’s carrying a lot of baggage about that guy.</P>
<br>-Which of your characters would you go out for drinks with?
<P>Syliva Worth, the cop who befriends Marie. She’s a complicated character, and think we could have a few laughs with a couple of drinks under our belts.</P>
<br>-You’re in a tavern, and a dwarf challenges you to a duel. What do you do?
<P>Honestly? First I’d try to figure out how Marie and I ended up in a tavern with a dwarf, and then I’d point to Marie and say, “She’s my second. Duel with her.” Poor girl, I make her do things I’d never have the courage to do! I’m surprised she hangs around with me anymore!</P>
<br>-Is there a genre you could never write? Which and why?
<P>I don’t think I’d try a straight romance again. When I first decided to write novels, I wrote a romance, thinking it would be easy, but it is a lot harder than it looks! I found that I kept adding elements to the story that were definitely not romance, and I couldn’t quite convince the main character to “happily ever after” with the guy I’d chosen for her. So… I leave that genre to others who are more gifted than me.</P>
<h2>About E.C. Bell</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHrkmBpZdi48OvKRmNgjM8549fGMEuQYKGEhM3VjsvEWo3WUsTadhh6d3Pbj_RNWtD_0tGp9CTyGEMiRX9C3qUV7B6Sd3zYlXujeBJgfozxVYMv3XTUIcBWiTW1iuFc9YW3d6xhtlGjR8/s700/Author+Picture.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="E.C. Bell author image" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="525" data-original-width="700" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHrkmBpZdi48OvKRmNgjM8549fGMEuQYKGEhM3VjsvEWo3WUsTadhh6d3Pbj_RNWtD_0tGp9CTyGEMiRX9C3qUV7B6Sd3zYlXujeBJgfozxVYMv3XTUIcBWiTW1iuFc9YW3d6xhtlGjR8/s320/Author+Picture.jpg"/></a></div>
<P>E.C. Bell is the author of the award winning paranormal Marie Jenner Mystery series. She lives in Alberta, Canada, and when she’s not writing, she’s scouting out new locations for her upcoming novels or renovating her round house where she lives with her husband and their two rescue dogs.
</P><P>That’s right. Her house is round.
</P><P>Join her mailing list on her <a href=http://www.eileenbell.com/ target=_blank>website</a> for news about new books, upcoming appearances and, occasionally, recipes.
</P><P>Follow her on <a href=https://www.facebook.com/ecbellmystery/ target=_blank>Facebook</a>
</P><P>And Twitter <a href=https://twitter.com/ApocalypseWoman target=_blank>@ ApocalypseWoman</a></P>
<br>Marie Jenner Mystery series books, in order:<br>
<ol><li>Seeing the Light</li>
<li>Drowning in Amber</li>
<li>Stalking the Dead</li>
<li>Dying on Second</li>
<li>Hearing Voices</li>
<li>Haunting the Haunted</li>
<li>Tying the Knot</li></ol>
<h2>Giveaway</h2>
<P>E.C. Bell will be awarding a $20 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.</P>
<a class="rcptr" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f3737/" rel="nofollow" data-raflid="28e4345f3737" data-theme="classic" data-template="" id="rcwidget_19mub1k6">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
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Mary DeSantis, Editor/Story Whispererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18207560013680468072noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247839648816395648.post-9224230950974543442021-05-12T00:30:00.004-04:002021-05-14T09:38:47.029-04:00Excerpt+Giveaway: Moonshine, Magic, and Murder by January Bain<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFSv-4mMq9TDf8QLGmIq7o2_rlXyEsLDmyi3XbRzoiGX0c5WRkM1yzSH4UHHkBxHoOdWxGp-oKFWt7XoBOjxXQODR4bSPcweADWRWv9lxj6RbQNiQsvVm2yHuLxdCJZBfmrLS8VB1Gyqw/s1200/TourBanner_Moonshine%252C+Magic%252C+and+Murder.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="Goddess Fish tour banner for Moonshine, Magic, and Murder" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFSv-4mMq9TDf8QLGmIq7o2_rlXyEsLDmyi3XbRzoiGX0c5WRkM1yzSH4UHHkBxHoOdWxGp-oKFWt7XoBOjxXQODR4bSPcweADWRWv9lxj6RbQNiQsvVm2yHuLxdCJZBfmrLS8VB1Gyqw/s400/TourBanner_Moonshine%252C+Magic%252C+and+Murder.jpg"/></a></div>
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<h1>Moonshine, Magic, and Murder</h1>
<h2>A witchy cozy mystery by January Bain</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoiSWPX7TK61urHdkJj1-aG_emPT4XyJxIlznoOIV1BQIW_a7xVTWvZDEZeUjYy8PnboYHwcHH3iFkWDoLnv4znhwhQbW4IsRA8XO5TSV-J6_pybn8kRcWyRJ86yP0KSAWHf_H5G8EbCE/s2048/BookCover_MoonshineMagicandMurder_1500X2400.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="cover of Moonshine, Magic, and Murder by January Bain" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoiSWPX7TK61urHdkJj1-aG_emPT4XyJxIlznoOIV1BQIW_a7xVTWvZDEZeUjYy8PnboYHwcHH3iFkWDoLnv4znhwhQbW4IsRA8XO5TSV-J6_pybn8kRcWyRJ86yP0KSAWHf_H5G8EbCE/s400/BookCover_MoonshineMagicandMurder_1500X2400.jpg"/></a></div>
<P>Charm McCall has a proven track record for solving small-town mysteries, but can she figure out how to deal with a life event that threatens to harm the McCall clan…
</P><P>Charm McCall is once more on the hunt to figure out why her cat has been seeing a ghost, why she’s been shown a treasure map by, gulp, a dead guy and why her Auntie T.J. has suddenly disappeared, bagpipes and all. That would be more than enough, but with the upcoming Sadie Hawkins dance and its accompanying promise bags to create and spell, to help her fellow Goddesses get their dearest wishes fulfilled, she’s about run off her feet. Not to mention that now it’s legal to sell marijuana in Canada, orders for pot brownies are spilling in and threatening to crash her online store.
</P><P>Charm discovers she needs all the help she can get to deal with the arrival of her mother and the beyond painful host of problems that creates for her family, find her Auntie T.J. to save her hiney and discover who the real murderer is. That is, if she wants her romance with Snowy Lake’s sexy Mountie, Ace Collins, to have any hope of deepening…
</P><P>This post contains affiliate links. <a href=http://kitnkabookle.blogspot.com/p/disclosures.html>Click here for the full disclosure statement</a>.</P>
<h2>Excerpt</h2>
<P>“Careful! That box is already spelled! Anything could happen if you mix them up,” I shouted at my triplet Star, who was paying me no mind, just moving things haphazardly around as she ‘dusted’ the shelves of the Tea & Tarot café.
</P><P>Star twitched her whole body into a pretend robot, her blonde curls bouncing when she dime-stopped her limbs in an abrupt series of motions. It was a lightning change of mood that had become far too common of late. I gave a deep sigh of frustration I didn’t bother to hide. She’d been getting worse by the day, antsy no doubt for The Call. Darn movie people. Telling her she had a role, then delaying production.
</P><P>“Oh, really.” Okay, she was good at the robot dance, I’d give her that, if a job ever asked for such a dubious ability. But that didn’t stop me from rushing forward to rescue the Promise Bags. They held the precious trinkets of all the females around town who were participating in the upcoming Sadie Hawkins dance. Each midnight blue velvet bag had been magically infused with a specific wish, ranging from a marriage proposal to a spa vacation. Mix up those babies and all Hades will break loose, because this year the items had been blessed under the decade’s most awesome supermoon.
</P><P>Maybe that’s a bad idea? I chewed on a fingernail while I worried about going too far in my overwhelming urge to have my fellow goddesses receive their fair due from men who did not always appreciate them. Men could be so lame sometimes, not reading the signals right under their very noses, though that did not appear to be the case with our local Mountie, Ace Collins. He could be a little too astute at times. Goddess, give me the strength…
</P><P>The emotive notes of a musical instrument native to Scotland, one that defied the noise ordinance of Snowy Lake, broke through my worry fog.
</P><P>Auntie T.J.
</P><P>I set the rescued box safely aside on a shelf and scurried toward the huge picture window of the Tea & Tarot café to where Tulip sat perched on a stool. The third triplet of our McCall clan, she was a matching bookend to Star, which made them both polar opposites to me with my Elizabeth Taylor-esque violet-colored eyes and dark hair. Or at least according to Granny Toogood, who loved her old movies.
</P><P>Tulip was keyboarding as per usual on her computer, working either on her ongoing blog posts or selling our newly rolled out ‘potcakes’ to the Canadian masses. I sent a silent prayer to the goddess that the extra revenue the items were supposed to bring in happened. We’d invested in producing cannabutter to add to our spectacular line-up of bakery goods, and to think it might go to waste if the idea didn’t catch on induced serious heart palpitations. And that just isn’t right when a gal’s only twenty-one years old.
</P><P>“Shoot! What’s Auntie T.J. up to now?”
</P><P>“She only brings out the big guns when she feels threatened,” Tulip said. “See, Sergei McCausland.” She pointed at the business owner our auntie was serenading with her warmongering.
</P><P>The town hound dog owned the Bowl-a-ram-a, the five-pin bowling alley tucked away at the outskirts of town, which was located a hop, skip and a jump from our café, Snowy Lake being so small with only twelve hundred and fifty-nine residents, that I could run across it quicker than I could be bothered to start up my Jeep, Thor.
</P><P>Though that had been changing somewhat of late with the arrival of Constable Collins and his annoying active pursuit of law and order. Sheriff Winn Duffy was more beloved of course, having turned a blind eye for decades, but the new Mountie was gaining ground. Did I share that he’s a handsome devil?</P>
<br>~Buy Moonshine, Magic, and Murder on <a href=https://amzn.to/3vungti target=_blank>Amazon</a>
<br>~<a href= https://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2021/04/blurb-blitz-moonshine-magic-and-murder.html target=_blank>Follow the rest of the tour</a>
<h2>About January Bain</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOtg3NVEiF68q7nbcP3u08AUfU99i2RxUiu7kPwqi7KwXXRXgx63AM8Zs8aRZ29wInD4Kpc_mxEw0R8dJTZPVOG6eBciv7r0BSR7czLgJnVT9iUUSTIchYkyJxtg51SfJ0PTGITGcRgEc/s405/author+image.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="January Bain author image" border="0" height="320" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOtg3NVEiF68q7nbcP3u08AUfU99i2RxUiu7kPwqi7KwXXRXgx63AM8Zs8aRZ29wInD4Kpc_mxEw0R8dJTZPVOG6eBciv7r0BSR7czLgJnVT9iUUSTIchYkyJxtg51SfJ0PTGITGcRgEc/s320/author+image.jpg"/></a></div>
<P>January Bain has wished on every falling star, every blown-out birthday candle, and every coin thrown in a fountain to be a storyteller. To share the tales of high adventure, mysteries, and full-blown thrillers she has dreamed of all her life. The story you now have in your hands is the compilation of a lot of things manifesting itself for this special series. Hundreds of hours spent researching the unusual and the mundane have come together to create books that features strong women who live life to the fullest, wild adventures full of twists and unforeseen turns, and hot complicated men who aren’t afraid to take risks. She can only hope her stories will capture your imagination.
</P><P>If you are looking for January Bain, you can find her hard at work every morning without fail in her office with her furry baby, Ling Ling. And, of course, she’s married to the most romantic man! Who once famously remarked to her inquiry about buying fresh flowers for their home every week, “Give me one good reason why not?” Leaving her speechless and knocking her head against the proverbial wall for being so darn foolish. She loves flowers.
</P><P>If you wish to connect in the virtual world she is easily found on Facebook. Oh, and she loves to talk books…</P>
<br>Find her online:
<br>-<a href=http://januarybainjourney.blogspot.ca/ target=_blank>blog</a>
<br>-<a href=https://twitter.com/JanuaryBain target=_blank>Twitter</a>
<br>-<a href=https://www.facebook.com/january.bain target=_blank>Facebook</a>
<br>-<a href=https://www.facebook.com/CozyCharms target=_blank>Manitoba Tea & Tarot Mysteries page (Facebook)</a>
<br>-<a href=https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6437282.January_Bain target=_blank>Goodreads</a>
<h2>Giveaway</h2>
<P>January Bain will be awarding a $50 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.</P>
<a class="rcptr" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f3715/" rel="nofollow" data-raflid="28e4345f3715" data-theme="classic" data-template="" id="rcwidget_zu1dfnqp">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
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<h2>Follow the Blog</h2>
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Mary DeSantis, Editor/Story Whispererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18207560013680468072noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247839648816395648.post-28215376008493488972021-05-12T00:15:00.007-04:002021-05-14T09:39:42.979-04:00Excerpt+Giveaway: This Tale is True by Deborah Adams<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3s9FQ3JIWJSPMLne-rGrf8SmpLD51LRPF4fD-WYeR2pxECDEaZKaCokuz3Ry-5Mlzdbh3SBVnylyRLDiexuP3fAxLaK6UXB0G8BWstdFxLC1GFGLYnZtLbO88RnsYKk55Jrr7vo9VCqw/s1200/TourBanner_ThisTaleIsTrue.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="Goddess Fish tour banner for This Tale is True" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3s9FQ3JIWJSPMLne-rGrf8SmpLD51LRPF4fD-WYeR2pxECDEaZKaCokuz3Ry-5Mlzdbh3SBVnylyRLDiexuP3fAxLaK6UXB0G8BWstdFxLC1GFGLYnZtLbO88RnsYKk55Jrr7vo9VCqw/s400/TourBanner_ThisTaleIsTrue.jpg"/></a></div>
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<h1>{This Tale is True}</h1>
<h2>A fantasy by Deborah Adams</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV-8jVCa7ruIaEZvQDPO02PGEucK_fGhTFRSlITwO3MODfTYTIx5jR5POS9M0Yb0rgPoZmAxdblHeKuQWAqOl7yNtRa4U8uixQs1Ix8ITAMXISh4xvoy9csB6RB44fMbxSEuKLD6wOaTA/s2048/BookCover_This+Tale+Is+True+cover.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="cover of This Tale is True by Deborah Adams" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1355" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV-8jVCa7ruIaEZvQDPO02PGEucK_fGhTFRSlITwO3MODfTYTIx5jR5POS9M0Yb0rgPoZmAxdblHeKuQWAqOl7yNtRa4U8uixQs1Ix8ITAMXISh4xvoy9csB6RB44fMbxSEuKLD6wOaTA/s400/BookCover_This+Tale+Is+True+cover.jpg"/></a></div>
<P>They don’t make goddesses like they used to….
</P><P>For eons they ruled, but modern times have been rough on the ancient deities— their temples collapsed, their worshippers wandered off, and their purposes were made redundant by industry and technology. And the Fates aren’t finished with them yet.
</P><P>Mere days before the annual renewal of their immortality is to occur, the goddess of youth disappears. Without her and her restorative nectar, time and age will catch up with the goddesses. In the blink of an eye, they will shrivel and die, leaving the world to fend for itself, unless a skeptical mortal can find a way to save both worlds.
</P><P>Combines the humor one expects from Adams with magical realism and a dash of literary fiction, resulting in a boisterous read that pushes back against the boundaries of genre.</P>
<blockquote>Deborah Adams offers goddesses in peril and a protagonist who dares all to save the immortals in a wild, wacky, and wonderful romp. Imaginative, creative, fabulous fiction.</blockquote>
-Carolyn Hart, author of the otherworldly Bailey Ruth series<br>
<P>This post contains affiliate links. <a href=http://kitnkabookle.blogspot.com/p/disclosures.html>Click here for the full disclosure statement</a>.</P>
<h2>Excerpt</h2>
<P>“A squirrel in the toilet is not an omen.” Cybil felt this bore repeating. “It’s just a rodent whose curiosity proved to be more than it could handle.”
</P><P>Evie, her roommate and current audience, unlocked their apartment door and stepped inside, then closed the door and engaged the deadbolt as soon as Cybil had joined her. Pre-emptive security was important to Cybil, and she’d worked hard to instill good habits in her new roommate. Despite her trusting nature, Evie tried to comply with Cybil’s insistent rule about staying safe, although Evie was certain that the real dangers in this world could not be restrained by man-made mechanisms.
</P><P>“I never said the squirrel was an omen,” Evie insisted.
</P><P>“You didn’t disagree when the wacky witches were putting forth that very notion,” Cybil reminded her. “If you don’t speak out against the nonsense, you are in tacit agreement.”
</P><P>“They have a right to believe whatever they like.” Pushing back the hood of her purple velvet cloak, Evie ran the fingers of one hand through her nut-brown hair. “And surely you can see why they thought it had meaning. It’s hard to believe the squirrel just happened to pop up in Belinda’s toilet at the very moment we invoked the Great Goddess.”
</P><P>“It’s harder to believe that a goddess of Hera’s standing would send her RSVP through a bushy-tailed rat.”
</P><P>“You never know,” Evie said with sincerity. “Goddesses don’t think or act like mortals.”
</P><P>“I daresay you’re right about that,” Cybil conceded.</P>
<br>~Buy {This Tale is True}:
<br>Paperback
<br>-<a href=https://amzn.to/33ogEAp target=_blank>Amazon</a>
<br>-<a href=https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/wanderings-of-a-naturalist-in-india-andrew-leith-adams/1102064407 target=_blank>B&N</a>
<br>-<a href=https://www.booksamillion.com/p/this-Tale-True/Deborah-
Adams/9780998494098 target=_blank>Books-A-Million</a>
<br>-<a href=https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780998494098 target=_blank>Indiebound</a>
<br>Ebook
<br>-<a href=https://amzn.to/33mh1LY target=_blank>Kindle</a>
<br>-<a href=https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/wanderings-of-a-naturalist-in-india-andrew-leith-adams/1102064407 target=_blank>Nook</a>
<br>-<a href=http://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/this-tale-is-true target=_blank>Kobo</a>
<br>~<a href= https://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2021/04/book-blast-this-tale-is-true-by-deborah.html target=_blank>Follow the rest of the tour</a>
<h2>About Deborah Adams</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjygcbwboK_BETE0_HHDfnAMxAhc2Vbc4A3k2rFSeuwbK65maam8ImgatPW_IrdzxzdlmaYrRHOFGL4O00TXABu4_3tiBckwHyrnTS2Pg2lKBCNC4ft-ypDuTovwPKldiNhK34QKlWWYmk/s2048/Deborah-Zenha+Adams+author+pic.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="Deborah Adams author image" border="0" height="320" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjygcbwboK_BETE0_HHDfnAMxAhc2Vbc4A3k2rFSeuwbK65maam8ImgatPW_IrdzxzdlmaYrRHOFGL4O00TXABu4_3tiBckwHyrnTS2Pg2lKBCNC4ft-ypDuTovwPKldiNhK34QKlWWYmk/s320/Deborah-Zenha+Adams+author+pic.jpg"/></a></div>
<P>Deborah Zenha Adams, recipient of the Macavity and Flair Awards, is an author, a naturalist, and a yoga educator. In {This Tale Is True}, a work of magical realism, she unveils the fate of ancient Roman goddesses as they struggle to survive in the 21st century.
</P><P>The seven novels in her Jesus Creek mystery series were published under her own name, and other works appear under a variety of pseudonyms. She is also the author of numerous short stories and essays.
</P><P>She has been a guest lecturer at numerous events, including Southern Festival of Books, Appalachian Studies Conference, Warioto Regional Library Board of Trustees Conference, Southeastern Booksellers Association, Georgia Library Association Convention, Emory University, East Tennessee State University Writers Program, and many others. She is a lifetime member of the Southern Literary Coalition.
</P><P>Deborah-Zenha is available for interviews, speaking, and author events. Her signature workshops include Write Your Memoir (even if you aren’t a writer) and Write Your Yoga Memoir.
</P><P>Learn more about the author and her books on her website: <a href=http://www.Deborah-Adams.com target=_blank>www.Deborah-Adams.com</a>
<h2>Giveaway</h2>
<P>Deborah Adams will be awarding a $25 Visa gift card to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.</P>
<a class="rcptr" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f3740/" rel="nofollow" data-raflid="28e4345f3740" data-theme="classic" data-template="" id="rcwidget_3clpk6ek">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
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<h2>Follow the Blog</h2>
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Mary DeSantis, Editor/Story Whispererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18207560013680468072noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247839648816395648.post-20797515006102796262021-05-07T00:30:00.018-04:002021-05-14T09:44:13.794-04:00Launch Party+Giveaway: How to Overcome Insomnia All by Yourself by Antoinetta Vogels<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivUvh2wCRWO58EBo6pK8tQa1Y5vVA2KG5s_fnPDjmFEZR70kto4U8F28RAtGm0p0U5IRxOXO6Pl56uM3VBwpvxGwDwIJ9tz_6noyJgrywPdk3Q_r7jt-2EE_msKpxIt9PI1gFJT3-tfrU/s1200/BookLaunchParty_How+to+Overcome+Insomnia+All+by+Yourself+%25281%2529.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="Goddess Fish banner for How to Overcome Insomnia All by Yourself Zoom launch party" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivUvh2wCRWO58EBo6pK8tQa1Y5vVA2KG5s_fnPDjmFEZR70kto4U8F28RAtGm0p0U5IRxOXO6Pl56uM3VBwpvxGwDwIJ9tz_6noyJgrywPdk3Q_r7jt-2EE_msKpxIt9PI1gFJT3-tfrU/s400/BookLaunchParty_How+to+Overcome+Insomnia+All+by+Yourself+%25281%2529.jpg"/></a></div>
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<h1>Celebrate with us via Zoom as we launch Antoinetta Vogels' new book, "How to Overcome Insomnia All by Yourself: a Healthy Sense of Self Guide to Getting a Good Night's Sleep."<h1>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrG7dZYwNZzECAhi_Zsjh6ar4B3ksMo06ENTN5n6l1UQeTD8YZubCdDUYIZbdisqhRvHV5KMQoj5I0yz32P4SBLapKM48SwSQODRGSGmp1pxsMpQSIeHy52Q2pwIwUHG24eDWbxH5ZNg4/s2048/Insomnia+cover.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="cover of How to Overcome Insomnia All by Yourself by Antoinetta Vogels" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1325" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrG7dZYwNZzECAhi_Zsjh6ar4B3ksMo06ENTN5n6l1UQeTD8YZubCdDUYIZbdisqhRvHV5KMQoj5I0yz32P4SBLapKM48SwSQODRGSGmp1pxsMpQSIeHy52Q2pwIwUHG24eDWbxH5ZNg4/s400/Insomnia+cover.jpg"/></a></div>
<P>Antoinetta has a bachelor’s in French and a master’s in music. She worked in the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra as a bassoonist, has two grown daughters, and lives in Bellevue, WA, USA.
</P><P>In 2013, Antoinetta created the Sense of Self Method, a self-help program for people who want to get a good night’s sleep no matter what!
</P><P>With her company, Healthy Sense Of Self, LLC, Antoinetta and her team provide education about what can be wrong in the way a person experiences their self and, consequently, others. Antoinetta has made it her life’s work to help people improve their life by reversing issues related to a negative self-image. She wants everyone to have the ability to be their most authentic self.
</P><P>This post contains affiliate links. <a href=http://kitnkabookle.blogspot.com/p/disclosures.html>Click here for the full disclosure statement</a>.</P>
<br>~<a href= https://www.facebook.com/events/4431699853512264/?activetab=discussion target=_blank>Find the link to the party here</a>. The party will take place at 9:30 PM on May 7.
<br>~Buy How to Overcome Insomnia All by Yourself: A Healthy Sense of Self Guide to Getting a Good Night's Sleep on <a href= https://amzn.to/3ejyL0I target=_blank>Amazon</a>
<br>~<a href= https://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2021/05/launch-party-invitation-book-blast-how.html target=_blank>Follow the rest of the tour</a>
<h2>About Antoinetta Vogels</h2>
<P>Antoinetta Vogels is the Founder and CEO of Healthy Sense of Self™ LLC, author of "How to Overcome Insomnia All by Yourself" her newest book which will release in the fall. She also wrote "Healthy Sense of Self How to be True to Your Self and Make Your World a Better Place!" (2013), as well as the Online Course: Introducing the Sense of Self Method! (found on her website, www.healthysenseofself.com), the "Sense of Self Workbook" (based on the Online Course but also to be used independently) (2014), "A Guided Journal to a Healthy Sense of Self (2014), and "The Motivation Cure" (2017).
</P><P>Through many years of searching for her Self, Antoinetta has come to conclude that from early childhood on, many of us have not been acknowledged as the autonomous people we truly are. She provides insight and tools to help you enhance and/or completely restore your ability to sense your Self and correct the ill-effects of childhood conditioning that reverberate in all aspects of our lives.
</P><P>Antoinetta Vogels is a graduate of the Royal Conservatory in The Hague, Netherlands and a former bassoonist of the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra. She is a ballroom dancer, a mother of two and lives in Washington, USA.</P>
<br>Find her online:
<br>-<a href=https://www.healthysenseofself.com/ target=_blank>website</a>
<br>-<a href=https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7177981.Antoinetta_Vogels target=_blank>Goodreads</a>
<br>-<a href=http://www.twitter.com/HealthySoS target=_blank>Twitter</a>
<h2>Giveaway</h2>
<P>The author will be giving away a print copy of 2 of the author's books (US only).</P>
<a class="rcptr" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f3760/" rel="nofollow" data-raflid="28e4345f3760" data-theme="classic" data-template="" id="rcwidget_102gfvyt">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
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<h2>Follow the Blog</h2>
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Mary DeSantis, Editor/Story Whispererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18207560013680468072noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247839648816395648.post-52660608928826955272021-05-04T00:30:00.005-04:002021-05-14T09:44:58.522-04:00Excerpt+Giveaway: Clockwork Igni by Christina Bauer<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilevioaEvbhKLz-goKEXiV405WTaJa9RaRpg76P4oAWUoTteC5wAQLFPynfOUPaTBq4rzKXCdk9riTLFjBeudJnTGDc08_SXQZS7J3C97la2jgn-5aGym7QVsL4zAITiLaG_bYN8339UU/s1200/Tour+Banner_Clockwork+Igni.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="Goddess Fish tour banner for Clockwork Igni" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilevioaEvbhKLz-goKEXiV405WTaJa9RaRpg76P4oAWUoTteC5wAQLFPynfOUPaTBq4rzKXCdk9riTLFjBeudJnTGDc08_SXQZS7J3C97la2jgn-5aGym7QVsL4zAITiLaG_bYN8339UU/s400/Tour+Banner_Clockwork+Igni.jpg"/></a></div>
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<h1>Clockwork Igni</h1>
<h2>A YA urban fantasy by Christina Bauer</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVxcV29tjDOo40yhNOAYjqO-qhhWTyoongg_qttwGx6UGWo6pKr7GIYOb1iMz_9LwnpcVjCATvEnHENMPyNNXzFoFmmZURmGZsxr92f0q_YS5osEOvSQNjpayY-zfxaHHeJs4mPaTg1zk/s2048/BookCover_Angelbound_Clockwork+Igni_ebook.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="cover of Clockwork Igni by Christina Bauer" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1344" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVxcV29tjDOo40yhNOAYjqO-qhhWTyoongg_qttwGx6UGWo6pKr7GIYOb1iMz_9LwnpcVjCATvEnHENMPyNNXzFoFmmZURmGZsxr92f0q_YS5osEOvSQNjpayY-zfxaHHeJs4mPaTg1zk/s400/BookCover_Angelbound_Clockwork+Igni_ebook.jpg"/></a></div>
<P>Long live the me! As Queen of Antrum, I rule an underground realm of demon hunters who love finding new caves. Hey, it’s boring down here; I’m glad they all have a hobby. Per usual, I try to act interested about their latest discovery, but all I hear is "blah blah blah new cavern blah blah blah Forbidden Tombs blah blah blah massive bronze pyramids blah blah blah creepy ticking sounds." It’s a little odd, but I’m not worried.
</P><P>My bad.
</P><P>Suddenly, the Forbidden Tombs burst through the ground in my home realm of Purgatory. Bronze pyramids smash through abandoned buildings and highways, making rush hour a nightmare. Even worse, the metal structures attract tiny lightning bolts called igni, which are my very special supernatural buddies. Within minutes, every last igni gets stolen away.
</P><P>Now. I’m. Pissed.
</P><P>Whoever hides inside those pyramids? Time to dust off your mummies and shine up your sarcophagi. Because my husband, Lincoln, and I are breaking in and kicking ass.</P>
<br>Angelbound Origins
<br>
<br>1. Angelbound
<br>2. Scala
<br>3. Acca
<br>4. Thrax
<br>5. The Dark Lands
<br>6. The Brutal Time
<br>7. Armageddon
<br>8. Quasi Redux
<br>9. Clockwork Igni
<br>10. Lady Reaper
<h2>Excerpt</h2>
<P>I stand in a small square room. A heavy iron door looms before me. All around, the walls are lined with intricately-entwined gears and springs. Tiny pieces whirl and tick away at high speed. With each click and swipe, a tiny jolt of worry ricochets down my spine. Sweat beads on my palms.
</P><P>I’m girl enough to admit it. This scene freaks me out.
</P><P>No question why, either. This isn’t just any metal portal. It’s Pandora’s Door. As in, the girl didn’t keep a box of nasties. Nope. Instead, something awful lurks behind this very entrance. If I pull on the handle, that magical whatchamacallit gets free. Based on what I’ve learned, the mystery something-something could make everything right again. In other words, my igni would return. I’ll move souls once more. The Great Scala is back. How perfect.
</P><P>Or I could release an unknown scourge that destroys all the after-realms. Definitely not as cool.
</P><P>A memory appears. I picture Verus giving me a solemn warning: “No matter how tempting the door may appear, you must step back and walk away.”
</P><P>It’s logical enough advice. Plus, Verus is an oracle angel. In my experience, she’s right most of the time. Perhaps I should give up. Go home. Play with my kid. Smooch my hottie husband. Get a mocha.
</P><P>That lasts all of five seconds.
</P><P>Screw it. I’m going in.
</P><P>I grasp the handle and pull.</P>
<br>~<a href=https://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2021/04/blurb-blitz-clockwork-igni-by-christina.html target=_blank>Follow the rest of the tour</a>
<h2>About Christina Bauer</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHtuQUt4dpyL7-iNy2173rlmtjJ-FUFfqsnk3hm9Hx0o65p2qugnq9J-vF9ciR6oFtxXIt_s_iSlNui7wXubCBCznCmI6PMyiQtDI9bGDdybPCmZjV2e6IGWhTmcvE0g22cfdZX1StYhc/s325/_+Christina+Bauer+pic+copy.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="Christina Bauer author image" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="325" data-original-width="325" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHtuQUt4dpyL7-iNy2173rlmtjJ-FUFfqsnk3hm9Hx0o65p2qugnq9J-vF9ciR6oFtxXIt_s_iSlNui7wXubCBCznCmI6PMyiQtDI9bGDdybPCmZjV2e6IGWhTmcvE0g22cfdZX1StYhc/s320/_+Christina+Bauer+pic+copy.jpg"/></a></div>
<P>Christina Bauer thinks that fantasy books are like bacon: they just make life better. All of which is why she writes romance novels that feature demons, dragons, wizards, witches, elves, elementals, and a bunch of random stuff that she brainstorms while riding the Boston T. Oh, and she includes lots of humor and kick-ass chicks, too. Christina lives in Newton, MA with her husband, son, and semi-insane golden retriever, Ruby. She loves to connect with her fans at BauersBooks.com.</P>
<br>Find her online:
<br>-<a href=http://monsterhousebooks.com/blog/category/christina target=_blank>blog</a>
<br>-<a href=https://www.facebook.com/authorBauer/ target=_blank>Facebook</a>
<br>-<a href=https://twitter.com/ target=_blank>Twitter</a>
<br>-<a href=https://www.instagram.com/christina_cb_bauer/ target=_blank>Instagram</a>
<br>-<a href=https://www.linkedin.com/in/cb-bauer-481b12139 target=_blank>Linkedin</a>
<br>-<a href=http://monsterhousebooks.com/authors/cbauer target=_blank>website</a>
<h2>Giveaway</h2>
<P>Christina Bauer will be awarding an angel/demon necklace to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.</P>
<a class="rcptr" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f3711/" rel="nofollow" data-raflid="28e4345f3711" data-theme="classic" data-template="" id="rcwidget_bh0lkmkt">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script>
<h2>Follow the Blog</h2>
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Mary DeSantis, Editor/Story Whispererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18207560013680468072noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247839648816395648.post-78509454193974701692021-05-03T00:30:00.009-04:002021-05-14T09:45:41.518-04:00Review+Giveaway: A Fairy's Quest by Maya Tyler<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOe6z96qb8GWfbP__Sg_jzbUaJZpEElsWQIeZ0A3o-3lboiZXY-LTtX_l169fJ2_5JP_do24Yn7ShSI5dj31UjM9jd4wIej7otP_zMxXx264E-XONpibpJrXCwdTZmfXbkZA_2VsqcRbI/s1200/TourBanner_A+Fairy%2527s+Quest.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="Goddess Fish tour banner for A Fairy’s Quest" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOe6z96qb8GWfbP__Sg_jzbUaJZpEElsWQIeZ0A3o-3lboiZXY-LTtX_l169fJ2_5JP_do24Yn7ShSI5dj31UjM9jd4wIej7otP_zMxXx264E-XONpibpJrXCwdTZmfXbkZA_2VsqcRbI/s400/TourBanner_A+Fairy%2527s+Quest.jpg"/></a></div>
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<h1>A Fairy's Quest</h1>
<h2>A paranormal romance by Maya Tyler</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD70VPo0xnxQPybJG12dLzHuMqyaNdDMUzoKUsD8uzuHbLFJxcVksgYDMxCGVr7NgNMf51Nf5RtJL9GYOpQoF3z_Jy1kI2D0FpCi4XTkZO4a_AMXdekmkkY1iEVAOqGlLLNYFrrVZBy2c/s2048/Cover_A+Fairy%2527s+Quest.jpeg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="cover of A Fairy’s Quest by Maya Tyler" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD70VPo0xnxQPybJG12dLzHuMqyaNdDMUzoKUsD8uzuHbLFJxcVksgYDMxCGVr7NgNMf51Nf5RtJL9GYOpQoF3z_Jy1kI2D0FpCi4XTkZO4a_AMXdekmkkY1iEVAOqGlLLNYFrrVZBy2c/s400/Cover_A+Fairy%2527s+Quest.jpeg"/></a></div>
<P>A century ago, the fairy crown was stolen from Alina Lehrer's clan, but now the usurper is dead and it's time to reclaim what's theirs. Rylan Jackson, codename Orion, is The Court's most trusted assassin who always gets the job done. Until his target is Alina, the one woman he can’t resist. Fate has placed them on opposing sides for the crown, but Alina soon learns Fate isn't set in stone.</P>
<h2>Excerpt</h2>
<P>She picked up the elegant book. The tangible presence of a sharp pain ripped through her head. No. Not again.
</P><P>She saw herself sitting, tied to a chair, in the old woman’s living room. The force behind the truth spell pulled the words from her mouth. “I am Alina Lehrer…” The old woman’s cold eyes viewed her with such hatred. Such vile loathing that Alina saw her death foretold in their depths. This is it. I’m going to die. Hopelessness permeated her very being. So many regrets— I’m going to die before I’ve ever lived. She choked on that bitter thought. Sparks arced out of the old woman’s finger as she prepared to cast another spell. Alina closed her eyes, silently begging for salvation and absolution. It was futile to hope for rescue. No one knew where they were; ergo, no one would come to save them. I’m sorry, Mother, I failed you. Again. Despair encased her, weighing her down, covering her like a funeral shroud. Its pungent taste lingered in her mouth as she screamed, freefalling into the dark, an endless chasm created by her defeat. Unable to bear it, she succumbed to the darkness.
</P><P>Alina Lehrer shook off the unbidden memory. Everything’s okay. I’m safe here.</P>
<br>~Buy A Fairy’s Quest at the <a href=http://tirgearrpublishing.com/authors/Tyler_Maya/a-fairys-quest.htm target=_blank>publisher’s site</a>
<br>Also buy the previous two books:
<br>-<a href= http://tirgearrpublishing.com/authors/Tyler_Maya/a-vampires-tale.htm target=_blank>A Vampire’s Tale</a>
<br>-<a href=http://tirgearrpublishing.com/authors/Tyler_Maya/a-wizards-choice.htm target=_blank>A Wizard’s Choice</a>
<br>~<a href= https://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2021/03/review-tour-fairys-quest-by-maya-tyler.html target=_blank>Follow the rest of the tour</a>
<h2>Review</h2>
<P>This was fun and deep in equal measure. Lots of really good stuff in here about PTSD—what it is, how it’s treated, how it develops/occurs. There was one point where the delivery of that information felt a bit too much like a textbook, which took me out of the story, but otherwise, it was handled well. It fit the plot and character perfectly, and it didn’t feel like something tossed in to satisfy some “mental health representation” category. I love when stories organically integrate these kinds of things. In my opinion, it makes the learning more affective than either a textbook or “character gets mad and rants about people who don’t understand all the time” approach. Long story short, brava!
</P><P>As I said, the PTSD didn’t feel like it overtook the story, which left me to quite enjoy the rest of what was going on—romance, fairy politics, power-hungry villains. Lots going on in here that made my reading experience fly by in a good way. Plenty of tension (both in and out of the bedroom), and there was a good amount of spice, too. All in all, a great paranormal romance that covered some big topics. Definitely recommend.</P>
<h2>About Maya Tyler</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixQPN16e3_SrnGpI-4iZqLsMsC5PgmCLEz7E3qy8K9jvLhpFMzTMG9RV3mJFbacIgQDSoU8fRo9YNmSgLxGdH7bNKuWmP7ZlqQ52d99P-Fuy1jDQSxSbOjlciHNzSTe-qWQgKiroqEUzQ/s250/author+pic.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="Maya Tyler author image" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixQPN16e3_SrnGpI-4iZqLsMsC5PgmCLEz7E3qy8K9jvLhpFMzTMG9RV3mJFbacIgQDSoU8fRo9YNmSgLxGdH7bNKuWmP7ZlqQ52d99P-Fuy1jDQSxSbOjlciHNzSTe-qWQgKiroqEUzQ/s320/author+pic.jpg"/></a></div>
<P>Maya Tyler is a multi-published author of paranormal romance novels and blogger at Maya’s Musings (https://mayatylerauthor.blogspot.com/). An avid reader, Maya writes the books she loves to read—romances! Her paranormal romances come with complex plot twists and happily-ever-afters.
</P><P>When she’s not writing, she enjoys reading, listening to music (alternative rock, especially from the 1990s), practicing yoga, and watching movies and TV.
</P><P>Maya loves to hear from fellow authors and readers! Please connect with her through social media.</P>
<br>-<a href=https://www.facebook.com/maya.tyler.792 target=_blank>Facebook</a>
<br>-<a href=https://twitter.com/mayatylerauthor target=_blank>Twitter</a>
<br>-<a href=https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6478044.Maya_Tyler target=_blank>Goodreads</a>
<br>-<a href=https://www.pinterest.com/mayatyler792/ target=_blank>Pinterest</a>
<br>-<a href=https://www.instagram.com/mayatylerauthor/ target=_blank>Instagram</a>
<<h2>Giveaway</h2>
<P>Maya Tyler will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.</P>
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Mary DeSantis, Editor/Story Whispererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18207560013680468072noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247839648816395648.post-69342613125086260312021-04-30T00:30:00.003-04:002021-05-14T09:46:44.368-04:00Review+Giveaway: Damsel in a Dress by Kirsten Weiss<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj96wHsXltwzmf4th4SD4zCiotWpwKXbmtDseV7yU-zd3y7I-cgWwJhlX_W9MzdURAvcFKm5PDNOKa2pA7gOg3tITnk8xEwAY0Aiizc-JD45n-yQclS-393Z-Rul3yFba6MxtDsFV_Fieg/s1200/TourBanner_DamselInADress.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="Goddess Fish tour banner for Damsel in a Dress" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj96wHsXltwzmf4th4SD4zCiotWpwKXbmtDseV7yU-zd3y7I-cgWwJhlX_W9MzdURAvcFKm5PDNOKa2pA7gOg3tITnk8xEwAY0Aiizc-JD45n-yQclS-393Z-Rul3yFba6MxtDsFV_Fieg/s400/TourBanner_DamselInADress.jpg"/></a></div>
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<h1>Damsel in a Dress</h1>
<h2>A cozy mystery by Kirsten Weiss</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0cTndX58T4NcWdg__5vwRa7RzCeqknSZkVuw2SDnuHv9TyOuxiQl4NMZBBtpYcKUkXveqzxznW-HcD5KDNrElCiHzqEyPSIxQ9E4aMwmMm-xFlZ493-8DA85cnvrGdtATrgKPOYTpAE0/s2048/BookCover_damsel-in-a-dress-web.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="cover of Damsel in a Dress by Kirsten Weiss" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0cTndX58T4NcWdg__5vwRa7RzCeqknSZkVuw2SDnuHv9TyOuxiQl4NMZBBtpYcKUkXveqzxznW-HcD5KDNrElCiHzqEyPSIxQ9E4aMwmMm-xFlZ493-8DA85cnvrGdtATrgKPOYTpAE0/s400/BookCover_damsel-in-a-dress-web.jpg"/></a></div>
<P>Bridesmaid duties can be deadly…
</P><P>Maddie Kosloski has more than wedding cake on her plate. She’s managing her paranormal museum, helping her best friend Adele with wedding plans, and trying to prove that Adele’s vintage wedding dress is most definitely not haunted.
</P><P>But when a bridesmaid turns up murdered, Maddie has to solve the crime to save the wedding. As her bouquet of suspects grows, and everyone’s alibis have the ring of truth, Maddie begins to doubt this wedding will go off without a hitch.
</P><P>If you love laugh-out-loud mysteries, witty heroines, and a touch of the paranormal, you’ll love Damsel in a Dress, book 5 in the Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum series of novels. Read this twisty cozy mystery today!</P>
<h2>Excerpt</h2>
<P>The wedding gown ghosted into my museum on a slither of plastic and a shiver of air conditioning. Since it was a paranormal museum, I should have figured that was a sign, an omen, a warning.
</P><P>But all I worried about that morning was stepping on the hem of my best friend’s newly altered dress. I carried it like it was an atom bomb, arms extended, treading carefully.
</P><P>File that under the had-I-but-known category.
</P><P>My assistant, Leo, looked up from behind the glass counter and slid one finger inside the collar of his Paranormal Museum tee. “Yo.” His black leather jacket was slung over the back of his tall chair. A shock of his ebony hair fell forward, obscuring his eyes.
</P><P>The museum’s front door drifted shut behind me, and the bell jangled above it.
</P><P>“Thanks for managing things.” I draped the dress over the counter. Unpeeling the staticky plastic from my jeans, I scanned the museum, alert for disasters.
</P><P>Visitors wandered between the shelves displaying haunted objects and creepy dolls. Photos of long-dead murderers gazed impassively from their frames beneath the black-painted crown molding.
</P><P>“How many decks did you sell?” I bounced in my low-heeled sandals. The museum was doing better, but we needed to increase our in-store sales.
</P><P>“One.”
</P><P>I deflated. Bummer. Still, I’d only been gone thirty minutes.
</P><P>GD, the museum’s ghost detecting cat, rose from the haunted rocking chair in the corner of the main room. It swayed beneath the ebony cat’s weight.
</P><P>“How’d you get stuck with dress duty anyway?” Leo asked.
</P><P>“I’ll do anything for wedding cake.” Really, I will. Also, I was a bridesmaid, and one of my bridesmaidly duties was picking up the altered wedding gown. Cruelly and unfairly, I had not been selected for cake sampling duty.</P>
<br>~<a href= https://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2021/03/book-blast-damsel-in-dress-by-kirsten.html target=_blank>Follow the rest of the tour</a>
<h2>Review</h2>
<P>I enjoyed the heck out of this. A cozy mystery that revolves around a paranormal museum? You had me at hello. Throw in wedding drama and a protagonist who’s wondering about her professional choices (been there), and I was hooked.
</P><P>The mystery kept me guessing all the way through. Is it possible to almost guess the killer? Because I swear, I was so close (kinda…sorta…). The characters were as interesting and multifaceted as the mystery, and I very much agree with the sentiment about being able to eat Mexican food every day (I wait all week for Monday nights and my burrito, but I digress).
</P><P>I don’t want to say too much and spoil the fun, so I’m going to stop here and just say “go read this.” It’s fifth in a series, so if you are a reader who needs to start from the beginning, I will alter my message slightly to “go read this series.” Either way, I highly recommend this for a fun romp through mystery-land. Looking forward to more from Weiss.</P>
<h2>About Kirsten Weiss</h2>
<P>Kirsten Weiss has never met a dessert she didn’t like, and her guilty pleasures are watching Ghost Whisperer re-runs and drinking red wine. The latter gives her heartburn, but she drinks it anyway.
</P><P>Now based in Colorado Springs, CO, she writes genre-blending cozy mystery, supernatural and steampunk suspense, mixing her experiences and imagination to create vivid worlds of fun and enchantment.
</P><P>If you like funny cozy mysteries, check out her <a href=http://www.kirstenweiss.com/pie-town-mysteries target=_blank>Pie Town Mysteries</a>, <a href=https://www.kirstenweiss.com/tea-and-tarot-mysteries target=_blank>Tea and Tarot</a>, <a href=http://www.kirstenweiss.com/the-perfectly-proper-paranormal-mus-1 target=_blank>Paranormal Museum</a> and <a href=http://www.kirstenweiss.com/doyle-cozy-mystery-series target=_blank>Wits’ End</a> books.
</P><P>If you’re looking for some magic with your mystery, give <a href=http://www.kirstenweiss.com/doyle-witch-cozy-mysteries target=_blank>the Witches of Doyle</a>, <a href=http://www.kirstenweiss.com/riga-hayworth-paranormal-mysteries target=_blank>Riga Hayworth</a> and <a href=http://www.kirstenweiss.com/rocky-bridges-mysteries target=_blank>Rocky Bridges</a> books a try.
</P><P>And if you like steampunk, the <a href=http://www.kirstenweiss.com/sensibility-grey-steampunk-suspense target=_blank>Sensibility Grey</a> series might be for you.
</P><P>Kirsten sends out original short stories of mystery and magic to her mailing list. If you’d like to get them delivered straight to your inbox, make sure to sign up for her newsletter at <a href=http://www.kirstenweiss.com target=_blank>kirstenweiss.com</a>
</P><P>Feel free to follow her on Pinterest <a href=https://www.pinterest.com/kirstenweiss/ target=_blank>@KirstenWeiss</a>, or on <a href=http://www.bookbub.com/authors/kirsten-weiss target=_blank>Bookbub</a>, get in touch on <a href=http://www.facebook.com/kirsten.weiss/ target=_blank>Facebook</a>, post a picture of this book to <a href=https://www.instagram.com/kirstenweissauthor/ target=_blank>Instagram</a> and tag her @kirstenweissauthor, or send her an email. She’ll answer you personally…which may be a good or a bad thing, depending on your perspective.</P>
<br>Email: kweiss2001@kirstenweiss.com
<h2>Giveaway</h2>
<P>Kirsten Weiss will be awarding a $10 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.</P>
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Mary DeSantis, Editor/Story Whispererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18207560013680468072noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247839648816395648.post-6679700914065055722021-04-28T00:30:00.004-04:002021-05-14T09:47:34.233-04:00Excerpt+Giveaway: Dragon Queen by Rod Marsden<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5yxo1CZqiEucw4duv90ADVIvEYnpwukowzSkJTQaspIj0XmXRNatp83jPchhgEh-Bnm4gRk2-rD-rci7cWLehTLI07OsIJONSzUTIfjWjwfTomw-Lqx4o31xaRZNlbVUn1CYAik1ChPk/s1200/TourBanner_Dragon+Queen.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="Goddess Fish tour banner for Dragon Queen" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5yxo1CZqiEucw4duv90ADVIvEYnpwukowzSkJTQaspIj0XmXRNatp83jPchhgEh-Bnm4gRk2-rD-rci7cWLehTLI07OsIJONSzUTIfjWjwfTomw-Lqx4o31xaRZNlbVUn1CYAik1ChPk/s400/TourBanner_Dragon+Queen.jpg"/></a></div>
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<h1>Dragon Queen</h1>
<h2>A futuristic science fiction by Rod Marsden</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg273k0WSJUK7OGwFA898C7nHYRLmt89vKjrzMbEq_j2htBR6Pqho8MxI08qrkScHsgnDhmQxdTlzeu2u7eUHUKxNwnA1PcGqXHndi2-FjLXjltCwdOpmp7zODiM6PbR5gZNXbFUMGbQUY/s2048/BookCover_DragonQueenGoddessfish.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="cover of Dragon Queen by Rod Marsden" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg273k0WSJUK7OGwFA898C7nHYRLmt89vKjrzMbEq_j2htBR6Pqho8MxI08qrkScHsgnDhmQxdTlzeu2u7eUHUKxNwnA1PcGqXHndi2-FjLXjltCwdOpmp7zODiM6PbR5gZNXbFUMGbQUY/s400/BookCover_DragonQueenGoddessfish.jpg"/></a></div>
<P>Mixing with your betters can get you killed. Dragons know this as does a certain maverick pilot and his researcher wife. It is possible to get thrown into events not of your own making in which you must do your best to survive. Meanwhile, somewhere not far from mainland Tasmania, there is an island named Green Maiden’s Folly. What’s it like? Is it paradise, or has it been made over into a worse destination hellhole than Devil’s Island used to be like in the 19th and 20th Centuries? On Green Maiden’s Folly, the destiny of the dragon is revealed.
</P><P>This post contains affiliate links. <a href=http://kitnkabookle.blogspot.com/p/disclosures.html>Click here for the full disclosure statement</a>.</P>
<h2>Excerpt</h2>
<P>Elanora’s black scales shone in the early morning light. She smiled at the effect the sun had on her spiked tail and also her legs, arms, and claws. The sun came up over the silvery sea. It was always a welcome sight, the start of a new day on her island. In the distance, waves rose and crashed before they could get to shore. A breeze touched her all too human nose, lips, and ears. It should have been unpleasant, but it wasn’t. She found the smell of salt in the air invigorating.
</P><P>Lizards were bothered by the cold, but despite her lacertilian features, Elanora wasn’t a reptile. She was a dragon, and regardless of the plume of white coming from her mouth, she wasn’t shivering. In fact, she preferred a cool climate. She looked around for company because it was the loneliness that got to her, not the near frozen air.
</P><P>She picked up a stick and drew a rectangle in the sand. A small blackish-grey crab came out of the rolling surf, and with its eyes on stalks, looked up at her. “These are the dragons,” she told the creature. “They are on the bottom. That’s not a good place to be. They’re mutants like me, but I’m special because I’m a female, and I’m not supposed to exist.”</P>
<br>~Buy Dragon Queen on <a href=https://amzn.to/3aeZV6s target=_blank>Amazon</a>
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<h2>About Rod Marsden</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIP1Do5PnSQ8QNuseFQaJw4E1QsJlPcw3OLCjGNDri_MOxz_Kq1wNML6UrGwpQ3bb20Bg_b6PPfqpdKabJD83V3Ko4cScYTCdyPuuw8y2yUASCcqCSh_wbWl_ZGCABMLxTNa3F2YBBdIc/s504/RodMarsdenDragonQueenPhoto.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="Rod Marsden author image" border="0" height="320" data-original-height="504" data-original-width="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIP1Do5PnSQ8QNuseFQaJw4E1QsJlPcw3OLCjGNDri_MOxz_Kq1wNML6UrGwpQ3bb20Bg_b6PPfqpdKabJD83V3Ko4cScYTCdyPuuw8y2yUASCcqCSh_wbWl_ZGCABMLxTNa3F2YBBdIc/s320/RodMarsdenDragonQueenPhoto.jpg"/></a></div>
<P>Author Rod Marsden was born in Sydney, Australia. He has three degrees, all related to writing and history. He spent nine and a half years as a civilian clerk with the Royal Australian Navy. His proudest moments there were in the publications area.
</P><P>He enjoys wildlife photography and in recent years, joined Illawarra Birders. He went on a birding expedition to the main north island of New Zealand, where he came upon wildlife unique to that country. There he also met up for the first time with correspondent, friend, and novelist Lyn McConchie. He shares his fascination with nature with his entire family, including his niece Jasmine Perala. Her pet, Kiki, is a young, female eclectus parrot and, soggy from a recent shower, is featured on Rod Marsden’s shoulder on the back cover of this book.
</P><P>His stories have been published in Australia, England, Russia, the USA, and Canada. He has work in the Australian anthology Small Suburban Crimes, the American anthology Cats Do it Better, the American steampunk anthology Break Time, the Canadian anthology Morbid Metamorphosis, and in the Canadian anthology Grey Matter Monsters – Takers of Souls.
</P><P>Many of his short stories, including “The Antarctic Pineapple,” have been published in Night to Dawn magazine. Undead Reb Down Under and Other Vampire Stories is a collection of his early short fiction on vampirism. Disco Evil is his first venture into the vampire novel. Ghost Dance is his first undertaking into dark fantasy involving a quest plus secret agents out to prevent demonic takeover. It has been reprinted with a new cover. Desk Job is his salute to Lewis Carroll.
</P><P>His short plays, Zombie Vision, Hyde and Seek, and Smarty were well received at Cronulla Arts Theatre, south coast, New South Wales, Australia. Both his plays Smarty and Hyde and Seek made it into Sydney’s Short and Sweet contest.
</P><P>He has a short story in The Twofer Compendium edited by Ruth Littner and Ann Stolinsky (2020) in which he mentions the Berry Celtic Festival, which took place every May in a farming community on the south coast of New South Wales, Australia. It is a festival that, unfortunately, had to be cancelled in 2020 because of the coronavirus but will hopefully resume in May 2021.</P>
<br>Find him online:
<br>-<a href=http://rod-marsden.id.au/ target=_blank>website</a>
<br>-<a href=https://www.facebook.com/rod.marsden target=_blank>Facebook</a>
<h2>Giveaway</h2>
<P>Night to Dawn Magazine & Books LLC will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn commenter.</P>
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Mary DeSantis, Editor/Story Whispererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18207560013680468072noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247839648816395648.post-12306581704718469882021-04-26T00:30:00.005-04:002021-05-14T09:48:24.056-04:00Excerpt+Giveaway: Reel to Reel by Isla Grey<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiym1uMfKdUGmZ2YQYfMb5pjezzlqhTtXtX1bSgnAxEqddAzJBrVfflAJcjOOqVaUL7FA-pKZCNp2evKwzDH8BDrvle7jMdpUNhyphenhyphenU8wLpAFUBW4WFC1JGCXZJRdVnvwYmWUkjw-oJQFn9E/s1200/TourBanner_Reel+to+Reel.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="Goddess Fish tour banner for Reel to Reel" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiym1uMfKdUGmZ2YQYfMb5pjezzlqhTtXtX1bSgnAxEqddAzJBrVfflAJcjOOqVaUL7FA-pKZCNp2evKwzDH8BDrvle7jMdpUNhyphenhyphenU8wLpAFUBW4WFC1JGCXZJRdVnvwYmWUkjw-oJQFn9E/s400/TourBanner_Reel+to+Reel.jpg"/></a></div>
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<h1>Reel to Reel - Movie Mistakes from Hollywood's Favorite Films</h1>
<h2>by Isla Grey</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgc29piw-p1HwkV1v3VD9n2FRWdImUgWwZx_udG3Gxt1zAq4EKl1t8aLYQHRlbbqk6yuIlxzFFloKkkKJNlWZ4Sv23Qu7U9DZtQo9R3xO7Fis059Z6zSjF_9vjmPKzb9PfnQlyBuTx-QI/s2048/BookCover_Reel+to+Reel+Cover+%25282%2529.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="cover of Reel to Reel by Isla Grey" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgc29piw-p1HwkV1v3VD9n2FRWdImUgWwZx_udG3Gxt1zAq4EKl1t8aLYQHRlbbqk6yuIlxzFFloKkkKJNlWZ4Sv23Qu7U9DZtQo9R3xO7Fis059Z6zSjF_9vjmPKzb9PfnQlyBuTx-QI/s400/BookCover_Reel+to+Reel+Cover+%25282%2529.jpg"/></a></div>
<P>Lights, Camera, Action! From the very beginning, the world of cinema has captivated us. We have found ourselves laughing at our favorite comedies, crying when love finally comes to fruition, being beamed to other worlds or battling in the midst of action sequences. While movies might be the perfect entertainment, most have slight imperfections, mistakes, which go unseen, until they’re released and caught by the movie audience. These mistakes don’t detract from the film, and finding them are just as fun as watching the movie. For the past several years, Isla Grey has written a “Movie Mistakes” column for Bellaonline. “Reel to Reel” is a collection of some of those columns, spotlighting the fun goofs found in some of our favorite movies. Can you spot them? Grab the popcorn, sit back, and happy movie watching!
</P><P>This post contains affiliate links. <a href=http://kitnkabookle.blogspot.com/p/disclosures.html>Click here for the full disclosure statement</a>.</P>
<h2>Excerpt</h2>
<br>Love Story
<P>Wealthy, preppie and angry hockey player - Harvard law student, Oliver Barrett IV, meets and falls in love with Jennifer Cavalleri, a head strong music student. Despite the misgivings of his mother and father, Oliver asks Jenny to marry him, and she accepts. The two marry and struggle to make ends meet during the first few years of their marriage as Jenny teaches school while Oliver finishes law school. Just as things start to look up for the young couple when Oliver gets a job at a big law firm, tragedy strikes. Here are a few movie mistakes to look for while watching “Love Story”.
</P><P>In the second hockey game, against Cornell, Oliver’s dad is in the crowd. Oliver gets penalized and is sent to the penalty box for five minutes for fighting. His face is bleeding but there is no blood on his shirt. It cuts to a view of his dad and then back to Oliver. There are now splotches of blood on his left shoulder.
</P><P>Jenny and Oliver receive the invitation to the dinner for his dad’s birthday. Jenny is reading the invitation out loud and the view of the two shows her holding the invitation down, near her lap. It cuts to a right-side view and she’s holding the invitation in her right hand, up in front of her face. Also, when it cuts to the right-side view, Oliver is holding a pencil in his left hand that he was not before.</P>
<br>~Buy Reel to Reel on <a href=https://amzn.to/3n2u3Y6 target=_blank>Amazon</a>
<br>~<a href=https://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2021/04/book-blast-reel-to-reel-by-isla-grey.html target=_blank>Follow the rest of the tour</a>
<h2>About Isla Grey</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG3LjNP_Q75iNeu9TPf_RbZ59zWpdZ5oSZLrqbQlzzKyRfrcFWU5gRM5ipcpo-z50aygM_Au83hHra-LytYhi7T5bLN9WGiU_9xdPcMfv85fRO-q1BwuEkjb15xcHe7DfNnIxLxv1Ts2Q/s140/author+photo.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="Isla Grey author image" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="139" data-original-width="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG3LjNP_Q75iNeu9TPf_RbZ59zWpdZ5oSZLrqbQlzzKyRfrcFWU5gRM5ipcpo-z50aygM_Au83hHra-LytYhi7T5bLN9WGiU_9xdPcMfv85fRO-q1BwuEkjb15xcHe7DfNnIxLxv1Ts2Q/s320/author+photo.jpg"/></a></div>
<P>Isla Grey is from Central Virginia and at an early age developed a love of movies. She shared many Sunday afternoons watching old favorites with her grandmother that included everything from “Gone with the Wind” and “Rio Bravo” to “Titanic” and “The Mummy”. (Her grandmother may or may not have made fun of her when she covered her eyes during “Anaconda”.)
</P><P>Working as Bellaonline’s Movie Mistakes editor since 2012 has given Isla the opportunity to indulge in two of her passions—movies and writing.
</P><P>When Isla isn’t writing or watching movies, most of her time is spent with her ever active daughter and her band of cats. She also enjoys good music, reading biographies and ghost stories and taking quiet strolls.</P>
<br>Find her online:
<br>-<a href=www.islagrey.com target=_blank>website</a>
<br>-<a href=https://www.facebook.com/AuthorIslaGrey/ target=_blank>Facebook</a>
<br>-<a href=https://twitter.com/IslaGrey1 target=_blank>Twitter</a>
<h2>Giveaway</h2>
<P>Isla Grey will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.</P>
<a class="rcptr" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f3722/" rel="nofollow" data-raflid="28e4345f3722" data-theme="classic" data-template="" id="rcwidget_m9178jq8">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
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Mary DeSantis, Editor/Story Whispererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18207560013680468072noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247839648816395648.post-75639956106027826652021-04-22T00:30:00.004-04:002021-05-14T09:49:12.941-04:00Review+Giveaway: The Virus of Beauty by C.B. Lyall<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuHgCuVJAp7o_z-uyv8iBu2YICrCeeA8LYlXuXo68yjUrnnNJQ3FEm5ZBqYOcI_ztrJaWCFSVKdODxPEhFoHf0eSouT5qNZcPdeUEqbi16HXKARmSvzOB4ssSocA0b8UpiynALP-ToFY8/s1200/TourBanner_The+Virus+of+Beauty.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="Goddess Fish tour banner for The Virus of Beauty" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuHgCuVJAp7o_z-uyv8iBu2YICrCeeA8LYlXuXo68yjUrnnNJQ3FEm5ZBqYOcI_ztrJaWCFSVKdODxPEhFoHf0eSouT5qNZcPdeUEqbi16HXKARmSvzOB4ssSocA0b8UpiynALP-ToFY8/s400/TourBanner_The+Virus+of+Beauty.jpg"/></a></div>
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<h1>The Virus of Beauty</h1>
<h2>A YA fantasy by C.B. Lyall</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVl6GUSjq5hxx8Lmq9EyHZL5-T9s8lrL6OcxLY_bLtgBKWq2h5-l95PakOHplnhBg-94o-kcIAh3tavuagoPG7Aoxs8Av4tbFfAyNQ8YRsbjkmQCg0MT_PXGM8lhZLvv9mrwpijdlP9O8/s1280/BookCover_The+Virus+of+Beauty.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="cover of The Virus of Beauty by C.B. Lyall" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVl6GUSjq5hxx8Lmq9EyHZL5-T9s8lrL6OcxLY_bLtgBKWq2h5-l95PakOHplnhBg-94o-kcIAh3tavuagoPG7Aoxs8Av4tbFfAyNQ8YRsbjkmQCg0MT_PXGM8lhZLvv9mrwpijdlP9O8/s400/BookCover_The+Virus+of+Beauty.jpg"/></a></div>
<P>Ugliness is power, and the Virus of Beauty is spreading causing panic throughout the witch population.
</P><P>Wilf Gilvary is a teenage wizard who is terrified of using magic. When his father dies under mysterious circumstances, Wilf is plunged into the middle of a political struggle between the witches and wizards in the Magical Realm. He’d rather play soccer than practice magic, but he’s forced to make a choice between the life of a normal Hong Kong teen and one of wizardry after a powerful virus begins to decimate the witch community. The cure is spellbound in a journal Wilf inherited from his father and when his friend Katryna contracts the virus, Wilf understands that he must overcome his fear of magic to unlock the journal’s secrets – but will it be too late to save her?
</P><P>This post contains affiliate links. <a href=http://kitnkabookle.blogspot.com/p/disclosures.html>Click here for the full disclosure statement</a>.</P>
<h2>Excerpt</h2>
<P>The tattoo pulsed. He shoved the hand into his pants pocket and continued threading his way through the store’s cluttered shelves of T-shirts, Laughing Buddhas, shot glasses, and Happy Cats. The sinking feeling in his stomach grew.
</P><P>A sharp pain shot up his arm.
“What the…?”
</P><P>A rumbling groan echoed around the store. He glanced towards the alcove housing the Mages Crystal. His eyes widened as the mirrored surface glowed red. A loud crack pierced the air like a ball smashing through a window. He ran for the supply closet and forced his six-foot body inside.
</P><P>Quartz exploded across the room from the crystal’s center.
</P><P>He felt a whoosh of air next to his ear as he slammed the door shut. He switched on the closet light and stepped backward into brooms and mop handles that banged the back of his head. A large piece of polished quartz, still vibrating from its violent impact with the wall, reflected the shock in his gray eyes.
</P><P>Thuds echoed in the tiny room as projectiles impaled the door. He touched his ear, but seeing no blood on his fingers, exhaled. That had been too close.
</P><P>Several seconds passed before he braved stepping outside. The store was filled with colliding rainbows as sunlight hit the debris. Wilf blinked rapidly. Crystal daggers studded the closet’s wooden door. All he’d done was look in the crystal’s direction, but his father would blame him for this disaster.
</P><P>“Wilf, is that you?” Reginald’s shout was followed by a creaking sound from the basement stairs.
</P><P>Wilf bolted for the front door. His shoes crunched the broken glass. He jerked open the door and the bell gave a traitorous jingle.</P>
<br>~Buy The Virus of Beauty on <a href=https://amzn.to/32idDRM target=_blank>Amazon</a>
<br>~<a href=https://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2021/02/fs-nbtm-virus-of-beauty-by-c-b-lyall.html target=_blank>Follow the rest of the tour</a>
<h2>Review</h2>
<P>This was an interesting and entertaining read. I really liked the take on beauty and “traditional” beauty equaling weakness. Witches complimented one another on warts, which was fun and also a nod to how beauty truly is in the eye of the beholder.
</P><P>The storyline was also interesting. The old-school wizards dynamic against the witches fighting for their place of power was both timely and just a good story. The main character’s reluctance to use magic and love for soccer made him a great player and memorable. There were some twists I didn’t see coming, too. This definitely kept me on my toes.
</P><P>All in all, this was definitely worth the read. I recommend this to fantasy fans who want something different but still with an air of traditional. Recommend.</P>
<h2>About C.B. Lyall</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxonpJrMYQG4IQ4uzyxUKtk3zY22doh64lY_LxYQhcAgouAzLmoJofd0N17iIVSmRozsVA0abJtY6nur8pEmX3vTvGGO2Rfs7KoyneO8kQMKZKS4Ecm2HIeVasCxuptzY9fW9pNB9a_qw/s800/Author+Pic.jpeg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="C.B. Lyall author image" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="736" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxonpJrMYQG4IQ4uzyxUKtk3zY22doh64lY_LxYQhcAgouAzLmoJofd0N17iIVSmRozsVA0abJtY6nur8pEmX3vTvGGO2Rfs7KoyneO8kQMKZKS4Ecm2HIeVasCxuptzY9fW9pNB9a_qw/s320/Author+Pic.jpeg"/></a></div>
<P>Carolyn Lyall was born in Stockton-On-Tees, United Kingdom. As a child Carolyn growing up in Northern England in the sixties Carolyn loved sports, reading and amateur dramatics. She joined a renaissance group, practiced the broadsword and dreamed of visiting other worlds. Her passion for what could be drove her forward when faced with everyday struggles. Her first memorable skirmish with gender inequality came at nine-years old when she was told that only boys were allowed to play soccer. In response, she simply refused to do any classwork until they changed their old-fashioned policies. She won that battle.
</P><P>At the age of 18, she took a role as typist for a nursing school in Middlesbrough. She then moved to London and enrolled in night school. She was quickly recognized for her ability to fit in anywhere and for not being afraid to push back on the predominantly male leadership. She eventually became a project manager in software development and micro-computers, bridging the gap between computer programmers and management.
</P><P>Her dream to travel was finally realized in 1990 when she moved to New York City, USA with her husband and the first of three sons. This was the steppingstone to a lifelong adventure that has taken her and her family to India, Belgium and Hong Kong.
</P><P>Raising her family in multiple countries around the world, she saw that each move, while a shock, was an opportunity for her sons to redefine themselves against new challenges and different cultural norms. Now, that her sons have left home, Carolyn has used her passion for the fantastic to create a world where every day gender inequalities are at the forefront of a world ending conflict. She shares this story through the eyes of a young man who is suddenly thrust into this new world along with all of his own woes and prejudices. The introduction to this world is in Carolyn’s debut YA fantasy novel, “The Virus of Beauty,” due to be released July 31, 2019 under C B Lyall.
</P><P>Carolyn has published two short stories in an annual anthology by 25 Servings of Soop. She wrote a number of articles for the American Women’s Associates Magazine. Fueled by her love of the works of Terry Pratchett, Sarah J Maas, Cassandra Clare, Brandon Sanderson and others, Carolyn has completed a number of writing courses, which included a Master Fantasy/Science Fiction writers course with Gotham Writers’ Workshop, a YA Voice class and Advance Novel Writing course at Sarah Lawrence College’s Writing Institute.</P>
<br>Find her online:
<br>-<a href=http://www.cblyall.com target=_blank>website</a>
<br>-<a href= https://www.facebook.com/CarolynBLyall/ target=_blank>Facebook</a>
<br>-<a href=https://twitter.com/cblyall target=_blank>Twitter</a>
<br>-<a href=https://www.instagram.com/cblyallauthor/?hl=en target=_blank>Instagram</a>
<h2>Giveaway</h2>
<br>One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card.<br>
<a class="rcptr" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f3679/" rel="nofollow" data-raflid="28e4345f3679" data-theme="classic" data-template="" id="rcwidget_7t9begl9">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
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<h2>Follow the Blog</h2>
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Mary DeSantis, Editor/Story Whispererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18207560013680468072noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247839648816395648.post-78254895464293178322021-04-21T00:30:00.005-04:002021-05-14T09:50:07.110-04:00Excerpt+Giveaway: Realm of Dragons by L.C. Conn<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0r-myJRAl4olS50jgujLR8syMBHudUPgiU-5I83jRRAEnRGQqPBoYb6CmhDrdnBATSAYOSgrM_QABOTwhCaNiPjzZO70L7xN6RY0Nyz1L8PzWwj9284ZOhqprQrENUyaue2a-_7xtF-Q/s1200/TourBanner_Realm+of+Dragons.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="Goddess Fish tour banner for Realm of Dragons" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0r-myJRAl4olS50jgujLR8syMBHudUPgiU-5I83jRRAEnRGQqPBoYb6CmhDrdnBATSAYOSgrM_QABOTwhCaNiPjzZO70L7xN6RY0Nyz1L8PzWwj9284ZOhqprQrENUyaue2a-_7xtF-Q/s400/TourBanner_Realm+of+Dragons.jpg"/></a></div>
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<h1>Realm of Dragons: Fight for the Crown</h1>
<h2>A fantasy novel by L.C. Conn</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmSpiS3Nzyi3CJkVLoS5rZ0O5AlZX84RvvZ1aW3qKm-gClhgPdn17f0YKMjMgevg9trwZR_m4S1pwaaXMpwC2vV9rP92ohEUK8UQXTec61C-eJwtjbaytJt1bBup6tLPAIXl4ZztMetFA/s2048/Book+Cover_RealmOf+Dragons.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="cover of Realm of Dragons by L.C. Conn" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmSpiS3Nzyi3CJkVLoS5rZ0O5AlZX84RvvZ1aW3qKm-gClhgPdn17f0YKMjMgevg9trwZR_m4S1pwaaXMpwC2vV9rP92ohEUK8UQXTec61C-eJwtjbaytJt1bBup6tLPAIXl4ZztMetFA/s400/Book+Cover_RealmOf+Dragons.jpg"/></a></div>
<P>The Realm of Dragons is in peril from hidden plots and conspirators, which threaten not only the crown, but the dragons that are at the very heart of it.
</P><P>Teagan Loinsigh, long ago banished from her magical home of dragons now lives on Earth. Her dreams and memories of the great creatures are put down to fantasies and an overactive imagination, until one day she comes across a creature so unlike any other in the land she lives in. A baby dragon.
</P><P>Muniath Magaoidh, a Dragon Warden fallen so low by a failed mission, must be brought back from his despair to retrieve what is lost.
</P><P>Scetis Mordha, alone in the world since he was a child. Finds himself in the middle of intrigue and conspiracy against The Realm of Dragons.
</P><P>Tying them all together is a dragon. Not just a dragon but The King of Dragons.
</P><P>Can these four save The Realm of Dragons?</P>
<h2>Excerpt</h2>
<P>The wind tugged at the fur outer edge as it sought to tear the snug fitting hood from his head. Scetis made sure the mouth and nose flap was securely in place as he squinted into the raging blizzard. His only thought was up. As long as he could still feel himself climbing, he knew he was going the right way. He lifted his foot out of the newly fallen soft snow and stepped forwards, only for it to sink down now to his knee. Pulling at his other, he kept moving higher and higher.
</P><P>A cold chill went up his spine, one that had nothing to do with the bad weather around him. Scetis stumbled a little, feeling his legs go numb and pains race through his chest. He felt like the air was leaving his body and ripped the covering from his face. The freezing air raced into his lungs and chilled him to the bone. Driven down onto his knees he sank into the snow; it gripped at him, almost welcoming him into its embrace. Still gasping for breath, he fumbled with the straps of his bag, hoping to get to the elixir, trying to stop the pain that now ravaged his body as the poison took over. His mind raced, his hands shook, and he could not get the buckles undone. A cry escaped his lips and he pitched forward into the snow. Then all was dark.</P>
<br>~<a href= https://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2021/03/book-blast-realm-of-dragons-fight-for.html target=_blank>Follow the rest of the tour</a>
<h2>About L.C. Conn</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb4toWgipkmEonoCwLcGLByDWGhqEGE75CINXjZP5zAcPY3r5h1_b5N4b1vaH3PhE944_OlTQtigIlKzvNajdzLfGjwrDoZuM8KqKjS5hdTZfOw3LpdO6-rvNEoej4aF47QqxgMhE8Ek4/s269/L+C+Conn+-+Author+Photo.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="L.C. Conn author image" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="269" data-original-width="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb4toWgipkmEonoCwLcGLByDWGhqEGE75CINXjZP5zAcPY3r5h1_b5N4b1vaH3PhE944_OlTQtigIlKzvNajdzLfGjwrDoZuM8KqKjS5hdTZfOw3LpdO6-rvNEoej4aF47QqxgMhE8Ek4/s320/L+C+Conn+-+Author+Photo.jpg"/></a></div>
<P>L.C. Conn grew up on the outskirts of Upper Hutt, New Zealand. Her backyard encompassed the surrounding farmland, river, hills and mountains which she wandered with her brothers and fed her imagination. After discovering a love for writing in English class at the age of eight, she continued to write in secret. It was not until much later in life that L.C. turned what she thought was a hobby and something fun to do, into her first completed novel. Now married, L.C. moved from New Zealand to Perth, Western Australia, and became a stay at home mum. While caring for her family and after battling breast cancer, a story was born from the kernel of a dream. The first book of The One True Child Series was begun, and just kept blooming into seven completed stories, which have garnered great reviews. She continues her career with more stories waiting in the wings to be released.</P>
<br>Find her online:
<br>-EMAIL: raindropc1970@gmail.com
<br>-<a href=http://www.facebook.com/LCConn target=_blank>Facebook</a>
<br>-<a href=https://twitter.com/ConnLoraine target=_blank>Twitter</a>
<br>-<a href=https//www.instagram.com/l.c.conn target=_blank>Instagram</a>
<br>-<a href=https//lcconnwriter.wordpress.com/ target=_blank>website</a>
<br>-<a href=https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17714374.L_C_Conn target=_blank>Goodreads</a>
<h2>Giveaway</h2>
<P>L.C. Conn will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.</P>
<a class="rcptr" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f3712/" rel="nofollow" data-raflid="28e4345f3712" data-theme="classic" data-template="" id="rcwidget_lzictkaq">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
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Mary DeSantis, Editor/Story Whispererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18207560013680468072noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247839648816395648.post-53370569752953651342021-04-19T00:15:00.015-04:002021-05-14T09:51:46.453-04:00Review+Giveaway: Catch it Spinning by Claudia J. Severin<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ8-wcGwM_9jzZNCX0JxpBrCkhprPvRxg59uBZ6_tXd61_87dm6HXGI65untOKTRSxm51i9VZ_DXfo_s-d1BaC6-LY3QEDIQ7tMEXxBBLNuqS4dLRyTJCunPAt8wQ8KPGCxxhj0SGnQxw/s1200/TourBanner_Catch+It+Spinning.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="Goddess Fish tour banner for Catch it Spinning" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ8-wcGwM_9jzZNCX0JxpBrCkhprPvRxg59uBZ6_tXd61_87dm6HXGI65untOKTRSxm51i9VZ_DXfo_s-d1BaC6-LY3QEDIQ7tMEXxBBLNuqS4dLRyTJCunPAt8wQ8KPGCxxhj0SGnQxw/s400/TourBanner_Catch+It+Spinning.jpg"/></a></div>
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<h1>Catch It Spinning</h1>
<h2>A historical romance by Claudia J. Severin</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZqvkV3BJ1vUxP7Op3h2-apNcCVWWhP-aYXFP90aRBCsY4JNUEcHNvC2N9byehichM2CuCPvfumLp51Qg1lf72Oa3kH3isKyPwZ_i-xI3cMHu-VTv7AXIkmf8UyWiyMEoZaro_ll_4t4c/s1200/Cover-Catch+It+Spinning.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="cover of Catch it Spinning by Claudia J. Severin" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZqvkV3BJ1vUxP7Op3h2-apNcCVWWhP-aYXFP90aRBCsY4JNUEcHNvC2N9byehichM2CuCPvfumLp51Qg1lf72Oa3kH3isKyPwZ_i-xI3cMHu-VTv7AXIkmf8UyWiyMEoZaro_ll_4t4c/s400/Cover-Catch+It+Spinning.jpg"/></a></div>
<P>Yvonne Edison thought she was so lucky, dating a hunky high school football hero. She was proud to be wearing Dick Dunn’s class of 1968 ring. She thought their future was college, marriage, and a family together. Dick thought his future was adding her V-card to his growing collection before moving on to corrupting college coeds.
</P><P>She supposed all innocent girls had rude awakenings. New-boy-in-town Randy Sparks made her forget her unfaithful first sweetheart. Well, almost. But did Randy adore her or was he more enamored with playing basketball and fighter plane games?
</P><P>Daniel Adams knew Yvonne only saw him as the boy next door. His twin sister, Debbie, was her best friend so Yvonne always tolerated him growing up. But one day he realized she had morphed into a stellar beauty and had his pulse racing and boys flocking around her. By the time he was old enough to get a part-time job and buy his own set of wheels, he worried that she may be permanently attached to some other fool.
</P><P>Yvonne sampled a variety of boys: the jock, the party animal, the hippie, the poet. But she wasn’t finding true love like her baton-twirler girlfriends. Was it because she’d kept her boyfriends wanting more like a good girl? Or had she craved control too much to let anyone get so intimate?
</P><P>Fast forward to ten years later, when a medical problem threatened her perfectly manicured marriage. There was a treatment for her malady, but as her husband discovered, it may have been worse than the disease. The serious side effects threatened their relationship, and her happiness kept spinning out of reach just like that baton she once tried to master. She would need all of his love and support to grab on tightly.
</P><P>Catch it Spinning is the first of the Twirler Quartet. The turbulent late 1960s and early 1970s provide the social unrest that simmers in the background even in a sleepy Midwestern city.
</P><P>This post contains affiliate links. <a href=http://kitnkabookle.blogspot.com/p/disclosures.html>Click here for the full disclosure statement</a>.</P>
<h2>Excerpt</h2>
<br>PROM:
<P>The live combo was loud, making it hard to hear each other. “Let’s dance,” Daniel said, pulling Yvonne onto the floor when they sang “My Girl” by the Temptations, a favorite slow number. “Are you worried I am going to step on your feet?” Daniel teased when she hesitated. “I have danced before you know.”
</P><P>Yvonne pressed her lips together and took a few hesitant steps. She’d never danced with any boy who wasn’t taller than her, and she wasn’t sure how it would look or feel. He pulled her into a double-clutch and it didn’t much matter as they each had their heads on the other’s shoulders. He smells good. Oh my goodness, Daniel is wearing cologne. She remembered hearing his mother lecturing him a few years ago about showering every day.
</P><P>He ran his fingers up and down her back. “You sure do look pretty tonight,” he said.
</P><P>“So do you.” Yvonne beamed. She never would have imagined she would go on a date with Daniel. He was the bane of her friendship with Debbie when they were children. He often found another neighborhood boy to side with him causing trouble for the girls. But if anyone else tried to pick on either Debbie or Yvonne, he was always there to defend them. Which is why she started thinking of him as a brother. He reminded her of Clark sometimes with his mixture of loyalty and orneriness.
</P><P>He is right, though. We’re getting older and it is time to give him a chance to show me who he is now.</P>
<br>~Buy Catch it Spinning on <a href=https://amzn.to/3dAKsi6 target=_blank>Amazon</a>
<br>~<a href=https://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2021/02/review-tour-catch-it-spinning-by.html target=_blank>Follow the rest of the tour</a>
<h2>Review</h2>
<P>This was an interesting read. It amazes me what is considered “historical” today in fiction. I see stuff like this called “historical” and think “my parents were alive then…what is happening?!” Can’t wait ‘til the years of my childhood are considered historical (except they might be already…). Anyway, this was a neat look at this point in the history books, so to speak. I found the world to be well drawn and the issues of the time to be handled well.
</P><P>As for the characters, I wound up with a mixed bag of feelings. Some of them were purposefully unlikeable, and those came across strongly. Others were likeable, and I did like them. But there were a few that were supposed to be likeable, and I just had a very tough time connecting with them—Yvonne in particular. Multifaceted and well-rounded characters are a major part of a book. Yvonne definitely had a lot of parts to her, but many of them didn’t feel explored enough. They came together less like a personality and more like a group of things she could put effort behind when it worked for her and the story. I struggled to really get behind her as a protagonist. She struck me as judgmental and, at points, just not very bright for someone who was actually very smart. She cried a lot to the point where tears started to lose their meaning a bit, and she seemed very fussy. She wanted to have her cake and eat it to about pretty much everything, which made her feel high maintenance. I think one of the characters says she has a well-developed sense of indignation at one point, and that seemed to wrap her up well. It was great to see her being strong and opinionated about things, but after a while, I almost felt like asking her if there was anything she didn’t get mad about.
</P><P>I really liked the group-of-friends dynamic. That’s a favorite of mine in fiction, and it was cool to see a group of girlfriends in a YA book who weren’t driven apart by petty things. They did all seem very boy-crazy, even for teenage girls. When I was a teenager, boys were definitely something I thought about, but that said, never quite so much as the girls in this book. It felt a bit unbelievable that they would spend so much time thinking/talking about boys and how to impress them. There were also a couple of other little things that I would read and think “wait, what?” It wasn’t necessarily a lot, but it did pull me out of the story when it happened.
</P><P>All in all, this touched on a lot of big issues in a good way. The characters could have been a bit more developed, which would have helped this feel more like a book about kids growing up amidst background tensions and less like background tensions with characters attached. The spinning aspect felt underplayed, and I would have loved to see more of that and really feel how it influenced and represented Yvonne’s life. To sum up, lots of great stuff in here, but the execution didn’t quite work for me. Others may definitely feel differently.</P>
<h2>About Claudia J. Severin</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR95-4DvEJCYT_dZy-t-3B44vDlevXsYe8S7FlI2oLhkvHdgNyEdmAt5Dq43jgDTqs_Q0vagksurOFbg3ODv4pOiG2MRssmwGFlqIzzddPQsp3job69bk3KR8HFoFug_hAXsJu8PoaY5Y/s653/Author+Pic.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="Claudia J. Severin author image" border="0" height="320" data-original-height="653" data-original-width="483" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR95-4DvEJCYT_dZy-t-3B44vDlevXsYe8S7FlI2oLhkvHdgNyEdmAt5Dq43jgDTqs_Q0vagksurOFbg3ODv4pOiG2MRssmwGFlqIzzddPQsp3job69bk3KR8HFoFug_hAXsJu8PoaY5Y/s320/Author+Pic.jpg"/></a></div>
<P>Claudia Johnson Severin lives on a farm in southeast Nebraska. She grew up in Lincoln, Nebraska, in the Eastridge neighborhood. She went back to her high school twirler days for this series. Like her main characters, she found hours of practice together developed friendships which led to many adventures outside of school.
</P><P>Like Yvonne, she graduated from the University of Nebraska with a journalism degree. She also worked at Lincoln Telephone Company. The infertility storyline is based loosely on the experience of college friends.
</P><P>This is the first of the Twirler Quartet series. She previously wrote Her Side of History—Finding My Foremothers’ Footprints, an anthology of historical fiction about four of her family’s female ancestors.
</P><P>Writing about past decades gives her a chance to rewrite history and gives the characters a chance to benefit from lessons learned in the time since. She loved the 1960s, but wouldn’t trade her smartphone for a teen line or her SUV for her old Volkswagen Beetle.</P>
<br>Find her online:
<br>-<a href=https://claudiaseverin.net target=_blank>website</a>
<br>-<a href=https://www.facebook.com/Author-Claudia-J-Severin-107793754082104 target=_blank>Facebook</a>
<h2>Giveaway</h2>
<P>Claudia J. Severin will be awarding a $20 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.</P>
<a class="rcptr" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f3678/" rel="nofollow" data-raflid="28e4345f3678" data-theme="classic" data-template="" id="rcwidget_9vnv7ukl">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
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Mary DeSantis, Editor/Story Whispererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18207560013680468072noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247839648816395648.post-17599936625182868372021-04-19T00:15:00.014-04:002021-05-14T09:51:00.479-04:00Interview+Giveaway: Murderous Envy by C.J. Carson<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhylLMOAJiLs275EKH7sojOIZX4RIQ-QNixELIZ2-4PmYhNOT33wNtf_pPLnUnGAALD8o5Bdt76uS_HPI0xk5Yr2Qs4XasnvbkifaNt90yZx_QgI3kSOHos8MbFUM14hil4QB9A4VYn5_s/s1200/TourBanner_Murderous+Envy.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="Goddess Fish tourbanner for Murderous Envy" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhylLMOAJiLs275EKH7sojOIZX4RIQ-QNixELIZ2-4PmYhNOT33wNtf_pPLnUnGAALD8o5Bdt76uS_HPI0xk5Yr2Qs4XasnvbkifaNt90yZx_QgI3kSOHos8MbFUM14hil4QB9A4VYn5_s/s400/TourBanner_Murderous+Envy.jpg"/></a></div>
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<h1>Murderous Envy</h1>
<h2>A Paranormal mystery by C.J. Carson</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ROShFLYLuHuoa90tdi1M1lcEQpuoOO0XU2V2VItAQsXaf2mkYCLhjyjF-eZrKC4jQ3cbo-efE29KRDLc4p0yHOpFnPnf7OXG5kxuvRbg6nriGYuPDygccL9mIJ8342fy8UJ4DfElN_U/s1277/BookCover_Murderous+Envy.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="cover of Murderous Envy by C.J. Carson" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="1277" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ROShFLYLuHuoa90tdi1M1lcEQpuoOO0XU2V2VItAQsXaf2mkYCLhjyjF-eZrKC4jQ3cbo-efE29KRDLc4p0yHOpFnPnf7OXG5kxuvRbg6nriGYuPDygccL9mIJ8342fy8UJ4DfElN_U/s400/BookCover_Murderous+Envy.jpg"/></a></div>
<P>Allie Callahan had her whole life mapped out - run her family's marketing firm, make her first million, and get that next big contract. Destiny had another plan. After a catastrophic event forces her to rethink her life's path, Allie discovers that the heritage she's tried so hard to deny is about to lead her in an entirely new direction.
</P><P>Unable to ignore her grandfather's Native American heritage, Allie embarks on a journey that will test her fortitude, strength, and courage, but it will also bring her the one thing she never dreamed possible - Love.
</P><P>This post contains affiliate links. <a href=http://kitnkabookle.blogspot.com/p/disclosures.html>Click here for the full disclosure statement</a>.</P>
<h2>Excerpt</h2>
<P>HOURS WENT BY, THOUGH I COULDN’T be clear how many. I awoke from a dream where I was reliving my attack. Panic swelled in every cell of my body. Disoriented and completely confused; where was I? What had happened to me? Soft lambskin wraps restrained my wrists, with an IV in the back of my hand. My body hurt all over and my left eye was swollen shut.
</P><P>A gentle hand touched mine. I opened my eyes to a small girl, wearing a hospital gown, gazing at me through the bed rails. The warmth of her smile gave me a sense of calmness. That’s when I realized I was in the hospital.
</P><P>A matronly nurse with a heavy Southern accent stole my attention from the little girl.
</P><P>“It’s okay, child, you’re in the hospital. There has been an accident. Please try to stay calm. Let me take off these wrist restraints. I’m so sorry we had to put them on, but you were thrashing so much during the night we thought you might hurt yourself or pull out your IV.”
</P><P>The feeling of desperation overwhelmed me. “Where am I? What’s happening?”
</P><P>She caressed my face, bringing my gaze to her. “My name is Laura and you’re safe. You’re going to be okay. You had an accident, so to speak, and you’re in the hospital.
</P><P>“The hospital? What kind of accident?”
</P><P>“Look, honey, try to stay calm. You had a rough night. Doctor Kennedy will be in shortly to see you.”
</P><P>My throat felt raw and I could hardly speak. “Where is the little girl?”
</P><P>“What little girl?”
</P><P>I pointed to the side of my bed where the child had been standing less than a minute before. “She was right there!”
</P><P>“Honey, I didn’t see any child. The children’s ward is on another floor.”</P>
<br>~Buy Murderous Envy on <a href=https://amzn.to/3spL0MX target=_blank>Amazon</a>
<br>~<a href=https://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2021/03/standard-tour-murderous-envy-by-cj.html target=_blank>Follow the rest of the tour</a>
<h2>An Interview with C.J. Carson</h2>
<br>-What inspired you to become a writer?
<P>I have always loved to invent and write stories. Growing up, my vivid imagination, along with my inability to stand in one place for too long, helped to mold my desire to write. It was, however, the love of history and the arts that helped to inspire my writing. My family lived in many places when I was growing up, and we did a good deal of traveling. For that reason, I was blessed to be exposed to the arts and history at a very early age. In my formative years, I visited places in New York like the Guggenheim Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the American Museum of Natural History. In my travels with my family, I visited places like President Lincoln's home in Springfield, Missouri, Betsy Ross's home in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Mark Twain's childhood home in Hannibal, Missouri. Later in life, I had many other opportunities and was afforded the opportunity to travel to Europe, where I visited other beautiful places like the Castle of Versailles in France, the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland, and the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial.</P>
<br>-If you could visit your book’s world for a day, what one thing would you do?
<P>I would travel through its parallel times and learn first hand about the world's history and meet the many people who helped shape it.</P>
<br>-It’s two in the morning. What does your protagonist reveal in confidence? (Don’t worry, we won’t tell.)
<P>Allie, my protagonist, would confide to you the true and deep-seated reason for suppressing her many gifts and what has driven her so far from the path she was destined to travel in life.</P>
<br>-Which of your characters would you go out for drinks with?
<P>I would love to go out to drinks with Claudia, Allie's sidekick. She is fun, unpredictable, and always speaks her mind.</P>
<br>-You’re in a tavern, and a dwarf challenges you to a duel. What do you do?
<P>I imagine myself in a tavern in Scotland. I believe it is probably never a good idea to get into a duel with a dwarf, nor a good idea to ignore a challenge. I think I would try to charm my way out of it with complements.</P>
<br>-Is there a genre you could never write? Which and why?
<P>I might attempt to write in any number of genres. I learned a precious lesson once when I entered a forty-eight-hour film festival with a group from Maine. Because it was a contest, the genre was literally the luck of the draw. You had the option to pull a genre from a bowl. You had one opportunity to change it for a second choice, but then you had to stay with that second choice; there was no going back. We chose horror, which was not something we had done before. It would never have been our first choice, but we thought there were other genres we liked even less, so we stretched and kept it. That weekend was the first time we had worked together as a group, and we rose to the challenge and came out of it with great reviews and a nomination for best special effects.</P>
<h2>About C.J. Carson</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdjBBZ8w367jkdaBtBv3QhrxiLtdz7C9I3v7bMS7ZrawiIPM-7tKyzxbZnSeHAQEw-eHcg8to-PzDLgHbuocVKDqqLtWvXCqf7NuYKoBpSSDtqc__4yVjHXdpilr2QriKh-NKX1vVMNfQ/s1120/author+photo.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="C.J. Carson author image" border="0" height="320" data-original-height="1120" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdjBBZ8w367jkdaBtBv3QhrxiLtdz7C9I3v7bMS7ZrawiIPM-7tKyzxbZnSeHAQEw-eHcg8to-PzDLgHbuocVKDqqLtWvXCqf7NuYKoBpSSDtqc__4yVjHXdpilr2QriKh-NKX1vVMNfQ/s320/author+photo.jpg"/></a></div>
<P>From a very early age CJ Carson has been inspired by a great story, but what has brought her to this juncture in her life and inspired her to put pen to paper are the many rich experiences and opportunities her life has put in her path.
</P><P>Her love of learning and new adventures has afforded her opportunities to reinvent herself many times over.
</P><P>While working in the medical field she became a licensed massage therapist, attending a number of classes to learn energy work. She then went on to become a Polarity Therapist and Reiki Therapist.
</P><P>As an artist, she has explored many modalities that have taken her on many a journey.
</P><P>Her acting has brought her into the world of theatre both on the stage and behind the scenes.
</P><P>Painting introduced her to a group of artists that shared her passion of bringing a scene to canvas.
</P><P>Her love of singing afforded her the opportunity to travel twice to Europe as a soloist with conductor Sonja Dahlgren Prior and a chorus out of Boston. Sonja, affectionately known as Sunny, inspired her to do something, she never dreamed possible.
</P><P>But something CJ Carson has always wanted to do is write. As a young student in high school, she had a teacher who implored her to pursue a writing career, but life had other plans for her first.
</P><P>Now she is finally introducing to the world her first published work, "Murderous Envy" from her trilogy, Veils of Parallel Times.</P>
<br>Find her online:
<br>-<a href=https://www.cjcarsonauthor.com/ target=_blank>website</a>
<br>-<a href=https://www.instagram.com/cjcarsonauthor/?hl=en target=_blank>Instagram</a>
<br>-<a href=https://www.facebook.com/cj.carson.5602/ target=_blank>Facebook</a>
<br>-<a href=https://twitter.com/cjcarso37472375 target=_blank>Twitter</a>
<br>-<a href=https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIZVHdD5tBSC-J_7DSpZ4VA target=_blank>Youtube</a>
<h2>Giveaway</h2>
<P>CJ Carson will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter..</P>
<a class="rcptr" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f3734/" rel="nofollow" data-raflid="28e4345f3734" data-theme="classic" data-template="" id="rcwidget_h5iuhkrx">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
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Mary DeSantis, Editor/Story Whispererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18207560013680468072noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247839648816395648.post-85594378734771705642021-04-14T00:30:00.007-04:002021-05-14T09:52:42.745-04:00Interview+Giveaway: Finding George Washington by Bill Zarchy<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5jHNP_Aobh8rSh1hgKDl3bajgV6cCR9mnK5PDE9GSRVHAV_egdTWMrtHkinMBKS5wVFonDIvnVE3QKsK939s84XmRNe5XA8rbhGkq11a070gtBjJDnYpbMYszHbu5B9aaMWP63hfNN-c/s1200/TourBanner_FindingGeorgeWashington.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="Goddess Fish tour banner for Finding George Washington" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5jHNP_Aobh8rSh1hgKDl3bajgV6cCR9mnK5PDE9GSRVHAV_egdTWMrtHkinMBKS5wVFonDIvnVE3QKsK939s84XmRNe5XA8rbhGkq11a070gtBjJDnYpbMYszHbu5B9aaMWP63hfNN-c/s400/TourBanner_FindingGeorgeWashington.jpg"/></a></div>
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<h1>Finding George Washington</h1>
<h2>A historical time-travel thriller by Bill Zarchy</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ88fmYrsY1DfVSR75cehvbn0KTbp9NWj8wba1W03wQs15lXAgksyWg48GTkuYljRX6rp-nWlNqnbKfw9Hy4Uh9WJh9Dsr22VnhHaNDUDrRBee1JndAujgfzH1dGyZTJulRlT9eD3x9bI/s1248/BookCover_FindingGeorgeWashington.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="cover of Finding George Washington by Bill Zarchy" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="1248" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ88fmYrsY1DfVSR75cehvbn0KTbp9NWj8wba1W03wQs15lXAgksyWg48GTkuYljRX6rp-nWlNqnbKfw9Hy4Uh9WJh9Dsr22VnhHaNDUDrRBee1JndAujgfzH1dGyZTJulRlT9eD3x9bI/s400/BookCover_FindingGeorgeWashington.jpg"/></a></div>
<P>On a freezing night in 1778, General George Washington vanishes. Walking away from the Valley Forge encampment, he takes a fall and is knocked unconscious, only to reappear at a dog park on San Francisco Bay—in the summer of 2014.
</P><P>Washington befriends two Berkeley twenty-somethings who help him cope with the astonishing—and often comical—surprises of the twenty-first century.
</P><P>Washington’s absence from Valley Forge, however, is not without serious consequences. As the world rapidly devolves around them—and their beloved Giants fight to salvage a disappointing season—George, Tim, and Matt are catapulted on a race across America to find a way to get George back to 1778.
</P><P>Equal parts time travel tale, thriller, and baseball saga, Finding George Washington is a gripping, humorous, and entertaining look at what happens when past and present collide in the 9th inning, with the bases loaded and no one warming up in the bullpen.
</P><P>This post contains affiliate links. <a href=http://kitnkabookle.blogspot.com/p/disclosures.html>Click here for the full disclosure statement</a>.</P>
<h2>Excerpt</h2>
<P>A new freeze gripped the valley, and a few inches of virgin white covered the now-frozen ruts in the roads. When the soldiers first arrived at this winter encampment two months before, rain and cold had compounded the misery of the men. Lately it had been freezing and snowing, making the hardened ground easier to traverse than the sleety, slippery mud had been.
</P><P>A small farmhouse made of tan and brown fieldstone sat in flat bottomland near the creek. The back door opened and a splash of warm light lit the new snow. From inside came the sounds of a party—a fiddle, laughter, and high-energy conversation. A tall man in a heavy cloak and three-cornered hat stepped off the small porch at the rear of the house and into the cold. A sentry snapped to attention.
</P><P>“Just getting some air, lad, stand easy,” the Gdeneral said. “No need to follow.” He trudged off north, away from the house, enjoying the brisk chill.
</P><P>Ah, he thought, it’s fine to have my dear wife here with me these past couple of weeks! She and the other wives provide such a boost to the morale and hopefulness of the men. It’s worth a wee party to celebrate the difference they make … and my birthday.
</P><P>The dreadful winter weather and the spread of disease had cost him one-fourth of his army in the early going, but at last there were signs of hope. Foraging for food was still a daily struggle, but now the men were finally housed in hundreds of hastily constructed wooden huts.
</P><P>The eager effervescence of the Marquis de Lafayette for the past half year; the appearance of the Polish nobleman Pulaski a few months before; the continued loyalty of so many of the troops; the imminent arrival any day now of the Prussian Baron von Steuben; and the General’s wife coming to stay with him during the winter encampment—all these events gave him hope.</P>
<br>~Buy Finding George Washington on Amazon:
<br>-<a href=https://amzn.to/2Rcg5al target=_blank>Paperback</a>
<br>-<a href=https://amzn.to/3sRpPVh target=_blank>Kindle</a>
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<h2>An Interview with Bill Zarchy</h2>
<br>-What inspired you to become a writer?
<P>I feel like I have always been a writer. I grew up in the home of a successful author. In addition to working full time as a teacher, my dad wrote and published many books on hobbies, crafts, and the outdoors. He would come home from school every afternoon, take a nap, then go to his study to work on his latest book. He often worked late into the night. Many mornings I would see the floor of the study covered in crumpled-up pages, rejected ideas and descriptions that didn’t make it into the book. Yet he managed to crank out over thirty different titles in a bit over twenty years. That was inspiring!
</P><P>When I was still pretty young, he gave me an old portable typewriter, a Monarch Pioneer, that came in a wooden case. I used it, with carbon paper, to crank out and sell a family newsletter that only lasted a few issues. I wrote for my high school newspaper and eventually worked my way up to managing editor at the campus daily newspaper when I was a student at Dartmouth.
</P><P>Concentrating on my career as a cinematographer, I didn’t write much for a long time while. But I started to write again about 20 years ago, when I wanted to share some of the amazing experiences I had during my work and travels. That led to my first book, a memoir called Showdown at Shinagawa: Tales of Filming from Bombay to Brazil. I joined a writers group to workshop many of those pieces, but as I got closer to retirement, I began to want to write fiction. The result: my debut novel, Finding George Washington: A Time Travel Tale.</P>
<br>-If you could visit your book’s world for a day, what one thing would you do?
<P>My novel, Finding George Washington: A Time Travel Tale, takes place mostly in 2014 in the San Francisco Bay Area and points east. Since I live near Berkeley, much of that is my world. But because of the pandemic, I can’t do many of the things my characters do: get together in person with family and friends, eat in restaurants, cheer at baseball games, ride public transportation, attend live events, even shop in supermarkets. As I write this, however, vaccination rates are soaring on a daily basis, and I am hopeful that I will be able to travel, visit in person with my loved ones, eat out, watch baseball, and see plays, movies, and live music before too long.
</P><P>Some of Finding George Washington takes place at Valley Forge during the Revolutionary War. If I could visit this world for a day, I would be most interested in inspecting the wooden huts built to accommodate the soldiers, observing George Washington’s leadership style, getting to know the Marquis de Lafayette, and meeting Martha Washington. I would also like to get acquainted with Alexander Hamilton. I have a strong impression of him from the Hamilton musical, and I’d love to find out if he was as brilliant, uncompromising, and combative as he is portrayed there.</P>
<br>-It’s two in the morning. What does your protagonist reveal in confidence? (Don’t worry, we won’t tell.)
<P>In the middle of the night, my protagonist, George Washington, reveals that he is not convinced he and the Continental Army can defeat the British. He bemoans the fact that the Americans are outmanned and outgunned. He is concerned that the Brits have a powerful navy to back them up and that they are offering freedom to any enslaved persons in the colonies who run away from their masters.
</P><P>“If all the slaves are freed,” he says, “the Washingtons would be very poor indeed. Land poor, to be sure, and without a labor force.” Questioned about the evils and immorality of slavery, he admits that he was shocked, some years earlier, when he attended a slave auction and watched in horror as several enslaved families were ripped apart, sold to different masters who lived far apart.
</P><P>He says he understands that freeing the slaves in America is somehow equivalent to the colonies fighting for freedom from the British, but he is at a loss about how to change the system. “Someday,” he says, “I will find a way to free all my slaves.”</P>
<br>-Which of your characters would you go out for drinks with?
<P>I would go out for drinks with George Washington, along with his two Berkeley pals, Tim and Matt. I would like to get to know George, to find out more about him. When I started writing and researching Finding George Washington, I realized I knew very little about him. First president, general, inspiring leader — sure. But what else? I’d heard that he’d chopped down a cherry tree and couldn’t lie to his father about it, that he’d thrown a dollar across the Potomac River, that he had wooden teeth, but those stories all turned out to be apocryphal. All lies. From my research, I learned that he was soft-spoken, despite his reputation as a charismatic leader; that he suffered from chronic dental pain, despite his physical bravery; that he had no direct descendants, despite being the Father of Our Country; that he was a great horseman, a graceful dancer, and a loving husband and stepfather. I would love to meet this man with so many contradictory characteristics. And I would love to talk with him about slavery.</P>
<br>-You’re in a tavern, and a dwarf challenges you to a duel. What do you do?
<P>Despite my writing Finding George Washington: A Time Travel Tale, about one of the great military heroes in our history, I am a peace-loving hippie at heart. If challenged to a duel by anyone, I would try to defuse the situation and talk my way out of it, then say, “Hold on, I gotta go pee,” politely excuse myself, slip into the restroom, then slither out the window and speed home as quickly as possible. Hopefully, the challenger would wait a while for me, then drink more ale or mead or Gatorade and forget me.</P>
<br>-Is there a genre you could never write? Which and why?
<P>I don’t know if I could ever write romance novels. I just don’t think I have it in me. I’ve never read a romance novel. The idea never appealed to me. And, so far, I’ve never written a steamy love scene. I’m guessing that I could do that, but a whole book based on romance themes would not be my style.</P>
<h2>About Bill Zarchy</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU4Cj7YblCBHX_GfGmXlk7vL87GVVbYH9Yxxvau_g6dGo9gpn0tjn-wzWQPa4u6mIe-qe6BrtMI8LY72uThWODCPUZkwiKJk1X-eQc5kWFYYu7Pbucg6bDMPH7_EjvwUUNghIXF3y4AvQ/s2000/author+photo.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="Bill Zarchy author image" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="1333" data-original-width="2000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU4Cj7YblCBHX_GfGmXlk7vL87GVVbYH9Yxxvau_g6dGo9gpn0tjn-wzWQPa4u6mIe-qe6BrtMI8LY72uThWODCPUZkwiKJk1X-eQc5kWFYYu7Pbucg6bDMPH7_EjvwUUNghIXF3y4AvQ/s320/author+photo.jpg"/></a></div>
<P>Bill Zarchy filmed projects on six continents during his 40 years as a cinematographer, captured in his first book, Showdown at Shinagawa: Tales of Filming from Bombay to Brazil. Now he writes novels, takes photos, and talks of many things.
</P><P>Bill’s career includes filming three former presidents for the Emmy-winning West Wing Documentary Special, the Grammy-winning Please Hammer Don’t Hurt ‘Em, feature films Conceiving Ada and Read You Like A Book, PBS science series Closer to Truth, musical performances as diverse as the Grateful Dead, Weird Al Yankovic, and Wagner’s Ring Cycle, and countless high-end projects for technology and medical companies.
</P><P>His tales from the road, personal essays, and technical articles have appeared in Travelers’ Tales and Chicken Soup for the Soul anthologies, the San Francisco Chronicle and other newspapers, and American Cinematographer, Emmy, and other trade magazines.
</P><P>Bill has a BA in Government from Dartmouth and an MA in Film from Stanford. He taught Advanced Cinematography at San Francisco State for twelve years. He is a resident of the San Francisco Bay Area and a graduate of the EPIC Storytelling Program at Stagebridge in Oakland. This is his first novel.</P>
<br>Find him online:
<br>-<a href=http://www.findinggeorgewashington.com target=_blank>book website</a>
<br>-<a href=http://www.findinggeorgewashington.com/blog target=_blank>book blog </a>
<br>-<a href=http://www.billzarchy.com target=_blank>Bill’s website</a>
<br>-<a href=https://www.facebook.com/Finding-George-Washington-A-Time-Travel-Tale-by-Bill-Zarchy-112403433952296 target=_blank>Facebook</a>
<h2>Giveaway</h2>
<P>Bill Zarchy will be awarding a $50 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.</P>
<a class="rcptr" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f3688/" rel="nofollow" data-raflid="28e4345f3688" data-theme="classic" data-template="" id="rcwidget_0mojlz5f">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
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<h2>Follow the Blog</h2>
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Mary DeSantis, Editor/Story Whispererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18207560013680468072noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247839648816395648.post-84867320808797357282021-04-12T00:30:00.009-04:002021-05-14T09:53:32.427-04:00Interview+Giveaway: The Salty Rose by Beth Caruso<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLc9ogvXLa9Lz8X5Hv-8tK7FhxNAek_SInI9mb8e0rf2B1R1617Mv2LI1_6DPUVdUK4hHvmTt8TAJ2oHM9ehdtZb-WsQl-juwQm6S0e-S0vgYVOSRKf4oleWCziAlChmruq1t2EqyDHzE/s1200/TourBanner_The+Salty+Rose_NBTM.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="Goddess Fish tour banner for The Salty Rose" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLc9ogvXLa9Lz8X5Hv-8tK7FhxNAek_SInI9mb8e0rf2B1R1617Mv2LI1_6DPUVdUK4hHvmTt8TAJ2oHM9ehdtZb-WsQl-juwQm6S0e-S0vgYVOSRKf4oleWCziAlChmruq1t2EqyDHzE/s400/TourBanner_The+Salty+Rose_NBTM.jpg"/></a></div>
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<h1>The Salty Rose</h1>
<h2>A historical fiction by Beth M. Caruso</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy8reLlg_pjkpWdW4p2F5SN6Rt6A1ABMuScxvGzXNbfOA41y4NEExC4JW6mgxJT11R9u4yvoFcnznhtqer8PLnb-G8VS8HiNXLLPIrEmE1TW6hYUX5M9O0yCcw8Y8uKkpRzZB-TQjRNyg/s1201/Cover_TheSaltyRose.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="cover of The Salty Rose by Beth Caruso" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="1201" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy8reLlg_pjkpWdW4p2F5SN6Rt6A1ABMuScxvGzXNbfOA41y4NEExC4JW6mgxJT11R9u4yvoFcnznhtqer8PLnb-G8VS8HiNXLLPIrEmE1TW6hYUX5M9O0yCcw8Y8uKkpRzZB-TQjRNyg/s400/Cover_TheSaltyRose.jpg"/></a></div>
<P>Marie du Trieux, a tavern keeper with a salty tongue and a heart of gold, struggles as she navigates love and loss, Native wars, and possible banishment by authorities in the unruly trading port of New Amsterdam, an outpost of the Dutch West India Company.
</P><P>In New England, John Tinker, merchant and assistant to a renowned alchemist and eventual leader of Connecticut Colony, must come to terms with a family tragedy of dark proportions, all the while supporting his mentor’s secret quest to find the Northwest Passage, a desired trading route purported to mystically unite the East with the West.
</P><P>As the lives of Marie and John become intertwined through friendship and trade, a search for justice of a Dutch woman accused of witchcraft in Hartford puts them on a collision course affecting not only their own destinies but also the fate of colonial America.
</P><P>This post contains affiliate links. <a href=http://kitnkabookle.blogspot.com/p/disclosures.html>Click here for the full disclosure statement</a>.</P>
<h2>Excerpt</h2>
<P>The Director General slammed the gavel down with the harsh thud of an ending.
</P><P>“Marie du Trieux, you are hereby banished from New Netherland forever!” he said.
</P><P>As I held on to the railing of a departing schooner, I remembered the jarring finality of those stark words against me. Looking back one last time at my town, a little place in the wilderness that had grown up with me—I longed to stay in the home where I gave birth to all my children, the location of my loves and of my losses.
</P><P>This is the best place to begin recounting the story of how I played a part in the transition from Dutch New Amsterdam to English New York, my dear granddaughter.
</P><P>I suppose the English will have their own tales to tell about the events that transpired but I want you to know my personal and secret version of the history of my beloved city before I am gone.
</P><P>Having left New Amsterdam for the first time on that cold winter day in 1664, I felt unsettled, not quite believing that the time for my departure had finally come. Where had the time gone? How quickly had it passed? It had been nearly forty years since I first set foot on the shores of Manhattan with my mother, father, and little brother.
</P><P>The view from our vessel, The Morning Star, was unrecognizable from the one my family saw many decades earlier. We had arrived to nothing but marsh, forest, and a few Indian canoes that approached our ship in greeting and curiosity. It’s easy to recall my excitement as a young girl of flowing dark hair seeing the Natives for the first time when we reached these shores many years ago.
</P><P>But at the point of my expulsion, I wasn’t an adventurous, naïve child anymore. A mature and defiant woman who had faced her share of hardship and disappointment had taken her place. The Council of New Netherland and Director General Stuyvesant had told me they were finished with my repeated offenses and had given the order for banishment. I’d been in trouble with the authorities far too often they said. They’d insisted that my tavern be closed.
</P><P>“So this is how it must end,” I uttered in disbelief to my son Pierre, your uncle, as we huddled together on deck.</P>
<br>~Buy The Salty Rose:
<br>-<a href=https://amzn.to/3dslFMT target=_blank>Amazon</a>
<br>-<a href=https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-salty-rose-beth-m-caruso/1133991342 target=_blank>B&N</a>
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<h2>An Interview with Beth Caruso</h2>
<br>-What inspired you to become a writer?
<P>Shortly after moving to Windsor, Connecticut, I discovered through a neighbor that a Windsor woman, Alice ‘Alse’ Young, was the first person to hang for witchcraft in the American colonies on May 26th, 1647. Townspeople accused her of witchcraft during a deadly epidemic. I was shocked and outraged never having heard of Alice Young or her plight which took place forty-five years before the Salem Witch Trials even began. Young’s witchcraft case became the incendiary spark that started all of the other New England witch trials!
</P><P>I needed to know more about what happened to Alice Young. To be content with the few long-held assumptions about her did no justice to her suffering. I embarked on a years-long effort to research old historical records and what I discovered evolved into a remarkable story that had never been told. Had it not been for Alice Young, I may never have started down the path to be an author. Until that point in time, I merely mused about writing historical novels in a distant and nebulous future. But Alice and those who loved her beckoned me and would not let go. I simply had to tell her story. I’m so glad I did. One of Windsor: The Untold Story of America’s First Witch Hanging was published in October of 2015. It continues to raise awareness about the lesser-known Connecticut witch trials. The Salty Rose combines a continuation of that story after Alice’s death and, within that tale, introduces a new story pertaining to the downfall of New Netherland including the actions of tavern keeper Marie du Trieux.</P>
<br>-If you could visit your book’s world for a day, what one thing would you do?
<P>It’s so difficult to decide! I’d have to visit Winthrop’s alchemy lab in New London, meeting both him and John Tinker before we left on a morning boat excursion to New Netherland. We’d pass through Hellsgate before the channel was dredged. I’d observe early America before massive development and explore the life of different tribespeople both on our route and those trading in New Amsterdam. I would talk to both men about alchemy and their plans for the New World until we reached New Amsterdam (present-day New York). There, we would walk the streets, visit markets, and finish our day at the tavern of Marie du Trieux.</P>
<br>-Which of your characters would you go out for drinks with?
<P>As stated above, I’d visit the tavern of Marie du Trieux and have a drink with her and get to know her better. I’d tell her about her great grandchildren, my sons. However, I would want John Tinker to be there as well. I would beg him to fill me in on more details from the Connecticut Witch Trials, especially regarding the case of Alice ‘Alse’ Young, which he knew well.</P>
<br>-You’re in a tavern, and a dwarf challenges you to a duel. What do you do?
<P>First of all, I’d probably laugh at him, not because he’s a dwarf, but because the notion of me dueling is so ridiculous. Then, I’d treat him to a drink and try to engage him in a conversation about why he wanted a duel with me in the first place. I’d also really be interested to know about his origins and dwarf culture.</P>
<br>-Is there a genre you could never write? Which and why?
<P>I find science fiction with things like robots, technology, and engineering to be so unrelatable that it would be impossible for me to write in that genre. My mind doesn’t work that way.</P>
<h2>About Beth Caruso</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB4E0ZnsJpElOSGaK3MBLdKa2fyWw38ZbRxy9dy3uLcPxKFUwZq_ZqPdmvByW7w36D14WqJg4JpbHDSId_UOMa8N0RNfkjqohi653GuXJxB8kFpSV-h5wK7KBt6hXtD__A34qq69xwj68/s365/AuthorPic.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="Beth Caruso author image" border="0" height="320" data-original-height="365" data-original-width="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB4E0ZnsJpElOSGaK3MBLdKa2fyWw38ZbRxy9dy3uLcPxKFUwZq_ZqPdmvByW7w36D14WqJg4JpbHDSId_UOMa8N0RNfkjqohi653GuXJxB8kFpSV-h5wK7KBt6hXtD__A34qq69xwj68/s320/AuthorPic.jpg"/></a></div>
<P>Award-winning author, Beth M. Caruso, is passionate to discover and convey important and interesting stories of women from earlier times. She recently won the literary prize in Genre Fiction (2020) from IPNE (Independent Publishers of New England) for her most recent novel The Salty Rose: Alchemists, Witches & A Tapper In New Amsterdam (2019). The Salty Rose is Beth’s second historical novel and explores alchemy in early colonial times, an insider’s view of the takeover of the Dutch colony of New Netherland, and the Hartford Witch Panic with information she gathered from previous and ongoing research. Beth’s first historical novel is One of Windsor: The Untold Story of America’s First Witch Hanging (2015), a novel that tells the tale of Alice ‘Alse’ Young and the beginnings of the colonial witch trials. She based the story on original research she did by exploring early primary sources such as early Windsor land records, vital statistics, and other documents. She lives in Connecticut with her family. Beth kayaks and gardens to unwind.</P>
<br>Find her online:
<br>-<a href=http://www.oneofwindsor.com target=_blank>website</a>
<br>-Email: oneofwindsor@yahoo.com
<br>-<a href=https://twitter.com/oneofwindsor target=_blank>Twitter</a>
<br>-<a href=https://www.facebook.com/bethmcaruso/ target=_blank>Facebook</a>
<h2>Giveaway</h2>
<P>Beth M. Caruso will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.</P>
<a class="rcptr" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f3659/" rel="nofollow" data-raflid="28e4345f3659" data-theme="classic" data-template="" id="rcwidget_pjiyh697">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
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<h2>Follow the Blog</h2>
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Mary DeSantis, Editor/Story Whispererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18207560013680468072noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247839648816395648.post-72031577774733559262021-04-09T00:30:00.011-04:002021-05-14T09:56:05.985-04:00Content Warnings: What They Are & Deciding Whether to Use Them<br>To content warning or not to content warning? That is the question.
<br>Let’s take a stab at the answer.<br>
<figure> <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_1JKdBnwn3RUeMBkNfxatUB1nwhK9VCIeK4_hRTHbKjgZia8RabIiRw1zeOJZdwt3SbZO24YNwGjU6U7KrWAaIZBbAD6FAe9u_WisguGQpbWplllczfV8_wbgd-jf_4c9_HtcM7Fb_lg/s2048/barry-weatherall-oTE8EUwvhek-unsplash.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="image of a red curtain closed in front of a stage" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1367" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_1JKdBnwn3RUeMBkNfxatUB1nwhK9VCIeK4_hRTHbKjgZia8RabIiRw1zeOJZdwt3SbZO24YNwGjU6U7KrWAaIZBbAD6FAe9u_WisguGQpbWplllczfV8_wbgd-jf_4c9_HtcM7Fb_lg/s400/barry-weatherall-oTE8EUwvhek-unsplash.jpg"/></a></div><figcaption>Image credit to <a href= https://unsplash.com/@dgmke_06 target=_blank>Barry Weatherall</a> on <a href=https://www.unsplash.com target=_blank>Unsplash</a>.</figcaption></figure>
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<br>Content Warning: content warnings
<P>If you’ve ever looked up a movie online before going to the theater (you know, back in the day), you probably saw a rating: G for “General,” “PG13 for “Parental guidance suggested for kids under 13,” and so on. Those ratings may also be accompanied by a word or two telling you why the movie is rated that way (for example, rated R for violence). The rating is a quick way to say “hey, this movie is best for [age range] and contains [this element] which may not be appealing to all viewers.”</P>
<h2>Content Warnings for Books</h2>
<P>In the last few years, I’ve seen an increase in content or “trigger” warnings for books. What are these? They are similar to the movie rating system above but with more detail. Content warnings (which I’ll refer to only as this to avoid having to type content/trigger warnings every time) warn readers about, well, content. More specifically, content that may trigger a traumatic response for people who have lived certain experiences that left them struggling somehow. It’s a quick way to say “hey, this book contains XYZ in case that’s an issue for you and you wish to know ahead of time so you can skip it.” At this level, it’s a pretty nice thing for authors to do. It shows a level of concern for readers, even if it means losing a sale.</P>
<h2>When Does a Book Need a Content Warning?</h2>
<P>Your answer may vary widely. I’ve seen everything from “all books need them” to “never—people should deal with their issues!” Regardless of where you fall on this spectrum, the decision to include a content warning is an author-by-author choice (at least if you’re self-publishing). I’ve also seen readers post reviews or discussion posts about books that include content warnings. In this case, the reader has read the book and thinks anyone looking at their post should know what’s coming. This is a reader-by-reader choice, and different people may supply different content warnings for the same book.</P>
<h2>What Should a Content Warning Contain?</h2>
<P>And here’s where we get into a good question. If you prescribe to the movie rating system, the content warning for a book should offer one or two words (Content Warning: violence). Much of the time, though, content warnings for books go into much deeper detail than the movies. Rather than just stating “violence,” there’s a list of types of violence. I’ve seen movie ratings come with “for adult language,” and I’ve seen books take this a step further and list out things like “use of f-bomb.” I’m not sure why books go into more detail like this. Perhaps because books can be a more immersive experience than a movie, one where the reader is privy to the inner workings of a character’s mind. Maybe because books go into more detail than movies do. The question is an open-ended one.</P>
<h2>Benefits of Content Warnings</h2>
<P>As I said above, content warnings can be a nice gesture on the author’s part. Letting your reader know XYZ is coming gives each person the ability to make a choice based on their own experience. If a book sounds interesting but the content warning puts up a red flag, readers can either drop the book off their TBR, do more research, or outright choose to read anyway. As to content warnings from readers, this isn’t too different from ye olden days when we hung out with people at bars/restaurants and chatted. Books might come up. Someone would talk about this great book they just read and add “but it had a scene about X, just so you know.” In a way, it’s like the author is chatting with the reader, saying you might like this but be aware of the following.</P>
<h2>Cons of Content Warnings</h2>
<P>In theory, there don’t have to be cons. If you stick to the above “violence” or “hey, so you know” models, there’s a strong argument for letting readers know what they might be getting into. But with how detailed I’ve seen some book’s content warnings get, I really wonder why the author chose to include it. By putting “Content Warning: [very specific traumatic situation],” the warning practically becomes a trigger. If a content warning offers enough detail that it is triggering, rather than informative, it has failed at its job.</P>
<h2>What to Consider When Deciding on Content Warnings</h2>
<br>To content warning or not to content warning? That is the question.
<P>I have a few ideas for you to consider in this section, so I’ll break them into subheadings (look at me, getting all technical).
<h3>Consideration 1: Anticipatory Fear</h3>
<P>The classroom where I spent my fourth-grade year was beside the main office of the school. The classroom windows looked out onto the front of the building, the driveway where busses pulled up in the mornings and afternoons, and a large empty field where my class, along with many others, only ever went during a fire drill. The front of the building was also where the fire truck would idle whenever we would have one of said fire drills.
</P><P>The four previous years at that school, fire drills took me by surprise. I sat in class, minding my own business, listening to my teacher (or maybe daydreaming I was a Power Ranger, but I digress). Then, without warning, the horrifically loud buzzing of the fire drill would assault my ears, and it was up, out, and to safety.</P>
<figure> <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkZcELKBhFWyMIb06Qz4pDFzznadUzIJT5SM04gI7nFItprrfR9F5wJWS-DOsReWMfP44vOj4e-BGkTZxPkxEwt7_Wv7ECNFAF-T5jA79zo0-HGoj3saeUffuInCVDLZoHXHLrJqiri70/s2048/fran-tU3Bl2If2RM-unsplash.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="image of red Power Rangers in a park" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1638" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkZcELKBhFWyMIb06Qz4pDFzznadUzIJT5SM04gI7nFItprrfR9F5wJWS-DOsReWMfP44vOj4e-BGkTZxPkxEwt7_Wv7ECNFAF-T5jA79zo0-HGoj3saeUffuInCVDLZoHXHLrJqiri70/s400/fran-tU3Bl2If2RM-unsplash.jpg"/></a></div><figcaption>Image credit to <a href= https://unsplash.com/@francistogram target=_blank>Fran</a> on <a href=https://unsplash.com target=_blank>Unsplash</a>.</figcaption></figure>
<P>I hated fire drills while they were happening. They were loud and chaotic. Afterward, they were something I could tell my parents about when I got home, and before, they were that thing the school made us do three or four times a year that I hardly gave any thought to on days they weren’t happening.
</P><P>But fourth grade…fourth grade was different.
</P><P>For the first time in four years, I was aware of an impending fire drill. I’d hear the truck’s diesel engine pull up and stop. The truck was left on while the firefighters entered the school to confer with the principle and set off the alarm.
</P><P>And from the second I heard the truck pull up to the moment the alarm went off, I was an absolute mess.
</P><P>I panicked for a solid five to ten minutes while I anxiously waited, dreading the onset of the loud noise. This led to the teacher getting irritated and me paying exactly 0 attention to anything that went on between the fire truck’s arrival and the alarm.
</P><P>Unsurprisingly, when I got to fifth grade and moved across the hall, my “sudden fire drill onsetitis” vanished. I no longer knew when a firetruck arrived, and the alarm’s sudden, blaring presence once more became that thing that happened three or four times a year.
</P><P>The anticipation was what did it. I was so worried about the noise. In fact, the worry was worse than the noise, far more disruptive, and lasted a lot longer than my time in the building with the alarm blasting. Having advanced warning made everything so much worse. It magnified my fear until I had this image of fire drills as this horrific experience that would leave me deaf and unable to speak. In reality, it was a fire alarm, nothing more. Heck, the noise became more terrifying than the idea of the building being on fire.
</P><P>Remember that childhood game of “set the ants on fire with a magnifying glass?” Even if you never played, you’ve probably heard of kids doing this. That magnifying glass is fear, and the fire is what can happen if fear rains unchecked. Knowing something we dread is coming allows it to stew in our minds. We build up and build up this fear response until we feel sick with worry or even start having physical signs of distress.
</P><P>Then the thing happens and we often go back to our lives thinking “that wasn’t so bad.”
</P><P>Now, I’m not saying warnings don’t have their uses. Warning a child not to touch a hot stove can prevent a lot of crying and burns and a possible trip to the hospital (that is assuming the child listens, but that’s a whole different post). But if you warn the child before you even turn on the stove “don’t touch that,” you could end up with an adult who’s afraid of going near a stove for years.
</P><P>To apply this to books, if a reader sees a content warning, is on the fence, but decides to read anyway, the knowledge that the content is coming could color their entire experience. They might spend the entire book waiting, watching…where is it? Where is it? I have to see it coming so I can be ready for it… And before they know it, the book is over, and they missed the content because it was nowhere near as bad as they thought. And they have no idea what happened in the story because they were too busy looking for the scene with the content. End Result: “That was…meh. *rates 3 stars on Goodreads and moves on to another author*”</P>
<h3>Consideration 2: Spoilers</h3>
<P>I recently came across a book that included a long list of content warnings. Among these were “death of secondary characters.”
</P><P>Yes, I’m really not kidding. “Death of secondary characters.”
</P><P>That is not a content warning. That is a spoiler.
</P><P>Everyone reads for a different reason, but even if that reason is “to expand your horizons,” do you really want to know up-front that characters are going to die? Doesn’t that kind of take away from the adventure of the story? And to link this to consideration 1, it keeps you on alert. Secondary Character 1 walks in, and you think “is he the one who gets it?” then Secondary Character 2 comes into the bar, and you’re like “oh wait, maybe it’s them.”
</P><P>Hello, not paying attention to the story.
</P><P>Goodbye, ability to get lost in the narrative flow. This would be like someone coming up to you and saying “If you step in front of that moving bus, you’ll get badly hurt, possibly die. Oh, spoilers, sorry.” It would sound ridiculous, not to mention obvious (unless you’re target audience is someone who needs to understand that busses are not to be stepped in front of). But someone who’s spent a lifetime in a part of the world where busses/automobiles in general are a normal part of daily life and who understands the potential danger? The spoilers aren’t necessary. Ditto for content warnings that spoil the story.</P>
<h3>Consideration 3: Lack of Interest from Readers</h3>
<P>This is a cumulative consideration that comes as a result of the first two. Think of content warnings as a medication with “itching” as a side effect. This is the rash you get from scratching, which is why the medication also has “rash” as a side effect.
</P><P>If you have a real strong and compelling reason to include a content warning and you think it’s necessary, follow your gut. But if you put in too many, and many of them look like the spoiler in the above section, your book could end up sounding like one of those drugs they advertise on MeTV.</P>
<blockquote>Side effects may include shortness of breath, dry cough, irregular heartbeat, chest pains, nausea, vomiting, swollen glands, constipation, numbness, tingling, temporary blindness, and even death!</blockquote>
<P>Wow, that’s…not a book I want to read, thanks.
</P><P>To be blunt for a second, a list of content warnings like that would make me think “this isn’t the author warning the reader. This is the author covering their butt.”
<h2>What to Do Instead of Content Warnings</h2>
<P>So you’ve decided that, while your book has some potentially traumatizing content, you don’t wish to include content warnings. But you do want to make it clear that the book isn’t all sunshine and rainbows (and unicorns, because unicorns). There are a few things that can be done to make sure your book reaches the readers who won’t have an issue with anything in the story.</P>
<figure> <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8tSK73XX29vNOKSoFvG0Uyc4PzPTcl75flXdRIOQQ_0trcp9CAKerGb8qcEpie8wTUZbFS-qp5U02T0yOLLahCQthie6yGeiqX8sWxgz4MbCakAvuOeyyyhLHm-pqB1CHnLCj6E5hkgA/s2048/karen-powers-QjQU3Sa7Eas-unsplash.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="image of black-and-white unicorn mural" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1537" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8tSK73XX29vNOKSoFvG0Uyc4PzPTcl75flXdRIOQQ_0trcp9CAKerGb8qcEpie8wTUZbFS-qp5U02T0yOLLahCQthie6yGeiqX8sWxgz4MbCakAvuOeyyyhLHm-pqB1CHnLCj6E5hkgA/s400/karen-powers-QjQU3Sa7Eas-unsplash.jpg"/></a></div><figcaption>Image credit to <a href= https://unsplash.com/@kiwikcp target=_blank>Karen Powers</a> on <a href=https://www.unsplash.com target=_blank>Unsplash</a>.</figcaption></figure>
<P><b>Proper Categorizing of Your Book:</b> I get that Amazon can make this tough. Authors need to do whatever it takes to get their books seen before they obtain a sizable following, and sometimes that means choosing categories that aren’t an exact match because those categories have fewer books and offer a greater chance of a book being noticed.
</P><P>If you go from something like “dark shifter paranormal romance” to “shifter paranormal romance,” the difference may not be too bad. But if you go too far afield, such as “dark shifter paranormal romance” to “clean shifter paranormal romance,” then you’re putting your book in front of an audience who may not even be looking for what you write—readers who are expecting a different level of romantic heat and conflict than your book contains. Best case, you find readers who were looking for something different and happened across your book, which they ended up liking. Worst case, people loudly yell about how you didn’t warn them, both in reviews and on social media.
<P><b>Writing Effective Book Copy:</b> Authors have far more control over this than they do over Amazon’s algorithms. Changing a word or two can go a long way in making the tone and contents of your book clear without the need to warn readers about potentially disturbing content. Consider the difference between the following two snippets.</P>
<br>After a traumatic experience in her past left her emotionally distant
<br>After the loss of a dear childhood friend left her unable to form lasting bonds with anyone
<P>There’s probably little that would require a content warning here, but that’s not the point. The first example is rather vague. A “traumatic experience” could be many things and could leave potential readers wondering just what happened to this character and what that traumatic event will translate to in terms of on-page triggers. The second version gives a much clearer idea of what’s going on. It speaks to the exact “trauma,” and the latter part of the sentence gives a better idea of what that event means for the protagonist than “emotionally distanced” does.
</P><P>Pro Tip: This is good advice for query letters and book blurbs in general. I can find a million stories about “when tragedy strikes,” and I pass many of them by because they sound generic. That tragedy could be the most original and interesting idea ever, but if I don’t at least have an inkling of how unique it is, there’s nothing to hook me as a reader.
<h2>A Few Other Thoughts on Content Warnings</h2>
<P>At the end of the day, whether you include content warnings in your book or not is up to you. Like with many other aspects of writing, there’s no “one size fits all” solution and no right or wrong answer. If you feel strongly that your book needs warnings, include them in whichever fashion you’d like—either the simplistic “violence” or the more detailed “violent depictions of [insert images here].” If you don’t feel your book needs them or don’t wish to use them, that’s your call, and I’ll leave you with one final perspective to consider.
</P><P>I’m going to get very personal here for a moment, folks. From the time I was 16 or so until a few years ago, I had a boundless fear of throwing up. I hadn’t thrown up since I was 6 years old, but that didn’t matter. I was absolutely terrified, paralyzed by just thinking of the words “throwing up.” I remember nights in my late teens where I felt nauseous and couldn’t eat until something snapped into place and finally gave me that courage to take a bite. A lot of the time, eating helped (meaning I was likely just hungry and subconsciously shifting that to nausea somehow), but my scared brain didn’t make that connection until much later.
</P><P>It just so happens that my road to dealing with this involves some tough love from my boyfriend, meaning that having someone else around isn’t necessary for overcoming a fear. When he and I met, I was much improved from my late teen years, but I would still have crazy panic attacks whenever someone mentioned throwing up or if I felt the least bit woozy. He held my hand through these for a while before finally giving me the kick in the butt I needed by offering the idea that by avoiding my fear, I was giving it power over my mind and body. I resisted this for a long time—I had a problem, and it wasn’t that simple to fix it. As time went on, he repeated himself like a broken record, and I got tired of losing so much time and energy to freaking out about something that never came to pass, I started to feel differently. Maybe this wasn’t a problem I couldn’t at least work toward fixing. Maybe he was right, and I needed to take a good, hard look at where this fear came from.
</P><P>Long story short, I did, and it took some searching, but I finally nailed down the problem as being a fear of not being able to deal with it if I got sick. I’d only ever gotten sick as a child, and I thought of the experience in terms of “somebody help me!” I was 6. I didn’t know any differently then, but now, as an adult, I had the tools to take care of myself. If the time came where I had to throw up, I’d do it, and it would be done. Even as I write this, the idea still feels a bit uncomfortable, but rather than a panic attack and a lost hour of coming back to myself, it’s a moment of “don’t love that idea” and onward to the next thing.
</P><P>So where am I going with this? The idea that we’re all responsible for ourselves. I had help getting to the place where I could start to face my issues, but that help only went so far. If I hadn’t finally decided it was time to do something, who knows where I’d be now. The tough love nudged me in the right direction, but I had to want to start the journey.
</P><P>Everyone is different, and every experience of trauma or triggers has a different effect. I’m not saying “drop your issues right now because they aren’t real.” I’m not saying that at all. I am saying that even the darkest, most troubling things from the past can be overcome and that once we really face them, they may not be so dark and troubling from the other side.
</P><P>So, some parting messages.
</P><P><b>Authors:</b> Don’t feel like you must include content warnings to keep readers from triggering. Everyone has lived a different life, and you never know what might trigger someone. The most harmless-seeming thing in your story could do it, and if you’re going to include warnings for any potential little thing, your list might start to sound like those side effects above. You can’t plan for everyone.
</P><P><b>Readers:</b> Don’t blame authors for choosing not to include content warnings. This may sound harsh, but it isn’t their job to clear a path for anyone. If they choose to do so and that works out for you, appreciate the gesture. If they don’t and reading their book brings up something, see if it can be an opportunity for growth. I don’t seek out scenes of people throwing up, but when I come across them, I approach them from an angle of “it’s just a bodily process, if an unpleasant one. Reading about it can’t harm me.” And believe it or not, doing so has helped along my journey.
</P><P>If you do choose to include content warnings, keep the following in mind.</P>
<ul><li>Don’t make the warning so detailed that it becomes a trigger on its own. Consider stating that the book has content warnings at the front and then list the warnings at the end of the book.</li>
<li>Do be specific enough that the trigger makes sense (for example, don’t use “violence” if the real issue is “torture.” Torture may contain violence, but it may also be psychological.)</li>
<li>Think about your book’s category and keywords, as well as the blurb as ways to more subtly warn readers.</li>
<li>Don’t use warnings that are poorly disguised spoilers.</li>
<li>If a book needs a MeTV-ish list of warnings, consider whether it’s time to reevaluate the story. Are all those triggering situations necessary to the plot and character growth? Are you including some triggering situations for the shock value only? If so, which ones, and can those scenes/story elements be restructured without compromising your authorial message?</li></ul>
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Mary DeSantis, Editor/Story Whispererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18207560013680468072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247839648816395648.post-73594428642823663342021-04-07T00:30:00.023-04:002021-05-14T09:56:58.691-04:00Interview+Giveaway: Luka by Dianne Hartsock<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidRz4Sg9dIONlmFyB1hBnd8Y2PoLsqq1MS0KM3lz5pgygIvZYJzkLJp4j4M7XuQkOU1SfvpZ6sA0Mlf9ebruPZiPsYDXw8NCVwN0w8ppOcRiIJdKNQoc1Delun5gss_j1eiiK3KgT00-A/s1200/TourBanner_Luka.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="Goddess Fish tour banner for Luka" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidRz4Sg9dIONlmFyB1hBnd8Y2PoLsqq1MS0KM3lz5pgygIvZYJzkLJp4j4M7XuQkOU1SfvpZ6sA0Mlf9ebruPZiPsYDXw8NCVwN0w8ppOcRiIJdKNQoc1Delun5gss_j1eiiK3KgT00-A/s400/TourBanner_Luka.jpg"/></a></div>
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<h1>Luka</h1>
<h2>An MM fantasy romance by Dianne Hartsock</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhQ0T8mz_IKR00iEpFDIiCvG4kyJIZxZNh_M2xcbX5Q6vOVBgn_eUAtYq3sjwQwGpIfd1B2MMh3AMJYTtmqwNqKhsICdNJdQtc090dXZLtQr84fuv7UKMsegDjZ2Zkulax1H2bUv5fGUo/s750/Cover_Luka.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="cover of Luka by Dianne Hartsock" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhQ0T8mz_IKR00iEpFDIiCvG4kyJIZxZNh_M2xcbX5Q6vOVBgn_eUAtYq3sjwQwGpIfd1B2MMh3AMJYTtmqwNqKhsICdNJdQtc090dXZLtQr84fuv7UKMsegDjZ2Zkulax1H2bUv5fGUo/s400/Cover_Luka.jpg"/></a></div>
<P>Luka makes a desperate wish and the earth shifts to his will. Regretting it immediately, he tries to undue the sorcery, but it is too late. He asked for hope, and to his horror, all the hope in the world is given into his keeping. He desires nothing more than to return this gift to the world.
</P><P>Aethan wants to get his hands on the Well of Hope in Luka’s keeping. If he can ransom out hope to others at his whim, the world will be at his feet. Where it belongs.
</P><P>With the aid of his lover, Rhys, Luka stays one step ahead of Aethan. But Rhys has his own enemy in Aethan, his estranged father.
</P><P>Rescued by Luka, his sweet, gentle witch, Rhys now stands with him against Aethan. They have vowed to return the Well of Hope to the earth despite all odds, or die trying. For what is life worth, for anyone, without hope?
</P><P>This post contains affiliate links. <a href=http://kitnkabookle.blogspot.com/p/disclosures.html>Click here for the full disclosure statement</a>.</P>
<h2>Excerpt</h2>
<P>He missed his lover, though he’d been the one to send him away. Luka had wanted him to find a better life than he could offer, a solitary witch bartering his potions. And he had wanted Rhys safe from his enemies. But he may as well have cut out his own heart when Rhys had left.
</P><P>Luka sipped his tea, enjoyed its comfort, then heat flushed his skin as he recalled his dream last night, the feel of Rhys in his bed. Rhys had been tender and passionate and welcoming. Luka had cried in his arms, overwhelmed with the joy of it. Had wept again on waking to find himself alone on the hearth, Rhys across the room, reading a book in the morning light spilling through a window, as far away as the years that had separated them.
</P><P>A bird fluttered past, calling his attention, and Luka’s spirit flew with it, soaring into the sky. The rush of air exhilarated him, and he dropped with a smile back into his body. After hastily setting aside his tea, he pulled a crystal from a pocket and held it up to the faint winter sunlight. He marveled at the earth reflected in glass. Focusing his gaze, his essence slipped easily into the encapsulated world and flew along the pathways, flitting between trees and brush. He scampered with a family of squirrels along a branch, leaping with wild glee from limb to limb.</P>
<br>~Buy Luka:
<br>-<a href=https://ninestarpress.com/product/luka/ target=_blank>Publisher</a>
<br>-<a href=https://amzn.to/3rjeQCy target=_blank>Amazon US</a>
<br>-<a href=https://www.amazon.co.uk/Luka-Dianne-Hartsock-ebook/dp/B08SBQMSLW/ref=sr_1_16?dchild=1&keywords=Luka&qid=1610924776&s=books&sr=1-16&tag=x_gr_w_bb_uk-21 target=_blank>Amazon UK</a>
<br>-<a href=https://www.amazon.ca/Luka-Dianne-Hartsock-ebook/dp/B08SBQMSLW/ref=sr_1_16?dchild=1&keywords=Luka&qid=1610924776&s=books&sr=1-16&tag=x_gr_w_bb_uk-21 target=_blank>Amazon CA</a>
<br>-<a href=https://www.amazon.de/Luka-Dianne-Hartsock-ebook/dp/B08SBQMSLW/ref=sr_1_16?dchild=1&keywords=Luka&qid=1610924776&s=books&sr=1-16&tag=x_gr_w_bb_uk-21 target=_blank>Amazon DE</a>
<br>-<a href=https://www.amazon.com.au/Luka-Dianne-Hartsock-ebook/dp/B08SBQMSLW/ref=sr_1_16?dchild=1&keywords=Luka&qid=1610924776&s=books&sr=1-16&tag=x_gr_w_bb_uk-21 target=_blank>Amazon AU</a>
<br>-<a href=https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Dianne_Hartsock_Luka?id=WYISEAAAQBAJ target=_blank>Google Books</a>
<br>-<a href=https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/luka-5 target=_blank>Kobo</a>
<br>-<a href=https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1062984?DeSantisM target=_blank>Smashwords</a>
<br>~<a href=https://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2021/01/vbt-luka-by-dianne-hartsock.html target=_blank>Follow the rest of the tour</a>
<h2>An Interview with Dianne Hartsock</h2>
<br>-What inspired you to become a writer?
<P>This is an easy question! I’ve been writing stories since first grade and telling stories before I learned to write. My family is all about reading, including me. Big bookworm here. But I think a lot of my passion for storytelling came from my older sister, Shari, who used to read us bedtime stories when I was really little. I think she sparked the love of books and stories in me and I’ve been hooked ever since. I began by making up stories for my younger siblings, writing them down when I was able, but it wasn’t until I won a writing contest for our local newspaper in high school that I really became motivated.</P>
<br>-If you could visit your book’s world for a day, what one thing would you do?
<P>Climb the steep trail to Luka’s cabin on the mountainside. I’d help him gather herbs to dry for his medicines, travel the myriad of pathways through the forest with Rhys as he instructs Tarian in the ways a person of power can heal the earth. In the evening I’d sit at Luka’s feet on the hearth and listen to his stories woven with knowledge and teaching and love, share a simple meal with him, and sleep with peace in my heart.</P>
<br>-It’s two in the morning. What does your protagonist reveal in confidence? (Don’t worry, we won’t tell.)
<P>Tarian has returned to town. Rhys is sleeping on the bed he and Luka built to hold them both. Luka and I are drinking tea at the hearth. Luka looks at me over his book.
</P><P>“What do you think of Tarian?”
</P><P>“Why do you ask?” I counter cautiously. Luka never says anything without purpose. His slight blush is adorable.
</P><P>“I think he’s growing fonder of me than he should,” he says after a brief hesitation, his blush deepening. “Do I send him away?”
</P><P>My jaw drops. This powerful witch is asking my advice? That’s both exhilarating and terrifying. “Listen to your heart,” Is all I come up with.
</P><P>Luka studies me in the firelight, nods, then returns to his book.</P>
<br>-Which of your characters would you go out for drinks with?
<P>Ravan. Such an amazing woman. She has so much to teach me, and I’m sure she has some stories to tell, too! She can introduce me to her friends in the village and maybe I’d even learn some of the local lore.</P>
<br>-You’re in a tavern, and a dwarf challenges you to a duel. What do you do?
<P>Knock my chair back, pull my sword…and drop gold coins on the floor. While he’s busy picking them up I make a break for the back exit. Trolls bar the way, but since the sun’s coming up, I throw open the door and let the sun take them.</P>
<br>-Is there a genre you could never write? Which and why?
<P>That would be scifi. I enjoy reading science fiction, but as far as writing it, I can’t do the science believably. I could put my characters on a ship or colony in space and do the interpersonal stuff, but not explain how the ship flies or how the colony came to be. I wouldn’t be able to explain the fuel a ship would use, its design, in any credible fashion. How would a colony on another planet survive? Food? Oxygen? Indigenous people? One has to suspend disbelief in a story and I wouldn’t be able to do that.</P>
<h2>About Dianne Hartsock</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRe2sfwXPuBn3MdXnnZ9vFNRENcKlCn71jweBai_5DWOtQ6qV06SArbvyw0m-y6At4Xl65MP6H541iRCC2MZoammBxCUX7v6z0zQCVMsIUtkn_U-RuYtMInlhEMU-2y7DmNBljSeHtzi4/s298/Author+Picture.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="Dianne Hartsock author image" border="0" height="320" data-original-height="298" data-original-width="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRe2sfwXPuBn3MdXnnZ9vFNRENcKlCn71jweBai_5DWOtQ6qV06SArbvyw0m-y6At4Xl65MP6H541iRCC2MZoammBxCUX7v6z0zQCVMsIUtkn_U-RuYtMInlhEMU-2y7DmNBljSeHtzi4/s320/Author+Picture.jpg"/></a></div>
<P>Dianne is the author of m/m romance, paranormal suspense, fantasy adventure, the occasional thriller, and anything else that comes to mind. She lives in the beautiful Willamette Valley of Oregon with her incredibly patient husband, who puts up with the endless hours she spends hunched over the keyboard letting her characters play. She says Oregon’s raindrops are the perfect setting in which to write. There’s something about being cooped up in the house with a fire crackling on the hearth and a cup of hot coffee warming her hands, which kindles her imagination.
</P><P>Currently, Dianne works as a floral designer in a locally-owned gift shop. Which is the perfect job for her. When not writing, she can express herself through the rich colors and textures of flowers and foliage.</P>
<br>Find her online:
<br>-<a href=http://diannehartsock.wordpress.com/ target=_blank>blog</a>
<br>-<a href=http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/diannehartsock target=_blank>Facebook</a>
<br>-<a href=https://www.facebook.com/Dianne-Hartsock-Author-107985445959828/ target=_blank>Facebook Author Page</a>
<br>-<a href=http://twitter.com/#!/diannehartsock target=_blank>Twitter</a>
<br>-<a href=https://www.instagram.com/diannehartsock/ target=_blank>Instagram</a>
<br>-<a href=http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/4707011-dianne-hartsock target=_blank>Goodreads</a>
<br>-<a href=http://www.amazon.com/Dianne-Hartsock/e/B005106SYQ/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1361897239&sr=8-1 target=_blank>Amazon Author Page</a>
<h2>Giveaway</h2>
<P>Dianne Hartsock will be awarding a $20 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.</P>
<a class="rcptr" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f3654/" rel="nofollow" data-raflid="28e4345f3654" data-theme="classic" data-template="" id="rcwidget_o1lux3k3">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script>
<h2>Follow the Blog</h2>
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Mary DeSantis, Editor/Story Whispererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18207560013680468072noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247839648816395648.post-18466181242589703322021-04-05T00:30:00.003-04:002021-05-14T09:57:52.422-04:00Audio Excerpt: Ever Alice by H.J. Ramsay<h1>Ever Alice by H.J. Ramsay</h1>
<h2>Narrated by Caroline Holmes, 11 hrs 2 mins</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpW6SYMgbHMjnlqv6cwaafdUT_vjN-hZGTKxQ_xlt3Ay80xdt-yuOAoiBLU3-1iBs3iNIfWjQRT6XjnAzxxpp0NLiFM7ys4iCtAK-fjTQ8I_vu09p6JqMJXLJTm7JHacyHHAmh9hU6fmw/s804/Ever+Alice+Banner.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="Audiobookworm banner for Ever Alice" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="421" data-original-width="804" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpW6SYMgbHMjnlqv6cwaafdUT_vjN-hZGTKxQ_xlt3Ay80xdt-yuOAoiBLU3-1iBs3iNIfWjQRT6XjnAzxxpp0NLiFM7ys4iCtAK-fjTQ8I_vu09p6JqMJXLJTm7JHacyHHAmh9hU6fmw/s400/Ever+Alice+Banner.jpg"/></a></div>
<P>Alice’s stories of Wonderland did more than raise a few eyebrows - it landed her in an asylum. Now at 15 years of age, she’s willing to do anything to leave, which includes agreeing to an experimental procedure. When Alice decides at the last minute not to go through with it, she escapes with the White Rabbit to Wonderland and trades one mad house for another: The court of the Queen of Hearts. Only this time, she is under orders to take out the Queen. When love, scandal, and intrigue begin to muddle her mission, Alice finds herself on the wrong side of the chopping block.</P>
<h2>Audio Excerpt</h2>
<iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/996475036&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/hjramsay" title="HJ Ramsay" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">HJ Ramsay</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/hjramsay/clip-3-off-with-your-head" title="Clip 3: Off With Your Head!" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Clip 3: Off With Your Head!</a></div>
<br>~Buy Ever Alice on <a href=https://www.audible.com/pd/Ever-Alice-Audiobook/B08TDRQ4T3?pf_rd_p=83218cca-c308-412f-bfcf-90198b687a2f&pf_rd_r=PPQKTD52J4N4YXG6FD2Q&qid=1613975669&ref=a_search_c3_lProduct_1_1&sr=1-1 target=_blank>Audible</a>
<h2>About the Author: H.J. Ramsay</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcfccO454DNYHeVEc2C_PQlZJ2nS3N97p66AIeHU2ljUibQajoj1i9yPEYgIj9aog5dDCvzrONPhTdzkni3iWEbsKDBqev9vNCgZWDo_G7jbet1FhVIml4RC7HpVRvs261WS7v2s-Zeg4/s1538/Ramsay.AuthorPhoto1web.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="H.J. Ramsay author image" border="0" height="320" data-original-height="1538" data-original-width="1024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcfccO454DNYHeVEc2C_PQlZJ2nS3N97p66AIeHU2ljUibQajoj1i9yPEYgIj9aog5dDCvzrONPhTdzkni3iWEbsKDBqev9vNCgZWDo_G7jbet1FhVIml4RC7HpVRvs261WS7v2s-Zeg4/s320/Ramsay.AuthorPhoto1web.jpg"/></a></div>
<P>H.J. Ramsay has loved fantasy ever since she was a child. Growing up, she was influenced by movies like Legend, The Dark Crystal, and Labyrinth as well as books and short stories, such as The Collected Works of Brothers Grimm. She is drawn to fantasy with a darker side to its glittery world and the idea that things are never what they seem. She has an MFA in Creative Writing from Antioch University, Los Angeles and teaches writing classes at her local community college. Ever Alice is her first published novel.</P>
<br>Find her online:
<br>-<a href=http://www.hjramsay.com/ target=_blank>website</a>
<br>-<a href=https://twitter.com/hjramsay target=_blank>Twitter</a>
<br>-<a href=https://www.facebook.com/hjramsay target=_blank>Facebook</a>
<br>-<a href=https://www.instagram.com/hjramsay/ target=_blank>Instagram</a>
<h2>About the Narrator: Caroline Holmes</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhus4Gtz3WdbcKZQMJxsUV3lyogz2uZfZ0iSDzgV7mZn6GAdFv6634jIlVvd41zBzL3M1c2eHCvGj2B3N2egAWLkFSQvqNgATzW3qf6HxwiQwTYtVX_YgdcbEi4Q00AcMx5Dz-aF17mr_s/s878/CarolineHolmes.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="Caroline Holmes" border="0" height="320" data-original-height="878" data-original-width="658" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhus4Gtz3WdbcKZQMJxsUV3lyogz2uZfZ0iSDzgV7mZn6GAdFv6634jIlVvd41zBzL3M1c2eHCvGj2B3N2egAWLkFSQvqNgATzW3qf6HxwiQwTYtVX_YgdcbEi4Q00AcMx5Dz-aF17mr_s/s320/CarolineHolmes.jpg"/></a></div>
<P>Based in Edinburgh, Scotland after spending most of her adult life abroad (France, Botswana, Hong Kong, New Zealand) Caroline Holmes is a retired teacher with a fascination for stories for any age, languages (she speaks five), and learning in general. She is currently working on her sixteenth audiobook and still revels in the whole process. Loving a challenge, she is developing an ever-increasing range of voices to perform wildly different characters and enjoys spending time on research to be sure of interpreting complex non-fiction correctly. She finds good writing in any genre compelling, humour irresistible and collaborating closely with authors wonderfully rewarding.</P>
<h2>Follow the Blog</h2>
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Mary DeSantis, Editor/Story Whispererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18207560013680468072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247839648816395648.post-50001542030836959652021-04-02T00:30:00.005-04:002021-05-14T11:26:52.366-04:00Interview: Her Dark Matter Necklace by Bob Albo<h1>Her Dark Matter Necklace</h1>
<h2>A visionary fiction novel by Bob Albo</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8mJwhFCUCR6Rp67SrkfR9Wg7fXPcAf1c_XGpbIKg0PW7p-zolqOHJLpWHs5goLHXh7Jajrmgw_e4v_Y5a4Voh60SXjIHAZuR1WB1FugExjIFMnCT3SPIEDkm9IlW4AWJ1kyr4Ut8loME/s2048/HER+DARK+MATTER+NECKLACEEbook+%25281%2529+%2528002%2529.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="cover of Her Dark Matter Necklace by Bob Albo" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1355" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8mJwhFCUCR6Rp67SrkfR9Wg7fXPcAf1c_XGpbIKg0PW7p-zolqOHJLpWHs5goLHXh7Jajrmgw_e4v_Y5a4Voh60SXjIHAZuR1WB1FugExjIFMnCT3SPIEDkm9IlW4AWJ1kyr4Ut8loME/s400/HER+DARK+MATTER+NECKLACEEbook+%25281%2529+%2528002%2529.jpg"/></a></div>
<P>When Alice Blair is accepted to the world-renowned St. Robert’s high school, she figures it must be a mistake since there’s nothing special about her. But on her fifteenth birthday, the headmaster gives her a necklace, and she begins to dream of weird worlds. Alice learns that as she sleeps, her consciousness actually explores the dark matter universe of Thronos, the universal spirit. As he reveals the science of dark matter, the human soul, and other mysteries, he gives her a monumental task: bring beauty to your world.
</P><P>During her visits, Alice meets Reina, an alien child from an underwater planet who has been given the same task. Together they learn that beauty can be many things, like a mother’s love for a child, compassion for others, art— almost anything that gives you that good feeling in your soul. While they struggle to accomplish Thronos’ difficult task, Alice’s mission and her life are thrown into jeopardy when her connection to the dark universe is discovered. But what she doesn’t know is that she is playing a key role in St. Robert’s prophecy. If she fails, humanity will perish in flames and ashes.
</P><P>The fast-paced contemporary story combines science speculation with a cosmic god, the purpose of life, human nature, consciousness, and friendships. Indeed, with one possible scientific discovery in dark matter, our view of the entire universe would become more enlightened. Big ideas for adults but told through the life of a teenager.</P>
<blockquote>His dark matter weaponry work with the military was important but would be inconsequential compared to dark matter intelligence.</blockquote>
<br>~Buy Her Dark Matter Necklace on <a href=https://www.amazon.com/dp/1735842532?ref_=pe_3052080_397514860 target=_blank>Amazon</a>
<h2>An Interview with Bob Albo</h2>
<br>-What inspired you to become a writer?
<P>I don’t know. I spent 30 years in technology industry. Engineering degree from UCB and MBA from Harvard. (Very left brain thinking- structure, math, logic). I didn’t do much on art or music side. On top of that, I have mild dyslexia. As a child, I struggled with reading and remembering what I had just read. I did well in math and science, but poorly in English, history, and foreign languages.
</P><P>My inspiration came from a desire to communicate ideas that I felt were novel. I wrote a meta-physical pamphlet about 5 years ago, but it was too academic, so I wrote a visionary fiction novel where a teenage girl with a mission to save the world deals with the ideas.</P>
<br>- What challenges did you encounter?
<ol><li>I felt that I had some good ideas but had never written a story. I had to learn the basics like story structure, character arcs, show don’t tell, etc.</li>
<li>Writing was a creative process driven by subconscious. For example, halfway through my writing, I didn’t know how my book would end. On the other hand, my work experience was all rationale thinking, planning, assessing and leading.</li>
<li>My book didn’t fit in any traditional genre, instead incorporating science fiction, God, and ethical issues in our society, such as purpose of life and inequality. I finally discovered a new genre called Visionary Fiction where I also found my publisher and other similar authors who support each other.</li>
<li>Sent out about a hundred inquiry letters but had no positive responses from literary agents for my first book. I self-published on Amazon, which went well but there was no marketing. Sold about 100 books mainly to friends/family who liked it. My new publisher will re-release book 1 on April 1 with a marketing launch.</li></ol>
<br>-If you could visit your book’s world for a day, what one thing would you do?
<P>I would visit the underwater world of Vepo and live like a Gorgona. Imagine swaying your lower body to swim, breathing water, hearing rather than seeing, using tentacles to grab items. While there, I would visit the essence chamber to get an image of my unique soul and go to the library to learn about my previous lives. Can you imagine learning about your earlier lives, both good and bad?</P>
<br>-It’s two in the morning. What does your protagonist reveal in confidence? (Don’t worry, we won’t tell.)
<P>The protagonist is a 15-year-old girl named Alice. She would reveal that she doesn’t have what it takes to fulfill her mission to bring love and beauty to the world.
</P><P>Her parents died a few years ago. Since then, she has managed her emotions and not gotten close to anyone. How can someone who doesn’t know love bring love to the world. Beauty is also an issue since she struggles in art class.</P>
<br>-Which of your characters would you go out for drinks with?
<P>Thronos, the universal spirit who created the conditions for life and gave Alice her mission to save humanity through love and beauty. It would be non-alcoholic drinks since I would want to learn from Thronos who explores big ideas though questions and answers. For example</P>
<ul><li>If there is a God, how was he created? What is the purpose of all life?</li>
<li>Humans are rational beings. Are people driven by intellect or emotions? Are emotions a weakness or strength?</li>
<li>What is dark matter and how is it different from known matter?</li>
<li>Why are the universal laws like gravity perfect to support life? For example, if the force of gravity was slightly stronger, then the universe would have imploded after Big Bang, and if it was slightly weaker, then stars and galaxies would not have formed. Perfection was required.</li></ul>
<br>-You’re in a tavern, and a dwarf challenges you to a duel. What do you do?
<P>Apologize and buy him a drink.</P>
<br>-Is there a genre you could never write? Which and why?
<P>Romance. I believe that women are much more complex emotionally than men. Women seem to have a lot more going on in their heads. I would just embarrass myself trying to write a romance.</P>
<h2>About Bob Albo</h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiAVhnS-t_ahMQMUEuMldm0FOfadoil1hlrPYtQuSphB2If2UA_orZRdJYwoghFuMZC9xIv9aWb0mc6plQRocRqVy05sWBdx4VKWWuXuqDB9zfbjGNzN3chiKSD5VDWsHgfuecO90ssa4/s640/williams.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="320" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiAVhnS-t_ahMQMUEuMldm0FOfadoil1hlrPYtQuSphB2If2UA_orZRdJYwoghFuMZC9xIv9aWb0mc6plQRocRqVy05sWBdx4VKWWuXuqDB9zfbjGNzN3chiKSD5VDWsHgfuecO90ssa4/s320/williams.jpg"/></a></div>
<P>Bob Albo has been a business executive in the high-technology industry for over thirty years. He received an MBA from Harvard Business School and an engineering degree from UC Berkeley. He was always better in science and math than reading and writing but never stepped back from a challenge.
</P><P>Four years ago, he wrote a short story, Escape Velocity, which motivated him to develop his writing craft. He is now writing a 3-book visionary fiction series, and his first published book is HER DARK MATTER NECKLACE. His next one, A CRY FOR BEAUTY, will be available this summer. He is fortunate to have the support of family and friends.
</P><P>He lives in Orinda, California with his wife.</P>
<br>Find him online:
<br>-<a href=http://www.bobalbo.com target=_blank>website</a>
<br>-<a href=https://www.facebook.com/HerDarkMatterNecklace target=_blank>Facebook</a>
<br>-<a href=https://visionaryfictionalliance.com/ target=_blank>Visionary Fiction Alliance</a>
<h2>Follow the Blog</h2>
<br>Never miss a post!
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Mary DeSantis, Editor/Story Whispererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18207560013680468072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7247839648816395648.post-23337470343150015592021-04-01T13:26:00.001-04:002021-04-01T13:26:23.932-04:00Recommendations<P>Below are resources for the genres I may not be the best developmental editor for as stated on my <a href= https://www.kitnkabookle.com/p/blog-page.html target=_blank>Editorial Services page</a>. Don’t see what your looking for or have questions? Shoot me an email at <a href=mailto:mary@kitnkabookle.com>mary@kitnkabookle.com</a>.
<dl>
<dt>Hard Science Fiction</dt>
<dd><a href=https://futureworldsediting.co.uk/?fbclid=IwAR238ojtzQgVazLj9Y5PF_EA6hPAJ-nVFXQKxVzDsHNLwEeQHxWdNWfmt1k target=_blank>Future Worlds Editing</a></dd>
<dd><a href=https://michaelpilgrim.com/?fbclid=IwAR1C2lPmMq0uJAliH0U23B-6l4SeqQNF7C6VPqZQP55mLKGlArzozueKySc target=_blank>Michael Pilgram</a></dd>
<dt>Horror</dt>
<dd><a href=https://www.mountainponyliterary.com/?fbclid=IwAR32I-JOQ1fVeaJL3kkTdtVfN9SdCdmzz6BYlyG-HjWk4fM-SaVDCfa-lWA target=_blank>MOUNTAINPONY LITERARY</a></dd>
<dd><a href=https://kirstenmcneill.com/?fbclid=IwAR3Iu9kBCVfb7b6N6h7TEW8Qa3xQNK7jWng3oZCNvvaQ_b_kaS-GnlHPEtY target=_blank>K.M. Writing Services</a></dd>
<dd><a href=https://www.savannahgilbo.com/?fbclid=IwAR2fKTvmKnNKMboynl-gsFa-bfvcXO9qhFpcOfXLTRRSt1myQEYh2UND81w target=_blank>Savannah Gilbo</a></dd>
<dt>Thriller/Suspense</dt>
<dd><a href=https://www.cartaedits.com/?fbclid=IwAR0reQ1bfcC-2fJ3-5HSiXy8qok2pZEjlIzEcLvVaVED7_fadK0ujCWfygQ target=_blank>Carta Editorial Services</a></dd>
<dd><a href=https://rebeccamillareditorial.com/?fbclid=IwAR1J9YCMdSUhLa5LdXvNLLDgZkaH62NfAE7l2EVLNDH9Tmm9DQVd0iQ7dbA target=_blank>Rebecca Miller Editorial</a></dd>
<dd><a href=https://karengrove.com target=_blank>Karen Grove Editorial Services (romantic suspense)</a></dd>
<dt>Historical Fiction</dt>
<dd><a href=http://www.lunchboxediting.com target=_blank>Lunchbox Editing</a></dd>
<dd><a href=https://www.bookclinicnyc.com/?fbclid=IwAR3dDsyvE7fto_YIy3nqphGdtplDwju67YMrgGrEn6_nat1GZhHDjafHj-8 target=_blank>The Book Clinic</a></dd>
<dt>Rhyming Children’s Books</dt>
<dd><a href=http://www.robineditorial.com target=_blank>Robin Editorial</a></li></dd>
<dd><a href=https://jenavarre.com/ target=_blank>Jennifer Navarre</a></dd>
</dl>
<br>**While I’ve vetted the editorial professionals on this list, they are recommendations only. Every author is different and will resonate with a different editorial style. If someone on this list isn’t the right match, don’t despair. There’s an editor for every book.</br>
Mary DeSantis, Editor/Story Whispererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18207560013680468072noreply@blogger.com0