tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4142751226922303972024-03-13T20:26:45.166-04:00Unabridged AndraReviews and Giveaways from a Blonde BookwormAndra Lynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01194158597026288339noreply@blogger.comBlogger1330125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-414275122692230397.post-41833680626758974142021-02-01T00:30:00.001-05:002021-02-01T00:30:02.858-05:00Book Tour: Parallax by Dixie Jackson<span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyK0y6eujYON4gfyHQnldHUO6V42eXvLBey8ccShpiKq-TDxo_hlATV8Gxq_5m3tlEGUwXZ7-2BZwEAmSNtalw9JlUlsxjmyyodU8asG6sCCp1LMd380WRWZmAq6MK4dRhyjBv4HHlPas/s2048/Cover_Parallax.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1507" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyK0y6eujYON4gfyHQnldHUO6V42eXvLBey8ccShpiKq-TDxo_hlATV8Gxq_5m3tlEGUwXZ7-2BZwEAmSNtalw9JlUlsxjmyyodU8asG6sCCp1LMd380WRWZmAq6MK4dRhyjBv4HHlPas/s320/Cover_Parallax.jpg" /></a></div>Title: Parallax<br />Author: <a href="https://www.dixiejackson.net">Dixie Jackson</a></span><div><span style="font-size: large;">Series: S3 #1</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Date Published: 2020</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Publisher: Paisley Creek Writers</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Format: Kindle</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Genre: Romantic Suspense</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Source: <a href="http://www.goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com">Goddess Fish Blog Tour</a></span></div><div><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;">Synopsis:</span><br /><div><div>Six years later, Trent Wayland still isn’t over his spring fling. Probably because he was convinced when he married Captain Leila O’Neil, their fling would go on a lifetime. Leila is his soul mate and Trent knows it. He might not admit it on a regular basis, but that doesn’t negate the raw emotion she draws out of him each and every time he thinks about her. Forget the fact his heart splits in two all over again when he’s afforded the luxury of hearing her voice. That doesn’t happen often, however. Leila only tosses a handful of words his way when she initiates the weekly video calls he’s allowed with the other love of his life, their daughter Lucy.</div><div><br /></div><div>Once upon a time, Leila O’Neil wanted to be a Marine when she grew up. She worked hard, she landed a seat at the Academy, and she was the head of her class. Then her dream was destroyed and she traded it in for a new one at the nearest Coterie portal. She wears so many faces and so many hats, at some point she lost track of her soul. That didn’t really bother her until Trent Wayland came along and almost peeled her dressing room curtain back nearly exposing her innermost person. The real person, the real Leila, who once upon a time wanted to be a Marine when she grew up.</div><div><br /></div><div>Leila misses the real person, and realizes it at the worst possible moment. With her daughter’s life on the line and Trent on the scene of the crime, Leila figures out she’s been using her hurt and anger to fuel all the wrong goals. In a daring move, she puts it all on the line, hoping it’s enough to gain her freedom from her handlers and her husband’s forgiveness.</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>~Living in a Pandemic World~</i></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-a390915a-7fff-9211-bcd5-8dbc19166446"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Bonus points to anyone who just sang that like they were Madonna.) All kidding aside, a huge thank you to Andra for hosting me today, and may I just say, you posed a very interesting blog topic for me. What type of people would my characters be during the current pandemic situation? (Honestly, I’m working this up a few weeks in advance, so I’m hopeful when this goes live we’re over the hump with this situation.)</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But I digress. Back to the topic at hand, how would my characters from Parallax deal with the current pandemic situation. I have to say, Leila and Trent are pretty resourceful people and have a ton of resources at their disposal. Their current situation is this: their daughter has been kidnapped in a foreign country. Trent co-owns S3 with his brother Chase and they run a gamut of missions that otherwise by-the-books agencies won’t touch. Leila is a Marine by day and a black operator by night, unbeknownst to her beloved. Toss in a worldwide pandemic…</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">They are totally calm, cool, and collected. They already have the best protective gear made, so they’re covered in that area. They own their own planes, so, again, transportation in and out of country is covered and totally off the radar of anyone. With their main concern being Lucy, their daughter, I’m sure Leila may be a bit panicky on the inside worrying about her daughter. I mean, not only is she lost, she’s now in danger of contracting a horrible virus. But Leila is the calm in the storm and never lets her fears show, until she’s behind closed doors where she might allow herself to fall completely apart for a few minutes in a hot shower where no one can hear her scream.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As far as supplies go, they’ve lived in clandestine situations plenty and never fail to have a stash of extra necessities because they’re just those people who are prepared for any situation, even a global virus emergency the likes of which we’ve not seen in years. And, being as their sister agency run by Kyle Montgomery is situated behind a security fence the likes of Fort Knox, they feel confident stashing their daughter there until the mission is complete and danger has passed.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’d say they rate an A in how they’d deal with the current pandemic situation.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Thanks again so much for having me by today! - <i>Dixie Jackson</i></span></p></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>~Try an Excerpt!~</i></b></span></div><div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal"><span id="docs-internal-guid-ac0e28f1-7fff-e36c-0a47-524d52793814"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>“How is it we’re in the middle of the biggest crisis of our lives and I’m so damn mad at you I want to hate you, but can’t?” Trent said, inching closer to her lips. “How is it, I want you so much I’d sell a piece of my soul to the devil to have you?”</i></span></p><i><br /></i><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>“I’ve sold plenty of pieces of mine,” Leila whispered, straining against his hold, trying to bridge the gap between them. “It only hurts for a minute.”</i></span></p><i><br /></i><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>His lips barely brushed hers before a tortured groan rolled out of him and tightened his grip. “Damn it,” he hissed over his teeth.</i></span></p><i><br /></i><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>He turned loose of her so quickly Leila took a bounced step back before finding purchase of her balance again as he threw his hands up and turned his back to her. Running his hands over his head, his breaths were labored and his shoulders shook with what Leila suspected to be the same raw emotions running through her own system.</i></span></p><i><br /></i><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Leila stayed the desire to take the few steps between them and drop kick him to the floor where he’d be at her mercy for a tortured few moments. Instead, she jerked her robe over her shoulders, tugged it around her middle, and in one swift motion tied the belt.</i></span></p></span></div></div></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>~Meet Dixie!~ </i></b></span></div><b></b><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKl3ez4Sgvc8c4kBkO5g5XXP0IsmgUmn16gM1cqdkhgAin_KWLXgYzqKZhnllOBz0LTuOAtJN3AfTq7oYQq4oE9j4zCNeGZ2Ia3mEw-eWzYcREODFaza-ywUIGiJjgwgqYKSqnanTtXK0/s364/Author+Photo+%25281%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="364" data-original-width="309" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKl3ez4Sgvc8c4kBkO5g5XXP0IsmgUmn16gM1cqdkhgAin_KWLXgYzqKZhnllOBz0LTuOAtJN3AfTq7oYQq4oE9j4zCNeGZ2Ia3mEw-eWzYcREODFaza-ywUIGiJjgwgqYKSqnanTtXK0/w170-h200/Author+Photo+%25281%2529.jpeg" width="170" /></a></div>Born and raised in the heart of the Ozarks, Dixie Jackson learned a love of the written word at a young age. She remembers spinning tales before she could even write them down, but it was the encouragement of her sixth-grade creative writing teacher which would plant the idea that just never seemed to go away. She wanted to someday see her works in print.</div><div><br /></div><div>Dixie makes her home in the Great Smoky Mountains with her retired Marine husband, two rescue dogs, and her beloved chickens. When she’s not writing, you can find her digging in the dirt and nurturing her plants while plotting the next step in one story line or another. She also loves experimenting in her kitchen, embroidering, quilting, crocheting, tracing her family’s twisted tree, and of course reading.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large; text-align: left;"><i> Dixie will be awarding a $50 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="28e4345f3526" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f3526/" id="rcwidget_8ah3xt95" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script></i></b></div></div><div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6125/6005671256_1116b0ac4c_o.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="161" src="https://farm7.static.flickr.com/6125/6005671256_1116b0ac4c_o.png" width="320" /></a></div>Andra Lynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01194158597026288339noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-414275122692230397.post-72729787468085213902020-11-25T01:00:00.008-05:002020-11-25T01:00:04.172-05:00Blog Tour: The Betrayal of Nicholas La Cour<span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijgkMq_3jUf8XmXc4N8CHFN1j8kRy_e_p7LuOhIKnVqFFnGQ2HYI4gCoXEhBynaZg5UoQSqjNPhQhyGQg15uUbGcCmMX0AkhjcKGLZnbCDtAaHlWMZoA79XkCrh19FGeb6HXRUrsoZbW8/s2048/BookCover_2-A-Book-III-Lovers-Players-A+Geek+An+Angel+Series.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1451" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijgkMq_3jUf8XmXc4N8CHFN1j8kRy_e_p7LuOhIKnVqFFnGQ2HYI4gCoXEhBynaZg5UoQSqjNPhQhyGQg15uUbGcCmMX0AkhjcKGLZnbCDtAaHlWMZoA79XkCrh19FGeb6HXRUrsoZbW8/s320/BookCover_2-A-Book-III-Lovers-Players-A+Geek+An+Angel+Series.jpg" /></a></div>Title: The Betrayal of Nicholas La Cour</span><div><span style="font-size: large;">Author: J.A. Jackson</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Series: Lovers, Players, & Seducers #3 <br />Pages: 423<br />Format: Kindle<br />Genre: Romance</span><div><span style="font-size: large;">Source: <a href="http://www.goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com">Goddess Fish Blog Tours</a></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://amzn.to/2eks6Us">Buy Me!</a></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: large;">Synopsis:</span><br /><div><span id="docs-internal-guid-d0e702d0-7fff-a022-5d2e-64b798fe9368"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Nicholas La Cour never expected to be betrayed.</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Convicted of a crime he didn’t commit; it is only luck that proves his innocence.</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maëlle has always had a thing for bad boy Nicholas…</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">…and Nicholas has always had a thing for trouble.</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After Nicholas left her at the altar, Maëlle wasn’t sure her heart would ever heal.</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The wounds of the past run deep for both of them.</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But despite their drama-filled past, their chemistry defies logic and burns hotter than ever.</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As sparks fly and Maelle and Nicholas have the chance to reunite, will Nicholas sabotage their chance for happiness with his plans for revenge? Or will he finally focus on what truly matters?</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Can they make love grow this time around?</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Something both of them aren’t sure they can do…</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A Betrayed man, a bride left at the altar, and a plan for revenge. Dive into the complex world of Nicholas in Book III of J. A. Jackson’s Lovers, Players The Seducer series and discover if love can transform even the best-laid plans?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>~Try an Excerpt!~</i></b></span></div><div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal"><span id="docs-internal-guid-fd05cd2e-7fff-80e3-cc26-39016ec1af4e"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-4a9bdeff-7fff-0840-f173-736f1e76a79e"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Nicholas thought about it. “Yeah, you know those Egyptians knew their stuff. They had spells written in that book that spelled out what they were to do in the afterlife. They even had the information on embalming bodies and stuff.” “Handling dead bodies would gross me out,” Quinn declared. “Just thinking about it makes my skin crawl.” Nicholas gave Quinn a strange look and glanced back at his arm. “Fascinating topic, but dude, we are about to go into a Magickal shop that I’m sure the owner dabbles in Hoodoo or that Voodoo crap, so let’s stop that talk about that Egyptians stuff, and let go of my arm while you at it.”</i></span></span></p></span></div></div></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>~Meet J.A.!~ </i></b></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-34ea081b-7fff-e346-c80e-a4242f234e5d"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmBhdj7Rdf-Bbu2vwxOjfd5vyNiyZHYmq2krG1qTvhgvrYUlaH_dkmdFETBPJMsTzQnlHCnpYq8NUjBAt7dS0Qehd2_P9EVvZdf_PgYWq1-CySeyEyEmM718P6d4Hl4nuORcCz15ZSqa8/s1238/AUTHOR+J+A+JACKSON-1947591452.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1238" data-original-width="660" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmBhdj7Rdf-Bbu2vwxOjfd5vyNiyZHYmq2krG1qTvhgvrYUlaH_dkmdFETBPJMsTzQnlHCnpYq8NUjBAt7dS0Qehd2_P9EVvZdf_PgYWq1-CySeyEyEmM718P6d4Hl4nuORcCz15ZSqa8/s320/AUTHOR+J+A+JACKSON-1947591452.jpg" /></a></div></span></span></span>J.A. Jackson is the pseudonym for an author, who loves to write deliciously sultry adult romantic, suspenseful, entertaining novels with a unique twist. She lives in an enchanted little house she calls home in the Northern California foothills. Her love for cooking and writing come from her Southern roots of Louisiana and Arkansas. She isa member of South Bay Writers Association, Yosemite Romance Writers and Romance Writers of America (RWA).<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b><i> </i></b></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b><i>J.A. will be will be awarding a $15 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="28e4345f3525" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f3525/" id="rcwidget_bf4gu0v0" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script><script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script></i></b></span></span></div><div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6125/6005671256_1116b0ac4c_o.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="161" src="https://farm7.static.flickr.com/6125/6005671256_1116b0ac4c_o.png" width="320" /></a></div></div>Andra Lynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01194158597026288339noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-414275122692230397.post-75806477008066021612020-11-16T01:00:00.020-05:002020-11-16T01:00:04.807-05:00Blog Tour: Gumbeaux Love by Jax Frey (+$25 Giveaway!)<span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUO759vCDRWXcoh9IA0HqWkIYsAMXURGMuC7hyphenhyphenvjEmO8krD0NrL4Ql3jOmMMClWusTwXTfUoxnCdI-_FbB533bvdKxcPBp2JQPhXZbCyic1R1VvNtFwa7JujUX_X0HinhhRcrvBWaQZ20/s1171/BookCover_GumbeauxLove.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1171" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUO759vCDRWXcoh9IA0HqWkIYsAMXURGMuC7hyphenhyphenvjEmO8krD0NrL4Ql3jOmMMClWusTwXTfUoxnCdI-_FbB533bvdKxcPBp2JQPhXZbCyic1R1VvNtFwa7JujUX_X0HinhhRcrvBWaQZ20/s320/BookCover_GumbeauxLove.gif" /></a></div>Title: Gumbeaux Love<br />Author: Jax Frey</span><div><span style="font-size: large;">Series: Gumbeaux Sistahs #2</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Pages: 236</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Date Published: October 1st, 2020</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Format: Kindle</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Genre: Women's Fiction</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Source: <a href="http://www.goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com">Goddess Fish Blog Tours</a></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Gumbeaux-Love-Book-Sistahs-novels-ebook/dp/B08GJ9FZX5/">Buy Me!</a></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: large;">Synopsis:</span><br /><div><span id="docs-internal-guid-a10cb2a2-7fff-0657-9176-89a293b2e3c5"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The adventures of the Gumbeaux Sistahs continues. Five, fiery southern women wage wars against their unique problems using their improbable friendships, hilarious evil-genius schemes, strategy sessions with oh-so-many cocktails, and a shared passion for good gumbo.</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Single, Southern artist, Judith Lafferty, casually confesses to her Gumbeaux Sistahs that she is occasionally lonely and would like to fall in love again. Seriously - you'd think she would know to keep her mouth shut around these women by now. The sistahs tackle her problem along with their own with their usual unreasonable, extreme plots and schemes, including a kidnapping, a cupid costume, trying out pick-up lines at the cheese counter, and blind dates from hell. In helping out their friend, the sistahs help each other out as well and bring to light the many flavors of love in all of our lives. Be ready for twists, turns, laugh-out-loud times, and heart-wrenching moments. You'll be sure to recognize yourself and your best friends in the unstoppable sistahs.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>~Standing Out in a Crowd~</i></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><b><i><span style="font-size: large;">...How to make each heroine unique!</span></i></b></span></div><div>In my case, it was easy because each of the Gumbeaux Sistahs characters are based on a real-life friend of mine. They are a diverse group, who shouldn’t get along at all, but somehow do. And they are fiercely loyal to each other.<br /><br />Here are the five main characters; you can see how they are unique.<br /><br />Bea – quietly friendly, educated, obviously the well-respected boss of the group.<br /><br />Helen – spiritual, crystal-gazing, massage therapist, heavily into nutrition, self-care, health and being ultra-kind in this world.<br /><br />Dawn – new-money, well-dressed from a say-what-you-think country upbringing. She formidable in her opinion and in her stature. Very unpredictable.<br /><br />Lola – wiry, activist who is educated in law but works with her hands in the landscaping field. She confident, sexy, and acts as Dawn’s social filter.<br /><br />Judith - the quiet, talented, wry-humored artist. She anti-social but coming out of her shell, still somewhat dazed at having been newly-adopted by the caring Sistahs.<br />See what I mean? They are quite unique. I know some real characters!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>~Try an Excerpt!~</i></b></span></div><div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal"><span id="docs-internal-guid-efa3a9da-7fff-5af9-1e51-f1336ec7f526"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Judith rinsed her juice glass in the kitchen sink just as the doorbell rang.</i></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"><i> </i></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>“Who in the world at this hour?” she thought, shaking her head and glancing at the clock on the wall. “It’s not even eight o’clock.”</i></span></p><i><br /></i><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>She walked to the front door and started to open it, but before she could swing it open all the way, a hand clutching a paper coffee cup shoved its way inside, barely missing her face.</i></span></p><i><br /></i><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>“What?” she yelped. Then she laughed. “Oh no, are you kidding me?” She opened the door to five Gumbeaux Sistahs, including Bea, Helen, Dawn, Lola, and Trinity who stood on her front stoop holding coffee. It was especially a surprise to see Trinity there since she lived across the lake and had a long way to come. But the most unexpected thing of all was Dawn, who stood there looking embarrassed as all get-out, wearing a big, red Cupid costume.</i></span></p><i><br /></i><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>“Not again!” said Judith, rolling her eyes and remembering that this was exactly the way that the sistahs had originally kidnapped her and become her best friends in the world.</i></span></p><i><br /></i><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Dawn grimaced and said, “I don’t know why I’m always the one who has to wear a stupid costume.”</i></span></p></span></div></div></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>~Meet Jax!~ </i></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg07Pom-JIr-eHszzAiZ1Z-pj7eGrlzD5J7Ls9XuLy-qn_nfdhx8CkdOBFNITlLw5C7HR4dZz9BG3Yj8P6gGKoOgcZlOTx1cJkdc0L6MmKtFzZsxaJwnboaC01Sb4E4YbTt1YZt2e3cdBQ/s640/Author+Picture+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="377" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg07Pom-JIr-eHszzAiZ1Z-pj7eGrlzD5J7Ls9XuLy-qn_nfdhx8CkdOBFNITlLw5C7HR4dZz9BG3Yj8P6gGKoOgcZlOTx1cJkdc0L6MmKtFzZsxaJwnboaC01Sb4E4YbTt1YZt2e3cdBQ/s320/Author+Picture+%25281%2529.jpg" /></a></div>Born in New Orleans, Jax came into this world with a sense of celebration of southern culture, food, family and fun. Translating that celebration into her writing and onto canvas is her true calling. Her colorful art depicts everything from her dancing Gumbeaux Sistahs paintings to her popular line of original Mini paintings of southern icons. Because over 25,000 of the mini paintings have been created and sold into art collections worldwide, Jax holds a world’s record for The Most Original Acrylic Paintings on Canvas by One Artist from the World's Record Academy. Jax art and gifts can be seen at <a href="http://www.artbyjax.com/">www.artbyjax.com</a>.<br /><br />Jax is also the co-founder of the Women of Infinite Possibilities, an empowering women’s organization started in Covington, LA, where Jax lives today with her loveable, tornado-of-a-pug named Lucy.<br />The Gumbeaux Sistahs' series of novels is a work of love for Jax After painting the Sistahs for many years, she finally gives voice to these women characters who have something to say and constantly make Jax laugh when she writes about them.</div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b><i> Jax will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="28e4345f3507" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f3507/" id="rcwidget_ofw2xdfx" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script></i></b></span></span></div><div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6125/6005671256_1116b0ac4c_o.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="161" src="https://farm7.static.flickr.com/6125/6005671256_1116b0ac4c_o.png" width="320" /></a></div>Andra Lynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01194158597026288339noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-414275122692230397.post-19058992258495100452020-11-13T01:30:00.001-05:002020-11-13T01:30:09.393-05:00Blog Tour: The New Normal - Resistance<span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirycWzsrAV1DGYnSlE7IsL_r8fOOVh-MTIwaFyNA-F-Wc9nu3_m4lHCdB04p2TC9M8yhY1DgI-yJdVR64xTjDJ-Zv6pJtaiksKEXUGv8fx3LFvtNVno6KGwhBi9DLLdQO4jIzQcNoOrgQ/s2048/Cover_New+Normal+Resistance.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirycWzsrAV1DGYnSlE7IsL_r8fOOVh-MTIwaFyNA-F-Wc9nu3_m4lHCdB04p2TC9M8yhY1DgI-yJdVR64xTjDJ-Zv6pJtaiksKEXUGv8fx3LFvtNVno6KGwhBi9DLLdQO4jIzQcNoOrgQ/s320/Cover_New+Normal+Resistance.jpg" /></a></div>Title: The New Normal - Resistance<br />Author: Dexter C. Channing</span><div><span style="font-size: large;">Series: A New Normal #2</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Date Published: September 3rd, 2020</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Format: Kindle</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Genre: Medical Disaster Thriller</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Source: <a href="http://www.goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com">Goddess Fish Blog Tours</a></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/New-Normal-Resistance-Dexter-Channing-ebook/dp/B08HJDT7J2/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Dexter+C.+Channing&qid=1601581125&sr=8-1">Buy Me!</a></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: large;">Synopsis:</span><br /><div><span id="docs-internal-guid-746a6eb3-7fff-ed22-ea68-15d1657090ab"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A deadly pandemic is sweeping across the globe. Country after country is disintegrating into a lawless, terrified conclusion as it soon becomes apparent that there is a fate worse than death. Violence and discord stalk the streets; governments are beginning to introduce martial law and curfews in a futile attempt to regain control of a world thrown into disarray by a silent, unseen killer.</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jolyon Jones, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, knows that it is a race against time to find a vaccine for this highly infectious virus before the consequences wipe out humanity. He also knows that the virus is not the only killer. Small pockets of resistance are slowly emerging; survivors ready to fight not only against the virus, but against each other.</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the midst of the battle for survival, the faithful know that their wait for the Second Coming is nearly over. They know that He is here again. But who is He and will He be able to stop the virus before science reaches an apocalyptic solution?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>~A Day in the Life of Mei Lau Jones~</i></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-733a4c23-7fff-0145-2281-c7a94518d7d8"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I have to laugh whenever I am told that being the Prime Minister’s wife is glamorous and carefree. How I wish it was!</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">They forget, very easily, that I had no choice. That Jolyon and I had the roles thrust upon us because the former Prime Minister caught the virus. They, the people that wish they were me, that see me as a spoilt, insipid woman standing in the shadow of her powerful husband – they don’t know what it’s like. They don’t understand.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A few weeks ago, I was kidnapped. Yes, kidnapped, you heard me. Seized from my parent’s apartment in China. I was collateral. They killed my poor mother, but she was ill anyway, and I doubt if she would have ever recovered, so maybe it was a blessing that she went quickly. A gunshot, and then nothing. Better that than a lingering, painful death. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Glamorous! Being thrown in a tiny, airless room, being given one meal a day and the toilet was in the same room. I imagine that was what being in prison would be like. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I was released, thankfully, and so now, after an admittedly loving reunion, I am back in the shadow of my Prime Minister husband. The role is a blessing and a curse. We are obviously treated with deference and there are days when all I have to think about is myself, and how I look, and what to wear. Then I sit and wait, in the apartment, for some of the time Jolyon can spare. It isn’t much. I try not to mind, but I do. That’s the bit which is the curse. I hardly ever see him and when I do, he doesn’t see me, I mean, really </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">see</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> me. He wouldn’t be able to tell you what colour dress I’m wearing today, for instance. Then again, does any husband really look at his wife?</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Other wives are luckier, I know, because they can tell their husbands how afraid they are – of the virus, of the repercussions. I mean, our son, Luke – he’s a doctor – a doctor of Virology, no less. Luckily, he has a research post, so he’s not on the front line, but for how long? This virus is sweeping the country, people are falling sick, dying, and then – well, then there’s the other things that this virus is causing. How long before Luke has to join a hospital and fight the virus in an intensive care unit? It terrifies me, but I’m not allowed to tell Jolyon and of course, he wouldn’t listen. He is like everyone else in Government at the moment, they are fighting an unseen killer, but the virus isn’t the only thing that isn’t seen.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’m more or less invisible. I may as well be dead. Would Jolyon even notice? Would anyone? </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I have to go now, there’s some woman coming to see me to talk to me about Jolyon. Her name is Marianne Benjamin. She says she knows Jolyon, but he’s never mentioned her before. I wonder why?</span></p></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>~Try an Excerpt!~</i></b></span></div><div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal"><span id="docs-internal-guid-7b9c931b-7fff-fe59-70d6-84280fd80c74"><i><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Across the Atlantic, early evening sunlight bathed the White House in an auroral light, shimmering in the gentle breeze which sighed across the velvet green lawns. Inside the Oval Office, nobody cared for the view, despite how peaceful and ordinary it looked. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The President was wearing his most mulish look as the Secretary of State and the Defence Secretary reeled from his latest revelation. For a moment, only the distant wail of sirens could be heard in the thick silence which surrounded them following the President’s declaration. The sound mingled with the groan of despair from the Defence Secretary, an involuntary reaction to what he had just listened to.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘Mr President, Sir,’ the Defence Secretary looked at the other man and felt like smashing his fist into the supercilious expression he found staring back at him. Did the President not understand what was happening and how there was a need for unity, not discord within global relationships? Obviously, he did not! ‘Could I ask you if Professor Benjamin did this without coercion?’</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Spreading his arms out in a gesture that indicated he did not know or understand, the President replied, ‘All I know is that I have been told of a call made to Beyler School of Medicine from Professor Benjamin’s office. Who instructed him to make the call, I don’t know, but I do know that if there is a second spike, another “mutation”, then Watpharm had better understand it will need Gileath to bail it out of its fucking mess, pissing about with some bloody college students and those yellow skinned freaks!’</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘This has been done as retaliation because what, Watpharm didn’t want to set up shop with an American Company? Jesus fucking Christ!’ The Defence Secretary’s fist came down on the desk, making the other two men jump. ‘We’re in the middle of a fucking world changing crisis, Mr President, Sir! We have the threat of extinction and we have got non-humans running amok on the fucking planet and some idiot professor wants some more business for his company?’</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘This administration gives Gileath a hell of a lot of dollars,’ the President glared at his Defence Secretary, ‘and I don’t want those dollars wasted! Working with Watpharm might also go some way to restoring America’s credibility on the world stage.’</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘I think what the Defence Secretary is trying to say, Mr President, is that if there is a second spike or another mutation of this current outbreak, then the world stage may not have much of an audience left to play to, Sir.’ The Secretary of State intervened.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The President threw his papers down onto his desk and stormed out of the office wearing a truculent expression.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Secretary of State shook his head. ‘Sometimes, the thought crosses my mind that a couple of cups of disinfectant or bleach wouldn’t go amiss.’</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">They were both thinking of a disastrous video link press conference which had been held towards the end of April. It had been beamed around the globe, one of the few broadcasts that were made that day and America still hadn’t recovered from the backlash. Both men looked to the door, which the President had just slammed.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘How much is a bottle of Clorax these days?’ Asked the Defence Secretary and they both burst out laughing, amazed that they still could.</span></p></i></span></div></div></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>~Meet Dexter!~ </i></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-7c69f8f9-7fff-a15d-67e5-6d9ff5f80cc8"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.26; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dexter C Channing is something of a mystery to the literary world – and indeed, the team at Just Jane Publishing has never actually met this author, having been introduced through another writer during the Covid 19 Lockdown. </span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFGELXcPFZA5KaS_gBcnkKu1NFEBkiRtLz97121-y87JJqCahAHZdYq2A-O8aQWB1xaEjmNyicEIjvDrEGQgC9kzJkUL6y-eRH_2d6HmeTA9KlxrmGULNKKQ30tS41Fjngy-u1qjQTD7U/s2048/Author+Image.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFGELXcPFZA5KaS_gBcnkKu1NFEBkiRtLz97121-y87JJqCahAHZdYq2A-O8aQWB1xaEjmNyicEIjvDrEGQgC9kzJkUL6y-eRH_2d6HmeTA9KlxrmGULNKKQ30tS41Fjngy-u1qjQTD7U/s320/Author+Image.jpeg" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 11pt;">The elusive author prefers to remain an enigma to everyone, simply stating a love of city life as opposed to the country because “it’s easier to disappear in a big city where nobody knows your real self”. That real self is “single, not available” and prefers being alone to the “ruinous pathway of a love affair”. </span></div></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.28; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fact, fantasy and science all combine in this author’s often dark writing style, which takes you through conspiracy theories to conclusions you’d rather not reach in the real world. Or maybe, as Dexter says, you’re already there.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.28; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Is Dexter C Channing an American? There’s a possibility, but then anything is possible, if you believe what goes on in Channing’s imagination, often taking us to places we’d rather not go. It’s clear at some point that Channing did live in America, and still has some links to Miami and Deerfield Beach. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.28; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">More of late, Channing has been residing in England and has actually allowed the team at Just Jane Publishing access to a list of favourite places which include Chesterfield in Derbyshire, Liverpool, and a surprising one, given the penchant for city living – a tiny village called Kettlewell, in Yorkshire.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.28; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What does a mysterious author who nobody really knows do when they’re not writing? Channing watches. Things. Events. People. Then they get written about. Is Channing a one trick pony? Far from it. There are links with law, property, and a love of music, which is always in the background when Channing is writing.</span></p></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b><i> Dexter will be awarding a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="28e4345f3563" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f3563/" id="rcwidget_jg90e82q" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script></i></b></span></span></div><div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6125/6005671256_1116b0ac4c_o.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="161" src="https://farm7.static.flickr.com/6125/6005671256_1116b0ac4c_o.png" width="320" /></a></div>Andra Lynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01194158597026288339noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-414275122692230397.post-20994450163605393552020-11-12T00:30:00.001-05:002020-11-12T00:30:11.088-05:00Blog Tour: Big Wishes for Little Feat<span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxgHDmHulKAnTlQUj23ykTKumXkt1iH9Ju-Q5EnBoHtwjq7bETWUuAswMcC7MuwXTGjviuGFiiTo9Pqc9WAUoGvkFLZPaSog5YI4SxbBDG_XCYRLSvjQ861cYB6o-xCg6P0W4wGm-XsAU/s1352/Cover_Big+Wishes+for+Little+Feat.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1352" data-original-width="1068" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxgHDmHulKAnTlQUj23ykTKumXkt1iH9Ju-Q5EnBoHtwjq7bETWUuAswMcC7MuwXTGjviuGFiiTo9Pqc9WAUoGvkFLZPaSog5YI4SxbBDG_XCYRLSvjQ861cYB6o-xCg6P0W4wGm-XsAU/s320/Cover_Big+Wishes+for+Little+Feat.jpg" /></a></div>Title: Big Wishes for Little Feat<br />Author: Cheryl Olsten <br />Pages: 56</span><div><span style="font-size: large;">Date Published: 2020</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Publisher: Fleecydale Press</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Genre: Children's</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Source: <a href="http://www.goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com">Goddess Fish Blog Tours</a></span><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: large;">Synopsis:</span><br /><div><span id="docs-internal-guid-d5b0b42d-7fff-5211-5ec2-e7752b8fd5fc"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When Ella and Little Feat are brought together, their devotion to each other grows. Their awe and love of the night sky with sparkling stars and constellations takes them on a journey that will change their lives forever. Big Wishes for Little Feat is a wonderful tale that will ignite the imagination with its rich, colorful illustrations by award-winning Italian illustrator Paolo d'Altan. Central to the book's charm is the imagery of stars and constellations to which a little girl and her horse both look for inspiration, confidence, and faith in themselves, as they learn how to turn disappointments into achievements. A quirky aunt adds to the fun of this tale of happy endings and new beginnings. For young girls who love animals with a special fondness for the magic of horses.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>~My Thoughts~</i></b></span><br />When Little Feat is the only horse in his stable to not get a new owner, he loses confidence in himself. Although he's little, he decides to work as hard as he can, and becomes a skilled jumper - with the help of a little magic and positive thinking!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />Set in Belgium, I loved the scenery in the stables and when Ella met Little Feat for the first time. It's a very cute, sweet, children's book that has a very positive message of believing in yourself despite your differences and disabilities. <br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>~Try an Excerpt!~</i></b></span></div><div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal"><span id="docs-internal-guid-0e108c1d-7fff-b330-8f2a-7fa4f896c80b"><i><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On the other side of the world lived a little girl named Ella. She wore her hair in a long French braid that fell to the middle of her back. Her eyes were as blue as the midnight sky. She knew a lot about constellations. On summer and winter nights, she and her father would lie in their backyard, looking up at the patterns the stars made.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Ella,” her father would ask, a twinkle in his voice, “what pattern do you see tonight?”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I see a horse, a ying horse! Do you?”</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Well, yes I do,” said her father. “That’s Pegasus, the winged horse. He’s one of the largest constellations in the sky.”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“He’s so beautiful,” said Ella. “I would love to have a horse like that—a horse who can carry me to the stars!”</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Maybe one day your wish will come true, Ella, my beloved, brilliant étoile,” said her father in French. “Brilliant means bright, and you pronounce it bree-yant. Étoile means star, and you pronounce it eh-twal. You are my bright star.”</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Your beloved, brilliant étoile,” she softly repeated.</span></p></i></span></div></div></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>~Meet Cheryl!~ </i></b></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-6034a39a-7fff-4751-a2eb-a0459b79ffaf"><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: xx-large; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: xx-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjridLdz3t56mPLtQz4rfxjdl0oNel9NwFqbaY5hl_mlB6In3UbGNAWG4VphDu2cftT-0vJ5QOvrODGLvPEzdWtv32DcPxajRMKZ837rTjEGFPnTSrvH39Nh-KKyHoe-1lDOujan8FWovA/s1000/Author+Picture+%25283%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjridLdz3t56mPLtQz4rfxjdl0oNel9NwFqbaY5hl_mlB6In3UbGNAWG4VphDu2cftT-0vJ5QOvrODGLvPEzdWtv32DcPxajRMKZ837rTjEGFPnTSrvH39Nh-KKyHoe-1lDOujan8FWovA/s320/Author+Picture+%25283%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;">Cheryl Olsten was formerly the publisher of two New Jersey Magazines, New Jersey Life and New Jersey Life Health and Beauty. She resides in Pennsylvania with her husband, while their grown children are living their happy lives on different parts of the globe.</span></span><p style="font-size: xx-large;"></p></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b><i> Cheryl will be awarding a Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="28e4345f3523" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f3523/" id="rcwidget_bt6701rw" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script></i></b></span></span></div><div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6125/6005671256_1116b0ac4c_o.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="161" src="https://farm7.static.flickr.com/6125/6005671256_1116b0ac4c_o.png" width="320" /></a></div>Andra Lynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01194158597026288339noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-414275122692230397.post-41289346654925459022020-11-10T01:30:00.001-05:002020-11-10T01:30:13.760-05:00Blog Tour: Impeachment (+$25 Giveaway!)<span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-VGZA4hDddmofKLP0m_tOW95ZhZcoBgL-v0pTuRmcgbq5KewOXicE3r9S-WSxmG3fdO8jf4YQrPnEIvpLO0gBzpFXu-z7wU3lL9L1jYVbXK3f3w6oRKXdGczYh9WVC0iM-MOIiQxqcXA/s2000/Impeachment+cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1250" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-VGZA4hDddmofKLP0m_tOW95ZhZcoBgL-v0pTuRmcgbq5KewOXicE3r9S-WSxmG3fdO8jf4YQrPnEIvpLO0gBzpFXu-z7wU3lL9L1jYVbXK3f3w6oRKXdGczYh9WVC0iM-MOIiQxqcXA/s320/Impeachment+cover.jpg" /></a></div>Title: Impeachment<br />Author: Mark Spivak</span><div><span style="font-size: large;">Pages: 208</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Date Published: October 15th, 2020</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Publisher: Blacklight Press</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Format: Kindle</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Genre: Thriller</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Source: <a href="http://www.goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com">Goddess Fish Blog Tours</a></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08HR1CF8B/">Buy Me!</a></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: large;">Synopsis:</span><br />A pair of billionaire brothers with unlimited resources, a secret agenda, and no accountability.<br /><br />Mysterious “peace-keeping forces” that materialize out of nowhere.<br /><br />Detention camps on the U.S.-Mexican border.<br /><br />Bungled assassination attempts with untraceable origins.<br /><br />A reactive Congress, lobbyists bought and paid for, and upheavals at the highest levels of government.<br /><br />How was it all engineered, and could it happen tomorrow?<br /><br />Is it fiction or uncomfortable reality?<div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>~Try an Excerpt!~</i></b></div></span></div><div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal"><span id="docs-internal-guid-2ecb641c-7fff-b4a5-9e53-7992f0350f7c"><i><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Thanks for coming.” </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“No problem,” said Mendoza. “I always drive twenty miles out to the boondocks to get myself a cappuccino. The journey clears my head.” </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I figured that neither of us needed to be seen in public with each other. My instinct was it wouldn’t play well with our respective constituencies.”</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I suspect you’re right. So tell me, Mr. Lapham, what have I done to deserve this audience? Have the Haft brothers decided to donate a billion dollars to Criollos Unidos?” </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“We have some areas of mutual interest. I think we might be able to come to an accommodation.” </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I’m listening.” </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“You’ve been quite outspoken recently in your criticism of Khaleem Atalas.” </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I think he’s a great man. If he wasn’t holding a hundred thousand of my people in concentration camps along the Mexican border, I’d nominate him for the Nobel Peace Prize.” </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“As you can imagine, my employers share your disgust for the President. Although their specific reasons are different, of course.” </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“To be honest, he double-crossed us. And I do not like to be double-crossed.” </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I think you’re a man of principle, even though I may not agree with many of your convictions. And as I said, we’re not fans of Atalas either. The only difference is that we haven’t been surprised at the way things turned out.” </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Before we join hands and start singing kumbaya, why don’t you tell me why you dragged me down here?” </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I could have sworn you came of your own free will.” </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I have to admit, I was curious.” </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“As I said, we find ourselves on the same side of this problem, but for different reasons. I was thinking there might be some way we could work together.”</span></p></i></span></div></div></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>~Meet Mark!~ </i></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSWQVPYFuGzhAH9MHx6yIvyPdYBSF9DBZC0FropJuNozIN5eJzoHqv0nrtA6YLfFZeB3VgKUpEcYkP7Scyk2JFbzMWaNBKYxA8H9w70fGHUH95pZMI4h6LLT-gbzU4sOLLt30DJ-ys3Cw/s720/headshot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="576" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSWQVPYFuGzhAH9MHx6yIvyPdYBSF9DBZC0FropJuNozIN5eJzoHqv0nrtA6YLfFZeB3VgKUpEcYkP7Scyk2JFbzMWaNBKYxA8H9w70fGHUH95pZMI4h6LLT-gbzU4sOLLt30DJ-ys3Cw/s320/headshot.jpg" /></a></div>Mark Spivak is an award-winning writer specializing in wine, spirits, food, restaurants and culinary travel. He’s the author of Iconic Spirits: An Intoxicating History and Moonshine Nation: The Art of Creating Cornbread in a Bottle. His first novel, Friend of the Devil, tells the story of America’s most celebrated chef who has cut a deal with Satan for fame and fortune.<br /><br />Mark is also a political junkie who loves turning his fascination with the seamy underbelly of the American political system into taut, page-turning thrillers. The American Crusade, the story of a devastating terrorist attack and the government’s response, was published in April 2019; Impeachment, a tale of two billionaire brothers who manipulate that system for their own ends, is a sequel that also stands alone as an unusual and compelling story.<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b><i> Mark will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="28e4345f3519" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f3519/" id="rcwidget_yc9434da" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
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</i></b></span></span></div><div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6125/6005671256_1116b0ac4c_o.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="161" src="https://farm7.static.flickr.com/6125/6005671256_1116b0ac4c_o.png" width="320" /></a></div>Andra Lynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01194158597026288339noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-414275122692230397.post-12853846105615416422020-11-10T01:00:00.009-05:002020-11-10T01:00:03.376-05:00REVIEW: Silent Screams by Marcia Collette<span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0bJSMViXcN01zyKgWDFO-HFZ6YZTf9LTJwihsCqMc21DG579iZQfj-EgAVcKpYSmL2kwpDnoaaRx3zvF2H3bELNvhjCQ9CnMt_xTuk1Jqq-ZCmnMLveOVQRCzMvEMiodsM2e9BC-VFkI/s2048/BookCover_silent+scream+front.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0bJSMViXcN01zyKgWDFO-HFZ6YZTf9LTJwihsCqMc21DG579iZQfj-EgAVcKpYSmL2kwpDnoaaRx3zvF2H3bELNvhjCQ9CnMt_xTuk1Jqq-ZCmnMLveOVQRCzMvEMiodsM2e9BC-VFkI/s320/BookCover_silent+scream+front.jpg" /></a></div>Title: Silent Scream<br />Author: Marcia Collette</span><div><span style="font-size: large;">Series: Bittersweet #2</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Pages: 227</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Date Published: October 30th, 2020</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Format: Kindle</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Genre: YA Paranormal</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Source: <a href="http://www.goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com">Goddess Fish Blog Tours</a></span><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: large;">Synopsis:</span><br /><div>Psychokinetic teen Phaedra Thorne is back! Her life consists of balancing her high school and college courses while trying to keep the peace between her older brother Kurt and little sister Nadia. On top of that, their schizophrenic and psychokinetic mom remains locked away in the attic. Believe it or not, things are better than they have ever been.<br /><br />Those "better times" go up in flames when the only sanctuary the Thornes have ever known--their home--is burnt to the ground. With Kurt severely injured and their mother missing, Phae and Nadia have been left in the hands of the supernatural foster care system. Just as the Thorne sisters start to settle in with her temporary family, a blast from their horrific past comes to their foreboding rescue. Phae has good reason to be apprehensive about the new arrangements, considering many supernaturals want to buy the burnt out husk of a home and have taken a liking to her psychokinesis and Nadia's uncanny prowess. There's only one thing Phae can do. Find their mother.<br /><br />Having been kidnapped, assaulted, and sold to the highest bidder, Phae will have to learn how to trust other members of her estranged family, if she has any hopes of saving the immediate one she loves.</div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-size: xx-large;"><i>~My Thoughts~</i></b></div>There was one thing - it could be good or bad depending on how you feel about it - was that there was SO much information packed into each page. The first page was the most vibrant example (obviously, as it's trying to catch us up to the characters, plot, and setting all at once) but I felt like I was jumping from idea to idea so quickly that sometimes I felt like I wasn't capturing all of them. - Geriatric station wagon (lol) ! - Melonie wants to get it on with her boyfriend! - Something about soda being sexually suggestive! - You get it. All on the first page too! In a similar vein...so...many...NAMES! I met 10 people in the first 2 minutes of reading. It really could have been a lot smoother, but I get it, those first few chapters are really tough to get right as you have to get the reader centered in the story and balance the info dumps and the story actually moving forward. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">After some time, I settled down into the story and started putting the characters together and things got good! For whatever reason, I have to tell you that I never once considered the idea of a paranormal foster care system, and my friends, I have read the GAMUT of paranormal YA, adult paranormal, and every spooky or scary sort of story in between. HOW has this never been discussed before? It was such a cool and unique idea and it was really great to explore how Phae and Nadia navigate such a trying experience along with the pressures of an injured brother and missing mom. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">One of the things I really liked about this (setting/story/world?) was how tight-knit the paranormal community was. It reminded me a bit of Halloweentown (obviously a bit more grown up) in that there were kids raised by ghosts and then sorcerers have their own say and culture and mediums also fit into the picture and it's just a unique little world that I enjoyed getting lost in for an hour or two. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Also, that cover is so nice! Very Halloween-esk with the added femininity of the butterfly/moth. Very pretty and very striking! Thanks Marcia for the fun read and I hope you enjoy your stop here on the tour!<br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>~Try an Excerpt!~</i></b></span></div><div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal"><span id="docs-internal-guid-53da7560-7fff-5027-5c9c-d57d742881f9"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>“Phaedra if the house is on fire, you can’t go back inside. Just wait, okay? Wait until the fire department gets there. Hell, wait for me to get there. If nothing else, I heal a lot faster than you.”</i></span></p><i><br /></i><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>“I can’t. The fire looks like it started in the attic and at least a third of the roof is smoldering. One way or another I’ll be blasting my way out of there with my mom and my brother in tow.” I handed the phone to Nadia who was shivering, eyes filled with tears. “Mason’s coming for you. You don’t leave this yard without him, do you understand? If the cops come, don’t scream. Just stay here unless they find you first. I’ll be back. That’s a promise.”</i></span></p><i><br /></i><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>“Phae,” she pleaded. “Don’t go. Stay with me. I’m scared.”</i></span></p><i><br /></i><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Oh my god. My gut wavered. Why did she have to go there? I pulled her into another tight hug and kissed her head hard enough to leave a mark. Tears filled my eyes until they washed down my cheeks. I hated leaving her. Hated it more than anything else in the world. But there would be at least one guaranteed dead body up there if I didn't get to Kurt before our mother did. She was a rabid animal when she was in crazed-rage mode. Add fire to it and there was no telling how far her psychotic personality would go to rip him apart. My powers were as strong as hers, so I knew I could take her. The only problem was my powers were just as sporadic as her psychosis. Anything was possible, but my family’s chances were non-existent if I did nothing.</i></span></p><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div></span></div></div></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>~Meet Marcia!~ </i></b></span></div>I'm Marcia Colette and I love to write urban fantasy, YA, horror, and paranormal romance. Since I was never a voracious reader until later in life, I try to write stories that I like to read, and for readers who don't have a lot of time in their busy lives.<br /><br />My first published novel started with Half Breed (formerly known as Stripped) and my fantasy life took off from there. My next novel was a paranormal romance entitled Unstable Environment and I also released Bittersweet (YA), Hazardous Environment (Paranormal Romance), The Spider Inside Her (Urban Fantasy), and Deadlier by the Dozen (Urban Fantasy). I have sold several short stories and novellas to Mocha Memoirs Press and I continued my Alexa York series with Purple Sword Publications.<br /><br />When I'm not reading or writing, I live my best life in the real world as an IT Manager and enjoy getting into trouble with my manga-loving daughter. I can't draw, so she's out of luck with that one. However, I always write a little piece of her into each of my characters.</div><div><br />And before I forget, I also write science fiction under another pen name.<br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b><i> Marcia will be awarding a $15 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="28e4345f3559" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f3559/" id="rcwidget_u6aufquq" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script></i></b></span></span></div><div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6125/6005671256_1116b0ac4c_o.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="161" src="https://farm7.static.flickr.com/6125/6005671256_1116b0ac4c_o.png" width="320" /></a></div>Andra Lynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01194158597026288339noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-414275122692230397.post-59832636980494269202020-11-09T00:30:00.001-05:002020-11-09T00:30:01.615-05:00Review Tour: The Ghost of Walhachin<span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg60Y3g3-kJFpjzR7MQm3ehI2bRAC5ZKY6x21YN-rDpCR2XkaVfVrV9eRUblrf2bsE7pw4u1oXJIfMhIBIbAG3s2IiP_1SgFAFO6-TCRZf7c7pIS63tnHccpZA2UlDP97ok8pSgA5AFyVY/s2048/Cover-The+Ghost+of+Walhachin.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg60Y3g3-kJFpjzR7MQm3ehI2bRAC5ZKY6x21YN-rDpCR2XkaVfVrV9eRUblrf2bsE7pw4u1oXJIfMhIBIbAG3s2IiP_1SgFAFO6-TCRZf7c7pIS63tnHccpZA2UlDP97ok8pSgA5AFyVY/s320/Cover-The+Ghost+of+Walhachin.jpg" /></a></div>Title: The Ghost of Walhachin<br />Author: <a href="https://www.ramonanehringsilver.com/">Ramona Nehring-Silver</a><br /></span><div><span style="font-size: large;">Date Published: March 8th, 2020</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Publisher: Tellwell Talent</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Format: Kindle</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Genre: MG Fiction - Historical </span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Source: <a href="http://www.goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com">Goddess Fish Blog Tours</a></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://bookshop.org/books/the-ghost-of-walhachin/9780228817208">Buy Me!</a></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: large;">Synopsis:</span><br /><div>A ghost, time travel, and unusual friendships await Kean in Walhachin. Kean feels displaced at his home in Seattle since his mother recently re-married and has chosen to spend the summer in the small desert town with his aunt and younger cousin. Not long after arriving, he regrets his decision. There is no one his age. The town is too small for public amenities. Then everything changes when he uncorks an old soda bottle that was made in Walhachin eighty years prior. He becomes embroiled in an adventure to try and help a ghost retrieve a much-needed item from the past. In his quest to help the ghost he discovers the town's spirited history and develops unusual friendships with an old man in the present and a young boy in the past.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>~My Thoughts~</i></b></span><br />The plot moved at an unmatched speed, with me clinging to dear life to hang on! :) I do think the speed of things might appeal to younger readers with shorter attention spans, but as for me, I did wish there was a bit more of a "stop and smell the roses" attitude as I would have liked to see the scenes change in more detail from present to past and back again. I especially enjoyed seeing Walhachin as it was back in its heyday and wanted to spend more time exploring there!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Nehring-Silver did a wonderful job actually describing the scenes! I loved even the introduction of Calvin/Kean and how clearly you could picture the dusty, withered landscaping surrounding them and how vibrant the boys seemed in comparison. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">This was a very quick read (for an adult!) spanning just an hour or so. It was a mostly calm but adventurous trip, and the time travel was the coolest part for me. There was nothing scary or untoward in the book that might turn off younger kids. It was a pleasant diversion and might appeal to early middle grade readers the best, around 7 or 8 I would think. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>~Try an Excerpt!~</i></b></span></div><div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal"><span id="docs-internal-guid-ede87ccf-7fff-8e6b-9d62-87c7c21d12f4"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>He examined his surroundings from behind a flowering bush at the corner of the hotel. The sagging boarded up remains of the hotel Kean knew were now a huge sturdy building with a long balcony and welltended flower gardens. He recognized most of the other buildings lining the main road through town. Yet, even in the weak moonlight, things were different. No cars were parked along the street, and not one porch light shone. Picket fences stood straight. Everything looked new. The air smelled of green grass and animals. Even the mosquitoes weren’t biting. Probably a luxury of being a ghost. </i></span></p><i><br /></i><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>There was no hint of sunrise. It must be very early, he decided. A good time to scout out hiding places. Using fences and brush for cover, he made his way through town. Aunty Maggie’s little store and post office turned out to be a restaurant. The post office was in a building Kean recognized as the Jorgenson’s house. A sign hanging over a barn-like building read, “Livery Stable,” and four horses stood in the adjoining corral. </i></span></p><i><br /></i><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>He passed a store, a small real estate office, and a newspaper office. The bakery and the butcher shop surprised him the most. He had to remind himself he was still in Walhachin. Nothing was the same, yet so much was familiar.</i></span></p></span></div></div></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>~Meet Ramona!~ </i></b></span></div><span id="docs-internal-guid-4a3e2ebe-7fff-dd0d-2be7-fe2e35e32c86"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgKsvkrI3YdDy6_mxJHPlpeE1Gt2I8PuYSHnoQm80UQWC4aercWpcxm2EfNY349RMzHdHQXrCTO6C41jZ5anar-IkKwQay3OtXUpv1M3S3WKqOFRIozMlcCMAqXQ1mmpAnx84q07f81Wg/s1000/Author+Ramona+Nehring-Silver.gif" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgKsvkrI3YdDy6_mxJHPlpeE1Gt2I8PuYSHnoQm80UQWC4aercWpcxm2EfNY349RMzHdHQXrCTO6C41jZ5anar-IkKwQay3OtXUpv1M3S3WKqOFRIozMlcCMAqXQ1mmpAnx84q07f81Wg/s320/Author+Ramona+Nehring-Silver.gif" /></a></div>Ramona Nehring-Silver's memories of living in and around Walhachin as a child and exploring the surroundings with seven siblings provided the initial inspirations for The Ghost of Walhachin. Ongoing motivation, and sometimes interruptions, came from her four children and thirteen grandchildren. She now lives in the far northeast corner of British Columbia, where her teaching career has ranged from adult art and writing classes to elementary school. Exploring B.C. and beyond by motorcycle is her favorite thing to do, as well as spending time with her grandchildren.<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="28e4345f3527" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f3527/" id="rcwidget_14055n36" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
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</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><b style="font-size: medium;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></b></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b><i> Ramona will be awarding a $20 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.</i></b></span></span></div><div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6125/6005671256_1116b0ac4c_o.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="161" src="https://farm7.static.flickr.com/6125/6005671256_1116b0ac4c_o.png" width="320" /></a></div>Andra Lynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01194158597026288339noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-414275122692230397.post-64350673197478416532020-11-09T00:00:00.001-05:002020-11-09T00:00:04.106-05:00Blog Tour: APOPHIS! (+$25 GC Giftcard!) <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiySeoMBxpWEiaC-ChPvLJoMdcjbGTdU1tNlQGHH04f3vgr4QbolLBwajrRQ_ap8DnekX1KBhmvyBk2cJbaxQrsI9fS31-m2tRRun6-KdvCTGJUsNaJ2p7rYSzNAzPO79DjXTyVVHledLI/s1280/Cover_Apophis.jpeg" style="clear: left; display: inline; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="914" data-original-width="1280" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiySeoMBxpWEiaC-ChPvLJoMdcjbGTdU1tNlQGHH04f3vgr4QbolLBwajrRQ_ap8DnekX1KBhmvyBk2cJbaxQrsI9fS31-m2tRRun6-KdvCTGJUsNaJ2p7rYSzNAzPO79DjXTyVVHledLI/w328-h234/Cover_Apophis.jpeg" width="328" /></a></p><span style="font-size: large;">Title: Apophis<br />Author: Raj Anand</span><div><span style="font-size: large;">Genre: Science Fiction</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Source: <a href="http://www.goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com">Goddess Fish Blog Tours</a></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Synopsis:</span></div><br />January 2022: A dark monstrous twin-headed apparition – Apophis – feverishly races past the expanse of the Milky Way galaxy and bolts to the edge of the solar system. Recklessly accelerating, the sinister rock-dyad enters the gravitational keyhole of the blue planet and continues its resolute inebriated journey – to soon arrive with an apocalyptic impact on Earth.<div><br /></div><div>December 2012: Five sentient beings born in different cities – New York, Hong Kong, New Delhi, Azores Islands, and Istanbul, discover amongst haunting memories of their phantasmal past lives, that it is their destiny to save humanity from the evil forces unleashed by the alien fiends – the Skyllats.<br /><br /><div>And now, the reincarnated 9-year-olds must rely on their shared, ancient wisdom to prepare humanity for the war across the galaxy that is imminent.<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>~A short note from Raj!~</i></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-6614f57a-7fff-b4cc-a2bd-c5401430c7d3"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Writing Apophis over these past five years, has been a cathartic inner-journey that rippled across my life. It extracted all of my patience, diligence and life-learnings of my past 52 years lived on this orphic blue bubble, as it floats across a conscious Universe.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><b id="docs-internal-guid-a99c8439-7fff-10c1-112a-34ca5faf5f17" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Now its journey complete, it was launched a few days ago on several platforms across the world. And I am left exhausted, numbed and humbled by this Initiation.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> I acknowledge that it is a book that I have NOT written, for it was willed from me – by the Universe. And now, it is like a child set free – floating away – ready to choose its own path, life-journey and future. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Where it goes from here? </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">It is for the Universe to decide.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> I did, what was willed of me to do… </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">All I can promise the reader is a book imbued with a magical wisdom. A restlessly paced story that transports you across time, teamed up with five children along their phantasmal, breathtaking journeys. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">These 9-year-olds the reincarnations of ancient philosophers, including Confucius, Plato, Buddha, Ptah Hotep and a mysterious another.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Happy Reading!</span></p></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>~Try an Excerpt!~</i></b></span></div><div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal"><span id="docs-internal-guid-9d730bfd-7fff-a274-3b73-0bc717494527"><i><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Barred Spiral Milky Way Galaxy</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">At the Edge of the Solar System</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">January 17, 2022 (Earth Time)</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A dark monstrous apparition, slingshot from across another realm, camouflaged in a jagged, charcoal black rock, adroitly surfed the gravitational waves of the universe. Feverishly racing past the expanse of the Milky Way galaxy, it bolted to the edge of the solar system and arrived from above the plane of the ecliptic – gyrating closer to the sun.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The dark fiend continued its charge forward, cutting across the path of Venus – nearly crashing onto it, before it deftly decelerated and reached a stable orbit in a retrograde rotation around the pale-yellow planet. This tenacious temporary satellite immediately scrambled to steal a fragment of the protesting planet’s enormous momentum. Catapulted along the plain of the ecliptic, recklessly accelerating at an impossible speed – it shattered, splitting into two.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The newly formed rock dyad – a small black moon orbiting a sphere of death – pulled free from Venus. It continued its inebriated journey, salivating at the opportunity to rain a resolute chaos upon an orphic azure-blue bubble still 40 million kilometers away.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Unbeknownst to the alien rock dyad, a faint sliver of gold orbited nearby. The 7.5-meter-tall and 3.2-meter wide Sentinel Space Telescope clothed in a gold foil, with a giant heat-reflector shield strung along its back; cooled to 40 degrees Kelvin by a two stage, closed cycle Stirling cryocooler. Its 0.51-meter aluminum mirror, dutifully scanned any and all Inner Earth Objects larger than 90 meters in diameter that ever dared to fly across its 200-degree angle of regard.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Sentinel Observatory, alarmed by the presence of the ghostly twin-headed monster, recorded the black rock dyad’s trajectory, shape, size, mass, and rotational dynamics, before it urgently sent a coded message to its home base in southern Japan.</span></p></i></span></div></div></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>~More about Raj!~ </i></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpqoiYk_qv8JAhNoj5BEP4WDrkUg1pMdBli4e27GXwLMeQxEDdpzwY5Zy7kBCn7sIU26vbw33nXeE0vXXbjwoxD-VV5e82C_fRRmOVqd_N7BXmK_mpKfJGND3LHyts133WUANazV-JVjI/s2048/Author+Pic.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpqoiYk_qv8JAhNoj5BEP4WDrkUg1pMdBli4e27GXwLMeQxEDdpzwY5Zy7kBCn7sIU26vbw33nXeE0vXXbjwoxD-VV5e82C_fRRmOVqd_N7BXmK_mpKfJGND3LHyts133WUANazV-JVjI/w410-h274/Author+Pic.jpg" width="410" /></a></div><blockquote>Savinder Raj Anand is an architect and has been teaching Architecture & Design at various Universities in India for more than 12 years. A long-distance runner with a wanderlust to explore the world, and write stories that traverse across diverse cultures. He lives in Goa with his daughter, a dog, and two cats. <br /><br />Inspired by his then 18-month-old daughter – when she quoted Socrates – while they together sat in a children’s bookstore in Bangalore (LIGHTROOM) in early January of 2015, he has completed this – his first book – as she turns 7 years old.</blockquote></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b><i>Raj will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.<a class="rcptr" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f3575/" rel="nofollow" data-raflid="28e4345f3575" data-theme="classic" data-template="" id="rcwidget_a6im8r80">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
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<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script></i></b></span></span></div><div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6125/6005671256_1116b0ac4c_o.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="161" src="https://farm7.static.flickr.com/6125/6005671256_1116b0ac4c_o.png" width="320" /></a></div></div></div>Andra Lynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01194158597026288339noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-414275122692230397.post-18481713575435618212020-11-05T01:00:00.019-05:002020-11-05T01:00:00.672-05:00Blog Tour: Jungleland by MT Bass <span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF_0trgsENPZHGo7TxyWE1n7WX3PEkS82HwALOXsSVerw6ZGgYY_nr2_5oZJvoFUolym3404iW0s7JQjYPP-lGvbL107GD7BPuMne542zJnbpeW-Q-h6SRmCmHFVSFu3eZLrSb42Xv7_k/s2048/Cover_Jungleland.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF_0trgsENPZHGo7TxyWE1n7WX3PEkS82HwALOXsSVerw6ZGgYY_nr2_5oZJvoFUolym3404iW0s7JQjYPP-lGvbL107GD7BPuMne542zJnbpeW-Q-h6SRmCmHFVSFu3eZLrSb42Xv7_k/s320/Cover_Jungleland.jpg" /></a></div>Title: Jungleland<br />Author: <a href="https://www.mtbass.net/">M.T. Bass</a><br />Series: White Hawk Aviation #2</span><div><span style="font-size: large;">Pages: 221</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Date Published: October 22nd, 2020</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Publisher: Electronic Alley Publishing</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Format: Kindle</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Genre: Adventure</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Source: <a href="http://www.goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com">Goddess Fish Blog Tours</a></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://mtbassauthor.wordpress.com/scribblings/jungleland/">Buy Me!</a></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: large;">Synopsis:</span><br /><div><span id="docs-internal-guid-80f72b67-7fff-d980-f83f-39d6d751ec57"><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-top: 0.1pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“There are only two types of aircraft: fighters and targets.”</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-top: 0.1pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~Doyle ‘Wahoo’ Nicholson, USMC</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-top: 0.1pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sweating it out in the former Belgian Congo as a civil war mercenary, with Sparks turning wrenches on his T-6 Texan, Hawk splits his time flying combat missions and, back on the ground, sparring with Ella, an attractive young missionary doctor, in the sequel to My Brother’s Keeper.</span></p></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>~What's In A Name?~</i></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: large;">How did you name your characters, and how do their names help define their personalities?</span></i></b></div><div>Naming characters is one of the most fun things you get to do as an author.</div><div><br />Of course, you spend a lot of time trying to figure out monikers that really fit their<br />personalities. It’s a bit harder with main characters because you have to carve out some<br />originality there, too. It took me a while to come up with the Griffith Crowe name in Article 15 .<br />Not only was he a former Navy SEAL, so his name needed to convey strength and authority,<br />he was also of Native American heritage. Being of Scottish ancestry, I named the main<br />character in My Brother’s Keeper , Angus Gavin Byrd. He pretty much ignores his given name<br />and goes by Gavin. But really everybody calls him “Hawk” from his World War II flying days.<br />In fact, I don’t think I even mentioned his name in Jungleland.</div><div><br />I used the biblical name of Rebecca for the young high school heroine in Lodging. It means<br />“to tie firmly” and also "soil, earth,” which definitely fits well with the meaning of lodging: “the<br />bending of the stalk of a plant (stalk lodging) or the entire plant (root lodging),” and reflects<br />her sometimes uncomfortable ties to her hometown of Liberal, Kansas. Also, she becomes<br />romantically involved with a young pilot named David.<br />.<br />In the Murder by Munchausen series, I specifically used only first names for all of the main<br />characters. Given the impersonality of telling a high-tech story about robots being hacked into<br />becoming hitmen, I wanted the reader to feel very comfortable with Jake, Maddie, EC, and Q.</div><div><br />The most fun I’ve had naming characters was my satire In the Black . First of all, it has more<br />characters than a Russian novel. Then it was loosely based on Homer’s epic, The Odyssey.<br />So, to start with, it was no coincidence that the father’s true love was Helen Troyer—whose<br />beauty might well have “launched a 1000 ships.” And of course, her brother’s name was<br />Hector. Orley Bovine was a “Mountain William” (i.e., “hillbilly”) from the Ozarks, who was a<br />world-class spitter and moonshine marketing genius. Melvin Vapors was a mysterious<br />Harvard law school graduate who appears at the end of the book to work his legal magic.<br />Vasili Ivanovich Dzhugashili, being a second cousin of Joseph Stalin, escaped his purges in<br />the Soviet Union and came to the United States after World War II to invent a black box to<br />help land Neil Armstrong’s Apollo 11 Lunar Excursion Module get to the moon and land there.<br />Travis Marbling was an assistant to the CEO of the Cassidy Meat Packing plant. Leon Debs<br />was a former middleweight boxer (0-32-1) who sought to unionize the workers at Erp<br />Industries, Inc.</div><div><br />And every once in a while, you get a chance to shine out a nice spotlight. One of my favorite<br />TV shows is Justified and I got a chance to honor a great and favorite author by naming the<br />Kentucky lawyer in Article 15 , E.J. Leonard—aka Elmore Leonard—who created the<br />character Marshal Raylan Givens.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>~Try an Excerpt!~</i></b></span></div><div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal"><span id="docs-internal-guid-6471f51c-7fff-3411-7268-3f4f3aa03794"><i><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I slid back the canopy. The woman wriggled out from around the mechanic’s blocking move and headed towards me.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sparks shrugged his shoulders at my hand motion query. He folded his arms over his chest to watch the show.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The woman didn’t even walk around the wing but stooped to cut underneath to take a more direct line towards me. She disappeared under the leading edge and appeared at the aileron, then followed the trailing edge back to the fuselage, looking for the handhold to get herself up on the wing.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I turned in the cockpit and watched her step up onto the wing and climb the incline up to me. I started to slide myself up to get out, getting my butt up on the back of the seat, but she got to me and blocked my way out. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Just who do you think you are, mister?” she barked with the authoritative voice of a medical professional at the very top of the heap. I had heard that tone in my brother’s voice more than a few times.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I just pulled off my helmet but left my mirrored Ray-Bans on. From safely behind the lenses, I carefully surveyed her gorgeously animated face—even in anger, her lips wrinkled in a bit of a smile as if this was half-show, half-genuine indignation. Her red hair was neatly pulled back in a ponytail, showing a freckled, fair complexion that had not yet been weathered and tanned by the sun, so she was new in country. Most of us outsiders knew each other well, but I didn’t recognize who this was. I had heard about a new doctor at the mission, though never imagined it might have been female.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“You’re not from around here, are you?” I asked.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“What?”</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I mean originally—not born and raised.”</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">She scowled and punched my arm with her fist…hard.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Ow!” I guessed she had at least one brother.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Was that you—of course it was. Who else would it have been.”</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I unscrewed the plugs from my ears, and the volume level on her voice got louder. Over her shoulder, I saw Sparks shake his head and smile.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Listen, mister—”</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Whoa, whoa, whoa there,” I finally interrupted, holding up my hand, palm out like a cop stopping traffic. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">She stopped talking and stared hard at me. She punched my arm again…</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: xx-large; font-style: normal; white-space: normal;"><i>~Meet M.T. Bass!~ </i></b></span></p></i></span></div></div></div></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Y9quQ_AEzJ_w2Chnt53CXQjnMrrZ6FwLxGtrx-LBcgwbWWLNZe_osSQrNQg84I8jTniJRqZTT0QtCNPlv-fcb1hVopZlTxc0fxu5J_BDpuw9Es-5fozLPtV-dKN4dbpj9fR_4sKEiZE/s1550/AuthorPic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1550" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Y9quQ_AEzJ_w2Chnt53CXQjnMrrZ6FwLxGtrx-LBcgwbWWLNZe_osSQrNQg84I8jTniJRqZTT0QtCNPlv-fcb1hVopZlTxc0fxu5J_BDpuw9Es-5fozLPtV-dKN4dbpj9fR_4sKEiZE/s320/AuthorPic.jpg" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">M.T. Bass is a scribbler of fiction who holds fast to the notion that while victors may get to write history, novelists get to write/right reality. He lives, writes, flies and makes music in Mudcat Falls, USA.</span></div><br />Born in Athens, Ohio, M.T. Bass grew up in St. Louis, Missouri. He graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University, majoring in English and Philosophy, then worked in the private sector (where they expect “results”) mainly in the Aerospace & Defense manufacturing market. During those years, Bass continued to write fiction. He is the author of eight novels: My Brother’s Keeper, Crossroads, In the Black, Somethin’ for Nothin’, Murder by Munchausen, The Darknet (Murder by Munchausen Mystery #2), The Invisible Mind (Murder by Munchausen Mystery #3) and Article 15. His writing spans various genres, including Mystery, Adventure, Romance, Black Comedy and TechnoThrillers. A Commercial Pilot and Certified Flight Instructor, airplanes and pilots are featured in many of his stories. Bass currently lives on the shores of Lake Erie near Lorain, Ohio.<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><b style="font-size: medium;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></b></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b><i> M.T. will be awarding a Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="28e4345f3521" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f3521/" id="rcwidget_srq8g3bu" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
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</i></b></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6125/6005671256_1116b0ac4c_o.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="161" src="https://farm7.static.flickr.com/6125/6005671256_1116b0ac4c_o.png" width="320" /></a></div>Andra Lynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01194158597026288339noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-414275122692230397.post-87873325399327334052020-11-04T01:00:00.003-05:002020-11-04T01:00:01.932-05:00Review Tour: Dance with Me (+$10 GC Giveaway!) <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh-xTadBllUCXeIkQgnPOJQ9a64N_MsWGyU9x7EYkXxRCJnDGl7yWgn213NZjYS7-8NKx0FGj-7TTP9I05psi4iW328f6qLIghmDJTBkRfXhjF6n5HiP0nDKDQECpQ7bCK6JFT36-fMSs/s1161/Cover_Dance+With+Me.gif" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; font-size: x-large; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1161" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh-xTadBllUCXeIkQgnPOJQ9a64N_MsWGyU9x7EYkXxRCJnDGl7yWgn213NZjYS7-8NKx0FGj-7TTP9I05psi4iW328f6qLIghmDJTBkRfXhjF6n5HiP0nDKDQECpQ7bCK6JFT36-fMSs/s320/Cover_Dance+With+Me.gif" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">Title: Dance with Me<br />Author: Judith Crow<br />Date Published: October 22nd, 2020<br />Format: Kindle<br />Genre: YA Fantasy</span></p><div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Dance-Me-Judith-Crow-ebook/dp/B08GC86MG7">Buy Me!</a></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: large;">Synopsis:</span><br /><div><div>Don’t tell anyone, but Kelli spends all her free time listening to folk music. Ok, it’s not what you’d expect from a popular fifteen-year-old, but that’s why she doesn’t want the whole world to know.</div><div><br /></div><div>When Kelli follows the mysterious Tam Lane, she finds herself in a place where folk songs come to life. As she comes to terms with the world, she makes friends, uses her privilege to help others, and even falls in love.</div><div><br /></div><div>But Kelli has forgotten the fates which await so many characters in the songs, and she soon finds herself surrounded by heartbreak. Determined to protect the people she has left, can Kelli change a fate which has been sung for centuries?</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>~My Thoughts~</i></b></span><br /><span id="docs-internal-guid-3b7c3317-7fff-25a3-6a2b-ce4875bfd390"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;">So I have to tell you. I was THRILLED when I read the premise of this one. You may not know this about dear old Andra, but I am absolutely OBSESSED with folk music and traditional ballads, folk songs, and national ditties. I was that girl listening to the High Kings and Celtic Thunder to the disdain and confusion of many of my high school friends and enemies. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;">With my *ahem* expert experience, I was wondering how Dance With Me would measure up, and friends, it succeeded beyond my wildest dreams! I admit I had Youtube up on my phone for a lot of the time while reading so I could "set the scene" with all the different songs referenced and mentioned (as well as the songs listed on our Guest Post a few weeks ago!). </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Judith has an excellent writing style. We get to slip seamlessly into Kelli's head and can touch and feel the same things she does. I found myself losing track of time because I was just enveloped in the story. </p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Kelli was a strong, thoughtful lead, and as with any great YA novel, Dance With Me has a lot of good coming of age aspects and we see Kelli grow and adapt in this strange new place she's found herself in. This was a great, fun read that you'll want to have your favorite music player open and tuned to classic folk songs while reading so you can keep yourself in the spirit of things! </span></p></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>~Meet Judith!~ </i></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTTOtJqsqVtViV9kHtmpdLGxgNi3_3uff_2ux2_z4BHht0fSnwp054mrEOD6woxR-MapkGoMF9ncMY92lYn5wExltjMA1NQopy1uayj8Ea-CGTMVkAz3Xw6jFVMVyQqNDQJWUq678EldY/s2048/Author+Picture+%25282%2529.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1954" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTTOtJqsqVtViV9kHtmpdLGxgNi3_3uff_2ux2_z4BHht0fSnwp054mrEOD6woxR-MapkGoMF9ncMY92lYn5wExltjMA1NQopy1uayj8Ea-CGTMVkAz3Xw6jFVMVyQqNDQJWUq678EldY/w306-h320/Author+Picture+%25282%2529.JPG" width="306" /></a></div>Judith was born in Orkney, grew up in Lincolnshire and now lives in the far north of Scotland. Her writing is inspired by the experiences of her life so far and she loves picking up on quirks and immortalising them in fiction.<br /><br />Judith’s new book, Dance With Me, combines her love of folk music and creative writing, and finds her main character in a world where folk songs come to life. Her debut book, The Backwater, was a finalist in the Wishing Shelf Book Awards 2019.<br /><br />When she isn’t writing, Judith is a primary school teacher who enjoys crafting and music, as well as being a generally doting spaniel owner.<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><b style="font-size: medium;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></b></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b><i> Judith will be awarding a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour!<a class="rcptr" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f3539/" rel="nofollow" data-raflid="28e4345f3539" data-theme="classic" data-template="" id="rcwidget_t60k1pkk">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script><script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script></i></b></span></span></div><div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6125/6005671256_1116b0ac4c_o.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="161" src="https://farm7.static.flickr.com/6125/6005671256_1116b0ac4c_o.png" width="320" /></a></div></div>Andra Lynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01194158597026288339noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-414275122692230397.post-80997930614731706182020-11-03T20:52:00.001-05:002020-11-03T20:52:15.971-05:00Christmas Comes To Dickens Anthology Featuring Liz Flahery! <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD2bzR9OADkq2JX7x__grte9lqdDDHDCA3976G4akGYFvaLZHPP1HMpkVE8it-YDnyAJRDePHG0ZKdLYLZJq5IpO2OVqsC2A27uvoPZfG-x0HAWsmQ3LoxqEj6s0zBpMUawcjKDEGQgHE/s1280/Blog+Tour+Meme.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD2bzR9OADkq2JX7x__grte9lqdDDHDCA3976G4akGYFvaLZHPP1HMpkVE8it-YDnyAJRDePHG0ZKdLYLZJq5IpO2OVqsC2A27uvoPZfG-x0HAWsmQ3LoxqEj6s0zBpMUawcjKDEGQgHE/w400-h225/Blog+Tour+Meme.jpg" width="400" /></a> </p><div style="text-align: center;">Christmas Comes To Dickens!</div><div style="text-align: center;">Featured Story: Wisdom of the Heart</div><div style="text-align: center;">Featured Author: Liz Flaherty HTML Code for Trailer: <iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/aagiP09D00g" width="560"></iframe></div><p></p><span style="font-size: large;">Synopsis:</span><div><span id="docs-internal-guid-00812471-7fff-bd50-440f-9e3ff89774b3"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">They held each other’s hearts twenty years before as teenagers, but life intervened. Now they’re both back in Dickens, finding new friendship in an old place. Fee’s daughter and Jed’s stepsons are mostly grown, so they’re both in good emotional places.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But Fee wants to stay in Dickens forever, running Silver Threads and Golden Needles, her quilt shop, and Jed wants to stay on the road and in the air as a photojournalist. Can they find a way to meet in the middle?</span></p></span><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>~Try an Excerpt!~</i></b></span></div><div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal"><span id="docs-internal-guid-0c84bf3c-7fff-ff2a-d7c6-2d0a984e440b"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Jed?”</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">His head swung, the silky light brown hair still shaggy, still straight. How she’d envied him that hair. His eyes, the same blue as an afternoon storm cloud, met hers. “Fiadh.”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Only he and her mother had called her by her full name, and she still loved the way the Fee-ya came off his tongue. “You’re here,” she said. Nothing like stating the obvious. She shook her head at her own inanity and stepped out from behind the table. “I’m so glad to see you.”</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He met her between the flannel and the fleece, and there was no question that they would hug each other. He had stolen her heart and then broken it all those years ago, but he’d also uncovered courage in her she hadn’t thought she possessed. She’d understood when and why he’d left. The secret had kept her from looking for him later, from seeking a new beginning from the place they had stopped. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“You look wonderful.” The squint lines she’d always told him he’d get from looking through viewfinders had materialized, but he wore them well. He was broader than he was as a kid, but still built like the basketball player he’d been. She’d kept up with him, buying the travel books and coffee table books he contributed to or written and copies of magazines that featured his photography. She’d even gone to a book-signing once, for The Other Side, his book on bridges, but had left when he entered the room with his wife on his arm.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">She’d known he married, and even hoped for a chance to meet his wife, but when the time came, she couldn’t do it. Her relationship with Jed Healy was something so personal and private she couldn’t share it with anyone. If there was a part of her that mourned the fact that he’d fallen in love with someone else, she chose not to acknowledge it. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“So do you.” He held her hands, spreading her arms so he could look at her. He didn’t seem to notice the silver threading through her red hair, the waistline that seemed to be disappearing no matter what she did to retain it. What he did notice, though, didn’t surprise her at all. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When he touched the tea stain near her collarbone, the texture of his fingers warmed her right through the fabric of her green cotton sweater. “I’m glad to see not everything has changed,” he said, laughter crinkling the lines around his eyes. “You still enjoy what you’re drinking.” </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Fully,” she said solemnly. “I don’t have a single article of clothing that hasn’t enjoyed it with me.” She slapped lightly at his fingers, then held them in hers. “It’s so good to see you. Are you staying out at the camp over the holidays? Is your family coming?”</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">His smile slipped a little. “I’m staying at the camp, but no one’s coming. Can we have dinner while I’m here, though, and catch up?”</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Of course. I’ll even cook if you can get your courage up, Healy.”</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Count on it.”</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He still held her hand…or she held his. She couldn’t have said which. And his smile…she loved that smile as much as she had a lifetime ago. She wondered where his wife was, if they had children—</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Mom?” Ailey’s feet on the stairs at the back of the shop announced her entrance into the room. “Mrs. Lindstrom’s quilt is done, but it’s still on the quilter. I’m meeting the girls for tacos at Los Tres Caminos, okay? I won’t be home late.”</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Sure.” Fee stretched her free hand toward her daughter. “I want you to meet Jed Healy, a real blast from the past you never knew I had. Jed, this is my daughter Ailey.”</span></p><div><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div></span></div></div></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>~Meet <a href="http://lizflaherty.net/ ">Liz</a>!~ </i></b></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj89AfvB_p0pT4TvZI3pxm0nFTNb6m5UBqCVBEyEkkI65JOl-5s1no8J4Mn1pUQFjt8KmmAdNfPDV2Dj6jVbJqgBDOlkqThRncXSmYgUF-SwXNAAR88TD4-Cy0z4-4b1GXgihdLyA4_Rm4/s604/Day+2+Flaherty.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="604" data-original-width="483" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj89AfvB_p0pT4TvZI3pxm0nFTNb6m5UBqCVBEyEkkI65JOl-5s1no8J4Mn1pUQFjt8KmmAdNfPDV2Dj6jVbJqgBDOlkqThRncXSmYgUF-SwXNAAR88TD4-Cy0z4-4b1GXgihdLyA4_Rm4/s320/Day+2+Flaherty.jpg" /></a></div></span><span style="font-size: large;">Liz Flaherty—Stories from the Heart—is a USA Today bestselling contemporary author. Retired from the post office, she spends non-writing time sewing, quilting, and doing whatever else she wants to.<br /><br />She and her husband Duane live in the old farmhouse in North Central Indiana they moved to in 1977. They’ve talked about moving, but really…40-some years’ worth of stuff? It’s not happening. It would require removing old baseball trophies from the attic and dusting the pictures of the Magnificent Seven, their grandchildren. (The dusting’s not happening, either—just saying…)</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><b></b><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b><i> A $30 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC will be gifted to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="28e4345f3574" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f3574/" id="rcwidget_1qkvc8ys" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script></i></b></span></span></div><div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6125/6005671256_1116b0ac4c_o.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="161" src="https://farm7.static.flickr.com/6125/6005671256_1116b0ac4c_o.png" width="320" /></a></div></div>Andra Lynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01194158597026288339noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-414275122692230397.post-60075580593705785502020-10-30T01:00:00.001-04:002020-10-30T01:00:09.062-04:00Blog Tour: Lovers, Players, Seducer: The Revenge<span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDuteTt_7Ph0snYFz7PVl5NofU_FDZDcxXQpufhm6W8gbm9BfnDGcnATiSLGl2IxhGar63_IpNrgCA5DHw0ZStI1vdw28x4Qq45hzZDric5XBMHXNa_9G1EmmCVGNuFG9HDzkrdyyvJpg/s1350/BookCover_Lovers%252C+Players%252C+Seducer_Revenge+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDuteTt_7Ph0snYFz7PVl5NofU_FDZDcxXQpufhm6W8gbm9BfnDGcnATiSLGl2IxhGar63_IpNrgCA5DHw0ZStI1vdw28x4Qq45hzZDric5XBMHXNa_9G1EmmCVGNuFG9HDzkrdyyvJpg/s320/BookCover_Lovers%252C+Players%252C+Seducer_Revenge+%25281%2529.jpg" /></a></div>Title: The Revenge<br />Author: J.A. Jackson<br />Series: Lovers, Players, & Seducers #2 <br />Pages: 179<br />Format: Kindle<br />Genre: Romance</span><div><span style="font-size: large;">Source: <a href="http://www.goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com">Goddess Fish Blog Tours</a></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://amzn.to/2eks6Us">Buy Me!</a></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: large;">Synopsis:</span><br /><div><span id="docs-internal-guid-4fd3f204-7fff-3f18-df57-357d4967b091"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Last time, in J. A. Jackson’s steamy, romantic thriller Lovers, Players and The Seducer, the storm came…and went. Back then, Nicholas La Cour played a very dangerous game of cat and mouse; one in which he involved his childhood friends, Kienan Egan and Quinn Rolandis. Even worse, he put his own sister, Lacey La Cour, right in the middle of that storm. Everyone got swept away in the torrent of greed, lust and ruthless ambition. All except two ratchet lovers… Discover as one ratchet lover determined to put the past behind her, believes she’s found true love only to be catapulted into an intriguing world that threatens her life and may shatter her heart. Another storm is coming, but will the two ratchet lovers survive it?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>~Try an Excerpt!~</i></b></span></div><div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal"><span id="docs-internal-guid-fd05cd2e-7fff-80e3-cc26-39016ec1af4e"><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>“Greeting,” the old woman called out to them standing just to the side of the road. She wore a man’s military jacket over an old torn pink satin cocktail dress. “Lord, have mercy, you all caught a load of fish!”</i></span></p><i><br /></i><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>The first thing Maëlle noticed about the old woman was that she had a clairvoyant air about her. </i></span></p><i><br /></i><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>The old woman didn’t wait for an acknowledgement as she walked directly toward Maëlle singling her out. “Young woman, might I have a word with you?” </i></span></p><i><br /></i><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Maëlle’s head jerked up in surprise, when the old clairvoyant looking woman singled her out. She almost jumped out of her skin, at the sound of the soft sweet voice with a lifting southern drawl, that left an in indelibly imprint on the brain. She was sure that the old woman’s voice was surely capable of casting a spell. </i></span></p><i><br /></i><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>“Menfolk have no need of my fortune telling,” the old woman said in her sweet voice, glancing at the men. </i></span></p></span></div></div></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>~Meet J.A.!~ </i></b></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-34ea081b-7fff-e346-c80e-a4242f234e5d"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigHB6X3WNwYdWw4iKnmRs0M6Bcy8mTYb4FWQGbGeKscp8k3ol9qULeoB8U-htaMwCC5sdyHdI0nktO8KjMS21rOCNn8Bj9fx8gLDUlwR858lAtnWzuWZ24U5OeOCjwFu77tilvnNkre8w/s2048/A+A+A+A+AUTHOR+J+A+JACKSON+in+a+Gold+Top-1111AAAAA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1583" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigHB6X3WNwYdWw4iKnmRs0M6Bcy8mTYb4FWQGbGeKscp8k3ol9qULeoB8U-htaMwCC5sdyHdI0nktO8KjMS21rOCNn8Bj9fx8gLDUlwR858lAtnWzuWZ24U5OeOCjwFu77tilvnNkre8w/s320/A+A+A+A+AUTHOR+J+A+JACKSON+in+a+Gold+Top-1111AAAAA.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></span></span></span>J.A. Jackson is the pseudonym for an author, who loves to write deliciously sultry adult romantic, suspenseful, entertaining novels with a unique twist. She lives in an enchanted little house she calls home in the Northern California foothills. Her love for cooking and writing come from her Southern roots of Louisiana and Arkansas. She isa member of South Bay Writers Association, Yosemite Romance Writers and Romance Writers of America (RWA).<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b><i> </i></b></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b><i>J.A. will be will be awarding a Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.<a class="rcptr" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f3514/" rel="nofollow" data-raflid="28e4345f3514" data-theme="classic" data-template="" id="rcwidget_qi8fdxf8">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script></i></b></span></span></div><div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6125/6005671256_1116b0ac4c_o.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="161" src="https://farm7.static.flickr.com/6125/6005671256_1116b0ac4c_o.png" width="320" /></a></div>Andra Lynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01194158597026288339noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-414275122692230397.post-73859638978165548692020-10-29T23:31:00.002-04:002020-10-29T23:31:31.612-04:00Merlin Raj and The Drones of Sleepy Hollow Book Blast! <blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuSUa-7hbsj4haWaqU6S0V18YAgZuDwb1G5vLeItHO53n_AmI3UVKRwF_fQi2tExw4EUudqjNnDSZotvitDlQ6btOmzTcgIcGZQf9nVutzOxufoWmsOYdzbqrwLrSNLHWDOJYa3lnAuiw/s2048/BookCover_MERLIN_RAJ_PB_CVR3_front-only_FINAL.jpg" style="clear: left; display: block; float: left; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1332" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuSUa-7hbsj4haWaqU6S0V18YAgZuDwb1G5vLeItHO53n_AmI3UVKRwF_fQi2tExw4EUudqjNnDSZotvitDlQ6btOmzTcgIcGZQf9nVutzOxufoWmsOYdzbqrwLrSNLHWDOJYa3lnAuiw/s320/BookCover_MERLIN_RAJ_PB_CVR3_front-only_FINAL.jpg" /></a></div><br />
My name is Merlin Raj and I live in Sleepy Hollow. Legend has it that a Headless Horseman haunts the town. Usually, I only have to worry about helping my boy, Matthew, to walk at school. But during the spookiest time of year, we’ll tackle the scariest creature of all—big brother.<br /><br />
Boo!<br /><br />
Will learning conditional logic save this family’s Halloween from certain doom?<br /><br />
Appealing to readers of all ages, Merlin Raj and the Drones of Sleepy Hollow is an ILLUSTRATED chapter-book. From artists to astronauts, the jobs of the future will deal with computers. But do kids want to read a coding book? Not as much as dog stories.<br /><br />
With a Computer Science degree and a passion for preparing kids for the future, author D. G. Priya blends technology with animal stories to stimulate a desire to read.Each book in the series introduces a new programming skill. If you or your child like delightful dog tales that explores universally positive themes, including empathy, kindness, dedication, and the importance of being true to one's self, then you'll love D. G. Priya's tail-wagging adventure.</blockquote><br />
<b>Read an Excerpt</b><br /><br />
Uh. Oh. How could I help? I’d learned that thinking like a computer could help you decide what to do when you weren’t sure. <br /><br />
Algorithm one: What if Peter exploded? He would come after Matthew. Matthew would wrestle him. They would both get in trouble. Algorithm one == fail. <br /><br />
Algorithm two: What if Peter calmed down? What if Matthew calmed down? We could all rescue the plane. I would be a big help barking at the tree to give up the plane. <br /><br />
Snort. Laugh. Get serious, Merlin. Algorithm two would never happen. <br /><br />
Algorithm three: It had been Peter’s ball that started all this. It had been Matthew’s plane which went kablew. What if they both fell in the mud? All socks would be ruined. <br /><br />
<b>About the Author:</b> <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNzW7hKSip45IXpacZDzX3an0n79afhC9gvc2nnPXAPj2vVUSQAgGqK6Y8wJyLTPdhMrKido0s-q3pSqXBReKAPDORK4NNTjkEY51QHJENrLNZ4LWszaVkd5t-ZQImCUi_z4ycQWXMjRk/s360/author+photo.jpg" style="clear: left; display: block; float: left; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNzW7hKSip45IXpacZDzX3an0n79afhC9gvc2nnPXAPj2vVUSQAgGqK6Y8wJyLTPdhMrKido0s-q3pSqXBReKAPDORK4NNTjkEY51QHJENrLNZ4LWszaVkd5t-ZQImCUi_z4ycQWXMjRk/s320/author+photo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>D. G. Priya is the bestselling author Priya Ardis. She obtained her Bachelor's of Science in Computer Science from the University of Texas at Austin, #6 in the world (Academic Ranking of World Universities, 2014) and #8 (US News, 2020) in Computer Science. Her advocacy of early education in computing and the challenges of childhood disabilities come from her experience as a parent and volunteer. Her love of dog stories comes from the antics of her own golden retriever.<br /><br />
Shelley Hampe is an author-illustrator. She is known for her work with Harvard University, illustrating a ground-breaking social-emotional learning program for children. She has a master's in studio art and has taken part in world-recognized artist residencies in the United States. When she isn't busy solving problems, Shelley can be found teaching STEAM principles to elementary aged kids. Shelley's dog Beau, helped solve her problem of cold-feet while illustrating this book. <br /><br /><br />
<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="28e4345f3572" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f3572/" id="rcwidget_y6xektf4" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
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<p><br /></p><div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6125/6005671256_1116b0ac4c_o.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="161" src="https://farm7.static.flickr.com/6125/6005671256_1116b0ac4c_o.png" width="320" /></a></div>Andra Lynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01194158597026288339noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-414275122692230397.post-68663922880606348952020-10-29T01:00:00.001-04:002020-10-29T01:00:01.813-04:00Blog Tour: The Calla'cara Gambit<span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoHr6gHHomwYUteN3YvR9vPAPSqZJORvyohX5CPcii-l3QBitHA4jvZaZXd8zlopBQulGAHdC8pdNypFOJdwIw3Wl_1wdfpeCPWM16G2koi1HlE08gP96rbmJIV6p6T0eyrlCZml7aDcE/s2048/BookCover_The-Callacara-Gambit-Main-File.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoHr6gHHomwYUteN3YvR9vPAPSqZJORvyohX5CPcii-l3QBitHA4jvZaZXd8zlopBQulGAHdC8pdNypFOJdwIw3Wl_1wdfpeCPWM16G2koi1HlE08gP96rbmJIV6p6T0eyrlCZml7aDcE/s320/BookCover_The-Callacara-Gambit-Main-File.jpg" /></a></div>Title: The Calla'cara Gambit<br />Author: <a href="https://robbartlett.net/">Rob Bartlett</a></span><div><span style="font-size: large;">Series: War Against Infinity #2</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Date Published: August 2020</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Format: Kindle</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Genre: Science Fiction</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Source: <a href="http://www.goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com">Goddess Fish Blog Tours</a></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Callacara-Gambit-Against-Infinity-Book-ebook/dp/B08FWV5TBQ">Buy Me!</a></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: large;">Synopsis:</span><br /><div><div>I used to be an itinerant Star Ship Captain. Then the Sentient Ships blackmailed me into helping them Emancipate from the Mercantile Empire in return for keeping the intelligence level of my personal AI a secret.</div><div><br /></div><div>I'm taking on bankers, lawyers and accountants, oh my! And a couple of serial killers, just to keep it spicy. I've got a plan, a crew and a deadline. Now I just need precise execution, a little luck and a whole lot of moxy to pull this off!</div><div><br /></div><div>Note: this book contains adult content and situations.</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>~Try an Excerpt!~</i></b></span></div><div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal"><i>By the time Archibald Cox arrived, they were firmly established as fixtures on the party circuit in the star port. They had a well known routine they followed; visiting various vendors during the day to prepare for that night’s round of parties. Massage, spa treatments, lunch; hair, nails, shopping for the next outfit always preceded that night’s round of feigned debauchery.</i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i><br /></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>When Archie took Ilsa, it was done quickly and professionally. She and Nikki were in the middle of lunch. Ilsa went to the ladies room and never came back. Nikki finished her meal, waiting for Ilsa. Eventually, she went to the bathroom herself, looking for her. When she didn’t find her there, Nikki gradually grew more frantic, asking if anyone had seen Ilsa leaving the restaurant. As the negative responses piled up, Nikki became more and more agitated. Around her, the other regular patrons figured that one of Ilsa’s jilted suitors had finally stumbled across the right mix of pharmaceuticals and rendered her finally pliable to their advances.</i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>They were correct, just not in the way they imagined.</i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i><br /></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>After making the rounds and firmly establishing that Ilsa was actually missing and that she, Nikki, was completely distraught at her disappearance, she came back to the office with Otto (who had been dispatched to bring her back based on a call from what passed for the authorities at the star port). She came into the conference room where I had been monitoring them and flopped down into a chair.</i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i><br /></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>“She’s in, my lord,” she reported.</i></div></div></div></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>~Meet Rob!~ </i></b></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6tAadByID8zJsspvQvKyrZPKEBB4OFd4nE5DS3KbpsSsa6C8b9AiYi86A1KnQDu3LX9e_MlO8g4_3Ejij0cuBpqY3_bHy4A20ScWnfzzrNobvI6-p10RFvXa_oIjFNhiUUZUMvJWKxpQ/s308/headshot-2019-08-03_12-26-13.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="294" data-original-width="308" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6tAadByID8zJsspvQvKyrZPKEBB4OFd4nE5DS3KbpsSsa6C8b9AiYi86A1KnQDu3LX9e_MlO8g4_3Ejij0cuBpqY3_bHy4A20ScWnfzzrNobvI6-p10RFvXa_oIjFNhiUUZUMvJWKxpQ/w200-h191/headshot-2019-08-03_12-26-13.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Rob has been captivated by science fiction and fantasy since he discovered The Hobbit in 3rd grade. Since then, he's been an avid consumer of all genres of fiction (and some non-fiction). When he's not inhaling new stories or writing his own, he studies Jeff Speakman's Kenpo 5.0-V2, in which he proudly holds a Black Belt. Why does he prefer writing science fiction? As Rob says, "Where else can you land a space ship on the lawn of the White House?".<br /></span><br /></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b><i> Rob will be awarding a Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="28e4345f3560" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f3560/" id="rcwidget_sji60kqr" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script></i></b></span></span></div><div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6125/6005671256_1116b0ac4c_o.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="161" src="https://farm7.static.flickr.com/6125/6005671256_1116b0ac4c_o.png" width="320" /></a></div>Andra Lynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01194158597026288339noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-414275122692230397.post-58161139556168075262020-10-26T00:30:00.029-04:002020-10-26T00:30:01.308-04:00REVIEW Tour: Magnar by Mary Morgan<span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikj0y4hjefNN_YthVV3I5-sUFMMQWikbHGpTcdNCXpgbl0jztwjfErIo0HN8ffDxbp44kS6irgm4ovwPXi8t6P0tEvbEtgldddICV_py7gQ55VQnKNS2MU6PilDpMj7WgbkzPd14V3Kyg/s2048/Cover_Magnar.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1278" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikj0y4hjefNN_YthVV3I5-sUFMMQWikbHGpTcdNCXpgbl0jztwjfErIo0HN8ffDxbp44kS6irgm4ovwPXi8t6P0tEvbEtgldddICV_py7gQ55VQnKNS2MU6PilDpMj7WgbkzPd14V3Kyg/s320/Cover_Magnar.jpg" /></a></div>Title: Magnar<br />Author: Mary Morgan</span><div><span style="font-size: large;">Series: Wolf Clan of Southerland #1</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Pages: 304</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Date Published: August 26th, 2020</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Publisher: The Wild Rose Press</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Format: Kindle</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Genre: Historical Paranormal Romance</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Source: <a href="http://www.goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com">Goddess Fish Blog Tours</a></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://books2read.com/u/47XPVA">Buy Me!</a></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: large;">Synopsis:</span><br /><div><div>Known as the Barbarian, Magnar MacAlpin is a fierce ruler for those under his command. As leader of the Wolves of Clan Sutherland, his loyalty and obedience lies with Scotland. However, the king’s last demand is not something Magnar will tolerate.</div><div><br /></div><div>After Elspeth Gunn’s brother the Chieftain of Castle Steinn is murdered, she flees with her nephew, and finds safety amongst a band of men who are rumored to be part wolf. When the king forces her to wed a heathen Northman, she fears losing her heart and soul not only to the man, but the beast as well.</div><div><br /></div><div>In order to restore peace to a shattered clan, Magnar and Elspeth travel a treacherous path that challenges their beliefs. When evil seeks to destroy ancient traditions, will Magnar be compelled to restrain his wolf or allow him free to protect those he loves?</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>~My Thoughts~</i></b></span><br /><div style="text-align: left;">As leader of the Wolves of Clan Sutherland, Magnar has a lot of responsibilities on his shoulders. He carries around some family drama, a dash of residual romantic angst, and a heady crop of conflict between his human and wolf self. </div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I loved the delicious mix of history (Nordic, Celtic, English, etc.) and the paranormal. I thought I considered myself a pretty big history buff, but I struggled to place this one at first. It was just so outside the realm of what I expect in the genre - which I loved! Magnar's birthplace is not where his loyalty lies, instead, he swears his life to the king of England and his strongest loyalties to Scotland. When a member of the King's inner circle is killed, Magnar is forced to marry Elspeth, the murdered man's sister, in order to strengthen alliances. </div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">Right from our first introduction to Magnar, we're treated to the complex emotions he has regarding his family, his past, and his king. He is the epitome of brooding hero, and I loved getting to see it all from his perspective rather than from the heroine's. But speaking of heroine, Elspeth is no shrinking flower herself. She's got wits and a smart tongue to keep Magnar on his toes, and it made for a fun and enjoyable relationship. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I was excited to know this is the first of a series. I enjoyed getting to know Magnar and company and the history came across as well-researched, even the areas where it was clear the author was making some creative liberties. </div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>~Try an Excerpt!~</i></b></span></div><div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal"><i>The king rose from his chair. “Lord Sutherland has prepared chambers for you both.”</i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i><br /></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>“Chambers in the south tower?” asked Magnar, taking a hold of her elbow.</i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i><br /></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Lord Sutherland gave him a slight nod.</i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i><br /></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Startled once again by the man’s silent movements, Elspeth remained mute, trying to control the warring emotions from the man’s touch. The heat of his fingers seared into her gown and onto her skin.</i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i><br /></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Giving the king a small smile, she permitted Magnar to usher her out of the great hall. Erik kept a steady pace with their movements as he continued to entertain their overly bold guide with yet another tale of how they escaped their home.</i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i><br /></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Her steps slowed as the torchlight danced off the giant tapestry hanging on the wall near the stairs. The eyes of a white wolf bore into Elspeth as she drew near. Though only the head of the animal was represented within the woven threads, she half expected the wolf to jump out at her.</i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i><br /></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Elite Guards. Wolves. King William.</i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i><br /></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Elspeth returned her attention to the man holding her in his grip. “I heard my brother once mention the elite guards for the king. He spoke with reverence and with fear. They are loyal to the king but had one leader—one who all of Scotland should fear because of his magic.”</i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i><br /></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>The man’s eyes darkened and a smile tipped the corners of his mouth. “Your brother was wise in his account.”</i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i><br /></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Elspeth’s heart pounded fiercely within her chest. “You are the leader of the Wolves of Clan Sutherland.”</i></div></div></div></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>~Meet Mary!~ </i></b></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrNA80__xey5SFIRiRd7uGpbtxi2L9f1pxvNKkfCJX9sbbhAxVPIW6kfJkFIl0lKP2lTffkKe6Hv_XCEUQedr05xeHhRSEuBaBqmj8XK-BuS9zLYjzwtlb0KyLdleQAkNb2rbIqu-v9pw/s334/MaryMorganAuthor+%25281%2529.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="334" data-original-width="334" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrNA80__xey5SFIRiRd7uGpbtxi2L9f1pxvNKkfCJX9sbbhAxVPIW6kfJkFIl0lKP2lTffkKe6Hv_XCEUQedr05xeHhRSEuBaBqmj8XK-BuS9zLYjzwtlb0KyLdleQAkNb2rbIqu-v9pw/s320/MaryMorganAuthor+%25281%2529.jpg" /></a></div>Award-winning Celtic paranormal and fantasy romance author, Mary Morgan resides in Northern California with her own knight in shining armor. However, during her travels to Scotland, England, and Ireland, she left a part of her soul in one of these countries and vows to return.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Mary's passion for books started at an early age along with an overactive imagination. Inspired by her love for history and ancient Celtic mythology, her tales are filled with powerful warriors, brave women, magic, and romance. It wasn't until the closure of Borders Books where Mary worked that she found her true calling by writing romance. Now, the worlds she created in her mind are coming to life within her stories.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b><i>Mary will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="28e4345f3522" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f3522/" id="rcwidget_51xnvsfo" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script></i></b></span></span></div><div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6125/6005671256_1116b0ac4c_o.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="161" src="https://farm7.static.flickr.com/6125/6005671256_1116b0ac4c_o.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Andra Lynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01194158597026288339noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-414275122692230397.post-38056792513792508692020-10-23T01:00:00.000-04:002020-10-23T01:00:07.533-04:00Blog Tour: Mistletoe, Mobster, and Mozzarella <span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUNgj5SBPrmFhT_iBfYzSv896QqG_ntVAl_-fJJdnfHCmh84kJW6QFiCWV7xVPmGBCMt0Pf0jLLYIXhEk_Ero0huXvA-RzO5SxpKOlzRYCfZzHDp7HT1KZIvNC1dFdSbZH8C2M38Qr8yg/s2048/BookCover_MMM_EB+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1379" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUNgj5SBPrmFhT_iBfYzSv896QqG_ntVAl_-fJJdnfHCmh84kJW6QFiCWV7xVPmGBCMt0Pf0jLLYIXhEk_Ero0huXvA-RzO5SxpKOlzRYCfZzHDp7HT1KZIvNC1dFdSbZH8C2M38Qr8yg/s320/BookCover_MMM_EB+%25281%2529.jpg" /></a></div>Title: Mistletoe, Mobster, and Mozzarella<br />Author: Peggy Jaeger<br /></span><div><span style="font-size: large;">Pages: 226</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Date Published: October 14th 2020</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Publisher: Self-Published</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Format: Kindle</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Genre: Holiday Romantic Comedy</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Source: <a href="http://www.goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com">Goddess Fish Blog Tours</a></span><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: large;">Synopsis:</span><br /><div><span id="docs-internal-guid-b6fc0265-7fff-ab5f-5a1a-abafa555194f"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-top: 0.1pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Finding a body in the freezer of the family deli isn’t the way Madonna San Valentino planned to start her day.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-top: 0.1pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Adding insult to injury, the investigating detective is the one guy she’s never been able to forget. After seven minutes of heaven in the back seat of his car when they were teenagers, Tony Roma skipped town without so much as a thanks for the memory.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-top: 0.1pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Just when Madonna thinks the present situation can’t get any worse, Tony is ordered to go undercover at the deli to ferret out a killer. Forced to work together, she vows to keep their relationship cool and professional. But with the sexy, longing looks he tosses her at every turn, Madonna’s resolve is weakening.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-top: 0.1pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With Christmas drawing closer and Tony’s investigation taking an unexpected turn, Madonna is at her wit’s end. Can she really be falling for him again? And will he wind up leaving her broken hearted and alone like the last time?</span></p></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>~Try an Excerpt!~</i></b></span></div><div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal"><span id="docs-internal-guid-e814a8d9-7fff-959c-09a4-84371b00580b"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>I knew those eyes. </i></span></p><i><br /></i><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Intimately. </i></span></p><i><br /></i><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>When they weren’t filled with anger and pain, like they were right now, I knew how captivating they could be. The palest of blue and heavily lashed, they tilted up a tiny bit at the corners. Jealousy ramped through me. How unfair was it a man was gifted eyes like this when I’d been cursed with the most dull and boring brown color ever blended? </i></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Light hair, a mix of natural honey and wheat husks, straight and clipped short covered his head. Shoulders spanning almost as wide as the doorframe were covered by a dark tan sports jacket, the pants a deeper hue of the same color palette.</i></span></p><i><br /></i><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>“Donna,” Angelo said, his voice thick with fear, “why’d you attack Detective Roma?”</i></span></p><i><br /></i><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i> “I didn’t attack…wait? Detective?” </i></span></p><i><br /></i><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>I tried to lick some moisture back into my lips but my salivary glands had gone dormant during the flight or fight response. I glanced at each of the men standing in front me, stopping last on the one Ange had referred to as a detective.</i></span></p><i><br /></i><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>With one hand still cupping his jaw where my knee connected, the man pierced me with his gorgeous gaze and just like I had when I’d been seventeen and climbed into the back seat of his brand new Z8, I lost what little sanity I still had.</i></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>“Hey Donna,” Tony Roma said, shaking his head. “Long time and all. I see you’re still as sweet and mild mannered as ever.”</i></span></p></span></div></div></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>~Meet Peggy!~ </i></b></span></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrQSpy9wv9-R1RXkVFP7hiJFISLQPfN2ULJDJL7oLg35fNC77UrsfsQ7_9V17MiTkTE5zGRta-uXj_wq4bcII13gTZzJOdRYKDON5OgEBwy68WMbMS34UH1HzOu3WvSwZVasI91ivFaI4/s200/peggyheadshot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrQSpy9wv9-R1RXkVFP7hiJFISLQPfN2ULJDJL7oLg35fNC77UrsfsQ7_9V17MiTkTE5zGRta-uXj_wq4bcII13gTZzJOdRYKDON5OgEBwy68WMbMS34UH1HzOu3WvSwZVasI91ivFaI4/s0/peggyheadshot.jpg" /></a></span></div>Peggy Jaeger is a contemporary romance writer who writes Romantic Comedies about strong women, the families who support them, and the men who can’t live without them. If she can make you cry on one page and bring you out of tears rolling with laughter the next, she’s done her job as a writer!<br /><br />Family and food play huge roles in Peggy’s stories because she believes there is nothing that holds a family structure together like sharing a meal…or two…or ten. Dotted with humor and characters that are as real as they are loving, she brings all topics of daily life into her stories: life, death, sibling rivalry, illness and the desire for everyone to find their own happily ever after. Growing up the only child of divorced parents she longed for sisters, brothers and a family that vowed to stick together no matter what came their way. Through her books, she’s created the families she wanted as that lonely child.<br /><br />When she’s not writing Peggy is usually painting, crafting, scrapbooking or decoupaging old steamer trunks she finds at rummage stores and garage sales.<br /><br />A lifelong and avid romance reader and writer, Peggy is a member of RWA and her local New Hampshire RWA Chapter.<br /><br />As a lifelong diarist, she caught the blogging bug early on, and you can visit her at peggyjaeger.com where she blogs daily about life, writing, and stuff that makes her go "What??!"<p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b><b><i><span style="font-size: large;">~ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Peggy-Jaeger-Author/825914814095072">Facebook</a> ~ <a href="http://peggyjaeger.com/" target="_blank">Website </a>~ <a href="https://twitter.com/peggy_jaeger">Twitter</a> ~</span></i></b></b></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b><i> Peggy will be awarding a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="28e4345f3505" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f3505/" id="rcwidget_ib55bw4f" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script></i></b></span></span></div><div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6125/6005671256_1116b0ac4c_o.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="161" src="https://farm7.static.flickr.com/6125/6005671256_1116b0ac4c_o.png" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></div>Andra Lynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01194158597026288339noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-414275122692230397.post-60510968476521994662020-10-21T01:30:00.001-04:002020-10-21T01:30:05.141-04:00Dance With Me Blog Tour (And Kelli's Awesome Playlist!) <span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh-xTadBllUCXeIkQgnPOJQ9a64N_MsWGyU9x7EYkXxRCJnDGl7yWgn213NZjYS7-8NKx0FGj-7TTP9I05psi4iW328f6qLIghmDJTBkRfXhjF6n5HiP0nDKDQECpQ7bCK6JFT36-fMSs/s1161/Cover_Dance+With+Me.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1161" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh-xTadBllUCXeIkQgnPOJQ9a64N_MsWGyU9x7EYkXxRCJnDGl7yWgn213NZjYS7-8NKx0FGj-7TTP9I05psi4iW328f6qLIghmDJTBkRfXhjF6n5HiP0nDKDQECpQ7bCK6JFT36-fMSs/s320/Cover_Dance+With+Me.gif" /></a></div>Title: Dance with Me</span><div><span style="font-size: large;">Author: Judith Crow<br />Date Published: October 22nd, 2020<br />Format: Kindle<br />Genre: YA Fantasy</span><div><span style="font-size: large;">Source: <a href="http://www.goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com">Goddess Fish Blog Tours</a></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Dance-Me-Judith-Crow-ebook/dp/B08GC86MG7">Buy Me!</a></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: large;">Synopsis:</span><br /><div><div>Don’t tell anyone, but Kelli spends all her free time listening to folk music. Ok, it’s not what you’d expect from a popular fifteen-year-old, but that’s why she doesn’t want the whole world to know.</div><div><br /></div><div>When Kelli follows the mysterious Tam Lane, she finds herself in a place where folk songs come to life. As she comes to terms with the world, she makes friends, uses her privilege to help others, and even falls in love.</div><div><br /></div><div>But Kelli has forgotten the fates which await so many characters in the songs, and she soon finds herself surrounded by heartbreak. Determined to protect the people she has left, can Kelli change a fate which has been sung for centuries?</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>~Guest Post~</i></b></span><br /><span id="docs-internal-guid-3b7c3317-7fff-25a3-6a2b-ce4875bfd390"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Kelli's Awesome Playlist: What songs make up the playlist for this book and why?</span></i></b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I love this question! </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dance With Me </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">is all about folk songs, so creating a playlist was one of the first things that I did. It’s on Spotify and it contains all the songs which inspire the book, or which are quoted in it. I can’t tell you all of them – some of them would need a massive </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">SPOILER ALERT! </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">– but I’d love to share a few of them with you! I have picked out ten which won’t spoil anything but will give a sneaky look ahead!</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tam Lin</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fairport Convention</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">): </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tam Lane is the gatekeeper to the world which Kelli finds herself in, and he is the one who takes her there in the first place. He’s in the book, on-and-off, several times. Once you’ve read to the end and realised the different faces that Tam can take, you realise just how many times he appears!</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cadgwith Anthem (</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Steeleye Span</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">): </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The first people who Kelli meets when she arrives in this strange world are a group of robbers. After all she’s known before is middle class twenty-first century suburbia, they change Kelli’s perspective of people. Although they are happy as robbers and lead comfortable lives through the means of crime, this existence can’t last forever…</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Macpherson’s Rant (</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Corries</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">): </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The real Macpherson was a criminal who smashed his violin at the gallows because no one would play it at his funeral. Macpherson in this book is perhaps the most vicious and vile character in the book (with maybe one exception), who is completely gratuitous in his violence and prompts the downfall of everything Kelli has learnt to trust.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Donegal Danny (</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Dubliners</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Having just met handsome young naval officer, William Clouston, Kelli is terrified by the message she hears during a chance encounter with a tramp: the danger of losing loved ones to the sea. This becomes a theme throughout the rest of the book, and Kelli can never properly escape the tramp’s warning.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Drink to Me Only With Thine Eyes (</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mat Williams</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">): </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I love this song, and particularly this recording, which is so earthy and youthful. This is Kelli and William’s “couple song” and, although it’s only directly referenced during the chapter with the ball at Arlen, it is the song I would choose to listen to whenever doing any work on their relationship.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Oft In The Stilly Night (</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Celtic Thunder</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">): </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After she’s arrived and settled in at Arlen Manor, there are a lot of times when Kelli feels as though she’s the only person left in the world. William has his own responsibilities as a naval officer and Lord and Lady Arlen keep going away, so she’s all on her own. There’s something very sad and pensive about this song, and there’s some of that in the book.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bound Down For Newfoundland (</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tom Boland</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">): </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This, like Donegal Danny, is another story about the dangers of the sea. It’s all about a voyage which is going really well until the captain suddenly gets sick and dies of smallpox. It’s only referenced in </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dance With Me</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> rather than being part of the main plot, but it gets Kelli thinking about the dangers of this new world.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Raggle Taggle Gypsy (</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Waterboys</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">): </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Having lived with the robbers to begin with, Kelli finds herself on the opposing side when she’s living with Lord and Lady Arlen. However, she has another run-in with criminals when she is taken by Lord Arlen to visit a friend of his, only for there to be a slight catastrophe when she’s there…</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Believe Me If All Those Endearing Young Charms (</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jim McCann</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">): </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is a lovely look at ageing, highlighting how love only grows stronger with age, rather than fading when times get tough and people change. Without giving away any spoilers, the book finishes with Kelli quite a lot older than she started, so this song sums this up quite well.</span></p><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dark Eyes (</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Donnie Munro</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">): </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is the only song on Kelli’s playlist which doesn’t feature in the book and was added after all the writing was finished. I was thrilled to bits when Donnie Munro allowed me to use it on </span><a href="https://youtu.be/VckjQ8By5FE" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">my book trailer</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. The chorus is “dance with me” and the feature of the “dark eyes” is one which runs through the story.</span></span><br /><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>~Meet Judith!~ </i></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTTOtJqsqVtViV9kHtmpdLGxgNi3_3uff_2ux2_z4BHht0fSnwp054mrEOD6woxR-MapkGoMF9ncMY92lYn5wExltjMA1NQopy1uayj8Ea-CGTMVkAz3Xw6jFVMVyQqNDQJWUq678EldY/s2048/Author+Picture+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1954" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTTOtJqsqVtViV9kHtmpdLGxgNi3_3uff_2ux2_z4BHht0fSnwp054mrEOD6woxR-MapkGoMF9ncMY92lYn5wExltjMA1NQopy1uayj8Ea-CGTMVkAz3Xw6jFVMVyQqNDQJWUq678EldY/w306-h320/Author+Picture+%25282%2529.JPG" width="306" /></a></div>Judith was born in Orkney, grew up in Lincolnshire and now lives in the far north of Scotland. Her writing is inspired by the experiences of her life so far and she loves picking up on quirks and immortalising them in fiction.<br /><br />Judith’s new book, Dance With Me, combines her love of folk music and creative writing, and finds her main character in a world where folk songs come to life. Her debut book, The Backwater, was a finalist in the Wishing Shelf Book Awards 2019.<br /><br />When she isn’t writing, Judith is a primary school teacher who enjoys crafting and music, as well as being a generally doting spaniel owner.<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><b style="font-size: medium;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></b></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b><i> Judith will be awarding a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="28e4345f3540" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f3540/" id="rcwidget_1938ku7d" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script></i></b></span></span></div><div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6125/6005671256_1116b0ac4c_o.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="161" src="https://farm7.static.flickr.com/6125/6005671256_1116b0ac4c_o.png" width="320" /></a></div></div>Andra Lynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01194158597026288339noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-414275122692230397.post-1343352455259825822020-10-20T00:30:00.001-04:002020-10-20T00:30:03.517-04:00Review Tour: A Shot Of Murder<span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6Hr7ntnTvvH8bRM7yUcJuk63nzsFvzEaeksHMNpQLxlro1o8m-F0S2BRPaRn1SrGLUA21N-r7fl9rGgVZOwGqvGYD0-ifbpmi_fNFUk80IUDmkH0Qh7ze5sTD90tHf4p0TlBeswuS9GA/s2048/BookCover_AShotOfMurder.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1311" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6Hr7ntnTvvH8bRM7yUcJuk63nzsFvzEaeksHMNpQLxlro1o8m-F0S2BRPaRn1SrGLUA21N-r7fl9rGgVZOwGqvGYD0-ifbpmi_fNFUk80IUDmkH0Qh7ze5sTD90tHf4p0TlBeswuS9GA/s320/BookCover_AShotOfMurder.jpg" /></a></div>Title: A Shot of Murder<br />Author: Brenda Gayle<br />Series: Charley Hall Mystery #1 <br />Pages: 150<br />Date Published: October 12th, 2020<br />Publisher: Bowstring Books<br />Format: Kindle</span><div><span style="font-size: large;">Genre: Historical Mystery</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Source: <a href="http://www.goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com">Goddess Fish Blog Tours</a></span><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: large;">Synopsis:</span><br /><div><span id="docs-internal-guid-d9c8b511-7fff-3f9c-f35a-53b67bbf4e70"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In 1948, Charley Hall resents giving up her job as city reporter for the Kingston Tribune to a returning soldier. But her demotion to the women’s pages is the least of her worries since Gran is organizing a surprise birthday party for Charley’s older brother, Freddie. Trouble is, Freddie hasn’t come back from his latest bender. When Charley goes looking for him, she discovers the dead body of a woman, last seen with her brother. Beside the murdered woman is a torn newspaper article about local politician Dan Cannon, who also happens to be Charley’s best friend. To make matters worse, a police detective from Toronto shows up and begins nosing around. Charley is not about to stand by and let her brother nor her friend take a fall for a murder based on circumstantial evidence. Not by a long shot.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>~My Thoughts~</i></b></span><br />Charley prooved to be a sound, intelligent, and determined heroine/main character. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I loved how in touch with her emotions Charley was. You could feel her frustration with her brother and his shenanigans, but also get the sense of how much she cared about him and how worried she was about him. Family right?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The writing style was different. It was the slow drip of honey off a spoon into a cup of expensive, rich tea. If that makes any sense! You know how when you listen to film stars from early Hollywood where they have the peculiar sort of affluent accent? That was how the voice in my head read this book, and I really enjoyed it! The characters all had their own way of speaking and Charley (Brenda) did an amazing job painting the pictures of all the scenes. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">It was also a very quick read. I was able to polish it off in one baby nap time, which, knowing my son, is not long at all. It was a fun and interestingly witty mystery with a good plot, strong characters, and I'm excited to know that this is a series so I can continue to get to know Charley and company! </div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>~Try an Excerpt!~</i></b></span></div><div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal"><span id="docs-internal-guid-9450a4d8-7fff-3ada-49e5-4fff57c589cc"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Charley watched the pale liquid trickle into the fine china teacup. She’d have preferred a black coffee—or something stronger—but this afternoon ritual seemed to mean a lot to her grandmother, and despite their differences, her grandmother meant the world to her. When Gran had taken her first sip, Charley went on the offensive. “You fought for a woman’s right to vote. You marched in the streets. You were arrested. You taught me to be strong and independent. How can you not see the injustice in this?”</i></span></p><i><br /></i><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>“You are not being fired from the paper. You are merely being reassigned to a position more suitable to your sex and social standing.”</i></span></p><i><br /></i><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>“I’m not going to take it. I don’t want to get dressed up and go to all these hoity-toity social events—”</i></span></p><i><br /></i><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Gran had begun to giggle, quietly behind her teacup at first, but now her laughter shook her whole body and she had to put the cup down on the table or risk spilling its contents.</i></span></p><i><br /></i><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>“What is so funny?” </i></span></p><i><br /></i><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>“You.” Bessie sobered. “As a Stormont, you already get dressed up and go to ‘all these hoity-toity social events.’ John is giving you the opportunity to do more than simply look pretty at them. You can write about who was there and who were the big contributors to whatever charitable cause was being celebrated. You will wield far more clout with the power brokers of Kingston on the women’s pages than you ever could on the city ones.”</i></span></p><i><br /></i><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>“I don’t want to do it,” Charley said.</i></span></p><i><br /></i><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>“Then don’t.” She shrugged and picked up her teacup. “There are many ways to be useful. The Imperial Order Daughters of the Empire is always looking for intelligent young women to join our ranks and aid in service to our country.”</i></span></p></span></div></div></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>~Meet Brenda!~ <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOGsDf5OZEyoC8CPjdVTVB3VVgD8HXuXkylVxwghjeAxIQ3xAvd7q5gdFvIcYlQPK1mOtA4snvLsbxgDmcSpAnGyHmqQGFvevASlg-QTqqglqEBLwERDjm-31GPvaOHeohqAjmMBUnwnQ/s480/Author+Picture.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="320" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOGsDf5OZEyoC8CPjdVTVB3VVgD8HXuXkylVxwghjeAxIQ3xAvd7q5gdFvIcYlQPK1mOtA4snvLsbxgDmcSpAnGyHmqQGFvevASlg-QTqqglqEBLwERDjm-31GPvaOHeohqAjmMBUnwnQ/s320/Author+Picture.jpg" /></a></div></i></b></span></div>Life is messy and I try to reflect that in my stories while still leaving readers with a feeling of hope. I want them to see themselves and people they know in my characters.<br /><br />You could say writing is in my genes. My paternal grandmother was a formidable diarist; my father was a journalist and poet; my sister and cousin are both published authors; even my son has shown a talent for putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) to tell awesome stories. So, it came as no surprise to anyone when I returned to my love of fiction after more than 20 years in the world of corporate communications–although some might argue there was plenty of opportunity for fiction-writing there, too.<br /><br />A fan of many genres, I find it hard to stay within the publishing industry’s prescribed boxes. Whether it’s mystery, romantic suspense or women’s fiction—my greatest joy is creating deeply emotional books with memorable characters and compelling stories.<b></b><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b><b><i><span style="font-size: large;">~<a href="https://brendagayle.com/">Website</a> ~ </span></i></b></b></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b><i> Brenda will be awarding a $30Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.<a class="rcptr" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f3515/" rel="nofollow" data-raflid="28e4345f3515" data-theme="classic" data-template="" id="rcwidget_g2wm1nft">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
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</i></b></span></span></div><br /><div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6125/6005671256_1116b0ac4c_o.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="161" src="https://farm7.static.flickr.com/6125/6005671256_1116b0ac4c_o.png" width="320" /></a></div>Andra Lynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01194158597026288339noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-414275122692230397.post-45891790615801448702020-10-19T20:40:00.005-04:002020-10-19T20:40:35.226-04:00Review Tour: Calla by Christina Bauer<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQxjPyfgUDy7tMLtmHn854qRpG_dQyRsBO9H6EfxzlAOeL_Pw_AacmFyZ76C6r15od_Byukxu4JE6GEdLrPy8KLe_-UwpZ_tm4PaDPKMwZ3Cn61OF2FLbco-Ud-HKkCV6yht9-M_wIB0Y/s1219/Cover_Calla.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1219" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQxjPyfgUDy7tMLtmHn854qRpG_dQyRsBO9H6EfxzlAOeL_Pw_AacmFyZ76C6r15od_Byukxu4JE6GEdLrPy8KLe_-UwpZ_tm4PaDPKMwZ3Cn61OF2FLbco-Ud-HKkCV6yht9-M_wIB0Y/s320/Cover_Calla.jpg" /></a></div><br /> <span style="font-size: x-large;">Title: Calla</span><p></p><div><span style="font-size: large;">Author: Christina Bauer</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Series: Pixieland Diaries #2</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Date Published: July 28th, 2020</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Format: Kindle</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Genre: YA Paranormal Romance</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Source: <a href="http://www.goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com">Goddess Fish Blog Tours</a></span><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: large;">Synopsis:</span><br /><div><div>Big news in Pixieland! The Blue Fairy is sending our fave pixie, Calla, and her crush, Dare, on a mini-quest. Unfortunately it’s an adventure that requires a lot of togetherness. We’re talking tons of touching, people.</div><div><br /></div><div>Blue believes that since Calla and Dare are just friends, then this situation shouldn’t be awkward.</div><div><br /></div><div>It’s totally awkward.</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>~My Thoughts~</i></b></span><br />What an absolutely charming read! I had such a blast while on this cute little adventure, that I had to immediately go back and read book number 1, then go ahead and re-read book two. It was super cute, super funny, and definitely a great book to cheer you up when you're feeling the 2020 drag. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Meet Calla and Dare...you may have already met them in book one. Unlike me at first. These two are pixies, and what they lack in stature they more than make up for it with spunk, sarcasm at times, and a whole lot of heart. They are off on an adventure, and if finding your missing dad sounds a bit heavy, get over it, because this action packed adventure is the thing you need to cheer you up and make you laugh. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Christina had such a playful writing style, I was giggling right along with Calla and Dare, and really just plain old enjoyed myself. It's been some time that I straight up laughed out loud while reading and I really had a blast. The romance between the two was very sweet. There's a little bit of (adult) eye rolling as you laugh at these silly kids who are so nervous to tell each other how they feel, yet are so obviously head over heels for one another it's laughable. Much like actual teenage romance I suppose, as I've seen many a preteen a-swooning over the boy/girl sitting next to them in class and hopelessly mooning to their friends about, "Gosh, he/she will NEVER notice me!" All while the object of their affection is side eyeing them as they lean over to get their books (more adult eye rolling). </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Nevertheless! Calla is a fun and spunky main character and brings a lot of depth and emotion to an otherwise cute and sweet read! Enjoy friends!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>~Try an Excerpt!~</i></b></span></div><div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal"><span id="docs-internal-guid-dc8b0bc5-7fff-afd0-91d5-addf4ef1edfe"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Day Seventy-One</i></span></p><i><br /></i><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Dear Diary, </i></span></p><i><br /></i><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Today I drop some </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: line-through; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">diabolic retaliation</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> harmless prankster fun on my new royal subjects, the summer elves. </span></i></p><i><br /></i><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Trust me, they totally have it coming. </i></span></p><i><br /></i><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Why the revenge? Yesterday I held my first formal court as Queen of the Summer Realm. It should’ve been a bunch of long chats with all my elfy nobles. </i></span></p><i><br /></i><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Only no one showed up. </i></span></p><i><br /></i><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>We are not amused.</i></span></p><i><br /></i><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Time to get tricksy. </i></span></p><i><br /></i><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Today marks my second formal court… as well as my mega payback prank. While I write this, I sit upon a throne of red flowers. The shade goes perfectly with my pink hair, matching wings and violet eyes. And let’s not forget my ermine cloak; it adds a splash of white to the look. </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Clutch.</span></i></p><i><br /></i><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Yet appearances come second to my dazzling plan for the morning. Although my subjects been avoiding me for weeks, that will end once the court doors reopen in just a few minutes. </i></span></p><i><br /></i><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>I’ve so got this.</i></span></p><i><br /></i><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Sighing, I soak in the beauty of this moment. A huge atrium towers around me. Sunlight pours in through the open ceiling. The walls and tiles are painted gold. A pile of tiny purple bags sit in the middle of the floor. </i></span></p><i><br /></i><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Hello, elf bait. </i></span></p><i><br /></i><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Those packets hold fairy dust, which is powerful magic that any fae wants. My prank lies in how these bags also contain… wait for it… a freezing spell. Grab one and you can’t leave the room until I say so.</i></span></p><i><br /></i><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>My scheme is so brilliant, I can’t stand it.</i></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>There will also be plenty of witnesses for my glorious success. My parents, Poppa and Muti, wait nearby. So does my best friend and major crush, Prince Dare of the Winter Elves. Let’s not forget my buddy Bilge, the hobgoblin, and his piggy familiar, Oinky. Two summer elf guards—I call them Blond and Blonder—hang out by the back wall. </i></span></p><i><br /></i><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Speaking of the guards, they look expectantly in my direction. The moment has come to set aside my journal—it magically shrinks into a locket that hangs about my neck—and get ready for the fun to begin.</i></span></p><i><br /></i><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Prank on. </i></span></p><i><br /></i><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>- Calla</i></span></p><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div></span></div></div></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>~Meet Christina!~ </i></b></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo8mqjLARuyaQZxXOPSyPQDevcqDJZOMmQEN82HQxARsGUQR8CiFFBIDFJrwxloHDOoMUfLkv_v8g7SjBWDIxB46wLnKTn22zgVAr1sYc_7v87FIPvKL6aQM1wiA7yKmpKrRMIkIo7iC4/s351/Bauer+Headshot.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="324" data-original-width="351" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo8mqjLARuyaQZxXOPSyPQDevcqDJZOMmQEN82HQxARsGUQR8CiFFBIDFJrwxloHDOoMUfLkv_v8g7SjBWDIxB46wLnKTn22zgVAr1sYc_7v87FIPvKL6aQM1wiA7yKmpKrRMIkIo7iC4/s320/Bauer+Headshot.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></span>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. <br /><br />Christina graduated from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School with BA’s in English along with Television, Radio, and Film Production. She lives in Newton, MA with her husband, son, and semi-insane golden retriever, Ruby.<br /><br />Be the first to know about new releases from Christina by signing up for her newsletter: http://tinyurl.com/CBupdates.<br /><b></b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><b style="font-size: medium;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></b></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b><i> Christina will be awarding a Faerie Forest Journal a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="28e4345f3511" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f3511/" id="rcwidget_277adlja" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
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</i></b></span></span></div><div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6125/6005671256_1116b0ac4c_o.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="161" src="https://farm7.static.flickr.com/6125/6005671256_1116b0ac4c_o.png" width="320" /></a></div>Andra Lynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01194158597026288339noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-414275122692230397.post-27279699884851213782020-10-16T00:30:00.001-04:002020-10-16T00:30:00.981-04:00Book Blast! A Family For Christmas!<p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiljbJuVBITi2pJlZ96nn3yUSOAnxCKlzyKN3q0YtSrGMPGdT0JYaiAiKsycA-IhpSCm1J2f2shrrAr-5ONSyJ_hgVbobZUTtesZviBHbUNqJQ3ro_Nn7tDrhzAw5dHGqvkNQfT1g7DN-k/s900/BookCover_afamilyforchristmas-LARGE.jpg" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; font-size: xx-large; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiljbJuVBITi2pJlZ96nn3yUSOAnxCKlzyKN3q0YtSrGMPGdT0JYaiAiKsycA-IhpSCm1J2f2shrrAr-5ONSyJ_hgVbobZUTtesZviBHbUNqJQ3ro_Nn7tDrhzAw5dHGqvkNQfT1g7DN-k/s320/BookCover_afamilyforchristmas-LARGE.jpg" /></a></p><span><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Title: A Family For Christmas</span></span><p></p><div><span style="font-size: large;">Author: Nola Cross</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Series: Burlesons of Texas #2</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Date Published: October 8, 2020</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Publisher: Tule Publishing</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Format: Kindle</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Genre: Contemporary Western Romance</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Source: <a href="http://www.goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com">Goddess Fish Blog Tours</a></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Buy Me!</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: large;">Synopsis:</span><br /><div><span id="docs-internal-guid-c782faea-7fff-9be9-b234-3012f70f8edb"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He never thought he’d have a real family Christmas…</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For the past eight years, Bill Smith has been unable to set down roots. But he never forgot the magical night he spent with an auburn-haired beauty in Last Stand, Texas. When she finally tracked him down, he was more than happy to donate a kidney to AJ, the son he never knew he had. But now that AJ is better, Bill wants more time with him and his mother. He wants a family.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Annie Burleson can’t help but be grateful to this almost-stranger for saving AJ’s life. Still, she’s a little wary. AJ has already been through so much—what if Bill leaves again? And with Christmas in full swing, it’s difficult to discern which emotions are festive and which are forever.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As Annie and Bill’s lives collide, their mutual love for AJ makes this more than a marriage of convenience. But is it enough to give them the family Christmas they all deserve?</span></p></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>~Try an Excerpt!~</i></b></span></div><div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal"><span id="docs-internal-guid-059e05ac-7fff-d4bd-c6f1-7d70894eb83c"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Her door stood ajar, and he kneed it open. Inside, her bedroom was lit by candles that glowed softly from several locations. On either side of her bed, pink lightbulbs in the delicate glass lamps shed rose-colored light on turned-down bedclothes. She had prepared the room just for this moment. An invitation meant only for him. </i></span></p><i><br /></i><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>“I see what you’ve had up your sleeve here, Mrs. Smith.” He laid her on the bed. Her still-damp hair rippled out in an auburn fan on the white pillowcase. </i></span></p><i><br /></i><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>“Don’t you like it?” </i></span></p><i><br /></i><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>“I love it. What I love most is knowing you’ve been thinking about the two of us being here, about us making love.” </i></span></p><i><br /></i><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>She gave him a sly smile. “I figured we’d end up here eventually.” </i></span></p><i><br /></i><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>He ran his finger along the opening of her robe, from her breastbone to her waist. She gave a tiny gasp. “Can I unwrap you now?”</i></span></p></span></div></div></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>~Meet Nola!~ </i></b></span></div><span><span id="docs-internal-guid-9526fb92-7fff-1a9b-414b-7014d907fc9c"><p dir="ltr" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: xx-large; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: inherit; font-size: xx-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAQPnz5eEI4S6bEK-97oLGfqQHwCiDKV69jatsqYOpiCQRJvN7h0RZL9Oakpfy-0ITwkeUjwPxow8kp-GDTAL2Ixeatbxc9nkzzGLCCsHuZvYIugKy2T2SGRgjIR2BIf1_qm0wss9karE/s300/author+photo.gif" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAQPnz5eEI4S6bEK-97oLGfqQHwCiDKV69jatsqYOpiCQRJvN7h0RZL9Oakpfy-0ITwkeUjwPxow8kp-GDTAL2Ixeatbxc9nkzzGLCCsHuZvYIugKy2T2SGRgjIR2BIf1_qm0wss9karE/s0/author+photo.gif" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I remember as a small girl being fascinated with the idea that people could make up stories and the stories became books. I began writing my own stories before I even started school, and won my first writing contest at the age of nine. It’s always been my dream to be a published author. The road was a long and twisting one, but I finally made it. I’m proud to be a two-time Golden Heart finalist, and several of my stories have been Amazon best sellers.</span></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For a while I penned erotic fiction under a pseudonym. Although it was fun to explore my “darker side”, I am now answering the true call of my heart: to write bigger stories that focus on emotion, loss, spirit, and true love, stories I hope my readers will relate to and want to read more than once. Small town America is my favorite fictional setting. I’m particularly enjoying my recent foray into writing Cowboy romance.</span></p></span><div style="text-align: center;"><b><b><i><span style="font-size: large;">~ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Nola-Cross-Author-174971689198712">Facebook</a> ~ <a href=" http://www.nolacross.com">Website </a>~ <a href="http://www.twitter.com/ NolaCross">Twitter</a> ~</span></i></b></b></div><b></b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><b style="font-size: medium;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></b></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b><i>Nola will be awarding a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="28e4345f3538" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f3538/" id="rcwidget_h9jt1i6y" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a><script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script></i></b></span></span></div><div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6125/6005671256_1116b0ac4c_o.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="161" src="https://farm7.static.flickr.com/6125/6005671256_1116b0ac4c_o.png" width="320" /></a></div>Andra Lynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01194158597026288339noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-414275122692230397.post-82978831386429493012020-10-14T01:00:00.021-04:002020-10-14T01:00:06.732-04:00Review Tour: The Unholy (+$25 Giftcard Giveaway) <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAyPM7Wnv_vWO_11aiavipkqVANhtdaTuf5OeHBF69lIaHLANiGd3TOITHrtE6uUtpuCU5nezfjylZs_lH2rHePItM25aurTxKrogYOJxIaUUZVScd6p_Y9rLavF_8DHNhU5HtcULhsZI/s1200/Cover_TheUnholy.jpg" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAyPM7Wnv_vWO_11aiavipkqVANhtdaTuf5OeHBF69lIaHLANiGd3TOITHrtE6uUtpuCU5nezfjylZs_lH2rHePItM25aurTxKrogYOJxIaUUZVScd6p_Y9rLavF_8DHNhU5HtcULhsZI/w266-h400/Cover_TheUnholy.jpg" width="266" /></a></p><div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="font-size: large;">Title: The Unholy<br /></span><span style="font-size: x-large;">Author: Paul DeBlassie III</span></div><p></p><div><span style="font-size: large;">Pages: 202</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Date Published: August 1st, 2013</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Publisher: Sunstone Press</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Format: Kindle</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Genre: Thriller</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Source: <a href="http://www.goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com">Goddess Fish Blog Tours</a></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Paul-DeBlassie-III/e/B00E5TBJXY">Buy Me!</a></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: large;">Synopsis:</span><br /><div>Claire Sanchez, a young medicine woman, is intent on discovering the closely-guarded secrets of her past. Forced into a life-and-death battle against an evil Archbishop, William Anarch, she confronts the dark side of religion and the horror of one man's will to power.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>~My Thoughts!~</i></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The Unholy is an interesting, thoughtful, fantasy adventure with lots of moments that make you think and reflect on how religion can be both an integral and detrimental part of society. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The horror of the religious persecution in this book is neither for the faint of heart, nor for those who are unable to take a reflective look upon our current society. However, while this is obviously fiction, it makes you thankful for the time in which we live where we are (relatively) free to practice our own religion and do not face the kind of persecution seen here. When Claire watches what happens to her mother, gosh, I was so horrified and scared for her. It was certainly a memorable start to the story. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The herbal medicine was interesting, and Paul did a great job (either with instinctive knowledge or heavy research into the subject!) in painting a picture about a somewhat primitive yet powerful way of healing. Claire goes on quite the journey of self discovery in connecting to her mother's herbal healing roots and figuring out how to proceed in a life forever changed by misery and violence. This is definitely a book to take to a quiet place. I was trying to read while being harangued by an insistent 14-month-old and had a somewhat difficult time finding my place and the story thread once I got back into things, so I would suggest a quiet nook to keep your head on straight while reading. Enjoy friends! </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-size: xx-large;"><i>~Try an Excerpt!~</i></b></div><div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal"><span id="docs-internal-guid-d369c60e-7fff-c47a-e0a5-5ab6ed581970"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>As she ran forward, out of nowhere the two crows flew at her, scraping the air near her face with their sharp talons. Fists clenched, she struck out at one and grabbed at the other. They flew up, circled overhead, then dove, talons flaring. Unmoving, Claire placed her hands by her side and held their gaze.</i></span></p><i><br /></i><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>They fluttered above her head for a minute, then left. Claire turned and saw an eagle soaring—a healer’s spirit manifestation. Medicine women said it came only when needed, when danger lurked.</i></span></p><i><br /></i><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Frantically tugging away bush, bramble, and cacti, she uncovered the mouth of the seventh cave and stepped in. She had the feeling somebody was watching.</i></span></p><i><br /></i><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Her eyes adjusted and she made out the contour of something. Squinting, she stooped and touched what seemed to be a circle of stones and charred, cold logs. She stood up and pulled back. A bat flew at her. She waved it away.</i></span></p><i><br /></i><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>She stopped, waited for her breathing to slow, and, stepping sideways, touched the walls of the cave. They were damp and the stink of blood and guts was everywhere. Using the hard surfaces as a guide, her fingertips suddenly brushed through a hollow space roughly the size of a human body.</i></span></p></span></div></div></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>~Meet Paul!~ </i></b></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-953da5a5-7fff-16c7-da76-eb934dd3c08c"><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: xx-large; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: xx-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM8N_KdvtrLN2IVGcae6otX8CbG4uZbORWMkLbjX_xMOXhhuVlh0vmypMFuL63oAZOWYc2UQx0rzhGR_tjQRMJThqAcNHPxVshMr5eL9RwcpllRSH4gwWWFVNCzJ299ICAekRYeiX2ktc/s800/AuthorPicture.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM8N_KdvtrLN2IVGcae6otX8CbG4uZbORWMkLbjX_xMOXhhuVlh0vmypMFuL63oAZOWYc2UQx0rzhGR_tjQRMJThqAcNHPxVshMr5eL9RwcpllRSH4gwWWFVNCzJ299ICAekRYeiX2ktc/s320/AuthorPicture.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><blockquote><span style="font-size: large;">Paul DeBlassie III, Ph.D. is a depth psychologist and award-winning writer living in his native New Mexico. He specializes in treating individuals in emotional and spiritual crisis. His novels, visionary thrillers, delve deep into archetypal realities as they play out dramatically in the lives of everyday people. Memberships include the Author’s Guild, Visionary Fiction Alliance, Depth Psychology Alliance, International Association for Relational Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy, and the International Association for Jungian Studies.</span></blockquote></span></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><b><i><span style="font-size: large;"> ~ <a href="https://www.pauldeblassieiii.com/">Website </a>~ <a href="https://twitter.com/pdeblassieiii?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor">Twitter </a>~</span></i></b></b></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b><i> Paul will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. <a class="rcptr" data-raflid="28e4345f3300" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f3300/" id="rcwidget_92t9yolb" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a><script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script></i></b></span></span></div><div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6125/6005671256_1116b0ac4c_o.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="161" src="https://farm7.static.flickr.com/6125/6005671256_1116b0ac4c_o.png" width="320" /></a></div>Andra Lynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01194158597026288339noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-414275122692230397.post-72947588765418111032020-10-13T01:00:00.003-04:002020-10-13T10:05:24.121-04:00Review Tour: Hidden Gypsy Magic (+$15 Giftcard Giveaway!)<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOKczZu1yAqlloLoxGeLqmsnmltLNJ73agsG3TylSfIP3lpQ2Jd-rx6sVrAWYM6Lp-p-DXkYq0wDzuXxzrO7pxZJMO4kVyZ3e-WN9Y_XBjW6E8QXI4xvxuRR-BGhhN4p7qezIYyV2dWNU/s1288/Cover_Hidden+Gypsy+Magic+%25281%2529.jpg" style="clear: left; display: inline; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1288" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOKczZu1yAqlloLoxGeLqmsnmltLNJ73agsG3TylSfIP3lpQ2Jd-rx6sVrAWYM6Lp-p-DXkYq0wDzuXxzrO7pxZJMO4kVyZ3e-WN9Y_XBjW6E8QXI4xvxuRR-BGhhN4p7qezIYyV2dWNU/s320/Cover_Hidden+Gypsy+Magic+%25281%2529.jpg" /></a></p><span style="font-size: large;">Title: Hidden Gypsy Magic<br />Author: Tena Stetler</span><br /><div><span style="font-size: large;">Series: A Witch's Journey #3</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Pages: 330</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Date Published: September 28th, 2020</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Publisher: The Wild Rose Press</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Format: Kindle</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Genre: Romance</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Source: <a href="http://www.goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com">Goddess Fish Blog Tours</a></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Hidden-Gypsy-Magic-Witchs-Journey-ebook/dp/B08FXBNLW5/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Hidden+Gypsy+Magic&qid=1599705956&s=digital-text&sr=1-1">Buy Me!</a></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: large;">Synopsis:</span><br /><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Salem Wildlife Sanctuary is Gwen Taylor's
life work. Her Irish Gypsy heritage provides a hidden talent she uses to help
the creatures under her care. But even her magical skills can't help new
rescues in dire need of veterinary care.</span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #222222;">The opportunity of signing on as the vet for Gwen's
sanctuary dropped into Brock Scutter's lap after he expanded his practice to
include wildlife. The personal attraction he and Gwen experience is undeniable
the more their professional and personal lives collide.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #222222;">Touring the only "non-haunted" house in
Salem they both feel a spark of magic. A trip to his family's cabin uncovers a
heritage he didn't know existed. If they want a future together, it means
facing the consequences of awakening hidden Gypsy magic and a race against the
clock to correct past wrongs.</span></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>~My Thoughts~</i></b></span><br /><div style="text-align: left;">I totally adored the idea of Gwen's magic being an integral part of how she helped and worked with animals. It also made the romance with a vet so much cuter and obviously believable when the two leads can bond over such a deep and meaningful part of their lives! </div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I felt time pass quickly as I immersed myself in this read. Gwen is so likable and obviously there are tons of cute animals. The magic was interesting and I did wish that we got to explore its history a little more. Obviously Gwen knows it already, she grew up with it, but I would have liked maybe a flash back or some more depth to understanding how the magic functions in this world and if gypsy witches were the only real supernatural group or if they functioned differently in society then non-magic gypsies. I know, Nerd Alert, but I love the inner workings of a magic world! I really did like how the historical connections to the Salem Witch Trials were explored. Those were some of my absolute favorite parts!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The romance between Gwen and <strike>Ted </strike> Brock was so sweet! (Was I the only one thinking of an adorable Vet from Schitt's Creek while reading???) It was believable and built on a real connection and even though it took time to build, those building blocks were hard won and totally worth it in making the relationship believable. A fun and cute read, especially for this time of the year!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>~Try an Excerpt!~</i></b></span></div><div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal"><p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><i>A mischievous twinkle in his eyes, he swept her off her feet
and twirled her around. “Four glorious days, no clinic, no sanctuary, no
emergencies—just you, me and the cabin in Puffin Cove, Maine.”</i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><i>“Wow, you are excited.” She grinned. “Me too. But, I gotta
ask. How’s the owl?”</i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><i>He set her down on the ground and kissed her lips
affectionately. “She’s doing great. Doubt she’ll ever fly again, but we’ll be
transferring her to you when we get back. She needs rehab on that busted wing
and to strengthen the other. Cuts and scrapes are healing well.”</i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><i>“Great to hear. We look forward to having her. Everything is
all set up for the birds arrival. I’ll see to her rehab myself. Though Pepper
is going to consult. She did such a fantastic job with Kaylee years ago. In
addition, she’s had a couple of endangered owls in her care recently.”</i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><i>“Figured. Between the two of you, that’s one lucky owl.” He
took her bag and wrapped an arm around her waist. “Ready?”</i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><i>“You betcha.”</i><o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>~Meet Tena!~ </i></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0mG8FQ2MGNBPXqgBzQPzLyX0K0ir1-S6BGewCPvQkv4lxi64sM9XCVVE-YJ_-XXxNH23mRkOniKHsI-jn94t7Cjml2LOzdOZ83M3MAoHWdwWFxmFXW0TqYbY_j0cGm6mYFIRX6lCAKlc/s436/Author+Pic+%25281%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="436" data-original-width="350" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0mG8FQ2MGNBPXqgBzQPzLyX0K0ir1-S6BGewCPvQkv4lxi64sM9XCVVE-YJ_-XXxNH23mRkOniKHsI-jn94t7Cjml2LOzdOZ83M3MAoHWdwWFxmFXW0TqYbY_j0cGm6mYFIRX6lCAKlc/s320/Author+Pic+%25281%2529.jpg" /></a></div>Tena Stetler is a paranormal romance and cozy mystery author with an over-active imagination. She wrote her first vampire romance as a tween, to the chagrin of her mother and the delight of her friends. With the Rocky Mountains outside her window, Tena sits at her computer surrounded by a wide array of paranormal creatures telling her their tales. <br /><br />Colorado is her home; shared with her husband of many moons, a brilliant Chow Chow, a spoiled parrot and a forty-year-old box turtle. Any winter evening, you can find her curled up in front of a crackling fire with a good book, a mug of hot chocolate and a big bowl of popcorn. Her books tell tales of magical kick-ass women and mystical alpha males that dare to love them. Travel, adventure, and a bit of mystery flourish in her books along with a few companion animals to round out the tales.<b></b><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large; text-align: left;"><i> Tena will be awarding a $15 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.<a class="rcptr" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f3513/" rel="nofollow" data-raflid="28e4345f3513" data-theme="classic" data-template="" id="rcwidget_zt0rj20a">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script></i></b></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></b></div><div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6125/6005671256_1116b0ac4c_o.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="161" src="https://farm7.static.flickr.com/6125/6005671256_1116b0ac4c_o.png" width="320" /></a></div>Andra Lynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01194158597026288339noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-414275122692230397.post-65693878975471234312020-10-12T01:30:00.001-04:002020-10-12T01:30:06.443-04:00Book Blast! A Family For Christmas <p><span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: xx-large; text-align: center;"><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiljbJuVBITi2pJlZ96nn3yUSOAnxCKlzyKN3q0YtSrGMPGdT0JYaiAiKsycA-IhpSCm1J2f2shrrAr-5ONSyJ_hgVbobZUTtesZviBHbUNqJQ3ro_Nn7tDrhzAw5dHGqvkNQfT1g7DN-k/s900/BookCover_afamilyforchristmas-LARGE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiljbJuVBITi2pJlZ96nn3yUSOAnxCKlzyKN3q0YtSrGMPGdT0JYaiAiKsycA-IhpSCm1J2f2shrrAr-5ONSyJ_hgVbobZUTtesZviBHbUNqJQ3ro_Nn7tDrhzAw5dHGqvkNQfT1g7DN-k/s320/BookCover_afamilyforchristmas-LARGE.jpg" /></a></span></div><span><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Title: A Family For Christmas</span></span><p></p><div><span style="font-size: large;">Author: Nola Cross</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Series: Burlesons of Texas #2</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Date Published: October 8, 2020</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Publisher: Tule Publishing</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Format: Kindle</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Genre: Contemporary Western Romance</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Source: <a href="http://www.goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com">Goddess Fish Blog Tours</a></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Buy Me!</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: large;">Synopsis:</span><br /><div><span id="docs-internal-guid-c782faea-7fff-9be9-b234-3012f70f8edb"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He never thought he’d have a real family Christmas…</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For the past eight years, Bill Smith has been unable to set down roots. But he never forgot the magical night he spent with an auburn-haired beauty in Last Stand, Texas. When she finally tracked him down, he was more than happy to donate a kidney to AJ, the son he never knew he had. But now that AJ is better, Bill wants more time with him and his mother. He wants a family.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Annie Burleson can’t help but be grateful to this almost-stranger for saving AJ’s life. Still, she’s a little wary. AJ has already been through so much—what if Bill leaves again? And with Christmas in full swing, it’s difficult to discern which emotions are festive and which are forever.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As Annie and Bill’s lives collide, their mutual love for AJ makes this more than a marriage of convenience. But is it enough to give them the family Christmas they all deserve?</span></p></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>~Try an Excerpt!~</i></b></span></div><div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal"><span id="docs-internal-guid-059e05ac-7fff-d4bd-c6f1-7d70894eb83c"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Her door stood ajar, and he kneed it open. Inside, her bedroom was lit by candles that glowed softly from several locations. On either side of her bed, pink lightbulbs in the delicate glass lamps shed rose-colored light on turned-down bedclothes. She had prepared the room just for this moment. An invitation meant only for him. </i></span></p><i><br /></i><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>“I see what you’ve had up your sleeve here, Mrs. Smith.” He laid her on the bed. Her still-damp hair rippled out in an auburn fan on the white pillowcase. </i></span></p><i><br /></i><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>“Don’t you like it?” </i></span></p><i><br /></i><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>“I love it. What I love most is knowing you’ve been thinking about the two of us being here, about us making love.” </i></span></p><i><br /></i><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>She gave him a sly smile. “I figured we’d end up here eventually.” </i></span></p><i><br /></i><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>He ran his finger along the opening of her robe, from her breastbone to her waist. She gave a tiny gasp. “Can I unwrap you now?”</i></span></p></span></div></div></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>~Meet Nola!~ </i></b></span></div><span><span id="docs-internal-guid-9526fb92-7fff-1a9b-414b-7014d907fc9c"><p dir="ltr" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: xx-large; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: inherit; font-size: xx-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAQPnz5eEI4S6bEK-97oLGfqQHwCiDKV69jatsqYOpiCQRJvN7h0RZL9Oakpfy-0ITwkeUjwPxow8kp-GDTAL2Ixeatbxc9nkzzGLCCsHuZvYIugKy2T2SGRgjIR2BIf1_qm0wss9karE/s300/author+photo.gif" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAQPnz5eEI4S6bEK-97oLGfqQHwCiDKV69jatsqYOpiCQRJvN7h0RZL9Oakpfy-0ITwkeUjwPxow8kp-GDTAL2Ixeatbxc9nkzzGLCCsHuZvYIugKy2T2SGRgjIR2BIf1_qm0wss9karE/s0/author+photo.gif" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I remember as a small girl being fascinated with the idea that people could make up stories and the stories became books. I began writing my own stories before I even started school, and won my first writing contest at the age of nine. It’s always been my dream to be a published author. The road was a long and twisting one, but I finally made it. I’m proud to be a two-time Golden Heart finalist, and several of my stories have been Amazon best sellers.</span></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For a while I penned erotic fiction under a pseudonym. Although it was fun to explore my “darker side”, I am now answering the true call of my heart: to write bigger stories that focus on emotion, loss, spirit, and true love, stories I hope my readers will relate to and want to read more than once. Small town America is my favorite fictional setting. I’m particularly enjoying my recent foray into writing Cowboy romance.</span></p></span><div style="text-align: center;"><b><b><i><span style="font-size: large;">~ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Nola-Cross-Author-174971689198712">Facebook</a> ~ <a href=" http://www.nolacross.com">Website </a>~ <a href="http://www.twitter.com/ NolaCross">Twitter</a> ~</span></i></b></b></div><b></b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><b style="font-size: medium;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></b></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b><i>Nola will be awarding a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="28e4345f3538" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f3538/" id="rcwidget_h9jt1i6y" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script></i></b></span></span></div><div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6125/6005671256_1116b0ac4c_o.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="161" src="https://farm7.static.flickr.com/6125/6005671256_1116b0ac4c_o.png" width="320" /></a></div>Andra Lynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01194158597026288339noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-414275122692230397.post-80615015419186952582020-10-09T15:44:00.000-04:002020-10-09T15:44:00.861-04:00<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaZ_K5BKdGe1nbHLkfxM_5kcy1vBX1YcXzYrjZhQBNTVloH-tekI95KDqr1z_1U6EIhzSMs-AQMXTRk3MV4fCzkZEQVyMJ4HFT44w4Jhi2JMUG5YCVUzTyL7ALorPOErujAveaCVp8060/s1184/Cover_Waiting+for+Grandfather.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1184" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaZ_K5BKdGe1nbHLkfxM_5kcy1vBX1YcXzYrjZhQBNTVloH-tekI95KDqr1z_1U6EIhzSMs-AQMXTRk3MV4fCzkZEQVyMJ4HFT44w4Jhi2JMUG5YCVUzTyL7ALorPOErujAveaCVp8060/s320/Cover_Waiting+for+Grandfather.gif" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">Title: Waiting for Grandfather</span><p></p><div><span style="font-size: large;">Author: Michael De Stefano</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Pages: 246</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Date Published: 2020</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Publisher: Night to Dawn Magazine</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Genre: Coming of Age</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Source: <a href="http://www.goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com">Goddess Fish Blog Tour</a>s</span><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: large;">Synopsis:</span><br /><div><span id="docs-internal-guid-3df6cde8-7fff-d8db-f9ba-9490135af626"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Meet the Corelli clan. Told by the oldest grandson, Frank, this family tapestry, with pathos and hilarity, begins weaving itself in the 1930s and rollicks through four riotous decades. The strongest thread is its oldest member, Antonio. To the ragtag Corelli clan, he is an ocean—an unwavering force upon which they rely. Lizzy, the youngest Corelli, is the brightest thread. Emanating from her is the light by which they see the world. Spanning these dynamic figures is an oddball cast of characters that keep one another in stitches right up until the life-affirming surprise birthday party of their beloved patriarch.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>~Try an Excerpt!~</i></b></span></div><div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal"><span id="docs-internal-guid-374c0849-7fff-043e-3573-b33557fb4e39"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With the long hours he worked, along with the time and trouble of looking after Uncle Al and Uncle Nunzio, who were always full of surprises, Antonio hardly had time for a love interest. But since Mama Corelli moved in, his load has been lightened. He began to consider his life, where it was headed, and the possibility of finding a nice girl with whom he could settle down. With his share of the newspaper tucked under his arm, he turned about and began his slow, plodding walk home. Never before had Antonio seen the slim, elegant woman around Swampoodle, and he wondered if he would ever see her again. He hadn’t gone but a few paces in the direction of Twenty-sixth and Indiana, when he heard someone call out, “Sir.” Alertly he spun around and saw the mysterious woman walking briskly in his direction, as briskly as she had run from him earlier. Throughout the day, she had heard speculations and murmurings regarding the volatility and unrest that led up to the Germany Invades Poland headline; and since she was a learned young woman who prided herself in keeping informed, she was anxious to get her hands on a newspaper. “I just remembered,” she said, for in her alacrity she had forgotten, “my father, without fail, buys the Bulletin every day at four.” After apologizing for the oversight, she handed over her sections of the newspaper to Antonio and again went scurrying off. Before Antonio had the presence of mind to call after her, out of the corner of his eye, he saw written on one of the paper’s white margins: Elizabeth Erwin, Cumberland 9-4762. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Nothing can make a man’s day or boost his demeanor more than having been acknowledged by a pretty girl, especially if it’s a girl with whom he has developed a sudden interest. As a young man, I wished that whenever it was my turn to meet Miss Right, I, too, would experience a chance encounter and have an enchanting tale to tell; but such scenarios only seemed to have occurred back in a time called the good old days, when our country was innocent and its society less guarded—a time when an out-of-the-blue romantic encounter with a handsome stranger was not only permissible or possible but something a gal might even hope for. Nowadays it’s difficult to imagine two people reaching for the same newspaper, assuming newspapers will continue to exist. Clunking heads while walking the mall, because both are fixated on a miniature screen while trading thumbed messages with someone at another mall would seem the more likely scenario; although, it’s unlikely that anything resembling romance would follow such an encounter. I’d put my money on assault charges.</span></p><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div></span></div></div></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>~Meet Michael!~ </i></b></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-a1e526f9-7fff-264c-3c0b-3fb8296fd8e3"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0wKkRFj53c7RJdSvI0dX5kbUJ_Oj8KoK2b7wtiL6EsyXqsC51_i1BzPed3t6URM0pyynq_u9oRiwnezAIf-HHlcxBi2tDgvHFQO_GvNM_lNSCP00MyIzwVhoTtZZqowzCgOXg333M3cU/s394/AuthorPHoto_MichaelDeStefano_124.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="394" data-original-width="394" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0wKkRFj53c7RJdSvI0dX5kbUJ_Oj8KoK2b7wtiL6EsyXqsC51_i1BzPed3t6URM0pyynq_u9oRiwnezAIf-HHlcxBi2tDgvHFQO_GvNM_lNSCP00MyIzwVhoTtZZqowzCgOXg333M3cU/s320/AuthorPHoto_MichaelDeStefano_124.jpg" /></a></div><br />Michael DeStefano is from Philadelphia, where he is the owner of a hairstyling salon. Currently, he makes his home in Cinnaminson, New Jersey, is the husband of a Gulf War veteran, and author of The Gunslinger’s Companion. Any thoughts or criticisms readers of Waiting for Grandfather wish to share may be sent to dtbhs@aol.com. </span></span><b><i><br /></i></b></span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><b style="font-size: medium;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></b></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b><i>Night to Dawn Magazine and Books LLC will be awarding a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="28e4345f3517" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f3517/" id="rcwidget_fug9gm4n" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script>
</i></b></span></span></div><div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6125/6005671256_1116b0ac4c_o.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="161" src="https://farm7.static.flickr.com/6125/6005671256_1116b0ac4c_o.png" width="320" /></a></div>Andra Lynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01194158597026288339noreply@blogger.com6