Wednesday, July 24, 2019

Of Sound Mind and Someone Else's Body by William Quincy Belle


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. William Quincy Belle will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Science Fiction with (gasp) sex!

Alan Maitland is a successful businessman on his way up the corporate ladder. Life is good, but life is also full of the unexpected. A scientific experiment goes awry, and Alan’s mind is transferred to the body of Hana Toussaint, a high-class escort. Suddenly, he must not only contend with a new identity, but with the eye-opening experience of living as a female: how to walk in high heels without falling; how to put on a bra without dislocating a shoulder; how to deal with makeup without poking out an eye; and how to get along in a society which in many ways is still male-dominated.

When Alan discovers that Hana has taken over his body, the two of them must work together to find the scientist who can reverse the experiment and give them back their respective lives. Along the way, they must cope with living as each other and learn what it's like to be a member of the opposite sex. And as their adventure goes on, Alan the woman must figure out his growing feelings for Hana the man.

Alan faces the biggest challenge of his life which Hana sums up with one decisive question:

“Are you man enough to be a woman?”

Enjoy an Excerpt

After their small breakfast, Alan and Hana set about getting ready, selecting clothes for one another.

“I start with moisturizer,” he said examining the various items laid out on the bathroom counter.

She stood behind him, looking at herself in the mirror and adjusting her collar. “That’s right.”

He picked up the bottle of moisturizer and unscrewed the top. “This hadn’t been on my list of required life skills, but I’ll be able to say I’m a truly well-rounded man.”

“Well-rounded? You missed me having my period last week!”

He stopped and wrinkled his brow.

She half smiled. “Are you man enough to be a woman?”

He gave his head a shake then continued his morning ritual.

Hana pulled the looped tie over her head and mimicked Alan’s earlier movements by tightening the loop and getting the tie in place. “I’m getting the hang of this.” She pulled her collar down and raised her chin to give the knot a final adjustment. “All set.”

She watched him go through the steps of getting ready for another day as a woman. “You’re doing fine.”

Before going out the door, Alan paused in front of a mirror. He smoothed out his skirt and leaned closer to check his makeup. He looked himself in the eye. What am I doing? Am I getting womanlier?

Hana held open the door, and the two of them left to meet their fate.

About the Author:
William Quincy Belle is just a guy. Nobody famous; nobody rich; just some guy who likes to periodically add his two cents worth with the hope, accounting for inflation, that $0.02 is not over evaluating his contribution. He claims that at the heart of the writing process is some sort of (psychotic) urge to put it down on paper and likes to recite the following, which so far he hasn't been able to attribute to anyone: "A writer is an egomaniac with low self-esteem." You will find Mr. Belle's unbridled stream of consciousness floating around in cyberspace.

Web site: http://www.williamquincybelle.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WilliamQuincyBelle
Twitter: https://twitter.com/wqbelle
Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/William-Quincy-Belle/e/B01M1IQ69G

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LYWXM4E

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Monday, July 22, 2019

The American Crusade by Mark Spivak


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Mark Spivak will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Why do you write in your genre? What draws you to it?

Thrillers are fascinating for many reasons. For starters you have the element of suspense, which is a true art. And of course you have a realistic story: I think readers are drawn to thrillers because they largely take place in the real world, in familiar settings and to characters that resemble the readers themselves. In the case of The American Crusade, I’m a political junkie who has a lifelong attraction to the steamy underbelly of Washington politics. I’m also a student of history, which was the genesis of the novel: the realization that the invasion of Iraq was the instant replay of the Fourth Crusade.

What research is required?

In the case of The American Crusade, research was involved on two fronts. For the modern-day story, I had to make sure that all my references to the details of government were correct. The interesting part of the research was learning about the Fourth Crusade. I ended up finding an eyewitness account written by one of the Crusaders that was very compelling, and I used excerpts from it in the book.

Name one thing you learned from your hero.

Most of the story is told through the eyes of Robert Barton Hornsby, the vice president and former CIA director. He’s the ultimate puppet master, the spy who refused to come in from the cold. Projecting myself into his mind was an interesting exercise, and I always needed to be mindful of his primary maxim: the real power in government is exercised by those who don’t actually run for office themselves.

Do you have any odd or interesting writing quirks, habits or superstitions?

I have tons of quirks. As far as writing goes, I get up very early—around 4 or 4:30 a.m., which is when most of the work gets done. I still do a lot of journalism, so the emails and phone calls start around 10am. I write intermittently throughout the day, but find that I do better with fewer distractions.

Are you a plotter or pantser?

Unfortunately, a pantser. I just can’t seem to outline anything. The process is more interesting and exciting that way, but also more dangerous: you run the risk of the story exploding on you, and you end up having a lot of orphaned novels on your computer. Often, though, I go back to them years later and find a way to salvage them. That’s what happened with The American Crusade.

Look to your right – what’s sitting there?

A pile of notebooks, good old-fashioned steno pads. As mentioned, I still do a lot of journalism, so the steno pad habit is hard to break. It does give you a reference library of sorts, although it’s time-consuming to go back through it.

>b>Anything new coming up from you? What?

I’m currently finishing up the sequel to The American Crusade, a novel tentatively titled Impeachment. I can’t give away any spoilers, but the plot revolves around immigration.

Do you have a question for our readers?

Lots of them, and it would be great if we could talk. I’d love to know what their likes and dislikes are, what they look for, what interests them. Hopefully they’ll ask questions in the course of the day, and we can interact.

A power-hungry vice president, a bad batch of shady intelligence, and a sinister plot to destroy Western civilization.
Just another day in America.

On May 1, 2001, a group of radical Islamic terrorists crash a Boeing 737 jet airliner into the Mall of America—and Vice President Robert Hornsby knows his moment is coming.

The attack kills three thousand American citizens and throws an entire nation into a panic, but all Hornsby sees is an opportunity, a chance to imprint his fanatical values on the soul of the country he loves and become the most powerful vice president in American history.

With the aid of his affable but ineffectual president; the reluctant, conscience-stricken secretary of defense; and a preening, foppish faith leader with more than a few skeletons in his closet; Hornsby declares war on terror—and anyone who stands in his way. But as media scrutiny of the administration’s actions overseas intensifies, Hornby’s one-man campaign against evil begins to unravel—with striking parallels to the thirteenth century’s doomed Fourth Crusade—and sends the nation spiraling toward another deadly tragedy.

The American Crusade paints a grim and often cynical picture of America’s recent past, reflecting the attitudes, politics, and fears that shaped our nation in the new millennium. By sampling the contemporaneous French text on the Fourth Crusade, On the Conquest of Constantinople, author Mark Spivak reminds us of that ever-vital adage: “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”

Fans of The Castle by Jack Pinter, The President Is Missing by Bill Clinton and James Patterson, House of Cards by Michael Dobbs, The Whistler by John Grisham, and the Aaron Sorkin–penned TV drama The West Wing will love this book.

Read an Excerpt

Sitting in the White House Situation Room that day, Vice President Hornsby thought he was witnessing the perfect storm. All those years we thought it would end with a nuclear launch from the Soviets, he thought bitterly. Now I have to watch a bunch of jokers in turbans destroy the world.

FBI Director Edward Gambelli entered the room and approached the head of the table.

“Most of the planes are out of the sky, sir. The airspace is almost secure.”

“What do you mean, almost? For shit’s sake.” The Vice President gesture toward the electronic map on the wall, where aircraft were represented by red dots. “That’s a lot of dots, Eddie.”

“They’re mostly private planes, sir. Joyriders out for a spin. We’re contacting the ones that have radar. The fighters will intercept the others and escort them down.”

“What about the other plane?”

“It’s still heading for Washington, sir. Just passed Wilmington.”

“How long before it gets into rural airspace?”

“Five minutes, sir. Ten at the most.”

“What’s happening on board?”

“We’ve received radio and cell phone communications. The passengers are still fighting. They’ve overcome two of the hijackers, and they’re trying to get into the cockpit.”

Hornsby glanced to his right, to the chair occupied by his protégé, CIA Director Admiral Mike McCardle. McCardle nodded.

“When it gets over unoccupied land, I want you to shoot it down.”

“Sir?”

“Eddie, we have the tapes, correct?”

“Yes, but—”

“These people are dead already. None of them can fly the plane. It’s the least we can do to bring comfort to their loved ones. The public will eat it up. The passengers will be heroes.”

“But”

“Eddie, that’s an order. Shoot it down once it gets over unoccupied land. I’ve got your back.”

“Yes, sir.”

About the Author:
In the realm of non-fiction, award-winning author Mark Spivak focuses on wine, spirits, food, restaurants and culinary travel. His first book, Iconic Spirits: An Intoxicating History, was published by Lyons Press in 2012. He followed this with Moonshine Nation (Lyons Press, 2014), hailed as the definitive book on illegal corn whiskey in America. From 1994-1999 he was the wine writer for the Palm Beach Post, and was honored for excellence in wine criticism “in a graceful and approachable style.” Since 2001 he has been the Wine & Spirits Editor for the Palm Beach Media Group, and contributes to a number of national magazines. He is also the holder of the Certificate and Advanced Diplomas from the Court of Master Sommeliers.


Mark’s first novel, Friend of the Devil, was published by Black Opal Books in May 2016. Set in Palm Beach in 1990, it tells the story of America’s most famous chef, who has sold his soul to the Devil for fame and fortune. 


Mark also has an endless fascination with the American political system and is an avid follower of Washington politics. His second novel, The American Crusade (a gripping political thriller set during the invasion of Iraq, which dips into the shadowy world of government conspiracy and political sabotage), will be released by TCK Publishing on April 4. He is currently at work on Impeachment, the sequel to The American Crusade.

Visit Mark's website at http://www.markspivakbooks.com, and sign up for his free newsletter and political blog: http://

www.markspivakbooks.com/free

Amazon buy link: https://www.amazon.com/American-Crusade-Political-Thriller/dp/1631610708/

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Friday, July 19, 2019

Extinction of All Children by L.J. Epps


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. L.J. Epps will be awarding a $20 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

The futuristic world of Craigluy has been divided into three territories and three economic classes. A large wall separates the territories, so the poor cannot mingle with the rich.

Since President Esther, the ruler over all of Craigluy, believes the poor do not have adequate means to take care of children, they are no longer allowed to procreate. Pregnant mothers are imprisoned until their babies are born, then the infants are taken away.

Emma Whisperer is the last child to survive. She is the last child born in lower-class Territory L before the law was instituted in the year 2080. She is the last eighteen-year-old.

Emma struggles to understand why she was spared while others weren’t. She doesn’t like the laws and believes they should be repealed. Her family doesn’t agree with her; they discourage her rebellious streak. Yet, she helps them to cover up their own family rebellion. She helps them to hide a big secret, a secret that could be both disastrous and deadly for members of their family.

As she meets new people along the way, Emma learns who she can and cannot trust. And, in the end, she makes a gut-wrenching decision that may be disastrous for everyone.

She finds herself in danger for doing what she feels is right.


Read an Excerpt

“I see your side is still bothering you.” He looks me up and down. “That’s why I came by in regular clothes. I knew you wouldn’t feel much like training. You should rest your side for a few days, like the doctor said.”

“How do you know what the doctor said?”

“Samuel told me. He said we should put off training, for a while.”

“Until I recuperate.” I groan again, pushing the pack more into my skin. “I don’t want to lose my newfound skills. Pretty soon, I will be good enough to beat you.”

“Now wait a minute.” He holds up his hands. “Slow it down, a little. You’re doing well, but don’t get ahead of yourself. I think the nickname Whisper has caused you to lose all sense of reality.”

“No, I’m still in my right mind,” I say. I grin like baby Abigail when you tickle her stomach.

“Seriously, though.” His eyes find mine. “Is your side all right?”

“It’s fine, or it will be.” My fingers sting, holding the pack.

“What about your hand?”

“They gave me some ointment to use.”

“Why did you let Samuel take you?” His chest rises and falls like the words were hard to say. “I mean, I asked to take you to the hospital and you refused. Why would you let Samuel take you, instead of me?”

About the Author: L.J. Epps is a lover of all things related to books: fiction and nonfiction novels, as well as biographies and autobiographies. She has also been known to sit and read comic books from cover to cover, several times over.

Over the last few years, L.J. has written several manuscripts; her mission is to publish all of them. She enjoys writing fiction in several genres, including contemporary romance and women’s fiction, as well as young adult dystopian, science fiction and fantasy. She loves to write because it immerses her into another world that is not her own.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ljta6b1c
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ljeppsauthor
Website: http://www.ljeppsauthor.com
Blog: http://www.ljeppsauthor.com/blog.html
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ljeppsauthor/

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GM2YTHE
Barnes and Noble: http://www.bit.ly/2GwM9ei

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Tuesday, July 16, 2019

All Boy by Mia Kerick


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Mia Kerick will award a $15 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Seventeen-year-old Callie Canter knows all about screwing up—and being screwed over. After her so-called boyfriend publicly humiliated her senior year, taking a fifth year of high school at Beaufort Hills Academy is her second chance to leave behind a painful past. But her need for social acceptance follows, and going along with the in-crowd is the difference between survival and becoming a target. Staying off the radar is top priority. So, falling for an outsider is the last thing on Callie’s “to-do” list. Too bad her heart didn’t get the memo.

With his strict, religious upbringing and former identity far away in Florida, Jayden Morrissey can finally be true to himself at Beaufort Hills Academy. But life as a trans man means keeping secrets, and keeping secrets means not getting too close to anyone. If he can just get through his fifth year unnoticed, maybe a future living as the person he was born to be is possible. Yet love is love, and when you fall hard enough, intentions crumble, plans detour, and secrets are revealed.

From multi-award-winning author Mia Kerick, comes a powerful, timely, and life-changing novel, which follows two teenagers nursing broken hearts and seeking acceptance, and who together realize running away isn’t always the answer.

Read an Excerpt:

Jayden

“You said that your old boyfriend didn’t treat you well. I’m curious about what happened with him."

Callie’s lips tighten. Even on guard, she’s the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen. Her face is what I’d call exotic—her eyes are wide, her cheekbones high, and her lips full. And the shade of her skin is even fairer than mine. I wonder about her ethnicity, but don’t ask. If I ask too many questions, it will open the door for her to ask questions of me. She leans back on her hands so she can better size me up. Her reply is cautious. “In the second half of senior year, things with us went downhill, but, to be real, they’d never been perfect.”

“How long did you go out with him?”

“Three years—well, just over.”

“What happened to screw things up?”

“Don’t you think the past should stay where it belongs?” She measures each word.

“Yeah… unless the event scars you. Because that stuff doesn’t just go away.”

She sighs. “Ryan did not appreciate that I was a plus-size girl. It was a huge deal that I wasn’t skinny.”

I swallow hard, having seen this issue from both sides.

“My body was always a problem for him… You could call it my fatal flaw.”

“Did he actually tell you that he didn’t like the way you looked?”

“Hell, yeah… like, ten times a day.” Callie smiles, but it isn’t out of happiness. It’s a bitter smile. “The size of my backside was almost a deal-breaker for him. He told me that he liked ‘the waif look.’”

“The waif look? What’s that?”

“Kind of skinny and underdeveloped—like many runway models. The emaciated opposite of gargantuan me.”

“That’s just wrong, Callie.”

“But he said my pretty face made up for my wide ass.” She flops back on the bed. “You must be wondering how desperate I was for attention to stick around for three-plus years, just to get that kind of treatment. I used to wonder about it, too.”

“And then?”

“Then I figured out the reason I stayed put: I believed what Ryan was saying. That a fat girl really has no options.” She covers her face with her hands and adds, “For some reason, his acceptance of me mattered so frigging much.”

“You dumped him, I hope.”

“I did, sort of.”

“Ryan didn’t deserve a girl like you, someone so smart and pretty and sweet.”

Callie laughs. “No one ever calls me sweet.”

“Well, I just did.”

About the Author:
Mia Kerick is the mother of four exceptional children—one a recent graduate of law school, another a professional dancer, a third studying at Mia’s alma mater, Boston College, and the baby finally off to college. (Yes, the nest is empty.) She publishes LGBTQ fiction and romance when not editing National Honor Society essays, offering opinions on college and law school applications, helping to create dance bios, and reviewing English papers. Her husband of twenty-five years has been told by many that he has the patience of Job, but don’t ask Mia about this, as it is a sensitive subject.

Mia focuses her stories on the emotional growth of young people who are challenged by the circumstances of their lives and relationships. She has a great affinity for the tortured hero in literature, and as a teen, Mia filled spiral-bound notebooks with tales of tortured heroes and stuffed them under her mattress for safekeeping. Now she publishes her work—it’s an alternate way to stash her stories.

Her books have been featured in Kirkus Reviews magazine. They have won a 2019 IPPY GOLD award for Juvenile/Young Adult Fiction, Rainbow Awards for Best Transgender Contemporary Romance and Best YA Lesbian Fiction, a Reader Views’ Book by Book Publicity Literary Award for Young Adult Fiction, the Jack Eadon Award for Best Book in Contemporary Drama, an Indie Fab Award, a First Place Royal Dragonfly Award for Cultural Diversity, a First Place Story Monsters Purple Dragonfly Award for YA Fiction, and a category finalist for the Eric Hoffer award, a finalist in the National Indie Excellence Awards for Young Adult Fiction and more.

Mia Kerick is a social liberal and cheers for each and every victory made in the name of human rights. Her only major regret: never having taken typing or computer class in school, destining her to a life consumed with two-fingered pecking and constant prayer to the Gods of Technology. Contact Mia at miakerick@gmail.com or visit at www.miakerickya.com to see what is going on in Mia’s world.

http://www.miakerickya.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Jgi4-fIFgo

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Groundwork for Murder by Marilyn Baron and Sharon Goldman


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The authors will be awarding a 16X20 Signed Matted Print "Flora Blanca" by author, Florida artist Sharon Goldman, to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.



Landscape artist Alexandra Newborn dreams of a one-woman show at the Diamond Gallery. But the gallery owner dismisses her paintings as "old, tired, and dull. Lacking excitement." Those words also describe Alex's unhappy marriage.

Alex's shocking reunion with her college art professor, Dominick "Nick" Anselmo—once a world-celebrated Italian artist, now a homeless lawn man—reignites their passion and fuels a creative spark for both, helping Nick recover from his wife's death.

With Nick's provocative sketches, art imitates life, but Alex doesn't realize they reveal a dangerous liaison between her husband and the gallery owner. Without Nick's knowledge, Alex arranges an art opening that includes his drawings.

When the torrid affair between Alex's husband and his mistress is exposed, the seeds are sown for murder, mystery, and romance.

Read an Excerpt:

The subject matter was unexpected and provocative. She’d thought that, in his new life as a lawn man, Nick might just draw a tree, or a garden, not a couple caught in a passionate embrace—her face against his cheek, his face buried in her neck to hide their identities and keep the world at bay.

He had captured them in a clinch that seemed to portray more lust than love. The sketch spoke of forbidden moments. The lines revealed movement, as if the couple had had to love and leave. All that sexual desire was combustible. And yet there was love there. Maybe not love between this couple, but Nick had obviously transferred his own feelings of lost love and longing onto the paper.

“Always leave something of yourself in your work.” That’s what Professore Anselmo had taught his students in college. And he had managed to do that brilliantly in this drawing. The passion was raw, and it exposed everything that was missing in her relationship with Mark. And everything that was missing in her art. Something vaguely familiar about this couple tugged at her memory, but she quickly dismissed it.

Alex knew great art could have that effect on your soul. It was similar to a writer who paints word pictures that draw you into the story and elevate the everyday into the sublime—word pictures that are often too close to home, too real to examine too closely.

About the Author: Marilyn Baron and Sharon Goldman are sisters. Groundwork for Murder won first place in the Suspense Romance category of the Ignite the Flame Contest, sponsored by the Central Ohio Fiction Writers Chapter of RWA.

Marilyn Baron

Marilyn Baron writes in a variety of genres, from women’s fiction to historical romantic thrillers and romantic suspense to paranormal/fantasy. She and her sister even wrote a musical called Memory Lane.

She’s received writing awards in Single Title, Suspense Romance, Novel with Strong Romantic Elements, and Paranormal/Fantasy Romance. She was also The Finalist in the 2017 Georgia Author of the Year Awards (GAYA) in the Romance Category for her novel Stumble Stones, and The Finalist for the 2018 GAYA Awards in the Romance category for her novel The Alibi. Her novel The Siege was nominated for the 2019 GAYA Awards in the Romance Category.

Groundwork for Murder is her 24th work of fiction. A public relations consultant in Atlanta, she is chair of the Roswell Reads Steering Committee.

A native of Miami, Florida, Marilyn graduated from the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, with a B.S. in Journalism—a major in Public Relations and a minor in English (Creative Writing). She met her husband at UF and both of her daughters graduated from UF. Marilyn now lives in Roswell, Georgia, with her husband.

Find out more about Marilyn on her website: http://www.marilynbaron.com/
Visit her on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Marilyn-Baron/286807714666748
Follow her on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/MarilynBaron

Sharon Goldman

Sharon Goldman is an award-winning artist whose paintings are in private collections and who has exhibited in numerous galleries throughout northeast Florida, including the Haskell Gallery in the Jacksonville International Airport.

As a native Floridian, Sharon strives to create work that captures the spirit of Florida. Her colorful palette, unique cropping, and background as a designer and art director help her envision her novel compositions, which she describes as painterly realism.

Sharon has taught art school in her home studio to more than 200 students in her community. Sharon has also written and illustrated a children’s book.

Sharon is on the Dean’s Leadership Council at the University of North Florida’s Thomas G. Carpenter Library, where she gives monthly tours of one of the largest permanent art collections of regional artists in the state.

A graduate of the University of Florida in Fine Arts, Sharon had a long career in the advertising business. After having three children (now college graduates), she has more time to bring her ideas to light.

Website: http://www.sharongoldmanart.com

https://www.amazon.com/Groundwork-Murder-Marilyn-Baron-ebook/dp/B07SS5LMLN/ref=sr_1_1

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Monday, July 15, 2019

Ki's Redemption by Keri Kruspe


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Enter the Rafflecopter for a chance to win a $15 Amazon/BN GC. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Sexy Aliens/Sassy Dragons

Earth’s fate rests in the hands of shape-shifting dragons, studly aliens, and a determined woman who demands a say in her own fate. In this exciting finale of the An Alien Exchange trilogy, follow their adventures across the galaxy to a tale that features mounting action, stimulating passion, and heart-pounding emotions.

Sherrilyn Marie Cantor firmly believes success doesn’t come to those who sit around and wait for it to show up; it takes determination, discipline, and hard work. At thirty-four, she has it all – a successful business and more money than she can spend until a jealous partner sets her up and frames her for stealing trade secrets. She loses everything and faces a twenty-year federal prison sentence. When an unexpected offer to find “love among the stars” comes her way, she doesn’t hesitate to escape her unjust fate and leaves Earth forever.

A Zerin descended from a secretive line of dragon shapeshifters, M’alalu (Ki) Ki E’eur ignores the fact he’s living a half-life. Broken from childhood guilt for the murder of his parents and six year-old sister, he silently goes through the motions of everyday life. A former mercenary and friend of the crown prince of Zerin, Ki absorbs a debt his prince intended to take. He’s expendable; the prince isn’t. Now he’s in the crosshairs of a power-hungry despot determined to overthrow the current democratic galactic government.

Read an Excerpt

Being possessed sucked.

Yep, she, Sherrilyn Marie Cantor, was possessed—like “demon taking over your body” type of possessed. Instead of housing a spitting-pea-soup demon, Sherri endured an unwanted galactic gangster fighting for domination of her body and mind. From the moment the bubble housing the Dread Pirate Maynwaring popped over her face and his essence entered her, she’d been fighting for control. So far she’d kept a tight lid on things, but the whole situation was turning out to be a huge pain in the ass.

But, bright side, she had help from her Zerin shipmate, Ki. He’d taught her how to access the memories of her unwanted guest while at the same time keeping him locked away. Jeez, the spirit called himself Dread Pirate. What kind of name was that? Apparently, that wasn’t his original name, but something he’d adopted after hearing the story of The Princess Bride from a human slave. He’d become so enamored of the dread pirate character he changed his title.

What a snowflake.

What’sss a sssnowflake, human? He asked it in his normal, hissy tone.

How a disembodied entity had a tone was a mystery to her. He sounded like a snake with a speech impediment. She created a visual of sticking his stupid forked tongue between his teeth and clamping his mouth shut then taping it closed. And, if he called her human in that derogatory manner one more time….

Ki’s training kicked in. Instead of imagining the pain she’d rather give, she created a dark, dank pit to throw his happy ass in.

No…no, don’t ssssnd me there again!

Sherri imagined throwing his bright orb down a bottomless cavern before rolling an avalanche of sharp, heavy rocks to cover the hole. Dust billowed up and down before it settled in a thick layer to create a mountain to contain him. Then she pictured the mountain folding upon itself, repeatedly, until it was a speck of light flashing out of her thoughts.

Unfortunately, this exercise never held him for long. One minute he’d be gone (treasured silence), and the next, he’d be right back butting in and making snarky comments every chance he got. You’d think he’d be smart enough to keep his mouth shut so she didn’t know he was there.

Whoa…where’d that creepy idea come from? Sometimes the hair on the back of her neck broke out in chill bumps as if someone looked over her shoulder. What if…what if she wasn’t aware when he wormed his way out? Was he spying on private intimate things she was obsessed with…like say, a certain tall, well-built, sexy-as-sin Zerin named Ki…

Damn it! She shook her head to get rid of that image. She didn’t trust people outside of her body, much less the asshole inside. Only constant vigilance on her part would keep the alien in the hole she’d put it in. Shit, no wonder she was tired all the time.

Sherri sat with her feet over the side of the comfortable bed she’d slept in. She had to admit, she was happy enough with the accommodations aboard the organic AI ship called “Elemi.” Still, she could do without the snarky attitude the female contraption gave her all the time. The sleek 11-15 ship apparently came with a load of baggage, and not the kind Sherri liked to use on vacations.

About the Author:
A native Nevadan, Keri resides with her family in the wilds of Northwest Michigan where she enjoys the stark change in seasons and the pleasures each one brings. An avid reader, Keri loves an enjoyable bottle of red wine, a variety of delicious foods and watching action/adventure movies…usually at the same time. You can find her most days immersed in her fantasy world on her latest novel while foot tappin’ to classic rock. When not absorbed in her writing, Keri works alongside her husband in building their dream home or discovering intelligent life in America in their RV.

Website: https://www.kerikruspe.com
Facebook: http://https://www.facebook.com/klkruspe15
Twitter: https://twitter.com/authorkkruspe
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B07JHK7JKR

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07SMPZFTB/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0 Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/kis-redemption-keri-kruspe/1131805270

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Friday, July 12, 2019

Good Trouble by L. Simpson


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. L. Simpson will be awarding an e-copy of Beyond Today + $10 Boroughs Bucks to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

WRONG BEFORE IT'S RIGHT

Annie Clarke knew fairy tales were only in books, and love was a disaster. Nothing could convince her to go down that road again. But local football hero, Erik Strathmore, wore her down. Too cocky by half, and too damn good-looking for his own good, when he suggested they give friends with benefits a try, she relented. At first, it worked. Erik was a great friend, and a fantastic lover. But then their hearts entered the field of play, and Erik betrayed her. Annie cursed herself for allowing it to happen again, she'd loved and lost for the last time. After realizing his mistake, Erik couldn't have agreed more. Annie would never love anyone else again. She was his, and he intended to keep her by his side forever.

Read an Excerpt:

“That’s enough for today, you can put your shoes on.” Her words confirmed that the door was firmly shut. I set about doing as I was told, trying to find a way to get that warm look back in her eyes. I felt like today was the day to push it. She had let down her defences, if only for a moment, and I’d had enough waiting.

“So,” I said, moving in to stand close enough I could smell her. Shit. That sexy aroma would stay with me all day.

“The answer is no, again,” she muttered, not looking up from her device.

“You don’t know what I was going to ask.”

“Yes I do. You are going to ask me out for a drink or dinner. Again. And I am going to blow you off. Again.”

“And what if I have a different sort of proposal?”

“Will it end up with you asking me out?” she asked on a sigh but looked up at me with her big eyes partially hidden by her dark hair dancing across her brow and falling at her cheek. This look, the dancing spitfire eyes, a smirk on her mouth, head tilted to the side exposing her neck and shoulder as she waited to pounce on my next words, was one of my favourites. It’s what I conjured when I took care of myself lying in bed, in the shower… Enough.

“Well, that would be up to you. If you want to go out after, then sure, but I don’t do relationships,” I told her, unable to hide my grin as her brows furrowed.

“After what?” she asked, trying to look bored and failing. I could see the heat in her cheeks as she figured it out. I stepped closer, forcing her back, and she ended up against the shelves.

About the Author:
As a girl growing up in Australia, Laura was lost in the world of Anne of Green Gables and Little Women. During high school, volleyball dominated her life. There had to be something positive about being 6’1” with red hair. Representing Australia from a young age she eventually took a scholarship at the University of Iowa. Living in America and being a full time athlete in a college town was an eye-opening experience and lots of fun (from what she can remember). #gohawkeyes

Returning from the States, her career took a different turn as she started working at the Red Cross and completed her Masters of Law in Human Rights. As one of the few non-lawyers in the class, her essays were far more floral than the rest, something that caused the discerning professors to shake their heads. Through working and studying, she realised there are other ways to win hearts and minds.

While she’s spent the last 14 years as an advocate against poverty and homelessness, the desire to change the world through storytelling has only got stronger. She now lives in the Alpine Valleys of North East Victoria, Australia with her husband, daughter, son, two dogs and seven chooks. When she’s not doing the whole mum thing, working at a homelessness agency, renovating her farmhouse, or trying to do laundry bleary-eyed at midnight, she is writing.

Say G’day to Laura:

website: http://www.lsimpsonauthor.com
facebook: http://www.facebook.com/l.simpson.romance
twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ladyporepunkah
instagram: http://www.instagram.com/lsimpsonauthor
linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-simpson-47278971

Buy Link:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Good-Trouble-Alpine-Valleys-Book-ebook/dp/B07Q373CLR/ref=sr_1_1

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Tuesday, July 9, 2019

The Fixer Upper Cover Reveal


Welcome to the cover reveal of Maggie Mae Gallagher's latest book The Fixer Upper which will be released September 6. Enter the Rafflecopter at the end of the post for a chance to win a $15 Amazon/BN GC.



Abby Callier is more in love with Shakespearean heroes than any real man, and she’s beginning to wonder if there is life for her outside the pages of a book. It doesn’t help that her esteemed parents tend to view her as they would one of their science experiments gone wrong. On the eve of finishing her dissertation, she escapes her staid existence to live in the house she inherited from her Great Aunt Evie in the small town of Echo Springs, Colorado. Because, let’s face it, when a woman starts comparing her life to horror films, it might be time for a break.

Sheriff Nate Barnes believes in law and order and carefully building the life you want. In his spare time, he has been remodeling his house in the hope that one day it will be filled with the family he makes. But Nate doesn’t like drama or complications and tends to avoid them at all costs. And yet, when Miss Abigail Callier, his newest neighbor, beans him with a nine iron, he can’t help but wonder if she might just be the complication he’s been searching for all along. It doesn’t hurt that he discovers a journal hidden away by the previous tenant and decides to use Old Man Turner’s advice to romance Abby into his life.

Abby never expected her next-door neighbor, the newly dubbed Sheriff Stud Muffin, to be just the distraction her world needed. The problem is she doesn’t know whether she should make Echo Springs her home, or if this town is just a stopover point in her life’s trajectory. And she doesn’t want to tell Nate that she might not be sticking around—even though she should because it’s the right thing to do, the honest thing—because then all the scintillatingly hot kisses with the Sheriff will come to an abrupt halt. Did she mention that he’s a really great kisser?

Enjoy an Excerpt

“Stocking up a bit?” Nate asked as they set the cooler down next to the deepfreeze.

Abby shrugged, flipping the lid up to reveal packages of steaks, chicken breasts, pork chops, ground beef, bacon, sausage, turkey. Staring at the mountain of meat, she had to admit she was a little obsessive when it came to being prepared. “Well, I did some research before accepting the position at Echo Springs Community College, and it said that roads can be impassible during the winter.”

“They can, but we do try to stay on top of road clearing. When it snows, the skiers come out in full force and head into the mountain resorts. All those travelers are the life-blood of this town, as they stop at the gas stations, restaurants, and shops. Without that, this town would go belly up in a New York minute. When the snows hit, the Styman boys stop working the appliance store and clear the streets, along with a few more of the locals. They work together to keep the city’s roads as clear as possible.”

“Good to know. But we aren’t in the city.” Which was something that wasn’t lost on her.

“No, we’re not. It can get a bit dicey out here. I tend to stay in town more and sleep at the station, but it’s good that you’re stocking up. Make sure you’ve got yourself some long underwear and some firewood.”

She blushed at the underwear comment and wanted to kick herself. What are you, a teenager? Just because Sheriff Stud Muffin’s topic made her wonder whether he was a boxers or briefs kind of man, and that she’d love to find out which he preferred, was no reason for Abby to act like an unschooled virgin.

Wait a second… “Firewood? Why would I need firewood?”

It wasn’t something she had considered she would even need. Where did she get some? Would she have to cut the wood herself? Abby could see herself trying to heft an ax to chop wood. Coordination was not her strong suit. More likely than not, she’d end up hacking the wood to bits, all while taking off a few of her limbs. It wouldn’t be pretty. Besides, knowing her, she’d leave the ax outside for the psycho killer to find and use to attack her in her home. She could imagine the headline:

Evie Callier’s great-niece hacked to death because she didn’t listen to her parents. Murder weapon apparently belonged to the victim, army of dolls suspected, news at eleven.

Jesus, she needed to get a grip.

Nate regarded her, his modest expression calling her a hundred times a fool for not being better prepared for life in the mountains, and said, “In case you lose power during a storm. It can get mighty cold up in these hills, especially when we are being pummeled with blizzard conditions. It doesn’t happen all the time, but in these older homes, power can get knocked out and be out for days.”

“What about a backup generator? Would that suffice?” Because if so, she’d turn right back around and head back to Gundry’s Bulk Superstore for one. The thought of being without power during a blizzard chilled her, and for a millisecond, she considered hightailing it back East. Until she remembered that back East would mean having to deal with her parents’ disapproval nearly twenty-four seven. She’d already visited that amusement park fun house, thank you very much, and didn’t want to return.

“Yes and no. Most are gas-operated, although there are newer models that are solar but come with a heftier price tag, and if you run out of fuel…”

“You run out of electricity. Does anyone sell firewood in town?” She’d start looking tonight online for a backup generator. The thought of having only a fireplace for warmth made her shudder involuntarily. With her luck, that would be when all the creepy dolls decided to rise up en masse and strike.

“Check with Styman’s. I’m not sure what their stock is this time of year, but if you’d like some help, I’d be happy to get you started.”

She unloaded the last of the meat into the freezer, and shut the lid. “That would be nice, if it’s not too much trouble. Thank you.”

“It’s no problem at all. After you.” He gestured at the wooden stairs.

Nate trailed her up the steps; she could feel his gaze boring into her back as they entered the kitchen. Abby restrained from fanning her face at the jolt of heat that hummed in her system whenever he was near.

About the Author:
Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Maggie grew up listening to Cardinals baseball and reading anything she could get her hands on. She remembers her mother saying if only she would read the right type of books instead binging her way through the romance aisles at the bookstore, she’d have been a doctor. While Maggie never did get that doctorate, she graduated cum laude from the University of Missouri-St. Louis with an M.A. in History.

Maggie is a bestselling and award-winning author published in multiple fiction genres. She also writes erotic romance under the name Anya Summers. A total geek at her core, when she is not writing, she adores attending the latest comic con or spending time with her family. She currently lives in the Midwest with her two furry felines.

Visit her website here: http://www.maggiemaegallagher.com

Visit her on social media here:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MagMaeGallagher/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/magmaegallagher
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7846308.Maggie_Mae_Gallagher
Twitter: https://twitter.com/magmaegallagher
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/maggiegallagher
BookBub Author Page: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/maggie-mae-gallagher

Don’t miss these exciting titles by Maggie Mae Gallagher!

The Mystic Series

REMEMBER ME: https://amzn.to/2GuwEpY
CASKET GIRL: https://amzn.to/2Dmw9MD

The Cantati Chronicles

RUPTURED: https://amzn.to/2GueJ2L
ANOINTED: https://amzn.to/2Gu0Xgm
ASCENDED: https://amzn.to/2VRGSpz

And if you like your romance with a bit of spice and kink be sure to check out Maggie Mae Gallagher writing as Anya Summers on Amazon! https://www.amazon.com/Anya-Summers/e/B01EGTVRKC/

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Dragon's Revenge by CJ Shane


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. C.J. Shane will be awarding his original artwork - an ink drawing of ocotillo on handmade paper in a wooden frame ready to hang with hooks and wire. Size of frame: 6 1/2" by 8 1/2" (U.S. ONLY), via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

When Tucson private detective and Iraq War vet Letty Valdez is hired to investigate a murder, she immediately finds herself targeted by a violent criminal. To find the killer, Letty turns to an old memoir of life in late 19th century Tucson. Clues in in the memoir, with its tale of love between two immigrants - one, an Italian widow, and the other, an exiled Chinese revolutionary - launch Letty on a suspense-filled struggle to find answers, to stop the murderer – and to stay alive!

Read an Excerpt:

from the memoir:

Mama agreed to sing at the rededication of the cathedral. She considered this a great honor and a spiritual responsibility. She wanted to do well to show her respect and devotion. Because of this, she began practicing every week as she had time, even though the rededication was six months away. She liked to climb a ladder up onto the flat roof of our adobe house and sing there. I asked her once why she went up on the roof.

"It's the right place to talk to God and that's what I'm doing when I sing. Singing here helps me to be strong." Mama said. Mama was very religious. She talked to God a lot. She also talked to Jesus, the Virgin, and all the saints. Me, I never had much use for all that.

She was up on the roof one day when Drago came up the street with his cart. When Mama didn't appear at our front door, he entered the gate to the side yard hoping to find her at the outdoor ovens. It was then that she began singing. Drago moved into the yard and stepped away from the adobe wall so that he could see her on the roof.

Mama stood straight upright, her long skirts moving slightly in the breeze. Her hands were clasped in front of her. She took another deep breath and out came that glorious mezzo-soprano, full and textured, subtle, rich with emotions I was too young to identify but would later know, emotions like passion and longing. Tendrils of curly dark hair escaped from the knot on her neck. Her northern Italian skin, pale like a pearl, glowed in the sunlight, and her dark eyes sparkled. My mama was a beautiful woman and she sang like an angel.

Drago stood transfixed in our garden, his hands at his side, his head bent upward to watch her. He was utterly still, utterly silent. I know this because I was hiding high in the branches of a tall mesquite tree behind him where he couldn't see me. I was supposed to be doing my chores but I, too, liked to watch Mama when she was singing.

Drago stood for the longest time listening to Mama. I was watching Mama but when I looked at Drago, I saw that tears were running down his face.

I think that was the day that Drago fell in love with Mama, the day he first heard her sing.

About the Author:
C.J. Shane is a writer and visual artist in Arizona. In addition to her mystery fiction, she is the author of eight nonfiction books. Her first fiction book, _Desert Jade: A Letty Valdez Mystery_, (11-2017) is a finalist for Best Suspense-Thriller novel, New Mexico-Arizona Book Awards.

Learn more at https://www.cjshane.com/
https://www.cjshane.com/dragons-revenge.html
Rope’s End Publishing: https://www.ropesendpublishing.com/fiction.html
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/29448.C_J_Shane
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/cj-shane
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Ropes-End-Publishing-329334338020782/?modal=admin_todo_tour

Buy Links:

https://www.amazon.com/Dragons-Revenge-Letty-Valdez-Mystery-ebook/dp/B07KQQL5F2/
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/910170
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dragons-revenge-c-j-shane/1129915766?ean=9780999387450
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/dragon-s-revenge-a-letty-valdez-mystery
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/dragons-revenge-a-letty-valdez-mystery/id1445245747?mt=11

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