Murder at the Zoo by Marcia Rosen

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Marcia Rosen will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Welcome to It's Raining Books. Why do you write in your genre? What draws you to it?

I have always loved puzzles and figuring out solutions to them. Also, my favorite films have been and are B&W noir mysteries, especially the "Thin Man" type of characters. My second mystery series is a play on them. Also, I love the Acorn British mysteris. I'm drawn to the mystery genre because I like the concept of a problem and finding the right solution.

What research is required?

For me, digging deep into history and background regarding the type of characters I'm writing about.

Name one thing you learned from your hero/heroine.

Be sure you know who you can trust. Of course she learned that from me, right? We always need to be thoughtful about who we trust and allow as part of our lives.

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

Just eating chocolate when I take a break. Lots of rewrites until I'm ready to send it to my editor. Of course I don't take all her advice, but most of it!

Are you a plotter or pantser?

Absolutely a pantser. I know there will be at least several murders and the murderer caught at the end, but the pages inbtween are created as I write the book. I have a good sense about the main characters, but not so much the others until writing.

Look to your right – what’s sitting there?

A tiny Eiffel Tower, a souvenir from Paris, and a lamp...further right are books and more books. Some mine, some others.

Anything new coming up from you? What?

More marketing regarding the launch of my recent book and working on the next one for the series... Cinderalla and Podcast Murders. Doing research abot murders on Rt. 66....there were many. And writing some articles that I use to promote books by submitting them to blogs and organization newsletters.

Do you have a question for our readers?

What do you like most about cozy mysteries? If you like my book, would you be willing to give it a review? Well, only if you like it. Thanks very much.

A body is tossed into the lion’s habitat at the zoo where Miranda Scott is the senior vet. She and Detective Bryan Anderson join forces to unravel that mystery and several more murders. A fan since childhood of Agatha Christie, Raymond Chandler, and Sherlock Holmes they seem to live in her head frequently telling her what to do…and not do. Murders, family, deceit, revenge and a gangster father and godfather often get in the way of a fine romance between Miranda and the Detective.

Read an Excerpt

Bryan whispered to Isabella, walked out, and came back in with the most special gift of all. Handing Miranda the leash to an Australian Shepherd puppy he said, “Your new watch dog.” And giving her a big kiss, he whispered, “You know, I love you.”

The detective and the veterinarian were too busy to deal with the “I love you” issue for now but. . . eventually.

Of course, the voices had to have their say.

“Yes, you can trust him.” Agatha was such a romantic.

“Well, we agree!” chimed in Sherlock and Raymond.

“What are you going to name her?”

With a mischievous grin Miranda said, “Agatha.”

About the Author

Marcia Rosen (aka M. Glenda Rosen), award winning author of eleven books including The Senior Sleuths and Dying To Be Beautiful Mystery Series and The Gourmet Gangster: Mysteries and Menus (Menus by her son Jory Rosen). She is also author of The Woman’s Business Therapist and award winning My Memoir Workbook. For 25 years she was owner of a successful national marketing and public relations agency, Marcia has frequently been a speaker and/or program moderator at organization meetings and conferences, bookstores, libraries and Zoom Programs. Topics she has taught and presented over the past twenty years include: Encouraging the Writer Within You, Marketing for Authors, Writing Mysteries…Not A Mystery, Writing Your Memoir and recently “Anatomy of Writing A Murder.” Many articles on these topics have been published on mystery reader blogs and in newsletters and magazines including “Mystery Scene Magazine” and “Mystery Reader International Journal.”

She is a member of Sisters in Crime National and New Mexico (Croak & Dagger), Southwest Writers, New Mexico Book Association, Women Writing the West, Public Safety Writer’s Association, and National Association of Independent Writers and Editors—for which she is also a board member.

http://www.MarciaRosen.com

“Marcia Rosen's new book is hard to put down! The characters are engaging and you enjoy getting to know them as you read this mystery. I enjoyed discovering the world and people in Murder at the Zoo and can't wait to read more from this author!”

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Men of the 65th by Talia Aikens-Nunez

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Talia Aikens-Nunez will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Five Things You Might Not Know About Me

1. I absolutely love to travel. I love pristine, white sandy beaches, warm tropical air and the sulphury smell of the ocean. And, I love snow shoeing in below freezing conditions with a gentle breeze caressing my cheeks during winter, climbing up mountains to gaze upon amazing views and overlooks. And, I love sightseeing and learning little know facts and history of small towns and big cities. Travel makes my heart sings.

2. To understand more about the Borinqueneers, I took my family on an amazing vacation to Vieques. Vieques is a tiny island that sits just off the coast of the Puerto Rico mainland. It is just twenty-one miles long and three miles wide. The military had a base there. It was the site of a large-scale exercise that the Borinqueneers were in called Operation PORTREX. It helped me to connect more with the story of the Men of the 65th. And, I enjoyed feeding the wild horses mangoes and the chicken pieces of lettuce.

3. I rarely get my hair cut. I am finally getting a hair cut in the next few weeks. It has been about a year. (But, I do regularly wash my hair)

4. I have two different ears (which is weird). I have one ear exactly like my mother’s and one ear exactly like my father’s. I know, strange but true.

5. I love to play games – everything from Monopoly to dice to cards. As a kid, I loved to play Monopoly, backgammon, Risk and cards. With my kids we play all sorts of games but my favorite card game is Spades.

Honor and Fidelity. That is the motto of the 65th Infantry Regiment, also known as the Borinqueneers, the only Puerto Rican unit in the United States Army.

Since the regiment’s creation in 1899, the men of the 65th have proudly served the US through multiple wars, despite facing racial discrimination. Their courage, loyalty, and patriotism earned them hundreds of accolades, including the Congressional Gold Medal in 2014.

But the honor and fidelity of the men of the 65th came into question in 1952, in the midst of the Korean War, when ninety-one Borinqueneers were arrested and tried for desertion and disobeying orders. How could this happen in one of the most distinguished and decorated units of the Army?

In this telling of one of the forgotten stories of the Korean War, author Talia Aikens-Nuñez guides us through the history of the Borinqueneers and the challenges they faced leading up to what was the largest court martial in the entire war. Rediscover the bravery of the men of the 65th through Aikens-Nuñez’s thorough writing and the soldiers’ firsthand accounts of the Korean War.

Read an Excerpt

“The Borinqueneers successfully defended the 1st Marine Division’s retreat, but they soon realized this was only part of a much larger withdrawal of UNC [United Nations Command] troops. As the retreat continued into mid-December, news came that the enemy buildup had accelerated. Chinese and North Korean forces were gathering and converging on Hungnam. The UNC’s worst fears were coming true: they were losing ground in the war.

They had to accelerate their plans in response to protect their troops and evacuate the Korean refugees that had fled to Hungnam. They ordered troops to board ships, division by division, and sail south to Pusan… Meanwhile, the 65th and the 3rd Infantry Divisions would hold the main line of resistance, providing enough cover for everyone to make it safely out of Hungnam…With each withdrawal, the enemy continued to push the Borinqueneers and the 3rd Infantry Division.

…They were exhausted from several days of fighting…The soldiers of the 65th were some of the last to leave Hungnam. They were hurried and squeezed tightly onto the final boats. Finally, they could rest and relax. Once they left, the military would destroy the port so the enemy could not use the equipment and facilities against them.

…After they loaded onto the final ship and set sail, the dynamite detonated. The soldiers looked back and watched the port explode…everything – erupted in smoke and flame.

About the Author:

Talia Aikens-Nuñez is passionate about sharing with young readers the little known stories, accomplishments, and contributions of people of color from all throughout history. Aikens-Nuñez is the author of Small Nap, Little Dream, a bilingual Spanish/English picture book. She and her husband live in Connecticut with their two children.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Men-65th-Borinqueneers-Korean-War/dp/1728479142
Lerner: https://lernerbooks.com/shop/show/22654
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/talia_n
Website: http://www.kidslitbytalia.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/taliaaikensnunezchildrenswriter

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The Efficiency Journal by Misha Saidov

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The author will award a $10 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

This journal, created by renowned coach and psychotherapist Misha Saidov, will help you become the hero of your own life. It was created to assist you in setting important goals, reaching them, and winning. It will support you along the way, especially when you find yourself lost or confused. The Efficiency Journal will help you stay on track.

You don't need to schedule your day by the minute. If you want to succeed, you only need to complete three key daily tasks, set goals that fit into 12-week sprints, and honestly reflect on your results once a week.

You will learn to manage your energy and analyze your actions, achievements, and experiences.

The result will be a formed character, created by daily volitional actions.

What's inside?

– Weekly and daily planning sheets
– Space for summarizing weekly results and for reflection
– Wise thoughts and tips along the way

Any goal reduced to daily tasks will be achieved, no matter what.

FOR WHOM IS THIS JOURNAL?

For those who want to succeed in business, improve themselves, move forward, maintain their motivation and eliminate distractions.

Many of us have meaningful ideas that could change the world. Without embodiment, they will remain just a dream. A dream about the future.

Read an Excerpt

Peter was born with achondroplasia or dwarfism. He dreamed of becoming an actor his entire life. Yet, in the world of theater and film, there are very few roles for people with dwarfism. They are usually offered jobs as clowns or leprechauns. After finishing school, Peter could not get even a single proper role as an actor. Since he needed to make a living, he found a low-paying position processing applications. Peter spent six years at this job and was constantly depressed and drunk on the weekends. At the age of 29, on one of his sober days, he promised himself that he would find work as an actor, and it did not matter where. He got a role in a play in a small theater. This role led to another under the direction of the same playwright. That one, in turn, led to another, and so on. Peter never again processed applications.

You may recognized Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister from Game of Thrones, one of the most popular television series of all time. The day Dinklage decided to quit the job he hated, his heart pounded in his chest out of fear about the future. In his early years, he endured a lot of criticism and failure, but gradually, Dinklage built his brilliant acting career.

So what are you waiting for?

If you work 8–10 hours per day and commute to and from work for about 90 minutes, you will spend more than 75% of your adult life either sleeping or working.

Life is short. If you have a dream, the best moment to start making it a reality was yesterday. The next best moment is today.

About the Author:

Misha Saidov, a life performance coach and author, is the founder of IMCP (Institute of Metacognitive Programming) and Think Meta, a coaching company that conducts 4000+ client sessions per month.

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Hacienda Moon by KaSonndra Leigh

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. KaSonndra Leigh will be awarding a $20 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. KaSonndra Leigh will be awarding a $20 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.

Welcome to It's Raining Books. Why do you write in your genre? What draws you to it?

I write paranormal romance because it combines two of my favorite genres: fantasy and romance. I've always loved exploring the supernatural and the mystical in my writing, and combining that with the emotional depth and complexity of a love story creates a unique and fascinating blend. There's something captivating about the unbridled passion and intensity of a paranormal romance, as well as the rich world-building and mythology that comes with it. As a writer, I feel that paranormal romance gives me the freedom to explore the fantastical and the emotional in equal measure, allowing me to create stories that are both magical and deeply resonant.

What research or world-building is required?

Writing paranormal romance requires a combination of research and world-building to create a believable and captivating story. Depending on the specific elements of the paranormal world you're writing about, research might include topics like mythology, folklore, and cultural traditions. Building out the world itself might involve creating unique creatures or magical systems, as well as the societal norms and cultural traditions of the paranormal species in question.

Overall, paranormal romance requires extensive research and world-building to create a rich and immersive world that feels grounded in reality, even as it explores supernatural elements and the depths of human emotion.

Name one thing you learned from your hero/heroine.

From Tandie I learned the power of hope after severe loss. As you know she's a psychic medium, who lost her daughter. Imagine the inner turmoil that comes from knowing you might've had the power to prevent something like that from happening and then finding the courage to continue on and find love after doing so. It’s what I hope readers find in the story as well… hope lighting up the dark tunnel of life.

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

I have a few writing quirks and habits that others might find odd or interesting. For example, I always have to have a cup of coffee or tea at my side when I'm writing - it's become a comforting ritual that helps me get into the right mindset. Additionally, I often find myself acting out scenes or dialogue as I'm writing, mouthing the words or making the appropriate facial expressions. While this might seem strange to an outside observer, it helps me get into the headspace of my characters and bring their emotions and reactions to life on the page. Ultimately, these quirks and habits are just a part of my writing process, and I embrace them as necessary tools for creating the best possible work.

Are you a plotter or pantser?

I consider myself to be a hybrid between a plotter and a pantser. While I do enjoy the freedom and spontaneity of pantser-style writing, I feel most comfortable when I've mapped out a general outline and structure for my story. This allows me to feel confident in where the story is heading, while still leaving room for creative improvisation and exploration within each scene or chapter. By blending both styles, I'm able to maintain a balance between structure and freedom, and feel confident in my ability to craft a compelling and cohesive story.

Look to your right – what’s sitting there?

Ha! My fearless writing companion and feline soulmate known as Apollo, my Devon Rex/domestic shorthair mix kitty. For more info, see the IG profile. :D

Anything new coming up from you? What?

Yep, I’ve several releases coming over the next couple of years. There’s book 2 of this Pathseeker series, the Emerald Isle due to be released in July, 2023. I’m super excited for fans of Hacienda Moon to finally get to experience this story. Later this year, I’ll be releasing a standalone story that gives Saul some closure to his exciting history and background.

Do you have a question for our readers?

"What is your favorite trope in paranormal romance?"

Tandie Harrison is a police medium struggling to pick up the pieces of her life after a devastating divorce that left her without her precious daughter and her psychic visions. With a heavy heart, she escapes the hustle and bustle of New York City and moves into the alluring plantation house, Chelby Rose. Here, she meets Eric, the home’s charismatic caretaker. Despite the ghostly warnings, Tandie finds herself drawn to him, and as their affair intensifies, so does the centuries-old curse haunting them both.

Suddenly, Tandie finds herself at the center of a dark and dangerous web full of deceit and intrigue. As fear begins to consume her, she must find the courage to face the demons of her past if she is to have any chance at a future. Hacienda Moon is a captivating story full of suspense and romance that will ensnare you from start to finish.

Note to readers and bookclubs:

This is the expanded and revamped edition of the Hacienda Moon that was originally published in 2012. Please be sure to add this version to your to-read list as this edition contains more gothic suspense, intrigue, and of course romance.

Read an Excerpt

Saul Chelby strolled through the doors behind us as if he were a king. Dressed in a charcoal-colored suit with a white shirt underneath the jacket, he could easily pass as one.

Wearing four-inch red heels, the woman beside him stood at a level equal to Saul’s height. Her streaked blonde hair was pulled back in a tight bun. The whole package screamed leggy fashion model all over the place.

Right away his gaze found me and Frieda standing off to the side. He motioned for his date to follow as he headed in our direction.

“How nice. The king and queen have arrived,” Frieda said, raking a sarcastic gaze over the couple.

“You’ve got to be kidding me. The nerve of some people,” I said, letting out a long sigh.

“Welcome. So glad you could make it, Mr. Chelby and his date.” I beamed through a tight grin.

“Evening, ladies,” Saul said, smiling in a way that lit up the room. “The date’s name is Sasha. This is Frieda Tyson. Without her and Shania McKinnon’s talents tonight this gala would never have happened.

“We’re thankful for you both then,” Sasha purred.

“And this is the lovely and gifted Ms. Harrison,” Saul said, holding my gaze only a touch longer than what would be considered inappropriate. Sasha, who was all smiles and giggles a moment ago, suddenly looked as if someone stole her hair pieces. Her green-eyed gaze bore mental holes in my head, and her posture stiffened. Her eyes came close to bulging out and her mouth hung slightly open. “This is the Tandie Harrison I’ve heard so much about? Interesting indeed.”

No way. Saul discusses me with his dates?

How insane is that?

It was Frieda to the rescue. “Shania reserved a seat for you both at a good table. We don’t want you to lose your spots. So, I’ll say thanks for everything, Mr. Chelby. Tandie and I will scoot along on our way, now.” She attempted to pull me away, but Saul interrupted.

“I’d like a moment with Ms. Harrison if the two of you don’t mind,” Saul said without moving his eyes away from my face.

“I mind,” I said right away. A look passed between Frieda and Sasha.

“We’ll only be a moment,” Saul said to his date who was handling his inconsiderate behavior better than I could ever have done.



“Come along, Miss Sasha. I’ll show you the way to your table,” Frieda said and stretched her eyes at me just before she walked away. I turned to Saul. The grin on his face brought the devil out of me.

“The times when a man should remember his comrades become most significant in all matters of race relations whether it be an issue of war, peace, or prosperity. Let this statue sit forever in our midst as a reminder of the ones who fell for our country.” They were the words to the dedication I wrote, and Saul had memorized every single one. “Stunning tribute, Ms. Harrison.”

“It’s mighty good to see you again, Tandie,” Saul said, studying my eyes, his narrowing the slightest bit. “You’ve been crying.”

“I have not.” I scratched the back of my neck, a tension relief tactic.

“The contractor I hired has done astoundingly beautiful things for Chelby Rose. Why did you flinch when I mentioned the contractor?”

Damn him. He doesn’t miss a thing. “I didn’t flinch, okay?

“I knew this would happen. No Fontalvo has ever been able to keep his hands to himself.” He shook his head and made a scoffing laugh.

I challenged his gaze. “Really? So you set us up then?” I demanded, the blood surging through my body.

His face turned serious. “I hired a man to fix the plumbing in my house. I didn’t however give him permission to grope my tenants.”

“You know, Saul Chelby, you must have the biggest balls ever,” I blurted before I could stop myself. Saul was probably about to receive some of my frustrations about Eric too. “You disappear for weeks. The damn house could’ve floated away with me in it by now. I put my sweat, tears, and money into fixing the place up without a word of thanks. You show up at a charity function with Barbie-Bad-Ass on your arm, something my good friends organized let me add. Then you have the nerve to question me about my sex life?”

“I only mentioned the contractor. You’re the one who brought up your sex life,” he said, a smile easing across his lips. “But if you’d like to make a test run of that first thing you accused me of then I’m ready when you are.”

About the Author:

Meet your word sculptress...

Author of the #1 Amazon International bestselling novels, the Prelude and the Lost Immortals Saga, KaSonndra is also a mother, designer, reader, gardener, home renovator, and a slayer of undead Egyptian mummies in Tomb Raider. She believes in karma, coffee, and seriously wishes that the producers of Xena would bring her favorite show back.

KaSonndra was born in the race-car city of Charlotte, NC, and now lives in the City of Alchemy and Medicine, NC, when she's not hanging out in Bardonia (Lost Immortals Saga setting). Most of her characters are based on people that she has met throughout her travels and adventures.

People tend to stop and start conversations with KaSonndra as if she has known them her entire life. Does this freak her out? Not really. Her mom says that one day she’ll get kidnapped by one of these folks. KaSonndra's response? She told her mom that if it weren’t for these lovely people, then she wouldn’t be able to create such fabulously romantic stories!

Visit KaSonndra's at one of her online homes:

Main Author Webpage: https://kasonndraleigh.com
Facebook Fan Page: http://facebook.com/kasonndraleighbookspage
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/kasonndraleigh
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/kasonndraleighbooks
Online Blogazine: http://livewellbefabulous.com

Amazon author's link: https://www.amazon.com/stores/KaSonndra-Leigh/author/B0066W7GY4?ref

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Mid-Flight by Lisa Wilkes

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The author will be awarding a $15 Amazon/BN GC. Please use the following code on your post. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

2037 was a really bad year.

Lexi Brennan’s best friend was killed in a plane crash. Two weeks later, an intergalactic crisis threatened the fate of humanity. Authorities responded by launching a genocide.

Lexi opposed this vicious attack. Then again, what could she do? An eccentric flight attendant drawn to glamorous trysts, she felt powerless to incite change.

Until tragedy struck close to home. Suddenly, Lexi was forced to acknowledge the widespread atrocities. She uncovered a network of lies along with an opportunity to restore basic human rights. To protect others, Lexi would have to launch a movement that could destroy everything important to her, including her promising new romance.

Read an Excerpt

A ripple coasted across Lexi’s scalp, indicating the app was ready.

Lexi, however, was not.

Closing her eyes wouldn’t buy additional time, she knew. The app would cast Jorge’s image onto her cornea in full technicolor. A closed eyelid wouldn’t delay the image. If anything, it would enhance her best friend’s avatar.

Lexi swallowed. She practiced deep breaths like Colin’s therapist had taught her.

She felt Jorge in the room before he materialized in front of her, thick black hair swept into a pompadour. His shiny purple crop top had kittens all over it.

“What the hell are you wearing?” Lexi blurted out.

Jorge smiled that toothy grin that felt like home. “Babe, this is how we dress in heaven.”

The familiarity of the voice took Lexi by surprise. Jorge’s words were velvety smooth. Exactly as she’d remembered. Lexi’s bones screamed that it was Jorge in the flesh, even though her head knew better.

“I’ll save you a cabana next to mine but don’t get any ideas, okay?” Jorge continued. “You’re not allowed to join for a minimum of seventy years. You’ve got a long life ahead of you. When you get here eventually, you’ll love it. Crop tops and glitter. Neon body paint. It’s always tropical weather here.”

Jorge’s lips curled up in his classic lopsided grin. Lexi’s chest swelled with emotion.

Don’t leave me, J.R. Stay here. You’re real. We are real.

Jorge’s brown eyes filled with muted sadness, the kind Lexi had glimpsed before. Usually, when he’d discussed his family.

“I can hear your thoughts, my love,” he reminded her. “And yes, we are real. Closest friend I’ve ever had. Nobody can take that away, right?”

About the Author:

Lisa Wilkes has spent 13 years as a flight attendant, jetting across the globe and collecting inspiration for her writings. Her debut novel, Flight Path, is a fast-paced romance laced with serendipitous encounters. This book follows a daydreaming stewardess as she learns to navigate a new terrain: unconditional love.

In her second novel, Mid-Flight, Lisa transports readers to the year 2038. A flight attendant begins to unravel after her best friend is killed in a plane crash. In the throes of unspeakable grief, she uncovers a political ploy to decimate one-fifth of the population. To combat this sinister plan, she must risk everything. Including her breathtaking new romance.

Lisa’s writing is provocative and timely, with a focus on societal issues and powerful internal conflict. Flight Path’s readers will appreciate Mid-Flight's emphasis on hope and redemption, while newcomers to Lisa’s work will be drawn to the power of her storytelling.

Website: http://www.lisamichellewilkes.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19785791.Lisa_Wilkes
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Lisa-Wilkes/author/B082437W4Q
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lisa.castignetti
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/travelisa1984/
Etsy: https://lisacrafts4acause.etsy.com/

Buy directly from the author's website or Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/dp/1487436505

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All We Leave Behind: Transits of Three by Benjamin X. Wretlind

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Benjamin X. Wretlind 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.

Welcome to It's Raining Books! Why do you write in your genre? What draws you to it?

I don’t stick to just science fiction. I have always gravitated toward speculative fiction of any sort, be it horror, fantasy, sci-fi or magical realism. I never much cared for reality, and as a kid I would often invent things to make life easier. I think that’s the draw: we can use our imaginations to escape into a fantastical world with dragons or to a different planet where the problems here are not so visible.

What research is required?

I’m a research junkie, so there is quite a bit that can be done for any of these genres. In the case of sci-fi, I am always cognization of “getting it right,” which means making sure the physics are correct, the meteorology of a new planet makes sense, and even the biology of the species I create is consistent with natural laws.

Name one thing you learned from your hero/heroine.

Don’t give up! For the three main characters in All We Leave Behind--Micah, Miriam, and Joel--their quest for a stable home drives them through some very difficult situations. If they gave up at any time, many people would have died. There were times when each of them had doubts, but in the end they persevered. I think this applies to writing/publishing. Don’t give up!

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

I really don’t. I am a very organized person that borders on the obsessive, but I don’ have any particular quirks that I brink to my writing. That said, I do have a single spot I write. I’ve tried to vary that throughout the years, but I’m much more productive in that one spot.

Are you a plotter or pantser?

Definitely a plotter. I have spreadsheets, mind maps, character sheets, and the whole gamut of stuff written out before I write the first paragraph of a new book. I guess that could be quirk, but I’m betting I’m not the only one. In fact, I’m presenting a workshop on using spreadsheets for planning, writing, editing, and marketing books at an upcoming writer’s conference. My goal is to convert the pansters...or at least get pansters to plot their...um...pantsing.

Look to your right – what’s sitting there?

My 14-year old dog. He’s been here all day. Every once in a while he’ll look up at me with a “where’s dinner” look, but right now he’s dreaming of chasing squirrels in the backyard.

Anything new coming up from you? What?

I just released a nonfiction book showing how weather can and should be used as a literary device. In May, I plan to release the first book in a new science fiction series set on a water-logged world. I’m also deep into writing the follow up to All We Leave Behind, and hope to have the first draft done by the end of May.

Do you have a question for our readers?

For the readers. I do have a question: what draws you to an author you’ve never heard of before? Is it the cover, the blurb, review, the Look Inside feature on Amazon, or something else?

Following the exodus from rising floodwaters, the surviving descendants of those who came to create a society on a planet far from Earth have struggled to rebuild within the remains of an ancient temple. Now, as disease and an unfamiliar environment threaten to destroy them yet again, everyone seems to have an opinion about what to do next.

Miriam and Tobias Page, newly married, believe there may be a possible home beyond a distant canyon. Their journey with a quarter of the population doesn’t start well and soon nature and their own humanity will conspire to end it all. Meanwhile, Miriam’s two cousins, Joel and Micah, have different ideas. Joel is convinced the best course of action is to return to the mountains they left to mine for the ore that would make a great return to Earth possible. Micah hopes to stay, learn all he can about the temple’s previous occupants, and prove both of them wrong. But soon, he and his new partner Patience realize that no option is truly safe.

As the transits of three different groups get underway, new dangers and surprises emerge from within the rainforests, mountains, and deserts of the planet…and one of those may have followed them from Earth. While a final home is a dream away, present nightmares must be dealt with first if any of them are going to survive.

Read an Excerpt

Patience tried to count the number of people left in the temple at Manoach. Three hundred, three hundred fifty? Many of those had already revealed their desire to follow Joel when he returned from the Barrier Mountains. There might be a few more or less, but her calculations sounded right given the number of people who followed Miriam to the west. Of those not going with Joel, maybe a handful would be willing to pack up and leave Manoach.

Would Micah be one of them?

A cry of alarm rose from a scout to Patience’s right. She looked over and saw Theresa Atkins, a woman slightly older than Patience, wave a lit torch indicating a potential threat. Patience looked out beyond the wall and tried to focus her eyes on several shapes she saw moving out of the tree line. At first, there were three. Then four.

Now seven.

“Lord, help us,” she whispered.

Another alarm rose to her left. Levi Barrett, one of the newest scouts Patience had been training and still only fifteen, waved his torch back and forth. Fearing the worst, Patience looked out toward the tree line in front of his part of the wall.

Nine.

Fifteen.

Fifteen rychat, approaching from two directions, silhouettes in the dark creeping through the brush.

About the Author:

Benjamin, a speculative fiction author, ran with scissors when he was five. He now writes, paints, uses sharp woodworking tools and plays with glue. Sometimes he does these things at the same time.

Benjamin lives with his wife Jesse in Colorado.

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Moody Moody Cars by Eileen Kennedy-Moore

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The author will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Freewheeling! Full of feelings! Traveling near and far. HONK if you see me. I'm a moody moody car!

Hop in and ride along as our auto-friends personify the twists and turns of feelings. This rhyming picture book shares various expressive classic cars and invites readers to figure out the emotions, from excited to angry and more, behind the facial expressions. This is a playful, approachable way to teach kids about feelings and emotions and to develop an essential skill as kids travel along in their social world.

An answer key in the back to help readers identify all of these moody, moody cars; included are a 1956 Jaguar XK-0, a 1948 Delahaye, a 1959 Buick Electra, a 1965 A.C. Cobra, a 1938 Delage Coupe, a 1956 Buick Centurion, a 1955 Indianapolis, a 1938 Bugatti 57SC, a 1939 Buick Model 40, and a 1929 DuPont LeMans.

Why Kids Need Moody Moody Cars

Young children deal with many of the same emotions that adults do. Children get angry, sad, frustrated, nervous, happy, or embarrassed, but they often don't have the words to talk about how they're feeling. Instead, they sometimes act out these emotions in very physical and inappropriate ways.

Parents and teachers can use Moody Moody Cars to help their children understand and express their emotions in healthy ways.

Being able to read emotions in ourselves and others is like having a GPS for life.

Research tells us that children who are better at understanding facial expressions of emotions are also:

Better liked by their peers
Less likely to act out aggressively, and they
Do better in school.

One study found that children's ability to interpret facial emotions at five years of age predicts how well they do socially and academically--even four years later (Izard et al. 2001).

Research also shows that talking about feelings, practicing labeling them, and discussing their causes can help children increase their understanding of emotions in themselves and others (Yuill & Little, 2018).

In this quirky, joyful picture book, classic automobiles come alive to express a range of feelings, from excited to angry. Young readers, their parents, and teachers can simply admire some really cool cars, or they can also dive deeper into the engine of emotional understanding that helps drive us all toward personal well-being, healthy relationships, and educational progress.

About the Author:Eileen Kennedy-Moore, PhD, is an author and clinical psychologist, based in Princeton, NJ. Her most recent books for children are Moody Moody Cars and Growing Friendships: A Kids' Guide to Making and Keeping Friends (co-authored with Christine McLaughlin). She has also written or co-authored four books for parents: Kid Confidence, Smart Parenting for Smart Kids, The Unwritten Rules of Friendship, and What’s My Child Thinking? She is the professor for an audio-video series from The Great Courses, called Raising Emotionally and Socially Healthy Kids.

A trusted expert on parenting and child development, Dr. Kennedy-Moore serves on the advisory board for Parents magazine, and her blog, Growing Friendships on Psychology Today, has over 4 million views.

Dr. Kennedy-Moore has been a featured guest on Live with Kelly and Ryan, The Today Show, Good Day Philadelphia, and dozens of major radio shows and podcasts. She has been interviewed and quoted in numerous newspapers and magazines, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Chicago Tribune, Parents, Real Simple, Working Mother, and Woman's Day.

She and her husband have four children.

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Cold Sleep by Luke Hindmarsh

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The author will award a $20 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

It’s the perfect score—stealing valuable data from a VIP in cryo-freeze midway through a decades-long interstellar crossing. If it works, Kara will have enough money to buy what she’s always wanted—a Captaincy.

But with the rest of the crew and the cargo of one hundred thousand colonists still frozen, Kara and her accomplice, Zed, realize they’re not the only ones awake. The murdered woman they find is only the first victim of whoever or whatever has woken from Cold Sleep.

Read an Excerpt

Blood streaks the VIP casket’s pristine white ceramic shell. Crimson handprints mark the controls and edges of the casket’s lid. Bright red spray mars the shining surface of the nearest casket and trickles down across its viewport. The deckplate’s smeared here and there, but the marks aren’t clear enough to make out any footprints.

“No one else in here,” Zed says.

While I’ve been gawping at the corpse, he’s secured the room.

There’s more to him than being a reliable bit of rough. It’s become too easy to dismiss him—the man is capable enough.

“I don’t understand. How could one of the passengers get out of storage?” I ask.

“Look at the casket,” Zed says. “Why’s it still registering an occupant?”

Being careful not to step in any blood, I get closer to her. What strikes me is the way the arcs of blood paint the VIP bay looks like something out of an anti-Ares Cult propaganda piece. The sacrifice of innocent beauty to sate the spirit of Mars. Kind of thing we’d only caught rumors of my first time shipping out. Then the newsfeeds had become more and more clogged with hysteria with every return to Earth. That and the usual.

War. War threatening everywhere.

Makes me think of my brother and hope he isn’t—wait, decades have passed—wasn’t on the frontline.

I drag my mind back from the futureshock and my eyes from the corpse. Getting lost in the past is a sure-fire way to get killed in the here and now.

About the Author:

A Brit now living in the Scandinavian wilds of Denmark with his wife and half-Viking kids, Luke worked as a Criminal Barrister in and around London for over a decade dealing with everything from minor theft cases to a real life axe murder and everything in between. Thanks to parents in the military he grew up being dragged around the world--while living in the Far East he picked up a love for the martial arts which continues to this day, as he passes on what he’s learned to a select dojo of students. Cold Sleep is his third novel. His first was Amazon cyberpunk bestseller Mercury’s Son, his second a UK set supernatural suspense novel 3:33 AM.

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Wizard War by Paul Smith

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The author will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn host. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Wizard War is the story of Maxwell, who discovers he has magical powers. He is trained by the council of wizards who provide Maxwell with his introduction to magic and the wizarding world while teaching him about the perils of dark magic.

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It was Remembrance Day. Maxwell and the council were attending the ceremony in Avalon at the epitaph in front of the Circle. It was dedicated to all magical beings who had died or been experimented on during the war. This year, compared to his other twelve, Maxwell had a deeper appreciation for why Canadians paused to remember the dead every year and honoured the service of those who had survived. Maxwell was standing between war veterans. Wizards who played their own part in helping to defeat Hitler. They were not only there to remember the lives lost, but also why the war was waged in the first place. To safeguard in memory and commit to never again seeing such bloodshed. Never again would one madman plunge the world into war.

Maxwell was haunted by something Oscar had said. “It’s all happening again.”

About the Author:

Paul Smith is an author who was born and raised in British Columbia and now lives in Newfoundland and Labrador. He is an avid dog lover and former nurse who now lives with PTSD.

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https://amazon.com/dp/0228889596

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Malketh and the Undead by Dave Maruszewski

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $25 Amazon/BN.com gift card. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Raven, Romda and Ravai are settling into their new knightly duties well. With the Dark Beast defeated, their normal tasks almost seem mundane.

Amidst the boredom, Ravai asks, “Why does no one talk about villains from the past?”

Romda reasons, “What would be the point?”

There is a point. Even though villains may have been defeated in the past, they may still be around, waiting in the background ready to resurface once again.

Malketh has returned to the kingdom, but something is different about him this time. He is back with an entire army … an entire army of undead soldiers!

“Whether you want to read this aloud to your little one or let them explore this magical world on their own, parents can rest assured that this second installment in the Raven, Romda, and Ravai series will be a playful, whimsical addition to their bookshelves.” –The Book Review Directory

“… the squires are appealing characters, as is their comical banter.” - Blue Ink Review

A great story for the fantasy loving youth, this adventure will appeal to those who like action and humor in an easy reading environment.

Read an Excerpt

Ravai said with almost a stone face, “We need to get back to shore. I’m not sure that snake is dead.”

The two swam probably twice as fast as they did when they were racing. Both were exhausted when they made it to the shore. They walked onto the small sandy shore, then both plopped down on their backs gasping at any available air.

After Raven finally caught his breath, he said to Ravai, “I have to admit, you handle yourself well in a fight.”

“Yeah,” Ravai agreed. “That was a sweet move with the shield, too. I mean from you.”

Raven responded, “Thanks.”

Ravai looked down at his leg and became alarmed, “Oh no!”

Raven worried and asked, “What?”

Ravai noted, “I lost the dagger! Darn, that was my favorite!”

Raven responded again, “Don’t worry. I’ll buy you a new one for saving me. I have some extra money that I was going to use on a good shield. Apparently, they come in handy.”

Ravai laughed, and graciously declined. “Nah, it’s okay. You can just tell everyone how great I was in the fight.”

Raven said, “Something tells me that you’ll beat me to it.”

From that day on, the two became friends…

Ravai looks at Raven and acknowledges, “I guess that was the first time that we teamed up. Hmm.”

Raven then says to Ravai, “Look, I was talking with Romda. She thinks we can win, and to be honest, I’m starting to believe her.”

Ravai says back to Raven, “Yeah, I just don’t want to lose.”

Raven replies, “This, I know.”

Ravai says, “Not that. I just don’t want to lose … people.”

About the Author

Dave Maruszewski is blessed with a great family. He was originally inspired to write stories by his wife and son.

He strives to develop stories with sound moral values that will be enlightening as well as entertaining to youths and adults. The Raven, Romda and Ravai books are targeted especially for children who shy away from reading. His stories are created from an accumulation of experience from careers/backgrounds as a physicist, engineer, teacher, artist, video game designer and software developer.

In between writing stories and running his own company, Digital Tumult (DigitalTumult.com), Dave enjoys video games, watching internet videos and hanging out with his family.

Website: http://www.ravenromdaandravai.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Dave-Maruszewski-Books-100693982454237/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21946064.Dave_Maruszewski
NetGalley: https://www.netgalley.com/catalog/publisher/84200
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Dave-Maruszewski/e/B09KQLN57W

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