Cover Reveal: The Script is Not Enough by Jamison LoCascio

This post is part of a Cover Reveal organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. One randomly drawn commenter will win a $10 Amazon gift card. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

The Script is not Enough takes a unique look at the making of four different independent feature films. The author takes you through every stage in development from writing, to financing, and to distribution and marketing. Find out how you can learn from the hard experiences and challenges that face the filmmaker along the way.

About the Author:

Jamison LoCascio is an award-winning feature film director. In 2012, Jamison LoCascio began to write the screenplay for his first union short, "Midnight Catch," which garnished much acclaim at the New Jersey International Film Festival and Manhattan Film Festival. LoCascio decided to form his production company, Halcyon Valor Productions Incorporated. Graduated from Montclair State University with honors winning the “Excellence in Filmmaking” award for his numerous successful productions which premiered in film festivals around the world. LoCasio's short films have since been honored by the Screen Actors Guild and screened at such festivals as the Los Angeles International Short Film Festival, Montclair Film Festival, and NewFilmmakers New York. LoCascio's shorts "Track 3," "A Stranger's Confession," and "Powerless" were all official selections of the Festival de Cannes Short Film Corner. His films have been anthologized in the prestigious Anthology Film Archives in Manhattan, distributed worldwide on DVD, picked up for online distribution by Film Bay. DIRECTV & AT&T distributed 6 of LoCascio's short films on their new International short film platform. LoCascio's first feature film, "The Depths," starring Michael Rispoli and Patch Darragh won Best Feature Film at the 2017 Manhattan Film Festival and had a strong critical reception. The film also won Best Feature Film and Best Director at the 2017 Los Angeles Film Awards and received domestic distribution with Sony Pictures and The Orchard releasing on all major platforms including Amazon, Itunes, DVD and more. LoCascio's second feature film "Sunset" starring acclaimed actor Austin Pendleton received rave reviews and won multiple awards including Best Dramatic Feature Film at the 2018 Manhattan Film Festival, Best Ensemble at the 2018 Los Angeles Film Awards, Best Leading Actor (David Johnson) International Independent Film Awards. "Sunset" also received domestic distribution with Sony Pictures and The Orchard. LoCascio and Adam Ambrosio have recently launched their latest initiative by filmmakers for filmmakers called Film Valor, a youtube channel with over 3,000 worldwide followers and over 250,000 views, a behind the scenes look at their filmmaking process. "Know Fear," his latest feature film, received critical acclaim and stars Amy Carlson. The film had a limited theatrical release. His next feature film "How Dark They Prey," a unique horror anthology, has been released on major streaming platforms including Amazon Prime, Tubi, Plex, Udu, Mometu and many more with critics hailing the film as "Horror at its best". His latest feature film release “7x7” is a collection of many of LoCascio’s award-winning short films brought together for one viewing experience on major platforms including Tubi and Amazon Prime.

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYMpC0IdUggTr1xMMEqsCPw
Twitter: https://twitter.com/filmvalor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/filmvalor/
Website: https://jamisonmlocascio.wixsite.com/mysite
Jamison LoCascio’s Social Media Links: https://linktr.ee/filmvalor

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Girl Hidden by Jesse René Gibbs

This post is part of a virtual book tour orgaized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Jesse René Gibbs 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.

Five Things You Might Not Know About Jesse René Gibbs

1. I love plants. Like, I LOVE plants. My office has at least thirty plants in it, and I have a huge flower garden and a small vegetable garden in my yard. Getting my hands in the dirt is how I ground myself (no pun intended) and it’s vitally important to my mental health.

2. I love to sing. When I lived at the inner-city commune in Chicago, I was in Grace and Glory, their gospel choir. I’m an alto, and even though I’m not a great singer, I had an incredible amount of fun. And I could dance better than most of the people in the choir, so they let me stay.

3. I love a good hobby. My hobbies change based on my mood and the time of day, but I’ve made jewelry, designed fairy crowns, poured resin, built miniatures, and collected rocks. I have a huge curio cabinet with bits of all of my random projects in it. My grandbabies love to stick their little noses to the glass and admire. When I was little, my auntie Mabel had a curio cabinet jam-packed with trinkets and dragons and sparklies and it was my favorite thing in her house. Passing down that tradition of magic is an incredible blessing in my life.

4. If I stand up too fast, I faint. Like a fainting goat, just down I go. I’ve always had this problem, but I didn’t find out until I was in my thirties that it’s a blood pressure disorder. Basically, I just have to not stub my toe (I’ve fainted because of the pain) or jump out of bed to go to the bathroom at night (yep, I’ve ended up on the floor for that one too) and I’m okay.

5. I know almost every word to every country song from the nineties. I was the only female DJ on four radio stations in my late teens, and one of them was a country music station. I lived for being on the radio and enjoyed every minute of airtime. My bestie loves it when I “introduce” the music on the car radio.

Echoing among the Blue Ridge Mountains were the cries of newborn babies that disappeared into the night. The screams of children nearly drowned out by the sound of crickets. A girl, hidden and waiting to be found, terrified, and confused. The fireflies sparkling in the woods, bringing light to darkled places.

The bulk of Jesse’s memories were of growing up in the farm country of the Blue Ridge Mountains in North Carolina. The farm folks stayed pretty much outside of town, except for visits to the feed store causing random tractors to travel down Main Street. There were beatings and abuses, manipulation and terror carried out in spaces breathtaking in their beauty. There were twenty-seven Baptist churches, three non-denominational churches, and one Catholic Church.

There were annual Ku Klux Klan rallies on the street where they would walk right by all the black families who came out to watch and the white folks who came out for moral support—whether of the blacks or the whites, no one knew for sure. Black people did not marry white people in a civilized society, and so were rarely seen socializing. There was a young woman who was pregnant with a black man’s baby, so her parents disowned her. Jesse’s family was accused of killing the child and burying it on their property.

There was the Berkley House Bed and Breakfast toward the end of town, with gold plated silverware and hardwood floors, rumored to be the local sex worker house. There was a mansion up on a hill that overlooked the other humble houses in the town. In the local cemetery, there was “Will B. Jolly” carved into the graves used by bootleggers back in the twenties. Everyone had some form of thick southern drawl, though the length of the “aw” would extend the further south you went. There was a tiny baseball field and a tinier fire department. There was an old lady in the foothills that let the family raid her garden during the summer. And in exchange, Jesse’s family helped her husband bring in the hay for their animals every year.

There was a black snake in the attic—the door opened inside the closet next to Jesse’s bed. She would find his shed skins left behind in the summer months measuring close to seven feet in length. There was a creek with crawdads and a moss-covered bridge. There were mulberry and pecan trees that filled her and her siblings’ aching bellies as the weather turned.

There were hot summer days and freezing cold winters. There were dogs that were best friends, cats that kept her warm at night, and a cow that committed suicide. There was red clay instead of dirt, hayfields instead of grass, and a favorite swimming hole: Lenny’s Mill, the local grain mill on a glacier-fed creek where you could take a dip if you were brave enough to challenge the frigid waters.

Girl Hidden is the story of an unwanted child, born nonetheless and forced into servitude, desperate to protect her siblings and find her way out from under the vicious, manipulative abuses heaped on her by the one person who was supposed to love her unconditionally: her mother.

Read an Excerpt

A siren howled outside the window down in the street, and she clutched the sacred book to her chest. A small-town girl in a big city, all alone… Man, did she feel lost. She opened the well-worn book to one of her favorite Psalms and reminded herself that God was still in control. Sometimes she wondered, in the quietest part of her heart, if He had dropped the ball.

She finished reading and asked God to watch over her family while she was away. She prayed especially for her siblings and named them off one by one as if God would forget them if she failed even once to remind Him. “Luke… Ezra… Noah… Judah… Faith… Louise…”

She turned off the light and lay there in the semi-dark. Her eyes adjusted and the streetlamps down below left weird shadows in the corners of the room. She tossed and turned for a bit. Twelve years of having little kids in bed with her made sleeping alone a strange feeling. She pushed and pulled and got some of the big pink comforter into a pile so that it felt like someone was next to her. She lay on her back and tried desperately to get her mind to turn off.

Eventually, exhaustion won the battle. Jesse slept.

About the Author:

My name is Jesse René Gibbs and I am the author of Girl Hidden. I am an artist, designer, dancer and survivor. I am a stepmother to four, Amma to four more and blessed beyond measure with the family that I chose.

This book is based on the true story of my life, gleaned from years of my mother’s writings, my grandmother’s journals and my own experiences. I did my best to showcase the depth of damage that growing up with a narcissistic parent can have on a person, and how hard it is to come to terms with the amount of gaslighting that comes with that life. My siblings all have their own stories of being played against each other, bullied and even emotionally tortured by our parents. We were trained to not trust our own intuition, raised in a life of poverty, a lack of privacy and the endlessly traumatizing purity culture.

I was hunted in my own home by the man my mother married and escaped at nineteen only to land in an intentional community in Chicago that did nearly as much damage. My best friend in the book is also real, and she did more to walk me through my trauma, and she is the main reason that these stories were finally published.

My new life in Seattle didn’t start until well into my thirties, and I’m still working on deconstructing my life up to that point. I wrote this book to organize my life in my own mind and to undo years of lies. I also wrote it because others need to know that they are not alone.

Website: https://www.girlhidden.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/girl_hidden_a_memoir
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/girlhidden
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@girl_hidden
Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/Girl-Hidden-Jesse-Ren%C3%A9-Gibbs/dp/0578988127/

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Rodeo Clowns and Shakedowns by Trixie Silvertale

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Trixie Silvertale will be awarding a $75 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.

Front row seats to murder. Thousands of eyewitnesses. Can our psychic sleuth trust her own eyes?

Mitzy Moon is loving life after the honeymoon. And as part of their agreement to try new things, she’s happily whooping it up at the local cowboy competition. But the newlyweds get roped into yet another investigation when their date night ends with a dead rodeo clown.

As her new husband’s history with the prime suspect’s wife tests all loyalties, Mitzy struggles to balance jealousy with keeping her man out of the hoosegow. And now she’ll need saddlebags of extra help from her mentor, Ghost-ma, and her entitled feline to unhorse the ruthless culprit.

Can Mitzy and Erick wrangle all the clues, or will spurious accusations bring a deadly showdown?

Rodeo Clowns and Shakedowns is the second book in the hilarious new paranormal cozy mystery series, Harper and Moon Investigations, a spinoff from the popular Mitzy Moon Mysteries. If you like snarky heroines, supernatural intrigue, and a dash of romance, then you’ll love Trixie Silvertale’s bucking brainteaser.

Buy Rodeo Clowns and Shakedowns to lasso a killer today!

Read an Excerpt

A young boy, about seven or eight, breaks free from his mother’s grasp and runs into the street. It looks as though he’ll be trampled by the bull riders on their huge horses.

The no-nonsense group of men comes to a halt as one.

A strong, lithe man on a Palomino dismounts in a single smooth motion. As he lands on the ground, a puff of dust rises from his boots. He scoops up the boy, easily delivering him to his panicked mother.

“Thank you.” Her cheeks flush under the intense gaze of the bull rider, and she turns to her son. “Robbie, you can’t dash out into the street. This man could’ve run right over you with his horse.”

The man takes off his hat and gazes at the young boy. “You hopin’ to ride bulls one day, Robbie?”

The little boy bobs his head, his eyes full of admiration.

“Then you gotta do one thing for me. Can you do that?”

Robbie nods eagerly.

The cowboy tilts his head and gets real serious. “You gotta learn right from wrong, and then you gotta do right. And listen to your mama.” The wise cowboy brushes some dust off his hat and places that symbol of “integrity” on the young boy’s head. He turns back to his horse, mounts up, and the parade resumes.

I swipe a happy tear from the corner of my eye and squeeze my arm around Erick. “Yeah, we’re definitely going to the rodeo.”

CONTINUE READING HERE: https://readerlinks.com/l/3460643

About the Author:

USA TODAY Bestselling author Trixie Silvertale grew up reading an endless supply of Lilian Jackson Braun, Hardy Boys, and Nancy Drew novels. She loves the amateur sleuths in cozy mysteries and obsesses about all things paranormal. Those two passions unite in her Mitzy Moon Mysteries and Harper and Moon Investigations, and she's thrilled to write them and share them with you.

Trixie’s Website: https://trixiesilvertale.com
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/trixiesilvertale
BookBub Author: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/trixie-silvertale
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trixiesilvertale/
Facebook Author: https://www.facebook.com/TrixieSilvertale/

BUY LINK: https://www.amazon.com/Rodeo-Clowns-Shakedowns-Paranormal-Investigations-ebook/dp/B0BYTGQTK5/

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The Mysteries of Tarot by Kirsten Weiss

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Kirsten Weiss will be awarding a $10 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.

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

There are so many elements of cozy mysteries that I love. The humor, the friendship, the romance, the quaint settings, and the puzzle. There’s something intensely satisfying about both weaving a good puzzle and solving one. I think the idea that people can make things right is comforting. It’s not always true, but it’s comforting.

What research is required?

It depends on the series. Usually, my heroines run a business of some sort. I try to get the work aspects right. I got lucky with my Tea and Tarot series, that The Mysteries of Tarot spins off of. I had a friend who worked in a tearoom. She was able to explain the daily schedule and all the in’s and out’s.

Name one thing you learned from your hero/heroine.

I learned to be a lot more positive. Hyperion focuses on taking positive action (and the more fun, the better). He’s really inspiring. Which I know seems weird since he’s an imaginary character…

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

I am an extremely disciplined writer, which in the writing community can be considered quirky. (At least judging by the horrified looks I get when I explain my writing pipeline.) I have three books in the pipeline at once. One I’m drafting when I first get up. The second I’m editing later in the morning. And the third sitting on my computer, waiting to be edited. (I like to give myself some distance between writing and editing, so I can see the book more clearly).

Are you a plotter or pantser?

I’m a hybrid. I draft a loose plot, with lots of room to play.

Look to your right – what’s sitting there?

A box full of notes on writing.

Anything new coming up from you? What?

I’ve got a short mystery in my Paranormal Museum cozy mystery series coming out at the end of June called Deadly Divination. And then another full-length mystery novel in the same series coming out in July. That one’s Dead End Donation.

Do you have a question for our readers?

Ebooks or paper?

The Mysteries of Tarot: A Work of the Imagination

How to Read the Cards for Transformation
When Tarot reader Hyperion Night sent his manuscript, The Mysteries of Tarot, to a friend to edit, it was a simple guide to reading Tarot. Hyperion couldn’t anticipate that his editor’s notes would evolve into a murder mystery, or that his friend would go missing. Shockingly, the annotated manuscript eventually made its way back to Hyperion, who forwarded it to the authorities.

Now this astonishing Tarot guide is available as a book. The Tarot guidebook features:
• Tarot basics―How to manage different interpretations of cards in a spread, how to read court cards, and a clear and simple method for dealing with reversals.
• Detailed card breakdowns― Keywords, flash non-fiction narratives, and a deep dive into the symbols of each of the 78 cards of the Major Arcana and Minor Arcana.
• Questions to apply to the cards for transforming your life―Insightful questions for each card to help you dig deeper into your Tarot reading practice.

Bonus feature: the guidebook also includes his editor’s comments on the more esoteric and philosophical interpretations of the Tarot, as well as his notes on the baffling mystery that engulfed him.

Gain deep insight from the cards, transform yourself, and solve The Mysteries of Tarot with this work of experimental fiction that’s part Tarot guidebook, part murder mystery.

Read an Excerpt

Ace of Cups

New love. New relationship. Awakening of cosmic consciousness. Channel for spirit. Gratitude.

It’s a little depressing how often I’ve drawn the Ace of Cups. Aces are about beginnings and initiation, and cups about emotions and love. So for me this card has usually indicated a new relationship, though not necessarily a lasting one. Until one day, when the relationship this Tarot card was nudging me toward had zero to do with romance.

I’d been reading Tarot for a couple years by that point. I knew the classic meanings, I could put them together, and I was even starting more intuitive work with clients. I was doing (and still do) my own daily Tarot card reading—just one card. That day, I’d drawn the Ace of Cups. And though I wasn’t expecting a good day, the Ace gave me a lift of hope.

Its meaning unfolded later that day. I was in the hospital visiting my aunt. We’d been taking her there on an almost weekly basis after a cancer diagnosis—I won’t go into the details. But she’d been coming down with one infection after another, with no end in sight.

I was bored, sitting outside the examination room. So although the spring day was drizzly, I wandered to the balcony garden outside. At the moment, the clouds parted, and a sunbeam struck the ocean. The light glimmered, the ocean whitening around it.

And suddenly, I knew. My aunt was going to be okay.

I returned inside. The doctor emerged from the exam room and told us my aunt was in remission.

It was my first knowing. My first true connection. Did I channel? Did I forge some connection with the universal mind?

I’m still baffled. Until that moment, the idea of awakening cosmic consciousness in myself had been entirely theoretical. There are some things you can’t entirely understand until you experience them.

I’m still not sure I do understand. I don’t have these moments of insight on tap. My knowings don’t come on command. But they do still occasionally come.

Aces. Someone once told me that the first card in the suit contains all the energy of that suit. In that moment at the hospital, I felt all the energy of the Cups—intuition, spirit, connection—flowing through me. I was initiated that day by something bigger than myself.

The Symbols

A golden chalice floats above a pool dotted with water lilies, the latter representing eternal life. Five streams (representing the five senses?) overflow from the cup.

The cup is commonly believed to represent the Holy Grail from Arthurian legend. In the story of the knight Parcival, a dove magically empowers the Grail, and in this card, a dove with a communion-type wafer dives toward the cup. The cup also resembles a baptismal font, implying a spiritual initiation.

What Does This Card Mean for You?

How can you be that over-flowing chalice? Because it’s by being loving that we attract love of all kinds to us.

  Notes: Ace of Cups

85 Adelaide came to the cottage today with her latest rescue (a Chihuahua). She’d learned about my brother’s threatened conservatorship and wants to help. I’m grateful.

She told me Charles has been trying to get more control of our father’s company for years. I had no idea it mattered to him that much. He’s been the Chief Financial Officer since last spring. I’d assumed he was on track to take the company over, and I would have been happy to let him. I don’t care about managing the money or the company. But I don’t want to be on an allowance at my brother’s mercy either. At least my sister, for all her faults, is on my side.

About the Author:

Kirsten Weiss writes laugh-out-loud, page-turning mysteries, and now a Tarot guidebook that’s a work of experimental fiction. Her heroes and heroines aren’t perfect, but they’re smart, they struggle, and they succeed. Kirsten writes in a house high on a hill in the Colorado woods and occasionally ventures out for wine and chocolate. Or for a visit to the local pie shop.

Kirsten is best known for her Wits’ End, Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum, and Tea & Tarot cozy mystery books. So if you like funny, action-packed mysteries with complicated heroines, just turn the page…

Website: http://www.KirstenWeiss.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/SBPM_Museum

Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C18BKGXB
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-mysteries-of-tarot-kirsten-weiss/1143066958
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Kirsten_Weiss_The_Mysteries_of_Tarot
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-mysteries-of-tarot
Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/us/book/id6447194167
Author Website: https://bit.ly/tarotmysteries

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The Cobbler by Steve Madden

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Steve Madden will be awarding $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.

Everyone knows Steve Madden's name and his shoes, but few are familiar with his story. Over the past thirty years Steve Madden has taken his eponymous shoe company from the fledgling startup he founded with a mere $1,100.00 to a global, multi-billion-dollar brand. But Madden's mistakes, from his battle with addiction to the financial shortcuts that landed him in prison, are as important to his story as his most iconic shoes. In this raw, intimate, and inspiring book, Madden holds nothing back as he shares what it took to get here and the lessons he's learned along the way. Readers are treated to the wild ride though his rise, fall, and comeback. But they will also walk away uplifted by a man who has owned up to his mistakes, determined to give back.

Read an Excerpt

Jordan called me The Cobbler simply because I was obsessed with shoes. But to me it means so much more than that. A cobbler puts the various pieces of a shoe together: the upper, the lower, the lining, and so on. But a real shoe guy knows that shoes are made of more than just raw materials. The inspiration behind the style is just as important and includes references pulled from music, pop culture, and whatever else is going on in the zeitgeist. The result is a shoe that’s not just comfortable and well made, but that says something about the person who is wearing it.

I got a thrill out of pulling these various pieces together to create my most iconic styles, from the Marilyn to the Mary Lou, the Slinky, and, more recently, the Troopa. But I’ve used the same techniques to piece together a team of mostly outsiders, hires that make no sense individually but that are amazingly effective together. And though it’s hard to separate the company from my life, that’s been pieced together, too, and thanks to my kids and friends and the people I love, it’s now mostly whole.

So, which one am I: the egomaniac, the trend spotter, the entrepreneur, or the visionary? What about the family man? Honestly, they’re all true. I’m the same flawed person I’ve always been. In fact, the more successful I’ve become, the less sure of anything I have grown. When I was young and just starting out, I thought I had all the answers. Hard work and money were all that mattered. Success at all costs would be worth it. Now, I’m not so sure. I have money. I have success. And I’ve paid for it by losing years of my life and people I loved. Was it worth it?

About the Author:

A man who wears many hats-and shoes-Steve Madden cannot be described in one word. He is an entrepreneur, an award-winning designer, and a business titan whose eponymous company is currently worth 3 billion dollars. On the flip side, he is an ex-con, a recovering addict, and a devoted family man. Over the past thirty years, the provocative shoe designer built a booming brand and nearly lost it all to The Wolf of Wall Street, only to rebound by giving back and creating a global empire. Through it all, he hasn't forgotten his humble beginnings or his core consumer, resulting in millions of adoring fans worldwide. Considered the fashion footwear mogul of the twenty-first century, Madden has an innate sense of what's hot, what's next, what's exciting, and more importantly, how this will translate to the customer. He is also an active philanthropist and mentor who supports a number of organizations that help those in need of a second chance.

https://www.getthecobbler.com
https://www.amazon.com/Cobbler-Disrupted-Industry-Grace-Stronger/dp/B0BLC2BT86/

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Blackout Trail by Linda Naughton

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Linda Naughton will be awarding a $15 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.

Which character was the most difficult for you to write and why?

One of the joys of writing is getting into the head of characters who are nothing like you. Each of the characters in Blackout Trail presented its own set of challenges to write.

Anna, the point-of-view character, is a medical doctor who’s worked in crisis zones around the world. That gave her a very different perspective from my own, and I actually did a lot of research into the experiences of international aid workers. Mark is a devoted father and husband. His quest to reunite his family is the engine that drives the story, but we only see him through Anna’s eyes. He’s not the most open about his doubts and struggles, so it was a challenge to find ways for that depth to shine through.

The most difficult character to get right was Mark’s daughter, Lily. In some ways, though, she was also the most fun. Often, kids in adventure stories can be either annoyingly precocious or non-stop trouble magnets. With Lily, I tried to find a balance so she felt like a real seven-year-old. She does get into trouble or throw a fit sometimes, but she also has moments of bravery and clever problem-solving. She’s also at the core of some of the more light-hearted and tender moments in the story, and I think she brings an important element of light and hope.

Doctor Anna Hastings is no stranger to disasters, having spent much of her career as an aid worker in conflict zones around the world. Yet when an electrical phenomenon known as an EMP brings down the power grid, Anna faces catastrophe on a scale she never imagined. She must learn what it means to be a doctor in a world deprived of almost all technology.

As the blackout causes planes to fall from the sky, Anna crosses paths with devoted father Mark Ryan in the chaos at the airport. Mark convinces Anna to travel with him and his seven-year-old daughter Lily to their family’s cabin in remote Maine. There Mark hopes to reunite with his wife, and find a safe refuge from a society on the brink of collapse.

Journeying across a thousand miles of backcountry trails, they will face a daily struggle against nature. Their biggest peril, though, may come from their fellow survivors. As Anna grows closer to Mark and Lily, she resolves to see them safely home. But can she hold onto her humanity in a world gone mad?

Read an Excerpt

I had just enough time to scoop Lily up and pull her to my chest before the wall of water hit us. I’d been knocked flat by ocean waves countless times before, but this was different. The wave hit low, sweeping my legs out from under me and then carrying us downstream. The shoreline zoomed by, branches and debris swirling all around us.

“Daddy!” Lily cried, squirming in search of Mark. I tightened my grip, fearful of seeing her swept away by the churning torrent of water. I couldn’t see him either. Hopefully he was just upstream from us, in my blind spot.

The creek didn’t seem that deep; I felt my leg smack against the rocky creek bed a few times. I tried to stand up, but I couldn’t get my feet planted. The fast-moving current just bowled me right over every time. Once, we went under and came up sputtering. I worried that our backpacks would sink us, but Lily’s was small and mine surprisingly buoyant.

Over the roaring of the creek, I heard Lily cry out in terror. It was a heart-wrenching sound, but at least it told me she wasn’t drowning. I scanned the shore for something that we might be able to grab onto, but nothing came within reach.

“Anna!” Lily’s shrill cry caused me to snap my eyes forward. A tree had fallen across the stream, and we hurtled towards it.

“Hold on!” Her arms wrapped around my neck so tightly it almost choked me. When we were nearly upon the tree, I twisted my body sideways, trying to shield Lily from the impact.

About the Author:

Linda Naughton has been writing stories for as long as she can remember. She is the author of several novels, children’s books, and the blog Self-Rescuing Princesses. A proud geek and gamer girl, she enjoys sci-fi, disaster movies, and role-playing games. She is a software engineer, paramedic, and mother of two. Book Links:

Amazon (eBook/Paperback/KU): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BP696W3W
Paperback (wide): http://lindanaughton.com/blackout_trail.html

Website: http://www.lindanaughton.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/lynnnoton
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/lynnnoton

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AhHa...Guide to the Golden Age by DND

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. D N D will be awarding a $15 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.

*****

I am asked to present some five things about myself that no one would have guessed, fun, novel, interesting even embarrassing….

Lets jump to the embarrassing part so I can get that over with, then I can get down to the ‘real nitty-gritty’….ahh never mind that would be toooo embarrassing, so what’s left?

Maybe not much… I lead such a boring life what could possibly be interesting enough about myself that people would be curious enough to read? Honestly my life the last 40 years has been nothing but a humdrum ho-hum routine’ run of the mill’ same old, same old kind of life, most boring ‘run of the mill’ type folk live. Well except for a couple of things maybe…or better to say a half a dozen, well maybe a little more than that.

Ok just to get these couple things out of the way, before I get back to the juicier embarrassing moments in my somewhat dull uneventful life, here’s a couple of (dozen) things…

I went to India in 1974 to sit at the feet of spiritual teachers, I guess I like to sit a lot because I met three great teachers at three different times, and kept going back another four times to India, 1974, 1978,1987,2011,2014… to keep sitting. You just never know what you will pick up sitting near these lofty souls, besides scabies, and intestinal problems. I was on the hunt for enlightenment though myself, still hunting in fact.

Along my travels to the three continents in 1970’s,late 1980’s, 2010’s, 2020’s I once ended up in Italy coming up from North Africa by water taking a famous smuggling route, and brought 20 kilos of hashish into Europe from Italy. I actually decided to stop a few blocks from the Vatican and a little worried about having that much illegal substance in my little VW van, I buried the ‘goods’ in a somewhat bushy area and went and found some contacts in Rome where I was able to move some of my product. My product came from Morocco by the way.( I also went to Morocco because of the James Michener book I and many other hippys were reading at that time). But while I was living in my VW camper near the Vatican, I did manage to get some touristy things done visiting the Vatican. I felt it my duty to do that while I was so close by , literally three block away. So did feel cleansed from my visit and felt very positive about continuing my trip eventually to London, where I sold much of the remainder of my ‘goods’. I even stopped in Switzerland and found some other contacts and moved more there. But I also was robbed of a couple of pounds by a nasty person with a knife there by a famous river, one fateful night in Rome. That new contact I made with the Afro-American tenor saxophonist, who I met by a fountain in Rome playing his sax, turned out to be one of my less than successful contacts. It was his friend with the intimidating knife next to my throat, that I prefer not to dwell on. I did manage to get away unscathed but lost my goodies in the process. These are just some of those typical boring hum drum experiences in the life of a hum drum traveler, as he makes his way here and there on our cute little blue planet.

I did manage to get back to my home country Canada, safe sound and in a fully functioning body, no missing body parts, and even with a couple of stores to tell. Life in Canada turned out to be far more run of the mill than those crazier younger days. That’s probably why I decided to go down a similar route and take cannabis (pot)down to the USA during the late 1990’s but make a lot more money, with no nasty knives in the night at my throat or similar unpleasant experiences. Altogether my US adventures, netted me enough to put a decent down-payment on this house I am sitting in here in Hope, writing this blog-blurb, but with my partenor who had much more wholesome and better paying contacts than that Roman adventure. Like I keep insisting It has been a dull dull life, but I put up with it. I hope it improves when I make my first ten million from my ISO 20022 digital crypto coins (XRP, XLM to be more precise, hint hint for any one with ears to hear) in 2024. And who knows I might even sell a couple or two dozen of my book “AHha…Guide To The Golden Age” while I’m waiting, getting through these monotonous days in Hope, playing , composing, recording, producing music and other frivolous daily activities. Ho-hum ho-ho ….I owe I owe… it’s off to work I go…..

This Ahha...Guide to the Golden Age with the secondary title How to Prepare for Very Big Changes on our Very Tiny Planet is a mythic journey and a joy ride of discovery based on its foundational 3 Law and 10 Step vertical structure, with each level describing a rising level of consciousness. It’s actually exactly what the two titles express. Like any good story (though it’s a non fiction, it still remains the unfolding story of the universe and Us...here on mother Earth), it has its ‘good guys and bad guys’ and naturally ascends to its climax, with its minor 'AhHa' moments as well as major ‘AhHa’ moments, leading to perhaps scintillating insights and even an epiphany or two (depending on the prevailing winds), along with quite few very bad jokes and anecdotes, triggering mild chuckles or even more serious laughter on its journey...”To The Stars”….

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There turns out to be only two main emotions or viewpoints.... you either live in fear or love. You either choose to meet each moment with fear, hate, judgement, selfishness or with love, brotherhood, and crazy compassion for the other humans who are still lost in the Maya maze. There is this present ‘apparent earth system’ under the control of the power elite on the planet, who does not want us to know the truth by the way. So they feed us their illusion (the matrix, like the film) and we eat it up until we say “No more”. Read more of this book and hopefully this will help to lift the ‘veils’ somewhat. You still will have to investigate, ponder and choose and decide which path you want to go on.... fear or love, understanding the reality or living and believing in the Big lie, the story narrative presented by the system (which by the way, controls the MSM, along with most everything else.) As long as we can begin to see the possibility that there may be more to this whole ‘Life Thing’ than meets the eye. And that the best way to approach this, is to enjoy it all like a play, find our individual roles to play, and decide on which team we want to play on” love... or... fear”. Then we just go for it. It’s set up for us each to decide using our free will. So yes I really really want this writing to contain this spirit of playfulness, the spirit of the Jim Careys, Marx Brothers, John Belushis of the world, as well as the compassionate empathetic understanding of the Jesus and Buddha’s of our world. My first spiritual teacher Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh in India in the seventies, summed it up with his phrase...''Zorba the Buddha”. It looks at life through the lens of an aware and compassionate Buddha, and yet enjoys the dance just like Zorba the Greek, living, laughing, loving while you can, while you still have a body and heart and mind that functions. There are really just “us chickens” down here, one Big Chicken in fact, clucking and pecking away, ignorant of life outside the chicken coop, but feverishly running after the food and perks, and any available chickens. It’s up to us to look up from the chicken eye view of the world, peek around and figure it out and understand what ‘really is going on’, in this noisy earthy barnyard and beyond....

About the Author:

Deva Neall Depodesta has been a student of life and the arts for many decades. Born in 1949 in Montreal, Quebec he has been on a life journey of the arts from initial studies at Concordia University - BA communication arts, courses in music, 2 years. further studies in music, acting, theatre and production. This was followed over the years with further studies in music, video/film production, media, education, music technology at Capilano College,Vancouver Community College,Institute of Communication Arts.There was also ongoing personal study in many aspects of music, theory, harmony, composition, instruments/voice. He has worked in the following arts :, music, performing, acting, theatre, film, radio and video/film.in many different roles as performer, composer, writer, actor, voiceover .This web site is basically his more integral vision of life as understood at this time in his life 2017. It includes his many interests in the arts specifically music, acting, theatre, video etc. acting promos, written music etc and video/photos in various productions .But it is the integral vision perspective that he is most focused on. It is explained in the three blogs he has written and will add to in the near future.

WEBSITE: https://starship7oneness.com/ ,br> INSTAGRAM: htp://www.instagram.com/guidetothegoldenage

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Reflections on the Boulevard by L.J. Ambrosio

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 and an autographed copy of the book to a second randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Michael's story continues from A Reservoir Man (2022) where we find him teaching at a university ready to retire. He unexpectedly meets a young man named Ron who becomes his protege and journeys in a haphazard adventure with him throughout America and Europe, each twist and turn of the road bringing unexpected adventures. The journey taken is one of joy, friendship and discovery.

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“The air is not meshing well with the smoke in my lungs,” Michael said to himself. When he got back to the room, Ron was already sleeping with Rhonda on his leg.

The next morning, Michael got up early and woke Ron telling him to wash his face. He then took Ron to the door of their room, opened it, and walked outside. Ron just gaped at the sight of the Grand Canyon. The colors and the sun bouncing off these jagged cliffs looked like cut out mountains from a magazine. He turned to Michael, he said, “It looks like a painted drop! Not real. How was this created? What events led to this? I understand all the bullshit you learn in Earth Science, but this is so much more.”

Michael noticed a little tear in Ron’s eye, shed for the beauty, for the nature that Michael had always talked to him about.

“Those guys in New England, those Transcendentalists, they knew the answer, this is God. This is it! I know we will leave but I will never forget this, and the emotions it moves in me.”

“Alright I have a surprise. We are off to the North Rim of the Canyon. We are taking an entire day tour of the North Rim on the Katibah trail, exploring the inner canyons. We will travel on mules.”

“What did you say? Did I hear mules? I have never been on a horse, no less a mule. You expect me to ride a mule alone? No way!” said Ron.

They got into the car and Ron asked, “Where are we going?”

“To the North Rim!”

Ron was very worried. He listed all the reasons he could never ride a mule. He even claimed that Rhonda would be jealous of his attention to another animal.

At the entrance to the North Rim, Michael assured Ron that he would be okay.

“Ron, all will be fine! Just trust the mule. Trust the mule!”

“I don’t trust myself!” Ron said, then suddenly got on the mule. He was afraid he would fall off, so he waited there for a moment. He used the opportunity to tell the mule about Rhonda. Ron started to like the mule now, especially because she was not moving. He was more comfortable now with the mule and even told her how well Rhonda would get along with her if she did not try to eat Rhonda’s food. The mules took off on the trail with Michael following the guide and Ron following Michael, holding on for dear life.

About the Author:

Louis J. Ambrosio ran one of the most nurturing bi-coastal talent agencies in Los Angeles and New York. He started his career as a theatrical producer, running two major regional theaters for eight seasons. Ambrosio taught at seven universities. Ambrosio also distinguished himself as an award-winning film producer and novelist over the course of his impressive career.

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Signed by Tim Burris

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Tim Burris will be awarding a $10 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.

It's time to get serious and start preparing to take your football talents to the next level. But understanding the multiple recruiting pathways and signing to a postsecondary football program can be challenging. Don't worry, though . . . Coach Burris of IRONWILL Football will help guide you through the recruiting process.

Signed is a guide for Canadian football players in Grades 9 to 12 who aspire to play post-secondary football. Coach Burris gives you the football recruiting blueprint so you can make informed recruiting decisions for your future.

With a dedicated chapter for parents, Signed breaks down everything you need to begin your journey toward the U Sports, NCAA, Junior football, CEGEP, and Junior college.

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How to start

A successful transition plan starts with deciding and committing to football at the post-secondary level and then developing a plan around where you want to play. Take this seriously. You need a plan to have a smooth transition to the post-secondary level. Believe me when I say this: You need to be honest with yourself and determine which pathway best suits you.

In Canada, there is one high school route and three post-secondary pathways a student athlete can take:

1. University football (U Sports), or the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)
2. Junior football
3. CEGEP football
4. High school prep school Alternatively, student athletes can participate in a combination of junior or CEGEP football, then move on to the university level.

If you have the desire to play in the NCAA in the States, make sure to read the Canadian high school prep school section on page 11 and the chapter on NCAA football page 24. These will help you get started with the process.

When I say to be honest with yourself, I mean you need to ask some key questions. This also means knowing yourself and understanding your personal weaknesses, strengths, and skill sets. When you honestly answer the questions below, you will figure out which direction you should head after high school.

Knowing yourself is the most important part of your journey. When you really take the time examine your motivation, the direction you need to follow will be clear.

About the Author:

Coach Tim Burris is a former U Sports student athlete and is a Vanier Cup Champion. He has coached at the U Sports level and has over a decade of coaching experience ranging from bantam level to the university level. Coach Tim Burris has worked with more than a thousand players across Canada. He also had the honor of coaching on the Alberta U18 Team for three years, in addition to running his football performance camps and defensive line academy program.
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Excellence Through Mental Strength by Lionel Baugh

 

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Lionel Baugh 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.

Have you ever felt like your weaknesses were holding you back from opportunities in life? Or feared you don't have the skill set to tackle new experiences? Perhaps you've even worried about just not being as naturally talented as the people around you?

Excellence Through Mental Strength will not only dispel your concerns but will also teach you how to reframe your perception of self. You're already more capable than you realize, and this step-by-step guide will show you how to recognize the true power of your strengths-so you can 'make the shift' into a growth mindset and take back control of your future.

Never let your perceived 'weakness' into the driver's seat of your life again. Bolster your mental strengths instead and pave the road you want to travel with grounded confidence in who you are, where you're going, and what you bring to the table.

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The two greatest enemies of mental strength are negative self-talk and self-pity. The ability to reframe or adjust is the most impactful skill in addressing attitude and self-talk. Reframing changes the way people think, feel, and behave. To understand reframing better, let’s use some metaphors: You can think of a glass as half empty. By reframing, you might start to think of it as half full. The amount of water is the same. However, you’ve changed the meaning by changing the point of focus. This is a nuance. However, it transforms everything. Reframing is used to discover more resourceful ways of thinking. For instance, ‘I feel like I’m on the edge of a cliff ’ might be changed to ‘I’m acting within fine limits of precision and accuracy.’ The situation is the same. The meaning you attach to it seems different. When you recognize unhelpful thinking styles and self-talk, you can ask yourself ‘might there be a better way to think about and express this?’ The key with un-resourceful thinking stiles and self-talk is: 106 • Recognize • Reframe/adjust To become high achievers, here is a list of items to reframe. It’s not comprehensive. Acquire the habit of spotting unhelpful thinking styles and finding a handy way of re-expressing them to be more resourceful. The mind is very good at this, once you ask it to be. ‘Threat’ versus ‘Challenge’ The ability to reframe a threat into a challenge is the most admired trait of all, and rightly so. It’s the one most associated with success and happiness.

About the Author:

Lionel Baugh Born: 5/25/53 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Nationality: British/US Citizen Education: Trinity College, Dublin University Lives in: Solis, Uruguay Speak: Both English and Spanish, without preference. I’m an executive coach. In 2009, I completed a long career in financial services and made a life changing and comprehensive career shift. My banking career had a lot of diversity to it. I enjoyed assignments in New York, Lima, Manila, Hong Kong, Oslo, San Antonio-Texas, and Miami. Professionally that took me through commercial banking to capital markets and eventually to wealth management. In 2008, I left Merrill Lynch, and by early 2009, I was certified as a business coach. This opened up a whole new world, unleashing a passionate desire to help people grow and a fascination with what works in life. As my coaching career advanced, I moved from business coaching to executive coaching, where most of my existing practice lies. The fundamental difference is that executive coaching focuses more on 143 behavior and mindset than on entrepreneurialism. Behavior and mindset are where my passion lies. (Having said that, most entrepreneurial success is also about mindset, but you do spend time on things like the marketing strategy and the cash-flow forecast.) I became a sponge for learning and have obtained certifications in Emotional Intelligence and in the Red2Blue mindset model. I have read too many books to number or list, and the subjects range from psychology to therapy to emotional intelligence, agility, and self-awareness to mindfulness, stoicism, and more recently, anything I can learn about performance under pressure. My ‘why’ is sustained by a strong belief that everyone has excellence in them. I’m curious to discover each person’s unique ‘hidden genius’. I’m very motivated to help identify that excellence, polish it, and display it to the world in all its splendor. I have clients throughout the Americas and the UK whom I coach via Zoom. I also do frequent webinars and in-person workshops.

Amazon buy link: https://www.amazon.com/Excellence-through-Mental-Strength-Lionel/dp/B0BY4CR8LY

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Bittersouls by L.A. Morton-Yates

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. L.A. Morton-Yates 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.

What chapter was your favorite to write and why?

Thinking back on it, I have to say it was Chapter 6, known to me as “The Vaults”. After Dela and the mysterious wanderer who calls himself Talon are stranded on the wrong side of the mountains by a blizzard, they must brave a derelict subterranean mountain pass inspired by Moria from Lord of the Rings. Talon, who up until this point has appeared stoic and unflappable, appears visibly nervous, remarking on how he’d prefer to never have to traverse the Vaults again. According to him, they will not be able to sleep until they reach the far side—a two day journey. He gives her the cryptic warning to ‘not trust the walls’, and this is only the start of the nightmare awaiting them.

“It’s warm in here, isn’t it?” [Dela] murmured. So far from the sun, she could think of only one explanation. Something down here was alive.
He exhaled slowly and gave a dour nod, “They want to make you weary. Want to make you sleep. I told you: don’t trust the walls.”
The girl shivered, “They?”
The Bittersoul shook his head, “You don’t want to know.”
“I think you’re right, Talon,” Dela caught up to him before he started walking again, “I don’t like the Vaults.”
He chuckled darkly, “Not there yet.”
“What?” She frowned, minding her step as the tunnel began to slope slightly downward.
“These aren’t the Vaults.”
– Excerpt from Bittersouls, Chapter 6

It was fun to write for a variety of reasons. The vast majority of the book takes place out in the wide wasteland of the Bitters, where practically nothing from the People of Old remains. The Vaults are a stark exception to this, giving a brief yet harrowing glimpse at what the People of Old were capable of. More than any other chapter in the book, it leans into the horror of the unknown. It serves to give some historical context for the world without revealing enough to give the characters any sense of understanding or closure—ratcheting up the tension of the story as a whole. Besides this, this chapter is where the magic system of the world—something the characters call Warmth—starts to really be explored. Over the course of the story, Dela’s eyes are repeatedly opened to a wider understanding of the world around her, and this chapter is one of the key steps at the beginning of that journey.

A Shade. A Storm. A Soul.

Cursed with forbidden knowledge, 19-year-old Dela must hide her secret from her nomadic tribe or face exile into the frozen wasteland of the Bitters. When she becomes separated from her people during a blizzard, a mysterious and dangerous wanderer named Talon promises to help her find her way back to them. She quickly learns that nothing is what it seems, that her curse may actually be a gift, and that the Bitters are far more dangerous than she could have imagined.

Packed with unexpected twists, Bittersouls is a mixture of survival, adventure, and slow-burn romance that is sure to get your heart pounding.

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[Dela] rounded the corner, stepping into the mouth of the cave. As she expected, she wasn’t alone. But the man who leaned against the far wall of the cave, watching her with a wild and savage curiosity, was not a man she’d ever laid eyes on before. He wore a stark, white roughcloak. To Dela’s eye, it looked to be fashioned from a Jackal’s fur. The head of the beast encircled his own as a hood, the angular snout coming to a toothless point a few inches past his forehead. His arms were crossed over his chest, pushing the sides of his rough out enough to reveal a tattered and patched network of leather garments, ugly and indelicate, but which looked to be sturdy and thick. At his sides, an array of bone hooks much like her own supported various tools and weapons.

But what caught her eye most was the fiery array that spread out around him, stemming from the center of his back. Unlike those in her congregation, whose entities kept small and close and wrapped themselves around their humans, his spread all four of its ghostly appendages out behind him like crimson wings, swaying gently as though breathing or being brushed by the wind. If the congregations’ were simply alive, his was awake.

“Interesting,” the man mused. His voice was low and scratchy, as if from months or years of disuse. Dela realized she’d been staring at him for some time.

“Interesting?” she repeated. Who was this man? What was he doing out here? He’d been so close to their group… and she’d followed him out here. Alone. Had that been his plan?

The man shrugged, stepping off the wall and approaching her with footsteps too quiet to hear over the din of the storm. “I had expected another—”

“Bittersoul.”

About the Author:

A life-long lover of the magic of storytelling, L.A. wrote his first story at the age of 7 and has been writing ever since. Speculative fiction, particularly fantasy, has always held a special place in his heart for the uniqueness of the places and the questions it can address. Though veiled by apparent strangeness, he has always seen it as capable of revealing deeper truth about our own reality.

L.A. graduated from Montana State University in 2015 with Honors in Biochemistry and a minor in Music Composition. This helped nurture his critical thinking and research skills which continue to be instrumental to his writing. During his collegiate years, he also met the love of his life, Julie, whom he later married. At once his greatest supporter and his staunchest critic (when he is wrong, which is more often than he’d like to admit), she has been an integral part of his creative process ever since.

In February of 2018, L.A. became the father of his first son, Griffin. His second son, Tiber, was born in December of 2019 and his third son, Malachi, was born in January of 2022. Though life has become considerably busier since he became a family man, L.A. continues to work on writing in what little spare time he can find. He hopes to one day pass on his love of literature to his sons.

Substack- http://lamortonyates.substack.com
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/lamortonyates/
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Buy on Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BQFLM7D4

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Twisted Proposal by Victoria Saccenti

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Victoria Saccenti will be awarding a $10 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 sweeter the revenge, the more bitter the cost.

Ethan Ashford prefers the private playrooms of his exclusive club to the backstabbing elite society into which he was born. But when his ailing father asks him to attend a gala dinner, he reluctantly agrees. Only to encounter an eerily familiar face that freezes him in his tracks.

He quickly realizes the woman isn’t Joyce, a conniving social climber who almost ruined his family, but her cousin Siena Maynard, a fledgling fashion designer who pings Ethan’s Dom radar from across the ballroom. Even better, her uncanny resemblance to Joyce sparks a plan that will satisfy his hunger for revenge—and his craving to have sweet Siena at his mercy.

Phase one: Dig up every detail about Siena, from her dwindling funds to her brother’s shady connections. Phase two: Back her into a corner with one way out—to accept him as her sole benefactor in exchange for her total submission.

Ethan fully expected to take diabolical pleasure in Siena’s body, tears, and flesh. But he never anticipated she’d sink so deeply under his skin, that losing her would destroy what’s left of his soul.

Note: Twisted Proposal is a standalone romance in the Central Florida Stories – Club Nexus universe. Contains D/s dynamics, dubious consent, intense scenes, and lots of dirty talk.

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As he’d hoped it was quiet out in the terrace, they were alone, no one from the party had come out. Siena leaned on the banister. He approached her without making a sound and found her with her eyes closed, ignoring the city skyline. Was she enjoying the solitude or gathering her wits for the upcoming presentation? He assumed the latter. Her breath hitched suddenly, and she turned.

Siena’s turquoise irises fell on him. Ethan stiffened. Her clear gaze stormed through his mind, heart, and soul. The raid surprised him and his stomach clenched as if he’d been punched in the gut. She’d flipped the tables on him. The dominant in Ethan went into full alert mode.

Proceed with caution.

Up close the resemblance to Joyce wasn’t as strong. Her unexpected arrival, his loathing of the Rudloes, and overall family aura had tricked his senses into creating a perfect illusion. Her features were uniquely hers and stunning. Now he noticed the straight nose, elegant cheekbones, and kissable, smiling lips. Her smooth skin.

“Hi.” Slim fingers flew to her chest.

“Hello.”

She gave him a curious look. “Have we met?”

“I’d remember if we had.” Grasping the banister’s railing, he turned front. He needed a moment to recover from her assault. One full breath and he’d be back in control of the situation with his defenses bolstered. Siena Maynard was danger wrapped up in an exquisite package. Her initial openness and sincerity were disarming. A studied act or the real Siena? Taking into account her family and relationship with Joyce—a modern Delilah and ultimate backstabber—he'd go for the studied act and keep it in mind as his plan progressed.

“I saw you with the Bernvilles, what brings you to our little celebration?”

“Little?” Her titter was a soft chime in his ears. “I can’t imagine what a big celebration would be like.”

He breathed out ejecting the charming lilt of her voice out of his system. If he didn’t find ways to block her endearing ways, putting together a revenge project was going to be tough…

About the Author:

Award-winning and best-selling author Victoria Saccenti writes romantic women’s fiction, contemporary romance, and paranormal romance. Not one for heart and flower stories, she explores the edgy twists and turns of human interaction, the many facets of love, and all possible happy endings. After thirty years of traveling the world, she’s settled in Central Florida, where she splits her busy schedule between family and her active muse at Essence Publishing. However, if she could convince her husband to sell their home, she would pack up her computer and move to Scotland, a land she adores. On a side note, in one form or another, Scotland appears in most of her stories.

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