Stone of Doubt by Margaret Izard

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Margaret Izard will be awarding a Stone of Doubt Book Swag Box to a randomly drawn winner. 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 love romance and sci-fi books, so writing those types of stories I love comes easily.

What research is required?

An immense amount of research goes into my books, not only for the world-building but for the time travel as well. I include many folklore and fairy tales to evaluate the fantasy aspect.

Name one thing you learned from your hero/heroine.

Evie embodies a lesson I learned early on in life – the odd and unusual people who are quirky are the most interesting people to be around.

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

I keep rocks around when I write to have something to fidget with. Each rock carries a specific energy, so when I need to draw upon that to help my thought process, that’s the rock I pick up.

Are you a plotter or pantser?

I am a plotter with scene-by-scene summary outlines.

Look to your right – what’s sitting there?

It’s an open space beside my desk.

Anything new coming up from you? What?

Next in the series:

Highlander’s Holly and Ivy, a Christmas companion book coming November 2025. Features Alex MacDougall, Mary and Roderick from Thistle in the Mistletoe son. A forbidden love between a Highlander and an English lady intertwines with magic, betrayal, and the fate of a nation as they fight to unite their worlds and reclaim Scotland’s legacy.

Stone of Faith, book 6 Ewan’s Story. (Evie’s twin brother) A cursed pirate captain and an enslaved siren defy a power-hungry madman—and fate itself—to claim a love that spans centuries as they save the human and Fae realms.

Stone of Destiny, book 7. Katerine MacArthur, Evie’s BFF love story. A woman torn between fate and forbidden love must defy a Fae prophecy and battle dark forces to reclaim her future—and the heart of the Fae warrior she can’t forget.

Evergreen Evermore, a Christmas companion book coming 2026
This series leads into another connected series, Dragons of Tantallon, a dragon-shapeshifter series revolving around the magic Iona Stones.

Do you have a question for our readers?

Many of my stories are twists on classic fairy tales or folk tales. What are some of your favored folk tales, and what type of twists would you like to see in a love story?
Example – Robin Hood but told from Friar Tuck’s POV where he finds forbidden love.

In the absence of doubt, only faith is found.

A human with Fae powers living like an oddball has its ups and downs until Evie MacDougall’s dream Fae boy pops back into her life after she thought another was “the one.”

One dark and devilish, the other her long-lost love. Evil forces trap her for a magic Fae stone, but which man can she trust? As a teen prophesied to be Fae king, Aodhán viewed the girl of his dreams through an Eye of Ra.

Once, he risked all to help Evie MacDougall find a magic Fae stone, only to end up imprisoned. Kept from his true love for years, he finds her at risk from an evil Fae hunting a magic stone.

Is a single vow strong enough to save true love, to save the human and Fae realms?

Read an Excerpt

Her head shot up, and he stood before her. “Hello, Evie.”

Her hand lifted as she moved it toward him, expecting it to pass through. When she touched his warm chest, she jerked back.

He captured it in his hand. “Aye, I’m real, Evie.”

He brought her hand to his lips and brushed the back, kissing her. Tingles shot from her hand to her heart. Only one person affected her that way. Aodhán.

His grin grew as he lowered her hand. “I’ve been away, and for that, I am sorry. But I’m finally freed. Free to revisit the human realm.”

Tears gathered in her eyes as he gazed into her eyes, her heart. Her Fae love, Aodhán, stood before her and held her hand.

“Evie, please let me make up my absence to ye. Let me show ye new hope and erase all doubt about yer feelings for me.”

She whimpered as a tear fell. “Aodhán?”

His hand came up and caught her tear. He rotated his palm and held it open, presenting a clear gemstone shaped like a teardrop.

Handing it to her, he whispered, “I can only stay a moment, but tomorrow I shall come to ye. I’m glad ye kept the sphere. I heard yer call every time. No more tears, Evie.”

He brushed a kiss on her lips. “Look for me tomorrow night in yer dreams. Don’t lose hope.”

Aodhán faded from her view.

Evie blinked. She turned around once, scanning the area. No one was about.

She turned again, calling out, “Hello?”

No one appeared on the street.

She pulled her camera up and pressed the button. Aodhán’s smiling face and ethereal glow came into view. Proof he’d visited and she’d not seen a ghost.

Her fingers brushed her tingling lips at the promise of tomorrow night.

About the Author:

Margaret Izard is an award-winning author of historical fantasy and paranormal romance novels. Her latest awards are 2024 Reader’s Favorite Honorable Mention for Stone of Love and 2024 Spring BookFest Silver Award for the same title. She spent her early years through college to adulthood dedicated to dance, theater, and performing. Over the years, she developed a love for great storytelling in different mediums. She does not waste a good story, be it movement, the spoken, or the written word. She discovered historical romance novels in middle school, which combined her desire for romance, drama, and fantasy. She writes exciting plot lines, steamy love scenes and always falls for a strong male with a soft heart. She lives in Houston, Texas, with her husband and adult triplets.

Website: http://www.margaretizardauthor.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mizardauthor
LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/mizardauthor
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DSGBDMRL
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/223346303-stone-of-doubt
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/stone-of-doubt-by-margaret-izard

The Guardian Awaits: Fata Morgana by Pamela Ackerson

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Pamela Ackerson will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Undercover agent, Colin Chase Rand had seen it all, or thought he’d had.

Cruising down the road, rocking to the radio, Colin came across an ethereal phenomenon, the Fata Morgana. It was no mere illusion. The shimmering surreal glow enveloped him, pulling him through a portal, setting his course to a different era and defying all explanations of reality.

Nothing could’ve prepared him for the next leg of his journey, a journey that would take him to a deceptively quiet countryside in Genoa City, 1935, where a sinister serial killer was lying in wait.

Read an Excerpt

He headed next door to the restaurant, grabbed a meal to go, and some Danish for his breakfast. The next morning, after he toured the House on the Rock, Colin headed southeast. Colin put it in auto-drive, looked at his itinerary, and played around on the radio. Preferring side roads instead of busy highways, he meandered through the countryside lost in his thoughts.

The long road had multiple mirages. The weather had been wacky lately, most likely causing all the mirages. He always thought they were like chasing a rainbow. No matter how close a person gets to it, it was always just beyond their reach. He recalled a long-ago memory with his mother.

She’d taken his hand. “Look. Colin. The end of the rainbow is right in our backyard. Watch what happens as we move closer.”

He’ll never forget that day. It withdrew from them as they moved toward it, but when they walked back to the house, they turned to look again. He expected it to be gone. Colin stood in awe. The rainbow glistened and beckoned to him.

Passing through Genoa City, a few miles from the Wisconsin and Illinois border, a stunning illusion of a mirage was on the road in front of him. The lights and colors were bending upward. The air was shimmering, similar to the northern lights. He stared, mesmerized by the sight.

The closer he got, the bigger it appeared. The road lifted upward, reaching skyward, creating an impression that the countryside was floating.

There were horses and people hovering in the air. He wanted to reach his hand out and pet the horses.

As he drove closer to the phenomenon, the more it wavered. Within seconds it morphed from within his reach to beyond the horizon and then back again. It was enchanting.

“Was it King Arthur’s sister, Morgan? Is she the one that had magical powers and could pull castles into thin air?”

Siri answered him, Morgan le Fay was King Arthur’s sister who lured sailors to their deaths by summoning visions in the sky. She created large objects to flow upward confusing the sailors, prompting claims of sighting the Flying Dutchman. A tale among the sailors, the ghost ship was cursed to sail the seas for eternity.

Colin held the steering wheel, watching as he entered the mirage. “Fata Morgana.”

About the Author: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Wall Street Journal bestselling, award-winning author, Pamela Ackerson is a time traveling adventurer. She was born and raised in Newport, RI where history is a way of life. She lives on the Space Coast of Florida where everyone is encouraged to reach for the stars!

Her literary journey is as diverse and adventurous as the time-traveling escapades she writes about. With a rich tapestry of genres at her fingertips, she weaves stories that span from the wild frontiers of the Old West to the intricate cultural tapestries of Native American history. Her work doesn't stop at fiction; she delves into the realms of history, self-help, and even marketing, showcasing a versatility that resonates with a wide audience.

Ackerson's presence on the Space Coast of Florida reflects her forward-thinking approach to writing, always aiming for the next big leap in her storytelling odyssey. Her prolific output is a testament to her dedication to her craft, inviting readers to join her in exploring the vast landscapes of human experience and imagination.

Honest reviews of her books are always appreciated.

Absolutely no AI tools were used to create this story or any story she has written.

Have a good moments day.

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B00QY1ARI4
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/PamAckerson
Facebooks: http://www.Facebook.com/pam.ackerson.7
Website: http://www.PamelaAckerson.net
Youtube: https://youtu.be/18yWcZv9OS0
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F2CNK4N6
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-guardian-awaits-pamela-ackerson/1147184589
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1735229

Everything You've Ever Wanted by Jess Ames

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Jess Ames will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Jenna Mitchell has spent her adult life under the control of her husband, her dreams of owning her own bakery pushed aside. But at twenty-eight, she's finally ready to reclaim her life and pursue her passion. Well… almost.

With the unwavering support of the Sensational Six—her close-knit group of friends—Jenna can finally envision a day where she is in charge of her own destiny, a big step forward for her. As she works at her friend’s café, Jenna begins to discover the strength and courage she needs to break free from her past and begin focusing on her future.

But can she quiet the echoes that keep finding their way back to her? Will the doubts they’ve created make it impossible for her to see—and trust—the path forward before her chance at a better life slips through her flour-dusted fingers?

Fans of Rachel Hanna will enjoy this warm and uplifting story about self-discovery, finding the courage to start anew, and the unbreakable bonds of chosen family.

Read an Excerpt

Since then, I'd been working hard to plan out the pastries that would make up the breakfasts at her writers' retreats. After months of planning and prep, they were finally starting up the following weekend. The Sensational Six had jumped into action and helped Paige put the whole thing together in a matter of a few months. It was incredible, and I was honored to be a part of it.

I'd worked hard and had proven myself, and I wouldn't let Craig ruin that for me. I felt safer with him behind bars. Safer than I'd ever felt (outside of weekends with my grandma when I was a child).

I took a lap around the apartment, trying to cool myself down a little bit. I took in everything I’d done to make the place mine in the last few weeks. I had hung white sheers and topped them with sunshine-yellow valances. The cushion on the white rattan couch that came with the apartment had been re-covered with a yellow slipcover and bright white and navy throw pillows lounged along the back. The framed prints I had found in the local thrift stores surrounded it nicely, and complemented the Iceland landscape painting centered above it that Cat had brought back from her travels and gave me when I’d moved in. “To remind you of the great big world that’s out there waiting for you,” she’d said. As I stopped to look at it, vibrant green mountains complete with a waterfall flowing into an otherwise still pool. I doubted I’d ever be brave enough to travel that far, and I admired Cat even more because she was.

I smiled at the thought, then sat back down at the table and slid my grandmother’s recipe book onto my lap. Thumbing the edges of pages I knew by heart, I flipped to one that held a memory that was equal parts fond and painful. Lavender cupcakes. The last thing we ever baked together.

About the Author:

Jess Ames is knocking on the door of fifty, but has the sense of humor of a twelve year old and the body of a fifty-four-year-old (according to her fitness app). She is “mama” to nine, “mimi” to four, “friend” to all, an adequate wife, and living the dream of the little girl who wanted to be a writer when she grew up.

They are both still waiting for that moment, so she’s writing in the meantime.

Website: https://JessAmesAuthor.com
Facebook: http://www.Facebook.com/JessAmesAuthor
Instagram: http://www.Instagram.com/JessAmesAuthor
TikTok: http://www.TikTok.com/@JessAmesAuthor

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Everything-Youve-Wanted-Clearwater-Dreams-ebook/dp/B0D9FMKVTQ
Signed paperback: https://jessicaames.com/collections/books/products/everything-youve-ever-wanted-signed-paperback

The Last Door, Ajar by Michael Holly Barrett

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Michael Holly Barrett will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

It is 1945. The infamous Max Smartz, superspy; Eva Braun, wife of Adolf Hitler; Joseph Goebbels, propaganda minister; and Otto Klugg, intelligence officer, do not die at the end of World War II, but trick the guards in the Fuhrerbunker tunnels, allowing them to make their escape. Their escape plan is to reach war-neutral Southern Ireland, where Maxwell Smartz has an established base and is familiar with rural south Kerry and its people. They evade capture and eventually reach France. Here, they meet with a good friend and colleague, an undercover agent called Maurice Le Blanc, who asks them to assist him in retrieving some stolen gold bars.

After finding the fortune, the friends attempt to retrieve it in an old Dutch van but are continually thwarted and risk losing everything. To complicate matters, they learn that Max's brother, Victor, has been incarcerated in the notorious Spandau prison and is being tried for Nazi war crimes. They hatch a plot to save him, but is it worth the danger of going back to Berlin and being caught?

Read an Excerpt

Just the week before, her own death rehearsal, the one she secretly vowed not to carry out. There will be no stage debut for this actress, she kept telling herself. Hitler returned to their sitting room in a fit of giggling uncontrollably, dribbling at the same time; she hadn’t seen him like that in a very, very long time. “What, pray tell, is the matter with you?” she wanted to know, and he tried to tell her between fits of coughing and laughing; the more he recalled the more he laughed at his own recollection of what just happened. “Sit down,” he ordered her. “That Goebbels, he is a dummy and a genius at the same time. Both in equal parts. I told him what I was about to do, using my own German Shepherd dog, Blondi.” Blondi was given to him by Martin Bormann in 1941, as a gift. “Joseph knows I loved Blondi, I told him I was testing the efficiency of the cyanide tablets given to me by Doctor Shultz. He understood, as I thought, because he turned to me and said, ‘I’ll take care of it for you, as I know of your fondness for Blondi. OK, Mein Fuhrer, just go, leave it to me’. I thanked him, I went for a walk upstairs to the Reich Chancellery, and sat down and took in some fresh air. It must have taken at least a half hour before I decided to return downstairs again, and who came charging out of the guest room — only Blondi jumping all over me, so glad to see me. Then Joseph must have heard the commotion and he came bounding out too, all smiling and happy with himself.

About the Author: My humble beginnings in a terrace house with an outdoor toilet and indoor rats. The drinking water was got from a public pump in the street. We were all sailing in the Titanic,Third Class, but we were not aware of anything better. We had so much fun, swimming in the river. As kids we had wonderful imaginations.The only luxuries we ever saw were in the Cinema, usually American films, people smoking and drinking alcohol.

Everyone in the town of County Cork, Ireland seemed to be in the same boat; we made the best of it until the swinging sixties came along and changed everything. In spite of our poverty, I managed to get a College education. But opportunities were as scarce as rich Uncles. The Christian Brothers were brutal, and handy with the cane, in National School. I was lucky like many fellows my own age to get an apprenticeship as a diesel mechanic. Soon developed a taste for Alcohol, and got into trouble pretty soon, was lucky again to find A.A. and get my act together in 1978.

My hero died in 1977, Elvis Presley, the music stopped, the sixties was over, the Beatles were broken up, CCR, too. So getting sober was the best thing to do, under the miserable circumstances. I got a job as a Pipe Welder with ASME 1X certificate and began working around Europe, finally settling in warm Spain, Barcelona and met a Catalunya woman. Started writing for the first time, mostly comedies, Peter Sellers style, another hero of mine.

This is my second published book, I also self published earlier works Like ,'Gorilla Days in Ireland' by Michael Barrett, on Amazon. The Frankie Stein Enigma, and others, I paint oil and acrylic pictures, write mountains of poetry, sing and play the guitar.

' I do just about everything, that doesn't make any money for me.' But love doing what I do, writing poetry is mind stimulating, energising.

My favourite actors are William Holden, Warren Oates, Gregory Peck, and favourite detective the great Peter Falk in Columbo, a genius and Clouseau, Peter Sellers, and Peter Ustinov.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100045861996652
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-barrett-78b686103/

AMAZON.COM: https://amazon.com/dp/177962574X
AMAZON.CA: https://amazon.ca/dp/177962574X
BOOKTOPIA: https://www.booktopia.com.au/search.ep?keywords=9781779625748
ABEBOOKS: https://www.abebooks.com/products/isbn/9781779625748
BETTERWORLD BOOKS: https://www.betterworldbooks.com/product/detail/9781779625748

Tales of the Ocean City by Christopher Kaufman

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Christopher Kaufman will be awarding $45 worth of digital products from his website to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

A young civilization is turning the corner into the future, but first they must face a terrible enemy from their deepest past - The Vorm..

The main characters are a young man named Harl’ut and his lifelong companion Vispushin - who is a perIanth, a kind of telepathic pegasus. Join them on this epic adventure as they lead a group of young warriors into the heart of the Vorm Hive.

Book One: Battle In The Sky is the first of five books which comprise the opening series of this epic tale. Here, Harl’ut and Vispushin and The Princess Bryn’lynn, engage in desperate battle over the southern plain with savage Vorm warriors. You will be uplifted by the passionate and thrilling conclusion of the first installment of this fantasy adventure.

Book Two: Descent Into The Abyss, Harl’ut recovers from his harrowing adventure from Book One: Battle In The Sky. He walks through the streets of The Ocean City, visits the Sculpture Garden and his friend, Elá, the bard, and engages in exciting training games with warrior/mentor, Calanctus. Then the story takes you down the throat of the vast volcano, Pla’than’taa, once worshipped as a god, where Harl’ut enacts a deadly initiation ritual, confronts the barbaric past of his people and battles a terrifying monster.

Read an Excerpt

Next to the eerie bulk of the WarChief alit the most impressive of all Perianths, the silver-maned stallion, Zhi’ga’fra. On his back was a man, lean and tall, his skin a deep burnt-orange color. Light green armor adorned his body. Whitish hair sprouted from under a simple gold helm. A mystical spray of light refracted from a bright green diamond prism in place of his left eye.

Verden, the ancient warrior who served as war-leader of Pla’than’taa, should such be needed, dismounted Zhi’ga’fra and pulled from the hideous bulk his green lance. He cleaned it on the tall grass next to the lake and looked about him. The WarChief’s remains were now collapsed in a heap, but Verdin noticed movement.

He went to it, kicked around, he saw the bulbous antennae on the WarChief’s head pulsing like a beacon. He drew a green coral blade from his sash, cut out the grotesque tentacle and tossed it, now lifeless, beside the wrack.

He felt a crushing weight of sadness fall upon him. He looked over to see Zhi’ga’fra, standing over the body of Zhii’gla, his son.

Verdin sighed, “I am so sorry dear friend... he was a great being... and died a tremendous warrior...” in response he felt from Zhi’ga’fra only a complex wave of grief, almost beyond even his ability to translate in his mind...“There will be more strife Zhi'ga'fra... I see war ahead.“

“Yes...as do I,” echoed the great creature, “These... things...Perianth’s have fought them before...long ago... an age past...I believe your race has encountered them as well...” Imagery now streamed in Verdin’s inner eye as he glimpsed the scenes flowing in Zhi’ga’fra’s mind.

“We thought they were all destroyed...we call them... the VORM...they are hideous and evil...and incredibly dangerous if their hive is reformed.”

About the Author:

Christopher Kaufman is an author, composer, presenter, illustrative artist and performer. He started imaginative fantasy books with illustrative art at the age of nine. During high school years he found music and attended The New Orleans Center for The Creative Arts and went on to major in music composition in college. He finished his schooling - earning his DMA in music composition at Cornell University where he studied with Pulitzer Prize Winning composers who prize his abilities as a composer.

Christopher is the type of person who needs imaginative fantasy scenarios to get to sleep. Therefore, he emerged from Cornell, not only with his degrees in music, but with the full event structure for his classic epic fantasy series Tales Of The Ocean City in his mind.

He began writing the story down in the early 2000’s, but it did not really come to life until he developed his home music ‘laboratory’ and started creating the music and text at the same time. Thus books one and two of TOC came about simultaneously as both graphically illustrated pages and effulgent audio albums filled with cinematic epic symphonic music.

They exist now as physical books and audio albums (that go together) and the new Video Book version. He performs live tours with the music pouring through speakers, live narration and the colorful pages streaming on screen -a true immersive multi-media experience.

Home Page: http://www.soundartus.com
Author Page: http://talesoftheoceancity.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@soundartus4807
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/talesoftheoceancity

Christopher believes in the transformative power of imagination. “Live with imagination!”

Smoke & Mirrors by Joanie Olson

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Joanie Olson will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Searching for an answer to a question you haven't asked yet? You are not alone. One small realization and a whole world unravels.

Woven through these pages are a series of my most significant life events relating to narcissistic victim/survivor syndrome. Inside are keys unlocking mysteries of complex PTSD, compounded through various forms of abuse.

A journey of highs, like the Freedom Convoy, and the lows of a failed longtime marriage. With spiritual forces at work behind the scenes, could a Christian home have so many secrets? The smoke will clear to reveal our true mirrored self.

Read an Excerpt

I was paralyzed, not just by fear but by dread and over exhaustion. It felt as though given the opportunity I could sleep for days, yet struggled to find rest. I relied on prescribed meds, and the morning was showing the outcome of dependence. Irish cream was a favorite to put in my first cups of coffee for added motivation. As nice as this hotel was, there was no minibar to ease the angst.

I was immobilized, unable to move, begging God to take me. How can I do this? How can I manage the full brunt of this day without any of the vices that helped me survive for some time?

I turned on the TV, made some hotel room coffee and laid there motionless, praying for the Lord to take me home. A text came in from my office manager, Sharon, a reserved woman who I had a sincere bond with. She encouraged me daily, and I valued her advice.

“Hey girlie, how are you doing over there?”

My response was as she suspected. She knew how hard the meetings were for me. She was my closest confidant, a friend that sticks closer than a brother. Such a blessing to me, she was gifted with an ear to listen, non-judgmental and caring. She loved me and I loved her right back.

I told her about forgetting my pills and couldn’t get out of bed. I couldn’t do anything. Her response was comforting. She said, “Then don’t, don’t go. Do what you need to do. Take care of yourself and don’t worry about the rest.” Her approval in this seemed to sooth my soul. She made me self-aware that I DID have the power to not go if I didn’t want to. I could just say I wasn’t feeling well, but something inside me won’t give up. I can’t give in to negative, intrusive thoughts just waiting for my demise.

About the Author: Joanie was raised on a farm in Saskatchewan, Canada. Life revolved around chores, school and church. Six older siblings and all the nieces and nephews added up to a large family.

Strong in doctrine and armed with a passion for truth, she's walked the walk of faith, facing challenges to overcome. She was married at 19, became a mother to a stepdaughter, and later birthed two children. Following years of turmoil in her marriage, she hit the inevitable breaking point.

Starting life over, she attended broadcasting college, going on to anchor morning news for the airwaves. Feeling isolated and rejected, her drive to help others who have gone through similar circumstances inspired this book. Through the Refiners fire, she's ready to share tools required to escape the fake and embrace the truth.

Amazon: https://amazon.com/dp/1779624719
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/54144406.Joanie_Olson

The Matriarch Messiah by Maxime Trencavel

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The author will be awarding $20 Amazon/BN gift cards to two randomly drawn winners. 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?

Funny question for the books that I write. They are not written to genre. Quite the opposite. Specific genre craft are deployed to tell different parts of the storyline to best engage the reader’s emotions and visualizations. So why is The Matriarch Messiah listed as science fiction as the primary genre? The beauty of generative AI is that it can analyse 190,000 words and give a comprehensive answer.

So what does Gemini AI say?

The novel “The Matriarch Messiah” appears to be a blend of genres, primarily:
• Science Fiction: It features futuristic technology like MoxWraps, MoxMovers, and advanced AI.
• Fantasy: It includes mythical elements like the “black object,” the “cavern of blue light,” and a prophecy about women returning to save humanity.
• Romance: There are multiple love stories and romantic relationships.
• Adventure: It features an epic quest to find the mythical object.
• Thriller: It includes espionage, danger, and action-packed scenes.
The novel also incorporates historical elements and themes, giving it a complex and layered narrative.

But when I “beat” on the AI and force a choice, science fiction comes to forefront. But it is a truly multi-genre piece of literature. So why is there enough science fiction elements in the book to pull into that genre? Science and technology innovations allow one to imagine what ifs and open up possibilities to help us better understand who are now.

What world-building is required?

Reviews of both books in the Mystery of the Matriarchs series get high marks for the world-building. In studying how to write, I learned two “isms”. In historical fiction, you need to get history correct. Research, research, research. Thus, the historical parts of my books are heavily and deeply anchored in research. Both book and live person sources. What I learned about science fiction is you need to get the science right or reviewers will flag your error. I was fascinated in fan dialogue about the technologies features in the fictional MoxWorld corporation. Got imaginations going.

Here’s an example. Years before Amazon shut down the Kindle from you owning the file, I wrote in The Matriarch Messiah MoxWorld’s launch of the MoxBook where you owned the book, could sell the book, could outline and draw and take notes in your book. All virtually. That was a piece of prophesy about how consumers would five years later want the ownership of their e-books.

Name one thing you learned from your hero/heroine.

I’ll take the liberty to name one thing about the two main characters.

With Peter Gollinger in The Matriarch Matrix, I wrote him as an anti-hero like Malcolm ‘Mal’ Reynolds in the TV series Firefly. Wow. That bombed hugely so in numerous rounds of beta reads. Women did not want to spend their time with a loser. Well, romance readers certainly didn’t. So, Peter, as he exists in the published books, is making the cut as a romance partner.

The main protagonist in both books is Zara Khatum, a fierce former Kurdish soldier, whose fictional life was carved from real life biographies, articles, and shaping from a Kurdish editor. The darkness of the violence committed against Kurdish women recently and over the centuries was vividly and realistically embodied into Zara’s history and her current plight. My alpha readers all had family who either had been in occupied countries or had been victims of oppression. They did not “blink an eye” at the early drafts. But once the final manuscript went to the masses in USA, there were some negative visceral reactions. So, a second edition of The Matriarch Matrix was released that toned done the reality of what really does happen outside the safe haven of modern North American countries. The sequel, The Matriarch Messiah, reflects some of the same real-world brutality the Kurds faced, but is toned down. The reviews so far have not reflected any negative sentiment.

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

I write to musical that reflects the emotions, the pace, the timbre of what I need to be writing for that specific section of a book. The saddest sections, I will write when the family is sleeping or in the solitude of a writing room so they don’t have to wonder why I am crying.

Are you a plotter or pantser?

I am a corporate strategist. So, I thought I was a plotter, which I do as I plan out a book. But once the prose creation time hits, my fingers just go where the “waves” take them like an expert surfer. At the end of the day, my books emotional reach comes from a pantser hiding in a plotter’s clothing.

Look to your right – what’s sitting there?

Alexander Murometz, megalomaniac world puppet master, head of MoxWorld Holdings. He’s tapping his fingers on the table wondering where are the book sales. Ouf. What a horrible monstrous task master.

Anything new coming up from you? What?

The Matriarch Mission is a new work with development editor and beta readers. It is a novella length prequel to the two published books in the series. Set during the Russian Civil War, the roots of the black object and the cavern of the blue light are explored.

Questions that will be answered in this prequel:

Where did Rachel Capsali, in The Matriarch Messiah, find her all consuming passion to find the truth about Asherah?

Where did Alexander Murometz get the funding to create his all powerful MoxWorld Empire so he could solve the mystery of the ancients and find the legendary black object?

Who said Zara Khatun will end the world as we know it [plot spoiler] in the final book of the series, The Matriarch Mandate?

That said, I will outline the Matriarch Mandate during April on the shores of Mallorca.

Do you have a question for our readers?

Given the multi-genre, multiple plot lines, multiple timelines of The Matriarch Messiah, how does one target the readers of such a work of literature? Certainly, Kindle has the most genre and sub-genre choices and this novel as with its predecessor fits none of the usual suspect descriptions. In the reviews so far, those who are brave enough to take the “risk” reading it find the experience favorable.

Zara Khatum, a woman haunted by ancient visions, finds herself drawn deeper into the heart of a perilous quest. Guided by a mysterious voice, she seeks to fulfill an ancient prophecy and find the cavern of blue light - a sanctuary rumored to hold the key to saving humanity. But the path to salvation is fraught with danger, and Zara is torn between her destiny and her heart.

A shadowy organization, known as NiQihs, seeks to exploit the power of the legendary black object, the source of Zara's visions, for their own sinister ends. They are not alone. The world's superpowers, driven by greed and ambition, race to control the artifact, threatening to unleash unimaginable devastation.

Joining Zara in this dangerous pursuit is Rachel Capsali, a brilliant Israeli archaeologist driven by a personal quest to uncover evidence of Asherah, a forgotten goddess who held a pivotal place in ancient Israelite faith. Unbeknownst to them, both women are bound by a shared destiny - a prophecy foretelling the cavern of blue light and a final, heartbreaking truth: two women will fight to the death, and only one will save us all.

Adding to the complexity, a passionate triangle forms as Rachel vies for Peter Gollinger's affection, a man deeply entangled in the ancient mystery. Zara, torn between fulfilling her destiny and her own feelings for Peter, finds herself caught in a web of conflicting desires.

As Zara and Rachel navigate a treacherous landscape of hidden agendas, betrayal, and relentless pursuit, their rivalry for Peter's affections intensifies. Can love survive the forces that threaten to tear them apart? Will the quest for salvation lead to a heart-wrenching sacrifice?

Read an Excerpt:

"So, what's so special about some random legend?" says Rachel. "My safta raba Ariella said, 'She said one day Nearat and her daughter will return. Humanity will wane and wobble. And the woman who will save humanity will bring peace from the blue light. But to return, one must overcome one's fear of death. Two women will fight so that one will die. For only in the death of life as one knows it can she be in the light. Until then, Inanna awaits.'""

With a light chuckle, Mei combs through ground-penetrating radiation scans as she says, "Be thankful you only had to memorize seven sentences. That guy from California with the Kurdish woman had to memorize four times that much. His grandfather made him say it backwards, even. As random as your safta raba's saying may seem, it isn't to Murometz, and even Jean-Paul, who's aggregating oral traditions like yours with thousands of others he's collected, including those from the Vatican archives. They are far from random now."

Slowly walking in concentric circles from the black box MoxWorld loaned her, Rachel views the real-time scan images as she says, "I wish I could have met Mr. Murometz when you and Jean-Paul screened me. Not that I didn't relish our time together."

"Come on, Rach. You wouldn't wear that dress I made for you, much less the vamp shoes and makeup we designed," says Mei.

"I didn't mean to meet him in 'that' way," says Rachel as she runs her hand along her braids. "If I'm not worthy enough minus my lady bits, then he isn't worthy enough for my time, I say."

"I never said you had to wear those simply ravishing clothes for him," says Mei.

"Well, certainly it wasn't for Father Sobiros, I assumed. And you said Murometz was fascinated that my safta raba's words included a reference to a Sumerian goddess whose priestesses were known for prostitution. I only assumed he was hinting he wanted the same out of me, as all the rumors would suggest," jests Rachel. "Wait. Do you see what I see?"

"Hold on, Rach. I have an incoming call from the president of China."

About the Author:

Maxime has been scribbling stories since grade school, from adventure epics to morality plays. Blessed with living in multicultural pluralistic settings and having earned degrees in science and marketing, Maxime has worked in business and sports, traveling to countries across five continents and learning about cultures, traditions, and the importance of tolerance and understanding. Maxime's second novel, The Matriarch Messiah, was conceived, outlined, written, and edited in different locations in Belgium, including the Turkish and Kurdish neighborhoods of Brussels, in various islands of the Caribbean, in Colombia, in Madrid, Malaga, Mallorca, Spain, London, UK, and on the two coasts of the United States.

Book and author website: https://tailofthebird.com/
Author Blog: https://tailofthebird.com/blog
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MaximeTrencavel
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maximetrencavel/

Amazon: https://amzn.to/4bubPb8 $0.99 on Amazon
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/series/mystery-of-the-matriarchs
iBooks: https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-matriarch-messiah/id6742783963 $0.99 on iBooks
Google Books: https://books.google.com/books/about/The_Matriarch_Messiah.html?id=I_9LEQAAQBAJ $0.99 on Google Books

Being Broken by Geoffrey R. Jonas

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Geoffrey R. Jonas will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

A young woman dies alone in a hotel room, her fentanyl-poisoned cocaine still on the desk. She had been missing for nearly 2 weeks. Social Services had been trying to find a place for her to live with her 3-year-old son, whom she had left with her parents. Six months later her father fights for his life in intensive care, but succumbs to his illness because of a lifelong use of alcohol and tobacco. A month after his death her mother is assessed by doctors to be unable to care for herself because of her Alzheimer's and mental health issues brought on by benzodiazepine and alcohol addiction.

The son, brother, stepson is the only one left to pick up the pieces. He begins a journey of the self and finds out the truth of his family. After going over letters, notes, emails, videos, and text messages, he uncovers a disturbing picture of the abuse his sister suffered at the hands of their parents. He also begins to better understand his own struggles with mental health and substance addiction because of the trauma and abuse he also suffered from their parents.

Follow the son as he looks through his family history to discover the generational abuse that trickled down through the years. Learn about how parents who suffer from narcissistic personality disorder emotionally abuse and manipulate their children. See how the abuse and trauma becomes mental illness in the abused, and how they fall into vicious traps of addiction, eating disorders, self-harm, and complex post-traumatic stress disorder. Witness the transformational change of the son as he works on the recovery of his inner child and tries to become the man he was meant to be.

Read an Excerpt

Essay: Fault vs. Responsibility and Blame

Before I continue, I wanted to interject a discussion on fault versus responsibility and blame. My ability to have forgiven my father all came down to a discussion with my therapist on whether they were at fault for my trauma, or if they were responsible or to blame for that trauma.

Human beings are not born with instincts. A baby left on its own will die. It will not search for food, it will not try to move or walk, and its only means of communication are cries. Many animals are born with instincts, such as marsupials or rodents that instinctively move to a mammary gland or an ungulate that will attempt to get up and walk or move, as soon as it is able, to find food.

With this truth in mind, the conclusion is that all human behaviour is learned from our caretakers, then our peers as we get older. Early childhood development dictates that children learn behavioural responses as soon as they are engaged by a caregiver. If we give them love and support, they develop healthy adaptations to the world around them. If their cries are unheeded and we leave them abandoned and rejected, a myriad of mental health issues will emerge as they get older.

This leads to how we apply fault vs. blame to behaviour and choices people make as they get older. We can’t fault a child for being racist if that is what their caregiver taught them; however, we can blame them for their actions if they are cruel and make the choice to harm others because of what they learned.

Further, we cannot fault an individual that suffers from a serious mental health issue if they have learned that adaptive behaviour due to not being provided with the proper love and support as they were developing. Again, however, we can blame them for making choices that cause harm to others. It is not their fault that their learned behaviours condition them to make poor choices, but they are still choices that have consequences.

This is a key factor in generational abuse and trauma. A child that grows up in an abusive home develops poor adaptive skills and behaviours. This can lead to all kinds of poor coping skills such as abusive behaviour towards others, self-harm, eating disorders, Substance Use Disorders, Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and an array of other mental health issues.

However, these disorders are treatable. It is critical that once we identify these types of behaviours, the individual begins a process of treatment and therapy to unlearn them and develop healthy ones instead. This took me years, and it is a lot of work. Many cannot do so without the proper support structures to allow it to happen. It is vital that treatment happens to end the generational cycle of abuse.

About the Author: Geoffrey is a first-time author. He lives peacefully by a lake, spending his time writing, painting, gardening, and woodworking. His recovery is ongoing, and he enjoys his privacy and seclusion.

Website: https://geoffreyrjonas.ca
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/55118142.Geoffrey_R_Jonas
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/livingwithcptsd.bsky.social
Amazon: https://a.co/d/eJTO4wq