Monday, August 31, 2020

How Old is Grandma? by Antoinette Simmonds


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Antoinette Simmonds will be awarding a $25 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.

A humorous family mystery about a Grandma's big secret! Kendall and Kayson love going to visit their grandparents and their Grandma's birthday means CAKE, but how many candles to put on it? As the story unfolds, and misunderstandings abound, inquisitive Kendall is surprised to find out more than he bargained for. “How Old is Grandma?” joyfully illustrates the interactions amongst a loving African American family; children, parents, and grandparents and the learning experiences they share. Warm story-telling with a humor and charm that illustrates an understanding of the funniness and peace of mind that is so commonly found in children. The first in a series of books written for children ages 4 and up.




About the Author:
Antoinette Simmonds has more than 25 years’ experience as a teacher. She is an Adjunct Professor at two community colleges and has worked in the past as a teacher of software and a high school business teacher. She holds a BA in Business Education and a master’s degree in Instructional Technology.

As an African American woman, mother of 3, and grandmother of 3, over the years she has found fun, joy and shared experiences sharing books with children. Now as a grandmother and an emerging voice in writing, her goal is to produce a memorable series of humorous family-oriented stories featuring people of color to share, “Teaching is my passion and I am thankful that I am sharing my joy and passing it forward.”

Website: http://nanasbookshelf.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AntoinetteSimmondsAuthor/
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/antoinettesimmondsauthor

Buy links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/How-Old-Grandma-Antoinette-Simmonds/dp/1735029521/ref=sr_1_2
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/how-old-is-grandma-ian-dale/1137189738

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Friday, August 28, 2020

Among the Pages by Sara R. Turnquist

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

What I Would Tell a Newbie Author…




I would not presume to say that I have all the answers. In fact, I am still fairly new to the whole writing game, relatively speaking. But I don’t want to be guilty of not passing along whatever knowledge I gain along the way. So, this is my “Letter to the Aspiring Author.”

I want to share what information I have gleaned while it is fresh in my mind. I am about five years (having signed my first contract in 2015) and 13 novels in. And, as I mentioned, I think it’s important for us to share our experiences and “leave the porch light on”, so to speak. This way, those coming behind us can find their way along the path.

When I was a newbie, I wondered often about what I needed to do next, what I needed in my arsenal, and what my day should look like. I will try to help out with these (and other) questions as much as I can...

WRITE THE BOOK. First, delve into writing the best book you can. Every aspiring author is such because there is a story within, trying to get out. Inspiration has struck! Get it out on paper. Do what is needed to write the best book. This may involve learning how to write. Well how do I learn how to write?

READ BOOKS ABOUT THE CRAFT OF WRITING. Anything by James Scott Bell, Susan May Warren, or Brandilyn Collins are my favorites. Some of the best reference books I’ve found on craft include The Emotion Thesaurus, Rivet Your Readers With Deep Point of View, Super Structure, Getting Into Character, and The Story Equation. There are tons of books out there on the craft of writing. You just have to get started somewhere.

GO TO CONFERENCES. I cannot say enough about the difference investing in conferences has made for my writing. Learning from experts (in writing, publishing, editing, and marketing), networking with other writers, having the chance to learn firsthand by pitching your work to an agent or acquisition editor...these are just a few of the gems that come from going to a good conference. There is probably a conference near you (it may be small, but I recommend starting small). And there are larger conferences in different genres. Bob Mayer has a book titled Writer's Conference Guide: Making the Most of Your Time and Money. I highly recommend it for first timers.

FIND A CRITIQUE GROUP. If you can, join a writing critique group, even if it's online. Find a good one. What I mean is that there should be at least one person in the group that is published. Or you may end up in a situation where the blind is leading the blind. Also, some groups can end up tearing down the more talented writers...that's not what you want. So be on the lookout for that. A good critique group is going to give you feedback, but give it constructively.

MENTOR. As you continue on your journey, see if you can find a mentor. Maybe it will be someone in your critique group who is farther along in their career, maybe it's someone you come across at a conference. But a mentor is an invaluable resource.

WRITE THE BOOK. Are you still writing that book? Cause that's what it's all about. You have to have the book. It's all about the book.

LEARN ABOUT QUERYING. The query is the email or letter you send out to entice someone about your book. To try to “sell” your book, if you will. There is a bit of an art and a science to writing queries.

“Query Shark” has a blog on blogspot. She is a literary agent and is an amazing resource on how to write a query. When you do start querying, please be mindful to research the agent or publisher you wish to submit to, they each have their own submission guidelines. Some will want a cover letter, some won't. Some want a formal book proposal, some want just sample chapters. Just be mindful and follow their guidelines to the letter.

BUILD A WEBSITE. You need to start building a PLATFORM. I know that sounds like a big, scary word. But, if you plan on marketing (another scary word) your book, you need to have your own website. Instead of delving into everything that makes up a platform, I'll just focus on why you should set up a website. You want a place where your readers/fans can come and visit you. You do not own Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Those platforms can change their rules tomorrow. And their algorithms are constantly changing. Don’t rely on these social media outlets to be your only Internet presence. Set up your own website at the very least. This is one of the best pieces of advice I can give you about platform. Oh, and start collecting email addresses (with permission) to start a newsletter.

WRITE THE BOOK.In the end, it's still about the book. These other things are ways to enhance your experience as a writer. But, you cannot forget that it is about your idea, your story, and your novel. Never lose sight of that. And there will be days when you don't feel like spending time with your book—editing, revising, or writing. But it is important to spend that time creating. Just try to sit down and make yourself start working. Once the pump is primed, the juices just might start flowing. You won't know until you try.

A woman’s choice…is in question.

Brianne is a somewhat naïve college freshman. She becomes disillusioned as her professors and peers challenge many of her long-held beliefs. When she finds a diary that belonged to a distant relative, she hopes it will offer much needed distraction. And she is soon drawn into the story of a passionate woman who seems to whisper from the past.

In 1915’s New York, idealist and primary teacher Margaret struggles with the problems women face at home and in society. She is first timid about speaking her mind, but in time cannot keep her impassioned spirit hidden—not even from the gentleman who teaches in the classroom next door. His concern for her stretches the limits of their friendship, pressing into something more. Caught up in the Women’s Suffrage Movement, she faces down authority figures and others who question her beliefs.

And so, Brianne is whisked along on this journey as Margaret joins the fight for women’s rights, all the while trying to work through her own questions and experiences with modern feminism.

Before long, things spin out of control and she wonders where her newfound relationship fits into everything? Are there any clear answers? Will she land on her feet? Or be forever lost to herself?


Read an Excerpt

CONTEMPORARY TIME PERIOD – Brianne goes to hear a Speaker from NOW (National Organization for Women)

“Ask yourself,” the woman continued, now staring at Brianne.

Heat crept into her cheeks.

“What am I worth? Where does my value lie? What can I take hold of and rely on in this life?”

Ms. Mason scanned the room, and Brianne shivered.

As much as she’d like to dismiss all of this as nonsense, the woman’s questions would not quiet. Where was her worth?

Wasn’t it in Christ? That felt rather abstract. Could that be a foundation?

Her parents believed she was special, but they wouldn’t always be there.

Scott seemed to think her worth his time and attention. Should she rely on a man to give her value? That made her uneasy.

Where did she belong? On what truth might she base her life? Her value?

She rolled the question in her mind. Stymied.

Thunderous applause broke out around her; several of the students and faculty around her rose.

Brianne clapped and stood. Except… she didn’t know what to think about the speech. Still, it was the polite thing to do. Wasn’t it?

The applause quieted, and the crowd started moving, some toward the exit, some toward the speaker.

Brianne gathered her notebook and pen, bending to grab her bag.

“I’m going to ask her some questions,” Daria said, leaning over her.

Brianne shot up and looked at the front of the room. A small crowd surrounded Ms. Mason. “Sure.”

Daria gripped at her elbow. “Come on.”

Did she wish to face down Ms. Mason? The thought made her stomach do a little flip. She met Daria’s eyes. “I think I’ll head back to the dorm. I’ve got that Chemistry homework to finish.” And I want some time to think. Alone.

About the Author:
Sara is a coffee lovin', word slinging, Historical Romance author whose super power is converting caffeine into novels. She loves those odd little tidbits of history that are stranger than fiction. That's what inspires her. Well, that and a good love story.

But of all the love stories she knows, hers is her favorite. She lives happily with her own Prince Charming and their gaggle of minions. Three to be exact. They sure know how to distract a writer! But, alas, the stories must be written, even if it must happen in the wee hours of the morning.

Sara is an avid reader and enjoys reading and writing clean Historical Romance when she’s not traveling. Her books range from the Czech lands to the American wild west and from ancient Egypt to the early 1900s. Some of her titles include The Lady Bornekova, Hope in Cripple Creek, The General’s Wife, Trail of Fears, and the Convenient Risk Series.

Happy Reading!

Website: http://saraturnquist.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarat1701
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/authorsararturnquist/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarat0103/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/saravturnquist/
YouTube: https://bit.ly/sara-youtube

Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08BH42H5X/ref=sr_1_1

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Wednesday, August 26, 2020

The Tiger Like Me by Kelsey Lee



This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Kelsey Lee will be awarding a $20 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.

This is the story of Abhi, a brave young girl who dares to be different. As she follows the call of her adventurous spirit, she encounters inspiring creatures of the jungle who remind her to face her fears, recognize the beauty of the present moment, and walk the path less travelled.


Read an Excerpt

Mom always tells me, “You need to slow down, and dress up like a princess, wearing your crown.”

Silly Mom, if only she knew. I don’t want to be pretty, and part of the queue. I have so many adventures to create and pursue.

I’d rather be wild and do things that shock her, than dress up in a gown, feeling improper.

Abhi’s my name, and adventure’s my game. My heart is open and it cannot be tamed.

Whatever the quest, I’m up for the mission. Limitless wonder, or focused expedition.

About the Author:
Kelsey Lee is a writer and adventurer who lives in Calgary, Alberta. With a diverse background from business owner to yoga teacher, most often, you can find her writing, working with children, and exploring all that nature has to offer. Kelsey finds daily inspiration to value child-like curiosity and empathy through her two children, and her work in Equine Therapy. As a free-spirited child herself, Kelsey has always believed that anyone could achieve their wildest dreams, no matter how far-reaching. She passionately encourages self-empowerment and self-esteem, as The Tiger Like Me, aims to support the reader in honouring their individuality to be courageously unique, and playfully curious.

Website: http://kelseyleeauthor.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kelseyleeauthor/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Kelsey-Lee-Author-103153121229617/

BUY LINKS

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Tiger-Like-Me-Kelsey-Lee/dp/0228818001/
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-tiger-like-me-kelsey-lee/11362521027
Indigo/Chapters: https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/the-tiger-like-me/9780228818007-item.html

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Tuesday, August 25, 2020

The Descendant by Melissa Riddell

 

 

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Melissa Riddell will giveaway to randomly drawn winners via Rafflecopter a $10 Amazon/BN GC, a signed copy of The Descendant (book 1), or an ARC of the second book in the series. 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?

I’ve always loved romance, along with sci-fi, fantasy, and paranormal.

What draws you to it?

I think creating connections between two characters and making them fall in love is what draws me to romance writing. But I enjoy adding more to it than just human meets human and falls in love—I need a good story showing them living in a breathing world and fighting against external odds.

What research is required?

For sci-fi, it’s dependent on whether it’s based in our “contemporary” world, a new world, or the future. If it’s contemporary, I make sure what I’m referencing or using is correct. For instance, in The Descendant, I double-checked the Trappist-1 system’s location and habitable planets. Even though I was fairly sure of my knowledge, I still double-checked myself. Also, Jareth is highly intelligent (smarter than me), so I did a lot of research on terms, etc. to make sure he wasn’t spouting dribble. That’s the danger of creating characters who know more than the writer—they make us work harder!

Futuristic world building gives more leeway, in my opinion, because your tech can be based on hypotheses. This is a nice protection, since they can’t be proven, and no one can say, “Aha! Gotcha. That can’t happen.” Fantasy and paranormal also sort of fall into this category, too, though if I’m writing to market, I still follow certain rules, so the reader isn’t thrown completely out of their element.

Name one thing you learned from your hero/heroine.

Hmm, I learned Tilly and I were a lot alike, yet she’s much tougher than me.

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

I’ll only write on a certain laptop, which is in desperate need of repair, but I’m too afraid to send it to the repair shop and lose my writing mojo!

Are you a plotter or pantser?

I’m a big-time pantser. For The Descendant, I had no idea what was going to happen—I just sat down and let the characters shape the story. For the second and third books of the Baltin Trilogy, The Betrayer and The Redeemer, I had to write a loose outline, ensuring I answered any plot holes in The Descendant. I hate outlines, and even with them, my crazy brain changed several of the scenes.

Look to your right – what’s sitting there?

A small notepad and pen, which I use when I need to jot down a quick idea or line of dialogue.

Anything new coming up from you?

Yes! I have a shifter novella called Ravenlight releasing on October 7, and the final book of the Savage Worlds series, The Redeemer (which wraps up Tilly and Jareth’s story) in December.

Do you have a question for our readers?

Oh, I get to ask a question? I like this! Readers—how tarnished do you like your heroes and heroines?

1. No tarnish—let them be perfect. They’re heroes, duh!

2. A little tarnish, because all that dirt makes it easier to see the unblemished parts.
3. Mostly tarnished. Eh, rules and morals? Those were made to be ignored occasionally for the right reasons.
4. Dang! That tarnish is gonna need a power wash! They’re teetering on the edge of hell and in serious danger of becoming an anti-hero.

She wants her world back; he wants her heart.

Tilly Morgan and her four-legged companion, Kodiak, are just trying to survive the alien arrival. Two years ago, the visitors unleashed devastation—a world-wide EMP followed by a deadly virus that wiped out more than half of humanity.

Traversing the lonely landscape, she runs into an alien on patrol with one order: eradicate all human life. A mysterious, dark-haired stranger named Jareth comes to her aid, and she reluctantly allows him to join her quest to find her sister. He even persuades her to let the damaged alien tag along against her better judgment.

As her group travels the desolate world and inches closer to her goal, she’s forced to examine her unwanted feelings for Jareth and come to terms with her heart, even if the truth threatens to destroy her and everything she’s come to believe.

Read an Excerpt

Walking down a long, metallic corridor, the hall opens, and I see people sitting at terminals or standing on discs.

Visual readouts project holographic images at the stations. Some of the crew wear visors over their eyes and move gloved hands to swipe at virtual images of the triangular ship and the solar system. When Eva passes their stations, several follow the procession with guarded faces.

The back of a chair rests in the middle of the spacious room. Before the seat is an enormous window that looks out into space.

One soft, polished boot dangles over the side of the chair. Long, deft fingers drum a beat on the black coat that covers the knee.

Freaking, evil granny. I should’ve known she wouldn’t keep her nose out of my business.

In slow motion, the chair swivels in my direction.

I want to crawl and hide. Instead, I stand and stare like the idiot I am.

About the Author:
Melissa Riddell is from a small, West Texas town in which she still lives with her husband. Her writing career started as a hobby when she was a teenager, writing poems and short stories. Eventually, she branched out and began constructing novels. When not contemplating new story ideas, she can be found traipsing around Texas State Parks, herding her cats, or reading a book.

You can follow her on several different social media platforms below:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/melcriddell
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/MelCRiddell
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/averela
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/melcriddell
Website: https://averela13.wixsite.com/melissariddell

Amazon buy link: https://www.amazon.com/Descendant-Baltin-Trilogy-Book-ebook/dp/B07ZWHVKBP/
The book will be $0.99 during the tour.

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Bandits and Ball Gowns by Christina Bauer


This post is part of a Cover Reveal Tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Christina Bauer will be awarding a Fairy Tale Charm Bracelet to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

One Prince Finds True Love ... And Risks It All

Elle Cynder has fallen hard for Alec, the 'prince' of Le Charme Jewelers. Time for some happily in their ever after, right?

Not so much.

While the new couple shares joyful moments--and sizzling kisses--serious trouble is brewing. Elle's evil stepmother, Marchesa, schemes with none other than Alec's twisted father, Legend. Their plan? Destroy Elle and Alec, along with everything the young lovers hold dear, including Bry, Knox, and Wilhelm.

Another Royal Freezes His Heart ... But For How Long?

As a prince of the dark fae, Jacoby focuses on one goal: avoid assassination. Marrying Elle would certainly aid in that cause, considering how she's both a Cinderella life template and a powerful fae warden. Even better, Jacoby doesn't truly love Elle. In court life, deep romantic attachments only mean certain death.

Then Jacoby notices Elle's youngest stepsister, Agatha.

For the first time in his life, Jacoby's cold heart warms with true affection. The elven prince struggles to ignore his feelings, but it might be a losing battle. And what would the prince's newfound emotions mean for Elle and Alec? Could Jacoby really stand by and watch another's true love be destroyed?

Buckle up for a wild ride as Cinderella's time-honored story gets some all-new twists.

FAIRY TALES OF THE MAGICORUM

1. Wolves And Roses
2. Moonlight And Midtown
3. Shifters And Glyphs
4. Slippers And Thieves
5. Bandits And Ball Gowns


About the Author:
Christina Bauer thinks that fantasy books are like bacon: they just make life better. All of which is why she writes romance novels that feature demons, dragons, wizards, witches, elves, elementals, and a bunch of random stuff that she brainstorms while riding the Boston T. Oh, and she includes lots of humor and kick-ass chicks, too.

Christina graduated from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School with BA’s in English along with Television, Radio, and Film Production. She lives in Newton, MA with her husband, son, and semi-insane golden retriever, Ruby.

Be the first to know about new releases from Christina by signing up for her newsletter: http://tinyurl.com/CBupdates

Stalk Christina On Social Media – She Loves It!

Blog: http://monsterhousebooks.com/blog/category/christina
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorBauer/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/CB_Bauer
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christina_cb_bauer/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christina-bauer-481b12139
Web site: http://monsterhousebooks.com/authors/cbauer

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Monday, August 24, 2020

Murder by Munchausen by M.T. Bass

This post is part of a virtual book tour organizee by Goddess Fish Promotions. M.T. Bass will be awarding a $50 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

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

Well, here’s the problem: I don’t write in a genre. I get ideas for characters or plot lines and just go with it. When I’m done, I have to figure out what the heck I’ve got with my manuscript. Sometimes it ends up being a Mystery or a Spy Thriller or a Satire or a Romance or a Sci-Fi/Police Procedural/Serial Killer Murder Mystery/Tech Thriller—like the Murder by Munchausen Trilogy. And you know what? I don’t read in only one genre, so why should I only write in one? And that keeps it interesting for me, too.

What research is required?

Sometimes it seems like I am doing as much research as I am pounding out words of my manuscripts. You definitely have to have information on your setting—whether that’s the Alaska pipeline, San Francisco, Washington DC, or Cleveland, Ohio. You don’t always need to put in a lot of info, but you need to get it right. Then, there are all the different kinds of characters and their jobs, hobbies, and even their inner thoughts, good and bad. I guess it would be easier if I only worked with things in my own wheelhouse, but that’s a pretty shallow pool. A good friend of mine, author Jay Spencer Green, said that it’s not about writing what you know, but knowing what you are writing about.

Name one thing you learned from your hero/heroine.

Jake is already a lot like me. But Maddie…When I wrote The Darknet from her point-of-view, I had to really stretch myself to get a totally different world-view from her perspective.

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

I am much more of a re-writer than anything else. I only write the first draft once, but I go over it again and again and again. And again. I actually never finish a novel. I just get it to a point where I finally have to abandon it and put it into print.

Are you a plotter or pantser?

Definitely a pantser. I get started and never really know where I’m going to end up. Even when I try to plan things out, the characters inevitably seem to have their own ideas. And it’s always better—more natural to do what they want for them and for the story.

Anything new coming up from you? What?

The sequel to my very first book, My Brother’s Keeper, will be coming out on October 22. It’s called Jungleland. I am working with a narrator named Kristi Alsip to record the audiobook of The Darknet and get it out early next year. I’m also about 25% done with Murder by Munchausen Book #4: Motherless Children. With more to follow…

A Cyber Crime Thriller Series: Notorious serial killers digitally resurrected to live & hunt again in hacked replicants, pursued by detectives of the Artificial Crimes Unit.

Read an Excerpt

It sat on a bench outside the dormitory of nursing students, waiting with its kind’s infinite patience. Originally acquired and programmed for landscaping at the Cleveland Clinic, the synthoid was one of a brigade of units which had been hacked and Munchausened, then returned to their menial daily services to mankind to await the Baron’s call.

There was no adrenalin surge behind the extremely life-like facade of humanity when that call came. Data packets, sent scatter-shot through the Atlas Grid, coalesced at the location outside the Cole Eye Institute where the synthoid methodically trimmed and shaped the immaculate shrubbery around the building. To avoid Q’s metadata sniffing algorithms from detecting a download spike in the grid, the information came in digital sprinkles over the course of its human handler’s work shift, slowly building a malevolent intent to be executed that night. In the middle of the afternoon, the synthoid left the unfinished topiary to melt into the hospital shift change and disappeared.

Personality modules were a Gen-3 feature upgrade, which is why the earlier models were initially preferred. Swapping out a few IC chips and uploading hacked firmware was a relatively easy way to turn a quick buck with an automated contract killing. But evil innovates, too, and the same features that made synthoids even more human-like in their behavior also helped create robotic assassins which could better camouflage their malicious intents and evade the reach of the Artificial Crimes Unit by melting into and moving undetected through the humanity that surrounded them. For the Baron, it allowed for a greater measure of artistic expression in programming the synthoid’s behavior to not only recreate infamous crimes of the past but to mimic the behavior of their perpetrators, which intensified the thrill of watching the video feed through the eyes of Jack the Ripper, Ted Bundy or, this particular evening, Richard Speck. Jake wasn’t the only history buff, and it amused Jamal that London police had photographed the eyes of Jack the Ripper’s victims, hoping to capture the last thing they ever saw: their killer’s face. If only Scotland Yard could have imagined the future…

About the Author
M.T. Bass is a scribbler of fiction who holds fast to the notion that while victors may get to write history, novelists get to write/right reality. He lives, writes, flies and makes music in Mudcat Falls, USA.

Born in Athens, Ohio, M.T. Bass grew up in St. Louis, Missouri. He graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University, majoring in English and Philosophy, then worked in the private sector (where they expect “results”) mainly in the Aerospace & Defense manufacturing market. During those years, Bass continued to write fiction. He is the author of eight novels: My Brother’s Keeper, Crossroads, In the Black, Somethin’ for Nothin’, Murder by Munchausen, The Darknet (Murder by Munchausen Mystery #2), The Invisible Mind (Murder by Munchausen Mystery #3) and Article 15. His writing spans various genres, including Mystery, Adventure, Romance, Black Comedy and TechnoThrillers. A Commercial Pilot and Certified Flight Instructor, airplanes and pilots are featured in many of his stories. Bass currently lives on the shores of Lake Erie near Lorain, Ohio.

Website: https://www.mtbass.net/
Blog: https://www.owl-works.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/owlworks/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Owlworks
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/author/mtbass
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5270962.M_T_Bass

Murder by Munchausen Trilogy Page: https://mtbassauthor.wordpress.com/murder-by-munchausen-trilogy/
Murder by Munchausen Page: https://mtbassauthor.wordpress.com/scribblings/murder-by-munchausen/
The Darknet Page: https://mtbassauthor.wordpress.com/scribblings/the-darknet-murder-by-munchausen-mysteries-2/
The Invisible Mind Page: https://mtbassauthor.wordpress.com/scribblings/the-invisible-mind-murder-by-munchausen-future-crime-mystery-3/

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Munchausen-Trilogy-Future-Mystery-ebook/dp/B07QDGHYZ6
Amazon - Murder by Munchausen: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01NBTE2C5
Amazon - The Darknet: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1946266035
Amazon - The Invisible Mind: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DFF75L3

Apple Books – Murdery by Munchausen: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/murder-by-munchausen-future-crime-mysteries-book-1/id1265577038?mt=11
Apple Books – The Darknet: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/darknet-murder-by-munchausen-future-crime-mystery-book/id1308636037?mt=11
Apple Books – The Invisible Mind: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/invisible-mind-murder-by-munchausen-future-crime-mystery/id1347259796?mt=11

Barnes and Noble – Murder by Munchausen: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/murder-by-munchausen-future-crime-mysteries-mt-bass/1126893450?ean=2940154482971
Barnes and Noble – The Darknet: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1127398596?ean=2940154614679
Barnes and Noble – The Invisible Mind: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-invisible-mind-mt-bass/1127943545

Kobo Books – Murder by Muchausen: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/murder-by-munchausen-future-crime-mysteries-book-1-1
Kobo Books – The Darknet: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-darknet-murder-by-munchausen-future-crimes-mysteries-book-2
Kobo Books – The Invisible Mind: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-invisible-mind-murder-by-munchausen-future-crime-mysteries-book-3

Smashwords – Murder by Munchausen: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/739086
Smashwords – The Darknet: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/757708
Smashwords – https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/789818

Audio Books – Murder by Munchausen

Listen to Sample: https://soundcloud.com/user-228147948/murder-by-munchausen-by-mt-bass-audiobook-sample
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Munchausen-Future-Crime-Mysteries/dp/B07VYVVCVX
Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/audiobook/murder-by-munchausen-sci-fi-police-procedural-techno/id1470234503
Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/Murder-by-Munchausen-Audiobook/B07VXS568M
Audiobooks.com: https://www.audiobooks.com/audiobook/murder-by-munchausen-a-sci-fi-police-procedural-techno-thriller/387085
Barnes and Noble: https://www.nookaudiobooks.com/audiobook/1003799/murder-by-munchausen
Chirp Audiobooks: https://www.chirpbooks.com/audiobooks/410042
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/audiobooks/details/M_T_Bass_Murder_by_Munchausen
Kobo Books: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/audiobook/murder-by-munchausen

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Friday, August 21, 2020

The PSP Chronicles - Keep On Kepping On by Tim Brown



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

Readers will recall in September of 2013 and at the age of 57, Tim was diagnosed with early onset dementia. He was referred to a neurologist at London Health Sciences Centre – Parkwood, in south-western Ontario. Further physical and cognitive testing aroused the suspicions of the neurologist and Tim was referred to a neuro-ophthalmologist and a movement disorders specialist. In August 2014, just weeks away from Tim’s 58th birthday he was diagnosed with PSP – progressive supranuclear palsy. Frontotemporal dementia was concerning enough, but now he had to live with the fact of a life limiting illness. A disease that would steal him away bit by bit… inside and out. A journey with a certain ending. With a candid narrative he continues to share with readers his physical, mental wellness lamentations and their effects on the family dynamics. But Tim’s journey is more than these. More importantly for him, it is about a journey of unwavering faith in God, no matter the outcome.


Read an excerpt

Almost everyone can identify with some physical manifestations of PSP. Muscle rigidity and fatigue. It stops there. Those with PSP also experience falls, balance-gait… movement disorders. Also, on the menu are swallowing issues, lack of eye movement, speech difficulty, depression, anxiety, apathy, and even double incontinence.

However, dementia associated with PSP (FTD- Frontotemporal) or any dementia is a different beast altogether. Who hasn’t experienced forgetfulness? Have you put things in the wrong place? How many of you have experienced the fear, having found yourself in unfamiliar surroundings and not knowing how you got there? How about frustration causing angst trying to do simple mathematics in your head? Following instructions or even remembering conversations? Then there’s word retrieval and the slow thought process, or even losing time – I call this a braincation. These are a sampling of the challenges associated with a dementia.

About the Author:
T. J. Brown – an ordinary family man with an extraordinary story. In 2018 Tim published his first book The PSP Chronicles Volume I. The narrative details his personal journey with PSP - progressive supranuclear palsy, a rare terminal brain disease and frontotemporal dementia. The first book, and now the second in a series, are a platform to raise prime of life disease awareness, and advocacy. Providing support to organizations like CurePSP® and the PSPA – UK through the proceeds of book sales. One of the more popular PSP awareness campaigns is the Ice Cream Challenge. You can see by his Author picture he takes these challenges seriously.

https://www.amazon.com/PSP-Chronicles-II-Keep-Keeping/dp/1699519633
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-psp-chronicles-volume-ii-tim-brown/1136037212
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50335820-the-psp-chronicles-volume-ii

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Thursday, August 20, 2020

The Wars Among the Paines by John M. Millar



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

Spanning over 200 years of American military history, “The Wars Among the Paines” (Koehler Books, September 30, 2020), tells the complex story of a family defined by war, accounting in vivid detail its toll in blood, treasure, and emotional turmoil. Nearly 50 years in the making, “The Wars Among the Paines” is the debut novel by Vietnam veteran John M. Millar, who tells a story that illustrates how the consequences of America's foreign wars escape the boundaries of the front lines, and ripple through generations of families, friends, politics, and the lives of we the people.

Read an Excerpt

INTO THE GREAT UNKNOWN, THE OTHER HEART OF DARKNESS—CAMBODIA

Our mission was to become the northernmost company of the 1st Air Cavalry Division in Cambodia. Our target was NVA supply bases believed to be in NVA Base Area 351 (the Belly). We had limited maps and aerial photography since we had been forbidden to cross the Cambodian border before, except in “hot pursuit.” My company was directed to be the lead company for the combat assault on Cambodia.

However, our battalion commander changed our mission, based on his observations from his chopper, noticing new roads going under the jungle canopy. A Cobra pilot spotted NVA trucks and troops and eliminated them. More trails were leading into the jungle that suggested that NVA supply depots were in that vicinity. We were diverted to FSB Myron to load up on Hueys and be inserted into the jungle, 500 meters north of yesterday’s contact.

I always went on the first Huey in and the last one out of any insertion. When we landed, I put my old platoon on point in single file until we found blood trails and then made first contact with the enemy. Upon contact, we formed an on-line assault formation and moved forward. Then the NVA opened fire. Our on-line assault formation was right at the NVA advance spider holes (shallow fox holes), forcing the NVA to attempt to pull back.

As the NVA was attempting to retreat, our FO (forward observer) directed artillery fire right on top of their retreating men. Our grenades took out their shallow bunkers. During their deployment, my platoon found caches of weapons and ammunition lying directly on the ground. The enemy fought fiercely against my men, firing from all sides simultaneously. Our forward observer was busy coordinating the fire from 105mm howitzers from FSB Myron, and Cobra Attack Helicopters were unleashing their mini cannons and 20mm rockets. I was beginning to recognize that we had uncovered a major enemy arms and food cache that the NVA was not going to surrender without a major fight. Because we had stumbled into it, we were not organized to withstand a major enemy assault. Somehow, I was going to have to get our company back in position to deal with the prospect of a major counterattack.

About the Author:
John M. Millar has no traditional experience in writing a novel. “The Wars Among the Paines” is a result of a fifty-year process since returning from Vietnam in 1969. Millar grew up in Central Pennsylvania; and graduated from Cornell University in 1966. He served in the U.S. Army from 1966-1969; graduated from Officer Candidate School in July 1967; served as a First Lieutenant with the First Infantry Division in Vietnam in 1968 and 1969; and received two Bronze Stars, an Air Medal and a Commendation Medal from the U.S. Army. From the Vietnam government, Millar received the Vietnamese Honor Medal and the Vietnamese Gallantry Cross for joint operations. He graduated from the Darden Graduate Business School, University of Virginia with a MBA in 1972. For the past forty-five years, he has served in senior executive positions in the department store, regional mall REITs and mixed-use town center development industries.

Website: http://thewarsamongthepaines.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/warsamongthepaines/
https://www.koehlerbooks.com/writer/john-m-millar/
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20171543.John_M_Millar

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Wars-Among-Paines-John-Millar-ebook/dp/B086L4L5D7/
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-wars-among-the-paines-john-m-millar/1136756769

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Wednesday, August 19, 2020

The Three Kitties That Saved My Life by Michael Meyer


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Michael Meyer will be awarding a $20 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Michael Meyer 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.

"This is like drinking tea and honey on a cold day." When tragedy struck, I thought for sure that my own life was at an end. I was wrong. This is the true story of how two stray rescue cats and a woman named Kitty, whom I finally met after a wild ride of internet dating, brought love, romance, and laughter back into my life.

Love was then.
Love is now.
Love is forever.

WINNER of the 2018 Stephen Memorial Award
FINALIST for the 2014 RONE AWARD
A True Romance Memoir

If you love reading feel-good memoirs, then don't miss THE THREE KITTIES THAT SAVED MY LIFE, where "Mike Meyer pens a tender tale of love, loss, and renewal. The depth of emotion is palpable...The Three Kitties will tug at readers' heartstrings, as they ride through the emotional highs and lows of Mike Meyer's remarkable story." - InD'tale Magazine

Read an Excerpt

And, to add a delicious icing to the lovely taste of my life, I can say with total honesty to the whole world, my voice booming into the sky, my dancing feet not caring in the least who might see me, that I have been very fortunate to have done something that brings more sheer delight and wonderful pride to me than anything else that I have accomplished in my life: I have fallen madly, head-over-heels in love not once, but twice, and how many others can say that?

About the Author:
Michael Meyer is the author of mysteries, thrillers, humorous fiction, and non-fiction: Love and romance, laughter and tears, thrills and fears.

He has resided in and has visited many places in the world, all of which have contributed in some way to his own published writing. He has literally traveled throughout the world, on numerous occasions. He has lived in Finland, Germany, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. He gained the wanderlust to see the world, to experience other cultures, at an early age, and this desire has never left him. If anything, it has only gained in intensity as he has aged.

As a recent retiree from a forty-year career as a professor of writing, he now lives in Southern California wine country with his wife, Kitty, and their two adorable rescue cats.

Website: https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005E7M8CW
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MichaelMeyersWritingLife/

Buy links: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CGND93E/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i2

On sale for only $0.99.

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Dark Matter by Alyssa Huckleberry



This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Alyssa Huckleberry will be awarding a $10 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

“Survival is light years away.”

Earth is dying. The only salvation for humanity is colonizing space, yet so far that has failed. The last hope for survival exists on a planet light years away…and the mission is fraught with danger. Teenager Selina Alois leads a group of six high achievers who pass the exam of a lifetime to earn a position on the precarious expedition. As the mission launch approaches, dark secrets are exposed about the planet. Further digging reveals a sinister plot that not only risks humanity’s fate but also puts Selina and her team to the ultimate test.

Read an Excerpt

“How did he infect you?” I asked, ignoring Gunther’s other statement.

“Don’t worry, they’re not going to infect you,” Gunther scoffed bitterly. “You don’t have to guard against them.”

“I still want to know,” I pressed. I was surprised and a little bit doubtful that the Heidel beings weren’t trying to infect me. It was a topic I’d revisit after I learned more about infection.

“It’s not a onetime deal,” Gunther explained. “They start small, they interact with you casually, so you feel a false sense of security. They build slowly from that foundation. And then one day you realize you’re infected. I don’t know if it’s that way for everyone.”

I was preparing my next question when a strange look overcame Gunther. His face twisted and he grasped his head in both hands in apparent agony. A pit settled in my stomach as I realized that our topic of conversation was somehow responsible for Gunther’s torment. I didn’t need any explanation to know that the Heidel being was insidiously protesting Gunther’s report.

“Gunther?” I asked nervously.

Gunther ignored me. He squeezed his head tighter and let out a low moan.

“Gunther,” I repeated earnestly, this time leaning forward across the table to nudge my friend, “are you okay?”

Again, no answer. I shook Gunther’s arms and was finally able to elicit a response. But when Gunther looked up, it was with finesse that I’d never seen from Gunther before.

My breath caught and my blood froze. I was sitting across from Gunther the human, but the Heidel being had taken over.

About the Author:
Alyssa Huckleberry grew up in San Diego as the oldest of four children. After earning a business degree from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Alyssa spent a short time working in finance before transitioning to work in education. Today Alyssa works as a fifth grade teacher and she LOVES her job!

When she isn't teaching or writing, you can find Alyssa running, reading, practicing yoga, traveling the world, or spending time with those dearest to her. She loves spending time outdoors, growing in her faith, and learning new things (hence, the great amount of time spent reading, traveling, and going on adventures!). A true lover of whimsy, she also believes everything is better with a latte in hand.

Alyssa's first novel, Rescuing Racei, was published in 2004 (while Alyssa was still a high school student) and later won the San Diego Book Award for Best Young Adult Novel. Since then, Alyssa published three other books to complete the series: Stealing Splendiferous, Magicus, and The Maleku Map.

The Struggle is Real was an inspired piece written for an adult audience as a stand-alone work. Her latest novel, Dark Matter, is written for a young adult audience. It is the first book in what will be a science-fiction series imagining a future of space exploration!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alyssa.huckleberry/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3162224.Alyssa_Huckleberry
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Alyssa-Huckleberry/e/B00J8X3RSM/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_book_1

Dark Matter purchase links:

Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/Dark-Matter-Alyssa-Huckleberry/dp/1734419865/ref=sr_1_2
Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/Dark-Matter-Dystopian-Science-Fiction-ebook/dp/B08CS2HPDN/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0

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Tuesday, August 18, 2020

The Promise Kept by Maggie Mae Gallagher



This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Maggie Mae Gallagher will be awarding a $25 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.

Cybil Roe gave her heart away thirteen years ago only to have it wind up shattered. With painstaking determination, she has rebuilt her life into something to be proud of today. Yet all her future plans are upended when the only man she has ever loved returns to Echo Springs. Nor does it help that he seems bound and determined to draw her back into his life. Cybil vows to stay away from him, no matter what seeing him all the time does to her resolve.

Miles Keaton wiped the dust of his hometown off his shoes years ago, never expecting that life would lead him back to the place where he had begun. Coming home to Echo Springs, to Cybil, to start a new law practice and a new life is a risk he never thought he'd take. She hates him – with good reason. Years ago, he walked away when she needed him the most. But now is he back, and intends to argue the case of his life, one more important than any he has debated in a courtroom, because she is the one woman he cannot live without.

Can Miles convince Cybil to take a second chance on him, or will a secret she has kept all these years destroy any future they might have?

Read an Excerpt

At five until seven, Alex texted her that he was outside the building. Cybil headed down the wooden stairs that tended to creak in spots. At least the lighting in the stairwell was decent, glowing off the muted tan walls to create a warm atmosphere. When she strode across the small building lobby that was really nothing more than an oversized foyer and opened the door, she noticed that the lights in Mr. Biddle’s office were on already. The old codger did like to get an early start.

She pushed open the front glass and wood door to permit entry to her client. Admittedly, Alex was an attractive man in his black workout gear. His naturally wavy blond hair was meticulously trimmed, his angular jaw clean shaven, his cheekbones sharply pronounced, and he had a mocha gaze that always seemed set to smolder anytime he glanced in her direction. She just wished his smolder, along with his six-foot lean build, did something for her girly bits, but it didn’t. Maybe it was because she knew him well and thought he had the personality of a turnip. Not to mention there was an undercurrent of menace she sensed that he tried to hide behind a polished sheen that she didn’t trust. She kept her grimace to herself and said, “Alex, come on in.”

“Cybil. You look refreshed this morning,” Alex said, telling her with his gaze that he appreciated her, the way a man did a woman he found attractive: his gaze roving over her body, warming over the sweet spots like he was a lion envisioning sinking his teeth into a gazelle.

A part of her wished she could feel something for him, anything really, other than mild annoyance.

Before she could reply, Clark Biddle shuffled out of his office, wearing gray tweed slacks with a matching suit jacket, a bright canary yellow dress shirt, and a multicolored plaid bow tie to complete his ensemble. For a man in his eighties, he was rather spry and moved with efficiency.

“Cybil, I’m glad I caught you. If I could have you come into my office for a few minutes so I can introduce you to your new landlord?” Clark’s voice boomed and echoed in the stairwell.

“I have a personal training session. Can it wait?” she asked, indicating Alex with a slight nod as he crowded her. Really, the man needed to learn about personal space.

“It shouldn’t take more than a minute,” Clark said, his bushy, stark-white eyebrows raised. The tufts of his matching white hair were in wild disarray and windblown. Clark’s hair, for all his styling clothing wise, always looked like he’d stuck his finger in an electrical socket and was just too busy to care about taming what was left on his balding dome.

With a sigh of defeat, because she knew Clark well enough that he wouldn’t let up until she capitulated, she turned to Alex. “Would you mind going on up and getting yourself warmed up on either the treadmill or elliptical? I’ll be right up.”

“Sure thing, as long as you don’t forget about me,” Alex teased in an attempt to flirt with her.

Her annoyance at his insistent innuendos climbed, but instead of showing it, she pasted a bland smile on her face and said, “I won’t. I’ll be up shortly.”

Alex gave her what she was sure to his mind was a sexy half grin and a swaggering tilt of his head intended to make her swoon. Too bad it made her want to roll her eyes and ask if that move had worked for him in the past. As Alex ascended the stairs, Clark steered her into his office. The man without fail smelled of peppermint and Old Spice aftershave.

“Now, as I mentioned last week,” Clark said, “the terms of your lease will stand for the full twelve months. Then you will have to negotiate a new lease with your new landlord.”

Cybil replied, “Thank you, I appreciate that. I—”

Oh, sweet biscuits and gravy, no!

Not him. Anyone but him. She’d take the devil himself in exchange. Give her Beelzebub, give her Hades, give her the Hells Angels biker gang, all of them, over the man sitting so casually in Clark’s office like he owned the place—which from all indications, he now did.

“Cybil. Good to see you. From what I understand from Clark, you’re one of my new tenants,” Miles Keaton said in his deep baritone voice as he rose from his seat when she entered the office.

“No,” was all she could say. He couldn’t be her new landlord. Surely she was still in bed and having a nightmare. That was all. She would wake the moment her alarm rang. Any minute now.

Miles raised a golden brow in her direction. His turquoise eyes, the ones that had haunted her dreams for thirteen years, regarded her coolly, with indifference.

It would have been far better if he had gotten fat or gone bald over the last thirteen years, losing some of the tousled golden hair that always looked like he’d run his long, sturdy fingers through it a hundred times. But if anything, he was like a fine wine or scotch, where he’d only gotten better, more potently gorgeous and alpha with age. The handsome, strong lines of his face had matured, and there were crinkled lines at the corners of his enigmatic eyes that glimmered with intelligence. He hadn’t shaved today, and there was a hint of darker golden stubble gracing his square jaw, framing a pair of the most kissable lips she’d ever seen and tasted on a man. His six-foot-two, broad-shouldered frame, which had always been solid, had thickened and filled out with muscle. He wore a pair of tailored black slacks that rode low on his lean hips and a crisp salmon dress shirt, unbuttoned at his neck, that should have looked girly, but which made Miles appear even more dominant and alpha, if that were possible.

The man had always been a walking wet dream. And dammit, but her girly bits awoke like a princess awakening from true love’s kiss, and were throwing an excited rave at his presence.

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

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

Website: https://www.maggiemaegallagher.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MagMaeGallagher
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/magmaegallagher
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7846308.Maggie_Mae_Gallagher
Twitter: https://twitter.com/magmaegallagher?lang=en
Amazon Author Page US https://www.amazon.com/author/maggiegallagher
Amazon Author Page UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/Maggie-Mae-Gallagher/e/B00JG1IIVC/
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/maggie-mae-gallagher
Newsletter: https://www.maggiemaegallagher.com/newsletter/

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2UbMvQE
Nook: https://bit.ly/3dyNhyN
Kobo: https://bit.ly/3dHWzYE
iBooks: https://apple.co/2XwRPQI

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Mimi Takes Paris by Elizabeth Cooke



This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Elizabeth Cooke 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.

It is the start of the adventures of a small black poodle, escapee from a cruel puppy mill, who is rescued by Nicole Marcel, a pretty girl singer in the City of Paris. The two become inseparable.

The little dog has an animal intelligence and a tremendous sense of smell, and proceeds to solve a murder, and other crimes by nasal prowess. Mimi gains celebrity status, as does her PERSON, Nicole.

It is a Cozy Mystery like no other!

In book two, titled “Mimi’s Paris Dilemma,” Mimi’s reputation, (and that of Nicole’s), is sullied by an unfair assessment by the public. The little dog slowly regains status by solving other crimes.

Read an Excerpt

Mimi was fortunate enough to live in Paris, and she knew it. She, and her ‘person’ resided in a petite hotel on the Left Bank. That ‘person’ was young and pretty and would leash Mimi for walks.

In winter, Mimi wore a pink wool coat with a tiny, white handkerchief peeking out from a pocket on the back. It was so handsome against her jet -black toy-poodle hair. Of course, in warm weather, she only sported the leash.

How proud was Mimi to parade along the rues and boulevards. All of 12 inches long and perhaps 10 inches high, she walked with such elan, that people noticed her. She liked that. But most of all, Mimi reveled in the fact that she had been lucky enough to be endowed with a moist, black muzzle with two intense nostrils that provided her with a world of sensuality.

The scent of companion dogs with messages left behind, greeted her at every corner. The odor of soupe a l’oignon or boeuf, simmering in wine, emerged from the bistros as the two passed by, one two legged, the other on four. Oh, and to pass a fromagerie, was a special delight. The smell of the pungent cheeses from across the country within the little store could not be contained, and all of France was laid before Mimi’s hungry little nose.

Occasionally, Mimi was lucky enough to find a morsel of crepe au sucre on the rue Cler, inadvertently dropped by a hungry tourist who had been munching while he walked. Ah, life was good. What a lucky dog am I, was her constant thought.

Mimi knew she was smart, and she knew her sense of smell was extraordinary, even for a dog. She could define with her nose every herbal addition to a stew of veal with sage, or rosemary in a gigot d’agneau. Oh, the herbal names meant nothing, but the specific tingle in her nostrils made everything so clear, distinct and utterly delicious.

But not this time. This was a dark odor. It was the smell of blood.

About the Author: The daughter of the Dean of Medicine at Columbia University, Elizabeth Cooke was raised in Manhattan, graduating from The Brearley School, and Vassar College, with a major in Drama, and minor in Art. As a young woman, she worked in theater and as a casting consultant, briefly served on the board of MoMA, before moving to Paris for three years, after her marriage ended. There, she immersed herself in the museums, studied at the Sorbonne, cooked at The Cordon Bleu, and traveled all over Europe. Until recently, Elizabeth Cooke resided on the East End of Long Island. For 10 years, she was the Chairman of The Bide-A-Wee Home, a prestigious animal shelter complex in New York City and Long Island. She also served on the Executive Committee of the Westhampton Free Library for 30 years.

ParisIn “Eye of the Beholder,” completed after the memoir, Elizabeth Cooke writes in rather irreverent terms, of the lives of six artists and the most compelling muse in each of their lives: next came, “A Shadow Romance,” an odyssey of an unfulfilled love affair between a mature New York City couple: then, the four “Hotel” books. She has just completed “How To Game People Without Even Trying,” the true story (fictionalized) of the murder of her second husband in his Paris apartment. A fifth ‘hotel’ book, titled “Rendezvous at a Small Hotel” has just been released. The sixth hotel book, “Intrigue at a Small Hotel” has received top honors from The Paris Book Festival for 2016. The seventh and final in the hotel series, “The Hotel Marcel Dining Club” is currently available.

For her, there is great joy in having the gift of expression that writing provides, and this is reflected in her rather prolific output.

https://elizabethcookebooks.com/
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54433406-mimi-takes-paris
https://www.facebook.com/ElizabethBuffyCooke
https://twitter.com/MimiTakesParis
http://www.bookstagram.com/elizabethcookebooks
http://www.instagram.com/elizabethcookebooks
http://www.pinterest.com/elizabethcookebooks

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2ZXgIF
Barnes and Noble: https://bit.ly/38G7W2m

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