Monday, November 30, 2020

No More Secrets by Joanne Guidoccio


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Joanne Guidoccio will be awarding a $20 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Five Little Known Facts About Me


1. Decluttering is one of my favorite stressbusters. Whenever I feel anxious or overwhelmed, I take several deep breaths and search for something (anything) to declutter. It could be an individual file, drawer, closet, or storage area. I can spend anywhere from fifteen minutes to an entire week on the project. Once everything is in its proper place, I feel happy and peaceful. And often lighter…I lost three pounds the week I decluttered the storage area.

2. I love my stability ball. Ten years ago, Guelph trainer Rose Parr introduced me to this flexible, easy-to-store vinyl ball that has helped improve core stability and balance. I quickly learned how to do push-ups, sit-ups, curls, chest flies, and squats using the ball and eight-pound weights.

3. I am controlled by a bird clock. Each hour, one of my feathered friends, among them the Downy Woodpecker, Belted Kingfisher, and Great Horned Owl, chirp and remind me to pace myself. A much kinder reminder than the annoying kitchen timer.

4. I was a toastmaster from 2008 to 2015. During those seven years, I achieved the following designations: Competent Communicator, Competent Leader, Advanced Communicator Bronze, and Advanced Communicator Silver.

5. David Bowie’s song— “(You Will) Set the World on Fire”—inspires and motivates me whenever I need an extra dose of confidence. While Googling the title, I discovered it’s also part of the following quote by Saint Catherine of Siena: “Be who God meant you to be, and you will set the world on fire.” Even more inspiring!

Angelica Delfino takes a special interest in the lives of her three nieces, whom she affectionately calls the daughters of her heart. Sensing that each woman is harboring a troubling, possibly even toxic secret, Angelica decides to share her secrets—secrets she had planned to take to the grave. Spellbound, the nieces listen as Angelica travels back six decades to reveal an incredulous tale of forbidden love, tragic loss, and reinvention. It is the classic immigrant story upended: an Italian widow’s transformative journey amid the most unlikely of circumstances.

Inspired by Angelica’s example, the younger women share their “First World” problems and, in the process, set themselves free.

But one heartbreaking secret remains untold...

Read an Excerpt

Tupperware in all the pastel shades. Head-to-toe clothing and accessories in the same hues. Who does that? Bellastrega shook her head at the avalanche of plastic that accompanied Velia Russo into the kitchen. She was already on her third trip back from the car, puffing and panting as she placed her food gifts on the kitchen table. Bellastrega could feel her jaw clenching at the thought of all those white devils—heavy sauces and creams and pounds of sugar—contaminating the kitchen.

Velia held one finger. “One more trip,” and then she was gone.

Bellastrega turned her attention back to the hearty vegetable stew that had been simmering on the stove. She sighed contentedly as she breathed in the aroma of the rosemary and Italian seasonings. Angelica’s favorite. As she glanced at the appetizing array of vegetables, she mentally calculated how long it would take to finish cooking. Everything was on schedule, and dinner would be on the table at six o’clock. Why had Velia decided to arrive three hours early?

From the start, Bellastrega had her misgivings about this all-girls weekend. She had listened while Angelica lovingly described each niece and shared her concerns regarding their unhappy lives. At first, Bellastrega had humored her, not realizing Angelica was intending to help her nieces get back on track. Her duty as aunt, she had explained.

Bellastrega had formed her own judgments regarding the three younger women. Usually right on target, Bellastrega had been surprised when this particular incarnation of Velia Russo arrived, laden with her food gifts. From Angelica’s descriptions, Bellastrega had expected a younger version of her mother, Rosetta, a heavy-set hausfrau and gossip, not this glamour-puss who could pass for a younger Martha Stewart. But first impressions could be deceiving.

“Help. I need your help.” The whiny voice interrupted Bellastrega’s thoughts. Sighing, she lowered the heat and made her way to the living room.

Bellastrega resisted the urge to laugh as she took in the comical sight before her. To save herself another trip, Velia had decided to lug in a large Pullman using her left hand, carry a pastry box in her right hand, and use her teeth to hold on to her purse.

All this for a weekend get-together? What would she have packed for a longer trip? Bellastrega forced a smile as she took the pastry box from Velia.

About the Author:
In 2008, Joanne Guidoccio took advantage of early retirement and launched a second act as a writer. Her articles and book reviews have been published in newspapers, magazines, and online. When she tried her hand at fiction, she made reinvention a recurring theme in her novels and short stories. A member of Crime Writers of Canada, Sisters in Crime, and Women’s Fiction Writers Association, Joanne writes paranormal romances, cozy mysteries, and inspirational literature from her home base of Guelph, Ontario.

Website – https://joanneguidoccio.com
Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7277706.Joanne_Guidoccio
Pinterest – https://www.pinterest.ca/jguidoccio/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/authorjoanneguidoccio
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/joanneguidoccio/
Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/Joanne-Guidoccio/e/B00FAWJGCG/

Buy links:

Amazon (US) - ttps://www.amazon.com/No-More-Secrets-Joanne-Guidoccio-ebook/dp/B08CVTYWWX
Amazon (Canada) - https://www.amazon.ca/No-More-Secrets-Joanne-Guidoccio-ebook/dp/B08CVTYWWX
Amazon (UK) - https://www.amazon.co.uk/No-More-Secrets-Joanne-Guidoccio-ebook/dp/B08CVTYWWX
Amazon (Australia) - https://www.amazon.com.au/No-More-Secrets-Joanne-Guidoccio-ebook/dp/B08CVTYWWX/

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Dirty and Sweet by Megan Slayer



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

There’s a debt and she’s willing to pay -- with her heart!

Alex Malachi wants a sub, but not just any girl. He needs the right one. The moment he sees Jessie, he knows he’s found the perfect sub. He won’t stop until she’s his.

Jessie Brown’s been in lust with Alex Malachi since she started working at his BDSM club, Indigo. When he requests her services, she can’t refuse. Jessie’s always had a thing for older men, and Alex fits her bill. But when Alex realizes Jessie’s father owes him over a hundred grand, will the offer involve paying the bill with her heart?

Read an Excerpt

“I’m told you’re not able to attend college. That’s what you informed me of, too, correct?” he asked.

She stiffened. She’d given him the truth earlier, so there was no need to lie now. “I thought the college had increased my tuition, but it turned out that the money just hadn’t been paid. I don’t know what happened, but I didn’t find out I was late until the past due notices came. By then, the semester had started, and I was out on my ass. I asked my father, but he seems clueless.”

“I see,” he said. “Your father borrowed a lot of money.”

“He did.” She winced. She wasn’t sure where the cash had gone.

“You can’t go back until you’re paid up?”

“Correct. I can afford the books on my wages here, but not the tuition or my apartment. I had to move back in with my father.” She rubbed her bare arms to hide the chill and the embarrassment. “I’m in the hole with the school for almost nine grand.”

“I see.”

She stroked the front of his suit coat, loving the feel of the soft fabric under her fingers. “What do you want from me? You said there was a deal.”

©Megan Slayer 2020, All Rights Reserved

About the Author
Megan Slayer, aka Wendi Zwaduk, is a multi-published, award-winning author of more than one-hundred short stories and novels. She’s been writing since 2008 and published since 2009. Her stories range from the contemporary and paranormal to LGBTQ and white hot themes. No matter what the length, her works are always hot, but with a lot of heart. She enjoys giving her characters a second chance at love, no matter what the form. She’s been nominated at the LRC for Best Author, Best Contemporary, Best Ménage, Best BDSM and Best Anthology. Her books have made it to the bestseller lists on Amazon.com.

When she’s not writing, Megan spends time with her husband and son as well as three dogs and three cats. She enjoys art, music and racing, but football is her sport of choice. She’s an active member of the Friends of the Keystone-LaGrange Public library. Find out more about Megan and Wendi at:

Website: http://wendizwaduk.com/indexMegan.htm
Sign up for the newsletter here: http://ymlp.com/xgjmjumygmgj
Blog: https://wendizwaduk.wordpress.com/
Fan Page: https://www.facebook.com/wendizwaduk.meganslayer/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/MeganSlayer

Amazon Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/Dirty-Sweet-Malachi-Brothers-1-ebook/dp/B08LG4BZCW/ref=sr_1_2

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Wednesday, November 25, 2020

Trusting a Warrior by Melanie Hansen



This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Melanie Hansen will be awarding a $50 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Five things you probably can’t guess about me:

1. I’m way older than I look! People tell me that all the time, and they’re usually shocked when I say I’m 52. I’m proud of looking younger, but catch me first thing in the morning and I do look every second of that age, ha ha.

2. I’ve never read the Harry Potter books *ducks* or Lord of the Rings books *ducks again*. I haven’t seen any of the movies either! I fall asleep during most movies, to be honest. Must be my age.

3. Back in my 20s, I used to be an avid camper and backpacker. I’m talking roughing it—filtering my own water, no bathrooms, days without a shower, etc. Now my idea of roughing it is when there’s no coffeepot in my hotel room!

4. I spent thirteen years as a court reporter. I’ve worked on murder trials, pharmaceutical trials, federal and state grand juries, stays of execution, all of that. I’ve flown on private jets and seen bullet holes in lawyers’ office windows put there by disgruntled clients. It was a fun, interesting, and never-boring job, that’s for sure! It might sound crazy, but I also don’t miss it at all.

5. My husband recently retired from the Navy, and during the first twelve years of our marriage, we moved eight times! My boys went to three different elementary schools. Now that he’s retired from the military, we’re finally able to put some roots down here in Arizona. I secretly love moving, though. Don’t tell my family!

Thanks so much for hosting me today!

George Monteverdi always had one goal, to become a navy SEAL. Now that he's both a SEAL and a K-9 handler, saving lives is his priority. When tragedy touches his own life, he handles it—with the help of his crew and his dog, Bosch. Having those guys by his side means he’ll never be alone…though any sort of romance feels like a faraway dream.

Heartbroken after her fiancé falls in love with another woman, Lani Abuel seeks comfort in the arms of a stranger, only to find herself pregnant and alone. She’ll do whatever it takes to be a good mother, which means finally facing the trauma in her past. The last thing she expected was a warrior with wounds all too similar to hers finding his way into her heart and loving her child as his own.

As their worlds entwine, Lani and Geo find the joy and redemption they’ve been seeking. But despite the sanctuary they’ve created, a forever love seems impossible. A K-9 handler who spends most of his time deployed with his SEAL team, staring danger in the eye, is far from what Lani—or her baby—needs, and Geo can’t imagine a future doing anything else.

Read an Excerpt

When they reached the reception hall, Geo and Lani stood just outside the pool of light, watching while the wedding couple danced together on the gazebo. The bride was radiant in a light pink cocktail dress, her groom in khaki pants, the sleeves of his matching pink button-up shirt rolled to his elbows.

“Aww, they look so beautiful and happy together, don’t they?” Lani whispered. “Best wishes to them both.”

Loud laughter drew their attention to a knot of young men leaning against a nearby railing, bottles of beer in hand, their boisterousness and camaraderie instantly recognizable. Geo nodded at them. “Team guys.”

She grimaced, her pleasure at the sight of the happy couple draining away. The bride had not only married her husband, she’d married the whole community and the demands it brought with it. It wouldn’t be an easy or glamorous life, not by a long shot.

“Well, good luck to them both, then,” she said. “They’re gonna need it.”

Geo quirked his lips at her. “Been there, done that, got the T-shirt, huh?”

“Hell, yeah, I got the T-shirt.” Tugging on his arm, she steered them past the wedding and on down the beach. “How about you? What sort of relationship skeletons do you have in your closet?” She’d said it lightly, teasingly, and was surprised to feel his biceps tense.

He didn’t say anything for a few beats, then, “I lived with someone for about a year once. His name was Jake.”

It took a moment for his meaning to sink in. Careful to keep both her face and voice neutral, Lani said, “His name?”

“I’m bi. So yeah, ‘closet’ is a pretty good word for it.”

Risking a glance up at him, she could see how rigid his jaw was, his lips compressed into a tight line. How much trust had it taken for him to reveal that? A pang shot through her. More than she’d ever know.

About the Author:
Melanie Hansen doesn’t get nearly enough sleep. She loves all things coffee-related, including collecting mugs from every place she’s visited. After spending eighteen years as a military spouse, Melanie definitely considers herself a moving expert. She has lived and worked all over the country, and hopes to bring these rich and varied life experiences to the love stories she gets up in the wee hours to write. On her off-time, you can find Melanie watching baseball, reading or spending time with her husband and two teenage sons.

Trusting a Warrior Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/Trusting-Warrior-Loving-Book-ebook/dp/B07SJ72DS7/

Website: https://melaniehansenbooks.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009084006829
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MelJoyAZ
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13505006.Melanie_Hansen

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Friday, November 20, 2020

Jungleland by M.T. Bass

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This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. M.T. Bass will be awarding a $50 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.

1. Although I am a Commercial Pilot and a Certified Flight Instructor, I am afraid of heights. Or, maybe as my brother-in-law Tom says, I’m actually afraid of falling. I don’t feel that way in an airplane cockpit. There’s a huge difference to me between altitude and heights. I just don’t think about it there.

2. I spent a lot of years doing computer programming, designing business CRM (Customer Relationship Management) projects, and a golfer’s statistical tracking system. I inadvertently prepared for it by studying Philosophy in college. Little did I know how important that class in logic—and all the ORs, ANDs, IFs, THENs, and THEREFOREs I had to sort out—would be for putting together computer machine language arguments.

3. After college I wanted to learn how to do a professional recording of our band, so I apprenticed at a local recording studio. This was in the now by-gone era of magnetic tape, head degaussers, and editing with grease pencils and razor blades. To teach that to us, I found this old assignment given to me and my buddy Kevin to put together a 10 minute (exactly!) audio montage which had to include: 1) an atomic bomb explosion; 2) the sound of a race car; 3) Knute Rockne: https://soundcloud.com/electron-alley/who-is-harry-truman-audio-montage

4. I’ve played 788 live music gigs with Project Mojo and well over a 1,000 total since I started playing guitar at 16 years old.

5. The fastest I have ever driven is 118 MPH on Interstate 70

“There are only two types of aircraft: fighters and targets.” ~Doyle ‘Wahoo’ Nicholson, USMC

Sweating it out in the former Belgian Congo as a civil war mercenary, with Sparks turning wrenches on his T-6 Texan, Hawk splits his time flying combat missions and, back on the ground, sparring with Ella, an attractive young missionary doctor, in the sequel to My Brother’s Keeper.

Read an Excerpt

“Eric.”

He looked at me.

“What is wrong?”

“Do you know what they did?”

“Who is they?”

“The Simbas. Up north. In Stanleyville.”

I shook my head.

He nodded his head quickly up and down. “You would not think that—you know, the cruelty of it all.”

“What did they do?”

“Well, you know they have several hundred prisoners up there and they are threatening to kill them all if the government forces come.”

“And we’re going, right?”

“Oh, yes. Oh, yes. You will hear about it tomorrow.”

“But what did they do?” I asked.

“The Simbas? They are—“ He stood up.

“Eric.” I stood up and grabbed his shoulder. “What is going on?”

Eric slowly sat back down. “It was the mayor.”

“And?”

“And the mayor there, Bond…Bondess…Bondekwe or something. I don’t know, but they stripped him down completely naked and stood him up in front of a mad, mad crowd of rebels.”

I waited. “And?”

Eric shook his head.

“And?”

“And they carved his liver out—while he was still alive.”

I could feel my face squint in repulsion.

“Yes, while he was still alive.”

“Alive?”

“Then they cut it up while it was still hot and—and—and they ate it in front of him as he died.”

I sat down at the end of my cot. “Jesus.”

“Yes, damn it—Jesus Christ, already. Yes, right in front of him. While he watched them and died…”

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

Purchasing Links

Website: https://mtbassauthor.wordpress.com/scribblings/jungleland/
Apple iBooks: https://books.apple.com/us/book/jungleland-white-hawk-aviation-stories-2/id1526689285
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/jungleland-mt-bass/1137448962

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Wednesday, November 18, 2020

The Unholy by Paul DeBlassie III

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Paul DeBlassie III will be awarding $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.

Share five things we’d probably never guess about you. Fun, interesting, edifying or even embarrassing.

Fun: My wife, Kate, and I met doing music. Two years ago late at night, a bunch of Greek musicians on the island of Mykonos urged us on to play a few tunes. We did, and one and all had a great time.

Interesting: I live with the most fascinating person in the world, Kate, my artist/musician/art historian wife of forty years.

Edifying: At Kate’s urging I turned my literary pen from psychology writing to supernatural thrillers, an adventure that left me breathless – just like Kate.

Embarrassing: One time tried to write more sex into my stories and Kate did her thumbs down thing, said my talents in the area lie elsewhere. I think I got what she meant (I hope).

Fifth Thing You’d Never Guess: You’d never guess that my supernatural thrillers charge out of me from my nightmares. Yup, they hit the page white hot and hopefully make it onto your reading list. Check them out, especially The Unholy. It’ll give you a thrill and a chill.

Winner of the International Book Award and Pinnacle Book Award for Visionary Fiction! The Unholy is a dramatic story of Claire Sanchez, a young medicine woman, intent on discovering the closely-guarded secrets of her past. Forced into a life-and-death battle against an evil Archbishop, William Anarch, she confronts the dark side of religion and the horror of one man's will to power.



 

 

 

 

 

 

Read an Excerpt

 

As she ran forward, out of nowhere the two crows flew at her, scraping the air near her face with their sharp talons. Fists clenched, she struck out at one and grabbed at the other. They flew up, circled overhead, then dove, talons flaring. Unmoving, Claire placed her hands by her side and held their gaze.

 

They fluttered above her head for a minute, then left. Claire turned and saw an eagle soaring—a healer’s spirit manifestation. Medicine women said it came only when needed, when danger lurked.

 

Frantically tugging away bush, bramble, and cacti, she uncovered the mouth of the seventh cave and stepped in. She had the feeling somebody was watching.

 

Her eyes adjusted and she made out the contour of something. Squinting, she stooped and touched what seemed to be a circle of stones and charred, cold logs. She stood up and pulled back. A bat flew at her. She waved it away.

 

She stopped, waited for her breathing to slow, and, stepping sideways, touched the walls of the cave. They were damp and the stink of blood and guts was everywhere. Using the hard surfaces as a guide, her fingertips suddenly brushed through a hollow space roughly the size of a human body.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

Paul DeBlassie III, Ph.D. is a depth psychologist and award-winning writer living in his native New Mexico. He specializes in treating individuals in emotional and spiritual crisis. His novels, visionary thrillers, delve deep into archetypal realities as they play out dramatically in the lives of everyday people. Memberships include the Author’s Guild, Visionary Fiction Alliance, Depth Psychology Alliance, International Association for Relational Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy, and the International Association for Jungian Studies.

 

https://www.pauldeblassieiii.com/

 

https://twitter.com/pdeblassieiii?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

 

https://www.amazon.com/Paul-DeBlassie-III/e/B00E5TBJXY

 

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3938141.Paul_DeBlassie_III

 

 

https://www.amazon.com/Unholy-Paul-DeBlassie-III-ebook/dp/B07BL2JQSB

 

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-unholy-paul-deblassie-iii/1116031770

 

 

 



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Monday, November 16, 2020

Alien Legacy-The Empath by Keri Kruspe



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

The aliens we thought were long gone are coming back.

Just his luck, alien-hybrid Ben Duncan is the only one for the job. Being an empath and a financial wizard, he’s called in to uncover an essential ally at a small regional bank in Vegas to thwart a plot his alien ancestors, the Akurns, seemed to have started there. If their heinous plans are successful, the global economy would crash and weaken mankind for their invasion in less than five short months. When Ben arrives at his assignment as a covert consultant, he meets the intriguing Julienne and is instantly alarmed at the intense attraction he has for her. He’d love to indulge in his obsession with the delectable woman, but knows he has no choice but to stay as far away from her as possible. The fate of billions don’t leave time for anything personal.

As senior vice-president, Julienne King leads a stressful life immersed in organizing a huge merger for a local bank in Vegas. And meeting some arrogant, hotter-than-hell, aloof outside consultant makes things worse. When she stumbles on an insidious money laundering scheme that threatens the global economy, she’s caught and kidnapped by one of her hateful bosses. While in captivity, she’s threatened with alien experimentation, death, or both. But what shocks her the most is it turns out she may not be who or what she thought she was.

Now it’s a race against time. Can a banker and an alien-hybrid overcome their misconceptions and to not only work together, but to realize their love is the key to mankind’s salvation?

Read an Excerpt

Julienne took a step back to put some distance between them. It didn’t help.

Ben’s lips turned up at the ends but his well-built arms hung loose at his side. Now her mouth dried. This was the first time she’d seen him without a suit. His dark T-shirt molded lovingly to his taut frame. She gave herself a mental head slap and struggled to pull her gaze away from his chest. “What are you doing here?” She coughed. Damn frog in her throat was in the way.

The skin at the edge of his blue eyes crinkled before he strolled past without answering. He opened the door and poked his head out before leaving the small closet.

Dammit! She stomped her foot before following the exasperating man. She almost plowed into his back when he stopped.

He turned to face her. He was in the shadows and she couldn’t see his expression. When he said nothing, she put her fists on hips. “Excuse me, you didn’t answer my question. What are you doing here?”

“Apparently I’m saving your sweet self.” His smile widened. “And what, may I ask, are you doing here? Find anything interesting?”

Her nose rose a notch. “Yes, damn it!” She flung an arm to the wall that Bernie disappeared through. “What in the hell just happened? How did Bernie create a mirror that wasn’t there, walk through it and then vanish?”

“Are you sure that’s what you saw?”

She gritted her teeth as a slow, burning heat crept up her neck.

About the Author:
Keri Kruspe, award-winning “Author of Otherworldly Romantic Adventures” loves nothing more than to write about romances that feature “feisty heroines who aren’t afraid to take a chance on life… or love”. Her writing career started when she became irritated that most SciFi romances had women kidnapped before they could find love. Determined to create something different, she turned “the alien kidnapping trope upside down” (Vine Voice) and the ALIEN EXCHANGE trilogy was born.

Keri’s latest SciFi Romance novel, ALIEN LEGACY: THE EMPATH, is the first in a five-book series of the Ancient Alien Descendants, taking the Ancient Alien motif and mixing it with a sensual, romantic twist.

A native Nevadan, Keri is a lifelong avid reader who lives in Northwestern Michigan with her hubby and the newest member of the family, a Jack Russell Terrier named Hestia. When not immersed in her made-up worlds, she enjoys discovering the fascinating landscape of her new home and pairing red wine with healthy ways to cook. Most of all, she loves finding her next favorite author.

If you want to know when Keri’s next book will come out, please visit her website at http:/kerikruspe.com, where you can sign up for her mailing list. You’ll get a FREE copy of the novella, The Day Behind Tomorrow that is a prologue to the ALIEN LEGACY series. Not to mention being kept updated on the life of a dedicated, obsessed author.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/klkruspe15
Twitter: Twitter
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kerikruspe

The book is on sale for $0.99 on Kindle or Nook during this tour.

Amazon Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/Alien-Legacy-Romance-Ancient-Descendants-ebook/dp/B08FT98KQ8/ref=sr_1_2

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Thursday, November 12, 2020

As Good as Can Be by William Glass



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

Welcome to It's Raining Books. Who is your intended audience and why should they read your book?

Initially, my intended audience for As Good As Can Be was family members. But as the work progressed, I realized that my novel would have to be vastly entertaining for anyone to read it. So, my intent became to make it a gripping narrative that any book lover would find hard to put down. If you enjoy becoming immersed in a story with characters you won’t easily forget, then read As Good As Can Be!

How did you come up with the title of your book?

The title is from a scene where the main character is visiting his terminally ill mother. He asks how she feels, and her answer is: “Oh, about as good as can be.”

Tell us a little bit about your cover art. Who designed it? Why did you go with that particular image/artwork?

AS GOOD AS CAN BE is about a military family that moves from one army base to the next during the 1950s and 60s. I looked up some station wagon ads from that era and pictures of old wooden army barracks. I gave those images to my publisher, Timber Hawkeye. He did the rest.

Who is your favorite character from your book and why?

Dave Knight is my favorite character. He’s the protagonist and a complex person with many faults who is not always easy to love. Still, the reader comes to admire Dave’s perseverance and good humor.

How about your least favorite character? What makes them less appealing to you?

Most characters in my novel have both good and bad sides but not Captain Kinsey. He’s thoroughly evil and may be a sociopath.

If you could change ONE thing about your novel, what would it be? Why?

As Good As Can Be is 410 pages long, and if I could shorten it without sacrificing anything important, I would. Despite its length, I’ve had many readers say that they were sad when they got to the end and wished there was more.

Give us an interesting fun fact or a few about your book or series.

I’m a college soccer coach and most of As Good As Can Be was written on our team bus while traveling for away soccer matches.

What other books are similar to your own? What makes them alike?

The Great Santini is similar to As Good As Can Be in that they are both autobiographical novels about dysfunctional military families. The main difference is that Pat Conroy was a great writer while I would consider myself to be merely a competent storyteller.

What's the strangest thing you have ever had to research online for your book?

The strangest thing I had to research online was for the episode in which Dave turns a box full of frogs loose in the high school library. I looked up synonyms for frogs and found vertebrates and amphibians.

Do you have any unique talents or hobbies?

I am a soccer nut. After volunteer coaching for several years and attending numerous coaching courses and seminars, I quit a perfectly good corporate VP job to coach soccer at a small college. Our team wins its share of games so I must have some talent for the job!

What can we expect from you in the future?

A sequel to As Good As Can Be will be coming out in the spring. It’s called: Knight’s Plutonian Shore.

What can readers who enjoy your book do to help make it successful?

Great question! Many people have read As Good As Can Be and contacted me to rave about it, then never post a review anywhere. Because of the virus, I can’t do any in-person book tours, making online reviews even more important. The best places to post are Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble. Reviews are the best way to help get the book noticed. Another way to help is to gift copies of the book to friends and family members! Please ask them to post a review.

Do you have any tips for readers or advice for other writers trying to get published?

A tip for readers is to notice odd scenes in a book that seem superfluous. Authors don’t want their books to be any longer than necessary, so much of editing involves cutting. If a seemingly unnecessary scene is left in a book, it may be a clue to the subtext or a hidden theme.

For aspiring writers, my advice is to follow your passion!

Is there anything else you’d like to say?

Thank you for featuring As Good As Can Be on It's Raining Books! I thoroughly enjoyed our interview.

Dave Knight is a wayward child growing up in a military family during the 1950s. His older sister wants to kill him but settles for regularly beating him up. Other siblings join in the mayhem while their alcoholic father contributes to the chaos with his unique approach to parenting.

As the Knight family moves from one army base to the next, Dave develops a give-a-damn attitude that often leads to trouble. In high school, he joins other delinquents in a series of escapades, some dangerous, others funny, and a few that would be worthy of jail time should they ever be caught.

After barely graduating, Dave is drafted into the army and sent to guard a nuclear weapons depot in Korea. There, he gets into trouble with his sergeant and tries to avoid dishonorable discharge.

Read an Excerpt

The side door gang rushes up the stairs to the top floor then down the hall to where a crowd has gathered outside the library. Inside, girls are standing on tables screaming like it’s a Beatles concert. Several boys are chasing frogs. “There goes one,” someone yells.

“Coming through! Move! Get out of my way!” Mr. Danforth calls, rudely elbowing his way past. As the vice principal rushes into the library, a kid corners a frog and brings his heel down. There’s an explosion of blood and guts. “Stop that,” Danforth shouts, grabbing the misguided youth by the elbow. The disciplinarian searches his mind for another approach but is distracted by higher-pitched screaming. It seems that an unmentionable part of the squashed frog landed on the leg of one of the girls. Now she, and her friends, have redoubled their vocal efforts. They’re jumping up and down.

Danforth gazes toward heaven for a solution and through the open library window sees nothing but clear blue sky. Inspiration strikes. He looks down just as one of the little fellows hops by. Danforth grabs it, then hurls the vertebrate out of the window and into the pitiless void of oblivion.

Now that he has the hang of it, Danforth scampers around the library chasing frogs down and throwing them out. He’s like a man possessed, and soon the entrance stairs and pavement below bear gruesome testimony to his murderous efficiency. After the last vestiges of the amphibian menace have been ejected, the library begins to calm down, and the spectators disperse.

About the Author:
Bill is a retired business executive now living in South Carolina with his wife, Bettina. She teaches high school German while Bill coaches soccer at a small college. Their three sons, Alex, Robert, and Gordon, have all graduated from college and moved away to pursue careers.

For recreation, Bettina and Bill enjoy hiking and camping out. Usually, they take their dog, Scout, along. When the weather permits, Bill commutes to work on his motorcycle.

Website: https://williamaglass.com/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20170818.William_A_Glass

Buy Link:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/As-Good-Can-Be-ebook/dp/B086MB11FZ/
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/as-good-as-can-be-william-a-glass/1136649728

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Wednesday, November 11, 2020

Blackhorse Road by Merida Johns



This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Merida Johns will be awarding a $20 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

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

Because of my background in women’s leadership development, there was no question that I wanted to write women’s fiction—stories about a woman protagonist’s journey toward a more fulfilled self.

About three years ago, I was on a conference call with fellow life coaches, and we were discussing concepts of what makes a fulfilling life. Bang! Like a thunderclap, I had an insight. What would it be like to help people understand the concepts of a flourishing life in a story instead of through a motivational book or text? After all, I thought, storytelling has been the most compelling form of communication for thousands of years. As far as I could recall, none of the great Profits fed up learning objectives and multiple-choice questions to their followers. No! They got their message across through stories.

As an academic (former professor) I was tired of writing motivational books and textbooks that give frameworks, theories, and ideas but don’t immerse readers in the human experience. Since I was ten years old, I had wanted to write fiction, but my professional career steered me in another direction. Now, I saw an opportunity to follow the dream I had had as a child. I feel that writing Blackhorse Road has been one of the most fulfilling things that I have accomplished.

What research is required?

When I started writing fiction, I took two pieces of advice to heart: write about what you know and know about what you write. Knowing about what you write means doing your research. A reader recently titled her review of Blackhorse Road on Amazon as “A well-researched novel,” and that review made my heart sing! A lot of research went into world-building, whether it was about eras such as the Irish immigration period to Canada, feminism from the 1860s through the 1930s, or the Great Depression to tracking down the history of inanimate objects such as the specific carousels, parks, forts, and amusement venues used as supporting characters or locations in the book. I’ve tried to make the context as authentic as possible, even researching the temperatures or moon phases for a given date mentioned in the story. Some of the most rewarding comments that I’ve received from readers is that the book brings back memories for them—whether it is a description of Southern California, Buffalo, Detroit, Lake Louise, or a dance with Air Force Academy cadets.

My favorite resources are first-hand accounts of an era that I uncover through reading diaries, journals, and old letters. Hearing the voices of people who lived in an era helps me bring a more descriptive and authentic context to my stories.

Readers interested can find a categorized on my website of many of the resources I used in my research.

Name one thing you learned from your hero/heroine.

I have learned a lot about forgiveness from Luci Bartolini, the protagonist. Luci is betrayed by someone she should have been able to trust, and the betrayal left emotional scars and changed Luci’s life direction. Blackhorse Road is fundamentally a story about choices and their ramifications. After Luci discovers the betrayal, she has a choice: to be held hostage in a dark world of bitterness and hate or to free herself through forgiveness.

Forgiveness and mercy are not my top strengths! So, to write about forgiveness, I had to go beyond writing about what I know. I needed to know about what I wrote—and that meant doing a lot of research on what forgiveness is and what it is not. In the end, Luci taught me so much about forgiveness, and to give readers a hint, I’m happy to share the following quote from the book, modified a little to not give the story away. Hopefully, it will help others struggling with forgiveness too.

I keep asking myself, what is forgiveness? Forgiveness is not pardoning. It is not overlooking or justifying someone’s transgression and the hurt his actions caused. I am relieved that I don’t have to condone, excuse, reconcile, or even forget his behavior to forgive him. What is forgiveness . . . forgiveness is choosing to reject resentment and embrace compassion.

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

I must have music playing in the background. Since Blackhorse Road is primarily set in the mid-1960s, the music included artists such as the Four Seasons, Dick Dale, Everly Brothers, and folk music from Peter, Paul, and Mary, Gordon Lightfoot, Pete Seeger, New Christy Minstrels, Simon and Garfunkel, Bob Dylan, and so many more.

Are you a plotter or pantser?

I’d describe myself as an author who writes about what she knows, knows about what she writes, and fuses this with imagination and creativity.

Before I begin writing, I have a story in mind—I know the general character arc that shows the protagonist’s internal transformation. I’ve imagined the turning points, the character’s confrontation with her darkest moments, and the change by the end of the story that occurs. Then I get to work fleshing out the important secondary characters, including using inanimate objects and locations as supporting characters.

After I have the story in my mind, I write what I term a mini-story that includes a few paragraphs on the story’s theme(s) that sketches the plot, conflict, and resolution. Then I elaborate in the next section on the powerful influences/influencers in the story, followed by descriptions of the strong challengers, major conflict, and resolution.

The most useful technique that I use to develop the character is writing a character profile for each of the characters in the story. In this profile, I identify things like physical descriptions, home or neighborhood they live in, close relationships, family members and background, gender relationships, job, dress style, favorite foods, regrets, best qualities, worst qualities, religious and philosophical beliefs, and so on.

Afterward, I develop a short synopsis, as far as I can go, of each chapter. To be sure, though, nothing is set in stone. My characters and events evolve, and each day as I write about these, the characters take me off guard by their actions and thoughts, and I am surprised by unexpected events that surface without notice!

For tracking characters and events, I develop a timeline and a list of characters and their relationship(s) with each other. Both of these will have additions and are edited throughout the development of the novel.

I maintain a style sheet while I’m working on my novels. Style sheets are usually used by copyeditors, but I have found this tool essential in keeping track of style and usage for my own purposes. For example, I will list words that I always hyphenate or capitalize, notate how I treat inner thoughts by using italics, not quotations, and so on. The style sheet also lists all references I have used for fact-checking and fact-finding. When I hand the manuscript to the copyeditor, the style sheet functions as a communication tool between the two of us, making life so much easier for both.

Look to your right – what’s sitting there?

As I mentioned earlier, I love old letters, journals, and diaries. Here’s what’s sitting to my right now, just crying out to be read:

• A journal from 1891. This journal begins with a listing of books that this teenaged girl had read: The Virginia Heiress, A Life’s Remorse, Knight Errant, and several others.

• A journal from 1892. This journal begins with the entry: Practiced Mrs. Willis’ for 1-1/2 hours for St. Patrick’s concert.

• A journal from 1896. This journal starts with an entry from a young woman teacher on her first day of teaching. She says, “Began my 1st day of teaching. Mr. Pillon, the trustee, was at school finishing some of the desks. I hated to start this morning . . .

Anything new coming up from you? What?

Three exciting things are coming up for me.

• First, I am working on a women’s fiction novel tentatively titled Parallel Lives that begins in Columbus, Ohio, in the mid-1970s. Suzanna has her whole life in front of her like an open freeway or so she believes . . . The story is packed with challenges and hard decisions as Suzanna strives to follow her North Star. Like Blackhorse Road, the ending has a surprising twist—this one, though, might raise the reader’s curiosity enough to wonder if coincidences that edge on the paranormal might be real might be more than random events. Stay tuned!

• Second, I’m planning on a series of fireside chats during the Winter months about Blackhorse Road’s development and exploring questions that my readers have about the story. So, I can’t wait to get these launched beginning in January 2021.

• Third, I’m launching a newsletter that will focus on what happens behind the scenes in developing a piece of fiction. Readers and other authors have so many questions, and I’d love to share my experiences with them.

Readers can find out more about the fireside chats and sign up for my newsletter.

Do you have a question for our readers?

Yes, I do! Do you prefer a story written in the present tense or past tense? Blackhorse Road contains both, although the bulk of the story is written in the past tense. In my upcoming work, I’m debating whether to reverse the emphasis and use the present tense for most of the story. What do your readers prefer?

Under another hand, Blackhorse Road could all too easily have been a singular romance. Johns provides more as she follows Luci down the rabbit hole and out the other side of life experience, bringing readers into a world where . . . transgression changes everything and challenges carefully-constructed foundations of belief and values. As Luci lets go of her lifesavers and navigates obstacles to happiness, her story becomes a vivid portrait of hope and self-examination which ultimately moves into unexpected territory. Novel readers seeking a tale that closely considers deception and forgiveness, love gained and lost, and family ties will welcome the multifaceted Blackhorse Road's ability to come full circle in a satisfyingly unexpected way. - D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review

It’s the turbulent mid-1960s, and Luci, an eighteen-year-old Southern California girl, is on the quest for self-determination and new beginnings. Three powerful forces influence her values: the grit of her Irish great-grandmother, Lucinda McCormick; the philosophy of choice of her father, Sam; and the 1960s ideals of equity and altruism. But potent foes thwart Luci at every turn. Her budding romance with a handsome United States Air Force Academy cadet sets the stage for conflict and deception that last for two decades. When Luci discovers how her autonomy and love affair were hijacked, she struggles with anger and bitterness. But from a surprising source, she finds a forgiveness path that restores her well-being and hope and, in the end, faith in herself.

Read an Excerpt

Monday, July 18, 1966 – Buffalo, NY

Dear Luci with an i,

Here I am at 2:00 a.m., a lonely lover whose sole comfort comes from the cherished memories we made together a few hours ago. My desk is a witness to the completion of many term papers and homework assignments, but it has never been my partner in a confession of love. Can words convey the depth of my thoughts, rampant emotions, and gratitude to you? I’m uncertain they exist, and if they did, it’s unclear that I could assemble them to explain how you have captured my heart and what you mean to me.

I’m no John Keats or Robert Browning, but my feelings are no less potent than their descriptions of love. Being “in love” is a passion like the flames of a blistering fire that race across the prairie. It’s fierce and red, self-serving, and out of control. It feeds upon itself until there is nothing left. “To love,” though, is a passion like the embers of a flickering fire that lingers within the hearth. It’s gentle and glowing, crackles with surprise, and permeates the senses. It’s warm and steady. It rekindles itself, and it endures.

With you, Luci, being “in love,” is inadequate for me. No, I love you. You unexpectedly and beautifully transformed my life the evening you entered it. Because of you, my world flourishes in joy, compassion, amusement, serenity, and awe. I feel, for the first time, that I am entirely immersed in the bounty of life. I would be lost and hollow without you. You’ve made me complete. I can face any hurdle and accomplish anything with you beside me. Our time is just beginning, Luci, as we walk across the stepping-stones of life together.

For all of this and more, I seal my love with gratitude for our memory making. I send you a cascade of Bois Blanc Island kisses, placing each one where I know it will please you the most.

Barry

About the Author:
For three decades, I was a university professor who taught classes and wrote textbooks on “nerdy” subjects centering on computer systems in healthcare.

But a decade ago, informed by my experience in a male-dominated area, I started my practice as a leadership coach to help women break the glass ceiling and fulfill their leadership and economic potential. Consequently, during the past ten years, I transitioned from writing textbooks to motivational books on creating environments where people flourish through better leadership.

About a year ago, I was on a conference call discussing concepts of what makes a fulfilling life with fellow life coaches. Bang! Like a thunderclap, I had an insight. What would it be like to help people understand the concepts of a flourishing life in a story instead of through a motivational book or text? After all, I thought, storytelling has been the most compelling form of communication for thousands of years. As far as I could recall, none of the great prophets fed up learning objectives and multiple-choice questions to their followers. No! They got their message across through stories.

Motivational books and textbooks give frameworks, theories, and ideas, but they don’t immerse us in the human experience. They don’t show us how others face challenges, embrace their passions, overcome sorrow, celebrate achievement, quash self-doubts, develop positive emotions and relationships, handle betrayal, or act on aspirations.

Storytelling ignites our imagination and emotion. We experience being part of the story rather than being served up a platter of facts, exercises, and information.

This eye-opener was enough for me to take on the challenge of novel writing. My passion is to help people catapult beyond concepts and theories and jump into the wonderment of imagination in designing a flourishing life for themselves. Storytelling does this best.

Happily, as a fiction writer, I have jettisoned learning objectives and test questions. Ah…the freedom makes me feel as light as a balloon on a summer breeze.

Website: http://www.MeridaJohnsAuthor.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MeridaJohnsAuthor/
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/meridajohns
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Merida-L.-Johns/e/B001IU2KBS%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share
Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/shop/MeridaJohns

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