'Tis the Season to Feel Inadequate by Dorothy Rosby

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

Five Things You Would Probably Never Guess About Dorothy Rosby

1) Considering average family size, you’d probably never guess that I’m number nine of ten children. But I grew up with seven brothers and two sisters in a three-bedroom house with one bathroom. Maybe that’s why as a child I daydreamed of living alone in a chicken coop in the backyard. Not the one with the chickens in it. No, my chicken coop was decked out—and clean. In my fantasy, my parents brought me meals and none of my siblings entered unless I invited them. I'd feel guilty admitting this publicly if I wasn't sure some of them had wished I lived in the chicken coop too.

2) If you heard me attempt to speak Spanish, you’d probably never guess that I’ve been studying it. Babbel divides its lessons into newcomer, beginner, intermediate and so on. And I’m still a newcomer. In other words I’ve been studying a full year, and I’m not even a beginner yet. Soy muy lenta. I am slow.

3) One look at my noodle arms and you’d never guess that I lift weights. Of course when I say weights, I mean wienie weights. I’ve managed to stay at it for many years because I’ve tied it to another of my obsessions: watching mysteries. If my TV quit working, I’m not sure I’d keep it up. As it is, I look forward to it.

4) There’s no scar to prove it, so you’d never guess that I once sewed my thumb with a sewing machine. I did a lot of sewing when I was young, but that has a way of making you look for other hobbies. Maybe that’s why I started writing. It’s safer.

5) I’ve taken dance classes with my husband but you’d never guess it from watching us dance. WE love it though and it’s so romantic. You’ll often see me whispering sweet nothings into his ear as we dance. Something like, “one, two, three, one, two, three,” and “slide, step, step.” That sort of thing.

Christmas comes but once a year; chaos never ends! Happy Halloween, merry Christmas and joyful Lumpy Rug Day. That’s real, by the way. Lumpy Rug Day is celebrated every May 3, though “celebrated” might be too strong a word. It’s the American way to create a celebration for everything, then turn it into a chore or worse, a nightmare. ’Tis the Season to Feel Inadequate is a collection of humorous essays about how we let our expectations steal the joy out of Christmas and other holidays and special events. It’s understanding for those who think Christmas form letters can be honest—or they can be interesting. And it’s empathy for anyone who’s ever gotten poison ivy during Nude Recreation Week or eaten all their Halloween candy and had to hand out instant oatmeal packets to their trick-or-treaters.

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Excerpt from Essay: Cooks in Crisis

Every year while I prepare our Thanksgiving meal, such as it is, I tune into the annual live call-in show, Turkey Confidential, on National Public Radio. Food experts talk turkey about all sorts of dishes I’d love to gobble up.

And on the biggest cooking day of the year, Turkey Confidential guests come to the rescue of cooks in crisis across America. I’ve never had the nerve to call them myself, though I’ve had my share of cooking crises, and not just on Thanksgiving. But there are a few calls I could have made over the many years I’ve listened to the show.

1. Help! My goose is cooked but my turkey isn’t. I told my guests we’d eat at noon. Then I told them one. It’s now two. The relish tray is empty and someone sampled the pumpkin pie, but the turkey juices are far from clear and the little pop-up thingie shows no sign of popping up. Opening the oven every five minutes to check probably isn’t helping.

I should have seen this coming. Our turkey wasn’t quite thawed even after it sat in our fridge for four days, maybe because our refrigerator runs a little cold. That usually isn’t a problem since I mostly just use it to make ice cubes.

If that weren’t bad enough, our oven has been running a little cold too, maybe out of sympathy for the refrigerator.

My question is, should I go ahead and serve my guests leftover tuna casserole now and have the turkey as a bedtime snack? A lot of people sleep after Thanksgiving dinner anyway.

About the Author

Dorothy Rosby is an author humor columnist whose work regularly appears in publications throughout the West and Midwest. Her humor writing has been recognized by the National Society of Newspaper Columnists, the National Federation of Press Women and the South Dakota Newspaper Association. In 2022 she was named the global winner in the Erma Bombeck Writers Competition in the humor writing category. She’s the author of four books of humorous essays.

Website: https://dorothyrosby.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosbydorothy
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/dorothyrosby
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dorothyrosby/

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0578295520
Audible https://www.audible.com/pd/Tis-the-Season-to-Feel-Inadequate-Audiobook/B0CBW57GYM

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Away with Shadows by M.M. Skye

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

Sharon Gable, a seasoned interior designer in Columbia, South Carolina, swears off love after ending a relationship filled with deceit. She focuses on expanding her business with her best friend and avoiding romance until she's unexpectedly set up with architect Bradley DuPont at an engagement party. Despite her resistance, Sharon finds herself drawn to Bradley's undeniable charm and rugged allure.

Bradley, back in town to care for his ailing grandfather and manage the family business, is burdened by his West Coast job and familial obligations. Yet, Sharon captivates him like no other, offering a respite from his tumultuous family dynamics.

As their connection deepens, they must confront external forces bent on sabotaging their happiness. Will Bradley persuade Sharon that their attraction is worth exploring, or will malicious schemes tear them apart?

For fans of contemporary romance dipped in southern charm, “Away with Shadows” delivers a captivating tale of love and loss, resilience of spirit in the face of adversity, and familial complexities against the backdrop of Columbia, South Carolina, and Paris, France.

Read an Excerpt

When Bradley and his brothers returned to Gramps’ house from the funeral, friends and family warmly greeted them. Kera and Gregg arrived shortly after, but Sharon was nowhere to be seen.

Was she in another part of the house?

With so many people walking around him and blocking his way, he grew more impatient by the minute. His search was momentarily interrupted when he entered the kitchen to find Sara and some of the other women preparing the food for everyone.

“Hi, baby,” Sara said as she walked around the island to hug him. “Where are your brothers?”

“They’re in the living room, mixing with the guests.”

Sara stood back to look at him. “I know this is a stupid question, but I’m going to ask anyway. How are you guys holding up?”

“We’re good, Mrs. Sara. It’s just going to take some time to adjust to Gramps not being here. I think we’re going to be all right.”

“Just know that if there’s anything you need, you can call me. You know we got you.”

“I know, Mrs. Sara. We appreciate that.”

“Well, I made food for you all for the week, and I’ve already put it up for you in the refrigerator, so all you need to do is put it in the microwave and heat it up.” She beckoned for him to follow her to the pantry and pointed to the top shelf. “I made your favorite lemon sour cream pound cake and a Sprite upside-down cake as well.”

Rubbing his hands together in excitement, he thanked her and gave her a hug. As they closed the door to the pantry, he turned to see a familiar face at the other end of the vast kitchen. One he had been waiting to see all day. It was her. She was finally here. His heart leaped, and he couldn’t help the big smile came across his face.

About the Author:

M.M. Skye is an entrepreneur and contemporary romance writer. A native of South Carolina. M.M. Skye has a diverse background in education and business. With her passion for storytelling and a love for cultural diversity, M. M. Skye’s books offer a unique blend of romance and cultural immersion.

You can find her with a book or a pen and paper somewhere ready to create unique characters and stories the reader can relate to. Her passion for writing began in middle school when she read her first novel. It wasn’t until high school when her tenth-grade honors English teacher encouraged her to major in English, that she began weaving tales.

Her time at Voorhees University gave her the extra knowledge she needed to hone her craft.

Away with Shadows is her debut novel.

You may follow Author M.M. Skye at the following social media sites.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61566866913441
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/authormmskye/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mmskye1/
Website: https://www.mmskye.com
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/M.M.-Skye/author/B0DJX444XV

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Mindcraft by Darryl Vidal

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

On the eve of the Global MindCraft Universe Challenge, Justin Turner, a teenage master of the titular virtual reality game, and his friends (known online as the Digital Mavericks) discover a sinister underbelly within the MindCraft Universe that may use artificial intelligence and virtual manipulation to end the world as we know it.

Read an Excerpt

With a blend of excitement and trepidation, Justin twisted the knob and stepped through the virtual doorway. He found himself in an expansive space as big as an airplane hangar stacked high with scaffolds and what seemed to be massive computer systems aligned in seemingly infinite vertical and horizontal rows. His sweat seemed to freeze in the cold, ambient temperature of the massive warehouse chilled by unseen cooling arrays. His heart fluttered and teeth chattered in the chill. As he spun around, the expanse was cloaked in darkness except for the information store bathed in the neon glow of lines of code spilling down massive virtual displays along each aisle. At the end of each row was a holographic console with 3D interactive plasma displays that seemed to display dashboards of compute system status and performance and interface traffic analysis. The only other light source came from the lighted “EXIT” sign and an engraved plaque that stated, “Exit to South Courtyard.”

Justin felt short of breath as he surmised he had stepped into a vast underground data compute and storage warehouse of the MCU—a domain restricted to MindCraft developers and programmers where the game's intricate architecture was laid bare—a platform running real-time gaming interactions with billions of simultaneous users. He imagined this space bustling with programmers, scientists, and data architects, but there was no one in sight. He tried to focus his thoughts on the risks of being where he was. What were the chances of being discovered? Was he breaking the law? Could he be banned from the MCU?

Did any of that matter?

About the Author:

Darryl Vidal is an accomplished entrepreneur, author and education technology consultant with over 30 years of experience working with the largest school districts in Southern California. He is a futurist and fan of Artificial Intelligence, and an avid reader of the sciences, philosophy, and techno-thrillers.

He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Information Management and a Master’s Degree (MA Ed) in Education (Instructional Technology) from California State University, San Bernardino. He has also published eight critically acclaimed books on Educational Technology, Ed Tech Strategic Planning and Digital Transformation, and has developed the formal strategic planning and project management methodology known as MapIT.

Darryl has been a student and teacher of the art of Kenpo Karate for over 50 years. He has been teaching Karate in Murrieta for the city’s Parks and Recreation Department for the past 30+ years. He also founded and heads the Murrieta Stick Fighting Club (Filipino Martial Arts). This has led to him earning the highest honor given in martial arts when he was promoted to Grandmaster - Ju Dan, 10th Degree Black Belt in 2012.

He is widely known for his appearance in 1984’s The Karate Kid, playing himself in the tournament semi-finals, as well as acting as a stunt-double for Pat Morita (Mr. Miyagi). He is also credited with inventing the iconic Crane Kick.

MindCraft: The Educational Singularity is Darryl’s second novel in over twenty years and his first science fiction endeavor.

Main Book Page: https://whimsillusion.com/bookshelf/buy-mindcraft-the-educational-singularity
Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/MindCraft-Educational-Singularity-Darryl-Vidal-ebook/dp/B0DHHLHLTC
Hard Cover: https://whimsillusion.com/mindcraft-the-educational-singularity-hard-cover/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vidal.k.karate
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rockbreakerboy

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The Vicious and the Virile by Luki Belle

Congratulations to tour winner Ann F.

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

A collection of short horror stories, The Vicious and The Virile VII offers a captivating combination of unique and varied short stories emblematic of the dark fantasy genre.

Karan Lloyd Hamilton: when touring a fictitious national park in India a wealthy American couple, Judas and Priscilla Hamilton are attacked by tigers and get physically separated. The mortally wounded wife, pregnant with male twin, dies giving birth in the wilderness to healthy babies. Only one twin is found and returned to Judas who survived the attack. The grieving father returns to America with his newborn and the corpse of Priscilla. The boy, Karan Lloyd Hamilton, grows up to be a Wall Street investment banker. He bears a physical scar from his traumatic birth which has transformed Karan into a predator by night in the streets of Manhattan.

Kartik Shiv Yuvarajan: the second twin boy of Judas and Priscilla Hamilton did not die but was taken by the mystical tribe of the national park. The tribe hides the baby until he is stolen and given to a tour guide of the park, Arjun. Afraid of the consequences of taking the baby to the American embassy, Arjun adopts the child, gives him the name Kartik Shiv Yuvarajan and then returns to his ancestral village. Kartik bears a similar mark upon his body like his twin Karan. This mark brings about strange physiological changes in Kartik and leads to unexpected events that threatens his life in the village. Arjun must now decide whether to let Kartik know of his identity or whether to flee once again with the teenager.

Hounds of the Monks: a warrior flees with his family to save his daughter from the lustful, cruel king of the land. When the king’s army gives chase to bring back the young girl, the warrior separates from his wife and daughter to protect them. Mother and her girl seek shelter in a monastery only to realize that the holy surroundings may be equally dangerous.

Desert Frogs: a film producer with her adolescent twin sons and a film crew travel to a fictitious nation, Gapharkh, to shoot a few scenes in the country’s legendary desert. A civil war is imminent in Gapharkh between the military regime and the nomadic tribe of the desert. Unexpected connections quickly form between the twin boys and the nomads while the war heats up in the backdrop as the film crew rushes to complete their work. Discovering that there was a dark motive behind allowing the foreign film crew to shoot in the desert, the producer desperately tries to escape Gapharkh with her sons and her crew.

Stolen Princess: Rosemarie, a young woman rescued from prostitution, finds herself alone and homeless when her husband is lost at sea and her in-laws throw her out of her husband’s home. Rosemarie’s fate momentarily worsens when she is raped and almost killed but, miraculously, she is saved by strange old women who take Rosemarie to a secluded, enchanting island. The heavenly place seems like freedom until Rosemarie realizes that there are sinister forces around her who intend to keep her captive in the isle. Rosemarie’s past may be her only salvation.

Bastard of the Mist: Angeline a young widow, arrives at a remote and beautiful rehabilitation center for veterans to work as the assistant of the institution’s co-founder. Angeline is supernaturally gifted. Her dark powers clash with evil forces that exist in the forests surrounding the institution when she discovers a sinister plot by her employer Professor Kvalish, a man with a mysterious past. An unraveling thus begins and threatens the existence of everyone at the rehabilitation center.

Nature’s Call Girl: in a futuristic Earth a global war is ongoing between humankind and nature. Here, a fictitious country Parakrytheon, has built a nation devoid of plant and animals with artificially created weather to protect its humans from natural predators. On a fictitious island Kamin, humans live harmoniously with nature and beast. This place has the resources that Parakrytheon needs to defeat its natural enemy. Twin brothers Hagaath and Laksha, and their sister Kamina, are the means to this end.

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“Never did I think you would go so far as to work for fighting like this…never!! Your life, the life I gave you has come to this??!! You are putting yourself in danger every night like this?? For all these years?? How can you do this to me? To us? When you could have had such a different life that…” Arjun said angrily while crying to Kartik and pacing around the young man.

“Yes! I could have had a different life!” Kartik said abruptly in a harsh tone implying everything that had remained a secret about his identity.

Arjun immediately realized the intention behind those remarks and became quiet, but Kartik was only getting started.

“I know you know the truth about my identity, about my parents, about where I belong! But I NEVER, NEVER, EVER asked YOU TO TELL ME WHAT I UNDERSTOOD WAS YOUR SECRET! WELL THIS IS MINE!!” Kartik said extending his arms, his voice getting louder.

Tears ran down Arjun’s cheeks, he shook his head “Why? Why beta, why this?” he whispered in a broken voice.

Kartik pressed in his lips. He had put on a clean pair of clothes and had transformed back to his human self and looked towards the dirty soil below his shoes and nodded.

“My truth…you will hear my truth now…” he looked up at Arjun “…it was the only way to keep you alive, me alive and to keep the women in the brothel safe…I fight, you all stay safe. That was the deal I made with the gang leader nine years ago!”

“But why did you not tell me??!” Arjun stepped closer to Kartik “We could have left! We could have run away from the slums…to somewhere else…we could have been safe! Why did you not tell me!!” he shook Kartik’s arms, crying uncontrollably.

“Because I have a curse in me!! I am a tiger, I have a disease, I have to release myself to turn into a beast and everywhere I go this beast must be able to come out and I cannot run from myself bapu ji!!!” Kartik said agonizingly and crouched down in front of Arjun, shaking his head.

Arjun exhaled, half in shock, half in relief of the realization that his suspicions about Kartik’s abilities had finally come out.

About the Author: Luki Belle works in the media industry. In addition to The Vicious and the Virile VII, she is the author of three other novels: The Delicate Affair of Colonel Baquiste, The Sexy Seven Supernaturals, and Shakti of the Illuminated Lotus. Storytelling has been a fixture since Luki's childhood when she would listen to stories told by her grandparents, parents, sisters, and cousins reading to her from diverse cultural fiction books. Paranormal characters existing as and amongst humans-while exalting in their mystical powers-have always fascinated Luki. She loves to explore magical, futuristic, fantastical, and ancient realms in her stories where her human and supernatural characters are thrust together, and their conflicted and tormented natures collide.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Vicious-Virile-VII-Freaky-Stories-ebook/dp/B0DCDKMMV6/ref=sr_1_2

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One Night Stands and Lesson Plans by M. Jayne LaDow

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

In the close-knit town of Marchfield, where gossip spreads faster than a teenager’s texts, English teacher Audrey Fremont and Algebra instructor Oz Taylor find themselves at the center of a scandal—and a romance neither saw coming.

A few too many drinks at Happy Hour and a glimpse of his infuriatingly sexy shoulders lead to a one-night stand that should have ended there—but didn’t. Relentlessly organized and a bit of a perfectionist, Audrey is horrified to discover that Oz is one of her new coworkers. Yet, stolen glances in the hallway, moments in the copy room, and snarky banter make keeping it “no strings attached” nearly impossible to maintain.

With meddling friends and nosy colleagues already placing bets on their romance, Audrey and Oz can’t ignore the chemistry simmering between them. But just when Audrey thinks she’s got everything under control, a surprise confession from Oz leaves her questioning everything she thought she knew about love.

In a town where everyone’s watching, Audrey and Oz must decide: will they keep playing it safe, or risk their hearts on a love that could change everything?

Read an Excerpt

“I picked up a guy, Val, and I took him home,” I said into the machine without daring to look at her.

A minute passed in silence. Sammy Kershaw twanged Third Rate Romance in my head while I pushed and prodded the levers and buttons, searching fruitlessly for the jammed paper.

Seconds ticked by slowly, and my anxiety grew until I couldn’t stand it anymore. I ducked my head out to look at her.

Val was gaping at me. Her mouth moved as if she tried to breathe air underwater. Finally, she managed, “WHAT?!”

I snorted at her expression. “It was irrational and completely unlike me. But I was blindsided, Val. He came into the bar, and he had these shoulders. Massive shoulders!”

Val gasped dramatically. “Oh no! Not SHOULDERS?!”

I glared at her. “You know my weakness."

“I do,” Val nodded solemnly for a moment. “So what happened?”

“I asked him to drive Green Lightning to my apartment."

“You never let anyone drive her! Not even me,” Val pouted.

“He didn’t even like her! He said she was ugly!”

Val’s hands fisted, and she hit the table. "Outrageous! What a jerk. I can’t believe you let a jerk drive her!”

“I’ll say it again. I was both wasted and irrational."

“And hot for a bologna pony, apparently,” Val responded wryly.

I wiggled my eyebrows. “I may have offered to ride his stick shift."

About the Author:

M. Jayne LaDow is a playwright and author who leapt into writing romance after spending thirty-three years wrangling middle school English students. Her rom-coms are hilariously inspired by her years in education, where she was regularly pied in the face, sang classroom karaoke, and dressed up like characters from novels. She resides with her very patient husband, two brilliant yet snarky children, three cuddly rescue cats, a toe-biting tortoise, and a bearded dragon who judges her life choices from his terrarium.

Website: https://mjladow.com/
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0D58S6PHL/allbooks
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/M-Jayne-LaDow/61559414725278/
Substack: https://substack.com/@mjladow
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mjladow/
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/m-jayne-ladow
The StoryGraph: https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/67d8f1c8-9dbf-4447-a232-b34013a37bfc
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/49955411.M_Jayne_LaDo

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Curveballs by Gail Taylor

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

Here you are on the brink of a journey all about self-discovery and chasing dreams. With personal stories and tools that shaped the author's path, she focuses on embracing authenticity. You'll explore how living with purpose and passion is achievable. This personal-growth book combines cutting-edge technology and music interaction, reflecting the author's belief that music can transform and positively impact individuals and communities.

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If we could look through the ideas swimming around in virtually any person’s head, we would likely find a few limiting beliefs. We can all relate to harbouring these self-defeating thoughts; however, you could build awareness around where limiting beliefs show up for you, and remove them from your mind like gardeners remove weeds from their cherished crops.

Before we talk more about defeating the beliefs that hold you back in life, we will define “limiting beliefs.” First, the adjective “limiting” is not one you would want to use frequently if you are striving to become your best self. We can focus on perceiving our possibilities and abilities as having few limits. The second word, “beliefs,” is also important to consider. We are not talking about facts when we discuss limiting beliefs. They are not necessarily logic or fact-based thoughts, such as two plus two equals four. Beliefs, limited or not, are simply ideas you have based on your past experiences. Unfortunately, they can manifest as a thought or state of mind that you think is the absolute truth and that is what can stop you from doing certain things. They can also be formed by well-meaning people trying to protect you from hurt or embarrassment.

Limiting beliefs are something you might have adopted at an early age, accepting them as facts. You didn’t do well on a math test so decided you couldn’t work with numbers . . . ever. Nerves got the best of you during a class presentation, so you avoided public speaking for the next three decades. A Grade 3 music teacher told you you couldn’t sing, so you never sang again. This is NOT cool, but I actually met a young woman in vocal classes that experienced this, and she had a beautiful voice.

Obviously, beliefs can wield enormous power over your life. The people who have mastered the power of belief are the ones who have learned that self-fulfilling prophecies often manifest in their lives. This explains the optimistic nature of the predictions they make. I fit squarely into the optimist box, and I am constantly and affectionately informed by my husband, Harold, that I wear rose-coloured glasses. Heck, I sleep in them!

I came across this saying early in my journey: “If you think you can, you’re right, and if you think you can’t, you’re right.” How can both possibilities be true? Both possibilities consider the incredible influence your beliefs have over the outcomes. Limiting beliefs can have the power to shut down your dreams before you even start to chase them. The upside is that, once you learn to recognize these adverse beliefs, you can challenge them, which results in their losing their ability to interfere with your growth.

I have found over the years that people have limiting beliefs of various types. They tend to contain phrases like, “I cannot,” “I will never,” “There is no point in trying,” and “I tried that before and it didn’t work, so no use trying again.” They often grow stronger when they are allowed to take up permanent residence in your head. Repeated enough, they become part of you. I have one I’ll share. “I grew up in a family that had no desire for material goods, so I must be damaged for wanting a sports car or a luxury coat.” You can become so attached to these limiting beliefs that you feel threatened when something or someone challenges them.

Imagine your optimistic friend is encouraging you to go back to school (for my friends, the optimist would be me). “You would be great at operations management,” the friend says. “Think of everything you could do with that degree.”

About the Author: Gail Taylor, a Canadian songwriter, keynote speaker, entrepreneur, and author, is celebrated for inspiring others to take charge of their lives. With forty years of studying personal growth and peak performance, she proves that designing your own life is possible, regardless of your beginnings. Her expertise has made her a sought-after guest on numerous podcasts.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Curveballs-Unlocking-Potential-Personal-Inspirational/dp/1779622015/ref=sr_1_1

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Raw Silk by Lisabet Sarai

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

In a foreign land, a woman discovers exotic new realms of the senses.

“You were born to this. You may not understand, yet. You may not believe. But I will teach you.”

When software engineer Kate O’Neill leaves her lover David to take a job in Thailand, she embarks on a sensual journey that will change her forever.

In the glittering City of Angels, Kate becomes sexually involved with two very different men—a handsome and debauched member of the Thai aristocracy, and the charismatic, dominant proprietor of a sex bar. With Anand Rajchitraprasong, she discovers her own almost unlimited capacity for erotic pleasure. Meanwhile, Gregory Marshall shows her what she has hidden from herself: a deep desire to submit, to surrender herself body and soul to someone with the power and compassion to master her.

Each lascivious adventure binds her more closely to her lovers. Then David comes to Bangkok, and Kate realizes that she must choose one of the three men who all desire her.

Long considered an erotic classic, Raw Silk chronicles one woman’s intimate voyage toward love and self-understanding. This twenty-fifth anniversary edition has been freshly edited and includes a new introduction plus a bonus chapter.

Read the Exclusive Excerpt

She knocked then opened the door. Harrison sat at the far end of the polished table, a look of annoyance on his face. Sitting beside him was a man of unusual appearance—disquieting, she thought, then questioned the source of her reaction.

The man was European or American. He dressed casually, entirely in black—black shirt with an open collar and tight black jeans. He had long, straight hair, also black, pulled back in a ponytail with an ornate silver barrette. Kate thought she saw a flash of silver at his throat. His long fingers, clasped before him on the table, were similarly adorned with silver rings.

Strong planes shaped his tanned face—broad forehead, high cheekbones, resolute chin. His mouth, at the moment, framed a smile, but Kate thought that she caught a twist of irony in his expression.

As she entered, he turned his attention to her and she saw his eyes—a shocking, unexpected blue under heavy black brows. Intense, piercing, and completely without restraint, any sense of politeness or etiquette. He continued to hold her gaze for an awkward moment. Then Edward broke in, clearing his throat.

“Ah, Katherine. Thank you for taking the time to join us. We need your technical expertise.”

“Of course,” she said softly, seating herself several chairs away from the man in black. She was aware that he was still staring at her, and still smiling.

“Katherine, this is Gregory Marshall, one of our clients.” The man in black rose and bowed, a polite gesture, yet somehow unconvincing. Kate saw that he was very tall, well over six feet. “Mr. Marshall, Katherine O’Neill, our new director of software development.”

“My pleasure,” said the man, perfectly civilly. So why did she feel he was mocking her?

“Mr. Marshall is the proprietor of one of the foremost establishments in Patpong.”

“The red-light district?” she blurted out then nearly bit her tongue in embarrassment.

About the Author:

Lisabet Sarai became addicted to words at an early age. She began reading when she was four. She wrote her first story at five years old and her first poem at seven. Since then, she has written plays, tutorials, scholarly articles, marketing brochures, software specifications, self-help books, press releases, a five-hundred page dissertation, and lots of erotica and erotic romance, in nearly every sub-genre—paranormal, scifi, ménage, BDSM, GLBT, and more.

Twenty-five years ago, Lisabet published her first novel, the exuberantly erotic romance Raw Silk. The 2024 edition of this classic introduces a new generation of readers to this intense chronicle of one woman’s sensual journey.

Lisabet lives in Southeast Asia with her husband of over forty years and several rescue cats, where she pursues an occupation completely unrelated to her literary endeavors.

You’ll find information and excerpts from all Lisabet’s books on her website, along with more than fifty free stories and lots more. At her blog Beyond Romance, she shares her philosophy and her news and hosts lots of other great authors. She’s also on Goodreads, BookBub and Twitter.

VIP email list: https://btn.ymlp.com/xgjjhmhugmgh
Website: https://www.lisabetsarai.com
Blog: https://lisabetsarai.blogspot.com
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/83387.Lisabet_Sarai
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/lisabetsarai
Smashwords Author Page: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/LSarai
Twitter/X: https://www.twitter.com/lisabetsarai
Medium: https://medium.com/@lisabet_63394

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Raw-Silk-Lisabet-Sarai-ebook/dp/B0DF6Q2S2B
Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/Raw-Silk-Lisabet-Sarai-ebook/dp/B0DF6Q2S2B
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Raw-Silk-Lisabet-Sarai-ebook/dp/B0DF6Q2S2B
Add on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/218068923-raw-silk
Add on Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/raw-silk-by-lisabet-sarai-2024-09-01
Kinky Literature: https://www.kinkyliterature.com/book/1666-raw-silk-a-sensual-journey/
Paperback (Amazon): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DKJ2PW92
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1611408

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Our Global Crisis by Brian McLean

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

Modern society has reached a critical juncture in its existence. Like past civilizations ours has reached a point where its future is far from certain, with its decline, or even collapse, being distinct possibilities.

The Incas, the Mayans, the Romans, the Rapanui, and many others, had seemingly successful societies, yet collapsed when faced with challenges that threatened their continued existence.

Are we to suffer the same fate? What could possibly cause our downfall?

Climate change and environmental issues? Perhaps. It is now almost a certainty that these events are destined to inflict catastrophic damage to our global society. Our coastal cities and island nations, as well as our global economy and agricultural output, will be irreparably damaged. Many of Earth's species, as well as the lives of many millions of people, will be displaced or lost forever.

Such a fate may still be averted, but that opportunity has largely passed. Even if we are able to correct the climatic and environmental issues threatening our society, we must still recognize and address the ultimate source of our problems. For if we fail, a far worse fate potentially awaits us.

Our Global Crisis is an eye opening look at the common weakness shared by societies and civilizations both past and present. But analysis of the problem alone will not solve the global crisis we now face. Thus, the final chapter is dedicated to the simple, yet critical solutions, necessary for our very survival.

Read an Excerpt

Humanity faces an uncertain future. For although we are the product of a great multitude of evolutionary “improvements,” we are nevertheless imperfect. Through the millennia, our shortcomings have contributed to the setbacks and failures of many peoples, cultures, even past civilizations, and they continue to do so. Even today, the future stability and continuance of our global socioeconomic society is not guaranteed. Climate change, environmental degradation, ongoing political and religious tension and violence, and other damaging and contentious issues not only have the potential to destabilize our global society, but if left uncorrected, may precipitate its eventual collapse. The most troubling aspect of this growing possibility is that each of us would ultimately be responsible for its occurrence.

Despite the advanced level of development attained by our species relative to others on Earth, inherent weaknesses in our nature still persist, and it is those weaknesses that each of us must overcome if we are to survive and evolve beyond our current limitations. If we can come to accept who we are and appreciate our weaknesses as well as our strengths, then we may be able to rise above our imperfections. In doing so, the possibility exists that our species may once again find its rightful place within nature and restore balance to the biosphere.

The purpose of Our Global Crisis is to guide us in this direction, to help us better understand who we are as a species, and to allow each of us to come to terms with our inner wants and desires, our strengths, and our weaknesses.

About the Author: Brian McLean, ART, is a former Medical Laboratory Technologist and Information Systems Specialist. Drawn by his passion for the outdoors, he shifted from a successful career to spend nearly two decades working for a family run orchard business. A passionate conservationist and environmentalist, Brian is also a keen observer of human nature and humanity's interaction with the biosphere. Based on those observations, he has been meticulously compiling and crafting Our Global Crisis over the last 22 years. Currently, he is working to restore riparian and temperate forest ecosystems affected by clearcut forestry practices, and when he needs to decompress, he spends time under the stars delving into his other passion, astrophotography.

Website: https://briandmclean.com
Amazon: https://amazon.com/dp/0993607225
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/walkingsoftlyinnature
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/walkingsoftlyinnature
Goodreads: http://goodreads.com/briandmclean

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Borderland by Ross Victory

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

Borderland is not just a poetry collection—it’s an invitation to explore the most vulnerable corners of the human experience. Award-winning author Ross Victory takes readers on an emotional journey across the intersections of masculinity, race, bisexuality, and grief. In a fearless blend of narrative and free verse, Victory dismantles societal expectations, offering a space where identity can exist fluidly and unapologetically.

Through its evocative imagery and bold storytelling, Borderland tackles life’s most complex themes—love, loss, strength, and defiance. Each poem immerses readers in raw emotion, from tender vulnerability to fierce defiance. This collection is perfect for readers seeking honest, unfiltered reflections on what it means to exist at the crossroads of identity and experience.

With a voice that’s as unique as it is powerful, Ross Victory has created a collection that speaks to anyone searching for connection and understanding. Borderland isn’t just a book—it’s a movement, a conversation, and a space to find yourself reflected in its pages.

Step into the borderland, where identity knows no boundaries.

Read an Excerpt

The Watchtower

I am a lone sniper standing watch
over my heart,
On a fortress wrought with steel and barbed wire.

I scan the horizon, forever askance,
Enemy or ally? Escape or endure?
Isolation strips away my doubt.

Perched still and silent,
High and ready above the world.

Mirages in the distance,
Stirrings in the sand,
Hallucinations in my mind,
A phantom wasteland.

In this tower,
Each approaching step
Sparks memories of betrayal,
Too vivid to forget.

Steady aim, my rifle cracks—

I descend.

Moving with stealth and care,
To find a crumpled note,
“Do you need help? We see you alone up there.”

How do I distinguish,
Between enemy and peer?

Steady aim, my rifle cracks—

I descend.

Another crumpled letter,
“I’m in love with you.”

Atop the watchtower,
Guarded by suspicion,
Threats of war outweigh my desire for love,
On guard, I am stifled by my own protection.

Ready, aim…

Once, I came down to aid a woman calling for help,
Blade to the neck, a sword in my side
She robbed me of everything,
Scars remain

Oh, the irony that echoes,
In this needle's eye,
Among glorious clouds, silken air,
I repel the saving light.

One day, I may know the truth,
Sometimes love knocks.

Until that day,
In the Borderland's cruel lore,
My instinct, my watchtower a monument,
To a boy lost in war.

About the Author:

Ross Victory, (he/him), is an award-winning author, music artist, and entrepreneur from Los Angeles. Featured in LA Weekly, LA Blade, American Reporter, and Bi.org, Ross rediscovered the healing power of writing after losing his father and brother. A former English teacher, Ross creates immersive narrative experiences. He published “Views from the Cockpit,” a father-son memoir, in 2019, resulting in a portfolio of six original titles and a music catalog of 20 songs. His works explore self-discovery, adventure, bisexuality, and family. In 2023, he released the Pride anthem “Bisexual Daze” and Book 1 of the L.A.-based horror series “Grandpa's Cabin.” Ross also publishes articles and reflections about grief, biphobia, and elder abuse on Medium.com and recently spoke at their Annual Writer’s Conference. This fall he will release his first poetry collection titled, “Borderland,” exploring the intersection of race, masculinity, and sexuality.

Website: https://www.rossvictory.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rossvictoryofficial
Twitter: https://twitter.com/rossvvictorius

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Borderland-Poetry-Intersection-Masculinity-Bisexuality-ebook/dp/B0DJ1PHR13

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The Angel Scroll by Penelope Holt

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

ONE ANCIENT PROPHECY, TWO HEARTBROKEN LOVERS, AND A WORLDWIDE SCAVENGER HUNT FOR THREE MIRACULOUS PAINTINGS.

After her husband’s death, New York artist Claire Lucas has baffling dreams and waking visions as she channels an enigmatic and healing painting of a holy man in India at the deathbed of a young woman. When widowed antiquarian Richard Markson announces that Claire’s canvas is one-third of three paintings prophesied by the Angel Scroll, a recently discovered Dead Sea parchment, she is pulled into an international scavenger hunt to find the stolen scroll and the paintings it predicts.

As she pursues the paintings with Richard across historic and holy sites in America, Israel, and Europe, Claire encounters a series of remarkable teachers. A Buddhist, a Benedictine monk, and a professor of early goddess worship all provide rich explanations for the artist’s compelling and perplexing psychic experiences — until she assembles the incredible triptych and deciphers its inspirational message for the modern world.

Read an Excerpt

Hilde. Simply to think of her was to feel her presence, vibrant, beautiful, inviting. She had brought color, excitement, and warmth to his somber life of rigid routines and serious study. No matter how hard he tried, Richard couldn’t stop the memory of Hilde’s beautiful face and perfect body from moving through his memory a hundred times a day. He saw her blond hair, cut in a shimmering, sophisticated bob. He pictured how she pushed the hair on one side behind her ears and stroked her neck, as if to remind him how exciting her touch was. He remembered how she would arouse him by absentmindedly caressing him throughout the day. She gave him lingering kisses hello in the morning, and trailed her fingers in a light touch across his back when he was lost in study. She sometimes ran her palm down his arm with an exciting pressure as they talked. And at night, her hands felt for him hungrily beneath the sheets, as he wrapped himself around the beautiful body he had craved all day and finally took his pleasure.

Richard had memorized every inch of his wife’s lithe, petite frame that radiated so much sex appeal. She was vivacious, the center of attention in any group, but languid and seductive when they were alone. Mostly it was her laugh, throaty and full of easy warmth, that haunted him. Her cornflower blue eyes would brighten, and her lovely face would soften and transform itself with an even lovelier smile to accompany that unforgettable laugh. How could he speak of Hilde when it hurt so much just to think about her?

About the Author:

Penelope Holt was born and educated in England and now lives in New York. She is a novelist, playwright, business writer, and marketing executive, whose work has been performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, York Arts Center, and New York’s American Folk Theater. In addition to writing fiction, The Angel Scroll, and The Apple, based on the controversial Herman Rosenblat Holocaust romance, Holt is a prolific writer, editor, and co-author of non-fiction, including Business Intelligence at Work A Personal Operating System for Career Success, Singing God’s Work, the story of the Harlem Gospel Choir, and many other works. She is married with two children.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Angel-Scroll-Prophecy-Destiny-Novel-ebook/dp/B0D56KD3N5/ref=monarch_sidesheet_title

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Loving Lizzie Finn by Tamara Hughes

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

Lizzie Finn grew up in a brothel, and she’s reminded of that fact every day. She dreams of finding a job and becoming independent. Only then can she be free of her aunt’s disdain. First, she must find an employer who won’t turn her away because of her past.

Byron Greeley is determined to save his family’s business after Lizzie’s uncle falsifies the amount Byron owes on a loan from the bank. Determined to find proof of Teague’s perfidy, Byron slips into the banker’s house and rummages through the study only to be discovered by Lizzie, a red-haired beauty who utterly captivates him.

Byron offers Lizzie a job in exchange for information about her uncle, and because she believes her uncle is innocent, she agrees. When Teague discovers Lizzie and Byron’s growing affection, he threatens to destroy Byron and his family, insisting Byron is exploiting her. Is Teague’s warning well-founded? Are Byron’s feelings for Lizzie true, or is Byron using her for his own gain?

Read an Excerpt

She grasped handfuls of his coat as she basked in the sensations Byron inspired. Dear God, this man had the ability to tease the very Devil into giving up his soul. She’d always believed she’d be better served being alone all her life, but with Byron, she’d never felt so happy, so safe to be who she truly was. “Marry me,” she whispered. The moment the words left her lips, a thread of panic wound itself around her heart.

Byron froze for a moment before he drew back. “What did you say?”

“I … I …”

A knowing smile tugged at his lips. He set his hands on the desk on either side of her and leaned in. “Don’t worry. I won’t pressure you to repeat it, but I will take it as a sign of progress.”

She squeezed her eyes shut and cringed. Indeed, he was wearing down her reluctance.

A fingertip traced her nose before warm lips pressed against hers in an all-too-brief kiss.

When she opened her eyes, Byron stared back, his grin still in place, and a giddy thrill coursed through her. If she did marry Byron, what would their lives be like? Even if the two of them could be happy together, what about his parents and sister? “If your family knew where I grew up, would they accept me?”

“Of course.” Although Byron was quick to respond, his smile faded. “I’ll marry you even if they don’t.”

About the Author:

A small-town girl with a big imagination, Tamara Hughes had no idea what to do with her life. After graduating from college, she moved to a big city, started a family and a job, and still struggled to find that creative outlet she craved. An avid reader of romance, she gave writing a try and became hooked on the power of exploring characters, envisioning adventures, and creating worlds. She enjoys stories with interesting twists and heroines who have the grit to surmount any obstacle, all without losing the ability to laugh. To learn more, stop by her website: www.tamarahughes.com.

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/tamarahughesauth
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/tamara-hughes
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tamara.hughes2/
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7738043.Tamara_Hughes
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/author/tamarahughes

Buy link for Loving Lizzie Finn: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DFMQ4X1H

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The Fate of our Union by Hildebrand Hengest Hermannson

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

A mountainous thundering bull breaks up battling tribesmen, summoning three struggling youths, as an insidious unseen enemy turns tribes against tribes—pitting rich against poor, sons against fathers, and men against gods. Its insatiable hunger for division threatens to plunge mankind into a dystopian realm ruled by man-eating wolves.

A miraculous seven-headed horse, a symbol of unity, assembles the struggling youths of extraordinary origin into a journey of self-discovery. There Sunu the Saxon Poet, Rufus the Roman Stoic, and Keresaspa the Sarmatian Priestess must overcome pride, aversion, and unforgiveness; there they must learn from historical heroes, philosophers, and amazingly similar gods to battle the unseen monster and its rising wolfmen.

Fated to part ways to face the demons at home, Sunu, Rufus, and Keresaspa must reunite as they bring divided peoples together to fight the source tearing everyone apart. They must heed the divine wisdom of the seven-headed horse and justly wield the seven magic weapons they’ve mysteriously been given to overcome the unseen enemy and understand the higher purpose of the mountainous thundering bull.

Read an Excerpt

Sunu the Saxon and Rufus the Roman meet Keresaspa the Sarmatian (CH 7 of The Fate of Our Union).

Sunu and Rufus leaned in, beholding her sapphire blues—then she punched them in the face.

The woman sprang forward from the mountain while they fell backward onto brown pasture. As they stood up, she kicked back like a mad bull, hitting their chests.

Fallen back to the pasture, Sunu and Rufus rolled on the damp grass to face each other, then looked up at the woman to see her aiming an arrow, a cloud above her brooding face.

“Scavengers!”

They rolled away from her rapid-fire, bronze heads nipping at their skin. Sunu pulled a crimson arrow from his blood bull cloak and shot up to his feet. He extended his right arm, catching a whizzing red shaft with the Gauntlet of Truth and snapping it while whipping the Fetter of Awe with his left hand, lassoing the woman by her waist.

She held out her bow as he yanked her his way.

Sunu grabbed his mace while she nocked an arrow. As her skidding shins stopped near his bare feet, he batted the bow and arrow out of her hands. Rufus confiscated her archery while Sunu seized her sword and aimed it at her head.

She jerked back, nostrils flaring red, arcing her shoulders to slide out of the Fetter only to feel it tightening further. “I’ll be no man’s forced bride—not for the conqueror of hundreds or thousands or hundreds of thousands!”

“Bride?” Sunu winced, glancing at Rufus as he ran to his side. “I thought you had beauty, but I said no word of you being my bride.”

About the Author:

Hildebrand Hengest Hermannson’s deep-rooted fire for Indo-European culture and Western Philosophy ignites his first novel, The Fate of Our Union, the inaugural piece in a planned series. His work draws inspiration from the national epics The Saga of the Volsungs (Norse), Mahabharata (Indian), Aenid (Roman), Odyssey (Greek), Táin Bó Cúailnge (Celtic), and Shahnameh (Iranian), weaving these rich cultures into original stories featuring fantasy world-building, dynamic characters, and intricate plots and themes. His Wild Hunt of thought breathes life into his spiritual, ethical, and cultural interests, inspiring us all to strive for imperishable virtue.

Website: https://www.hhhermannson.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HHHermannson
Twitter: https://x.com/HHHermannson
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hhhermannson77/
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/hhhermannson/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/214514568-the-fate-of-our-union
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CZS7TD5V?ref_=pe_93986420_775043100

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Katie Walsh by Colleen L. Donnelly

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Enter to win a $15 Amazon/BN gift card. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Katie Walsh expects to write a love story someday. The hero resembles her father, and the heroine the deceased mother she never knew but imagines from the longing on her father’s face.

Katie doesn’t expect her father to be murdered, or his will to leave their farm to Guy Knowles, the man she hoped to marry, and order her to another state. Betrayed by the men she trusted, what should have become a love like no other withers and dies.

Until Ted Howard, who doesn’t fit the hole Guy left in her heart. Instead, he fits himself into what she needs—someone who will stay, protect her, and break his own heart for her if needed.

Read an Excerpt

“You’re in love, aren’t you?” Her voice softened.

“Was in love. Like I said, it doesn’t matter now.” My voice wavered.

“There is no such thing as ‘was’ when it comes to first loves. They are the pioneers who break our hearts in and carve the place where forever love will eventually reside.”

Tears trickled down my cheeks.

“Who is he?” she coaxed.

“My neighbor in Nebraska. Evidently, I wasn’t the pioneer of his heart. Someone else will have that honor for Guy.” I could barely say his name, but Eliza had no trouble spurting, “Guy Knowles?” right back.

I glanced out the side window. Maybe Papa felt this sort of loss after Mama passed, and that was why he said so little when I plied him for more about her. The loss in his expression said he wanted what I did—more of and for the one we loved. Ultimately, more time.

Eliza leaned from her seat and wrapped me in her arms. “Go ahead. You need to cry. The mold Guy cut into your heart hurts because he didn’t fill it. But someday someone will. And you will be ready.”

I rested my head against hers and imagined a hole in my heart the exact shape as Guy. I didn’t want it filled by someone else someday. If Guy didn’t fill it, I wanted it gone. Forever.

About the Author:

Colleen L Donnelly was born and raised in the US Midwest but ventured to other parts of the country as an adult to experience life from other perspectives. Besides writing, she spends time outdoors, antique hunting, reading, or watching a good movie. Even though she retired from a career in laboratory science, she is never bored and always busy at something.

Social Media Links:

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/colleen-l-donnelly
Website: http://www.colleenldonnelly.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ColleenLDonnelly
Goodreads: http://www.Goodreads.com/colleenldonnelly
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/colleenldonnelly/
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Buy Link: https://amzn.to/3YQIFP2

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Licenced to Rear by Riya Aarini

 

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The author will be awarding a book-themed T-shirt to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Welcome to It's Raining Books. Why do you write in your genre? What draws you to it?
I write in the humor and satire genre because it’s a whole lot of fun to imagine and write. When readers get the humor, it’s doubly satisfying.

What world-building is required?
All the world-building comes from my imagination.

Name one thing you learned from your hero/heroine.
Mila Winston, the heroine in Licensed to Rear, is a go-getter and will not let misbehaving antagonists, like Peter Losor, stop her from achieving her dreams. As a character with unstoppable grit, she has a lot to teach everyone.

Do you have any odd or interesting writing quirks, habits or superstitions?
I’m not superstitious and I try to practice good habits. But to answer the question, I consider myself to be made up primarily of quirks.

Are you a plotter or pantser?
I use a hybrid approach and outline a bit, then write the rest by the seat of my pants.

Look to your right – what’s sitting there?
An air purifier.

Anything new coming up from you? What?
I’m promoting Licensed to Rear right now.

Do you have a question for our readers?
What do you enjoy most about reading satire?

Mila Winston aspires to earn a professional license to practice parenthood. It’s all she needs to start her family in the happiest micronation on Earth. Newcomers flock to Coolbeensia to fulfill their dreams of raising children here, where kids are guaranteed loving—as opposed to horrible—parents.

But mighty obstacles test Mila’s grit. Peter Losor, a chap with an annoying air of bravado, questionable parenting skills, and a defiant personality, stirs up trouble, eventually challenging the very law that defines Coolbeensia—that licensure is mandatory to enjoy the privilege of raising children.

Will Mila survive her trying ordeal and achieve her ambitions of being a licensed parent in the quirky yet revolutionary micronation? Find out in this satirical, contemporary family fiction novel that will leave you second-guessing the ideals surrounding the prestigious job of parenthood!

Read an Excerpt

“He’s seven, barely getting started,” Jason retorted. “And for life? Are you kidding me?”

“Well, we have to look closely at the defendant’s conduct and determine if it unequivocally led to a violation of the plaintiff’s Fifth Amendment rights.”

“What was that right again?”

With a heavy sigh, Mila shook her head. “Jason, you should know it by now. It’s Friday, and you had three days to memorize the entire Bill of Rights.”

He ran his hand through his hair. “Yeah, but—”

“No excuses, Jace. We’ve got to prepare if we’re going to be licensed parents.” She put her hand on his thigh and gave it a light push. “Anyway, the Fifth Amendment states that kids have the right to live in a make-believe world for as long as they wish.” She dropped her tablet onto her lap. “For sure, per Coolbeensian law, this kid’s right was violated.”

Jason jerked his head back. “How so? Kids at some point realize there’s no Santa Claus.”

“But at age seven, he had the right to be inspired by the magical world of Santa and other legendary beings. I mean, it’s just plain wrong that the father’s irresponsible blurt led him to no longer believe in the Tooth Fairy too. These figures add so much joy and wonder to a child’s life. The father had no right to take that joy away from his son so soon.”

She crossed her arms. “It’s just not sensitive parenting.”

“Eh, I disagree,” Jason argued, cocking his head. “In a couple years’ time he’d have learned the truth anyway, from friends and even teachers.”

Mila flung her neck back. “Ugh, I’d never tell my fourth graders that Santa doesn’t exist.” Her eyes grew big. “Some still believe.”

About the Author: Riya Aarini entered her small part of the world one summer day in the Pacific Northwest. She writes in an eclectic mix of genres, including humor and contemporary fiction. If you enjoy quirkiness with a pinch of whimsy, you’ll have an appetite for her books.

Author Website: http://www.riyapresents.com
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/aarinibooks
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/aarinibooks

Book is available everywhere books are sold, including
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Licensed-Rear-Novel-Riya-Aarini-ebook/dp/B0DGFGDZYT

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