What a Godly Privilege to be Born a Man by Tabitha Biel Luak

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This book is inspired by true events.

Chosen from among the mob of her boyfriend's girlfriends, married in the most secure, respectful, and honourable way known to the people, Nyayang Jock, a girl born without a brother, won the race, defeating her top co-girlfriend, Sarah, by being the youngest over Sarah born with brothers. At the least, unlike ninety-nine percent of the girls of her generation and how they were married, it is safe for Nyayang to say she was married for love to Chuol Malual, a businessman who was born into a big, rich family.

Nonetheless, unlike the expectation of her in-laws, the unattended attitude of the nature secretly stabbed Nyayang in the back, leaving her to fail and creating the family Chuol and his family fundamentally paid the forty cows for. After waiting for what seemed like a decade for her to get pregnant, she gave birth to a girl, a thing that only fueled the resultant ager. Taking a long time to get pregnant and only giving birth to a girl when she should have birthed a boy called for a quick search for another wife. For Chuol's parents, this was a search for a working womb, but for Chuol it was just a search for wife number two, which he found hard now that he realized most girls showed many of the characteristics Nyayang had shown; however, eventually all displayed some problem.

But that all changed when he accidentally stumbled upon Sarah again, who instantly restored his manhood. Sarah not only filled Chuol's life with the boys he had been looking for, but she had her chance one more time to not only show Nyayang that it is the woman born with brothers who wins, but that the woman who has the ability to birth boys is the ultimate winner. But values-setting, worth-determining, and love are all weaknesses in society. There is only one true winner, and that is the neighbor, the seasonal enemy, the chaff buyer, the Murlen man.

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“So, what do you consider a good woman?” asks Chuol.

Mr. Malual looks at his son for a second. Then he moves to the edge of his rocking chair. “A good woman is one who has been raised to respect men. Because only when she has been raised to respect you, will she listen to your voice respectfully.

“An affable one. For only when she is affable will she agreeably submit herself to you. A faithful one, because only when a woman is faithful will you intuitively and respectfully appear superior among others.”

“Ha ha!” Chuol laughs out loud.

“You are laughing?”

“Yes, I am. A girl with all these positive attributes isn’t easy to find these days,” says Chuol.

“What do you mean? None of the girlfriends you have is anything like this?”

“No, they are. A couple of them actually fit into these categories.”

“So, what do you like about them?” asks his father impatiently.

“Well, they are not much alike, actually. But I think they could pretty much make good wives. One talks but not very much. And the other one is just the opposite of the first one. You know the girl who was here the other day?” Chuol asks his father.

“Oh, yeah. Oh, no, wait, you mean the one who came recently?”

“Yeah, that’s the one.”

“Okay, I remember that one. She said her name is Sarah.”

“Yeah. I like that girl,” says Chuol.

“I could see that. She seems to be a delightful young lady.”

“The quiet one is another one that I like,” Chuol continues. The previously unengaged mind of Chuol is now fully enticed by this “a man wants this; a man doesn’t want that conversation.” And there is no going back without him sharing his preferences now.

“Her name is Nyayang Jock. She is very amusing, very courteous. Her amiableness takes my breath away whenever I’m close,” he says, smiling fondly at the thought of the girl. He suddenly wants to play with words. What he really loves about her the most is her quiet nature. Quietness denotes a permissive nature. Men love this character type a whole lot.

“Okay, okay. You sound like you are in something deep with this girl.”

Chuol looks at his father and smiles. “She is also the youngest one among my girlfriends, and—” He almost says something else he really loves about this girl when his father cuts him off with words of agreement.

“I’m happy, son. I’m very happy. Take it, take the chance. These types of chances do not come around very often. When you are lucky enough to get one, you’d better wait no more. Nyayang must have been raised by a woman who respects her husband,” says Mr. Malual excitedly.

About the Author:

Tabitha Biel Luak is a South Sudanese-Canadian author. Tabitha was born in South Sudan, Africa. She relocated to Edmonton, Canada in 2011. Tabitha is a mother of two beautiful girls. She is currently taking her bachelor degree in Psychology. She is very passionate about helping her community grow. She is involved with youth in helping them reconnect to their roots by learning about where they come from. Tabitha is a gospel singer who also writes and sings songs about social issues.

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Intentional: How to Live, Love, Work and Play Meaningfully by David Amerland

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Five Things You’d Never Guess About Me

Every time I’m asked to share things about me no one knows I have to dig deep. I live my life mostly transparently and I share a lot online in terms of how I think and what I believe so there aren’t that many things that people don’t know. Who I am is the product of my journey to date and I have shared generously of my past as I do of my present so that people who follow me get a sense of who I am as a person.

So, when it comes to posts like this I’m a little challenged and also, a little afraid. The fear part is natural of course. If there is something of me I haven’t shared to date there is probably a good reason for it and now may not be the best time to forego that reason. Or, at least that’s my reasoning. Then again, I also live like everyone else which means that some of my actions and choices at least follow the path of least resistance.

If something of me hasn’t quite hit the public eye it’s maybe because it makes me feel uncomfortable. The discomfort-avoidance mechanism is ingrained in us so we only tend to leave our comfort zone when we have little choice and that is, also, when we experience the most personal growth.

Guess what? Intentional: How to Live, Love, Work and Play Meaningfully is all about dealing successfully with discomfort and personal growth so now I am, indeed, left without a choice. So, with that preamble and after quite some thought, here we go:

1. I am socially shy and naturally reserved. I know that everyone who’s met me at conferences where I was the keynote speaker or heard one of my talks on YouTube or has seen me give interviews will think that I am naturally outgoing and an extrovert. I really am not. I understand the value of socializing for brain health and an inner mental balance and, in my personal life, I make a real effort to keep in touch with my friends and go to social gatherings, but my natural inclination is to be withdrawn and reserved. In social situations where I am new or don’t know many people I tend to listen a lot and talk a little. It’s my way of understanding the social dynamics that are always at play. So, everything you see as my natural, easy-going way is a way of behaving which I had to learn and which I intentionally apply.

2. Commitment scares me. I hate the feeling of being trapped in a job or profession from which there is no escape. I chose to study Chemical Engineering because it offered an almost endless list of possibilities in what I could do. I write for the same reason (plus it is my favorite way of expressing myself). The longest I have ever worked for any corporate organization is seven years.

3. I love animals to an almost obsessive degree. There is something about the inability of animals to articulate the emotions they feel that speaks deeply to me. I have always had pets in my life, dogs, cats and parrots, but as a teen I also had a pet rat and, at one point, I was the proud of owner of several blue tongue lizards. They are native to Australia and my backyard in Brisbane, Queensland, was full of them for some reason. I have also, at one time or another, owned pet turtles and a finch which I found having fallen out of a nest and hand-reared, from a fledgling.

4. I speak Greek. Hardly anyone knows that and even friends who live in Greece, initially, talk to me in English. I forced myself to learn Greek as a way of mentally challenging my brain some way back. It is a fiendishly difficult language with deceptively easy ways of speaking. These days I live, most of the year, in the country and I make sure I get as much practice as possible.

5. Social injustice triggers me. Those that see my very public persona feel that I am even-tempered and understanding, which I am. At the same time I feel that social injustice is the result of systemic determinants that are designed to keep those who are on a socially elevated position ‘safe’ from having to compete with anyone else. Our unwillingness to accept systemic social injustice is the root cause of a great many social issues we face today including gender inequality, pay inequality, the imbalance between salaried workers and business owners, and the increased levels of poverty we see in technologically advanced countries; which is inexcusable.

Having dug deep and come clean, so to speak I must now confess that I am truly curious to see if anything changes in the way people perceive me when they meet me either across the web or in real life.

Live your life the way you want to. Manage stress better. Be more resilient and enjoy meaningful relationships and better health. We all want that. Such life leads to better choices, better jobs, loving romantic partners, more rewarding careers and decisions that are fully aligned with our aims.

What stops us from getting all that is the complexity of our brain and the complicated way in which the external world comes together. The misalignment between the internal states we experience and the external circumstances we encounter often leads to confusion, a lack of clarity in our thinking and actions that are not consistent with our professed values.

Intentional is a gameplan. It helps us connect the pieces of our mind to the pieces of our life. It shows us how to map what we feel to what has caused those feelings, understand what affects us and what effects it has on us and determine what we want, why we want it and what we need to do to get it.

When we know what to do, we know how to behave. When we know how to behave we know how to act. When we know how to act, we know how to live. Our actions, each day, become our lives. Drawn from the latest research from the fields of neuroscience, behavioral and social psychology and evolutionary anthropology, Intentional shows you how to add meaning to your actions and lead a meaningful, happier, more fulfilling life on your terms.

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From a conceptual perspective history is easy to read. The 19th century was all about industrialization. We harnessed machines to augment manual labor by many degrees of magnitude. The 20th century was about achieving efficiencies of scale so the machines that create our goods could run better and produce more at lower cost. The 21st century is about resilience as the production hubs and supply networks we have created are stress-tested to the limit.

The global pandemic that started in the closing months of 2019 acted as a catalyst that accelerated change everywhere. The additional environmental and psychological pressure it piled up became a scalpel that exposed all our weaknesses. The one attribute that would perhaps have allowed us all to weather the Covid-19 storm better, that would have allowed our systems of governance and systems of trade to weather it better: resilience, appeared to be missing from our arsenal. Interestingly, this is where values come in.

There is a chain of causal attributes we need to work our way through now. For example, we can’t talk about values without tackling personality and we can’t tackle personality without discussing traits.

Traits, in turn, affect goals, motivation and behavior. We need to spell out the difference between personality and character, two qualities that are often used interchangeably, and we also must define the difference between traits and values which are also two qualities that are also misunderstood and are often used interchangeably.

About the Author

David Amerland is a Chemical Engineer with an MSc. in quantum dynamics in laminar flow processes. He converted his knowledge of science and understanding of mathematics into a business writing career that's helped him demystify, for his readers, the complexity of subjects such as search engine optimization (SEO), search marketing, social media, decision-making, communication and personal development. The diversity of the subjects is held together by the underlying fundamental of human behavior and the way this is expressed online and offline. Intentional: How to Live, Love, Work and Play Meaningfully is the latest addition to a thread that explores what to do in order to thrive. A lifelong martial arts practitioner, David Amerland is found punching and kicking sparring dummies and punch bags when he's not behind his keyboard.

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Undoing Time by Rachel Dacus

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Liv Pomeroy’s high hopes and lavish lifestyle come horribly undone when her fiancé runs off with her maid of honor. Swearing off love forever, she goes on a summer escape to Florence, Italy. Agreeing to help her cousin May raise funds for an art restoration project, Liv is astonished to find they share a genetic gift for undoing time. Soon she’s joining a team of time travelers who rescue history from those who would change it. And fighting her attraction to a sexy time traveling colleague, who just might turn out to be working for the wrong side in the American Revolution. A thrilling tale of time travel, romance, and espionage.

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The announcement of another flight jolted her back into the present. It wasn’t her flight. She relaxed again into her seat and put her feet up on her carry-on.

In her pocket, her phone buzzed and Liv pulled it out. Seeing the name, she hesitated, but with a sigh swiped it open. The familiar voice that was synonymous with nagging trilled in her ear.

Her mom’s insistent soprano told her, “You don’t have to do this, Olivia.“

“But I do, Mother. You know Dad agrees with my going to Italy. He even set it up.”

“Flying off to another country isn’t going to bring Joel back to you.“

She tried not to shout at her phone. “Why would I want that asshole back!”

“Language, Olivia.”

But Liv was beyond parsing words. “If Joel comes back, they’ll arrest me for murder. Because I’ll kill him.”

“It’s a good thing you work in an art museum, around all those temperamental artists, where no one will notice your emotionalism.”

“I’m emotional because my almost-husband treated me like a piece of furniture. And my best friend helped him.”

“Olivia, you’re being impulsive.”

Liv realized she was again in danger of murder. Double or triple murder. First Joel, then her mother. Maybe Rita too. Good thing they were on the phone.

“Mom, I need to do something that matters.”

“Your life matters to us.”

It was Liv’s turn to pause. Because it echoed what Joel had said after she threw the ring. “You’ll never have the guts to make your life matter, Liv.”

She was done. “OK, Mom. They’re boarding. Gotta go.“ They weren’t, but this conversation had to end.

“Just remember Liv. Family is everything.”

Liv pretended to have already hung up before hearing that. She sank back into her chair and closed her eyes, letting the airport noise wash over her.

A few minutes later, an amplified voice rose over the hubbub. ”Flight 564 for Florence, Italy, boarding in fifteen minutes through Gate 17.”

Liv had just enough time to pop into the future and see this flight land safely. Florence Airport, 2:30 pm, she whispered. A familiar feeling tingled in her cells as time’s curtains parted. Heat rose from the concrete as Liv stood on the runway watching the plane—the plane she would soon board—as it bounced down and skidded to a stop, then taxied to its gate in the Florence airport.

Reassured, she jumped back, ready to board. Liv called her little trick undoing time.

About the Author:

RACHEL DACUS writes about history, love, romance, and art – usually with a touch of the supernatural. If time travel were possible, she’d hop over to Renaissance Rome, and then check out how the American Revolutionary War is going, and maybe visit an 18th century London artist’s studio. A poet and novelist, Dacus has published four novels and four poetry collections. When not writing, she listens to music, new and old, from indie and progressive rock to classical and jazz. Once a dancer, she’s now an avid walker, often twice a day -- once for the Muse and once for the world’s liveliest Silky Terrier. She blogs about the writing life and has collected a wealth of writing and publishing resources.

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Talk of Tokyo by Heather Hallman

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CAREFUL WITH YOUR WORDS

1897 Tokyo is no different than anywhere else in the world: men are exploiting women. Specifically, Western men are exploiting Japanese women, and Suki Malveaux holds no punches in her condemnation of their behavior in her weekly column in the Tokyo Daily News.

Suki knows firsthand when Western men arrive at Tokyo Bay there’s only one outcome for Japanese women: a child and new mother left behind as nothing more than discarded shrapnel from the heartless war on love.

Griffith Spenser is her latest target. He’s been seen with Natsu Watanabe, one of Tokyo’s esteemed war widows. Under full anonymity of the moniker “The Tokyo Tattler,” Suki makes sure Griffith knows exactly why his behavior with Natsu won’t be tolerated.

Away from her Japanese mask as a columnist, Suki never intended to meet the cad. When he seeks her out to hire as a tutor for his niece and nephew, she’s faced with seeing him day in and day out without him ever knowing who she really is.

Caught in her struggle for anonymity so she can keep battling for women’s rights, Suki’s about to learn the full impact of her words on the people behind the story, especially on Griff.

Read an Excerpt

Tokyo 1897

Foreign Quarter of Tsukiji

Fluttering her eyelashes in a coquettish manner, which had much in common with trying to dislodge a flying insect, Suki faced the man who held her fate in the palm of his rather well-shaped hands. “I was admiring your fine home.”

“I quite like it myself.”

“Was it constructed after the quake of ’94?”

“We commissioned its construction when we arrived in ’95. I’m assured by its builders it could withstand another earthquake of that intensity. Japanese-style homes fare better than brick and stone.”

“Mother Nature has given us many opportunities to rebuild.”

“Mother Nature?” Spenser furrowed his brow. “I thought it was the giant catfish residing under Japan flipping its tail that caused all these earthquakes.” His tone was teasing, while the observation revealed Spenser as the type of foreigner who bothered learning about traditional culture.

“You know your Japanese folklore,” Suki replied.

“I like to be prepared for all the dragons and ghosts I’m certain to encounter,” Spenser said with a smile that brought out creases along his soft brown eyes. “I should introduce myself, although introductions are probably unnecessary. I’m Griffith Spenser, arrived from England, resident of Tsukiji for almost two years.”

Suki mentally added to the introduction: Spenser counted minor members of the British aristocracy among his family, although he himself had no chance of inheriting a title; his company was the most highly regarded foreign-owned trading firm in Tokyo; he’d arrived with a new bride who left him a year later; and he now graced the bed of war widow Natsu Watanabe. Also, he played lawn tennis.

The Tokyo Tattler’s job was to know these facts about Tsukiji’s most illustrious residents, and Suki needed to continue doing this job, which was why she couldn’t let Spenser’s allure compromise her defenses. The man had asked her to his home without explanation. Although she’d like to imagine he’d summoned her to discuss the modern significance of Japanese mythology, she was a realist. Spenser had a score to settle with the Tokyo Tattler, and all this pleasant banter about earthquakes was merely diversion.

About the Author:

Heather Hallman writes witty, sensual, contest-winning romances set in Meiji-era Japan (1868-1912). She is the author of the Tokyo Whispers series that includes Scandals of Tokyo and Talk of Tokyo.

She is fluent in Japanese language, history, and culture, and earned a doctoral degree in cultural anthropology based on fieldwork research in Japan. She lives in Tokyo with her professor husband and two young daughters. In her free time, she can be found translating ancient Japanese poetry and observing the passing of seasons while sipping green tea. Just kidding, she has no free time. But she does watch something that makes her laugh while she does the dishes.

Perennial obsessions include the weather forecast (she checks three different apps at least three times a day, as no single app can be trusted), Baltimore Ravens football (hometown obsession), and making smoothies that taste like candy bars.

Feel free to chat her up about any of her obsessions, or, even better, about historical Japan—any era is fine, she loves them all. She also enjoys exchanging book recommendations, discussions about the craft of romance writing, and stories about life in present-day Tokyo.

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The Last Keeper by J.V. Hilliard

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A young boy’s prophetic visions.

Blind at birth, Daemus Alaric is blessed with the gift of prophetic Sight. Now, as a Keeper of the Forbidden, he must use his powers of the Sight to foil the plans of a fallen Keeper, Graytorris the Mad.

An elven Princess with a horrifying secret.

Princess Addilyn Elspeth travels from Eldwal, the magically hidden home of the Vermilion elves, to begin her life as a diplomat to the human capital of Castleshire. During her journey, she stumbles upon a mystical creature foretelling ill tidings. A terrifying force of evil.

Daemus’ recurring nightmare vision threatens to catapult him into a terrifying struggle that will leave the fate of the Keepers—and the realm—hanging in the balance. Daemus and Princess Addilyn must set out to face the menace that threatens their very existence. Will the entire realm fall to its knees?

The Last Keeper is the first book in The Warminster Series. With gripping, epic action and heart-pounding adventure, you’ll love this new adventure series.

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The dust of one hundred horsehounds spread across the base of Homm Hill, their riders staring at the aging gates of the abandoned fortress. Misael dismounted and walked ahead of the horde. With a powerful swing, he planted the feathered flag of Clan Blood Axe into the ground as his followers cheered and hollered, the bloodlust high and the adrenaline rising. The flag, tattered by the winds of the plains and the bustle of a dozen battles, featured the faded symbol of a bloody battleaxe.

Misael’s keen eyes surveyed Blood Ridge. Fort Homm looked abandoned to the untrained eye, but Misael knew better. Appearances could be deceiving.

“We know you’re there,” he shouted, his powerful voice echoing off the imposing rocks. “We can smell your fear.”

“Ah-ooh!” The clan cried it out as one, banging their weapons rhythmically against their shields as their mounts sounded off with howls and growls like a pack of wolves on the path of a rabbit.

Misael surveyed his troops with approval and then lifted his fearsome battleaxe. The chants behind him ceased as quickly as they’d started. Misael tilted his head back and drew a protracted breath into his trollborn nose. He smiled at the result.

“Is that you I smell, Arjun Ezekyle?” he shouted. The taunt in his voice was obvious. Misael waited a few seconds, hoping for a response that never came, before he spoke again. “Your woman isn’t here to protect you this time, Ezekyle.”

The silence continued. It was a heavy, oppressive kind of silence, the kind that hung heavy in the air like when the great crowds gathered in the courtyard of Castle Thronehelm to honor the dead on the anniversary of the Battle of the Bridge. Even twenty years on, there was power in that silence.

But here, the silence was also tinged with an unspoken, underlying threat, as well as the panting of five score impatient horsehounds.

“I don’t want to kill you, Ezekyle,” Misael yelled. “Give us the boy or we’ll take him by force.”

A few moments of silence passed between predator and prey. Then Misael saw a trapdoor open at the base of the fortress. A human figure stepped through to face its aggressor, and Misael saw the familiar but aged face of Arjun Ezekyle looking down at him. Misael smiled and waited for Arjun to surrender.

He was disappointed.

Arjun drew his sword, a blade that Misael knew far too well. Arjun had taken it from the High Aldin when he’d left their service. Unlike the ruggedly forged swords of Clan Blood Axe, Arjun’s shining katana had been crafted by the master smithies of Abacus. Misael could see its keen red edge glinting in the sun, even from a distance. It was a weapon that would be the envy of any swordsman.

It was Misael’s turn to stand in silence as Arjun surveyed the trollborn from his vantage point on the edge of Fort Homm. Arjun took his katana and patiently scored a line on the ground with the edge of his sword. Then he turned slowly, never taking his gaze off the trollborn, and disappeared back into the fortress.

Misael cracked a half-smile and growled to himself at the gesture. He promised himself that Arjun’s sword would be his when the battle was over. But first, the battle must begin.

About the Author:

Born of steel, fire and black wind, J.V. Hilliard was raised as a highlander in the foothills of a once-great mountain chain on the confluence of the three mighty rivers that forged his realm’s wealth and power for generations.

His father, a peasant twerg, toiled away in industries of honest labor and instilled in him a work ethic that would shape his destiny. His mother, a local healer, cared for his elders and his warrior uncle, who helped to raise him during his formative years. His genius brother, whose wizardly prowess allowed him to master the art of the abacus and his own quill, trained with him for battles on fields of green and sheets of ice.

Hilliard’s earliest education took place in his warrior uncle’s tower, where he learned his first words. HIs uncle helped him to learn the basics of life—and, most importantly, creative writing.

Hilliard’s training and education readied him to lift a quill that would scribe the tale of the realm of Warminster, filled with brave knights, harrowing adventure and legendary struggles. He lives in the city of silver cups, hypocycloids and golden triangles with his wife, a ranger of the diamond. They built their castle not far into the countryside, guarded by his own two horsehounds, Thor and MacLeod, and resides there to this day.

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The Widow Wore Plaid by Jenna Jazon

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

The subgenre I write is historical romance, mostly because I’ve always loved history. From a very early age I’ve been fascinated by how people lived in times past and compared it to life as I have lived it. I was a history major in college and my Ph.D. is in theatrical history, which is just as fascinating. I always told my Theatre History students that theater holds a mirror up to society in whatever era you look at. Because people want to see themselves on the stage. I think this is also true of historical romance. Readers want to identify with the heroine or hero, so authors of historical romance have to find the connections from the past that appeal or intrigue contemporary audiences. They might not want to live back in the Regency, but they want to experience it vicariously through my books.

What research is required?

In a way, historical romance authors are also world-building—we’re building the world of Regency England, or Civil War era America. And because readers have a vast knowledge of different parts of the past, historical romance authors have to be scrupulous in their research of a period, because if you don’t get it right, you’re likely to hear about it from the readers. I’ve researched things as strange as how many days does it take for a man to die of a bullet wound, or how far can a horse and carriage travel in a day, or what colors of fabric were in fashion in 1816? Fortunately, I LOVE to do research, so this is right up my alley.

Name one thing you learned from your hero/heroine.

From my heroine I learned stubbornness pays off. Jane is not one to give up on an idea quickly. At the outset of the book, she’s been a widow for two years and for very good reasons, doesn’t want to remarry. Even though she loves Kinellan. She’s also tenacious when it comes to getting herself and Kinellan to safety, and won’t take no for an answer. She’s one tough cookie, to be sure. I was a bit surprised as she’d never shown that side of herself in the previous books.

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

I write to a very exacting plot outline that I sculpt so that each chapter is normally 3,000 words long. For a full length novel I write 30 chapters, so 90,000 words total. Each chapter is further broken down either into thirds (1,000 words per section) or halves (1,500 words per section). That is how I keep track of how much more I need to write to complete a chapter (one chapter a day). I allow myself to go a little over, or a little under, but I’ll try to even it out so I get right around or a little over the 90,000 word mark by the time I type THE END.

Are you a plotter or pantser?

I am a plotter. See answer above!

Look to your right – what’s sitting there?

A bottle of Diet Dr. Pepper is sitting to my right. Also my mouse. Some kind of beverage is always next to me.

Anything new coming up from you? What?

I’m currently working on a novella for Katheryn Le Veque’s The Lyons Den shared world series. It’s set in Regency London and begins in a gambling establishment called The Lyon’s Den. It’s run by a woman who manages to run not only a gambling house but a matchmaking service out of this place. My hero is about to get embroiled in a situation not of his making in which he has to act honorably or a young woman he doesn’t even know is ruined. I’m really excited to be working for Katheryn on this novella.

Do you have a question for our readers?

Because I write in several different periods—my tag line is “Passion is timeless”—I always like to ask readers of historical romance which period they prefer to read and why. I’ve written Medieval, Georgian, Regency, and Victorian, so I’m always interested in knowing what my potential readers are interested in reading.

The Battle of Waterloo made them widows, but each has found new happiness. And Jane, Lady John Tarkington, intends to keep her freedom, even if love—and one particular gentleman—are determined to claim her heart . . .

It is a truth rarely acknowledged—at least in public—that a wealthy widow is free to pursue a great many adventures. For two years, Jane has privately enjoyed her independence. Why should she remarry, even when the gentleman proposing is as wonderful as Gareth, Lord Kinellan? She entreats him never to ask her again. But as her Widows’ Club friends—now all joyfully remarried—gather at Castle Kinellan, Jane begins to wonder if stubbornness has led her to make a terrible mistake . . .

Kinellan needs a wife to give him an heir, and he wants that wife to be Jane. They are perfect together in every way, yet she continually refuses him. Just as he is on the point of convincing her, a series of accidents befall Gareth and point to an enemy in their midst. He has promised Jane a passionate future filled with devotion, but can he keep them both alive long enough to secure it?

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“The men would stay here how long to hunt?” The primitive accommodations did not instill confidence in Jane. She’d likely not make it here a single night.

“According to my father, sometimes a week or more.”

Grimacing, Jane moved to the single door on the right. “What room is this?”

“That chamber is reserved for the Kinellan.” He opened the door and ushered her in.

Much larger than the other rooms, this one boasted a large double-sized poster bed with curtains around its four sides made of what was once costly blue brocade fabric, though now faded and dusty looking. At the time they were new they must have been quite elegant. The walls of this chamber were not Spartan as the other rooms, but decorated with several sets of antlers, a portrait of some Seton ancestor she assumed, and an ancient broadsword hung beneath the Seton coat of arms. A chest on chest and a wardrobe gave the room an aura of sophistication after the other sparsely furnished rooms.

“I see the Kinellan likes his luxuries.” She ran her hand over the comforter and pressed down on the mattress, testing the bed. “Although this mattress is quite lumpy.”

“Really?” Kinellan suddenly loomed overtop of her and she caught her breath. “That could be unfortunate.”

“Unfortunate?” Her voice rose to a squeak as he tipped her head back and lowered his mouth to hers.

The insistence of his lips, the tension in his body, and the bulge in his buckskins all told of his desire.

So much the better.

About the Author:

Jenna Jaxon is a best-selling author of historical romance, writing in a variety of time periods because she believes that passion is timeless. She has been reading and writing historical romance since she was a teenager. A romantic herself, Jenna has always loved a dark side to the genre, a twist, suspense, a surprise. She tries to incorporate all of these elements into her own stories.

She lives in Virginia with her family and a small menagerie of pets--including two vocal cats, one almost silent cat, two curious bunnies, and a Shar-pei beagle mix named Frenchie.

Blog: http://www.jennajaxon.wordpress.com
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The Democratizastion of the Private Market by Carine Schneider

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

Facebook, Uber, Robinhood: all were private companies at some point. Historically, there has been no way for investors to easily buy and sell shares in private companies. With the introduction of blockchain technology, digital securities, and decentralized financial solutions, the ability to grow the private market is on the horizon. Regulators around the world are rushing to catch up and understand how to protect investors who want to participate in this market. This book reviews the regulatory, technical, and societal challenges to open this asset class to more investors in the future.

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The market is also an asset class better known for its failure rate than for success. About three-quarters of venture-backed firms in the US don’t return investors’ capital, according to recent research by Shikhar Ghosh, a senior lecturer at Harvard Business School. Exposing retail investors to a highrisk investment opportunity calls for caution. Allowing for careful participation could have a very positive impact on the economy, create new companies and jobs, and increase the opportunity for average investors to increase their investment returns. 74 Allowing for more investment capital will also impact the amount of capital available to invest in the “innovation economy.” If investors can use a portion of their retirement savings (in self-directed IRAs or 401(k) accounts) or invest in funds that own private company shares, the increase in investment currency grows significantly. Gallagher shares his views on the present societal concerns with regard to private investments: My current perspective is that the private market is very vibrant and that technology has really helped to provide liquidity and transparency in the private market that didn’t exist historically. We reached a point a few years back where the private market was preferable, especially after the JOBS Act was passed in the United States. Investing in the private market was preferable to investing in the public market, but that trend has certainly changed over the last year due to the number of IPOs and SPAC transactions. Right now, I think there’s some more equilibrium between the public and private markets, as far as raising capital is concerned. I still think there’s a vibrant ecosystem here for the private market. It’ll be interesting to see how we will enter a new regulatory climate with respect to accredited investors here in the United States. They’ll probably be revisiting that standard and tightening it, which will limit the number of investors who can participate in the private market.

About the Author:

Carine Schneider, FGE (Fellow of Global Equity) is an experienced and well-connected leader in the private market and global compensation industry with deep experience working in consulting, technology, and financial services. She is the President of AST Private Company Solutions (AST PCS). She was named one of the 100 Influential Women in Silicon Valley by the Silicon Valley Business Journal and one of 17 “Women to Watch” in 2017 by Brown Brothers Harriman Center on Women and Wealth. Carine was formerly the President, Nasdaq Private Market and has been the founder and CEO of Global Shares, CEO of Certent, and Partner at PwC. She has also held senior level positions at Morgan Stanley and Willis Towers Watson. She was the founding Executive Director of the National Association of Stock Plan Professionals (NASPP) and founded the nonprofit Global Equity Organization (GEO) where she is now Chair Emeritus, after serving as Chair for eighteen years. She 103 started her career as Manager of Shareholder Relations at Oracle Corporation where she assisted in the IPO. Ms. Schneider was born in The Netherlands and received her degree in psychology and sociology from the University of California, Santa Cruz. She is a frequent speaker at conferences around the world, including at President Obama’s 2016 Global Entrepreneurial Summit, and has authored various articles and chapters in industry publications. She currently serves as a member of the Board of Professional Business Women of California (PBWC). In 2019, she received the UK ProShare Award for Service to Employee Share Ownership.

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Thorn of Secrets by B. Truly

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In love with the same face that haunts me….

The falling leaves of autumn are like the deceit in my family lineage. Closing the door on the infinite cold—winter blossoms into the spring of new beginnings. In the next season of my life, I’m mending the pieces back together. Opening myself up, I even begin to date, which is a big step for me.

After graduating from high school, a shocking development causes me to be on alert. When nothing comes of it, I move forward, wanting desperately to put the past behind me.

About to start college, I bump into someone from my complicated past, and my heart is torn. The dilemma I struggle with: Do I let other people’s opinion define who I am? I must decide if I’ll push through the ridicule and pave my own path. Could the face that’s scorned me be the key to my resolve? I’ll never know if I take the easy way out.

I’ve unlocked my darkest secret only to have it return to torment me. As the thorns of his obsession encompass me, I discover I’m part of a twisted ploy. If I don’t figure a way out of this predicament, then the life I’ve known may cease to exist.

Don’t miss the riveting sequel to Madison’s story that will have you dangling on the edge of your seat.

Read an Excerpt

Tanya is screaming at the top of her lungs. I move closer to Justin, and he hugs me tightly. Did I think the wind was strong before? It was nothing compared to how mighty it is with the roof gone. All I can do is stare into the blackness of the torrent above us. I assume it’s similar to glimpsing into a black hole. The darkness whirls rapidly with specks of dark gray within its mass. The horrific rumbling emerging from the cyclone lets us know that it wants us to be terrified of its presence. It’s hard not to submit to the terror that’s threatening to consume me. The force of the wind causes us to lose our footing. My eyes grow large. This monster is going to suck us up whole.

“Grab onto something!” Justin shouts.

Jackson has the counter in a death grip, and Tanya is holding the toilet for dear life. Justin and I grab onto the towel rack—the only other bolted thing in the room. It’s nowhere near as sturdy as the counter or toilet, proving this by tearing from the wall. Both of us begin to lift from the ground.

This can’t be happening!

Using his strength, Justin pushes me toward Jackson. I can’t figure out his intentions until Jackson is holding me against him and Justin continues to lift in the air. Jackson is able to keep us grounded by clutching the counter. Poor Justin must suffer the consequences.

Reaching out, I grab hold of Justin’s arms. His body is literally dangling in the air—feet first. “Don’t let go!” I shout.

The strength of the wind yanks me and Jackson forward. I’m gripping Justin’s arms and Jackson is holding onto me. My grasp on Justin is slipping, and he grunts.

“Hang on, bro!” Jackson yells.

There’s not much Jackson can do. He’s holding onto the counter with one hand—me with the other. I wish Tanya would help us. Her entire body is curled over the toilet with her eyes squeezed shut. If she would only grab his other hand, we might have a chance.

“Tanya, take Justin’s hand!” I urge.

She refuses to move or even acknowledge us—totally useless. The pressure from the fierce wind seems to be sucking the life from us. My hair is whipping all around my face. The toilet paper dispenser is ripped from the wall, then up, up, up, and away it goes. The doors to the cabinet come unhinged. All the items inside follow the same path—sucked up by the cyclone.

My grip on Justin falters. Panic sets in when I think of his fate. “I’m losing him!”

“Madison, it’s no use. Let me go before you’re taken with me.” Justin somehow manages to sound calm.

“I’m not letting you go. You’re too important to me. Don’t give up!”

About the Author:

B. Truly has wanted to be an author since she was fifteen years old. She is grateful to have accomplished this dream. B. Truly has very vivid dreams and a wild imagination. She likes to read, watch tons of TV shows, and movies. She’s addicted to romance and gets a thrill out of suspense and sci-fi. She writes young adult, new adult, and adult romance, sci-fi, dystopian, and paranormal genres.

B. Truly likes to explore conflicted plots of romance with thrilling twists. She also loves creating impossible situations for her characters to grow from and try to overcome.

B. Truly has three wonderful children, and a husband who defines the person that she is today. She works full-time as an Ultrasound technologist in Houston, Texas.

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Indecent by Darcy Burke

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If Bennet St. James, the Viscount Glastonbury, doesn’t find a bride with a sizeable dowry, he’ll be in the poorhouse along with his interminable number of female relatives—all of whom he loves but are a drain on the negative fortune his father left when he died of a broken pocketbook. Desperate, he hatches a scheme to snare an heiress only to be foiled by a most vexing and alluring—and unfortunately equally destitute—paid companion.

Lady’s companion Prudence Lancaster is single-minded about finding her mother and filling in the missing pieces of her life. But a villainous viscount interrupts her plans, and his surprising charm and understanding tempts her in the most indecent ways. Soon, she’s dreaming of the future instead of wallowing in the past.

But when Bennet shares a dark secret, her hopes are dashed. For he won’t break the promise he made to his family, even if it means losing the greatest love he’s ever known.

Read an Excerpt

Prudence sank down beside him on his injured side. “Does it hurt?”

“Yes.”

“Did you lose consciousness?” she asked. “You didn’t move for a moment.”

His brow furrowed, then he winced. “I don’t think so, but I’m not sure. Everything happened so fast. All I could see was that branch coming straight down toward you. If anything had happened to you…” He closed his eyes and pressed his lips together until they whitened.

“Nothing happened, save my sudden need for a bath.”

He laughed and winced again.

“No more laughing,” she admonished.

“Then stop being witty and charming.” He opened one eye. “If you can, which I daresay you can’t.”

“Nonsense. I’ll be ruthless in my care of you.”

His other eye opened, and he regarded her with a heat that shocked and thrilled her. “Promise?”

About the Author:

Darcy Burke is the USA Today Bestselling Author of sexy, emotional historical and contemporary romance. Darcy wrote her first book at age 11, a happily ever after about a swan addicted to magic and the female swan who loved him, with exceedingly poor illustrations.

A native Oregonian, Darcy lives on the edge of wine country with her guitar-strumming husband, artist daughter, and imaginative son who will almost certainly out-write her one day (that may be tomorrow).

They’re a crazy cat family with two Bengal cats, a small, fame-seeking cat named after a fruit, an older rescue Maine Coon with attitude to spare, and a collection of neighbor cats who hang out on the deck and occasionally venture inside. You can find Darcy at a winery, in her comfy writing chair, or binge-watching TV with the family.

Her happy places are Disneyland, Labor Day weekend at the Gorge, Denmark, and anywhere in the UK—so long as her family is there too.

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Scandals of Tokyo by Heather Hallman

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ENJOY THIS PREQUEL TO THE TOKYO WHISPERS SERIES

In the Foreign Quarter of Tsukiji, Tokyo, Japan, Victorian England is alive and well. Manners and etiquette are as valuable as gossip and deceit. Men are more rakish than ever - so far from home, societal rules seem to be relaxed. But courting young women still requires a deft hand, a smart wit, and a man with something to offer.

INTERNATIONAL SCANDAL

Intent on being an international journalist of repute, Evelyn Prescott will do what it takes to make her mark.

It doesn’t hurt that her father has built a newspaper empire, but finding a scandal in Japan is no easy task.

As much as she hates to admit it, she is forced to meet with the owner of the Tokyo Daily News, Ned Taylor, also an Englishman.

Ned holds a deep-rooted dislike of Evelyn’s father’s approach to journalism, and Ned, a notorious rake, pushes her to see just how far Evelyn is prepared to go to get her story.

From Reedsy Discovery: "Written as a prequel novelette to her forthcoming Tokyo Whispers series, “Scandals of Tokyo” drops readers into the immigrant quarter of Meiji era Tokyo, with hints of all of the glitz, the temptation, and the salacious gossip one could wish. At just under 30 pages, Hallman has a lot of ground to cover, introducing characters and a world that will be expanded on in future novels, but if “Scandals” is just a taste of this series, then it’s going to be huge.

Lovingly researched and brilliantly detailed, Hallman knows the place and time she’s writing about and it shows! Turn of the century Tokyo is alive and well on her pages and in her characters, and it is certain to delight."

Read an Excerpt

Tokyo 1896
Foreign Quarter of Tsukiji

Several matrons strolled towards the balustrade, their chatter enveloped in the rustling of silk skirts and clattering of heels against the terrace flagstones. Aunt Prissy warbled an evening greeting to some of them, which they returned in kind. Over the course of their residence at the Hotel Metropolis, she’d become friendly with most of the guests. As the women walked away, Aunt Prissy offered another large yawn from behind her fan.

“Really, you should retire. I’ll stay a bit longer on the terrace. I’m too fidgety to join you.” Evelyn’s gratitude for her aunt’s permissiveness as chaperone had never been greater, but she was determined to speak with a certain charming gentleman this evening, and the conversation would proceed more smoothly if Aunt Prissy wasn’t taking part.

“I perfectly understand, dear Evie. Better you fidget on the terrace. It’s quite windy tonight. Do beware of catching a chill. Shall I bring you a wrap?” Even at the end of August, summer’s heat held Tokyo in its grip. Night brought a modicum of relief, but the breezes off Tokyo Bay remained sultry.

Evelyn declined the offer and kissed Aunt Prissy good night. As the swish of her aunt’s skirts faded, Evelyn contemplated her target.

Ned Taylor was her last hope.

She hadn’t wanted to use the letter she carried, but she’d been in Tokyo for over a month and still didn’t have a scandalous story she could send to Papa. Most of her time had been spent convalescing from a summer malady she’d picked up a few days after arriving and chasing a baroness through the countryside for a scandal-worthy headline. She’d inquired around the foreign quarter as to the reputations of its prominent residents, but all her efforts had amounted to was unsubstantiated rumours and trivial innuendo.

Evelyn had no choice but to present Mr Taylor with a request from her papa he couldn’t ignore.

About the Author:

Heather Hallman writes witty, sensual, contest-winning romances set in Meiji-era Japan (1868-1912). She is the author of the Tokyo Whispers series that includes Scandals of Tokyo and Talk of Tokyo.

She is fluent in Japanese language, history, and culture, and earned a doctoral degree in cultural anthropology based on fieldwork research in Japan. She lives in Tokyo with her professor husband and two young daughters. In her free time, she can be found translating ancient Japanese poetry and observing the passing of seasons while sipping green tea. Just kidding, she has no free time. But she does watch something that makes her laugh while she does the dishes.

Perennial obsessions include the weather forecast (she checks three different apps at least three times a day, as no single app can be trusted), Baltimore Ravens football (hometown obsession), and making smoothies that taste like candy bars.

Feel free to chat her up about any of her obsessions, or, even better, about historical Japan—any era is fine, she loves them all. She also enjoys exchanging book recommendations, discussions about the craft of romance writing, and stories about life in present-day Tokyo.

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The Shoe Diaries by Darcy Baham

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Welcome to It's Raining Books. Do you ever wish you were someone else? Who?

When I was a kid, I wanted to be a bunch of people--She-Ra, Ariel the Little Mermaid, Diahann Carroll, Josephine Baker--you name it! But honestly, the older I get, the people I find the most interesting are messy. Well, they are humans, and humans don’t get it right all the time. So I’d rather keep my life and deal with my mess instead.

What did you do on your last birthday?

Some of my closest friends came to town to spend the weekend with me and my friends who already live in NY. We rented a boat for a few hours one day and drank and ate and laughed in the most beautiful weather. Another day, we had a picnic in the park and then ended up back at my place, partying in our PJs that night. And finally, on my actual birthday, we went to one of my favorite restaurants in New York--Maison Pickle--and had a really nice dinner and they surprised me with a birthday cake and song.

What part of the writing process do you dread?

I hate the waiting part between turning in your manuscript to your editor and getting edits/notes back. It absolutely triggers all my anxious thoughts that come when things are uncertain for me… I have to genuinely check myself from assuming stuff like “she’s going to hate it; they’ll never want me to write for them again; I knew I went too far with that one scene” etc and just get comfortable with waiting.

Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? If so, what do you do about it?

Absolutely! I had major writer’s block the first month of working on my 2nd novel, and what really helped me break through it was getting out of my head and trying to make it perfect from the jump. Instead, I took a trip to Palm Springs with some friends for a week and committed to writing at least 3 hrs each day, didn’t matter the quality or whatever. By the end of the trip, I had 3 chapters that needed a lot of work, but I had 3 chapters. I used that method the next 2.5 months until I finished it -- just get something on “paper” and then I’d go back over it later and make it into something better. I also learned not to set myself up by ending a writing day with the end of a chapter. That would mean too much pressure the next time around to start the next chapter. So, if I finished a chapter, I pushed myself to at least write a paragraph of the next one before ending for the day.

Tell us about your latest release.

The Shoe Diaries follows a young Black woman, Reagan, who has built her life doing all the things she was supposed to do and trying to live what she deems a perfect life. She went to college, is working in a job based on her degree, she’s got great friends, an active dating life, and a phenomenal shoe closet. And all of that is great except that she’s not actually happy. Indeed, one of her closest friends tells her that she lives a cautious life… one where there’s no room for risks and mistakes and therefore no room for real joy and fulfillment either. When that same friend begins to suffer from a chronic illness, Reagan decides she should give this risk thing a shot. In true perfectionist fashion, she creates a risk list and determines that as she “accomplishes” each risk, she will reward herself with a new pair of shoes. But one thing she refuses to consider, despite some of her friends’ insistence, is giving her ex another shot. As far as Reagan is concerned, he never really loved her and so she needs to move on to someone who will. Readers of the book will see all the ups and downs that come with taking on such a journey and the ways that minds and hearts can change when you’re not waiting on things to be perfect to be happy.

It’s never too late to put your best foot forward

From the outside, Reagan “Rae” Doucet has it all: a coveted career in Washington, DC, a tight circle of friends and a shoe closet to die for. When one of her crew falls ill, however, Rae is done playing it safe. The talented but unfulfilled writer makes a “risk list” to revamp her life. But forgiving her ex, Jake Saunders, might be one risk too many…

From Harlequin Special Edition: Believe in love. Overcome obstacles. Find happiness.

The Friendship Chronicles/Book 1: The Shoe Diaries

"Reminiscent of Sex and the City and the Shopaholic series in the best possible way. Her stories are a lot of fun and yet she still tugs at your heartstrings."--Gail Chasan, Special Edition Editor

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Bright and early on a Saturday morning, I found myself in a swanky gym locker room, less than a fifteen-minute walk from my apartment. Robin, Jenn and I had spent the past week sitting beside Christine’s bed more than anywhere else, but in desperate need of a distraction, I’d agreed to join Rebecca at a morning spin class at our local gym. And while I’d jumped at the chance to do something, anything really, other than think about Christine’s drip-drop slow recovery, it dawned on me not too soon after I met up with her that there was one small problem with me agreeing to the class: I hated spin.

Like, literally hated everything about it. It wasn’t that I didn’t think it could help; I knew a lot of people who swore by its health benefits, and certainly knew I’d be guaranteed to have an hour off from worrying. But over the years, spinning had become almost cult like with its many variations, such as Soul Cycle, Trap Cycle and how could I forget the one that claimed it felt more like working out in a nightclub? Beyond even that, the thing I disliked most about spin was the way my butt felt during the class. Everyone always said that eventually your butt gets used to the feeling of the bike, but when I’d tried it before…nah.

Regardless, there I was, putting on my spin sneakers on the wood-grain floors, marveling at the rotation of women coming in and out of the doors, looking like the exact models you might expect to see in spin class ads: blond hair tied in either a loose high ponytail or twirled in an up-do that took thirty minutes to do, but seemed effortless; Lululemon workout gear, S’well water bottles and enough sweat that they glistened, but not so much where they were actually drenched. I glanced up to see if Rebecca looked as nervous as I felt.

“Are you sure we’re ready for this?” I asked, trying to give us one last shot at running away.

“Ha, yes, I’m sure.” She paused. “I mean, kind of sure.”

I could sense her hesitation. Maybe she, too, was worried that we weren’t really the duo that fit in with the rest of the spin-bots before us? Even if we did have some things in common with them.

“You know our butts are going to be on fire afterward, right?” I asked, anxiously making sure the pink Velcro on my turquoise-and-white sneakers was fully snapped closed so that the shoes didn’t become a death trap for me on the bike pedals.

“Yeah, I know.” Rebecca’s once assured voice had been replaced with a nervous chuckle, and I remembered exactly why we were friends. Neither of us felt entirely comfortable where we were, but we were going to try it together. “But we’ve tried other things before, and it worked out. I’m sure this will be fine. Remember when we did Zumba this summer for a couple months? That was fun!”

“Zumba was fun—wait, why did we stop going there again?”

“Umm, great question,” she said, walking over to the water fountain to fill her own S’well water bottle. “Honestly, I think it’s because we just didn’t make the time for it. Who wants to go to Zumba when there’s happy hours, right?”

About the Author:

Darby Baham (she/her) is a debut author with Harlequin Special Edition and a New Yorker of five years who sometimes desperately misses the sprawling shoe closet she had while living in Maryland. She’s had personal blog posts appear in The Washington Post’s relationship vertical and has worked in the communications industry for more than two decades. The New Orleans, LA native is also a lover of big laughs and books that swallow you into their world. Her first book, The Shoe Diaries, is out now.

Author Website: http://www.DarbyBaham.com
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/darbybaham
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/darby.baham/
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Darby Baham’s Washington Post bylines

I had the perfect date dress. Why did it hang in my closet unworn for more than a year? -- March 2016
When it comes to relationship advice, sometimes it’s best to ignore your friends -- February 2016
I’m the oldest sister in my family and I’m single. And that’s okay. -- March 2016
I was afraid to say ‘I love you.’ Here’s how I found the courage.
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