Ellerslie by William Francis

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

Did you know author F. Scott Fitzgerald and his wife Zelda lived in a haunted house?

It’s the Jazz Age, it’s Prohibition and aviator Charles Lindbergh is the most famous person in America. Author F. Scott Fitzgerald rents a mansion in Edgemoor, Delaware called Ellerslie hoping for a quiet retreat so that he can write his next novel following The Great Gatsby.

April Ross, the first and only female history major at the University of Delaware, is commissioned by the owner of Ellerslie to research the estate’s history for a potential sale. At least, that’s what April is told. In the days ahead, April’s historical research uncovers Ellerslie’s former owners dating back to 1810. She interacts with the Fitzgeralds, yet endures unexplained occurrences and visits by an unknown woman. Against her better judgement, April eventually accepts that the woman is a ghost and realizes that her true purpose is to find out who this woman is, or was, and what happened to her in real life.

Read an Excerpt

“I signed a two-year lease,” Scott said. “And I came here to get away from the noise of New York so that I could write. I also came here because I have a fascination with medieval Europe and feudalism. I wanted to study the DuPonts and their quasi-feudalism over this area and create a novel loosely based on them. Unfortunately, every time I sit down to write it nothing happens. I think my problem is that I always want to write something that’s never been written before, something unique and extraordinary rather than another rehashing of a familiar plot.”

“If the DuPont idea isn’t working, then stop trying to force it and write something else.”

“You sound like my editor, Max Perkins. He’s pretty upset with me right now. I promised him a novel by July first. That’s not going to happen.”

“Well, as they say, get crackin’. And don’t worry about your lease. I’m sure Mr. Sellers will let you break it when you tell him that Ellerslie is haunted.”

“Haunted?” Scott said with an uneasy laugh. “Don’t be ridiculous.”

“It’s not ridiculous. Mr. Sellers knows it. The maids know it. Phillipe knows it. My real purpose here is to discover the identity of a crying female ghost."

Scott moaned. “Well, then. I guess Elena spilled the beans.”

“She did not. Marie did, but I would’ve figured it out. This female manifestation has been reaching out to me, giving me clues meant to help my investigation. Of course, if she could speak it would go a lot faster, but in life she was strangled and possibly crushed her throat. I guess this makes her spirit unable to speak. I don’t know. I’m no expert on ghosts. Have you seen her?”

“Yes, I was drunk and in the kitchen the first time, about two weeks after we moved in. I knew who she was by Mr. Sellers’ description. I didn’t believe it. I still don’t believe it.”

“Do you know anything about her?”

“Not much. Apparently, she’s been on the estate for many years. Mr. Sellers said his father knew about her and called her the ‘melancholy lady.’ Servants recalled hearing the old gentleman talk to somebody late at night, usually in the library, and when they entered the room he was the only one there. Then shortly before his death he told his son about her, said she cried all the time and he couldn’t figure out why. Mr. Sellers Junior dismissed it as the rantings of an old man. Then one tenant after another kept telling stories about a ghost or unexplained acts of violence. Junior didn’t believe them until he saw the lady for himself.”

“So Mr. Sellers told you about the lady ghost before you moved in but you signed the lease anyway?” “Yes. Zelda and I thought it might be exciting to live in a haunted house.”

About the Author:

Raised in Newark, Delaware, William spends his days working in Corporate America and writing about the First State. He achieved a Masters Degree in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University, but also writes non-fiction. Through Arcadia Publishing he has produced 5 books related to Delaware: The DuPont Highway, Along the Kirkwood Highway, Along the Christina River, Building Interstate in 95 in Delaware and Newark Then &amp Now. Fiction titles include: A Life Told to None, The Umpire, Seacrest, and the five-star The Katie Dugan Case. Whether his books are fact or fiction, William hopes to entertain as well as inform and leave the reader with a satisfying experience.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/william.francis.925
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7752881.William_Francis
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08XK1JYC7/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i4

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Night to Dawn 39 presented by Barbara Custer

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Barbara Custer 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.

The apocalypse of the movie screen and the printed page has become a reality. A microbe threatens humanity, making Corona seem like the common cold. Innocents die to appease young and hungry gods. A doctor feeds the souls of his patients to a demon. Featuring Marge Simon, Lee Clark Zumpe, Margaret L. Carter, Rod Marsden, Matthew Wilson, and other authors.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Enjoy an Exclusive Excerpt from Harold Kempka’s “Milkweed”

He tingled with excitement, thinking about the possibilities. They stepped from the car and walked toward the house. Lily stopped and bent toward a small strip of clustered, pinkish-white flowers adorning the plants growing alongside the walkway. She held a cluster of the dainty flowers in her hand and motioned for him to lean toward them.

“Aren’t they beautiful?” she asked and looped her arm through his. “They are milkweed, and butterflies just love them. Their aroma is so intoxicating it makes me tingle.”

She snuggled up against him and led him into the house. Upon stepping inside, she surprised him with a passionate kiss on the lips.

Walter held her close and ran his hands from her waist at the small of her back up toward her shoulder blades. He could feel her ribs expand and contract in concert with her breathing. Lily wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed against him. Her hot breath emanated with the flowery aroma of the plants along the walkway.

“I want you so badly,” she whispered.

Lily kissed him and slid her tongue between his lips. She dueled with his tongue and overpowered him with her passion. Walter opened his eyes and stared stunned as her nose and pulsating lips transformed into a proboscis-like appendage.

The proboscis flicked at his mouth, but before he could react. it slithered between his lips and down his throat. His face turned deep crimson, and he gagged. He fought to breathe while his stomach gurgled and bloated.

About the Editor:

Barbara lives near Phila., PA, retired from her job as a respiratory therapist. Nowadays, she chases Mylar balloons at the supermarket, enjoys a fright flick, or works on horror and science fiction tales. Many of her short stories have appeared in numerous small press magazines. She’s been editor of Night to Dawn Magazine since 2004. Books by Barbara include When Blood Reigns, Twilight Healer, The Forgotten People, Steel Rose, City of Brotherly Death, Close Liaisons, and Life Raft: Earth. She enjoys bringing her medical background to the printed page and then blending it with supernatural horror. She maintains a presence on Facebook, Twitter, and The Writers Coffeehouse forum. Look for the photos with the Mylar balloons, and you’ll find Barbara.

Website: http://www.bloodredshadow.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/barbara.custer
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NighttoDawn1

Amazon Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/Night-Dawn-39-Barbara-Custer/dp/1937769674/ref=sr_1_1
BN Buy Link: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/night-to-dawn-39-barbara-custer/1138692108
Doylestown Bookshop: https://www.doylestownbookshop.com/book/9781937769673

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A Million Things To Ask A Neuroscientist by Michael Tranter

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

FIVE THINGS YOU MIGHT NOT GUESS ABOUT ME

1. If you could hear me speak, you would probably guess that I am from the England, in the UK (although most people think my accent is Australian). I lived there all my life but now I have settled down in California, USA, where I do neuroscience research. I swapped the grey clouds and narrow streets for the sun, sand, and hills. My social media name is ‘The English Scientist’ but I have adapted well to the sun and swimming pools, so I might have to modify that name at some point.

2. I have climbed mountains all over the world at extremely high altitudes. I have climbed a mountain (6,189m, 20,305ft) next to Mount Everest in Nepal (I would love to climb Everest at some point), and climbed Aconcagua in Argentina (6,961m, 22,841ft). This is the highest mountain, outside of the Himalayas. For Aconcagua, the climb got called off when we were about to summit due to poor weather, so we never made to the very top. We got pretty high though.

3. I have played the guitar for the last 16 years. I started playing an electric guitar, anything from punk rock to blues, but I mostly play my acoustic these days as it is much quieter than the electric guitar. Which keeps me in the good books with my neighbours. I have had the same electric guitar all this time, and have not ventured into an upgrade one yet. Maybe some day.

4. I am learning 3 languages at the same time. I went to a summer school in Valencia, Spain, to help with the Spanish, but for the German and Russian, I just learn on my own. I reach out to others (in Germany and Russia) who want to learn English, and use skype calls to talk to people in what is called language exchanges. It will be a while before I can confidently speak in these languages, but I enjoy learning them and learning about other people and cultures.

5. Although I can play the guitar, it reminds me of a time when I was playing ‘air guitar’. Basically, jumping on my bed, music blasting, and pretending to play some overly complicated Guns N’ Roses song. Without a guitar, only my hands. Once it finished, I looked out of my window to see two of my friends staring at me, laughing like crazy, at just how odd I must have looked. Although let’s be honest, we have all done that at some point anyway.

A Million Things To Ask A Neuroscientist answers some of the most asked questions about the brain, making the science fun and accessible to everyone. Inside, you will journey through some of the most interesting and strange things that our brain does every single day.

Have you always wanted to know just what a memory actually is, or why we dream? What is our consciousness? Why do some people seem to ‘click’ with others? And can our brain really multi-task?

Read an Excerpt

There is no such thing as a perfect memory, but as far as neuroscience teaches us, we never forget anything. Although in reality, most memories cannot be retrieved by us at a conscious level, and so you may think that they are lost forever. However, this forgetfulness is simply a mechanism that our brain does so that we can easily remember the important things and not get distracted by the countless other memories we store. Some people do not appear to have that ability and instead live with a nearly perfect memory recall of their entire lives.

This is called hyperthymesia, and it gives people the ability to have a near-perfect autobiographical memory about their lives. To accurately recall every major news event, day by day, from previous years, or recall what day of the week it was on a random date from the past, even describing the menu from a restaurant they visited on that date.

About the Author:

Dr Mike Tranter is from the North of England and studied how drugs work in our body, but it wasn't long before he found his true calling as a neuroscientist. After a PhD in neuroscience, he spent years in research labs all over the world, studying how the brain works. Although, it is his prominent rise as a science communicator, opening up the world of neuroscience to everybody, that he enjoys the most.

Website: https://www.aneurorevolution.com/
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/TheEnglishScientist
Buy Link: http://www.aNeuroRevolution.com

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Fully Involved by Lindy Bell

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Lindy Bell will be awarding a $25 Starbucks gift card (US ONLY) to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Katie Garrett is madly in love with her dashing firefighter husband, Andy. When he is diagnosed with cancer, their entire world is turned upside down. Andy clumsily tries to protect Katie from the truth by not telling her, but her fear — and his increasing pain and tumultuous emotions — only feed her deep-seated insecurities, as they fight for Andy’s life and for their marriage.

While the fire station and its camaraderie are Andy’s refuge, station officer Lt. Mike Bentley wages a vendetta against Andy, making Andy more determined to avoid revealing weakness of any kind. In spite of Bentley’s despising Andy, the C shift crew rally to support Andy until events take a downward turn.

As she discovers Andy’s cancer was caused by exposure to lethal chemicals while on duty, Katie navigates the treacherous maze of uncertainty and grief to emerge a stronger, more confident woman who represents her husband and the fire service as an advocate for firefighter safety and protection.

Firefighters face a myriad of dangers, but the invisible dangers – his past, her fears -- can pose the greatest threat of all. Will courage, duty, and love be enough to save Andy from these unseen threats? Will he come to recognize the far-reaching impact his life has on others? If the worst should happen, would his greatest legacy be the love of the fire service or the love for his wife? In the end, the unforeseen might have the greatest significance of all.

Read an Excerpt

“Anybody recognize this guy?” Andy asked, pointing to Hedrick who waved with a silly grin. The children laughed and nodded. “Well, Hedrick is going to put on the rest of the equipment we wear when we’re fighting a fire,” Andy said with a nod at Hedrick.

“First, he’s going to put on his hood. This protects the back of our necks and ears.” Hedrick pulled the hood up over his head and made sure it was securely in place before slipping on his mask. “The mask helps protect our faces and our eyes from smoke and ashes. When the tank is connected to the mask through this place here,” Andy continued, pointing to the regulator, “we can breathe fresh air from the air tank on our back.”

Hedrick fastened the hose and clicked the breathing regulator onto its place on the front of the mask. Immediately, the sound of his raspy breathing could be heard. “Finally,” Andy said, “his helmet goes on, and he buckles the strap under his chin. The helmet protects our head from anything heavy that might be falling,” Andy finished as Hedrick pulled on his gloves. As Hedrick stood in front of the group, his breathing loud and scratchy through the regulator, the children's eyes went wide with wonder, or possibly fear.

Andy clapped Hedrick on the shoulder. “Remember the goofy-looking guy with an even goofier smile we saw just a few minutes ago? Let’s think a minute . . .”

Andy looked at the unsure looks on their faces. “Do you remember that guy who put on all this equipment to protect himself when he’s fighting a fire?” A few heads nodded tentatively. “Well, that’s the same goofy guy on the inside of all this gear,” Andy said, resting his arm on Hedrick’s shoulder. Hedrick reached over and playfully thumped Andy on the arm, and the children laughed.

Andy smiled. “Show them what we’re talking about, Hedrick.” Hedrick removed his helmet and then unhooked the hose from the mask to the air tank and finally, pulled the mask and hood off, which lifted his hair into spikes all over his head. Hedrick smiled his goofiest smile and waved. The children broke into cheers and applause as Hedrick bowed with a flourish.

About the Author

A project ten years in the making, Fully Involved is Lindy Bell’s debut novel and avidly reflects her admiration and love of the fire service. Thoroughly researched, the quest for accuracy for the book led Lindy to participate in the Plano Citizens Fire Academy, attend classes and accompany firefighters on ride outs. With a retired fire chief and a current paramedic/firefighter in the family, Lindy has witnessed firsthand the dedication and humbleness of first responders which fueled the impetus to convey the importance of the legendary fire service brotherhood and create cancer awareness and its growing effect on the fire service.

Lindy’s first book, Jane Austen Celebrates~Holidays and Occasions Regency Style, is a showcase Regency Era holidays and their impact on modern holiday celebration traditions. A member of the Jane Austen Society of North America, Lindy has spoken to a variety of groups and taught Continuing and Adult Professional Education courses at Southern Methodist University (SMU).

A graduate of Abilene Christian University, Lindy currently lives in Plano, TX and works from home for a governmental executive recruitment and training firm. As hobbies, Lindy enjoys supporting Plano Fire Rescue by volunteering with the Plano Fire Rescue Association, writing, reading an engaging novel and cross stitching.

Website: http://lindybellwrites.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LindyBellWrites
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/LindyBellWrites
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/LindyBellWrites

Amazon Buy Link: https://amzn.to/3cfvbEs



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Theft Between the Rains by Luba Lesychyn

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Luba Lesychyn will be awarding a print copy of Theft Between the Rains to a randomly drawn winner (US or Canada ONLY) via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

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

My books are cozy art theft thrillers, although when I started writing my first book, I didn’t realize initially that that was what the book would become. I started off with a character, Kalena Boyko, a museum employee who is seriously addicted to chocolate. And I wanted to set the story in a museum because I had been working in Canada’s largest museum, the Royal Ontario Museum, for a couple of decades. It was such a magical and extraordinary place in which to work and I wanted to share with readers the behind-the-scenes world with which I was so familiar.

The art theft plot came later in the development of the book and I realized how much I loved writing a suspenseful story and leaving readers wanting to turn to that next page and the next. But my books are also humorous (so they’re cozy thrillers) and I love the idea that I might be making people giggle or even laugh out loud when reading some of the scenes.

What research is required?

I was so fortunate to have first-hand access to the world in my books, so there wasn’t much additional research required for the museum aspect of the book. But for Theft Between the Rains, which is still primarily set at the Royal Ontario Museum, I also wanted to take readers to parts of Toronto that are rarely seen or visited.

To discover new locations for my scenes I went on city walking tours, some led by the Lost Rivers group (whose walks trace the courses of the city’s undergrounded or forgotten streams), as well as downtown walking tours organized by the Royal Ontario Museum. There’s also an annual event called Doors Open Toronto which allows the public to explore buildings of architectural, historic and cultural significance that are not usually accessible to the public, so I participated in that a few times. As a result, I not only ran across some captivating locations, but I spent my weekends in a tremendously fun and active way and got to know my city like I had never known it before.

Name one thing you learned from your hero/heroine.

I learned that despite being very capable, Kalena Boyko lacked confidence and if she stopped getting in her own way so much, she could be a powerhouse.

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

If I come up with an idea, or scene or dialogue, and I don’t have pen or paper to jot it down, I trust that I will remember it. And anything that I might forget was meant to be forgotten.

Are you a plotter or pantser?

I have been both a plotter and a pantser. With my first book, Theft By Chocolate, before entering a creative writing program, I took one of those ‘How to Write Your First Novel’ courses. In it, I was required to develop my characters, create their back stories, develop detailed chapter outlines, and an overall summary. And that was very useful as a beginning novelist.

For Theft Between the Rains, I decided to be more of a pantser and I felt I was more open to new inspirations. However, doing it that way resulted in a much longer and meticulous editing phase.

Look to your right – what’s sitting there?

An exquisite amethyst crystal, a round palm-sized stone from Iceland that is covered with a kind of woven wool jacket, a glass of water resting on a porous ceramic coaster, and a stunning art deco inspired lamp (it’s a woman holding up a glass globe) which casts just the right amount of light I need while working on my computer.

Anything new coming up from you? What?

The current book upon which I’m working is quite a departure from my first two books. Although it’s still a mystery and set in the museum world, it’s a paranormal story with souls meeting in more than one lifetime. My early writing journey started with screenwriting and I had completed a script that I had always wanted to elaborate more fully into a novel. So, I’m finally going back to that concept to develop it into a book.

I’m also going to be working on a memoir/fiction blend about my family’s struggles and challenges as a first-generation Canadian family. Both works get me very excited about waking up every day and getting to my writing.

Do you have a question for our readers?

I’d be curious to know what readers think about authors who write books in different genres. When in writing school, we were often told to stay within one genre, but I’ve always wondered if it really made a difference to readers when writers switch it up and I know a few writers who write very well in each of their genres.

What would you do if you worked at a reputable international museum and art works listed as still missing since WWII began showing up on your doorstep?

That’s the substance of the newest urban art theft thriller Theft Between the Rains by Luba Lesychyn.

Drawing on her more than 20 years at Canada’s largest museum, Luba reintroduces many of the affable and quirky characters from the prequel, Theft By Chocolate. Also resurrected is the malicious art thief who has been on the world’s most wanted criminal list for decades.

Theft Between the Rains takes readers behind the scenes at museums and to parts unknown of Toronto. And with water being a character unto its own, Luba uses both humor and thriller elements to weave a page-turning story while simultaneously illustrating how changing weather patterns and flash flooding are impacting metropolitan centers globally.

Read an excerpt

“We are coming to yet another fascinating area of the facility. And it is one of the more recent additions to the building,” said Walter.

“Holeeeeeeeee,” said Marco. “This is straight out of some Sci Fi B movie.”

“It is something,” said Walter.

Before us were shelves full of jars – large jars, small jars, roundish jars, square jars – all containing clear liquid and specimens of every conceivable sort. I turned on my phone’s flashlight app, and the illuminated sight before me was truly haunting. Hundreds, probably thousands of fish, sea life, and land creatures floated lifelessly in their ghostly containers. Those whose bodies were turned in our direction seemed to be staring directly at us with beady eyes.

“All of these specimens are suspended in alcohol. If ever there was anything you wanted to learn about aquatic creatures, this is certainly the place to do so. Everything is organized by genus and species. They are whole specimens, and they have been stained to feature various elements. As you can see, the fish turn translucent when preserved, but with the dyes, one can make out the nervous or circulatory systems, for example.”

“Cool,” said Marco.

“I seem to recall we had no choice but to move all this off site?” I said.

“Yes, indeed. Because of their extraordinary weight, they cannot be stored on upper levels without adding costly structural supports. At the same time, if they’re stored below grade, there’s a heightened risk of explosion.”

About the Author:

Luba Lesychyn is a popular Toronto-based mystery writer, a graduate of the Humber School for Writers, and a respected author in the library readings and events circuit.

In her two books, she draws from her more than 20 years of work experiences at the Royal Ontario Museum (Canada’s largest museum), and her time working for a private museum consulting firm to write humorous, international art theft thrillers featuring amateur sleuth Kalena Boyko. Her newest book, Theft Between the Rains, is a sequel to Theft By Chocolate (about a woman looking for chocolate, love and an international art thief in all the wrong places) published in 2012 by Attica Books and launched in Canada and the UK.

Luba currently spends her time writing and virtually touring Theft Between the Rains in which lead character Kalena Boyko returns to find herself pulled into international art theft intrigue when masterpieces missing since WWII start appearing on her doorstep.

Website: https://lubalesychyn.com/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Luba-Lesychyn/e/B00G9EPC8G
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Luba-Lesychyn-Author-180423355396109
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6094572.Luba_Lesychyn
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lesychyn/
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/search?query=luba+lesychyn
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ca/lubalesychyn/_created/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LubaLesychyn

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Murder With Strings Attached by Mark Reutlinger

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

Sometimes even the most carefully conceived burglary can take an unexpected turn. Florence Palmer has her eye on concert violinist Aaron Levy's priceless violin. Unfortunately, she finds it's already been stolen. Her surprise doubles when the virtuoso she'd planned to burgle offers to hire her to help him steal it back. But they're not the only ones looking for the missing violin. When Flo inadvertently becomes the prime suspect in a case of murder, she and Aaron need to clear her name. Will they find the real killer and get the violin back to its rightful owner without anyone else, especially themselves, being killed?

Read an Excerpt

I was going to use my “one phone call” (assuming a person really gets one and that’s not just something they say in the movies) to call Aaron, but I didn’t have to bother. Almost as soon as I arrived at the police station, Aaron, who obviously had been watching developments and following the police car I was in, walked in and inquired how I might be released. Given the relatively minor nature of the charge, despite what they might actually suspect, and my clean record, despite all the burglaries they were thankfully unaware of, bail was set according to a standard schedule rather than my having to wait to see a judge the next day.

I don’t know how much it cost Aaron to bail me out, but of course whatever it was, he could well afford it; and besides, he owed it to me. After all, I was really just his employee, and surely posting bail is a standard employee benefit.

When all the necessary papers had been signed and funds transferred, Aaron and I walked out into the sunshine that I’d been afraid I wouldn’t be seeing for quite a while.

On the way to Aaron’s car, I gave him a hug and a little kiss on the cheek and thanked him for extricating me from the pokey and doing it so quickly. He looked a bit embarrassed by that, but he cleared his throat and said in his best businesslike manner:

“Okay, so why’d you shoot him, and where’d you put the violin?”

About the Author:

MARK REUTLINGER is an attorney and former law professor. He now writes novels in which the law is frequently broken, including his “Mrs. Kaplan” cozy mystery series (MRS. KAPLAN AND THE MATZOH BALL OF DEATH and A PAIN IN THE TUCHIS) and the political thrillers MADE IN CHINA and SISTER-IN-LAW: VIOLATION, SEDUCTION, AND THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES (under the pen name M. R. Morgan). MURDER WITH STRINGS ATTACHED is his latest novel. He is also a reviewer for the New York Journal of Books.

Mark and his wife Analee live in University Place, Washington, where in addition to reading and writing he plays clarinet with the Tacoma Concert Band and enjoys tennis, biking, exotic cars, model railroading, and various arts and crafts. He has no idea where he finds the time for it all.

Websites: http://MarkReutlinger.com
http://MRMorganAuthor.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/markreutlinger
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1192934.Mark_Reutlinger

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Strings-Attached-Mark-Reutlinger/dp/1509233210/ref=sr_1_1
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/murder-with-strings-attached-mark-reutlinger/1138134761

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Reaper: Aftermath by Jonathan Pongratz

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Jonathan Pongratz will be awarding a 15 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.

Five years have passed since the Reapers invaded Earth and tore it asunder. Gregory, his mother, Trent, and their group of scavengers hunt the decimated wastelands for survival.

But when a sudden Reaper attack forces Gregory through a Reaper door, he finds himself in a bizarre place, one that may provide answers to the Reapers’ past and where they came from.

Can Gregory put together the pieces of the past and find his way home, or will he just become another human casualty in the lost war against the Reapers?

Read an Excerpt

A sudden noise woke me from my fitful sleep. I groaned and rolled over, squinting in the dark as I eyed Trent’s bed. He was fast asleep, snoring lightly. I sat up slowly, removing my covers.

I glanced at the doorway, flinching when I saw the outline of a dark figure standing there. I couldn’t make out much in the dim light from the hall, except that the person was short and had a feminine form.

I snatched my flashlight off the small end table next to my bed and shined it forward. My jaw dropped. My little sister stood before me. Her curly brown hair fell down in little ringlets, and she had an impish grin on her face.

“I-Imogen?”

She giggled, then ran off into the hall to the right.

“Imogen!” I cried. I couldn’t believe it. My little sister was back! I had to tell Mom, but first I had to get Imogen to stop running and tell me what happened, where she’d been all these years.

I scrambled out of bed and left my room, aiming my light down the hall. I caught a brief glimpse of Imogen before she turned a familiar corner to the right.

Why would she head to the library? We didn’t have time for games like this. I barrelled down the hall, my bare feet loud as they slapped against the tiled floor. Seconds later, I arrived at the small double doors of the school library. One of them was slightly ajar.

I entered the library with slow, cautious steps. The entrance was the only way out, but I didn’t want to spook my little sister. She must be so scared, confused to be back with everything so different.

A tall aisle of bookshelves stood before me, another opposing set on the other side of the room.

“Imogen?” I called.

I heard movement up ahead and crept closer.

When I reached the open center of the room I spotted Imogen several yards ahead, her back facing me. She stood before a large, rickety door that wasn’t supposed to be there. My stomach dropped. A Reaper door. She reached for the doorknob.

“Imogen, don’t!”

She ignored me, and as she opened the door a brilliant white light beamed through. I shielded my eyes with my arm. “Imogen!”

My little sister walked through the door. Without thinking I chased after her. I couldn’t lose her again. As I ran through the doorway, the blinding light suddenly snuffed out, replaced by darkness. I scanned my surroundings with my flashlight, a cold tingle shooting through me like icicles.

To my right a set of stairs led upwards. On my left, numerous items of furniture were draped in white sheets. Dozens of boxes stood in tidy columns behind them. This was … no, it couldn’t be. The basement from my old house in my hometown. But how was this even possible? We knew that the doors the Reapers used had to be some kind of portal, but this didn’t make any sense.

I shook my head. Find Immy first, ask questions later. I glanced at the stairs and ruled them out immediately. I’d been right behind her. If she’d climbed the stairs I would’ve seen her. I turned left. The covered furniture and other sheeted items created odd, threatening shapes in the dark. When I ran my light over them, a wave of dread shot through my core.

I needed to get out of here and fast. I frantically checked around each blanketed surface, calling for my sister as I progressed further into the basement. I made my way to the back where Immy had been taken five years ago, my anxiety soaring. Don’t think about it, don’t think about it, I thought to myself as I searched high and low.

Regardless, faded gritty images from the past flashed inside my head: the sudden appearance of the door in the wall, me scrambling to find a weapon to fight whatever would come out, Imogen being taken by the Reaper. Her cries ...

No. No, no, no! I wasn’t going to let the past get the better of me. I shined my light around again. “Immy, where are you? Say something, please!”

I headed down the aisle of boxes along the back wall of the basement, searching every nook and cranny. I was nearly through with my search when a familiar sofa with golf clubs sticking out from under it caught my eye. The white sheet draping the couch was discolored, misshapen. I inched closer until I could snag the sheet away.

As the white cloth fell to the floor, I cried out in horror. Imogen’s dead eyes stared straight up at the ceiling. Her chest and face were covered in blood, and her expression was frozen in shock and terror. I felt around desperately for a pulse, but couldn’t find one.

Oh god, oh god, oh god. This couldn’t be happening! I had just gotten her back. Warm tears rolled down my face, and I held my little sister in my arms as tightly as I could. “Please don’t leave me,” I squeaked.

A series of guttural warbles sounded nearby, making me jump. Goosebumps raised all over my body, and the air in the basement became heavy, electric. Reapers.

I released Imogen for a moment, taking a cautious look around. I couldn’t see them, but they could be anywhere. I reached for my gun, but grabbed at empty air. Shit! It was still in the storeroom back home. I mulled my situation over for a quick second. I couldn’t just sit here and let them find me. I scooped up Imogen’s body with a grunt and made my way back. I wouldn’t leave her here. She deserved better than that.

I tottered back to the open Reaper door as best I could, stumbling several times due to the awkward load in my arms. When I was just feet away, an inhuman shriek of protest stopped me dead in my tracks. I spun around. Three Reapers approached me from the way I’d just come. A cloaked Reaper, flanked by two others on all fours. The cloaked Reaper pointed a crooked finger in my direction, and the two hunter Reapers prowled forward. Saliva oozed from their mouths and their predatory yellow eyes leered at me dangerously.

I turned back around to escape, but the door was no longer there. With one hand I struck the wall in disbelief. No, it had just been here! The Reapers on all fours closed in on me, forcing me back against the wall.

“No,” I whimpered. I couldn’t believe it. This was it. This was the end. I looked down at Imogen’s still body, propping her up to me. I kissed her forehead, my vision watery with tears. “I love you, Immy.”

I glowered at the Reapers defiantly, just in time for them to pounce upon me.

About the Author:

Jonathan Pongratz is a writer and author of captivating horror, fantasy, and other speculative fiction stories. When he’s not writing, he’s busy being a bookworm, video game junkie, and karaoke vocalist. A former resident of Dallas, he currently resides in Kansas City with his Halloween cat Ajax. By day he works magic in finance, by night he creates dark and mesmerizing worlds.

Website: http://www.jonathanpongratz.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jonathanpongratz
GoodReads: http://www.goodreads.com/jonathanpongratz
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/jonathan-pongratz
Tumblr: https://jonathanpongratz.tumblr.com/

Reaper: Aftermath Universal Ebook Link: https://buy.bookfunnel.com/3asmrg39g7
Amazon Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0578827441
Barnes and Noble Paperback: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/reaper-jonathan-pongratz/1138649891

Reaper: A Horror Novella Universal Ebook Link: https://buy.bookfunnel.com/yaar1pv37e

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His Marriage Gamble by Nancy Fraser

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Nancy Fraser will be awarding a $15 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.

Felicity Beaumont, the rebellious daughter of Louisiana elite devises a plan to move her father’s illegally owned slaves north to safety using the gambling river boat known as the Lucky Lady. Dressed as a young farm boy, she attempts to sell family heirlooms to raise the funds she needs. Short the full amount, she continues her ruse and bargains her way aboard the boat as their chaperone.

Charismatic owner of the Lucky Lady, Jake McAlister doesn’t trust women, and when he discovers Felicity’s subterfuge, he remembers exactly why.

While they find themselves in agreement about helping the free men and women, they are at odds over everything else, including their quickly escalating feelings for one another. When caught between Felicity’s powerful father and the ire of a local judge, they’re forced into a marriage neither wanted.

Can they make the best of a bad situation? And, will gambling on love be a bust or reap them both a happily ever after?

Read an Excerpt

Jake McAlister lifted his foot to the railing above the Lucky Lady’s stern and lit a thin cheroot, its tip glowing bright red in the dark night sky. His cargo hadn’t yet arrived, and he felt the first stirring of concern. He’d asked permission to dock at this unfamiliar port under the guise of making some repairs. To overstay his welcome would draw attention he didn’t want or need. He’d give them twenty minutes and then…

“Excuse me, are you Jake McAlister?”

Jake raised his head. A young boy of no more than fifteen or sixteen stood before him. “Can I help you, kid?”

“I’m here to arrange passage for some of my friends.”

The boy coughed out his words, and Jake had to stifle a chuckle at the lad’s attempt to hide the obvious changes in his voice. “You’re the one who contacted me?” Jake asked.

“Yes.” The boy shuffled nervously from one foot to the other and kept his gaze narrowed on the ship’s deck.

“And, just where are these friends of yours?”

The boy let out a shrill whistle and a long line of blacks came out from behind a nearby building, first the men, then the women and, finally, the children. They arrived carrying their worldly belongings in a few large satchels, a handful of worn burlap sacks and, surprisingly, one rather expensive-looking steamer trunk. Jake counted heads as they came on board.

“I count four men, six women, and sixteen children. At fifty bucks a head for the adults and twenty for the children, that comes to eight hundred and twenty.”

“That’s right,” the boy confirmed, “how much extra for me?”

“I don’t take spectators on these runs, boy. The agreement is to take the blacks north to freedom. From the looks of them, they don’t need a caretaker, unless it’s to help them read.”

“My friends all know how to read, Mr. McAlister. And write.”

“Then they don’t need you, do they?”

“I’ve got the money.”

“Which you are going to give to me.”

About the Author:

Jumping Across Romance Genres with Gleeful Abandon—is an Amazon Top 100 and Award-Winning author who can’t seem to decide which romance genre suits her best. So, she writes them all.

Like most authors, Nancy began writing at an early age, usually on the walls and with crayons or, heaven forbid, permanent markers. Her love of writing often made her the English teacher’s pet which, of course, resulted in a whole lot of teasing. Still, it was worth it.

Nancy has published over thirty-five books in full-length, novella, and short format.

When not writing (which is almost never), Nancy dotes on her five wonderful grandchildren and looks forward to traveling and reading when time permits. Nancy lives in Atlantic Canada where she enjoys the relaxed pace and colorful people.

Author Social Media:

Website: http://www.nancyfraser.ca
Facebook: http://facebook.com/nancyfraserauthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/nfraserauthor
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Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Nancy-Fraser/e/B004AOL61Y/
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Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ca/fraser425/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3gC68iMStwKCr4v_S6fMIA
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/romauthor_nancyfraser/
Newletter Sign Up: http://eepurl.com/bxkKvD
Jigsaw: https://bit.ly/36moGf3

The Book is on sale for $0.99 during the Tour.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08TMQ9C3W
Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/id1550045267
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/his-marriage-gamble-nancy-fraser/1138654225
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/his-marriage-gamble
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/his-marriage-gamble-love-s-a-gamble-book-2-by-nancy-fraser

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War of the Squirrels by Kirsten Weiss

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Kirsten Weiss will be awarding a signed, paperback copy of War of the Squirrels, an "Ever Vigilant" squirrel notepad, a squirrel wish bracelet, and a squirrel baseball cap (black) (US ONLY) to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Helicopter parents, suspicious squirrels… and murder.

All Susan wants is to get through this visit from her controlling parents without tumbling down a black hole of despair. But galactic forces are colliding at her whimsical B&B, Wits’ End, and her parents have plans of their own.

When two men die on the same day, both mysterious deaths are tied to her mom and dad. Meanwhile, a squirrel scofflaw is riling up the tiny mountain town of Doyle, and Susan realizes she’s the only person who can stop the madness. And if this B&B owner can’t put these crimes to rest fast, her carefully organized life may come crashing to earth.

This fast-paced and funny cozy mystery is book four in the Wits’ End series. Packed with quirky characters, small town charm, and murder, it’s perfect for fans of Jana Deleon, Tricia O’Malley, and Charlaine Harris.

Buy War of the Squirrels and start this hilarious caper today.

Read an Excerpt

If there’s anything worse than walking in on your parents in the throes of disposing of a body, I don’t want to know what it is.

But I’m getting ahead of myself.

Earlier that day, unaware of the disaster unfolding, I bent my head toward my reception desk and pretended this was a normal day.

“Susan,” Arsen said gently.

I drew careful diagonal lines through the completed tasks in my planner.

“Susan,” my boyfriend said again. “Now you’re starting to freak me out.”

At my feet, Bailey woofed in agreement. The aging beagle sat on my sneaker to punctuate his argument.

I set down ruler and pencil and straightened in the creaky swivel chair. “What am I supposed to do? My two ex-jailers are arriving any minute. They’re going to be watching me like hawks. Any signs of weakness, and…”

He sat on the desk and grasped my shoulder. “First, you’re not weak. Second, you’re not a teenager anymore. You’re an adult. There’s nothing they can do if you don’t let them.” He smiled, his hazel eyes crinkling.

Normally, crinkling hazel eyes would make me melt. This is especially true when they’re accompanied by an easygoing personality, square jaw, and killer smile.

But not today.

About the Author: Kirsten Weiss has never met a dessert she didn’t like, and her guilty pleasures are watching Ghost Whisperer re-runs and drinking red wine. The latter gives her heartburn, but she drinks it anyway.

Now based in Colorado Springs, CO, she writes genre-blending cozy mystery, supernatural and steampunk suspense, mixing her experiences and imagination to create vivid worlds of fun and enchantment.

If you like funny cozy mysteries, check out her Pie Town - http://www.kirstenweiss.com/pie-town-mysteries, Tea and Tarot - https://www.kirstenweiss.com/tea-and-tarot-mysteries , Paranormal Museum - http://www.kirstenweiss.com/the-perfectly-proper-paranormal-mus-1 and Wits’ End - http://www.kirstenweiss.com/doyle-cozy-mystery-series books.

If you’re looking for some magic with your mystery, give the Witches of Doyle - http://www.kirstenweiss.com/doyle-witch-cozy-mysteries, Riga Hayworth - http://www.kirstenweiss.com/riga-hayworth-paranormal-mysteries and Rocky Bridges - http://www.kirstenweiss.com/rocky-bridges-mysteries books a try.

And if you like steampunk, the Sensibility Grey - http://www.kirstenweiss.com/sensibility-grey-steampunk-suspense series might be for you.

Kirsten sends out original short stories of mystery and magic to her mailing list. If you’d like to get them delivered straight to your inbox, make sure to sign up for her newsletter at http://kirstenweiss.com.

Feel free to follow her on Pinterest at KirstenWeiss, or on Bookbub - http://www.bookbub.com/authors/kirsten-weiss, get in touch on Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/kirsten.weiss, post a picture of this book to Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/kirstenweissauthor and tag her @kirstenweissauthor, or send her an email. She’ll answer you personally…which may be a good or a bad thing, depending on your perspective.

Email: kweiss2001@kirstenweiss.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/kirsten.weiss/
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/KirstenWeissAuthor
Bookbub: http://www.bookbub.com/authors/kirsten-weiss

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What We Bury by Carolyn Arnold

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

She’s dying, and she knows it. If only she can stay alive long enough to leave one last message. As the rain beats against the metal roof, she uses her blood-soaked fingertip to scrawl on the floorboards... The letters GB.

Detective Madison Knight has been house hunting, but a call from her real estate agent has nothing to do with finding the perfect property. She’s found a woman’s body, stabbed multiple times. Madison arrives on scene and is presented with an unknown Jane Doe and two letters written in blood. There’s no murder weapon, and it seems Doe was attacked somewhere else.

As Madison works to find justice for the victim, Madison’s own life is put at risk. What she comes to discover is some people will go to extreme lengths to protect their secrets—even as far as murder. But will learning that lesson come too late for her?

Buy this international bestselling book today and join the investigation! Uncover clues, follow leads, and catch a cop killer like thousands of readers have done before you.

Read an Excerpt:

“Are you really eating a chocolate bar for dinner?”

She laughed. Terry, her food monitor. “I’m not sure why that would surprise you.” They’d been partners going on eight years, and for that length of time, she’d always had a chocolate—more specifically, a Hershey’s—addiction.

“I was hoping we’d stop somewhere, hit a drive-thru on the way to the ex-husband’s—”

“Because that’s so much healthier.” She mumbled, “Vegetable,” just before taking another bite of heaven.

“If that’s what you have to tell yourself to soothe your conscience.”

She scowled at him while her mouth was full of gooey milk chocolate. “Ymm,” she moaned and closed her eyes.

“You really have a problem. You know that?”

“Whatev—” She chomped on another chunk. “Ymm.”

Terry shook his head. “While you masticate that bar like a—”

She stopped chewing, her glare daring him to finish his sentence.

About the Author:

CAROLYN ARNOLD is an international bestselling and award-winning author, as well as a speaker, teacher, and inspirational mentor. She has four continuing fiction series—Detective Madison Knight, Brandon Fisher FBI, McKinley Mysteries, and Matthew Connor Adventures—and has written nearly thirty books. Her genre diversity offers her readers everything from cozy to hard-boiled mysteries, and thrillers to action adventures.

Both her female detective and FBI profiler series have been praised by those in law enforcement as being accurate and entertaining, leading her to adopt the trademark: POLICE PROCEDURALS RESPECTED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT™.

Carolyn was born in a small town and enjoys spending time outdoors, but she also loves the lights of a big city. Grounded by her roots and lifted by her dreams, her overactive imagination insists that she tell her stories. Her intention is to touch the hearts of millions with her books, to entertain, inspire, and empower.

She currently lives in London, Ontario with her husband and beagles and is a member of Crime Writers of Canada and Sisters in Crime.

Website: http://carolynarnold.net/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Carolyn_Arnold
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorCarolynArnold
Newsletter sign up: http://carolynarnold.net/newsletters

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3hG03ND
Barnes and Noble: https:/www.barnesandnoble.com/w/what-we-bury-carolyn-arnold/1137382050?ean=2940164432300
Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/what-we-bury/id1524658958?mt=11&app=itunes
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/what-we-bury-1

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Courageous Birth by Dr. Laura Sims

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Dr. Laura Sims 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.

In building her family, Dr. Laura Sims has experienced joy and loss. This is a mother who has been through the worst and best of pregnancy, birth and family life and she won’t shy away from telling the truth of it. Dr. Sims shows that, as the mother, you have the first say in how your pregnancy and the birth goes. You get to decide how you want to bring your baby into the world. Home births are rising and there is more and more understanding of how putting the mother’s comfort first results in better birthing experiences. Within days of knowing she was pregnant for the first time, Dr. Sims knew she wanted a home water birth. She took the reins right from the start, but was disappointed in the lack of literature available to her about the kind of pregnancy and birth she wanted. Courageous Birth is her offering to women like her, women who want to know the truth of the experience and who want someone to show them what is possible for them in pregnancy, birth, and post-natal life. Dr. Laura Sims opens up her family’s joys, losses and hopes for mothers looking to understand. With an intimate and honest window into her life, Dr. Sims empowers expecting mothers and post-birth mothers to find what’s best for them and their babies.

Read an Excerpt

Being a professional and having a new baby is possible. I dedicated an entire chapter to this because I feel it’s an important part of my life and I know that many times, a person’s career can get in the way of having children or vice versa. I’m a driven person by nature, however, I know many men and women who have a baby and become even more motivated to succeed and provide. With conceiving Grace and starting our business simultaneously, we were taking the leap in all regards. We dove all in. Ready to do whatever it took to make it work in as smooth and effortless a way as possible. Given that I felt so amazing immediately after birth, I got right back into being a chiropractor, working side by side with my husband while Grace was in the baby sling. She was constantly attached to me or her daddy. There were little if any times she was not in contact with us—unless our patients were holding her. She was in the office whenever we were. There were many benefits to having her there, as well as some challenges.

I encourage you to discover what works best for your situation. This is my experience and what worked for our family. It may look completely different for you. The main thing here, is that it is possible and you can do it!

About the Author:

Dr. Laura Sims has been helping people reach optimal health since 2006. Along with her husband, they founded 2 of the largest chiropractic practices on the western slope of Colorado.

She believes the body is capable of healing itself when free from nerve interference. In 2019, she completed a 2-year Master's class in Soul-Centered Living from the University of Santa Monica.

It is her heartfelt mission for everyone to step more fully into their courageousness and trust their inner knowing!

Website: http://www.drlaurasims.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorlaurasims
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20492127.Dr_Laura_Sims

Amazon Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08CQ2WWTZ/ref=x_gr_w_bb_sin

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Love Has No Limits by Armine Papouchian

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

At sixteen, Armine fell in love for the first time and lost that love for the first time. She was the youngest daughter of three in Armenia and the only one underage when her parents decided to immigrate to the United States. She had to go with and leave her beloved Alex behind. Her parents saw a land of opportunity while Armine saw heartbreak. It wasn’t the end of her story with Alex and certainly not the end of her life,as it had felt at the time, but there was more pain to follow. Sixteen-year-olds are resilient, but even when losses and hurt came calling repeatedly throughout Armine’s life, she had the strength to love and to rise again and again. Even as life moves on for Armine and Alex, their lives intersect again and again over the course of thirty years. Through deaths and divorces, their lives never quite line up from their opposite sides of the globe. Love Has No Limits is Armine’s story of keeping faith in oneself and in love despite heartbreak, betrayal, and loss. It reveals the joy available to those who rise and rise again.

Read an Excerpt

Throughout the early ’80s, I had been dating here and there, some longer relationships than others but I wasn’t feeling the connection I was looking for with anyone. There was Ed, who was Armenian and went to USC studying engineering and seemed like a nice guy, but did not seem to have a backbone to stand up to his parents. His parents did not take my education very seriously and expected that once we got married, which we were not even discussing, I would be staying home and keeping myself busy like his mom did by raising children, being a “good” wife, socializing, shopping, making myself look good and whatever else she did. That choice certainly worked for some people, but it was not going to be my choice. Then there was John whom I met in college, an engineering major and he was a very nice guy, a gentleman, treated me with respect but we didn’t really have any common interests. Then there was Nick who was a Levitz customer; he had been stationed in Germany for a while and now he was an electrical engineer.

He was also nice and very handsome, but again, not a very interesting person. I was realizing that although many of the guys I was meeting were nice, educated and polite, none of them had a wide range of interests, had read any classical literature, or knew anything about art, poetry or classical music, nor did they have the wanderlust of wanting to experience life’s many pleasures or travel. Then I met Richard at Levitz.

About the Author:

Arminé was born in Soviet Armenia and immigrated to United States with her parents when she was 17. She worked in the health care industry for 33 years and held key leadership roles in various health plans. Most recently, she retired from a senior executive position to pursue service and paying forward.

She is currently involved in various volunteer roles. In her free time, she enjoys reading, hiking, gardening, art museums, concerts, dancing, and spending time with family and friends.

Love Has No Limits is her first book.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56512392-love-has-no-limits
Buy Link: ttps://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08RJ6152L/ref=x_gr_w_bb_sin

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My Rite of Passage During the Summer of '76 by H. Downing Lane

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

MY RITE OF PASSAGE DURING THE SUMMER OF ’76 is a riveting coming-of-age memoir about adventure on the high seas with philosophical musings that add a resonant layer of depth.

In this memoir, H. Downing Lane recalls the 25-day transatlantic sailing trip he took in 1976 as a young man, the details of the journey around Iceland, the Faroe Islands, and other locales, and reflects on its significance as a coming-of-age learning experience.

H. Downing Lane was 26 years old in 1976 when he decided to sign up for a transatlantic sailing trip into the Arctic with an accomplished captain named E. Newbold Smith. In this vivid, often exhilarating memoir, Lane draws from journal entries written during his time at sea to share an account of the remarkable voyage.

The Atlantic crossing was a 25-day affair, from Chesapeake Bay, around Iceland, the Faroe Islands, and the coast of Norway. It was undertaken at a point in Lane’s life when he was feeling particularly vulnerable, as he was recovering from an accident in which he had lost an eye. He wished to “prove [his] mettle,” not to the other men aboard the boat, but to himself. As it turned out, Captain Smith was something of a kindred spirit, as he too had survived a devastating accident many years earlier. Lane provides the reader with a realistic vision of what life aboard a sailing vessel is like, from the often freezing temperatures above and below deck, to the many challenges presented by simple bodily necessities. He describes various technical aspects of working on the boat, but his language never devolves into jargon; his account is always perfectly clear and accessible.

Lane seasons the text with literary and philosophical quotes that frequently allow him to consider the greater meaning of his experience, and even of life itself. There are also numerous stunning photographs included of the boat and the various stops along the way.

Read an Exclusive Excerpt

At 26 years old, I had almost no reference point. I was too inexperienced to know better or worse…I didn’t know what to expect…I didn’t know worse until I did.

Our harnesses instilled a confidence and an illusion we could never be knocked overboard or lost a sea. It was a near miracle none of us got swept over the lifelines. This was but our daily hope and fear. Hope the harness would hold, hope we could stay put, we could hold on. Like an umbilical cord, no one knows how firmly attached we are attached. And we were babes in a sea of hope. Yes, we were attached to being attached to our bucking Reindeer.

My greatest fear wasn’t when I was on the foredeck, but when Newbold ordered a sail change. To reduce sail meant we were overpowered and needed to slow down. And we were at his mercy. Adding a bigger sail meant we could go faster. I mentioned to Newbold, “We aren’t racing are we?” But I think he had a hard time adapting to a cruising mentality to rather than racing. I could feel his competitive juices churned up whenever the wind changed.

When I was growing up in the 1950s and 1960's, I remember feeling the wrath and the roar of hurricane force winds from the cozy confines of my parent's home on the Eastern shore of Maryland. As a youngster I recall watching a nearby river tide rise over docks, while winds and waves whipped pilings and slapped shorelines. Out my bedroom window I would watch Nature’s fascinating forces and dream. Always seeing myself struggle against wind and water, almost as if I had faced them in a different reality and realm. Maybe I had faced the elements before. Maybe I had been a sailor in another lifetime, a mariner in a different time.

About the Author:

H. Downing Lane is a retired educator, tutoring business owner, English teacher, coach and administrator who sails in his spare time.

Presently he is writing a series of books that chronicle his sailing adventures.

Born and raised on the eastern shore of Maryland, he has returned home after 40 years to write. Henry taught sailing for eight years on Long Island Sound and sailed competitively on the Chesapeake Bay, crewed transatlantic to Iceland and Norway, been a crew member of a number of Annapolis – Newport and Newport – Bermuda races and sailed much of the Caribbean and Bahamas.

In 1978, he sailed the SORC around Florida. In 2008, he purchased Mystique, a 40′ leopard catamaran, and in 2013, he sailed it to Santo Domingo, the Turks and Cacaos and eventually to Florida.

In 2016, he sailed solo for 51 days through the Exumas. On another adventure he and Lainie Wrightson had a calamitous time together – losing both rudders – the basis of his second book, Bluewater Mystique.

He has chartered boats to sail the Dalmatian Coast, Belize, Abacos, Eleuthera and the Maine coast. While maintaining his blog www.bluewatermystique.com, he has written numerous blogs about life and sailing.

He is a dedicated learner and loves sharing his experiences and stories.

Social Links

Website https://hdowninglane.com/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/HenryDLane
Twitter https://twitter.com/hlane4200

Buy Links

Amazon https://amazon.com/dp/0228813638
Indigo https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/my-rite-of-passage-during/9780228813651-item.html
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Kobo https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/my-rite-of-passage-during-the-summer-of-76
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