Facets of the Past by Monique Gliozzi

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Monique Gliozzi will be awarding a $15 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

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

Suspenseful, action dramas have always intrigued me from a very young age. Watching movies of this genre fuelled a passion to create fictional stories that were fast paced and exciting. The thrill of creating a plot full of twists to keep my audience engaged and satisfied at the end is the main aim.

What research is required?

There is always a little research necessary for most of my stories especially when describing technical aspects (creation of forgeries). However thanks to Google this makes the task manageable. Sometimes I can draw upon my own expertise of a subject to obtain the desired effect.

Name one thing you learned from your hero.

The take home message from the book Facets of the Past is that crime doesn’t pay but honesty and tenacity does.

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

I prefer to write early in the morning (at dawn) while listening to Gregorian chanting playing in the background. It’s soothing to the soul and helps ideas flow as my fingertips dance across the keyboard.

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

Plotting and planning are my middle names. However there have been occasions where I’ve revisited the plot and changed it to suit a more intriguing storyline.

Look to your right – what is sitting there?

Funny you should ask this. There’s a shelf supporting a globe of the world. I guess that somehow at a subconscious level this object is the reason for taking the reader on a journey across the globe with each of my publications. Facets of the Past is set in Bavaria with a brief journey to the US (San Francisco).

Anything new coming up from you?

At the moment there’s a loose kernel of an idea levitating in my mind, waiting to grow into another exciting narrative. Question for your readers : Is there a particular time of day you would choose to read a certain genre, eg. Early afternoon – romantic comedy, and why?

When Hank Gild is given the opportunity to take up his dream job, he accepts the offer with excitement. As a tour guide at the historical imperial castle on Lake Starnberg, Hank delights his guests with stories of the late Bavarian emperor-his antics, his precious artifacts and the mystery shrouding his death in 1886. But it seems that not all the castle's visitors are of pure heart. Before long, Hank is forced down a path of greed, deception and danger with no way out. A once happy and simple life unexpectedly becomes a treacherous nightmare. Who can he trust? Can Hank save himself before learning the ultimate lesson?

Read an Excerpt

Sliding behind the tapestry immortalizing the king’s coronation, then positioning my flashlight to take full advantage of its beam, I went to work. The old lock cracked within seconds. The click echoing around the room appeared loud to my already adrenaline-laden senses. With a heart pounding like a jackhammer, I reached for the handle, savoring the feeling of cold brass against my clammy palm. The little secret door was finally ajar.

Anyone familiar with old doors would know that they never open quietly, their hinges invariably will creak. This one was no different. A rush of cold musty air rushed past me. Shining the torch, I could see that behind this partition was a short narrow corridor leading to a set of steps. Glancing at my watch, I noted there was still time before a second security sweep would be needed. br>
Tentatively, I walked into the unknown, first tackling the corridor and steep set of winding stairs to another locked door. As I prepared to pick its lock, images of an archaeological expedition crossed my mind – Tutankhamen. The oppressive musty air, steep dark tunnels and unlawful intrusion were some similarities taunting with my moral compass. I hoped that there were no microorganisms in this space causing a mysterious and deadly affliction or, worse, a curse. br>
Sweat built on my brow, the tools slipped from between my moist fingers, but eventually I opened the second door, revealing yet another very long tunnel. The ceiling was arched and low, suitable for anyone of shorter stature than my six-foot frame. As I walked bent over like the hunchback of Notre Dame, I calculated the approximate length of this tunnel to be eight hundred yards. Finally, reaching its end, another door beckoned to be unlocked. Putting my skill to good use, within seconds I found myself in a small underground room. br>
Shining the beam around the space, a sense of uncanny familiarity befell me. Then, at the far end of the antique wine cellar, I recognized a set of wooden steps. I was in the cellar of my cottage! Relieved at having completed this little adventure unscathed, I decided to retrace my steps back to the castle. br>
“I’ve been waiting for you, Hank!” br>
Startled, I spun around, my flashlight catching a dark hooded shape emerging from the shadows. br>
“Who are you? How do you know my name?” The harshness of my tone barely disguised my fear. The figure slowly stepped toward the middle of the room, his head bowed and face still concealed by the hood of what appeared to be a monk’s habit. He stood in silence. br>
“Who are you?” I demanded. Then, slowly lifting his head toward the light, revealing a sunken midface, sharply jutting jaw, a long beaked nose, and black penetrating eyes, the stranger answered, sending a chill down my spine. br>
“Call me the Handyman.”br>
About the Author:

Born in Dublin, Dr Monique Gliozzi, a graduate from the University of Western Australia medical school, has a keen interest in forensic sciences and psychiatry. She works as a psychiatrist in Perth, with ties to the UWA School of Psychiatry, where she has had a role as a senior clinical lecturer. Her love for teaching granted her a nomination for an Excellence in Teaching Award in 2016.

Monique also holds an interest in aviation. She trained at the Royal Aero Club of Western Australia, where she obtained a commercial pilot licence. Following this, Monique completed her instructor rating and is now working on a casual basis as a senior flight instructor.

Monique rekindled her passion for writing starting with the fictional thriller Foresight, followed by Hunted and ghostly encounters in Vestige. Her latest book, Diversity, is a compilation of entertaining short stories of different genres.

Connect with Monique Gliozzi:

WEBSITE: https://moniquegliozzi.com/
BLOG: https://paranormalpsychiatrist.com/
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/moniquegliozziauthor
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/monique.gliozzi/?hl=en
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/GliozziMonique

Purchase Links:

AMAZON.COM: https://amazon.com/dp/0228848903
INDIGO CHAPTERS: https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/facets-of-the-past-no/9780228848929-item.html
BARNES and NOBLE: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/facets-of-the-past-monique-gliozzi/1139129049
RAKUTEN KOBO: https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/facets-of-the-past
SMASHWORDS: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1076824
APPLE BOOKS: https://books.apple.com/us/book/facets-of-the-past-no-dark-deed-goes-unpunished/id1561052315

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Grave Robbing and Other Hobbies by Jayce Carter

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

Abandoned at three—whose parents want a kid who sees ghosts?—I learned the world is quick to punish misfits. I try my best to be a normal, boring human, but the call of the supernatural just won’t be ignored.

When a stranger shows up on my doorstep in the middle of the night, it’s no sexy tryst. Instead, I’m off to the graveyard, digging up the corpse of a murder victim at the demand of the local vampire coven—and that small felony is just the start.

The spirit of the woman has gone missing, something that shouldn’t be possible, and everyone is looking to me for answers. There's Kase, a vampire who’s both terrifying and secretive. Grant, a mage with a bad attitude and a lot of power. Troy, the possessive werewolf-detective next door and Hunter, a mysterious bad boy who isn’t even close to human.

It’s a race not just against time but against everything to figure out where the spirits are going, who’s behind it and if I can trust the men who now share my bed.

And all because of a little grave robbing…

Read an Excerpt

“You need to do something,” I said as Kase and Troy struck a wall and knocked off a painting. Sure, it was a cheap one I’d picked up at a chain store, some mass-produced image of cherry blossoms I’d always thought would make me a calmer person, but it was my stupid painting and they’d ruined it!

“You’re right.” Grant snapped his fingers, whispering a few words.

The two fighting seemed unaffected, however, as Troy flung Kase off him and Kase sailed back, almost faster than my vision could follow.

I was about to tell Grant it hadn’t worked when I realized he had a bowl of popcorn now.

Had he really used his magic to summon popcorn? Hunter reached over me to grab a handful.

“You said you couldn’t use magic for frivolous things,” I stammered.

“I can’t.”

“You used it to get popcorn!”

Grant lifted the popcorn as though to make a point. “This isn’t frivolous, Ava. There is a man-on-man fight here—that requires snacks to properly watch. Get your priorities straight.”

My mouth hung open. Every time I thought I had my feet under me with these men, they showed me how wrong I was.

“They could kill each other,” I finally said.

“Sure, but they won’t.” Hunter stole another handful of popcorn and tossed some in his mouth, a few pieces falling to the couch. “Troy hasn’t fully shifted and Kase isn’t biting. This is just one of those macho alpha dominance shows. Let’s all be glad they’re doing this instead of actually measuring dicks. Trust me, that just hurts feelings.”

About the Author:

Jayce Carter lives in Southern California with her husband and two spawns. She originally wanted to take over the world but realized that would require wearing pants. This led her to choosing writing, a completely pants-free occupation. She has a fear of heights yet rock climbs for fun and enjoys making up excuses for not going out and socializing.

https://www.facebook.com/JayceCarterAuthor/
https://www.instagram.com/jaycecarterauthor/
https://www.jaycecarter.com/

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sorcerers Reborn: Earth by Richard B.

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Richard B. 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.

Sorcerers Reborn is Book One in a series that begins here on Earth and takes you on a new and exciting journey in the world of Sorcerers, Dragons, Elves and more.

Midnight stops. She feels something she hasn’t felt in three thousand years, something that possesses magic. It’s to the east in the mountains. She runs toward the beacon. She stands in front of a sheer stone wall hundreds of feet tall. There is a cave three quarters of the way up where the magic resides. If she tries to reach whatever is up there, it could potentially kill her. She’s come this far, but her journey isn’t over yet.

Midnight was exiled to earth with six Sorcerers by the evil Sorcerer Tay’Ron. She is a creature of magic, created by magic. She holds the gift of Sorcery from six Sorcerers who have passed on, and she is on a mission to find people on earth who are worthy of possessing this power. Her legacy must continue. Time is of the essence.

She possesses the gift of Sorcery. Midnight is a creature derived from magic, a fairy creature created from magic. She is not a Sorcerer. The six other Sorcerers are the six she carries inside of herself.

Read an Exclusive Excerpt

As DeWayne finished one task, Midnight gave him another—each one more complicated than the last. He was getting better at seeing what he had to see to get the results he was aiming for. Midnight let him know that she was pleased with his progress, but didn’t make the lessons any easier for him.

“You have to understand that the more you use magic to accomplish these tasks that seem hard for you, the easier it will get. And that’s when you can start experimenting for yourself; however, I will still be here watching to see that you don’t blow yourself, or the apartment, up. One more thing you need to know. When you go out never use your magic. People don’t understand it. There is no sense in advertising you have it.”

DeWayne felt like he was back in grade school with Mrs. Bell. She was always telling him he had to “Pay more attention young man! You cannot depend on others to do your homework for you. That’s why you’re here: to learn.”

With the gift, he only needed to sleep for a few hours a day, waking refreshed. DeWayne spent a couple of hours every day working out in his apartment. He believed that getting, and staying, in shape had to be a part of his daily routine. Becoming a Sorcerer meant his ailments no longer held him back, but that didn’t mean he could ignore his physical body. There was plenty of time to work out and go about his usual routine of shopping and stopping for a beer, weather permitting, before Midnight’s daily lesson. In between, DeWayne and Midnight talked about how they were going to accomplish the transformation from DeWayne to his new self.

Reading was going to be a big part of that. Magic enhanced his abilities to not only read faster, but also to retain what he was reading. With each page he improved, until after a few days he could glance at a page and remember everything on it. Knowledge of coding, hacking, and being able to delve into the darker side of the internet would be beneficial, and he had no trouble accomplishing that. Once he learned how to hack into other websites, the rest came easily enough.

DeWayne created a new identity. He chose the name Jason Blain, derived from two people from his past. Jason had been a close childhood friend who had died from cancer. Blain was the maiden name of his wife, the only woman he had ever loved, who had died in a car accident far too young. Both their losses had been hard for him to deal with.

About the Author:

Rick (Richard B.) Ogle was born in 1951 in Northern Ontario. This is his first appearance in the writing world. He worked for forty-five plus years as a journeyman fabricator/welder. In 1978 Rick wrote a short story titled "Storms" that turned into two books. His work always came first, so writing took the back burner. Writing of Sorcerers Reborn began in late 2000, but again work came first, so the book was not revisited until he was forced into retirement in 2013.

In 1998 Rick went back to school to learn something that would get him out of his chosen trade as a fabricator/welder. In 1999 he spent six months as an adult literacy tutor and found that was rewarding when he saw the progress each student was making. He currently holds an Adult Instructors Diploma. He completed a six-month course to obtain an A+ computer technicians' certification. He has an AutoCAD certificate in drafting and design. He instructed classes for Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Access at the North Cariboo Community Skills Center in Quesnel BC.

Rick is self-taught in HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language) code and built his website in 1998 while he was in school. He named his website "Poems and Short Stories by Richard B". That website is still going today.

CONNECT WITH RICHARD B.

WEBSITE: https://sorcerersreborn.ca/
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/sorcerersreborn
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/richardbauthor
GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5255029.Richard_B_

SORCERERS REBORN PURCHASE LINKS

AMAZON.COM: https://amazon.com/dp/0228837995
AMAZON.CA: https://amazon.ca/dp/0228837995
BOOKSHOP: https://bookshop.org/books/sorcerers-reborn-earth-9780228838005/9780228837992
INDIGO CHAPTERS: https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/sorcerers-reborn-earth/9780228838012-item.html
BARNES and NOBLE: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sorcerers-reborn-richard-b/1138565535
BOOK DEPOSITORY: https://www.bookdepository.com/Sorcerers-Reborn-Richard-B-Kimmy-Beach/9780228837992
KOBO: https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/sorcerers-reborn
SMASHWORDS: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1061877
APPLE BOOKS: https://books.apple.com/us/book/sorcerers-reborn-earth/id1547509133

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Gospel According to Prissy by Barbara Casey

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

Three Army veteran misfits, a college dropout, an unmotivated high school graduate accused of murder, a controversial warden of a women's prison, and a little girl with the gift of prophesy – these are the people 31-year-old Lara Kruger invites into her life after suffering a miscarriage, a divorce from an abusive husband, and unemployment.

Read an Excerpt

The young child skipped through the tall trees and underbrush, unaware of the puddles created by recent rains or the low-lying tree branches and vines that swiped at her coveralls and scratched her bare arms. Hugging a doll that showed the wear of a favorite toy and a faint smudge of chocolate ice cream, the child pushed forward with determination. She knew where she wanted to go, and her face showed the intensity and resolve of a person much older than her five years. The black woman wearing the uniform of a prison guard struggled to keep up with her young charge. The thick green tangle of natural forest growth and uneven turf was more of a challenge to a woman her size and stature.

The child stopped when she reached a clearing, that place in the woods that wasn’t quite so overgrown and where the wild vegetation had been pressed from previous visits. In front of her was a tree, magnificent in size, ancient in age. She had reached her destination. She called it, quite simply, “the place.” Quietly, reverently, she approached the tree, reaching out and touching the familiar rough surface and its many irregular crevices. She squatted where some roots had pushed upward and were now gnarled and covered in bark before extending downward again deep into the soil. It was between two of these large root formations that the child placed the doll – a throne. Her hand explored the curvature of one darkened root, first touching the soft green moss, and then the small indented place that held water whenever it rained. It was moist. Satisfied, she knelt. Then, lowering her head and folding her dimpled hands together, she started to pray.

About the Author:

Originally from Carrollton, Illinois, author/agent/publisher Barbara Casey attended the University of North Carolina, N.C. State University, and N.C. Wesleyan College where she received a BA degree, summa cum laude, with a double major in English and history. In 1978 she left her position as Director of Public Relations and Vice President of Development at North Carolina Wesleyan College to write full time and develop her own manuscript evaluation and editorial service. In 1995 she established the Barbara Casey Agency and since that time has represented authors from the United States, Great Britain, Canada, and Japan. In 2014, she became a partner with Strategic Media Books, an independent nonfiction publisher of true crime, where she oversees acquisitions, day-to-day operations, and book production.

Ms. Casey has written over a dozen award-winning books of fiction and nonfiction for both young adults and adults. The awards include the National Association of University Women Literary Award, the Sir Walter Raleigh Literary Award, the Independent Publisher Book Award, the Dana Award for Outstanding Novel, the IP Best Book for Regional Fiction, among others. Two of her nonfiction books have been optioned for major films, one of which is under contract.

Her award-winning articles, short stories, and poetry for adults have appeared in both national and international publications including the North Carolina Christian Advocate Magazine, The New East Magazine, the Raleigh (N.C.) News and Observer, the Rocky Mount (N.C.) Sunday Telegram, Dog Fancy, ByLine, The Christian Record, Skirt! Magazine, and True Story. A thirty-minute television special which Ms. Casey wrote and coordinated was broadcast on WRAL, Channel 5, in Raleigh, North Carolina. She also received special recognition for her editorial work on the English translations of Albanian children’s stories. Her award-winning science fiction short stories for adults are featured in The Cosmic Unicorn and CrossTime science fiction anthologies. Ms. Casey's essays and other works appear in The Chrysalis Reader, the international literary journal of the Swedenborg Foundation, 221 One-Minute Monologues from Literature (Smith and Kraus Publishers), and A Cup of Comfort (Adams Media Corporation).

Ms. Casey is a former director of BookFest of the Palm Beaches, Florida, where she served as guest author and panelist. She has served as judge for the Pathfinder Literary Awards in Palm Beach and Martin Counties, Florida, and was the Florida Regional Advisor for the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators from 1991 through 2003. In 2018 Ms. Casey received the prestigious Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award and Top Professional Award for her extensive experience and notable accomplishments in the field of publishing and other areas. She makes her home on the top of a mountain in northwest Georgia with three cats who adopted her, Homer, Reese and Earl Gray - Reese’s best friend.

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Barbara-Casey/e/B001K7S4IW%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share

The book will be on sale for $0.99 during the tour.

Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/Gospel-According-Prissy-Barbara-Casey/dp/098524402X

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Viking's Warrior Bride by Mairibeth MacMillan

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

Bjorn and Ylva. Two warriors who fight side by side. Two lovers who avoid commitments. But their convenient relationship just got complicated.

Determined to redeem her father’s name through her own brave deeds as a warrior, Ylva has no desire to give that up to be a mother. On the eve of returning home to the Norselands to find a foster family for her child, she is injured in an attack by a mysterious group of mercenaries. When Bjorn discovers her secret, everything changes. He has never wanted a family, his own father’s betrayal has seen to that, and yet he begins to wonder if there is anything else truly worth fighting for.

After a series of attacks by mercenaries on the fort they have been guarding, they’re asked to disguise themselves as traders and travel up the River Clyde to gather information. As they travel the situation grows stranger with every village they visit and Ylva begins to wonder what she is fighting for. All around them they find missing villagers, a mysterious bard and a population unhappy with their king and his choice of allies. When they visit the supposedly abandoned former royal residence at Alt Clut, a mysterious woman and her son stow away on the trade boat, putting all their lives in danger and prompting them to make a final stand but how much are they willing to sacrifice for their future?

Read an Excerpt

Neither Hjördis nor Ylva spoke as they rowed the byrthing away. Close to the mid-point of the river, they stopped rowing, and Hjördis set the sail while Ylva stood, staring back towards the shore, trying to watch Björn.

“Can I help?” Gemma asked from her hiding place under the sleeping furs.

“No, stay hidden,” Ylva said. “If they are to die today, then we must get you to Lord Cenydd so their deaths are not in vain.”

“I’m sorry,” Gemma said, but neither Ylva nor Hjördis responded. In the distance, she saw Björn stumble and a longsword swing towards him. She didn’t even blink as it hit him, high on his body, maybe even at his neck. She saw a curved scimitar swing, and Björn’s attacker fell. Björn slowly toppled over. Beside him, another man, perhaps Merfyn, fell too. She could see Qasim continuing to fight, but Stigr was not so easy to pick out of the crowd of men.

Ylva gripped the sides of the byrthing, staring back at the spot. She didn’t see Björn get up again. She started to shake and didn’t know how she managed to remain standing. Everything inside her had turned cold. “We need to go back.”

“No.” Hjördis’s voice was flat. Ylva glanced around, but they continued to sail downriver. Away from Björn.

About the Author:

Mairibeth MacMillan lives on the shores of Loch Long on the edge of Argyll and Bute. While very picturesque, living there seems to involve endless driving and family life currently involves running a taxi service.

She was a drama teacher for many years until, during a career break, she studied for a Creative Writing degree through the Open University followed by a Masters degree in Playwriting and Dramaturgy. Over the years she has had some success with short stories and flash fictions in various competitions, magazines and anthologies. In 2014 she was shortlisted for the New Writer’s Award at the Festival of Romance.

Inspired by the discovery of a Viking fort marked on the Ordnance Survey map nearby, she started working on a series of Viking Romances set in the Kingdom of Strathclyde at the end of the Ninth century. The Viking’s Cursed Bride was the first in a series of books about four Norse cousins as they build new lives far from home. The second book The Viking’s Warrior Bride is available now.

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/MairibethM
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MairibethM Website: mairibethmacmillan.com
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Mairibeth-MacMillan/e/B082FSM9D4/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_ebooks_1

The book will be on sale for only $0.99.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Vikings-Warrior-Bride-Brothers-Thunder-ebook/dp/B092558PPB/ref=sr_1_3

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Twenty-Four Short Stories by Michael Ross

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

Things You Might Not Know About Me

Towards the end of my working career I went back to university for a six year part time degree in English Literature and Community Engagement – one of the best decisions in my life. The literature side of the degree was eye opening – who knew Shakespeare would be so interesting? How would I have known that at the end of the course that Virginia Woolf would be my favourite writer? Going off at a tangent here Woolf guided me it understanding the power of the ‘unsaid’ in writing. Occasionally in a short story I will leave an “unsaid” under the text to allow the reader to fill in the missing gaps. “Words, once written, have a life of their own.” However, the greatest, most rewarding part of my degree was the community engagement element of the course. I finished up running a reading group for a local charity that helped people on their way to recovery from drug and alcohol abuse. Before I became involved the group was poorly attended as they used to take one book at a time and work through it a long section at a time. I redevised it to work with just small chunks and most importantly I introduced poetry into the sessions, which was the turning point in the success of the groups which are still running ten years later. Quite of a few of my stories have evolved from stories that came out from participants who might have connected with the words of Dickens, Keats whatever.

I am still in touch on Facebook with some of these people and the joy to follow people who have turned their lives around form the darkest despair to fulsome and contented lives, for me, is joyful beyond words.

Thank you to Its Raining Books for making me reflect back.

Why can time consumed reliving memories provide enough motivation to carry on? Why keep a diary if you don’t want people to read it? Why let prejudice cloud your judgement? Why do the most simple of smells bring memories back to life? Why is it possible to believe the impossible? What does it feel like to take another person's life? Will the good deeds we do come back to us in different forms?

These are of some of the questions posed in this imaginative collection of short stories involving, amongst others; a private detective with super powers, a loveable car salesman, a dour public health inspector, a vicar’s daughter with a dark secret, a sculptor with a destructive obsession, a young man with a passion for language, a reluctant public executioner, two sisters whose petty disputes hide something deeper, a job hunter with an unusual skill.

There are so many diverse characters and in this intriguing and imaginative collection of stories everyone has a tale to tell. A collection of stories that will surely leave its mark on the reader.

Read an Excerpt

From my window, I spot my fellow students grouped in excited conversation, circling around, probing each other with thoughts and words, questions and answers. After two years, we know each other well. I know they all wish they could play the violin as well as me, and in my turn, I wish I could be as happy as them. I wind down by running through scales for twenty minutes, and then I hear the old grandfather clock in the hall strike eleven—my other life beckons.

In Chinatown, it is easy to find a restaurant where you can spend £100 a head on a meal. At my parent’s place, six people can eat like kings for less money.

The walk from the rehearsal rooms takes the best part of an hour. I cast aside my musical mantle as I walk, so that by the time I reach Uncle Wong’s, I am prepared for my twice-weekly four-hour shift. This is the only payment my father and mother have ever asked of me. It is nothing.

Two years ago, my parents ushered me into the tiny lounge area above their restaurant, and wordlessly, my mother passed me my gift. My eyes moved to my father and then back to my mother. I could not speak. It was beautiful. Feeling its dark ebony grain, I turned it tentatively through my fingers, tilting, and twisting—gazing, unsure of my breath.

“Baba. Mamma. It’s beautiful, but you cannot afford it.”

“Shush, my son.” The look on my mother’s face said that my joy was all they required.

About the Author:

Born and raised in Bristol, England. I spent my adult life in business, the majority of that time marketing cars. I eventually owned the largest Saab specialist in the world, before a divorce put an end to that part of my life.

This led me to leave Bristol to live halfway up a mountain in the Welsh Valleys; start a part-time six year English Literature course at Bristol University, and attend creative writing classes in Cardiff. My interest in English literature flourished and I have since won several prizes for my short stories. My first book, 'Twenty Short Stories - Settling a score," reached No 1 in the Short Stories Best Sellers and is still available, as is "Twenty-One (more) Short Stories,” and “Another Twenty-Two Short Stories.”

Also available are the first 5***** crime thrillers in the Tanner and Pin-up series:

Hand over Fist
Hand in Glove

Plus a 5***** light hearted rom-com "Chasing What's Already Gone.”

I still live very happily halfway up that mountain in the Welsh Valleys with my wonderful partner, Mari, and our two rescue dogs, Wavy and Wenna.

Website: http://michaelrosswriter.net/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/michaelross.writer
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mikerosswriter

The book will be free.

https://www.amazon.com/Twenty-Four-Short-Stories-anthology-ebook/dp/B09416592Y/ref=sr_1_2

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wired by the F.B.I. by Glenn Painter

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win $100 Amazon/BN.com gift card. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Christian Romano lives his life as a con-artist, burglar, drug dealer, and a ladies' man, using his good looks to con wealthy women out of jewels and money. When he is arrested and jailed in one of the most violent jails in the U.S. (Cook County in Chicago), a steamy affair begins with a nympho female jail guard. When he loses control of the romance, Christian must end the affair by reporting her to Internal Affairs. It turns out that she is already under suspicion for supplying drugs to various gang members inside the jail. He has to decide if he is "rogue" enough to help set her up for arrest. Meanwhile, the FBI wants to recruit Christian to gather information against a sadist ex-cop, Scott Mason, who has been arrested for murder. The risk? Christian must wear a wire and testify. The reward? Witness protection for Christian and his girlfriend and a modification of his prison sentence. Will Christian risk his life for a chance at freedom? Will the female sheriff "get even" with him? Or will his life end at the hands of the jail's drug lords or a lunatic former cop?

Read the Review

This is a stark look at life in the prison system and the life that led Christian Romano to prison. From all accounts, Christian was a good-looking, charming man who found it easier to make a living conning wealthy women our of their jewels and money. With money being that easy to come by, why on earth would he want to work? Alas, all good things must come to an end, and Christian found himself incarcerated.

The struggles he goes through in jail, as well as everything that happens to him out of jail, should at the least serve as a warning. The life he leads is not a pretty one - especially once he is busted and thrown in jail. And, even when he thinks he has found a way to get some of his own back, things do not work out the way he hopes.

Christian cannot rightly be called the hero of the book, nor is he even an anti-hero. He is however compelling to read about - but I don't think I would like to try and make friends with him. He's not a very likable person. But... as I said.... there is still something compelling about reading about him. I could easily see this made into an HBO movie...somewhere all the grittiness can be seen.

The book is well written and as hard to put down as it is hard to read emotionally. A compelling picture of a life told in an equally compelling way. I'ld be interested in checking out more of Mr. Painter's works. 4 stars.  

Read an Excerpt

Something’s wrong, my intuition told me, as I stepped out of the stairwell and into the chaotic frenzy of the main hallway running under Division One of the Cook County jail.

Sergeant Ricky Walsh opened the heavy, rusted steel door leading to the death trap—that is A-B stairwell—then turned to me. “Romano, take the stairs down four flights to the bottom, I will meet you there.”

There are four sets of stairs that lead to the main boulevard on the first floor. They are legendary for the infamous men who have been butchered there, the bloodstained walls are a testament to the violence that is the norm in this building. As I begin my descent down the narrow and poorly lit stairwell, the thought hits me: At least half a dozen men have been stabbed in this exact place. The words taunt me as I step slowly down the stairs so that Walsh will have time to beat me to the first floor in the old, decrepit elevator.

When I finally make it down, I breathe a sigh of relief. But it is not Walsh waiting at the huge, steel door I am to exit. Instead of the old mick—who looked and walked like a bulldog with his perfectly groomed hair and mustache—it was one of the lackey guards. They would often hang out on the main floor waiting to proposition some poor woman coming to visit her man. I open the door and step through quickly, not wanting to arouse suspicion. But my heart hangs in my throat.

During my trip down the stairwell, the heavy steel recorder slid down my pant leg, stopping on top of my right foot. The ACE bandage, meant to hold it in place, was also dangling and ready to pop out for everyone to see. Panic set in as my mind processed a million thoughts, but I couldn’t break my stride.

It was common knowledge that this is where inmates often came out stabbing when sent to attack a guard by one of the gang bosses. Looking past the guard, I saw Sergeant Walsh bearing down on us as fast as his stubby legs would carry him.

“Hey Walsh,” I said, “the food poisoning is getting worse, I’m gonna puke all over this guy.” These guards tolerated zero bull, especially from a smart-ass like me.

I decided that it was quicker and easier to shove the recorder under the waistband of my jail pants and pray it would stay. After splashing water on my face, I poked my head out.

Walsh fell right in line with my cover. “We’re going to the hospital, come with me!” he bellowed.

I exited the closet, pushing the recorder into my torso as we walked past another guard. We traveled down the long hallway. Once we were far enough out of earshot, Walsh found an unoccupied attorney visiting room. As he opened the door, I scurried to the far corner.

“The hallway is clear!” Walsh yelled.

I pulled the recorder from my waistband and looked at it with disdain. Then I wrapped it tight with the ACE bandage. Although the long recording wires had to be reconnected and it only took a few moments, it felt like forever.

Then it hit me: I’m wearing a wire against one of the most violent hitmen Chicago has ever known, and this prick had been a Chicago cop. He probably knows every person who works in this jail. Getting whacked in a place like this costs less than a carton of cigarettes. What the hell have I gotten myself into? But there was no backing out, and I still had to get back to my tier.

Walsh looked at me, his brow furrowed. He quietly asked, “You alright, kid?”

“I better be. I signed a deal with the devil, and it’s time to pay up.”

I drew in a deep breath as we headed to the hospital, so we could sign in and make it look legit.

How did my life get to this point? I wondered as I followed Walsh. Growing up in Chicago, I was exposed to police corruption, murder, drugs, gangsters, and sex, oh yes, lots and lots of sex.

I had no clue of what awaited me, but my unsavory legacy was about to go down in history like crap down a toilet.

About the Author:

Glenn Painter is single and lives in Central Florida. He became interested in writing at an early age but did not make it his career until 2014 when he published his first book, Beyond the Sentence.

Glenn has written this story from the notes by the man who actually lived it. However, extensive research was also require in order to make the story factual.

Glenn has also founded a company, ‘Prisoner Civil Right Services.’ He is an advocate for incarcerated individuals who have had their rights violated. He is in constant contact with these individuals, their families and the council. Most of his stories are inspired by ‘factual events’ that have happened to these individuals. This makes his stories both fiction and non-fiction.

Glenn says that writing is very challenging, and you must love the trials and tribulations that come with it. He believes that patience, perseverance and determination are required essentials to see a book through to being published. The journey is just as important as the destination.

Website: http://www.gapainter.com
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Glenn-Painter/e/B00NETNKU6%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/9875593.Glenn_Painter
Twitter: https://twitter.com/author2663

Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07WS6DQBT/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Calling by Branwen Oshea

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Branwen OShea will be awarding $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.

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

The Calling is sci-fi, but I write both science fiction and fantasy. I write from my own experiences, and I’ve led a pretty weird life, lol. To me, magic is science that we can’t yet explain. Imagine how magical a cell phone would appear to someone a hundred years ago. I love seeking answers for the unexplainable and originally did research on brain biochemistry because I find the science of the mind, states of consciousness, and the mind-body connection particularly fascinating.

What research is required?

I think it’s important to understand whatever genre you write in, because most readers of each genre have expectations. In science fiction, most readers expect the science to be as accurate as it can be, or at least believable, however The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy breaks all the rules and had great success.

Name one thing you learned from your hero/heroine.

There’s a scene in The Calling where the humans, Bleu and Neviah, are speaking to a group of star being children. I completely pantsed the scene, and still often think about what they learn regarding a very common human behavior. I won’t say more because, you know, spoilers. :)

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

Apparently, I make some pretty strange mannerisms and expressions while writing action scenes. I once had two concerned women in a coffee shop ask me if I was in pain, lol.

Are you a plotter or pantser?

I’m mostly a pantser, though I need to know my characters well before I start writing. I then put them in a planned situation, and let them figure out how to get to the ending I want. So for my Finding Humanity series, I know where each book ends and where the series ends, but the fun of drafting is seeing how the characters get there.

Look to your right – what’s sitting there?

My son. He says hello.

Anything new coming up from you? What?

I’m currently editing a short story that takes place between The Calling and The Chasm, which I will be sending out for free to my newsletter subscribers soon. I’m also editing The Chasm (book 2) and drafting The Ruined, the third book in the series.

Do you have a question for our readers?

I love writing and reading multiple point of view novels, but I know not everyone does. So, my question is, do you enjoy multiple point of view novels? If so, why? If not, why not?

Humanity’s wake-up call. Answer it or face extinction.

When Bleu’s little sister shows symptoms of the deadly Sickness, a strange vision directs him to leave humanity’s subterranean haven and seek the cure on Earth’s glacial surface. Joining the expedition team, Bleu expects extreme temperatures, not a surface ruled by ingenious predators.

Rana and her fellow star beings have co-existed with Earth’s top carnivores since the humans disappeared. But when her peers transform into Crowned Ones, the final stage of star being development, she fears remaining Uncrowned like her parents. To prove her worth, she undertakes a dangerous mission—contacting the hostile and nearly extinct humans.

But Rana’s plan backfires, and Bleu’s team retaliates. As war with the more advanced star being civilization looms, both Rana and Bleu separately seek a way to save their people.

Read an Excerpt

“All right, get out, men.” Savas had never experienced such peace on the last mission. This was truly pleasant. They climbed out of the rover, and he tripped on his own feet as if drunk.

Laughing at himself, he reminded the others, “Guns out. Stamf, take the lead. I’ll bring up the rear.”

He paused, swaying a bit, while the other two men passed him and then proceeded slowly down the left branch. Sparkling light from farther down the tunnel lit their way. With a quick glance back toward the entrance, he took up the rear.

Then a voice as ethereal as the wind sang, “Caaaaaahm heeeeeeeere…caaaaaaaaaahm heeeeeeeere…”

What the hell?

Savas shook his head, blinked, and tapped his ear communicator. Stamf and Abdul, farther ahead, had frozen and appeared confused, swaying in place.

Something was terribly wrong. Was this cave filled with noxious fumes? Had they all gotten cold sickness? The databases talked of arctic workers becoming weak and confused by the extreme temperatures.

Think! Think. Savas wanted to lie down and nap. What’s wrong with me? Images from his childhood tumbled through his head. Not now. Not again. I control my own mind.

“Caaaaaaaaahm heeeeeeeeere,” the voice lulled, endlessly peaceful.

They all mindlessly continued forward, as if in a dream. A small part of Savas’ brain screamed in warning. I. Control. My. Own. Mind. He grunted with the effort. Fighting the urge to relax, Savas forced his hands to raise his weapon.

About the Author:

As a young girl, Branwen wanted to become an ambassador for aliens. Since the aliens never hired her, she now writes about them.

Branwen OShea has a Bachelors in Biology from Colgate University, a Bachelors in Psychology, and a Masters in Social Work. She lives in Connecticut with her family and a menagerie of pets, and enjoys hiking, meditating, and star-gazing. Her previously published works include contributing to a nonfiction yoga book, wellness magazines, and her published science fiction novella, Silence of the Song Trees.

Website: http://www.branwenoshea.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/branwenoshea
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/branwenoshea
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/branwenoshea

Amazon Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1735915998

a Rafflecopter giveaway

If She Dies by Erik Therme

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

Nine months ago, Tess’s five-year-old daughter was killed in a car accident. The driver, Brady Becker, was sentenced to two years in prison. It didn't make Tess’s pain go away.

Brady also has a daughter: A twelve-year-old named Eve who walks to Chandler Middle School every day. Tess knows this because she's been watching Eve for the last three weeks. It isn’t fair that Brady’s daughter gets to live, while Tess’s daughter does not.

When Eve goes missing, all eyes turn to Tess, who doesn’t have an alibi. But Tess isn’t guilty.

Or so she believes.

Read an Excerpt

“Oh my God,” a voice moans.

It comes from behind me, and panic permeates every inch of my skin as I whirl and see Meg Becker standing in the parking lot looking as stunned and horrified as me.

“What?” I rasp.

“I didn’t believe them,” Meg says in a trembling voice. “They told me to come here and watch and wait, but they didn’t say for what or that it was you.” Her face begins to twitch and pull. “How could you do this? Eve had nothing to do with what happened to your daughter!”

“I-I . . . didn’t,” I stammer, shrinking against the driver’s side door. “I got a text—”

“She’s here, isn’t she?” Meg cups a hand over her mouth and her eyes go wide as she points a shaky finger at room ten. “You were going into that room. Is that where she is? Oh, God—is Eve in there right now?”

Meg’s words are so muffled, they’re almost inaudible, and before I can even begin to formulate a response, she goes to room ten and claws open the unlocked door.

“Wait!” I cry, but it’s too late; Meg is inside the room, and without thinking, I move forward two steps, heart thundering, trying to see who or what’s inside . . .

. . . but the room is empty. No, not empty—there’s something lumpy and pink on the bed, and my blood runs cold when I realize it’s Eve’s backpack.

About the Author:

Erik Therme has thrashed in garage bands, inadvertently harbored runaways, and met Darth Vader. When he’s not at his computer, he can be found cheering on his youngest daughter’s volleyball team, or watching horror movies with his oldest. He currently resides in Iowa City, Iowa—one of only twenty-eight places in the world that UNESCO has certified as a City of Literature.

Website: https://www.eriktherme.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ErikTherme
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ErikTherme.writer
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/7831573.Erik_Therme
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/erik-therme

Amazon—US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08L9KFFPS
Amazon—UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08L9KFFPS
Audible—US: https://www.audible.com/pd/If-She-Dies-Audiobook/B08VS331HS?qid=1614004372&sr=1-2&
Audible—UK: https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/If-She-Dies-Audiobook/B08VS2VV7G?qid=1614004316&sr=1-4&

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Justice by Tracy Tappan

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Tracy Tappan will be awarding one "Hero" coffee mug: Keith or Brayden or Pete, winner's choice which one. (US only shipping) to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

A star athlete with a notorious reputation, Justine “Justice” Hayes is offered the chance to join the United States’ elite Special Operations Forces. SOF is standing up three new units called “Special Missions,” and Justice’s past as a master thief makes her perfect to lead one of these intelligence-gathering teams.

But an impossible condition stands between her and her dream job.

She has to survive the Navy’s most intensive and grueling SPECWAR training program: BUD/S.

Despite opposition, Justice soon finds herself wearing the rank of a Navy ensign and competing with some of America’s toughest men. Two of these SEAL candidates will come to test her mind and her heart, as much as her will to keep business and pleasure firmly separate. Temptations multiply when she crosses swords with the cocky helicopter pilot who commands her Special Missions flight crew.

Her vow to maintain a professional distance is finally shaken when an unorthodox training exercise goes terribly wrong. In the brutal aftermath, she needs a man who cares about her to help her fully heal. But which hero will ultimately win her...?

The gentleman? The leader? The wild one?

YOU CHOOSE!

In this unique Choose A Hero Romance™, the reader decides which hero will earn a happily ever after with Justice Hayes.

Love every hero in his own way?
You can have as many happily-ever-afters as you want!

When you’re finished with one ending, simply choose another and keep reading.

All endings are available NOW

Read an Excerpt

Justice followed Pete inside his stateroom and banged the door shut. Loud noise: generated for reasons of temperamental satisfaction. She stood rigidly in place, lungs working hard. Beyond words. If the appearance of her eyeballs was anything like her vision, they probably looked like they’d been dunked in Red Dye Number Forty.

A man who knew what restraint actually was would’ve handled a woman in her condition—like a stick of dynamite on the tail end of its fuse—in a conciliatory fashion.

Maybe, All right now, what’s wrong?

Or, Come on, let’s work this out.

But no.

First thing out of Pete Robbins’s mouth was a Scottish accent. “She cannae take any more, Captain. She’s gonna blow!”

Astounded. Then murderous. Many more things, but Justice’s brain was actually spluttering. Robbins was mimicking Scotty from Star Trek. “You’re going to make a joke out of this?”

He shrugged. “Until I know what’s wrong, sure.”

According to the pressure in her ear canals, she was currently standing eight leagues under the sea. “What’s wrong,” she gritted back, “is that you’re dangerous.”

He perked up. “Oh, we’re doing Top Gun now? Cool.” He rolled into mimicking Maverick. “That’s right, Ice…Man. I am dangerous.” He gestured at her face. “Now you bite your teeth at me.”

She totally lost it.

Grabbing the collar of his flight suit in both fists, she slammed him back against the bulkhead. The metal wall rattled as if all the rivets were coming loose—she’d gained an unrealized amount of strength over the past months at BUD/S.

About the Author:

Tracy Tappan is a bestselling and award-winning author and the creator of the Choose A Hero Romance™ reading experience, a brand-new concept in storytelling where the reader controls the ending. You can find out more about this exciting new trend at http://www.chooseahero.com.

Tracy’s books in paranormal and military romance have earned both bronze and gold medals in the Readers’ Favorite contests, have finaled for the USA Book News and Kindle Book Awards, and won both the HOLT Medallion and the Independent Publishers Book Award (IPPY) bronze medal for romance.

Tracy holds a master’s degree in Marriage, Family, Child Counseling (MFCC), loves to play tennis, enjoys a great glass of wine, and talks to her Labrador like he’s a human (admittedly, the wine drinking and the dog talking probably go together).

A native of San Diego, Tracy is married to a former Navy helicopter pilot, who retired after thirty years of service and joined the diplomatic corps. He and Tracy currently live in Rome, Italy.

Visit her website and join the gang on her monthly newsletter for giveaways, publication updates, and other fun and sexy news.

Website: http://www.tracytappan.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TracyTappanRomanceAuthor/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/tracytappan
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tracytappanauthor/
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/tracy-tappan
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7579061.Tracy_Tappan
Amazon Author Page: http://tracy.link/amazon-author
Choose A Hero website: https://chooseahero.com/

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Squealer by Christopher Calcara

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Christopher Calcara 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.

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

I don’t restrict myself to any particular genre. I’m not a single-genre writer. While not my first novel, SQUEALER was my first real thriller. The unfolding plot in the story drew me to the thriller genre.

What research is required?

Any factual research necessary for SQUEALER was either accomplished via Wikipedia or historical materials related to Kansas City, since it and its criminal element play important roles in the novel.

Name one thing you learned from your hero/heroine.

I learned from SQUEALER’s protagonist to live more openly and honestly, and then to let the chips fall where they may.

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

I find that many ideas, scenes, words and phrases come to mind late at night, when I wake up in the middle of the night, or first thing in the morning. So I keep a notebook in the nightstand to jot them down. SQUEALER benefited greatly from these “midnight meanderings”. Much of the novel, in fact, was fleshed out during these odd hours.

Are you a plotter or pantser?

In the case of SQUEALER, I was a pantser. One idea led to the next and the words flowed. In other works, I’ve plotted. In all cases, the parts are constantly moving, so in that sense, I’m a plotting pantser.

Look to your right – what’s sitting there?

My checkbook. A pen and index cards. If I shift my eyes a bit further to the right, I see my bulb garden outside my study window, nearly fully in bloom with daffodils, iris and hyacinth. Its purchase made quite a dent in that checkbook, but remains a sweet diversion from writing conundrums.

Anything new coming up from you? What?

I’ve returned to a novel I began a few years ago. It’s about a sister and brother, her mental illness, and their complex relationship over the years, climaxing in his adoption of her child. As of now, I’m calling it The Marchesi Girl.

Do you have a question for our readers?

What book genre would you like to see more of, less of?

With tongue-in-cheek and dark overtones, Squealer examines the life of an impressionable Midwestern Catholic Italian choirboy who grows into a mob-worthy assassin in order to avenge high school nemeses from his past.

As ‘Pete Casanova’ takes us on a journey through the heart-land, his early ethnic and religious experiences expose the motivations for his deadly actions. We come to realize why, for him, it’s never too late to seek revenge.

Squealer addresses topics of physical, mental, emotional, and sexual abuse inflicted on students by their teachers and religious authorities. It deals with the difficult subjects of homophobia, prejudice and bullying, but with wit … and suspense!

Read an Excerpt

I arrived through a special entrance for visitors so as not to rub elbows with the “general population.” I wasn’t there for them anyway; I was there for Sal.

There was a crowd of us, mostly wives and girlfriends; a few court-appointed attorneys I’m guessing, by the way they were dressed in ill-fitting suits, wrinkled shirts and ugly ties. We dismissed Sal’s lawyer after the trial; there was no request for a costly appeal. He admitted what he’d done, pled guilty, accepted the verdict.

As for me, I was no longer uneasy there; I became accustomed to the pen. It was like visiting someone in the hospital. (Could jail have been where Sam and Rose went when they told us kids they were going to see someone in the hospital?) After a while, you get used to the sounds and smells, the mangled patients, the uncomfortable silences.

On the surface of the glass, when I focused, I could see the reflection of my own face but I saw Sal’s too. If his head was in just the right position, our faces superimposed each other and we became the same person, but distorted.

Sal turned away, toward the guard examining the room and its civilian occupants on the free side of the pane, and he said low, “So, you ever see Pennisi?” Once thick as thieves, Sal was there and Leonard wasn’t.

“I hear he’s still connected,” I told him. “Doesn’t he visit?” I asked, facetiously.

“He don’t come within a hundred miles of this place.” Sal slouched in the government-issued plastic chair. It screeched. The guard stared at us, lips curling, nostrils flaring. “Afraid they might nab him. Stronzo.”

I couldn’t tell who he was calling asshole—Leonard or the guard. Sal didn’t mind getting his hands dirty and protected Leonard when they worked the streets together. Other than your enemies, that’s the only kind of person you wanted close to you—someone who had your back. Like Nickie’s and mine, Sal fought Leonard’s battles.

About the Author:

After earning a degree in Journalism from the University of Missouri School of Journalism, Calcara created marketing campaigns for businesses and institutions featured in print and broadcast media.

He writes fiction and semi-fiction, short stories, memoirs, plays, novels, and screenplays. He has collaborated with composers to write plays with musical scores. Joan is one such musical play that lyrically exposes the soul of Jeanne d’Arc—Joan of Arc.

Calcara was the only Charleston writer to win the 2011 South Carolina Arts Commission Fiction Project. His short stories have been published by numerous literary journals. He has lived in the South, Southwest and Southeast, and currently writes from the Midwest.

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNAGN_S_-Vr2s0JIn5nlYWw
Website: https://chrisjcalcara.wixsite.com/website
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21162911.Christopher_Calcara
Facebook: "https://www.facebook.com/christopher.caruso.14
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CJCalcara
Amazon USA: https://www.amazon.com/Squealer-Growing-Gay-Catholic-Italian/dp/B08VRMMXST/ref=sr_1_1
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Squealer-Growing-Gay-Catholic-Italian-ebook/dp/B08TB6HTV8/ref=sr_1_1

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Most Eligible Viscount in London by Ella Quinn

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Ella Quinn will award a $25 Amazon/iTunes GC to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

In bestselling author Ella Quinn’s intriguing new Regency trilogy, a dashing suitor must decide if love and marriage are mutually exclusive . . .

Viscount Gavin Turley is convinced that love matches cause nothing but trouble. Still, after months of courting, he’s fallen for Miss Georgie Featherton. He’s passionate about her, in fact. But words of love are not an indulgence he will allow himself. When he presents Georgie with his marriage proposal, he will lead with his head—not his heart. His qualifications as a husband are excellent, after all. What could go wrong?

No sooner does Gavin kneel on one knee than Georgie’s heart goes aflutter with joy. Finally, the proposal she longed for had arrived. Yet Gavin seemed to be listing his credentials for a business partnership, not a romantic union. Without a declaration of love, Georgie can only reject his offer—unless the ladies of the ton, and Georgie’s grandmamma, have anything to do with it. For sometimes it takes a wiser eye to see the love behind a guarded heart—and a clever scheme to bring it out of hiding . . .

Read an Excerpt

A light tap sounded on the door to Georgie’s parlor. Smith opened it and stood aside as Adeline swept into the room.

“I did not think you would be resting.” She sounded pleased to have been right. “How are you doing?”

Georgie shrugged. “I wish I knew.”

“I can tell you that he does want very much to marry you.” Georgie pulled a face. “Yet he is still haunted by his father.”

In an attempt to help, Littleton had told Adeline who in turn told Georgie about the mess the former Lord Turley had made of everything after his wife had died. “I understand why he thinks he should not love his wife, but I do not understand how one can stop oneself from falling in love.” And that was the essence of the matter. Georgie firmly believed that love was the thing that held two people together during difficult times. She began pacing the room again, changing directions so as not to wear a path in the rug. “Do I give him another chance? Or would I be wasting my time? If he is so certain he will not love his wife, I do not see what I can do to change his mind.”

Adeline’s forehead creased in thought. “Allowing him until the end of the month to convince you would still give you time to go back to Town before the Season ends, and it would answer your questions.”

“I suppose you are correct.” Georgie stopped pacing. Why was this so hard? She closed her eyes and reached deep into her heart. There was a chance that there might be another gentleman out there who was even more perfect for her than Lord Turley only because this unknown gentleman loved her. But until she knew for certain that Turley would never love her, she would give him an opportunity to prove himself. “I shall give him one more chance.”

“I need to tell you one more bit of information.” This time her friend had a wicked grin on her face. “Your grandmother and her friend the duchess arrive tomorrow. They are staying with Mama-in-law.”

“And Turley.” Georgie felt her eyes widen. “Oh my. That will be interesting. What I would not give to hear what they have to say to him.”

“That is exactly what I thought,” her friend agreed. “Frits has suggested that he be allowed to come here as often as he wishes in order to court you. Do you have any objections?”

Georgie began pacing again. For some reason, she could not remain still. Littlewood really was the perfect place for a courtship. Other than the house party entertainments, they could spend time out of the eyes of the ton. It would give her—them—both the opportunity to attempt to resolve the differences in what they each wanted in a marriage. “No.” She wondered what role her grandmother and the duchess would play. “No. I have no objections.” Having a course of action would, at the very least, help her shake off the malaise she had been experiencing. “In fact, I believe I am looking forward to seeing how he intends to convince me I should enter into a loveless marriage.”

About the Author:

USA Today bestselling author Ella Quinn's studies and other jobs have always been on the serious side. Reading historical romances, especially Regencies, were her escape. Eventually her love of historical novels led her to start writing them.

She is married to her wonderful husband of over thirty years. They have a son and two beautiful granddaughters, and a Great Dane. After living in the South Pacific, Central America, North Africa, England and Europe, she and her husband decided to make their dreams come true and are now living on a sailboat. After cruising the Caribbean and North America, she completed a transatlantic crossing from St. Martin to Southern Europe. She's currently living in Germany, happily writing while her husband is back at work, recovering from retirement.

Ella loves when readers connect with her.

Website: https://www.ellaquinnauthor.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EllaQuinnAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ellaquinnauthor
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7044274.Ella_Quinn
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/ella-quinn
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Ella-Quinn/e/B00CAE0FSQ

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://geni.us/AzbRgd
Apple Books: https://apple.co/2PHZZEB
Kobo: https://bit.ly/3sD40si
Nook: https://bit.ly/3sDrldr
Google Play: https://bit.ly/3sDr2PP
Print: https://amzn.to/31t8qpU
BookBub: https://bit.ly/3fsGdb4
Goodreads: https://apple.co/2QFZyLh

Audiobook narrated by Rachael Beresford

Audible: https://adbl.co/3sCVQA6
Amazon Audio: https://amzn.to/3szTt1e
iTunes: https://apple.co/2QFZyLh

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Damsel in a Dress by Kirsten Weiss

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Kirsten Weiss 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.

Bridesmaid duties can be deadly…

Maddie Kosloski has more than wedding cake on her plate. She’s managing her paranormal museum, helping her best friend Adele with wedding plans, and trying to prove that Adele’s vintage wedding dress is most definitely not haunted.

But when a bridesmaid turns up murdered, Maddie has to solve the crime to save the wedding. As her bouquet of suspects grows, and everyone’s alibis have the ring of truth, Maddie begins to doubt this wedding will go off without a hitch.

If you love laugh-out-loud mysteries, witty heroines, and a touch of the paranormal, you’ll love Damsel in a Dress, book 5 in the Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum series of novels. Read this twisty cozy mystery today!

Read an Excerpt

Harper pointed and brushed her long, dark hair off her shoulder.

A slender woman, eyes open and sightless, lay on her back beneath an owl box. A pool of blood had formed around her head in the soft earth. Beside her, a chihuahua barked at us hysterically.

Bile rose in my throat. I pressed the back of my hand to my mouth. I thought I’d been prepared. But nothing can really prepare you for sudden death.

“Do you think she tripped and fell?” Harper said, pointing to the rock half-hidden beneath Bernadette’s spill of hair.

“Maybe,” I croaked, my mouth dry. Bruises darkened the skin above the collar of her cocktail dress, and there was a reddish mark on her face. They didn’t look like they’d come from a fall. “Did you call the police?”

“Of course I did. They’ll be here any minute. I just…” She pressed her hands to her stomach. “It’s Bernadette, one of Adele’s oldest friends, her bridesmaid.”

Lead weighted my gut. This was awful. Worse than awful. How were we going to tell Adele?

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:

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
Wits’ End - http://www.kirstenweiss.com/doyle-cozy-mystery-series

If you’re looking for some magic with your mystery:

Witches of Doyle - http://www.kirstenweiss.com/doyle-witch-cozy-mysteries
Riga Hayworth - http://www.kirstenweiss.com/riga-hayworth-paranormal-mysteries
Rocky Bridges - http://www.kirstenweiss.com/rocky-bridges-mysteries

If you like steampunk:

Sensibility Grey - http://www.kirstenweiss.com/sensibility-grey-steampunk-suspense

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

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/kirstenweiss/
Bookbub: http://www.bookbub.com/authors/kirsten-weiss
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/kirsten.weiss
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kirstenweissauthor

a Rafflecopter giveaway