tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3660860394723214092024-03-28T05:00:33.240-05:00The Avid ReaderSeeing The World Through<br>
The Eyes Of The Author<br>
One Page At A Time.The Avid Readerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04782388788767342109noreply@blogger.comBlogger20318125truetag:blogger.com,1999:blog-366086039472321409.post-23144486227870700042024-03-28T05:00:00.003-05:002024-03-28T05:00:00.126-05:00Book Tour: What We Were Making by Peter Cloutier @PeterCloutier13 @RABTBookTours<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://sites.google.com/rabtbooktoursandpr.com/2024tours/peter-cloutier-what-we-were-making-virtual-book-tour"><img height="250" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/production-sitebuilder-v1-0-3/663/206663/rL88XEv2/5d7cd1586b4b4bdda9c96c925a778c5f" width="550" /></a></div><a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a 1="" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/production-sitebuilder-v1-0-3/663/206663/rL88XEv2/0518587a78f447ec9117b2cb2b4fee15" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/production-sitebuilder-v1-0-3/663/206663/rL88XEv2/0518587a78f447ec9117b2cb2b4fee15" width="267" /></a>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Adult Coming of Age / Romance</b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;"><b>Date Published</b></span><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">: February 23, 2023</span>
</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span>
</p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/123168894-what-we-were-making"><img height="75" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/production-sitebuilder-v1-0-3/663/206663/rL88XEv2/26885701adea4bb791503c2c1651b879" width="200" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span>
</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><b><i>A #1 Amazon Bestseller, Peter Cloutier's "What We Were Making" is
a must-read for those who love ocean adventures, political thrillers,
romance, or coming-of-age stories!</i></b></span>
</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">When the lives of two expatriates intersect at the edge of civilization,
opportunity, duty and deception collide. Jane is a budding ambassador of
heightened motivation, insight, and curiosity. Relentless in her pursuit of
justice, ethics, and the common good, her life lacks love. Enter Bill, an
adrenaline-fueled waterman who lives breath to breath, wave to wave, and
fish to fish. A schoolteacher by day, he embodies the island life but
without partnership. When catastrophe unfolds, the two must respond to those
in need while attempting to dismantle the deeper collusion around them. In
the end, the only winners are those who have the resilience to stand.</span>
</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><b><i>What others have to say about Peter Cloutier's "What We Were
Making":</i></b></span>
</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><i>"A masterful blend of two contrasting worlds, political and natural,
Peter Cloutier's What We Were Making is a sensational and evocative journey
into the lives of two lovers suffering the greatest challenge of all:
meaning. With a new layer of domesticity, romanticism, policy, and reality
in each chapter, it is as multidimensional as it is tragic, and a must-read
in any event."</i> <b>- JJ Hebert, USA Today, WSJ and #1 Amazon best-selling
author</b></span>
</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><i>"A tremendous homage to the worlds of land and sea, of beautiful
conflicts of interest, and I hope that all readers may find the same grace,
eloquence, and courage that I found in..."</i> - <b>Mariel Hemingway,
Oscar-nominated actress and author, granddaughter of Nobel Prize-winning
novelist Ernest Hemingway</b></span>
</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a 1="" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/production-sitebuilder-v1-0-3/663/206663/rL88XEv2/ae3b9cce431a4bd38f5f7cc9ca852746" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="261" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/production-sitebuilder-v1-0-3/663/206663/rL88XEv2/ae3b9cce431a4bd38f5f7cc9ca852746" width="521" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;"><b>About the Author</b></span>
</p><a 1="" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/production-sitebuilder-v1-0-3/663/206663/rL88XEv2/b51f70b0b0634e2c987e4c8d0c2228ef" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/production-sitebuilder-v1-0-3/663/206663/rL88XEv2/b51f70b0b0634e2c987e4c8d0c2228ef" width="211" /></a>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">Peter is a waterman with over twenty years working in the South Pacific,
Southeast Asia and Southern Africa. He has enjoyed working with countries
and communities in the development of greater marine conservation and access
to justice, more resilient water, sanitation and hygiene systems, and better
maternal-child health and control against infectious diseases. He is married
and a proud father of two children. He is disabled after suffered a
traumatic brain injury while working in Afghanistan and has pledged to
donate a significant portion of the revenue from his writing to charitable
groups located in the countries where he has worked. Learn more about Peter
and his family on social media and www.seatheworld.org.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;"><b>Contact Links</b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="http://whatweweremaking.com/">Website</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/WhatWeWereMaking/">Facebook</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/whatweweremaking/">Instagram</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://twitter.com/PeterCloutier13">Twitter</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/cloutierpeter/">LinkedIn</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@whatweweremaking">Youtube</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;"><b>Purchase Link</b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3wriVwy">Amazon</a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.rabtbooktoursandpr.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="RABT Book Tours & PR" height="400" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/wzukusers/user-32179697/images/0ef1e26fd5f04c99b11731d6d17c8a41/RABT-Tour-Host.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript">var switchTo5x=true;</script>
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<script type="text/javascript">stLight.options({publisher: "b761346b-58bb-4db1-ad17-ac0e8e6c070c", doNotHash: false, doNotCopy: false, hashAddressBar: true});</script></div>The Avid Readerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04782388788767342109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-366086039472321409.post-88101368793723693932024-03-28T04:30:00.007-05:002024-03-28T04:30:00.138-05:00Book Blitz: The Rainbow Diary by Mitch Maiman @MitchMaiman @RABTBookTours<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://sites.google.com/rabtbooktoursandpr.com/2024blitzes/mitch-maiman-the-rainbow-diary-book-blitz"><img height="250" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/production-sitebuilder-v1-0-3/663/206663/rL88XEv2/17efea9964a349bfb1d5d3375d15b302" width="550" /></a></div><a name='more'></a><p> </p><a 1="" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/production-sitebuilder-v1-0-3/663/206663/rL88XEv2/dedb853eaec14ee5a8d23ad7bb7fa3aa" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="452" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/production-sitebuilder-v1-0-3/663/206663/rL88XEv2/dedb853eaec14ee5a8d23ad7bb7fa3aa" width="302" /></a>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">Embracing Life's Final Colors: A Heartfelt Journey through Loss,
Redemption, and the Unknown</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;"><b>Drama</b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;"><b>Date Published: </b></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"></span><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">February 20, 2024</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><b>Publisher:</b> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"></span><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Palmetto Publishing</span>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/208553576-the-rainbow-diary"><img height="75" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/production-sitebuilder-v1-0-3/663/206663/rL88XEv2/26885701adea4bb791503c2c1651b879" width="200" /></a></div>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span>
</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">In the tender pages of <i>The Rainbow Diary</i>, embark on an extraordinary
odyssey that transcends the boundaries of life and death. This poignant tale
weaves a tapestry of love, loss, and redemption, resonating deeply with
anyone who has felt the sharp ache of losing a loved one or grappled with
the haunting anxiety of mortality.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Meet Kenneth Talbot, a man on the precipice of his final journey. Diagnosed
with pancreatic cancer, he confronts the fragility of his existence. As the
sands of time slip away, Kenneth's reflections paint a vivid portrait of
human emotion. His story becomes a mirror, reflecting the joys and regrets,
the triumphs and heartaches that define us all. Amidst the pain, Kenneth
finds unexpected solace in the most unlikely places. His bond with his
teenage son, Brian, becomes a source of profound reconciliation, a testament
to the enduring power of familial love. The gentle presence of MaryAnn, his
devoted nurse, becomes a beacon of hope, guiding him toward
acceptance.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><i>The Rainbow Diary</i> is more than a novel; it is a sanctuary for the soul. It
delicately explores the complex nuances of life's final moments, offering a
glimpse into the afterlife that is both imaginative and comforting. Through
Kenneth's introspection, readers are invited to confront their own fears and
anxieties, finding solace in the shared human experience. This book is a
testament to the resilience of the human spirit and a celebration of the
enduring power of love that transcends the boundaries of time and
space.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Immerse yourself in this extraordinary narrative, and let The Rainbow Diary
be your guiding light through the labyrinth of life, death, and everything
in between.</span>
</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe width="550" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ccZfEp1zEKA?si=6V6HFVb_GUiKql0U" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;"><b>About the Author</b></span>
</p><a 1="" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/production-sitebuilder-v1-0-3/663/206663/rL88XEv2/f94895d061e947d1b8e653285ceeba0d" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/production-sitebuilder-v1-0-3/663/206663/rL88XEv2/f94895d061e947d1b8e653285ceeba0d" width="240" /></a>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">Dr. Mitchell Maiman became a physician at age twenty-four and is now
retired. As a specialist in Obstetrics and Gynecology and sub-specialist in
Gynecologic Oncology, he has had a distinguished academic, clinical, and
research career in medicine and served as both a Director of Gynecologic
Oncology and Chairman of Obstetrics and Gynecology at major New York
City-based university hospitals. He has been recognized for his numerous
educational contributions in the field and his devotion and commitment to
the teaching of residents and fellows.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span>
</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Mitch lives with his wife, Dr. Judy Levy, in Long Island, New York, and is
an avid tennis player and practitioner of yoga. They first met during their
residency training. This is his first novel.</span>
</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;"><b>Contact Links</b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/mitchmaimanbooks">Facebook</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/mitchmaiman/">Instagram</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/mitchmaimanbooks">LinkedIn</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/mitchmaimanbooks/">Pinterest</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://twitter.com/MitchMaiman">Twitter</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;"><b>Purchase Links</b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://amzn.to/43wDYKt">Amazon</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-rainbow-diary-mitch-maiman/1144830591" style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">Barnes and Noble</a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/the-rainbow-diary_mitch-maiman/52228046/item/63324918/#idiq=63324918&edition=70894328">ThriftBooks</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://www.walmart.com/ip/The-Rainbow-Diary-Paperback-9798822933200/5394762002?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0">Walmart</a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.rabtbooktoursandpr.com/" target="_blank"></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.rabtbooktoursandpr.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="RABT Book Tours & PR" height="400" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/wzukusers/user-32179697/images/0ef1e26fd5f04c99b11731d6d17c8a41/RABT-Tour-Host.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript">var switchTo5x=true;</script>
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<script type="text/javascript">stLight.options({publisher: "b761346b-58bb-4db1-ad17-ac0e8e6c070c", doNotHash: false, doNotCopy: false, hashAddressBar: true});</script></div>The Avid Readerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04782388788767342109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-366086039472321409.post-89145732773291256852024-03-28T04:00:00.003-05:002024-03-28T04:00:00.344-05:00Book Blitz + #Giveaway: My War, My Child by Bharati Sen @BharatiSen3 @XpressoTours<div style="text-align: center; margin: 0 auto 15px;">
<p>
<a href="http://xpressobooktours.com/" target="_blank">
<img src="https://www.xpressobooktours.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/03/MyWarMyChildBlitzBanner.png" alt="" style="max-width: 90%; height: auto;">
</a>
</p>
</div><a name='more'></a>
<img src="https://www.xpressobooktours.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/03/My-War-My-Child_v3.jpg" alt="" style="float: left; margin: 0 15px 15px 0; display: inline-block;">
<p><strong>My War, My Child</strong><br><strong>My Child, My War</strong><br>Publication date: March 26th 2024<br>Genres: Adult, Historical</p><blockquote><p>A law student at Dhaka University, Afsana’s future is bright. Her greatest concern is whether or not her parents will approve of her marriage. When they do, the young bride knows she can face anything the future holds.</p>
<p>Then war breaks out.</p>
<p>Six years later, she encounters a ghost from her past-her first husband, presumed dead in the fighting.</p>
<p><em>My War, My Child</em> vividly and compassionately tells the story of Bengali<em> birangona</em>, the war heroines, whose lives were brutally torn apart by the 1971 War for Independence. Though the fight resulted in the freedom and independent nation so craved by the Bengali people, hundreds of thousands of women’s lives were devastated, leaving them to scrape together the pieces and carry on as best they could-often with children and orphans forced upon them.</p>
<p><strong>This is a piece of history you’ve never heard before, an inside look at the resilience and strength of women around the world.</strong></p>
</blockquote>
<p style="font-size: 130%; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/208064292-my-war-my-child" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> / <a href="https://amzn.to/4a66Rjc" target="_blank">Amazon</a> / <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/my-war-my-child-bharati-sen/1144852962" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> / <a href="https://books.apple.com/es/book/my-war-my-child/id6477713161" target="_blank">iBooks</a> / <a href="https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/my-war-my-child" target="_blank">Kobo</a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">—</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>EXCERPT:</strong></p>
<p>Farzad startled when she touched his arm. Her voice had changed indeed, weaker, but still the voice that in old days—not so very old either—-was the one voice that meant the whole world to him.</p>
<p>For a single instant, his thoughts strayed away into the past, and the marvel of his first love came back to him.<br />
He looked down upon the soft hand that held his arm. He stared at the fingers, held in desperation.</p>
<p>His heart awoke under that touch, like a sudden flash of light, bringing back happy moments. And sad.<br />
He recalled the last look that he had seen on her face at the door when they parted, her face conveying the anxiety of uncertainty about seeing him again.</p>
<p>He remembered that he had turned away abruptly, that in his preoccupied state of mind, he had not spoken one soothing word to her.<br />
Her voice now sounded like a mournful echo of his dead love.</p>
<p>The days when he adored her, thought her the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, the days when he lived on in the bitterness of missing her gentle love for him, could not be revived again.</p>
<p>And it occurred to him that he still had a moment to decide, only a brief moment now, whether to take her back or abandon her.<br />
<br class="blank" /></p>
<img src="https://www.xpressobooktours.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/03/Bharati.jpg" alt="" style="float: left; margin: 0 15px 15px 0; display: inline-block;">
<blockquote style="margin-top: 15px; margin-bottom: 15px;">
<p>Author Bio:</p>
<p>Bharati Sen was born in Rangoon, Myanmar and spent much of her childhood growing up in Southeast Asia and West Bengal. She completed a Masters in International Relations, and discovered a passion for writing about disparities and cultural differences, particularly in women. Her debut award-winning book titled, On the Banks of River Sarayu, is a compilation of nineteen stories reflecting the lives of ordinary South Asian women within bittersweet tales. The book was awarded finalist in the 2020 International Book Awards as well as the 2020 finalist for the MiPA Midwest Book Award in the category of Short Stories. Her first novel, My War My Child, narrates the intertwined story of two war heroines during the Bangladesh War of Independence, and will be coming out in Spring of 2024.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.bharatisen.me/" target="_blank">Website</a> / <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19055079.Bharati_Sen" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> / <a href="https://www.facebook.com/bharati.sen.3" target="_blank">Facebook</a> / <a href="https://twitter.com/BharatiSen3" target="_blank">Twitter</a> / <a href="https://www.instagram.com/bharatisenauthor" target="_blank">Instagram</a></p>
</blockquote>
<p><br class="blank" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>GIVEAWAY!</strong><br />
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<script type="text/javascript" src="https://ws.sharethis.com/button/buttons.js"></script>
<script type="text/javascript">stLight.options({publisher: "b761346b-58bb-4db1-ad17-ac0e8e6c070c", doNotHash: false, doNotCopy: false, hashAddressBar: true});</script></div>The Avid Readerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04782388788767342109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-366086039472321409.post-7966905112516391402024-03-28T03:00:00.043-05:002024-03-28T03:00:00.132-05:00Review Tour + #Giveaway: Fox Tale by Karen Hulene Bartell @HuleneKaren @GoddessFish<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2024/01/review-tour-fox-tale-by-karen-hulene.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="670" data-original-width="1200" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxVHY_fQUyUncZfPfnO4N_LpIwUA-JL_qqxypWxNIjzkTWtpcnN1h7zjafz4Xyb-6lV23SpjfOGvbggPROSRnnhXswj27eGdRqmPJ2lDSFUR_OkhTsb-1Zgbnlt0b-ri1Jswx-K23vX8ORQGgmbKwahyphenhyphen_8M8oYpNa_VK52dNIcskQRA4NdBKDpzs0x7vM/w640-h358/TourBanner_Fox%20Tale.gif" width="550" /></a><span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/author/karenhulenebartell" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="2244" data-original-width="1400" height="470" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxftVoknwaG2MCrC3SycFDXK327ojVSZmoe_LdwKyqDmK0yAmGav_rhBI14duVGlqAq3b8xzighJudOb5DrGv3yw9EzGFxy6r7FE4UEk8R5FtaeJQkW27kultRoizSise1PszLx7Yp3eZIig_32RBkDrhtonn55TTHdhqQskoaSjM0qQXIHrGWbGoN2pU/s320/BookCover_FoxTale_w18167_ib.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p align="left" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>FOX
TALE</b></span></span></p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>by
Karen Hulene Bartell</b></span></span></p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>GENRE:
Paranormal Romance</b></span></span></p>
<p align="center" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>BLURB:</b></span></span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;">Heights
terrify Ava. When a stranger saves her from plunging down a mountain,
he diverts her fears with tales of Japanese kitsune—shapeshifting
foxes—and she begins a journey into the supernatural.</span></span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;">She’s
attracted to Chase, both physically and metaphysically, yet primal
instincts urge caution when shadows suggest more than meets the eye.</span></span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;">She’s
torn between Chase and Rafe, her ex, when a chance reunion reignites
their passion, but she struggles to overcome two years of bitter
resentment. Did Rafe jilt her, or were they pawns of a larger
conspiracy? Are the ancient legends true of kitsunes twisting time
and events?</span></span></p>
<p align="center" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p align="center" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Excerpt:</b></span></span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;">I
applied my makeup with an artist’s hand, blending three shades of
eyeshadow and going heavy on the mascara. Then I slipped into the
black cocktail dress I’d bought for the occasion--a fusion of chic
and slutty.</span></span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span>Wish
I knew what Rafe planned for my birthday. Dinner at an upscale
restaurant? Pub food at a sports bar? </span></span>
</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“<span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span>A
surprise,” was all he’d said.</span></span></span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;">What’s
the fine line between dressed to kill and overdressed? Glancing at
the mirror, I glimpsed the exposed décolletage, then examined my
naked left hand. More importantly, is tonight the night? After dating
for three years, the conversation had finally turned to rings and
weddings, and with graduation a month away, I was eager to take the
next step.</span></span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;">At
six o’clock sharp, I sat by the door, butterflies fluttering in my
belly.</span></span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;">Ten
minutes passed, fifteen. I texted him. An hour later, I called. When
he didn’t pick up, I left a voicemail.</span></span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;">At
eight o’clock, I checked my email. No messages, no texts--radio
silence.</span></span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;">At
nine o’clock, I removed my makeup, the black, smoky taupe, mauve,
and greige streaks on the cotton pad mirroring my mood. After
showering, I picked at soggy leftovers as I studied my bare left
hand. Leftovers…</span></span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;">When
the phone dinged, I flinched. Rafe?</span></span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;">Mia--Guess
who’s at Tootsie’s? And Rafe’s not alone. What’s going on?--</span></span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;">I
sat back, stunned. He wouldn’t break up with me on my
birthday--without even the courtesy of telling me--would he?</span></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p>
<center><h2 style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="color: #e06666; font-size: 14pt;"><b>My
Review:</b></span></span></h2><div><p align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">When I started reading Fox Tale I didn’t know what to expect after
reading the summary but what I found lying between the pages was way
different than anything I could ever have imagined. Fox Tale pulled
me into its world the moment I read that first page.</span></p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
From that moment on I was hooked and couldn’t stop reading as I
tried to figure out what was going on. I kept guessing and
wondering what it was all about from beginning to end. The twists
just kept coming. I do believe I began to get a little dizzy just
trying to keep up with all of them. LOL! I didn’t know what to
expect from one page to the next. Fox Tale is a surprising read, to
say the least.</span></p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
Fox Tale kept me guessing as to what was real and what was not. There
were times when I was wondering if someone wasn’t a little on the
crazy side. It was intense with all the weird things that kept
happening, especially with one of the characters.</span></p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
I very much loved the world-building for this one as it was awesome.
I don’t think I have ever read anything like it before. I can’t
give Fox Tale enough praise as I truly loved it. I love the
paranormal elements of the kitsune.</span></p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
I would love to read more from the world of Fox Tale! I highly
recommend Fox Tale to anyone who loves a good paranormal story! Grab
a copy of Fox Tale today for a surprising and wonderful read!</span></p></div></center>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><a href="http://www.KarenHuleneBartell.com/" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1275" data-original-width="1500" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWRRsQb1Y__ROpW4Mx2RUsum3YZh6_EvA5fV_F1Gov4cZuJ1hTBcOzl6_5sq6enuQX5FLhWHNGILSc5otxjGb407lMpCBmpDRlM5WMxFUPd-drJEkuDXgGMFmDIkZUR5AOGXCzp9E3hUKL4r6fFDewPuAjwsyFkpOfPn849DlZiZ9UO3fdHxFG6-VFz5k/s320/Author%20Image.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span><span style="color: black; font-size: medium;"><b>AUTHOR
Bio and Links:</b></span></span></span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;">Author
of the Trans-Pecos and Sacred Emblem series, Karen is a best-selling
author, keynote speaker, wife, and all-around pilgrim of life, who
writes multicultural, offbeat love stories. Born to rolling-stone
parents who moved often, Bartell found her earliest playmates as
fictional friends in books. Paperbacks became her portable pals.
Ghost stories kept her up at night—reading feverishly. The
paranormal was her passion. Novels offered an imaginative escape. An
only child, she began writing her first novel at the age of nine,
learning the joy of creating her own happy endings. Professor
emeritus of the University of Texas at Austin, Karen resides in the
Texas Piney Woods with her husband Peter and her “mews”—three
rescued cats and a rescued *Cat*ahoula Leopard dog.</span></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p align="center" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Connect
with Karen:</b></span></span></p>
<p align="center" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/611950.Karen_Hulene_Bartell">Goodreads</a>
~ <a href="https://www.amazon.com/author/karenhulenebartell">Amazon</a>
~ <a href="https://www.bookbub.com/profile/karen-hulene-bartell">BookBub
</a>~ <a href="http://www.KarenHuleneBartell.com/">Website</a> ~
<a href="mailto:info@KarenHuleneBartell.com">Email</a></b></span></span></p>
<p align="center" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/KarenHuleneBartell">Facebook</a>
~ <a href="https://mewe.com/i/karenbartell">MeWe</a> ~ <a href="https://twitter.com/HuleneKaren">Twitter
</a> ~ <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenhulenebartell/">LinkedIn
</a>~ <a href="https://www.instagram.com/karenhulenebartell/">Instagram</a></span>
</b></span></span>
</p><p align="center" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span><b><br /></b></span></span></p></span><br /> <p></p>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Giveaway:</span></b><br />
<b style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span face=""arial" , "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 14pt;"><span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">$25 Amazon/BN GC </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span face=""arial" , "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 14pt;"><span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span face=""arial" , "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 14pt;">
<br />
<div align="center">
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<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script></div></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span face=""arial" , "sans-serif"" style="font-size: large;">Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning</span><span face=""arial" , "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2024/01/review-tour-fox-tale-by-karen-hulene.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="468" data-original-width="1200" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPm0qzk1O58Dk9yfVquqA6NrycGrOvvKOaFLMMzVrT55PrheG03GukDpla27fXfcvoE_gTBN3oHCyTKZj7FSswezwRh9FDuCyGycqiLPNC3YBCm7iyWGXRvEGn3Ocd-FRM3siFc2QJC3Uu/s1600/Tour+Host+Button+2014+beveled+copy.jpg" width="250" /></a></div><p></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript">var switchTo5x=true;</script>
<script type="text/javascript" src="https://ws.sharethis.com/button/buttons.js"></script>
<script type="text/javascript">stLight.options({publisher: "b761346b-58bb-4db1-ad17-ac0e8e6c070c", doNotHash: false, doNotCopy: false, hashAddressBar: true});</script></div>The Avid Readerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04782388788767342109noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-366086039472321409.post-58263804288156329292024-03-27T05:00:00.010-05:002024-03-27T05:00:00.127-05:00Book Tour + #Giveaway: Road to Nineveh by Charles Besondy @CharlesBesondy @RABTBookTours<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://sites.google.com/rabtbooktoursandpr.com/2024tours/charles-besondy-road-to-nineveh-virtual-book-tour"><img height="250" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/production-sitebuilder-v1-0-3/663/206663/rL88XEv2/6c79f907c8934ada8fdced2b3f3f4fc0" width="550" /></a></div><a name='more'></a><p> </p><a 1="" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/production-sitebuilder-v1-0-3/663/206663/rL88XEv2/7de40eec500a43d39a4fcc88b3abf797" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/production-sitebuilder-v1-0-3/663/206663/rL88XEv2/7de40eec500a43d39a4fcc88b3abf797" width="300" /></a>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">The Lighthouse, Book 4</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;"><b>Contemporary Christian Fiction/Thriller</b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Date Published:</b> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">December 26, 2023</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><b>Publisher: </b>Besondy Publishing LLC</span>
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/203795987-road-to-nineveh"><img height="75" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/production-sitebuilder-v1-0-3/663/206663/rL88XEv2/26885701adea4bb791503c2c1651b879" width="200" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">When Charley Austin Marches to the Wrong Beat, Life Gets Ugly</span>
</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Twenty-year-old Charley Austin travels a torn and troubled world as the
star drummer and lyricist for the famous Christian rock band, DelivRus. He
has musical gifts and a clear mission from God.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">And that mission makes him a big problem for Lucky Zebul.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Zebul implements a sinister and depraved plan to crush the vulnerable rock
star and put an end to the band’s Godly influence in the world.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Against a backdrop of societal upheaval, <i>Road to Nineveh</i> continues the
story of Charley Austin (introduced in Book 3, <i>The Snare</i>) as he, like a
modern-day Jonah, faces the harsh consequences of turning away from
God’s purpose for his life and succumbs to pride and lust.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Follow the gripping, emotionally charged story as Charley performs in the
bright lights with DelivRus across America and Europe, igniting hope and
faith, while off-stage his soul is systematically smothered by the
darkness.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Will the tough love of his parents, band mates, and Mia be enough to bring
him back from a devastating scandal? Will he regain purpose for his life on
a sun-baked Texas ranch, or for redemption, must he make one more trip to
the Lighthouse on the misty Washington coast?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Besondy’s Christian thrillers have been compared to the character
development and emotion found in a Charles Martin novel. Others suggest
Besondy writes as if he is the secret lovechild of C.S. Lewis and Stephen
King. You can decide.</span>
</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Road to Nineveh will appeal to fans of edgy Christian Thrillers or New
Adult Thrillers.</span>
</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><i>Road to Nineveh by Charles Besondy received a gold medal in the Christian
Mystery/Thriller category of the 2024 Illumination Book Awards.</i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;"><i>Reword to suit.</i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span>
</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><b><i>Part of The Lighthouse series</i></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">#1 The Hidden Saboteur</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">#2 The Chase</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">#3 The Snare</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><b>#4 Road to Nineveh</b></span>
</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a 1="" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/production-sitebuilder-v1-0-3/663/206663/rL88XEv2/16b3a71ff4a24ad9bf6d30b83ac300e9" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="288" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/production-sitebuilder-v1-0-3/663/206663/rL88XEv2/16b3a71ff4a24ad9bf6d30b83ac300e9" width="552" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><p align="center" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Interview with Charles Besondy</b></p>
<ol>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><b>Have you read
anything that made you think differently about fiction?</b></p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">Decades ago, I read
several historical fiction books by James Michener. Those books
opened my eyes to what fiction can accomplish to make history
fascinating to read. More recently, Ted Dekker influenced me with
his mind-bending stories that blend religious/adventure/fantasy.</p>
</ol>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: left;"><br />
</p>
<ol start="0">
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><b>How do you
select the names of your characters?</b></p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">I use several
methods. The most interesting is how I selected the names for the
dark angels and Satan.
</p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">For the dark
angels, I researched the names of the worst Greek gods and
repurposed the name. For example, the character, Phobley was derived
from Phobos, the Greek good of fear.
</p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">Satan’s earthly
name, Lucky Zebul, was derived from “Lucifer” and “Beelzebub”</p>
</ol>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: left;"><br />
</p>
<ol start="0">
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><b>Do you hide any
secrets in your books that only a few people will find?</b></p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">Not on purpose.
There are occasional uses of phrases in the narrative that will be
recognizable to readers familiar with the lyrics to famous songs.
The prologue in Road to Nineveh drops a few phrases from Sympathy
for Devil by the Rolling Stones, but the reader has to be alert to
notice them.</p>
</ol>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: left;"><br />
</p>
<ol start="0">
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><b>What was your
hardest scene to write?</b></p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">Several scenes with
Charley Austin and Drum_Kitten were challenging because I wanted to
capture the alure and addiction of porn without violating the
guidelines of Christian fiction. I also didn’t want the scenes to
be titillating in any way.
</p>
</ol>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: left;"><br />
</p>
<ol start="0">
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><b>Do you want each
book to stand on its own, or are you trying to build a body of work
with connections between each book?</b></p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">Each book has been
written to stand alone, but there are strong connections of people
and place that bridge the stories. I strive to include just enough
breadcrumbs of the backstory to give necessary context, without
bogging down the pace of the story, which is usually fast.
</p>
</ol>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: left;"><br />
</p>
<ol start="0">
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><b>What were your
goals and intentions in this book, and how well do you feel you
achieved them?</b></p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">I had two goals
with the book.
</p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><i>Road to Nineveh</i>
explores the theme: what are the consequences for turning our backs
on God’s purpose for our lives. The book (very) loosely follows
the story of Jonah who was called by God to preach to the evil city
of Nineveh. He travels in the opposite direction, and we know what
happened to Jonah as a result. I hope readers are moved to identify
their purpose and stay the course.
</p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">The second goal was
to warn readers, particularly young males, of the consequences of
pornography that has been so normalized in today’s culture.</p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">Based on the early
reviews, readers are getting the message.</p>
</ol>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: left;"><br />
</p>
<ol start="0">
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><b>What inspired
you to write Road to Nineveh?</b></p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">First, all of my
books are inspired by the Holy Spirit. He plants multiple seeds
until the idea for a book begins to bloom inside my head.</p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">In 2022 an image
entered my head of a nearly naked man crawling through a gate to the
side of a county road. Later, I was studying the book of Jonah and a
title took root, Road to Nineveh. Then the idea hit me of shining
light on the evil of porn. I knew I had to write a book and I began
to storyboard the plot.</p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">Also, I was
inspired by how Charles Martin so dramatically and sensitively
tacked the subject of human trafficking in his Keeper series. It
emboldened me to tackle porn as an issue, but without making the
books all about the porn industry. I went a different direction
electing to show porn as a tool of Satan.</p>
</ol>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><br /></p>
<ol start="0">
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><b>Can you tell us
a little bit about the next books in Road to Nineveh or what you
have planned for the future?</b></p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">I don’t have
another book underway currently. However, I deliberately wrote the
ending of Road to Nineveh that hinted the story wasn’t over.</p>
</ol>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: left;"><br />
</p>
<ol start="0">
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><b>Can you tell us
a little bit about the characters in Road to Nineveh?</b></p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">Charley Austin is
the protagonist. He is a bright, typical 20-21 year old guy with a
God-given gift for drumming and writing lyrics. He travels the world
on tour with DelivRus, the most famous Christian rock band of all
time. He is a young man of faith who falls to the temptations and
deceit of evil and is left to put the pieces of his life back
together with the help of the Lord and one more visit to the
lighthouse.</p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">Mia Johansen is
about one year older than Charley. She is a confident, virtuous,
young woman of faith. She’s cautiously attracted to Charley and
never afraid to deliver tough love when necessary.</p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">Lucky Zebul is the
name of Satan’s earthly being. He appears to everyone as charming,
attractive, smart, and powerful. He has maneuvered into the position
as Secretary General of the United Nations and is putting his plan
into place for a single world government under him, and a single
digital world currency, The UNmark. He needs to stop the band
DelivRus and its drummer from using their music to turn people away
from a dependence on government and to God, his adversary.</p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">Phobley, is a
scheming, outcast dark angel who aches to return to prominence
within Zebul’s organization. He has reasons of his own for turning
Charley Austin away from God. Phobley is ruthless, innovative, and
politically driven. His only weakness, as with all the other dark
angels, is pride.</p>
</ol>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: left;"><br /></p>
<ol start="0">
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><b>What did you
enjoy most about writing this book?</b></p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">I had a ball with
the variety of locations and characters. The story spans cities in
the U.S., Spain, Italy, and Greece. It was fun to familiarize myself
with the city maps, hotels, and performance venues.
</p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">I enjoyed giving my
characters depth and ulterior motives for their behavior, especially
the antogonists.</p><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p></ol></div>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;"><b>About the Author</b></span></p><a 1="" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/production-sitebuilder-v1-0-3/663/206663/rL88XEv2/53116c060d014b33b9c256c40f1102d3" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/production-sitebuilder-v1-0-3/663/206663/rL88XEv2/53116c060d014b33b9c256c40f1102d3" /></a>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">Charles Besondy is a multi-award-winning author of Christian thrillers and
New Adult Christian thrillers. All his books explore the sometimes raw
spiritual battle for our hearts.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">His first novel, The Hidden Saboteur, was published in 2018. He has
self-published four major novels, a novella and a short story within The
Lighthouse series.</span>
</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;"><b>Contact Links</b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="http://www.charlesBesondy.com">Website</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/CharlesBesondyOfficial">Facebook</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://twitter.com/CharlesBesondy">Twitter</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://charlesbesondy.com/blog/">Blog</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1744513.Charles_Besondy">Goodreads</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2ajfy-Ocs69DeXKSIdkskg">Youtube</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://rumble.com/c/c-5479062">Rumble</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;"><b>Purchase Link</b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Road-Nineveh-Christian-Psychological-Lighthouse-ebook/dp/B0CQ8TBVLF">Amazon</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span>
</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span>
</p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><a class="rcptr" data-raflid="408264011851" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/408264011851/" id="rcwidget_o7323ei2" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script>
<a href="http://www.rabtbooktoursandpr.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="RABT Book Tours & PR" height="400" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/wzukusers/user-32179697/images/0ef1e26fd5f04c99b11731d6d17c8a41/RABT-Tour-Host.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript">var switchTo5x=true;</script>
<script type="text/javascript" src="https://ws.sharethis.com/button/buttons.js"></script>
<script type="text/javascript">stLight.options({publisher: "b761346b-58bb-4db1-ad17-ac0e8e6c070c", doNotHash: false, doNotCopy: false, hashAddressBar: true});</script></div>The Avid Readerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04782388788767342109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-366086039472321409.post-29030285280644189162024-03-27T04:30:00.003-05:002024-03-27T04:30:00.134-05:00Book Blitz + #Giveaway: The Heart Knows What the Mind Cannot See by Toby Negus @tobynegus @RABTBookTours<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://sites.google.com/rabtbooktoursandpr.com/2024blitzes/toby-negus-the-heart-knows-what-the-mind-cannot-see"><img height="250" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/production-sitebuilder-v1-0-3/663/206663/rL88XEv2/86d584eed71848feae9da1d6562b89e2" width="550" /></a></div><a name='more'></a><p> </p><a 1="" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/production-sitebuilder-v1-0-3/663/206663/rL88XEv2/4864cd1b2dcf4c608c1c49cd69563aaa" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="487" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/production-sitebuilder-v1-0-3/663/206663/rL88XEv2/4864cd1b2dcf4c608c1c49cd69563aaa" width="298" /></a>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Self Help, Spiritual Inspiration</b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;"><b>Date Published:</b></span><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> 06-02-2021</span>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59790668-the-heart-knows-what-the-mind-cannot-see"><img height="75" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/production-sitebuilder-v1-0-3/663/206663/rL88XEv2/26885701adea4bb791503c2c1651b879" width="200" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">This is a thought-provoking and enlightening exploration of spirituality
and perception. The text functions as a guide to self-improvement, with a
mixture of autobiographical elements and snippets of universal wisdom. The
speaker provides accessible solutions to life's difficulties, and an outlook
of optimism applicable to any circumstance. The illustrations and graphics
are thoughtfully chosen, and the interactive textual elements give this work
an originality that sets it apart. The speaker's own experiences and
conclusions are at the heart of this fiction, and the first-person narrative
voice creates a sense of proximity between author and reader. The text
describes itself as 'a journey to the heart', and this truthful discovery of
the self is reflected in the speaker's revelation of his whole self through
the text. The narrative often presents a dichotomy between positive and
negative outlooks or voices.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">For example, the speaker includes sections in which his self-doubt speaks,
'you've got no proper education, you can't spell properly, you're dyslexic
and your grammar is crap. You're not really a writer'. This negative voice
directly opposes the sense of self-belief the speaker builds within the
narrative. He uses examples such as this to remind readers that the journey
to happiness is complex and that flaws or setbacks are natural. The negative
separation or fragmentation of the self is prevalent in the lines, 'I do not
love the grumpy me, the sad me, the hostile me, the parts of me that act as
if I do not care'. The act of writing represents a unification of the self
and an attempt to reframe the speaker's life into coherence. The frequent
use of direct address and rhetorical questions promotes an active reading
experience, in which the author opens up a dialogue with the reader. The
text includes prompts and activities for the reader to engage with and learn
from. Encouraging readers to take part in the text is emblematic of their
journey to self-fulfillment and love, in which they must take responsibility
for actively creating their own happiness.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">The speaker depicts his process of enlightenment as a framework for others
to emulate, and the format of the text demonstrates the transfer of agency
to those who take part in the speaker's challenges at the end of each
chapter. This work ultimately teaches us that 'we are the cause of what is'
and thus sheds light on the crucial idea that every individual has the power
to create themselves and their world positively.</span>
</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">About the Author</span></p><a 1="" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/production-sitebuilder-v1-0-3/663/206663/rL88XEv2/c6300e859eb4475a89436b955797a50f" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/production-sitebuilder-v1-0-3/663/206663/rL88XEv2/c6300e859eb4475a89436b955797a50f" width="183" /></a>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">Toby Negus is an artist, both with paints and of the spirit. His work
reflects a deep commitment to meeting life on its terms and an equally deep
understanding of human nature.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Toby has studied and taught spiritual and personal development in the UK
and around the world for over two decades. He is qualified in advanced
counselling, as a life coach and as a Cognitive Behaviour therapist. He is
an Amazon best-selling author of a collaborative Conscious Creators book and
has illustrated and self published two books on the subject of
self-awareness and the spiritual journey. He has articles published in
national magazine and has given talks and run workshops in support of his
published work within the UK.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">In the last few years, he has created many pieces of artwork that are a
reflection of his spiritual journey. These have appeared in magazines and
have been exhibited in the UK.
</span>
</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;"><b>Contact Links</b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="http://www.tobynegus.com">Website</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/OriginalArtWords/">Facebook</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://twitter.com/tobynegus">Twitter</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59790668-the-heart-knows-what-the-mind-cannot-see">Goodreads</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="http://instagram.com/tobynegus/">Instagram</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;"><b> </b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;"><b>Purchase Links</b></span></p>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/heart-knows-what-mind-cannot-ebook/dp/B096SR3WR2/">Amazon</a></span></p>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-heart-knows-what-the-mind-cannot-see-toby-negus/1139679831?ean=9781919620404">Barnes and Noble</a></span></p>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/the-heart-knows-what-the-mind-cannot-see">Kobo</a></span></p>
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<p><strong>The Model’s Last Pose</strong><br><strong>Nancy Pennick</strong><br>(The Pearl Hotel Cozy Mystery Series, #1)<br>Publication date: March 26th 2024<br>Genres: Adult, Cozy Mystery</p><blockquote><p><strong>In a cozy tearoom of a prestigious five-star hotel, three friends embark on a mission to solve a murder along with a koi that appears to read minds.</strong></p>
<p>Faced with a severe case of writer’s block, best-selling author Serena Tate seeks help from her close confidant, Mia, a popular fashion designer. Mia suggests that Serena observe the inner workings of her forthcoming fashion show for inspiration. What unfolds is beyond her wildest expectations—a shocking murder of a supermodel. Together with their tech-savvy friend, Lily, the unlikely trio embarks on a mission to uncover the truth.</p>
</blockquote>
<p style="font-size: 130%; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/205496129-the-model-s-last-pose" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> / <a href="https://amzn.to/3xdYkw0" target="_blank">Amazon</a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">—</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>EXCERPT:</strong></p>
<p>Two koi swam away, but a majestic red one with white fins and tail stayed. “Oh, I see how it is. They’re loyal to Nina. But you?” Serena pointed to the fish. “Have sympathy for everyone.” She threw her head back and blew air through her lips. “Where do I begin?”</p>
<p>When Serena looked at the pond again, the koi hadn’t budged. “I loved him, you know. Madly. Passionately.” She stared at the fish. “Who am I talking about, you ask? My ex-husband, Justice Tate. He was a bad boy, and I loved bad boys. He owned a motorcycle, and we’d go on day trips, seeing parts of the state I’d never seen before. We had fun together, so much fun. When he asked me to marry him, I think I fainted. Not literally. But in my mind, I did.”</p>
<p>The koi’s mouth formed in the shape of an “O”. He, because Serena decided it must be a male, seemed interested in the story. “You want to hear the rest? It gets uglier. Sadder. I can’t really label it.”</p>
<p>Other fish swam by, distracting the red and white koi. He turned away but reappeared after a dip underwater. “What do you like to eat?” Serena asked. “Next time I’ll come prepared.”</p>
<p>The fish seemed to like her statement. Serena swore he nodded. They sat in silence for a moment, and she decided he was waiting to hear more of her sad tale.</p>
<p>“Okay,” Serena finally said. “Fine. I’ll tell you. We were young when we got married. Twenty-one, to be exact. We had two great years together, then I got pregnant with twins. Girls. Justice wanted to name the girls Jade and Jewel like the shiny, precious gems they were, and so we did. At first, everything was fine. Justice was the typical doting dad. But they cramped his style. We couldn’t take off at a moment’s notice with a double stroller. That didn’t fit on the back of a motorcycle. We needed a practical car. I encouraged Justice to choose whatever he wanted so he’d feel invested. Once the girls started school, I thought things would get better.” She paused and shook her head. “Nope.” She put emphasis on the ‘p’. “They got worse.”</p>
<p><br class="blank" /></p>
<img src="https://www.xpressobooktours.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/03/Nancy.jpg" alt="" style="float: left; margin: 0 15px 15px 0; display: inline-block;">
<blockquote style="margin-top: 15px; margin-bottom: 15px;">
<p>Author Bio:</p>
<p>Nancy Pennick grew up and still lives in Northeast Ohio. After a career in teaching, she began writing young adult and romance books. The Waiting for Dusk series includes a historical fiction prequel, Broken Dreams. The sci-fi romance series about time travel has three books-Waiting for Dusk, Call of the Canyon and Stealing Time. The Swedish influences in the series come from her mother whose parents emigrated from Sweden. </p>
<p>Her second YA series-Twenty Nine-had slowly developed over time. One Leap Year, an idea came to her and she created the characters and story based on that special day, February 29. </p>
<p>Nancy has branched out into historical romance with her Clan MacLaren series and romantic suspense, The Secret Billionaire Society and Billionaire's Bride series.</p>
<p>Nancy is married and has one son who helps her when she's challenged by tech, which may be more often than he likes!</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.nancypennick.com/" target="_blank">Website</a> / <a href="https://www.facebook.com/nancypennickauthor" target="_blank">Facebook</a> / <a href="https://twitter.com/npennick" target="_blank">Twitter</a> / <a href="https://www.instagram.com/nancypennickauthor/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> / <a href="https://nancypennick.com/nancy-pennick-newsletter-sign-up/" target="_blank">Newsletter</a></p>
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<p><strong>The Professor</strong><br><strong>Skye Warren</strong><br>(Tanglewood University, #1)<br>Publication date: March 26th 2024<br>Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance</p><blockquote><p>New York Times bestselling author Skye Warren, delivers the sizzling first book in a brand new trilogy, The Professor, a forbidden, student/professor, ex-boyfriend’s dad romance.</p>
<p>One night only with a handsome stranger.<br />
Older. Alluring. Savage. Dominant.<br />
No last names or expectations.<br />
Just raw, carnal, filthy pleasure.</p>
<p>I never thought I would see him again.<br />
Until the first day of class. He’s my new professor.<br />
And my ex-boyfriend’s father.</p>
<p>He has a world of secrets in his eyes and the weight of the world on his shoulders. I should stay away from him, but the more I try, the more consumed he gets.</p>
<p>His possessiveness is rivaled only by his secretive nature. He knows everything about me, but mystery surrounds him. Shadows threaten the entire university…and our forbidden love.</p>
</blockquote>
<p style="font-size: 130%; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/206829245-the-professor" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> / <a href="https://amzn.to/3PwvrSd" target="_blank">Amazon</a> / <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-professor-skye-warren/1144633566" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> / <a href="https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-professor/id6476116753?ign-itscg=30200&ign-itsct=books_box_link" target="_blank">iBooks</a> / <a href="https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-professor-208" target="_blank">Kobo</a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">—</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>EXCERPT:</strong></p>
<p>“It’s okay,” he murmurs. “Pretend you don’t want it.”</p>
<p>His kiss is urgent, unyielding. He forces my mouth open, allowing me to feign resistance. Or at the very least, nonchalance. I let him tilt my head back and run his lips down my neck. It’s a terrible game I’m playing, letting him take the fall for our mutual destruction.</p>
<p>I should at least tell him, confess my own desire, even if he already knows.</p>
<p>It would be the honorable thing to do.</p>
<p>“Will—”</p>
<p>“Ah ah,” he says with a slow shake of his head, with a devastating expression of knowing in his dark eyes. “In this office, you will address me as Professor Stratford.”</p>
<p>My secret muscles clench, and he gives me an almost boyish smile.</p>
<p>“This gets you hot, doesn’t it, Ms. Hill?”</p>
<p>How is this possible? I had a heavy course load of classes my freshman year, with professors of every shape and size. They were smart and interesting, and for the most part, at least somewhat arrogant. Professor Stratford is all those things…and more. He’s simply more. More handsome, more mysterious. More playful as he nips at my lower lip.</p>
<p>“I asked you a direct question, Ms. Hill. Don’t make me punish you.”</p>
<p>My eyes widen. It’s not an entirely fake break in my voice. “What kind of punishment?”</p>
<p>“Let’s see,” he says, tugging my T-shirt off, leaving me in my bra. The starkness is enough to make my cheeks burn. He’s fully clothed while I’m shirtless. “For the first offense, I wouldn’t be too harsh. Then again, we can’t have disruptive students, can we?”</p>
<p>I thought his fist in my hair had been perverse.</p>
<p>That holding me up against the window had been a wild form of desire.</p>
<p>This is far worse.</p>
<p>And far better.</p>
<p>At least my body thinks so, becoming hot and clenched, swollen around nothing, hungry to have him inside me again, thrusting and thrusting the ache away.</p>
<p>“I tried to behave,” I tell him, surrendering to the game. Surrendering to him. “I tried to be a good student. It’s just that you were so…distracting.”</p>
<p>That earns me a dark chuckle. Large, strong hands undress me with calm expediency, as if stacking books or finding the right page. With both care and anticipation.</p>
<p>At this moment I’m the worn pages of an old copy of Romeo and Juliet.</p>
<p>He thumbs through my pages.</p>
<p>“You’d blame your professor for your own lack of focus?”</p>
<p>I gasp at his touch, low and intimate. It’s too much, and I scoot back to get away from him. That only lands me on the edge of his desk, smooth wood cool beneath my bare ass. “Maybe I can make it up to you?”</p>
<p>“Extra credit,” he says, musing. “Perhaps an oral report would suffice.”</p>
<img src="https://www.xpressobooktours.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2020/03/Skye.jpg" alt="" style="float: left; margin: 0 15px 15px 0; display: inline-block;">
<blockquote style="margin-top: 15px; margin-bottom: 15px;">
<p>Author Bio:</p>
<p>Skye Warren is the New York Times bestselling author of dangerous romance. Her books have sold over one million copies. She makes her home in Texas with her loving family, sweet dogs, and evil cat.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.skyewarren.com/" target="_blank">Website</a> / <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5339130.Skye_Warren" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> / <a href="https://www.facebook.com/skyewarren" target="_blank">Facebook</a> / <a href="https://twitter.com/skye_warren" target="_blank">Twitter</a> / <a href="https://www.instagram.com/skyewarrenbooks/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> / <a href="http://www.skyewarren.com/newsletter/" target="_blank">Newsletter</a></p>
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THE DRAGON</b></span></span></p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><b>Mark
Towse</b></span></span></p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><b>GENRE:
Vigilante Crime Thriller/Horror</b></span></span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><b>BLURB:</b></span></span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">A
town on its knees, dread's bony fingers wrapping around its throat
and squeezing, death rattles soon to follow.</span></span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Drugs,
filth, and a lack of human decency are starving it of hope.</span></span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Introducing
Simon Dooley, our trauma-driven wannabe superhero, the relentless
voice of his dead mother pleading with him to "end the chaos."
Dressed in a leotard and armed only with a dozen dog poop bags,
Simon's plight will find him falling in love and going head to head
with the seediest characters walking the streets.</span></span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">The
town needed a hero... it got Reformo.</span></span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p>
<p lang="en" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><b>Purchase
CHASING THE DRAGON on</b><b> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Chasing-Dragon-Vigilante-Justice-Thriller-ebook/dp/B0CR6PNZLQ/">Amazon</a></b></span></span></p><p lang="en" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></span></p><p align="center" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><b>Excerpt:</b></span></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">“<span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">This
doesn’t have to happen.” I hold my hands out, declaring myself
weapon-free. “You could turn your life around. We could unite,
start teaching kids about the harmful effects of drugs and clean up
these streets. What do you say?”</span></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">“<span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Look,
I don’t know who the fuck you are, Mister, but I see you ain’t
right in the head. But mental or not, you can’t come on my patch
and expect not to get shanked.”</span></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Moonlight
falls across his face, picking up the few hairs across his lip. Jesus
Christ, how old is he? “It’s not too late,” I say. “This town
can be good again. We could start a youth centre. Get funding from
the council and buy a table tennis table.”</span></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">“<span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">You’re
off your rocker, mate.” He tosses the knife between his hands,
finishing with an impressive spin. “That might keep you happy down
at the local funny farm, but folks can see angels with the stuff I
sell.”</span></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">“<span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">I
just want some order.”</span></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">“<span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Well,
you’re in the wrong place, mate.” He stares me down, flexing his
jaw muscles. “Now, you have two options here: run like the wind, or
have that lovely leotard cut to shreds.”</span></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">“<span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">It’s
not a leotard.”</span></span></p><p lang="en" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">
</span></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">This
time, I move first, feigning to the left but attacking from the
right. Bum Fluff tries to alter course, but it’s too late, the
knife cutting through the air, the blade missing my side by nothing
more than an inch. We come together, the flurry of hairs on his lip
dancing on the breeze.</span></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></span></p><p align="center" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-size: medium;">Interview with Mark Towse</span></b></p><ol>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Have you read
anything that made you think differently about fiction?</span></b></p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
The first book that dramatically impacted me was The Talisman, the
collaboration between King and Straub. I read it in my younger
teens, and it blew me away. I didn’t realise words on a page could
so quickly suck you into another universe. That was the game changer
for me. I reread it in my twenties, and it made me feel like that
young kid again, reigniting that childhood awe and wonder that
smoulders within all of us.</span></p>
</ol><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></p><ol start="0">
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">How do you
select the names of your characters?</span></b></p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
Haha. Just by the feel of them, if that makes sense. For example,
Alf and Janice, two elderly characters from Chasing The Dragon, are
based on neighbours from my childhood. I didn’t start out with
that intention, but we are a product of our influences and the good
(and bad) stuff sticks. That happens a lot: characters growing into
people lingering in my subconscious.</span></p>
</ol><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></p><ol start="0">
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Do you hide any
secrets in your books that only a few people will find?</span></b></p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
Oh yes, there are plenty. Dropping Easter eggs gives me a guilty
giggle while my fingers dance across the keyboard. Readers should
pick up a few in my debut novel, Chasing The Dragon, which includes
many references to my novellas and short stories.</span></p>
</ol><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></p><ol start="0">
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">What was your
hardest scene to write?</span></b></p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
There was one particular character that took a bad turn. It was
always on the cards, but I’d grown fond of them. Saying goodbye is
always hard.</span></p>
</ol><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><ol start="0">
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Do you want each
book to stand on its own, or are you trying to build a body of work
with connections between each book?</span></b></p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
I want each book to stand on its own, offering something different
and exciting to the readers. The biggest compliment a reader can pay
me is that my writing is unique. That’s huge for me, my MO. When
I’m browsing Amazon and Goodreads reviews, if I come across the
word ‘unique,’ I’m over the moon. In a saturated market,
that’s tough, but I firmly believe my writing style does bring
something new to the table.</span></p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
</p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
That said, depending on how 'Chasing The Dragon' does, I'd love to
pen a sequel. Reformo is a flawed but brilliant character, and I'd
love to go on more adventures with him.</span></p>
</ol><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></p><ol start="0">
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">What were your
goals and intentions in this book, and how well do you feel you
achieved them?</span></b></p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
My goal was to bleed onto the pages. That might sound cheesy, but I
wanted readers to understand Simon’s plight and his need to escape
his mother’s voice, which has tormented him for as long as he can
remember. “End the chaos,” she used to cry on her bad days. It
offers the question, can we genuinely escape from trauma, or like a
shadow, is it part of us, following us around wherever we go?
Simon’s transformation into Reformo was part of his escape into
fantasy land and his desperate need to “End the chaos.” Does he
finally put an end to his mother’s voice? You’ll have to read to
find out. There are some fantastic plot twists in here that people
won’t see coming, particularly the sucker punch of an ending that
has left readers to date reeling.</span></p>
</ol><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></p><ol start="0">
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">What inspired
you to write Chasing The Dragon?</span></b></p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
The first ever book I got with my library card was Cujo. Mainly
because of the taboo cover, but it was a fun read. Since then, the
pot has always been simmering. It just took a while to boil over.</span></p><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Can you tell us
a little bit about the next books in Chasing The Dragon or what you
have planned for the future?</span></b></p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span face="Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="en-AU">I
have a book coming out from Wicked House Publishing in January 2025
called 'The Sound of Suffering." It's a much more serious piece
of work. Once again, as a lifelong tinnitus sufferer, it's loosely
based on my own experiences. Only there are more sinister undertones
at play with our protagonist. Every reader on the submission board
confirmed the book as the best manuscript they'd seen to date. I'm a
little excited about that one.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span face="Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="en-AU">I'm
currently working on two projects: a collaboration with Daemon Manx
called 'Try Not to Die in Arcranium,' a spin-off from our very
successful novella, 'Arcranium,' and a solo horror novel set in a
small British seaside town. Both should do well.</span></span></span></p>
</ol><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></p><ol start="0">
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Can you tell us
a little bit about the characters in Chasing The Dragon?</span></b></p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
Life is imperfect, and so are we. Every one of these characters is
traumatized and flawed in some way. They’ve lost hope and faith in
humanity. Can Reformo restore that?</span></p>
</ol><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</p><ol start="0">
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">What did you
enjoy most about writing this book?</span></b></p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
This book was a breeze to write—a free therapy session if you
like. As a cheeky Yorkshireman who always uses humour as a shield,
it allowed me to express that on the pages. I had so many guilty
giggles during the writing process. Some of the early scenes are
hysterical, those where Reformo is trying to convince residents that
a saviour is coming. The reception and pushback are priceless.</span></p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
</p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
This was a really fun ride. It makes my heart sing that people are
falling in love with Reformo. Please pick it up so I can write the
sequel :)</span></p>
</ol><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/stores/Mark-Towse/author/B07H8DBS31" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS6WYJ_gBDleGs6-VnVlFhBhR43DRXeSGccoCNxyCmKVrkIEImJBmZcwowFPaNbBrAxN0iPt_dkUDn9pseJy-vYrLd1TARH6KPO_l94p7PsUMCsOfBkdEeWupOMKay9DOfFvV11XxIh8pRG6CTYdallCcSHp3kYak35NYiKadsldS5j7MYIEzTn0ZI1uQ/s320/Author%20Photo.jpg" width="213" /></a></span></div><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: black;"><b>AUTHOR
Bio and Links:</b></span></span></span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p>
<p lang="en" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Mark
Towse is an English horror writer living in Australia. He would sell
his soul to the devil or anyone buying if it meant he could write
full-time. Alas, he left it very late to begin this journey, penning
his first story since primary school at the ripe old age of
forty-five. Since then, he’s been published in over two hundred
journals and anthologies, had his work made into full theatrical
productions for shows such as The No Sleep Podcast and Tales to
Terrify, and has penned fourteen novellas, including Nana, Gone to
the Dogs, 3:33, and Crows. Chasing The Dragon is his debut novel.</span></span></p>
<p lang="en" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</p>
<p align="center" lang="en" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><b>Connect
with Mark Towse</b></span></span></p>
<p align="center" lang="en" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/stores/Mark-Towse/author/B07H8DBS31">Amazon</a>
</span></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">~
</span></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/MarkTowsey12">Twitter</a>
</span></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">~
</span></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://t.co/icMAn0LFpd">Website</a>
</span></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">~
</span></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/towseywrites/">Instagram</a>
</span></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">~
</span></span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/mark.towse.75"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Facebook</span></span></a></span></span></p><p align="center" lang="en" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><br /></span></p></span><br /> <p></p>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Giveaway:</span></b><br />
<b style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span face=""arial" , "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 14pt;"><span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">$25 Amazon/BN GC </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span face=""arial" , "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 14pt;">
<br />
<div align="center">
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<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script></div></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span face=""arial" , "sans-serif"" style="font-size: large;">Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning</span><span face=""arial" , "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2024/02/standard-tour-chasing-dragon-by-mark.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="468" data-original-width="1200" height="250" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7bIAFFpAAJE/VRd1qpHud4I/AAAAAAAAC2k/wSNUX5BoeMI/s1600/Tour%2BHost%2BButton%2B2014%2Bbeveled%2Bcopy.jpg" width="250" /></a></div><p></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript">var switchTo5x=true;</script>
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<script type="text/javascript">stLight.options({publisher: "b761346b-58bb-4db1-ad17-ac0e8e6c070c", doNotHash: false, doNotCopy: false, hashAddressBar: true});</script></div>The Avid Readerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04782388788767342109noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-366086039472321409.post-74295912379684776072024-03-26T05:00:00.024-05:002024-03-26T05:00:00.138-05:00Review: A Lord of Snow and Greed: Crowns of Magic Universe (The Winter Court Series #2) by Ashley McLeo @amcleowrites<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3TpwDt4" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="2200" data-original-width="1435" height="470" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRfXMUX3hvkCXpkC9pPDotKz3-k5wBRLwGtNTexdfJkUN9oNwJbpkY7sEZ92o72rYyOXV_c9vHE12HpEPbEGirgM7u7NUFwr2L6xfVgtwX3rF4h5h9Y5KT0nE6r4wGJuDKXyOL6Wt09nRKLGMGQP5vaFqMZP8mZ-z3AEe7aTdciZrdblqmv3t_SoIepdk/s320/A%20Lord%20of%20Snow%20and%20Greed_%20Crowns%20of%20Magic%20Universe.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">A
Lord of Snow and Greed</span></b><p align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span><b>Crowns
of Magic Universe </b></span></span></span>
</span></p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The
Winter Court Series #2</b></span></span></span></p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>by
Ashley McLeo</b></span></span></span></p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Published:
March 26, 2024</b></span></span></span></p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span><b>Publisher:
Meraki Press </b></span></span></span>
</span></p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span><b>Genre:
Dragons, Mythical Creatures, Fantasy, Romantic, </b></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span><b>Fae<span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span><b>Blurb:
</b></span></span></span>
</span></p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></p>
<p align="left" class="western"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>With
the King of Winter’s vile threats hanging over me, I have two
choices:</b></span></span></span></span></p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1111;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Marry
Prince Vale and or run and, most likely, die.</b></span></span></span></span></p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1111;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;">Then
again, perhaps I’ll die anyway when the King of Winter learns I
killed a vampire prince . . .</span></span></span></span></p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1111;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span>I
might even </span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1111;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span><i>want
to</i></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1111;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span> die
if I’ve started a war between the fae and the vampires, but I can’t
just turn away from the trouble I’ve created. Nor take away the
honorable prince’s dream to find his fated mate. So I accept Vale’s
protection under one condition.</span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1111;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;">We
form a marriage of convenience.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1111;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span>Once
the turmoil I’ve created calms, the prince assures me that we’ll
find a way for me to flee without recourse. I’ll </span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1111;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span><i>finally</i></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1111;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span> get
to be free.</span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1111;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;">But
there are a few things that I didn’t count on . . .</span></span></span></span></p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1111;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;">Like
how Vale grows on me, and how the desire between us blossoms.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1111;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;">Or
how the rising rebellion that makes things more difficult.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.12in;">
<span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1111;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;">Most
of all, I didn’t count on discovering so many buried secrets. One
in particular that strikes me straight in the heart: that the frigid
halls of Frostveil Castle is where I’ve been meant to be all along.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1111;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>A
Lord of Snow and Greed is a dual POV fae fantasy romance filled with
court intrigue, secrets, a steamy romance, and adventure. If you like
the twists and turns of Throne of Glass and the court drama of Game
of Thrones, you’ll love this installment in The Winter Court
Series.</i></span></span></span></span></p>
<p align="center" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/189844375-a-lord-of-snow-and-greed"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1111;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span><b>Goodreads</b></span></span></span></span></a></u></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1111;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span><b>
~ </b></span></span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><u><a href="https://amzn.to/3TpwDt4"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1111;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span><b>Amazon</b></span></span></span></span></a></u></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1111;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span><b>
~ </b></span></span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><u><a href="https://www.bookbub.com/books/a-lord-of-snow-and-greed-crowns-of-magic-universe-the-winter-court-series-book-2-by-ashley-mcleo"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1111;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span><b>BookBub</b></span></span></span></span></a></u></span></span></span></p><p align="center" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><br /></span></span></span></p><p></p>
<center><h2 style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="color: #e06666; font-size: 14pt;"><b>My
Review:</b></span></span></h2><div><p align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Neve
has finally escaped the vampires. To do so she had to kill a vampire
prince. Now the vampires are looking for her. Prince Vale has
promised to marry Neve to protect her against the vampires. Their
marriage is only one of convenience.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Neve
is a little nervous about meeting the King. She is not sure how he
will handle her marrying his son. He is surely not going to be happy
when he finds out she killed a vampire prince. She had to kill the
vampire prince so she could escape. Neve had been a blood slave for
the vampires. Will he help protect her from the vampires?</span></span></span></span></p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span>A
Lord of Snow and Greed kept me on the edge of my seat as </span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span>I
</span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span>waited
to see how it all was going to turn out. I liked getting the story
from both Neve and Vale. I liked seeing the story from two sides or
points.</span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span>A
Lord of Snow and Greed is the second book in The Winter Court Series.
It was just a</span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span>s</span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span>
great if not better than the first book A Kingdom of Frost and
Malice. A Lord of Snow and Greed is told from both Neve and Prince
Vale’s points of view. I enjoyed reading and learning more about
the fae and the vampires. I also enjoyed the battles that took place.</span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span>I
can’t wait to read the third book A Hallow of Storm and Ruin in The
Winter Court Series. I have to wait a while for it as it is </span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span>not
</span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span>due
to be published until March 3, 2025.</span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span>I
highly recommend A Lord of Snow and Greed </span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span>to
anyone who enjoys reading about the fae and vampires. Grab a copy of </span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span>A
Lord of Snow and Greed </span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span>today!</span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p align="center" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Be
sure to check out all the books in The Winter Court Series</b></span></span></span></p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>A
Kingdom of Frost and Malice #1</b></span></span></span></p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/106789940-a-kingdom-of-frost-and-malice"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1111;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Goodreads</b></span></span></span></a></u></span></span></p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><u><a href="https://amzn.to/3qFWLUJ"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1111;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Amazon</b></span></span></span></a></u></span></span></p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><u><a href="https://www.bookbub.com/books/a-kingdom-of-frost-and-malice-crowns-of-magic-universe-the-winter-court-series-book-1-by-ashley-mcleo"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1111;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>BookBub</b></span></span></span></a></u></span></span></p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>A
Lord of Snow and Greed #2</b></span></span></span></p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/189844375-a-lord-of-snow-and-greed"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Goodreads</b></span></span></span></span></a></u></span></span></p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><u><a href="https://amzn.to/3TpwDt4"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Amazon</b></span></span></span></span></a></u></span></span></p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><u><a href="https://www.bookbub.com/books/a-lord-of-snow-and-greed-crowns-of-magic-universe-the-winter-court-series-book-2-by-ashley-mcleo"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>BookBub</b></span></span></span></span></a></u></span></span></p></div><div><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="color: #e06666; font-size: 14pt;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="color: #e06666; font-size: 14pt;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div></center>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Connect with Ashley McLeo:</b><br />
<b><br /></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://amzn.to/2sAd9HI" target="_blank"><b>Amazon</b></a><b> ~ </b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16430470.Ashley_McLeo" target="_blank"><b>Goodreads</b></a><b> ~ </b><a href="https://ashleymcleo.com/"><b>Website</b></a><b> </b></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ashleymcleoauthor/" target="_blank"><b>Facebook</b></a><b> ~ </b><a href="https://twitter.com/amcleowrites" target="_blank"> <b>Twitter</b></a><b> ~ </b><a href="https://www.instagram.com/a.mcleo/" target="_blank"><b>Instagram</b></a> ~ <b><a href="https://www.bookbub.com/authors/ashley-mcleo" target="_blank">BookBub</a></b>
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<p><strong>An Accident Waiting to Dragon</strong><br><strong>Abigail Owen</strong><br>(Brimstone Inc., #3)<br>Publication date: March 26th 2024<br>Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance</p><blockquote><p><strong>It’s not the heat…it’s the pixie dust.</strong></p>
<p>The day her brother died, Gwendolyn Moonsoar fled from her veil of pixies. Grief drove her away, but a broken heart made her stay gone for good. Lucky for Gwen, Brimstone Inc. was there to break her fall. Now, as a special courier transporting the most valuable and dangerous items of the supernatural world, Gwen is good at her job. Damn good. After all, disappearing is her specialty.</p>
<p>Dragon shifter Asher Kato will always be haunted by his best friend Goran’s death. Although a promise he made gave him no choice, Asher will never forgive himself for the role he played…or the fallout it caused with Goran’s younger sister, Gwen. Burying himself in his role as second-in-command of the blue dragons is his only escape. Unfortunately, the peace they fought so hard for isn’t meant for a warrior like him. So, when a courier transporting a rare basilisk egg goes missing, Asher volunteers to track her down.</p>
<p>Except Asher’s mission ends up stranding him on a deserted island with the only woman he’s ever wanted….a pixie who would rather vanish forever than spend a single second with him.</p>
</blockquote>
<p style="font-size: 130%; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/205573099-an-accident-waiting-to-dragon" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> / <a href="https://amzn.to/3x8efw5" target="_blank">Amazon</a> / <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/an-accident-waiting-to-dragon-abigail-owen/1144669686" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> / <a href="https://books.apple.com/us/book/an-accident-waiting-to-dragon/id6476325646" target="_blank">iBooks</a> / <a href="https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/an-accident-waiting-to-dragon" target="_blank">Kobo</a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">—</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>EXCERPT:</strong></p>
<p>Sweaty from their trek and the feelings that refused to fade, Gwen was damn tempted to dive right in, but before she could, Asher stripped off his shoes and socks, his hands going to the fly of his jeans.</p>
<p>“What are you doing?” she asked.</p>
<p>He didn’t face her, but she could hear the rare teasing smile in his voice. “Bathing.”</p>
<p>He was going to bathe. Right now? In front of her?</p>
<p>Sure. No big deal. She was a fully grown adult. Most supernatural creatures didn’t have hang-ups about nudity the way humans did. She could handle this. He’d go first, then she’d take a turn. They could draw their drinking water upstream when they were done.</p>
<p>Asher dropped his pants, leaving him in nothing but black boxer-briefs, which showed off the muscles of his thighs as he waded into the water. Then he turned to face her, a playful glint in his eyes she hadn’t seen in a long time. Sure enough, next came the shirt.</p>
<p>Damn.</p>
<p>There went the small amount of control she’d wrangled for herself over the course of their trek. Gone in an instant.</p>
<p>With an eye roll, she walked to a flat rock at the edge of the water. A second later, a splash told her he was fully submerged now. By the time she’d taken off her sock and shoes, and rolled up her pants to dangle her legs, she figured it was safe for her to look.</p>
<p>A horrible idea, it turned out.</p>
<p>A flash of movement under the surface caught her eye a second before Asher came up out of the water, facing her, lifting his hands to slick back his dark hair, his muscles rippling with the movement.</p>
<p>Now that was just freaking unfair.</p>
<p>It was like nature was trying to highlight all the hotness she’d been missing all this time. Hotness that had just been inside of her.</p>
<p><em>Oh. My. Gods.</em></p>
<p>Heat flared in her cheeks yet again.</p>
<p>Which was when Asher opened his eyes and caught her staring. His gaze locked in on her, and for once she couldn’t make out what he was thinking.</p>
<p>But she couldn’t look away, her chest growing tighter by the second.</p>
<p>Was he—</p>
<p>Asher swam toward her. “Why aren’t you coming in?”</p>
<p>She nearly shook her head. No, it couldn’t be.</p>
<p>Her oh-so-serious dragon wasn’t trying to…tease her, play with her?</p>
<p>Was he?</p>
<p><em>He’s not </em>your<em> dragon, Gwendolyn Moonsoar. He’s not your anything,</em> she tried to remind herself. But that thought was feeling more and more flimsy by the second…considering the way he was looking at her.</p>
<p>She shrugged, trying to play it cool while her face was probably still flaming red. Maybe he’d put that down to their trek? “I’ll wait until you’re done.”</p>
<p>A frown flitted across his features, far more familiar and comfortable than his teasing, but then he swam forward until he could stand in front of her. “You don’t have to wait. There’s plenty of room.”</p>
<p>Gwen opened her mouth to wave him off with something vague only to get a little lost in the deep navy of his eyes. “I…don’t think that would be a good idea,” she found herself saying.</p>
<p>His jaw tightened visibly. “I would never—”</p>
<p>Without thinking, she pressed a single finger against his lips and they both sort of froze at the contact. Gwen swallowed and pulled away slowly.</p>
<p>“I know,” she whispered. “You’re not the one I don’t trust.”</p>
<p>Asher’s brows drew together, stopped, then crept back up as her meaning sank in that <em>she</em> was the problem here. Her and all her discombobulated feelings.</p>
<p>That glint from a moment ago reignited in his eyes, only up close it was even more potent, more dangerous. “Do you need rescuing?” he asked, his voice dropping lower.</p>
<p><em>Oh my gods.</em></p>
<p>The memory of their first kiss, the first time he’d said those words to her, swirled and blended with this one, and excited butterflies hit her insides full force. But she couldn’t.</p>
<p><em>They</em> couldn’t. Could they?</p>
<p>What she wanted to say was, “From you?” like she had back then. Instead, she just shook her head and went to stand up, to put distance between them.</p>
<p>Only Asher grabbed her hand, his hold gentle as she stilled.</p>
<p>“I’ve missed you, Gwen,” he said softly. “I want you to know that.”</p>
<p>A lump of emotion and longing formed inside her throat.</p>
<p>Was he <em>trying</em> to make this a thousand times harder for her? More confusing? More need-inducing?</p>
<p>When she didn’t say anything but she also didn’t leave, he slowly moved closer, right up against her rock, so that he was standing between her dangling legs. He paused there. “I really want to kiss you, and not just in a dream, but I won’t if you say no, or if you need rescuing for real.”</p>
<p>This close, right in her space where she could feel the natural warmth of a dragon shifter radiating from his skin, feel his breath against her cheek…gods, he was temptation.</p>
<p>Gwen forced her gaze away, dropping it to her lap. It didn’t help. She still wanted to kiss him. “I—”</p>
<p>She shifted her gaze to the left and paused, then peered closer at his side.</p>
<p><em>What the—? </em></p>
<p>Then she choked.</p>
<p>Asher jerked to follow her gaze, searching the water around him for some threat maybe. “What’s wrong?”</p>
<p>She stared at him with her mouth ajar for enough time that he stopped searching for danger to bracket her face with his hands, his expression growing harder with concern. “Gwen—”<br />
<br class="blank" /></p>
<img src="https://www.xpressobooktours.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2019/04/Abigail.jpg" alt="" style="float: left; margin: 0 15px 15px 0; display: inline-block;">
<blockquote style="margin-top: 15px; margin-bottom: 15px;">
<p>Author Bio:</p>
<p>Award-winning author, Abigail Owen, writes NA/YA romantasy and paranormal romance. She loves plots that move hot and fast, feisty heroines with sass, heroes with heart, a dash of snark, and oodles of HEAs!</p>
<p>Abbie has a degree in English Rhetoric (Technical Writing) from Texas A&M University (gig’em Ags!), and an MBA from California State University-Sacramento. Prior to becoming a published author, she spent 15+ years using the other side of her brain in various tech- and business-related roles.</p>
<p>Other titles include: wife, mother, Star Wars geek, ex-competitive skydiver, AuDHD, spreadsheet lover, Jeopardy fanatic, organizational guru, true classic movie buff, linguaphile, wishful world traveler, and chocoholic.</p>
<p>Abigail currently resides in Austin, Texas, with her own swoon-worthy hero, their (mostly) angelic teenagers, and two adorable fur babies.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://abigailowen.com/" target="_blank">Website</a> / <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6517455.Abigail_Owen" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> / <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Abigail.Owen.Books/" target="_blank">Facebook</a> / <a href="https://twitter.com/AOwenBooks" target="_blank">Twitter</a> / <a href="https://www.instagram.com/abigailowenauthor/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> / <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@abigailowenauthor" target="_blank">TikTok</a></p>
</blockquote>
<p><br class="blank" /></p>
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<p><strong>A Strange Affinity</strong><br><strong>Rebecca Rook</strong><br>Publication date: March 26th 2024<br>Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult</p><blockquote><p><strong><em>A Strange Affinity</em> is a hypnotizing cross between the television show <em>Deadwood</em> and Tamora Pierce’s renowned <em>Tortall Universe</em>. This young adult fantasy novel, set in an alternate nineteenth century American Wild West, will appeal to fans of <em>Vengeance Road</em> and <em>Retribution Rails</em> by Erin Bowman, <em>Revenge and the Wild</em> by Michelle Modesto, and <em>Upright Women Wanted</em> by Sarah Gailey.</strong></p>
<p>In the Wild West, magic is real.</p>
<p>When two strangers arrive in her small town, Gloriana Rue learns that she has the magical ability, or Affinity, to manipulate metal. She also learns that her mother was a renowned magical scholar but had abandoned the world of Affinities. Glory is desperate to know why her mother hid her past, and so agrees to attend an academy for magicians in the hopes of finding answers.</p>
<p>Glory is soon immersed in magic and mystery when she stumbles upon a disturbing discovery: A killer is hunting magicians throughout the American West – and he’s getting closer. Only by seeking out her mother’s secrets can she stop him and save her newfound family.</p>
</blockquote>
<p style="font-size: 130%; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/201888823-a-strange-affinity" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> / <a href="https://amzn.to/3Trp0Ba" target="_blank">Amazon</a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">—</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>EXCERPT:</strong></p>
<p>Glory adored her new magician’s studio.</p>
<p>The space was outfitted as a smith’s shop, furnished with a long workbench, a wall hung with gently worn but serviceable tools, and a small, portable blacksmith’s forge. She was awkward with many of the tools at first but grew better and more proficient by the day. Glory worked long into the evenings, well past the end of her classes. She came to love the feeling of being surrounded by scraps of different metals: gold, silver, copper, and iron. It felt like being surrounded by friends, or family. It was hard for Glory to describe but she felt that each metal had a different personality.</p>
<p>Glory thrived under Jacinda’s tutelage. She went on to master a series of ever-challenging tasks she had set before her: Molding new shapes, melding metals together, and extracting the elements. Soon each new task seemed easier than the last.</p>
<p>In a recent conversation, Jacinda had warned Glory these new skills were among the easiest for a magician. True transformation of physical properties was much harder, and in some cases, impossible without several years of further study.</p>
<p>“Lead to gold?” Glory had asked, skepticism and humor in her voice. She remembered reading such silly tales among her father’s library.</p>
<p>Jacinda had chuckled. “Not quite. You’re bound by the chemical properties of the source material. But with study and practice, who knows what’s possible? The magical properties of metal are vastly understudied and largely composed of myths and legends about alchemy. And because there are so few metal magicians, we still don’t know what they — you — are capable of.”<br />
<br class="blank" /></p>
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<blockquote style="margin-top: 15px; margin-bottom: 15px;">
<p>Author Bio:</p>
<p>Rebecca Rook designs tabletop games, manages a little free library dedicated to sequential art and comics, and lives in the Pacific Northwest with two wonderful dogs. She writes young adult fiction in the fantasy, thriller, and horror genres.</p>
<p>A 2021-2022 Hugo House Fellow in<br />
Seattle, WA, she also attended the 2021 Tin House YA Fiction Workshop in<br />
Portland, OR. Rebecca was selected as one of the 100 invited writers to participate in the Write Team Mentorship Program’s curated Pitch-a-Thon event before being chosen as a Mentee for the 2021 Program. Prior to this, she completed the wonderful Yearlong Workshop for Young Adult and Middle Grade Fiction at Hugo House.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.byrebeccarook.com/" target="_blank">Website</a> / <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/45848659.Rebecca_Rook" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> / <a href="https://www.instagram.com/byrebeccarook" target="_blank">Instagram</a> / <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@byrebeccarook" target="_blank">TikTok</a></p>
</blockquote>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">Crossroads to Collaboration, A Personal Development Journey to Building
Successful and Synergistic Relationships</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;"><b>Motivational/Business improvement</b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;"><b>Date Published: </b></span><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">March 12, 2024</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><b>Publisher:</b> Elite Online Publishing</span>
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/206768337-a-win-won-situation"><img height="75" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/production-sitebuilder-v1-0-3/663/206663/rL88XEv2/26885701adea4bb791503c2c1651b879" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">In <i>A Win Won Situation</i>, Reggie Gray embarks on a profound exploration of
personal development, interweaving his life experiences with insightful
lessons on building successful and synergistic relationships.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">WIN WON comes from what Reggie puts into practice in his business and
personal relationships. <b>W</b>HAT <b>I</b> <b>N</b>EED – <b>W</b>HAT <b>O</b>THERS <b>N</b>EED</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Through engaging chapters filled with personal accounts deeply woven with
important life lessons, Reggie imparts wisdom gained from his unique blend
of experiences. He challenges the reader to rethink conventional notions of
success and relationship building, offering a fresh perspective on how to<b>
lead a more fulfilling life</b>. This book is not just another motivational
read. It is a call to action, inviting readers to scrutinize the motives
behind the self-help industry and to seek authenticity in their personal
growth journeys.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Perfect for anyone at a crossroads in their personal and professional
relationships, <i>A Win Won Situation</i> is a guide for those who seek to live a
meaningful last third of their life, <b>leaving behind a legacy of
collaboration, success, and genuine connection. </b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><b>Excerpt </b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">When making decisions and considering both sides of a situation, it boils down to the person’s or organization’s viewpoint. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> How are you looking at the situation or issue? What is its value to you or the other side? What is the background of how you got to this interface? What are the backgrounds of those influencing the outcome. What motivates them? </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> This is a series of questions for you to run through your consideration as you begin the process or at least right before you make a decision impacting the process. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> Are you the solution to problem(s) or are you the problem? When I hire someone, it is usually because I have a problem that I need solved. Make sure you don’t hire people that just become another problem for you to resolve. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> Many people also use problems (excuses) not to complete tasks or projects…not enough training, not enough, information, not enough assistance, etc. One can always find excuses and ways to not succeed, but employers and leaders like those that look for ways to overcome the problems. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> Be tolerant of others’ views. Don’t even say I disagree with them, they are their rights, but they stop when there is any force, verbally or physically, to express or apply yours to others. Your rights have stepped over their boundaries into someone else’s. You have yours, they have theirs. The views of accepting people regardless of religion, sexual preference etc. It’s not my paygrade to judge people.</span>
</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;"><b>About the Author</b></span></p><a 1="" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/production-sitebuilder-v1-0-3/663/206663/rL88XEv2/575da121c271497b96351d2eb2c5e47d" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/production-sitebuilder-v1-0-3/663/206663/rL88XEv2/575da121c271497b96351d2eb2c5e47d" width="260" /></a>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">As the President of the Intercontinental Chamber of Commerce, Gray has been
a pivotal figure in the Houston area, with a strong presence in the
community for over 25 years. Gray has served on numerous area boards and
received numerous awards from those area organizations for his commitment
and service to Houston-area communities. Previous to the Chamber, he was a
Vice President of Marketing in the real estate management and development
industry and Vice President of Business Development for an international
logistics corporation.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">His projects and positions have taken him throughout the U.S. and to nearly
60 countries worldwide, where he has collaborated with a variety of
industries, corporate executives, international leaders, and royalty. Gray
has received awards of designation, appreciation, and partnerships from
numerous countries, such as Canada, Mexico, El Salvador, Malta, China, the
Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Monaco, and Panama.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Gray spends time and speaks often of his three sons and his focus on them
or, as he has repeatedly been quoted, “They are the oxygen in his
lungs.”
</span>
</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;"><b>Contact Links</b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="http://www.houstonicc.org/">Website</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="http://linkedin.com/in/reggiegray-14223120">LinkedIn</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span>
</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;"><b>Purchase Link</b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://amzn.to/48O6pVB">Amazon</a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p>
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<span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Belega</b></span></span></p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>by
Dianne Hartsock</b></span></span></p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>GENRE:
Erotic Fantasy Romance (M/M)</b></span></span></p>
<p align="center" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>BLURB:</b></span></span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a name="_GoBack"></a>
<span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span>The
Karthagans have regained their ancient powers of manipulating nature,
but at the price of madness. In their lust for control, they've
destroyed their island and most of their race. They come now to
Belega, where one of them, Camron, seeks domination over the known
world. The Mage has come from the northern continent of Sennia to
bring peace but finding his strength no match for the coming
struggle, he passes his abilities on to Natan, who only desires a
simple life.</span></span></span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;">Now
only Natan has the ability to stop Camron, but the personal cost is
more than he imagines. It is only with the combined strength of his
friends, his Karthagan lover, Kavi, and his deep desire to bring
lasting peace to the earth, that he finds the courage to overcome
Camron and restore balance to the world.</span></span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p>
<p align="center" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span><span style="color: black;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: medium;"><b>Excerpt:</b></span></span></span></span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;">The
sun glared off the white bricks of the courtyard and sent stabs of
pain through Natan’s closed lids. He found himself alone, although
occasionally the murmur of voices would reach him then fade into the
distance. Not like yesterday, when there were voices all around him
and unkind hands when someone would brave to touch him.</span></span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;">They
had dragged him across the courtyard, stripped him to the waist, then
shackled him to a stake with his arms stretched above his head.
Soldiers had beaten him, and he supposed they would have killed him
outright for being a sorcerer, if superstition raised by the scar on
his chest hadn’t kept them from it. Bad luck to kill a man with a
diseased mind.</span></span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;">Natan’s
laugh was a croak in his parched throat. They intended to let the
elements do the job for them. He’d shivered in the freezing cold
during the night and now the sun seemed determined to bake the life
from him. He winced at a pang of hunger, but that pain he could
ignore. He’d been hungry before. It was the desperate thirst that
could drive a man insane. A grim smile split his cracked lips.</span></span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;">His
mind wandered in the afternoon heat, and he went over his every
decision since leaving Belega, quickly determining he’d made many
mistakes. But he could find no trace of madness in his actions. Would
he, though, if he looked deeper? His thoughts kept returning to the
suspicion in Kavi’s eyes when he’d looked at him, and at last he
hung his head in defeat. If Kavi believed him mad then surely he must
be.</span></span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;">His
eyes filled with tears. “I’m sorry, Gregor,” he whispered as
sorrow touched his soul. He’d failed his mentor. He thought of
Bryon and knew how disappointed he’d also be. “I’m sorry,
Father.” Dry sobs wracked him. He could no longer feel the hurt of
his tortured body from the anguish in his heart.</span></span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;">Natan
flinched when fingers brushed his face, and he stiffened for the
blow. Instead, a flask was pressed to his lips and drops of glorious
water trickled on his swollen tongue. When the flask was withdrawn,
he threw his head back against the stake and fought to slow his hard
breathing. He knew he had to wait a moment for more of the
life-giving liquid, but every second brought agony. At last, he was
allowed a few more swallows.</span></span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;">The
chain rattled above his head, and suddenly his arms were free. He
fell heavily to the ground, jarring his knees, but strong arms went
around him as he was helped to his feet. Someone muttered in his ear,
but he still felt dazed and couldn’t make out the words. He tried
to open his eyes, but the fierce light stabbed at him again. He was
guided to a horse, helped to mount, so he lay along the horse’s
neck and threaded fingers through its mane.</span></span></p>
<center><h2 style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="color: #e06666; font-size: 14pt;"><b><br /></b></span></span></h2><h2 style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="color: #e06666; font-size: 14pt;"><b>My
Review:</b></span></span></h2><div><p align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span lang="en-US">Belega
</span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span lang="en-US">is
the first book in a new series </span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span lang="en-US">The
Karthagans by Dianne Hartsock. Belega </span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span lang="en-US">starts
off with lots of action. Belega starts off right in the middle of a war. The action never lets up with battle after battle that takes us
all the way to the end.</span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="en-US">There
are a lot of characters in Belega that help to fight the many
battles that take place. Belega is filled with magic that takes you a
way to the other side as so many are injured in battle and need to be
brought back as it is not time for them to leave just yet as they are
still needed in this world for a little bit longer.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="en-US">Belega
kept me glued to the pages as I raced to the end to see how it all
was going to turn out in the end. I couldn’t turn the pages fast
enough as I wanted to know what lay ahead for Natan and Kavi. The
descriptions were well written making it very easy to see it all play
out in my head as if I was right there on the battlefield with them.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="en-US">I
highly recommend Belega to anyone who enjoys reading fantasy! Grab a
copy of Belega today and join the battle!</span></span></span></span></p></div></center>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><a href="https://diannehartsock.wordpress.com/" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="680" data-original-width="452" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD19ChQPHMokKmvIdB_pV5MlCp7Mj74Wl0xwfei5rufo9fX68OGElqm3OR0s4MOWWyRyfz0T-iMjdoKO8P03PGt5-Qht5smQgPFJeqNpIneAijINp7y4iLHpEF6mj-y1CLQjhtp2mrqHRprSJqxavr6kYvZJHS0oLm8AIoPWYpxxBWBXlpo9mZlgznWko/s320/authorpic.jpg" width="213" /></a></span></div><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: black;"><b>AUTHOR
Bio and Links:</b></span></span></span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;"><br />
</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Dianne
grew up in one of the older homes in the middle of Los Angeles, a
place of hardwood floors and secret closets and back staircases. A
house where ghosts lurk in the basement and the faces in the
paintings watch you walk up the front stairs. Rooms where you keep
the closet doors closed tight at night. It’s where her love of the
mysterious and wonderful came from. Dianne is the author of m/m
romance, paranormal/suspense, fantasy adventure, the occasional
thriller, and anything else that comes to mind.</span></span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">She
now lives in the beautiful Willamette Valley of Oregon with her
incredibly patient husband, who puts up with the endless hours she
spends hunched over the keyboard letting her characters play. Dianne
says Oregon’s raindrops are the perfect setting in which to write.
There’s something about being cooped up in the house with a fire
crackling on the hearth and a cup of hot coffee in her hands, which
kindles her imagination.</span></span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Currently,
Dianne works as a floral designer in a locally-owned gift shop. Which
is the perfect job for her. When not writing, she can express herself
through the rich colors and textures of flowers and foliage.</span></span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p>
<p align="center" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><b>Connect
with Dianne Hartsock</b></span></span></p><p align="center" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></span></p><p align="center" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4850270.Dianne_Hartsock">Goodreads</a> ~ <a href="https://www.instagram.com/diannehartsock/">Instagram</a></span></span></p>
<p align="center" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://diannehartsock.wordpress.com/">Blog</a>
~ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/diannehartsock">Facebook</a> ~
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/diannehartsockbooks/">Facebook
Author Page</a> </span></span></p></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div> <p></p>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Giveaway:</span></b><br />
<b style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span face=""arial" , "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 14pt;"><span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">$15 Amazon/BN GC </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span face=""arial" , "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 14pt;"><span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span face=""arial" , "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 14pt;">
<br />
<div align="center">
<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="28e4345f4836" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f4836/" id="rcwidget_yrn30n4j" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script> </div></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span face=""arial" , "sans-serif"" style="font-size: large;">Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning</span><span face=""arial" , "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2024/02/excerpt-tour-belega-by-dianne-hartsock.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="468" data-original-width="1200" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPm0qzk1O58Dk9yfVquqA6NrycGrOvvKOaFLMMzVrT55PrheG03GukDpla27fXfcvoE_gTBN3oHCyTKZj7FSswezwRh9FDuCyGycqiLPNC3YBCm7iyWGXRvEGn3Ocd-FRM3siFc2QJC3Uu/s1600/Tour+Host+Button+2014+beveled+copy.jpg" width="250" /></a></div><p></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript">var switchTo5x=true;</script>
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<script type="text/javascript">stLight.options({publisher: "b761346b-58bb-4db1-ad17-ac0e8e6c070c", doNotHash: false, doNotCopy: false, hashAddressBar: true});</script></div>The Avid Readerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04782388788767342109noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-366086039472321409.post-35941894480328517112024-03-26T02:30:00.009-05:002024-03-26T02:30:00.133-05:00Teaser Tuesday: Prophet by Harley Wylde @harleywylde @RABTBookTours @changelingpress<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://sites.google.com/rabtbooktoursandpr.com/2024blitzes/harley-wylde-prophet-teaser-tuesday"><img height="250" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/production-sitebuilder-v1-0-3/663/206663/rL88XEv2/8b9b46c73ffd41beb04d77ea8fc1cabd" width="550" /></a></div><a name='more'></a><p> </p><a 1="" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/production-sitebuilder-v1-0-3/663/206663/rL88XEv2/126a3c2770b747cd8f9d8f9432eda7e4" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/production-sitebuilder-v1-0-3/663/206663/rL88XEv2/126a3c2770b747cd8f9d8f9432eda7e4" width="263" /></a>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;"><b><i>A Dixie Reapers Bad Boys Romance</i></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Dixie Reapers MC, Book 20</span>
</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;"><b>Motorcycle Club Romance, Age Gap, Suspense</b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Date Published:</span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> March 29, 2024</span></span>
</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span>
</p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/209153786-prophet-dixie-reapers-mc-20"><img height="75" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/production-sitebuilder-v1-0-3/663/206663/rL88XEv2/26885701adea4bb791503c2c1651b879" width="200" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span>
</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Ares – My life hasn’t always been kittens and rainbows. I spent
years as a captive, so when someone breaks into the compound and threatens
my little siblings, I go with the kidnappers instead. I’ve survived
being enslaved before, but the little ones wouldn’t make it. I can
only hope the club will find me in time.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Prophet – I’ve been patiently waiting for Ares to not only be
old enough for me to date her, but also for her to be ready. But I waited
too f**king long, and now she’s been taken. The bastard who has her is
going to pay, and once she’s back in my arms, I’m never letting
her go again.</span>
</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><b><i>WARNING: Prophet is intended for readers 18+ due to adult content, darker
themes, language, and violence. While it can be read as a stand-alone, you
may enjoy the story more if you read Joker first.</i></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span>
</p><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a 1="" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/production-sitebuilder-v1-0-3/663/206663/rL88XEv2/df5c462183ab4a3789b11e8bfcdaea7f" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="295" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/production-sitebuilder-v1-0-3/663/206663/rL88XEv2/df5c462183ab4a3789b11e8bfcdaea7f" width="525" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;"><b>EXCERPT</b></span>
</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><i>Ares</i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Times had changed. The Dixie Reapers’ clubhouse no longer boasted
loud parties and naked women. Well, the naked women were gone, at any rate.
Music pulsed from the speakers as everyone took a much-needed break. My dad
had been in Church off and on since this mess started, and more often than
not, the members hung out in the clubhouse discussing the issue at hand.
Except right now, the doors were open to anyone.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">I sat at the bar with a soda. Portia sat on one side of me and
Venom’s youngest, Dawson, was on my other side. Patched members lined
the bar on either side of them.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">“Pass me a beer, Ares,” Bull shouted from farther down. I
reached over the counter into the ice chest, then slid the longneck down the
bar top. I caught a smirk from my father as he watched.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">“Hey, Pres. Think your girl has a future as a bartender,” Bull
said. He chuckled and twisted the top off. “She’s got good
aim.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">“Better than Foster’s aim last week,” I shot back, a
playful jab at his son’s appalling shooting during target practice. He
snorted and took a swallow of his beer, while Foster shot me a glare.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">This place was my home. Dad and the Dixie Reapers had been my salvation,
pulling me from the abyss with hands as rough as the life they led. Even
though I couldn’t be a patched member, I was a Reaper’s kid. My
dad had given me permission to get the club colors inked on my shoulder
blade. It was a super small one compared to the ones the guys here had.
I’d seen quite a few with the colors covering their entire backs. In
addition, I’d gotten a phoenix rising from the ashes inked on the
outside of my right thigh -- a mirror of my own rebirth.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Foster might be mad at me right now, but I knew he’d get over it. In
a lot of ways, he was like a brother to me. All of the kids here close to my
age felt like family. Although, Foster, Owen, and Dawson were all older than
me. Not that I could tell when it came to Foster.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Cowboy’s son, Jackson, entered the clubhouse, his cowboy boots
thudding against the wood floor as he came closer. He put his arms around me
and hugged me from behind.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">“You smell like horses and dirt.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">“Mom always said it was the best scent in the world.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">I couldn’t help but laugh a little. Yeah, I could see his mother
saying that. “Well, it’s better than sweat, I guess. Preparing
for your next rodeo?”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">“I was planning to head out in the morning, but with everything going
on…”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">I tipped my head back to look up at him. “You should go. If you put
your life on hold every time something bad happens around here, you’ll
never get to do the one thing you love most.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">He kissed the top of my head. “Yeah, I know. You’re awfully
smart for someone so young.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">“You’re only six years older than me, Jackson. It’s not
like you’re ancient.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">“In rodeo years, I’m over a decade older than you.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">I really did laugh that time. “Is that like dog years or
something?”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">“Close enough. Hand me a beer. I’m going to go with Akira.
She’s in the corner with her nose in a book again.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">I reached over for another longneck and passed it to him. He patted my
shoulder before wandering off. I watched him, noticing he hadn’t lied.
Akira, Wraith’s daughter, really did have a book in front of her face.
From the cover, no one would realize she was reading smut. If her parents
had any idea of the types of books she bought, they’d both have a
fit.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">I sipped on my soda and just soaked up the atmosphere. My friends and
family were all talking or laughing. Despite everything going on outside the
club gates, they seemed at peace in this particular moment. Happy. I hoped
things could stay like this. I didn’t want anyone here to suffer the
way I had.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">“Never thought I’d see the day,” Tank said, approaching
with a smile on his face. “Ares Black, quiet as a church
mouse.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">I smirked, nudging him with my elbow. “Just soaking it all in. Some
days, I don’t remember how blessed I am, until we’re all
together like this. Family. Friendship. As long as we have those, we can
weather any storm.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">“Damn straight.” He clapped a heavy hand on my shoulder.
“We’re always in your corner, Ares.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">“Same here,” I replied. It wasn’t just words -- it was a
promise. We were the Dixie Reapers, and we protected our own with the
ferocity of a mother bear defending her cubs. I might not be a member of the
club itself, but as the President’s daughter, these people were still
my family, and I’d die to keep them safe.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">I glanced at my watch and stood. Joker wanted Cleo to feel welcome here,
and while I wasn’t quite ready to be friends with the woman, I also
knew what it was like to be the outsider. I’d promised to head over
and play a board game. Instead of driving, I decided to walk. The fresh air
would be nice, and it would give me time to get my thoughts in order. It
felt like utter chaos inside my head these days.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Ridley and Isabella were already there when I arrived. I fell into step
behind them as they entered Joker’s home. Ridley had a few board games
tucked under her arm. At least they’d come prepared, because I doubted
Joker had any. I’d already given them a few of the ones we had at home
that I thought might be fun.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">“Hey, Cleo,” I said.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">“Good to see you guys.” Her voice sounded hollow, and it looked
like she hadn’t been sleeping well.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Isabella walked over to her first, giving her a hug. “How are you
holding up?”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">“Counting down the minutes,” she said.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Ridley clapped her hands together, the sound sharp in the quiet room.
“We’re here to take your mind off things. Right,
Ares?”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">I nodded. “Yeah, we brought some board games. Thought we could all
use a distraction.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">“Thanks,” she murmured.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">We settled around her kitchen table. Before we’d even had a chance to
set up the game, someone knocked on the door. Joker went to answer. Ridley
started to set up one of the games, and Isabella and I helped. I noticed
Cleo kept glancing toward the door.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">He returned with an envelope and handed it to Cleo. “For
you.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">“Who’s it from?” she asked. She ripped open the envelope
and as she read the contents of the paper inside, she paled a bit.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">“Everything all right?” Isabella asked.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">“Fine,” she said. Did anyone else notice the tremor in her
voice or the way her hands trembled? “Just a reminder about my
appointment.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">“Ah, can’t forget that,” Ridley said.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">“Let’s focus on the game,” Cleo suggested.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">I rolled the dice and gave a little shout of excitement, hoping to make
things seem as normal as possible. “All right!”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Everyone took their turns rolling the dice and moving their tokens. When it
went around to Cleo, she stared at the board, almost as if she wasn’t
fully present. I glanced at Ridley and Isabella, and realized they’d
noticed it too. Cleo must have a lot on her mind between the issues with her
family and her heart problem.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">“Your move, Cleo,” Ridley prompted.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">“Right,” she mumbled.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">We played for quite a while, until the sky started to darken. I
didn’t know if this had distracted Cleo or not, but it had kept me
from focusing on things for a while. I hadn’t realized how much
I’d needed this until now. I helped clean up the games, then we told
Joker and Cleo goodbye.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Ridley offered me a ride, but I waved her off. The walk would do me some
good. I paused at the clubhouse and stared at my car. It didn’t make
sense to leave it here overnight, but at the same time, I’d prefer to
get home on my own two feet than by driving there. I decided to leave it and
kept walking.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">A sudden chill prickled my skin, a whisper of danger that tightened my
muscles. A feeling of unease skittered down my spine, and I wondered if
trouble was drawing closer than any of us realized.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">When I got home, there was a wrongness I felt all the way to my core. I
slowly approached the house, keeping an eye on my surroundings, just the way
Dad had taught me. I twisted the knob on the front door and pushed it
open.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">“Mom? Are you here?” I called out. Nothing. Not so much as a
whisper of sound. I eased farther into the house, wondering if I should call
Dad. Dessa’s car was outside, which meant she had to be here. She
hadn’t ridden with him to the clubhouse earlier, even though
she’d been there with the kids.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">“Junie, Judd, Marnie!” I shouted.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">No one answered, and I couldn’t find anyone at home. I went back
outside, wondering if maybe they went to a neighbor’s house. Before
I’d made it to the end of the driveway, I felt the cold kiss of metal
against my neck.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span>
</p><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a 1="" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/production-sitebuilder-v1-0-3/663/206663/rL88XEv2/3167c618c38640368102c6b55a46c150" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="439" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/production-sitebuilder-v1-0-3/663/206663/rL88XEv2/3167c618c38640368102c6b55a46c150" width="524" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;"><b>About the Author</b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Harley Wylde is an accomplished author known for her captivating MC
Romances. With an unwavering commitment to sensual storytelling, Wylde
immerses her readers in an exciting world of fierce men and irresistible
women. Her works exude passion, danger, and gritty realism, while still
managing to end on a satisfying note each time.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">When not crafting her tales, Wylde spends her time brainstorming new
plotlines, indulging in a hot cup of Starbucks, or delving into a good book.
She has a particular affinity for supernatural horror literature and movies.
Visit Wylde's website to learn more about her works and upcoming events, and
don't forget to sign up for her newsletter to receive exclusive discounts
and other exciting perks.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span>
</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Author on Facebook, Instagram, & TikTok</span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt;">: @harleywylde</span></span>
</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Publisher on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok:</span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt;">
@changelingpress</span></span>
</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://books2read.com/ProphetDRMC"><b>Pre-Order Today</b></a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p>
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<div><p id="docs-internal-guid-74b97098-7fff-3016-9a83-70aadc4ce932" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-d965e507-7fff-1347-5e25-07f0b46fa18c" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Gabriela; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">A physicist discovers the secret to time travel only to find out he was not the first, it is now his task to go back and repair history.</span></span></p><p id="docs-internal-guid-74b97098-7fff-3016-9a83-70aadc4ce932" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-d965e507-7fff-1347-5e25-07f0b46fa18c" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Gabriela; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p id="docs-internal-guid-74b97098-7fff-3016-9a83-70aadc4ce932" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-d965e507-7fff-1347-5e25-07f0b46fa18c" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Gabriela; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Sl3RoNlkGsOz11eu70hMvKHi90sSi3w5lv_hJmktTa2OjHUXOqb_34sEeYjyqDTc52XE6C0GDJv1dzqE2-OM-VYbBC8o19p1VzBEEc4JfEqelORmYbshfV2EiuRVIDjv1ODRl_KxgR6Zl3hqd_ifbobRS8vu-EPXIjMXP59cx7eapYiKZeuhDCMWuA/s800/The%20Edison%20Enigma.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="578" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Sl3RoNlkGsOz11eu70hMvKHi90sSi3w5lv_hJmktTa2OjHUXOqb_34sEeYjyqDTc52XE6C0GDJv1dzqE2-OM-VYbBC8o19p1VzBEEc4JfEqelORmYbshfV2EiuRVIDjv1ODRl_KxgR6Zl3hqd_ifbobRS8vu-EPXIjMXP59cx7eapYiKZeuhDCMWuA/w462-h640/The%20Edison%20Enigma.png" width="462" /></a></span></div><p></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-2dbdcf41-7fff-5c00-a2a1-d74edea59aed" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Gabriela; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></p><p></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-9683e7e0-7fff-2ae4-03b6-5fb733c72fe7" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Gabriela; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></div><div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div style="text-align: left;"><h2 dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-580d7d28-7fff-0026-bbb9-38580b77c0d5" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Gabriela; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Title: The Edison Enigma</span></span></h2><h2 dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Gabriela; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Author: Thomas White</span></span></h2><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Gabriela; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Publication Date: February 29, 2024</span></span></p><h2 dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Gabriela; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pages: 196</span></span></h2><h2 dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Gabriela; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Genre: Scifi/Mystery </span></span></h2><h2 style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;">
</h2><p> Edison, a Chicago physicist, manages to successfully transport an object through time. Almost immediately following this success Dr. Edison is shut out of the facility and told by benefactor Raphael Barrington, to take a vacation. He is contacted by Don Rivendell, a grizzled old man with a secret. Rivendell explains to Tom that he is not the first person to discover time travel. Someone else went back and changed history by saving a young girl from dying in an internal combustion engine explosion.</p>
<p>Dr. Edison is tasked with going back and fixing history. He travels back to 1904 to find the younger version of Rivendell and stop him from saving the girl. </p>
<p>You can purchase your copy of The Edison Enigma at Amazon at <a href="https://t.ly/_NOoo">https://t.ly/_NOoo</a>.</p>
<h2 style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Gabriela; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEMovDf4BD_ktEYnYONaN5T4DZIVSDuqkRaQt6UaBk6tGyS2_HRiMd8ru8RAQ0Cta3YmHkRY4nMBU7eQf9tjeNzOJFlmsQf0SOMaQyUx_K4UH_nMoAKhsyumoGDhHfLbCCPCMI0YXYDdRHucpU8TrQ73uvb74_X-2WTGGUwk3ehGzhZNoib6Vb2Sjqeg/s780/The%20Edison%20Enigma%208.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="780" data-original-width="707" height="717" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEMovDf4BD_ktEYnYONaN5T4DZIVSDuqkRaQt6UaBk6tGyS2_HRiMd8ru8RAQ0Cta3YmHkRY4nMBU7eQf9tjeNzOJFlmsQf0SOMaQyUx_K4UH_nMoAKhsyumoGDhHfLbCCPCMI0YXYDdRHucpU8TrQ73uvb74_X-2WTGGUwk3ehGzhZNoib6Vb2Sjqeg/w649-h717/The%20Edison%20Enigma%208.jpg" width="550" /></a></div><br /></span></span></h2><h2 style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;">
</h2><p>
</p><p></p></div><div style="text-align: left;"><p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-bb2c3c93-7fff-81ba-616c-dcad5ef352a7" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: -0.1pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.1pt; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.1pt;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Cherry Swash;"><span><b>Book Excerpt:</b></span></span></span></p><h2 class="wp-block-heading">
</h2>
<p>
</p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgadyYPDhbLg319JUmwP2Srw-Lc2XlsrB7l-Xts7zhxNDFq2_0mBiQbmmSJM440Jo9d2vG4qarS6r9b7X1nQJiVqHqxxyVCDnlj0jZWEwWb_eYvpECtb9jeTXLFTQMGzFT0T7qRHIBEozu1NvD9ird8ttcuhF5tq2Gn7aviJEhj1QFhZ67QCguXz-uTNg/s1158/The%20Edison%20Enigma%20anim.gif" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1158" data-original-width="392" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgadyYPDhbLg319JUmwP2Srw-Lc2XlsrB7l-Xts7zhxNDFq2_0mBiQbmmSJM440Jo9d2vG4qarS6r9b7X1nQJiVqHqxxyVCDnlj0jZWEwWb_eYvpECtb9jeTXLFTQMGzFT0T7qRHIBEozu1NvD9ird8ttcuhF5tq2Gn7aviJEhj1QFhZ67QCguXz-uTNg/w216-h640/The%20Edison%20Enigma%20anim.gif" width="216" /></a></div>Tom, Lori, and Jerzy entered the lab and stood on the landing, looking over the commotion. There was a hustle and bustle of frenetic activity as lab personnel moved from station to station, checking data, preparing modules, and entering critical information.<p></p>
<p>“Every time I come in here, I expect to see tables with bubbling test tubes and old, toothless women sweeping the floor,” Jerzy said.</p>
<p>Lori laughed. “Well, it would be hard to explain what bubbling test tubes have to do with this project, but I get your drift. We are kinda like Dr. Frankenstein with this whole thing.” Tom vaulted down the stairs and skipped to the control area on the opposite side of the room. He high-fived everyone he passed and crossed to an older, balding man with a semi-circle of gray hair around the fringe of his scalp. A short gray mustache covered most of his upper lip. The man had a slow gait caused mainly by forty straight hours on his feet. Tom hugged him. </p>
<p>“Bruce! This is it! I feel like tap dancing!”</p>
<p>“Well, I’ve put up with worse from you. We’re just running the final check-down now; almost complete. The data you just sent down is perfect.” Bruce had a New Jersey accent highlighted by a Yiddish lilt that caused his mustache to bounce when he spoke. </p>
<p>The retrofitting of the building was designed specifically for this project. Constructed like a sports arena with a high domed ceiling, the lab was ten thousand square feet open from wall to wall. Three levels encircled the room starting at the floor. Each subsequent level rose above the one below and contained a series of computer stations lined up like the NASA control room, collating, interpreting, or generating data. The entire room was connected, hardwired, and air-gapped to The Quint's central motherboard. The Quint was the fastest and most potent AI computer known to man and contained the most significant elements of learned behavior and artificial intelligence. More significantly, it could determine and pinpoint a specific moment in time. </p>
<p>In the main staging area, in the center of the room, was the masterpiece of the entire project - The Time Tube. The Time Tube was a four-story, transparent tube made from indestructible acrylic conducive to energy absorption. As energy swirled through the Time Tube, it created the power needed for time travel. It stood 18’ tall with an eight-foot diameter. A raised platform ran halfway around and had six steps that led up to a full-size door allowing access to the Tube. </p>
<p>The lab's roof was six stories high and supported a series of lighting instruments, air conditioning units, and safety mechanisms. Among the other things that lived in the ceiling was a series of tubing that wrapped around the room like a tornado and converged from the roof to the lab's centerpiece. This series of tubing was called the Cyclone. Air was pushed through the Cyclone at incredible speeds, producing centrifugal force. That energy transitioned to Euler acceleration, creating a variation in the angular velocity. Theoretically, this opens a window in time and allows the object to pass through.</p>
<p>After years of research, study, and failed experimentation, Tom finally understood that time is, in fact, parallel, meaning that time moves through us rather than us moving through time. In essence, time is an ever-evolving moment. We move from one plane to the next as we move forever forward. The wonder is that it is infinite, never-ending, so we will never reach the edge of time as time continues to build moment next to moment. Once Tom accepted that theory, the means of moving through time began to evolve. </p>
<p>With enough energy, we can freeze ourselves in a moment, thus staying still as time moves on. The challenge became moving through thousands of moments to move back in time, or more accurately, let a specific moment of the past catch up to you. It had taken Tom and his crew almost five years to reach this point. They believed they could generate enough energy to move back and forth within their time sphere to moments that have happened or will happen and return to their own designated moment and survive. </p>
<p>One of the most daunting challenges the team had to overcome when sending something through time was having the entire entity arrive in the same moment. Any portion of an entity that arrived a millisecond later than any other part of that entity would be split in two by the paradox of time. Using an optical lattice clock allowed the team to calculate to a precise moment. When coordinated with The Quint, the top or bottom, front or back, the side to side of any entity would arrive at the same exact moment in time so as not to be split apart. </p>
<p>Subsequently, above the main control area, against the back wall, was the read-out of an optical lattice clock, accurate to one second every 400 million years. It was this technology that allowed Tom and his staff the ability to pinpoint a single moment in time. The optical lattice clock uses laser beams instead of atoms to calculate the second. The light from the laser excites the strontium atoms and increases the accuracy of determination of time.</p>
<p>With The Quint’s exceptional calculation ability, Tom could capture moments within a zeptosecond, one trillionth of a billionth of a second, targeting specific areas of history or periods of time, with phenomenal accuracy. Projecting these moments into the future would allow them to move forward in time as well. Theoretically, at least. </p>
<p>That theory would be tested this afternoon. <br /></p><p aria-label="Block: Paragraph" aria-multiline="true" class="block-editor-rich-text__editable block-editor-block-list__block wp-block wp-block-paragraph rich-text" contenteditable="true" data-block="bff7b8e9-5f3e-409e-a137-595300d92093" data-empty="false" data-title="Paragraph" data-type="core/paragraph" data-wp-block-attribute-key="content" id="block-bff7b8e9-5f3e-409e-a137-595300d92093" role="document" style="min-width: 1px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"></span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMvFIgDhbra9TB_U5fBTnUmRxKCpMU26dQJ-Nk2IVQUrD23Y6juy53vn5nd9B-Z4CfDgCjtnRBR19kjDV50f9yKJZx5ZOU2m2w63R21EpFYRyzW4N7bKAWvSbxY-MJgzop1aFXKBNQ_tbrRKhAKv-KuSH3nYwh-BKpTuVqq5uO3D3zeF_G2dfQXEmaqQ/s744/The%20Edison%20Enigma%2010.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="538" data-original-width="744" height="461" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMvFIgDhbra9TB_U5fBTnUmRxKCpMU26dQJ-Nk2IVQUrD23Y6juy53vn5nd9B-Z4CfDgCjtnRBR19kjDV50f9yKJZx5ZOU2m2w63R21EpFYRyzW4N7bKAWvSbxY-MJgzop1aFXKBNQ_tbrRKhAKv-KuSH3nYwh-BKpTuVqq5uO3D3zeF_G2dfQXEmaqQ/w638-h461/The%20Edison%20Enigma%2010.jpg" width="550" /></a><br /></div></div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-8294351351988467207" itemprop="articleBody"><br /><br /><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-1494820207040531290" itemprop="articleBody"><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #222222; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arvo; font-size: 15.4px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Cherry Swash;"><b><span><span>About the Author</span></span></b></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arvo; font-size: 15.4px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Cherry Swash;"><b><span><span> </span></span></b></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arvo; font-size: 15.4px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Cherry Swash;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNlnZAXrqJW4R9YABDCww0K8ckRycda_BoqBBS1OnxxyNFIDItq4-tozyMnLiPTiUzpfkWBssCwpQA7whh6ubUaZdZtFOz8vt_WkeRxMAbBjI4QmSYfD-0Vn06912celalp_Hb_0NJkJ7EnkQdCwoA_7q1-Hyl7s5XxUo0xn5Lpkr4CUswwmYY80YCfQ/s656/Thomas%20White.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="656" data-original-width="582" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNlnZAXrqJW4R9YABDCww0K8ckRycda_BoqBBS1OnxxyNFIDItq4-tozyMnLiPTiUzpfkWBssCwpQA7whh6ubUaZdZtFOz8vt_WkeRxMAbBjI4QmSYfD-0Vn06912celalp_Hb_0NJkJ7EnkQdCwoA_7q1-Hyl7s5XxUo0xn5Lpkr4CUswwmYY80YCfQ/w568-h640/Thomas%20White.png" width="550" /></a></div><span><span></span></span></b></span></span></div></div></div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-1494820207040531290" itemprop="articleBody">
<p>
</p><p>
</p><p><a href="https://thomas-white-author.com/">Thomas White</a> began his career as an actor. Several years later he found himself as an Artistic Director for a theatre in Los Angeles and the winner of several Drama-Logue and Critics awards for directing. As Tom’s career grew, he directed and co-produced the world tour of “The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Coming Out Of Their Shells”. The show toured for over two years, was translated into seven different languages and seen by close to a million children. Tom served as President and Creative Director for Maiden Lane Entertainment for 24 years and worked on many large-scale corporate event productions that included Harley Davidson, Microsoft, Medtronic Diabetes, and dozens of others. <i>The Edison Enigma</i> is Tom’s third novel following up <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Justice-Rules-1-Thomas-White-ebook/dp/B0046A9MKO?ref_=ast_author_dp"><i>Justice Rules</i></a> which was nominated as a finalist in the Pacific Northwest Writers Association 2010 Literary contest, and <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Sirens-Scream-Thomas-White/dp/1088067816?ref_=ast_author_dp"><i>The Siren’s Scream</i></a><i>.</i></p>
<p><b>Author Links </b> </p>
<p><a href="http://www.thomas-white-author.com">Website</a> | <a href="http://www.twitter.com/thomasw42956181">X (Twitter)</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/inkydan/">Facebook 1</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100032304533185">Facebook 2</a> | <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/162473661-thomas-white">Goodreads</a></p><p></p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">Illustrated by: Angel Neha</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;"><b>Children's Book</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: large; line-height: 19.9733px;"><b>Date Published:</b></span><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 19.9733px;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 19.9733px;"></span><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 19.9733px;">February 27, 2024</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><b>Publisher: </b></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"></span><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Mindstir Media</span>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/209033584-gob-the-gnome"><img height="75" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/production-sitebuilder-v1-0-3/663/206663/rL88XEv2/26885701adea4bb791503c2c1651b879" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">This short story is about a mother wanting balance for her children. She
wants her children to spend more time outdoor exercising, running and having
fun. One weekend mom encouraged her children to stop playing video games and
streaming movies while sitting on the couch and spend some time in the local
National Park. While at the park the children, Nathan and his sister, met a
mythical and magical Gnome, named Gob. Gob the Gnome explained to the
children what his role is at the National Park, and how to plant seeds to
grow trees.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">I chose to add a Gnome as one of the main characters because since the
1400s, folklore has described Gnomes as guards of treasure and the protector
of earth. Gnomes represents stability, growth and Good Luck. My six children
books all revolve around a Gnome, the protector of a local forest who became
friends with Nathan and Iris.</span>
</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;"><b>About the Author</b></span>
</p><a 1="" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/production-sitebuilder-v1-0-3/663/206663/rL88XEv2/f5d348de42264cc58fd721d1f99ba58b" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="181" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/production-sitebuilder-v1-0-3/663/206663/rL88XEv2/f5d348de42264cc58fd721d1f99ba58b" width="320" /></a>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">Marilyn Slaughter is an educator with experience teaching second through
fifth grades, middle school science, and social studies. She now spends time
authoring books for children and adults for engagement, learning, and
entertainment. Marilyn’s first six books are a set with the theme of
children, with their families enjoying the outdoors; and with teachers and
classmates learning about the environment. The children are introduced to a
magical and mythical being in the forest and they work to save the local
forest. Her goal is to provide a fun read with an entertaining way for
children to learn about science.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;"><b>Contact Links</b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://gobthegnome.com/">Website</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/GobGnome">Facebook</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://twitter.com/gobthegnome">Twitter</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/gobthegnome/">Pinterest</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/gobthegnome/">LinkedIn</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/gobthegnome/">Instagram</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span>
</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;"><b>Purchase Link</b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3Ts2w2Y">Amazon</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://gobthegnome.com/the-gnome-and-the-seedlings/">Website</a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.rabtbooktoursandpr.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="RABT Book Tours & PR" height="400" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/wzukusers/user-32179697/images/0ef1e26fd5f04c99b11731d6d17c8a41/RABT-Tour-Host.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript">var switchTo5x=true;</script>
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<span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>SECRETS
WE KEEP</b></span></span></p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span><b>Valeriya
Goffe </b></span></span>
</span></p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>GENRE:
Women's Fiction</b></span></span></p>
<p align="center" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>BLURB:</b></span></span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;">A
rising star that fell...</span></span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;">Anna
Levenko was set to become the next "it girl" in tennis. The
first Ukrainian prophesied to win a Grand Slam… And then everything
changed. Years later, with a business degree behind her, an unpaid
job keeping her busy, and a family that means well, Anna can't help
but dream of something bigger. What's one little white lie in the
grand scheme of things?</span></span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;">But
her dream job isn't just sunshine and roses. Her first project takes
her to Tanzania, and everything that could go wrong, does. Not to
mention her woeful love life. Will she ever reach the life she's
worked so hard for? Or is success just not in the cards for Anna?</span></span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Purchase
SECRETS WE KEEP on <a href="https://books2read.com/u/b6lZaE">Books2Read</a></b></span></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p align="center" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><b>Excerpt:</b></span></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">“<span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Africa
is not a continent, it’s a planet of its own,” Jean continued.
“It’s the land of miracles. Africa gives youth to the old,
courage to the fainthearted, peace to the angry. Every time I come
here, I feel like a child on Christmas morning—impatient to find
out what incredible gifts have been prepared for me this time. This
place fills my heart with tremendous happiness. Once you’ve set
your foot in Africa, you’ll come again and again! This land holds
so many secrets, but it can also make all your most cherished dreams
come true. I know it won’t be easy to find your grandfather’s
family, but don’t give up even for a second. It will be so worth
it. You’ll see.”</span></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Right
then, the waiter brought their drinks. Anna got a glass of white wine
and Jean a Kilimanjaro beer.</span></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">“<span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Cheers!”
Jean said as they clinked their glasses. “For the success of the
Tourism Institute of Zanzibar!”</span></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">At
that moment, the radiant sun started setting and the sky magically
began changing its color from bright blue into a hot orange. The wind
subsided and nature was so peaceful and quiet. The sun looked like an
enormous fire ball glittering right above the horizon; its long
golden beams reflecting in the water. The ocean now looked dark and
gray, and several fairy-tale like dhow boats with their sharp sails
were slowly rocking up and down the waves. The boats effortlessly
glided from one side of the ocean to another, as if they were playing
catch-up with each other. Who were the people sailing in them? What
were their lives like?</span></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></span></p>
<center><h2 style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="color: #e06666; font-size: 14pt;"><b>My
Review:</b></span></span></h2><div><p align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span lang="en-US">Anna
Levenko </span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span lang="en-US">is
a rising tennis star from Ukrain</span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span lang="en-US">e</span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span lang="en-US">.
Anna wants nothing more than to play tennis for the rest of her life.
Anna was destined to be the next star until an injury to her shoulder
put a stop to her tennis career.</span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span lang="en-US">Over
the years Anna had jobs but none that she liked but it was a way of
making money. But then one day her chance came when she got an
interview with a</span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span lang="en-US">n
environmental company</span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span lang="en-US">
Polaris </span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span lang="en-US">in
the United States</span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span lang="en-US">.</span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="en-US">After
arriving for her interview with Polaris Anna didn’t think that she
was going to get the job. The interview was very tough. Polaris only
hires the best. I wasn’t so sure that Anna was going to get the job
either as there was this one person who seemed to only care about
herself and no one else. This person lived to step on hers even if
they were not in her way. If she could slap someone down then she did
it.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="en-US">I
enjoyed reading Secrets We Keep way more than I ever thought I would.
There were times when it became very intense. That one character
riled me up more than once. I just couldn’t believe that someone
would behave in such a way.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="en-US">I
love the title Secrets We Keep as it fits very well. I believe that I
know one of the secrets that it was holding very well. But if you
think about it we all probably have secrets of some kind that we hold
close to our hearts whether they be good or bad, right?</span></span></span></span></p>
<p align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="en-US">Grab
a copy today of Secrets We Keep to reveal the secrets that it holds! </span></span></span></span>
</p></div></center>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><a href="http://www.valeriyagoffe.com/" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1542" data-original-width="1318" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqLseqhsgTtGgIRU3odRTKSzeViQ6JJZKsKhf13qpK4T_gxNvkm-jlmiWl6Cy5Eg1SyDIZER_z0XePcHSaP56J-LMZ21ykzwY12CPGYhOduy-uPaz9A2cFNVGz0GGFPn9ev_UqqzqQZbnlg1yQR8ZR0cR2P1CF95Y9Dhf9Sys7OtaN5HGOG_pqOrGvFTA/s320/author%20image.JPG" width="274" /></a></span></div><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: black;"><b>AUTHOR
Bio and Links:</b></span></span></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: black;"><b><br /></b></span></span></span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Valeriya
Goffe was born and raised in Kyiv, Ukraine and spent most of her
adult life in the United States. She resides in Washington DC
together with her husband and young daughter. Valeriya works for a
large international development organization, leading financial
sector development projects in various countries. She holds a PhD
degree from the Kyiv National University of Economics in Ukraine and
an MBA degree from the Kogod School of Business, American University
in Washington DC. She is also a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)
Charterholder. Valeriya is trilingual in English, Russian, Ukrainian
and also speaks French and Spanish.</span></span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p>
<p align="center" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><b>Connect
with Valeriya Goffe </b></span></span>
</p>
<p align="center" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><a href="mailto:valgoffe@aol.com">Email</a>
~ <a href="https://twitter.com/GoffeValeria">Twitter</a> ~ <a href="https://www.instagram.com/valgoffe_author/">Instagram</a>
~ <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/valeriyagoffe/">Pinterest</a> ~
<a href="http://www.valeriyagoffe.com/">Website </a></span></span>
</p>
<p align="center" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></span><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Giveaway:</span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span face=""arial" , "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 14pt;"><span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">$25 Amazon/BN GC </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span face=""arial" , "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 14pt;"><span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span face=""arial" , "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 14pt;">
<br />
<div align="center">
<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="28e4345f4833" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f4833/" id="rcwidget_86b5apc5" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script></div></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span face=""arial" , "sans-serif"" style="font-size: large;">Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning</span><span face=""arial" , "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2024/02/review-tour-secrets-we-keep-by-valeriya.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="468" data-original-width="1200" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPm0qzk1O58Dk9yfVquqA6NrycGrOvvKOaFLMMzVrT55PrheG03GukDpla27fXfcvoE_gTBN3oHCyTKZj7FSswezwRh9FDuCyGycqiLPNC3YBCm7iyWGXRvEGn3Ocd-FRM3siFc2QJC3Uu/s1600/Tour+Host+Button+2014+beveled+copy.jpg" width="250" /></a></div><p></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript">var switchTo5x=true;</script>
<script type="text/javascript" src="https://ws.sharethis.com/button/buttons.js"></script>
<script type="text/javascript">stLight.options({publisher: "b761346b-58bb-4db1-ad17-ac0e8e6c070c", doNotHash: false, doNotCopy: false, hashAddressBar: true});</script></div>The Avid Readerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04782388788767342109noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-366086039472321409.post-3994811815164328802024-03-22T05:00:00.003-05:002024-03-22T05:00:00.129-05:00Book Blitz: Hold Circulation by Syntell Smith @SyntellSmith @RABTBookTours<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://sites.google.com/rabtbooktoursandpr.com/2024blitzes/syntell-smith-hold-circulation-book-blitz"><img height="250" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/production-sitebuilder-v1-0-3/663/206663/rL88XEv2/6a657c15c56a45be8e525e9726edae54" width="550" /></a></div><a name='more'></a><p> </p><a 1="" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/production-sitebuilder-v1-0-3/663/206663/rL88XEv2/b25a7e5e96364ea695c0e0a343f010fe" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="499" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/production-sitebuilder-v1-0-3/663/206663/rL88XEv2/b25a7e5e96364ea695c0e0a343f010fe" width="312" /></a>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">Trial and Redemption</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">A Call Numbers Novel</span>
</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;"><b>Literary Fiction
</b></span>
</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62104045-hold-circulation---a-call-numbers-novel"><img height="75" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/production-sitebuilder-v1-0-3/663/206663/rL88XEv2/26885701adea4bb791503c2c1651b879" width="200" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span>
</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><b><i>In the book of life, the page must always be turned.</i></b></span>
</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Robin Walker is at a crossroads. It’s 1994, and he’s been
suspended from his part-time clerical position at the 58th Street Branch
Library. His co-workers are overburdened, even with visiting clerks from
other libraries.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Still mourning the loss of his grandfather, Robin also pines for Shinju,
his former girlfriend and the niece of his supervisor Sonyai Yi. Meanwhile,
library page Tonya Brown attempts to reconcile with her cheating boyfriend
Andrew Friedman. Information assistant Angie Trueblood is given the cold
shoulder by Heywood Learner, still despondent over a breakup. And former
58th Street page Janelle Simms is due to give birth and go on maternity
leave, all while feuding with her parents.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">But all is not lost. Over time, these co-workers have become much more than
that. Joy, anger, love and pain are etched among them like ink on paper. Now
they must decide whether to renew their life choices or reserve a new path.
And with their due dates fast approaching, one thing becomes clear –
everybody wants a happy ending.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Hold Circulation is the latest entry in the Call Numbers series. Author
Syntell Smith crafts a layered and thought-provoking novel that examines the
drama-filled lives of the people that are best known for keeping quiet.
Underneath the surface, these fascinating characters try to break free of
life’s burdens… by leaping off the page.</span>
</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;"><b>About the Author</b></span></p><a 1="" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/production-sitebuilder-v1-0-3/663/206663/rL88XEv2/c49b0f02e8fb4cd5a50bb496066b2636" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="270" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/production-sitebuilder-v1-0-3/663/206663/rL88XEv2/c49b0f02e8fb4cd5a50bb496066b2636" width="270" /></a>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">Syntell Smith was born and raised in Washington Heights, Upper Manhattan in
New York City. He began writing while blogging his hectic everyday life
experiences in 2004. After gaining an audience with a following of dedicated
readers, he studied scripts and plays and got into screenwriting. "Call
Numbers" is his first novel that he plans to develop into a series. He
loves comic books, video games, and watching reruns of Law and Order.
Syntell is active on Facebook. Tumblr & Twitter, and currently lives in
Detroit.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;"><b>Contact Links</b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="http://www.authorsyntellsmith.com">Website</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/syntell.smith">Facebook</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/jetblack927">Instagram</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://www.twitter.com/syntellsmith">Twitter</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;"><b>Purchase Link</b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3PncSzS">Amazon</a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.rabtbooktoursandpr.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="RABT Book Tours & PR" height="400" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/wzukusers/user-32179697/images/0ef1e26fd5f04c99b11731d6d17c8a41/RABT-Tour-Host.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript">var switchTo5x=true;</script>
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<script type="text/javascript">stLight.options({publisher: "b761346b-58bb-4db1-ad17-ac0e8e6c070c", doNotHash: false, doNotCopy: false, hashAddressBar: true});</script></div>The Avid Readerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04782388788767342109noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-366086039472321409.post-64697637792784352472024-03-22T04:30:00.003-05:002024-03-22T04:30:00.130-05:00Book Blitz + #Giveaway: Harleigh Sinclair and the Ice Crusade by Tamara Grantham @TamaraGrantham @XpressoTours<div style="text-align: center; margin: 0 auto 15px;">
<p>
<a href="http://xpressobooktours.com/" target="_blank">
<img src="https://www.xpressobooktours.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/03/HarleighSinclairBlitzBanner.png" alt="" style="max-width:90%; height: auto;">
</a>
</p>
</div><a name='more'></a>
<img src="https://www.xpressobooktours.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/03/HS-Ice-Crusade.jpg" alt="" style="float: left; margin: 0 15px 15px 0; display: inline-block;">
<p><strong>Harleigh Sinclair and the Ice Crusade</strong><br><strong>Tamara Grantham</strong><br>(Harleigh Sinclair, #2)<br>Publication date: March 5th 2024<br>Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance</p><blockquote><p>Finding lost artifacts is my specialty, but when an Inuit artifact is hidden in the wilds of Alaska, finding it could be more difficult than I’ve bargained for.</p>
<p>My name is Harleigh Sinclair. I’ve been using my abilities as a Neotact to find ancient relics with special powers. After teaming up with a man named Jagg Ransom—a Crimson Knight with a mysterious past—we’re on the search for five lost artifacts with immense powers.</p>
<p>Our current quest takes us to a remote village in the Alaskan wilderness. But when we arrive, we’re greeted by angry villagers who blame us for the disappearance of one of their trackers. He’s been kidnapped by my former coworker, and the two are on the path to find the relic before us.</p>
<p>If we can’t find the relic first, the object will fall into the hands of an evil organization called the Blood Raiders. Worse, we’re not alone. The Inuit artifact is guarded by a giant beast of lore—one that would rather see us dead than accomplish our mission.</p>
<p>But failure isn’t an option. If the Blood Raiders succeed in obtaining the relic, they’ll use it in a plot to destroy the world as we know it.</p>
</blockquote>
<p style="font-size: 130%; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/200832535-harleigh-sinclair-and-the-ice-crusade" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> / <a href="https://amzn.to/3J1PBjv" target="_blank">Amazon</a> / <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/harleigh-sinclair-and-the-ice-crusade-tamara-grantham/1144981289?ean=2940179461579" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> / <a href="https://books.apple.com/it/book/harleigh-sinclair-and-the-ice-crusade/id6478636627" target="_blank">iBooks</a> / <a href="https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/harleigh-sinclair-and-the-ice-crusade" target="_blank">Kobo</a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">—</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>EXCERPT:</strong></p>
<p>I stood at the doorway leading into the vaults of Mr. Walter Prescott’s most prized Neotact artifacts and debated how to steal one. Muted lights reflected over the black square of glass across from me. A hand scanner.</p>
<p>“No keypad. Right,” I said under my breath before pulling off my leather gloves. Air conditioning hummed from the vents of the high-rise tower in San Antonio’s downtown district, and I let the cool air wash over my exposed skin.</p>
<p>A cold shiver skittered down my spine, and I darted a glance at the dimly lit hallway stretching behind me. If things went south, it was my only escape. My new manager, King Khamron, had gotten me this far, but he’d stayed on the bottom floor near the building’s entrance to keep an eye out.</p>
<p>Shaking my head, I turned my attention to the scanner. The glass interface seemed to taunt me. My boss would kill me if I couldn’t break inside.</p>
<p>Why did it have to be a handprint scanner? Why couldn’t they use a no frills, super reliable—and easily hijacked—keypad?</p>
<p>As I concentrated, I sighed in frustration. A jolt of energy sparked through my fingertips. The electrical pulses had gotten stronger since I’d returned from Egypt two weeks ago, and I chalked it up to being exposed to the legendary ankh artifact. Darrell Brownstein, a convicted serial killer and Blood Raider, had planned to kill me with it, but instead, I’d used the ankh against him. He was dead now, along with a dozen of his followers.</p>
<p>Still, there were other Blood Raiders out there intent on taking the Neotact artifacts, which had led me to standing here at the vault of Walter Prescott, father of the famed Jagg Ransom, debating how to break in.</p>
<p>Jagg. I shook my head as an image of his ruggedly handsome face intruded on my memories. I hadn’t seen much of him since we’d returned from Egypt. A week ago, he’d told me he was traveling. Didn’t say where. Hadn’t even texted me since.</p>
<p>Long strands of brunette hair came loose from my ponytail and tickled my cheeks. As I pushed them away from my face, I once again attempted to concentrate on the hand scanner. Jagg Ransom was nothing but a distraction. The idea of turning around and telling King that I’d failed wasn’t a pleasant prospect.</p>
<p>I glanced up at the glass doors barring the vault. I could always break through the glass, but I was sure every security sensor in the building would start blaring the moment I did it.</p>
<p>No, I’d have to be creative about getting inside. I tapped my fingers on my lips, noticing the little electrical pulses popping at my skin like rubber bands. Odd that my powers were reacting this way after touching the ankh.</p>
<p><em>What if my ability isn’t just different? </em>I asked myself.<em> What if it’s more powerful?</em></p>
<p>With a deep inhale, I forced my doubts aside and placed my hand against the glass of the hand scanner. My heart raced, and I hoped the scanner couldn’t detect a person’s anxiety through its circuits. If so, I’d get fried in a heartbeat.</p>
<p>A yellow line glowed, starting at the top and moving down. I focused on sensing the last person’s hand that had touched the screen. Closing my eyes, I paid attention to the imprint of every swirl, every arch, every loop. Then, I sent a surge of energy into my hand, morphing it until it matched each of the previously used fingerprints.</p>
<p>I held my breath. If this didn’t work, and I got caught, I’d land in jail faster than I could blink.</p>
<p><em>Please work, please work</em>, I chanted under my breath. Sweat beaded on my brow as I stared at the scanner.</p>
<p>Maybe it had been Jagg’s father’s hand that had been here. Maybe it had been Jagg himself. With that thought, my heart gave a sudden leap, and I could only imagine how angry Jagg Ransom would be if he knew I was breaking into his father’s prized vault.</p>
<p><em>Concentrate</em>, I reminded myself, the yellow light still scanning up and down. A single beep chimed, and the light turned green. I released a pent-up breath. The door slid open with a mechanical hiss, revealing the interior of the vault.<br />
<br class="blank" /></p>
<img src="https://www.xpressobooktours.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/03/Tamara.jpg" alt="" style="float: left; margin: 0 15px 15px 0; display: inline-block;">
<blockquote style="margin-top: 15px; margin-bottom: 15px;">
<p>Author Bio:</p>
<p>Tamara Grantham is the award-winning author of more than a dozen books and novellas, including the Olive Kennedy: Fairy World MD series, the Shine novellas, and the Twisted Ever After trilogy. Dreamthief, the first book of her Fairy World MD series, won first place for fantasy in INDIEFAB’S Book of the Year Awards, a RONE award for best New Adult Romance, and is a #1 bestseller on Amazon with over 200 five-star reviews. </p>
<p>Tamara holds a Bachelor’s degree in English from Lamar University. She has been a featured speaker at multiple writing conferences, and she has been a panelist at Comic Con Wizard World speaking on the topic of female leads. For her first published project, she collaborated with New York-Times bestselling author, William Bernhardt, in writing the Shine series.</p>
<p>Born and raised in Texas, Tamara now lives with her husband and five children in Wichita, Kansas. She rarely has any free time, but when the stars align and she gets a moment to relax, she enjoys reading fantasy novels, taking nature walks--which fuel her inspiration for creating fantastical worlds--and watching every Star Wars or Star Trek movie ever made. You can find her online at www.TamaraGrantham.com.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://tamaragrantham.com/" target="_blank">Website</a> / <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8086515.Tamara_Grantham" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> / <a href="https://www.facebook.com/tamaraclairegrantham" target="_blank">Facebook</a> / <a href="https://twitter.com/TamaraGrantham" target="_blank">Twitter</a> / <a href="https://www.instagram.com/authortamaragrantham" target="_blank">Instagram</a> / <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@tamaragrantham" target="_blank">TikTok</a></p>
</blockquote>
<p><br class="blank" /></p>
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<script type="text/javascript">stLight.options({publisher: "b761346b-58bb-4db1-ad17-ac0e8e6c070c", doNotHash: false, doNotCopy: false, hashAddressBar: true});</script></div>The Avid Readerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04782388788767342109noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-366086039472321409.post-56902169741748814982024-03-22T04:00:00.019-05:002024-03-22T04:00:00.131-05:00Review: Shadows of the Past (The Great War of the Worlds #1) by Eric Goebelbecker<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://amzn.to/4ajDYzO" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1186" data-original-width="790" height="470" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXTL6ZHJ3LefKV3GJPiyXcIWIxwE-BEXWnxECt2HaY-NxmyIvTcZrozdghIMjFtF4Tkjv3zBhaGdWk5kcuoakp3-Fh7cibK9S7aKYEXdJFkjy38WsytMZ1ZHDTa2aKx_ubOZeP0nTB2kn3m4mzEsNYgNidt6zyQXZmPT8XTW5dSLvrNf0pXZQG4sd_jAU/s320/Shadows%20of%20the%20Past.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Shadows of the Past</b></span><p align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-size: medium;">The Great War of the Worlds #1</span></b></p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-size: medium;">by Eric Goebelbecker</span></b></p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-size: medium;">Published: March 15, 2024</span></b></p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Publisher: Trick of the Tale LLC </b>
</span></p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-size: medium;">Genre: Science Fiction, Post-Apocalyptic, Alien Invasion,
Military, Alternative History<span></span></span></b></p><a name='more'></a><p></p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Blurb: </b>
</span></p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1111;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span>It's
1915, twenty years after the Martian invasion chronicled in the War
of the Worlds failed. The aliens left behind advanced technology and
weapons, and now humanity is on the brink of a catastrophic war.
Caught in the middle of the chaos are two unlikely heroes: Emil
Zimmerman, a young German soldier, and James Brogan, an introverted
radio engineer.</span></span></span></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span><b><br />
<br />
</b></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1111;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span>Emil
dreamed of escaping his small village and making his way to the big
city, but finds himself in the trenches fighting for an army that
indiscriminately wields deadly Martian weapons. Meanwhile, James just
wants to be left alone, but is pulled into a web of conspiracy when
he's called upon to repair crucial radios on Long Island.</span></span></span></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span><b><br />
<br />
</b></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1111;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span>As
the world hurtles towards the brink of destruction, Emil and James
find themselves on a collision course with fate, each struggling to
survive and make sense of a new reality.</span></span></span></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span><b><br />
<br />
</b></span></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1111;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span>Shadows
of the Past is a science fiction, alternate history, survival
adventure. Do you love War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells? Then the
thrilling journey of The Great War of the Worlds, where humanity
grapples with the legacy of Martian technology is the ride you're
looking for.</span></span></span></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span><b>
</b></span></span>
</span></p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></p>
<p align="center" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/204584005-shadows-of-the-past"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span><b>Goodreads</b></span></span></a></u></span></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span><b>
~ </b></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><u><a href="https://amzn.to/4ajDYzO"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span><b>Amazon</b></span></span></a></u></span></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span><b>
~ </b></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><u><a href="https://www.bookbub.com/books/shadows-of-the-past-the-great-war-of-the-worlds-book-1-by-eric-goebelbecker"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span><b>BookBub</b></span></span></a></u></span></span></span></p><p align="center" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><br /></span></span></span></p>
<center><h2 style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="color: #e06666; font-size: medium;"><b>My
Review:</b></span></span></h2></center>
<p align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">When I laid eyes on Eric Goebelbecker’s Shadows of the Past the
first book in The Great War of the Worlds series I knew right away
that I wanted to read it. I couldn’t wait to dive in and start
reading. I am not sure what I thought I would find between its pages
but what I found was fantastic. I wanted to it read as I loved the
movie War of the Worlds with Tom Cruise.</span></p><p align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
Shadows of the Past takes place after the Martian's attack on Earth
years ago. Shadows of the Past is told from two points of view. One
being that of <span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1111;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span>Emil
Zimmerman, a young German soldier, and James Brogan, an introverted
radio engineer.</span></span></span></span></span></p><p align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1111;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Emil
gets caught right in the middle of a battle that he wants no part of.
Emil just wants to be left alone so he can live his life the way he
wants. But when the fight begins he doesn’t have much choice but to
take up arms and fight. Then there is James who also just wants to be
left alone as well but is drawn into the battle to help repair
radios.</span></span></span></span></p><p align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1111;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Shadows
of the Past grabbed me from the start and never let go until I read
the last page. But wait I don’t think that is quite true as it is
still on my mind. I keep picturing everything I read in my mind as I
sit here writing my review. I think Shadows of the Past will stay
with me for a long time to come.</span></span></span></span></p><p align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1111;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The
world-building of Shadows of the Past is out of this-world amazing. I
can’t wait for the next book Clouds in the Future due to be
published November 15, 2024. If I could give Shadows of the Past a
higher rating than five I would.</span></span></span></span></p><p align="center" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></p><p align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1111;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span>I
highly recommend Shadows of the Past to all science fiction fans!
Grab a copy of Shadows of the Past and begin the adventure today! </span></span></span></span>
</span></p>
<p align="center" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></p>
<p align="center" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Connect
with Eric Goebelbecker:</b></span></span></p>
<p align="center" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><u><a href="https://ericgoebelbecker.com/"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span><b>Website</b></span></span></a></u></span></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span><b>
~ </b></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><u><a href="https://www.facebook.com/egoebelbecker/"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span><b>Facebook</b></span></span></a></u></span></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span><b>
~ </b></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><u><a href="https://www.instagram.com/egoebelbecker"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span><b>Instagram</b></span></span></a></u></span></span></span></p>
<p align="center" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17290120.Eric_Goebelbecker"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span><b>Goodreads</b></span></span></a></u></span></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span><b>
~ </b></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><u><a href="https://amzn.to/3VtJSKI"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span><b>Amazon</b></span></span></a></u></span></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span><b>
~ </b></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><u><a href="https://www.bookbub.com/profile/eric-goebelbecker"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span><b>BookBub</b></span></span></a></u></span></span></span></p><p></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript">var switchTo5x=true;</script>
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color: black; font-family: Gabriela; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><p></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Cherry Swash;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><i><span id="docs-internal-guid-eb81b19d-7fff-6c60-4942-8a06c392af73" style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Cherry Swash; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></i></p><p id="docs-internal-guid-163e1e2f-7fff-e74d-c102-93300b4c5efb" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Cherry Swash;"></span></span></p><p id="docs-internal-guid-163e1e2f-7fff-e74d-c102-93300b4c5efb" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-4228c015-7fff-45a9-8d05-3a252dc97f26" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><p id="docs-internal-guid-163e1e2f-7fff-e74d-c102-93300b4c5efb" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Cherry Swash;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-73aceb05-7fff-a7b8-7299-7b7e161268cb" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arvo; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="font-family: Oswald;"><span></span></span></b></span></p></div><div><br /><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div style="text-align: left;"><h2 dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-580d7d28-7fff-0026-bbb9-38580b77c0d5" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Gabriela; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Title: Urbex Predator</span></span></h2><h2 dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Gabriela; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Author: Jen Boele</span></span></h2><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Gabriela; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Publication Date: February 4, 2024</span></span></p><h2 dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Gabriela; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pages: 394</span></span></h2><h2 dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Gabriela; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Genre: Horror / Thriller</span></span></h2><h2 style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;">
</h2><p><span style="font-family: Cherry Swash; font-size: 18px;">A relic from
the Cold War, the old barracks beckon photographers, influencers, and
adventurers, shrouded in secrets and peril. Nela and Tess dare the eerie
ruins for their photography thesis, while Zander, Yelka, Vivien, and
Damon embark on a simultaneous shoot. Amid the abandoned shadows,
Yelka’s group runs into Steven and his ruthless gang, initially
outsmarting them. Yet, Nela and Tess fall victim to a nightfall ambush,
escaping but torn apart. As adrenaline courses through the gang, they
stalk Yelka and her friends, unleashing a relentless manhunt. Vivien
becomes their captive, setting off a chain reaction. Tess encounters
Damon and Yelka, while Nela, guided by Ben, the barracks’ security
manager, races to find Tess. Yelka strives to rescue Vivien, trapped in
an abandoned outdoor pool. On his lone pursuit, Zander witnesses the
gang’s brutality, delving into a darker realm within himself, spurred by
the horrifying thrill of Steven’s actions. The scene propels Yelka,
Damon, and Tess into a frenzy, unleashing chaos to liberate Vivien. Nela
and Ben, attempting to overpower the gang, witness Yelka and Vivien’s
escape as the gang closes in. With the arrival of Steven’s older
brother, Henry, the stakes are set; the old military hospital transforms
into a battleground. No one is to leave alive, and a matter of life and
death ensues. In the ruthless clash, Nela and Yelka emerge as the lone
defenders, while Zander pursues a mission for his own catharsis. In
Henry’s basement, dubbed his Hades, the teams converge for a
pulse-pounding final duel, where survival is the ultimate prize. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Cherry Swash; font-size: 18px;">You can
pick up your copy at <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Urbex-Predator-nothing-pictures-Survival-ebook/dp/B0CRBCY9C8/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1G2OKOTNCXH3R&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.g8X9vzkqK93D3sY_QBrBEhY4OnTFg2rFhJec0ei8SPs.0GMl1aW8pAF6Yes_lpDBDIV91LhkbVX5mnUDgtgxMH8&dib_tag=se&keywords=urbex+predator+by+jens+boele&qid=1709129259&sprefix=urbex%2Caps%2C443&sr=8-1">Amazon</a>. <br /></span></p><h2 dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><br /></span></h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwj8w9SZWhrYSbwSiWYXYKuCO0Sg__JkRztfIrlXb3sH6mP8IpiOcFd_8dIPMHBfssyNu6QeQfIJq7kvwy6wMI3DzCr-Kw0Io9lbE97LI_tW4eYkDwynM-3ag7WJ2l8tgnlt3KD3LpchBMdeFOrI4n8lt1XJ6XmZe0FB-tUCmBYE2ABUPyxtYkMW396Q/s790/Urbex%20Predator%2011.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="790" data-original-width="716" height="692" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwj8w9SZWhrYSbwSiWYXYKuCO0Sg__JkRztfIrlXb3sH6mP8IpiOcFd_8dIPMHBfssyNu6QeQfIJq7kvwy6wMI3DzCr-Kw0Io9lbE97LI_tW4eYkDwynM-3ag7WJ2l8tgnlt3KD3LpchBMdeFOrI4n8lt1XJ6XmZe0FB-tUCmBYE2ABUPyxtYkMW396Q/w627-h692/Urbex%20Predator%2011.jpg" width="550" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-bb2c3c93-7fff-81ba-616c-dcad5ef352a7" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: -0.1pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.1pt; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.1pt;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Cherry Swash;"><span><b>Book Excerpt:</b></span></span></span></p><h2 class="wp-block-heading">
</h2>
<p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy8R-mhenpRF51ZGzlWm_XUXTFR-fNouf1xd0HCndthVSp3k6jDzRXQr_g___CUVyyQfihHLGIdy4YVKp7U9p5ObAWFcdey0bXH2Z0lO8c4E5s1f_d7db6bQ8O7O0csdEUahyvI2vTDgB2mv-r2S8-5gRYWZtNBv_2YWdxVpCr5Km6Ggtj36Moi_tGdA/s1158/Urbex%20Predator%208%20animated.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1158" data-original-width="446" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy8R-mhenpRF51ZGzlWm_XUXTFR-fNouf1xd0HCndthVSp3k6jDzRXQr_g___CUVyyQfihHLGIdy4YVKp7U9p5ObAWFcdey0bXH2Z0lO8c4E5s1f_d7db6bQ8O7O0csdEUahyvI2vTDgB2mv-r2S8-5gRYWZtNBv_2YWdxVpCr5Km6Ggtj36Moi_tGdA/w246-h640/Urbex%20Predator%208%20animated.gif" width="246" /></a></div><br />We better find a way out quickly. The editorial's deadline is getting close, we can't afford any further delay. <br /><p></p><p style="text-align: left;">Damon’s words lay upon the group like a heavy burden. He was good at making his personal problems everybody’s business. When he felt spoiled, he meant business. And Damon wasn’t done yet.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">“Moreover, we have no Wi-Fi here. Zero, nada, not a bit.” </p>
<p style="text-align: left;">He let the words sink in, then added, “Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t post anything out here.” He put his phone away and joined Zander. </p>
<p style="text-align: left;">“Here’s how it’s going down: While the girls are taking photos, you’re looking for an exit that will get us out of here A–S–A–P. Get it?”</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">“We’ll take the pictures, don’t worry about it” Yelka hooked in from behind. “And tonight, from our hotel, we’ll be able to watch your follower numbers skyrocket in no time.”</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">“I assume so,” Damon replied curtly. “The sore point in the planning is the way back. But Zander will take care of that. And I know for sure he’ll find a really fast way out for us.” Appreciatively, he patted his shoulders.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">“Damon, when do you think we will break the 30,000 mark? I really want that to happen by this weekend.”</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">“Yes, starlet, we can definitely do that. Your pretty sister will do a fantastic job and Zander will get us back to the hotel in no time.”</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Zander wasn’t concerned about Damon’s problems at all. If it were up to him, Vivian should just do blunt erotic shots on the beach or in a studio. Or better, shoot soft porn. That was what it was all about, after all. Maybe he would watch that too. Vivian naked in the sand. Hmm … Anyway, none of this had anything to do with the fascination of abandoned places. And this barracks had so much of it to offer.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">“If we continue along this path through the forest, we will soon reach the residential block. From there, another path leads to the recreational facilities. There is a pool, a sports field and a theater, but it could also be used as a cinema. In parallel …”</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">“Sis, shouldn’t we take a picture of me in this outdoor pool?” Lasciviously, Vivian played with the strap of her top.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">“Absolutely” laughed Yelka.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Why wasn’t she actually on his side? After all, he had planned the whole trip just for Yelka. Zander wanted everything to be perfect today. Yet, that wouldn’t work with Vivian and Damon. Honestly speaking, they shouldn’t have joined in the first place. When the forest suddenly opened up to reveal a settlement, Zander’s heart began to pound faster.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Weathered multi-story apartment blocks rose into the sky, overgrown with birch and fir trees. Moss clung to the entrance areas; ivy sought its way upwards. The scenery looked like a modern Sleeping Beauty castle, sprung from the premonition of a sinister dystopia. </p>
<p style="text-align: left;">For a moment, the group stopped and let themselves be captivated by the magic of the place. Speechless, their eyes wandered up the multi-story buildings, lingering on the dark building openings and absorbing the surreal atmosphere.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">“This is incredible,” Yelka was the first to return to her words. She put an arm around Zander and hugged him. “Just incredible.”</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Zander felt overwhelmed. His excitement was looking for a channel. “Considering that the residents lived here for 40 years, and nature has taken over for 30 years, then … well …” He didn’t know how to finish the sentence. Zander was overwhelmed, both by the place and by Yelka’s closeness.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">“Darling sister, you can start thinking about whether you want to be photographed on the steps or the old climbing frame” Yelka indicated as she dug her camera out of the small backpack.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">“The steps are great!” exclaimed Vivian, settling down on the moss-covered steps.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">“Perfect,” Damon joined in again as well. “That looks excellent, starlet! Lie back, let your hair fall to the right.”</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Zander walked thoughtlessly over the moss that covered the former street. Here, families must have once walked home, children played on the sidewalk, and vehicles drove north to the barracks. With a kick, he plucked the green from the ground and looked at the dark asphalt. This was how the place had been left nearly three decades ago. </p>
<p style="text-align: left;">He squatted down and let his fingers slide over the old pavement. A shiver came over him. At that moment, he felt the same fascination for these places as Yelka. Stealthily, he glanced over at his secret love as she took photos of her hot sister. </p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Vivian had leaned back dramatically, her chest up, her hair hanging down behind her. Her belly was exposed, her breasts pressed against the top. She stretched her long legs, like she was riding a bicycle.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Zander’s gaze drifted off to Yelka, who held her camera with both hands. She was shifting positions from time to time. Although she was wearing cargo pants, boots and gloves, she didn’t look one bit less sexy than her younger sibling. </p>
<p style="text-align: left;">He averted his eyes and let them roam over the facade of the apartment block again, only to look back over at the sisters. </p>
<p style="text-align: left;">“So, now …” Damon was about to intervene in the shooting when heavy dog barking made their blood run cold.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Yelka stopped her shots, Vivian lost body tension and Damon turned his head. </p>
<p style="text-align: left;">The big, short-haired yapper hung on the leash of a young guy in his early 20s. His tattooed arms were pumped up, stretching a red shirt. His chest jutted out as he stood wide-legged, holding the dog. A sharply cut face framed his full lips. He wore a gold necklace, his hair was shaved short. Behind him, four boys and a girl had set up. Two of them held metal pipes in their hands, brandishing them menacingly.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">“Good day to you all!” The words didn’t sound like a greeting, but more like a threat. “This is private property. No trespassing!” As if to underline his words, the dog growled insistently. The group slowly approached. Those two men carrying the batons grinned menacingly. “The whole compound is surrounded by a concrete wall.”</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Yelka was the first to speak up, “Hey, we’re just taking pictures, we’re not destroying or stealing anything.”</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">“So what?” told Ryder Yelka. “Fuck it, you guys are still illegal. There are signs on the outside walls and gates that state that this place is off limits.”</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">“Yeah, but you’re still coming here,” the dark-haired boy with the scratched forearm shouted.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">“Even though it’s forbidden.”</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">The group had surrounded the four, leaving no way out. Gazoo barked at Vivian, tugging at Ryder’s leash. </p>
<p style="text-align: left;">“What you are doing here is forbidden, you know that.”</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">“Okay, we made a mistake,” Yelka tried to concede. “How about we pack up and get out of here?” Seeking help, she looked over at Zander, but he was transfixed.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">“Yeah, you just thought so.” A grim smile played around Ryder’s face. “I want to see everyone’s IDs!”</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">“IDs out!” repeated Jesse, roaring.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Yelka looked at Zander first, then at Damon. “Please, let us just go our merry way and everything will be cool,” she offered the boys.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Damon had regained his composure and was surveying the situation. Yelka and Zander getting married would be more likely than these guys being security guards. There was danger in the air. They were in the middle of nowhere and were being threatened by a gang of rednecks, carrying a loose dog. </p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Dave lifted the steel pipe and touched Yelka’s chin. “Ain’t nothing cool here,” Ryder told them. “Either you show us your IDs or else.”</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">As if to make an example, Dave hit the ground with his club.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Yelka flinched. Gazoo jumped up at her, held back only by Ryder’s leash. “Chop, chop, IDs out!” Ryder roared indignantly.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">“I think we need to make a cut here!” With a brisk step, Damon put himself between Yelka and Ryder. “To me, it seems like a misunderstanding.”</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">For a moment, there was silence. Gazoo stopped barking, Dave’s steel pipe hovered in the air, and Ryder waited to see what Damon would say.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">“My name is Duke. Damon Duke, of Duke Executives.” He spread his arms and stood between Ryder and Yelka. </p>
<p style="text-align: left;">“We rented this location today to hold a photo shoot.” </p>
<p style="text-align: left;">He pointed to Vivian, who was still sitting on the steps. “This is Vivian Donahue, one of our most important models, known as Violet-D.”</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Damon waited a moment, watching the gang as they stared over at Vivian. He could see the aggression draining from the young men’s faces. Desire appeared in their eyes.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">“We are taking pictures for the centerfold today. Vivian’s work needs a relaxed atmosphere. So, I’d be grateful if we could do the shoot without any further disruptions. Later, I’m sure she’ll have time for a short meet and greet with autographs. If you have any further questions, please contact Councilor Wilbanks. Please carry on, we don’t have any time to lose. Hush, hush!”</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">A stunned silence hung over the scene. The gang hadn’t quite taken their eyes off Vivian when it dawned on them that they had just been set up. Yelka and Vivian were already preparing to resume the photo shoot when Ryder suddenly straightened up again. “Are you kidding me? I want to see your fucking IDs–no photos until I say so!”</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">“Good,” Damon turned abruptly and held out his ID to Ryder, “that’s me, Damon Duke.” He gave him a moment to compare ID photo and face, then pulled out his cell phone. “And now I’d like to know what company you’re with.” </p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Damon held the phone to his ear and waited for Ryder’s answer. But he remained silent. </p>
<p style="text-align: left;">“Mr. Wilbanks, this is Damon Duke speaking. I apologize for the interruption. Contrary to our agreements, we were evicted from the place by security.” His and Ryder’s eyes met. “They didn’t hire any security at all? Then I assume this is a misunderstanding.” </p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Dave looked at Ryder, waiting for any reaction. But he just stared at Damon indecisively.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">“No, I don’t think we need police here. Thank you very much, and again, I’m sorry to bother you.” </p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Damon dropped the phone into his purse, then pulled out a slew of business cards. “Here you go.” </p>
<p style="text-align: left;">First, he handed Ryder his card, then to the rest of the gang. “We’re still looking for security employees. If any of you want to make money, you’re more than welcome to contact me.” </p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Dazzled, the gang looked at each other. “Have a nice day! Now, starlets, we’ll move on to the next location.”</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Ryder looked grimly after the Urbexers as they walked on. Soon they would find out what kind of a nice day they were going to have.</p>
</div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><span style="font-size: medium;"></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"></span></span><br /><br /><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-1494820207040531290" itemprop="articleBody"><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #222222; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arvo; font-size: 15.4px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNE3m3OtI7sbGFT6dkewY6vOppdg9_1yqDIyRhXgd7myi_JthtIhDRwCNFPNnDUTLvB5MRRDnc_ms_2wu6Am1OfX3a9Ev5fRRP5t385qqWQOq35ZOm1CVRpjJLi5OxsIGmIsW46XP2Mvr2bdrZ1imgLLcLb1R_XOanbGkQWav8b0X5PMuEYBhgRB9edg/s718/Urbex%20Predator%2010.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="505" data-original-width="718" height="453" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNE3m3OtI7sbGFT6dkewY6vOppdg9_1yqDIyRhXgd7myi_JthtIhDRwCNFPNnDUTLvB5MRRDnc_ms_2wu6Am1OfX3a9Ev5fRRP5t385qqWQOq35ZOm1CVRpjJLi5OxsIGmIsW46XP2Mvr2bdrZ1imgLLcLb1R_XOanbGkQWav8b0X5PMuEYBhgRB9edg/w644-h453/Urbex%20Predator%2010.jpg" width="550" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arvo; font-size: 15.4px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Cherry Swash;"><b><span><span> </span></span></b></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arvo; font-size: 15.4px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Cherry Swash;"><b><span><span>About the Author</span></span></b></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arvo; font-size: 15.4px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Cherry Swash;"><b><span><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2onCClRXC42aFkwT8cQIe1c8TmWYdYclT_jt-spmAjZFURT21So5VVxhLs_m_Bx8Wl1ZCRDfrn7dO3lWgY3ZpANYyJlpS9tcoMKWxVtp6xsJZf1nxp2QLDMi6FNHlRUfIvzwAeK4-NT8o8YrwWBdhQNucItcWpe_OdCQXwBEbho32lueZgn3p3HpLiw/s764/Jens%20Boele.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFeFYbW2p1lHTl301KaJUziQQybkzmbo02T-MpjPFWEyOBTqqCkNQ1LDm1vF6jEPSqQv6haNvju_BR8eEcz7cLhMyyKwPSb7PdfUoXPx4jAM_hA3toHwLsC9umDU9-lYTIR1BDVcwZeH9LjD5_bP5UjGAtDS_MexgassUZeCBqHxT_wgXiUtgf_lUYmg/s764/Jens%20Boele.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="562" data-original-width="764" height="470" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFeFYbW2p1lHTl301KaJUziQQybkzmbo02T-MpjPFWEyOBTqqCkNQ1LDm1vF6jEPSqQv6haNvju_BR8eEcz7cLhMyyKwPSb7PdfUoXPx4jAM_hA3toHwLsC9umDU9-lYTIR1BDVcwZeH9LjD5_bP5UjGAtDS_MexgassUZeCBqHxT_wgXiUtgf_lUYmg/w640-h470/Jens%20Boele.png" width="550" /></a></div><br /></span></span></b></span></span></div></div></div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-1494820207040531290" itemprop="articleBody"><span style="font-size: 18px;">Jens Boele, a veteran media designer in
the entertainment industry, brings over two decades of cinematic
expertise to his writing. Born in Germany in 1975, Jens embarked on his
writing odyssey in his youth, culminating in the publication of his
debut book, “Sunshine,” in 2015. This was followed by “Hurensohn,” and
his latest spine-tingling creation, “Urbex Predator.” Jens is a
genre-bending author, specializing in horror and crime thrillers. His
narratives often blur genre lines, weaving intricate tales that plunge
readers into the darkest corners of the human psyche. Jens’s
storytelling brilliance lies in his fascination with the criminal mind;
his villains are always profoundly human, offering readers a chilling
examination of the psychological aspects of the criminally insane. Jens
sets himself apart by seamlessly integrating classic horror with the
gritty authenticity of the present day. This innovative fusion imbues
his narratives with a dynamic quality, seamlessly blending archaic
thrills with contemporary intrigue, resulting in an immersive reading
experience that resonates with both vintage enthusiasts and present-day
readers alike. Jens Boele’s latest endeavor takes his work across
borders, as “Urbex Predator” becomes his first book to be translated
into English. A globetrotter with deep connections to the United States,
Jens’s passion for exploration and his international perspective,
nurtured by family and friends in the US, shine through in his writing,
offering readers a captivating blend of horror and cultural diversity.
Visit Jens’ website at <a href="https://jensboele.com/">https://jensboele.com/</a>.</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Thriller</b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;"><b>Date Published: </b></span><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">November 16, 2023</span>
</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span>
</p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/202334395-dark-goddess"><img height="75" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/production-sitebuilder-v1-0-3/663/206663/rL88XEv2/26885701adea4bb791503c2c1651b879" width="200" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">January 2009. In the midst of the financial crisis, a mysterious figure,
Satoshi Nakamoto, publishes the Bitcoin code. The disruptive power of this
digital currency is enormous, as it has been designed so that it cannot be
controlled by any banking or government authority and allows for completely
anonymous transactions. Special Agent Harris is assigned to find out who is
hiding behind that identity. Meanwhile, a powerful cybercriminal
organization is also searching for Nakamoto and will stop at nothing. Ada, a
young prodigy studying in Barcelona, and L30n, an elusive hacker, will be
swept up in this pursuit.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Reality and fiction intertwine in this techno-thriller that weaves a tense
plot exploring the power of money and technology.</span>
</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;"><b>About the Author</b></span></p><a 1="" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/production-sitebuilder-v1-0-3/663/206663/rL88XEv2/8716d83d455140c9871cde9ebbef2075" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/production-sitebuilder-v1-0-3/663/206663/rL88XEv2/8716d83d455140c9871cde9ebbef2075" width="266" /></a>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">J. Raventós is an engineer and serial entrepreneur. After working in
Silicon Valley, he founded several tech startups in the fields of Artificial
Intelligence, 5G, and telecommunications networks. He is currently working
on a new AI and data security startup. He also serves as a technology
advisor for a venture capital fund.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;"><b>Purchase Links</b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://amzn.to/4ceGkSn">Amazon</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://books.apple.com/us/book/dark-goddess/id6478404027">iBooks</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/dark-goddess-13">Kobo</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1526668?ref=">Smashwords</a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p>
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<p>
<a href="http://xpressobooktours.com/" target="_blank">
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<p><strong>Current of Darkness</strong><br><strong>Robert Brighton</strong><br>Publication date: March 19th 2024<br>Genres: Adult, Historical, Mystery</p><blockquote><p><strong>“Unforgettable female leads power this stellar historical mystery”</strong> (BookLife Reviews) by Robert Brighton, told with <strong>“writing that is on par with the cunning of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle”</strong> (Manhattan Book Review).</p>
<p>A swirling tale of industrial espionage, love, and betrayal, Current of Darkness follows aspiring sleuth Sarah Payne behind the sleek, honeymoon façade of Gilded Age Niagara Falls and into a shadowy demimonde of ruthless union bosses, saboteurs, and tycoons-including the powerful, handsome, and mysterious Charles Kendall, whose intentions toward Sarah are unclear.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, sultry widow Alicia Miller is set on taking charge of her murdered husband’s company-only to find herself pitted against the new majority owner, who has his own ideas about women in the world of men. But cunning and captivating Alicia has ideas, too-and will stop at nothing to come out on top.</p>
<p>Both women will have to find the courage and resourcefulness-and set aside their own simmering feud-to survive in this “winning story of action, sabotage, cutthroat business dealings, and women<strong> daring to be something new at the dawn of the American century”</strong> <em>(BookLife Reviews).</em></p>
<p><strong>A captivating, page-turning, and immersive tale of industrial espionage, love, and betrayal – set against the backdrop of the glittering Gilded Age. <em>Current of Darkness</em> will draw readers in, and hold them under, until its final, explosive pages.</strong></p>
<p><em>Read the Avenging Angel Detective Agency Mysteries in any order.</em></p>
</blockquote>
<p style="font-size: 130%; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/208509005-current-of-darkness" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> / <a href="https://amzn.to/4acxqmw" target="_blank">Amazon</a> / <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/current-of-darkness-robert-brighton/1144896964?ean=9798987696453" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">—</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>ALICIA MAKES AN OMELET</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Excerpted from Current of Darkness: Desire & Deceit in the Gilded Age</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>A Novel by Robert Brighton</strong><br />
<strong>© 2024 Copper Nickel, LLC. All Rights Reserved.</strong></p>
<p>When Alicia got back to the front door of Miller Envelope Company, damned if the thing wasn’t unlocked. She jerked the door open and saw none other than her Majority Owner, Howie Gaines, crossing the lobby, his foot almost to the first tread of the staircase.</p>
<p>“Howie!” she called, and he turned.</p>
<p>“Mrs. Miller,” he said. “I hope you weren’t waiting. I usually get here early.”</p>
<p>“We’ll talk about<em> </em><em>that</em> in a minute,” she said. “But you need to come with me first.”</p>
<p>He returned to the front door. “What’s wrong?” he said.</p>
<p>“Follow me,” she said, crooking a finger. Together they walked along the Division Street side of the building and back to the loading dock area. The cigarette smoker was sitting on the loading dock again, smoking another cigarette. When he spied Gaines, he stubbed out his smoke and jumped down. “Mr. Gaines,” he said. “Good morning.”</p>
<p>“Shevlin,” Gaines said. “Good morning to you.”</p>
<p>“Go get those other two men who were with you just now,” Allie said to Shevlin, waving the back of her hand in his direction. He eyed her and then glanced at Gaines, who nodded. Shevlin hopped up on the loading dock, still trailing smoke, and went into the depths of the factory, and reemerged with the lanky man and the other one in tow.</p>
<p>“What is this all about?” Gaines asked Alicia.</p>
<p>“Teaching a lesson,” she said as the two men shuffled onto the dock with Shevlin. Allie looked up at them. “Who are these men?” she said to Howie, who stood by looking puzzled.</p>
<p>“Utz, on the left, and Kiesler. They’re two of our best delivery men.”</p>
<p>“Mr. Shevlin, Mr. Utz, Mr. Kiesler,” Alicia said. “We weren’t properly introduced earlier. I’m Alicia Hall Miller. <em>Miller</em> as in <em>Miller Envelope</em>. You must know it—it’s your employer.”</p>
<p>The three men could almost be heard to swallow audibly. The lanky man, Kiesler, who seemed to occupy a leadership role, cleared his throat. “We’re sorry, ma’am, about . . . earlier. Didn’t know who you were.”</p>
<p>“I see,” Alicia said. “You’re <em>sorry</em>, then.”</p>
<p>“Yes, ma’am,” Kiesler said.</p>
<p>“And you two? Are you sorry, as well?”</p>
<p>Utz and Shevlin nodded, somewhat sheepishly, mumbling assent.</p>
<p>“Well, good. Thank you for that,” she said. “Now, guess what else you are? In addition to ‘sorry’?”</p>
<p>The men looked back at her blankly.</p>
<p>“You’re <em>fired</em>,” she said. “All three of you. Right now. Go collect whatever shit you have in your lockers and get out.” She looked at her watch. “You have precisely two minutes to leave my property. If you don’t, you’ll wish you had. The chief of police owes me at least one favor.”</p>
<p>Gaines touched her arm. “Mrs. Miller,” he said under his breath, “a word?”</p>
<p>“What do you want?” she said, jerking her arm away. “These men were insufferably rude to me just a few minutes ago.”</p>
<p>“You can’t hire and fire people,” Howie said quietly, his face quite crimson. “You’re a minority owner. You don’t have the authority to—”</p>
<p>“I won’t make a habit of it, Gaines,” she said, “but I just <em>did</em> fire them, and fired they will remain. Now do not challenge me on this, or we’re going to have a very bad first day together.”</p>
<p>The three men were looking at Gaines and Alicia’s little sidebar conference. Gaines turned back to them. “You heard her,” he said. “You’re dismissed.”</p>
<p>The men muttered a few choice words and disappeared into the building to collect their belongings. Allie and Gaines trudged back to the front entrance.</p>
<p>“Those are—were—three of our best workers, you know,” he said to her as they mounted the staircase inside. “Do you know how difficult it is to replace good laborers?”</p>
<p>“You can’t make an omelet without breaking a few eggs,” she said. “And do you know how difficult it is to replace customers? I don’t want anyone who represents our company to treat anyone in the way I was treated. It’s simply not acceptable. They merely picked on the wrong person today, but my guess is that they’re rude to everyone. And they’re the ones driving around delivering our product? Gaines, we need pleasant, polite people meeting our customers, not surly bastards like those three. And they’re lazy. Smokers are all lazy. Every last goddamn one of them.”</p>
<p>“Fine, fine,” Howie said, as they stood on the upper landing, outside their office. “I don’t disagree with you, but—”</p>
<p>“Then <em>don’t</em>,” Alicia said. “Don’t say, ‘I don’t disagree with you,’ and then begin disagreeing with me. I absolutely <em>loathe</em>that sort of thing. It reminds me of visitors who drop by and, after a few minutes, consult their watches and say, ‘Well, I’d better let you get back to your more pressing matters,’ or some such horseshit. <em>They’re</em> the ones with pressing matters, and they want to blame me for it. If I have pressing matters, I say so.”</p>
<p>Howie seemed perplexed.</p>
<p>“Do you understand, Gaines? It’s a simile. I’m drawing a comparison, so that you can understand what your new business partner hates.” One corner of her mouth rippled up.</p>
<p>“Yes, yes, I understand.”</p>
<p>“Then you know what I would like to do? When you introduce me to the company today—the whole staff—I am going to emphasize that every person who works here is going to treat everyone as though he were a customer. Or she. Or they’ll be hitting the bricks, just like Shevlin and company.”</p>
<p>“People aren’t going to like that,” he said, working the lock of their office door and putting his hand on the doorknob.</p>
<p>“Isn’t that their hard luck. Oh, and by the way”—she put her hand over his on the knob—“these offices open at 7:30, sharp. Not 7:45, not between 7:35 and 7:30. We can’t expect anyone else to be punctual and attentive to their jobs if we’re not. People look at us and decide what they can get away with. We have excellent streetcars here in Buffalo, and broad sidewalks, and so there’s no cause to be late. None. Understand?”</p>
<p>Howie smirked at her. “You will understand, Mrs. Miller, I don’t plan to be lectured by a minority owner—”</p>
<p>“It’s <em>Alicia</em>,” she said. “Or just Miller. Like any other business partner. Not Mrs. Miller. I’m not calling you Mr. Gaines, you can depend on that.”</p>
<p>“As you wish, Miller,” he said. “Now may I please go into my office?”</p>
<p>“It’s <em>our </em>office, and yes, you may.”</p>
<p><br class="blank" /></p>
<img src="https://www.xpressobooktours.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/Robert.jpeg" alt="" style="float: left; margin: 0 15px 15px 0; display: inline-block;">
<blockquote style="margin-top: 15px; margin-bottom: 15px;">
<p>Author Bio:</p>
<p>Award-winning author Robert Brighton is an authority on the Gilded Age, and a great believer that the Victorian era was anything but stuffy. In his Avenging Angel Detective Agency Mysteries, Brighton exposes the turbulence of the era - its passions, dreams, and disasters - against a backdrop of careful research on the places, sights, sounds, and smells of the time. </p>
<p>When he is not walking the streets in the footsteps of the Avenging Angels, sniffing out unsolved mysteries, Brighton is an adventurer. He has traveled in more than 50 countries around the world, personally throwing himself into every situation his characters will face - from underground ruins to opium dens - and (so far) living to tell about it. </p>
<p>A graduate of the Sorbonne, Paris, Brighton is an avid student of early 20th Century history and literature, an ardent and relentless investigator, and an admirer of Emily Dickinson and Jim Morrison. He lives in Virginia with his wife and their two cats. </p>
<p style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://robertbrightonauthor.com/" target="_blank">Website</a> / <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7975296.Robert_Brighton" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> / <a href="https://www.pinterest.ca/robertbrightonauthor/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a> / <a href="https://www.instagram.com/avengingangeldetectiveagency/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></p>
</blockquote>
<p><br class="blank" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>GIVEAWAY!</strong><br />
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https://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2024/01/fs-nbtm-our-lives-in-between-by-billie.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="670" data-original-width="1200" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgotxM3XSRGbFWhBdlzjsTy5uwAeJWuqYatz7lVrpcC_Tg_5yHnbYlZSYqjt1qPeBMVmHNb74UcOddJrbUKrL6zFHg_aYs0dAmO2Uai6fB1_IDyhZOQ_Zh6W4s7_ynFBIWG6Gu2cZlX4N5wSDnlsakG3XIsqMbgP6sAfyU1NnGBcYnbNzGutEi8Hhd3oXY/w640-h358/TourBanner_Our%20Lives%20in%20Between.gif" width="550" /></a><span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CG3PFJKD" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1004" data-original-width="666" height="470" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYJbtaKN2WaOiXnw1GeH4QztKM6S5r3gkflol9lDwLQ6ZMIIRNzEYNbM3ywDM1UrI17ZnMFYJy1MWgys4ToqbCUqWwpGGnxkhXJYrTIvnNA0Wyorw-Ut0tZ8RGeENaCEMAemgV9e0ciVeXdkSQ9VbNQOAm0OgDp7Q7VkkRPGNPAEtB1fzJ26DIIkNRkgI/s320/BookCover_Our-Lives-in-Between.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p align="left" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>OUR
LIVES IN BETWEEN</b></span></span></p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>by
Billie Kowalewski</b></span></span></p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>GENRE:
Young Adult Fantasy</b></span></span></p>
<p align="center" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>BLURB:</b></span></span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;">It
had been five years since the accident that derailed Veronica’s
life, which left her suffering from a strange flu-like illness ever
since. Thanks to a barrier set in her mind at birth, she can’t
remember her name is Harmony and that this is not her real life. She
has no memory of the many lives she had lived before this one and how
several of those lives had been cut short. How she must uncover the
reason why those lives had ended so early, and how this moment may
hold the key, or she risks losing herself and Earth forever.</span></span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;">As
Harmony, she wants to uncover the reason why her lives keep ending so
soon. As Veronica, she wonders how much longer she has to live like
this? What could possibly be left for her? Little did she know, she
was about to get her answers…</span></span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Purchase
</b><b>Our Lives In Between </b><b>on </b><b><a href="http://books.apple.com/us/book/id1212458275">iTunes</a>,
<a href="https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/our-lives-in-between">Kobo</a>,
</b><b><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1143953733?ean=9781535604505">Barnes
& Noble</a>, </b><b><a href="https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=WMrREAAAQBAJ">Google
Play</a>, </b><b>and </b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CG3PFJKD"><b>Amazon</b></a></span></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p align="center" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Excerpt:</b></span></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;">The
next few lives on Earth were more of the same thing. Kaleb and I
would concentrate on finding each other before we would leave here.
Then, after some years would pass on Earth, we would. Not once did we
miss. Every first greeting was basically the same. The second we
would get close enough to each other down there, that’s when the
acrobatics would start. We would slam right into each other, bump our
heads together, tripping and flipping over one another every single
time. Always somehow causing one of us—mainly me—if not both of
us, to die.</span></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;">No
matter how far apart they placed us on Earth, Kaleb and I would find
each other. It was my guess that using my theory made us like
magnets—accident magnets, as Gwen so kindly put it. We were
hurdling toward each other like comets at light speed, coming at each
other so fast that we were literally crashing into each other. We
gave a new meaning to the phrase “bumping into each other”
because we actually were.</span></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;">It’s
a unique feeling, being on this end of this odd little situation. I
had been shoved out a second-story window, and then was lucky enough
to snap my neck and be trampled by a horse I had spooked once when I
hit the ground. In the next life, I was rolled onto a very highly
active beehive and then stung to death (no, I am not kidding). Then,
imagine the surprise I felt in the life after that one, when a
certain someone was running with a wallet he had stolen, and then
shoved us both off a train platform into the path of an oncoming
train. I still don’t know if that person ever got their wallet
back.</span></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;">I
am sure all of this must seem rather disturbing from where you are
sitting. I know I would certainly feel that way if I were reading
this from where you are. It’s quite an interesting perspective for
me, being here, right now, knowing all that I do, versus being on
Earth and having the limited knowledge that we were allowed. It
really turns things around and sheds a different light on it—don’t
you think?</span></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;">With
the knowledge of home blocked from our memory, life and death can
seem so absolute from the human perspective. Death seems final,
bringing with it fear of the unknown, and such anguish to the ones
that are left behind.</span></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
</p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;">You
know what they say: hindsight is always 20/20. Imagine what Earth
would be like if this knowledge weren’t blocked from our memory. It
would certainly change the way we view our lives while we are there.
Naturally, if some were armed with this knowledge, they would be much
more adventurous, never taking their life seriously enough to truly
learn anything. Life on Earth would take on less meaning. Then again,
perhaps knowing our lives do go on would help some to live their life
with less fear and appreciate their time there. Maybe they would
strive to be better because they know. Isn’t having a little
knowledge better than no knowledge at all? Something is better than
nothing, isn’t it? To be able to utilize this knowledge might help
propel us forward and help us gain a sense of purpose. If only there
were a way to leak some of this knowledge somehow…</span></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p align="center" class="western" style="line-height: 120%; margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Interview
with Billie Kowalewski</b></span></span></p><p class="western" style="line-height: 120%; margin-bottom: 0.14in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Have
you ever had an imaginary friend?</b></span></span></p><p class="western" style="line-height: 120%; margin-bottom: 0.14in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span><span style="color: #00b0f0; font-size: medium;">The
closest I have ever come to having imaginary friends are the
characters in my book. I did play with them in my imagination a lot
as a kid and there is others in my mind as well.</span></span></span></p><p class="western" style="line-height: 120%; margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></p><p class="western" style="line-height: 120%; margin-bottom: 0.14in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Do
you have any phobias?</b></span></span></p><p class="western" style="line-height: 120%; margin-bottom: 0.14in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #00b0f0;">Yep.
I do not like heights or confined spaces. Whenever I go to use a
port-o-potty I also have an irrational fear that a dead body is going
to fall out when I open the door. </span><span style="color: #00b0f0;">🤷</span></span></span></p><p class="western" style="line-height: 120%; margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></p><p class="western" style="line-height: 120%; margin-bottom: 0.14in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Do
you listen to music when you're writing?</b></span></span></p><p class="western" style="line-height: 120%; margin-bottom: 0.14in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-size: medium;">Sometimes.</span></span></span></p><p class="western" style="line-height: 120%; margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></p><p class="western" style="line-height: 120%; margin-bottom: 0.14in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Do
you ever read your stories out loud?</b></span></span></p><p class="western" style="line-height: 120%; margin-bottom: 0.14in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span><span style="color: #00b0f0; font-size: medium;">All
the time. That’s a good way of catching mistakes. I act out scenes
in the mirror to watch what my facial expressions would look like.</span></span></span></p><p class="western" style="line-height: 120%; margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></p><p class="western" style="line-height: 120%; margin-bottom: 0.14in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Tell
us about your main character and who inspired him/her.</b></span></span></p><p class="western" style="line-height: 120%; margin-bottom: 0.14in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span><span style="color: #00b0f0; font-size: medium;">Harmony
is the person I one day hope to be like. She is strong, determined,
trustworthy, and independent. Not much gets her down and when it
does, she does not stay there for long. She faces every challenge
that life on Earth gives her and sees it through all the way to the
end. </span></span></span>
</p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</p><p class="western" style="line-height: 120%; margin-bottom: 0.14in;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.billiekowalewski.com/" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd3fekqZ8TnXYEbdHjR9NPPc2VgIrk4mpxKYeXiCufhX7pf4j6pvkvm8c2r6rNR8FqAJLiw9L-3i73HoNdH_0MGzAaSGqvPaDGyV_ebZcLCRYwY1Eqg0YV0meCZk_PncCkwM0Lgs3XWp7ogO-2F_M6s8oVAj_StrQjyolXmew3mVa3KTLPBHrm9vI-HiE/s320/Author%20pic.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: black;"><b>AUTHOR
Bio and Links:</b></span></span></span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Billie
Kowalewski grew up in a small town along the Connecticut shoreline.
She’s always had a wild imagination and spent her childhood
dreaming up stories. This would often lead her to the library or
whatever bookstore where she would be combing the shelves for books
that closely resembled what was in her head at the time. A lot of the
time she would come close and would be satisfied with what she found.
However, there was always this one story she could never find. It was
in 2010 that she decided to write it herself. In whatever spare time
she has left, she enjoys listening to pretty much anything that
rocks, like 80's hair bands, metal, etc. She also has a gift for
finding the strangest movies and shows ever (according to her
children) and loves spending time with her family.</span></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><b>Connect
with Billie Kowalewski on <a href="https://www.bookbub.com/authors/billie-kowalewski">BookBub</a>,
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/harmony31">Goodreads</a>, <a href="https://www.billiekowalewski.com/">Website</a>,
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/kowalewskibillie">Instagram</a>,
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/@billiekowalewski9288">YouTube</a>,
<a href="https://www.twitter.com/enlightened31">Twitter</a>, <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@billiekowalewski3">TikTok</a>,
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/authorbilliek">Facebook – Author</a>,
and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/enlightenedbookofficialpage">Facebook
- The Enlightened Series</a> </b></span></span>
</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /> <p></p>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Giveaway:</span></b><br />
<b style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span face=""arial" , "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 14pt;"><span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">$25 Amazon/BN GC </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span face=""arial" , "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 14pt;"><span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span face=""arial" , "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 14pt;">
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