Women of Color in Tech: A Blueprint for Inspiring and Mentoring

 

the Next Generation of Technology Innovators

 

by Susanne Tedrick

 

Category: Adult Non-Fiction, 18 yrs +, 288 pages

 

Genre: Business, Careers, Technology

 

Publisher: Wiley

 

Release date: April 2020

 

 

Synopsis

 

Tech industry jobs are growing fast, offering great pay, career growth and learning opportunities. Women of color, sadly, have not been able to fully participate in this boom. There are many misconceptions about the tech industry. Misconceptions can often discourage women of color from pursuing or remaining in technical careers. For example, misconceptions like “tech careers are all about coding ”or “there’s no diversity in tech.”

In reality, tech career opportunities can be diverse, fun, and incredibly dynamic. While there are barriers to overcome, Women of Color in Tech is an indispensable resource for building a rewarding future in tech. Packed with inspiring stories and practical advice, this book shows you how to uncover the resources you need to succeed.

This practical guide will help you develop the blend of knowledge and skills needed for getting into tech—and staying there. Author Susanne Tedrick understands that, for a variety of reasons, young women of color are underrepresented in tech and may not have access to strong support networks or resources to be successful. Using her own experiences transitioning into tech, Susanne offers you real-world guidance on finding knowledgeable mentors, learning the latest industry trends, cultivating strong relationships and more.

If you’re thinking about going into tech, or you want to take your current career to the next level, Women of Color in Tech will help you build a blueprint for a successful career.

• Understand the reality of tech today, not misconceptions.
• Learn about the different tech jobs and opportunities that exist, not just coding.
• Gain an understanding of emerging technology areas that will affect jobs, like artificial intelligence, Blockchain and cloud computing.
• Discover traditional and non-traditional education option to get the skills you need.
• Find mentors, build your professional network and get the guidance you need.
• Stay motivated and deal with difficult situations.
• Recognize the importance of giving back to increase diversity and inclusion.

 

 

Webelongintech ~ Amazon ~ B&N

 

Books-A-Million ~ Target

 

 

Guest Post

 

My Earliest Memory As A Technologist

 

By Susanne Tedrick

 

Growing up, my dad loved consumer electronics and technology. He is the main reason how I ended up developing a passion for it. There was one particular incident that he and I had that was not only hilarious but perhaps was a solidification that I was meant to go into technology.

When my dad brought home new gadgets or electronics, I always spent as much time as I could experimenting and playing around with them. Sometimes my fascination would transcend mere curiosity, and I dissembled equipment to see the parts inside and to see how it worked (much to my parents’ chagrin).

One weekend afternoon when I was about 11, my dad’s inner “tinkerer” was awakened, and together, we decided that we would attempt to fix our floor model TV on our own. The unit would turn on and there was sound, but no picture would appear. Mind you, neither of us had any idea where to even begin, we didn’t have an instruction manual – it was like the blind leading the blind. My mother was aware of our plan and didn’t really say anything, she just looked at us with a smile that was half bemused/half knowing disaster would strike, but powerless to stop it.

We opened up the TV and had “deduced” that the unit needed a new fuse. We took the broken one that we had to the local electronics shop, where the person behind the counter seemed just as knowledgeable as we were. He took a quick glance at the broken fuse and gave us what he believed was the right replacement. He rang it up at the cash register, and we were then on our way.

We could barely contain our excitement when we got home. We enthusiastically put the fuse in, plugged the unit in and then turned it on. We saw the unit power up as it normally did, but no picture. Shortly after, we heard a loud pop…. and then next thing you know, a small fire has broken out in the back of the TV. My dad immediately unplugged the unit and got the fire extinguisher to put the fire out. My mother, watching the entire time, had a look of disbelief and amusement across her face.

Now obviously, we had no business at all doing what we did, and it is a small miracle that we didn’t burn our house down that day. But that helped spark my curiosity even more and helped deepen my technology knowledge, rather than deter or scare me off completely. Over time, I would learn that the fuse that we had was not the right one and it wasn’t even the root of the problem. It was the picture tube itself that needed to be completely replaced – we weren’t even close!

This memory is one of my favorites with my dad, but it served as an early precursor to my technology career.

 

This was such a fascinating read.  I love hearing how people find their passion and it seems like for Susanne it came at an early age with her dad.  I love how her mom knew things probably wouldn’t end well but gave them space to tinker and try and find the answer.

 

 

About the Author

 

Susanne Tedrick is a technical specialist for a Fortune 50 technology company. Fiercely committed to increasing participation of women and people of color in STEM educational and professional opportunities, she is a career mentor for the Pathways in Technology Early College High School (P-TECH) Initiative and a volunteer workshop technical assistant for Black Girls Code, a nonprofit that empowers girls of color to develop in-demand IT skills and prepare for careers in tech. Susanne was awarded the 2018 CompTIA AITP Rising Star of the Year Award, and nominated for the 2019 CompTIA Advancing Women in Technology Mentorship Guide Award, for her dedication to advancing her career and that of others. Views expressed are those of author Susanne Tedrick and are not endorsed by any of her current or former employers.

 

Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Instagram ~ Goodreads

 

 

Giveaway

 

Autographed Copy of WOMEN OF COLOR Plus $25 Amazon Gift Card (USA only) (ends July 17, 2020)

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

Synopsis

 

A tragic mystery blending sleuthing and spirituality

​An exploration in grief, suicide, spiritualism, and Inuit culture, Winter of the Wolf follows Bean, an empathic and spiritually evolved fifteen-year-old, who is determined to unravel the mystery of her brother Sam’s death. Though all evidence points to a suicide, her heart and intuition compel her to dig deeper. With help from her friend Julie, they retrace Sam’s steps, delve into his Inuit beliefs, and reconnect with their spiritual beliefs to uncover clues beyond material understanding.

Both tragic and heartwarming, this twisting novel draws you into Bean’s world as she struggles with grief, navigates high school dramas, and learns to open her heart in order to see the true nature of the people around her. Winter of the Wolf is about seeking the truth—no matter how painful—in order to see the full picture.

In this novel, environmentalist and award-winning author, Martha Handler, brings together two important pieces of her life—the death of her best friend’s son and her work as president of the Wolf Conservation Center—to tell an empathetic and powerful story with undeniable messages.

 

 

Amazon * B&N * Bookshop * IndieBound * Porchlight Books

 

 

Praise for Winter of the Wolf

 

“Martha’s gut wrenching and captivating story may be a work of fiction, but it hauntingly hits home. I felt like I was reading my worst nightmare.”  –Stephanie Ruhle, NBC News

“Handler takes us deep inside one family’s tragedy and shows us how our spiritual beliefs can guide us at our deepest moments of grief. As we travel with fifteen-year-old Bean, through the loss of her beloved brother Sam, we see how friendship, trust, and deeply held beliefs help her navigate the painful aftermath of his death. In a mystery that races forward, Handler shows us the power of sibling love to endure forever.  –Lisa Heffernan, Author of Grown and Flown: How to Support Your Teen, Stay Close as a Family, and Raise Independent Adults

“All great books open our minds, broaden our visions and strengthen our convictions, and Martha Hunt Handler’s Winter of the Wolf does all three brilliantly. Much like a wolf, 15-year-old Bean follows her intuition, desperate and determined to prove her beloved brother did not choose to end his life. As readers follow her emotional and spiritual journey, they will, undoubtedly, begin to question their own beliefs about life and death and our interconnectedness of all spiritual beings. A breathtaking read from start to finish.”  –Hélène Grimaud, Founder of the Wolf Conservation Center, world-renowned musical artist, writer, and human rights activist

“A true literary masterpiece.  Martha Hunt Handler takes us on an ‘edge of your seat’ thriller, We find ourselves arriving at the fearless collision course between perceptions we hold, and forgives within. A double take on life’s purpose, spirituality, and the distance unconditional love is forced to take through a journey of unfathomable pain, to the bright light we all hold within us.”  –Wendy Diamond, Best Selling Author, TV personality, animal advocate, and founder of Women’s Entrepreneurship Day

“Let Winter of the Wolf take you on a journey of the soul to unearth the truth to set you free.”  –Emme, Supermodel and social reformer

“Winter of the Wolf is a compelling, heartfelt tale based on a story close to the author’s heart. She takes what is a difficult subject and weaves a captivating story about life, death, grief and gratitude.  A must read for any age.”  –Mary Ellen Keating, Former Senior Vice President of Communications, Barnes & Noble, Inc.

“What we attempt to capture in our photographs, Martha Hunt Handler portrays with her words in a heartbreaking story that reminds us of our interconnectedness with all that is living and breathing on our planet.”  –Paul Nicklen and Cristina Mittermeier, Co-Founders of SeaLegacy, world renowned nature photographers and filmmakers

“Heart-warming and unflinching, Winter of the Wolf explores one family’s struggle to face the complex nature of death and loss. A timely and important tale for all ages, it offers a powerful message of hope for our lives.” –Kristen Wolf, Bestselling author of The Way: A Girl Who Dared to Rise

“Winter Of The Wolf takes you on an amazing and emotional journey through suicide and spiritual discovery.”  –Bria Neff, Teen wildlife artist and advocate

 

 

Guest Post

 

Inspiration for the Plot of Winter of the Wolf

 

By Martha Hunt Handler

 

In 2001, when I was 42, I received a call that rocked my world. My childhood best friend, Gretchen, had just found her 12-year-old son Brendan hanging from a belt in his bedroom. Almost immediately, I felt myself shutting down. I couldn’t process the loss of such a young soul, and I had no clue how to comfort Gretchen. Growing up, she and I were exceptionally spiritual, thanks to the daily teachings of our mothers. We understood that souls, as pure energy, cannot be lost nor destroyed, but only change form. We also believed that each of our lifetimes is part of a long journey that ultimately contribute to our soul’s growth. But when Brendan passed, none of our beliefs seem to make any sense. What could Brendan possibly have learned or accomplished in his short lifetime?

Needing a place to put all my agonizing questions and thoughts, I began to journal. But I was getting nowhere. Brendan’s death still felt like a very dark and mysterious hole. Dark, because neither Gretchen or I was having any luck contacting Brendan, and mysterious because, despite the compelling evidence, Gretchen was adamant that he hadn’t taken his own life, and I trusted her instincts.

About four months later, I began to hear Brendan’s voice. He was requesting that I write a fictionalized account of his story, which sounded absurd. I exclusively wrote non-fiction pieces as an environmental consultant and, more recently, as a magazine columnist and supporter of the Wolf Conservation Center. I didn’t have a clue how to write fiction nor did I believe I had the talent for such an endeavor. And, even if I did, I didn’t know Brendan’s story; I didn’t understand why he was no longer with us. So, what did he want me to write?

A few weeks later, while cleaning out an old chest of my childhood keepsakes, I came across a book I’d written and illustrated when I was seven years old. It brought back a profound and sad memory. I’d spent all evening alone in my room that night as I conceived of this original tale of a runaway bunny. When finished, I presented it to my father and proudly proclaimed that I was going to be a writer when I grew up. Instead of congratulating me, he laughed and told me that writing stories wouldn’t pay the bills. I was devastated, but I didn’t have it in me to challenge him. But now, I wondered if Brendan wasn’t right. Perhaps writing fiction had been my destiny all along.

One of the more important themes in my novel is encouraging young people (and adults) to trust their instincts and not letting others dissuade them from their deep knowing of themselves. When we’re young, we’re incredibly susceptible and vulnerable to the opinions of others. This, and the fact that we feel pressure to “fit in,” results in us hiding or suppressing those unique and magical parts of ourselves, which results in many of us never reaching our full potential.

Remembering this sad incident helped launch my writing. I wasn’t sure where I was going, but I dug in, showed up, and wrote as if I were on a mission. I attempted to tell the story from a bunch of different angles but finally settled on having the protagonist be a sister who loses her older brother. Once I found my protagonist and nailed her voice, the story began to come together, just as Brendan had promised.

It has been a long and winding road writing Winter of the Wolf, but it has been the journey of a lifetime for me. In the beginning, I just wanted to get the story out as quickly as possible, because it was painful to sit day after day in the heavy aftermath of a child’s death. But the more I let myself go into the pain, the more light I began to see. So, though it’s a story that begins in a place of profound grief, it moves to a place of profound gratitude.

Though I still can’t tell you what Brendan accomplished in his lifetime, in his afterlife, he helped me re-believe and re-discover my innate storytelling talents, and for this, I will always be grateful.

 

 

About the Author

 

Martha Hunt Handler grew up in northern Illinois dreaming about wolves and has always understood that her role in this lifetime is to tell stories and be a voice for nature. She has been an environmental consultant, a magazine columnist, an actress, and a polar explorer, among other occupations. She has also driven across the country in an 18-wheeler and been a grand-prize winner of The Newlywed Game.

Soon after she and her family relocated from Los Angeles to South Salem, New York, she began to hear wolves in her backyard. This was the start of her twenty-plus-year career as an advocate for wolves at the Wolf Conservation Center, where she currently serves as Board President. When not up near the wolves and her rescue pups, she can be found in New York City with her husband and four adult children.

This is her first novel but definitely not her last.

 

 

Website * Facebook * Instagram

 

YouTube * Goodreads * Amazon * Twitter

 

 

 

 

 

Witch Hunt (A Full Moon Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Publisher: Kensington (June 30, 2020)
Mass Market Paperback: 320 pages

 

Synopsis

 

Murder isn’t always crystal-clear . . . especially when the prime suspect discovers she’s a witch.

Violet Mooney owns The Full Moon crystal shop in quaint North Harbor, Connecticut. Still grieving her beloved grandmother’s recent unexpected death, she takes comfort in her fat orange cat Monty and her work. Not everyone in town is thrilled with her business, however. When disagreeable town councilwoman Carla Fernandez picks a fight over Violet’s “voodoo shop,” the two have a very public confrontation. Of course, when Carla turns up dead, Violet gets little sympathy from the police as suspect #1.

But the shock of two policemen showing up at her door pales in comparison to the sudden appearance of her estranged mother Fiona and a surprise sister, Zoe. What Fiona reveals will rock her world and her sense of self—and reawaken her long-dormant mysterious power. Good thing. She’s gonna need it . . .

 

 

 

Amazon – B&N – Kobo

 

 

 

Guest Post

 

In my new series, The Full Moon Mysteries, my character Violet Mooney runs a crystal shop in cozy North Harbor, Connecticut. Owning and operating a crystal shop is my dream job – aside from writing, of course – so it was the perfect choice for Violet. It also fits with her story. She’s had a talent since she was very young on choosing the right healing stones for family and friends. She always assumed it was just that, a talent. But when Violet finds out that she’s a witch, she begins to understand that her powers, even though they were largely dormant, were enhancing her abilities to pick the perfect stone all along to help others heal.

For me, crystals are a huge part of my writing practice. I rely on my stones for the various moods I’m in as I put a book together. From setting up stones around my writing desk to sleeping with them under my pillow to help me work out problems or plot holes in my sleep, I totally rely on them as much as food or water – possibly even more.

Here are a few of my favorites:

 

Amazonite – for the nervous system, positively impacts focus and concentration

Blue quartz – for mental clarity, focus, and creativity; also promotes organization

Carnelian – for career (a power stone!) and a great self-motivator

Clear quartz – clears the mind of distracting thoughts and mental chatter

Lepidolite – for balancing mood swings and helping with meditation

Howlite – for sleep and grounding

Sodalite – for communication, memory, organization, and inspiration

 

Of course, this is only a few from my list. I am officially a crystal addict, and the more stones I learn about, the more I want to add to my collection. The best part is, it’s all in the name of research.

 

 

About the Author

Cate Conte is the alter ego of Liz Mugavero. Liz is the author of the Pawsitively Organic Mystery series from Kensington Books, the first of which was an Agatha nominee for Best First Novel. Cate is the author of the new Full Moon Mysteries for Kensington and writes the Cat Cafe Mystery series for Minotaur Books. As you can imagine, her canine and feline rescues demand the best organic food and treats around. She is a member of Sisters in Crime National, Sisters in Crime New England, Mystery Writers of America, and the Cat Writers’ Association. She currently lives in Connecticut.

 

Website – Twitter – GoodReads – Facebook – Instagram

 

 

Giveaway

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

 

Synopsis

 

At the dawn of the Renaissance, Alfred – the eponymous second son – must discover the special destiny foreseen for him by his grandfather. Now, the unthinkable has happened: Alfred’s brother is king. And it isn’t long before everyone’s worst fears are realized. Traditional allegiances are shattered under a style of rule unknown since the grand bargain that formed the kingdom was struck over two hundred years ago. These will be the most dangerous years of Alfred’s life, forcing him to re-examine his duty to personal honor and to the kingdom, while the threats posed by his brother constantly remind him of his father’s final words of advice. What choices will he have to make to try to protect the things he holds most dear?

 

 

 

 

Guest Post

 

Today we welcome author Pamela Taylor to StoreyBook Reviews and she shares with us what it is like to live with Corgis.  I’m a dog lover and know that dogs have a mind of their own sometimes but their love is unconditional.  Plus they play a role in Pamela’s new book.

 

Corgi Inspiration

“A dog walk, Mom. That’ll get your creative juices flowing. Definitely a dog walk. Like, maybe a dog walk right now?”

I’m pretty sure that’s what Maggi is saying when she comes into the office and contrives to knock my hand away from the mouse or the keyboard. Clearly, she’s thought about this, ’cause she’s pretty short and has to put her forefeet up on my leg to be able to nudge my arm. But she’s a Corgi, so she knows how to get much larger animals to do her bidding. And I have to admit, most of the time, she’s right 🙂

Once you know what to look for, you can see their herding behavior in a lot of the things they do. My other Corgi, Marlo, is really good at telling me where she wants us to go on that dog walk. She gets on the opposite side of me from the direction she wants to go and slowly moves me toward her desired path. If I don’t show signs of cooperating, she’ll circle around me and try again. It’s actually rather fun to watch her do her Corgi thing.

Without the breed being explicitly named, Corgis figure in the Second Son Chronicles. Not just their herding abilities, though that’s how they came to be the denizens of the Royal Kennel, and it’s the role they play in the broader society of the kingdom. Many of their other characteristics feature in the story as well.
They are very loving. They want nothing more than to be with their people – on a walk or sitting on the sofa or playing with a favorite toy or sharing their human’s bed. And they really do smile.

Like some Corgis, Maggi occasionally needs a good FRAP (Frantic Random Activity Period). For her, this means a mad dash around the house, out the back door, circle the yard, back through the house, and back out again, all at top speed. And you’d be astonished how fast a Corgi can run.

They all love belly rubs – and since they often sleep on their backs, there are plenty of opportunities for that. They do shed – they’re double-coated, so they do a major undercoat shed in spring and fall. Marlo says, “No, Mom, we do not shed. We emit magical fibers of joy and love.” They bark when they think something is wrong – lawn-mowing equipment is a frequent demon. But I know they would let me know if something was truly amiss.

And then there’s food. “All kinds of food, Mom. Any kind of food, Mom. We like to eat.” My girls enjoy their kibble, but they also love things like pumpkin, bananas, butternut squash, spinach, cauliflower, cheese, sweet potatoes . . . and, of course, peanut butter. I have to watch their calories or they’d look like little barrels on four legs.

But, best of all, they are just incredibly cute and sweet. Big dog personality in a package you can pick up and cuddle. I love my Corgis.

 

About the Author

 

Pamela Taylor brings her love of history to the art of storytelling in the Second Son Chronicles. An avid reader of historical fact and fiction, she finds the past offers rich sources for character, ambiance, and plot that allow readers to escape into a world totally unlike their daily lives. She shares her home with two Corgis who frequently reminder her that a dog walk is the best way to find inspiration for that next chapter.

 

Website * Series Website * Twitter * Instagram * Facebook

 

 

 

 

Click on the image below to read more from Pamela and

enter the Giveaway that ends 6/28

 

 

This three book series by author Darlene Green is a pathway for shifting your awareness from the de-stabilizing chaos of the external world to the ever-present expression of Love.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Synopsis

 

 

In Service to Love offers a modern day mystery school that elevates your conscious awareness, catalyzing transformation and ultimately enlightenment.

Revealed through daily messages, scribed by Green from the Masters that comprise the Council of Light, you’ll experience your own unique, exquisite process of enlightenment. Each day’s message holds rich frequency. Simple foundational concepts, exercises, meditations, light infusions, and activations guide your experience, allowing your own resonance to reveal truth.

Enlightenment is not a privilege to be earned, it is who you are at your essence. The process of enlightenment uncovers what gets in the way of your greatest expression. With each step made on your unique journey, the experience of your life here and now is enhanced.

In Service to Love masterfully aligns your awareness to your divine nature so you may hear the voice of your soul and create your best life possible.

 

 

 

 

Available to read for free through Kindle Unlimited on Amazon

 

 

 

Guest Post

 

 

In Service to Love: Living on the Edge of Creation

 

In Service to Love began the morning of December 26, 2017. When I awoke, I felt immediately overcome with Love, appreciation, and enveloped in the rich, palpable presence of the sacred divine. I could feel and see the exquisite, brilliant light of Masters, and the Elohim before me. I could do no other than sob. An invitation was extended to sit with the Masters of the Council of Light as Scribe for one year in collaboration. I said, “Yes!” I knew in an instant this was the mission I had always felt at the depths of my being and was so sacredly kept I dared not even utter the words. And “Day 1” poured through my fingers.

I have always been deeply empathic, intuitive and sensitive. This created a chasm between what I sensed and the physical reality I saw. I became an avid student of spirituality and pieces of the puzzle started lining up. I never thought of myself as a writer. My natural inclinations are as a healer and teacher. In 2015 I connected powerfully with my own history as Scribe with profound events at sacred sites in Southern France. I began to practice reaching for the fine frequencies that contain inspiration. It was both beautiful and frustrating as the experience required developing adeptness at sensing my own inner realms. Following a car accident in February of 2017, all work stopped as I turned deeply inward for healing. Then December 26, 2017 occurred.

As I sat down each day to write In Service to Love, I was guided by the Council of Light to what I can only describe as a field of fine, exquisite frequency that contains depth, concepts, pictures, and colors. Each day was written from a different frequency even as my mind struggled to understand the process. Sometimes full concepts landed in my awareness as a picture that contained all the information then, my work was to interpret the picture I was given utilizing words that were a frequency match. Some days I was invited to expand my reach as the Council of Light moved into even finer light realms. Other times there was no thinking at all as the words flowed like honey onto the keyboard.

I continue to live a Master’s class in accessing original thought. At times I work to reach the space of connection and ultimately realize there is some limitation I am taking into the space that clouds my vision. My personality left to its own devices is fraught with doubt. So, my goal is to access my unlimited divine knowing by raising my awareness and frequency. In those moments in meditation I ask, “What may I release that I may see clearly?” Mostly what shows up are ways I discount myself. When I release my limitations, the air clears as I reach my truth unfettered by the beliefs of my personality. An expansive sense of freedom and delight ensues.

 

Two of the keys to access my most potent creativity:

 

1) Immaculate presence in the Now: I visualize myself within a series of concentric circles, with my center-most point being the exquisite stillness of the present moment. When my attention is in the outer-rings I am highly distracted, so, I watch myself walk to my center. There I experience the absence of thought. I take a deep breath and allow.

 

2) Willingness to not know: Accessing my greatest innovative capacity only occurs as I move beyond what I already know. Potent creating is not about rearranging what already has been, it is about accessing my own high frequency field where innovation arises in my awareness only in the Now moment.

 

Central messaging of In Service to Love invites us each to consider our own innovative capacity. Not as something that is unreachable, or only for a few of us, but as something that is deeply, intrinsically connected to our soul’s voice. As we connect to our own heart’s essence, we become the contribution we each intend. I continue to lean into the unknown to move beyond my own limited perceptions as I write daily. I feel the time we are in now requests our best to show up. With works inspired through the lens of our essential Self, how could we be anything else?

I am hoping the works of In Service to Love invites a new perspective for the reader. One that resonates powerfully with their own exquisite truth. Enlightenment is not a state to be earned; it is a natural process where we claim our wholeness. When we gently release the burden of who we are not, who we are shines brilliantly.

 

 

About the Author

 

Highly sensitive, a natural empath, healer, teacher, and scribe, Darlene Green has followed her heart’s direction in the discovery of the sacred in life. After many years of spiritual practice and study, Darlene experienced an invitation by the Masters of the Council of Light to sit with them as a scribe, daily, for one year and one day. The result is the extensive body of work that is In Service to Love, relayed through three books: In Service to Love Book 1: Love Remembered, In Service to Love Book 2: Love Elevated and In Service to Love Book 3: Love Now.

 

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ALL THINGS LEFT WILD

 

by

 

James Wade

 

 

Genre: Adventure / Rural Fiction / Coming of Age

Publisher: Blackstone Publishing

Publication Date: June 16, 2020

Number of Pages: 304 pages

 

Scroll down for the giveaway!

 

 

 

 

After an attempted horse theft goes tragically wrong, sixteen-year-old Caleb Bentley is on the run with his mean-spirited older brother across the American Southwest at the turn of the twentieth century. Caleb’s moral compass and inner courage will be tested as they travel the harsh terrain and encounter those who have carved out a life there, for good or ill.

Wealthy and bookish Randall Dawson, out of place in this rugged and violent country, is begrudgingly chasing after the Bentley brothers. With little sense of how to survive, much less how to take his revenge, Randall meets Charlotte, a woman experienced in the deadly ways of life in the West. Together they navigate the murky values of vigilante justice.

Powerful and atmospheric, lyrical and fast-paced, All Things Left Wild is a coming-of-age for one man, a midlife odyssey for the other, and an illustration of the violence and corruption prevalent in our fast-expanding country. It artfully sketches the magnificence of the American West as mirrored in the human soul.

 

 

Amazon ┃ BookPeople ┃ Bookshop.org┃IndieBound

 

 

Praise

 

“A debut full of atmosphere and awe. Wade gives emotional depth to his dust-covered characters and creates an image of the American West that is harsh and unforgiving, but — like All Things Left Wild — not without hope.” — Texas Literary Hall of Fame member Sarah Bird, Daughter of a Daughter of a Queen

“James Wade has delivered a McCarthy-esque odyssey with an Elmore Leonard ear for dialogue. All Things Left Wild moves like a coyote across this cracked-earth landscape—relentlessly paced and ambitiously hungry.” — Edgar Award finalist David Joy, When These Mountains Burn

 

 

 

Author James Wade gives video answers to questions posed to him for his Lone Star Lit Blog Tour of All Things Left Wild.

 

 

 

 

 

 

James Wade lives and writes in Austin, Texas, with his wife and daughter. He has had twenty short stories published in various literary magazines and journals. He is the winner of the Writers’ League of Texas Manuscript Contest and a finalist of the Tethered by Letters Short Fiction Contest. All Things Left Wild is his debut novel.

 

  Website ║ Facebook ║ Blog

 

Instagram ║  YouTube ║ Goodreads

 

 

 

———————————

 

GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!

 

TWO WINNERS: A signed copy of All Things Left Wild

 

JUNE 18-28, 2020

 

(US ONLY)

 

 

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 

 

Visit the Lone Star Literary Life Tour Page

 

For direct links to each post on this tour, updated daily,

 

or visit the blogs directly:

6/18/20	Author Video	StoreyBook Reviews
6/18/20	Excerpt	Missus Gonzo
6/19/20	Review	Chapter Break Book Blog
6/19/20	Scrapbook	Book Fidelity
6/20/20	Review	That’s What She’s Reading
6/21/20	Author Interview	Forgotten Winds
6/22/20	Review	Reading by Moonlight
6/23/20	Review	The Page Unbound
6/23/20	Guest Post	KayBee’s Book Shelf
6/24/20	Top Ten	The Clueless Gent
6/25/20	Review	Book Bustle
6/25/20	Playlist	All the Ups and Downs
6/26/20	Author Interview	Texas Book Lover
6/27/20	Review	Max Knight
6/27/20	Review	Bibliotica

 

 

 

 

blog tour services provided by

 

 

 

 

 

Grave Consequences (A Bay Island Psychic Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
5th in Series
Publisher: Beyond the Page (May 21, 2020)
Print Length: 194 pages

Synopsis

 

Cass Donovan is reminded that you can’t believe everything you hear, especially when it comes from the dead . . .

When stories begin circulating of a centuries-old ghost haunting the Bay Island lighthouse, Cass is caught up in mystical happenings of her own, with countless voices from the beyond all clamoring for her attention with dire warnings. But before she has a chance to learn whether there’s a connection between the rumored ghost and her restless visitors, the lighthouse keeper mysteriously falls to his death, and Cass’s reputation for communing with the dead lands her right in the middle of the police investigation.

Cass knows the victim was no saint, as he made little effort to hide his philandering ways from his wife or anyone else, and often acted out with no thought for the feelings of others. But had he finally gone too far, or were there more menacing motives behind his murder? As Cass begins building a list of suspects, including the man’s supposedly grieving wife and a mysterious new woman in town, she also turns her ear to those otherworldly voices, hoping for a clue. And as she begins to close in on the culprit, she realizes too late that if she’s not careful, she’ll soon be communicating with the dead in person . . .

 

 

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Guest Post

 

“Mystical Musings – Centerpieces”

 

By

 

Lena Gregory

 

Cass Donovan is the owner of Mystical Musings, a psychic shop on Bay Island, a small island between the north and south forks of Long Island, New York. Though Bay Island is booming during the summer months, when tourists flock to the island beaches, climb to the tops of the lighthouses, and meander through the shops along the boardwalk, business tends to slow down come fall and doesn’t start to pick up again until spring. During the winter, the island is downright deserted, except for the locals. That being the case, she can’t only cater to the tourists.

Most of her business involves doing readings, both individual and group. Her group readings have become so popular, among locals and tourists, she decided to finish a room upstairs to allow room for more tables. But not everyone on Bay Island is receptive to interacting with the dearly departed, so she also stocks a large inventory of crystals, essential oils, and even some small souvenirs.

Her best-selling souvenirs, though, are the ones she makes herself, and they cost almost nothing to make. They are easy enough that anyone can make them, and yet, sometimes she can’t keep up with the demand. She doesn’t often reveal her secrets—it certainly wouldn’t help her business for people to realize they could easily create beautiful centerpieces on their own—but she’s made an exception today.

Mystical Musings sits on one end of the boardwalk. The front of the shop faces the boardwalk, while the back faces the beach, offering a gorgeous view of the bay and the lighthouse from the wide, wrap-around porch. Cass’s house is a fairly short walk down the beach from the shop, which is perfect.

She often grabs a bucket and walks along the beach from home to the shop with her dog, Beast. She collects anything she finds that catches her interest; beach glass, seashells, small rocks, twigs, beach grass, driftwood, even a length of old fishing net. Once in a while, she makes a trip over to Long Island and hits up the antique shops, or even the dollar stores, and picks up glass containers, mason jars, and small candles.

Then she sifts through whatever interesting things she found on the beach and sorts them into jars. Some jars get candles in the center—of course, she’s careful not to put anything flammable in those. Others get beach grass or twigs sticking out the top. If the jars have no fun decorations on them, she often ties a ribbon or a leather cord around them. She sometimes arranges a small bit of fishing net on the table beneath the jars, sets out a few strategically placed pieces of driftwood, and that’s it. You have a beautiful centerpiece at very little cost that takes minutes to make.

She often places them on the tables during her group readings and almost always sells out afterward.

If you decide to give it a try, be sure to post pictures. I’d love to see what you come up with!

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Lena Gregory is the author of the Bay Island Psychic Mysteries, which take place on a small island between the north and south forks of Long Island, New York, the All-Day Breakfast Café Mysteries, which are set on the outskirts of Florida’s Ocala National Forest, and the Puzzle Solvers Mysteries, which take place in a small town on eastern Long Island.

Lena grew up in a small town on the south shore of eastern Long Island, where she still lives with her husband, three kids, son-in-law, and five dogs. Her hobbies include spending time with family, reading, jigsaw puzzles, and walking. Her love for writing developed when her youngest son was born and didn’t sleep through the night. She works full time as a writer and a freelance editor and is a member of Sisters in Crime.

 

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Lady Rosamund and the Poison Pen: A Rosie and McBrae Mystery
Historical Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Publisher: Level Best Books (April 21, 2020)
Paperback: 244 pages

 

Synopsis

Lady Rosamund Phipps, daughter of an earl, has a secret. Well, more than one. Such as the fact that she’s so uninterested in sex that she married a man who promised to leave her alone and stick to his mistress. And a secret only her family knows—the mortifying compulsion to check things over and over. Society condemns people like her to asylums. But when she discovers the dead body of a footman on the stairs, everything she’s tried to hide for years may be spilled out in broad daylight.

First the anonymous caricaturist, Corvus, implicates Lady Rosamund in a series of scandalous prints. Worse, though, are the poison pen letters that indicate someone knows the shameful secret of her compulsions. She cannot do detective work on her own without seeming odder than she already is, but she has no choice if she is to unmask both Corvus and the poison pen.

 

 

 

 

Guest Post

 

In the interest of full disclosure, I am not a character in Lady Rosamund and the Poison Pen. I am an occasional contributor of gossip to the Teatime Tattler, and I was most fortunate in that I was able to arrange an interview with Corvus, the caricaturist in the story who took London society by storm over a year ago.

No one knows Corvus’s real name, or even what he looks like. For the interview, he was completely screened from my sight. All I could discern, judging by his voice and accent, is that he is an Englishman, likely of the merchant class—educated, but lacking what is known as ton. I am relieved to know that he is not a gentleman of birth, for no such man would stoop to publishing vulgar caricatures, making game of the highest and best of English society—including Lady Rosamund Phipps, one of the stars in the firmament of the beau monde.

As if that were not dreadful enough, some of his caricatures indicate that he has a tendre for Lady Rosamund! When I taxed him with his impudence at coveting a lady so far above him, he gave a chuckle that sent a shiver down my spine. “I wouldn’t let just anyone birch me.”

Horrors! How crass of him to refer to that ghastly drawing in which poor Lady Rosamund is doing just that. Can you conceive of anything more insulting—to expose his bare bottom to the world and suggest that Lady Rosamund would enjoy punishing him in such a way?

Although—again, in the interest of full disclosure—I have it on the best authority that Lady Rosamund did indeed say that Corvus deserved a birching. I believe we all agree with that, but never that she wished to inflict the punishment in person. Naturally, she would send a burly footman to accomplish such a disagreeable task.

“Why,” I asked him, “do you put your artistic talent to such a base use?” The reason was obvious—filthy lucre.

He laughed again. “Money, of course. That’s what you expected me to say, isn’t it? And it’s true, they are a valuable means of support for me. But that’s not all.”

“Admiration?” I asked, wishing he could see my brows raised in haughty inquiry.

“It is always a pleasure when one’s art is appreciated by others,” he said. “I’m sure you write gossip for the same reason. Deplorable as gossip is, the way you phrase it is a form of art.”

I admit, I didn’t know whether to be offended or complimented. So much for haughtiness.

I sensed his grin at my expense. “I draw to amuse the populace,” he said after a pause. “To show for their delectation the folly, venality, and indifference of the upper classes. Not that they don’t already suffer from this every day of their lives, but to have it displayed for the lower classes to see and laugh at whilst at the same time it embarrasses their so-called betters… Maybe that’s why I do it.”

There ended the interview, gentle readers. I leave it to you to decide what you think of Corvus, and whether you will continue to enjoy—or deplore—his caricatures. However, I believe we all are agreed in wondering who he is, who will unmask him…and what punishment Lady Rosamund will devise for him when that day comes.

 

 

About the Author

 

Winner of the Holt Medallion, Maggie, Daphne du Maurier, Reviewer’s Choice and Epic awards, Barbara Monajem wrote her first story at eight years old about apple tree gnomes. She published a middle-grade fantasy when her children were young. When they grew up, she turned to writing for adults, first the Bayou Gavotte paranormal mysteries and then Regency romances with intrepid heroines and long-suffering heroes (or vice versa). Some of her Regencies have magic in them and some don’t (except for the magic of love, which is in every story she writes).

Barbara loves to cook, especially soups, and is an avid reader. There are only two items on her bucket list: to make asparagus pudding and succeed at knitting socks. She’ll manage the first but doubts she’ll ever accomplish the second. This is not a bid for immortality but merely the dismal truth. She lives near Atlanta, Georgia with an ever-shifting population of relatives, friends, and feline strays.

 

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Snowed Under (A Maggie McDonald Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
6th in Series
Publisher: Lyrical Press (June 9, 2020)
250 Pages

 

Synopsis

 

When professional organizer Maggie McDonald finds a body in a snowdrift outside her friend’s ski cabin, she must plow through the clues to find a cold-blooded killer . . .

Lake Tahoe in February is beautiful, but Maggie can’t see a thing as she drives through a blinding blizzard with her friend Tess Olmos and their dogs, golden retriever Belle and German shepherd Mozart.Maggie has offered her professional decluttering skills to help Tess tidy up her late husband’s cabin in preparation to sell. She also plans to get in some skiing when her husband Max and their boys join them later in the week.

What she doesn’t plan on is finding a boot in a snowdrift attached to a corpse. The frozen stiff turns out to be Tess’s neighbor, Dev Bailey, who disappeared two months ago. His widow Leslie expresses grief, but Maggie can’t help but wonder if it’s a snow job. As more suspects start to pile up, things go downhill fast, and Maggie must keep her cool to solve the murder before the killer takes a powder . . .

 

 

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Guest Post

 

 

 

Opening lines

 

From the opening scene of Snowed Under:

 

The scene was like every description of a near-death experience I’d ever heard.

I drove through the darkness toward a white light on California’s Interstate 80, east over the Donner Pass toward Lake Tahoe.

Banks of plowed snow towered above the freeway, obliterating what would have been gorgeous mountain vistas if there had been any visibility. What the newscasters had calmly predicted as “winter storm conditions” howled around us, buffeting the car and overpowering my headlights, defroster, and windshield wipers.

For miles, I’d searched for a rest area where I could unclench my hands from the steering wheel, clear ice from the windshield, and take care of more basic human needs. But snow obscured the exit signs and wind erased tire tracks as soon as they formed. My golden retriever, Belle, huffed warm wet breath in my ear. Her pal Mozart panted beside her. My friend Tess Olmos dozed in the passenger seat.

 

Crafting perfect opening lines, paragraphs, and pages for a novel is a task akin to writing a short story. I need to introduce the characters, setting, genre, and stakes in a way that grabs readers and makes them trust my ability to tell a story and keep them entertained. That’s a tall order.

Few authors are able to check all those boxes at once. For example, in Snowed Under, we don’t learn about the “inciting incident” that propels the main character, Maggie McDonald, into her investigation until page nineteen, at the close of the second chapter. That’s later than usual in my books. I took a chance on revealing more about the new environment Maggie finds herself in—a winter landscape completely different from the Mediterranean climate of her home in Silicon Valley. Still, we know right away that the stakes are high, which I hope will help readers hang on for a bit.

The opening pages of Snowed Under are the least revised paragraphs of this novel. The scene is almost identical to the version that first unfolded in my imagination. I think that’s because it works. We find the characters in the midst of a dire situation (a life-threatening blizzard) and introduce the key players immediately. We see Maggie, her best friend Tess, and their dogs (which tell the reader it’s probably a cozy mystery).

It’s a tumultuous beginning, but the danger is outside the car. Inside the car, as with most cozies, the atmosphere is warm and comforting. My hope is that it draws readers in, signaling that they are entering a classic murder mystery format that is cozy, slightly edgy, and pure entertainment. With dogs.

What do you think as a reader? Does the opening atmosphere envelop you or leave you feeling meh? What do you like to read in the opening lines of a cozy mystery?

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Mary Feliz writes the Maggie McDonald Mysteries featuring a Silicon Valley professional organizer and her sidekick golden retriever. She’s worked for Fortune 500 firms and mom and pop enterprises, competed in whale boat races and done synchronized swimming. She attends organizing conferences in her character’s stead, but Maggie’s skills leave her in the dust.

 

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Kelegeen

Historical Fiction

Publisher: BWL Publishing Inc. (March 1, 2018)

Paperback: 433 pages

 

Synopsis

 

Ireland 1846

 

Meg O’Connor, daughter of poor Irish cottiers, eagerly anticipates her wedding to Rory Quinn.  Her dreams of marriage and family vanish along with Ireland’s potato crop when Kelegeen’s inhabitants awaken one morning to find their sole source of food destroyed by blight.

At first Meg and Rory are able to use their skills, hers of sewing and his of wood carving, to provide for themselves and their families.  But tragedy and a costly mistake end those means of survival forcing them into more dangerous ventures.

As An Gorta Mór, the Great Hunger, continues to churn through Ireland ravaging the country’s peasantry with no let up in sight, Meg is compelled to make the most difficult decision of her life.  What she chooses could be the salvation of the O’Connor and Quinn families or it could separate her forever from all she knows and loves.

 

 

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Guest Post

 

Siobhan O’Toole

 

My name is Siobhan O’Toole and I’ve been asked to regale you with tales of my part in the story of Kelegeen. You’ll not believe it, but I’ve never stepped foot in the town of Kelegeen. As it happens, I’m not even alive when the story takes place, but that doesn’t stop me from having a role in it. You see, I was in love, long before that story began, with a man named Brian O’Malley. In Kelegeen you’ll know him as Father O’Malley, but his priestly vocation came after I died. Oh, he’s a good priest, he is. Faithful, devout, completely committed to God and his parishioners. He’d have been just as good a husband and father had I lived long enough for us to marry and give him wee ones. We were everything to each other. That’s why I couldn’t leave him even after I’d died.

You’ll be more comfortable calling him “Father” after you’ve read the book, no doubt, but to me he’ll always be Brian, so don’t think I’m showing disrespect by calling him by his Christian name.

Brian and I met one night when I was playing the fiddle for my brothers who were dancing up a storm. He thought himself bewitched at first sight of me. I can’t say I blame him, what with my long, tangled red hair flashing in the moonlight, me hopping about on a rock while I played a rollicking tune. He came and asked me to dance, so I gave the fiddle to my brother, Quentin, and we danced. From that moment on we were inseparable.

I think Brian was intrigued by the stories, legends really, that he’d heard about my family. The best one being that I had an ancestor who was one of the good people – what you folk would call a fairy. Quentin, being the mischievous sort, told him I was one, as well. He asked me if it was true. He made out like he was only teasing, but I could tell a small part of him actually wondered. I had a grand time with that, I can tell you! I never did give him a proper answer. He may have gone his whole life wondering after it for all I know.

We planned to wed, but it wasn’t to be. I’ll let the story of Kelegeen explain what happened to me and how it led him into the priesthood. Aye, but the ways of God are mysterious indeed.

When you love someone with all your heart and they love you as much, even death does not fully part you. That’s how it was for Brian and me. He talked to me often throughout his life. At times, he believed he felt me with him. Sure enough, he was right. I was always at his side. Always, that is, until he sent me away. But that he did for a noble reason – a reason of selfless giving. He would sacrifice anything for any one of his people including my cherished presence. How could I not love him all the more for that? How could I not do what he asked of me?

 

 

About the Author

 

Eileen O’Finlan calls her writing “history with a twist” because she is intrigued by the unusual and little known aspects of history – the stories on history’s margins, the things rarely taught in the classroom. For her, that’s where history really gets fun.

Born in Springfield, Massachusetts, her family moved to Worcester when she was two.  Four years later they moved to Holden where Eileen grew up and where she now resides with her 93 year old mother and two cats.

Eileen holds a Bachelor’s degree in history and a Master’s Degree in Pastoral Ministry.  She works full time for the Diocese of Worcester and teaches online courses in Catholic studies for the University of Dayton, Ohio.  She is proud to say that Pope Francis owns a copy of her debut novel, Kelegeen.  Erin’s Children, the sequel to Kelegeen, will be released by BWL Publishing, Inc. in December of 2020.

 

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