Posted in chick lit, fiction, Giveaway, Spotlight, women on August 20, 2021

 

 

 

 

What’s Not Said by Valerie Taylor

 

Adult Fiction 18+

 

Genre: Women’s Fiction, Chick Lit

 

Publisher: She Writes Press, 300 pages

 

Release date: September 2020

 

2021 International Book Awards Finalist in Fiction: Women’s Fiction

 

2020 Canadian Book Club Awards Finalist in Fiction

 

Chosen as an August 2021 Pulpwood Queens Book Club selection

 

Featured by the international NoMo Book Club in May 2021

 

 

“Taylor’s dialogue is snappy and contemporary . . . A witty and often amusing marriage drama.” ―Kirkus Reviews

 

 

Synopsis

 

What’s Not Said is a story about Kassie O’Callaghan, a middle-aged woman on a mission to divorce her emotionally abusive husband and start a new life with a younger man she met while on a solo vacation in Venice. When she learns her husband has chronic kidney disease, her plans collapse until she pokes around his pajama drawer and discovers his illness is the least of his deceits.

Then again, Kassie is no angel. The separate lives they lead collide head-on into a tangled web of sex, lies, and DNA. As she helps her husband find an organ donor, Kassie uncovers a secret, forcing her to decide whose life to save: her husband’s or her own.

 

 

Amazon ~ Book Depository

 

Indie Bound ~ Bookshop.org

 

B&N ~ GooglePlay

 


WHAT’S NOT SAID eBook Sale – only $1.99!!

Beginning the afternoon of August 9 and ending September 7, wherever you buy eBooks in the U.S.

 

 

Guest Post

 

Eleven True Obstacles to Writing that Novel

 

By Valerie Taylor

 

Author of What’s Not Said (She Writes Press, 2020) and What’s Not True (She Writes Press, August 2021)

 

 

Writer’s block is often blamed as the primary obstacle why people don’t write. “I just don’t have the time,” also ranks high as an excuse. Spending countless hours on research can clearly divert attention from the ultimate goal of creating a singular, unique work of art: your novel.

 

But then, I digress. Here are eleven true obstacles to writing that story that’s burning inside you:

 

  1. You have nowhere to sit—your “To Be Read” pile has appropriated your chair.
  2. The fingers on your keyboard are screaming, “Get a Manicure!”
  3. It’s raining. Better check if the roof is leaking.
  4. It’s sunny. Who wants to write, when you can be outside?
  5. Your dog brought you the leash. Time for that walk!
  6. Your cat is sprawled across your keyboard. Purrrrr. Now what?
  7. The trash needs to be brought out to the curb.
  8. The trash cans need to be brought in.
  9. The garden needs weeding before the neighbors start talking.
  10. You have 300 new emails to read; and at least 100 to write.
  11. Better count how many rolls of toilet paper are left…just because!

 

So, why eleven obstacles and not the typical list of ten? When I sat down to write this article, I envisioned ten. But as I wrote, more ideas flowed, proving once you start writing, obstacles fade and magic can happen.

 

Your magic.

 

The best reason to write is because no one knows your story but you, and there are millions of readers out there whose life will be better served when you sweep your obstacles aside. After all, tomorrow is another day.

 

 

About the Author

 

Valerie Taylor was born and raised in Stamford, Connecticut. She earned a B.S. Marketing degree and an MBA from Sacred Heart University, as well as a graduate certificate in health care administration from Simmons University (formerly Simmons College). She had a thirty-year career in the financial services industry as a marketer and writer. Valerie is a published book reviewer with BookTrib.com; and a member of Westport Writers’ Workshop, Independent Book Publishers Association, and Women’s Fiction Writers Association. She enjoys practicing tai chi and being an expert sports spectator.

 

Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Instagram ~ Goodreads

 

 

Giveaway

 

Enter to win 1 of 5 print, or 1 of 5 ebooks, or a $20 Amazon Gift Card! (11 winners/USA only) (ends Sep 3)

WHAT’S NOT SAID Spotlight Book Tour Giveaway


Posted in fiction, Spotlight on August 13, 2021

 

 

Synopsis

 

Part 2 presents the continuation of the malicious agenda of Doctor Bates and will leave you in a trance of shock with its vigorous narrative. A moment ago, it seemed, it was yesterday full of happiness. Tomorrow it is a matter of survival for Mary as her life is on the brink of insanity to her Knight in Shining Armor. Loving him was all she ever had.
As she meets Drake again she becomes a slave in the madness of love. Before Mary notices the dangerous life, she gets deeply trapped in Drake’s dodgy mesh. It’s too late for her to escape. Fraud, lies, dominance, torment, and the complexity of an abusive relationship evolve, and will unexpectedly be a new part of Mary’s life. Drake’s sinister betrayal sneaks slowly in as he lures Mary like a ravenous wolf in sheep’s clothing.

Mary will experience love, hatred, and deception; however, will she continue to be Drake’s victim in his mystiques and hefty deceptions he gets during the nights? On the outside, it seems Drake is loving and has a high IQ, above normal. On the inside, he is a devious psychopath. The story will drastically unfold to a complexity of a love drama, crime, fraud, and Drake’s delusions of grandeur.

At a secluded area outside Hong Kong, the mafia attempt to kill Drake. We will follow the two sweethearts in how they try to escape from the difficulties with the Asian Mafia. With lightning speed, three creepy guys and the mafia boss run into the Hotel to search for Drake.

Not only once, but several times the two lovebirds are on the run in the shadowy darkness of the night, because Drake steals and frauds his business associates.

 

 

Amazon

 

 

 

About the Author

 

M. L. Stark wrote the “Burning Desire” series based on experiences from her personal life. After a marriage of over 20 years, she was divorced and met a new man that mentally abused her. Now, Stark is on the other side of that relationship and is reflecting on that entire experience. By sharing her story in a fictionalized account, Stark hopes to connect with real women and deter them from facing a toxic man in their lives. Currently, Stark resides in Bournemouth, Dorset.

 

Website * Twitter * Facebook

 

 

 

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Comments Off on Spotlight – Burning Desire Fades by M.L. Stark @MLStark1 #fiction
Posted in fiction, Spotlight on August 10, 2021

 

 

Synopsis

 

Psychopathy is the only mental disorder where it is not the patient, but the environment that suffers. – Sanne Udsen, Psychopath’s in Suits.

Mary is an established woman. Her lifespan is a petrifying mess. This is about dating a truly creepy sociopath, one who swindled himself through life. A self-absorbed, lying person using people. He presents himself with a public persona of normalcy. She could not see what lay behind the dark shade of Drake Lucifer Bates. He was inappropriately flirting with her; he was a doctor and she was his patient. During a treatment session, he goes too far. Does he get hard when he treats patients? It was too late for her to escape. Unintended she becomes captured in his mean spider web. Drake won her compassion with his enormous intellect and glimmering charm. Something vastly magical happened around him. She begins a passionate love affair with him. Their life seemed blissful on the outside. Behind his malicious plan, it was chilling. Trusting him with her fragile life, she doesn’t see he is like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Believing him was fatal. Swindle wealthy patients, was his primary target. His manipulative behavior and scams end disastrously for Mary. She is a character in his horror movie. He sinks into his mania of deceives and lies. He is a predator! She doesn’t know anything about psychopaths. How does she figure out what she can expect from such people? Her life was never the same, but she learned from his evilness. The story is fictional, but it contains ideas based on real events. This is part one of the Burning Desire trilogy. It will obsess you.

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

M. L. Stark wrote the “Burning Desire” series based on experiences from her personal life. After a marriage of over 20 years, she was divorced and met a new man that mentally abused her. Now, Stark is on the other side of that relationship and is reflecting on that entire experience. By sharing her story in a fictionalized account, Stark hopes to connect with real women and deter them from facing a toxic man in their lives. Currently, Stark resides in Bournemouth, Dorset.

 

Website * Twitter * Facebook

 

 

 

 

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Comments Off on Spotlight – Burning Desires by M.L. Stark @MLStark1
Posted in Cozy, Monday, mystery, Spotlight on August 9, 2021

 

 

 

 

Much Ado about Nauticaling (A Whit and Whiskers Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Publisher: Kensington (July 27, 2021)
Paperback: 256 pages

 

Synopsis

 

Whitney Dagner is your tour guide to a Pacific paradise that’s to die for—only to find it’s a place people are also willing to kill for—in Gabby Allan’s Much Ado About Nauticaling, first in the Whit and Whiskers Mystery series.

 

After far too many years in the Los Angeles corporate world, Whitney Dagner has come home to Santa Catalina Island off the California coast to help her brother Nick run Nautically Yours, the family tourism business. Between gift shop shifts selling all manner of T-shirts and tchotchkes and keeping her feline Whiskers in fine fettle, she pilots the Sea Bounder, a glass bottom boat showing tourists the underwater sights of aquatic plants, marine life—and a murder victim?

The self-proclaimed “Master of the Island,” Jules Tisdale was a wealthy man with business interests throughout Catalina who was about to be honored as Person of the Year before someone strangled him with his own tie and tossed his body into the water. That someone appears to be Nick, who had a raw deal from Jules and no alibi the night of his murder. To clear her brother’s name, Whit will have to investigate Jules’ shady associates and not exactly grief-stricken family members—with the unwelcome help of Felix Ramirez, police diver and Whit’s ex-boyfriend who’s looking to rekindle their relationship.

 

 

Amazon – B&N – Kobo – Google Play – IndieBound

 

 

About the Author

 

After writing plays for her friends to act out as a kid, bad poetry in high school, and her high school Alma Mater song, GABBY ALLAN finally found her true passion—cozy mysteries. Being able to share her world with readers, one laugh at a time, and touch people’s hearts with her down-to-earth characters makes for the best job ever. This California girl now lives with her husband, daughter, and two insane dogs in Central Pennsylvania where she is hard at work on her next novel.

 

Website * Facebook

 

 

 

Posted in Book Release, excerpt, romance, Spotlight on July 4, 2021

 

 

 

 

Synopsis

 

Hamza Ali is ready to get married, fall in love and live happily ever after. The only problem is, he’s about to marry one woman but falls in love with another… So how will he find his happily ever after?

After watching his brother’s disastrous love marriage fall to pieces, Hamza decides that the only marriage for him is an arranged one. In Mahrukh, his family finds him the perfect bride. But while Mahrukh may be the perfect bride, it’s her divorced aunt Noorain who is the perfect woman for him.

Noorain Alam has never loved or been loved. Until the day her niece gets engaged to a man who is completely out of her reach and yet, he’s everything she never knew she wanted.
Blindsided by the strength of emotion they feel for each other, Noorain and Hamza find themselves in a battle for their happiness. But will love win? Or will family and duty stand in their way?

 

 

 Amazon.in * Amazon.com

 

 

Excerpt

 

The last thing Hamza Ali wanted, was to be late. But given the traffic and his own state of mind, he knew that it was a foregone conclusion. He just had to grit his teeth and bear it, even as he tamped down on the anxiety spiralling inside.

His phone rang and he answered it on Bluetooth, knowing that Ammi was frantic with worry.

‘I know, I know…’ he said in a placating manner.

‘They’re already here!’ Ammi said in a loud whisper.

‘I’m on my way, Ammi. I’ll be there in another fifteen minutes,’ he said.

‘Fifteen minutes?’ Ammi yelped. ‘But…’

‘I’m driving. I’ll reach sooner if I’m not talking to you.’ Saying so, he disconnected the call and focused on reaching home.

Today, of all days he had a presentation that ran late. He’d tried to explain to his boss that he needed to be home early but of course that hadn’t been possible. Kannan didn’t like to listen to excuses or anything personal when work was involved and Hamza knew better than to tell him the real reason he needed to be home early today.

People were coming to see him.

Yes. A girl’s family actually. He had told Ammi that he was ready for marriage and it would be a good idea if she started looking for potential brides for him. Ammi had been only too pleased to comply.

His twin brother Hamdaan thought he was being an unnecessary martyr by opting for an arranged marriage.

‘What would you know?’ Hamza snapped at him, annoyed. Hamdaan had a love marriage and then, when that fell through, he had an arranged marriage where he fell deeply in love with his wife Ghazal.

This just convinced him that not everyone was cut out for a grand love affair and anyway, this was what his parents wanted. He wanted to give them that happiness. At the cost of your own, Hamdaan asked.

‘What guarantee is there that a love marriage will be better?’ Hamza asked him. Hamdaan nodded.

‘I know, but…’

‘And you did have an arranged marriage with Ghazal and you two seem to be just fine,’ he reminded him.

‘Well, that’s because I got incredibly lucky,’ Hamdaan commented, a smile on his face as he thought of his wife probably.

Hamza glanced at his face in the rear-view mirror at a traffic signal and sighed. There wasn’t going to be any time to even wash his face, let alone shower, if the girl’s family had already reached home. Ammi had been slightly put out when she heard that they wanted to vet him first, and if he was a good enough candidate, she and Ghazal Bhabhi could go and see the girl and take things forward.

‘That’s how everyone does it these days,’ the broker aunty informed Ammi. The broker aunty who brought the rishta was a fascinating specimen, with her smartphone full of biodatas and photos of potential brides and bridegrooms. Hamza had looked at her paraphernalia, eyes wide that day when she wanted to ‘see’ him before finding the right rishta.

‘First they see the boy and if he’s good, then you can see the girl. That way, the girl is not unnecessarily exposed, na?’ she asked, moving the paan she’d been chewing, around inside her mouth.

‘Fine, Arifa Apa. Whatever you say,’ Ammi said.

Now, he felt the slightest bit of apprehension inside when he wondered about this stranger who could possibly become a part of his life soon. But he had wanted this, right? In fact, he had gone on to convince Hamdaan to get married again so that it would clear the way for him to get married.

His phone rang again.

‘Ammi,’ he groaned out aloud but then saw that it wasn’t his mother but it was Ghazal.

‘Yes, Bhabhi,’ he answered as the car moved forward in the traffic finally. It felt odd, calling her Bhabhi since she was so much younger than him but it added to the decorum and formality in their relationship, which was something he liked.

‘How far away from home are you?’ she asked softly.

‘Around ten minutes, tops,’ he said.

‘Okay, so don’t park in front of the house. Park behind, and I’ll be waiting near the kitchen door. You can hop inside from there and freshen up in your room, Hamza Bhai,’ she said.

‘Oh. Oh thank god!’ he muttered, feeling slightly better.

‘Don’t thank me yet. Ammi is having kittens and puppies and she won’t rest easy until you’re here,’ Ghazal said.

‘You hold her off, Bhabhi!’ he said as he stepped down on the accelerator to reach home as soon as he could.

Twenty minutes later, he emerged from his room, his face still shiny with water droplets. He took the towel from Ghazal gratefully and scrubbed his face and she winced.

‘It’s your face. Not a dirty vessel and Scotch Brite,’ she admonished him as she took the towel from his hands.

Ammi didn’t know that he was back home yet and she looked at him surprised when she came out from the kitchen, just as he was tucking his shirt inside properly. He had barely had a chance to look at himself in the mirror and he was worried about making the wrong sort of impression but Ghazal assured him that he looked fine.

‘When did you…where were…’ she trailed off.

‘Ask Bhabhi,’ he said with a smile as he kissed his mother soundly on her cheek. She did some nazar utarofy thing for him and smiled at Ghazal, even as she put her hand on her chest.

‘Go now,’ she said. Nodding, he walked into the living room where Hamdaan and Abba were speaking to the men who had come to see him.

‘Sorry, I’m a bit late,’ Hamza said as he walked up and shook hands with the three men who stood up when they saw him.

The men looked from Hamdaan to him and one of them smiled. ‘Amazing how much you two look alike,’ he said.

Hamza nodded and then, his father indicated that he should sit down on the sofa. The men all sat down and they started talking.

The mad pounding in his chest finally eased down enough and he almost relaxed until he remembered why he was here.

The middle-aged man in the centre, wearing the white shirt with black stripes, left untucked was apparently the bride’s father. He wore a namaz topi on his head and he had a beard. Hamza smiled at him as he spoke, but he was instantly curious about the girl’s family and what sort of person she was.

He also didn’t know her name yet. A droplet of sweat trickled down his back in a straight line when he realised the enormity of what he was getting into. He didn’t even know the name of the girl he was willing to marry, let alone what she looked like. And somehow, he felt that if he asked her name, it would put him and his family on the back foot. He should have asked Ghazal, he realised.

‘Have some tea,’ one of the men offered to him and he nodded. He leaned forward and picked up a tea cup and his gaze met his brother’s, who lifted an eyebrow sardonically.

The two of them were connected intrinsically, as they were twins and there were times when they could have a complete non-verbal exchange between them and no one would be the wiser.

You asked for this.

Hamza nodded slightly and he looked up at his brother defiantly. Yeah. So what?

Just wondering if you know what you’re getting into.

Shut up.

Hamdaan hid his smile as he sipped his tea and mentally, Hamza flipped him off but responded to the questions being asked of him.

When the ordeal was finally over, the three men got up and shook hands with him once more. They shook hands with Hamdaan and the bride’s father even hugged Abba as they left.

‘Satisfied?’ Hamdaan turned to him as soon as the men departed.

‘Yes,’ Hamza said, rolling his eyes. Abba returned just then before the two of them could get into an argument.

‘They’ve asked us to come and see the girl tomorrow,’ Abba announced, a smile on his face. ‘Your Ammi and Ghazal will be going.’

Hamza’s heart pounded again. It was finally happening.

‘What’s her name?’ he asked and Hamdaan gave a short laugh.

‘Not one person back in college would have believed you to be capable of this,’ he said.

‘Of what? And you wouldn’t know since you didn’t study with me,’ Hamza retorted.

‘Her name is Mahrukh,’ Ghazal said softly as she came into the living room. Hamdaan beamed at her as she went and sat down beside him. One of the girls who worked in the house followed her and she collected the tea cups and deposited them on the tray.

‘Like Shahrukh?’ Hamza asked sceptically.

Ammi chuckled. ‘No. Mahrukh is a girl’s name. It means someone who looks like the moon.’

‘It’s a beautiful name,’ Ghazal assured him.

And what of the girl, he wondered. Was she beautiful too?

 

About the Author

 

Andaleeb Wajid is the author of 27 published novels and she writes across different genres such as romance, YA and horror. Her horror novel It Waits was shortlisted at Mami Word to Screen 2017 and her Young Adult series, The Tamanna Trilogy has been optioned for screen by a reputed production house. Andaleeb’s novel When She Went Away was shortlisted for The Hindu Young World Prize in 2017. Andaleeb is a hybrid author who has self-published more than 10 novels in the past two years.

 

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Posted in excerpt, Giveaway, Spotlight, Texas, Thriller on June 26, 2021

 

 

 

 

EL PASO SUNRISE

 

& EL PASO SUNSET

 

by Louis Bodnar

 

 

Publisher: Morgan James Fiction

 

Pub Date: September 24th, 2019 | January 5th, 2021

 

Pages: 292 | 238

 

Categories: Thriller / Terrorism / Conspiracy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

El Paso Sunrise

 

From a Constitutional Republic to a Marxist Dictatorship led by a Muslim President in a Second American Civil War 

“Kill him,” the gravelly voice said on the speaker to the cream of the Russian and Muslim terrorist assassination squad infiltrating America from Canada and on their way to El Paso to kill lawyer Steven Vandorol.  Steven was leading the Texas prosecution of Federal government corruption and with national implications before the fall presidential election.

El Paso Sunrise is the first of two stand-alone novels that together tell a grand story of love, passion, intense hate, violence and horror all brought keenly alive against the intentional radical transformation of America in a Second American Civil War by progressives, Muslim radicals and the American Left from a Constitutional Republic.  It is also a portrayal of a future with the literal choking of Canada, Great Britain, Europe, the Middle East, particularly the sovereign State of Israel by Islamist radicals, ISIL, Hezbollah, Hamas and the spreading cancerous malignancy of a worldwide Muslim Caliphate.

Steven Vandorol had it all but lost everything when he fell hard from grace in the ultra-rich Sunbelt.  Escaping to Washington, D.C., he found himself embroiled in evil, corruption, sexual obsession and addiction but, confronting his own demons, found peace and serenity in El Paso.

Then stunning Vanessa Carson, Steven’s attorney friend and confidant amid the evil of D.C. brings her sunshine smile back into his life in El Paso and together as one, face their worst nightmares or rape, kidnapping and murder during the ultimate crises of a second American civil war started by powerful forces and only Steven and Vanessa stand in their way . . .

While El Paso Sunrise is a graphic story of evil in this world, it is also a timeless love story about goodness, faith, grace and friendship blossoming during a national emergency — a clarion call to the world to remember what truly matters — asking the question . . .

Can Steven force his own country and government to face their own demons before it’s too late?

 

 

 *LouisBodnar |Amazon | Barnes and Noble

 

 

El Paso Sunset

 

Within El Paso Sunset, Steven and his friend, Vanessa Carson, face their worst nightmare of rape, kidnapping, and murder during the ultimate crisis of a Second American Civil War started by dark, sinister, and shadowy forces and only Steven and Vanessa stand in the way. El Paso Sunset is the second and continuation of two stand-alone novels that together make a story of love, passion, obsession, intense hate, pure evil, violence, and horror, all brought keenly alive against the panorama of the radical transformation of the great American Constitutional Republic.

 

 

*Louis Bodnar | Amazon | Barnes and Noble

 

*Special Discount if you buy both books through Louis Bodnar’s Website

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER ONE, PART ONE FROM

 

EL PASO SUNSET

 

BY LOUIS BODNAR

 

 

She was parked on the corner of Wilmot and Parkland Street in the west El Paso Walmart Supercenter parking lot. It was packed with almost a thousand cars of all shapes, sizes, and colors, but the majority were white, the norm in El Paso as citizens sought that color’s protection against the burning sun.

It was early afternoon in the unusually hot late December day. People were coming and going, shopping for New Year’s Day festivities and imminent football-watching parties.

Her targets were in a neighborhood three blocks away. She had scouted the home and the neighborhood near Coronado High School several times in the evenings. She was ready to carry out her assignment as a professional who did all her jobs very well. She enjoyed her work immensely and derived great satisfaction from it. She was a killer.

She was in a nondescript white Nissan Sentra with darkly tinted windows, gray interior, its engine idling, and the air conditioning on full blast—right in the middle of the parking lot next to cars almost identical to hers. She glanced at the car’s digital clock. 1:10 p.m. It was time. She had allotted one hour for her job. She was a very thorough professional.

She turned off the engine, stepped out of the car, locked the doors, and started walking toward Wilmot Street.

She could have easily passed for a high school senior. Her long, dark hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and she wore mirror-dark black sunglasses, their large lenses hiding most of her face, and a Dallas Cowboys hat. With no makeup on except for lip gloss, she was gorgeous. She wore a Coronado High School Thunderbird football jersey, sweatpants, and black Nike running shoes. A 9mm Beretta M9 semiautomatic, with silencer, was tucked against the small of her back on a belt, hidden by the jersey.

She also had a North Face backpack containing a nylon face mask, lip gloss, surgical gloves, and two extra clips of ammo. She was ready and getting a little excited as she always did before an assignment.

The sun was straight up in the sky, brilliant and white hot. Its glare made it hard to see in the burning haze.

She slowly walked across the parking lot, passing cars radiating and reflecting the sun. She couldn’t ignore the acrid smell of hot asphalt and gasoline. She seemed to be walking in a sun-city hell until she reached Wilmot Street. Looking both ways, she saw no cars coming, so she walked across to Parkland Street. She walked slowly to the right and continued down the block. All appeared deserted except for an occasional tricycle or other toys in the driveways. No one was braving the oppressive midday heat.

These streets had large, well-kept homes with long driveways and sprawling, landscaped lawns filled with desert plants, succulents, and silvery rock, which was, again, the norm in El Paso. Mesquite and acacia trees, plentiful all-around, gave shady respite from the searing sun.

The homes were large, mostly white and gray stucco with large windows, many with boxlike sun-reflecting awnings. Spanish modern architecture was prevalent in this expensive and ostentatious part of west El Paso.

She casually turned up on Vista del Sol and walked to number 1055, her final destination. She stopped and looked all around, turning slowly and scanning the nearby homes and the entire neighborhood. She checked the mailbox, opening it with the back of her hand. The mail had apparently been delivered as the box had a few envelopes. As she closed it back again the same way, she looked across the street. All window blinds were down. She could see the heat rising from the rooftops, the sun still blinding. She shaded her eyes to check again: all deserted, all garage doors down. She was completely alone.

She followed the cement walkway to the side of the house, took out the gloves from the backpack, put them on, and went through the gate to the backyard. As she closed the rough, cedar gate behind her, she noticed the backyard was completely surrounded by an eight-foot privacy wooden fence.

The backyard was large and ran the entire length of the house. It had two large, old elm trees that canopied most of the yard, lowering the temperature by twenty degrees at least. The landscaping was exquisite, with brick flower beds full of succulents and cacti, all professionally arranged. A huge rainbow playset sat between the trees. With its plastic slides and swings and a wooden playhouse on top, she thought it was probably very expensive.

The patio was to the right and was covered with a huge Sunshade retractable awning. She also noticed a massive built-in barbeque grill, two tables, chairs, two chaise lounges, and a small, plastic kiddie pool half full of water.

She walked to the glass patio doors, which had heavy, light tan curtains drawn, and tried the sliding glass door. It was unlocked, so she slid it open. All was dark and cool inside. She stepped in and was shrouded by the curtain. She stood behind it and waited. She knew no one was home. After a few seconds, she backed to an opening and was inside the family den.

She took out the sheer nylon mask, hesitated a moment, then put it back in the backpack. I won’t be needing a mask, she thought and smiled. She walked into the kitchen. Getting a glass from a cabinet, she filled it with water from the dispenser on the fridge, opened the door, got out a pear, and sat down on a bar stool. She took out the Beretta, tightened the screw-on silencer, chambered a round, put the weapon on the counter, took a drink, bit into the pear, and chewed as she waited.

 

Starting 6/27/21, click to continue reading chapter one on Chapter Break Book Blog

 

 

 

 

Louis Bodnar is a retired attorney currently living in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, with his wife Joan.  As a naturalized American citizen, he was born in Vilshofen, Germany, immigrated to Brazil with his mother and brother, and came to America in 1958.

He was educated in the United States in Oklahoma, receiving an undergraduate degree from Oklahoma State University, a Juris Doctorate from the University of Oklahoma, and was a candidate for an LLM in International and Comparative Law at Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C.

 

Website Amazon | Facebook | Twitter

 

BookBub | Instagram

 

 

GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!

 

ONE WINNER receives autographed copies of the two-volume set of the El Paso books.

 

(US only; ends midnight, CDT, July 2, 2021)

 

 

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

 

 

Visit the  Lone Star Literary Life Tour Page

for direct links to participating blogs, updated daily,

or visit the blogs directly

 

 

6/22/21 Excerpt Book One Texas Book Lover
6/22/21 BONUS Promo LSBBT Blog
6/23/21 Review Book One Forgotten Winds
6/24/21 Guest Post It’s Not All Gravy
6/25/21 Dual Review Bibliotica
6/26/21 Excerpt Book Two StoreyBook Reviews
6/27/21 Excerpt Book Two Chapter Break Book Blog
6/28/21 Review Book Two The Clueless Gent
6/29/21 Author Interview Hall Ways Blog
6/30/21 Dual Review Reading by Moonlight
7/1/21 Series Spotlight Missus Gonzo

 

 

 

 

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Posted in Book Release, romance, Spotlight on June 9, 2021

 

 

Synopsis

 

Mitchell Sorrow wallows in a major funk after his decades-long crush leaves town for good. Intent on powering through, he throws himself into his work as an EMT at Smithville Regional Hospital. He’ll steer clear of women, especially those who love their careers more than people.

Jackie Myers, chief development officer at a hospital association, is determined to climb the corporate ladder. The best way to do that is to show upper management she’s capable of making tough decisions, such as closing a fledgling rural hospital. When she’s assigned to visit Smithville under the guise of writing an article about small-town life, she’ll easily assess how dire the hospital situation really is.

After suffering an allergic reaction at the fall festival, Jackie blabs the true reason for her visit. Desperate to save the hospital, Mitch agrees to a deal. In exchange for keeping her secret, he gets one week to convince her the hospital is essential. But the more time they spend together, the more complicated things become. Mitch begins to open his heart, and Jackie’s decision becomes nearly impossible. He may never forgive her, and she’ll lose the only guy who can take her breath away – no Epi pen required.

 

 

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About the Author

 

After several decades of writing medical research documents, Cindy decided to switch gears and write stories where the chances of happy endings are 100% and the side effects include satisfied sighs, permanent smiles, and a chuckle or two.  She writes romance novels with a slice of humor that ranges from historical romance to southern fried romantic comedies. Her young adult debut novel, Tuned Into You (BookFish Books) was released in June 2016 and her adult sweet romance, Left Hanging (Red Adept Publishing) was released in March 2017. In A Jam (Red Adept Publishing) was released summer of 2018.

Cindy was born in Texas and raised in Georgia.  She received her Bachelor’s Degree from Kennesaw State University and her Master’s Degree from The University of Georgia.  Cindy enjoys gardening, reading, bodybuilding, and a whole bunch of movies.  She can be overheard quoting lines from her favorite movies… a lot.  But her favorite pastime is spending time with Mark, her bass playing husband, Maddie Rose, the coolest girl on the planet, and fur child Daisy Mae.  She currently resides in Nashville, TN where live music can be heard everywhere, even at the grocery store.

 

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Posted in Book Release, excerpt, Fantasy, Spotlight on May 22, 2021

 

 

Synopsis

 

The rebels are losing the intergalactic war.

They need a prototype of the Deg’Nara’s latest weapon, a planet-killer, to survive. A covert operations team is tasked with finding and retrieving the weapon. Their mission is proceeding as planned when it goes horribly wrong.  Ashyr, a space pirate, swoops in and literally tears the weapon from the team’s hands.

Cam can’t let that happen. Impetuous, reckless, and determined to retrieve it at all costs, she throws herself onto Ashyr’s ship and the battle begins.

 

 

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Excerpt

 

Thrall glanced over Ashyr’s shoulder, his eyes widened as he muttered an oath and then seemed to vanish into thin air.

A tall, beautiful female shoved her way through the crowd and threw herself on Ashyr. Long, slender arms draped his neck.

“Where have you been?” she gushed as she attempted to plant a kiss on his jawline.

Ashyr’s face flushed deep red. His lips pressed together in a tight line. None too gently, he grasped her arms and pushed her back.

“What do you want Leasara?”

The female affected a charming pout. “I’ve been waiting too many cycles for your return.” Her well-shaped head tilted and the long mane of auburn hair fell across her shoulder. “I’ve decided to forgive you and move back in.”

“I don’t want you back,” he muttered. From his tensing stance, Cam could tell he wasn’t too happy to see the new arrival.

Curled around Cam’s neck, Bella’s small body stiffened and then she hissed, showing a double line of needle-like teeth. Cam rubbed her chin against the little creature, unconsciously soothing her as she watched the interchange, noting with interest Ashyr’s sudden downward change of attitude. The tall female either seemed not to notice or didn’t care. She inched a few steps forward, narrowing the gap between them.

“I said I’ve decided to forgive you. We can pretend this silly separation never happened.”

“And I replied that I don’t want you back or did you miss that part of this conversation?”

Leasara’s painted lips pursed in a sexy moue. “I certainly understand that you might harbor some displeasure about our little…misunderstanding before you left, but I’m sure we can fix whatever the problem is and move forward. I’m certainly willing.”

“The problem is already fixed,” he growled. “You just don’t seem to realize it.”

The interlude was beginning to wear on Cam’s nerves. Tall and beautiful wasn’t backing down and he wasn’t making any progress in the battle of the sexes. It was time for the big guys to step in.

She clapped her hands together, feigning childish excitement. “Oh my God! It’s Alien Barbie doll—in the flesh.” She fingered a lock of Leasara’s auburn hair. “I always wanted one when I was young but,” she heaved a sad sigh, “we were too poor.”

 

 

About the Author

 

I write stories with alpha males and strong, determined women.

I am a dreamer, an avid reader of fiction, a sometimes gardener and an inept crafter. I live in Idaho. I have three sons, two daughters-in-law, a granddaughter and little grandson. Over the years, I taught and performed dance but as time passed, I decided to try my hand at a new endeavor – writing. I enjoy life and all its promises.

 

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Posted in Cozy, Giveaway, mystery, Spotlight on April 25, 2021

 

 

 

 

Legally Blind Luck (Braxton Campus Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
7th in Series
Independently published (April 15, 2021)
Gumshoe – A Next Chapter Imprint
Paperback: 295 pages

 

Synopsis

 

Surprising new family members. A hidden talisman. Deadly curses. Murder. Months after tragically losing a loved one, Kellan learns his relative’s death wasn’t an accident.

Someone has discovered a cursed talisman, and a rogue government agent will stop at nothing to retrieve the heirloom. Unfortunately, it has already changed hands and found its way on campus. Moments before Braxton’s controversial art exhibition opens, Kellan stumbles upon another murder victim, and it appears he might be next on the avenger’s list.

Can Kellan protect the talisman’s true heir and prevent the killer’s nefarious plan? Given all the suspects have ties to prominent Braxton citizens, he’s uncertain whom to trust. Together, Kellan and Sheriff April are determined to solve the mystery – via legal means or blind luck.

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Background

James is my given name, but most folks call me Jay. I live in New York City, grew up on Long Island, and graduated from Moravian College, an historic but small liberal arts school in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, with a degree in English literature and minors in Education, Business and Spanish. After college, I accepted a technical writing position for a telecommunications company during Y2K and spent the last ~20 years building a career in technology & business operations in the retail, sports, media, hospitality, and entertainment industries. Throughout those years, I wrote short stories, poems, and various beginnings to the “Great American Novel,” but I was so focused on my career that writing became a hobby. In 2016, I committed to focusing my energies toward reinvigorating a second career in reading, writing, and publishing.

 

Author

Writing has been a part of my life as much as my heart, mind, and body. At some points, it was just a few poems or short stories; at others, it was full length novels and stories. My current focus is family drama fiction, cozy mystery novels, and suspense thrillers. I conjure characters and plots that I feel must be unwound. I think of situations people find themselves in and feel compelled to tell the story. It’s usually a convoluted plot with many surprise twists and turns. I feel it necessary to take that ride all over the course. My character is easily pictured in my head. I know what he is going to encounter or what she will feel. But I need to use the right words to make it clear.

 

Reader & Reviewer

Reading has also never left my side. Whether it was children’s books, young adult novels, college textbooks, biographies, or my ultimate love, fiction, it’s ever present in my day. I read two books per week and I’m on a quest to update every book I’ve ever read on Goodreads, write up a review, and post it on all my sites and platforms.

 

Blogger & Thinker

I have combined my passions into a single platform where I share reviews, write a blog and publish tons of content: TRUTH. I started my 365 Daily Challenge, where I post about a word that has some meaning to me and converse with everyone about life. There is humor, tears, love, friendship, advice, and bloopers. Lots of bloopers where I poke fun at myself all the time. Even my dogs have had weekly segments called “Ryder’s Rants” or “Baxter’s Barks,” where they complain about me. All these things make up who I am; none of them are very fancy or magnanimous, but they are real. And that’s why they are me.

 

Genealogist & Researcher

I love history and research, finding myself often reaching back into the past to understand why someone made the choice he or she did and what were the subsequent consequences. I enjoy studying the activities and culture from hundreds of years ago to trace the roots and find the puzzle of my own history. I wish I could watch my ancestors from a secret place to learn how they interacted with others, and maybe I’ll comprehend why I do things the way I do.

 

 

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Giveaway

 

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Posted in Cozy, Giveaway, mystery, Spotlight on April 24, 2021

 

 

 

 

Knitted and Knifed: A Humorous & Heartwarming Cozy Mystery (A Knitty Kitties Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Publisher: Independently published (January 5, 2021)
Paperback: 224 pages

 

Synopsis

 

Wanted: Cat mum to manage a yarn store, corral two curious cats, all the while being tangled up in murderous mayhem and mystery.

 

A smart woman would dump her cheating ex, move from the city, and give herself a chance for a well-deserved do-over. A smarter woman—smarter than me, anyway—wouldn’t jump out of that same frying pan and return to Cape Discovery, a seaside village where her family is the nuttiest of all the nut-ball residents.

I’m a former high school counselor, middle-child peacemaker, and current curator of lots of squishy/fuzzy goodness at my granddad’s little yarn store. Temporary assistant. Until I decide what to do with the rest my life. There’s only one knotty problem to untangle first. The knife sticking out of the most unpopular man in town, and the police detective trying to pin the murder on the donkey—otherwise known as my younger brother. With a pair mischievous cats determined to be underfoot and a craft group of Serial Knitters and Happy Hookers wanting the inside scoop, a girl could lose her mind. And if the killer has their way, maybe even my life…

Tessa Wakefield has her hands full juggling a cozy craft store, her crazy family, and two men who’d rather poke out their eyes than describe themselves as cute. Which they totally are. Cute, charismatic, and occasionally on her mind when she’s not stumbling over dead bodies and using her newfound sleuthing skills to track down murderers. Lucky she’s an excellent multi-tasker because digging beneath Cape Discovery’s surface can unearth secrets that kill.

 

 

 

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About the Author

 

Tracey Drew lives Down Under with her husband—who’s given up complaining about her yarn addiction–and two madcap tabby cats called Kevin and Alfie. The feline brothers constantly battle with her while she’s trying to write her books by demanding lap-time, but they also provide constant inspiration for her fun & quirky cozy mysteries.

 

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Giveaway

 

 

 

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