Synopsis

Tanner Moore is at the top of his game in the high stakes world of big technology. As chief technology officer of Paragon, the largest corporation in the world, he is about to release the greatest convenience innovation in the history of commerce: drone delivery service to every inch of the globe.

But when an interview with journalist Amy Noral is secretly recorded and published by the clickbait media, Tanner’s fall from grace is swift and brutal.

Tanner is fired, publicly condemned as a terrorist for comments he never made, and kidnapped by a mysterious vigilante group who use surveillance data to track and kill their enemies. Tanner must navigate their underground world full of violent zealots and mental manipulation to find his way to freedom, or see his drone technology used as the most advanced assassination tool ever devised.

***

Moral Panic explores the collision of the most extreme elements of politics, ideology and technological media manipulation. It navigates through a maze of modern surveillance with a skeptical eye on the data-driven world we live in, to bring an awareness of the possibility of such a story coming true in the real world.

Buy at The Dream Flow

Review

If you want a book that delves into conspiracy theories and that the government may be too much in your business, this is the book to read! It is an intense read and I liked that the author prefaced the book with lots of disclaimers about the subject matter included within the pages.

This world is becoming more insane and this book feeds into that thought process. It is amazing what can be done with technology and I’m sure much of what was done/discussed in the book can be done today, or it isn’t too far off from becoming a reality. The perhaps only redeeming feature of the Social Justice group was that they wanted to help get rid of sex traffickers and similar lowlifes. But how the group changed over time to where they executed those they targeted versus letting the justice system do its job, was not acceptable. I could understand partially where they were coming from, these criminals weren’t kept in prison very long and were back to their old tricks way too quickly.

This book will make you think twice about technology and how much Big Brother is watching.

We give it 5 paws up

 

Read an Except Here

 

About the Author

Hailing from the original birthplace of the atomic bomb,  Los Alamos, NM,  K.M. Ecke is an organic, free-range, preservative-free, philosopher-poet using universal truth to battle cultural insanity. Ecke, which is German for ‘corner’, is the child of a physicist and musician and grew up at the corner of creativity and logic. After ten years of existential exploration and creative experimentation, he releases his debut novel Moral Panic, along with an album of lyrically-focused songs, Change of Mind via his independent creative collective The Dream Flow.

Ecke strives to deliver a strong story with inherent value to his readers. The author is well-versed in writing, including essays, songs, and poetry, the last of which the author finds the most efficient form of expression, and thus, the best way to improve his writing practice.

Initially intending for law school,  a business law class changed his direction, and Ecke chose to pursue writing, soul-searching, and creative projects. After several years of odd jobs learning about different pieces of the world, he began his own private music teaching business and attended Colorado Film School for a year and a half to study filmmaking. After 18-months in his program, he veered to his own path and established Dream Flow Media, the home to all of his creative endeavors; publishing, music and all additional branches of the many-faceted visionary. Along with his own creations, he strives to bring other artists into the fold to develop a creative collective for a variety of multimedia projects.

Ecke also works as a filmmaker for local non-profits and bands and hopes one day to see Moral Panic on the big screen. The author lives in Denver, Colorado and hosts a storytelling micro-podcast Myths, Metaphors, and Morality. For more info, visit the author online at TheDreamFlow.com.

LinkedIn * Twitter * Goodreads * The Dream Flow Reddit * The Dream Flow YouTube

Synopsis

Corridors of Time tracks the story of a sensitive young man who grows from carefree childhood to eventful manhood – one who stumbles before learning to stride through those dark and dense passages.

Set in Bangalore – a city of paradoxes. of gardens and garbage heaps. of technology and traffic snarls. of friendly people and failing infrastructure. when bungalows had gardens and pavements were meant for pedestrians. this is a narrative of the human spirit.

Rohan, an idealistic young sports lover experiences rejection, dark dejection and isolation and hurtles down the path to self destruction.

Shyla, attractive and successful is everything his heart yearns for and his body desires, except, she is married!

Chandrika, simple and devoted fails to understand the man she loves.

The shuklas long for justice denied by the system.

And khalid fears nothing and no one …anymore.

Amazon IN

Excerpt

Chapter 1

The raw, earthly smell of the first drops of rain signaled the onset of the monsoon of 1962. Ten year old Rohan watched it from his window and inhaled deeply. He felt like he wanted to draw in as much as possible of this place that he loved so dearly. The rain had washed clean the gardens and roads of Bangalore. A city of sheer beauty, it was like a large painting suspended in time, being restored to its original brilliance with one masterly stroke. Bangalore with flower-laden trees, small lakes and numerous gardens was wonderful to behold. All was quiet, calm and serene.

But even his love for Bangalore could not match his passion for playing outdoors. His face registered dismay when the drizzle turned into a downpour and sheets of rain hid the verdant trees and the glitter of the rocks beyond the playing fields. He would lose valuable time waiting for the rain to subside to play cricket with his friends.

Drizzly weather or what his dad called ‘English weather’ never hampered him like a monsoon onslaught did. It was as familiar to him as the streets and their English names – Lloyds Road, Cline Road, Hutchins Road and Davis Road. The English had definitely made Bangalore into a ‘Little England’ and left behind a large community of Anglo Indians. A proud community of mixed cultures, they were concentrated in the northern part of the city called the ‘Cantt’ (short for Cantonment) along with a cosmopolitan mix of settlers from other states and countries.

The southern part, the original old Bangalore was known as the ‘City’ area. The Cantt area, extending from Richmond Town to Frazer Town, had spacious bungalows with servant’s quarters, private lawns and gardens. It was a township by itself, with lakes, gardens, theatres, restaurants, bars and exclusive clubs. The Cantt area was nothing without the Anglo-Indians whose exuberance and fun loving nature enhanced the charm of life in Bangalore. They lived for the day and never gave the morrow a thought. Romantic at heart, partying was their greatest pastime. A few couples, country liquor, lots to eat and they would dance till the stars drooped and went down under.

“Rain, rain go away, come again another day,” Rohan whispered urgently, and was gratified to see the rain gradually stop. Now, he could go out to the beckoning playground and join his friends for a game of cricket, yet another legacy of the British.

“Ma, I am going to play”, he yelled.

“Come back on time, Rohan”, his mother warned. “Or you know how your father reacts!” Rohan ran out, looking back to wave to his mother at the door.

They were all there – Peter, Oscar, Roy, Philip, Akbar, Kiran, Akshay, Arun, Joe, Allan, Mahmud and Inder. The stumps were up, the teams chosen and the game was on. Cricket was an obsession with Rohan.

“Come on Rohan, we must win today”, urged Inder.

“What high hopes”, teased Oscar.

Peter always red in the face, yelled, “Oscar, shut your bloody mouth and start batting.”

Praise for the Book

The book is simple in style and content, for often it is this simplicity that bewilders and rouses Interest. ~ Shri S . Rajendra Babu, Former Chief Justice of India

The book has excellent literary craftsmanship, passion humour and adventure. Highly recommended. ~ Mr. Namboodiri, former Asst. Editor, Deccan Herald

This charming book about old Bangalore is written in a racy easy-to-read style. ~ Deccan Herald, Bangalore.

About the Author

Vinay Krishnan describes himself as a ‘complete Bangalorean’. A student of Clarence High School, he graduated in Humanities from St Joseph’s College. Earning a diploma in Business Administration, he began his career at Usha International Ltd and rose to a position of Senior Sales manager. Vinay has now set up a construction firm of his own. He also writes and devotes his time to an NGO assisting people with disability. The city of his dreams, Bangalore, where he stays with his wife and daughter, continues to inspire and exasperate him. He can be reached at – vinaykrshnn@yahoo.com.

Synopsis

Barely fourteen, Ceci Prejean is a tomboy running wild in the hot Louisiana summer. After breaking the nose of a local boy, her father decides to enlist the aid of Hecubah, a beautiful Creole woman, with a secret past, who takes Ceci in hand and turns her into a lady.

Now, eighteen-year-old Ceci meets and falls passionately in love with a handsome young northerner, Trent Sinclaire. Trent is a cadet at the West Point military academy. He acts as if he knows Ceci. They begin a torrid affair, even as the southern states begin to secede from the Union.

Only weeks before their wedding, the Confederate army attacks Fort Sumter and the civil war begins. Trent is called to active service in the north, leaving Ceci heartbroken in the south. Swearing vengeance on the union, after the untimely death of her family at the fall of New Orleans, Ceci meets with infamous spy master, Henry Doucet. He initiates her into the shadowy world of espionage. After her failure to avert the catastrophe at Gettysburg, Ceci infiltrates the White House.

There, she comes face to face with Abraham Lincoln, a man she’s sworn to kill. Forming a reckless alliance with the actor, John Wilkes Booth, she is drawn deeper into the plot to assassinate the President of the United States. A Confederate spy in love with a Union officer, her next decision will determine whether she lives or dies.

Troubador (UK)

Excerpt

Trent was lucky. The Confederate musket ball that was intended to kill him merely grazed his brow. He lurched violently back in his saddle. His horse reared wildly, throwing him, unconscious to the ground, directly into the path of his own cavalry advancing only yards behind him.

At the far end of the field, Sergeant Nathanial Pike and his men, engaged in the hasty formation of a skirmish line, watched helplessly as the scene unfolded. As Trent hit the ground, a Confederate soldier appeared out of the shadows. Small and slight, little more than a boy, he lunged forwards, grabbed the officer by the lapels of his coat and dragged him out of the path of the galloping horses. Throwing himself across the man’s prone body, he shielded him from the pounding hooves. The cavalry thundered past oblivious, in the half-light, to the fate of their captain.

As the danger passed, the rebel rose to his knees and appeared to search the unconscious man.

“God damn thieving rebs,” Pike snatched his pistol from its holster, his thumb wrenching back the hammer. Before he could take aim, the rebel stopped searching. He leaned forwards and, cradling the officer’s face in his hands, bent down and kissed him, full on the lips, long and hard. Pike’s pistol, arm and jaw dropped simultaneously.

Something, some noise, some movement, made the rebel look up and glance furtively around. He jumped to his feet and, with a final backwards glance at the fallen man, melted into the shadows, like a wraith.

It was some moments before Pike’s jaw snapped shut, his teeth meeting with an audible click. He rounded on his men. “Did you see what I just saw?” he demanded.

His question was answered with shrugs and scowls. Not one man there could swear he hadn’t dreamed it. Then suddenly, they heard it, far off, plaintive and eerie, the cry of a whippoorwill.

About the Author

With Historical Romance as his preferred genre, Robert has continued to write for several years. Many of his short stories have appeared in various national periodicals and magazines.

His debut novel “Dance the Moon Down”, a story of love against adversity during the First World War, gained him considerable critical praise, being voted book of the month by “Wall to Wall books”

His second novel “Whippoorwill” tells of a passionate affair between a young southern woman and a northern man at the beginning of the American Civil War.

He is single and lives and works in Hertfordshire.

 

Synopsis

Merlin returns to Lycenea a hero, victorious over the Visi-Gauls in a gruesome and exhaustive campaign that claimed the life of one of his men and saw the annihilation of the Visi-Gauls’ Southern Army.

Merlin’s peaceful reprieve is cut short however, as he must now find and expose the corrupt Senator who initiated the war in the first place and plots to subvert the Empire for himself. He is aided by the powerful sorceress, Morgana and Felinius, a former disgraced and condemned knight who knows the inner workings of the Brotherhood.

Merlin must also protect two of the captives he rescued during the war with the Visi-Gauls, one of whom is a boy named Dante, whose power has been prophesized to defeat Herod Antipaz, the corrupt Senator, and his deadly allies who threaten to destroy Gilleon.

Herod makes plans of his own for eliminating Dante. The boy’s problems continue to mount precipitously- for not only is he being ruthlessly hunted down by Herod’s minions, but he must also face down a brutal training program in Round Table Academy, where he faces elimination on a daily basis. Should he be eliminated, he will no longer be under the protection of Merlin and his Brotherhood and his death almost a foregone conclusion.

His only hope, his only salvation is Merlin- as is the country of Gilleon.

 

Get Your Copy of Book One: Gilleon for FREE!

Check Out Book One: Gilleon

Five hundred years after the death of King Arthur, a sadistic tyrant of Visi-Galia, attacks unprotected and vulnerable townships in Gilleon, igniting a deadly chain of events. Because he was unfairly denied a proper chance to compete for valuable mine rights and outbid by a Councilman from Gilleon, he reasons that he can invade Gilleon’s vulnerable townships and force the Council to negotiate with him.

Merlin, the lead knight in Lycenea, has foreseen just such a predicament. With the gifts of premonition, telepathy and intelligence, he and 9 of his most formidable knights go into battle against Jason and his force of nine thousand.

At stake is everything. The fate of the prisoners who are awaiting to be sold into slavery rests in the hands of the deadly knights. Specifically, two girls who were attacked in Missalia and are now orphaned, are at the mercy of the sadistic King. Will Merlin and his band of knights be able to rescue them in time?

Adele, the older sister, has plans of her own for escape. Will she prove successful or will her plans be foiled? If she is caught, what will become of her and her sister, Sylvia?

Dante, a boy from Coifen, is also now orphaned. He is the sole survivor of a brutal attack on his family. An unlikely heroine has come to his rescue- a mysterious white wolf. Unfortunately, the attack has left him blind. He and his guardian make their refuge in a remote cave. He clings desperately to the hope that God has spared him for a reason. Every night he goes to bed, he says a prayer to his talisman, the Merlin, a game piece that his father gave him before he was forced to abandon him. It was the last gift he received before all hell broke loose. Will he be rescued? Will he find a permanent haven? His fate also lies in the hands of the Merlin.

Merlin and his troupe lead the Visi-Gauls in a high stakes game of cat and mouse. Jason, though capricious, is not stupid. He uses every means at his disposal to eliminate Merlin. Who will prove the victor? Fighting a severe war of attrition, it seems at times that Jason will inevitably win; but don’t count the Merlin out. He is beyond slippery. Every time it seems that Jason has the gifted knight, he is thwarted yet again.

Character Study – Renault

Deadly. Volatile. Vengeful. Sadistic. Cruel. Compassionate. Courageous. Heroic. He is a dedicated and loyal brother to the Merlin and a champion to the innocent and defenseless, but he also enjoys killing and watching his targets suffer as he inflicts agony on them before he finishes them off.  He is a walking contradiction and the right hand of the Merlin. When faced with an impossible mission, Merlin knows that he count on Renault to achieve his goals.

Like Merlin, he is cunning, calculating, manipulative, resourceful and a master at strategy and logistics. He is also a telepath and can glean information from his targets. He should be a Godsend to Merlin but nothing is so simple.

Living in the relatively peaceful town of Helganon with his family, Renault clings to his peaceful reprieve in between his deadly missions for the Merlin. But with his volatile temper and his urge to protect the innocent at all costs, his demons push him closer to the brink, alienating himself in the process.

When Renault’s temper pushes him past the threshold of composure, he lashes out and makes enemies not only among his own trusted brethren but also on both sides of a dangerous feud between the Ostra-Gauls and the Sene-Gauls. And so he finds himself in a desperate circumstance with the walls beginning to close around him.

Will Renault’s demons push him too far, making him a liability among his brethren? Will his dire circumstances invade his own peaceful refuge at home with his beloved family? When Merlin’s own dire circumstances necessitate the need for Renault and his skill set, will he be ready?

About the Author

Author Rory D Nelson is an accomplished actor and has been seen in several high school productions of “Oedipus Rex,” “My Fair Lady,” and “Little Shop of Horrors.” He owns a window cleaning business in the Sacramento area, enjoys wine tasting, snowboarding, traveling and working out. Rory D Nelson is an eclectic and prolific writer, having written numerous comedy skits, commercial parodies, and ghost-written many humorous t-shirts. He has the most unusual imagination of any fantasy author, since he also brings his deranged sense of humor into play in his books.

Website * The Brotherhood of Merlin * Facebook * Twitter

 

BLOOD AND REMEMBRANCE

by

CHRIS MANNO

Genre: Contemporary Literary Fiction

Publisher: Dark Horse Books

Publication Date: March 3, 2018

Number of Pages: 321 pages

Scroll down for the giveaway!

Blood and Remembrance is the prequel to the award-winning Texas novel, East Jesus. This new, stand-alone story rampages from the West Texas plains to Huntsville’s Death Row and back. Cowboys, ranchers, driven oilmen, desperate convicts and headstrong women grapple with truths of the heart, of life, and the coming of age in a dramatic struggle you’ll live yourself and never forget.

Signed Copies (U.S. Only)

Paperback * Kindle

MINI-INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR CHRIS MANNO

Q: Why a prequel?

A: Many readers and even a few critics suggested a sequel to East Jesus, but to me, the story felt like it was well-ended, cataclysmically final at that. I talked it over with the publisher and we both agreed: if I felt the story was over, the matter was settled.

But a prequel appealed to me, began talking to me as good stories do to receptive writers: who were these people, what forces shaped them, how did they grow to be the dynamic characters in East Jesus? And how did the next generation come about?

The story that unfolded burned hot and fast and became Blood and Remembrance.

Q: Do readers need to have read East Jesus to understand Blood and Remembrance?

A: Not at all—Remembrance is a stand-alone story. However, those who’ve read East Jesus will have “aha moments” throughout.

Q: What was your goal in writing this story?

A: Exactly what I teach as a writing professor. That is, habitable prose, stories people live themselves rather than just read. Once you live the experience, the story—and the meaning— belong to the reader.

Q: Explain the multiple viewpoints in Remembrance.

A: It’s simple; in fact, it’s the way we experience the world: variable, fast-moving and at the pace of modern life — a virtual kaleidoscope of action and adventure we sort into meaning. Readers live the story through different characters and, in the same way our post-modern world unfolds, put the pieces together to create meaning. I trust the readerS to do that; I give them credit for that ability to make their own meaning of the bricolage they live on these pages.

Chris Manno of Fort Worth, Texas, earned a doctorate in English from Texas Christian University and teaches writing at Texas Wesleyan University.

East Jesus, his first novel, was named “finalist” (second place) for Best Fiction of 2017 by the North Texas Book Festival. The novel takes a close-up, visceral look at West Texas life in 1969 and the good folks who lived it, grappling with notions of family, patriotism, and violence, both domestic and in a far-off, unpopular war.

Blood and Remembrance is the prequel to East Jesus, tracing the roots of the main characters in both books, examining the harsh but classically All-American story of life in the Texas panhandle.

Manno is also the author of a third novel, Voodoo Rush, winner for Best Fiction of 2018 by the North Texas Book Festival, and a collection of short stories titled Short Fiction for the Impatient Reader. Both books are available from White Bird Publications of Austin Texas.

 

Website  ║  Facebook ║ Twitter ║ Amazon Author Page

 

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THREE SIGNED COPIES!

(U.S. Only)

Click on the image above or this link to enter the giveaway

 

Check out the other blogs on this tour

4/20/18	Promo	Books in the Garden
4/21/18	Review	The Clueless Gent
4/22/18	Author Interview	Texas Book Lover
4/23/18	Promo	The Librarian Talks
4/24/18	Review	Missus Gonzo
4/25/18	Promo	The Page Unbound
4/26/18	Promo	StoreyBook Reviews
4/27/18	Review	Reading by Moonlight
4/28/18	Promo	Max Knight
4/29/18	Review	Hall Ways Blog

 

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Welcome to Reno, Nevada, the Biggest Little City in the World! Sweet Home Alabama meets Raising Helen in this sweet small town contemporary romance debut from Golden Heart® Award finalist JoAnn Sky!

Title: No Cowboy Required

Author: JoAnn Sky

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: May 14, 2018

Publisher: Entangled Publishing

Series: A Biggest Little Love Story

Format: Digital eBook / Print

Synopsis

Enemies make the best partners…

As a photographer in NYC, Grace Harper is a pro at handling the unexpected–which comes in handy when she inherits the ranch home she ran away from seven years ago…along with a young, autistic stepbrother she’s never met. And because nothing ever goes easy for her, Grace finds her frustrating, sexy ex-flame, Noah, taking care of JJ. But she’s getting out of this nowhere town fast, so she’ll have to find a way to keep from throttling Noah—without kissing him first.

Noah Taylor may be enemy number one to Grace, but she needs his help. He knows the girl he used to love is still there, beneath the heels and fancy clothes, so he’ll help her—and keep his distance like she says she wants. Only the more time they spend together, the closer he wants to get. Grace has no intention of staying, but she belongs in his arms—he just has to prove it to her.

Pre-Order:  Amazon  |  Kobo

Excerpt

Copyright© 2018 No Cowboy Required

He leaned against the kitchen entrance, his own half-eaten sandwich in hand, watching her. “Are you going to avoid me all day?”

She stiffened. She was the New Yorker, used to being direct and dealing with people who got in her face. Yet when Noah did it, it unnerved her. “I’m not avoiding you.” Her pitch was a half-step high, the trait of a liar.

“We’ve got to talk about last night.”

She smacked her bread together and turned to face him, using her sandwich as a shield. She straightened her pose, planted her feet apart, and hoped the Wonder Woman stance would give her Amazonian strength. “Last night was a mistake.”

His dark-blue eyes flashed with a determination that told her he disagreed. Her stomach clenched, and the strength she sought eluded her. Instead she stood there, too frightened to move and too weak to stop where they were going.

He came up on her slowly, as if he knew she’d spook and scatter at any sudden movement. He reached out and tucked one blond curl behind her ear. His fingers skimmed her skin. Goose bumps blossomed down her neck, her spine, to her toenails.

“And it won’t happen again,” she said with as much conviction as she could muster. “End of discussion.” Her voice squeaked, again betraying her, though no worse than the rest of her body.

He leaned in until his lips were inches from hers. Her breathing hitched. She should have put some distance between them, acres of distance, but her feet stuck to the floor. Her eyes flickered to his lips. They’d been so soft last night and were so close right now. One little taste wouldn’t hurt, would it? She reflexively licked hers.

He moved in. His breath trailed her cheek, and his lips hovered at the edge of her jaw, just below her earlobe. She arched her neck back, giving him more access, then shivered, closed her eyes, and waited to feel his lips on her neck.

Instead, his breath fanned her ear. “Liar,” he whispered. Then he was gone.

About the Author

JoAnn Sky has written for years as part of her job (business and marketing plans and the like). One day she tried her hand at writing for fun—and like it. Now she authors adult contemporary romance and young adult romance with a magical twist as well as children’s books.

JoAnn is a two-time Golden Heart® finalist (YA category and Contemporary Short category). Originally from the Midwest, JoAnn currently lives in northern Nevada with her husband a.k.a. love of her life, three teenage children, and three crazy rescue dogs.

JoAnn is represented by the fabulous Nicole Resciniti of The Seymour Agency.

Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Goodreads

 

Giveaway

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Title: SNICKETY DICKETY DOO
Author: Danica-Lea Larcombe
Publisher: Blurb
Pages: 90
Genre: Children’s Fiction

Synopsis

George, Fiona and Marni find a tin of bubbles, not just any ordinary bubbles but planets. The planets shrink the children and take them to faraway lands. The children have many exciting adventures and try not to let their secret be discovered.  They learn about different cultures, currencies and languages, and are inspired at school.

In Series Two, George, Marni and Fiona continue their adventures around the world in the planet bubbles. They narrowly escape being killed by some monks in Turkey, find a little companion in Paris and visit royalty in Monaco.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Excerpt

It wasn’t just a small piece of tin.  Curiosity got the better of her and Marni decided she better keep digging around.  She could see the edges now and it looked like it was a tin box of some sort.  Marni suddenly forgot about her wish and dug frantically to get the box out.  It was quite a light box of about medium size.  It was not painted and there was no writing on it.

“What on earth could be in it?” Marni wondered.

It had a small padlock but this was rusted and broke off easily.  She opened the lid carefully to find nine individually wrapped balls, or so she thought.  She unwrapped one of the balls to find it was not a ball.  In her hand it shone like a bubble, and was soft and tender to touch.  It had little feet and hands and was the colour of the sun.

“Oh my”, Marni whispered, “It has got a face!”

The bubble’s eyes were closed and the mouth still.  On the other side it had the shape of a door, but there was no door handle.  How odd.

Marni looked at her watch quickly. It was six o’clock which was tea time and her parents would be calling her any minute.  She hastily re-wrapped the ball and closed the tin.  She put her secret wish down the hole and filled it up with the dark brown coloured soil.

Somehow Marni made it back inside the house and into her bedroom without anyone seeing the box.  She could not wait to show it to George and Fiona but it would have to wait until after tea.  Her hands and knees were filthy dirty now, and her father questioned her.

“What have you been doing? You look like a gypsy”.

“Oh, just helping Fiona in the garden” Marni lied.

Dinner was always a silent occasion in the Dimond household, and you got your knuckles rapped if you spoke.  Which Fiona did quite often.

Marni wished tea time would hurry up and finish but she had to wait for the compulsory pudding first.  It would either be apple crumble or apple strudel with ice-cream.  Her mother baked wonderfully, but never seemed to want to try new recipes.  Now they were all allowed to leave the table because everyone had finished but the dishes still had to be dried and put away after her mother had washed them.  It was the height of the summer and daylight savings time meant that sunset would not be until about 8.30pm.

“George, Fiona, come into my room.  I have something to show you” Marni said.  “Quickly then” grumbled George.  “I want to finish my hut”.

“Ooh what is it?” asked Fiona.

About the Author

Danica-Lea Larcombe has a B.Sc (Environmental Health), a Grad.Dip in Education and has taken courses in Journalism, Travel Writing, and Photography. She is currently undertaking a thesis in Biodiversity and Human Health and lives with her Japanese Spitz Bella.

Website | Twitter | Facebook

 

Synopsis

Warning: exposure to the contents of this book while eating or drinking could cause laughter-induced choking. Read at your own risk.

Sassy book blogger-turned-author, Kim Long, thought her life couldn’t get any pinker when she received a two-book publishing deal and a marriage proposal in the same night. The wedding plans are coming together seamlessly, from the catering to the flowers to her much-coveted appointment at the exclusive and world famous Kleinfeld Bridal. Her debut novel is flying off the shelves to celebrated reviews, and her second book is practically writing itself.

If only the above wasn’t a big fat lie.

If only Kim could drown out the conflicting opinions of her overzealous bridal party, most notably, her sister and future sister-in-law, who haven’t stopped bickering since day one.

If only everyone would adore her first book—or she’d take Nicholas’s advice and stop reading reviews—she might not second guess every new word she writes.

If only Nicholas’s past would remain there rather than threaten their future.
The pressure is on, the clock is ticking, and in walks Hannah Marshak.

Will the former “mean girl” lend a helping hand or make things worse? Will Kim ever write “The End” on her sophomore novel? And, will she and Nicholas make it down the aisle to say those two precious words: I do?

We’ll never tell. So, put on your reading glasses, fill your champagne flute/cup of tea and prepare to laugh with (and sometimes at) Kim as she rewrites her happy ending until it’s worthy of five pink champagne flutes.

Review

I loved this book! While you don’t have to read the first two books to enjoy this one, I think it definitely helps as you see the progression of the friendships, relationships, and even rivalry between authors.

I’ve followed Kim’s career in this series and have often wondered what it would be like to take a blogging career and become an author. Granted I do not have the writing skills (or desire) to write a book but admire those that can and do create those works for us to enjoy.

Kim is still insecure about her writing and keeps reading reviews and if they are negative takes it to heart. I get it, the book is her baby and anything negative is hard to read. But at the same time, not all books are for everyone. It was nice to see her growth and understanding of that as the book progressed.

Then there is her relationship with Nicholas, the fiance. They both have moments where you want to shake them and tell them to grow up…but that is what makes the book interesting, the conflict and communication snafus.

I found myself laughing and crying throughout the book and it was the perfect book to read at that moment in time. If you like chick-lit I think you will enjoy this book.

We give this 5 paws up

About the Author

A born and bred New Yorker, Meredith Schorr discovered her passion for writing when she began to enjoy drafting work-related e-mails way more than she was probably supposed to. After trying her hand penning children’s stories and blogging her personal experiences, Meredith found her calling write chick lit and contemporary women’s fiction. She secures much inspiration from her day job as a hardworking trademark paralegal and her still-single status. Meredith is also the co-founder of Bookbuzz, a live author/reader event held annually. She is a loyal New York Yankees fan and an avid runner.

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THE EL PASO RED FLAME GAS STATION

AND OTHER STORIES

by

J. Reeder Archuleta

Genre: Fiction /Short Stories / Coming of Age

Publisher: Dog Ear Publishing, LLC

Date of Publication: December 8, 2017

Number of Pages: 132

Scroll down for the giveaway!

These short stories are about coming of age in rural far West Texas.  The stories are about the people who have come to stay in a remote part of Texas with a climate that can be harsh and unpredictable and that is demanding and unforgiving.  The stories are told through the eyes of Josh, a young boy, who finds himself alone in a small farm and ranch community and who realizes that he will have to make his own way in this place.  Along the way, he meets a group of characters with different takes on life.  Some try to help shield him from the chaos of the world, some try to add more chaos. But all of them, in their own distinct way, through jobs, advice, or actions, play a part in his life.

Praise

“Punchy, plainspoken dialogue…colorful and charismatic characters…The result is an atmospheric Texas…reminiscent of Larry McMurtry’s “The Last Picture Show.” — Kirkus Reviews

“The universality of Josh’s journey gives it a timeless quality…a rich tapestry…The stories are conveyed in lean, elegant prose reminiscent of Annie Proulx and Cormac McCarthy” — Blue Ink Review

“Archuleta’s collection offers poignant and hopeful stories of determination in the face of need. Thoroughly engaging…narrated with passion and eloquence…” — The Clarion Review

These may be short stories, but they are chock full of life in a small Texas town and actually, all the stories center around one character, Josh. He is various ages in the stories and while he may not always be the main focus, he is in each story.

I think Josh’s presence is pivotal to the stories, even if he is not the main focus. We follow his life as he goes through his teens and what it was like to be homeless and without a family other than the townsfolk that watched over him. I think that everyone could relate to Josh’s experiences in one way or another, from personal experience or of someone they know.

I’m not sure if I could choose a favorite out of all the short stories. Each brings a different viewpoint of what was happening in the world at that time, or when a character is reminiscing. We get a peek into what it might have been like to fight in a war, the mental instability from PTSD, the kindness of the townsfolk for each other, and young love.

Each story is well written and sometimes left me wanting more because I thought that the story shouldn’t have ended and I wanted to know what happened next. I hope that there might be another book because Josh’s story is not finished.

We give this 5 paws up.

       

The author was raised in far West Texas and five generations of his family are in their final resting place there.  His great-grandfather is buried in Concordia Cemetery in El Paso within spitting distance of the grave of John Wesley Hardin.

║Website ║ Amazon Author Page ║

 

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GIVEAWAY!  GIVEAWAY!  GIVEAWAY!

READ & SIP! TWO WINNERS EACH WIN A SIGNED COPY OF

THE EL PASO RED FLAME GAS STATION +

A $5 STARBUCKS GIFT CARD

APRIL 17-26, 2018

(US ONLY)

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 

Check out the other blogs on this tour

4/17/18	Promo	The Page Unbound
4/17/18	Bonus Post	Hall Ways Blog
4/18/18	Review	Books and Broomsticks
4/19/18	Author Interview	Texas Book Lover
4/20/18	Review	Forgotten Winds
4/21/18	Excerpt	Book Fidelity
4/22/18	Promo	The Love of a Bibliophile
4/23/18	Review	StoreyBook Reviews
4/24/18	Notable Quotable	The Clueless Gent
4/25/18	Character Interview	That’s What She’s Reading
4/26/18	Review	Bibliotica

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Synopsis

In this collection, meet:

Franck, who has to align his desires with his needs; Nathan, who has to adjust to his constantly changing turf; and, Cedric, who has to open his eyes to reconstruct himself.

Review

There are 3 short stories that have something of a common theme running through them – that you shouldn’t take life for granted.

I think my favorite of the three was the second story about Nathan, a man that comes over from India to the US to get an advanced degree and is sucked into the world most Americans are exposed to at an early age – credit and the pitfalls. But it starts off even earlier than that when he stops a woman from jumping off a bridge his first day in the US. The story comes full circle when she helps him at the end. That is all I want to say so as not to give away too much.

My second favorite was the first story about Franck and his pregnant wife and wanting to provide a better life for all of them and working like crazy to try and do that but losing sight of what is more important – family.

All three are good stories and make you think about your life and situation and what you might do in their shoes.

We give this 4 paws up.