Synopsis

 

Magic animated the golem. Can someone without powers stop them?

 

Kiansel, sister to the current Oracle of Givneh, is expected to one day assume the mantle and lead the temple’s followers. Her emerging powers force an impossible decision. For to have magic demands she turn her back on her family, her heritage and the teachings of the oracle.

Banishment to a remote village as healer, a position he despised, fueled Relliq’s desire for revenge. The discovery of a mythical city and an army of clay soldiers provided the means to control all mages–including the one he wanted most—Kia.

Brodie, weaponsmith for the School of Mages couldn’t refuse the archmage’s request to act as escort for a healing team fighting a curse upon the land. But how can a man without any magic of his own fight a curse or protect a friend from an invisible stalker?

 

 

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Excerpt

 

Tendrils of fog clutched at Brodie’s ankles. The thick haze not only dampened the sound of the surf crashing against the cliff, it hid the trail along the cliff edge. Not even the light from the gibbous moon showed anything other than shadows.

For several breaths he stood and marked his location on a mental map of the trail. Switchbacks and a sharp drop-off marked the downhill slope to the village. A tug pulled the long sword from the scabbard hanging on his back. “Good thing I have TânOer with me,” he told the night. He kept the weapon in his cottage in the main village unless being used in a lesson. “The short sword I usually carry while on the Isle of Mages is too short to be useful as a pointer.” The memory of why he had the enspelled long sword with him flickered into being. That afternoon he had shown the folly of hubris to a pair of second-season students and spent the rest of the day at the forge.

One final breath to center himself and he dragged the tip along the ground in a long arc in front of him. Step by step, he listened for the scratch of steel on dirt or the swish as the blade slid into the grass alongside the trail. Boulders filled the space from the grassy verge to the cliff’s edge, so a scrape on rock told he was no longer on the path. Every snick of steel on stone dropped him to the ground. On hands and knees he explored the area until he determined if it was a single rock or a pile of them marking a sharp turn of the path to warn the unwary to slow down.

His fingers didn’t meet more rocks, just open air.

 

About the Author

 

Although the author of several local histories and numerous articles on the topics of American and military history, antiques and collectibles, Henderson’s first love is fiction. Her work in the museum and history fields enables a special insight into creating fantasy worlds.

The descendent of a coal miner’s daughter and an aviation flight engineer, her writing reflects the contrasts of her heritage as well as that of her Gemini sign. Her stories cross genres from historical westerns to science fiction and fantasy. In the world of fantasy romance, she is the author of the Dragshi Chronicles and The Windmaster Novels. In her books, she invites you to join her on travels through the stars, or among fantasy worlds of the imagination.

 

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Synopsis

 

Why does this keep happening?

 

A shooting at a Chicago beach leaves several dead and dozens injured. In the year before the attack, four individuals emerge as possible suspects.

 

An apathetic computer programmer.

An ex-college athlete with a history of head injuries.

An Army veteran turned Chicago cop.

A despondent high school student.

 

One of them is the shooter. Discover who and why.

 

 

 

Review

 

Parabellum opens on the crime scene – a beach littered with dead bodies. But who is the killer? Why did s/he kill all of these people? The answer is a little surprising, but looking back, perhaps not so much. Then the book flashes back a year and we meet four possible shooters – the Veteran, the Student, the Programmer, and the Ex-Athlete. During the course of the book, we learn more about these characters, their lives, what they have endured, and their hopes and dreams. What we don’t learn is their names until the very end. In fact, no one seems to have a name until the very end and then there is an onslaught of characters with names. All of the characters are male with the exception of the Ex-Athlete who is a former soccer star that has hit her head and had one too many concussions during her young life.

It felt odd to read the book and not know names, but perhaps that is to not draw any conclusions or stereotypes based on the person. I will say that all of these characters have issues of some sort. The Veteran suffers from PTSD, the Student is socially awkward and perhaps bullied a little bit, the Programmer is smart but has his own anger issues, and the Ex-Athlete has issues from the brain trauma. There are flashbacks of their life and what they have experienced and endured. Each one of them is unhappy for various reasons but will they let that unhappiness control their lives or move them forward?

This book took time for me to digest with the various characters, their flaws, their situations, and wondering when we would learn what happened at the beach. I was taken aback at the end when all of a sudden there were people with names. It took me a bit to realize that these were the people that would be affected by the incident on the beach. You will figure out that one of the characters is not involved in the killings based on the opening scene. But what about the other three? One of those three seems unlikely until we discover this character’s irrational thoughts and dreams.

I enjoyed learning about each character, their history, and what made them tick. I wonder how many people we know in our own lives are similar to them?

This is not a happy read but it does make you think about what is going on inside someone and is there anything we can do to create an alternate outcome.

We give this book 3 1/2 paws.

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Greg Hickey started writing his first novel the summer after he finished seventh grade. He didn’t get very far because he quickly realized he preferred playing outside with his friends.

Eight years later, he began to find a better balance between writing and life. He wrote the early drafts of his first screenplay Vita during his last two years of college. Vita went on to win an Honorable Mention award in the 2010 Los Angeles Movie Awards script competition and was named a finalist in the 2011 Sacramento International Film Festival.

After college, he spent a year in Sundsvall, Sweden and Cape Town, South Africa, playing and coaching for local baseball teams and penning his first novel, Our Dried Voices. That novel was published in 2014 and was a finalist for Foreword Reviews‘ INDIES Science Fiction Book of the Year Award.

Today, he still loves sharing stories while staying busy with the other facets of his life. He is a forensic scientist by day and endurance athlete and author by nights, lunches, weekends and any other spare moments. After his post-college travels, he once again lives in his hometown of Chicago with his wife, Lindsay.

 

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Other Fires: Novel by Lenore H. Gay

Publisher: She Writes Press (October 20, 2020)

Category: Women’s Psychological Fiction, Medical Fiction

 

 

Synopsis

 

Joss and Phil’s already rocky marriage is fragmented when Phil is injured in a devastating fire and diagnosed with Capgras delusion―a misidentification syndrome in which a person becomes convinced that a loved one has been replaced by an identical imposter. Faced with a husband who no longer recognizes her, Joss struggles to find motivation to save their marriage, even as family secrets start to emerge that challenge everything she thought she knew.

With two young daughters, a looming book deadline, and an attractive but complicated distraction named Adam complicating her situation even further, Joss has to decide what she wants for her family―and what family even means.

 

 

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Praise

 

“Once again, Lenore Gay has woven a story that captivates the reader from page one. Other Fires is a brilliant study of tragedy on multiples levels. Beginning with a dysfunctional family struggling in the aftermath of a terrible fire, she expertly peels back the layers of human behavior and motivation that unravels the lives of the guilty and innocent. Peppered with surprising twists and turns, the story will stay with you long after you close the cover.”―PAM WEBBER, author of The Wiregrass and Moon Water

“Heartwarming and dramatic, the two major intertwining stories in Other Fires reach across decades from troubled childhood to mid-life adults and reaffirm what remains human and vulnerable in all of us. The portraits of the main characters arc from hopelessness to vulnerability and a sense of recovery. Gay holds the reader’s attention from the first page.”―DIANA Y. PAUL, author of Things Unsaid

“How do people figure out their minds? This novel explores what constitutes reality, and from whose perspective. Drawing on her varied experiences in life and background in rehabilitation and mental health counseling, Lenore Gay weaves together the perspectives of compelling characters who interact in ways that keep the pages of this novel turning.”―CHRIS REID, PhD, Rehabilitation Psychology

 

Excerpt

 

At school Terpe overheard awful words when she walked down the halls: “weird” and “strange” in loud whispers; but this hurt her the most: “stay away from that girl with the weird name.”

During class Terpe drew tree houses to help her decide among different shapes. She’d ask Dad if it should tower high on the other side of the creek, or face the hill? Should it sit on a strong branch with a tall ladder, or should they build it wider, close to the ground? When Dad got better, they’d decide.

Princess Roway and mermaids had purple, green and blue fins, so she drew them that way. While her hands stayed busy, she waited for the teacher to say something interesting. Why did teachers go over how to add and subtract, information she knew before she started school? She wanted to learn something new.

After school, she hurried down the hill behind her house. No boys. Ice covered the ground and her feet made crunching noises. She moved to keep warm. Bright gray sky shone through tree branches. She tossed her hair and hummed like she didn’t care whether either boy showed up, in case they were watching, hiding behind bushes. She spit. “To hell with them,” she muttered loud enough for them to hear.

Her house felt toasty warm but what about killing an animal to make a fur coat to keep her warm outside? Last summer she used Dad’s knife and carved a bow, quiver and some arrows out of sticks. She hid them in the back of her closet where her mother never cleaned. Firehose water ruined them and she threw them away. Now new ones:

“Bow, I call you, and I call you, quiver and I call you, splendid arrows.” Her bow appeared in her hand. At her feet lay a quiver and a pile of arrows. She filled the quiver, slung it on her back and walker deeper into the woods. A small animal, like a ferret, scurried out of the brush. She’d have to kill too many to make a coat. She threw her bow, arrows and quiver on the ground and stomped on them until they disappeared into the dirt.

She needed the boys’ help to travel to catch a big beast, to help her kill it, skin and dry it. This would turn into a better adventure than bowing to stupid Princess Roway who couldn’t even talk right.

Terpe paced, thinking up nasty words to say to the boys. Twigs snapped. They crashed through the woods and stood nearby. With hands on her hips, she stood tall. “You’re late. I’ve thought of an adventure and we have to get started.” They probably expected her to talk nice because she was a girl. Did they realize she could kill an animal as well as they could?

“This is the plan. We’ll shoot a big animal. I’ll make bows and arrows for us. I’ll shoot first. You all will have turns. You two will skin, clean and dry it. No blood and guts can stink up my coat. It should look like the fur coats in stores on Main Street.”

“You’re spoiled rotten,” Benjy said. “We need another girl in our group. One who won’t boss us and act like a priss-pot.”

“We do not need more girls. There are three girls and one Dad in my family. Besides, I’m a tomboy.”

“I’m not messing with blood and guts.” Benjy stuck out his tongue.

“I’ll help,” Declan said. “If you find me a good gut-scraping knife.”

“With a knife our problem should be solved expediently.” Benjy said. “Let’s send ourselves to the mountains. The biggest animals live up high.”

Declan walked faster than Benjy and led the way through the woods. Terpe thought Declan knew geography the best. In fact, geography might be his only good subject, besides art. She wouldn’t ask, not wanting to hurt his feelings.

“Where should we go,” she asked.

Declan’s hand sliced the air. “Mongolia, on those plains horses are short, yet strong. Shaggy because it’s really cold. We’ll steal three and race for miles until we find the biggest animals. Or maybe send ourselves to Nepal? Montana? Big animals will be sleeping in dens if it’s terrifically cold. We’ll disturb their hibernation and they won’t like it. Maybe we’ll kill one quick.”

“The word “Montana” means “mountain” in Spanish, Montana has over a hundred named mountain ranges and sub-ranges. Spruce and the Douglas firs grow at the top. Lots of bears, mountain lions and goats. Let’s go to the Rattlesnake Mountains. 8,000 feet, high enough.”

Montana sounded fine. She and Benjy outvoted Declan who said he didn’t care.

She wondered how Benjy could he lift his head it seemed so crammed with words.

“We’ll land on a valley floor.  We’ll have to climb rocks and boulders.” Benjy rubbed his hands.

They made a pact: if one of them got lost, they’d stop search for the lost one. In a circle and held hands. Benjy muttered jumbled words. They ran around in a circle and let go, spinning so fast, Terpe fell and her hand twisted under her. She jumped up.

“We’re at a perfect spot,” Benjy pronounced while she held her wrist and shoved it in her pocket.

They climbed. Declan let out a whoop. “Lean over, it’ll make the air warmer. Sideways-steps might attract mountain goats. We could grab one of those.”

She held her nose. “Phew, goats stink. Walking straight up’s hard enough. You think I want to walk sideways? Or wear a nasty coat stinking like a goat?”

Fussing, they climbed. White birds, each with two sets of wings flew close. When the sun shone on their giant bodies, the undersides of their wings flashed yellow and green.

Declan hollered, “Watch out, Terpe, one of those birds might swoop down, pick you up and carry you away!” His voice rose, “Watch out. Really! Something’s flying your way.”

 

 

Guest Review by Bookgirl

 

Lenore H.Gay’s novel ‘Other Fires’ is about loss, motherhood, passion, betrayal, and the different ways that these things can entangle and complicate our lives.
Joss is a writer, working on her second book and raising her two young daughters. Before the beginning of the story, she and her husband have some marital troubles when he is unfaithful. Phil is the husband of Joss and father of her daughters. At the beginning of the story, he is sleeping on the couch because his wife no longer wants to sleep with him. Terpe (short for Euterpe, because her mother has a PhD in Greek mythology) is their 8 year-old daughter. As plucky and inquisitive as any adult, she is bright for her age.

All three are sleeping peacefully in their house one night when it mysteriously catches on fire. Terpe smells the smoke first, and wakes her parents, grabbing her baby sister and rushing out of the house. During the family’s escape from the inflamed house, Phil is caught under some falling boards and sustains a massive head injury. Thankfully, Joss and Terpe manage to pull him to safety but he remains in a medically induced coma for several weeks as they try to rebuild their lives after the fire.

When Phil finally wakes, he is subtly different in an alarming way. Because of the injury, he begins experiencing something called Capgras syndrome, a disease of the mind which makes the sufferer think that the people around them are deceiving them. Basically, he assumes that Joss has been replaced with a perfect impostor and no one can convince him differently.

This book is a whirlwind of intense emotion and character study. The author really created something unique and interesting, and she clearly did her research on the medical aspects. I highly recommend this one!

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Lenore Gay is a retired Licensed Professional Counselor with a master’s in sociology and rehabilitation counseling. She was an adjunct faculty at Virginia Commonwealth University’s Rehabilitation Counseling Department for thirty years. She has worked in several agencies and psychiatric hospitals, and for ten years worked at her private counseling practice before becoming Coordinator of VCU’s Rehabilitation Counseling Department internship program.

Her debut novel, Shelter of Leaves, was a finalist for the Foreword Book of the Year award and a finalist for an INDEFAB award. For three years, Lenore has served on the Steering Committee of the RVALitCrawl, which has been featured in RVAMag, Richmond Family Magazine, and Richmond Magazine. She is an active member of James River Writers. She lives in Richmond, Virginia.

 

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Giveaway

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

THE SQUARE ROOT OF TEXAS:

 

The First Calamity of QED Morningwood

 

by

 

Rob Witherspoon

 

 

Genre: Satire / Humor / Absurdist Fiction

Publisher: Independently Published

Date of Publication: September 26, 2018

Number of Pages: 181 pages

 

Scroll down for Giveaway!

 

 

 

 

QED Morningwood is a liar, braggart and teller of tall tales. When he shows up at the domino parlor with a mysterious Russian crate in the back of his pick-up truck, he confides to the players he is a ‘Shadow’ member of the NRA, not on their official membership roll, and has a load of rocket propelled grenades – all lies. The news spreads to the real Shadow NRA, the FBI and Homeland Security. Meanwhile, the Russian Ministry of Cultural Preservation sends an agent to retrieve the crate, the actual contents known only to the Russians.

 

The Russian agent, an FBI team, a DHS undercover agent and a Shadow NRA hit team arrive in Heelstring, Texas looking for QED and his crate. Their convergence is followed by interrogations, seduction, lies, arrests, jailbreak, kidnapping and rescue – along with car chases and explosions. If not for Cotton Widdershins, an ancient black man with secrets of his own, who acts as QED’s mentor and savior, the Morningwood line would be doomed to end, or at best spend life in a federal penitentiary.

 

 

Amazon

 

 

 

 

 

Check out this intro to The Square Root of Texas and QED Morningwood with author Rob Witherspoon. It isn’t long, just 1 1/2 minutes but it has me intrigued and I need to read this book…car chases, explosions, and maybe a sword fight!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rob Witherspoon was born and raised in rural Texas. He earned a BA in Physical Education, UT Arlington 1985 and a BS in Aerospace Engineering, UT Arlington 1990. He worked in the aerospace industry for 30 years before retiring in 2018. He lives in north central Texas with his wife and youngest daughter and has spent much of his life in rural communities and on the ranch. He combines his love for Texas, lying, the outdoors, engineering, and his children in his writing.

 

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————————————— 

 

GIVEAWAY!  GIVEAWAY!  GIVEAWAY!

 

 THREE WINNERS 

 

GRANDPRIZE (US only):

 

Signed Copies of The Square Root of Texas and Deus Tex Machina

 

2^ND PRIZE (US only): Signed Copy of The Square Root of Texas

 

3^RD PRIZE  (US Only): Kindle Copy of The Square Root of Texas

 

Giveaway ends midnight, CST, 11/20/2020

 

 

 

 

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Visit the Lone Star Literary Life Tour Page

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

or visit the blogs directly:

 

11/10/2020	Notable Quotable	Texas Book Lover
11/10/2020	BONUS Promo	Hall Ways Blog
11/11/2020	Review	Max Knight
11/12/2020	Author Video	StoreyBook Reviews
11/13/2020	Review	Book Bustle
11/14/2020	Author Interview	All the Ups and Downs
11/15/2020	Guest Post Video	Sybrina’s Book Blog
11/16/2020	Review	Jennie Reads
11/17/2020	Excerpt	Chapter Break Book Blog
11/18/2020	Review	Reading by Moonlight
11/19/2020	Review	Bibliotica

 

 

 

 

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Synopsis

 

This story begins with a funeral. One of three brothers is dead, mourned by his siblings. But which one? And how? And, most importantly: why?

William, Brian, and Luke are each born a year apart in a lower middle class Catholic family in 1960s Dublin. William, the eldest, rises to the top of the heap in the film industry as a successful movie producer. Luke, the baby of the family, surprises everyone by morphing into a worldwide pop star. Brian, the compliant middle son, is the eternal adult in the room: the helpful, steady one, the manager of finances and careers.

But none of them is actually quite what he seems. Wounded by childhood, they have betrayed one another in myriad ways, hiding behind little lies that have developed into full blown treachery. With an unnerving eye for the complexities of families, Nugent delves into the secret life of a deeply troubled household and provides stunning insights into the many forces that shape us from childhood.

 

 

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Review

 

I have seen dysfunctional families but this one takes the cake. Three brothers that seem to despise each other, a self-absorbed mother and a father that doesn’t stand up for much of anything makes for an interesting family dynamic.

This book has sections for each brother and flips from year to year, and not in order. The saying that there is always more than one side to a story could not be any truer in this book. Each incident is told from each brother’s point of view and how they interpreted what was happening at the time. William is first, then Brian, and then Luke. Each brother’s story tends to paint them in a better light, but what is the real truth to the events that occurred? Perhaps there is a little bit of truth to each side with reality somewhere in the middle.

I was intrigued when the story started because I had no idea which brother was in the coffin. You get some hints, but are they reliable? I suspected two of the brothers at different points based on the text, but I was quite surprised by how the story unfolded. Never in my wildest dreams did I expect that ending.

I don’t think I liked any of the brothers but at times they each redeemed themselves, at least for a moment. They each have their own struggles that have to be dealt with and how they handle them is unique to each of their personalities. Sadly, this family could have used some counseling when they were younger.

This book covers so many hot topics such as the #metoo movement, marriage equality, alcoholism, drug use, various diseases (1 could be a spoiler so no specifics here!), narcissism, and possibly even child abuse or neglect. I had a hard time putting this book down. It was a train wreck waiting to happen. But that is what makes this book work in my eyes.

We give this book 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Liz Nugent worked as a stage manager in theatres in Ireland and toured internationally before writing extensively for radio and television drama.

Unravelling Oliver was published in 2014, hit the number 1 spot for several weeks and won Crime Novel of the Year at the Irish Book Awards.

Lying in Wait, published in 2016, went straight to number 1 and was chosen for the Richard & Judy Book Club. It won the Radio 1 Ryan Tubridy Listeners Choice Award at the Irish Book Awards.

In October 2017, Liz won the Irish Tatler Woman of the Year Award in Literature.

Skin Deep was published in 2018. It also went straight to number 1 in the bestsellers charts and scooped two awards at the An Post Irish Book Awards in Nov ’18: Crime Novel of the Year AND the Radio 1 Ryan Tubridy Listener’s Choice Award.

 

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Back to the Burgh and Beyond (The Owl’s Nest Mysteries)

by C.S. McDonald

Publisher: McWriter Books

Release date: Sep 10, 2020

 

Synopsis

 

Meet Alexa Owl. She’s returned home to Pittsburgh after a divorce to start a new life and a new business, The Owl’s Nest Couturier Shoppe. Much to her surprise, she’s getting more than she ever bargained for: Detective Bobby Starr, and he’s no ordinary sleuth. Bobby is an angel who’s returned to Earth in hopes of earning his way into the Guardian Angel Squad. He’s been sent by none other than Saint Pete to acquire Alexa’s help to solve three cold case murders he left behind. Except, here’s the catch: he’s only been allotted four days to solve the first case! How in heaven’s name is she supposed to do that? Alexa is a professional seamstress—not a detective. Bobby insists the only way to solve the first case is to return to 1953, and Alexa’s not in love with that idea at all!

 

 

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Review

 

I had such a good time reading this first book in a new series….or at least I hope it will be a series! It combines mystery, humor, paranormal, and time travel all in one book.

Alexa Owl, freshly divorced, is back in her hometown to start her couturier business. What she doesn’t expect is to have a ghost and a ghost cat arrive on the scene and demand her help in solving a very old mystery. But the unique part is how she helps solve the crime, she is transported back to 1953 yet a copy of herself remains to take care of business. Thankfully, she has some new help that covers for her if she seems a bit off in the present.

As I read the book and tried to solve the mystery, the author does a tremendous job of throwing several red herrings into the mix and while you might think you know the answer, the truth will probably surprise you. I thought I had it all solved and tied up in a red bow and then had to undo that bow and find another suspect.

I think my favorite character is going to be Winnie. When she was a child, she lived in the building that Alexa now owns. She is quite the spitfire and I love that she enjoys baking and using alcohol in all of her recipes.

There is a bit of potential romance between Alexa and a classmate, Cliff.  There is a rocky start and only future books will tell us if this progresses or not.

We give this book 5 paws up and if you are a cozy fan, definitely check it out.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

For twenty-six years C.S. McDonald’s life whirled around a song and a dance. Classically trained at Pittsburgh Ballet Theater School, The Pittsburgh Dance Alloy, and many others, she became a professional dancer and choreographer. During that time, she choreographed many musicals and an opera for the Pittsburgh Savoyards. In 2011 she retired from her dance career to write. Under her real name, Cindy McDonald, she writes murder-suspense and romantic suspense novels. In 2014 she added the pen name, C.S. McDonald, to write children’s books for her grandchildren. In 2016 she added the Fiona Quinn Mysteries to that expansion. She decided to write the cozy mystery series that everyone, including teens and tweens, can read and enjoy. Presently, the Fiona Quinn Mysteries nine books with a tenth slated for 2021. The books are also available on audio, narrated by Maren Swenson Waxenberg. Cindy’s newest venture is The Owl’s Nest Mysteries. Once again, she has set her cozy mystery in Pittsburgh. The female protagonist, Alexa Owl, is much different from Fiona Quinn. The Owl’s Next Mysteries has a little grit, a little time travel, a little romance, and a whole lot of cozy! Ms. McDonald resides on her Thoroughbred farm known as Fly by Night Stables near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with her husband, Bill, and her poorly behaved Cocker Spaniel, Allister.

 

 

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Giveaway

 

 

Autographed copy of BACK TO THE BURGH AND BEYOND (USA only) (ends Nov 27)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Synopsis

 

hen billionaire CEO of Ros Industries, Daemon Ros feels his wife, Megan slipping away after a catastrophic loss, he surprises her with a magical two-week Christmas family vacation, hoping to get things back on track.

Attorney, Megan Ros would rather spend Christmas at home, in Switzerland, alone. When her husband invites her entire family from the US to spend an enchanting Christmas with them, the shocking surprise quickly turns problematic when she discovers that he’s been keeping secrets from her, causing a world of problems between them…Worse yet, she’ll have to confront those problems in the presence of her unsuspecting family.

As pasts resurface, threats declared, and illicit pursuits enter their lives, facing their problems together could prove the only way for them and their family to make it out alive, and for the two to find their way back to each other.

A Problematic Christmas Love is a follow-up novella to Rebecca Rohman’s romantic suspense novel, A Problematic Love. If you enjoy romantic suspense, stunning locales, a little Christmas magic and you’re looking for an intense afternoon read that will transport you to another universe, then this novella is for you.

 

 

Preorder for $0.99 before the price jumps to $2.99

 

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Amazon UK * Amazon CA * Amazon AU * Amazon ES

 

Amazon IN  * Amazon FR * Amazon IT * Amazon DE

 

Amazon NL * Amazon JP * Amazon BR * Amazon MX

 

 

Excerpt

 

That evening, in the privacy of my home office, I call Jonathan, Megan’s brother. “I need your help.”

“Is everything okay? Is Megan okay?”

“She’s not and I’ve tried to be there to support her every way I know how, but I’m not sure this is something I can do on my own. I’ve suggested we go to counseling together or separately. I’ve suggested time away with Jada and Zoë, I’ve even suggested moving to San Francisco, but she’s not been open to anything I’ve proposed. I’m not saying she should have gotten over this—I haven’t—not even close. However, every day I see a little more of her disappearing. She’s sinking deeper and deeper into a depression and I feel helpless. I know she needs help. I’m just not sure if I can be the help she needs. I think she needs you guys and she doesn’t know just how much.”

“I was under the impression that she was at least managing. I’ll let everyone know before you guys get here—”

“That’s another thing. I spoke to her about that today and now she’s telling me she doesn’t want to go.”

“That’s so unlike her. The whole point of all this planning is so that everyone could be here—together.”

“I know and I honestly believe this would be helpful to her but she doesn’t think she’s ready. At the same time, I think she might feel guilty about missing all these family events in the past few months. She suggested Zach and I go alone, but I will not leave her here alone especially at a time like this.”

“What can we do to help? You think I’ll be able to convince her?”

“I don’t know,” and suddenly, an idea sparks in my head. “Wait…Why don’t you all come here? If she won’t come to you, maybe I can bring all of you to her. Everyone can stay here. The renovation finished months ago but since Summer’s…” my words drift when I remember the reason all our plans have come to a halt.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. Megan is the one who showed me how having a supportive family network can make a difference and maybe she just needs to be reminded of that.”

“I’ll need to talk to everyone, but this is important so I’ll try to make it happen.”

“Please. I’ll make it easy. If you can tell me the date and time you all want to come here and return, I’ll send the jet to pick all of you up. That way, all you have to do is show up. I’ll see to it that everything is ready here and I’ll pay any costs for anything that has to be canceled in Tahoe.”

“If there is, I don’t anticipate it will be much. Daniel had arranged for the entire family to stay at his place. I’m sure he’ll have no problems filling the rooms. It’s skiing season and there’s already snow on the ground in Tahoe.”

“Well, get back to me as soon as possible and I’ll organize everything.”

“Okay.”

“Oh, Jonathan. If you speak to her, let’s not say anything. I think it would be best if we surprised her.”

 

About the Author

 

Rebecca Rohman is a wife and designer currently living in the northeastern United States. She was a sales manager for a tourist magazine, and for many years prior, she was involved in marketing for a jewelry company and fine wine distributor.

Over twenty years ago, she started writing her first romance novel purely to entertain herself. In early 2012, she decided to complete and release it.

 

Website * Sign Up For Rebecca’s Mailing List * Goodreads

 

BookBub * Facebook * Twitter * YouTube * Pinterest

 

 

 

 

 

 

Synopsis

 

The eternal dance of attraction, lust and love has been going on since time immemorial.

 

The divine apsara Menaka descends to Earth at Indra’s behest to distract the sage Vishwamitra from the penance that would bring him unimaginable powers. Menaka succeeds in bewitching Vishwamitra, but her actions are destined to have dire consequences for both.

Eons later, their story is set to repeat itself.

Poorva has always played by society’s rules and ideas of decorum. But what happens when her own loved ones betray her in the worst way imaginable? Does she still have to remain bound by their rules?

Rudra plays with power and people like they are pieces on a chessboard. He has no qualms about indulging his desires, be it money or women, but is determined not to be bound by either.

What happens when these two diametrically opposite souls are brought together by fate?

In the game of power, lust, greed and betrayal, some win and some lose. But are there any winners or losers in the game of love?

Like Menaka and Vishwamitra, are Poorva and Rudra too destined to see their story end in tragedy? Or will the divine power prevail?

 

A standalone novel from the author of #Bestseller ‘The Bodyguard’ – Undercover Series #1

 

 

 

 

Amazon India * Amazon US

 

 

 

 

Excerpt

 

The seat had remained vacant, and it reminded her of the premiere night and Samar’s friend… no, Rudra Pratap Maurya.

Well, he was something. Full of confidence and a little too forward, which normally was the result of being born with a silver spoon. Who would know that better than she? But she wasn’t brash, quite the opposite. Would she be meeting him again today? She might. The thought incited a flutter in her heart.

Twice during her performance in the last month, she had experienced the same kind of flutter and was reminded of him. Why? She shouldn’t be thinking about another man. She had no right.

A loud noise in the living room brought her out of her troubled thoughts. Mansi was bustling around in the suite and must have dropped something. She would be busy packing their things. They had been living here for more than a month and it was almost like shifting house.

With a stifled yawn, Poorva got out of bed. Mansi was ready with her morning cup of tea when she came out of her bedroom.

“He is a womanizer, and from a gangster family to boot!” Mansi declared.

Poorva frowned and picked up the cup. “Who?”

“Rudra Pratap Maurya, or RPM as he is called in his circles. I googled him. His grandfather was rumored to be a don in Mumbai, involved in arms, drugs, and the like.”

“Rumored?”

“And this man RPM… though he doesn’t have anything illegal under his name,” Mansi went on as if she hadn’t heard her, “…last year he had hooked up with three different women.”

“Why are you telling me all this?”

“He is after you.”

“Mansi, come on!” Poorva sat in the balcony chair and yawned again.

“I saw him at the party and then yesterday, he was spinning a yarn about being there at the parking lot just like that. He must have been at the show last night. He has this glint in his eyes, full of lust when he looks at you.”

“Lust! Only?” She laughed at Mansi’s dramatic exaggeration, “Thank you. I’ll be on my guard if I meet him again.”

“If? You are meeting him in an hour.”

Amused, Poorva looked at her with raised eyebrows.

“I’ll not take this month’s salary if he is not present at today’s brunch.”

Poorva’s phone pinged bringing the bizarre conversation to an end.

 

 

About the Author

 

Author of Amazon Bestseller Romantic Thriller ‘The Bodyguard’, Ruchi Singh is an IT Professional & Novelist, writing stories under Romance & Suspense Genre. She is a bilingual author and writes in both English & Hindi.

Winner of TOI WriteIndia Season 1, Ruchi also publishes romantic short reads under ‘Hearts & Hots’ collection, besides being a contributing author to many anthologies.

A voracious reader, she loves everything—from classics to memoirs to editorials to chick-lit, but her favourite genre is ‘romantic thriller’. Besides writing and reading, her other interests include dabbling with Indian classical dance forms.

 

Website | Blog | Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter

 

 

ARACELI’S PATH

 

Among Angels and Devils in Juarez

 

by

 

MARION SURLES

 

 

Genre: Realistic Fiction / Border Stories / Mature Middle Grade

Publisher: Love and Literacy

Date of Publication: November 30, 2019

Number of Pages: 145

Scroll down for the giveaway!

 

 

 

Araceli comes from a blended, dysfunctional family held together by the love of a grandmother. Rubí is being raised by a single mother who works as a prostitute. Both young girls are affected not only by their mothers’ choices but also by the violence and culture of Juarez, Mexico.

Can they overcome the cards they have been dealt, or are they destined to follow the same paths as their mothers?

Follow the lives of Araceli and Rubí from childhood to young adulthood and listen for children everywhere who are voiceless, trapped in their own cultures.

 

English version

 

 

Spanish version

 

 

Amazon

 

Proceeds benefit Love and Literacy  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

While a fictional tale, this story takes a hard look into life for those living in Juarez, Mexico. It is not for the faint of heart and I found it heartbreaking to see young girls forced into prostitution to stay alive and make their way in the world not to mention the squalor that they experience on a daily basis.

Araceli’s story is similar to many in her town. She is a substitute mother for her younger siblings since their mother is not interested in their welfare, only her own. Thankfully, they have their Abuela to help fill the gap that their mother leaves behind. There is also a kind neighbor that owns the corner store that looks out for Araceli and her sisters. Araceli has dreams beyond ending up like her mother, married with many children and no future. It was hard to watch her struggle with life and not be able to see her dreams come to fruition, but she doesn’t give up on a better life.

I felt like Araceli never gave up hope on herself, her life, her family, and even those around her. This is evident with another girl, Rubi. Rubi’s life was even harder than Araceli’s growing up. I don’t think she attended school at all, was left outside when her mother was entertaining men, and I’m not sure if she was fed much. There are passages that mention Rubi at the age of 12 with heavy makeup and pregnant. I think she had three to four children before she was 18, possibly younger. Araceli tried to befriend Rubi but was rebuffed. Perhaps Rubi didn’t trust anyone and could only look out for herself. I think that one of the few people that were able to get through to her was Paul. Paul was a photographer with a church missionary group that was building homes for some families in Juarez. For some reason, he took Araceli and her family under his wing and even Rubi to the extent she allowed it. His kindness and generosity is overwhelming but is just a drop in the bucket considering all of those that need help.

I enjoyed this book on various levels. It taught me about the reality of this town in Mexico, and possibly others like it; the kindness of strangers especially Paul (Abuelo), and the photographs of the town and the joy in their faces despite everything. I hope that those that read this book take to heart the opportunities to help those less fortunate whether it is locally or in another country. This is the type of book that could open up discussions in the classroom or at home about the fate of the world and those around us.

We give this book 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Marion Surles was born in 1957 in Columbus, Mississippi. From a young age, she was interested in learning Spanish, due to a special offering of Spanish at her elementary school. She received a BA and MA in Spanish and social work from Mississippi State University and teaches Spanish and English as a Second Language to all levels of students. She also serves as a volunteer missionary at home and in many Spanish-speaking countries. Most recently, she has formed a mission in Juarez, Mexico called Love and Literacy, which encourages reading and staying in school. Every two months, Marion travels to Juarez to bring books and literacy activities to a poor neighborhood, partnering with a local family to serve as the library. Her books are a fictional account of the lives of her students. Her Facebook page, Love and Literacy, gives updates of her work in Juarez.

Marion lives in Dublin, Texas with her husband, horses, and dogs. She enjoys trail riding, kayaking, and camping, plus visiting with her daughters and granddaughter nearby.

 

Website ║ Facebook ║ Amazon Author Page

 

 

———————–

 

GIVEAWAY!  GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!

 

TWO WINNERS: Autographed copies of Araceli’s Path and Grit in

Juarez (choice of English or Spanish), Day of the Dead shopping bag &

plate, Mexican coin purse, Mexican candy. 

 

NOVEMBER 5-15, 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:

 

11/5/20	Book Trailer	Book Bustle
11/5/20	BONUS Promo	Hall Ways Blog
11/6/20	Review	Reading by Moonlight
11/7/20	Excerpt	Chapter Break Book Blog
11/8/20	Top Ten	It’s Not All Gravy
11/9/20	Review	StoreyBook Reviews
11/10/20	Guest Post	All the Ups and Downs
11/11/20	Review	Forgotten Winds
11/12/20	Author Interview	Bibliotica
11/13/20	Review	The Clueless Gent
11/14/20	Review	Missus Gonzo

 

 

 

 

 

blog tour services provided by

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE SANTA BOX tells the story of teenager Kallie Watts. For the past five years, Christmas has spelled disaster for her and her family. When a fire leaves Kallie and her widowed mother homeless just before the holidays, there’s only one conclusion: Kallie is cursed by Christmas. When Kallie and her mother relocate to a small California town, Kallie is confronted by her worst nightmare come true: a town overflowing with holiday decorations and Christmas cheer. Kallie’s life is soon changed forever by the gift of a Santa box. When she lifts the lid, she rediscovers the magic and true meaning of Christmas.

 

Amazon * Deseret Book * Seagull

 

Review

 

If you are looking for an upbeat Christmas themed movie then look no further than this new release. This movie has it all – likable and unlikable characters, spirit, and a clear message – that it is better to give than to receive.

The movie starts off during WWII with two soldiers around a campfire listening to a Christmas song. An enterprising young man distracts them to steal a can of food. Much to his surprise, one of the soldiers only wants to help him. The movie then fast forwards to the present day and we meet Kallie and her mom, Rachel, who has just moved to a new town and rental home after losing pretty much everything in a fire. Kallie is very discouraged because bad things seem to happen around Christmas time, at least for the last five years and she believes that the holiday is cursed.

However, things will change once Kallie meets Otto. Otto loves the spirit of Christmas and they form a fast friendship and he shares his beliefs and gives her some sage advice about the holiday. Will it be enough to change her mind?  You will have to watch the movie to find out.

The magic of the movie is in the Santa Box that Kallie finds on her porch. Inside is a note telling her to write her Christmas wish on the note and put it inside the box and leave it on her porch. What she doesn’t realize is that her wish will have long lasting ripples into the community and even deep within her own beliefs.

This movie also has an underlying story about Lisa Green who is the popular girl in school and actually something of a bully to the other students. She is mean and degrading to them. She sort of befriends Kallie because her mom told her to be her friend. But is she a true friend if she is mean to others?  We can tell that Kallie isn’t comfortable with Lisa’s actions but she is afraid to confront Lisa. I felt like this story was pretty spot on and even has a message of forgiveness.

Overall, this is a fantastic movie and one that can be enjoyed every year. I know it affected various emotions and I will admit to being a bit teary eyed during parts.

We give this movie 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

The Santa Box_Theatrical_Trailer1 from Ron Brough on Vimeo.

 

 

Filming the movie

 

Writer, Director and Producer Spanky Dustin Ward in partnership with Covenant Communications and Excel Entertainment announced today that the new film, THE SANTA BOX, will open in local Megaplex Theatres on Friday, November 6. Covenant Communications served as the production company with Ron Brough as executive producer, and Excel Entertainment is distributing the film in theaters.

Ward had been working on the idea and screenplay for the film over the past couple of years, but it was earlier this summer that the actual production shifted into high gear. “We shot the film in early August at several locations along the Wasatch Front,” said Ward. “And that was after only about three weeks of pre-production time, including casting and rehearsals! But everything fell perfectly into place to get THE SANTA BOX produced in time to release it for this Holiday season.”

THE SANTA BOX features mostly local talent, including Shawn Stevens as Otto, and newcomer Cami Carver as Kallie. “Playing Otto was something completely new for me, but it was a role I wanted so much,” said Stevens. “The Otto character is an 85-year-old German immigrant, and naturally, Spanky originally wanted to cast an actor who was around that age. But, luckily for me, with the help of an amazing makeup artist, Vanae Morris, I was able to convince Spanky that I could pull-off a great performance of an old German man. And the character was an absolute joy to play.”

“For the role of Kallie, we auditioned dozens of young actresses and Cami originally auditioned for a different role, but she absolutely knocked our socks off!” proclaimed Ward. “We instantly knew she was our Kallie.”

In addition to the two leads, THE SANTA BOX features 20-plus major characters and dozens of extras. “Filming during this crazy time brought some unique challenges, but we acclimated to it very quickly,” said Ward. “Everyone on the production team strictly adhered to safe production guidelines implemented by the health officers we had on set. Thanks to those practices, everyone in the cast and crew stayed healthy and the production went off without a hitch.”

For more information on THE SANTA BOX, visit its IMDB page

 

 

 

 

 

Giveaway

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway