Giveaway – If The Sun Spares Us by Brenda Marie Smith @GoddessFish @bsmithnovelist

Posted on October 25, 2023 by fundinmental

What a gorgeous cover for If The Sun Spares Us by Breanda Marie Smith. I have been on an apocalyptic reading kick for a while now, and the Braving The Light Series sounds like a fabulous read and I am happy to share it with you.

IF THE SUN SPARES US by Brenda Marie Smith

GENRE: Post-apocalyptic thriller

Two years ago, a solar pulse destroyed modern life. Bea Crenshaw organized her starving, suburban neighbors into a farming community. But now Bea’s gone, and her grandchildren must carry her legacy forward.

In the post-apocalyptic pressure cooker of Austin, Texas, 19-year-old Keno and his younger cousins struggle to ensure their community’s survival even as they’re forced to relocate to safer grounds. Northern Lights that don’t belong this far south grow increasingly intense, making Keno fear what harm the sun will cause next.

Even worse, a marauding militia called the Raiders is closing in, led by a deranged woman who preys on teenage boys. Despite Keno’s debilitating flashbacks from a firefight, he and his wife have a new baby to protect. Though Bea is dead, her spirit desperately searches for ways to shield her grandkids. When Raiders target two neighborhood members, the only hope lies in the community’s strength, Keno’s ingenuity, and the family’s fierce love for one another.

EXCERPT

In the next second, thick neon bands of green light shoot into the sky like they’re spewing straight out of the earth at the horizon, the aurora pulsing and soaring hundreds of feet into the air toward the stratosphere. This is nothing like the tame Northern Lights we’ve had off and on over the past year, but crazy-bright and thick and enormous. None of it belongs in Texas. I stare at the lights, getting dizzy from their movement and intensity.

The guys out on the street whistle and shout… I close my eyes to get my bearings.

Residual streaks of light burn my eyeballs and flash across my eyelids, then mutate into the recurring, overly-vivid memories I can’t shake: flaming, screaming boys, falling fiery trees, bursting Molotov cocktails, strafing assault rifles—a hand slaps across my mouth and covers my nose, and Richie’s behind me, yanking me to the ground, hissing, “Shhh! Shhh! Don’t scream.”

“The End of Days is upon us, and we’ve got work to do!” shouts the woman from the street. “Head back north.” The feet start tramping around. “Jonesie, north’s the other way.”

Richie’s pressing so hard on my mouth and nose he’s gonna suffocate me. My tears run over his hand. Flaming bodies still flash before my eyes while green lights burn in the sky overhead…

I grab his hand to yank it off, but he presses harder. I panic. Dude’s gonna kill me.

AUTHOR Bio and Links

BRENDA MARIE SMITH is attracted to stories where everyday characters transcend their limitations to find their inner heroism. She lived off the grid for years in a farming collective where her sons were delivered by midwives. A lifelong community activist, Brenda has managed student co-op housing, produced concerts, and raised a small herd of boys. She and her husband live in Kyle, Texas. They have more grown kids and grandkids than they can count.

SOCIAL MEDIA:

Website: https://brendamariesmith.com
Blog: https://brendamariesmith.tumblr.com
Twitter: @bsmithnovelist
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJlLSnORIyoaygvZ1j49ZKw

Buy Links for the Braving the Light Series:

IF DARKNESS TAKES US (Book One): https://amzn.to/461geyL
For IF THE LIGHT ESCAPES (Book Two): https://amzn.to/464zPOD
IF THE SUN SPARES US (Book Three): https://amzn.to/3LzIpwA

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Giveaway – The Airs Of Tillie by Barbara Casey @GoddessFish

Posted on July 12, 2023 by fundinmental

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Barbara Casey will award a $20 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

The small town of Wellington, Florida, has the distinction of playing host to some of the wealthiest people in the world as well as the most prestigious equestrian events. King Charles comes from England to watch polo on the fields where he once played as Prince. The United States Olympics Equestrian team trains and competes there with teams from other countries. In sharp contrast, just down the road, due west, are some of the largest sugarcane fields in the world. The people who work these fields are for the most part poor. They come from many cultures and backgrounds, but they primarily come from Haiti, Jamaica, and the United States. This combination of horse owner and cane worker is an unusual dichotomy, and it is a blend of these things that makes up the world in which my story’s main character, Tillie, the 11-year-old daughter of a sugarcane field foreman, lives.

In The Airs of Tillie, Tillie Turpning lives in an imaginary world that is filled with beautiful horses, polite people, and luxurious homes. Her real world, however, includes living in a cane foreman’s small tenant house with her over-worked mother, an autistic sister, and a rebellious older brother who is searching for answers within a radical Muslim group. When Tillie is unexpectedly forced to assist in the difficult birth of a new foal, she proves that her determination and belief in herself will allow her to accomplish anything she sets out to do.

Read an Excerpt

A gentle breeze stirred, scattering red and white petals from the potted geraniums that were decorating the field. The crowd noises softened. Arabesque picked up her gate into a slow gallop around the outer edge of the jumping arena in response to Tillie’s silent command, settling into her own pace, her natural rhythm. Then she felt the pressure of the young girl’s knees on her sides—another command, another signal from rider to horse. Arabesque began galloping faster, her eyes alert and focused on a split-rail fence banked with hedges. Faster, faster, up, and over, and Arabesque once again resumed her slow gallop.

This time she felt the reins pull slightly to the left. She angled her strong, muscular body in that direction and once again picked up speed. Three stone walls, each positioned in front of the other, blocked her path. “You can do it,” she heard the girl whisper. As Arabesque approached the first wall at a full gallop, she felt the girl shift her weight, working with her own, blending her body movement with that of the horse. Over the first wall, the second, and then the third. Arabesque snorted loudly and bobbed her head with exuberance. But she wasn’t finished yet. Again the girl pressed her knees, silently instructing and urging Arabesque to perform.

They negotiated three more jumps: the oxer, the tiger trap, and the vertical gate. So far their score was perfect. The crowd was totally quiet now as they watched the champion jumper obey the commands of its young rider.

The water hazard was next. Tillie and Arabesque had watched three other horses lose points on it, and one horse had to be disqualified for refusing to jump it at all. “You’re not afraid, Arabesque,” the horse heard Tillie whisper. Faster, faster the horse galloped toward the hazard. Up she went, once again feeling the young girl’s tensed body stretched in union with her own. They were over it. Arabesque looked across the field and saw Molly, her companion horse, watching.

“Good girl, Arabesque. Good girl.” But Tillie wouldn’t let Arabesque relax. The horse felt pressure, this time coming from the girl’s heels and knees. Arabesque continued in her rhythm. Two more jumps to go, and they were also the most difficult. Arabesque felt the girl urge her to pick up her gate. She didn’t understand that they had only a limited amount of time to complete the jumps or otherwise lose points. She only sensed she had to hurry; and that if she didn’t, for some reason the girl would be disappointed.

Arabesque felt the girl press her knees harder into her sides and turned toward the obstruction. Bales of hay were stacked into a five-foot barrier. Extending from both ends were fence rails of varying lengths. Arabesque perked her ears forward, her breathing was heavier now. Closer and closer she galloped toward the obstruction until she felt the girl’s body tense. Through the air they went, and when they landed on the other side, the barrier was still intact.

Murmurings could be heard from the crowd. So far, this young girl who had never ridden in competition before had scored higher than any of the other contestants in the Youth Division. There was one jump left—the dreaded spiderwort—and only fifteen seconds remaining on the clock.

About the Author:

Barbara Casey is the author of over two dozen award-winning novels and book-length works of nonfiction for both adults and young adults, and numerous articles, poems, and short stories. Several of her books have been optioned for major films and television series.

In addition to her own writing, Barbara is an editorial consultant and president of the Barbara Casey Agency. Established in 1995, she represents authors throughout the United States, Great Britain, Canada, and Japan.

In 2018 Barbara received the prestigious Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award and Top Professional Award for her extensive experience and notable accomplishments in the field of publishing and other areas.

Barbara lives on a mountain in Georgia with three cats who adopted her: Homer, a Southern coon cat; Reese, a black cat; and Earl Gray, a gray cat and Reese’s best friend.

http://www.barbaracaseyauthor.com
http://www.barbaracaseyagency.com
https://www.amazon.com/stores/Barbara-Casey/author/B001K7S4IW
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/697572.Barbara_Casey

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Review – Cross Waves by Amanda Uhl @AuAuthor @GoddessFish

Posted on August 31, 2022 by fundinmental

I first saw the Mind Hackers series when a tour popped up for Dark Waves, a novella, by Amanda Uhl for Goddess Fish. I am happy to say I read both of them and will have them reviewed before the Dark Waves tour on 9.6.22. So be sure and check back.

Cross Waves (Mind Hackers Series, Book Two)

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Cross Waves by Amanda Uhl is the second book in the Mind Hacker series. I must say, the books just keep getting better.

Peter is in charge of the CMU unit, the US government’s Cognitive Mind Unit, responsible for guarding the minds of scientists and leaders across the world.

Geneva is the most powerful trainer. Trainers aid Hackers while entering the minds from a distance. Every hacker works with a trainer.

Geneva and Rolf are a perfect match, though they both fight working together. Her brothers have no use for him, but his dark reaches for her light.

Now, Rolf’s sister is missing. Geneva has an extraordinary tracking ability, able to read someone’s aura, and is a human lie detector. They will have to work together if they hope to find her. All Rolf’s senses scream danger, but he and Geneva continue on.

The legend of the crystals: some of which were stolen from Geneva’s murdered mother. Julia had a dream talent and dreamt of Geneva’s mother’s murder. She is also Geneva’s best friend and Rolf’s sister.

At times, I worry about the CMU. Are they legit? Do they have an ulterior motive, an agenda of their own? Of course, any secret, clandestine government organization can be corrupted.

I am only half way through and my emotions are getting ramped up. I can’t relax and enjoy the book. I’m too tense, eager to read on, faster, gotta know. I can’t figure out what’s going on. Who is doing what? Who’s good? Who’s bad?

Geneva’s brothers really tick me off…dismissing her. It’s a wonder they don’t get her killed. But, they will sacrifice their lives to keep her safe. Will it come to that? There are more characters that have a role to play, some good and some bad. You will need to read Cross Waves for yourself if you want to know it all. 🙂

But, I will tell you that I love a good villain and we do get to know his thoughts and feelings while he is doing all his badness. I was kept in the dark for a long time about who he was, but I had plenty of time to revel in his badness. A good bad guy makes the story so much more interesting for me.

WOW! I could only quit reading to do the necessities. I quit taking notes and ignored Mr Wonderful and everything else that was going on around me. If Paranormal Romantic Suspense is your cup of tea, this is a must read series.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Cross Waves by Amanda Uhl.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos — 5 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

She can kill with a thought.
Gifted with an explosive psychic talent, Geneva Ericksen can’t risk letting Rolf Jorgensen in her life. If she does, she might accidentally kill him. But when Rolf’s sister goes missing, Geneva and her extraordinary abilities may be his only hope to find her.

He’s hiding a deadly secret.
Rolf‘s not about to let Geneva slip away from him, even if it means protecting her from his dark gift. As Rolf and Geneva trail his sister, they soon uncover a life-threatening plot: someone is attempting to profit from stealing and trapping their power in crystals.

To outsmart the enemy, it will take all their combined strength. But can they trust each other enough to survive?

ABOUT AMANDA UHL

Award-winning author Amanda Uhl has always had a fascination with the mystical. Having drawn her first breath in a century home rumored to be haunted, you might say she was “born” into it. After a brief stint in college as a paid psychic, Amanda graduated with a bachelor of fine arts in theatre and a master’s degree in marketing. Over the past twenty years, she has worked as an admissions representative and graphic designer, owned her own freelance writing company, and managed communications for several Fortune 500 companies, most recently specializing in cyber security. Amanda is an avid reader and writes fast-paced, paranormal romantic suspense and humorous contemporary romance from her home in Cleveland, Ohio. When she’s not reading or writing, you can find Amanda with her husband and three children, gathering beach glass on the Lake Erie shoreline or biking in Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Visit her online at www.amandauhl.com.

Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Goodreads / Amazon / Bookbub

MY AMANDA UHL REVIEWS

Mind Waves (Mind Hacker Series)

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Giveaway & Review – The Undine’s Tear by Talena Winters @TalenaWinters @GoddessFish

Posted on April 27, 2022 by fundinmental

I love anything to do with water and I would love to visit Atlantis, so I am eager to read The Undine’s Tear by Talena Winters. The blurb says epic fantasy, mermaids like you have never seen them before…and I HAVE TO KNOW.

Amazon / Goodreads

The Undine’s Tear by Talena Winters

GENRE: Young Adult epic historical fantasy

MY REVIEW

Calandra is the most powerful healer to arise in three thousand years. Her people are counting on her to save them. The cost may be too much and time is running out.

Even though Calandra and Tanni are complete opposites, they became fast friends. Tanni’s dream was to be a guardian of the island and would put down her life for her.

Zale performs with the gypsys using his fishy ability, like a carnival act in a freak show. He spends his day in a tank of water. Abela came to him, telling him he had a sister and only he could save his mother, who had been taken by the Grigori.

Damon comes to Calandra in her dreams. He has become her hidden teacher, but I am leery of him. She has a push/pull attraction to him and I think, deep down, she senses there is more than meets the eye to him.

Women rule the island. There are no male Undines, so human men were brought in and Redeemed. That is a misnomer, because all their will is taken from them, so what’s to redeem? Calandra’s conscience is telling her there is something very wrong about this.

Narcissa is a princess whose mother is Adonia, the queen. Narcissa envies Calandra and will do all she can to bring her down, maybe even be the cause of her death. AND, not all the characters will survive the story. There is one that I really hate Talena Winters took a particular one out, but I also like when an author isn’t afraid to kill them off if it adds to the story.

I know there are people who thrive power. Those that have it often feel justified and entitled in their actions, but it is not necessary to be cruel.

Reverend Berian. I am having a hard time deciding if he is a good guy or if he has his own agenda.

We do have mermaids, Atlantis, other magicals, danger, betrayal, sacrifice…

Even though the mers spent most of their time on two legs, I loved the concept of the story. I am curious about what happened to all the mermen, seeing Zale is the only one of his kind…

Action packed, suspenseful, and I want more.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Undines Tear by Talena Winter.

Bonus Review for The Waterboy

The Waterboy by Talena Winters is a novella that tells Zale’s story. It is not necessary to read this before The Undines Tear, but if you are going to read the series, I would recommend adding this to your reading list. The Undines Tear covers the basics, but The Waterboy adds a lot of the details of his life and how he came to be with the gypsys.

BLURB

She’s destined to save the world . . . if she doesn’t destroy it first.

Calandra’s destiny is also her doom. As the most powerful healer since the woman who sank Atlantis, she’s been raised to restore the Heartstone that protects her island from humans . . . before she goes Mad like her mother and all the powerful undine healers before her. When she learns she needs both male and female magic to succeed, she becomes desperate—there hasn’t been an undine male born for over three thousand years. Instead, she’s being pressured to use the siren mind-bond to enslave her childhood friend, the one man she’s sworn to risk a death sentence to free.

When Calandra discovers a cryptic message that shows her exiled mother was not only sane but pregnant with a boy, she questions everything she’s been taught to believe. But revealing the horrifying truth of the bonds could tear her island apart—and concealing it could unleash the Earth’s oldest, most destructive enemy. With insanity looming, can Calandra find her brother and save the Heartstone, the man she loves, her people, and the world . . . before she loses control and destroys them all?

The Undine’s Tear is the first book in the mind-blowing young adult epic historical fantasy series Rise of the Grigori. Packed with complex characters, lush world-building, gritty action, and impossible odds, this intricately woven tale presents mermaids like you’ve never seen them before. Join Calandra in a search for redemption that will threaten the very fabric of the universe. Dive into the adventure today!

EXCERPT

“You are wondering how to gain control of your powers,” Damon said without preamble.

Calandra thought about ignoring him or denying it, but what was the point? This was nothing more than a dream, and the slippery logic of dreams fuzzed her will to keep her more rebellious thoughts to herself.

“You know, I shouldn’t even be talking to you. An Unredeemed male. I could get in big trouble.”

The corners of his mouth curved under his trim goatee.

“And who will report you?” He indicated the blackness around them. “Certainly not I. I exist only in your mind.”

She crossed her arms and cocked her head, studying him. “Have you ever been Redeemed?”

His expression became stony. “Redemption is for humans.”

“Redemption is for men. To make them safe. It just happens that the only men are human.”

Thinking of Osaze’s dread, she wondered again at the morality of it. Uncrossing her arms, she shifted her gaze from Damon’s face to his bronze chest.

“And one of them is my friend.”

“All humans should be controlled,” he replied nonchalantly, drawing nearer. “They have not the patience nor discipline to control themselves. And I am not human, yet I am male.”

She looked up at him, eyes narrowed. “I can see that. What are you? I’ve never seen an undine with golden eyes.”

He smiled knowingly. “Not human. But I could be your friend.”

That same feeling of security and warmth from their first encounter enveloped her, as though he were projecting it from himself intentionally. She frowned, wanting to accept it and shake off her heavy heart, but not daring to trust him yet.

“What do you want from me?”

“I want to help you.”

Damon came near enough to touch her but didn’t, pausing before her with his arms to the sides in a placating gesture.

She wrapped her arms around herself and glared into the blackness beyond him. “Yeah, well, you can’t. Not unless you can tell me how to control powers that could sink an island and heal the Heartstone without going Mad.”

“Little lark,” he said, amusement dripping from his voice like honey from a spoon, “that is exactly what I intend to do.”

AUTHOR Bio and Links

Talena Winters is addicted to stories, tea, chocolate, yarn, and silver linings. She writes page-turning fiction for teens and adults in multiple genres, coaches other writers, has written several award-winning songs, and designs knitting patterns under her label My Secret Wish. Master of the ironic GIF response. She currently resides on an acreage in the Peace Country of northern Alberta, Canada, with her husband, three surviving boys, two dogs, and an assortment of farm cats. She would love to be a mermaid when she grows up.

Website / Instagram / Twitter / Facebook / Facebook / Goodreads / Pinterest

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Giveaway – Brenda Marie Smith’s If The Light Escapes @bsmithnovelist @GoddessFish

Posted on November 10, 2021 by fundinmental

If the Light Escapes by Brenda Marie Smith

GENRE: Sci-fi, Science Fiction (post-apocalyptic)

BLURB:

IF THE LIGHT ESCAPES,

A BRAVING THE LIGHT NOVEL

By Brenda Marie Smith

A standalone sequel to IF DARKNESS TAKES US

A solar electromagnetic pulse fried the U.S. grid. Now northern lights are in Texas—3,000 miles farther south than where they belong. The universe won’t stop screwing with 18-year-old Keno Simms. All that’s left for him and his broken family is farming their Austin subdivision, trying to eke out a living on poor soil in the scorching heat.

Keno’s one solace is his love for Alma, who has her own secret sorrows. When he gets her pregnant, he vows to keep her alive no matter what. Yet armed marauders and nature itself collude against him, forcing him to make choices that rip at his conscience. IF THE LIGHT ESCAPES is post-apocalyptic science fiction set in a near-future reality, a coming-of-age story told in the voice of a heroic teen who’s forced into manhood too soon.

EXCERPT

FROM CHAPTER 5:

“These northern lights bug the crap out of me,” I tell Alma. “What are they doing here? They’re supposed to be tied to magnetic poles. I saw this show a couple years ago that said the north pole was drifting north, not south. So how did they end up here? The poles can’t drift around randomly. That’s impossible.”

“I don’t know, baby. They worry me, too, but we need to be quiet.”

“They make me feel like something bad is gonna happen. What do you call that? Fore-something.”

“Foreboding?”

“That’s it. I’ll be quiet, now, and just stew in my foreboding.”

“Silly.” Alma reaches up and ruffles my hair.

When we patrol and we can’t cuddle on account of guns, Alma and I could talk all night. It’s not a good idea for us to talk much when we’re patrolling, though. We get all involved and forget to listen for anyone who might be sneaking around, hunting for food or water, or worse: getting ready to kill us for it.

We walk along with our rifles in the night. It’s cool out here, but not cold…

Alma stops and raises her gun.

“Hear that?” she whispers.

“No, what?” I’ve got my gun up, too, and I’m pivoting around, searching. I want to hide Alma, but she would never let me.

“Over there.” She points at the corner by the park. And I hear a jangly noise, like car keys. No one drives cars now, though…

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Brenda Marie Smith lived off the grid for many years in a farming collective where her sons were delivered by midwives. She’s been a community activist, managed student housing co-ops, produced concerts to raise money for causes, done massive quantities of bookkeeping, and raised a small herd of teenage boys.

Brenda is attracted to stories where everyday characters transcend their limitations to find their inner heroism. She and her husband reside in a grid-connected, solar-powered home in South Austin, Texas. They have more grown kids and grandkids than they can count.

Social Media:

Website: https://brendamariesmith.com/
Blog: https://brendamariesmith.tumblr.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BrendaMarieSmithAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/bsmithnovelist
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJlLSnORIyoaygvZ1j49ZKw
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58043963-if-the-light-escapes?ac=1#

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/If-Light-Escapes-Braving-Novel-ebook/dp/B09CMZZRKZ/
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/if-the-light-escapes-brenda-marie-smith/1140037562
BookPeople: https://www.bookpeople.com/book/9781970137224

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Giveaway – Relatively Normal Secrets by C W Allen @GoddessFish @cwallenbooks

Posted on September 3, 2021 by fundinmental

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. C. W. Allen will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Like most siblings, Tuesday and Zed don’t always get along. Unlike most siblings, their arguments are over things like whether their parents are hiding a life of crime, or are simply the weirdest adults on the planet. When they decide to go on the hunt for some solid evidence, things get weirder than ever: two thugs with shape-shifting swords show up, their dog shows off some tricks she definitely didn’t learn in obedience school, and even their treehouse turns out to be more than meets the eye.

Their escape leaves Zed and Tuesday stranded in a land where robots and holograms live alongside quaint medieval villagers and soldiers on horseback. Soldiers who insist their father is a disgraced fugitive, and their dog a legendary monster.

If they ever want to see their parents again, they’ll have to learn to work together. After all, they’ve got a mysterious code to break, secrets to unlock, bandits and soldiers to outwit, and a rowdy dog whose antics are getting more outrageous by the minute. Even if they manage to evade the eerie secret police and uncover enough clues to figure out what’s really going on, they’re not sure they’re going to like the truth.

Zed and Tuesday will have to decide who to trust and what really matters, or they’ll never get back to normal (whatever that is.) Because when it comes to normal, everything is relative.

Read an Excerpt

Their father was fond of saying the dog had not managed to learn anything in the years that followed, but that was not strictly true. While it was true that she did not come when called or sit on command, the dog had in fact learned many tricks. Nyx had learned quite early on, for example, how to help herself to the contents of the refrigerator. No one was quite sure how an animal without thumbs was capable of opening a refrigerator door, since she had never been caught in the act, but an entire ham doesn’t simply get up and go for a stroll during the night, now does it?

Zed imagined some people would consider it normal to take a dog along to run errands—as long as the dog could fit comfortably inside a purse, that is, or at the very least wait patiently in the car. But Nyx was neither tiny, nor well-behaved and patient. She was, in fact, huge. Her bristly black fur and legs that seemed much too long for the rest of her frame made her look like a gigantic hairy spider. His mother spent nearly every moment in the dog’s company, and whenever she needed to go inside the grocery store, or post office, or other location where dogs are generally unwelcome, she brought Nyx along to wait in the car for her return. Nyx made use of this time by bouncing anxiously from seat to seat, smearing her nose on the windows.

About the Author:

C.W. Allen is a Nebraskan by birth, a Texan by experience, a Hoosier by marriage, and a Utahn by geography. She knew she wanted to be a writer the moment she read The Westing Game at age twelve, but took a few detours along the way as a veterinary nurse, an appliance repair secretary, and a homeschool parent.

She recently settled in the high desert of rural Utah with her husband, their three children, and a noisy flock of orphaned ideas. Someday she will create literary homes for all of them. (The ideas, not her family.)

Relatively Normal Secrets (Cinnabar Moth Publishing, Fall 2021) is her debut novel. She writes fantasy novels for tweens, picture books for children, and short stories and poems for former children. Her work will appear in numerous anthologies in 2021. She is also a frequent guest presenter at writing conferences and club meetings, which helps her procrastinate knuckling down to any actual writing.

https://www.cwallenbooks.com/
https://twitter.com/cwallenbooks
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2983485.C_W_Allen

Buy Links:

https://www.amazon.com/Relatively-Normal-Secrets-C-W-Allen-ebook/dp/B098DMNM1N
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/relatively-normal-secrets-cw-allen/1139805820
https://www.google.com/books/edition/Relatively_Normal_Secrets/R_uAzgEACAAJ

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Giveaway – Memoir of a Hockey Nobody by Jerry Hack @GoddessFish

Posted on July 30, 2020 by fundinmental

Welcome to my tour stop for Memoir of a Hockey Nobody by Jerry ‘Teabag’ Hack. Be sure to scroll to the end and enter the giveaway.

I would also like to welcome Jerry and am excited to share the background of the book.

Memoir of a Hockey Nobody

Background of the Book

The background for the book begins when I was 9. At the time I was the youngest of four children and the only boy. My oldest sister Marlene was watching the NHL Stanley Cup Finals between the Chicago Blackhawks and the Montreal Canadiens. I walked into the room and saw what was on the TV and decided to sit with her and watch. Marlene was my hero. I thought she was the smartest person alive and I found her endlessly interesting and entertaining. I loved her as much as is humanly possible for somebody to love another. She was almost seven years older than me and instead of being my sister, she was more like a second mom. If I ever did anything of note, I always wanted to show or tell her first. In return, she was my cheerleader. Always encouraging me and happy whenever I accomplished the smallest achievement. When I learned how to ride a bike she was jumping up and down and clapping like I had just won the Tour de France. I absolutely hated to disappoint her. I would rather chew glass. While we were watching the games in 1971, I was mesmerized by the two goalies. Ken Dryden and Tony Esposito. I knew what I my life’s ambition was to be at that moment in time. I was born to be a goalie. From that time on, I didn’t want to do anything else. I lived it and breathed it. It became my obsession for the next 45 years. I wasn’t able to play ice hockey as it was very expensive, and with 5 kids to raise (my younger sister was born in September 1971) it just wasn’t a possibility. But street hockey was another matter. All my friends seemed to be in the same boat. None of them played ice hockey but loved playing street hockey. It stayed that way until I was 18 and out of high school for a year. Through a twist of fate, I was able to join a men’s recreational ice hockey team (most people refer to it as “beer league”). I didn’t even know how to skate. People would tell me that the goalie has to be the best skater on the team. Let me tell you, I was far from being the best skater. I probably was 10 years behind the second worst skater on the team. I found myself always falling backwards. Somebody would be winding up for a slapshot and I would be flat on my back waving my hands in the air. My dream was to get paid to play hockey. And behind the scenes, there was always Marlene, cheering me on. When a boy is born (since Manon Rheaume is the only female to ever play in an NHL pre-season game, we’ll stipulate the odds are even greater for girls) and starts playing ice hockey at the age of 5 or 6, his odds of making it to the NHL are about 0.1%. I was starting at the age of 18, so the odds of me making it were astronomical, but I didn’t care. I was finally doing what I was born to do. I played whenever I could, wherever I could, with whomever I could. Someone I knew referred to me as a “hockey whore” because I would play with anyone. As years went by, I got better and better and finally realized my dream of getting paid to play hockey. I didn’t make it to the NHL, but I got close enough. I met a lot of amazing people. Best part is, I got to tell Marlene all about it. She was so proud of me. The worst part is, she only got to see me play one time. She had always planned on seeing me play more often, but our schedules just never seemed to jive. Marlene passed away on August 12^th, 2005 from cancer. It is the toughest thing I have ever had to deal with. For the next five years, the grief was always with me, just below the surface, and I always felt that I could break down at any time. Whenever I played after that, I was hoping that she was watching and that she was proud of me. My book is, in part, dedicated to my big sister Marlene. She is, and always will be, my hero.

Jerry Hack

Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts, Jack. Good luck on the tour.

Memoir of a Hockey Nobody by Jerry Hack

GENRE: Biography and Autobiography / Sports

BLURB

Memoir of a Hockey Nobody is the unlikely true story of an average Canadian kid who grew up playing street hockey. Although he didn’t learn how to skate until his late teens, he took a shot at entering the world of professional ice hockey with, shall we say, haphazard results.

This is an “against all odds” tale of one man’s journey from Vancouver, to all over Western Canada, California, The Yukon, and Alaska. Seemingly blocked at every turn, from managers who believed that someone who came from such humble beginnings couldn’t be any good, to coaches who would rather see big names with bigger reputations. It’s a story of tragedy, triumph and determination. A roller coaster ride with hilarious anecdotes of all the characters he met along the way.

This is a tale for those who dare to live their dream!

EXCERPT

“Just one final note about my senior hockey career. I’ve never been a big believer in statistics. I like the quote from Bobby Bragan, who was a baseball player in the early 20th century. I’m paraphrasing but I believe he said, “The problem with statistics is, if you have one foot on fire and the other in a bucket of ice, according to the statisticians, you should be perfectly comfortable”. In the 4 seasons that I played for the Rebels, I won the Best Goalie trophy every year. 11 other goalies came and went during that time, some specifically to take my spot. I also won the league trophy for Best Goals Against Average every year. In 35 years of playing competitive hockey, I won a lot of trophies. The danger of winning that many is that you can start to think that you’re better than you are, (I call it “The Red Light Lonnie Syndrome”). I only kept one trophy from all those years and my wife is under strict instructions to show it to me if my head starts to get too big. I assumed that when the league bought the trophy that year, they sent it out to be engraved in a shop that didn’t employ sports fans. When I won the Best Goals Against award and it was presented to me, I read the inscription and it read:

“Best Average Goalie” “Jerry Hack”

How apt is that?”

AUTHOR Bio and Links

Author bio: I was born and raised in Burnaby, British Columbia. My sisters and I were raised by hard-working blue collar parents. We were and are a tight knit family. I grew up loving sports but hockey most of all. In fact, it was my passion. I read about it, watched it and played it. I was an average student and a good athlete. I could play most sports without looking out of place. But I was born to be a goalie. I graduated from high school in 1979 and a year later began my journey playing ice hockey. 40 years later, I am happily married with a 12 year old daughter and loving life more than ever.

Website: http://jerryhack.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Memoir-of-a-Hockey-Nobody-108751680786091/?modal=admin_todo_tour

BUY LINKS: Amazon / Indigo/Chapters / Barnes and Noble

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Follow the tour and comment. The more you comment, the better your chances of winning. Follow the tour HERE.

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Giveaway – Goddess of the Wild Thing by Paul DeBlassie III @GoddessFish

Posted on April 6, 2020 by fundinmental

Welcome to my tour stop for Goddess of the Wild Thing by Paul DeBlassie III.

Goddess of the Wild Thing by Paul DeBlassie III

GENRE: Thriller

BLURB

Winner of the Independent Press Award and the NYC Big Book Award for Visionary Fiction!

Eve Sanchez, a scholar of esoteric studies, is driven into unreal dimensions of horror and hope as she encounters a seductive and frightening man, criminal lawyer Sam Shear.

Sam introduces Eve to a supernatural world in which the wicked powers of a surrogate mother’s twisted affection threaten love and life. Struggling to sort through right from wrong, frightened yet determined, Eve nears despair.

Goddess of the Wild Thing reveals the dramatic tale of one woman’s spiritual journey where metaphysical happenings, unexpected turns of fate, and unseen forces impact her ability to love and be loved.

In the magical realm of Aztlan del Sur, a mythopoeic land of hidden horrors and guiding spirits, Eve, with three friends and a wise old woman, is caught in an age-old struggle about love—whether bad love is better than no love— and discovers that love is a wild thing.

EXCERPT

Eve sharpened her focus. She saw the sharp nail of a witch’s right finger tracing Graciéla’s image on a foggy mirror in a grungy bathroom, touching the center of the mirror with a hatred so intense, the glass burned red hot. The mirror in Graciéla’s kitchen cracked. Shards jettisoned at the old healer then were magically warded off and drifted in place about her head and neck.

Graciéla’s energy, tired as she was, had fended off the pointed shards. She hadn’t been impaled. But the strain had ushered her from one world to the next. Death came not by the hand of another but by a weakened mind and body defending itself.

Eve, shaken, allowed her soft touch to stay on Graciéla’s forehead, confirming the horror of what she’d seen. Shamanic wisdom, often discussed between the two kindred souls, spoke to Eve as she stroked her friend’s head, remembering that death provided passage for one whose life had been well spent and whose time had come.

Eve wept.

After a few moments, she closed her friend’s green eyes and whispered tenderly, “Always my friend, always love, always together in life and in death.” She stood and wiped the tears from her eyes. A gray-brown, green-eyed, great horned owl hooted from the largest cottonwood branch outside the back window.

Eve heard Shirley finishing her call to the EMTs and police, and then walking to the front of the store to await their arrival.

One large shard lay at the end of the table, sharp tip pointed outward. It reflected Eve’s image, a glowing red ember menacingly centered at the brow point.

AUTHOR Bio and Links

Paul DeBlassie III, Ph.D. is a depth psychologist and award-winning writer living in his native New Mexico. He specializes in treating individuals in emotional and spiritual crisis. His novels, visionary thrillers, delve deep into archetypal realities as they play out dramatically in the lives of everyday people. Memberships include the Author’s Guild, Visionary Fiction Alliance, Depth Psychology Alliance, International Association for Relational Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy, and the International Association for Jungian Studies.

Website / Amazon

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Follow the tour and comment. The more you comment the better your chances of winning. Follow the tour HERE.

You can see my Giveaways HERE.
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Feed Your Reader – Free or 99 Cents @GoddessFish

Posted on April 1, 2020 by fundinmental

Need something to read but trying to avoid crowds?
Want to make sure you aren’t bringing germs into your house?
Looking to save money now more than ever?

What’s your favorite genre? We just might have a book for you! Check here, fill up your ereader, and save money, too!

Click on this link: http://www.goddessfish.com/promo/feed-your-reader-bargain-books/ to find books in your favorite genres that are currently only $0.99 or maybe even FREE and feed your reader!!! They are digital, so no virus germs. A win all the way around!!

OR Go directly to your favorite genre:

Contemporary Romance (erotic and non-erotic)

Historical Romance (erotic and non-erotic)

Science Fiction or Fantasy Romance (erotic and non-erotic)

Romantic Suspense (erotic and non-erotic)

LGBTQ Romance (erotic and non-erotic)

Women’s Fiction/Chick Lit

Non-romance Mystery/Suspense/Thriller/Horror

Non-romance Historical Fiction

Non-romance Science Fiction or Fantasy

Literary Fiction/Contemporary Mainstream Fiction

Non-Fiction

There’s also a chance for you to win a $25 Amazon/BN GC – check out the Rafflecopter at the end of the post.

a Rafflecopter giveaway >

You can see my Giveaways HERE.
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Giveaway – Cherokee Summer by Susan Antony @SusanAntonyCS @GoddessFish

Posted on February 17, 2020 by fundinmental

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Susan Antony will be awarding a free ebook copy of Cherokee Summer to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

When Ace leaves home to spend the summer in Cherokee, North Carolina the last thing she expects to find is a boyfriend—until she meets Cherokee Tribe member John Spears. As Ace and John’s friendship blossoms, they find their life experiences mirror each other and they fall in love. Despite hurdles thrown by well-meaning family members and jealous frenemies, the star-crossed lovers remain committed to their mutual belief that the universe has drawn them together. However, when Ace sends John a strange text and then suddenly disappears, the two must rely on their trust in each other to save both their lives and their love.

Read an Excerpt

She sweeps her tongue over her lower lip and puckers up. I wrap my hand around the back of her neck and we both lean forward until our lips touch. I start off slow, keeping the pressure to a minimum. Her mouth is soft and warm and tastes sweet, like fruity gum. I stroke the tender skin behind her ear with the pad of my thumb. She sighs, then opens her mouth, inviting me in.

Holy freaking wow.

Our tongues meet in the middle and slide all over the place. My head pounds against my ribs so hard I wholly expect one to crack. She tastes so fine. I can’t breathe, but I don’t care. Oxygen is something we need on earth, and I’m clearly somewhere else. I brace my knee beneath the steering wheel to keep the lack of gravity from pulling me out of my seat. After all, this kiss doesn’t mean anything.

About the Author: