Tag Archives: Goddess Fish Promotions

Giveaway – The Secret of DRulea Cottage by Claire Kohler @GoddessFish

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This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Claire Kohler 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.

Briony Fairborn, a midwife in eighteenth-century Scotland, comes from a family shrouded in scandal. Left with only one friend after her mother’s death, she has little hope of gaining any others, let alone finding a husband. Instead, Briony tries to live a quiet life and avoid her neighbors’ ridicule as much as possible.

But things in Everton take a drastic turn when a storm brings foreigners to the village docks.

On the night Santiago Mendes arrives, he comes with a broken ship, a broken leg, and a broken spirit that Briony finds herself profoundly drawn to. Her scarred heart slowly starts to open, and although Briony suspects he may be hiding something, she cannot help but dream of the possibility of love.

That is, until another stranger appears in town, intent on repaying a childhood debt. A dangerously handsome stranger who shows Briony that she’s even more different than she could have imagined. And that her past is far darker than she realized.

Magic, romance, and political intrigue collide as the secrets surrounding one Scottish woman begin to unravel. Secrets that she may not be ready to face.


Read an Excerpt

“Open the door! By order of His Majesty the King!” The harsh shout from the street below wrenched Santiago out of his reverie.

The sounds of merriment abruptly ended within the house, and nervous whispers took their place. Santiago peered down from the balcony at the ten quadrilheiros standing right outside the door. He’d never seen that many gathered in one place, since they typically stayed in Lisbon near the king. What could be so important for them to show up here?

“Santiago!”

The man turned to find his sister standing before him, a nervous Andreas at her side. Her entire body was trembling as though she would fall apart at a moment’s notice, and Santiago observed the way she gripped Andreas’s arm with such intensity that her knuckles had turned white.

“Are they going to arrest us? Why are the quadrilheiros here?” Lucia whimpered in a low voice, her breaths so shallow she could barely get the words out.

Santiago reached out and patted her shoulder. “Calm down, sister. We’ve done nothing wrong. I’m sure they just need information for something—”

The door creaked open below them, and Santiago motioned for Lucia to be silent.

“What’s the meaning of this?” Tomas Cabral, head servant for the Mendes family, demanded. Santiago smirked at the older gentleman’s steady voice; it was difficult for anyone to intimidate Tomas.

“Are Senhor and Senhorita Mendes in?”

Rather than answering, the man said, “Why have you come?”

The leading officer growled and said, “Senhor Mendes is to be taken into custody and his sister brought in for questioning.”

Lucia gasped. “What!”

“Shh!” Santiago insisted.

“You’re arresting Senhor Mendes? On what grounds?” Tomas didn’t sound nearly as confident anymore, but Santiago was proud of the man for not allowing the quadrilheiros into the house yet.

“Treason! Now, stand aside!”

About the Author:
Claire Kohler grew up in Mooresville, NC, as the eldest of four daughters. Her love of stories began at an early age, and as a child, she could often be found borrowing way too many books from the library and scribbling away in a journal.

In 2016, Claire became a full-time middle school English teacher in a public school. In her second year of teaching, she also taught social studies. After becoming pregnant in 2018, Claire decided to shift careers and become an online ESL teacher so that she could also take care of her newborn at home.

She now lives in Statesville, NC, with her husband, two children, and three cats. She is also an active member of Christ Community Church Mooresville, where she often serves as a Bible study and small group leader.

Claire plans to continue creating exciting historical fantasy novels and potentially branching out into other genres as well.

Website Link: https://secretdruleacottage.wixsite.com/clairekohlerbooks
Facebook Link: https://www.facebook.com/Claire-Kohler-Books-100151582291586

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  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
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Giveaway – If Darkness Takes Us by Brenda Marie Smith @bsmithnovelist @GoddessFish

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If Darkness Takes Us by Brenda Marie Smith

GENRE:   post-apocalyptic science-fiction

BLURB:

In suburban Austin, Texas, Bea Crenshaw secretly prepares for apocalypse, but when a solar pulse destroys modern life, she’s left alone with four grandkids whose parents don’t return home. She must teach these kids to survive without power, cars, phones, running water, or doctors in a world fraught with increasing danger. And deciding whether or not to share food with her starving neighbors puts her morality to the test.

If Darkness Takes Us is realistic post-apocalyptic science-fiction that focuses on a family in peril, led by a no-nonsense grandmother who is at once funny, controlling, and heroic in her struggle to hold her family together with civility and heart.

The book is available now. It’s sequel, If the Light Escapes, is told in the voice of Bea’s eighteen-year-old grandson, Keno Simms, and will be released by SFK Press on August 24, 2021.


“Bea Crenshaw is one of the most unique characters in modern literature—a kick-ass Grandma who is at once tough and vulnerable, and well-prepared to shepherd her extended family through an EMP disaster, or so she thinks.”

—Laura Creedle, Award-winning Author of The Love Letters of Abelard and Lily


“There is real, identifiable humanity, subtle and sweet and sad, and events utterly shattering in their intensity.”

—Pinckney Benedict, Author of Dogs of God, Miracle Boy, and more

GUEST POST

WHY AREN’T MORE OLD WOMEN ON OUR SCIENCE-FICTION SCREENS?

Has anyone else noticed that there aren’t many old women in our science-fiction television and movies? Yet, we have no shortage of old men.

I wanted to know why, so I did the most scientific thing I could think of. I asked the Twitterverse for old women sci-fi characters—pivotal characters who were truly old as opposed to middle-aged.

It surprised me when most women Twitter came up with were not old but were perceived to be. All the women in this list were in their 50s in the latest versions of these shows, except for one, who was 62.

  • President Laura Roslin, from Battlestar Galactica, played by Mary McDonnell.
  • Madison Clark in Fear the Walking Dead, played by Kim Dickens.
  • Dr. Abigail Griffin in The 100, brought to life by Paige Turco.
  • River Song from Doctor Who, played by Alex Kingston.
  • Lt. Nyota Uhura, from the original Star Trek, played by Nichelle Nichols. The cast from 1960s TV made six movies into 1991, and out of the seven core characters, she was the only woman.
  • Princess Leia Organa of Star Wars fame, portrayed by the now-departed Carrie Fisher.
  • Sarah Connor from The Terminator series, whom Linda Hamilton has played since 1984. She made another appearance in Terminator: Dark Fate in 2019.
  • Sarah Connor , in The Walking Dead, portrayed by Melissa McBride. Maybe people think of her as old because her hair is gray, but Carol is living through a zombie apocalypse. It’s enough to make a tweener go gray. It’s not like she can color her hair, something I’ve been doing since 1983, and I’ve just hit retirement age.

That said, a few actual old women characters do exist in our on-screen science-fiction, though they be scarce, and they often have a caveat. Many are played by women who are younger than the age of their character.

  • Mother Abagail Freemantle in Stephen King’s The Stand, 106 years old. In the 1994 miniseries, Mother Abagail was played by Ruby Dee, 72 at the time.
  • Ellen Ripley, better known as Ripley in Alien, is arguably the most badass woman character in all of science-fiction. In Aliens, which came out seven years after Alien, 57 years have transpired while Ripley was in hyper-sleep. Ripley is supposed to be 87 in Aliens, yet she’s played by 37-year-old Sigourney Weaver.
  • The Ancient One from Doctor Strange is a man in the comic books, but is a Celtic woman in the movies, played by Tilda Swinton, who is not ancient.
  • Professor Minerva McGonagall from Harry Potter, a 70-year-old portrayed by a fittingly old Maggie Smith. Finally! A badass old woman who hasn’t hyper-slept and who first springs to fictional life already old. Smith was 67 in the first Harry Potter movie and 77 for the final one.
  • Sara Jane Smith, portrayed by Elisabeth Sladen, was a recurring character on Doctor Who from 1973 up until 2011, when Sladen passed away at age 65.
  • The Oracle in The Matrix, played by Gloria Foster in the first 1999 movie when she was 66.
  • Chrisjen Avasarala a powerful UN executive from The Expanse. Shohreh Aghdashloo is 68 in the most recent episodes and appears to be a similar age in her role.
  • Melisandre from Game of Thrones, a witch played by Carice van Houten, 43 when the series ended. In the story, Melisandre is disguised as a younger woman. SPOILER ALERT: When Melisandre finally lets go of her young body, she’s so ancient she turns to dust.
  • Aereon in Chronicles of Riddick, portrayed by Judy Dench at age 69.
  • Secondary and tertiary characters played important roles: The clan of older women in Mad Max: Fury Road to whom Charlize Theron transports the young women on their mad ride across the Outback; the Vulcan priestesses in Star Trek; the Bene Gesserit school of witches in Frank Herbert’s Dune; T’pau from classic Star Trek, who made Kirk and Spock fight to the death. There are others, but not many.

I’m detecting another pattern. I get that we’re talking about science-fiction and fantasy and these are wonderful stories, but why are so many of the few old women characters either royalty, priestesses, seeresses, or witches? It’s empowering for these women on the one hand, but it’s also distancing. It’s almost as though old women without special powers or high social status aren’t considered good enough for sci-fi. Meanwhile, we have old men sci-fi characters out the wazoo. I counted forty of them in Games of Thrones, The Walking Dead, and Fear the Walking Dead alone.

My point here is that elder women throughout history have been the keepers of family and tribal history, repositories of collective knowledge, nurturers and teachers of the young, and keepers of peace in the family and neighborhood. It’s far past time to tap into the wisdom and experience that elder women have to offer. And what better place to start than with our storytelling?

My apocalyptic sci-fi novel, If Darkness Takes Us, stars a 70-year-old woman whose only special power is her fierce love for her grandchildren. Someone needs to put this story on the screen pronto. Naturally, I would think that, but seriously…

Because here’s the thing: I am a badass old woman, and I want to see regular women like myself facing down their fears and insecurities and performing heroic feats on the screen. I want our stories to show respect for old women as a crucial part of the human family. It’s not too much to ask.

AUTHOR Bio and Links

2018-10-18_Brenda Marie Smith

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 own 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.

Her first novel, Something Radiates, is a paranormal romantic thriller; If Darkness Takes Us and its sequel, If the Light Escapes, are post-apocalyptic science fiction.

Social Media:

Buy links: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / BookPeople Austin

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Giveaway – I Can Still Hear You by Nicole Black @nicolebwriter @GoddessFish

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Amazon / Goodreads

I Can Still Hear You by Nicole Black

GENRE: action/adventure, women’s fiction with romantic elements

BLURB:

I Can Still Hear You is a powerful and deeply moving story which grapples with the universal pain of grief and the loss of a loved one. When Scarlett O’Connor loses her father at the age of 30, she’s forced to face the shambles that her life has become. With no money and no savings, the only thing that waits for her is a cryptic map and a mysterious letter. With nothing left to lose, she embarks on a trip to Maui for her father’s final adventure, to begin a treasure hunt which will force her to look deep inside herself and come to terms with her pain and grief.

Accompanied by her less-than-supportive fiancé, a close childhood friend, and an enigmatic man who was her father’s old acquaintance, Scarlett must decode the mystery and find the hidden treasure. But she knows she must face her fears alone, and calling upon the spirit of her father for guidance, she struggles to reconcile her emotions and uncover the treasure before her time in Maui comes to an end.

Perfect for fans of contemporary and women’s fiction, I Can Still Hear You is a gripping tale which will resonate with anybody who has struggled with the death of someone close. This book is a testament to the fact that even though we may have lost them, our loved ones stay with us no matter what challenges we face.

Excerpt One: Chapter 1

The hospital room may have been silent, but it was far from peaceful.

The mechanical sounds of the machines melded with the all-too-human sounds of my father’s ailing body slowly giving up its fight. The resulting cacophony was anything but comforting. Though his heartbeat was steady, his breathing was a tortured, sawing rasp, a constant reminder that each intake of air could be his last.

The sound of the clock ticking on the wall reminded me of my grandfather’s old stopwatch. I made a mental note to ask my Dad about the whereabouts of the watch.

He had very little time left.

I knew that from the way the medical staff had left me alone with him. They’d been a constant presence these past few weeks, buzzing about the room, telling me in hushed whispers that this time was near, but I hadn’t really believed it. Those doctors had said, after his lung transplant six years ago, that we could expect him to live two to five years more.

But things were different now. He sounded different. He looked different, smaller, frailer. He even smelled a little different, as if something inside his body was going very wrong. And this was the first time all the doctors and nurses had stopped hovering nearby with a new drip or medication to administer. A nurse usually came in to open the curtains in the morning, but no one had been in for hours.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Nicole Black is an author, motivational speaker and entrepreneur with a passion for sharing unique stories and helping people grow. For over 20 years, she’s worked in the business world as a corporate trainer in employee productivity and effective growth, where she’s helped some of the biggest brands in hospitality and entertainment grow sustainably through inspiring their employees. She’s been featured on platforms including TEDxWilmington, Jack Canfield Show, Santa Barbara News Press, The George DiGianni show and the Tom Barnard Show.

Through her writing, Nicole hopes to empower her readers and impart valuable lessons about grief, loss, and emotional growth. In her free time, Nicole enjoys traveling, yoga, and spending time with her wonderful daughter in their home of Santa Barbara, California.

FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/nicoleblack25

Instagram: @WriterNicoleB and @nicoleblackauthor

Twitter: @nicolebwriter

The Book is On Sale for $0.99 during the tour.

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  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
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Giveaway – The Gospel According To Prissy by Barbara Casey @GoddessFish

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This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Barbara Casey 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.

Three Army veteran misfits, a college dropout, an unmotivated high school graduate accused of murder, a controversial warden of a women’s prison, and a little girl with the gift of prophesy – these are the people 31-year-old Lara Kruger invites into her life after suffering a miscarriage, a divorce from an abusive husband, and unemployment.


Read an Excerpt

The young child skipped through the tall trees and underbrush, unaware of the puddles created by recent rains or the low-lying tree branches and vines that swiped at her coveralls and scratched her bare arms. Hugging a doll that showed the wear of a favorite toy and a faint smudge of chocolate ice cream, the child pushed forward with determination. She knew where she wanted to go, and her face showed the intensity and resolve of a person much older than her five years. The black woman wearing the uniform of a prison guard struggled to keep up with her young charge. The thick green tangle of natural forest growth and uneven turf was more of a challenge to a woman her size and stature.

The child stopped when she reached a clearing, that place in the woods that wasn’t quite so overgrown and where the wild vegetation had been pressed from previous visits. In front of her was a tree, magnificent in size, ancient in age. She had reached her destination. She called it, quite simply, “the place.” Quietly, reverently, she approached the tree, reaching out and touching the familiar rough surface and its many irregular crevices. She squatted where some roots had pushed upward and were now gnarled and covered in bark before extending downward again deep into the soil. It was between two of these large root formations that the child placed the doll – a throne. Her hand explored the curvature of one darkened root, first touching the soft green moss, and then the small indented place that held water whenever it rained. It was moist. Satisfied, she knelt. Then, lowering her head and folding her dimpled hands together, she started to pray.

About the Author:
Originally from Carrollton, Illinois, author/agent/publisher Barbara Casey attended the University of North Carolina, N.C. State University, and N.C. Wesleyan College where she received a BA degree, summa cum laude, with a double major in English and history. In 1978 she left her position as Director of Public Relations and Vice President of Development at North Carolina Wesleyan College to write full time and develop her own manuscript evaluation and editorial service. In 1995 she established the Barbara Casey Agency and since that time has represented authors from the United States, Great Britain, Canada, and Japan. In 2014, she became a partner with Strategic Media Books, an independent nonfiction publisher of true crime, where she oversees acquisitions, day-to-day operations, and book production.

Ms. Casey has written over a dozen award-winning books of fiction and nonfiction for both young adults and adults. The awards include the National Association of University Women Literary Award, the Sir Walter Raleigh Literary Award, the Independent Publisher Book Award, the Dana Award for Outstanding Novel, the IP Best Book for Regional Fiction, among others. Two of her nonfiction books have been optioned for major films, one of which is under contract.

Her award-winning articles, short stories, and poetry for adults have appeared in both national and international publications including the North Carolina Christian Advocate Magazine, The New East Magazine, the Raleigh (N.C.) News and Observer, the Rocky Mount (N.C.) Sunday Telegram, Dog Fancy, ByLine, The Christian Record, Skirt! Magazine, and True Story. A thirty-minute television special which Ms. Casey wrote and coordinated was broadcast on WRAL, Channel 5, in Raleigh, North Carolina. She also received special recognition for her editorial work on the English translations of Albanian children’s stories. Her award-winning science fiction short stories for adults are featured in The Cosmic Unicorn and CrossTime science fiction anthologies. Ms. Casey’s essays and other works appear in The Chrysalis Reader, the international literary journal of the Swedenborg Foundation, 221 One-Minute Monologues from Literature (Smith and Kraus Publishers), and A Cup of Comfort (Adams Media Corporation).

Ms. Casey is a former director of BookFest of the Palm Beaches, Florida, where she served as guest author and panelist. She has served as judge for the Pathfinder Literary Awards in Palm Beach and Martin Counties, Florida, and was the Florida Regional Advisor for the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators from 1991 through 2003. In 2018 Ms. Casey 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. She makes her home on the top of a mountain in northwest Georgia with three cats who adopted her, Homer, Reese and Earl Gray – Reese’s best friend.

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Barbara-Casey/e/B001K7S4IW%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share

The book will be on sale for $0.99 during the tour.

Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/Gospel-According-Prissy-Barbara-Casey/dp/098524402X

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Giveaway – Justice by Tracy Tappan @TracyTappan @GoddessFish

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This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Tracy Tappan will be awarding one “Hero” coffee mug: Keith or Brayden or Pete, winner’s choice which one. (US only shipping) to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

A star athlete with a notorious reputation, Justine “Justice” Hayes is offered the chance to join the United States’ elite Special Operations Forces. SOF is standing up three new units called “Special Missions,” and Justice’s past as a master thief makes her perfect to lead one of these intelligence-gathering teams.

But an impossible condition stands between her and her dream job.

She has to survive the Navy’s most intensive and grueling SPECWAR training program: BUD/S.

Despite opposition, Justice soon finds herself wearing the rank of a Navy ensign and competing with some of America’s toughest men. Two of these SEAL candidates will come to test her mind and her heart, as much as her will to keep business and pleasure firmly separate. Temptations multiply when she crosses swords with the cocky helicopter pilot who commands her Special Missions flight crew.

Her vow to maintain a professional distance is finally shaken when an unorthodox training exercise goes terribly wrong. In the brutal aftermath, she needs a man who cares about her to help her fully heal. But which hero will ultimately win her…?

The gentleman? The leader? The wild one?

YOU CHOOSE!

In this unique Choose A Hero Romance™, the reader decides which hero will earn a happily ever after with Justice Hayes.

Love every hero in his own way?
You can have as many happily-ever-afters as you want!

When you’re finished with one ending, simply choose another and keep reading.

All endings are available NOW

Read an Excerpt

“Do you realize how close I came to a medical rollback today, and all because you couldn’t mind your own damned business?”

Keith crossed his arms and spoke with an edge. “I didn’t realize the welfare of my boat team wasn’t my business.”

There was enough sarcasm in his tone to make her want to rip it out of his larynx. She gave him an acid glare. “You need to learn to pay attention when I say I’m good.”

A muscle jumped in his jaw. “A flap of your skin was hanging down.”

“I don’t give a damn!” she yelled.

“I do!” he thundered back. “It would’ve been grossly negligent of me not to send you to medical.”

She clenched her teeth, nausea bubbling at the back of her throat. The length of her esophagus felt like it was covered in road-rash. How awesome would it be if she puked, then fainted in the middle of this argument?

Keith shook his head. “Look at you, Justice. You’re gray.”

She thrust a tautly knuckled fist against her lips. Get through this…get through this… “Before I lose my mind,” and consciousness, “I need to make sure you understand something. On my completely hosed journey to BUD/S, I almost didn’t make it out of PTRR. If I’m rolled back there a second time for an injury, I might not ever escape. So I need you to stop being an overprotective jerk and treat me like a regular candidate—like we agreed—and I need you to do it right now—like I told you yesterday.”

He regarded her flatly. “No.”

About the Author:
Tracy Tappan is a bestselling and award-winning author and the creator of the Choose A Hero Romance™ reading experience, a brand-new concept in storytelling where the reader controls the ending. You can find out more about this exciting new trend at http://www.chooseahero.com.

Tracy’s books in paranormal and military romance have earned both bronze and gold medals in the Readers’ Favorite contests, have finaled for the USA Book News and Kindle Book Awards, and won both the HOLT Medallion and the Independent Publishers Book Award (IPPY) bronze medal for romance.

Tracy holds a master’s degree in Marriage, Family, Child Counseling (MFCC), loves to play tennis, enjoys a great glass of wine, and talks to her Labrador like he’s a human (admittedly, the wine drinking and the dog talking probably go together).

A native of San Diego, Tracy is married to a former Navy helicopter pilot, who retired after thirty years of service and joined the diplomatic corps. He and Tracy currently live in Rome, Italy.

Visit her website and join the gang on her monthly newsletter for giveaways, publication updates, and other fun and sexy news.

Website: http://www.tracytappan.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TracyTappanRomanceAuthor/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/tracytappan
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tracytappanauthor/
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/tracy-tappan
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7579061.Tracy_Tappan
Amazon Author Page: http://tracy.link/amazon-author
Choose A Hero website: https://chooseahero.com/

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  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
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  • Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
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Giveaway – Forging Monsters by Annie James @charmony777 @GoddessFish

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FORGING MONSTERS, Part 1 by Annie James

GENRE:  Literary thriller

BLURB:

A modern and beautiful Frankenstein’s Monster fights for the right to carve her own destiny in the human world of New York City.

A talented young dancer tired of witnessing violent crimes against women go unpunished and takes matters into her own hands.

A young woman tries to escape her past in the anonymity of New York but finds out that she cannot escape the scars on her soul, which drives her to shocking acts of violence.

Watch for Forging Monsters Part 2, coming soon.

EXCERPT

“This body looks as if it has been chewed on–the edges of the throat lacerations are ragged and similar to a previous body that was brought in bearing the same type of teeth marks. A computer 3D model of the wounds on the second body, in front of me, determined the wounds to be made by the teeth of a large canine. However, The DNA test of the saliva left behind has been inconclusive.”

Dr. Violetta paused the tape recorder. “I have never seen anything like it,” she said to her assistant Andrew. “Take a look at the slide I have on the microscope. You’ll see.”

Andrew studied the cells on the microscope and wrote some notes in his typical scrawl that only he could read while Dr. Violetta started recording again. 

“Cells separated from a human body die in moments. These cells scraped from the saliva on this body’s wounds have continued to divide and multiply, indicating that the cells are still living. Also, the DNA strands continually rearrange their structure without any outside influence. This is why it has proved impossible to conclusively determine which type of animal caused the damage to this body.” She stopped the recorder.

“This has to be kept out of the media,” she whispered, shaking her head in horrified disbelief.

“Where did this one come from?” Andrew asked, looking up from the microscope.

“He was found in Central Park.”

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Annie is the author of the Tales of Origen series and several short stories. She lives in Kentucky with her husband and two fun-loving cats who inspired the feline characters Dirtbag and Scumbucket. She has an adult daughter who is also a writer, and a grandson. Her influences and favorite writers include:

  • Frank Peretti
  • Mary Wollencroft Shelley
  • Apryl Baker
  • Dean Koontz
  • Alexandre Dumas
  • Linda Joyce
  • Mary Ramsey
  • Lance Sheridan poetry

She has lived in New York and Louisiana and loves Cajun cooking. She has had several people tell her that she should open a restaurant, but she loves writing too much to make time for it—running a restaurant is a TON of work. She has an associate degree in Administrative Assistance, majoring in writing, and business administration.

Social media links

  • Website: https://anniejamesauthor.com/home
  • Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/charmony777
  • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anniejamesauthor/
  • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annie.james.author/
  • Newsletter signup: http://anniejamesauthor.com/newsletter-sign-up-form/

Book purchase links: Smashwords / 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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  • Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
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Giveaway – Midnight Masquerade by Anya Summers @GoddessFish @AnyaBSummers

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This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Anya Summers 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.

Sophia is in trouble. Again.

Maybe it’s the masks. Maybe she needs to feel something other than regret. Whatever the reason, she is either daring… or foolish… when she trades places with another submissive, and ends up spending the night in her mysterious boss’s bed.

He doesn’t recognize her, but now she’s had him, she knows one taste of his dark love will never be enough.

Gabriel Ryan has one firm rule: don’t sleep with employees.

Even though he’s infuriated beyond measure to discover Sophia in his bed after a night of mind-blowing pleasure, she is now in his blood. He craves her. Needs her. Yearns for her surrender.

But she is forbidden. He will break her with his dark desires.

When Sophia’s dangerous past waltzes into his club, Gabriel must protect her. He must claim her. And break every single one of his rules to keep her safe.


Read an Excerpt

By the time he ventured down into the Eros Pit, his exclusive, members only BDSM club hidden a floor beneath Eternal Eros, he was in no mood to play. It had been a spectacularly long day at the office. Shame, really, that his mind and body weren’t on board, given the submissive bounty in his club.

But tonight, he would participate in the event, under threats and orders by Sophia. He sighed over the fact that he could deny the woman little. And she had badgered him from the start about joining in the events each month, until he finally yielded.

Granted, that might have had something to do with the way she had stood in his office earlier today, her hands on her lush hips, a fierce scowl on her face and a glimmer in her eyes that told him that she would forcibly escort him if needed.

He’d folded like a house of cards while ignoring what the sight of her in his office did to him and his libido. Gabe refused to let his dick do his thinking for him, no matter how much Sophia stirred him.

In the elevator, he adjusted the black mask covering his face. He’d not changed into a costume, as much as his event coordinator had pestered him to wear one. The woman had gone so far as to have a costume made for him. But he couldn’t see himself prancing around in the dandy seventeenth century garb, not even to make her happy. Instead, he had stuck with his black suit and navy-blue tie. His one concession, besides his willingness to participate tonight, was the mask covering the top half of his face.

And the mask was all Sophia would get out of him.

The mood in the Eros Pit most nights tended to be more subdued—with the extra added elements of scenes in progress and muted music—than the club upstairs. That was by design on his part. At least, it usually was more laid back, with scenes at various stations and the occasional high-pitched moans from submissives. But tonight, with the masquerade event, the air in the Eros Pit held a thrill of excitement. Submissives in their exotic costumes were grouped together, talking excitedly, wondering who they would end up with for the night.

All participating Doms had been given a station in one of the scene areas or private rooms a floor down. Then the submissives, in their erotic ball wear, selected from a bowl a marker with the scene area and Dom listed. The submissive would head to the scene area or private room upon selection, and then the Dom would join them once all the selections were made.

It was a rather brilliant strategy and way of introducing unattached Doms and submissives to one another. In participating, they were agreeing to scene with another for the night—and possibly more, depending on the connection.

And the place was packed to the gills tonight.

Scanning the crowd, Gabe discovered that even his rapscallion brothers were in attendance—and had gotten into the spirit of the event, given their costumes, or most of them had, anyhow. Dean was a no show, but that had been the norm the last few months.

The submissive selection process was already in progress, with peals of laughter and squeals of delight from the women. It was arranged so that by midnight, all the submissives would be at their stations. With time to kill before he went to his private room, Gabe made his way through the throng to his private section of the club. Most nights there were available subs standing near the black velvet rope separating his section of the club, or sitting at one of the booths or tables nearby with the hope that either he or one of his brothers would give them a nod and join them. Yet, this evening, all those subs were dressed in costume and waiting in line to select their Dom..

About the Author:
Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Anya grew up listening to Cardinals baseball and reading anything she could get her hands on. She remembers her mother saying if only she would read the right type of books instead binging her way through the romance aisles at the bookstore, she’d have been a doctor. While Anya never did get that doctorate, she graduated cum laude from the University of Missouri-St. Louis with an M.A. in History.

Anya is a bestselling and award-winning author published in multiple fiction genres. She also writes urban fantasy, paranormal romance, and contemporary romance under the name Maggie Mae Gallagher. A total geek at her core, when she is not writing, she adores attending the latest comic con or spending time with her family. She currently lives in the Midwest with her two furry felines.

Website: http://www.anyasummers.com
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Giveaway – Dead in that Beach House by M Glenda Rosen @WriterMysteries @GoddessFish

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This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. M. Glenda Rosen aka Marcia Rosen will be awarding a $50 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

August 21, 2020, A Senior Sleuths Mystery, “Dead In THAT Beach House,” Published by Level Best Books is the third in the series and available at your local book store, Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.com. This series of murder and mayhem is written in a modern noir style with charming, witty, deliciously clever soft-boiled sleuths.

***


Once we had arrived in the Hamptons, settled in and I felt comfortable, I began to add small amounts of poison to the evening cocktails. It was from the oleander flowers. I had planted them carefully behind the barn in Ames. After only weeks, they were falling ill, listless, crying to go back to Ames. They felt too sick at the beach house. It was simple.

I know you must think I’m a monster. But, really, they felt very little when I strangled them to death thanks to the poison in their system. When they were dead, I filled my library with books about murder and witchcraft. The note I leave for whomever might find them might explain what happened…

The Senior Sleuths, Dick and Dora Zimmerman, much like Nick and Nora Charles from the Thin Man series, and their cozy group of interesting, quirky friends take on crooks and murderers while dealing with an outrageous case of elder abuse.

Later: “Shall we say invitations are mandatory?”

“Absolutely, dear. We wouldn’t want anyone to miss the fun”

“They’re either belligerent, arrogant, or simply annoyed,” Zero whispered to Cloud as the so-called guests arrived. They were all murderers and those who had committed crimes against the elderly.

Read an Excerpt

Sewn inside the striped petticoat were two old metal skeleton keys.

Dora and keys. They did get her in trouble.

Jake took pictures of the keys with his cellphone and he and his mother agreed it would be best to show them to Dick and Lily. Then they would forward the photos of the keys to the sheriff, and explain where they were found.

Lily and Dick had found their own surprise in the library. There were several shelves of books about murder. Another shelf had books on witches, witchcraft and poisons. All the dust and cobwebs on them couldn’t hide the strangeness of it all.

Dora was determined to come back as soon as possible to look deeper amongst the pages of murder and evil. It only made sense the books might reveal some truths about the house and its owner.

The dust unable to hide strange markings on those books made Dora very curious and determined to look for possible answers inside their pages.

“What kind of people owned this house?” Jake looked at his mother, clearly wanting to get out of there.

About the Author:
For over 25 years, owner and founder of a business/marketing and public relations agency and consulting firm in New York City, The Hampton’s and Albuquerque, New Mexico where the company served as advisors to a wide range of national, regional and local clientele including major pharmaceutical companies. The agency provided a special expertise to the healthcare industry including: hospitals, nursing homes, senior centers, medical facilities, non-profit healthcare organizations and literally dozens of healthcare providers. It was the second largest public relations firm in New Mexico when sold. The agency was built on Marcia’s business experience as owner of two-day care centers for ten years in upstate New York.

Parallel to founding and running her agency, Marcia was also an active advocate and advisor for women’s economic development and success. Along with Betty Friedan, she was honored by the City of New York in celebration of Women’s Empowerment Day for “helping thousands of women advance their careers and succeed in starting their own companies.” She was also honored as the East End Women’s Network’s 20th annual “Woman of the Year,” and nominated for New York State“ Women of Distinction Award. In New Mexico her agency received awards and accolades for the many volunteer services it provided.

She has served on numerous organization boards including, The New York Women’s Agenda, Columbia Hospital Breast Cancer Initiative, American Cancer Society, Venture Fund for Women, The Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center, PULSE (helping to prevent medical errors), Boardroom Bound Alliance and others over the past twenty years.

Marcia presently lives in Carmel, California and is planning on moving back to Albuquerque early 2021 or end of 2020. She has author clients in New York City, Atlanta, Albuquerque, Long Island, the Hamptons and Vancouver.

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MarciaGRosen
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http://www.creativebookconcepts.com
http://www.theseniorsleuths.com

Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/Dead-THAT-Beach-House-Sleuths-ebook/dp/B08FCY3R93

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Giveaway – Lovers, Players and The Seducer by J A Jackson @Jerreece @GoddessFish

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This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. J. A. Jackson will be awarding a $15 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Lust and passion fueled star-crossed lovers Lacey and Kienan. Their love was packed with anguish and heartbreak from the start. Add in her brother Nicholas addiction to deceitful games. Their daily lives feel more like being on a bad scandal-ridden roller-coaster ride.

Being an older brother has its perks. Nicholas thinks his sister Lacey is the perfect target for his manipulative schemes after a series of bad investments places him in a great need of money. He plots and schemes his way into getting others to do his bidding.

As Nicholas let lose a series of plans, tragic forces emerge. A vengeful seducer is unleashed, as he opens up doors to the past.

The past where the dead never dies.

Life will never be the same in thiss gripping shocking twist-filled story of love, lies, and redemption!

Will Lacey discover her brother’s deception before it’s too late?


Read an Excerpt

A week later, that Wednesday morning at nine thirty, Nicholas sat in the conference room at his office and looked over the reports. He was a study in contrasts as he sat their hiding his emotions. He’d learned over the years how to use people and today he was using the bastard Dante Channing.

Dante Channing had a nerdy arrogance that came from having been given the best education that money could buy. He was capable at doing his job, Nicholas knew, but he had weaknesses. Many of them, he thought, as he studied him suspiciously. One of them was that he loved to hear himself talk, another was thinking that he was smarter than everybody, and then there was his need to feel he was in control. But his greatest weakness, Nicholas knew, had to be Dante’s lost moral values. He would do anything to make money.

Dante passed out another report. “Everyone, Neon-Tech is a sure winner. And we have Nicholas La Cour to thank for doing the full financial check on Neon-Tech, and I must say it is now starting to show a very nice, albeit tiny, profit.”

Dante watched Nicholas for a moment and then walked over and nudged him whispering. “Nicholas are you paying attention? I just gave you a compliment.”

He put him on the spot.

Nicholas knew that he had been thinking about something else entirely. He’d been thinking about how glad he was that he had a programming background. He knew he’d done his homework when he’d set up a dummy corporation to do his siphoning. He needed to make some extra money the old-fashioned way, quickly, silently, and secretly.

Frustrated, Nicholas looked up at the other men in the conference room. He could tell they were glad Dante’s focus was on him and not on them. His smile was carefully crafted when he looked back at Dante. He shook his head. “You know I was just doing my job Dante, but thanks for the compliment,” he said with a sly smile, letting him know he’d heard every word he said.

About the Author:
J.A. Jackson is the pseudonym for an author, who loves to write deliciously sultry adult romantic, suspenseful, entertaining novels with a unique twist. She lives in an enchanted little house she calls home in the Northern California foothills. Her love for cooking and writing come from her Southern roots of Louisiana and Arkansas. She isa member of South Bay Writers Association, Yosemite Romance Writers and Romance Writers of America (RWA).

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jerreece
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This book is free.

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Giveaway – Among the Pages by Sara R Turnquist @sarat1701 @GoddessFish

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Among the Pages by Sara R. Turnquist

GENRE: Historical Romance (sweet)

BLURB:

A woman’s choice…is in question.

Brianne is a somewhat naïve college freshman. She becomes disillusioned as her professors and peers challenge many of her long-held beliefs. When she finds a diary that belonged to a distant relative, she hopes it will offer much needed distraction. And she is soon drawn into the story of a passionate woman who seems to whisper from the past.

In 1915’s New York, idealist and primary teacher Margaret struggles with the problems women face at home and in society. She is first timid about speaking her mind, but in time cannot keep her impassioned spirit hidden—not even from the gentleman who teaches in the classroom next door. His concern for her stretches the limits of their friendship, pressing into something more. Caught up in the Women’s Suffrage Movement, she faces down authority figures and others who question her beliefs.

And so, Brianne is whisked along on this journey as Margaret joins the fight for women’s rights, all the while trying to work through her own questions and experiences with modern feminism.

Before long, things spin out of control and she wonders where her newfound relationship fits into everything? Are there any clear answers? Will she land on her feet? Or be forever lost to herself?

EXCERPT

HISTORICAL TIME PERIOD – Margaret attends a speech/rally

“And they say we cannot gather and not speak of the vote. What exactly shall be their reasoning for not permitting us the vote? The lack of education from whence they first deprived us? This, and their own insistence that we are not knowledgeable about the workings of the government, politics, and society? And why should we not be? Because we are consigned to the home.”

The crowd murmured in agreement as the speaker continued driving her points.

Margaret nodded along, lost in the speech.

Voices in the crowd grew more aggressive. And progressively louder.

Margaret glanced around, her gaze shifting from one side to the other.

People around pressed in toward the speaker.

Margaret’s heart squeezed. This could not be good. It would not end well. She scanned the faces nearby. So many. All caught up in emotions provoked by the speaker’s words.

What would happen? This could not escape the notice of others. Of those who would oppose…

She swallowed. Hard. Her breaths came rapidly as she thought about the gathering being moved upon.

Jerking her head from side to side, she spotted an opening in the bodies around her. She slipped through and moved farther away from the group.

And once she deemed herself at a safe distance, she took notice of the onlookers. Their disapproving glares stabbed at her.

Dare she defend the women? The speaker?

Her hands shook. And her heart raced.

She just…couldn’t. So she shrunk back across the street and watched from an even greater distance.

Moments later, hoof beats clomped on the pavement.

Her breath caught in her throat.

Police swept down upon the gathering. Had they come to break up the meeting or intimidate?

She didn’t stay to find out. Shrinking farther into the approaching darkness, she slipped into anonymity.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Sara is a coffee lovin’, word slinging, Historical Romance author whose super power is converting caffeine into novels. She loves those odd little tidbits of history that are stranger than fiction. That’s what inspires her. Well, that and a good love story.

But of all the love stories she knows, hers is her favorite. She lives happily with her own Prince Charming and their gaggle of minions. Three to be exact. They sure know how to distract a writer! But, alas, the stories must be written, even if it must happen in the wee hours of the morning.

Sara is an avid reader and enjoys reading and writing clean Historical Romance when she’s not traveling. Her books range from the Czech lands to the American wild west and from ancient Egypt to the early 1900s. Some of her titles include The Lady Bornekova, Hope in Cripple Creek, The General’s Wife, Trail of Fears, and the Convenient Risk Series.

Happy Reading!

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