Archives for April 2021

Period Power by Nadya Okamoto

April 15, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Period Power: A Manifesto for the Menstrual Movement by Nadya Okamoto
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Young Readers
Genre: Non-Fiction, YA, Middle Grade
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

PERIOD founder and Harvard College student Nadya Okamoto offers a manifesto on menstruation and why we can no longer silence those who bleed—and how to engage in youth activism.

Throughout history, periods have been hidden from the public. They’re taboo. They’re embarrassing. They’re gross. And due to a crumbling or nonexistent national sex ed program, they are misunderstood. Because of these stigmas, a status quo has been established to exclude people who menstruate from the seat at the decision-making table, creating discriminations like the tampon tax, medicines that favor male biology, and more.
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Period Power aims to explain what menstruation is, shed light on the stigmas and resulting biases, and create a strategy to end the silence and prompt conversation about periods.

I wish there had been a book like this when I was a teen.

There are a lot of things we aren’t always told when we’re younger. When I was a teen, my mother was shy about explaining my period. I might have gotten mine later than most of my friends, but I remember being mystified and embarrassed about it. I also wish there hadn’t been such a stigma about getting ‘feminine protection”. This book does a lot to explain to people in plain speak what the heck menstruation is and why it’s not a bad thing. I also liked that the author encompasses those who menstruate–all of us that do.

This book is geared toward the YA audience, but can be enjoyed by all ages, young adult and up. There are some sections that come across as a bit political, but if read with an open mind, it’s easy to see the author isn’t going the political route, bur rather the educational one.

If there’s anything you’ve ever wanted to know about periods, then this is the book to get and give.

Filed Under: Non-Fiction, Other, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

The Nosy Neighbor by Fern Michaels

April 15, 2021 By Leave a Comment


The Nosy Neighbor by Fern Michaels
Publisher: Pocket Books
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

Lucy Baker decided it was time to walk away from her high-flying legal career after she successfully defended yet another heinous criminal. Now, almost a year after her life-changing decision, Lucy has never been happier. Leaving New York City for the suburbs, tending to her garden and her dog, Lucy is making future plans with her fiancé and getting acquainted with her neighbors, including the handsome, exasperating one next door, Wylie Wilson.

But one day, everything changes. When FBI special agents confront Lucy with shocking revelations about her fiancé’s secret double life, everything about her husband-to-be is cast in suspicion. Recovering from a freak accident that has left her with a heightened sense of intuition, and getting closer than she ever dreamed to Wylie, Lucy must determine who to trust—and fast, before someone breaks down her defenses and targets her…

Wow, was this a nail-biter! The Nosy Neighbor is a great read, a wonderful romance and a thrilling suspense along with the comic relief of a trio of adorable, lovable dogs to make a reader feel totally engaged. Any characters who love a dog so much they’d make meatloaf all the time specifically for the pup because of dietary needs, you know they’re good people.
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People who are not good are those who believe the only good dog is a dead dog – and that’s why the villain of the piece was such a perfect villain. He didn’t like dogs. Okay, he did a lot of other bad stuff that made him a perfect bad buy, but when compared to how much Wylie loved Clueless Cooper? The bad guy deserved everything he had coming to him … eventually. Before that could happen, a whole bunch of good storytelling, excitement, entertainment and the growing of wonderful friendships and relationships plus a romance between Wylie and Lucy kept me glued to the pages as the story unfolded. Ms. Michaels truly has an amazing talent because she crafted a thrilling romance story that gripped me from the moment those FBI agents approached Lucy and turned her well ordered world upside down.

It took me all afternoon to read this novel. Once I started, I didn’t want to stop. I had to because I was supposed to make supper but as soon as that was done, I dove back into the pages of The Nosy Neighbor, eager to find out what they found at the bad guy’s hideaway. I didn’t find out later what was there and the only niggle about the book was that it never showed the FBI finding the goods or what happened to all the assets that were in someone else’s name. Does that person GET all of it? I think the reason why the author didn’t go off on that tangent is because the book is first and foremost, a romance. That is exactly what I was looking to read and it’s exactly what was delivered – with a lot of intense suspense and drama that spicened up the plot. I never had to guess who the villain was because the FBI made it clear early on, but it was the suspense of knowing the guy was gunning for Lucy and the uncertainty and curiosity of trying to guess how it was all going to play out. How was he going to take down the heroine? Why did he choose her and why was he so angry and obsessed? So many fascinating questions that eventually get answered. It was worth dedicating half of my day to this novel.

Yes, Lucy and Wylie do ‘get together’ and it’s an open-door view for readers but it’s not overly graphic which I greatly appreciated. Some of the physical action was fun and silly, yet serious too. It’s serious because they’re falling in love. It’s serious because once the heroine had the sheet time with the hero, she realized something very important. It’s that epiphany that makes her realize the difference between the two men. It’s romance at its finest.

I didn’t add the paranormal genre tag, but maybe I should have. I mean, Lucy did develop a way to hear things not normal for a human. Then again, I know that scientists have actually studied that phenomenon for real, and I saw a documentary a few weeks ago about people who could READ books while being 100% blindfolded with no way to actually see anything at all, so HOW could they read or describe anything like they weren’t blindfolded? It’s incredibly amazing as it is confounding, but it’s real! So, if that can happen in real life, maybe Lucy’s situation isn’t that farfetched. Because of that, I didn’t attach the paranormal tag to my review.

If Ms. Michaels writes this well all the time, I’ve got to read more of her backlist. The Nosy Neighbor was awesome and I had a great time reading the novel. If anyone else is like me and hasn’t read this yet, my recommendation is to rectify that immediately. If a reader likes romantic suspense, courageous puppies and a hero and heroine who are perfect for each other with a very satisfying happy ever after, know that this book delivers.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , ,

Success is in Your Hands, Follow your Successful study tips by Christine Reidhead – Guest Blog and Giveaway

April 15, 2021 By 5 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Christine Reidhead will be awarding a $25 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.

Success is in Your Hands, Follow your Successful study tips

Students face many issues, and competing things make concentrating on studying hard. However, there is a need to do a little studying at least to progress. For better grades, there is a need to develop and follow successful study tips. It is about studying smarter.

There are different types of study habits that it is not easy to figure out the good to bad ones on starting your college days.

First, to begin with, bad habits disempower students.

1. Procrastination
Studying for exams is stressful. Fear appears on your face and dreams. Thus, everyone starts stalling by spending time in some other activity. It can be on Facebook or anything else, it is just procrastinating.
• Instead, adopt better time management habits by preparing to-do lists and checking up on your progress.

2. Wrong place
A place where you fall asleep is not the right place for you to study, such as your bed or couch. Also, avoid places with a lot of distractions.
• Instead, choose the right place to concentrate and learn.

3. Turn distractions on
It may be fun to study even while your Facebook is on or in front of the TV, but the fact is you cannot do much.
• Instead, reward yourself by allocating some time to social media or TV after studying for a specific time or on completing a portion.
•
4. Studying one night before
There may be times you passed a few tests studying the night before the test. For a deeper understanding and higher grades, devoting, attention, and a lot of time is a must.
• Instead, write the main points and review them in the morning after breakfast. Best is taking a break before a test, walk or listen to music.

Good study habits to succeed
• Plan your time- Getting overwhelmed is easy with everything in college. But it is a must to have a course plan. Study every week, the entire material. Even then, something unexpected may come, and it may take a longer time to complete.

• Set goals- Developing this habit is helpful. You can study every week and set study goals. It can be the number of chapters, mastering a skill, understanding a challenge better, or even spending more time on studies than checking Facebook.

• Ask for help- It is easier to seek help so that you accomplish your set goals. There are different types of study habits, frame your type.

• Reward yourself- Encourage yourself by rewarding, it is positive reinforcement. It can be eating ice cream, watching a show, or sleeping.

The successful study tips are the ones that benefit you!

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Filed Under: Guest Blogs, Non-Fiction Tagged With: , , ,

Postcards from the Boys by Ringo Starr

April 14, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Postcards from the Boys by Ringo Starr
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Genre: Non-Fiction, Memoir
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

Whenever John, Paul, or George went on a trip, they would send Ringo a postcard. Now, for the first time, Ringo Starr is opening his private archive to share this delightful and very intimate correspondence. Whether it’s John advising Ringo to record a “great & simple” song like Blondie’s Heart of Glass, Paul and Jane Asher dropping a note from Rishikesh to report on their meditation lessons with the Maharishi, or George writing from the Great Barrier Reef to confirm plans for Christmas dinner, each postcard is a warm and personal snapshot of life in (and after) The Beatles. The 51 postcards — many of which are covered in whimsical drawings — are colorfully reproduced, both front and back. Ringo’s droll commentary fills in the blanks, though he does confess that at times he had to consult the Internet for details! Often funny, occasionally bittersweet, and always revealing, Postcards from the Boys is a must for Beatles lovers.

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I’ve mentioned before that I love the Beatles and I have a soft spot for Ringo Star. Want to know why? He’s a riot. I love his sense of humor and it shines through in the stories to go along with these postcards.

These are all postcards sent to him from George, Paul and John. It’s kind of neat to see how they took on the task of writing to him. It’s definitely chatter among friends, but I enjoyed Paul’s little drawings, John’s sometimes nonsensical writings and George being more than the quiet Beatle. He’s quite funny, too. There is a variety of images and witty little stories to go with the images.

This is a must for Beatle fans and those of Ringo Starr. This is sort of a peek behind the curtain kind of book, so be sure to check it out!

Filed Under: Non-Fiction, Other, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

The Man Called Teacher by David Poulsen

April 14, 2021 By Leave a Comment


The Man Called Teacher by David Poulsen
Publisher: BWL Publishing Inc.
Genre: Historical, Action/Adventure
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Snowdrop

One man. One town. One almost forgotten crime. When the stranger who has answered the ad for the teaching position at Kecking Horse School climbs down from the stage on a sleepy Montana afternoon, things are about to change.
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With Virgil Watt, cowboy, horse-breaker and the first black man in the history of the town by his side, the stranger quickly upsets the tranquility of the town’s leading citizens, administers a vicious beating to a couple of the town’s toughs and sets out to avenge a long neglected wrong. A reader of books, a lover of laughter, a lawman/lawbreaker with a .44 strapped to his leg–he is the man called Teacher.

This is really an easy and quick read. It was quick because I just couldn’t seem to put it down. I love westerns and this was a good entry into the genre. It’s a story told by what I first pictured as a rancher on the porch. A grizzled old rancher. As I got into the story, I realized the POV of the story (my narrator) was coming from a man who lived with his mama and worked in the general store, one of the few stores that exist in Kecking Horse. I’ll call my storekeeper the man from Kecking Horse because if the author ever actually had anyone call him by name, I can’t remember it.

There are a lot of good old stories like this and it’s true I enjoy them all. But this one’s a little different. The narrator of the story seems as if he’s right on the porch with you recalling something that happened in his life. The plot of the story is somewhat different as teachers usually weren’t tough guys back in the days of the old west. Teachers were usually women and not the ones carrying the guns. There is also some humor in this story. There would have to be in a town called Kecking Horse. A town named only because someone couldn’t spell. But the ability to keep the reader so drawn to the story must be in the writing. The same writing that made Teacher and the man from Kecking Horse seem real. Made the man from Kecking Horse’s narration help you see the characters and walk back through his life.

David Poulsen has several other books published. Check them out.

Filed Under: Mainstream Fiction, Other, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

HalfBreed Warrior by Bobbi Smith – Spotlight and Giveaway

April 14, 2021 By 3 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Bobbi Smith will be awarding a $10 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.

It was said that only the bravest warrior could ride the phantom stallion that ran fee on the Texas plain…

The Legend of The Hawk

With Comanche blood flowing through his veins, Hawk always knew he was different. Everywhere he went, people scorned him, feared him, hated him – and he expected the same when he hired on at the Lazy S Ranch to help catch rustlers. What he didn’t expect was a woman like Randi. Her impulsive spirit and generous heart broke through his reserve and made him want to love again. But he couldn’t afford to get close to anyone. Not with the job he had to do.

The Will of the Lady

Randi Stockton grew up around rough cowboys on her father’s ranch. None had managed to win her love…until the mysterious stranger with the power to tame the legendary wild horse strode into her life. Randi knew he was a half-breed, but something about him called to her. And he was the only one who could save her from the traitor at the Lazy S. The danger lurking in the shadows and canyons threatened to draw the two apart, but Randi knew in her heart that Hawk would always be her Half-Breed Warrior.

Enjoy an Excerpt

“Go, Angel!” Randi Stockton urged her palomino to a faster pace. She’d just caught a glimpse of the fabled phantom stallion on a rise in the distance and was determined to give chase. Legend had it that only the finest of warriors would ever be able to catch him, and it seemed there was truth to the story. No one had even come close in all these years.

Randi was concentrating on her quest, when suddenly Angel tensed and altered her pace. Puzzled, Randi glanced around. It was then she caught sight of another rider pursuing her. Terror seized her. The bare-chested man coming after her looked like a Comanche warrior. Any thoughts of finding the phantom stallion were gone. She had to escape.

Hawk’s ride that morning to the Lazy S Ranch had been a long, hot one, so when he saw the clear-running stream, he’ decided to stop for a while and cool off. He’d just stripped off his shirt and started to wash when he’d seen the young boy on a runaway horse in the distance. Certain the youth was in trouble, he’d mounted up and charged after him. He just hoped the boy didn’t get thrown before he could reach him.

Randi glanced back again, only to find the warrior was even closer. Desperate, she veered off to the right, but in an instant, he was upon her.

“Help!” she cried as he dragged her out of her saddle. Desperate to break free, she fought with all her might, but his strength was overpowering. She was trapped, pinned against his hard, powerful chest.

Hawk struggled to control his mount as he shifted his grip on the youth, and it was then that a shock of pure physical awareness jolted through him. Suddenly, he realized this was not boy he’d rescued. This was a woman!

About the Author:After working as a department manager for Famous-Barr, and briefly as a clerk at a bookstore, Bobbi gave up on career security and began writing. She sold her first book to Zebra in 1982.

Since then, Bobbi has written over 40 books and 6 novellas. To date, there are more than five million copies of her novels in print. She has been awarded the prestigious Romantic Times Storyteller Award and two Career Achievement Awards. Her books have appeared on the New York Times Best Seller List, the USA Today Best Seller List and the Wal-Mart Best Seller List.

The rights to Ms. Smith’s books have been sold to China, France, Germany, India, Israel, Russia and Sweden. Bobbi has also written two faith-based contemporary novels – Haven and Miracles – using the pseudonym Julie Marshall.

Website

Buy the book at Amazon.

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Filed Under: Guest Blogs, Romance Tagged With: , , ,

Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge for April 14, 2021

April 14, 2021 By Leave a Comment

Each Wednesday, Long and Short Reviews hosts a weekly “blog hop”. For more details on how to participate, please click here.

NOTE: we also host the Friday Five–a fun writing prompt blog hop and would love to see you there!

Today’s topic is: If I won a large lottery jackpot, I would…

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Filed Under: Miscellaneous Musings, Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge Tagged With:

Photograph by Ringo Starr

April 13, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Photograph by Ringo Starr
Publisher: Genesis Publications
Genre: Non-Fiction, Memoir
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

From behind the drums to behind the lens, in PHOTOGRAPH Ringo Starr opens his archives to share memories of his childhood, The Beatles and beyond.

Rare and unseen photographs taken by Ringo, with others reproduced from his family albums, are showcased here for fans of The Beatles and anyone passionate about modern music. Accompanied by Ringo’s original manuscript of over 15,000 words, PHOTOGRAPH gives unprecedented insight into the life of one of the world’s greatest musicians.
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From Pwllheli to Delhi, obscurity to superstardom, join Ringo on his travels in his photographic memoir.

Photographs by and of Ringo Starr…with his explanations. Oh my!

I love the Beatles, so it wasn’t a hardship to read this book. It’s delightful the little stories given with the photographs. I love that it’s like listening to a friend discuss holiday photos. There are some he doesn’t remember, some he does and some that are just zany. There are some seen a few times images, but many behind the scenes and never before seen ones, too.

The writing flows well, but this is truly a photographic memoir. It’s cool to see how Ringo Starr changed and matured through the photographs. It’s like a diary in photos.

If you like the Beatles, Ringo and rock & roll, then this is one to check out.

Filed Under: Non-Fiction, Other, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

The Exiled by Christopher Charles

April 13, 2021 By Leave a Comment


The Exiled by Christopher Charles
Publisher: Mulholland Books
Genre: Contemporary, Historical, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Fern

Can anyone ever truly outrun his past?

Back in the 1980s, Wes Raney was an ambitious New York City Narcotics Detective with a growing drug habit of his own. While working undercover on a high-risk case, he made decisions that ultimately cost him not only his career, but also his family. Disgraced, Raney fled-but history is finally catching up with him.

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For eighteen years Detective Wes Raney has been in exile – living and working over a massive part of the desert in New Mexico as the only murder investigator. For the most part his job is mindless and while it’s taken a long time he has mostly made peace with his solitude and new life. But then he comes across a scene that brings him back to his Narcotics days in New York and his old life, a drug deal gone wrong resulting in a triple homicide. Can Raney balance the resurgence of old memories and old demons with the delicate peace he has found?

Overall I found this to be a really engrossing and excellent read. This is effectively two stories wound into one book. The book (almost each chapter) flip between Raney’s New York life back in the mid 80s and his current life in New Mexico in the present. I thought this aspect to the story was really well handled and even though there is jumping back and forth in the timeline I didn’t find it jarring or confusing and that really pleased me.

While it’s perfectly obvious from the first page that the events and outcome of Raney’s undercover operation in the 80s results in him spending twenty odd years alone, in exile and completely disconnected in New Mexico, I still felt myself a little disappointed with how the 1980s timeline wrapped up. It might be slightly unfair of me (after all it’s clear up front there was no happy ever after or sweetness to Raney’s leaving New York), but I still feel Raney got a pretty rough deal and I felt pretty indignant on his behalf. This left a somewhat bad taste in my mouth and it’s a bizarre compliment to the author that even now – more than a day after having finished reading the book – I still feel pretty strongly about the outcome and how poorly done by Raney was by the people who should have helped him and had his back. This is the sort of writing and book that sticks with you well after you’ve finished reading it and that is a massive compliment, even if I’m indignant and annoyed on the main character’s behalf.

The current timeline was much more satisfying – though far more standard as well. The plot for this story was interesting and unfolded really well to my mind. I enjoyed the secondary characters and thought the pacing was fast enough to keep the momentum up but still realistic and logical. I believe this is a stand alone book – most of the loose ends were tied up and while it’s definitely not a cliff hanger or a clear bridge leading the way to a sequel, I have to admit I’ll be keeping an eye out on this author and picking up the next book should one appear.

Readers looking for a simple, neat or “happy” mystery mightn’t find this quite suits what they’re looking for. But there is plenty I thoroughly enjoyed about this story. A different and really interesting (and flawed) main character, a gripping and realistic mystery and an excellent writing style had me reading this book very quickly and enjoying it a lot even when I was outraged on the protagonist’s behalf. A good read and an author I plan to keep an eye out for.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , ,

How to Handle Negative Criticism by R.W. Buxton – Guest Blog and Giveaway

April 13, 2021 By 5 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. R.W. Buxton will be awarding a $20 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.

How to handle negative criticism

Negative criticism, or any criticism for that matter, is hard. I’ve poured my heart and soul into the words that make up these books. Not to take it personally is difficult. I try to take two things into consideration, the source of the criticism, and can I use it constructively.
Reviews on Amazon for example can be terribly difficult because they are generally short and offer little in the way of constructive feedback. Either the reader liked it or didn’t. Although when the review starts off with, “This isn’t my usual genre…” and then something negative, I don’t worry much about it. The likelihood they would have enjoyed any book in the genre is low. If you read westerns, what’s the chance you will like an urban fantasy with a little romance? If they start off with that and love the book, then I feel it’s a true win.

A few years ago a blogger reviewed Capital Thirst. The review was less than outstanding. It was evident they tried to put a positive spin on it, but with things like “I hated the main characters,” it’s pretty evident they didn’t enjoy it. In my defense, I purposely made them both very prickly. I wanted the gulf between them to be as difficult to traverse as possible. In retrospect, maybe I made it too vast.

This, though, was a criticism I could use. I obviously couldn’t go back and rewrite Capital Thirst, but I kept this in mind as I wrote Beverly Hills Torture and Moscow Nights. Erin and Gerry are still worlds apart, but it’s with more understanding. This change is also a part of their character arcs. I didn’t just change their personalities, but as they spend more time together, they both soften to the others’ viewpoints.

Then there is the utterly useless criticism, “It was awful because there were three grammar errors.” Or something else along those lines. These I basically ignore. Although I would like to write back, you try writing sixty-thousand words with no grammar errors. Especially when they have them in the review of less than twenty words. These I just ignore. I work with an amazing editor and given my propensity to misuse commas, I’m pretty pleased with three that slip past the two of us.

Criticism is going to happen anytime you put yourself out there and share a part of yourself. I try to minimize its impact and ignore things that I can’t change. If there is anything at all that can be used from the criticism, I try to take it into consideration as I continue to write. Writing is a never ending learning process and the only way to get better is to accept some of that criticism and use it to your advantage. I’m not going to change the way I write, but I will certainly use it to make my writing better.

Erin is desperate to save Gerry from shadowy forces that would do anything to prevent him from fulfilling the prophecy. But when she arrives, he’s with another woman and the worst thing is it’s Tina, his former partner at the FBI.

Can she convince him the threat is real, and not just to him, but Mary his young daughter.

Halfway around the world ominous figures hiding in the night plan the unthinkable and Gerry is the only one that can stop them. The threat is genuine but will he believe her? Will he believe in the prophecy?

Erin must face her own past, a past she thought was over. It opens old wounds that send her careening on a path of destruction. Can she overcome them in time to save Gerry or will she lose everything because of a deep-rooted hurt that can’t be healed?

Enjoy an Excerpt

“How am I a threat? I didn’t even know about any of this.” Gerry turned his palms upward in his lap.

“First, he knows of you and found you, the reason we had to flee, but he has set himself up as the one to fulfill the prophecy. It’s simple, there can’t be anyone to threaten his position.”

“So, what, we’re going to just meet with him and tell him I’m not who he thinks I am?”

“It’s more complicated than that.” Erin looked over her shoulder at Mary, already asleep despite her claim, curled up in the large tan leather seat. She looked back at Gerry. “You already have a huge base of supporters, and he can’t have that. He wants complete control.”

“But…”

“But there’s even more. He wants to bring us out of the shadows of night and enslave humanity. He’s perverted the prophecy. His idea of saving our race is to destroy humanity, which would ultimately destroy us. The true savior will save us from destruction, his destruction.”

Gerry blew through his teeth, making a small whistling noise. “So what you’re saying is we have to find this guy and destroy him before he kills me?”

About the Author:I love a good paranormal read, something about the un-dead haunts the fringes of my mind. Mix in romance, love, loss, and you have a great story.

I voraciously read everything, fiction, and non-fiction but always find myself turning back to the darker stories. I’ve always wanted to write and the dream became a reality with Capital Thirst, and the remainder of the Erin Kingsly novels.

I spend most of my days designing and building websites, but my free time is devoted to my wife, family, and cats. Yes three grown children and three cats. Things can be hectic.

For fun you might find me driving winding roads with the top down or out photographing nature.

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