Archives for April 2021

What Kind of Writer Am I? by Dianne Hartsock – Guest Blog and Giveaway

April 13, 2021 By 5 Comments

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

What kind of writer am I?
I’ve often been asked if I’m a plotter or a panster when I write. Do I painstakingly plot out my stories? Write elaborate character bios? Know every step my characters will take to reach their goal?

Or am I a panster? Put my characters on the page and let them run nilly willy through the storyline doing anything they like. Let them take control and herd them like cats to the finish line.

The truth is that I’m somewhere in between. Long before I put a word on the page, I’m daydreaming about my story. Anything may have inspired me: lyrics to a song that touched me, someone’s eyes, a laugh heard across the room. A line from a movie or a flower or sunset. What ever it was, it set my imagination off and running. I begin with my characters. Who would be in this scene or feel this emotion or enjoy this sunset? Who are they with? Who would not want them to find happiness?

I muse on these characters, expanding from this initial scene. How did they get here? Where are they going? What do I want this story to be about? I write in many genres: erotic romance, paranormal, fantasy, crime, psychological thriller. What would be the best storyline for these characters? What would be the best way to tell their story?

I ponder these questions for a day or a week, trying out different ideas as I go about my regular day. And then suddenly it comes to me. I have the perfect plot for them. By this time most of the characters have introduced themselves to me, their backstory, names, etc. I’ll have a rough idea of the beginning, middle, and ending, and also the pivotal scene, the one that brings meaning to the whole thing.

At this point I’ll start to write, and probably spend more time writing the first few paragraphs then the whole rest of the book put together. These paragraphs are crucial as they set the tone for the remainder of the story. And that opening scene is probably the one I rewrite the most. If I don’t catch a reader straight off the bat, they’ll probably put the book down and move on to the next one that catches their interest.

Once I have the opening scene down (and yes, I’ve actually thrown the whole first chapter of a story away, once the story was completed. It happens) I write the story in a linear way. Each scene builds on the one before it. I’ve never been able to skip and scene and go back to it later. No, not even a sexy times scene. And once I start writing, I try not to think of the story too much when I’m busy with other things. There’ve been times when I find the perfect words while at work, but once I’m at the computer they’re gone or I don’t write the scene as well.

Once the story is completed I’ll read through it two or three times, fine tuning and finding all the mistakes I can before I send it out to seek its fortune.

Thanks for stopping in! I’m curious, what kind of writer are you?

Luka makes a desperate wish and the earth shifts to his will. Regretting it immediately, he tries to undue the sorcery, but it is too late. He asked for hope, and to his horror, all the hope in the world is given into his keeping. He desires nothing more than to return this gift to the world.

Aethan wants to get his hands on the Well of Hope in Luka’s keeping. If he can ransom out hope to others at his whim, the world will be at his feet. Where it belongs.

With the aid of his lover, Rhys, Luka stays one step ahead of Aethan. But Rhys has his own enemy in Aethan, his estranged father.

Rescued by Luka, his sweet, gentle witch, Rhys now stands with him against Aethan. They have vowed to return the Well of Hope to the earth despite all odds, or die trying. For what is life worth, for anyone, without hope?

Enjoy an Excerpt

He missed his lover, though he’d been the one to send him away. Luka had wanted him to find a better life than he could offer, a solitary witch bartering his potions. And he had wanted Rhys safe from his enemies. But he may as well have cut out his own heart when Rhys had left.

Luka sipped his tea, enjoyed its comfort, then heat flushed his skin as he recalled his dream last night, the feel of Rhys in his bed. Rhys had been tender and passionate and welcoming. Luka had cried in his arms, overwhelmed with the joy of it. Had wept again on waking to find himself alone on the hearth, Rhys across the room, reading a book in the morning light spilling through a window, as far away as the years that had separated them.

A bird fluttered past, calling his attention, and Luka’s spirit flew with it, soaring into the sky. The rush of air exhilarated him, and he dropped with a smile back into his body. After hastily setting aside his tea, he pulled a crystal from a pocket and held it up to the faint winter sunlight. He marveled at the earth reflected in glass. Focusing his gaze, his essence slipped easily into the encapsulated world and flew along the pathways, flitting between trees and brush. He scampered with a family of squirrels along a branch, leaping with wild glee from limb to limb.

About the Author:Dianne is the author of m/m romance, paranormal suspense, fantasy adventure, the occasional thriller, and anything else that comes to mind. She lives in the beautiful Willamette Valley of Oregon with her incredibly patient husband, who puts up with the endless hours she spends hunched over the keyboard letting her characters play. She says Oregon’s raindrops are the perfect setting in which to write. There’s something about being cooped up in the house with a fire crackling on the hearth and a cup of hot coffee warming her hands, which kindles her imagination.

Currently, Dianne works as a floral designer in a locally-owned gift shop. Which is the perfect job for her. When not writing, she can express herself through the rich colors and textures of flowers and foliage.

Website | Facebook | Facebook Author Page | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon Author Page
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Filed Under: Guest Blogs, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , ,

Remembering Rose by Sheila Claydon

April 12, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Remembering Rose by Sheila Claydon
Publisher: BWL Publishing
Genre: Suspense/Mystery/Thriller, Romance, Paranormal, Contemporary, Historical
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Rachel has a husband who adores her, a beautiful baby daughter, and an extended family she can rely on, so why isn’t she happy? She doesn’t know and nor do the people who love her. Only Rose understands but she is trapped in another century. To help Rachel she has to breach the boundaries of time itself as well as risk exposing the truth of her own past.

When echoes from that past begin to affect other people in the village of Mapleby, things suddenly become a lot more complicated. Can Rachel put things right without giving away Rose’s secret?

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Rachel’s character development was handled beautifully. To be honest, I didn’t like her very much when I first met her because of how negative and critical she was about everything in her life. It was only once I realized that these parts of her personality were symptoms of her postpartum depression and I saw glimpses of who she was before she’d had a baby that my opinion of her began to shift. This was an intelligent way to show how this illness affects not only the new mother but everyone else around her. I truly enjoyed seeing how she coped with her overwhelming feelings and what her loved ones did to help her feel better.

The beginning and middle of this book were well-written and entertaining. Unfortunately, I was disappointed in how rapidly everything was wrapped up in the ending. There were some fantastic subplots that never had enough time to be fully developed. Even the main storyline felt rushed in the last few chapters, especially when it came to Rachel putting all of the clues together and figuring out what Rose wanted from her. If not for these issues, I would have happily gone with a much higher rating.

Some of the most interesting scenes were the ones that showed the audience the many similarities between Rachel and Rose’s lives. Some families repeat the same patterns for generations without necessarily being aware that this is happening. For example, both Rose and Rachel were spoiled youngest children whose parents let them get away with things that would have never been tolerated if their much-older siblings had tried the same stuff. I’ll leave it up to other readers to discover the other similarities for themselves, but I thought this was all nicely explained.

Anyone who likes genealogical or historical mysteries should give Remembering Rose a try.

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

Tobias by Marteeka Karland

April 12, 2021 By 1 Comment


Tobias by Marteeka Karland
Salvation’s Bane 7
Publisher: Changeling Press
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

I hate bullies. Gymnastics moms are the worst, too. So when a girl who looks no older than the kids with the overbearing mothers steps in to take over, I’m more than a little skeptical. Her name is, of all things, Kitty, and I’ve been watching her from a distance. I just didn’t realize she was a highly trained athlete in the body of a young, beguiling, innocent woman. Everything about her calls to my protective instincts. Especially when I find her putting herself in the hands of the very tormentor who broke my sister.

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Tobias was a take charge kind of guy, which is to be expected when a man is part of an MC. Readers need to be reminded that profanity and growly gruff language is to be expected. Tobias is especially gifted in that department.

Kitty is young in age but not in life experience. To strive to reach Olympics’ level of any sport, an athlete has to have grit, determination, a high pain tolerance and the wherewithal to persevere when the going gets tough. The heroine has been dealt a bad hand and tries to figure it out on her own, but when the people she trusts fail her, she’s at her lowest point. Yet she’s stubborn and refuses to give up. It’s that spunky nature that attracts Tobias, but it’s the surprisingly protective instinct that wakes up inside him that propels him to take action. The pace of the romance speeds up from there, giving me everything I look forward to in a romance story.

The villain of the piece isn’t a large presence. He does provoke the plot conflict and that part is effective. There are a few scenes with him that don’t exactly mesh with his actions later on, or with his history that I learn about later in the book. There is this big buildup of a showdown, then …. Yeah, Tobias felt the same way I did. In a weird way, how it all went down has a humorous backdrop to it. Yes, it was serious, but the author chose to keep the upbeat romance front and center and not be sidelined by a plot conflict that easily could have overshadowed Tobias and Kitty.

Overall, I’m very pleased with this story. I seem to always have a good time when I visit with Ms. Karland’s MC characters and Tobias and company bring with them that element of an MC family. Strong, noble, not afraid to get down and dirty, and even a bit bloody, and always have each other’s backs when the going gets tough. That’s the kind of community that Kitty will thrive in and with Tobias, their happily-ever-after is off to a firecracker of a start.

Filed Under: Erotic Romance, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

Character Creation by Geoffrey Saign – Guest Blog and Giveaway

April 12, 2021 By 13 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Geoffrey Saign will be awarding a $30 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.

Character Creation

When I write, I tend to fall in love with my characters—in a writerly way of course! When I first began writing, I had a very difficult time killing off a character in a story. Even the bad villains! I enjoyed them and didn’t want to see their story end. This was especially true for support characters. Some of the minor characters have major roles. In fact, some could have their own story!

If that is not true for your own writing, you might want to ask yourself why? If the writer loves supporting characters, there’s a good chance that readers will too. They will eagerly await the next dialogue or action from that character. They want to see what they do next. In fact, one could make the case that without supporting characters, the main character just isn’t as strong or interesting. It’s the supporting cast that allows the main character to shine, to be interesting, to show off.

So how do you make characters lovable to the reader? How do you make supporting characters as interesting as the main character? In my fantasy and thriller novels, I have many supporting characters, and many of them I absolutely enjoy every time they appear in the story.

Supporting characters should be:

• Interesting—something unique to them.
• Have desires and goals like every character.
• Be sympathetic—the reader needs to understand why they are the way they are.
• Have a significant effect on the story and on the main character—otherwise why have them?
• Show vulnerability at some level.
• Have some mystery or surprise about them—for you and the reader.

In the 4th book of Magical Beasts; Guardian The Stand, I have an ancient super-powerful Great One called. She can kick anyone’s butt. Yet she shows concern for the main character, even though she also is threatens the main character. The main character ‘gets’ to Valera—and in a sense helps wake her up. This supporting character Valera only appears in short scenes 5 times in the entire book, yet she is one of my most beloved characters that I have ever created. And she is absolutely essential to the main character and to the story. Without her, there is a hole in the story that would be difficult to fill. I absolutely adore Valera! Lol

If you can make the supporting cast shine, then the main character will have that much more substance, and the main character won’t have to shoulder the whole ‘interest’ burden for the reader. In my thriller novels, I have a very bad killer, Angel, and his sister, who both reform. Angel appears in the 2nd and 5th Jack Steel books (Steel Assassin, and Steel Trap). Angel’s journey is so interesting that he could absolutely have his own book. Yet because he is 100% tied to the main character’s journey, he becomes absolutely essential to the story, something the main character even acknowledges at the end of book 5, where he makes his latest appearance.

Make your supporting cast as interesting as the main characters, and you will have a rich tapestry of a story. One that the readers will love. Plus, it’s a lot more fun to write when you are in love with every character too!

Samantha and Jake fight to save their poisoned parents, and instead find themselves in a battle to save the parallel magical world of KiraKu. The two teens discover they must defeat the Evil One—a diabolical master of deception—or their own world will fall too. Samantha must master the mysterious supernatural staff, WhipEye, and find out if she has what it takes to fulfill the prophecy of the true guardian. In a final battle, reminiscent of Lord of the Rings, the two teens will have to risk everything, or lose it all. For Fans of Fantastic Beasts, Percy Jackson, Harry Potter, The Hobbit, and Lord of the Rings.

Winner Outstanding YA Fiction IAN BOTY

~ Magical Beasts is now in development for a major motion picture. ~

Enjoy an Excerpt

“Watch out, Sam!” yells Jake.

I fling myself sideways onto the grass, pulling WhipEye out of reach of the lizard’s snapping jaws. The beast keeps going, leaping up.

Tarath springs vertically after it, but the Komodo’s flapping wings lift it fifty feet in one beat, inches beyond the caracal’s swinging claws. Tarath falls back to the ground, landing silently on the grass. She snarls up at the Komodo.

Hissing, the lizard hovers above us. His eyes bore into mine. “If you want to save your elders, bring the staff to Gorgon. Today. Alone. Or they die.” Shifting his gaze to Tarath, he says, “We’ll meet again, Great One.”

Tarath yowls while the Komodo quickly flies away, giving a faint roar before it fades in the distance.

“Mom.” Jake rests his hand on his mother’s shoulder. She appears unconscious.

Scrambling over the lawn to Dad, I press trembling fingers against his neck. He has a pulse. Jagged cuts on his thighs have darkened his jeans with blood. The same ugly slashes mark Cynthia’s legs. The wounds appear serious enough for stitches, but not life-threatening. In fact, when I examine Dad’s cuts closer, they’ve already stopped bleeding. Komodo bites can be deadly due to venom, but I’m not sure about claw wounds.

Jake looks bewildered. “Why didn’t you give the staff to the Komodo, Sam?”

My throat thickens. “I couldn’t.” It sounds lame, even to me. With one decision everything in my life is in shambles. And I have no one to blame but myself.

Tarath surprises me when she shrinks to five feet tall while padding toward us. Lowering her head between our parents, she sniffs the air. “Poison,” she spits.

About the Author:Geoffrey Saign’s love of wildlife led him to write the award-winning fantasy series, Magical Beasts. He often experiences the magic of nature and wildlife while hiking and swimming. He has a degree in biology and has assisted in field research on hummingbirds and humpback whales. Geoff loves to sail big boats, hike, and cook—and he infuses all of his writing with his passion for nature. As a swimmer he considers himself fortunate to live in the Land of 10,000 Lakes, Minnesota. See what he’s up to at hes website:

Website | BookBub

Book 1 will be FREE April 12-18 and Book 2 will be only 99c April 12-16

Check out the series on Amazon.

Buy Book One: Guardian: The Choice at Audible.

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Filed Under: Guest Blogs, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , ,

Loves Bloom (MF) by various authors – Spotlight and Giveaway

April 12, 2021 By 1 Comment

Spring is a time of renewal, of new life and new love. Maybe it’s a spring fling, or a second chance at love! This is a collection of Spring-themed stories, where new relationships grow and love blooms. Enter to win a fabulous gift package and get a First For Romance Gift Card!

Second Chance at First Love by Zoe Allison

Can their second chance at love succeed?

Eva Mathers is a successful woman, except for when it comes to matters of the heart. When she returns home to Yorkshire as a pending divorcee, she realises her childhood friend and first love Damon Evans is also newly single. It’s a pity he’s never noticed her romantically and had no idea that she was in love with him at school. But at least they can support each other as friends again.

Damon is attempting to adjust to life sharing the kids with his ex. His reconnection with Eva is strong, but she was always too good for him and made her indifference clear after they drifted apart during their younger years. In any case, she still seems to be hung up on her charismatic ex-husband. Eva is hiding things from Damon, secrets from her past. He wants to be there for her, so why can’t she let him in?

Eva is dealing with trauma, but she won’t confide in her loved ones. Can Damon help her break down her walls before it’s too late and they miss their second chance at first love?

Reader advisory: This book contains mention of the death of a child.

*****

Dear Elliot by P. Stormcrow

Love or hate… It’s a fine line for two broken souls.

The last thing Emma Jones needed was for her past to walk back into her life. She has a sick mother to care for, a mansion to mind and bills to be paid. But when Elliot Carmichaels saunters in with a facade of cavalier arrogance, she is faced with more questions than those she had written in her diary.

As an author with writer’s block, Elliot, aka E.A. Jones, needed a change in scenery, even it meant he had to live with the childhood crush he had ghosted. He could handle it, he told himself. He was wrong. Now stuck with a fiery woman who both tempts and infuriates him, he has to figure out if he’s going to kiss her or push her away.

Secrets must be told and pain confronted if Emma and Elliot want to salvage their relationship. But life has a way of throwing curveballs, and they will have to navigate them together or fall apart.

It all begins with two words. Dear Elliot…

Reader advisory: This book contains a scene of attempted sexual assault/date rape and mentions of PTSD. It includes the use of a date-rape drug. There are several deaths, including that of an infant.

*****
The Daisy Chain By Raven McAllan

Life is what you make it. Daisy has to decide—stay with the same old, same old, or take a leap of faith and move on.

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Then there’s the so-called Cave of the Dragon, an inquisitive reporter, the wedding of her best mate and a hot as Hades, arsy-as-hell best man.

Daisy has her hands full.

But life is what you make of it…

Is Daisy ready to take a leap into the unknown and go with the flow? Chance her luck, have faith in Callum and see what the future brings? Or will she decide to ignore everything that shouts ‘go for it’, and opt for a quiet—but boring—life instead?

About the Authors:

Zoe lives in Edinburgh, Scotland with her husband and two children. A medic by day, she started writing in her spare time as a means to counter burn out and found that this was a balm for the soul.

She is a fan of the romantic genre and it’s ‘happily ever after’ ethos. A sharp contrast to what she can, at times, see in her day job. Zoe is keen for the female lead in romantic fiction to disabuse stereotypes and walk on an equal footing with her male counterparts. She prefers male leads who do not display signs of toxic masculinity and believes and that positive masculinity is much more attractive to women and healthier for men.

First for Romance | Goodreads
P. Stormcrow has always been an avid reader across the fantasy and sci fi genres but early on, found herself always looking for the love story in each book. Coming to terms with her love for love later in life, she now writes steamy romances that examine social norms and challenge conventional tropes of the genre, usually on her phone. And yes, she has walked into walls and poles doing so.

When she’s not reading or writing (or even when she is), she enjoys copious amounts of tea, way too much sugary treats, one too many sci fi / fantasy / paranormal TV shows (team Dean all the way) and every otome game she can possibly find.

Website | First for Romance | Goodeads
After 30 plus years in Scotland, Raven now lives near the east Yorkshire coast, with her long-suffering husband, who is used to rescuing the dinner, when she gets immersed in her writing, keeping her coffee pot warm and making sure the wine is chilled.
With a new home to decorate and a garden to plan, she’s never short of things to do, but writing is always at the top of her list.

Her other hobbies include walking along the coast and spotting the wildlife, reading, researching, crosstitching, and trying not to drop stitches as she endeavours to knit.
Being left-handed, and knitting right-handed, that’s not always easy.

She loves hearing from her readers.

Website | Goodreads
Buy Second Chance at First Love at your favorite venue or First for Romance.

Buy Dear Elliot at your favorite venue or First for Romance.

Buy The Daisy Chain at your favorite venue or First for Romance.

THE LOVE’S BLOOM AUTHORS ARE GIVING AWAY THIS FABULOUS PRIZE TO ONE LUCKY WINNER. ENTER HERE FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN A LOVELY GIFT PACKAGE AND GET A FIRST FOR ROMANCE GIFT CARD! Notice: This competition ends on 20TH April 2021 at 5pm GMT. Competition hosted by Totally Entwined Group.

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

Forging Monsters Pt. 1 by Annie James – Spotlight and Giveaway

April 12, 2021 By 4 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The author will award a $15 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

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.

Enjoy an 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.”

About the Author: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.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Newsletter

Buy the book at Smashwords or Amazon.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Filed Under: Guest Blogs, Mystery/Suspense Tagged With: , , ,

Loves Bloom Collection (mm) by various authors – Spotlight and Giveaway

April 12, 2021 By Leave a Comment

Spring is a time of renewal, of new life and new love. Maybe it’s a spring fling, or a second chance at love! This is a collection of Spring-themed stories, where new relationships grow and love blooms. Enter to win a fabulous gift package and get a First For Romance Gift Card!

Garden of Cupid by Elizabeth Hollows

Will doesn’t want a relationship. Blain isn’t looking for a boyfriend. But with an old lady playing Cupid, how can they ignore a chance at love?

Will Brewer is a shy artist living with only his cat for company. He’s not good with people and even worse with relationships. He isn’t looking for a boyfriend. He just wants to paint. In fact, he would happily be living the life of a hermit if his eighty-year-old neighbor, Mrs. O’Grady, wasn’t constantly roping him into tasks around her house.

And he isn’t the only one she’s preying on.

The new and gorgeous mechanic Blain Stewart has just moved in next door. Where Will feels like an awkward fool around Blain, the mechanic finds him adorable.

Blain has just ended a bad long-term relationship with a high-maintenance man who didn’t understand him. He feels like he’s starting all over again and he’s hesitant for his fresh start to include the talented and charming Will.

But when Mrs. O’Grady asks them to plant some flowers in her garden, the tension between them skyrockets.

They both think friendship would be safer than a new romance. But when attraction, connection and an enthusiastic old lady are pushing them together, can they resist?

*****

Love Next Door by Megan Slayer

Can three tiny kittens really bring these two men together and prove love can bloom despite the chilly spring days?

Tommy Davis considered himself a loner. He spent his days writing and running, all while keeping everyone else at bay. That is, until he discovers three kittens abandoned in his shrubbery. His fatherly instincts kick in, and he goes to the one person he knows can help—his sexy-as-sin next-door neighbor who happens to be a veterinarian.

Matthew James wasn’t looking for love, but the moment Tommy shows up on his doorstep, he can’t send him away. He’s had a thing for Tommy since the first time he saw him, but his shyness has kept him from making a move.
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The melting snow, blossoming flowers and a trio of kittens could be more than the guys can handle, but they just might be the push Matthew needs to find his forever with Tommy.
Reader advisory: This book contains references of past sexual assault and mentions of an abusive ex.

About the Authors

Elizabeth Hollows is an Australian writer of LGBT love stories specializing in homosexual or lesbian romance.

Her preferred genres are fantasy, science fiction and contemporary/modern.

She has been writing since she was twelve, but has spent the last few years writing romance stories and discovering a passion for LGBT romance.

When Elizabeth is not writing she embroiders, reads and plots her next novel. She is a fan of the winter months and always has a book in her handbag and a cup of tea nearby.

Website | First for Romance | Goodreads

Megan Slayer, aka Wendi Zwaduk, is a multi-published, award-winning author of more than one-hundred short stories and novels. She’s been writing since 2008 and published since 2009. Her stories range from the contemporary and paranormal to LGBTQ and BDSM themes. No matter what the length, her works are always hot, but with a lot of heart. She enjoys giving her characters a second chance at love, no matter what the form. She’s been the runner up in the Kink Category at Love Romances Café as well as nominated at the LRC for best author, best contemporary, best ménage and best anthology. Her books have made it to the bestseller lists on Amazon.com.

When she’s not writing, Megan spends time with her husband and son as well as three dogs and three cats. She enjoys art, music and racing, but football is her sport of choice.

First for Romance | Website | Newsletter | Blog | Amazon Author Page | BookBub Author Page | Instagram | Goodreads

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Buy Love Next Door at your favorite venue or First for Romance.

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

Twelve Weeks to Midnight Blue by Steve Searfoss

April 9, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Twelve Weeks to Midnight Blue by Steve Searfoss
Publisher: Self-published
Genre: Contemporary, Middle Grade (8 – 12 y.o.), Young Adult (14 – 18 y.o.), Economics, Business
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Snowdrop

Teach your kids about business and economics in a fun, meaningful way and inspire them to be entrepreneurs. Millions of Americans are small business owners or work at companies, yet there are not many books that explain to kids what business is about, the way there are books for kids about being a firefighter, farmer or astronaut. Beyond basic business concepts, KidVenture shows that character matters in business. The ability to persevere when there are setbacks and being someone who is trustworthy are key ingredients of success.

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KidVenture stories are business adventures where kids figure out how to market their company, understand risk, and negotiate. Each chapter ends with a challenge, including business decisions, ethical dilemmas and interpersonal conflict for young readers to wrestle with. As the story progresses, the characters track revenue, costs, profit margin, and other key metrics which are explained in simple, fun ways that tie into the story.

The synopsis of this book tells you much of what this book might be about. However, I think I can tell you what this book seemed like to a “grown-up”. One like me I suppose. I think this is reading for a 10- to 14-year-old depending on their reading skills. Although there is a theme of learning to manage and understand money, there is also a story here. Making it flow. Making it read like a story about a boy and his family and friends. This is not a textbook. It might accomplish more than a textbook, but it doesn’t have that somewhat dry academic type of flow. The POV is always from Chance, the kid who wants a new bike and wants to find a way to buy it. I think this kid’s perspective is what it needs to hold the attention of middle grade or young YA readers.

While this is well-written and easy to read, there is something it accomplishes much more than merely learning about money, or math, or business. It provides numerous opportunities for conversation between parents and children. Short sentences like “What would you do?” “What would be the benefits?” leave open doors for discussion. What is a short 128 page book, can be shaped in many ways.

No wonder Steve Searfoss is such a successful entrepreneur. It takes the ability to communicate on many subjects to many ages, and he seems to be able to do so. I hope more KidVenture books are forthcoming.

Filed Under: Other, Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Where Are You, Agnes? by Tessa McWatt

April 9, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Where Are You, Agnes? by Tessa McWatt
Publisher: Groundwood Books
Genre: Children’s (0 – 6 y.o.), Middle Grade (8 – 12 y.o.), Non-Fiction, Historical
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Agnes Martin was born on the Canadian prairies in the early twentieth century. In this imagining of her childhood from acclaimed author Tessa McWatt, Agnes spends her days surrounded by wheat fields, where her grandfather encourages her to draw what she sees and feels around her: the straight horizon, the feeling of the sun, the movement of birds’ wings and the shapes she sees in the wheat.

One day, Agnes’s family moves to a house in a big city. The straight horizon and wheat fields are gone, but Agnes continues to draw what she sees and feels around her. No one except her grandfather understands what she is trying to capture ― not her mother, who asks, “Where are you, Agnes?” when she sees her daughter engrossed in her drawing; nor her siblings, who think her art is ugly. Still, Agnes keeps trying to capture what she sees inside her mind.

This process results in decreased generic cialis overnight lathering, deposits on metallic surfaces, dry or itchy skin, dysfunctional appliances, rough and tangled hair, congested pipes, and much more. It helps the men to get longer erection throughout the entire course of sexual activity. order viagra on line http://cute-n-tiny.com/tag/tufted-dear/ Lack of sleep is one of the potential reasons of impotence comprise: An over ingestion of alcoholic drink Weariness Using injurious meds, named cannabis, heroin or cocaine Few other reasons, which encourages the threat of ED An excess weight downside Smoking Causes of impotence are endless and there are lots of conceptions and misconceptions about female sexual dysfunction. order viagra online cute-n-tiny.com Don’t roll out viagra uk any improvements in the dose on own. Agnes Martin grew up to become a famous abstract expressionist artist. Tessa McWatt has written a beautiful story of Agnes’s childhood and how it might have shaped her adult work. Zuzanna Celej’s watercolors adeptly capture Agnes’s world, including hints of the grid paintings that she was later known for, against the backdrop of prairie and city landscapes.

Where do artists find inspiration for their work? Sometimes it begins in childhood.

It’s rare to find a picture book that works just as well for older kids as it does for the little ones! The multiple layers of the plot were what made it possible for it to be understood one way by a preschooler and an entirely different way for a preteen. I was impressed with how the author pulled this off. It certainly wasn’t an easy task to accomplish.

This tale skipped over several of the most important details of Agnes Martin’s life. I ended up needing to google her in order to jog my memory and put all of the pieces together. It wasn’t clear to me if the author assumed everyone already knew those facts or if she didn’t think they were important to include for the age groups she was writing for. Either way, it was confusing at times even though I’m already familiar with the twentieth century Canadian art scene and was very interested in the subject matter in general. This was something that would work best for readers who are already fans of this painter’s work or who are willing to do a little homework ahead of time.

With that being said, I did appreciate the subplot involving grief. It was sensitively written and had some thought-provoking things to say about what happens to the emotion of love after someone dies and why it’s so important to seek out the beauty in life wherever you may find it. Those scenes could be the starting point of so many conversations about death, grief, and how to move on afterwards.

I’d recommend Where Are You, Agnes? to art lovers of all ages.

Filed Under: Non-Fiction, Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , ,

She’s the One Who Cares Too Much by S.R. Cronin – Exclusive Excerpt and Giveaway

April 9, 2021 By 3 Comments

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

Coral, the second of seven sisters, has been hiding her affair with the perfect man until her older sister can get her life together. But the perfect man is getting impatient and now she’s gotten pregnant. Coral decides it’s time to consider her own happiness.

But what does she want? The perfect husband turns out to be less than ideal. She adores the small children she teaches but the idea of being a mother fills her with joy. Meanwhile, her homeland is gripped by fear of a Mongol invasion and she can’t stop crying about everything now that she’s with child.

Then a friend suggests the ever-caring Coral possesses a power well beyond what she or anyone else imagines. Does she? And why is the idea so appealing?

When Coral’s big sister loses faith in the army and decides to craft a way to use magic to save Ilari from the Mongols, she decides Coral’s formidable talent is what the realm needs. Can Coral raise a baby, placate an absent military husband who thinks he’s stopping the invasion, and help her sister save her homeland?

Enjoy an Exclusive Excerpt

When Ryalgar arrived at the farm a few days before my wedding, I was happy to have someone to talk to about something other than the upcoming ceremony.

I hung up the freshly washed bedding as she rode up with Sulphur. Once she gave Sulphur her horse to tend to, she hurried over to me, standing behind billowing the sheets with me so we could talk privately for a few minutes as the smell of fresh soap surrounded us

“I’ve learned more about luskies for you,” she whispered, even before she greeted me.

“There’s no need for that.” My reply was cold. Of all the things we needed to talk about, this power I didn’t have was low on the list.

“I’m not so sure. There’s a persistent rumor that we Velka can recognize a luski, but it’s not true. It takes another luski to tell. And it takes another to train a new luski, too.”

“Okay. Why would this matter to me?”

“Because your friend could be right. I’ve learned not all luskies are mothers, at least not in the real sense of the word. The rare man has this talent. A few childless women do, too. It has to do with being a nurturer.”

“So ….”

“So one way to know if you have the talent is to examine how you feel about it. If the idea maybe scares but excites you, odds are good your reaction is for a reason. What I’m saying is based on what I’ve learned, I was wrong. You really could be a luski.”

Just hearing Ryalgar admit to me she’d been wrong was quite an event in our relationship. Yet, this was hardly the time to focus on that.

“I’m getting married in three days. I don’t need this now.”

She gave me a sympathetic look. “You don’t have to do anything about it. I’m looking for a luski to talk to you. They’re hard to find; most go to extraordinary pains to hide what they can do. But I’ll find one.”

I didn’t know what to say.

“Thanks. I think.”

About the Author:Sherrie Cronin is the author of a collection of six speculative fiction novels known as 46. Ascending and is now in the process of publishing a historical fantasy series called The War Stories of the Seven Troublesome Sisters. A quick look at the synopses of her books makes it obvious she is fascinated by people achieving the astonishing by developing abilities they barely knew they had.

She’s made a lot of stops along the way to writing these novels. She’s lived in seven cities, visited forty-six countries, and worked as a waitress, technical writer, and geophysicist. Now she answers a hot-line. Along the way, she’s lost several cats but acquired a husband who still loves her and three kids who’ve grown up just fine, both despite how odd she is.

All her life she has wanted to either tell these kinds of stories or be Chief Science Officer on the Starship Enterprise. She now lives and writes in the mountains of Western North Carolina, where she admits to occasionally checking her phone for a message from Captain Picard, just in case.

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