The Making of a Fantasy Writer by Colin Sephton – Guest Blog and Giveaway

November 3, 2025 By 1 Comment

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Colin Sephton will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

The Making of a Fantasy Writer
I never really set out to become a writer, it happened almost by accident, or perhaps more accurately, as a natural extension of another passion. My creative journey began with artwork. From a young age, I loved drawing and painting, and I was especially drawn to fantasy art. At first, I honed my craft by sketching well-known superheroes and established characters created by others. That practice taught me technique and discipline, but after a while I began to feel constrained. I wanted to breathe life into my own creations. That desire for originality slowly grew, and eventually many of the characters that now populate my novels were first born decades ago in the pages of my sketchpads. Over time, I realised that having visual references of these figures gave me an advantage. It allowed me to describe them in greater detail on the page. While not every character I write has an artistic origin, a great many do.

My inspiration for storytelling goes beyond characters, though. I’ve always been fascinated by certain subjects: fantasy, the mysteries of the cosmos, the latest scientific theories, questions of consciousness, and the allure of ancient knowledge and lost civilizations. These passions shape everything I write. In many ways, my novels are the result of blending all these threads into a single creative tapestry. This fascination began in childhood. With my very first library card in hand, I would spend long summer days immersed in books, researching whatever captured my curiosity and creating little projects of my own. That early hunger for knowledge never left me, it simply evolved into stories.

Ignatius and Indigo find themselves struggling mentally to come to terms with the complex nature of the cosmos and their newfound supernatural powers obtained through their prior encounters with gods and demons. In their quest for another relic from the Creation, they are aided by the secretive thirteenth Chapter of the Union Jacks. In search of the secret of the Flaming Celestial Pearl, they must travel to Tibet in the great airship, HM Spirit of the Empire.

Pursued by fanatical knights sworn to protect the relic, they must reluctantly call upon the Charon, the seven merciless demons from the underworld to assist them. Piecing together the map that will lead them to a fabled city hidden deep within the Himalayas, they must defend themselves from air pirates, a previous foe from Oxford, mountain beasts and elementals.

Discovering the correct path through the mountains, Indigo realises her soul may never be the same again. Regardless, they enter the Great Void where using the Sword of Wisdom, they discover the truth about the cosmos.

Enjoy an Excerpt

The desk was large, and made from burr walnut, inlaid with green leather, decorated around the edge in gold. Its golden glow illuminated the office. The room was floored with black and white tiles and all four walls were lined with rich oak panelling, with the same crest carved into one of the panels. Behind the desk hung a large oil painting, a dark portrait of a brooding figure. The desk was otherwise uncluttered, just a brass inkstand and a green banker’s lamp. The only ornamentation was a bronze of a lion like those seen in Trafalgar Square.

“Good morning, Mr Lawrence,” said an aide as he entered the office with a silver tray of tea. Earl Grey, his preferred choice. Hot, no milk.

“The latest reports, sir,” the aide gestured with his head at the stack of Manilla folders. “Some unusual goings on in Oxford,” he said as he raised an eyebrow. The thin weaselly man had been with the Union some twenty years and throughout all that time had spent most of it behind a desk.

Lawrence didn’t rise to his prompting and replied simply, “Very well, Jenkins, I will let you know!”

Sifting through the reports, Lawrence took on a serious brow, mulling over the potential impact on the Empire of each report. The first report told of dangerous shamanic practices in China, disrupting the activities of the East India Company. He picked up the next report and after reading it, then reading it again, his face turned red, his brow furrowing. Significant disturbances in Oxford. His large fist slammed down in a rage onto the green leather, knocking his ink pot over. A book fell off the shelf behind him as he filled his lungs and bellowed, “Jenkins, get me Isambard Ignatius. NOW!”

About the Author Colin was born in Coventry and worked in the automotive industry for over twenty years before becoming an Engineering teacher. Obtaining his first library card at the age of thirteen, he became an avid reader of Fantasy and the mysteries of the Universe. He has an inbuilt curiosity for lost knowledge and ancient texts that may help to unlock the secrets of consciousness and the universe. Living in Oxford for many years, he has now moved back to his home county of Warwickshire where he enjoys creating and working with his wife on their garden in which he writes and entertains their two grandsons. He has always been an artist and writer and is inspired by the worlds created by Robert E Howard and Michael Moorcock, with the artwork of Frank Frazetta.

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Toil and Trouble by various authors – Spotlight and Giveaway

October 30, 2025 By 2 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The authors will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

The brew is hot and bubbling over with romance and terror in this twistedly beautiful anthology that welcomes the darkness of horror and the temptation of love’s veiled promises. Six remarkable tales from six incredible authors fill this book of dark shadows and ancient whispers.

Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble – by Jennifer Patricia O’Keeffe: Enchanted pastries and spell-brewed coffee make Esmerelda’s sugar-dusted counter the city’s most coveted haunt—until a dangerously charming newcomer slips into her shop, immune to her magic and unraveling her carefully guarded world. As his witch-hunter heritage threatens to burn her legacy to ash, Esmerelda finds herself torn between the threat of revenge from the witch hunter’s ancestors and the intoxicating truth of the connection that they share.

Silverwood – by Lynn Hubbard: A lonely rancher’s daughter finds her isolated Wyoming homestead upended when an amber-eyed stranger ignites a mud-splattered passion that defies reason—until his supernatural secret and the vengeful ranch hands hunting her force her to choose between the man who saves her and the monster who might destroy her. Torn between fierce protectors and forbidden desire, she must trust the very darkness that could shatter her world to survive the wild frontier’s deadliest threats.

Ivy, Lichens and Wallflowers – by James Ryan: Marketing executive Hilda finds solace from her stifling corporate life and overbearing past in the quiet companionship of Miriam, a mysterious 19th-century marble statue in a city micro-park, only to discover their connection transcends stone when Miriam begins answering her handwritten notes through cryptic poetry left in return. As their forbidden connection deepens into an intoxicating dream-bound romance, Hilda uncovers Miriam’s supernatural secret: she’s a cursed thaumaturge sustained by stolen life force, forcing Hilda to confront whether love can survive the devastating cost of keeping her alive.

A Mirror to Die For – by Cindy Lewis Smith: A desperate woman finds solace in an antique mirror that whisks her nightly to 1880s Arizona, where a charming outlaw named Johnny Ringo fulfills every fantasy—until her jealous fiancé shatters the glass and vanishes, leaving her trapped in an asylum screaming that he is the real monster, a man who shouldn’t exist: Dr. John Henry Holliday, the gambler who killed Ringo a century ago. Now, with “MPR” carved into her cell walls and time itself unraveling, she’ll stop at nothing to prove her sanity by proving time travel is real—even if it means unleashing the very darkness that destroyed her.

Flight 1031: Cosmic Turbulence – by Julian Christian: Diplomatic courier Sarah Martinez boards Flight 1031 expecting routine turbulence, not a Halloween dimensional rift that strands her at Germania International Airport—where the Greater German Reich has ruled since 1943 and perfected technology to harvest souls from parallel realities through consciousness-scanning machinery that pulses with seventeen-beat rhythms. Now trapped in a terminal that breathes like a living organism, Sarah must navigate a world where every passenger hides a secret and her resistance could either save her timeline or doom infinite versions of humanity to eternal enslavement in a Reich that spans all dimensions.

Dream a Little Dream – by Jae El Foster: After a near-death car crash rewires her brain, Sarah’s nightmares bleed into reality: sugar on the counter forms glyphs, bats appear out of nowhere in broad daylight, and her own hands betray her—while the velvet-eyed stranger from her dreams appears in her waking hours, his urgency growing as Halloween’s veil thins. Now, with her reality twisting into something surreal and an ancient language hijacking her voice, she must confront a dark truth: her soul isn’t hers to keep, and the man who saved her in death is the very entity hunting her in life.

Enjoy an Excerpt From ‘A Mirror to Die For’ by Cindy Lewis Smith

“May I have a glass of water?” I asked.

I’m just so uncomfortable. These clothes I am wearing are itchy and stained. I have no recollection of purchasing this outfit. It’s definitely not mine nor my style. My hair feels gritty and needs to be washed and brushed. Any day now my fiancé John Henry, some people call him Doc, will be bringing me my own clothes and makeup, and a new hair brush too. I know he will. I can’t wait to see him. It’s been so long.

In fact, I don’t know where he could be. The last time I saw him we argued, but that was the way it was for us. I’d forgive him and we would go on as if nothing happened. This chair is uncomfortable. The seat is worn out and the softness of the padding has long gone. I have to keep squirming and readjusting my body just to be able to endure the sitting.

I noticed the clock on the wall directly in front of me. It’s one of those large heavy clocks, probably weighing fifty pounds or more. There’s a picture of the Eiffel Tower in the face of the clock. The word Paris is written in a pretty script over the tower. I doubt anyone in this place has ever been to Paris. It’s on my bucket list. John Henry and I may honeymoon in Paris once we’re married, although he’s been talking about going back to Georgia instead.

To distract my thoughts in the silence of this morbidly uncomfortable room, I envision the clock falling and crashing to the floor, leaving a giant hole in the wall where the nail would be. I imagine that the glass in the clock has broken into thousands of tiny pieces. Sharp pointy shards of glass are scattered throughout the room, glittering like diamonds on velvet. Aren’t they so pretty?

“I’m sorry, I lost my train of thought.”

“Go on,” he said, “Tell me more about what happened to John Henry”

I love talking about John Henry. My story, it’s all true, you know. Every single word. I wouldn’t have believed it myself if it didn’t happen to me.

I readjusted myself one more time in the chair and continued.

“It all started the day I purchased the mirror,” I explained.

“You see, I hadn’t slept but maybe four or five restless hours the entire previous week. My life had become mundane and boring. The excitement was gone between me and John Henry. His demeanor had changed. He said it wasn’t him, it was me who had changed. But, I knew he was lying.”

He never told me any truths. Not anything about his past or what he did when he left me. Sometimes, I felt like he was only using me. Like I was a mysterious link or something between what he used to be and what he wanted to be now. It’s hard to explain, it was probably nothing more than my imagination.

John Henry was just so ruggedly handsome, I couldn’t help myself, so I forgave him often when we argued. Maybe because of our fighting and torrent relationship, the headaches were coming more and more frequently. And, more intense.

I refused to take the prescription medication I was given. Those pills… those little pink and red pills! NO! No, not those pills again. I couldn’t take it anymore. I tossed the prescription bottle into the trash can and grabbed the keys to my car on my way out the door. I heard the door slam behind me and I didn’t look back. I was not going to think about John Henry, if only for one day.

“My old Chevy was stuttering and in need of some repairs, but it didn’t stop me from driving wherever I wanted to go. And that day, I wanted to go across the border. It was a warm day in late September, with barely a breeze moving through the dry air. I was wearing a big straw hat, the same kind the Chiquita Banana woman wears on the TV commercials, a pair of dark sunglasses and shoes that flipped back and forth on my feet.”

I was getting low on gas so I coasted into an old, mostly deserted town in southern Arizona. It was just a few miles or so, maybe thirty or forty minutes across the border. I didn’t want to take a chance on stalling out the car. Service stations out there are few and far between. I parked my car on a dust covered side street and strolled to the downtown area of this dusty little town.

Some old-timers were outside sitting on benches that lined the wooden sidewalks of the streets. Their wrinkled cheeks were swollen on one side from a wad of chewing tobacco. A dirty brass spittoon was centered on the sidewalk between them. I could feel them staring at me. You know that kind of stare implying that I didn’t belong there, that I’m out of place.

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Look Over Your Shoulder by Sharon Overend – Spotlight and Giveaway

October 27, 2025 By 1 Comment

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Sharon Overend will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

A haunting, lyrical exploration of family, silence and the secrets we inherit.

Years of avoidance and blame have left the McLaughlin clan fractured and ill-equipped to face the critical illness of one of their own. When long buried memories of a neighborhood child’s death while in their care resurface the family truly begin to unravel.

Told in alternating voices, Look Over Your Shoulder, reveals how secrets ripple through generations, and how healing begins when someone finally dares to speak the truth.

Enjoy an Excerpt

ANNE

I slipped away. In slow motion, I raised one foot after the other, one step at a time, upstairs. My limbs now disconnected from my body, my head bobbing in a black fog, I drifted across the hall and toward my bedroom. I lay on top of the covers but dragged a throw over my hip.

The buzz of distant conversations crawled into the room, and my window shook each time the front door opened or closed. Knuckles rapped, an empty hanger slapped against the door panel, the buzz amplified, feet shuffled forward, a presence lingered, a hand touched my arm, a voice whispered.

“Mom.”

I said nothing until her feet shuffled back toward the door.

“I’m sorry,” I sighed into the pillow seconds before the hanger again rattled, and the hum of voices roared back into the room. I wasn’t sure whether I’d wanted her to hear me or not.

“For what?” She had heard.

“For resenting you.”

The weighty creak of floorboards, a car engine idling, a woman’s laughter, a child’s shriek, a toilet flush.

“You’re tired,” Marilyn said, now close enough to touch me. “Sleep.”

“You scare me,” I said, still telling the pillow, not her. “Your strength and your capacity for forgiveness are things I’ve never experienced before. But I have to know. Have you ever forgotten?” Shame had stalked me my whole life, a shadow dancing across my peripheral vision, now fully in view.

“We’ll talk in the morning.” She lifted the fringed edge of the blanket, pulled it over my shoulder, and tucked it beneath my chin. A blue spark of static electricity sprang between her fingers and my face.

About the Author:

SHARON OVEREND, is an award-winning author whose fiction, creative non-fiction and poetry has appeared in the Canadian, American and British literary journals and anthologies including Antigonish Review, Avalon, Descant, Grain, Matter of Time, Spirit of the Hills, Surfacing, Wild Words, Word Weaver, UK’s Dream Catcher, CafeLit, The Best of CafeLit and A Coup of Owls.

Sharon and her husband live on a 156- rural acre property in Ontario, Canada where she has found inspiration for many of her projects.

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What It’s Like to Be Me by Elizabeth Ann O’Handley – Spotlight and Giveaway

October 23, 2025 By 1 Comment

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Elizabeth Ann O’Handley will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.


Well, one thing is for certain: everyone will feel something different after reading What It’s Like to Be Me!

Why you ask? It is simply because every single one of us is completely unique; that is what makes us who we are.

The young girl in this book helps us understand that the journey of self-identification is not always easy. In some cases, maybe we just have not given it much thought. I mean, how often do we check in with ourselves? At times we are more focused on what others may think about us, while we are truly unaware of what we even think about ourselves.

With reflection, it is sometimes necessary, and useful, to see ourselves objectively.

The young girl in What It’s Like to Be Me has to look within to find herself. Personal growth will usually assist us in accepting the reality of who we really are. As life changes and we grow through experience, it is up to us to be the best versions of ourselves.

Living your truth is a personal suggestion for making things a little easier when embarking on the journey of knowing exactly who you are. Every experience will change us, maybe a little, or maybe a lot. Who you are going to be in this world starts with you!

I wish you all a wonderful journey!
Truth, love, and respect always,
Elizabeth Ann O’Handley

Read an Excerpt

Preface

The world we live in can be unpredictable. Life will challenge us and give us reasons to question many things. Life may make us feel uncertain of a decision … make us feel uncertain of ourselves.

Let us help one another affirm our purpose so we can live in a world where we feel more in tune with ourselves.

Life is so beautiful, precious, and filled with meaning. Let us start by finding ourselves and then watch that beauty grow.

May we all find what we are looking for.

About the Author: What It’s Like to Be Me is Elizabeth Ann O’Handley’s second book. It was inspired by a visit to her hometown of Glace Bay, in the province of Nova Scotia.

Elizabeth graduated from Cape Breton University with a B.A. in 2005, and received a diploma in Acupuncture from the College of Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners & Acupuncturists of British Columbia in 2011.

In realization of many things, Elizabeth is forever grateful for the love she continues to receive from her family and friends. She reflects on her experiences with a humble heart, and is very emotional about being true to oneself.

Elizabeth is convinced that storytelling can be an effective tool in helping anyone find their path.

Elizabeth is committed to creating positive content, in hopes that it will have an impact on all readers of her work.

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What Surprised Me Most About My Characters by Susan Sloate – Guest Blog and Giveaway

October 23, 2025 By 2 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Susan Sloate will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

What Surprised Me Most About My Characters

I can’t turn my back on my characters for a second—you never know what they’ll grab when I do!

Take Dary Dover, for instance. He’s a minor character in my new novel, SCENES FOR A SONG—manager of the band who comprise the four central characters in the story. Okay, I introduced Dary as a beautifully-dressed, elegant and obviously sophisticated guy with some secrets. I really don’t know why I did that; I didn’t expect the band manager to be more than a pop-in, pop-out kind of figure—there to help move the band’s career forward, but not much more than that.

Did he ever surprise me!

The sneaky little mother turned around and became a central part of the band’s history, something I never dreamed of when I started!

In fact, he became so much a part of the band’s history that the band members themselves were still talking about him, more than 50 years later! (You’ll have to read the novel to find out why, but I promise the answer is worth it!)

Dary surprised me, for sure, but I also found myself surprised by the depth of the relationship between Jimmy and Mark, the co-lead singers in the band, who become close friends almost immediately after their first meeting and end up sharing some of the most important moments of their lives. I thought they’d just be casual buddies who wrote songs together, but that’s not what happened at all. Their relationship was central to the story of the band, and it certainly does navigate some interesting twists and turns. Again, I didn’t see them coming when I started. You can never be too sure what you know about your characters—at the oddest moments, something else will pop out about them that you never dreamed would be there!

On Halloween Eve, 1961, in his dingy Bronx walkup apartment, seventeen-year-old Jimmy Welton hears the opening notes of a song in his head. Jimmy’s still mourning his firefighter father, who taught him to play the guitar but recently died in a house fire, leaving his family destitute. Jimmy takes this song, about all he misses from his life now, to the New York amusement park where he works after school. There, he meets Mark Morgan, a rebellious teen with his own band, who eventually invites Jimmy to join them. And the rest is rock’n roll history…

Their band, The GooseBumps, become a worldwide phenomenon, and the songs they write and sing together become the backbone of rock musical history. And the song Jimmy first heard on Halloween, “Wrapped in Gauze”, becomes the song that not only comforts him in that terrible time but also comforts others: Victoria, recently divorced and dealing with an out-of-nowhere family tragedy; Carolyn, whose final flippant words to someone in pain can’t be taken back; and Jack, battling back from unimaginable loss with the help of his cheeky therapist and a song he thinks he hates.

SCENES FROM A SONG is the story of a song that makes us smile, that breaks our hearts, that stays with us forever, and the very special band that started it all.

Enjoy an Excerpt

“Jimmy Welton, meet my good friend, Mark Morgan.”

“Hi,” Jimmy said, extending his hand to the newcomer.

Mark looked at his hand as though he didn’t know what to do with it, then reached out and pumped it with his own. Jimmy noticed his own hand felt bruised when he let it drop.

Mark looked at him, his eyes narrowing. “So what’s your job here—you’re the handsome prince at the park? So all the girls can swoon over you?” His voice, a normal baritone, escalated suddenly almost to falsetto. He batted his eyelashes girlishly at Jimmy.

Jimmy grimaced. He hated being teased about his costume, and now he liked this guy even less.

Luke went on eagerly. “Mark goes to high school downtown, Jimmy. He came out tonight to scout the park.”

“What for?” Jimmy asked, not really interested in the answer. The guy struck him as a bad imitation of James Dean. Jimmy had met plenty like him, and they were all bad news.

“For my band to play here,” Mark answered, his voice cutting through the windy evening.

Jimmy, who had been ready to walk away, stopped dead. “You have a band?”

“Sure as hell do. I play guitar and sing.”

Jimmy had never met anyone, boy or girl, who was in a band. Suddenly he wasn’t mad about being teased anymore; he was starting to get excited. He tried to seem nonchalant as he asked, “Is it a dance band or country-western, or—”

Mark looked amused. “No, Pretty Boy. It’s rock `n roll. Ever hear of it?”

Rock ‘n roll! Jimmy would kill to hear a live rock ‘n roll band.

About the Author SUSAN SLOATE is the author or co-author of more than 25 published books. This includes 3 editions of Forward to Camelot, a time-travel thriller about the JFK assassination that became a #6 Amazon bestseller, was honored in 3 literary competitions and was optioned by a Hollywood company for film production. She also wrote the autobiographical Broadway novel Stealing Fire, which became a #2 Amazon bestseller and Hot New Release, and Realizing You (with Ron Doades), for which she invented a new genre: the self-help novel.

Susan has also written young-adult fiction and non-fiction, including the children’s biography Ray Charles: Find Another Way, which won the silver medal in the 2007 Children’s Moonbeam Awards. Mysteries Unwrapped: The Secrets of Alcatraz led to her 2009 appearance on the TV series MysteryQuest for The History Channel. She has also been a sportswriter and a screenwriter, edited the popular Kyle & Corey young-adult book series, man-aged two political campaigns and founded an author’s festival to promote student literacy in her hometown outside Charleston, SC. She has appeared in multiple volumes of WHO’S WHO IN AMERICA, WHO’S WHO IN ENTERTAINMENT and WHO’S WHO AMONG AMERICAN WOMEN.

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

Predestined by Rachel Byrne – Spotlight and Giveaway

October 21, 2025 By 2 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Rachel Byrne will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.


IN A PLACE WHERE NOTHING IS AS IT SEEMS, WHO CAN BE TRUSTED?

Mysteriously invited to attend the elite Haverford Pines Academy, sixteen-year-old Lina Jamison feels out of place. With mediocre grades and no special talents, she questions why she was chosen to be among her generation’s brightest and most promising teens. Only after Lina saves a fellow trainee’s life does she begin to glimpse her own potential.

Settling into the academy’s training, she starts to uncover secrets and question Haverford Pine’s motives. Why is HP monitoring its trainees’ conversations? How were they selected? And what’s behind the alarming rumors of former trainees meeting dark fates?

As the term progresses, Lina realizes that her presence there may not be a coincidence. With danger lurking around every corner and her own destiny hanging in the balance, Lina must uncover the truth before it’s too late.

Gold Award, Independent Publisher Book Awards – Young Adult Fiction

Gold Award, Readers’ Favorite Book Awards – Young Adult Mystery

2024 Colorado Public Radio “Books We Love”

Enjoy an Excerpt

In the back of the rental SUV, my stomach burned, and a sour taste flooded my mouth. One week into summer break and my family was dumping me at this strange academy. While I struggled to find my purpose, they would be in Aspen, Emma Claire enjoying a ballet workshop while my parents lounged at the pool.

I had planned to hold my ground and insist on the rec center job, but then Dad got the red-light ticket. As I heard him slam his way through the front door, I raced to intercept him before he could start yelling.

I had briefly debated telling the truth—my anger at the stricken look on Noah’s face as pee ran down his legs and puddled on the floor. I imagined Dad puffing up with pride that I had stood up for a boy being bullied. That fantasy was discarded because I knew Dad wouldn’t get it. He and Mom had never experienced classmates jeering at them and the way it made you curl up inside and want to die.

I then considered accepting the consequences he started listing—no screens, no permit or license until I was seventeen, no allowance, etc. I could handle those but DJ wouldn’t stop until she knew why I had taken the car out in the first place. And that couldn’t happen if I wanted to survive the rest of high school.

Instead of an explanation, I offered him a deal. If I agreed to go to Haverford Pines, he wouldn’t punish me, tell DJ, or ask any questions.

About the AuthorRachel Byrne, a Colorado native, is inspired by her state’s majestic landscapes. With a BA in psychology from Dartmouth College and a master’s in physician assistant studies from the University of Colorado, Rachel has forged a career in psychiatry and addiction medicine. Her role as an educator has fueled her passion for teaching and understanding human behavior.

Driven by a lifelong fascination with the complexities of human nature and a love for American history, Rachel enjoys a career that explores the depths of the human psyche. As a devoted mother and dog lover, she treasures family moments and indulges in hobbies like reading, writing, tennis, and travel. Rachel’s commitment to literature stems from her childhood as a shy bookworm, aiming to create engaging stories that resonate with readers and leave a lasting impact.

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Playing Rough by Beth Pellino-Dudzic – Spotlight and Giveaway

October 14, 2025 By 4 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Beth Pellino-Dudzic will be awarding one set of the three books in the series – Playing Hard, Playing High and Playing Rough (international giveaway). Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Love. Lies. And the Road to Redemption.

After five months in rehab, Trevor McNaughton is finally sober—and ready to rebuild his life with Gina, the woman who never stopped believing in him. A road trip is meant to be their fresh start, but their plans are quickly derailed when their former publicist, Paul Ryan, emerges with explosive claims: an affair with Gina, dark secrets about their band Perfection, and vicious speculation about their marriage.

As the couple races to contain the fallout, the pressure mounts. Trevor must protect his fragile sobriety while defending the truth. Gina, fierce and unshakable, refuses to let their love be hijacked by lies. All the while, Gina’s cousin and bandmate Rio begs them to return home and help shape the next album—while wannabe rock star Brian Mayfield looms as another potential threat to the narrow threshold they already straddle.

With careers and reputations on the line, Trevor and Gina must confront the ghosts of their past and the chaos of their present. Can love outlast betrayal, and can anything silence a man set on destruction?

Enjoy an Excerpt

Trevor and Gina McNaughton weathered the storm in their marriage. Their life was back on track. Gina understood Trevor’s desire to get away, recognizing that he was still frail after months of intensive rehab. She would follow his lead. His stay at Turquoise Skye brought up deep emotions that Trevor buried after his mother died. Whatever lay ahead, Gina was determined to help Trevor with his demons.

Rio let himself into the McNaughtons’ Montecito house. Gina and Trevor were on their outside deck taking in the view of the Pacific Ocean. Rio knew he was intruding on a quiet moment. Rio said, “Hey, how are you, family? I have been trying to give you two space, I know you need your alone time. We miss you at the studio. We have been listening to the music we have in the vault. Trev, your guitar work is killer. I was wondering if you two would be interested in coming down and just listening to the music? No recording, no rewriting, getting reacquainted with music we already wrote. What do you think, Trevor, Gina? Any attention you could give to Perfection?”

Gina looked at Trevor, she wanted him to voice his opinion first. Trevor stared into space, then looked at Rio, “Rio, I got the message you want to get Perfection moving. I actually agree, music needs to be worked on. Gina and I could give you a few hours a day. I won’t promise anything more. I still have some rough edges, bro. Adjusting being back home with my wife. Gina, what are you thinking, babe?”

About the Author: Beth Pellino-Dudzic was born in the Bronx and grew up in Westchester County, New York. She earned a BA in Business Administration and worked at IBM. She has three adult daughters and a new Granddaughter. She currently lives in Alabama with her husband and their miniature dachshund, Truffle. Although The Perfection Saga is fictional, many of the stories hark back to Beth’s time in the Rock ‘n’ Roll world. Beth’s favorite pastime is football, everything football. She also is an excellent cook and baker.

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My Take on Critique Groups by Nicole Givens Kurtz – Guest Blog and Giveaway

October 13, 2025 By 2 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Nicole Givens Kurtz will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

My Take on Critique Groups

I’ve been a professional writer since 1998, when I received my first publishing contract for my debut novel, Browne Candidate. I also have a bachelor’s degree in writing from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. I say all that to note that I have over 27 years of writing and critique groups. In addition to my writing experience, I was also a secondary school teacher and teaching coach for 20 years. I have a lot of experience with groups and the art of putting productive groups together.

I’ve participated in critique groups as an undergraduate, as a teacher, and as an instructional coach. The most successful ones were those that provided critique along with empathy. The goals were clearly set at the beginning, and there was an agenda that they followed, a schedule, and guidelines to keep the participants from veering too far off the path. The primary goal was to help strengthen the piece, not tear apart the author.

The critique groups that did not work for me had to do with personality conflicts; moreover, a differing idea of the group’s purpose and focus. Over time, the individuals fell into dysfunctional behaviors such as personal attacks, petty revenge at perceived slights, and complete apathy about anyone else’s work.

The short of it is, writing is a lonely endeavor, but it doesn’t have to be. Working with a healthy critique group can be inspiring, nurturing, and fun. My current group is honest with each other, have shared goals, and care about the success of each other as both a writer and as women. This is not to say that mixed gendered groups cannot be productive. They can!

So, get out there and find your people. Don’t feel bad if the group you’re with is no longer serving your needs. People change and grow. Uproot yourself and find another group of authors and writers to bury your roots with. Remember to seek those who have shared goals, critique with empathy, and has an agenda and schedule. Those are solid indicators of a healthy team.

Good luck!

Cybil Lewis, a private inspector in futuristic D.C., now The District, begrudgingly works with the Territory Alliance agents to track down an escaped violator, Nico Mars. Almost immediately, Cybil is tossed into the District’s gritty underbelly of political ambition, drugs, and betrayal. This case will take her and Jane deep into the reaches of The District’s notorious Sector 12, where life is cheap and currency is king. When her investigation leads back to those responsible for protecting citizens, Cybil discovers she’s in danger. She’s reminded once again that everything can be fabricated.

Enjoy an Excerpt

Lynn sighed in dramatic fashion. “She’s been following the stories in the news files about you for months.”

Agent Winsome yanked down her jacket. “Not just months. Two major political and high-profile cases solved within this last year. I still remember the governor’s case with the souped-up hatchling serum, The Change, a while back. Right?”

“Yeah. Right.” My mouth tasted like I’d been chewing leftover tofu. The Change had destroyed the love of my life, introduced me to Trey, and cast me into the spotlight. “Look, agents–”

“I have been following your career since I joined the T.A.,” Agent Winsome said. “I admire trendsetters in the field, blazing paths for us to follow.”

Did she just call me old?

Well, I was waxing poetic about my wisdom and age. What bothered me more was the contradiction. Didn’t she come in talking about my rudeness and flair for firing my laser gun at folks? But now, with forked tongue, Agent Winsome admired my work?

This whole thing reeked like the Atlantic Ocean’s contaminated banks or the Sector 10 sewer system.

As if to fill the silence, Agent Winsome rushed forward. “But, you’re the best P.I. in The District. That’s why we want you.”

Agent Winsome’s round face remained closed off but attempted to be professional. My concern locked on to Lynn. No way she believed a word of the newer agent’s words.

That made two of us.

About the Author: Nicole Givens Kurtz has been called “a genre polymath who does crime, horror, and Science Fiction and Fantasy (Book Riot).” They’ve named her as one of the 6 Black SFF Indie Writers You Should be Reading, 30 Must-Read SFF Books by Black Authors, and The Best of the West: 8 Alternative History Westerns (Sisters of the Wild Sage). She’s a two-time Atomacon Palmetto Scribe Award winner. With over 20 years in publishing, She’s written for Pseudopod, Apex, Fiyah, White Wolf, The Realm, Baen, Subsume, and MV Media. Nicole has over 50 published short stories, including her story, “The Way Home,” in Marvel®’s Captain America: The Shield of Sam Wilson anthology from Titan Books. Nicole is the author of the Cybil Lewis and Death Violations cybernoir series as well as the Kingdom of Aves fantasy mystery series.

She has conducted workshops for Writer’s Digest Online, Clarion West online, SAGA, and is the owner of Mocha Memoirs Press. She’s the editor for the groundbreaking SLAY: Stories of the Vampire Noire and co-editor of Blackened Roots: An Anthology of the Undead anthology. Nicole is professional level member of SFWA and HWA. You can find her at www.nicolegivenskurtz.net.

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Dogged Determination by Chris Redding – Exclusive Excerpt and Giveaway

October 8, 2025 By 2 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Chris Redding will be awarding a $15 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

A vegetarian veterinarian needs cash for a no-kill shelter, which is her life’s passion. But her efforts to fundraiser have been stymied, because she doesn’t know anyone rich.

The heir to a hot dog fortune must give away money before he gains his inheritance. Having been raised with a silver spoon in his mouth, he doesn’t know anyone needy enough.

Sounds like a match made in Heaven, but when a stray mutt brings them together, will they recognize what the other can provide?

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“This is Daria. Leave a message at the beep.”

Paul frowned, and then he hit the disconnect button on his phone. He paced his apartment once, then again not sure what to do now. Because it made commuting easier, he lived over his garage. He could fit twenty of this place into the big house where Jeeves stayed. Here he’d put up pictures of his favorite cars. Dad disapproved of the artwork, but Paul was at home surrounded by automobiles. None of these things currently soothed him.

He gazed at the lethargic dog who he’d named Spike and knew something was wrong. Was he in over his head? He could feel a sneeze coming on. He didn’t have time to be sick. He had a deadline to get his latest project done and out to auction.

The dog had thrown up the rice and chicken onto Paul’s expensive carpeting. He’d opened all the windows. He didn’t want to take the animal to the emergency vet. He wanted Dr. Jacks on several levels. Okay, he did want to see her again, which complicated his plan to leave the dog. He had no room in his life for an animal.

Spike stared with sad eyes.

His whine blazed a path through Paul’s heart. “I’ll try again, sport.”

The dog had liked her, so Paul trusted Daria, too. Besides, she was gorgeous, which was reason enough to see her again. He dialed the number her service had reluctantly given him.

“Hello?”

Orchestra music played in the background. “Dr. Jacks?”

“Let me get into the hallway,” she said.

As she trekked to whatever hallway she was talking about as the phone rustled. The memory of her shimmery green dress danced across his mind and made his mouth dry. He tapped his foot, taking in the limp dog. Would she remember him? Her not remembering him would be quite a blow to the ego.

Since he’d been in her office, an hour had passed.

“Now I can hear you. Who am I speaking with?”

He ran a hand down his face, his heart thumping in his chest. “Paul Vincenzo. I brought in Spike earlier today. The little black dog.”

She sighed. “How’d you get this number? Never mind. How is Spike?”

He had a certain charm, and he’d brought it on. Daria didn’t need to know that information yet.

About the Author: Chris Redding has been writing romance and suspense for more than 2 decades. She’d written more than 60 novels and novellas over her career as a ghostwriter.

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The Deceiver’s Fall by J.A. Jackson – Spotlight and Giveaway

October 8, 2025 By 1 Comment

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. J.A. Jackson will be awarding a $15 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

The stakes have never been higher for Eve Lafoy. After narrowly escaping a chilling abduction, she’s thrust into a darker world of hidden betrayals and dangerous secrets. This time, she refuses to be the victim—she’s ready to take on those who deceived her.

Hawke Deville, carrying secrets of his own, is the only one Eve dares to trust. Yet his loyalty isn’t without its own complexities. With a powerful attraction between them, they must navigate a web of lies, as one wrong move could shatter everything they’re fighting for.

In this thrilling sequel, Eve and Hawke are drawn into a ruthless conspiracy that challenges their trust, passion, and survival. With enemies circling, they’ll need every ounce of courage to unveil the truth before it’s too late. The Deceiver’s Fall is a heart-pounding tale packed with suspense, electrifying twists, and a fierce romance that will grip readers until the final, unforgettable page.

High-Stakes Fierce Romance Thriller

an Excerpt:

Eve Lafoy, a captivating realtor in the heart of Silicon Valley, stood poised at the entrance of a breathtaking mansion. The grandeur of the estate seemed to whisper secrets as she prepared to introduce it to the enigmatic billionaire Rancor Rochon. Her vibrant green eyes shimmered with a mixture of excitement and curiosity as she awaited Rancor’s arrival.

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By her side stood Carina Sinclair, Eve’s spirited best friend. Carina’s infectious energy and unwavering support had been a constant in Eve’s life, providing solace during moments of doubt and strength during times of uncertainty. Today was no different, as Carina offered words of encouragement, her voice laced with a touch of excitement.

“You’ve got this, Eve,” Carina whispered, a mischievous smile playing on her lips. “This mansion is simply stunning, and Rancor won’t be able to resist its allure.”

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 is a member of South Bay Writers Association, Yosemite Romance Writers and Romance Writers of America (RWA).

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