My Thoughts Are Coloured Purple by Marina Quindiagan – Spotlight and Giveaway

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

This is a book of poems on love. Love is a universal language. Love yourself, love your neighbours, love your parents, love your siblings—even love your enemies. Most of the poems are on romantic love. When you are in love, you get an awesome feeling. You walk on the clouds. However, love can be unrequited, unanswered and can bring an awful feeling.

Love is in the movies, in songs, and in music. Love is in this book of poems, ever so strong and powerful. It’s there for you to enjoy.

 

Enjoy an Excerpt

When we get together

My heart can’t rest, fluttering when I see your memes,
My blood surges, spatters inside, and bounces; it steams.
I don’t know what these mean in my life, my friend,
It’s like a quest but don’t have to guess.
I think that only you can tame this heart of mine,
Stop my blood from rushing wildly, and make me fine.
From where you are, give me a sign
That it’s alright and that God will send you soon to be mine.
Right now, I am taking a step closer to be with you,
So, I am in constant elation as I think of you.
It’s not Coldplay, you are my universe,
Trust me, we will surmount these obstacles and be together someday.

About the Author

When Marina left her home country she began to write her experiences living a life which was completely different from what she was used to. She became a nomad, visiting several countries where she never put down roots. My Thoughts Are Coloured Purple is the result of staying stuck in North America during the pandemic. She picked up her love of poems.

Buy the book at Amazon.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Welcome to Wonderland by Bobbie Candas – Spotlight and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Bobbie Candas 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.

A recently fired biologist with mommy issues, a successful entrepreneur with a dead wife, and an immigrant hiding from gang violence…These three have only one thing in common.

They’re all screwed up

Biology researcher, Violet Hill, was just let go and is devastated. She found the solitary lab and long hours the ideal respite for her anxiety issues–doing meaningful work while avoiding people and conversation. Now unemployed, with diminishing finances, Violet is forced to face the enemy, her mother.

For years, Turner Cooper was consumed with building his company’s client roster, until the sudden death of his wife throws him totally off kilter. Now, instead of work, Turner’s guilt and alcohol issues consume him.

Living a reclusive life in Dallas, Rosario Guzman is hiding from a Mexican cartel while working in the shadows at three part-time jobs. Finally, the item she covets the most, a Green Card, arrives in her mailbox. But Rosario quickly realizes the paper card doesn’t solve all her problems.

While navigating social issues, private demons, and nightmare memories, these three lives collide as they find each other at a place none of them ever imagined they’d be working at. As their mutual relationship evolves, Violet, Turner and Rosario lean into each other and unexpectedly find their lives unfurling in remarkable and magical ways.

Enjoy an Excerpt

Violet is Blue
Violet Hill

Mother considers me awkward, graceless, and socially challenged, but always has hope for improvement. I disagree and think of myself as critically shy. Is there such a diagnosis? I’ve learned I do best when I can control limited social encounters. That’s why I’m better working alone, in a world I’m comfortable and familiar with, the study of soil, seeds, and grasses.

I’ve been working as a research assistant with Dr. William Hirshfield. After finishing my masters at UT in Austin, I gratefully found my hidey-hole at the UT School of Environmental Sciences. After being hired, I realized it was the perfect job for me. For a year, we’ve been running experiments and collecting data on soil absorption, attempting to come up with a microbial substance that will turn arid lands into potential blooming fields of agriculture. All well and good for keeping me in my cozy, solitary research lab, but with the added bonus of working toward saving a warm and crowded planet.

Then yesterday happened.

Dr. Hirshfield called me unexpectedly to meet in his office. We normally only met every two weeks for consultations on experiments. I sat down across from his desk, with my sweating palms gripping the arm rests of the chair. The meeting opened with congenial small-talk. I said, “Hello.”

As with most people I conversed with, I found it difficult looking at Hirshfield when he spoke. Today I found his floorboards especially interesting. Wide wood panels which had me wondering, were they deliberately distressed or actually marred from age? As he shuffled papers on his desk I reached down and touched the floor. Definitely faux distressed.

He nervously coughed and then continued, “Violet, I must say, your work has been exemplary, but…”

Oh shit… The proverbial but. I shuddered slightly.

As I pretended to be intrigued with the floor, Hirshfield said, “I’m afraid I have some bad news to share.” He coughed again. “I’ll just get right to it. I hate to tell you this, but our next year of NIH funding has been cut. They haven’t renewed the terms of our project at the previous level and claim our results are not going as quickly as we initially projected.”

He seemed to be talking to himself now, explaining his problems to the ceiling as my eyes nervously flitted up occasionally to watch. “Seems our study is on the low end of their priority scale regarding research grant money. But our idea has so much merit! It dovetails perfectly with climate change issues and food production for overpopulated areas. Anyway…it’s probably all politics. Therefore—” He coughed a third time. Nervous tick or avoidance? Either way, not a good sign. “I’m having to cut most of my research staff, including your position.”

Please no. Had I heard correctly? I was praying he’d single me out as too good to let go. But of course not. My eyes became moist and my body went cold. I had finally found my place in this chaotic world, my comfy, musty den. Where I could reach my fingers deep into sandy soil and disappear into another world within my microscope. I’d clock in for hours of uninterrupted work, eat a sandwich over my work station by myself, needing to only interact with others regarding information I was knowledgeable about.

Now apparently all that was gone.

And what remained? Going home to Mother? I was devastated. I felt like laying down on those faux floorboards and curling up in a ball.

“Dr. Hirshfield, p-perhaps p-part-time. Tw-Twenty-five hours a week?”

In case you missed that, I have a noticeable stutter, which seems to come into full bloom during times of stress.

“I only wish that were possible, Violet. The grant has been downgraded to include lab equipment, supplies, and compensation for only a few key personnel. I’m so sorry. This has all come as quite a surprise. So, we’re making adjustments immediately; I can keep you for another two weeks. I wanted you to hear it from me, personally.”

I mumbled, “Th-Thank you,” then stood up, wrapped my arms across my chest, and meekly asked about a possible reference letter. He went back to shuffling papers and nodded, agreeing to my simple request. I quickly walked out with my head down, making my exit before he had the chance to shake my perspiring palm.

I spent the next few weeks desperately attempting to find a position with another research team within the department. There were several available for volunteer and credit work, but all paid positions were fully staffed. Although my educational credentials were excellent, my interviewing skills were a little shaky. I considered customer service positions, but they never seemed a good match, and I truly wanted to continue within my field of study.

At the end of the two-week period, I decided to call in for financial reinforcement. Via email, I sent my mother news of the change in job status, then requested funds to keep me in Austin while I continued to look for work, but instead of an electronic deposit, she offered this:

Dear Violet,
So sorry to hear about your job loss. I know you’ve been happy with your little research position. Sometimes these minor hiccups work out for the best. I think you need more stimulation and interaction in your work. When I visited, your lab job seemed so sterile and lonely. I’m sure I can line something up for you through my contacts in Dallas. Come home, darling. The guest house was recently redone and you’re welcome to use it. It’ll be fun hanging out together again. I believe I’ll call Lexy and see if she can revise her schedule and set aside sessions for you. What day should I expect you? Can’t wait to catch up! –Mother

She was not going to be sympathetic to my cause. I made a second stab at job hunting, knowing it was only a delay tactic. Was I being an ungrateful little bitch? Sort of. But I knew I’d have to deal with my mother’s incessant smiling face, popping in without warning, spewing false cheer, urging me to conform to her standards, and always sending out subliminal messages regarding her underlying sense of disappointment in me.

It had been five years since I’d lived at home. My first year in the dorms had been a disaster. I was happier on my own, renting an apartment for three years while earning my bachelor’s and another two for my masters, comfortably surviving in my small, quiet efficiency.

In contrast, Mother’s home was palatial, but for me it was a luxurious prison sitting on a green oak-studded hill overlooking White Rock Lake in Dallas.

I dragged out my move. I felt no incentive to rush home knowing what lay ahead; struggling through painful interviews, going through clothing issues and social events with Mother. Yes, still a tender issue at age twenty-four. Then, once again, I’d start sessions with my speech therapist, Lexy.

Unfortunately, research assistant’s pay was low, Austin rents were high, and the guest house at Mother’s was free. Economically, it made sense. Emotionally, I was an unhappy wreck.

And who could I complain to? Call 911 — My mother is inviting me to move into her newly renovated guest quarters. Put her on trial? — She insists on buying me new clothing suggested by her personal shopper at Neiman’s. Lock her up? — She’s offering me therapy for an affliction which admittedly has recently become worse.

I was a pathetic whiner. Time to get up, pack it in, and get moving.

About the Author:

Bobbie Candas lives in Dallas, Texas with her husband, Mehmet Candas, a stray gray cat, and a jealous tabby who does not enjoy sharing affection with the interloper. Bobbie attended The University of Texas in Austin, earning her degree in journalism. She took a detour with a career in retail management, and found her happy place when she returned to writing fiction about nine years ago.

Amazon Author Page | Facebook | Goodreads | https://www.instagram.com/bobbiecandas

Buy the book at Amazon.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Mind Expressions by Alysha Potente – Exclusive Excerpt and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Alysha Potente will be awarding a $15 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.

This poetry book has a total of over 130 poems, and most feature alongside: beautiful photography art. All of the poems are different from the next, in meaning and technique.

Analytical in nature, each poem dives into various topics. With this are also syllable counts, where the number of syllables per line are counted and arranged. This brings forward a technical side to poetry writing, where it is precise and balanced.

It is a skill that requires practice, where you hear the word for what it is, using mathematics while rhyming words together. All of the poetry features different rhyming forms.

Enjoy an Exclusive Excerpt

THESE MYTHOLOGICAL CREATURES..

In your mind you visualise..
Something you can’t see with your eyes..
Something that’s found in fable pages..
Something that is known throughout the ages..
All are in folklore features..
Named ‘Mythological creatures’..
What do we analyse for a start?..
Maybe their quite unusual body parts..

A half horse and a half man..
Named a ‘Centaur’ that’s in Roman..
He’s also in Greek mythology..
The ‘piercing bull’ in etymology..

With flying wings that breathes fire..
Named a ‘Dragon’ as an entire..
Making a mention in Fairy tales..
Usually with castle’s as the details..

A lion and an eagle..
Named a ‘Griffin’ that looks regal..
In myths of Roman and Egyptian..
Guarding treasures is in description..

With hooves and a single horn..
Named a ‘Unicorn’ since it’s born..
In European literature and art..
It’s a symbol of pure grace and of heart..

Just a few creatures mentioned..
Next time I’ll make the list lengthened..
For there are many popular that’s known..
All of which we have heard of since we’ve grown..

Syllables: 7, 8, 9, 10, 7, 8, 9, 10, 7, 8, 9, 10, 7, 8, 9, 10, 7, 8, 9, 10, 7, 8, 9, 10, 7, 8, 9, 10= patterns.. (7, 8, 9, 10 repeated).
Every two lines rhyme together.

About the Author: Alysha has been a self- taught creative writer, since the age of 16, in her hometown of Perth, Australia. Her passion for it developed on its own, the need to express herself in a different way other than verbally, was what motivated her to keep up this passion. The use of words was captivating for expression and the love of rhymes was also heard by ear.

Alysha’s first poetry book that she read was actually in Primary School and it was called ‘Revolting rhymes’, which was a retake on nursery rhymes but in a humorous way. This book started this creative side in her at a young age, that, and also her love for art in general.

In 2015 she studied a short course at Berklee, where she was introduced to the notion of syllable counts. In fact, though she had actually been doing syllable counts unconsciously with her poetry in general. By using the same measurement of lines going off of sight, had in turn created similar syllable counts/patterns in her work.

Her book ‘Mind Expressions’ is a technical side of poetry writing that’s come to life. It’s the use of mathematics, along with creative writing. She wanted to give the reader a breakdown of each poem within, in order for them to delve into each poem further and analyse it using a different set of eyes. The poems are analytical in nature, along with syllable counts (some perfect) and perfect rhymes. This really showcases poetry at the highest skill.

Alysha is multi-talented in Art itself and is also a perfectionist. For where her passion lies in different artforms, is where she crafts her skills to a perfection standpoint.

Website | Facebook | Instagram

Buy the book at Amazon, Amazon AU, Amazon CA, Barnes and Noble, or Kobo.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Guest Blog: Rachel Brimble

Long and Short Reviews welcomes Rachel Brimble, who wants to share a wonderful opportunity!

Are You an Aspiring Romance or Women’s Fiction Author??

I started writing in 2005 and had big dreams of becoming a published romance author. Little did I know how much support, advice and guidance I would receive in the subsequent years that would help me on my way to success. My first novel was published by The Wild Rose Press in 2007 and I am now an author of 28 traditionally published contemporary romance, romantic suspense and historical fiction novels, a number of which have been Amazon bestsellers.

As proud and happy as I am with my career, back in 2019 I wanted to find a way to pay forward all the help and support I had received from fellow authors over the previous fourteen years. So, I started my First Chapter Critique service which proved to be such a success that I have now extended my Author Services to include critiques and proofreading for novels up to 100,000 words (word/pricing tiers apply).

The feedback from the aspiring writers I have worked with has been amazing, not to mention how blessed I feel by the publishing and contest success many of them have gone on to achieve! If you are working on a romance or women’s fiction novel right now, I’d love for you to check out the dedicated Author Services page on my website. Alternatively, if you have any questions, please feel free to email me at rachelbrimble@gmail.com or DM on any of my social media platforms listed below.

I really look forward to working with you and helping you find success in 2023 and beyond!

Best,
Rachel x

About the Author Rachel lives in a small town near Bath, England. She is the author of 29 novels including the Ladies of Carson Street trilogy, the Shop Girl series (Aria Fiction) and several single titles with The Wild Rose Press. She is super excited to be the debut historical fiction author writing for Harpeth Road Press and her first novel with them will be released in Spring 2024.
Rachel is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association and the Female Entrepreneur Association and has thousands of social media followers all over the world.

To sign up for her newsletter (a guaranteed giveaway every month!), click here

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Reflections on the Boulevard by L.J. Ambrosio – Spotlight and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The author will award a $20 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner and an autographed copy of the book to a second randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Michael’s story continues from A Reservoir Man (2022) where we find him teaching at a university ready to retire. He unexpectedly meets a young man named Ron who becomes his protege and journeys in a haphazard adventure with him throughout America and Europe, each twist and turn of the road bringing unexpected adventures. The journey taken is one of joy, friendship and discovery.

Enjoy an Excerpt

“How long will the trip last? I thought I would be in Transcendental amazement by now.”

Michael was a little shocked. “Ron, we have only been driving for 2 hours.”

Michael explained to him that they would drive US 80 until they reached the borders of Nebraska and Wyoming, so he had to settle in. The corn fields were right down the road. Passing the corn fields, Ron observed how peaceful everything was. Michael suggested they pull over and park the car for a while.

While just sitting in the car, Ron saw two figures in the field, a man, and a woman. They suddenly disappeared among the corn and, from above, you could see the corn stalks shake violently. Ron chuckled.

“Oh God, looks like those people are doing it! It almost looks like he is doing it to the corn stalk!”

Michael tried to change the subject, “Look at those birds” he said, quickly. Ron was still caught up in his imagination. A few moments passed as Michael tried to rest his eyes and prepare for the next stretch of road. Suddenly he heard Ron crinkling a wrapper to a candy bar, which jarred him back to the moment. Michael sat listening to Ron crunch; he nearly threw it out the window.

“Can you not chew so loud, Ron?”

“Sorry. I love these things.”

A moment passed; the corn stalks were calm now.

About the Author:

Louis J. Ambrosio ran one of the most nurturing bi-coastal talent agencies in Los Angeles and New York. He started his career as a theatrical producer, running two major regional theaters for eight seasons. Ambrosio taught at seven universities. Ambrosio also distinguished himself as an award-winning film producer and novelist over the course of his impressive career.

Instagram | Twitter | Facebook |
Tumblr | Website | YouTube
Buy the book at Barnes and Noble, Amazon, iBooks, Kobo, Thalia, Smashwords, or Vivlio

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Unspoken Emotions by Jayda Addleton – Spotlight and Giveaway

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

From a child’s innocence to the soul-crushing reality of the world, Jayda explores with her own emotions what it is like to grow up in an ever-changing world. Emotions are never black and white, so Jayda explores what it is like to convey emotions through the art of poetry.

About the Author:

Jayda Addleton is an Australian author who started writing at the age of twelve years old and hasn’t stopped. As an aspiring author, her style of writing has been influenced by all that is around her from reading fantasy, romance and poetry to playing Dungeons and Dragons to listening to music and just being present in life. Her writing voice is a bit chaotic but so is her life. When she isn’t balancing work, university and some type of a social life, she is sitting in a pile of blankets with a nice cup of chai latte either reading or watching some Dungeons and Dragons.

Website | Instagram | YouTube

Buy the book at Amazon.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Battle Angel by Colleen Millsteed – Spotlight and Giveaway

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

Do you ever feel like life is consistently bashing or bullying you? Extracting every pound of flesh?

Battle Angel: The Ultimate She Warrior has been written with you in mind. Every female alive has their very own ‘She’ warrior buried inside. It’s just a matter of remembering her and digging deep to find yours.

Find the inspiration and power you need from the poetry written in these pages. Find the one that resonates with you when you’re angry, one that brings out your loving warrior, or the perfect powerful inspiration for when you are facing a test in this endeavor we call Life.

Enjoy an Excerpt

She Welcomes the Darkness While Wandering the Destructive Halls of Hell

Wrapped in her cloak of skulls and crossbones

Look in her eyes, lose yourself in their depths, You’ll experience her long forgotten fights, Her constant battles, but be wary of her strength, For she battles her demons all through the nights.

Look closely and you’ll see her torment swirling the surface, As the demons write their names, etched into her bones, She welcomes them into her soul through the darkness, As she is wrapped in her cloak of skulls and crossbones.

Her soul is the blood drenched battleground, trampled By haunted ghosts of torment and screaming wiles, A graveyard of broken and forgotten stories of her life, Tales of her gory survival, hidden behind guileless smiles.

She is in her element as she wraps herself in midnight, Becoming one with the darkness inside and out, Broken apart by the moon glow, causing her to howl, Listening for her brokenness as she screams her doubt.

In turn, she carves her name on certain tombstones, Cradling the haunted cries of her past love as it dies, She reduces herself to the ashes for those who hurt her, Giving the phoenix her wings, allowing it to rise.

She knows she has been forgotten, a whim at most, As they scurry from her path, hiding behind their rock, She is born of starlight, somewhere far from her world, Lost, unable to find her home, pain her stumbling block.

The storm keeps her company, at one with her turmoil, She knows it’s the only friend she can ever trust, Its honesty is its own destructiveness for full disclosure, Forgoing the need to lie, pretension of love and lust.

The more I watch, the more I realise she is broken and lost, As she starts to become one with the darkness, the shadow, Choosing to move further from the star that she was born into, Meandering through the halls of hell, cradling her deathblow.

She endeavours to merge with her hellfire demons, Preferring the numbness, the desire to torture and kill, It calms her eternal fires, her raw and bloody chaos, While she makes love to the evil and depraved at will.

About the Author: COLLEEN MILLSTEED has been writing poetry for over 40 years and it is through her extensive portfolio that this Battle Angel collection evolved, drawing from her life experiences.

Website/ | Instagram | Facebook | Medium
Buy the book at Amazon.com

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A Reservoir Man by L.J. Ambrosio – Q&A and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. L.J. Ambrosio will be awarding a signed copy of the book to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on a tour banner to see the other stops on the tour. See our review here.

What would I tell a new author?

Listen to yourself and get advice creatively, learn formatting, and understand the industry you are entering.

The hardest part about writing is

Spelling, run on sentences, the physical appearance, clothes, and haircuts of my characters. I don’t want them to look like someone I know unless I want them to…

Important Elements

Get a great cover design; don’t get too heady getting a title or silly; stay away from sexual implications in title design. Don’t let people read your book until you are finished, but you should have one person that you can trust that you can share with. You must get an editor – don’t be cheap; spend money here. If you are self-publishing know the field and know how to advertise. Release the book to critics before the public by three months. Reviews are important; get them. They are very important as is their posting on Goodreads and Amazon. Be a gentleperson; don’t be pushy and be humble. Do tours, blitzes, and interviews – anything to get your novel out there. Believe in yourself; you are the artist. Sex is important, but it doesn’t make it your novel. Your story is, and the relationship of your characters with life and themselves.

A Reservoir Man, critics have hailed this explosive and timely work as “a must-read coming-of-age story of 2022.” Twists and turns further pull the reader in to Michael’s action-packed tale, with powerful themes, from betrayal and family to secrets and identity. “Be sure not to blink because you just might miss a pivotal moment in Michael’s rousing, larger-than-life story.” — R.C. Gibson, Indiestoday.com. “This book is a dream, a gamble, a utopia, even.” — Kalyan Panja, Bookmarkks.

Enjoy an Excerpt

Michael had now become, after these last six months, a little more world weary and worse for the wear. Sitting on his bench, entering his last year at college. Michael still had not found his soul or his truth. His emphasis on sex was unfulfilling and empty. He wandered in the shadowy corners, the lightless streets, leading to a dead end and the darkness of an empty truck. Loneliness had become a fixture of Michael’s being. He longed for a few hours to be with Carol, Claire, or Raphael.

One day, while sitting on the bench, Michael heard in the distance Otis Reading’s “The Dock of The Bay” playing on a portable radio. The music came closer and closer and then quickly turned to the Four Tops’ “Reach Out (I’ll be There).”

Picking up his head, Michael saw this extremely attractive ethnic guy standing right above him. Michael said ‘hello,’ and the young man answered.

“My name is Nick. Do you dance?”

Michael said, “Sort of, but I do not have much of a chance to go dancing.”

“You want to go tonight?” Nick asked with a smile, and he started to sing “Baby I Need Your Loving” by the Four Tops.

Michael became a little concerned about the message of the song, so he suggested that they might talk over coffee before they venture out dancing. Michael decided to cut his next two classes and have coffee.

They spent hours talking about their lives. Nick was older than Michael by nine years. Nick said he had to prepare for graduation as did Michael. He was in the school for Education and would be graduating that year.

He was first generation Greek from Cyprus and spoke fluent Greek. His family lived in Harlem on 137th Street off Broadway. He had siblings, a brother and sister. Michael was taken by him. He made him laugh and feel amazingly comfortable. Nick invited Michael to dinner Saturday night. His mother would make Doimadakia, Humus, Tzataki and Moussaka. Michael agreed to go.

Nick’s parents were great. His mother was shy, his father a little less. They spoke with a broken accent, which Michael loved. They had a great dinner and talked a lot. Michael learned a lot about Cyprus.

Nick said after dinner, “Dancing, right?”

About the Author: Louis J. Ambrosio ran one of the most nurturing bi-coastal talent agencies in Los Angeles and New York. He started his career as a theatrical producer, running two major regional theaters for eight seasons. Ambrosio also distinguished himself as an award-winning film producer and novelist over the course of his impressive career. He taught at 7 universities in the United States.

Buy the book at Amazon.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Film Blue by Patricia Leavy – Spotlight and Giveaway

This is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Patricia Leavy will be awarding a $10 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.

Reminiscent of Sex and the City meets The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Patricia Leavy’s Film Blue is a captivating and inspiring story about the pursuit of dreams and what it truly means to live a “big” life.

A couple of years after finishing college, Tash Daniels has put her love of filmmaking on the back burner. She’s working retail, club-hopping, and scraping by to pay the rent. Usually attracted to the wrong guy, she’s at a loss when she finally falls for the right one. Sexy deejay Aidan is living his life authentically as an artist and encourages her to do the same. Will she open her heart? Will she bet on herself and her dreams? Is a girl with a dream truly on her own in the world? Tash’s friends are along for the journey: Jason Woo, lighthearted model on the rise; Penelope Waters, earnest graduate student with a secret no one suspects; Lu K, fiercely independent hot-girl deejay; and Monroe Preston, the glamorous wife of a Hollywood studio head. Frequently bathed in the glow of the silver screen, the characters show us how the arts can reignite the light within, pushing us to confront our fears so we can choose how to live in the present. Film Blue is a novel about following our passions, the hidden side of our dreams, the power of art, what it means to truly live a “big” life, and finding the people to go with us on our journey. A tribute to 1980s pop culture set against the backdrop of contemporary New York and Los Angeles, Film Blue celebrates how the art we experience and make can shape our stories, frame by frame.

Enjoy an Excerpt

After grabbing a hand basket and making a beeline to the freezer for some ice cream, she started searching for the items on Penelope’s list. As she fumbled for the note, mumbling, “Ah, where is that stupid thing?” she heard a voice say, “Maybe you’d have better luck if you shut your eyes and put your hand in.”

“Huh?” she queried, looking up at the six-foot-tall guy standing before her, dressed from head to toe in black. He had bleached blonde spiky hair, high cheekbones, a strong jawline, and a piercing through his right eyebrow that she thought was simultaneously cool and disgusting.

“You know, sometimes if you’re looking too hard, you can’t find anything.”

“Uh, yeah,” she said, staring into his evergreen eyes. Oh my God, he’s seriously hot.

“Here, tell me what you’re looking for and I’ll shut my eyes and stick my hand in for you.”

Raising her eyebrows, she said, “How stupid do you think I am? Maybe I should just go outside and scream, ‘Somebody rob me!’”

He laughed. “Fair enough, but you try it.”

Tash smirked and stuck her hand into her bag without looking. “Uh huh, here it is!” she exclaimed as she pulled out the small, crumpled paper. “That’s uncanny.”

“Sometimes you just have to concentrate less, you know? What’s so important, anyway?”

“Oh, it’s just my roommate’s grocery list. She’s pretty uptight so I can’t screw it up. You wouldn’t believe the things she writes, like ‘two organic red apples and flax seed powder,’ whatever the hell that is. Anyway, I should probably get back to shopping.”

He smiled and waved his arm, to indicate she could pass by. With only a few aisles in the small store, Tash bumped into him again in the produce section.

“Should I even ask what that’s about?” she remarked while giggling, looking at the twenty or more coconuts in his basket.

“Oh, these are for a party I’m deejaying for a couple of friends over at NYU.”

“They’re serving whole coconuts?” she asked, mystified.

He laughed. “People try to get them open. It’s like a drinking game kind of thing. It’s pretty funny.”

“Gotcha. Do you go to NYU?”

“No, I went to school in Chicago and moved to New York after I graduated. I’m a professional deejay. I’m just doing this party as a favor.”

“So, what kinds of clubs do you spin at?” she asked.

“Uh, well, tomorrow I’ll be spinning at the Forever 21 store in Times Square.”

She smiled. “Well, do you get a discount at least?”

He laughed. “Didn’t think to ask for that. So, what’s your name?”

“Natashya, but my friends call me Tash.”

“I’m Aidan. Do you live around here?”

“Just a block away. I share a place with two roommates.”

“Pretty awesome area, good for you.”

“Yeah, well we’re in like the only non-restored building in the neighborhood. Don’t get me wrong, I love living here and it’s pretty close to my work, but we’re not in one of the swanky buildings with a marble entrance. It’s more like splintery wood floors and a scary old-fashioned elevator that makes me want to take the stairs.”

He smiled. “What’s your work?”

“I work at a couple of stores in SoHo.”

“For the discount, right?” he joked.

She laughed. “Well, nice to meet you but I’ve gotta finish up and get going.”

“Sure, me too. Maybe I’ll see you around. If you’re not busy, stop by Forever 21 tomorrow.”

“I have to work.”

“Well, can I maybe get your number?” he asked.

“Why don’t you give me yours instead?”

“Sure, that’s cool.” He put his coconut-filled basket on the ground and held out his hand. “Give me your phone and I’ll put it in.”

“You don’t want me to have to search my bag again. Here,” she said, handing him the note with Penelope’s grocery list. “Do you have a pen?”

He smiled and pulled a red crayon out of his pocket. “Don’t ask,” he said as he wrote his number on the little paper. “Here,” he said handing it to her. “See ya.”

“See ya,” she replied.

When she casually glanced around the store a few minutes later, he was gone. She brought her basket to the checkout. The cashier asked, “Did you find everything you needed?”

“Yeah, yeah I did.”

About the Author: Patricia Leavy, Ph.D., is a bestselling author. She was formerly Associate Professor of Sociology, Chair of Sociology and Criminology, and Founding Director of Gender Studies at Stonehill College in Massachusetts. She has published over forty books, earning commercial and critical success in both fiction and nonfiction, and her work has been translated into many languages. Patricia has received dozens of accolades for her books. Recently, her romance collection Celestial Bodies: The Tess Lee and Jack Miller Novels (https://www.amazon.com/Celestial-Bodies-Tess-Miller-Novels/dp/1737862417) was the 2022 Firebird Awards first-place winner for Romance. The book also received 2022 International Impact Book Awards for Women’s Fiction and Romance, a 2022 NYC Big Book Award for Distinguished Favorite Anthology, and a 2022 Literary Titan Gold Book Award for Fiction. Patricia has also received career awards from the New England Sociological Association, the American Creativity Association, the American Educational Research Association, the International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry, and the National Art Education Association. In 2016 Mogul, a global women’s empowerment network, named her an “Influencer.” In 2018, she was honored by the National Women’s Hall of Fame and SUNY-New Paltz established the “Patricia Leavy Award for Art and Social Justice.” She lives in Maine with her husband, daughter (when she’s not away at college), and her dog. Patricia loves writing, reading, watching films, and traveling.

Website

Buy the book at Amazon.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

My Dead True Love by Kim Pierce – Q&A and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. A randomly drawn winner will receive a $50 Amazon/BN GC. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

If you could have one paranormal ability, what would it be?

Clairvoyance. I’d like to be able to peer into the next dimension.

What is one thing your readers would be most surprised to learn about you?

That my degree is in experimental psychology. Otherwise known as rat-running.

When writing descriptions of your hero/ine, what feature do you start with?

Their physical presence – as if I were at a party introducing them to you, which of course means we must look into their eyes. Then I’d also describe any outstanding or unusual physical characteristics: her long delicate fingers, his sad comb-over, a disarming smile.

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

I’m the plotter. I want to know, broadly speaking, where I’m going and hope to end up. My domestic partner, on the other hand, is pure pantser (or plunger, as we say). He sits down at the keyboard and a story comes out.

Did you learn anything from writing this book? If so, what?

Fiction-writing and non-fiction require different skill sets. Don’t assume if you’re good at one you will necessarily be good at the other.

When a newspaper reporter’s fiancé dies abruptly, she questions how he could just cease to be.

Dogged by unbidden thoughts, odd coincidences and unexplained phenomena, Ann Stewart becomes obsessed with finding out what really happens after we die and whether her beloved Gregory is still out there. She finds her answer, which takes her and a close-knit coterie of women to the edge of the cosmos—and the core of their own hearts.

Based on a true story.

Enjoy an Excerpt

“It was definitely Gregory,” Connie declared, forcing herself to return to the vision. “As clear as if he were standing next to me. Smiling.”

“If you saw him”—and I still wasn’t believing—“did he see you? Did he see me?”

It made no sense, but I had to know more.

“I don’t know. I tried to un-see him. I really did,” she said, turning to me, something akin to terror twisting her face. “This ‘seeing’ is a part of me that triggers so much shame—and reactivates the trauma. Like shell shock.” Red mottling crept up Connie’s neck and onto her cheeks.

She saw him. The words slid off my brain as if she were speaking in tongues. What did that mean?

“Could it have been your imagination?” I offered wanly, not wanting that to be the case.

“Yes, I suppose it could.”

Neither of us believed it.

I waited.

“What would it mean for you to ‘see’ him?” I pressed.

Tell me. Even if it makes no sense.

“That there’s something wrong with me,” came her acrid reply. “Deeply, terribly wrong. At least that’s what my father would say. And a lot of other people who make judgments about what I can do.” She slammed the car into park a little too aggressively.

“There’s nothing wrong with you,” I said, getting out of the car.

Connie shut down.

“I need to go home for a while,” she said.

Tell. Me. More.

About the Author: Kim Pierce is a former Dallas Morning News writer and editor who completed the Writer’s Path fiction program at Southern Methodist University. My Dead True Love is her first novel, inspired by events surrounding the death of her fiancé in 1998. She lives in Dallas, Texas, with her partner and three cats.

Website

Buy the book at Amazon.

a Rafflecopter giveaway