Heroes, Holidays, and Hope by Laura M. Baird – Interview and Giveaway

December 2, 2024 By 3 Comments

We are chatting with Laura M. Baird who is visiting with us today to promote the upcoming release of HEROES, HOLIDAYS, AND HOPE, Volume 2, written by a group of Veterans and Veterans’ family members who are also bestselling and award-winning romance authors. Leave a comment for a chance to win a $20 Amazon gift certificate.

Sacrifice. Valor. Patriotism.

They fought courageously on the battlefield. Now they’re fighting for love.

We are a group of Veterans and Veterans’ family members who are also bestselling and award-winning romance authors. We are back with Heroes, Holidays, and Hope: Volume 2, our second limited edition, military holiday romance collection that also supports Soldiers’ Angels. Their mission is to provide aid, comfort, and resources to the military, veterans, and their families.

Do you believe in Halloween magic? The stories are contemporary military romances taking place around and during Halloween. From closely held secrets, to ghosts, sexy adult costume parties, and things that go bump in the night – this a bewitching “must have” collection. With various tropes and steam levels, there is something for every reader to enjoy.

Come out from the shadows and pick up your copy today (gift some copies too!) – together we can make a huge difference.

Participating authors include: Laura M. Baird, Caterina Campbell, Lynn Spangler, D.C. Stone, Sadira Stone, Dania Voss

Laura is the second oldest of four who grew up in Florida, since her family moved there from Virgina when she was three.

“My sister and I fought like cats and dogs for a period of time in our early teens, but we’ve become the best of friends, texting every day,” she said. “She still lives on the East Coast while I’m on the West Coast.”

Laura has been published since 2017 and is honored to have become an award winning and best-selling author of nearly forty contemporary romances. She is also a US Army veteran.

In many of her books, she includes either a military or veteran element, but she began writing military romances in 2020. 1001 Dark Knights put out a call for lesser-known authors to contribute a story of 5K words that would be published in an anthology that would be offered to readers for free, for three months.

“They wanted to help authors gain exposure, which was marvelous!” she said. “And of course I jumped on the opportunity; and my story, Love and Honor, was among the stories chosen.”

It didn’t take long before other stories came to her, and she published the first volume of her MILITARY ROMANCE COLLECTION. It is offered free at digital retailers.

“I want to entice readers to jump into my series and be eager for more,” she explained. “And with nearly every anthology in which I contribute a story, it’s one more that will eventually become part of another volume in my series.”

Her story contribution to HEROES, HOLIDAYS, AND HOPE – Volume 2, “Promise It’s Forever, is an enemies-to-lovers, age gap with fun, snarky banter.

“I had envisioned it to be a spicy one, but as the story unfolded, I didn’t feel it appropriate to slip in a sex scene just for the sake of having a sex scene,” she told me. “Very unlike me NOT to have a spicy romance scene.”

As a child, she thought she wanted to do a lot of things: teacher, nurse, photographer, helicopter pilot, scuba diver.

“I remember watching the National Geographic channel with my parents, thinking how cool it’d be to travel the world and take pictures of different places, people, animals. Then I wanted to fly helicopters for a search and rescue team,” she said. “My biggest reason for joining the Army was to fly, but the recruiter wasn’t about to tell me I’d never make the reach requirements. He said, ‘I can get you on the flightline.’ And he did.”

She became an electronic repair person for equipment in fixed winged aircraft.

“Boy, was I naive,” she admitted. “But I wouldn’t have changed a thing, because it led to terrific experiences and lifelong friends; and most importantly, meeting my hubby and having a wonderful family.”

She and her husband met while they were both serving in the Army at Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah, Georgia, and have been married for thirty-four years. After they got out of the army, they settled in Idoho (where he was from) and began their family.

She told me that she was an extreme introvert in school, with a handful of close friends.

“I would’ve loved to have been more outgoing and encouraged to try a sport or a club… something. I know my shyness and reluctance to stray from my small sphere carried on into adulthood. It becomes ingrained in a person,” she explained. “But my husband has helped me throughout our marriage to step beyond perceived boundaries. He encouraged me to return to school for dental hygiene in my late 20s.”

Laura started writing in her mid-20s, but with family and going back to college, she set it aside. It wasn’t until she was in her mid-40s that she started thinking about writing more seriously.

“Between learning the craft, the market, and the publishing industry, it was overwhelming,” she admitted. “All I could do was try, and if something didn’t work, I’d try another way. Every step has been a learning process, and I continue to learn as each year passes.”

She writing schedule is very varied. While she was still working as a dental hygienist, she would make time whenever she could, mostly on the weekends. Once she reduced her hours, she would discipline herself to dedicate hours to writing, depending on how her WIP as flowing – some days she’d be more motivated in the morning, other days it would be in the evening.

Now that she’s no longer working outside the home, she typically starts her day with a stretching routine and some sort of workout. She tackles any needed chores (laundry, food prep) followed by a shower then writing.

“If my flow is good, I can literally spend hours on my laptop,” she said. “I have to force myself to get up every hour to stretch and move around, walk my stairs a few times, otherwise I’ll pay for it later with a stiff neck or aching back. Then there are some days I don’t write at all, whether I’ve hit a wall or my time is occupied with errands, appointments, or helping my mom (shopping for her or taking her to appointments).”

“What, in your opinion, are the most important elements of good writing?” I wondered.

“The elements I look for in a good book are character development and effortless flow. When I can read a story that completely consumes me, makes me feel invested for the characters, and makes me realize three hours just went by in the blink of an eye, that’s great writing. When I write, I picture my story unfolding in real life, as if I’m part of the story. I put myself in each character’s POV to see what’s happening, feel their emotions, and how they’re going to react to any given situation. I want good flow. I can be a bit anal when it comes to details, so I have to ask myself, what’s really relevant to this scene/story? What’s going to keep the reader either engaged or skimming through.”

Recently, she was asked to join a shared world project involving shifters in a major city, and the common elements in each story was a particular bar and a Shiftergoverning agency.

“Now it’s up to me to decide what shifter will be my main character. Will it be both MMC & FMC? What kind of shifter? What are their abilities? What predicament do they find themselves in and how do they resolve it? I’ve barley begun to write out some notes, but I’m getting very excited to see what I can come up with and if it’ll be worthy of the shared world.”

She’s also currently working on two novellas, both with wedding themes, that will be included in upcoming anthologies.

“For two years, I’ve really loved writing for anthologies in order to challenge myself as well as gain new exposure, find new readers,” she explained. “I’ve got loose notes for the stories, so it’ll take more fleshing out, but one involves a wedding crasher. He finds it exciting and interesting to slip into wedding venues and observe the bride, groom, and attendees. He encounters one of the bride’s maids who is a bit older and a lot jaded about love. An age-gap, reverse grumpy/sunshine. And of course, eventually he’s going to change her mind about finding love again.”

I asked her to describe her writing space.

“I move around throughout the house when I write, depending on what hubby’s doing and if I need complete solitude. Several years ago, we remodeled my office, and I love it. Light hardwood floors, pewter paint, and scenic pictures of the US on the walls. It’s where I used to spend much of my time on my PC. But lately I’ve preferred my laptop. If hubby’s watching TV or YouTube videos and I need the quiet, I’ll close myself in our front room, kick back on the loveseat, and write. There are times when I can concentrate regardless of what hubby’s watching or listening to, and I just like to spend time in his presence. When that’s the case, I settle into my glider rocker and write while he’s relaxing in his Lazy-boy.”

Finally, I asked, “What advice would you give a new writer just starting out?”

“First and foremost, I’d say, write what you love, because it comes from your heart and soul, and you’d strive to do your best. There are many components to writing: the craft itself, the technicalities; the beginning, middle, and end. Then there is the lyrical side; setting a scene, evoking emotions, engaging the reader. There’s also knowing what niche your work would fit into, in the publishing industry. Are you a writer who wants to appeal to the masses or a very select readership? There’s a wealth of advice out there, so it can feel overwhelming, but finding what works for you is most important. If you can only spare an hour a day to write, then make the most of that time. If you can view tutorials online or listen to podcasts or read about others’ journeys to give you an idea of what it means to be a writer, then do it. Also, read other works in the genre in which you want to write, getting an idea of what’s out there so you can bring your fresh perspective to the arena. There is no one perfect way to write and start your journey. The important part is to start.”

Website | Instagram | BookBub | Facebook | Amazon Author Page | Heroes, Holidays, and Hope Project | Soldiers’ Angels

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Encounters with Old Coyote by Laura Koerber

October 15, 2024 By 5 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The author 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.

“One thing about people—they need to tell stories. They can’t stop themselves. Stories all the time. That’s how they understand things.” So said Coyote to Andrea, shortly after she died. Andrea had never believed in any kind of afterlife or gods, so she was surprised to find herself still somewhat alive, floating in the form of a ghost in the soft, dry desert air of Nevada. She was even more surprised to meet a supernatural being with a coyote’s face, antlers, and the supplies for making coffee.

“I don’t understand why I’m a ghost,” Andrea said.

Coyote set his coffee cup down on the dirt beside his rock. He glanced at Andrea, grimaced, and said, “Okay, I’ll try to explain. Since you humans like stories, I’ll try to explain that way. I’ll tell you some stories.”

So come along with Coyote and Andrea as they share stories about life and death, spiders in the bathroom and how Andrea lost her bra at a truck stop, enemy gods and pottery shards, adventures in vomit, what scientists say about dark matter and the fifth force, and other topics both sublime and ridiculous.

Enjoy an Exclusive Excerpt

For me high school wasn’t really about having adventures. It as more like missed opportunities. I was so shy, I literally didn’t make eye contact with people. I lived in my imagination, a classic case of a kid with imaginary friends. My imaginary friends were always in trouble doing exciting things, but I was a watcher, an eye. I floated through the day, watching other people and thinking.

I told myself stories all the time. While walking to school, while walking down the hall at school, while walking home, while swinging on the swing in the back yard, while laying in bed at night, I told myself full length serials, episode by episode. Funny thing is, I never once thought of writing the stories down. I didn’t think of myself as a writer.

Every now and then I came up for air and looked around at the real world. I remember climbing out the window of my bedroom and sitting on the roof of the room we called the study. I was fourteen or fifteen, and I remember thinking about how someday I was going to die. My life would end. I tried to make myself really realize the fleetingness of life, the inevitable nature of death, the relentless passage of time.

I remember looking at the pattern on the sleeve of my cotton blouse and telling myself that I would never ever forget that moment in time, just sitting on the roof and looking at a spot on my sleeve. Every moment counts because none will be repeated and sooner or later you run out.

I couldn’t imagine being old or dead, but I knew it would come, so I made myself a promise. I promised myself that at the end of my life I would not be disappointed in myself. I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life, but whatever I did, I wanted to not be disappointed.

About the Author: I live on an island in the Puget Sound with my husband and my dogs. I am a retired teacher, presently doing in-home care for disabled people while volunteering at a cat rescue

My degree is in art, and I am a painter, graphic artist, and ceramic sculptor. The writing started about five years ago, a surprise to me and everyone who knows me, since I had never written anything before. To my immense gratitude, my first book received outstanding reviews and made the Kirkus Review list of one hundred best indy books of 2015.

Since then, I have written ten books. People seem to like them; I get lots of four and five star reviews. My books are a bit unconventional; I mix magical realism with dystopia in many of them. My stories tend to be character-driven and include ghosts and spirits.

I think I learned to write by reading. I am a voracious omnivore of books.

Read the Kirkus Review.

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When to Break the Rules by Benoit Lanteigne – Guest Blog and Giveaway

April 9, 2024 By 4 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $25 Amazon/BN.com gift card. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

When to Break the Rules

These days, there are a lot of writing rules and I don’t just mean grammar. Stick around the writing community, and you’ll get a ton of info about what you should do and what you should never do. That’s fine, but when I started writing, I struggled with the idea of writing rules. If every author follows the same rule, won’t we all end up “sounding” the same? Doesn’t it go against originality? The answer I’ve come up with is no, but kind of. Keep in mind, I never said it was a good answer.

Over time, I concluded that following common guidelines doesn’t strip away your voice. Everyone is different. Even if two writers follow similar rules and structures, that doesn’t mean their writing styles will be the same. Sure, they might become more similar on the surface, but their unique perspective and personality should still shine through.

What about originality? Perhaps it doesn’t matter. Everything has been done, so why bother trying to be original, anyway? There’s some truth there, but I think that even if your work can’t be completely original, you can at least make your reader feel like it is through excellent execution and a good dose of cleverness.

So, if originality matters, doesn’t following rules stifle it? In a way, yes. Take the three-arc structure, for instance. It’s everywhere, to the point where if your story doesn’t follow a three-act structure, that could be considered a risk. Frankly, it makes movies in particular more predictable, or at least I feel it does for me. But, there’s a reason why it’s so common: it’s super effective while being easy enough to learn. Besides, there’s more to a story than the structure, so you can inject originality in another way. Sometimes restriction can increase creativity by anchoring it within limits. When creativity is left free without boundaries, you can get overwhelmed with possibilities and never produce anything of value.

All right then, problem solved! Rules work and don’t harm originality, so just follow them without asking questions! Well, there’s a flaw in that line of thinking, unfortunately. Following common writing rules will help you create a story that people will enjoy. It’s making things easier and less risky by using the path others forged before you. There’s nothing wrong with that, especially if you are a new writer feeling overwhelmed. However, in that case, you must accept that while your book will be more likely to be good, it won’t be a groundbreaking revelation. If you wish to create a revered masterpiece, you’ll need to take risks, and that means breaking the rules. By doing so, you might become a trendsetter and create new potential rules of your own.

So, should you just ignore the rules? Well, no. To break a rule effectively, you need to know the rules first. Knowing them isn’t enough, you must understand them so you can judge where and when you should diverge from the common path. This can only come from experience. For this reason, my advice is to follow the rules in the beginning. Get familiar with them. See why they work. Then, once they are familiar enough and you are skilled enough, identify the spots where breaking them might be effective and try it.

There’s one more thing I’d like to say on the subject. I’m not the only writer who questioned the validity of rules. Often I see people complaining about writing rules; expressing how they dislike them, or even outright hate them. I think it’s because there are writers out there who push the so-called rules as an absolute truth. They’re not. The rules aren’t the word of God. They’re just training wheels to help you get on your way. I feel they shouldn’t be called rules at all. To me, a better word would be guidelines or maybe suggestions. They’re not mandatory laws that must be obeyed. They’re guidelines that often work well, but you don’t have to follow them. If the concept of writing rules was explained this way more often, I think maybe, just maybe, there’d be fewer writers who are so frustrated with them.

Want proof that writing rules shouldn’t be taken too seriously? Well, how about this? I’m in a book club where we read plenty of books that have been published recently. Most sold well, or were at least critically acclaimed. We read a large variety of books, but they all have one thing in common. They all break the rules. Sometimes they tell instead of showing. Sometimes they use passive voice. Sometimes they have long, complex sentences that are hard to read. Sometimes they use vague words. And so on. If the rules were mandatory, these books wouldn’t have been well received by critics. They couldn’t have been, because they wouldn’t have been published.

How did it come to this? My life used to be so simple. Back then, I hated it; I found it boring. Let me tell you: boring’s good. Boring’s great! I should’ve been thankful…

It was supposed to be a date like any other for James Hunter, a simple convenience store clerk. Nothing more than watching a movie in the town of Moncton. A place as unknown and unimportant as he considered his own existence to be. And yet, while walking to a cinema, James teleports to another world. There, a hostile crowd surrounds him, including various mutants with strange deformities.

Before he can even gather his wits or make a dash for it, a lone ally presents herself in the form of a winged woman named Rose. An important cultural figure in the country where James appeared, she offers him both protection and a home.

Soon, James learns that this new world is divided by a cold war. On one side is Nirnivia, home to Rose. The other, Ostark, led by a mysterious cyborg. James is unaware that the cyborg has him in his crosshairs, thinking of him as the Deus Ex Machina that will end the war in his favor.

But, the cyborg is far from the only potential threat to James. Soon after his arrival, BRR, a terrorist organisation, kidnaps him.

What would a rogue group out for revenge seeking to turn the cold war hot want with someone like James? Is there anyone also aware of this other world who will try to find him? Or is he on his own? If so, how is he supposed to escape? If that’s even an option…

Enjoy an Excerpt

The second that James saw the deformed statue, he deemed it painful to look at. The sculpture depicted a man, but not one of normal proportions. The arms were far too long, paired with short legs, and the right eye appeared thrice the size of the left—nothing compared to the elongated spike forming the nose, or the mouth contorted in a grimace. Now that he sat leaning against the grotesque shape, the figurative ache turned literal as the sharp stone dug into his back.

Even with the intense heat, James shivered. The recent revelations chilled his blood, and no matter how hard it tried, the sun couldn’t warm him again. He rubbed his chin, pondering all he had learned. His hand brushed against his stubble, and he scowled at the itching sensation. Usually he shaved every day, a habit his unplanned trip had broken. Then again, next to his companion, a bit of extra hair was nothing…

The freak still stood a few feet behind, laughing to his heart’s content. What a horrendous chortle. How James yearned to shut him up via his fist. “Gwa ha ah aha ha! Ha ha aha! Ha ha! Come on, why do you take things so seriously? You still don’t get it, do you? Gwha ha ha ha ha! You should laugh more; it’ll do ya good! Gwha ha ha ha ha! Wha ha ha ha! Gwa ha ha!”

About the Author So, my name is Benoit Lanteigne and I’m a French Canadian (outside of Quebec) who’s trying to write in English. That can be tricky. I’m a computer programmer and I enjoy it. I see many inspiring writers who hate their jobs and hope to quit someday, but that’s not my case. Mostly, I’ve worked on websites and web applications.

Back in school, I enjoyed writing and according to my teachers and classmates; I had a talent for it. Well, not so much for grammar and spelling, but they liked my stories. Once I went to university, I dropped writing as a hobby. There were other things I wanted to focus on, such as my career. Then, in the early 2000s, around 2006 I’d say, I had a flash of inspiration. At first, it was a single character: a winged woman with red hair. I didn’t even know who she was, but the image stuck with me. From there, I began figuring out details about her origins and her world, but I only started writing for real in 2009.

It’s been roughly 10 years now, and it’s not yet finished. That’s in part because I write in my spare time, and in part because the scope of the project is huge. Maybe too much so. Still, I’m getting close to the point where I could release something. The question is what’s next? Self-publishing? Attempt traditional publishing? Nothing? I don’t know the answer yet, I’m trying to figure it out. Frankly, sharing my writing is difficult for me, and whatever I end up doing, as long as I make it available to people I consider the experience a victory no matter what comes out of it.

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Three Ways to Handle Negative Criticism by Charlene Bell Dietz – Guest Blog and Giveaway

October 2, 2023 By 8 Comments

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

Three Ways to Handle Negative Criticism

Negative criticism hurts, yet you have to laugh. It’s built into our DNA. Don’t believe me? Scold a toddler and watch the outrage in form of pouting or temper tantrums. When we’re involved in creating something, we never want to hear it’s a failure.

Writers hold dear the stories in their heads, which they mold into words and sentences for others. If wise, we have others critique our works before we send them out into the world. We do this by asking our friends, families, or the worst critiquer of all, our mothers. More accurate critiques come from dedicated critique groups. These groups have individual experiences of being told what’s wrong with their own writing. Trust me, they can’t wait to share their newfound knowledge.

For example, one might say to you, “When you write a gerund, don’t you know you must never say ‘you’ but ‘your’ before the gerund, such as, ‘I appreciate your giving me this hacksaw.’” Your critique partners will use their hard-earned information as a point of brilliance in their offering to make your work better. However, you know this advice is incorrect, because you’re focusing on a person, Sam, instead of the hacksaw. Your protagonist has asked five other people for a hacksaw, but it’s Sam who gives her one. You’re correct in writing, “I appreciate you giving me this hacksaw.”

When a piece of your writing gets a negative critique, or a reader suggests a correction in your published book, you have many ways to respond. A defensive, “How dare they!” reaction often jumps into our head. Next, we feel compelled to defend our writing in question. Neither response yields productivity. Instead, try my three ways to handle negative feedback.

Before reacting, take a deep inhale and exhale through your mouth, completely. This resets your brain and body, releasing tension. Practice doing this discretely when others are around so you can secretly deep breathe in your critique group. If you do this three times in a row, you’ll be surprised at how much calmer you feel.

Be polite, but chose to ignore: If your critiquer is an individual or a part of a group gathered for this purpose, say, “Thank you, I’ll take your suggestions into consideration.” Then you can let the advice simmer in your mind and decide later. When you’ve cooled down, if it’s right advice for your work, accept it. My first book opened with the words, “Die, old lady, please die.” My critique group exploded. I had to, they demanded, get rid of that line. They insisted, and so I did. I shouldn’t have. Many revisions later, that detonation of a line opened my story. Trust me, even if they reread your revised version, they’ll not remember what they said or know you’ve ignored their generous wisdom.

Recognize the truth and acknowledge: My first novel went through countless revisions, after being applauded, as well as, in part, shredded by my critique group over the years. When I knew it shined and emitted perfection, I’d send it off to a writing contest. However, the results would come back with a bit of praise, and in my mind, lots of scathing remarks. I don’t remember what the judges wrote, but they’d say something like this: Your first chapter doesn’t engage. This section doesn’t move the story forward. You aren’t letting the reader know what the other characters are doing. The reader needs more descriptions. The husband of the protagonist is one-dimensional. You’re writing in the weeds, here. You need another murder closer to the beginning. You’re overwriting.

Yikes! Should I quit? Should I respond back to them and explain why I wrote what I did?

No. Never give up. Never explain or justify. They don’t want to hear it, and they don’t care. It’s their opinion. Your job is to look at your manuscript with fresh vision. What if they’re right? You don’t have to believe them, but “What if?”

I rewrote my novel, giving careful considerations to the judges’ comments. I reinserted the “Die, old lady . . .” first line my critique group found objectionable. Then, I found a publisher. This book, The Flapper, the Scientist, and the Saboteur, won first place in the New Mexico-Arizona Book Awards, and when sent to Kirkus Reviews, it earned their coveted Kirkus Review: starred review.

When given negative feedback, take a deep breath, ignore it, or accept what’s appropriate and expand your writing knowledge.

A privileged teenager from Minneapolis in 1923, scraps her college scholarship and runs away to become a flapper in dangerous, chaotic Chicago. In her search for illusive happiness, she confronts the mob and then must contrive a way to not be murdered.

Enjoy an Excerpt

Kathleen continued, “You said you wished you could go to college with me. What if we could go somewhere together, not to college, but someplace where we could dance and act and you could sing? I bet with our talents, we could turn this horrid world into something much more joyful—help make it one big party.”


“How?” Sophie’s eyes opened wide.


“We’ll go where you won’t have to teach kids piano, or act or dance, unless you want. You’ll be able to sing your heart out and, who knows, maybe even write your own songs.”


“My mother would never let me.” Sophie looked off into the near distance.

“Sophie, we’ll get to wear sparkly dresses. And wouldn’t you love to wear those modern, classy clothes? We’d bob our hair even shorter, wear lipstick, and be around people who know how to have fun and not have a care in the world.” Sophie should see the photos in Kathleen’s collection of theater magazines again. Then she’d be excited too.


“I’m sick of funerals and consoling others,” Kathleen continued.


“Look at how miserable Dolly is. Aren’t you tired of that too? We’d be around progressive people, thinking people, people who know how to make the most out of life. They’re searching for talent, Sophie. We’ll fit right in.”


“Where, Kathleen? No one much appreciates our abilities here.”


“Chicago. There are all sorts of openings for attractive young ladies with well-turned ankles and voices like canaries. That’s what theadvertisements say.”


About the Author:Charlene Bell Dietz’s award-winning mystery novels The Flapper, the Scientist, and the Saboteur combines family saga with corporate espionage, and The Flapper, the Impostor, and the Stalker propels readers back into 1923 in frenetic Chicago. The Scientist, the Psychic, and the nut gives readers a frightening Caribbean vacation. Her latest novel The Spinster, the Rebel, and the Governor is a historical biography about Lady Margaret Brent, the first American woman to be called an attorney, whose integrity and intelligence saves pre-colonial Maryland from devastation. This book won the New Mexico Press Women’s first place award and an award by the National Press Women. The Spinster, the Rebel, and the Governor will be released as a second edition by Artemesia Press in February 2024. Two of her Flapper books have won the coveted Kirkus stars, and two were named best book of 2018. Charlene, a retired educator, lives in the foothills of the mountains in central New Mexico where abundant wildlife, solitude, and natures’ beauty inspires her creativity.

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Jane Austen Time Traveler by Rachel Dacus – Spotlight and Giveaway

January 20, 2023 By 5 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Rachel Dacus 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.

Lonely Regency romance writer travels to the future, meets her fans, dips into a pearly swimming pool, and falls for its owner. Can she ever go home again…

If Jane Austen’s novels had never ever existed, would we have rom-com movies and women’s fiction? But the young writer is discouraged by a publisher’s rejection and ready to give up writing. And an unwelcome marriage proposal she has rashly accepted spells her doom.

Someone must save history and Jane Austen! When a stranger calls and claims to be an interested publisher, a desperate Jane agrees to go with him to his office. That office turns out to be in the future. And it’s not an office, but a bookstore in southern California in 2024 where fans of Jane Austen gather every month to discuss her works.

Jane greets the Jane Austen Superfan Club, only to find that superfans can be super picky. Discouraged by their critiques, Jane wants different adventures. Even deadly, dangerous ones. And oh, yes! Romantic ones.

Her “publisher” had hoped to inspire Jane’s writing by showing her a book club devoted to her writing. But when she meets a tall, handsome superfan, Jane decides to chart her own course. She disappears with her new friend, and history may have to save itself …

Enjoy an exclusive excerpt from the book:

Jane sat up and looked out of the wall of glass. It overlooked the pool they had walked beside last night. Will was swimming with a most peculiar stroke, like a butterfly spreading its wings. He leapt from up the water and then disappeared under again, doing a stroke she had never seen, even at the seaside when the boys played in the ocean.

Jane lay still, contemplating the day and the swimmer.

She should get dressed and join him at the pool, to watch from nearer. Having only her new, silky outfit from last night, Jane wondered if she could wear it for another day. The idea of returning to the hotel and lacing up the layers of her old life returning made her shiver with dread.

Will had left George a message, Ubering their whereabouts, he had said. George would have to rest content with her absence for at least another morning.

Will’s rhythmic swimming mesmerized her as she listened to the sound of his hands and feet slapping the water. He changed to a smoother stroke, swimming quickly back and forth the length of the pool.

Jane dressed and joined him. The day’s warmth was beginning, so she was glad she had left off her jacket.

Will swam over to the side of the pool, dripping like the statues of Attic gods in fountains in Hyde Park.

“Did you sleep well?” he asked. When she nodded, he said, “I made breakfast for us, if you’re ready.”

“Breakfast would be wonderful.”

He swam to the far end of the pool, walked up the steps. Drying off with a blue towel, he wrapped it around his hips, which made Jane look up and around at the sky and gardens, anywhere but at the living statuary that was Will Fleming, a man who had kissed her last night.

RACHEL DACUS writes about history, love, family, and art — with a touch of magic. Rachel is the author of both prose and poetry. When she’s not writing or reading, she listens to music and walks through the beautiful San Francisco Bay Area, where she lives with her architect husband and a lively Silky Terrier. She blogs about books and the writing life.

Website: https://racheldacus.net/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Rachel_Dacus
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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RachelDacusAuthor

Buy Link:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Jane-Austen-Time-Traveler-Timegathering-ebook/dp/B0BDVXLXC1

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Final Strike by Vanessa M. Knight – Exclusive Excerpt and Giveaway

October 4, 2021 By 4 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Vanessa M. Knight 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.

Julie Connolly thought she had perfected the art of emotional eating, but ever since she learned of her father’s passing, she’s taken it to new heights. The bastard has figured out how to destroy her life from the grave.

Her father’s proposal—abandon her son Cody, so someone else can raise him, or lose her inheritance. The outrageous condition doesn’t deserve a response but the lawyer her father hired demands an answer. Before she can tell the ambulance-chaser exactly where he can shove his demands, her worst fears come alive: Cody is kidnapped. Her only hope comes from Ben Mooring, a man she hates nearly as much as her father.

Though Ben Mooring lost his chance with Julie years ago, she and Cody still mean the world to him. He practically raised the kid for years when he was with Julie. When Cody goes missing, Ben drops everything to search for him. He might never win a spot in Julie’s life again, but he can’t rest while Cody is in danger and Julie needs him.

Julie and Ben join forces to find Cody, but they have to work quickly. If she doesn’t find him soon, she might lose her son forever.

Enjoy an Exclusive Excerpt

Julie stepped into the stomach-holding, never-to-be-seen-by-anyone panties. Safety in granny-panties. After pulling, prodding, and briefly writhing on her bed to get the waistband over her hips, she was appropriately sardined and ready for an outfit.

She whipped open the door to her closet, and a black-hooded battering ram came at her. Her arms flailed. She grabbed for their arm, but her fingers slid off the black cotton jacket.

Down. Down she went. Whoever it was left the closet and moved toward the sliding glass door.

No. Julie grabbed the intruder’s left leg with one hand. Not enough. She clamped on with both hands, and her body banged against her dresser. Everything on top of her dresser fell to the floor. Bottles slapped against the wood and shattered. Her fabric jewelry box slammed into her shoulder. Julie flinched, and the intruder pulled away. She kicked her legs to get closer.

Yank. The body dropped to the floor with a groan. A deep groan.

The criminal’s right leg barely missed Julie’s face, skinning her neck. She pulled back as that right leg tried another pass. Dammit.

“Stop!” Julie gasped, struggling to roll her half-naked body over both legs and pin them down. The criminal’s shoe caught on the thigh-band of her Spanx. The bad guy jerked like a landed fish, and Julie finally angled her body over their legs, pushing them to the floor.

Another groan.

The bad guy wiggled. Julie held on. Her breathing erratic. Her heart beating out of her chest. “Why. Are. You. Here?”

About the Author: Who is Vanessa M. Knight? Well, I’m an author. Wow. After years and years of wanting to use those words, that is fun to say. It’s almost as fun as supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. Did I spell that right?

I write contemporary romantic suspense.

I live in Chicagoland with my family and menagerie of four-legged friends. In my mind, these lovely animals do everything as they should. I’m the alpha, keeping peace and harmony amongst my humble servants. In real life, they own me. I’m the maid, here for their feeding pleasure. Well, that and to clean up their messes.

When not catering to the needs of adorably-furry faces, I slug through the nine to five grind and head home so I can write. Of course, that’s after I make dinner and clean the house and all the other tasks that go into family life. So really, I work, cater to animals and my family… and then, if I don’t fall face first into bed, I write. I love putting my characters into crazy situations and watching how they react. I hope you love reading about them.

I love to hear from fans.

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How to Handle Negative Criticism by Kruze – Guest Blog and Giveaway

November 12, 2020 By 5 Comments

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

How to Handle Negative Criticism

Negative criticism does not bother me at all. I understand that some people will always have something negative to say so I just keep writing whether they like my stories or not. My mom told me a long time ago that people will talk about you whether you are doing good or doing bad, so I just let people be who they are. Regardless, I know this is my calling so I will do this for as long as I can. I understand that everything is not perfect, but I am always working on improving my craft.

Now constructive criticism is something completely different and I always welcome it. I love when readers come back to me with suggestions of ways to make my stories better. It is just another way for me to engage with them and exchange some ideas and thoughts about the book.

Most of the comments I get from people are positive though. I try to write things that people can relate to so we can have a discussion afterwards. That is probably my strongest trait when talking about my writing style. People do not really come to me with negativity because they relate to what I have written.

Have you ever looked at your circle and wonder if the people in it are really down for you? That’s the question Ceasar constantly asks himself. In his eyes betrayal is a worse crime than murder, so think twice before crossing him.

Daquans’s was life was filled with what he considered to be normalcy. He is completely devoted to his wife, Aviana, and their son. But how deep does his loyalty run? Can he stay with Aviana when her past catches up with her, attempting to collect an unpaid debt?

Nolan is a prominent member of his family, but he’s also the only one who managed to make it out of the hood. His family looks to him for all type of assistance, including money, because he doesn’t have the heart to tell them enough is enough. Maybe it’s the guilt he feels from his secret that keeps him digging in his pocket for his loved ones.

Join us as we dive into these strangers lives to explore their inner circles. Lies will be told, secrets won’t be kept, and graves will have to be dug. Take this ride with us, and maybe you could answer the question, is blood thicker?

Enjoy an Excerpt

Daquan rushed back to his SUV. He grabbed his tablet and studied the app. It still said Aviana was at the school. There was nothing else to do but wait so that’s what he did. Thirty minutes passed and there was still no sign of Aviana. Just as Daquan got ready to pull off, someone came walking around the corner. At first, he paid them no attention. But they started towards Aviana’s car and instantly made Daquan watch them closer. He watched as they entered Aviana’s car. Although they dressed in all black Daquan knew that person wasn’t his wife.

The mystery person pulled off in Aviana’s car, leaving Daquan conflicted on what to do next. He quickly decided to follow Aviana’s Altima as it traveled through West Philly until it reached Upper Darby. The Altima pulled onto a small block and Daquan carefully followed. Soon the driver pulled into a driveway of a small house and shut the engine off. From down the block, he noticed the driver didn’t get out of the car. Slowly, he drove down the icy street, squinting his eyes at the Altima, hoping to get a look at the driver. No luck. There was no way he was going to be able to see inside with the combination of tint on the window and darkness outside. Instead, Daquan made a mental note of the house.

About the Author:Kruze was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Although she always enjoyed writing poems as a way of expressing the things she didn’t feel comfortable saying out loud, she didn’t decide to seriously become a writer until after she graduated from high school. She started Urban Legends Publishing & Media as a way to create good literature for readers to enjoy. A self-described urban author with an erotic flare, Kruze wrote and published Cap-Poetry, a collection of poems about life, love, and sex from the viewpoint of a Capricorn as her first project. In November 2016, she released Lock and Load, a novel she co-wrote with Ace Capone, an author she signed to Urban Legends Publishing. Next up, is her novel, Is Blood Thicker, which was made available 8/4/2020.

Kruze has several single and joint projects coming out in the future, including another book of poetry, Letters to my Exes, and several novels, including Sins of the Father, Domain High, and The Money Team. She is always working, always striving for self-improvement both in her personal and professional lives. Be on the lookout for Kruze Hatch and Urban Legends Publishing & Media.

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Interview and Giveaway: Heather Kinnane

January 23, 2020 By 3 Comments

Long and Short Reviews welcomes Heather Kinnane who is visiting with us today to celebrate the recent release of Truckie Needed. Ask Heather a question or leave a comment for her for a chance to win a copy of Erotic Writer Seeks Men, the first book in her Seeking Satisfaction series.

Heather told me that she’s been writing as long as she can remember and that it was always a childhood dream of hers to be published. Once she received her first contract, she started really considering herself an author.

“That was so exciting, and really confirmed for me that I could do this,” she said.

Truckie Needed was inspired by Kelly, a writing friend of Heather’s.

“I really wanted to write something new in my Seeking Satisfaction series, (which are all standalone books), but I was struggling to come up with any ideas, until Kelly made a suggestion, and here it is!” she exclaimed with a smile.

Heather has mostly been a pantser, writing by the seat of her pants with no plan in mind.

“In the past, this meant lots of editing as a re-read discovered huge plot holes and various issues with characters. Recently I’ve started plotting, just a little,” she explained, “and I find this gives me a good indication where there are plot holes that need to be filled, and how characters might need to be fleshed out a little.”

I asked her, “Who is your favorite author and why?”

“I don’t have one favorite author, and I’m not entirely sure how I would narrow it down to one either. Stories that I have absolutely loved include The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas, and Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi, as well as The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang. One of my favourite romances is Skipping out on Henry by C L Ogilvie. I fully intend to read more novels by these authors (and all the others on my shelf), but there are so many good books out there, I find I flit from one to the other without much consideration as to who it’s been written by, and more focus on what the story’s about and whether it sounds like something I would read.”

Story is, in her opinion, the most important element of good writing.

“I think story ties everything together, the characters, the plot,” she told me. “If you can tell a good story you can get away with most things – often even grammar mistakes! (But not spelling, if a book is full of spelling mistakes I just can’t read it).”

“How do you come up with your titles?” I asked.

“Titles are always tricky for me! Mostly my titles come from my writers group lol! On saying that, the title of Truckie Needed was easy, because of the series it’s part of. All the books in my Seeking Satisfaction series have something about seeking or wanting or needing in the title.”
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The hardest part about writing for her is editing – she told me that it’s definitely the area she struggles with the most.

“It’s so much easier to write when the words are flowing, and so much harder to go back and beat it into shape,” she assured me.

I wondered, “What is the most surprising thing you discovered while writing your book?”

“Hmm… tricky. I think perhaps it was while I was writing this book. It’s a bit gruesome too, so for those who don’t want to read anything like that, feel free to skip this! I was following the road where my characters travel, looking for interesting tid-bits to include in the story, when I came upon the story of a series of murders in a town called ‘Snowtown’ in South Australia. The poor victims bodies were stuffed into barrels and left in an abandoned bank vault.”

“Could you ever co author a book with someone?” I asked. “If so, who would you choose, and what would you write?”

“If you’d asked me this twelve months ago I would’ve said no way, but I’ve been thinking about this recently actually. I don’t know whether I could or not, but it would be interesting to try! As to what I’d write… hmmm. I don’t know that either. But I’ve read that some of the easiest ways to co-author is to have one person write in the POV of one character, and the other person write from the POV of another character, so that maybe a romance where I write one character and another writer writes the love interest might be a good way to start.”

Finally I asked, “What are the best and worst pieces of writing advice you ever received?”

“Best: Just keep writing! Worst: You must never do XYZ. In this case XYZ covers a whole bunch of different things I’ve been told I shouldn’t do, only to have a different person tell me ‘make sure you do XYZ’. (Actually, now I say all that, I think the best advice is, there are no rules.)”

Mattie has bought a tiny house, intending to drive it across the country to land she’s bought interstate. But Mattie doesn’t take into
account the fact that the tiny house is on the back of a truck, and she doesn’t have her truck license.

What to do? An ad in the local pub brings Ned and Jack into her life — two very eager and sexy young men who’ve been travelling around Australia and are more than happy to drive Mattie and her tiny house across the continent.

They might be leaving Western Australia’s deserts behind and heading to the chilly island state of Tasmania, where even in spring there is still snow on the mountains, but inside the tiny house, things are only heating up.

About the Author: I am the author of the romantic fantasy series, ‘A Faery Dream’, and the steamy menage series ‘Seeking Satisfaction’. I also write short stories, the shortest of which have been published at The Pittsburgh Flash Fiction Gazette (many of which you can find in my flash-fiction collection – ‘The Pittsburgh Collection’). I live in the Australian bush with my husband, children and pets. When I’m not writing I’m usually avoiding the housework by reading, gardening, or soaking up the natural world.

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

LASR Anniversary Scavenger Hunt: Sinner’s Opera by Linda Nightingale

August 30, 2019 By 4 Comments


Thanks for joining us on our 12th anniversary scavenger hunt! There are two ways to enter to win and it’s easy to play– first read the blurb below, then answer the question on the first Rafflecopter. You might win a $100 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC. Follow and visit authors social media pages on the second rafflecopter and you’re entered to win another $100 Amazon/BN GC!

Morgan D’Arcy is an English lord, a classical pianist, and a vampire. He has everything except what he desires most—Isabeau. As the Angel Gabriel he’s steered her life and career choice, preparing her to become Lady D’Arcy.

Many forces oppose Morgan’s daring plan—not the least of which is Vampyre law. Isabeau Gervase is a brilliant geneticist. Though she no longer believes in angels, she sees a ticket to a Nobel Prize in Gabriel’s secrets—secrets that have led her to a startling conclusion. Gabriel isn’t human, and she fully intends to identify the species she named the Angel Genome. Morgan is ready to come back into Isabeau’s life, but this time as a man not an angel. Will he outsmart his enemies, protect his beloved and escape death himself? For the first time in eternity, the clock is ticking.

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The book will be available on October 7.

Scavenger Hunt:

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A Very MC Picnic by Sam Crescent

June 26, 2018 By Leave a Comment


A Very MC Picnic by Sam Crescent
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Short story (93 pages)
Heat Level: Sweet
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

In a one-off special, six of Sam Crescent’s MCs come together in a family picnic that would be normal if it were for anyone else, but for The Skulls, Chaos Bleeds, Trojans MC, Dirty Fuckers MC, and Saints and Sinners MC, it is anything but.

By invitation only, the Billionaire Bikers MC wish for you to join them at a set location, to bring your family, your children, to enjoy a day of fun with no harm to come to anyone, providing all people can play nice.
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This is just a bit of fun. It features past and future couples, and though it should be read if you love any of the MC books above, it is not necessary to do so. If you want to see more of Angel and Lash, Devil and Lexie, Duke and Holly, Simon and Tabitha, Pie and Lindsey, then this story is for you.

This might just be one of the most unusual picnics ever to have occurred. Five different MC groups – with their women and children – all in the one large, grassy area. Would they come together and listen, or will this end in a blood bath?

I’ve found in the past that MC stories are quite hit and miss with me. I was deeply intrigued, however, by the thought of such a large number of different MC clubs not only coming together, but bringing their families for what would presumably be a greater cause. There were a bunch of interesting characters – many of them intense, alpha males – and a whole lot of stuff happening pretty much all at once. I really commend the author on juggling it all and writing it in such a way I could keep most of what was occurring straight.

I will admit I struggled a bit to remember each different character because there were a lot of them in quite a rush. This difficulty of mine was almost certainly in part because I’ve read very few – if any – of the individual books related to these characters and their MC’s. Readers who have followed along with the clubs likely will have a whole wealth of knowledge and back-story that I didn’t and find this caper far richer for it. But I have to say this certainly stands well alone as its own story. The plot was clear and the characters were all well introduced – there were just a *lot* of them in a short space of time. I strongly feel though that readers who haven’t followed the other clubs shouldn’t be put off by starting here at the large picnic.

There is no sex and not even really any romance – most of the members attending were in long term, committed relationships and the point of them all being there was representing their club, not starting a fling. Indeed, I was actually most interested in some of the teenaged children – they really stole the show for me and I’d definitely pick up any books related to the continuation of their stories.

With a good amount of plot, loads of characters and a really good weave of everything being drawn together this was a very different but quite enjoyable story. I think it would be a good introduction to readers who haven’t had much experience with MC stories (while there are intense moments it’s not graphic, or very violent) and could be a good way to get a taste of what MC stories can be like.

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