Between the Living and the Dead by Sophie Jupillat Posey – Spotlight and Giveaway

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

The dead won’t leave her alone. For Cavilla, it’s one case after another…

Cavilla Ramirez is an average Peruvian teen, tethered to the 1990s rhythm of clarinet rehearsals, dog-eared Agatha Christie novels, and low-stakes schoolyard mysteries. But when a hit-and-run claims her two best friends, her world implodes—and then restructures itself in a seemingly impossible and unnerving way. Her friends aren’t gone. Their ghosts linger, needing her help in solving their murder so that they can cross over. And it’s not just them. Ghosts are everywhere, and somehow, she’s the only one who can see them.

With a protector in the form of a god-turned-cat, Cavilla becomes a reluctant guide between Peru’s realms of the living and the dead. Solving murders and helping the dead find closure becomes her new normal. But every answer she uncovers tugs loose something else: long-buried secrets about her own heritage, secrets her aunt Tia Luz would rather keep six feet under.

And as Cavilla finds out, not all ghosts need guidance. One presence stands apart, watching her… waiting.

And he isn’t asking for help. He wants her – or something she has.

Enjoy an Excerpt

I knew something was wrong when dusk wasn’t followed by night. It was happening again; my third time this year. The sun just set over the hills, but the light froze, as if a greedy hand had seized it and squeezed it. The motes of ashen light trickled through the violet clouds into my bedroom window. I passed my hand through the dull sunbeam, my brown color paling as it mingled with the dusk. Even my gold leaf bracelet lost its luster and glow. The hoarse calling of Tia Luz Marina for dinner time quieted and softened until her always angry-sounding voice was nothing but a hush.

That time, I held still and breathed slowly, slitting my eyes until my vision doubled. Focus on the intangible, I coaxed myself. The withered light impregnated every corner, every detail of my messy room. It turned into ghosts the coloring books, the woolen dolls, the half-empty bottles of acrylic paint. When it fell on the spirits of my deceased friends, Niko, and Angelica, sitting on the floor by my bed, it brought them further into focus.

The queer dusk light slipped into my short bathroom hallway and vanished. I stared at that dark entryway, convinced there was something more there. For years, I’d been telling Tia Luz Marina
that there were ghosts in the bathroom, but she tossed the notion aside. She said believing in ghosts was a gringa thing. Yet, when I pressed her on ghosts and gods from stories of our Peruvian culture, she shied away.

About the Author: Sophie Jupillat Posey has an enriched passion for writing and music that allows her to captivate audiences with her unique style in poetry, novellas and novels. As she lives her life around the beauty and art and the inspiration from others, Sophie manages to create worlds that her readers will find themselves immersed in. With her passion for the arts, she has also studied music and writing at Rollins College, which can be found as guiding pieces in her works. She is the author of several pieces, including the YA fantasy “The Four Suitors”, the short story sci-fi collection “The Inside Out Worlds: Visions of Strange,” several bilingual children’s books and a poetry chapbook. Having lived in the US for many years, Sophie now calls France her home, bringing more of her passion for the arts in her books.

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Where Ideas Come From by Christine Hart – Guest Blog and Giveaway

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

Where Ideas Come From

When I think about where my fiction ideas come from, I think about the BBC’s docuseries, The Real History of Science Fiction. Specifically, the fourth episode on Time featuring Christopher Lloyd pondering, “What if? What if?”
Almost all of my fiction these days is speculative in some way. I write magic realism, horror, and urban fantasy, as well as ‘soft’ science fiction. I think, if you are the sort of person who does a lot of daydreaming (like many neurodivergent brains are prone to do) you’ll start picturing the world (and possibly other worlds) being different than the one we’re in.

What if aliens are real? What if they’ve been here for centuries? What if our idea of what defines ‘human’ is wrong and we really have mutants among us?

I had a primary ‘what-if’ question that I used to guide The Variant Conspiracy books. What if the men destroying our world were doing it on purpose?

When I wrote this series between 2012 and 2016, I knew that the truth behind destructive forces like climate change, inequality, injustice, and other ills plaguing our world was nowhere near as complicated as an alien-led conspiracy to take over Earth. After all, what could possibly motivate corporate leaders to knowingly destroy the only habitat we, as a species, have in the universe? I wanted answers beyond greed and self-interest, coupled with a certainty that they could create a bubble of immunity for the wealthy few. And that brainstorming produced three books worth of rebel mutant mayhem.

Developing a random question into a story or novel idea is just a matter of time, if you’re so inclined. I know I’m not an activist. So, I lean on fiction to help me make statements. When something troubles me, as a woman, as a mother, as a person, I ruminate and let ideas take shape into stories.

What if the men destroying our world were doing it on purpose? The Variant Conspiracy trilogy follows 19-year-old Irina Proffer as she connects the dots between her cryptic employer’s work and an international plot to transform Earth. All while she navigates love and grief, both for the first time.

As Irina comes of age within a subculture of human mutation, she and her friends hunt a group of corporate eco-saboteurs. They discover a singular ancient evil that wants nothing more than to wipe out all life and remake our planet. As Irina pieces together visions of the future, she must figure out a way to change an outcome that seems inevitable

Book 1: In Irina’s Cards

Irina Proffer leaves mundane small-town life behind when she experiences visions inspired by a strange deck of tarot cards. To get answers, she travels from her northern British Columbia home to the province’s coastal capital. She quickly discovers a world of fringe genetic science and supernatural mystery.

Working for Innoviro Industries, Irina is drawn in by a powerful first love and compelling, yet dangerous questions about the nature of the company’s business. Meeting other ‘variants’ brings Irina closer and closer to the dark truth about her origins. She finds herself at the heart of two overlapping love triangles as she scrambles to escape her employer’s grip.

Before she leaves the city, Irina realizes she has merely scratched the surface of a frightening conspiracy on a global scale.

Book 2: The Compendium

Irina and her renegade variant friends are scrambling to pick up the trail of their former employer, Ivan, and his globally catastrophic scheme. After strategically sharing their story with the media, the group heads south from Vancouver to Seattle hoping to recruit more experienced – and lethal – variants to their cause.

Their attention develops a laser focus on an engineered disaster mere days ahead of them. Ivan is using what staff and resources remain of Innoviro Industries to set off a violent earthquake in San Francisco. While they fight to stop the earthquake, Irina pushes the love of her life Jonah as far away as she can, trying to keep his unstable genetic degradation in check.

Irina’s friends think they’ve seen the worst that Innoviro could bring forth by the time they reach a secret facility in the Mojave Desert. As they near the property, the group uncovers a horror none of them had ever imagined.

Book 3: Terra Nova

The end of humanity and an unrecognizable future Earth are now days away. After their first glimpse of the Terra Nova virus, Irina and her variant friends know their former employer’s plans are almost at hand. Their failed attempt to publicize Ivan and Innoviro Industries’ horrific activities has left them utterly reliant on their own wits and weapons.

After surviving a catastrophic earthquake in San Francisco and destroying a secret viral testing facility, Irina’s crew has traveled by a variant portal to London. On the other side of the world, they begin tracking when and where Terra Nova will be unleashed on the world. They know stopping Terra Nova is only the beginning of unraveling Ivan’s plans to reinvent the planet, but if they can’t stop this virus, there will be no one left to save.

Enjoy an Excerpt from In Irina’s Cards

We walked a bit farther in silence. I had assumed Jonah would find something, at least a mention of the drug, within the files at Innoviro. How could something either guarded or fresh out of the lab, be a trustworthy substance I should let them inject into my veins? Even if Ivan showed me charts and research findings, what insight could I gain from them?

Jonah and I rounded a corner. The path diverged around a ring of shrubs and a large arbutus tree. On the one side, the path jutted out to a viewpoint looking over to the Inner Harbour. On the other, a bench sat tucked into a semicircle of overgrown juniper bushes. The sun had nearly dropped behind the hills in Esquimalt, casting vivid yellow-orange light onto downtown. Bright pink clouds floated like cotton candy in the sky. If we kept going the Harbour would greet us in its gown of twinkling lights. My sunroom balcony had that view at every sunset. I turned towards the bench. I suddenly felt like I needed a break.

Jonah sat down next to me. He touched the side of my mouth and I jumped.

“Sorry; you had some ice cream …” he said sheepishly.

I wished I was the kind of girl who carried a mirror in my purse, but I knew better than to bother searching. I looked out at the ocean and the pink pieces of light floating on the water.

“You look tense.”

His arm slipped behind my back as I kept staring ahead. I turned to answer and found myself nose-to-nose with him.

About the AuthorChristine Hart is a writer of speculative fiction for youth and adults. She also runs an online metalsmithing shop, Hart Fabrications.

Christine’s backlist includes YA, NA, and MG titles. Her first collection of adult fiction, Weird Stories of Strange Women, is coming in 2026.

When not writing, she creates wearable art from recycled metals, vintage glass, and unusual gemstones. She shares her eclectic home with her husband and two children.

Hart Fabrications | Website | Bluesky | Instagram | TikTok | Amazon Author Page

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Perfect Vengeance by Tee O’Fallon – Spotlight and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Tee O’Fallon 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.

Trusting him could save her…or destroy her.

Robin Hood meets the Sopranos…an insanely dangerous scheme Gina Perot and her friends hatched to steal from the mob and donate the loot to a worthy cause. Successful Wall Street investment banker by day, cat burglar by night, Gina leads a double life. But she’s never forgotten how the mob and the FBI destroyed her family and ripped her life apart. Now it’s time for payback. Charity and revenge all rolled into one. Perfect. Until Gina’s scheme sends her crashing headfirst into a major FBI investigation and facing heavy-duty federal obstruction charges. And, the hottest, most frustrating man she’s ever met.

Stop stealing from the mob or else…is the order FBI Strike Force Special Agent Jack Gates gives Gina. But Jack quickly learns he can no sooner control a force of nature like Gina than he can control where a tornado sets down. Facing a court-ordered deadline, Jack needs Gina’s cat burglar skills to help him bring down a powerful Mafioso. He makes her an offer she can’t refuse: go to jail or work for him as an FBI cooperator. When the mob learns Gina’s been ripping them off, Jack is determined to keep her safe at all costs. Even if that means confessing his terrible secret and losing her forever.

 

Enjoy an Excerpt

She did not just do that. He actually had to squeeze his eyes shut for a second. When he reopened them, the view was the same. Creamy swells of the most perfect breasts peeked out of the laciest, sexiest black bra he’d ever laid eyes on.

His heart beat a little faster, and he prayed he didn’t get a colossal boner. Adding to his discomfort, that intoxicating scent of hers mingling with her natural body heat was like a warm vanilla-sugar bath. One he was on the brink of drowning in.

“What?” At her question, he snapped his eyes from her chest to her face. “I don’t have any pockets on this thing.”

“Yeah,” he muttered. “I see that.”

From the hallway, Kinsey snickered. Way too much amusement at his expense.

With the unsteady fingers of his good hand, he gently pressed the com kit’s power supply box against Gina’s taut abdomen. Heat from her bare skin seared his fingertips as he adjusted the box to fit into the hollow beneath her rib cage. “Hold that.” His voice sounded like someone had rubbed his vocal cords with sandpaper.

She held the box in place while he tugged her zipper up. With each tug, he had to reach inside her suit with his injured hand to keep threading the ear wire out the top of the material so it would reach to her ear. With every touch of his fingers on her soft skin, his body temp went up a degree. The same way it had yesterday when he’d gotten a good view of her shapely legs…those same legs that made him dream about dragging those incredible stockings off them with his teeth.

With a final tug, he yanked the zipper up to her neck and began hooking the earpiece around her ear. More sweat beaded on his forehead. If things got any hotter, his Glock would go off on its own. The woman didn’t seem to notice the torture she was inflicting on him. Or maybe she did, and that was part of her diabolical plan to exact revenge.

About the Author:

Tee O’Fallon is the bestselling, award-winning author of the K-9 Special Ops, Federal K-9, NYPD Blue & Gold Series, and FBI Strike Force Series. Tee spent twenty-three years as a federal agent conducting complex, long- and short-term criminal investigations, including undercover operations, across many agencies at the federal level, and four years conducting multi-state investigations as a police investigator. It felt only natural to combine her hands-on experience in the field with her love of romantic suspense. Tee has lived in New York State most of her life with a five-year stop in Colorado. When not writing, Tee enjoys cooking, gardening, chocolate, lychee martinis, and all creatures canine.

 

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Ten Things You Might Not Know About Lauren Wagner – Guest Blog and Giveaway

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

Ten Things You Might Not Know About Me

1. I want to climb Machu Picchu someday. Because what’s more fun than hiking up an ancient mountain and pretending you’re in enough athletic shape to actually pull it off? But seriously- it was the inspiration for my first book: Awaken.

2. Sleeping is basically my secret superpower. I can fall asleep anywhere, anytime. Meetings, planes, after five cups of coffee — boom, out like a light.

3. I’m all about that pitch-black, silent bedtime vibe. But my husband? He needs the TV on, like it’s his personal sleep podcast. I let him win because, well, love means suffering through reruns of bad television.

4. I wasn’t much of a reader until after college. Before that, everything I read was always for a school assignment, and I never picked up anything unless it was required reading. Back then, I read things at the surface level and never thought about what the words actually meant. Once turned into an “actual reader,” I felt so guilty about it that I went back and reread everything from my high school and middle school reading lists. I had missed out on so much, and I promised myself that I would never again take a book for granted.

5. I wish I could sing.

6. I hate the smell of ketchup.

7. If I could choose another career, I’d be an archaeologist. Digging up history and wearing a hat? Sign me up. History is where I find most of my inspiration. The world is covered by so much forgotten knowledge, buried beneath layers of earth and time. Every artifact is like a puzzle piece, waiting to reveal the stories of those who came before us. I love the idea of uncovering secrets that have been hidden for centuries—reconstructing lives from the fragments they left behind. It’s like being part detective, part historian, and part adventurer.

8. Hiking is my happy place. Give me dirt trails, fresh air, and a good view — I’m in heaven.

9. Music is my muse. When a song gets stuck in my head, it’s usually a sneaky little story begging to be written.

10. Outer space terrifies me. All that empty blackness? No thanks. I prefer to keep my feet firmly on the ground and avoid thinking about floating alone in the void.

Following a catastrophic nuclear war, Sara lives in a town where the government controls every drop of water. Strict rationing tightly regulates residents’ lives, and to fall sick is to be executed. Sara’s life becomes more dangerous and complicated when she first hides and cares for a small boy who has fallen sick, then takes him in when his parents are taken by the authorities.

Determined to care for the helpless child while struggling to keep alive the memory of her long-dead best friend, Sara leans on her friend’s older brother, Josh, an employee of the domineering water company that controls the water rationing. But Josh is under suspicion, and the city’s enforcement unit begins to observe their daily activities. Despite knowing that she’d be executed if her actions were known, Sara finds herself deeply and distressingly attracted to the lead investigator, navigating a complicated romance and finding a glimmer of hope in a world long dominated by fear and control.

Enjoy an Excerpt

United Region Water Laws: Established May 2167
Water restoration and conservation laws formed with the intent to restore and maintain the physical and biological integrity of the nation’s waters are our nation’s highest priority. Any ill citizens will be removed from government-proclaimed safety zones for the public’s well-being.

Black SUVs line the street, their dark tinted windows and their sparkling silver rims reflecting impending doom. But the windows cannot keep out the screams. Not the cries, nor the banging from inside the vehicles. It’s random health inspection day, and dozens of citizens have already failed, by the count of SUVs.

Josh stands to greet me with a kiss on the cheek, his silence speaking louder than words. I smile back and try to ignore the ominous SUV’s and to ignore what is happening.

“Sit down. Don’t draw any more attention to yourself than necessary,” Josh says.

My pulse is pounding, and my chest rises and falls quicker than I can control. Sweat drips from my brow. My stomach is tied in knots. I assess my body for early signs of illness. No sore throat. No muscle aches. No nausea. All I can do is wait in silence. Our words would be lost anyway, so I sit down at the table.

About the Author: Lauren Wagner’s love for reading started as a young adult after discovering her town’s public library. After carrying out piles of books at a time, and re-reading them over and over again, she discovered her love for writing. She writes fantasy and science fiction as well as post-it notes about her future stories.

She grew up in the western suburbs of Chicago where she presently resides with her husband and two children. She currently teaches upper elementary students to love and obsess over written works of art.

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What My Book is About and Why People Should Read It by Robert Bruce Adolph – Guest Blog and Giveaway

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

What My Book is About and Why People Should Read It

My book is the true story of my experiences on humanitarian and peacekeeping missions for the United Nations. I dealt with child-soldiers, blood diamonds, a double hostage-taking, an invasion by brutal guerrillas, an emergency aerial evacuation, a desperate hostage recover mission, tribal gunfights, refugee camp violence, suicide bombings, and institutional corruption. My UN career brought me face to face with the best and worst of human nature and I share it all in my book.

You will find my story lives up to its promise of “violence, corruption, betrayal and redemption” during my years as a senior United Nations security chief in the most difficult and demanding security region on the planet. As a former Green Beret and retired lieutenant colonel I explain the distinctions between soldiering, peacekeeping, and working for UN humanitarian and development agencies as I discuss my career which took me to Liberia, Yemen, Sierra Leone, Iraq, and more. Beyond corruption and bureaucratic inefficiencies, I encountered many life-and-death challenges. The most devastating was the jihadist bombing of the UN Headquarters in Baghdad in 2003.

After that suicide bombing, I was deeply angry and hurt. There were twenty-two dead and over one-hundred fifty wounded, including my wife. The people that were to blame never faced accountability for their lack of action. I had to set the record straight by telling the truth, no matter the personal cost. I felt the call to action because nobody else would. I had never felt so alone and utterly vulnerable in my life.

What may make my book a page-turner is that every word is real. Every emotion is raw. Every mistake has consequences. Contrary to popular belief, death seldom has meaning. Violence is often proven stupid. And, finally, justice is not always served. Reality, when reading it, cannot be denied, and is recognized by readers. The lessons learned are invaluable.

This is the astonishing true story of a US Army Special Forces soldier who became a warrior for peace. In his humanitarian and peacekeeping missions for the United Nations he dealt with child-soldiers, blood diamonds, a double hostage-taking, an invasion by brutal guerrillas, an emergency aerial evacuation, a desperate hostage recovery mission, tribal gunfights, refugee camp violence, suicide bombings, and institutional corruption. His UN career brought him face to face with the best and worst of human nature and he shares it all here.

Enjoy an Excerpt

The unarmed variety of peacekeeping is a different sort of military mission. UN member states provide officers to serve as military observers. The most common term is UNMO, short for UN Military Observer. The general mission statement is to “observe and report.” UNMOs observe the status of the peace and write reports for the gratification of the UN Security Council that establishes the mandate under which the mission operates. Essentially, unarmed UNMOs are placed on the ground between former belligerents. Their lives are then held hostage to the peace process. Although little-reported, it is not uncommon for military observers to die in the performance of their duties. I found this type of peacekeeping service, in the abstract, to be an honorable endeavor. The reality, though, was sometimes something else entirely. As a matter of historical import, approximately three thousand eight hundred peacekeepers have died in the performance of their duties around the globe.

Another type of peacekeeping involves the use of armed battalions. I had seen this permutation in 1990 while serving with UN Observer Group-Lebanon in the form of the UN Interim Forces in Lebanon, and two years later with the UN Transitional Authority in Cambodia. My future mission would combine elements of both UNMOs and armed battalions.

The key assumption on the part of the UN Security Council when establishing a peacekeeping mission is that there is a genuine peace to keep. That assumption proved false in several countries.

About the Author: Robert Bruce Adolph is a retired UN Chief Security Advisor & US Army Special Forces Lieutenant Colonel. He holds master’s degrees in both International Affairs (Middle East Studies) from American University’s School of International Service and National Security Studies and Strategy from the US Army’s Command and General Staff College.

Adolph served nearly 26-years in multiple Special Forces, Counterterrorism, Psychological Operations, Civil Affairs, Foreign Area Officer, and Military Intelligence command and staff assignments in the US and overseas. He also volunteered to serve on UN peacekeeping missions in Egypt, Israel, Cambodia, Iraq and Kuwait.

After he retired from active military service in 1997, he began a second career as a senior UN Security Advisor. Among his positions he served as the Chief of the Middle East and North Africa in the UN Department of Safety and Security.

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Rufus and the Dark Side of Magic by Marilyn Levinson – Spotlight and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour. Marilyn Levinson will be awarding a paperback copy of the book to a randomly drawn winner.

Fifth grader Rufus is unhappy when he has to attend a Samhain celebration with his mother, Grandma, and Aunt Ruth instead of going Trick or Treat with his friends. He’s thrilled when, later that night, his Uncle Hector shows up outside his window and offers to take him for a ride in the sky. Rufus’s family have told him that his uncle is evil and he should have nothing to do with Hector, but Rufus is enthralled by his uncle’s fabulous realm that includes a small zoo and a stable of horses. He’s less interested in learning about his uncle’s businesses that he, as his uncle’s heir apparent, will inherit one day. Then Uncle Hector tells Rufus he has to do something for him, something Rufus finds impossible to do. Uncle Hector wields his magical powers to force Rufus’s hand, but Rufus’s little sister finds out and encourages him to ask for help. It’s Grandma who decides what they must do, and it’s not something Uncle Hector ever thought would happen.

Enjoy an Excerpt

Mrs. Brewster poked her head in the room to say it was time to come outside and watch the fireworks. We traipsed through the kitchen and out onto the Brewsters’ patio that faced their enormous backyard. Many adults were already in their seats, but Mr. Brewster, who wasn’t a witch, led us to the very first row. Then he went to talk to the men who would be setting off the fireworks.

The display was spectacular. We oohed and ahed as multi-colored bursts of light exploded in every conceivable shape. Ten minutes into the show, a band of yellow light more dazzling than any we’d seen so far spanned the sky. It arced over the Brewsters’ backyard and turned into a rainbow so brilliant I found myself blinking.

Silence fell. The fireworks died away. No one moved. All eyes were glued on the figure gliding through the air who came to stand atop the rainbow.

There could be no doubt he was a witch. He was dressed in black like us, except for his voluminous cape, which was bright red, the color of blood. He spread the cape wide, holding an end in each outstretched hand and bowed. A communal gasp—half-shock, half-disapproval—rose from the adults behind me. We stared, transfixed, as a young male witch fluttered about before coming to stand beside him.

“Greetings, my fellow sorcerers,” the older witch intoned. “We have come to wish you Good Samhain.”

His keen gaze sliced through the crowd seeking something, someone. A current coursed through me when his eyes met mine. He nodded, and I found myself nodding back.

Suddenly his right leg buckled and he stumbled. The young witch reached out to support him. Angry, the older witch brushed him away. His young companion vanished as awkwardly as he’d arrived.

Alone now, the older witch gave us a mocking smile as he and the rainbow faded from sight.

I was left thrilled, mystified, and frightened. Who was this powerful witch, and what did he want with me?

About the Author: A former Spanish teacher, Marilyn Levinson writes mysteries, novels of suspense, and books for kids. Marilyn’s middle grade novel, Rufus and Magic Run Amok, was an International Reading Association-Children’s Book Council “Children’s Choice.” A new edition, the first book in a series of four, came out in 2023. Rufus and the Witch’s Drudge, the second book in the Rufus series, was released in 2024. Her YA horror, The Devil’s Pawn, came out in a new edition in January, 2024. Soon to be published are new editions of And Don’t Bring Jeremy, which received six state nominees, and Getting Back to Normal.

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The Atrocities of Hope by Michael Olukayode – Guest Blog and Giveaway

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

Nigeria is dealing with a level of disorderliness that is neither compatible with functionality nor with long life. Our problems did not start today; they have been with us for as long as we have existed as a country. But just like a disorder left untreated, our problem has incapacitated us, and the rate of deterioration is currently becoming alarming.

The long-term survival of our country is no longer as assured as it used to be. We are on a slippery slope with nothing to hold on to.

This book attempts to answer the ‘what’, ‘why’, ‘who’, and ‘what is next’ of our problems. As is always the case when truths are discussed, be ready to be offended.

But if you are open-minded enough to be offended and not switch off and open-minded enough to be offended and keep reading – you might learn one or two things at the end of this book.

Read an Excerpt

Nigeria as a country has been on a downward trend for decades, and anyone in touch with reality can see this. Of course, some will cloak wishful thinking with the shawl of patriotism or deny by faith the level of suffering going on in the country today, but it only takes an honest reflection for even the most positive ‘patriot’ to accept that things are not going well for our nation and that the probability of a better tomorrow is non-existent . . . if we continue down the same path.

Like most Nigerians, discussing the problems of Nigeria and praying for its peace, progress, and prosperity have been parts of my life since I have been old enough to think and pray.

But despite all the prayers, Nigeria has maintained its downward journey. Being burdened with an inquisitive mind and the ability to think about thoughts, I have contemplated the Nigeria question from an early age. I have always asked: Why are Nigeria’s better days always in the past?

Why does Nigeria keep going backward despite all the fasting and prayers?

I eventually outgrew fasting and praying for Nigeria to work—because I knew prayer without work is a waste of time and energy—but despite stopping the prayers and the fasting, I could not stop thinking about the ‘whys’ of our problems.

About the Author:

Michael, a self-described realist with a touch of cynicism, is a UK-based, Nigerian-trained psychiatrist and the author of The Atrocities of Hope: An Analysis of the ‘Nigeria Problem.’

Michael’s lived experience in Nigeria, his inquisitive mind, and his ability to pull back and observe despite being involved combine well with his skills as a mental health expert to create this work.

Michael is a fellow of the West African College of Physicians, the Faculty of Psychiatry, and is an affiliate member of the Royal College of Psychiatry. He plies his trade as a psychiatrist in the Northwest of England. He describes himself as a member of a speciality that helps you in the fight against your worst enemy: yourself.

Michael is a husband, a father, a brother, an uncle, a friend, a neighbour, a member of the public, a lover of music, and a lover of movies and books.

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/drkay18

Twitter: http://www.instagram.com/drkay18

Theads: https://www.threads.com/@drkay18

Amazon: https://amazon.com/dp/1779626762
Better World Books: https://www.betterworldbooks.com/product/detail/9781779626769
Waterstones: https://www.waterstones.com/book/9781779626769

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Writing Books About Bands by William Campbell Powell – Guest Blog and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. William Campbell Powell 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.

Writing Books About Bands

Books about bands – is that even a thing? I mean, isn’t it all about music, and how can you even do music in a book?

So let’s hit that first point. Yes, it’s definitely a thing, and it goes back quite a way. Importantly, it’s still happening now. Here’s a short list:

• The Commitments (Roddy Doyle, 1987)
• Espedair Street (Iain Banks, 1987)
• Knife Edge (Malorie Blackman, 2004)
• The Haters (Jesse Andrews, 2016)
• Daisy Jones & The Six (Taylor Jenkins Reid, 2019)
• The Final Revival of Opal & Nev (Dawnie Walton, 2021)

Two of those have been turned into films / TV series (The Commitments, Daisy Jones) and Espedair Street was adapted for radio.

So those three, at least, have had music written, whether at the time of publication or subsequently. The other three, I’ve not been able to find their songs on the web.

Before I continue, let me say I’ve been in bands, playing a variety of instruments, and writing songs since I was 15. So I think I’ve acquired some relevant skills (else I wouldn’t be writing this post).

So, why do we write about bands?

First of all, because music, singing and playing together, is an integral part of being human. It’s probable that song is older than human speech. Song is transcendent – it touches our soul in ways that few other human activities approach.

Secondly, because bands have become a global phenomenon, reaching across cultures. The emergence of ‘pop’ music in the 1950s, supported by radio and the new medium of TV – and the availability of affordable mass-produced instruments, brought music creation back into the reach of ordinary people.

Since then musical talent has emerged from everywhere, from the street corners of Detroit, to a chance meeting at a fete in the suburbs of Liverpool.

We love stories of journeys from humble origins to stardom (and the reverse).

From the writer’s perspective, bands are almost purpose-made for conflict.

• Bands are pressure cookers, hothouses. The band members are forced into proximity, whether they’re in a studio, recording, on stage, performing, or in a vehicle, touring. They can’t escape from each other. Even the smallest irritations are magnified.
• So we get conflicts over ego, over fame, over money, over sex. (And drugs, and rock’n’roll)
• We see jealousy, infidelity, rivalry, addiction, overdoses. Age and infirmity. Death.

Journalists, too, love bands for all the above reasons – they sell.

So bands give writers the ingredients for great stories. The only problem is, how do you convey music in a book? There’s no audio. It’s a book.

The obvious solution is to use songs everyone knows. The drawback is that most popular songs are under copyright, and fair use doesn’t apply in many legal jurisdictions.

When I wrote my first novel – Expiration Day – I went through the process of enquiring about using song lyrics (and poetry). Generally the copyright agent asks you how many copies you think you might print. They then think up an eyewatering number. You try to bargain, but the agent holds all the cards.

So authors end up writing their own.

Unfortunately, it’s a different skill from writing prose. (It’s also a different skill from writing poetry.) It can take years to acquire. Which is why, I guess, there aren’t that many books with songs.

Why and where do you insert a song?

So let’s turn to my new book, Teardown, and look at some of the songs, in context.

‘The Hall of Fallen Angels’ was written as a proxy for ‘Dark End of the Street’, which is a song about adultery: two lovers, meeting in secret, deceiving their spouses. In Teardown, Dom proposes it to get Kai duetting with her. She’s playing with Kai, raising Eros, to see if Kai reacts. Then she does the same with Neale, but it’s still Kai she wants to react. And it’s in the hothouse of rehearsal, and performance. Kai can’t escape.

‘Cross/Don’t Cross’ is similar – but part of Dom’s performance to the audience, and again it seeks a reaction from the audience. It is deliberately provocative and seductive, and Kai knows exactly what is at the heart of it – Dom manoeuvred Kai into co-writing it.

‘I Come From the Blues’ justifies its place on very different grounds. It’s there as a clue to the whole mystery of Dom. How does such a powerful, sexy singer come to choose Kai’s very ordinary blues band? I won’t say more (spoilers!).

‘Drinking Song’ is there to help break down barriers between the band and the audience at the pivotal gig of the tour. It’s the so that, when the next day the guests decide to go off together for something a little more social, it’s more natural that the band gets invited along too.

‘I’ve Got the Blues, I Ain’t Worried’ – I have to admit is just there for colour. It doesn’t really advance the plot or develop the characters. So there goes my thesis. But it’s just two verses.

There is a sixth song – a significantly modified version of ‘Whiskey in the Jar’, for duet singing. It does play a minor part in the plot, acting as a trigger for Kai to go and write ‘Drinking Song’. But the original tune and words go back to an old folk song, well out of copyright. Those songs are fine (and free).

So there we have it. Most times the band plays blues standards, referenced simply by their titles. But when you need something more substantial, it’s time to dig deep and write original material.

But, you say, I can’t hear them. It’s just poetry.

But you can hear them. Because I’ve recorded the five songs, to a reasonable demo standard and I’ve put them on my website at https://bit.ly/TeardownMusic. You don’t need any subscription to listen to them – though they are copyright. If you’re in a band, or a solo singer, there are chords, and you can pick out the melody from the mp3.

Have a listen. Have a sing.

Growing up in a dead-end, Thames Valley town like Marden Combe, Kai knows there’s no escape without a lot of talent, hard work—and luck.

Two weeks before the Clayton Paul Blues Band plans to set out on tour to Germany, their singer quits, and drummer Kai takes matters in hand. With bandmates Jake and Jamie, they recruit a talented new singer—the enigmatic Dominique—as the new face of the band and set out on the road to Berlin in a rickety white van.

Dogged by mishaps and under-rehearsed, the band stumbles through their first shows, zig-zagging between chaos and brilliance. But as the first gig in Berlin draws near, the band begins to gel. They’re clicking with their audience, and even the stone-hearted Kai starts to crumble under the spell, first of Dom and then…of Lars.

As the end of the tour approaches, Kai must make hard choices. Dom? But she’s keeping a dark secret. Lars? Not after the acrimony of their last parting. The band? Or will that dream crumble too?

Enjoy an Excerpt

The bus stank of commuters. It wasn’t like a night bus, granted, but the mix of sweat and cheap scent—and the pungency of diesel—was another reminder of how much I hated Marden Combe.

A Thames Valley town like every other Thames Valley town, Marden Combe had a posh, blingy bit, where the bankers, footballers, and celebrity chefs lived. The rest ran the spectrum from dilapidated through demolished to barely affordable modern rabbit hutches. The old town centre was closing down, and the new shopping centre was gridlock hell.

The bus lurched and swung left, past a school named for a long-dead parliamentarian. Or possibly a royalist. I ought to know; it had been my old school till I’d turned sixteen. But it had all seemed irrelevant to the more immediate problem of not getting picked on for being different. There were a dozen ways and more to be different, whether it was for being too ugly, too geeky, too slow on the uptake, too shy, too dark, not dark enough, having a funny accent, or a fundy religion, or being neurodivergent, being too posh, being too poor, liking the wrong music, or football team, or playing oddball sports, or using last year’s tech; not liking girls, not liking boys, not liking either, liking both. Plus others, plus combinations. By more than one marker, I was weird, and I hadn’t always kept my head down. But there’d definitely been no bullying at Sir Long-Dead-Parliamentarian School. Or Royalist, as the case may be. Oh no.

That didn’t come close to summing up the suffocating, hope-crushing, soul-sucking, shit-brown hole that is Marden Combe. I needed to escape.

If I had a plan, it was that music would save me…

About the Author: William lives in a small Buckinghamshire village in England. By night he writes speculative, historical, crime and other fiction. His debut novel, EXPIRATION DAY, was published by Tor Teen in 2014 and won the 2015 Hal Clement Award for better than half-decent science in a YA novel—the citation actually says “Excellence in Children’s Science Fiction Literature”.

William’s latest novel – TEARDOWN – was published 10th December 2024, by NineStar Press in the US; it is an LGBT+ romance/road-trip.

His short fiction has appeared in DreamForge, Metastellar, Abyss & Apex and other outlets.
By day he writes software for a living and in the twilight he sings tenor, plays guitar and writes songs.

Author Website | Book Website | Facebook | Instagram | Bluesky

Buy the book here. The book will be on sale for $0.99

My comps for the book:

The novel combines elements of LGBTQIA+ romance with Road Trip fiction, and – with its focus on music – might sit alongside Taylor Jenkins Reid’s ‘Daisy Jones and the Six’ (2016) or Dawnie Walton’s ‘The Final Revival of Opal & Nev’ (2022), or – with its focus on (Kai’s) gender-ambiguity and relationships – near Camille Perry’s ‘When Katie Met Cassidy’ (2018) or Beth O’Leary’s ‘The Road Trip’ (2022).

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Only in September by Cynthia Flowers – Spotlight and Giveaway

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

When Jacqueline follows her trusty Labrador Bailey down a hidden path to the beach, she’s unaware that her vacation plans on a small island off the New England coast has already taken her life in a new direction. Running into an unassuming local beach comber stirs new thoughts, desires, and a self-determination she never knew she possessed. Jacqueline will need to trust her instincts and make the most of what fate has in store if she wants the future that, until now, she has only dared to dream of.

Enjoy an Excerpt

The ferry was taking its sweet time making its way to Block Island.

Time is the ultimate dictator. Where did I hear that? I couldn’t have just come up with that one on my own.

Jacqueline French grabbed one of the last outside seats on the Block Island Ferry. It had only left Point Judith, RI, ten minutes ago, but for her, it seemed like ten hours ago. This would be her fourth September visiting this tiny tear drop-shaped island nestled between the south coast of Rhode Island and Montauk Point, located at the eastern tip of the south fork of Long Island, New York.

Over the last several years, both Montauk Point and Block Island had become popular and expensive vacation destinations for well-to-do Manhattanites. They came seeking a reprieve from the overly manicured crowds who flocked every summer to the more fashionable vacation locale known collectively as the Hamptons.

She always preferred visiting Block Island this time of year, after many of the Labor Day vacation stragglers dispersed and the kids were back at school. Although there were still a fair number of visitors, the din of racing mopeds was confined mostly to the weekends. Thanks to Michael, who she met on her first trip to Block Island, she came to know virtually every back road and trail on this seven-mile-long by three-mile-wide island. Beyond its beauty, Jacqueline’s deeper connection with the island was its shape. She shed many tears lately over the fate of her marriage and the direction her life had taken.

About the Author: Cynthia Flowers, a recently retired advertising professional, now grant writer, resides with her husband and four-year old Labrador named Eddie, at their “sanctuary” in Upstate New York, Although previously published, this is Cynthia’s first book of fiction. Early on in grade school, Cynthia looked forward to creative writing class and enjoyed reading her stories aloud to her eager classmates.

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Discover What Lessons Author Dacy Alex Learned from His Main Character – Guest Blog and Giveaway

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

What lessons can I learn from the main character of Splendificent, Giselle Nyfall? Well, rather than tell you what I learned from her. Let’s let her tell you HERSELF what you can learn from her? Take it away, Giselle!

Giselle sez:

Okay,Dacy-Kun! When it comes to sexual lessons, Giselle Nyfall is a veritable sensei! First and foremost, communication is key. Whether it’s discussing boundaries, preferences, or that new position you saw in a hentai manga, talking about it openly is essential. It’s like when you’re playing a multiplayer game, and you need to strategize with your teammates to take down the final boss. You gotta make sure everyone’s on the same page, right?

And don’t be afraid to mix things up and try new positions! It’s like when you’re playing a fighting game and you discover a new combo that absolutely wrecks your opponents. You gotta keep ’em guessing, right? So, whether it’s trying out a new angle or experimenting with different speeds, variety is the spice of life. Oh, and don’t be shy about using your surroundings to your advantage! Furniture, walls, countertops… the world is your oyster, and every surface is a potential new secret level to unlock!

Also, if there’s one thing Giselle Nyfall knows, it’s how to embrace her inner nerd and let her freak flag fly! Being a dorky bimbo isn’t just about the big boobs and cute outfits; it’s about owning your passions and unapologetically loving what you love. Whether it’s gaming, anime, or writing fan fiction, I say go for it with full throttle! Life’s too short to worry about what others think. So, embrace your inner weeb and let those nerd flags soar!

Another lesson I can impart is the importance of friendship and teamwork. Sure, I may be the protagonist of my own story, but that doesn’t mean I can’t share the spotlight with my supernatural squad! We’re like the ultimate JRPG party, each bringing our unique skills and personalities to the table. Together, we take on whatever challenges come our way, whether it’s saving the world or just having a girls’ night in. So, cherish your friends, support them, and don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it. After all, even the most powerful mage needs a tank and a healer by their side!

Hell on Heels and Death by D Cup
This raw and naughty book brings together the first two Splendificent novels in one ENORMOUS package…

Not that type of enormous package!

I swear.

Splendificent 1:

California cutie Giselle Nyfall arrives at the Big Apple to attend liberal arts college, Hemera University. But, when a computer glitch lands her with four extraordinary young women as roommates Giselle’s sheltered world is blown away.

These Hotties are supernatural aristocracy, the magical one percent: an elf princess who decapitates as well as she pirouettes, the B.B. gun-toting daughter of the Tooth Fairy, a glamorous and gold-digging fox spirit with thickness in all the right places, and a vampire-succubus hybrid with a bad gambling problem and a blood-soaked family tree.

This Hot Squad uncovers a demonic curse threatening New York City’s human elite orchestrated by denizens of the Christian Hell. The only cure? The five stunners themselves!

Splendificent 2:

The Hot Squad members must battle supernatural mercenaries, contend with a portal to the underworld, avoid demonic death traps and thwart a nefarious prince hellbent on fulfilling an ancient prophecy and bringing on the death of one Squad member who happens to be his sister. All difficult assignments when they’re constantly losing their skimpy clothes and falling into the arms of hot studs and each other!

Will Giselle and her voluptuous companions come together to triumph over the forces of evil? Does the family that slays together stay together? Find out in the sexy, hilarious and politically incorrect Splendificent 2!

WARNING:

This book is absolutely not for anyone under the age of 18! You, Mister 17 years and 364 days old? Move along, son, move along.

Enjoy an Excerpt

The girls took a seat at a newly vacated table with the stares and whispers following them, some appreciative, some jealous, and some downright hostile. Giselle fidgeted with the hem of her skirt, feeling her nerves get the better of her.

“Quit tugger’in on your skirt, Giselle,” Dusty snapped. “It ain’t gonna get any longer.”

Giselle’s cheeks flushed, and she laughed weakly, smoothing out her skirt self-consciously.

“I’m gonna go find us some answers,” Dusty declared, her doe eyes narrowed as she scanned the room. “You girls keep your pretty little eyes peeled for anyone actin’ sus.”

With that, Dusty strutted off, her blonde curls bouncing as she approached a group of burly men in the corner. Giselle watched, impressed by Dusty’s fearlessness, but also a little worried for her friend’s safety. Surely, someone so teeny posed only a microscopic threat to any opponents?

“This place is uncivilized,” Tristabelle remarked, her nose wrinkled in distaste. “I do not understand why anyone would frequent such an establishment…oooh look an automaton bull! How lovely!”

The girls were faced with trying to stop Tristabelle from charging ahead at the mechanical bull resting to the dance floor’s right. A chubby ginger in tank top and body glitter just tumbled off to the padding bellow, cursing her luck.

“Fairies were not meant to handle the mystical brilliance of living machines,” Princess Tristabelle noted to the sulking ginger.

“Excuse me? My mom and dad are on the council. Do you know that?” The woman hissed.

“Underestimate a princess of Golden Land all you wish, fool! Filthy Commoner, to me!” Princess Tristabelle pointed a long, seemingly magical finger at Giselle.

“Why do I have to be filthy?”

“When’s the last time you bathed?” Fleur quipped.

“I…I…I’m getting around to it! It’s been a busy day!”

About the Author: Dacy Alex is an author that has also taken home several screenwriting awards under a different name. Dacy loves the possibilities of the supernatural but also the inherent weirdness of the everyday world and likes to combine the two whenever possible. Dacy likes to focus his stories on new adults, which might explain why he can subsist on a steady diet of classic CW shows. The 100 and The Originals are the best ones don’t argue with me plz k thx bye. Dacy’s an avid video gamer; Dacy’s favorite games are Final Fantasy X-2 and Persona 4: Golden. I’ll be a contrarian and say I’ve never played a Dark Souls like game and I don’t wanna! Oops, I forgot I was doing this in third person

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