Saving La Familia by Donna Del Oro – Q&A and Giveaway

March 15, 2022 By 8 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

What is something you’ve lied about?

–Money.

Who is the last person you hugged?

–My husband.

What are you reading now?

–Ken Follett’s WW II spy novel ,The Key to Rebecca.

How do you come up with the titles to your books?

–I don’t know but it’s linked to the whole creative process. My FBI series had the word “Lies” in each of the three titles (A Bodyguard of Lies, Lies in Wait, Where Danger Lies) but the word carries a double meaning, which I liked.

Share your dream cast for your book.

–Dina Salazar would be played by a young Hispanic actress, probably Jessica Alba or Selena Gomez; the same for Rick Ramos, maybe Wilmer Valderrama or Michael Trevino. Or a young Benjamin Bratt!

A romantic suspense comedy set in Silicon Valley, a young Latina teacher, Dina Salazar, is asked by her Mexican-born grandmother to rescue her cousins from a dangerous Mexican drug cartel. After all, her stern grandmother tells her, she is the “smart one” in the family. To do so, she has to recruit help from her hated ex-fiance. What’s a girl to do when “la familia” calls?

SAVING LA FAMILIA by Donna Del Oro, about a latina teacher who’s recruited by her Mexican-born grandmother to save her cousins from a dangerous Mexican drug cartel. It’s a romantic-suspense comedy with many “buen dichos”!

Enjoy an Excerpt

Grandma Gómez—”Life is like an artichoke. It takes a lot of peeling to get to the heart of things.”

How did I, in three short months, get to the heart of my Mexican-American family? It wasn’t easy, believe me. Especially since I was the family’s desgraciada. The disgraced one. Ever since I turned eighteen and had my legal name changed from Dolores—which means aches and pains in Spanish—to Dina. My namesake, Grandma Dolores Gómez, refused to speak to me or acknowledge my existence for about a year after the name change. Before that, I was simply the family brat and rebel. The know-it-all.

But you see, Grandma was the heart of the matter. And the big, dark secrets she kept closed up in her heart all got ex- posed in those tumultuous months. And before I could blink and realize what was happening, I was roped into a scheme to rescue cousins I never knew I had out of the deadly clutches of a Mexican drug cartel. Why was I chosen, you ask? Me, Dina Salazar, the desgraciada? A single schoolteacher with a long line of loser-boyfriends? How did I end up looking up the barrel of a cartel commando’s automatic weapon? Come along with me and I’ll tell you.

About the Author: Donna Del Oro lives in Northern California with her husband and three cats. She taught high school and community college English classes for 30+ years and is now happily retired. When not doing research, writing novels, or reading voraciously, she travels and sings with the medal winning Sacramento Valley Chorus.

Donna is a member of Capitol Crimes, the Sacramento chapter of Sisters in Crime in addition to the Valleyrose chapter of the RWA. She has judged RITA entries and does developmental editing on the side. Two of her novels, Operation Familia and Born To Sing, have won national and international awards.

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How I Became a Writer by Vivianne Knebel – Guest Post and Giveaway

March 14, 2022 By 6 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Vivianne Knebel will be awarding a $10 Amazon 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 I Became a Writer

My secret to writing is a complete absence of helplessness and discontentment which affects so many of the old. Writing has a healing effect! There is an increased sense of well being.

When I started writing my memoir, I engaged in the process of reflection. Not only reviewing past events but finding a connection between them and drawing valuable lessons from them.
I wanted to take the readers by the hand and walk them through my past. My memoir explores some deeply sobering moments from my life. In order to do that, I realized I faced vulnerability. In order not to cheat the reader I had to be truthful and bear all.

I believe it is important for the writer to be open and let people see them! Deeply see them!
Vulnerability builds bridges and connects with the reader. Vulnerability is the courage to do something that frightens us.

We all at one point face difficult and trying times. Pain and suffering are part of life. Without it, there can be no life!

In my book, I am taking the reader through experiences that look just like their own, with the disposition that can shift their hearts and minds. The purpose is key! Not only to do something good for ourselves but also for the world around us. That drive keeps me going, it keeps me alive. The fire inside me is always burning because I have a purpose and it gives meaning to my life. Writing is my purpose to help other people better their lives.

My books are a testament to the human struggle which we all face and my ultimate triumph in the face of adversity. It is a story about the hard and terrible realities of human life, but also of the beauty that’s always awaiting all of us, of love and of happiness. There is always something better for all of us. I guide and help people to reflect on their own lives.

Reading books changes people’s lives. So does writing them.

In her second book “Lessons Learned About Life and Love”, Vivianne shares some of the lessons she has learned from writers and thinkers such as Dr. Wayne Dyer and Dr. Viktor Frankl, weaving them into her own experiences in a compelling guide to living, loving and thriving in old age. Her insights offer proof that great wisdom is not gained only from the classroom or the lecture hall, and that one need not look far to understand the secrets to living well. From anecdotes about her everyday rituals to memories from her world travels, Vivianne captures the profound and often surprising moments of enlightenment that can be found right in front of us, if we only know where- and how-to look.

Enjoy an Excerpt

My book “Lessons Learned About Life And Love” is about my life experiences and how they were impacted by my mentors the philosophers and poets, who helped me make sense of the world. I applied their wisdom and it worked to help me gain the inner dignity of living a fully loved life. How I have come to love life, that same life which I had once sought to end at age 17. I learned early on how cruel life can be but also felt inspired by the beauty and love that always awaits all of us. The trials of my early life left their mark on me and I found a way to overcome the adversities of the world I was able to build a new life for myself, dealing with immigration and walking that long path of self-discovery and self-fulfillment. But that does not mean that I left all adversities behind me. We are in a constant cycle of ups and downs.

In my book, I write about my latest challenge having to face my husband’s severe illnesses. How it was almost touching and go. With positive hope and optimism, one can still find joy and meaning in life and how it can create miracles. This book is a guide to seek meaning even amidst tragedy. I write about the greatest power of love. Nurturing and a sense of responsibility are facets of love. Awareness of service is a state of mind that expresses love. With my unwavering hope, positivity, and devotion I hope to inspire my husband to hold on to that same faith and hope to overcome this latest challenge.

I want to give people the message to always hold onto hope, positivity, and faith, to stay determined, and to persevere. I guide people to cope with challenges in flexible ways. Challenges make us resilient and resilience breeds purpose. That is how we grow!

About the Author: Born an illegitimate child in the wake of WWII in Berlin, Nazi Germany to a single mother, Vivianne Knebel’s options were limited and her future looked bleak. She experienced poverty, cold, and hunger, and was even driven to the point of committing suicide. To seek out a better life, Vivianne immigrated to Canada as a teenager, but her misfortunes did not end there. However, in response to a miraculous intervention, she decided to preserve her life and keep moving forward.

After this incident, Vivianne met a fellow German immigrant, Wiland, who eventually became her husband. But even more than that, he became a catalyst for change in her life. His belief in her is what helped her see the true, immeasurable value of her life. She went on to play a key role in Wiland’s business venture and together they built a better future for each other.

Since then, Vivianne has run a marathon, learned to pilot a plane, and even beat cancer. She’s found a greater sense of spirituality and wants to share her story with the world, to remind people that there is always a reason to keep moving forward.

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The Hardest Part of Writing and What to Do About It by Bonni Goldberg – Guest Post and Giveaway

March 14, 2022 By 4 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Bonni Goldberg will be awarding a prize to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour, the winner can choose between a 30 minute coaching call, a Q&A Zoom with their group, or feedback on 3 double spaced pages of their work (via email). In addition, a free ebook about balancing writing & marketing will be given to everyone who enters the raffle. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

The Hardest Part of Writing and What to Do About It

I’ve written, taught writing, and hung out with writers for a few decades. Based on my experience and observations, the hardest part of writing is your attitude towards it. The best way I know to manage yours is this; think of your writing obstacles as salt.

Basically, salt is good. And so are your obstacles. But it depends on how you use both. Chemically, salt is necessary to maintain the health of your body and for you to thrive.

With no writing obstacles, you can’t evolve as a writer. Whether it’s a plot problem, a world-building issue, or your dislike of writing description, it’s through solving it you become a better writer.

Salt deficiency can lead to death.

Without writing challenges, you wouldn’t maintain passion for writing. It feels like the opposite: the challenges stifle your passion. You quit because you don’t know what to do. But most often, the issue is resistance to pivoting, experimenting, or asking for help.

Whether you’re a master of structure or content, humor or suspense, without having to work on some aspect of writing that stretches you, you will get bored and stop.

While salt enhances the flavor of foods, too much of it ruins the recipe. Your challenges and obstacles either enliven your relationship to writing or spoil it, depending on how you use them. If you don’t have enough time to write a novel, don’t give up. Write a short story for now.

Salt preserves foods that nourish people in times of need. The challenges your writing presents are some of the greatest gifts your writing offers you. One of America’s most preeminent short story writers, Grace Paley, wrote those stories because she couldn’t succeed as a poet.

Salt can torture people when rubbed into an open wound. When you see your obstacles as the enemy, they will damage your writing and deplete your energy and confidence. Instead, try welcoming a challenge the way you welcome its remedy. After all, they’re a package deal.

The hardest part of writing is approaching the blocks of salt with a grain of salt—knowing your writing challenges are your personal invitations to grow as a writer.

In The Write Balance, the companion book to the beloved bestseller, Room to Write, Bonni Goldberg demonstrates how to find fulfillment as a writer by embracing three key aspects of writing: 1) Percolation: what takes place before a first draft is written; 2) Revision: the writer’s role after the initial draft; and 3) Going Public: the writer’s mission once the writing is done. Filled with tools, examples and exercises, Bonni’s guide offers motives, choices, and encouragement for writers to appreciate and to be creative in the phases before and beyond a first draft. Whether you’re new to writing or a pro, become more passionate and balanced in your writing life.

Enjoy an Excerpt

I wrote my first writing book. Room to Write, to invite people to enter writing creatively, to trust their intuition and discover and use their tendencies, passions, and resistances as fodder for more writing. At that time people seemed to need to free up their innate creative juices and get the words flowing. Since then, at book appearances and during my workshops and writing courses, I’ve repeatedly had this experience: People thank me for helping them to trust themselves as writers and then ask me how to take the next step. What do you see as the next step? I ask.

Whether the answer had to do with getting an agent, writing longer works, feeling legitimate, or any of the many other facets of creative writing, the undertone was the same: a sense of longing or unrest about writing. It felt as if each person was saying to me, “Okay, I get the words out, I even trust them sometimes; now what?” This book is my answer…

The writers I know who are passionate and grounded, who truly love and respect their writing life, consciously attend to three aspects of writing that often get short shrift in the heat and excitement of raw creation: 1. Percolation—the process that takes place before a first draft takes shape 2. Revision—the writer’s role after the initial draft 3. Going Public—a writer’s mission once the writing is done.

About the Author: Bonni Goldberg is the author of The Write Balance: How to Embrace Percolation, Revision & Going Public, the companion book to the best-seller Room to Write: Daily Invitations to a Writer’s Life. Bonni is an award-winning poet and writer. She is the creator of the 2 Minute Journals™ series. Both traditionally and indie published, her books include non-fiction for adults and fiction and non-fiction for young readers. Her essays and blog posts can be found in numerous print and online publications.

Bonni teaches creative writing at colleges and leads writing workshops internationally for all ages. She knows everyone is creative, and she supports people to discover and share their authentic, meaningful and imaginative experiences through words.

Whether through her writings or through teaching, her methods and perspectives continue to empower thousands of adults, families, and children.

Bonni is also a Jewish educator. She speaks, writes, and leads workshops on Jewish topics such as Jewish identity, rituals and antisemitism at Jewish women’s events, JCCs, and conferences.

Bonni Goldberg lives in Portland, Oregon with her partner in life, and some creative projects, artist Geo Kendall.

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The making of a YA fantasy romance writer by April Marcom – Guest Blog and Giveaway

March 11, 2022 By 5 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. April Marcom will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

The making of a YA fantasy romance writer

It’s ironic that when I sat down to write my first novel, I didn’t plan on writing for any of these genres. Simply keeping it a Christian-based novel was all I had in mind. I’ve never liked reading or watching romance, although I do enjoy middle grade and young adult novels more than anything else. My love story with my high school sweetheart husband is so wonderful, why would I ever need to create another one? But once I started writing I couldn’t help but want my heroine to fall in love and live happily ever after. For every character I create, I look forward to every bit of their love story. It’s my favorite part of reading my past novels. That’s what really stirs my heart and makes it all a beautiful story for me.

Fantasy fell into place when I wrote ‘Good vs Evil High’. Before this story, I always thought of fantasy as the genre for medieval tales with wizards and elves. That’s not really my thing. As I wrote and studied more about this genre I found it includes any sort of magical realm or even a story set in a fantasy world with no magic included, like ‘Good vs Evil High’. I suppose I already knew that, I’d just never given it any thought before. My story ‘The Gingerbread Curse’ is full of fantasy and magic and romance.

As far as writing for a young adult audience, I think I realized pretty quickly this was the best thing for me. This age group has an endless world of possibilities ahead of them. They’re not tied down by boring, never-ending tasks like an adult. They’re still free from all that, and they don’t understand how everything works yet. Their personalities are stronger. Their high school drama is deeper. Looking back, it all seems natural that I would fall into these genres as an author. It was a fantastic surprise.

All her life, Falon’s grandfather told her the age-old tale of ‘The Gingerbread Man’. Even as a teenager, she’d fallen asleep to his favorite bedtime story, a special tradition she knew she’d never outgrow. However, when he makes a dying wish, asking her to visit a secret underground world of magic to rescue the best friend he left behind fifty years ago, the tale begins to come to life.

Setting out with her self-obsessed cousin and a cure for the magicked man with skin like gingerbread, she finds herself tangled within an adventure nothing like the story her grandfather always told.

Once having found the long lost man of her grandfather’s youth, her only hope of ever returning home, or even surviving his world, lies in the talons of a deadly hybrid she scarcely trusts. Together they must face the animals taken from the children’s tale and magicked into monsters, a man who can move mountains who is bent on killing them all, and a labyrinth rumored to have never allowed a survivor.

Enjoy an Excerpt

Hidden within the Evanish Mountains, there is a crevice that leads to an unknown world deep within our earth, where magic bleeds through the ground, transforming whatever it touches.
Over time, a great many wanderers have fallen into the enormous underground world, drawn in by its magic and turned into beings who look like they could have been made from gingerbread. The only way to escape is to face a maze filled with monsters and peril nearly impossible to survive.

Men have become lost until time consumed them. Others were destroyed and eaten by horses, by pigs, by oxen, or by whatever creature was unlucky enough to be touched by the magic of this underworld. It affects every sort of animal differently, but all are transfixed by the maze to crave the taste of the magicked man. The wind, as prey cuts through it, seems to chant:

“Run, run as fast as you can.

The moment you stop, you’re a dead man.”

None are worse than the vixens, however, a cache of female foxes with unparalleled speed and teeth that can cut through anything like butter.

Only a few have ever made it past them. The rare escapee is where the age-old tale of “The Gingerbread Man” originated, told differently from mouth to mouth. Not to mention that each “gingerbread man’s” tale is different.

About the Author:April Marcom works as a Pre-K teacher’s assistant, but her true passion is writing. When she’s not teaching or creating stories, she’s enjoying the country life with her car-obsessed husband and three fabulous children. She also enjoys rainy days, traveling, and her very rowdy dogs. April grew up a southern bell in Mississippi, but is now a proud Oklahoman.

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The Background of The Abdication by Justin Newland – Guest Blog and Giveaway

March 9, 2022 By 4 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish promotions. Justin Newland will be awarding a Paperback copy of the book (International giveaway) to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

*****

The Abdication is a novel than spans several genres – crime, thriller, speculative, and fantasy. Like my other novels, this one explores the human condition, and the fundamental questions of our existence. As a species, as Homo Sapiens Sapiens – that’s man the twice-wise – how are we doing so far? Where is mankind’s spiritual home? What does it look or feel like? Would we recognize it if we saw it?

To answer such questions, or even to begin to answer such questions, I needed to find a back story that allowed the characters, and particularly the main character, to explore and engage with them.

The town of Unity sits perched on the edge of a yawning ravine where, long ago, a charisma of angels provided spiritual succour to a fledgeling human race. Then mankind was granted the gift of free will and had to find its own way, albeit with the guidance of the angels. The people’s first conscious act was to make an exodus from Unity – they built a rope bridge across the ravine and founded the town of Topeth. For a time, the union between the people of Topeth and the angels of Unity was one of mutual benefit. After that early spring advance, there had been a torrid decline in which mankind’s development resembled a crumpled, fading autumnal leaf.

Following the promptings of an inner voice, Tula, a young woman from the city, trudges into Topeth. Her quest is to abide with the angels and thereby discover the right and proper exercise of free will. To do that, she has to cross the bridge – and overcome her vertigo.
Topeth is in upheaval; the townsfolk blame the death of a child on dust from the nearby copper mines. The priests have convinced them that a horde of devils have thrown the angels out of Unity and now occupy the bridge, possessing anyone who trespasses on it. Then there’s the heinous Temple of Moloch!

The Abdication is the story of Tula’s endeavour to step upon the path of a destiny far greater than she could ever have imagined.

Enjoy an Excerpt

A narrow path snaking down the steep slope linked the town to the bridge. Fearing the guards’ return, she hurried along the winding, uneven path. It was fine for mountain goats, but with her bad ankle and her walking stick, she was nowhere near as fleet of foot as they.

The bridge had a quietening effect, like a warm homecoming after a long absence. Ever since she had heard about the abandoned town of Unity, she had wanted to visit the place for herself. Within touching distance, she felt a keen sense of belonging, even though she had never been near it – until now.

A solitary wicker lantern sat in a cradle, shedding a pale light over a crescent-shaped area covered in flagstones that had been carved out of the side of the mountain. In the middle of it were the bridge pillars and a small wooden shack.

The bridge itself was a slender rope structure slung across the open chasm. Narrow matting formed the bridge deck wide enough for one person to cross. At least there were hand ropes. At the Topeth end, it was attached to two thick, green-coloured pillars. Fingers of mist rose out of the ravine, obscuring the Unity end of the bridge. The structure reminded her of a long, thin hammock tied between two pairs of massive tree trunks.

By the bridge entrance was a large sign:
‘THE DEVILS’ BRIDGE.
DO NOT CROSS.
IGNORE THIS WARNING AT YOUR PERIL.’

It was true. She had heard rumours about the bridge, about how predatory devils prowled the dip in the centre of the rope bridge. It was forbidden to cross it.

About the Author Justin Newland is an author of historical fantasy and secret history thrillers – that’s history with a supernatural twist. His stories feature known events and real people from history which are re-told and examined through the lens of the supernatural. He gives author talks and is a regular contributor to BBC Radio Bristol’s Thought for the Day. He lives with his partner in plain sight of the Mendip Hills in Somerset, England.

His Books
The Genes of Isis is a tale of love, destruction and ephemeral power set under the skies of Ancient Egypt. A re-telling of the Biblical story of the flood, it reveals the mystery of the genes of Isis – or genesis – of mankind. ISBN 9781789014860.

“The novel is creative, sophisticated, and downright brilliant! I couldn’t ask more of an Egyptian-esque book!” – Lauren, Books Beyond the Story.

The Old Dragon’s Head is a historical fantasy and supernatural thriller set during the Ming Dynasty and played out in the shadows the Great Wall of China. It explores the secret history of the influences that shaped the beginnings of modern times. ISBN 9781789015829.

‘The author is an excellent storyteller.” – British Fantasy Society.

Set during the Great Enlightenment, The Coronation reveals the secret history of the Industrial Revolution. ISBN 9781838591885.

“The novel explores the themes of belonging, outsiders… religion and war… filtered through the lens of the other-worldly.” – A. Deane, Page Farer Book Blog.

His latest, The Abdication (July, 2021), is a suspense thriller, a journey of destiny, wisdom and self-discovery. ISBN 9781800463950.

“In Topeth, Tula confronts the truth, her faith in herself, faith in a higher purpose, and ultimately, what it means to abdicate that faith.”
V. Triola, Coast to Coast.

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How Reading a Book Rewires Our Brain by David Amerland – Guest Blog and Giveaway

March 9, 2022 By 5 Comments

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

How Reading a Book Rewires Our Brain

The first recorded incident of organized book burning took place in the Roman Empire in the year 212 BC. The intent to destroy books as a means of preventing the spread of ideas deemed ‘dangerous’ and controlling the narrative of the past has been with us for, apparently, as long as there have been books which suggests that the organized opposition to a book that such as act represents, has little to do with its format and even maybe its contents and a heck of a lot with what it actually does to us, as people. Or rather what it does to our brain.

Consider, for a brief moment, the preposterous idea that a book’s content can change the way someone thinks. I call it preposterous because, until very recently, we had to assume that what made all the difference were the book’s content and given how after reading a book, especially a non-fiction one, we recall barely 10% of it considering a book a threat, logically speaking, must have been little more than a case of misplaced priorities. Picking easy targets, perhaps?

We now know that books work as more than just a means to passively transmit information to us. In order for the brain to access the information contained in a book it needs to first model the world of possibilities the book presents. In the case of a work of fiction, for instance, we model worlds where the choices of characters lead to affairs, romances, murders, wars, revolutions, empire building and coming-of-age situations. All of which we then use in a “what-if?” scenario in our own head to play out alternate options of reality that are not readily available or possible, even, to our experience of daily life.

Is the Dark Knight a vigilante operating outside the law, driven by his own personal childhood trauma or is he a selfless individual sacrificing his own peace of mind to protect those who are helpless and cannot protect themselves? How do we know the difference? Is there one between these two scenarios and what does this say about our sense of right and wrong and the moral code we live by?

It is in answering such questions that the brain proves its true power. Works of non-fiction arguably have an easier in as by default they model the real world and so present easier cases for our brains to model and experience internally. But that makes them also that much harder to dismiss. Non-fiction books contain ideas that subtly transform what we see when we look up from their pages.

Neuroscience tells us that the internal mental modelling that the brain carries out complex modelling processes that evolve the entire brain: emotions, dreams, values, fears, uncertainties as well as the factual aspects of the writing, all come together at once to create a seemingly seamless whole that readers can respond to.

The effects of all this processing are felt at a neural substrate level. As you’re reading these words, for instance, part of your brain is drawing on memories and experiences, you’re quietly seeking to remember instances where what you read changed what you do and you are then projecting some of your new understanding onto intended future plans, where you hope your newly acquired understanding and knowledge will improve your chances of success. What is happening is that you are now rewiring your brain to perform differently.

A rewired brain is a brain that’s changed, even if it cannot accurately recall the contents of the book that changed it. The ability of a book to shift perspective, affect values, change priorities and release insights is what those who want us to remain locked inside a fixed, controlled narrative fear the most. Shifting perspectives and changing values indicate the ability to think for ourselves and reassess what we see, hear and think. No autocratic or despotic regime has ever been comfortable with that nor, would they ever be.

The power and legitimacy of all such regimes, throughout history, has lain in their ability to control and then fix the narrative, creating fear to manage everyone’s emotions. Reality is never fixed. The emotions we feel are always nuanced. Thinking for our self is an intentional, goal-oriented task that says: “I can think. I am free.”

The process starts with a book you read.

Live your life the way you want to. Manage stress better. Be more resilient and enjoy meaningful relationships and better health. We all want that. Such life leads to better choices, better jobs, loving romantic partners, more rewarding careers and decisions that are fully aligned with our aims.

What stops us from getting all that is the complexity of our brain and the complicated way in which the external world comes together. The misalignment between the internal states we experience and the external circumstances we encounter often leads to confusion, a lack of clarity in our thinking and actions that are not consistent with our professed values.

Intentional is a gameplan. It helps us connect the pieces of our mind to the pieces of our life. It shows us how to map what we feel to what has caused those feelings, understand what affects us and what effects it has on us and determine what we want, why we want it and what we need to do to get it.

When we know what to do, we know how to behave. When we know how to behave we know how to act. When we know how to act, we know how to live. Our actions, each day, become our lives. Drawn from the latest research from the fields of neuroscience, behavioral and social psychology and evolutionary anthropology, Intentional shows you how to add meaning to your actions and lead a meaningful, happier, more fulfilling life on your terms.

Enjoy an Excerpt

Whether we realize it or not, we all feel the need for this kind of guidance that gives us a deep sense of purpose. Because we are born physically helpless we have evolved to latch onto and work hard to understand our immediate environment and the people around us. This makes us, as we grow older, intensely pro-social. At the same time it provides us with a ready-made set of expectations, rules and guidelines to guide our behavior that arise from the collective behavior of those around us.

That behavior is the culture we experience and the traditions we abide by. The problem with this is that rather than defining for ourselves what is important to us we accept that which is given to us. That which is given to us is rarely what we want, but it can very easily become what we settle for.

Settling is an evolutionary-programmed trait. Let me explain: Life is hard. It really is. Even if we happen to have the extraordinary luck to be born into a very rich family whose legacy gives us everything we need to live comfortably for the rest of our life, maintaining that fortune and navigating through life is going to be fraught with risks, traps and constant upheavals.

We need other people. Other people need us. That is a truth. But the reasons for this mutual need are usually contradictory or, at the very least, sufficiently at odds with each other to make trust an issue and turn cooperation into a risk-assessment exercise.

About the Author:David Amerland is a Chemical Engineer with an MSc. in quantum dynamics in laminar flow processes. He converted his knowledge of science and understanding of mathematics into a business writing career that’s helped him demystify, for his readers, the complexity of subjects such as search engine optimization (SEO), search marketing, social media, decision-making, communication and personal development. The diversity of the subjects is held together by the underlying fundamental of human behavior and the way this is expressed online and offline. Intentional: How to Live, Love, Work and Play Meaningfully is the latest addition to a thread that explores what to do in order to thrive. A lifelong martial arts practitioner, David Amerland is found punching and kicking sparring dummies and punch bags when he’s not behind his keyboard.

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The Perils of Paris by Ana T. Drew – Spotlight and Giveaway

March 7, 2022 By 6 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Ana T. Drew 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.

When someone tries to kill her sister,
it’s time for Julie Cavallo to don her sleuthing cap!

The Provence sweet shop owner rushes to the home of her twin sister in Paris.
Julie’s main question is: Who would want Cat, a professional medium, dead?
Unfortunately, Cat doesn’t have a clue.
But since when has the absence of clues deterred Julie?

Soon enough, she uncovers a suspicious death, unsolved disappearances, and a spiritual community with a dark secret to protect.
By the time Julie realizes she opened a big can of worms, she’s in too deep.
And her life is in danger.

Cue the handsome captain Gabriel Adinian, Julie’s longtime crush.
Why is he in Paris?
Probably on assignment for the Gendarmerie Nationale. Or maybe a private matter unrelated to Julie.
But what if he’s taken leave to watch over her?
Then, Julie hopes he’ll do a little more than watch—professionally and… otherwise.

Can Julie, with the help of her friends, solve the far-reaching case and cheat death once again?

Enjoy an Excerpt

“I knew yoga makes one bendy,” Cat muses, staring at the door. “But I had no idea it also makes one super speedy.”

“Rose’s speed isn’t from yoga,” I say. “It’s from chasing after the dog.”

Cat expels an incredulous snort. “Why would Grandma chase after Lady?”

“To recover her slipper.”

Should I reveal the whole shocking truth?

It feels like a betrayal but also a moral obligation. Cat has the right to know.

“They take turns,” I say.

“You mean Lady chases after Grandma?”

“Yup.”

Cat narrows her eyes. “Why would she do that?”

“Wouldn’t you, if somebody snatched your chewy bone?”

Cat’s mouth forms an O. “I totally would!”

About the Author:Ana T. Drew is the evil mastermind behind the recent series of murders in the fictional French town of Beldoc. When she is not writing cozy mysteries or doing mom-and-wife things, she can be found watching “The Rookie” to help her get over “Castle”. She lives in Paris but her heart is in Provence.

>>> Visit ana-drew.com for a free cookbook and a game!

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What Would I Tell a New Author? by Darci Garcia – Guest Blog and Giveaway

March 4, 2022 By 9 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Darci Garcia will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

What would I tell a new author?

I think the most important thing would be to remain open to both the accolades and the criticism that will invariably make its way to you. Be entirely open to learning especially during the editing phase. I would have never believed how difficult I actually found it to make changes!! Of equal importance is to write every single day. It is SO difficult especially if you are not necessarily feeling creative. I have found, interestingly enough, it is during those times that I seem to produce some of my best work. You should know that the only way to hone your craft is to continue to write. The utilization of beta readers in my opinion, is a must. Try to have people that do not know you personally read your work, otherwise, I’m not sure you will get a true evaluation of your work. Lastly, believe in yourself. No matter what, no matter the feedback, no matter the white noise, stay true to your passion. That alone will make you a success!

Megan Cunningham could never have imagined she would meet her handsome neighbor while chasing her badly behaved Boston Terrier Lucy but that is exactly what happened! After careening headlong into Brice Castillo’s chest and gazing into his icy blue eyes the fireworks began!

Brice is head over heels for the beautiful blonde and cannot help but pursue her. Still, there is something he is holding back that may just keep these two hearts apart forever! They are both determined to find a way and may just have sealed their happily ever after.

Enjoy an Excerpt

Panicked, Megan reached the open door. Just as she was about to enter, she crashed
headlong into a chest. A very large, very male chest. Immediately a strong hand
grasped her shoulder, helping to steady her as she rocked back from the impact.
Breathless, she looked up. The stranger’s eyes were startling, an icy blue mixed with
slate. “Extraordinary,” she thought, fascinated by their hue.

“Are you ok?” the man asked, his brow furrowed in concern.

“What?” Megan babbled, staring up at him, completely unable to form a cohesive thought.

“This is exactly why you’re still single,” she thought, still mute. Just then Lucy began barking furiously. Horrified, Megan observed her errant dog as she ran deliriously over the stranger’s very expensive leather couch. Her tongue hung almost to her feet as she trailed drool joyously. The man had turned away from her, both of them staring incredulously.

“Is that your dog?” he asked without turning.

“That dog?” Megan squeaked. “No. I mean yes, yes of course she is,” then, pushing past the stranger, Megan ran towards Lucy who wasn’t the least bit concerned by the murderous look on Megan’s face.

About the Author:Darci Garcia is a contemporary romance writer with a penchant for including members of the animal kingdom in her stories. Although she studied business, her first love has always been the written word.

She believes a sense of humor can cure most anything and laughs at herself most of all.
An animal rights activist, she has spent most of her life working behind the scenes assisting in the rescue of dogs.

These days you will find her in sunny Florida, although she was born and raised in New England, which, she maintains, still holds her heart. She is living out her own happily ever after along with her husband, children and of course her rescues which, at last count, equaled five!

5 Prince Books Author Page | Instagram

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How I Handled the Research for the Book by Zanne Raby – Guest Post and Giveaway

March 2, 2022 By 4 Comments

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

*****
Greetings Book Lovers! A big thank you to Long and Short reviews for having me on your site. And let me extend a big hello to everyone who’s joining me here today. So, I’ve been asked to write about how I handled the research for my latest book, Descent into Darkness, which is the second novel in the space opera/ science-fiction series, “The Chronicles of Deneb”. But before I start, I want to let everybody know that I began working on the series back in March 2018. Just remember that, because I’m going to warn you that the springboard for the series was a man-made pandemic, crafted and created by bio-terrorists with a view of reducing the global population in a world decimated by climate change. So no, I didn’t capitalize on the current Coronavirus pandemic. But talk about a Nostradamus moment!

I was pretty fortunate, since at the time I began writing I was stationed at a military training base that hosts the Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Defence Training Academy. I discussed the pandemic angle of the plot with one of the instructors who referred me to a couple of books by Ken Alibek. A Colonel in the Soviet military, Dr. Alibek was one of the leading Soviet researchers in the area of biological warfare before he defected to the United States. Using his research, as well as that of Dr. I.W. Fong (an infectious disease specialist), I developed a Chimera bacterial viral combo that’s set to strike our planet in the year 2080 ¬– the year the story opens.

The pandemic catapults my characters from their comfortable lives on Earth into space, where they seek a safe haven to set up sticks. After a journey across the Milky Way, they reach a lovely little planet called Deneb7 tucked away in the Goldilocks zone of a supergiant blue-white star named Deneb. It really would be lovely, except it’s already inhabited by three races who just can’t seem to get along.

Now, just a little bit of information about me. I’ve got a university degree in Economics and Commerce from the Royal Military College of Canada and I served in the Air Force for thirty eight years as a transportation and movements officer. None of this stuff qualifies me to write about space travel, so I spend hours upon hours reading everything I can on the subject and taking oodles of notes. I have binders filled with research that I constantly refer to. At the same time I was writing about a fictional wormhole, the first images of a black hole were being streamed live. I must’ve watched that moment over and over again until the image was burned onto my computer screen.

In Descent into Darkness, with the characters trying their best to integrate into an alien culture, a massive conflict breaks out that pits a superpower nation against a coalition force. One of my characters is a top gun space ace and to get the air combat scenes right I tapped into some of my pilot friends in the Air Force. That and watching Sky Fighters and tons of YouTube videos of aerial combat for hours on end. I even started talking with my hands for a while! To get inspiration for the weaponry in the book, I checked out what the world’s superpowers are working on and then I took it to another level to craft an even more deadly and futuristic arsenal.
I know, I know… here I am talking about combat and weapons (I mean, after all, I’m an Air Force veteran right?), but Descent into Darkness also features powerful people spinning lies and conspiracies and intent on grabbing power. Sweet love and bad romance. The concept of tradition versus new ideas. And rebels fighting for their rights. All things I didn’t have to research since we’ve all lived through this stuff, right?

Let me get back to the research though. Some months that’s all I do. Watch videos, read books, consult with experts. That gets the facts down, and of course I play around with them since the series takes place in the future. Then the creative juices begin to flow, wrapping a good plot around what’s more or less based on the factual. So when my top gun space ace talks about “angels” and “cherubs”, he doesn’t mean the ones up in heaven, does he? Yup, that’s right… I’m leaving you with a little of a mystery of your own for you to research. Or instead, you can read about it in Descent into Darkness. Maybe afterwards, you’ll be talking with your hands too!

Descent into Darkness: Mayhem follows the Mayflower in the second book of The Chronicles of Deneb series. Journey along with the crew of the Space Ark Mayflower as they adapt to their new home on the planet Deneb. But along with their struggle to integrate into an alien culture, a new battle sweeps across the planet with the arrival of the human-transmitted Chimera bactovirus, bringing war and fanning the flames of racial intolerance. With a bloody conflict raging across the planet, the crew of the Mayflower is split between the two factions and embroiled in the chaos and destruction. Descend with the crew into darkness, where the only survivors of a global war will be on the right side of the border.

Enjoy an Excerpt

“Pallav? You alright?” Tara’s voice broke him from his reverie and he pasted on a phony smile.

“Sorry darling, I was a million light years away. I’ll be fine,” he promised. Sweat trickled down his back in the unrelenting heat of the Denebian day, his disruptive pattern shirt already sticking to his body as he shrugged into his rucksack.

“Daddy, I’m gonna miss you.” The chirpy sing-song voice of little Jolanta gave him cause to smile at the child as she held out her arms to him. Swooping her up, Pallav dropped a kiss on the little girl’s rosy brown cheek, her eyes glistening with tears.

“And I’m going to miss you too, little one.” Hugging the orphaned girl to his chest, he burrowed his face into the cloud of dark hair that was as soft as a feather before pinching her cheek and gently setting her down. Guilt pierced his heart at the sad resigned look on the child’s face. Had it not been for him, Jolanta would be snug as a bug with her biological parents and not in lockdown high above the capital city living with a pair of humans.

Poor little thing… she’s known so much loss in her short life, he thought. Surrounded by death as the human Chimera bactovirus raged across Deneb, Jolanta had been cruelly abandoned by her mother after Tara retrieved the fallen child from the cobblestoned marketplace in the centre of the capital city. He could still picture his wife walking through the door with the tiny tot in tow. Shocked, surprised, but then captivated, Pallav let the child into his heart. It wasn’t like his two teenagers wanted him around anymore. No, Luke and Isabella were busy chartering their own course in the Wessel world with Gomalan insisting that they attend the best boarding school in the nation.

Taking advantage of his position, Pallav had initiated a thorough search for Jolanta’s parents only to get confirmation that they were amongst the thousands in Styria who had succumbed to the pandemic. Since her arrival, the young orphan had been his little shadow, never leaving his side, following the big man’s movements with her luminous opalescent eyes. He smiled inwardly at the thought of Jolanta climbing into her little cot and begging her new daddy for a bedtime story. Guilt-ridden he realized that he’d miss her more than his own children who were so immersed in their new lives that even their weekly holotalks were rushed and awkward. Laughing at himself, Pallav knew he was totally under the child’s spell.

“I promise to be back in time for market day, so no tears, okay?” Taking the little urchin’s chin in his hands, Pallav stared into her eyes. “And you have a promise to make to me too young lady, don’t you?” The little brown head nodded up and down, serious eyes acknowledging the responsibility her adopted father had assigned to her.

About the Author:

Since the days of the Napoleonic War, there has always been a member of Zanne’s family in uniform. Choosing to follow in the footsteps of her ancestors, Zanne joined the Canadian Armed Forces in 1980, and was selected to attend the Royal Military College of Canada – the first year that women were accepted into that prestigious academy of learning. After graduation, she studied to become a Transportation and Movements Officer in the Royal Canadian Air Force.

During a career spanning 38 years, some of the most memorable experiences involved command of 8 Mission Support Squadron as part of Joint Task Force Afghanistan, leading a study on support to the Canadian Arctic involving several trips to Northern Canada, including Canadian Forces Station Alert (the most northern settlement in the world), a three–year tour with NATO at Joint Force Command Brunssum, a deployment as the NATO Liaison Officer to United States Central Command, and finally a nomination as the Deputy Commander for the Canadian Forces Recruiting Group.

After hanging up the uniform and putting away the combat boots, Zanne bought a small acreage in Central Ontario and designed her own house. With an office overlooking the picturesque shores of Georgian Bay, surrounded by maps and images of alien worlds, she is pursuing her life-long ambition to become an author. Enough of the reports and returns that littered her desk over her career, now she could turn her attention to unleashing the creativity that had taken a back seat to the analytical world of logistics. The time had come to shake the dust off and begin a new career. The winds of change had called.

Zanne is currently crafting The Chronicles of Deneb, a sci-fi series that will take the reader from a dystopian earth on a voyage across the galaxy in search of a safe haven. But the planets the team discover provide anything but the sanctuary they sought. In her spare time, Zanne enjoys travel, photography, hiking, and gardening. And always, a good story to pass the time.

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How to Handle Negative Criticism by Mike J Masse – Guest Blog and Giveaway

March 2, 2022 By 3 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Mike J Masse will be awarding $15 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

How to Handle Negative Criticism

I believe I am like most humans, I resist those negative and often uncomfortable emotional experiences that arise with external criticism. I figure I have enough internal criticism going on I don’t need anyone else adding to it (hence why I got into mindfulness). I like when people are into what I am talking about, or they are a fan of my work, and I don’t like that feeling of judgment that I use to associate with criticism. Being a public speaker (and a new author) I am familiar with my own criticism and other people being negative, and the occasionally criticism when talking to thousands of humans a year. When I left social work to become a full time public speaker and facilitator, I noticed that my mind would automatically focus on those that I thought were not into my workshop. I noticed a) this want to win them over and b) I’d be projecting a potential argument or debate with those that are not into all things mindfulness (my main topic for training).

After some time, and many hours of talking and training humans, I realized that my mind was looking and focusing on the negative, and I was missing those positive present moments that were actually happening. I found the seed of an even a slight criticism once planted in my mind would grow and grow and grow. I would drive home from my talk replaying the workshop, or yelling at that person in my head. I realized one day that this was a waste of my energy and time. I started to then focus on those humans that wanted the information I have, and not the ones that have to be there because their boss told them to.

This same concept I use with criticism, when someone has any type of criticism, I first zoom out and look at what they are saying objectively, then I usually implement a choice point. Do I go into the basement and be mad, anger, defensive, or play should of or could of. OR can I take the stairs up and look at what can I learn from this situation or how can it make me better. This isn’t the same as ignoring the negative, or just looking for the positive in life, it’s radically acknowledging what is present and exploring how I can learn from this current situation, so that it’s will a) avoid happening again or b) so I can respond better on the future.

I’ll share one recent experience. I had this large webinar I was hosting, there was over 400 people logged in. I thought the session was going great, and 45mins in to my talk, 3 people left. I see that they left on the app I was using, and I was automatically hit with internal criticism and judgment. Those emotions then turned to anger as I cursed them in my head “well bleep you JessicaJSJ”. I then laughed (mind you this is during my talk) and thought “Mike, maybe they have a meeting, the webinar is only 60mins long, or maybe they got what they needed” but of course I added in “well maybe they don’t like this and that’s ok too” I noticed that my mind was focusing on the 3 that left and not the 397 that were still online with me in the present moment. My internal criticism is much much worst then external, and once I learned how to work and manage that, using the same tools with others has allowed me to work with less resistance, and judgment.

Children can develop the ability to respond to their emotions in a healthy way through the practice of mindfulness. Andy Gets Angry is a great introduction for children to learn a fun and simple breath technique to respond to their emotions. The beautifully hand-painted illustrations provide the perfect landscape to tell the story of Andy and his journey in learning the wonderful skill of mindfulness. Share the book with your loved ones, and help us all plant the seed to be present!

Enjoy an Excerpt

Andy has a brother, Bobby. Bobby can be pretty silly.

Andy also has a sister, Sierra, who sings all the time.

Andy loves watching funny videos, he enjoys playing some sports and he loves video games.

But sometimes, Andy gets angry!

About the Author:Mike Masse is a mindfulness consultant and public speaker who specializes in mindfulness-based stress reduction. For over a decade, he has been teaching adults, youth, and children mindfulness skills to help reduce their levels of stress and anxiety. A highly sought-after trainer, Mike facilitates workshops with educators, first responders, health care providers, and others who work in high-stress environments. Mike lives in Stratford, Ontario with his two sons and his wife.

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