The Backstreets of the Victorian England – what is the reality?? by Rachel Brimble – Guest Blog and Giveaway

February 17, 2022 By 7 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Rachel Brimble will be awarding a $20 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.

The Backstreets of the Victorian England – what is the reality??

As an author of historical fiction and romance, it is important to me that I convey the reality of the story setting, the characters, and the societal expectancy of the time period I am writing.
My stories tend to be about the lives of the more common people, even the poorer people of Victorian and Edwardian society rather than the aristocracy or upper classes. So instead of ballrooms, palaces and stately homes, you are more likely to find backstreet taverns, modest tearooms and two up/two down houses in my novels. It is this level of society that I find myself drawn to, who I want to explore and uncover the hardships they faced on a daily basis.

It is these people that I research and inevitably come to admire. They often survive the reality of violence, vice and viciousness amid the filthy streets of the inner city through bravery, tenacity and cunning. There is no one waiting with a helping hand or an inheritance to save the day, these people live hand to mouth, day by day in the hope of salvation, or else, by their own instincts.

Conveying the hardships of my characters, the emotional strain of survival, disappointment and those beautiful moments of success is what keeps me writing. I LOVE writing about strength of the human spirit despite the odds. Victorian England was once among the worse places to live in the world. Slums abounded, begging, prostitution and child death commonplace. So, how on earth can I convey this reality in historical romance and not entirely lose my reader?

The answer is simple.

I describe enough that the reader is grounded in time and place. I convey enough that they understand the characters’ circumstances are not by choice but from the outside. And finally, I spend more time ensuring I have expressed the emotions of the characters through every good and bad thing that happens to them that the reader comes to care so much for them that they are vying for their happy ending, no matter what.

It is this commitment from author to reader to character that makes a story a good one, regardless of the dire reality of the living conditions or hard circumstances. Emotion is everything in fiction and, indeed romance, and I will continue to bring happiness and possibility to those characters less written about for as long as I can and, in turn, I hope my readers come along for the journey with me, too!

He needs a wife…
Manchester industrialist William Rose was a poor lad from the slums who pulled himself up by his bootstraps, but in order to achieve his greatest ambitions he must become the epitome of Victorian respectability: a family man.

She has a plan…
But the only woman who’s caught his eye is sophisticated beauty Octavia Marshall, one of the notorious ladies of Carson Street. Though she was once born to great wealth and privilege, she’s hardly respectable, but she’s determined to invest her hard-earned fortune in Mr Rose’s mills and forge a new life as an entirely proper businesswoman.

They strike a deal that promises them both what they desire the most, but William’s a fool if he thinks Octavia will be a conventional married woman, and she’s very much mistaken if she thinks the lives they once led won’t follow them wherever they go.

In the third instalment of Rachel Brimble’s exciting Victorian saga series, The Ladies of Carson Street will open the doors on a thoroughly modern marriage – and William is about to get a lot more than he bargained for…

Enjoy an Excerpt

Louisa and Jacob’s conversation dimmed as Mr Rose slowly turned his gaze to Octavia. She barely resisted the urge to flinch. His eyes were as dark as his hair, their gaze so intense it was as though he looked to read her thoughts, desires and dreams. The notion was bizarrely unnerving, intoxicating and a frisson of trepidation – or maybe shameful anticipation – shivered through her. Suddenly it didn’t seem such a bad idea to allow Mr Rose’s unexpected visit to play out. Yet, impromptu admittance was not the Carson Street way…

As Louisa and Jacob seemed too imbedded in debate to address Mr Rose and his companions, Octavia raised her chin and held Mr Rose’s unwavering stare. ‘I’m sorry, Mr Rose, but it’s house policy that no girl spends time alone with a man we do not know. Therefore, I kindly ask that you leave for the time being. However, if you wish—’

‘Now, now, Octavia,’ Louisa said firmly as she brushed past her. ‘I don’t think it’s necessary to toss Mr Rose so unceremoniously out of our establishment on such a cold and dreary night, do you?’

‘Louisa…’ Octavia looked pointedly at her friend, her eyebrows raised. ‘Jacob is right. Mr Fairham should not have taken it upon himself to offer his friend’s unkept appointment to Mr Rose. Therefore, Mr Rose should leave.’

Octavia faced Mr Rose and, once again, fought the urge to flinch when she found herself the object of his intense study a second time. She pulled back her shoulders. He had better think again if he thought for one minute she might be intimidated by him.

About the Author:Rachel lives in a small town near Bath, England. She is the author of over 25 published novels including the Ladies of Carson Street trilogy, the Shop Girl series (Aria Fiction) and the Templeton Cove Stories (Harlequin).

Rachel is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association as well as the Historical Novel Society and has thousands of social media followers all over the world.

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The Crossing by Ashby Jones – Spotlight and Giveaway

February 16, 2022 By 3 Comments

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

The Crossing is a powerful and haunting love story of surprising discovery set in Manhattan’s Hell’s Kitchen during Prohibition. Its mission seeks to reconcile love and guilt, grief and promise. Set apart from other stories, it combines history, fact, surrealism, and reality into an ever-recycling boost of the human spirit.

Irish-born Johnny Flynn, a former British soldier, is banished from his homeland and sent to America on a ship so riddled with disease that he realizes the voyage was meant to murder him. When he survives the trip, the captain forces him to walk the plank into the Hudson River. Miraculously, Johnny is rescued by a rumrunning Irish gang, the Swamp Angels, and given a job running whisky in Hell’s Kitchen just as Prohibition makes liquor a hugely profitable, dangerous business.

Fighting for his life and livelihood amid the denizens of the Manhattan piers, Johnny is plagued by the memory of his lost lover, Nora, whose father, the famed Irish revolutionary, James Connolly, met his death through a firing squad that included a reluctant gunman named Johnny Flynn. Nora’s last words to him, when she learned of his betrayal and left him, “I love you, Johnny Flynn”, echo in his heart, leaving him pulsing with guilt, yearning, and the hope that she might yet forgive him.

Johnny drinks hard. One night, drunk on the floor of Hailey’s speakeasy, he encounters a seeming apparition on stage, the ghostly Esme, an Irish singer who suffered unspeakable horrors at the hands of the British Black and Tans. Johnny is dazzled by her. She is not only a singer but a healer, teaching poor and afflicted children to sing and gather hope at an old theater called The Woebegone. From Esme Johnny learns how to overcome the desire for revenge, only to discover that she, too, clings to her own dark dream of retribution.

Hell’s Kitchen, Johnny discovers, is thronged with people whose damaged hearts ache for revenge, repentance and love. As he grapples with taking responsibility to help others resolve this overwhelming dilemma, he learns that Nora is coming to New York to advocate for Irish independence. As he confronts her and soon thereafter receives a piercing love letter from Esme, the story comes to a turbulent climax.

Enjoy an Excerpt

Roughly a mile from the Statue of Liberty, Johnny Flynn stood trembling on the bridge of the ship called The Pestilence. His hands were rope-bound at the wrists and a rucksack filled with heavy stones was strapped to his back. His executioner, seaman Bile, named for the Celtic god of Hell by Johnny’s long-gone friend and fellow prisoner, Seamus, had tried in vain to kill Johnny every day on this voyage from Ireland, and now he would have his way. The vessel from which Bile would send Johnny to his death was the recently recovered, ancient famine ship found in the Bay of Kinsale. The ship still contained the skeletons of the three hundred dead who’d tried to escape the Great Famine by taking passage to America but whose journey had been ended by typhus, cholera and tuberculosis. In hopes of hiding their humiliation, the Irish had returned The Pestilence to its parting pier unannounced and mothballed it in what soon became a drying, wooded alcove south of Kinsale, leaving the three hundred bodies to rot in the hold.

The ship was discovered by a group of young Irish campers shortly after the Treaty with the victorious Brits was signed, ending the War of Independence. Soon thereafter, in the fall of 1921, the Rebels filled the arid tributary with fresh water, freeing the ship and setting it on a crossing to America to test its sea-worthiness. The next step in purging their embarrassment for the deaths was to cleanse the ship’s hold of the bones and restore its ability to make money for the Emerald Isle.

About the Author:Ashby Jones has been writing historical novels for 50 years. With degrees in Literature and Clinical Psychology; Creative Writing at UCLA under the guidance of Leonardo Bercovici. Jones previously published: The Angel’s Lamp in 2017 which was well received and reviewed by the Irish Times. Jones’s passion is writing literary fiction that attempts to understand mankind’s never-ending battles with irony, tragedy, blatant contradiction, and the anomalies of love. Such is the focus of ‘The Crossing’, a stand-alone sequel to ‘The Angel’s Lamp’, his first novel. He studied under such notables as William Hoffman, a best-selling author, and years later at U.C.L.A. under Leonardo Bercovici, a highly regarded screenwriter.

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Readers or Non-Readers by Dave Maruszewski – Guest Blog and Giveaway

February 14, 2022 By 11 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Dave Maruszewski will be awarding a $20 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.

*****

I don’t like demographics. I understand them from a publishing standpoint. If you have a target, you can aim for it. That makes sense. It makes strategies for sales and publishing that much easier.

However, I hate having to pick an age group as a writer, or anything other type of grouping. I think as most in my craft, I’d like to write for a multitude of diverse people. Then, let the chips fall where they may.

When it came down to picking my audience, I decided to write for people who don’t like to read. I think that many presume that people who don’t like to read are just that. Maybe, they aren’t that smart or they’ve learned to pursue lazier entertainment. My hypothesis is that many non-readers might have an anxiety or even a disorder. There is obviously corroborating evidence on this matter.

I was a terrible reader when I was a kid. My mind would drift often. Sometimes, I would do this out of boredom. Other times, the story made me think of a related topic and my mind would want to spend some (possibly many) moments thinking on them. Looking back, I’m less harsh on myself for changing tracks of thought. Isn’t that what books are supposed to do? Aren’t they supposed to get you thinking deeper on a topic? However, when you had to get X-amount of pages to be read by Monday, this was often less appreciated by my teachers and put me into some late nights.

So, where does this leave me? I’ve done some research on this topic, but I’d like to hear what you have to say. Were you an avid reader, or were you dragged to a pile of books that you dreaded? Or somewhere in between?

What would you think would help? What helped you find your love/like of reading?

I’m definitely interested, and it would help me in designing future books. For my own issues, I had to take a step back before going forward. I read less and easier products before I was able to read the more sophisticated works. How about you?

Recently knighted squires Raven, Romda, and Ravai are tasked to help a nearby priest. However, this simple errand turns into much more. They cross paths with the Dark Beast. After that brief encounter, they soon realize the Beast’s plans to destroy an entire town. They journey to this town, meeting residents who tell large tales about the Beast. How much of stories are true? The three will find out. The Dark Beast is coming.

Enjoy an Excerpt

“Wow, that was crazy,” Ravai practically shouts.

“Crazy, but true,” says the driver. “But you all look like you could fall asleep.”

“Why do you say that?” says Ravai.

“Well, for one, your friend keeps falling asleep,” he says, and the driver’s friends snicker. “And your female friend hasn’t said a word since we teamed up. Maybe you should rest. We can stop here.”

Ravai doesn’t feel that tired, but he sees the look in Romda’s eyes that it might be a good idea. He acknowledges the stranger’s words, and they stop. It is in the middle of nowhere, trees and small fields all around.

Raven crawls to the nearest log and tries to lie on it. Romda isn’t so easily satisfied. She instead starts to pitch tent and gets out her small bedroll. Her movements are so slow it looks like she won’t be done for an hour.

Ravai continues to talk to the driver. “Turning people into beavers? That’s not possible. You are pulling my leg. How can that be true?”

“It is, I swear,” the driver says.

“How would you know?” Ravai challenges the driver.

“Because my grandfather gave him the rune and spell to do so…and now I serve the master,” the man says coldly.

About the Author: Dave Maruszewski is blessed with a great family. He was originally inspired to write stories by his wife and son, when they encouraged him to put his bedtime stories on paper.
His stories are created from an accumulation of experiences from careers/backgrounds as a physicist, engineer, teacher, artist, video game designer and software developer. He strives to develop stories with sound moral values that will be enlightening as well as entertaining to youths and adults.
In between writing stories and running his own company, Digital Tumult (DigitalTumult.com), Dave enjoys video games, watching internet videos and hanging out with his family.

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What I Would Tell a New Author by Seyoum Nigussie – Guest Blog and Giveaway

February 14, 2022 By 6 Comments

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

What I Would Tell a New Author

Everybody knows writing is not easy, and a new author is no different. But every author would have his or her mindset to accomplish something with writing and that mindset is the driving force for writing what you intend to write. When writing any genre of literature, there are prior considerations. The subject matter on what to write is the main consideration.
After identifying the story’s aim in question, identifying the extent of the story is the second consideration. At this stage, visualizing the story’s scope and dimensions is of vital importance. Once the scope of the story is determined, getting geared to writing begins. Once writing started, the nature of the story becomes to get shape. While writing, there will be moments of unease and doubts about the work underway.

A new writer should relax during the writing, and visualize more and more substances for the ideal subject story at hand. At some points, the writing becomes tiresome, and the flow of ideas from the brain onto the paper or screen gets stuck. But most of the time, the flow of ideas becomes natural and fluent. Adequately writing at the time of good flow of ideas is very crucial. When stuck somewhere down the road of writing, it is time to go back and refresh the story from the beginning. A new author should consider his or her work seriously and fondly. Working through and thoroughly, writing becomes so much more enjoyable. If there is no enjoyment in writing it will be futile for a new author to accomplish the desired goal.

World of Stars is a collection of poetry that portrays the beauties of nature and human experiences in the world. The poems enumerate various places, events, personas, notions and conditions that deserve poetic attention. A portion of the poems are made for tributes and gratitude to great personas who make this world as adorable as it is.

The poems are on varied topics and distinct from each other. Abstract and subjective ideas are woven into the poems to highlight the degree of transcendence. All the poems are metrical composition. By illustrating the good side of the world and nature within it, the poems aim to elevate people to a good way of looking at life as beautiful and meaningful.

Enjoy an Excerpt

Stars Every Where

Countless heavenly stars rock in the cosmos
Glamorous stars walk the earth for good cause.
Every where they reach for social worth
Stars every where delight of human growth
Through infinite universe that exists forever
Up in skies brighter and on earth glimmer,
To mark human lives for better and better
Gracious they are, stars appear every where.
As mysterious universe is subtle and endless
There could be time for galaxies to impress.
Leading human world into new progress
Fathoms of spirit generate legends to redress.
As microcosmic creatures inhibit on earth
Star lights come forth to unleash sound health.
Striving and tackling renewal of ethical wealth
Invincible stars would show up for moral rebirth.
As fountain of all lives and blossom of love
Stars reinvigorate themselves further to live.
As images of dreams and homages to believe
Stars every where shine out cures to relieve.

About the Author The world and life in general was promising to me until I was 17 years in my native country of Ethiopia. While a high school student in 1974, the world around me came crashing down when communist military Junta took state power and soon started a killing spree, at times committing mass murder. This was very traumatizing and the start of Stalinist ‘Red Terror’ on the ground. It was bad enough to hate being in life. From this, I quickly learnt life in the world is about taking on adventures.

With six of my school friends and one of our teachers, we formed an alliance to take action against the Junta. With 2 years of preparation we had managed to inform the public and get the local police headquarters on our side. Then, in April 1976 we staged a rebellion without violence in Nekempte, provincial capital of Welega. The revolt was short-lived, nothing lost with little gain. Amidst media control of the Junta, the news of rebellion was heard across the country. After that, my friends and I vowed to individually take on challenges for democracy as a life-long mission. We split apart and I went underground. When the security situation became harsh, I left the country for Sudan.

Despite traumatizing news and the realities around me with the ‘Periods of Gloom and Doom’, I took refuge in reading classical poetry which became my long time passion.

After a long journey through ups and downs, I suffered a car accident in Sudan, and left Africa all together – migrating to Canada in 1990. Through my journey in life, I looked around for a drug of relief from grief and nostalgia. Poetry reading had become my choice for entertainment and to delete bad memories and traumas. Soon after I realized that positive poetry is as good as drugs, music and paintings are, I decided to write one and here I begin with World of Stars.

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The Making of a Memoir Writer – A Short Beginners Guide by N. Daniel – Guest Blog and Giveaway

February 11, 2022 By 12 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. N. Daniel 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 Memoir Writer – A Short Beginners Guide

My name is N. Daniel and I began writing memoirs about my life in 2013. Authors who write memoir have both the blessing and the curse of living through meaningful, sometimes traumatizing events, and coming out the other end with something worth mentioning. Unique experience is awesome in these circumstances but finding the profound in the ordinary is where most memoir writers make their living.

The first thing you need to realize is that memory is a day-dream. Your timeline, your conversations and your frame of reference are probably all false. Your goal is to ride the tide between reality and interest. Be accurate and use your deviance from the truth to reveal the lessons you have learned along the way. Reality is respectful to the reader but they will not pay attention if your story doesn’t flow correctly or meanders on loose ends. Change the timeline to build a climax. Weave narratives throughout to show people what you have learned without them doing the work. This is the real work of the memoir writer. If you need to combine or omit characters to simplify the story, do it! Streamline your thoughts. Streamline the narrative. Let it flow and shine. The most important thing you can do is to show people what you know with as little information as possible, and then show them more! Life is too complicated to explain everything, to have every little sub-plot involved. Make it easy. Make it smart. Write in a way that will make people interested but also be factual whenever possible. This is the memoir way.

The second thing you need to be aware of is this, don’t use memoir as a weapon. Respect your characters. Be sympathetic to them and be realistic about their aspirations and motivations. No one thinks they are evil. No one thinks they are wrong. Point out the inaccuracies in a kind and humbling way. If you google “writing a memoir” online, it will tell you to expect people to be hurt. That is very true. However it is up to you to tell your story fairly, realistically, without judgement. If you don’t like some one tell the reader why! Tell them what they did. Speculate about why they did that and be nice about it. Perhaps they came from a broken home, had improper role models or maybe they were just having a bad day. Be honest with others. More importantly be honest with yourself. Explain what you have done wrong, why you did it and how you could have avoided it. Value your readers enough to set your book in the real world. You don’t need to be the hero. You don’t need to sugar coat yourself. Just be genuine.

Finally, write from the heart. Talk about things that matter to you. Explain why you feel the way you feel. This is your story so you need to give as much detail as possible. The most embarrassing, self conscious and incriminating thoughts are often the ones readers relate most to. Find the bravery to be vulnerable. Find the courage to “take the hit” for your story. Reputation aside, we are talking about your life, your writing! People value a genuine story and the closer you can hit home the better. Put your soul into your writing. Tell people about your deepest desires, your deepest fears! Never shy away from sensitive topics and always, always, always be respectful to everyone you think might be reading your work. The profane, the controversial, the offensive has a place in your writing. This is reality we are talking about. This is real talk! Just remember to put things in perspective.

Everyone has a story in them just waiting to get out. Scratch the surface a little. Find out what you know. I guarantee you will learn more about yourself than your readers will. It is the ultimate journey of self discovery.

Bless you and your endeavors. Write me if you need help at: author@ndaniel.us

Yours,
N. Daniel

As Daniel recovers from a psychotic episode and months long mental health civil commitment, he befriends a youthful quadriplegic named Samantha who is dealing with life-threatening health problems. When cohabitation becomes necessary for Sam, caregiver and client both move to downtown Minneapolis to begin a new life together. Before they can get settled in, Daniel is diagnosed with stage 3 cancer and must undergo multiple surgeries. The two navigate the American healthcare system and work towards Samantha’s eventual independence, however, their relationship becomes toxic when a global pandemic shakes the nation and George Floyd is murdered by Minneapolis police officers.
Based on the author’s life, this endearing platonic love story is the gooey center of a turbulent world set aflame. Through the laughter and the tears, Samantha and Daniel play off each other like a tragic comedy duo that’s hell bent on finding humor within the most savage aspects of their everyday lives.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EXCERPTS (Please choose only ONE to use with your post):

Excerpt One:

I pulled into a gas station and had some trouble figuring out which side the tank was on. With some maneuvering I positioned the van next to the pump. Suddenly I realized that I didn’t have any money for gas. I paged through the three-ringed binder holding the mileage log and found what looked like a debit card in a pencil pouch.

“That’s the gas card, dear. You type in the mileage and the user code when you start the pump.”

“Oh, I get it. What’s the code?” I asked. “Look at the back of the card.” There was a tiny piece of paper fastened to the back of the card with clear plastic tape. It read “3742”. Sam put her limp left hand on her forehead as though she was doing a facepalm. I entered the information into the pump and opened the side door so I could talk to her while it filled up.

“So, you have had problems with these sores before?”

“Yes,” she replied, callously.

“They can be pretty serious business, huh?”

“You know the guy that played Superman? Christopher Reeve?”

“Yeah, everybody knows him. He fell off of his horse and broke his neck, right?”

“Exactly,” Sam continued. “He broke his neck at the base of his skull, so he had even less function than I do. Poor Bastard. Do you know how he died?”

“No, how?”

“Just like this. He got a pressure ulcer. Felt fine, just peachy. He went into sepsis and before they could give him antibiotics he dropped dead.”

Sam pointed her hand at me in the thumbs up motion.

“I wish I had the balls to just refuse treatment, but I am too chicken****.”

About the Author N. Daniel works as a medical caregiver in the greater Minneapolis/Saint Paul Metropolitan area in the Winter and as a landscape laborer for his father in Winona, MN in the Summer. His debut writing effort, “Corners Untouched by Madness: A Personal Journey of Overcoming Mental Illness,” has enjoyed modest success in certain writing circles. The Author lives with his wife and two dogs just outside of downtown Minneapolis.

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Honor by January Bain – Spotlight and Giveaway

February 7, 2022 By 24 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. January Bain will be awarding a $50 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.

Never run from a wolf!

Isadora Champagne is a witch on a dangerous mission to take down Lucius Luceres. That bad boy Alpha billionaire doesn’t deserve to have it all his way. Thinks he can dump her baby sister after a one-night stand and get away with it! But now that she’s met the shifter, keeping her heart safe from him is going to cost more than a curse to stop him, it just might cost her a pack with the devil himself.

Lucius of the House of Luceres is an alpha werewolf, secure in his bad-to-the-bone reputation. But when confronted by the beautiful Isadora one fateful night, even he can’t help but notice the extreme attraction that instantly ignites between them. But what he hadn’t counted on was how useful her magic gifts can be to the House of Luceres when one of their own goes missing.

Will he be able to set aside the centuries of mistrust that has existed between witches and shifters and allow her special brand of courage and caring heal even the most jaded heart?

Enjoy an Excerpt

“Look! There’s a halo around the moon tonight, Lucius. You know what that means?” Veronica purred. Her mouth was coated in far too much red lipstick for my liking, though I more than appreciated her luscious body and adventurous spirit.

“What do you think it means?” I asked, not particularly interested in her take on it. I couldn’t imagine the notorious party girl having done much digging into mythology or history.

If I wanted facts, my twin brothers, Maximus and Alexandro, would be the ones I’d call on. One of the things I did like about Veronica’s type though—easy to forget. I didn’t need any complications as enforcer for the House of Luceres beyond those necessary to protect my pack.

“It means something momentous is on its way. Could be good. Or evil. It depends on the intentions of the spirit.” Veronica shivered for effect in a dress that barely covered essentials. She looked up at me, her eyes huge, reflecting not only the light of the roaring bonfire kept alight for the entirety of the Lupercalia festival, but I swear I caught a glimpse of myself.

Easy to look at, I’ve been told. Like all my pack brothers, I kept my GQ looks highlighted with exercise and good grooming. And all the Luceres were blessed with good genetics and lots of money.

The howling of a lone wolf in the distance cut short the woman’s unexpected announcement and I went on high alert. In the desert, on a clear night such as this, sound was deceptive. The interloper could be miles away…or nearby.

I glanced around the firepit, checking out the pack members milling about. Emily, one of the cousins, was dancing with wild abandon. I frowned. Wasn’t she a bit young for this? The festival was notorious for events that would curl a human’s hair. Rumors abounded and things that probably should not happen…happened.

About the Author: January Bain has wished on every falling star, every blown-out birthday candle, and every coin thrown in a fountain to be a storyteller. To share the tales of high adventure, mysteries, and full-blown thrillers she has dreamed of all her life. The story you now have in your hands is the compilation of a lot of things manifesting itself for this special series. Hundreds of hours spent researching the unusual and the mundane have come together to create books that features strong women who live life to the fullest, wild adventures full of twists and unforeseen turns, and hot complicated men who aren’t afraid to take risks. She can only hope her stories will capture your imagination.

If you are looking for January Bain, you can find her hard at work every morning without fail in her office with her furry baby, Ling Ling. And, of course, she’s married to the most romantic man! Who once famously remarked to her inquiry about buying fresh flowers for their home every week, “Give me one good reason why not?” Leaving her speechless and knocking her head against the proverbial wall for being so darn foolish. She loves flowers.

If you wish to connect in the virtual world she is easily found on Facebook. Oh, and she loves to talk books…

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Undoing Time by Rachel Dacus – Spotlight and Giveaway

February 4, 2022 By 2 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Rachel Dacus will be awarding a $20 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Liv Pomeroy’s high hopes and lavish lifestyle come horribly undone when her fiancé runs off with her maid of honor. Swearing off love forever, she goes on a summer escape to Florence, Italy. Agreeing to help her cousin May raise funds for an art restoration project, Liv is astonished to find they share a genetic gift for undoing time. Soon she’s joining a team of time travelers who rescue history from those who would change it. And fighting her attraction to a sexy time traveling colleague, who just might turn out to be working for the wrong side in the American Revolution. A thrilling tale of time travel, romance, and espionage.






Enjoy an Excerpt

In the dark, Liv barely could see his eyes as he whispered, “Tell me no if you don’t want me to kiss you.”

What a reversal from the judgy Tom who had practically called her a princess. She made him wait. She didn’t say No. She was two glasses of wine into reckless.

She whispered, “Yes.”

The exhilaration of knowing he’d been drawn to her from the first. He was like too much of that good Chianti, and she only wanted more.

But Tom quickly broke the kiss. She gasped. He didn’t move, holding her shoulders, but now looking down at her from so close. How far would she let this go? The sensation of his mouth lingered on hers, but he let go of her shoulders and grabbed her hand.

“I want to show you something. Will you come with me?”

“Yes,” she gasped, wondering if she could walk.

He pulled her along. Did this man never saunter?

“Look, I’m in heels—”

Suddenly, her heels were sinking into sandy dirt. She blinked under the bright sun. They were near another waterworks, but this one was a mill. It was daytime, and the water splashed down the ladder of the water wheel, making a different rhythmic music. Nearby was a rough wooden building. Clearly, they were somewhere else in space and time.

“This is where I work, one of my history projects,” Tom said, keeping his tight grip on her hand.

Liv tried to quell the shaking in her legs. She hadn’t meant for Tom to take her back in time. She began to gasp and felt she might drop to her knees. Instead, she clutched Tom’s hand as hard as she could. He reached around her waist to hold her up.

His eyes widened as he looked at her. “You said you wanted to see. Are you okay?”

“Is this the Gold Rush—here?”

Tom shrugged and smiled. “Yes. This is about three months after they discovered gold in the stream. In 1849.”

The shock quivered through her stomach and legs.

He held onto her waist and asked again. “Everything okay?”

She barely managed to stand upright but said, “Sure. Only I wasn’t expecting …”

She didn’t want to be accused of being Miss Pacific Heights. The feeling of his hands around her waist strengthened her. She was now oriented to his touch, wherever they were.

About the Author:

RACHEL DACUS writes about history, love, romance, and art – usually with a touch of the supernatural. If time travel were possible, she’d hop over to Renaissance Rome, and then check out how the American Revolutionary War is going, and maybe visit an 18th century London artist’s studio. A poet and novelist, Dacus has published four novels and four poetry collections. When not writing, she listens to music, new and old, from indie and progressive rock to classical and jazz. Once a dancer, she’s now an avid walker, often twice a day — once for the Muse and once for the world’s liveliest Silky Terrier. She blogs about the writing life and has collected a wealth of writing and publishing resources.

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The Last Keeper by J.V. Hilliard – Spotlight and Giveaway

February 2, 2022 By 1 Comment

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

A young boy’s prophetic visions.

Blind at birth, Daemus Alaric is blessed with the gift of prophetic Sight. Now, as a Keeper of the Forbidden, he must use his powers of the Sight to foil the plans of a fallen Keeper, Graytorris the Mad.

An elven Princess with a horrifying secret.

Princess Addilyn Elspeth travels from Eldwal, the magically hidden home of the Vermilion elves, to begin her life as a diplomat to the human capital of Castleshire. During her journey, she stumbles upon a mystical creature foretelling ill tidings. A terrifying force of evil.

Daemus’ recurring nightmare vision threatens to catapult him into a terrifying struggle that will leave the fate of the Keepers—and the realm—hanging in the balance. Daemus and Princess Addilyn must set out to face the menace that threatens their very existence. Will the entire realm fall to its knees?

The Last Keeper is the first book in The Warminster Series. With gripping, epic action and heart-pounding adventure, you’ll love this new adventure series.

Enjoy an Excerpt

He watched as an ethereal figure emerged from the mist, hovering over the water’s surface and meandering closer to him. It was a man, hunched and cloaked, his eyes hidden by greying bandages stained with blood—familiar, but only from his dreams. His face seemed to twist and change from night to night, growing darker and more haggard, though Daemus knew it was the same man each time. He always seemed unable to sense Daemus and was certainly unable to see him. Yet when the man was near, Daemus never felt safe. He looked like terror and death and emptiness. It was all Daemus could do not to scream.

As though tied to the same puppeteer’s strings, both Daemus and the man grew still at the same moment. Distantly, Daemus registered that something new was coming. His dream had never taken him this far, and that knowledge was terrifying. He didn’t want to know what would happen next.

His mind moved sluggishly, as though he was being slowly trapped in hardening amber. Perhaps the fog itself had clouded his mind when he was breathing it while desperately seeking his way. Panic crept up his spine, his eyes diluting as the fight-or-flight response kicked in. The man was so close that Daemus could smell the tracks of fresh blood crawling down his cheeks. It smelled of rusted swords and the bile of ruptured organs.

The man raised his head, his bloody countenance impassive, his robed arm reaching out for Daemus. It weaved through the air mere inches in front of him, as though the blinded man was looking for a stitch in the fabric of reality. Somehow, he seemed to be unaware of Daemus’s presence, though his gnarled finger was so close to the young man’s face that Daemus could see the dirt caked beneath the beds of the nails.

Daemus tried to move again, but his body refused to obey his mind’s desperate commands. He swallowed, his dry throat savoring the precious saliva, and fought back the tears that threatened to overwhelm him.

He opened his mouth and screamed.

The shrill sound ripped through the silence like a bell ringing in a sleepy village. Daemus’s hands flew up to his face as though to force the sound back in, but it was too late. Daemus knew in that moment that he’d made a fatal mistake. The figure had been unaware of him… until then.

The stranger turned.

“Finally,” he said with an evil cackle. “You’ve come for me, Daemus Alaric.”

Daemus opened his mouth to scream again, but the mist was sweeping back down from the mountains and swallowing up everything around them. Even the blinded man was no exception, and he melted away from Daemus along with everything else. Darkness overcame him, swirling into the blackness of unconsciousness as the stranger’s harsh laughter continued to echo in his ears.

About the Author:

Born of steel, fire and black wind, J.V. Hilliard was raised as a highlander in the foothills of a once-great mountain chain on the confluence of the three mighty rivers that forged his realm’s wealth and power for generations.

His father, a peasant twerg, toiled away in industries of honest labor and instilled in him a work ethic that would shape his destiny. His mother, a local healer, cared for his elders and his warrior uncle, who helped to raise him during his formative years. His genius brother, whose wizardly prowess allowed him to master the art of the abacus and his own quill, trained with him for battles on fields of green and sheets of ice.

Hilliard’s earliest education took place in his warrior uncle’s tower, where he learned his first words. HIs uncle helped him to learn the basics of life—and, most importantly, creative writing.

Hilliard’s training and education readied him to lift a quill that would scribe the tale of the realm of Warminster, filled with brave knights, harrowing adventure and legendary struggles. He lives in the city of silver cups, hypocycloids and golden triangles with his wife, a ranger of the diamond. They built their castle not far into the countryside, guarded by his own two horsehounds, Thor and MacLeod, and resides there to this day.

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My Biggest Writing Quirk: The Magic Number by Jenna Jaxon – Guest Blog and Giveaway

February 1, 2022 By 10 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Jenna Jaxon will be awarding a $20 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

My Biggest Writing Quirk: The Magic Number

Every writer has their own specific oddities or quirks, and I am no different than all the others in the respect of having a quirk. However, I haven’t heard of other authors having my particular quirk, which I think stems from my being a plotter. I cannot do anything, not write one word, until I’ve finished the outline for the entire book. I don’t mind adjusting the outline after I start writing, but I’ve got to have the outline—a very detailed outline—completed before I can sit down to write a word.

When I have the luxury of time, I hand write the first draft, although that doesn’t affect the really quirky part of my writing routine. Once I finish the outline and start to write, I set myself word goals for different sections of each chapter that will total 3,000 words. Usually, the chapter is divided into thirds, and I write 1,000 words for each section. Sometimes, depending on what’s going on in the chapter, I’ll divide the chapter into halves, and write 1,500 words as one section and 1,500 on the other. I’m not exacting with the specific word count of the chapter as long as I make at least the minimum of 1,000 or 1,500 for each section. That way I’m sure to complete the word count for the novel (usually 90,000). With 3,000 words per chapter, I’ll need 30 chapters to make that magic number of 90,000 words.

Most people look at me oddly when I tell them about this writing regimen, but it certainly helps me be productive and on track for deadlines for my editors. All I can say is “Thank God computers are equipped with Word Count!”

The Battle of Waterloo made them widows, but each has found new happiness. And Jane, Lady John Tarkington, intends to keep her freedom, even if love—and one particular gentleman—are determined to claim her heart . . .

It is a truth rarely acknowledged—at least in public—that a wealthy widow is free to pursue a great many adventures. For two years, Jane has privately enjoyed her independence. Why should she remarry, even when the gentleman proposing is as wonderful as Gareth, Lord Kinellan? She entreats him never to ask her again. But as her Widows’ Club friends—now all joyfully remarried—gather at Castle Kinellan, Jane begins to wonder if stubbornness has led her to make a terrible mistake . . .

Kinellan needs a wife to give him an heir, and he wants that wife to be Jane. They are perfect together in every way, yet she continually refuses him. Just as he is on the point of convincing her, a series of accidents befall Gareth and point to an enemy in their midst. He has promised Jane a passionate future filled with devotion, but can he keep them both alive long enough to secure it?

Enjoy an Excerpt

Throwing up his hands, he groaned and sagged against the wall, his banyan sliding half off him. “Have your way with me, woman. I surrender myself into your hands. Do with me what you will and I swear I will enjoy it.”

Panting, she stepped back from him, seeing the sculpted muscular form, strong arms, and dark eyes glazed with smoldering desire as if for the first time. This man wanted her, or had wanted her to be his wife for a long time. No one would ever make her feel this way again, mo matter how many lovers she might take. She could look for the rest of her life and not find a man as kind or generous or loving as he. And she had all but thrown his love away with both hands. The revelation devastated her and she hung her head.

“Jane?” Kinellan straightened, peering into her face.

Sobbing, she threw her arms around him, laying her head on his broad chest, the only place she wanted it to be. Tears pricked her eyes. The fast beat of his heart beneath her ear should have given comfort, but did not, for her own heart was tearing asunder. The trickle of tears became a flood.

“Darling.” He slipped his arms around her, cradling her close. “What is wrong?”

“I…I don’t want to leave.”

“Sweetheart.” He cupped her chin and turned her face up to his. A thundery frown marred his brow. “Who has asked you to leave? Was it Aunt Prudence? Fiona?”

“N…no.” Jane sniffed, trying to blink back the tears and regain her composure.

“Someone else?” His frown grew darker.

She nodded. “You.”

About the Author Jenna Jaxon is a best-selling author of historical romance, writing in a variety of time periods because she believes that passion is timeless. She has been reading and writing historical romance since she was a teenager. A romantic herself, Jenna has always loved a dark side to the genre, a twist, suspense, a surprise. She tries to incorporate all of these elements into her own stories.

She lives in Virginia with her family and a small menagerie of pets–including two vocal cats, one almost silent cat, two curious bunnies, and a Shar-pei beagle mix named Frenchie.

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Talk of Tokyo by Heather Hallman – Spotlight and Giveaway

January 31, 2022 By 3 Comments

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

CAREFUL WITH YOUR WORDS

1897 Tokyo is no different than anywhere else in the world: men are exploiting women. Specifically, Western men are exploiting Japanese women, and Suki Malveaux holds no punches in her condemnation of their behavior in her weekly column in the Tokyo Daily News.

Suki knows firsthand when Western men arrive at Tokyo Bay there’s only one outcome for Japanese women: a child and new mother left behind as nothing more than discarded shrapnel from the heartless war on love.

Griffith Spenser is her latest target. He’s been seen with Natsu Watanabe, one of Tokyo’s esteemed war widows. Under full anonymity of the moniker “The Tokyo Tattler,” Suki makes sure Griffith knows exactly why his behavior with Natsu won’t be tolerated.

Away from her Japanese mask as a columnist, Suki never intended to meet the cad. When he seeks her out to hire as a tutor for his niece and nephew, she’s faced with seeing him day in and day out without him ever knowing who she really is.

Caught in her struggle for anonymity so she can keep battling for women’s rights, Suki’s about to learn the full impact of her words on the people behind the story, especially on Griff.

Enjoy an Excerpt

Tokyo 1897

Foreign Quarter of Tsukiji

Shaky hands and racing heart notwithstanding, Suki gave herself a fighting chance. The incorrigible rake might have accusations, threats, and plans for retaliation, but she had feminine cunning. While she lacked familiarity with the mechanics involved in that sort of cunning, she’d seen how furtive glances and teasing words reduced men to foolishness. The basics of flirtation rivaled neither the complexity of French verbs nor the convolutedness of English spellings, both of which she’d mastered with ease.

A maid hastened across the garden and opened the front gate. “Mr. Spenser is expecting you,” she said in the clear, precise English of servants in Tokyo’s foreign quarter of Tsukiji.

Suki followed the maid through Spenser’s front garden, past azalea bushes boasting radiant displays of scarlets, lavenders, and magentas. Flurries of pale pink temple bells burst forth in a graceful arrangement that bore a decidedly feminine touch.

Of course it did. Spenser’s gardens would’ve been planted by his former wife.

Suki pictured the fair-haired young woman vigorously fanning herself at last summer’s festival. She’d worn one of those heavy dresses that trapped sweat and exacerbated the summer itch. Several months later, news had traveled through Tsukiji that Spenser’s bride had returned to England for good.

As Suki stared up at the Japanese-style wooden beam home with the gingerbread trim and second-story dormer windows favored by Tsukiji’s British residents, dread once again grew in the pit of her stomach. If Spenser had seen fit to alienate the woman he’d pledged to honor and protect, what did he have in store for the woman he most certainly despised?

About the Author:

Heather Hallman writes witty, sensual, contest-winning romances set in Meiji-era Japan (1868-1912). She is the author of the Tokyo Whispers series that includes Scandals of Tokyo and Talk of Tokyo.

She is fluent in Japanese language, history, and culture, and earned a doctoral degree in cultural anthropology based on fieldwork research in Japan. She lives in Tokyo with her professor husband and two young daughters. In her free time, she can be found translating ancient Japanese poetry and observing the passing of seasons while sipping green tea. Just kidding, she has no free time. But she does watch something that makes her laugh while she does the dishes.

Perennial obsessions include the weather forecast (she checks three different apps at least three times a day, as no single app can be trusted), Baltimore Ravens football (hometown obsession), and making smoothies that taste like candy bars.

Feel free to chat her up about any of her obsessions, or, even better, about historical Japan—any era is fine, she loves them all. She also enjoys exchanging book recommendations, discussions about the craft of romance writing, and stories about life in present-day Tokyo.

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