Monthly Archives: November 2022
HEAL YOUR TMJ
Heal Your TMJ
by Dr. Haissam Dahan
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GENRE: Health
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLURB:
TMJ clicking. Jaw locking. Headaches. Migraines. Ear pain. Stiff Neck. The evidence is overwhelming: the roots of these issues may be caused by your TMJ! TMJ is the name of the joint of the jaw, and groundbreaking research has now revealed that it may be the cause of many chronic pains we suffer. TMJ is the second most common musculoskeletal pain, and as many as 1 in every 3 people will experience TMJ pain in their lifetime. For the longest time, people suffered in silence with TMJ pain, but new breakthrough advancements in research and treatment reveal that you can life a life TMJ-pain-free!
Drawing on his private practice, where he works with people suffering with TMJ, Dr. Dahan reveals in this book his 6 steps to eradicating chronic TMJ pain from your life. He will draw experience from his years working with TMJ sufferers to teach you how to heal your TMJ and live your best life ever!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EXCERPT
After years of studying, treating, and learning about chronic pain, I know one thing for sure: Pain is a mask of something else. Pain is a thermometer of your life. Pain is a warning that your life is heading in the wrong direction. Essentially your body is saying, “You’ve made some stupid decisions, and I’m not happy, so I’m going to let you know.” So your pain isn’t a curse but is, in fact, a blessing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Dr. Haissam Dahan became a dentist in 2005, and furthered his education by completing a clinical fellowship in orofacial pain at the world-renowned Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. He conducted TMJ research, earning a PhD from McGill University in 2014. He has lectured at Harvard, McGill and Tufts University, and has spoken at national and international conferences. He has a successful private practice in Ottawa helping patients who are suffering with TMJ pain.
Dr. Dahan lives in Ottawa with his wife, and has two young boys and a girl. He enjoys running, cycling, and spending time outdoors with his family and friends.
Photo by CHRIS MIKULA, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Buy Links
Paperback
https://amazon.com/dp/0228882281
Kindle
https://amazon.com/dp/B0BCHQRZY7
Social Links
instagram: haissamdahan
facebook: haissam.dahan
linkedin: haissamdahan
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY
Dr. Haissam Dahan will be awarding a $15 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
RAFFLECOPTER:
LEATHER & LACE
Leather & Lace
by Lauren Sevier & A. Smith
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GENRE: Dystopian/Western Romance
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLURB:
Three years wandering the desert is enough to drive anyone insane, and the limits of Bonnie and Jesse’s minds and hearts will be put to the ultimate test.
A deadly showdown with a murderous outlaw ripped Bonnie away from the relative peace and ragtag family she’d built at the end of Guns & Smoke. In the thrilling next chapter in The Fool’s Adventure series, we finally get the answer to the biggest question: What happened to Bonnie?
After three years of fighting to get her back, literally, Jesse James finds her in the most unlikely of places– New Orleans high society. With the help of his rival-turned-friend Will Ellis, and a sassy staff member, Jesse’s tasked with infiltrating the house of the man he believes was responsible for killing his parents in order to get her back. Jesse’s biggest challenge yet will be learning to fight for Bonnie in a way he never expected before: by fitting in.
Mired in high society politics and scheming, Bonnie is at the epicenter of one of the most ruthless gangs in the world. Years trapped in a gilded cage of wealth and lies has irrevocably changed her from a crass outlaw into a southern debutante. Gone is the dangerous glint in her eyes, replaced with suspicion when the devilishly handsome street fighter named Montana suddenly joins her father’s staff.
Can Jesse remind Bonnie of who she really is in time to keep her from giving her heart and hand away or will he discover that the wild, beautiful outlaw he fell in love with is truly gone?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EXCERPT
Staring at her now, knowing that I’d desperately fallen for her all over again sent a stark jolt through me. This feeling between us wasn’t some average infatuation. Most people could live a lifetime and never experience the raging, all-consuming need to be close to another person, no matter whether you knew why.
My soul called out, and hers answered.
Everything that I’d lost three years ago was suddenly before me. In the span of a breath, I closed the distance. I clutched her hips, a smile curling over my lips at the little gasp she let out as her back met the steel door and my mouth covered hers. I reached behind her, flicking the lock. Too many times we’d been interrupted. I’d be damned if I let it happen now. Not when she loved me again.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Lauren Sevier and A. Smith are longtime friends and co-authors from southern Louisiana. Guns and Smoke, their first joint publication, began as a “short” story after having too much wine on girl’s night. Nine years later it is now the first novel in a Dystopian/Western Romance series. The duo has plans to publish several series together in the future. A. Smith spends her time with her two rescue dogs and rescue cat surrounding herself with books and Labyrinth paraphernalia. Lauren Sevier collects antique tea cups and tries to stay sane, though as the mother of a toddler she fails brilliantly most days. She also has a growing collection of crowns and tiaras and likes to act silly on Tiktok. Look for more thrilling novels from The Fools Adventure series in the future!
https://www.amazon.com/Leather-Lace-Fools-Adventure-Book-ebook/dp/B09X1ZRYMS/
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58767973-leather-lace
https://www.laurensevier.com/
https://www.laurensevier.com/newsletter
https://www.youtube.com/c/laurensevier
https://www.instagram.com/laurensevier
https://www.facebook.com/authorlaurensevier
https://www.twitter.com/laurensevier
https://www.tiktok.com/@lsevier
http://abbielynnsmith.com/
https://www.abbielynnsmith.com/newsletter
https://www.amazon.com/~/e/B08RW7R82G
https://www.facebook.com/abbielynnsmith
https://www.twitter.com/abbiewritesx
https://www.instagram.com/abbiewritesx
http://www.tiktok.com/@abbiewritesx
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY
Lauren Sevier and A. Smith will be awarding a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
Enter to win a $10 Amazon/BN GC – a Rafflecopter giveaway
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Q & A With …
Tell us about you as a person.
Abbie: One of the biggest things to know about me is that I am a huge dog person. I recently interviewed for a job and when they asked me what motivated me, the first thing I said was my dogs, and the second was being an author. My entire life, I’ve always imagined up stories, and I knew that what I wanted to do was tell those stories to the world.
Lauren: Starting with the hard-hitting questions, I see. LOL! There’s not much to know about me honestly. I’m a simple person from a small town. I like growing my own food, cooking, spending time with my family and friends. I have a husband that I’m crazy about, a son who reminds me every day to enjoy the little moments, and some of the best friend’s a girl could ask for. Namely, Abbie. I’m not hugely successful, wealthy, or well-known. But in many ways I think my life is richer for that. There is a quiet nobility in living a full and happy life and learning to be present in the moment. I dream about other worlds and characters with lives that are important and interesting, but I don’t aspire to have those kinds of adventures myself. Who am I as a person? I’m a neighbor. The parent who goes on field trips and volunteers at the book fair. The friend who brings over medicine and a can of campbell’s chicken noodle soup when you’re sick. The sister at the family get together who’ll hold a sleeping baby until they’re ready to wake up. A daughter who’ll work in the garden next to you. That’s me, in a nutshell.
If you could hang out with one famous person for one day, who would it be and why?
Abbie: Probably Sarah J. Maas. I adore the ACOTAR series and I would love to be able to pick her brain about being an author and how she plots her stories because she is truly a fantastic author.
Lauren: Good question, I had to think long and hard about this one. I would have to say probably… Michael Chricton. Not only was he a brilliant author, but an intimidatingly intelligent man. I’ve only read one or two of his books throughout the years but he also happened to be my father’s favorite author. When he passed away, my dad was upset that he’d never get to read anything new. My father was the driving force behind fostering my love of reading, and I’d probably ask Mr. Chricton if we could (in however limited our time was) mottle together a short story for my dad. To pay him back for all the books he’s shared with me over the years.
What’s the story behind your latest book?
Abbie: Leather & Lace is the sequel to last summer’s Guns & Smoke. Previously, it was a YA series, and we wrote books one and two. When we decided to publish the series and make it more of an adult romance, we revisited that early draft and decided to cut the plot into two novels. That being said, this book takes place in a city near and dear to my heart: New Orleans. We wanted to explore what the city would be like in a near dystopian future heavily inspired by the old west. Mix that with the mystery of the world ending and steaming hot romance, and you’ve got Leather & Lace.
Lauren: Abbie is always so concise and thorough it’s hard to add anything about the release. But if I delve further into the themes of the book, I think this book is about the everlasting nature of love. And about reconciling your past in order to have a better future. It’s about a lot of things, really, but mostly it’s about weathering hardships and learning to recognize that your own worth doesn’t come from the approval of others or any outside force. That when you learn to love and accept yourself as you are, then and only then can you be truly loved in return.
What is your writing process?
Abbie: I don’t have a process, per se. I struggle sometimes, because I am not one of those “write everyday” type of authors. There are times when I don’t write. I find that if I try to push myself into writing something that I’m not feeling at the moment, all I’m going to do is not write and subsequently beat myself up. So, I really hone in on what’s inspiring me, and when I am, I write. There are times that I have to be reined in by deadlines and such, which I can make work, but I’m much more of a write as inspiration strikes type of person.
Lauren: I’ve often likened it to trying to catch a ferret hopped up on methamphetamines. In other words, absolute chaos. Abbie is actually the more diligent of the two of us and has to rein me in more often than not. At times I feel a bit like Bonnie at the beginning of this book whenever I talk about my writing process. Drafting is absolutely the worst. It’s hard for me to stick to an outline, to finish anything really. My executive dysfunction hits an all time record whenever I sit down to write on the number of ways I can distract myself from the task at hand. Editing however, is another story. Once the zero draft is done… it’s like I have a completely different brain. I’m hyper-organized and know exactly how to fix all the problems I wrote into the draft and tighten up the plot and give the writing a real narrative voice. So, writing… terrible. Editing… priceless. LOL!
If your book was to be turned into a movie, who would play the lead role(s) and why.
Abbie: Oh gosh, this is difficult. I’ll leave Will and Bonnie to Lauren, since she wrote their characters. I think that Jessica Lucas (The Covenant, The Resident) would be a fantastic Savannah. She’s witty and beautiful, with a quiet inner strength that I think would be perfect for our sassy friend. For Jesse, I have always struggled when it came to casting him. There are a plethora of male actors that could play him, but I think Taylor John Smith (Where the Crawdads Sing) is probably the closest I could think of to cast.
Lauren: You know, this question has been asked a lot and my answer is very different than it was back in 2012 when we initially drafted the story. Something I love about the world we built in this series is how naturally diverse it is. Almost all of the main characters are POC characters, or bi-racial. The post-apocalyptic society we created isn’t worried about labels the way we are today. Race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, no one bats an eye at those things. The society we built is Darwinistic at its core, the weak vs the strong. That’s the only label that matters. Because Bonnie is known to be half-Korean, I’d love it if an unknown or debut Korean or Korean-American woman were to play her. Similarly, I’d really love to see a Latin actor play Will, someone who perhaps hasn’t been seen yet in the US. To be able to give a vehicle to actors and actresses who may not have many unique character role opportunities would be really great. And they could do, in my opinion, wonders for the authenticity of the characters they’d be portraying.
What advice do you have for other writers who want to get the word out about their latest book?
Abbie: Marketing is hard, y’all. When you have a small backlist, it can be really difficult. I think finding people that have read your book and enjoy it, and enlisting them to help in promotion is probably one of the best things you could do. We did a lot of stuff prepping for Guns & Smoke last year, and the things that really worked were finding our readers!
Lauren: Good luck! And hire Goddess Fish Promotions for your virtual book tour! LOL! Honestly, just talk to people. Not just about your book but about the books they like too. Share your passion for things with them and the right people will find your books. At least, that’s my belief. But hey, I’m still pretty new at this too.
List 5 things on your bucket list.
Abbie:
- Spend the entire holiday season in a cottage in the UK.
- Fall madly in love.
- Rescue as many pitbulls as I can.
- Build enough of a readership that I can quit my day job.
- End up in a nursing home having wheelchair races with Lauren when we’re old.
Lauren:
- Travel. Widely, and often.
- Eat well. As often as I possibly can.
- Keep sharing my stories with the world and inspiring others to do the same.
- Help my son to grow into a kind, responsible person.
- End up in a nursing home having wheelchair races with Abbie when we’re old.
In what way do you think that this current pandemic has changed the book & publishing industry?
Abbie: I think the biggest change is how digital everything has gone. I’ve seen it in my every day jobs, in my relationships with others, and in how people market their books.
Lauren: The first huge shift I saw in publishing was around 2014, when Amazon made it so easy to self-publish novels through their platform. It took away a lot of the fear of rejection and gatekeeping that traditional publishing had instilled in aspiring authors to that point. The pandemic seemed to just break that shift wide open in my opinion. Authors began to realize that through social media they could effectively market their own work and network. It made self-publishing become even more competitive because the standards for the published content became the same standards (or very near) to traditionally published novels. We’ve seen in recent times how the big six became the big five, and tried to become the big four with large publishing houses trying to acquire each other. As well as Barnes and Noble hiring a new CEO and now shifting their store policies and practices. To be more inviting, have less returned books, fewer hardcovers, etc. As Abbie said, we’re increasingly digital. But I also think this makes sense, as there may be less waste overall. Customers getting the content they want without stores having to overstock in order to provide it. Instant gratification with the click of a button. It also brings the authors and the readers closer together. Closer than I think they’ve ever been. Which could be good or bad depending on the context. I don’t think the changes have stopped or slowed down either, so it’s hard to say the long-term effects of the pandemic just yet. But, I do believe the best is yet to come.
Any final thoughts?
Abbie: I am incredibly proud of Leather & Lace. This book was a hard one to finish (there’s always that dreaded second book syndrome, but I am really excited to get this book into reader’s hands!
Lauren: Parroting Abbie, I’m really proud of this novel. It was personal in ways I didn’t expect and though I was riddled with imposter syndrome the whole time… seeing the final product… It feels a bit like a fairytale. I didn’t realize I could write something that felt so true. Or so dear to my heart. And I just really hope that readers feel that too. Thank you so much for having us on your blog!
SILHOUETTE Book Blast
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
On the night of a blue moon, while walking his dog, middle-aged widower Jim sees Gladys on the roof of a neighboring apartment building and is inspired to speak with her. There’s just one problem: she can’t hear him.
Indeed, Jim isn’t even sure that Gladys truly exists—that she isn’t just a rooftop patio umbrella silhouetted against the moon. Hampered by debilitating social anxiety, he cannot work up the courage to even wave.
Yet Jim returns to the same spot night after night, and Gladys—who is indeed real—sees him and becomes equally interested. She even contributes to their “conversation,” though he cannot hear her either. And while Gladys struggles with her own demons—self-loathing and depression—she is lifted by Jim’s attention, even as she describes how difficult her life has been.
Two characters, driven by sadness and a longing to connect. Will they?
Read an Excerpt
Tonight, I saw a rooftop patio umbrella move. Or was it a woman? It’s May 31, the night of the blue moon. I was taking my dog Gus for his nightly walk. On the rooftop of a building across the street from my apartment, against the light of the huge moon, I saw the silhouette of a patio umbrella. I’d been seeing that umbrella on that roof for weeks—months, maybe. Every time I walked the dog or snuck a puff on my cigar, it was there. Immobile and static. Always in the same place, always visible against either the daytime sky or the city-lit night. I had thought nothing of it, other than wondering if anyone ever used that patio. But tonight, I saw the umbrella silhouette move. “Son of a bitch,” I said. “What the hell is that? Was it the wind?” Startled, I tried to shake off an eerie feeling. Had the umbrella really moved? I don’t care for rooftop patios myself. I’ve been to 4 a few. You have to drag yourself up the stairs, hoping no one else is there when you arrive, so you can have a bit of solace. I always forget something downstairs.
About the Author:
Dr. Paul G. Swingle can be considered one of the founding fathers of Clinical Psychoneurophysiology, one of a select few, directly responsible for bringing Neurotherapy out of university labs and clinics to the general populace in the 1980’s.
His academic positions include, Professor of Psychology at the University of Ottawa from 1972 to 1997, Lecturer in Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School from 1991 to 1998, Associate Attending Psychologist at McLean Hospital (Boston), Head of the Clinical Psychophysiology Service McLean Hospital (Boston). Professor Swingle was also Clinical Supervisor at the University of Ottawa from 1987 to 1997 and Chairman of the Faculty of Child Psychology from 1972 to 1977. Dr. Swingle is a Registered Psychologist in British Columbia and is Board Certified in Biofeedback and Neurotherapy. He is actively involved in research and practice. His numerous publications include nine books and numerous peer reviewed journal publications.
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Silhouette-Paul-G-Swingle/dp/B09C3D527K
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Paul-G-Swingle/e/B09F2518KP/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_book_1
Paul Swingle will be awarding a $15 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js
AVALON Book Blast
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
Avalon is now also available in French!
Some cats need nine lives to make a difference. Avalon only needed one.
From Amazon bestselling author Vanessa Morgan, Avalon is the heartwarming and once-in-a-lifetime love story of a girl and her neurotic Turkish Van cat.
With humor, the author details how Avalon made other creatures cringe in distress whenever he was around, how he threw her dates out by means of special techniques, and how he rendered it almost impossible for her to leave the house. Avalon was so incorrigible that even the landlord ordered to get rid of him. But beneath Avalon’s demonic boisterousness, Vanessa recognized her own flaws and insecurities, and she understood that abandoning Avalon would be the worst she could do to him. Thanks to her unswerving loyalty, Avalon transformed into a tender feline and even landed a major role in a horror movie. In turn, Avalon made it his mission to be there for his human companion.
Avalon is a memoir for anyone who has ever been obsessively in love with a pet.
Read an Excerpt
Ignoring the neighbors’ cats had diminished Avalon’s jealousy, but with four more beings in the apartment demanding my devotion, Avalon’s reality was still a far cry from his personal utopia, and new pet peeves were routinely added to his usual problem-seeking behavior.
Small changes often caused major disturbances. When we removed a DVD from the cupboard, or put a pen on the living room table that he wasn’t used to seeing there, Avalon pitched himself near the problem area and vocalized his complaints as if he was a muezzin calling to prayer. He only stopped if the space returned back to normal.
Intelligent and calculating as he was, Avalon had also developed a technique to prevent Ballon and Tigris from using his litter boxes. Each time he heard the scratch scratch scratch in the litter, he settled into attack mode behind the bathroom wall, wiggled his behind, and leapt onto the other cat as soon as it emerged, making it jump. It worked every…single… time. Proud, Avalon walked away from the crime scene with his nose pointing airwards.
Borat, our guinea pig, was initially the best one off, but ended up the most miserable. What kept him safe at first was Avalon’s fear of rodents. Cats may be considered deadly predators, killing a median of 2.4 billion birds and 12.3 billion mammals a year in the United States alone, but whenever Borat had free range inside the apartment, Avalon went in a large circle around him, avoiding him at all cost.
Eventually, Avalon ferreted out a way to make Borat twinge in distress whenever he approached. It started when I taught Avalon not to throw up on the bed and carpets. Those lessons must have been meaningful, because Avalon didn’t vomit in those places anymore. Instead he aimed for the guinea pig’s head. As soon as he felt a hairball mounting, Avalon ran as fast as he could toward Borat’s cage, leaned in, and puked his heart out.
About the Author:
Vanessa Morgan is the editor of the movie reference guides When Animals Attack: The 70 Best Horror Movies with Killer Animals, Strange Blood: 71 Essays on Offbeat and Underrated Vampire Movies, and Evil Seeds: The Ultimate Movie Guide to Villainous Children. She also has had one cat book (Avalon) and four supernatural thrillers (Drowned Sorrow, The Strangers Outside, A Good Man, and Clowders) published. Three of her stories have been turned into movies. She has written for myriad Belgian magazines and newspapers and introduces movie screenings at several European film festivals. She is also a programmer for the Offscreen Film Festival in Belgium. When she’s not working on her latest book, you can find her reading, watching movies, eating out, or photographing felines for her blog Traveling Cats.
Blog
Amazon
Twitter
Pinterest
Facebook
The French version of the book can be purchased at Amazon for only $0.99.
Vanessa Morgan will be awarding a $10 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js
BEGINNING OF ARROGANCE
Beginning of Arrogance
by Bryan Cole
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GENRE: Fantasy
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLURB:
Paladins are nothing but trouble. Stories about paladins are everywhere, noble warriors riding magic steeds into battle against terrible foes. Champions of their gods. Heroes to everyone, except those who already have everything. Paladins are notorious for upsetting the balance of power, to the detriment of any who don’t worship their deity.
So when Krell is called to service by the capricious god of the seas and skies, ReckNor, those with wealth and power can’t help but be concerned. ReckNor hasn’t called a paladin in years, and his nature is ever-changing and erratic. The fact that Krell is also an uneducated nobody with a stubborn streak as wide as the sea turns their concerns into fear.
All of which matters less than the threat clawing its way from the waves, ready to turn the ocean red with spilled blood…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EXCERPT
Krell’s sword struck the pell.
His heavy breathing couldn’t disguise the dull thunk from the blade as it hit, bits of wood breaking off. Krell twisted his wrist and pulled, disengaging the blade. He struck again, the blade sliding along the wood, leaving a fresh scar. Once again, he failed to cut through the post.
Krell recovered his stance, his shield raised as Olgar taught him while his sword moved back into proper striking position. His next strike was high and carved another sliver of wood. Without waiting, Krell swung again. The sword hit lower than Krell wanted. He pulled back into the proper stance, and his next strike was on target, carving deep into the wood.
“All right, lad, I think we’ve seen enough,” a voice said from somewhere ahead of him.
Krell took a step back from the pell. An unsteady step, he was forced to admit. The sun was still high in the sky. Sweat ran into his blue eyes, causing him to blink in irritation. He glared at the wooden post. No more than halfway through. His chain mail armor was heavy on his shoulders.
He looked over at the town council, seated at a long table under an awning. They had comfortable chairs for the most part, and were sipping on what looked like cool drinks in the shade. Krell wondered how much attention they were actually paying to this test.
Amra Thort was the leader of the town council, and owner of one of the largest fishing fleets in Watford. She was a formidable- looking woman with steel gray hair, whose hands bore the signs of hard work done many years ago. People in the town respected her, Olgar had told him.
Seated next to her was Daylan Plintform, a wealthy merchant who owned many trading and fishing vessels. His long face was handsome, but he always looked irritated, even when he wasn’t. Olgar detested him, but refused to explain why. He was popular in town, since he paid for numerous festivals and banquets when the catch was good.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Bryan Cole is the author of the Paladin’s Journey series. New to the writing world, he spent years working in the enterprise software space, focused on quality assurance and delivery of software applications. Which is weird, because that has nothing to do with writing fiction.
For that, we need to go back – way back – to his first experience with Dungeons & Dragons. His friend Chris brought over the box set for Myth Drannor, eager to play. Together, they realized they had no idea what they were doing, because neither of them owned a copy of the Players Handbook, Dungeon Master’s Guide, or the Monster Manual.
From those incredibly awkward beginnings, a lifelong passion for epic science fiction and high fantasy adventure was born. Everything from his grade 4 teacher letting him stay after school to play a video game where you were the wizard on a quest, defeating monsters by answering math problems, to some truly memorable movies like Willow that showed him a world bigger and more exciting than the real one.
Of course, Star Wars and Star Trek have had a major influence on him. Want to get in good with Bryan? Lead with a Star Wars meme. From one of the good movies. Otherwise, your plan will backfire.
Bryan is also an avid gamer, and enjoys video games, board games, and tabletop roleplaying games.
These days, he lives in Toronto with his wife and daughter, and his adorable cat.
CONNECT WITH BRYAN COLE
WEBSITE: https://fatpaladin.ca/
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/FatPaladin
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/fatpaladinbooks/
GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22517522.Bryan_Cole
PURCHASE LINKS BEGINNING OF ARROGANCE
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY
Bryan Cole will be awarding a $15 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
Enter to win a $15 Amazon/BN GC – a Rafflecopter giveaway
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Q & A With …
Tell us about you as a person.
I would say that I am a pessimistic optimist. I believe that people tend to make short-term decisions without thinking through the consequences of their actions, and that can be sometimes indirectly harmful. Yet at our core, I believe we all never want to cause harm, that we’re all in this together and are willing to help others. I try to be a good person as much as I can. In terms of interests, I’m a stereotypical nerd through and through, with a love for board games, video games, anime, science fiction, and – of course – fantasy.
If you could hang out with one famous person for one day, who would it be and why?
This is a tough question, and the nerd in me immediately wants to know the constraints. Alive or dead? If dead, am I time travelling back to see them, or are they coming forward to spend a day with me? Will the remember any of the information I share with them? What can I bring with me (for instance, supporting media and historical documents)? If there is an opportunity to warn someone of a calamity, then I might pick individuals like Franklin Delano Roosevelt. It would be extremely selfish to squander the opportunity to mitigate global catastrophes but do so in a way that hopefully leads to the same outcomes.
But, if I’m being selfish, I’d pick René Descartes. The father of modern philosophy, a mathematician who founded the Cartesian coordinate system and is known as the father of analytic geometry, he is one of the key figures in the birth of the modern world. I think we’d have an amazing conversation!
What’s the story behind your latest book?
Beginning of Arrogance is a story about what it means to be called as a paladin, and the consequences that flow from that. Paladins are rare but are not random. They are called for a specific purpose, to make manifest the will of their god on the world. The implications of that are myriad. For those in positions of power, unless they are devoted followers of that particular god, paladins represent an indirect threat that they need to plan for and counter. For everyone else, when a paladin appears – especially among a group of followers – that means that something awful is about to happen. Krell is there to keep that from happening, with mixed results.
What is your writing process?
I spend time writing when I can, and when I am in the correct frame of mind. I still have a full-time job and a family, so carving the solitude out of my day to write can be challenging at times. Sometimes when I go to write, my mindset is wrong, and instead I will do research or just goof off! However, when I sit down to write, I’ll spend three to four hours enmeshed in the story as I type it out. I then review it to see whether the characters diverged from the plot beats I outlined, and if it is better to adjust them back on course or adjust the story so they can remain who they are. It’s tremendously rewarding and fun for me when everything comes together!
If your book was to be turned into a movie, who would play the lead role(s) and why.
This is a really hard question for me! Both because I’m only generally aware of what is happening in the up and coming actor and actresses world, but also because there are so many characters in Beginning of Arrogance. For Krell, I would pick someone like Timothée Chalamet. He blew me away with his portrayal of Paul Atredies in Dune and has the right sort of wiry strength that I imagine Krell would have. Olgar would be well served by someone like Stellan Skarsgaard, while Captain Gijwolf would be Idris Elba. Maybe someone like Tanner Buchanan for Tristan, who has a major narrative role as the lancer to Krell, our protagonist.
What advice do you have for other writers who want to get the word out about their latest book?
Marketing is as hard or harder than writing the book (at least for me!). Seek assistance and be prepared to devote substantial amounts of time toward getting the word out. We all have our own definitions of success (just holding my own copy of Beginning of Arrogance in my hand was such a thrill for me!), but unless you let people know about your book, you’re not going to get readers. I’d also advise you to not wait as I did – begin the marketing campaign earlier with advanced reader copies, instead of waiting until the book is published. I’ve learned a lot about Facebook marketing, Instagram marketing, author tours, and website design, but there is still so much more to learn and know!
List 5 things on your bucket list.
- See the Aurora Borealis in person (the northern lights).
- Visit the Bay of Fundy.
- Visit Italy, to view Roman and Renaissance history.
- Visit Greece, to view Greek history
- Space travel would be amazing, but probably not in my budget.
In what way do you think that this current pandemic has changed the book & publishing industry?
The push to online book buying has certainly accelerated as a result of the pandemic. I think the technology platforms like Amazon are allowing more and more people, combined with their enforced free time at home, to access the self-publishing world. At the same time, recent court documents released in the Random House merger that stated roughly fifty percent of all traditionally published books sell less than one dozen (that is, less than 12) copies ever has certainly opened some eyes. Already I’ve sold way more than twelve copies of Beginning of Arrogance, and the rise of self-publishing will only continue to accelerate.
Any final thoughts?
Everyone has a story to tell, and with ready access to the internet, not only is it easy to find and read amazing stories, but increasingly easy to write your own. I had no idea before I began writing that I would enjoy it as much as I have, and I would encourage everyone to give it a try and see if you enjoy it as much as I have!
Beginning of Arrogance
Beginning of Arrogance
by Bryan Cole
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GENRE: Fantasy
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLURB:
Paladins are nothing but trouble. Stories about paladins are everywhere, noble warriors riding magic steeds into battle against terrible foes. Champions of their gods. Heroes to everyone, except those who already have everything. Paladins are notorious for upsetting the balance of power, to the detriment of any who don’t worship their deity.
So when Krell is called to service by the capricious god of the seas and skies, ReckNor, those with wealth and power can’t help but be concerned. ReckNor hasn’t called a paladin in years, and his nature is ever-changing and erratic. The fact that Krell is also an uneducated nobody with a stubborn streak as wide as the sea turns their concerns into fear.
All of which matters less than the threat clawing its way from the waves, ready to turn the ocean red with spilled blood…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EXCERPT
Krell’s sword struck the pell.
His heavy breathing couldn’t disguise the dull thunk from the blade as it hit, bits of wood breaking off. Krell twisted his wrist and pulled, disengaging the blade. He struck again, the blade sliding along the wood, leaving a fresh scar. Once again, he failed to cut through the post.
Krell recovered his stance, his shield raised as Olgar taught him while his sword moved back into proper striking position. His next strike was high and carved another sliver of wood. Without waiting, Krell swung again. The sword hit lower than Krell wanted. He pulled back into the proper stance, and his next strike was on target, carving deep into the wood.
“All right, lad, I think we’ve seen enough,” a voice said from somewhere ahead of him.
Krell took a step back from the pell. An unsteady step, he was forced to admit. The sun was still high in the sky. Sweat ran into his blue eyes, causing him to blink in irritation. He glared at the wooden post. No more than halfway through. His chain mail armor was heavy on his shoulders.
He looked over at the town council, seated at a long table under an awning. They had comfortable chairs for the most part, and were sipping on what looked like cool drinks in the shade. Krell wondered how much attention they were actually paying to this test.
Amra Thort was the leader of the town council, and owner of one of the largest fishing fleets in Watford. She was a formidable- looking woman with steel gray hair, whose hands bore the signs of hard work done many years ago. People in the town respected her, Olgar had told him.
Seated next to her was Daylan Plintform, a wealthy merchant who owned many trading and fishing vessels. His long face was handsome, but he always looked irritated, even when he wasn’t. Olgar detested him, but refused to explain why. He was popular in town, since he paid for numerous festivals and banquets when the catch was good.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Bryan is an avid reader, and has loved the fantasy genre since he was a child. His love of stories of mighty knights, terrible dragons, and noble steeds has inspired him for decades.
CONNECT WITH BRYAN COLE
WEBSITE: https://fatpaladin.ca/
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/FatPaladin
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/fatpaladinbooks/
GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22517522.Bryan_Cole
PURCHASE LINKS BEGINNING OF ARROGANCE
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY
Bryan Cole will be awarding a $15 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
Enter to win a $15 Amazon/BN GC – a Rafflecopter giveaway
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GRADY WHILL AND THE TEMPLETON CODEX
Grady Whill and the Templeton Codex
by Carole P. Roman
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GENRE: YA adventure
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLURB:
Templeton Academy- the superhero high school is finally open!
The prestigious academy is recruiting the best of the best to enroll in its student body.
The school is as mysterious as it is exclusive.
Grady Whill thinks there is nothing special about him to make the grade.
However, his best friend, Aarush Patel has been selected and thinks Grady has the right stuff.
Even school bully Elwood Bledsoe is attending.
If Grady is fortunate enough to be picked, his guardian has forbidden him to attend.
Will a family secret prevent Grady from becoming the superhero he was destined to be?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EXCERPT
There Whill Be Blood
A barely cooled lump of lava hardened under my feet. One of my sneakers was stuck between two small rocks in the solidifying mess. I stared at my foot in disbelief. Instinct told me I should be a human torch, my legs nothing more than toasted stumps. I glanced up, my heart beating wildly. We were trapped on the side of the mountain facing our school, separated by a burning sea of molten rocks.
The world around me steamed, the lava staining the sky burnt orange. Trees swallowed by molten rock looked like skeletal hands emerging from a grave that glowed beneath the blackened crust. I saw heat waves shimmering from the earth but felt none of its intensity. I pulled fiercely, feeling my ankle twist. Aarush steadied me as I nearly toppled over. He was shirtless, his back slick with sweat and covered with scrapes. His fingers worked feverishly to free my foot.
Overhead two helicopter-sized pterodactyls circled the craggy summit. The wind from their leathery wings buffeted the two of us. I think the air they circulated stopped the patches of lava from cooking us alive, but what do I know?
“We better get moving, Grady. Leave your sneaker. We are risking getting burned by staying too long in one spot.” The ever-practical Aarush reasoned as he pulled the velcro releasing my foot. I wobbled, then fell to one knee.
“Do you think they’re real?” I hollered to my friend over the noise, pointing upward.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Carole P. Roman is the award-winning author of over fifty children’s books. Whether it’s pirates, princesses, spies, or discovering the world around us, her books have enchanted educators, parents, and her diverse audience of children of all ages.
Her best-selling book, The Big Book of Silly Jokes for Kids: 800+ Jokes! has reached number one on Amazon in March of 2020 and has remained in the top 200 books since then.
She published Mindfulness for Kids with J. Robin Albertson-Wren.
Carole has co-authored two self-help books. Navigating Indieworld: A Beginners Guide to Self-Publishing and Marketing with Julie A. Gerber, and Marketing Indieworld with both Julie A. Gerber and Angela Hausman.
Roman is the CEO of a global transportation company, as well as a practicing medium.
She also writes adult fiction under the name Brit Lunden and has created an anthology of the mythical town of Bulwark, Georgia with a group of indie authors.
Writing is her passion and one of her favorite pastimes. Roman reinvents herself frequently, and her family calls her the ‘mother of reinvention.’ She resides on Long Island, near her children and grandchildren.
http://www.caroleproman.com/
https://www.facebook.com/CarolePRomanAwardWinningAuthorAndBooks/
https://twitter.com/caroleproman
http://caroleproman.blogspot.com/
https://www.amazon.com/Carole-P-Roman/e/B008ZOXI0W
Buy the book: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B4T6PWPH/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i3
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY
One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card.
Enter to win a $50 Amazon/BN GC – a Rafflecopter giveaway
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Interview With …
What is something you’ve lied about?
I lied to my kids about eating carbs. I love bagels. What can I say?
Who is the last person you hugged?
My kids and grandkids, today at dinner. OMG, they’re delicious.
What are you reading now?
Sally Christie’s The Rivals of Versailles. It’s brilliant.
How do you come up with the titles to your books?
I make a list and find the one that describes the book best.
Share your dream cast for your book.
- Grady Whills – Finn Wolfhard
- Aarush Patel – a young Aziz Ansari
- Pari Patel – a young Priyanka Chopra
- Elwood Bledsoe – a young and American Tom Felton
- Valencia Templeton – Cate Blanchette
- Miss Parker – Reese Witherspoon
- Dr. Templeton – Liam Neeson
BLACK MAGIC MURDER
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
Careful what you wish for!
Graduating to a fully-fledged witch on my upcoming birthday should be a momentous occasion, but when a local hairdresser turns up dead, I know it’s going to be one hell of a week.
Saltwater Cove’s resident infuriating fae looks like a good suspect for the murder, but insists she’s innocent and reveals a huge secret too amazing to be a lie. But if she didn’t do it… then who did?
The murder triggers the return of a dark force… dark enough to send even the most experienced witches into panic mode. Harriet, Jordi and Tyler join me as I try to find the culprit, putting my magical abilities to the ultimate test.
When the killer strikes even closer to home, I need to up my game if I’m going to keep evil at bay.…or have I finally met my supernatural match?
Read an Excerpt
“I cannot believe you’re not going to have a birthday party!” Harriet said, dropping on the edge of my bed, disgruntled. “It’s not every day you turn twenty-five and become a full-fledged witch. Why would you not want to have a party? It’s a milestone to celebrate.”
“Parties are over-rated,” I blurted, holding a pink and black blouse against my chest and checking out the vintage look in the full-length mirror in the corner.
Not bad, if I say so myself. Lookout, Tyler, here I come.
“Harriet’s right.” Jordi joined her on the bed. Both my best friends stared blankly at me. These two women meant the world to me, and that was precisely why I was not having a party.
“I’m sure lover boy has a great night planned this evening, but what about the rest of us?” Harriet giggled. “How are we going to celebrate your birthday?”
I bit the inside of my cheek, choosing my words carefully. “Do you remember what happened when we hosted our last party at The Melting Pot?”
They glanced sideways at each other, and then Harriet piped up, “Please don’t tell me it was New Year’s Eve?”
My forehead tightened. “It certainly was.”
A grimace turned Jordi’s expression upside down. “I remember. Prudence McAvoy turned up dead in your pond. But when you think about it, that’s no great loss.”
“Jordi!” I said, three octaves higher. “That is a terrible thing to say.”
She shrugged. “Sorry, but we all know she was not at the top of my Christmas Card list. She made my life hell at school and after. She made my life hell…period.”
About the Author:
Polly Holmes is the cheeky, sassy alter ego of Amazon best-selling author, P.L. Harris. When she’s not writing her next romantic suspense novel as P.L. Harris, she is planning the next murder in one of Polly’s cozy mysteries. She pens food-themed and paranormal cozy mysteries and publishes her books solely with Gumnut Press.
As Polly Holmes, Cupcakes and Corpses was a finalist in the Oklahoma Romance Writers of America’s 2019 IDA International Digital Awards, short suspense category. Cupcakes and Curses claimed second place and Cupcakes and Cyanide gained third place making it a clean sweep in the category.
She won silver in the 2020 ROAR! National Business Awards in the Writer/Blogger/Author category and for the second year in a row, she was a finalist in the 2021 ROAR! National Business Awards winning bronze in the Writer/Blogger/Author category with Gumnut Press taking out the gold in the Hustle and Heart category.
2022 saw Polly Holmes’ books Muffins & Magic and Mistletoe, Murder & Mayhem long-listed in the Davitt Awards, a prestigious award run by the Sisters of Crime, Australia. Muffins & Magic also placed in the finals of the cozy mystery category in the Nashville Silver Falchion Awards.
She lives in the northern suburbs of Perth, Western Australia, with her Bichon Frise, Bella.
Polly Holmes will be awarding a $15 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js
C.A. Milson 