Category Archives: Book Tour
Release Blitz – The Reality, Mythology and Fantasies of Unicorns
About the Book
Title: The Reality, Mythology and Fantasies of Unicorns
Author: W.B.J. Williams
Genre: Historical
The Hunt for a Unicorn.
The belief in unicorns as magical creatures is one that is rooted deeply in human history. They are featured in myths, legends, and folk tales from multiple cultures across the globe. In this volume, W.B.J. Williams, the author of the historical unicorn-themed fantasy “The Garden at the Roof of the World”, takes us on a journey through time to the dawn of civilization, for a fascinating take on the unicorn and its origins. Step into the worlds of magic, science, mythology, and the arts on your very own hunt for a unicorn.
Author Bio
W. B. J. Williams holds advanced degrees in anthropology and archeology. He is an avid historian, mystic, poet, and author who manages an information security program at a prominent New England start-up. He is noted for his bad puns, and willingness to argue from any perspective. He is endured by his beloved wife and two daughters, and lives in Sharon Massachusetts. When he is not at home or at his computer, he can often be found haunting the various used bookstores of Boston.
Links
Giveaway
VBT – Amanda911
Amanda911
by Mark Schreiber
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GENRE: YA (crossover)
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BLURB:
“Sixteen-year-old Iowa schoolgirl Amanda Dizon may be the nation’s most unremarkable teenager, until she falls down a well and finds herself instantaneously transformed from irrelevant to influencer. Mark Schreiber’s sly, rollicking masterpiece, Amanda911, follows Amanda’s escapades and sends up the craven, fame-obsessed virtual culture of today’s adolescents. As insightful as Dickens and as innovative as Heller, Schreiber is the definitive satirist of the social media generation.”—Jacob M. Appel, author of Einstein’s Beach House
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EXCERPT
Falling down a well was both the best and worst thing that ever happened to my granddaughter.
She was a Disney princess to me, but a comic sidekick to her classmates, who’d never been
kissed by a boy—or I suppose by a girl—been asked to a dance, or chosen for any role in a school production that did not conceal her face.
Most people under twenty probably don’t know what a well is.
Haven’t seen one. Probably think it’s just something you say when you need to buy time, like like, or when someone asks you how you’re feeling, although I guess these days everyone says good or OK, or nothing at all, opting for an emoji instead. Do kids even talk anymore, in the crowded loneliness of their bedrooms? Did Amanda even scream when she fell down the well? Or did she just send a screaming emoji?
So, when millions of kids all over the globe saw the headline, they shared via social media:
Girl Plummets Down Well
More than plenty had to Google well to comprehend its meaning.
I’m sure she got at least half a million hits just from image searches that returned a picture of an oil rig in the North Sea. Geez, her international peer group must have thought, or words or emojis to that effect. A girl has fallen thousands of feet smack into a tidal wave. I hope she’s more Kate than Leonardo.
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Mark Schreiber was born in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1960, graduated high school at age fifteen and began writing novels full-time. Princes in Exile, which explores a prodigy’s struggle to accept his own mortality at a summer camp for kids with cancer, was published in 1984 and made into a feature film in 1991. It has been published in ten countries, received two awards in Europe and was shortlisted for the Austria Prize. Carnelian, a fantasy, was published by Facet in Belgium. Starcrossed, a rebuttal to Romeo and Juliet, was published by Flux and translated into French and Turkish. His illustrated science book, How to Build an Elephant, was published as an Apple app by Swag Soft. He has written over forty books and received two State of Ohio Individual Writer Fellowships. For the last seven years he has been a digital nomad, living on four continents. He currently resides in Costa Rica.
Website: Amanda911.com
TikTok: @Amanda911
Instagram: @Amanda911
Twitter: @Markschreiber07
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Schreiber
Buy links:
https://pleasureboatstudio.com/product/amanda911/
https://books.google.com/books/about/Amanda911.html?id=Lzx3zgEACAAJ
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RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY
One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card.
BLANK: MADAM DOESN’T LIKE THAT
Blank: Madam Doesn’t Like That
by Zhanna Hamilton
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GENRE: Science Fiction
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BLURB:
The Blank Series blurb:
A former human turned military spy bot escapes the oppressive Solar Government, leaving behind a secret that turns order into chaos. Now, she’s being hunted.
Blurb for Blank: Madam Doesn’t Like That (Short Story 4 of The Blank Series):
An unexpected visit from sex bots turns into a secret mission with deadly consequences.
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EXCERPT
There, on the grey bricks of a side street building was a graffitied image of blue hair and red lips. The first image bots see when they contract the Code. A look cloned by thousands who swore they were the real Blank.
He went somewhere in his mind, searching for a memory of her. A happy one. They all seemed sad now.
Where are you?
He looked away from the wall–but he couldn’t escape her. The farther they went, the more propaganda popped up. Painted on windows. Wrapped around poles. Scribbled on sidewalks.
BLANK IS AN ALIEN! BLANK IS A LIE! BLANK SHAPESHIFTS! LONG LIVE BLANK! WHO IS BLANK?
Zen met his eyes in the rearview mirror.
“Forget her,” she said. “You’re parallel lines now.”
He wanted to forget. To leave her behind as anonymous wall art.
How?
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Zhanna Hamilton is a science fiction writer and the creator of The Blank Series. In May 2019, she released the first installment of the scifi series on Wattpad, “Blank: Begin Again,” which has been named in the top 100 list of femme fatale stories and chosen as an “Undiscovered Stories” Wattpad Pick on the independent storytelling platform–home to 90 million readers worldwide. Readers and future readers can follow Hamilton on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ZhannaHamilton.
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Read “Blank: Begin Again (Short Story 1 of The Blank Series)” on Wattpad:
https://bit.ly/Blank-BeginAgain
Read “Blank: Where Do Machines Go When They Die? (Short Story 2 of The Blank Series)” on Wattpad:
https://bit.ly/WhereDoMachinesGoWhenTheyDie
Read “Blank: You Heard Me (Short Story 3 of The Blank Series)” on Wattpad:
https://bit.ly/YouHeardMe
Read “Blank: Madam Doesn’t Like That (Short Story 4 of The Blank Series)” on Wattpad:
https://bit.ly/MadamDoesntLikeThat
Follow The Blank Series on Wattpad:
https://bit.ly/TheBlankSeries
Follow Zhanna Hamilton on Wattpad:
https://bit.ly/ZhannaHamiltononWattpad
The book will be Free during the tour.
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RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY
Zhanna Hamilton will be awarding a $75 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
Enter to win a $75 Amazon/BN GC – a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Interview With …
Tell us about you as a person.
I arrived in the U.S. as a three-year-old with my family from the former Soviet Union (now Belarus). Though I grew up in the tri-state area, I’ve spent much of my adult life on the west coast. I’ve been writing fiction and poetry since I was a child, and have been a book nerd just as long.
If you could hang out with one famous person for one day, who would it be and why?
Angelina Jolie. Growing up, she was my favorite actress and role model. I still deeply admire her and the work she does with UNHCR.
What’s the story behind your latest release?
“Madam Doesn’t Like That” is the 4th short story of The Blank Series. For this installment, I wanted to mix fun and action and cyberpunk suspense. It starts with chaos and it ends with chaos. I hope the readers enjoy it!
What advice do you have for other writers who want to get the word out about their latest work?
I personally love connecting with readers on Wattpad. It’s free to use, it has its own community and it’s a great way to expand your readership.
Any final thoughts?
Your favorite actors from Star Trek, The Big Bang Theory, Dexter and Battlestar Galactica might already be Blank fans. To see celebrity reaction videos for The Blank Series, head over to my Instagram. For the best experience, read this scifi series in chronological order.
VBT – Reluctant Groom Anthology
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.
He’s older, wiser, and always gets what he wants. This wedding is happening … whether the groom likes it or not.
Our seven hand-picked stories feature young reluctant grooms and the older men determined to claim them. These forced marriages may start out frigid, but our authors will prove that love can conquer all.
Evernight’s Reluctant Groom anthology stories are sure to deliver passion that is off the charts, scorching hot sex, and sigh-worthy happy ever afters.
Worth the Risk by Allyson Young
Sins of the Father Hannah Morse
Room With a View by James Cox
Making It Real by Marie Medina
Protecting Chauncey by Cooper McKenzie
October Surprise L.J. Longo
Not So Sham Wedding by Megan Slayer
Read an Excerpt
#1 ©MeganSlayer, All Rights Reserved
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Hudson Granger said. “I have to do what?” He’d misheard the declaration from his assistant.
“Lucas?”
“Get married.” Lucas Cole held the tablet and looked up at him.
“You can stay in your position with Granger Stores and will be given your inheritance if you get married before the end of the month. It’s one of the stipulations in your father’s will. Every child must be married before the end of January. It’s already January twenty-eighth.”
“Or I can’t inherit that money and keep my position as the head of Granger Stores?” Hudson pinched the bridge of his nose. “I’m the only child who isn’t married.”
“Correct.” Lucas sighed and swiped his finger over the screen.
“Apparently, your sisters don’t get their money until you’re married.
They’ve got incentive to get you coupled up.”
“Crap.” He swayed before settling on the edge of his desk.
“They want the cash. Lia needs money for her second honeymoon, Cassie wants to put her kids through private school, and Desiree needs an infusion of money to her design studio.”
“Yes, yes, and yes.” Lucas paled. His blue eyes widened.
“They’re on the way up here. Looks like Cassie was in the lobby with a brunette woman. She’s trying to fix you up, I bet.”
“I’m gay.”
“I know that, and so do your sisters.” Lucas placed the tablet on Hudson’s desk. “What do you want to do? This is your life, and it should be your decision.”
About the Author:
Wendi Zwaduk, is a multi-published, award-winning author of more than one-hundred short stories and novels. She’s been writing since 2008 and published since 2009. Her stories range from the contemporary and paranormal to LGBTQ and BDSM themes. No matter what the length, her works are always hot, but with a lot of heart. She enjoys giving her characters a second chance at love, no matter what the form. She’s been the runner up in the Kink Category at Love Romances Café as well as nominated at the LRC for best author, best contemporary, best ménage and best anthology. Her books have made it to the bestseller lists on Amazon.com.
When she’s not writing, Megan spends time with her husband and son as well as three dogs and three cats. She enjoys art, music and racing, but football is her sport of choice. She’s an active member of the Friends of the Keystone-LaGrange Public library.
Find out more about Megan and Wendi at: http://wendizwaduk.com/indexMegan.htm
Sign up for the newsletter here: http://ymlp.com/xgjmjumygmgj
Website http://wendizwaduk.com/indexMegan.htm
Blog https://wendizwaduk.wordpress.com/
Fan Page https://www.facebook.com/wendizwaduk.meganslayer/
Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/Wendi-Zwaduk/e/B003KA589U/
Bookbub https://www.bookbub.com/authors/wendi-zwaduk
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/wendizwaduk/
Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5330530.Megan_Slayer
Twitter https://twitter.com/#!/MeganSlayer
Buy links:
https://www.amazon.com/Reluctant-Groom-Allyson-Young-ebook/dp/B095FZH9R8
https://www.evernightpublishing.com/reluctant-groom/
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/reluctant-groom-allyson-young/1139525905
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1085150
https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/reluctant-groom-1
Megan Slayer will be awarding a prize pack with a necklace made by the author to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js
SONG OF THE KING’S HEART TRILOGY
Blood and Chaos – Book 2
by Nicole Sallak Anderson
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GENRE: Historical Fantasy
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BLURB:
The second chapter of Lord Ankhwenefer’s story is one of love, betrayal, and death. The world needs to know this forgotten king’s tale so that the ghosts of the past may finally rest.
Prince Ankhmakis has left his beloved Natasa for war and treacherous obstacles block his path to becoming Egypt’s last native king. He is the warrior that the men revere, and his orders are followed without question. He is strong and powerful with Natasa on his side, and the fear that breeds in those around him is more dangerous to Ankhmakis than the swords of the Greeks.
Natasa has risen higher in the mystic arts than any priestess before her—and she is in more peril because of it. All she desires is to assist her lover, Ankhmakis, in his quest to take back Egypt from the Macedonians once and for all, but his jealous queen, his plotting brother, and the truest evil in the world want nothing more than to be rid of her.
Natasa and Ankhmakis fight not only against the Greeks but also those at court who will do anything to see them both dead. Together, Ankhmakis would become a great general and Natasa the mystic healer who saves him. Apart, they may not survive.
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EXCERPT
The prince of Behdet gazed across the Nile River at the city of Panopolis, its bonfires flickering like beacons in the dark night. A hot wind caressed his sunburnt face. He turned to see his enemy’s army spread out before him, torchlights zigzagging across an island downriver like ants on honey, protecting their city with their mighty arsenal of archers ships. He wanted control of the island, needed it, if he were ever to return home to his lover’s arms.
“This war is taking too long,” he hissed under his breath.
“My lord,” Min, his personal guard, answered. “It has been a year. It took our greatest ancestor, Pharaoh Amhose I, nineteen years to banish the Hyksos filth from our lands. Prior to his victory, his father and grandfather also battled for independence. Their line of kings fought for over thirty years to take Egypt unto back unto native hands. Our war is young. Be patient.”
Ankhmakis turned to his friend and captain, his lips curled. “I don’t want this to take three generations, Min. I will not leave this task to my heirs. I will march upon Alexandria and kill Ptolemy IV with my own hands. We should at least be to Memphis by now. Instead we’re in Panopolis, held back by their army. For the second time, the Inundation is at our backs. If we don’t hurry, we’ll be trapped here when the river floods. Such a failure can’t happen again.”
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Nicole Sallak Anderson is Computer Science graduate from Purdue University, and former CTO for a small Silicon Valley startup, turned novelist, speaker, and blogger, focusing on the intersection of technology and consciousness. Her essays range from AI and Zen to direct democracy to the loneliness of modern parenting (https://medium.com/@NSallakAnderson/pretty-birds-in-pretty-cages-could-the-nuclear-family-be-the-reason-were-all-miserable-46126d573263) — featured as a top twenty story on Medium. In addition, her work on Universal Basic Income has been included on 2020 presidential candidate, Andrew Yang’s, website: https://www.yang2020.com/policies/the-freedom-dividend/.
Her latest project, The Song of the King’s Heart Trilogy, is a series about the last native Pharaoh of Ancient Egypt and his quest to take back his ancestral kingdom from the Ptolemaic Empire. The first two installments, Origins and Blood and Chaos, are available on Amazon. The last novel in the series, Civilization’s End, will be released October 2021. You can keep up with all her latest writing on her website nicolesallakanderson.com or by following @NSallakAnderson on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/NSallakAnderson/) , Twitter (https://twitter.com/NSallakAnderson), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/nsallakanderson/) and Medium (https://nsallakanderson.medium.com/). Feel free to contact her, she almost always answers to any query or comment!
The books will be on sale for $0.99
Amazon Buy Links: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Nicole+Sallak+Anderson&ref=nb_sb_noss_2
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RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY
A randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour will receive a $50 Amazon/BN GC.
Enter to win a $50 Amazon/BN GC – a Rafflecopter giveaway
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Interview
What would we find under your bed?
At the moment, nothing, because I don’t own very much since a wildfire burned my home and all the belongings I had. However, I used to store baskets full of shoes under my bed. I have a thing for shoes.
What was the scariest moment of your life?
When my husband was caught in traffic in a town one hundred miles away that was being consumed by wildfire while simultaneously receiving a notification that my neighborhood was on fire. The worst moment of my life as well as the scariest. My husband made it home safely, my neighborhood though, is gone.
Do you listen to music while writing?
Yes. If so what? I use music in two ways. I create a playlist in Spotify for every book I write and listen to that constantly while driving or cleaning the home. This gets me in the mood of the setting and my characters. But I can’t write while music with words is playing, so I have a few instrumental YouTube channels I follow, like Epic Music World, that I play in the background when I need to go deeper into a scene.
What is something you’d like to accomplish in your writing career next year?
I’d like to find an agent to represent my memoir about surviving wildfire.
How long did it take you to write this book?
I wrote the first draft of all three novels for the trilogy in nine months, literally downloading the whole story. Then I spent a year breaking it up into three books and polishing them to pitch to publishers.
Book Tour – STARTING OVER IN CEDARWOOD
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.
Starting over might just bring them the love they deserve.
Shaun Fallows came to Cedarwood to start over. He wants to be done with dating, but the moment he sees Kevin, the sparks are off the charts. He can’t get the sexy man off his mind. So much for not wanting to get involved. Kevin is the man of his dreams. Can he convince Kevin to give him a try or will the romance end before it gets the chance to begin?
Besides, there’s the small issue of Kevin’s cat…
Kevin Keiser did the dating thing and ended up burned. One of the few bright spots in his life is his cat, Leo. The animal might be a bit prickly, but he’s been a good meter for who Kevin should date and who he should avoid. He wants a boyfriend who isn’t put off by his pet. Shaun sure seems to fit the bill. Is he just another man or the love Kevin’s been waiting for?
Read an Excerpt
©2021 MeganSlayer All Rights Reserved
“He doesn’t date anyone who isn’t approved by his cat,” she said. “You hate cats, so you’d better just have one beer with him and cut your losses, now that I think about it.”
“I don’t hate cats.” He hadn’t found one that liked him, but that was beside the point. “Are he and the cat that close?”
“Very.”
Shaun shrugged. Cara was probably exaggerating. She tended to when she discussed something dramatic. The car accident was always the worst she’d ever seen or her kid scoring a goal was always the best goal ever in the history of eighth grade hockey. “I’ll give him a chance.”
“Who?” Warrick found them and sat beside Shaun. “Dave? Don’t date Dave. He’s full of himself. Plus, you’ll smell like you’ve bathed in his cologne.”
Shaun shrugged again. Their co-worker, Dave, did tend to wear his aftershave a bit on the thick side. Everyone who hugged him tended to smell like him.
“Shut up,” Dave said. “I heard our Shaun gave Kevin Keiser his digits.”
“Keiser? He’s so quiet,” Warrick said. “He’s gay? Oh wait. I knew that. He had a guy…Kyle someone or another. I guess they had a falling out.”
“Over the cat,” Cara said.
Shaun gritted his teeth to keep from speaking. Kevin’s personal life wasn’t their business. “You need to leave him alone.”
“Why? He had a fight with a guy over a cat. The critter hated Kyle, I think,” Warrick said. He shrugged, then downed some of his beer. “If I can’t find a woman to get along with Patrice, then it’s a nonstarter.”
“Your dog?” Dave snorted. “It’s just a dog.”
“Might be to you, but she’s a good dog,” Warrick said. “She’s more loyal than you’ve ever been.”
Shaun snorted. “You two.” He ignored the rest of the conversation in favor of the baseball game. “Kevin seemed nice and I went out on a limb. It might not work, but I won’t know unless we go out, so there.”
“You should give him a shot,” Cara said. “You’d be good for him. You’re quiet and smart like him. Maybe you’d bring each other out of your shell.”
“Maybe.” His thoughts turned to Kevin. He hadn’t felt sparks like that in ages and he liked the rush. He missed the delight of being with someone and being wanted. Hell, he liked being part of a relationship.
Besides, he was tired of the one-night stands and pretty boys who only wanted him to pump up their ego or be their sugar daddy. He was only forty-two, but sometimes he felt ancient. He worked hard for his money and the paper. Could Kevin be the one he’d been looking for?
He hoped so.
About the Author:
Megan Slayer, aka Wendi Zwaduk, is a multi-published, award-winning author of more than one-hundred short stories and novels. She’s been writing since 2008 and published since 2009. Her stories range from the contemporary and paranormal to LGBTQ and white hot themes. No matter what the length, her works are always hot, but with a lot of heart. She enjoys giving her characters a second chance at love, no matter what the form. She’s been nominated at the LRC for Best Author, Best Contemporary, Best Ménage, Best BDSM and Best Anthology. Her books have made it to the bestseller lists on Amazon.com.
When she’s not writing, Megan spends time with her husband and son as well as three dogs and three cats. She enjoys art, music and racing, but football is her sport of choice. She’s an active member of the Friends of the Keystone-LaGrange Public library.
Find out more about Megan and Wendi at: http://wendizwaduk.com/indexMegan.htm
Sign up for the newsletter here: http://ymlp.com/xgjmjumygmgj
Website – http://wendizwaduk.com/indexMegan.htm
Blog – https://wendizwaduk.wordpress.com/
Fan Page – https://www.facebook.com/wendizwaduk.meganslayer/
Amazon Author Page – http://www.amazon.com/Megan-Slayer/e/B008BJCFSC
Bookbub – https://www.bookbub.com/authors/megan-slayer
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/wendizwaduk/
Goodreads – http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5330530.Megan_Slayer
Twitter – https://twitter.com/#!/MeganSlayer
Buy links:
https://books2read.com/u/b5o5N7
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B096KXPMC4/
https://www.firstforromance.com/book/starting-over-in-cedarwood
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/starting-over-in-cedarwood
https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=jqsxEAAAQBAJ
https://www.scribd.com/book/510301417/Starting-Over-in-Cedarwood
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/starting-over-in-cedarwood-megan-slayer/1139622982
Megan Slayer will be awarding a prize pack featuring a necklace made by the author to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js
VBT – Sherlock Holmes and the Remaining Improbable
Sherlock Holmes and the Remaining Improbable
by Susanne M. Dutton
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GENRE: Mystery
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BLURB:
The game is not afoot. The Better-Every-Day world of 1895 is gone, even hard to recall as WWI ends. From his rural cottage, Holmes no longer provokes Scotland Yard’s envy or his landlady’s impatience, but neither is he content with the study of bees. August 1920 finds him filling out entry papers at a nearly defunct psychiatric clinic on the Normandy coast. England’s new Dangerous Drugs Act declares his cocaine use illegal and he aims to quit entirely. Confronted by a question as to his “treatment goal,” Holmes hesitates, aware that his real goal far exceeds the capacity of any clinic. His scribbled response, “no more solutions, but one true resolution,” seems more a vow than a goal to his psychiatrist, Pierre Joubert. The doctor is right. Like a tiny explosion unaccountably shifting a far-reaching landscape, the simple words churn desperate action and interlocking mystery into the lives of Holmes’ friends and enemies both.
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EXCERPT
Watson writes:
Not for the first time, I felt a surge of gratitude for Holmes’ unspoken understanding that his digs at Bolt Cottage couldn’t suit me. No doubt his cottage fit his needs precisely, but it was no place for a visitor, perhaps purposely so. Some might say it was no place for any inhabitant at all, full as it was with apparatus meant for Holmes’ scientific inquiries, not to mention the maps and almanacs, the world’s newspapers, and of course, his library. Books lined shelves and the stairway to the sleeping loft. Books invaded the corner of the ground floor room usually devoted to meal preparation, too. They filled the unused icebox, the pots that never knew soup, and lined most of the cupboards. Books climbed the walls, stacked and somehow tracked in their positions with ribbons that hung from the center pages in a festive display—red, black, gold, green, purple, blue, white. Holmes claimed his color-coded system was modern and flawless. I never grasped it.
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Susanne Dutton is the one who hid during high school gym, produced an alternative newspaper and exchanged notes in Tolkien’s Elfish language with her few friends. While earning her B.A. in English, she drove a shabby Ford Falcon with a changing array of homemade bumper strips: Art for Art’s Sake, Forgive Us Our Trespasses, Free Bosie from the Scorn of History. Later, her interests in myth and depth psychology led to graduate and postgraduate degrees in counseling.
Nowadays, having outlived her mortgage and her professional counseling life, she aims herself at her desk most days; where she tangles with whatever story she can’t get out of her head. Those stories tend to seat readers within pinching distance of her characters, who, like most of us, slide at times from real life to fantasy and back. A man with Alzheimer’s sets out alone for his childhood home. A girl realizes she’s happier throwing away her meals than eating them. A woman burgles her neighbors in order to stay in the neighborhood.
Born in Des Moines, Iowa, Susanne grew up in the SF Bay Area, has two grown children, and lives with her husband in an old Philadelphia house, built of the stones dug from the ground where it sits.
Blog https://www.inside221b.com
Facebook https://www.facebook/noguessing (Improbable Holmes)
Publisher bookstore link to book:
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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 …
If you could apologize to someone in your past, who would it be?
I would apologize to anyone to whom I never said a real good-bye. I hate good-byes and I try duck it, always as if there will be a next time. I should not have counted on that. When I think of those people now, and how grateful I am to have known them, I feel as if I let myself, and them, down. I have resolved to do better.
If you could keep a mythical/ paranormal creature as a pet, what would you have?
I’ve only recently learned about Hans the Hedgehog. He’s actually part boy and part hedgehog, rides a rooster and sits in a tree playing magical bagpipe music. I don’t know how he’d take to being a pet, but I have a few nice trees. He’d be welcome. His ability is to help you to find anything you need to find. That could be a place as it is now, in the past, or the future. He can also find people, lost treasures or simply wonderful ideas. Of course, he does ask for something in return. The story I read makes it clear that you must keep your side of the bargain—or else—but that when you do you won’t be sorry.
How do you keep your writing different from all the others that write in this particular genre?
Writers naturally develop their own voices, as unique as their spoken voices, though it takes years. I believe I do have a writing voice, but I have to take care. Sometimes after reading a lot of someone else’s work, I slip into a bad imitation of that voice, only because I enjoy the work so much. Reading Mark Twain is dangerous for me. Suddenly a Huck Finn type takes possession of one of my characters. As my genre in this case is mystery, but also Sherlock Holmes, it’s a difficult question to face. I want to be true to Holmes and yet address his “myth” in a unique way. I believe I’ve done that.
What are the best and worst pieces of writing advice you ever received?
Writers are individual. That’s why I enjoy being in their company. You can be headed for the same thing and be going about it very differently. Over three decades, I have had the benefit of extraordinary feedback at the Muse Writing Center in Norfolk, Virginia; Charlotte Writers in North Carolina and Kelly Writers House at the University of Pennsylvania. Michael Khandelwal in Norfolk says this about taking advice: “Take note of all the feedback you receive and be thankful for all of it. One third you may discard, one third you may keep or not, and one third is serious input. Pay close attention. You decide which is which.”
Are the experiences in this book based on someone you know, or events in your own life?
I’m not a 19th Century consulting detective and I don’t know one, but certainly I owe a lot to Arthur Conan Doyle, Sherlock Holmes’ creator. Conan Doyle based his character on Joseph Bell, a professor at the Scottish medical school he attended. Holmes’ famous method, having to do with making decisions based on actual hard evidence and not assumptions, was Bell’s method of medical diagnosis. My writing does owe a lot to what I know about relationships, good and bad, as a professional counselor in several settings.
VBT – THE HOTEL SERIES
The Hotel (Series)
by Michael James
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GENRE: Urban Fantasy
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BLURB:
Series Blurb:
No one has ever escaped from the Hotel at the End of Time. Until now.
Vain only wants to be left alone, but the Hotel has other plans. Forces will align against her: a group of multi-dimensional felons collectively named The Wyatts; and their leader, Trick, a mild-to-medium psychopath with a fondness for impractical jokes.
The only way forward is to go back. Back to the one place in the world she swore she’d never return.
Back to the Hotel.
Blurb for: The Hotel at the End of Time:
Vain is the only person to ever escape from the Hotel at the end of time. On her way out, she took their prized possession: A Padlock that grants immortality.
They will do anything to get it back.
The forces of the Hotel are aligned against her: mundane items turned into weapons; a group of multi-dimensional felons collectively named The Wyatts; and their leader, Trick, a mild-to-medium psychopath with a fondness for impractical jokes.
Everything changes when Vain meets Emma, a timid grad student with impossible and terrifying powers. Together, they are propelled into an adventure that will see them battle the Wyatts, blow up several objects of significant value, and quite by accident, discover a way to stop the Hotel.
Even with Emma, Vain has a lot of problems to deal with.
She’s exhausted from being hunted.
Stopping the Hotel might kill them.
She has a hangnail.
But Vain is resourceful. Vain is clever.
And she always has a plan.
Blurb for: The Well at the Bottom of Everything:
Vain thought destroying the Portal to the Hotel at the End of Time would mean freedom for her and Roman, but her happy ever after is coming to an end.
A horrible mistake and a stray bullet force her to infiltrate the Hotel and contend with a new and terrible power: The Well at the Bottom of Everything.
Friendships will be tested. Loyalties will be broken.
The Hotel will have its revenge.
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EXCERPT
The Hotel at the End of Time
The woman glanced over. “I’m Emma, by the way. Thank you for helping me.”
“I’m Vain.”
Emma blinked and positioned the rear-view mirror so it showed Vain her reflection. “Is that better?”
Vain shook her head. “My name. My actual name is Vain.”
“Are you, like, a street artist?”
Vain sighed. “I’m just me.”
“How did you know who those men were? How did you know they were after me?”
“They’re not men,” replied Vain. “They’re things. Their name is Wyatt. Their only job is to find people like you and take them back to a place called the Hotel. It’s a place I escaped from.”
“How are they all called Wyatt? Why do they look the same?”
“They’re from alternate Earths.” Vain waved her hand, shooing away the explanation.
“I don’t believe you,” Emma said. “I’m sorry. I know I’m supposed to humor crazy, but I’m exhausted. Please tell me the truth.”
“How about this? You go first. Explain how you threw a person with your mind in a way that doesn’t violate a couple dozen natural laws, and once you’re done, I’ll come up with a better explanation for duplicate psychopaths from various incarnations of Earth.”
The Well at the Bottom of Everything
“Can I help you?” The perky girl behind the counter smiled like she enjoyed her job. Vain was immediately suspicious.
“Two coffees, please.”
“Sure, what size? We have mediu, moyen and mittel.”
“Are those real words?”
“Yes.”
Vain waited for a further explanation. Sweat pooled in her lower back. The man behind her coughed, and she nearly jumped. The perky girl offered no further details, but smiled more aggressively. Vain examined the menu for clues with growing distress.
“I don’t know. The third one. Mitten. Two mitten coffees, I guess. Oh and Mark said he wants an everything bagel, but I’m not sure if he meant he wants all the bagels or if he wants everything on the bagel.”
“One everything bagel and two mittel coffees. No problem. How do you take them?”
Vain wiped her forehead. A car started outside the shop and she bit her cheek. “In my hands, please. That’s fine. Hurry.”
“Cream or sugar?”
“Yes, okay. Give me two mitten coffees with cream and sugar and all the bagels in my hands. Here is some money. I’ll be on the couch.”
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Michael James spent his formative years writing, and when he wasn’t writing, he was writing. A mistaken belief that a “real” job would be more satisfying led him down a dark path that did not involve writing but did involve meetings. Fortunately, he has since course-corrected and is back on the right (write? Ha!) path. The Hotel at the End of Time is not his first book, but it is the one with the most Hotels in it.
He lives in Canada with his family. When he’s not writing, he does Canadian things – saying sorry a lot, being polite, talking about the weather, you know how it goes.
Website: https://www.michaeljamesauthor.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MikeJamesAuthor
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorMichaelJames
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mikejamesauthor/
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Michael-James/e/B07P8GJS8K?ref_=dbs_p_ebk_r00_abau_000000
The Hotel at the End of Time: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08QG59SXL
The Well at the Bottom of Everything: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B095CL2T6H
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RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY
Michael James will be awarding a $50 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
Enter to win a $50 Amazon/BN GC – a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Q & A With …
Tell us about you as a person.
Yikes, you cut right to the chase. I’d say as a person, 99% of my mass comes from oxygen, carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, calcium, and phosphorus. I pretty effectively convert oxygen to carbon dioxide. Once, I saw a seal in real life. Oh shoot, I’m a writer. I always forget that part.
If you could hang out with one famous person for one day, who would it be and why?
Remember that dude, Techno Viking? He was super huge on YouTube like ten years ago. Mostly I’d want to learn how to be that cool and also a viking.
What’s the story behind your latest book?
When I was little I fell into a Well, but unlike Batman, I didn’t get a super cool fear of bats that led me to a life of superhero adventures, instead I broke my leg. The book The Well at the Bottom of Everything has nothing to do with that at all, but it’s the only backstory I have that has anything to do with Wells.
PS my books are about human batteries in a time displaced Hotel, and there’s also a Well.
What is your writing process?
Oh, you know, pretty standard. The ghost of John Milton who lives in my library screams at me to be more talented and I bawl my eyes out while begging him to stop, only he doesn’t, and I guess I turn that into my creative process.
If your book was to be turned into a movie, who would play the lead role(s) and why.
Vain would be played by Emma Roberts because that’s who I pictured when I was creating Vain.
What advice do you have for other writers who want to get the word out about their latest book?
Shoot, that’s a great question, and I don’t have a great answer. Probably advertising, but like get ready to spend a lot of money.
List 5 things on your bucket list.
Ohhh snap, I don’t have a bucket list, so I guess that is item number one. Get a bucket list.
In what way do you think that this current pandemic has changed the book & publishing industry?
This is super anecdotal, but everyone I know is reading way less because we’re all sort of going insane. It really sucks. PS my book will make you like 4% less insane though and that’s a guarantee
Any final thoughts?
Okay I can’t actually guarantee reading my book will make you less insane.
