Category Archives: Book Tour
MY DEAD TRUE LOVE
My Dead True Love
by Kim Pierce
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GENRE: Women’s literature
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BLURB:
When a newspaper reporter’s fiancé dies abruptly, she questions how he could just cease to be.
Dogged by unbidden thoughts, odd coincidences and unexplained phenomena, Ann Stewart becomes obsessed with finding out what really happens after we die and whether her beloved Gregory is still out there. She finds her answer, which takes her and a close-knit coterie of women to the edge of the cosmos—and the core of their own hearts.
Based on a true story.
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EXCERPT
“It was definitely Gregory,” Connie declared, forcing herself to return to the vision. “As clear as if he were standing next to me. Smiling.”
“If you saw him”—and I still wasn’t believing—“did he see you? Did he see me?”
It made no sense, but I had to know more.
“I don’t know. I tried to un-see him. I really did,” she said, turning to me, something akin to terror twisting her face. “This ‘seeing’ is a part of me that triggers so much shame—and reactivates the trauma. Like shell shock.” Red mottling crept up Connie’s neck and onto her cheeks.
She saw him. The words slid off my brain as if she were speaking in tongues. What did that mean?
“Could it have been your imagination?” I offered wanly, not wanting that to be the case.
“Yes, I suppose it could.”
Neither of us believed it.
I waited.
“What would it mean for you to ‘see’ him?” I pressed.
Tell me. Even if it makes no sense.
“That there’s something wrong with me,” came her acrid reply. “Deeply, terribly wrong. At least that’s what my father would say. And a lot of other people who make judgments about what I can do.” She slammed the car into park a little too aggressively.
“There’s nothing wrong with you,” I said, getting out of the car.
Connie shut down.
“I need to go home for a while,” she said.
Tell. Me. More.
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Kim Pierce is a former Dallas Morning News writer and editor who completed the Writer’s Path fiction program at Southern Methodist University. My Dead True Love is her first novel, inspired by events surrounding the death of her fiancé in 1998. She lives in Dallas, Texas, with her partner and three cats.
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RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY
A randomly drawn winner will receive a $50 Amazon/BN GC.
Enter to win a $50 Amazon/BN GC – a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Interview With …
Have you ever had an imaginary friend?
I have not.
Do you have any phobias?
I really dislike high places with narrow ledges. Do not make me look down. I also have an irrational fear of being trapped inside a car that’s under water.
Do you listen to music when you’re writing?
After years of writing in a noisy newsroom—I can write with three TV stations blaring at once—I prefer to write in the silence in my home office. One exception: When I was writing my grief journal after the real-life Gregory died, I listened incessantly to Celtic music with a little Kitaro mixed in.
Do you ever read your stories out loud?
Oh yes. This is true of news stories as well as fiction. Reading out loud helps you feel the rhythm and cadence of your words and whether the narrative flows. The worst editor I ever had would keep hijacking the cadence of my news stories so they sounded stilted and jerky.
Tell us about your main character and who inspired him/her.
Ann is an accomplished journalist who loses her fiancé abruptly and becomes obsessed with finding out what really happens after we die. Dogged by unbidden thoughts, odd coincidences and unexplained phenomena, she persists in her search even though it challenges her “just the facts ma’am” mindset. While My Dead True Love is based on my story, the book is truly Ann’s story.
Sophia Freeman series
Sophia Freeman Series
by T.X. Troan
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GENRE: Middle-Grade Fantasy Mystery
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BLURB:
Book 1:
EARTH AWAKENED … SEED PLANTED … PATH REVEALED.
What begins as a special trip for eleven-year-old Sophia Freeman and her father, leaves her trapped on a mysterious island with a tree boy and fantastical creatures. Later, she learns she is dying from an eternal curse and the only way to prolong her life is to drink the island’s sacred water. Can Sophia and her companions reach the fountain and defeat the guardian before time runs out?
Book 2:
THEY MUST RISK IT ALL TO REGAIN THEIR FREEDOM … OR BE SEALED AWAY FOREVER.
Sophia Freeman and her best friend, Tim Charnal, must beat all contestants in a three-round Beyond Event organized by the mighty arbiters to free him from the penalty of murder and gain the islanders’ trust. Entering the hologram and surviving environments filled with everything from hammer-throwing cave giants to a slimy tentacled sea monster, they will need all their courage, wits, and skills. But how are they going to win when magic is forbidden?
Book 3:
EVIL RISING … ISLANDERS MISSING … AND FRIENDS BETRAYING.
With the increase in deaths of Pandilone Islanders, the arbiters devise a strategy to free the god demon within five days to lift the Eternal Curse. All goes as planned until iron-masked creatures kidnap magic users, weakening the army. To gain reinforcements, Sophia Freeman, Tim Charnal, and rescued Allen Chan must gather all six items to cast the Dream Spell, connecting them with Sophia’s father and his air force. But how can the trio succeed in time while surrounded by enemies and traitors aiming to stop them at any cost?
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EXCERPT
“So, what’s on your agenda today, my dear?” Grandma asked.
“Dad and I are going to explore his new island after this,” she replied, sitting on the edge of her seat.
“Oh, yes, your father told me about that on the phone last night,” said Grandpa, then gave Sophia a serious look. “My girl, do you know why all the previous owners vanished?”
Sophia shook her head slightly, but kept watching him without blinking.
“Rumors say the place possesses some sort of magical energy. As dusk arrives, the island comes to life: boulders begin to quake, monstrous trees uproot themselves, and mysterious creatures crawl out of their homes. They will do anything to protect their island … especially from humans.”
Sophia’s eyes widened and her hands began to sweat.
“Joe, that’s enough!” Dad ordered. “You’re scaring her.”
“That was very mean of you, Joe,” Grandma added.
Grandpa chuckled. “Well, it looks like I haven’t loss my touch. You’re still that innocent girl that I used to know.”
Sophia sighed with relief. He must have been teasing.
When she was a lot younger, Grandpa used to tell her ghost stories and it would frighten her every time. The all-time best story was about an invisible spirit that watches us from behind since the day we were born. It would one day transfer our soul to a magical place when we are ready to go. He told the little girl it was time for him to go and would never return. She burst into tears and tried to convince him it wasn’t time yet. She stayed with him that whole night and never let him out of her sight.
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Thuan Doan was born in Indonesia, and grew up in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada.
Thuan has been fascinated by art from a young age, especially fantasy. He would wake up hours before school, sit outside the classroom, and scribble in his sketch book.
After college, he worked on a series of jobs, including: an advergaming association as a storyboard/concept artist, gaming company as lead concept artist, and graphic designer for various clients.
Thuan conceived his first middle-grade fantasy novel, Sophia Freeman and the Mysterious Fountain, during a trip to Gabriola Island, British Columbia in the summer of 2013. Then he took his work and settled in a small town of Enderby, where it’s peaceful and quiet. 4 years later, the story is complete. While book 1, 2 and 3 are being shared with the world, he’s writing and illustrating book 4 of the Sophia Freeman series.
Thuan is writing under a pen name of T.X. Troan. “X” stands for Xu, his grandmother’s name who passed away. And “Troan” is a combination of his parents’ names.
“No matter how this turns out, I want my family to be a part of this wonderful journey.”
T.X. Troan married Sarah, his original fan and longtime love, in 2016. They live in Enderby with their pack dogs and school of fish!
AWARDS
★ Entrada Publishing Incipere Award, 2020
★ Readers’ Favorite 5 star Badge, 2019, 2021 and 2022
★ Literary Titan Badge, 2020
Book Links:
Author Website
www.txtroan.com
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B5M559C1
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/t.x.%20troan
Indie Bound
https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781999481308
Book Depository
https://www.bookdepository.com/search?searchTerm=t%20x%20troan&search=Find+book
Social Media:
Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/TXTroan
Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/txtroan/
Goodreads
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18815756.T_X_Troan
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RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY
T.X. Troan will be awarding a $15 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
MAZ, ORIGIN
Maz, Origin
by T.L. Ford
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GENRE: Sci-fi/Science Fiction
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BLURB:
Entering the witness relocation program after lawfully escaping a massive walled-in prison, teenage Merrill tries to fit into our society. Her background and decisions may not let her.
Maz, Origin is a story of growth and love, guilt and innocence, and changing goals. What is morally right and what is legally right? What’s legal for humans may not be for aliens…
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EXCERPT
I heard shots being fired from below. They were aiming at the helicopter or the guy that landed on the scaffolding above me. The sign offered some level of protection, but they’d move into position directly below shortly. “It’s ok, miss, we’ll have you out of here in a jiff. Are you hurt?” The man began to wiggle through the bars, which was no small feat because he was wearing some sort of heavy armor.
He reached down toward me, and I hesitated, terrified of grabbing that hand and leaving my life behind. He clenched his teeth in frustration and urged me, “Come on, miss! Just take my hand.”
Gunfire from below decided for me. I lifted my good arm, and he latched onto me. As he jerked me upwards, pain shot through my shoulder and abdomen. I gave up life and slipped into darkness.
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
T. L. Ford is a programmer, writer, and artist. She spent most of her professional career supporting the Patuxent River Naval Air Station in southern Maryland. Her science fiction novels imagine possibilities while focusing on society and personal relationships and decisions. Her fantasy novels are heavily influenced by Dungeons & Dragons and are light “weekend reads”. She’s also created two art books, a thriller novella, and an interactive math iBook. She enjoys sailing, hiking, and spending time with her family.
https://cattail.nu/books/maz_origin/
https://www.Cattail.Nu
https://www.facebook.com/theresa.ford.52
https://www.instagram.com/theresa.ford/
https://www.amazon.com/T.-L.-Ford/e/B0034Q6Q2S
Buy link: https://www.amazon.com/Maz-Origin-T-L-Ford-ebook/dp/B0BBBXXC2J/ref=sr_1_1c
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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
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His Untameable Wickedness
His Untameable Wickedness
by A P von K’Ory
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GENRE: Dark Erotic Romance Suspense
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BLURB:
LEO
A three-letter word made me a murderess at the age of eight years. But having experienced the curses of that word, I was done with men as I grew up. All men.
Except to outplay them in the New York financial
arena.
Then Crowned Sex enthroned in gorgeous velvet charm and lustful gallantry storms into my life.
Spewing volcanic lava on my monumental arctic ice block. With the unapologetic fierceness of a savage god. Wearing crackling thunderbolts straight from the god Zeus. Explosive has nothing on it.
Adrian isn’t hot, he’s fucking hellish. He embarks on melting my ice block at the speed of lightning. But I was done with men.
I was done with sex. For ever. I. Was.
ADRIAN
I scented her darkness from the moment I was told
about her.
The sight of her sealed my decision. She was the woman created for my own darkness. I set off to protect her even from herself. Protect her to claim.
Fuse her darkness with my own. For. Myself.
I’d fended women off me with bazookas when I was done but they weren’t. I wasn’t prepared for the battle I soon fought. Not only with her but also with her family. And New York’s billionaire gangsters who own
entourages of corrupt cops and politicians. With every battle I won, she started new darker wars around me.
You ate or you were eaten. Not even starving was an option.
NOTE: Although the blurb is in the first person, the story of Leo and Adrian is written in the third person. This story contains adult material including explicit sex and violence. You’ve been warned.
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EXCERPT
He caught both her flying arms, used her momentum to spin her around onto her back on the couch and landed over her.
Smack bang between her legs.
Pinned her hands above her head and every f****** struggle she tried only forced her to rub against his hard body.
Furious, her thighs tensed but with nowhere to go except around his hips. He planned this. She f****** bet he planned this to the last minute detail.
“You double-faced bastard, get off me!”
“No. You put yourself here. Right here under me, Leo.”
“Get the f*** off m—”
He slammed his crotch right against hers and ground in.
She screamed as some unknown force kindled her center and the sensation rushed simultaneously south to her soles and north to her scalp.
She stiffened, trembling. Then whimpered. Then—
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
P von K’Ory writes the kind of books she herself would like to read and is passionate about, whether romance, psychological thriller or nonfiction. She is the winner of six awards from four continents, the last one being the Achievers Award for Writer of the Year 2013 in the Netherlands. The Selmere Integration Prize was awarded her in 2014 for her engagement in helping African Women in the Diaspora cope with a variety of domestic and social problems. The Proposal, a short story, won the Cook Communications first prize in 2010 and is published in an American anthology Africa 2012. In 2012, she won the Karl Ziegler Prize for her commitment to bring African culture to Western society in various papers, theses, and lectures. Again in 2012, her book Bound to Tradition: The Dream was nominated for the 2012 Caine Prize by the Author-me Group, Sanford, and in 2013 she was shortlisted for the Commonwealth Writers Prize.
Von K’Ory is married to an aristocrat and politician of Franco-German descent, has a large extended family. She lectures Economics and Sociology in Austria, Germany and Switzerland. She’s migratory and – weather willing – lives in Germany, France, Cyprus, and Greece.
She may be reached at any of the following:
VWebsite: http://www.apvonkory.com/
Sign up for Newsletter: https://apvonkory.com/newsletter/
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Sign up for news about me & the family, ARCs & Freebies:
Want to join up and receive ARCs from my next (or current) books? Please join the discerning readers at the link below: https://www.facebook.com/AkinyiReadersReviews/
It would be lovely if you could Like the book page and read the latest interviews and news about Shana and Roman on Facebook at:
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The book will be $0.99 during the tour.
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RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY
A P von K’Ory will be awarding a $15 Amazon or Barnes and Noble to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
Enter to win a $15 Amazon/BN GC or a T-shirt and mug prize pack – a Rafflecopter giveaway
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1.Tell us about you as a person.
Okay, I’m a pathological introvert for starters. I prefer to hear other people talk about themselves. So I’d better reveal all the nasties first. I’m a bit of a recluse but can’t say whether the recluse came before the writer or vice versa. But being a recluse does go well with writing. My most enjoyable moments are spent either riding or taking lone walks in the woods. Otherwise I love cooking exotic dishes and baking. My worst habit is finding excuses not to join my girlfriends at the gym. Twice a week is my absolute limit if I can help it (the recluse in me?) while my friends moan and groan if they miss a day except Sundays!
2. If you could hang out with one famous person for one day, who would it be and why?
The Duchess of Sussex. I’d love to compare notes with her about marrying into the European aristocracy as a woman of African descent. I think it would be interesting to talk about protocol starting with what to wear/not to wear when and where, and the infuriating table seating positions especially during the festive season when families gather together for elaborate meals at the banquet halls. It would be interesting to go over the differences between the British and the continental European aristocracy and royalty general dos and don’ts from cutlery to the height of heels at Ascot etiquette.
3. What’s the story behind your latest book?
Upping the ante in my new genre. I started out pretty tentatively. The UNTAMEABLE series is my second erotic romance suspense series. After the GOLDEN SHANA series, I wanted to try out something darker and edgier. I remained true to my preferred strong and independent fierce heroine. But Leo, being American, is a more outright screw-you tough lady than Shana’s more European mind-your-manners polite kickass protagonist. Where Shana would tell you to “sod off”, Leo goes for “fuck the hell off”. Where Shana had to be coaxed into a bit of kink, Leo took to it like a hurricane, despite her holding the V-card. I wanted to up the kickass ante with Leo as well as knock the erotic up a few notches darker and edgier. Somehow, I wanted to skip across to the other side of the Atlantic as the best location for Leo’s story instead of the globetrotting in Shana’s.
4. What is your writing process?
Oh, heavens. To begin with, I’m not very disciplined. I’d hate to be disciplined because I find it negates my creativity. Sure, I set up a number of hours a day and which days of the week. But I don’t force it. When nothing works, I go riding or bake a cake or do that Luo-Thai dish I wanted to do just a tic differently. The creative juices either flow or they don’t and I don’t beat myself up about it. I change plot points and storylines the way a new mother changes her baby’s nappies, erm, diapers. Talk about pantsing! My protagonists often direct me, tell me what to do.
5. If your book was to be turned into a movie, who would play the lead role(s) and why.
For Leo, I’d love to have Saoirse Ronan (hair darkened and not bone straight), because Ms Ronan has that “special something” that Leo has. A complicated strength that’s at the same time fragile until provoked to come demolishing like the wrath of God. The aloof femininity that dares you, challenges you to try it for size and see if you can cope.
For Adrian, well, he’s already on the cover of the first book, complete with the Etonian mannerisms and Oxford accent. Until Leo brings out the demon beast in him that sheds the mannerisms but maintains the accent…
6. What advice do you have for other writers who want to get the word out about their latest book?
Rule #1, not every book promoter, Blogger or reviewer who charges the earth is the best for you to get the word out about your book. Beware of an entire universe of book promoters, editors, reviewers, blurb specialists, and SEO experts who’ll most likely take your money and give you nothing, or worse, keep offering you more services that they tell you will finally do the trick and send readers flocking to your book by the battalions. Join other established writers in your genre and interact with them, ask them what worked for them, how they built their readership base. Lastly, it’s a game of patience unless you have the so-called connections in the publishing industry or your name is Obama. But whatever you do or are, start with a flawless book in terms of editing and formatting. Nothing irritates readers like typos, grammatical mistakes and glitches. And they’ll scream their irritations to every reader they have in their groups and clubs. People used to read books for the joy of it and then review the book. Now it’s all a full-blown industry with all the good, the bad, and the ugly.
7. List 5 things on your bucket list.
My adventurous soul is migratory and has a passion for traveling and/or temporarily living in other parts of the world.
1. Spend at least a week in a Buddhist Temple in Japan
2. Deep dive in the Great Barrier Reef
3. Write a YA fantasy about a united world
4. Have a holiday at the Royal Malewane (Mah-leh-wah-neh) Luxury Safari Lodge in South Africa
5. Spend at least one night each in a 5-milllion star Bubble Hotel in Iceland both in summer and in winter. This will probably be the first box I tick in the bucket list because Iceland is closest in distance.
8. In what way do you think that this current pandemic has changed the book & publishing industry?
I’m not one for all the uber-technology stuff out there. I’m actually rather tech-challenged. I sigh with relief if I manage to successfully download my favourite audiobook onto my phone!
9. Any final thoughts?
Talking of books and publishing, I still prefer to read prints. There’s a wonderful aroma that wafts off turning the pages of a delicious book with your own fingers. Nothing can ever replace that!
GODS ON TRIAL
Gods on Trial: The Series – Beyond the Father
by Opeshum Patroz
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GENRE: SciFi
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BLURB:
“Beyond the Father” sets the scene for the 8-book Sci-Fi Epic “gods on Trial: The Series,” delving into life’s determination to transcend all limitation. Set on the planet Xżyber, citizens of the Sub-Median Region, imperfectly reborn into metal, oppress those who are organic. Elsewhere, in the Central Kingdom, religion supports royalty’s brutal domination of the lowest class. War over scarce resources is coming, revolution within each region is brewing, and none know of the eccentric god who created them. This being watches, has fascinating conversations with his often-wiser companion, occasionally learns, and rarely intervenes. The many levels and threads of struggle distract nearly all from a far greater threat. Meanwhile, the young Prince Anglid’s vision quest into the unexplored Area X may ultimately change everything. However, just when you think you know the direction of the story, the author has yet another surprise.
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EXCERPT
“Fleet number, rank, and make?” asked the assignment officer at GATE 11, on the central floor of Team Command.
“44772PX, cadet, 40% Non-Mollard,” the next in line replied, quickly.
“Cleared. Report to HAS 4 in Field 8,” the assignment officer abruptly responded. “Next? I need Fleet number, rank, and make!”
“23619RX, cadet, 30% Non-Mollard,” replied the next in line.
“You’re cleared. Report to HAS 1, in Field 10,” said the assignment officer. “Next!”
“Thank you, yes! I’m next,” responded another cadet, rushing up to the window. Her rucksack slid off of her shoulder, where the stub of a missing arm stuck out just beyond the sleeve of her shirt. “Here are all of my papers,” the cadet said, spreading out a pile of disheveled notes.
“Hold it! I just need a fleet number, a rank and your make. I don’t need your life story,” snapped the officer.
“Of course. I’m 24005RX . . . sub-cadet, 100% Non-Mollard.”
The assignment officer studied the cadet disapprovingly. “100%—non-Mollard,” he repeated, carefully scanning the cadet’s face. “Didn’t know they still let your kind in. And who is your commanding officer?” he demanded.
“Umm . . . Officer Liara, sir. And my name is Purvi,” continued the sub-cadet.
The assignment officer pushed the papers back at Purvi and frowned. “I don’t need all these papers,” the officer scowled. “And I don’t need your name!”
“I see. Thank you, sir,” Purvi responded, retrieving her papers. But then she paused. “But, you’re a Non-Mollard too, aren’t you?” she pressed. “In which case . . . well, it’s just so hard connecting with anyone here. My whole fleet is mostly Mollard, and . . .”
“Why are you still talking?” the assignment officer interrupted, while entering something into his database. “You’re cleared for HAS 12 over in Field 3.”
Realizing her gestures were unwelcome, Purvi quickly repositioned her rucksack and turned to walk away. But then she turned back around and reapproached the window, consumed by what had become a theme in her life—the burning desire to challenge what she felt was wrong. “Why are you so full of hate when you are still part flesh yourself?” she challenged.
Shocked, the assignment officer slowly looked up to meet Purvi’s bold stare and revealed the circuitry behind his colorless, prosthetic eyes. “How dare you talk to me that way, you little ‘scunt!” he seemed to growl through clench teeth. “How dare you even open your mouth to speak to me without being asked a question? You remind me of everything that shouldn’t be. You’re an unfortunate arrangement of flesh and mineral—with a mouth!” Growing even more impatient, the assignment officer stood up quickly from his chair. “You are just a waste and a burden to us all. Your kind shouldn’t even be here,” he sneered, leaning forward to make his point. “Make no error in. I am part of the new Xżyber and you’re . . . you’re completely expendable.” His voice became deeper, as did his frown. “Now get out of my line!”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Opëshum has been writing since she was a child, and believes that authors are selected by their characters to bring their stories to the world. Incredibly shy and introverted, Opëshum does not make public appearances. She prefers to remain behind the scenes as the characters in her books take center stage. Her current work, the 8-Book SciFi Epic gods on Trial: The Series™ kicks off with Book 1, BEYOND THE FATHER.
Opëshum calls Sheridan, Wyoming her home, where she is currently writing Book 2 of this series. She lives in a modest Cape Cod dwelling on 3 acres of land where she lets a robust variety of sunflowers grow wild and untamed, while Aloe Vera and other succulents decorate almost every ledge within her house. An avid writer in the early morning and late at night, Opëshum often works on her manuscripts in rooms lit only by homemade candles.
She enjoys nature walks, full moons, and open spaces where she can stare up at the stars.
“I live my life in the shadows, and I am shy. For I know that my appearance is not pleasing to the eye.” – Opëshum Patroz
Review: https://reedsy.com/discovery/book/book-1-beyond-the-father-gods-on-trial-the-series-opeshum-patroz
https://twitter.com/1iR3Publishers
Website: http://www.1ir3publishers.com/
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100084210977128
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22660923.Op_shum
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BL3YPKWN ONLY $1.00
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RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY
Opeshum Patroz will be awarding a $50 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
REBIRTH OF A SAGE
Rebirth of a Sage
by Lani Gonzales
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GENRE: Spirituality/Self Help/Memoir
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BLURB:
A TRANSFORMATIONAL MEMOIR OF LOVE AND LIGHT.
In Lani Gonzales’ intimate self-help debut, Rebirth of a Sage, readers meet the woman she was when she discovered ayahuasca and commenced her journey toward spiritual rejuvenation. Panicked, fearful, and drained, she hoped for an escape for both her and the lonely little girl she’d buried inside. Guided by the Shamans and supported by friends she made along the way, her cleanse progressed one ceremony at a time, culminating in a state of pure spiritual refinement.
Through eleven soul-stirring chapters enriched with enlightenment and healing, readers experience a kaleidoscope of emotions as they journey with Lani. A heartwarming chronicle ensues, traversing the blissful highs and devastating lows she faced along her way to rebirth. Unburying her darkest demons, she inspires us to do the same, gradually weaving threads of transformation and encouraging us to reconnect and reignite the divine flame within our souls.
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EXCERPT
I will not carry the weight of your sin.
It is yours to carry, and not my own.
When my innocent eyes looked to you,
You took your life, and I slowly lost my own.
But that is your sin to carry, and your sin alone.
I will not carry the weight of your sin.
It is yours to carry, and not my own.
You taught me that life was worthless,
Something that easily comes and goes.
But that is your sin to carry, and your sin alone.
You trespassed on my innocence, the pureness of my soul.
But that is your sin to carry, and your sin alone.
I will not carry the weight of your sin.
It is yours to carry, and not my own.
You told me to be silent. You told me to be still.
But something inside me rotted; something inside me grew cold.
But that is your sin to carry, and your sin alone.
I will not carry the weight of your sin.
It is yours to carry, and not my own.
You violated my body, using it for the needs of your own.
But that is your sin to carry, and your sin alone.
I will not carry the weight of your sin.
It is yours to carry, and not my own.
The weight I’ve tried to shed.
The weight I’ve tried to purge.
Deceived into believing it should be shed from my body, the vessel for my soul.
But the weight that should be lost is that of your original sin, your sin, and yours alone.
I will not carry the weight of your sin.
It is not mine to carry.
It is yours and yours alone.
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Born in the Philippines, Lani Gonzales immigrated to Virginia, USA, with her family when she was only two years old. Determined to emulate her parents’ discipline and ambition, Lani worked through college and law school and is now a practicing partner in a successful law firm in Tampa, Florida. A world-traveling, volunteering, energy-healing, aspiring hypnotherapist, Lani is committed to using her light as a beacon to help others find theirs.
Lanigonzales.com
Amazon buy link:
https://www.amazon.com/Rebirth-Sage-Lani-Gonzales/dp/B0BGNF1M3B/
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RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY
Lani Gonzales will be awarding a $20 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
Enter to win a $20 Amazon/BN GC – a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Q & A With …
Tell us about you as a person.
I was born in the Philippines, and my family immigrated to the United States when I was two years old. Growing up, I witnessed how my parents’ perseverance and work ethic created a new, beautiful life in America. I worked through college and law school and am now a practicing partner in a law firm in Tampa, Florida. I’ve travelled the world solo and have fallen deeply in love with so many cultures and countries.
If you could hang out with one famous person for one day, who would it be and why?
I would spend the day with Jesus. I’m not particularly religious. However, there are so many interpretations of the Bible and Christianity, and I would be curious to see what Jesus thinks about today’s religions.
What’s the story behind your latest book?
Our secrets keep us sick. Rebirth of a Sage shares the story of how I learned to unbury the traumas of my past and find true healing. After participating in an ayahuasca ceremony, I learned that I am greater than any grief. I wrote Rebirth of a Sage to honor the little girl that I once was who suffered in silence and shame. I wrote Rebirth of a Sage as an offering of my love and my light to those still searching in the darkness.
What is your writing process?
I meditate every day and I strive to stay connected to my intuition. This ritual allows me to tap into inspiration. When I write, I allow words to flow without judgment or hesitation.
If your book was to be turned into a movie, who would play the lead role(s) and why.
Rebirth of a Sage shares the story, my story, of a first generation Asian American. I would love for Lucy Liu to be the star of the movie. She is an empowered, poised and confident Asian American woman.
What advice do you have for other writers who want to get the word out about their latest book?
Social media is a necessary evil than can be used for good. Social media is a great way to share your story and promote your book.
List 5 things on your bucket list.
- Hike through Patagonia
- Start a hypnotherapy and intuitive healing business
- Create a volunteer program to teach children mindfulness and meditation
- Travel to Antarctica
- Find my forever life and adventure partner
In what way do you think that this current pandemic has changed the book & publishing industry?
The pandemic slowed down our lives and allowed time for introspection and reflection: tools for shaping a story and writing a beautiful book. For me, the time to reflect on my own life inspired me to publish my first book.
Any final thoughts?
Trust your intuition, honor your truth and let your story flow from a place of love and authenticity.
THE ADVENTURES OF A SOUTHERN (BAPTIST) BUDDHIST Book Blast
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Pamela McConnell will be awarding a $15 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
This true story is about a girl who is born up north; into a conservative, fundamentalist/evangelical family—but then becomes a Liberal Buddhist.
Her family moves back to their roots in the Appalachian south, where Pam is molested by her grandfather. She later owns her sexuality by becoming promiscuous; beginning a pattern of serial dating, marrying, and divorcing.
She is first married at 18 to another 18-year-old, who gives her a beautiful son—but he is a redneck and they have nothing else in common. Her second husband is a talented musician but turns out to like sex with men. Her third husband speaks five languages and is a Pakistani, but he beats her up. Her fourth husband is a chef who makes delicious meals but turns out to be a felon and a crackhead. Finally, the love of her life neglects to tell Pam for seven years that he is married.
In the meantime, Pam completes two degrees and works as a counselor, and then 20 years as a hospice social worker. She begins her hospice career in Southern California, where she has moved to get away from the DEEP South. That is where she converts to Buddhism. From that point, she begins to look inward for the answers to her questions about life’s meaning.
Pam leaves the country after two failed relationships, some years apart. She spends a year teaching English in South Korea and goes from there to Pakistan with her third husband. In between, her dad dies and Pam reconnects and bonds with her mom, backpacking on the Appalachian Trail. When she leaves the love of her life, she goes on Pilgrimage to India and Nepal. The meaning of her life is coming into focus.
At the end of the book, Pam goes on a trek in the Himalayas, on the Annapurna Circuit. Just over the three-mile high pass is a magical Pure Land in Muktinath, with a Buddhist temple that is dedicated to the female Buddha Vajrayogini. With a new perspective, Pam has the realization that her Enlightenment is ensured; she WILL become a Buddha someday.
Read an Excerpt
Our fathers worked at farming factories, making things like Farmall and John Deere tractors. Although we all lived in the suburbs near the Mississippi River, I remember still: mile after mile of corn fields, as far as the eye could see. The North was flat with black dirt and straight roads, while the southern mountains were very steep with curvy roads and red dirt.
Corn was the view, as the two families all took the trip every summer, back to the brothers’ beloved mountains in the DEEP South. We stayed with both sets of grandparents. We kids usually slept on the floor with feather beds that made me sneeze. Mom’s parents still had an outhouse in those days, with actual Sears & Roebuck catalogs to wipe with.
Mom told a story about how after she got saved, “I was ‘convicted’ about wearing make-up and jewelry. Because of that, I threw my wedding band down in the outhouse potty. Your dad fished it out and wouldn’t give it back to me until decades later!”
I inherited that band several years after dad died, and still wear it today, but I’ve promised to pass it along to my niece.
About the Author:
Pamela McConnell, MSW, LCSW was raised in a fundamentalist/ evangelical Christian church and family. At age 34 she converted formally to Buddhism. She has recently completed a Pilgrimage in India and Nepal. Earlier, she spent two years in Asia: a year teaching English in S. Korea and a year in Pakistan with her 3rd husband. She worked as a counselor after earning a B.S. in Psychology. She worked as a hospice social worker for the last 20 years of her career after earning an MSW degree and becoming licensed as an LCSW. She is an avid backpacker and trekker, having done 500 miles on the Appalachian Trail and more than half of the Annapurna Circuit in the Himalayas.
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LIGHT, DARK, AND THE ELECTROMAGNETIC SPECTRUM
Light, Dark, and the Electromagnetic Spectrum
by Scott Benjamin Gracie
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GENRE: Non-Fiction (SCIENCE / Physics)
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BLURB:
Since the dawn of time, electromagnetic energy has permeated through the universe, surrounding and interacting with everything it touches, illuminating, destroying and giving life.
The colourful section of the electromagnetic spectrum we see in the form of visible light, rainbows and other phenomena is tiny when compared to its vast entirety. Using many parts of the electromagnetic spectrum have become common everyday occurrence for the majority of people on Earth, as it’s been integrated into our lives in ways that we don’t even think twice about it.
This book illuminates many parts of the electromagnetic spectrum and its effects, the endless ways we have harnessed its energy, and how we interact and live with its influence.
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EXCERPT:
Through the Ages of Fire and Light
Inhabitants of Earth were using light in its most basic forms long before they even began to understand what it was.
Humans are the only species that have learned to control fire and use it for light. Making fire at will led to the need for vessels to hold the different emitters of light.
The first evolutions of the use of light throughout the millennia were very slow, with technology and design overlapping during time periods and civilisations.
Today, all of us control fire using its light or infrared energy. Whether it’s the fire from flammable liquids in the engines that power our transport systems, or gas cooking from a stove or heating our homes. Even the electricity we use may come from gas- or coal-fired power stations.
Most of the time we don’t even see the fire; we just turn a knob or push a button and use its effects.
Evolution of Fire to Light Fittings and Luminaires
Circa 2 Million to 1.7 Million Years Ago
Early hominids would have been very aware of fire. Fire from lightning strikes on grasslands or perhaps even fires starting from flowing volcanic lava would have been observed for thousands of years before it was tamed and used.
Hominids would have also witnessed the effects after fires: animals running from it, and the vegetation and regeneration of life that would happen as a result.
The early use of fire must have been something of a miracle, totally unexplained but something that would become so needed it would integrate itself into the heart of every early community.
Taming fire was one of the most prominent turning points in the evolution of early human beings. Fires encouraged groups of early peoples to gather together and provided warmth, light, the ability to cook and protection from predators. It was these things that led to changes in diet, cultural advances, and geographic migration with the ability to survive in colder regions.
Fire also allowed for activity to not be constricted to the day but also continue into night for longer hours. The caves in which a lot of these peoples lived could also be illuminated and further explored.
Circa 1 Million Years Ago
The earliest use of fires that have been uncovered so far are from about 1 million years ago in the Wonderwerk Cave in South Africa.
From stationary fire pits, fire in the form of portable lighting was developed. Torches were possibly made by binding plant material in resin from trees. It wasn’t until the use of stone for lamps that we can truly begin to see the use of light throughout civilisation.
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Scott’s passion for light and the electromagnetic spectrum began in his early teens while tinkering with electronics as a hobby. He was formally introduced to the lighting industry while studying Electrical and Electronics in Sydney, Australia, and in 1998 he started his career making custom light fittings and lamps in his dad’s garage. Formal lighting design qualifications expanded his opportunity to help project-manage and design on many industry levels.
Twenty-two years on, and Scott has worked on many major infrastructure, commercial and architectural lighting projects. He is a member of the Illuminating Engineering Society of Australia & New Zealand, the Colour Society of Australia, the International Dark Sky Association and the Astronomical Society of the Pacific.
Connect with Scott Benjamin Gracie
WEBSITE https://www.lightdarkeverything.com.au/
GOODREADS https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22364418.Scott_Benjamin_Gracie
LINKEDIN https://www.linkedin.com/in/lightingprofessional/
Get a copy of Light, Dark and the Electromagnetic Spectrum
AMAZON.COM https://amazon.com/dp/0228849969
AMAZON.COM.AU https://amazon.com.au/dp/0228849969
KINDLE https://amazon.com/dp/B09XQ13DN3
INDIGO CHAPTERS https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/light-dark-and-the-electromagnetic/9780228849964-item.html
BARNES & NOBLE https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/light-dark-and-the-electromagnetic-spectrum-scott-benjamin-gracie/1141351186
BOOK DEPOSITORY https://www.bookdepository.com/Light-Dark-and-the-Electromagnetic-Spectrum-Scott-Benjamin-Gracie/9780228849964
BOOKTOPIA https://www.booktopia.com.au/search.ep?keywords=9780228849964
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RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY
Scott Benjamin Gracie will be awarding a $15 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
Enter to win a $15 Amazon/BN GC – a Rafflecopter giveaway
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C.A. Milson 