Join us for this tour from August 1 to August 26, 2022!
Book Details:
Book Title: The Wrong Side of Murder(A Nikki Bryant Cozy Mystery) by Lauren Carr Category: Adult Fiction (18 +), 274 pages Genre: Mystery/Cozy Mystery Publisher: Acorn Book Services Release date: July 21, 2022 Content Rating: This cozy mystery is rated G for everyone!
MY REVIEW
Nikki had returned to her small town home in Pine Grove, PA, to run her family’s TV station, WKPG TV. She is an investigative journalist and loves the freedom she has to choose what the station runs.
Ryan is the head of the state crime lab, her high school boyfriend.
It has been twenty years since Jodi had been tried in the court of public opinion for her mother’s murder. She claimed she was innocent, but people couldn’t understand how she did not hear anything, seeing it was a very small house.
Nikki is determined to solve the mystery and find the killer. She can relate to Jodi, because her dad had been murdered and it wasn’t until decades later that the mystery was solved.
In cozies, it seems there is always a critter who has a large personality and The Wrong Side Of Murder is no exception, with Elmo having the privilege of filling that slot.
Smiles, romance, laughs and mystery. Bodies pile up and there are plenty of suspects to go around.
Lauren Carr is adept at creating mysteries with characters that can seem like your net door neighbors, critters and dialogue that keep me smiling through the crime solving.
For me, cozies are hard to rate and I find it the same for The Wrong Side Of Murder. A wonderful summer read, light on the suspense but fun to read.
You may want this in your beach bag.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Wrong Side Of Murder by Lauren Carr.
3 Stars
The Wrong Side of Murder is another wonderful cozy mystery by author Lauren Carr. It has all the elements that draw me in – an intelligent female lead, an equally smart boyfriend who partners to help her, a complicated plot where clues are slowly revealed, people who aren’t what they seem to be, comedic moments to balance the darker ones, and several quirky pets full of personality.
It’s a wonderful book to escape into at the end of the day. And get ready to read into the wee hours as, if you’re like me, you won’t be able to stop reading until the mystery is revealed. – Marilyn R. Wilson, Olio by Marilyn
Nikki’s an intense individual who makes the perfect investigative journalist. She wants answers yesterday and she is willing
to dig in to get them. She might get it wrong at the beginning but with the help of her family and close friends, she’ll get the answers she wants and needs.– review by Blooming with Books
Book Description:
Nikki Bryant’s Next Case Takes Her to the Wrong Side of Murder
One spring morning, Jodi Gibbons got up and went to school as she did every day. Her young life went sideways though when the police found that her mother had been brutally killed during the night.
Twenty years later, many in Pine Grove believe Jodi got away with murder. After all, how could she have possibly slept through her
mother’s violent death in the very next room? After decades of silence, Jodi accepts investigative journalist Nikki
Bryant’s invitation to tell her side of the story. However, before the interview can take place, someone silences Jodi permanently.
Now it is up to Nikki Bryant and her friends to uncover the secret that Jodi Gibbons has been protecting—a secret someone believes it is worth killing to keep from being revealed.
Be Sure to Check Out the First Installment in the Nikki Bryant Cozy Mysteries:
Book Details:
Book Title: Killer Deadline(A Nikki Bryant Cozy Mystery) by Lauren Carr Category: Adult Fiction (18 +), 232 pages Genre: Mystery/Cozy Mystery Publisher: Acorn Book Services Release date: April 23, 2020 Content Rating: This cozy mystery is rated G for Everyone!
I love this cozy mystery! It is full of suspense, action packed, fast pace with that small town feeling. I love the characters, I have to admit, I fell in love with Elmo on the spot! I loved Nikki’s spunk and determination. She keeps you on the edge of your seat the entire book! I highly recommend this book to those who loves a good cozy mystery!!– 5-Star Review at Splashes of Joy
Book Description:
Folks in Pine Grove, Pennsylvania, claim that where Nikki Bryant goes, trouble is not far behind. Her refusal to back down from a challenge has made Nikki Bryant a top investigative journalist.
When an online friend nudges her to join him in a pact to reconnect with their first loves, Nikki and her boxer dog Elmo leave the bright lights of Las Vegas for the charming town of Pine Grove. There, she must face the biggest challenges in her career and life—the first love she had left behind and her father’s unsolved murder.
But before she has time to unpack her car, Nikki stumbles upon the dead body of local news anchor, Ashleigh Addison, her childhood rival. Could Ashleigh’s death be connected to an explosive news story that she had teased about airing live? Did that explosive story have anything to do with the murder of Nikki’s father?
With the clues in her father’s cold case hot again, Nikki intends to chase down the story of her life until she catches his killer—no matter what it takes.
The Unveiling of Polly Forrest by Charlotte Whitney
GENRE: Historical Mystery
BLURB
Rural
Michigan, 1934.
During the throes of
the Great Depression Polly marries for money. After her husband Sam dies in a
bizarre farm accident, new bride Polly assumes she is set to pursue her dream
of opening a hat-making business. Instead, she becomes the prime suspect in
Sam’s murder. Secrets abound and even Polly’s family can’t figure out the
truth.
EXCERPT
Sunday, August 19, 1934
Having no choice, I began climbing the exterior ladder that
ran up the height of the silo. I got up five or six rungs before my fear of
heights kicked in. My body started shaking and I willed myself not to look
down. I kept putting one foot above the other. The towel around my wounded
right arm had loosened and I let it fall to the ground, not wanting to remove
my other hand from the rung.
Every step required my mind telling my arms and legs to
move. My hands were jittering and I could hardly grip the ladder. You can do
this, I told myself. You can. You can.
“Keep going.” His
voice was piercing.
I willed my feet to move up the ladder. My body convulsed. I
was about five rungs from the top when I stopped. Reason told me I needed to
quit shaking and get my body under control or I would fall. Then it occurred to
me. He’s not going to push me into the soft silage. He’s going to knock me off
the top of the ladder down to the hard earth.
Dried flower on concrete stone surface background. Flat lay, top view, minimal style concept. Greeting card or web banner mockup for wedding anniversary, birthday, womens day.
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Charlotte Whitney is the author of historical fiction set during the Great Depression in the rural Midwest. Her most recent work, The Unveiling of Polly Forrest, a stand-alone historical mystery follows her groundbreaking novel, Threads A Depression-Era Tale, which was met with both critical acclaim and commercial success. She received a master’s degree in English at the University of Michigan, and after a short stint of teaching at two community colleges, worked at the University of Michigan where she was an associate director of the Lloyd Scholars for Writing and the Arts. Currently living in Arizona with her husband and two dogs she enjoys hiking, bicycling, swimming, and yoga.
Hiding from the Truth AB Medley (Finding the Truth Series, #2) Publication date: August 16th 2022 Genres: Adult, Romance, Suspense
Secrets don’t keep.
Lucy’s are life-changing and dangerous.
Her darkest one is an abusive ex who will stop at nothing to control her, leaving only a smoking ember of who she used to be.
She thinks she’s alone in the battle to get her life back.
Then she meets Tate.
The one man who seems to tear down every defense she’s built around her heart.
The problem is…he doesn’t want a relationship and she wants it all.
Tate’s no stranger to secrets, but he’s content until he meets her.
At first sight, he’s enamored by Lucy.
But the more he discovers, the deadlier her truth becomes.
Now he’s determined to keep her safe whether she wants his help or not.
Suddenly—the ice around his heart is melting, leaving him helpless to fight his feelings for her.
Can they overcome their pasts and the real danger they face to give love a fighting chance, or will they keep hiding from the truth?
He steps toward me and hesitates. “Call me if you need me…or anything at all. I’m not
sure I want to leave you after the night you’ve had.” His blue eyes bore into mine, searching for the truth. A truth I’m not willing to tell just yet. “We’re still going to talk. You need to tell me what happened.” His features harden as if he’s masking anger.
“Tate—” I start but he cuts me off by closing the space between us and brushes the back of his hand over my cheek.
“Don’t overthink it, Lucy. You’re safe here with me. You can trust me.” I swallow against the burning in my throat as I try to stifle the urge to cry. This man is out of his mind if he thinks I can trust him. I trust he won’t physically hurt me, but emotionally is a different matter altogether. Not to mention, he doesn’t need to get in the middle of my mess. He barely knows me.
He drops his hand and walks away. I stay still, my feet planted firmly on the hardwood. Rocky jumps down and sits at my feet, as if sensing my pain.
I lower to my knees, and he licks my cheek. “Thanks, Rocky. I can trust you can’t I, buddy?” I scratch him behind the ears again. His tail thumps the hardwood as I hear my phone beep. I check it and almost drop it. My dad, well Steve. Why is he texting me? I quickly check the message.
Dad: Hey Lucy. I just talked to your mom. Can I call you?
Me: Sure.
Almost immediately, my phone rings. “Hello?”
“Hey, honey. Your mom told me what happened. Are you okay?” He sounds like he did before he left. Why does he care now? I don’t get it. I’m getting whiplash from all the men in my life.
“I’ve been better, but I’ll be fine…always am. You taught me I had to be,” I say hoping he’ll feel even the slightest bit of remorse for how he left me.
“I’m sorry, Lucy, truly. I’m coming home to see your mom—and you, if you’ll let me.” I reach for the bed to make sure it’s there to catch my weight. When I drop onto it, I can’t stop the angry tear sliding down my cheek. I won’t let him hurt me again, and facing him, especially now, is not something I’m sure I can do. I swallow and compose myself enough to answer.
“I don’t know. I’m trying to process literally everything in my life right now. You walked out on me and didn’t look back. What do you want? I don’t understand why you want to see us.”
The line goes silent for a few seconds. “Lucy, we need to talk. All of us.”
“Whatever. I have to go.” I hang up before he can say anything else, lying back on the bed, staring at the ceiling in shock for a few minutes before deciding to shower and call it a night. I get everything in the bathroom ready and take a quick shower. When I get out, I wipe the steam from the mirror and see the fading bruises on my arms and even my inner thighs. I have one on my ribs too.
I lean in closer and examine my face. When I look myself in the eye, I don’t recognize the woman staring back at me. She’s weak. She’s haunted, beaten, and battered as much on the inside as the out. She doesn’t know who she can trust. She’s lost her spark.
Who am I now? Am I Steve McCree’s daughter, the one who wasn’t enough for her dad? Am I Rhett Davis’s daughter, the one claimed to be cherished but kept secret? Am I Phoebe McCree’s daughter, the woman who stepped out on her husband and got pregnant? The woman who lied to keep her family together, but lost it anyway?
Am I the girl Taylor tore down piece by piece and left broken? My whole life is full of secrets and lies and broken dreams. Where do I go from here? I don’t know any of the answers, but I do know—hiding the truth is killing me.
Author Bio:
A.B. Medley lives in Tennessee with the love of her life and two sons. Her husband stole her heart when she was sixteen and their relationship is one of those meant to be love stories you find in magazines and novels.
She is a dental hygienist who loves to read and has always dabbled in writing. When she’s not making people’s smiles shine, she enjoys belting out songs with her boys, dancing, raspberries, baseball, and anything vintage. Like any proper Tennessean, Sundrop is her drink of choice.
She loves her family and friends fiercely and believes in always chasing your dreams.
Deception in the Truth is her debut novel—but now she’s hooked, and there’s more to come!
I love to invite authors to share their thoughts and am so happy to have Marielle S Smith here today to share five of her favorite gratitude quotes.
Five of my favourite
gratitude quotes
With two gratitude journals out there, I’ve gathered
a fair collection of gratitude quotes. In today’s post, I’ll be sharing some of my favourite quotes from both the first and
second volume of the 365 Days of Gratitude Journal.
Life
is a series of thousands of tiny miracles. Notice them.
—Roald Dahl
I just
love this quote and it’s so in line with the one by Albert Einstein I included
in the introduction to the journal: ‘There are only two ways
to live your life. One is as though nothing
is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a
miracle.’
Each time I
hear or read any of these two quotes, my perspective instantly shifts to
something much lighter and joyful and I can’t help but smile.
The more grateful I am, the more beauty I see.
—Mary Davis
There’s a reason I put this quote on the cover of the second volume—it
hits home every time. I can’t even put my finger on why, it just does. And I
know from experience just how truthful this statement is, which is why I get a
little bit frustrated with myself each time there’s a lull in my gratitude
practice.
It’s a good thing it’s so easy to get back into it!
We should certainly count our blessings, but we
should also make our blessings count.
—Neal A. Maxwell
Back in my
student days, I had a conversation with my supervisor about privilege. As a
relatively privileged woman—I’m white, cisgender, able-bodied, I can pass as
straight, I was getting a higher education—I struggled with those privileges
because it all felt a little unfair to me.
I’ll never
forget how she responded. She said: ‘There’s no point in feeling bad or guilty
about where you came from, because that’s beyond your control. But what you can
do is use whatever privilege you happen to have to help dismantle the system
that created these privileges in the first place.’
This quote
reminds me of that conversation and that I should really use all of my
blessings, including my privileges, for the greater good.
When you
focus on the good, the good gets better.
—Abraham Hicks
Whether this is
actually true, I couldn’t tell you, but it’s definitely something I want to
believe. At the very least, this quote reminds me to focus on the good things
that are happening in my life instead of all the things I’m not as thrilled
about, and that always makes me feel better instantly.
We’re all so busy chasing the extraordinary that we forget to stop and
be grateful for the ordinary.
—Brené Brown
This quote
is, in a nutshell, why I decided to create a gratitude journal in the first
place. We tend to celebrate and express gratitude over the big milestones and
large blessings in our lives, but the key to living a grateful life is to learn
to notice and be thankful for all those teeny tiny things we so easily take for
granted.
What are you grateful for today? Can you name
one thin
Thanks so much for being here today, Michelle. I hope everyone enjoyed the post.
365 Days of Gratitude Journal by Mariëlle S. Smith
GENRE: Non-fiction; self-help
BLURB
***
Now available in black-and-white AND full colour! ***
‘The more grateful I am, the more beauty I see.’ Mary Davis
Gratitude is not just about ATTITUDE.
Gratitude is about PRACTICE.
But how do you create a gratitude practice that sticks?
After the success of her first 365 Days of Gratitude Journal, writing coach
Mariëlle S. Smith brings you Volume 2. Same journal but with an entirely
different look!
After years of barely surviving her own emotional minefield, Mariëlle
discovered the transformative power of practising gratitude. But, like no one
else, she knows that cultivating an attitude of gratitude is easier said than
done.
365 Days of Gratitude, Vol. 2 is an undated, guided journal. Complete with
inspiring quotes, daily prompts, and recurring check-ins, it was designed to
help you create a sustainable gratitude practice too.
Commit to the life-changing power of gratitude today and order your copy now!
AUTHOR Bio and Links
Mariëlle
S. Smith is a writer, writing coach, and editor. She lives in Cyprus, where she
organises private writer’s retreats, is inspired 24/7, and feeds more stray
cats than she can count.
The tortured spirits of the dead haunt a Regency-era English manor—but the true danger lies in the land of the living in the third installment in the Lily Adler mysteries, perfect for fans of Deanna Raybourn.
Regency widow Lily Adler is looking forward to spending the autumn away from the social whirl of London. When she arrives in Hampshire with her friends, the Carroways, she doesn’t expect much more than a quiet country visit and the chance to spend time with her charming new acquaintance, Matthew Spencer.
But something odd is afoot in the small country village. A ghost has taken up residence in the Belleford manor, a lady in grey who wanders the halls at night, weeping and wailing. Half the servants have left in terror, but the family seems delighted with the notoriety that their ghost provides. Intrigued by this spectral guest, Lily and her party immediately make plans to visit Belleford.
They arrive at the manor the next morning ready to be entertained—only to find that tragedy has struck. The matriarch of the family has just been found killed in her bed.
The dead woman’s family is convinced that the ghost is responsible. Lily is determined to learn the truth before another victim turns up—but could she be next in line for the Great Beyond?
Book Details:
Genre: Historical Mystery Published by: Crooked Lane Books Publication Date: August 9th 2022 Number of Pages: 352 ISBN: 1639100784 (ISBN13: 9781639100781) Series: Lily Adler Mystery #3 Book Links:Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads | Bookshop.org
Read an excerpt:
As they walked, Mr. Wright fell in step next to Ofelia. “Have you ever seen a ghost before, Lady Carroway?”
“I have not,” she replied, as polite as ever in spite of the hint of skepticism in her voice. “Pray, what does it look like?”
“Like a lady in white and gray,” he said, and Lily was surprised to see how serious his expression was. His frivolous, unctuous manner had dropped away, and he shivered a little as he gestured toward the windows. “No one has seen her face. The first time I saw her she was standing right there, bathed in moonlight, when I was returning from a late night in the village. And my sister saw her in the early morning only two days ago. Some nights, we have heard her wails echoing through the halls, even when she is nowhere to be seen.”
Lily exchanged a look with her aunt, who seemed surprised by the detail in Thomas Wright’s story and the quaver in his voice. Either he believed wholeheartedly in his ghost, or he was putting on a very convincing performance for his audience.
“And what does she do?” Ofelia asked, sounding a little more somber now, as they drew
to a halt in front of the windows. The small party looked around the corner of the hall. It was unremarkable enough, with several large paintings, and a tall, handsome curio cabinet standing in an alcove. An old-fashioned tapestry hung across one wall, though it was worn and faded enough that it was hard to tell exactly what picture it had originally presented.
“Nothing, so far,” Mr. Wright said, a sort of forced theatricality in his voice that left Lily puzzled.
She had expected, based on what Mr. Spencer had said the night before, to find an eager showman in Thomas Wright, ready to bask in the attention of curious neighbors, not a true believer in the supernatural. Glancing at Mr. Spencer out of the corner of her eye, she thought he looked equally puzzled.
“She stands and weeps, or floats around the hall and wails. Usually, if someone tries to draw close, she vanishes. But last month—” Mr. Wright’s voice dropped a little. He still glanced
uneasily toward the other end of the hall, as if momentarily distracted or looking for someone, before quickly returning his attention to his audience. “Last month she became angry when one of our housemaids came upon her unexpectedly. The lady in gray pursued her down the hall, wailing. Poor Etta was so scared that she fell down the stairs in her haste to get away. That
was when our servants started leaving.”
“I trust the housemaid has recovered?” Mr. Spencer asked, sounding genuinely concerned.
“She has,” Mr. Wright replied. “But no one has tried to approach the lady in gray again. We think she wishes to be left alone.”
“Well,” Lily said, attempting a return to lightness, “as far as ghosts go, that sounds reasonable enough. I confess I feel that way often enough myself, especially after too many busy nights in a row.”
Ofelia, who had been looking a little wide-eyed, giggled, and Mr. Spencer quickly covered a cough that might have been a chuckle.
Mr. Wright scowled, his expression halfway between unease and displeasure. “I take it you are not a woman who believes in ghosts, Mrs. Adler?”
“I have never had the opportunity to find out whether or not I am,” Lily replied. “The homes I have lived in have all been stubbornly unhaunted.”
“For your sake, madam, I hope they remain that way,” Mr. Wright said. There was an unexpected note of resignation in his voice as he added, “It is not a comfortable thing to live with.”
“I would have thought you to be fond of yours, sir,” Lily said. “If you dislike her so, why go to the trouble of showing visitors around and telling them the story?”
Mr. Wright smiled, some of the showman creeping back into his manner. “Because you are here, dear ladies. And how could I resist such a beautiful audience?”
“Tell me, has your family any idea who this lady in gray might be?” Lily’s aunt asked politely.
He nodded, his voice dropping even further, and they all reflexively drew closer to hear what he was saying. “We each have our own theory, of course,” he said. “I believe it is my father’s great-aunt, Tabitha, whose bedroom was just this way. If you would care to see the spot?” He held out his arm to Ofelia, who took it. Mr. Wright, engrossed in his story once more, turned to lead them down the closest passage. “Tabitha died there some fifty years ago, of a broken heart, they say, after news arrived of the death of her betrothed in the colonies—”
His story was suddenly cut off by screaming. Not a single shriek of surprise or dismay, but a cry that seemed to go on without ceasing. Thomas Wright froze, the genial smile dropping from his face in shock. “Selina?” he called.
The screaming continued, growing more hysterical. Dropping Ofelia’s arm, he ran toward the sound, which was coming from the far hallway, past the stairs. The others, stunned into stillness, stared at each other, unsure what to do.
“I think it’s Miss Wright,” Mr. Spencer said, all traces of merriment gone from his face. “Wait here—I shall see if they need any assistance.” He made to go after, but Thomas Wright was already returning, rushing down the hall next to another man, who was carrying the screaming woman.
“The parlor, just next to you, Spencer!” Mr. Wright called. “Open the door!”
Mr. Spencer, the closest to the door, flung it open, and the hysterical woman was carried in. She was laid on a chaise longue in the middle of the dim little room, Mr. Spencer stepping forward to help settle her as the man who had carried her stepped back. Lily, glancing
around as she and the other ladies crowded through the door, thought it looked like a space reserved for the family’s private use, which made sense on an upper floor. Thomas Wright knelt next to the hysterical woman for a moment, clasping her hands.
“Selina?” he said loudly. But she kept screaming, her eyes wide and darting about the room without seeing anything. Judging by the round cheeks and dark hair they both shared, Lily thought she must be his sister. Whether they had other features in common was hard to tell when Selina Wright was in the middle of hysterics.
“Miss Wright?” Matthew Spencer tried giving her shoulders a shake. “You must stop this at once!”
But she clearly could not hear either of them. Thomas Wright took a deep breath and looked grim as, with a surprising degree of practicality, he slapped her across the face.
The screams stopped abruptly, her blank expression resolving into one of terror before her eyes latched on her brother. Her face crumpled in misery. “Oh, Thomas!” she sobbed, gasping for breath.
He gave her shoulders a little shake. “Selina, stop this—you must tell me what happened.” But she only shook her head, clutching at his coat with desperate fists and dropping her head against his shoulder, her weeping shaking them both. Mr. Wright turned to the servant who had carried his sister. “Isaiah, what happened to her?”
Isaiah was a young Black man with very short, curly hair and broad shoulders. His plain, dark clothing marked him clearly as a servant, though it was nothing so formal as the livery that
would have been worn in a great house. His wide stance spoke of confidence, and the easy way that Thomas Wright addressed him indicated long service and familiarity.
But there was no confidence on the manservant’s face as he hesitated, gulping visibly and shaking his head. His eyes were wide, and he stumbled over his words as he tried to answer, either unsure how to respond or not wanting to. “It’s . . . it’s Mrs. Wright, sir. She didn’t open her door when we knocked, and Miss Wright . . . she asked me to open it, since no one has the key . . . and she was there, sir—Mrs. Wright. She was there but she wasn’t moving. There was nothing we could do, but there was no one else there what could have done it. She’s dead, sir,” he finished in a rush. “Mrs. Wright is dead. She was killed in the night.”
Beside her, Lily heard Ofelia gasp, though she didn’t turn to look at her friend. Mr. Spencer looked up, his dark eyes wide as he met Lily’s from across the room. She stared back at him, frozen in shock, unable to believe what she had just heard.
“Killed?” Thomas Wright demanded, his voice rising with his own disbelief and his arms tightening around his sister.
“It killed her, Thomas,” Selina Wright said, raising her head at last. Now that her hysterics had faded, her cheeks had gone ashen with fear. “There was no one else who could have entered that room. The lady in gray killed our mother.”
***
Excerpt from Death at the Manor by Katharine Schellman. Copyright 2022 by Katharine Schellman. Reproduced with permission from Katharine Schellman. All rights reserved.
Author Bio:
Katharine Schellman is a former actor, one-time political consultant, and now the author of the Lily Adler Mysteries and the Nightingale Mysteries. Her debut novel, The Body in the Garden, was one of Suspense Magazine’s Best Books of 2020 and led to her being named one of BookPage’s 16 Women to Watch in 2020. Her second novel, Silence in the Library, was praised as “worthy of Agatha Christie or Rex Stout.” (Library Journal, starred review) Katharine lives and writes in the mountains of Virginia in the company of her husband, children, and the many houseplants she keeps accidentally murdering.
Join us for this tour from August 2to August 22, 2022!
Book Details:
Book Title: CHILD OF ETHERCLAW by Matty Roberts Category: Young Adult Fiction (13-18+), 348 pages Genre: Sci-Fi/Dystopian Publisher: Twilight Fox LLC Release date: August 2, 2022 Formats Available for Review: print (softback) (USA and Canada) and ebook (EPUB and PDF) Tour dates: August 2 to August 22, 2022 Content Rating: PG-13 PG-13 for some profanity and mild violence.
Book Description:
The bonds of family go well beyond blood.
But can those bonds hold when the blood itself carries a devastating secret?
Fenlee’s opal necklace had always radiated a certain warmth since her mother’s death. But now, at sixteen, her world begins to unravel as the stone sparks to life, revealing itself to be an otherworldly artifact of untold power.
Between her mechatronics studies at the academy and scavenging expeditions beneath the sprawling city of New Cascadia, Fenlee and her
adopted brother, Elliot, try to decipher the mysteries of her necklace and its link to events in Fenlee’s past.
But they’re not alone in their search.
Strange undercity dwellers offer cryptic warnings, drones track their movements, and deadly corporate agents lurk in the shadows. When tragedy rips Fenlee’s family apart, she must learn to use the artifact’s power to save those who are deeply precious to her. But nothing can prepare her for the dark truths that she will uncover on that journey…
“Lee,” Elliot mumbled. “I’m not who you think I am.”
Matty Roberts began their career in journalism where they earned an Emmy and had the privilege of working on several other award-winning projects. They hold an MS from Johns Hopkins University and are now an engineer in renewable energy in Denver, Colorado where they live with their wonderful partner, two extraordinary kids, and the best doggie ever. In addition to writing, engineering, and parenting, Matty is a vegan enby nerd who is in love with this world and will forever be doing all they can to make it a better place. And they may be known to occasionally play in a punk band here or there.
Join us for this tour from August 1 to August 19, 2022!
Book Details:
Book Title: The Practical M.B.A. on Economics “What They Do & Don’t Teach You At Business School” by Joseph Gulesserian Category: Adult Non-Fiction (18+), 526 pages Genre: Non-Fiction Business Economics History Publisher: Brands Fifth Avenue Inc Release date: June 2022 Content Rating: G. Business Book on Economics
#1 Best-Seller in Inflation & Economics History!
Book Description:
A Plethora of Wealth – Knowledge – Insights, that will help you take over the World and Beyond!
Government and the Central Banks have been managing the economic business cycle for over 100 years, creating the biggest Ponzi scheme of money printing ever invented in the history of civilization, as we now find ourselves living in a precarious house of cards. By hallowing out our manufacturing, have we diminished our inventiveness? What role did China really play in this, and what role did our own selfish desire affect the outcome, and what was the trade-off?
Is this the beginning of the end of US monetary global dominance, and how long can we print fiat money to support the vestiges of a declining Empire? Is the cost of living going up, or is it because currency is rapidly depreciating? What is the true source of effective inflation, and why is the wealth divide becoming greater?
The pages of this book bring to light the roots of our economic order of today, and help explain the world around us, how we arrived here, and what might lie ahead.
The Practical MBA on Economics is comprehensive, fast-paced, making for magnificent theatre, full of spills and chills, from stock market crashes to sovereign debt default, to the 1944 Bretton Woods reset, the IMF, the WTO, U.S. Dollar reserve, and mercantilism. We come to meet the economic thinkers that shape our world today from Adam Smith, Richard Cantillon, John Maynard Keynes, David Ricardo, Murray Rothbard, and Milton Friedman.
With intellectual clarity, insights, wit and humour, Gulesserian challenges the narrative, simplifies complex economic ideas, and draws from historical events, to explain how we came to the current financial world order, its perils, and the future of tomorrow!
With compelling antidotes that entertain, filled with relevance and a library of knowledge that leaves the reader feeling full, and liberated to unlock the future. So, butter your popcorn, do fasten your seat belts, and enjoy the ride.
Joseph Gulesserian is an entrepreneur and a published author, who wrote “Newspaper Boys Always Deliver”, a story of pop culture and technology. He has built and brought to market health and beauty Brands with global reach that has sent him around much of the world.
With his technical training, he has spent time on the factory floor with technologies from machine building to software information systems, for competitive advantage.
He has an insatiable eclectic curiosity for flirting with the outer parameters of the human imagination, is a student of history, loves the arts, design, the digital age, math, while believing in the tenets of the marketplace of ideas and personal liberty.
After earning his MBA from Edinburgh Business School in the U.K., he taught Corporate Finance, Capital Markets, Statistics and marketing, as an adjunct professor at Toronto colleges.
Jester Brielle D. Porter Publication date: August 9th 2022 Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult
What happens in Oasis, stays in Oasis.
Lisette’s father killed the King. His execution leaves Lisette alone, disgraced, and without the magic he intended to pass on to her. In Oasis, that’s a problem. Glutted with enchanted performers, Oasis is a sin city where courtiers pay in gold to drink, gamble, and above all, be entertained. To survive on its competitive streets, Lisette peddles paltry illusions in place of magic.
Desperate to prove herself, Lisette enters into a deadly competition to be chosen as the highest-ranked magician in the world, the Queen’s Jester. But her rival, the irritatingly handsome Luc, possesses the one thing Lisette does not—real magic. Lisette will do anything to win, but when evidence implicating the Queen in her husband’s murder surfaces, Lisette must choose between redeeming her family name, or seizing the fame she’s hungered for her entire life.
A group of tourists has gathered to watch me throw knives at a shopboy. They’ve come here for magic; I’ve kept them here with misdirection and lies. Maybe it’s not magic exactly, but it is undeniably entertaining watching my unwilling assistant flinch every time the knife point gets too close to his groin.
I hold the knife steady, aiming, watching his limp hair flop as the wooden wheel he’s strapped to slowly rotates.
Stefan lets out a whimper, and I toss him a smile. He was a lot braver in the shop where I’d found him, flirting as he bagged my books. It hadn’t been hard to trick him into volunteering.
The crowd jeers.
“Aim lower!”
“Aim higher! Maim his ugly face!”
“Throw three at once!”
“Mirage, don’t you dare!” Stefan shouts.
The nighttime crowd is always hungrier for violence. I hold up my hands placatingly.
“Obviously, I can’t throw three knives at once. That would be dangerous and highly irresponsible…”
There are a couple of groans, but my reputation must precede me, because there are a few whoops and chuckles thrown in as well. With a sweep, I pull my deadliest knife from my belt, the one with the wicked serrated edge, brandishing it for the crowd.
“But I think we can spice things up a bit!”
I stab the knife into a vat of oil, the shimmering liquid sliding down the tang of the blade. Then, with a flourish, I sweep it through a nearby torch. Flame devours the knife. The crowd roars its approval. Stefan pales.
The hilt burns in my hand, throwing off sparks, as I wonder if perhaps I’ve gone too far. I’ve only tried this a few times. And the jackrabbit I had caught to practice with wasn’t even good to eat after, blackened to an inedible crisp.
Either way, I’ll give them a show.
Author Bio:
Brielle D. Porter decided to become a writer after a well-meaning elementary school teacher told her she had a gift for it. Stolen moments under the covers reading anything from Harry Potter to William Goldman solidified the desire to tell stories herself one day. Jester is her debut novel.
Brielle lives with her husband and three sons on a lavender farm in Northern Idaho. When she’s not writing, she can be found running and beekeeping. Only ask her about her hobbies if you have plenty of time to spare.
Join us for this tour from July 18to August 12, 2022!
Book Details:
Book Title: The Way Out (Book 1: Be Careful What You Wish for Series) by Gordon Jensen with Cara Highsmith and Gordon Thomas Category: Adult Fiction (18+), 240 pages Genre: Sci-Fi Publisher: Highsmith Creative Services Release date:September 2020 Content Rating: PG-13 +M. The language is pretty tame, but there are a few swear words. The bigger issue is some of the topics addressed in it.
Book Description:
When the Alpha Centauri crew returns to earth after a failed mission to explore a distant planet, they quickly learn the world is not how they left it.
Under new global leadership, the planet has managed to
go decades without conflict, except for one major problem. Thanks to a pandemic caused by a mutation in a new strain of GMO corn, the world’s population plummeted to 2.6 billion, wiping out a disproportionate amount of men and leaving the globe run almost entirely by women. The mutation altered the human DNA, making it impossible to produce male babies and increasing Y-chromosome related diseases.
Because of their lack of exposure, the Alpha Centauri crew, especially the men on board, now find themselves in high demand. The Powers that Be think they are the solution, but with that solution comes the inevitable hunger for power and control. As greed, self-interest, and corruption rear their ugly heads, a planet that had found its way to peace is thrust into turmoil once again.
So, the question becomes: Are they really the answer to a seemingly unsolvable problem? The world may soon come to understand that sometimes getting what you wish for isn’t the gift you think it will be.
The Way Out is at once a brilliant and relatable work of post-apocalyptic fiction. Think The Handmaid’s Tale mixed with Netflix’s The Wilds, and a touch of Interstellar, the movie. It’s a uniquely told story that will have you waiting as impatiently as the crew to understand the New World Order of the near future.
Book Title: Two Roads to Paradise (Book 2: Be Careful What You Wish for Series) by Gordon Jensen with Cara Highsmith and Gordon Thomas Category: Adult Fiction (18+), 324 pages Genre: Sci-Fi Publisher: Highsmith Creative Services Release date:May 2022 Content Rating: PG-13 +M. The language is pretty tame, but there are a few swear words. The bigger issue is some of the topics addressed in it.
Book Description:
Although the reappearance of the Alpha Centauri I crew was miraculous, it was not the celebratory homecoming they expected. Their return to a world reeling from a pandemic that wiped out more than half the population thrust them right into the center of controversy and conflict. Now, three years later, though the tide has turned and the survival of the human race seems to be secure, the survival of human relations is far less certain. The cure should have been the injection of hope the world needed to restore balance and end the chaos of the last four decades. Instead, the complex implications for personal rights and freedom have
fractured the North American territory in such a way that the division may never be repaired. As the crew dispersed to find their place in this new landscape, Hunter Young found himself embedded in the Marshall administration as an agent for the mysterious K Group. What had been a relatively uneventful assignment suddenly becomes a whirlwind of adventure as he is called to a rendezvous that requires a long and circuitous journey.
Gordon Jensen holds an MBA from University of Rochester, New York, Simon School of
Business and a bachelor’s degree from Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota. After working in finance In New York for several years, Jensen went back to Minnesota to run the family business. He retired after selling the the business and is now fulfilling a number of life-long dreams, including writing a novel series.
Cara Highsmith has always been drawn to the world of books and has found herself working in this industry in one capacity or another for the majority of her adult life. She holds a Master of Arts in English from Belmont University and did work toward a PhD at Middle Tennessee State University. Cara was on the editorial team at Hachette Book Group USA, working with several New York Times bestselling authors, for nearly four years. After leaving Hachette in 2008, she began freelancing, developing proposals and manuscripts for agents, editing and ghostwriting for authors, and assisting clients in preparing projects for self-publishing. Cara is a master of being a jack of all trades, but currently spends her free time working on several personal writing projects and enjoying life on a beautiful northern California mountain.
I love to give authors a podium and the freedom to share whatever they like. I found Vince’s Guest Post to be interesting and it got me thinking….
Guest Blog Post
Which two authors would I have dinner with?
Ernest Hemingway and Taylor Caldwell have been
known for their inspiring and exceptional writing. So, what would it be like to
have dinner with them?
Let the fantasy begin …
As we waited for our drinks, I leaned over to
Ernest. “Put that cigar away,” I whispered, to avoid embarrassment.
“It’s Papa,” he replied in his usual charismatic
tone. “I told you many times, call me Papa. And this is no ordinary cigar. It’s
a Cuban puro.”
“I know what it is,” I said as my eyes followed
the waft of smoke charging towards me like one of the bulls from his book, The
Sun Also Rises. I moved my head to the side and added, “This is not El
Floridity and it’s not 1952. It’s 2022 in Sotto Sotto, Toronto. You remember
Toronto, don’t you?”
“Of course,
I do,” Ernest said as he extinguished his cigar. “The Toronto Star. I started there
as a freelancer and eventually worked as a foreign correspondent in Europe
writing stories about post-WWI conditions.”
I looked over to Taylor. She wasn’t a bit annoyed.
The curl of her lip suggested she rather enjoyed the exchange and would have
also enjoyed a Cuban cigar.
Our server came with our drinks. “Two daquiris,” he
said. Ernest smiled and tapped his finger on a space on the
table in front of him. “Martini for you, madam. And Negroni for you, sir.” We
toasted to friendship and writing and as the food and drinks came in plenty, so
did the conversation.
“Congratulations,” Taylor said, raising her glass
to me. “I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Final Crossing. Well done.”
“As did I,” Ernest said. I thanked them, smiled,
and took a sip of my Negroni.
Then Taylor turned to Ernest. “Papa, you should
have added more religious themes in your books.”
“You mean like your stories?”
“You know very well I have written on a broad range
of subjects, not just stories related to real historical events or persons. I
do not need to defend my work.”
Ernest smiled and raised his glass in tribute of her
accomplishments. It was probably more in his appreciation of a woman who
exemplified his own persona – strong-minded, adventurous, and passionate about her
craft. The wise fisherman was no match for this marlin, at least not this time.
“And don’t forget,” I said. “While you published The
Old Man and The Sea in 1952, for which you later won the Nobel Prize,
Taylor had written The Devil’s Advocate, set in
a dystopia where North America came under Communist rule.”
Ernest leaned back in his chair and took another sip of
his drink. Then he began to talk about his time in Cuba and in Paris and in
Spain. Taylor raised her hand. Ernest
stopped and remained
quiet. She then leaned forward towards him and said, “Don’t let the past steal
your present.”
The place fell in deafening silence as if everyone
had heard our conversation. I broke the stillness with my own curiosity about
their work.
“Papa, did writing come easy for you?” He shifted
in his seat and cleared his throat as if ready to respond in an interview with
a seasoned journalist.
“Writing is something that you can never do as well
as it can be done,” he said. “It is a perpetual challenge, and it is more
difficult than anything else that I have ever done—so I do it. And it makes me
happy when I do it well.”
Then I turned to Taylor. “You have always been
outspoken which is reflected in your intricately plotted, suspenseful stories
depicting family tensions. Much of this stemmed from your childhood. Would you
agree?”
“To some extent,” she replied. “As you know, I
emigrated to the U.S. with my parents and younger brother in 1907. Shortly
after my father died and the family struggled. I think I tapped into those
experiences and wrote them in my stories.”
“I believe you started to write at the age of eight
and wrote your first novel when you were twelve.”
She smiled. Then, as if the memories surfaced, her
smile faded. “My ill health prevented me from doing many things, except writing
of course. I buried myself in writing and the world knew little about me. Many
presumed I or rather the author, was a man. That was my first editor’s doing,
giving me a pen name. When my identity was eventually made known there was even
some public fuss over it.”
“Did that experience change how you thought about
people?”
“The nature of human beings never changes.
Political fads come and go; theories rise and fall; the scientific truth of
today becomes the discarded error of tomorrow. Man’s ideas change, but not his
inherent nature. That remains.”
My eyes darted towards Ernest who sat with his hand
on his chin, and I could tell he learned something new about Taylor.
“OK, now please humour me,” I said. I reached into
my pocket and pulled out three pens, one for each of us. I then took out a
piece of paper, ripped it in three and distributed them. I had obviously planned
for this moment.
I continued. “If we were stranded on an island and brought
with us only one book, what would it be? Write it down, fold the paper and pass
it to me.”
They were pensive at first. But then, in unison,
they wrote down their answer and handed it to me. I also wrote mine. I unfolded
each one and placed them on the table for us to see which book we would have had
brought with us.
Taylor wrote, The Old Man and The Sea. Ernest
wrote, The Devil’s Advocate. I wrote, The Final Crossing.
We laughed and laughed. We ate and drank. We
savoured the evening until the place had emptied, except for three revelling
authors.
And the fantasy ended.
What a fun post. I know I have read The Old Man and The Sea, but the others….I’ll be checking. I loved the post and you made it so enjoyable, Vince. Thank you very much.
The Final Crossing: A Tale of Self-Discovery and Adventure by Vince Santoro
GENRE: Historical Fiction
BLURB
In this tale of self-discovery and adventure,
we are connected with a history we’ve come to know as the cradle of
civilization.
Nenshi, an Egyptian house servant, raised in
nobility, is well-schooled, a master huntsman and hungers to be free. His
master agrees to grant his freedom but while the petition is set to be heard,
Nenshi’s indiscretion gets in the way. He is caught in a secret love affair
with a woman above his social status.
As punishment, he is exiled to labour in the Nubian
gold mines. His life turns upside down as he is thrust into a world for which
he had been ill prepared. He escapes from the mines and vows to return to
Thebes, but his attempts push him farther and farther away on a journey that
redefines him – a journey mired with cruelty, bloodshed, and the discovery of a
new deity.
In the end Nenshi learns his freedom has been
granted and must decide whether to return to his homeland or start a new life.
“I greatly enjoyed this well written story by
Vince Santoro. He takes us across the Ancient World
through the protagonist, Nenshi, an exiled Egyptian
servant who struggles with class structure, both around and within himself.
Santoro weaves a story of ideas – a sense of belonging, monotheism, and the
human soul – told through Nenshi’s rite of passage through to his final
crossing. The setting is visually evocative of “spirit of place” as
the novelist and travel writer Lawrence Durrell called it. It’s a story worth
reading.” – Terry Stanfill
Award winning historical fiction author of The Gift
from Fortuny, Realms of Gold, The Blood Remembers and other works.
“Vince Santoro is a gifted storyteller. I
found The Final Crossing difficult to put down because it is
well written. As an historian and author of
non-fiction books, I am impressed with the amount of research that Santoro has
done to prepare this story of adventure and romance set in the ancient Middle
East. The customs, the beliefs and even the character names are all authentic
to that region and era. With so many plot twists and turns, Santoro will keep
you guessing about what might happen next to the protagonist until the very
end!” – John Charles Corrigan
Author of The Red Knight and “Love
Always”
EXCERPT
Twilight was fast approaching, and they returned to the trail.
From a distance they saw an abundance of trees and vegetation that sprung from
the hard soil. Moments later, they heard rushing water. A twisting river
murmured. It called out and invited them to consume its wealth. Nenshi and
Aziza went to explore it.
Aziza stopped and kneeled to examine small flowers in bloom.
On the river’s edge Nenshi bent over and splashed water on his face. He cupped
his hands and drank its cool refreshing offering. Rocks jutted out from the
shallow water. He heard footsteps and threw a glance behind him. Aziza, ran
towards him, as free as the wind blew, eager to jump into the river. Nenshi
screamed from the top of his lungs to warn her.
“Aziza … Aziza … be careful, the water is shallow! There
are rocks!”
Her excitement muffled his warning. Nenshi then stood,
flapped his arms to get her attention. She pushed her legs hard against the
water to run faster until it was just deep enough to jump in.
“Aziza …. Aziza … stop …” Nenshi cried. Aziza took another
step but this time slipped and almost fell. She tried to regain balance and
continued moving forward. Nenshi gasped hoping she realized the danger and
would stop. But she didn’t and it was too late. She slipped again, fell and hit
a rock. Nenshi immediately ran to her, stepping and slipping on rocks that
almost caused him to lose balance. Babak who had heard Nenshi’s cries dashed to
the river. Nenshi crouched over the wet and motionless body.
“Help me get her out,” Nenshi cried out as he lifted her,
propped her head and shoulders in his arms. Blood, washed by the water, dripped
from her head.
AUTHOR Bio and Links
Vince is an Italian-born Canadian who grew up in Toronto,
Canada, and now lives in Pickering, a suburb of Toronto.
In his youth, education and sports became a priority. A private
boys’ school, St. Michael’s College in Toronto, provided the opportunity for
both. He graduated from York University, Toronto, with a degree in history and
a minor in behavioural science.
Vince was always up for new challenges. After completing his
studies, he set his eyes on Europe and played professional basketball in Italy.
When he returned home, he shifted gears and worked in the aerospace industry in
several capacities. The most rewarding was managing internal communications for
a large aircraft manufacturer. It was during this time he decided to hone his
writing skills by studying journalism at Ryerson University, Toronto, and he
had several articles published.
His career in communications along with studies in history and
journalism prepared him to take on his next challenge: to write a book. His
debut novel, The Final Crossing, has been a labour of love, one he worked on
for many years. It reflects life experiences, woven into a story that inspires
and entertains, and perhaps even show the world in a different way.
