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Wednesday, March 27, 2024

Belega by Dianne Hartsock - Book Tour - Exclusive Excerpt - Giveaway - Enter Daily!


Belega
by Dianne Hartsock

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GENRE:   Erotic Fantasy Romance (M/M)

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BOOK BLURB:

The Karthagans have regained their ancient powers of manipulating nature, but at the price of madness. In their lust for control, they've destroyed their island and most of their race. They come now to Belega, where one of them, Camron, seeks domination over the known world. The Mage has come from the northern continent of Sennia to bring peace but finding his strength no match for the coming struggle, he passes his abilities on to Natan, who only desires a simple life.

Now only Natan has the ability to stop Camron, but the personal cost is more than he imagines. It is only with the combined strength of his friends, his Karthagan lover, Kavi, and his deep desire to bring lasting peace to the earth, that he finds the courage to overcome Camron and restore balance to the world.

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EXCLUSIVE EXCERPT:

Something wasn’t right. They rode close on Bryon’s heels as the soldier unerringly followed Camron’s trail, but Natan felt an urgent pull toward the east, as if the earth itself called to him in anguish. He slowed his horse, listening, then called out to the others before turning into the forest. He needed to see what Camron had done.

Dread and anger crept into his heart as he rode between the trees. He knew what he would find over the ridge. He’d dreamed of it many times, the torn earth, twisted trees, and bloody ground. Fury blinded him, so he drew his horse to a walk, fighting the desire to chase Camron to the ground. He could easily rip the world apart in that instant if it would give him Camron. How he would make the Karthagan suffer!

His horse snorted and came to a stop. A shudder passed through its large frame. Natan slid from the saddle, holding onto the pommel to steady his shaking body. He was vaguely aware of Kavi slipping from his horse and stumbling to his side as he entered the horror waiting in the glen.

It was as if a child in the throes of temper had been there. The green earth was heaved into rocky mounds. Deep pits of bubbling tar rose to the surface. A hundred trees had been snapped at the trunk and hurled in all directions. Small animals lay where they’d burst apart from an intense pressure on their tender bodies.

Natan grew ill as the nightmare overwhelmed his senses. He wanted nothing more than to crush Camron in his hands, make him feel the pain of the poor creatures dead on the bloody soil.

He fought a rising panic in his breast that seemed to snatch at his breath. He couldn’t fight that way. He mustn’t fight that way! Sobs choked in his throat. He didn’t know what to do. Kavi’s whimper at his side broke him. He moved to take him in his arms in a sudden desperate need for human contact. He was in agony.

“Don’t,” Kavi moaned, horror in his gaze, and pulled from Natan’s clasp. Natan dropped his arms instantly. He couldn’t take on Kavi’s pain as well. He turned from him and lurched across the broken earth, brushing into Kirstin.

“Kavi needs you,” he managed to say, and would have passed her, but she touched his face. He cried out as her fingers burned his skin. “No!” He jerked his head away.

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AUTHOR BIO:


Dianne grew up in one of the older homes in the middle of Los Angeles, a place of hardwood floors and secret closets and back staircases. A house where ghosts lurk in the basement and the faces in the paintings watch you walk up the front stairs. Rooms where you keep the closet doors closed tight at night. It’s where her love of the mysterious and wonderful came from. Dianne is the author of m/m romance, paranormal/suspense, fantasy adventure, the occasional thriller, and anything else that comes to mind.

She now lives in the beautiful Willamette Valley of Oregon with her incredibly patient husband, who puts up with the endless hours she spends hunched over the keyboard letting her characters play. Dianne says Oregon’s raindrops are the perfect setting in which to write. There’s something about being cooped up in the house with a fire crackling on the hearth and a cup of hot coffee in her hands, which kindles her imagination.

Currently, Dianne works as a floral designer in a locally-owned gift shop. Which is the perfect job for her. When not writing, she can express herself through the rich colors and textures of flowers and foliage.

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CONNECT WITH DIANNE:

Blog:

FaceBook Personal Page:

FaceBook Author Page:


Goodreads Author Page:

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GIVEAWAY INFO:

Dianne will be awarding a $15 Amazon OR Barnes and Noble Gift Card (Winner's Choice!!!) to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tuesday, March 26, 2024

Deadly Sins by January Bain - Book Tour - Book Blast - Giveaway - Enter Daily!

Deadly Sins

Irish Mafia Kings Series

Book One

by January Bain

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GENRE:   Contemporary Romance (Mafia)

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BOOK BLURB:

Book one in the Irish Mafia Kings series

Blood for blood. Her family killed my brother, so I’ll take their princess.

I’m Quinn Lyons, Irish Mafia King, a man known for getting what he wants, and I want her, Aria Byrne. I’m going to make her pay for her family’s sins.

I didn’t intend to snatch her from her fancy engagement party, just kill her rival mobster father, but plans change in the heat of the moment. Now she’s mine to claim and possess, because what better bargaining chip could a Mafia boss have than the beloved princess of a rival family?

Until I decide I don’t ever want to let her go.

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EXCERPT ONE:

Quinn

My brother and partner-in-crime knocked then strode into my office at my bark to enter. “The Cullen brothers are wanting a word.” A slight twitch under Devlin’s right eye told me the story. “You want me to keep them waiting?”

The Cullens were in deep shit for thinking they could get away with stealing from my family. I should keep them cooling their heels all night. But hell, it might be more fun to torture them. I could use a good workout.

“Give me five and send them up.”

Devlin nodded and looked like he was about to say more before changing his mind and exiting. I shifted—the Irish king, ready for action.

Stepping up to the one-way glass overlooking the main venue of the Emerald Club, I scanned the crowd, alert for possible signs of trouble. Our family hadn’t risen to the upper echelons of Montreal’s crime families by turning a blind eye. No, we’d done it by an eye for an eye, the golden rule.

“Power isn’t handed to you. It’s seized, by whatever means necessary.”

Amen, Dad. Rest in peace.

I was a true son of my father. To everyone else, I was a monster, mob boss, a killer, king of the underworld, a man who took what he wanted. One exception to the rule—I don’t hurt innocents. But for clarity’s sake, innocence was a rare commodity in my world.

I glanced over at the huge oil painting of my father painted at the height of his power, his posture stern on the straight-backed chair, his eyes dark and shadowed, a man never to be crossed. My mother stood behind him and his four sons lined up by his side.

“Family. Honor. Security. Protecting everything we had struggled for over the years—that always comes first, son.”

I honored his words with a nod. We might have arrived on the shores of North America starving and in rags, but since then we’d fought tooth and nail to rise and take our proper place in society, aligning ourselves with people and places that mattered.

“Never forget where you came from, Quinn…or what you will die for.”

I will find his killer, Da, I promised both my father and my baby brother, Mikey.

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AUTHOR BIO:

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

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CONNECT WITH JANUARY:

Blog:

http://januarybainjourney.blogspot.ca

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/JanuaryBain 

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/january.bain 

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/january.bain

Goodreads Author Page:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6437282.January_Bain

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GIVEAWAY INFO:

January will be awarding a $25 Amazon OR Barnes and Noble Gift Card (Winner's Choice!!!) to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Friday, March 22, 2024

Song of the Adoël by Kevin King - Book Tour - Guest Post - Giveaway - Enter Daily!

 

Song of the Adoël
by Kevin King

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GENRE:   YA Fantasy Adventure

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BOOK BLURB:

Raendel is one of the Adoël, the cursed people. Passed on to each generation, the curse drains his body of color, leaving his skin and hair a ghostly white. To protect himself from the commoners who fear what they don't understand, all of the Adoël live as servants to the royal family, using their unique skill with illusion magic to entertain bored nobility. Raendel is bound by traditions, but also by his own lack of self-confidence. Prince Kenan is the younger of two princes, frustrated by his gilded cage and the combat tutoring that feels pointless in a secure and peaceful kingdom. He dreams of adventure, of making a name for himself with heroic deeds. An unexpected assault from an ancient enemy sets the two on a quest that begins as pursuit of vengeance, but soon leads them into a struggle for survival that will teach them both that they are small pieces of a long, dark history. But even the smallest actions can change the fate of a kingdom.

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EXCERPT ONE:

Raendel wove through the room with practiced ease, gliding between isolated clumps of noblemen scattered across the room, passing the time with idle gossip as they waited for the guest of honor to arrive. His gaze flicked along the way in front of him, choosing the path that would keep him farthest away from the guests. Most of them wore enough perfume to give him a headache from five yards away. The enhanced sense of smell shared by the Adoël only added to Raendel’s trepidation. All the nobles stank of pride. The smell of fear drifted in clouds, especially near visitors who had never seen one of the Adoël before. Raendel spent most of his day inside the castle, serving Prince Kenan.

His distinctive features would have drawn stares even without the stories. The name Adoël had been used to frighten children for generations.  Mothers would clutch their children as he passed in the street. Don’t go outside at night or the Adoël will get you. Don’t wander into the woods, the Adoël will catch you and suck the life out of you. Each passing generation believed the stories a bit more than their parents. To encounter an Adoël in person resurrected the terrors planted in the hearts of children now grown.

Whispers swirled in his wake. Ghost-child. Cursed. Tainted. Touched by the Necromancer. Raendel had heard them all before, but he still flinched with every sting.

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GUEST POST:

Writing Strong Women

It is a challenge, as a male author, to write strong women. One of the best compliments I’ve gotten from a reader was from a woman who told me “I love that you have so many strong women in the story.” So, how did I do it?

I started by modeling my characters after women I know. Women in my life that I admire. I’ve learned that strong women aren’t all the same. Strength looks different with different personalities, different life goals, and different circumstances. And it doesn’t mean a lack of struggles or failures. On the contrary, struggles are the main thing that allow you to see a person’s strength.

Each of the women in my story have different backgrounds, different opportunities, and different motivations.

Peristra is a young woman raised on the fringes of privilege. She’s the daughter of a minor noble, which means she has never lacked food, but also means her prospects are limited by cultural expectations. Her father loves her, but the only way he knows to help her is to find a high-class husband. Peristra is not interested in marrying for political advancement. All she wants is freedom to make her own choices. She loves her father, so she goes to the ball he sets up for her to meet a husband. But she can’t hold back her disdain for the kind of men who attend such things, and ends up driving them all away with her sharp wit. When her father is killed, she sets off to forge her own destiny. Her enemies soon learn to fear her anger.

Seriam grew up relatively poor, in a small village. She loves the quiet country life, and never felt ambition for anything more. She has a man she loves, and a supportive community. She doesn’t want power. She doesn’t want to be a fighter. A warm home and the beauty of nature are all she dreams of. But when her fiancé vanishes and her village is destroyed, she learns that sometimes a peaceful, quiet life is something you have to fight for. To protect the shred of home she has left, she will stand up to literal demons.

Queen Havilah as been named by several of my readers as their favorite character, and I suspect that is because she suffers more than any other character. And because of how she pushes through it. Her story begins with her working to hold together the kingdom with one hand and her family with the other. Her husband the king has sunk into alcoholism, forcing her to take on all the responsibilities of ruling while also keeping him from destroying himself. Neither of their two sons take their duties seriously, in spite of her best efforts to keep them in line. When assassins from her own family kill the king, it hits her hard. But the disappearance of her younger son is the final blow that sends her spiraling into depression. Depression leaves her vulnerable, as her treacherous nephew spikes her tea her with a powerful opiate in the guise of helping her sleep. Withdrawals cause headaches, and he gives her more drugs disguised as medicine. By the time she realizes what is happening, the addiction has sunk its hooks so deep that she can’t even get out of bed. Only her stubborn refusal to quit pulls her through a tortuous recovery, and gets her back in the fight just at the most crucial time. Queen Havilah’s story serves as a testimony that struggling with things like depression and addiction don’t mean you are weak. Sometimes it requires more strength than anyone imagines just to keep moving forward.

Enduring strength comes from within, a strength of character that I admire whenever I see it. I think my appreciation for that characteristic is what allows me to write it in a believable, relatable way.

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AUTHOR BIO:


Kevin works as a software developer in the Seattle area by day, and an author by night. He enjoys Renaissance Fairs, bookstores, fencing, and daydreaming. He has been reading fantasy from age six, and writing from age twenty-two. He loves exploring fantasy worlds, especially exploring human nature through fiction. Fantasy is his first love, but he also dabbles in sci-fi, creepy horror, and devastatingly sad dramas. He posts regular flash fiction stories to his Instagram account and website.

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CONNECT WITH KEVIN:

Website:

Instagram:

Facebook:

Twitter:

Pinterest:

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GIVEAWAY INFO:

Kevin will award a $20 Amazon OR Barnes and Noble Gift Card (Winner's Choice!!!) to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wednesday, March 20, 2024

My Career Journal by Fatemah Mirza - Book Tour - Guest Post - Giveaway - Enter Daily!


My Career Journal
by Fatemah Mirza

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GENRE:   Non-Fiction

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BOOK BLURB:

Are you seeking to enhance your career and significantly increase your salary? 'My Career Journal' by CareerTuners is your guide to achieving these goals. This practical workbook, enriched with insights from my 13+ years as a career and salary coach, is tailored for individuals at any career stage - whether you are just starting or looking to make major changes.

In 'My Career Journal', you will:

- Set clear, achievable career goals with defined weekly, monthly, and quarterly milestones.
- Track and record your accomplishments, laying the groundwork for salary negotiations.
- Build and refine a professional portfolio that showcases your strengths and achievements.

The strategies in this workbook have been refined through my extensive experience and continual input from over 3,000 recruiter partners. This is how I have empowered marketing leaders to approach their promotion plans with renewed vigor.

'My Career Journal' is especially for those:

- Who are deeply creative and have great ideas they are eager to put into motion.
- Committed to changing their job search strategies.
- Who aspire to align their career success with making a meaningful difference in their field, using their work as a platform for positive change.

The workbook encourages you to take action and think creatively to overcome professional challenges. It is designed not just for planning but for doing. By working through 'My Career Journal,' you will rediscover the passion that drives your career success and be equipped to double your salary through strategic planning and execution. Dive into this journal to take control of your career journey and propel yourself towards greater achievements.

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EXCERPT TWO:


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GUEST POST:

What Is Time Auditing and Why Do You Need It?

In today's fast-paced world, managing our time effectively has become essential, especially for those navigating the competitive job market.

With the constant distractions and obligations, effectively managing our time has become essential. Did you know that the average daily time spent online is nearly seven hours, and only 30% of internet users prioritize business-related research?

Time auditing, a systematic analysis of how we spend our time, offers a powerful solution to this challenge.

By identifying inefficiencies and prioritizing tasks, not only does time auditing enhance productivity, but also leads to greater fulfillment and success in our professional lives.

1.) Increased productivity: Time auditing helps us focus on meaningful tasks, eliminating distractions and optimizing our workflow for increased productivity.

2.) Improved time management: By understanding our priorities, we can allocate time more effectively, ensuring that we invest our energy where it matters most.

3.) Increased self-awareness: Time auditing provides insights into our habits and areas for improvement, fostering personal and professional growth.

4.) Reduced stress: Taking control of our time reduces overwhelm, giving us confidence and clarity to approach our work with ease.

5.) Enhanced work-life balance: Time auditing helps us strike a balance between work and personal life, ensuring we prioritize what truly matters.

Keeping a journal is one of the best ways to facilitate your time-auditing journey. "My Career Journal" serves as a structured framework for documenting professional activities, goals, and progress over time. It allows for tracking job search efforts, reflecting on strengths and weaknesses, setting goals, and developing action plans. You can stay focused, and accountable, and make informed decisions to navigate the job market successfully.

Within its pages, you can track your job search efforts, including applications submitted, interviews attended, and networking activities. By keeping a record of your actions and outcomes, you can identify trends and patterns that inform your future decisions and strategies.

Additionally, "My Career Journal" allows you to reflect on your strengths, weaknesses, accomplishments, and areas for growth. By regularly reviewing your experiences and achievements, you can gain a deeper understanding of your skills and abilities, enabling you to position yourself more effectively in the job market.

Whether you're aiming for a promotion, a career change, or professional development opportunities, this journal can help you stay focused and accountable, ensuring that you're making progress toward your objectives.

Time auditing transforms how we manage our professional lives, leading to increased productivity, reduced stress, and greater fulfillment. With "My Career Journal", you can harness the benefits of time auditing to propel your career to new heights.

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AUTHOR BIO:


Fatemah Mirza is a Certified Resume Master and a highly sought-after speaker and coach who helps ambitious job seekers find higher-paying, more fulfilling jobs. She’s been helping job seekers since 2010 when she founded CareerTuners, which is a small team of skilled professionals from various industries who specialize in providing professional resumes, cover letters, LinkedIn profiles, and many more career-related services to help ambitious people land their dream jobs and achieve career goals. She has created free resources that have seen more than 160,000 downloads, helped hundreds of clients increase their pay, and built a network of more than 3000 recruiters.

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CONNECT WITH FATEMAH:


LinkedIn:

Instagram:

Facebook:

Amazon:

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AMAZON BOOK BUY LINK:


Amazon US Paperback:

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GIVEAWAY INFO:

Fatemah will award a $10 Amazon OR Barnes and Noble Gift Card (Winner's Choice!!!) to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour.



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Greystone by B L Ryan - Book Tour - Book Blast - FREE Book!! - Giveaway - Enter Daily!!

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. B L Ryan will be awarding a $10 Amazon OR Barnes and Noble Gift Card (Winner's Choice!!!) to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

All Mouse could remember about her father was sitting on his lap while he told her stories. She wished she could remember what he looked like. When she hangs a white pendant that belonged to her father in her bedroom window, this wish becomes the key to great adventure in another world. A gate appears with a dragon twirling in the air above a colourful garden on the other side of the gate. Zeeta, the royal dragon, greets Mouse and invites her into the garden. The garden is part of Sweet Water holding, home to Lady Jane, who is the seer for Prince Ruler Jared.

As Mouse and Zeeta struggle to complete a quest, Mouse searches for her father. Their journey takes them across the plains of Norlanda and south to the Border Mountains.

The seers have foretold that a far traveller will appear and lead Norlanda against its enemies. This does not seem likely, as Norlanda is prosperous and peaceful at this time. Meanwhile, dark forces gathered in the Border Mountains have recognized the presence of Mouse in the lines of destiny and have started to move towards her.

How will the presence of a child, a far traveller from another world, affect the destiny of this world?
EXCERPT TWO:

Six Turns Later

The sky was cast with bands of pink and yellow as the sun set. It was an exceptionally clear evening, and it was possible to see the Singing Mountains across the horizon to the north. As Jared gazed absently at the fringe of jagged peaks, Lord Ravenstock entered the room silently. He waited for Jared to address him.

Without turning, Jared asked, “What have my esteemed councillors decided?”

Lord Ravenstock’s eyebrows rose briefly. His face became an expressionless mask as he related the decision of the Council of Five.

“It has been six turns since the death of your father, King Henry. The Council has decided that the Prince Ruler must select a woman to be his Lady Consort or they will be obliged to select a suitable woman on your behalf.”

The Prince snorted. “They have already given me a list of women they deem suitable.”

AUTHOR BIO:

Born in Saskatchewan, Betty has lived in several areas across Canada, from Ottawa to Vancouver Island while growing up. Her fondest memory as a child is of her father building a tent trailer and her mother sewing yards and yards of canvas for the tent. The family travelled across Canada and down the eastern seaboard of the United States for several summer vacations.

Betty worked as a drawing office assistant in Oxford, England, for almost two years before returning to Canada to work as a topographical clerk in Edmonton, Alberta. She pursued a BSc. in Agriculture with a major in Horticulture from the University of Alberta. While raising her children, Betty worked as an Office Manager for a non-profit society and took writing courses at night school and from the Institute of Children's Literature, Connecticut.

The garden has always been a source of inspiration and joy for Betty, as are all the beloved cats and dogs who have walked into her life. Betty believes stories are the foundation of our life. The stories we enjoy, the stories we tell ourselves, our children and others, reflect how we view the world around us. She enjoys writing fantasy for the youth genre because she feels there is still so much of the wonder of life, and the attitude that anything is possible, from this age group.

Greystone is her first novel. She is currently working on the sequel, Greystone: A New Beginning.

AMAZON BOOK BUY LINK & FREE BOOK INFO:

**The Greystone eBook is available for FREE on Amazon Kindle Unlimited!!!**

Amazon US eBook:

Tuesday, March 19, 2024

A Trace of Romance by Ann Swann - Book Tour - Blurb Blitz - Giveaway - Enter Daily!


A Trace of Romance
by Ann Swann

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GENRE:   Romance

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BOOK BLURB:

Laynie & Trace. The first day of her new second-grade school year in tiny Beach Way, Oregon, Laynie and Trace became fast friends. Through the years, their friendship deepened into young love. They did everything together. Then tragedy took the life of his beloved sister, and because of the circumstances of her death, Trace felt compelled to move as far from Beach Way as possible. Laynie was left behind, heartbroken, and alone. But she was no quitter. She picked herself up and, with her family’s help, made a wonderful new life for herself. She heard he’d done the same down in Texas. But now he was back, standing in the doorway of her precious flower shop, taking up all the space the same way he’d always done. Her Trace, larger than life. What was he doing here, after all this time?

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EXCERPT THREE:

Laynie pushed the memories aside. That story was just a thread in the fabric of her past. A big stout thread, true, and painful. Convoluted. Tangled. Too much to be added to this momentary lapse of reality. It was one episode in her life that she’d never been able to reconcile, probably never would.

A quick shadow crossed the glass window behind her, leading her to think someone was about to open the shop door and come in. 

She swiped at her face, to make certain no moisture lingered there, but there was no tinkle of the little bell. No swoosh of cold air from outside, no suction of shop-heated air rushing toward an open door, setting the bubble hearts dancing.

Laynie turned slowly, a feathery feeling tickling the back of her neck again. She would have sworn someone was there.

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AUTHOR BIO:


 Ann has been a writer since junior high school, but to pay the bills she’s waited tables, delivered newspapers, cleaned other people's houses, taught school, and even had a short stint as a secretary in a rock-n-roll radio station. She also worked as a 911 operator and a police dispatcher.

Ann’s stories began to win awards in her college days. Since then she’s published novels, novellas, and short stories. But even if no one ever bought another book, Ann wouldn’t stop writing. For her, it’s the cathartic pause in a sometimes-crazy world. Most of the time, it even keeps her sane.

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CONNECT WITH ANN:

Website:

Facebook:

5 Prince Publishing Author Page:

Amazon Author Page:

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BOOK BUY LINKS:


Amazon:

Barnes and Noble:

Kobo:

Google Play:

Smashwords:

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GIVEAWAY INFO:

Ann will be awarding a $25 Amazon OR Barnes and Noble Gift Card (Winner's Choice!!!) to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monday, March 18, 2024

Island Detour by Maria Imbalzano - Book Tour - Guest Post - Giveaway - Enter Daily!


Island Detour
by Maria Imbalzano

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GENRE:   Contemporary Romance

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BOOK BLURB:

Falsely accused of wrongdoing at a Princeton Prep school, Sophie Kearns accepts a temporary teaching position at an environmental school in the Florida Keys to wait out her suspension. The time away is meant to be an anxiety-free escape, but her clashes with the hot but arrogant marine biology teacher, Max Heaton, are anything but tranquil.

Max is determined to start an environmental research institute at the school, but he suspects the gorgeous new Lit teacher, who lacks even the most basic outdoor skills, is there to hinder that dream. Yet, something about her tames the demons from his past, and he can no longer ignore the fire she’s lit inside him.

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EXCERPT THREE:

Just because you have issues shouldn’t mean you can’t trust anyone but yourself.” The second the words were out of her mouth, she knew she’d gone too far. But he had started it. And frankly, she didn’t care if she had struck a nerve.

His jaw clenched, an almost imperceptible movement. After a few seconds he bowed his head and sighed. Then he turned his back to her, picked up his rod, and cast the line into the ocean. No comeback. No smart remark. A minor victory. Had she really gotten in the last word this time?

Unfortunately, she couldn’t let it go.

“Is that how you deal with conflict? You turn around and ignore it?”

She was definitely pushing the envelope now, but he deserved it. One didn’t just end an argument by turning away. He needed to stick with it. Fight it out. Until the bitter end.

She watched him in profile, the brooding, detached fisherman whose lips rarely inched into a smile, whose eyes rarely sparkled, and whose cutting words were meant to slice—and hurt. Which they did.

Sophie looked over at Ben, who had remained quiet during their little altercation. He held his finger to his lips as if to say enough.

She itched to continue but followed his unspoken suggestion. He knew Max a lot better than she did. And sometimes, she just had to let things settle down.

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GUEST POST:

What Have Been Your Biggest Writing Mistakes and What Lessons Have You Learned From Them?

I wish I had just one. Unfortunately, I have several. It’s a good thing I consider myself a lifelong learner since the value of making mistakes is to learn from them.

The first big mistake I made was in writing my Sworn Sisters Series. It’s about four women who have been best friends since high school, and are now in their early 30s. Each woman has their own book with their own story, but the other women come in and out of each other’s books.

The first book in the series, “Sworn to Forget,” is Nicki’s story, but Sam has a big role in that book. The second book in the series, “Sworn to Remember” is Sam’s story. I made the huge mistake of having much of these stories take place during the same time period. As a result, when I was writing Sam’s story, I had to keep going back to Nicki’s story to see exactly what they said to each other and what time of year it was when they met at different locations. I also needed to make sure the timeline of Sam’s story coordinated with the time line in Nicki’s. Further,  I had to put all the other secondary characters in scenes that overlapped. The lesson I learned was to never have stories in a series overlap. Make them serial in time so I can just write that story fresh, without having to keep going back to a prior story. As a result of my education, the third book in the series, “Sworn to Fly” takes place after the events of “Sworn to Remember.”

The next big mistake I made was with “Return to Wylder.”  I wrote the entire book in the third person, which is how I usually write.  It wasn’t until I was finished with the book that I decided it would be better if written in first person. I then had to go back and edit the entire book. Lesson Two: decide which point of view I want before I start writing the book.

Another mistake I tend to make with every book (I clearly haven’t learned this teachable lesson) is to info dump. It never fails that when I send each book in to my editor, she asks me to get rid of the first chapter (at least) and start with Chapter Two. I then need to filter in all the information I had in Chapter One throughout the next several chapters. I always agree. This assures that Chapter One starts where it should start – at a life changing moment—and that I don’t bore the reader with backstory. Lesson Three: Before I send the book to my editor, delete the first chapter myself and filter in the information throughout the next several chapters.

Another painful lesson I learned was with the manuscript I am currently working on. It’s the last of the Sworn Sisters books titled “Sworn to Collide.”  My critique partners don’t like my heroine. That is the death knell for a book. The main character can be flawed and should be, but he/she must have some redeeming trait up front to allow the reader to root for them.  If the reader doesn’t like the character, then she won’t care what happens to her and won’t want to finish the book. So…I’m working on making her a more likable character up front, despite her flaws. This has not been an easy task and I am now re-writing the book with “then” and “now” chapters to show why she thinks the way she does. Lesson Four: Make my main character likable from the beginning. Don’t wait until I’m halfway through the book to show why she is the way she is.

Just so you know, I did make mistake number three in my new release “Island Detour.”  I had to delete the first chapter. And it was so good! 😊


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AUTHOR BIO:


Maria Imbalzano is an award-winning contemporary author who writes about strong, independent women and the men who fall in love with them. She recently retired from the practice of law, but legal issues have a way of showing up in many of her novels. When not writing, she loves to travel both abroad and in the states.  Maria lives in central New Jersey with her husband--not far from her two daughters and granddaughters. For more information about her books, please visit her website at http://mariaimbalzano.com where you can also sign up for her newsletter.

Awards:
Maria is a member of New Jersey Romance Writers and has received many honors and awards for her work including the ACRA Readers’ Choice Heart of Excellence Award, the Wisconsin Romance Writers Write Touch Readers Award, The NEST (National Excellence In Story Telling) Award, the Carolyn Award, Book Buyers Best Award, The Stiletto Reader’s Choice Award, Long & Short Reviews Book of the Month Award (3rd Place for Book of the Year), and Still Moments Magazine Reader’s Choice Award.
 
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GIVEAWAY INFO:

Maria will be awarding a $15 Amazon OR Barnes and Noble Gift Card (Winner's Choice!!!) to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour.


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