BOOK TOUR: Got Trouble by Dave Dobson #thriller @RRBookTours1 @GCDaveDobson

GotTrouble copy

Welcome to the book tour for Got Trouble by Dave Dobson! Read on for more details and an exclusive excerpt!

Got Trouble

Publication Date: January 3rd, 2023

Genre: Thriller

Trouble can find you anywhere

When your day starts at 11 pm, it’s a long way to sunrise. Glynnis Cary is stuck working as a night manager at the Gas-O-Mart. Her husband Keith’s idea of romance is buying her grocery store flowers, usually only when he comes home drunk. Her son is in trouble at school, skipping out with his girlfriend, and keeping secrets. Big secrets, ones that may turn out to be both lucrative and felonious. Keith’s bumbling unexpectedly makes Glynnis the target of multiple murderous enemies and a lot of bullets. Way more bullets than is reasonable. On the run with a new friend, one whose life she’s just inadvertently destroyed, Glynnis has to rely on her gut, her grit, and her ability to spin big lies to find a way to survive.

Got Trouble is a new novel of suspense, thrills, humor, and one woman’s attempt to just have something go right. For once. For crying out loud.

Content warnings: Coarse language, some gun violence

Add to Goodreads

Her breath was still coming fast. She tried to calm herself down, but that was nearly impossible. Her rear right window was a web of silver-green cracks. There was a jagged hole in the lower back corner, framed with a splash of radial lines and white fragments. She had no idea where the bullet landed. Or where the other one that had hit the car had struck. Or if it had hit anything important. The car had shown no ill effects in driving, and the gas tank hadn’t exploded. Or whatever it should do. She suddenly felt the need to look down at herself. Her breath sped up again. She’d heard of people not realizing they were shot. But she seemed to be unharmed. She lifted her sweatshirt, looking for blood, and felt all over her arms and back, but she seemed to be whole. She realized she wasn’t wearing her seat belt, and she felt guilty. Then she felt like that was stupid, because taking the time to buckle in would have gotten her shot and killed. Then she felt like THAT was stupid, because if she ever had needed a seat belt, it was when she was flying out of a parking lot in a hail of gunfire.

Available on Amazon

About the Author

A native of Ames, Iowa, Dave loves writing, reading, boardgames, computer games, improv comedy, pizza, barbarian movies, and the cheaper end of the Taco Bell menu. Also, his wife and kids.

In addition to his novels, Dave is the author of Snood, Snoodoku, Snood Towers, and other computer games. Dave first published Snood in 1996, and it became one of the most popular shareware games of the early Internet. His most recent project (other than writing) is Doctor Esker’s Notebook, a puzzle card game in the spirit of escape rooms.

Dave taught geology, environmental studies, and computer programming at Guilford College for 24 years, and he does improv comedy every week at the Idiot Box in Greensboro, North Carolina. He’s also played the world’s largest tuba in concert. Not that that is relevant, but it’s still kinda cool.

Dave Dobson | Instagram | Twitter |Facebook

March 27th

R&R Book Tours (Kick-Off) http://rrbooktours.com

@mamas_always_reading (Review) https://www.instagram.com/mamas_always_reading/

Timeless Romance Blog (Spotlight) https://aubreywynne.com/

March 28th

@moonlightalesbooks (Review) https://www.instagram.com/moonlightalesbooks/

@dreaminginpages (Review) https://www.instagram.com/dreaminginpages/

B is for Book Review (Spotlight) https://bforbookreview.wordpress.com

The Faerie Review (Spotlight) http://www.thefaeriereview.com

March 29th

Rambling Mads (Spotlight) http://ramblingmads.com

Reads & Reels (Spotlight) http://readsandreels.com

@read.em.if.you.got.em (Spotlight)

March 30th

Liliyana Shadowlyn (Spotlight) https://lshadowlynauthor.com/

Breakeven Books (Spotlight) https://breakevenbooks.com

Stine Writing (Spotlight) https://christinebialczak.com/

March 31st

Books + Coffee = Happiness (Review out of Tour & Spotlight) https://bookscoffeehappiness.com/

@redhead_reviews1 (Review) https://www.instagram.com/redhead_reviews1/

@my_fair_fiction (Review) https://www.instagram.com/my_fair_fiction/

Book Tour Organized By:

R&R Book Tours

BOOK TOUR: Smoke by Sara Jaeger #PNR #shifters @RRBookTours1

It’s finally launch week and we are so excited for Sarah Jaeger and the release of her debut novel, Smoke! Read on for more info!

Smoke (The Ardelean Bloodlines)

Publication Date: March 23rd, 2023

Genre: Shifter Romance/ Paranormal Romance

Thalia

Apparently ignoring my parents’ politics wasn’t the right move. Shifters were outed to the public, and months later, I’m still unsure what the big deal is about.

Now my life is in danger and the only one who can protect me is the true king of the wolves.

Cade is nothing like what my mom and the press show shifters to be. He’s thoughtful, reserved… and have you seen his butt in those jeans?

Cade

Having abdicated the throne, I’ve vowed to stay out of shifter politics.

Now, my sole responsibility, for the next six weeks, is to make sure no idiots can completely derail the deal I’ve cut with the one woman holding all the cards.

The problem is… the threats against Thalia Clark are nothing compared to the danger of my wolf, now that he’s claimed this human as his.

I’ll kill to protect my mate, but is keeping up my end of the deal enough to save her?

Smoke is the first book in the Ardelean Bloodline series. While this story does contain an HEA for Cade and Thalia, there is an ongoing plot connecting each book in the series. Each book will need to be read in order. There are open door, explicit scenes as well as colorful language not intended for young readers.

Add to Goodreads

Excerpt

What is she thinking about? Is it what we talked about with Ansel or something more? I step closer, testing her guarded nature. “Country life is dull. I don’t exactly work here, which means I’m pretty much stuck to whatever chores Ansel’s left around the house, and you’re left to whatever sanity-keeping activities you can find. I guess if you’re feeling adventurous . . .” I shrug. “Have you ever been to Arches?”

“No, I’ve heard it’s beautiful, but this is my first time in Utah.”

Thalia’s eyes light up, and I know the answer.

“Would you like to go today?” I ask slowly.

Thalia starts nodding. I smile, seeing her excitement. “Ansel’s right, it’s been too long since I’ve given The Leviathan a little bit of time to run. Plus, I think it would be beneficial for you to meet a wolf, in a positive environment, with someone who’s in control before someone else can further taint the experience. I know Sherman was a little upsetting for you. I can ask Ansel or Ezra, but their wolves are pretty scary looking if you’re not used to looking at wolves.” I pause and give her a smirk licking my bottom lip before sighing. “They’re also not really fucking fluffy.”

“Did you just ask me to take your wolf on a walk?” she returns with a sly smile, raising an eyebrow.

Her comment catches me off guard, and my face heats. There are so many different ways I could answer. But she started it. Thalia was comfortable enough with me to crack a joke. I shrug and release my bottom lip from between my teeth.

Tell our mate. The Leviathan encourages with the image of a ceremonial collar wrapping around Thalia’s neck. I feel him brush and know my eyes just went gold.

My version is dirtier. “Not quite. I’m not following any of the leash laws. And if anyone will be doing any collaring, it’ll be me clasping one around your neck. If there’s going to be any tying, it’ll be you to the bed, while I show you all the ways I can make you scream my name.”

A chill rips through Thalia’s body, and she shudders, her whole body standing taller. I step into her personal space. Thalia wobbles, looking up at me. I watch her wet her bottom lip with her tongue. Drawing a deep breath, I catch the scent of her arousal.

The Leviathan paces. Give mate wolf, we run together.

“Easy, Draga Mea.” I kiss her forehead. When I step back, I see her trying to figure out the cute nickname The Leviathan’s given her. Only having the briefest memory of Romanian spoken in the home growing up, even I had to look it up. My Darling. I could tell her, but I’m not sure she’s ready.

A backpack, snacks, water, and a trip to the restroom later, I walk Thalia out of the house and to the garage. The classic pickup truck Ansel loves so much is right where it always is. Thalia seems impressed when the old Ford roars to life. I just smile. Ansel’s love for this truck runs deep, and I’d be surprised if it didn’t turn over.

We’re somewhere farther onto Ansel’s property and close to the border with the national park. It’s a gamble that we may come across someone. It’s not common for tourists to make it out this far, but we’ll have to be in the national park to see some cool rock formations. It’s selfish and maybe a bit cocky to risk bringing her into public like this, but I want her to have a positive experience. I know The Leviathan is set on wanting to give her a wolf, but not so badly that he would sabotage all the progress we’re making in having her accept wolves and what this life looks like.

We find Ansel’s secret entrance to Arches National Park. It’s denoted by an old wooden trunk tucked off the side of the gravel trail behind some scrub brush.

Putting the old Ford in park, I turn in my seat to look at her. “Two rules.”

Thalia’s eyes go wide, and there’s the smallest hint of fear.

“Okay . . .” She draws out the last syllable.

“Don’t run. The Leviathan will chase. I’m worried he’ll push you down and you’ll get hurt. Humans are breakable compared to wolves, and even a friendly little shove could hurt you,” I caution.

Thalia nods. “The second one?”

“Breathe.” I lock eyes with her. “Enjoy this and know I’m here.”

Available on Amazon

Order Print, Digital, & Swag from Sarah’s Shop!

About the Author

Apparently, to be an author one must have a bio. Well, I’m human despite the fact that I wish to be a shifter. I have an issue with the way some words are shaped. And that means sometimes, they must be spelled incorrectly to be right. This is something I’m passionate about. So, we’ll get along fine! Oh, yeah: Midwest USA, married, all fur babies.

​The Ardelean Bloodline is Sarah Jaeger’s debut series

Sarah Jaeger

Linktree  – Playlists, Pinterest Boards and More!

Book Tour Schedule

March 20th

R&R Book Tours (Kick-Off) http://rrbooktours.com

@ayana.guerra_booklovers (Review) https://www.instagram.com/ayana.guerra_booklovers/

Life of a Book Dragon (Review) https://lifeofabookdragonreviews.wordpress.com/

@bookishlyrieka (Review) https://www.instagram.com/bookishlyrieka/

@plungeintobooks (Review) https://www.instagram.com/plungeintobooks/

I Smell Sheep (Spotlight) http://www.ismellsheep.com/

March 21st

@disneyallthe_way (Review) https://www.instagram.com/disneyallthe_way/

@lillian_reads_and_writes (Review) https://www.instagram.com/lillian_reads_and_writes/

Bunny’s Reviews (Review) https://bookwormbunnyreviews.blogspot.com/

@nono_the_booklover (Review) https://instagram.com/nono_the_booklover?igshid=ZDdkNTZiNTM=

March 22nd

@kat_deeann (Review) https://www.instagram.com/kat_deeann/?igshid=MWI4MTIyMDE%3D

@honeybee.reads (Review) https://www.instagram.com/honeybee.reads/

@booktreasuresau (Spotlight) https://www.instagram.com/booktreasuresau/

Taylor’s Book Reviews (Spotlight) https://www.bookreviewsbytaylor.com/

March 23rd

@heather_edw (Review) https://www.instagram.com/heather_edw/?hl=en

@katslovesbooks (Review) https://www.instagram.com/katslovesbooks/

@vinamkent_author (Review) https://www.instagram.com/vinamkent_author/

@over.on.my.bookshelf (Spotlight) https://www.instagram.com/over.on.my.bookshelf/?hl=en

March 24th

Liliyana Shadowlyn (Review) https://lshadowlynauthor.com/

@mandioyster (Review) https://www.instagram.com/mandioyster/

@paulalearmouth (Review) https://www.instagram.com/paulalearmouth/

@booksndarksouls (Review) https://www.instagram.com/booksndarksouls/

I Love Books & Stuff (Spotlight) https://ilovebooksandstuffblog.wordpress.com

Rambling Mads (Spotlight)  http://ramblingmads.com

Book Tour Organized By:

R&R Book Tours

BOOK TOUR & INTERVIEW: Battlefield Earth by L. Ron Hubbard #ScienceFiction @be_the_book @pumpupyourbook

 

1,000 years after Earth has been decimated by an alien invasion, a young hero rises from the ashes and rallies the last survivors in an all-out rebellion for freedom that explodes across the continents of Earth to the cosmic sprawl of the Psychlo empire…

Title: Battlefield Earth: A Saga of the Year 3000

Author: L. Ron Hubbard

Publisher: Galaxy Press

Pages: 1092

Genre: Science Fiction, sub-genre: Alien Invasion, Classic Science Fiction, Space Opera, Military Sci-Fi, Adventure Sci-FI

If you liked Dune, Atlantis Gene, Foundation, Enders Game, and Starship Troopers, you’ll love Battlefield Earth.

Sadistic Aliens…

…Man is an endangered species.

Is it the end of the world or the rebirth of a new one?

In the year A.D. 3000, Earth is a dystopian wasteland. The great cities stand crumbling as a brutal reminder of what we once were. When the Psychlos invaded, all the world’s armies mustered little resistance against the advanced alien weapons.

A young hero rises from the ashes and rallies the last survivors in an all-out rebellion for freedom that explodes across the continents of Earth to the cosmic sprawl of the Psychlo empire.

The fate of the Galaxy lies on the Battlefield of Earth.

You’ll love Battlefield Earth because of the characters you’ll love and hate and the unexpected twists that keep the pages flying.

“Over 1,000 pages of thrills, spills, vicious aliens and noble humans. I found Battlefield Earth un-put-downable.” —Neil Gaiman

“Battlefield Earth is a terrific story! The carefully underplayed comedy I found it delicious. A masterpiece.” —Robert A. Heinlein 

“Pulse-pounding mile-a-minute sci-fi action adventure that does not stop. It is a masterpiece of popular adventure science fiction.” —Brandon Sanderson

“Space opera that hits the right notes. It’s provocative, exhilarating and genuinely enjoyable.” —SCIFI.COM

“Like the Harry Potter series, its got concepts like good vs. evil, the noble
savage and the hero’s journey—and people go crazy over it!”
—Dr. David Powers, Educator

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01B41I4NI/ 

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/battlefield-earth-l-ron-hubbard/1100824883?ean=9781592129577 

BooksaMillion: https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Battlefield-Earth/L-Ron-Hubbard/9781592129577?id=8748446917116

Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/p/books/battlefield-earth-a-saga-of-the-year-3000-enlarged-expanded-l-ron-hubbard/15283828?ean=9781619865099

Interview with L. Ron Hubbard

Q: What made you return to science fiction writing after all these years?

A: There are some activities that are simply so much fun that one can’t give them up. Writing is that for me. I love every opportunity to write.

Many young writers are told to write in order to learn how to write. That is good advice. I used to find any excuse to write because I loved to do it. If I didn’t have a typewriter, I wrote in longhand.

So when my 50th anniversary as a professional writer came around, I decided to celebrate it by doing it. It was like a present to myself, so to speak.

I chose science fiction because there is great versatility in this genre. (A writer must pick his medium as carefully as a painter must pick his brush and colors.) Besides, science fiction is no longer the stepchild of literature. Star Wars created an entirely new following.…

Plus, look at the bestseller lists and you will see the pattern repeating. Science fiction and space travel is dominant.

Q: What direction do you see science fiction going now? Is the trend toward epics and battle stories such as Star Wars?

A: You must remember that science fiction is simply a method or a means of telling the story. Regardless of the genre (science fiction, western, spy, romance), you will find that people like a story that is both real and has a purpose. It has to say something or achieve something.

There is always an element that promotes your value­less or no-hope society, but compare their success with stories like Star Wars or E.T.…

Science fiction points a direction because it does advo­cate a future. It is about Man and his Future.

Q: What role did science fiction writers and their readers have in the development of space technology and travel—and public acceptance of it and its funding—in the 1950s and 1960s? What role does it play today in future commitment to space exploration, colonization, exploitation?

A: If you will go back through those old, gaudy pulp magazines that were being ridiculed and confiscated by irate teachers, you will find a lot of articles on space technology scattered amongst the fiction. That was be­cause there was no other outlet for such vision.

Some who wrote for the pulps were called “just science fiction writers.” But history has proven that they were the ones who brought about the future—not the naysayers.

We knew then that Man would travel to the stars and we know it still.

There are still those who cannot create a vision for the future and they, as before, still click their tongues to make a living and they will, again, be forgotten simply because they cannot create—they can only criticize.

Q: How would you assess the broader audience science fiction has today? Years ago, science fiction was consid­ered as something for children which was not “serious” literature. Its popularity today knows no age boundaries. Is this indicative of an escapist attitude by readers? Or a look to the future and what we could be?

A: The future is the only frontier without limit and the frontier that we will all enter and cross no matter what we do.

Science fiction is and always has been the literature about the frontier. Science fiction appeals to every age group because it is about the future and the human potential.

Q: How do you draw from your past track in creating character and plot? Is this the place from which science fiction comes in general, whether the writers know it or not?

A: Experience helps any writer or anyone who wants to write.

I traveled through the Far East and sailed the high seas and did a few loops in some bi-winged planes and gliders in my day and drew upon these for stories. I also did a lot of research for other stories.

But what is more important is the ability to see what is in front of you. Plus you have to have the ability to assume the viewpoint of your reader.

For example, in Battlefield Earth, the reader looks through the eyes of the hero and through the eyes of the alien. This is done by describing how each person would describe the scene and objects. It gives the reader a feeling of what it would be like to assume that viewpoint. The reader at first does not recognize the object either but should be able to do so as the description continues. But, in the process, the reader can experience the same mystery as the character in the story.

That is the ability to see what is in front of you and the ability to assume another viewpoint.

It is a good exercise for writers.

So experience is helpful but you need much more.

Q: What does science fiction writing do for L. Ron Hubbard personally?

A: I can answer that better if you don’t restrict it to just one genre.

Writing offers creation, expression and the ultimate ability to communicate, whether you write poetry or a novel.

Science fiction is just one means or method of doing that.

With writing, you must take an idea and turn it into little black marks on a sheet of white paper so that someone will look at it and lift those little black marks off the page and form the idea of the author.

In short, it boils down to communication.

Q: How would L. Ron Hubbard describe himself as a writer?

A: I don’t know if I can take it any further than that.

I’ve always had the ability to put an idea down on the page. I don’t really outline. I just write.

I think if I wanted to be characterized in a certain way as a writer, I would ask that it be that I am a writer who loves to write.

That is not as axiomatic as it may sound. There are a lot of writers who don’t like to write and some who even hate it but are still called “writers” because they make a living at it—the 9 to 5 type, so to speak.

But it has never been that way with me. I don’t watch the clock when I write. In fact, I’ve gone days without sleep just because I was enjoying myself so much I just plain forgot.

How could one forget to sleep?

Well, just imagine doing something that is more exciting than anything you have ever done and see if you worry or think about a “coffee break” or what time, it is.

That’s what I mean by my being a writer who loves to write.

There’s really no other way to say it.

Q: How do you work? Do you dictate or pound your fiction out on your old typewriter? Do you keep any set schedule when doing a book? Do you work from detailed character sketches and plot outlines or do you wing it? Have your working methods changed over the years?

A: My goodness, but that covers a lot!

What I write determines how I do it. Sometimes I type, sometimes I write longhand and sometimes I dictate.

Battlefield Earth was typed on a manual. The length was about 3,000 pages.

Each day before I went to bed I would sketch out the plot that I would cover the next day. Plus I would list out anything else that I wanted to accomplish.

I do set and follow a schedule when I want to get certain things done in a day—like exercise, if only a walk.

So I generally lay out what I want to accomplish for the day, the week, the month and then I do it. I would say this is perhaps my primary development since those early days in getting organized. It has allowed me to get more accomplished to lay out a schedule and then do it.

Q: What do you think about writers who take years to write a single book?

A: I really don’t think many do. They might research something for years, but I can’t figure out how somebody could keep a plot in his head that long.

Some people try to equate quality with slowness. If an athlete did that he would lose every game.

Q: What advice do you have for budding writers?

A: Write and write and write and write. And then when you finish, write some more.

It may not be original advice, but it is still quite true. You learn to write by writing.

Don’t try to learn how to write in order to write. I’ve seen a lot of great writers killed off when they decided they wanted to learn how to write.

Just take an idea and go with it. You may find a story that pulls you along. The story takes off on its own. It sounds silly but it happens. You have this character walking down the street and you are all ready for him to get into a taxi but he walks right on and turns into a movie theatre. Whoa! What is this? Well, follow him and see what happens.

The main thing is to write and learn the business of writing—that tough market you have to live with.

Book Excerpt  

To get Battlefield Earth, Chapters 1-13 delivered to your inbox, click here!

More…
About the Author

With 19 New York Times bestsellers and more than 350 million copies of his works in circulation, L. Ron Hubbard is among the most enduring and widely read authors of our time. As a leading light of American Pulp Fiction through the 1930s and ’40s, he is further among the most influential authors of the modern age. Indeed, from Ray Bradbury to Stephen King, there is scarcely a master of imaginative tales who has not paid tribute to L. Ron Hubbard.

Website: https://battlefieldearth.com/battlefield-earth/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/be_the_book

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BattlefieldEarth

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/be_the_book

13 chapter download (eBook): https://dl.bookfunnel.com/y2zuqaj7yi

1 hour download (audio): https://dl.bookfunnel.com/243bnk6m09

Discussion Guide: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/y84enq7cje

Bloghttps://battlefieldearth.com/blog

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@GalaxyPress/playlists

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29532708-battlefield-earth

Other books by L. Ron Hubbard: https://galaxypress.com/l-ron-hubbard-books/

Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/JRbxWRwMI5w

Making of the Audiobook video: https://youtu.be/wABlKjhRDkQ

Brandon Sanderson’s Review video: https://youtu.be/S-80Tx1olgc

Short trailer: https://youtu.be/sU_V3O5Gemk

Sponsored By:

BOOK TOUR & GIVEAWAY: The Fifth Horseman by Jon Smith #Fantasy #Comedy #MythicalRealism @RABTBookTours @jonsmith_author

Comedy/Fantasy/Mythical Realism/Fiction

Date Published: 02-07-2023

Publisher: Balkon Media

 

 

Internationally published bestselling author Jon Smith makes his adult
debut with The Fifth Horseman, a modern comic fantasy that rides roughshod
over established mythology and the rules of life… and death.

The Fifth Horseman is a darkly comic tale of two thirty-somethings caught
between our world and the afterlife, who must embrace their role as reapers
to prevent the End Times. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy meets Father
Ted
, perfect for fans of Ben Aaronovitch, Terry Pratchett, and Neil
Gaiman.

 

Death is just a day job you can’t quit…

Emma and Mark had a bad day. The worst part of it was dying. But, according
to Death, the Rider on the Pale Horse and first horseman of the apocalypse,
things aren’t that simple. Turns out the sand in their hourglass is
stuck in place. Somewhere between life and death, they’re put to work
as Death’s assistants, reaping the souls of the living until
it’s time for their final clock out…

To compound matters, despite their omnipotence, the four horsemen are
facing an existential threat – one they’re ill-equipped and
ill-prepared to combat.

Emma and Mark must reap like their afterlives depend on it, to help prevent
the End Times – even if it means scuppering the one opportunity they
have at being granted a second chance at life.

 

Filled with humour, romantic tension, and suspense, Jon Smith utilises a
witty, lightly sarcastic ensemble of flawed but loveable characters. It will
appeal to mainstream fantasy readers and hopeless romantics, as well as
those who enjoy a good story and a good laugh.

 

About the Author

 Jon Smith is the bestselling author of 14 books for children, teens, and
adults. His books have sold more than 500,000 copies and are published in
seven languages.

In addition to writing books, Jon is an award-winning screenwriter and
musical theatre lyricist and librettist with productions at the Birmingham
Hippodrome, Belfast Waterfront and London’s Park & Waterloo East
theatres.

Jon enjoyed a happy childhood—making daisy chains, holidays in the
sun and an obsessive interest in all things fantasy. No brace, few spots and
only one broken bone and one broken heart (not his). It all went
swimmingly.

Father of four, he lives near Liverpool with his wife, Mrs. Smith, and
their two school-age children. When he grows up he’d like to be a
librarian.

 

Contact Links

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Goodreads

Instagram

 

Purchase Links 

Amazon

B&N

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway


BOOK TOUR: Candy, Cigarettes, and Murder by Joyce Prell and Brenda Whiteside #CozyMystery @jproell1

Candy, Cigarettes, and Murder

A Chocolate Martini Sisters Mystery Book 1

by Joyce Proell and Brenda Whiteside

Genre: Cozy Mystery

It’s a birthday weekend with the gift of murder.

Recently widowed, Emma Banefield looks forward to a getaway birthday weekend with her free-wheeling sister, Nicole Earp, sipping chocolate martinis at the peaceful, historic Dulce Inn. When a rude stranger, a nasty food critic, and a madhouse of temperamental artists greet them, all hope for a tranquil weekend evaporates faster than dew on a hot desert morning.

Overlooking the riotous atmosphere is doubly hard after Em discovers the body of a hotel guest, and a second murder affects Nic personally. Now, entrenched in a caper that pits them against a surly detective, they cozy up to a hotel staff hiding dangerous secrets to uncover clues to the killer.

Using their smarts and love of all-things mystery, will the Chocolate Martini Sisters solve the crime ahead of the obstinate Chief Detective or find themselves trapped in the middle of a third murder?

**NEW RELEASE!!**

Amazon * Bookbub * Goodreads

**Coming Soon September 2023!!**

Joyce Proell is the award-winning author of Amaryllis, Eliza and the Cady Delafield mysteries: A Deadly Truth, A Burning Truth and A Wicked Truth. Along with her husband and little dog, Nellie, she lives in Minnesota in her very own little house on the prairie. She loves to hear from readers.

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

Brenda Whiteside is the award-winning author of romantic suspense, romance, and cozy mystery. After living in six states and two countries—so far—she and her husband have settled in Central Arizona. They admit to being gypsies at heart and won’t discount the possibility of another move. They share their home with a rescue dog named Amigo. While FDW fishes, Brenda writes.

Website * Blog * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

$10 Amazon

BOOK TOUR: Love Like a Cephalopod by Cassondra Windwalker #Fantasy #Paranormal @WindwalkerWrite @RRBookTours1

Welcome to the book tour for Love Like a Cephalopod by Cassondra Windwalker. Read on for more details and an excerpt!

Love Like a Cephalopod

Publication Date: February 15th, 2023

Genre: Paranormal Fantasy

Publisher: Bayou Wolf Press

To death and to the dragon born.

Being an executioner for the state is exhausting, but after a lifetime of dispatching the criminal

and the inconvenient, fifty-eight-year-old Grenda finds it does have its compensations. Her cat-

sized dragon Bjartur and the dragon eggs she tends are all the friends and family she needs. Completely cut off from the outside world, she happily accepts the luxuries owed her status – including a pet octopus named Morrigan – without the faintest twinge of conscience or doubt.

All that changes when she encounters the most unexpected nemesis: a young refugee girl whom Grenda is incapable of executing. Against her will, Grenda finds herself shifting from killer to caretaker, risking her life to defy the state she’s never questioned and help young Allora to freedom. Everything Grenda thinks she knows about her world, her life, and even her own identity cascades out of her control—including the dragon-bond she holds dearer than life itself.

Excerpt

Her last words, I think, will always haunt me.

“You still don’t understand anything about octopuses, do you?”

It rankled, how calm she sounded, even under these circumstances. The dragon on my wrist, sensing my irritation, drew back his vermilion lips to display the kittenish, needle-sharp teeth, and he huffed his leathern wings slightly. I laid a hand on his ridged back, and he settled down.

To this day, I don’t believe Magenna was guilty of the charges. At least, not as they were stated. Witchcraft has always seemed a nebulous thing to me. Too easy an accusation to lob at anyone who speaks too often to ravens or owls, who lingers too long in moonlight, who possesses too rational an understanding of herbs and flowers and fungi. Even then, I wondered if the danger lay not in access to some mythical magick and more in the alternative it offered to the dictates of the state.

But if belief is a dangerous liability for an executioner, skepticism is even greater. True safety lies only in acceptance for acceptance’s sake.

It doesn’t do for a woman in my position to believe or disbelieve anything too strongly. The sentence must be carried out regardless, and beliefs sour quickly into guilt and regret. It’s better to walk entirely in the grey and trust without exception to the system that hands down the verdict. Let them deal in black and white. My dragon and I, we were creatures of mist. We walked in fog, obscured from all but the walking dead. It was a peculiar irony, that the only people who saw us, who knew us face-to-face, were those who would shortly die at our hands.

I am only truly real here, chatelaine at the gateway to death.

And you, should I have ever met you here, would be more real in this moment with me than you had ever been in all your life. Contrary to how stories like to depict us, executioners aren’t hard-hearted, unfeeling creatures. We can’t be. It’s not enough to kill the body, after all. We have to be sure to send the soul on its way, too. Malingering isn’t good for anyone. And a soul simply can’t go if it hasn’t been seen. My dragon helped the dying shed their skin, and I – I helped them shed their invisibility.

That’s all a ghost wants. They don’t persist to wreak some paltry vengeance only the flesh-bound could imagine as a motivation. They don’t need you to provide justice or peace. All your work is here, on this plane marked by hours and rot, and cannot reach them. They only need to be seen. Once. For who they are. Then they can go on.

So if I did my job right, the condemned were less likely than anyone to stick around. And I was very good at my job.

Some people – maybe even most people – are seen long before they meet death. But the people most likely to cross that bridge with my dragon and me rarely had been. If they’d been seen for who they were, they’d probably never have ended up here with us. It’s not about innocence or guilt. It’s about who sees you, as you are.

I didn’t answer Magenna’s question. She knew the answer already. I looked at her, and she looked at me.

Magenna’s veins ran cold like currents deep in the ocean trenches, her heart fluttering faintly as it met mine. A little fear, only a very little. I wanted to take it from her, but I resisted the urge. She had very few things left to claim as her own, and this last fear was one of them. In her eyes, a hawk rested on a column of air, suspended dauntless above an endless chasm. And under her skin, the octopus stretched and unwound its long limbs, reaching for me.

My breath matched the rhythmic pulsing of the octopus’ gills, and I felt the weight of the water rippling evenly along my body. I shifted as the sea-beast altered its colors and textures to match my own, and suddenly I was confused as to whether it looked like me, or I looked like it. The octopus’ alien, slit-pupiled gaze had become Magenna’s gaze, and I fell further in, seeing colors no woman could see, as if they were grains of sand sifted through my fingers rather than bands of light. A thousand soft mouths sucked at my body, pulling the skin, rearranging the bones into a shape that feared no pressure.

Then all at once, they let go. I was back in the cold, sterile room of death, with its harsh electric light and faint antiseptic smell. My subject lay slumped over her own arms on the table between us, her brown hair curtaining her face from any further trespass. My dragon kittered softly in my ear, his talons clutching my forearm, his dark liquid eyes fixed anxiously on my face. I saw the smear of blood on his white teeth and knew the task was done.

That was totally out of order. Dragons didn’t act on their own volition. Bonded to their keepers from the hatch, they were nonetheless wicked clever, and one drop of their venom could fell an elephant within two seconds. Even a hint of rebellious tendencies resulted in immediate termination, a process that usually occurred within the first few days of their bonding. In the rare cases I’d read about where a dragon was terminated later in the relationship, the executioner invariably went mad.

None of that is exactly common knowledge, but little in an executioner’s library is.

Nonetheless, I had no doubts about Bjartur. I understood that when the octopus had reached through my arms, tasting every inch of my intentions, it had directed Bjartur to complete the execution. I’d been wrong to think fear was Magenna’s last possession. Volition, too, she held fast still. This un-wicked un-witch who lay silent and unbreathing on the table had staged one final insurrection, not submitting to her death but rushing to meet it as boldly as any beserker. Unnerved as I was, I could hardly fault her for it.

I rose to my feet, and Bjartur fluttered from my arm to my shoulder, tucking his emerald head well into my gray corkscrew curls. Time to deal with the ordinary people, those we’d neither execute nor see or engage any more than absolutely necessary. Bjartur wasn’t shy – far from it. The unbonded were invariably fascinated by dragons. Bjartur didn’t mind the attention, exactly. He just considered almost everyone else beneath his notice. He refused to be put on display or used as a symbol of anything for anyone. It’s a common trait among dragons. They’re notoriously catlike in their dignity and their arrogance. I can’t explain how that makes them all the more irresistible, but it does. I adored the pretentious little puffer.

I pushed the button beside the door, and the guard on the other side keyed me out. Cleanup wasn’t part of my responsibilities. The husk of the woman I left behind – her name had been Magenna, but the body needed no name – would be burned, its ashes scattered in the ebullient gardens that ringed the Justice Center. It’s not as callous as it sounds. The part of her that was real was gone, after all.

Upstairs in my windowless office, I typed up the execution report on my typewriter and submitted it. Executioners don’t have to muddle with tiresome machines like computers. Don’t have to, aren’t allowed to, what’s the difference, really? Bjartur settled down between my shoulder blades, his talons resting on the harness there while he buried his head against my neck, under my hair, and snored softly, his sulfurous breath uncomfortably warm on my skin. I was well-used to it, though. That’s another catlike feature of dragons – they are inordinately fond of naps.

Although executions have stepped up significantly in the past few years, it’s still not a nine-to-five job. That’s why in spite of the fact executioners possess more status than almost anyone outside of the president, my office resembled a broom closet more than an executive suite. Besides, windows were a security risk, especially here in the heart of the city. I spent a handful of hours there a month, so the grimness didn’t trouble me.

Most of my actual work was done at home, well outside of city walls. As one of death’s many gatekeepers, I kept the hinges swinging both ways. Ushering people out, and dragons in. A dragon clutch can take upwards of ten years before it’s ready to hatch, and caring for them is a full-time job.

I was reaching for the door, on my way to the garage where my car waited for me, when it swung open and nearly smacked me in the face.

Naturally. My favorite person in the Justice Center.

“Fiske.” I made no effort to imbue his name with the least enthusiasm. Our feelings were mutual and required no subterfuge.

“Grenda.” He nodded, irritation at having been caught off-balance at the door flashing in his eyes. Fiske was a man of little talent and much presence, so he was easily perturbed.

“I’m on my way out, Fiske,” I stated the obvious. “What do you need?”

On paper, Fiske would have appeared to be my boss, but that was only true in as much as he was the one who assigned the executions. As far as I was concerned, that made him more my assistant than my superior, and he knew it.

“It’s going to be a busy week.” He pulled himself up to his full height of over six feet tall, a futile effort to intimidate me. I’d hit my maximum height at the age of eleven and was barely five feet tall. Somebody’s bones being longer than mine never impressed me much.

“Magenna Hassan was my only appointment this week.”

Fiske bared his nicotine-yellowed teeth at me in what I can only assume he thought a patronizing smile. “The Army just notified me they successfully closed down an invaders’ camp near the coast. It’s going to be all hands on deck for at least four days. So be sure you’re back here bright and early in the morning.”

Something uncoiled in my belly, something that felt eerily like the slimy, seeking tentacle of an octopus. I swallowed the sour taste in my mouth and nodded briskly. Fiske’s face contorted as he tried on a few different expressions, all intended as dismissal. I pushed past him without waiting to see which one he landed on. Laughter bubbled in my throat to watch him sway back until he nearly fell over in the effort to avoid any contact with Bjartur.

Silliness, of course. Dragons were perfectly safe. Or rather, my dragon was as safe as I was.

Available on Amazon

About the Author

Cassondra Windwalker is the multi-genre author of several novels and award-winning poetry collections. She has lived in the South, the Midwest, and the West, and presently writes full-time from the grim coasts of the Frozen North. Regrettably, she has no dragon of her own, but she keeps company with corvids, anemones, moose, and mycelium. Readers are invited to reach out to her on Twitter @WindwalkerWrite.

Bayou Wolf Press

Book Tour Schedule

March 6th

R&R Book Tours (Kick-Off) http://rrbooktours.com

I Love Books & Stuff (Spotlight) https://ilovebooksandstuffblog.wordpress.com

The Faerie Review (Spotlight) http://www.thefaeriereview.com

Cocktails & Fairytales (Spotlight) https://www.facebook.com/CocktailsFairytales

March 7th

@plungeintobooks (Review Out of Tour) https://www.instagram.com/plungeintobooks/

Bunny’s Reviews (Review) https://bookwormbunnyreviews.blogspot.com/

@literarycovenclub (Review) https://www.instagram.com/literarycovenclub_/

@vinamkent_author (Review) https://www.instagram.com/vinamkent_author

March 8th

Liliyana Shadowlyn (Review) https://lshadowlynauthor.com/

Breakeven Books (Spotlight) https://breakevenbooks.com

Books + Coffee = Happiness (Spotlight) https://bookscoffeehappiness.com/

March 9th

@squeakeysundergroundlibrary (Review) https://www.instagram.com/squeakeysundergroundlibrary/

@amber.bunch_author (Spotlight) https://www.instagram.com/amber.bunch_author/

Rambling Mads (Spotlight) http://ramblingmads.com

March 10th

@jlreadstoperpetuity (Review) https://www.instagram.com/jlreadstoperpetuity/

I Smell Sheep (Spotlight) http://www.ismellsheep.com/

Stine Writing (Spotlight) https://christinebialczak.com/

Book Tour Organized By:

BOOK TOUR & REVIEW: The Siren’s Scream by Thomas White #Mystery #Horror @ThomasW94914086 @pumpupyourbook

About the Book

 Title: The Siren’s Scream

Author: Thomas White

Publisher: Savvy Books

Pages: 492

Genre: Mystery/Horror

Release Date: October 5, 2022

Publisher: Savvy Books

Soft Cover: ISBN: ‎ 978-1088067819; 480 pages; $21.14

BOOK BLURB

An old mansion sits atop of a cliff, overlooking the ocean, in Santa Cruz, CA. A young realtor, Darcy Wainwright, manages to sell the dilapidated old house to Henry Childs, an obese nebbish who is obsessed with the property. In the backyard is a pool. Not an ordinary pool but a giant tide pool. In the tide pool is a siren with an evil agenda for revenge. 

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3TEz7kx 

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-sirens-scream-thomas-white/1142494493?ean=9781088067819

Purchase your copy at the author’s website: https://thomas-white-author.com/ 

 

Book Excerpt

Henry Childs led a life of total inconsequence. He had no friends, no hobbies, no guilty pleasures. He had spent his thirty-eight years in the space behind his mother’s aggression, lacking the courage to reach for anything more than this pitiless world deigned to dish to him.

Edith Childs screamed at Henry from the other room, “Henry, I’m bored. I want to go for a drive.”

Henry’s face scrunched in disdain, and the folds in his ample neck turned red. There was no denying her, not that he had ever had the backbone to attempt anything so drastic. Henry Childs had spent his thirty-eight years in the space behind his mother’s aggression, lacking the courage to reach for anything more than this pitiless world deigned to dish to him.

With a stoic exhale, he paused his video game, gulped down his cinnamon roll, lifted his considerable bulk out of the comfort of his reclining chair, and began the routine that would eventually get his mother from her bedroom to her wheelchair and into the car.

He grabbed her yellow sweater to be sure that she would stay warm.

“Henry, I’m not a child. I know if I’m cold or not.”

He held up the cardigan and attempted to help her into it.

“I can dress myself, thank you.”

Then there was the transfer from her sitting chair to her wheelchair.

“For goodness sakes, Henry, you would think this was the first time you’ve ever done this. Move the chair closer. I’m not an acrobat.”

…the parade out to the porch.

“Henry, don’t scrape the wall. You’re always so careless. We have gouges up and down the whole hallway.”

…down the ramp.

“Don’t go so fast. Are you trying to launch me into outer space?”

…across the walkway toward the car.

“Do you have to hit every bump on the walk? Wait, go back, I think you missed one.”

…then finally into the car.

“Be careful of my head. I don’t want to lose what sense I have left.”

By the time the car door was closed, with his disintegrating mother safely ensconced inside, Henry had sweat running down his forehead and was breathing hard. His double chins were dripping from each crevice, and his shirt was beginning to stain from the accumulating moisture. He dropped her chair into the trunk, wiped his brow on his sleeve, and embraced his final moments of silence before he opened the door and plopped behind the steering wheel of his Nissan Murano.

 

 Book Review – 4 stars

The Siren’s Scream will keep you on the edge of your seat. Full of twists and turns, it will keep you guessing. While I did enjoy the story, it took me a bit to get into it. Once I made it through the first chapter, I was eager to see what would happen next. This was my first time reading this author, but I’ll have to check out his other books.

*I received a copy as part of the book tour and have voluntarily left a review. The review above is only my opinion.

About the Author

 

Thomas White began his career as an actor. Several years later he found himself as an Artistic Director for a theatre in Southern California and the winner of several Drama-Logue and Critics awards for directing. As Tom’s career grew, he directed and co-produced the world tour of “The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Coming Out Of Their Shells”. The show toured for over two years, was translated into seven different languages and seen by over a million children. Tom served as President and Creative Director for Maiden Lane Entertainment for 24 years and worked on many large-scale corporate event productions that included Harley Davidson, Microsoft, Medtronic Diabetes, and dozens of others. The Siren’s Scream is Tom’s second novel that follows up Justice Rules which was nominated as a finalist in the Pacific Northwest Writers Association 2010 Literary contest.

Tom’s latest book is the mystery/horror, The Siren’s Scream.

Visit his website at www.thomas-white-author.com or connect with him at Twitter and Facebook.

 

BOOK TOUR & INTERVIEW: The Delafield and Mallow Investigations by Trish MacEnulty #historicalfiction #historicalmysteries @cathiedunn

The Whispering Women, Book #1, A Delafield & Malloy Investigation

The Burning Bride, Book #2, A Delafield & Malloy Investigation

Secrets and Spies, Book #3, A Delafield & Malloy Investigation

by Trish MacEnulty

About the Book

“Richly drawn characters, the vibrant historical setting, and a suspenseful mystery create a strong current that pulls readers into this delightful novel. But it’s the women’s issues—as relevant today as they were in the early 1900s—that will linger long after the last page.”

— Donna S. Meredith, The Southern Literary Review

Can two women get the lowdown on high society?

“Two powerless young women must navigate a soul-crushing class system and find the levers of power they wield when they combine their strengths. These women may have been taught to whisper, but when their time comes, they will roar.”

– 5 Star Amazon Review

Louisa Delafield and Ellen Malloy didn’t ask to be thrown together to bring the truth to light. But after Ellen witnesses the death of a fellow servant during an illegal abortion, Louisa, a society columnist, vows to help her find the truth and turn her journalistic talent to a greater purpose.

Together, these unlikely allies battle to get the truth out, and to avenge the wrongful death of a friend.

What will our heroes do when their closest allies and those they trust turn out to be the very forces working to keep their story in the dark? They’ll face an abortionist, a sex trafficking ring, and a corrupt system determined to keep the truth at bay.

“If you like historical fiction and if you like mysteries, this one is for you!”

– 5 Star Amazon Review

Was change possible in 1913?

To find out, read THE WHISPERING WOMEN today!

GET THE BOOKS

The books in this series are available to read on Kindle Unlimited.

Universal Link:  https://books2read.com/u/47Vrla

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Whispering-Women-Delafield-Malloy-Investigation/dp/1737575175/  

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Whispering-Women-Delafield-Malloy-Investigation-ebook/dp/B0B9W2WG8T/

Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/Whispering-Women-Delafield-Malloy-Investigation-ebook/dp/B0B9W2WG8T/

Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/Whispering-Women-Delafield-Malloy-Investigation-ebook/dp/B0B9W2WG8T/

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-whispering-women-trish-macenulty/1142117381?ean=9781737575177

INTERVIEW WITH THE AUTHOR

Often writers started out as readers. Was there a particular book that inspired you to be an author?

I loved books as a child. One of my favorites was Eloise, and I sometimes think I got my spare style from those books. I also remember being immersed in The Jungle Book, The Black Stallion and the Albert Payson Terhune books about collies. I’d love to think my books might create that feeling of being immersed in another world.

Do you tend to read the same genre you write?

Yes. Sometimes for research or review purposes, and sometimes for sheer enjoyment. Outside of historical fiction, I also love thrillers. I’m a fan of Michael Connelly and Thomas Perry. Occasionally a fantasy novel (for example, Six of Crows) will enthrall me.

Do you have a favorite time period to write about? If so, why?

So far I’ve been writing about the earlier 20th century, which I like because it has the perfect balance of unfamiliar and familiar. It’s fairly easy to research the era since it’s not so long ago. I was even able to find film footage of a few important events (i.e. the boarding of The Lusitania!). But it’s far enough in the past that many of the stories are not well known. I had no idea, for example, how prevalent gang activity continued to be into the early 20th Century in New York. And this was before prohibition.

Writers sometimes have furry, feathered, or scaled helpers. Do you have a writing companion?

I have three — one cat and two dogs! The little dog and the cat vie to be on my lap which can make writing difficult. The best thing the dogs do for me is get me out of the house every day and into nature for a half hour or so. So necessary for my mental health!

How long have you been writing, and how long did it take before your first book was published?

I have always wanted to be a writer. In college I wrote for the student newspaper. After college, I worked for a film production company writing scripts. Then I wrote for a newsletter company. Eventually I wound up back in journalism. I also won some screenwriting awards during that time. Finally, I went back to graduate school and published short stories. My first novel came out in 2000 when I was 45.

Do you have a routine you follow when you’re working on a book? A certain time of day when you write, or a snack you keep nearby?

I usually write every morning until noon or 1, when I take a yoga or pilates class. Afternoons are for editing, marketing, dog walking, reading, and napping. As for a snack, I recently started roasting walnuts. So yummy. 

Did anyone give you writing advice when you were first getting started? Do you think it helped?

It’s not so much advice that helped me. It was the encouragement. Several teachers validated my writing, and that made me want to keep going. My first writing teacher was Harry Crews, and when he invited me to join his graduate workshops while I was still an undergraduate, that gave me a big boost of confidence. My second writing teacher, Lynda Schor, was hugely significant to me. We are friends to this day. 

What is the scariest thing you face as a writer? How do you handle it?

Well, we all have to make a living, so for years I was a college professor. During that time, my creative energy went into my teaching, and I worried I would never be able to devote my time and energy to writing, but I worked hard and saved, and now I’m living my dream. 

If you could pick your top 3 favorite books of all time, what would they be?

Crime and Punishment by Dostoevsky

To the Lighthouse by Virginia Wolfe

The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling

Of course, as soon as I wrote those titles, I thought, Wait! What about Toni Morrison, Jane Austen, Jack London, Robert Louis Stephenson, Ralph Ellison as well as historical fiction authors Kristin Hannah, Kate Quinn, Madeline Martin, Libby Grant, Amor Towles, Robert Olen Butler, and so many others who have impacted my life with their stories! Truly, I can’t pick just three. 

Does your family support your writing?

My husband is absolutely the most supportive person I could possibly have in my life — financially, emotionally, and technically. And my daughter has always believed in me. (She didn’t even complain about being in my memoir, Wait Until Tomorrow!)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Trish MacEnulty is a bestselling novelist. In addition to her historical fiction, she has published novels, a short story collection, and a memoir. A former Professor of English, she currently lives in Florida with her husband, two dogs, and one cat. She writes book reviews and feature articles for the Historical Novel Review. She loves reading, writing, walking with her dogs, streaming historical series, cooking, and dancing.

Find her Online:

Website: https://trishmacenulty.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/pmacenulty

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100055362621397

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trishmac_historicalfiction/

Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/trish-macenulty

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Trish-MacEnulty/author/B01G4A797G

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15085884.Trish_MacEnulty

BOOK TOUR: Fall Hard by Jade Church #NewAdult #Romance @jadechurch_ @RRBookTours1

We’re celebrating the release of bestselling author Jade Church’s latest romance, Fall Hard! Read on for details and an exclusive excerpt!

Fall Hard (Sun City #2)

Genre: NA Romance/ College Romance

Expected Publication Date: March 3rd, 2023

Falling in love with your best friend sucks—especially when they don’t love you back.

Liv needs help, and Bryn is determined to give it to her. After a night out ends in a whole lot of embarrassment for Liv, she is faced with the fact that she might need some assistance in getting over her best friend and roommate, Jamie.

When Bryn is forced to temporarily move in with Jamie and Liv, a night of drinking results in a possibly disastrous deal: All of Liv’s decisions are now in Bryn’s hands. The goal? Operation fall-out-of-love.

But when sparks start to fly between the two women, they have to wonder if maybe their plan worked a little too well.

After all, nothing hurts like love.

Add to Goodreads

Excerpt

Love sucks. I wasn’t much of an expert, I’d only really fallen once, but heck if I’d fallen hard. There was only one thing worse than loving someone who didn’t love you, and that was watching them fall in love with someone else. So there I was, about to do something that was probably a terrible idea—but lately all my ideas seemed terrible, so what could one more hurt?

The girl I’d been watching for the past half hour pushed away from the bar and made her way to a packed corner of the club. Her blonde hair was an unnatural white that seemed to change color with the disco lights and was almost the same color as her skin and I kept my eyes on her retreating figure as she paused by a skinny white guy wearing a ripped tee. Her hand dipped into the pocket of her high waisted jeans as she leaned in close to the guy, then she moved back to the bar. Done. Easy. I could do this.

I waited til she reclaimed her seat, the steady pulse of Christina Aguilera’s Dirty making my heart feel like it thudded too hard, and then walked over to order a drink. Her top was red and off the shoulders, not unlike something Jamie might have worn—

I gulped the drink the bartender handed me as I shook off the thought.

“Whoa. Steady there. You know they put alcohol in those things, right?” The girl grinned at me and I swallowed before offering her a smile. If you didn’t know better, then what I was about to ask her might seem perfectly natural coming from my lips—tonight, I looked the epitome of a party girl. I’d loosely curled my hair and let it run free over my shoulders, put on my highest pink velvet chunky heels and let my sparkly eye make-up be the only accessory needed to match the pink sequin mini dress.

“Well, there’s a little mixer too. Got to stay hydrated.” I laughed breathlessly and bit my lip as the girl’s eyes moved over my legs, made longer by my heels, and back up to my face. “Listen…” I leaned in close and a flirty smile tugged up the corners of her mouth. “I, um, was wondering if you have any pills?”

She leaned back, a look that might have been disappointment flashing across her face before she nodded. “Sure. What are you looking for?”

“Ah, you know.”

An eyebrow raised at my answer and I wanted to curse. “Sure, but do you?” I didn’t answer and she rolled her eyes. “Look, are you sure you want to—“

“I’m sure,” I said firmly. “I’ve just never done this before. My friend usually buys,” I added, clearing my throat a little and her eyes narrowed slightly before she nodded.

“Fine. How many do you want?”

“Just one.”

Another eyebrow raise. Crap. I was so clearly out of my depth.

“Thirty,” the girl said and I barely held in my surprise. That seemed like a lot for one pill, but I couldn’t say for sure if she was ripping me off or if I was just hopelessly naive. Either way, it didn’t matter. Thirty dollars was nothing in the face of the inheritance my parents had given me to stay out of their lives, another form of hush money—their signature move.

I slipped the cash out of my clutch and she rolled her eyes as I tried to be surreptitious about it and failed.

“Have a good night,” she said dryly, handing me a clear baggie and then shoving away from the bar.

“You too,” I murmured, the words lost in an old Taylor Swift song as I shook the pill free and examined it closely. Was I supposed to take the whole thing? I glanced around to see if I could maybe ask the white-haired drug dealer but she’d disappeared into the crowd on the dance floor.

My palms were getting sweaty and I tossed the pill back and forth between my hands, not wanting it to melt or something. Just do it. I let out a slow breath as I brought my hand to my mouth and then paused. Was I supposed to swallow it whole? Chew it? Crap, I should have just asked Jamie—

I reined my thoughts in before I could get lost in my own head, wondering what she was doing right now, where she was… probably with Ryan. Her boyfriend.

I sat back down at the bar, swiveling the seat so I faced outwards and could watch the dancers. She was the reason I’d come here. Jamie. One of them, at least.

Purchase Here!

Get Even (Sun City Book 1)

Now a #1 bestseller!

Don’t get mad, get even is advice Jamie Silver takes to heart when she discovers her boyfriend is sleeping with her best friend. What she doesn’t bank on is her hateful professor placing her on academic probation and it’s all her ex’s fault. When his rival, Ryan Sommers, offers her a way to get back into her professor’s good books as well as get back at her ex, what’s a girl to do? Revenge is a dish best served hot.

Get Even is the first book in a series of interconnected standalones.

Amazon

About the Author

Jade Church is an avid reader and writer of spicy romance. She loves sweet and swoony love interests who aren’t scared to smack your ass and bold female leads. Jade currently lives in the U.K. and spends the majority of her time reading and writing books, as well as binge re-watching The Vampire Diaries.

Book Tour Schedule

February 27th

R&R Book Tours (Kick-Off) http://rrbooktours.com

@vinamkent_author (Review) https://www.instagram.com/vinamkent_author/

@adlynsreadingcorner (Spotlight) https://www.instagram.com/adlynsreadingcorner/

@tm_ghent (Spotlight) https://www.instagram.com/tm_ghent/

The Faerie Review (Spotlight) http://www.thefaeriereview.com

Reads & Reels (Spotlight) http://readsandreels.com

February 28th

@ayana.guerra_booklovers (Spotlight) https://www.instagram.com/ayana.guerra_booklovers/

B is for Book Review (Spotlight) https://bforbookreview.wordpress.com

@paulalearmouth (Spotlight) https://www.instagram.com/paulalearmouth/

Bunny’s Reviews (Spotlight) https://bookwormbunnyreviews.blogspot.com/

March 1st

Riss Reviews (Review) https://rissreviewsx.wixsite.com/website

Liliyana Shadowlyn (Review) https://lshadowlynauthor.com/

@bookswithstace (Review) https://www.instagram.com/bookswithstace/

@read.em.if.you.got.em (Spotlight) https://www.instagram.com/read.em.if.you.got.em/

March 2nd

@reading_to_the_last_page (Review) https://www.instagram.com/reading_to_the_last_page/

@booknerd_jen22 (Review) https://www.instagram.com/booknerd_jen22/

@pjsandbooks (Review) https://www.instagram.com/pjsandbooks/

https://www.tiktok.com/@pjsandbooks

@_toris.thoughts_ (Review) https://www.instagram.com/_toris.thoughts_/

Breakeven Books (Spotlight) https://breakevenbooks.com

March 3rd

@bookish__paws (Review) https://www.instagram.com/bookish__paws/

@never_endingbookshelf (Review) https://www.instagram.com/never_endingbookshelf/

@itputs.the.book.upon.the.shelf (Review) https://www.instagram.com/itputs.the.book.upon.the.shelf/

Books + Coffee + Happiness (Spotlight) https://bookscoffeehappiness.com/

@thebookcoverlover (Spotlight) https://www.instagram.com/thebookcoverlover

Book Tour Organized By:

R&R Book Tours

BOOK TOUR: Wizardom Legends – Temple of the Unknown by Jeffrey L. Kohanek #epicfantasy

Wizardom Legends: Temple of the Unknown

Tor the Dungeon Crawler Book 1

by Jeffrey L. Kohanek

Genre: Epic Fantasy

D&D meets Indiana Jones in a new treasure hunting series set in the bestselling world of Wizardoms.

A retired master ranger has disappeared, and his daughter is desperate to find him. When approached with this quest, Tor Ranseur declines…until he discovers this man went missing while following clues leading to a temple of legend.
The magical artifacts rumored to await in these ruins are too alluring to deny.

Joined by a dysfunctional crew armed with magical weapons, Tor sets off on a quest to locate, infiltrate, and pilfer the Temple of the Dark Lord. What he finds is something completely unexpected as monsters, traps, and betrayal turn the quest from dangerous to deadly.

If you enjoy fast-paced questing stories, humorous moments, and the discovery of magical artifacts, you’ll love this all new series featuring the world’s premier team of relic seekers.

Be it your first Wizardoms novel or your 16th, you don’t want to miss this all new, thrilling adventure!

Click BUY IT NOW and join Tor’s bantering crew on an action-packed quest.

**Celebrate the release of book 2 – On Sale for Only .99cents March 15th – 21st!!**

Amazon * Bookbub * Goodreads

**Coming Soon!**

Wizardom Legends: Castles of Legend

Tor the Dungeon Crawler Book 2

**Releases March 15th!!**

Amazon * Goodreads

Wizardom Legends :Shrine of the Undead

Tor the Dungeon Crawler Book 3

**Releases May 16th!!**

Amazon * Goodreads

***SALE ALERT!!***

Get the Fate of Wizardoms 1-3 Box Set for ONLY .99cents – March only!!

https://geni.us/FateofWizardomsBox1

When Tor opened the door to Ed’s Stumble Inn, he was greeted by raucous laughter and chanting. He followed a short hallway that opened to a taproom thick with patrons. All were facing the bar, upon which Borgli stood, his hand gripping the shaft of a long, curved horn. Quell leaned over the railing of the loft above him, pouring a tankard of ale down the large end of the horn. The inn’s patrons cheered as the dwarf downed the ale coming out the bottom. With the tankard empty, Quell grabbed another full mug and began pouring it into the horn. The crowd chanted and cheered as Borgli continued to drink.

Tor shot Koji an annoyed glance before pushing his way through the crowd. He knew some of the men might get upset, but when they spied Koji in his wake, they were unlikely to pick a fight. Upon reaching the stairs, Tor raced up and pushed past the patrons occupying the loft. He stopped a stride from where Quell stood with her back to him. He counted nine tankards on the table, all of them empty. Beside the mugs was a small glass filled with dark liquid. He picked up the glass and gave it a sniff. It smelled of anise. Swoon. He gripped Quell by her shoulder and turned her toward him. Her eyes widened in surprise.

“What are you doing?” he demanded.

“Borgli is trying to win a bet.”

“A bet?’

“To down ten tankards of ale without stopping for a breath.”

Tor closed his eyes for a beat before speaking. “You two were supposed to procure provisions and wait here without causing trouble.”

“We did.”

“This is trouble.” He motioned to the cup of swoon. “What is this?”

“That is for me. I am not overly fond of ale.”

“Well, Borgli is about to get a surprise.” He poured the glass of hard alcohol down the horn, leaned over the railing, and waited.

The dwarf chugged and swallowed gulp after gulp, draining the horn until the swoon reached him. His eyes suddenly bulged, and he tore his mouth from the horn. He coughed, spluttered, and staggered a step, appearing as if he might fall off the bar. His fist thumped against his chest as the crowd quieted, all eyes on Borgli while he blinked with bleary, red eyes. When the dwarf’s mouth opened, Tor feared he might vomit on the crowd below him. Instead, he let out a mighty belch, its timbre low enough to shake the room.

The crowd burst out in laughter. Numerous men exchanged coins they had won or lost on the bet. Borgli knelt on the bar and accepted a stack of coins from the barkeep.

Quell tapped Tor’s shoulder, drawing his attention away from the scene below. “I was looking forward to that drink, but with the coin we just won, I can buy myself another.”

“How much did you win?”

“We had ten silver pieces left after we bought the provisions you requested. Two were spent on these drinks and the food we consumed before this all started. The rest was placed on the bet, so we turned eight silver marks to sixteen.”

Tor grunted. “That is exactly how many you started with.”

“So, you aren’t mad?”

“When I asked you to avoid trouble, I also meant to avoid attention. This little stunt is exactly the opposite of what I wanted. That said, a little extra coin won’t hurt, especially now that we need to room here tonight.”

“What took you so long anyway?”

He grimaced, his ire again rising.

Koji answered for him. “Finding horses proved to be more challenging than expected.”

A voice arose from the din of the crowd, singing a song unfamiliar to Tor. The voice was low, gravelly, and while the singer likely attempted to carry a tune, he failed miserably. Borgli.

Tor sighed. “Let’s go get him before he finds more trouble.”

He eased between the people in the loft and descended to the main floor with Koji and Quell in his wake.

The crowd had disbursed and spread throughout the inn. In the center of the room, Borgli stood on a table with a mug in each hand. He swayed as he sang, spilling ale with each movement but appearing oblivious to the puddles forming on the table. He stumbled, stepped on a wet spot, and slipped as his foot shot out from beneath him. With a roar of surprise, the dwarf flopped on his back and dumped both full ales onto the patrons occupying the table behind him. He rolled sideways, fell off the table, and disappeared.

Eight rough-looking men, all with wet splotches on their faces and tunics, stood, their expressions like thunderclouds.

“By the gods,” Tor swore. “Now, he did it.” Over his shoulder, he said, “Come on, Koji. We’ve a mess to clean up.”

Borgli staggered to his feet and looked up as one of the upset men stepped before him. He narrowed his eyes and stared up at the man. “You seem to have spilt on yerself, mister.”

The man growled. “You snide little piece of crap.”

His fist struck Borgli square in the face. The dwarf stumbled a step, shook his head, and grinned. “Let’s play.”

Releasing a roar, the dwarf ducked low, charged the man, and wrapped his arms around his legs. Although the man stood a foot and a half taller than Borgli and likely outweighed him by a hundred pounds, Borgli picked him off his feet and slammed the man down on a table. The table tipped over onto a startled couple. The woman screamed, the man roared, and a melee broke out.

I love fantasy, adventure, and magic. More than that, I adore my readers.

My books are written to entertain — fantasy adventures filled with compelling characters, spectacular magic, thrilling action, constant intrigue, and a sense of discovery. I equate them to the “Marvel Movie” version of fiction, intended to be a fun escape.

I would love to have you join me and my quirky characters for one outrageous adventure after another. With over two million published words to my name, my author journey has just begun.

Website * Facebook * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

$20 Amazon

a Rafflecopter giveaway