Thursday, August 30, 2018

PROMO Bltiz: The Rockstar Series Part 1


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Contemporary Romance
Part One – Books One thru Four

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As with all the Rockstar books, this book contains mature content and may be deemed inappropriate for persons under 17 years of age.








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Falling Down - (Rockstar #1)


I was twelve when I started crushing on him.

I was seventeen when I met him by chance and our connection was made.

Now here I am, twenty-three, and I'm one of the two actresses in the video for his band's latest single.

Jesse Kingston is a tall, dark, and gorgeous temptation I'm finding hard to resist. It ends up not being as simple as doing a job and going home. It can't be when he continually makes his presence known with his not-so-innocent touches and sexy words. There is no avoiding him and after spending so much time with him, I'm not sure I want to.

So, when he proposes a weekend together, knowing I should say no, I throw caution to the wind and instead I say yes. I'm going to ignore the warning signs and do what I normally wouldn't—I'm going to give in to my desire. I'm going to indulge my fantasies and give this sexy rocker what he wants and something he won't forget—me.

The only question is: Is one weekend going to be enough? Will our time end up changing this bad boy? Or will it end up changing me?

I recommend listening to the playlist whenever possible to get the full effect of the story (Listed at the back of the book).



DISCLAIMER!

If you're unable to suspend disbelief and escape to the Rockstar Land of Fiction, then this book probably isn't for you.  This is NOT a dark romance. There will be MINIMAL angst or drama. There will be lots of laughs, frequent dropping of the F-bomb, and crazy monkey sex.







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Blush (Rockstar #2)
You know how people say they woke up in Vegas married and you're like, how the hell could that possibly happen? Who does that? Well, us apparently… and the press is having a field day.

Let's not even get started on the topic of my mother. Then there's my grandpa wanting to meet my new husband--that's not scary at all. On top of that, we're heading out on tour and I'm a nervous wreck--factor in the fact that Jesse's newly changed marital status doesn't seem to be an issue for the groupies. Nothing deters them. Not even the fact that I'm standing right there when they proposition him.

I can handle the press, my mom, and even my grandpa. But the women who are ruining my current mood of "happy", well, they've got another thing coming. It's time to put these women in their place because nobody messes with my happily ever after.







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A Very Xander Christmas (Rockstar #3)
The first Rockstar Christmas. A short story—told Xander Style.







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Amplify: (Rockstar #4)
DISCLAIMER: This story contains grief, loss, sadness, darkness, light, happiness, angst, swearing, explicit sex, graphic violence, new beginnings, and soulmates. You may need tissues.

Sera

He’s my protector, my confidante. Then one night he became more. I want him, I need him, and, if I’m honest with myself, I love him. I just don’t know if he’ll ever see me as more than what we’ve always been: friends. I don’t want to lose him but it’s getting harder and harder to keep my feelings to myself. Should I risk it all or play it safe?

Cage

She’s my light, my saving grace. The night we came together I knew I could never live without her. I want her to be mine: my lover, my friend. Maybe, if I can get her to see past all the reasons why we shouldn’t be together, she’ll be my forever. It just might be time to turn it up and go for broke.







About the Author


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Anne Mercier is the author of the bestselling Rockstar, Forbidden Fantasies and The Way series. She was born and raised in Wisconsin and still lives there today.

She's an avid reader who gets inspired by reading the stories from her favorite authors as well as listening to various types of music. She is a huge fan of music, chocolate, fruit, desserts, autumn, M. Shadows, Avenged Sevenfold, and Milo Ventimiglia. Through her books, she is proudly creating new Avenged Sevenfold and Milo Ventimiglia fans one reader at a time.



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Wednesday, August 29, 2018

PROMO Blitz: There Once Was a Girl


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Drama
Publisher: XLibris
Published: May 2016

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Based on a true story, there once was a girl is about the journey of a young woman's life and the choices she makes during that journey and the consequence's they bring. Australian drama, which takes the reader from the Sydney western suburbs and pubs to the outback of Western Australia. The story isn't about one girl....there is another female character and the story tells of her experiences in a world that isn't as safe as we want to believe. Names and places have been changed.



About the Author


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Josie Townsend is a sixth generation Australian. She lives in regional New South Wales.







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Tuesday, August 28, 2018

Teaser Tuesday: Bad Blood

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Urban Fantasy
Date Published: Sept 28th, 2018
Publisher: Inspired Ink ( Self published)

A reluctant knight.
A magical descendent.
A race against time.
A freak accident thrusts Nakeeta Alva into a dangerous world of secrets, ancient spells, and a legacy she never wanted. The last in a magical line, she’s tasked with restoring the balance to a supernatural world poised for ruin.
Tasked with the care of their savior, Crewe’s main focus is survival. Used to giving orders, the knight isn’t prepared for the sassy witch’s mouth or her lure. The powerful woman reminded him of his humanity and challenged his beliefs. Keeping her safe is his mission, but the real danger may be losing his heart.
Together, they will save the world … or die trying.




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Excerpt

Let me get you some water.” Her mother hurried off as she acclimated herself with the waking world. How long have I been here? Her mother returned with a large, pink plastic cup with a straw. “Let’s get you sitting up.” Her mother hit the button and slowly pushed her up into an upright position.

“Better?”

“Yes,” she rasped.

“Here you are.” She held the cup out, and she wrapped her lips around a straw and sucked the cool water down her sore throat. The relief drew a hum from her throat. Pulling away, Keeta cleared her throat.

“I’m so sorry. Times run out,” her mother whispered.

“What are you talking about, Mom?” She furrowed her brow.

“We did our best to protect you, Keeta. Growing up we tried to keep you away from all things magical, but the power ran too deep. The spirits tried to tell me, but I was too stubborn to listen. You were my child, and I wanted the best for you. Your magic was a part of you that refused to be ignored or denied. So, we switched gears, tried to prepare you for what we knew would come, and hid you for as long as we could. I knew the moment I saw you and looked into your eyes you were the one our family had prophesied about.”

“Hid me from what?” Is this some sort of fever dream? Am I still in a comma?

“Everyone who would use you as a weapon.” Her mother’s whisper was full of sorrow and desperation.

“Use me? Mom, you’re not making any sense.” Exasperated, she huffed. Her body ached, and her head felt barely attached to her shoulders. A combination of the powerful medication and exhaustion that came from healing warped her perception. A hazy recollection of a dream tugged at her. What was I supposed to remember? Her brain protested the strain with a dull throbbing at her temples that stopped her from thinking too hard.

Her mother held her hand. “You’re different.”

“Yes, like our entire family is,” Keeta replied, unsure of what her mother wished to convey. She’d never been the type to beat around the bush before. Why hesitate now?

“Yes, but you have power. A scary amount of it. Things have always been drawn to you. Even with us cloaking you to dampen your light, it shone so brightly.” She closed her eyes and shook her head. “We tried to do right by you, Keeta. Now I’m not sure we were right.”

“Mom, you’re scaring me.” Her voice warbled.

“Destiny will only be denied so long, baby. Yours is at hand.”

Her stomach knotted. The storm that had been threatening overhead was finally breaking.

“Our family is made up of more than powerful magic workers. We descend from a long lineage of gifted magical beings. It goes back further than you can imagine, and some of the spells created and cast changed the shape of the world as we know it.” She glanced around nervously. “I’m not sure how much time we have. You’re a part of a bigger plan, Keeta. The laws keeping humans safe are crumbling into themselves. You can help change that. I won’t tell you it’ll be easy, or comfortable, but it’s necessary. If I could take this burden from you, I would.” She shook her head. “But it wasn’t meant for me.”

“I don’t understand. What am I supposed to do? Why?” Keeta shook her head. She’d never seen her mother this distraught. Dark circles ringed her puffy red eyes. Regret and apprehension stiffened her muscles and turned her dark brown eyes nearly black.

“I want to tell you more.” Her mother bowed her head. Her mouth clamped shut as if it’d been glued together. “Mmm. Mmmm.” She struggled to speak. Her face turned purple.

“Mom?” She gripped the blankets hard and leaned forward. “Breathe!”

Her mother gasped, greedily sucking in air as her slender form trembled. Tears rolled down her face in a steady stream of salty water. “I can’t. God help me, I can’t.” Her anguished cries sliced at Keeta’s heart.

“You can’t what?” she whimpered, feeling her mother’s pain as her own.

Exasperated, her mother threw her hands into the air and shook her head so hard she thought she might strain a muscle. “T-the d-deal,” she stuttered, stumbling over her words

“What deal?” Her stomach plummeted, and her heartbeat spiked. The monitors beeped nosily in response.

“The one she made to save your life,” a masculine voice answered from the doorway.

Her spine stiffened. The room felt too small. She shrank back against her pillow. His aura was dark and powerful. Nearly six-foot with pale blond hair, crystalline blue eyes, and cheekbones that could draw blood, he oozed strength and dominance.

Predator. He slammed against the wall, pinned into place. She gasped. Did I do that?

“Nakeeta!” her mother hissed.

She’d never been able to manifest her powers this way. She trembled. Images of the powerful medicine man and his words filled her brain. A headache burst through her head.

“Stop this,” her mother demanded.

I don’t know how. She wouldn’t share that weakness in front of this—

His eyes flashed red.

Vampire.




About the Author

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Shyla Colt is the sassy USA Today Bestselling author of the popular series Kings of Chaos and Dueling Devils M.C. This genre-hoppers stories feature three of her favorite things: strong females, pop culture, and alternate routes to happy ever after. Listening to her Romani soul, she pens from the heart, allowing the dynamic characters, eccentric interests, and travels as a former flight attendant to take her down untraveled roads.
Born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, this mid-west girl is proud of her roots. She used her hometown and the surrounding areas as a backdrop for a number of books. So, if you're a Buckeye, keep an eye out for familiar places.

As a full-time writer, stay at home mother, and wife, there's never a dull moment in her household.
She weaves her tales in spare moments and the evenings with a cup of coffee or tea at her side and the characters in her head for company.


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Friday, August 24, 2018

Blog Tour: thedeadgirlinthevacantlot by Jana Bommersbach #mystery with my #review

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Fiction - Mystery
Date Published: May 16, 2018
Publisher: Spotlight Publishing

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         Phoenix investigative reporter Joya Bonner is like most Americans—she knows nothing about the world of sex trafficking; thinks it's a problem reserved for somewhere far off. Thailand. Russia.

         But the reality that this is an American problem slaps her in the face when  her 15 year-old honorary niece disappears in Phoenix.  And a 13 year-old from her hometown in North Dakota goes missing.  And there's that pitiful dead girl in the vacant lot. As the evidence piles up that these are all part of the sex-slave underworld, Joy's awakening chills her to the bone.

         She's sickened even more when she realizes the website that pimps use to sell these girls was created in Phoenix at the weekly newspaper New Times—by guys she knew; by journalists she admired; by men she'd defended in the pages of her own newspaper when they were attacked by Sheriff Joe Arpaio.

         Joya's frantic search to find the missing girls—and identify the dead child—brings readers into the real world of sex trafficking. It includes the true history of Backpage.com, that's been called an “online brothel,” and its founders, Mike Lacey and Jim Larkin, currently awaiting trial on charges of facilitating sex trafficking.

         This book combines a riveting fictional story with the reality that is ripped from today's headlines. The book ends with an extensive “end notes” section that details the facts and personalities of this world—both from those exploiting youngsters for prostitution, and those who have long fought to stop it.


Review

A well-crafted mystery! 

Jana Bommersbach's voice is a breath of fresh air, smart, detailed and full of twists. 

The plot kept me turning the pages and I finished this novel very fast.

The title and theme is something morbid yet fascinating, I wanted to know where the story would go. 

Ultimately I loved the book a lot of twist and turns. I will read more books by this author!


About the Author

 photo Jana-Bommersbach-_1718317789_zpsuaafzyjd.jpg Jana Bommersbach is one of Arizona's most acclaimed journalists and authors. She's already been honored with two lifetime achievement awards as “an inspiration to the state's media community.”  She's been inducted into the Arizona Arts and Entertainment Hall of Fame, and honored by the ACLU as a “journalist and activist who speaks truth to power.”  She's won a regional Emmy for her television work and was named the nation's best columnist in a city magazine for her work at Phoenix magazine. She twice won the Don Bolles Award in Investigative Reporting for her work at Phoenix New Times.

         Jana is known as a tenacious researcher and lyrical writer. Her debut non-fiction book, “The Trunk Murderess: Winnie Ruth Judd” was nominated for the prestigious Edgar Allan Poe Award as one of the nation's best mysteries in 1992.  Her children's book, “A Squirrel's Story, a True Tale” won numerous awards here and abroad. Her first historical novel, “Cattle Kate,” was named one of the best books of 2014 by Publisher's Weekly. With “thedeadgirlinthevacantlot,” Jana continues exploring the world of fiction with her character, Phoenix investigative reporter Joya Bonner.

          To satisfy her journalistic soul, Jana combines a fictional story with real-life incidents she's covered in the past. In her first Joya Bonner book, “Funeral Hotdish,” it was the problem of Sammy “the Bull” Gravano and his Arizona ecstasy ring and how it affected Joya's safe, secure hometown in North Dakota that buried one of its children from a drug overdose.  In this new book, Joya takes on the world of sex-trafficking.  As the book was going to press, federal officials shut down the “online brothel” known as Backpage.com and its founders—Mike Lacey and Jim Larkin—were arrested and are awaiting trial on multiple counts of facilitating sex-trafficking.

         This is a particularly poignant story for Jana to write, for a dozen years before Backpage was created, she was partners with Mike and Jim in owning Phoenix New Times. She left and sold her interest to pursue other journalistic options. As she says in the Epilogue, “I write this book with a broken heart.”



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Thursday, August 23, 2018

Cover Reveal: Silent All These Years by @TiffaniMassa #mystery #suspense #bookcover #comingsoon

We are so excited to reveal the cover of T. A. Massa's debut novel

Silent All These Years: A Novel. Check it out!

Silent All These Years: A Novel

About Silent All These Years: A Novel

Available September 13, 2018

A broken daughter’s search for the truth unwinds a spiraling journey of panic, lust, and murder in this manipulative thriller from debut author T. A. Massa.

Melanie Stewart has just been left ten million dollars by a man she never knew. Should she accept the money? What if it means her mother, Marilyn, who died when she was only three years old, was murdered by the man who left it to her?
Melanie is trapped with crippling anxiety after the loss of her mother at a young age and the fatal stabbing of her fiancé on the night of their engagement.
When she discovers she has been written into the will of Roger Andrews, a name linked to the mysterious death of her mother, Melanie must trudge down a path of buried memories, reliving painful heartache, all while attempting to restart her life and trust a new admirer, Jake Andrews, Roger’s grandson.
Told from the alternating perspectives of Melanie’s investigation and Marilyn’s last weeks leading up to her death, the clues unravel one by one, leaving you guessing until the final climax. Who should Melanie trust? What happened to Marilyn all those years ago?
SILENT ALL THESE YEARS: A Novel is a Standalone Fiction Mystery Suspense Novel.

Add Silent All These Years: A Novel to your Goodreads list here!

Silent All These Years: A Novel by T. A. Massa releases September 13th!



Silent All These Years: A Novel


  Silent All These Years: A Novel  

  Author T. A. Massa

About Author T. A. Massa

Tiffani lives near Austin, TX with her husband, three kids, three dogs, and all her cats. She spends her days helping her husband with his company, running her kids around town, caring for the house, and trying to figure out what to make for dinner.
She is a lover of all stories.
She enjoys reading, writing, blogging, and going to the movies (especially on opening day!). Her background is in marketing and entrepreneurship and she is addicted to learning new things.
She manages a Lifestyle Blog at Pages & Lace covering books, movies, design, style trends, and her favorite products. Check it out today!
Her debut novel, Silent All These Years: A Novel, releases September 13, 2018. She has started her second novel with hopes of publishing in the Fall of 2019.

Stay Connected with Author T. A. Massa!

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Lifestyle Blog Website: https://www.pagesandlace.com/

Monday, August 20, 2018

Blog Tour: Obake Neko (Ghost Cat): A Pacific Tale by David Michael Gillespie with an Author #interview and #giveaway


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Mystery/Historical Fiction
Date Published: May 31, 2018

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It begins with a disappearance… In the waning days of World War II, the Obake Neko is the last surviving Sen-Toku—a huge secret aircraft-carrier submarine created by the Imperial Japanese Navy. As the war comes to an end, the Obake Neko sets sail back to Japan with a cargo of unimaginable value. In the chaos of Japanese surrender, the clandestine vessel and its crew vanish in the seas of the South Pacific.

Fifty-five years after the war’s end, former U.S. Navy pilot, Bud Brennan breaks into Pearl Harbor’s submarine museum in Hawaii. Bud’s son, Mike, is still raw from the death of his wife and grappling with a new career but still jumps in to help his dad. But when Bud’s antics garner the attention of the Navy’s JAG, Mike realizes his father may possess knowledge about the near-mythical Obake Neko and its fabled cargo—knowledge that is also of great value to the Japanese Yakuza. Now, Mike must scramble to learn the whole truth of his father’s decades-old connection with the legendary Japanese submarine and fight to defend his father from relentless military authorities and deadly Yakuza operatives. Even decades later, the Obake Neko and its legendary cargo are still worth killing over.

Can Mike discover the truth and protect his dad before deadly assailants succeed in silencing Bud forever?



Interview

1.     Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
Absolutely! My inspiration is Jules Verne, who’s motivation to write was to bring the world of science to the average person. My message was to highlight the unique, Sen Toku, aircraft carrier submarine the Japanese built at the end of the war.
Also, to bring to light a side of Hawaii and the Pacific islands that most people never see or know.

2.     Is there anything you find particularly challenging in you writing?
Finding the right balance. Balance in describing a location - not too little detail or the reader is left without a clear picture, and not too much or the reader is overloaded.  Same with describing people. Enough description to provide an image of what the character looks like, but not over detailed on clothes, facial features that most likely will not be retained by the reader.

3.     How many books have you written, and which is you favorite?
Only one, but it is my favorite! I really liked how my novel came together. What was originally bits and pieces, then unconnected scenes, and finally into what I believe is a cohesive two-storyline novel with unique characters, locations and plot.

4.     If you had the chance to cast your main character from Hollywood today, who would you pick and why?
Actually, I used headshots of movie stars as a basis for most of my characters. From the headshot I would modify certain aspects and attributes, so my characters didn’t come off as stereotypes.
For my two leads in my modern Hawaii storyline I would cast Harrison Ford as the father and Jeremy Sisto as the son. For my WWII Japanese leads, I would cast Toshiro Mifune as the ship’s captain and a Japanese Red Buttons (if there is such a character) for his jokester sidekick.

5.     When did you begin writing?
While I have written many business reports and analysis over my business career, I never attempted fiction until about three years ago. I seriously began my first book at that time. I did not take any writing classes or workshops, and while I did buy a lot of books on the craft of writing, I never did the writing exercises in the back of each chapter. I’ve been a heavy reader of fiction all my like. I felt like I had a good idea of how I wanted to write my story.

6.     How long did it take to complete your first book?
About three years. Writing it took about two years. Rewrites, edits, beta reader reviews, rewrites, edits, beta reader reviews, etc. took a solid one year.

7.     Did you have an author who inspired you to become a writer?
Two authors come to mind – Michael Connelly who writes the Bosch detective series, and Truman Capote. Connelly’s style is few frills, clean crisp dialogue, good pacing, good real characters and exciting plots. All attributes I wanted to copy. Truman Capote took what could have been a simple true crime incident and wove the events into a great story – In Cold Blood.

8.     What is your favorite part of the writing process?
I have three parts that I like. I’ve come to enjoy the initial research involved in writing my story, the development of a scene, and, surprisingly, the internal editing process once the story is laid down.
The research I had to perform for my book opened up so many unique things about the places and people I wanted to write about. Every day I learned something new and tried to use it to enhance my story.
Using a scene sheet I developed, I stretch my imagination to make each scene stand out on its own, with a hook, a beginning, middle and a solid ending.
Once I complete a solid draft of a scene, I put on my editor hat and fine-tune my dialogue, description, character movement, plot – everything. I religiously use an editing software (ProWritingAid) that helps me find repeat words and phrases, overuse of initial pronouns, pacing issues and many other variables that tighten up my text.

9.     Describe your latest book in four words.
Unique historical action mystery.

10. Can you share a little bit about your current work or what is in the future for your writing?
I really like the two-story format, with one storyline in an earlier timeframe and then have the current day storyline mesh up toward the end of the book.
For my past historical timeframe, I plan to follow one of Roy Andrew Chapman’s expeditions on dinosaur bone hunting in the Gobi Dessert in the late 1920’s.
For my current time frame, I plan to use many of the cast of characters in Hawaii that I used in my first book, Obake Neko.

An out-of-this-world object is found at one of Chapman’s digs by a young orphaned boy in 1929. This object’s unique powers will be sought by emperors and warlords in China and unknowling wind up in Hawaii in the hands of my last novel’s hero, Mike Brennan, in the year 2001.


About the Author

David Gillespie moved to Hawaii as a teenager, where he attended public schools and graduated with a BBA and MBA from the University of Hawaii at Manoa.


Gillespie has had a varied career in Hawaii’s business community. As a consultant with a University of Hawaii program, he traveled to many Pacific Island nations. His experiences in these exotic locales, along with his keen interest and research about the Sen-Toku Japanese submarines, inform and enhance his writing.


Gillespie is retired and has taken up home improvement projects, earned a private pilot license, and works on writing historical adventure novels. He continues to enjoy life in Hawaii, his home, with his family and a tuxedo cat named Tick Tock.



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Saturday, August 18, 2018

PROMO Blitz: Mabel of the Anzacs by Mary D. Brooks #womensfiction #ya

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A Friendship for the Ages
YA/Women’s Historical Fiction
Date Published:  July 2018
Publisher: AUSXIP Publishing

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Two women - one a fiery teenager, the other a cantankerous octogenarian - find their mutual antipathy blossoms into an unlikely friendship in this heart-felt multigenerational story about finding a kindred spirit where you least expect it.

Zoe Lambros meets Mabel Andrews, a mercurial, cantankerous World War I Australian nurse. Zoe's introduction to the fiery octogenarian is an explosive mix of sound and fury. Neither woman wants to give ground and they are determined to be proven right. For Zoe, actions speak louder than words and she sets out to uncover the enigma that is Mabel Andrews. Mabel discovers a kindred spirit that leads to an unlikely friendship. Together the two women forge a close bond that will change their lives forever.

It's a friendship for the ages..


About the Author


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Mary D. Brooks is a geek with too many imaginary friends who speak different languages (knew those language classes would come in handy). She is a historical romance and urban fantasy storyteller and addicted to stories and song about strength and courage. Mary plays well with others (for an introvert) but then retreats to talk and write about her imaginary friends.  She is passionate about lots of things that inspire the mind (art/design, psychology, science and tech) and that sets her muse on fire (she’s a busy lady!).



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Friday, August 17, 2018

Cover Reveal: Still Breathing by E.A. Fouriner

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Women’s Fiction
Date Published:  November 17, 2018
Designer: Damonza
Publisher: Acorn Publishing

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Newly widowed and on the threshold of seventy, Lizzie Warton questions the value of her remaining years. Uncharacteristically, she decides for the first time in her life to do what she wants, instead of what everyone expects.

Against the wishes of family and friends, she sets out for Africa to work at a Ugandan middle school. When she lands at night in the Entebbe airport, her hosts are not there to meet her. Near panic, she hires a local taxi. The driver drugs her, steals everything, and dumps her limp body in a slum. Waking in the dark, she feels someone tugging off her shoes.

Without money, a passport, clothes, or medications, Lizzie is forced to start over and find a way to survive. Soon she learns that nothing in Africa is as it appears. The grind of daily life in the third-world is beyond anything Lizzie imagined. Nevertheless, encouraged by budding friendships in surprising places, and against every sensible instinct she’s ever developed, Lizzie’s own personal search for meaning becomes the grand adventure of a lifetime.



Excerpt



      “Hey, muzungu! Over here!”

“Lady, best prices in Owino!”

 “I have jeans. You want jeans? New styles from America!”

“Hey! Pretty white lady! Over here!”

 “Best quality! Best prices! Today, only for you, muzungu!”

“I have a new shipment! Come and see!”

“Muzungu! Lady, what you need?”

Lizzie was sick of the accented voices shouting at her. She had yet to see another white woman in the claustrophobic market. Warned in advance, she had ignored the hands on her arms, the fingers trailing across her fingers, even the nudges to move her toward their shops, but she was fed up with the vendors’ constant calls aimed at her. Still, she doggedly maintained her wooden smile, even though she was gritting her teeth behind it.

At one point, a vendor called out a question in Luganda and someone else answered it. Lizzie was sure it had something to do with her. Laughter broke out and other voices chimed in with more quips. Grinning faces nodded at her as she walked away.

Lizzie shot a questioning look at Mrs. Birungi, who rolled her eyes, even though a smile tugged at her mouth. “It is nothing - just vendor talk. Ignore it. We need to go over that way.” Birungi pointed to a split in the congested path ahead, and steered them to the right.

Afiya pulled abreast of Lizzie a little later as they bobbed through a brief open place in the moving crowd. “They said they not sure if you are white or Ugandan.”

“What?”

“It was joke. Our people always make jokes.”

“How was it a joke?”

“Somebody said you half Ugandan.” The girl suppressed a grin.

“I don’t get it.”

“They said you have white top but Ugandan bottom.” Afiya smiled broadly as she said the line.

Lizzie looked back at her, puzzled.

“This kind bottom.” Afiya patted her own rump. “Word means both things. They admired your…bottom.” Afiya couldn’t help but giggle as she repeated the word.

Lizzie understood and sighed. “Well, I guess that’s not the worst thing I’ve ever heard.” In her mind, a little appreciative thought blossomed at still being noticed in that way, at all. She hastily chided herself and kept walking, but her hips now swayed a tiny bit more, nevertheless.


About the Author

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Originally from South Minneapolis, Gene Fournier earned a BA in Philosophy & Literature from St. Louis University followed by a Masters in Film from USC. Gene is a member of the Writers Guild of America west (WGA) and worked as a screenwriter and editor in Hollywood, but sadly, he never got that big break.

Seeking a return to his roots after twelve years in California, he accepted a Director of Media position with a multinational company headquartered in the Midwest. For thirty years he wrote, directed, edited and distributed corporate video programs around the world, managed live presentations, and orchestrated the creative elements for national and international meetings.

Retired now, with his seven children grown, and a dozen grandchildren to distract him, Gene is finally able to write down the stories he’s been carrying in his head all these years.


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