Thursday, January 24, 2019

Blog Tour: The Faberge Entanglement by @tymslyder #review #romance #thriller #suspense #giveaway @RABTBookTours


 photo The Fabergeacute Entanglement - Ebook_zpsnsb9wqns.jpg
Romance, Thriller, Suspense, Adventure
Date Published: July 2015

 photo add-to-goodreads-button_zpsc7b3c634.png

THE FABERGÉ ENTANGLEMENT

Sabinne ‘Saber’ Darrieux’s father, the billionaire CEO of Frontenac Global Security has been kidnapped. His ransom is not cash in a numbered offshore account, or a briefcase of Bearer Bonds but something utterly unique, incredibly valuable, and until recently, hidden away from the world.

The kidnapper seems to know Saber very well and knows that the next day, through her work as an elite translator she will be in the same location as the Object. She must steal the Object and deliver it to the kidnapper to ransom her father.

Adrian Steele, a British Intelligence agent has just come off of two harrowing missions. Upon returning to London for a well-earned rest, he learns that his friend and a fellow agent have been murdered in Moscow, but not before he made use of a unique Object as a mobile ‘drop site’ for the valuable intelligence he was carrying.

The drop site is traveling from Moscow to England. Steele insists on completing the mission to honor the death of his friend, Gerry Cornell.

At an ultra-chic quasi-diplomatic gathering in a mansion in Windsor, England, Saber and Steele meet and find themselves faced with a powerful, undeniable attraction. But at the moment, this compelling attraction is very inconvenient.

In reality, they are at the mansion to check out the security arrangements — for their own reasons — to steal the Object, a Fabergé egg worth thirty million dollars. But who will get to the egg first?

Fabergé eggs are very famous for their unique surprises. Saber and Steele are about to be very surprised, indeed.

And when Saber clashes with Steele; more than sparks will explode!




Review


Meryn and Brookes have characterization down to a science. Their characters really run the show and make the story so fun to read about. 

This was a very action packed Suspense that definitely kept me flipping pages. There were surprises along the way that definitely shocked me. Anything but predictable. 

Great pacing and a well written storyline.




About the Authors

LESLEY MERYN

Enjoyed an exotic, adventure-filled childhood, following her anthropologist father and travel writer mother to the farthest corners of the world. She later took inspiration from her Aunt Sophia Francesca and became the author of romantic adventure novels. She alternates her time between Los Angeles, and a family property located in Yorkshire England.


ELLE BROOKES

 photo ElleBrookes_zpsiu4c99dy.jpg
She is the author of the first two books of the Time Frame Series. Loves travel, discovering new foods to try, reading and writing. She currently lives in the central highlands of Costa Rica with her cat Nikola and her hedgehog Quiller.







Contact Links



Purchase Links




RABT Book Tours & PR

Wednesday, January 23, 2019

Blog Tour: Still Breathing by @gammera #womensfiction #interview #giveaway @RABTBookTours


 photo Still Breathing - eBook_zpstlwxkmgi.jpg
Women’s Fiction
Date Published:  November 17, 2018
Designer: Damonza
Publisher: Acorn Publishing

 photo add-to-goodreads-button_zpsc7b3c634.png

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.



Interview

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
When I first developed the concept for STILL BREATHING I intended to demonstrate that you’re never too old to do something significant. In other words, if you’re still breathing, there’s still good for you to do. Lizzie, my main character, is sixty-nine years old when the story opens and a recent widow. Everyone expects her to sit back, enjoy herself and fade pleasantly away. Lizzie does just the opposite when she heads to Africa with plans to work at a school. Her solo journey radically changes her life and the lives of others on the far side of the globe. The message is as much for myself as for my readers—it’s never too late to try something new.    

Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
The most difficult sections for me to handle are the ones that contain a lot of exposition. As a former screenwriter, I love dialogue and enjoy action, but give me scenes with a lot of information to impart and watch me sweat. In STILL BREATHING, the meeting with the travel clinic consultant was one of my most difficult assignments. Yes, the information was important, and it even set up some major plot points, but it ran the risk of growing dreary. I’m probably overly sensitive, but I revised that scene more times than any other part of the book. 

How many books have you written and which one is your favorite?
I’ve written and published two novels, NOW & AGAIN, a science fiction novel about parallel worlds, and this current women’s fiction novel, STILL BREATHING. The most recent one, released in November, is my favorite. I believe the story has a wider appeal and, frankly, my writing has improved. This novel was a risk for me. I wanted to see if I could write women’s fiction. I created a female main character significantly older than typical books: a woman with wide hips and grey hair, someone sensitive but not sappy, big-hearted but seasoned. Since I’m the wrong gender, I wondered if Lizzie would ring true enough for women to identify with her.

If you had the chance to cast your character from Hollywood today, who would you pick and why?
Believe it or not, I have actually thought a little bit about who could play Lizzie. My background is screenwriting so I have no delusions about having any say in the casting, but a person can still dream. I know the role would be a plum for some aging actress to sink her teeth into. Diane Keaton, who is 72 now, might be a possible consideration. She has the talent to carry it off but the role might demand too much of her now. Jane Seymour, 68 this year, comes to mind. However, she may have too elegant a look. I’m not sure she’d be willing to wear the padding required to make her famously slender form round enough. Sissy Spacek, who just turned 69, is a tempting choice. In fact, the more I think about it, the better I like it. She would be my first choice, if I had any say whatsoever.
The next challenge would be casting the critical Ugandan roles. Viola Davis?

When did you begin writing?
Initially, I saw myself as a poet. Through college I wrote poems until I was swept into the visual poetry offered by motion pictures. I pursued movies for many years, both in college and in Hollywood. It turned out, I had a knack for script writing.
Only recently did I try my hand at books. I belatedly realized that writing novels gave me the ultimate freedom. I was no longer hemmed in by restrictive screenplay formats or producers with short attention spans. I could take my time with characters. I could fully develop plots, fill in the backgrounds and even add scenes. My imagination wasn’t limited by budget or time, and the only people who mattered were my readers. I wonder now what took me so long to do it.

How long did it take you to complete your first book?
My science fiction book NOW & AGAIN took me two-and-a-half years to finish. The book is the result of a nightmare. Really. You know how they say you can’t die in your dreams? How you’ll always wake up just before the end? Not this dream. One of my sons and myself were caught in a horrifying, chain-reaction traffic accident. We were both killed but the dream kept going. The accident restarted except this time we tried to avoid dying—to no avail. The accident repeated again. Each time we stayed alive longer but kept dying in the end. Finally, we succeeded in altering enough parts of the dream accident to survive. That’s when I woke up. The novel is my attempt to explain the nightmare.

Did you have an author who inspired you to become a writer?
Many authors have inspired me to write books of my own. I’ve always been a voracious reader. Ray Bradbury, Isaac Asimov, James Clavell, J. R. R. Tolkien, Ursula Le Guin, Anne McCaffrey, Alan Dean Foster, Larry Niven, Clifford Simak, Stephen Ambrose, John Grisham, Daniel Silva all have their places in my heart. Still, at a certain point in my life, I became enamored with the writing style of William R. Forstchen. His choice of words, his sentences, his rhythms resonated with me. I loved reading and rereading his Lost Regiment series of eight books. I still dip into them again for motivation when I’m temporarily stuck with my current work in progress.   

What is your favorite part of the writing process?
There’s something to enjoy and dislike about each part of the writing process but the one that is most enjoyable for me is the rewriting. It is such a relief to have something to work with instead of dreaming things up from scratch. My mind enjoys enhancing and cutting, making dialogue crisper, imagery sharper and ideas clearer. It’s gratifying to see the powerful difference that editing and revising and rewriting can make in a scene. For me, the hardest task in writing is to work from a blank page.

Describe your latest book in 4 words
You still have time.

Can you share a little bit about your current work or what is in the future for your writing?

WHITE EYES is my current work in progress. The setting is a struggling cattle ranch in South Dakota during the 1950’s. The story focuses on an emotionally broken family and what it will take to heal them. Separated from his wife and son for 12 years, a rancher receives a lawyer’s letter informing him that his wife has unexpectedly died in Chicago. With no other options, his city-raised, 14-year-old son is being sent to live with him. The father and son haven’t seen each other in more than a decade and all the boy knows is that his dead Mom hated everything about the ranch and the people who live there.


About the Author

 photo GeneF_5X7_08042016_1_zps8yzjvi5o.jpg
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.


Contact Links



Purchase Links



RABT Book Tours & PR

Tuesday, January 22, 2019

Blog Tour: He Made Me Brave by @Pam__Ogden #interview #booktour #nonfiction @RABTBookTours


 photo He_Made_Me_Brave_Mockup 3D_zpsp1fffk1k.png
Non-Fiction - Parenting, Christian Living, Inspirational
Date Published: June 14, 2018
Publisher: Lucid Books

 photo add-to-goodreads-button_zpsc7b3c634.png


This is not a fairy tale--but it does have suspense, humor, a quest, and a happy ending. When Jason and Pam Ogden decided to adopt a baby, they had no idea that their adoption process would stretch over a period of two years, and that their baby would be a toddler by the time they were able to bring him home. Taken straight from Pam's personal travel journal, He Made Me Brave chronicles the long-awaited emotional trip she and her husband took to South Korea to meet their new son. Through these powerful journal entries, you will:

·         Experience Pam's fear, grief, anticipation, and joy as you read her private, honest thoughts.

·         Discover the challenges faced by these adoptive parents as they started the bonding process.

·         Be encouraged by God's sovereignty and power over anxiety.



He Made Me Brave is the touching memoir of a mother defying fear to be united with the little boy she had been dreaming of for two years, and an account of hope fulfilled.




Interview


Is There a Message in Your Novel That You Want Readers to Grasp?

I hope that while my readers are enjoying a virtual trip across the world with me, they are also getting a realistic picture of the challenges that adoptive families and toddlers face. When we were adopting, there weren’t many detailed personal accounts of what those first few days with our little boy would be like. Underlying that, I hope our story will highlight the problems that delaying placement until a child is a toddler create. The world of international adoption is changing and those changes are making things more difficult for both adoptive parents and the children involved. 

Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?

The most challenging part of writing for me right now is just finding the time. I’m a full-time mommy to five children, and managing all of their schedules doesn’t leave me much free time. I’m always narrating my own story in my head though, and I jot down thoughts, descriptions, and beautiful phrases in a journal app on my phone; so in a sense, I’m always writing. 


How many books have you written, and which is your favorite?

“He Made Me Brave” is my first book. I have always wanted to write, but adopting my son finally gave me something to write about. I am thrilled the book has had such a positive response. 


If you had the chance to cast your main character from Hollywood today, who would you pick and why?

My main character is myself! If I was able to choose a celebrity, I would choose Nicole Kidman because she has a calm presence, but I have read that her true personality tends to be introverted and shy. Also, she’s gorgeous.

When did you begin writing?

I have loved to write stories since I was little. In high school I also learned to love crafting a well-organized essay, and I have journaled for most of my life.

How long did it take to complete your first book?

Technically, it took me about five years because I wrote the journal entries that compose most of it during our trip to Korea to pick up our son. But once I decided to turn the entries into a book, it only took me about a month to put it all together.

Did you have an author who inspired you to become a writer?

I love Joan Aiken and Annie Dillard. Joan Aiken’s characters feel like good friends, and Annie Dillard shows us her world in details that give it all meaning, like a grand mystery. 


What is your favorite part of the writing process?

I love really looking at something and challenging myself to describe it in a way that makes someone else experience it the same way I do. I love seeing all the little pieces come together and creating something meaningful.

Describe your latest book in 4 words.

Journey, fear, grief, joy

Can you share a little bit about your current work or what is in the future for your writing?

We are in the process of adopting again, and my hope is to be matched with a baby and then write about that process, too. It is getting harder and harder for families to offer homes to the children who need them. I would love to offer support for adoption however I can.




About the Author

 photo Pams Headshot_zps6bgtinnb.jpg
Homeschool mom and pastor's wife Pam Ogden had dreamed of being a mom since she was a little girl. She and her husband wanted six children, but their plans were waylaid when high-risk pregnancies and premature births threatened their first four babies. In 2012, they adopted their son, and in 2017, they started the process to adopt one more child. Pam graduated with honors from George Fox University, receiving a Bachelor's degree in Writing and Literature, and a Master's degree in Counseling. Pam loves her small town life in Sweet Home, Oregon, with her husband, Jason, and their five children, Kelly, Luka, Ivan, Ember, and Hudson. Pam and Jason hope to add one more child soon.


Contact Links



Purchase Links

RABT Book Tours & PR

Friday, January 18, 2019

Blog Tour: Flygirl by R.D. Kardon @rdkardonauthor #interview #womensfiction #giveaway @RABTBookTours


 photo Flygirl - eBook_zpsdugkra16.jpg
Upmarket Commercial/Women’s Fiction
Date Published: January 3, 2019
Publisher: Acorn Publishing LLC

 photo add-to-goodreads-button_zpsc7b3c634.png

Let pilot Tris Miles lift you up, and fly you to new heights with her inspiring story of love, ambition and the meaning of success.

R. D. Kardon's debut novel puts you in the cockpit with Tris Miles as she navigates the challenges of integrating an all-male corporate flight department in 1997. Tris encounters harassment, marginalization, and backstabbing on her journey to becoming a jet captain. 

____________________________

It’s 1997. Women stand beside men in combat and fly fighter jets. Pilot Tris Miles is not content with her job as a First Officer for tiny Clear Sky Airlines. She wants to be a Captain—the only way she knows to prove her worth as a pilot and atone for a deadly mistake.

To further her career, Tris accepts a prestigious job with Tetrix, Inc. But her dream of becoming pilot-in-command twists into a nightmare.

As the company’s first woman pilot, she encounters resistance, marginalization, and harassment on a daily basis. Fortunately, Tris has one thing her co-workers can’t deny—skill.

When Tris finds herself in a crippled airplane thousands of miles from home she must prove she can lead. With her career on the line, can Tris earn the respect she’s been craving? And if this is the end, can she find the strength to forgive herself?



Interview

Is There a Message in Your Novel That You Want Readers to Grasp?

Flygirl was written to honor every person--male or female-- who has ever felt marginalized, excluded or harassed at work. It tells the timely story of an ambitious female pilot, Tris Miles, who thinks she’s hit the jackpot with her new job, only to run into a brick wall.


Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?

 Writing a novel presents many challenges. For me, the biggest one is making sure that I reach my readers, that I engage them in the plot and also make my characters relatable.

How many books have you written and which is your favorite?

Flygirl  is my debut novel so, by default, my favorite. My second novel is at the revision stage right now, but is too ‘raw’ to rise to the top of the list...yet.


If You had the chance to cast your main character from Hollywood today, who would you pick and why?

Jennifer Lawrence. Tris and Katniss are sisters from another mister.


When did you begin writing?

I started writing when I was a child, in grammar/primary school. I wrote a short piece about my favorite season that was read to the entire school over the loudspeaker by our principal.


How long did it take to complete your first book?

Either 25 years or four years, depending on how you look at it. I first started drafting what is now Flygirl in the mid-90’s. Like my protagonist, Tris Miles, I’d just taken a corporate flying job and started seeing and hearing some, uh, odd things at work, as did some of my friends in similar situations. I wrote 83 pages in WordPerfect, printed them out, and carried them around in a manila folder with the word ‘Book’ written on the tab.

Fast forward to 2015, when I started to take novel writing craft courses. Without that knowledge, those learned skills, I would never have finished the book. From my first class to my publication day of January 3, 2019 was almost exactly four years.


Did you have an author who inspired you to become a writer?

No one inspired me to write. I just started writing at a young age.

What is your favorite part of the writing process?

Finishing the first draft. 

Describe your latest book in 4 words.

 Page-turning, relatable, action, healing.

Can you share a little bit about your current work or what is in the future for your writing?



I’m thrilled to share that my second book is currently in the revision/editing process. In it, we dive deep into Tris Miles’ background and inner world. And all the while, she doesn’t know her life is literally in jeopardy.

About the Author

 photo AuthorPhotoCorrect_zps72mwlmme.jpg
Robin "R.D." Kardon was a litigation attorney before beginning a twelve-year flying career as a corporate and airline pilot. She holds an Airline Transport Pilot certificate and three Captain qualifications. Her travels took her all over the world in every type of airplane from small single-engine Cessnas to the Boeing 737. Robin earned her B.A. in Journalism and Sociology from NYU and J.D. from American University, Washington College of Law. A native New Yorker, Robin now lives in San Diego, California with her beloved rescue pets. , a work of fiction inspired by her own aviation experience, is her first novel.


Contact Links



Purchase Links




RABT Book Tours & PR

Wednesday, January 16, 2019

Blog Tour: Killer Lawyer by Mark Nolan @marknolan #giveaway #thriller @RABTBookTours


 photo KillerLawyer_eBook_1600x2560 copy_zps1mqmkdn9.jpg
Thriller
Date Published: 12/10/2018

 photo add-to-goodreads-button_zpsc7b3c634.png

No rest for the wicked.

Trained as an assassin by the CIA, Jake Wolfe now wants a new life of peace and quiet, living on a boat and practicing law. But when his city is shocked by a serial killer and he’s framed for the murder of a friend, Jake must race against time to find the killer before he strikes again.

Drawn into a deadly game of cat and mouse; at every step, Jake and his loved ones are being hunted by the clever, twisted madman. As the city is gripped in fear of the seemingly random shootings that could strike anybody, Jake investigates and uncovers ominous clues until a shocking reversal of fortune changes everything.

With the clock ticking and lives at stake, will Jake be able to find and stop the killer in time, or will he become the next victim?

Buckle up for a wild ride as Jake Wolfe and his exceptionally intelligent dog, Cody, return to action in this page-turning thriller in Mark Nolan’s bestselling series that has earned thousands of 5-star ratings on Amazon and Goodreads.


About the Author

Mark Nolan is the author of Dead Lawyers Don't Lie, an Amazon top 20 bestsellers, along with Jake Wolfe book two titled Vigilante Assassin and book three titled Killer Lawyer. He tries to make time every day to answer emails from readers. You can reach him and subscribe to his newsletter at marknolan.com.



Contact Links


Purchase Link



RABT Book Tours & PR

Monday, January 14, 2019

Blog Tour: Christmas in Prague by Rick Pryll @rickpryll #interview #giveaway #psychological #romance @RABTBookTours



Psychological Romance
Date Published: November 24, 2018
Publisher: Foolishness Press

 photo add-to-goodreads-button_zpsc7b3c634.png


Christmas in Prague is the story of Joseph, a divorced American twenty-something living as an expat in Prague. He's obsessed with Karina, a Czech waitress-turned-supermodel. She's freshly back from a trip to Italy with her English teacher, and she's ready to give Joseph the attention for which he's been longing. Will his Christmas wish come true?



Interview

Is There a Message in Your Novel That You Want Readers to Grasp?

“Christmas in Prague” is about discovering your own self worth. Thousands of miles from home, in a jewel of romantic old Europe, at the height of the holiday season, Joseph decides to spend Christmas morning alone. Why? Because his obsession with Karina, a tall slender waitress-turned-supermodel, isn’t working for him anymore. She’s ready to see what could be in their future together -- is it already too late, before it even gets started?

 Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?

The most challenging thing about writing is knowing what to work on next. So many good ideas, so little time.

I gravitate to the pieces that seem to be niggling my brain the most. Then I check with my alpha reader, my wife, 2018 ArtPop Charlotte artist, Holly Spruck. If she doesn’t shoot me down (rare, but it happens) I send a draft to small group of trusted beta readers. I thrive on strong, constructive feedback.

How many books have you written and which is your favorite?

“Christmas in Prague” is my fourth book. They are all my favorites, obviously, but I think “The Chimera of Prague” is my Magnum Opus. It has been my greatest achievement so far. It will not be my last. :) 
  
If You had the chance to cast your main character from Hollywood today, who would you pick and why?

 Cameron Monaghan from “Shameless” -- he’s got the right looks but he’d have to lose the accent (us Western New Yorkers don’t have any accent do we? Until we hit that flat vowel sounds in ‘bagel’ or ‘vague’ then maybe) and he’d have to look good in a pair of tortoiseshell glasses.

When did you begin writing?

I wrote a book in the third grade called “My First Hunting Trip.” To be fair, it was a school assignment -- all my classmates wrote a book. The difference is I still have mine.



How long did it take to complete your first book?

My first book, if you are willing to skip over the third grade was a chapbook of poetry 

Did you have an author who inspired you to become a writer?

Richard Bach. First it was Jonathan Livingston Seagull. Then Illusions. I wanted to write a book like that. But later it was the movie, The World According to Garp, based on the book by John Irving. So John Irving too.

What is your favorite part of the writing process?

 The moment when you touch divinity. It happens when there is serendipity, when there is synchronicity. Something comes out of you and you just know it is right. That part doesn’t even have to survive the editing process -- just to have had the experience is enough.

Describe your latest book in 4 words.

 Change. Actualization. Readiness. Future.

Can you share a little bit about your current work or what is in the future for your writing?
Once Part II of “The Chimera of Prague” gets out into the wild, I am thinking I might go back to a poetry project I have been working on since 2005. I have 70 poems collected that would be fun to finish. In addition, I am shopping a Middle Grade book about the strength of weaknesses and the weaknesses of strengths -- a story where a disability unifies a classroom. And who knows, maybe there is more to Joseph’s story someday.





About the Author


Rick Pryll is an award-winning author and poet. His book, "The Chimera of Prague" was selected as the winner of the 2018 New York Book Festival for Romance. A graduate of MIT, Rick wrote a novella as the thesis for his Mechanical Engineering degree. Having grown up in Western New York State, Rick and his wife, ArtPop Charlotte 2018 artist Holly Spruck, live in Charlotte.  They have two children, two cats and a dog.

First published to the web in 1994, his hyperfiction short story “LIES” has garnered praise from the Wall Street Journal, SHIFT magazine, and several other publications in print and online.  It is cited in more than seven books, has been translated into Spanish and Chinese.

From 1996 to 2002 Rick lived in Prague, in the Czech Republic.  While there he published two books including Displaced (Foolishness Press, 1998) and Wallow (Foolishness Press, 1999).  His stories and poems have been featured on the pages of THINK and OPTIMISM.


Contact Links



Purchase Links