tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85658932809083978862024-03-19T06:30:32.093-04:00Hope. Dreams. Life... LoveElaine Cantrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05668294337075373288noreply@blogger.comBlogger5418125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8565893280908397886.post-90083645210813027612024-03-19T06:30:00.001-04:002024-03-19T06:30:00.135-04:00Beyond the Book: Wish I Had It Back<p> <span style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, "Bitstream Charter", serif; font-size: 16px;">What is your ideal work space?</span></p><p style="background: none; border: 0px; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, "Bitstream Charter", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></p><p style="background: none; border: 0px; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, "Bitstream Charter", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">This question is easy to answer. At one time I had the perfect work space, but unfortunately I don’t thave it anymore. I can’t even find a picture of it, but I do remember it well. Let me describe it for you. </p><p style="background: none; border: 0px; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, "Bitstream Charter", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">After my first son moved out I, decided to take his room for an office. The room wasn’t too big. Only 10 x 10 or do, but it had everything I needed. There was a single bed that I could use if I needed a little nap to inspire me, and beside the bed I had a beautifully designed computer desk. I’d had it for a very long time. I remember because I was walking through Montgomery Ward one day and bought it on impulse because of the great design. And of course Montgomery Ward doesn’t exit anymore that I know of. I had a very comfortable desk chair. I got it when my husband worked at a community college. They were getting new furniture and gave the chair to him. The room had plenty of light, but not too much, a bespoke book case, and room for a TV just in case I wanted to watch it. </p><p style="background: none; border: 0px; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, "Bitstream Charter", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">My husband really liked the room after he saw it. “I’ll bring my computer upstairs too,” he said. It made the room a little crowded, but I didn’t mind sharing. Sometimes he’d run downstairs to get treats for us, and if my feet got cold he was there to get me some socks or even put my cold feet in his lap to warm them. </p><p style="background: none; border: 0px; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, "Bitstream Charter", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Time passed. My husband had to work in Charleston, SC so I didn’t have to share the room. After I retired I didn’t spend as much time writing as I expected I would. I just found so many things that I’d love to do. I also noticed that the room looked a little shabby so I decided to redecorate. I took out the bed, tore out the carpet and bought a nice rug for the floor, and I trashed the old computer desk and replaced it with a gorgeous antique desk and a nice chair. The room looked great, much nicer and prettier than it used to be. </p><p style="background: none; border: 0px; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, "Bitstream Charter", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">After a while I realized that I didn’t like it at all. I couldn’t get anything done in that room. My husband said, “If you don’t want it I’ll take it.” That suited me fine I could write in my recliner on my laptop just fine. But now I so much regret that decision. Well, no use to cry over spilled milk. He does a lot of work up there, more than I would I suppose. </p><p style="background: none; border: 0px; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, "Bitstream Charter", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">What did I learn from all this? If it’s perfect don’t fix it, and think twice before you give it away.</p>Elaine Cantrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05668294337075373288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8565893280908397886.post-80870699891168367082024-03-18T04:00:00.002-04:002024-03-18T04:00:00.138-04:00In All Things<<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwZ6zB5EyyT7UMcENQQWDSfShjwUwn8wanDTie1WbUwGznJB49VQ2UeDgNPCvUKcksrjnoqZZMarCSaOkn7i2aC1JXXIn5ugIiOcSHFB0vDwjmDFqymIt5iBGLJTj6XJbURA7Glc0r_huTJ7YEISYdkxEK2LcH3hoQZ1PH5bOnMlhTpdVMulPAlD48A5U/s1200/TourBanner_In%20All%20Things.gif" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="670" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwZ6zB5EyyT7UMcENQQWDSfShjwUwn8wanDTie1WbUwGznJB49VQ2UeDgNPCvUKcksrjnoqZZMarCSaOkn7i2aC1JXXIn5ugIiOcSHFB0vDwjmDFqymIt5iBGLJTj6XJbURA7Glc0r_huTJ7YEISYdkxEK2LcH3hoQZ1PH5bOnMlhTpdVMulPAlD48A5U/s400/TourBanner_In%20All%20Things.gif" width="400" /></a></div><p> </p><br /><br />
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by <a href="http://www.goddessfish.com">Goddess Fish Promotins</a>. The author will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.<br /><br />
<blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdsgGr6earjTofG6SFh40Ys6qgDaAvEN6RuIa9IX2KjyR0NdEpCaChiD81CeVOWJ3u4Wn-om_N2eBZdI3ISDOWNmnIaKneI8PYRHvi6Czrf5VbgkRqv_ccG46jtLeQuYC2kXWQnY_gXi_BvK4sxXcb-ClEyKYsWaBYhJjqXWVLp3YTBpjjk8zQy8jsNTg/s2752/BookCover%20In%20All%20Things%20%20God%27s%20Providence.jpg" style="clear: left; display: block; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="2752" data-original-width="1824" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdsgGr6earjTofG6SFh40Ys6qgDaAvEN6RuIa9IX2KjyR0NdEpCaChiD81CeVOWJ3u4Wn-om_N2eBZdI3ISDOWNmnIaKneI8PYRHvi6Czrf5VbgkRqv_ccG46jtLeQuYC2kXWQnY_gXi_BvK4sxXcb-ClEyKYsWaBYhJjqXWVLp3YTBpjjk8zQy8jsNTg/s320/BookCover%20In%20All%20Things%20%20God%27s%20Providence.jpg" /></a></div>The issue of control is a central question of life. At work, in family, community clubs and schools, with the economy or international politics, the question is, "Is anyone in charge here?" Dr. John Neufeld demonstrates the Bible teaching of God's providence. We are assured that God's Hand is upon everything and everyone, without exception. Dr. John explores God's sustaining grip through the natural world and human endeavor, in pivotal matters or the seemingly trivial, the things we welcome and those we shun. He teaches the impact of God's sovereign rule upon our hearts, minds, work, worship, homes, and nation. We can live in the confidence that God is unfolding His purpose for time and eternity.<br /><br />
What people are saying about Dr. John Neufeld's teaching:<br /><br />
"This is such an important message for us today. Thank you, Dr. John, for your encouragement to view what is presently concerning us in the world from the perspective of God and His providence. That should take a huge weight off our shoulders!"</blockquote><br /><br />
<b>Read an Excerpt</b><br /><br />
The Creator is involved both in the world and in our lives, every moment of every day. How foolish when we only see His hand in miracles, for His hand is all around us all the time. God speaks in creation and directs the properties of every created thing, both living and non-living. He not only causes them to exist and is responsible for their existence, but He also gives purpose to all that is. Yes, it really is true that all things are caused by God, for the purpose of His glory!<br /><br />
<b>About the Author:</b>Dr. John Neufeld, Bible teacher of Back to the Bible Canada, is well known both nationally and internationally for his excellence in expositional Bible teaching. Dr. Neufeld is passionate about bringing the truth of God's Word to life across Canada and beyond.<br /><br />
YouTube: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@BacktotheBibleCanada">https://www.youtube.com/@BacktotheBibleCanada</a><br />
Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/BTTBCanada">https://www.facebook.com/BTTBCanada</a><br />
Twitter: <a href="http://www.twitter.com/BTTBC">http://www.twitter.com/BTTBC</a><br />
Instagram: <a href="http://www.instagram.com/backtothebible.ca">http://www.instagram.com/backtothebible.ca</a><br />
Website: <a href="http://www.backtothebible.ca">http://www.backtothebible.ca</a><br /><br />
Amazon: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/All-Things-Gods-Providence-ebook/dp/B0CP8J2Y77/ref=sr_1_1">https://www.amazon.com/All-Things-Gods-Providence-ebook/dp/B0CP8J2Y77/ref=sr_1_1</a><br /><br />
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>Elaine Cantrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05668294337075373288noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8565893280908397886.post-6744303791786103232024-03-14T04:00:00.001-04:002024-03-14T04:00:00.243-04:00Kissing Kin<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEier_Yr9nTvzuQvGbI8FQWyGjIXel8VFSOhxKPH148DFSnPXT8px38Zt-wvlT2uRlT1CtKgFkM16dYc79p9seLg80QujrCy4D7sIuyp6GMi1BmBuhbA6laUQhbPbq776pgI1pgXlGtFjuWCFu0JduQsb_l4b_tPUE5BofHUa6TX83Sq2ZK8GZgK0xH694VX/s2243/KissingKin.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2243" data-original-width="1400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEier_Yr9nTvzuQvGbI8FQWyGjIXel8VFSOhxKPH148DFSnPXT8px38Zt-wvlT2uRlT1CtKgFkM16dYc79p9seLg80QujrCy4D7sIuyp6GMi1BmBuhbA6laUQhbPbq776pgI1pgXlGtFjuWCFu0JduQsb_l4b_tPUE5BofHUa6TX83Sq2ZK8GZgK0xH694VX/s320/KissingKin.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 18pt;">KISSING KIN<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">by Karen Hulene Bartell<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">~~~~~~~~~~~~~<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif">GENRE</span></b><span face="Arial, sans-serif">: Paranormal Romance<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">~~~~~~~~~~~~~<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif">BLURB:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Maeve Jackson is starting over after a broken engagement—and mustering out of the Army. No job and no prospects, she spins out on black ice and totals her car.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">When struggling vintner Luke Kaylor stops to help, they discover they’re distantly related. On a shoestring budget to convert his vineyard into a winery, he makes her a deal: prune grapevines in exchange for room and board.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">But forgotten diaries and a haunted cabin kickstart a five-generational mystery with ancestors that have bones to pick. As carnal urges propel them into each other’s arms, they wonder: Is their attraction physical…or metaphysical?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><a name="_GoBack"></a><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">~~~~~~~~~~~~~<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif">EXCERPT</span></b><b style="font-size: 11pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></b><b style="font-size: 11pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">:</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Our shoulders rubbed each time we moved. The downy hairs on the back of my neck tickling from the electricity passing between us, I shivered as the currents barreled down my spine.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">“Cold?” Eyes wide, he caught my gaze.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">I opened my mouth to speak but, forgetting what I meant to say, lost myself in his inviting brown eyes and could only nod.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">He reached his arm around my shoulders and pulled me close, sharing his body warmth.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">With the faint scents of leather and saddle soap wafting from his jacket, his nearness was intoxicating, and I was tempted to lean into a kiss. Yet huddled together on the bone-chilling ledge, I gazed instead at the rugged wilderness surrounding us, content to savor the sweet ache of longing. If more is meant to be, it’ll happen.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Then thoughts of Cody froze me like a blue norther. Why did he come to mind?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">****<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">So close, Luke felt the rise and fall of her chest each time she breathed. Her hair tickled his ear, raising goosebumps--and possibilities. If she turns toward me or gives any sign…But her sigh signaled something else. He side-glanced to read her mood, but she stared at the scenery, apparently oblivious of his rising libido.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">“Want…” His voice cracked. Clearing his throat, he tried again. “Want some water?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">“Sure.” She turned her head quickly, her hair brushing his cheek with a citrus scent.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><b>A Word With the Author</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 15.693334px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><b>Do you have any tattoos? Where? When did you get it/them? Where are they on your body?<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 15.693334px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 15.693334px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">None—I <i>hate</i> needles of any sort--and am one big needle-chicken!<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 15.693334px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 15.693334px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><b>Is your life anything like it was two years ago?<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 15.693334px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 15.693334px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">Nothing--Two years ago we were living in central Texas--the Hill Country--and I was trying to pitch my latest novel, Kissing Kin. Nothing, and I do mean nothing happened for two years prior to and two years after… <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 15.693334px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">…until last June, when not one, but four contracts came our way. A Wild Rose Press contract for Kissing Kin came days before we received a contract to purchase our house, which we’d been showing/waiting to sell for nine months. (That’s a LOT of dusting and mopping for all the “lookie-loos,” who strolled through without making offers.)<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 15.693334px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">Two weeks later, I received a second Wild Rose Press contract for <b>Fox Tale</b>, followed days after that with the fourth contract on a house we wanted to buy on <b>Foxtail Lane</b>. Tell me <i>that</i> wasn’t a coincidence…synchronicity…<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 15.693334px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 15.693334px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><b>How long have you been writing?<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 15.693334px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 15.693334px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">An only child, I began writing my first novel at the age of nine, learning the joy of creating my own happy endings…However, I got four pages into my first “book” and realized I had to do <i>a lot of living</i> before I could finish it! <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 15.693334px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">IMHO, reading is the entry to writing. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 15.693334px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">Born to rolling-stone parents who moved annually--sometimes monthly--I found my earliest playmates as fictional friends in books. Paperbacks became my portable pals. Ghost stories kept me up at night--reading feverishly. Novels offered an imaginative escape, and the paranormal was my passion.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 15.693334px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">So here I am <i>all these decades later</i>, still creating my own happy endings…<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 15.693334px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 15.693334px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><b>What advice would you give a new writer just starting out?<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 15.693334px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 15.693334px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">R E A D! Read everything that interests you. Read when you’re bored. Read when you can’t sleep. Read at the beach…in front of the fire…in bed…waiting for doctor appointments…<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 15.693334px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">Then start writing about what interests you. Before you know it, you’ll have found a genre--even, dare I say it?--a style! Keep a notebook. Jot down ideas as they come to you!<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 15.693334px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">I broke into writing with cookbooks--but Google now takes their place for recipes. However, I still recommend writing non-fiction first, be it via cookbooks, textbooks, or technical writing of any sort.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 15.693334px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">Finally, start drafting a story that “grabs you.” You’ll find the story--and sometimes the characters--seize the pen and write themselves!<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 15.693334px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 15.693334px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><b>Tell us something about your newest release that is NOT in the blurb</b>.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 15.693334px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 15.693334px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">Twenty years ago, my husband and I spent Christmas week hiking and horseback riding in Big Bend National Park--the southernmost tip of Texas that borders the Rio Grande and dips into Mexico. Driving home early New Year’s morning, we missed the turnoff in Alpine and followed TX-118 north. Snow-covered and glinting against the frosty blue January sky, the remote jumble of mountain peaks and ranges beckoned as they rose above the desert floor. I was enchanted. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 15.693334px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">Gazing at the sky island for the first time, wide-eyed, I wondered whether those rocky pinnacles were mirages or optical delusions, but a hasty glance at the map told us these were the Davis Mountains. Vertical basalt columns rose like giant fingers reaching for the sky. The palisades, buttes, and bluffs towered above both sides of the <i>only route</i> through those mountains--Wild Rose Pass. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 15.693334px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">That missed turn bloomed into Wild Rose Pass, Book I of the Trans-Pecos Series, then Kissing Kin, Book II of the Trans-Pecos Series. The area’s mystique and raw beauty set the tone for this paranormal romance.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 15.693334px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693334px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></b></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">~~~~~~~~~~~~~<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBih-HwpFNeLOSthZzB7Lm71lPiX2tpskzgPNMqncuRDVWfy4YOT3u4hqh2scMlr3Gzy-9V9goW7lbBH8lW_gW2mHvoQfXFzF30Rtyeohon3Ka-nPKOJ0lyy9mQeLD2esj_WI9P7w0rUy2L2VQSgSSRtcaG5oKpijQMcrY2N_v54FGiY0epbwTbn8k5Qe4/s941/author%20image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="941" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBih-HwpFNeLOSthZzB7Lm71lPiX2tpskzgPNMqncuRDVWfy4YOT3u4hqh2scMlr3Gzy-9V9goW7lbBH8lW_gW2mHvoQfXFzF30Rtyeohon3Ka-nPKOJ0lyy9mQeLD2esj_WI9P7w0rUy2L2VQSgSSRtcaG5oKpijQMcrY2N_v54FGiY0epbwTbn8k5Qe4/s320/author%20image.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><br /> </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif">AUTHOR Bio and Links:</span></b><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Author of the Trans-Pecos and Sacred Emblem series, Karen is a best-selling author, keynote speaker, wife, and all-around pilgrim of life, who writes multicultural, offbeat love stories. Born to rolling-stone parents who moved often, Bartell found her earliest playmates as fictional friends in books. Paperbacks became her portable pals. Ghost stories kept her up at night—reading feverishly. The paranormal was her passion. Novels offered an imaginative escape. An only child, she began writing her first novel at the age of nine, learning the joy of creating her own happy endings. Professor emeritus of the University of Texas at Austin, Karen resides in the Texas Piney Woods with her husband Peter and her “mews”—three rescued cats and a rescued *Cat*ahoula Leopard dog.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Connect with Karen: <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KarenHuleneBartell<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">MeWe: https://mewe.com/i/karenbartell <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Twitter: https://twitter.com/HuleneKaren <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/karenhulenebartell/ <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/611950.Karen_Hulene_Bartell <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Website: http://www.KarenHuleneBartell.com/ <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Email: info@KarenHuleneBartell.com <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/karenhulenebartell <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karenhulenebartell/ <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/karen-hulene-bartell <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenhulenebartell/ <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/Kissing-Trans-Pecos-Karen-Hulene-Bartell-ebook/dp/B0CRJ6P13V/ref=sr_1_1<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">~~~~~~~~~~~~~<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif">GIVEAWAY INFORMATION </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">A randomly drawn winner will receive a $25 Amazon/BN gift card.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p>
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<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script><div><br /></div><br /><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Ka0-bsrJvcLUtQqvOfX_WYtbBlAHLOvzkcxAtZuNOHlIN73nCwvHonnlUganweLucjZgUAreWt-qhq43bIYipe05BF_TiWLQ_jGKz0ZgLJ-GTfbfDKwewA5ifBFC84lSKaPs7-RdIOi0zKBkBw4adWex3lkyI3-3CmmaYWckVU_D5czIAzBPqXuImkih/s1200/TourBanner_Kissing%20Kin_FSNBTM.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="670" data-original-width="1200" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Ka0-bsrJvcLUtQqvOfX_WYtbBlAHLOvzkcxAtZuNOHlIN73nCwvHonnlUganweLucjZgUAreWt-qhq43bIYipe05BF_TiWLQ_jGKz0ZgLJ-GTfbfDKwewA5ifBFC84lSKaPs7-RdIOi0zKBkBw4adWex3lkyI3-3CmmaYWckVU_D5czIAzBPqXuImkih/s320/TourBanner_Kissing%20Kin_FSNBTM.gif" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Elaine Cantrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05668294337075373288noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8565893280908397886.post-53599648992842611162024-03-13T12:52:00.001-04:002024-03-13T12:52:38.602-04:00Toothbrush Animal Hunt<p class="separator" div="" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2024/02/book-blast-toothbrush-animal-hunt-by.html" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="670" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEmFaeSyu0P71tmDxu0eCBKzeqx1gCDDuxXhHqAGHNUIFciy01X1cEDPGhl_CbQvHw40GZYHY8s8nvv4JHWtSxfuaJPRYE9rdCJ4Ht_EErZJ8TDlviXsx5m3Y8sqKJ4Z_4VBz5U3CCiFDDquC_KHrbLFORokOKP00xj7W9BINwbT2-IkmgneaqBoFS0MI/s400/TourBanner_Toothbrush%20Animal%20Hunt.gif" width="400" /></a></p><br /><br />
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by <a href="http://www.goddessfish.com">Goddess Fish Promotions</a>. Carleen Dehaney will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.<br /><br />
<blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs0Y551uNW4nvPEgR-yVUTGKKIHFiYUYLxGXe5eNIklAc7qHgbJJqQoB4g4uHjWVyt1-T0D1ongcfcKUktbXeVFa5RlVgEanVuNggsMHEtNF9gB7ODYrumHjbL-Ux8HBi-TK1vTNnhWE2z96JqDRQs6fGqC8Cqio3I3VJYd6E5pO9dwqAQUa5fTmdxEK4/s2700/BookCover_Toothbrush%20Animal%20Hunt.jpg" style="clear: left; display: block; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="2700" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs0Y551uNW4nvPEgR-yVUTGKKIHFiYUYLxGXe5eNIklAc7qHgbJJqQoB4g4uHjWVyt1-T0D1ongcfcKUktbXeVFa5RlVgEanVuNggsMHEtNF9gB7ODYrumHjbL-Ux8HBi-TK1vTNnhWE2z96JqDRQs6fGqC8Cqio3I3VJYd6E5pO9dwqAQUa5fTmdxEK4/s320/BookCover_Toothbrush%20Animal%20Hunt.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Embark on a delightful adventure with Toothbrush Animal Hunt, the perfect children's book to encourage daily toothbrushing habits in a playful and enjoyable way.<br /><br />
From a clapping sea lion at the beach to a cheeky squirrel in the forest, children will be fascinated as they learn about toothbrushing through the actions and antics of these charming creatures. And don't forget to spot the toothbrushes hidden throughout the pages, making this hunt, a delightful game of discovery.<br /><br />
Say goodbye to toothbrushing struggles and let the adventure begin!</blockquote><br />
<b>Enjoy an Excerpt</b><br /><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpCLBJ43DMFLDIuj-nJ75gIGjng2Y2Qiy1QQr5r_UAhn1Fmb-rcouzWGya1ytJrlzcH8ZCtmz60s7Pl5Z7ftdv0kFR_HpKouKNga-DVr7mQ8obq4KeOgTxm8tM6UZ6Y84ClANzcfIwuakRMlX3FbAFW0P9nuFwN2sv5wRs_5j8nUb0UsS9P5nsNwFC2iY/s1000/Excerpt_1_ToothbrushAnimalHunt.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="985" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpCLBJ43DMFLDIuj-nJ75gIGjng2Y2Qiy1QQr5r_UAhn1Fmb-rcouzWGya1ytJrlzcH8ZCtmz60s7Pl5Z7ftdv0kFR_HpKouKNga-DVr7mQ8obq4KeOgTxm8tM6UZ6Y84ClANzcfIwuakRMlX3FbAFW0P9nuFwN2sv5wRs_5j8nUb0UsS9P5nsNwFC2iY/s320/Excerpt_1_ToothbrushAnimalHunt.jpg" /></a></div><br /><br />
<b>About the Author:</b> Meet the author, Carleen Dehaney! Carleen is a mother and wife. She hails from the UK but now calls Canada home. This enchanting book draws inspiration from a tenacious 2-year-old in need of some toothbrushing magic. Carleen embarked on a whimsical journey, incorporating playful animal sounds into her daughter's brushing routine, and thus, the idea for this captivating book was conceived. Today, her little one, who has since outgrown her toddler years, recites this tale back to Carleen, forging cherished moments between them.<br /><br />
Amazon: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Toothbrush-Animal-Hunt-Carleen-Dehaney/dp/0228877024/ref=sr_1_1">https://www.amazon.com/Toothbrush-Animal-Hunt-Carleen-Dehaney/dp/0228877024/ref=sr_1_1</a><br /><br />
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>Elaine Cantrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05668294337075373288noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8565893280908397886.post-24324583309535478742024-03-12T07:00:00.001-04:002024-03-12T07:00:00.132-04:00Beyond the Book: She Never Saw That Coming<p> <span style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, "Bitstream Charter", serif; font-size: 16px;">Recently I started reviewing a completed novel that’s been sitting on my computer for some time. I still have work to do on my heroine Anna. Anna is strong-willed, hot tempered, and has been known to hold a grudge if she considers herself to have been wronged in some way. This excerpt is the day after she and her husband Jack got married.</span></p><p style="background: none; border: 0px; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, "Bitstream Charter", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></p><p style="background: none; border: 0px; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, "Bitstream Charter", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Tears welled up in her eyes. “I don’t want to be angry and spoil our honeymoon. It would be sheer bliss to have that nap with you and love you until we’ve both had enough, but how can I? I told you I didn’t want to be a military wife, but you disregarded my feelings and reenlisted without even telling me. If you loved me as much as I love you, I don’t think you could have done that. I’d rather flip burgers forever than leave you, but obviously you don’t feel the same way. You wanted a military career, and the tight economy just gave you a reason to follow your dream. The joke’s on me, though. How could I not have known that the army has you heart, not me?” </p><p style="background: none; border: 0px; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, "Bitstream Charter", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">She shivered and rubbed her arms with her hands. </p><p style="background: none; border: 0px; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, "Bitstream Charter", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“Anna,…”</p><p style="background: none; border: 0px; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, "Bitstream Charter", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“I assumed we had a solid relationship that could withstand anything the world might throw at us, but I see now that I don’t know you at all. Don’t you realize that our marriage started with a lie? Reenlisting behind my back and not telling me is the same thing as a lie. The man I thought you were would never have betrayed me this way. So, no, I don’t want to have a nap with you. Leave me alone; I’m busy.”</p><p style="background: none; border: 0px; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, "Bitstream Charter", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Jack felt as if someone had sucker punched him. Nick had warned him, but he didn’t listen. Where did they go from here? He sat down in front of the TV and started flipping through the channels. </p><p style="background: none; border: 0px; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, "Bitstream Charter", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></p><p style="background: none; border: 0px; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, "Bitstream Charter", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Okay help me out here. Is Anna wrong in her thinking?</p>Elaine Cantrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05668294337075373288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8565893280908397886.post-44098019292461044582024-03-11T04:00:00.001-04:002024-03-11T14:59:06.698-04:00Picasso's Lovers<<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2024/02/book-blast-picassos-lovers-by-jeanne.html" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="670" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2vrhednamOVZcQy9rkThVajUkZWAo1SDQGYYGu-1J7iRs-f-nvfE6kyJTU7HT_bZmJMm2B8pkRDqHiJsWMucF3xpMuXhdDc4PEtxTVE3xakY4mhNFqrfsEfGBrqtNU0wclSpxLlR9MZNoO2yLKmCnn_kn9aW98K0xh49Z2rsuA-pozhwCXAGA3aOCiGs/s400/TourBanner_Picassos%20lovers.gif" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br />
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by <a href="http://www.goddessfish.com">Goddess Fish Promotions</a>. Jeanne Mackin will award a randomly drawn winner a $25 Amazon/BN GC. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.<br /><br />
<blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi71t_6GzOSX8BhEndfPdV5TjWP2lr9x-NmzRUeAPGE6WbPsuzUYU7vJ9DGdRnaPyoGuR37GF9ZRzCQVLwa9RUd2eTpyVNPlqKgwNnOCkft1z660A1Vb_nI2CVq-QQIbiXU1Qr__EczUlSCxENzFnpGhH9wJRYPTw5D0ql7ZGkqwM2_K_eeNp7jPC4DW8/s2397/BookCover_picasso%20cover.jpg" style="clear: left; display: block; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="2397" data-original-width="1546" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi71t_6GzOSX8BhEndfPdV5TjWP2lr9x-NmzRUeAPGE6WbPsuzUYU7vJ9DGdRnaPyoGuR37GF9ZRzCQVLwa9RUd2eTpyVNPlqKgwNnOCkft1z660A1Vb_nI2CVq-QQIbiXU1Qr__EczUlSCxENzFnpGhH9wJRYPTw5D0ql7ZGkqwM2_K_eeNp7jPC4DW8/w129-h200/BookCover_picasso%20cover.jpg" width="129" /></a></div><br><br><br><br><br>You know Pablo Picasso. Now meet the women behind the masterpieces. The women of Picasso's life are glamorous and elusive, existing in the shadow of his fame - until, in the 1950's, aspiring journalist Alana Olsen determines to bring one into the light and discovers a past complicated by secrets and intrique.</blockquote><br /><br /><br><br>
<b>Read an Excerpt</b> <br /><br />
Gazes from Pablo Picasso are like brushstrokes. Some are long, lingering, full of texture and pigment. Some are short, shallow, even accidental. His gaze on me now falls somewhere between the two. <br><br>
Once, his gaze would have found enough for an entire painting. He would have seen flesh, and the bone and muscle under the flesh, the question or certainty of the eyes. He would have seen past, present, and future and painted them in a way that made time irrelevant. <br><br>
Yes, that was how he pained me. Everything and at once, all the angles and geometry of the body, and he made of me something eternal and always beautiful. That is what an artists can do for a woman. When most men looked at me, all I saw in their faces was desire, the urge to possess. When Pablo looked at me, his face filled with wonder waiting to be translated to lines and brushstrokes. <br><br>
Spring. The second year of the Great War. I wasn’t twenty yet, and had returned from cold, starving Moscow, where a loaf of bread coast as much as a silk dress…Back to Paris for me! <br><br>
When Pablo first saw me, I was sitting on the rim of the Wallace Fountain in Place Emile, face turned up to the sun like a basking cat, enjoying the fine day and wondering what adventure I might find…It was early summer. I had stolen a bunch of cherries at Les Halles and a roll, but my stomach rattled. <br><br>
<b>About the Author:</b> <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnbzKZ6rjT7-Xb7KxEpsd6b527QQ8nmGZTf5M8RcQpZ0DcMytHCQRq4OgomC09_LmCfnHzBFea6-J-Wp0bIVovEmaQiLWI10Ux2J3utCDOi4-rZZVlDZ7z9HbZDnEh2m9VmexRisDSJP0A4wmLCTd_ChgAeOLtDhyC9FF1S1RvD6w1Q2Lk8BHV1jKebfg/s2219/author%20image.jpg" style="clear: left; display: block; float: left; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="2219" data-original-width="1791" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnbzKZ6rjT7-Xb7KxEpsd6b527QQ8nmGZTf5M8RcQpZ0DcMytHCQRq4OgomC09_LmCfnHzBFea6-J-Wp0bIVovEmaQiLWI10Ux2J3utCDOi4-rZZVlDZ7z9HbZDnEh2m9VmexRisDSJP0A4wmLCTd_ChgAeOLtDhyC9FF1S1RvD6w1Q2Lk8BHV1jKebfg/s320/author%20image.jpg" /></a></div>Jeanne Mackin is the author of several historical novels, including The Last Collection, which has been translated into five languages, and The Beautiful American, which won a CNY award for fiction. She has taught in the MFA Creative Writing program at Goddard College and won journalism awards, and is currently at work on her next novel.<br /><br />
Website: <a href="http://www.jeannemackin.com">http://www.jeannemackin.com</a><br />
Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/JeanneMackinAuthor">https://www.facebook.com/JeanneMackinAuthor</a><br />
Twitter: <a href="http://www.twitter.com/JeanneMackin1">http://www.twitter.com/JeanneMackin1</a><br />
Instagram: <a href="http://www.instagram.com/JeanneMackinAuthor">http://www.instagram.com/JeanneMackinAuthor</a><br /><br />
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Picassos-Lovers-Jeanne-Mackin-ebook/dp/B0C3C2J4FH/ref=sr_1_1<br /><br />
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>Elaine Cantrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05668294337075373288noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8565893280908397886.post-15795165106231256632024-03-05T06:00:00.001-05:002024-03-05T06:00:00.375-05:00Did You Celebrate Leap Year?<p> </p><h2 class="entry-title" style="background: none; border: 0px; clear: both; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, "Nimbus Sans L", sans-serif; font-size: 21px; line-height: 1.3em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://fourfoxesonehound.wordpress.com/2024/02/28/four-more-years/" rel="bookmark" style="background: none; border: 0px; color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Four More Years</a></h2><div class="entry-meta" style="background: none; border: 0px; color: #777777; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, "Nimbus Sans L", sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></div><div class="entry-content" style="background: none; border: 0px; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); clear: both; color: #333333; counter-reset: footnotes 0; font-family: Georgia, "Bitstream Charter", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 12px 0px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><p style="background: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I thought it would be nice to do something special on the 29th. Unfortunately, nothing went as planned. So, what happened?</p><p style="background: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">About four weeks age my son agreed to babysit our dog while we went out with my husband’s brothers and sister.We had a really nice time talking and eating enchiladas made from a an authentic Mexican recipe. It’s sort of a family tradition to get together to make them sometime during the year.</p><p style="background: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">By the time we got to my son’s house there was no moon and no artificial light anywhere. Because of my vertigo I opened the door and promptly fell onto a concrete culvert. I didn’t think I hurt myself so my husband pulled me up, got the dog, and home we went.As I took off my coat, I felt something wet on my foot. I pulled my jeans up found streams of blood running down my leg. Great way to end the night, right? After a week and a half I went to the doctor for an xray. My foot looked like a pumped up egg plant it was so swollen and purple. It was not broken so I just had to wait for it to get well. I still have some swelling, though.</p><p style="background: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">It hurt bad when I walked on it so my original plan, which had been to tour the Biltmore house in Ashville and have a nice dinner, just didn’t sound as much fun as it did before. Back to the drawing board.</p><p style="background: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I came up with a super idea. The historic little city of Pendleton isn’t far from me, and they have a place that is recommended in all the local magazines. The building used to be an old country store, and it looks like it, but the food is to die for. We’d go there for lunch and then go to Clemson university dairy/ice cream for ice cream. It’s really good too. </p><p style="background: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Well, my husband’s arthritis flared up on Sunday, and he was in the doctor’s office yesterday for shots in his back. It hurts me to see him try to walk. Needless to say we won’t be going to Pendleton tomorrow. So, what are we going to do? I think I’ll clean the bathrooms and make pepper steak for him. A nice nap sounds good too. If you have plans to celebrate I hope you keep them. After all, it’ll four more years until we celebrate leap year.</p></div>Elaine Cantrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05668294337075373288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8565893280908397886.post-19236372329426155662024-03-01T13:58:00.000-05:002024-03-01T13:58:42.568-05:00A Twist of Hate<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1RzT4AnKX-v22kdLTPu-3knHyz3h-tclfaptJptRLMhjw3v75bbplRouFZuqoqLFS5BSYvuQFysCkOfgM1sw8-KO3CAiQxS98eQFd8D31Szh9M92PRV1p-GSEKumDbEqgIk2d7lOu0nd0ccHlaHhOgnzkuYCKpfSi8KV0xuI5O4yTCZEcqdi3obU0-945/s2700/BookCover_ATwistOfHateEbookCoverUse.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="1800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1RzT4AnKX-v22kdLTPu-3knHyz3h-tclfaptJptRLMhjw3v75bbplRouFZuqoqLFS5BSYvuQFysCkOfgM1sw8-KO3CAiQxS98eQFd8D31Szh9M92PRV1p-GSEKumDbEqgIk2d7lOu0nd0ccHlaHhOgnzkuYCKpfSi8KV0xuI5O4yTCZEcqdi3obU0-945/s320/BookCover_ATwistOfHateEbookCoverUse.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 18pt;">A TWIST OF HATE<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">T.E. Lorenzo<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">~~~~~~~~~~~~~<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif">GENRE</span></b><span face="Arial, sans-serif">: Romance<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">~~~~~~~~~~~~~<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif">BLURB:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">They love to hate each other...<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Natalia is content with hating her co-worker, Adrian. The two can hardly stand being in the same room, despite having worked together for several months. When Natalia agrees to a trip out of town with a friend, little does she know that Adrian will be there, too. This is the time to crank up the hate, right?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">The trip is not what Natalia thought it would be. Forced to spend time with her enemy, she finds there is more to Adrian than meets the eye. Will Natalia push aside her hatred and see the true Adrian?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">With a twist of hate, just maybe...<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><a name="_GoBack"></a><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">~~~~~~~~~~~~~<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif">EXCERPT</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">All Natalia could think about was another opportunity to get Adrian to speak to her before they wandered around the desert together. She thought the odds might be in her favor, considering she had overheard Denver mention that he and Adrian would leave for the airport immediately after their shift ended today. Vegas would be at the forefront of Adrian’s mind. Surely he would clear the tension that had grown so awkward and heavy between them before he left. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Further playing into her hands was the special seating arrangement drawn up for the day. Lopez assigned both Adrian and Natalia to desks on the suite level, and they’d be in the same row, four seats apart. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Once she saw this seating chart posted on Friday, Natalia knew she had to crank up the heat for the big day. She dressed in a form-fitting pencil skirt that cut off just above the knees, revealing the Speedy Gonzales tattoo just above her ankle. She had even shaved—in the winter—to make sure her legs were as appealing as possible. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Natalia also wore a blouse that revealed the slightest glimpse of cleavage. She questioned herself as she dressed earlier this morning, wondering why she was putting in so much effort into her appearance to get Adrian’s attention. She hated him, after all.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">It’s not for Adrian. It’s for me. I’m freshly single, going to Vegas in two days, and life is good. I can get sexy all for myself if I want to.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></b></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">~~~~~~~~~~~~~<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjin0Fd_rKnnkAKbEAOyZHnEhwI5M3K_T_rq0duUWMp-QKQXPJI43jcn8G4b57wY_n8Ym7NeXaBCa5IQv4v6cvpqLcOjFSg-emERAUOiWIC7ylBkZXYj8O4JhXAU4pyM_pSoEPE9pv7wKGMhhZKNzNDMQQevhOLm3ycPa2StTM9l47i6g6767KnT1TDv6bt/s432/Author%20Image.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="432" data-original-width="288" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjin0Fd_rKnnkAKbEAOyZHnEhwI5M3K_T_rq0duUWMp-QKQXPJI43jcn8G4b57wY_n8Ym7NeXaBCa5IQv4v6cvpqLcOjFSg-emERAUOiWIC7ylBkZXYj8O4JhXAU4pyM_pSoEPE9pv7wKGMhhZKNzNDMQQevhOLm3ycPa2StTM9l47i6g6767KnT1TDv6bt/s320/Author%20Image.png" width="213" /></a></span></div><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><br /> </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif">AUTHOR Bio and Links:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">TE Lorenzo is the debut author of A Twist of Hate. Having lived through his own enemies-to-lovers story, he believes love can come from the most unexpected of places. When he's not writing, TE is likely chasing his kids around, playing baseball, or relaxing with a good book. He is currently living out his happily-ever-after with his wife and three kids in their hometown of Denver, CO. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">AMAZON LINK: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CP2TF94Z<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">BN: <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-twist-of-hate-te-lorenzo/1144416094" style="color: #954f72;">https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-twist-of-hate-te-lorenzo/1144416094</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">KOBO: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/a-twist-of-hate<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">SW: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1485296?ref=5princepub<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">GOOGLEPLAY: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/T_E_Lorenzo_A_Twist_of_Hate?id=PbTlEAAAQBAJ<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Website: https://www.5princebooks.com/telorenzo.html<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">~~~~~~~~~~~~~<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif">GIVEAWAY INFORMATION <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">The author will award a $15 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><br /></p>
<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="28e4345f4824" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f4824/" id="rcwidget_zq50e8ko" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkkAg24x3L0hlPPLqlYl1Cc_yOP4f9qrkFWq0yowJxDmheDT2niAR1kERmKLyHPKCydOHHR4MvowaQ3T6UOljcQZ7p6guIpfaX3iJHZUzK5l6YupkVCAp5b7Y_4-ix0G5sTPO2KeiRx5M0XiTgJIPnTB0sEqZpU5uLgju326hXyTwB3d-Tq-F-TW1yZsUZ/s1200/TourBanner_A%20Twist%20of%20Hate.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="670" data-original-width="1200" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkkAg24x3L0hlPPLqlYl1Cc_yOP4f9qrkFWq0yowJxDmheDT2niAR1kERmKLyHPKCydOHHR4MvowaQ3T6UOljcQZ7p6guIpfaX3iJHZUzK5l6YupkVCAp5b7Y_4-ix0G5sTPO2KeiRx5M0XiTgJIPnTB0sEqZpU5uLgju326hXyTwB3d-Tq-F-TW1yZsUZ/w421-h236/TourBanner_A%20Twist%20of%20Hate.gif" width="421" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div>Elaine Cantrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05668294337075373288noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8565893280908397886.post-54570437656818907172024-03-01T04:00:00.001-05:002024-03-01T04:00:00.140-05:00Happy Harry<<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2024/02/book-blast-happy-harry-magical-golden.html" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="670" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7YZign4csTM_OcW1EF7F2NmPMKqbdtBpcOtAQsWUbHDd0OSSjJd2qlsEZPuqBarPoL2wUxQBAYd1NqkHxYDyRQwm1thS-0CTOeq4e69ZJ2QKuawEcBKeVAIKKb_mwiATsfNf_f4gNOm_7lSWLT74_jOk2T4g8tREifBKpqv-Kh20amUoWQC87BRPhgLE/s400/TourBanner_Happy%20Harry%20.gif" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br />
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by <a href="http://www.goddessfish.com">Goddess Fish Promotions</a>. The author will award a $30 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.<br /><br />
<blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsI2ZVnRahhy8ThYshlcD1B1mDg0anMTLb-aShwh7YhwjEVUlxfs4il_C68WSZ_J8PfxhhdEcg4aq9kSSi0rZTF8FuM7kkeKveyy9jlJ12gobtmm53dQJOxrKbsyGJFGefZoR8oJTTM2Z3z8DhzVZdXaFGOZMWL4a54S_bCK-7x9T0bGLvtBl6kXDwJ0o/s3200/BookCover_Happy%20Harry.jpg" style="clear: left; display: block; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="3200" data-original-width="2100" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsI2ZVnRahhy8ThYshlcD1B1mDg0anMTLb-aShwh7YhwjEVUlxfs4il_C68WSZ_J8PfxhhdEcg4aq9kSSi0rZTF8FuM7kkeKveyy9jlJ12gobtmm53dQJOxrKbsyGJFGefZoR8oJTTM2Z3z8DhzVZdXaFGOZMWL4a54S_bCK-7x9T0bGLvtBl6kXDwJ0o/s320/BookCover_Happy%20Harry.jpg" /></a></div>In her dog memoir Happy Harry: A Magical Golden, psychotherapist Barbara Lampert, a lifelong dog lover, tells the story of her beloved Golden Retriever, Harry. Like her first dog memoir, Harry's story comes from her mostly uncensored daily journal and takes place in Malibu, California. <br /><br />
Harry was a genuinely free spirit - wild, and very wolf-like. Did all this contribute to his being exceptionally happy? Perhaps.<br /><br />
Harry was not only the happiest being Barbara's ever known, happy to the very core of him, but also the bravest. More than once in his life, Harry had to face true adversity, and each time, Barbara would look at him in wonder, not fully understanding how a being could be so brave and at the same time continue to be so happy.<br /><br />
Harry literally pranced through life, with a joyous attitude that made being around him like magic. Barbara fell in love with Harry. And as you immerse yourself in Harry's story, it's likely you will too! Happy Harry is unforgettable!</blockquote><br /><br />
<b>Read an Excerpt</b><br /><br />
Harry had a girlfriend for a while when he was about four or five years old. Probably for a couple of years. Oh he didn’t see her every day, but for that two year-or-so stretch maybe once or twice a week. …<br><br>
Roxie, a one-year-old Yellow Lab – the taller, leaner hunting type – was beautiful, energetic, and happy. Just like Harry. Roxie lived a few miles from our house, on the Point in Malibu. …<br><br>
When Harry knew he was going to see Roxie, he would get so excited. He would pant, start running around, tail up, and on the ride over he would stand or pace in the back seat the whole time. So eager, such joy. And when we got there, he would literally go flying out of the car, with David at the other end of the leash. Tail up, full steam ahead. And Roxie, being just a year old and still quite a playful puppy, would go equally berserk when she saw Harry. They would sniff and kiss each other through the openings in the fence. …<br><br>
Sometimes they would chase each other or run together, with the fence between them. David would run with them, since he had Harry on the leash. A few times Roxie’s owner came out and opened the gate to let Harry and Roxie be together. More kissing, chasing, tails up, sniffing. Both not believing their good luck. Both always bursting with joy the whole time they were together. Such a sight. …<br><br>
Barney didn’t get nearly as excited as Harry about Roxie and didn’t interfere in their relationship. This was Harry’s territory. And it appeared Roxie only had eyes for Harry. …<br><br>
It was always difficult to leave, because the whole time we were there Harry and Roxie were inseparable. Whenever Roxie’s owner would come out, we’d talk and laugh about the two lovebirds. It was wonderful seeing Harry and Roxie so happy. How he loved her…<br><br>
<b>About the Author:</b> <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_QSv3OltVyztjL8HCA7UW4rK3pL7NwP9ldZXrjvSFQY-X8SZjQO6toggjrz8ka4bdJY9Lu76kwyomkgZ6xZWQdD7Z-dRrCUgQlgkoPBa6OghPBiOIYJ4CHPlcldcz8Nc-BKef-SFAUJsqVrPYHkRbWN1QD2bECZXQS3BsyV51XDDd14tKoVadOduUe04/s1312/Author%20Image.jpg" style="clear: left; display: block; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1137" data-original-width="1312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_QSv3OltVyztjL8HCA7UW4rK3pL7NwP9ldZXrjvSFQY-X8SZjQO6toggjrz8ka4bdJY9Lu76kwyomkgZ6xZWQdD7Z-dRrCUgQlgkoPBa6OghPBiOIYJ4CHPlcldcz8Nc-BKef-SFAUJsqVrPYHkRbWN1QD2bECZXQS3BsyV51XDDd14tKoVadOduUe04/s320/Author%20Image.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>My passion is dogs! I’ve had dogs most of my life and hope to have at least one by my side always. Dog energy is the best! <br /><br />
I’m the author of two dog memoirs: Happy Harry: A Magical Golden and before that Charlie: A Love Story. Each about one of my Golden Retrievers. (I told you dogs are my passion!)<br /><br />
I’m a psychotherapist, licensed for over thirty years, specializing in relationships. <br /><br />
I was a flight attendant for nine years. And taught sociology at several universities. I have two master’s degrees and a doctorate.<br /><br />
Gardening is another love – not as much as dogs, but right up there! I see my garden as a work of art and garden as much as possible in my free time. I love being in nature.<br /><br />
I live in Malibu, California with my husband David and, you guessed it, our two wonderful Golden Retrievers, Oliver and Henry.<br /><br />
<a href="https://www.happyharryamagicalgolden.com/happy-harry-a-magical-golden">https://www.happyharryamagicalgolden.com/happy-harry-a-magical-golden</a><br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CMTXK538">https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CMTXK538</a><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/barbara.lampert.50/">https://www.facebook.com/barbara.lampert.50/</a><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/barbaralampertauthor">https://www.facebook.com/barbaralampertauthor</a><br />
<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@barbara.lampert5">https://www.tiktok.com/@barbara.lampert5</a><br />
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/barbaralampert1">https://www.instagram.com/barbaralampert1/</a><br />
<a href="https://www.pinterest.com/drbarbaralampert/">https://www.pinterest.com/drbarbaralampert/</a><br /><br />
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>Elaine Cantrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05668294337075373288noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8565893280908397886.post-57832160076251374622024-02-29T04:00:00.001-05:002024-02-29T04:00:00.139-05:00The Cyborg's Crusade - Day of the Deus Ex Machina<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiw3P5Zf2talitLVdYQzd9hTyDlU-EdmxsptH4vvGjwmROn0mir7gobXr5ej9ByPQLQD76BLJ7LofdeXY5M9yaL3Yw22RbacqZmpVYoOeBUwqOBSH8spzg0aCC2v9Y-aJOcMTYgB3P54bA5Sk3HUDlaz1QsRqQjbDBXxl6TI4bdB2kttPEPN_ZxZDGUhw3/s1280/The%20Cyborg's%20Crusade%20covers%20copy.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiw3P5Zf2talitLVdYQzd9hTyDlU-EdmxsptH4vvGjwmROn0mir7gobXr5ej9ByPQLQD76BLJ7LofdeXY5M9yaL3Yw22RbacqZmpVYoOeBUwqOBSH8spzg0aCC2v9Y-aJOcMTYgB3P54bA5Sk3HUDlaz1QsRqQjbDBXxl6TI4bdB2kttPEPN_ZxZDGUhw3/s320/The%20Cyborg's%20Crusade%20covers%20copy.gif" width="200" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 18pt;">The Cyborg's Crusade - Day of the Deus Ex Machina<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">by </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Benoit Lanteigne<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">~~~~~~~~~~~~~<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif">GENRE</span></b><span face="Arial, sans-serif">: Science Fiction<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">~~~~~~~~~~~~~<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif">BLURB:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><a name="_GoBack"></a><span face="Arial, sans-serif">How did it come to this? My life used to be so simple. Back then, I hated it; I found it boring. Let me tell you: boring’s good. Boring’s great! I should’ve been thankful…<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">It was supposed to be a date like any other for James Hunter, a simple convenience store clerk. Nothing more than watching a movie in the town of Moncton. A place as unknown and unimportant as he considered his own existence to be. And yet, while walking to a cinema, James teleports to another world. There, a hostile crowd surrounds him, including various mutants with strange deformities.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Before he can even gather his wits or make a dash for it, a lone ally presents herself in the form of a winged woman named Rose. An important cultural figure in the country where James appeared, she offers him both protection and a home.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Soon, James learns that this new world is divided by a cold war. On one side is Nirnivia, home to Rose. The other, Ostark, led by a mysterious cyborg. James is unaware that the cyborg has him in his crosshairs, thinking of him as the Deus Ex Machina that will end the war in his favor.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">But, the cyborg is far from the only potential threat to James. Soon after his arrival, BRR, a terrorist organisation, kidnaps him.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">What would a rogue group out for revenge seeking to turn the cold war hot want with someone like James? Is there anyone also aware of this other world who will try to find him? Or is he on his own? If so, how is he supposed to escape? If that's even an option...<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">~~~~~~~~~~~~~<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif">EXCERPT</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">The second that James saw the deformed statue, he deemed it painful to look at. The sculpture depicted a man, but not one of normal proportions. The arms were far too long, paired with short legs, and the right eye appeared thrice the size of the left—nothing compared to the elongated spike forming the nose, or the mouth contorted in a grimace. Now that he sat leaning against the grotesque shape, the figurative ache turned literal as the sharp stone dug into his back.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Even with the intense heat, James shivered. The recent revelations chilled his blood, and no matter how hard it tried, the sun couldn’t warm him again. He rubbed his chin, pondering all he had learned. His hand brushed against his stubble, and he scowled at the itching sensation. Usually he shaved every day, a habit his unplanned trip had broken. Then again, next to his companion, a bit of extra hair was nothing…<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">The freak still stood a few feet behind, laughing to his heart’s content. What a horrendous chortle. How James yearned to shut him up via his fist. “Gwa ha ah aha ha! Ha ha aha! Ha ha! Come on, why do you take things so seriously? You still don’t get it, do you? Gwha ha ha ha ha! You should laugh more; it’ll do ya good! Gwha ha ha ha ha! Wha ha ha ha! Gwa ha ha!”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><b>A Word With the Author</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in;"><strong><span lang="EN-CA">What are your favorite TV shows?</span></strong><span lang="EN-CA"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in;"><span lang="EN-CA">I’m not sure what to answer here because I haven’t been watching much TV lately. It’s going to be something old because of that. Since space opera TV shows like Battlestar Galactica (2004) inspired the Cyborg’s crusade, you might expect I’d pick one of those. That’s tempting, but in the end, I have to go with the Simpson. Yeah, the quality fell down a drain for decades now, but that’s expected after over thirty seasons. The first eight seasons’ writing and humor were so sharp, and they contributed a lot to my sense of humor. That’s probably true for plenty of people. And beyond the funny parts, sometimes there were just some emotional moments that were perfectly executed. Some shows made me laugh more. Some shows made me feel more. Some shows made me think more. Still, the Simpson did all three with the best balance.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in;"><strong><span lang="EN-CA">What is your favorite meal?</span></strong><span lang="EN-CA"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in;"><span lang="EN-CA">I love breakfast food, so I’ll go with breakfast!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in;"><strong><span lang="EN-CA">If you were to write a series of novels, what would it be about?</span></strong><span lang="EN-CA"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in;"><span lang="EN-CA">Well, I’m already writing a series of novels, so the answer is the series would be The Cyborg’s Crusade. Is that cheating? Either way, that’s my answer. It’s a series about a young man who teleports to another world and finds himself in the middle of a cold war. I hear it’s great. No, seriously, the reviews so far have been very positive.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in;"><strong><span lang="EN-CA">Is there a writer you idolize? If so who?</span></strong><span lang="EN-CA"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in;"><span lang="EN-CA">I’m going to go with JRR Tolkien. While his books might not technically be my favorite, I have enormous respect for how much effort he put into his world-building. I haven’t read anything else with such a large ambition. Sure, some aspects of Middle Earth can feel cliché now, but it’s largely because so many writers were inspired by it. JRR Tolkien’s work inspired me to improve The Cyborg’s Crusade world-building beyond what was necessary. I’d never dare think I reached his level, but he inspired me to push myself beyond what I thought were my limits.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in;"><strong><span lang="EN-CA">How did you come up for the title of this book?</span></strong><span lang="EN-CA"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in;"><span lang="EN-CA">The first title I came up with was My Skeptical Angel, and that title has some story significance that’s not obvious from the beginning. One of the main characters is a winged woman and the angel part comes from her. The Skeptical part… That might be a spoiler, so I’ll stay quiet. While I like My Skeptical Angel as a title, I worried it might not work well with sci-fi readers.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in;"><span lang="EN-CA">So, I considered alternatives. The main villain is a cyborg, and I figured that would fit sci-fi better than an angel. My first stab at another title was The Cyborg’s Holy War. A colleague suggested replacing the holy war with crusade and I liked that. Afterward, I did some market research, and turns out I was right: People hated My Skeptical Angel, but The Cyborg’s Crusade had a far better reception. So, I made the title change official.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></b></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">~~~~~~~~~~~~~<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif">AUTHOR Bio and Links:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">So, my name is Benoit Lanteigne and I’m a French Canadian (outside of Quebec) who’s trying to write in English. That can be tricky. I’m a computer programmer and I enjoy it. I see many inspiring writers who hate their jobs and hope to quit someday, but that’s not my case. Mostly, I’ve worked on websites and web applications. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Back in school, I enjoyed writing and according to my teachers and classmates; I had a talent for it. Well, not so much for grammar and spelling, but they liked my stories. Once I went to university, I dropped writing as a hobby. There were other things I wanted to focus on, such as my career. Then, in the early 2000s, around 2006 I’d say, I had a flash of inspiration. At first, it was a single character: a winged woman with red hair. I didn’t even know who she was, but the image stuck with me. From there, I began figuring out details about her origins and her world, but I only started writing for real in 2009. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">It’s been roughly 10 years now, and it’s not yet finished. That’s in part because I write in my spare time, and in part because the scope of the project is huge. Maybe too much so. Still, I’m getting close to the point where I could release something. The question is what’s next? Self-publishing? Attempt traditional publishing? Nothing? I don’t know the answer yet, I’m trying to figure it out. Frankly, sharing my writing is difficult for me, and whatever I end up doing, as long as I make it available to people I consider the experience a victory no matter what comes out of it.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Website: https://thecyborgscrusade.com/ <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Newsletter: https://thecyborgscrusade.com/fanclub.html <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Social Media Link Hub: https://thecyborgscrusade.com/hub.html<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">https://www.facebook.com/people/My-Skeptical-Angel/100055656492122/<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">https://twitter.com/bl98<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCS80WvrsYaBCOKBVgYwsXTA<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">https://www.tiktok.com/@thecyborgscrusade<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">https://www.instagram.com/thecyborgscrusade/<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><u><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: red;">The book will be $0.99 during the tour. <o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Cyborgs-Crusade-Day-Deux-Machina-ebook/dp/B0CBZZRDZ4/ref=sr_1_1<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif">~~~~~~~~~~~~~<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif">GIVEAWAY INFORMATION </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif">One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $25 Amazon/BN.com gift card.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></b></p>
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<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Elaine Cantrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05668294337075373288noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8565893280908397886.post-44875960722998477892024-02-28T04:00:00.008-05:002024-02-28T04:00:00.238-05:00Mamacadabra<<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2023/12/blurb-blitz-tour-mamacadabra-by-carrie.htm" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="670" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyaBl3Bftu0YAfKb-RS4lO0jB71VAir9ayJpNqF7-RsZfCa6GIiKhIXs_7SVLsgAhx915a5-0LybrilqfK-9uteoIkS4JTJ86lj9DUT7MBy3c9zOMlMLakfOvJeULelqli_RkNcOPI6eDVXlPfodNnw4U4E0uDB5EEznzzhTbH1DRIxSgkyJ8lo1D5cps/s400/Tour%20Banner_Mamacadabra%20%281%29.gif" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br />This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by <a href="http://www.goddessfish.com">Goddess Fish Promotions</a>. The author will award a $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn commenter. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.<br /><br />
<blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGX8kGk1kP2dvzIGGeNDq1gnjOmhlpAAAVCTLUxWdSuEsSibrmWXa96ich9wrB3kVHAeTvbIZblTH5S9w3yq88FeGef7KFrhADDzc179fIS2IbUpJgbI5ShvYIO1FeJWvlS9Xqe-6SE0VPhMxzM1q3ah4xw2_a4ZB3LcUr72y5__3kpSaHfnnnV2VYX6M/s3750/BookCover_Mamacadabra.jpg" style="clear: left; display: block; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="3750" data-original-width="2566" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGX8kGk1kP2dvzIGGeNDq1gnjOmhlpAAAVCTLUxWdSuEsSibrmWXa96ich9wrB3kVHAeTvbIZblTH5S9w3yq88FeGef7KFrhADDzc179fIS2IbUpJgbI5ShvYIO1FeJWvlS9Xqe-6SE0VPhMxzM1q3ah4xw2_a4ZB3LcUr72y5__3kpSaHfnnnV2VYX6M/s320/BookCover_Mamacadabra.jpg" /></a></div>Starting her third year of marriage, Carrie Monroe O’Keefe had already been on the roller coaster of extreme highs and lows of a newly blended family. Thinking she could do a better job of navigating marriage, stepmotherhood, working full time, and all of the things, she embarked on a year of “what if.”<br /><br />
Settling into her role as wife and mom, she tried to find ways to do things better, see things differently, and reframe her thinking to create a better home for her family and to feel more at home herself. With humor, unwavering honesty, vulnerability, and sarcasm, Carrie finds her way through the year and to her true self.</blockquote><br /><br />
<b><br /></b><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Read an Excerpt</b> <br /><br />
From Chapter: A Real Mom After All<br /><br />
No one can fully prepare you for the journey of being a stepmom. In the early days, I doubted myself daily, suffered from depression, considered divorce, and constantly questioned the meaning and viability of our relationship. My relationship with my little girls that is.<br /><br />
I had to look at the kind of mom I wanted to be and the kind of mom I actually was. Because we only have our little girls half the time, I was consumed with worry about what their life was like when they weren’t with us. However, this only led to me being too uptight, too rigid, and too crabby. When they came home, the worry subsided but then I turned into a crazy mom, constantly trying to have everything work perfectly. Which, obviously, isn’t a thing.<br /><br />
It took a while, but eventually everything just kind of fell into place. I stopped worrying what people thought about how I parent. I stopped caring whether others viewed me as one of the little girls’ moms. Most importantly, I stopped trying to compare myself to someone else. Finally, I decided I was one of their parents and I do, in fact, matter. I’m playing an important part in how these little girls will grow up, how they’ll turn out and who they’ll become. I am one of their moms.<br /><br />
<b>About the Author:</b> <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXEkFSOlgZELuGaKCmONmydMZ1B8QfD2KXJreGGQkUIka0vFR8Je-EvUsBDV-lxpYZoK5YNeDkLJn8JzHivIfHPtznQtDMrSeyveRbOn1bzNLoFR-jYKk0t3bSXdn-N2AJqMY2aIjEDRz2nb3LibBkHD_dR0OW7z91BfzwevNM1j7X2rBIcqW9tKjTjWY/s1800/author%20image.jpeg" style="clear: left; display: block; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXEkFSOlgZELuGaKCmONmydMZ1B8QfD2KXJreGGQkUIka0vFR8Je-EvUsBDV-lxpYZoK5YNeDkLJn8JzHivIfHPtznQtDMrSeyveRbOn1bzNLoFR-jYKk0t3bSXdn-N2AJqMY2aIjEDRz2nb3LibBkHD_dR0OW7z91BfzwevNM1j7X2rBIcqW9tKjTjWY/s320/author%20image.jpeg" /></a></div>Carrie Monroe O’Keefe started blogging about her life by sharing stories of marriage, stepmotherhood, and how to navigate it all on mamacadabra.com in 2012. People said they loved reading the posts, so she kept writing. In addition to blogging, she released her middle-grade fiction book, The Whole Truth, in 2019. <br /><br />
Carrie lives outside of Minneapolis with her husband, two daughters, and dog Finlay. <br /><br />
Website: <a href="http://www.mamacadabra.com">http://www.mamacadabra.com</a><br />
Instagram: <a href="http://www.instagram.com/monroeokeefe">http://www.instagram.com/monroeokeefe</a><br /><br />
Barnes and Noble: <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/book/1144367657">https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/book/1144367657</a><br />
Amazon: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Mamacadabra-Poof-Youre-mom-now/dp/1733629939/ref=sr_1_1">www.amazon.com/Mamacadabra-Poof-Youre-mom-now/dp/1733629939/ref=sr_1_1</a><br /><br />
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</div><br /><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLUiZNRecnNYl44z5tZwqsLca8o821mkE5T81688JB_IncDgeHPeM7vdpHoSq8Y7UsDJRLov4T24XlHUJ51tp90tnDrrmn5-7RV-VyMzxplY2X4aoE2zPyw6bRB0xYBftRwbtd62cxWi9YKoHuEZvHo4nS4lBC4uxJjr92CeltFq1htYEO2mbfbRMExrw3/s1200/Tour%20Banner_Mamacadabra%20(1).gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="670" data-original-width="1200" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLUiZNRecnNYl44z5tZwqsLca8o821mkE5T81688JB_IncDgeHPeM7vdpHoSq8Y7UsDJRLov4T24XlHUJ51tp90tnDrrmn5-7RV-VyMzxplY2X4aoE2zPyw6bRB0xYBftRwbtd62cxWi9YKoHuEZvHo4nS4lBC4uxJjr92CeltFq1htYEO2mbfbRMExrw3/w385-h215/Tour%20Banner_Mamacadabra%20(1).gif" width="385" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div>Elaine Cantrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05668294337075373288noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8565893280908397886.post-70270955845122346182024-02-27T06:00:00.001-05:002024-02-27T06:00:00.130-05:00Review Time and Tide<p> <img alt="" class="wp-image-23143" data-attachment-id="23143" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-caption="" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="tt" data-large-file="https://fourfoxesonehound.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/tt.jpeg?w=638" data-medium-file="https://fourfoxesonehound.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/tt.jpeg?w=187" data-orig-file="https://fourfoxesonehound.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/tt.jpeg" data-orig-size="934,1500" data-permalink="https://fourfoxesonehound.wordpress.com/2024/02/21/review-tide-and-time/tt/" height="1024" sizes="(max-width: 638px) 100vw, 638px" src="https://fourfoxesonehound.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/tt.jpeg?w=638" srcset="https://fourfoxesonehound.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/tt.jpeg?w=638 638w, https://fourfoxesonehound.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/tt.jpeg?w=93 93w, https://fourfoxesonehound.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/tt.jpeg?w=187 187w, https://fourfoxesonehound.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/tt.jpeg?w=768 768w, https://fourfoxesonehound.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/tt.jpeg 934w" style="height: auto; width: 224px;" width="638" /></p><p style="background: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Blurb:</p><h4 class="wp-block-heading" style="background: none; border: 0px; clear: both; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Will Gillian rewrite history or surrender to destiny?</h4><p style="background: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">In 2023, newlywed heiress, 27-year-old Gillian Woodruff, and her husband, Richard Woodruff, are honeymooning on their private yacht. Richard is hiding secrets and is not all he seems. When the boat encounters a strange, violent storm, it is struck by a towering wave, and Gillian is hurled into the sea, washing up on a rocky, deserted Massachusetts beach, close to death.<br /><br />She’s found by the brooding and handsome lighthouse keeper, Ethan Burke, and learns she’s living in 1900. While struggling to recover and adjust to the shocking truth, Gillian falls for the mysterious, handsome loner. Love, mystery, and deadly secrets collide against the backdrop of the sea, 1900 New York City, and Gillian’s family’s corruption during the Gilded Age.<br /><br />Gillian must decide if she will change her family’s dark past, a change that could prevent her own future, or let the man she loves be killed, forcing her to return to the future without him.</p><p style="background: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">My Review:</p><p style="background: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Things I Liked:</p><p style="background: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">This was a time travel novel, and I love time travel stories. Sometimes you get hold of a time travel that doesn’t live up to expectations. This one does. In some time travel novels I was sorry about the way the book turned out, but that didn’t happen with this book. Besides that, the conflict was important. In some novels you get an issue that could easily be resolved by one brief conversation, but not this one. Profound, life changing issues are at stake. </p><p style="background: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Refer to the last last lines of the blurb? Would you have the courage to make that choice? Either way, her life will never be the same.</p><div id="atatags-370373-65dd5e5a01eb6" style="background: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></div><div class="wpcnt" id="wordads-preview-parent" style="background: none; border: 0px; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="wpa" style="background: none; border: 0px; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; display: inline-block !important; font-family: Georgia, "Bitstream Charter", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: left; transform: translate3d(0px, 0px, 0px); vertical-align: baseline;"></div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /></div>Elaine Cantrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05668294337075373288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8565893280908397886.post-37364037968848308862024-02-26T04:00:00.026-05:002024-02-26T04:00:00.126-05:00Island Detour<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHrqzx9H5M9p3MeKwC5cK8mJ-wZd8OgSS6ow3RT9NoCsZ9ndvHigD4sQITc59BhmZpd_RsTgu7i-8TDRgM6yzpiU7FaNZMxPr7a3LXuYrq3bKKhcY32mpxRpKWemRYYfrNT3qI1XYyE8eDhp0BFywC0BjGxPgSL8sNVhq4rsym0TaAJjiWICBPlquM5HSg/s2244/BookCover_IslandDetour.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2244" data-original-width="1400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHrqzx9H5M9p3MeKwC5cK8mJ-wZd8OgSS6ow3RT9NoCsZ9ndvHigD4sQITc59BhmZpd_RsTgu7i-8TDRgM6yzpiU7FaNZMxPr7a3LXuYrq3bKKhcY32mpxRpKWemRYYfrNT3qI1XYyE8eDhp0BFywC0BjGxPgSL8sNVhq4rsym0TaAJjiWICBPlquM5HSg/s320/BookCover_IslandDetour.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 18pt;">Island Detour<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">by Maria Imbalzano<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">~~~~~~~~~~~~~<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif">GENRE</span></b><span face="Arial, sans-serif">: Contemporary Romance<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">~~~~~~~~~~~~~<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif">BLURB:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Falsely accused of wrongdoing at a Princeton Prep school, Sophie Kearns accepts a temporary teaching position at an environmental school in the Florida Keys to wait out her suspension. The time away is meant to be an anxiety-free escape, but her clashes with the hot but arrogant marine biology teacher, Max Heaton, are anything but tranquil.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Max is determined to start an environmental research institute at the school, but he suspects the gorgeous new Lit teacher, who lacks even the most basic outdoor skills, is there to hinder that dream. Yet, something about her tames the demons from his past, and he can no longer ignore the fire she’s lit inside him.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><a name="_GoBack"></a><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">~~~~~~~~~~~~~<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif">EXCERPT</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">How’d Sophie end up working with women who could have been in the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">She glanced down at her own one-piece halter and smoothed out an imaginary wrinkle. Not ready to venture back to the bikinis of her college days, she’d chosen a lime-green hue that looked great against her tan. And even though her midriff wasn’t bare, the high-cut detail on her legs showed plenty of skin. At least she wasn’t embarrassed standing next to Maddie. Or the other two.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">She’d come a long way from the buttoned-up professor at Valen, thanks to her new friends here. After their shopping spree in Key West, they’d made sure to compliment Sophie on her new look—obviously afraid that if they didn’t, she’d go back to her old ways. And it had worked. Along with the exercise she was getting from boating and swimming, she looked and felt like a new woman.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Stealing a glance at Max, she assumed he’d be staring at Maddie. A slow burn crept across her face when his gaze fell on her.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">His mocha eyes blazed a scorching trail as they traveled up her legs, her torso, then stopped at her face. She turned and looked out over the ocean, swallowing hard, to banish this erotic discomfort. But try as she might to ignore his scrutiny, she felt it deep down in the pit of her stomach as fingers of heat spread over her skin, doing much more damage than the sun.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><b>A Word With the Author</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></b><span face="Arial, sans-serif">1.Did you always want to be an author?</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">No. I hated creative writing in high school and college. It wasn’t until I went to law school that I enjoyed writing – but that was legal writing which is analytical, linear. I was very good at writing legal briefs and memoranda to the court where you state the facts, apply the law and make your arguments by applying that law to the facts. It wasn’t until I was 40 that I thought I wanted to try to write a book. I always read – a lot and one of the authors I was reading was bothering me. I said “I bet I could do this.” Which is what prompted me to try. I had no idea how to write a compelling book of fiction. But I went to seminars, joined NJ Romance Writers, read how-to books and sat myself in the chair and wrote. It took me fifteen years to get published, but it was worth it. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><br />2.Tell us about the publication of your first book.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">My first book published was the fifth book I wrote. The other four sat in a drawer after many rejections. That book is called “Unchained Memories.” It is still one of my favorite stories about a medical malpractice lawyer and an ER doctor. I sent that manuscript to the Wild Rose Press and they sent me a contract. What a thrill that was after fifteen years of working toward that goal. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><br />3.Besides yourself, who is your favorite author in the genre you write in?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">I have so many, but one of my favorites is Emily Giffin. I loved “Something Borrowed” and “Something Blue.” They are fairly old, but one of her newer books, “The Lives That Bind” was also excellent.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><br />4.What's the best part of being an author? The worst?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">I love creating a new story—developing the characters, figuring out what their conflicts are, coming up with the plot and character arcs, working toward the black moment when there appears to be no chance of heroine and hero getting together. Everything is new and fresh and fun (from the creative side). <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">The worst part is marketing. I know I’m supposed to be posting on Facebook, and X/Twitter, and Instagram but I would rather be writing my book than talking about it on social media. Although I do like doing interviews like this. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> <br />5.What are you working on now?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">I have a series out called the Sworn Sisters Series. Its about four girlfriends from high school who are now in their 30s. Each of them has their own story. The first three books are out, (Sworn to Forget, Sworn to Remember, and Sworn to Fly) but I’m having trouble with the fourth and final book (Sworn to Collide). I’m working on the issues and hopefully it will come out this year. </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">~~~~~~~~~~~~~<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2N77q7X9MlzzkZAebB1QByYcgerghOSuEBSuMKMQku8DU4CK5FVcM2ZUiX4bgf282xjjfCHgehT7k1VthDrbMIhZBaqTguMuVUyStUghuoanmDB6172eB3jGuMgILbKwZJkyCaYzjXyzTUnwpoQ6yGLQdOnUn59J3CoVzBj1D_TLdHVNc_jHg40RYwTVF/s1221/Author%20Image%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1053" data-original-width="1221" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2N77q7X9MlzzkZAebB1QByYcgerghOSuEBSuMKMQku8DU4CK5FVcM2ZUiX4bgf282xjjfCHgehT7k1VthDrbMIhZBaqTguMuVUyStUghuoanmDB6172eB3jGuMgILbKwZJkyCaYzjXyzTUnwpoQ6yGLQdOnUn59J3CoVzBj1D_TLdHVNc_jHg40RYwTVF/s320/Author%20Image%20(1).jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><br /></span><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif">AUTHOR Bio and Links:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Maria Imbalzano is an award-winning contemporary author who writes about strong, independent women and the men who fall in love with them. She recently retired from the practice of law, but legal issues have a way of showing up in many of her novels. When not writing, she loves to travel both abroad and in the states. Maria lives in central New Jersey with her husband--not far from her two daughters and granddaughters. For more information about her books, please visit her website at http://mariaimbalzano.com where you can also sign up for her newsletter.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Awards <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Maria is a member of New Jersey Romance Writers and has received many honors and awards for her work including the ACRA Readers’ Choice Heart of Excellence Award, the Wisconsin Romance Writers Write Touch Readers Award, The NEST (National Excellence In Story Telling) Award, the Carolyn Award, Book Buyers Best Award, The Stiletto Reader’s Choice Award, Long & Short Reviews Book of the Month Award (3rd Place for Book of the Year), and Still Moments Magazine Reader’s Choice Award.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Social Media Links <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Facebook –<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">https://www.facebook.com/mariaimbalzanoauthor<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Twitter<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">http://www.twitter.com/mariaimbalzano<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">@mariaimbalzano<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Instagram <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Mariaimbalzano_author<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Website Link<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">http://www.mariaimbalzano.com<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Goodreads Author Page<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7276749.Maria_Imbalzano<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Book Bub Profile page <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">https://www.bookbub.com/profile/maria-imbalzano<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Amazon Author Page<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00FG9RI5K<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: red;"> </span></b></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">~~~~~~~~~~~~~<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif">GIVEAWAY INFORMATION <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Maria Imbalzano will be awarding a $15 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: red;"> </span></b></p>
<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="28e4345f4782" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f4782/" id="rcwidget_1bhih5ra" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXTT-RDoJzHzsQ4iwwa1JHThDKhqoTKtZXPEdtKIpGZDLhLBhb48aQQxqlifaZw_ELSfemczdctGVwNI6ReJRxzOhRoBOFdhGF9qDLRVvtI9QtGje5O-FfIQGfmGc8NpKiP2dL_Ah8pwZc-DouepwKzihBoxBfYhkozp8B3_FrSP3jeAIoNRnmK5B0xjNn/s1200/TourBanner_Island%20Detour.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="670" data-original-width="1200" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXTT-RDoJzHzsQ4iwwa1JHThDKhqoTKtZXPEdtKIpGZDLhLBhb48aQQxqlifaZw_ELSfemczdctGVwNI6ReJRxzOhRoBOFdhGF9qDLRVvtI9QtGje5O-FfIQGfmGc8NpKiP2dL_Ah8pwZc-DouepwKzihBoxBfYhkozp8B3_FrSP3jeAIoNRnmK5B0xjNn/w447-h250/TourBanner_Island%20Detour.gif" width="447" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div>Elaine Cantrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05668294337075373288noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8565893280908397886.post-62328386916472076262024-02-23T04:00:00.001-05:002024-02-23T04:00:00.152-05:00Secret AdmirerPact<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizLZ8FVjKTNR9gWOCkuHlnFTypZpz2vHlJqrjEiNVnvJ0QQnGid-zzRWo1l2SB_3no19wdsZTVqns08XtO6JYKM_MIREsp5jB9Asxlm1YC43C_1pxtkgGAZwgib2wHeQafvc_orSsmY1khRlmNjXTcfIjuo7JASbVMMEWwJDxqPg5l4XNXiHcJjkGAvVSy/s1200/BookCover_SecretAdmirerPact.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizLZ8FVjKTNR9gWOCkuHlnFTypZpz2vHlJqrjEiNVnvJ0QQnGid-zzRWo1l2SB_3no19wdsZTVqns08XtO6JYKM_MIREsp5jB9Asxlm1YC43C_1pxtkgGAZwgib2wHeQafvc_orSsmY1khRlmNjXTcfIjuo7JASbVMMEWwJDxqPg5l4XNXiHcJjkGAvVSy/s320/BookCover_SecretAdmirerPact.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 18pt; font-weight: bold;">Secret Admirer Pact</span></span></div><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">by Bernadette Marie<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">~~~~~~~~~~~~~<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif">GENRE</span></b><span face="Arial, sans-serif">: Romance<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">~~~~~~~~~~~~~<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif">BLURB:</span></b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #222222;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #222222;">When Will seeks to rekindle a flame with his ex-girlfriend, his best friend Monique reluctantly suggests a plan involving secret admirer notes to divert his ex’s attention. In a surprising turn, Monique finds herself infatuated with her new boss, prompting Will to reciprocate with anonymous tokens of affection. However, as the deceptive game unfolds, both Monique and Will come to realize that the heartfelt sentiments expressed in the secret admirer notes were their own true feelings. So, what happens if the plan works? What happens if it doesn’t?</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" lang="en-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" lang="en-US"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Excerpt <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">From my pocket I retrieve a paper napkin with writing on it.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Will-<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">I’ve been watching you. I think you’re very handsome. I’d love to get to know you.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Love,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Your Secret Admirer<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">The note has me laughing. It’s written in Monique’s handwriting, and I can’t even imagine why she—<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">I look back down at the napkin and grin. So this is Monique’s wise idea to get Brandy to notice me? I now have a secret admirer? Am I supposed to leave these little notes around the house?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">I can hear Brandy moving around her room. I look at the note again, and consider it.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Instead of taking my coffee mug with me, I set it on the note. She’ll notice that I forgot my coffee, and maybe she’ll see the writing on the napkin. Well, I have nothing to lose with Monique’s little game. Grabbing my messenger bag, I hike it up onto my shoulder and head out to work. As is the norm, my phone rings as I’m leaving my office and heading to lunch.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">“So now you’re my secret admirer?” I ask as I answer the phone, knowing Monique is on the other end.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Her laugh filters through and brings me a bit of warmth as I step outside in the cold. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">“Why, Will, I have no idea what you’re talking about,” she says on another laugh. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><b>A Word With the Author</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">1.Did you always want to be an author?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"> <i>I’ve wanted to be an author since the seventh grade. But in reality, I’ve always been a storyteller. I just think it took me until junior high to understand how to make that talent something more.<o:p></o:p></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in;"><i><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"> </span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">2.Tell us about the publication of your first book. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in;"><i><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">My first book was a nightmare, really. I was contracted with a small publisher who did not understand the business of publishing. Needless to say, it wasn’t a good deal. A year later, I opened my own publishing house and published my own works. Those first books skyrocketed up the bestseller charts and encouraged me to continue writing. To date I’ve published 57 of my own titles, and almost 200 titles from other authors. So, even though my first book’s publication was a lesson in what not to do, when I published it myself, when I got the rights back, it was an immense joy!<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in;"><i><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"> </span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">3.Besides yourself, who is your favorite author in the genre you write in?<i><o:p></o:p></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in;"><i><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Currently, my favorite author is Emily Henry. I love her banter. Her characters are fun.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in;"><i><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"> </span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">4.What's the best part of being an author? The worst? <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in;"><i><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">The best part of being an author is creating. I love meeting the new people I will spend my time with daily, because really, they don’t follow the rules I give them when I create them. I also love my readers. Without them, this wouldn’t be any fun. I also love my author friends. There is nothing more accepting than a group of authors. <o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in;"><i><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"> </span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in;"><i><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">The worst part of being an author is when distributors change their algorithms. Seriously, I’d rather write all the time than figure out how to get my books seen. But, it is part of the job.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in;"><i><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"> </span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">5.What are you working on now?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in;"><i><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"> I have a few projects in the works right now. I’m currently writing two more rom coms and a romantic 50+ women’s fiction.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></b></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">~~~~~~~~~~~~~<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyrBRdriJA6E65NUrIbs9fln84EhgiMBh1JUZ-AEwmUTT6PQeUA0BDXL5Qv_WZFPNiZrSkPpCuHUr5XhTND5PCcW2ILueep5d5l9J4ZwKkXs2pEfbezyBycwQ0_7T5ZwHzzOGvxHlUpBf24d3xt33erfT0L94wyDL5Jx8iVNVOkWg-YVKIrm_XGzL6ICPg/s1000/Author%20Image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyrBRdriJA6E65NUrIbs9fln84EhgiMBh1JUZ-AEwmUTT6PQeUA0BDXL5Qv_WZFPNiZrSkPpCuHUr5XhTND5PCcW2ILueep5d5l9J4ZwKkXs2pEfbezyBycwQ0_7T5ZwHzzOGvxHlUpBf24d3xt33erfT0L94wyDL5Jx8iVNVOkWg-YVKIrm_XGzL6ICPg/s320/Author%20Image.jpg" width="256" /></a></span></div><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><br /> </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif">AUTHOR Bio and Links:</span></b><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.4px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Bestselling Author Bernadette Marie writes contemporary romances and believes in Happily Ever After. The married mother of five believes in love at first sight, quick love, and second chances. An avid martial artist, Bernadette Marie is a certified instructor and holds a third degree black belt in Tang Soo Do. She loves Tai Chi, traveling to Disney parks, and having lunch with friends. When not writing, or running her own publishing house, Bernadette is probably immersed in a Rom Com, from which she will often quote one-liners.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/authorbernadettemarie" style="color: #954f72;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #1155cc;">www.facebook.com/authorbernadettemarie</span></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.instagram.com/authorbernadettemarie" style="color: #954f72;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #1155cc;">www.instagram.com/authorbernadettemarie</span></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.tiktok.com/@authorbernadettemarie" style="color: #954f72;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #1155cc;">www.tiktok.com/@authorbernadettemarie</span></a><span face="Arial, sans-serif"></span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><a href="mailto:info@bernadettemarie.com" style="color: #954f72;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #1155cc;">info@bernadettemarie.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.bernadettemarie.com/" style="color: #954f72;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #1155cc;">www.bernadettemarie.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.5princebooks.com/bernadettemarie" style="color: #954f72;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #1155cc;">www.5princebooks.com/bernadettemarie</span></a><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">BUY LINKS:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">AMAZON: </span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CP4T78KG" style="color: #954f72;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #1155cc;">https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CP4T78KG</span></a><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">BN: </span><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/book/1144426105?ean=2940185950555" style="color: #954f72;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #1155cc;">https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/book/1144426105?ean=2940185950555</span></a><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">SMASHWORDS: </span><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1485967?ref=5princepub" style="color: #954f72;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #1155cc;">https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1485967</span></a><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.4px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif">GIVEAWAY INFORMATION </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Bernadette Marie will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.</span><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><br /></span></b></p><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p>
<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="28e4345f4792" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f4792/" id="rcwidget_ikv2leh7" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a> <script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6RRsJsBYaRnA6eppKe99D8POiJixqtgMJePft5UWCIRZzjIz0a7OymRK9T9e2kz-0a5aP8CCKTjonxcoXe7cwvotg0NedUyrV7WaADDUjBBUFU8rqDr4Sq8EVcaki1mAFxXQwVul9ETV8_amT4VXBfY3DGvNcWvvnodMcA5K-xuL7VUOO9D1k2wo4Oqco/s1200/TourBanner_Secret%20Admirer%20Pact.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="670" data-original-width="1200" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6RRsJsBYaRnA6eppKe99D8POiJixqtgMJePft5UWCIRZzjIz0a7OymRK9T9e2kz-0a5aP8CCKTjonxcoXe7cwvotg0NedUyrV7WaADDUjBBUFU8rqDr4Sq8EVcaki1mAFxXQwVul9ETV8_amT4VXBfY3DGvNcWvvnodMcA5K-xuL7VUOO9D1k2wo4Oqco/w425-h238/TourBanner_Secret%20Admirer%20Pact.gif" width="425" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div>Elaine Cantrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05668294337075373288noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8565893280908397886.post-83233581308754598302024-02-22T04:00:00.001-05:002024-02-22T04:00:00.134-05:00Out of Body<<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2024/01/book-blast-out-of-body-by-kimberly-baer.html" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="670" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizLnwtR97-DoCh5J5TefiMjygnOqsM0yaLeYy3USN-VbW-PyB6rJ7Aarb6oDA_fzBtmOfhI5ED0mGWSOZ_03pw4f73wn3XqtB0JjbNl0q5HxrWmuAdZphKTSQrVmW2SRTz_6hJmP5vOagjqUDtKkzCTtHST_uJnOIojUVDJVwoOVdOXuxqsvyf55BA35s/s400/Tour%20Banner_Out%20of%20Body.gif" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br />
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by < ahref="http://www.goddessfish.com">Goddess Fish Promotions. The author will award a $25 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.<br /><br />
<blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIQ91duPM1_Jn1Gy-Re0-8MNV2bQrWJSeJoWvswZHPJXlB6njVRR3NmURSuxhjTcUxwDu0_fQJjAeAUNLBbPVRz-pY8Q02gDfBOe1TCqLTKP2XDDr4iNjAbhDPqcxhslPSWS6V9PlBC54L5NZ_RN0omANDmkyzMNmFvXH02XVfzcKha92mahmayL25VF8/s2244/Bookcover_OutofBody_w17840_ib.jpg" style="clear: left; display: block; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="2244" data-original-width="1400" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIQ91duPM1_Jn1Gy-Re0-8MNV2bQrWJSeJoWvswZHPJXlB6njVRR3NmURSuxhjTcUxwDu0_fQJjAeAUNLBbPVRz-pY8Q02gDfBOe1TCqLTKP2XDDr4iNjAbhDPqcxhslPSWS6V9PlBC54L5NZ_RN0omANDmkyzMNmFvXH02XVfzcKha92mahmayL25VF8/w125-h200/Bookcover_OutofBody_w17840_ib.jpg" width="125" /></a></div><br />Those weird dreams Abby Kendrick has been having? Turns out they aren’t dreams after all. They’re out-of-body experiences, like the ones her cousin Logan is having. At first Abby has fun with her new ability, using it to spy on her neighborhood crush and spook a mean girl. But when Logan gets in trouble on the astral plane, the game changes, and Abby must bend the rules of out-of-body travel as she journeys to a distant realm. Her mission is a perilous one, and success is not guaranteed. Can she save Logan and find her way home again? Or will the cousins be lost forever on the astral plane?</blockquote><br />
<br /><br /><b>Read an Excerpt</b><br /><br />
I strode back to the coffee table and pressed the off button on the remote. Instantly the TV went blind and silent, like a lopped-off head. But I didn’t make it to my bedroom. Before I could take another step, I saw it again, that flitting movement near the recliner. This time there was an accompanying noise—the unmistakable rustling of clothing. <br><br>
I turned in dread, and at long last there was something to see. I felt the briefest flicker of triumph—Ha! Caught you!—before the horror of the situation thumped me in the chest. <br><br>
My dad’s jacket had come to life. It was floating in the air beside the recliner, puffy and solid as if inhabited by a body. The sleeves were waving: Hey, look at me! <br><br>
I couldn’t speak, I couldn’t breathe, I couldn’t move. My vision darkened as if I was going to pass out, but if I did, that would be the end of me, because that thing would come over and strangle me. It was a disembodied jacket. It couldn’t be up to any good. <br><br>
The jacket’s sleeves reached down. They bent at the elbows. Up went the jacket’s zipper with a z-z-zip sound. <br><br>
Somehow I managed to draw in a big, rasping breath, and I screamed. I screamed loudly enough to wake the Halloween dead. <br><br>
Then I ran for the front door.<br><br>
<b>About the Author:</b> <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaDmz7qv7GiOBRIXa0q8YKk8KgQznzyiBfar-GloHq_sOlkoIW7-sTEymYKrZL8qwAuoWsrcO7SGDRN1BqB6ztvU9fiFAOD-H2SaSqaqdyX3gTtUGOS-7DJMJzBXuigDm5qEk5KercDOV2OmcLwtQ9dWUTzE88QLk8QxuWzEJJfDK4zm4SeFC8E2P01j0/s2016/author%20image.jpg" style="clear: left; display: block; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaDmz7qv7GiOBRIXa0q8YKk8KgQznzyiBfar-GloHq_sOlkoIW7-sTEymYKrZL8qwAuoWsrcO7SGDRN1BqB6ztvU9fiFAOD-H2SaSqaqdyX3gTtUGOS-7DJMJzBXuigDm5qEk5KercDOV2OmcLwtQ9dWUTzE88QLk8QxuWzEJJfDK4zm4SeFC8E2P01j0/w150-h200/author%20image.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>Kimberly Baer is an author and professional editor who was born and raised in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, a town marginally famous for having endured three major floods. She even lived there during one of them. She enjoys power-walking on days when it’s not too hot, too cold, too rainy, too snowy, or too windy. On indoor days, you're likely to find her hard at work on her next novel or binge-watching old episodes of Survivor, her favorite guilty pleasure. <br /><br />
Kim has had her nose in a book practically since birth. Her first story, written at age six, was about a baby chick that hatched out of a little girl’s Easter egg after somehow surviving the hard-boiling process. These days she writes in a variety of genres, including adult romantic suspense, young adult, and middle-grade. Her books are published by The Wild Rose Press and have won several awards.<br /><br />
Out of Body Book Trailer: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYzqrZ2gl-I">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYzqrZ2gl-I</a><br /><br />
Website: <a href="http://www.kimberlybaer.com">http://www.kimberlybaer.com</a><br />
Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/KimberlyBaer14">https://twitter.com/KimberlyBaer14</a><br />
Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/kimberlybaer_author/">https://www.instagram.com/kimberlybaer_author/</a><br />
Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKimberlyBaer/">https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKimberlyBaer/</a><br />
Tiktok: <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@kimberlybaer_author1">https://www.tiktok.com/@kimberlybaer_author1 </a><br />
Amazon: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Kimberly-Baer/e/B08D3RVKCH/">https://www.amazon.com/Kimberly-Baer/e/B08D3RVKCH/</a><br />
Goodreads: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/kimberly_baer">http://www.goodreads.com/kimberly_baer</a><br />
Bookbub: <a href="https://www.bookbub.com/authors/kimberly-baer">https://www.bookbub.com/authors/kimberly-baer</a><br /><br />
Amazon: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Out-Body-Kimberly-Baer-ebook/dp/B0CQ34D8H5/">https://www.amazon.com/Out-Body-Kimberly-Baer-ebook/dp/B0CQ34D8H5/</a><br />
Barnes and Noble: <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/book/1144460559?ean=9781509253074">https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/book/1144460559?ean=9781509253074</a><br />
Apple books: <a href="https://books.apple.com/us/book/out-of-body/id6474144928">https://books.apple.com/us/book/out-of-body/id6474144928</a><br />
Bookbub: <a href="https://www.bookbub.com/books/out-of-body-by-kimberly-baer">https://www.bookbub.com/books/out-of-body-by-kimberly-baer</a><br />
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>Elaine Cantrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05668294337075373288noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8565893280908397886.post-40176765355939717062024-02-21T04:00:00.001-05:002024-02-21T04:00:00.130-05:00Tales of the Yankee Clipper<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAzI0OkAojuff03GycLEYiwt8DrGWDEr5E_zUF718PLDN88cMjt-ydOvTNgowLJYMB1jWRfUwEoY8WJbiz8rnY4itnz4z9dxBVt2AQ5TtZQDfVdjCA3gOuaknQ_bs3h3mlX6q11oPH440XdwwKnzz1OACFwuUTkgZjKVt2riVq9nY0Tk9q85fOLKplDn13/s2700/BookCover_Yankee%20Clipper.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="1800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAzI0OkAojuff03GycLEYiwt8DrGWDEr5E_zUF718PLDN88cMjt-ydOvTNgowLJYMB1jWRfUwEoY8WJbiz8rnY4itnz4z9dxBVt2AQ5TtZQDfVdjCA3gOuaknQ_bs3h3mlX6q11oPH440XdwwKnzz1OACFwuUTkgZjKVt2riVq9nY0Tk9q85fOLKplDn13/s320/BookCover_Yankee%20Clipper.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 18pt;">TALES OF THE YANKEE CLIPPER<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">by Jonathan Weeks<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">~~~~~~~~~~~~~<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif">GENRE</span></b><span face="Arial, sans-serif">: NonFiction Sports Biography<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">~~~~~~~~~~~~~<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif">BLURB:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">There has probably never been a professional baseball player more of a puzzle than Joe DiMaggio. DiMaggio had a talent for keeping his emotions suppressed and his innermost thoughts to himself. Few could say that they really knew him. And even the ones who did found him to be unpredictable. He was a walking contradiction. He was quiet, but not necessarily shy. He could be both gracious and abrupt, approachable or aloof depending on the situation. Although he came across as humble, he had a tremendous sense of entitlement. He was complex, secretive, inscrutable. There were many layers to the man who came to be affectionately known as the “Yankee Clipper.” DiMaggio always felt that his actions on the field should do the talking for him. And for the most part, they did. To many, DiMaggio personified elegance, style, and grace. An impeccable dresser, he was married to two glamorous actresses. On the field, he glided almost effortlessly, never having to dive for a ball and rarely (if ever) making a mistake on the basepaths. He became the living embodiment of the American dream and a symbol of the country’s so-called “greatest generation.” But as time marched on, DiMaggio grew increasingly distrustful of the people around him. It was understandable—inevitable even. The third book in Jonathan Week’s Yankees trilogy contains an abundance of anecdotes, statistics, and other little known facts about the Yankee Clipper.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><a name="_GoBack"></a><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">~~~~~~~~~~~~~<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif">EXCERPT</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">CASE OF THE PURLOINED BAT<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">DiMaggio suffered a major scare during his 56-game hitting streak. On June 29, 1941, the Yankees traveled to Washington for a double-header against the Nationals (often referred to as the Senators). Joe had hit in 40 straight games and was poised to break the modern record set by George Sisler in 1922. His double in the opener tied Sisler’s mark. In the first inning of the evening game, Tommy Henrich was on his way to the plate when he heard DiMaggio shouting across the diamond. Joe couldn’t locate his favorite bat and wondered if Henrich had done something with it.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Joe was very attached to that particular piece of lumber, naming it “Betsy Ann.” He had been using it throughout the streak and worried that he might fall into a slump without it. A frantic search turned up nothing. The bat was gone. Forced to hit without “Betsy Ann,” DiMaggio flied out. Two innings later, he switched bats and lined out to short. In the seventh inning, Henrich gave Joe his own bat to use. Averting disaster, The Yankee Clipper lined a clean single to left field, claiming Sisler’s record for himself. Still, the loss of his favorite bat vexed him.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">“Of course the guy had to pick out the best one,” Joe told reporters after the game. “I had three of my bats on the ground in front of the dugout but he got the one I wouldn’t take money for...the bat was just right for me. I liked the feel of it. I hate to lose it.” <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">About a week later, “Betsy Ann” was delivered by courier to the Yankee clubhouse in a plain brown package. Behind the scenes, one of Joe’s assistants—a wise-guy named Jimmy “Peanuts” Ceres—had spent five days looking for the bat. As it turned out, the thief had ties to the Newark underworld (which was Jimmy’s domain) and also happened to be a braggart. When the thief’s identity was revealed, Jimmy paid the guy a visit with one of his associates. Specific details of how they persuaded the man to return Joe’s prized bat have never been disclosed. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><b>A Word With the Author</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">1.Did you always want to be an author?<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">No. When I was a kid, I had many different aspirations. I was around for the Apollo moon missions in the late-‘60s and early-‘70s. So the first thing I wanted to be was an astronaut. When I realized how dangerous it was, I set my sights on studying the planets and stars. Unfortunately, I soon discovered that being an astronomer involved a lot of complicated math, so I bailed on that dream and started playing multiple sports. I wasn’t tall enough to be a good basketball player. I couldn’t skate well enough to play organized hockey. And I couldn’t hit a curveball to save my life. So I eventually decided to write about sports. Those who can’t <i>DO</i>, write (I don’t think that’s how the saying goes but it’s true). <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">2.Tell us about the publication of your first book.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">My first book was published back in 2012. I had tried my hand at writing novels, short stories, and screenplays, all of which were rejected by multiple publishers. And then, someone I really trusted told me to “write about what you know.” I figured I had been following baseball for more than three decades and had a pretty good working knowledge of the sport. My first acceptance letter came as a complete surprise to me. You get so used to being rejected, you expect more of the same. But an editor from Scarecrow Press (an imprint of Rowman and Littlefield) stood behind my work. Her name is Kristin Karniski and I’m forever grateful . The name of that book is <i>Cellar Dwellers: The Worst Teams in Baseball History.</i> It was a really fun project to work on. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">3.Besides yourself, who is your favorite author in the genre you write in?<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">There are quite a few authors I really admire. Roger Kahn, Jane Leavy, Peter Golenbock, and Roger Angell for starters. Two of the best baseball books I have read in recent years are: <i>The Wax Pack: On The Road in Search of Baseball’s Afterlife</i> by Brad Balukjian and <i>Cardboard Gods</i> by Josh Wilker. Both of them incorporated baseball card collecting into the narrative and that is one of my passionate hobbies. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">4.What’s the best part of being an author? The worst?<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">I ‘ve been asked this question before and I always say the same thing: The best part of writing is the escape it provides. When you’re at your keyboard, it’s just you and the subject matter. Life’s worrisome details are temporarily put on hold (at least for me). The worst part of being an author is the process of writing itself. I’ve admitted many times that writing is not always a smooth activity for me. Sometimes I have it and sometimes I don’t. On days when the proper words elude me, I have to hammer away at it like sculpting stone. It can be frustrating. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">5.What are you working on now?<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">I just finished a book about the World Series that will be released through Lyons Press next year. I’ve moved on to another baseball topic that is near and dear to me. But I’ll keep that under wraps until I actually sign a contract. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></b></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">~~~~~~~~~~~~~<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif">AUTHOR Bio and Links:</span></b><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Jonathan Weeks has written several sports biographies and two novels, one of which was a posthumous collaboration with his father. He grew up in the Capital District region of New York State and currently works in the mental health field.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">BLOG: http://www.jonathanweeks.blogspot.com<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">GOODREADS AUTHOR PAGE: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/5862273.Jonathan_Weeks" style="color: #954f72;">https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/5862273.Jonathan_Weeks</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Tales-Yankee-Clipper-Reflections-DiMaggio-ebook/dp/B0CKBLVMM5/ref=sr_1_1<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">~~~~~~~~~~~~~<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif">GIVEAWAY INFORMATION</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Jonathan Weeks will award a randomly drawn winner a $25 Amazon/BN gift card.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><br /></p>
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<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_PbSwp_o_oFmPX3ZOufSMBxJhNgzXjCwfRZ0-bfiYB-dD8x_-Q-vUIjr8Uu3E9kJ3yKrlDNpb8Rfeahtzv5MbRNATqhiLW3jqnVkICDnowNnjDBNA3arWMVKgG3CeQOmQV0xLTd8I7GGGvQefefYYlt_xK3_hSsItM4whLtfFnps6OA7m-wW5jakXHgiV/s1200/TourBanner_Tales%20of%20the%20Yankee%20Clipper.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="670" data-original-width="1200" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_PbSwp_o_oFmPX3ZOufSMBxJhNgzXjCwfRZ0-bfiYB-dD8x_-Q-vUIjr8Uu3E9kJ3yKrlDNpb8Rfeahtzv5MbRNATqhiLW3jqnVkICDnowNnjDBNA3arWMVKgG3CeQOmQV0xLTd8I7GGGvQefefYYlt_xK3_hSsItM4whLtfFnps6OA7m-wW5jakXHgiV/w391-h219/TourBanner_Tales%20of%20the%20Yankee%20Clipper.gif" width="391" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div>Elaine Cantrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05668294337075373288noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8565893280908397886.post-31668692031584976802024-02-20T06:00:00.001-05:002024-02-20T06:00:00.129-05:00Beyond the Book: Money, Money, Money.<p> <span style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, "Bitstream Charter", serif; font-size: 16px;">If you were independently wealthy would it change anything in what type of material you write… or in what manner you would write? </span></p><p style="background: none; border: 0px; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, "Bitstream Charter", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I think the answer to this question is maybe. Yes, I know I seem to be straddling the fence when I say that, but just think about it for a minute. Have you ever watched a movie or read a book about some long lost relative who left you his entire fortune? I’ve read some of those stories, and truly they’re a fun read. (My own long lost relative is still lost I fear.) Anyway I’d be somewhat lost in the mores and folkways of the truly rich. It would be easy enough to learn how to dress, which fork to use, and such things. But I wonder if on the inside you’d still be the old you. In many ways I think you can change the trappings of the truly wealthy, but I don’t think you could change what’s on the inside. Science tells us that most of who we are is determined in the first three to five years of our live. Going from the middle class to the wealthy would be hard but possible. </p><p style="background: none; border: 0px; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, "Bitstream Charter", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">As far as writing goes, being wealthy would surely give you many now experiences to write about. This could stimulate our writing and that would probably lend an edge of realism to our writing. (If you see my long lost relative tell him to hurry home. I want to put my theory to the test.)</p><p style="background: none; border: 0px; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, "Bitstream Charter", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">As to what manner I would write I don’t think that would change much. Over the years I’ve developed a routine that works for me so why would I change it? (Well, the cook could have my breakfast ready when I got back from my morning walk, but that isn’t really anything related to writing although it would be a small change in my writing routine.) I’ve always heard to write what you know so how can I truly be positive about my answers to this week’s question? Who knows?</p>Elaine Cantrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05668294337075373288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8565893280908397886.post-55757545453155751652024-02-19T06:00:00.001-05:002024-02-19T13:03:43.122-05:00The Distance Between Us<<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgchmL3XnLk4YWa8kyQwojNRqbaOLLQGTyvEoAJ0Ihyphenhyphen8TG22HRkzqlvCgHGtAjLavTbcBg3V3oA0y-XR88f92T5wgchkCqKULM6ElXBEDYMscoWB1R-PrH1ctsUPiNNd4hksgVTleqnuJhzJZCBKYz_6EaRfmxMc5mAWOw-pfULhmly1j2KSPZOteUk0x8/s828/The%20Distance%20Between%20Us_release%20banner.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="828" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgchmL3XnLk4YWa8kyQwojNRqbaOLLQGTyvEoAJ0Ihyphenhyphen8TG22HRkzqlvCgHGtAjLavTbcBg3V3oA0y-XR88f92T5wgchkCqKULM6ElXBEDYMscoWB1R-PrH1ctsUPiNNd4hksgVTleqnuJhzJZCBKYz_6EaRfmxMc5mAWOw-pfULhmly1j2KSPZOteUk0x8/w640-h244/The%20Distance%20Between%20Us_release%20banner.png" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Lora;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><div style="text-align: center;">Title: The Distance Between Us: A Hidden-Identity Romance</div></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><div style="text-align: center;">Series: Cruz Into Love Series, Book 1</div></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><div style="text-align: center;">Author: Anne Trowbridge</div></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><div style="text-align: center;">Release Date: February 19, 2024</div></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><div style="text-align: center;">Genre: New Adult Romance</div></span></span>
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<img border="0" data-original-height="84" data-original-width="224" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-V9In5dVd7cM/WmAIt5dPU5I/AAAAAAAB03E/o8EZYW06QC85hXPMXjgVmZnX_EzRwzd9wCLcBGAs/s1600/blog_synopsis.jpg" /></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjePSI8gz4FsALjB7DD4CQaea2bYhR93e0tur8iqH2ARR7cqwRU69MaK4vt6gPGIm8yTl6e_JtmsxStOwXfWwWNCVIsA6Oc-ORafRiOMSgJUPanh1qMtShAMcyZygXkfJheQyEn9JI3rMZITRv-WuO2O-FIG5UfzUSzQUgUSS42VE_Zz27sB6nJer5EuYY/s1905/Distance%20Between%20Us%20Final%20Cover.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1905" data-original-width="1316" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjePSI8gz4FsALjB7DD4CQaea2bYhR93e0tur8iqH2ARR7cqwRU69MaK4vt6gPGIm8yTl6e_JtmsxStOwXfWwWNCVIsA6Oc-ORafRiOMSgJUPanh1qMtShAMcyZygXkfJheQyEn9JI3rMZITRv-WuO2O-FIG5UfzUSzQUgUSS42VE_Zz27sB6nJer5EuYY/w221-h320/Distance%20Between%20Us%20Final%20Cover.jpg" width="221" /></a><span style="font-family: Lora; font-size: medium;">Max and Lily are neighbors, but the distance between them couldn’t be wider. Lily’s a bubbly burst of sunshine who’s stuck in every guy’s friendzone, but Max is stuck in a prison of anxiety born from childhood trauma and a debilitating stutter. When Max’s brother Jake intervenes and presents him with a way to get to know Lily on his own terms, Max is terrified…and thrilled. But how can they ever truly be together if she doesn’t even know who he is?</span></div><span style="font-family: Lora; font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">This book is the first in a trilogy about the three Cruz brothers and their struggles to survive—and maybe even thrive—after the day their family detonated, leaving behind a debris field of pain and chaos. While the stories are connected, each one can be read as a standalone, and none of the books ends on a cliffhanger.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Fans of stories in which pain, longing, angst, humor, and hope weave together to create an emotional journey with both laughter and tears will love this book!</i></div></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="84" data-original-width="224" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mHIlAv37w68/WmAJVHJ_leI/AAAAAAAB03o/-tvKLGL1U8cq0df_wscFicOugSSV6ejOwCLcBGAs/s1600/blog_teasers.jpg" /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmrZhaHG46w7f95t_uc5aiwTy0NPCP9ioB7sLgW2YlI-6_nTOOnYxxjGINVnMuZNSsp3bSO8i2jdxMW-hzMnnp8QfXUaKq966VfWhQ3fg28yW8Hk2bETNL0Q39qRJHrLWf6ITGgrzBZggM5aCfZdnY45MhYeTgkSz7sxURHOJOCoN8kbKKPtoKH_Pfs4E/s1200/Distance%20Between%20Us_Lily%20Quote%201%20(1).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="628" data-original-width="1200" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmrZhaHG46w7f95t_uc5aiwTy0NPCP9ioB7sLgW2YlI-6_nTOOnYxxjGINVnMuZNSsp3bSO8i2jdxMW-hzMnnp8QfXUaKq966VfWhQ3fg28yW8Hk2bETNL0Q39qRJHrLWf6ITGgrzBZggM5aCfZdnY45MhYeTgkSz7sxURHOJOCoN8kbKKPtoKH_Pfs4E/w400-h209/Distance%20Between%20Us_Lily%20Quote%201%20(1).png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBtlJ6gURHcE5VrsVpXr7cFdKKTJPr-_DBSvDxrblcJXijf_kNYUdKiuFeUxUdKGak7MoXaeUZWNwyR7Z7uqQiQDP2px4uOSw4gyyLB7nXWCwXpfy0z__CsNlXNP2-gfD9rJa0ToTWl7F6cnQP6hYL6ffGKwkTEk1fDoNI8hu5ZElPg00PcjLDvtEZKeU/s1200/Distance%20Between%20Us_Max%20Quote%201%20(1).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="628" data-original-width="1200" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBtlJ6gURHcE5VrsVpXr7cFdKKTJPr-_DBSvDxrblcJXijf_kNYUdKiuFeUxUdKGak7MoXaeUZWNwyR7Z7uqQiQDP2px4uOSw4gyyLB7nXWCwXpfy0z__CsNlXNP2-gfD9rJa0ToTWl7F6cnQP6hYL6ffGKwkTEk1fDoNI8hu5ZElPg00PcjLDvtEZKeU/w400-h209/Distance%20Between%20Us_Max%20Quote%201%20(1).png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcrtZ6RZ_b9jsAJFnM3bXySCOSlnj6yWHOnE3f5aqS-4KzeOu4wglcJ3MssFSPhO-5nf6Y_hol8wseKjpERqcVM6CKZRlvH2b6o0s3t-G_WXZZsWmJLwWVyRQWqSPXfN2C97JzCfucKZmAe6OJdfA3irMlCuzTjm38SDQOwsYYinN95ET_GHkDtORBW3E/s1200/Distance%20Between%20Us_Lily%20Quote%202%20(1).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="628" data-original-width="1200" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcrtZ6RZ_b9jsAJFnM3bXySCOSlnj6yWHOnE3f5aqS-4KzeOu4wglcJ3MssFSPhO-5nf6Y_hol8wseKjpERqcVM6CKZRlvH2b6o0s3t-G_WXZZsWmJLwWVyRQWqSPXfN2C97JzCfucKZmAe6OJdfA3irMlCuzTjm38SDQOwsYYinN95ET_GHkDtORBW3E/w400-h209/Distance%20Between%20Us_Lily%20Quote%202%20(1).png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguAS-HMhpW3d_u03vfplbZqunTpvob1QzpO2ijs2_69MCaXWjqaL84tjAcrlvFE38qo_TYwMVh_RBtXxvMLDpfMC5M2sZmSV0mbS6VBxZeoNfgi_jRMeI5CyAgPYpGGmFfIwgdCtlBF4lc4aovcJyraIhnZS8ECPyjC-HXxacHhKdQrjd-_KePip4yfyA/s1200/Distance%20Between%20Us_Max%20Quote%202%20(1).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="628" data-original-width="1200" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguAS-HMhpW3d_u03vfplbZqunTpvob1QzpO2ijs2_69MCaXWjqaL84tjAcrlvFE38qo_TYwMVh_RBtXxvMLDpfMC5M2sZmSV0mbS6VBxZeoNfgi_jRMeI5CyAgPYpGGmFfIwgdCtlBF4lc4aovcJyraIhnZS8ECPyjC-HXxacHhKdQrjd-_KePip4yfyA/w400-h209/Distance%20Between%20Us_Max%20Quote%202%20(1).png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>
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<img border="0" data-original-height="84" data-original-width="224" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1L6UWb0Vrkc/WmAJVLXZ9fI/AAAAAAAB03s/9dl9IUufhzc2mfOTaoF47RNgL4KaCKJgACLcBGAs/s1600/blog_meet%2Bthe%2Bauthor.jpg" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: Lora;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Anne Trowbridge </b>loves writing romances that hit major emotional beats in swoony, angsty stories in which the couples really earn their happily-ever-afters. They are closed-door spice level. Expect banter, angst, and deeply emotional connections that resonate!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The baseball romances in her The Curveball Incident Series explore the fallout after one disastrous, wild pitch hits an unintended target, forever altering two men’s lives.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Her Ticket to Love Series spotlights independent women finding love—and also some heartache, adventure, and laughter—on fabulous trips.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The new Cruz Into Love Series is a trilogy about the three Cruz brothers and their struggles to survive—and maybe even thrive—after their family detonates into pain and chaos.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">She lives in New Jersey with her husband, two kids, and two dogs. When she’s not reading or writing, she’s teaching language arts to middle schoolers, which really should involve medals for bravery. She grew up all over the Midwest and somehow still loves to travel and see new places.</div></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>
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<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><b> </b></span> <span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><b>HOSTED BY:</b></span>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgchmL3XnLk4YWa8kyQwojNRqbaOLLQGTyvEoAJ0Ihyphenhyphen8TG22HRkzqlvCgHGtAjLavTbcBg3V3oA0y-XR88f92T5wgchkCqKULM6ElXBEDYMscoWB1R-PrH1ctsUPiNNd4hksgVTleqnuJhzJZCBKYz_6EaRfmxMc5mAWOw-pfULhmly1j2KSPZOteUk0x8/s828/The%20Distance%20Between%20Us_release%20banner.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="828" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgchmL3XnLk4YWa8kyQwojNRqbaOLLQGTyvEoAJ0Ihyphenhyphen8TG22HRkzqlvCgHGtAjLavTbcBg3V3oA0y-XR88f92T5wgchkCqKULM6ElXBEDYMscoWB1R-PrH1ctsUPiNNd4hksgVTleqnuJhzJZCBKYz_6EaRfmxMc5mAWOw-pfULhmly1j2KSPZOteUk0x8/w640-h244/The%20Distance%20Between%20Us_release%20banner.png" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Lora;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><div style="text-align: center;">Title: The Distance Between Us: A Hidden-Identity Romance</div></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><div style="text-align: center;">Series: Cruz Into Love Series, Book 1</div></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><div style="text-align: center;">Author: Anne Trowbridge</div></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><div style="text-align: center;">Release Date: February 19, 2024</div></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><div style="text-align: center;">Genre: New Adult Romance</div></span></span>
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<img border="0" data-original-height="84" data-original-width="224" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-V9In5dVd7cM/WmAIt5dPU5I/AAAAAAAB03E/o8EZYW06QC85hXPMXjgVmZnX_EzRwzd9wCLcBGAs/s1600/blog_synopsis.jpg" /></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjePSI8gz4FsALjB7DD4CQaea2bYhR93e0tur8iqH2ARR7cqwRU69MaK4vt6gPGIm8yTl6e_JtmsxStOwXfWwWNCVIsA6Oc-ORafRiOMSgJUPanh1qMtShAMcyZygXkfJheQyEn9JI3rMZITRv-WuO2O-FIG5UfzUSzQUgUSS42VE_Zz27sB6nJer5EuYY/s1905/Distance%20Between%20Us%20Final%20Cover.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1905" data-original-width="1316" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjePSI8gz4FsALjB7DD4CQaea2bYhR93e0tur8iqH2ARR7cqwRU69MaK4vt6gPGIm8yTl6e_JtmsxStOwXfWwWNCVIsA6Oc-ORafRiOMSgJUPanh1qMtShAMcyZygXkfJheQyEn9JI3rMZITRv-WuO2O-FIG5UfzUSzQUgUSS42VE_Zz27sB6nJer5EuYY/w221-h320/Distance%20Between%20Us%20Final%20Cover.jpg" width="221" /></a><span style="font-family: Lora; font-size: medium;">Max and Lily are neighbors, but the distance between them couldn’t be wider. Lily’s a bubbly burst of sunshine who’s stuck in every guy’s friendzone, but Max is stuck in a prison of anxiety born from childhood trauma and a debilitating stutter. When Max’s brother Jake intervenes and presents him with a way to get to know Lily on his own terms, Max is terrified…and thrilled. But how can they ever truly be together if she doesn’t even know who he is?</span></div><span style="font-family: Lora; font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">This book is the first in a trilogy about the three Cruz brothers and their struggles to survive—and maybe even thrive—after the day their family detonated, leaving behind a debris field of pain and chaos. While the stories are connected, each one can be read as a standalone, and none of the books ends on a cliffhanger.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Fans of stories in which pain, longing, angst, humor, and hope weave together to create an emotional journey with both laughter and tears will love this book!</i></div></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="84" data-original-width="224" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mHIlAv37w68/WmAJVHJ_leI/AAAAAAAB03o/-tvKLGL1U8cq0df_wscFicOugSSV6ejOwCLcBGAs/s1600/blog_teasers.jpg" /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmrZhaHG46w7f95t_uc5aiwTy0NPCP9ioB7sLgW2YlI-6_nTOOnYxxjGINVnMuZNSsp3bSO8i2jdxMW-hzMnnp8QfXUaKq966VfWhQ3fg28yW8Hk2bETNL0Q39qRJHrLWf6ITGgrzBZggM5aCfZdnY45MhYeTgkSz7sxURHOJOCoN8kbKKPtoKH_Pfs4E/s1200/Distance%20Between%20Us_Lily%20Quote%201%20(1).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="628" data-original-width="1200" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmrZhaHG46w7f95t_uc5aiwTy0NPCP9ioB7sLgW2YlI-6_nTOOnYxxjGINVnMuZNSsp3bSO8i2jdxMW-hzMnnp8QfXUaKq966VfWhQ3fg28yW8Hk2bETNL0Q39qRJHrLWf6ITGgrzBZggM5aCfZdnY45MhYeTgkSz7sxURHOJOCoN8kbKKPtoKH_Pfs4E/w400-h209/Distance%20Between%20Us_Lily%20Quote%201%20(1).png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBtlJ6gURHcE5VrsVpXr7cFdKKTJPr-_DBSvDxrblcJXijf_kNYUdKiuFeUxUdKGak7MoXaeUZWNwyR7Z7uqQiQDP2px4uOSw4gyyLB7nXWCwXpfy0z__CsNlXNP2-gfD9rJa0ToTWl7F6cnQP6hYL6ffGKwkTEk1fDoNI8hu5ZElPg00PcjLDvtEZKeU/s1200/Distance%20Between%20Us_Max%20Quote%201%20(1).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="628" data-original-width="1200" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBtlJ6gURHcE5VrsVpXr7cFdKKTJPr-_DBSvDxrblcJXijf_kNYUdKiuFeUxUdKGak7MoXaeUZWNwyR7Z7uqQiQDP2px4uOSw4gyyLB7nXWCwXpfy0z__CsNlXNP2-gfD9rJa0ToTWl7F6cnQP6hYL6ffGKwkTEk1fDoNI8hu5ZElPg00PcjLDvtEZKeU/w400-h209/Distance%20Between%20Us_Max%20Quote%201%20(1).png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcrtZ6RZ_b9jsAJFnM3bXySCOSlnj6yWHOnE3f5aqS-4KzeOu4wglcJ3MssFSPhO-5nf6Y_hol8wseKjpERqcVM6CKZRlvH2b6o0s3t-G_WXZZsWmJLwWVyRQWqSPXfN2C97JzCfucKZmAe6OJdfA3irMlCuzTjm38SDQOwsYYinN95ET_GHkDtORBW3E/s1200/Distance%20Between%20Us_Lily%20Quote%202%20(1).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="628" data-original-width="1200" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcrtZ6RZ_b9jsAJFnM3bXySCOSlnj6yWHOnE3f5aqS-4KzeOu4wglcJ3MssFSPhO-5nf6Y_hol8wseKjpERqcVM6CKZRlvH2b6o0s3t-G_WXZZsWmJLwWVyRQWqSPXfN2C97JzCfucKZmAe6OJdfA3irMlCuzTjm38SDQOwsYYinN95ET_GHkDtORBW3E/w400-h209/Distance%20Between%20Us_Lily%20Quote%202%20(1).png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguAS-HMhpW3d_u03vfplbZqunTpvob1QzpO2ijs2_69MCaXWjqaL84tjAcrlvFE38qo_TYwMVh_RBtXxvMLDpfMC5M2sZmSV0mbS6VBxZeoNfgi_jRMeI5CyAgPYpGGmFfIwgdCtlBF4lc4aovcJyraIhnZS8ECPyjC-HXxacHhKdQrjd-_KePip4yfyA/s1200/Distance%20Between%20Us_Max%20Quote%202%20(1).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="628" data-original-width="1200" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguAS-HMhpW3d_u03vfplbZqunTpvob1QzpO2ijs2_69MCaXWjqaL84tjAcrlvFE38qo_TYwMVh_RBtXxvMLDpfMC5M2sZmSV0mbS6VBxZeoNfgi_jRMeI5CyAgPYpGGmFfIwgdCtlBF4lc4aovcJyraIhnZS8ECPyjC-HXxacHhKdQrjd-_KePip4yfyA/w400-h209/Distance%20Between%20Us_Max%20Quote%202%20(1).png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>
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<img border="0" data-original-height="84" data-original-width="224" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1L6UWb0Vrkc/WmAJVLXZ9fI/AAAAAAAB03s/9dl9IUufhzc2mfOTaoF47RNgL4KaCKJgACLcBGAs/s1600/blog_meet%2Bthe%2Bauthor.jpg" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: Lora;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Anne Trowbridge </b>loves writing romances that hit major emotional beats in swoony, angsty stories in which the couples really earn their happily-ever-afters. They are closed-door spice level. Expect banter, angst, and deeply emotional connections that resonate!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The baseball romances in her The Curveball Incident Series explore the fallout after one disastrous, wild pitch hits an unintended target, forever altering two men’s lives.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Her Ticket to Love Series spotlights independent women finding love—and also some heartache, adventure, and laughter—on fabulous trips.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The new Cruz Into Love Series is a trilogy about the three Cruz brothers and their struggles to survive—and maybe even thrive—after their family detonates into pain and chaos.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">She lives in New Jersey with her husband, two kids, and two dogs. When she’s not reading or writing, she’s teaching language arts to middle schoolers, which really should involve medals for bravery. She grew up all over the Midwest and somehow still loves to travel and see new places.</div></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>
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>Elaine Cantrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05668294337075373288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8565893280908397886.post-64531309107046582692024-02-16T04:00:00.007-05:002024-02-16T04:00:00.131-05:00The Spinster, the Rebel, and the Governor<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKW0TxmiR01YQnFHWpRidXXAi0BfPoc5rVlPrySxgHFG5HjVzQfmCLXslJb-sK2KDOHmaegzggLwq2GcoBsefjV7Ss_rG4thQyu-U4lmlBHq5ITphFSFw3bAJ_3NIjhtbWqaPe88tQhqA-m93TsUzBP3Iw__Zd0lP9avDTud9yx97F93_PGCwdsJUHjRCf/s2700/BookCover_SpinsterRebelGovernor2ndEd.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="1800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKW0TxmiR01YQnFHWpRidXXAi0BfPoc5rVlPrySxgHFG5HjVzQfmCLXslJb-sK2KDOHmaegzggLwq2GcoBsefjV7Ss_rG4thQyu-U4lmlBHq5ITphFSFw3bAJ_3NIjhtbWqaPe88tQhqA-m93TsUzBP3Iw__Zd0lP9avDTud9yx97F93_PGCwdsJUHjRCf/s320/BookCover_SpinsterRebelGovernor2ndEd.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 18pt;">The Spinster, the Rebel & the Governor</span></b><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">by Charlene Bell Dietz<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">~~~~~~~~~~~~~<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif">GENRE</span></b><span face="Arial, sans-serif">: Historical Fiction<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">~~~~~~~~~~~~~<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif">BLURB:</span></b><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt; margin: 0.1pt 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;">Move over Susan B. Anthony. There’s an unsung woman asking for the vote 224 years before you, and murderous rebels and bigoted gentlemen can’t prevent spinster Lady Margaret Brent from wielding her power to defend Maryland settlers from plunder and obliteration.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt; margin: 0.1pt 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p><p style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt; margin: 0.1pt 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;">Lady Margaret Brent, compelled to right wrongs, risks her life by illegally educating English women, placing her family at risk. She fights to have a voice, yet her father and brothers exclude her from discussions. Worried the kings’ men may know of her illegal activities, she flees to the New World where she can enjoy religious tolerance and own land, believing she will be allowed a voice. Once in Maryland, she presents cases in provincial court where she’s hired as the first American woman attorney, but there she uncovers perilous actions, prompting her to build a fort to shield those within from being murdered. Can Margaret Brent’s integrity and ingenuity protect Maryland from being destroyed?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" lang="en-US"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif">EXCERPT</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">The Wells girl covered her eyes with both hands. Margaret, ignoring the buzzing of flies and the damp heat of the morning sun, worked to untangle the girl’s words in her mind.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">“If the river doesn’t take me, then I shall have my baby alone and will have to live with Master Cole, and I shall never see my dear Tom again.” With that, she burst into tears.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">“You do not look like you are about to have a baby. Why do you say your time is up?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">“Master Cole brought me here four years ago. He said after I had worked for him for four years, I wouldn’t owe him a tad more, and now he says I can’t leave, and so I might as well marry him. Lady Brent. I worked hard from early morning until after dark every day, and my time is up. Even the devil would say this isn’t right.” She sniffed and looked away.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Margaret set her jaw. “Heaven help us if other masters here in Maryland treat their servants in this manner.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">“There’s nothing I can do.” She bit her lip. “I thought maybe the next time you talked with Governor Calvert you might say something on my behalf, and I pray my request is not one of cheekiness.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">“Mary.” Margaret called sharply across to the soap making group. “Would you please come here?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">When Mary finished saying something, she trotted over to the garden. “Hello, Carrie. Are you not feeling well—your face seems flushed?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">“So, you are acquainted with Carrie Wells?” Margaret studied her sister, slipped the basket from Carrie, and moved it into Mary’s hands. “She brought these for us and herbs to scent your soap.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">“Sometimes on Sundays after church Carrie walks with me in the woods and shows me barks, roots, and herbs that heal.” She glanced at the basket. “Why, these are lovely.” She glanced at the young woman, then put her hand on Carrie’s arm. “Are you still having trouble with Jacob Cole?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">“Jacob Cole is about to have troubles with her. Has Giles returned from Kent for Assembly today? Will both our brothers be at the meeting?” Margaret’s frogs roiled inside her. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">How dare these men take advantage of their servants? <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">“I saw him and Fulke along with some other men heading to Lewger’s home earlier.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">“Come, Carrie Wells. We shall also attend Assembly.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">“But—Margaret,” Mary grabbed her arm. “Certainly, women would not be allowed—”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Margaret shrugged Mary away, snatched Carrie Wells by her hand, and stomped off down the path.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">“Sister,” Mary called after her, “you must take off that filthy apron. You’re covered in soil.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Margaret jerked it untied and slung it. “There is a difference between God’s soil and men’s dirt. Carrie Wells and I are about to sort this very thing out with all those fine gentlemen of Assembly.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></b></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">~~~~~~~~~~~~~<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPsP9KObn_egHS9NQvpx_X9hTN7ZV_rCaor5UrqfNWtkmUqMvhK2n6oiwZNubpavBP6jDQ2HqQ3R2veYunb1MSuDDdjzc6plDR4JJNK6lAjif0NcxW42tGP8wbAEzZ6aDYOhKqrh4QPERpOc1upP1QPBW8ku6OZeMpoOFNuV8a65UJ-Q8CYldFsijRRbyR/s2121/author%20image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2121" data-original-width="1740" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPsP9KObn_egHS9NQvpx_X9hTN7ZV_rCaor5UrqfNWtkmUqMvhK2n6oiwZNubpavBP6jDQ2HqQ3R2veYunb1MSuDDdjzc6plDR4JJNK6lAjif0NcxW42tGP8wbAEzZ6aDYOhKqrh4QPERpOc1upP1QPBW8ku6OZeMpoOFNuV8a65UJ-Q8CYldFsijRRbyR/s320/author%20image.jpg" width="263" /></a></span></div><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><br /> </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif">AUTHOR Bio and Links:</span></b><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Charlene Bell Dietz lives in the central mountains of New Mexico. She taught kindergarten through high school, served as a school administrator, and an adjunct instructor for the College of Santa Fe. After retirement she traveled the United States providing instruction for school staff and administrators. Her writing includes published articles, children’s stories, short stories, and mystery and historical novels<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Email: chardietzpen@gmail.com <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Website: <a href="https://inkydancestudios.com/" style="color: #954f72;">https://inkydancestudios.com/</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> Char Bell Dietz @CharBellDietz <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Purchase: http://apbooks.net/srg.html</span><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: red;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: red;"> </span></b></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif">GIVEAWAY INFORMATION </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">The author will award a randomly chosen winner a $25 Amazon/BN gift card.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><br /></p>
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Elaine Cantrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05668294337075373288noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8565893280908397886.post-28377215416813568352024-02-16T04:00:00.006-05:002024-02-16T04:00:00.130-05:00The Nick Before Christmas<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKaRwsYtGJKQ6tTNIhJk0zxLe0M1_rY6lm5Gyldli1VdgckwRoGV7q_UZhIo3dPCxxBRmGedi25o07XsSMtfk_Hwt7iAcXSizu8z5mip1Aehl8T00z16YPcEOfErWUJKqJTsqwkGq1fsN5aNVliHA7bRt8wgqNknCZu3SDx9WCcyFT69iQkkY_o-ap7B2r/s2560/BookBlast_The-Nick-Before-Christmas.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="1707" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKaRwsYtGJKQ6tTNIhJk0zxLe0M1_rY6lm5Gyldli1VdgckwRoGV7q_UZhIo3dPCxxBRmGedi25o07XsSMtfk_Hwt7iAcXSizu8z5mip1Aehl8T00z16YPcEOfErWUJKqJTsqwkGq1fsN5aNVliHA7bRt8wgqNknCZu3SDx9WCcyFT69iQkkY_o-ap7B2r/s320/BookBlast_The-Nick-Before-Christmas.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br /> <b style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #222222; font-size: 18pt;">The Nick Before Christmas</span></b><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">by K.L. Brady<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">~~~~~~~~~~~~~<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif">GENRE</span></b><span face="Arial, sans-serif">: Romance<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">~~~~~~~~~~~~~<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif">BLURB:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #222222;">Will an angel's dire warning, a quest to discover a second act by Christmas Eve, and a touch of Christmas Magic lead Nickie Wright back to the one that got away?<br /><br />Nickie Wright is ready to celebrate the big 5-0 for Christmas in July, but a hot flash leads her to a sobering revelation: her life has hit rock bottom. Her successes--the home and the car--feel empty. Her vision board has been a waste of time, her job is unfulfilling, and she's mulling over a proposal from Smith, who she's not sure she likes. The best day of her life spirals into the worst. During a near-death experience, a meeting with her guardian angel presents Nickie with an ultimatum - either go to heaven or return to Earth and find her second act by Christmas Eve. If she fails, her future's bleak -- her life will be filled with days no better than her worst.<br /><br />Her second act sets her on a collision path with Evan Goodman, the man who makes her content, and Jordan Devlin, the first love who drives her crazy. She's torn between two worlds--contentment and safety, passion and excitement.<br /><br />Time is running out for Nickie.<br /><br />She only has from Christmas in July until Christmas Eve to find her calling, follow her dreams, and figure out which romantic interest will help Nickie embrace the best of herself.<br /><br />The Nick Before Christmas is the perfect romantic comedy to help you find your calling and renew your faith. It delivers unforgettable moments of self-discovery and romance. It's an enchanting story to fill your heart with joy this Christmas.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" lang="en-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" lang="en-US"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif">EXCERPT</span></b><b style="font-size: 11pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">:</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">The voice and the name paralyzed her.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">One person (in this world or any other) referred to her by that name.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">It couldn’t be her.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">“Nickie Boo?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Her body stiffened. She was more shocked than afraid. Uncontrollable streams of tears flushed from her eyes. She glanced from side to side. No one. Nothing, but the faint hope of seeing her mother again after fate stole her only chance for goodbye. Nickie found out about her mother’s illness only six weeks before her death and thought she had more time.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">“Mommy?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Almost as soon as she called out to Nickie Boo once more, an angelic form descended from the sky in a dramatic drop; her arms were folded across her chest. Upon first look Nickie couldn’t discern the face, but her voice was exactly the same as she remembered. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">The more the form came into view, the more visible the feathery wings appeared. But the face, she knew the face like her own. Same auburn skin, same bright eyes, same natural thick hair. Her mother’s eyes smiled but her lips didn’t, at least not at first.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">“It’s me, Cupcake. Merry Birthday.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">An inexplicable calm washed over her…on the outside. Inside she was scared crapless. Nickie reached for the angel’s arm and pinched her, gently. “Are you real, or am I crazy?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">“Yes,” her mother replied, “and yes.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Mom angel?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Nickie laughed. No one else could make her chuckle in the middle of paralyzing panic and fear.<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><br /></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><br /></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><b>A Word With the Author</b></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><b> </b></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">1.Did you always want to be an author?</span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Sort of. When we’re young and impressionable, I think we believe we can be anything. As we get older, we want to be what we think we can be. At least this is how it worked in my life. So, When I was young, I wanted to be either an author or an actress. Both of those vocations required the signing of autographs, and I used to practice my autograph all the time. In fact, the autograph I use to sign books today is not far from the one I practiced when I was a kid. But eventually, I began to believe that becoming an author was too big of a reach for me. Authors, for me, were like the gods on Mt. Olympus. I didn’t believe I had the talent or the gift to be an author. I’ve always been a reader and kept journals. In fact, my mother (may she be resting in peace) told me that at the age of three, she’d be reading to me, and I’d snatch books out of her hand and read them myself. I remember loving books and stories from a very early age, but I never thought I could write one myself. Now, I’m twenty-something books into my writing career…and I realize now that writing novels, being a published author, was without question is my calling. It’s the one thing I can do all day long and never feel like I’m working. I love every minute. And the fact that I tripped and fell into publishing…well, that was just God’s way of confirming that I was meant to be an author. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">2.Tell us about the publication of your first book.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">My first book. This is a funny story—and a long story. I will condense it for this interview. So, in 2008, I was a part-time real estate agent. I’d fallen for a guy (stupidly) who was separating from his wife and buying a new home—I was his agent. As it turned out, he wasn’t ready for the relationship he thought he was ready for (of course) so we split up. (Yes, he did buy a house but with another agent.) Anyway, I was a bit heart broken and didn’t know what to do with myself except write in my journals. In the midst of this heartache, and following a string of stupid relationships, I watched Oprah (as many people do) and I caught an episode or two of her “Live Your Best Life” shows. I realized I was not living my best life…and my best life meant writing. So, I decided to craft a novel. I toiled day and night for four months until I wrote “the end” at the bottom of my first tome. I decided to call it, The Bum Magnet – as a reflection of who I used to be. I told my friends that I’d written a book called The Bum Magnet, and they asked, “Is it an autobiography???” I’d have been hurt if it weren’t so true. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">I then saw an advertisement for the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Awards. I was sure my book was a best seller headed for Oprah. Why not begin with the Amazon award? So, I entered. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">My book got skewered. Holy moly. Readers said it was funny, but it needed a lot of work. The thing is, once I got over myself and my hurt feelings, I realized a lot of the criticism was right. So, after I was eliminated from the first or second round, I focused on making changes and rewrites, submitting it to agents, and trying to sell it to a publishing house. After nearly a year of revisions and a pile of rejections, I had a “come to Jesus” moment. I had to ask myself what was I really writing for – is it glory? Money? A publishing deal? And my answer was no on all counts – in my heart, what I truly wanted, was for people to laugh (for it truly is the best medicine) maybe learn from the story, apply lessons learned to their own lives, and I said that if my work helped just one person, it would be worth the trouble of writing it. Eventually, I gave up on traditional publishing and self-published it. It took off in a way I did not expect. Maybe four months after self-publishing, I received a call from an editor at a major house. From that call, I got an agent. A couple of months later, I had 2-book deal with Simon & Schuster. What I have since come to learn is that deal was not the point of take-off for my career – it was confirmation that I was meant to be a writer, an author. I love being in my own lane, and I cheer for my writer friends who have become bestselling authors. I try very hard not to compare my journey to others—so, in truth, I don’t at all feel like a failure or a success. I just feel like I still have a lot of writing to do, and I approach every story the same exact way—if I believe one person could find joy in my story or healing and laughter in it, then I publish it and leave the rest to God. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">3.Besides yourself, who is your favorite author in the genre you write in?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">I have too many favorites to name. Honestly. My bookshelf is such an eclectic mix of books, no one who looked at it could ever figure out what I truly loved to read. The truth is, I just love really good stories and biogrpahies. Reading Terry McMillan helped me embrace my voice. She will forever be one of my favorites. I love Brenda Jackson and Beverly Jenkins. Mrs. Jenkins writes historical romance. If you’ve never read historical romance fiction and resisted reading them, read hers. I also love Farrah Rochon. There are a few up and coming writers that I have tried but nothing beats stories from the authors that I have followed forever and who have matured their styles and stories as I’ve grown with them.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">4.What's the best part of being an author? The worst?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The best part of writing is the creative process. Actually, feeling as if you’re merely a vessel for a new story and it pours through you. I love it when I’m so obsessed with a story that I can’t stop writing it. It feels like the words are raining down from heaven. I’m obsessed. Those end up being my best and favorite stories. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The worst part of being an author is not writing – whether it be because life is “lifing” and you can find the time or because you’re suffering from a bout of writer’s block or whatever. When you’re not writing, all you want to do is write. I never want to write more than when I can’t. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">5.What are you working on now? <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">I’m wrapping up a story called Sincerely, Santa. It’s a Christmas romance about the power of charity and forgiveness at the core. For me, grace and charity sum up the spirit of the Christmas season. In this story, Julia is a former marine combat engineer who honorably discharged and is now working for the post office. She is a gift to her small town in Ohio and uses her home renovation skills to give to the town children each year during Operation Santa; she has no family except her Aunt Charlie. But she’s haunted by ghosts from her past and feels like she can’t be forgiven for a major mistake she’s made. Down the street and around the corner, Ben, a single father, and his son Justin have moved into a home he inherited. It's a money pit in every single sense of the word. He needs major help in renovating his home, but he refuses to ask for help and he’s wallowing in the pain from a personal setback. Thankfully, his son is not afraid to ask for help. A twist of fortunes—along with their own spirits of charity and grace—bring Julia and Ben to a place where they have to choose what kind of lives they truly want to live…with whom they want to live it.</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Author Links: <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Website: </span><a href="http://www.klbradyauthor.com/" style="color: #954f72;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0b4cb4;">www.klbradyauthor.com</span></a><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Facebook Page: </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/KLBRADY" style="color: #954f72;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0b4cb4;">https://www.facebook.com/KLBRADY</span></a><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Instagram: </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/klbrady_author/" style="color: #954f72;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0b4cb4;">https://www.instagram.com/klbrady_author/</span></a><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Bookbub: </span><a href="https://www.bookbub.com/profile/k-l-brady" style="color: #954f72;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0b4cb4;">https://www.bookbub.com/profile/k-l-brady</span></a><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Amazon: </span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/stores/K.-L.-Brady/author/B002O15D78?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true" style="color: #954f72;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0b4cb4;">https://www.amazon.com/stores/K.-L.-Brady/author/B002O15D78?</span></a><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Goodreads: </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2975069.K_L_Brady" style="color: #954f72;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0b4cb4;">https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2975069.K_L_Brady</span></a><span face="Arial, sans-serif"></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.4px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #222222;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.4px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #222222;">The book will be on sale for $0.99.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif">GIVEAWAY INFORMATION </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">K.L. Brady will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC o a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.</span><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><br /><br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhSKLgdTF1rBZjddBXLU5tBcU3179O926xHzXlhvKFm-kTuemy9aXoo3GF7wjhdCTnz5NWu0hm7PyiOcmLLYy7J_b0GdJzBTUAgApEYyLdxTDNsCAWph4uxDw1Tr0CWMsooupzsC4eECA53X2iTiqq7tH_Iu79AFauysQg-0brnDypZNq7WkvJjaTpQx4/s828/Sweet%20Southern%20Memories_spotlight%20tour%20banner%20(1).png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="828" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhSKLgdTF1rBZjddBXLU5tBcU3179O926xHzXlhvKFm-kTuemy9aXoo3GF7wjhdCTnz5NWu0hm7PyiOcmLLYy7J_b0GdJzBTUAgApEYyLdxTDNsCAWph4uxDw1Tr0CWMsooupzsC4eECA53X2iTiqq7tH_Iu79AFauysQg-0brnDypZNq7WkvJjaTpQx4/w640-h244/Sweet%20Southern%20Memories_spotlight%20tour%20banner%20(1).png" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Lora; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;">Title: Sweet Southern Memories</div><div style="text-align: center;">Series: Magnolia Grove</div></span><span style="font-family: Lora; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;">Author: C.A. Harms</div></span><span style="font-family: Lora; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;">Release Date: February 8, 2024</div><div style="text-align: center;">Tropes: Second Chance, Small Town Romance, Single Mom, Hot Doctor, Friends to Lovers, Angst</div></span></span><div style="font-family: Lora;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Cover Design: Sarah Paige</span></div></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="84" data-original-width="224" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-B0sCIAvWuZ8/WmAIybAnL2I/AAAAAAAB03I/38xexKnvUTIouvwMaO5o3bugYBNM-HbXgCLcBGAs/s1600/blog_buy%2Bnow.jpg" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaya-GQoNeokCqiQiSXWruPRtx81YpfR8woVtvJiqMdjXrh8MIIFJ02mChHoHMLp1Wz62owVg6SLFMt0QTS_QRZsjSQWKYK7oS95QDOyOgALoagrShI_gUHQIgpgoskzpeHjSkuWwEXhBdPJX8NCXKEnjMFPeOxbjnCeCQCyfHfrVzc0KUBfkBKBEzNg8/s1080/Sweet%20Southern%20Memories_MG_tropes.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaya-GQoNeokCqiQiSXWruPRtx81YpfR8woVtvJiqMdjXrh8MIIFJ02mChHoHMLp1Wz62owVg6SLFMt0QTS_QRZsjSQWKYK7oS95QDOyOgALoagrShI_gUHQIgpgoskzpeHjSkuWwEXhBdPJX8NCXKEnjMFPeOxbjnCeCQCyfHfrVzc0KUBfkBKBEzNg8/w400-h400/Sweet%20Southern%20Memories_MG_tropes.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div><a href="https://mybook.to/SweetSouthernMemories" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eYTtlwpfYGg/VYrtbNLTpQI/AAAAAAAAPBQ/EOnAl-7yS4E/s1600/AMAZON.png" /></a><a href="https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0CLZ747QQ" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-A-zIbhbgbvI/VYrtbI5JrnI/AAAAAAAAPB8/rvT0SStMEnk/s1600/amazon%2Bca.png" /></a><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CLZ747QQ" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1v3CndxIwuA/VYrtbsn3d5I/AAAAAAAAPBU/Mfb-gt9DX5s/s1600/amazon%2Buk.png" /></a><a href="https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0CLZ747QQ" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-N7-tRSavCeQ/VYrtbDltOmI/AAAAAAAAPBM/a7udO38DWOo/s1600/amazon%2Bau.png" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><img border="0" data-original-height="184" data-original-width="657" height="89" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LOYwj3OHuOw/WmALGirTy1I/AAAAAAAB04Y/0hlK_F4P2ucu-hgasCT3U8vRee-vetvPwCLcBGAs/s320/ku_available.png" width="320" /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><img border="0" data-original-height="84" data-original-width="224" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PMPLfpxJGco/Xtl68cb0MJI/AAAAAAADWvM/Q1k1pXLSRXINcWrx7Z6dncKU64YHL7kiACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/blog_praise%2Bfor%2Bthe%2Bnovel.jpg" /></div></div><span style="font-family: Lora;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><blockquote>“I adore a good second chance romance and this one hits it perfectly.” ★★★★★ Kelly F.</blockquote></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><blockquote>“Sweet second chance romance. Who knew a multi-author series could be so fun?” ★★★★★ @jenjenbookfan</blockquote></span></div></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" data-original-height="84" data-original-width="224" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-V9In5dVd7cM/WmAIt5dPU5I/AAAAAAAB03E/o8EZYW06QC85hXPMXjgVmZnX_EzRwzd9wCLcBGAs/s1600/blog_synopsis.jpg" /></div><span style="font-family: Lora; font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXsh5eitOqneki542DEF2is49k6GkKe5kJ90SGlibMFv0GipLtW-ngBj5yH944dcC4TVthigASPn1jUZsi0p9KZ3IZ0Kb17FCG85ri9Wgt5BVxRBfKFrgAbAUMSD4TFcN8Ru3xjfA9zPCavFNxjSuPp3xNwBz6xq4M1AmIrvGO9-eYQIcxgNjBEsGvCEc/s6096/Sweet%20Southern%20Memories%20eBook.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: Tinos; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6096" data-original-width="3823" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXsh5eitOqneki542DEF2is49k6GkKe5kJ90SGlibMFv0GipLtW-ngBj5yH944dcC4TVthigASPn1jUZsi0p9KZ3IZ0Kb17FCG85ri9Wgt5BVxRBfKFrgAbAUMSD4TFcN8Ru3xjfA9zPCavFNxjSuPp3xNwBz6xq4M1AmIrvGO9-eYQIcxgNjBEsGvCEc/w251-h400/Sweet%20Southern%20Memories%20eBook.jpg" width="251" /></a><b>Zoey</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Life doesn’t always go according to plan, a lesson I learned the hard way during my divorce. My first love returns home just in time to watch me pick up the pieces, and the moment I lay eyes on him every memory rushes back.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Jayson Lincoln, the man who still makes my heart beat fast, after all these years. But he's Doctor Lincoln now and I'm a far cry from the carefree girl he left behind.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I’m learning to navigate life as a single mother of twin girls and he’s reluctantly home to take over the family practice. We may be back in the same small town, but we’re still worlds apart.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Jayson</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">It’s always been her. No one could ever measure up to Zoey Harding.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">And I’ll always regret walking away from her and our hometown, for the big city to chase my dreams.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The longer I’m back, the more the echoes of our past whisper what could have been. But it’s not just about us, and her daughters steal my heart and mend what’s been broken for far too long.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Zoey’s afraid to trust me, but I’m determined to heal the fractures of her heart and prove that this time I’m not going anywhere.</div></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/200855296-sweet-southern-memories" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ai37zJZgc-8/VYjq38ODKII/AAAAAAAAO7o/-hSSxSq9ORA/s1600/goodreads-button.png" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.bookbub.com/books/sweet-southern-memories-by-c-a-harms" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="376" data-original-width="1000" height="75" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WU7PoWGGB6I/Xtl8Zi_x0FI/AAAAAAADWvw/AMXDXMlQZ_M6N3bO9MTAootIhkQ-_bxWgCLcBGAsYHQ/s200/bookbub.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">
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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="721" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrZBipYYSlRubiTj_2wugMQaMP_2oW8XYXdxFwTTjceNyxVj-uqFj9XSOT0nxDDmI5NOSWmcdD8kTbdsKbGkUpgrNwSw3X81pkXQHJPKHwjr_x7RRbx48js3OLVW2TZLq8ILn6wlaXWKsrtp9EmEhPniR6JfCIi-E-VnGZcBdDylygTUWsUHK-niWoTbM/w400-h400/Group%20Insta%20Banner%20(1).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: Lora;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">In the heart of Alabama, lies a charming little town on the river, where everyone knows your name… and your business.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Follow the intertwined lives of its beloved residents as they navigate first love, second chances, and all the unexpected surprises that their small-town holds.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Welcome to Magnolia Grove, where every neighbor has a story worth unraveling, the roots run deep, and love blossoms around every corner.</span></div></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Join the Magnolia Grove Reader Group to find out more!</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://bit.ly/MagnoliaGroveReaders" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="72" data-original-width="72" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QKmKIEU8Da0/WibMzNLcgtI/AAAAAAABvyE/llR0KXTelIALokd5MGlLCNV-m3fhSbzKgCLcBGAs/s1600/facebook%2Bgroup.png" /></a><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CLKVHKKW" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eYTtlwpfYGg/VYrtbNLTpQI/AAAAAAAAPBQ/EOnAl-7yS4E/s1600/AMAZON.png" /></a><a href="https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0CLKVHKKW" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-A-zIbhbgbvI/VYrtbI5JrnI/AAAAAAAAPB8/rvT0SStMEnk/s1600/amazon%2Bca.png" /></a><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CLKVHKKW" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1v3CndxIwuA/VYrtbsn3d5I/AAAAAAAAPBU/Mfb-gt9DX5s/s1600/amazon%2Buk.png" /></a><a href="https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0CLKVHKKW" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-N7-tRSavCeQ/VYrtbDltOmI/AAAAAAAAPBM/a7udO38DWOo/s1600/amazon%2Bau.png" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Lora;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: Roboto Slab;"><img border="0" data-original-height="84" data-original-width="224" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1L6UWb0Vrkc/WmAJVLXZ9fI/AAAAAAAB03s/9dl9IUufhzc2mfOTaoF47RNgL4KaCKJgACLcBGAs/s1600/blog_meet%2Bthe%2Bauthor.jpg" /></span></div></div><div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: Roboto Slab;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-size: x-large; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh1OMTzIg5anP8X8KypdN4-Z8VLu_VgrQPTK3Vof8V5VY2zM9GtVZ6Gt6zY4j0CvM4YCJKa9G8bL2NBLZrHH9jD9FS9nA4R9a2JJ9FnAualnPVOu5Ttr7Yd2a3e4KR6YQOd6KgvivHeFFEZ6_a4n9jf2FKEuVD8fCe-kR6upTP9yVWVNznRRWthC_k/s450/CA%20Harms%20logo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Roboto Slab;"><img border="0" data-original-height="377" data-original-width="450" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh1OMTzIg5anP8X8KypdN4-Z8VLu_VgrQPTK3Vof8V5VY2zM9GtVZ6Gt6zY4j0CvM4YCJKa9G8bL2NBLZrHH9jD9FS9nA4R9a2JJ9FnAualnPVOu5Ttr7Yd2a3e4KR6YQOd6KgvivHeFFEZ6_a4n9jf2FKEuVD8fCe-kR6upTP9yVWVNznRRWthC_k/s320/CA%20Harms%20logo.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span><div style="font-family: "Roboto Slab";"><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: Lora;">C.A. Harms is an avid romance and mystery reader. She's always had a love for books, getting lost in writing and storytelling even as a young girl. She enjoys happy endings and HEA love stories.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Lora;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Lora;">She lives in Illinois and enjoys spending time with her husband and two children. She holds an addiction for Starbucks White Chocolate Mocha’s and KitKat when she should really be focusing on water and maybe a fruit or two to make herself feel less guilty, but that feeling quickly passes...thankfully.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Lora;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Lora;">She is easy going, fun, and although she may seem like one of the quiet ones at first, you just wait until she gets to know you better...that quietness changes, fast.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Roboto Slab";"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div><div><div><span style="font-family: Roboto Slab;"><a href="http://eepurl.com/hmbEXb" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pbzCwO0bXlw/VYnePzIv_xI/AAAAAAAAO-A/oPwB1HNf_v8/s1600/NEWSLETTER.png" /></a><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Author-CA-Harms/354791947956151" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-izgHB7hEMXk/VYneQdJjguI/AAAAAAAAO_M/2KfytH7OPl8/s1600/facebook.png" /></a><a href="https://twitter.com/charms0814" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HDHTexgJaMI/VYneTQiP5MI/AAAAAAAAO-4/E_k3fzFyCPU/s1600/twitter.png" /></a><a href="https://authorcaharms.wixsite.com/authorcaharms" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2gD1Weu22Ls/VYneUc-hgNI/AAAAAAAAO_I/R3ZwTeKvxCo/s1600/website.png" /></a><a href="https://www.amazon.com/C-A-Harms/e/B00BM5QT9S" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XEYnryOtyWA/VYneP2YoQXI/AAAAAAAAO90/N7kVUos7WZA/s1600/AMAZON.png" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6895633.C_A_Harms" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WMFha9A2868/VYneQkZlejI/AAAAAAAAO_A/fZcbrMq0fZU/s1600/goodreads.png" /></a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Roboto Slab;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/authorcaharms/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pHDR09L64vo/VYneRWeiXzI/AAAAAAAAO-Q/tQ2oZcgB9FM/s1600/instagram.png" /></a><a href="https://authorcaharms.wixsite.com/authorcaharms/blog" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="72" data-original-width="72" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RYUBHuZ_mcw/WibMxf2zqlI/AAAAAAABvxs/nrbic9G-NjoOOqo8XUsliUOcEHoN6GUDwCLcBGAs/s1600/BLOG.png" /></a><a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@caharms0814" target="_blank"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="70" data-original-width="70" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XKPN4tMMl2w/YTpt9NXmmvI/AAAAAAAD5qs/DTDKZmd6xZQ6tkb2Os9m4Em0N8tgZzQPwCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/black%2Bcircle_tiktok.png" style="text-align: left;" /></a><a href="https://www.bookbub.com/authors/c-a-harms" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="72" data-original-width="72" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-115p78EC8Qc/WibMykYr0zI/AAAAAAABvx8/hTW8KIAlXTcdUbWlNFCK3mtfxuXsi0NfACLcBGAs/s1600/bookbub_circle.png" /></a><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/702393513116443/" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="72" data-original-width="72" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QKmKIEU8Da0/WibMzNLcgtI/AAAAAAABvyE/llR0KXTelIALokd5MGlLCNV-m3fhSbzKgCLcBGAs/s1600/facebook%2Bgroup.png" /></a></span></div></div></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMfm0wyOnVl8-TqDbp051EHLI5dybK2uPt2fJoUnfBpt0JcuBKuYYZmjZUaKLo3i5f83DRMkoc-SR5wKSUJq0tv9eR7Tni-3ElX0aN2ytlUCWMJVTH-8aUiQwyDsxuUuJX-1J3gM4k_XfVpD-vEPfeYmB-Nd0RndZNgp2ECeuT2oPOhGtUmWcgiw_diuQ/s2161/Sweet%20Southern%20Memories%20FB%20Banner%20.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="2161" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMfm0wyOnVl8-TqDbp051EHLI5dybK2uPt2fJoUnfBpt0JcuBKuYYZmjZUaKLo3i5f83DRMkoc-SR5wKSUJq0tv9eR7Tni-3ElX0aN2ytlUCWMJVTH-8aUiQwyDsxuUuJX-1J3gM4k_XfVpD-vEPfeYmB-Nd0RndZNgp2ECeuT2oPOhGtUmWcgiw_diuQ/w640-h236/Sweet%20Southern%20Memories%20FB%20Banner%20.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;">
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</div>>Elaine Cantrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05668294337075373288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8565893280908397886.post-46083464610402792242024-02-13T06:00:00.001-05:002024-02-13T06:00:00.136-05:00Beyond the Book: Favorite Excerpts<p> Today I’m sharing one of my favorite excerpts from my own books. It’s from The Welcome Inn.</p><figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized" style="margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><a href="https://fourfoxesonehound.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/thewelcomeinn.jpg" style="background: none; border: 0px; color: #ff4b33; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="" class="wp-image-23088" data-attachment-id="23088" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-caption="" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="thewelcomeinn" data-large-file="https://fourfoxesonehound.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/thewelcomeinn.jpg?w=166" data-medium-file="https://fourfoxesonehound.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/thewelcomeinn.jpg?w=166" data-orig-file="https://fourfoxesonehound.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/thewelcomeinn.jpg" data-orig-size="166,249" data-permalink="https://fourfoxesonehound.wordpress.com/2024/02/07/favorite-excerpts/thewelcomeinn-3/" height="249" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 166px) 100vw, 166px" src="https://fourfoxesonehound.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/thewelcomeinn.jpg?w=166" srcset="https://fourfoxesonehound.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/thewelcomeinn.jpg 166w, https://fourfoxesonehound.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/thewelcomeinn.jpg?w=100 100w" style="background: none; border: medium; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; vertical-align: bottom; width: 166px;" width="166" /></a></figure><p style="background: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Blurb:</p><p style="background: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Julianna can’t stand Buck Abercrombie! He’s rude, chauvinistic, and exasperating, and he’s her new boss. Why wouldn’t the bank loan her the money to buy The Welcome Inn? As manager she has proven her worth. </p><p style="background: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Worse yet, Buck’s criminal brother Travis works for him, and her friend Melanie likes him!</p><p style="background: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Excerpt:</p><p style="background: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">She wasn’t alone in the bedroom. She saw a shadowy figure silhouetted against the drapes, and Julianna supposed he must have made a noise that wakened her.</p><p style="background: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">She broke into a cold sweat. Should she scream or pretend to be asleep? She quickly made her decision as the dark figure approached the bed. “Buck, help me,” she screamed.</p><p style="background: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">She had hoped that the noise would frighten the attacker away, but instead he crossed the room in two big strides and grabbed her. Julianna struggled mightily, but the bedcovers hampered her, and the intruder was a strong man.</p><p style="background: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">His hand clamped over her mouth, and when she refused to stop struggling, he drew back his fist and hit her solidly on the cheek. Momentarily stunned, Julianna relaxed into the bed. The attacker ripped the covers off and dragged her from her bed. Seconds later her limp body hit the floor with a thud as the intruder turned to face an enraged Buck Abercrombie. Buck’s fist smashed into the man’s face twice, and he lay still.</p><p style="background: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“Julianna! Are you okay?”</p><p style="background: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Buck cradled her gently in his arms, and if the situation hadn’t been so serious Julianna would have melted as her fear receded somewhat in the comfort of his strong, vital presence. “I’m okay,” she muttered.</p><p style="background: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“We have to get out of here. I had to fight off another one in my room, and who knows how many are waiting outside.”</p><p style="background: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Call the sheriff.”</p><p style="background: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br />“Can’t. They did something to the phones.”</p><p style="background: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br />“My cell phone.”</p><p style="background: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br />“Smashed, and mine doesn’t have a charge. Get dressed in a hurry.”</p><p style="background: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br />Returning fear sped Julianna’s efforts. Her hands shook, but she pulled on jeans, shirt, and sneakers in record time.</p><p style="background: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“Let’s go,” Buck whispered.</p><p style="background: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">In the living room he cautiously peeked out of the drapes. “Is anyone out there?” Julianna asked.</p><p style="background: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Buck turned a grim face to her. “Yep. There’s a van with no windows and a couple of big guys.”</p><p style="background: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“Can we get by them?”</p><p style="background: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“I’m afraid to try. There might be more than just those two, and they could be armed.”</p><p style="background: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“What are we going to do?” Julianna quavered.</p><p style="background: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“If you cry I’ll turn you over my knee the minute I get a chance,” Buck savagely growled.</p><p style="background: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Julianna bit her lip and willed her fear to go away. “Don’t worry. I’m not getting hysterical on you.”</p><p style="background: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“Is there a back way out of here?”</p><p style="background: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“Just the bedroom window, but it’s real small. Can you get through it?</p><p style="background: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“Let’s find out.”</p><p style="background: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">They ran to the bedroom to look at the window. “It’s small, but I think I can make it. I’ll go first. If there’s nobody out there, I’ll help you through,” Buck said.</p><p style="background: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">It was a tight fit, but he only got stuck once when his shoulders had to go through. He dropped to the ground with a grunt, and helped Julianna out the window. “I think we got lucky,” he whispered. “I don’t think it occurred to them that anyone could get through such a small opening.”</p><p style="background: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“Let’s hurry, Buck. One of them is starting to move around in there.”</p><p style="background: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Buck cautiously eased away from the window. “I’m thanking my guardian angel that the Inn has two parking areas and that I’m in the back while the bad guys are in the front.”</p><p style="background: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“Do you have your keys? Oh, please say yes.”</p><p style="background: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br />“Yes.”Buck grabbed her hand, and they ran for his truck.</p><p style="background: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“Duck down so you can’t be seen,” he ordered. “I’m going to slump over. Maybe they won’t recognize us.”</p><p style="background: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">He exited the parking lot at a normal rate of speed, and to his surprise, no one followed. “I think we got away,” he exulted. “You can sit up now.”</p><p style="background: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“Are we going to the sheriff’s office?”</p><p style="background: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“No, I’m not. Mitchell hasn’t helped us so far, has he? All he’ll do is look around and tell us to be careful. I’ve got a plan…”</p><p style="background: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“Oh, Buck, tell me!”<br /></p><p style="background: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">It’s so hard to pick excerpts. You read them, but everything is out of context so it’s hard to get involved with the characters and setting. I hope you liked the excerpt anyway. The book is available from Amazon if the excerpt piqued your curiosity. </p><div class="sharedaddy sd-like-enabled sd-sharing-enabled" id="jp-post-flair" style="background: none; border: 0px; clear: both; margin: 0px; padding: 0.5em 0px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="sharedaddy sd-sharing-enabled" style="background: none; border: 0px; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, "Bitstream Charter", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></div></div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />Elaine Cantrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05668294337075373288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8565893280908397886.post-60979600255426788812024-02-13T04:00:00.001-05:002024-02-13T04:00:00.137-05:00Swat for Dummies<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMgXbItwDs5la8eJDWSL5Zq1wdWwaf1RhtXBXwkSZbvJqZ4R-eaCp6T_zHsLZBlvPrNPT_YkYlP0CI6UbwL883JYICT79L4-HqXSDuG4mnjJsDGRBjz9xKzBmk4jJkG9d_ZDTH93eUo49qK9_pFuiLHsfOhXy06p8FzqrgVDUHPObjXb-NPpEBbspGQWfx/s2400/BookCover_SwatforDummies1650x2400.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMgXbItwDs5la8eJDWSL5Zq1wdWwaf1RhtXBXwkSZbvJqZ4R-eaCp6T_zHsLZBlvPrNPT_YkYlP0CI6UbwL883JYICT79L4-HqXSDuG4mnjJsDGRBjz9xKzBmk4jJkG9d_ZDTH93eUo49qK9_pFuiLHsfOhXy06p8FzqrgVDUHPObjXb-NPpEBbspGQWfx/s320/BookCover_SwatforDummies1650x2400.jpg" width="213" /></a></b></div><b><br /><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 18pt;"><br /></span></b><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 18pt;"><br /></span></b></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 18pt;">SWAT for Dummies<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">by Gail Koger<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> GENRE</span></b><span face="Arial, sans-serif">: action/adventure/comedy/romance<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif">BLURB:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Just call me Calamity Jane, wherever I go, trouble soon follows. Which makes my job as a Maricopa County Sheriff’s Deputy a bit hazardous. From chasing down a bank robber to dealing with a cat burglar, or handling Sun City’s seniors who are crazy as June bugs and horny as hell. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">My personal life is complicated. Off-duty I’m a ballroom dancer. Detective Sergeant Dante Delgado is my new dance partner. My relationship with him puts me in the crosshairs of a dirty cop with homicidal tendencies. Can we stop him, or will we become his next victims? <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Law enforcement isn’t for the fainthearted. Are you brave enough to enter my world?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Author’s note: I was a 9-1-1 dispatcher for way too many years and this novella contains some of the wilder incidents that occurred. Yes, sex on the sidewalk is based on a true incident.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><a name="_GoBack"></a><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">~~~~~~~~~~~~~<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif">EXCERPT</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">I took his hand. I was curious to see how well we danced together. I smiled as energetic salsa music filled the club.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Dante spun me around him and pulled me into a tight embrace. My skin heated wherever he touched me, and my girly parts were yelling yee-haw. One moment, we were doing the Cuban salsa, and the next, the Texas two-step. I was amazed at how perfectly we moved together. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">A light touch and we were dancing the tango. Dante’s large hands skimmed down my back, grabbed my hips and up I went. He twirled me around his shoulders and lowered me down his body. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">I rubbed against his crotch in a sinuous slide.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">“Minx,” Dante whispered and promenading me to the right, then the left.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">I focused on the slow, delicious glide of his body against mine, on the sensual havoc he wreaked with a single touch as we switched to the Texas two-step, then back to the tango. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Dante dipped me. The carnal need in his eyes instantly made my panties wet. I watched in delight as he lowered his head until our lips met. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">One second his lips brushed against mine. The next, Dante slid me between his legs and slowly pulled me back up. The bulge in his pants got bigger. I danced backward, tapping my heels on the floor, and breaking into the flamenco. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Without hesitation Dante did the flamenco too. His every movement was elegant and sensual as his boots drummed a primeval rhythm. Feeling sexy as hell, I clapped my hands rhythmically and joined him.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Dante wrapped an arm around me, pulled me close and ended the dance with a kiss.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">~~~~~~~~~~~~~<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdM9fjI6B1ZztNUSTGNNnPZhvrX6IFaRnGyO-bYiudCpZFH-0IXKnFfElUWItrlTWw7-UpG4QdAmh5_2yqSzIBUoGw2zUcCUO8Pq0aHSTpSguHpt7FCEauLTMvKw4iP3Kz6eogX0ieTfEErN7i3YP_wQzSVHjRovmWHwXJUWcXOIEES1cGvGG2xNiUgCZO/s2304/Author%20Image.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="1728" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdM9fjI6B1ZztNUSTGNNnPZhvrX6IFaRnGyO-bYiudCpZFH-0IXKnFfElUWItrlTWw7-UpG4QdAmh5_2yqSzIBUoGw2zUcCUO8Pq0aHSTpSguHpt7FCEauLTMvKw4iP3Kz6eogX0ieTfEErN7i3YP_wQzSVHjRovmWHwXJUWcXOIEES1cGvGG2xNiUgCZO/s320/Author%20Image.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif">AUTHOR Bio and Links:</span></b><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Author bio: I was a 9-1-1 dispatcher for the Glendale Police Department and to keep from going totally bonkers – I mean people have no idea what a real emergency is. Take this for example: I answered, “9-1-1 emergency, what’s your emergency?” And this hysterical woman yelled, “My bird is in a tree.” Sometimes I really couldn’t help myself, so I said, “Birds have a tendency to do that, ma’am.” The woman screeched, “No! You don’t understand. My pet parakeet is in the tree. I’ve just got to get him down.” Like I said, not a clue. “I’m sorry ma’am but we don’t get birds out of trees.” The woman then cried, “But… What about my husband? He’s up there, too.” See what I had to deal with? To keep from hitting myself repeatedly in the head with my phone I took up writing. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Author links: <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">http://www.gailkoger.com<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">https://www.facebook.com/Colettiwarlordbooks/<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1598719.Gail_Koger<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">https://twitter.com/Askole<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">https://www.instagram.com/gkoger58/<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">https://www.bookbub.com/authors/gail-koger<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">http://www.amazon.com/Gail-Koger/e/B001K838BY<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">~~~~~~~~~~~~~<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif">GIVEAWAY INFORMATION </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Gail Koger will award a randomly drawn winner a $20 Amazon/BN gift card.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><br /></p>
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Elaine Cantrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05668294337075373288noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8565893280908397886.post-60525854632806735262024-02-12T04:00:00.001-05:002024-02-12T04:00:00.131-05:00Go, Gabbie, Go!<<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2024/01/book-blast-go-gabbie-go-by-hollie.html" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="670" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieD_ARTWoZlCJlf72zI6dFkk_ugBh_u4KCPTE97y1FSAF53Rr8gSbkrgt7ZYySMbaWhE3rmQa330fHZlP-Jcp0QTLHs_qAqSwb8iG-IA5mahcTi-c6A66ElKIcdeVNWQSl3bV7UEWpTOzOW1zm5ic1UZ-TZK-lsV71d-xyeAHZc0f9u9KwFdI6Q0NtdXw/s400/TourBanner_Go%20Gabbie%20Go.gif" width="400" /></a></div><p> </p><br /><br />
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by <a href="http://www.goddessfish.com">Goddess Fish Promotions</a>. The author will award a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.<br /><br />
<blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJCdAtiE0kVbL_PTUP0Q_b3_4qXkCxxAY-og_V_OXKLZMZpSV4g-i_NXtTU1D8am5M7mNFI2vF5VOnVGEhbOC8hE_-Prw99C58QmZVgT4gDG4NouypMN6PAwyyH6Tt1QBVUYApJNHVkBzTYb_kTv2drpgtJJvf69TJrTaSDffkvdAIXoQqYDDmNPEUoTM/s3301/BookCover_GoGabbieGo%20Cover.jpg" style="clear: left; display: block; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="2772" data-original-width="3301" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJCdAtiE0kVbL_PTUP0Q_b3_4qXkCxxAY-og_V_OXKLZMZpSV4g-i_NXtTU1D8am5M7mNFI2vF5VOnVGEhbOC8hE_-Prw99C58QmZVgT4gDG4NouypMN6PAwyyH6Tt1QBVUYApJNHVkBzTYb_kTv2drpgtJJvf69TJrTaSDffkvdAIXoQqYDDmNPEUoTM/w200-h168/BookCover_GoGabbieGo%20Cover.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><br />Go, Gabbie, Go was written as a gift to my illustrator and friend Gabbie Studley. Gabbie is a young woman with a big dream to fly. The only thing bigger than Gabbie's dream is her heart. Read along as Gabbie achieves her dream of flight. Thank you, Gabbie, for your beautiful illustrations and friendship.</blockquote><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMb2WZ3V-53f3pxmDUf8vbAep1yDNPEyVxG1geSW_aCfWlH_8pcIRe2z5uQCHJE9M5W619Iaa-rDOFSb7ykZEalZB05P95F6H3W9PTtrtZ7eZVEt3XeG_oSv_05SKLHcC3xO-htqO85mXih6yo49YDuT-xNTMYciZxCrkE7bGRo7V8m8J2sCYjXF8Unt8/s2554/excerpt-%281%29.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="2554" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMb2WZ3V-53f3pxmDUf8vbAep1yDNPEyVxG1geSW_aCfWlH_8pcIRe2z5uQCHJE9M5W619Iaa-rDOFSb7ykZEalZB05P95F6H3W9PTtrtZ7eZVEt3XeG_oSv_05SKLHcC3xO-htqO85mXih6yo49YDuT-xNTMYciZxCrkE7bGRo7V8m8J2sCYjXF8Unt8/s320/excerpt-%281%29.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br />
<b>About the Author:</b>The author is an ornery old woman who lives with her crotchety old husband in the woods of New Hampshire. Her greatest joy is watching her grandson, Pip, on his great adventures.<br /><br />
Website: <a href="https://pipsgivingseries.com/">https://pipsgivingseries.com/</a><br />
Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083314358420">https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083314358420</a><br /><br />
Amazon Buy Link: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Go-Gabbie-Hollie-Noveletsky/dp/0228888182/ref=sr_1_1">https://www.amazon.com/Go-Gabbie-Hollie-Noveletsky/dp/0228888182/ref=sr_1_1</a><br /><br />
<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="28e4345f4825" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f4825/" id="rcwidget_5erj927e" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
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>Elaine Cantrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05668294337075373288noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8565893280908397886.post-19624214106069170032024-02-08T06:00:00.001-05:002024-02-08T06:00:00.153-05:00Sweet Southern Memories<<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7wXz1UaV_gmd_MwoOjLGZtc2GKKnUYuZ9SRyDSwuQUDJvycDgysmCdn0bQRg654nfDZIgqqn3MGjMLMsTqEsJZcvs6WDW78tMyR09adQcmZGXvD-Q4fi2gltf7YgEDHKcHw2-KWwsiV0lrbRDA5wwcLGiLhRlGJFlLPeRckO83X3mni3z5M0CeJtj3uE/s828/Sweet%20Southern%20Memories_release%20banner.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="828" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7wXz1UaV_gmd_MwoOjLGZtc2GKKnUYuZ9SRyDSwuQUDJvycDgysmCdn0bQRg654nfDZIgqqn3MGjMLMsTqEsJZcvs6WDW78tMyR09adQcmZGXvD-Q4fi2gltf7YgEDHKcHw2-KWwsiV0lrbRDA5wwcLGiLhRlGJFlLPeRckO83X3mni3z5M0CeJtj3uE/w640-h244/Sweet%20Southern%20Memories_release%20banner.png" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Lora; font-weight: bold; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;">Title: Sweet Southern Memories</div><div style="text-align: center;">Series: Magnolia Grove</div></span><span style="font-family: Lora; font-weight: bold; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;">Author: C.A. Harms</div></span><span style="font-family: Lora; font-weight: bold; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;">Release Date: February 8, 2024</div><div style="text-align: center;">Tropes: Second Chance, Small Town Romance, Single Mom, Hot Doctor, Friends to Lovers, Angst</div></span></span><div style="font-family: Lora;"><span style="font-size: medium; font-weight: bold;">Cover Design: Sarah Paige</span></div></div>
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<img border="0" data-original-height="84" data-original-width="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWBiOsh_khoSeLV8WyJkrlT47VyvjnQB9UWvQu-HzrGhtwCuhRNMXlhQ4yK3yW7fNJjlPC8SdBN6XwWe33eihQofoLFr3slZ3Kzbg2b7nUjKAVSSkZQL6GjS_H2wwP1nkGO0xj2WYgE3PX/s1600/blog_synopsis.jpg" /></div><span style="font-family: Lora; font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXsh5eitOqneki542DEF2is49k6GkKe5kJ90SGlibMFv0GipLtW-ngBj5yH944dcC4TVthigASPn1jUZsi0p9KZ3IZ0Kb17FCG85ri9Wgt5BVxRBfKFrgAbAUMSD4TFcN8Ru3xjfA9zPCavFNxjSuPp3xNwBz6xq4M1AmIrvGO9-eYQIcxgNjBEsGvCEc/s6096/Sweet%20Southern%20Memories%20eBook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: Tinos; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6096" data-original-width="3823" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXsh5eitOqneki542DEF2is49k6GkKe5kJ90SGlibMFv0GipLtW-ngBj5yH944dcC4TVthigASPn1jUZsi0p9KZ3IZ0Kb17FCG85ri9Wgt5BVxRBfKFrgAbAUMSD4TFcN8Ru3xjfA9zPCavFNxjSuPp3xNwBz6xq4M1AmIrvGO9-eYQIcxgNjBEsGvCEc/w251-h400/Sweet%20Southern%20Memories%20eBook.jpg" width="251" /></a><b>Zoey</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Life doesn’t always go according to plan, a lesson I learned the hard way during my divorce. My first love returns home just in time to watch me pick up the pieces, and the moment I lay eyes on him every memory rushes back.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Jayson Lincoln, the man who still makes my heart beat fast, after all these years. But he's Doctor Lincoln now and I'm a far cry from the carefree girl he left behind.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I’m learning to navigate life as a single mother of twin girls and he’s reluctantly home to take over the family practice. We may be back in the same small town, but we’re still worlds apart.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Jayson</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">It’s always been her. No one could ever measure up to Zoey Harding.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">And I’ll always regret walking away from her and our hometown, for the big city to chase my dreams.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The longer I’m back, the more the echoes of our past whisper what could have been. But it’s not just about us, and her daughters steal my heart and mend what’s been broken for far too long.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Zoey’s afraid to trust me, but I’m determined to heal the fractures of her heart and prove that this time I’m not going anywhere.</div></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/200855296-sweet-southern-memories" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtWKO9SdnOkqh5x1Ox1dCyN8bTTHb7FkFpOKzi8eKauSiHY0i3T829LE6l8d7hPm_ILO15dIafqj-DEVpTt48WyUX_fX6czZiKbDRpguUR00QYf5vxiPCByWRdn1CHzhbPpU1-WxtK49vv/s1600/goodreads-button.png" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.bookbub.com/books/sweet-southern-memories-by-c-a-harms" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="376" data-original-width="1000" height="75" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0PybAQ8F5GqXfo5ALJTT_5gUkS6j9Mjlx97Y0shQYWvNVKXqr5U0mja3hQd8LoVDzmcH5jR-WY2_O8Gf0jeYgKWVtJqSkyrGCio-L0kih9f0qJ-NtrN8rp8j4ArlKBZnE2TQECvjOV8g7/s200/bookbub.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">
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text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Join the Magnolia Grove Reader Group to find out more!</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://bit.ly/MagnoliaGroveReaders" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="72" data-original-width="72" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX8c53xYj9vqrPDwukYEKjwZre4mnIGTji8iT-d1bZlOs8WC9iMr-ZLt3SrkiFobMCwvXJhyphenhyphen-bfpGS9G-FMudixJ9rRVKngX3SBQzRFYeVo-0iVRu4MKlGHsK6TO1AqiawYhyOjrf8qATL/s1600/facebook+group.png" /></a><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CLKVHKKW" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi28Xoi3lufQEE7Q-LqM5EFz2kuLJFnQ2sS7e_LZyvZKKttQfC3nVbgxaCWEEyBqmt5aFnF0JoKMGGbyb96iKFmPIysoMXx3WYzJMpOnJvA_1a97tpi6ym-p3L33DWSEgz-sL803fv1isPx/s1600/AMAZON.png" /></a><a href="https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0CLKVHKKW" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwH3pNvYAt7B20eB_rbLnqlpUzevdSwM2jXRFoQnfyZ4tBi7LdNL4y6JYDGXexg540ERLddFnLZercZIasuD7eMOknthaYDCFQ420Gjnny6m1koQPZqzd-KUgSMyfY7DvYF-xCveIIJVMu/s1600/amazon+ca.png" /></a><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CLKVHKKW" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgio36xintDobEvesOZIBTc94BXtZr5s5F4D0ihvRTAY1WWMkhHeeeS-yRxav9pNC7e7MEboYrtbQFqE3T3P2LUb9rF1Nbrk9zov7Hj9ffU9oG9OH2xW9QXLvcUsrjSjUb_r4FLQBoVq-cE/s1600/amazon+uk.png" /></a><a href="https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0CLKVHKKW" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiq1XD-8tJotSq_zpD_sDYb9EF2mEngAwTjur6qbAdnnaXPrYaKKsgrJoB9XHJpEDWFaj4hdQfxYvvC-TDg16Uh-WZ2DgBW93MG-B29uhgQlauAOsyQg6FCBxr2gBwKNxT9lCAqObMjI7I/s1600/amazon+au.png" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Lora;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: Roboto Slab;"><img border="0" data-original-height="84" data-original-width="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRIMTqwdTg3wKxgdFGEDuX9vCLrqvLxETIPW0XqHlprh8WmGcr17fHjMoeU_LV5wgmoizImiF0QtymhUMvmzwITb4K-sXEirQLKni0HODwLhEvGOfVHzs0fauTZclZA1fX9fOGPQY4d17t/s1600/blog_meet+the+author.jpg" /></span></div></div><div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: Roboto Slab;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-size: x-large; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh1OMTzIg5anP8X8KypdN4-Z8VLu_VgrQPTK3Vof8V5VY2zM9GtVZ6Gt6zY4j0CvM4YCJKa9G8bL2NBLZrHH9jD9FS9nA4R9a2JJ9FnAualnPVOu5Ttr7Yd2a3e4KR6YQOd6KgvivHeFFEZ6_a4n9jf2FKEuVD8fCe-kR6upTP9yVWVNznRRWthC_k/s450/CA%20Harms%20logo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Roboto Slab;"><img border="0" data-original-height="377" data-original-width="450" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh1OMTzIg5anP8X8KypdN4-Z8VLu_VgrQPTK3Vof8V5VY2zM9GtVZ6Gt6zY4j0CvM4YCJKa9G8bL2NBLZrHH9jD9FS9nA4R9a2JJ9FnAualnPVOu5Ttr7Yd2a3e4KR6YQOd6KgvivHeFFEZ6_a4n9jf2FKEuVD8fCe-kR6upTP9yVWVNznRRWthC_k/s320/CA%20Harms%20logo.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span><div style="font-family: "Roboto Slab";"><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: Lora;">C.A. Harms is an avid romance and mystery reader. She's always had a love for books, getting lost in writing and storytelling even as a young girl. She enjoys happy endings and HEA love stories.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Lora;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Lora;">She lives in Illinois and enjoys spending time with her husband and two children. She holds an addiction for Starbucks White Chocolate Mocha’s and KitKat when she should really be focusing on water and maybe a fruit or two to make herself feel less guilty, but that feeling quickly passes...thankfully.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Lora;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Lora;">She is easy going, fun, and although she may seem like one of the quiet ones at first, you just wait until she gets to know you better...that quietness changes, fast.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Roboto Slab";"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div><div><div><span style="font-family: Roboto Slab;"><a href="http://eepurl.com/hmbEXb" target="_blank"><img border="0" 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