Under the Cloud

 

Under the Cloud

by B.R. Erlank

 

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GENRE:   Thriller

 

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BLURB:

 

They call themselves The Settlement Bureau. A faceless, soulless organization coercing individuals with threats to expose their improprieties and vulnerabilities. Inhumanely persistent, they’ve secretly driven hundreds of victims into bankruptcy, despair – and several even to suicide.

But when this organization tries to blackmail IT expert Terry Reynolds, they make a serious mistake. Terry is down on his luck. He is penniless, divorced and in a dead-end job. Yet, the abuse of his personal information stirs Terry out of his lethargy and he fights back. He embarks on a digital game of cat-and-mouse with the cold, calculating minds behind The Settlement Bureau – and in doing so, uncovers a sprawling criminal conspiracy.

Under The Cloud is a chillingly plausible new thriller by B.R. Erlank. With a plot ripped straight from the headlines, advance readers warn, “this book delivers a roller coaster ride right up to the final pages.”

 

 

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EXCERPT

 

Charlie’s canine senses were on high alert. He growled and stared across the street. There was a commotion in the shadows of a tree. Then Terry heard a frail, plaintive voice, “No, no, leave me. That’s mine. Let go!” 

 

Terry knew that voice; it was Joe. What sort of low-life attacks an old homeless man? There was a thud and a howl of pain. Charlie was the first to react; the dog raced across the street with Terry behind him. Under the streetlamp, Terry could make out the old man’s face, bleeding and distorted with fear, as he shouted, “You imbecile, you don’t know…” 

 

The attacker was dressed in black and was at least six inches taller than Joe. The assailant pushed Joe hard, then his fist smashed into the old man’s face. Joe slumped against the tree, and the thug pulled back his fist for another punch.

 

Terry shouted, “Hey! Leave him!”

 

The man briefly turned and hesitated. Then, before he could plant the fist again, Charlie lunged and sank his teeth into the man’s wrist. The attacker cursed, and a knife appeared in his other hand. The blade glinted in the streetlight, and Charlie’s bark turned into a surprised yelp, then a whimper. The attacker ran.

 

For a split second, Terry’s rage commanded him to follow, but the sight of Joe and Charlie, both crumpled and bleeding, stopped him in his tracks. He knelt by the old man, whose face was smeared with blood, one eye beginning to swell. His breath was coming in desperate rasps.

 

 

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

Boris Erlank grew up in Southern Africa. He has lived and worked in places as diverse as Luanda, Cape Town, Singapore and San Francisco. Boris recently gave up his job as Global Privacy Manager with a Fortune 100 company to focus on writing full-time.

He has an extensive background in IT, data privacy and cybersecurity, and has drawn on that experience to craft his latest novel, Under the Cloud. His previous novel, Catch You Later, is a murder mystery set in Cape Town.

Boris lives with his family and two dogs in the foothills of Mount Diablo, east of San Francisco. He likes to cycle and hike. “Those solitary pursuits give me time to dream up the characters and plots for my novels,” he says. Boris also enjoys choir singing, travel, and listening to audiobooks.

 

 

Amazon link: https://amzn.to/3nH9JNa

Website: www.brerlank.wordpress.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100082184847881

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/boris-erlank/

The book will be $0.99 from November 15 - November 22.

 

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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION 

B.R. Erlank will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

 

 

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Silhouette

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This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Paul Swingle will be awarding a $15 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

On the night of a blue moon, while walking his dog, middle-aged widower Jim sees Gladys on the roof of a neighboring apartment building and is inspired to speak with her. There’s just one problem: she can’t hear him.

Indeed, Jim isn’t even sure that Gladys truly exists—that she isn’t just a rooftop patio umbrella silhouetted against the moon. Hampered by debilitating social anxiety, he cannot work up the courage to even wave.

Yet Jim returns to the same spot night after night, and Gladys—who is indeed real—sees him and becomes equally interested. She even contributes to their “conversation,” though he cannot hear her either. And while Gladys struggles with her own demons—self-loathing and depression—she is lifted by Jim’s attention, even as she describes how difficult her life has been.

Two characters, driven by sadness and a longing to connect. Will they?

Read an Excerpt

Tonight, I saw a rooftop patio umbrella move. Or was it a woman? It’s May 31, the night of the blue moon. I was taking my dog Gus for his nightly walk. On the rooftop of a building across the street from my apartment, against the light of the huge moon, I saw the silhouette of a patio umbrella. I’d been seeing that umbrella on that roof for weeks—months, maybe. Every time I walked the dog or snuck a puff on my cigar, it was there. Immobile and static. Always in the same place, always visible against either the daytime sky or the city-lit night. I had thought nothing of it, other than wondering if anyone ever used that patio. But tonight, I saw the umbrella silhouette move. “Son of a bitch,” I said. “What the hell is that? Was it the wind?” Startled, I tried to shake off an eerie feeling. Had the umbrella really moved? I don’t care for rooftop patios myself. I’ve been to 4 a few. You have to drag yourself up the stairs, hoping no one else is there when you arrive, so you can have a bit of solace. I always forget something downstairs.

About the Author:

Dr. Paul G. Swingle can be considered one of the founding fathers of Clinical Psychoneurophysiology, one of a select few, directly responsible for bringing Neurotherapy out of university labs and clinics to the general populace in the 1980’s.

His academic positions include, Professor of Psychology at the University of Ottawa from 1972 to 1997, Lecturer in Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School from 1991 to 1998, Associate Attending Psychologist at McLean Hospital (Boston), Head of the Clinical Psychophysiology Service McLean Hospital (Boston). Professor Swingle was also Clinical Supervisor at the University of Ottawa from 1987 to 1997 and Chairman of the Faculty of Child Psychology from 1972 to 1977. Dr. Swingle is a Registered Psychologist in British Columbia and is Board Certified in Biofeedback and Neurotherapy. He is actively involved in research and practice. His numerous publications include nine books and numerous peer reviewed journal publications.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Silhouette-Paul-G-Swingle/dp/B09C3D527K
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Paul-G-Swingle/e/B09F2518KP/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_book_1

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Film Blue

 

Film Blue

by Patricia Leavy

 

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GENRE: Women's Fiction

 

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BLURB:

 

Reminiscent of Sex and the City meets The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Patricia Leavy’s Film Blue is a captivating and inspiring story about the pursuit of dreams and what it truly means to live a “big” life.

 

A couple of years after finishing college, Tash Daniels has put her love of filmmaking on the back burner. She’s working retail, club-hopping, and scraping by to pay the rent. Usually attracted to the wrong guy, she’s at a loss when she finally falls for the right one. Sexy deejay Aidan is living his life authentically as an artist and encourages her to do the same. Will she open her heart? Will she bet on herself and her dreams? Is a girl with a dream truly on her own in the world? Tash’s friends are along for the journey: Jason Woo, lighthearted model on the rise; Penelope Waters, earnest graduate student with a secret no one suspects; Lu K, fiercely independent hot-girl deejay; and Monroe Preston, the glamorous wife of a Hollywood studio head. Frequently bathed in the glow of the silver screen, the characters show us how the arts can reignite the light within, pushing us to confront our fears so we can choose how to live in the present. Film Blue is a novel about following our passions, the hidden side of our dreams, the power of art, what it means to truly live a “big” life, and finding the people to go with us on our journey. A tribute to 1980s pop culture set against the backdrop of contemporary New York and Los Angeles, Film Blue celebrates how the art we experience and make can shape our stories, frame by frame.

 

 

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EXCERPT

 

After grabbing a hand basket and making a beeline to the freezer for some ice cream, she started searching for the items on Penelope’s list. As she fumbled for the note, mumbling, “Ah, where is that stupid thing?” she heard a voice say, “Maybe you’d have better luck if you shut your eyes and put your hand in.”

 

“Huh?” she queried, looking up at the six-foot-tall guy standing before her, dressed from head to toe in black. He had bleached blonde spiky hair, high cheekbones, a strong jawline, and a piercing through his right eyebrow that she thought was simultaneously cool and disgusting.

 

“You know, sometimes if you’re looking too hard, you can’t find anything.”

 

“Uh, yeah,” she said, staring into his evergreen eyes. Oh my God, he’s seriously hot.

 

“Here, tell me what you’re looking for and I’ll shut my eyes and stick my hand in for you.”

 

Raising her eyebrows, she said, “How stupid do you think I am? Maybe I should just go outside and scream, ‘Somebody rob me!’”

 

He laughed. “Fair enough, but you try it.”

 

Tash smirked and stuck her hand into her bag without looking. “Uh huh, here it is!” she exclaimed as she pulled out the small, crumpled paper. “That’s uncanny.”

 

“Sometimes you just have to concentrate less, you know? What’s so important, anyway?”

 

“Oh, it’s just my roommate’s grocery list. She’s pretty uptight so I can’t screw it up. You wouldn’t believe the things she writes, like ‘two organic red apples and flax seed powder,’ whatever the hell that is. Anyway, I should probably get back to shopping.”

 

He smiled and waved his arm, to indicate she could pass by. With only a few aisles in the small store, Tash bumped into him again in the produce section.

 

“Should I even ask what that’s about?” she remarked while giggling, looking at the twenty or more coconuts in his basket.

 

“Oh, these are for a party I’m deejaying for a couple of friends over at NYU.”

 

“They’re serving whole coconuts?” she asked, mystified.

 

He laughed. “People try to get them open. It’s like a drinking game kind of thing. It’s pretty funny.”

 

“Gotcha. Do you go to NYU?”

 

“No, I went to school in Chicago and moved to New York after I graduated. I’m a professional deejay. I’m just doing this party as a favor.”

 

“So, what kinds of clubs do you spin at?” she asked.

 

“Uh, well, tomorrow I’ll be spinning at the Forever 21 store in Times Square.”

 

She smiled. “Well, do you get a discount at least?”

 

He laughed. “Didn’t think to ask for that. So, what’s your name?”

 

“Natashya, but my friends call me Tash.”

 

“I’m Aidan. Do you live around here?”

 

“Just a block away. I share a place with two roommates.”

 

“Pretty awesome area, good for you.”

 

“Yeah, well we’re in like the only non-restored building in the neighborhood. Don’t get me wrong, I love living here and it’s pretty close to my work, but we’re not in one of the swanky buildings with a marble entrance. It’s more like splintery wood floors and a scary old-fashioned elevator that makes me want to take the stairs.”

 

He smiled. “What’s your work?”

 

“I work at a couple of stores in SoHo.”

 

“For the discount, right?” he joked.

 

She laughed. “Well, nice to meet you but I’ve gotta finish up and get going.”

 

“Sure, me too. Maybe I’ll see you around. If you’re not busy, stop by Forever 21 tomorrow.”

 

“I have to work.”

 

“Well, can I maybe get your number?” he asked.

 

“Why don’t you give me yours instead?”

 

“Sure, that’s cool.” He put his coconut-filled basket on the ground and held out his hand. “Give me your phone and I’ll put it in.”

 

“You don’t want me to have to search my bag again. Here,” she said, handing him the note with Penelope’s grocery list. “Do you have a pen?”

 

He smiled and pulled a red crayon out of his pocket. “Don’t ask,” he said as he wrote his number on the little paper. “Here,” he said handing it to her. “See ya.”

 

“See ya,” she replied.

 

When she casually glanced around the store a few minutes later, he was gone. She brought her basket to the checkout. The cashier asked, “Did you find everything you needed?”

 

“Yeah, yeah I did.”

 

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

Patricia Leavy, Ph.D., is a bestselling author. She was formerly Associate Professor of Sociology, Chair of Sociology and Criminology, and Founding Director of Gender Studies at Stonehill College in Massachusetts. She has published over forty books, earning commercial and critical success in both fiction and nonfiction, and her work has been translated into many languages. Patricia has received dozens of accolades for her books. Recently, her romance collection Celestial Bodies: The Tess Lee and Jack Miller Novels (https://www.amazon.com/Celestial-Bodies-Tess-Miller-Novels/dp/1737862417) was the 2022 Firebird Awards first-place winner for Romance. The book also received 2022 International Impact Book Awards for Women’s Fiction and Romance, a 2022 NYC Big Book Award for Distinguished Favorite Anthology, and a 2022 Literary Titan Gold Book Award for Fiction. Patricia has also received career awards from the New England Sociological Association, the American Creativity Association, the American Educational Research Association, the International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry, and the National Art Education Association. In 2016 Mogul, a global women’s empowerment network, named her an “Influencer.” In 2018, she was honored by the National Women’s Hall of Fame and SUNY-New Paltz established the “Patricia Leavy Award for Art and Social Justice.” She lives in Maine with her husband, daughter (when she’s not away at college), and her dog. Patricia loves writing, reading, watching films, and traveling.

 

https://patricialeavy.com/fiction/

https://www.amazon.com/Film-Blue-Novel-Patricia-Leavy/dp/1737862433

 

 

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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION 

 

Patricia Leavy will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

 

 

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Beyond the Book: Want a Do Over?

 

I have Amazon Prime, and every month they offer me a new book. I was checking out my choices when this popped up. Curious, I read the blurb for the book and liked it. Here’s the blurb I read.

Everyone wants a second chance. But at what cost?

In the year 2045, an MRI mishap transmits Tabitha Moore’s mind back into her body in the past.

Now it’s 1998. She’s thirteen years old and she has to confront her long, miserable lifetime of failures—and once again being trailer trash—all over again.

…Or, does she?

Experience the story of someone who’s given a chance to redo their entire life starting at the last few days of middle school. This wholesome, heartfelt, and sometimes heartwrenching do-over novel is sure to be your new obsession.

Okay, I was hooked. I think most people really would want a do over, at least for certain situations. I bought the book, and when I opened it to read, I realized that it had over 800 pages! If I’d seen that I wouldn’t have bought it at all. Most books of that length that I’ve read were rambling and just boring. I figured it would be an okay book to read while you waited somewhere, like the doctor’s office, etc. I changed my mind about the book about two pages in. 

This book sucked me in and wouldn’t let me go. I so liked it. When I couldn’t read I felt impatient and couldn’t wait to get back to the story. Tabitha our main character both inspired me and broke my heart.She tried to hard to remedy the mistakes of her past and be someone else. The thing that Tabitha didn’t think about was that if you change one thing in the past you’re in a new scenario altogether, one where you don’t know what the future will bring. One that might in some ways be worse than your original life.

The writing was good, and the characters were well drawn. I liked the ‘good’ ones and disliked the ‘bad’ ones. There were a few times something happened that would never be allowed at a school. The school district would definitely be sued by the student’s parents. I was working as a teacher in 1998, and even then school districts had to worry about law suits. 

My biggest problem with the book was the ending. There were too many loose ends that were never tied up. What happened to Tabitha’s friends? Did Elena forgive herself for bringing Tabitha into a dangerous situation where she could be injured? Did her artist friend stay in touch with her? Did the boy who vowed to his brother that one day he’d marry Tabitha ever move to make contact with her? Did she ever forgive her parents? 

And about that ending. I don’t think it rang true. Her father didn’t understand Tabitha, but he acted in a way that seems contrary to his behavior throughout the whole book. 

So, do I recommend the book. Absolutely! You may like it as much as I did. One thing though, and it’s pretty important. If you’ve ever been badly bullied I recommend you skip this one. There are undoubtedly many triggers for you.

Personally I don’t know if I’d want a do over or not. Would you?

The Marriage List

The Marriage List 

(The Worthington Brides)

by Ella Quinn

 

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GENRE: Historical Romance

 

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BLURB:

 

 

By popular demand, USA Today bestselling author Ella Quinn returns Regency England’s beloved extended family, The Worthingtons, for the first in a sparkling new spin-off series! Determined to tame the marriage market on their own terms and make advantageous love matches, three confident sisters draw up a list of qualities they expect their new beaus to meet. But as they are about to discover, people are hardly ever perfect and the road to love is far more thrilling and interesting than they could ever have imagined…

 

As part of a large, rambunctious family, Lady Eleanor Carpenter has gained some knowledge of what makes a successful marriage. She’s even compiled a list of essential qualifications in a potential husband. John, the Marquis of Montagu, seems of good character (check), with money enough to support a family (check). But what of the many other requirements on her list?

 

Montagu, meanwhile, believes the key to a comfortable life lies in marrying someone quiet and docile. Yet the one lady who captivates him could hardly be more different to what he envisioned. Lady Eleanor is as opinionated as she is lovely, determined to improve working conditions for coal miners, even at risk to her own safety.

 

From evenings at Almack’s to carriage rides in Hyde Park, this Season will contain many pleasures—and a few surprises that compel both John and Eleanor to rethink their expectations. For one thing is certain: love will not be defined by any list . . .

 

 

 

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EXCERPT

 

John, the Marquis of Montagu, had noticed the three young ladies headed for the gate, and his gaze lingered on the one riding closest to him. She had a fine seat. Perhaps he should add that to his requirements for a wife. Since he’d arrived in Town, he had found himself distracted by the problems at home. Fortunately, it was still early, and the Season had not yet begun. He had to find a wife. His mother and sister would nag him until he did. And it was his duty. If only there was an easy way to go about it. Perhaps he’d meet some gentlemen who were looking for likely husbands for their daughters and John could arrange a match. Of course, the lady would have to agree. He didn’t want a wife who didn’t want him.

 

“We need to discover a way to meet them,” Giffard, the recently elevated Marquis of St. Albans, heir to the Duke of Cleveland, said.

 

“If they’re making their come outs, we will not be able to avoid it.” John had already decided what he wanted in a spouse. Someone who was not interested in politics, or causes, or charities. A lady who would not bother him about what he should do. He’d be happy if she read nothing but novels and knew only polite conversation. In other words, someone the exact opposite of his mother and his twin sister. An arranged match was looking better and better.

 

“I need a lady who will be acceptable to my father.” Giff scowled. “Excellent bloodlines are important. She must also be intelligent and not afraid to stand up to him. He detests cowards.”

 

“I’m surprised he did not make a match for you.” John’s mother had tried that with his sister to no avail and had suggested she provide him a list of names. Of course Aurelia’s godmother had helped her stand her ground until she’d found Lytton and married him. John had been lucky that the lady his father had wanted him to wed eloped with another man before they married. But that was four years ago. He’d been the head of the family for over three years, and it was time to take a wife.

 

Take a wife. It was his mantra until he completed his task.

A Word With the Author

 

1.Did you always want to be an author?

 

No. I never even thought I’d be an author of fiction. I’d been a lawyer for twenty years and had been published in professional journals, but it never occurred to me to write fiction. I was fifty-eight and had been an attorney for many years when I suddenly wanted to do something else. Which is the perfect segway to the next question.

2.Tell us about the publication of your first book.

 

As I said above. I was looking for something else to do. One day a video of an angry Regency lady started playing in my head. No, I’d been reading Regencies for almost fifty years at that point, so that it was a Regency wasn’t surprising. What was surprising and a little annoying was that it wouldn’t stop. Not knowing what else to do, I sat down at my computer and wrote the scene. By the end of a month, that scene turned into a 100,000 word manuscript, and I had to find something to do with it. I was living in the Caribbean and there were no local writers groups or anything else, so I went online and through trial and error, found how to submit my book to an agent. Fortunately, for me my journey was very fast. I submitted that first book, and got some interest but no offers. A friend who had worked in publishing in the Netherlands told me to write three books, and I did. I received an offer for my second book eight months after I’d written the first book. Eight months later I received my first contract that included the first book and the two others I’d written. The first book, The Seduction of Lady Phoebe, released just over two years after I’d written the book.

3.Besides yourself, who is your favorite author in the genre you write in?

 

There are so many. The first two to pop into my head are Jo Beverley (who is no longer with us) and Elizabeth Hoyt. They write very differently, but they are expert story tellers. Mary Jo Putney is another author who is an auto buy for me.

4.What's the best part of being an author? The worst?

 

The best part is seeing the story unfold and getting to know my characters. Although they can be frustrating when they won’t do what I want them to. The worst part is writing to a deadline, but that’s part of the job. And I’m not the only one who struggles. Julia Quinn once told me she didn’t start her books soon enough. I completely understand that feeling.

5.What are you working on now?

 

The next book in my current series, The Worthingtons. The current book, the one I completed this summer, and this one are about three young ladies that have been raised together. Two, Eleanor and Alice are twins, and Madeline who is the same age, is their sister-in-law. Alice kept popping into Eleanor’s book. Eventually, I had to cut scenes and keep a separate file for them. The nice thing about writing a long series is that I usually know which book is next. 

 

Thank you for having me on your blog.

You're welcome, Ella. I enjoyed reading about your journey from aspiring author to published author.

 

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

USA Today bestselling author Ella Quinn’s studies and other jobs have always been on the serious side (political science professor and lawyer). Reading historical romances, especially Regencies, were her escape. Eventually her love of historical novels led her to start writing them.

 

She is married to her wonderful husband of almost fourty years. They have a son and two beautiful granddaughters, a Great Dane named Lilibet, and a cat named Winnie. After living in the South Pacific, Central America, North Africa, England and Europe, she and her husband decided to make their dreams come true lived on sailboat for three years. After cruising the Caribbean and North America, she completed a transatlantic crossing from St. Martin to Southern Europe. She's currently living in Germany, happily writing while her husband is back at work, recovering from retirement. She expects to be back on the boat in 2022.

 

Ella loves when readers connect with her.

 

Author Contact and Social Media:

 

Website:  https://www.ellaquinnauthor.com/

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

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/ellaquinnauthor

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7044274.Ella_Quinn

Bookbub:  https://www.bookbub.com/authors/ella-quinn

Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/Ella-Quinn/e/B00CAE0FSQ

 

Buy Links:

 

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Marriage-List-Worthington-Brides/dp/142015446X

 

 

 

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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION 

 

 

 

Ella Quinn will be awarding $20 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Body Snatched

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This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Ana Diamond will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

What’s worse than losing a body from a funeral home? Losing two. But mortician and amatuer sleuth, Lily Reynolds has a hunch. The new visitor in town, Rick Drakon, may have charmed his way into her life but she’s not fooled by his smooth talking ways. Problem is, Rick is a long-time friend of Lily’s new husband, Detective James Rivers. While James is busy convincing her to look elsewhere, Lily embarks on a dangerous path toward uncovering the truth. Will this case come between the couple or will Lily find herself closer to evil than ever before?

Read an Excerpt

She sprinted toward the ambulance with James inside. Her heart leaped into her throat. She didn’t want to alarm the others, but she didn’t really know if he was going to make it. Antonio had not. And what would she do if he didn’t? Images of her life with James flashed before her eyes.

From the moment when she’d first laid eyes on his silky black hair and tattooed biceps in the basement of her funeral home to their wedding day when he told her they would be together forever, this could not be the end. She would not want to go on. Tears flooded her eyes, clouding her vision as she ran toward the ambulance James had been loaded into. Yanking the back door open wide, she propelled herself inside.

His eyes were closed but his body had been hooked up to monitors that beeped incessantly. Intravenous fluids ran down the tubing and into James’s arms. And there was blood—lots of blood on the floor of the truck and on the linens of the stretcher. She willed herself into tunnel vision to avoid seeing nothing but red. The paramedics sat on opposite sides of the ambulance monitoring the machines hooked up to him.

She stood at the foot of the stretcher watching for any movement. Was he unconscious? Had he slipped into a coma? Was he only minutes from death? She’d stopped breathing altogether until she touched his leg and his eyes popped open.

“You know, this is the first time I’ve ever been shot.” His eyes sparkled with mischief.

She released the air from her lungs and chuckled at him. Her heart could beat again. “Congratulations. I’ll tell you what you’ve won later. Now work on not dying.”

He smiled and laid his head back on the pillow. “Yes, ma’am.”

About the Author:When Ana Diamond isn't writing about tough gals finding love in unexpected places, she’s at work by day in the medical field. She writes romantic cozy mystery novels with feisty strong women and alluring men who can’t resist them. Her books are fast paced, entertaining and heartfelt all at once.

Ana is a 2020 Tara Contest Finalist for Body Conscious and 2015 Melody of Love contest finalist. She lives in New York with her husband, two children and two needy but wildly entertaining kitty cats.

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Avalon

<

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Vanessa Morgan will be awarding a $10 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Avalon is now also available in French!

Some cats need nine lives to make a difference. Avalon only needed one.

From Amazon bestselling author Vanessa Morgan, Avalon is the heartwarming and once-in-a-lifetime love story of a girl and her neurotic Turkish Van cat.

With humor, the author details how Avalon made other creatures cringe in distress whenever he was around, how he threw her dates out by means of special techniques, and how he rendered it almost impossible for her to leave the house. Avalon was so incorrigible that even the landlord ordered to get rid of him. But beneath Avalon's demonic boisterousness, Vanessa recognized her own flaws and insecurities, and she understood that abandoning Avalon would be the worst she could do to him. Thanks to her unswerving loyalty, Avalon transformed into a tender feline and even landed a major role in a horror movie. In turn, Avalon made it his mission to be there for his human companion.

Avalon is a memoir for anyone who has ever been obsessively in love with a pet.

Read an Excerpt

Around three o’clock that night, Avalon was fed up with the strange man in his bed. He plonked his rear down on Gilles’ pillow, complaining fretfully in his ear while tapping him on the face.

After nearly an hour of incessant wailing and poking, more drastic measures were required. The new solution: pushing Gilles out of bed.

Avalon succeeded.

Climbing back under the covers wasn’t an option. Unable to sleep, Gilles got up. "I guess I didn't pass the test."

"Give Avalon some time. Maybe he was just irked because you took his side of the bed."

But Gilles had already understood that this wasn't going to be a one-time event.

For several minutes, Gilles and Avalon sized each other up. Then Gilles said, "I’d better leave the two of you alone now. It’s clearly what the little guy wants."

I swear I could see Avalon smirking when Gilles put on his jacket and left.

Instantly, Avalon leapt onto me, and compensated for the evening before. He entered a kiss-induced trance. This cat was all about exclusivity, and when granted that exclusivity, his love was immense.

"Are you really that happy that Gilles is gone?"

In reply, Avalon looked at me with swoony eyes and purred loudly, then swatted out his paw to urge me to continue to pet him, which I did.

A phone call interrupted our tender moment. It was Gilles.

"There won't be any train to Brussels for hours," he said. "Is it okay if I come back to your place for a while?"

"Of course." His return would offend Avalon, but I couldn’t possibly leave Gilles outside in the rain for several hours.

As soon as Gilles appeared at the front door, Avalon’s pupils widened to a pitch black.

Let's see who's the boss here, he seemed to be thinking.

Being a cat of action, Avalon went through his usual attention-seeking routine: making a selection of irritating noises, scratching the wallpaper, and pushing objects to the ground.

When that didn't work, Avalon opened Gilles' overnight bag and threw out a piece of clothing. His eyes so dark and evil they could be gateways to hell, Avalon stared at his adversary and waited for a reaction. He then pulled out a box of gel wax. Again, he looked up at Gilles to make sure he understood that all this bungling was meant to get a message across. A third object followed, then a fourth, a fifth, a sixth, until there was nothing.

Hell-bent on winning the game, Avalon took Gilles' coat in his mouth and towed it toward the front door. There, he used his right paw to tap the keys hanging from the wooden doorframe.

Avalon’s message couldn’t be any clearer: there was room for only one man in my life. A feline one.

About the Author:

Vanessa Morgan is the editor of the movie reference guides When Animals Attack: The 70 Best Horror Movies with Killer Animals, Strange Blood: 71 Essays on Offbeat and Underrated Vampire Movies, and Evil Seeds: The Ultimate Movie Guide to Villainous Children. She also has had one cat book (Avalon) and four supernatural thrillers (Drowned Sorrow, The Strangers Outside, A Good Man, and Clowders) published. Three of her stories have been turned into movies. She has written for myriad Belgian magazines and newspapers and introduces movie screenings at several European film festivals. She is also a programmer for the Offscreen Film Festival in Belgium. When she's not working on her latest book, you can find her reading, watching movies, eating out, or photographing felines for her blog Traveling Cats.

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