Where Demons Dance by Emma Breidis

This one is for fans of historical fiction. I have an excerpt from Where Demons Dance by Emma Briedis for you. You can follow the tour for even more excerpts plus chances to leave comments and questions for the author and enter the giveaway.

Where Demons Dance

A desperate widow…
It’s 1874 in Cedar City, Utah Territory, when Penelope Cavey finds her beloved husband, Henri, dead from a gunshot wound and the mysterious phrase, “demons dance” carved into the parlor mirror. Despite her brother’s attempts to dissuade her, Penelope is determined to find Henri’s killer and sets out alone for St. Joseph, a rural town in Utah—following the only clue Henri left for her.

A lying father…
Ava Patton is haunted by dreams of another life. Her nightmares give way to reality when her caring stepmother, Nellie, confirms her rising suspicions that the man who claims to be her father is only pretending to be, and that her real parents are dead. Astounded by this revelation, Ava sets out to uncover what became of her parents and in doing so, stumbles upon a heartbreaking tragedy. She is forced to stop her quest when her brother, Lawrence, falls seriously ill.

A labyrinth of a mansion…
Lawrence finds himself trapped within the winding halls of a large house, plagued by taunting voices as he struggles to escape. Unable to distinguish reality from the imaginary, Lawrence doesn’t know who or what imprisoned him there, nor to whom the house belongs. Lawrence realizes he holds the key and must find Ava and Penelope before another person is silenced.

Read an excerpt:

“Henri?” she called out but received no response. The rhythmic ticking of the clock in the next room taunted her.

Where is he?! she thought with resentment.

She stepped into the parlor and froze. Her blood turned to ice as her stomach dropped, and a cold wave of fear washed over her.

Henri lay across the room on the floor, his lifeless eyes staring at the ceiling. A large puddle of blood had seeped from the bullet hole in the side of his head. His black hair was soaked in blood, and his hands lay limp at his sides.

She rushed to his side and embraced him, his head lolling.

“Henri!” she screamed, pulling him close to her. “Henri, what happened to you?!”

Tears began to run from her eyes as she grasped him, the warm blood soaking the dress she wore.

“Darling, come back to me,” she cried, her voice quivering.

She began to shake with tears as she rocked back and forth, gripping her dead husband to her chest. Unable to contain it, she let out a gasp of grief, shocked at the very circumstances she found herself hurled into. Their useless argument from earlier that day was forgotten as she grasped his lifeless body. She fervently prayed that he would wake as thousands of memories flashed before her eyes. Rocking on her knees, the pain inside of her chest only increased. Time seemed to stand still as she held him, unwilling to let go.

Buy on Amazon

About Emma Briedis

Emma Briedis has written six books in multiple genres, including fantasy, romance, and historical fiction with Where Demons Dance being her debut novel. After reading Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables at the age of thirteen, she decided to write a book of her own, and hasn’t stopped since. She lives in Southeastern Wisconsin with her dog, Chewie.



Links:

Website: www.Elbriedis.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/elbriedis

Twitter: www.twitter.com/EmmaBriedis

Instagram: www.instagram.com/emmabriedis

Emma Briedis will be awarding a $20 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

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The Devil Is in the Details by Maya

New Release - The Devil is in the Details (The Broken Halos series Book 1) on sale for 99c for a limited time

Nothing can brighten up a day like hunting demons...OR...like opening up the portal to Hell!

Helena lived her life with a rigid sense of ethics until one mission went wrong and caused her to question everything. Now she must place her trust in a handsome demon, but at what cost? Will she have to sacrifice redemption for love, or is this just another demonic trick?

Because she is Heaven’s favorite...unless, she switches sides!

Read in Kindle Unlimited or grab it for 99c for a limited time!
Yes, these Amazon links are my affiliate links. Should you make a purchase through them, I may earn a few pennies at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting my websites!

Follow on Facebook / Maya's Sassy Readers

Book 2 is on pre-order for 99c Speak of the Devil (The Broken Halos series Book 2) on Amazon.

Exile in Darkness by Annalisa Carr

Welcome to the book blast for Exile in Darkness by Annalisa Carr! This one is for fans of paranormal urban fantasy romance. Check out the excerpt! And then follow the tour for even more excerpts and chances to win the giveaway as you leave comments and questions for the author.

Exile in Darkness

Heritage and magic matter to the London covens.
Aristocratic witch, Isabella Pethany, has heritage but not magic.
Underworld powerbroker, amnesiac vampire Maldit, has magic but no heritage.
Lukas Sindis, coven sorcerer and famous psychopath, has both.

Isabella’s null magic status makes her an embarrassment to her family, but since her sister was murdered, she is all they have left. Guilt makes her willing to do almost anything to compensate for her lack of value, but her grandmother’s proposal to match her with Lukas, in a bid to bring strong magic back to their bloodline, is a step too far.

When Maldit rescues a strange witch from hunting vampires, his main concern is to limit trouble in his territory. Witches are notoriously troublesome, and this one is no exception. Her proximity slashes through his damaged memory, allowing him to catch glimpses of his forgotten past.

Drugs have suppressed Lukas’s magic for almost twenty years, filling him with a reservoir of trapped power. When he escapes, his magic bursts free, falling like a tidal wave on Maldit and Isabella, sweeping away the spells paralysing both of them.

The dark secrets of the London coven are about to explode into the light of day.

Read an excerpt:

“What do you think you’re doing?” As soon as they were in the taxi, Daisy started on her.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Isabella folded her arms, hunched her shoulders and huddled in her corner of the back seat.

“Don’t lie to me. You let that vampire kiss you. Are you insane?” Spiralling strands of pale hair rose like a halo around Daisy’s face. “And he came to your house. He knows where you live.”

“Your ponytail’s coming undone.”

“Isabella!” Daisy’s voice rose to a screech.

“I like him.” She hadn’t even reached the stage of admitting it to herself yet. Daisy was a pain in the ass. Isabella had never understood how such loud noises emerged from such a small person.

“He’s a vampire.”

“Maybe.”

“A vampire, Izzy. The same species you just told me killed your sister. What happens if he bites you again? What happens if you get addicted? What if—”

“Daisy—”

Daisy blew out an impatient breath. “I can see he’s absolutely gorgeous. Those cheekbones… I’d like to paint him, but for goodness sake, Izzy. You kissed him.”

“All right. I get what you’re saying.” Daisy’s rapidly rising voice made her head ache. “But he’s not like that. And he might help find out who killed Natalie. I need to know.”

“So you’ll see him again? Even if he’s likely to kill you?”

“He’s not going to kill me. He saved my life and anyway, like I said, it might as well be him as Lukas Sindis.”

“And what do expect to get from him? That kiss wasn’t about your sister. Are you looking for a fling?”

“I—”

“Vampires don’t do sex. Remember? Xenobiology level 1? They bite.”

Available on Amazon 

About Annalisa Carr

Annalisa Carr lives in the English Lake District with her two cats. She writes in multiple genres, but has a weakness for paranormal romance and urban fantasy.

As a child Annalisa wanted to be a scientist, wear a white coat and explore outer space. She worked as a scientist for a very long time, but never got to fly a spaceship or even travel beyond the solar system. This was a huge disappointment given the reasons for her career choice, so eventually she made up stories instead. Probably just as well, as she is claustrophobic.

Exile in Darkness is set in the same world as the Children of Poseidon series; a slightly skewed version of London.

Annalisa also writes dystopian science fiction under the name ‘Anne Cleasby’.

Websites:

https://annecleasby.com

http://www.annalisacarr.com

https://www.amazon.com/Annalisa-Carr/e/B00T1H0CQ0

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/10798535.Annalisa_Carr

https://www.facebook.com/Annalisa-Carr-1626840070925992/

Annalisa Carr will be awarding a $30 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Character Creation by Natalie Johanson, author of Shadow's Voice

Have you ever wondered how your favorite authors create their characters? Today, author Natalie Johanson takes us behind the scenes of how she created Rose, the main character in her fantasy novel Shadow's Voice. We've also got a sneak peek into the story. Follow the tour for even more insights and excerpts and opportunities to enter the giveaway!

Character Creation

Creating life like characters is probably one of the hardest things you can do as an author. Good characters are what can make or break your book. It doesn’t matter how amazing your plot is, how beautifully you describe you setting, or how unpredictable your story is if your characters aren’t believable. Good characters are key.

I really wanted my main character, Rose Trewin, to be as realistic as possible. I drew a lot of inspiration for her and my other characters from the reboot Battlestar Galactica. (If you haven’t watched this show...you are missing out) That show highlighted so perfectly that no one is perfect. Bad guys make good decisions for good reasons. Good guys fuck up and screw over their friends. People are selfish and scared. Just because you’re a good guy doesn’t mean you get a happy ending.

I tried really hard to emulate that in my characters. I made Rose an imperfect person. She tries, God knows she tries, to be a better person and to make the right decisions, but she fails. A lot. She makes some really bad decisions sometimes. Some of them are even the ‘right’ decision but boy, does it screw her over later.

I put a lot of myself into Rose. I gave her my bad habits and personality traits. I made her smart mouthed and loud. I made her selfish and impulsive. I made her a little shallow. I also gave her traits I’ve learned to develop, like empathy and sympathy. I also gave her what I hope I can one day have: bravery and the ability to learn sacrifice. I gave her room to grow. I think that is what makes Rose so successful, is her ability to grow and change. I hope by the end of the second book, she may even have learned how to be happy.

Shadow's Voice

Rose Trewin is on the run. Pursued by memories of her father, she runs from city to city, seeking normalcy. But Rose can’t escape her past, or the magic running through her veins, the magic that allows her to slip through the shadows unnoticed. The magic her father once used to mold her into a mercenary sent to destroy his enemies.

Now her magic is growing and changing, becoming something new and untamable. Rose is unable to rest. Wolves wrapped in fog follow her relentlessly along the countryside. Desperate, she uses her magic to escape, but the shadows are pushing her towards the center of a conspiracy.

Now, her country teeters on the brink of a civil war as a Lord Governor gathers power against the king. An enemy, with magic similar to her own, emerges in the chaos of political intrigue. Faced with a country at war and a king brought to his knees, Rose must accept who she is and harness her powers in order to save her country and herself.

Links to buy:

Publisher * Amazon 

Read an excerpt:

With the dagger in her bodice, she slipped into the hallway, peering through the shadows in each room as she passed it. It was an easy enough trick, looking through the shadows as though they were nothing more than windows.

She found him back in his room, bent over at the short table in the corner. The soft glow from an oil lamp distorted any more details. Rose looked up and down the hallway, saw no one else, and stepped into the shadow casted by the still lit candles. She fell into the darkness, became part of it, and was in Gavin’s room. She didn’t know how it worked, where the magic came from, or why she could use it when no one else apparently could.

When she’d still attended the lectures at the small schoolhouse in town, before her father made her work, she was told there were different planes of the world. The gods lived in one, the world in another. Rose often wondered if the shadows were another plane, and that was what she was touching.

It scared her back then. It scared her still. Maybe if she wasn’t afraid of it, she’d know what she could truly do with it. Rose had never pressed herself with her magic. Never challenged herself.

She drew her small knife as she moved closer. She paused in the shadows, the cool mist that always seem to be present ghosting over her skin. This would be difficult. His back was straight and rigid. Even through the loose sleeves of his shirt, long lines of muscle were visible. She had one shot, one try for this to be easy and finished. Good thing I’ve had practice. Rose moved closer in the light shadow.

About Natalie Johanson

Natalie Johanson grew up and lives in the valley of Salt Lake City surrounded by the beautiful Rocky Mountains. Her days are spent trying to herd her two cats, Holmes and Watson. Natalie’s summers are spent camping with her fiancée or doing obstacle races with her best friend. She usually spends her winters hiding from the snow. This is the first of what will hopefully become a trilogy, but sometimes the characters do what they want.

Website: nataliejohanson.com

Facebook: @nataliejohansonauthor

Instagram: @natalietheauthor

Natalie Johanson will be awarding a signed physical copy of book (US only) to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blessings of Love (The Belles of Wyoming Series) by Ginny Sterling

Blessings of Love 

Carrie Cornell-Madison had been blessed to marry the boy next door she had always admired as a girl. He was everything she could ever dream of in a husband: happy, loving, tender, and a pillar of strength. But when he leaves for the Wyoming Territory to settle their new land- he disappears… and she is faced with not only finding her husband, but doing so before their child arrives.

Alex Madison couldn’t believe that the pregnant woman that walked in his shop was claiming to be his wife. He’d been injured months ago, leaving him with amnesia and having to relearn who exactly he was. Her blind faith and belief that he was the right man terrified him.

Was he ready to take on a wife and child simply because she claimed she was married to him? Was he prepared to lose the only link to his past if he refused to make an effort in getting to know her? Could finding each other once again teach them both that there were many blessings in falling in love?

Available on Amazon

Yes, this is my affiliate link. Should you make a purchase through it, I may earn a few pennies at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting my websites!

About Ginny Sterling

Ginny Sterling is an avid romance writer. She lives to tell sweet, inspirational, tender tales that tug at the heart-strings. She enjoys reading and creating stories that leave the reader smiling, laughing or crying. She favors writing western or contemporary books - several of which are included in The Lawkeepers Series. Ginny is a co-creator of A Match Made in Heaven Romance Series with Jenna Brandt and Marie Higgins. She is also proud to announce that she will be participating in the Silver Pines Series in 2019.

Growing up, Ginny traveled extensively visiting family, seeing the sights, and learning that everything in life worth having revolves around love, faith and home. Having lived in several different parts of the United States, she and her family have settled in Kentucky. When not at work, she spends all of her free time writing, quilting, or shopping for coffee mugs to add to her collection.

Writing under an alternate pen name, Gina Cole- She dabbles in a fantasy world that whisks you away from the daily doldrums of reality with steamy contemporary and time travel romances. Her Bride series throws fate to the wind, bringing together two hearts...whereas her Timeless Brides series is more like a crash course in life, somewhere in the past, with a Hunka-hunka burning love.

Each book written is sure to be an adventure designed to bring laughter and love to your heart!

www.ginnysterling.com


Social Media

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Ginny.Sterlingbooks/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ginny_sterling
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ginny_sterling1/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/ginnysterlingbo/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/auth…/show/14626816.Ginny_Sterling
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/ginny-sterling

I was compensated via Fiverr for sharing this book. I only share those books that I feel will be of interest to my readers. 

Review of Edger Lives by David Beem

Welcome to the review tour for Edger Lives by David Beem. While this is the second book in the series, I also read the first one for a bit of insight into its sequel and am including my thoughts on both of them for you. You can also read an excerpt from this book and then follow the tour to read more excerpts and see what other people think of it.

Edger Lives

Our dork of destiny rides again!

Edger is falling for Mary, his bodyguard, kick-ass spy, and cover wife. But she’s so hopelessly out of his league, it’s clear someone’s going to get hurt. Less clear? That someone may be the Prime Minister of Australia.

When Mary confesses her desire to kill the world leader whose assassination Edger’s supposed to prevent, Edger’s superpowers pick the worst time to stop working. Without a fully functional psychic superhero, their team of spies can no longer order him to probe Mary’s mind for ill intent. The stage is set for a confrontation that threatens to strip a defenseless Edger of his loyal protector just when he needs her most.

Return to the Collective Unconscious, this time with Listerine-chugging stoners, Hollyweirdos, commie-alien-kung fu robots, one space gorilla-unicorn, and an exceedingly lovesick Vladimir Putin.

Mind your fingers and toes on page 270. Those skydiving mind-control monkeys have been known to bite!

Read an excerpt:

I find Mary in the walk-in closet after her workout. Three of her peering back at me with wide eyes. Four, if we count the sweaty, pheromone-blasting, flesh-and-blood Mary in the middle.

Her hands glide down her hips as she turns sideways. The mirror reflections copy her like evil clones. Her head tilts, and her unreadable gaze scans from three angles every inch of her toned physique. She eyes the contours of her breasts in an understated Calvin Klein sports bra; she examines her sculpted midriff and the concavity of her bellybutton. The Gigantic Rock glinting in the mirrors, her thumbs dip below the waistline of her yoga pants, cruise outward along the elastic, and tug once. She bites the corner of her glossy pink lip and scrutinizes every possible curve from the waist down—and with legs like hers, it’s a long way down—before flitting up to find mine, spanning those sexual leagues in an instant, and landing her gaze like a side-kick to the gut. I can barely breathe.

Air squeezes into my lungs like I’m sucking it through a straw-sized snorkel. I’m slouching. Better stand up straight. Unlock my knees. I’ve got to get it together. If she and I are going to live under the same roof, I can’t be falling over every time she has the audacity to exist. Otherwise, I’ll need some kind of house scooter to motor around on my butt all day. Beep-beep, coming through, time to brush my teeth—well, well, don’t you look hot again—okay, faint on you later.

Available on Amazon 

Yes, these are my Amazon affiliate links. Should you make a purchase through them, I may earn a few pennies at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting my websites!

**My thoughts**

And here we have the second installment of the Edger (Ed-jer) series by David Beem. Can you read this book as a standalone? Sure, you could. The cast of characters is introduced in the beginning and there's a bit of a recap of the first book. You'll likely pick up on a lot of the pop culture references and tropes that seem to be Beem's signature. You'll chuckle and perhaps laugh out loud on occasion. But I think you will definitely better appreciate a lot of these pieces if you read the first book as well as this one. 

Edger is still just as dorky as ever. He still gets all flustered around beautiful women (read Mary) and drops a lot of weird, quirky phrases. He's still supposed to save the world and will work towards it with the help of some famous names you'll definitely recognize. Starting with Bruce Lee and Michael Jackson in the first book and spilling over into the second, you'll get a kick out of how these celebs have been reimagined in the Collective Unconscious. (Think Vladimir Putin in a most amusingly compromised position, with a little Gary Busey and David Hasselhoff thrown in.) The twists and action scenes will keep the pages turning and you just may embarrass yourself laughing if you read it in public. It is hard to explain some of these moments without spoilers and context, but the misunderstood phrases and names almost speak for themselves. (Church of Ladder Day Saints) 

And this Michigan fan will still try to forgive all of the South Bend and Notre Dame references.

I think there is more to come in some future installments. It will be interesting to see where he goes next!

Edger

Meet Edger (Ed-jer), a twenty-six-year-old gadget retail dork destined to become the world’s first superhero!

His superpower: the ability to channel the Collective Unconscious, a psychic network connecting the living and the dead. In his arsenal are the skills of Bruce Lee, the strength of Samson, the wisdom of the ages...and the dancing chops of Michael Jackson—including that one twisty foot move, crotch grab, and fedora tilt.

But there's a catch...

Like every psychic superpower to get administered through a hypodermic needle, this one comes with a prick. Someone seems to have misplaced the booster necessary for stabilizing his superpower. Without it, Edger has three days before his brain turns to pudding.

Join our Dork of Destiny as he overcomes the world’s greatest butt, two rival Cluck-n-Pray gangs, an evil cow, a Green Bay Defensive Tackle, rifle-toting assassins—and a pair of stoners who inadvertently create the world’s first supervillain after a wild night on Twitter!

Available on Amazon

**My thoughts**

If you're into cerebral science fiction and superheroes with lots of fun tropes thrown in and a mess of comedic situations, then this is definitely the book for you. I admit this isn't my usual genre of book to read, but I couldn't resist checking it out. I've even gone on to the second book in the series and will await even more to come.

You'll find references to football, historical figures, dead celebrities who come back to life in the Collective Unconscious, lots of quirky characters, and some daddy issues. This Michigan fan may have twitched a little any time the words Notre Dame were mentioned, but I shook it off and kept going. I think I literally belly laughed once Michael Jackson showed up.

About David Beem

David Beem loves superhero movies, taekwondo, and flossing. He lives in Djibouti with his family and crippling self-doubt. To help actualize David’s inner confidence, visit his website and buy all the stuff: www.davidbeem.com

Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/David-Beem/e/B005M4NEYI/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1

David Beem will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Single Girl's Guide to Conquering LA by Carla Roxanne

Have you ever dreamed of going out to LA? It can be quite tricky to make it on your own. But Carla Roxanne is here to give you a few tips on how to be successful. Welcome to the blurb blitz for The Single Girl's Guide to Conquering LA by Carla Roxanne. I have an excerpt for you to enjoy today before you download your own copy. And then there's a great giveaway at the end. Follow the tour for more excerpts and more chances to leave questions and comments for the author!

The Single Girl's Guide to Conquering LA

Los Angeles can be a tough place for a single girl, especially for those who come on their own from other cities or small towns, with no family or friends living in the state of California, let alone Los Angeles. Many young girls have stars in their eyes when they land in LA, hoping to make it big in acting, modeling, or music. Unfortunately, a large number of them fade into oblivion without anyone ever even knowing who they are because they lack guidance, assistance, funding, and most importantly, knowledge. Well, if you're a single girl and you have your sights set on living in the 'City of the Angels,' there are a few things you will need to know before you make the move. Whether you come to LA to become a star, or if you simply want to enjoy living in a place with great weather year-round, a beautiful coastline, and some of the best-looking, fittest people in the world, this guide book will help you navigate your way through La-La Land. It will help you avoid some of the pitfalls that many people before you have fallen prey to, and if you play your cards right, before you know it, you will be living a lifestyle which will make your family and friends green with envy.

Read an excerpt:

Los Angeles can be a tough place for a single girl, especially for those who come on their own from other cities or small towns, with no family or friends living in the state of California, let alone Los Angeles. Many young girls have stars in their eyes when they land in LA, hoping to make it big in acting, modeling, or music. Unfortunately, a large number of them fade into oblivion without anyone ever even knowing who they are because they lack guidance, assistance, funding, and most importantly, knowledge. Well, if you’re a single girl and you have your sights set on living in the ‘City of the Angels,’ there are a few things you will need to know before you make the move. Whether you come to LA to become a star, or if you simply want to enjoy living in a place with great weather year-round, a beautiful coastline, and some of the bestlooking, fittest people in the world, this guide book will help you navigate your way through La-La Land. It will help you avoid some of the pitfalls that many people before you have fallen prey to, and if you play your cards right, before you know it, you will be living a lifestyle which will make your family and friends green with envy.

Buy links

Amazon / Barnes and Noble

The book is on sale for $0.99.

About Carla Roxanne

Carla Roxanne is a Senior Executive Assistant for one of the top insurance companies in the nation. She has spent many years in administration supporting and organizing some of the highest-ranking executives in Los Angeles. In her spare time, she writes poetry and short stories.

Blessed with the gift of the gab, she has the innate ability to draw people to her through her stories.

The Single Girl's Guide to Conquering LA is Carla's freshman project. Visit her website dramaqueenprod.com for details of her next book.

Born in White Plains, New York, Carla currently resides in Los Angeles, California.

https://www.dramaqueenprod.com/

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

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Money or Men by David Burnett

Thank you for stopping by this book blast tour for Money or Men by David Burnett. As always, I have an excerpt for you to enjoy before you download your own copy. Leave comments and questions for the author as you follow the tour to check out even more excerpts and reviews. And of course, best of luck as you enter the giveaway!

Money or Men

Love or loot?

Erin must choose between the money of which she has long dreamed and the man who she has loved. Eight years ago, she chose “loot” when Chris, her former husband, competed for her hand against the god of money. Now, with a promotion within reach, she is poised to take her place among the elite of Wall Street. She will soon be working twenty-four-seven to reorganize a failing company, and she has been ordered to find someone to care for her children.

She has few options, and she reluctantly concludes she must beg Chris for help. She has not talked with Chris, written, texted, friended, private messaged, or tweeted Chris since leaving him, but if he will not keep their children for the summer, she will lose her promotion, and her dream of wealth will vanish.

Opposites had attracted when they had fallen in love. Erin remembers a Chris who was laid-back, satisfied, and, worst of all, unambitious. He seems not to have changed. He lives on a small island with no home mail delivery. He had been an author, but Erin can find nothing he has published since their split.

But Chris’s photo is the one personal item on Erin’s desk, and she still dreams of him when she sleeps. She fears if she asks Chris to care for their children for the summer, she will be drawn back into his world. She will choose Chris over money, “love over loot,” lose her drive to succeed and everything for which she has worked. Her promotion will be denied – and lightning will not strike a second time. How can she send their children to live with him without becoming entangled herself?

Read an excerpt:

The night after he had consented to care for the twins, she’d dreamed she and Chris had been communicating, and she had awakened, crying out for him, her t-shirt and shorts soaked with perspiration. After a quick shower, she had spread soothing cream over her body and laid down, covering herself with the cool sheet.

As she lay in the darkness, she had begun to cry. She wanted to impress Chris.

No, she wanted him to be proud of her. She wanted him to regret letting her go, which seemed crazy, even to Erin, since it had been she who had orchestrated the leaving.

She smiled as she entertained those thoughts, then she gently shook her head, dismissing them from her mind. Even though, sadly, her dream had been her best encounter with a man in the eight years since their divorce, it wasn’t going to happen in real life. Shouldn’t happen in real life. Not now, when she was on the cusp of her dream life in New York City.

Ahead, Erin spied a bridge, and a sign told her she had reached the Folly River. She crossed the bridge onto the island Chris called home.

The business district was four blocks long and, perhaps, a couple wide, and she maneuvered the Lexus slowly down the aptly named Center Street, observing the sidewalks full of tourists and the beachwear shops, their windows full of t-shirts, catching the aroma of fried fish mixed with the smell of salt wafting in from the ocean, her ears perking to the strains of jazz drifting through the open doors of one of the restaurants. She braked at a crosswalk, allowing a woman with a barely there bikini to push a baby stroller across the street, and an aging hippie with a white ponytail to amble in the other direction. The twins’ faces were plastered against the windows.

It resembled the old beach town near her grandmother’s house, and for a moment she was transported back to her youth when she was fifteen, and she and her sisters spent a glorious summer there, free from her father’s oversight.

Stopping for what appeared to be the town’s sole traffic light, her thoughts turned back to Chris. He would be waiting around the corner, at the town’s pier. She glanced in the rearview mirror, checking her appearance, a sense of foreboding sweeping over her. Her stomach began to rumble.

Alexandra’s “communication” was not the goal, not today. After all, for years she had insisted she no longer loved Chris Stephens, and nothing had happened to change her feelings.

Beyond that, her career was like an airplane beginning to take off. She was taxiing down the runway and by the autumn, she would take flight. There was little space in the aircraft for children. A boyfriend, let alone a husband, surely would be unmanageable.

All she wanted today, was to begin an amicable relationship with the man who would care for her children. She should be able to do that, shouldn’t she? Even with Chris?

As she waited for the traffic light to change, a police car with the slogan “Protecting Paradise” emblazoned on its bumper cruised past. Erin glanced to her left, spotting the car that had followed her when she had turned off the interstate. It was turning while she was going straight. The girl in the front seat saw Erin and smiled.

Erin waved.

Ahead, to the left, she spied the pier.

Chris would be waiting.

“I should have taken the beer…”

Available on Amazon

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About David Burnett

We recently moved to our new home near Charleston, South Carolina. Four of my books are set in Charleston, and I’ve always enjoyed the Carolina beaches. I now have the opportunity to walk on the beach almost every day and to photography the ocean, the sea birds, and the marshes that I love.

I love photography, and I have photographed subjects as varied as prehistoric ruins on the islands of Scotland, star trails, sea gulls, and a Native American powwow. My wife and I have traveled widely in the United States and the United Kingdom. During trips to Scotland, we visited Crathes Castle, the ancestral home of the Burnett family near Aberdeen, and Kismul Castle on Barra, the home of my McNeil ancestors.

I went to school for much longer than I want to admit, and I have degrees in psychology and education. In an “earlier life” I was director of research for our state’s education department.

Links

Website  http://davidburnett.yolasite.com

Twitter  https://twitter.com/DavdBurnett

Facebook  http://www.facebook.com/DavidBurnett.Author

Amazon Author Page  http://amazon.com/author/davidburnett

Goodreads  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6579272.David_Burnett

David Burnett will be awarding a $15 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

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Review of I Like That Word by Robert Eastley

Welcome to the last day of the tour for I Like That Word by Robert Eastley. I had the pleasure of obtaining a copy of this book to review. I'm sharing my review with you below. Please be sure to check out the rest of the book tour for even more reviews and a couple of interviews to help you get to know this humor writer even better.

I Like That Word: The Daily Gripe Strikes Again

Humor is everywhere you look. You’ll find it in a Boy Scout camping trip, a day at the beach, or on full display in the cafeteria. “I Like That Word” is the second installment in “The Daily Gripe” series, an insightfully hilarious collection of articles that finds the fun in everyday living, masterfully brought to you through the unique style of one of today’s best humorists.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-eastley-a27526180

https://www.facebook.com/The-Daily-Gripe-Series-253619232228173

https://twitter.com/dailygripebooks

https://www.pinterest.com/roberteastley/

 

Buy it on Amazon

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**My thoughts**

This is one of those kinds of collections that I have always aspired to write -- just random observations on daily life and memories of different times. I think it's something that happens to us once we reach a certain age. The author does his with a bit of humor and with a slight focus on the better words that need to be in our vocabularies. I can almost see him sitting with a Word of the Day calendar, seeing what memories and thoughts that one word can trigger. He covers childhood, observations on life today versus yesteryear, history, and so much more. I really laughed out loud at his thoughts on gardening and rolled my eyes through observations of prom today versus years ago. So many of the pieces triggered my own memories and thoughts. And I feel like I need to have a vocabulary list to practice using some of these words more frequently again.

This isn't the kind of book that you can just sit and read cover-to-cover, though perhaps some would. It's meant to digest in bites. I honestly picture it sitting on my coffee table, or even as a bathroom reader. That's not a slam, by the way. Those Uncle John's readers have always been popular with me and friends over the years as a way to be entertained when stuck sitting a little longer than usual. ;)

I also honestly think this collection would be better appreciated by those who are 30 and older. Some may speak to a younger audience, though, particularly if they have had conversations with parents and other older generations about what life was like even a decade ago. Fun read!

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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The American Crusade by Mark Spivak

This is one for all of my political thriller fans. It's timely and reminiscent of some of your other favorite stories in this genre. Please enjoy an excerpt and let the author know what you think! Follow the tour for even more excerpts and reviews. Plus you have bonus chances to enter the giveaway!

The American Crusade

A power-hungry vice president, a bad batch of shady intelligence, and a sinister plot to destroy Western civilization.

Just another day in America.

On May 1, 2001, a group of radical Islamic terrorists crash a Boeing 737 jet airliner into the Mall of America—and Vice President Robert Hornsby knows his moment is coming.

The attack kills three thousand American citizens and throws an entire nation into a panic, but all Hornsby sees is an opportunity, a chance to imprint his fanatical values on the soul of the country he loves and become the most powerful vice president in American history.

With the aid of his affable but ineffectual president; the reluctant, conscience-stricken secretary of defense; and a preening, foppish faith leader with more than a few skeletons in his closet; Hornsby declares war on terror—and anyone who stands in his way. But as media scrutiny of the administration’s actions overseas intensifies, Hornby’s one-man campaign against evil begins to unravel—with striking parallels to the thirteenth century’s doomed Fourth Crusade—and sends the nation spiraling toward another deadly tragedy.

The American Crusade paints a grim and often cynical picture of America’s recent past, reflecting the attitudes, politics, and fears that shaped our nation in the new millennium. By sampling the contemporaneous French text on the Fourth Crusade, On the Conquest of Constantinople, author Mark Spivak reminds us of that ever-vital adage: “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”

Fans of The Castle by Jack Pinter, The President Is Missing by Bill Clinton and James Patterson, House of Cards by Michael Dobbs, The Whistler by John Grisham, and the Aaron Sorkin–penned TV drama The West Wing will love this book.

Read an excerpt:

The lights from the lanterns flickered against the walls of the cave. It was nearing midnight on May 1 in the tribal areas of Kabulistan, the mountainous and impenetrable regions high up near the Persepostan border. Salman Al-Akbar sat on a cushion, surrounded by his inner circle. Fazil Ahmadi, his director of operations, had just finished briefing him on the aftermath of the Mall of America attack and the subsequent suicide missions around the United States.

“Allah be praised!” Al-Akbar’s normally sad eyes were bright and jubilant. “We have succeeded beyond our wildest expectations, beyond the reach of our dreams. Allah is most with us.”

“This is so,” said Fazil Ahmadi. “Had we dreamed it, it could not have gone better.”

“What time is it now in Washington?”

“Four-thirty in the afternoon, sir.”

“And where is the young American President now?”

“We have no knowledge of his whereabouts, sir. He is in hiding.”

“Hiding?” Al-Akbar’s eyebrows arched toward the ceiling of the cave, and his normally expressionless face was close to registering hilarity. “From whom is he hiding? Robert Hornsby?”

“He has been removed from sight, sir. We suspect they took him to one of their nuclear installations.”

“Do they actually think we are in possession of nuclear weapons?”

“We believe it is a precaution on their part, sir.”

“Allah be praised!” Al-Akbar clapped his hands in glee. “This is beyond our imagining. Everything has gone off perfectly, with synchronized precision.”

“They will most certainly retaliate, sir.”

“Against whom?” asked Al-Akbar with contempt. “Our forces are safe. The loyalty of the warlords is secure, and they will not betray us.”

“We believe their most likely target will be the Dua Khamail. They will wage war against them and will surely defeat them. Then, they will restore Selim Hanjuk to power.”

“Let them have the Dua Khamail.” Al-Akbar shrugged. “To us, it matters not who is the ruler of Kabulistan. Any war they wage against the innocent population can only help us. It will bring more recruits to our side.”

“This is true.”

“One thing I will guarantee you. They may topple the government of Kabulistan, or all of the governments of the earth, but they will never be at peace again. As they fall off to sleep, they will see us in their nightmares.”

“Yes, sir. Our position is strong, and the Americans can only immerse themselves in quicksand by invading Kabulistan. They will never find us, much less defeat us.”

“Their memories are short,” mused Al-Akbar. “They forget that the Russians tried and failed. It was their Vietnam. And the Americans are far weaker than the Russians. They do not have the will for a prolonged conflict.”

“Let us not underestimate their military strength, sir.”

“These infidels are like the Crusaders of old.” Al-Akbar’s fingers worked prayer beads in the darkness of the cave. “They have many troops, they have excellent weapons, and they have knowledge of warfare. But they lack the fire of belief, as well as the support of their people. And they do not have Allah on their side.” He smiled approvingly at his lieutenant. “You have done well today. And soon we will do better still. Today is the beginning of the great Jihad. Nearly eight hundred years ago, the East was ruled by Saladin and the true believers were victorious. That day will come again.”

Available on Amazon

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About Mark Spivak

In the realm of non-fiction, award-winning author Mark Spivak focuses on wine, spirits, food, restaurants and culinary travel. His first book, Iconic Spirits: An Intoxicating History, was published by Lyons Press in 2012. He followed this with Moonshine Nation (Lyons Press, 2014), hailed as the definitive book on illegal corn whiskey in America. From 1994-1999 he was the wine writer for the Palm Beach Post, and was honored for excellence in wine criticism “in a graceful and approachable style.” Since 2001 he has been the Wine & Spirits Editor for the Palm Beach Media Group, and contributes to a number of national magazines. He is also the holder of the Certificate and Advanced Diplomas from the Court of Master Sommeliers.

Mark’s first novel, Friend of the Devil, was published by Black Opal Books in May 2016. Set in Palm Beach in 1990, it tells the story of America’s most famous chef, who has sold his soul to the Devil for fame and fortune.

Mark also has an endless fascination with the American political system and is an avid follower of Washington politics. His second novel, The American Crusade (a gripping political thriller set during the invasion of Iraq, which dips into the shadowy world of government conspiracy and political sabotage), will be released by TCK Publishing on April 4. He is currently at work on Impeachment, the sequel to The American Crusade.

Visit Mark's website at www.markspivakbooks.com, and sign up for his free newsletter and political blog:  www.markspivakbooks.com/free

Mark Spivak 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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The Basement by Dianne Hartsock

Welcome fans of paranormal horror! The Basement is the sequel to Alex and the Dead. I have an excerpt for you to enjoy prior to downloading your own copy. Please be sure to leave comments and questions along the way as you follow the book tour. And then be sure to enter the giveaway!

The Basement

Alex is haunted by visions of the dying, but now it seems the ghosts he’s seeing are real as well.

In this sequel to ALEX and THE SHED, Alex wonders if he’s seeing ghosts. His friend Justin has bought the Fulton place, a beautiful old mansion on the edge of Oakton. But something’s wrong in the house. Alex has visions of a small boy, trapped in the basement, and a man at the top of the stairs who won’t let him leave.

And Logan Fulton has come to town, Helen Kramer’s cousin, a psychic medium who wants something from Helen, whatever the cost. He and Helen had spent time in the Fulton house as children and Alex suspects Logan has something to do with the spirits now awakening in the old mansion. But whether Logan is calling them forth or if something else is controlling them, Alex can’t be sure.

The child’s spirit calls to Alex, as do others trapped in the house. There is a dark entity holding them there, keeping the child forever in the basement, the others for his amusement. But Alex has never believed in ghosts, so what is really going on? As he strives to learn the boy’s secret, his friends are one by one pulled to the Fulton place and put in danger while Logan works against Alex, having an agenda of his own. Will Alex be able to solve the haunting of the old house, or will he and his friends be taken one by one, doomed to walk the dark hallways forever?

Read an excerpt:

Something tugged his coat sleeve. Startled, he looked down. Nothing. Goddammit.

“Either help me or get away from me,” he muttered, nerves pulled taut. He moved into the room and gasped as the light on the walls disappeared, the candle’s flame the only illumination. It flickered on the surface of the inkblack liquid in the basin, drawing his eye. Without thought, he crossed the room and crouched opposite Logan, but instead of looking into the bowl, he searched the slack continence across from him.

Logan kept his gaze focused on the bowl as if unaware of Christopher’s presence. He appeared pale, hollow-cheeked, haggard, a death mask, and Christopher sucked in a breath.

“Logan? Are you okay?”

No reaction. Logan remained frozen in place. A slow shiver traveled through Christopher. What did he see in those dark depths? The water stirred, radiated outward as if a breath had touched the surface. The candle’s flame flashed, light splintering through the liquid. Christopher bent closer to the bowl. Had something moved in there? He parted his lips on a hiss of dawning horror as eyes, dark as pitch, appeared, the image of a terrible face taking shape.

He pulled away, his limbs unaccountably heavy as he struggled to his feet, the terrible face breaking the surface, continuing upward, a dark figure climbing into the world. The room grew cold, ice forming where the creature stepped out onto the wooden floor. The air seemed sucked from the room. Unable to scream, Christopher stumbled back until he came up against the wall. The specter moved closer, and Christopher’s chest heaved, fear holding him immobile.

Buy Links:

Amazon * Barnes and Noble * Solstice Publishing

About Dianne Hartsock

Dianne grew up in one of the older homes in the middle of Los Angeles, a place of hardwood floors and secret closets and back staircases. A house where ghosts lurk in the basement and the faces in the paintings watch you walk up the front stairs. Rooms where you keep the closet doors closed tight at night. It’s where her love of the mysterious and wonderful came from. Dianne is the author of paranormal/suspense, fantasy adventure, m/m romance, the occasional thriller, and anything else that comes to mind.

She now lives in the beautiful Willamette Valley of Oregon with her incredibly patient husband, who puts up with the endless hours she spends hunched over the keyboard letting her characters play. Dianne says Oregon’s raindrops are the perfect setting in which to write. There’s something about being cooped up in the house with a fire crackling on the hearth and a cup of hot coffee in her hands, which kindles her imagination.

Currently, Dianne works as a floral designer in a locally-owned gift shop. Which is the perfect job for her. When not writing, she can express herself through the rich colors and textures of flowers and foliage.

Blog: http://diannehartsock.wordpress.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/diannehartsock

Twitter: http://twitter.com/diannehartsock

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/4707011-dianne-hartsock

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Dianne-Hartsock/e/B005106SYQ/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1361897239&sr=8-1

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/Dianne-Hartsock-Author-107985445959828/

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

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