Review of Cut the Shapes by the Grabarchuk Family

Do you want to make your brain hurt? Check out this app by the Grabarchuk Family. In Cut the Shapes, you are given large shapes that are broken up into piece. You have to "paint" the pieces until you have dissected the larger shape into two congruent shapes. Can you think back to your math classes in school? Two congruent shapes are the same size and the same shape. That means you need an equal number of pieces.

Here I thought I was so good at math, but this app really made my brain work in overtime. I often found myself having to turn my Kindle Touch all the way around, with lots of trial and error until I finally stumbled upon the correct answer. I honestly could only handle doing a few puzzles at a time and then I needed a break.

In the basic level, the shapes are made out of series of squares. It reminded me of finding two Tetris blocks that fit together. In the domino level, you have rectangles fit together, instead of squares. Longer pieces actually made it more difficult. The level that really killed me was the trio level. These were series of triangles fit together.

You definitely have to have strong spatial awareness to easily conquer these games. I think it would make a great game for kids to play to practice their skills, as much as for adults who need the practice. I enjoyed the mental workout and will return to play older levels again and again.

This app is not available for the Kindle Fire, though it does work on the other Kindles. I played it on the Kindle Touch.



I received a complimentary copy of the game in exchange for my honest review.

Review of A House Divided Against Itself

A House Divided Against Itself is technically fiction, though it is based on the true stories of several men and women during the Civil War. Crafted from dozens of letters, journal entries and research of official documents, the story is told from the points of view of four key characters.

John Wesley Culp is literally the little brother, as he stands a mere five feet tall. He and the other characters in the book grew up in Gettysburg, PA. John's job ended up taking him down south to Virginia, where he felt more at home and more accepted than he ever did in Pennsylvania. As a result, when it came time to choose sides for the Civil War, he chose the Confederates.

William Esias Culp is the older brother, who has been disgusted with his younger brother for most of their lives. John's status as a traitor to the family is firmly cemented in his mind after the war begins and they lose their parents. William is fiercely dedicated to the Union Army.

Johnston Hastings "Jack" Skelly, Jr. is John Culp's best friend, but has chosen to remain faithful to the Union army. He is, however, also still faithful to his best friend, though they are on opposing sides.

Mary Virginia Wade, also known as Jennie, is Jack Skelly's girlfriend.

All four of these people really lived. Their lives as depicted in the book are fairly accurate. The historical events, which are described in great detail, all really happened. If you have ever studied the Civil War, particularly Gettysburg, their names are going to be familiar to you. What is fictionalized is some of the personal interactions and thoughts that they may or may not have had. Sometimes it is difficult to discern between the fiction and the nonfiction, but you can trust that the story is a true one.

Each character takes turns telling their story. Oftentimes their stories are the same, just told from different points of view. For example, there is a battle in which brother is actually fighting against brother, which apparently didn't occur as frequently as the Civil War has been romanticized to have happened. You hear about the battle from each brother's point of view, as well as Jack's perspective. Each one is telling essentially the same story, but then as has more to add about other events surrounding it. The stories also begin at the start of the war, from enlistment, all the way through the famous Battle at Gettysburg.

Chapters are meant to cover an extended period of time, but sometimes the narrator inserts a couple of paragraphs that deal with a specific day. The language used by each character is meant to reflect how people actually spoke back then, so some spellings and grammatical structures are a little different than you may be used to. At the same time, it also feels somewhat modernized for ease of reading. The inclusion of numerous photographs, drawings and maps add to the validity of the stories. Its presentation as a collection of memoirs is also designed to feel less dry and oppressive than reading nonfiction can be for some people. Bob O'Connor has clearly done his homework.

A House Divided Against Itself is available on line at www.boboconnorbooks.com or at amazon.com. It is also available on all e-book formats.

Guest Post by Bob O'Connor, Author of A House Divided Against Itself

Today I am honored to share with you a guest post by Bob O'Connor, author of the Civil War novel A House Divided Against Itself.

=======================================================================

It is often said of fiction writers that we don’t have to do any research because we can make everything up. I do not operate that way. I spend months and sometimes years gathering information from individual soldier’s military records, personal letters, regimental histories and the like to gather information I need. I find undiscovered “nuggets” in military records, diaries, etc. I build my story around that information.

When I write I actually add footnotes. That allows me to go back at any time and check figures or specific information. I delete all the footnotes on the final draft before the book is published.

In my novel A House Divided Against Itself, I follow the story of four Gettysburg characters through the Civil War. The book is based on a true story. I know what happened.

A historian asked recently why I spend all that time researching and then write fiction. The answer is complicated. First and foremost, fiction gives me creative license that I would not have with non-fiction. Secondly, it allows me to fill in holes in the story. Thirdly, it is much more fun to write fiction. And finally, more people purchase and read fiction than non-fiction.

My information is based on the record. As an example, Jack talks about the accidental killing of John Colehouse from Company F, the 87^th Pennsylvania Infantry. That incident is described in detail in one of Jack’s letters to his mother.

I talk of the 2^nd Pennsylvania Infantry re-enlisting after their 90-day enlistments were finished. But Nicholas Codori, one of their friends from Gettysburg, did not re-enlist. I know that because I read Nicholas’ service record.

A House Divided Against Itself is a mostly true novel. I try hard to make the story interesting and believable. Many historians cannot tell when I am telling the truth and when I am making something up.

============================================================

Bob O’Connor, a native of Illinois who now lives near Harpers Ferry, WV, has been a life-long student of both the Civil War and Abraham Lincoln. As a 7^th grader he attended the Centennial of the Lincoln Douglas debates at Galesburg, Illinois. One year later he portrayed Lincoln in his school play. Today he is the author of six Civil War era books. His subjects are Abraham Lincoln’s bodyguard, John Brown the abolitionist, the U.S. Colored Troops and brothers fighting against brothers.

O’Connor’s books (two non-fiction and four historical fiction) depict real people and real events. His research has uncovered a never before published drawing of the hanging of John Brown and a complete 500 page unpublished manuscript written by Lincoln’s bodyguard. He has made over 500 appearances in 18 states and the District of Columbia in the last six years to talk about his books.

A House Divided Against Itself is available on line at www.boboconnorbooks.com or at amazon.com. It is also available on all e-book formats.

Promotional Book Tours July 6th Group Tour - Win a $100 Amazon Gift Card!

Welcome to Promotional Book Tours July 6 Group Tour. We have teamed up with 10 Amazing Authors and several awesome bloggers to bring you a $100 Amazon Giftcard and a $50 Amazon Giftcard!

Please check out the Fantastic authors bringing you these Giftcards
Don’t miss out on these great reads even if you don’t have a kindle yet. You can download the kindle app for you phone, desktop, or ipad HERE. All of these books are less than a Starbucks Coffee!

Storm of Desire

Corporate attorney Samantha Greco needs some peace and quiet to come to a decision about her career. Instead, while an icy nor’easter rages outside, she finds herself trapped in a cottage on Fenwick Island with Aiden Rourke, a man she used five years ago when she ran from the heartbreak of her fiancé’s betrayal.

Aiden Rourke has loved Sam for years. For one glorious night she was his. But then she fled, wounding his ego and his heart. Thrown together again, they soon discover time hasn’t diminished their fiery passion for each other. Only Aiden has ever been able to melt Sam with just a look or a touch. But the fear that she’s like her mother, who used men mercilessly, scares Sam to death.

Read More.. Purchase on Amazon Here (FREE July 6)

Unbound

Toni went from being a doctor, to the lover of a god in an instant. Remembering who she was, she's now torn between her past self and her current love. Ben is stunned when Toni leaves and at the arrival of his long lost love, Catherine, but her arrival doesn't eradicate Toni from his mind. Unlikely allies will team up to get Toni back from the Lord of the Underworld, Hades, but it's not Hades they need to worry about.



Purchase on Amazon HERE

Living Sensitive (Book 1 of the Delia Rhodes series)

In the small town of Willow Eve, Arkansas, feisty bartender, Delia Rhodes, lives a pretty normal life; if you consider having a ghost for a roommate, pixies as best friends and being one of the rarest hybrids to exist, normal. Her life is turned upside down when someone or something begins kidnapping pixies and she is forced to find out who is behind it and why. If that wasn’t enough for her to deal with, Delia meets a delicious vampire hybrid with a very important event coming up; his registration. Will he survive? Will Delia solve the kidnappings or get dragged into the middle of something much deeper?

Purchase on Amazon HERE

Living Soul (Veiled Series)

Veiled from her previous existence as a gifted Angel, Tess is now a mere mortal growing up in foster care with her autistic foster brother, Dorian, and a twisted foster sister, Agatha—whose main goal in life is to torture them both.

Tess’ life has been dull and average at best; but all that changes with one look. When she inadvertently gazes into the eyes of the most popular guy in school—Alex Preston—Tess sees a glimpse of her previous existence.

Uncomprehending, Tess, wonders what those memories are and why she now feels like she knows Alex better than anyone in this world. More importantly, why is he haunting her dreams? Dreams so vivid, that they blur the lines of reality, awakening a slew of inexplicable paranormal abilities she didn’t know she possessed. Read more and Purchase on Amazon HERE

Hunter Moon (Lupine Series)

Bawling cattle tore Shelby Flint from her bed. With lawyer fees to pay in her struggle to keep her ranch from the clutches of her greedy cousins, she couldn’t afford the loss of even one calf. When she sees a large wolf circling her cows, she aims and fires. While the wolf escapes, Shelby can’t seem to get away from her troubles when a marijuana grower sets up shop on her land, sabotaging her property and eventually coming after her. Adding to that, a handsome game warden is poking his nose into her business and working his way underneath her skin. Shelby will have to fight harder than she ever fought before to keep from losing her heart and everything she ever loved

Purchase on Amazon HERE

Broken Wings (Soul Searchers #1)

Rio Laraquette thought the legend was nothing more than an enchanted tale about star-crossed lovers who left behind a fortune. That is, until she figures out that she—in a past life—was the culprit who stole a shipment of gold and silver and buried it somewhere in the hills of northern Nevada.

While searching for the treasure, Rio's heart begins to ache for a man who's been dead more than one hundred years. They say time heals all wounds, but what if it doesn't...?

Purchase on Amazon HERE

All the Blue-Eyed Angels (Erin Solomon Mysteries, #1)

"On my tenth birthday, I am baptized by fire."

So begins Erin Solomon’s story, on a remote island in Maine where the Payson Church and thirty-four of its members have just burned. When the smoke clears, only Erin and her father remain. The police rule the tragedy mass suicide, but Erin knows the truth: no one in the Church wanted to die. She just isn’t sure how much her father had to do with their deaths.

More than twenty years later, Erin is an investigative journalist still burdened with her father’s secrets. When she receives incontrovertible evidence that the Payson congregation was murdered, she can no longer hide from the truth. She returns to her hometown only to find an intricate conspiracy involving her parents, .... Read More and Purchase on Amazon HERE

Cheyenne (Timeless #1)

Murder, romance, secrets and hidden pasts. Deception from every angle—who's telling the truth?

Cheyenne Wilson's life is thrown into turmoil after her adoptive parents are killed in an accident. With only her best friend Colt to comfort her, she scours through the family archives, hoping to quell her grief. Instead she begins to unravel the mystery behind her birth parents, and her secret heritage. She is a Timeless- a being that ages one year for every hundred human years when they reach their twenties- and of the royal line, destined to gain great power.

But Cheyenne has other problems. The ones who killed her parents want her too, and Colt is hiding something of his own. Surrounded by danger and with few she can trust, Cheyenne must face the dark truth of her past, and choose between a forbidden love that will forever hold her heart, or her destiny... Purchase on Amazon HERE

Promises (Timeless #2)

Cheyenne is determined to seek the light of truth in a web of darkness, but at what cost?

Still reeling from the revelations of her secret birthright and fated betrothals, Cheyenne's thoughts tumble over the whirlwind of life since the death of her parents. Vowing to close herself off to spare her heart more pain, she keeps her distance and seeks her own path. But Colt, Daniel and Callon are constantly at her side, not giving her room to breathe or let her come to terms with her destiny. At the same time, her transformation into a Timeless begins; a process that could very well kill her. As if that wasn't enough, her enemies are still out for her blood, and no-where is safe. Though new allies appear to protect her from the unseen dangers, which ones are friend and which are foe?

And can Cheyenne stand the ultimate pain of all… Purchase on Amazon HERE

Finding Alice (Alice Clark #1)

Cursed with an intense version of empathy Alice runs from a wasted life to start a new one somewhere no one will know her; Hell, Michigan. Alice works at a hole-in-the-wall bar in the middle of nowhere mostly keeping to herself to avoid the overwhelming emotions of those around her. Alice allows her best friend to convince her into taking a few college classes without realizing it would drastically change her life forever. From her first day of class she was hooked on him; his scent, his eyes, the way he talked to her inside her head.

Throughout her struggles she learns about true love, true pain and the truth of her own heritage. Alice must quickly find out who she is because after all everyone else is out to find her. With Angels and Bounty Hunter’s in constant pursuit she finds protection within a group of Fallen Angels. These Fallen Angels vow to do anything to protect her; for it is their belief she will save their kind and all of mankind. Purchase on Amazon HERE



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Excerpt from 'Immortal Voyage'

Immortal Voyage

A week passed and Jael was on a large ship headed to Hy-Brasil to meet her future husband. She was nervous about the meeting, and after many talks with her father, she knew regardless of her feelings for Sarik she would marry him for the clan.

Once the ship left dock, Salima told Jael her image was not her true form. Before Jael’s eyes, Salima changed. Her skin turned blue as the sky and her eyes looked more cat-like than human. Instead of the shock Salima expected, Jael asked if she could conjure fire. In a single motion, a ball of fire appeared in Salima’s hand. She moved it back and forth between her fingers before out stretching her arm over the side of the boat and allowing the fire to roll into the water. Jael’s eyes widened in amazement.

The ship moved swiftly across the sea. Its black sails shimmered with tiny strands of gold woven throughout the oddly slick fabric. When Jael inquired, she was told it was a solar sail, and although Salima explained how it worked, most of what she said was as foreign as Hy-Brasil itself.

As the boat approached the island, Jael looked out over the rail taking in the magnificence. The city was beautiful and unlike any she had ever seen. It was made of concentric rings of land that surrounded the harbor. Plants, flowers, and trees covered every inch, including many of the houses, and in the center of the rings sat a massive city of metal and glass that was beautiful beyond belief. Moments later the ship laid anchor in the harbor of Atlantis, the capital city of Hy-Brasil.

A delegation from King Varen was waiting for them at the dock. Most of the people were older men, advisers to the King, but one stood out among them. He couldn’t have been more than five years older than Jael. He was tall with raven hair and eyes bluer than the sea. He was the most handsome creature Jael ever set eyes on. He noticed her stare and smiled. Jael lowered her eyes and blushed. It was unladylike to look at a man that way, especially while on her way to meet her future husband… but, the gods be damned, this man had gotten to her already.

He walked over, kneeled down, and kissed her hand.

“Welcome to Hy-Brasil, Lady Jael. I hope you will decide stay with us.”

His eyes looked into hers and Jael lost herself in them. Her heart raced as a shiver went down her spine. Jael had to remember her place. She pulled her hand away reluctantly. If she would be future queen, this type of behavior was not acceptable. She addressed the man in front of her. “Where I come from it is treason to be so bold to a lady betrothed, especially one betrothed to one’s prince,” she retorted, almost ashamed of his behavior, and yet, she could not forget the feeling of his touch.

“Then I should introduce myself.” Standing up inches from her face, he said, “I’m Prince Sarik. Sorry to have startled you, my lady.” He nodded his head in a slight bow.

How could he possibly be the prince? Jael’s father had known Prince Sarik his whole life, and even then, Sarik was considered the elder of the two. “My apologies, your highness, I assumed you’d appear longer in years. Forgive me.” She stepped back and curtsied low to the ground.

He clutched her hands pulling Jael to her feet. “There are few who know of our secrets, and your father is one of them. I believe we have much to talk about, Lady Jael.” Sarik offered Jael his arm and walked her to a covered seated area he called a transport vehicle.

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Review of Puzzle Quizzes by the Grabarchuk Family

Puzzle Quizzes by the Grabarchuk Family is chock full of those annoying visual and spatial puzzles that I always have a difficult time solving! Nevertheless, I enjoyed every moment of making my way through the series. The ones that gave me the most fits were the ones where you had to determine which line was the longest, or how to put different sets of blocks together to form various shapes.


With some, such as determining which numeral or animal is hidden within a set of lines that resemble a box, once you figure out the pattern in the first one, you can easily find it in others. That is, if you play the puzzles close enough together in time to remember what you did in the first one.

I had fun playing this while waiting for my babysitting charge to finish her swim lessons, taking a five-minute break at work, or even to exercise my brain to unwind at the end of the day.

This app is meant to be used on the Kindle Touch. It will not work on the Kindle Fire. It's all in black and white and is interactive. You have three chances to solve a problem. It also keeps track of your time on each puzzle. You can go back and replay a puzzle and see if you can improve your time. It's a lot of fun.


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

'Deceived' Blog Tour - Excerpt and Giveaway!

Deceived - Book 2 in the Gwen Sparks Series

The vampire drug, brew, nearly ruined Gwen Sparks’ life. Just when things started to get back to normal between her and Aiden, she is summoned by the North American Witches Council to their central city of Moon.

A war is imminent between vampires and witches, and Gwen’s experiences with brew are being used to fuel the fire. She is about to discover just how powerful she is with the help of the ruggedly handsome Angel of Death and just how far some people will go to get what they want.

Gwen is going to learn exactly what it means to be Deceived.


Excerpt:

“Gwen,” Dorian called.

I blinked a few times and tucked my self-loathing back into the dark corners of my mind where hopefully they’d stay locked up and leave me alone. Looking back and regretting the choices I’ve made was like a mental right hook to the brain. I couldn’t take back what I had done; all I could do was be smarter about future decisions.

“Sorry, I spaced out,” I told Dorian. My eyes absorbed every one of his masculine features. His face was square with a strong jawline framed by his long brown hair. His nose had a perfect slope and just below were his full lips, parted as he took air into his lungs. The rise and fall of his broad chest caught my attention. I dragged my gaze downwards and trailed my eyes along the paths his muscles made under the tight t-shirt. Everything about him was beautiful, even his smoky eyes which freaked me out to begin with, were every bit as stunning as the rest of him. Masculine, confident and—watching me watch him. My cheeks burned with my embarrassment.

He regarded me with a look I’d seen a few other times, an expression I tried to ignore, but at the moment, I couldn’t look away from. I was a woman who noticed attractive men, but I would never act on those feelings. I loved Aiden as sure as the night is long. But Dorian stirred something deep inside of me, and we connected on a level I hadn’t with Aiden. It wasn’t easy to ignore something that profound, especially when it was staring at me like I was the sexiest girl in the world.

Dorian took a step forward. His arms hung limp, but I could tell he was nervous about what was happening between us. The tightness in his jaw and triceps betrayed the cool confidence he was trying to portray. An inch of icy air separated us. I lifted my eyes to his, and we stared at each other. No words were needed; our body language spoke for us. Dorian brought his arm up and with the back of his hand caressed the side of my face with more gentleness than I imagined. My eyes closed against the feel of it. A shuffle of feet enticed my eyes open just in time to see Dorian bending forward and toward my eager lips. I shook my head, unable to tell him no with my voice. I wanted to taste his kiss, to feel his lips on mine, but my heart wouldn’t allow my curiosity to betray me. Love trumps attraction, and attraction was all there was between us.

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'Mystic Wolves #2: Forget Me Not' Book Tour and Giveaway

Forget Me Not (#2, The Mystic Wolves)

Only a fool would think they could steal from a werewolf …

Anticipating a quiet night alone with the man she loves, Darcy’s world is sent into a spin with the arrival of someone from the past—Mason’s. She is further shocked by the intruder’s claim she may not even be the true mate of the Mystic Wolves Alpha. Accusations start to fly, leading to her new enemy being granted asylum, and this is just the beginning of trouble.

Relying on the reassurances of Mason and the support of her friends and Pack, Darcy soon falls under attack. Suspicions are raised, and with no other choice, she must flee with Devlin to safety where hopefully they can untangle the lies hidden behind the use of magic. Time is quickly ticking away, leading to a showdown where everything is on the line.

They need to uncover the truth before it’s too late, or once again, Darcy will need to fight to hold onto her dreams.

Kindle / Nook / Paperback / Smashwords

Author Belinda Boring

A homesick Aussie living amongst the cactus and mountains of Arizona, Belinda Boring is a self proclaimed addict of romance and all things swoon worthy. When she's not devouring her latest read, you can find her celebrating her passion for book on her blog The Bookish Snob.

With all that excitement, it wasn't long before she began writing, pouring her imagination and creativity into the stories she dreams. Whether urban fantasy, paranormal romance or romance in general, Belinda strives to share great plots with heart and characters that you can't help but connect with. Of course, she wouldn't be Belinda without adding heroes she hopes will curl your toes.

Surrounded by a supportive cast of family, friends and the man she gives her heart and soul to, Belinda is living the good life. Happy reading!

Remember that the first book in the series is free on Amazon!

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'Immortal Voyage' Book Tour and Giveaway

Immortal Voyage

Before the time of the great pyramids, there was a place like none other, a city of glass and metal rising from the depths of the ocean. Shrouded in mist, the island of Hy-Brasil and its capital Atlantis lay hidden from the rest of the world by its people, a race of long lived, interstellar nomads.

What secrets would you keep to save your kingdom? On the Queen’s deathbed, the sonless King Rowe is force into a promise to allow his five daughters to marry for love. A promise he wished he had never made, and one he will have to break, to save the kingdom from his squabbling, incompetent son-in-laws.

The youngest of five daughters, Jael, spent most of her time at her father’s side learning to run a kingdom. Believed to be the King’s favorite, Jael is shocked when he betroths her to a longtime friend of his, Prince Sarik of Hy-Brasil. Soon she will learn that world is full of secrets and one of them is her very own birth. Will the secret that bonds her to Sarik be the ultimate downfall of a kingdom?





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9 Free reads seeking reviews

Authors love it when you post reviews of their books. They want feedback on their work, so that they can continue to improve. Reviews also help you, as the consumer, to determine whether or not you want to spend that hard-earned money. Here are a few books that are free for Kindle, as of the time of this posting. Click on the book cover to be taken to Amazon to get it. Give them a read and remember to leave a review!

Please note that while these books are free at the time of this posting, prices can and do change without notice. Always check the buy price, and not the Prime price for the most current cost to you.

Death and Taxes


 

Blurb from Amazon:

December, 2012. From a quaint little bookshop in Camden, it should have been just another routine job, a day like any other; simply visit the dying boy in Great Ormond St Hospital and leave with his soul. Only it wasn't to be. Leaving the boy still alive, Thanatos - Death, The Grim Reaper - decides enough is enough - and quits to devote more time to his hobbies. His dislike of man makes the job more bearable, but with the realisation that man is now not likely to pass on, Thanatos is left with a tricky decision - to go on strike with his long-term colleagues, Harry the Ferryman and Peter the Saint, or continue with his work? Boredom soon sets in, and when a series of murders occur the fingers begin to point. What is Thanatos to do? Why had things gone awry since he'd visited the boy? And just who is doing all the killing?

Mixed with supernatural goings-on, Death & Taxes is a modern tale of woe, humour, deception, love, friendship, miracles - and butterflies.
 
Get your Kindle copy here. 


Ghost Drums



Blurb from Amazon:

Ghost Drums is short story about a vampire, Lazarus Kalon, intent upon stealing the power of a shape shifter. The story seamlessly blends traditional vampire lore with native mythology.

Get your Kindle copy here.


Brood of Bones



Blurb from Amazon:

Cursed with endless drowsiness, Enchantress Hiresha sleeps more than she lives. Since she never has had a chance to raise a family, she sometimes feels like every woman is pregnant except for her. This time, she is right.

From virgin to grandmother, all the women in her city have conceived. One unexpected pregnancy is a drama; fifty thousand is citywide hysteria.

A lurking sorcerer drains power from the unnatural pregnancies, and Hiresha must track him by his magic. Unfortunately, her cultured education in enchantment ill equips her to understand his spellcraft, which is decidedly less than proper. The only person uncivilized enough to help is the Lord of the Feast, a dangerous yet charming illusionist. Associating with him may imperil Hiresha's city, yet refusing his help will allow the sorcerer to leech godlike power from the mass births.

Get your Kindle copy here.


Fedoro's Jump
 


Blurb from Amazon:

“We need to get him a knife,” Tony said. It sounded so reasonable and simple. Everybody on board had a pocketknife, and there was a Navy surplus survival knife in a sheath bolted to the side of the jump door. All they had to do was to get it to a man twenty yards away.

Get your Kindle copy here.


Below the Surface (Xenonian Origins)



Blurb from Amazon:

Merx Tol, a resistance fighter, strives to balance life, his empathic sense, and the protection of his people under his mother's leadership. Everything he desires changes the day Henessa Sar, a young woman presumed dead, appears among the debris of a supply truck.

Get your Kindle copy here.


Trent and Bentley (Eerie Vamp Series)

 

Blurb from Amazon:

Trent is not someone who was looking for a serious relationship, but when Lily walks up to their table and asks what he wants to drink he is smitten. Little does he know she is the lover of an old and powerful vampire and he will not let her go without a fight.

Get your Kindle copy here.


Get Real, People! How to Use Social Media for Real-ationship



Blurb from Amazon:

Social media marketing emerged - almost overnight - as an accessible, affordable way to grow businesses. The questions are no longer whether or when to use social media for marketing, but how to use it and use it well. Yet social media presents real challenges; it masks the ability to see body language and other important communication cues. How can you ensure you are “being real” online? If you’re not, you’ll struggle to have meaningful engagement and to build relationships that drive businesses growth. And how can you tell if others are “being real?”

Social Media is full of wolves in sheep’s clothing. We’ve all met some online and this was a key motivator in the writing of this book on using social media for relationship marketing. “Get Real, People! How to Use Social Media for Real-ationship Marketing©” shows you how ‘being real’ is the key to marketing with social media and to creating a more enjoyable and authentic life. Whether you’re a business owner, team leader, marketing professional, recovering sales shark, public relations firm, non-profit, or just someone communicating through social media marketing that wants to know “what now?” you’ll benefit from this book.

You’ll learn how to: • Grow your business with REAL-ationship©, social media marketing • Use social media to build businesses with longer-lasting, more meaningful engagement, communities & relationships • Know what your digital body language communicates about you & how you’re perceived & interpreted • Create an online marketing presence that attracts people you want to work with & who want to work with you • Profit from the currencies of accountability, trust & being your real self • Stop the time wasting, joy sapping self-sabotage of “being” someone you’re not, both in business & in life • Use the “Give to Grow” philosophy for marketing your business via social media • Build thriving businesses through awareness of how you market, sell & produce results

Whether you are a small business just getting started or an established firm, this book will assist you in using social media to energize your business and discover why building community and engaging with your customers is crucial to business success. It’s all about relationship marketing and social media is making it happen.

Get your Kindle copy here.


The Scent of Jade

 

Blurb from Amazon:

From TV writer Dee DeTarsio, a new novel, The Scent of Jade. When an ancient jade relic that holds secrets to global warming ends up in the hands of a not-so-perfect heroine, she is thrust in a fish-out-of-water adventure, lost in the Costa Rican rainforest.

"Romancing The Stone" meets "Survivor" for Julie Fraser, who was minding her own business, living her life as snug as a bug in a rut in San Diego, California. As the least adventurous person she knows, Julie finally whooped it up one day to jet off and surprise her husband, who was on a business trip in Costa Rica. Reeling from the discovery that her husband wasn't who she thought he was, she accidentally steals an ancient artifact and is chased through the wilds of the rainforest, not knowing where to turn, literally, or whom to trust. She knew she should have stayed home.

Can a monkey, a blonde Juan, a foreign scientist, a mysterious 'love potion' and the jade stone itself (that may hold secrets to global warming), help Julie on her mission to find and forgive her husband?

The stolen idol catapults her on a quest, as she discovers truths along the way about herself and her place in the universe. The Scent of Jade is creative and unique with surprising twists--in turn suspenseful and heartbreaking, combining humor and romance to reach the payoff ending. Original characters keep the pages turning.

The Scent of Jade spins its story with wit and wisdom, drawing those who love mystery, suspense, romance and adventure. While there are no vampires, readers are invited to enjoy the intrigue...

The Scent of Jade was a finalist in the Seventeenth Annual San Diego Book and Writing Awards.

Get your Kindle copy here. 


Z (A Novel)

 

Blurb from Amazon:

After years living of living in Los Angeles, novelist Nix Carter returns home to Connecticut to care for her ailing father. As she reconnects with childhood friends, she encounters a window washer who also happens to live in a mansion, throw lavish parties and go by the name of Zorro. Yes, Zorro. But is he really the caped man of legend? Or just an eccentric who drives a horse-drawn cart and wears a cape while washing windows? And what will happen when the townspeople who once flocked to his parties and drank his champagne become suspicious of him?

A contemporary re-visioning of The Great Gatsby, Z is a smart, quirky novel that has it all: comedy, drama, romance, adventure, even swordplay. Lauren Baratz-Logsted at her best.

Get your Kindle copy here.

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