Book Blast - Katie Walsh by Colleen L Donnelly

 

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Enter to win a $15 Amazon/BN gift card. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Katie Walsh expects to write a love story someday. The hero resembles her father, and the heroine the deceased mother she never knew but imagines from the longing on her father’s face.

Katie doesn’t expect her father to be murdered, or his will to leave their farm to Guy Knowles, the man she hoped to marry, and order her to another state. Betrayed by the men she trusted, what should have become a love like no other withers and dies.

Until Ted Howard, who doesn’t fit the hole Guy left in her heart. Instead, he fits himself into what she needs—someone who will stay, protect her, and break his own heart for her if needed.

Read an Excerpt

“I don’t know who hit him. The car never slowed or stopped. They’re looking for it. And the driver.”

But they wouldn’t find either. Mr. Alexandar’s angst told me as much. Whoever did this didn’t plan simply to kill my father, they also planned to escape. The same way my father planned for this moment and afterward. I stared at the envelope that held Papa’s will I couldn’t believe he had.

“I’m sorry.” Clifton Alexandar truly was sorry. He didn’t like the task of verbally removing Papa from my life. He probably didn’t realize he had taken my mother as well. The one person I longed to know but never did. Papa, my sole source of information about the woman he loved, was suddenly gone.

Mr. Alexandar stared through the screen while I suffered a vast implosion of my soul. No Papa. No more tidbits about my mother. I became an orphan in a moment. A seventeen-year-old girl with a house, this farm…and Guy. He had never asked for my hand, but he would. Especially now.

About the Author:

Colleen L Donnelly was born and raised in the US Midwest but ventured to other parts of the country as an adult to experience life from other perspectives. Besides writing, she spends time outdoors, antique hunting, reading, or watching a good movie. Even though she retired from a career in laboratory science, she is never bored and always busy at something.

Social Media Links:

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/colleen-l-donnelly
Website: http://www.colleenldonnelly.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ColleenLDonnelly
Goodreads: http://www.Goodreads.com/colleenldonnelly
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/colleenldonnelly/
Amazon: http://amzn.to/37vcnO4
Twitter: https://x.com/ColleenLDonnell/

Buy Link: https://amzn.to/3YQIFP2

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Book Blast - Loving Lizzie Finn by Tamara Hughes

 

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The author will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Lizzie Finn grew up in a brothel, and she’s reminded of that fact every day. She dreams of finding a job and becoming independent. Only then can she be free of her aunt’s disdain. First, she must find an employer who won’t turn her away because of her past.

Byron Greeley is determined to save his family’s business after Lizzie’s uncle falsifies the amount Byron owes on a loan from the bank. Determined to find proof of Teague’s perfidy, Byron slips into the banker’s house and rummages through the study only to be discovered by Lizzie, a red-haired beauty who utterly captivates him.

Byron offers Lizzie a job in exchange for information about her uncle, and because she believes her uncle is innocent, she agrees. When Teague discovers Lizzie and Byron’s growing affection, he threatens to destroy Byron and his family, insisting Byron is exploiting her. Is Teague’s warning well-founded? Are Byron’s feelings for Lizzie true, or is Byron using her for his own gain?

Read an Excerpt

“What are you looking for then?”

He raised a clumsy finger to his lips. “A secret ledger.” As soon as the words left his mouth, he regretted them. Cursing beneath his breath, he shook his head. “I shouldn’t have said that.”

She stepped to the side as if to give him room. “Go home. You’re drunk.”

Heaving a sigh, Byron made no move to follow her directive. “Please don’t tell your uncle I was here.”

“I make no promises. Now, if you will.” She waved her hand toward the door. Her movements were graceful, mesmerizing.

Byron rubbed his forehead to clear his thoughts. He’d made a mess of things. He shouldn’t have come here. He shouldn’t have gulped down that bottle of rum. “You don’t understand.” Maybe if he explained, she would keep his secret. “Your uncle has hoodwinked me. H-he changed our loan agreement after it was already signed, making the amount I’m expected to pay almost double of what it was. The agreement is due in only two months.”

“My uncle is an honorable man. He wouldn’t do such a thing.”

Sudden exhaustion swamped him, and Byron sank into the desk chair. “I don’t know why he forged the agreement. Why now? Why my business?”

Byron studied the beauty in the doorway. Her demure nightclothes gave her an aura of innocence. His angel.

About the Author:

A small-town girl with a big imagination, Tamara Hughes had no idea what to do with her life. After graduating from college, she moved to a big city, started a family and a job, and still struggled to find that creative outlet she craved. An avid reader of romance, she gave writing a try and became hooked on the power of exploring characters, envisioning adventures, and creating worlds. She enjoys stories with interesting twists and heroines who have the grit to surmount any obstacle, all without losing the ability to laugh. To learn more, stop by her website: www.tamarahughes.com.

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/tamarahughesauth
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/tamara-hughes
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tamara.hughes2/
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7738043.Tamara_Hughes
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/author/tamarahughes

Buy link for Loving Lizzie Finn: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DFMQ4X1H

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Blurb Blitz - Teacups and Temptations by Kate Ellington

 It's a  and I'm posting about . You'll want to stick around because there are prizes to be won and a cool book to check out. What's up for grabs? The author will be awarding a $20 Amazon gift card to a randomly drawn winner. How cool is that? Want more chances to win? Then follow the tour. You can do that here: https://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2024/09/blurb-blitz-teacups-and-temptations-by.html

TEACUPS AND TEMPTATIONS

 by Kate Ellington

Molly Merriwether readily accepts an invitation to Waverly Hall, eager for adventure and amusement with her best friend. She never expected to be left unchaperoned with three intriguing young gentlemen for weeks.


Roger Bailey, recuperating in more ways than one, avoids Molly until her kindness and humor tempt him to deepen their acquaintance.


Molly lands in one unlikely escapade after the next with Roger and soon considers him a friend—perhaps more—but the barriers he puts up make it impossible to truly know him. Has she only imagined those tender looks in his eyes?


For a chance at love, Molly will need to bare her innermost self and trust someone more deeply than she’s ever dreamed possible.

BUY IT HERE: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DGQMN6GX/ref=sr_1_1

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EXCERPT:

Molly finished her tea and turned to Caroline. “Perhaps we should take some time to discuss our options. Alone.”

“Yes, I think we’d better,” Caroline said, setting her cup down.

Benedict rose. “We’ll step out so you can talk.”

Fred settled deeper into his chair as if hoping not to be noticed, but after a sharp look from Benedict stood and followed him out of the room. Mr. Bailey took Penny by the collar and left, closing the door behind him.

As soon as it clicked shut, Molly replenished their teacups. “Would you ever have dreamed we’d find ourselves in such a pickle?”

“Absolutely not. I imagine this means we need to leave.” Caroline sighed a sigh that sounded like it had been waiting years to get out.

Molly lifted one shoulder. “I don’t know…we’re already here and, as Fred said, it isn’t as though we’re alone in the house.”

“I’ve the feeling Fred would say anything to get us to stay. He seems the type of man to enjoy bending the rules.”

“I have the same feeling.” After glancing at the door, Molly whispered, “What do you think of Benedict?”

Caroline shifted on the sofa so she was facing Molly. “It’s too soon to say.”

“Do you think we should move to the inn?” Molly held her breath as she awaited Caroline’s answer.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

About the Author:

Kate grew up in a woodsy New England town where summer days at the lake seemed to last forever. She read her first historical romance at age eleven when a teacher challenged her to find a book in the library written by an author she’d never heard of. Thus began a life-long love of love stories.

After graduating from college she settled in the Pacific Northwest, where she currently resides with her family.

Kate wrote her first romance when she was sixteen, then set her pen down for years until another story floated into her head out of the clear blue sky. She jotted it down, just for fun, but soon it took on a life of its own.


Website: http://www.kateellington.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kateellingtonwrites
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kateellingtonauthor/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/29720924.Kate_Ellington

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Georgia's Folly book blast

 

Its a book blast and the author will be awarding a $50 Visa card to a randomly drawn winner. How cool is that? Want more chances to win? Then follow the tour here: https://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2024/10/blurb-blitz-tour-georgias-folly-by.html

GEORGIA'S FOLLY

Deborah Chase

For fans of "Antiques Roadshow" and "American Pickers" - this is the one for you!

Beginning at a cluttered flea market and ending at a glittering art auction, Georgia’s Follytells the compelling story that blends past and present and the search for a valuable and illusive antique. Chloe Bishop grew up in foster care. She loves shopping at flea markets, picking up family heirlooms like old pottery or vintage furniture to fill in for the family and home she never had. As Chloe walks through the Brooklyn Flea Market, she stumbles upon the diary of Miss Georgia Potter, a young woman who had lived in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania during the Civil War. The yellowed pages reveal the impact of the war on daily life and spotlights the role of women including Harriet Tubman, Clara Barton and Louisa May Alcott. Like Chloe, Georgia Potter was a passionate collector and her diary lists her collection of valuable antiques—including the Holy Grail of 18th century furniture—a Chippendale settee. Well versed in antiques, Chloe is aware that There are only five known examples and a sixth settee would be worth more than $4 million.

Chloe immediately contacts Ben Thompson, the man who sold her the diary. Ben is a picker who drives his RV across America, searching for collectibles to sell to dealers. He is estranged from his wealthy, prominent family who cringe at his chosen career. Ben agrees to take her along to search for the valuable and iconic settee. As Ben and Chloe head to Gettysburg, they are unaware that Gregor Petrov, a shady antiques dealer and Harrison Kent, a respected but unscrupulous art expert are trailing them.

The search for the settee takes Chloe and Ben on fast paced journey from the Gettysburg battlefields to the 18th century street of artisans in Philadelphia to a historic mansion on the banks of the Hudson River. Traveling together in the small RV, Ben and Chloe draw closer. In the confines of the RV, embroiled in an unimaginable quest, Chloe confides that she is also in search for the father she never knew while Ben struggles to explain his complicated family to a woman who never had one.

In a thrilling ending, the rare Chippendale settee is not Chloe’s only valuable discovery.

NOW FOR AN EXCERPT: 

Chole Bishop felt her pulse quicken as she walked to the jumbled tables at the Brooklyn Flea market. Under the soaring arches of the massive bridge, the piles of pottery, jewelry and tacks of vintage clothing sparkled with the promise of discovery. Every time she walked into a thrift shop or flea market, she remembered stories of the discovery of a long-lost Picasso or a rhinestone ring turned out to be a flawless diamond. But she really wasn’t treasure hunting—she just loved finding what she called “pieces of history.”

She never knew what she was going to find, but she knew it when she saw it. And there it was, as if it had been patiently waiting for her. Next to a vintage tin sign for motor oil and under a cracked ironstone pitcher, she could see the trim edges of a ladies lap desk. Chloe smiled to herself. I have always wanted ne and here it is under the arches of the Brooklyn Bridge. She walked over to the table, gently removed the pitcher and placed it on the table.  

The lap desk was clearly not a family heirloom. It was a very basic lap desk with a faded, stained finish. She opened the lap desk and smiled to see the worn well-worn, blue felt padding. The top and bottom offlaps were intact- a great sign for a well-used lap top more than 150 years old. Two small partitions on the bottom were stained from the ink bottles they once held. The bottom section was empty except for two vintage ladies hair pins but the top lid was jammed. A lady often kept personal letters there and Chloe was instantly curious. What secret romances could the lap desk hold? 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

I grew up in a family filled with art and antiques. On the high end, my uncle, William Lincer, lead violist at the New York Philharmonic, was an art lover whose collection was sold at Sotheby’s. On the low end, her father, writer Allen Chase took me to flea markets and estate sales. He sparked a lifelong fascination with tales of lost treasures that ranged from plundered Egyptian tombs to trainloads of art stolen by the Nazis. It was this love of history and antiques that inspired my first novel, Georgia’s Folly

I was a founding editor of the Berkeley Wellness Newsletter and the author of 12 books including The Medically Based No-Nonsense Beauty Book (Alfred Knopf), Extend Your Life Diet (Pocket Books), Fruit Acids for Fabulous Skin (St Martin’s Press), Every Bride is Beautiful ( Morrow), and with her husband Dr Neil Schachter co-author of Life and Breath (Doubleday) and The Good Doctor’s Guide to Colds and Flu (Harper). The books have been a selection of the Book of the Month Club and my articles have appeared in Ladies Home Journal, Self, Glamour, Redbook, Family Circle, Parents and Good Housekeeping.

I am a graduate of Bronx High School of Science and a winner of the Westinghouse Science Talent Search. A graduate of New York University I earned a degree with a duel major in journalism and history.  

A native New Yorker, I like to spend my weekends at an upstate home where a big kitchen and an endless supply of estate sales indulge my duel passions for cooking and collecting.

Website: Deborahchase.com

Facebook: @Deborahchase

Instagram:@writinglife2

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Georgias-Folly-Deborah-Chase-ebook/dp/B0DGWF6J7G

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Blurb Blitz: HE. by Gregory Pakis

It's a blurb blitz and today I'm featuring HE. by Gregory Pakis. You'll want to keep reading. Why? The author will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner. How cool is that! Want more chances to win? Then follow the tour. You can do that here: https://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2024/10/blurb-blitz-he-by-gregory-pakis.html

A sexually open-minded couple, Lester and Val, have recently moved into a stylish yet eerie
apartment building.

Val's curiosity is piqued when she starts to receive unusual messages and requests from an
anonymous messenger.

Lester is also cautiously intrigued, as Val starts to fulfill the requests.

A suspected sex club soon becomes media headlines when a former member disappears, and
the club is reported to have vacated its last premises.

As the messages persist, Lester and Val start to question whether the anonymous messenger is
connected to the clandestine club mentioned in the media, and if there is any link between him
or the club and the odd newcomers in the apartment next door.

Now for an Excerpt:

She walked over to the kitchen and stared out the windows. Everything was still. An uneasy

feeling came over her. She looked back at Lester’s door.

was he acting a bit strange lately

he did seem distracted

that night he seemed more excited than usual

wasn’t that a dream

She remembered the things he had said and she felt excited about the possibilities. There was

another party in a few weeks. They were also possibly going to meet with a couple Lester had

met online. But she felt dread about mixing her and Lester’s energy with others. She wasn’t sure

she needed to. She still found Lester compelling; his brooding mysterious presence, his body.

He took care of himself. And she wasn’t sure there were many men that could be with her as

intensely.

Her phone beeped. She looked down at it on the kitchen table. It wasn’t

often she received messages. She preferred it that way. She read the message.

‘the stencil’

It wasn’t from a contact. That was odd.

what stencil

She’d received her share of messages over the years. Notes pressed in her hand. Under her

windscreen wipers. Written on napkins in bars or on the back of business cards. But it was

usually just a phone number and a name. She then realised which stencil the message was

referring to.

did something just click in or out of place

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gregory Pakis is an Australian author, film-maker, actor and wacky vlogger.

He has written the short story, The Lonely Australian of the Asian Night; the soon to be released

horror-suspense novellas, The Regressor and He., and Memoir of a Suburban Hoe-Bo, which is

partly an account of when he lived out of a van for ten years in Melbourne.

Gregory Pakis is also the writer / director of the feature films, The Garth Method (2005) and The

Joe Manifesto (2013), which have won national and international awards and been distributed

through Accent Entertainment, Label, Vanguard Cinema.

Gregory's more informal video projects are the feature documentaries, Garth Goes Hitch-Hiking

(2007) and Garth Lives in a Van (2011) which have screened at film festivals in Australia.

More recently, he has created the comedy series, suBURPieS and his Wacky Vlog which can

found on his socials.

Gregory has been featured in articles in newspapers, The Age, The Herald Sun, Beat

Magazine, Inpress, FILMINK, and the Neos Kosmos. He has been interviewed on radio by the

ABC, 3RRR, SYN FM, 3CR.

HE. LINKS

AMAZON SALES LINK

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DJYRJK5W

BOOK TRAILER

https://youtu.be/Kmzbq39uREY

AUTHOR CHAT TO CAMERA VIDEO

https://youtu.be/gb76iJdAUak

WEB PAGE (WITH MEDIA KIT)

https://www.gpak.org/books/he

CONTACT

GREGORY PAKIS

info@gpak.org

SITES

BOOKS https://www.gpak.org/

FILMS https://guerillafilmnite.com/

SOCIALS

Instagram / https://www.instagram.com/gregorypakis/

Tik Tok / https://www.tiktok.com/@gregorypakis

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

X / https://x.com/GPakis

YouTube / https://www.youtube.com/@Films_Books._Vlogs

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Blurb Blitz - Lesser Known Travel Tips!

This post is part of a virtual book tour of the LESSER KNOWN TRAVEL TRIPS series, How to React When Woken at 3am by Drunk Argentinian Backpackers While Staying in a Youth Hostel and Other Lesser Known Travel Tips by Simon Yeats. The author will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Book 4 of an original and hilarious book series of travel misadventures and dubious personal introspection by Australian author Simon Yeats, who from an early age learned that the best way to approach the misfortunes of this world is to laugh about them. Simon shares his comedic insights into the unusual and uproarious elements of living life as an Aussie ex-pat and having a sense of Wanderlust as pervasive as COVID hysteria in the early part of this decade. From how to negotiate traffic in Los Angeles when your car can only drive at 5 miles/hr, to what to do when locked out of your hotel room in your underwear, to the emotions of attempting the world’s second highest bungee when you have a pathological fear of heights, to how to deal with the trials and tribulations of staying in a youth hostel with travelers who have no respect for the other guests. Simon Yeats has gone into the world and experienced all the out of the ordinary moments for you to sit back and enjoy the experience without the need to empty your bank account, get squeezed sitting in a middle airline seat, or deal with border security at the Ukraine/Russia boundary.

Read an Excerpt

Big Wednesday was my first day at work as a liftie on the Burgess Creek lift at the Steamboat ski resort as a wide-eyed 20-year-old. I do not remember the exact date, but I am absolutely certain it was a Wednesday because everyone who was present at the resort that day referred to it as ‘big Wednesday.’

Overnight, between ‘ordinary Tuesday’ and ‘big Wednesday,’ the town and resort received a mammoth amount of snowfall. It absolutely dumped. A biblical amount of snow. Even though I do not recall snow being mentioned once in either the old testament or the new testament. But I could have missed the reference.

And Moses went up the mountain at God’s direction and there was fresh dump of powder snow, and he cried out, “ye verily, gonna cut me some wicked turns.”

To get to work on my first day, I take the shortcut straight down the hill to the main road and bus stop. I am decked out in my official Steamboat resort onesie ski suit. The snow level is over my belly button. It is like wading through waist high surf for a half mile.

I scramble onto the bus, and I am on my knees huffing and puffing while dripping with sweat.

An inauspicious start to the day.

About the Author:

Simon Yeats has lived nine lives, and by all estimations, is fast running out of the number he has left. His life of globetrotting the globe was not the one he expected to lead. He grew up a quiet, shy boy teased by other kids on the playgrounds for his red hair. But he developed a keen wit and sense of humor to always see the funnier side of life.

With an overwhelming love of travel, a propensity to find trouble where there was none, and being a passionate advocate of mental health, Simon’s stories will leave a reader either rolling on the floor in tears of laughter, or breathing deeply that the adventures he has led were survived.

No author has laughed longer or cried with less restraint at the travails of life.

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0CBNQLSPW/about
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@authoryeats
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authoryeats

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Book Blast - The Cat Who Chased Ghosts by Nic Minnella

 

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The author will be awarding a $15 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

In a sleepy little town, an ordinary-looking cat hides an extraordinary secret that will transform his owners' lives forever.

When the Thompson family inherits a dilapidated old house, their overprotected son Timmy forms a strong bond with Whiskers—a chronically lazy tabby who's not what he seems.

As Timmy explores the house's mysteries, a chilling discovery puts his courage to the test. With the help of Whiskers and some newfound friends, he must face supernatural forces beyond his imagination and rescue a soul in peril.

The Cat Who Chased Ghosts is a spine-tingling tale about bravery, loyalty, and the magical power of friendship (human and feline) that will thrill readers of all ages, reminding us that sometimes the most extraordinary heroes come in the most unlikely packages.

Read an Excerpt

The idea seemed to greatly amuse Jasper. His eyes now sparkled with excitement.

“Alright, count me in.” He laughed, closing his comic book. “After school, we go on the hunt. If there’s something spooky in your attic, we’ll catch it on camera.”

He lifted his hand for a high five.

“Deal.” Timmy grinned, reciprocating. Just as he began to feel the tension in his body ease up for the first time since the night before, a faint rustling sound caught his attention.

“You’ll catch what on camera?” asked someone behind them.

Both boys turned around to see Louisa standing there, her arms crossed over her Born Swiftie sweatshirt, suspicion etched on her face.

“None of your business, Louisa,” Jasper retorted.

“Still breaking into people’s homes?” she shot back.

“We’re planning a science project,” Timmy intervened.

Louisa looked at him with narrowed eyes. “A science project that needs video cameras and voice recorders?”

“We’re doing an experiment on . . . sound properties. Of different spaces,” he made up on the spot, looking over at Jasper, who nodded enthusiastically.

“Listen, we still owe you for helping us last night. If you need anything,” added Timmy, trying to defuse the tension while changing the subject.

Louisa shrugged, mollified. “I think you two are up to something. And I think I know what. But you’re right, it’s none of my business,” she said and turned away, shaking her ponytail in silent disapproval. “Just remember that some things are better left alone.”

About the Author: Nic Minnella has worked in journalism for twenty-plus years. She's also a part-time translator and a full-time cat enthusiast. When she's not occupied with any of the above activities, she's often traveling to faraway places or daydreaming about them.

"The Cat Who Chased Ghosts" is her first published work of fiction, a middle grade supernatural mystery tale where a boy and his cat must confront ghosts and spirits to save their loved ones from the clutches of darkness.

Twitter: https://x.com/nicminnella
FREE TO READ ON KINDLE UNLIMITED: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D7PS7Y4W

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Blurb Blitz - Borderland by Ross Victory

 

It's a blurb blitz and there's some cool stuff ahead. How about the collection Borderland by Ross Victory. You'll want to keep reading because there are prizes to be won in addition to this neat book. Like? The author will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner. How cool is that? Want more chances to win? Then follow the tour. You can do that here: https://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2024/10/blurb-blitz-borderland-by-ross-victory.html

BORDERLAND

by

Ross Victory

Borderland is not just a poetry collection—it’s an invitation to explore the most vulnerable corners of the human experience. Award-winning author Ross Victory takes readers on an emotional journey across the intersections of masculinity, race, bisexuality, and grief. In a fearless blend of narrative and free verse, Victory dismantles societal expectations, offering a space where identity can exist fluidly and unapologetically.

Through its evocative imagery and bold storytelling, Borderland tackles life’s most complex themes—love, loss, strength, and defiance. Each poem immerses readers in raw emotion, from tender vulnerability to fierce defiance. This collection is perfect for readers seeking honest, unfiltered reflections on what it means to exist at the crossroads of identity and experience.

With a voice that’s as unique as it is powerful, Ross Victory has created a collection that speaks to anyone searching for connection and understanding. Borderland isn’t just a book—it’s a movement, a conversation, and a space to find yourself reflected in its pages.

Step into the borderland, where identity knows no boundaries.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Now for An Excerpt: 

Bisexual Villain


An enigma, cloaked in reflective armor,
a man built in isolation,
made of light.

He walks a tightrope:
Each step a liberation,
Every word a defiance.

He is the man who returns the stolen fire, embodying a harmony of contradictions in a world demanding silence.

He is... Conformity’s antichrist; But only when he says his name.

Do they know that, beneath his armor,
there is a man searching for meaning?

Flesh and pulse under mirrored shield,
A Brother, a Son, a Guardian;

He was a Boy with bright eyes,
and he was Loved.



I stand before the jury, unmasked and true.
They are armed with judgments that explode like bombs, their hatred a mask of sincerity.

I wonder, "Am I on trial for spurning stale norms of monosexism, a banquet of bias, an indictment of my very being?"

Faceless facades wear hypocrisy like skin,
Bigotry in their blood. They thirst for dominance.
I see, society lives an illusory script, homes built in narrow alleys of convention, foundations hollow and empty.

We are neighbors, but we are strangers.

"You are the antagonist! You are the villain!" the jury shouts.

“No!” the bisexual villain proclaims.

"We are a legion, a chorus in the midst,
their heart akin to mine."

“We are canaries whose wings you’ve clipped,
trapped in your rusting cage.
Some have become orphans bereft of connection, adrift in the gap—kin to the fluid.”

“You are an abomination! You are confusion!” they roar.

"Though we may be solitary stars, together we form a galaxy.
In me beats a heart; within you, the silent expanse where once echoed, now, the void of a million corpses."



I am ink, you are eraser.

I am your projection.

About the Author: 

Ross Victory, (he/him), is an award-winning author, music artist, and entrepreneur from Los Angeles. Featured in LA Weekly, LA Blade, American Reporter, and Bi.org, Ross rediscovered the healing power of writing after losing his father and brother. A former English teacher, Ross creates immersive narrative experiences. He published “Views from the Cockpit,” a father-son memoir, in 2019, resulting in a portfolio of six original titles and a music catalog of 20 songs. His works explore self-discovery, adventure, bisexuality, and family. In 2023, he released the Pride anthem “Bisexual Daze” and Book 1 of the L.A.-based horror series “Grandpa's Cabin.” Ross also publishes articles and reflections about grief, biphobia, and elder abuse on Medium.com and recently spoke at their Annual Writer’s Conference. This fall he will release his first poetry collection titled, “Borderland,” exploring the intersection of race, masculinity, and sexuality.


Website: https://www.rossvictory.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rossvictoryofficial
Twitter: https://twitter.com/rossvvictorius

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Borderland-Poetry-Intersection-Masculinity-Bisexuality-ebook/dp/B0DJ1PHR13

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NBTM - Lesser Known Travel Tips Series by Simon Yeats

 It's a blog tour and this one is sure to grab attention. Check it out. You'll want to keep reading because there are prizes to be won. Such as? A randomly drawn winner will be awarded a $25 Amazon/BN gift card. Cool, eh? Then you'll want more chances to win. You can do that by following the tour. Here's the link: https://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2024/06/fs-nbtm-tour-lesser-known-travel-tips.html

LESSER KNOWN TRAVEL TIPS SERIES

Simon Yeats

 The Lesser Known Travel Tips memoirs are a hilarious series of travel misadventures and dubious personal introspection by Australian author Simon Yeats, who from an early age learned that the best way to approach the misfortunes of this world is to laugh about them.

Simon shares his comedic insights into the unusual and uproarious elements of living life as an Aussie ex-pat and having a sense of Wanderlust as pervasive as the Spanish Flu in 1918 or hordes of Mongols in 12th Century.

From how to keep yourself entertained when unwittingly forced to watch 11 hours of live sumo wrestling in Japan, to surviving heartbreak in India at the hands of a French flight attendant, to 48 hours spent in Nepal that qualify as the funniest most gut wrenching travel experience since Captain Bligh was set adrift in the Pacific, to his unsuccessful attempts at avoiding going to a brothel in Thailand. From what to do when several people converge to rob you after midnight on a deserted Copacabana Beach, to how to save the Sierra Mountain Range from a wildfire outbreak due to a lack of quality toilet paper, to where not to go in Tijuana when trying to locate the origins to stories of the city’s mythical adult entertainment, to how to save yourself from drowning when caught in a storm while sailing off the California

coast. From how to outwit the Italian police while trying to find parking in downtown Genoa, to how to negotiate exploring the Roman ruins of Plovdiv, Bulgaria while on crutches, to how to impress the German Mafia with 80s dance moves, to how to leave a lasting impression on a crowded bar in Gothenburg, Sweden after combining alcohol and antibiotics.

Simon Yeats has gone into the world and experienced all the out of the ordinary moments for you to sit back and enjoy the experience without the need to break a leg, contract Dengue fever, or rupture a pancreas.

Excerpt from How to Start a Riot in a Brothel in Thailand by Ordering a Beer and Other Lesser Known Travel Tips

My family’s most cherished vacation when we were all kids was a trip we took to the South Island of New Zealand in the southern hemisphere Autumn of 1980. All our relatives live on the north island where my mum and dad both grew up on dairy farms. So, we had already made a trip or two to Auckland in my young life. My parents had emigrated to live in the tropical heat and brutal humidity of the northeast of Australia before any of us kids were born and given a choice in the matter.

There are four of us in my family. An elder brother, an older sister, me, and a younger sister. Each of us is quite different in our personality and our interests. My older sister is the athlete. My younger sister is the diplomat. My brother is the brainiac. Me? Well, I tend to just sit back and let my siblings be in the limelight.

You can imagine me as being the little kid running around in the playground under a mop of red hair being extra polite with all the other kids and no one teasing me at all for having red hair. Something close to that.

But among me and my siblings, none of us ever stole a car and took off for a joy ride. None of us have ever been arrested by undercover police for trying to sell them synthetic crack cocaine we had cooked up in the basement. None of us ever got in trouble for mislabeling someone by using the wrong pronoun. I mean, sure, I once got in trouble for calling my headmaster the C-word, but, other than that small blemish on my record, I considered myself an exemplary student. Our mum and dad were amazing parents to raise us all so well.

We were a very content family growing up in the 70’s and 80’s while living in the sweltering pizza oven, otherwise known as North Queensland. What about central air conditioning? Oh, how entitled and twenty-first century of you to ask. Rubbing an ice cube across the forehead and asking my younger sister to blow against it. Does that count? Central air conditioning? No. There was none. Just like there was extraordinarily little to do in my hometown. Watching paint dry as a kid living in Townsville brought out the same level of unbridled fascination that I now see with adults viewing porn.

The reasoning behind there being nothing to do is obvious. It is not safe to do anything where I lived. Australian country towns are just holding pens for human beings surrounded by a natural species menagerie of death.

About the Author: 

Simon Yeats has lived nine lives, and by all estimations, is fast running out of the number he has left. His life of globetrotting the globe was not the one he expected to lead. He grew up a quiet, shy boy teased by other kids on the playgrounds for his red hair. But he developed a keen wit and sense of humor to always see the funnier side of life.


With an overwhelming love of travel, a propensity to find trouble where there was none, and being a passionate advocate of mental health, Simon’s stories will leave a reader either rolling on the floor in tears of laughter, or breathing deeply that the adventures he has led were survived.


No author has laughed longer or cried with less restraint at the travails of life.


Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0CBNQLSPW/about

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@authoryeats

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authoryeats/?hl=en


Book One: https://www.amazon.com/Brothel-Thailand-Ordering-Lesser-Travel-ebook/dp/B0CLDBSXGX/ref=sr_1_3

Book Two: https://www.amazon.com/Getting-Mugged-Janeiro-Singing-Police-ebook/dp/B0CPCBMD1N/ref=sr_1_4

Book Three: https://www.amazon.com/Survive-Yourself-Dancing-Bavarian-Nightclub-ebook/dp/B0CR6GDDXR/ref=sr_1_2

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Book Blast - Spirience by Mahāmahopādhyāya Bhadreshdas Swami, V.I. Lakshmanan & S. Kalyanasundaram

 

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The authors will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Spirience: Experiencing Peace and Prosperity through Spirituality and Science is a unique and comprehensive look at the importance of spirituality and science to guide our day-to-day living at a personal level, and to achieve peace and prosperity at a global. The term 'spirience' is a blend of two words: spirituality and science. It captures the essence of spirituality in its prefix "spiri-," and the domain of science in its suffix "-ence".

The importance of such a work lies in the challenges faced by the world today, conflicts between nations and ideologies at the global level and the explosion of mental health issues at a personal level. The book will first set the scene to understand the challenges faced by humanity today and the tools that we have to overcome them. An in-depth look at the treasure trove of texts from India's Vedic past, highlighting the spiritual as well as scientific aspects, will be complemented by a study of the evolution of mankind over the past millennia, changes in the way of life and the current levels of extreme discontinuity brought on by an onrush of technological innovations.

Recommendations for going forward will be presented for the readers to ponder and hopefully incorporate in their personal, professional and social lives. The book will be of great value to anyone interested in or active in personal well-being and global peace and prosperity.

Read an Excerpt

Spirience: A Fusion of Experiences

Early Human Development Through the Ages

The sole meaning of life is to serve humanity.
Leo Tolstoy

One of the defining characteristics of human beings, as opposed to other creations, is their fascination with history. From the earliest known human beings, they have made conscious efforts to record evidence of their existence, lifestyle, and beliefs for future generations. Or as time progressed, dug deep into the past for such records and made attempts to ensure that the records were discovered, understood, and shared.

Of course, through ravages of time as well as human conflicts and natural disasters, various elements of the continuum of human civilization were either destroyed, buried, forgotten, and even consciously erased, revised, or have had their ownership reassigned. We will be detailing some examples elsewhere in the book, but it is worthwhile to highlight one example of the reassignment of ownership.

Most historians have by now come to accept that what had been conventionally classified as the Arabic numeral system was really of Indian origin. It was acquired later by traders and invaders from the Arab world, who made it their own, before letting the Europeans have access to the knowledge. It must be admitted that the recent resurgence in the rediscovery of history’s civilizational roots and branches owes much to modern scholarship. Although that admission must be tempered with the recognition that not all rediscovery and scholarship were altruistic and non-partisan. The purpose of this first section of the book, however, is not to revisit historical controversies but rather to present an open-minded survey of many scientific developments throughout the ages and the challenges that have accompanied them. Although highlighting all the diverse views on the history of science would be exceedingly difficult to accomplish in this work, for convenience, we will attempt to integrate various key narratives to present more inclusive perspectives on such development.

Although many historians delimit the origins of Vedic thought and its texts, and practices, Vedic revelation defies such attempts. Foundationally, the Vedas are understood as apaurusheya (uncreated) and accepted as eternal. With every iteration of creation, they are re-revealed and proliferated once again. Despite their antiquity, they are as relevant now as they have ever been. The unfortunate historical events of the past millennium, reflected in the sustained invasions of India by external forces and the eventual conquest and destruction of much of its physical and intellectual wealth, have still not been able to dent the relevance of the everlasting.

About the Authors:

Mahamahopadhyay Bhadreshdas Swami

An esteemed Swami of BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha and Head of the BAPS Research Institute in New Delhi, Bhadreshdas Swami’s scholarly work Svāminārāyaṇabhāṣya is a profound Sanskrit commentary on the Prasthānatrayī. With a Ph.D. in Sanskrit and multiple honorary degrees, his contributions to the field are widely recognized.

V. I. Lakshmanan, O.C., Ph.D.

Co-founder of Process Research ORTECH and a leader in sustainable technology, Lakshmanan holds numerous patents and has published over 150 scientific works. His accolades include being named an Officer of the Order of Canada and receiving the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award from the Government of India.

S. Kalyanasundaram

With 25 years of experience in advanced technologies for telecommunication networks and serving as the former Executive Director of the Canada India Foundation, Kalyanasundaram enriches the book’s exploration of the synergy between ancient knowledge and modern science.

Spirience is available through major retailers. Discover how this book’s unique integration of spirituality and science can guide you toward a more peaceful and prosperous life.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Spirience-Experiencing-Prosperity-through-Spirituality-ebook/dp/B0DG17QF5S/ref=sr_1_1

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