Monday, November 29, 2021

Book Blast ~ The Infant Spirits by Janice Tremayne

 



This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Five winners will receive a digital copy of the book. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

When a poltergeist takes root in a hospital, can a determined ghost chaser undo a devilish long-lasting curse?

Clarisse Garcia has always fought evil. A driven spirit hunter, she demolishes demonic threats before they can corrupt the innocent. But even this hardened woman is stunned when she enters an eerie Tasmanian maternity ward filled with the anguished cries of babies’ souls.

Undeterred, Clarisse dives headfirst into helping release the spirits bound to a sinister demon. But when the foul entity targets the unborn life in her womb, she faces her toughest battle yet to save her offspring’s future.

Can this spiritual warrior protect her child and free the tormented young ghosts?

The Infant Spirits is the fourth standalone book in the blood-curdling Haunting Clarisse supernatural horror series. If you like chilling apparitions, wicked demons, and a mother fighting for her child’s very existence, then you’ll love Janice Tremayne’s bedtime nightmare.


Read an Excerpt

WHAT EVIL LURKS BENEATH

Lindsay looked on as Father O’Connor tried desperately to control his emotions. He thrust the old skeleton key into the mortice lock of the basement door, fixated on one thing only—to confront his deepest fears that lived in that room. Just being in Ward C of Willow Court Asylum was enough to set off an emotional reaction—to get even with the devil in there.

“The demon knows we’re here,” Father O’Connor said. He was holding his cross in one hand and a small bottle of holy water in the other. Although he was composed, the sacred water rattled in his hand.

Lindsay looked back at him as his eyes filled with sadness for all the victims who had lost their lives to the wicked Dr. Pendergrass. “The demon mustn’t sense any fear, or it will take advantage. We come armed with God’s word, filled with the Holy Spirit. We’re strong, Father. Don’t fear the evil that has tormented us for over a century.”

Father O’Connor didn’t respond. He knew Lindsay was right, because the only way to defeat a demon was not to expose your worst fears. Demons had an uncanny way of measuring your apprehension and using it to their advantage.

Lindsay turned the key quickly until he heard the click of the mortice lock disengaging. Then he raised his foot and kicked the door open as he shone his lantern into the room.

He placed his hands over his mouth. The room smelled like it had been untouched for a hundred years; a putrid stench that was not from this time and had carried over from generations.

“Is this what spirits smell like?” Father O’Connor asked.

“It’s the signature of evil you are smelling, Father. They all have a different odor. It’s how we identify them.”

Father O’Connor sensed the evil in the air—the rotting moisture of death and the blood curdling screams of babies and their mothers who had died in this den of horrors.

“So, now you hide from us, demon? Behind the pitch-black curtains of your own hell!” Lindsay called out. “Show yourself, you scum of the Earth and murderer of mothers and children!”

About the Author: Janice Tremayne is an Amazon bestselling and award-winning ghost and supernatural writer. Janice is a finalist in the Readers' Favorite 2020 International Book Awards in fiction-supernatural and was awarded the distinguished favorite prize for paranormal horror at the New York City Big Book Awards 2020.

She is an emerging Australian author who lives with her family in Melbourne. Her recent publications, Haunting in Hartley and Bolder Blindsided, reached number one in the Amazon kindle ranking for Occult Supernatural, Ghosts and Haunted Houses categories hot new releases and bestseller. Janice is well-versed in her cultural superstitions and how they influence daily life and customs. She has developed a passion and style for writing ghost and supernatural novels for new adult readers.

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Tuesday, November 23, 2021

Book Blast ~ Can't Think Straight by Isabel Scheck

 



This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Isabel Scheck will be awarding a $10 or $15 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

A collection of 35 poems in which a poet thinks about women a little too much... (Sapphic poetry)

















Read an Excerpt


Poem no. 30: She’s Captured My Heart

My feelings for her rattle in my heart and spill over into my ribcage like thunder in my chest.

Her laughter sounds soft;
like rose petals and scented candles.

When she glances my way the butterflies
shoot through my heart, puncturing my lungs. Her pretty eyes are all I look for in others.

My feelings for her climb in my heart like
ivy getting stuck in every crevice of my ribcage. Her tattoos have captured my attention
and so has her lovely personality.

About the Author: Isabel is a self-published author and artist who comes from England, but lives in Switzerland. She works with children, which she adores, but she also loves to write; especially in the genres of fantasy, poetry and romance. She uses experiences and images as inspiration to create words. Isabel also loves to express herself by drawing.

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Book Blast ~ Polish Dragon PI - the Good Book by Steve Zimcosky

 



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

A bible mysteriously disappears from a Russian businessman’s home and it is said to have a secret hidden inside that would cause embarrassment to the Russian Orthodox Church. The Polish Dragon P. I. is called in, along with his new partner, to help find the bible. The problem is the bible is not supposed to exist and there is a secret organization, sworn to protect the church, also looking for the bible. They will stop at nothing to locate it and destroy it.










Read an Excerpt

It was during the split with Constantinople, in the 1400s, that a group of wealthy landowners and members of the royalty got together to form a group that would do anything to protect the ROC and keep it from being harmed. The men formed a set of bylaws and rules that had to be followed and pledge to protect the Church at all costs, even death. When word had gotten out that this group had formed, many men in other parishes wanted to join and do their part to protect the church. Many, as it turned out, became fanatics.

Gregor Babikov was the first leader of the Bureau although they hadn't had a name for the group at that point. Gregor was a devout Christian, who worshipped and prayed to the seven archangels. His wealth allowed him access to any bishop, with whom he wanted to meet and talk about Church policy and how it would best be served independently of Rome.

In the beginning, they protected the Church from marauders and thieves and then turned their wrath on anyone who spoke out against the Church. It got to the point where if you wanted to cause harm to someone, you could tell the group that they were the Devil's Helper and trying to destroy the Church. An accusation was all it took and the person would never be seen or heard from again. As they became well-known, the membership increased to all areas where there was an Orthodox church.

Their deeds became well known and the Church began to try and distance itself from the group. The bishops began to feel that people were afraid of the Church, or what could happen to them if someone falsely accused them. The Church leaders met with the leaders of the Bureau and it was decided that they would disband and no longer be associated with the Church. But Gregor had another idea; he was going to protect the Church at all costs and that is when he took the group underground. They would now become a secret society and do what was necessary to protect the Church.

About the Author: Steve Zimcosky is a multi-award winning and international selling author. He is the creator of the Polish Dragon P. I. series and was born in the Slavic Village area of Cleveland, Ohio where many of his stories take place. He has wanted to be an author since elementary school while reading books like White Fang and Call of the Wild by Jack London. He spends his retirement time writing short stories on a variety of subjects he hopes his readers will enjoy. Some of his favorite authors include Stephen King, James Clavell, Thomas B. Dewey and Vivien Chien.

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Tuesday, November 16, 2021

Book Blast ~ Twisted Tea Christmas by Laura Childs

 



This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Laura Childs will be awarding a “Tea Party in a Box,” - a special kit with a tea assortment, English shortbread, chocolates, Laura Childs’ books, and a few more goodies to a randomly drawn winner (USA ONLY) via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

It’s the week before Christmas as tea maven Theodosia Browning and her tea sommelier, Drayton, cater a fancy Victorian Christmas party for Miss Drucilla Heyward, one of Charleston’s wealthy doyennes. But smack dab in the middle of the Fa-la-la’s, Miss Drucilla is murdered, her gold rings stolen off her fingers, and a genuine Renoir snatched off the wall.

The police come screaming in while Theodosia peers speculatively at the guests and wonders – whodunit? Urged on by Miss Drucilla’s personal assistant, Theodosia runs a shadow investigation on suspects that include wealthy neighbors, a handyman named Smokey, an unscrupulous art dealer, and the executive directors of two local charities who were in line for donations.

As Theodosia continually finds herself in hot water, she also hosts numerous holiday tea parties, stumbles upon a second dead body, and shelters a cadre of homeless dogs who come to her rescue in the surprise ending. This Tea Shop Mystery is written with pacing, plot twists, and action reminiscent of a thriller and is liberally sprinkled with the magic of Christmas.


Read an Excerpt:

Theodosia peered through the window and saw Delaine standing on her front stoop.

“It’s awfully late, isn’t it?” Theodosia said as she unlocked the door and pulled it open. Then she stared in amazement.

“I brought your foster dogs,” Delaine said

Theodosia frowned. “When I agreed to be a temporary foster home, you said it would be one dog. Singular. I see more than one dog. In fact . . .” Theodosia did a hasty head count. “I see . . . six dogs?”

“Some of the people who agreed to foster the dogs over Christmas weaseled out on me. So I need a teensy bit of help.”

Theodosia sighed as Delaine’s herd of canines trooped into her home. “This is how it starts, isn’t it?” she said. “This is how animal lovers become the animal hoarders you see on TV. Crazy ladies with three dozen dogs, three hundred parakeets, and a herd of baby goats in the back yard.”

“You paint an overly dramatic picture,” Delaine said. “Besides, you only have to mind these sweet creatures for two, maybe three days at the most. Now this adorable dachshund is Pumpkin, the poodle is Marty, and the Doberman is Sabrina. Those two don’t actually have names and this big boy is Gruenwald.”

“He’s as big as a horse!” Theodosia cried.

“But oh so sweet.”

So of course Theodosia took them in. It was Christmas after all. And they were in desperate need of a home.

About the Author:
Laura Childs is the author of the Tea Shop Mysteries, Scrapbook Mysteries, and Cackleberry Club Mysteries. All have been on the New York Times, USA Today, and Publisher’s Weekly bestseller lists. Recently, Book Riot named her mysteries to their list of “25 of the All Time Best Cozy Mystery Series.” In her previous life Laura was CEO of her own marketing firm, authored several screenplays, and produced a reality TV show. She is married to Dr. Bob, a professor of Chinese art history, and has a Chinese Shar-Pei named Lotus.

Website: http://www.laurachilds.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/laura.childs.31
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/88924.Laura_Childs

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Twisted-Christmas-Shop-Mystery-Book-ebook/dp/B08S7DLKWL/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0

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Monday, November 15, 2021

Book Blast ~ Summer Storms by Thomas Grant Bruso

 



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

Sixteen-year-old Earl Layman is going stir-crazy. Secluded with the flu inside the four walls of his home and only the escape of his video games to help him through, Earl is struggling to keep his sanity.

That is until he notices the boy next door, seventeen-year-old Rex Chambers, raking leaves in the adjacent yard.

Earl’s summer is about to change. Before another torrential rainstorm hits the small upstate New York town of Betham County, they meet during an awkward cell phone exchange. As they start to connect through occasional texts, Earl and Rex enter the throes of adolescent lust.

In the early stages of forging a lasting connection, their family situations threaten to destroy all they are working for.

Read an Excerpt

Now, on this morning in early May, Earl’s thoughts returned to his past. He stared at the photos wedged beneath the glossy plastic sheets of film in the photo album.

He took a breath as he turned through pages of smiling faces—his family members in various pictures. He smiled back, deep in thought, tears falling and blotting the top of the album.

A rattling of glass bottles jarred his concentration, pulling him out of his momentary trance. He set the photo album on his bed and went to the window, gazing out into another sweltering day. Though gray clouds buckled beneath a darkening May sky that promised another rainstorm, the air was thick like clam chowder.

He was at home, sick from school for the third day this week, if his fever didn’t break. Earl had been bedridden with nowhere to go. He checked his cell phone for messages—from anybody. He missed human contact from his class friends, especially his best friend, Andy Gelman.

Traffic hummed along on the main artery of Betham County, a street over, and Earl caught a glimpse of a woman walking her dog. A young bicyclist pedaled to class. And the boy next door, Rex Chambers, on whom Earl had a small crush, bagged recycling for weekly pickup. Rex looked up at him, waved, and smiled. “Mornin’.” He placed the recycling bin by the side of the street and ambled to the fence separating the yards.

Earl’s face flushed; his skin tingled. Maybe it was the flu, or he was just feeling embarrassed. Shy. Staring at the cute guy who rode his mother’s motorcycle to school every morning this year made Earl light-headed.

“Cat got your tongue?” Rex yelled up from the neighboring yard, pulling the motorcycle away from where it was leaning against the fence and reaching for the helmet hanging on the handlebars. “You need a ride to school?”

“I…um…”

Rex tossed the black Darth Vader–like helmet back and forth in his hands like a basketball. His dark hair was slicked with a generous amount of gel, and his angelic eyes and chiseled face set the cogwheels in Earl’s rusty thoughts in motion. “I haven’t seen you around this week. Where’ve you been?” Rex asked.

Earl grinned back at the tall, handsome boy. Was Rex keeping track of how many days I’ve been out of school? “I’m sick.”

“Another day, then?”

Earl nodded, lifted a hand to wave. “See you around.”

“If you need anything, let me know.”

Earl bit down on his bottom lip. He couldn’t believe the boy next door had talked to him; he did not know Rex well. They didn’t talk every day, and when they passed each other in the hallway at Betham County High, Earl was too nervous to speak to him or engage him in conversation. He’d smile at the gorgeous guy, but it was a brief moment in his long day. A fleeting exchange of waves or grins, and both young men went their separate ways. The only class Earl and Rex shared was study hall. But by ninth period, Rex usually ditched the boring forty-five-minute class to take off on his motorcycle and ride around town.

“Feel better!” Rex yelled up to him. He put the helmet on, swung his leg over the cycle and started the engine. “I’m off! Another boring day at Betham County High.”

About the Author: Thomas Grant Bruso knew at an early age he wanted to be a writer. He has been a voracious reader of genre fiction since he was a kid.

His literary inspirations are Jim Grimsley, Dean Koontz, Stephen King, Ray Bradbury, Karin Fossum, Joyce Carol Oates, and John Connolly.

Bruso loves animals, book-reading, writing fiction, prefers Sudoku to crossword puzzles.

In another life, he was a freelance writer and wrote for magazines and newspapers. In college, he was a winner of the Hermon H. Doh Sonnet Competition. Now, he writes book reviews for his hometown newspaper, The Press-Republican.

He lives in upstate New York.

https://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Grant-Bruso/e/B00OGMHLW8
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8591689.Thomas_Grant_Bruso
https://www.instagram.com/thomasgrantbrusoauthor/
https://twitter.com/thomgrantbruso

Buy links

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09GHBP492/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i0
Ninestar Press: https://ninestarpress.com/product/summer-storms/
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/summer-storms-thomas-grant-bruso/1140168619

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Thursday, November 11, 2021

Book Blast ~ Enough to Make the Angels Weep by Ernesto Patino

 



This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Ernesto Patino will be awarding a $30 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Hired to investigate the murder of an 84-year-old widow, P.I. Joe Coopersmith hits one dead end after another in his search for leads. With few clues and no suspects, he nearly gives up, until he uncovers a connection to a bizarre plot to kill the descendants of Irish soldiers who fought for Mexico during the Mexican-American War. Known as San Patricios, they belonged to the St. Patrick's Battalion, an elite Mexican unit composed mostly of Irish immigrants. When a well-preserved diary of an Irish soldier turns up, Coopersmith knows he's on the right track. He digs deeper into the plot, soon learning the identity of the man behind it and his warped motive for the cold-blooded murder of the elderly widow.

Read an Excerpt

The killer sat in his car near a desert road that led toward the mountains. He lit a cigarette and glanced at his watch. The man was late. He’d give him five more minutes and then…he spotted a white SUV speeding toward him. It slowed and pulled up alongside him. The driver, a slender man wearing jeans and a tan sport coat, got out. The killer did the same and they stepped away from their vehicles.

The slender man spoke first, as though to break the ice. “They thought you might need some help. That’s why I’m here. All they want you to do is take a break, lay low for a while.”

“I still got a few things to check out, but if that’s what they want…” He shrugged. “I’ll bring you up to date on everything and then—”

“That won’t be necessary. I think I know what I need to do.”

The killer nodded. “Okay, I know the rules. I’ll step aside and you can take it from here.” He studied him for a second. The man’s expressionless face made it difficult to read.

“They want me to give you this.” The man reached into the pocket of his coat, pulled out a thick envelope and handed it to him. “A bonus, just so there’s no hard feelings.” He forced a quick smile.

The killer took the envelope and shoved it into his back pants pocket. “Well, I guess that’s it, then.” He didn’t want to hang around any longer than he had to. “If they need me, they know where to find me.” He turned to walk to his car but didn’t get far. A bullet from the man’s gun knocked him to the ground. Instinctively, he reached for his own gun and returned fire, striking the man in the chest. He fired two more times. The man dropped to his knees.

Bleeding and barely conscious, the killer got up and staggered over to where the man lay dying. He shot him in the head, then collapsed near his body.

About the Author:Ernesto Patino has been a musician, soldier, schoolteacher, FBI agent and private investigator. He is a multi-genre author whose books range from Mysteries and Thrillers to Romance and Children’s books. His published works include In the Shadow of a Stranger, Web of Secrets, The Last of the Good Guys and One Last Dance. He lives in Southern Arizona with his wife Pamela with whom he shares a passion for ethnic cuisines, classical music and foreign films.

Website: http://www.ernestopatino.com
Amazon Author Page: http://wwww.amazon.com/author/ernestopatino

Amazon Buy link: http://amazon.com/dp/B09FJ4Q136

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Wednesday, November 10, 2021

Blurb Blitz ~ Christmas Carole by Nancy Fraser

 It's a blurb blitz and you won't want to miss it. For Nancy Fraser's book, Christmas Carole. You'll want to stick around because there are prizes to be won. Like? Nancy Fraser will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. How cool is that? Want more chances to win? Then follow the tour. You can do that here: https://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2021/10/blurb-blitz-christmas-carole-by-nancy.html


Christmas Carole by Nancy Fraser



When divorced mother of two, Carole Kelley, moves herself and her children to Dickens, she figures the most difficult thing she'll have to face is providing a perfect Christmas for her 7-year-old daughter and 4-year-old son.

What she doesn't count on is Jaxon Matthews, Wil-Bar Toy's attorney and quite possibly the most infuriating man she's ever met.

Jax wants nothing more than to finish up his current workload within the next few weeks so he can pack his bags and leave for his usual solitary Christmas on Grand Cayman Island. His plans are quickly derailed when a big contract falls through, forcing him back to the negotiating table less than a month before the holiday.

His plans are further delayed when he meets Carole Kelley. Despite his best intentions to steer clear of any romantic entanglements, he can’t help but be drawn to the beautiful woman and her infectious holiday spirit... something he hasn’t felt in years.

Once he realizes getting to know Carole means competing with her two children for her attention, he’s ready to give up on furthering their relationship. What he doesn’t count on is the power of family, and the magic of the wish stick.

Now for an excerpt: 

Law Office of Matthews, Baker, and Matthews
November 30th


Once Mrs. Gimble left his office, he let out a sigh of frustration. What else could possibly go wrong?

He’d spent over a month ironing out the kinks in the shipping contract between Flannigan and Will-Bar Toys. Now, on the eve of the signing, they were trying to pull a fast one. Flannigan wouldn’t have tried such an underhanded move, Jax realized, if his father were still alive and managing the Wil-Bar account.

Leaning forward, he balanced his head in his hands, his elbows on the desktop. He needed a break, his annual holiday vacation to Grand Cayman. It wasn’t going to happen unless he was able to tie up all the loose ends on the last three outstanding corporate contracts.

For the past six months, since his father’s passing, he’d been playing catch up, doing his best to manage the workload caused by not just his father’s unexpected death, but also the retirement of Thomas Baker, his other partner.

“Jaxon,” Mrs. Gimble called from the outer office, “Mr. Flannigan is out of the office until three. His secretary will have him call you when he gets in.”

“Thank you.” He laid his hands on the keyboard, intending to forward Flannigan’s email to Wil-Bar. Instead, he picked up his cell and punched the speed dial number for Rick Barrett’s office.

The phone rang four times before a very out-of-breath voice answered, “Wil-Bar Toys, Carole speaking.”

“Is Mr. Barrett there?” he asked.

“No, not at the moment. Can I take a message?”

“How about Margaret?”

“No, she’s not available either.”

“Where the devil is everyone?”

The woman’s sigh slid across the line ahead of her explanation. “Today is Margaret’s last day, and everyone’s downstairs on the factory floor for her retirement party.” She paused, “Everyone but me, obviously.”

Jax pinched the bridge of his nose in an effort to ward off an oncoming headache. “I take it, you’re the new Margaret.”

“No, I’m not,” she said sharply. “I’m Carole.”

Cold. Impatient. And, a smart mouth.

“I really need to talk to Mr. Barrett as soon as he’s available.”

“Who should I say is calling?”

“Jaxon Matthews.”

“And your name?”

Oh... god... would this day-long nightmare ever end?

“That is my name. Jaxon, J-A-X-O-N. Matthews.”

“Oh, sorry. Jaxon Matthews sounds more like an investment company, than someone’s name.”

“Listen... uh... Carole. I realize, you’re new, maybe this is even your first job. No doubt you’re overwhelmed. Can you just give Mr. Barrett my message? Tell him it’s important.”

“Yes, Mr. Jaxon, with an X, Matthews, I can. May I tell him what this is about?”

“No, that’s okay, Carole. My name will be enough.”

“Thank you for calling Wil-Bar Toys, Mr. Matthews. I’ll be sure to let Rick know you called.”

“Rick? Is that any way to address your new employer?”

He could have sworn her heard her smirk.

“I’m sure he’ll be fine with it. He really only hates it when I call him Ricky.”

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

About the Author: 

NANCY FRASER is an Amazon Top 100 and Award-Winning author who can’t seem to decide which sweet romance genre suits her best. So, she writes them all.


When not writing (which is almost never), Nancy dotes on her five wonderful grandchildren and looks forward to traveling and reading when time permits. Nancy lives in Atlantic Canada where she enjoys the relaxed pace and colorful people.



Website: www.nancyfraser.ca 

Blog: https://romancesweetreads.blogspot.com/ 

Facebook: http://facebook.com/nancyfraserauthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/nfraserauthor  @nfraserauthor 

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/~/e/B09FTH655Z 

Bookbub: http://bookbub.com/profile/nancy-fraser

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3gC68iMStwKCr4v_S6fMIA 

Newsletter Sign Up: http://eepurl.com/bxkKvD


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Tuesday, November 9, 2021

Book Blast ~ A Dead End Job by Justin Alcala

 



This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Justin Alcala will be awarding a $50 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Fans of Terry Pratchett and Shane Kuhn's THE INTERN'S HANDBOOK will love this noir supernatural thriller.

Death needs a vacation. Badly. But there's a catch: There are people who cheat the system, always falling through the cracks and not dying like they're supposed to. Who's going to take care of them while Death's sipping on sangria?

The answer is simple: Death needs an intern, and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize that one prospect, Buck Palasinski,-a bankrupt hitman with a roleplaying addiction-might have what it takes. While scoping out his next target, Buck gets drilled in the forehead by a bullet and falls right into Death's lap.

If they shove him back into his body, he'll have a few weeks to prove that he has what it takes to be Death's right-hand.

All he has to do is take out Public Enemy No. 1, John Dillinger, and quit smoking.

Read an Excerpt

The apartment door swung open, and Death hurried out with white badges and a sharpie in his hand. On his chest was an ivory sticker with a label that read “Hello, my name is.” Written in underneath was ‘The Big Cheese’ in handwritten letters. Death peeled another label off its backing and carefully handed it to Jumbo. It read “Hello, my name is: Jumbo the I.T. Guy.”

“You’re joking.” Jumbo patted the label on his shirt.

“This is new hire orientation.” Death handed me a sticker that spelled out Hello, my name is: Buchanan Palasinski. Underneath in all caps it said, I’m an applicant, which was underlined three times and topped with a frowny face. Death took a step back and inspected us. “Perfect. Okay, you can come in now.” Death whirled around and hurried back into his apartment.

“Well, man.” Jumbo grinned. “If you thought the boat ride was strange, just wait until you see Death’s apartment.” Jumbo pushed the joystick on his controls forward and the chair wheeled through the door. I took one last look down the endless apartment hall, half expecting The Shining twins to appear. I needed another smoke, but I didn’t think that Death would approve. Instead, I looked up at the ceiling and took a few deep breaths. Whatever I saw in here, I’d need to be ready. I took two brisk steps forward and entered Death’s apartment.

About the Author:
Justin Alcala is a novelist, nerdologist and Speculative Literature Foundation Award Finalist. He’s author of the novels Consumed, (BLK Dog Publishing) The Devil in the Wide City (Solstice Publishing) and Dim Fairytales (AllThingsThatMatterPress). His dozens of short stories have been featured in magazines and anthologies, including It Dances Now (Crimson Street Magazine),The Offering (Rogue Planet Press) and The Lantern Quietly Screams (Castabout Literature). When he’s not burning out his retinas in front of a computer, Justin is an adventuresome tabletop gamer. He’s also a blogger, folklore enthusiast and time traveler. He is an avid quester of anything righteous, from fighting dragons to acquiring magical breakfast eggs from the impregnable grocery fortress.

Most of Justin’s tales and characters take place in The Plenty Dreadful universe, a deranged supernatural version of the modern world. When writing, Justin immerses himself in whatever subject he’s working on, from research to overseas travel. Much to the dismay of his family, he often locks himself away in his office-dungeon while playing themed videos and music over, and over, and over again. Justin currently resides with his dark queen, Mallory, their malevolent daughter, Lily, and their hellcat, Misery. Where his mind might be though is anyone’s guess.

Website: https://www.justincalcala.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JustinAlcala
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justin.alcala
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7862799.Justin_Alcala

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Dead-End-Job-Justin-Alcala/dp/1956136096
BN: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-dead-end-job-justin-alcala/1137956585

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Friday, November 5, 2021

Book Blast ~ The Photograph by LE Luttrell

 



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

In a quiet Sydney suburb, soon-to-be-married Sonny Day sets off on his bike to catch the train to work. He never makes it to the station. After his fiancée Chrys reports him missing, DI India Hargreaves launches a low-key investigation.

Weeks later, a man’s body is found, mutilated and buried, on a nearby building site, but it’s not Sonny, and with no solid leads, both investigations stall…until a letter arrives from Sonny, claiming he’s met someone else.

Chrys insists Sonny wrote it under duress. She convinces India to investigate further, beginning with the photograph that came with the letter and ending in Scotland and the discovery of more mysterious deaths. But two questions remain unanswered. Whose body was buried on the building site? And where is Sonny Day?


Beaten Track book listing: https://beatentrackpublishing.com/thephotograph
Beaten Track store (ebook): https://www.beatentrackpublishing.com/shop/proddetail.php?prod=thephotograph_format
Beaten Track store (paperback): https://www.beatentrackpublishing.com/shop/proddetail.php?prod=thephotograph

Read an Excerpt

At the window, he stopped and peered in. The room was in darkness, and he wasn’t able to make out much. He’d wait a minute until his eyes adjusted.

He was just about to check it again when he felt the ladder begin to move. Looking down, he could see a man standing below him with his hands on the ladder. The man looked like Lachlan, which he thought very strange because he didn’t think Lachlan was able to walk. Perhaps he’d misunderstood. Greer had said he’d been in an accident, but she didn’t say how disabled he was. Gordon had seen the wheelchair and the stair lift being installed and made an assumption about Lachlan not being able to walk. Maybe he could hobble around.

“Is that you, Lachlan?” he asked.

“Aye,” the man said before pulling the ladder away from the wall and knocking it sideways.

Gordon screamed as he fell, clinging to the ladder in the hope the terrace railings would halt the fall. The ladder hit the railings, somersaulted over them and smashed him against the brick boundary wall before it bounced off and dropped into the garden, flinging him aside like a rag doll.

Before he lost consciousness, Gordon managed to turn his head and look back up to the terrace where the ladder had been leaning against the wall. He expected to see Lachlan or someone who would come to his rescue, but there was no one there. He hadn’t imagined him, had he?

About the Author: L.E. Luttrell was born in Sydney, Australia and spent the first 21 years of her life there before moving to the UK. After working in publishing (in the UK) for a few years she went on to study and trained as a teacher. From the 90s she spent many years working in secondary education, although she’s also had numerous other part time jobs. A frustrated architect/builder, L.E. Luttrell has spent much of her adult life moving house and wielding various tools while renovating properties.

L.E. Luttrell currently lives in Merseyside England, but also spends time travelling between Liverpool, Wales (UK) and Australia when there is not a Covid crisis.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leluttrell
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/LLuttrellauthor
Website: http://www.lelutrell.com

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1112086
Amazon: http://mybook.to/thephotograph
Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/x/id1592318242
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/2940165066092
Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/Search?Query=9781786455086
Scribd: https://www.scribd.com/search?query=9781786455086&language=0

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Tuesday, November 2, 2021

Red Velvet Crinkles and Christmas Sprinkles by Maria Imbalzano

 



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

Competitive, work-obsessed Bella Simonetti has just been fired from her high-paying job at a Manhattan law firm. At an all-time low, she returns home and helps her parents at their small-town gift shop, but the business is failing and may not make it past the Christmas holidays.

Successful landscape architect Dean Jackson is like a son to Bella's parents. But he's a persistent annoyance to her—he seems to have forgotten his unforgivable blunder thirteen years earlier.

When Bella transforms her parents' gift shop into a cookie cottage, Dean's generosity and magnetic smile are hard to resist, and those feelings of unrequited adolescent love come rushing back. But can Bella let go of the past and accept Dean for the man he is today?

Read an Excerpt

There came that half-teasing, half-serious smile. To avoid it, she started pulling Christmas balls hung on red-and-green silk ribbons from the large box she’d brought out.

“I can help you hang those in the window. I hid the hooks above the molding last year so we don’t have to remove them every year.”

“Clever.” Her sarcastic tone couldn’t be mistaken.

“We’ll need a ladder,” he determined. “I’ll get it from the back, then you can hand me the balls, and I’ll attach them.”

She slitted her eyes at him. “I want to hang the balls. You can do something else.”

“Fine. But it takes two for this job. You don’t want to be going up and down the ladder each time you hang a ball. It’s inefficient.”

He had a point. She’d have to bury her reluctance to work with him at the risk of coming up with some other childish excuse.

Once Dean brought the ladder to the window, she climbed up three steps and took the first ball from him. Not a well-thought-out plan since her butt was now at his eye level.

“Can you stand over here, please?” She pointed to the other side of the ladder.

“It’s better if I stand behind you, to spot you. In case you lose your balance.” His grin emerged, and she gritted her teeth to prevent a growl.

About the Author:
Maria Imbalzano is a retired matrimonial lawyer who now writes full time. Instead of drafting motions, legal memoranda, and briefs, although fascinating, she now spends her days creating memorable characters and taking them on their emotional journeys through her contemporary romance novels.

Her novel, “Unchained Memories,” won the Wisconsin Romance Writers Write Touch Readers’ Award and the ACRA Readers’ Choice Heart of Excellence Award. “Sworn to Forget,” the first of the four-book Sworn Sisters Series was a finalist for the illustrious RONE award as well as the Book Buyers Best Award. Her novellas, “The Blueberry Swirl Waltz” and “A Song For Another Day” each came in first in their category in the National Excellence in Story Telling contest.

Website: http://mariaimbalzano.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mariaimbalzanoauthor
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/mariaimbalzano
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/Mariaimbalzano_author
Blog: http://www.mariaimbalzano.com/category/blog/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7276749.Maria_Imbalzano
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/maria-imbalzano

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09FYVGDWR
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/red-velvet-crinkles-and-christmas-sprinkles-maria-imbalzano/1140147130
Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/red-velvet-crinkles-and-christmas-sprinkles/id1585527197

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