Book Blast - The Tomato Jam Murder by Meg Benjamin

 

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Meg Benjamin 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.

Roxy’s spending her summer with burros and jam, but there’s a murderer in the mountains.

It’s burro racing season in the Rockies, and Roxy Constantine is all for it. Now if she can come up with a good recipe for tomato jam, her summer will be complete. But when Roxy finds a body on the burro race course, she’s suddenly plunged into a murder investigation. And when her innocent friend is accused of killing her ex, Roxy must challenge a corrupt police chief who wants to shut her up. Now she needs to find the real killer and save a neighboring town from a plot to ruin its mountain magic.

Read an Excerpt

Kennedy leaned close, eyes bright with malice. It’s hard to loom over someone as tall as me, but he was giving it his best shot. “You don’t get it, do you? This is none of your business. You don’t even live here. And you sure as hell don’t have any right to be sticking your nose into a police investigation. If I find out you’re stirring things up around here, I’ll throw you in a cell so fast your head will be spinning when you hit the floor.”

I was pretty sure he couldn’t do that legally. On the other hand, if he threw me into one of his cells, it might take me quite a while to get out of it. Logic argued for caution. Still, I hate being pushed around by guys who don’t have any right to push me around.

“All I’ve done is pass along information I’ve heard to people who might be interested. So far as I know, that doesn’t break any laws.”

“You. Don’t. Live. Here.” Kennedy snarled. “Like I said, this is none of your business. Keep out of it and keep your mouth shut.”

I gritted my teeth as I stared at him, trying to think of something to say that wouldn’t get me into deeper trouble.

Kennedy straightened, his gaze still burning, then swept one arm across the surface of the counter, sending jars of jam flying in all directions. I glared at him, furious and horrified.

The corners of his mouth edged up ever so slightly. “Oops.”

About the Author

Meg Benjamin is an award-winning author of romance and cozy mysteries. Meg’s cozy mystery series, Luscious Delights from Wild Rose Press, concerns a jam-making sleuth based in the mythical small town of Shavano, Colorado. Her Konigsburg series is set in the Texas Hill Country and her Salt Box and Brewing Love trilogies are set in the Colorado Rockies (all are available from Entangled Publishing and from Meg’s indie line). Along with romance and cozies, Meg is also the author of the paranormal Ramos Family trilogy from Berkley InterMix and the Folk trilogy from Meg’s indie line. Meg’s books have won numerous awards, including an EPIC Award, a Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award, the Holt Medallion from Virginia Romance Writers, the Beanpot Award from the New England Romance Writers, the Carly Crown Jewel of Books from the Mid-America Romance Authors, and the Award of Excellence from Colorado Romance Writers.

Personal Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/meg.benjamin1
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Website: http://www.MegBenjamin.com/

Amazon buy link: https://amzn.to/4oj93e5

Enter to win a $15 Amazon/BN gift card

Book Blast - Toil and Trouble!

 

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.

The brew is hot and bubbling over with romance and terror in this twistedly beautiful anthology that welcomes the darkness of horror and the temptation of love's veiled promises. Six remarkable tales from six incredible authors fill this book of dark shadows and ancient whispers.

Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble - by Jennifer Patricia O'Keeffe: Enchanted pastries and spell-brewed coffee make Esmerelda's sugar-dusted counter the city's most coveted haunt—until a dangerously charming newcomer slips into her shop, immune to her magic and unraveling her carefully guarded world. As his witch-hunter heritage threatens to burn her legacy to ash, Esmerelda finds herself torn between the threat of revenge from the witch hunter's ancestors and the intoxicating truth of the connection that they share.

Silverwood - by Lynn Hubbard: A lonely rancher's daughter finds her isolated Wyoming homestead upended when an amber-eyed stranger ignites a mud-splattered passion that defies reason—until his supernatural secret and the vengeful ranch hands hunting her force her to choose between the man who saves her and the monster who might destroy her. Torn between fierce protectors and forbidden desire, she must trust the very darkness that could shatter her world to survive the wild frontier's deadliest threats.

Ivy, Lichens and Wallflowers - by James Ryan: Marketing executive Hilda finds solace from her stifling corporate life and overbearing past in the quiet companionship of Miriam, a mysterious 19th-century marble statue in a city micro-park, only to discover their connection transcends stone when Miriam begins answering her handwritten notes through cryptic poetry left in return. As their forbidden connection deepens into an intoxicating dream-bound romance, Hilda uncovers Miriam's supernatural secret: she's a cursed thaumaturge sustained by stolen life force, forcing Hilda to confront whether love can survive the devastating cost of keeping her alive.

A Mirror to Die For - by Cindy Lewis Smith: A desperate woman finds solace in an antique mirror that whisks her nightly to 1880s Arizona, where a charming outlaw named Johnny Ringo fulfills every fantasy—until her jealous fiancé shatters the glass and vanishes, leaving her trapped in an asylum screaming that he is the real monster, a man who shouldn't exist: Dr. John Henry Holliday, the gambler who killed Ringo a century ago. Now, with "MPR" carved into her cell walls and time itself unraveling, she'll stop at nothing to prove her sanity by proving time travel is real—even if it means unleashing the very darkness that destroyed her.

Flight 1031: Cosmic Turbulence - by Julian Christian: Diplomatic courier Sarah Martinez boards Flight 1031 expecting routine turbulence, not a Halloween dimensional rift that strands her at Germania International Airport—where the Greater German Reich has ruled since 1943 and perfected technology to harvest souls from parallel realities through consciousness-scanning machinery that pulses with seventeen-beat rhythms. Now trapped in a terminal that breathes like a living organism, Sarah must navigate a world where every passenger hides a secret and her resistance could either save her timeline or doom infinite versions of humanity to eternal enslavement in a Reich that spans all dimensions.

Dream a Little Dream - by Jae El Foster: After a near-death car crash rewires her brain, Sarah's nightmares bleed into reality: sugar on the counter forms glyphs, bats appear out of nowhere in broad daylight, and her own hands betray her—while the velvet-eyed stranger from her dreams appears in her waking hours, his urgency growing as Halloween's veil thins. Now, with her reality twisting into something surreal and an ancient language hijacking her voice, she must confront a dark truth: her soul isn't hers to keep, and the man who saved her in death is the very entity hunting her in life.

Read an Excerpt From ‘Flight 1031: Cosmic Turbulence’ by Julian Christian

“Mommy, I can hear them singing,” he whispers, and his voice carries an accent that sounds distinctly Germanic. “They’re singing in the clouds.”

Sarah presses her face to the window and feels her diplomatic clearance for Project Looking Glass become a curse. The clouds outside aren’t moving with the wind—they’re arranging themselves into patterns that she recognizes from the most classified files in her briefcase. Thule Society symbols. Vril energy matrices. Geometric formations that the SS spent millions researching during the war, convinced they could reshape reality itself.

The turbulence hits at 11:47 PM like the fist of something vast and patient and hungry.

But this isn’t turbulence—this is reality hiccupping.

The Boeing 777 doesn’t drop; it phases, existing in multiple positions simultaneously before snapping back into a single dimensional coordinate with a sound like reality tearing. Sarah’s coffee doesn’t spill—it levitates in perfect amber spheres that hang in the air for seventeen seconds (she counts), forming runic patterns that burn afterimages into her retinas before gravity remembers its job and sends them crashing in spirals that spell out words in languages that predate Christianity.

Her phone’s digital clock pulses 11:47 PM, but the numbers flicker between scripts—English, German, something that might be ancient Norse written in characters that hurt to look at directly. The time begins counting backward, then forward again, then sideways in dimensions that shouldn’t exist.

The cabin lights don’t just dim—they begin pulsing in perfect synchronization with something outside, something that breathes in frequencies just below human hearing. Emergency lighting casts everything in blood-red shadows that writhe independently of their sources, reaching toward the windows like fingers testing the strength of glass that separates this reality from whatever lies beyond.

Outside, lightning doesn’t flash—it breeds.

Tendrils of electric purple and bile-green twist through clouds that contract and expand like living tissue, like something’s breathing apparatus spread across miles of sky. The storm didn’t develop—it materialized, swallowing their aircraft in a wall of impossibility that presses against the fuselage with curious intelligence.

Sarah watches the lightning form perfect zigzags that burn for exactly thirteen seconds before transforming into other symbols—Vril runes, Thule sigils, mathematical equations for reshaping the fundamental constants of physics. Each formation pulses with light that doesn’t just illuminate the clouds but seems to rewrite them, transforming water vapor into something that follows different laws.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” Captain Morrison’s voice cracks through the intercom, and Sarah can hear him weeping between words, can hear something else in the background—his instruments singing in harmonies that shouldn’t be possible from electronic equipment. “We’re experiencing unprecedented atmospheric phenomena. Our navigation systems are showing locations that don’t appear on any charts. Please remain seated with your seatbelts secured.”

The captain doesn’t mention that their GPS is showing coordinates for a city called “New Germania” or that their radio is picking up transmissions in languages that died out in 1945—except they’re being broadcast with technology that won’t exist for another fifty years.

Buy the Book

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FS7DXSXX
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1849875
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/toil-and-trouble-jae-el-foster/1148244179
Apple:https://books.apple.com/us/book/x/id6752260026
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/toil-and-trouble-17

Book Blast - Playing Rough by Beth Pellino-Dudzic

It's a book Blast and this book looks interesting! You should check out the series, especially Playing Rough. There are also prizes to be won. Like? Beth Pellino-Dudzic will be awarding one set of the three books in the series - Playing Hard, Playing High and Playing Rough (international giveaway). How cool is that? Want more chances to win? Then follow the tour. You can do that here: https://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2025/09/book-blast-playing-rough-by-beth.html

PLAYING ROUGH

by Beth Pellino-Dudzic

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

Love. Lies. And the Road to Redemption.

After five months in rehab, Trevor McNaughton is finally sober—and ready to rebuild his life with Gina, the woman who never stopped believing in him. A road trip is meant to be their fresh start, but their plans are quickly derailed when their former publicist, Paul Ryan, emerges with explosive claims: an affair with Gina, dark secrets about their band Perfection, and vicious speculation about their marriage.

As the couple races to contain the fallout, the pressure mounts. Trevor must protect his fragile sobriety while defending the truth. Gina, fierce and unshakable, refuses to let their love be hijacked by lies. All the while, Gina’s cousin and bandmate Rio begs them to return home and help shape the next album—while wannabe rock star Brian Mayfield looms as another potential threat to the narrow threshold they already straddle.

With careers and reputations on the line, Trevor and Gina must confront the ghosts of their past and the chaos of their present. Can love outlast betrayal, and can anything silence a man set on destruction?

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

Now for an Excerpt: 

They pulled away from their Montecito home when Gina had a realization. “Trev, we know nothing about camping. The closest I can relate is the time my family had to stay at the Hyatt because the Ritz was full. We should stop at one of those huge camping and hunting stores and buy whatever we need.” Trevor agreed. They did some research and then drove to the nearest outdoor supply store.

A salesperson named Jonas recognized them. “What can I assist you with, McNaughtons?”

Gina stared at Jonas, then threw her hands up. “Everything ... We have no idea what is needed for an RV trip.” The knowledgeable employee gave them a checklist of necessities and camping equipment. Trevor and Gina trusted him to compile what was needed.

Jonas asked, “How long of a trip are you planning on taking?”

Trevor simply said, “Probably a month, maybe longer.” Jonas also asked if they had an itinerary and RV locations picked out and reserved. The two rockers looked at each other— who knew they  needed to reserve a spot? He told them there was a book on RV parks  that should help design their plan.

Trevor didn’t vocalize what the exact plan was.

So, Gina suggested hers. “Trevor, I would enjoy driving up the coast California, Oregon, Washington. We can take in beautiful sights on the way and continue to Vancouver. We can explore a bit of British
Columbia and visit your father … and I would like to drive to Boise.”

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

About the Author:

Beth Pellino-Dudzic was born in the Bronx and grew up in Westchester County, New York.
She earned a BA in Business Administration and worked at IBM. She has three adult daughters
and a new Granddaughter. She currently lives in Alabama with her husband and their miniature
dachshund, Truffle. Although The Perfection Saga is fictional, many of the stories hark back to
Beth’s time in the Rock ‘n’ Roll world. Beth’s favorite pastime is football, everything football.
She also is an excellent cook and baker.

Links:

Website: https://perfectionsaga.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558439816678

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

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bethandperfection1




Buy Link:



Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0FP9H6LQQ

Blurb Blitz - A Gilded City Series by Jane Loeb Rubin

 

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Jane Loeb Rubin 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.

In the Hands of Women, (June 2023) takes the reader on an electrifying ride through the dawn of the 20th century, delving into the restrictive state of women’s rights, backroom abortions, the plight of immigrants to the Lower East Side of NYC and the prison system at Blackwell’s Island, all through the voice of a young OB/Gyn, Tillie’s younger sister, Hannah.

Threadbare, (June 2024) is a historical novel written as a tribute to Jane Rubin’s great-grandmother, Mathilda (Tillie), who died from a ‘woman’s disease’ in the early years of the twentieth century. It explores the ultra-conservative late Victorian era through a Jewish female character living among the poor, struggling to build a garment company and pushing back against antisemitic and misogynistic values dominating the time. She acquired wealth, only to have life upended by a cruel, unexpected challenge.

Over There (June 2025) brings four family members of Threadbare and In the Hands of Women, all doctors and nurses, into The Great War, each facing down authentic challenges of the period. Meticulously researched and crafted on four stages, the reader experiences the jarring reality of trench warfare, magnificent rise of the American Hospital in Paris, unimagined medical innovations owed to the dedication of healthcare workers, and the universal, frightening impact war has on children.

Read an Excerpt from IN THE HANDS OF WOMEN

I glanced at Nurse Hammond. Her head was bent to the wood floor, hands squeezed so tightly, I could see the white in her knuckles. The navy muslin dress worn beneath her white apron matched the dark circles under her eyes. I held back from the pack of students as they left the ward. Nurse Hammond was at the end of her night shift, little time left to hear the full story.

“Nurse, were you in delivery during the twins’ births?” I whispered.

“I was.” She straightened her back, darting her eyes to the nursery.

I took a step closer to her. “Did anything unusual happen?”

After a lengthy pause, she rubbed her fingers, eyes downcast.

“Nurse Hammond, what happened?” I persisted.

“You know Adams, always impatient.” She turned her eyes from the floor then to mine. “He couldn’t stand the mother’s screaming and knocked her out cold with ether. Then he went in deep with the forceps, taking forever. I think he would have had more luck if he kept her awake and changed her position.” She took in a sharp breath. “But who am I to say? You can’t utter a word. I need my job. I’ve four children at home.”

I nodded, understanding. “You can trust me. Go home and get some rest.” I scurried down the hall to the nursery.

“Where’ve you been, Isaacson?” Dr. Adams barked as I walked through the doorway.

“My apology doctor, lavatory.”

Dr. Adams crossed his arms on his chest, haughtily shaking his head at the ring of men standing around the twins’ bassinettes. “See there, gentlemen? That’s what happens when women are allowed into the profession. Always needing to fix their hair.”

Blood shot to my face. How long would he get away with his negligence? I stifled my annoyance, while studying the infants. The smaller baby’s hand began to tremor.

About the Author: Author, Jane Loeb Rubin has won numerous awards including the Historical Novel Society's First Chapters short list for Over There, released May, 2025 by Level Best Books. She will be speaking at numerous Florida events as listed on her website.

With an extensive healthcare background Ms. Rubin began writing in 2009 after a serious cancer diagnosis. She now has a four-book deal with Level Best Books (Threadbare-2024, In the Hands of Women-2023, Over There-2025, The Hat Trick-2026), following the fictional life of her great-grandmother’s family.

In the Hands of Women, (June 2023) takes the reader on an electrifying ride through the dawn of the 20th century, delving into the restrictive state of women’s rights, backroom abortions, the plight of immigrants to the Lower East Side of NYC and the prison system at Blackwell’s Island, all through the voice of a young OB/Gyn, Tillie’s younger sister, Hannah.

Threadbare, (June 2024) is a historical novel written as a tribute to Jane Rubin’s great-grandmother, Mathilda (Tillie), who died from a ‘woman’s disease’ in the early years of the twentieth century. It explores the ultra-conservative late Victorian era through a Jewish female character living among the poor, struggling to build a garment company and pushing back against antisemitic and misogynistic values dominating the time. She acquired wealth, only to have life upended by a cruel, unexpected challenge.

Over There (June 2025) brings four family members of Threadbare and In the Hands of Women, all doctors and nurses, into The Great War, each facing down authentic challenges of the period. Meticulously researched and crafted on four stages, the reader experiences the jarring reality of trench warfare, magnificent rise of the American Hospital in Paris, unimagined medical innovations owed to the dedication of healthcare workers, and the universal, frightening impact war has on children.

The Hat Trick, Ms. Rubin’s work in process (May 2026) transports her family characters into the mid-1920’s in the years before the Borscht Belt in Sullivan County, NY.

Ms. Rubin, a graduate of the University of Michigan (BS, MS) and Washington University (MBA), retired from a 30-year career as a healthcare executive to begin writing full-time. She lives with her husband, David, an attorney, in Northern New Jersey. Between them, they have five adult children and seven grandchildren. Ms. Rubin’s work is available at all on-line retailers, Indigo Books, select Barnes and Noble Book stores and upon request from Level Best Books.

Readers Favorite Review: http://www.readersfavorite.com/book-review/over-there
Website: http://www.janeloebrubin.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/janeloebrubinauthor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janeloebrubin

Book Blast - My Husband Almost Killed Me by Linda Beason

 

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Linda Beason 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.

"If you ever leave me, I will kill the kids then I will kill you." "I can't help but think of other women who may be facing similar situations, even now in a time and generation when these events can easily be exposed as much as they could be hidden. I wish I could reach each one of them, look into their eyes and tell them: you don't have to live like this. Life can be better; you can choose a different path. It's not easy, trust me, I know that more than most people do, BUT IT'S WORTH IT." This book is an autobiography about a woman raised on a large farm who learned to drive a large tractor at the age of seven, then spent many years plowing, planting and harvesting crops and taking care of the farm animals. After three years in the Marine Corps, she married her college sweetheart who became a drunk and abused her for seven horrible years before he almost killed her then disappeared. After she recovered she and her three kids fled to Florida to hide so he wouldn't find them and finish the job.

Read an Excerpt

The familiar sound of Brooke’s whimpers pulled me back from my reverie.

I had been lost in thought, absorbed by the gentle curves of the crescent moon above me, imagining myself perched on its silvery edge, far removed from my vulnerable and endangered earthly existence. Up there, I thought, the silence must be golden—no echoes of the chaos in the world down below, just the serene sights and sounds of the stars whispering the secrets of the universe amongst themselves. Down here, the silence was fleeting, often shattered by the cries of my youngest, the shouts of her older siblings, the barks of their father, and the relentless dinning of my own tormented thoughts.

Everything I’d done and endured in the past few years had been driven by a need to escape the noise, to find a sanctuary not just for myself but for my three kids: Bailey, Ryan, and Brooke. That was the least I could do for them; after all, I brought them into this tumultuous world. I made them the kids to a father who found joy at the bottom of a bottle and loved to vent his fury with a raised fist and cruel words—a man whose presence filled our home not with love but with dread and anxiety.

This night, like many nights in recent weeks, the cornfield was our little haven. I lay there with my three kids, all wrapped in duvets and blankets and shaded by the towering stalks that swayed gently above us, glancing at my wristwatch and wishing the night would age faster. We were within the hour when Phil typically returned home. His truck’s headlights were usually unmistakable. Had they slipped past while I was lost moon-gazing? If he were back home, I would have seen them piercing through the pitch darkness as he drove along the gravel road leading up to the house. And if I didn’t see them, I would have heard the truck.

Some nights, Phil would leave the truck idling in the driveway before stumbling into the house and carelessly toppling anything in his path until he reached our bedroom upstairs, ready to unleash his drunken fury on me. On some other nights, he would fall asleep at the wheel after parking the truck and leave the headlights blazing until dawn. The latter was usually the best-case scenario for me and the kids, barring the nights when he simply didn’t come home. Each night spent in our household was like a scene out of a suspense thriller; I never knew which version of Phil would come through the door, if at all.

About the Author: Born and raised on an Indiana farm, Linda Beason was steeped in the rhythms of rural life and nurtured by the enduring love of a close-knit family.

From an early age, she embraced responsibility and excelled throughout her school years. As an alumna of Purdue University— where she earned degrees in both agriculture and accounting—Linda distinguished herself academically and professionally, later working for several corporate companies, most notably the Green Giant Company, and serving honorably in the Marine Corps.

Yet despite a childhood filled with warmth and promise, Linda's adult life took a harrowing turn when she entered a marriage that would test the very limits of her strength. For nearly a decade, she endured domestic abuse at the hands of a dangerous man whose fury was fueled by alcohol and an insatiable need for control. That turbulent period sent her racing through a whirlwind of experiences that would forever alter her path. Even in the darkest moments, however, Linda clung to her faith in God and the quiet confidence of a Midwesterner.

Linda passed away in 2024 while writing this book. Through these pages, she hoped to inspire women to overcome the challenges of toxic relationships and the hardships of motherhood, reminding them that even the deepest wounds can heal and that the promise of a brighter tomorrow is always within reach.

Buy Link: https://amazon.com/dp/1779626460
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/56955280.Linda_Beason a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Blast - Wedding Planning - Five Easy Steps and the Secret by Kathy Forbes

 

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Kathy Forbes 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.

This book has everything you need to know to plan your perfect unique wedding.

This is not your typical wedding planning book. Chapter titles alone will tell you what needs to be done, and the subtitles break it down further. The book includes tips, advice, stories, templates, and notebook to keep track of everything.

All the other books, magazine articles, Instagram and Pinterest timeline posts state on the "day of" to have a good breakfast. They don't mention the people that take care of all the duties and tasks throughout the day so you can be VIP guests at your own wedding.

The five easy steps and how they relate to each other is the foundation of this book, which will make sure you have an educational, memorable, stressless, wonderful experience throughout the whole process:

1) Timeline
2) Budget
3) "Day of" schedule
4) Duties and tasks
5) Lists and assignments

The secret is having a planned schedule that catches everything, and a specific person in charge on the "day of" that pulls it off while you enjoy with the guests. Let me show you how to perfect your wedding planning experience.

Waiting to your wedding day is just too late to realize the importance of this thought process and having a specific/special go-to-person working the "day of" on your behalf.

You will enjoy the days up to the wedding as much as the day itself, as this book helps make it all come true.

Read an Excerpt

Wedding Planning 101

This book has everything you need to know to plan your perfect unique wedding.

This is not your typical wedding planning book. Chapter titles alone will tell you what needs to be done, and the subtitles break it down further. The book includes tips, advice, stories, templates, and a notebook to keep track of everything.

All the other books, magazine articles, Instagram and Pinterest timeline posts state on the “day of” to have a good breakfast. They don’t mention the people that take care of all the duties and tasks throughout the day so you can be VIP guests at your own wedding.

There is more to planning a perfect “day of” than you think – believe me.

So, you can enjoy the days up to as much as the “day of”, this book will help.

The Reality is: 3 things are kept – your spouse, the ring, and your photographs. All the rest is but a fading memory over time. You most likely have read the saying “don’t sweat the small stuff” or as I suggest, we rewrite it for wedding planning to state “plan for the small stuff details and you won’t sweat”.

I have been married since 1973 – the oops, challenges and happenings - they all happened at our wedding and at least one of them happens at every wedding. Some things never change. This book will help you Plan for them, Minimize them and Smile through them.

This wedding planning book will help you to succeed in putting on a memorable, unique, and stress free wedding. Forge onward through these pages to discover the secret to learning how to pull it all together by just following the easy 5 steps.

Included is the industry insider stuff such as what the vendors and suppliers would like you to do, ask them and the reason why it is important. Through this direction you will acquire the knowledge of what questions to ask your vendors and suppliers. All you must do is fill in the blanks on the easy to complete templates supplied for all the steps.

As I said earlier, this is not your typical wedding planning book filled with wedding dress styles, centerpiece designs and how to walk down the aisle at the ceremony. Everyone has access to that in books, internet, and visuals on Pinterest. This book has the real stuff you need to know. It is a gift you give yourself to be happy and successful in the whole exciting process of your wedding planning.

This book shares real stories (to make a point, relate to real people and tips to make it easy) and of course professional advice.

About the Author: I knew that our youngest daughter was going to be engaged soon, so I enrolled at BCIT and got my wedding and event planning credentials in 2005. I changed careers from corporate sales analyst to something that puts meaning and joy into my life every day. In no time I put it to good use: one daughter married in 2006 and the other in 2007. I retired in 2020 but continued to expand my world. I paint and am a miniature hobbyist—both produce a connection with a memory that I want to preserve and share. I wrote this book as a memory for me, and as an educational reference book to educate you all. My goal is to make planning a wedding a wonderful experience.

My life's motto is: be interested and interesting.

Websites:
http://www.kathyforbesauthor.com
http://www.anewpaigeevent.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/237476373-wedding-planning

Buy Link: https://a.co/d/cnjW6AP

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blurb Blitz - Who Are We Now? by Beth Anderson

Beth Anderson stops by with her new book, Who Are We Now? You'll want to check it out out because it looks cool and there are prizes to be won. Like? Beth Anderson will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.

Want more chances to win? Then follow the tour. You can do that here: https://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2025/08/blurb-who-are-we-now-by-beth.html

 

WHO ARE WE NOW?

Beth Anderson

As dark secrets unravel around her, Skylar must follow her heart—and maybe find her once-in-a-lifetime love.

Skylar spent years trapped—in a dead-end relationship, in her mother’s cold shadow. But when her mother vanishes without a trace, Skylar is thrust into a mystery that upends everything she thought she knew. With her two best friends, Barrett and Levi, by her side, Skylar hunts for answers—and along the way, finds herself drawn to both men in ways she never expected. As secrets unravel and danger draws near, Skylar must find the courage to reclaim her future... and her heart.

Now for an Excerpt: 

Mr. Whittington nodded. “I understand, but I want to warn you: I’ve seen a lot of complex family situations over the years, and sometimes it’s better to leave well enough alone. I understand your mother is currently—absent, let’s say—and you have questions. As often as people have been relieved to find answers, I find they more often wish they hadn’t poked the bear, if you understand what I’m saying.”

“I do,” Skylar said slowly. “But I think it’s time I stop avoiding the truth.” She looked at Barrett, her pulse beginning to pound. “Whatever that is.”

Barrett reached under the table and gave her hand a squeeze.  “You’re sure?” he asked softly.

Skylar nodded. “I’m sure.”

“Alright,” Whittington, said, signaling for a passing waiter with his menu. “I’ll let Barrett run with this—with my guidance, of course, and as long as his regular workload isn’t affected.”

Barrett looked relieved. He squeezed Skylar’s hand again. “Thanks, Mr. Whittington.”

Whittington looked at the younger man. “Keep track of the hours you spend, too. I have a certain number of pro bono hours put aside every year for tax purposes.” His gaze shifted to Skylar. “I hope you won’t be offended in being my annual charity case.” He showed that tight little smile again. “And I hope you won’t regret this.”

Skylar swallowed. “No, of course not,” she said, but she wasn’t sure which of Mr. Whittington’s points she was answering.

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

About the Author:

“Beth Anderson” is the joint penname of a veteran author of numerous novels of several different genres and a new author who loves romance novels.  Who Are We Now?  Is the 2nd romance novel from this team the first being a lower spice Hockey Romance “Pucked Over”  

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/elby1313.bsky.social 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/253551.Beth_Anderson

Book Blog: https://elbyslibrary.blogspot.com/ 

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@elby1313?

Fable:  @elby

Brandon Barrows:

https://www.brandonbarrowscomics.com/

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

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Only in September by Cynthia Flowers

Join me for this tour for Only in September by Cynthia Flowers. You'll want to stick around. Why? There are prizes to be won and an interview! What's up for grabs? Cynthia Flowers will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN 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/2025/03/nbtm-tour-only-in-september-by-cynthia.html

ONLY IN SEPTEMBER

Cynthia Flowers

When Jacqueline follows her trusty Labrador Bailey down a hidden path to the beach, she's unaware that her vacation plans on a small island off the New England coast has already taken her life in a new direction. Running into an unassuming local beach comber stirs new thoughts, desires, and a self-determination she never knew she possessed. Jacqueline will need to trust her instincts and make the most of what fate has in store if she wants the future that, until now, she has only dared to dream of.

First, an interview, then an Excerpt!

Now for the Interview: 

1. Describe yourself in three words.  

• Personable, Persistent, Positive

2. Cast your book. Tell us who would play the main characters in a movie and why (send pictures!). 

• I see Chloe Sevigny who is probably best known for playing Chelsea O’Bannon in the Netflix series Bloodline and C.Z. Guest on Feud: Capote vs. The Swans. Also would consider Sharon Horgan (without the Irish accent) who is the creator and lead protagonist in Bad Sisters.

3. What’s your favorite love scene from a movie? 

• It’s a tie between the 1942 classic Casablanca, where the two lead characters—Rick Blaine, played by Humphrey Bogart, and Ilsa Lund, played by Ingrid Bergman—serendipitously meet again after falling in love in German-occupied Paris. The other is the 1995 film The Bridges of Madison County, in which Robert Kincaid, played by Clint Eastwood, is unable to locate the covered bridge he’s been assigned to photograph in rural Madison County, Iowa. He pulls into the driveway of a nearby farmhouse to ask for directions from Francesca Johnson—played by Meryl Streep—who would become the love of his life. Both films feature several love scenes, some of a deeply emotional and spiritual nature, and others more passionate. 

4. What’s your wildest fantasy?  That Only In September gets produced as either a Hallmark Channel or streaming type of limited series.

5. If you were to lose one of your senses, which would you rather lose and why? 

• That’s a tough one, but I’d have to give the edge to my sense of smell. If I can still see and hear, I’d feel engaged with the world and able to remain active without assistance—unlike if I lost my sight or hearing. Although my appetite would likely suffer, I’d have to rely on muscle memory of how food used to smell to maintain my appetite and continue enjoying the things I used to love to eat.

6. What is the naughtiest thing you did as a kid?

• I stole a few pieces of 5-cent candy from the local candy and soda fountain shop. I’m dating myself with that price for loose candy—but what the heck. I felt awful afterward and went back to pay for them. I guess parochial grade school did some good after all.

Quickies:

Boxers or Briefs? 

• Neither apply to me but I like briefs on a man, if he can pull it off and for special occasions, a tastefully patterned boxer isn’t bad, either

Top or Bottom?  

• Both

Pajamas or nude? 

• Jammies in the winter and very skimpy in the summer

Hairy chests or smooth?

• Both are sexy but the perfect one for me is just enough hair

Alpha or Beta?

If we’re talking about a romantic partner, I like a little of both which gives me some latitude as well. I don’t do well with alpha-only type people.

Now for that Excerpt: 

With the sun barely over the horizon, Jacqueline awoke to Bailey licking her face and the best morning smell ever. Michael had the coffee pot simmering over the fire pit. 

Jacqueline wasn’t ready to give up the warmth of her sleeping bag, so she managed to sit up while still inside it. 

“Looks like you’re in a cocoon. Did you sleep well?” he asked. 

“Surprisingly, yes. I was snug as a bug,” she said with a yawn. 

“Well, one of the other reasons for camping out is to see the first rays of the sunrise, so let’s get you up so you don’t miss it.” He helped Jacqueline to her feet while she was still inside the sleeping bag. To remain steady, Michael had to hold her. She was all right with that. 

I hope this sunrise viewing lasts a while. 

Consumed by the beauty of the moment, Jacqueline felt a swelling from inside that took her nearly to the brink of tears as she looked out at the bright yellow rays that made the ocean glisten. 

“We have a few clouds, which is a good thing,” he said. “It helps make the sunrise a bit more dramatic.” 

“I bet you’ve seen lots of these,” Jacqueline replied while trying to compose herself. 

“Yes, but I never get tired of it. It’s like seeing it for the first time every time,” he shared. 

They both grew silent and took in the beauty of the early morning sky, and the warm connection of being so physically close to one another.

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

About the Author:

Cynthia Flowers, a recently retired advertising professional, now grant writer, resides with her husband and four-year old Labrador named Eddie, at their “sanctuary” in Upstate New York, Although previously published, this is Cynthia's first book of fiction. Early on in grade school, Cynthia looked forward to creative writing class and enjoyed reading her stories aloud to her eager classmates. 

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Only-September-Cynthia-Flowers-ebook/dp/B0DWT79L6N/ref=sr_1_1

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