Book Blast - ;IGY6 by Dean Sali

 

 

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Dean Sali 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.

;IGY6 is more than just a self-help guide, it is a beacon of hope for those in the military and beyond. Whether you are a soldier, a veteran, or someone who supports them, this book provides invaluable insights and practical advice that can make a real difference. Readers will find solace in the shared experiences and learn how to navigate the complexities of PTSD towards a better, more fulfilling life.

Read an Excerpt

I’ve wanted to write ;IGY6 for some time now. I have complex post-traumatic stress disorder (C-PTSD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Crohn’s disease, celiac disease, and I’m lactose intolerant. It’s a heavy list, and my doctor, a gastrointestinal specialist, calls me his medical miracle because he’s never had a patient with this combination. Lucky me. PTSD can be extremely difficult, but doing nothing about it is a big mistake. If sharing my experience helps you to take a step I waited too long to take, then it’s worth every word. “;IGY6” stands for “I got your six,” military slang for “I’ve got your back.” But there’s much more to it than that. The “6” is your six o’clock position—your back— and “got your six” is a pledge to be there for each other. The semicolon at the front is a symbol from the suicide prevention initiative called Project Semicolon, and it represents a pause instead of an ending, a reminder that your story isn’t over.1 When paired with IGY6, the semicolon sends a powerful message to those living with PTSD: “You’re not alone, and we’ve got your six.” A related movement, the ;IGY6 Foundation, highlights the sobering statistic that an average of twenty-two US veterans die by suicide every day.2 Imagine a world where we all watched out for each other. That’s the promise at the heart of this book. 1 Project Semicolon. “Our Mission.” Project Semicolon, https://projectsemicolon.com

About the Author: Dean Sali is a resolute advocate for personal growth, resilience, and inner healing. With a background in the military and law enforcement, he has faced intense challenges that tested his strength, confidence, and sense of purpose. He served on a UN tour in Rwanda in 1994, an experience that deeply shaped his perspective on trauma, recovery, and the human spirit. His journey with PTSD has given him firsthand insight into the struggles of rebuilding from within, and he has spent years exploring methods of healing, including chi exercises, mindfulness, and reconnecting with nature.

Beyond his professional experiences, Dean is a devoted father of four, with a granddaughter on the way. His writing is deeply personal, offering practical guidance and heartfelt encouragement to those seeking clarity, confidence, and peace. Through his work, Dean hopes to inspire others to embrace their own healing journey and discover the strength they already carry inside.

Amazon: https://amazon.com/dp/0228815371
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/67545013.Dean_Sali

VBT - Teardown by William Campbell Powell

 Check out the tour for Teardown by William Campbell Powell. You'll want to keep reading for the interview and the prizes! What's up for grabs? William Campbell Powell will be awarding a $20 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/2025/04/vbt-teardown-by-william-campbell-powell.html

TEARDOWN

William Campbell Powell

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

Growing up in a dead-end, Thames Valley town like Marden Combe, Kai knows there’s no

escape without a lot of talent, hard work—and luck.

Two weeks before the Clayton Paul Blues Band plans to set out on tour to Germany, their

singer quits, and drummer Kai takes matters in hand. With bandmates Jake and Jamie, they

recruit a talented new singer—the enigmatic Dominique—as the new face of the band and set

out on the road to Berlin in a rickety white van.

Dogged by mishaps and under-rehearsed, the band stumbles through their first shows, zig-

zagging between chaos and brilliance. But as the first gig in Berlin draws near, the band begins

to gel. They’re clicking with their audience, and even the stone-hearted Kai starts to crumble

under the spell, first of Dom and then…of Lars.

As the end of the tour approaches, Kai must make hard choices. Dom? But she’s keeping a

dark secret. Lars? Not after the acrimony of their last parting. The band? Or will that dream

crumble too?

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

Now for the Interview: 

1. Describe yourself in three words.

I’m going to take ‘Writer’ as a given. I’m still going to cheat…

Musician, bookish, INTJ

2. Cast your book. Tell us who would play the main characters in a movie and why.

Kai. I first pictured Kai as physically similar to the model Milou van Groesen. On the basis of his

performance in ‘The Danish Girl’ (2015), I’d have to pick Eddie Redmayne. But I was watching a

recent gig by Texas, and when I saw their drummer – Cat Myers – I instantly thought “that’s Kai”.

Dom. I struggled finding a Dom from the film world, though I did find a great photo on

Shutterstock (attached). She doesn’t reveal much of herself, emotionally, though she has a gift for

getting others to talk. As Dom is Belgian, I looked for Francophone actors and recent films, and

chose Anaïs Demoustier (The Count of Monte-Cristo, 2024). But for Dom’s voice, I’d have to

send you to the late, incomparable Eva Cassidy, taken from the world far too soon.

Lars. Lars is the ‘boy next door’, described as having a slightly chubby waist, curly hair, Kai

seems to have a bit of a thing about his backside which ‘deserved to be captured in marble’. He’s

also a dancer, a jiver, so sure-footed and agile. And it’s just come to me – Sean Astin, aka Sam

Gamgee in the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

For the rest of the band, I’ll redirect you to my realisation of the band as Lego figures.

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

I’m a softie at heart and I like love scenes that are full of emotion. The physicalities, not so much.

So I’d pick Westley’s parting from Buttercup in the Princess Bride (1987), if I hadn’t just

remembered the final scene between Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze in Ghost (1990). It makes

me well up just thinking about it.

4. What’s your wildest fantasy?

(I’m going to let Kai answer this one, in conversation with Dom.)

“Yes,” I whispered. “Yes, we do. But I wish…”

“What? That we could have just one ordinary gig? Where everything goes to plan?”

She knows my heart.

“Yes. That is what I wish.”

“I promise you; it will not come true. Or if it does, you will not like it. Life is change. This tour—it is

new every night. It is exciting. It makes me feel alive.”

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

It has to be a process of elimination – what do I definitely want to keep?

Well, I’m a singer and a music lover, and so I must keep my hearing. That’s notwithstanding the

experience of Evelyn Glennie, a Scottish percussionist who is profoundly deaf.

Sight? Not to see the faces of those I love? Nor the beauty of the world. That would be hard.

Taste? I had a good colleague at work who lost his sense of taste because of COVID. It made me

think about how dull eating would become without taste or, indeed, smell.

Yet, to lose the sense of touch? Never to feel the comforting touch of another human being? How

impossibly lonely that would be. (And never mind that I wouldn’t be able to play guitar…)

So I guess it’s taste that has to go. Goodbye coriander. Farewell Jura single malt whisky.

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

Measured by my own regret, it’s probably getting into a fight with my best friend, Paul Clayton,

when we were both aged 10 or 11. I remember storming off after the fight. I never got a chance to

make up with him – he was killed in a traffic accident a couple of weeks later. And yes, Clayton

Paul in the book is my little In Memoriam of Paul.

Hmm. That was a bit serious and sombre. I hope there’s something a bit lighter coming up…

(peeks at the next questions)

Ah. Some questions for Kai, I think.

Quickies:

Boxers or Briefs?

“I stripped off my dry clothes and pulled on my muddy wet pants and T-shirt.” Best I can do.

Top or Bottom?

“The physicalities simply define how to express desire. Or love. Or both. But not where that

feeling might be bestowed, that is, on whom or when.” (See also Hairy chests…)

Pajamas or nude?

“So I put my own pyjamas on and climbed in next to [redacted]”

Hairy chests or smooth?

“The truth was, I didn’t know how to handle my feelings for either of them. It wasn’t so simple as

preferring girls or not. I could as easily summon up a memory, a vision of Dom, equally nude and

equally beautiful. Equally sexually attractive.” (See also Top or Bottom.)

Alpha or Beta?

“First, he said, ‘Don’t let them put you in one of their boxes’. Then, he said, ‘If you don’t like the

boxes on offer, make one that’s just right for yourself’.”

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

Now for An Excerpt:

The bus stank of commuters. It wasn’t like a night bus, granted, but the mix of sweat and cheap

scent—and the pungency of diesel—was another reminder of how much I hated Marden

Combe.

A Thames Valley town like every other Thames Valley town, Marden Combe had a posh, blingy

bit, where the bankers, footballers, and celebrity chefs lived. The rest ran the spectrum from

dilapidated through demolished to barely affordable modern rabbit hutches. The old town centre

was closing down, and the new shopping centre was gridlock hell.

The bus lurched and swung left, past a school named for a long-dead parliamentarian. Or

possibly a royalist. I ought to know; it had been my old school till I’d turned sixteen. But it had all

seemed irrelevant to the more immediate problem of not getting picked on for being different.

There were a dozen ways and more to be different, whether it was for being too ugly, too geeky,

too slow on the uptake, too shy, too dark, not dark enough, having a funny accent, or a fundy

religion, or being neurodivergent, being too posh, being too poor, liking the wrong music, or

football team, or playing oddball sports, or using last year’s tech; not liking girls, not liking boys,

not liking either, liking both. Plus others, plus combinations. By more than one marker, I was

weird, and I hadn’t always kept my head down. But there’d definitely been no bullying at Sir

Long-Dead-Parliamentarian School. Or Royalist, as the case may be. Oh no.

That didn’t come close to summing up the suffocating, hope-crushing, soul-sucking, shit-brown

hole that is Marden Combe. I needed to escape.

If I had a plan, it was that music would save me…

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

About the Author:

William lives in a small Buckinghamshire village in England. By night he writes speculative,

historical, crime and other fiction. His debut novel, EXPIRATION DAY, was published by Tor

Teen in 2014 and won the 2015 Hal Clement Award for better than half-decent science in a YA

novel—the citation actually says "Excellence in Children's Science Fiction Literature".

William’s latest novel - TEARDOWN - was published 10th December 2024, by NineStar Press in

the US; it is an LGBT+ romance/road-trip.

His short fiction has appeared in DreamForge, Metastellar, Abyss & Apex and other outlets.

By day he writes software for a living and in the twilight he sings tenor, plays guitar and writes

songs.

My websites: https://williamcampbellpowell.com/

https://teardownbook.co.uk/

Buy Links: https://teardownbook.co.uk/#where The book will be on sale for $0.99

Social Media:

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

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/willcampowell

BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/willcampowell.bsky.social

One USP: The book is about a band and contains original songs, for which I have created

demos – see/listen: https://williamcampbellpowell.com/music/music.html

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Book Blast - Syndicate Moon by Scott Killian

 

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Scott Killian 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.

Jael and his crew are on the run, searching for an ancient machine that could save the galaxy, but the syndicate-controlled moon has other plans.

After uncovering an artifact that grants him extraordinary powers, Jael thought he had gained the upper hand in the lawless fringes of space. But news of his newfound abilities has spread throughout the galaxy, and a bounty is placed on his head for crimes he didn’t commit. New enemies emerge to claim the reward and old foes remain relentless in their pursuit of the artifact.

Jael is unwillingly thrust into a high-stakes game that determines control over the moon. The four crime syndicates use this brutal contest to decide who will rule, and now Jael’s fate is entangled with theirs.

Complicating matters further, a mysterious woman with a similar artifact stalks Jael across the moon, sabotaging his quest. With each step, the stakes rise, and every decision could mean life or death. Jael must fight to stay alive, protect his crew, and uncover the second Antiqui lock—before time runs out.

Read an Excerpt:

Sprinting to the edge of the barge, Jael quickly reloaded his pistol with his last three slugs. He aimed and fired at Lorvel. Lorvel swung to the side, barely avoiding Jael’s shot. Jael cursed under his breath and fired again, but Lorvel moved surprisingly fast, evading again. Not wanting to waste his final bullet, Jael holstered the pistol and dashed toward Lorvel. Lorvel had managed to get up onto the side of the barge, and he rolled to avoid Jael’s charge. Jael skidded to a stop, sending loose trash over the side and quickly pivoting and dropping into a fighting stance.

Lorvel fired his own weapon at Jael, but black crystalline armor erupted from Jael’s skin, deflecting the shots. The bullets pinged off the scales, creating sparks. Lorvel’s gun clicked, signaling that his clip was empty. He dove behind a mound of trash, disappearing from sight. Jael rushed to the spot, but when he reached the pile, Lorvel was already gone.

“So what is all that rocky juuk?” Lorvel called out, his voice now coming from the opposite direction of where he had been just moments earlier. “A nanite lattice? Some new tech you stole from Hezion Corp? That why you killed them all, butcher?”

“Sure. Whatever you want to think.” Jael moved around the barge, walking slowly at first and then running to where he thought Lorvel was hiding. “You wouldn’t believe the real story even if I told you.”

“Try me. I’ve been around the galaxy and seen a few things.”

Jael heard the click of Lorvel’s hammer on his gun pull back. Two shots pounded into the back of Jael’s head, and he spun around to see nothing but trash. “Why don’t you come out and fight me face to face?”

Lorvel laughed. “Because I’m not suicidal. You just bodied a half-dozen of Legion’s…” There was a momentary silence before Lorvel spoke again. “Well, I won’t say best, but they were pretty good fighters.”

Merzi zipped overhead, turning and idling. Jael and her made eye contact, and she nodded her head to his right. He slowly and as quietly as he could shift his weight and sprang over a pile of refuse.

“Saihreen warned us you were some kind of warrior monk. Said we should be—” Lorvel didn’t get to finish.

Jael came crashing down on Lorvel. Both the men strained as they wrestled for control. With a quick twist of his wrist, Lorvel managed to bring his gun around and shoved it into Jael's midsection. Slamming his forearm into Lorvel’s wrist, Jael redirected the shot. The gun discharged, and the bullet hammered into Jael’s side. It hurt, but Jael powered through and struck down Lorvel’s hand, trying to free the gun.

Lorvel snarled and used his free hand to jab at Jael’s ribs, attempting to find an opening. Jael grunted, absorbing the blow and tightening his grip around Lorvel’s arm. He twisted Lorvel’s wrist, forcing the gun into an upward angle.

The next few shots were fired into the air. He brought his knee up into Lorvel’s midsection. Lorvel gasped, the impact knocking the wind out of him, and Jael wrenched the gun from his grasp.

Slamming the butt of the pistol into Lorvel’s face, he flipped it and pulled the trigger.

About the Author: Scott Killian grew up in California where he consumed every bit of sci-fi, fantasy and horror media he could find. Delving deep into the works of Frank Herbert, Isaac Asimov, and H. P. Lovecraft, those portals in his mind were opened, and his obsession with reading began. Storytelling, in any form, is his only passion.

Inspired by epic sci-fi space operas, Killian crafts tales of interstellar adventure and space wars, blending thrilling martial arts combat with galactic-scale conflict. His works often feature gritty fight sequences and complex characters caught in the heart of a stellar conflict, creating a unique blend of space opera thriller and sci-fi epic.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Scott.E.killian
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@authorscottkillian
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/s.e.killian/
Twitter: https://x.com/authorsekillian

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Syndicate-Moon-Thrilling-Sci-fi-Stellar-ebook/dp/B0DG3XZCSH/ref=sr_1_1 FREE TO READ ON KINDLE UNLIMITED

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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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VBT - Off the Books by Dana King

It's a tour and this week I'm featuring Off the Books by Dana King. You'll want to keep reading because there's a great interview included and prizes. Like? Dana King will award a $20 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner. How cool is that? Want more chances to win? Then comment on this post and follow the tour. You can do that here: https://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2024/02/standard-tour-off-books-by-dana-king.html

 OFF THE BOOKS

Dana King

Nick Forte has lost his detective agency and makes ends meet doing background checks and other paperwork. He pays for everything else through jobs he takes for cash and without any written contract. What starts out as a simple investigation into a traffic accident exposes Forte to people who have truly lost everything and have no viable hope of reclaiming their lives. That doesn’t sit well with Forte, leading him and his friend Goose Satterwhite to take action that ends more violently than anyone expected.

“The return of Chicago private detective Nick Forte, the tough protagonist of two Shamus Award nominated novels, is well worth the wait. Nick’s latest escapade Off The Books—the first in nearly six years—will surely earn additional praise for the acclaimed series.”

-J.L .Abramo, Shamus Award-winning author of Chasing Charlie Chan.

"Nick Forte reminds me of Robert B. Parker's Spenser: a PI with a finely tuned sense of justice who doesn't take anyone's s***. Any fan of hardboiled detective fiction is in for a helluva ride."

--Chris Rhatigan, former publisher of All Due Respect Books

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

And now for an Interview with the author:

Hi. I’m Nick Forte, Chicago private investigator and protagonist of Dana King’s new novel, Off the Books. Dana had a urologist appointment and the day got away from him, so I volunteered to step in. Between you and me, I’m more entertaining than he is, anyway.



1. Describe yourself in three words.

Incurable smart ass.


2. Cast your book. Tell us who would play the main characters in a movie and why.

Me (Nick Forte): Brad Pitt. I don’t look anything like him, but how cool would it be to have Brad Pitt play you in a movie? It had to be the highlight of Billy’s Beane’s life when Brad was cast to be him in Moneyball. More practically, I think Live Schreiber would do a hell of a job.


Goose Satterwhite: Don Cheadle is who I think of when I write for Goose.

Laurie the waitress: A twenty-year-old Zooey Deschanel.

Donald Bower: Gene Hackman, who can be just the right amount of greasy when he wants to be.

(Understand, all of these people are too old to play these characters now. I mean when they were the right ages.)


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

Woody Allen and Diane Keaton from Love and Death. After the room has been destroyed, Diane asks Woody, “Where did you learn to make love like that?”

Woody: “I practice a lot when I’m alone.”


4. What’s your wildest fantasy?

I’d like to tell you about Charlize Theron and the chocolate fountain, but after three cease and desist letters and one restraining order, I probably better not. Use your imagination.


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

Probably hearing. That would take care of a lot of unwanted interruptions.


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


I used to think it was the time I got Cheryl Beckwell to let me touch her boobs behind the fire hall, but now that I think back on it, it was probably the two hitchhikers I killed.

Quickies:

Boxers or Briefs? Boxers
Top or Bottom? Depends on who else is there.
Pajamas or nude? Boxers
Hairy chests or smooth? Smooth, no implants.
Alpha or Beta? Depends on who else is there.

Now for an excerpt:

I first saw him standing under the “employees only” sign near the exit to the truck service bays. Early twenties, a little under average height, short blond hair. Caroline was unaware of him, focused as she was on a three-way text conversation with her friends Maria and Arielle.

The next time the kid caught my attention he was half as far away, standing where the food court opened into the convenience store. I only noticed him this time because I recognized him, and he was the only Love’s employee on the floor. His name was Jimmy, and he was definitely looking our direction. 

I’m an old-school father with an only child. A daughter, no less. My primary purpose in life was to make sure no one messed with her. Everything else—work, food, clothing, mortgage payments, staying out of prison—comes after. Jimmy hadn’t done anything wrong, but the Dadar had activated.

All fathers think their daughters are beautiful; I had empirical evidence. If the steady stream of boys circling the periphery of her life looking for an in wasn’t enough, I once overheard another kid in the band describe her to a friend as the “archetype of virginal beauty.” (What can I say? Magnet school.)

The next time I caught sight of Jimmy he stood three feet behind Caroline, checking her out with rapt attention. I sidled over, using my best stealth technique. He never saw me coming until I leaned in close and spoke in my most quietly menacing voice. “She’s thirteen years old.”

Jimmy evaporated faster than a snowflake in a  microwave..

I still got it.

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

About the Author:

Off the Books is Dana King’s sixth Nick Forte private investigator novel. Two of the earlier books (A Small Sacrifice and The Man in the Window) received Shamus Award nominations from the Private Eye Writers of America. Dana also writes the Penns River series of police procedurals set in a small Western Pennsylvania town, as well as one standalone novel, Wild Bill, which is not a Western. His short fiction appears in numerous anthologies and web sites. He is a frequent panelist at conferences and reads at Noirs at Bars from New York to North Carolina. 

WEBSITE

https://danakingauthor.com

BLOG 

One Bite at a Time https://danaking.blogspot.com

TWITTER

@DanaKingAuthor

FACEBOOK

https://www.facebook.com/dana.king.735/

BUY LINKS 

http://tinyurl.com/4w2avye3

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

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Book Blast - Family Pride - Blood Fever by Deborah A Bailey

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Deborah A. Bailey 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.

Book two of the Family Pride Paranormal Romance Series

After claiming Zora Mason as his mate, and fighting off a threat to the MacKinnon pride, Mac is more than ready to get back to managing his coffee bar and settling into mated bliss. But just when it looks like things are quieting down, Mac and Zora find more challenges ahead.

Plans for Zora and Mac’s official introduction to the pride, and the opening of the new coffee bar may be derailed when, gripped by a mysterious blood fever lingering after the leadership challenge, Mac is driven to the edge of his endurance as he fights to keep his inner lion under control.

Juggling her responsibilities in the business and her position as the mate of the pride leader becomes even more challenging when Zora is forced to confront her fear that Mac is changing into someone she doesn’t recognize.

As the fever pushes Mac to the edge, the revelation of an old, painful family secret proves to be the key to saving Mac’s life. Zora and Mac come up with a plan to end the threat of the fever forever, but that same plan may destroy them both.

Is their love strong enough to defeat the blood fever, so they can live happily ever after as mates?

Read an Excerpt

She heard it. Scratching. Where was it coming from? She froze as she realized it was at the front door. Scratching accompanied by a low growl.

Fear bubbled up from the pit of her stomach. Holding her breath, as though whatever it was could hear her, she set the carafe down on the counter. What was out there? Only one way to find out.

Tiptoeing across the floor, she made her way to the window next to the door. Even though her hand was shaking, she managed to move the curtain just enough so she could peer out. She saw their cars, and nothing else. Unfortunately, her view didn't allow her to see if anyone was directly in front of the door.

More scratching, this time like a claw was dragging across the wood. She went to the door but stopped with her hand poised over the knob.

"Mac?" Her voice was little more than a croak. By now her heart was thundering in her chest, as adrenalin flooded her, preparing her to run if she had to.

Another growl, then the sound of something or someone falling against the gravel.

She couldn't stand there wondering what was going on outside. She had to find out. Zora turned the knob and opened the door just enough to see who was on the other side.

"Mac!" She flung the door open with such force that it swung back and banged against the wall.

He fell into the doorway and hit the floor. Dragging himself, he reached out to her, his fingers bloody. "Zora…help me…"

She dropped to her knees and pulled, trying to help him get traction to cross the threshold and into the house. But he didn't have the strength to help her.

"Baby what happened?" She was on her knees now, grasping him by the shoulders. "Mac!"

He fell over on his back and she saw the scratches across his chest, and a long bloody gash along his thigh. What had happened out there? His body was covered in dirt and sweat.

About the Author:

Deborah A Bailey's Romantic Fantasy, Paranormal & Science Fiction Romance novels include suspense, a bit of mystery and a lot of romantic heat.

Her short stories have won awards from the Philadelphia Writers' Conference and have been published in US1 Magazine and the Sun and are included in, Electric Dreams: Seven Futuristic Tales. She's the author of non-fiction books, and articles for various online publications.

Visit her website for more information and subscribe to the newsletter so you'll be the first to find out about giveaways, book launches and sneak peeks.

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Family Pride: Blood Fever and Family Pride: Love and Challenges will be on sale for 0.99 on Amazon, B&N, Apple & Kobo from 12/26/22 – 1/9/23

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Book Blast ~ In the Mood by MW Arnold

 

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. M W Arnold 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.

During a hectic couple of weeks in February 1944, the girls of the Air Transport Auxiliary Mystery Club must face devastating personal loss amongst their number. A member of an illegal faction blackmails Betty, whilst a mystery at Mary's ancestral home threatens to cause more trouble than anyone thought possible. In the midst of what should be the happiest of times, the portents seem to be catching up and little is what it seems to be. Can the girls find the strength to battle forces both internal and external, yet still maintain their dignity and friendship?

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After lowering the shoebox into the newly dug hole behind Riverview Cottage, Walter stood up straight again.

“Over to you, Ruth,” he said, bowing his head.

Ruth nodded, bowed her head, and clasped her hands before her. “Dear Lord, in whom we trust and worship, accept this, a symbolic foot, to your mercy. Look over my son in his time of need, all his friends, and the subjects of His Majesty, King George the Sixth. Amen.”

“Amen,” Walter echoed and handed Ruth a trowel.

Bending down, Ruth shoveled some dirt over the box before passing the tool back to Walter, who did the same. Turning around, Ruth called for Bobby and placed him on the leash once he came to a halt at her ankles. Walter now filled in the rest of the hole and patted it down with the back of the trowel.

Dusting some dirt off his knees, Walter got to his feet. “Ready for work?”

Ruth cast one glance down at the small mound of earth. “I suppose.”

“There’s the enthusiasm I love!” he joked, offering Ruth his arm.

Taking it, Ruth led him toward the side entrance with Bobby pulling on his leash, eager for an early morning walk. Squeezing Walter’s hand, Ruth told him, “At least I can put in my next letter to my son that we’ve held a funeral for his foot. I feel a little guilty, as it’s a while now since I told him I’d do one.”

About the Author:

M W Arnold lives near Northampton, UK and is known to his family and friends as, Mick. He was in the Royal Air Force for 16 years, visiting many different countries and very much enjoying himself. If he ever meets the Queen, he will have to thank her. He began writing as these characters needed their own voices. For a few years now, he's been a member of the Romantic Novelists Association, a wonderful group of writers who've welcomed this bloke into their fold with open arms.

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Book Blast ~ Forever Askole by Gail Koger

 

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My name is Ella McAllister, I’m a psychic witch and a healer. My life is kinda nuts. Not only do I have the Coletti hunters chasing me, but now I also have a very determined Askole High Commander after me. Why? I shot his ship down and it crash landed, and it blew up. Yep, itty-bitty pieces everywhere. My bad, but his ship was a dead ringer for a Rodan Marauder, and it was my civic duty to blow the enemy spacecraft out of the sky. Wasn’t it? Any hoo, I healed his owies and boogied.

I thought that was the end of it, but oh no. For some unknown reason, Sariel, the Askole High Commander, decided I would make him the perfect mate. As if. I think the blow to his head made him completely bonkers.

Sariel informed me the mating dance had begun and there was nothing I could do to stop it. The idiot had obviously never dealt with a witch before. I didn’t have the time to play games with him, so I did a little abracadabra alakazam and ran.

Sigh. The persistent Askole found me. Now I have a decision to make. Keep running or surrender to the High Commander. He is a damn good kisser.

Would the mating dance bring two lonely souls together? Who knew?

Read an Excerpt:

Sariel abruptly changed the subject. “I had armor made for you.”

That got my attention. “Did you?” Since I was heading for the Wild West of the galaxy, body armor would come in handy. “What’s the catch?”

Amusement lit Sariel’s eyes. “So suspicious.”

“You bet your ass I am. What’s the catch?”

“A simple kiss and the armor is yours.” Sariel’s big hand cupped my ass.

Geeze, he was like an octopus. I removed his hand. “That’s it?”

“Yes.”

“Uh huh.” The sneaky bastard was planning something, but what? I kissed his chin. “There you go. Where’s my armor.

Sariel laughed. “A real kiss with tongue.”

I really wanted that armor. I pressed my lips to his and took small, careful tastes of his mouth. I didn’t want to impale myself on his fangs. Yep, Sariel definitely tasted like cinnamon. A wild, edgy excitement tore through me as our tongues tangled in a slow, sensual dance.

Sariel caught my chin in his hand and the hot friction of his mouth had me vibrating with pure, undiluted need. He was a fever in my blood. I burned for him. I had a sudden, overpowering need to fuck Sariel blind. No! No! No! This was bad on so many levels. I had to stop this before I did something stupid. “Stop! You’ve got your kiss. Where is my armor?”

“Obstinate to the end. Your former lover has much to answer for.”

About the Author:

I was a 9-1-1 dispatcher for the Glendale Police Department and to keep from going totally bonkers – I mean people have no idea what a real emergency is. Take this for example: I answered, “9-1-1 emergency, what’s your emergency?” And this hysterical woman yelled, “My bird is in a tree.” Sometimes I really couldn’t help myself, so I said, “Birds have a tendency to do that, ma’am.” The woman screeched, “No! You don’t understand. My pet parakeet is in the tree. I’ve just got to get him down.” Like I said, not a clue. “I’m sorry ma’am but we don’t get birds out of trees.” The woman then cried, “But… What about my husband? He’s up there, too.” See what I had to deal with? To keep from hitting myself repeatedly in the head with my phone I took up writing.

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Book Blast ~ Rose Hawthorne by Shannon O'Gorman

 

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Shannon O'Gorman will be awarding a $40 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.

Rose Hawthorne: The Irish Wanders follows Rose, a celebrity author in her early seventies, who dislikes the limelight but does like Hermes scarfs, round violet sunglasses, and old colonial hotels. One day, she receives a letter asking her to visit Newgrange, Ireland and discover something that has been hidden there for a thousand years.

She asks her granddaughter Samantha to accompany her, but she hadn’t expected her to continually post photos of their progress on her Instagram account. An encounter with an old love and an unexpected discovery leads Rose deeper into the past, where she finds she must make a hard decision about her future.

Read an Excerpt

At first, the music the fiddler played was lively, his fingers deftly danced across the strings, and a few couples got up to spin around the floor. Towards the end of his set, he played exquisite notes that washed over the pub, making the dust dance, and it rose in the air like magic. The cheering and conversation quieted down for his last song. It was a slow piece that most of them recognised. The fiddler hit the final note with such poignancy that it echoed throughout the pub. When the music stopped, the whole pub went quiet.They cleared their throats and blinked back tears, and then took a few last swallows from their pints.

“Nothing like a bit of Irish music to bring out the tears,” Bill admitted wiping an eye.

“It's something so special,” Rose agreed with a small sniff.

And all around the pub, they raised their glasses to the fiddler and his music.

As people began to leave the pub, Rose realized that it was getting late and neither of them had eaten yet.

“Shall we eat something? Maybe grab some fish and chips?” Bill said, reading her mind.

“Perfect,” she replied in a low, quiet voice.

They bought some greasy fish and chips at a nearby takeaway. It was wrapped in brown paper and covered with the Dublin news.

Then, they walked the streets until they found a bench under the stars away from the shouts, laughter and the lights. Beside the river, they were alone. They unwrapped the greasy paper and ate the cod hungrily, stuffing the vinegar smeared fries quickly into their mouths.

“Do you want the last chip?” Bill had said softly, holding it up in his greasy fingers.

About the Author:

Shannon O’Gorman is a retired ESL teacher who has recently completed her second walk on the Camino de Santiago. She is currently training her dog to accompany her on a Camino one day. She lives in California with her husband and daughter when university is not in session.

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Cover Reveal ~ JANE AUSTEN LIED TO ME, a rom-com by Jeanette Watt

 

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions to reveal the cover of the upcoming rerelease of JANE AUSTEN LIED TO ME, a rom-com by Jeanette Watts. The author will be awarding a $15 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn host. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Dear Diary,

In three years of college, there are seven times my life seemed to suddenly turn into a Jane Austen novel; seven times my life, instead of becoming a romance, turned into a made-for-TV drama.

What am I doing wrong?

About the Author:

Jeanette Watts has written three Jane Austen-inpsired novels, two other works of historical fiction, stage melodramas, television commercials, and humorous essays for Kindle Vella.

When she is not writing, she is either dancing, sewing, or walking around in costume at a Renaissance festival talking in a funny accent and offering to find new ladies’ maids for everyone she finds in fashionably-ripped jeans.

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Book Blast ~ Murderous Interruptions by CJ Carson

 

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. C.J. Carson 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.

The paranormal mystery The Veils of Parallel Times continues with “Murderous Interruptions”. Allie Callahan’s nemesis is a challenging and formidable adversary.

Travel with Allie as she finally accepts and embraces her ancestral gifts to stop her archenemy who would have her destroyed for his own lust of power. Explore the depths of her relationship with this rival in this life and beyond the veil.

Read an Excerpt

When I turned from the fire to respond, the woman hushed me. “You have much work to do, my dear, now rest.” She held me in her arms, swallowing me up in the most comforting sleep I could remember for a very long time, maybe ever.

Hours later, the warm glare of the sun’s first light sliced through the trees of the forest, waking me from a sound sleep. The air was cool and crisp, and I was laying next to the fire that had burned down to smoldering coals. Suddenly, realizing I wasn’t dreaming, I was in unfamiliar surroundings. I remembered the woman I had met the evening before, but she was not within eyeshot. Glancing around to get my bearings, it was shocking to be sitting in the middle of a small clearing of the woods. Several teepees made of tall tree branches wrapped in animal skins sat along the edge of the clearing. Standing and sliding out from under the animal skin blanket, I looked down to see myself dressed in unfamiliar clothes, and leather moccasins covering my feet. I had the strange sensation I was in a familiar place, but still not where I belonged.

Before I took one step, I scanned the area. Then something compelled me to approach one of the dwellings. As I drew closer, an Indian brave stepped out. Grabbing me by the arm, he pulled me into the teepee and shoved me to the ground. Walking to the edge of the space, he retrieved a large round basket and shot it at me with such force I thought it might fray. Shocked, I gazed up at him, he looked oddly familiar, but it was his eyes that gave him away. These new experiences were teaching me that the eyes were indeed the window to the soul. Those dark brown eyes were those of a man I knew all too well. Makya! Could this be Makya? Had I known him through other lifetimes? Although he spoke in a different tongue, it somehow translated perfectly for me.

He was angry and started barking. “You are a lazy dreamer. Why you insist on leaving our dwelling and choose to lay with the fire in place of me is a mystery. You need to do your gathering, and you are late in starting your day. I am off to hunt. You will obey me and begin behaving like a squaw worthy of me.”

I heard footsteps outside as someone was approaching. “Calian, are you coming? We are late; the morning is half over.”

Stunned, my eyes widened. Makya? Although the man called him Calian, the spirit was too familiar. It was the evil spirit I’d come to know as Makya! It didn’t look like him, but it was his temperament.

As I pushed up to my knees, Calian glared down at me, striking out in my direction. Although his hand never touched me, a force knocked me back to the ground. As I raised my hand to him, he grabbed my wrist, twisting it, and forced me back to the ground.

“You know better. Do not use your powers on me. I will strike you down every time. You are no match for me!”

Panic rose in me as I struggled to understand what was happening. If this brave was indeed Makya by a different name, how did we get here?

Pushing through the opening in the structure, he paused without turning to me. “Do not return this afternoon unless you have filled that basket with berries and some healing herbs. You must learn your place and mind your responsibilities. Do not make me the laughingstock of this tribe one more time!”

I listened to his footsteps as he jogged off, mounted his horse, and rode away before I got up from the ground.

About the Author:

CJ Carson was inspired by a great story from a very early age. What brought her to this juncture in life and encouraged her to put pen to paper are the many rich experiences and opportunities of her life's journey.

While working in the medical field, she explored energy work and became a Polarity Therapist and Reiki Therapist.

Exploring acting brought her into the theatre world both on the stage and behind the scenes.

Painting introduced her to a group of artists that shared her passion for bringing a scene to canvas.

Her love of singing allowed her to travel twice to Europe as a soloist with conductor Sonja Dahlgren Prior, who inspired her to do something, she never dreamed possible.

CJ Carson has always wanted to write. Now she is introducing to the world her second published book, "Murderous Interruptions," from her trilogy, Veils of Parallel Times.

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Book Blast ~ When the Earth Shall Be No More by Paul Awad and Kathryn O'Sullivan

 

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Paul Awad and Kathryn O'Sullivan 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.

Environmental scientist Constance Roy is one of forty-nine refugees rescued from Earth’s destruction and transported to the ark spaceship Orb by an automaton race called the Curators. Twelve months have passed since their rescue. But now, with the ship’s orbit decaying, the refugees seem doomed to crash into Jupiter’s fiery belly.

In a parallel universe on present-day Earth, another version of Constance seeks answers to the questions that have haunted her since childhood: How and why did her mother die? The head of a mysterious corporation housed at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility can give her the answers, but not without a price.

Two timestreams collide when the Constance on Earth discovers that Nicolas, her son, has the ability to save the Orb and its inhabitants. Now she must battle treacherous Curators wishing to destroy Nicolas, while on the Orb, another Constance must fight to save the ship from Jupiter’s fatal pull. Only together can they save their son – and future generations of humankind.

Read an Excerpt

Constance Roy cupped her hands around her eyes, pressed them against the cold window glass, and peered into the dark vista. She squinted at the sea of stars and spotted the constellations Ursa Major and Minor, Cygnus, and her favorite, the Dog Star, Sirius. She wiped away condensation and focused on the ferocious red eye in the distance. Although she was safe in her cabin, Jupiter’s massive storm, the Great Red Spot, gave her pause. She pictured herself tumbling through Jupiter’s clouds, her suit ripped away by the three-hundred-mile-per-hour winds, her breath squeezed from her chest by the enormous pressure, gasping for air, for life, as she was wrenched into the planet’s cyclone. This terrifying event was only in her imagination—for now. She had survived the nightmare of the migration. She was one of the “lucky” ones. Unless something changed, however, in three days the ship’s life-sustaining resources and their luck would run out, and her alarming imaginings would become inevitability.

About the Author:

Paul Awad and Kathryn O'Sullivan are an award-winning husband and wife writing and filmmaking team. They have collaborated on feature and documentary films, screenplays, and a web series. WHEN EARTH SHALL BE NO MORE is their first book collaboration. Paul is a cinema professor and Kathryn is a theatre professor at Northern Virginia Community College. Kathryn is also the author of the Colleen McCabe mystery series.

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