Sharing Links and Wisdom

Tuesday, August 13, 2019

Loved by the Beast Book Blast

Blurb:
Anna has plans for her life. This fall, she will be heading off to medical school, well on her way to becoming a doctor. But first, she and her besties head to Ireland to celebrate.

Nowhere did her future plans even include serious dating, let alone becoming mated to a man who can turn into a freaking beast with wings. Nor did she reckon with being sucked through a portal onto another planet while on her way home from a great night out.

Yet from the very first time her new mate touches her, Anna wonders if this could be the real deal – as in: the big L. The only problem is, her mate says his kind do not love; they protect, they pleasure, and they provide. Can Anna really kiss goodbye to all her plans for the future, and agree to spend the rest of her existence without love?

Publisher’s Note: This steamy paranormal romance, while the third in the Alcyran Chronicles series, can be read and enjoyed as a standalone.

Excerpt:

D’Vorak launched himself off the rooftop, took to the air, and sniffed the wind. He soared like a ghostly specter, blending in with the night. On the streets below, the people never glanced up as he glided above. Perhaps that was why they didn’t know their world was dying. They were too involved with what was right in front of them to view the larger picture.

Working with Rhiannon was risky. He understood the perils of trusting the Clovis wench. However, she had promised that if he succeeded in this task, she would sever his people’s ties with the Clovis. That must happen before the truth of the Gūla was discovered—the truth they had kept hidden, the weapons they had forged.

All he had to do was find the three women and take them to his planet. Three particular women whom Rhiannon indicated were descended from the original line of Clovis. Earth had been the home world for the Clovis before they discovered the wormhole to Destruna, another realm, another world where they weren’t persecuted and fled this one. The ancient lore of the Gūla described the first arrival of the Clovis on Destruna. At that time, the tribes had been primitive, living in thatch huts. It was the Clovis who taught them to build, to write, to read.

It was during that time, the true wealth of the Gūla was discovered. Warlords seized the mines filled with lunar crystals. When put together, they glowed, and were a power source unlike anything else on Destruna.

And from that power source they had created weapons capable of bringing down a Dráo, and protecting their realm. But the weapons created were too potent if they fell into the wrong hands. He shuddered at the thought of the Clovis with them. Queen Mona was already a power hungry wench with immense resources; she didn’t need more at her disposal.

His nose caught a whiff of sweetness on the breeze. The potency and flavor reminded him of dragonsbane wine. Being surrounded by the foreign stench, his beast wanted to roll around in the familiar scent.

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About the Author:

Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Anya grew up listening to Cardinals baseball and reading anything she could get her hands on. She remembers her mother saying if only she would read the right type of books instead binging her way through the romance aisles at the bookstore, she’d have been a doctor. While Anya never did get that doctorate, she graduated cum laude from the University of Missouri-St. Louis with an M.A. in History.

Anya is a bestselling and award-winning author published in multiple fiction genres. She also writes urban fantasy, paranormal romance, and contemporary romance under the name Maggie Mae Gallagher. (http://www.maggiemaegallagher.com/) A total geek at her core, when she is not writing, she adores attending the latest comic con or spending time with her family. She currently lives in the Midwest with her two furry felines.

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Thursday, August 8, 2019

Revelations Review Tour

Blurb:

Aster Worthington is whisked away from delivering an astronomy lecture to a secret facility in New Mexico. There she spearheads a select group of scientists investigating First Contact with an alien civilization, in this case a message from an altruistic race called the Lambdons who are offering plans for a reactor giving humanity free energy. Humans build the reactor and, per the instructions from the message, house it in a massive Dome.

Seven years later strange things have been happening inside the Dome and Aster is sent in to investigate. She finds impossibly high buildings filling the interior and weird life forms inhabiting what should a sterile environment. Then the impossible happens: thousands of Lambdons are found inhabiting the Dome and they are not friendly at all. Now two civilizations are on a collision course and humanity is most definitely going to lose. The last hope of humanity? A two-thousand-year old scroll hidden by the church.

Excerpt:

The Message

“Maybe it’s just a coincidence,” Stenton suggested.

“No. There won’t be coincidences in this message, Dr. Stenton,” said Demarco in a dismissive voice. He then went to the podium, which Henry ceded, tapped some keys and a moment later, the ones and zeros of the binary message aligned themselves in the form of a perfect square. With a flourish, Demarco pushed the last button. A black square appeared for every zero in the message and a white square for everyone. A black and white array appeared, rendering a clear, unambiguous picture of a planetary system. One with four planets, the second one from the sun circled.

“My God!” someone shouted from the back. “They sent us a picture.”

Henry smiled and yelled to Louis. “Hey, Louis, I told you a picture would be easy.”

Without taking his eyes off the screen, Demarco asked, “Is that the Lambda system, Dr. Worthington?”

Heads swiveled to Aster. She nodded. “Yes. That is the correct spacing for the Lambda star system.”

“Another large number after the last spacer. Different one, but the same number of bits,” Jeremy announced, speaking loud over the din.

Demarco did his magic again, and a humanoid body filled the screen, strikingly similar to a human, except for a slightly larger head. Their hands had three digits, not five.

“It’s them.”

“They’re like us.”

Someone from the back shouted, “The Lambdons.” Now the aliens had a face and a name.

Louis, however, scrunched his face in consternation. He shuffled close to the screen, studying it.

Aster watched the muttering biologist. “Louis, what’s wrong?”

Louis turned around, his face worried. “These Lambdons… they look like us.”

“Not exactly like us. They have three fingers and a larger head.”

“Too close,” mumbled the biologist.

My Review:

4 stars

This book was a blast to read (yes, that’s s space pun). I enjoyed diving into the world the author created, with some friendly aliens…who end up being not so friendly.

The characters were interesting, and I liked the romance between Brock and Aster (though it did annoy me a tad at times when it was the typical strong female character going all sparkly eyes at the big strong male). I liked the Lambdons the most though because I felt they were the most thought out characters. Finding out their motivations in the conclusion alone was intriguing, as it made me look back on everything I’d read in a different light.

The plot was also interesting, though I didn’t quite get the point of the religious undertones throughout the story. I might be overthinking the intent of including this, but when reading the epilogue, it made it seem like this book was the setup for a series where the religious undertones would come even more into play, which I would like to see, as the epilogue has one heck of a cliffhanger/opening for a new book.

All in all, this was a fun sci-fi novel, and I would recommend it to sci-fi fans looking for some well-planned aliens.

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*

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Author Bio and Links:

Robert Sells has taught physics for over forty years, but he has been a storyteller for over half a century, entertaining children, grandchildren, and students. He has written the award-winning novel, Return of the White Deer, historical fiction about Penda of Mercia. His second fiction book, Reap the Whirlwind, was a thriller about the dawn of artificial intelligence and the subsequent decline of humanity. His third book, The Runner and the Robbery, was a young adult novel about a teenager and his grandfather who had Alzheimer’s disease. Revelations, a science fiction novel, is his fourth book.

He lives with his wife, Dale, in the idyllic village of Geneseo, New York with two attentive dogs who are uncritical sounding boards for his new stories. He is intrigued by poker and history, in love with Disney and writing, and amused by religion and politics.

Amazon Author Page | Goodreads

The book will be $.99 during the tour.

Wednesday, August 7, 2019

Time Travel Blurb Blitz

Blurb:
Angelie Thompson invented a time machine in 2015 and her boyfriend, John Salvador, was accidentally transported back to 1970. Left with no other option, Angelie journeys through time, searching for John. Along the way, she encounters several adventures, meeting new people on her desperate search for her lover.

Meanwhile, stranded in 1970 and with no hope of ever returning back to his own time, John begins a new life, working as a receptionist in Lesti Hotel where he finds a new love, Elisha.

Conflict arises among the characters due to their complicated relationships and when disaster strikes, it's up to Angelie to save the world with her time machine invention.

The tale of ‘Time Travel’ highlights love, determination and friendship.

Excerpt:

The sound of metal in the time machine groaned as Angelie Thompson turned it to the left with her ratchet.

“All done,” she murmured to herself.

Standing up, she typed in the places and years in the time machine remote control to test it. The six foot black octagon shaped time machine lit up and opened its doors. Angelie smiled and said to herself, “Someday, I’ll use it again.”

Then she headed to the table where her “Best in Science” award and her twelfth-grade last-semester report card was to study her notes.

Time Machine Notes:

1. Make sure the red wires are connected to the blue wires.
2. Buttons for the dates and places in the time machine remote control must be connected to the time machine so it can transport in the correct time.
3. Time machine remote control must have batteries.
4. No injury

Angelie reviewed the notes and stretched her arm to ease the muscle cramps there. “Well, everything seems fine.”

As she looked back at the time machine, she heard a knock and turned to the door.

John Salvador, her boyfriend, stood before her and he held up a steaming cup towards her. “Honey, here’s your cappuccino to keep you functional.” He kissed her on the lips.

She replied, “Thanks, honey,” as she took the drink and sat.

He grabbed a chair and sat next to her then glanced at her time machine notes. “Did you finally finish your work?”

Angelie gulped, and then replied, “I think so. All the wires seem to be in place and transportation to the dates and places are working properly.”

He looked at the notes then stood up, walking toward the time machine. With a look of seriousness, he said, “I guess you’re ready.” He glanced over his shoulder to smile back at her. “Do you want to catch a movie to relax for a while? Buzz is the 2015 movie of the year.”

Angelie shook her head in response. “I don’t think so. Do you want to try it now?” With a pause, she added, “Do you think it’ll work?”

He walked over to the time machine and stood beside her.

She asked, “So, do you want to go to the year 3050 to see what the future looks like?”

He grinned. “Definitely.”

Angelie typed “3050” under the “year” in the time machine remote control and the door opened.

John’s eyes widened. “Wow.”

They entered the time machine nervously, stood still and held the handle on the side. The machine cast a white smoke inside, blinding them temporarily, a signal that it had transported them to the year 3050.

Inside, the time machine, they remained nervous as they did not know what lay ahead of them. After ten minutes, the time machine’s automatic slide door opened behind a tree, allowing them to see cars that could fly. The people were dressed in odd suits, there were also robots, robotic animals talking to each other and no pollution in the air. The water was crystal-clear, the roads made of metal, and buildings built with glass.

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About the Author:

I am born in the Philippines but I now reside in Las Vegas, Nevada. I self-published my first book, Annagram, in 2015 about three countries fighting for an island.

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Tuesday, August 6, 2019

The Angel and the Seal Book Blast

Blurb:
The Angel and the SEAL . . . a cozy mystery with romantic suspense from the Mystery Angel Romances series. An angel hidden in every book waiting for you to figure out who . . .

Navy SEAL Sean MacKay's teammate is murdered after stealing a deadly nerve-gas formula from Syrian terrorists. Naval Intelligence believes MacKay's teammate was a traitor and shipped the stolen formula to his sister in the states for safekeeping. MacKay is given orders to find the sister before the terrorists do and to retrieve the stolen formula at all costs.

Foreclosure looms for Cory Rigatero as she fights to keep her rustic resort near Mt. St. Helens afloat after her brother deserted her to join the SEAL Teams. Cory's whole world dives into a tailspin when Sean MacKay shows up at her resort with the news of her brother's death and the wild suspicion her brother may have sent her traitorous classified documents. No way will Cory trust MacKay -- the man who once seduced her and then vanished into the night without a trace.

Excerpt:

Cory hesitated so long, Mac wondered if she would tell the truth or fabricate some tale. He knew the Bel Tesoro legend like the back of his hand, having heard the tale numerous times during the years of his friendship with Blue. Usually when Blue got good and drunk—and homesick for his little sister.

Blue thought the sun rose and set just for Cory and had always claimed the worst part of the Black Ops work they did wasn’t the danger but leaving his sister behind. He had felt forced to cast her out of his life for her own safety and settled for a half-dozen covert trips back to town to check on her. Mac had always come along and regretted the trip afterward, for he could never get the little spitfire out of his mind.

She stared at him briefly as she slowed for an approaching curve. His heart thudded out a couple fast beats. Had she recognized him? She returned her gaze to the road, and he blew out a silent sigh of relief.

He decided to prod. “So what about the beautiful treasure? If it wasn’t the lake . . .”

He watched her shoulders go back, and she took a deep breath.

Here we go.

“Great-Grandpa Brock expanded to ten cabins with the extra business from his friends, Benny and Salvatore, but they didn’t come back for a while due to run-ins with the law back in New York.”

“What sort of run-ins?” he dutifully asked.

Cory smiled then, and Mac felt a wave a relief, knowing she trusted him with the truth. She knew he could have dug up the legend from anyone in town, but it meant more coming from her.

“By that time, Salvatore had changed his name to Charles Luciano—Charles ‘Lucky’ Luciano—and Benjamin went by the nickname of Bugsy. Meyer was always Meyer.”

He hoped the appropriate amount of shock showed in his expression. “You can’t be serious. You mean Bugsy Siegel, Lucky Luciano, and Meyer Lansky?”

“Exactly the same.”

He gave a low whistle.

“Guests wanted to rent Lucky Luciano’s cabin even back then.”

“But that doesn’t explain the treasure.”

She slid him a sultry sideways glance and maneuvered more switchbacks. “Patience, Mac. I’m telling this story.”

He put his head back and hooted with laughter. The smart remark was pure Cory. The sexy glance was not.

“So tell it already.”

“Lucky and Bugsy had become too powerful for their mob boss Joe Masseria, and they rigged his assassination, so they could steal his rackets. Lucky stole everything in Masseria’s safe and hid the stash from their rival boss Maranzano. Legend has it that Lucky put the stash in a trunk and brought it here on vacation shortly after the assassination to keep it safe.”

“And people think the trunk is buried at Bel Tesoro?” Mac scoffed.

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About the Author:

Petie spent a large part of her career working at Walt Disney World—"The Most Magical Place on Earth"—where she enjoyed working in the land of fairy tales by day and creating her own romantic fairy tales by night, including her new series, The Cinderella Romances. She eventually said good-bye to her "day" job to write her stories full-time. These days Petie spends her time writing sequels to her regency time-travel series, Lords in Time, and her cozy-mystery-with-romantic-suspense series, the Mystery Angel Romances.

Petie shares her home on the Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee with her horticulturist husband and an opinionated Nanday conure named Sassy who made a cameo appearance in No Angels for Christmas.

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Monday, August 5, 2019

April in the Back of Beyond VBT

Blurb:

Writer Hayley Hunter has arrived in Ireland to complete a book on Irish history. When she discovers the old carriage house she is renting is haunted, she is determined to uncover the truth behind the burned ruins of a nearby manor house and the abandoned British barracks it overlooks. With the assistance of Shay Macgregor, an Irish historian, her quest will take her to 1919 and the Irish War for Independence, exposing the murders of two young men and why their mother, April Crutchley, refuses to leave the back of beyond even in death. With a budding romance and the opportunity to begin life anew, Hayley finds her own life is now in jeopardy as she gets closer to a truth the villagers have long sought to bury.

Excerpt:

I could not hear the cattle though we continued to approach. I saw a head

dodge this way or that, could envision their mouths opening in snorts or grunts. Two dogs came into the picture as though there were curtains on either side, appearing from behind the veils to join the cattle on center stage. They ducked and darted, their heads held low, ever on the watch for a strayed cow and yet the yips and barks I should have heard were lost in the winds that blew through here a hundred years ago.

The road stopped and yet Shay continued to press forward, the terrain becoming steeper and rockier as we drew ever closer. I was panting now and my forehead was covered in perspiration and yet I knew I could not turn back. I had to remain with Shay. I longed to ask why we were moving steadily toward the ruins, or what he hoped we could possibly accomplish there, but the words were frozen on my lips.

The air grew icy but there was no wind, as if time itself was suspended.

Then the herd parted to reveal two young men, boys really; and they were looking at us.

Shay stopped and I was so mesmerized that I started past him but he reached out to grab my arm. I have no idea what amount of force he might have used because in that instant, I barely registered his hand upon me. I only knew my feet had stopped and I was staring uphill at two boys that stared back at me.

Their baggy pants were dark, their shirts light, but I could see the giant tree that stood behind them. My brain slowly registered that I could see it because I was looking through them; the combination of their light and dark clothing was casting the tree into curious shadows. I knew they were looking at us though I could not see their facial features, but rather judged their stance from the position of their bodies. Their faces glowed eerily, the outlines blurry. They grew even hazier as I realized they were beginning to run.

In an instant the cattle dispersed in a panic, rushing down the hill toward the pasture from whence they’d come while the two boys raced upward in the opposite direction toward the house. They reached the open doorway almost at the same time, catapulting over the threshold. As they stepped inside the walls, everything vanished: the boys, the dogs and the cattle were gone. All that was left were the skeletal ruins, dark and forbidding against a sky filled with ominous clouds.

p.m., thanks so much for stopping by.

Thank you for having me!

How did you get started writing?

I began writing when I was nine years old. My father was an FBI Agent at the time and we were transferred from New Jersey to the Mississippi Delta. It was 1967 and the residents did not want Yankees involved in their lives. The school principal saw how isolated I was and suggested that I write stories. Little did I know at the time that it would lead to a lifetime of writing.

What was the inspiration for your book?

I was researching Irish history for another book when I came upon the true story of two young men that had been murdered during the fight for Irish independence in 1919. I was immediately drawn to their mother’s plight, who became April in my book, April in the Back of Beyond, because her story truly started with the death of her sons. I just knew I had to write her story.

What’s a genre you haven’t written in yet that you’d like to?

I’ve been extremely fortunate to have been published in all the genres that have appealed to me, from suspense to a children’s book, so if I died tomorrow I would have fulfilled all my writing goals.

Are there any genres you won’t read or write in? Why?

I dislike apocalyptic stories, stories of torture and imprisonment. There is something about making a person completely helpless that gives me nightmares. For the same reason, I can’t read about animal or child abuse. It’s too disturbing. And because my writing must live in my head for months, I wouldn’t be able to write about them, either.

What are you up to now? Do you have any releases planned, or are you still writing?

I am currently working on Book #25, which is due to be released in the spring of 2020. The working title is The Struggle for Independence, about a woman named Independence Mather who lives in Ireland in 1916 on the eve of the Easter Rising which led to Ireland’s independence. The tag line is: sometimes a woman comes to the conclusion that she has built the perfect life with the wrong man.

Alright, now for some random, fun questions. Favorite color?

Sky blue.

Favorite movie?

I have so many! But Bandits with Cate Blanchett, Billy Bob Thornton and Bruce Willis is among my favorites.

Book that inspired you to become an author?

In Cold Blood by Truman Capote.

You have one superpower. What is it?

To see the future based on choices I am considering.

You can have dinner with any 3 people, dead, alive, fictitious, etc. Who are they?

I’d want to meet with the leaders of the three major religions. I’d love for them to discuss how their followers have made the world better and/or worse in their names, and what can be done to usher in an age of peace on this planet. And I’d want it to be broadcast so others could find inspiration in making this world a better place.

Last question: Which of your characters are you most like and how/why?

I believe I’m unique from each of my characters, though some traits might be shared. Hayley Hunter in April in the Back of Beyond, for example, is a writer that enjoys historical research and chooses to rent a cottage in Ireland in which to write her book. I would love to do that someday.

That’s all from me, thanks for taking the time to stop by!

Thank you for having me!

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Author Bio and Links:

p.m.terrell is the pen name for Patricia McClelland Terrell, the award-winning, internationally acclaimed author of more than 23 books in multiple genres, including contemporary suspense, historical suspense, computer instructional, non-fiction and children’s books.

Prior to writing full-time, she founded two computer companies in the Washington, DC Metropolitan Area: McClelland Enterprises, Inc. and Continental Software Development Corporation. Among her clients were the Central Intelligence Agency, United States Secret Service, U.S. Information Agency, and Department of Defense. Her specialties were in the detection of white collar computer crimes and computer intelligence.

A full-time author since 2002, Black Swamp Mysteries was her first series, inspired by the success of Exit 22, released in 2008. Vicki’s Key was a top five finalist in the 2012 International Book Awards and 2012 USA Book Awards nominee, and The Pendulum Files was a national finalist for the Best Cover of the Year in 2014. Her second series, Ryan O’Clery Suspense, is also award-winning. The Tempest Murders (Book 1) was one of four finalists in the 2013 International Book Awards, cross-genre category. Her historical suspense, River Passage, was a 2010 Best Fiction and Drama Winner. It was determined to be so historically accurate that a copy of the book resides at the Nashville Government Metropolitan Archives in Nashville, Tennessee. Songbirds are Free is her bestselling book to date; it is inspired by the true story of Mary Neely, who was captured in 1780 by Shawnee warriors near Fort Nashborough (now Nashville, TN).

She was the co-founder of The Book ‘Em Foundation, an organization committed to raising public awareness of the correlation between high crime rates and high illiteracy rates. She was the founder of Book ‘Em North Carolina, an annual event held in the town of Lumberton, North Carolina, to raise funds to increase literacy and reduce crime and served as its chairperson and organizer for its first four years. She also served on the boards of the Friends of the Robeson County (NC) Public Library, the Robeson County (NC) Arts Council, Virginia Crime Stoppers and became the first female president of the Chesterfield County-Colonial Heights Crime Solvers in Virginia.

For more information, book trailers, excerpts and more, visit the author’s website.

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Thursday, August 1, 2019

The Secrets Between Us Cover Reveal

Blurb:
Of three things I was certain...

The first?

Mercy was exquisite in the most devastatingly broken way.

The second?

I didn’t know how to love, but for the first time in my life, I wanted to try.

The third?

The secrets between us could tear us apart forever.

I wouldn’t let that happen.

And now...time for the cover!

Excerpt:
Before she could blink, my lips were on hers in a tentative test of the waters. Was she going to slap me across the face or kiss me back? Was she going to pull out a knife and shank me or kiss me back?

The moan that erupted from the back of her throat burned all the way to my soul and stole the air around us like we’d been sucked into a void. My lips worked hers over and my own traitorous moan echoed through the woods. It was gasoline to a flame. I held her face in my hands and bent her will to the machinations of my tongue. It pushed its way into her mouth and caressed her satiny smooth one. She moaned again and I wanted to believe it was her thinking about what this tongue and beard would feel like against her most private place. A moan ripped from my throat and I tore my lips away from hers, my hands still gripping her face gently.

“Did that warm you up?” I asked, my lips taking another taste of her before she could answer.

“Better than a fleece blanket warmed by the fire,” she answered. “Do it again and I’ll chop off your nut sack.”

The look on her face told me two things. I was going to do it again, and she was going to like it.

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About the Author:

Katie Mettner writes small-town romantic tales filled with epic love stories and happily-ever-afters. She proudly wears the title of, 'only person to lose her leg after falling down the bunny hill,' and loves decorating her prosthetic with the latest fashion trends. She lives in Northern Wisconsin with her own happily-ever-after and three mini-me’s. Katie has a massive addiction to coffee and Twitter, and a lessening aversion to Pinterest— now that she’s quit trying to make the things she pins.

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