Blitz: The Call to Authorship by Tim W. Lindsay with an excerpt and a giveaway

THE CALL TO AUTHORSHIP: HOW AND WHY TO WRITE, PUBLISH AND PROMOTE A NONFICTION BOOK 

by Tim W. Lindsay

GENRE: Nonfiction

BLURB:

Embrace the call to authorship: 10 steps to leverage the power of a book!

Books help people—they inform, inspire, and engage. Books are also a powerful force for those who write them. Publishing a book builds your authority, sharpens your thinking, and opens doors to media exposure, speaking engagements, partnerships, and more.

Despite the greater accessibility of publishing than ever before, many would-be authors hesitate. They get stuck with self-doubt or believe producing a book is incompatible with a busy life. They may start writing but don't finish. Or they finish but don't publish or market their books.

The truth? With a little dedicated time, consistent effort, and the right guidance, anyone can publish a book that changes lives for the better. And they should.

Put down your phone. Take the leap from consumer to creator!

This step-by-step guide will show you how to:

- Use a one-page tool to clarify your goals, target audience and plan.

- Craft an outline that drives your manuscript forward.

- Overcome mental roadblocks and craft habits to finish your first draft in months, not years—even with a busy schedule.

- Select a publishing model, refine your manuscript, and make informed design and distribution decisions.

- Employ promotional strategies to achieve goals that transcend royalties.

Become more than you are. Have courage. Commit to growth by authoring a book, strengthening your ability to serve. Write with purpose. Publish for impact!

Bonus for book professionals: Special content for book coaches, editors, and ghostwriters—those helping ordinary people become extraordinary authors.

EXCERPT:

We live in an age of swipes, scrolls and soundbites, where attention is fragmented and surface-level engagement is the norm. In such a world, choosing to sit down and write is bold indeed.

Writing a book is an act of meaning-making. It’s how we wrestle with ideas, make sense of experience, and speak into the noise with words that are considered and enduring. It takes courage to believe that your words matter. It takes character to see them through and shape them into a book. 

That journey often begins with a spark. Maybe you’ve been through something, built something, learned something—and now you feel the quiet tug: This should be a book. 

But with that tug often comes hesitation: Who am I to write this? Will anyone care? I’ve heard those doubts from countless aspiring authors through my work at Tellwell, where we’ve helped thousands turn that first spark into a finished book. And I’ve watched them write anyway. What followed was often extraordinary. 

For Cindy Cherry, that moment came unexpectedly. For years she resisted writing a book about her father, Don Cherry, the outspoken hockey commentator who became a household name in Canada. She feared a memoir about her dad might seem biased, or worse, opportunistic. But everything changed when a Google Alert lit up her phone screen: a news organization was praising the Western Hockey League for cutting ties with Don following what she calls “Poppygate,” and for erasing his name from an organ-donation campaign he had helped champion, raising nearly half a million dollars. This cause was close to Cindy’s heart. As a teenager she had donated one of her kidneys to her younger brother. 

She realized that the public narrative was being written in a way that dishonoured the man she knew and loved. 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Tim Lindsay founded Tellwell in 2015. Since then, he and his team have guided some 5,000 authors including entrepreneurs, professional speakers, coaches, consultants, experts, course creators, community builders, religious and nonprofit leaders, Indigenous organizations, athletes, influencers, and everyday citizens. Discover more at Tellwellpublishing.com.  

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

Tellwell - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@tellwellpublishing 

Amazon: https://amazon.com/dp/1834180422

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GIVEAWAY 

Tim W. Lindsay will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.

https://kingsumo.com/g/1wgd4rm/the-call-to-authorship-tellwell

Review Tour: Romance at Ridgeford Hall by Kate Ellington with an excerpt, a giveaway, and my review

ROMANCE AT RIDGEFORD HALL

by Kate Ellington

GENRE: Historical Romance

BLURB:

Jane Lakewood steals into the supposedly abandoned Ridgeford Hall and unexpectedly meets Conrad, an intriguing but secretive young man. They part ways with a promise to reunite, but Conrad fails to keep their rendezvous.

Six years later, delighted to see Ridgeford restored to its former grandeur, Jane immerses herself in parties and socializing while simultaneously grappling with a momentous decision. Unwanted advice only complicates matters.

At a grand ball, Conrad abruptly waltzes back into Jane's life and reveals the truth about those lost years. As they share old memories and new adventures, their friendship deepens, becoming something sweeter that Jane can't quite define.

But their relationship sparks rumors, and dire consequences force Jane to finally decide what she truly wants.

EXCERPT:

Jane gripped the banister and started up the stairs, but before she could go a few steps a large hand covered hers. She gasped and turned around.

Conrad stood on the lawn, just on the other side of the banister. “Good evening, Jane,” he said, looking up at her. “I’m sorry I startled you.”

“I wasn’t startled,” Jane said, trying to compose her features.

He raised a brow.

“Perhaps a little,” she said, smiling. Since he showed no sign of mounting the stairs, Jane withdrew her hand and joined him on the lawn. When she reached his side he looked down into her face.

“I apologize again,” he said.

“It’s no matter. Are you here with your family?”

“Yes, they’ve already gone up.”

“So have mine.”

After chatting about the weather and a few mutual acquaintances, Conrad surprised Jane with his next comment.

“You seem…subdued tonight, Jane,” he said. “Is anything wrong?”

She was surprised he’d noticed, and then immediately worried this meant she was a bore. What kind of remark was that to make to a woman? Jane considered lying and making a witty retort, but instead told him the truth.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

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

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

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/29720924.Kate_Ellington

https://bsky.app/profile/kateellington.bsky.social

https://www.kateellington.com/

https://www.facebook.com/kateellingtonauthor

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GIVEAWAY 

Kate Ellington will be awarding a $20 Amazon gift card to a randomly drawn winner during the tour.

https://kingsumo.com/g/m2dn6n3/romance-at-ridgeford-hall

My Review - 4 of 5 stars - 

This was a reunion story which I enjoyed. I loved Jane and her adventurous spirit, both when she was younger and in the present. She was so innocent that she did not see things as others did. She began a friendship with Conrad, came to care for him, and almost lost him. I enjoyed the secrets of Ridgeford Hall and their journey as they explored. Conrad was very secretive in the beginning, but he tried to take thee feelings of everyone around him into consideration before his own. The ending was a wonderful way to end this story.

Excerpt Tour: Moccasin Trace by Hawk MacKinney with an exclusive excerpt and a giveaway

MOCCASIN TRACE

by Hawk MacKinney

GENRE: Historical Fiction

BLURB:

…it was about the land.

It is July of 1859, a month of sweltering dog days and feverish emotional bombast. Life is good for widower Rundell Ingram and his hazel-eyed, roan-haired son, Hamilton. Between the two of them, they take care of Moccasin Hollow, their sprawling ancestral plantation home in the rolling farming country outside Queensborough Towne in east Georgia. Adjoining Ingram lands is Wisteria Bend, the vast slave-holding plantation of Andrew and Corinthia Greer, their daughter Sarah, and son Benjamin. Both families share generations of long-accepted traditions, and childhood playmates are no longer children. The rangy, even-tempered Norman-Scottish young Hamilton is smitten with Sarah, who has become an enticing capricious beauty—the young lovers more in love with each passing day, and only pleasant times ahead of them.

…but a blood tide of war is sweeping across the South, a tide that will forever change everyone and everything.

EXCLUSIVE EXCERPT

A wail of death also swept the parish.  Burton McClendon's only son, nineteen-year-old Hezikiah McClendon, became one of a rising number of the dead.  His was one of the few bodies identified; others disappeared into mass graves or were left to rot in scorched thickets and cratered fields.  Rundell's wariness becoming prophetic—upheaval was tottering the old into a breach become unbridgeable.  Woeful faces around the parish were hearing a different call, one for unlimited victory instead of long-gone weekend cheers of a scuffle over-by-Christmas.  What few had foresaw, even fewer knew what to do about it.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

With postgraduate degrees and faculty positions in several medical universities, Hawk MacKinney has taught graduate courses in both the United States and Jerusalem. His professional writing includes articles on chordate neuroembryology, and aerospace research on muscle metabolic behavior in multi-orbital environments.

In addition, Hawk has authored several works of fiction including a historical romance Moccasin Trace which was nominated for both the prestigious Michael Shaara Award for Excellence in Civil War Fiction and the Writers Notes Book Award. His Cairns of Sainctuarie Science Fiction Series and his Moccasin Hollow Mystery Series have received national and international attention. He is currently working on a series of horror/suspense novels.

Website: http://www.hawkmackinneyauthor.com 

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Moccasin-Trace-Hawk-Mackinney/dp/1595071482

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GIVEAWAY 

 Hawk MacKinney will be awarding a $15 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.

https://kingsumo.com/g/1knep41/moccasin-trace

Review Tour: Weird Stories of Strange Women by Christine Hart with an excerpt, a giveaway, and my review

WEIRD STORIES OF STRANGE WOMEN

by Christine Hart

GENRE: mixed speculative short story collection (SFF/mild horror)

BLURB:

Twelve stories, separated into seasons of life, are told through the perspectives of maidens, mothers, and crones. Each one shows us how a fractured reality-or a fractured mind-can warp even the most mundane of events into a bizarre tale.

From a twenty-something office worker trapped by a mountaintop cult to an unstable mother trying to resist the urge to flee to another dimension, one by one, these women step to the edge of what they know and see the impossible looking back at them.

This speculative collection meanders through genres including urban fantasy, science fiction, magic realism, steampunk, folk horror, and cosmic horror. Perfect for readers who are, themselves, strange and unusual.

EXCERPT:

From Her Lunar Bloom (Crones)

The growing moon emerged from behind a cloud. It bathed the yard in soft white light, illuminating a figure standing where the purple fern should have been. A moment later, Marie saw that the figure wasn’t a person but a small tree. It was covered in white flower buds that opened to the moon and drank in its light. 

Marie’s heart pounded as she rummaged in her living room cabinet for her binoculars. Whether it was coyotes or killer plants, she wasn’t going back to the edge of the property. 

She focused the binoculars on the strange shrub. The flowers were the same as she’d seen on the purple shrub, and the limbs of the figure had vines spiralling around each one. 

The shrub turned to face Marie. She dropped the binoculars and gasped. 

“It’s me, Marie. You don’t have to be afraid.” Rachel’s voice seemed to be in Marie’s head, despite it seemingly coming from the plant. 

Marie’s wound itched. She pushed up her sleeve to scratch it. Horrified, Marie stepped back as though trying to retreat from her wrist. The marks where the plant had bitten her looked aggressively infected, deeper, weeping plasma into the fabric of her shirt. 

“I just need a bit more, Marie, and then I’ll heal you. We can be together again.” 

Endorphins surged through Marie’s body, followed by a pang of desire. Marie closed her eyes and felt Rachel’s lips brush her own. She felt her wife’s hands on her body, warm and tender. Marie panicked and opened her eyes to find herself alone in her living room. She sat down on the couch and gave in to the urge to lie back. An overwhelming fatigue forced her eyes closed.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Christine Hart is a writer of speculative fiction for youth and adults. She also runs an online metalsmithing shop, Hart Fabrications. 

She holds a BA in English and Professional Writing, as well as current membership with the Federation of BC Writers.  

Christine’s backlist includes YA, NA, and MG titles. Her debut novel, Watching July, won a gold medal from the Moonbeam Children's awards in the mature issues category. 

Her first collection of adult fiction, Weird Stories of Strange Women, is coming in the summer of 2026.

She lives in Langley, BC with her husband and two children. Learn more about Christine and her work at hart-fabrications.com and christine-hart.ca.

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/christine-hart.bsky.social

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

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

Amazon: https://www.amazon.ca/stores/author/B01BSDU214 

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GIVEAWAY 

Christine Hart will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.

https://kingsumo.com/g/3ee6el3/weird-stories-of-strange-women

My Review - 4 of 5 stars - 

This was a collection of 12 short stories of weird events and such involving women. I enjoyed all of them, though I would have preferred a little more to some of them. Some were eerie, some more paranormal, but all were entertaining. I kept reading to see how they all went.

Blitz: Daisy's Creature by M.L. Knight with an excerpt and a giveaway

DAISY’S CREATURE

by M.L. Knight

GENRE: Erotic Horror

BLURB:

Ashmore was like any other town.

It held secrets.

Legend says…only the blood of a Sanderson can revive it.

And it’s been sleeping for centuries.

Until Daisy.

When Creature awakens, the residents of Ashmore get more than they bargained for.

And he gets more than he can chew.

With every bite, he’s changing.

Into what?

The only thing he craves to be.

Daisy’s.

EXCERPT:

“Lucas? Sidney?”

They didn’t answer, but someone laughed nearby, draining some of the tension from him. He quickly finished pissing and tucked his dick away.

“Aye, Lucas! Did you see the creature move yet?” he teased, striding in the direction he’d heard his friends.

For a brief moment, guilt pricked him, flashing an image of Daisy’s betrayed expression, blood trickling down her arm, but he shoved it aside.

It was barely a scratch, and clearly the stories were lies.

There was nothing—He froze, the hairs on his nape rising.

Behind him, stalks rustled, his heart tripping in his chest.

The fuck?

Wasn’t that thing’s post south of his current position?

Swallowing back a whimper—he would not call out, dammit!—he increased his speed, listening for steps behind him.

More rustling came, fear swimming in his veins.

He didn’t think, switching from a brisk walk to a full-out sprint.

When the movements behind him drew closer, he released a scream.

It could be his buddies, but he didn’t think they were behind him. 

No taunts or jeers filled the air, just his panicked breathing, the thunk of stalks getting shoved aside, and the crunch of feet moving through the field.

Two sets of feet.

No, no, no, no.

I will not die tonight!

“Connor!”

His friends!

He opened his mouth but never got to scream before the ground fell away as something snatched him off his feet.

He glanced up—up into the face of death, needle-sharp teeth gleaming down at him in a sinister grin.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

M.L. Knight is a self-published author who enjoys things that go bump in the night. Her favorite horror movie is Evil Dead 2 and her favorite holiday is Halloween. She channels her love for the strange and unusual by writing erotic, horror-inspired stories. When she’s not cooking up something dark and depraved, she’s tackling her never ending TBR, studying for her nursing degree or lifting heavy weights. And she’s got one question to ask you. What’s your favorite scary movie?

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

Books2Read: https://books2read.com/daisy-knight 

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/M.L.-Knight/author/B0FTT7DKR3

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GIVEAWAY 

M.L. Knight will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.

https://kingsumo.com/g/mn54glm/daisys-creature

Blitz: Love Across Time by Beth Ford with an excerpt and a giveaway

LOVE ACROSS TIME

by Beth Ford

GENRE: Time Travel Romance

BLURB:

Ashley and Thomas, a medieval knight, are in 1377 England, escaping from present-day immigration authorities intent on capturing Thomas. Having fled to the past to ensure their togetherness, Ashley is faced with adapting to fourteenth-century life, while Thomas, new to his title as Baron after his older brother’s death, is called to Parliament, encountering enemies there and at court as he struggles to build his own alliances.

Ashley's work at a monastic hospital is deemed “miraculous” but draws unwanted attention as potential witchcraft. Meanwhile, becoming embroiled in a political movement, she realizes too late it’s a plot against the King.

How can Ashley conform to social expectations, counter the plot, and still keep her relationship with Thomas, in all the turmoil.

EXCERPT:

The scene at Newgate was much different than when they had left only a couple of hours before. The crowd of everyday travelers had dispersed, and de Landys’s men had been reinforced, though a few of them lay on the ground with arrows through their chests. Most of them stood with their backs to Ashley and her group, intent on countering the King’s men, who were heaving against the gate to break it down.

The two knights who had agreed to accompany her paused. Ashley glanced up at de la Garde. “This is your moment, Sir Matthew. Your future reputation will depend on what you choose to do now.”

Sir Matthew set his mouth in a grim line. He glanced at his fellow, who nodded at him. They roared past her and attacked the men from behind, slashing swords into backs and necks. Ashley used the distraction to dash into the gatehouse, where she paused only to slide the torch into a handy sconce on the wall. The King’s men were still tied up. She would have to trust that their loyalty to the King held true. Ashley knelt and used her dagger to cut through the ropes, starting with de Mantel.

“What’s the situation?” he asked as soon as he was free of his gag.

“The King’s men are on the other side of the gate. We’ve reinforced them from inside.”

“You? Are there any fighting men in your reinforcements?”

“Yes. Two.” The bloody body of one of the traitors fell into the gatehouse doorway. Ashley forced a smile even though the sight made her gag. “See?”

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Beth Ford writes historical and time travel stories that transport you in time. She is the author of the novels In the Times of Spirits, Love Between Times, Love Across, Time, and After the Spirits Come: A Continuation of Dickens's A Christmas Carol. She also writes the Cassie Woods, Reporter historical mystery romance novella series. Her work has also appeared in a variety of literary journals. She lives in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.

Website: http://bethfordauthor.com

X: https://x.com/BethFordAuthor

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

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GIVEAWAY

Beth Ford will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.

https://kingsumo.com/g/3odnv9m/love-across-time

Blitz: Her Silence by S.T. Ashman with an excerpt and a giveaway

HER SILENCE

by S.T. Ashman

GENRE: Thriller

BLURB:

She survived the night. The truth didn't.

Nicole gets the call at 4 a.m. Her daughter Lacey was found in the woods beside her friend's dead husband. He was stabbed forty-four times. Lacey is barely alive. Covered in his blood. And completely mute.

She hasn't said a word since. Not to the police. Not to her husband. Not even to Nicole.

Nicole had Lacey at seventeen and swore her daughter would have a good life. Now Lacey is sitting in a cell, and Nicole's three grandchildren are left behind with a father who is losing it.

But Nicole knows her daughter. She isn't a cold-blooded murderer. Guilt didn't silence her. Fear did. Whatever happened in those woods scared Lacey more than prison.

So Nicole starts digging. But some secrets don't save people. They destroy them.

EXCERPT:

"I heard a noise." Dylan's voice came from behind me.

I turned, still holding the bottle. He noticed it before I could hide it.

"What's the date on it?" he asked, unfazed.

It took me a second to catch up. "Oh. Umm. Let me see." I squinted at the label. "The stamp says the bottle is ten years old."

He nodded. "Then it's an old one."

I looked at Dylan in a mix of admiration and sadness.

Admiration for how mature he was. Standing there like that. Calm and composed.

Sadness because that bottle was a reminder of darker times. When Brian's parents died in their sleep from a carbon monoxide leak, it shattered the family. Brian fell into drinking, unable to cope with the loss.

It was Lacey, as always, who held everyone together and helped him through it.

"I'll throw it away," I said.

Dylan nodded again. "I better get back to Ethan and Lila."

He turned and headed back upstairs. I followed on his heels and tossed the bottle into the kitchen trash just as the phone rang.

Brian.

As if he knew we'd just been talking about him.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Hey, it's me. Did you talk to Lacey?"

"Yes, she called me when she was finishing up her shift to check in on the kids. Is everything all right up there?"

"Yeah … just … just wanted to see how you guys are doing."

His tone wasn't alarming or overly sweet. Just neutral.

"We're good. Let me get the kids on the phone—"

"No, no. I'll talk to them later. Amanda … she needs my help with something."

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

S. T. Ashman is an American-German author who calls the beautiful U.S. Seacoast home. A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, she spent years working as a psychotherapist in the criminal justice system. The work gave her a rare window into the human mind, both the beautiful and the deeply shadowed. It's no wonder readers often say her characters feel real enough to step off the page.

When she's not crafting her next twisty tale, you'll find her chasing after her kids, nose-deep in a book, or curled up late at night with a horror movie and a husband who always falls asleep on the couch before the scary parts.

Social: 

https://www.tiktok.com/@ashmanbooks

https://www.instagram.com/booksbyashman/

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100094353614873

www.ashmanbooks.com

Link to ARC on Netgalley: https://www.netgalley.com/catalog/book/830451

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GIVEAWAY

S.T. Ashman will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.

https://kingsumo.com/g/m7g7r8m/her-silence

Review Tour: Off Season (A Detective Ryan Mystery) by Clive Fleury with an excerpt, a giveaway, and my review

OFF SEASON

by Clive Fleury

GENRE: Mystery

BLURB:

Detective Ramesh Ryan’s career with Sydney’s prestigious Organized Crime Unit is on the up, until he loses a court case against the city's most powerful drug dealer. In disgrace, the detective is relocated to the tiny Australian beach town of Barton.

It is off season in Barton—when its few criminals usually take a well-earned rest. But not this year! With the detective's arrival, the town suddenly becomes murder central. Two bodies are discovered in the space of days, both victims of drug overdoses. Then a mysterious foot is found washed up on the beach, and memories are awoken of an unsolved cold case of the teenager who disappeared fifteen years ago. Add to this a blossoming romance, along with a contract taken out on Ryan’s life, and it's clear that the detective has jumped out of the Sydney frying pan into the Barton fire.

What follows is an action-packed adventure, thrilling at every turn—where truth and lies are almost impossible to separate, and unexpected twists are the order of the day.

EXCERPT:

As the night drew on, the rain poured down ever heavier, and the waves grew bigger and stronger.  They tossed the twenty-foot boat from side to side and up and down. The skipper had never been out in weather like this before. Nor had his friend. He was now clutching tight to the underside of his seat, his face green, his breathing labored.   

"Almost there," the skipper yelled, though, in truth, neither had decided where there was.  They just needed to be a reasonable distance from the shore. 

“This is fine,” his friend shouted back.  “Let’s do it.”

The skipper cut the engine. “You take the helm.” 

His friend tried to stand but fell back as the boat rocked violently. He shook his head. "I can't."

Standing and releasing the wheel, the skipper leaned over, yanking the man to his feet. "Hold on," he said, placing his friend's hands on his shoulders and guiding him onto the captain's seat. "Now, take it." 

His friend lurched forward, catching the spinning wheel and clutching it tightly. 

"Don't let go," the skipper ordered.

 Leaning into the buffeting wind, the skipper set off for the stern. He reached the waterproof covering, stooped, and pulled the wrapping away. He tasted vomit rising in his mouth as he peered over at the lifeless body. Swallowing hard, he composed himself.  "What was that song?" the man thought. "Always look on the bright side of life." He grabbed the dead man's arms and yanked the corpse forward. He was much stronger and heavier than the corpse so he could slide it along the sodden wooden deck. Then, wrapping his arms around the dead man's ribs, he heaved it up, balancing it on the side of the boat. One more push, and it would be over.  He stood, winded, and peered back through the rain up to the bow. Good, his friend was still holding tight to the wheel.

The skipper wrapped his arms around the corpse. Its head, which had been leaning back, lurched forward, knocking into his stomach. He tried to think of something else besides the cold dead eyes that were staring up at him. What about how lucky they had been? No one had seen them when they had set out. He smiled. So there it was. The bright side! 

"Time to do this, " he thought. Grabbing the cadaver's legs tight, he tipped them forward, at the same time pushing hard. In one fluid movement, the corpse cleared the side of the boat, dropping into the churning ocean. It disappeared almost immediately, leaving no trace.  

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Clive Fleury is an award-winning writer of books and screenplays and has worked all over the world as a Film/TV director, writer and producer. He has written six books, most recently 'All Or None', the second novel in the Detective Ryan Murder Mystery series. 

'All Or None' sees Detective Ryan back in the thick of things. His latest investigation into a mysterious death couldn’t come at a worse time. He discovers his mother is hiding a troubling secret and is further sidetracked by a new romance. Fans of who dunnit's, crime thrillers, and cop and detective stories will love this novel.  

Clive's other books include 'Off Season' - book one in the Detective Ryan Murder Mystery series; 'Kill Code' - a dystopian science fiction novel set in a world facing climate change;  ‘Scary Lizzy’  - a novel about an eight year old girl, who befriends an African child ghost –  and the teen action adventure book; ‘The Boy Next Door ‘ -  a story of what happens when a teenage girl has a crush on her next door neighbor, who isn’t all he seems.  He also co-wrote ‘Art Pengriffin and The Curse of The Four’ - a young adult fantasy adventure about a teenage boy who discovers his father was Merlin the Magician.

Website: https://clivefleurywriter.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/clivefleury

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100087136850713

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GIVEAWAY 

Clive Fleury will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.

https://kingsumo.com/g/m44p90m/off-season

My Review - 4 of 5 stars - 

This mystery was full of twists, turns, surprising connections, death, drugs, and more. Ramesh Ryan was sent to a small town to look into a cold case. His stay was much full of bodies, drugs, and kidnappings. It was a bit difficult to keep up with all the players, and I did not discern who the killer would be. That did not take away from the story, and I felt the ending was well explained. I did enjoy how Ramesh trained Zoe to be a better cop. Overall, this was a very entertaining read.

Blitz: Versions of Nirvana by H.C. Turk with an excerpt and a giveaway

VERSIONS OF NIRVANA

by H.C. Turk

GENRE: Magical Realism

BLURB:

In order to save her family, an 18th-century witch entertains suicide, thereby entering a coma-like trance that lasts 300 years. In this magical state, she reaches into the future to guide other people who long for redemption.

England, 1710. Young Alba knows she is a witch, but the term means nothing until her mother is executed for witchcraft. Then Alba enters a trance that causes everyone around her debilitating emotions, just like Alba’s. The trance, which is Alba’s magic, does not appear again until years later when her mentor is arrested and sentenced to death. Panicked, Alba stabs herself in the heart. Instead of dying, she enters a “false sleep” (coma), a state of spiritual consciousness. Hoping to find peace for others, she seeks similar souls in the future.

Germany, 1942: An American soldier is mortally wounded. In his final moment, he experiences the glory of a beautiful life, if only in his dreams. He enters a spiritual realm filled with warm family adventures, metaphysical escapades that are alternately hilarious and horrific, yet always lead away from anguish. Directed by Alba’s unseen influence, Andrew fights for solace, and wins.

Indonesia, 2003: A young American woman on a Western Pacific island must relive an ancient, tortuous journey through a primitive environment in order to redeem the foreigners in the country. Influenced by a power she can only sense in her heart (Alba), Connie seeks a solution of acceptance instead of rejection.

Told with humor and compassion, the heart of the book is the longing to find peace despite haunting failure, and finding joy in helping others achieve the same.

EXCERPT:

When Jerry next looked behind, he saw the puppet master grimacing while he ran after his artificial, lifeless dummy—which leapt against his sister’s back. 

Connie fell to her face and began crawling away, waiting for the attack to continue. Astonished, Jerry could not move until Connie was on her knees; then he shoved and kicked at the puppet, but it already was falling to the street, motionless. 

Aided by her brother, Connie rose, the two of them stumbling away while looking around for more danger. Glancing to her right, Connie saw the greater nation. In the distance, she saw marshes, then dense rainforest, the great peak of Monkey Mountain. Connie looked because she saw a flash of dark movement, a group of men wearing nothing but newspaper and carrying spears. But they weren’t in the nation’s center, where they belonged—they were in the city, and were headed for Connie.

A score of inland warriors with sheets of newspaper glued to their skin ran lightly across the street. All were men. They wore no other ornament, not necklaces or shell belts, not even sandals. Each warrior carried a short spear: some tips were metal, some stone, some pointed hardwood. Cars and bicycles dodged them, but they threatened no one, continuing to run, following Connie and Jerry, who could not run fast enough to avoid their own murder.

In a moment of fearless clarity, Connie felt that she would escape them if she just ran into the nearest building. That moment ended as she began flying, because two of the nomads lifted her from the ground.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

H. C. Turk is a writer, sound artist, and visual artist. His novels have been published by Villard and Tor. His short fiction, sound pieces, movies, and visual art have appeared in numerous magazines, websites, podcasts, and film festivals. He used to paint houses (not as an art form.)

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FVWKKVS9/

Books2Read: https://books2read.com/u/4DGy2P

Video Trailer: https://youtu.be/UHr5XHs5kdk?si=nScbZiKK2FjqC_zA

Website: https://hcturk.com

Bandcamp: http://hcturk.bandcamp.com/

Newsletter: https://hcturk.substack.com/

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

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GIVEAWAY

H.C. Turk will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.

https://kingsumo.com/g/1j2k5z3/versions-of-nirvana

Check out these other blogs on this tour:

May 4

1. Long and Short Reviews
2. The Avid Reader
3. Iron Canuck Reviews & More
4. Guatemala Paula Loves to Read
5. The Key of Love
6. Fabulous and Brunette
7. Sapphyria's Books


May 5

1. Tina Donahue Books - Heat with Heart
2. It's Raining Books
3. Moonlight Compass Books
4. Christine Young
5. Author Deborah A. Bailey Blog
6. Ellwyn's Blog
7. Teatime and Books


May 6

1. Sandra's Book Club
2. A Wonderful World of Words
3. Straight from the Library
4. Author C.A.Milson
5. Of Books and Bookish Things
6. The Faerie Review
7. Stormy Nights Reviewing & Bloggin'


May 7

1. Dawn's Reading Nook blog
2. Always Reading
3. Gina Rae Mitchell
4.FUONLYKNEW
5. Sarcastically Yours, Jen
6. Welcome to My World of Dreams
7. Country Mamas with Kids


May 8

1. Romance that's 'out of this world'
2. Deal Sharing Aunt
3. Karen J. Mossman - World of Stories
4. Author Sahara Foley
5. Sea's Nod
6. Books1987
7. Girl with Pen

Review Tour: Edwin Steelside Collection by Bradford Bennett with an excerpt, a giveaway, and my review

EDWIN STEELSIDE

by Bradford Bennett

GENRE: Literary Thriller

BLURB:

Unsolvable murders, and innocent suspects. It's time to bring in Steelside.

The Final Scene

Two talented performers take center stage for a heart-wrenching love song. Their soaring voices deliver a dramatic aria for a scene that will never be surpassed. Or will it?

The Marathon Murder

Great human sports achievements fill our history books with superhuman feats. Then comes one runner to break all the records, plus anyone else in his way.

The Pharmacy Incident

Advancing the science of medicine gives us miracle cures for life-saving treatments. Now Ed is hired to look into their dark closets and finds—do we trust them too much?

There's Death in Texas

A deadly killer stalks the state of Texas, and no one knows he's coming except for fate and a crack detective. Now, Ed must find the path to stop one of the most deadly killers in North American history.

EXCERPT:

THE MARATHON MURDER

Andre was late. He rushed into the house, grabbed his TV remote, and clicked it on. A runner on a track appeared. “He’s on the final straightaway,” a frantic announcer shouted. “Only a hundred yards to the finish…sixty yards…forty yards…twenty yards… He’s crossed the tape!” 

The runner staggered to a stop, hands on his knees, gasping to catch his breath. A loud, cheering crowd soon drowned out the broadcast. 

“Attention, ladies and gentlemen,” the announcer returned, his voice echoing throughout the stadium. “I now have the official results.” The crowd finally quieted. 

“Hermando Montregalo has just broken the world’s marathon record by six minutes, forty-eight seconds!” A roar burst out from the stadium. The exhausted runner raised his arms in victory— cheering fans on the field swarmed around him in a frenzy of admiration. 

The camera cut to the announcer in the booth. “Still yet to appear on this final straightaway,” he went on, “is the now ex-world champion, Nigerian Ligajah Lambafa. He won’t reach this finish for another incredible six minutes!” The reporter removed his glasses and addressed the camera. 

“Sports fans!” he announced. “This astonishing record will shock the track and field world into disbelief. Today, we just witnessed an unbelievable human achievement.” 

Andre switched off the broadcast, threw the remote down, and stormed from the room.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Brad lives with his wife, Norrie, in Oliver, BC, Canada's wine capital in the heart of the Okanagan Valley. Norrie loves visiting all the many grape wineries there. Alas, Brad can't drink wine; he's allergic to sulphates. "I don't like the damn stuff anyway," Brad says. "Just give me a good dark ale." He is a retired art director and designer, now writer. He has published three short stories, which have won placement in a book of short stories three years in a row. 

Brad was born in Oregon and grew up in the Willamette Valley. Later, as an adult, after art training, he spent fifteen years working in his own studio in Dallas, Texas. Brad then moved to Canada and worked for two major Canadian ad agencies as a creative art director. There, he ventured into working on TV ads—it was gruelling but fun. His client was Alberta's CP hotels, then he worked for a dairy, producing ice cream. A dream job for sure. Later, Brad opened his own freelance design studio. But he always wanted to write fiction stories. So, on retirement, he has written three books. 

This one, based on Ed Steelside, is his favourite. 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/50929359.Bradford_Bennett

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GIVEAWAY

Bradford Bennett will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.

https://kingsumo.com/g/36q0gj1/edwin-steelside-tellwell

My Review - 4 1/2 of 5 stars - 

4 1/2 stars. Four stories of varying ratings and different cases.
The Final Scene - We met Edwin, Detective Doland, Molly, and Jerry "Hound Dog". An actress was killed in the middle of a performance. Edwin was hired to find the actual killer. With the help of the detective and Hound Dog, he was able to put the clues together.
The Marathon Murder - An astonishing record-breaking marathon winner led to a murder. Edwin traveled in order to solve this case. He again had help from his friends/team.
The Pharmacy Incident - Big Pharma, drug trafficking, and death by plane crash made this a little convoluted, but Edwin had his usual assistance and new friends.
There's Death in Texas - Edwin tracked down a very unusual serial killer in Texas. He gained the trust of police and gangs in order to solve this one.
I loved the interactions with everyone Edwin worked with. Sometimes it felt like there were unnecessary conversations, mostly phone calls. I was incredibly happy to see Molly and Edwin work things out.

Review Tour: Wonder in the Garden by Talia Aikens-Nunez with an excerpt, a giveaway, and my review

WONDER IN THE GARDEN

by Talia Aikens-Nunez

GENRE: Picture Book

BLURB:

Nina loves spending time in her family’s garden, and so does her dog, Nube. They delight in all the wonders found growing there and all the spectacular colors—roja, naranja, verde, amarillo, morado. But mostly they just love to play, as it’s the perfect place for a game of hide-and-seek with its tall corn and enormous leafy veggies. It’s also a place to have the best al fresco meals with Nina’s loving extended family. Exuberant text sprinkled with Spanish and vivid, energetic art that captures the garden in all its glory make this the perfect book for celebrating the bounty of our gardens and the joy of spending a day there, learning, laughing, and lending a helping hand!

EXCERPT

Every day, I say hi to my world. ¡Hola, mundo! 

And hi to my garden. ¡Hola jardín!

My dog, Nube, say hello too. Woof!

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Talia was born in the great City of New York. She went to Wellesley College for undergrad and New York University for grad school. Through her early years, she wanted to be a meteorologist, a politician and a lawyer. She never thought she would be an author. It was the birth of her daughter that caused her to start writing. Raising bi-cultural children inspired Talia to write multicultural children’s books. 

One day several years ago, her son challenged her statement that "brown boys can be superheroes too." She was mortified and crushed that her son could not see himself in fantasy stories like superhero movies. Then she took him to see Black Panther. He never challenged that assertion again and he wore the Black Panther costume for weeks. As she washed the atrocious smelling costume (and the one of Miles Morales several months later), she rejoiced! She was elated that her son felt seen. Those movies provided a mirror for him of his identity. Months later, she was told the story of the Borinqueneers. When she could not find any books for her kids to read about them she knew that she had to write. So, that journey began. 

Talia has authored several children’s books over the last fifteen years such as Small Nap, Little Dream, Escucha Means Listen, and a series of chapter books called OMG. She lives in Connecticut with her two kids and her husband.

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

GIVEAWAY 

Talia Aikens-Nunez will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.

https://kingsumo.com/g/1glxk6m/wonder-in-the-garden

My Review - 5 of 5 - 

This was an interesting as well as educational story. It was full of colorful illustrations, a dog and girl having fun, and some Spanish and English words for common phrases and colors. The one thing that would have made it a tad better would have some pronunciation of the Spanish words at the beginning of the book. A fun bedtime story.