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Showing posts with label giveaways. Show all posts
Showing posts with label giveaways. Show all posts

Saturday, February 8, 2025

Book Blitz of Ambition To Savor by B.B.E. Gwyn (#Contests- enter to win A $25 Amazon gift card)

Ambition to Savor
B.B.E. Gwyn
(The Lone Thorn Series)
Publication date: February 7th 2025
Genres: Adult, Adventure, Fantasy

When a quest for magical ingredients takes you from kitchen to adventure, you’d better save your appetite.

Dedicated and cautious restaurant owner Jonathan Tessier dreams of crafting legendary recipes—the fame and fortune that might follow is a pretty nice bonus. But it’s all he can do to keep his restaurant afloat. Stolen ingredients, a surprise visit from a food critic, and a damaged reputation put his business at risk.

Jonathan knows he needs to make a change. A big one. Before he loses it all.

He and his eager head chef, Elenora Kerras, soon set off to find the bizarre ingredients that might save his restaurant. This hunt takes them through towns and wilderness, where they encounter dangerous beasts and sly individuals. They face challenges more thrilling than even their busiest dinner shifts.

Each success brings Jonathan ever closer to his lofty goal—until he stumbles upon his most startling discovery yet.

Will his dreams be worth all their luster, or will the revelation shatter his culinary world?

A standalone fantasy adventure in the Lone Thorn series, Ambition to Savor is a fun and whimsical tale that explores a question you never thought you needed to ask—What if a restaurant owner had magical powers and a dream to find flavors from deep within a world of hidden quirks?

Goodreads / Amazon

EXCERPT:

Corruption. Mutiny. Absolute villainy was occurring within the walls of his beloved establishment.

Jonathan Tessier had little reason to complain of late. Profit margins were rising, his customer base was expanding, and the recent annual health inspection had wrapped up swimmingly with no findings. After years of fatiguing work and plowing through stress, things were supposed to be looking up for his pride and joy, the Taverne Tessier.

However, walking down the street on this early autumn morning, he was feeling neither proud nor joyous. He could see his restaurant across from him as he stood waiting at the intersection, its pristine exterior of royal blue and beige surrounded by trees of warm hues. When he first renovated the place, he had aimed for a clean and regal appearance inside and out, so even if he could not boast of its size, the feeling of elegance, class, and beauty would still be conveyed.

And now it was filthy. Metaphorically speaking, of course.

Author Bio:

B.B.E. Gwyn is an author who enjoys diving into realms of low fantasy adventure. She draws inspiration from tabletop role-playing games, yokai folklore, and all kinds of media featuring characters with fun, bizarre powers. Her novels focus on intricate plots and rich character development without any romance or spicy elements, using the full breadth of her pages to offer thrilling adventures in a mysterious world.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram


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Friday, February 7, 2025

Interview of M.R. Leonard Author of Pilgrims A Sci-Fi Novel (#contests- Enter to win A Signed Copy of Pilgrims)

 

 

I want to welcome M.R. Leonard to Books R Us. Mr. Leonard is the Author of Pilgrims- A Sci-Fi Novel. The author has provided my readers with an interview about the book and the author. Do not forget to enter the giveaway below and thanks for stopping by.

Book Details:

Book Title: PILGRIMS by M.R. Leonard
Category:  Adult Fiction (18 +),  412 pages
Genre: Science Fiction
Publisher:  Blue Castle Press
Release date:  November 2024
Content RatingPG-13. There is death in my book. There are also religious profanities “God damn”. There are also a few swears (not many but some “F” bombs said by the villain at the end). There is no description of sex but my protagonist follows an online creator who does adult content (her content is never described at all other than to say it exists). The main thing is the violence in my book. It is not gory but it does involve children dying.
Book Description:

Latin was a dead language—until the aliens arrived.

Out-of-work Latin teacher and borderline alcoholic Austin DeSantis is determined to spend his final days in the arms of a prostitute—that is if the aliens don’t exterminate humanity first.

But when the aliens land at the Vatican, begin speaking Latin, and reveal themselves to be Catholic, the world turns upside down.

Pressed into service as a translator and thrust into the center of humanity's first contact with a cryptic alien race, Austin must uncover their true intentions before religious turmoil rips the planet apart. But with Austin caught between the Catholic Church, the US military, and an enigmatic alien AI, he'll have to decide where his loyalties lie as the fate of humanity hangs in the balance.

PILGRIMS is a sci-fi retelling of Augustine's Confessions, mixing a high-concept premise à la Children of Time with the ceaseless pacing and rich characterization of Red Rising.
 
INTERVIEW

In your book you have the classic trope where aliens hover above world cities. But in this case the aliens are . . . Catholic. How did you come up with that idea?

I love first contact stories. The Day the Earth Stood Still, ET, Arrival, Close Encounters of the Third Kind . . . They capture the imagination and make us look at our current society in a whole new way.

Those stories have a problem though. The reason the aliens come to Earth is usually weak. For example, the aliens in Independence Day come to Earth because they want our "resources" even though space is filled with all sorts of awesome resources that they don’t have to fight pesky Earthlings for. That doesn’t make sense!

So I wanted to create a first contact sci-fi story where the aliens' motivation for coming to Earth is airtight. And, as outlandish as it sounds, aliens that are devout believers of an Earth religion (in my novel—Catholicism) have a very compelling reason to travel all the way to Earth. It's such a good motivation in fact, that I was shocked to see no other writer had ever addressed it before . . . until now.

Is your book just for Catholics?

Yes. It is only for Catholics. In fact, it is only for the Pope. If anyone else reads it, God will smite them!

All kidding aside, I’m a lifelong sci-fi fan but a recent revert to Catholicism. I wrote a book for sci-fi fans—full stop. Most of my readers don’t know the first thing about Catholicism. They just enjoy an original first contact story done well. And the Catholic readers appreciate that I wrote something that doesn’t take cheap shots at their faith. A win-win.

Which was the hardest character to write? The easiest?

The hardest character to write was my protagonist—Austin. When we meet Austin, he’s in a pretty dark place. Aliens are on their way to Earth, due to arrive in a few days, but no one knows why they’re coming. A lot of people think this is the end of the world, including Austin. And with the world ending so soon he does some pretty dark things. Making him likable despite his failings was no easy task.

The easiest to write was the alien robot—Virgil. He is just so good, and he gets placed into these impossible situations but isn’t broken by them. He’s most reader’s favorite character.

Your book is billed as a sci-fi retelling of Augustine’s Confessions. Does a reader need any familiarity with the Confessions to understand your book?

No. Not at all. What I’ve found is that readers who are familiar with that iconic piece of Western literature (published around 400AD) LOVE the Easter Eggs. And the readers who have no idea what the Confessions is don’t miss a thing. But many of them go on to get themselves a copy of the Confessions to see what all the fuss is about when they’re done with my book.

What is the next book that you are working on, and when will it be available?

Austin's story is not over. The book concludes about fifty days after Catholic aliens arrive on Earth. What happens to society ten years after such a momentous event? Fifty years? There is still so much story to tell. And the sequels will be coming out over the next few years.

Besides writing, any big plans in the future?

Yeah. Even though I’m a sci-fi author, I’m not really into space. I like things on Earth just fine. But I do want to go to the Moon one day. I think tourism to the Moon will likely start in the late 2030’s so I consider this a real possibility. And I want to raise money to start a monastery on the Moon. That’s why my Instagram handle is @Monksonthe_Moon. It’s about time we had monks on the Moon, isn’t it?

What can I say, I like to have modest goals . . .

 
BUY THE BOOK:
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Meet the Author:

Michael Leonard was born and raised in Boston, but the cities he’s spent the most time in are Beijing, Florence and Edgartown (in that order). After graduating from Boston College, he pursued a career in law before becoming a China market entry advisor and accumulating a few lifetimes worth of adventures in just nine short years. Somewhere along the way he lost his faith but he found it again in graduate school at MIT. Married with two young sons, he can be found discussing his next novel with his ten pound dachshund as he strolls around Boston Harbor.

connect with the author: website ~ X instagram goodreads

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PILGRIMS by M.R. Leonard Book Tour Giveaway



Thursday, January 30, 2025

Book Blitz of Change of Heart by Cristina LePort, MD(#Contests- Win An Amazon Gift Card)

Change of Heart
Dr. Cristina LePort
(A Miner & Mulville Novel)
Publication date: February 4th 2025
Genres: Adult, Thriller

In the bustling heart of New York City, a young medical student’s life is tragically cut short, though her heart continues to beat, holding the promise of life for another. Detective Kirk Miner is called to the scene and quickly uncovers a chilling conspiracy involving organ donations and high-stakes crime. As the investigation unfolds, Miner realizes the case is far more complex and dangerous than it initially seemed.
Enter FBI Agent Jack Mulville, who steps in to supervise Special Agent Charlotte Bloom as they join forces with Miner. Together, they unravel a web of corruption, revealing that Amy Winter’s death is connected to a ruthless organ trafficking ring. Amy Winter, a promising pre-med student, is found dead under mysterious circumstances. Her death triggers an investigation that pulls Miner, Mulville, and Bloom into a labyrinth of deceit and desperation. As they dig deeper, they discover that Amy’s heart is not just a donor’s gift but a coveted prize in a deadly game controlled by criminals willing to kill to keep their secrets hidden.
The quest for justice takes Miner, Mulville, and Bloom through the shadowy underbelly of organ trafficking, revealing the lengths to which people will go to secure life-saving transplants. Amidst the danger, they face moral dilemmas and personal risks, pushing them to their limits as they strive to protect innocent lives and dismantle a powerful criminal network.
“Change of Heart” is a gripping medical thriller that intertwines the intricacies of modern medicine with the relentless pursuit of justice. Cristina LePort, M.D., masterfully combines her medical expertise with edge-of-your-seat storytelling, delivering a novel that will keep you turning pages long into the night. Dr. LePort is an accomplished physician with a passion for weaving medical knowledge into thrilling narratives. Her extensive background in medicine lends authenticity and depth to her stories, making the Miner & Mulville series a unique blend of fact and fiction. (CristinaLePort.com)

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

EXCERPT:

He examined the blood-smeared paper. Only one typed sentence: I donate my organs for transplant. Kirk stared at the illegible signature. Something begged for attention, but he couldn’t pinpoint what it was…

“Any weapons or bullets?”

“This was on the driver’s seat between the victim and the door.” John produced an evidence bag from his backpack. “A Ruger. A woman’s gun. Small, concealable, and accurate.”

Kirk reached for the bag and wrapped his hand around the plastic covering the grip’s checkered frame. In his mind, the weapon’s light weight and John’s words triggered an image of a beautiful young woman, Amy Winter, with no future.

“The bullet,” John went on, “ended up embedded next to the ceiling, on the car’s front passenger side. No other bullets found in the gun.”

“Why next to the ceiling?” Kirk lifted his eyes from the gun.

“It must have hit her cellphone.” John handed Kirk a plastic-wrapped iPhone with a dazzling pink case. “She must’ve been holding the phone to her ear when the bullet exited. We found the phone on the car floor between the two back seats. Screen’s shattered, phone’s dead.”

Kirk examined the phone. The black screen bore a bloody diagonal fracture from top to bottom. That would have been the direction of the exiting bullet grazing a phone glued to the woman’s right ear. Who in hell would she be chatting with while killing herself?

“Who discovered the victim?” Kirk said.

“A man called the hospital ER and 9-1-1 at about the same time.” John extracted a smartphone from his sport jacket and scrolled through his notes. “The call to the ER was registered at 4:41a.m. I’m not sure how precise that is. The 9-1-1 call came in at 4:42.”

Kirk placed his index finger on the phone’s volume button. Nothing happened. Then his thumb pressed the reset button several times. After the third try, the screen lit up. A key piece of a puzzle fell into place, making Kirk feel almost giddy with excitement.

“I’m afraid we’re not dealing with an attempted suicide,” Kirk said, turning the face of the phone toward John, “but an attempted murder.”

“I agree.” John’s brows went up. “But how can you be so sure without any forensics?”

“Several things,” Kirk said. “The note was added later, after the shot. Smears of blood, instead of sprays. Poor attempt by the shooter to make us believe the note was on the seat before the bullet hit.”

“Yeah,” John said, “that’s been bothering me also. You’ve come a long way from your training over ribs and beer.”

Kirk smiled at the memory of their favorite pub. It seemed a long time ago when Kirk decided to leave the police force and John helped him get started as a private investigator. John was more than a mentor. He always cared about Kirk, but cared even more after Kirk’s near-fatal car accident years ago. John had become as protective as an older brother.

The image of the dark pub dissipated and Kirk refocused on the victim’s note.

“I’m no calligrapher,” he said, “but, from the slanting of the signature, I think the victim is right-handed. A right-handed person would shoot her right side.”

“If it’s actually her signature,” John said.

“The shooter could have forced her to sign at gun point,” Kirk said. “Either way, it would point to attempted murder.”

“What else?”

“We’ve got the exact time of the shooting,” Kirk said, waving the plastic-clad phone. “Here in this frozen, undead iPhone.”

John grabbed the evidence bag. He stared at the fractured, frozen screen.

His lips stretched into a grin.

“The bullet froze the time at 4:43,” Kirk said. “One minute after the 9-1-1 call. The man called before the shooting occurred. It’s unlikely someone would notice the shooter, figure out what he was going to do, call the police, and leave without talking to them.”

“The witness could have left because he was afraid the shooter would come after him,” John said.

“Or perhaps,” Kirk said, “the caller knew the shooting would occur because he himself was the shooter. And he wanted the victim to be found as soon as possible.”

John referred again to his notes. “The caller said that someone had been shot. Not someone is going to shoot, or is shooting, somebody. The woman had gun powder residue on her left hand, but the shooter could’ve placed the gun in her hand before throwing it in the car. We’ve got a few prints on the handle. I bet they’re all from her. But I still think you’re right.”

Kirk nodded. “The shooter made sure she would be rescued in time for her organs to be saved for donation and subsequent transplant.”

Kirk turned toward the hospital ER entrance. A vivid memory materialized. A plastic bracelet around his wrist, from six years ago, in a different hospital. The bracelet classifying him as an organ donor. After his prolonged coma, doctors had given up on Kirk. Luckily for him, he had woken up and retained his organs.

The woman who had crossed the ER threshold earlier that morning wouldn’t be so lucky. Someone wanted her organs badly enough to put a bullet in her brain.

Author Bio:

Dr. Cristina LePort was born in Bologna, Italy. She attended medical school at the University of Bologna and then completed her medical training at Long Island College Hospital in Brooklyn and at the University of California, Los Angeles. She is board certified in Internal Medicine and Cardiovascular Diseases and has been practicing medicine for more than thirty years. Cristina is also the Chief Medical Officer and co-founder of Genescient, a biotech company devoted to genetic research on aging and the amelioration of chronic diseases. Medicine and fiction are her twin passions, and she is absolutely thrilled to be able to share her medical thrillers with the world.

Cristina LePort currently resides in Orange County, California, with her husband Peter LePort, a general surgeon. They have three children and three grandchildren.

Website / Facebook / Instagram


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Tuesday, January 28, 2025

Book Spotlight of Deadly When Disturbed by D.M. Barr (#Contests-Enter to win a GIft Card)

Deadly When Disturbed by DM Barr Banner

DEADLY WHEN DISTURBED

by DM Barr

January 13 - 31, 2025 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

Deadly When Disturbed by DM Barr

Deadly When Disturbed follows the journey of leading Realtor and philanthropist Dara Banks. When Dara searches for an assistant, finding someone as resourceful as Meryl “Merry” Rafter seems too good to be true. So good in fact, she neglects to run a reference check. Bad move. Before she knows it, Merry, a former “actress” trying to be “helpful,” has insinuated herself into Dara’s business, family, and charity, and may be the only person saving her from prison. Dara becomes suspicious and begins snooping into Merry’s past. Feeling cornered, Merry reciprocates by launching an investigation of her own and realizes—too late—that she may have picked the wrong mark to con. These women’s unsettling discoveries, and their desperate efforts to safeguard their skeleton-filled closets and fragile self-images, lead to an explosive confrontation certain to destroy the lives of everyone in their midst.

 

Praise for Deadly When Disturbed:

"Two women. Friends? Hardly. They’re both after the same thing. And as the stakes get higher, the mind games get uglier, until—well, I’m not going to give away the killer ending. D. M. Barr’s latest domestic thriller is a total rush. It’s like being back with Betty and Veronica all over again—only this ain’t high school, and these women (like the title says) are DEADLY WHEN DISTURBED."
~ Marshall Karp, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author of the NYPD RED series

"Who’s the hunter and who’s the hunted in this taut domestic thriller? Don’t even try to guess. Just relax, enjoy, and hang on as DEADLY WHEN DISTURBED takes you on a wild ride."
~ Brad Parks, international bestselling author of THE BOUNDARIES WE CROSS.

"Tense, well-written, and surprising—Liane Moriarty meets Gillian Flynn by way of John Lutz in D.M. Barr's latest domestic thriller, DEADLY WHEN DISTURBED. Gaslighting and suburban intrigue abound in this carefully crafted tale, guaranteed to keep you in suspense all the way to the final chapter. Put this one at the top of your to-be-read pile!"
~ Richard Helms, Thriller, Macavity, and Shamus Awards winning author of 22 RUE MONTPARNASSE.

"DEADLY WHEN DISTURBED is a superb dark thriller that offers a brilliantly written bizarro take on the classic All About Eve. Shifts in reality and twists of the plot keep the reader on edge until the stunning and unexpected climax. Fasten your seatbelt and hang on. It's a great ride."
~ S. Lee Manning, award-winning author of TROJAN HORSE, NERVE ATTACK, BLOODY SOIL, and DEADLY CHOICE.

"DEADLY WHEN DISTURBED by D.M. Barr is a clever psychological thriller reminiscent of The Hand That Rocks The Cradle, updated for today's culture and with a superior narrative.… With a steady and increasingly intense pace, [it] is a hypnotic read of insanity and wretchedness that will stay with you long after the last page."
~ Gaius Konstantine for Readers’ Favorite

Deadly When Disturbed Trailer:

Book Details:

Genre: Domestic Suspense, Domestic Thriller
Published by: Level Best Books
Publication Date: January 2025
Number of Pages: 310
Book Links: Amazon | Goodreads

Read an excerpt:

Prologue

She stood at her dining room table and calmly fingered through the cardboard box, double-checking that the paperwork was in chronological order. Even now, no one could accuse Samantha Ellingsworth of being anything but organized and precise. For nearly forty years, it had been both a gift and a curse.

First the letters from Harry, professing his incendiary ardor during their abbreviated law school courtship. The GIA certificate for the diamond, his glittering promise of passion extending through eternity. The deed to their Upper West side condo. A copy of her resignation from Davis & Milliken, where she’d been on the fast track to partner. The birth certificates for her daughter, dated a year later, and the surprise twins, ten years after that.

Next, the children’s coveted acceptance letters from Harrison—Manhattan’s most elite private pre-school and elementary—followed by every one of the glowing report cards she’d worked with them so diligently to earn. Campaign flyers she’d created for Harry’s run for state senate. Her passport opened to the page containing the stamp from that fateful trip to Aruba. The letters she’d written, refuting everything he’d accused her of as lies—all unopened and marked “Return to Sender.” The prescription for Prozac, unfilled, as if any pharmaceutical could rescue her from this pit of depression. Finally, the divorce papers she’d received a few weeks ago, still unsigned.

A lifetime of aspirations, misunderstandings, and betrayals, all encapsulated in a pile of paper less than an inch thick. She affixed the cover to the box and took a long, wistful look at the “perfect” apartment they’d been so ecstatic about buying, beating out several competing bids thanks to the lingering cachet of the Ellingsworth name and its clout in political circles. Confident that the condo was spotless, with everything in its place, Samantha slowly donned her hooded sheepskin coat, grabbed the box, and headed out.

The elevator operator nodded as she entered, but Gloria from the floor above murmured a curt hello and diverted her gaze as they descended from the seventh floor. Samantha had grown used to the frostiness over the past few weeks. Did the other tenants fear it was catching, that they too might be abandoned by their spouse and children, their lives reduced to rubble, if they inched too close? Whatever.

She trudged southbound through the early morning wintery mix; package still cradled to her chest like a newborn. Frigid raindrops grazed her eyelashes before cascading downward and stinging her cheeks as she passed the signs in Zabars’ windows, reminding patrons to purchase their Thanksgiving turkeys. The holiday was only days away. The irony did not escape her.

Shivering as much from the weather as from what lay ahead, she descended the subway staircase at 72nd Street, pushing against the throngs headed toward the sidewalk. She had someplace to go too and nothing—not crowds nor apprehension—was going to delay her.

Today was the day, a chance to have her say. Finally, she’d make him understand.

Samantha ran her MetroCard through the turnstile and headed toward the stairway leading to the uptown train. She positioned herself as close as possible to the opening of the tunnel and stood by the edge of the platform, resummoning her fleeting courage as the crowds swelled behind her. Commuters too involved with their phones to notice the determined woman beside them whose breathing had quickened and whose face had grown hot. She hugged the box even tighter to her fidgeting body and waited. And waited.

A collective sigh arose from the crowd as the loudspeaker announced that the next train was going out of service and wouldn’t be stopping. She saw the light in the distance and heard the clunk-de-clunk and whirl—a deafening gale descending onto the tracks, drowning out the murmur of the passengers. Her ride to the most important meeting of her life. And it was the number 2 train. How appropriate. Just like her, relegated from number one.

Timing was everything, the oncoming gleam only yards away. She tightened her grasp on what was left of her world, recalling the face of the bitch who’d laughed as she’d stolen it all away. Then she took one last breath and jumped onto the tracks.

***

Excerpt from Deadly When Disturbed by DM Barr. Copyright 2025 by DM Barr. Reproduced with permission from DM Barr. All rights reserved.

 

 

Author Bio:

DM Barr

Dawn M. Barclay is an award-winning author who writes psychological and romantic suspense as D.M. Barr and non-fiction under her own name.

Her eight other published books include Expired Listings, Murder Worth the Weight, and Saving Grace: A Psychological Thriller. Along with Deadly When Disturbed, in February LBB will also publish the first of her multi-volume series, Vacations Can Be Murder: A True Crime Lover's Travel Guide.

Dawn recently completed her second stint co-editing a Sisters in Crime NY/Tri-state anthology. New York State of Crime, published by Down & Out Books in the fall of 2024, which includes her third published short story, "Orchestral Removals in the Dark." She is currently editing an anthology of crime fiction for Down & Out Books inspired by the music of Elton John and Bernie Taupin.

Dawn offers developmental and copy editing through SuggestedDevelopment.com, and ghostwrites personal histories and corporate profiles through LegacyQuest.net. A member of ITW, she has served as president of Hudson Valley Scribes, vice president of Sisters in Crime-NY (still a board member), and the newsletter author/board member of the NY chapter of Mystery Writers of America.

Catch Up With DM Barr:
www.DMBarr.com
Goodreads - @DMBarr
BookBub - @DMBarr
Instagram - @AuthorDMBarr
Threads - @AuthorDMBarr
YouTube - @BarrSinister-m7u
Bluesky - @AuthorDMBarr
YouTube - @BarrSinister-m7u
Facebook - @AuthorDMBarr
TikTok - @AuthorDMBarr

 

 

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Thursday, January 23, 2025

Guest Post Entering The Time Machine by D.H. Morris Author of The Girl of Many Crowns (#contests- Win Some Book Swag and a copy of the book)

 

I want to welcome D.H. Morris to Books R Us. She is the author of the historical fiction book The Girl of Many Crowns. The author has written a guest post just for my readers, Thanks for stopping by.


Book Details:

Book Title:  The Girl of Many Crowns by D.H. Morris
Category:  Adult Fiction (18 +),  305 pages
GenreHistorical Fiction 
Publisher:  New Classics Publishing
Release date:  October 4, 2024
Content Rating: PG due to some mature subject matters, but no graphic violence, language, or sexual content.
 

Book Description:
 

The true and inspiring story of a powerful knight and a run-away queen who unite to defy an empire.

King Charles, the first king of France, is beset by Vikings, rebel lords, and his brother, all seeking to take his kingdom. To strengthen his kingdom, King Charles marries his twelve-year-old daughter Judith to elderly, widowed Aethelwulf, King of Wessex. When Aethelwulf dies unexpectedly, Judith is pressed into marrying Aethelwulf's cruel eldest son. When her second husband also dies, twice-widowed Judith refuses to accept a third arranged marriage.

As punishment for her refusal, King Charles imprisons 16-year-old Judith in one of his palaces where she is visited by her brother, Louis, and his knightly companion, Count Baldwin “Iron Arm.” When Baldwin helps Judith escape, they are hunted by her father’s men and must flee for their lives. Can Baldwin and Judith hold on to each other and their faith as they face the fury of an empire?

Buy the Book:
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add to goodreads
 
GUEST POST:

ENTERING THE TIME MACHINE - by D. H. Morris

Even as a child I saw history as a form of time travel. However, my life-long love affair with history makes it frustrating to read historical fiction that includes anachronisms. My quest to avoid including anything out of place in the world of The Girl of Many Crowns led me to read forty books and numerous articles about the Ninth Century. The timeline and the plot for The Girl of Many Crowns came from the annals kept by ninth-century monks at the abbey of St. Bertin. But fleshing out the events mentioned in the annals is where the research happened. Most of that research took place during the writing process. Here are several examples:

In the ninth century kings were itinerant. They had multiple palaces and moved often from one to the next to keep an eye on their nobles, listen to legal matters, and to avoid overburdening the resources of any one region. Immediately, I was faced with the question of what these moves entailed. How many people would move in one company? How far was the distance between palaces? Did they use carts, wagons, etc.? Did they have luggage or just pack everything in straw? Striving for historical accuracy, I paused writing until I had read books on early medieval European royal courts and how they traveled. I learned about the duties of the various members of the court during such endeavors, including the role of the court jester in entertaining weary travelers.

The Girl of Many Crowns is also a book of many places as indicated by the maps included. However, I could not write about those places without researching how they looked twelve hundred years ago. What buildings were there at the time that the characters were there? What were those buildings made of and what history was behind each building or city? Of course, not all of my research made it into the book. But it was important for me to know it in order to write confidently about that time period.

Finally, not being a Catholic, myself, and finding that religion was an enormous part of the characters’ story meant that I needed to delve deeply into early medieval Catholic beliefs, controversies, popes, celebrations, as well as the order and content of the ninth-century mass.

My research started by reading the works of early medieval historian Janet L. Nelson. Her books are filled with footnotes and bibliographies leading to long lists of other scholarly sources. Wikipedia is also useful for finding sources, with one caveat. You should not rely on the opinions written in the body of any given Wikipedia article without reading the original sources cited. The primary sources for citations in Wikipedia are where the real value lies.

The Girl of Many Crowns is heavier on the “historical” rather than the “fiction” part of Historical Fiction. I hope you will enjoy entering my time machine and traveling back with me 1200 years to a dangerous, fascinating, and adventurous period in European history.

 



Meet the Author:

A native of San Diego, California, D. H. Morris has lived on four continents and traveled through many countries. She has four children and eleven grandchildren and currently lives in Kansas City, Missouri. She graduated from Utah State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre and Choral Music education and pursued graduate work in English at USU and law at the University of Utah. She is also a published playwright.

As a descendant of Judith and Baldwin, the author discovered their intriguing story while doing a genealogical project. This journey inspired her to research everything about the 9th Century – including food, politics, travel, war, education, clothing, jewelry, religion, holidays, marriage customs, and medicine. She loves talking about this remarkable time in history when the European countries we know today were being formed and fighting for their very existence.


connect with the author:  website pinterestgoodreads

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Friday, January 17, 2025

Book Blitz of My Hearts Desire by Heather Alexander(#Contests- Enter to win signed copies of books 1 & 2 in the series OR a $25 Amazon gift card (winner’s choice)

My Heart’s Desire
Heather Alexander
(The Kincaid Brothers Series, #2)
Publication date: January 13th 2025
Genres: Adult, Romance, Time-Travel

When her best friend’s name appears on a tombstone dated 1883, the only way for Amber Harrison to save her is to travel through a mysterious time portal to the Old West—

Destiny drops her in 1883 Montana at the feet of Josh Kincaid—a sexy, time-traveling deputy with plans of his own. Attraction stirs between Amber and Josh, and soon their flirtatious friendship blossoms into a fiery romance. Teaming up, they devise a rescue, but time isn’t their only enemy. An escaped convict, seeking his revenge on the Kincaids, interferes with their plans. In order to keep their future on its true course, they must stop their adversary’s plan from coming to fruition. Can they beat time and return to their rightful place, or will they be stranded in 1883 forever?

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EXCERPT:

“Don’t move,” a deep, masculine voice commanded.
Amber froze. The hair on the back of her neck stood up. Waves of fear poured down her spine.

“Hands where I can see them,” the voice continued.

Amber thrust her hands straight up into the air. Her stomach burned, fear roiling in its depths. If she didn’t have an ulcer when this over, it would be a miracle. She closed her eyes for a second, hoping the voice belonged to Wyatt. Because if it wasn’t him, or she was in the wrong year, surely, she was dead. Trespassing was against the law even in this backward time. Great, and she didn’t think it was possible for her anxiety level to climb any higher.

“Turn around…slowly.”

The initial signs of an oncoming panic attack banged at the door to her senses. Her heart pounded, her chest tightened, and her head spun like she’d just come off the tilt-a-whirl at the amusement park. But she did as she was told and inched herself around, one baby step at a time.

If anything confirmed her trip back in time one hundred and forty years, this was it. The cowboy standing before her was tall, over six feet, and clad in what she expected to see a man from the 1880s to be dressed in. He wore an unbuttoned vest over a linen shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. His pants were super snug, and his dusty cowboy boots covered his legs from the knees down. The empty holster sat low over his right hip, and the silver spurs at his heels clanked as he moved toward her.

“W-Wyatt?” She swallowed nervously, lowering her hands. “D-don’t shoot!”

Dark blond brows shot up when she said his name, but he waved the gun and took another step toward her.

“I didn’t say you could lower your hands.”

Oh, shit!

She thrust her hands up again. “You…you are Wyatt, aren’t you? Wyatt Kincaid. Please tell me you are. Otherwise, I’m seriously screwed…in more ways than you could possibly imagine.”

Mesmerizing green eyes widened, and then his gaze swept over her from head to toe but remained on her feet. “I’d recognize twenty-first century sneakers anywhere.”

He tipped his chin toward her footwear, but his gun remained aimed at her.

Relief surged through her, and she sagged a little. This must be Emma’s husband. Now she understood what compelled her best friend to return to a previous century. Emma, you got yourself one fine husband. Out of all the details Emma revealed about Wyatt last year, Amber didn’t recall anything about him having such compelling green eyes. It was difficult to look away, not that she wanted to, she had to. This was her best friend’s husband.

Chalk it up to her time-travel muddled mind.

He took a step toward her and tilted his head to study her. “I’m guessing you’re…Amber?”

“Uh-huh. That’s right.” She nodded, still a little stunned. “Where’s Emma? I need to see her.”

His scowl quickly turned into a smile, and he holstered his gun. “Wow, the famous Amber Harrison in the flesh.”

He recognized her! Inside, she jumped up and down with excitement. “You know me? Wait, I don’t know how that’s possible. We’ve never met.”

“I recognize you from a photo Emma brought back with her last year…but you’re mistaken about who I am.”

She retreated a step. “If…if you’re not Wyatt Kincaid, then who are you?”

His smile widened, and he extended his hand. “Hi, I’m Josh. Wyatt and James’s brother.”

Author Bio:

Heather Alexander writes time-travel, contemporary, and historical romance.

Heather began writing as a child, inspired by her mom who loved to write fiction and poetry. Putting pen to paper—or rather fingers to keyboard—she began writing in the genres she loves. When she’s not writing, Heather enjoys spending time with her family, sipping Earl Grey tea while cozying up with a great book, and traveling. She is currently working on her next book.

Follow Heather on Instagram, Facebook, and Threads @booksbyha. Join her on GoodReads and BookBub.

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Friday, January 10, 2025

Book Blitz of The Magical Tea Shop BY Aimee O'Brian (#Contests- Enter to win a Gift Card-2 Winners

The Magical Tea Shop
Aimee O’Brian
(Charmed Love, #1)
Published by: Tule Publishing
Publication date: January 7th 2025
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

In the small town of Hazard, finding your soulmate might require magical intervention.

Ivy Wayland has a bet with her sister, who says you can’t have it all—success in business or love, but not both. Since opening her tea shop, Ivy knows where her priorities should be, but she has her heart set on her landlord. All her life, she’s heard the family lore about how their antique cookie press infuses homemade cookies with so much love that the recipient will fall head over heels for the giver. Ivy decides to take the chance.

Jaxon Langford is ready to move on. The only thing stopping him from selling up is concern about how some of his small business owners would fare with a greedier landlord. When one of his enthusiastic tenants brings him a tin of delicious-looking cookies, he’s charmed. He takes the cookies to his baseball team’s practice, only to watch them be devoured without getting so much as a bite.

Suddenly, Ivy has her pick of the town’s eligible bachelors—except Jaxon. How can she prove her sister wrong and win Jaxon’s heart?

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EXCERPT:

Ivette Wayland caught her breath. With the sun shining down on him, Jaxon Langford always caught her just a little unawares. He only lived upstairs, but every morning she found herself anticipating his first appearance of the day. She gazed through the plate glass window of her cozy tea shop as his little black Scottie dog scampered to keep up with his long strides. Jaxon halted just outside her door.

Would he enter?

She ached to run her fingers through that molasses-brown hair, still damp from the shower and sparkling like sugared ginger crinkles. It was ridiculous how much she yearned to touch him. He was her landlord, for goodness ’sake. Ivy reined in her longing. Jaxon paused on the sidewalk and quickly stepped over to hold open the door for the tiny, elderly Hazel Bestwick, president of the Hazard Historical Society.

Please come inside, Jaxon.

A couple of young boys on their way to school, backpacks swinging, asked him a question. Jaxon leaned down to answer. He fist-bumped the taller of the two boys and grinned. Jaxon’s smile shot straight to her core. As if sensing her watching, he glanced at the window, trying to see through sunlight bouncing off glass, his eyes the color of a well-steeped Irish breakfast tea.

She let out a little sigh. What she wouldn’t give to have him for…

“Focus,” said a voice behind her.

Ivy jumped and blinked twice to bring herself back to reality. “You have customers.

Remember your goals.”

Her older sister’s constant criticism put her on the defensive. Ivy swung abruptly to face her, causing her high blonde ponytail to smack her own cheek. She shoved it back. “Business is steady.”

My business is steady.” Holly drew herself up straighter in her pink bakery smock smoothing a hand over her flawless updo before sweeping an arm out to draw Ivy’s attention to the nearly empty tearoom. “Your business is slow. And he…” She flapped her hand toward the window “…is a distraction to success. You can’t have it all.”

Author Bio:

Having lived in both California and Texas, award-winning author Aimee O’Brian now resides in the beautiful wine country where she writes dark, sexy, funny romance. With her three children grown and experiencing their own adventures, she and her husband are free to explore the world. When she’s not reading, writing, or planting even more flowers in her garden, she can be found stomping through ancient ruins and getting lost in museums.

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Friday, January 3, 2025

Book Blitz of Avenge Me by Tamela Miles (#contests- Win An Amazon Gift Card)

Avenge Me
Tamela Miles
Publication date: December 30th 2024
Genres: Adult, Horror, Paranormal

Hands Clean: Afterburner
A costly mistake, that set in motion a horrific chain of events, seemingly have Lili paying for eternity. One being, walking the world’s oldest streets and dirt pathways, has the power to save her – if there is any of her soul left to save.

Witch Bitch: Assassin
To the people in Mason’s world, Luna deserves every bit of sympathy as his grieving girlfriend. But does she, really? A long buried and probably best forgotten secret fuels the fire of a vengeance that keeps Mason alive and guarantees the demise of unfortunate others.

GPS
Zayne is having a bad week. He’s lost his girlfriend, his part time job, and he’s failing two classes. The only bright spot in his life is time spent in his car, talking with his technologically enhanced GPS. The navigation system seems to truly know and understand him. It also knows things, dark things, that may put him on the path towards an evil force that just won’t quit.

XO
Lauryn is not the girl she used to be. Her demanding life as a struggling, single mom takes its toll and leads to a night out with friends and poor choices – choices that open a door to an otherworldly force that’s straddling the fine line between not so good and ungodly.

Hotel Paper
Las Vegas is losing its charm, but Zach and Paris decide to stick around for one more unforgettable night of sin. He finds himself in her embrace in the darkest of ways and begins to question how well he knows Paris – and how well he knows himself.

**This is a short story collection that is closely related to Tamela’s last release, Kiss Me Deadly

Amazon

EXCERPT:

(from the short story, “Hands Clean: Afterburner”)

Perry, as he was better known, stood on a grassy hill, overlooking the expanse of the beach and the churning waves just past sunset. Warm fur rubbing against his ankles reminded him he wasn’t alone, and he looked down with a gentle smile. A black cat weaved her away around his legs, purring loudly and looking up at him expectantly.

“Calling you “Cat” sounds straight ridiculous, but you refuse to tell me your name.”

The cat meowed and he chuckled. “Fine. Just “Cat”, it is.” He lifted her into his arms and rubbed noses. “It’s not often I ask animals to do my dirty work, so I thank you and promise to feed you.” Perry locked eyes with the cat and spoke softly in her mind. “Do you remember the plan? Are you ready to strike? When you get to the bar, be sure to give me a visual.”

At her reassuring purr, he put her down and let her run to her destination. He kept his eyes trained on the huge wood door of the Blue Rose bar, which stood several yards from his position on the beach hill. Cat approached the bar’s entrance and sat on the walkway, patiently waiting, as she licked a paw. Soon enough, the heavy door swung open, and a laughing couple emerged from the bar. Cat darted inside the dimly lit front area and, within seconds, gave him the visual he needed.

Perry almost immediately spotted his target, seated at a table with a large man. She was unchanged, both in face and body, even after a millennium.

Author Bio:

Tamela Miles is a school psychologist with Ed.S degree and a graduate of California State University San Bernardino and California State University Dominguez Hills. She is also a former flight attendant. She grew up in Altadena, California in that tumultuous time known as the 1980s. She now resides with her family in the Inland Empire, CA. She's a horror/paranormal romance writer mainly because it feels so good having her characters do bad things and, later, pondering what makes them so bad and why they can never seem to change their wicked ways.

She enjoys emails from people who like her work. In fact, she loves emails. She can be contacted at tamelamiles@yahoo.com or her Facebook page, Tamela Miles Books. She also welcomes reader reviews and enjoys the feedback from people who love to read as much as she does.

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