Book Blitz of Forced by Kink Key (#contests- Enter to Win An Ecopy of the Book)

Forced
Kink Key
Publication date: November 18th 2024
Genres: Adult, Dark Romance, Romance

Today is my eighteenth birthday and I’m finally going to be free from my abusive father’s clutches… or so I hoped.

I knew something was wrong when he calls me to his office while gathering his men. Five men who look at me with hungry eyes that promise pain and misery.

Will they take mercy on me when I tell them I’m a virgin, or will that only feed into their violent nature?

***This book is a short DARK romance with many triggers. Find a complete list inside the book***

Goodreads / Amazon

—

 

 

EXCERPT:

“Now the real fun can begin.” My father claps his hands. “Dante, you’re up next.”

“Fu(k yes,” Dante groans as he takes Lucca’s place behind me.

My whole body goes stiff when he grabs onto my hips with bruising force. I feel the head of his co(k between my folds but unlike Lucca, he doesn’t tease me; he doesn’t go slow, he simply thrusts his fat co(k inside of me with such force that I fall forwards onto my father’s desk.

The sound of laughter fills the room and anger fills my veins. I prop myself up on my elbows and brace for the pounding.

Dante isn’t gentle about fu(king me. He drives himself deeper with each thrust, making my thighs bang against the edge of the desk.

My pu$$y is already sore and I’m not sure how I’m going to make it through the night without bleeding or at the very least bruised.

I try to think about anything besides the man behind me, using me like a fu(k toy for his pleasure. I try to think happy thoughts like how Lucca and I are going to be free after this. It’s going to be worth it. A few hours of agony for a lifetime of freedom.

Author Bio:

Kink Key is a male/female author duo who writes short and spicy books.

Instagram / Facebook / Bookbub

GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

—

Book Blitz of Step One Indigo Ballet Series(#Contests- Enter to win an Amazon Gift Card.)

Step One
Grier Cooper
(Indigo Ballet Series)
Publication date: November 15th 2024
Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult

When Indigo lands a role in Ballet Russia’s touring production of The Nutcracker, it’s a dream come true…. Or is it? Her arch nemesis is also part of the production. So is dashing Russian viral video superstar Dimitri Volkov, who’s playing some kind of game she doesn’t quite understand.

As Indigo dances alongside the rising stars of Ballet Russia she struggles to rise above constant criticism from Ballet Russia’s Director, Yuri Kanofsky. But first she’ll have to dig deep and silence the doubts running through her mind if she wants to rise to their level and drive her ballet career forward.

When unexpected events turn Indigo’s world upside down overnight she’s forced to decide how much she’s willing to sacrifice to get there.

And one innocent mistake just might cost her everything.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

“You.” The single word from Yuri yanks me out of my reverie. “Indigo, is it?” I nod numbly. “Come here, please.” Yuri points at the center of the floor then folds his arms and waits. I take my position there standing still.

“We begin like this,” he says, posing as I remember from the video of Irina. He shows me the first counts of eight for my solo and I mark the steps as I watch. I’ve memorized them after the second time he walks them through; thankfully I’ve always been quick to pick up choreography.

“You have it?” he demands gruffly. I nod. “Show me.” he steps back and leans on the barre at the front of the room, watching me intently, like a cat tracking a careless bird.

I spread my feet wide and bend forward at the waist, imagining the pose as I remember Irina did it. Aside from Yuri’s counting, the room is silent and still; I feel the others watching. But I can’t think about that. I must only think about the counts and where my body is going, one second ahead so I am there when I am supposed to be–

“No!” he claps loudly. “Let me see position again.” I recreate the pose I was in before he interrupted. “No.” he shakes his head vigorously. “It is like this.”

He strikes the pose. “You see?”

I don’t understand the difference but I don’t dare say anything. I nod.

“More energy in fingertips,” he suggests. I try again, this time I imagine sparks shooting out of my fingertips. This seems to work, since he lets me continue. I rise en pointe, bringing one leg into passé retiré, the toes touching the side of my standing leg near the knee.

“Stop.” More clapping. He marches over to me again. “Make me passé,” he says. I rise back into the position, more forcefully this time, but still he shakes his head. “It is impossible,” he states. “This is not passé. It must be in front of knee, like this,” he says, demonstrating.

Miss Roberta would frown on this placement, I think. Another example of how different ballet technique is from one company to the next, from one country to the next.

Still, I comply. Maybe it’s not such a bad thing to learn slight variations, to have more translations in my pocket. You never know when they might come in handy in the future. Another passé, then close in fifth position, and pirouette from fifth–

“No again.” He clenches his hands into fists this time and stomps over to Skinny Snow White. I catch the first word, “Olgachkova” and then get lost inthe flurry of words that follow, none of which I understand. When he falls silent,

Skinny Snow White nods in assent and replies, “Da.”

Skinny Snow White removes the plastic warmup pants she was wearing and makes her way over to me. Yuri flaps a hand at me impatiently, indicating I should step aside. “Olga will show,” he says, turning to her with an enormous smile of beatitude.

I edge out of her way, trying not to feel crushed. I know that having Olga dance in my place is meant to be a teaching tool, something to help me ultimately, but it still stings.

That feeling intensifies as she moves gracefully through the choreography, flowing smoothly through the passés and turns as effortlessly as a fish swirls through water. I try to focus on what she’s doing so I can learn. I’d like to figure out exactly what it is that Yuri’s looking for, that I haven’t got. Yet. But it’s almost impossible to ignore that this woman is one of the most exquisite dancers

I’ve ever watched.

I’ve told myself oodles of time I must never ever, under any circumstances, make comparisons–because comparison is always a losing game. But how not to when the glaring differences are practically smacking me in the face?

Yuri claps again. “Enough. Khorosho, blagodaryu vas, Olga. We will break. Return in twenty minutes.”

I stand paralyzed, mute with a flurry of thoughts pirouetting in my mind.

After watching Olga dance I don’t know how I will ever measure up. I want to, but it seems like an impossible task. Where to even begin? Who can help? Can anyone? What do I need to do to reach that same level of precision and perfection?

All I can think is that even if I were to sneak from my bed and dance all night long, wearing out pair after pair of pointe shoes every night up until our performances, like the Twelve Dancing Princesses fairytale, I’m not sure even that would be enough.

br class=”blank” />

Author Bio:

Grier left home at fourteen to study at the School of American Ballet in New York. She has performed on three out of seven continents with companies such as San Francisco Ballet, Miami City Ballet, and Pacific Northwest Ballet, totaling more than thirty years of experience as a dancer, teacher and performer.

Her work has been praised as "poignant and honest" with "emotional hooks that penetrate deeply." She writes and blogs about dance and has interviewed and photographed a diverse collection dancers and performers including Clive Owen, Nicole Kidman, Glen Allen Sims and Jessica Sutta. She is the author of Build a Ballerina Body and The Daily Book of Photography. Grier's work has also appeared in Conscious Dancer, Discovery Girls, Skipping Stones, and Dance Advantage, among others.

Website / Goodreads / X

GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

—

Book Blitz of Bloody Is The Night by Robin Jeffrey(#Contests-Win An Amazon Gift Card)

Bloody is the Night
Robin Jeffrey
(The Night, #2)
Publication date: November 12th 2024
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance

Unbeknownst to humans, the werewolves of the world live in tight knit gangs, or “dens”, for protection from outsiders – and each other. Every major metropolis has one; to belong to a den is to have a family for eternity. Shaye Cassidy, an unhoused human woman scraping by on the streets of Los Angeles, hasn’t had anything close to a family in over ten years. Shaye left her home under a cloud to chase the dream of a new start, a dream that quickly turned into a nightmare; a nightmare that grows even more twisted when Shaye witnesses a werewolf killing a fellow unhoused man.

Andy Vasquez is a top member of Sangre Sagrada, second only to the den leader herself. When she tasks him with tracking down a werewolf gone rogue, someone who is killing humans for sport and risking the exposure of their world, Andy dedicates all his resources to the task. He couldn’t have predicted that the key to uncovering the identity of the rogue wolf would be a human woman, any more than he could have predicted that he would fall in love with her.

Now, Andy must protect Shaye not just from the rogue wolf, but also from those within his den who wish she would disappear. Shaye has her own secrets, however, and in the city of angels, everyone has a devilish side.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble

—

EXCERPT:

I faced forward and froze.

Sitting on the stool across the table was the slim man from the library. He looked me over with an unimpressed glaze to his eyes, leaning against the table, his breathing somewhat labored.

“Shaye Cassidy?” he said casually, as if we had arranged to meet here on a blind date.

I pushed away from the table, my eyes widening. “Shit–!”

Two massive hands clamped onto my shoulders. I tried to twist around, to twist out of their grip, but I might as well have been trying to squirm out of handcuffs. “Stay awhile,” said the silver-haired man behind me, pressing me down into the stool, squeezing hard, but not hard enough to be painful.

Heart in my throat, pounding against my skin like it was trying to escape, I watched as the dark-haired man slid himself on top of the plush green seat across from me, reaching forward and picking up a few pieces of hard-shelled candy out of the bowl as he settled himself. “How did you even get into a place like this?” he asked, an amused quirk to the corner of his mouth that set me on edge.

Even in the midst of the chaotic bar, his voice was deep, cool, and clear, like water from a mountain river. I watched as he threw the candy into his mouth piece by piece, and he returned my stare, his brows lifting over his dark eyes.

My tongue darted out to wet my suddenly dry lips. I cleared my throat. “Are you going to hurt me?”

His lips twitched up into a lightning strike smile that was gone almost as soon as it appeared. “No.” Tongue probing the inside of his cheek, he leaned forward across the table, so he didn’t have to shout. “Are you going to answer my question?”

His calmness grated on my raw nerves. I rolled my eyes and gestured towards the back of the club, past the dance floor. “Fire door alarm around the back is busted. Has been for almost a year.” As I shifted my weight on my seat, the man’s grip on my shoulders remained steady and firm. I grimaced at the pressure. “I noticed it when they hired me for a day to wash some dishes.”

The man looked in the direction I indicated and gave a harrumph, his shoulders rising and falling. He returned his attention to me, nodding. “Clever.”

Frowning, I gripped the edge of the table tightly. “I’m homeless, not blind.” I looked around. No one seemed to notice that I was under duress. If I started screaming, what would happen? What would anyone do? I decided not to risk it, sighing and staring at the man across from me instead. “I’m not stupid either. You’re Andy Vazquez, right?”

His calm facade cracked, if only slightly. This time he actually looked impressed, his eyes widening slightly, faint surprise clear in the opening of his mouth. “Ah, yeah.”

“What do you want?” I demanded.

“I thought you said you weren’t stupid.” He smiled, his eyes narrowing. “What would someone like me want with someone like you?”

“I don’t know,” I answered with unusual honesty, throwing one hand into the air. “I don’t even know who you are; not really. Just that you’re looking for me. You and the LAPD.” Looking him over more closely, a thought occurred to me. “Is that it? Are you a cop? Like a detective or something?”

As soon as the question was out of my mouth, I knew the answer was no. Getting a closer look at him, he couldn’t have been dressed less like a police officer. A part of my brain I had not used in a long time recognized the deceptively plain white dress shirt he was wearing as Louis Vuitton, meaning it cost somewhere close to a thousand dollars. The pants they were tucked into? Armani, over a thousand. The jacket? Even at this distance, I could tell: a single-breasted affair in virgin wool and silk – two thousand at least.

But it wasn’t just the clothes. It was the way he wore them.

Like they were strictly temporary.

Author Bio:

Robin Jeffrey can almost always be found cranking out punchy flash fiction, lyrical essays, or world-rich novels. Her writing has been published in magazines across the country and around the world. She currently calls the Pacific Northwest of the United States home, where she lives happily with her husband and their out of control comic book collection. She currently resides in the rainy Pacific Northwest. More of her work can be found on her website, RobinJeffreyAuthor.com.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram / X

GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

—

Guest Post by P.K. Eden Author of the Mirror- The Primogen Sentinels Book One(#guestpost)

 

What if you found out the artifacts from the fairy tales you loved as a child were real and one of them just predicted your death?

Title: The Mirror

Author: P.K. Eden

Publication Date: October 14, 2024

Pages: 390

Genre: Urban Fantasy

What if you found out the artifacts from the fairy tales you loved as a child were real and one of them just predicted your death? That’s the dilemma Scientist Ben Michaels faces when Siene Dower, descendant of the Brothers Grimm, tells him that Snow White’s Magic Mirror sent her to stop him from getting into the cab that crashed and burst into flame right before his eyes at the intersection at Penn Station, New York City. Does practical Dr. Michaels dismiss everything he knows about reality and science and follow the curious and beautiful woman who just saved his life?

The Mirror is available at Amazon.

 

Guest Post:

Ten things you might not know about THE MIRROR 

1. It is with inspiration from one of the Tales of the Brothers Grimm specifically Little Snow White - a tale of mother-daughter conflicts (and don't we all have them at one time or another) that The Mirror was born. 

2. The names of the societies both pro and con were gleamed from actual folklore. Our Rogue group - Taltos - was pulled from Hungarian folk tales in which the taltos are commonly mentioned in the folktales. Our heroic Primogen Sentinels - are the leaders of his or her clan, or in our case one from each continent and are the protectors of the artifacts from the fairy tales. 

3. The story takes place over three continents - North America, Europe, and Africa. 

4. The Sentinels do not have superpowers. They have abilities which they sharpened in order to protect the artifacts from the tales and lore of each continent they oversee.

 5. To be a Sentinel one must give up most normal contact with their family and friends in order for the fairy tale artifacts to be hidden from the human world to be kept safe and not exploited by those who wish to use their unique powers for personal gain. Image if you owned the spinning wheel that could turn straw into gold. 

6. THE MIRROR includes folklore and fairy tales from other writers as well. In fact, Thumbelina, or Lina as she prefers to be called, by Hans Cristian Anderson plays an important role in the plot. Future stories will also include Native American folklore. 

7. The Primogens Watchers are a subgroup who constantly monitor world events to help determine if an artifact has been exposed or if Taltos is on the move. 

8. The Taltos Seekers are another subgroup who can find anything or anyone when needed. This group is headed by the South American Primogen who has a whole network of cousins leading the way.

 9. The Primogen Erasers are tasked with cleaning up after a conflict with Taltos or if a person or persons somehow discover the presence of the Sentinels. Remember the "flashy thing" from Men in Black? Erasers have something similar.

 10. THE MIRROR sets the basis for the next book to come out. That book will address climate change issues and will use the wisdom and respect for nature of the North American Native American Primogen - Jon Two Bear.

 

 

Book Excerpt

“Sit.” Siene motioned to the black sofa next to the door. She walked to the back bookshelf and pulled forward an old book with her forefinger. She skimmed the pages as she walked back to him. About halfway through the book she retrieved a fragile-looking, folded paper with timeworn brown edges.  

She sat next to him. “Show me your palm.” 

Ben held out his hand. “Why? Are you going to read it?”

“Do I look like a fortune teller?”

“You did predict the cab accident,” Ben replied. 

She rolled her eyes and gently unfolded the paper. Carefully, she dropped three brown, shriveled ovals into his palm.

Ben’s brow furrowed. “What are these?”

“Beans.”

“I can see that.” He looked up. “Is this when I ask you why they were hidden in the book?”

“No, you’re supposed to guess.”

Ben lifted an eyebrow. “Do you really want to play games, Siene?”

She crossed her arms in front of her. “Actually, yes. You’re the hot-shot genius. I’m curious to see if that big brain of yours can think outside the . . .” She felt a wicked smile form on her lips “. . . outside the spit glands.”

He shot her an annoyed look and used his forefinger to move the beans around on his palm. They were shrunken but all the same size and shape. Kidney beans, he guessed. Very old kidney beans. He glanced at Siene. “Beans hidden in a book. Did you get them from a prom date instead of flowers and this is your way of telling me that you’re still thinking of the prom king?”  

She saw amusement replace the annoyance on his face. Okay, maybe inside all the gray matter the man had a sense of humor. She’d try sparring with him later. Right now, she had to make a seemingly very obtuse point. “Did your mother ever read you fairy tales when you were a child?”  

“Yes,” Ben replied, still holding the beans in his outstretched hand.

“Which ones?”

“The usual. Hansel and Gretel, Little Red Riding Hood, the Shoemaker and the Elves.”

“What about Jack and the Beanstalk?” 

Ben glanced down at the beans in his hand and then back at Siene. “Of course, and I suppose you’re going to tell me these are magic beans.”

Skepticism lit his eyes and Siene knew he wasn’t quite there yet. “I know I’m asking a lot, but for a minute, just send all the Einstein stuff to the back of your gray matter and go with it.” His expression told her he thought she was nuts and she suspected ninety-nine percent of the world’s population would probably agree with him. “I guess laymen might say they are magic.”

“Laymen.” Ben paused before shooting her a probing stare. “People off their meds like you, you mean.”

She held up her finger. “You agreed to go with it.”

“No, I did not.”

“Let’s pretend you did. These beans are the last ones left.  It drives my brother, Reed, crazy that I keep them in a book.  He thinks it’s the first place a Taltoian would look.” She held the book up so he could see the title.

“Taltioan?”

“I’ll get there in a minute.” She lifted her chin. “Look at the book.”

White paper showed through the frayed corners of the cover and the embossed lettering worn low by the passing years made the words hard to read. He leaned closer and squinted. Tales by the Brothers Grimm. His head snapped up. “Is this an original edition?” He turned the book over and then back. “It looks very old.”

Siene nodded. “They are my great-great--maybe another great, maybe not, it really doesn’t matter at this point--Uncles Jacob and Wilhelm. The book has been passed down through the generations.”   

Ben’s wide-eyed gaze flared. “You are crazy. You expect me to believe these are the magic beans they wrote about? That if you plant them, a stalk will grow as high as the clouds and if we climb it, we will meet a giant who has a goose that lays golden eggs?”

“Yes, and other things. A golden harp…”

Ben stood. “This has been an adventure to say the least, and I will admit you might have a very valuable book that could command millions, but you being related to the Brothers Grimm, “ he looked down at his hand, “And these are magic beans, I don’t think so.”

“Why not?”

He handed her back the book and held up fingers in a vee. “Two reasons. One, I suspect if there actually was a goose that laid golden eggs, some billionaire would own it and two, a giant, by sheer atomic weight and mass, cannot stand or live on a cloud.”

Siene shrugged. “Whether you believe me or not, it’s still true.”  

“Which part?”

“All of it.” She slipped her hand under his. “I better take those back now.” She carefully placed the beans inside the paper and back into the book.  

Ben remained still for several minutes as though processing the information he just heard. “It appears your uncles, if they truly are,  are not the only ones who can tell tall tales.”

She put the book back on the shelf. “They wrote the stories to protect the artifacts.”

“Artifacts. Like those in a museum?”

She looked at him and smiled. “No, the ones in my uncles’ stories.”

“Which stories?”
“All of them.”

– Excerpted from The Mirror by P.K. Eden, The Wild Rose Press, 2024. Reprinted with permission.

About the Authors

P.K. Eden is the alter ego of multi-published and award winning authors Patt Milhailff and Kathye Quick whose debut novel FIREBRAND was lauded as comparable to the Harry Potter series, garnered 5-Star reviews, and won numerous  Reviewer’s Choice Awards.

Born long, long ago in a place not so far away, Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, Kathryn Quick has been writing since the Sisters in St. Casmir’s Grammar School gave her the ruled yellow paper and a number two pencil.  She writes contemporary and career romances, romantic comedies, historical romances as well as urban fantasy. 

Kathye has twenty fiction books in print with various publishing houses and one non-fiction compilation of her town’s history at the behest of the Manville Library Bord.  She was honored to have been named an Amazon top 100 Romance Author for Ineligible Bachelor published by Montlake Romance. Other works include a three book  Grandmother’s Rings Series – Amethyst, Sapphire and Citrine, a rom-com series that follows three siblings as they use their Grandmother’s Rings given to them by their mother to find their soulmates. 

Because she has been fascinated by King Arthur and his knights for almost forever, her series Beyond Camelot, Brother Knights, is her vision of how the majestic kingdom may have survived after Arthur. Two books are written in this series with the third and final still in concept.

She is a founding member of Liberty State Fiction Writers and has been a part of Romance Writers of America and New Jersey Romance Writers.

She is married to her real-life hero, Donald, and has three grown sons, each having romantic adventures of their own. Her two grandkids, Savannah and Dax, happily cut into her writing time but she still manages to get a few pages done each day.

Website & Social Media:

Website ➜ www.Kathrynquick.com  

Twitter ➜ https://x.com/KQuickAuthor

Facebook ➜ https://www.facebook.com/KathrynQuickBooks/

Instagram ➜ https://www.instagram.com/kathrynquickauthor/

Goodreads ➜ https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/217228581-the-mirror

***

Thanks to novelist and editor, Dr. Nathasha Brooks-Harris who invited Patt Milhailff to write for several TRUE CONFESSION lines of magazines where she learned tight and entertaining writing and resulted in the publication of more than two hundred short stories and articles.

One of Patt’s most gratifying experiences was when she moderated a standing room only workshop at the African American Romance Slam Jam in 2004 and has since enjoyed speaking engagements at libraries, book clubs and other forums. 

She was awarded 2009 Author of the year and 2010 Mentor of the year by Romance writers of America, New York City Chapter, a terrific organization that helped her to obtain valuable lessons and insight while on her writing journey. 

Patt is also featured in A Dream Deferred, A Joy Achieved, a non-fiction novella by Charise Nesbit a co-producer at Tyler Perry Studios, about foster care, as well as being included in two of Times Bestselling Author Zane’s anthologies. 

Patt is one half of the writing duo P.K. Eden along with Kathye Quick, authors of Firebrand,  that received a five star Affaire de Couer Reviewer’s Choice Award. 

She is also a member of Liberty States Fiction Writers the home of a magnitude of talented writers and fellow authors and is the author of nine novels.  

Patt was raised, and educated in New York City, residing in  New Jersey, and has since relocated to Delaware.

Social Networks for P.K. Eden:

Follow on Twitter: https://x.com/PKEdenAuthor 

Follow on Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/P.K.EdenAuthor

Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p.k.edenauthor/

 

Sponsored By:

 

Guest Post by Ellen Kirschman Author of Call Me Carmela-A Dot Meyerhoff Mystery (#contests- Enter to win a Bookshop.org Gift Card-2 winners)

CALL ME CARMELA

by Ellen Kirschman

November 11 - December 6, 2024 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

A Dot Meyerhoff Mystery

 

Police therapist Dot Meyerhoff helps a young woman find her birth parents and unburies dark family secrets in this psychological thriller.

Police psychologist Dot Meyerhoff’s caseload is usually filled with cops—which is why she’s hesitant to help an adopted teenager locate her birth parents. But the teen’s godmother is Dot’s dear friend Fran and a police widow to boot. How could Dot possibly say no?

Once Dot starts digging into the case, though, she’s drawn into a murky world of illegal adoptions and the choices a young pregnant woman might make as a last resort. Soon there’s only one thing Dot knows for sure: the painful truth of what happened all those years ago might heal one family—but it’s certain to destroy another.

Genre: Psychological/Domestic Suspense
Published by: Open Road Media
Publication Date: November 26, 2024
Number of Pages: 292
ISBN: 9781504095754 (ISBN10: 1504095758)
Series: A Dot Meyerhoff Mystery, #5
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads | Open Road Media

Guest Post:

I write the Dot Meyerhoff mystery series. Dot (after my mother), Meyerhoff (after my maternal grandmother), is a police psychologist. So am I. You could call my books semi-autobiographical, although Dot is younger and thinner than I am. And when it comes to helping her cop clients, she takes way more risks.

Readers often ask me, “Did you really do what Dot did? My answer is always “Of course, not. I would have lost my license.”

Dot solves most crimes using her brain and her training as a psychologist. But when more is called for she’ll do whatever it takes. Just so you know, I would never have impersonated a public official, broken into my ex’s office, hit someone over the head with a wine bottle, or tried to run anyone down with my car.

I write in first person. Dot’s voice is mine. So are some of the challenges she faces in every book. I’ve tangled with a lot of badge heavy cops like Eddie Rimbauer. I’ve helped rookies like Ben Gomez (Burying Ben) and Randy Spelling (The Right Wrong Thing) get their bearings in a job that is filled with challenge and tragedy. I’ve helped veteran officers manage the wear and tear of the job on family life (The Fifth Reflection). And I’ve struggled to maintain the belief that what I do as a psychologist helps people change for the better (The Answer to His Prayers).

Like most writers, I mine my personal life and family for material. With his permission, I plagiarized much of my husband Steve’s life for Dot’s love interest, Frank. I turn the tables on incompetent psychologists, bumbling police

chiefs, social unrest, as well as my own tendencies to overwork and never give up on anyone, no matter how bad they are. My struggles to build trust with cop clients and get administrators to appreciate my services, show up in every book.

Call Me Carmela, my most recent book (available now for pre-order) took me in a new direction. Ripped from the headlines in a British newspaper, it has all the same quirky secondary characters shaking their heads as Dot helps the adopted teenage god daughter of KPD’s only police widow find her birth parents. It was refreshing to look beyond my own experience and take a deep dive into the complicated and emotion-filled world of adoptions.

Thanks for reading. I hope you find my books to be informative and enjoyable. Happy reading.

 

Read an excerpt:

 

 

 

Author Bio:

Ellen Kirschman, Ph.D. is a police psychologist. and clinician at the First Responders Support Network. She is a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, The American Psychological Association, Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and the Public Safety Writers Association. She is the recipient of the California Psychological Association’s award for distinguished contribution to psychology as well as the American Psychological Association’s award for outstanding contribution to the practice of police and public safety psychology. Ellen brings her expertise and decades-long experience to both fiction and non-fiction. She is the author of three non-fiction books and a five-book mystery series featuring police psychologist Dot Meyerhoff.

Catch Up With Ellen Kirschman:
EllenKirschman.com
Goodreads
BookBub - @EllenKirschman
Instagram - @ellen.kirschman.copdoc
Facebook - @ellen.kirschman

 

 

Tour Participants:

Visit these other great hosts on this tour for more great reviews, interviews, guest posts, and opportunities to WIN in the giveaway!

Click here to view the Tour Schedule

Don't Miss Out! Enter Now for Your Chance to Win!

This is a giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Tours for Ellen Kirschman. See the widget for entry terms and conditions. Void where prohibited.

 

CLICK HERE TO ENTER CONTEST

 

Get More Great Reads at Partners In Crime Tours

 

 

Book Blitz of Things I Wish I Said by Gracie Graham (#Contests- Enter to win Book Swags)

Things I Wish I Said
Gracie Graham
Publication date: November 7th 2024
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult

 

Lung cancer patient Ryleigh Sinclair wants a boyfriend for the summer.

And my mother wants me to be the one to make her wish come true.

Me. The eternal pessimist. The guy who no longer believes in happy endings after my dad died of pancreatic cancer and my girlfriend dumped me in the same month.

But after weeks of spending time with Ryleigh, she somehow does the impossible. She fills the gaping hole of my father’s absence until I’m the one hoping for a miracle.

I’ve learned my lesson about wishes.

Happily ever afters are a lie.

Yet I’m the one wishing like hell for another outcome for Ryleigh.

I lost my father to cancer; I can’t lose her too.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

“You make me happy.”

I swallow, afraid to move and the break the spell we’re under. “No, I don’t,” I say, my throat raw.

“You do. This last month, I’ve laughed more than I have since I lost him. You make me forget to be so damn sad all the time.” His other hand rises, and he drags his thumb over my lower lip while my heart crashes into my ribs.

“Grayson . . .”

“You asked me why I kissed you.”

I nod, my resolve to keep him at arm’s length crumbling.

“I kissed you because I couldn’t stand another second of pretending I didn’t want to. Because watching you flirt with Cameron drove me fucking crazy. Because when I touch you, everything else fades away. All the shit in my life feels bearable. Like I can move forward as long as I have you. Simply put, life is just better with you in it.”

A sob escapes the back of my throat, and then his mouth is on mine, and he’s kissing me like his life depends on it. Like we’re the last two people on the face of the planet and the world’s existence depends on us. Like he is the Earth and I am the moon, just caught up in his orbit.

Butterflies take flight in my chest.

My toes curl.

The pulse drumming inside my ears reaches an ear-splitting decibel.

His mouth slants, his tongue brushing against mine as his hand tightens around my waist, and I’m hit with the scent of leather and cinnamon, bringing me back to his bedroom the other night when I sat there and promised myself I’d help him.

Losing his father nearly broke him. I’d hate to think of what losing me only a year later would do.

I place a hand on his chest and push him away.

The breath rasps in and out of my lungs as I come back down to earth, staring into gunmetal gray. “I thought you didn’t believe in love and happy endings?”

“I believe in you.”

Author Bio:

Gracie Graham is a contemporary young adult author who loves romance and writing fictional characters. She thrives on bringing angst and emotion to her books, and her greatest goal in life is to give readers a book hangover. When she's not busy telling lies for a living, she's likely wrangling her three kids, cooking subpar meals, over-caffeinating, and procrastinating. Feel free to reach out to her on social media.

 

 

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram

GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

—

Book Blitz of Vibrations-Children of Atlantis by A.R. Alexandar(#contests- Win an Amazon Gift Card)

Vibrations – Children of Atlantis
A. R. Alexander
Publication date: November 12th 2024
Genres: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Young Adult

 

Nada and Kani, two sixteen-year-olds with secrets as deep as the ocean, are about to face the truth. Nada, an orphan hiding her ability to read sound waves despite being deaf, has kept her powers buried for years, fearing rejection and isolation. Kani, who seems like a typical popular kid, also harbors a secret, he can sense and manipulate vibrations around him, a gift he’s never fully understood.

When a string of unexplainable attacks turns their world upside down, Nada and Kani are thrust into a hidden war between ancient forces. Atlantis, the legendary lost civilization, isn’t just a myth: it’s their destiny. Together, they must unravel the mysteries of their origins and confront mythical creatures determined to stop them. With the survival of Atlantis, and possibly the world, on the line, Nada and Kani must face their fears and inner demons. But can they rise to the challenge and prove they are the champions Atlantis has been waiting for? Or will their secrets be their undoing?

Add to Goodreads

—

EXCERPT:

Nada
December 21, 2012
NADA

I can feel the gritty sand under my hands as I hit the ground. My battle partner lies still beside me, his chest barely rising and falling. I reach out, my fingers brushing through his blood-soaked hair, feeling the ragged rise and fall of his breath. The creatures ’footsteps grow louder, the sound of their approach heavy and unrelenting. We wait for the final blow, completely spent. Every movement sends a fresh pulse of pain through our battered bodies, blood seeping steadily from our wounds. I shut my eyes and think, Mom, forgive me. You told me to run, but I didn’t listen. The world around me starts to fade away.

September 3, 2012

Sunlight streams through the windows, cutting through the pool’s surface, highlighting the rhythm of my strokes. I love swimming early, before the chaos of the swim team arrives. With my eyes closed in the water, it feels like I’m at the center of the universe, my universe. I don’t need to open my eyes to know I’m nearing the edge; I just feel it, flip, and head back. My body glides, my arms break the surface, pushing through the pliable liquid, brushing my thigh, rising into the air, and starting over again. The rhythm of my breathing, alternating between water and air, sets a gentle beat for my heart. It’s comforting, especially today. Lately, I keep having that weird feeling, like when
it seems like someone is watching or following you and my sleep’s been a mess. Maybe it’s the loneliness making me paranoid. This morning swim helps me relax and lifts my mood a little.

Suddenly, everything changes, and chaos erupts. I reluctantly pull myself out of the water. I sit on the pool’s edge for a moment, water dripping from my fingertips, then turn to grab my towel. I keep my goggles on, hoping they’ll at least partially shield me from the cacophony of noise coming from the rowdy crowd of swimmers.

As I’m trying to make my way out as quickly as possible, I sense someone behind me, reaching for my shoulder. I spin around, instantly on the defensive.

«Hey, hey, hey! Easy…» my friend Carrie laughs, raising her hands. «Is it possible you never hear me when I call out to you?»

I exhale slowly, not realizing how tense I’d gotten, smile at her, and gesture for her to wait a second. I pull off my swim cap and remove my earplugs.

«Sorry C, I forgot to take these out… What’s up?»

She shrugs and then nods toward the windows above the pool that overlook the school hallway.

«Did you see who just arrived? I heard he starts tomorrow… and he’s ridiculously cute!» Carrie gushes. When it comes to guys, she’s always enthusiastic.

I cautiously turn and spot the principal talking to a couple of parents standing next to a tall, lean guy with dark hair and an easy smile.

Carrie shifts, turning her back to the pool so we can sneak a look.

I sigh, watching as she effortlessly adjusts her perfect curls, which frame her smooth, deep-toned shoulders. Her confidence is something I can never quite understand. I can’t help but wonder, once again, why someone like her would want to be friends with someone as plain as me.

«Who is this guy, anyway?» I ask, not really interested.

«His dad is the famous Hawaiian artist Kalai Kekoa, and his mom is the Japanese author Riko Shirabe. I know you like them both!»

«Oh, right… Well, you know how this is gonna go. The school’s royalty will pull him into their clique, and he won’t give us a second glance without their approval. At least, he won’t notice me, but you seem to have caught McAllen’s attention, haven’t you?» I say, giving her a wink.

She giggles, a little embarrassed, and lowers her eyes. «I know you don’t trust that group, but they’re not so bad when you get to know them… They’re just kids who haven’t figured out their place in the world yet.»

Gosh, she’s so sweet! I smile at her. «I think you picked the right major, you’re going to be an amazing psychologist! I just worry they might hurt you. Like my mom always says, a confused kid can be unpredictable…»

She laughs. «Nah, you’re just too suspicious!»

«And you’re too trusting! Together, we make one balanced person,» I laugh.

I glance back at the guy, and something unexpected catches my eye. He’s talking to the principal, but the waves coming from his voice and body are unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. They’re bright, almost glowing, and take on a strange shape. I can’t make sense of it. Mom warned me, right up until the day she died: If the waves ever turn to images, run. But these aren’t images, they’re something else, and they terrify me.

Author Bio:

"Let’s try something new: let’s start from the end."

Because, in the end, I’m proud of what I’ve become. After all the hard work, it's important to recognise when you've earned your reward. I’ve battled with dyslexia and ADHD my whole life, often feeling like I wasn’t good enough, like I was foolish or constantly falling short of others. But over time, I realised that the struggles I faced, the unique strategies I developed to solve life’s challenges, have become my greatest strengths.

If someone had told me 30 years ago that I’d become a psychologist—or even more surprisingly, a writer—I would have laughed out loud. But here I am. I graduated, I published a book, and I’m about to publish two more.

Now, let’s talk about that first book—oh yes, it did find its fans! But it was inspired by a more traditional style of writing that doesn’t quite resonate with modern tastes anymore. So, I made the tough decision to pull it from the shelves. One day, I hope to dust it off, give it a fresh new look, and reintroduce it to the world. I learned so much from that experience, and for that, I’m incredibly grateful.

These days, I’ve found my groove writing Young Adult fiction, and I’m excited to release my upcoming novel this November. If anyone is interested in being a beta reader or receiving an advanced copy, feel free to reach out! I’m happy to send out the ebook to the first few who contact me. I’m also launching a newsletter on my website, and the first 100 subscribers will receive the ebook for free.

I’m also thrilled to announce a new adventure I’ve embarked on with my friend and translator, Sandra Ortu. Together, we are working on a project to rediscover and bring attention to forgotten Italian female writers. Our second book, which I’ll be publishing soon, is a testament to that journey.

As a reader, I’m an avid book lover with a passion for Young Adult fiction. But my first loves were the works of Terry Brooks, Isaac Asimov, Hermann Hesse, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, George Orwell, Ray Bradbury, and others. Over the years, I’ve devoured countless classics and discovered that there’s always something new to learn from every genre. I can’t wait to share my thoughts, exchange recommendations, and connect with fellow readers here on Goodreads. Let’s explore new worlds together!

Website / Goodreads / Instagram / Newsletter

GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

—

Book Blitz of A Garland at Bitterback Creek by Tammy Mannersly(#Contests- Win an Amazon Gift Card)

A Garland at Bitterbark Creek
Tammy Mannersly
Publication date: November 5th 2024
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

 

He’s found a new home with her family while his own holds secrets to her past…This heart-wrenching 300+ page rural romance novel will have you gasping and keep you guessing as mysteries unravel, and as Jack and Sophie discover whether their love for one another can survive the deepest of wounds and darkest of betrayals.

Had it not been for her cousin’s wedding, Sophie Wendall would never have returned to Bitterbark Creek—her aunt and uncle’s idyllic farm-stay on the outskirts of town. Twenty years ago, tragedy stole everything from her including her memory, leaving only secrets and lies. Now that she’s back, there are just two things on her mind: to find out the truth of what really happened to her that day at the dam and to steer clear of the wicked Garland family and their charismatic son—the boy who broke her heart.

Jackson Garland is one of the few people who know what really happened to Sophie all those years ago, but he’s terrified of sharing the truth. To do so would jeopardize his happy sanctuary and newfound home at Bitterbark Creek. Upon reconnecting with Sophie, he realizes that while her extended family may have accepted him as one of their own, she’s going to take a little more convincing. Although he tries to charm and distract her to keep his secrets safe, it isn’t long before he’s at risk of falling under her own tantalizing spell.

As children, their love for one another kept them close until a car accident took one life and hatred tried to steal another. But dark truths can’t be hidden forever when ghosts from the past step into the light. Might the revelations be too daunting for them to handle? Or will Jack and Sophie finally put aside their family history and let love guide them into a future together?

A GARLAND AT BITTERBARK CREEK is about heartbreaking loss, rediscovering love and the healing ability of forgiveness and acceptance. If you love reading the novels of Mandy Magro, Alissa Callen, and Rachael Johns, then you will adore this heartfelt, second chance love story by award-winning author, Tammy Mannersly.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

—

EXCERPT:

Sophie gestured to her mother. “I’m going to take my things inside.” As she dragged her suitcase towards the stairs leading to the cabin’s small veranda, she felt warm fingers lock around hers.

“Let me give you a hand.” Jack was at her side again, pulling at the luggage handle.

“No, thank you. I can do it myself.” Sophie yanked the suitcase closer in an attempt to discourage him, but he only followed the movement.

Warmth radiated from his body as he loomed over her, forcing her to raise her chin and meet his eyes. His closeness was so disconcerting. She remembered that kiss again. She wondered what it would be like to kiss him now. Her eyes lingered on his soft pink lips.

“I’m just trying to be neighbourly.” Jack’s smooth voice was nearly a purr.

Sophie yanked her gaze free of his distractingly perfect features and cut a glance back to the others. “Then maybe you should be helping someone who needs it.” Her family stood by the trunk of the car, where several heavy bags still waited.

When she turned back to Jack, Sophie noticed his gaze drift over her body before his beguiling eyes met hers again.

“Don’t worry, there’s plenty of me to go around,” he told her.

His smug grin irritated her. “Get a clue, Jack. I don’t want your help.”

Pain flickered in his expression. “It’s been twenty years, Soph. Talk to me for five minutes.”

“You stopped talking to me first,” she growled, knowing how childish it sounded.

“Sophie,” her mother chided.

Ignoring them both, Sophie jerked the suitcase forward again but couldn’t dislodge Jack’s hold. She tried pulling her fingers from beneath his hand, but his grip only tightened.

“I’m not denying it happened, Soph,” he told her. “But we can’t change the past, and I think we should move on. I know I’m different from the naive boy I was back then. Perhaps you could find it in your heart to try?”

“Perhaps you could start with an apology?” The words left her lips before she’d thought them through. She knew she’d likely cry if he tried to apologise.

Author Bio:

Tammy Mannersly is an award-winning Australian author frequently praised for her heart-warming stories full of romance, dedicated friendships, and stunning Australian locations. All her books ensure a great Happily Ever After and a love story that will sweep you off your feet. Tammy has a Bachelor Degree in Creative Industries majoring in Creative Writing from Queensland University of Technology. She lives on the coast near Brisbane, Queensland and loves to write about her favorite Australian destinations.
You can find more information about Tammy and her work on her website: www.tammymannersly.com or by visiting:

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram

GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

—

Book Blitz of the Perpetual by Cindy Kehagiaras( #contests- Win An Amazaon Kindle Gift Card)

The Perpetual: Cindy’s Version
Cindy Kehagiaras
(Tennent Surf, #1)
Publication date: September 17th 2024
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

“CINDY’S VERSION” (like Taylor)

Shelly is a disciplined, schedule-loving attorney whose has written an internationally beloved romance novel based on an affair she had in the 1990s, her early twenties, with sexy, nomadic, professional surfer, Jason Mattis, whom she only saw once a year for five years in a row.

When Jason shows up to her book signing in 2019, she must come to terms with the fact that their chemistry is still as hot as it was thirty years ago. Before they can explore any rekindling, he gets a phone call that pulls Shelly into a part of his life that was previously unknown to her, involving an oil heiress, a Central American gangster and his menopausal wife, an antique crucifix, a group of women who are kindred spirits, and the undeniable attraction to Jason after all those years.

The Perpetual will make you believe in second chances at love, female friendship bonds, untapped personal strength and feeling sexy at any age.
The Perpetual won the coveted “Stiletto Award” for Contemporary Romance in 2023 and made the semi finals in the BBNYA Independent Book Awards in 2024.
This is Book One in the “Tennent Surf” series and this version is MY EDITS.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

Author Bio:

"The Perpetual," my over 40-second chance romance, has won the coveted "Stiletto Award" by Contemporary Romance Writers in the Mid-length Contemporary Romance category.

BIO: My writing journey began after my 50th birthday, and the pandemic lockdown allowed me to write. Some of my stories have haunted my dreams for decades. When the characters shouted day and night, I knew I had to write about them. These days I love to read and write stories about second chances with GenX characters in over 40, later in life, and mature steamy romances.

My previous lives have been in advertising, fashion, and small business owner. I've made it my life’s ambition to push through the challenges of dyslexia to consume novels, poetry, and articles and tell my stories.

A proud native Californian, I live in Hermosa Beach, CA, with my husband of 17 years, two beautiful kids, and two spunky-rescue kitties.

Please find me on all social media platforms.

https://linktr.ee/cindykehstories

GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

—