ABBA’s Amazing Comeback

Posted on November 9, 2021 by Joanne Guidoccio

According to the men—Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaenus—there was no elaborate plan to release an album forty years after their extraordinary first run. In a recent interview, Mr. Andersson commented, “What is there to prove? They’ll still play ‘Dancing Queen’ next year.”

To recap…

Between 1973 and 1981, the quartet released eight studio albums that generated 20 hits on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart, sold tens of millions of albums, and built a loyal fanbase. That fanbase has continued to grow across all generations and borders. At Colin Powell’s funeral service, the U.S. Army Brass Quintet played ABBA’s “Dancing Queen,” a personal favorite of the trailblazing leader and diplomat.

Considered one of Sweden’s top figures in pop music, ABBA has its own permanent museum in Stockholm.

Voyage

Their new album, Voyage, was made in secret and launched on November 5, 2021. As before, the men wrote the songs but left the singing to the ladies—Agnetha Faltskog and Anna-Frid Lyngstad.

Described as “vintage ABBA, on par with their classic 1970s run,” the 10-track CD was definitely worth the wait.

The Swedish septuagenarians have made an amazing comeback, recapturing the spirit and themes of their trademark music: love, betrayal, estrangement, and reunions. In sync with the times, they’ve included an environmental message in “Bumblebees”:

“It’s quite absurd, this summer morning/To think we could be trapped/Inside a world where all is changing/Too fast for bumblebees to adapt.”

I could easily listen to the entire CD without skipping a single track. Right now, I’m leaning toward “When You Danced with Me” as a personal favorite.

Virtual Book Tour: Lady and the Tribe

Posted on November 8, 2021 by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m happy to welcome author Brenda Ridgley. Today, Brenda shares an inspiring message and her new release, Lady and the Tribe.

YOU are #1

Calling all Superheroes!

You know who you are. You are always being of service to others, volunteering to sit on the hump in the middle of the back seat, taking the smallest piece of cake, working from dawn until dusk and putting everyone else’s needs before your own. I am here to say…. STOP IT!

I am the author of Lady and the Tribe, How to Create Empowering Friendship Circles and it is my mission to wake everyone up to the FACT that we thrive on connection! In a world of social media, virtual offices, fitness apps, and on-line dating, people are detached and longing for connection. We need connection to our own spirituality and real relationships with others. We weren’t created to go it alone. Many people unknowingly have removed themselves from their close community, believing they are connected because of the number of social media “friends” they have yet feel empty, and unfulfilled. This longing and need can be fulfilled by re-connection to the self, a few close friends, and community.

So, listen up Superheroes I am talking to you! That tendency you have to always put yourself last has to go! When you continually take care of everyone and everything but yourself, you gradually have less and less to give. If you don’t KILL the martyr within you, you unknowingly will become needy. Right now I am going to remind you (your inner being already knows) that re-connecting to who you really are is easy.

Re-connecting to your essence requires self-care, self-love and getting your needs met. What do you need? What would fill you up and make you feel better? Maybe you are so far gone down the path of service that you can’t even answer this right now. If this is the case, carving out a little “ME” time is important. Take time to sit and be quiet with yourself and the Universe and remember what lights your fire. Think about a time in your life when you were eager and excited. What is it you were doing? Who were you with? Why was it so special? What activities make you joyful? Is it singing or dancing, painting, or writing? Are you doing these things now? You need to!!!! This fills your tank so that you have more to give… which you also love. You are a giver.

Once you know what you need, all you have to do is ASK for it! Guess what? Your friends and family can’t read your mind. They don’t know what you need and can’t help if they don’t understand. Other people also like to be of service, believe it or not. YOU need to be #1 in your own life! Once you do this, be #1….. a leader in your own life… and don’t feel guilty about it. You will be WHOLE. Everyone around you benefits when you are whole.
Thank you for connecting with me today. I encourage you… take the best piece of cake today! You deserve it!

I would love to hear from you about how you feel about this topic, especially if you are a recovering Superhero! Please share with me via email or on my Facebook page Brenda Ridgley Connections.

When three or more gather, we are Tribe.

Blurb

Wives, mothers, and career women—we have all fallen victim to the silent epidemic that is, literally . . . letting ourselves go. Not the makeup free, yoga pants, weight gain routine. Little by little, we have allowed our preferences, interests, and individuality to slip away until we no longer recognize ourselves outside of our role as wives, mothers, or professionals. Who we are has become what we do.

In the process, our friendships have become the casualty of a “busy life” and lack consistency and depth. We have a gaping hole inside us that longs to be filled. How do we reclaim who we really are and fill this empty space that seemed to appear from nowhere? The answer lies in our Tribe. Our best friends see us more clearly than we see ourselves and are representations and extensions of our individuality. They are our companions, cheerleaders, and counselors—always in our corner. They are the branches of our tree of life that lift and support us, so we can flourish. Our Tribe is the family with whom we choose to live our life . . . with no strings attached.

Lady and the Tribe is a blueprint for building deep connections. As you read, you’ll be swept away on a journey of friendship as the author shares her own personal stories and those of other women. In the process, you’ll discover how to find, nurture, and deepen friendships and create a Tribe culture that is unique to you.

We can become whole again through the power of connection.

When three or more gather, we are Tribe.

Buy Links

Amazon | Lady and the Tribe

Excerpt

Loneliness Can Be Lethal

Since we live in this global, socially connected world, how is it possible for anyone to be lonely? Psychologically speaking, loneliness does not necessitate social isolation. Being lonely means feeling detached from others yet having the desire for a connection or a relationship.

Why is loneliness so lethal? As human beings, one of our greatest needs is to be seen, acknowledged, and cared for. We want to belong and be a part of something larger than ourselves. More so than men, women need to maintain close connections. Relationships increase serotonin and oxytocin, the bonding hormone. In times of stress, women don’t just experience the drive toward fight or flight—they also release oxytocin. This hormone surge can compel women to “tend and befriend.”

Research is clear. Close friendships are necessary for optimal health and well-being. A longitudinal study of aging found that strong social networks lengthen survival among older people. Dr. Amir Leving suggests that social connections are the most powerful way for us to regulate our emotional distress and that proximity to someone you are securely attached to is the most effective way to calm yourself.

An article in the New York Times reported that close relationships create positive mental and physical reactions in our body, mind, and heart. We are less likely to experience high levels of loneliness when we feel supported by intimate and close relationships. Strong relationships with close friends or family benefit us greatly and fulfil our social needs.

Author Bio and Links

BRENDA RIDGLEY is an author, speaker, and girlfriend guru who loves helping women connect, find success, and discover joy through friendship. Her mission is to start a movement: women coming together to build thousands of new Lady Tribes around the globe. Through her workshops, vlogs, blogs, and book clubs, Brenda helps women connect and communicate with respect, love, and trust. She holds an MA in human resources and has spent decades cultivating her own Tribe. A Colorado girl at heart, Brenda lives in the Carbon Valley area with her husband, Parker, two kids, Parker Jr. and Gillian, and pooch, Perry. She enjoys hiking and has conquered Longs Peak and several other 14’ers. To connect with Brenda, visit her website at http://www.BrendaRidgley.com.

Giveaway

Brenda Billings Ridgley will be awarding a Cape Diablo wrap bracelet and a $25 Amazon Gift Card (US ONLY) to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour. Find out more here.

Follow Brenda on the rest of her Goddess Fish tour here.

Fun Friday!

Posted on November 5, 2021 by Joanne Guidoccio

Blooming Has No Deadline

Posted on November 3, 2021 by Joanne Guidoccio

On Wednesdays, I share posts, fables, songs, poems, quotations, TEDx Talks, cartoons, and books that have inspired and motivated me on my writing journey. I hope these posts will give writers, artists, and other creatives a mid-week boost.

Here is an inspirational excerpt from You’ve Got This! by best-selling author Margie Warrell:

If you’re in your forties or fifties or sixties or far beyond, refuse to let the number of years you’ve been alive be your excuse for not taking the actions you might wish you’d taken years ago; the actions that would add a whole new dimension to your life today. As Rich Kaarlgard wrote in Late Bloomers, “Blooming has no deadline. Our future story is written in pencil, not carved in stone. It can be changed. There is no fixed chronology to self-determination, no age limit for breakthroughs.”

Julia Child was 49 when she wrote her first cookbook.

Laura Ingalls Wilder didn’t start writing until her forties, and didn’t pen Little House on the Prairie until she was in her sixties.

Vera Wang was 39 before she started designing clothes.

Colonel Harland Sanders was in his sixties when he started Kentucky Fried Chicken.

Diana Nyad was 64 when, after four failed attempts spanning 36 years, she finally achieved her long-held ambition of swimming the infamous channel of shark-ridden waters from Cuba to Florida (without a shark cage).

So whatever your age, whatever your situation, whatever the setbacks you’ve faced or the heartaches you’ve nursed or the stories you’ve told yourself about who you are and what you can do (or what you cannot do), decide right now that you will not settle for a life (career, relationships, etc.) that doesn’t light you up. More so, that you will set your sights on whatever vision—however humble or scarily huge—that does light you up. Research shows that while we lose some abilities as we grow older, the benefits of those we gain far exceed any that are lost. So rather than ask, “What can I accomplish despite my struggles?” ask yourself, “What can I accomplish because of them?”

Source: You’ve Got This! pp. 50-51

Happy November!

Posted on November 1, 2021 by Joanne Guidoccio

In the ancient Roman calendar (in use until 45 BC), November was named for the ninth (novem) month of the year. Despite its change in position on the Julian calendar, November was not renamed.

Here are ten interesting facts about November:

1. This month marks the end of Daylight Saving Time at 2:00 a.m. on the first Sunday. Clocks are set back one hour.

2. November 11 is Remembrance Day in Canada and Veterans Day in the United States. We honor the courage and sacrifice of those who have served our respective countries.

3. American Thanksgiving has been celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November since 1621.

4. November’s full moon is called the Beaver Moon. In North America’s early colonial years, hunters would set their beaver traps for the last time before the lakes froze.

5. The month’s birthstone is the topaz. A symbol of strength and honor, the ancient Greeks believed the stone had the ability to turn oneself invisible.

6. The month’s birth flower is the chrysanthemum

7. In Canada, Australia, United States, and United Kingdom, men grow their moustaches during the month of November. This annual event (Movember) helps raise awareness of men’s health issues, such as prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and men’s suicide.

8. People born between November 1 and November 22 fall under the sign of Scorpio and those born later in the month are under Sagittarius. Intense yet imaginative, Scorpios value trust and honesty. Generous and open-minded, Sagittarians are energetic and idealistic.

9. Famous people born in November include Marie Currie (November 7, 1867), Claude Monet (November 14, 1840), Georgia O’Keeffe (November 15, 1887), Margaret Atwood (November 18, 1939), William Blake (November 28, 1757), and Sir Winston Churchill (November 30, 1874).

10. November has been designated as National Adoption Month, National Diabetes Month, National Hospice Month, National Military Family Month, National Novel Writing Month, National Pomegranate Month, and Banana Pudding Lovers Month.

Ghosts and World Religions

Posted on October 29, 2021 by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m happy to welcome back award-winning educator, author and speaker, Dr. Randy Overbeck. Today, Dr. Overbeck shares an interesting perspective on ghosts and his new release, Scarlet at Crystal River.

Here’s Dr. Overbeck!

As I’ve shared my program about ghosts with groups around the country, I’ve encountered more than my share of skeptics. Every once in a while, a participant will be brave enough to challenge, “Ghosts? Really? You want us to believe there are that many people who actually believe in ghosts?”

Usually, I just smile…and then I share a little data.

Whether you think you are a believer of ghosts or not, if you are a member of faith community, you probably profess this belief, even if you weren’t aware. One vital part of the doctrine and mythology of every religion in the world is a belief in the spirit realm and, specifically, in ghosts. This belief shows up differently in different religions, sometimes with the understanding of spirits as benign, other times with the perception of ghosts as more malevolent. But where ever you live on the planet, if you go to temple, church, mosque, or mandir, a part of your creed includes a deep-seated belief in ghosts. A few examples may illustrate.

Most Christian sects retain a belief in spirits and ghosts, such as the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ belief that ghosts are demons or evil spirits who try to deceive humans. (Come to think of it, that’s pretty close to what I was taught as a young Catholic in my Baltimore catechism. For Judaism, those who attend temple are taught about several ghosts including a dybbuk, a ghost of dead person who can possess a human being for malevolent reasons.

Islam takes a very different tact on ghosts, one that you might well recognize. Muslims believe in particular ghosts called Jinns, spirits who inhabit a parallel world and cause mischief for humans. Americans are very familiar with these ghosts, only we call them genies.

Buddhists’ understanding of ghosts falls at the other end of the spectrum. They believe in what they call “hungry ghosts,” suffering spirits who should be treated with pity and compassion, rather than feared. For Hindus, ghosts are usually associated with individuals who experienced unnatural deaths like accidents and murder.

Perhaps, of all cultures, Native Americans have the most profound belief systems of the spirit world. Each tribe has their own particular version of belief in ghosts from the famous Skinwalkers of the Navaho’s to the Ojibwe’s understanding of a Wendigo. But one of the most interesting spirit myths comes from the Passamquaddy tribe of Maine. They believe in a creature called Skudakamooch, who they described as ghost witch.

So, what’s the point?

If, in fact, belief in the existence of spirits is universal across cultures, across countries, across religions, then perhaps, we should not be so quick to dismiss it.

But personally, I’m pulling for the kinder version. Happy Halloween.

Blurb

All Darrell Henshaw wanted was to enjoy his honeymoon with his beautiful wife, Erin, in the charming town of Crystal River on the sunny Gulf Coast of Florida. Only a pair of ghosts decide to intrude on their celebration. And not just any ghosts, the spirits of two young Latino children. Unwilling at first to derail the honeymoon for yet another ghost hunt, Darrell finally concedes when a painting of the kids comes alive, weeping and pleading for his help.

When he and Erin track down the artist, they discover the children’s family were migrant workers the next county over. But when they travel there, their questions about the kids gets their car shot up and Erin hospitalized. Torn between fear and rage, Darrell must decide how far he will go to get justice for two young children he never even knew.

Tagline

Darrell and Erin thought they were heading to Florida for a carefree honeymoon, but the ghosts of two immigrants’ children haunt them, pleading for help.

Review Blurbs

“Scarlet at Crystal River is an eerie paranormal mystery I couldn’t stop reading. Randy Overbeck is a masterful writer of the paranormal, drawing the reader in before instilling shivers down the spine. 5+ stars.” –N. N. Light’s Book Heaven

“A rollercoaster of a mystery, hurtling up and down hills and sharp corners until the very end, when the reader is left slightly breathless, waiting for their hearts to beat back to a normal rhythm. ★★★★★—ReadersView

“Scarlet at Crystal River is a suspenseful paranormal novel with compelling characters and an enigmatic mystery that drives the story to a riveting conclusion. Overbeck is a master at building tension–-this is easily a one-sitting read.” ★★★★★—Literary Titan

Trailer

Purchase Links

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Goodreads

Bio

Dr. Randy Overbeck is an award-winning educator, author and speaker. As an educator, he served children for four decades in a range of roles captured in his novels, from teacher and coach to principal and superintendent. His thriller, Leave No Child Behind (2012) and his recent mysteries, the Amazon No. 1 Best Seller, Blood on the Chesapeake, Crimson at Cape May and Scarlet at Crystal River have earned five star reviews and garnered national awards including “Thriller of the Year–ReadersFavorite.com, “Gold Award”—Literary Titan, “Mystery of the Year”—ReadersView.com and “Crowned Heart of Excellence”—InD’Tale Magazine. As a member of the Mystery Writers of America, Dr. Overbeck is an active member of the literary community, contributing to a writers’ critique group, serving as a mentor to emerging writers and participating in writing conferences such as Sleuthfest, Killer Nashville and the Midwest Writers Workshop. When he’s not writing or researching his next exciting novel or sharing his presentation, “Things Still Go Bump in the Night,” he’s spending time with his incredible family of wife, three children (and their spouses) and seven wonderful grandchildren.

Why the Small Story Matters

Posted on October 27, 2021 by Joanne Guidoccio

Chuck Wendig’s informative guide, Damn Fine Story, contains a mix of personal stories, pop fiction examples, and excellent advice about storytelling. Here’s one of my favorite excerpts:

We don’t really care about the big story. We think we do. We think we care about the Empire versus the Rebel Alliance, we think we care about Spider-Man versus the Vulture, we think we care about Buffy versus the Vampires.

But we don’t. Not really. Not deeply.

What we care about is the small story embedded in there, the small story that’s the beating heart of the larger one. We care about the characters and their personal drama. We care about their families, their loved ones, their struggles to feel normal, their attempts to do right in the face of wrong. We care about Buffy wanting to fall in love and hang out with her friends and not fail out of school. We care that the villains fighting Spider-Man are often connected to him personally, and that they reflect some aspect of his troubled journey from a geeky high school student to a city-saving mutant. We care about the friendships that form between Luke, Leia, and Han.

We care because they care.

We care because their story is our story. Our story is one of friendships and family, of love lost and jealousy made, of birth and death and everything in-between.

A big story without a small story has all the substance of a laser light show. It’s pretty. It’s dazzling. And it’s very, very empty.

Look for the little story.

Look for the story about people.

Source: Damn Fine Story, pp. 79-80.

10 Interesting Facts About Forever Winter by Amber Daulton

Posted on October 25, 2021 by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m happy to welcome back multi-published author, Amber Daulton. Today, Amber shares interesting facts about her new release, Forever Winter.

Here’s Amber!

Thank you for letting me visit today, Joanne. I’m excited to share ten awesome facts about my new release.

1. Forever Winter isn’t a new book. Not really. It was originally published in a Christmas-themed anthology with Bradley Publishing back in 2012. The publisher went under two months after the release, but luckily, one of the authors I met who also wrote for Bradley suggested I submit my story to her other publisher, Books to Go Now. Thankfully, BTGN accepted Forever Winter in 2013 and re-released it as an individual book. It stayed there for years until the rights reverted to me a few months back.

2. Forever Winter is my debut book.

3. I’ve given it a makeover with a fresh cover and edit for the re-release. I’ve also added a new subplot, which carries strongly throughout the book. Honestly, I don’t know why I didn’t think of it when I first wrote the book almost ten years ago.

4. I love graphic design, so I created the cover for Forever Winter myself. After a couple failed attempts and repeat visits to the drawing board, I finally created something I really liked that also got great feedback from the artists and authors in my book design groups.

5. I prefer to write sensual to smoking hot romance, but Forever Winter is one of two sweet, no on-page sex stories in my backlist. (The other is Lightning Over Bennett Ranch.)

6. I love historical romances, and the Regency period is one of my favorite eras. Most Regency books take place in the heyday of the era—between 1811-1820—but the time period typically ranges from 1795 to 1837. Anyway, Forever Winter is set in 1834, an oddity in the world of Regency romances.

7. Most romance books begin with the protagonists meeting and falling in love with maybe a quick, sappy wedding ceremony before the book ends. Not so in Forever Winter! The reader meets Susanna and Camden on their wedding day. They’ve already courted for a year and are now ready to begin their married life together. Don’t let this put you off from the book, though! It’s a complete, standalone novella that focuses on a single day in the lives of two people who are madly in love.

8. Weddings in the Regency period were typically low-key affairs for the common-folk and just a little better for the wealthy. Most took place in a church before noon, but if you obtained a special license—which was very expensive—you could marry wherever you wanted at whatever time you liked. In addition to the bride, groom, priest, and two witnesses being present, family and friends could of course attend, but few people traveled to attend a ceremony. It was just too expensive, difficult, and time consuming to travel from town to town or clear across the country to witness an event that would be over in less than an hour. There wasn’t a big to-do about the flowers, seating arrangement, or the dress, though some wealthy women did buy a new dress for the ceremony, which they later wore as a regular dress. In Forever Winter, Camden purchases a special license and Susanna orders a new dress, but their big day doesn’t compare to the extravaganzas lots of people throw today.

9. Susanna and Camden’s wedding day tanks! Everything that could go wrong, goes wrong in a spectacular fashion. If I were Susanna, I probably would’ve postponed the wedding, but she didn’t have that option—not as a young woman living under the strict rules of 19th century England. Poor girl.

10. Forever Winter shows the strength of love, friendship, and mutual respect in the face of adversity and that no matter what happens, love will prevail.

Synopsis

A perfect Christmas wedding, a snowstorm, and a shocking secret. What could go wrong?

Susanna Lorican must marry the man she loves before the truth is discovered, or face the gossip of the ton. With an unexpected snowstorm injuring the minister, her future hangs in the balance.
Viscount Camden Beckinworth vows to keep his bride safe, even if he must betray her confidence. When their love is put to the test, how will he uphold her honor without jeopardizing his own?

– Warning: this sweet, complete Regency romance novella features a brief scene where the heroine is assaulted.

– Second edition. Newly revised and edited.

Tagline

Will their love withstand the storm to come?

Excerpt

“Susanna, please, talk to me. Let me know your thoughts.”

He grasped her arms in a firm but gentle hold. Did he expect her to flee rather than confide in him? She couldn’t lie to him, nor did she want to. The truth spilled from her lips in a rush—her shame, her frustration, her anger. Everything poured out of her, except for the most precious reason of all.

“Oh, my darling.” He pressed her close to his chest.

She sniffled. His rich scent of smoke and pure male radiated from him in a soothing balm she scarcely deserved. “I-I planned the perfect wedding but never imagined things might go wrong. I didn’t consider anyone but myself. If I could change what I did, I would, but it’s too late. Too much is underway.” She gritted her teeth and pulled back from Camden’s embrace. She wrapped her arms around her churning stomach and paced again.

As Camden rubbed his creased brow, she bit back a cry of frustration. He tried so hard to be patient with her. Every fiber in his body probably urged him to snatch her arm, pin her against his chest, and kiss her until she melted in a puddle at his feet. She almost wished he would. Who cared about the gossip that might ensue if someone caught them in the act?

“You were right.” Susanna pressed her knuckles against her aching temples. “Mama was right. A spring wedding would have been wonderful, but with my luck, these catastrophes would have happened regardless.”

“There is always the possibility of something bad happening—rain, wind, anything. The dress still might have been late, or a highwayman could have robbed the coach and stolen it. The reverend could have fallen from his horse on a dry road.”

His words rang with truth, but the misery clenching her heart doubled.

Camden blocked her path. “I’m glad you chose today, the anniversary of the day my life changed for the better. I will never forget your blue muslin dress, or how you moaned over your hurt ankle then clammed up when you saw me. You were so stubborn, so beautiful, that I lost my voice. I had never truly seen you until that moment.”

She flushed warm as the memory calmed her racing heart.

She’d been playing with a few of the servants’ children in the courtyard when she fell and twisted her ankle. While the children hurried off to find help, Camden found her and carried her inside. They were inseparable for the rest of the evening. Though his kiss in the library startled her so much that she’d slapped him, her heart had soared and nearly split her rib cage.

He suckled her lower lip between his teeth until a moan escaped her throat. He pulled back and stared deep into her eyes. “You are so kind, darling. I wish you realized that.”

“How could you believe such a falsehood? I’m selfish and—”

“Would a selfish woman invite servants to her wedding, and their brood?” He cupped her cheek. “Of course not. You wanted them to enjoy this day too. I have seen the way the children—both your flesh and blood and the others—gravitate to you. Your goodness calls to them.” He tapped his palm on her upper chest, right above her heart. “If something else happens and prohibits our union, God forbid, we will marry as soon as possible. Nothing will keep me away from you.” He hooked a stray lock of her hair behind her ear and lowered his mouth to hers.

Add to Goodreads – https://bit.ly/foreverwintergoodreads

Check it out on BookBub – https://bit.ly/foreverwinterbookbub

Purchase Links

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Kobo | Apple/iBooks | Google Play

About the Author

Amber Daulton is the author of the romantic-suspense series Arresting Onyx and several standalone novellas. Her books are published through Daulton Publishing, The Wild Rose Press, and Books to Go Now, and are available in ebook, print on demand, audio, and foreign language formats.

She lives in North Carolina with her husband and demanding cats.

Universal link – https://linktr.ee/AmberDaulton

Blurb Blitz: The Assasin’s Legacy

Posted on October 22, 2021 by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m happy to welcome author D. Lieber. Today, she shares her new release, The Assasin’s Legacy.

Blurb

He hasn’t been Aleksandr Sergeyevich Volonov, legendary monster-hunting assassin for ten years. Now, he is only Sasha, charming deckhand on a merchant airship so recently destroyed by pirates.

All he wants is to find another job and keep moving. But that simple plan is thwarted when his sister sends an assassin to murder him. His only choice is to return to Saint Petersburg and renounce his claim to his family’s title.

Trapped by his late father’s machinations, Sasha finds himself surrounded by death threats, engaged to a brutal villainess, shadowed by his cheeky assassin, and forced to lead the organization bent on eliminating all supernatural creatures from the Russian Empire.

As he struggles to keep hold on the man he is, Sasha must face who he used to be in this modern steampunk fantasy adventure full of folklore, banter, and artifice.

Excerpt

The cold wind off the Gulf of Finland seeped into my soul, greeting me like a mother’s caress. I had left the pleasant autumn of the west behind. Nothing warmed the heart quite like the promise of a Russian winter. Sighing, I smiled to myself and strolled in the direction of the river. A line of small steamboats with black and yellow striped canopies patiently waited on the river’s edge. Their smoke stacks, which stuck up through the canopies, puffed white water vapor, telling us they were ready at any time.

After we’d hopped into a taxi, I asked the driver to take us to Volonov Manor. We chugged up the Neva, and I watched the grand palaces and mansions drift by. I could still remember the names and faces of their boyar residents, those I’d grown up with. Their salons and drawing rooms, the many balls and parties, the dinners and concerts: the gilded façade that was my youth. I also remembered their cellars and basements: prisons for the creatures of the night, poor souls who were only kept alive to torture for information and study to find better ways of killing others of their kind.

Of course, not all of the noble families were members of the Ubyzniki, just the trusted few. Five families, still favored by the empress, made up the Ubyzniki. Five families with their many branches filled the ranks of “monster” hunting assassins. They lurked in forests, alleys, and ballrooms alike, stalking their supernatural prey and keeping the unknowing citizens of the Russian Empire safe. I scoffed at their hypocrisy, their righteous hubris, as all the contentment I’d felt upon landing in Saint Petersburg drained out of me.

Author Bio and Links

D. Lieber has a wanderlust that would make a butterfly envious. When she isn’t planning her next physical adventure, she’s recklessly jumping from one fictional world to another. Her love of reading led her to earn a Bachelor’s in English from Wright State University.

Beyond her skeptic and slightly pessimistic mind, Lieber wants to believe. She has been many places—from Canada to England, France to Italy, Germany to Russia—believing that a better world comes from putting a face on “other.” She is a romantic idealist at heart, always fighting to keep her feet on the ground and her head in the clouds.

Lieber lives in Wisconsin with her husband (John) and cats (Yin and Nox).

Website | Goodreads | BookBub | Amazon Buy Link

Published Works

Conjuring Zephyr June 2016
The Exiled Otherkin (Minte and Magic Adventure, #1) November 2017
Intended Bondmates (Intended Fates, #1) June 2018
In Search of a Witch’s Soul (Council of Covens Noir, #1) March 2019
Dancing with Shades (Council of Covens Noir, #0) August 2019
Once in a Black Moon) March 2020
A Very Witchy Yuletide ) October 2020
The Treason of Robyn Hood ) March 2021
The Assassin’s Legacy (Minte and Magic Adventure, #2) October 2021

Giveaway

D. Lieber will be awarding a Russian tea kit, which includes: podstakannik and glass, tea, jam, and spoon to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour. Find out more here.

Follow D. Lieber on the rest of her Goddess Fish tour here.