I’m happy to welcome award-winning author Charlene Bell Dietz. Today, Charlene shares her new release, The Spinster, the Rebel, and the Governor.

Blurb

Move over Susan B. Anthony. There’s an unsung woman asking for the vote 224 years before you. In 1638-1648 Margaret Brent, fighting for justice became a voice in court for others, educated an Indian princess, built a fort and saved pre-colonial Maryland from destruction. The American Bar Association each year honors select women attorneys, such as Ruth Bader Ginsberg and Sandra Day O’Connor with their Margaret Brent Award.

Excerpt

The Wells girl covered her eyes with both hands. Margaret, ignoring the buzzing of flies and the damp heat of the morning sun, worked to untangle the girl’s words in her mind.

“If the river doesn’t take me, then I shall have my baby alone and will have to live with Master Cole, and I shall never see my dear Tom again.” With that, she burst into tears.

“You do not look like you are about to have a baby. Why do you say your time is up?”

“Master Cole brought me here four years ago. He said after I had worked for him for four years, I wouldn’t owe him a tad more, and now he says I can’t leave, and so I might as well marry him. Lady Brent. I worked hard from early morning until after dark every day, and my time is up. Even the devil would say this isn’t right.” She sniffed and looked away.

Margaret set her jaw. “Heaven help us if other masters here in Maryland treat their servants in this manner.”

“There’s nothing I can do.” She bit her lip. “I thought maybe the next time you talked with Governor Calvert you might say something on my behalf, and I pray my request is not one of cheekiness.”

“Mary.” Margaret called sharply across to the soap making group. “Would you please come here?”

When Mary finished saying something, she trotted over to the garden. “Hello, Carrie. Are you not feeling well—your face seems flushed?”

“So, you are acquainted with Carrie Wells?” Margaret studied her sister, slipped the basket from Carrie, and moved it into Mary’s hands. “She brought these for us and herbs to scent your soap.”

“Sometimes on Sundays after church Carrie walks with me in the woods and shows me barks, roots, and herbs that heal.” She glanced at the basket. “Why, these are lovely.” She glanced at the young woman, then put her hand on Carrie’s arm. “Are you still having trouble with Jacob Cole?”

“Jacob Cole is about to have troubles with her. Has Giles returned from Kent for Assembly today? Will both our brothers be at the meeting?” Margaret’s frogs roiled inside her.

How dare these men take advantage of their servants?

“I saw him and Fulke along with some other men heading to Lewger’s home earlier.”

“Come, Carrie Wells. We shall also attend Assembly.”

“But—Margaret,” Mary grabbed her arm. “Certainly, women would not be allowed—”

Margaret shrugged Mary away, snatched Carrie Wells by her hand, and stomped off down the path.

“Sister,” Mary called after her, “you must take off that filthy apron. You’re covered in soil.”

Margaret jerked it untied and slung it. “There is a difference between God’s soil and men’s dirt. Carrie Wells and I are about to sort this very thing out with all those fine gentlemen of Assembly.”

Author Bio and Links

Charlene Bell Dietz writes science and historical-suspense, award-winning mystery novels and short stories. Her award-winning short stories have been published in the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers 2016 Anthology and SouthWest Writers 2019 Anthology. The Flapper, the Scientist, and the Saboteur combines family saga with corporate espionage. The Flapper, the Impostor, and the Stalker propels readers back into 1923 frenetic Chicago during the Roaring Twenties. Both these novels were named to Kirkus Reviews’ Best Books of 2018, and each won the coveted Kirkus Starred Review. Her latest novel, The Scientist, the Psychic, and the Nut, gives readers a frightening Caribbean vacation. Her current work in progress, a biographical historical novel, starts in England in 1638 and ends in precolonial Maryland. Charlene, a retired educator, traveled the United States as a consultant for Houghton Mifflin Publishers after a career of teaching little ones, older ones, and college graduates. Surrounded by forests and meadows, she currently lives in the foothills of the mountains in central NM several miles from the small village of Torreon. Charlene is the current president of Croak & Dagger, New Mexico Chapter of Sisters in Crime. She belongs to Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers, Rocky Mountain Mystery Writers, Mystery Writers of America, and SouthWest Writers.

Facebook | Amazon Buy Link | Email

*************Ebook is on sale for $0.99*************

Giveaway

Charlene Bell Dietz will be awarding a $25 Amazon/Barnes & Noble gift card to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour. Find out more here.

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

I’m happy to welcome back author Bentley Turner. Today, Bentley shares details about his writing journey and his new release, The Agency

Here’s Bentley!

What was your inspiration for this book?

“The Agency” is a historical and suspenseful thriller featuring Mason Cunningham, a well-educated former agent and now director of a small department at the CIA. Cunningham and his staff investigate sightings of UFOs. Later, however, Cunningham learns from one of his staff members that a retired agent who reportedly passed away has been seen. Cunningham investigates and uncovers information that can put his department and the CIA in jeopardy.

I was inspired by my interest in the government’s investigation of UFOs and whether I could write a historical thriller about a well-educated agent turned director.

What’s the best part of being an author?

The best part is reading what readers think about what you write.

The worst?

Once in a while a writer may have to cut or change a character or cut or change a scene. Such consumes time. I know this from experience. Although I have not written that many novels, I remember my first. I changed more than one character and changed the plot several times over a long period. In fact, the final version that was published took several years to write and edit.

Describe your writing space.

I have a large office with several desks and bookshelves. Although I have a few reference books, I do most of my research using my computer.

Which authors have inspired you?

When I was much younger, I read novels by Erle Stanley Gardner, John D. MacDonald, Erskine Caldwell, John O’Hara, Ernest Hemingway, Jame M. Cain, and a number of others. Later, I read novels written by Harold Robbins and Sidney Sheldon, among others. I prefer the earlier novels and writers. However, I do read novels by Linwood Barclay, Stuart Woods, and others from time to time. Overall, I would say the earlier writers have inspired me the most.

What is your favorite quote?

My favorite is from the “Holy Bible.” I do not have one from another source.

If you had a superpower, what would it be?

To heal people.

Besides writing and reading, what are some of your hobbies?

My hobbies include walking and hiking in state and national parks–that is, until Covid hit.

Any advice for aspiring writers?

An aspiring writer must write or edit something almost every day–that is, if s/he is serious about becoming a writer. I try to do this regularly. Sometimes I’m satisfied with what I write, sometimes I’m not. Consequently, a writer must enjoy editing what s/he writes, too.

What are you working on next?

I just sent another mystery to the publisher that publishes my mysteries and thrillers. A different publisher has a nonfiction manuscript. I expect to receive reviews from this publisher in January or so.

Blurb

This historical suspenseful thriller features Mason Cunningham, a well-educated former Navy pilot turned CIA agent who becomes the director of the department that investigates UFOs. His job is not only to determine sighting locations but also determine the health of those who reported the sightings and experienced exposure to bright lights. When Cunningham learns that a recently retired agent, who reportedly died, has been seen by one of his staff members, his job comes to a crashing halt and an investigation begins. What he discovers just might put his department – and the CIA – in jeopardy.

Purchase Links

Amazon US | Amazon CA | Amazon UK | Amazon AU

I’m happy to welcome bestselling author Patricia Leavy. Today, Patricia shares her new release, Film Blue.

Blurb

Reminiscent of Sex and the City meets The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Patricia Leavy’s Film Blue is a captivating and inspiring story about the pursuit of dreams and what it truly means to live a “big” life.

A couple of years after finishing college, Tash Daniels has put her love of filmmaking on the back burner. She’s working retail, club-hopping, and scraping by to pay the rent. Usually attracted to the wrong guy, she’s at a loss when she finally falls for the right one. Sexy deejay Aidan is living his life authentically as an artist and encourages her to do the same. Will she open her heart? Will she bet on herself and her dreams? Is a girl with a dream truly on her own in the world? Tash’s friends are along for the journey: Jason Woo, lighthearted model on the rise; Penelope Waters, earnest graduate student with a secret no one suspects; Lu K, fiercely independent hot-girl deejay; and Monroe Preston, the glamorous wife of a Hollywood studio head. Frequently bathed in the glow of the silver screen, the characters show us how the arts can reignite the light within, pushing us to confront our fears so we can choose how to live in the present. Film Blue is a novel about following our passions, the hidden side of our dreams, the power of art, what it means to truly live a “big” life, and finding the people to go with us on our journey. A tribute to 1980s pop culture set against the backdrop of contemporary New York and Los Angeles, Film Blue celebrates how the art we experience and make can shape our stories, frame by frame.

Excerpt

Monroe slipped on her favorite gray silk nightgown and matching robe, and tied the sash around her waist. She opened her nightstand drawer and retrieved the unopened prescription bottle. Sitting on the edge of her bed and rolling the bottle in her hand, it occurred to her that she felt no emotion whatsoever. No sadness, or despair, or grief held her hand. Exhaustion was her only companion. She was done. After moving the bottle from one hand to the other, over and over again, she tucked it into her pocket. She got up and wandered through her house until she found Bill in his office, hunched over the desk.

“It’s so late, darling. Why don’t you come to bed?” she asked.

“I’ll be there soon enough. I have to get through these papers first,” he replied, gesturing to the stack on his desk.

“Good night, Bill. I love you. Truly, I do,” Monroe said, before gently shutting the door behind her.

She bumped into Henry on her way back to her bedroom.

“Good night, Henry,” she said softly.

“Good night, Mrs. Preston. Oh, I forgot to tell you that Miss Daniels left her short film here yesterday. She said you had asked to see it.”

“Oh, that’s right. I did promise her,” she mumbled to herself. Then she refocused on Henry. “Maybe I’ll watch it now. I know it’s late, but would you mind putting it on for me in the screening room?”

“Certainly, ma’am,” he replied.

Monroe settled into one of the raspberry-colored velvet seats in their lavish private screening room. Henry switched the lights off as the film began. Light from the screen flickered on Monroe’s face as the opening credits rolled. Shot in black and white, the camera zoomed in on two young people on a city rooftop in the middle of the night. They were laughing and running across the roof, bits of paper swept up in the breeze. A burst of hot pink leapt off the screen, followed by eruptions of turquoise and purple. Monroe leaned closer. The corners of her mouth trembled and a smile began to crawl across her face. She leaned closer and let the glow from the screen wash over her. Her smile morphed into laughter and tears flooded her eyes. As her smile grew and her laughter became louder, the tears flowed harder. Her face was drenched by the time the closing credits rolled. She sat, soaking in a feeling she couldn’t quite name, a feeling she knew was connected to life itself.

Henry returned and flipped the lights on. “Shall I close the room for you before I retire to bed?” he asked.

She wiped her face with her palms and turned to face him. “No. Henry, please get Bill right away. Tell him there’s something he must see.”

Author Bio and Links

Patricia Leavy, Ph.D., is a bestselling author. She was formerly Associate Professor of Sociology, Chair of Sociology and Criminology, and Founding Director of Gender Studies at Stonehill College in Massachusetts. She has published over forty books, earning commercial and critical success in both fiction and nonfiction, and her work has been translated into many languages. Patricia has received dozens of accolades for her books. Recently, her romance collection Celestial Bodies: The Tess Lee and Jack Miller Novels was the 2022 Firebird Awards first-place winner for Romance. The book also received 2022 International Impact Book Awards for Women’s Fiction and Romance, a 2022 NYC Big Book Award for Distinguished Favorite Anthology, and a 2022 Literary Titan Gold Book Award for Fiction. Patricia has also received career awards from the New England Sociological Association, the American Creativity Association, the American Educational Research Association, the International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry, and the National Art Education Association. In 2016 Mogul, a global women’s empowerment network, named her an “Influencer.” In 2018, she was honored by the National Women’s Hall of Fame and SUNY-New Paltz established the “Patricia Leavy Award for Art and Social Justice.” She lives in Maine with her husband, daughter (when she’s not away at college), and her dog. Patricia loves writing, reading, watching films, and traveling.

Website | Amazon Buy Link

Giveaway

Patricia Leavy will be awarding a $10 Amazon/Barnes & Noble gift card to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour. Find out more here.

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

I’m happy to welcome author Marina Hill. Today, Marina shares details about her creative journey and new release, Little Writer.

Interview

What was your inspiration for this book?

Comfort. I really wanted to write something cozy, something I could come back to when I want to feel seen, loved, and heard. Little Women is already such a warm book for me, but I wanted to expand it to something even more relatable.

Which authors have inspired you?

I’ve recently been admiring Tracy Deonn! She’s so graceful, smart, and talented. She’s certainly who I aspire to be like. Since the beginning of my writing career, I’ve been a fangirl of Alex Bracken. I love her aesthetic, and I was so enamored by her writing in the Passenger duology that I bought a second copy so I could study her prose.

What is your favorite quote?

Non-writing related:
“I only debate my equals. All others, I teach.” —John Henrik Clarke, an astounding scholar.

Writing related:
“A professional writer is an amateur who didn’t quit.” —Richard Bach. This quote entirely changed my perspective.

Besides writing and reading, what are some of your hobbies?

I love to paint. Any form of creativity calms me. I also picked up knitting recently and I really love it!

Any advice for aspiring writers?

There is no such thing as an aspiring writer. If you write, you are a writer. But for new writers, I encourage persistence. Always remain a student. Improving your writing craft is not an uphill journey, it’s an expanding circle. You widen your circle of knowledge and skill instead of building a mountain of them.

Blurb

A retelling of the classic coming-of-age story Little Women through the intimate lens of Jo March.

It’s 1862 and fifteen-year-old Jo March would rather be fighting in the war, like her papa, than improving her knitting skills on the home front. But societal conventions for the “gentle” woman-and her steadfast adoration for her three sisters-force Jo to stay behind and support the family, all the while rolling her eyes at Aunt March and daydreaming of becoming a famous author.

At home, love abounds in the March girls’ lives in the form of family, friendship, patriotism, religion, and-to Jo’s chagrin-romance. As each sister navigates their ascent into adulthood, Jo unwittingly ventures down a path of self-realization, using her gift of written prose to craft her voice, and thus, her truth. Perhaps, just maybe, she can strike balance between the freedom of independence and the warmth of partnership…

In this visionary adaptation, Little Writer tells the March sisters’ timeless journey to womanhood with a multiracial cast of characters, reimagining history to include diverse communities without elaboration.

Excerpt

As Marmee reads, I close my eyes and hear the words in Papa’s voice and imagine myself beside him.

I look up and I’m sitting on a cot inside a tent. I’m still wearing my shift and thin mantle. Papa walks inside and grins, his bright teeth splitting his bushy beard in two.

“Papa!” I exclaim, jumping up and throwing my arms around him. “Oh, I miss you.”

“I miss you, too, my little writer. Come, let me show you the camp.”

He takes my hand and guides me outside. The sun blinds me and horses stomp by and men chitter. The damp ground seeps through my socks and soaks my feet. None of that matters. His arm wraps around me and I savor the warmth of his embrace. He points at a group of men standing around a table inside an open tent. “They’re deciding where the soldiers will march.” Then he gestures toward men crowding around a fire. “They’re having lunch.” Papa leads me through the crowd and a couple of them nod at me in acknowledgment. My toes turn numb at the cold and wiggling them does no good. He opens a creaky door to a wooden shack. There are four beds and some candles that barely light the entire place. “And this is where I sleep.”

At the sight of the threadbare blankets and the shiver running over my body, I look at him with bewildered eyes. “Aren’t you cold at night?”

Papa smiles a gentle smile that I miss dearly. His silver hair, his thick beard, his soft hands. I miss my papa and I can’t wait until he comes home.

Purchase Links

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | KOBO | Apple Books

Having read Little Women many times and watched two film versions, I had a good grasp of the plot and characters. Four sisters—Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy—face the challenges of growing up in a financially-strapped home in the aftermath of the Civil War.

I wondered if Ms. Hill’s decision to reimagine this classic coming-of-age story using Jo’s POV and a multiracial cast of characters was a bit too ambitious.

I needn’t have worried.

Retelling the story from Jo’s perspective was an inspired choice. The second eldest of the March siblings has always been my favorite character. While reading Little Writer, I could feel Jo’s emotions more intensely. I also gained insight into her creative and romantic struggles as she navigated the rocky terrain between childhood and adulthood.

Creating new identities for the characters—March family is black, Laurie is of Asian descent, and John Brookes is of Native American descent—did not affect the storyline. As Ms. Hill points out in the Author’s Note: “You could say they live in a raceless world—or in alternate history, as some like to say.”

Set aside large blocks of uninterrupted reading time. You won’t be able to put this book down.

Author Bio and Links

Marina Hill is a writer with a keen interest in all things undiscovered. She grew up in the New Jersey side of Philadelphia, watching Eagles games and roughhousing with her plethora of older brothers. She attended Baruch College in NYC and has over a dozen publications of her other works. If she isn’t daydreaming about her next story, she’s studying history or yearning to dash into the forest, build a farm, and never look back. Marina never lives in one spot for too long and loves to travel with her dog.

Website | Goodreads | Instagram

Giveaway

Marina Hill will be awarding a $15 Amazon/Barnes & Noble gift card to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour. Find out more here.

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

I’m happy to welcome back Wild Rose Press author Shirley Goldberg. Today, Shirley shares details about her creative journey and her upcoming release,
A Little Bit of Lust. [Release Date: December 7]

Here’s Shirley!

What was your inspiration for this book?

Before Covid, I went dancing most Sunday afternoons at a restaurant on the CT shoreline in Madison, CT, called Donahue’s. Over the years, I met other dancers and we became regulars. The idea of three friends who hang out, go dancing, and work together grew as a possible storyline for a book.

Courtship, dating, and relationships have always fascinated me, with their ebb and flow. A rich source of material. Courtship is an old-fashioned word for a very real process that has stages and markers and has been poked and prodded by scientists and sociologists for hundreds of years. What better inspiration for The Eight-Minute Ice Cream Social, an event in the book? Characters throw themselves into uncomfortable first meets, sticky conversations, and awkward misunderstandings. Competition raises its jealous head.

What’s the best part of being an author? The worst?

Throwing kinks into the plot is the fun part. Angst, family complications, and heartache running wild. Anything goes. Throw in a cranky sibling, a dating grandmother, and a sidekick who’s an advice-giver or nosy or a meddler, and well, that’s adrenalin-sparking storytelling.

But readers are the best part of writing. Hearing from a stranger about how she laughed or recognized her own problems in my book is mind-blowing. That anyone takes the time to recount even a minor tidbit she relates to is satisfying.

On the not-so-fun side, you have to write when you don’t feel like it. You have to kill your darlings if the lovely words on the page don’t work or they have nothing to do with the story. You have to torture your characters, embarrass them, show their bad side. Above all, you have to rewrite and rewrite. And rewrite. You lose track of how many drafts you’ve worked through because the number of drafts…no one cares. “Does it work?” is the point.

Finally, you have to put the word out about your book. That’s called marketing and promotion. It’s a learned skill and it costs money and it’s difficult. Hmph.

What is your favorite quote?

“It doesn’t matter who you are or what you look like, so long as somebody loves you.” Roald Dahl

If you had a superpower, what would it be?

Oh, this is a fun question. My superpower would be to write faster and better so I’d only have to write a first draft and it would be…perfect. Perfect means a riveting story with characters you’ll never forget, love scenes you wish you starred in, and memorable dialog everyone highlights on their Kindle. A page turner. Bahahahah. Now, that’s a superpower, and is why we writers keep honing our craft, taking courses, watching Margaret Atwood and Elizabeth Berg and Neil Gaiman and Brandon Sanderson on YouTube.

Any advice for aspiring writer?

I would advise aspiring writers to read good literature across genres. Read as a writer, analyzing as you go. Choose to read writers you don’t know, research a writer whose books are different from your own, read a classic, dip into your fellow authors’ books and write reviews. Supporting other writers should be a part of your plan for world domination.

What are you working on next?

My next book is Revamped, a humorous paranormal romance. Dante, the hero, is an energy vampire who gives up the life. He hates draining people. Dante meets Sophie, a “Foodish,” my special word for regular folks. Guess what?

The book is part of a series with six other authors. A mortar and pestle with special powers travels through time, beginning in the middle-ages and continuing on up to contemporary times.

Tagline: How many second chances will she give him?

Blurb

Love-cynical Lucy Bernard delights in her independence. Baking, all things Instagram, the occasional special guy, and most of all hanging out with best friends Deon Goldbloom and Phoebe Karis. But when Deon kisses Lucy at the beach on a chilly afternoon, the two friends jump into a lust-filled romantic weekend. So what’s with slotting her into “ignore” status afterward?

Deon Goldbloom is a widower who can’t move on after his wife’s death. Is he a little crazy spending a sexy few days with Lucy and calling it the best time he’s had in four years? Yeah. Except blue Monday comes calling, and Deon isn’t ready for the guilt.

Lucy wonders how a smoochy weekend turns into a friends-with-benefits disaster. And Deon wonders if he’s made the biggest mistake of his life putting Lucy on “ignore.” Using all his nerdy charms, he launches a campaign to bring Lucy around. Maybe they can chart a course back to one another if Lucy will only forgive him.

Excerpt

Lucy, Deon, and Phoebe go to their favorite CT shoreline hangout on a Sunday afternoon.

“You know,” said Steve, the interloper. “You and your friends are like The Three Musketeers. Always together.”

Together indeed. Lucy loved their routine. Arrive early while the band set up, grab seats, and make the rounds among their dancing friends. The band quit at eight, and they went home and got up early Monday morning to wrestle middle school kids, metaphorically speaking.

Steve leaned an elbow on the bar. “I’ve been here half a dozen times––”

He jerked back as Lucy’s best friend, Phoebe, trotted up and plonked her bag on the bar, startling them both. “Deon’s late. I don’t see him,” she barked.

Lucy sniffed and cleared her throat in a loud ah hem. “Mrs. Interruptus why don’t you?” she growled. “And hello to you, too. This is Steve.”

“Sorry, darling.” Phoebe bobbed her head in Steve’s direction, said a quick “hi,” and wrapped both arms around Lucy. “By the way, interruptus sounds sexual.”

“I was trying to be snotty.” Lucy turned up her nose.

Steve stood and gave Phoebe his seat. “Thank you, very thoughtful.” She shot Steve a quick smile and reached for her bag. “I’m stealing this dating idea from an ad for eight-minute dating. Some restaurant in Stamford.” She opened her bag and peered into its depths. “Can’t remember where I put that ad.”

“Dibs on Deon for ‘Chattanooga Choo Choo.’” Lucy raised a hand to signal the bartender. “I think Travis is impressed by my vast knowledge of Glenn Miller tunes.”

“I’m certain he is.” Phoebe, riffling through her handbag, gave Lucy a doubtful look. “You’d better alert Deon. He just came in. There’ll be a ton of good dancers here today with this band. Competition.”

Lucy glanced over at the stage where Deon stood talking to Travis, in Buddy Holly glasses and a porkpie hat.

“Got it.” Phoebe brandished her phone and scrolled. “I forgot it was in my photos. Look.” She thrust her phone at Lucy.

“Can’t read it; the print’s too tiny.” Lucy flung her arm in the air and waved in Deon’s direction, eventually catching his eye. He wandered over wearing his customary smirk, and Lucy handed him Phoebe’s phone. “Read this, would you?”

Deon cleared his throat and launched into his favorite accent. Elvis. “Welcome, ladies and gentlemen––”

“Hah, it doesn’t say that,” Phoebe protested.

“Meet your dream gal or guy. Only eight minutes to your SoulMate IRL! Here’s your chance. Ages forty to sixty-five. Follow the link for more information.’”

“That sounds like torture,” Deon said, dropping the Elvis. “IRL? What’s IRL?” He cocked his head. “Code for I’m really likable?”

Buy Links

Universal Link | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Apple

Author Bio and Links

Shirley Goldberg is a writer, novelist, and former ESL and French teacher who’s lived in Paris, Crete, and Casablanca. She writes about men and women of a certain age starting over. Her website offers a humorous look at dating in mid-life, and her friends like to guess which stories are true. A Little Bit of Lust is her third book in the series Starting Over, although all her books are standalone. Shirley’s characters all believe you should never leave home without your sense of humor and she agrees.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | Bookbub

**Eat Your Heart Out and MiddleAgeish are on sale for $0.99**

Buy Links

Middle Ageish | Eat Your Heart Out

I’m happy to welcome B. R. Erlank. Today, Boris shares his new release,
Under the Cloud.

Blurb

They call themselves The Settlement Bureau. A faceless, soulless organization coercing individuals with threats to expose their improprieties and vulnerabilities. Inhumanely persistent, they’ve secretly driven hundreds of victims into bankruptcy, despair – and several even to suicide.

But when this organization tries to blackmail IT expert Terry Reynolds, they make a serious mistake. Terry is down on his luck. He is penniless, divorced and in a dead-end job. Yet, the abuse of his personal information stirs Terry out of his lethargy and he fights back. He embarks on a digital game of cat-and-mouse with the cold, calculating minds behind The Settlement Bureau – and in doing so, uncovers a sprawling criminal conspiracy.

Under the Cloud is a chillingly plausible new thriller by B.R. Erlank. With a plot ripped straight from the headlines, advance readers warn, “this book delivers a roller coaster ride right up to the final pages.”

Excerpt

Charlie’s canine senses were on high alert. He growled and stared across the street. There was a commotion in the shadows of a tree. Then Terry heard a frail, plaintive voice, “No, no, leave me. That’s mine. Let go!”

Terry knew that voice; it was Joe. What sort of low-life attacks an old homeless man? There was a thud and a howl of pain. Charlie was the first to react; the dog raced across the street with Terry behind him. Under the streetlamp, Terry could make out the old man’s face, bleeding and distorted with fear, as he shouted, “You imbecile, you don’t know…”

The attacker was dressed in black and was at least six inches taller than Joe. The assailant pushed Joe hard, then his fist smashed into the old man’s face. Joe slumped against the tree, and the thug pulled back his fist for another punch.

Terry shouted, “Hey! Leave him!”

The man briefly turned and hesitated. Then, before he could plant the fist again, Charlie lunged and sank his teeth into the man’s wrist. The attacker cursed, and a knife appeared in his other hand. The blade glinted in the streetlight, and Charlie’s bark turned into a surprised yelp, then a whimper. The attacker ran.

For a split second, Terry’s rage commanded him to follow, but the sight of Joe and Charlie, both crumpled and bleeding, stopped him in his tracks. He knelt by the old man, whose face was smeared with blood, one eye beginning to swell. His breath was coming in desperate rasps.

Author Bio and Links

Boris Erlank grew up in Southern Africa. He has lived and worked in places as diverse as Luanda, Cape Town, Singapore and San Francisco. Boris recently gave up his job as Global Privacy Manager with a Fortune 100 company to focus on writing full-time.
He has an extensive background in IT, data privacy and cybersecurity, and has drawn on that experience to craft his latest novel, Under the Cloud. His previous novel, Catch You Later, is a murder mystery set in Cape Town.

Boris lives with his family and two dogs in the foothills of Mount Diablo, east of San Francisco. He likes to cycle and hike. “Those solitary pursuits give me time to dream up the characters and plots for my novels,” he says. Boris also enjoys choir singing, travel, and listening to audiobooks.

Website | Facebook | LinkedIn | Amazon Buy Link

***The book will be $0.99 from November 15 to November 22***

Giveway

B.R. Erlank will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble gift card to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour. Find out more here.

Follow Boris on the rest of his Goddess Fish tour here.