Excerpt Tour: She’s the One Who Gets in Fights

Posted on by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m happy to welcome multi-published author S. R. Cronin. Today, Sherrie shares her new release, She’s the One Who Gets in Fights.

Blurb

Do you know what your problem is?

Sulphur knows hers. This 13th-century woman has trained as a fighter all her life in hopes of joining the army. Then, within days, both of her older sisters announce plans and suddenly Sulphur is expected to find a man to marry instead.

Is it her good fortune her homeland is gripped by fear of a pending invasion and the army now goes door to door encouraging recruits? Sulphur thinks it is. But once she’s forced to kill in a small skirmish, she’s ready to rethink her career decision. Too bad it’s too late. The invasion is coming, and Ilari needs every good soldier it has.

Once Sulphur learns Ilari’s army has made the strategic decision to not defend certain parts of the realm, including the one where her family lives, she has to re-evaluate her loyalty. Is it with the military she’s always admired? Or is it with her sisters, who are hatching a plan to defend their homeland with magic?

The problem with being a woman who fights for what’s right is that now, she has to figure out what is.

(The War Stories of the Seven Troublesome Sisters consists of seven short companion novels. Each tells the personal story and perspective of one of seven radically different sisters in the 1200s as they prepare for an invasion of their realm. While these historical fantasy/alternate history books can be enjoyed as stand-alone novels, together they tell the full story of how Ilari survived.)

Excerpt

I hoped Davor would return soon, but he didn’t. Weren’t there arrangements to be made for the wedding? For their life together afterward? Didn’t he want to spend time with his betrothed?

When I asked Coral about his absence, she turned serious and changed the subject.

“You must know about this military threat that looms over Ilari.”

I did. For nearly a year now, rumors had circulated about a horde of invaders coming from the mountains to the east. Word was they fought from horseback, swarming into places and taking over before the surprised victims could gather their weapons.

Some said they only wanted tribute, taking a small amount of farmed goods to supplement the bleak diet provided by their own cold mountains. Others said they demanded a near slavery that no realm should tolerate. Some reported these invaders burned everything to the ground, indiscriminately killing the helpless and harmless along with the soldiers.

The lack of consistent information had turned them into a frightening monster of mythical proportions. Yet, the reports all agreed on one point. They moved further westward every winter and soon we’d be in their path.

“Yes. I know of the Mongol threat. Ilari could face a tough challenge this coming winter or next.”

“The Svadlu especially,” she said. “They already take this quite seriously.”

“As well they should.”

I considered this threat to be an added incentive for joining soon. If I got trained and put into a fighting unit, I’d have a chance to help Ilari.

“Davor is a key part of this effort.”

“Really?”

“Yes. He’s been tasked with training the soldiers to meet this challenge. It’s why he can’t leave Pilk now, with so much happening.”

Well, this did make sense. I had no idea my hopeful sponsor bore such a responsibility.

“When will you see him again?”

I noticed the sadness on Coral’s face. Indeed, being the wife of a soldier was no easy thing.

“Probably not until the wedding.”

“I’m so sorry to hear that.” I meant it for her, of course. This should have been a happier time in her life but to be honest, I was sad for me as well, knowing I had nearly an eighth to wait before I could ask this stranger the question on which my entire life hinged.

Then, I saw the advantages of asking for an important favor around such an auspicious time. Doubtless Davor would be at his happiest and eager to please his new wife’s family. Maybe it was lucky I hadn’t had the opportunity to ask sooner. I couldn’t imagine a groom saying no to such a reasonable request from a new sister-in-law.

Buy Links

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Smashwords

Author Bio and Links

Sherrie Cronin is the author of a collection of six speculative fiction novels known as 46. Ascending and is now in the process of publishing a historical fantasy series called The War Stories of the Seven Troublesome Sisters. A quick look at the synopses of her books makes it obvious she is fascinated by people achieving the astonishing by developing abilities they barely knew they had.

She’s made a lot of stops along the way to writing these novels. She’s lived in seven cities, visited forty-six countries, and worked as a waitress, technical writer, and geophysicist. Now she answers a hot-line. Along the way, she’s lost several cats but acquired a husband who still loves her and three kids who’ve grown up just fine, both despite how eccentric she is.

All her life she has wanted to either tell these kinds of stories or be Chief Science Officer on the Starship Enterprise. She now lives and writes in the mountains of Western North Carolina, where she admits to occasionally checking her phone for a message from Captain Picard, just in case.

Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon | Author Blog | Book Series Blog

Giveaway

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

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

How to Stop Holding On When You Should Let Go

Posted on by Joanne Guidoccio

How to Stop Holding On When You Should Let Go

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.

A longtime fan of bestselling authors and coaches Marc and Angel Chernoff, I look forward to receiving their daily emails. Here’s a thought-provoking excerpt from a recent message:

So how can we stop holding on?

By realizing that there’s nothing to hold on to in the first place.

Most of the things we desperately try to hold on to, as if they’re real, solid, everlasting fixtures in our lives, aren’t really there. Or if they are there in some form, they’re changing, fluid, impermanent, or simply imagined in our minds.

Life gets a lot easier to deal with when we understand this.

Imagine you’re blindfolded and treading water in the center of a large swimming pool, and you’re struggling desperately to grab the edge of the pool that you think is nearby, but really it’s not—it’s far away. Trying to grab that imaginary edge is stressing you out, and tiring you out, as you splash around aimlessly trying to holding on to something that isn’t there.

Now imagine you pause, take a deep breath, and realize that there’s nothing nearby to hold on to. Just water around you. You can continue to struggle with grabbing at something that doesn’t exist… or you can accept that there’s only water around you, and relax, and float.

This is the process of letting GO. It can be liberating.

Truth be told, inner peace begins the moment you take a new breath and choose not to allow an uncontrollable circumstance to dominate you in the present. You are not what happened to you. You are what you choose to become in this moment. Let go, breathe, and begin…

Note: I highly recommend subscribing to Marc & Angel’s website.

Spotlight on Guns & Smoke

Posted on by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m happy to welcome authors Lauren Sevier and A. Smith. Today, they share interesting tidbits about The Fool’s Adventure World and their new release,
Guns & Smoke.

10 Interesting Things About The Fool’s Adventure World

1. The Fool’s Adventure series takes place in a dystopian America. The Culling, a nuclear holocaust, devastated every major country in the world. When the first bombs dropped on the United States Congress and the White House, a wave of nuclear bombs were dropped all over the world. While Guns & Smoke takes place in what remains of the American southwest, there are many, many places that we intend to explore in this world in this series and others.

2. After the Culling, social issues such as racial discrimination and sexual orientation were no longer as important. When the key focus of a population is surviving, everything else just sort of falls to the wayside. It was incredibly important to us to show the diversity of The Fool’s Adventure world from all sides. We live in a diverse world. It doesn’t make sense to not have characters who are people of color or characters that are a part of the LGBTQ+ community. It’s even more normal in this world than it is in modern America.

3. A lot of things we consider normal are hot commodities in The Fool’s Adventure world. Because of the changing climate as a result of the nuclear bombs, coffee beans only grow in the humid climates of the Borderlands. Chocolate is something only the very rich can afford. Forget about having new clothes or fresh, organic food. Typically, you take what you can get and you’re happy with it, because it means another day of surviving instead of starving in the street.

4. Gangs reign supreme. When the government was destroyed and no one else stepped up to seize power, small factions of men and women came together to take control. Some of the more popular gangs are The Hanged Men, The Crimson Fist, and The Black Judges. Others don’t have official names, but utilize symbols to strike fear in the hearts of men.

5. Across the country, in the places that the nuclear bombs dropped, people began seeing strange creatures appear from within the crater sites. Some claim to have seen giant gator-dogs, great, snapping-lion-turtles or panther-scorpions. Our main characters in Guns & Smoke may even have a run in with one of their own crater beasts.

6. Glowroot is a nasty, spiny little plant that grows inside the crater sites beyond the fences. When it’s distilled, it has a faint phosphorescent glow and stains your lips blue. It is highly addictive, and one can find glowroot dens in their favorite cities.

7. There are eight rules to being an Outlaw:

○ Don’t fall in love.
○ Never go anywhere without telling your crew.
○ Keep your word. Outlaws may steal, lie, and cheat. But if you make a promise, you keep it.
○ Where there’s danger, listen to your commanding officer.
○ Never overstay your welcome.
○ Pay your debts.
○ No one gets left behind.
○ Know your weapons. If it’s supposed to keep you alive, you should know it inside and out.

8. Due to radiation, people who survived the Culling or have been affected by the radiation have suffered from physical deformities. They’re considered undesirable by the general population. It is rumored that they spread disease or bring trouble wherever they go. This could be, in large part, because they struggle for basic resources to survive, that they have had to possibly still or kill for basic necessities.

9. The fringes are those places around the edges. Burned out towns, small cities that never recovered after the Culling, where no one except for the undesirables or fugitives would live. It’s a hard place where resources are scarce. It’s even more “kill or be killed” here than the rest of the world. Usually marked with a white ‘X’ so that travelers know that it’s unsafe and to stay away.

10. Paper money lost all its meaning after the Culling. After plundering cities, homes, and other places for precious metals, a new system took place. Those metals were melted down and shaped into bits. There are brass, copper, silver, and gold. Gold bits are incredibly rare and worth a lot of money. Along with bits, they also utilize the barter system, and negotiate for things that can be traded instead of paid for.

ADDITIONAL FUN FACT

Today is Lauren Sevier’s Birthday!!!!! She’s a brilliant co-author and friend and we want to wish her a great next year.

Blurb

In a world where safety is a luxury and honor is found only among outlaws, two people attempt to outrun danger lurking around each corner and the tragedies that define them.

Bonnie is an outlaw on the run. Beautiful but dangerous; her dark past stalks her like the crater beasts that roam the desert. As the notoriously cruel outlaw Jones sends his henchmen to track her down and retrieve the gun she stole from him, Bonnie hopes she can stay one step ahead. Because if he catches her, a fate worse than death awaits.

Jesse always dreamed of leaving the farm to explore the ruins of the big cities. He just never imagined he’d be forced to flee after strange men burned down his rural mountain town and murdered everyone he loved. Responsible for his kid brother and searching for an uncle he’s never met before, he isn’t sure he can navigate the perils of life among con artists and thieves long enough to find him.

Their two paths collide as they find themselves thrown together on the adventure of a lifetime.

Together, they may just discover that life is about more than just surviving.

Excerpt

“I didn’t mean what I said earlier, about turning you over to Sixgun. I was just…” He struggled for the words.

“Hurt?” I offered, and he nodded. “I know. I have a talent for pushing people away.”

“I still shouldn’t have said it,” he muttered near my ear, his arm tightening around my shoulders to hold me closer.

“Do you really think I’m stupid?” I asked.

“No, I think you’re the smartest person I’ve ever met,” he said, with all the conviction with which he said everything else. I smiled against his shirt. “Did you really climb into my bed because you thought I was upset about the train?”

“No,” I croaked, hiding my face as best I could. “I don’t have nightmares when you hold me.”

“I don’t have nightmares when I hold you either,” he admitted.

So I let him. I let him hold me all night. We didn’t speak, we just leaned against each other until the sky began to lighten and the shadows of our pasts seemed to fade into the distance.

Author Bios and Links

Lauren Sevier & A. Smith are long time friends and co-authors from southern Louisiana. Guns & Smoke, their first joint publication, began as a “short” story after having too much wine on girl’s night. Nine years later it is now the first novel in a Dystopian/Western Romance series. The duo has plans to publish several series together in the future. A. Smith spends her time with her two rescue dogs and rescue cat surrounding herself with books and Labyrinth paraphernalia. Lauren Sevier collects antique tea cups and tries to stay sane, though as the mother of a toddler she fails brilliantly most days. She also has a growing collection of crowns and tiaras and likes to act silly on TikTok. Look for more thrilling novels from The Fools Adventure series in the future!

Lauren Sevier

Website | YouTube | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Goodreads

A. Smith

Website | Twitter | Instagram | Newsletter | Goodreads

Giveaway

Lauren Sevier and A. Smith will be awarding a $20 Amazon/Barnes & Noble gift card to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour.
Find out more here.

Follow the authors on the rest of their Goddess Fish tour here.

The Next Right Thing

Posted on 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.

While rereading The Prosperous Heart by Julia Cameron, I stopped to reflect upon this excerpt:

The “next right thing” is usually something small. It may be finishing the essay–or the paragraph. It may be returning the call. It may be doing the laundry. The next right thing is not usually glamorous–in fact, the opposite. The next right thing is usually mundane, and it is always doable. It also always gives us a sense of satisfaction.

How often have we fretted about a relationship for hours, when, in fact, what we need to do was finish the report we were working on? In avoiding the report, we are creating drama–setting up a situation where we will have to rush to get it done or make an excuse for ourselves tomorrow, triggering feelings of guilt and self-attack. We know when we are not doing the next right thing, because the actual next right thing is bugging us, pestering us, dancing around our consciousness, tapping at our psyche.

Doing the next right thing, especially when that thing is small, takes courage. Doing the next right thing when people around us are dramatic or threatening takes even more courage. When we display humility and take the honest next step for ourselves, we are always rewarded with a sense of true accomplishment. Sometimes, the “next right thing” is as simple as “go to sleep.”

Source: The Prosperous Heart by Julia Cameron, pp. 194-195

Virtual Book Tour: On the Edge

Posted on by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m happy to welcome author and clothing designer Claire Gillies. Today, Claire shares ten of her favourite movies and her new release, On the Edge.

Joanne, I would like to thank you for hosting my latest novel On The Edge on your wonderful blog! I thought it might be fun to delve into my 10 favourite movies. These may give you an idea of my taste and what I like to write about…

Little Women – 1995 version

This is a film I will go back to every year for my Christmas feel good vibes. I adore the soundtrack (which I still listen to when working through my daily mundane tasks, and transports me to a different time). I just want to crawl into this movie. It makes me cry with happiness, and the ending! That ending is the best romantic scene ever.

Darjeeling Ltd

My favourite Wes Anderson! This truly is a beautiful story of three brothers who meet in India to renew their connection after their father dies, and set out on a train ride across the country. The family dynamics between the brothers is interesting to me as I can relate (being the youngest from a family of five) I love the quirkiness of Wes Anderson, and this one pulls my heart strings.

Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind

I’m a fan of Kate Winslet, and I watch her acting in awe, particularly in this movie. I adored all the many different colours of her hair throughout, but her hair was used as an anchor to the story so we could understand the time frame, as it darts about. When this movie came out, coincidentally I also had bright red hair! I love their unique love story.

Howl’s Moving Castle

Studio Ghibli is a Japanese animation company and they make the most magical movies. It took me a bit of time to decide which is my favourite, as there are so many – “Kiki’s Delivery Service” and “Spirited Away” to name a couple. I love how the stories usually revolve around a young girl – I find them inspiring and encouraging role models for kids.

Highlander

This is a classic. A Scotsman cast as an Egyptian…a French man cast as a Scot! It’s fun, and doesn’t take itself too seriously, but then you get hit in the heart when you least expect it. The Queen soundtrack weaving throughout this movie adds to the magic. I also get nostalgia as it was filmed where I’m from; when Connor Macleod declares he is from the past and where he was born…I’m like – me too!

Local Hero

Another Scottish one, this movie I can watch forever. Just one of those perfect, cute, cuddle up on the couch and escape into a simple world. This was also filmed in my local area in Scotland. I adore the soundtrack that echoes throughout. It captures a feeling I can’t put into words; the long summer nights, the solitude and being so close with nature. I found the ceilidh (dance) scene is very authentic as I’ve been to oh so many in my time.

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

Pure escape! Don’t we all wish we could just get up and go? If any film is about someone leaving their humdrum life to travel somewhere out of their comfort zone, then I’m there! I particularly love the Himalayas in Afghanistan scene, which makes me reminisce of the time I trekked in Nepal. Also, Iceland features in it…somewhere that has been on my bucket list for years! This captures the freedom of travelling for me.

Gone With the Wind

This appeals to my costume background. The costume is spectacular, I was lucky enough to see a few of Scarlet’s outfits in a museum…she was incredibly petite! The love story is so frustrating though, I could never under why Scarlet never opens her heart to Rhett until it’s too late. But what an event to watch, a feast for the eyes.

Lord of the Rings (trilogy!)

I’m being cheeky and placing all three adaptions into this one entry! I feel I grew up with hobbits and elves keeping me company during lonely teenage years. The first Fellowship Of The Ring came out when I was in high school, then the final movie released when I was in college. I have watched these so many times, I’m a huge fan of fantasy – Tolkien created such a rich world.

Pride and Prejudice (2005)

This was difficult to select only one Jane Austin. I adore her work and I LOVE costume dramas. This adaption I enjoyed, but I didn’t give it the credit it was due for many years as I was very much a fan of the BBC version. Having said that, I would watch any adaption of Pride and Prejudice, there will NEVER be too many. Jane Austin is in my heart and so is Elizabeth Bennet

Blurb

Catherine MacGregor spends life daydreaming her way out of the perils of a dead-end job, and a dwindling love-life. Rather than face imminent redundancy, Cat finds herself giving up her life in the city, and moving to a remote Scottish island for a fresh start.

Unlocking her passion for art, things have never looked better, until the handsome but elusive musician Patrick Flannagan takes to the stage, complicating her best-laid plans.

Cat’s past could be catching up with her at last. Can she unlock her own secrets, and learn to love again, in time to save her brave new beginnings?

Excerpt

“Hey, just because I don’t go around snogging boys! I’ve only recently split up with my long-term boyfriend!”

“That was two months ago!” Jess cried,

“I know – that’s recent!”

“No it’s not! It’s not like you’ve been left a widow and loved your husband ’til the end; you told me you’d fallen out of love with Dave a long time before you left. What are you waiting for?” Jess looked wide-eyed.

Cat chewed the inside of her mouth and looked down, unable to meet Jess’s gaze. “I don’t know”.

Just then the phone beeped, making the two girls jump.

“It’s fine, whatever the outcome” Cat assured herself loudly.

Jess pressed buttons on her phone, and silently read for what seemed to Cat an eternity.

“You are good to go my friend!” Jess wiggled on the bed and held her phone up to Jess to read “Single!”

The two girls whooped and bounced on the bed.

“You read that for a long time. Jeez, I can’t believe how much I wanted him to be single!” Cat screeched, then quickly covered her mouth in surprise and embarrassment.

“Well, the lovely Kate said he was with a girl for a few years. She was local, but she’s now living in Australia. They split up, not sure why.” Jess re-read the message aloud, and they both settled down on the bed.

“What now?” Cat grinned at her friend.

“Bacon and eggs?” Jess pleaded with big blue eyes.

“I’ll get my purse,” Cat smiled and for the first time in a long while, thought that life couldn’t get any better.

Buy Links

Amazon US | Amazon CA | Amazon UK | Amazon AU

***The book is on sale for only $0.99***

Author Bio and Links

Born and raised in the Highlands of Scotland, Claire’s homeland continues to be a stream of inspiration for her. A clothing designer too, Claire (Lorna) creates one-off bespoke garments using Scottish tweeds and tartans.

Claire currently splits her time between Scotland and Australia with her lovely Irish husband. She is a cat lover (without the cat) and can be found either drinking coffee, researching the best cake haunts, or watching yet another costume drama!

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Giveaway

Claire Gillies will be awarding a signed copy of the book. (International) to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour. Find out more here

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

10 Myths & Superstitions About the Moon

Posted on by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m happy to welcome multi-published author Judy Penz Sheluk. Today, Judy shares interesting myths and superstitions about the moon and her new anthology, Moonlight.

Here’s Judy!

Whoot! After culling down 93 submissions to 20 and months of hard work, today is release date for Moonlight & Misadventure. As with the previous Superior Shores Anthologies, authors were required to incorporate the underlying theme into their story. Misadventure, that was an easy one. After all, these are stories of mystery and suspense. But why moonlight? Simply put, as a Cancerian, I’ve always been fascinated by the moon. Here are 10 moon myths & superstitions:

1. A wish made on the full moon will only come true if you stare at the moon and tap your right index and middle fingers against your left wrist at the same time.

2. My mother, who was a superstitious sort, always believed that it was unlucky to see the full moon through glass, whether that was a windshield or a window. I’ll admit I still try to avoid doing that, even though I know it’s ridiculous.

3. In the Philippines, it is believed that no marriage should take place except during the period of the full moon, as good fortune comes only during that period.

4. The Irish believe it’s viewing the new moon through glass that should be avoided, and that even the position of the new moon is important; for luck the new moon should be seen over the right shoulder, never the left.

5. Many believe the new moon is also a time to set positive intentions for the month. I try to do that when I remember.

6. The Farmers’ Almanac suggests that crops that grow above the earth, such as corn and wheat, should be planted while the moon is waxing, so the moon can pull them out of the ground as it grows bigger.

7. Conversely, the Almanac tells us, root crops, such as turnips, carrots, and yams, should be planted while the moon is waning, allowing vegetables to grow deep into the ground.

8. Urban legend has it that chaos and crime increase with the full moon. In fact, the word “lunatic” is derived from “luna,” the Latin word for moon. In fact, in 18th-century England, people on trial for murder could campaign for a lighter sentence on grounds of lunacy if the crime occurred under a full moon.

9. It is lucky to expose your newborn to the waxing Moon. It will give the baby strength.

10. It is unlucky to see “the old moon in the arms of the new” or the faint image of the full disk while the new crescent moon is illuminated, especially if you’re a sailor. Storms are predicted.

Synopsis

Whether it’s vintage Hollywood, the Florida everglades, the Atlantic City boardwalk, or a farmhouse in Western Canada, the twenty authors represented in this collection of mystery and suspense interpret the overarching theme of “moonlight and misadventure” in their own inimitable style where only one thing is assured: Waxing, waning, gibbous, or full, the moon is always there, illuminating things better left in the dark.

Featuring stories by K.L. Abrahamson, Sharon Hart Addy, C.W. Blackwell, Clark Boyd, M.H. Callway, Michael A. Clark, Susan Daly, Buzz Dixon, Jeanne DuBois, Elizabeth Elwood, Tracy Falenwolfe, Kate Fellowes, John M. Floyd, Billy Houston, Bethany Maines, Judy Penz Sheluk, KM Rockwood, Joseph S. Walker, Robert Weibezahl, and Susan Jane Wright.

Bio

A former journalist and magazine editor, Judy Penz Sheluk is the author of two mystery series: The Glass Dolphin Mysteries and the Marketville Mysteries. Her short crime fiction appears in several collections, including The Best Laid Plans, Heartbreaks & Half-truths, and Moonlight & Misadventure, which she also edited.

Judy is a member of Sisters in Crime National, Toronto, and Guppy Chapters, International Thriller Writers, the Short Mystery Fiction Society, and Crime Writers of Canada, where she serves as Chair on the Board of Directors.

Find the Book: https://books2read.com/u/47NPkj

On Writing Naturally

Posted on 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.

In her book, Journal to the Self, Kathleen Adams shares the following advice:

Writing naturally means that you make it up as you go along.

Writing naturally means that you trust your inner wisdom to guide you to the places you need to go.

Writing naturally means that you freely create your diary world with confidence and ease.

Writing naturally means that you give yourself permission to play, and to cry, and to cuss, and to celebrate, and to be fully, vibrantly alive.

Writing naturally means that you allow yourself to use your journal as a blank canvas onto which the rich and intricate portrait of your life can be painted as it organically emerges.

There is only one person who can write the story of your life, with all its foibles, follies, treasures, and tears. That person is you.

Writing naturally means that you let yourself be you.

Source: Journal to the Self by Kathleen Adams

Interview with Bentley Turner

Posted on by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m happy to welcome author Bentley Turner. Today, Bentley chats about his creative journey and new release, The File on Thomas Marks.

Here’s Bentley!

Q: Why do you write fiction under a pseudonym?

A: I use a pseudonym for my fiction and I use my legal name for my nonfiction. Besides, I wanted to pay tribute to my mother as well as my grandmothers’ maiden names, which were Bentley and Turner.

Q: Where did you grow up?

A: In a small town in northern Kentucky. My wife and I left about a year after we married. She was teaching elementary school and I was completing two masters’ degrees at the time. Over the years we lived and taught in Arkansas, Illinois, Florida, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Tennessee. We retired from teaching several years ago.

Q: You mentioned writing nonfiction. Have you written a lot of nonfiction over the years?

A: Yes. I’ve written articles based on research for academic journals, chapters for academic books, entries for encyclopedias, and several books for academic and reference publishers.

Q: Do you still write nonfiction?

A: Yes. Although I don’t write as much as I used to, I still write an occasional academic article or review of a book.

Q: How does writing mysteries compare with writing nonfiction?

A: I enjoy reading mysteries. Several years ago, I thought I would try to write one. Well, I tried, but it was extremely difficult. I had to change gears, so to speak. I was used to researching and writing nonfiction―not fiction. In fact, I had not written anything remotely resembling fiction in decades. To say the least, I struggled. I found myself asking all sorts of questions as the plot moved along. Were the characters real or authentic? Would they act this way or that way? Were the situations in which the characters found themselves realistic? Etc., etc., etc. Now, I understand what writers of fiction go through―at least, to a certain extent. I haven’t written that much fiction, so I’m certain I haven’t experienced as many hurdles as other writers of fiction have. Unlike writers who have been writing fiction for years and who seem to have it down, I’m still learning the ins and outs of the craft.

Q: How many years did it take to write The File on Thomas Marks?

A: I believe I wrote the first draft in a year. Then I went through it again and again. After that, I had another person go through it. When I thought the manuscript was ready, I sent whatever numerous publishers desired. Generally, most wanted a synopsis and three chapters. After months and months of rejections, a small publisher accepted it, but for some reason―I don’t remember what―I didn’t sign the contract. After that, I sent several chapters to other publishers. Eventually, another small publisher offered a contract. However, there were one or more clauses in the contract that I didn’t like, and the publisher wouldn’t budge. Needless to say, I didn’t sign the contract. I sent several chapters to other publishers. Finally, another small publisher accepted it. I signed the contract.

Q: Do you remember the first story you wrote?

A: Considering that was decades ago, unfortunately, no. However, the first story that I wrote that was published was “The Question.” It was published in a literary magazine in the 1960s.

Where to find Bentley…

Goodreads | Amazon

Blurb

In this suspenseful thriller, Thomas Marks, a young, intelligent man, admits to being with two women just before they were murdered. Though detectives don’t believe him, he claims to be innocent. The only problem is none of the evidence corroborates his story nor confirms the guilt of anyone else. When another suspect surfaces, Thomas thinks he’s in the clear, but appearances can’t always be trusted. Will an arrest stick? Find out in this mystery mayhem of twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the very end.

Buy Links

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Virtual Book Tour: Constellations by Patricia Leavy

Posted on by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m happy to welcome bestselling author Patricia Leavy. Today, Patricia shares her latest release, Constellations.

Blurb

Constellations follows Tess Lee and Jack Miller after three years of marriage as they navigate the meaning of love and family over a series of holidays. Tess is a wildly successful and world-famous novelist. Her inspirational books explore our innermost struggles and the human need to believe that there is light at the end of the tunnel. Jack is a former federal agent. After spending decades immersed in a violent world, a residue remains. Both healing from past trauma, together they have finally built the life they wish to live. What will happen to their blissful union when Jack’s childhood family resurfaces? When Tess and Jack visit the Millers for Christmas, how will insecurity, a sense of missed opportunities, and the need for redemption test their relationship? When a terrible accident threatens everything in an instant, will they learn the true meaning of unconditional love? Their loved ones are along for the ride: Omar, Tess’s sarcastic best friend who calls her Butterfly; the female president of the United States, with whom Tess talks politics and bakes cookies; Joe, Jack’s friend from the Bureau who understands the sacrifices he’s made; Bobby and Gina, their younger friends who never fail to lighten the mood; and the Miller family. Constellations is a novel about family – those into which we’re born and those we create – the human desire to belong and feel connected, the true nature of intimacy, and the power of love to heal and redeem. Written as unfolding action, Constellations is a poignant novel that moves fluidly between melancholy, humor, and joy.

Excerpt

Tess clung to Jack as they sped along the cliffside road on their Harley, winding around the last curve as they approached their house. When they arrived home, Jack carefully took off Tess’s helmet, kissed her, and grabbed the bag of fruit they’d bought at the farmers market. She pulled the scrunchie out of her hair, releasing dirty blonde locks down to her waist. They headed inside. “You thirsty, baby?” he asked.

She nodded.

He quickly tapped a coconut, stuck a paper straw in, and handed it to her.

“You’ve gotten so good at that,” she said, taking a sip.

“Yeah, just in time to go back to DC. I can’t believe we have to leave our Hawaiian paradise tomorrow morning. We’re crazy to leave Maui this time of year.”

“I know, baby. But we’ll be back in less than three months to throw Omar and Clay the tropical Valentine’s Day wedding of their dreams. Besides, it’ll be fun to see our friends.”

He smiled and kissed her forehead.

“Here, have some,” she said, handing him the coconut. “Let’s leave the pineapple out. We can grill it tonight for our Thanksgiving feast while we sit on the lanai and watch the sunset.” She kicked her shoes off, slipped her T-shirt over her head, and shimmied out of her shorts, revealing a hot pink string bikini. “Bet I can beat you to the ocean,” she teased, darting off.

Soon, they were splashing around in the warm water, the sun beating down on them. Jack wrapped his tanned arms around Tess and kissed her. They stared at each other, the energy between them electric.

“I could get lost in your big, brown eyes,” he said.

She smiled and said, “Come on, let’s dry off.” They walked to their pool and lay together on a chaise lounge.

“Jack?” Tess whispered.

“Yeah, baby.”

“I know you hold back sometimes, but you don’t need to.”

“Tess…”

“Baby, I know you do. There’s nothing that could ever happen between us that I wouldn’t want.”

He caressed the side of her face. “You’re so beautiful and delicate. I just want you to feel safe and loved.”

“I do and I always will.”

“You’ve been through so much. It wasn’t that long ago that Ray was stalking you; I know that brought up memories of your childhood abuse. I don’t ever want to be the cause of your pain or remind you of the ways you have suffered.”

“You couldn’t. You only push those thoughts further away. I trust you, Jack. Nothing could ever change that. I want to share everything with you. I’ve never felt as close to another human being as I do to you.” She ran her fingers through his wet, salty hair and said, “I still remember the first time we came here, before we owned this place. You took me in the shower and we were so free.”

He grazed his fingers along her cheek.

“I’m gonna rinse off,” she said. She untied her bikini top, let it fall to the floor, and headed for the outdoor shower.

Jack hustled out of his swim trunks and followed her. She flipped the water on, turned toward him, and smiled. He cupped her face in his hands, kissed her softly, and with one swift movement, swung her around and pulled her bathing suit bottom down. “Don’t let me hurt you,” he whispered. He pushed her against the wall and they made love passionately.

With his quivering body pressed tightly against hers, Jack kissed Tess’s neck and nibbled on her ear. Finally satiated, he turned the shower off and wrapped towels around each of them. He picked her up and cradled her in his arms as he carried her to a lounge chair. They resumed their tender kisses, Jack caressing the side of her face. He looked at her with unadulterated adoration.

“I love you so much,” he said.

“I love you too. More than anything.”

10 Lessons Learned from my Protagonist Tess Lee

1. See each person’s humanity.

2. Be generous.

3. Treat those you love with grace. Be gentle with your words and touch.

4. Writers and artists should own their creative work. Full stop.

5. Never allow anyone to take credit for your achievements.

6. Open your heart.

7. You are worthy. You are enough.

8. Some wounds are not visible, but they are there.

9. We all must learn to balance darkness and light in our lives. Love is the bridge.

10. Breathe. Just breathe.

Author Bio & 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 thirty books, earning commercial and critical success in both fiction and nonfiction, and her work has been translated into many languages. She is also series creator and editor for ten book series with Oxford University Press, Guilford Press, and Brill/Sense, including the ground-breaking Social Fictions series. Patricia has received dozens of accolades for her books. Recently, her novel Film won the 2020 American Fiction Award for Inspirational Fiction, her 3-novel set Candy Floss Collection won the 2020 American Fiction Award for Anthologies, and her novel Spark won the 2019 American Fiction Award for Inspirational Fiction and the 2019 Living Now Book Award for Adventure Fiction. She 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 has residences in Maine and Massachusetts where she lives with her husband, daughter (when she’s not away at college), and her dog. Patricia loves writing, reading, watching films, and traveling.

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Giveaway

Patricia Leavy will be awarding a signed set of 3 novels: Shooting Stars, Twinkle, and Constellations to two (US only) randomly drawn winners via Rafflecopter during the tour. Find out more here.

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