I’m happy to welcome author Gail Koger. Today, Gail shares her new release, Stilettos and Gunpowder.

Blurb

My name is Gemma Stone. I’m a Maricopa County Sheriff’s Deputy and not only must I deal with the sweat-soaked misery of the Arizona desert, I get to respond to a bunch of crazy 9-1-1 calls all day long. Like a parakeet up a tree, or a car accident where a tractor trailer full of fireworks is hit and the 4th of July comes a bit early.

But some days crime takes a deadly turn. Police cars are suddenly blowing up. Detective Sergeant Dante Delgado, the love of my life, was assigned to track down and stop the bomber. Am I worried? You betcha. There’s a madman on the loose and he is very, very good at making bombs.

Just when I thought things couldn’t get any worse, the Feds think I’m in cahoots with an Iraqi warlord who deals in stolen antiquities, Ichabod, my murderous ex-dance partner, escapes from prison and I’m suddenly in everyone’s crosshairs.

Excerpt

“Damn!” Frank spat and slammed on the brakes.

The seatbelt abruptly clamped around my chest. “Holy crap!” The skinny, white male with the feathered headdress and loincloth was doing his war dance in the middle of the road. I keyed my mic, “Charlie-23 show us out at 85th Avenue and Bell Road with a male dancing in the middle of the street.”

“Copy, Charlie-23,” the dispatcher responded.

A truck narrowly missed the demented dancer. Did he notice? Nope. With his loin cloth flapping in the wind, he shook his hips in what looked like a weird belly-dance. Then he switched to the Texas two-step.

“Ugh. I really don’t want to make another arrest today,” I grumbled.

Frank nodded. “Me, either.”

“Stay with our prisoner. I’ll handle the boogie man.” I got out of the car before Frank could protest and approached the moron. “Sir, if you feel the need to dance, could you do it on the sidewalk?”

He took one look at me, shrieked and bolted down the roadway, yelling, “It wasn’t me. It wasn’t me.” Horns honking, cars swerved around him.

“Aw, c’mon! It’s too dang hot to be running.” Did he listen? Hell, no. I trotted after him. It wasn’t like he could run very fast in flip-flops. “Stop! Now! You’re gonna get hit!”

The overhead lights flashing on the patrol car, Frank followed behind us.

The fool lost his flip-flops and did a crazy hippity-hoppity dance over to a circle of grass on the highway median.

I picked up his flip-flops. The pavement was about 180 degrees, and he wasn’t going anywhere without his shoes. “Why are you running?”

“I don’t want to go to jail,” he wheezed.

“And I don’t want to arrest you.”

“You don’t?”

“Nope. What’s your name?”

“Tim White.”

“Okay, Tim, what’s up with the dancing?”

He shrugged. “I’m just trying to spread a little joy.”

“Un-huh. Does it look like it’s working?”

Author Bio and Links

I was a 9-1-1 dispatcher for the Glendale Police Department and to keep from going totally bonkers – I mean people have no idea what a real emergency is. Take this for example: I answered, “9-1-1 emergency, what’s your emergency?” And this hysterical woman yelled, “My bird is in a tree.” Sometimes I really couldn’t help myself, so I said, “Birds have a tendency to do that, ma’am.” The woman screeched, “No! You don’t understand. My pet parakeet is in the tree. I’ve just got to get him down.” Like I said, not a clue. “I’m sorry ma’am but we don’t get birds out of trees.” The woman then cried, “But… What about my husband? He’s up there, too.” See what I had to deal with? To keep from hitting myself repeatedly in the head with my phone I took up writing.

Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter | Instagram | Book Bub |
Amazon Author Page | Amazon Buy Link

Giveaway

Gail Koger will be awarding a $15 Amazon/Barnes & Noble gift card to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter. Find out more here.

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

I’m happy to welcome author Amethyst Drake. Today, Amethyst shares her creative journey and new release, The Scheme.

Here’s Amethyst!

Q: What is the best part of being an author? The worst?

A: The best part of being an author are the moments when inspiration flows and ideas come together smoothly. It’s exciting to solve plot holes and uncover surprising connections between characters. Getting lost in the story and letting the characters take over is an indescribable experience. Dealing with feedback and waiting for reviews are the worst parts. I’ve poured my heart and soul into creating a captivating story. The silence between submitting my work and receiving feedback can be deafening. Wondering whether my story connects with readers leaves me feeling anxious and uncertain. The minutes feel like hours, and the weeks feel like months.

Q: Describe your writing space.

A: My writing space is a cozy room with pale lavender walls. My adjustable writing table faces a window, giving me a peaceful view of the big tree in our front yard. I can adjust my table and office chair up and down to suit my needs, allowing me to work comfortably for long stretches. The walls are adorned with colorful landscape paintings. Water scenes in particular inspire my creativity. I designed my office to feel different from the rest of the house so I have a retreat without leaving home. It’s a special place where I can fully immerse myself in storytelling.

Q: Which authors have inspired you?

A: One author who has truly inspired me is Agatha Christie, a trailblazing writer who broke barriers in a genre dominated by men. She was both a a strong, independent woman and a remarkable writer who created her own path and made a lasting impact on mystery and detective fiction. Her daring plot twists keep readers on their toes even today, showcasing her skill and creativity. Who can forget Hercule Poirot, with his famous mustache and “little grey cells”? Her clever use of plot devices, like the locked-room mystery, has influenced generations of writers. Christie’s work remains iconic, reflecting her innovative spirit and commitment to her art. She continues to motivate writers and readers, standing as a true giant in the world of literature.

Q: What is your favorite quote?

A: I collect quotes so it is hard to pick a favorite! One of my favorites that has influenced the themes in The Scheme comes from Agatha Christie’s autobiography.

“Loyalty and courage are two of the finest things there are. Any kind of courage, physical or moral, arouses my utmost admiration. It is one of the most important virtues to bring to life. If you can bear to live at all, you can bear to live with courage.” – Agatha Christie: An Autobiography

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

A: My hobbies help me relax and explore my creativity. Crochet is one of my favorites. I mostly make hats and blankets, but I just took a class at the local yarn store to make little pumpkins and I am obsessed. I also love cross-stitching and diamond painting. These crafts take patience and attention to detail, but it feels great to see the beautiful designs come to life. Basically, I love all kinds of crafts, anything that involves turning one thing into something else that is more beautiful or useful.

Q: What are you working on next?

A: I’m currently working on a companion story to The Scheme. It will be a cozy read that dives into the secondary plot we introduced in The Scheme and follows Margaret Mitchell, a lawyer and Katherine Carson’s best friend. There are several fun new characters that I think readers will enjoy. The ebook will be available to my newsletter subscribers as soon as it is finished later this year.

I’m also busy with the second book in the Carson Crime Files series. I’ve had many fans asking about its release! You can find the prologue for Framed included as a final chapter in my current novel. In this installment, Carson Investigations will take on a murder case in order to prove the accused widow is innocent. I can confirm that it will be released in 2025, but I’m still finalizing some details before setting a specific date. Thank you for your patience and support!

Blurb

Katherine Carson, a former intelligence operative turned private detective, has never been in it for the money. But when a desperate CEO offers double her usual fee to find his missing daughter, she can’t refuse.

Set in Baltimore, 2009, what begins as a simple missing person inquiry transforms into a complex case of espionage, financial crime, and deep-seated grudges. For Katherine, this case strikes a personal chord, stirring up haunting memories from her own past. As unexpected connections emerge, she must confront her unresolved guilt.

Can Katherine and her team of private detectives solve the case before it’s too late, or will the turmoil of her past consume her?

Excerpt

Katherine slowed down as she closed the final feet between them. Her target was cornered.

Lee reached up and felt the top of the door frame. “No key. I guess Ames forgot to leave it.”

“He has his own key. He just said Olivia keeps it up there.” Katherine bent down to flip back the welcome mat. Still no key. She sighed. “Should we see if the manager has a spare?”

“The manager isn’t on site.” Lee slouched against the wall. “If only we knew someone who could pick a lock.”

Katherine rolled her eyes, but smiled in spite of herself. “Breaking and entering could lose me my license.” Lee and Jake liked to tease her about some of her skills, although they always stopped short of mentioning the Espionage Services Agency.

“Sure, sure. But we do have permission to enter. And we’d have to drive to Wilmington to get another key from Mr. Ames…” Lee let his voice trail off and studied his fingernails.

Katherine chuckled and pulled out her pocket knife. “You know I don’t carry picks anymore.” She opened the knife and carefully slid the high carbon stainless steel blade between the door and the striker plate. Finding the latch, she pushed it out of the door jam and opened the door.

“Don’t tell Sammi.”

“Never.” A huge grin spread over Lee’s face.

Author Bio and Links

Amethyst Drake is a passionate storyteller. She excels at crafting delightful characters and enjoys developing com-plex relationships among them. Mystery has always been her favorite genre to read, making it a natural choice for her writing. She aims to blend her personal experience with mental health and the moral complexities of intricate interpersonal relationships into engaging novels.

Amethyst loves reading all kinds of mysteries, suspense, and thrillers and enjoys watching classic detective and espionage dramas like “Murder, She Wrote,” “Perry Mason,” and “Mission: Impossible.”

She also loves hearing from readers! Connect by signing up for her newsletter at amethystdrake.com or email amethyst@agswordsmiths.com

Author Website | Facebook | Amazon Buy Link | Barnes and Noble Buy Link

Giveaway

The author will award a $25 Amazon gift card and a signed book to one randomly drawn winner, a $10 Amazon GC and a signed book to a second randomly drawn winner, and a signed book to a third randomly drawn winner. Find out more here.

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

I’m happy to announce Winona Kent’s new release…

Blurb

Fresh from a thirty-four-day, eighteen-city tour of England, professional musician and amateur sleuth Jason Davey accepts an invitation from a fan, Marcus Merritt, to meet at Level 72 of The Shard, in London, to sign one of his band’s programs. Marcus hands him the booklet, then leaps to his death from the open viewing platform. Thus begins a week-long quest, during which Jason is tasked with retrieving a stolen collection of scores by England’s most famous composer, Sir Edward Elgar.

Marcus shared Elgar’s love of eccentric puzzles and games, and the challenging clues he’s assembled for Jason seem to mirror the fourteen themes in Elgar’s renowned Enigma Variations. Jason’s journey takes him to Derbyshire and then back to London, and a four-hour walking tour of Soho’s lost music venues where, in Denmark Street, he faces a life-threatening battle with two adversaries: a treacherous Russian gangster who is also hunting for the stolen collection, and Marcus’s sister–who holds the key to a decades-old mystery involving a notorious London crime lord’s missing daughter.

Winona describes Bad Boy as “well-scrambled” as, generically, it falls somewhere between a soft boiled and hardboiled mystery, and is served with an added dash of noir.

Buy Links

Amazon CA | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Author Bio and Links

Winona Kent was born in London, England but grew up in Regina, Saskatchewan. She has an MFA in Creative Writing from UBC and a Diploma in Writing for Film and TV from Vancouver Film School. She’s the author of twelve books, including Ten Stories That Worried My Mother (an anthology of short stories) and her five current Jason Davey mysteries. She’s the national Vice-Chair and BC/YT Representative for the Crime Writers of Canada, and is also an active member of Sisters in Crime-Canada West. She lives in New Westminster, BC.

Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

Happy Release Day!

I’m happy to welcome author Dottie Sines. Today, Dottie shares her debut novel, Where the Stars Cross.

Blurb

In the depths of the Great Depression, Ellie suffers another crash—that of her marriage. She’s left struggling to restore her shattered life, feeling as damaged as the stained-glass panels she refurbishes for Chicago’s historic structures. While visiting her aunt in Marietta, Ohio, a charming river town, Ellie encounters towboat captain Wyatt and feels a searing attraction to him. But thanks to past and subsequent wounds, her attempts at opening herself to love seem futile. Her hope for love and her determination to find the place she belongs are further complicated by her tendency to make impulsive decisions. In her journey, Ellie draws on an unrealized level of courage and learns she must identify her brightest passions in charting her course.

Excerpt

Climbing from her automobile, Ellie ambled around to the sidewalk, where she tipped herself onto her toes to stretch her legs and flung out her arms with a moan, promptly smacking a hand into what felt like a human. She pivoted.

“Oh, my goodness, I’m so…” The “sorry” came a heartbeat or two later, followed by, “Are you all right?” even though there was no way this man wasn’t okay.

Tall and sturdy enough to survive much more than a little whack in the chest, his faded blue-and-white pinstriped shirt, tan leather vest, and well-worn trousers did nothing to detract from the toned lines of his body. A sampling of gray wove through the hair peeking out from beneath his newsboy cap. Slightly wavy, sandy blond hair, which on anyone else would need a good trimming but suited him fine. He hadn’t shaved in a day or two.

“Lengthy drive, I take it?” His mouth curved into a half smile, crinkling the corners of soft, hazel eyes. “Nothing like a good punch to work out the kinks, huh, Slugger?”

Ellie drew in her lips. A laugh didn’t seem appropriate right now. “Really, I am very sorry,” Ellie said. “You are all right, aren’t you?”

“I think I’ll be fine,” he said with a nod and a languid blink of those captivating eyes. “Ma’am,” he said with a tip of his cap before he and his comrades continued toward the river.

Ellie’s feet felt their way to the door of the five-and-dime. Wowee, did that bloke look better from the front or the back? Biting her bottom lip, she reached for the door handle.

Author Bio and Links

Dottie scratched out her first fiction as a little kid transfixed by the books she read all those lazy summer days on the front porch swing. Two of her short stories have been published in The Ernest Hemingway Foundation of Oak Park’s literary journal, Hemingway Shorts, having placed among the top ten entries in its annual short story contests.

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Amazon Buy Link

Giveaway

The author will be awarding a $15 Amazon/Barnes & Noble gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Find out more here.

Follow Dottie Sines on the rest of her Goddess Fish tour here.

I’m happy to welcome author Dora Farkas. Today, Dora shares her new release, Choice.

Blurb

Val is a young Mexican-American quantum physicist and single mother struggling with an anxiety disorder and financial challenges. Her world is turned upside down when her ex-husband files for full custody of their three-year-old daughter to take her across the country where he was offered a job. The story unfolds as she decides either to stay put in Boston and meet job related deadlines or go on a holiday and visit her parents in Mexico.

Encouraged by her father, Val flies to Mexico with Maya, her service dog, and Daisy, her daughter, and she discovers a world of magic that will change her outlook on life forever. She also reconnects with her childhood friend, Mercedes, who gives her a glimmer of hope. Things, however, are not what they seem to be. As all areas of her life begin to fall apart, Val must explore the power of her intuition and make different choices to change the course of her and her daughter’s futures.

Excerpt

While growing up, Mom and I had a special tradition: every Friday afternoon, she showed me how to cook and bake her family’s recipes, some of them as old as 400 years. As soon as I could stand, she pulled up a stool for me, and I watched her prepare dishes from her native town in Oaxaca, Mexico, which had been passed down from mother to daughter for many generations.

Although she had to create a new home when she and Dad moved from Oaxaca to a suburb of Boston before I was born, she made sure that I would be well-prepared to pass on our family’s recipes to my children. My memories from elementary school are filled with rolling churros in cinnamon sugar, measuring out ingredients for our family’s secret mole recipe, and taking turns with Mom mixing sweet corn dough for tamales.

When I was in middle school, she stood right next to me as I simmered the sweetened milk for capirotada, the bread pudding my family ate every Easter, and nodded in approval as the deep aroma of cinnamon sticks, brown sugar, and cloves filled the air. The older I became, the more Mom expected from me in the kitchen, but there was one thing that never changed throughout the years: whenever we cooked and baked together, time stood still.

Author Bio and Links

Although Dora was born in Budapest, Hungary, she lived in Mexico for five years during her early childhood. Her connection to the Mexican language, history, and cooking inspired the cultural setting for her debut novel, “Choice.”

After getting her doctorate from MIT, she published her first book, “The Smart Way to Your Ph.D.” which paved the way for a six-figure consulting business while she was a stay-at-home mom with two daughters. She has given workshops about writing at MIT, Tufts, Boston University, the University of Connecticut, Ohio State University, the Scripps Research Institute, the University of Calgary, and the University of British Columbia.

Author Website | Facebook | Amazon Buy Link

Giveaway

The author will be awarding a $25 Amazon/Barnes & Noble gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Find out more here.

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

I’m happy to welcome author Kristabel Reed. Today, Kristabel shares her new release, A Curvy Girl’s Haven.

Blurb

Dr. Arabella Stanton is back in Havenbrook, California, seeking a break from her work with Doctors Without Borders. Exhausted and haunted by memories of the refugee camps, she finds solace in the familiar yet changed landscape of her grandmother’s old town. She plans to rest, recuperate, and plan out her next steps—until a persistent knock at her door changes everything.

Garret de la Rosa, a Navy SEAL with his own shadows from missions past, is back in Havenbrook to recover and find some peace. When a mutual friend brings Arabella to his door, he’s bleeding from an injury, and neither expects the connection that sparks between them.

As Arabella and Garret navigate their growing attraction, they also face their personal demons and the reality that their lives are on different paths. Amidst the tranquil beauty of Havenbrook, they find themselves questioning their futures and what they truly want.

Excerpt

Why subject herself to disappointment? No matter how attractive she found him, he was only being grateful. The fact she was ready for a new chapter in her life did not mean Garret would be any part of that new chapter.

“It was nice to see you. If you have any problems”—she made a small gesture to his side—“let me know.”

Arabella offered another smile and nod, and turned to leave.

“Doctor!” Garret called again. “I’m experiencing a problem.”

Frowning, she turned back around, already in doctor mode. “Oh, does it hurt? Is the pain more intense—”

“This beautiful woman,” he interrupted, “refused to go out with me. Twice! I need your advice. Is there anything I can do to convince her that lunch is harmless enough?”

Shocked, she wanted to give a sharp retort about leaving the woman alone if she said no. And then Arabella realized Garret was talking about her. She blinked and laughed, shaking her head at the ridiculousness of it all.

“Depends on where you want to have lunch.”

After all, if she had lunch with him, he’d stop trying to thank her. Because he’d already have thanked her. And they could both move on. Or something. That was logical reasoning, wasn’t it?

Author Bio and Links

I’m an East Coaster with an insatiable love for pizza and movies. This love has also produced a chubby girl who thought it would be fun to write a few romances for the fuller ladies. And after a long break from writing, I decided to explore the small, California community of Havenbrook; where curvier ladies find hot guys who fall madly in love! After all, curvier girls need love too.

Website | Twitter | Amazon Buy Link | Email

Giveaway

Kristabel Reed will be awarding a $10 Amazon/Barnes & Noble gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Find out more here.

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

I’m happy to welcome author Amy Craig. Today, Amy shares her creative journey and new release, The Starlight Motel.

Here’s Amy!

What was your inspiration for this book?

When my husband and I relocated from California to Louisiana with our black lab/shepherd mix, who we refused to put on a plane, we drove through Palm Springs, CA. The agricultural influences amazed me! I always thought of Palm Springs as a 1950s Hollywood resort, but its character goes deeper than Sinatra and desert sands. Don’t get me wrong, those aspects are part of its identity, too, but I wanted to explore the farms and single-story motels dotting the windswept highways.

Also, Kada has more than one identity. She’s a devoted daughter, an artist who needs to regroup, and a caring, compassionate woman who walks the line between responsibility and self-sacrifice. Dane’s not about to let anyone push him around, but what has he missed by being so hardcore?

What is the best part of being an author? The worst?

I turn curiosity and personal experiences into complex stories with happy endings.

I turn hours of free time into social media posts.

I think you know which is which!

Describe your writing space.

Crowded desk by my bed and a geriatric Mac. Microsoft doesn’t even support my vintage version of Word. I like to share scenes and beta read on Google Docs, so I’m not totally partying like it’s 1999.

Which authors have inspired you?

Slow clap, Colleen Hoover, for changing your life, but I’m not sure I look to romance authors for life inspiration. Nora Roberts does deserve a lot of respect. I picked up Montana Sky in middle school, and I still have a thing for cowboys. More recently, Ali Hazelwood is one of my favorite contemporary romance authors. Her witty, smart, and deeply engaging stories always teach me something new.

What is your favorite quote?

I have failed this question since middle school yearbook submissions, and I’m not about to get it right now.

“A ship in a harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.” -John A. Shedd

“I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul.” – Invictus by William Ernest Henley

Wait, isn’t THE STARLIGHT MOTEL set in the desert? It does talk about about agriculture and water rights! Poor Kada and Dane. They want to explore sexy time, but their families and professions keep getting in their way.

If you had a superpower, what would it be?

I would live forever. I know vampire romances and The Book of Elsewhere: A Novel by Keanu Reeves have that superpower locked down, but I’m pretty sure I would love seeing civilizations evolve on a macro scale.

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

I wake up at five in the morning to run a mile, read, and drink my coffee before my kids and husband claim my time. I also play USTA league tennis. I didn’t pick up a racquet until I was thirty, but it’s a great social and cardiovascular workout. I’ve played pickleball a few times, but I haven’t converted… yet.

Any advice for aspiring writers?

Plan to write more than one book and learn to generate social media content without eroding your writing time. I’m not a great social poster (and I refuse to put my super-cute kids in my public posts), so once you figure out the secret sauce, let me know, too!

What are you working on next?

The third book in a mafia series, THE BROKEN BODYGUARD, comes out September 3, 2024. It’s the third novel in a Romantic Suspense/Mafia Romance/Corporate Romance series called the Sun Valley Mafia Series. Working with two publishers, The Wild Rose Press and Totally Bound, means release dates occasionally overlap! In THE BROKEN BODYGUARD, which can be read as a standalone novel, a corporate bodyguard finds himself protecting a stubborn cowgirl and untangling windswept land politics in Patagonia, Argentina.

Blurb

Experienced muralist Kada took charge of her family’s Palm Springs motel to give her mother time to grieve. As a grant deadline approaches, Kada must convince her mother to manage the motel so she can return to her art. Late in December, Kada encounters a horseman approaching the property. Dane, the reserved son of a local farming family, is a loyal workaholic with limited spare time or experience outside the valley. When lightning startles his horse, he lingers at the motel and stirs up Kada’s emotions about leaving the desert oasis. Wary of mixing business with pleasure, she struggles with her attraction. As New Year’s Eve approaches, will the cowboy convince her to chart a new course?

Excerpt

Kada’s cry of delight bounced off the casita walls. Looking up from the desert pavers, he watched her launch herself into an older woman’s arms. The pair grinned, and their smiles shone brighter than the swaying patio lights. Staying back, he leaned against an adobe wall and watched Kada and Mrs. Ritchie greet each other. The pair did the hug-shake mother-daughter thing he never understood. In twenty years, Kada would be just as beautiful as her mother. She soaked up her mother’s presence like a drought-stricken plant. He envied their connection. His mother gripped him hard, examined him, and spun him back into the world to do good work.

“Just look at you, runnin’ around the desert like Pops.” Ms. Ritchie gripped Kada’s long, black hair and rubbed it between her fingers. “If I hadn’t seen you for myself, I wouldn’t have believed it. I thought you would stay in Los Angeles, but here you are, the queen of the desert!”

He cocked his head and imagined Kada tearing into a sourdough loaf over drip coffee. She would look at home on the winding streets wearing a wrap-tie dress, but he preferred her stained jeans.

“I thought I would stay in Los Angeles, too, but you needed me.” Reaching to the side, Kada shifted into her father’s arms.

Lean by most standards, he sported the small belly that developed from a desk-bound lifestyle.

“Hi, Daddy.”

He kissed her forehead. “Princess. Good to see you.”

Author Bio and Links

Amy Craig lives in Louisiana with her family and a small menagerie of pets. She writes contemporary romance and romantic suspense featuring intelligent heroines. In her spare time, she plays tennis and expands her husband’s honey-do list. Before writing, she worked as an oilfield engineer, project manager, and incompetent waitress. For more information and giveaways, visit http://www.amy-craig.com or follow her on social media channels.

Amazon | TikTok | Instagram | Facebook | Goodreads | BookBub | Website | Universal Link

Giveaway

Amy Craig will be awarding a $15 Amazon/Barnes & Noble gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Find out more here.

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

I’m happy to welcome author Nick Bannister. Today, Nick shares his new release, The Husband Chair.

Blurb

Our hero: Bone tired. Lost. Desolate. A man pushed to the outer limits of his very being. His struggle: Satisfy the need to rest whilst still supporting his beloved in her hour of need.

While his wife negotiates a seemingly endless list of fashion stores in her quest for perfection, her loving husband must stave off the weariness that visits each partner in a shopping spree with their significant other.

Fighting hunger, rising frustration and the mental fatigue associated with tracking credit card usage, will he ever find peace? And honestly, can he just go and sit down for a minute…

Excerpt

Awake! Sun is shining, it’s Saturday morning.
I sit up in bed with some stretching and yawning.
My beautiful wife, the love of my life,
Looks terribly grim and it signals a warning…

I ask her, “My darling, what troubles you so?”
She goes on to tell me her tale of woe.
“I’ve booked a girls’ dinner but I’ve nothing to wear!”
And now I must prepare for what she will declare.

Author Bio and Links

Nick Bannister: Nick & Terry are long-time friends & first-time author/illustrators. Each has their own vast experience with husband chairs, as both are happily married. Both reside in Brisbane, Australia.

Website | Goodreads | Amazon AU | Indigo | Booktopia

Giveaway

The author will be awarding a $10 Amazon/Barnes & Noble to a randomly drawn winner. Find out more here.

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

THE AUTHOR IS RUNNING A SEPARATE GIVEAWAY ON GOODREADS FOR A COPY OF THE BOOK

Goodreads Book Giveaway

The Husband Chair

by Nick Bannister

Giveaway ends September 15, 2024.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway

I’m happy to welcome author Mary J. Rocco. Today, Mary shares her new release, Proven Innocence.

Blurb

Cynthia Evans wakes up in the trunk of a car, no idea how she got there, only to discover she’s wanted for the murder of her husband and children. With no memory of life prior, Cynthia is sure she did not commit the crime.

Only problem is-how does she convince anyone she’s not a murderer when she is not sure who she is?

With the help of a downtrodden diner waitress, Gabrielle, Cynthia fights to prove her innocence.

One thing is clear: Rick Evans is dead. But who is the real killer?

Excerpt

My eyes are open, but there is no sight to see. Darknessremains. It is black—pitch black. I squint and shut my eyes to adjust to the darkness faster, but it does not help. No shadows lurk in the night for me to redirect my corneas upon. The darkness encloses me, encasing my body in its depth. My body is not upright. It is stretched horizontally across the ground. I am lying down. I try to stand, but my weak body forbids me. My left hand falls upon the surface I am lying on. The ground feels furry, almost carpet-like. I am not outside.

Where am I?

My best deduction indicates I am trapped in a restrictive box. My head has only four inches to move before hitting the top, and my legs are bent at the knees with my toes resting upon the opposite wall from my head. I look up and find a wall of darkness just inches above—pure darkness with no stars or moonlight.

Am I buried alive?

Every human’s worst nightmare is to be mistaken for dead and lowered six feet underground where no one can hear the perilous cries for help. I try to scream, but no sound escapes from my vocal cords. Thoughts of Edgar Allen Poe’s Tell-Tale Heart filter into my brain.

What if the people walking above can hear the faint beating of my heart from the depths below?

Get a hold of yourself!

I raise my right hand slowly to dislodge the top of my coffin. My arm shakes as it rises off the ground above my head. I am limp and exhausted. A sharp pain pulsates throughout my entire right side as I try to move. Electric shock waves run from my toes to the left side of my brain. It is not a comforting sensation, and I would rather not move ever again in my life than experience such agony once more. The only options are, however, shift my body to experience discomfort for a slight moment or lay still awaiting death.

My head is pounding from an obtrusive headache. It is as if a jackhammer is chiseling through the right side of my outer cra¬nium. I wince in pain as I raise my hand to the right side of my head. An overbearing shockwave shoots out of my brain when I touch that area. The hair follicles are mushy, raw, and tender where they meet my skull. The hair is matted to my brain. A huge, painful lump has started to protrude underneath the skin. I am not sure how it got there. I am not sure how I got into the situation I am in at the present moment.

My fingers are sticky from whatever substance has glued my hair to my head. I try to smell them by placing my fingers underneath my nose, but I cannot ascertain the odor. I bring my index finger to my mouth to utilize one of my other senses. It is the last one available to unveil the mysterious substance. My saliva moistens my tongue to activate my taste buds. I recognize a fluid taste mixed with a hint of salt. It is blood––my own blood.

Why am I bleeding? How did this happen?

Author and Links

I have dreamed of being an author since the age of ten. I have been writing and crafting stories for the last twenty years, mostly because, well you know, life… and I got in my own way. After finishing law school, graduate school, travelling the world, getting married and starting a family I figured now was the time.

I was born and raised on Long Island, New York and spent ten years in my early adulthood living carefree in New York City. I currently reside with my husband and two beautiful children in the western suburbs of Chicago, Illinois, where I am a practicing attorney.

I hope to continue to publish many more novels that entertain and thrill readers.

Amazon Author Page

Giveaway

The author will be awarding a $20 Amazon/Barnes & Noble gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Find out more here.

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