Virtual Book Tour: Moon Life

Posted on March 10, 2023 by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m happy to welcome authors Marlene Fabian Stiles and Hank Fabian. Marlene and Frank are sharing their new release, Moon Life.

Blurb

It is the year 2051 and the International Space Institute has just sent two rival astrobiologists to search for extraterrestrial life on Europa, the mysterious ice moon of Jupiter. What they encounter could not only revolutionize science, it might make one of them the most famous person on Earth. Or does the Universe have other plans?

Excerpt

Charlie was right, the phenomenon was curious. If these holes had been created by gas bubbles, why were they uniform and spaced so evenly? Dismissing the peculiarity, she began a photographic assessment of the tunnel wall.

At one point, she discovered a fissure wide enough to squeeze through and marked her location on MySpeak’s guidance system so she could retrace her steps. Then she crawled into the fissure on her hands and knees. As her light relaxed the shadows’ grip, she stared in amazement at the spacious chamber before her. Her headlamp revealed a domed ceiling interlaced with natural archways reminiscent of the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul. Shimmering bulbs of water the size of walnuts hung from the arches like crystal ornaments. One by one they broke loose and fell in a reluctant rain, delicately splashing into a shallow pool cradled on the rocky floor.

A translucent brilliance caught her eye, and she centered her light on a glimmering mineral cluster that resembled a cache of rare gemstones. Pale green crystals seemed to come alive as her light danced across their facets. This is what he saw, it must be. Now she was grateful for her hammer. Striking the crystal as hard as she could multiple times, she finally broke off a small sample.

The raw beauty of this chamber invoked an overwhelming sense of awe as well as a realization that nothing could live on this barren moon; her mother had nothing to fear. Ming Yue conceded that she was relieved as well.

She took one final picture, then closed her eyes and spoke a silent prayer. Please let Pleiades find us so my brother can see these. A sobering possibility crept over her: she was the first human to see this fantastic grotto, and she might also be the last.

Author Bios and Links

The family that writes together stays together, so siblings Marlene Fabian Stiles and Hank Fabian co-authored a science fiction adventure that explores Jupiter’s moon Europa as two rival astrobiologists race to be the first to find extraterrestrial life. This discovery should ensure the winner fame and fortune, but the Universe has other plans.

Hank is the guy walking around with a long lens camera and binoculars, a tourist of the world fascinated by every creature that moves and every plant that grows. He teaches biology and helped devise a college genetics program. As a scientist he likes to work with facts, so there’s a possibility that the creatures he’s created actually exist!

Marlene is the president of a nonprofit, The I Will Projects, dedicated to advancing educational venues that include a middle school aquaponics program in partnership with the Boys and Girls Club which received a NASA grant. She writes in multiple genres and also has published “Elderchild,” an Alzheimer’s narrative written in the first person. She shares Hank’s love of the natural world and is dazzled by the interconnectivity of all living things.

Goodreads (Marlene) | Goodreads (Hank) | Hank Fabian Amazon Page |
Amazon Buy Link

Giveaway

One randomly drawn winner will receive a $25 Amazon/Barnes & Noble gift card. Find out more here.

Follow Marlene and Hank on the rest of their Goddess Fish tour here.

Blurb Blitz: The Breaks Between You and Me

Posted on February 27, 2023 by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m happy to welcome author Taiya Collier. Today, Taiya shares her new release, The Breaks Between You and Me.

Blurb

Somewhere out in the hills of Montana, 17-year-old Harper Cassidy has a home. Really, she does! And so does her sister, Lil. But since all they’ve ever done is skip across the Pacific Northwest from town to town, following her mom’s every desire from Montana to California, it’s been getting harder and harder to feel rooted anywhere.

Until tragedy strikes. And, before she knows it, Harper is… free. Free to go home to Montana and return to a stability she never had. Only, there are several problems standing in her way.

First, she has to create a stable life for her and her seven-year-old sister. Second, she has to do it alone. And third, worst of all, she has to keep her mother’s absence a secret from the people she grew up with: her grandfather, her aunt, and him, the boy.

Andy Madden is Harper’s best friend, and the answer to her aching loneliness, but he is also the threat to containing the secret that her life depends on. A secret that seems just a little too heavy for any one person to keep.

Excerpt

I hesitate. “Sometimes I don’t know what I’d do without you.” The words come out in a barely heard whisper. They’re so hard to hear that when your eyes flick toward mine, I recoil away a bit, as if I can pull the words back into my throat and out of your ears. But I can’t, and you only glance up at me and smile. “You really missed me, huh?” And a gentle blush creeps over your cheeks because you know my answers to all the questions you ask me, especially when they’re ones like this.

Author Bio and Links

At just eighteen years old, Taiya Collier is already making a name for herself as an author. The Austin-native has set her sights on creating age inclusivity within young adult fiction and shattering the notion that writing about teen life can only be done by middle-aged writers who lack true understanding of the experience. She’s published four books so far, each filled with riveting storylines sure to enthrall readers from start to finish! By inspiring other teens towards authorship, she hopes to build up a new generation of YA novelists capable of capturing accurate accounts of today’s youth culture. Taiya is currently attending college full time while continuing to write as often as she can. Her recent works explore themes of identity, strength, growth, and resilience in young adulthood—all of which are important aspects of her journey as a writer. In addition to writing her own stories, Taiya is also involved in various literary events and speaking engagements throughout the year. As an advocate for literary inclusion, she uses these opportunities to spread awareness about the importance of diverse representation on all platforms.

Website | Instagram | Amazon Buy Link

Giveaway

Taiya Collier will be awarding “bookish” sweatshirt and sticker pack (US ONLY) to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour. Find out more here.

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

Book Blast: Family Gatherings at Promise Lodge

Posted on February 24, 2023 by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m happy to welcome multi-published author Charlotte Hubbard. Today, Charlotte shares her new release, Family Gatherings at Promise Lodge.

Blurb

In the year since he lost his wife in a tragic accident, Lester Lehman has found healing and purpose—helping construct Dale Kraybill’s new bulk store, enjoying the Kuhn sisters’ hearty meals, and settling in a tiny, built-for-one lakeside house. Falling in love again is surely not on Lester’s mind. Yet despite his firm “no,” two available ladies have set their kapps on the handsome widower—in a boisterous rivalry that weaves mayhem among Gloria’s wedding festivities.

A welcome escape comes from a fresh-faced newcomer. Marlene Fisher disarms Lester with her witty quips on his romantic predicament, while her sparkling eyes inspire surprising thoughts of a shared future. But the heartbreak that brought Marlene to Promise Lodge runs deep, and the pretty maidel believes she’s not meant to marry. In a season of vows to love and honor, scripture holds the key to building their happiness together: love is kind, and above all patient.

Excerpt

Out-of-town families would start arriving today to attend his niece Gloria’s wedding on Wednesday as well as Laura Hershberger’s wedding on Thursday, when they married the Helmuth brothers, Cyrus and Jonathan—but for now, Lester could revel in the hush of a solitary sunny afternoon. Living alone in his tidy house all winter had taught him a sense of self-reliance that had cleared his soul—had given him an unencumbered sense of freedom he’d never expected. His bobbing dock rocked him like a cradle. He felt far, far removed from the grief and despair that had followed the loss of his wife, his son, and his brother last spring, and as Lester eased into a state of semi-sleep, he knew the true meaning of inner peace.

At long last, all was well with his life. With the help of his family and friends here at Promise Lodge, he was moving forward . . . floating on the fluffy clouds of a nap . . .

“Yoo-hoo! Lester, honey! Thanks to Delores, I’ve found you!”

Lester jerked awake. Whose voice was that? And why had she implied that his dear, deceased wife had led her here?

When he opened one eye, he saw a pudgy little woman starting across the expanse of grass that surrounded Rainbow Lake. Her brown cape dress fluttered around her thick legs as she hurried toward him. Clutching her kapp with one hand to keep it from flying off her head, Lester’s uninvited guest appeared so excited—and in such a state of overexertion—that he feared she might be bringing on a heart attack. He remained absolutely still, hoping she’d believe he was asleep.

“My stars, here you are at long last!” she blurted out, huffing between phrases. “I’ve ridden all the way from Sugarcreek—for Gloria’s wedding—because with my Harvey gone—Delores has been telling me—for quite some time now—that she wants me to take care of you, Lester! So here I am! Because I know better than to—to ignore heavenly guidance.”

Lester sighed. Agnes Plank, his wife’s best friend, had never known the meaning of silence. She barely drew a breath at the end of one sentence before she shot headlong into her next burst of words. There would be no ignoring her now that she’d almost reached his dock, so Lester reluctantly raised the back of his chaise. All hope for a nap was gone. He felt a headache prickling around his temples.

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Author Bio and Links

In 1983, Charlotte Hubbard sold her first story to True Story. She wrote around 70 of those confession stories, and she’s sold more than 50 books to traditional or online publishers. A longtime resident of Missouri, she’s currently writing Amish romances set in imaginary Missouri towns for Kensington. She now lives in Omaha, NE with her husband and their Border collie, Vera.

Website | Facebook

Giveaway

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

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

Excerpt Tour: Sanctuary on Victoria Island

Posted on February 20, 2023 by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m happy to welcome Wild Rose Press author Karen Andover. Today, Karen shares her new release, Sanctuary on Victoria Island.

Blurb

Victoria Island is an idyllic place to live and work. Or so Emma Rutledge had always thought. Working for her family’s property company, she enjoys professional success. But her personal life is more complicated. She struggles to move past her childhood infatuation with Donovan, her brother’s best friend, and to cope with his callous rejection of her feelings.

But things are not always as they seem on the picturesque island. The sunny and peaceful haven conceals dangerous secrets. When Emma unexpectedly stumbles across the darker side of life, her life is threatened.

Donovan Evans is leaving the military after fifteen years and returning home to Victoria Island. He is ready to start the next chapter of his life with a different job and the hope for a new relationship. But old hurts frustrate his plan. And unforeseen violence transforms his priorities. Suddenly Emma and Donovan have more at stake than getting past their troubled history. They must work together to say alive.

Excerpt

It’s always been you. I’m sorry I waited so long to tell you.” He swallowed the lump in his throat. “I realize now that it wasn’t only my decision. I should have been more honest with you a long time ago.”

“Yes, you should have.” Adrenaline rushed through her body. “Now that you’ve decided you’re ready for a relationship, I’m supposed to drop everything?” Her nostrils flared. Raw pain, long buried, seeped to the surface. She struggled to contain the tremors in her hand as she set her wine glass down. A pained expression crossed his face, and he swallowed his frustration. “No. I don’t expect anything.” He scrubbed a hand over his face. “But I can hope. My hope is that you want to explore this thing between us as much as I want to.” He paused. “I’m sorry, Emma. I’m truly sorry.”

Clearly upset, she looked away, her chin trembling and her vision blurring. “I’m sorry.” She swallowed. “I just can’t deal with this right now, Donovan. It’s just too much at the moment.”

“I understand.” Donovan’s lips pressed together.

“Can I ask just one thing?”

“I guess so.” She stared at an object over his shoulder.

His chest tightened. “Please don’t close the door on us.” He reached out to touch her hand but pulled back.

“Just think about it.” He paused before continuing. “Promise me you’ll think about it.”

After a moment, she nodded. “I’ll give it some consideration, Donovan. But no promises.”

His mouth turned up slightly at the corners. She wasn’t shutting him out. “That’s all I ask.”

Author Bio and Links

Karen Andover is an author of romantic suspense, contemporary romance, and science fiction. Karen lives an idyllic island life and her goal is to share her happy place with readers one book at a time. She lives in Florida with her family and rescue pup.

Website | Facebook | Amazon Buy Link

Giveaway

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

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

Virtual Book Tour: My Best Friend Athena

Posted on February 17, 2023 by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m happy to welcome award-winning novelist, screenwriter and playwright Dana Hammer. Today, Dana shares ten cool mythological figures and her new release, My Best Friend Athena.

Ten Ancient Greek Things I Might Incorporate in Sequels

My upcoming middle grade novel, My Best Friend Athena is about an eleven year old girl named Fanny who discovers that her best friend is the reincarnation of the Greek goddess, Athena. Fanny, Athena, and their other friend Gemma are all called to help when Athena accidentally transforms the school bully into a cockroach.

I’m not an expert on Greek Mythology by any stretch of the imagination, but in writing this book, I’ve learned a lot, and it’s been quite inspirational. Here are ten cool mythological figures I’d like to incorporate into sequels.

Polyphymnia

Polyphymnia (who will go by Polly in her modern incorporation), is one of the muses, specifically, she is the muse responsible for sacred song. My main character, Fanny, wants to be a singer when she grows up, and is extraordinarily talented. Polly will be a gospel singer who comes to town, and inspires Fanny to write her own music. There’s only one problem — Fanny isn’t religious, and her “sacred” songs aren’t at all sacred. Can Fanny be true to herself and her beliefs, while finding a way to make sacred music? Of course she can!

Narcissus

We all know about Narcissus, and the psychological disorder named after him, narcissism. Fanny and Athena are president and Vice President of their school’s math club — until an interloper named Narcissus joins and tries to take over and make the club all about him. The book will delve into how to deal with narcissists, in a kid-friendly way.

Eros (Cupid)

Eros will run amock in town, making people fall in love with all the wrong partners. But is it really love, if it was forced upon them by a reckless god? This book will explore the nature of consent, again, in a kid-friendly I way.

Ares

Ares is the son of Zeus and Hera, making him Athena’s brother. He is also the god of war. In this book, Ares runs military academy for troubled children, and after an accidental catastrophe, the girls will all be forced to enlist, despite their usually good behavior. Shenanigans ensue.

Hera

Hera was Zeus’ wife — an angry woman who was always being cheated on by Zeus. In modern times, she works for a non-profit that sets up battered women’s shelters. When she shows up on Zeus’ doorstep, needing a place to stay while she sets up a new shelter, sparks fly between Hera and Athena. Athena has never gotten along with her stepmother, and Hera likewise has issues of jealousy for Athena. This will be a twist on the “evil stepmother” trope. Hera isn’t evil, and Athena isn’t an oppressed Cinderella. Can the two work out their differences? Of course they can, with Fanny’s help!

Cerberus

It’s a three-headed dog!

Fauns

At the end of the second book, which I have written but has not been published yet, Fanny’s mother is pregnant — and Dionysius (Zeus’ son) has jumped into the fetus’ body. Because of this, Zeus is going to take a weirdly intense interest in the baby’s upbringing. To provide magical nourishment for his son, Zeus will deliver a special milk to the baby — faun milk. The milk will have healing and growth powers. This is great for Fanny’s little brother, but soon, word gets out about this magical baby formula, and all the moms in town want some. Zeus is never one to turn down an opportunity, and soon, he’s running a faun milk business.

The money is rolling in…but what about the fauns? Are they ok? Do they even WANT to sell their milk? This book will explore exploitation of animals and natural resources, without being too graphic or scary.

Lotis

Lotis is a Naiad, a nymph, and a water spirit. When she joins the swim team, she wins every competition. Is it fair for her to compete, when she has an obvious advantage? What will the girls decide to do about it?

The Lotus Eaters

The Lotus Eaters come to town, where they set up an “intentional community of likeminded people”. Soon, teachers, parents, and trusted adults all over the city are joining up, forgetting about their families, their jobs, and all of their responsibilities. Is the new community too good to be true? Of course it is, and Fanny and her friends are going to get to the bottom of it.

Minotaur

The story of the Minotaur is a deeply sad one. Born with a bull’s head and the body of a man, he was locked up in a labyrinth, where every nine years he was fed fourteen people, until he was killed by Theseus.

When a baby is born with a bull’s head and a human’s body, all the gods and goddesses know what they have to do — they have to kill the baby before he turns into a people-eating monster.

But Fanny is horrified by this. It’s not the baby’s fault that he has a bull’s head. And who says he’ll eat people when he grows up? Just don’t lock him in a labyrinth and feed him humans! Fanny decides that she will defy the gods — including her best friend — to save the Minotaur. This will be a book about acceptance of people who are different, and having the courage to defy traditions and ideas that no longer serve us.

These are just a few of the ideas I have for upcoming novels. So stay tuned! And I hope you enjoy My Best Friend Athena.

Blurb

Fanny Fitzpatrick has the coolest best friend ever. Athena is smart, and pretty, and brave, and kind. Fanny loves her friend, but sometimes, she feels a little jealous of how perfect Athena is.

But even “perfect” girls make mistakes, and Athena makes a big one when she accidentally turns the school bully into a cockroach. He was picking on their friend Gemma and Athena lost her temper and her magic powers just slipped out right in front of Fanny.

Now Fanny knows that Athena isn’t an ordinary girl – she’s the reincarnation of a Greek goddess, powers and all – and now she needs Fanny and Gemma’s help to hunt down the bully-turned-cockroach and turn him back into a human boy.

Fanny doesn’t want to spend all her time looking for a cockroach. She’s got the Junior Miss Super Pretty Pageant to prepare for, if she can get over her stage fright. Besides, Athena’s Dad, Zeus, has forbidden the girls from meddling with any more cockroaches or magic, and Zeus is a god you don’t want to mess with.

Fanny has to make a choice. Should she pursue her pageant dreams, or risk Zeus’ wrath to find the cockroach-boy? What’s the right thing to do? And how do you hunt down a cockroach anyway?

Excerpt

Normally, when I arrive at school, I’m tired and cold and grumpy, but not today! Because today I’ve got the World’s Coolest Necklace, and everyone’s gonna notice it and give me compliments. It’s a “statement” necklace, and I got it at an old lady’s estate sale yesterday. I was shopping with my best friend, Athena, when I saw it. It was sitting on a dresser, with a bunch of other jewellery, but this necklace was the only one that caught my eye. It’s a large octopus, with jewel-covered tentacles, and two pearls for eyes. I tried it on, and it looked like the tentacles were reaching around my neck, trying to choke me. I’d never seen anything so cool in my life. It was $20, which was more than I had, but luckily Athena was there, and she bought it for me. Athena always has lots of money, because she’s a rich kid, but that’s NOT why I’m friends with her.

Anyway, she saw how sad I was that I couldn’t afford the necklace and she just bought it for me, probably because she has excellent taste and could see what a great investment it would be. She said it was “quirky” and “an interesting piece,” which I happen to know is code for “high fashion”.

My mom said it was “tacky garbage” but she doesn’t know about fashion. She mostly wears gym clothes, even when she’s not at the gym, and she never wears jewelry, except her wedding ring.

Author Bio and Links

Dana Hammer is a novelist, screenwriter and playwright. She has won over forty awards and honors for her writing, few of which generated income, all of which were deeply appreciated. She is not a cannibal, but she is the author of A Cannibals Guide to Fasting. Dana is also the author of middle grade fantasy My Best Friend Athena which was inspired by a desire to write something her 9 year old daughter could read.

Facebook | Goodreads | Website | Amazon Buy Link

Giveaway

Dana Hammer will be awarding a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble gift card to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour. Find out more here.

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

Book Blast: Deadly Betrayal

Posted on February 13, 2023 by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m happy to welcome Wild Rose Press author Sheila Kell. Today, Sheila shares her new release, Deadly Betrayal.

Blurb

When trusting the wrong person can be deadly.

From Romantic Suspense BEST-SELLING and AWARD-WINNING Author • What happens when a former FBI analyst quits her job to become a PI and ends up partnering with the man who left her fourteen years earlier? In Sheila Kell’s riveting novel of secrets, deceit, and romance, two people rush to find a killer while reckoning with their growing attraction.

Cassie McKay was tired of being passed over as a FBI field agent. She quits her job as a FBI analyst, moved back home with her mother, and takes a job as a PI. Only she hadn’t expected her partner to be the one man who’d left her years before.

Jack “JD” Walker had done a lot wrong in his life, but he hadn’t killed the mother of his child as the police believed, nor had he expected the only women he’d ever loved to come to his rescue. The two work diligently to prove JD’s innocence while someone is determined to make JD pay.

Deadly Betrayal is the first book in the Coastal Investigations series. If you enjoy a thrilling, edge-of-your-seat read, you’ll love this installment of Sheila Kell’s new romantic suspense series.

Excerpt

Before she could turn, a deep, gravelly voice said, “Cassie?”

She spun around, knowing who the voice belonged to, even though she’d last heard it on the man at seventeen years of age. Cassie’s breathless response of only “JD” undoubtedly expressed her surprise along with that flitter in her heart.

His vivid blue eyes turned icy cold. “Who is breaking the restraining order now?”

Confused, her brow scrunched up. “What?”

Without looking away, he shouted, “Gus, what is she here for? I’m not working on a case for her.” The stern voice hit like a slap to the face. What had happened to the JD she grew up with? The man she had one day swore she’d marry. Then Cassie remembered how he had abandoned her when he went off to college, and a fit of familiar anger and hurt surged within her.

“I gotta told you something, yeah. Well, I knowed ya been friends when you were young’uns, so I hired her to work with ya. I hoped it git rid of da prickliness.”

JD snapped his head to Gus. “She works here?”

As she turned back to Gus, she caught the man’s slow grin. “Sure thing, cher.”

She glanced back at JD. As handsome as ever. He sure had filled out nicely as a man. His shoulders were broader, the lines on his face distinguished, and the aura of danger still hung on him.

JD swiveled his head to stare at Gus as if they had concocted this meeting to taunt him or something.

She needed to explain that she wouldn’t be working there after all. “JD, I—”

He pointed at her, anger radiating from him. “I don’t want to hear anything from you.” He turned to Gus, his finger now pointing at the older gentleman. “I can’t believe you, Gus. Here I thought you liked me.” He exhaled loudly. “You can cram this job up your ass.” JD spun and exited, slamming the door behind him.

Cassie stood frozen, shaking. She wasn’t sure what the hell had just happened.

Buy Links

Author Bio and Links

Sheila Kell writes about the romantic men who leave women’s hearts pounding with a happily ever after built on memorable, adrenaline-pumping stories. Or, (since her editor tries to cut down on her long-windedness) simply “Smokin’ Hot Romance & Intrigue.” Her debut novel, His Desire (HIS Series #1), launched as an Amazon #1 romantic suspense bestseller and Top 100 overall, later winning the Readers’ Favorite award for best romantic suspense novel.

As a Southern girl who traveled the world with the United States Air Force, she remembers all the embarrassing moments of her fellow veterans to include in her books and laughs every time she does it. Having left behind her days as a College President, she can usually be found nestled in the Mississippi woods, where she lives with her cats and all the strays that magically find her front door. When she isn’t writing, you can find Sheila with her nose in a good book, dealing with the woodland critters who enjoy her back patio, or wishing she had a genie to do her bidding.

Twitter | BookBub | Goodreads | Amazon | Newsletter

Giveaway

Sheila Kell 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 Sheila on the rest of her Goddess Fish tour here.

A Year of Wordle

Posted on February 6, 2023 by Joanne Guidoccio

Partway through the second week of February 2022, a global phenomenon named Wordle captured my attention. At first hesitant, I dismissed the word game as another millennial fad. But I couldn’t ignore the growing number of people—many in the over-fifty group—who flaunted their successes in my Twitter feed.

Continue reading on the Soul Mate Authors blog.

Interview with Sally Basmajian

Posted on February 3, 2023 by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m happy to welcome author Sally Basmajian. Today, Sally shares interesting details about her creative journey and new release, So Hard to Do.

Interview

What was your inspiration for your book?

In my writing group, we sometimes give each other prompts to encourage the creative flow of ideas. On one occasion, our assigned task was to write about an unconventional break-up. For no particular reason, I chose to make it a split between a mother and her adult daughter. Eventually, that scene became the opening hook for the novel.

A deeper inspiration came from the strong attachments I cherish, as a daughter and as a mom. I wanted to celebrate the mother/daughter bond in the book, even elevating it above the traditional romantic love connections that both my young and older heroines develop. I can’t tell you how pleased I am that some of the early Goodreads reviewers have commented favorably on this twist to the traditional rom-com approach!

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

When a reader tells me I made them laugh out loud, I feel my efforts have been worthwhile. Really, I’m aiming for is to provide people with much-needed diversion from the everyday trials of life. If I can help make their day brighter, I feel I’ve achieved my goal.

The worst part is letting someone down. A Goodreads reader wrote something along the lines of “I think she’s trying to be funny,” and it made me feel like an abject loser! If I failed to make her smile at least once or twice, I fear I haven’t done my job correctly. Fortunately, though, the vast majority of reviewers have appreciated my humor and cracked a grin, if not a hearty guffaw.

Describe your writing space.

I live in an eccentric house in the historic town of Niagara-on-the-Lake. The front of the house was built in the 1830s; the more livable back section in the early 2000s. My writing office is upstairs in the old part of the house, where the insulation is nonexistent. I freeze all winter and broil all summer! You can’t beat its charm, though. The ghosts up here are friendly, and I have an arsenal of fans and heaters that I deploy when the weather decides to go all Canadian on me!

Which authors have inspired you?

As a kid, I loved Lewis Carroll, and I can still recite most of “Jabberwocky.” Probably a lot of my love of the ridiculous can be traced back to the two Alice books, and to this very day, I am vigilant in shunning the frumious Bandersnatch!
In more recent years, I’ve been inspired by the fantastic Neil Gaiman, who tells stories like no one else, and Terry Pratchett, who makes me chuckle. In the rom-com category, it’s Sophie Kinsella, all the way!

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

I have so many! I religiously walk my dog—a sheltie that barks at virtually everything and still hasn’t learned that skunks are not his friends—around the gorgeous Niagara region. I encounter all kinds of chatty townspeople and the occasional wild animal, including a turkey that used to chase us down the parkway with murderous intent. I wrote a short story in his honor, but he was eventually offed by the local constabulary, poor bird. I also go to Line Dancing classes every week, and I even get called upon to lead a couple of the numbers. It brings out the martinet in me, and I find myself shouting orders at my co-dancers, as if our failure to perform “Uptown Funk” properly might result in permanent expulsion from the local community center. I golf three times a week in the summer, and never improve, but my teammates are amazingly supportive. Then there’s music—I was once an aspiring pianist, and I love to listen to music by Ravel, Chopin, and Bach. Oh, and so much more. It’s weird I write at all, come to think of it.

Any advice for aspiring writers?

Visualize your success, however you define it—and don’t be discouraged by rejections. The important thing is to keep writing and submitting. Do listen to constructive feedback from people whose opinions you value, and apply what you learn. Then carry on! Even if you’re being rejected 90% of the time, you’re ahead of the game, according to the Duotrope stats. Just keep submitting.

Blurb

Suze Foster has always been devoted to her daughter. As a child, Jannie required extra support in school, but now-at age 29-she’s a rising executive. Suze, thrilled with Jannie’s success, is finally free to follow her own dreams.

Without Suze’s dedicated attention, though, Jannie flounders. In a careless moment, she floods her apartment. Enter our hero, Aram-her hot but significantly older neighbor.

He saves the day, and for Jannie, it’s love at first sight.

Not so much for Aram, though, who falls head over heels for Suze when they accidentally meet. Unaware of Jannie’s feelings, Suze is equally smitten.

In this twisted triangle, can a happily-ever-after be achieved? Or will someone’s heart break and the mother-daughter bond be severed forever?

Excerpt

He was the most good-looking man she’d ever seen. Luxuriant locks. She bet that’s how a Harlequin Romance would describe his hair. And under the full beard, maybe even a cleft chin. And most definitely, a sensuous lower lip. Ooh la la.

As she mused in an X-rated way about his mouth, Jannie remembered something from a book she’d read where the heroine had a habit of biting her lower lip. It drove men mad.

So she tried it. Nibble, nibble.

Aram just looked at her. His breathing didn’t accelerate. His chest didn’t heave.

She tried again. Nibble, nibble. The prolonged silence was beginning to be uncomfortable.

“Are you all right, Jannie?” Aram finally asked. He studied her.

Well, that hadn’t gone so well. But she’d never tried to flirt with an older man before. Maybe they needed something more obvious.

She attempted to look coyly up at Aram through her eyelashes. This wasn’t as easy as all those romance authors made it sound. She felt her forehead contract, her nose wrinkle and her upper lip pull away from her teeth in her effort to do the impossible.

“Jannie, are you having an allergic reaction? Shellfish, maybe? Isn’t that crab I smell coming from your condo? Do you carry an EpiPen?”

She stamped her foot in frustration. It was supposed to look fierce and cute, but she could tell from Aram’s face that he was way more startled than turned on.

Author Bio and Links

After leaving the corporate world, Sally Basmajian discovered the joy of writing. Her fiction and nonfiction stories have appeared in newspapers such as The Globe & Mail and in several anthologies. In 2022 she won prizes for memoir pieces (Northwestern Ontario Writers Workshop, Gulf Coast Writers Association), and was thrilled to have a poem selected by the journal Antithesis. She expects to be busy in 2023, when her first two novels appear: in January, a light-hearted romance, So Hard to Do (published by Creative James Media) and in October, a much darker one, Fountain of Evil (Moonshine Cove Publishing, LLC).

Giveaway

Sally Basmajian will be awarding a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble gift card to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour. Find out more here.

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

Follow the Clues to Act 2

Posted on January 30, 2023 by Joanne Guidoccio

Welcome to my Second Acts Series!

I’m happy to welcome author Darlene Dziomba. Today Darlene, shares her reinvention story and new release, Up Close And Pawsonal.

Here’s Darlene!

I am running the final lap of my first career act, thirty-four years working in Finance for the University of Pennsylvania. Working in Higher Education comes with some tremendous non-work benefits. Amongst them is that once you reach age fifty-five, if you have twenty years of work service, you can take retirement. It is not a retirement with a lifelong pension or lifelong paid medical benefits. However, I can buy health insurance at the University’s rate from the University providers. An essential requirement for my second act.

I reached the years of service long before I reached the age requirement, and I used the intervening years to assess options. It was vital for me that my second act be something I would enjoy. I had spent decades employed at a task for which I had an aptitude. Now I wanted work that would give me satisfaction.

I made a list of the top things I enjoyed: travelling; gardening; reading and talking about books; being around animals. Then I thought about what careers could include those things and what training I would need for those careers. I ruled out attending Veterinary School because of the time and financial commitments, but becoming certified to raise and train service dogs was an option.

I conducted a lot of research. I made a lot of lists. I spent a lot of time figuring out potential earnings and when I could realistically transition from my salaried job to a job where my earnings would be substantially less.

Then a friend and I went to Bouchercon in Toronto. We are huge mystery fans and have been to many Bouchercons. I was listening to a panel of authors talk about mysteries where the protagonists were pet groomers, pet sitters, and pet walkers, and this idea came to me. I was a volunteer at an animal shelter and learned a lot about shelter operations. I love animals and books. I decided to write a book where the protagonist works in an animal shelter.

Animals and talking about books were some of the things I enjoyed doing. I had been told all of my life that I am good at telling stories. I set out on my path.

I participated in a Writing Workshop to get feedback on my draft. I joined Sisters in Crime and took a dozen courses, listened to numerous webinars, and lurked on listservs following writers’ thoughts about the craft and the business of writing. I meekly asked friend after friend to read my drafts and give me feedback.

It took years to go from an idea to a finely crafted book. Then I spent years trying to obtain a literary agent while writing the second book in the series. I eventually decided to self-publish my work. In 2022 I self-published Clues From The Canines.

In March, 2023, I will publish Up Close And Pawsonal. I have planned out my publicity and promotions by applying all that I have learned in the past year from other self-published authors and the SinC Grand Canyon Writers Marketing and More Network.

My advice to those pondering a second act is to be open to exploration. Your second act may not be the first, the fifth, or the fifteenth thing you think of trying. You may get an idea that requires you to develop skills you have never used or to use your skills differently. Keep going. From “I wonder if I can write a book where the protagonist works in an animal shelter?” I arrived at published author.

I’ve had to work hard, and I’ve had to learn new skills. There have been times when I was frustrated. However, I have enjoyed learning to write and crafting the Lily Dreyfus series and enjoying what I do is my top priority in Act Two.

Blurb

A casual evening of listening to music by a local cover band turns into a murder investigation when a drive-by shooting destroys the tranquility of the night and critically injures two of the band members. Lily Dreyfus stressed and unsettled from having been at the concert, is informed that one of the dead band members is the nephew of her coworker at the Forever Friends Animal Shelter. Lily will leash together a set of seemingly unrelated events to seek the perpetrator and make them heel.

Author Bio and Links

Darlene is a member of Sisters in Crime National and several regional SinC groups. She combined her passion for the written word and animals into the Lily Dreyfus series. Darlene volunteers at the Animal Welfare Association, a New Jersey animal shelter, where she chats with the dogs while completing her assignments. She has a 30-year career in Finance at the University of Pennsylvania and is an avid reader, gardener, and traveler. Darlene lives in New Jersey with her four-legged best friend, Billie.

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Blurb Blitz: The Seafarer’s Bride

Posted on January 20, 2023 by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m happy to welcome award-winning Wild Rose Press author Laura Strickland. Today, Laura shares her new release, The Seafarer’s Bride.

Blurb

A year ago, Magnus Tolljursson helped repel a treacherous attack from his father’s enemies, and discovered he carries the berserker’s seed of madness. Now he must sail to the settlement from whence those attackers came, and fulfill a promise to a friend. He doesn’t know what he’ll find in Husavik and never suspects he may lose his heart.

In her father’s absence, Embra Fritisson has been engaged in a desperate battle to keep leadership of the settlement. When Magnus arrives saying her father is dead, she fears her unstable family will splinter into factions and destroy one another. She must retain control, but how can she hope to keep her head while falling in love with the enemy?

Excerpt

The walk to the great hall displayed Husavik’s splendor in full. The rain had cleared and new light slid in from the east—the direction of home—lighting the fine buildings. Such wealth displayed here! They knew nothing like it in Sorvagur.

As he went, he tried to calculate the number of raids it might have taken to amass such a fortune. The voyages launched. The lives spent.

Fadir traded. Their settlement had to, if they wanted to survive. Magnus had accompanied him on voyages and, ja, loved it. And things had become sticky a few times when deals had gone bad. But Fadir was an honest man.

Magnus feared he would have to employ a measure of deception here, if he wished to accomplish his aim.

He paused before the great hall. Last night, Mistress Embra had sent a messenger—an older servant—bidding him to meet her here early.

Well, early it was and—

The door swung open before him. “Come in.”

Not the servant but the lady herself.

Tall she was, this daughter of Friti Gunnarsson, though she might only reach Magnus’s ear. He outstripped his own father in height. This morning she wore her dull-gold hair only half braided with the rest of it spilling all the way down to her—well. As Magnus saw when she turned to lead him inside, she had a very nice bottom indeed.

Suddenly a vision flashed upon him—that of her standing naked before him, wrapped in naught but that curtain of hair.

By Odin’s eye, he dared not entertain such thoughts. Not now.

“I thought it best we meet early, Master Magnus, before any others of my siblings are astir. None of them tends to leave his or her bed early.”

“Ah.”

“And I wished the two of us to speak together as plainly as possible.”

She turned to face him. She wore a simple woolen dress like Modir usually wore, pale green with a white overdress. The fabric clung to her long limbs and emphasized her narrow waist. And a pair of breasts that—nei, they were not lush and heavy, like her sister Vanja’s. but ja, they would make two generous hands full.

He had to make sure this woman did not prove a distraction.

And yet—as she stood there facing him, did she not eye him with similar interest? With speculation? Ja, sure her gaze lingered on his shoulders and at other, more intimate places.

Author Bio and Links

Multi award-winning author Laura Strickland delights in time traveling to the past and searching out settings for her books, be they Historical Romance, Steampunk or something in between. Her first Scottish Historical hero, Devil Black, battled his way onto the publishing scene in 2013, and the author never looked back. Nor has she tapped the limits of her imagination. Venturing beyond Historical and Contemporary Romance, she created a new world with her ground-breaking Buffalo Steampunk Adventure series set in her native city, in Western New York. Married and the parent of one grown daughter, Laura has also been privileged to mother a number of very special rescue dogs, the latest being a little boy called Tinker, and is intensely interested in animal welfare. Her love of dogs, and her lifelong interest in Celtic history, magic and music, are all reflected in her writing. Laura’s mantra is Lore, Legend, Love, and she wouldn’t have it any other way.

Giveaway

Laura Strickland will be awarding an ebook of the first book in the Viking Brides Series, The Berserker’s Bride, to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour. Find out more here.

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