Blurb Blitz: Diving into the Beloved

Posted on June 6, 2025 by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m happy to welcome poet Lark Compton. Today, Lark shares his new collection, Diving into the Beloved.

Blurb

Diving Into the Beloved is a mesmerizing collection of poetry that plunges into the realms of love, spirituality, and the soul’s longing. Each poem is a profound reflection of the sacred dance between the lover and the Beloved, capturing the essence of divine connection and human vulnerability. Compton’s words invite readers to explore the depths of their own hearts, making this book not just a literary work but a spiritual experience—an invitation to embrace the love that resides within and around us. With a youthful, modern interpretation of the path to enlightenment, this collection reminds us of the ecstatic poets like Rumi and Hafiz, yet Compton’s voice remains distinctly his own, weaving together concrete details and bold imagery that will leave a lasting impression.

Tears of Tangerines

Beloved, take me back
to that feeling space
in dream time

where I can easily navigate
my yellow submarine

with its pink propeller of love
while laughing at the absurdity
of being a character
in your psychedelic cartoon

Laughing and crying tears of tangerines
floating endlessly
in my submarine of love,
silly, as it swims endlessly in you

I give up, I have no clue
why I continue to exist on your playground

For the moment I will keep crying and laughing
tears of tangerines
until there are enough
for a giant glass of your morning juice

Then, I hope that when you drink it
you will laugh at this cartoon,
put it down

and I can go back to composing poetry
to the tune of

“We all live in Beloved’s submarine
Laughing and crying tangerines of pure love
floating through galaxies and universes
sharing our love fruit with all
in Beloved’s wild cartoon of Love”

Bio and Links

Lark enjoys being a hermit and staying out of the limelight.

He has been known to accidentally bodysurf with turtles at play.

He leaves them alone and they leave him alone.

Everyone’s happy.

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/53108042.Lark_Compton

Giveaway

Lark Compton will be awarding print copies of the book to ten randomly drawn winners. Find out more here.

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

Blurb Blitz: Tamari Island

Posted on June 2, 2025 by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m happy to welcome award-winning author Joy Allyson. Today, Joy shares her new release, Tamari Island.

Blurb

Emmie Prescott, the smart, pretty granddaughter of a United States senator, leaps at an offer to work on Tamari Island, a remote South Pacific island after a disastrous family exposé crushed her dream job aspirations. Her first day on the island sparks fly when she meets handsome Jack Manderly, a reporter who works on ambiguous stories for the same paper that sabotaged her career hopes. Once serious problems emerge in her new role at the designer silk plant, Emmie chooses to ignore the man whose very presence leaves her breathless.

Jack harbors a bitter sense of betrayal against Washington politicians who pressured his editor to exile him to Tamari after he linked stories of Emmie’s grandfather’s alleged activities while posted in D.C. His new assignment, tracking rumors in Southeast Asia years after the Vietnam ceasefire, is increasingly perilous. Embroiled in a dangerous mission where love and sacrifice can’t coexist, Jack strives to erase Emmie from his mind.

Despite their intentions and forced proximity, Emmie and Jack’s attraction deepen as alarming incidents occur around the island. Amidst the swirling chaos, Tamari Island deals her own hand. Will Emmie leverage her fashion connections and escape to Paris or go home and grow her political roots? And will she ever forget the man who makes her body and soul sing?

Excerpt

Every cell in Emmie Prescott’s body slammed into a wall. She stopped running and bending, placed her palms on her knees, and took slow, measured breaths to calm her racing heartbeat. Glancing back, she checked for anyone behind her.

Only her lone deep impressions in the sand followed her. She straightened, hands on hips, and scanned the horizon. Foam-crested waves battered the shoreline as the afternoon tide rolled in. Clear skies and blinding sunshine magnified the dazzling white beach. She swung her arms, crisscrossing, stretching the muscles as she studied the different seascape for the first time since landing.

Too late to back out now.

She swiveled her head from side to side, working out the slight crick in her neck. Sitting on a plane for thirteen hours was murder on her butt, too. Moaning, she rubbed her backside. Minutes earlier she had abandoned her unpacked suitcase in her appointed room and startled her hostess and servants, escaping through the butler’s pantry and pushing open the outside service door.

“Where are you going?” Charlotte Amhurst had demanded. “Our guests will arrive in less than an hour.”

Pleading jet lag, she flew down the rock steps to the beach for a quick jog. Charlotte, her mother’s closest friend and whose hospitality she currently benefitted from, threw up her hands. “Stay where you can always see the house,” she warned. “You’d think with the war over, it would be safe out there. It’s not as harmless as it looks.

Author Bio and Links

As the daughter of a United States military officer, Joy Allyson grew up with a deep appreciation of history and a love of travel. A former teacher-turned-writer, she has an unquenchable thirst for historical romances in her reading choices and loves inserting historical nuggets in all her romances. Her favorite characters–are rebel heroines and salvageable scoundrels. She believes the best romances are the ones you want to read over and over again.

Whiskey Love, her debut novel, was selected as a 2023 Killer Nashville Best Historical Silver Falchion Award Finalist. Whiskey Secrets was chosen as a Top Pick for the 2024 Silver Falchion Awards. She has just published her third novel, Tamari Island, which has a South Pacific Island setting, and is currently writing another story to complete her Whiskey Love Trilogy.

Joy loves classic movies, chocolate, coffee, cards, and carbs. She and her husband call the beautiful hills of Tennessee home, and her two daughters and six grandchildren are nearby.

Website | Amazon Buy Link

Giveaway

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

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

Virtual Book Tour: Father of One

Posted on May 22, 2025 by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m happy to welcome novelist and medical doctor Jani Anttola. Today, he shares his creative journey and new release, Father of One.

How did you come up with the title for your book?

Father of One is a story about a soldier who is trapped in the war in Bosnia and who has never met his infant son. His wife was pregnant when she managed to get out. It’s a true story, and one reason why the husband survived was, in fact, that he’d never seen his child. So, the choice of words was sort of obvious. Initially I wanted to call the book Fathers and Sons, but that bloody Turgenev had already stolen the title from me a hundred and fifty years ago.

Did you ever consider writing under a pseudonym?

No, I don’t see why I would. My first work was a memoir from the time I was a volunteer soldier in the Bosnian government army. It was a dirty war, but I had nothing to hide, and I believe that in the historical context, with that sort of subject, you want to stay accountable to the maximum extent. Writing under a pseudonym would have felt somehow underhanded.

What part of the writing process do you dread?

Not the writing itself, but what comes after: trying to convince someone in an agency to read more than the first line of my e-mail. If they do, then more than two lines of the synopsis. And if they continue, maybe they’ll read more than the opening paragraph of the manuscript. And if you do get published, the self-promotion. I’m not much of a talker. I’d rather just write and let my work speak for itself.

Are there any books or authors that inspired you to become a writer?

I read a lot when I was a kid, mostly classics, and I thought it was impressive how someone from a hundred years ago could speak to me that way. I don’t remember any specific author who made me want to write. Instead I just had some stories that I wanted to tell. Then, who knows, maybe I’ll also speak to somebody who comes a hundred years after me.

How can writers balance creativity with marketability?

The two don’t seem to depend on each other much, so just stay true to yourself.

Blurb

Maka, a young Bosnian soldier, has survived three years under siege. When the enemy forces launch their final attack on his hometown, he must escape to the hills. But traversing the vast woods is a task against all odds: to stay alive, and to find his infant son and his wife, he is soon forced to make a desperate move.

Set against the harrowing background of raging guerrilla warfare and the genocide in Srebrenica, Father of One is, at heart, a story of deep humanity, compassion and love. It is the account of one man’s desire to reunite his family, separated by war, and of bonds unbroken by trauma, sustained by loyalty and tenacity. Writing in a voice that rings with clarity and authenticity, Jani Anttola lays open a dark moment in Europe’s recent history.

Excerpt

They walked up to the plaza where narrow streets led from the ancient town gate towards the centre of the promontory and the Saint George’s church and its cemetery gardens that overlooked the old fishing town. Most of the shops lining the plaza were shuttered. Turning up towards the rectory, they came to the café bar. A young, lean man in a dress shirt and round eyeglasses was sitting by the window with an espresso and listening to the radio that the waiter had placed on the counter. A newscast was on and a woman newsreader was talking in rapid, tense sentences about something.

“Good morning,” said the waiter. “Lovers up so early?” He was an acquaintance of the hotel owner, a smooth-mannered boy who came from the lavender country in Istria. The old man had recommended the place for their shop-roasted coffee.

“Good morning,” Maka said. Amelia dismissed the innuendo with a little laugh. “How are you?”

“I’m good as always.”

Maka, leaning to the counter and taking off his sun hat, looked at the radio. “What’s the news?”

“Their Teritorijalna Odbrana got the orders to start a counteroffensive.”

“No,” Amelia said, looking at the grave-faced waiter.

“When was that?” Maka asked.

“Last night. There’s armoured columns advancing towards Ljubljana. Six JNA brigades.”

“It’s happening too fast. They declared independence only three days ago.”

“Well, it’s happening, all right,” the waiter said. “Yesterday they shot down two helicopters. Now there’s fighting on the Italian border. The Slovenians have bogged the tanks down and are busting them.”

“But it’s insane,” Amelia said. “Everybody’s lost their mind.”

“The generals seem to think it makes perfect sense,” said the bespectacled man by the window. He lit a cigarette and blew smoke towards the ceiling, his head leaning back, then stared out to the street, where a group of loud young men was passing, waving Croatian flags.

Author Bio and Links

Jani Anttola is a Finnish novelist and a medical doctor. In the 1990s he served in Rwanda with the French military and fought in Bosnia as a soldier of the Bosnian army. His works have been published in the UK and Finland. He has spent most of his adult life abroad, working in Africa, the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific.

Website | Amazon UK | Amazon US | Book Guild

Giveaway

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

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

Get Cozy with Kate Damon

Posted on May 19, 2025 by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m happy to welcome Wild Rose Press author Kate Damon. Today, Kate shares her creative journey and new release, Jury Duty is Murder.

Here’s Kate!

What was your inspiration for this book?

I’m the kind of person who goes away for a week and comes home three weeks behind. So, I’ve always wondered how jury members maintained their lives when sequestered for weeks or even months. That was the question that put my creative juices to work.

The four jurors from the book return home after the trial, only to discover that their lives have been completely disrupted. Their relationships and jobs have all suffered due to their prolonged absence. As if this situation weren’t dire enough, they learn that other members of the jury have died under suspicious circumstances.

Now, finding the murderer takes priority over trying to restore their own lives. The challenge is that these four individuals did not get along during their time on the jury, and their feelings haven’t changed since then. However, they are left with no choice but to work together in order to catch the killer before they become the next victims.

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

The best part is when a reader tells me how something I wrote touched them or made them laugh. The worst part is having to promote the book. Ugh.

Describe your writing space.

It’s a mess. LOL. Organizing my office was a New Year’s resolution like five years ago. The best part is I have a great view of my pool and the mountains. When my writing brain refuses to cooperate; I can always stare out the window. I also like that the walls are painted Monet purple, a color that is supposed to be good for creativity.

Which authors have inspired you?

Oh, my, there are so many. But the first one that comes to mind is Louis L’Amour. I met him in person when he gave a talk at a local college. I had yet to be published at the time, and he was so encouraging to me.

His advice was to write, write, write. He also said that water does not flow until it’s turned on. I’m happy to say I took his advice, and Jury Duty is Murder is published book #51 (counting fiction and nonfiction books).

What is your favorite quote?

I came across this quote years ago and it touched me so much, it’s been hanging over my desk ever since. “We’re all just walking each other home” by Ram Dass. It’s a simple quote but, oh, so powerful.

Any advice for aspiring writers?

I think Louis L’Amour said it all. Turn on that faucet and write, write, write! The only thing I would add to stay in constant touch with your characters. That means checking in with them every day.

Blurb

The verdict is in; a famed athlete is headed for prison. The jurors have done their job and are free to go back to their lives. But after being sequestered for four months, life as some knew it no longer exists.

HAROLD ASHMAN’s house is almost destroyed by a careless driver. Exotic dancer, CEECEE LAINE, discovers that her boyfriend is two-timing her, and she no longer has a job. Actor ALEX MANNING learns his career is down the tubes, and 72-year-old, HELEN RYDER, discovers her family is plotting to put her in an old folks home.

Then things take a turn for the worse. When former jurors start dropping like flies, CeeCee, Helen, Harold and Alex are convinced there’s a killer on the loose. Now the feuding foursome must find him before he kills them—or before they save him the trouble by killing each other.

Excerpt

The ringing telephone woke me up. Without opening my eyes, I felt around until I touched the nightstand and finally, my phone. “Hello.”

“Wake up.”

I groaned. “Alex, what do you want?”

“I need you to wake up.”

I forced myself to sit up. The clock on the radio said it was after ten. “This better be important.”

“Something is terribly wrong,” Alex said. “It’s the thirtieth and nobody’s dead.”

“Hallelujah.” I hung up and dived back into my pillow. The phone rang again, and I groaned. Only Alex would think that no dead bodies meant something was wrong. I rolled over and grabbed the phone. “Now what?”

“No one’s dead.”

– Excerpted from Jury Duty is Murder by Kate Damon, Wild Rose Press, 2025. Reprinted with permission.

Amazon Buy Link | Barnes & Noble Buy Link

About Kate

When Kate Damon is not writing, she and her husband enjoy spending time with family and friends, raising Monarch butterflies, and playing a wicked game of bridge.

Writing as Margaret Brownley, she has published more than 46 novels and is a New York Times bestselling author. Known for her memorable characters and humor, she is a two-time Romance Writers of America Rita finalist.

Not counting the book, she wrote in sixth grade, and the puzzle of the missing socks, this is her first mystery.

Where to find Kate/Margaret

Facebook (Margaret Brownley) | Goodreads (Margaret Brownley)

Book Trailer

Giveaway

Kate Damon is giving away one $25 Amazon Gift Card!

Terms & Conditions:
• By entering the giveaway, you are confirming you are at least 18 years old.
• One winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter to receive a $25 Amazon Gift Card.
• This giveaway starts May 5 and ends July 31.
• Winner will be contacted via email on July 31.
• Winner has 48 hours to reply.

Good luck everyone!

Enter to win here.

A New Direction

Posted on May 16, 2025 by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m happy to welcome author Gemma St. Claire. Today, Gemma shares an inspiring comeback story and her new release, Dreaming of the Dance.

Here’s Gemma!

Oh, how life can sometimes get in the way!

Nine years ago, I was tooling along, churning out a paranormal/ghost romance series as “Claire Gem.” The ideas just kept coming and I couldn’t type fast enough to get them down, and then…

The Big C came to call. A diagnosis of stomach cancer completely derailed my life. My doctors said it was “treatable,” and “if you had to get cancer, you got the best kind.” (Whoop dee do, I’m such an overachiever.)

But my writing life—along with lots of other things in my world, took a back seat while I endured 24 radiation treatments and the resulting burns and internal damage to my stomach and lungs.

Then, just when I thought I had this beast beat, another speed bump tripped me up (literally!), this time resulting in a fall that not only broke my shoulder but caused nerve damage—to my right arm and hand. I am right-handed… or was. For nearly two years, I couldn’t type, write, or even hold a fork with my right hand. I struggle with the residual nerve pain to this day.

“Claire Gem” got tired of waiting and drifted off somewhere. But my writing muse, sitting atop my monitor with a stern expression, demanded I continue to write. Thus, “Gemma St. Claire” was born.

To anyone who is faced with a life challenge that derails your plans, this quote by American media personality Germany Kent states my advice perfectly:

“Never underestimate the power you have to take your life in a new direction.”

My new series is sweet historical romance, where I take you back to 15th C Flanders to visit Coudenburg Palace in Brussels, when Duke Philip the Good reigned. You will meet the Daughters of the Duchess, a collection of the duke’s illegitimate daughters who were sprinkled about his dukedom. The Duchess Isabella has decided (in my fanciful recreation of her personality) to gather these forgotten daughters, one by one, and provide for them a better life. And, mayhap, love.

Tag Line

She dreams of a knight, but he shuns the title. Can a flawed but proud maiden see past the façade of knighthood to recognize real valor?

Blurb

Fifteenth Century, Burgundy. Eva of Utrecht is an unrecognized, illegitimate daughter of the Duke Philip III. Flawed by a birth defect that labels her a “creple,” Eva’s dreams of becoming a knight’s lady seem impossible… until a missive arrives from Coudenburg Castle. An invitation to the May Day Festival may be her chance to win the heart of one of duke’s knights.

Mathieu of Liège is the duke’s ostler, in charge of the horses and hunting falcons, a role he loves. Although a son of a knight, Mathieu has no interest in pursuing the warrior’s path, as he bears the scar on his face as evidence of “noble” brutality.

When he is charged as chaperone to the crippled Eva, his initial resentment turns to something he doesn’t know how to deal with: an affection for this flawed but proud and stubborn young beauty. Can he break through Eva’s pride to win her heart?

Buy Links

Ebook | Paperback

News Flash: Book Two in the Daughters of the Duchess series is now on preorder! https://amzn.to/42LrkZC

Author Bio and Links

Gemma St. Claire grew up in upstate New York many moons ago. She achieved her Bachelor of Arts from the New York Institute of Technology, followed by her Master of Fine Arts from Lesley University. She married her very own, HEA husband and raised three beautiful humans before bouncing about the country. She has landed in Florida and is finally able to devote her life to her writing.

Gemma is passionate about history, particularly the Middle Ages. She’s been to Belgium once and is set to travel back there in August of 2025, where she hopes to discover even more stories to spin and share with her readers.

She loves to hear from her readers, so drop her a note! You can find her here:

Blurb Blitz: Cowboy Watch

Posted on May 12, 2025 by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m happy to welcome multi-published author Petie McCarty. Today, Petie shares her new release, Cowboy Watch.

Blurb

The Watchers Series—Fallen angels cast out of heaven by the archangel Michael for coercing with Satan to gain control. Some of these conspirators—duped late in the game by Satan’s lies—doubled back to seek redemption for their unwitting betrayal. Offered parole in exchange for penance, these Watchers are given the toughest bodyguard missions with little leeway for success.

One last chance.

These are their stories . . .

Cowboy Watch:

Someone—or something—wants Kellen out of town . . .

Kellen Brand’s inheritance comes as a monumental shock—a rundown farm she doesn’t want and one paroled Watcher all her own. Kellen’s eccentric mother believed Watchers to be fallen angels seeking penance by guarding individuals who had lost their way. Seriously? A Watcher? Only her mother . . .

Since Kellen vows no sane woman would choose to live in Riverside, she’s on a mission to dump the old farm fast and to the first buyer who comes along. Unfortunately for her, the only buyer is a resort developer, spurned by a townful of objectors and one handsome cowboy—her neighbor, Luke Thornton. Luke must block Kellen’s farm sale or risk exposure of his own family’s secrets. He can ill afford his immediate and compelling attraction to his new neighbor.

Someone is watching Kellen, but not who she thinks. Someone deadly and intent on scaring her out of town. Or worse. Luke has a hellish choice to make—step in and rescue Kellen from her threats, or to protect his family, stand by and watch . . .

Excerpt

Without warning, a gunshot sounded, and the bullet ricocheted off a tree about twenty feet away. The Appaloosa jerked hard at the gunshot and then reared. The reins ripped from Kellen’s grasp. She grabbed the saddle horn with both hands and concentrated only on staying in the saddle. The frightened Appaloosa reared a second time, then bolted for open ground. Kellen could do little more than hang on for dear life.

Two leaping strides and Lily had surged to a full-on gallop, streaking for the open grassy hills. Windsor’s thundering hooves sounded behind them, and Luke shouted for Kellen to stop. She was helpless, too scared to even glance back at him for fear her grip would loosen. The reins trailed beneath the Appaloosa’s pounding hooves as the mare continued her panicked race to nowhere. If the mare’s hooves got tangled in the dragging reins, they would both go down.

A fallen tree appeared directly in the mare’s path, and Kellen let loose a scream as the sure-footed horse gamely cleared the tree trunk like a thoroughbred jumper. Kellen slipped to the right side of the saddle when the Appaloosa landed, and they galloped on across the open field. One leg still straddled the saddle and her other leg dangled precariously between the matched pairs of pounding hooves. She heaved her leg up as tight as she could to the mare’s belly and prayed it didn’t get tangled with Lily’s legs, but her muscles weakened with every stride and bounce she sustained. And still, the Appaloosa galloped, sheer adrenaline keeping the mare out in front of Luke’s mighty stallion.

Author Bio and Links

Petie spent a large part of her career working at Walt Disney World—”The Most Magical Place on Earth”—where she enjoyed working in the land of fairy tales by day and creating her own romantic fairy tales by night, including her new series, The Cinderella Romances. She eventually said good-bye to her “day” job to write her stories full-time.

These days Petie spends her time writing new Cinderella series tales, her new The Watchers series, sequels to her regency time-travel series, Lords in Time, and more contemporary romance standalones to go along with her two previous releases—Any Fin For Love and Ambush in the Everglades.

Petie shares her home on the Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee with her horticulturist husband and an opinionated Nanday conure named Sassy who will make a cameo appearance in the upcoming Book 2 of The Watchers, Christmas Watch.

Giveaway

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

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

Book Blast: Love Letters to Me, Myself and Him

Posted on May 5, 2025 by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m happy to welcome author Rayan Khamis. Today, Rayan shares her new release, Love Letters to Me, Myself and Him.

Blurb

“No two souls meet by accident”

Have you ever felt like you’ve missed someone you’ve never met? Like your soul is yearning to meet another soul that fate has destined for you to meet? As I tackle the challenges of everyday life I come to realization that there’s a higher power guiding me to my soulmate. These love letters have become my anchor and devotion towards my soulmate though we’ve never locked eyes. Come on a journey of self- discovery, self- reflection, faith, destiny and hope. Unwind to my truth of what love, guidance and faithfulness means to me.

Excerpt

“When we sleep our souls partially or temporarily leave our bodies. Sleep is a minor form of death, where the body is present, but the soul is elsewhere. Some people underestimate the significance of dreams by completely disregarding them, while others make too much of them and make every decision in their life based on a dream. Both the Quran and Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, highlight that some dreams have symbols and meanings.”

The Prophet, peace be upon him, categorized dreams into three types:

1. A vision or true dream that is from God
2. A false dream which comes from the devil
3. A meaningless everyday dream which could come from one’s lower self or subconscious thoughts

I am someone who goes to sleep every night saying a prayer to protect me from the devil. At least I try, but when I do, I know that I either go to sleep dreaming from my subconscious or I go to sleep getting a dream from Allah. And it’s easy to decipher the two. As a pious Muslim woman, God is trying to tell us something when we get a dream from Him. For the past 5 years I’ve been dreaming, getting visions after praying for this soulmate of mine. Insha’Allah, because I’ve written a whole book about him, there are some parts where I thought I almost found the one, but I was foolishly blind. However, in the end something great came out of it. I’m a grateful person. I’m trying to stay positive through life because in Islam life is just a test, but the thing is we get lost chasing this dunya (life) We get lost chasing this life when it’s not worth anything. It sounds depressing, I know, but it’s the most beautiful religion I’m still living for. Alhamdulillah (praise be to God)

Author Bio and Links

Rayan, a talented 27-year-old author, hails from Sudan, North Africa. She moved to Canada at the tender age of four, where she has cultivated a unique voice in the literary world. Though she discovered her passion for writing later in life, it was in 2019 that she first picked up a pen to craft love letters, a genre that has since become her signature.

Known for her wit and quiet demeanor around most people, Rayan’s true personality shines brightly when she is among her loved ones, where her loud and vibrant nature comes to life. Her writing reflects this duality, blending sharp humour with heartfelt emotion to create deeply resonant works that captivate her readers.

Rayan’s journey from Sudan to Canada and her experiences growing up between two cultures provide a rich backdrop for her writing, infusing her love letters with a depth and authenticity that set her apart in the literary scene. As she continues to write and share her stories, Rayan remains a dynamic and compelling voice, one that speaks to the complexities of love, identity, and connection.

Instagram | TikTok

Giveaway

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

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

Spotlight on The Dream Lives

Posted on May 5, 2025 by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m happy to welcome author Valeriya Goffe. Today, Valeriya shares her new release, The Dream Lives.

Blurb

As war rages in Ukraine, Viktor Yurchenko flees to the United States together with his three young kids and an elderly mother.

All he is looking for is a refuge for his family; falling in love is the last thing he expects on the other side of the Atlantic. What’s more, he would have never guessed that his journey could help his relatives connect the dots in a decades-old family mystery.

Teresa Jameson, a top executive in an international company, has lived for sixteen years in a seemingly happy marriage. Or maybe she just closed her eyes too often and refused to face the reality?

As ample cracks start to show, she needs to dig deep into her soul. Will she look away just one more time, or give the new relationship a chance to flourish?

Excerpt

“I’ll have to go back to Irpin’ one of these days.” Viktor looked at the streets they were passing by, but his thoughts were far, far away from here. “I need to look for Igor and Tamara. Maybe I’ll be able to find out what happened there.”

“But this is so dangerous!” Teresa caught herself taking her eyes off the road for a brief second. “You might get killed or injured there.”

“Would you be sad if I got killed?” Viktor checked, a light smile starting to shine on his lips. “The first day we met, you were right about to kill me yourself.”

Teresa snorted. “Hey, don’t even remind me about that horrible day! Of course, I’d be sad if something happened to you. Now. Well, even when we just met, I didn’t want to kill you. It was just a bad day, that’s all. I wasn’t myself. And you happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time.”

“Well, nice to know that this is not your usual way of greeting strangers, especially refugees.” Viktor continued joking. “I must confess, I’d expected a slightly more hospitable host. But then again, I told the kids to be happy that we had a roof over our heads after just arriving in the States. Even if this were a wicked witch’s house.”

“Stop it! You’re lucky I’m driving and cannot throw something heavy at you.”

Teresa laughed. “I’m generally a very nice and friendly person, in case you have not noticed. Talk to anyone, they’ll tell you.”

“A nice and friendly person? This statement needs to be carefully verified,” Viktor shot back. “I am an economist, as you know. I need hard data to make a decision. Lots of data.”

Buy Links

Author Bio and Links

Valeriya Goffe was born and raised in Kyiv, Ukraine and spent most of her adult life in the USA. She resides in Washington DC together with her husband, Bill, and a nine-year-old daughter, Elizabeth. You can often find their family golfing, playing tennis or hiking at the Rock Creek Park. They are also frequent visitors at the Jekyll Island, one of the Georgia’s incredible Golden Isles.

Valeriya’s daytime job involves writing analytical reports and managing complex financial sector projects at a large international organization. Previously, she worked in financial services consulting, auditing and in academia. Valeriya holds a PhD degree in finance from the Kyiv National University of Economics in Ukraine and an MBA degree from Kogod School of Business, American University in Washington DC. She is also a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Charterholder and a member of the Accounting Advisory Board at the Kogod School of Business. Valeriya enjoys learning foreign languages. She is trilingual in English, Russian, Ukrainian and also speaks French and Spanish.

While she finds her business career quite rewarding, Valeriya’s life would not be complete without creative writing. She writes a travel and family blog, and she published her debut fiction novel, Secrets We Keep, in 2024.

Valeriya’s writing is very closely intertwined with travel, from which she gets many of her plots and characters. Over the years, she has visited many countries in America, Africa, Middle East, Europe, and Asia. No matter where she goes, she manages to find some interesting stories which need to be shared with the readers. These stories eventually end up on her travel blog or in one of her books. Africa in particular has left a large imprint on Valeriya’s life and given her a lot of inspiration. She has also been quite lucky to explore the countries of Central Asia which are rich in historical heritage, natural beauty and also interesting personalities. Some of these adventures will be reflected in her future books.

Instagram | Bluesky | Website

Giveaway

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

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

Having thoroughly enjoyed Ms. Goffe’s debut novel, Secrets We Keep, I eagerly anticipated this sequel—and it did not disappoint. From beginning to end, I was captivated by the compelling journeys of Viktor Yurchenko and Teresa Jameson.

Viktor, a devoted single father, undertakes the immense challenge of relocating his mother and children from war-torn Ukraine to the United States. Meanwhile, Teresa grapples with life-altering news that shakes the foundation of her seemingly solid marriage. Thrown together under the most unexpected circumstances, Viktor and Teresa must navigate not only their individual trials but also the growing attraction between them.

The richly drawn secondary characters, both in Ukraine and the United States, add further depth as they face their own uncertain futures and daring new dreams.

I highly recommend this timely and thought-provoking novel. It is truly unputdownable!

I am BACK!

Posted on April 28, 2025 by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m happy to welcome back author Nancy Lee Badger. Today, Nancy shares an inspiring comeback story and her new release, Heaven-Sent Warrior.

Here’s Nancy!

On the way to publishing my latest book, I have a personal story to tell. Back in early May 2023, I published a book, the third in a series. One week later, my life imploded. While traversing the airport underground garage, I fell off a curb. My sister was waiting for me and I said “Take me to the hospital.”

Many hours later, my left wrist was in a cast and the pain from my five broken ribs required a trip to another hospital because the doctor said, “At your AGE, you need to stay overnight.” Did he have to say it that way? Couldn’t he just mention the drugs they filled me with? Or, the difficulty breathing plaguing me? One ambulance transport later, I ended up staying three nights.

What did this mean to my writing you ask? Have you ever tried to type with one hand? I survived because I had set up lots of promotions in advance for my book’s release. It took a while to get back to writing (and shopping, and doing laundry, etc.) and the results were a short story and a poem for my local writing group’s fundraiser in 2023 and 2024. The latest news is the re-issue of my favorite book series starting with Heaven-Sent Warrior. Did I mention as I lay in my recliner in pain FOR MONTHS that my publisher closed their doors? I love my Warriors in Bronze series, so have edited and updated the three books. I even submitted a short story for the writing group’s 2025 fundraiser for this year, which was accepted. I am back! If you find yourself beat down, but ready for life’s second act, you can do it too!

Tag Line

Asleep inside a bronze statue, a naked Frenchman wakes a century later to save a half-Fae, museum curator from a demon bent on ruling our present-day world.

Blurb

Henrí Chevalier’s last memory was Auguste Rodin and his dusty Paris studio in 1886. To escape his broken heart, Henrí volunteered to sleep inside a statue until needed. Expecting to die, he discovers powers Heaven has given him. Will he fail his mission against otherworldly creatures, such as demons and faeries?

Kenzie Mackintosh, a dedicated art museum’s curator, spies a naked man hiding among bronze statues. Unaware of her fae heritage, their relationship heats up as he disrupts her job. While Henrí tries to process modern buildings, cars, and a broken elevator, a demon attacks and forces Henrí and Kenzie to enlist the aid of her powerful fae relatives. When the demon possesses the body of her ex-lover then use her to take over the world, Henrí and Kenzie must learn to trust each other. Kenzie’s death might be the only answer to the world’s salvation.

Buy Links – https://nancyleebadger.blogspot.com/p/books.html

Author Bio And Links

Nancy Lee Badger grew up in Huntington on New York’s Long Island. After attending Plymouth State, in New Hampshire, she earned a Bachelor of Science degree and met and married her college sweetheart. They raised two handsome sons in Rumney, New Hampshire while she dreamed of being a writer. When the children had left the nest, and shoveling snow became a chore, she retired from her satisfying job as a 911 Emergency Medical Dispatcher and moved to North Carolina, where she writes full-time.

Nancy is a former member of Romance Writers of America and its local chapter, The Heart of Carolina Romance Writers, as well as the Fantasy-Futuristic & Paranormal Romance Writers. She is currently a member of the Triangle Association of Freelancers based in the Raleigh area. She finds story ideas in the most unusual places.

Book Blast: Only in September

Posted on April 23, 2025 by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m happy to welcome author Cynthia Flowers. Today, Cynthia shares her new release, Only in September.

Blurb

When Jacqueline follows her trusty Labrador Bailey down a hidden path to the beach, she’s unaware that her vacation plans on a small island off the New England coast has already taken her life in a new direction. Running into an unassuming local beach comber stirs new thoughts, desires, and a self-determination she never knew she possessed. Jacqueline will need to trust her instincts and make the most of what fate has in store if she wants the future that, until now, she has only dared to dream of.

Excerpt

The ferry was taking its sweet time making its way to Block Island.

Time is the ultimate dictator. Where did I hear that? I couldn’t have just come up with that one on my own.

Jacqueline French grabbed one of the last outside seats on the Block Island Ferry. It had only left Point Judith, RI, ten minutes ago, but for her, it seemed like ten hours ago. This would be her fourth September visiting this tiny tear drop-shaped island nestled between the south coast of Rhode Island and Montauk Point, located at the eastern tip of the south fork of Long Island, New York.

She always preferred visiting Block Island this time of year, after many of the Labor Day vacation stragglers dispersed and the kids were back at school. Although there were still a fair number of visitors, the din of racing mopeds was confined mostly to the weekends. Thanks to Michael, who she met on her first trip to Block Island, she came to know virtually every back road and trail on this seven-mile-long by three-mile-wide island. Beyond its beauty, Jacqueline’s deeper connection with the island was its shape. She shed many tears lately over the fate of her marriage and the direction her life had taken.

She always brought Bailey, her chocolate Labrador retriever, on her September sojourns to Block Island. Bailey enjoyed seeing the seals every year, and they seemed curious about her. But Bailey had become too arthritic to make the trip this year.

Author Bio and Links

Cynthia Flowers, a recently retired advertising professional, now grant writer, resides with her husband and four-year old Labrador named Eddie, at their “sanctuary” in Upstate New York, Although previously published, this is Cynthia’s first book of fiction. Early on in grade school, Cynthia looked forward to creative writing class and enjoyed reading her stories aloud to her eager classmates.

Amazon Buy Link

Giveaway

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

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