Joylene Nowell Butler & Kiss of the Assassin Ebook Giveaway

 My bloggy-friend Joylene Nowell Butler has a new release! Check the bottom of the post for a chance to win an ebook copy of Kiss Of The Assassin!

The book has a fascinating premise involving a different culture from Joylene's own, so I had a question...

Tell us about the research involved in having a character from another culture.

Anytime you want to write about a subject you know little or nothing about, your best bet is knowledge, whether it's online, from a reliable source, or through education. In Kiss of the Assassin, there are three protagonists: a Soviet official, a Soviet orphan, and a Mexican-born American sergeant who served in Vietnam. 

While writing the first draft of Kiss of the Assassin, I practically lived at our local library because there were no such things as home computers. Not where I lived. 

I studied every piece of work written about the Vietnam War. I read memoirs, newspaper clippings, and watched documentaries. The Russian classics were next. I watched Soviet films and read Leo Tolstoy, Vladimir Nabokov, Ayn Rand, and more. DK Smithsonian: Vietnam War-The Definitive Illustrated History was an absolute must-read. I studied Mexican history. I read the classics and current memoirs. 

When I felt ready to begin work on the first chapter, I organized a filing system and kept it close at hand. I understood that writing a novel was an ongoing job that would require easy access to my extensive notes. 

As I gained confidence, I sought out friends and associates I knew could add credence to my work. I asked them if they would read my manuscript and advise me on how to make the story more credible. 

As the years passed and I continued to seek publication, there came a time when notable essays on the Vietnam War were released. I started my research again because I realized I had to update my findings as new information came to pass. 

As I gained knowledge of Russian and Mexican cultures, I gained confidence in my story. 

***

Today let me introduce you to an intriguing new release, KISS OF THE ASSASSIN, by author Joylene Nowell Butler.

KISS OF THE ASSASSIN
by Joylene Nowell Butler

◊ Publisher: The Wild Rose Press, Inc (March 23, 2022)
◊ Paperback: 424 pages
◊ ASIN: B09P7T1ZRS
◊Language‏: English
* File size: ‎ 1138 KB
* Text-to-Speech: ‎ Enabled
* Screen Reader: ‎ Supported

Marina Antonovna, a Soviet spy, and Mateo Arcusa, an American homicide lieutenant first meet in Cambodia during the Vietnam War as enemies. Fearful that the most powerful man in the Soviet Union, KGB Chairman Vladimir Kurenkov, has ordered her death, Marina risks everything to defect to the United States.

 

She promises Mateo that her days as an assassin are over. Vladimir is determined to do whatever it takes to bring her back and, by threatening Mateo’s life, forces Marina to break her promise.

 

Meet the Author: Joylene Nowell Butler

Joylene Butler lives with her husband in the tiny village of Cluculz Lake in central B.C... She is the author of three suspense novels and a contributor to one anthology. 

For more on Joylene and her writing, visit her website and blog, as well as connect with her on Goodreads, Facebook, Twitter, and Amazon.

 Thanks so much for stopping by today during Joylene's visit. Doesn't this sound like an intriguing book, especially for the times we are in?

 

***

Wow - that's a lot of research! Libraries are so useful for us and I love that you had people you could use to help you out as well!

Joylene is offering an ebook (ePub, Mobi or PDF) to one lucky visitor who comments on this blog post. All you need to do is let me know in the comments which type of file you would prefer and you're entered in the draw! I'll choose one random winner on Friday April 1st. 

How about you? Do you know enough about another culture to write about it or would you need to dive into the research? I would need to dive in!

Nicole Souza & Things That Shouldn't Happen

Please welcome Nicole Souza to the blog today. Her book Sins Of Our Mothers is a dystopian look at what humans have done to our world with a few fascinating twists.

I asked Nicole to list the Top 5 things from her book that she hopes never happen on earth!

***

The Top 5 Things from Sins of Our Mothers I Hope Never Happen to Humanity

I don’t know if it’s the same for all dystopian writers, but for me, the things from the novel I most hope never happen to humanity are the ones that seem most likely to happen when observing social and political trends in the world. Maybe that’s the very reason dystopian fiction is written? It’s hard to say.

To keep this post at a readable length (I could go on forever!), I’ll choose just the top 5 things from Sins of Our Mothers that I hope never come to pass.

1) Men give up completely and allow themselves to be erased from their families, society, and history.

Humanity is currently experiencing a multidirectional transition. Anyone paying even the slightest bit of attention knows a lot of things are changing globally. Some things for good, some for bad. Because this post is particular to what I hope doesn’t happen, I’ll be focusing mostly on the bad—sorry! Though I do hope my thoughts translate as hopeful in the end!

As a freedom-loving woman, I want all women—all people for that matter—to experience the same opportunities I’ve had in my life. Opportunities made possible by the conquering of immeasurable struggle and hardship by women and men who came before. It’s impossible for me to fully comprehend their experiences having grown up myself in a relatively peaceful world that affords the same liberties to me that it does to those in power. Seating charts in elementary school aside, I’ve never been told where to sit. I’ve never been denied work due to my sex. And aside from my dad throughout my childhood, I’ve never depended on a man.

Let’s talk about dads for a minute.

Yes, a lot of opportunities were given to me because the Constitution of the United States, where I was born, declares I have certain liberties. However, the opportunities that mattered most, the ones that make me who I am today—well I have my parents to thank for those. I’ve depended greatly on both my mother, and my father.

My parents both grew up poor. They each fought ruthlessly for the comfortable life they live now. Learning how they grew up, and comparing how I grew up, was how I comprehended the American Dream. But the American Dream isn’t just another way to say “rags to riches.” In fact, I’d argue it’s not that at all. Though building personal success is a beautiful part of the freedom this land affords, a person doesn’t need to be extremely wealthy to be successful. They just need fertile soil in which to grow.

For humans, fertile soil is family.

While my biological parents were married before my birth, and remain married today, I grew up with many friends who either barely saw or never met their fathers. From a young age I’ve wondered why it’s usually the father missing from the picture (though not always). And before you get the wrong idea about where this post is going, my fatherless friends all grew up to be wonderful people. I’ve witnessed single moms, stepparents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, and adoptive parents give the children they’re raising, or helping to raise, all the love they could possibly need.

See, this isn’t about the challenges of growing up without a father. It’s about what men lose by choosing a life—any life—other than family. It’s about the tragedy of a grown man choosing to not experience becoming fertile soil to others, especially their children. Becoming fertile soil for others is the natural course, and I daresay purpose, of human life.

Of course, many of you great men want families, but for reasons out of your control, it hasn’t happened for you yet. You can still experience the joy of caring for grandparents, parents, siblings, nieces and nephews, godchildren, friends, and those in your community. Becoming fertile soil isn’t just about fathering. In my experience, it’s the men who run from fatherhood who also run from sonhood, brotherhood, and unclehood.

Great men leave the world more beautiful wherever they go.

Men who have chosen to disappear from their families and communities, you can course correct. The reason U-turns exist is because human beings tend to take wrong turns. Whether you were frightened, angry, or just a garbage person at the time, you can make better decisions going forward, and be even better than you would’ve been if you hadn’t experienced the nothingness of living life without becoming fertile soil.

For the record, we’re all garbage people at different times in our lives, this isn’t unique to men. Trust me, I have plenty of regrets and have made choices that keep me up at night. Often that’s how we learn to make good choices. And for men with children they don’t know, families from whom they’re estranged, and neighbors they’ve never helped, it’s no different for you. You can make good choices. It’s insane how strong women and children are. Forgiveness is given quite freely to the genuinely penitent.

What scares me most about the common absence of men from families and communities in our generation is that there are so many in today’s world pouncing in to take advantage of your absence. This is causing tremendous division amongst us regular folk who are otherwise peaceful. Governments are more power-hungry than I’ve seen in my lifetime, women are more prone to leave the raising of their children to strangers to occupy male spaces, and children are being influenced in countless directions. Where fathers have always been their children’s shields, the darts they once stopped are now soaring through, along with plenty of new darts being shot because those with power and agendas know home defenses are down.

Everyone wants to blame someone else for what’s happening.

I blame men for giving up on themselves. And women for kicking men while they’re down. Nothing drives a man away faster than an uncompassionate woman.

Men’s abilities, innate talents, and minds are different from ours. We need men. Not because we can’t survive without them, but because with them, we do so much more than just survive. Life should be excellent, and women and men increase each other’s excellence.

Sins of Our Mothers takes place fifteen-hundred years from now, long after men are removed from society and shepherded to remote settlements around the globe where they’re “harvested” for sperm. Women believe women are the only kind of human that exists. They’re taught in school the seeds that fertilize their eggs are grown and harvested in the earth. When Lyratelle, the protagonist, discovers the world of men, and the truth about creating human children, her life spins out of orbit. It’s up to her to figure out how to save her brother and the men she’s grown to love from the nothingness—the world more and more men are disappearing into in our day.

This is definitely number one on the list of things I hope never happen from the book.

2) Women lose their unique identity by becoming Men 2.0.

I’ve never understood why men are considered the more physically strong sex.
Hear me out. It’s relevant, I swear.
Men’s and women’s bodies are built differently. Men can lift more weight and are better

to have around for moving large objects. They endure manual labor longer as a general rule. There’s a lot to say about male strength, and I’m so grateful it exists. Especially when moving! But there’s also something called “man flu” remember?

Going about a normal day’s work when sick, cramping, getting headaches, and other physical challenges is women’s thing. It’s a different challenge than moving large objects, but women have to learn to deal with menstrual pain (and its accompanying hormonal showers) from a very young age. We still go to school, work, and fulfill other responsibilities while cramping horrifically and bleeding all over ourselves. All the while wanting to bite anyone’s head off who crosses our path, and simultaneously knowing it’s not “rational” to feel that way. Trust me, I’d love a week off every month to hibernate but that’s not how our society works. Women have to suck it up and get stuff done no matter how we’re feeling. That’s physical strength, too!

I think the differences between women’s and men’s physical strengths are summed up well in two stories. First, my aunt and uncle:

My aunt suffers from chronic kidney stones. Once in a while, she’ll wince slightly. When asked what’s wrong she’ll wave a hand a say, “Oh, just passing some stones.” One day, her husband fell to the ground in agony and exclaimed he was dying. Unwilling to hear any of my aunt’s suggestions, he called an ambulance. On the road to what he insisted was his death bed, it was discovered he had—you guessed it—a single, tiny kidney stone.

The second story is about me and my husband. One day, while packing to move, I was becoming overwhelmed and decided I needed to clear my head, so I took the dogs to the park to walk for a bit in the fresh air. I wasn’t gone more than an hour. Upon returning, I found the moving truck filled and organized beautifully with our couches, beds, dressers, tables, and every other large object in the apartment. Having me and my anxiety gone, my husband was able to quickly load all the big stuff into the truck alone. I couldn’t even comprehend how he got it all out the door, let alone stacked neatly in the truck.

The way I see it, men have exceptionally strong outer bodies, and women have exceptionally strong inner bodies. Both are important. Both are good. They’re compatible—a healthy combination.

Isn’t it obvious that we need each other?

Some women today do all they can to occupy male spaces. It doesn’t make sense! We’re not built for the same things. Neither is better than the other, and yet, it seems women have decided it’s better to be men. Think about how weird that is—our bodies grow and deliver other human beings to the world. Men can’t even grow and deliver kidney stones with dignity.

In Sins of Our Mothers, women have completely left womanhood behind. Their eggs are extracted, fertilized, and implanted in simulated uteri conversationally called “pods.” They no longer bear children with their bodies. They witness pregnancy and delivery from the outside—from the view of fathers. Their breasts don’t produce milk, so they bottle-feed their babies. They all work outside the home, so their children are raised by grandparents or daycare workers. Instead of creating a community of women helping one another, they live in competition with each other in the workforce.

Women have become men. A transition that started in our day, in both the book and reality.

Don’t misunderstand; I’m not saying women must be homemakers. Not even close! I can’t cook to save my life. My husband is a gourmet chef. He’s more domestic in every way. He cleans quicker and more efficiently and if it weren’t for him, I’d never don a clean pair of socks.

The point is, women and men have different strengths. We’re good at different things. Our bodies are capable of different things. We’re designed to go together. Women don’t improve by becoming men. I really, really think we need to course correct before we lose what’s innate, unique, and impressive about us.

And please don’t read any of this as political. If you’re like me, you’re tired of everything being politicized. These are human issues. I care deeply about humanity, and not at all about politics. Human relationships should be between humans. Institutions of any kind are irrelevant to these conversations.

3) Children are raised by governments and brainwashed for a political agenda.

In Sins of Our Mothers, both female and male children are raised on lies. Both groups believe men are defective women who didn’t develop properly or fully in the pods. Women are taught “defects” never survive past ten years of age. Men are sent to remote settlements after spending the first twelve years of their lives in prisons deceivingly called research facilities.

The agenda in this situation is clear: the characters are living sex segregation without ever knowing more than one sex exists. Women are in control, and men need to stay controlled in order for women to retain all power.

For me, despite what agenda is in play, living anything less than a true and authentic life, rich with the freedom to explore our personal and collective beliefs, share knowledge openly, and say whatever thoughts run though our heads, is unacceptable. Particularly when controlled by people who have absolutely nothing to do with our families and communities. Willing surrendering one’s freedoms of thought, speech, and the exchange of knowledge to governments or like entities is one of the greatest betrayals to the human family.

Every person, by virtue of being conceived by other members of our human family and born into this world, has the right to consider freely all philosophies, to form sovereign opinions, and live to their full capacity according to the principles they construct through independent observation and individual experience.

Now, someone could easily argue, “Sometimes surrendering freedoms is good. We’ve already surrendered to our governments the freedom to harm others. Isn’t that a wonderful thing?”

My answer, of course, is, “Yes!” Because it is a wonderful thing. It means the weakest among us can still thrive, still live their dreams, and pursue happiness. It also means we have far more people contributing to philosophical discussions and the exchange of knowledge and ideas. You don’t have to be the alpha wolf to contribute to conversation. Life is much better for all now that arguments (at least in most places) aren’t settled by shootouts on the street.

This is one case in which the surrender of one freedom increased freedom overall.

Indoctrination—the surrender of our minds—is something all people should be willing to fight against.

4) A person’s age to die is determined by those in power.

In the settlements, men are given lethal injections at age fifty. Women have gotten all the sperm they need from them at that point and choose to not “waste” anymore taxpayer dollars and resources on keeping them alive in the settlements.

As someone who has benefitted enormously from relationships with grandparents, aunts and uncles, friends’ parents, and the elderly in my community, I consider individual human lives innately valuable, from conception to final breath. It should never be up to anyone to determine the end of another person’s life.

I maintain that a person can’t believe human life has intrinsic value or purpose, or that we’re anything more than pond scum, if they also believe it’s ok to determine when another person will cease to live. Every human who has ever lived was conceived in a woman’s womb. Therefore, conception is proof enough of the right to be here, to live and exist exactly as we choose every day that our bodies make breath and pump blood.

I also assert that the only way for me or others to form such opinions, including opposing opinions, is through open conversation guaranteed only by the free exchange of ideas.

5) Marriage is Outlawed.

Book 2 (of what I anticipate will be a trilogy) will better show how marriage became illegal in the Sins of Our Mothers universe. Because the first book deals with the world fifteen- hundred years after men were erased, marriage isn’t even a concept, notion, or thought in any character’s deepest subconscious. The second book will show two timelines: a continuation of Lyratelle’s timeline beginning where the first book ended, and also Melissa’s timeline, which deals with our day.

Marriage, though exceedingly difficult, is the most valuable union that exists. Having a life partner, someone in my corner, and in whose corner I spend a significant amount of time and energy, who knows the struggles I’ve never shown anyone else, and whose struggles I witness daily, who cares about my wellbeing, goals, and mental health, and whose wellbeing, goals, and mental health are priorities in my life, has been the single most rewarding road I’ve ever traveled.

Friends often say, “Yeah, but you can get all that from friends and other family. You don’t have to be married to be loved and supported.”

They’re right. You can live a full, rich, blessed life being single. You can have an amazing support system and find joy in your relationships. Even more importantly, you can enrich others’ lives. You can be an amazing support and joy for others.

Marriage, though, is different.

Marriage isn’t just loving and supporting. It’s not just calling your partner out when they’re being foolish or encouraging them when they’re down. It’s not just having each other’s backs when the world turns against you. Marriage is the formal, and ultimate, recognition and proclamation of your dedication to one another.

There are many examples I can use to illustrate my thoughts. Since food is my go-to for pretty much everything, I’ll use sandwiches.

I love bread. A single slice of bread offers unspeakable joy. When I’m there to retrieve a scalding hot slice of toast the moment it pops, with softened butter ready to spread and premixed cinnamon sugar to sprinkle over the top, I absolutely know—beyond any hint of doubt—I’m about to partake of undefinable goodness. It’s the same feeling I get when my mom cuts me a slice of homemade bread to sample her fresh apricot preserves.

You can put almost anything edible on toast—cottage cheese and avocado, peanut butter and honey, peanut butter and bananas, peanut butter and jelly, chunky peanut butter, egg salad, honey butter, Nutella, there’s really no limit. It’s all good and wonderful.

However, toast and single slices of homemade bread are not the same as sandwiches.

Sandwiches are a compilation of ingredients held together by two slices of bread. You can pack exponentially more into a sandwich than you can onto a single slice.

Suddenly you have double cheeseburgers, cold cut combos and clubs, hoagies, paninis, entire restaurant chains build around chicken sandwiches, grilled cheese, BLTs, and the list goes on.

Right now, someone’s probably thinking, “I prefer a single slice of bread with preserves over grilled cheese.”

And guess what? That’s totally fine! The purpose of sandwiches isn’t to make toast feel less significant. There may be a piece of toast out there thinking, “Man, it’s not fair the bread in sandwiches get help holding it all together.” At the same time, there may be a sandwich thinking, “Wow! How did that one slice of bread hold all that chunky peanut butter alone?”

It’s ok that we all go about life differently. The variety is beautiful. I don’t want cinnamon toast to stop existing just because the grilled meat lovers footlong is so delicious.

Those in marriages know the benefits. We know and love how a life partner enriches our lives. Many people choosing the single life in no way diminishes the value of marriage. And marriage isn’t responsible for the lonely souls who remain unmarried against their wishes. While this situation can be tremendously trying, we shouldn’t advocate to abolish that which makes it so. That would be like advocating to rid the world of toilet paper because not everyone has access to it.

The compilation of ingredients held together by two slices of bread—the meat of the sandwich—that’s marriage. All the things you work together to keep are the very things that keep you together. And sometimes bits and pieces fall out. No marriage is perfect. But I definitely don’t want to live in a world where it can’t be chosen and entered into freely.

Much of what I’ve said may appear controversial. The good thing is, I love conversation! I’d be delighted to hear from you, whether you agree with what I’ve said, or strongly oppose it. Let’s keep conversation and the exchange of thoughts, opinions, and ideas alive.

***

It is a pleasure to welcome author Nicole Souza here today to talk about her latest release, SINS OF OUR MOTHERS.

◊ Genre: Dystopian Novel
◊ Publisher: WiDo Publishing (August 25, 2020)
◊ Print & eBooks
◊ Paperback: 338 pages
◊ ISBN-10: 1947966391
◊ ISBN-13: 978-1947966390

     It has been fifteen hundred years since the solar flare devastation of the Global Catastrophe. Due to the radioactivity in the harvesting fields, society dismisses its defective children as nothing more than flawed products of the malfunctioned seeds in the field.

     But Lyratelle, a hyper-observant musical prodigy, believes these “defects” are intelligent, particularly her own sibling, the youngest child of her impervious mother. Abandoning her dream career, Lyratelle climbs the bureaucratic ladder to run the Defect Research Center, where she can safeguard the child.

     With an underground team of women who share her uncertainties, Lyratelle unearths the Old History truth that womankind’s survival actually hinges on the existence of these defects.

     When General Sarah Love, the city’s most powerful advocate against the defects, detects Lyratelle’s sympathy toward the creatures, she threatens the life of Lyratelle’s sibling.

     Now Lyratelle’s desperate attempt to save this child endangers everyone she loves—her team, her family, even the existence of the defects themselves.

SINS OF OUR MOTHERS is available at AMAZON * Barnes & Noble * WiDo Publishing. Also, be sure to add it to your TBR List on Goodreads.

Meet the Author

 

As the third of eight siblings, Nicole has always been surrounded by people. Among her immediate family are spoken seven languages. Her favorite thing is hearing her nieces and nephews speak French, Tongan, or Mandarin. It’s no surprise she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Languages, as language is one of her greatest passions, topped only by music and Beat Saber.

Nicole minored in Women Studies and continues to take a particular interest in both women’s history and their individual stories. She’s grateful for her ancestors and other women who paved the way for her to pursue her dream of publishing stories and strives to create new avenues for the coming generations to pursue their dreams.

Though she’s lived-in various states in the U.S. and Brazil, Nicole considers Utah “home base” and continuously finds herself returning, even when previous moves were intended to be permanent. She attributes her love of Utah to the beauty of the Wasatch Mountains and the incredible people who make it feel like home, even when she’s been away for long periods of time. Recently, however, after visiting her sister’s family overseas, she’s been dreaming of a quiet beach house in Taiwan.

Connect with Nicole on her website nicolesouzabooks.com
Facebook@nicolesouzabooks
Instagram@nicolesouzabooks

Be sure to enter the tour wide giveaway below. If the widget doesn’t appear, you can still enter by clicking HERE.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks so much for stopping by today. Do you enjoy books where the main protagonist is a female? 

***

Thanks, Nicole!

I find it highly entertaining that in the previous post to this one, I declared myself as a person who is most definitely NOT controversial!!!

Nicole has created an intriguing world that has its basis in some of the big issues on our planet today. We humans have a lot of work to do in order to repair our planet and ensure the future or our species!

How about you? Any thoughts on Nicole's story? Any parts of your story, or one you've read recently, you hope never happen on earth?

Rhiannon Gelston with Lark and the Loon

Please welcome Rhiannon Gelston to the blog today!

As someone who has dealt with memoir writing in Dancing With Dementia, I had a question for Rhiannon:

How did you decide on the parts of reality that were going to be the basis of this memoir with a twist?

It was a very organic process that essentially evolved as I was writing it, with no real set plan. I knew I wanted to write about my family, to capture who they were at the time and document some memories of my kids when they were little. The book was originally started out just for them, without actually thinking I was going to publish it but, as time went on, and the novel took form, I started to think I might try and share it with others as well. I eventually pursued having it published.

Within the story the protagonist, Lark, ends up in a magical world in a symbolic tree. He goes on to travel back and forth from ascending this tree with some special friends, to traveling to the real world and experiencing events from the past, reliving moments from his mother’s memory (my memoir).

Essentially, all of the experiences outside of this magical world, in the real world, are the memoir piece. I describe it as almost a modern-day Scrooge journey, without the grumpy part!

The descriptions of the children in the story, from the memoir parts, were easy because it was just them, my five kids, and moments from our life together thus far. I am not quite sure how I decided which moments to share, as some were quite big while others were very simple everyday moments, yet they all taught me something.

I did know I wanted to write down some memories about when my daughter was ill, as that was a big life-lesson. It is one of those things that you wish you didn’t have to go through but, like anyone who goes through a hard time and comes out on the other side of it, you gain perspective, you figure out what really matters, and you try and really live and love the moment you are in moving forward. When the awareness that the next moment may not happen for someone you love, it simply changes everything. I didn’t want to ever forget those lessons.

I hope maybe my children one day, when they are a bit older, and anyone else who reads Lark and the Loon, can gain that awareness too, through riding that ride with us in the pages of the book.

Another big part of the book is from my time spent in Africa, doing my occupational therapy internship and traveling. That experience, in beautiful Africa, was another eye-opening experience that changed how I view the world. It was something I always wanted to write about. I intended on sending a query to some occupational therapy journals upon my return, as my internship experience was so unique. I just never did that for some reason. I guess it was meant to go in this book instead!

So, maybe the answer to your question, now that I think about it, is the way I decided which parts of reality were to be included was they were all some moments from my life, both the big and the small, that shifted how I see the world in some way. Moments that provided me with a greater awareness of what matters in the big picture.

I’m delighted to be participating in author Rhiannon Gelston’s blog tour for her latest release, LARK AND THE LOON.

◊ Genre: Memoir with a Twist
◊ Publisher: WiDo Publishing (July 17, 2020)
◊ Print & eBooks
◊ Paperback: 284 pages
◊ ISBN-10: 1947966251
◊ ISBN-13: 978-1947966253

Lark and the Loon follows the adventures of a tentative boy named Lark, as he is catapulted out of all that he knows, into a courageous journey beyond his wildest imagination. 

Upon receiving a special gift from his Gramps, Lark embarks on a reflective journey of self-discovery as the innovative story weaves the true-life memoir of his mother (the author) in with a fantastical journey. With some special new-found friends, Lark travels back and forth from a symbolic tree to his mother’s true memories of life and death moments, and simple moments, found everywhere from wild Africa to their very own living room. Lark and his friends must ascend this tree and gain the important life lessons offered along the way if they ever hope to find their way out. Within this journey, Lark finds these lessons, and ultimately himself, in the space between imagination and truth in this wild tale.  

The story explores friendships, philosophies, and everyday challenges and joys, both from a child's perspective and from a parent's perspective. This memoir with a twist results in a coming-of-age story that ultimately leads to a new understanding of self, others, and the world that surrounds us.

LARK AND THE LOON is available at AMAZON * Barnes & Noble * WiDo Publishing. Also, be sure to add it to your TBR List on Goodreads.

Meet the Author

RHIANNON GELSTON loves to lose herself in all things creative. She enjoys writing, painting, live music, traveling, sports, being outdoors, exploring, playing, spirituality, and energy work. She has a BA in English and an MS in Occupational Therapy with a pediatric focus. Rhiannon just had her first novel published. It is a memoir with a twist called, LARK AND THE LOON, available wherever books are sold.

Rhiannon grew up on Spa Creek in downtown Annapolis. Home for Rhiannon will always be the sound of the halyards hitting the masts on a breezy day, a pile of crabs saturated in Old Bay, raft-ups with friends as kids cannonball off of the stern, and time with family and friends, in, on, and around the Chesapeake Bay.

She lives in Annapolis with her husband, their five lovely and lively children, and their black lab, McNasby.

Connect with Rhiannon on Facebook and Instagram.

Be sure to enter the tour wide giveaway. It ends May 3. The grand prize is a $25 Amazon Gift Card and an eBook of LARK AND THE LOON. The second-place winner has to be a US resident as the gift is a signed copy of LARK THE LOON. The third-place prize is an eBook that two winners will receive. If the Rafflecopter widget doesn’t work, you can still enter by clicking HERE.

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Thanks for stopping by today. Doesn’t this sound like an intriguing memoir?

Festive Mayhem Book Blast

If you’re looking for a good mystery with a little holiday twist, look no further. Today I’m participating in the FESTIVE MAYHEM Book Blast featuring 10 talented authors with stories of mystery, crime, and suspense with a holiday flair.

 

◊ Genre: Mystery Anthologies
◊ Publisher: Marla Bradeen (October 26,2020)
◊ eBooks
◊ File Size: 1232 KB
◊ Print Length: 159 Pages
◊ ASIN: BO8F3HLH67

 

Ten crime writers of color have teamed up to offer you the gift of escape this holiday season. From Christmas crime capers to Thanksgiving thrillers, historical hard-boiled to contemporary cozies, mystery fans of all genres will find something to love in this limited-time collection of exclusive, never-before-published seasonal short stories.

 

What you’ll find inside:
• “The New Year’s Hex” by Carolyn Marie Wilkins. Carrie McFarland finds her New Year’s plans derailed when a psychic vision pulls the 1920s African American amateur sleuth into someone’s evil scheme.
• “Pipe Dreams” by S.G. Wong. In this hard-boiled Crescent City short story, infatuation and passion drive Minnie Chen straight into danger as she tries to best the City’s most glamorous private detective in a reimagined 1930s-era Chinese Los Angeles.
• “A Christmas Tip” by Elizabeth Wilkerson. A surprise Christmas bonus becomes too tempting for Philadelphia nursing assistant Brianna Byers to resist—even if accepting requires some skillful skirting of the law.
• “The Stranger in the House” by Stella Oni. This London House Mystery prequel stars Elizabeth Ojo, a Nigerian housekeeper at a posh guest house, who finds her Christmas intersecting with that of a mysterious resident in trouble.
• “What Lies Inside” by Kia Dennis. A tormented university professor falls deeper and deeper into a destructive obsession in this harrowing tale of love and longing.
• “A Pub, Bed & Breakfast & A Dead Body” by Forest Issac Jones. A dark past becomes the deadly present when North Carolina police detective Ike Coates and his intrepid young partner are tasked with determining the cause of a suspicious death.
• “A Deadly First” by Delia C. Pitts. Thanksgiving takes a fatal turn when New York private eye SJ Rook finds himself thrust into his first murder case in this darkly atmospheric tale of noir.
• “The Holiday Murder Mélange” by Myra Jolivet. This Sarah Doucette Jean-Louis short story follows the Creole P.I. around the San Francisco Bay Area on her quest to figure out who killed a man outside of her office.
• “Those Holiday Blues” by Jennifer J. Chow. Jasmine, aka “Jazz,” can’t escape the tragic past when an old boyfriend asks to meet on the anniversary of his mother’s death.
• “Holiday Holdup” by Paige Sleuth. In this Cozy Cat Caper Mystery Short, Imogene Little gets tangled up in a Christmas Eve bank robbery orchestrated by none other than Santa Claus himself.

 

This anthology is only available for a short time, so grab it now before it’s gone. It would be criminal to miss it!

 

FESTIVE MAYHEM is available at the following sites:

AMAZON US   *   AMAZON UK   *   AMAZON CA   *

 AMAZON AU * BARNES & NOBLE  *  GOODREADS   *   KOBO *

APPLE BOOKS * GOOGLE PLAY * SMASHWORDS

 

About the Authors

 

FESTIVE MAYHEM features a collection of never-before-published short stories authored by 10 mystery, crime, and suspense writers of color: 

Carolyn Marie Wilkins: https://www.carolynwilkins.com/
S.G. Wong: https://sgwong.com/
Elizabeth Wilkerson: http://elizabethwilkerson.com/
Stella Oni: https://stellaonithewriter.com
Kia Dennis: http://www.kiadennis.com/ 
Forest Issac Jones: http://www.forestissacjones.com/
Delia C. Pitts: https://www.deliapitts.com/
Myra Jolivet: https://myrajolivet.com/
Jennifer J. Chow: http://jenniferjchow.com/
Paige Sleuth: http://www.marlabradeen.com/ps/

 

Be sure to enter the giveaway below. If the widget doesn’t work, just click HERE to enter. You can read more about this fascinating book by visiting the other stops on the Book Blast.

 

Thanks for stopping by today. Don’t you just love a good mystery with a holiday theme?

 

Monday, Oct. 26 – Just Jemi – Review
Rockin’ Book Reviews – Feature
Nesie’s Place – Excerpt
Writer’s Gambit – Review & Feature

Tuesday, Oct. 27 – First of All – Review & Excerpt
CelticLady’s Reviews – Feature
Bookish Rantings – Excerpt

Wednesday, Oct. 28 – I Found This Great Book – Review & Excerpt
Book Reviews by Pat Garcia – Review
Thoughts in Progress – Excerpt
Author Deborah A. Bailey – Excerpt

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My review

This was such a fun book!

All of these authors were new to me - and I'm looking forward to reading more by each of them.

I enjoyed the mix of mysteries, styles, and settings. It's difficult to choose but I think The New Year's Hex is my favourite. Loved the 1920's setting and I was rooting for Carrie in no time!

The entire book is filled with great characters. I enjoyed the cozy sleuths (Carrie, Imogene, Sarah, Elizabeth & Brianna) as they figured out their mysteries - each in their own unique style.

The "cold" and "chilling" mysteries are well labelled! Definitely chilling - with a few nightmare-inducing elements. So good!

A great collection of mysteries all connected by strong writing and fascinating characters. An excellent read!

***

How about you? Anyone else enjoy mystery collections? Do you prefer cozy, cold, or downright chilling mysteries?

Bloo Moose On The Road with Mason Canyon!

Bloo Moose is visiting Mason Canyon today - hope you'll stop by and visit!

It's also Release Day so Bloo Moose is officially out in the world!!!

Reaching For Normal

She’s no damsel in distress. 

He’s no Prince Charming.  

But if they don’t team up it won’t 

be only wolves that’ll be dying.

Amazon.com.    Amazon.ca.    

Apple.     Kobo.    Google Play.

Barnes and Noble.    Goodreads.    

Bookbub

 Reaching For Risks

One Reno List for the B&B. 

One Risk List for herself. 

One sexy retailer who should be 

the last one she wants.

Amazon.com.    Amazon.ca.   

Apple.    Kobo.     Google Play

Barnes and Noble.     Goodreads.    

Bookbub

 Reaching For Everything

Love means nothing in tennis.

Can he prove to her that 

love means everything in life?

Amazon.com.    Amazon.ca.   

  Apple.     Kobo.     Google Play

Barnes and Noble.    Goodreads.    

Bookbub

Beverly Stowe McClure & Gabe's Guardian Angel

I've invited the lovely Beverly Stowe McClure to the blog today to answer some interesting questions. Gabe's Guardian Angel is her latest release!

1. Gabe sounds like a fascinating young man. How did you create the character?

It's really more like Gabe created himself. I kept reading and hearing about the problems in some schools and towns about bullying. Had never thought about it much, until one day I remembered something that happened in our town. Some boys had been bullying another boy in middle school, and one day they told him to just go and kill himself. I did not know them personally, but he did it. I can only imagine the pain that family went through. Ad then, the writer in me took control. I had to write a story about bullying and hopefully help students see there are ways out of the situation. Gabe's story was born.

Wow - that's such a powerful story! As a teacher, I've seen the impact of bullying. It can be devastating.

2. Do you prefer writing first drafts or revising? Why?

I prefer to revise. The reason: when I have an idea in my head, I need to write it as soon as possible. If I wait too long my brain might travel somewhere else and I've lost the main idea. Then there are lots of revisions. The reason I'm so slow in writing a book.

I am learning to like revisions, but I adore that first draft!!

3. If you had your own Guardian Angel, what would you want help with? (I'm with Gabe and would appreciate a boost in the confidence area!)

Like you, I think I'd want help to be braver, bolder, and more outgoing. Not be afraid to follow my thoughts and ideas, even if they sometimes were not the best. I'd learn from my mistakes.

That sounds great, although I'm okay with being an introvert - and I can pass for an extrovert when necessary!

4. I see you play the piano, too. I've picked it up again in the past couple of years. I'm enjoying learning all kinds of Broadway music. What's your favourite type of music to play?

I don't play the piano often, but when I do I prefer the "Oldies" that I grew up with. Okay, I'm giving away my age now, but that's okay. I am what I am. The Fabulous Fifties like Sixteen Candles, Sincea MOBI rely, Magic Touch, Too Beautiful to Last, I Believe. You see.

The oldies are such fun!! I'm learning music from the 20s t0 50s for my mom (in a nursing home with dementia). I like music from all the eras!

***

Beverly is offering a tour-wide giveaway. More information on the giveaway is listed below.

GABE’S GUARDIAN ANGEL
by Beverly Stowe McClure

* Paperback: 214 pages
* Publisher: Freedom Fox Press
* Language: English
* ISBN-10: 1939844665
* ISBN-13: 978-1939844668

Gabe Montana is clumsy. He's overweight, and he's dyslexic. Worse yet, the bullies make his fifteen-year-old life even more miserable-so miserable he wants to die.

Charley, his guardian angel, says no to that idea and comes up with a different plan. He'll give Gabe self-confidence so he can solve his problems, not run away from them. But Gabe wonders why the angel doesn't just help with the bullies. What's with this self-confidence stuff?

Can Charley help Gabe stand on his own two feet? Will Gabe give up hope life can improve for him? Or will he finally listen to the angel's advice?

GABE'S GUARDIAN ANGEL is available at the following sites:
AMAZON PAPERBACK
AMAZON KINDLE
BARNES AND NOBLE PAPERBACK
BARNES AND NOBLE NOOK BOOK
KOBO

For those who aren’t familiar with the author, here’s a bit of background on her.

Most of the time, you’ll find Award-Winning Author Beverly Stowe McClure at her computer, typing stories young voices whisper in her ears. When she’s not writing, she’s snapping pictures of wildlife, flowers, and clouds.

She’s affectionately known as the “Bug Lady.” She’s not telling why. To relax she plays the piano. Her fur babies don’t appreciate good music and hide when she tickles the ivories.

Beverly is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. She also teaches a women’s Sunday school class at her church.

For more on Beverly and her writing visit her at her:
Blog: https://beverlystowemcclure.blogspot.com
Website: http://beverlystowemcclure.wordpress.com
Twitter @beverlymcclure
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/beverlysmcclure
Goodreads: http://goodreads.com/author/show/11462.Beverly_Stowe_McClure

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

Author Beverly Stowe McClure is giving away one print copy of GABE’S GUARDIAN ANGEL to a lucky US winner.

To enter the giveaway, just click on the Rafflecopter widget below and follow the instructions. The widget may take a few seconds to load so please be patient. If the widget doesn’t show up, just click HERE and you’ll be directed to the widget.

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to follow Beverly on her week-long tour HERE. You never know what you might find out. Do you think Guardian Angels come in all shapes and sizes?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

***

Thanks Beverly for playing along with the questions!

How about you? How would your guardian angel help you out? First drafts or revisions? Any other piano players out there?