#NewRelease “Lipstick Diaries: The Promise (A Friends to Lovers Romance)” by Tiye

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THE PROMISE
by Tiye

The only thing missing in Rianna Murphy’s life is the right man and a family. Tired of the status quo, she and her girls make a pact. They vow to be sexually fierce, completely open, and purposeful in getting what they each want from men.

Even marriage to a best friend.

When Rianna and Kwon were teenagers, they promised that if they were 35 and still single, they would get married without hesitation. A few months shy of her 35th birthday, she and Kwon meet again unexpectedly after years of no contact. Both are still single. And Kwon is a man of his word. What’s a woman to do when everything she’s ever wanted is being handed to her on a sexy platter?

**Each book in the Lipstick Diaries can be read as a standalone.**

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Kindle Unlimited

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Amazon CA

Amazon AU

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About the Author

Tiye is a USA Today Bestselling author and has penned over thirty novels. Her book Unforgettable Man rose to the top of the Black Romance charts on Amazon in March of 2022 after being first released at the end of 2020. As an avid reader and lover of books, Tiye writes stories for readers to escape their realities and embark on a journey of self-exploration and love when they delve into her books. Readers will be taken on an emotional ride with every spicy twist and turn in her stories.

When Tiye’s not caught up in her latest characters, she’s working as the independent book liaison for Brown Sugar Café and Books and helping others be their best selves. On a more personal level, she loves laughing and dancing with her family and friends and curled up somewhere, anywhere, forever inspired to write spicy romance – with a twist. So hold on to your hearts and indulge in a Tiye novel…

Find Tiye on Social Media

Website Facebook Twitter Instagram

BookBub Goodreads

Amazon Author Page

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the promise

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#GuestBlogger Make the Most of the New Year! by Kelli A. Wilkins

Welcome to 2023! Many people are glad to say goodbye to 2022 and are looking forward to a fresh start this year. I’ve written three non-fiction books that can help you make the most of the next 12 months.

If you have been feeling overwhelmed, stressed, worried, or are just plain worn-out by the events of the last few years (and who isn’t?), why not try journaling?

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Whether you are experienced in journaling or completely new to the process, Journaling Every Week: 52 Topics to Get You Writing is designed to get you thinking about—and writing about—your life, relationships, patterns, goals, and some of your fondest memories. You’ll benefit from writing about these thought-provoking prompts and learn something about yourself along the way.

Journaling is a useful tool for self-discovery. In your journal, you can explore a wide range of subjects, themes, and ideas, revisit the past, and vent about anything (or anyone). In a way, you play counselor to yourself by digging deep into your innermost thoughts and emotions and writing about how you feel.

​This fun and innovative book is filled with hundreds of journaling prompts that cover your childhood, friendships, beliefs and values, your career, coping with grief, fears, forgiveness, your purpose, and much more.

Order your copy here:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Journaling-Every-Week-Topics-Writing-ebook/dp/B08QH4HQPD

All other platforms: https://books2read.com/u/b5kBZA

Read reviews here: https://www.kelliwilkins.com/journaling-every-week

~

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If you’re looking for fun and easy ways to show a special someone how much you care, check out Romance Every Weekend: 104 Fun Ways to Express Your Love.

Romance shouldn’t be reserved for Valentine’s Day, birthdays, or an anniversary. Why should people wait for a special occasion to show someone they love that they care? Love can (and should) be expressed every chance you get.

Romance Every Weekend features 104 fun and easy ways you can express your love to a special someone in your life. Perfect for men or women, it focuses on tender, everyday gestures that let your partner know how much you love him or her. Why not try all 104 suggestions in 2023?

Get your copy here:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08124HBMS

All other Platforms: https://books2read.com/u/3npVVP

~

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Are you an aspiring writer? Do you want to get published in 2023? If you’ve always wanted to write a short story or a novel but aren’t sure how to get started, don’t miss You Can Write—Really! A Beginner’s Guide to Writing Fiction.

This easy-to-follow ebook takes you step-by-step through the writing process, covering the basics of plotting, editing, revising, and submitting. Fun chapters explore ways to get your creativity flowing, explain where authors get ideas, and show you how to create interesting characters for your story. Helpful tips all writers can use, plus creative writing exercises throughout the book get you motivated.

Once you have the basics down, you can write—really!

Ready to write? Order your copy here:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Write-Really-Beginners-Writing-Fiction-ebook/dp/B00THWLFQU

All other platforms: https://books2read.com/u/4AqYN4

Read reviews here: https://www.kelliwilkins.com/you-can-write-really

All three ebooks are available on Amazon and other platforms. I hope you’ll check them out and give the ideas and suggestions a try in the new year.

And if you’re looking for great fiction reads in romance, horror, or sci-fi, you can find my full title list on my site www.KelliWilkins.com or Amazon page: https://www.amazon.com/Kelli-A.-Wilkins/e/B001JSAB24

Wishing you a happy and healthy New Year!

Kelli A. Wilkins

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kelli A Wilkins

Kelli A. Wilkins is an award-winning author who has published more than 100 short stories, 20+ romance novels, 7 non-fiction books, and 5 horror ebooks. Her romances span many genres and settings, and she likes to scare readers with her horror stories.

Her novel, In Another World, was published in early 2022. This contemporary mystery/romance is set in the world of the paranormal.

She released two horror shorts, More Than I Bargained For and Silent Sentinel in 2021.

Follow Kelli on her Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKelliWilkins and visit her website/blog www.KelliWilkins.com for a full title list and social media links.

#BookTour “Fairy Grandmother Series” by Marie-Hélène LeBeault

Fairy Grandmother Series

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Fairy Grandmother: Millie Goes to Antarctica

Fairy Grandmother, book 1

Picture Book

Date Published: November 24, 2021

Publisher: Beaches and Trails Publishing

A sweet book full of adventure and wonder for kids of all ages!

Every Saturday, Millie spends the day at her grandmother’s house. There are
no toys and no TV, but it’s still the best part of her weekend. You see,
Grandma is actually a fairy! With a twirl of her magic spoon, she sends
Millie on exciting journeys to magical faraway places.

Don’t forget to claim your bonus content on the publisher’s website!

Available in English, French, German, Spanish, and Italian!

Kindle Unlimited

Purchase link

excerpt

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Fairy Grandmother: Millie Goes to the North Pole

Fairy Grandmother, book 2

Picture Book

Date Published: December 12, 2021

Publisher: Beaches and Trails Publishing

A delightful holiday book that’s sure to become a Christmas
tradition!

Every Saturday, Millie spends the day at her grandmother’s house. There are
no toys and no TV, but it’s still the best part of her weekend. You see,
Grandma is actually a fairy! With a twirl of her magic spoon, she sends
Millie on exciting journeys to magical faraway places.

This is the second book in the Fairy Grandmother Series. Books can be read
in any order.

Don’t forget to claim your bonus content on the publisher’s website!

Available in English, French, German, Spanish, and Italian!

Kindle Unlimited

Purchase link

north pole excerpt

~

Book Title: Fairy Grandmother: Millie Goes to China

Fairy Grandmother, book 3

Picture Book

Date Published: March 30, 2022

Publisher: Beaches and Trails Publishing

Join Millie on a new adventure!

Every Saturday, Millie spends the day at her grandmother’s house. There are
no toys and no TV, but it’s still the best part of her weekend. You see,
Grandma is actually a fairy! With a twirl of her magic spoon, she sends
Millie on exciting journeys to magical faraway places.

This is the third book in the Fairy Grandmother Series. Books can be read
in any order.

Don’t forget to claim your bonus content on the publisher’s website!

Available in English, French, German, Spanish, and Italian!

Kindle Unlimited

Purchase link

china excerpt

 ~

Book Title: Fairy Grandmother: Millie Goes to Africa

Fairy Grandmother, book 4

Picture Book

Date Published: September 1, 2022

Publisher: Beaches and Trails Publishing

Follow Millie to South Africa!

Every Saturday, Millie spends the day at her grandmother’s house. There are
no toys and no TV, but it’s still the best part of her weekend. You see,
Grandma is actually a fairy! With a twirl of her magic spoon, she sends
Millie on exciting journeys to magical faraway places.

This is the fourth book in the Fairy Grandmother Series. Books can be read
in any order.

Don’t forget to claim your bonus content on the publisher’s website!

Available in English, French, German, Spanish, and Italian!

Purchase link

africa excerpt

 ~

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About the Author

Marie-Hélène is a Canadian author. She writes young adult quest and adventure stories rooted in the world of fantasy, magic and time travel. With important coming of age lessons at the core of her writing, children and young adults alike will revel in the fantastical journeys of her characters. When not immersed in the worlds of magic and mystery, you’ll find Marie-Hélène hiking, cycling, or lying on the beach with a good book.

To date, Marie-Hélène has published two YA fantasy series, a standalone novel set in the Eastern Townships of Quebec, a speculative fiction short story anthology, four YA Ghost Stories, and a series of whimsical picture books for children aged 3 to 7. A retired teacher, she lives in Quebec, Canada with her children.

Contact Links

Website

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

LinkedIn

Goodreads

SoundCloud

TikTok

Bookbub

Discord

iBooks

Audible

Newsletter

Amazon Author Page

 

RABT Book Tours & PR

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#BookTour “The Canadian Beaver Lodge Assassins Association” by Jerry Cripe

Action/Adventure

Date Published: November 30, 2022

Publisher: Acorn Publishing

 

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On a routine delivery, courier Jaxy Thrie must ferry a priceless item—a Fabergé guardian angel once worn by the Empress Maria
Feodorovna—to a Russian heiress in British Columbia. Things get out of hand when Jaxy loses the valuable medallion. He finds himself in fast trouble with the Romanov Guild, who accuses him of theft. It falls on Jaxy to restore the national treasure to the Royal Museum while dodging bullets from a greedy band of robbers, the Mounties, and the Canadian Beaver Lodge Assassins Association.

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About the Author

A lifetime resident of California, Jerry moved to Santa Barbara after graduating from USC to work in the aerospace industry. Today, he designs night-vision cameras for everyday use.

In his free time, Jerry likes to write and use his musical talent to compose original scores for piano and guitar. After his first loves—song and storytelling—Jerry enjoys hiking, spending time in the garden, and baking sourdough bread.

 

 

 

Contact Link

Website

Instagram: @jerrycripewriter

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Purchase Links

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

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RABT Book Tours & PR

#BookTour “The Man Who Screams At Nightfall… and other stories” by Rush Leaming

The Man Who Screams At Nightfall… and other stories by Rush Leaming BannerJanuary 16 – February 10, 2023 Virtual Book Tour

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Synopsis:

The Man Who Screams At Nightfall… and other stories by Rush Leaming

Thailand. The Congo. Greece. Spain. America…

Four continents and 40+ years in the making.

The Man Who Screams At Nightfall is a landmark collection of short stories depicting a young man on a classic voyage of self-discovery, scouring the earth in search of some purpose in life.

From childhood to parenthood and everything in between—these tales are at times raw and unflinching, at other times poignant and moving.

Get ready for a literary journey unlike any you’ve experienced before.

WARNING: Some of these stories contain strong language, depictions of graphic violence, and sexual situations.

Praise for The Man Who Screams At Nightfall…and other stories:

“A powerful, gritty, and exquisitely written anthology —not to be missed.”

J. Miller, Reader’s Favorite

“A short story collection that excels in its sense of literary psychological growth and discovery. Libraries looking for interconnected short stories that represent life journeys and revelations will find The Man Who Screams At Nightfall…and other stories an appealing acquisition that promises much fodder for discussion to book club readers interested in fictional blends of psychological and social revelation.”

Midwest Book Review, D. Donovan

“Sharply observed, nuanced, precise, and morally challenging…”

“Leaming’s light hand with dialogue and keen sense of human psychology create a book that highlights weighty issues by putting a compassionate human face on human struggles. Sharp, inventive, and deeply moving: a fine literary collection.”

Book View

“Without a lengthy description of the characters, just enough to provide the imagery necessary to identify them, he catches and holds the reader’s attention like no other I’ve experienced in the hundreds of books and stories I’ve read over the years.”

Reader’s Favorite, L. Allen

Book Details:

Genre: Literary Fiction

Published by: Bridgewood Publishing

Publication Date: November 2022

Number of Pages: 150

ISBN: 0999745670 (ISBN-13: 9780999745670)

Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads

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Read an excerpt:

…I could see the glow of a fire up ahead of us, and as we reached the mango tree, Pumbu motioned for me to stay low and follow him along a small wall of honeysuckle bushes. We crouched down, and from our hiding place, I saw Kachamba furiously pacing back and forth in his yard in front of a small bonfire. He swung his arms wildly in the air as if he was fighting off something that was falling on him. He dropped to his knees and then suddenly sprang three feet off the ground. Then he began to dance, swaying and spinning his body so close to the fire that I was certain he was going to fall in. All the while he screamed and shouted deep into the empty black night.

He spoke in a dialect that I couldn’t understand, so I had to ask Pumbu to tell me what he was saying. I asked him many questions: Why was he doing this? Who was he speaking to? Was he drunk? What was going on? Pumbu patiently explained to me that no, he was not drunk, and that he really didn’t know who he was speaking to, but that Kachamba’s wife had left him a few years ago, run off with another man and taken their children, and that ever since, he had not been right in the head. He was not from this village and had been kicked out of all the other places he had lived. He came here only because Kachamba’s father, the chief of Kitengo’s uncle, had once saved the life of the chief’s father (Kachamba’s uncle) and so the chief had to let him stay to repay that old favor. It was all very complicated, Pumbu said, and he didn’t fully understand it himself.

I was hardly listening, instead transfixed and horrified by what I saw. Spinning, swirling, shouting, and screaming—Kachamba’s face, so calm and happy as I had seen it earlier that day, was now knotted and twisted like a grotesque carnival mask, like some gargoyle sprung from the lowest depths of hell. The glow of the fire cut fierce shadows and gorges in his face, adding to the haunting vision that I saw.

For a long while, Pumbu and I hid behind the honeysuckle bushes and watched Kachamba shriek and wail and try to push back the night, until suddenly, all at once, he just stopped. Suddenly, he just stood still and quiet and stared at the sky. I followed his gaze and saw another shooting star. When I looked back, Kachamba had disappeared.

“Is that it?” I asked.

“That’s it,” said Pumbu. “He usually only does this for an hour or so.”

“And he does this every night?”

“Almost,” said Pumbu and yawned. “Mmm. I’m tired. I think I am going to go home.”

We left the bushes, went past the mango tree, and said good night. I walked home alone, both exhilarated and troubled by what I had seen.

I entered my room and prepared for bed, but long after I had extinguished my petrol lantern, I lay there staring into the darkness. I couldn’t sleep. I tossed and turned. It wasn’t that unusual—I noticed that it had been happening a lot lately, that I couldn’t sleep. I got up and found the bottle of Johnnie Walker and knocked back a tall glass until at last I was floating, and at last, my eyes did shut…

***

Excerpt from The Man Who Screams At Nightfall… and other stories by Rush Leaming. Copyright 2022 by Rush Leaming. Reproduced with permission from Rush Leaming. All rights reserved.

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Author Bio:

Rush Leaming

RUSH LEAMING has done many things including spending 15+ years in film/video production working on such projects as The Lord of the Rings films. His first novel, Don’t Go, Ramanya, a political thriller set in Thailand, was published in the fall of 2016. His second novel followed suit in the summer of 2018, entitled The Whole of the Moon, set in the Congo at the end of the Cold War. 2021 saw the 5-star reception of his crime thriller Dead Tree Tales. His short stories have appeared in Notations, 67 Press, Lightwave, 5k Fiction, and The Electric Eclectic.

He has lived in New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Zaire, Thailand, Spain, Greece, South Carolina, England, and Kenya.

Catch Up With Rush:
LeamingRush.wixsite.com/Nightfall
Goodreads
BookBub – @RushLeaming
Instagram – @RushLeaming
Twitter – @LeamingRush
Facebook – @RushLeamingStories

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Tour Participants:

Visit these other great hosts on this tour for more great reviews, interviews, guest posts, and giveaway entries!

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ENTER TO WIN!

This is a giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Tours for Rush Leaming. See the widget for entry terms and conditions. Void where prohibited.

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Get More Great Reads at Partners In Crime Tours

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#BookTour “Dark of Night” by Colleen Coble

January 9-February 3, 2023 Virtual Book Tour

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Synopsis:

 

The law is about justice—not grace. But perhaps ranger Annie Pederson can find a way to have both.

As if the last few months haven’t been hard enough—complete with threats on her life and the return of her first love, Jon—Annie has to figure out whether or not to believe a woman who claims to be her sister, Sarah, who was abducted twenty-four years ago at age five. Annie’s eight-year-old daughter, Kylie, has plenty of questions about what’s going on in her mother’s life—but there are some stones Annie doesn’t want uncovered. As Annie grapples with how to heal the gulf between her and her would-be sister and make room in her daughter’s life for Jon, she’s professionally distracted by the case of yet another missing hiker in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. A woman named Michelle Fraser has now been abducted, and though the woman’s estranged husband is at the top of their suspect list, Annie and her colleagues will need to dig deeper and determine whether these recent mysteries are truly as unrelated as they seem.

In this second novel of bestselling author Colleen Coble’s latest romantic-suspense series, Annie and Jon must fight for the future—and the family—that could once more be theirs.

Book Details:

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Published by: Thomas Nelson

Publication Date: January 2023

Number of Pages: 352

ISBN: 0785253742 (ISBN13: 9780785253747)

Series: Annie Pederson #2

Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | ChristianBook | Goodreads

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Read an excerpt:

Chapter 1

Should she even be out here alone? Michigan’s U.P. was a whole lotta wilderness. Michelle Fraser’s shoulder blades gave a tingle and made her glance back to see if anyone was following her. No one there. But in spite of seeing no movement in the trees and bushes, she couldn’t discount her gut instinct. She’d been spooked ever since she left the safety of the women’s shelter.

Maybe it was just knowing she was out here with no backup that had her on edge.

The heavy scent of rain hung in the twilight air as she set the last of her wildlife cameras in the crook of a large sugar maple tree. A northern flying squirrel chattered a warning from its nest. The glaucomys sabrinus’s agitation made Michelle pull away in time to avoid being nipped.

Thunder rumbled in the distance, and a spooky mist blew through the forest. The sooner she was out of here, the better. Her last set of cameras hadn’t turned up the elusive mountain lions she’d been searching for, but a hunter in neighboring Ontonagon County had snapped a picture of a large male reclining on a rock. If she could acquire more data, it would aid her research for the magazine article proving mountain lions inhabited the area. And she had to have pictures.

She’d been obsessed with big cats for as long as she could remember. Even the various names held a fascinating mystique: catamount, puma, cougar, mountain lion, panther.

A mosquito landed on her arm, and she swatted it. Her hands came away with a drop of blood on her fingers. Yuck. She wiped the residue on her khaki shorts and turned to go back to her ATV. A sound erupted to her right, and it sounded like either a puma or a woman’s scream. The hair on her neck prickled, and she moved that way.

The scream pealed again, and she removed the lens cap on the camera slung around her neck. Her palms dampened, and her breath came fast. Walking toward danger might not be the smartest thing, but Michelle couldn’t help herself. She yearned to see a puma in the wild in all its power and beauty. Her knees shook as she pulled out a bullhorn from her backpack to frighten away the cat if it sensed her as prey.

Queen pumas would be protecting their litters in June, so she needed to be careful. Her lungs labored as she rushed in that direction. Her black belt in jujitsu wouldn’t do much against the speed and power of a puma. She seized a large branch to make herself seem bigger as she advanced through the forest. Evergreen needles clawed at her arms as she forced her way through a thick stand of white pine.

She paused on the other side and caught the glimmer of water. Lake Superior’s waves lapped at the rocky shore, and she spotted a yellow kayak riding the swells in the shallow surf. A discarded backpack bobbed beside it.

Her sense of unease grew as she observed the scene. Glancing around, she approached the water and snagged the backpack from the lake, then pulled the kayak onto the rocks. Her gut told her someone was in trouble.

Should she call out? If it was wildlife threatening the woman she thought she’d heard, Michelle could scare it off with a flare. But if the attacker was human, she didn’t want to give away her presence and put the woman in greater danger. She scanned the area for bear or cougar scat but found nothing.

The sound of oars slapping the water came from her left, and she ducked back into the shadow of the pines until she could tell the intent of the boaters. Two figures partially shrouded in mist paddled a large canoe around a rocky finger of the shore. The glimpse of broad shoulders through the fog indicated they were probably men. She strained to listen through the sound of the wind and water but couldn’t hear much.

She couldn’t put her finger on why she didn’t want them to see her. Maybe because they were men, and Brandon might have sent them after her.

“I know she ran this way. Trying to get to her kayak, eh.” The man’s heavy Yooper accent carried well over the water.

“Can’t see her through this mist,” the other man said. “I don’t know why I let you talk me into this. Your love life isn’t my business.”

“You owe me. Let’s try on down the shore. There’s a deer trail toward the road she might have tried to take.”

Their voices faded as their canoe moved past. She didn’t get a good look at their faces. Was a woman out there trying to escape an abusive ex? Michelle had seen plenty of that kind of trauma this past year and had experienced abuse personally.

Once they were out of sight, she stepped back into the clearing. “Hello,” she called softly. “Is anyone here? I can help you.”

She walked across the green mossy clearing, searching for a sign of an injured woman. The bushes to her left shivered and rustled, and she stepped closer. “Hello? Do you need help?”

The leaves parted as the mist swirled along the ground, and the pale oval of a woman’s face emerged. Long blonde hair hung in strings along her cheeks, and her eyelids fluttered as though she might faint. Michelle rushed forward and helped the young woman to her feet. She was in her early twenties with a slight build. Mud smeared her khaki shorts and red top, and she was barefoot.

She seemed familiar, and Michelle reached down to touch her forehead. She nearly recoiled at the heat radiating from the young woman. “Wait, aren’t you Grace Mitchell?”

They’d met when Grace first arrived at the shelter, but Michelle hadn’t immediately recognized her with the mud and dirt on her face and hair. The woman’s fever alarmed Michelle. “You’re burning up. We need to get you to a doctor.”

“I-I’ll be fine. Do you have some way out of here?”

“My ATV is this way.” Michelle put her right arm around the woman’s waist and helped her stumble toward the trail. “What are you doing out here?”

Grace paused and wiped the beads of perspiration from her forehead. “I spotted my ex driving past the shelter, and I knew he’d found me. That day we met, you mentioned a remote area you liked with a great camping spot, and I decided to try to find it. You know, hide out until I figured out where to go to get away from Roy. But I stopped by to get camping gear from my parents, and he must have followed me here. He’s out there somewhere. He and a buddy.” Her blue eyes flashed with fear. “I can’t let him find me.”

They reached the ATV, and Michelle got Grace situated, but it was a tight squeeze on the vehicle meant for one person. Michelle got water out of her backpack and helped Grace drink some. She grabbed her phone, too, and took a quick photo of the traumatized girl before she dropped it back into the pack.

Michelle started the machine and pulled out onto the trail back to the cabin where she’d been hiding out. She should have gotten out of here earlier since the weather had caused darkness to fall sooner than expected. It would be slow going on the rough trail with only the headlamps pushing the darkness back a short distance.

After only a few minutes, Michelle realized she’d gotten off the trail. She stopped the machine and looked around. Which way should she go? She consulted her compass and decided to push due west. They’d only gone a few feet when the ground gave out under the machine, and they went flying into the air. When Michelle hit the ground, something in her right leg snapped, and the excruciating pain was instantaneous.

She bit back a scream but couldn’t stop the moan as she pulled her knee to her chest. The swelling was already starting four inches above her ankle, but at least it didn’t appear to be a compound fracture. “I-I’ve broken my leg. Are you all right, Grace?”

When Grace didn’t answer, Michelle felt along the ground until she touched her thigh. “Grace?” She felt up the young woman’s body to her face.

Grace wasn’t breathing. “Oh no,” Michelle whispered. She checked her out in the dark as best as she could. No pulse.

Michelle dragged herself to the machine but it was on its side, and she couldn’t right it with her broken leg. No one would be searching for her out here, so she had to find shelter. But how?

The pain made it hard to think. She froze at the sound of movement in the vegetation. Something big was crashing toward her. A deer? A mountain lion or bear?

A man’s shoulders moved into sight, and his expression sent shivers up her spine. When he reached down to lift her up, the pain intensified in her leg, and her vision went black.

///

Law enforcement ranger Annie Pederson sat at a table by herself in the small interrogation room at the Rock Harbor jail and waited for Taylor Moore to be brought in for questioning. Maybe it was Annie’s imagination, but it seemed as if the beige paint on the walls reeked with the guilt and despair of countless years of interrogations. Even the clean scent of the disinfectant used in the area didn’t dissipate the unpleasantness. She didn’t like this space and wished she could have talked to Taylor at the coffee shop or somewhere more pleasant.

But this meeting might be the end of her lifelong search, so she would have faced even tigers in this place.

The door opened and Taylor entered. Several weeks ago Annie had hired her to help out around the Tremolo Marina and Cabin Resort and with Annie’s eight-year-old daughter, but the woman had been picked up for questioning about the necklace found belonging to a murdered girl. Her claim to be Annie’s sister, Sarah—kidnapped from Tremolo Island twenty-four years ago—had turned Annie’s every thought on its head. According to Taylor’s ID, she was twenty-nine, three years younger than Annie, so that detail matched Sarah.

Annie’s heart squeezed at Taylor’s ducked head and stringy locks. The bright-red hair dye was fading, and glints of her natural blonde color showed through. Her jeans and tee looked like she’d slept in them for days, and the scent of stale perspiration wafted from her.

Taylor glanced up, and Annie bit back a gasp at the defiance gleaming in those vivid blue eyes that matched Annie’s eye color instead of the muddy brown Annie was used to. Jon Dunstan had claimed Taylor was wearing contacts to change her eye color, and it seemed he was right.

Annie had prided herself on her ability to read people in her line of work. She’d always thought she could detect a liar with no problem. Taylor had completely snowed her. After Taylor’s impeccable references, Annie had trusted the woman with her child.

Sheriff Mason Kaleva ambled in behind Taylor. He gestured to the chair across the table from Annie. “Have a seat, Ms. Moore.”

In his forties, his husky form brought solace to Annie. He’d always been there for her and his town, and his kind brown eyes swept over her in a questioning gaze. She gave him a little nod to let him know she was okay.

Taylor’s eyes narrowed. “It’s Ms. Vitanen. Sarah Vitanen.”

A wave of dizziness washed over Annie, and she bit her lip and eyed Taylor closely. “You claim to be my sister, but do you have any proof?”

The chair screeched on the tile floor as Taylor pulled it out before she plopped onto it. “I should have expected you wouldn’t welcome me with open arms. After all, you did nothing to stop my abduction.”

Heat swept up Annie’s neck and lodged in her cheeks. “What could an eight-year-old do to stop an adult? If you’re really Sarah, what was the name of your favorite stuffed animal?”

“Cocoa,” Taylor said without hesitation. “It was a brown kitten. I couldn’t have a real one because Mom was allergic.”

Annie’s eyes widened. She caught her breath as she studied the other woman across the table. “Let me see your left knee.”

Rebellion flashed in Taylor’s blue eyes, and she leaned down to yank up her baggy jeans, then stood with her tanned knee exposed. A faded two-inch scar just below her kneecap matched the one in Annie’s memory. Sarah had gotten snagged on a large metal hook under the dock at the marina. It had taken fifteen stitches to close the wound, and Annie had helped her sister hobble around for several weeks.

But was that proof? Kids had scars from all sorts of things. She wanted to believe her sister was still alive, but was Taylor really Sarah?

Her breath eased from her lips, and Annie couldn’t speak for a long moment. “You really believe you’re Sarah? Did you research all that and make sure the details matched?”

Taylor just stared back at her with that same defiance. In Annie’s dreams, finding Sarah meant a tight embrace and happy tears, but Taylor’s stance with her arms folded across her chest and her jutting chin warned Annie off any displays of affection. Not that she was feeling any warmth toward the other woman in this moment.

When the other woman plopped back in her chair and didn’t answer, Annie licked her lips. “Why didn’t you tell me when you first showed up looking for work? Why the fake name? I’ve been searching for my sister for years.”

“Have you? Have you really?”

Annie glanced at Mason. “Ask him if you don’t believe me.”

Mason shifted his bulky form and nodded. “I’ve been helping Annie search. We’ve sent DNA samples numerous times over the past ten years. Her parents searched for Sarah, and even hired investigators, until their deaths.”

Annie hadn’t known that. Her parents’ business, the Tremolo Marina and Cabin Resort, operated on a shoestring, so they must have taken much needed money to try to find Sarah.

Annie shifted her gaze back to the woman across the table. Taylor twisted a strand of hair around her finger in a coil. Sarah used to do that too. If this was a scam, it was an elaborate one. With all her heart Annie wanted to believe it, but she couldn’t quite accept it. It was so sudden, and the circumstances were bizarre.

Mason cleared his throat. “We’ll need a little more proof. We can get the DNA back in a week or so.”

“I have nothing to hide,” the other woman said.

Annie had spent twenty-four years agonizing over her failure to save Sarah. The guilt had nearly swallowed her alive, though everyone told her she couldn’t have done anything. Until a few days ago, she hadn’t been able to recall much about that awful night. Maybe she hadn’t wanted to remember how she froze in fear when the kidnapper grabbed Sarah.

Annie fingered the scar on her neck where the attacker had wounded her with a knife. She’d been left for dead in the cold waters of Lake Superior, and while logically she knew she was no match for the gruff woman who’d snatched her sister, Annie had struggled to believe it.

“Were any of the things you told me about your life true? Those things you said about your m-mother?”

“I had a rotten life, if that’s what you’re asking. All those things I said about my mother were true. And it was all your fault.”

There was nothing Annie could say to counter that when her own conscience condemned her too. She was only too glad when her boss, Kade Matthews, texted her with a new case. Mason could continue the questioning about the necklace.

***

Excerpt from Dark of Night by Colleen Coble. Copyright 2022 by Colleen Coble. Reproduced with permission from HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.

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Author Bio:

Colleen Coble

Colleen Coble is a USA TODAY bestselling author best known for her coastal romantic suspense novels, including The Inn at Ocean’s Edge, Twilight at Blueberry Barrens, and the Lavender Tides, Sunset Cove, Hope Beach, and Rock Harbor series.

Connect with Colleen online at:

colleencoble.com

Goodreads

BookBub: @colleencoble

Instagram: @colleencoble

Twitter: @colleencoble

Facebook: colleencoblebooks

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#BookTour “Accursed Son (The Martyr’s Vow Book 1)” by Eric Avedissian

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    The Martyr’s Vow Series, Book 1

Urban Fantasy / Horror

To Be Published: 12-12-2022

Publisher: Shadow Spark Publishing

 

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Armand Tarkanian is trapped in the ultimate dead-end job: embalming decedents under his abusive uncle’s watchful eye. Every day he goes through the motions, making death look beautiful while his life is anything but.

A car accident leaves him indebted to Berj, a mysterious man with rune-carved gold teeth and a penchant for worshipping old gods. Blackmailed and desperate, Armand feels more trapped than he was under his uncle’s thumb. But the embalmer harbors his own dark secret, a bloodline curse that allows him to communicate with the dead.

When the spirits show him how they were murdered, Armand must choose between fealty to the sadistic and manipulative Berj, or joining the Legion of the Lamb, a monster-hunting biker gang with their own agenda. What began as a dangerous game between secret societies has led Armand on a frightening quest to save the only family he’s ever known and a chance to get closer to the rebellious misfits who saved him.

 Heartfelt and provocative, Accursed Son is a story featuring generational
clashes, found families, and the rewards of tempting fate.

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EXCERPT

CHAPTER 1

THE DAMNED FAMILY

If most people knew the particulars of my career, they’d crawl back into their stuffy cubicles or retail hells and thank their lucky stars they don’t have to do what I do for a living.

For me, every day is the same. Only the bodies change.

Today it’s Mr. Haroutunian’s turn.

When I’m done with him, the former grandfather and insurance salesman sprawled on my porcelain table will look fabulous. That’s my unwritten guarantee.

My name is Armand Tarkanian, and I embalm corpses.

Not the greatest gig, but it’s the only one I know.

Of course, Mr. Haroutunian won’t look fabulous if I don’t focus on the work, so I manipulate the hose and soak him thoroughly, wetting his face, ears, and mouth. I clip the hose to the table with a suction cup and wash the rest of the body, giving Mr. Haroutunian one last shower. My gloved hands then massage his hairy arms and legs, easing the rigor mortis until those gray, lifeless limbs are pliable.

Feature-setting comes next. Plastic eye caps resembling pointy contact lenses slide over Mr. Haroutunian’s eyes, pinning them closed. I inject needles into the gums and wire his jaw shut so his mouth doesn’t flop open. He almost looks serene, like the old gent is napping.

I make a small incision above his collarbone with a scalpel and dissect the fascia with surgical instruments called aneurysm hooks, until I locate the jugular vein and carotid artery. I cut into both, then slip one end of a flexible tube into the carotid artery and attach the other to an embalming machine. A second tube runs from the jugular vein into a nearby sink. The machine clicks softly as it pumps a solution of formaldehyde, humectants, plasticizers, and dyes through Mr. Haroutunian. His blood cascades into the sink like a gurgling cranberry juice river.

Mr. Haroutunian’s pale skin blooms into a pinkish, life-like hue—though he remains quite dead.

It’s a beautiful and slightly disturbing transformation. I’m like a magician resurrecting the dead, except my magic is a cheap illusion. Smoke and mirrors. I preserve inanimate flesh for burial or cremation, nothing more.

Death isn’t pretty until I make it so.

Uncle George stands behind me, supervising my work like a teacher peering over a mischievous student’s shoulder. Drawn-faced, with hollow eyes and a wiry mustache, he resembles an old-timey silent movie villain.

“I knew Haroutunian from church,” Uncle George says in the driest way possible, a dull monotone he’s perfected. “We went way back. His viewing and funeral are tomorrow. The family spared no expense. Flowers have been coming in all day.”

I wipe the front and back of my hands on my polyethylene gown. “Since they spared no expense, maybe a bit of a pay raise is in the cards?” I nudge.

“You know money is tight, Armand,” Uncle George tells me. “We all have to make sacrifices.”

I pull the nitrile gloves from my sweaty hands and drop them in the trashcan.

“Sacrifices are all I make.” I sound exhausted, defeated. “Day in and day out, I’m burning my candle at both ends while you handle things upstairs. I could work in the office with you.”

“The office?” Uncle George stares at me like I sprouted another head. “Upstairs is not for you. What I do is delicate. Administration and bereavement counseling. It’s a skill—not a thing you learn in your,” – he makes a series of dismissive hand gestures — “school classes. You’re either good with people or you’re not. And Armand, you’re not good with people. No. You belong here, in the embalming room.”

“If I can’t grow here, then what’s the point?” I tell him. “Thirtysix years I’ve been cooped up in this town. Doing the same job isn’t healthy. I want to leave Fresno and discover what else is out there.”

Uncle George’s face wrinkles like he’s sucking a lemon. “Leave your family? This is where you belong.” He levels a stare my way. “I pay for your student loans, and I put you up in my house. Your life is pretty good here. A little gratitude won’t kill you.”

“I’ve given you nothing but gratitude,” I reply. “I’ve given you respect. All I want is for someone to listen to me.”

“You’re just having a bad day,” Uncle George tells me.

“Bad day? I’m broke! Between you charging me rent and paying my student loans from my salary, I’m practically an indentured servant,” I reply.

“I pay you just fine.”

“Not enough to save. How can I buy a car or leave Fresno?”

He dismisses my concerns with another hand wave. “You know what your problem is, Armand? You want to work in the office, you want to leave Fresno, and you want to get paid more. You can’t commit to one thing.”

“I’ve been committed to this,” I say. “I’ve been committing the hell out of this for years.”

“And you’ll continue to commit,” Uncle George’s voice is sharper than the scalpel I used to cut open Mr. Haroutunian. “As long as you’re a Tarkanian, you’re a team player.”

“Yes, sir,” I reply, then attend to the best and deadest insurance salesman in Fresno.

If only I had picked the garden trowel during Agra Hadig, my life would’ve been different.

When an Armenian baby gets its first tooth, the family drapes a veil over the teething baby’s head and showers it with pelted wheat. After much fanfare, the bewildered infant is placed in front of a series of objects and is made to choose one. The first thing baby picks determines their future profession.

Choose money, and you’ll be a banker. Pick the hammer, and you’re a builder. Scissors predict a tailor or seamstress, while a knife foretells a surgeon or doctor. Grab a book, and you’re a teacher, or a pencil for an exciting writer’s life.

That’s the Agra Hadig ceremony. Fatalism at its finest.

My mother once told me that my father wanted me to follow in his footsteps and become a farmer, so he carefully positioned a garden trowel in front of me. But someone casually discarded a toy motorcycle on the floor, and that’s what I picked instead.

Dad seized the motorcycle from my stubby little baby hands and forced me to select something else. He said no son of his would suffer the vulgar indignities that comes with riding a motorcycle. My second choice was a knife, and as far as the family was concerned, fate chose me for Uncle George’s funeral home.

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About the Author


Eric Avedissian is an adjunct professor and speculative fiction author. He lives in New Jersey with his wife and a ridiculous number of books. When not chained to his writing desk, he hikes the Pinelands and wastes too much time on social media.

Accursed Son is his first novel.

Visit him online at http://www.ericavedissian.com and on Twitter: @angryreporter.

Contact Links

Website

Instagram

Twitter

Goodreads 

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Purchase Link

Amazon

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RABT Book Tours & PR

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#BookTour “Domestic Violence: A Thriller” by Chuck Edmonds

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Fiction/Thriller

Date Published: December 13, 2022

Publisher: Acorn Publishing

 

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Agnew, a small farming community in south-central Texas, has just been obliterated in the nation’s worst rail accident in history. The
President of the United States enlists cybersecurity expert, Mike Paxton, to lead the investigation and determine who is to blame.

As Mike seeks to uncover the truth behind the attack, more weapons of mass destruction are unleashed across the country in what appears to be an attempt to eradicate western society. Those who survive are forced into a near-apocalyptic existence: transportation, manufacturing, agricultural, and oil industries crumble, and economic collapse devastates America.

With time and resources running out, Mike must discover the cruel forces at play. Are these violent attacks merely a ploy to preoccupy the American government so a larger, global plan can be carried out without the threat of intervention by America’s powerful military defense? Will Mike and his team be able to stop them before it’s too late? Or will the United States lose all hope of maintaining its status as the most powerful country
in the world?

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About the Author

Chuck Edmonds is a scientific writer whose military experience includes the evaluation of weapons of mass destruction. Most recently, his work has focused on mechanical circulatory support systems (partial and total
artificial hearts), his field of specialization at one of the nation’s leading cardiac centers. His research has appeared in national medical and surgical journals. He draws from his background of deep scientific knowledge to create his fictional works, which often incorporate apocalyptic and war themes.

Chuck and his wife live in Houston, Texas, where they enjoy spending as much time as possible with their kids and grandkids. 

 

Contact Link

Goodreads

Twitter: @chuckedmondsauthor

Instagram

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Purchase Links

Amazon

B&N

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#NewRelease “The Dragon’s Dedication (Peridot Dragon Shifter Brothers Book 2)” by Marie Johnston

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Cricket

I met my husband at the wedding reception for my ex-boyfriend and my boss. I’ve only known Maverick for hours, yet I have a shiny gold ring on my finger. That’s Las Vegas for you. An annulment would be the prudent idea, but Maverick makes it so easy to stay. So easy to say yes and run to some small town in the woods with him. I didn’t know how much my decision would change my life.

Maverick

I plan to keep my new wife. Nothing ever felt so right, but between her overprotective brother and the fact that I’m a dragon shifter, it’s going to be hard not only to just to stay married, but get her to mate me. And when I tell her what I am, I can’t let her go. Keeping Cricket is my only option. But when I bring her home, there’s someone who’s not happy about our Vegas wedding.

Kindle Unlimited

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#PreOrder “A Sly and Sinister Tail: A Talking Cat Cozy Mystery (A Sassy Sarcastic Cat Cozy Mystery)” by Rachel Woods

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A sinking career. A savage crime. Solving cases isn’t easy when the cat’s got your tongue…

St. Mateo, the Caribbean Islands. Sophie Carter’s head is stuck in the tropical clouds. Desperate to keep her job, the underachieving reporter’s last-ditch homicide assignment turns into a nightmare when someone swipes her notebook and a scratch from an angry calico puts her in the hospital. And after she wakes from a three-day coma to discover the fussy feline can talk, they investigate the supposed thief… only to find the poor woman DOA.

Shaken when she’s pinned as the prime suspect, Sophie and her chatty companion vow to clear her name and write the real killer into a handcuffed headline. But in between steaming mugs of mango tea and worrying her cat conversations are a sign of insanity, a string of attacks have this amateur sleuth fearing she could end up in the obituaries.

Unable to trust her mind, can Sophie catch the culprit before she’s viewing paradise from behind bars?

A Sly and Sinister Tail is the enchanting first novel in A Sassy Sarcastic Cat Cozy Mystery Series. If you like quirky characters, oceanfront vistas, and whiskered companions, then you’ll love Rachel Woods’ whimsical whodunit.

Buy A Sly and Sinister Tail to get this puzzle licked today!

Releases January 31st!

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Kindle Unlimited

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