Day: March 27, 2018

What Fiction Classifications Can Tell You About Your Readers

~ Felicia Denise

fiction-classifications

by Andrea Lundgren

You can’t always tell who’s going to pick up your story and read it. Sometimes, readers are unpredictable. Those who don’t read your genre may stumble upon it and read it anyways, and what speaks to one person won’t to another.

But you can tell some things about your own story based on the fiction classification. This isn’t a genre-thing, but more a flavor of the story based on character, plot, and description, and it can tell you something about why someone would pick up your story. Not all readers read for the same reason, and sometimes, a reader who generally favors one kind of fiction may want another kind as a change of pace.

via What Fiction Classifications Can Tell You About Your Readers

“Everybody’s Son” by Thrity Umrigar

~ Felicia Denise ~ 1 Comment

Cover

Everybody’s Son

by Thrity Umrigar

Genre: Historical Fiction/Literary Fiction/African-American/Asian

1.99 at time of posting!

The bestselling, critically acclaimed author of The Space Between Us and The World We Found deftly explores issues of race, class, privilege, and power and asks us to consider uncomfortable moral questions in this probing, ambitious, emotionally wrenching novel of two families—one black, one white.

During a terrible heat wave in 1991—the worst in a decade—ten-year-old Anton has been locked in an apartment in the projects, alone, for seven days, without air conditioning or a fan. With no electricity, the refrigerator and lights do not work. Hot, hungry, and desperate, Anton shatters a window and climbs out. Cutting his leg on the broken glass, he is covered in blood when the police find him.

Juanita, his mother, is discovered in a crack house less than three blocks away, nearly unconscious and half-naked. When she comes to, she repeatedly asks for her baby boy. She never meant to leave Anton—she went out for a quick hit and was headed right back, until her drug dealer raped her and kept her high. Though the bond between mother and son is extremely strong, Anton is placed with child services while Juanita goes to jail.

The Harvard-educated son of a US senator, Judge David Coleman is a scion of northeastern white privilege. Desperate to have a child in the house again after the tragic death of his teenage son, David uses his power and connections to keep his new foster son, Anton, with him and his wife, Delores—actions that will have devastating consequences in the years to come.

Following in his adopted family’s footsteps, Anton, too, rises within the establishment. But when he discovers the truth about his life, his birth mother, and his adopted parents, this man of the law must come to terms with the moral complexities of crimes committed by the people he loves most.

 

Amazon button

 

Finding Your (Literary) Voice

~ Felicia Denise

literary-voice

by Michael Mohr

 

Finding your literary “voice” in writing is tough, no question. So much of it is organic, visceral, from within. What does that mean? Well, basically it means that you’re not likely to “find your voice” from an MFA class or from a writing seminar or from a writing conference or from a book focusing on voice. All the above mentioned certainly can help. But to truly find your voice, if “find” is really the most accurate word (I’d say “discover”), it’s really more about your confidence, your life experience, and your sense of self as it relates to the world.

For me, I spent years and years and years learning to land on a/my voice. In my early-mid twenties, after reading Jack Kerouac’s epic autobiographical saga, On the Road, I, too, needed to transcend the mundane and ordinary and hitchhike across the country.

 

via Finding Your (Literary) Voice

“Snowbound” by Kim Golden

~ Felicia Denise ~ Leave a comment

cover

Snowbound

by Kim Golden

Genre: Romance/Multicultural/Holidays

99¢ at time of posting!

Meet Mia Wilkinson.
Mia Wilkinson doesn’t feel very thankful right now, despite it being Thanksgiving. She’s just found out her married boyfriend has no intention of leaving his wife. She heads north to her deceased grandmother’s house in a small town in Vermont. But her plans for a solitary Christmas don’t go as planned—especially when a gorgeous South African photographer shows up on her doorstep.

And then there’s Jake Groenewald…
Jake’s come to Hunters Grove to get over losing his best friend and colleague to the atrocities of war. The last thing he expects is to have his life turned upside down by Mia and her Rules of Cohabitation. And falling in love is definitely not on his agenda.

Will a little snow help them along the way?

 

Amazon Button

“Sophomore Slump” by Alan Lee

~ Felicia Denise ~ Leave a comment

cover

Sophomore Slump (An Action Mystery (Mackenzie August series) Book 1)

by Alan Lee

Genre: Mystery & Suspense/Crime/Private Investigator

FREE at time of posting!

Mackenzie August is a private investigator, and the first client at his new office is a knock out. Trouble is, she’s also the Sheriff…

A dangerous criminal has moved into Mackenzie’s hometown, and to help identify him the Sheriff wants Mackenzie to accept a job teaching at an inner city high school. He’ll be a bull in a china shop, so to speak. A china shop full of angry gang members…

Amazon KU

“Her Unexpected Life (Treasures of Briarton Book 1)” by Brickley Jules

~ Felicia Denise ~ 3 Comments

Her Unexpected Life cover

Her Unexpected Life (Treasures of Briarton Book 1)

by Brickley Jules

Genre: Women’s Fiction/Romance

2.99 at time of posting!

Valerie Cooper is set on a path she would have never dreamed when her husband, Curtis, suddenly leaves her. After Curtis makes it clear the separation won’t come easy, she befriends Luke Flynn, a fellow parent from their kids’ soccer team. He helps her keep her sanity as she navigates the obstacles on the way to her new life. In return, Luke may be asking for more than just her friendship, and Valerie will need to decide if that’s what she wants, or if it’s too much too soon.

Amazon button~~~~~

Felicia’s Review

October 30, 2016

4/5 Stars!

Welcome to Briarton!

The trauma of divorce is never easy even when you can see it coming. To have it thrown at you from left field…by text message…is unthinkable. But this is what happens to Valerie Cooper. With her life suddenly thrown in upheaval, Valerie seeks to keep her head above water … and her sanity intact.

This well-developed read captures another side of the spitefulness of divorce, and the devastation it leaves in its wake. What Valerie first believes to be a joke, turns into a nightmare. Soon-to-be-ex-husband, Curtis, has not only left her, he’s moved in with another woman. The devoted stay-at-home mom beats herself up for not seeing the signs of trouble in her marriage. Or did she see them and convince herself otherwise? I lean towards the latter, because Valerie Cooper is simply too nice … and it’s a problem … for her and for me.

Without trying to, and without realizing that she has, Valerie has pushed everything out of her life except for her husband and kids, and extended family. She’s built a wonderful home life for her family, and loves nothing better than chauffeuring her girls around to their activities. The only thing Valerie has for herself is her love of writing and dreams of becoming a published author. But, now that Curtis has walked away, Valerie realizes just how ‘empty’ her life is. Pushing her dreams to the back burner, Valerie brainstorms on how to support her girls, Paige and Amelia, who are far more intuitive than Valerie gives them credit for. Still, Valerie, with the best of intentions…and for all the wrong reasons…chooses to keep the impending divorce from the girls until the end of the school year.

And this is when the fight breaks out between me and Valerie.

Slimy, arrogant, scum-sucking Curtis has waltzed on to his new life, told Valerie she, their girls and everything connected with them are no longer good enough for him and his new woman, and yet …she still allows him to control her life!!! She cannot tell anyone about his leaving or the eventual divorce until HE’S ready! And Valerie AGREES! WTH? I wanted to scream! I think I did scream…for women and the sisterhood everywhere! I have respect for Valerie, and I do not dislike her, but how many times must you be kicked in the face before you fight back?

Valerie would take two steps forward; slime ball Curtis would show up and send her four steps back. To be fair, and in her defense, I honestly don’t believe Valerie knew HOW to fight back. She had great running internal monologues, but the only ones that came to fruition were the “mom outfits” – dressing ‘down’ and plain to keep her sexy new friend, Luke, from becoming interested in her. Those scenes made me laugh out loud! Luke is a good as Curtis is bad, yet Luke has revealed his past transgressions to Valerie. Will he revert to his old ways if she allows him into her life?

Luke becomes a good friend to Valerie, partly because she doesn’t have any, and partly because of his own past. He does what he can to make her situation less stressful, but of course, good old Val is her own worst enemy, and exacerbates the drama every time. When slime ball Curtis is seen out and about town TWICE with his new woman (okay, okay – her name is WENDY) by family members, and Valerie begs them to not say anything to anyone else about it, I knew for a fact she didn’t live in Briarton, but in STEPFORD! *Shaking my head. *

Valerie Cooper chooses the high road on the way to her new life (which is good, since Curtis has a lock on the low road), and navigation is not easy. Most of the situations and predicaments Valerie hopes to avoid, she ends up smack dab in the middle of. But Valerie finds that even when she gets the worst-case scenario, it doesn’t break her and life goes on. Valerie has an “interesting” assortment of family that supports her…in their own way. I’m just a bit in awe at how accepting everyone was of Curtis’ behavior AND stipulations, and no one gave him a good smack upside the head.

Trying to reconcile her feelings for Luke, Valerie’s internal thoughts are a jumbled mess. She spends too much time trying to second-guess everyone else, especially Luke and his motives. It is only when she learns to trust herself, that her confidence grows and Valerie can trust others again.

Curtis gets off too easily for me. His mother was right, and he gets an excuse…a reason, after upending the lives of his wife and children. I would have loved to see the “new” Valerie give him a come-to-Jesus-talk! And what of his wom-, er, I mean, Wendy? Karma is waiting.

Definitely an enjoyable read that I quickly became invested in. Take the trip to Briarton, and tell Valerie Cooper I sent you!

Enjoy!

#CoverReveal “Her Wicked Hero” by Caitlyn O’Leary

~ Felicia Denise ~ Leave a comment

 

Title: Her Wicked Hero
Author: Caitlyn O’Leary
Genre: Military Romance/Military Romance Suspense
Release Date: April 17, 2018
Cover Designer: Lori Jackson Designs
Hosted by: Buoni Amici Press, LLC.

ONE LOOK AND HE WAS HOOKED
A photograph. A feeling. A knowing. That’s all it took for Dante “Zed” Zaragoza to realize his fate was intertwined with a woman he’d never met. Now it was up to him to find Marcia Price and bring her home safely. Thankfully for Marcia he’s temporarily part of the Black Dawn SEAL team, who are on the hunt to locate eleven people whose yacht had gone missing in the South China Sea. A photograph means she’s alive…for now.
SHE NEEDED A HERO
Marcia Price realized she was in the hands of a monster as she was dragged deeper and deeper into the jungle. She wanted to give up so many times but dammit, no matter what, she would survive this even if it almost killed her. And maybe, just maybe, the universe would send her a hero.
HE’LL MOVE HEAVEN & EARTH
Zed’s blood turned to ice the moment he found out the history of the man who had Marcia in his grip. He wasn’t just a sociopath, he’d been trained as a SEAL. And that was only the beginning. Zed would need every tool in his arsenal if he and Marcia were going to get out of there alive…

Exclusive iBooks Pre Order

Caitlyn O’Leary is an avid reader, and considers herself a fan first and an author second. She reads a wide variety of genres, but finds herself going back to happily-ever-afters. Getting a chance to write, after years in corporate America is a dream come true. She hopes that her stories provide the kind of entertainment and escape that she has found from some of her favorite authors.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

“You Don’t Know What Love Is” by P. David Hornik

~ Felicia Denise ~ Leave a comment

cover

You Don’t Know What Love Is: A Suspenseful Psychological Dramatic Novel About Family Life (Romance & Relationships)

by P. David Hornik

Genre: Contemporary Fiction/Psychological/Holidays

99¢ at time of posting!

Enter the troubled inner worlds of five unforgettably real characters . . .

Lou and Hettie and their three teenagers are on summer vacation at a lake in upstate New York. On the surface, a peaceful mountain paradise; beneath the surface, trouble brews. The couple has tried to bury the ghosts of past infidelities. But in the tranquil surroundings, old desires start to stir, old resentments begin to simmer. Treenie, 17, a sassy beauty, starts to unleash her own furies, hurling accusations at the others. Her twin, Ross, would prefer to just enjoy his affair with a girl he’s met in town. Alan, 15, is a gentle introvert who tries to put a lid on his sister’s anger. But that, too, is in vain.

. . . be there when the illusion of tranquility explodes in their faces

After night falls on one deceptively serene summer day, deeply depressed Hettie goes for a walk beside the lake, and there tragedy strikes. By the time dawn arrives, members of the family have to face the reality of a supposed paradise that is not merely lost, but completely shattered. You Don’t Know What Love Is is a novel of rare, dark power, one you will be unable to put down or forget.

Scroll up now to get your copy of You Don’t Know What Love Is!

Amazon KU

“His Hostage: A Kidnap Romance” by Anna Adler

~ Felicia Denise ~ Leave a comment

His Hostage

His Hostage: A Kidnap Romance

by Anna Adler

Genre: Romance/Mystery & Suspense/Military/Kidnapping/Heist

2.99 at time of posting!

Evelyn is trapped in an unhappy marriage with Jack Moorland, the impotent heir to a software fortune. Her husband treats her with nothing but contempt, but Evelyn lacks the confidence to leave him—and he has no intention of letting her go.

Then one fateful night, she accidentally trades her prison for another when she catches an intruder in the act and he takes her captive to make his getaway.

Her kidnapper, the rough-mannered Hal, terrifies her at first. But when she realizes this intimidating stranger treats her better than her so-called husband…and he has feelings for her…Evelyn’s resentment turns into desire. Hal was supposed to hold her hostage only until he was sure of his escape…but after things turn steamy between the kidnapper and his victim, will he ever want to release her?

Note to reader: This is a standalone erotic romance novel. The story contains action movie level violence and raunchy sex scenes between the main characters. Recommended for mature readers.

 

Amazon KU

~~~~~

Felicia’s Review

September 30, 2016

5/5 Stars!

Great ride… and Evie is driving!

Not at all what I expected – it was even better! The author nails this one – and not a hint of Stockholm Syndrome anywhere!

You cannot help but feel sorry for Evelyn ‘Evie’ Moorland after a couple of encounters with, and internal thoughts about her husband, Jack. And, you cannot help but wonder why she hasn’t left on the first thing smoking. (Choose an issue – guilt, shame, obligation, low self-esteem.) But when she walks in on a burglar who takes her with him to ensure his escape/safety, suddenly all she wants is to get back to…Jack. Ew.

Our kidnapper, Hal, takes Evie and supposedly is only going to keep her with him long enough to make his ‘delivery’. Hal isn’t running from the cops, but from Evie’s father-in-law’s henchman. In case you missed it, that was a CLUE!

Mutual animosity leads to mutual tolerance, which does lead to mutual feelings. Hal sees Evie for who she truly is, and he treats her better than the man she married. I loved Hal, and it was easy to misjudge him at first, but I was quickly in his corner!

When a turn of events finds Evie back home with Jack, you’re ready to fling the Kindle against the wall…or maybe that was just me. Her smug, Ken-doll husband is a bit too talkative and Evie soon finds out not only is she being treated like a mental patient, but she is being lied to.

In the first couple of chapters, it’s easy to dislike Evie. She’s like a sparrow ‘trapped’ in a gilded cage…but the door to the cage is open! A different type of woman would love the life Evie had and indulge accordingly. But Evie is not that woman. Although she wants a different life, Papa Ken-doll is always ready to admonish her for not being a grateful, ‘good’ wife to his son. That alone would have helped me find the exit.

Evie doesn’t have a high opinion of herself, and in the beginning, neither did I. But when she is tested…Evie Moorland is large and in charge! My two favorite scenes are of Evie breaking out of the mold she’s allowed herself to be trapped in. Evie isn’t weak, Jack is. My only regret in this story is not being able to see Jack squirm…because he deserved it.

Clear your evening, pour a glass of wine, settle in with this read, and watch a woman find herself and true love…by being kidnapped!

Enjoy!