#BookTour “Serpent’s Doom” by Connie di Marco

May 31, 2022May 31, 2022 ~ Felicia Denise ~ Leave a comment

May 23 – June 17, 2022 Virtual Book Tour

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Synopsis:

As San Francisco’s Chinatown prepares for the Lunar New Year festivities in the fogbound month of February, astrologer Julia Bonatti finds herself with three new clients, all in desperate straits who don’t seem to heed her advice. Tracy is the victim of a brutal husband with nowhere to run and Jeanette is worried sick about her son, whom she suspects has fallen in with a bad lot.

But most frightening of all to Julia is Frankie Chang’s dilemma. Frankie’s only eleven years old and he’s terrified. His mother is missing and no one will help him. Julia’s heart goes out to him but her hands are tied. Frankie won’t let her talk to the police and neither will his family.

Julia eventually discovers that the three worlds of her clients intertwine. Those lives inevitably collide exposing a dangerous smuggling cabal. Julia knows too much and becomes a victim of both a ruthless environmental group and criminals who will stop at nothing, including murder.

Kudos for Serpent’s Doom

“Connie di Marco’s twin loves of Astrology and the detective fiction genre are on full display in her latest installment of the Zodiac Mysteries: Serpent’s Doom. It makes perfect sense to fuse these two disciplines in which intelligence, intuition, and interpretation play such a key role. It’s also a delight to see Astrology driving the plot forward rather than employed as a mere gimmick. This adds dimension and suspense to how the mystery plays out and di Marco’s wonderfully cinematic prose keeps you turning the pages in increasing anticipation.“
-Christopher Renstrom, astrologer for the San Francisco Chronicle, SF Gate and Astrology Hub, author of The Cosmic Calendar and creator of rulingplanets.com

“Intriguing and riveting, Connie di Marco’s latest Zodiac Mystery, Serpent’s Doom, is a new year’s firecracker of an adventure. Told with heart and conscience, Serpent’s Doom features a superb cast and setting, with a plot right out of the headlines. The best yet in this highly original series.”
-James W. Ziskin, author of the award-winning Ellie Stone Mysteries

“Connie di Marco’s Zodiac Mysteries have it all: vibrant characters, sharp and suspenseful plots and comedic interludes. I love the added bonus of astrology and metaphysics and eagerly await the next installment.“
-Karen Christino, astrologer and author of Foreseeing the Future

“San Francisco Astrologer Julia Bonatti will need more than the stars when she tries to help a boy find his missing mother. di Marco takes us on a thrill ride from Chinatown to famed Bay City locales. An enticing mystery with compelling characters who pull you in. ‘Dear Zodia, is it in the stars that Connie di Marco will write more Zodiac Mysteries?’ I certainly hope so, because I’m hooked!“
-Laurie Stevens, author of the award-winning Gabriel McKay suspense novels

“Another page-turner with San Francisco astrologer, Julia Bonatti. I alternately wanted to shake her and cheer her on as she reluctantly becomes entangled with a boy who needs her help. A fascinating look into a different culture, where involving the police is a bad idea, prompting Julia to take matters into her own hands.“
-Sheila Lowe, best-selling author of the Forensic Handwriting Mysteries and the Beyond the Veil Mysteries suspense novels

Book Details:

Genre: Mystery

Published by: Suspense Publishing

Publication Date: April 26, 2022

Number of Pages: 300

ISBN: 0578326566 (ISBN13: 9780578326566)

Series: A Zodiac Mystery, 4th (Each is a Stand-Alone Work)

Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

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Read an excerpt:

Cheryl, the manager of The Mystic Eye, signaled to me. I was at the Eye to fill in at the evening’s psychic fair. She indicated a young woman in a cotton skirt and denim jacket. Her dark hair was cut in bangs and pulled back in a low ponytail. She wore no makeup and clutched a small, zippered plastic purse in her hand. I nodded to Cheryl and headed down the narrow side corridor to the small reading room I had been assigned for the evening, each space protected by a heavy drape.

I took my seat and cleared my astro program for my upcoming visitor. She was slender, young, mid-twenties at a guess. Her legs were bare under her cotton skirt and I was sure her denim jacket didn’t sport a designer label. She was hardly dressed adequately for the chilly night. Her jaw was clenched and her hands were red and raw, her nails bitten to the quick. As she took her seat across the small table from me, the collar of her denim jacket pulled away betraying darkened discolored skin at her collarbone. A bruise? She was so tense she seemed to vibrate. The electricity was difficult to ignore. Was it anger? Fear? Maybe an unnecessary terror of the occult? That might explain her tension, but still…that bruise raised a red flag.

I smiled, said hello and introduced myself. She nodded and watched me intently. I asked if she was familiar with astrology and she said she wasn’t. “Well, let me explain a little. Your natal chart is a map of the heavens at the time of your birth. It shows the gifts and talents you bring to this incarnation. It also shows the difficulties you’ll contend with in life. Do you have your birth information?”

“Yes.” She nodded and passed a slip of paper to me. There were two birthdates, with time and location, jotted down hastily. She knew enough to offer the information I needed to set up a chart. Perhaps she wasn’t as clueless about astrology as she first claimed.

“Can I ask you your name?”

“Tracy. Tracy Wyler. The second birthdate is my husband’s.”

“Okay, Tracy.” I plugged the information into the program on my laptop and two charts were instantly generated. “Would you like to focus on your chart? Or perhaps on your relationship with your husband?” She nodded but didn’t answer. I clicked on the bi-wheel option where I could see both charts at once, displayed in inner and outer rings. Then I set up a composite chart. I didn’t like what I saw. There were connections between the charts that indicated physical attraction, but I didn’t like the Mars and Saturn and even Pluto connections from her husband’s chart to her personal planets. I checked the composite chart, hoping something more positive would be indicated. As often happens in astrology, the composite echoed the synastry, or comparison, of the two individual charts.

This was not a good relationship for her. Her body language told me a lot, even without the insight of the charts. There was no choice but to go for it. She obviously needed help and I had only fifteen minutes to offer her what I could. I had to be blunt. She’d either listen or react with anger. “Tracy, you already know what I’m about to say. You need to escape this marriage.”

She gasped. Her eyes widened. She nodded her head quickly and tears sprang to her eyes. “I know things aren’t good but I don’t know what I can do. I have no place else to go.”

“He’s hurt you, hasn’t he?” The Mars and Uranus aspects to her husband’s Sun sign indicated anger and the possibility of violence if unchecked. There was that, but it was more the connections between these two individuals that concerned me. She reached over and rolled up one of the sleeves of her jacket. Dark bruises lined her arm. She craned her neck and showed me another mark on the side of her neck. “How long has this been going on?”

“We got married three months ago. It started a few days after. He keeps telling me I can’t do anything right. That I’m stupid.” She stifled a sob and took a deep breath. “He says…he says I’m so ugly that I better behave because no one else would want me.” Tears were filling her eyes, her breathing was shallow. I passed a small box of tissues across the table. “But then, when he cools down, he says he’s sorry, that he really loves me and he won’t do it again…”

“I have to say this, Tracy. I doubt this will change. Even with a lot of psychological help, even if he was willing…it’s a recurring pattern.”

“I don’t know what to do,” she cried.

“Do you have any family?”

“Only my mother and she’s in Indiana.”

“What does she have to say?”

“She says I should listen to my husband. After all, he works and he supports me.”

I felt a slow rage rise in my chest. What kind of a woman would advise her daughter to submit to physical abuse? Any kind of abuse? “What he’s doing is against the law, Tracy. You may not be aware of this, but we have serious laws in California against this type of thing. The police are required to arrest anyone accused of abuse. It’s not up to the cops to decide. They must arrest the accused party. All you have to do is call the police, show them what he’s done to you, and he won’t be coming home.”

“They won’t arrest him. They won’t. He’ll convince them, he’s so persuasive.”

I reached across the table and grasped her hand. “You don’t understand. Here the laws are different. The police have no choice. He’ll be held, maybe without bail, and he’ll be charged. That would give you time to get away and find shelter.”

She began to cry in earnest. “It won’t matter. Eventually he’ll get out and come after me. It’ll be worse than before.”

“All the more reason. Once the police take him away, you can go to a women’s shelter. Listen….” I had to break through her wall of hopelessness. “I keep lists of all kinds of resources for my clients.” I quickly opened a document on my laptop. I wasn’t attached to a printer in the tiny reading room, but I grabbed a notebook from my purse and jotted down the addresses of the three nearest shelters and passed the slip of paper to her. “The police will even take you there and they are not allowed to give out your location. And if you want, they’ll escort you home to retrieve your personal belongings. Do you have children?”

“No,” she said. “Thank God I don’t.”

A dark foreboding swept over me. This woman should not return home tonight. “What do you say, we go into the office here and call them right now? I’ll stay with you till they arrive.”

“I…I don’t know….” She twisted her fingers together. “He says he loves me, that he’s sorry. That it’ll never happen again.”

Yeah, right, I thought. Heard that one before. I waited, trying to see which way she’d go. There were aspects in her natal chart that indicated introversion and shyness. If she had met another type of man her fate would be quite different, but whoever this guy was…he’d use her like a punching bag.

“Tracy, do you have any idea how many women are killed by their husbands or partners in this country? I happen to know these statistics. It’s important in my line of work. Clients come to me with all sorts of problems.” It’s all well and good to talk about Moon signs and romance and money opportunities, but some people are already on the ropes, already at their weakest and most vulnerable, and one of them was sitting across from me right now. “Of the women murdered in the U.S. alone, ninety-seven percent are killed by their partners or husbands. Every single day three women die because of domestic violence. Those are real bad odds, Tracy. You can be safe. You can divorce this man and you can find a way to support yourself. It won’t be easy, but at least no one will be hurting you. And there are people who will help you.”

“I’m so afraid,” she wailed. “I…there’s something else…. I…oh God, I’ve….” She stifled a sob. “I’ve met someone else.” At this, she burst into tears. “If my husband ever finds out, he’ll kill me. He’ll—”

“Look, Tracy, first things first. You need help. You need to get to a safe place. Later, you can sort out all your feelings, but first you need to find shelter so you can get your head on straight.”

“I know,” she said, nodding.

“Come on. Come with me. We can have privacy in the office.” I reached out for her hand, a hand that was ice-cold. She quickly pulled away and clutched the slip of paper in her hand.

“I’m sorry…” she whispered. She stood and ran out of the reading alcove. I hurried after her, but she was too fast. She had pushed through the front door. I caught a glimpse of her through the plate glass window, running toward Columbus Avenue. I hurried to the door, hoping to catch up with her, but when I reached the sidewalk she had already turned the corner at the end of the block. I ran down the street but she was nowhere in sight. I sighed and walked back to the front door of The Mystic Eye. If she was afraid to turn her husband in, I hoped she’d at least head to a shelter to protect herself.

***

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Author Bio:

Connie di Marco is the author of the Zodiac Mysteries featuring Julia Bonatti, a San Francisco astrologer who never thought murder would be part of her practice. Writing as Connie Archer, she’s the national bestselling author of the Soup Lovers’ Mysteries from Berkeley Prime Crime. Her recipes and excerpts can be found in The Mystery Writers of America Cookbook and The Cozy Cookbook. Connie is a member of the Crime Writers Association (UK), Mystery Writers of America, International Thriller Writers and Sisters in Crime.

Catch Up With Connie di Marco:
www.ConniediMarco.com
Goodreads
BookBub – @Connie_di_Marco
Instagram – @Connie_di_Marco
Twitter – @askzodia
Facebook – @zodiacmysteries

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Tour Participants:

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

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GIVEAWAY!

This is a giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Tours for Serpent’s Doom by Connie di Marco. 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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#BookBlitz “Becoming a Bedside Advocate ” by Kimberley Norris

May 31, 2022May 31, 2022 ~ Felicia Denise ~ Leave a comment

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Nonfiction / Nursing Homes

Date Published: January 3, 2022

Publisher: MindStir Media

photo add-to-goodreads-button_zpsc7b3c634.png

At some point in our lives, we are all likely to serve as bedside advocate for a hospitalized loved one. And, just as likely to be woefully unprepared when that happens.

The ordinary person has no idea how to navigate hospital chaos and engage with medical professionals on behalf of their family member or friend.

There is very often no support system, guidebook or coaching available to us. Yet the better prepared we are to work harmoniously with medical care teams, the more everyone involved will benefit.

This book aims to humanize the role of bedside advocate by sharing the author’s lessons learned along with valuable information and insight provided by medical care professionals.

Purchase Link

Amazon

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#BookBlitz “Policing Bodies: Law, Sex Work, and Desire in Johannesburg” by I. India Thusi

May 31, 2022May 31, 2022 ~ Felicia Denise ~ Leave a comment

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Law, Sex Work, and Desire in Johannesburg

Nonfiction / Law

Date Published: December 21, 2021

Publisher: ‎Stanford University Press

Sex work occupies a legally gray space in Johannesburg, South Africa, and
police attitudes towards it are inconsistent and largely unregulated. As I.
India Thusi argues in Policing Bodies, this results in both room for
negotiation that can benefit sex workers and also extreme precarity in which
the security police officers provide can be offered and taken away at a
moment’s notice. Sex work straddles the line between formal and informal.
Attitudes about beauty and subjective value are manifest in formal tasks,
including police activities, which are often conducted in a seemingly ad hoc
manner. However, high-level organizational directives intended to regulate
police obligations and duties toward sex workers also influence police
action and tilt the exercise of discretion to the formal. In this liminal
space, this book considers how sex work is policed and how it should be
policed. Challenging discourses about sexuality and gender that inform its
regulation, Thusi exposes the limitations of dominant feminist arguments
regarding the legal treatment of sex work. This in-depth, historically
informed ethnography illustrates the tension between enforcing a country’s
laws and protecting citizens’ human rights.

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About the Author

I. India Thusi is Professor of Law at Indiana University Bloomington Maurer
School of Law, with a joint appointment at the Kinsey Institute. She has
worked with the ACLU, Human Rights Watch, the Center for Constitutional
Rights, and The Opportunity Agenda.

Start reading Policing Bodies: Law, Sex Work, and Desire in Johannesburg on
your Kindle in under a minute.

Purchase Link

Amazon

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#BookTour “Finding Light in a Lost Year” by Carin Fahr Shulusky

May 31, 2022May 31, 2022 ~ Felicia Denise ~ Leave a comment

May 16 – June 10, 2022 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

Finding Light in a Lost Year by Carin Fahr Shulusky

Roni Wright thought she had everything; huge home, successful husband, kids, and a brilliant career. That is until the worse pandemic in 100 years swept away the shallow façade of her life and she nearly lost it all.

This is the story of how a broken family navigated the most difficult year of their lives and found hope in the middle of so much loss. You will recognize many of the things that nearly broke us all as we struggled with pandemic restrictions and the new normal. But you will cheer as they work their way out of darkness into a better world.

Book Details

Genre: Family & Relationship, Biographical Fiction
Published by: Fossil Creek Press
Publication Date: May 2022
Number of Pages: 170
ISBN: 978-1-7362417-2-1
Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Read an excerpt:

April 2020 – When It Rains, It Pours

On April 1, I picked up my calendar, as I did at the beginning of every month—usually to see what we had coming up and to schedule more—and started crossing off everything. I had already crossed off the March trip to Paris. Now I crossed off this month’s planned trip to the banking conference in San Francisco. I slashed through the conference in New York. And with a little more pain, I crossed off the two Broadway shows to which I had tickets. An old college girlfriend was going to go with me to one and Dan the other. Broadway closed. New York closed. All crossed off, as was the St. Louis Symphony concert to which we had tickets. Canceled. Hockey, canceled. Three birthday parties, canceled. My appointment at the nail salon, canceled. Hairdresser, canceled. Canceled, canceled, canceled. April was looking so gloomy.

The only exercise I was getting was walking through one of our beautiful parks with the kids. Sometimes, we took bikes and rode a trail. But with April came gloom and rain and even that little bit of escape became impossible. Then the St. Louis County Executive closed all county parks. We were now required to wear a mask if we were out in public, especially indoors, and to stay six feet apart wherever we were. The gloom was growing daily. My life had no order. We were in free fall.

On April 9, we got a big shot in the arm, as it were, when $2,400 appeared in our checking account—a gift from the U.S. government. Officially the money was part of the Economic Impact Payment, but the payments were more often called stimulus checks. We just called it salvation. Like many families, we weren’t sure how we would make ends meet. This money was a gift from heaven—or the government, depending on your point of view.

By the second week of April, our school district was making an effort at learning. They asked parents to pick up “home learning packets” from the school. When I drove up to the school, someone handed me the packet for our kids’ grade levels. But when I got home, there was little explanation about the work. It was terribly disorganized and made little sense to me. Katlin wanted to learn more, and Oliver wanted to learn less. I just wanted more alcohol. Lots more. I decided hard times called for hard alcohol. Wine was OK now with lunch, but by dinner time, I needed a cocktail.

I set up a place in the basement family room for the kids to study. I tried hard to make Oliver work on letters and sight words. He would work with me for maybe thirty minutes, then he’d start disrupting everything I did. He’d rip papers and run away. Meanwhile, Katlin was trying to figure out her lessons with great frustration. She didn’t know what was wanted of her, and I couldn’t figure it out either. Oliver did everything in his considerable ability to disrupt our efforts. Most sessions ended with all three of us crying.

Not only was I failing at trying to teach my kids, I was failing at keeping them out of Nathan’s living room office. Every time Oliver ran away from me, he ran right into one of Nathan’s meetings. No order. No peace. No joy.

—

Author Bio:

Carin Fahr Shulusky was born and raised in west St. Louis County. She attended the University of Missouri, Columbia, where she received a B.J (Bachelor of Journalism). After college she worked in advertising for GE and Monsanto. She was the first professional woman in her division of each. After 25 years in Marketing, she created her own firm, Marketing Alliance. She was president of Marketing Alliance, from 2002 – 2014. She is a past-president of the Business Marketing Association of St. Louis. Carin Fahr is married to Richard Shulusky. They have two grown children and one marvelous granddaughter. Grandma Carin has a life long love of cooking, even writing her own cookbook. In 2014 Carin retired to devote full time to writing. Her first book, In the Middle was inspired by her own battle to care for her beloved mother, Dorothy Fahr. Many of the stories Carrie Young’s mother tells her in In the Middle came from Carin’s mother. Carin is a lifelong member of Pathfinder Church in Ellisville, Missouri, where she volunteers in early childhood.

Find Carin Online:

carinshulusky.com
Goodreads
Instagram – @cshulusky
Twitter – @shulusky
Facebook

Tour Host Participants:

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

Enter to Win!

This is a giveaway hosted by Providence Book Promotions for Finding Light in a Lost Year by Carin Fahr Shulusky. See the widget for entry terms and conditions. Void where prohibited.

Find Your Next Great Read at Providence Book Promotions!

#BookTour “Harley James and the Mystery of the Mayan Kings” by Leah Cupps

May 31, 2022May 31, 2022 ~ Felicia Denise ~ Leave a comment

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Children’s Middle-Grade Fiction

Date Published 05-11-2022

Publisher: Vision Forty Press

Will Harley Find the Missing Mayan Statue & Save the World?

Amateur cryptologist Harley James has just landed in the sticky jungle of Tikal, Guatemala—home to the famous Mayan ruins. She’s made a few friends, a few mistakes…and a ground-breaking discovery.

The legendary statue of the long-lost Mayan King.

Just as she is about to impress her father with her discovery, the statue is stolen. Right from her own room!

And what’s worse? The legend says if the statues of the three kings are reunited, they’ll bring back an army from the dead to rule the world.

Follow along with Harley as she tracks down the missing Mayan statue, solves a few riddles and stumbles upon a secret society that will change her life forever!

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EXCERPT

Chapter One: The Glowing Statue

Tikal, Guatemala, Present Day

You know how you just know something in your “knower”? As if you had a crystal ball built into your brain?

Well, today I had a feeling. This was going to be my year.

I, Harley Rebecca James, am going to win the Junior International Cryptography Competition.

What is that, you ask?

JICC is an online competition that follows the story of two explorers as they embark on a cryptographic adventure. Solving riddles and clues are my favorite things to do, so naturally, I love cryptography. Each week for twelve weeks, a new chapter is released, with a new code to break. Thousands of kids enter to win. And I was about to solve the clue for week two.

Thirty-nine characters. A famous phrase… got it!

I scribbled the answer down in my journal and smiled.

“Where there is ruin, there is hope for treasure,” I whispered to myself.

A quote from the ancient philosopher Rumi. Of course, I’ve heard Dad say this a hundred times.

The code itself had been easy to crack. The technique used was a simple Caesar shift. The hard part had been finding the key to unlock the cipher.

I couldn’t wait to get back to my room so I could log on and enter the answer.

“Harley? Have you finished your report on Mayan glyphs yet?” A voice suddenly broke through my thoughts.

Report?

Right, I was supposed to be finishing my homework, not cracking codes.

“Almost,” I replied, tucking a piece of unruly blonde hair out of my face. I was with my tutor Jessica Rodríguez and her dog, Daisy, sitting under the shade of the famous temples of Tikal, an ancient Mayan site nestled in the dense Guatemalan forest.

“Are you solving riddles again?”

I smiled in response, shrugging my shoulders.

“You need to finish your history assignment.”

Jessica frowned at me and readjusted her long legs, shifting in her chair. She was pretty when she smiled, but most of the time, I felt like she was scowling at me. I sat upright and grabbed my notebook.

She hated when I got distracted during homework time.

Upon hearing my voice, Daisy rose up from her spot next to Jessica and walked over to me. She licked my face, and I patted her on the head.

I was currently sweating through another afternoon of sixth-grade homework, my books scattered over a large blanket. I scribbled in the last few lines on my report and shoved them back into my history binder.

“Done!”

Daisy was tugging at my backpack, begging for a walk. I smiled at her. I’ve always wanted a dog, but it was one of the many things I had to give up as a famous world traveler.

Okay, not quite famous, but the world traveler part was spot on. You see, I’m a bit of a nomad. The only daughter of world-renowned archeologist and engineer, Russell James. Global traveler, student of the world.

Sounds great, doesn’t it?

I’ll admit it, some parts are great. Exploring remote sections of the world, making new friends, learning new languages.

But then there are the other parts of world travel: staying in hotels with no air conditioning and traveling to remote areas with big—I mean BIG—spiders isn’t always fun. There was one time in Peru when we spotted a Giant Huntsman spider the size of a dinner plate. I had nightmares about it for weeks.

And Dad? Let’s just say he’s overprotective. I’m never allowed to explore anywhere on my own. I can barely get alone time in my room without him checking on me every fifteen minutes. I love him dearly, but I’d just like a little more freedom.

Daisy placed her tiny furry chin on my outstretched leg, breaking me from my thoughts.

“You ready for a walk, girl?” I scratched her head. “I’m ready for a break, too.”

Daisy stood up, twirled around in a circle, and nudged at her leash.

“Jessica? Would you mind if I take Daisy for a walk?”

Jessica barely looked up. “Hmm?” Her eyes lingered on the pages of her book.

“I could use a break.”

She raised her eyes to me and Daisy, who was now shaking with anticipation. “Okay. Just remember, stay close—”

“I know, I know. Don’t talk to strangers and don’t go into the jungle.”

Jessica gave me a thin smile. “And be careful.”

“Of course.” I gave her my most confident grin. “Let’s go, Daisy!”

I swung my favorite purple backpack over my shoulders. This wasn’t just any backpack, mind you. It was decorated with patches from all over the world. Mom had given it to me, along with my first traveler’s patch from France. I kept all the necessities inside; cell phone, colored pencils, a leather notebook, gum, and a headlamp—just in case.

Daisy fell in step with me as we started out across the edge of the jungle. Tikal, Guatemala, was a huge archeological site full of Mayan temples, statues, and monuments. Some of the temples extended above the tops of the trees, like lighthouses in the forest. The Mayans built one of the largest ancient cities in the world… made with no bulldozers, no cranes, and no construction equipment of any kind.

I stared out over the city. How did they do it?

Everything was going great—I was being completely safe—until Daisy suddenly tugged me away from the path around the Temple of the Jaguar toward a dense spot in the jungle.

“No, Daisy,” I said, pulling back on her leash. “We have to stay on the path.”

If I left this path, I’d never be allowed out of Dad’s or Jessica’s sight again.

But Daisy wasn’t giving up. She pulled me into the brush and out of the sunlight. Not good. Snakes and spiders loved hanging out in the shade. I looked around nervously.

“What is it, girl?”

As my eyes adjusted to the shade, I saw a figure standing in the trees about fifteen feet away.

“Hello?” I said, my voice cracking. Daisy continued to pull me forward like a sled dog. “Daisy, will you stop?”

But she was not giving up, and I couldn’t hold on any longer. The leash slipped from my hand, and she bolted into the jungle.

“Daisy!” I cried, dashing after her.

Branches and leaves whipped past me as I followed her deeper into the forest. I wasn’t about to lose Daisy in the jungle, rules, or no rules.

Just as I was about to run out of breath, Daisy stopped ahead of me with an excited, yip!

Apparently, she had found something.

I caught up to her in a few long strides and peered into the jungle. Nestled behind a bramble of jungle leaves was a wall made of stone. After I grabbed Daisy’s leash, I took a step closer.

“What did you find, girl?”

Six nooks were carved into the side of the wall, about the size of my outstretched hand. Five of the nooks had carved stones placed inside. I recognized the carvings. They were Mayan.

In fact, I had just been studying them for my history lesson.

Now I was intrigued. Maybe that report would come in handy. Dad was always going on and on about using our great knowledge of history in the field.

The first five symbols stood for Jaguar, Sun, Snake, Rain, and Skull. But the sixth nook was empty. I touched the soft grooves of the granite. My code-finding mind went to work. There must be a stone that fits into the final slot. It must follow a logical pattern.

What do the glyphs for Jaguar, Sun, Snake, Rain, and Skull have in common? I bit the edge of my lip. I tried to think of something useful from my report. I had taken a particular interest in the Mayan glyphs, given my love of codes and symbols.

I knew that Kinich Ahau, the god of the sun, was often depicted as a jaguar. And Chaac, the god of rain, was drawn with the body of a snake. And the skull? Well, the god of earth, and the underworld, was Cizin. He was often shown as a skull.

I felt a little chill run up my spine. Creepy.

But back to the glyphs.

Jaguar, Sun, Snake, Rain, Skull… Earth?

It was worth a shot.

There were stones scattered about the jungle floor and I quickly shifted through them, looking for earth symbol. A few were broken, some had parts of a carving. They represented everything from rain drops to mountains.

Then I stumbled over a sharp object jutting out of the jungle floor. I got down on my knees. I could see a stone half-buried in the mud. I dug my fingers into the ground and began to dig. When I was done, I stared at the stone.

It had the symbol for earth. Bingo!

I ran back to the center of the wall and placed it in the sixth nook. To my surprise, it fit perfectly in place.

Then something weird happened. The ground beneath began to rumble.

Was this an earthquake?

It wasn’t that unusual for an earthquake to happen in Central America. But right after I placed the sixth symbol? That was a little odd.

The stones in front of me suddenly began to move, and I pulled Daisy back as several rocks began to fall. We huddled together near the ground. I placed my hands over my head and squeezed my eyes shut. A few seconds later, the shaking stopped.

I looked up. The center of the wall that held the carved stones had crumbled into a pile at my feet.

So much for solving that riddle.

“Come on, Daisy, we better get back,” I said, pulling on her leash.

If my overprotective dad knew I was by myself in the jungle during an earthquake?

I shuddered at the thought.

But just as I was about to leave, my eyes caught on a peculiar green glow coming from the pile of stones.

Daisy must have noticed it too, because she walked back over to the spot. As she sniffed the ground, I saw she was standing over a small object that appeared to be lit from within. I squatted down and took a closer look.

It was a little statue, about as big as an eggplant. I reached down and touched it, feeling the cool surface on my skin. Perhaps it was made of jade?

I could hear Dad’s voice in my head shouting, You should be wearing gloves!

Well, he wasn’t here, so I picked it up.

It had to be a real Mayan artifact. What else would it be doing here in the jungle?

Then I got that weird feeling you get when someone’s watching you. I spun around and looked every which way I could. Leaves were moving off toward the temple as if someone had just parted them.

I figured I had a few choices. I could run the piece back to Dad and share my discovery. That would be the obvious thing to do.

Or I could do some research of my own, find out who this little guy was. Maybe if I found out enough, I could convince Dad that I was old enough to explore on my own.

What should I do?

One thing I did know was I had to get out of there. The waving tree limbs gave me the heebie-jeebies.

And then, the answer hit me.

I’d pay a visit to my friend, Aly, whose parents managed one of the museums here in Tikal. She could help me figure out what it was.

“What do you think, Daisy girl? Should we get out of here? Check this one out ourselves?”

Daisy yipped back, obviously agreeing with me.

I stashed the statue in my backpack and set off towards our rental house in the village. First, I had to stop at home and enter this week’s answer for the cryptography competition. After that, we’d head over to the museum.

I didn’t know it at the time, but that little statue I had stuffed in my backpack?

It was about to get me into a whole world of trouble.

~~~

About the Author

Leah Cupps is an author, designer and entrepreneur. She came up with the idea for Harley James with her oldest daughter Savannah. Savannah had taken an interest in Mayan history and so the two of them worked together to come
up with the idea for the first Harley James book; the Mystery of the Mayan Kings.

Leah lives in Indiana with her husband and three children. She is also the cofounder of Vision Forty Press, a small family owned publishing company.

Contact Links

~~~

Purchase Link

Kindle Unlimited

Amazon

~~~

#ReleaseBlitz “Lethal Force (Axel Blaze Thriller Book 2)” by Bill Runner

May 31, 2022May 30, 2022 ~ Felicia Denise ~ Leave a comment

~~~

Axel Blaze Thriller Book 2

Thriller, Crime Thriller

Date Published: May 31, 2022

“The cartel sends hitmen to take out Blaze and everyone he cares about.”

What the cartel doesn’t realize is it has messed with a LETHAL FORCE.

YOU MESS WITH HIM; YOU END UP DEAD.

Following the successful debut of Blaze Returns, Bill Runner is back with the second novel in the Axel Blaze thriller series known for its fast-paced brutal action. After Blaze puts an end to the Mexican cartel’s meth operations in Nevada in Blaze Returns, the cartel sends hitmen to take out Blaze and everyone he cares about. What the cartel doesn’t realize is it has messed with a Lethal Force. He will strike back. Hard.

~

Other Books in the Axel Blaze Thriller Series

~

Blaze Returns

Axel Blaze Thriller Book 1

A page-turning debut thriller in the lone ranger tradition of Lee Child’s Jack Reacher, Vince Flynn’s Mitch Rapp and Mark Greaney’s The Gray Man novels. The fast-paced brutal action of Axel Blaze, the new tough guy in town, is catching the imagination of readers of thriller novels.

“I wasn’t expecting trouble when I pulled off the highway.” Ex-deputy US Marshal Axel Blaze is doing what he knows best – dealing with trouble. Ten years in the special forces and five years in the US Marshals have made Blaze a trained investigator and expert in
combat. Blaze does not fight his opponents; he puts them down. He strikes first. And hard. Takes them out. Fast.

Deputy Marshal Carter has gone missing in Little Butte, Nevada. The Dawsons own the town. The Mexican cartel is moving in on their meth business. A gang war is coming to town. Director Flynn asks Blaze to return for one last assignment. It is up to Blaze to find Carter before all hell breaks loose.

Kindle Unlimited

Amazon

~~~

About the Author

Bill Runner worked as an investigative reporter before turning to writing.

He has created the Axel Blaze series of books. The next books in the series will be released in 2022.

Bill has been a lifelong student of martial arts and has trained in Karate and Krav Maga. Working the crime beat and studying the art of fighting helped make him the author of nail-biting thrillers.

Bill’s writing won him an award for debut authors at the London Book
Fair.

Contact Links

Purchase Link

Kindle Unlimited

Amazon

~~~

#BookBlitz “The Lawyer’s Angel” by Scott Allen Benkie

May 30, 2022May 30, 2022 ~ Felicia Denise ~ Leave a comment

~~~

Crime Thriller

Date Published: January 31, 2022

Publisher: MindStir Media

Attorney James Crosson is in the grips of despair, blaming himself for his wife’s death. A widow hires him to pursue a wrongful death case on behalf of her late husband who died in a seemingly ordinary car wreck.

Crosson must confront his own tragic loss and gambling debts as he unravels the plot
hatched by a deranged corporate tyrant who will stop at nothing to conceal the truth, take down the lawyer, and preserve his empire.

With Vegas goons closing in and everything at stake, Crosson goes all in one last time with
no realistic chance of winning the case or surviving the evil arrayed against him.

~~~

Purchase Link

Amazon

~~~

#BookBlitz “Shattered Pieces Can Still SHINE (Georgie’s Story)” by Gloria Eveleigh

May 30, 2022May 30, 2022 ~ Felicia Denise ~ Leave a comment

~~~

Georgie’s story

Historical fiction, Biographical Fiction

This story, loosely based on a real-life story, is about Georgie, a child born to a single mother just after WW2 in a small village in Cumberland.

After an initially happy first few years of childhood during which Georgie dreams of becoming a dancer, she finds herself the victim of sexual and psychological abuse by her stepfather, and then neglect and rejection by both her mother and her absent father.

Eventually Georgie runs away to London where, after a short period of rough-sleeping, life seems to become more positive for a while, and she is able to kick start her dancing career.

But things go badly wrong, and Georgie finds herself imprisoned into a life she did not choose, with little chance of escaping.

She had rarely prayed to God, but it seemed He was watching over her …

~~~

EXCERPT

CHAPTER 12

Early February 1952

Disclosure

Life had become almost normal for Georgie once Mummy was back home. The
five-year-old felt at peace, but somehow couldn’t quite find the old
bouncing Georgie that she once was. Neither could she bring herself to call
the monster Daddy anymore. Georgie knew that Mummy had put it down to her
having grown up a lot while she was away. Pattie and Robert had appeared to
be less worried about her too, which Georgie thought was because they knew
her mummy was now there to monitor the situation.

A month passed by until one Sunday morning early in February Mummy
announced that she was popping down to see Pattie for a couple of hours for
a catchup.

“Would you mind keeping an eye on the girls for me, please, Gerald?
It would be lovely to have a bit of girlie time with Pattie on our own.
Daisy’s just gone down for a nap, so she shouldn’t be a
problem.”

Georgie had overheard what Mummy had said as she sat on the settee in the
living room quietly reading her book about the girl who became a dancer and
dreaming of her longed-for future. When Mummy popped her head around the
door to say goodbye, she asked Mummy if she could go with her.

“Not this time, Baby, you’d be bored anyway. It will just be me
and Pattie chattering away as usual. You and Daddy could play your chasing
game like you used to. I haven’t seen you two laughing together once
since I came out of hospital. Daisy’s fast asleep in her cot so you
don’t have to amuse her. Have some fun.”

Then Mummy disappeared, leaving Georgie sitting on the edge of the settee,
holding tightly on to her book. Should she stay where she was and keep
quiet, hoping not to attract the monster’s attention? Tingling fear
crept its way up her tense body, switching her mind on to red alert. Maybe
she could creep outside to the front garden and play five-stones in the
lane. Somehow, she would feel safer outside. She would still hear Daisy if
she woke up, so at least she’d know her little sister was safe. Yes,
that’s what she would do. She crept into the hallway and slipped her
coat off the stair post. She would put it on once she was outside. She
walked quietly over to the front door, holding her breath, but as she lifted
her hand to turn the knob, she jumped at the sound of the monster’s
voice.

“Where d’you think you’re going?”

It took all Georgie’s control to stop her voice quaking as she turned
to him.

“Just going out to play five-stones in the lane.”

He approached her, took her coat, and put it back over the stair
post.

“Upstairs now.”

Georgie immediately obeyed. She remembered his threat and knew that she had
to protect her little sister. He followed closely behind. At the top of the
stairs, he guided her into the bathroom and locked the door behind
him.

“Kneel down in front of the toilet.”

She obeyed.

“Open the lid.”

She obeyed. He loosened his trousers, and she immediately knew what she had
to do. He approached her.

Afterwards, he left the bathroom, leaving Georgie vomiting down the toilet.
When she’d finished, she flushed away the proof of her action, rinsed
her mouth out with water from the washbasin, and quietly exited into her
bedroom to check that Daisy was safe. Pale-faced and trembling, she knelt on
her bed to look out of the window and down the lane where she knew her mummy
was. She didn’t notice the monster return quietly to her room, so his
loud whisper made her jump.

“Get back downstairs to your book, now.”

Georgie was paralysed to the spot for a long moment. Was he going to touch
Daisy? Then she felt the harsh grip of his hand on her arm, pulling her off
the bed and guiding her out of her bedroom and down each step, including the
creaky one, until she found herself shoved back onto the settee. He picked
up her precious dancer book and for a painful moment she held her breath,
fearing that he was going to destroy it. Instead, he pushed it into her
hands before turning away and returning to the kitchen. Georgie was numb.
She sat there for several minutes, clinging on to the book, knowing that she
didn’t have the option of crying, because her mummy would notice her
red face and swollen eyes. Suddenly she heard the front door open and saw
Mummy enter.

“Don’t tell me you’re still reading that same old book of
yours, Baby?

Georgie used every bit of her willpower to force a smile onto her face as
Mummy took off her coat and placed it on the stair post over Georgie’s
coat. As she did so, there was a small cry from Daisy, and Mummy tripped
upstairs to retrieve her baby. As she came back downstairs holding Daisy,
Georgie jumped up from the settee to meet them, immediately responding to
her little sister’s open arms and taking her from Mummy.

“Ger, Ger,” the child gurgled as Mummy smiled and headed
towards the kitchen, leaving Daisy with her big sister.

Georgie was happy to be distracted from what had happened by amusing Daisy
for the rest of the day and avoiding the monster in the process. It
wasn’t until she got into bed that night, and endured Mummy and the
monster coming up together to tuck her in, that she gave way to the silent
tears that she had been swallowing since the incident. As sleep eventually
overtook her, she decided that she would disclose her secret to Mummy and
beg her not to tell. She knew she couldn’t continue the way things
were.

As it happened, Mummy broached the subject herself. Georgie came out of
school on the Monday afternoon to find Mummy, with Daisy in her pram,
waiting for her as usual. As they were walking home, Georgie holding on to
the side of the pram handle and making Daisy laugh by repeatedly leaning
towards her little sister and pretending that she was about to tickle her,
Mummy spoke.

“Georgie, Babe, what’s wrong? Won’t you tell me why you
always look so serious these days? What’s happened to your bounce? I
really miss it.”

Georgie knew that this was her opportunity, so she took a deep breath and
keeping her eyes on the ground, she opened up to Mummy, who she knew loved
her more than life itself.

“He’s been doing things to me, Mummy, and I don’t like
it. He said he would really hurt me and Daisy if I told anyone.”

It was such a relief to get the words out that Georgie allowed the tears to
trickle down her cheeks and plop to the ground.

“What do you mean, Baby? Who has been doing things to you and what
has he been doing?”

“Gerald. When you were in hospital, he did things to me in my bed,
and made me do things that made me sick.”

“What are you talking about? Why are you calling your daddy Gerald?
What things did he do to you?”

“He touched me between my legs, he put his thing in my mouth, and one
time he put his thing inside me, and it hurt me so bad, Mummy, that it made
me bleed.”

“Georgie, daddies don’t do things like that to their little
girls. These are terrible things to say about your daddy. Where on earth
have you heard such things in the first place? Have you been listening to
the bad kids in the school playground?”

Georgie gulped. She was shocked into silence. Her own mummy didn’t
believe her.

“Georgie, I never want to hear you say such outrageous things again.
Do you hear me?”

Georgie’s eyes didn’t leave the ground. She knew it was
pointless arguing. She just nodded. The rest of the way home was spent in
silence. Even little Daisy went quiet as if she sensed that something was
wrong.

~~~

About the Author

Gloria Eveleigh has three adult children and five grandchildren. She lives on England’s south coast but was born in South London just after WW2.
She grew up on a council estate, experiencing familial sexual, physical and psychological abuse within a dysfunctional family. Despite this, she did well at school and spent the first part of her career as a research
scientist. She then studied to become a social worker, specialising in the area of safeguarding, and eventually running her own safeguarding consultancy.

She is now a champion for survivors of abuse and uses her writing and regular posts on social media to ensure that the issue of abuse in all its forms is kept high in the public narrative. Through this, Gloria hopes to break down the wall of silence that often prevents victims from reporting, and in effect protects the perpetrators.

As a child when abuse was hidden, not believed, and not acknowledged, Gloria’s experiences resulted in an emotional life sentence. She managed to turn this around, and is now a champion for abuse survivors, using her writing and social media posts to keep the issue of all forms of abuse high in the public narrative.

Contact Links

~~~

Purchase Link

Kindle Unlimited

Amazon

~~~

#BookBlitz “The Self-Compassion Project: How to become emotionally stronger, more effective, and happier by giving yourself a break” by Rita Desnoyers-Garcia

May 30, 2022May 29, 2022 ~ Felicia Denise ~ Leave a comment

~~~

How to become emotionally stronger, more effective, and happier by giving
yourself a break

Nonfiction / Self-Help / Self Esteem

Date Published: May 16, 2019

Publisher: Becoming Awake LLC

Finding happiness can be like finding the matching sock your dryer ate long, long ago; you’re sure it’s there, but you just don’t know where to look.

The Self-Compassion Project is the antidote to endless hours of berating yourself for not finding inner peace. You’ve tried meditation, self-help groups, singing bowl therapy and all that other stuff and nothing really “clicks”. Instead of searching for inner peace, why not simply uncover it?

In this down-to-earth, practical and witty self-help guide, Rita Desnoyers-Garcia offers six simple steps to get to the gooey center of your soul, where you can finally relax and enjoy life. Rita’s sound advice is based on years of using her techniques for herself and teaching clients how to use them. The advice Rita gives will help you:

– Become aware of when you are not being your own best friend (who else is going to love you more than you?)

– Notice what’s underneath all those “negative” emotions like anger, fear, sadness, and anxiety- and understand what those emotions are telling you (it may not be all bad!)

– Create a new outlook on life that is more positive, peaceful, and leaves you feeling more at ease with any circumstance what will come your way (Superwoman, scooch over!)

By the end of the book you’ll understand why self-compassion is the key to finding your true self. It’s the trick to feeling more in-tune with your HIgher Self and more aligned with the important people in your life (all 7.53 billion of them!)

Become emotionally stronger, more effective, and happier by giving yourself a break ( and reading this book)!

~~~

About the Author

Rita Desnoyers-Garcia has been helping people reach their true potential for over 20 years. After a long career as a social worker in NYC, and while raising her family, she had a spiritual transformation. She is now a spiritual teacher, speaker, life coach, comedian, and author.

She lives with her husband and three children in New Jersey.

Start reading The Self-Compassion Project on your Kindle in under a minute.

Purchase Link

Amazon

~~~

#BookTour “Moon Deeds (Star Children Saga #1)” by Palmer Pickering

May 30, 2022May 30, 2022 ~ Felicia Denise ~ Leave a comment

MoonDeed copy

Welcome to the book tour for the award-winning novel, Moon Deeds by Palmer Pickering! Read on for more info and check out all the stops because there will be opportunities to win a copy of your own!

Moon Deeds eCover

Moon Deeds (Star Children Saga #1)

Publication Date: May 25th, 2019

Genre: Sci-Fi/ Space Opera

“The path to power is cloaked in shadows, so if you avoid all the shadows, you’ll never learn anything.”
It’s 2090: the last outpost of freedom is the moon, the best defense against technology is magic, and the only hope for humankind rests in the hands of the Star Children.

Twins Cassidy and Torr must save Earth from a ruthless enemy at a time when the only force more powerful than alien technology is magic. Moon Deeds launches the siblings’ journey across the galaxy, where they must learn their power as the Star Children, claim their shamanic heritage, and battle dark forces that threaten humankind.

The Star Children Saga follows Cassidy and Torr as they slowly awaken to their destiny as the twin Star Children, born every millennium to reconnect with the source of all life. They come to discover the sheer enormity of their task: to find our ancestors on a lost planet across the galaxy and save humanity from a spiraling descent into darkness. The powers they must wield to accomplish this task are truly frightening and put at risk everything they love.

Come along with twenty-year-old twins Cassidy and Torr, who inherited deeds to land parcels on the moon. They want to use their moon deeds to get off Earth and escape a brutal dictatorship. But first they must unlock their shaman powers.

A rollicking yet poignant adventure in the not too distant future, when we have colonized the moon and nearly lost Earth to a dictatorship. Only the shamans remain free, plus the lucky ones who escaped to the moon.

Join the adventure! An addictive space opera, science-fantasy series.

Add to Goodreads

Chapter 1 – Star Song

West San Jose, California, Western Free States, planet Earth

July 8, 2090

Cassidy stood in the backyard, staring up at the sky and listening to the music of the stars. The Shaman’s Shield of gray clouds loomed far overhead, covering the sky in a thick, impenetrable roof, and casting a gloomy pall over everything. Ever since the Shaman’s Shield had appeared three years ago, she had not seen the stars nor heard their music. But today the thin, ethereal strains wove through the neighborhood noise. The music was faint, but it was there.

It had been louder when she was a child, before Grandma Leann had shielded her. Cassidy had thought everyone could hear the music, a constant background noise of such poignant sweetness that sometimes it was painful to listen to. But she had realized over time that others did not hear it. Or perhaps they heard it subconsciously, or in their dreams, because sometimes she heard an echo of it when musicians played their instruments or choirs sang. Cassidy had tried to replicate the sound, studying violin as a child, then piano, but neither instrument captured the elusive tones.

The only one who understood was her twin brother, Torr. They had shared a room as children, and she used to sing to him.

“I recognize that song,” he had said one time in the middle of the night. She had been sitting up in bed humming the tune that was streaming through her head. Torr had awoken from a deep sleep and sat upright, staring at her. “I heard it in my dream.”

“You heard me humming,” she corrected him.

“No,” Torr said stubbornly. “The golden people were singing to me. Their song said you and I have to find them. We have to follow their voices.” Torr closed his eyes and sang the melody more truly than she ever had, picking out parts of the multi-layered harmony she had never captured before. And he added something resembling words that she did not understand, but which made her cry.

In the morning he had remembered the dream, but he could not remember the song. For days afterwards he had tried to get her to sing it back to him, but she could not get the melody quite right, and she did not know the strange language. Then when Grandma Leann laid the blanket of silence over her, the song stopped. As time passed, Cassidy forgot the tune she had always hummed. She could only recall hints of it, like wisps of clouds that slipped away as she tried to grab them.

Now the sky was singing to her again. The melody came to her, carried on the wind as though from a distant mountaintop. She was filled with joy to hear it, though the song was more mournful than she recalled. She still could not understand the words, but she remembered what Torr had told her that night in their attic bedroom, that the two of them had to follow the golden people’s voices and find them. She did not know who they were, or where they were, but they were still out there singing to her. Calling to her. Waiting.

Available on Amazon

Light Fighters (Star Children Sage #2) is Now Available

51EC4IGSJmL

In Light Fighters, Cassidy and Torr are trying to survive on the moon while facing threats from all sides. As their shamanic heritage surfaces and they hone their magical skills, they are hunted for their power, escalating into a tension-filled game of cat and mouse.

Ridge is stuck between the sadistic Balty and the desire to control his own life. His magical gifts become entangled with those around him, pulling him between opposing forces. When his path crosses that of the Star Children, he must decide whose side he is on.

Meanwhile, we learn that while the twin Star Children are hoping to find the Star People, the Star People of Turya are desperately seeking the Star Children as well. Their stories interweave as the mythology of the Star Children unfolds.

A compelling expansion of the Star Children Saga.

Adult content: 18+

About the Author

a wee bit o steampunk

Palmer has been writing fiction since she was eight. She received her BA in American Studies from Wesleyan University, with concentrations in Religion and Race Relations.

She currently works in Silicon Valley in the gaming industry and high tech. In addition, Palmer holds a certificate in Chinese Acupressure, is a certified solar panel installer, and studied Tibetan Buddhism with the 14th Dalai Lama.

She lives and writes in the magical redwood forest of the Santa Cruz Mountains, California.

Mythology Press | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Book Tour Schedule

May 30^th

R&R Book Tours (Kick-Off) http://rrbooktours.com

@amber.bunch_author (Review) https://www.instagram.com/amber.bunch_author/

Balancing Books & Beauty (Review) https://balancingbooksandbeauties.wordpress.com/

@balancing_books_and_beauties https://www.instagram.com/balancing_books_and_beauties/

@shhhmommysreading (Review) https://www.instagram.com/shhhmommysreading/

Nesie’s Place (Spotlight) https://nesiesplace.wordpress.com

@bookscoffeehappiness (Spotlight) https://www.instagram.com/bookscoffeehappiness/

May 31^st