SUPERFICIAL by Diane Billas - Book Tour - Guest Post - Giveaway - Enter Daily!

SUPERFICIAL
by Diane Billas

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GENRE:   Young Adult Superhero

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BOOK BLURB:

Embark on a thrilling adventure with Lea and Jake as they navigate the unexpected twists and turns at the biggest superhero fan convention of the year. When Lea finds herself trapped in an elevator during the event with superstar Jake, also known as The Amazing Boy, they realize something sinister is afoot. With everyone at the convention frozen, including Lea's friends, Lea and Jake must team up to unravel the mystery behind the villainous acts plaguing Philadelphia. As they race against time, Lea grapples with whom to trust, while Jake uncovers startling truths about his own identity. A pulse-pounding journey filled with friendship, betrayal, and the ultimate quest for justice, will Lea and Jake save the day, or will supervillains prevail? Dive into this gripping tale that will leave you on the edge of your seat until the very end.

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EXCERPT TWO:

JAKE

I’ve been trained for situations like this when I’m stuck with a civilian during a mission. I’m supposed to keep playing The Amazing Boy, clear her memory, and continue along like nothing’s happened, but this time everything is different. The Agent is nowhere to be found to give me a mission report and he’s usually the one who takes care of the memories. I need all the help I can get right now, but I don’t know how much this girl can actually support me. She’s already tripped over a clearly marked extension cord.

That’s when we hear it. The kind of boom where your ears continue to ring minutes after it sounds. Even the floor keeps vibrating.

“This must’ve been the diversion. Come on, people might need saving,” I say, grabbing Lea’s hand. And now I really need to go be The Amazing Boy.

She’s in some sort of trance but once I grab her hand, she wakes up from wherever her brain was living.

“What’s happening, Jake? Are we in a movie right now?” If she thinks that, I’m not going to say otherwise, because she’s not wrong, she just doesn’t realize that it’s different from how other movies are made.

“This is going to sound crazy, but we need to go to wherever that boom occurred and see if there is anything we can do. I can’t explain everything to you but please trust me. I know things seem out of sorts right now and I’m being a completely different person, but I ask you this, if your life was in danger, would you trust The Amazing Boy?” I ask, looking Lea square in the face.

Her baby blue eyes stare right back at me, full of terror.

“Like if The Amazing Boy was real? Absolutely.”

“Okay, just keep holding onto that thought and follow me.”

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GUEST POST:

Diane Billas at the launch of her book SUPERFICIAL

An Unlikely Hero

SUPERFICIAL is all about superheroes and one of the main characters is an actual superhero but I want to talk about the other main character of the book, Lea Anderson. She might not be an “official superhero” but she’s a hero in her own right.

Lea only came to WizCon, the biggest superhero fan convention of the year in Philadelphia, because her girlfriend Jess at the time convinced her to attend. Then, when it was time to go to the convention, Jess was no longer her girlfriend, but dating Lea’s other best friend, who conveniently traveled to the convention with them. Lea feels like the dreaded third wheel and goes off to get some time by herself. Little does she know, she is walking into quite the adventure with fan-favorite actor Jake Johnson.

Lea is from a tiny town in Ohio, and she isn’t used to seeing any famous person, ever, so when she first meets Jake, she’s star struck, and also a bit stunned because she uncovers that he isn’t just playing The Amazing Boy on the screen, but a superhero in real life. But the more she gets to talk to him, she finds out he’s more like her than meets the eye—also trying to figure out his place in this crazy world. 

Lea is by far my favorite character in SUPERFICIAL because she’s always authentically herself throughout the story. She’s also pansexual and demisexual, just like me. She had her heart broken by her ex-girlfriend and has trouble trusting anyone. It doesn’t help that everything she’s ever known has been shaken by the knowledge that superheroes actually exist. She’s also a super kind person and always willing to help anyone out. 

I too am from a small town and had my heart broken in high school, so I played on those thoughts and feelings to help create her character. She’s also a huge history fan, and although I’m not like that, I am a classical music lover and I thought about how I would feel seeing something super cool up close that Lea would like, for example, seeing Independence Hall. 

As the story develops, Lea’s insecurities start to fade as she helps Jake solve the mystery of who has been stealing artifacts from Philadelphia’s top cultural institutions. She becomes the brain behind the operation, proving that not all superheroes need to be born with superpowers, some are learned. 

Everyone has insecurities and are on a journey to find themselves and Lea is no exception. I wanted to show through her growth that sometimes life has a way of throwing curve balls at you and it’s how you overcome them that matters. And sometimes, when you least expect it, you become the true hero of the story.

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AUTHOR BIO:

Photographer credit:

Sam Rodriguez 

S.R.WeddingStory

Diane Billas currently lives in Philadelphia with her husband and son. When she’s not writing she can be found reading multiple books at once, performing the French horn or piano, or dreaming of the next country she’s going to visit.

Does Love Always Win? is her debut novel, which released June 2023 from Creative James Media. This book was drawn from Diane’s personal experiences as a queer individual who has struggled throughout life being comfortable identifying and expressing herself. Diane wrote the book she wished was available to her when she was in high school.

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CONNECT WITH DIANE:

Website:

https://dianebillas.com

Instagram:

http://www.instagram.com/dianebillaswrite

Twitter:

http://www.twitter.com/dianebillas

Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/dianebillas

TikTok:

http://www.tiktok.com/dianebillas

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GIVEAWAY:

Diane will be awarding a $10 Amazon OR Barnes and Noble Gift Card (Winner's Choice!!!) to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Rise Up Trilogy by Henrik Wilenius - Book Tour - Guest Post - Giveaway - Enter Daily!

The Rise Up Trilogy

Books 1 - 3

by Henrik Wilenius

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GENRE:  Young Adult Contemporary

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BOOK SERIES BLURB:

The Rise up trilogy is a coming-of-age story about Hashim, Alex and Maryam, three best friends on the threshold of adulthood. Before they can find their place in this world, they must come to terms with their past and learn to confide in each other as they are confronted by intolerance, ignorance, and corporate greed that threaten to rob them of their future. Inspirational, harrowing, intense and deeply moving, this trilogy presents a ray of hope amidst terrible hardship, misfortune and loss.

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BOOK BLURB - CATCH YOU IF YOU FALL - BOOK ONE:

High school best friends Hashim, Alex, and Maryam must confront real-life issues that loom for Gen-Z today, including the climate crisis, corrupt politics, and racial and gender equity.

When Hashim turns eighteen, he receives a grant from his Mosque that will send him to an Ivy League in New York. His devout Muslim family couldn’t be more proud. And to support their young son on his journey, they arrange a wife for him. There’s only one problem: Hashim is gay.

Hashim’s best friend Alex is struggling with a difficult home life, a non-present father, and financial issues that prove particularly painful when all his friends are planning to go off to college and leave him behind.

Standing confidently alongside these two boys is Maryam, a headstrong Muslim girl who bucks her traditional roots by becoming a vegan activist.

It doesn’t take long until certain evil forces start to draw these three even closer, as their futures and the wellbeing of their community and the world is threatened. They are called to act.

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BOOK BLURB - MERRY FARM - BOOK TWO:

In the second installment of the Rise Up Trilogy, best friends Hashi, Alex, and Maryam stumble upon a huge government coverup. When more people get sicker and sicker, and nothing about the outbreak makes news, it becomes clear the corruption goes up high.

As the three attempt to expose and stop a tragedy that could kill thousands, they end up framed as the bioterrorists responsible for this exact crime, and a team of hitmen is dispatched to hunt them down. As they grapple with their own growing pains, Hashi, Alex, and Maryam hurry to outrun the disaster, prove that they are innocent, and do what they feel is right.

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BOOK BLURB - COLLUSION - BOOK THREE:

Now a well-known activist, Maryam, along with her two best friends Hashim and Alex, is chosen by the President of the United States to draw up a proposal to help fight climate change, mere weeks before superstorm Roxanne makes landfall in the Northeast.

After the President’s Future Rescue Advisory Board hears their climate proposal to set heavy taxes on meat, dairy and carbon emissions, and someone leaks it to the press, chaos spreads across party lines. A few months since they stopped a deadly virus in its tracks, the three uncover a conspiracy on the highest level of the legislative branch.

While the deadly hurricane wreaks havoc along the eastern seaboard, destroying the U.S. Naval Command in Norfolk, Virginia, and hitting New York City with devastating force, Maryam, Hashim, and Alex grapple with forces beyond their control in the government.

How will their stories unravel? What do their futures hold as they mature into adults in a world that may not accept them? Find out in this last book in the Rise Up Trilogy.

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EXCERPT THREE:

From Collusion - Book Three:

“Yes, let’s talk about protecting the American way,” Maryam responded to the reporter. “Let’s talk about the Norfolk Naval Station in his home state of Virginia. We were there only a few days ago. All it takes is some rain and high tide, and a large part of the base goes underwater. And many of the piers were out of operation for that reason. Like Norfolk, many other U.S. navy bases have been built on lowlands by the water, and most of them are literally sinking into the sea as we speak.”

Hashim bit down a smile from the sidelines. Maryam was going head on. She had seen how well it worked with the President when Alex did it.

“But Senator Stevenson and his colleagues refuse to talk about the biggest national security risk of our time, because it’s caused by climate change. Senator Stevenson with his fellow climate change deniers in the Senate are blocking all the attempts to fund any initiatives to address the issue. So I truly wonder what or who is the real threat to the American way?”

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GUEST POST:

Five Ways to Deal with Rejection as a Writer

For most of the writers, not writing is not an option. For me, it’s a very intensive process, first energizing, and then after an hour, I’m exhausted and famished. The key question here is how you can do it without becoming an alcoholic, recluse or just generally cynical and bitter person in life. Unlike in the times past, nowadays successful writers share one trait and that’s discipline. You need routines to keep yourself in line and this is how I learned it.

When I was a kid, I loved books about faraway countries. Since I was ten years old, my father would stack books on my desk to read. He knew I loved reading, and I was very curious about the world. Then at the age of twelve I stumbled upon Siddhartha by Herman Hesse. If I must name one book that inspired me most in my life, this is the one.

 

The story takes place about two thousand five hundred years ago during the time of Siddhartha Gautama, aka Buddha, the namesake of the protagonist. There are a lot of similarities between this fictional character and Buddha, at least enough to ignite a fascination with Buddhism. I craved deeper meaning as my philosopher father had done at the same age. I wasn’t a prince like Siddhartha but I lived in a homogenous comfortable bubble surrounded by a big, affluent family and went to a school my parents had founded. However, I didn’t have to flee to the night like Siddhartha did. I just had to convince my parents to let me leave to go to school in more multi-cultural environment, which they did. Through Siddhartha, I became aware of the spiritual world and the need to explore it further. And to do that, I needed to train my self-discipline, which I began by quitting candy and chocolate for a year, and this training has continued till this day.

Reading Siddhartha by Herman Hesse was a paradigm shift for me. It inspired me to change the way I perceived the world and the people in it. I realized that it’s not important how different I am from the other people, but what I have in common with them. This new-born curiosity made me delve into different cultures, politics and religions ever since, and all the understanding I gained over the years through people I met pushed me to become a writer.

As we have now covered the importance of discipline and curiosity, we come to the third technique. You must write about something you’re passionate about. When you do that, you evolve, not only as a writer but as a human being. I like to put my characters in situations where they are challenged in all levels, not only in their inner but also in the interpersonal and extra-personal life. Throw in challenges that you’re struggling with and see what happens. You might find solutions to your own troubles. I think people are by nature attracted to authenticity, and more genuine you are in your writing, more universal it becomes. We are all struggling with same problems. They are just tinted by our different cultural, ethnic, religious, age-, gender-, and sexuality-related influences. And if in your writing you’re able to gain real insight, you have provided to your readers a path to reach that same conclusion, and that’s something to be really passionate about.

The fourth one is exercise and nutrition. I start every day with an hour of Ashtanga yoga and follow it up with clear set of routines. Then once I’m done with the writing, I do a half an hour cardio or intensive kettle bell training.  If we feed our body with healthy (vegan) food and exercise, we’re better equipped to face any challenges that life throws at us. For me, physical exercise is very important way to release all the inner tension that writing brings on. Without it, I would be stuck in my fantasy world and unable to cope with reality.

And finally, don’t be a recluse! Go out and see your friends. I know it’s sometimes hard. I’m a part-time hermit, but on weekends, I put in an extra effort to meet up with friends, even if I don’t always feel like it, because without friends, you wither and die.

There are no shortcuts, tricks or chemicals that will make it easier to deal with the pain of rejection. Only way to handle it is by being mentally strong, and here I have presented five ways to accomplish that. And the time you spend honing these skills won’t go to waste. They could very well also take your craft to a totally new level. 

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AUTHOR BIO:

Henrik Wilenius is the author of the Rise Up Trilogy, a young adult coming-of-age story about Hashim, Alex and Maryam confronting real-life issues like climate change, corrupt politics, animal cruelty and racial and gender equity. 

The Rise Up Trilogy is now available also as an audiobook and a weekly serialized audiobook podcast on all the major platforms. 

Previously, Henrik as published two books (an autobiographical coming of age book and a YA novel) by a major publisher (WSOY) in Finland before switching to English and self-publishing. The Rise Up Trilogy was inspired by his fifteen-year stint as a volunteer in a Red Cross Youth Shelter and by his vegan activism.

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CONNECT WITH HENRIK:

Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BVJ1TNFG

Buzz Sprout:

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2264640

Website:

http://www.henrikwilenius.com

TikTok:

http://www.tiktok.com/henrikwileniusauthor

Instagram:

http://www.instagram.com/@henrikwileniusauthor

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GIVEAWAY:

Henrik will award the winner's choice of an audiobook set via Spotify or a digital book set of The Rise Up Trilogy via Rafflecopter during the tour.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Borderland by Ross Victory - Book Tour - Blurb Blitz - Giveaway - Enter Daily!

Borderland

by Ross Victory

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GENRE:   LGBTQ Poetry

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BOOK BLURB:

Borderland is not just a poetry collection—it’s an invitation to explore the most vulnerable corners of the human experience. Award-winning author Ross Victory takes readers on an emotional journey across the intersections of masculinity, race, bisexuality, and grief. In a fearless blend of narrative and free verse, Victory dismantles societal expectations, offering a space where identity can exist fluidly and unapologetically.

Through its evocative imagery and bold storytelling, Borderland tackles life’s most complex themes—love, loss, strength, and defiance. Each poem immerses readers in raw emotion, from tender vulnerability to fierce defiance. This collection is perfect for readers seeking honest, unfiltered reflections on what it means to exist at the crossroads of identity and experience.

With a voice that’s as unique as it is powerful, Ross Victory has created a collection that speaks to anyone searching for connection and understanding. Borderland isn’t just a book—it’s a movement, a conversation, and a space to find yourself reflected in its pages.

Step into the borderland, where identity knows no boundaries.

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EXCERPT THREE:

The Watchtower

I am a lone sniper standing watch

over my heart, 

On a fortress wrought with steel and barbed wire.

I scan the horizon, forever askance,

Enemy or ally? Escape or endure?

Isolation strips away my doubt.

Perched still and silent,

High and ready above the world.

Mirages in the distance,

Stirrings in the sand,

Hallucinations in my mind,

A phantom wasteland.

In this tower,

Each approaching step

Sparks memories of betrayal,

Too vivid to forget.

Steady aim, my rifle cracks—

I descend.

Moving with stealth and care,

To find a crumpled note,

“Do you need help? We see you alone up there.”

How do I distinguish,

Between enemy and peer?

Steady aim, my rifle cracks—

I descend.

Another crumpled letter,

“I’m in love with you.”

Atop the watchtower,

Guarded by suspicion,

Threats of war outweigh my desire for love,

On guard, I am stifled by my own protection.

Ready, aim…

Once, I came down to aid a woman calling for help,

Blade to the neck, a sword in my side

She robbed me of everything,

Scars remain

Oh, the irony that echoes,

In this needle's eye,

Among glorious clouds, silken air,

I repel the saving light.

One day, I may know the truth,

Sometimes love knocks.

Until that day,

In the Borderland's cruel lore,

My instinct, my watchtower a monument,

To a boy lost in war.

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AUTHOR BIO:

Ross Victory, (he/him), is an award-winning author, music artist, and entrepreneur from Los Angeles. Featured in LA Weekly, LA Blade, American Reporter, and Bi.org, Ross rediscovered the healing power of writing after losing his father and brother. A former English teacher, Ross creates immersive narrative experiences. He published “Views from the Cockpit,” a father-son memoir, in 2019, resulting in a portfolio of six original titles and a music catalog of 20 songs. His works explore self-discovery, adventure, bisexuality, and family. In 2023, he released the Pride anthem “Bisexual Daze” and Book 1 of the L.A.-based horror series “Grandpa's Cabin.” Ross also publishes articles and reflections about grief, biphobia, and elder abuse on Medium.com and recently spoke at their Annual Writer’s Conference. This fall he will release his first poetry collection titled, “Borderland,” exploring the intersection of race, masculinity, and sexuality.

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CONNECT WITH ROSS:

Website:

https://www.rossvictory.com

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/rossvictoryofficial

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/rossvvictorius

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AMAZON BUY LINK:

Amazon US Kindle eBook:

https://www.amazon.com/Borderland-Poetry-Intersection-Masculinity-Bisexuality-ebook/dp/B0DJ1PHR13

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GIVEAWAY:

Ross will be awarding a $25 Amazon OR Barnes and Noble Gift Card (Winner's Choice!!!) to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Georgia's Folly by Deborah Chase - Book Tour - Blurb Blitz - Giveaway - Enter Daily!

Georgia's Folly

by Deborah Chase

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GENRE:  Split Time Historical Fiction

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BOOK BLURB:

For fans of "Antiques Roadshow" and "American Pickers" - this is the one for you!

Beginning at a cluttered flea market and ending at a glittering art auction, Georgia’s Follytells the compelling story that blends past and present and the search for a valuable and illusive antique. Chloe Bishop grew up in foster care. She loves shopping at flea markets, picking up family heirlooms like old pottery or vintage furniture to fill in for the family and home she never had. As Chloe walks through the Brooklyn Flea Market, she stumbles upon the diary of Miss Georgia Potter, a young woman who had lived in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania during the Civil War. The yellowed pages reveal the impact of the war on daily life and spotlights the role of women including Harriet Tubman, Clara Barton and Louisa May Alcott. Like Chloe, Georgia Potter was a passionate collector and her diary lists her collection of valuable antiques—including the Holy Grail of 18th century furniture—a Chippendale settee. Well versed in antiques, Chloe is aware that There are only five known examples and a sixth settee would be worth more than $4 million.

Chloe immediately contacts Ben Thompson, the man who sold her the diary. Ben is a picker who drives his RV across America, searching for collectibles to sell to dealers. He is estranged from his wealthy, prominent family who cringe at his chosen career. Ben agrees to take her along to search for the valuable and iconic settee. As Ben and Chloe head to Gettysburg, they are unaware that Gregor Petrov, a shady antiques dealer and Harrison Kent, a respected but unscrupulous art expert are trailing them.

The search for the settee takes Chloe and Ben on fast paced journey from the Gettysburg battlefields to the 18th century street of artisans in Philadelphia to a historic mansion on the banks of the Hudson River. Traveling together in the small RV, Ben and Chloe draw closer. In the confines of the RV, embroiled in an unimaginable quest, Chloe confides that she is also in search for the father she never knew while Ben struggles to explain his complicated family to a woman who never had one.

In a thrilling ending, the rare Chippendale settee is not Chloe’s only valuable discovery.

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EXCERPT TWO:

The Diary of Miss Georgia Potter

March 4, 1861

Today is my birthday and I am now officially an old maid at age twenty-five. Mama was horrified that Uncle Joshua gave me a large, golden eagle that once hung over the fireplace in Lord Dumfries’ home in Bath. According to Uncle, it was a gift from George III in 1776. But I loved the eagle, as I do all of Uncle’s gifts.  Mama rolls her eyes when Uncle brings me a new treasure. She calls it Georgia’s Folly.

After dinner I went to the kitchen to thank Annie for the birthday feast. Liam was leaning against the kitchen table.  Pushing back a shock of black hair, he flashed a smile and handed me a small package wrapped in brown paper.  Inside was a heart shaped charm on a silver chain that had belonged to his mother. Liam explained that it was a Celtic knot that symbolized everlasting love. Someday I will be able to wear it but for now it is tucked deep into this diary.

This year I share my birthday week with the Inauguration of President Lincoln. Uncle is pleased that Lincoln was elected, but he is still worried about the talk of secession. Most of the customers for Potter carriages are in the South, especially Virginia and Georgia.  The weather in Gettysburg is far too cold and wet to ride in the Potter carriages, but in the South, our Phaeton carriages are famous.

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AUTHOR BIO:

I grew up in a family filled with art and antiques.  On the high end, my uncle, William Lincer, lead violist at the New York Philharmonic, was an art lover whose collection was sold at Sotheby’s. On the low end, her father, writer Allen Chase took me to flea markets and estate sales.  He sparked a lifelong fascination with tales of lost treasures that ranged from plundered Egyptian tombs to trainloads of art stolen by the Nazis.  It was this love of history and antiques that inspired my first novel, Georgia’s Folly.

I was a founding editor of the Berkeley Wellness Newsletter and the author of 12 books including The Medically Based No-Nonsense Beauty Book (Alfred Knopf), Extend Your Life Diet (Pocket Books), Fruit Acids for Fabulous Skin (St Martin’s Press), Every Bride is Beautiful ( Morrow), and with her husband Dr Neil Schachter co-author of Life and Breath  (Doubleday) and  The Good Doctor’s Guide to  Colds and Flu (Harper).  The books have been a selection of the Book of the Month Club and my articles have appeared in Ladies Home Journal, Self, Glamour, Redbook, Family Circle, Parents and Good Housekeeping.

I am a graduate of Bronx High School of Science and a winner of the Westinghouse Science Talent Search. A graduate of New York University I earned a degree with a duel major in journalism and history.

A native New Yorker, I like to spend my weekends at an upstate home where a big kitchen and an endless supply of estate sales indulge my duel passions for cooking and collecting.

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CONNECT WITH DEBORAH:

Website:

Deborahchase.com

Facebook:

@Deborahchase

Instagram:

@writinglife2

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AMAZON BUY LINK:

Amazon US Kindle eBook:

https://www.amazon.com/Georgias-Folly-Deborah-Chase-ebook/dp/B0DGWF6J7G

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GIVEAWAY:

Deborah will be awarding a $50 Visa card to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Flamingo Café by Jackie Kang - Book Tour - Exclusive Excerpt - Giveaway - Enter Daily!

Flamingo Café 
by Jackie Kang

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GENRE:  Women's Fiction

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BOOK BLURB:

A storm is brewing off the coast of Florida, but chaos has already made landfall for four women of Palm Beach society. Abigail, a self-appointed Cuban princess and queen of the WAGs, suddenly finds herself penniless and on the streets. Claudia, a Greek entrepreneur and CEO of a prestigious international clothing line, is entering her golden years only to realize secrets can weigh you down. Cassy, a barista and owner of the Flamingo Cafe, is doing her best to recover from a tragic past. Meanwhile her best friend, Bri, also harbors a secret: a romantic tet-a-tet with Cassy's brother Nick. Each woman has played her part in a society obsessed with appearances and secrecy for years. So, when Hurricane Odette blows through town, exposing those secrets, it's no surprise their lives collide like a clap of thunder. Only one thing is certain: if they don't work together, Mother Nature will teach them the hardest lessons of their lives.

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EXCLUSIVE EXCERPT:

Today's air feels like a knife slicing through a meringue pie. Thick and sticky, it attaches itself to every surface of my body. It only takes a minute before sweat drips down my spine and pools in that mysterious space between my hips and backside. I pull at my pale-pink t- shirt, already showing signs of sweat spots, and silently curse the South Florida humidity.

Raising a hand to shade my eyes from the glare, I try to locate Officer Jackson. I glance to the right and find him standing next to his patrol car. As he turns my way, the sun glints off his sunglasses, momentarily blinding me. As I wait for the spots to leave my vision, an image from ten years ago—when my childhood home was crawling with police officers—flashes through my mind. Memories of endless questions leading to no solid answers fill my head.

Bo, able to sense a change in my demeanor, nudges me with his wet nose, leaving a damp mark on the side of my leg. It's enough of a distraction to break the spell. I inhale a few deep breaths and try to clear my head as I stroke Bo’s body. His strong muscles ripple under his shiny white coat, covered with black spots, as he allows me to continually run my hands over his body, waiting for the memories to pass.

Officer Jackson catches sight of Bo and me and walks over to greet us. He stands close, as though we are old friends and comfortable in each other's presence. Stretching his hand out for Bo to sniff, he says, “I love Dalmatians. I keep suggesting we get one down at the station, but they say a K-9 isn’t in the budget.” He laughs and pats Bo on the head. “Can you believe it? Not in the budget of the Palm Beach police precinct. Anyways...” He stops himself before expanding on his comment and stands back up, glancing toward the café before returning his gaze to Bo. “I’m not sure having a dog in a café meets code.”

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AUTHOR BIO:

When not spending her time creating make-believe people and places, Jackie Kang lives in Kirkland, WA with her very real family of 1 husband, 2 dogs, and 3 children. In her past life, Jackie has held jobs as a personal trainer, a spa manager, a dental assistant, and an office manager, but her true love is writing and sharing a well-crafted story. Jackie is a member of the Women's Fiction Writers Association.

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CONNECT WITH JACKIE:

Website:

http://www.jackiekangwritesbooks.com   

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/JacqulineK

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/jacqulinekang

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AMAZON BUY LINK:

Amazon US Kindle eBook:

https://www.amazon.com/Flamingo-Caf%C3%A9-Jackie-Kang-ebook/dp/B0DCC4NCJ5

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GIVEAWAY:

Jackie will be awarding a $20 Amazon OR Barnes and Noble Gift Card (Winner's Choice!!!) to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Dying for Monet by Claudia Riess - Book Tour - Blurb Blitz - Giveaway - Enter Daily!

Dying for Monet
by Claudia Riess

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GENRE:  Mystery

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BOOK BLURB:

Dying for Monet, book 5 of Riess’s art history mystery series, opens on a gala evening auction at Laszlo’s, an upstart auction house in New York City. After a much sought-after Impressionist still life painting is without notice withdrawn from the auction block, its broker is found dead at the foot of an imposing statue in Laszlo’s courtyard. Amateur sleuths Erika Shawn and Harrison Wheatley are once again drawn into an investigation involving an art-related homicide, this time with one sharing an unnerving coincidence with violent crimes occurring abroad.

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EXCERPT TWO:

“I knew it,” Erika said tonelessly, shoving her phone back into her evening bag; saw the look of horror Greg directed at her, as if she were some devilish prophet; half believed it herself. She gazed back at him, and her numbness suddenly dissolved into tears.

Still, neither of them openly acknowledging whose body lay before them, the blood at the man’s head curling away with the rainwater; Botero’s mighty woman and child, their backs to him, underlying the omission. The figures were dark brown, almost black patinated bronze, and the dead man, in his black suit, seemed part of their tableau, or its discard. One of his arms was jammed against the base of the statue, the other flung to the side, the hand gracefully cupped like a ballet dancer’s—the hand with the ring that had pressed into Erika’s flesh. Looking down at Ivan’s hand, she felt its phantom grip on her wrist; the ring’s forceful dig. Impossible for that hand to have been doomed into stillness.

“I felt for a pulse,” she said, anticipating Greg’s question. “He’s gone.”

She looked away and saw a few people standing behind the glass door at Laszlo’s entrance, waiting to be picked up or for the rain to stop. What must they make of this rain-sodden group, and what did it matter? “The way he reacted to that text or email,” she directed to Greg, down on his knees, checking for a pulse; not taking her word for it; she, grateful to him for sharing the burden of proof. “I could see he was alarmed by the message. I thought he would be coming back after he was done talking or texting, but he never did. I thought it was odd. After all, his client’s lot was coming up for sale.”

Greg rose to his feet, a subtle headshake verifying her medical diagnosis. “And then the lot was removed.”

She nodded. “It was then that I thought the two events—the message on his cell phone and the painting’s unexpected withdrawal—were related. And just now, when I looked out the car window and saw...”

“You had a sense of foreboding—of what you would find. I wish we could cover him, I mean from the rain and all.”

“We can’t disturb the scene.”

“I know. From what I can see, he was shot in the head...” Tentative, as if declaring the words would set them in stone.

“Yes.”

They were silent, standing in the rain that was finally abating, and in that moment the sun completed its descent and darkness fell, a delayed reaction in what seemed an act of respect—or mimicry—of life’s end.

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AUTHOR BIO:

Claudia Riess has worked in the editorial departments of The New Yorker and Holt, Rinehart and Winston, and has edited several art history monographs. Stolen Light, the first book in her art history mystery series, was chosen by Vassar’s Latin American history professor for distribution to the college’s people-to-people trips to Cuba.  To Kingdom Come, the fourth, will be added to the syllabus of a survey course on West and Central African Art at a prominent Midwestern university.  Claudia has written a number of articles for Mystery Readers Journal, Women’s National Book Association, the Sisters in Crime Bloodletter, and Mystery Scene magazine.  To read more about Claudia and her work, visit the author's website.

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