HE. by Gregory Pakis - Book Tour - Blurb Blitz - Giveaway - Enter Daily!

HE.

by Gregory Pakis

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GENRE:  Erotic Horror

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BOOK BLURB:

A sexually open-minded couple, Lester and Val, have recently moved into a stylish yet eerie apartment building.

Val's curiosity is piqued when she starts to receive unusual messages and requests from an anonymous messenger.

Lester is also cautiously intrigued, as Val starts to fulfill the requests.

A suspected sex club soon becomes media headlines when a former member disappears, and the club is reported to have vacated its last premises.

As the messages persist, Lester and Val start to question whether the anonymous messenger is connected to the clandestine club mentioned in the media, and if there is any link between him or the club and the odd newcomers in the apartment next door.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EXCERPT ONE:

She sat on the couch and stared across the room. Three men sitting opposite watched her closely. Seemingly daring each other to make the first move. None of them summoned the courage. It was understandable. Her beauty was unsettling.

The kind you’d see in a dream. She had a fixed distant stare. She held her space well. Her presence was elusive. Intimidating. You couldn’t quite describe it. Couldn’t be entirely sure about her. She had a nervousness that made her approachable, but then a look in her eye stopped you cold.

Seated nearby, a bespectacled man also watched the woman.

her husband

Couples and singles moved about the party – chatting, flirting, but this man just sat watching her, pretending not to. If you paid attention long enough, you realised the woman was completely aware he was watching.

maybe he is just her boyfriend

they did arrive at the party together, didn’t they

One of the men whispered to the others that he had seen them at a previous party. That they didn’t ‘play’ on that occasion either.

maybe they were just friends

If the man was her partner and approaching her led to some kind of confrontation, he looked easy enough to handle. 

there’s three of us..

But the man watching had a fastidious, aggressive quality that was strangely unsettling. Had a striking face. Was well-groomed and gym fit.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUTHOR BIO:

Gregory Pakis is an Australian author, film-maker, actor and wacky vlogger.

He has written the short story, The Lonely Australian of the Asian Night; the soon to be released horror-suspense novellas, The Regressor and He., and Memoir of a Suburban Hoe-Bo, which is partly an account of when he lived out of a van for ten years in Melbourne.

Gregory Pakis is also the writer / director of the feature films, The Garth Method (2005) and The Joe Manifesto (2013), which have won national and international awards and been distributed through Accent Entertainment, Label, Vanguard Cinema.

Gregory's more informal video projects are the feature documentaries, Garth Goes Hitch-Hiking (2007) and Garth Lives in a Van (2011) which have screened at film festivals in Australia.

More recently, he has created the comedy series, suBURPieS and his Wacky Vlog which can found on his socials.

Gregory has been featured in articles in newspapers, The Age, The Herald Sun, Beat Magazine, Inpress, FILMINK, and the Neos Kosmos. He has been interviewed on radio by the ABC, 3RRR, SYN FM, 3CR.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

CONNECT WITH GREGORY:

Book Trailer:

https://youtu.be/Kmzbq39uREY

Author Chat to Camera Video:

https://youtu.be/gb76iJdAUak

Web Page with Media Kit:

https://www.gpak.org/books/he

Email:

info@gpak.org

Website - Books:

https://www.gpak.org

Website - Films:

https://guerillafilmnite.com

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/gregorypakis

TikTok:

https://www.tiktok.com/@gregorypakis

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/gpakis

X:

https://x.com/GPakis

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/@Films_Books._Vlogs

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AMAZON BUY LINKS:

Amazon US:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DJYRJK5W

Amazon CA:

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0DJYRJK5W

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GIVEAWAY:

Gregory 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

Loving Lizzie Finn by Tamara Hughes - Book Tour - Book Blast - Giveaway - Enter Daily!

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The author will be awarding a $20 Amazon OR Barnes and Noble Gift Card (Winner's Choice!!!) to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Lizzie Finn grew up in a brothel, and she’s reminded of that fact every day. She dreams of finding a job and becoming independent. Only then can she be free of her aunt’s disdain. First, she must find an employer who won’t turn her away because of her past.

Byron Greeley is determined to save his family’s business after Lizzie’s uncle falsifies the amount Byron owes on a loan from the bank. Determined to find proof of Teague’s perfidy, Byron slips into the banker’s house and rummages through the study only to be discovered by Lizzie, a red-haired beauty who utterly captivates him.

Byron offers Lizzie a job in exchange for information about her uncle, and because she believes her uncle is innocent, she agrees. When Teague discovers Lizzie and Byron’s growing affection, he threatens to destroy Byron and his family, insisting Byron is exploiting her. Is Teague’s warning well-founded? Are Byron’s feelings for Lizzie true, or is Byron using her for his own gain?

EXCERPT TWO:

A spring in her step, Emma placed the rose gown on the bed and returned to the wardrobe. “I saw the most handsome man last night.”

Lizzie’s pulse leaped. “You did?” Had Emma seen the drunken stranger in Uncle’s study? The handsome intruder had occupied Lizzie’s thoughts all night long.

“Of course I did. He is a sight for sore eyes.” Emma returned with the green skirt and carefully lowed it over Lizzie’s head. “Dark eyes, almost black in color, with a gaze so intense he nearly stole my breath.”

Yes. Exactly. As much as she’d tried, she couldn’t get the memory of those eyes out of her head.

Emma secured the skirt and grabbed the bodice. “And his hair, the same as his eyes, black as night.”

Slipping her arms into the sleeves, Lizzie disagreed, “I would hardly call it black, more a dark brown, the color of chestnuts. Which suits him quite well.” With strong, bold features, and a lean frame … She smiled a little when she thought of him. A handsome devil to be sure.

Emma came around to face Lizzie and began to button the gown’s front. “No. I’m quite sure Felix has darker hair than that.”

“Felix?” Had that been his name?

“Yes, our new footman.”

Footman? Lizzie’s cheeks flamed, and her smile dissipated. The man she’d met last night was no footman. He’d spoken of running his family’s business. How embarrassing to be caught admiring a complete stranger. What was wrong with her?

AUTHOR BIO:

A small-town girl with a big imagination, Tamara Hughes had no idea what to do with her life. After graduating from college, she moved to a big city, started a family and a job, and still struggled to find that creative outlet she craved. An avid reader of romance, she gave writing a try and became hooked on the power of exploring characters, envisioning adventures, and creating worlds. She enjoys stories with interesting twists and heroines who have the grit to surmount any obstacle, all without losing the ability to laugh. To learn more, stop by her website: www.tamarahughes.com.

CONNECT WITH TAMARA:

Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/tamarahughesauth

BookBub:

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/tamara-hughes

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/tamara.hughes2/

Goodreads:

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7738043.Tamara_Hughes

Amazon Author Page:

http://www.amazon.com/author/tamarahughes

AMAZON BUY LINK:

Amazon US:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DFMQ4X1H

GIVEAWAY:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Katie Walsh by Colleen L Donnelly - Book Tour - Book Blast - Giveaway - Enter Daily!

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Enter to win a $15 Amazon OR Barnes and Noble Gift Card (Winner's Choice!!!) via Rafflecopter. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Katie Walsh expects to write a love story someday. The hero resembles her father, and the heroine the deceased mother she never knew but imagines from the longing on her father’s face.

Katie doesn’t expect her father to be murdered, or his will to leave their farm to Guy Knowles, the man she hoped to marry, and order her to another state. Betrayed by the men she trusted, what should have become a love like no other withers and dies.

Until Ted Howard, who doesn’t fit the hole Guy left in her heart. Instead, he fits himself into what she needs—someone who will stay, protect her, and break his own heart for her if needed.

EXCERPT TWO:

“I don’t know who hit him. The car never slowed or stopped. They’re looking for it. And the driver.”

But they wouldn’t find either. Mr. Alexandar’s angst told me as much. Whoever did this didn’t plan simply to kill my father, they also planned to escape. The same way my father planned for this moment and afterward. I stared at the envelope that held Papa’s will I couldn’t believe he had.

“I’m sorry.” Clifton Alexandar truly was sorry. He didn’t like the task of verbally removing Papa from my life. He probably didn’t realize he had taken my mother as well. The one person I longed to know but never did. Papa, my sole source of information about the woman he loved, was suddenly gone.

Mr. Alexandar stared through the screen while I suffered a vast implosion of my soul. No Papa. No more tidbits about my mother. I became an orphan in a moment. A seventeen-year-old girl with a house, this farm…and Guy. He had never asked for my hand, but he would. Especially now.

AUTHOR BIO:

Colleen L Donnelly was born and raised in the US Midwest but ventured to other parts of the country as an adult to experience life from other perspectives. Besides writing, she spends time outdoors, antique hunting, reading, or watching a good movie. Even though she retired from a career in laboratory science, she is never bored and always busy at something.

CONNECT WITH COLLEEN:

BookBub:

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/colleen-l-donnelly

Website:

http://www.colleenldonnelly.com

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/ColleenLDonnelly

Goodreads:

http://www.Goodreads.com/colleenldonnelly

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/colleenldonnelly

Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/stores/Colleen-L-Donnelly/author/B00ELP1GIA

Twitter:

https://x.com/ColleenLDonnell

AMAZON BUY LINKS:

Amazon US Paperback:

https://www.amazon.com/Katie-Walsh-Colleen-L-Donnelly/dp/1509257098

Amazon CA Paperback:

https://www.amazon.ca/Katie-Walsh-Colleen-L-Donnelly/dp/1509257098

GIVEAWAY:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

After the Red Carpet by Patricia Leavy - Book Tour - Guest Post - Giveaway - Enter Daily!

After the Red Carpet

by Patricia Leavy

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GENRE:   Contemporary Romance

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BOOK BLURB:

For fans of Tessa Bailey and Hannah Grace, After the Red Carpet is a feel-good, contemporary celebrity romance about what happens after the fairy-tale beginning as two lovers work toward their own true meaning of “happily ever after.”

After legendary Hollywood star Finn Forrester proposed to philosopher Ella Sinclair on the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival, the couple captivated the press and public with their real-life fairy tale. Now they vow to prioritize their romance and live an adventure of their own making. Ella moves into Finn’s Beverly Hills mansion and must adjust to his world. Finn, secretly afraid of losing Ella, is determined to make everything perfect for his betrothed. Meanwhile, Ella wants nothing more than to retain her own identity as they build their new life together. All the while, she is writing a philosophical treatise on love, exploring the question: when we love so deeply, where do we end and where does the other begin?

In this highly anticipated follow-up to The Location Shoot, will Ella and Finn finally live the life they’ve dreamed of? See how their epic romance unfolds, after the red carpet.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EXCERPT THREE:

Finn and Ella strolled down the long red carpet at the famed Royal Albert Hall, arm in arm behind the rest of the Celebration team.

“Somehow I’ve never been here before,” Finn said.

“Well, you’re in for a treat. It’s extraordinary inside. Concerts here are wonderful.”

“I’ll have to get us tickets sometime.”

“Funny story about how this place came to be. Prince Albert wanted to create a hall to celebrate the arts and sciences, to bring culture to the people. He died before it was completed, and Queen Victoria insisted it should be named after him. They even wove the letter A into the stairway railings. Then of course she had that obscenely pricey, gold memorial statue created outside, across the road from the hall. She spent the rest of her life wearing black, to show her deep mourning.”

“She must have really loved him.”

Ella shrugged.

“What?” Finn asked.

“Oh, I don’t know. I’m sure she did love him, in her own way, but perhaps it would have meant more to simply realize his vision. He wanted this place to be about the arts, not about him. Love isn’t about gold statues or opulence. The grandest gesture is seeing someone for who they are and honoring what’s important to them.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GUEST POST:

Five Reasons You Should Read After the Red Carpet

1.)    You are in love with love itself. Nothing is better than getting swept away in a romance. You love the escape, fantasy, and whimsy. If you’re a romantic at heart, this book has your name on it.

2.)    You’ve always fantasized about what would happen if you fell in love with a movie star and moved into his Beverly Hills mansion and had to adjust to his Hollywood life. Well, that’s exactly what Ella goes through in After the Red Carpet.

3.)   The real world can be so harsh and often disappointing. Enter the modern adult fairy tale that is After the Red Carpet and leave your troubles behind.

4.)   If I were to describe this book in one word it would be: cozy. This is a very sweet, love filled story. It will wrap you in a big hug. These days, we all need a hug.

5.)   Sometimes maybe fairy tales do come true. We all need to believe.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUTHOR BIO & LINK:

Patricia Leavy, PhD, is an award-winning, best-selling author. She was formerly Associate Professor of Sociology, Chairperson of Sociology & Criminology, and Founding Director of Gender Studies at Stonehill College. She has published more than forty books; her work has been translated into many languages, and she has received more than one hundred book honors. Her last novel, The Location Shoot, was featured on Ms. Career Girl‘s “10 Perfect Books to Get Your Fall Reading List Started” and was the 2023 Firebird Book Awards 1st Place Winner in 4 categories: Contemporary Novel, Pop Culture Fiction, Romance and Summer Beach Read. Patricia has also received career awards from the New England Sociological Association, the American Creativity Association, the American Educational Research Association, the International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry, and the National Art Education Association. In 2018, she was honored by the National Women’s Hall of Fame and SUNY-New Paltz established the “Patricia Leavy Award for Art and Social Justice.” Patricia lives in Maine. In addition to writing, she enjoys art, reading, and travel.

 

Website:

https://patricialeavy.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AMAZON BUY LINKS:

Amazon US Kindle eBook:

https://amzn.to/48WCn3t

Amazon US Paperback:

https://amzn.to/3O82ESY

Amazon CA Kindle eBook:

https://www.amazon.ca/After-Red-Carpet-Patricia-Leavy-ebook/dp/B0D3FJGP55

Amazon CA Paperback:

https://www.amazon.ca/After-Red-Carpet-Novel-Romance/dp/1647427509

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GIVEAWAY:

Patricia 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

**This post contains affiliate links and if clicked and a purchase is made, I may receive a small commission to help support this blog.  This does not cost you anything, it just helps pay for all those fabulous community outreach projects and awesome giveaways on here**

This contest is sponsored by a third party. Fabulous and Brunette is a registered host of Goddess Fish Promotions.  Prizes are given away by the sponsors and not Fabulous and Brunette. The featured author and Goddess Fish Promotions are solely responsible for the giveaway prize.

To Do Justice by Frank S Joseph - Book Tour - Guest Post - Giveway - Enter Daily!

To Do Justice

by Frank S Joseph

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GENRE:   Historical Fiction

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BOOK BLURB:

It’s 1965, summer in Chicago, and it’s hot. Pinkie looks white but is being ‘raised Black’ by shiftless Jolene -- who’s in it for Pinkie’s child support check and nothing more. But how did Jolene come to be raising Pinkie anyway? Join this daughter of the city’s meanest streets as she sets out on a quest to find the White woman who gave her birth, braving the inner-city riots of the turbulent ‘60s to discover who she really is. An IndieReader Best Book; finalist for Chicago Writers Assn. Book of the Year and First Prize, CWA novel contest; 5 Stars from Reedsy Reviews, Readers’ Favorite and Midwest Book Review.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EXCERPT THREE:

Cop, he’s one of them greaseball Italians that run things around here. Do their business in them social clubs and ice cream parlors over to Taylor Street and Racine. Walk around smoking cheap cigars and acting like they own it all. I hear the Irish and the Polish got the cop racket sewed up in other parts of town but around here it’s the dagoes. Doubt if the colored be in charge in any part of town. … 

Cop turns from Bettina and smiles down. Seen all kind of cops in my life—angry cops, tricky cops, cops that act friendly till they get what they want. Think this one be the last kind.

I ask what he’s looking after. Says there’s been complaints about the hydrant so he ordering it closed.

“It’s a hundred degrees out Mister.”

Cop don’t care. Says it’s against city law to open a hydrant. Says what if there’s a fire on the block, you leave the hydrant running ain’t going to be enough pressure to fight the fire. Says anyhow the fire marshal wants it closed so he done called in a fire truck. Going to close it whether you kids like it or not.

Cop asks who opened it in the first place. I wouldn’t tell and get someone in trouble even if I knew though I surely don’t. I say we’re just kids trying to stay cool on a hot day. Cop says baloney, he knows how things work, everyone on this street knows everyone else so tell who opened it if you know what’s good for you. Gives us one of them cop looks. Bettina she’s scared but I know better. He’s just a wop in a cop suit, throwing his weight around.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GUEST POST:

My Favorite Scene in This Book

This is the one for me.

My favorite scene in this book is … well, I have lots of favorite scenes. ‘I love all my children,’ y’know? But if I have to single out one scene, I choose the very opening of the novel. The voice is that of my 11-year-old heroine Pinkie, a mixed-race child of Chicago’s mean streets; the time summer 1965, riot season … thus the last line of the following:

Ever since I’m little I be wondering who my momma is.

It ain’t Jolene. Jolene been raising me but I ain’t her blood. Reminds me of it every chance she gets. Picked me out of a trash pile one day, that’s what Jolene says. Like a maggot out of a garbage can.

If I’m trash I say, why you done it? Just teasing she says, you be worth real money, check for $102.80 on the first of every month. Calls it her Pinkie check. Long as the Welfare keeps sending the Pinkie check, that’s all she cares about, Jolene.

Jolene just laughs when I ask about my real momma. One day I be finding her though. See does Jolene laugh when that day comes.

Jolene don’t treat Bettina no better than me even though Bettina be blood and flesh to her. Bettina asks who her poppa was but Jolene pretends she don’t hear. Poor little thing, Bettina, bumping into things like she does. Jolene says Bettina was born with a caul, that’s why she so clumsy. I know better though. Bettina can’t help it. Something wrong inside her head. She plenty smart all right, just something inside there don’t work how it’s supposed to, like a doorbell is busted or a toaster don’t pop.

All Jolene cares about is the money though, $102.80 a month for me and $94.73 for Bettina. And Bettina’ll be worth more soon Jolene says, worth as much as you gal, $102.80 a month when she turns nine. Then in September when you turn twelve, you’ll be worth $106.35, and Jolene grins.

No wonder Jolene gets so happy when she talks about the money. We’re her most valuable property. That’s why I got to protect my baby sister best I can. Bettina’s my most valuable property. Till I find my real momma, Bettina’s the closest thing to kinfolk I got in the world.

Should’ve protected Bettina better than I did though, the day things got turned upside-down.

* * *

These lines came to me as I sat in a hotel room on Chicago’s north side, stranded for four unplanned days by a freak storm that knocked out the airports. I hadn’t envisioned the character Pinkie previously. She wasn’t based on someone I knew*. She just manifested – came down from Somewhere Above and started talking. All I had to do was write it down.

*As I got to know Pinkie, I came to realize she was inspired somewhat by my daughter, who was someone else’s daughter before she became ours. When she was Pinkie’s age, she was in a bad situation – bad neighborhood, bad boyfriend, bad everything. But I wasn’t consciously thinking about my daughter when Pinkie was introducing herself.

Another of my protagonists came to me this way too. His name is Jesse Owens Trimble but I nickname him Sass because of his smart mouth. Sass is a presence in To Do Justice, Book #3 of my “Chicago Trilogy,” but a protagonist of Book #1, To Love Mercy; and Book #2, To Do Justice. Like Pinkie, Sass too is a street kid with no real-life counterpart. And as with Pinkie, Sass just came down from Up There and started talking.

Many other Trilogy characters are based on people I’ve known. I’ll single out one, the character I call Dora Barfield. She’s an elderly Black woman from Sunflower, Mississippi, with no more than a second-grade education … but far more than her share of folk smarts and wisdom.

There was a real-life Dora – Dora Winfield – who shared this story. Dora Winfield worked for my (White) family as a housekeeper – though, in those far-off politically incorrect times, we called them maids.

Even though the real-life Dora had been in our lives from the time I was 6 through my early teens, I hadn’t thought of her in some 40 years. As I started writing the trilogy, though, she popped into my head same as Pinkie and Sass -- talking.

Talking about her life as our domestic, sleeping a night or two every week on a rollaway bed in the dining room of our South Side apartment. About being there with the milk and cookies when my sister Judy and I would come home from school.

About … my mother.

Listening to my mom give her instructions. Thinking her own thoughts about it. And me, the author, now well into mid life, hearing for the first time these very private musings.

Each Trilogy novel has won awards – lots of them. To Do Justice, the one just published, has been named a Best Book by IndieReader. It’s a finalist for Book of the Year from the Chicago Writers Assn., and also won first prize in CWA’s novel contest. It’s garnered five-star reviews from Reedsy Reviews, Readers’ Favorite® and Midwest Book Review.

All credit to the voices inside my head. I couldn’t have done it without them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUTHOR BIO:

Frank S Joseph's “Chicago Trilogy” novels -- TO LOVE MERCY, TO WALK HUMBLY and TO DO JUSTICE -- tell a story of lives forever changed by racial turmoil that marked and marred Chicago at mid century, a great city going up in flames.

Frank lived it. He came of age in the ’40s and ’50s as a sheltered White boy in comfortable South Side neighborhoods undergoing racial turnover and “white flight." And in his 20s, as an Associated Press correspondent, he covered the ’60s riots that wracked Chicago’s inner city as well as the '67 Detroit riot, where 37 died, and the notorious '68 Democratic National Convention street disorders. 

Frank left Chicago in 1969, landed at The Washington Post during Watergate, and went on to a career as an award-winning journalist, publisher and direct marketer. His Chicago Trilogy novels all have won award after award, most recently TO DO JUSTICE winning the Chicago Writers Assn. novel contest and being named an IndieReader Best Book. 

TO DO JUSTICE, Trilogy Book III, is out from Key Literary. TO LOVE MERCY, Trilogy Book I, and TO WALK HUMBLY, Trilogy Book II, are forthcoming from Key Literary. TO LOVE MERCY was previously published in 2006 by Mid Atlantic Highlands.

Frank and his wife Carol Jason, an artist and sculptor, live in Chevy Chase MD. They are the parents of Sam and Shawn.

An IndieReader Best Book

First Prize, Chicago Writers Assn. Novel Contest

Finalist, Chicago Writers Assn. Book of the Year

A Readers' Favorite® Five Star Selection

Five Stars -- Reedsy Reviews

Midwest Book Review - 5 Stars

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

CONNECT WITH FRANK:

Website:

https://frankjoseph.com

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/p/Frank-S-Joseph-Author-100069277722721

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/frank_s_joseph_author

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GIVEAWAY:

Frank 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

Sandra's Reader and Writer Party - Book Tour - Blurb Blitz - TWO Giveaways!! - Enter Daily!!

Sandra's Reader and Writer Party

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What started off as a simple book blog that posted the personal reviews of the site owner has grown into a site where authors and readers can connect. Since then Sandra's Book Club has given away books, gift cards, done reviews, tours, and offered free promotion to authors.

To celebrate all the readers and authors that have been a part of our blog, we’re throwing everyone a Reader and Author Blog Party! We’re also including one prize for readers and one prize for authors.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GIVEAWAY #1 - READER:

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

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GIVEAWAY #2 - AUTHOR:

Sandra will be awarding a FREE Bronze Book Promo Package to a randomly drawn writer via Rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Licensed to Rear by Riya Aarini - Book Tour - Guest Post - Giveaway - Enter Daily!

Licensed to Rear

by Riya Aarini

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GENRE:   Family Fiction

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BOOK BLURB:

Mila Winston aspires to earn a professional license to practice parenthood. It’s all she needs to start her family in the happiest micronation on Earth. Newcomers flock to Coolbeensia to fulfill their dreams of raising children here, where kids are guaranteed loving—as opposed to horrible—parents.

But mighty obstacles test Mila’s grit. Peter Losor, a chap with an annoying air of bravado, questionable parenting skills, and a defiant personality, stirs up trouble, eventually challenging the very law that defines Coolbeensia—that licensure is mandatory to enjoy the privilege of raising children.

Will Mila survive her trying ordeal and achieve her ambitions of being a licensed parent in the quirky yet revolutionary micronation? Find out in this satirical, contemporary family fiction novel that will leave you second-guessing the ideals surrounding the prestigious job of parenthood!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EXCERPT TWO:

“He’s seven, barely getting started,” Jason retorted. “And for life? Are you kidding me?”

“Well, we have to look closely at the defendant’s conduct and determine if it unequivocally led to a violation of the plaintiff’s Fifth Amendment rights.”

“What was that right again?” 

With a heavy sigh, Mila shook her head. “Jason, you should know it by now. It’s Friday, and you had three days to memorize the entire Bill of Rights.”

He ran his hand through his hair. “Yeah, but—”

“No excuses, Jace. We’ve got to prepare if we’re going to be licensed parents.” She put her hand on his thigh and gave it a light push. “Anyway, the Fifth Amendment states that kids have the right to live in a make-believe world for as long as they wish.” She dropped her tablet onto her lap. “For sure, per Coolbeensian law, this kid’s right was violated.”

Jason jerked his head back. “How so? Kids at some point realize there’s no Santa Claus.”

“But at age seven, he had the right to be inspired by the magical world of Santa and other legendary beings. I mean, it’s just plain wrong that the father’s irresponsible blurt led him to no longer believe in the Tooth Fairy too. These figures add so much joy and wonder to a child’s life. The father had no right to take that joy away from his son so soon.”

She crossed her arms. “It’s just not sensitive parenting.”

“Eh, I disagree,” Jason argued, cocking his head. “In a couple years’ time he’d have learned the truth anyway, from friends and even teachers.”

Mila flung her neck back. “Ugh, I’d never tell my fourth graders that Santa doesn’t exist.” Her eyes grew big. “Some still believe.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GUEST POST:

Describe Your Book Cover

I wanted my cover to reflect the lightheartedness of the story. The light blue sky evokes a calm and peace, while the colorful hot air balloons gently floating through the sky evoke a blissful serenity. The world I created in the book is peaceful and joyous—until the adversaries appear.

Although the story explores a serious topic (would-be parents requiring a license prior to having children), it is presented in a humorous, entertaining way. The storyline itself is thought-provoking. The bright and lively hot air balloons are actually a part of the story and are depicted in one exciting scene.

In the book, His Excellency President Eloney Ben Resz is commander in chief of his fabulous micronation, which puts him in charge of the military, air force, and navy. But his main weapons are love and reconciliation, which may explain why his nation had never encountered outright war in its twenty-plus-year history. The president uses his preferred weapons during wartime along with other harmless weaponry—which readers will discover upon reading the book.

I can say that hot air balloons coasting through the skies serve more than the purpose of making people airborne and giving them a fine, sky-high view of the land. President Eloney shows just how skillfully hot air balloons can be utilized during times of uncertainty and strife. His creative use of the eye-catching hot air balloons is one of many quirky, amusing scenes in this story.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUTHOR BIO:

Riya Aarini entered her small part of the world one summer day in the Pacific Northwest. She writes in an eclectic mix of genres, including humor and contemporary fiction. If you enjoy quirkiness with a pinch of whimsy, you’ll have an appetite for her books.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

CONNECT WITH RIYA:

Author Website:

http://www.riyapresents.com

Instagram:

http://www.instagram.com/aarinibooks

Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/aarinibooks

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AMAZON BUY LINKS:

Amazon US Kindle eBook:

https://amzn.to/3YZVFBH

Amazon US Paperback:

https://amzn.to/3YMzSw4

Amazon CA Kindle eBook:

https://www.amazon.ca/Licensed-Rear-Novel-Riya-Aarini-ebook/dp/B0DGFGDZYT

Amazon CA Paperback:

https://www.amazon.ca/Licensed-Rear-Novel-Riya-Aarini/dp/1956496505

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GIVEAWAY:

Riya will be awarding a Book-Themed T-shirt to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

**This post contains affiliate links and if clicked and a purchase is made, I may receive a small commission to help support this blog.  This does not cost you anything, it just helps pay for all those fabulous community outreach projects and awesome giveaways on here**

This contest is sponsored by a third party. Fabulous and Brunette is a registered host of Goddess Fish Promotions.  Prizes are given away by the sponsors and not Fabulous and Brunette. The featured author and Goddess Fish Promotions are solely responsible for the giveaway prize.