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Tuesday, August 31, 2021

If the Light Escapes by Brenda Marie Smith - Book Tour - Guest Post - Giveaway - Enter Daily!

Hello, lovelies!!  It gives me great pleasure today to host Brenda Marie Smith and her new book, “If the Light Escapes,” here on FAB!!  For other stops on her Goddess Fish Promotions Book Tour, please click on the banner above or any of the images in this post.

Be sure to make it to the end of this post to enter to win a $50 Amazon or Barnes and Noble Gift Card!!!  Also, come back daily to interact with Brenda and to increase your chances of winning!!

Thanks for stopping by!!  Wishing you all lots of luck in this fabulous giveaway!!

If the Light Escapes

by Brenda Marie Smith

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GENRE:  Sci-Fi (Post-Apocalyptic)

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BLURB:

A standalone sequel to IF DARKNESS TAKES US

A solar electromagnetic pulse fried the U.S. grid fourteen months ago. Everything’s gone: power, cars, running water, communications, all governing control and help—gone. Now northern lights have started in Texas—3,000 miles farther south than where they belong. The universe won’t stop screwing with eighteen-year-old Keno Simms.

All that’s left for Keno, his family and neighbors is farming their Austin subdivision, trying to eke out a living on poor soil in the scorching heat. Keno’s still reeling from the the death of his pregnant sister. His beloved Nana is ill, Grandpa’s always brandishing weapons, and water is far too scarce. Desperate thieves are hemming them in, yet he can’t convince his uncle and other adults to take action against the threat.

Keno’s one solace is his love for Alma, who has her own secret sorrows. When he gets her pregnant, he vows to keep her alive no matter what. Yet armed marauders and nature itself collude against him at every turn, forcing him to make choices that rip at his conscience. If he can’t protect Alma and their unborn child, it will be the end of Keno’s world.

IF THE LIGHT ESCAPES is post-apocalyptic science fiction set in a near-future reality, a coming-of-age story told in the voice of a heroic teen who’s forced into manhood too soon.

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EXCERPT THREE:

FROM CHAPTER 5:

“These northern lights bug the crap out of me,” I tell Alma. “What are they doing here? They’re supposed to be tied to magnetic poles. I saw this show a couple years ago that said the north pole was drifting north, not south. So how did they end up here? The poles can’t drift around randomly. That’s impossible.”

“I don’t know, baby. They worry me, too, but we need to be quiet.”

“They make me feel like something bad is gonna happen. What do you call that? Fore-something.”

“Foreboding?”

“That’s it. I’ll be quiet, now, and just stew in my foreboding.”

“Silly.” Alma reaches up and ruffles my hair.

When we patrol and we can’t cuddle on account of guns, Alma and I could talk all night. It’s not a good idea for us to talk much when we’re patrolling, though. We get all involved and forget to listen for anyone who might be sneaking around, hunting for food or water, or worse: getting ready to kill us for it.

We walk along with our rifles in the night. It’s cool out here, but not cold…

Alma stops and raises her gun.

“Hear that?” she whispers.

“No, what?” I’ve got my gun up, too, and I’m pivoting around, searching. I want to hide Alma, but she would never let me.

“Over there.” She points at the corner by the park. And I hear a jangly noise, like car keys. No one drives cars now, though…

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GUEST POST:

 Critique Groups are Awesome, If You Have the Right One

My first critique group formed from students in an online fiction class we were taking at UCLA online. We connected by email, did writing exercises, and shared the results. It was helpful at first. But then one of the members started yelling at us in all caps, saying that things we wrote were stupid. We dissolved pretty quickly after that. We were new writers. We were learning. You can’t grow in an that kind of environment.

After a novel-writing class at UCLA, four of us started a group to continue our work together, and it lasted for a few years until some of us had to quit writing for a while to deal with other aspects of our lives. The difference in this group and the first one was the respect we had for each other, and we went out of our way to be kind when we pointed out story problems. I learned so much from these writers, and I still think of them fondly. Their unique and powerful stories have stayed with me ever since.

My current writing group is fantastic. There were three of us, all in Austin, Texas, and we got together in 2012. One person moved away and didn’t want to meet online, but we got another member soon after. He was nineteen at the time (I think it was 2014). The two of us in Austin have never met him in person, but we meet with online video chats, we trade pages regularly, and we keep an open chat where we give each other advice and commiserate about our trials and tribulations.

We each have our strengths and weaknesses, and they complement one another nicely. We do several reads of each of our books, but most of the time we break them into pieces and read several chapters at a time. We mark up the manuscripts and leave lots of comments, and we usually write a summation in advance of our meetings. That way, in our meetings, we can focus on the bigger issues and possible solutions one book at a time.

We don’t have a regular meeting schedule; we call meetings when we need them. We used to meet more frequently, but now it’s six to eight times per year. We’re all too busy writing to meet more often, and we’ve improved so much that we can get further on our own now. Since we chat online so much, it works really well.

I’ve heard of critique groups that meet once per week, bring a few pages a piece to the meetings, then read and critique them there. The groups can be fairly large, so no one gets much attention. If it works for them, that’s great, but it wouldn’t work for me. Words and pages can be beautifully written, but if they don’t serve the story as a whole, you don’t need them. I want to see more of the story before I can evaluate whether or not different passages are working.

I honestly believe I could never have become a published author without these two particular critique partners. They were published before I was, they are mega-talented and accomplished, and they are fixing to be famous any day. They make me stick to the narrative through-line, they insist I write to suit the genre, and they point out issues and problems I never would’ve caught on my own. They also encourage me and cheer me on.

All three of us also have other people we trade critiques with on the side. It helps sometimes to get fresh perspectives. More and more often, we have professional editors from our publishers to work with. But before we get books accepted for publication, we have each other, and I couldn’t ask for better than that.

 The most critical ingredient to the success of our critique group: We are compatible, supportive friends who go the extra mile for one another, first, last, and always.

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AUTHOR BIO:

Brenda Marie Smith lived off the grid for many years in a farming collective where her sons were delivered by midwives. She’s been a community activist, managed student housing co-ops, produced concerts to raise money for causes, done massive quantities of bookkeeping, and raised a small herd of teenage boys.

Brenda is attracted to stories where everyday characters transcend their own limitations to find their inner heroism. She and her husband reside in a grid-connected, solar-powered home in South Austin, Texas. They have more grown kids and grandkids than they can count.

Her first novel, Something Radiates, is a paranormal romantic thriller; If Darkness Takes Us and its sequel, If the Light Escapes, are post-apocalyptic science fiction.

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CONNECT WITH BRENDA MARIE SMITH:

Website:

https://brendamariesmith.com

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/BrendaMarieSmithAuthor

Twitter:

http://www.twitter.com/bsmithnovelist

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/brenda_marie_smith

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJlLSnORIyoaygvZ1j49ZKw

Goodreads Author Page:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7328277.Brenda_Marie_Smith

Goodreads Book Page:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58043963-if-the-light-escapes

Amazon Author Page:

http://amzn.to/2SHb1M8

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BOOK BUY LINKS:

Amazon Kindle eBook:

http://amzn.to/3kDEUH3

Amazon Paperback:

http://amzn.to/3DHCDDA

Barnes & Noble Paperback:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/if-the-light-escapes-brenda-marie-smith/1140037562

BookPeople Austin Paperback:

https://www.bookpeople.com/book/9781970137835

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GIVEAWAY INFO:

Brenda Marie Smith will be awarding a $50 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC 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 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.

Never Say Chai by Kirsten Weiss - Book Blast - Giveaway - Enter Daily!


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Kirsten Weiss will be awarding a $10 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour. Click the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

It’s Halloween season in small town San Borromeo, and Abigail and Hyperion are determined to make Beanblossom’s Tea and Tarot spooktacular. But when Hyperion’s boyfriend, Detective Tony Chase, is arrested at Beanblossom’s for murder, the duo is certain someone’s playing a nasty trick. And when the official investigation turns into a witch hunt, the stakes to unearth the truth are raised…

But a clever killer has plans to squash their investigation… and the two amateur detectives. If they don’t solve this puzzle—and f hem both.

Never Say Chai is the fourth book in the Tea and Tarot cozy mystery series. A fast-paced and funny cozy mystery, packed with quirky characters, pets, and murder! Perfect for fans of Jana DeLeon, Janet Evanovich, and Donna Andrews. Buy the book and start this hilarious caper!

Tearoom recipes in the back of the book!
EXCERPT TWO:

There are some things that should go without saying. For example, don’t leave a coffin in your business partner’s driveway. It’s just not done.

But there was a coffin in my driveway. And it had wheels. I looked from the black coffin to the yellow bungalow. Yep, it was my house. Just above the peaked roofline, fog blurred a watery sun.

“Do you have any idea why there’s a coffin in my driveway?” Because there was really only one person who would put one there. I tore my gaze from the wooden coffin to Hyperion. “And why is it on wheels?”

He shifted his weight. “Didn’t I mention the coffin race?”

“No.”

“Why’d you think I had a t-shirt cannon?”

“I still have no idea why you’ve got one.”

“For the coffin race.” He patted the coffin’s hood.

I waited.

“I entered Beanblossom’s in the race,” he said patiently. “We’re going as the Death card. I’ve got a scythe and everything.”

“A scythe at high speeds. What could go wrong?”

“It’ll be like in one of those Italian medieval morality parades. Did you know those parades most likely spawned the Tarot’s major arcana cards?”

“Oh, boy.”

“Or was it the Renaissance?” He shook his head. “They were in Italy. I know that much.”

AUTHOR BIO:

Amazon bestselling author Kirsten Weiss writes laugh-out-loud, page-turning mysteries. Her heroines aren’t perfect, but they’re smart, they struggle, and they succeed. Kirsten writes in a house high on a hill in the Colorado woods and occasionally ventures out for wine and chocolate. Or for a visit to the local pie shop. Kirsten is best known for her Wits’ End, Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum, and Tea and Tarot cozy mystery books. So if you like funny, action-packed mysteries with complicated heroines, just turn the page…

CONNECT WITH KIRSTEN:

Website:

Email:
kweiss2001@kirstenweiss.com 

Facebook:

Instagram:

Bookbub:

BOOK BUY LINKS:

Amazon Kindle eBook:
Amazon Paperback:

Apple Books eBook:
Barnes and Noble Nook eBook:
Google Play eBook:
Kobo eBook:

GIVEAWAY INFO:

Kirsten will be awarding a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble Gift Card 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 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.

Monday, August 30, 2021

Christmas Comes to Morning Star by Charlotte Hubbard - Book Tour - Guest Post - Giveaway - Enter Daily!

Hey, lovelies!!  It gives me great pleasure today to host Charlotte Hubbard and her inspirational new book, “Christmas Comes to Morning Star,” here on FAB!!  For other stops on her Goddess Fish Promotions Book Tour, please click on the banner above or any of the images in this post.

Be sure to make it to the end of this post to enter to win a $15 Amazon or Barnes and Noble Gift Card!!  In addition to the GC Prize, Charlotte would like to select one female reader's name to use in her upcoming book, “Hidden Away at Promise Lodge.”  Also, come back daily to interact with Charlotte and to increase your chances of winning!!

Thanks for stopping by!!  Wishing you lots of luck in this fabulous giveaway!!

Christmas Comes to Morning Star

by Charlotte Hubbard

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GENRE: Amish/Inspirational Romance

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BLURB:

Founded by five unmarried and enterprising Amish maidels, the new Morning Star Marketplace in small-town Missouri is preparing for a joyous Christmas season. But will the holiday also bring unexpected tidings of love?

Twin sisters Molly and Marietta Helfing are eagerly anticipating Christmas, with Marietta fully recovered from cancer and their noodle making business thriving. But Molly clearly misses having former tenant Pete Shetler and his rambunctious dog, Riley, around. Marietta can’t ignore Molly’s feelings for Pete—or the anxiety it stirs within her. Convinced her illness has made her unmarriageable, Marietta wonders what kind of life she’ll have if her sister marries—despite Molly’s promise never to leave her behind. . .

Then a fire destroys the home of Amish neighbors and Molly and Marietta graciously make room for widower Glenn Detweiler, his dat, and his two young boys. When Pete returns to help the family rebuild, Molly relishes her reunion with the handsome carpenter, while Marietta delights in mothering Glenn’s boys—and is surprised by her poignant bond with their quiet, brooding father. Soon everyone is wondering if this season will bring the blessing of a merry double wedding to Morning Star . . .

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EXCERPT ONE:

When she glanced at her sister, who was placing a strip of noodle dough into the roller, Marietta noticed a rare frown on Molly’s face. “Penny for your thoughts, sister.”

Molly shrugged. “Sure is quiet without Riley and Pete around.”

Marietta’s eyes widened at her sister’s wistful remark. For several months, Pete Shetler and his golden retriever, Riley, had rented one of their two dawdi hauses. Pete had done some much-needed maintenance around their farm—while his active young dog had mostly dug up Mamm’s flower beds, chewed the belts on their noodle making equipment, and found other trouble to get into.

Pete had moved into his uncle’s house, however. Although Marietta appreciated the return to a quieter routine without their renter, she sensed Molly had secretly adored the muscular blond carpenter and his rambunctious dog.

“Maybe you should pay Pete a visit,” she suggested. “I bet he’d be tickled if you took over a pan of noodle pudding—”

“Why would I do that?” Molly blurted. “It’s not as though anything would come of a relationship—even if Pete took the hint and asked me out.”

“Why not?” Marietta paused, hoping to express her concerns carefully. “Just because I’ll never marry doesn’t mean you should forfeit a potential romance. Sure, Pete’s clueless most of the time but he seems trainable. And he’s awfully cute.”

“Let’s not forget that Pete refuses to join the Amish church, so a romance would be pointless—even if he knew the meaning of the word,” Molly shot back. “Truth be told, I like Riley better than Pete, anyway. I intend to remain here on the farm with you, sister, like we’ve always agreed upon. We’re turning thirty-five next month, so why would I want to change my life—and my attitude—to accommodate a husband?”

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GUEST POST:

Who’s Who in Morning Star?

My fictional town of Morning Star, Missouri is populated by English and Amish alike—and some of these characters, like Bishop Jeremiah Shetler, were featured in other books before I wrote this Maidels of Morning Star series. How do I keep them all straight?

One of my key writing tools is a photo collage! I construct a collage for each of my series, made from photos torn from magazines over many, many years. As you look at this collage you’ll see some very famous faces—but for me, these photos aren’t about movie stars or high-dollar models. I choose the pix from my files because the facial expressions hint at character traits or perhaps secrets that I don’t necessarily know about before I start writing the books in the series.

Because there are only four Morning Star books, this collage is smaller than some. (My collage for the Promise Lodge series now has 31 faces!) As I decide where a photo belongs on the collage, I’m also making decisions about how these characters are related to each other—usually the characters in a book are grouped close together.

Starting in the upper left, you see Martin Flaud, owner of Flaud Furniture, and below him (yes, that’s Johnny Depp!) you see his son, Gabe Flaud who is gazing directly at Regina Miller, the heroine of book #1, MORNING STAR. Regina must hide the fact that she’s a talented artist…but of course her secret—and Gabe’s—come out at exactly the wrong time!

The little girl in the top row represents Ella Nissley, positioned beside Teacher Lydianne Christner of #2, FIRST LIGHT IN MORNING STAR. Lydianne is looking over her shoulder…maybe because her past with Ella is about to catch up with her! The fellow beside Lydianne is Bishop Jeremiah Shetler, who falls in love with her despite the secrets that will land Lydianne in some serious hot water with the church leaders.

In the very center (beside redheaded Regina) you see Jo Fussner, the entrepreneurial maidel who kick-starts the series when she believes a dilapidated old barn can become The Marketplace, where local Amish crafters sell their creations! Jo runs a bakery and is the anchor character for this series, and beside her you see her cranky mother, Drusilla, who doesn’t believe anything can succeed! Drusilla faces Nelson Wengerd, who owns a nursery shop in The Marketplace. Beside Nelson is his son, Michael, who’s sweet on Jo—these fellows are in the first three books, and they will have starring roles in #4 LOVE BLOOMS IN MORNING STAR (comes out in August, 2022).

The bottom row are the characters in my current book, #3 CHRISTMAS COMES TO MORNING STAR. At the left is carpenter Pete Shetler (aka Patrick Swayze) and his dog, Riley. Beside Riley you see Molly Helfing, who cuts off all her hair when her twin sister, Marietta, loses her hair during her chemo treatments. The Helfing twins run a homemade noodle business and they rent out their dawdi haus…which is how they get romantically involved with Pete and Glenn. And last, you see woodworker Glenn Detweiler with baby Levi (is it any wonder we all fell in love with Paul McCartney back in the day?!)

My collage is on the wall above my desk, so each time I sit down to write, these characters are looking right at me! There’s no escape—they expect me to not only get them down on the page, but to make them feel so real and compelling that readers believe they are flesh and blood people!

If you have questions about this Morning Star collage, or my writing process, or my books, please ask me in the comments, below—or on my Facebook page! Thanks for reading this post, and for following my virtual tour for CHRISTMAS COMES TO MORING STAR!

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AUTHOR BIO:

In 1983, Charlotte Hubbard sold her first story to True Story. She wrote around 70 of those confession stories, and she’s sold more than 50 books to traditional or online publishers. A longtime resident of Missouri, she’s currently writing Amish romances set in imaginary Missouri towns for Kensington. She now lives in Omaha, NE with her husband of 40+ years and their Border collie, Vera.

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CONNECT WITH CHARLOTTE:

Website:

http://www.CharlotteHubbard.com

Blog:

http://www.charlottehubbard.com/blog

Newsletter:

http://www.charlottehubbard.com/contact

Email:

charlotte@charlottehubbard.com

Snail Mail:

Charlotte Hubbard, P.O. Box 18731, West St. Paul, MN. 55118

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/charlotte.hubbard1

BookBub Author Page:

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/charlotte-hubbard

BookBub Book Page:

https://www.bookbub.com/books/christmas-comes-to-morning-star-the-maidels-of-morning-star-book-3-by-charlotte-hubbard

Goodreads Author Page:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/53342.Charlotte_Hubbard

Goodreads Book Page:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56318164-christmas-comes-to-morning-star

Amazon Author Page:

http://amzn.to/330TQEH

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BOOK BUY LINKS:

Amazon US Kindle eBook:

http://amzn.to/3BqR3ps

Amazon US Paperback:

http://amzn.to/3zw1abZ

Amazon US Audiobook:

http://amzn.to/2UXXDUW

Amazon CA eBook:

https://www.amazon.ca/Christmas-Comes-Morning-Star-Maidels-ebook/dp/B08P7V65XS

Amazon CA Paperback:

https://www.amazon.ca/Christmas-Comes-Morning-Charlotte-Hubbard/dp/1420151835

Amazon CA Audiobook:

https://www.amazon.ca/Christmas-Comes-Morning-Star-Maedels/dp/B09CB5W6HD

Amazon UK Kindle eBook:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Christmas-Comes-Morning-Star-Maidels-ebook/dp/B08P7V65XS

Amazon UK Paperback:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Christmas-Comes-Morning-Charlotte-Hubbard/dp/1420151835

Amazon UK Audiobook:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Christmas-Comes-Morning-Star-Maedels/dp/B09CB42BJK

Amazon AU Kindle eBook:

https://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B08P7V65XS

Amazon AU Kindle eBook:

https://www.amazon.com.au/Christmas-Comes-Morning-Star-Maidels-ebook/dp/B08P7V65XS

Amazon AU Paperback:

https://www.amazon.com.au/Christmas-Comes-Morning-Charlotte-Hubbard/dp/1420151835

Amazon AU Audiobook:

https://www.amazon.com.au/Christmas-Comes-Morning-Star-Maedels/dp/B09C94V5NL

Apple US Books eBook:

https://books.apple.com/us/book/christmas-comes-to-morning-star/id1553354570

Apple CA Books eBook:

https://books.apple.com/ca/book/christmas-comes-to-morning-star/id1553354570

Apple UK Books eBook:

https://books.apple.com/uk/book/christmas-comes-to-morning-star/id1553354570

Apple AU Books eBook:

https://books.apple.com/au/book/christmas-comes-to-morning-star/id1553354570

Barnes and Noble NOOK eBook:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/christmas-comes-to-morning-star-charlotte-hubbard/1138373715?ean=9781420151862

Barnes and Noble Mass Market Paperback:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/christmas-comes-to-morning-star-charlotte-hubbard/1138373715?ean=9781420151831

The Book Depository Paperback:

https://www.bookdepository.com/Christmas-Comes-Morning-Star-Charlotte-Hubbard/9781420151831

BAM! Books-A-Million Mass Market Paperback:

https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Christmas-Comes-Morning-Star/Charlotte-Hubbard/9781420151831

Indigo Chapters eBook:

https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/christmas-comes-to-morning-star/9781420151862-item.html

Indigo Chapters Mass Market Paperback:

https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/christmas-comes-to-morning-star/9781420151831-item.html

Google Play eBook:

https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Charlotte_Hubbard_Christmas_Comes_to_Morning_Star?id=Xq4LEAAAQBAJ

IndieBound Mass Market Paperback:

https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781420151831

Kobo US eBook:

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/christmas-comes-to-morning-star

Kobo US Audiobook:

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/audiobook/christmas-comes-to-morning-star-1

Kobo CA eBook:

https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/christmas-comes-to-morning-star

Kobo CA Audiobook:

https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/audiobook/christmas-comes-to-morning-star-1

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GIVEAWAY INFO:

Charlotte will be awarding a $15 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour.  In addition to the GC, the author would like to select one female reader's name to use in her upcoming book, HIDDEN AWAY AT PROMISE LODGE.


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 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.

Relatively Normal Secrets by C. W. Allen - Book Blast - Giveaway - Enter Daily!


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. C. W. Allen will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Like most siblings, Tuesday and Zed don't always get along. Unlike most siblings, their arguments are over things like whether their parents are hiding a life of crime, or are simply the weirdest adults on the planet. When they decide to go on the hunt for some solid evidence, things get weirder than ever: two thugs with shape-shifting swords show up, their dog shows off some tricks she definitely didn't learn in obedience school, and even their treehouse turns out to be more than meets the eye.

Their escape leaves Zed and Tuesday stranded in a land where robots and holograms live alongside quaint medieval villagers and soldiers on horseback. Soldiers who insist their father is a disgraced fugitive, and their dog a legendary monster.

If they ever want to see their parents again, they'll have to learn to work together. After all, they've got a mysterious code to break, secrets to unlock, bandits and soldiers to outwit, and a rowdy dog whose antics are getting more outrageous by the minute. Even if they manage to evade the eerie secret police and uncover enough clues to figure out what's really going on, they're not sure they're going to like the truth.

Zed and Tuesday will have to decide who to trust and what really matters, or they'll never get back to normal (whatever that is.) Because when it comes to normal, everything is relative.
EXCERPT TWO:

At lunch, her father was the headlining topic of conversation. Perhaps, everyone joked, he was some kind of secret agent—if anyone found out what he really did all day, he'd have to erase their memories or have them deported to Jupiter. Tuesday made a hasty decision: better to ride the wave of laughter, than drown in it. This was ridiculous, of course!

Of course it was.

Tuesday heaved her backpack onto the lunch table and made a production of searching for a missing paper until the cafeteria’s collective attention bounded on to a new distraction. She retrieved last week’s History assignment and tried to look intensely interested in reviewing it, staring through the page with unfocused eyes while zoning out to the satisfying snapping sound her carrot sticks made, the pitch falling rhythmically as her teeth chopped each one shorter and shorter.

The newly-hatched suspicions about her parents’ routines burrowed in with the rest of the doubts nesting in her brain. It wasn’t just the way they sidestepped any mention of their lives before they had children. It wasn’t just their odd taste in names. It was just—oh, everything.

Her last name should have been different, for one thing; Tuesday was sure of it. Her father wouldn’t say what it might have been, but anything else would have been fine with her, really. Anything that wouldn’t make her a walking punchline. If her parents hadn’t been so weird, her mother would have taken her father’s last name when they got married, like normal people. Then Tuesday could have inherited his name, instead of just his face.


AUTHOR BIO:

C.W. Allen is a Nebraskan by birth, a Texan by experience, a Hoosier by marriage, and a Utahn by geography. She knew she wanted to be a writer the moment she read The Westing Game at age twelve, but took a few detours along the way as a veterinary nurse, an appliance repair secretary, and a homeschool parent.

She recently settled in the high desert of rural Utah with her husband, their three children, and a noisy flock of orphaned ideas. Someday she will create literary homes for all of them. (The ideas, not her family.)

Relatively Normal Secrets (Cinnabar Moth Publishing, Fall 2021) is her debut novel. She writes fantasy novels for tweens, picture books for children, and short stories and poems for former children. Her work will appear in numerous anthologies in 2021. She is also a frequent guest presenter at writing conferences and club meetings, which helps her procrastinate knuckling down to any actual writing.

CONNECT WITH C. W. ALLEN:

Website:

Twitter:
Goodreads Author Page:

Amazon Paperback:

Amazon Hardcover:

Barnes and Noble NOOK eBook:



C. W. Allen will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble Gift Card to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour.

**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 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.

Friday, August 27, 2021

It's Not About Me, It's About Them by booker ml - Book Tour - Guest Post - Giveaway - Enter Daily!

***UPDATE: NEW PRIZE ADDED ALERT!!!!***

In addition to the already fabulous Free Registration gift prize to the Final Wishes Questionnaire, booker ml is awarding a SECOND lucky winner a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble Gift Card to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour.

It's Not About Me, It's About Them

by booker ml

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GENRE: Informational Personal

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BLURB:

Have you ever said to someone, "I'm not a mind reader?" Or, have you ever been told, "You know I can't read your mind?" It's Not About Me - It's About Them leaves nothing for the imagination when something needs to be SAID.

It's not about DYING, it's about LIVING and preserving your memory.

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EXCERPT ONE:

I started out with my name as I called myself as a young child: Marsha Lynette Booker Bear. By the way the Bear was attributed from my little black and white panda, my buddy, as a young child. I also remember stating my name as Marsha L Dot Booker because that’s the way I learned my name.

I didn’t have to say the whole name, but I had to remember to put the dot behind the L. As a child I guess I didn’t know that was how you wrote your middle initial.

Then, I remember writing down, “But she loved to be called Lynn.”

Now, why is any of this important? Believe it or not, I realized, how would anyone know what I wanted unless I write it down?

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GUEST POST:

Some of My Favorite Items in My Office

The color of my office is my first mode of inspiration. It’s Tranquil Blue which is very relaxing. My office is one of my favorite rooms in the house because it houses some of my favorite possessions such as my album collection, pictures, and everything needed to run an office. All types of machines, binding, xerox, all types of colored paper that I will probably never use, and a box of what I call “don’t throw that away, I can use for something”. This box may contain broken pieces of a pencil, or Styrofoam, and the like.” Most of the time when I’m planning an event these pieces come in handy.

My room is filled with keepsakes that has no monetary value, all sentimental that has a story behind each item.

My OFFICE

This is my Lynn wall. I used to love watching Laverne and Shirley and Laverne always had an L on her clothes. I’m proud of being Lynn and this is a collection of some of the places I’ve been that had my name. The two pictures represent two different outfits one was gift and the other matched the other person’s outfit.  I also collect cars and this car matches the blue wall.

I am proud of my cassette collection. Having these on the wall makes me think of a radio station where I volunteered as a youth. There are also trophies that were given to me for serving at some of the churches where I worshipped. I purchased the bookcase from Kmart in 1982 for college and it has been a part of the furniture in all of my places I have lived. It’s pretty strong and has endured many items. It’s definitely a keeper.

This my Sentimental Wall it starts with my initial in mirror form. I am also proud of the plaques and awards I received, the first book “Spiritual Warfare” that assisted in compiling and other items. The picture of me waving my hand and smiling with my mom smiling also was the last picture that I took with her 1 year before she went home to be with the Lord. The sign on the white board “This where all the Magic happens.”

This is a small portion of my cup collection. To some these may seem like plastic drinking cups that should be thrown away. To me, they are beautiful and colorful. I am a graphic designer, I really like reviewing fonts, different logos, and many of the cups that I have not shown in this picture are places that I have traveled and may not ever get there again. A large portion of my cups are of establishments that no longer are in business or have changed their logos over the years and I am proud to have originals.  Every cup tells a story and collecting them is part of my story.

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AUTHOR BIO:

booker ml is a native Washingtonian and feels two of her primary purposes in life is to (1) to help people in any way she can and (2) make people laugh.  She is a strong advocate of teaching life principles through practical application and is very passionate about this subject matter.

She the owner of WRAPPED-N-1, a Professional Administrative Online Service Portal, the owner of Melodies of PraiZe a Full-Service Christian DJ known as DJ STRATE. Additionally, the owner of Internet Radio Station WGMLB, Wonderful Gospel Music Lover’s Buffett. To listen, visit wgmlb.com all genres of Christian music can be heard.

You will feel the genuine heart beat of booker ml with all of the services she provides. She is honored that God has entrusted her with so much. She lives her life according to the scripture Proverbs 18:24 aA man that hath friend must shew himself friendly.”

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CONNECT WITH BOOKER ML:

Website:

https://handleyourbusiness.cc

Website:

https://www.wrapped-n-1.com

Website:

https://www.wgmlb.com

Email:

bookerml@wrapped-n-1.com

Email:

Wrappedn1@gmail.com

Phone:

(202) 322-2470

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/marsha.l.booker.7

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/booker.ml.3

Twitter:

http://twitter.com/ml_booker

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BOOK BUY LINKS:

Amazon US Paperback:

http://amzn.to/3sVbYxV

Amazon US Audiobook:

http://amzn.to/2XSRD0K

Amazon CA Paperback:

https://www.amazon.ca/Its-Not-About-Me-Them/dp/1703805712

Amazon CA Audiobook:

https://www.amazon.ca/Its-Not-About-Me-Them/dp/B08SCMTWBT

Audible by Amazon Audiobook:

https://www.audible.com/pd/Its-Not-About-Me-Its-About-Them-Audiobook/1950949907

Handle Your Business Store Paperback:

https://handleyourbusiness.cc/store/product/p_2239704

Handle Your Business Store Paperback + Final Wishes Questionnaire Bundle Package:

https://handleyourbusiness.cc/store/product/p_2239727

Kobo US Audiobook:

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/audiobook/it-s-not-about-me-it-s-about-them

Kobo CA Audiobook:

https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/audiobook/it-s-not-about-me-it-s-about-them

Wrapped Store Paperback:

https://www.wrapped-n-1.com/product-page/book

Wrapped Store Paperback + Final Wishes Questionnaire Bundle Package:

https://www.wrapped-n-1.com/purchase-book

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GIVEAWAY INFO:

booker ml will award a randomly drawn tour winner a free registration to Final Wishes Questionnaire (https://handleyourbusiness.cc/store/product/p_2272915) - $55 value.

4Ks Services is an all-inclusive pre-death planning service with a personal touch.

The Final Wishes Questionnaire is a user-friendly interactive database that allows the user to document important information to assist the designated person in the execution of the desires of the deceased.

The Questionnaire assists in three phases (1) Before Death (2) When Death Occurs and (3) Post Mortem Decisions.

Additionally, in pre-planning it (1) saving time and money, (2) precludes making hasty decisions, and (3) mostly reduce stress.

To protect your information, we also provide you with a thumb drive on which you can securely store information and update as you desire.

***UPDATE: NEW PRIZE ADDED ALERT!!!!***

In addition to the already fabulous Free Registration gift prize to the Final Wishes Questionnaire, booker ml is awarding a SECOND lucky winner a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble Gift Card 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 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.