Shining Brightly by Howard Brown - Book Tour - Guest Post - Giveaway - Enter Daily!

Hi, lovelies!!  It gives me great pleasure today to host Howard Brown and his new book, “Shining Brightly,” here on FAB!!  For other stops on his 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 $25 Amazon OR Barnes and Noble Gift Card!!  Also, come back daily to interact with Howard and to increase your chances of winning!!

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

Shining Brightly

by Howard Brown

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GENRE:  Memoir

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BLURB:

In Shining Brightly, Silicon Valley pioneer, cancer survivor and interfaith peacemaker Howard Brown shares keys to resilience for successful entrepreneurs, patient advocates and community leaders. He shows us how to reach out through our families, our communities and around the world to form truly supportive connections and friendships. From Howard’s career as a Silicon Valley entrepreneur, to his conquering metastatic stage IV cancer twice, to his compassionate outreach as a peacemaker, to his love of sports—this ultimately is not one man’s story. Shining Brightly is a story shared by countless men and women—and may wind up changing your life as well. With each true story he tells in the pages, Howard invites readers to picture how they might join him in shining more light in our world.

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EXCERPT TWO:

Basketball is a lot more than just a game to me. Basketball is a cerebral sport, a community sport, a sport of relationships, respect, chemistry and teamwork. Each time I have been knocked down by a physical disability, a surgery or a chemo series, one of the goals that gets me out of the bed each morning is getting back onto the court as a milestone in the healing of my mind, body and soul. I’ve had a chemo port installed, neuropathy, chronic diarrhea and the fogginess that I call chemo brain—and I’ve played through all of that. I don’t know too many stage IV cancer patients who’ve kept playing before, during and after treatment.

It’s hard playing full-court basketball several times a week with all that running, zigging and zagging. It’s even risky. I sometimes worry that a hard hit to the chest might disturb my chemo port. This is simply a part of my healing journey. The blueprint to my own survivorship. Basketball was the light that got me through some of the darkest periods of my life. And that’s the story behind that little photo caption that keeps bouncing around the internet: “I, Howard Brown, Stage IV Colon Cancer and now No Evidence of Disease (NED), celebrate survivorship by going to my happy place: the basketball court!” No, I’m not trying to convince you that you have go out and shoot hoops. Maybe some people will be prompted to get out on the court again after reading this chapter. Most won’t. The whole point of this chapter is to tell you about my “happy place.” We each need to find at least one of those for ourselves. My happy place is anywhere I’m playing with my hoops with my boyz. What’s your happy place?

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GUEST POST:

Writing This Book Has Taught Me…

We can share hope with others.

It’s a powerful pillar in my life. In other words: Hope is not merely one person’s dream in isolation. From the very beginning of human life on earth, hope has been a currency we can give and receive.

At our best, we can do this every day in many ways.

For three decades, people have been talking about Gary Chapman’s The Five Love Languages. What Chapman did in his mega-bestseller was name five kinds of currency people use to share love: giving gifts, words of affirmation, quality time, acts of service and physical touch. The value of his wisdom is obvious in the more than 10 million copies of his book that have sold worldwide.

Now, we need to learn that hope also is a currency and it takes as many forms as love. Just as Gary Chapman did not invent the idea of sharing love in various forms, I did not make up the idea that we can share hope in many ways.

What I have tried to illustrate through my own life story is that, when we shine brightly, we can give many forms of hope to others. Chapman had his five labels: gifts, affirmations, time, service and touch as forms of love. We can learn a lot about sharing hope by starting with that list. For example, during both of my life-and-death struggles with cancer, I experienced the power of physical touch to revive my hopes. Effective cancer treatment depends on the compassionate physical care of countless doctors, nurses, technicians, aides, caregivers and loved ones.

Sharing hope can be an easy, everyday part of life.

Throughout this book, I have shared dozens of inspirational stories from Silicon Valley to Eastern Europe, from family vacations to bedside vigils in hospitals, from births to burials. I have tried to offer a wide range of invitations to readers. Maybe you are inspired by neighborhood stories like those with Papa Leo and Imelda? Maybe you were inspired by the religious connections I have made throughout my life? Maybe you take heart from my stories of beating impossible odds against cancer? Or maybe you are moved by questions like the ones my daughter, Emily, poses to young campers she supervises in the wilderness: If today was the last day of your life, what legacy would you leave behind?

What I realize, as I complete the two years of research, interviews and writing that went into this memoir, is that as a little boy my Bubby Bertha taught me a deeper truth than I was able to fully appreciate at the time. Yes, found money is God’s money—but that means far more than the destination of an occasional coin we find along the way. It means that this world was given to us—to all of us—by God so that we could share it and share of ourselves.

This isn’t my world.

It isn’t your world.

It has always been God’s world, given to us to enjoy for the little span of years we are given.

Learning to share this world—and to share the hopeful message that peace is possible—is not a matter of personal preference. It’s not a choice. It’s not a hobby. It’s our purpose here as we walk the earth. Tikkun olam, the Jewish calling to repair the world, is our name for a collective mission we all share. And, while it may sound like a burden, that call to spread love and hope turns out to be the key to our happiness.

Without hope, there is no happiness.

And there is no hope if we are isolated, if we are excluded, if we pull away from our neighbors.

Hope is never mine.

Hope must be ours.

I guarantee that if you shine your light on the people you meet—you will find hope glowing all around you.

It’s true. Shining brightly makes the world a better place.

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AUTHOR BIO:

Howard Brown is an author, Silicon Valley entrepreneur, interfaith peacemaker, two-time stage IV cancer survivor and healthcare advocate. For more than three decades, Howard’s business innovations, leadership principles, mentoring and his resilience in beating cancer against long odds have made him a sought-after speaker and consultant for businesses, nonprofits, congregations, and community groups. In his business career, Howard was a pioneer in helping to launch a series of technology startups before he co-founded two social networks that were the first to connect religious communities around the world. He served his alma matter—Babson College, ranked by US News as the nation’s top college for entrepreneurship—as a trustee and president of Babson’s worldwide alumni network. His hard-earned wisdom about resilience after beating cancer twice has led him to become a nationally known patient advocate and “cancer whisperer” to many families. Visit Howard at ShiningBrightly.com to learn more about his ongoing work and contact him. Through that website, you also will find resources to help you shine brightly in your own corner of the world. Howard, his wife Lisa and daughter Emily currently reside in Michigan.

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CONNECT WITH HOWARD:

Website:

http://www.shiningbrightly.com

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/howard.brown.36

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/howard.brown.36

BookBub Author Page:

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/howard-brown

BookBub Book Page:

https://www.bookbub.com/books/shining-brightly-by-howard-brown

Amazon Author Page:

https://amzn.to/3LSYITZ

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BOOK BUY LINKS:

Amazon US Kindle eBook:

https://amzn.to/3E12U2m

Amazon US Paperback:

https://amzn.to/3SmwN19

Amazon US Hardcover:

https://amzn.to/3BY15R8

Amazon CA Kindle eBook:

https://www.amazon.ca/Shining-Brightly-resilience-entrepreneur-interfaith-ebook/dp/B0BBSNM183

Amazon CA Paperback:

https://www.amazon.ca/Shining-Brightly-resilience-entrepreneur-interfaith/dp/1641801468

Amazon CA Hardcover:

https://www.amazon.ca/Shining-Brightly-resilience-entrepreneur-interfaith/dp/1641801476

Barnes and Noble Paperback:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/shining-brightly-howard-brown/1142030120?ean=9781641801461

Barnes and Noble Hardcover:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/shining-brightly-howard-brown/1142030120?ean=9781641801478

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GIVEAWAY INFO:

Howard will be awarding a $25 Amazon OR Barnes and Noble Gift Card (Winner’s Choice!!!) to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter.

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.

Forever Askole by Gail Koger - Book Tour - Book Blast - Giveaway - Enter Daily!

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Gail Koger 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. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

My name is Ella McAllister, I’m a psychic witch and a healer. My life is kinda nuts. Not only do I have the Coletti hunters chasing me, but now I also have a very determined Askole High Commander after me. Why? I shot his ship down and it crash landed, and it blew up. Yep, itty-bitty pieces everywhere. My bad, but his ship was a dead ringer for a Rodan Marauder, and it was my civic duty to blow the enemy spacecraft out of the sky. Wasn’t it? Any hoo, I healed his owies and boogied.

I thought that was the end of it, but oh no. For some unknown reason, Sariel, the Askole High Commander, decided I would make him the perfect mate. As if. I think the blow to his head made him completely bonkers.

Sariel informed me the mating dance had begun and there was nothing I could do to stop it. The idiot had obviously never dealt with a witch before. I didn’t have the time to play games with him, so I did a little abracadabra alakazam and ran.

Sigh. The persistent Askole found me. Now I have a decision to make. Keep running or surrender to the High Commander. He is a damn good kisser.

Would the mating dance bring two lonely souls together? Who knew?

EXCERPT THREE:

Sariel abruptly changed the subject. “I had armor made for you.”

That got my attention. “Did you?” Since I was heading for the Wild West of the galaxy, body armor would come in handy. “What’s the catch?”

Amusement lit Sariel’s eyes. “So suspicious.”

“You bet your ass I am. What’s the catch?”

“A simple kiss and the armor is yours.” Sariel’s big hand cupped my ass.

Geeze, he was like an octopus. I removed his hand. “That’s it?”

“Yes.”

“Uh huh.” The sneaky bastard was planning something, but what? I kissed his chin. “There you go. Where’s my armor.

Sariel laughed. “A real kiss with tongue.”

I really wanted that armor. I pressed my lips to his and took small, careful tastes of his mouth. I didn’t want to impale myself on his fangs. Yep, Sariel definitely tasted like cinnamon. A wild, edgy excitement tore through me as our tongues tangled in a slow, sensual dance.

Sariel caught my chin in his hand and the hot friction of his mouth had me vibrating with pure, undiluted need. He was a fever in my blood. I burned for him. I had a sudden, overpowering need to fuck Sariel blind. No! No! No! This was bad on so many levels. I had to stop this before I did something stupid. “Stop! You’ve got your kiss. Where is my armor?”

“Obstinate to the end. Your former lover has much to answer for.”

AUTHOR BIO:

I was a 9-1-1 dispatcher for the Glendale Police Department and to keep from going totally bonkers – I mean people have no idea what a real emergency is. Take this for example: I answered, “9-1-1 emergency, what’s your emergency?” And this hysterical woman yelled, “My bird is in a tree.” Sometimes I really couldn’t help myself, so I said, “Birds have a tendency to do that, ma’am.” The woman screeched, “No! You don’t understand. My pet parakeet is in the tree. I’ve just got to get him down.” Like I said, not a clue. “I’m sorry ma’am but we don’t get birds out of trees.” The woman then cried, “But… What about my husband? He’s up there, too.” See what I had to deal with? To keep from hitting myself repeatedly in the head with my phone I took up writing.

CONNECT WITH GAIL:

Website
Facebook
Goodreads
Twitter

AMAZON BOOK BUY LINK:

Amazon

GIVEAWAY:

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.

An Amish Christmas Star by Charlotte Hubbard - Book Tour - Book Blast - Giveaway - Enter Daily!

Hey, lovelies!!  It gives me great pleasure today to host Charlotte Hubbard and her inspirational new book, “An Amish Christmas 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!!  Also, come back daily to interact with Charlotte and to increase your chances of winning!!

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

An Amish Christmas Star

by Charlotte Hubbard

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GENRE:  Inspirational Romance (Amish)

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BLURB:

The crisp fragrance of pine trees and the warm spice of fresh cookies aren’t the only blessings that Christmas brings, and no one knows more about happy homecomings than three couples who are celebrating the greatest gift of all . . .

STAR OF WONDER by Charlotte Hubbard

When Raymond Overholt comes to Promise Lodge, hoping to sell the barnboard signs he’s painted with stars and Christmas messages, spirited young Mennonite Lizzie Zehr is intrigued. But any courtship between them will face fierce opposition from the bishop of Raymond’s Old Order community—unless someone can convince him that at the heart of faith lies love . . .

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EXCERPT ONE:

After a deadly dull Monday morning of filling small plastic containers with colored sugars and Christmas jimmies, Lizzie Zehr loaded them onto her wheeled cart and headed into the main room of Promise Lodge’s new bulk store. It was boring work, all that scooping and labeling—repetitive and downright lonely, being stuck back in the warehouse by herself.

But compared to slaving in her older sister Maria’s bakery or, for years before that, running the household for their eldest, crippled sister, Malinda, it was a piece of cake.

And because Dale Kraybill was paying her, it was freedom. This job was her ticket to independence, an escape from the two bossy sisters who’d been running her ragged for most of her eighteen years. Their parents had passed when she was very young, so Lizzie’s sisters had raised her as best they could—and they expected her to be grateful. She was, of course. But she was also really tired of being at their beck and call.

Lizzie’s thoughts shifted into a higher gear the moment she spotted the guy who was talking to Dale. The two fellows were hanging wooden signboards, which caught her eye because of their sparkly gold stars—but the shimmer of their glittery paint paled the moment the younger fellow turned around. In his green paisley shirt, red jeans, and backswept black hair, he looked anything but Plain, and when he met her gaze through his red-framed glasses, Lizzie immediately knew they were soul mates. Like her, this free spirit was gnashing at the bit and refusing to conform to the religious limitations he’d been raised with.

Like her, he wanted out.

“Hey there,” he said. His voice, barely audible from across the cavernous room, spoke volumes to Lizzie’s restless heart.

Afraid to say something stupid, she merely nodded and held his gaze. She heard the secretive whisper of soft, small objects hitting a hard surface—or maybe it was the feathery swishing of angels’ wings—

“Lizzie, watch what—you’re spilling jimmies all over the floor!” Dale cried out.

She blinked. She had no memory of picking up a container, just as she didn’t realize she’d been squeezing it so tightly that the lid had popped off. The sight of red and green jimmies bouncing off her bare feet—she wore flip-flops year-round to show off her painted toenails—was suddenly the funniest thing she’d ever seen. As Lizzie sprinted into the warehouse for a broom, her laughter filled the store.

Her life was finally taking a turn for the better. She just knew it.

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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/an-amish-christmas-star-by-shelley-shepard-gray-and-charlotte-hubbard

Goodreads Author Page:

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

Goodreads Book Page:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61198727-an-amish-christmas-star

Amazon Author Page:

https://amzn.to/330TQEH

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BOOK BUY LINKS:

Amazon US Kindle eBook:

https://amzn.to/3E3XAem

Amazon US Paperback:

https://amzn.to/3re3ge9

Amazon CA Kindle eBook:

https://www.amazon.ca/Amish-Christmas-Star-Shelley-Shepard-ebook/dp/B09PJ348C8

Amazon CA Paperback:

https://www.amazon.ca/Amish-Christmas-Star-Shelley-Shepard/dp/1496734254

Apple US Books eBook:

https://books.apple.com/us/book/an-amish-christmas-star/id1602867197

Barnes and Noble NOOK eBook:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/an-amish-christmas-star-shelley-shepard-gray/1140825147?ean=9781496734273

Barnes and Noble Paperback:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/an-amish-christmas-star-shelley-shepard-gray/1140825147?ean=9781496734259

Kensington Books Paperback:

https://www.kensingtonbooks.com/9781496734273/an-amish-christmas-star

Kobo US eBook:

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/an-amish-christmas-star

Kobo CA eBook:

https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/an-amish-christmas-star

Walmart Paperback:

https://www.walmart.com/ip/An-Amish-Christmas-Star-Paperback-9781496734259/385381250

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GIVEAWAY INFO:

Charlotte will be awarding a $15 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.

BENTLEY by Megan Slayer - 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 prize pack featuring a necklace made by the author. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

I call on the fates to bring my love to me. As I will it, so mote it be…

Natalie Harvey wants a guy who not only understands baseball, but supports her love of the game. When she meets bad-boy first baseman for the Cougars, Bentley Turner, she can’t help but fall for him. He’s sexy, strong, athletic and irresistible. He’s her perfect man, but what if he’s not interested? The spark is there, and she decides to invoke the spell. Why not?

She’s ready to summon her very own bad boy and try her luck with love.

EXCERPT TWO:

Of the many things she liked about having a minor league team so close was the ample parking. She never had to walk more than a few hundred yards, and the lot was well-lit. She locked her car and hustled up to the ticket window. Once she showed her credentials and ticket, she gained entrance to the facility. Natalie strode over to the first-base side and located her seat. When she was on the clock, she liked to sit right at the edge of the field to better take in the action. Since she wasn’t working, she’d sit four rows up and simply enjoy the game. She loved the atmosphere of a ballgame. The sounds of the crowd, the smell of the food, the excitement in the air. The Cougars scored quickly in the second inning, and she made a few notes on her phone. The sensation at second base, Dalton Cohn, had made three great catches and even managed two double plays with the first baseman, Bentley Turner. Natalie watched Bentley Turner in action and couldn’t help but sigh. He had a temper at times, looked like he’d stepped out of a bar, and could swear a blue streak, but he moved with grace and had skills on the field. If he hadn’t injured his shoulder defending first base last season, he’d still be in the majors and probably racking up good stats. Instead, he’d been relegated to the minor leagues to rehab. She’d spoken to him a few times and loved the deep blue of his eyes and his easy smile. He could be cocky and pushy. Rumor had it he’d bedded women in every city and left a string of broken hearts in his wake. It could all be rumors, but...

AUTHOR BIO & LINKS:

Megan Slayer, aka Wendi Zwaduk, is a multi-published, award-winning author of more than one-hundred short stories and novels. She’s been writing since 2008 and published since 2009. Her stories range from the contemporary and paranormal to LGBTQ and white hot themes. No matter what the length, her works are always hot, but with a lot of heart. She enjoys giving her characters a second chance at love, no matter what the form. She’s been nominated at the LRC for Best Author, Best Contemporary, Best Ménage, Best BDSM and Best Anthology. Her books have made it to the bestseller lists on Amazon.com.

When she’s not writing, Megan spends time with her husband and son as well as three dogs and three cats. She enjoys art, music and racing, but football is her sport of choice. She’s an active member of the Friends of the Keystone-LaGrange Public library. Find out more about Megan and Wendi at: http://wendizwaduk.com/indexMegan.htm Sign up for the newsletter here: http://ymlp.com/xgjmjumygmgj

CONNECT WITH MEGAN/WENDI:

Website
Blog
Fan Page
Amazon Author Page
Bookbub
Instagram
Goodreads 
Twitter

GIVEAWAY:

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.

Beginning of Arrogance by Bryan Cole - Book Tour - Guest Post - Giveaway - Enter Daily!

Hi, lovelies!!  It gives me great pleasure today to host Bryan Cole and his new book, “Beginning of Arrogance,” here on FAB!!  For other stops on his 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!!  Also, come back daily to interact with Bryan and to increase your chances of winning!!

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

Beginning of Arrogance

by Bryan Cole

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GENRE:   Fantasy

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BLURB:

Paladins are nothing but trouble. Stories about paladins are everywhere, noble warriors riding magic steeds into battle against terrible foes. Champions of their gods. Heroes to everyone, except those who already have everything. Paladins are notorious for upsetting the balance of power, to the detriment of any who don't worship their deity.

So when Krell is called to service by the capricious god of the seas and skies, ReckNor, those with wealth and power can't help but be concerned. ReckNor hasn't called a paladin in years, and his nature is ever-changing and erratic. The fact that Krell is also an uneducated nobody with a stubborn streak as wide as the sea turns their concerns into fear.

All of which matters less than the threat clawing its way from the waves, ready to turn the ocean red with spilled blood...

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EXCERPT TWO:

“You’re certain you won’t stay the night?” Petimus asked, hunched over the charter.

Krell shook his head. “It’s a short walk back to Watford, and the council is probably waiting to hear from us quickly. We should be there shortly after sunset.” Petimus nodded, then set his quill aside and picked up a candle. He fished a block of red wax from the case he had brought with him, then held the flame to it over the charter.

When a blob of melted wax had formed, Petimus took a ring from his finger. He ran his thumb over it, muttering to himself several times. Krell could make out the cadence of words of power, but hadn’t the faintest idea what he was doing. Petimus then pressed the ring into the wax, which glowed briefly for a moment.

Petimus stood and looked at the companions, then reached out his hand to each of them in turn.

“My thanks, then, for the recovery of our fallen, and for slaying the things that attacked and killed them. The clan-speakers will hear the tale of your deeds. Know you’ve made at least one friend among the dwarves, all of you.” Petimus bowed to them, handed the charter to Orca, then led the way toward the gate.

“If you’re setting out now, I doubt you’ll want to wait around any longer. Rain stopped for the time being, but no clue what condition the road — if you can call it that — will be in. May the Forge Father guard your path and the Fire Lord light your way!” Petimus slipped the bar from the gate.

Krell grinned. Olgar had taught him many things about arms and armor, but he had much to learn. In his religious training, Olgar had been exceedingly thorough.

“My thanks for the ward of Rold, the Forge Father, and the warmth of Phlogos the Fire Lord’s breath. Your hearth and home were warm and kind, and may Rold reward you for being a gracious host! Until we meet again, Petimus Smithforge, and may ReckNor turn his baleful gaze away from you and your kin!” Petimus stood, staring slack-jawed at Krell, as everyone else filed past.

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GUEST POST:

Making the Story Believable: How to Write Realistic Fantasy

This is, at its heart, the main reason that I wrote Beginning of Arrogance, and the underlying theme of consequences. There are a couple of key frameworks that I rely on when crafting a believable fantasy epic. Those are internal consistency, influence of the divine, and in-character consequences.

Internal consistency is probably the most important of these. It represents the story defining rules that it is going to follow, and then adhering to those rules. Examples include the use of magic by the various characters. If they have a power defined in an earlier chapter or book, then there should be an important reason given that makes sense as to why they shouldn’t use this power to solve the current conflict they find themselves in. Otherwise, they should use that power.

Examples of this done extremely poorly are everywhere, particularly in any crime drama. Using Castle as an example, they’re running from mobsters, and find a cell phone, but darn! It’s locked! However, since basically everyone owns a phone, we all know that you can call emergency services such as 9-1-1 even if the phone is locked. So why didn’t they? The 2007 Transformers movie is another example of failing to adhere to internal consistency. Frenzy can fix himself with the Allspark, but Bumblebee cannot? Optimus Prime crushes the road when he walks on it, but can jump up and down on highway overpasses? Don’t even get me started on Star Trek.

If you want to read books where this is done exceptionally well, I’d direct you to Jim Butcher or Elizabeth Moon, two of my favorite authors. In those series everything remains almost entirely consistent from start to finish, and they’re much better books because of it!

The second point is the influence of the divine. In settings such as mine where the gods are tangibly real, with demonstrations of miracles though their chosen representatives, then it should follow that every single living creature would be influenced and impacted by this truth. I read a lot of fantasy stories where the characters profess to worship a god in an almost transactional nature. Oh lord, hear my prayer for healing, cha-ching, healing delivered. It should be much deeper than that and would come up nearly non-stop for all characters in the story. In fact, one of my reviews for Beginning of Arrogance complained that it came up too much, but I’m more concerned that it didn’t come up enough!

It’s easy to lose sight of the fact that in a setting with multiple deities all representing different aspects of life, that it’s impossible to please all of them. Inherently, following the teachings of Dazguroth means offending Hieron, and vice versa, as an example. The way that many people deal with this is on a case-by-case basis, offering prayers to the appropriate god in that moment, and hoping that when they offer prayers to other gods later that they don’t give offense. The other approach is to put all your faith in one deity and pray for aid in all situations.

Some of how I represent that is with the casual cursing that takes place. Other aspects include direct praise, praying for aid, and adhering to the tenants of the faith. ReckNor is the chaotic god of the seas and skies because I didn’t want to burden the book with extensive rites and rituals like we would find in real-world religions since that is ReckNor’s nature, but we’re certainly going to meet followers of other faiths and see just how structured their lives are as they follow the tenants of their gods.

Finally, in-character consequences. These are often subtle (for example, Krell has perfect teeth, as do his companions, because healing magic is amazing), but can also be overt as well. Characters that perform mighty acts of valor should be recognized for doing so. As another example, Fortis has a big impact on everyone around him in town, which begins to change slightly as everyone grows familiar with him. The epilogue to Beginning of Arrogance also highlights directly the impact of actions, and how the world begins to react to the presence of a new paladin. Just the existence of Krell changes the world around him, let alone some of the things he does. It’s important for the reader to see the impact in ways both expected and obvious, as well as subtle and surprising.

I hope you enjoy reading Beginning of Arrogance!

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AUTHOR BIO:

Bryan Cole is the author of the Paladin’s Journey series. New to the writing world, he spent years working in the enterprise software space, focused on quality assurance and delivery of software applications. Which is weird, because that has nothing to do with writing fiction.

For that, we need to go back – way back – to his first experience with Dungeons & Dragons. His friend Chris brought over the box set for Myth Drannor, eager to play. Together, they realized they had no idea what they were doing, because neither of them owned a copy of the Players Handbook, Dungeon Master’s Guide, or the Monster Manual.

From those incredibly awkward beginnings, a lifelong passion for epic science fiction and high fantasy adventure was born. Everything from his grade 4 teacher letting him stay after school to play a video game where you were the wizard on a quest, defeating monsters by answering math problems, to some truly memorable movies like Willow that showed him a world bigger and more exciting than the real one.

Of course, Star Wars and Star Trek have had a major influence on him. Want to get in good with Bryan? Lead with a Star Wars meme. From one of the good movies. Otherwise, your plan will backfire.

Bryan is also an avid gamer, and enjoys video games, board games, and tabletop roleplaying games.

These days, he lives in Toronto with his wife and daughter, and his adorable cat.

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CONNECT WITH BRYAN:

Website:

https://fatpaladin.ca

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/FatPaladin

Twitter:

https://www.twitter.com/BryanCo97361701

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/fatpaladinbooks

Goodreads Author Page:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22517522.Bryan_Cole

Goodreads Book Page:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61405835-beginning-of-arrogance

Amazon Author Page:

https://amzn.to/3dPWMPI

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BOOK BUY LINKS:

Amazon US Kindle eBook:

https://amzn.to/3DWxZnG

Amazon US Paperback:

https://amzn.to/3SHotJo

Amazon US Hardcover:

https://amzn.to/3dVZram

Amazon CA Kindle eBook:

https://www.amazon.ca/Beginning-Arrogance-Bryan-Cole-ebook/dp/B0B5JJ338K

Amazon CA Paperback:

https://www.amazon.ca/Beginning-Arrogance-Bryan-Cole/dp/0228868661

Amazon CA Hardcover:

https://www.amazon.ca/Beginning-Arrogance-Bryan-Cole/dp/022886867X

Apple Books eBook:

https://books.apple.com/us/book/beginning-of-arrogance/id6443055348

Barnes and Noble NOOK eBook:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/beginning-of-arrogance-bryan-cole/1141715221?ean=2940165882111

Barnes and Noble Paperback:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/beginning-of-arrogance-bryan-cole/1141715221?ean=9780228868668

Barnes and Noble Hardcover:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/beginning-of-arrogance-bryan-cole/1141715221?ean=9780228868675

Book Depository Paperback:

https://www.bookdepository.com/Beginning-of-Arrogance-Bryan-Cole/9780228868668

Book Depository Hardcover:

https://www.bookdepository.com/Beginning-Arrogance-Bryan-Cole/9780228868675

Indigo Chapters CA eBook:

https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/beginning-of-arrogance/9780228868682-item.html

Indigo Chapters CA Paperback:

https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/beginning-of-arrogance/9780228868668-item.html

Kobo US eBook:

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/beginning-of-arrogance

Kobo CA eBook:

https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/beginning-of-arrogance

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GIVEAWAY INFO:

Bryan will be awarding a $15 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.

The Stained Glass Window by Kris Francoeur - Book Tour - Blurb Blitz - Giveaway - Enter Daily!

The Stained Glass Window

by Kris Francoeur

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GENRE: Contemporary Romance

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BLURB:

Lilly has the perfect life... she's beautiful, successful, and financially independent.

 

Lilly inherits a mysterious house in Vermont. She sees it as her life only getting better. She hires a hot contractor to fix up and restore the grand old house, then meets a gorgeous Italian professor who showers her with attention. What seems like a perfect life can sometimes be masking dark secrets just beneath the surface and old houses have their memories.

Will Lilly do the reasonable, safe, and expected thing and marry the dashing professor or give in to the raw passion of a future with the one man who has not only discovered the secrets of the house, but also Lilly's?

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EXCERPT ONE:

The drive was uneventful, and by the time I pulled into my parking space, I was bored and lonely.

I slogged up the stairs to the front door. First, I’d throw a load of laundry in, and then I’d order an early dinner of takeout.

Standing at the kitchen counter with the menus, I picked up the phone and hit speed dial. The voice was warm. “Hey, how was New York?”

“Well, it was good for you. You are now a proud season ticket holder for the Yankees.”

“Really, Lil?”

“Yeah.”

“Thank you, sweetie.”

“You’re welcome.” I bit my lower lip. “Hey, can I come over?”

His voice deepened. “Megan is away.”

“I know.”

“Ah, that kind of visit.”

I leaned my head against the cabinet. Darn it. I wish I had more willpower. “Yes.”

“Come on over.”

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AUTHOR BIO & LINKS:

Kris Francoeur is an author, ghostwriter, and educator who lives on her small family farm in Vermont. When not writing stories about strong women with interesting backstories, Kris loves to travel, knit, and garden.

Twitter: @KFAnnaBelleRose

FB: www.facebook.com/authorkfrancoeur

Website: www.authorkfrancoeur.com

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18490380.Kris_Francoeur

Instagram: @author.krisfrancoeur_aka_abr

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AMAZON BOOK BUY LINK:

https://www.amazon.com/Stained-glass-Window-Kris-Francoeur-ebook/dp/B0B96YBLKD 

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

GIVEAWAY INFO:

Kris 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