

HOUSE OF CARDS:
Surviving Munchausen by Proxy and a Mother's Web of Lies
by Phillippa Mann
GENRE: Memoir
BOOK BLURB:
EXCERPT ONE:
AUTHOR BIO & LINKS:
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AMAZON BUY LINKS:

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Hello, lovelies!! It gives me great pleasure today to host Harry Duffin and his new book, “Island of Dreams,” 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 $30 Amazon OR Barnes and Noble Gift Card!!! Also, come back daily to interact with Harry and to increase your chances of winning!!
Thanks for stopping by!! Wishing you all lots of good luck in this fabulous giveaway!!
Island of Dreams
by Harry Duffin
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GENRE: Historical Family Saga
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BLURB:
ISLAND OF DREAMS
In May 1939, when Professor Carl Mueller, his wife, Esther, and their three children flee Nazi Germany, and find refuge on the paradise island of Cuba, they are all full of hopes and dreams for a safe and happy future. But those dreams are shattered when Carl and Esther are confronted by a ghost from their past, and old betrayals return to haunt them.
The turbulent years of political corruption leading to Batista’s dictatorship, forces the older children to take very different paths to pursue their own dangerous dreams.
And - among the chaos and the conflict that finally leads to Castro’s revolution and victory in 1959, an unlikely love begins to grow - a love that threatens the whole family.
Having escaped a war-torn Europe, their Island of Dreams is to tear them apart forever.
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EXCERPT THREE:
Freddie stopped the car in the path, and watched Anna get out.
Freddie was surprised. ‘Oh, well, goodbye,’ he said.
‘Can you get out, please, Freddie,’ she said quietly.
Very curious, Freddie got out. Anna came and stood in front of him. She looked around, then taking his arm, she led him into the forest. Freddie was very puzzled now. Did she think he might go back and tell the police where the camp was? Surely, she knew he wouldn’t do that? She led him to a clearing, out of sight of the path.
‘You don’t think I’m going to go back and tell the army where the camp is, Anna?’
‘Is that what you think?’
Freddie shrugged. He had given Anna his gun in the car. ‘You’ll need it more than me,’ he’d said. Not that he would use it on her anyway.
Anna came close to him. As he was about to speak again, she put her fingers to his lips. ‘You don’t know, do you?’ she said.
‘Know what?’
She reached up and pushed a lock of his hair back from his forehead. ‘Freddie, I hated you from the moment you picked me up and dragged me off the boat.
Freddie attempted a smile.
Then her fingers ran softly down his cheek. ‘And loved you just as much.’
Before he could speak her lips met his. It was a long kiss. Twenty years in the making.
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GUEST POST:
Five Ways to Deal with Rejection as a Writer
Acceptance. Dealing with rejection is the first lesson every would-be writer, and published writers, has to learn. Because it happens to every one of us. Remember J.K. Rowling was rejected by twelve publishers before she was accepted. If she had given up after the twelve, the world would never have heard of Harry Potter. Carrie by Stephen King was rejected thirty times! So, the first thing to accept is that you will be rejected, a lot of times. Accept that, feel sad for a moment, have a drink maybe, then move on.
Persistence. It took me twenty years of submitting my work before I made a living as a writer. Over those years several friends told me to give up, and I nearly did, a few times. But if writing is the thing you want to do more than anything else, carry on. You might never make it to the top of the best-seller list, not many people do, but with self-publishing anyone with a few hundred quid can produce a book. Your book, which you can put on your shelf. Even if it doesn’t sell all that well, maybe you can give it as a birthday or a Christmas present? It’s a unique gift.
It’s not about you. Getting rejected is not about you personally, though it generally feels like it at the time. After a few rejections you realise that it’s your writing that is rejected. And there are many reasons for that. Maybe it’s not very good. Maybe you didn’t find the right agent for that type of book. Maybe you didn’t market it well enough.
Re-edit. If your work is rejected, look at it again. Maybe you could do better? If someone is good enough to tell you what they think is wrong don’t just dismiss their comments. They may have a point. Or they may not. You have to decide which, because it is your work after all. You have the ultimate choice.
Luck. Being in the right place at the right time. I had nearly given up the idea of being a writer when I got a three-month contract reading scripts at the BBC. I learned about a new soap being developed and I rang the script-editor every day for two months, before he asked me in at asked me to write a dozen storylines. He and the producer loved them, and I became a member of the first writing team on EASTENDERS.
So put yourself about. Meet other writers, go to conferences, book fairs, anywhere were you might meet that one person who can help.
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AUTHOR BIO:
Harry is an award-winning UK screenwriter, who won the Writers’ Guild Award for Best TV serial, while writing for Granada Television’s ‘CORONATION STREET’. Before that, in 1985, he was on the first writing team for the BBC’s ‘EASTENDERS’.
Before beginning his career writing drama for television, Harry spent a dozen years working in British theatre, as stage manager, writer, designer and director, working with actors such as Nigel Hawthorne, Anne Reid and Lesley Manville.
After script-editing the BBC’s HOWARDS’WAY, he freelanced for series like DISTRICT NURSE, THE BILL, BOON, THE BRETTS, EMMERDALE.
In 1994 he became Head of Development at the UK independent company, Cloud 9 Screen Entertainment. As the script executive he was responsible for seven major television series, included ‘SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON’ starring RICHARD ‘JOHN BOY’ THOMAS, and ‘TWIST IN THE TALE’, featuring WILLIAM SHATNER. He also wrote the film, RETURN TO TREASURE ISLAND.
In 1998 he was the co-creator of the UK Channel Five teen-cult drama series ‘THE TRIBE’, which ran for five series, numbering 260 episodes. ‘THE TRIBE’ has been sold world-wide, and all series is on YouTube.
His first novel, CHICAGO MAY, is the first book of a two-part series. He has also written JAIL TALES, about his wife’s 20 year career in the prison service, and the novel BIRTH OF THE MALL RATS, the prequel to THE TRIBE.
He has just finished his third novel, ISLAND OF DREAMS, to be published on December 1st 2022.
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CONNECT WITH HARRY:
Website:
Website:
Email:
harry.duffin26@gmail.com
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/harry.duffin.5
Twitter:
Goodreads Author Page:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4674467.Harry_Duffin
Amazon Author Page:
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UPCOMING BOOK RELEASE DATE INFO:
**Island of Dreams will be published on December 1st, 2022**
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GIVEAWAY INFO:
Harry will be awarding a $30 Amazon OR Barnes and Noble Gift Card (Winner’s Choice!!!) 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 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.Hey, lovelies!! It gives me great pleasure today to host William A. Glass and his new book, “Off Broadway: A Marriage Drama,” 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 Bill and to increase your chances of winning!!
Thanks for stopping by!! Wishing you all lots of good luck in this fabulous giveaway!!
Off Broadway: A
Marriage Drama
by William A. Glass
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GENRE: Family Drama
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BLURB:
Cindy and Dave Knight got married too young. Several years later they are trying to make the best of it. He is a salesman on the fast track with a prestigious corporation. She is the indispensable assistant to a prominent Broadway producer. They own an apartment in Manhattan and enjoy knocking around the city together. However, Dave's erratic behavior and career obsession strain the relationship. Can it be saved?
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EXCERPT TWO:
Only a few cars are scattered about the Sandy Hook parking lot when Cindy and Dave get there. After bundling up, they stroll down a path to the beach, where a chill wind sends one white-capped wave after another crashing onto the shore. Foam races across the sand to where a cluster of seagulls waits. The birds appear to shiver as they fluff their feathers with short, jerky motions. “See, even the seagulls are cold,” Cindy complains.
“We’ll warm up once we start walking.”
“I hope so.”
The pair sets off toward North Beach with purposeful strides. Soon they’re breathing heavily from the exertion of powering through the sand. “I wonder where the people in those other cars went,” Cindy pants. She’s gazing at the barren shoreline.
“Guess they’re on the bayside,” Dave says. He looks down as they walk, hoping to spot something in the flotsam along the high-water line. After a while, he finds a starfish.
“Is it alive?” Cindy asks.
“I have no idea, but I’ll throw it back just in case.” Dave hurls the creature into an advancing wave. Then they both turn and quickly resume walking. Neither wants to look back to see if the starfish went out with the tide or washed back up.
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MY BOOK REVIEW:

This book is an interesting, intriguing, realistic read full of family drama!!
This book follows main characters, Dave and Cindy as they navigate the ups and downs of their marriage, careers, relationships, and life in New York City.
This book starts off a bit slow, with a strange, awkward guys night out at a gentleman’s club. While this felt a bit clunky and distasteful, the book does quickly pick up, and shifts to the focus of the main story of Dave and Cindy.
This book captures quite an array of compelling, well-described characters that all strongly support and move the story along.
As someone with strong ties to the retail world, I must admit I enjoyed the P&G story line full of new products, setting up planograms, difficult store managers, dealing with adversary vendors, etc.
I think many older aged readers will enjoy reminiscing down memory lane as this book takes them on a journey through a time when life was simpler and less complicated. And of course, revel in memories of when ketchup was only $0.89, two beers plus tip could be covered in a $5.00 bill, VIP lap dances only cost $10.00 per song, or $15.00 for two, and a $0.50 off Tide coupon was a treasured deal lol. None of those prices even come close to what they cost today!!
The writing tone of this book is strongly male dominated with many slights at females in the workplace and male chauvinistic attitudes. Furthermore, this book is full of strongly rated adult content, including but not limited to profanity, drinking and driving, illicit drugs, open relationships, extensive sexual content, and other crude references, etc. Fair warning, this book may be uncomfortable for some readers.
This book is divided up into fifteen longer sized chapters that span across 267 pages.
At this time, this book is not part of a book series. Therefore, this book can easily be read as a standalone.
All in all, I enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it!! I think all family drama genre readers and nostalgic fans will like this book too!! So, add it to your TBR List and get to reading - you won't be disappointed!!
**Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book and have voluntarily provided an honest, and unbiased review in accordance with FTC regulations**
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AUTHOR BIO:
Bill is a retired business executive now living in South Carolina with his wife, Bettina. She teaches high school German while Bill is the soccer coach at a small college. Their three sons, Alex, Robert, and Gordon have all graduated from college and moved away to pursue careers. Now Bill and Bettina enjoy long walks with their dog, Scout. When the weather permits, Bill commutes on his motorcycle. “It’s like taking a roller coaster to work!” he enthuses.
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CONNECT WITH BILL:
Website:
Blog:
https://www.williamaglass.com/blog
Email:
coachbillglass@gmail.com
Facebook Fan Page:
https://www.facebook.com/William-A-Glass-Author-100365172001485
Facebook Personal Page:
https://www.facebook.com/william.glass.50767
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/WilliamAGlass3
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/williamasaglass
LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/william-glass-1281609
LibraryThing Author Page:
https://www.librarything.com/profile/Glaswa4611
Goodreads Author Page:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20170818.William_A_Glass
Goodreads Book Page:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61321975-off-broadway
Amazon Author Page:
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BOOK BUY LINKS:
Amazon
US Kindle eBook:
Amazon
US Paperback:
Amazon
US Hardcover:
Amazon
CA Kindle eBook:
https://www.amazon.ca/Off-Broadway-Marriage-William-Glass-ebook/dp/B09Z591MWD
Amazon
CA Paperback:
https://www.amazon.ca/Off-Broadway-Marriage-William-Glass/dp/1946005592
Amazon
CA Hardcover:
https://www.amazon.ca/Off-Broadway-Marriage-William-Glass/dp/1946005606
Apple
Books eBook:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/off-broadway/id1621599289
Barnes
and Noble NOOK eBook:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/off-broadway-william-a-glass/1141393797?ean=9781946005625
Barnes
and Noble Paperback:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/off-broadway-william-a-glass/1141393797?ean=9781946005595
Barnes
and Noble Hardcover:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/off-broadway-william-a-glass/1141393797?ean=9781946005601
Kobo
US eBook:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/off-broadway-3
Kobo CA eBook:
https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/off-broadway-3
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GIVEAWAY INFO:
Bill 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.
**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.Hello, lovelies!! It gives me great pleasure today to host Lisa Dianne McInnes and her new book, “The Majewski Curse,” 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 Lisa and to increase your chances of winning!!
Thanks for stopping by!!
Wishing you all lots of luck in this fabulous giveaway!!
The Majewski Curse
by Lisa Dianne McInnes
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GENRE: Memoir (Death, Grief and Bereavement)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLURB:
In her debut novel, Lisa Dianne McInnes urges us to explore the meaning of loss, the evil side of human nature, and the infinite power of love and rising above it all.
Between the years 2012 and 2017, like a pile of dominos, Lisa Dianne McInnes watched her life collapse as one traumatic tragedy after another took away her loved ones, leaving her to learn just how quickly life can fall apart.
An extraordinary memoir full of depth, compassion, and unimaginable strength, The Majewski Curse is the harrowing true story of the separate yet intertwined tragedies of Brandon, Devon, and Derek Majewski's deaths and the multiple conspiracies surrounding their family's search for truth.
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EXCLUSIVE EXCERPT:
Complicated grief is defined as the inability to let go of painful emotions surrounding loss, accompanied by the failure to resume daily responsibilities and activities. The effects of complicated grief can be devastating to both the sufferer and family.
When attempting to recover from grief, our physicians, psychologists, co-workers, and friends fiercely tried to free us from our pain. Often, people feel uncomfortable when others are in pain or “stuck.” However, everyone grieves and recovers differently.
Watching someone drown in their emotions can be alarming. It can also be draining to try to help someone when nothing seems to work.
A lot of patience is required to heal a family after a significant loss, even if the family is intact and the love is strong.
The mind and body fight the pain as one is bombarded with mental and physical symptoms, including insomnia, oversleeping, nausea, headaches, weight loss or gain, alcohol and drug abuse, gambling addiction for a temporary high, overspending to fill the emptiness, etc.
The change in Derek’s demeanor was so frightening that he was almost unrecognizable. Therefore, we only saw a handful of people outside of counselors. Because his moods were so unpredictable and unstable, we became very isolated and cut-off from the world.
The complicated grief that Derek experienced was unusual, extreme, and pathological. His grieving process for Brandon was disrupted by Devon’s death, which was compounded by the ensuing pain of the lawsuit.
Derek’s terminal illness diagnosis confirmed what I had believed all along—our minds can take a tremendous toll on our bodies, and that toll can manifest into physical illness. Derek’s therapists often told me that his state of mind was toxic and that on a quantum physics scale, he was vibrating very low. A high vibrational state is happy, compassionate, and peaceful, while a low vibrational state is associated with fear, anxiety, sadness, and depression.
It’s hard not to let negative emotions take over and leave their mark, but it seems that our lives depend on it; the reality is that stress kills.
When it goes unresolved, stress can lead to chronic disease, causing premature death. The elevation of the stress hormone cortisol lowers immune system functioning, increases blood pressure, and cholesterol, and increases the risk of heart disease, cancer, and various other diseases.
However, grief doesn’t last forever, despite how devastating and all-encompassing it can be. With the right help, support, and outlook, recovery will bring the body and mind to a new place of healing. We will never be the same again, but we will be stronger versions of ourselves. It’s important to remember to approach recovery with some level of gratitude for the beauty of life—it’s important to always express, accept, and learn from ourselves.
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AUTHOR BIO:
Lisa Dianne McInnes has always been fascinated with spirituality and the human experience. She prides herself on always being committed to the truth, even when it hurts, and believes in being reliable, trustworthy, honest, and loyal to those she loves.
However, in 2012, when tragedy struck and shattered her family, Lisa's beliefs were tested and she was forced to undergo a profound inner transformation. In doing so, she had to acknowledge the trauma of her past but chose only to remember the love her family shared. Her solid understanding and belief in the theory of mindfulness and living in the moment helped her rise from the ashes and move on with her life. She believes the past can be like a black hole: if you stand too close it will pull you in.
Today, small things like sunsets, staring out at the water, and kisses for no reason are the reasons she smiles. She believes it is the simple memories that define us, and the ones we hold close to our hearts. For Lisa, writing allows her to share her struggles and experiences with others, and by doing so she learns and grows both mentally and spiritually through the process. Therefore, with her work, she hopes to inspire her readers to join her on the journey to find inner peace and greater fulfillment in their lives.
Lisa completed her debut novel, The Majewski Curse, and is currently preparing to start writing her second non-fiction work. She currently resides in Northern Ontario with her spouse and their puppy Cooper.
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CONNECT WITH LISA:
Website:
Email:
lisamcinnesauthor@yahoo.com
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/Lisa-McInnes-Author-112441767795886
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/lis_mcinnes
Goodreads Author Page:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21704823.Lisa_Dianne_McInnes
Goodreads Book Page:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58694165-the-majewski-curse
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BOOK BUY LINKS:
Amazon US Kindle eBook:
Amazon US Paperback:
Amazon US Hardcover:
Amazon CA Kindle eBook:
https://www.amazon.ca/Majewski-Curse-Lisa-Dianne-McInnes-ebook/dp/B099KMB3HX
Amazon CA Paperback:
https://www.amazon.ca/Majewski-Curse-Lisa-Dianne-McInnes/dp/0228857368
Amazon CA Hardcover:
https://www.amazon.ca/Majewski-Curse-Lisa-McInnes/dp/0228859883
Apple Books eBook:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-majewski-curse/id1576787324
Barnes and Noble NOOK eBook:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-majewski-curse-lisa-dianne-mcinnes/1139859315?ean=2940164965570
Barnes and Noble Paperback:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-majewski-curse-lisa-dianne-mcinnes/1139859315?ean=9780228857365
Barnes and Noble Hardcover:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-majewski-curse-lisa-dianne-mcinnes/1139859315?ean=9780228859888
The Book Depository Paperback:
https://www.bookdepository.com/Majewski-Curse-Lisa-McInnes/9780228857365
The Book Depository Hardcover:
https://www.bookdepository.com/Majewski-Curse-Lisa-McInnes/9780228859888
BAM! Books-A-Million Paperback:
https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Majewski-Curse/Lisa-McInnes/9780228857365
BAM! Books-A-Million Hardcover:
https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Majewski-Curse/Lisa-McInnes/9780228859888
The Bookshop Paperback:
https://bookshop.org/books/the-majewski-curse-9780228859888/9780228857365
The Bookshop Hardcover:
https://bookshop.org/books/the-majewski-curse-9780228859888/9780228859888
Indigo Chapters CA eBook:
https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/the-majewski-curse/9780228857358-item.html
Indigo Chapters CA Paperback:
https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/the-majewski-curse/9780228857365-item.html
Kobo US eBook:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-majewski-curse
Kobo CA eBook:
https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/the-majewski-curse
Smashwords eBook:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1094422
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GIVEAWAY INFO:
Lisa will be awarding a $15 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**