Secret Admirer Pact by Bernadette Marie - Book Tour - Guest Post - Giveaway - Enter Daily!

Secret Admirer Pact

by Bernadette Marie

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GENRE:   Romance

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BOOK BLURB:

When Will seeks to rekindle a flame with his ex-girlfriend, his best friend Monique reluctantly suggests a plan involving secret admirer notes to divert his ex’s attention. In a surprising turn, Monique finds herself infatuated with her new boss, prompting Will to reciprocate with anonymous tokens of affection. However, as the deceptive game unfolds, both Monique and Will come to realize that the heartfelt sentiments expressed in the secret admirer notes were their own true feelings. So, what happens if the plan works? What happens if it doesn’t?

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EXCERPT ONE:

“Happy New Year, sweetheart,” he says, his words slurred from champagne.

“Sure,” I say, letting my eyes close. “Can’t even imagine anything happy about it.”

“Cynical,” he teases, but I don’t have the energy to argue with him.

Lifting my head, I sit back in my chair, and scan a look over him. Will’s hair looks like he just rolled out of bed, but that wasn’t how he looked when he’d brought me home. Alcohol and stress has had him raking his fingers through it until now it stands on end.

Will is a handsome guy, though lacking in any fashion sense. He’s my ride or die friend, has been since middle school, and I adore him.

“Are you going home?” I ask, noticing his eyes blink slower, or maybe my eyes are blinking slowly.

“No. Since you begged me to drink away the old year with you, you’re going to have to let me sleep on your couch.”

I was hoping he’d say that. I don’t want him to leave. Tonight, I want the company.

“Do you think she’s home?” I ask.

Will leans his elbow onto the table, resting his head in his palm, and he watches me. I move to mimic him, placing my elbow on the table, and my head in my hand.

“She’s home,” he says. “I’m just afraid that maybe she’s not alone.”

I reach for his other hand, and lace our fingers together.

“You know your living situation makes no sense, right?” I say.

“I know that more than anyone,” he admits.

“I mean, who lives with their ex?”

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GUEST POST:

What is Your Favorite Motivational Phrase and How Do You Apply it Your Writings? Life? Etc.?

“Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway.” — Earl Nightingale

Embrace this empowering mantra: "Time is going to pass anyway, so you might as well accomplish as many things as you can dream up." How often have you found yourself wanting to achieve something but hesitating due to the perceived time commitment? Many times, we let the inconvenience of a lengthy process deter us from pursuing our dreams.

Consider the scenario of undertaking a year-long course. The initial thought of dedicating such a substantial amount of time can be discouraging. Perhaps you've contemplated writing a book or starting a fitness routine, only to dismiss the idea because of the perceived time constraints in your daily schedule. Yet, upon reflection, you realize that the hours spent binge-watching a TV show could have been invested in working towards your goals.

Now, rewind to a moment in your life when you committed to something significant despite the time it demanded. Personally, for me, it was enrolling in cosmetology school. The course spanned nine months, a considerable commitment alongside managing my own salon. I recall wavering, rescheduling appointments, but ultimately persevering. The reward? Twenty-nine years ago, I earned my license, enhancing the services offered in my salon and securing a steady income for my family.

Reflect on those instances where you pushed through the time barrier to realize your ambitions. It's essential to recognize that time will pass regardless. Instead of letting it be a hindrance, let it be a motivation to live your best life and accomplish your dreams. As my favorite quote says, “Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway.” Act now, for time is a valuable resource meant to be utilized for realizing your aspirations.

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AUTHOR BIO:

Bestselling Author Bernadette Marie writes contemporary romances and believes in Happily Ever After. The married mother of five believes in love at first sight, quick love, and second chances. An avid martial artist, Bernadette Marie is a certified instructor and holds a third degree black belt in Tang Soo Do. She loves Tai Chi, traveling to Disney parks, and having lunch with friends. When not writing, or running her own publishing house, Bernadette is probably immersed in a Rom Com, from which she will often quote one-liners.

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CONNECT WITH BERNADETTE MARIE:

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/authorbernadettemarie

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/authorbernadettemarie

TikTok:

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

Email:

info@bernadettemarie.com

Website:

https://www.bernadettemarie.com

5 Prince Publishing Author Page:

https://www.5princebooks.com/bernadettemarie 

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BOOK BUY LINKS:

AMAZON:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CP4T78KG

BARNES AND NOBLE:

 https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/book/1144426105?ean=2940185950555

SMASHWORDS: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1485967

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GIVEAWAY INFO:

Bernadette Marie 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

Fanny Fitzpatrick and the Brother Problem by Dana Hammer - Book Tour - Guest Post - Giveaway - Enter Daily!

Fanny Fitzpatrick and the Brother Problem

by Dana Hammer

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GENRE:   Middle Grade Greek Mythology

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BOOK BLURB:

Dion Isaacs (the reincarnation of Dionysius), Athena’s brother, is wreaking havoc. After to an unfortunate bee-venom poisoning at his wine business, he is down on his luck and crashing at Athena’s place. But the former god of wine, feasting, and excess is a bad influence on Fanny’s best friends, with his partying, wacky business schemes, and general debauchery. Sure, Dion is a fun guy. But there is such a thing as too much fun, and Fanny seems to be the only one who sees it.

Meanwhile, Fanny’s mother is suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum, which basically means she pukes all the time, because she’s pregnant. With her mom unable to work, her dad is taking extra shifts to make more money, and things are getting tense at home. Fanny is excited to be a big sister, but all this sickness and stress over money are starting to take their toll on her.

Can Fanny save her friends from Dion’s negative influence, while also solving her family’s money problems? Of course she can. She’s Fanny Fitzpatrick.

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EXCERPT TWO:

I hope Mom doesn’t have breast cancer. She would have told me about that though, right? You don’t hide cancer from your only daughter. That would be messed up. I get out of bed and pad down the hallway until I get to the bathroom. The puking is louder now, and I can hear Mom gasping between retches. I knock on the door.

“Mom? Are you OK?”

“I’m fine, Sweetie.”

Then she retches again.

“No you’re not Mom! You’re sick! Do you want some Sprite?”

Mom gives me Sprite when I’m nauseated, and it usually helps.

“Mom? I think you need to see a doctor. You’re not getting better.”

“Fanny! Go away!”

I don’t know what to do. My dad has already left for work, so he can’t help. I think about calling an ambulance, but then I remember that 911 is only for emergencies, and I don’t think this counts as an emergency.

“Mom, I’m gonna call an ambulance,” I say.

“NO!”

“But Mom—”

“Fanny, go decorate the tree!”

This stops me for a moment. Decorate the tree? Why?

“Why?”

“I’m not feeling up to it. Go decorate the Christmas tree. It’ll be a big help.”

I stand by the door, not knowing what to do. Is Mom trying to be tough, like the time she hurt her ankle and refused to go get X-rays, and she just limped around the house for a week until it swole up to like twice its size, and Dad finally made her go to the hospital, and it turned out she’d FRACTURED IT? Should I be like Dad and put my foot down and call an ambulance?

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GUEST POST:

Ways to Deal With Rejection, as a Writer

I once heard that Stephen King saved up all of his rejection letters and pinned them to a wall, and used them as motivation to succeed. All due respect to the master, but that would totally demotivate me, and absolutely crush me. 

Of course, rejection is a major part of writing professionally, or doing any kind of art professionally. Absolutely everyone who submits writing will get rejections; I don’t know a single writer who has not. And this is where the weak are weeded out. Because to survive as a writer, you need to be able to handle rejection and NOT GIVE UP.  There are some qualities and processes that can help you with this. Here are a few.

1) If you’ve ever been emotionally abused, use this to your advantage.

People from happy homes, who form loving, healthy relationships with romantic partners and friends are at a serious disadvantage when dealing with rejection. They have no idea how to take hurtful comments, negative criticism, or silent dismissal. But not you, you lucky damaged writer! You have built up a thick membrane around your heart. When a publisher or agent says “This does not meet our needs at this time” you remember that time a man who “loved” you called you a trashy idiot cunt, and suddenly “not meeting their needs” doesn’t seem like such a terrible insult.

2) Have an enormous ego.

I would argue that most artists have big egos. This is not a design flaw, it’s a feature. In order to create and send your creation out into the world, you have to believe in yourself, and believe that you have something important and fresh to bring to the world. When you get rejected, your ego will protect you. Your ego will tell you that these agents and magazines and publishers don’t know what they’re talking about. They don’t appreciate your genius. You will think of all the artists who were not rewarded in their time, and you’ll count yourself among them. Is this an attractive quality? No. But it is an important one, and you should absolutely cultivate your gigantic ego. Just don’t let it show on the outside, because people will not like it.

3) Know that judges and gatekeepers are not gods.

I sometimes enter screenplays into script contests. This is a fun thing to do, and it helps you network and sell scripts. You get to go to film festivals and have your picture taken on red carpets and meet interesting people. But, in over the course of attending several film festivals, I started meeting screenwriting judges. And not judges for small festivals, for BIG PRESTIGIOUS festivals. Here’s the ting. I always assumed that to be a judge for a prestigious film festival, you had to have special skills, or some kind of experience in the industry. You don’t. These judges are just…people. Usually they are people who have some kind of screenwriting experience, but they are not producers or professors or even professional screenwriters. This doesn’t mean they are bad; just that they aren’t necessarily better than you. So take their rejections for what they are — one person’s opinion.

4) Have a sense of humor about yourself.

If you can’t laugh about your rejections, you are bound to experience a lot of internal darkness and anger. There’s a story I sometimes tell about the time I got drunk and wrote a short story and immediately submitted it to a VERY prestigious publication. Without editing it. I will not name this publication, but you’ve heard of it. Of course, it was rejected, because, drunken, unedited writing is not my best work. Also, it was about Chairman Mao and Ghandi in a three legged race at a church picnic, so you know…not a crowd pleasing premise. Was I ashamed of myself the next morning, when I woke up and realized what I had written, and where I had sent it? Um, yeah. Yeah, I was. But you know what made me feel better? Reading that god-awful short story I’d written, out loud, to my friends. We all had a good laugh at my expense, and I WAS OK WITH THAT. Not only was I OK with that, but it made me feel a whole lot better about the whole thing. If you can laugh at it, you can live with it, right? Right.

If you are in a creative field, you are going to experience rejection. It’s just part of it. But if you keep going, you will probably find your markets, and your people. And if you don’t, at least you know that you had the fortitude to try. 

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AUTHOR BIO:

Dana Hammer is a novelist, screenwriter and playwright. She has won over forty awards and honors for her writing, few of which generated income, all of which were deeply appreciated. She is not a cannibal, but she is the author of A Cannibals Guide to Fasting. Dana is also the author of middle grade fantasy My Best Friend Athena which was inspired by a desire to write something her 9 year old daughter could read.

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CONNECT WITH DANA:

https://www.danahammer.com

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BOOK BUY LINKS:

https://www.amazon.com/Fanny-Fitzpatrick-Brother-Problem-Hammer/dp/1962308014

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/book/1144280278

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GIVEAWAY INFO:

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

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Go, Gabbie, Go! by Hollie Noveletsky - Book Tour - Book Blast - Giveaway - Enter Daily!

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Hollie Noveletsky will award a $10 Amazon OR Barnes and Noble Gift Card (Winner's Choice!!!) to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Go, Gabbie, Go was written as a gift to my illustrator and friend Gabbie Studley. Gabbie is a young woman with a big dream to fly. The only thing bigger than Gabbie's dream is her heart. Read along as Gabbie achieves her dream of flight. Thank you, Gabbie, for your beautiful illustrations and friendship.

AUTHOR BIO:

The author is an ornery old woman who lives with her crotchety old husband in the woods of New Hampshire. Her greatest joy is watching her grandson, Pip, on his great adventures.

CONNECT WITH HOLLIE:

Website: https://pipsgivingseries.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083314358420

AMAZON BOOK BUY LINK:

Amazon Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/Go-Gabbie-Hollie-Noveletsky/dp/0228888182

GIVEAWAY:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hand of the Gods by Miriam Newman - Book Tour - Guest Post - Giveaway - Enter Daily!

Hi, lovelies!!  It gives me great pleasure today to host Miriam Newman and her new book, “Hand of the Gods,” 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 $20 Amazon OR Barnes and Noble Gift Card!!  Also, come back daily to interact with Miriam and to increase your chances of winning!!

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

Hand of the Gods

The Sahra Chronicles Series

Book 2

by Miriam Newman

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GENRE:   Historical Fantasy Romance

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BOOK BLURB:

Those who survived the Battle of Grandfather Mountain are said to be in the Hand of the Gods.  No one will need that more than Sange, sister of Arak clan chieftain Javrik.  Drawn to Arman Garimandi, the Omani cavalry officer who saved her people during the siege, she shocks her family by marrying him despite her brother's caution that someday he will break her heart.  Blindly in love, she follows Arman to two different forts where he is ordered.  At the first, danger comes unexpectedly in the form of another woman  And at the second, she finds herself an unwitting pawn--possibly even a prisoner--between two powerful nations.

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EXCERPT ONE:

Sunny Omana had felt strangely like home to Arman, probably because he had heard about it all his life. And then, when their army had defeated the Domidian hordes that had conquered it and sent him to scout the upper portions, inhabited by nomadic Arak tribes, finally he knew life had given him another chance, probably undeserved after the things he had done, but a chance all the same.

He was looking at her now, sitting on her small Arak horse, framed against vast green plains below them where wind moved in circles and waves through wild grasses. Low purple and tan foothills rose from them, shadowed by clouds, and beyond those were mountains so steep that snowcapped them even in the midst of summer. Domidians on the other side had never crossed them in force. That was why the eastern portion of Arak lands, where Sange had never been, was spared the slaughter those in the center faced as Domidians who had occupied southern Omana fled forces drawn from the compact of nations who freed it from them. Now those mountains harbored their remnants, swelling ranks of brigands who had been there for years. It was a dangerous place, but she had packed up and taken horse with him when his orders sent him there. Just as his father’s Emperator had sent him to exile in a foreign land, the one in Arman’s time had done the same. The difference was that in his, Arman had found the last woman he would ever love.

Wisps of hair had escaped her headscarf, strands of gold flying in the wind, occasionally touching her sculpted cheeks. She had a mouth made for kissing and eyes as green as gems, oddly ringed with a darker shade outlining the iris like some elfin creature. Every feature was delicate, her body a wonder and a pleasure to him. She was young and she was hope, when he had lost all of his.

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GUEST POST:

Everyone loves a hero!  Tell us all about this genuine character and the inspiration behind their development.

Boy, oh boy, do I love this hero, and I really didn’t expect to.  Arman Garimandi, whose name makes my other characters laugh because they think it sounds like a rhyme, began as a minor character in Book I of the series, Light of the Gods.

In that book, my main character is an Arak nomad chieftain’s son, Javrik.  Finding his peaceful, pastoral tribe threatened by rampaging invaders, he realizes his warriors and weapons are outmatched and he goes looking for allies.  The ones he finds are a small contingent of foreign cavalry commanded by Arman.

By the time I had exhausted my pretty comprehensive mental inventory of ancient and Medieval weapons and battle tactics and assigned them to Arman, I fell in love with the way he used them. And even amidst all this chaos, he still finds time to meet Javrik’s sister, win her and marry her just when they think they’re all going to be annihilated.  That’s my kind of guy.  He deserved his own book and got it in Hand of the Gods.

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AUTHOR BIO:

I fell in love long ago with fantasy poetry driven by myths and legends, as well as stories of heroes and battles.  Ancient Celtic writings were my special passion, along with the Roman Empire, Roman Britain, the Norman invasion of England, and tales of the Vikings.  My first book emerged when I was an...ahem...youthful 52.  Well, I’m not 52 any more and up to 34 books and it’s been a great run.

Retired from many years in social work, now I pass my days writing, researching and living with a pack of highly demanding rescue dogs.  I write in every genre I please and you can see my books at www.miriamnewman.com.

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CONNECT WITH MIRIAM:

Website:

http://miriamnewman.com

Website:

http://thedarkcastlelords.net

Blog:

http://miriamnewman.com/blog

Blog:

http://thecelticroseblog.blogspot.com

Email:

mrmireland@aol.com

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorMiriamNewman

Twitter:

https://www.twitter.com/miriamnewman

BookBub Author Page:

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/miriam-newman-cf7ca8bf-caab-4b7e-a6f2-7db5490d9215

Goodreads Author Page:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3146550.Miriam_Newman

Amazon Author Page:

https://amzn.to/38ED8hG

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BOOK BUY LINKS:

Amazon US Kindle eBook:

https://amzn.to/496h131

Amazon CA Kindle eBook:

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0CQQL1SHP

Barnes and Noble NOOK eBook:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/book/1144515969

Smashwords eBook:

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1497018

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GIVEAWAY INFO:

Miriam will award a $20 Amazon OR Barnes and Noble Gift Card (Winner’s Choice!!!) to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

**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.

Hide and Be by Gary L. Stuart - Book Tour - Book Blast - Giveaway - Enter Daily!

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Gary L. Stuart will be awarding a print copy of Hide and Be and its immediate sequel, My Brother, Myself to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Twin brothers Arthur and Martin suffered horrible abuse as children, forcing them to survive by seamlessly assuming each other’s identities. Living each other’s lives provides protection from the trauma of their past. But when tragedy strikes, one of the brothers plummets into a dissociative crisis that leads him down a murderous path.

As the body count rises, two cases end up in the courtroom, where judges, lawyers, and psychiatrists try to piece together which twin is the suspect and which is the victim. Everyone in the courtroom strives to bring the victims to justice–but how can justice be served when no one is sure who the defendant truly is?

EXCERPT ONE:

United States Magistrate Judge Eli Hightower’s entrance into the courtroom had instantly hushed the small group of lawyers huddled near the podium. A plain but hardly simple man, he always walked to his bench without the usual pomp attached to the comings and goings of judges. As he climbed the single step up to the clerk’s platform and then the second step up onto the judge’s bench, everyone in the room could hear him wheeze. At two-hundred and fifty-five pounds, Judge Hightower was a force to reckon with, both physically and intellectually. His long-standing battle with cigars accounted for the wheeze, and his fondness for Snickers bars and A&W Root Beer mocked his daily promise to lose weight.

“Take your seats, please,” he said in a voice that softened the scowl on his face. “I thought, with sixteen years under my belt, or should I say under my robe, I’d heard it all. But the docket calendar says we’re here to conduct an identity hearing. Whose identity is at question here? And better yet, why is there nothing in my bench book that lends the slightest clue as to what an identity hearing is? My clerk tells me that this is a joint request by the government and the defendant.

“Your Honor, we are here because we are not in agreement about the identity of the defendant. If I might, Judge, maybe I could summarize the situation. I represent the government in its case against Martin Cheshire on the arson murder of his brother, Arthur Cheshire. Martin Cheshire was initially arrested by the FBI in Portland, Maine, seven weeks ago on an embezzlement charge. His statement in that case led the FBI to open a second investigation. The defendant denied he was Martin Cheshire. He told them he was Arthur Cheshire, Martin’s twin brother. But Arthur Cheshire died, as we contend, in an arson fire in Mexico, fifty-six miles from here eight weeks ago. The FBI believes that Martin Cheshire killed his brother, Arthur, to cover up the embezzlement in Maine. But before we can proceed with an indictment, Mr. Kemper and I agreed that the confusion and doubt about exactly who the defendant is warrants this court’s intervention. We’ve discussed it in chambers with Chief Judge Sharp, to whom this case is assigned. He sent us to you. We need this court to order a psychiatric evaluation to establish the actual identity of the defendant. That’s why we agreed with the defense that the first person you should hear from in this case is Dr. Lisbeth Socorro.”

AUTHOR BIO:

I am a retiring lawyer, a working author, and a preserving blogger. I was a full-time trial lawyer for thirty-two years in a large Phoenix firm. I was a part-time law professor for the last twenty-nine years. As of summer, 2023, I am writing, publishing, and blogging full time. My first book was a textbook published by the Arizona State Bar Association. My first novel was published by the University of New Mexico Press. I’ve written ten novels and eight nonfiction titles as of July 2023.

From the day I entered law school, I’ve been reading cases, statutory law and writing about legal conundrums and flaws in our criminal and civil justice systems. I’ve always read novels, nonfiction, and historical fiction by great authors who were never corrupted by the staid habits of trial lawyers. I write long-form, interspersed with the occasional blog, op-ed, or essay. One of the unexpected benefits of reading the law is learning how to write about it. Somewhere along the trajectory from a baby lawyer to a senior one, I became intoxicated with blending nonfiction with fiction in books, rather than legal documents. After spending thirty years in courtrooms trying cases, I started writing about them. That led to writing novels while borrowing from famous historical settings and lesser-known characters. My courtroom days were chock full of ideas, notions, and hopes about ultimately becoming an author. I organized and memorized critical information for judges, juries, and clients. Now I use that experience to write vivid fiction and immersive nonfiction. I moved away from trial practice to teaching law students how to use creative writing techniques to tell their client’s stories, in short form.

F. Scott Fitzgerald said, “All good writing is swimming under water and holding your breath.” The same could be said of my transition from trying cases to writing crime fiction. I’ve been holding my breath for twenty years waiting for galley proofs and book reviews. Anais Nin spoke for all of us when she said, “We write to taste life twice.”

My first novel, The Gallup 14, won a coveted starred review from Publishers Weekly. I won a Spur Award from Western Writers of America in 2004 for my first nonfiction book (“Miranda, The Story of America’s Right to Remain Silent”). I won the 2010 Arizona Book of the Year Award, The Glyph Award, and a Southwest Publishing Top Twenty award in 2010, for “Innocent Until Interrogated—The Story of the Buddhist Temple Massacre.” My third nonfiction title (“Anatomy of a Confession—The Debra Milke Case”) was highly acclaimed. My nonfiction title “CALL HIM MAC—Ernest W. McFarland—The Arizona Years” was widely and favorably reviewed. My latest nonfiction crime book, “Nobody Did Anything Wrong But Me, was published by Twelve Tables Press, one of America’s most distinguished publisher of law books about important legal issues. No New York Times bestsellers, yet.

CONNECT WITH GARY:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Gary-Stuarts-Books-223958520472/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/garylesterstuar
Email: Gary@garylstuart.com
Website: http://www.garylstuart.com

GIVEAWAY:

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SWAT for Dummies by Gail Koger - Book Tour - Blurb Blitz - Giveaway - Enter Daily!

SWAT for Dummies

by Gail Koger

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GENRE:   Action / Adventure / Comedy / Romance

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BOOK BLURB:

Just call me Calamity Jane, wherever I go, trouble soon follows.  Which makes my job as a Maricopa County Sheriff’s Deputy a bit hazardous. From chasing down a bank robber to dealing with a cat burglar, or handling Sun City’s seniors who are crazy as June bugs and horny as hell.  

My personal life is complicated.  Off-duty I’m a ballroom dancer. Detective Sergeant Dante Delgado is my new dance partner. My relationship with him puts me in the crosshairs of a dirty cop with homicidal tendencies. Can we stop him, or will we become his next victims?  

Law enforcement isn’t for the fainthearted. Are you brave enough to enter my world?

Author’s note: I was a 9-1-1 dispatcher for way too many years and this novella contains some of the wilder incidents that occurred.  Yes, sex on the sidewalk is based on a true incident.

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EXCERPT ONE:

I took his hand. I was curious to see how well we danced together. I smiled as energetic salsa music filled the club.

Dante spun me around him and pulled me into a tight embrace. My skin heated wherever he touched me, and my girly parts were yelling yee-haw. One moment, we were doing the Cuban salsa, and the next, the Texas two-step. I was amazed at how perfectly we moved together.

A light touch and we were dancing the tango. Dante’s large hands skimmed down my back, grabbed my hips and up I went. He twirled me around his shoulders and lowered me down his body.

I rubbed against his crotch in a sinuous slide.

“Minx,” Dante whispered and promenading me to the right, then the left.

I focused on the slow, delicious glide of his body against mine, on the sensual havoc he wreaked with a single touch as we switched to the Texas two-step, then back to the tango.

Dante dipped me. The carnal need in his eyes instantly made my panties wet. I watched in delight as he lowered his head until our lips met. 

One second his lips brushed against mine. The next, Dante slid me between his legs and slowly pulled me back up. The bulge in his pants got bigger. I danced backward, tapping my heels on the floor, and breaking into the flamenco. 

Without hesitation Dante did the flamenco too. His every movement was elegant and sensual as his boots drummed a primeval rhythm. Feeling sexy as hell, I clapped my hands rhythmically and joined him.

Dante wrapped an arm around me, pulled me close and ended the dance with a kiss.

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AUTHOR BIO:

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.

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CONNECT WITH GAIL:

Website:

http://www.gailkoger.com

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/Askole

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/Colettiwarlordbooks

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/gkoger58

BookBub Author Page:

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/gail-koger

Goodreads Author Page:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1598719.Gail_Koger

Amazon Author Page:

http://www.amazon.com/Gail-Koger/e/B001K838BY

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GIVEAWAY INFO:

Gail will award a randomly drawn winner a $20 Amazon OR Barnes and Noble Gift Card (Winner’s Choice!!!) 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.

Scorn of Secrets by B. Truly - Book Tour - Exclusive Excerpt - Giveaway - Enter Daily!

Scorn of Secrets

by B. Truly

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GENRE:   Young Adult Urban Romance

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BOOK BLURB:

Flowers in the Attic meets The Family that Preys

Madison

When the rising tides of my life peak, I’m left struggling with the currents of the storm. My dad is a gambling addict, and it costs him everything. Mama bounces back quickly from the havoc Dad’s addiction causes. She proves this by getting a new man. Her Rico Suave is just the tip of the iceberg—she moves us across state to live with him and his two sons.My older sister has no problem fitting in. Although I'm the total opposite—I am not a social butterfly. Taught to make the best of even the worst situations, maybe I should give my new family a chance.

My life finally seems to be back on track until a dreadful night, shatters my dreams. My world is flipped upside down because of the consequences I must now bear. Thinking about that night torments me. For my sanity, I must keep the door to my darkest memory locked. No one will believe me if I set the truth free—not even my own sister.

Justin

After the heartbreak my future stepsister has suffered, I understand Madison being skeptical of her ready-made family. As we get to know each other better, we learn were two birds of the same feather. Our chemistry is undeniable, but if we tempt fate, will our relationship oscillate in the balance?

Life seems to be falling into place until one night changes everything. What happens to her that she can’t even look me in the eyes. It’s like somehow, my face has scorned her. I want to be the key to her secret. But Madison won't confess—desperate to keep her darkest secret locked away.

Recommended for 16+ due to sexual content and language. Some content dealing with sexual assault may be disturbing.

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EXCLUSIVE EXCERPT:

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AUTHOR BIO:

B. Truly has wanted to be an author since she was fifteen years old, and she’s grateful to have accomplished this dream. She has very vivid dreams and a wild imagination. She likes to read, watch tons of TV shows, and movies. She is addicted to romance and gets a thrill out of suspense. She writes YA and New Adult and Adult Romance, Urban, Dystopian, Sci-fi, Post-Apocalyptic, Romantic Suspense, and Paranormal genres.

B. Truly has three wonderful children and a husband who defines the person she today. She works full-time as an Ultrasound technologist in Sugarland, Texas.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7276631.B_Truly

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BOOK BUY LINKS:

Smashwords:

https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/BTruly

Amazon Buy Link:

https://www.amazon.com/Scorn-Secrets-B-Truly-ebook/dp/B091BR68YG

Barnes and Noble:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/scorn-of-secrets-b-truly/1144273331

Chirpbooks:

https://www.chirpbooks.com/audiobooks/scorn-of-secrets-by-b-truly

Google Play:

https://play.google.com/store/audiobooks/details/B_Truly_Scorn_of_Secrets?id=AQAAAEDiP1V_pM

Kobo:

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/audiobook/scorn-of-secrets-1

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GIVEAWAY INFO:

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

a Rafflecopter giveaway