The Love that Binds Us by Phoenix Blackwood - Book Tour - Guest Post - Giveaway - Enter Daily!

Hey, lovelies!!  It gives me great pleasure today to host Phoenix Blackwood and his new book, “The Love that Binds Us,” 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 $10 Amazon OR Barnes and Noble Gift Card!!  Also, come back daily to interact with Phoenix and to increase your chances of winning!!

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

The Love that Binds Us

by Phoenix Blackwood

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GENRE:  LGBTQIA+ Coming of Age

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BOOK BLURB:

From the outside, Alex has a perfect life. She has a partner who loves her, gets good grades in school, excels at most sports, and has a big heart. From the inside, Alex’s life is anything but perfect. She hasn’t spoken to her father in years. She’s hiding the fact that her once-best-friend now-romantic-partner Theo is trans and nonbinary from her homophobic mother. Bullies are harassing her and Theo at school, taunting and shoving. It’s all becoming too much for Alex to bear.

Things take a surprising turn when Alex’s mother discovers her relationship with Theo. After Alex is thrown out of her house and taken in by Theo’s foster family, Alex can live honestly. For a while, things start to feel manageable. Alex finds a new group of friends. She navigates what “family” means beyond her mother and sister. She even considers forgiving her mother’s past mistakes. But forgiveness requires honesty. Secrets Alex’s mother has been keeping are surfacing, trying to bind Alex to misery. As Alex learns the full truth of her mother’s past mistakes, she will need the love of her chosen family and friends to gently bind her life into a shape that keeps her whole.

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EXCERPT ONE:

I sat on my bed and pulled Theo down to my level, kissing them on the forehead. They sat down with me and kissed me on the lips until they were leaning over me and my hands were wrapped around the back of their neck, pulling them closer. They were so soft, always so tender. I focused all my attention on the kiss, so much so that I didn’t hear the small squeak of my door opening. Theo pulled away suddenly, jarring me and forcing me to look in the direction of their gaze.

Leah had opened the door. She stood there with her mouth open, her face frozen in wonder and confusion. She’d known Theo since we’d become friends, I bet she had never imagined finding us kissing when she opened my door.

Theo and I looked at each other in horror. The secret was out, how were we going to get her to keep quiet? We should’ve been more careful. We’d gotten too comfortable.

I signed for Leah to come sit between us on the bed. My face got hot as she sat and tears brimmed in my eyes. My mom could never, ever find out - Leah knowing was so dangerous.  She looked up at me with wide eyes and signed, “Boyfriend?”

Theo must’ve seen the panic rising up in me, because they took over. They gently rested one hand on her shoulder to get her attention and then explained, “We love each other. I’m not a boy, but I’m still her partner. I’m like a boyfriend, just minus the boy part.”

Walking through the threshold of Theo’s house was like a weight lifting off my shoulders, all the tension of home and school falling away. This was what home was supposed to feel like. I flopped down on the couch and Theo joined me a couple minutes later with two mugs of tea, handing me one. I leaned into them as they wrapped an arm around my shoulders after turning the television on to the latest show we’d been binging. This felt so safe, so calm. A feeling I rarely got in my own home. Always on edge, an internal dissonance telling me that I wasn’t good enough. Here, I was everything I was supposed to be.

We watched television until Seth–Theo’s brother–made his way down the stairs and started rummaging through the kitchen to start dinner. The house was quickly filled with smells that made my mouth water - meat searing in a pan, vegetables being chopped, pasta water boiling. I sat in the scents until I couldn’t take it any longer and my stomach growled, causing me to get up and make my way into the kitchen.

Seth shot me a sly smile. “Probably another ten minutes.”

I pouted, staring at the food and willing it to cook faster.

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GUEST POST:

My Favorite Scene in This Book…

My favorite scene in The Love that Binds Us comes early on, and it’s a heartbreaking one (I’m always a sucker for things that put emotions in overdrive). It’s a scene where Alex, our main character, is wounded and Theo, MC of The Secrets that Kill Us and Alex’s love interest, tends to her. Alex is hurt badly by someone, I won’t say who because spoilers, and runs to the safety of Theo’s house. She’s welcomed in by Theo’s adoptive mother, Monica, who happens to be a doctor and quickly notices Alex’s wounds. A short excerpt of what follows:

“Theo silently guided me up the stairs and into the bathroom. They ran the bathtub with warm water and put in the bubble bath that they knew I loved. I was still crying, I didn’t know if I would ever stop. Theo wasn’t talking–-to be fair, they didn’t normally talk much, but this was a different kind of silence. This was stiff, they were holding something back. It made me anxious, not knowing what they were thinking…

…Then, so quietly I almost missed it, ‘I never wanted you to know what this felt like.’”

This scene brings back the demons of Theo’s past for them, and they become the protector that they always wish they’d had. They feel immense remorse for not being able to stop this from happening in the first place, and carry a sense of guilt.

Theo’s love for Alex has a healing nature, and their heart breaks with hers as they carefully and gently tend to her wounds. They’re reminded of all the times they were in Alex’s position as a young child, and thus know exactly what she needs in the moment. A gentle touch, a loving gesture, someone to hold her as the physical and emotional pain touches her soul.

This is my favorite scene because it shows how deeply Theo cares for Alex, and gives Theo an opportunity to symbolically be there for their younger self. It’s an awful situation, but because Alex has Theo to turn to, it’s not as bad as it could’ve been. It’s a scene of pure love in the wake of a tragedy, and it shows how healing that love can be.

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AUTHOR BIO:

Born and raised in New England, Phoenix has always been a creative – whether it’s painting or writing. From a very young age, Phoenix has envisioned and created characters, writing them into existence and exploring them through visual arts. Having graduated to first-time short story author, Phoenix is embarking on a journey towards novel writing as they finally bring characters they’ve known for years into the world. Phoenix is neurodiverse and intersex and hopes to bring more representation to both topics with their writing. They believe in creating relatable characters that people can find themselves in and empathize with.

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CONNECT WITH PHOENIX:

Website:

https://t.co/UEEMwVpdtV

Email:

phoenixblackwoodwrites@gmail.com

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/nixblackwood

Goodreads Author Page:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22281004.Phoenix_Blackwood

Goodreads Book Page:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63934075-the-love-that-binds-us

Amazon Author Page:

https://amzn.to/3LCTIBP

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BOOK BUY LINKS:

Amazon US Kindle eBook:

https://amzn.to/3nR2GVu

Amazon US Paperback:

https://amzn.to/413m5AF

Amazon US Hardcover:

https://amzn.to/435xwJZ

Amazon CA Kindle eBook:

https://www.amazon.ca/Love-that-Binds-Us-ebook/dp/B0BNC6VFPD

Amazon CA Paperback:

https://www.amazon.ca/Love-that-Binds-Us/dp/1953971695

Amazon CA Hardcover:

https://www.amazon.ca/Love-that-Binds-Us/dp/1953971709

Apple Books eBook:

https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-love-that-binds-us/id6444780159

Barnes and Noble NOOK eBook:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-love-that-binds-us-phoenix-blackwood/1142772036?ean=2940165971181

Barnes and Noble Paperback:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-love-that-binds-us-phoenix-blackwood/1142772036?ean=9781953971692

Barnes and Noble Hardcover:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-love-that-binds-us-phoenix-blackwood/1142772036?ean=9781953971708

Kobo US eBook:

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-love-that-binds-us-3

Kobo CA eBook:

https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/the-love-that-binds-us-3

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GIVEAWAY INFO:

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

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

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

The Efficiency Journal by Misha Saidov - Book Tour - Blast - Giveaway - Enter Daily!

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

This journal, created by renowned coach and psychotherapist Misha Saidov, will help you become the hero of your own life. It was created to assist you in setting important goals, reaching them, and winning. It will support you along the way, especially when you find yourself lost or confused. The Efficiency Journal will help you stay on track.

You don't need to schedule your day by the minute. If you want to succeed, you only need to complete three key daily tasks, set goals that fit into 12-week sprints, and honestly reflect on your results once a week.

You will learn to manage your energy and analyze your actions, achievements, and experiences.

The result will be a formed character, created by daily volitional actions.

What's inside?

– Weekly and daily planning sheets
– Space for summarizing weekly results and for reflection
– Wise thoughts and tips along the way

Any goal reduced to daily tasks will be achieved, no matter what.

FOR WHOM IS THIS JOURNAL?

For those who want to succeed in business, improve themselves, move forward, maintain their motivation and eliminate distractions.

Many of us have meaningful ideas that could change the world. Without embodiment, they will remain just a dream. A dream about the future.

EXCERPT ONE:

In 1910, in the center of Paris at Sorbonne, the president of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt, gave a speech.

One of the passages of the speech became known as “The Man in the Arena”:

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.

Do you ever find yourself asking: “Who am I? The one in the arena, or a spectator?”

AUTHOR BIO:

Misha Saidov, a life performance coach and author, is the founder of IMCP (Institute of Metacognitive Programming) and Think Meta, a coaching company that conducts 4000+ client sessions per month.

CONNECT WITH MISHA:

LinkedIn
Twitter
Instagram
Website

AMAZON BOOK BUY LINK:

Amazon Buy Link

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.

Prince of Blue Flowers by Ryū Zhong - Book Tour - Guest Post - Giveaway - Enter Daily!

Hi, lovelies!!  It gives me great pleasure today to host Ryū Zhong and his new book, “Prince of Blue Flowers,” 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 Ryū Zhong and to increase your chances of winning!!

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

Prince of Blue Flowers

Adventures of Takuan from Koto Series

Book One

by Ryū Zhong

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GENRE:   Fantasy, Adventure

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BOOK BLURB:

Young boy Hatsukoi leaves his village to become a monk, only to find monastic life incredibly boring. With a new-found name and a new-found friend, Hatsukoi travels the countryside and plays tricks at the expense of corrupt, irate, greedy, and ignorant people. Nobles of all ranks—from petty governors to crown princes—fall victim to the boy’s wit and cunning.

As his tricks evolve from childhood frolics to elaborate cons, Hatsukoi grows as well. He learns not only the craft of his trade, but also its higher purpose.

Join Hatsukoi’s journey, laugh at his exploits, and learn with him.

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

EXCERPT ONE:

Fragments

In ancient times, on the shores of the Eternal Ocean lay the country of Auyasku. The waves of the three seas cherished her sleep. The Silent Western Sea lulled her with whispers, and the Glacial Sea squeezed her tightly in its arms. Even the Sea of Great Storms was quiet off the coast of this cold land.

A white fur coat of snow hid Auyasku from the heat of the sun. On the hottest summer day, the bright beams of Celestial Luminary could not penetrate beneath the blankets and awaken Auyasku from her age-old slumber.

In the middle of the country rose a snowy mountain, and on its top was a wonderful rock. This rock was open to the beaming sun and moonlight, because tall trees did not grow on it; moss alone covered the stones, still barely warm from the sun.

And then, one day, the rock produced a stone egg. Later, a marten hatched from this egg, also made of stone, but endowed with limbs and all five senses.

The stone marten quickly learned to run about and hunt small game that hid in the snow. She also made friends with other animals that inhabited the endless fields of Auyasku: foxes, bears, wolves – even moles. And, of course, with other martens, her relatives. The mountain from which she came was called Marten Mountain because it served as a home to many martens.

One morning, when the sun appeared in the east and slowly rolled across the sky, the martens began to frolic around the rock, chasing one another. Having gambolled enough, they calmed down and, staring at the sun, began to talk – for, as the proverb goes, even animals can talk to each other.

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GUEST POST:

If I Had Never Heard of My Book, Why Would I Read It?

Yet another book just gave me its last page, and I am left alone in the twilight of my bedroom. I always read before going to sleep, at least a couple of pages to flip through. Not paper pages, of course. Instead of a stack of books, there is a thin plate of a reader on my bedside table.

One more book is marked as ‘read.’ What should I take on next? Should I choose my cover? Yes, but not only.

What would I find in the next book that I’ll share my bed with? Entertainment or, better, a distraction from the worries of the day.

I’d find the smooth ride of the story that rolls forward effortlessly like a well-oiled car, crushing the hapless characters. I want to anticipate upcoming events and guess right every time, yet every time be surprised.

I’d find a world that is a little brighter than the one that just disappeared in the twilight of the night. There’d be magic and therefore hope.

I’d find the book both a reason to smile and a reason to think. I’d find magical Asia, Heavens full of self-consumed gods, Earthen Realm full of people mired in their vices.

But most important of all, I’d find a hero that is somewhat like my own self, which I have long forgotten, the self I dream of finding again. Perhaps, this would be the main reason to pick up the book ‘Prince of Blue Flowers,’ open it on some random page, read about the trick at the well, and smile. Then sit back, arrange my sheets and duvet, and start from the very beginning.

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AUTHOR BIO:

‘Ryū’ means ‘dragon’ in Japanese, and ‘Zhong’ can be translated from Chinese as ‘flute’. This amalgam of languages represents the fusion of cultures that characterises the writings of Ryū Zhong.

In their books, Ryū Zhong explore challenges that humanity might face as our technology gets more and more complicated to the level where it becomes magic. Such a shift would force people to look towards religion and reinterpret realities that today, we call fairy tales.

Ryū Zhong were lucky to be born and grow in Asia. Now they live in Amsterdam, study Dutch, and adapt their writings to English.

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CONNECT WITH RYŪ ZHONG:

Website for the Book Series:

https://anno-ruini.com

Ryū Personal Blog:

https://ryu.anno-ruini.com

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/anno_ruini

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/anno.ruini

BookBub Author Page:

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/ryu-zhong

BookBub Book Page:

https://www.bookbub.com/books/prince-of-blue-flowers-adventures-of-takuan-from-koto-by-ryu-zhong

Goodreads Author Page:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/23784629.Ryu_Zhong

Goodreads Book Page:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/80758966-prince-of-blue-flowers

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BOOK BUY LINKS:

Amazon US Kindle eBook:

https://amzn.to/413cAS1

Amazon US Paperback:

https://amzn.to/40DRMke

Amazon CA Kindle eBook:

https://www.amazon.ca/Prince-Blue-Flowers-Adventures-Takuan-ebook/dp/B0BQNBPFR6

Amazon CA Paperback:

https://www.amazon.ca/Prince-Blue-Flowers-Adventures-Takuan/dp/B0BRC7BGB4

Barnes and Noble NOOK eBook:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/prince-of-blue-flowers-ryu-zhong/1143052777?ean=2940186616542

Barnes and Noble Paperback:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/prince-of-blue-flowers-ryu-zhong/1143052777?ean=9798371716033

Google Play eBook:

https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=L4unEAAAQBAJ&pli=1

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

GIVEAWAY INFO:

Ryū Zhong 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

**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.

Cold Sleep by Luke Hindmarsh - Book Tour - Book Blast - Giveaway - Enter Daily!

Hi, lovelies!!  It gives me great pleasure today to host Luke Hindmarsh and his new book, “Cold Sleep,” 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 $20 Amazon OR Barnes and Noble Gift Card!!  Also, come back daily to interact with Luke and to increase your chances of winning!!

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

It’s the perfect score—stealing valuable data from a VIP in cryo-freeze midway through a decades-long interstellar crossing. If it works, Kara will have enough money to buy what she’s always wanted—a Captaincy.

But with the rest of the crew and the cargo of one hundred thousand colonists still frozen, Kara and her accomplice, Zed, realize they’re not the only ones awake. The murdered woman they find is only the first victim of whoever or whatever has woken from Cold Sleep.

EXCERPT TWO:

Blood streaks the VIP casket’s pristine white ceramic shell. Crimson handprints mark the controls and edges of the casket’s lid. Bright red spray mars the shining surface of the nearest casket and trickles down across its viewport. The deckplate’s smeared here and there, but the marks aren’t clear enough to make out any footprints.

“No one else in here,” Zed says.

While I’ve been gawping at the corpse, he’s secured the room.

There’s more to him than being a reliable bit of rough. It’s become too easy to dismiss him—the man is capable enough.

“I don’t understand. How could one of the passengers get out of storage?” I ask.

“Look at the casket,” Zed says. “Why’s it still registering an occupant?”

Being careful not to step in any blood, I get closer to her. What strikes me is the way the arcs of blood paint the VIP bay looks like something out of an anti-Ares Cult propaganda piece. The sacrifice of innocent beauty to sate the spirit of Mars. Kind of thing we’d only caught rumors of my first time shipping out. Then the newsfeeds had become more and more clogged with hysteria with every return to Earth. That and the usual.

War. War threatening everywhere.

Makes me think of my brother and hope he isn’t—wait, decades have passed—wasn’t on the frontline.

I drag my mind back from the futureshock and my eyes from the corpse. Getting lost in the past is a sure-fire way to get killed in the here and now.

AUTHOR BIO:

A Brit now living in the Scandinavian wilds of Denmark with his wife and half-Viking kids, Luke worked as a Criminal Barrister in and around London for over a decade dealing with everything from minor theft cases to a real life axe murder and everything in between. Thanks to parents in the military he grew up being dragged around the world--while living in the Far East he picked up a love for the martial arts which continues to this day, as he passes on what he’s learned to a select dojo of students. Cold Sleep is his third novel. His first was Amazon cyberpunk bestseller Mercury’s Son, his second a UK set supernatural suspense novel 3:33 AM.

CONNECT WITH LUKE:

Twitter
Facebook

BOOK BUY LINKS:

Amazon US Kindle eBook

Amazon CA Kindle eBook
Barnes and Noble NOOK eBook

GIVEAWAY – ENTER DAILY:

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.

Malketh and the Undead: Raven, Romda and Ravai Vol. II by Dave Maruszewski - Book Tour - Guest Post - Giveaway - Enter Daily!

Hey, lovelies!!  It gives me great pleasure today to host Dave Maruszewski and his new book, “Malketh and the Undead: Raven, Romda and Ravai Vol. II,” 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 Dave and to increase your chances of winning!!

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

Malketh and the Undead:

Raven, Romda and Ravai

Vol. II

by Dave Maruszewski

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GENRE:   Middle Grade, Fantasy

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

BOOK BLURB:

Raven, Romda and Ravai are settling into their new knightly duties well. With the Dark Beast defeated, their normal tasks almost seem mundane.

Amidst the boredom, Ravai asks, “Why does no one talk about villains from the past?”

Romda reasons, “What would be the point?”

There is a point. Even though villains may have been defeated in the past, they may still be around, waiting in the background ready to resurface once again.

Malketh has returned to the kingdom, but something is different about him this time. He is back with an entire army … an entire army of undead soldiers!

“Whether you want to read this aloud to your little one or let them explore this magical world on their own, parents can rest assured that this second installment in the Raven, Romda, and Ravai series will be a playful, whimsical addition to their bookshelves.”

~ The Book Review Directory

“… the squires are appealing characters, as is their comical banter.”

~ Blue Ink Review

A great story for the fantasy loving youth, this adventure will appeal to those who like action and humor in an easy reading environment.

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EXCERPT ONE:

They keep going until they hear a large rumble.  A small mass of rocks fall to the ground.  The three look up and see a gigantic figurine of a man holding a giant emerald.  Romda puts her lantern up to the emerald, and the light refracts and bounces off the many faces such that the whole room is lit.  This brings relief to the three.

Unfortunately, they notice something else.  When the room comes up from the dark, Raven, Romda and Ravai notice all these eyes staring at them.  The undead are here.  The three are surrounded.

Perplexed, Raven, Romda and Ravai freeze.  They are scared.  However, the entire horde of undead does not approach them.  What is wrong with them?  What do they want?

At last, the undead begin to slowly stir.  They begin to walk slowly.  At first they seem to move in random directions.  Then, a pattern to their motion becomes apparent.  They move about, revealing an opening in their numbers in the shape of a small circle.  That opening reveals a hooded figure.  The hooded figure says…

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GUEST POST:

Satisfying Ending?

I’m becoming outdated.  It’s true.  I like a happy ending.  However, with what you watch and read, it is clear that the industry does not favor that.  I think they feel that it has milieu of naiveté.

I get it.  Gray characters can be intriguing.  They can produce unexpected results.  They allow for plot twists to occur easier and with more surprise.

The problem that I have with gray characters is that they often become inconsistent.  A seeming villain turns into a hero.  Then, I wonder how it happened.  Didn’t this person kill someone on page thirty-seven?  Is it now justified, or do we just overlook it?  Many times it is hard to truly explain away the bad behavior of the past chapters.

The other problem comes from an occurrence I’d observed when I used to teach video game design.  In an open sandbox games, players have the freedom to do almost whatever they want.  It can be very inviting and give an atmosphere of creativity.  The problem is that there is no one to guide them.  So, left with their own devices, they meander.  No real conclusions happen.  Hence, a feeling of boredom would often overtake the players.

That is where I worry about today’s story telling.  Without an easy measuring stick to see who is good, bad or ugly, we might meander into making no judgments about how we feel about the ending situation. A book can be exquisitely written, with riveting character interaction and no knockout punch.  Many times, I can even be left with the feeling of “What just happened here?”  I shrug my shoulders and then move on to the next book.

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AUTHOR BIO:

Dave Maruszewski is blessed with a great family.  He was originally inspired to write stories by his wife and son.

He strives to develop stories with sound moral values that will be enlightening as well as entertaining to youths and adults.  The Raven, Romda and Ravai books are targeted especially for children who shy away from reading.  His stories are created from an accumulation of experience from careers/backgrounds as a physicist, engineer, teacher, artist, video game designer and software developer.

In between writing stories and running his own company, Digital Tumult (DigitalTumult.com), Dave enjoys video games, watching internet videos and hanging out with his family.

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CONNECT WITH DAVE:

Website:

https://www.ravenromdaandravai.com

Newsletter:

https://ravenromdaandravai.com/index.php/newsletter

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/Dave-Maruszewski-Books-100693982454237

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7tomZ4IBch3ZcIKzNxUKlg

NetGalley Author Page:

https://www.netgalley.com/catalog/publisher/84200

BookBub Author Page:

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/dave-maruszewski

BookBub Book Page:

https://www.bookbub.com/books/malketh-and-the-undead-by-dave-maruszewski

Goodreads Author Page:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21946064.Dave_Maruszewski

Goodreads Book Page:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/86281595-malketh-and-the-undead

Amazon Author Page:

https://amzn.to/3HBmpx7

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PRE-ORDER BOOK BUY LINKS & INFO:

**Malketh and the Undead: Raven, Romda and Ravai Vol. II is currently available for Pre-order and will be released on April 18^th, 2023**

Amazon US Kindle eBook:

https://amzn.to/3Kdm71X

Amazon US Paperback:

https://amzn.to/3m6Vync

Amazon CA Kindle eBook:

https://www.amazon.ca/Malketh-Undead-Raven-Romda-Ravai-ebook/dp/B0BT3FD25L

Amazon CA Paperback:

https://www.amazon.ca/Malketh-Undead-Raven-Romda-Ravai/dp/1667880098

Barnes and Noble Paperback:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/malketh-and-the-undead-dave-maruszewski/1142993225

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GIVEAWAY INFO:

Dave 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

**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.

Moody Moody Cars by Dr. Eileen Kennedy-Moore, PhD - Book Tour - Book Blast - Giveaway - Enter Daily!

Hi, lovelies!!  It gives me great pleasure today to host Dr. Eileen Kennedy-Moore, PhD and her new book, “Moody Moody Cars,” 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 Dr. Kennedy-Moore and to increase your chances of winning!!

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

Freewheeling! Full of feelings! Traveling near and far. HONK if you see me. I'm a moody moody car!

Hop in and ride along as our auto-friends personify the twists and turns of feelings. This rhyming picture book shares various expressive classic cars and invites readers to figure out the emotions, from excited to angry and more, behind the facial expressions. This is a playful, approachable way to teach kids about feelings and emotions and to develop an essential skill as kids travel along in their social world.

An answer key in the back to help readers identify all of these moody, moody cars; included are a 1956 Jaguar XK-0, a 1948 Delahaye, a 1959 Buick Electra, a 1965 A.C. Cobra, a 1938 Delage Coupe, a 1956 Buick Centurion, a 1955 Indianapolis, a 1938 Bugatti 57SC, a 1939 Buick Model 40, and a 1929 DuPont LeMans.

EXCERPT ONE:

Why Kids Need Moody Moody Cars

Young children deal with many of the same emotions that adults do. Children get angry, sad, frustrated, nervous, happy, or embarrassed, but they often don't have the words to talk about how they're feeling. Instead, they sometimes act out these emotions in very physical and inappropriate ways.

Parents and teachers can use Moody Moody Cars to help their children understand and express their emotions in healthy ways.

Being able to read emotions in ourselves and others is like having a GPS for life.

Research tells us that children who are better at understanding facial expressions of emotions are also:

Better liked by their peers
Less likely to act out aggressively, and they
Do better in school.

One study found that children's ability to interpret facial emotions at five years of age predicts how well they do socially and academically--even four years later (Izard et al. 2001).

Research also shows that talking about feelings, practicing labeling them, and discussing their causes can help children increase their understanding of emotions in themselves and others (Yuill & Little, 2018).

In this quirky, joyful picture book, classic automobiles come alive to express a range of feelings, from excited to angry. Young readers, their parents, and teachers can simply admire some really cool cars, or they can also dive deeper into the engine of emotional understanding that helps drive us all toward personal well-being, healthy relationships, and educational progress.

AUTHOR BIO:

Eileen Kennedy-Moore, PhD, is an author and clinical psychologist, based in Princeton, NJ. Her most recent books for children are Moody Moody Cars and Growing Friendships: A Kids' Guide to Making and Keeping Friends (co-authored with Christine McLaughlin). She has also written or co-authored four books for parents: Kid Confidence, Smart Parenting for Smart Kids, The Unwritten Rules of Friendship, and What’s My Child Thinking? She is the professor for an audio-video series from The Great Courses, called Raising Emotionally and Socially Healthy Kids.

A trusted expert on parenting and child development, Dr. Kennedy-Moore serves on the advisory board for Parents magazine, and her blog, Growing Friendships on Psychology Today, has over 4 million views.

Dr. Kennedy-Moore has been a featured guest on Live with Kelly and Ryan, The Today Show, Good Day Philadelphia, and dozens of major radio shows and podcasts. She has been interviewed and quoted in numerous newspapers and magazines, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Chicago Tribune, Parents, Real Simple, Working Mother, and Woman's Day.

She and her husband have four children.

CONNECT WITH DR. EILEEN KENNEDY-MOORE:

Website
Dr. Friendtastic
Instagram
LinkedIn
Twitter

Facebook

BOOK BUY LINKS:

Amazon US Kindle eBook

Amazon US Hardcover

Amazon CA Kindle eBook

Amazon CA Hardcover

GIVEAWAY – ENTER DAILY:

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.