Month: December 2019

The Gilded Stone Dark Tides Book 5 by Candace Osmond Genre: Time Travel Fantasy Romance

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Publisher: Guardian Publishing
Publication Date: April 30, 2020
Make a choice. Go back in time. Save them from the devil…
What good is a happily ever after if it’s all ripped away by the hands of a devilish siren?
When Dianna’s children go missing, she and Henry are left with no choice but to do something they swore they’d never do again…travel back to the 1700s. But with their children’s lives in the hands of an unpredictable siren, they must make a hasty decision; trust that the sea creature will return their kids…or find a way to go back in time and risk never coming home again.
They soon realize they’ll have to travel further than they’ve ever gone; beyond our world to the mythical realm of Faerie to save their children. A task easier said than done. The rumored entrance lays across the ocean. They needed a ship.
And a crew…
In hopes of saving the family they started in the future, Dianna and Henry must search for the family they left behind in the past and travel across the sea to an unknown world. But four years is a long time and things aren’t quite as they left them.
Can they sail across the sea and uncover the entrance to Faerie before it’s too late? Or will they find themselves broken hearted and lost in time with nowhere to go?
Fans of OUTLANDER and PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN are obsessed with Dark Tides! One-click The Gilded Stone, book five in the #1 International Bestselling Series today!
**Only .99 cents!! **
other-books-graphic_orig
The Devil’s Heart
Dark Tides Book 1
The Pirate Queen
Dark Tides Book 2
The Blackened Soul
Dark Tides Book 3
The Siren’s Call
Dark Tides Book 4
Bestselling Author and freelance writer/editor, Candace Osmond was born in North York, ON.
She published her first book by the age of 25, the first installment in a Paranormal Romance trilogy to which two others were published with it; The Iron World Series.
Candace is also one of the creative and AVN Award nominated writers for http://www.sssh.com, an acclaimed Erotic Romance website for women which has been featured on NBC Nightline and a number of other large platforms.
Aside from fiction, Candace is also an award winning Interior Designer and writer for Adorable Home Magazine.
Now residing in a small town in Newfoundland with her husband and two kids, Candace writes full time developing articles for just about every niche, more novels, and a hoard of short stories.
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The Last Merry Go Round by C.L. Charlesworth Genre: Women’s Contemporary Fiction

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The Last Merry Go Round
by C.L. Charlesworth
Genre: Women’s Contemporary Fiction
Publisher: Mirador Publishing
Publication Date: November 1, 2019
When fear underlines the answer, Y E S becomes a trap with ominous consequences.
There are three letters when put together that can change your life—they can either bring happiness or sadness. The letters spell the word Y – E – S. When spoken lovingly, Y E S means everything. When fear underlies the answer, Y E S becomes a trap with ominous consequences.
For Diane Fletcher, a commitment to Y E S has left her dangling on a tightrope between sanity and insanity. Despite children she loves, and an opulent lifestyle, saying yes to twenty-eight years of marriage with Richard has brought very little happiness.
Too many secrets permeate Diane and Richard’s relationship. Guilt, alcohol, and sedatives are Diane’s safety net when she falls. Regular visits to a psychiatrist have done little more than put Diane back on the tightrope. Richard has other coping mechanisms. He is devoted, and at the same time, severe, ambitious, callous, and vindictive.
How different Diane and Richard have grown together. Raw emotions, unthinkable actions, and an explosive secret threaten any pretense for their marriage.
The Last Merry Go Round peels back the skin of a volatile marriage with dark secrets, revealing what happens to the family when the secrets explode.
Who am I?
I have the gift of imagination and that has been a beacon all my life. I’m fortunate to be able to take a blank piece of paper and create a page turning story that evokes a wide array of human drama. I’m inspired by the simplest–to the most complex challenge a person can face, and with that, derive empathy for my characters. I would best describe myself as a “back porch storyteller”– writing that grabs you from the first sentence.
I have written two books (so far): The Last Merry Go Round and The Ears That Have Eyes. Each book takes a human challenge and hurls the characters against the wall. Whether or not they survive— depends on them.
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Introducing The Old Gilt Clock

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The Persecution of Mildred Dunlap's avatarThe Persecution of Mildred Dunlap

I’m very pleased to announce the release of my latest book, The Old Gilt Clock. As all profits from my books go to help get dogs out of kill shelters I want to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone who purchases my book and also to those who write reviews and help spread the word. I’m truly grateful for your support.

CLOCK EBOOK COVER FINAL

Cover photo: Willem Arondéus, Public Domain

SYNOPSIS

During one of the darkest times in human history when millions of innocent Jews and others deemed “undesirables” were being sent to concentration camps to be brutality worked to death or slaughtered, a group of Dutch resistance workers rose up against the atrocities. Their resistance to the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands created a vast counterintelligence, domestic sabotage, and communications network to help hide Jewish people from German authorities. The Old Gilt Clock is the story of how one Dutch resistance…

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Author Kelli A. Wilkins Shares 15 Fun Writing Tips!

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you can write_final

www.kelliwilkins.com

 

Hi everyone!

One of the most common questions I’m asked is: “Do you have any writing tips?” Well, yes, I sure do! Whether you’re a beginning writer just starting out, or someone who is more advanced, here are 15 fun tips any writer can use.

TIP 1: Use more dialogue and less exposition (narrative) in the beginning of a story, it’ll speed up the action and pull readers in.

TIP 2: Don’t use “She thought to herself.” in your story. (Who else does she think to?) Instead, put your character’s internal dialogue (thoughts) in italics. Be careful not to overdo it, though. Your characters shouldn’t be “thinking” the whole story.

TIP 3: Make a list of important details, so they don’t accidentally change during the story. If your hero has a blue striped sofa in Chapter One, it shouldn’t be red in Chapter Three.

TIP 4: Don’t let your characters relax or become too comfortable in a scene. Keep raising the stakes and ask yourself, “What could go wrong at the worst possible time?”

TIP 5: If you’re stuck on a character’s name, try freewriting for a while. If you can’t think of a name now and are busy writing, call the character “George” or “Helen” and change it later.

TIP 6: Ask yourself what the character wants (this is his or her goal) then throw in a curve and see how you can make things go wrong.

TIP 7: The type of story you write can determine how you use point-of-view. Short stories are almost always told in one character’s viewpoint, whether in first or third person. Novels and novellas can be told by many characters using different points-of-view.

TIP 8: When you’re in the writing zone, don’t think about what to write, write whatever pops into your head. And don’t worry about spelling or grammar—this is just for fun!

TIP 9: Set aside an hour a day to write. Not sure you have an hour? Consider writing on your lunch break or during a commute. Get up an hour earlier or schedule time after dinner. Make an appointment with yourself and keep it.

TIP 10: Avoid starting sentences with “suddenly.” It warns readers that something is about to happen before it does.

TIP 11: Don’t rush through a scene to get to the end. Stay in the scene as long as you have to and let the drama build. When a scene is fleshed out completely, your readers can envision everything that’s happening.

TIP 12: Each character must have a weakness he or she works to overcome. It could be anything: chronic lateness, unreliability, or fear of spiders. Use this weakness against your character in the story and show readers how he or she overcomes it.

TIP 13: Give your characters something from the past that can come back to haunt them. A secret is revealed (or is threatened to be), an ex-lover returns, a secret love child appears, or a scandal threatens to destroy someone… It adds depth and believability to the characters. It can also move the plot forward. What are the consequences of hiding the secret? What happens when it’s revealed?

TIP 14: Show your readers your character’s personality, likes, and dislikes. Describe keepsakes and favorite possessions (a coffee mug from vacation, a lucky keychain, or a cherished family photo). What does each item mean or represent to the character? Why do they have it?

TIP 15: Keep a folder for “someday” story ideas, characters, and settings. File notes, scraps of plots, bits of dialogue, and photos of scenic views that you’ve accumulated in one place. If you’re ever stuck on what to write next, open the folder and see what inspires you.

Want more writing tips and advice? Check out my non-fiction writing guide, You Can Write—Really! A Beginner’s Guide to Writing Fiction.

This fun and practical book walks you through the story-creating process step-by-step: from getting a great idea to meeting your characters, developing a plot, and on to writing, revising, and submitting your work. It covers the basics of storytelling – regardless of what genre you write.

Each easy-to-read chapter is based on my years of hands-on experience as a writer, advice I’ve received, and the technical “know-how” I’ve gained in writing classes and professional writing workshops. It’s practical advice on how to get started, almost like a Writing 101 workshop. Any writer can use the tips and writing exercises for an extra boost of motivation or just for fun.

Ready to write? Order your copy here:

 

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Write-Really-Beginners-Writing-Fiction-ebook/dp/B00THWLFQU

 

All other platforms: https://books2read.com/u/4AqYN4

 

Happy Writing!

Kelli A. Wilkins

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kelli A. Wilkins is an award-winning author who has published more than 100 short stories, 19 romance novels, 6 non-fiction books, and 2 online writing courses. Her romances span many genres and heat levels, and she’s also been known to scare readers with her horror stories.

In November 2019, she released Romance Every Weekend: 104 Fun Ways to Express Your Love, a non-fiction guide to romance. The book features 104 fun and easy ways you can express your love to that special someone in your life. Perfect for men or women, it focuses on tender, everyday gestures that let your partner know how much you love him or her.

Kelli published Extraterrestrial Encounters, a collection of 18 sci-fi stories, in August 2019. If you like horror fiction, don’t miss her disturbing novella, Nightmare in the North.

Her historical romance, The Viking’s Witch, was released in June 2019. This full-length novel takes place in Celtic Scotland and blends a sensual romance with paranormal elements.

 

In March 2019, Kelli published Dangerous Indenture, a historical mystery romance set in Colonial Pennsylvania. She released the second half of her flash fiction series, Cupid’s Schemes, in early 2019. These two volumes of lighthearted mini-romances are perfect reads for a quick lunchtime escape or an after-work indulgence.

 

Kelli released a Teachable mini-course, Fiction Basics: Finding Ideas in February 2019. She authored Fiction Writing for Beginners through Teachable in 2018. These courses are perfect for anyone who wants to learn how to write. Visit: https://kelliwilkins.teachable.com/ for more details.

Not just an author, Kelli is also an amateur photographer. Visit her pages on Shutterstock https://www.shutterstock.com/g/kelli+wilkins and iStock https://www.istockphoto.com/portfolio/kelliwilkins to view her photos.

Kelli posts on her Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKelliWilkins and Twitter: www.Twitter.com/KWilkinsauthor.

Visit her website/blog: www.KelliWilkins.com to learn about all of her writings.

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THE GROWING ROOTS SERIES by Chelsea Falin

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Putting the Pieces Together
Growing Roots Book 4
by Chelsea Falin
Genre: YA Coming of Age
Publication Date: October 27, 2019
Living a “normal” life doesn’t always mean that things will always be good. Bad things happen to even the best of people, and this is a life lesson Willie must now learn when tragedy strikes her close-knit group of friends.
As she continues to grow and change, Willie knows that she is far from the girl who arrived in Oklahoma little over a year ago. She’s growing, changing, and working on putting the pieces together in her life – just as her friends struggle to do the same.
“You never know, Willie. Death doesn’t discriminate by age or gender or social status. It’s one of the few things that doesn’t care. When it comes for you, it comes. It could be today, tomorrow, or a hundred years from now, but when your time is up, it’s up. There’s nothing you can do to change that.”-Dakota
Praise for the ‘Growing Roots Series’:
“a great lesson in the way life can change at any time”
“an eye-opener for teenagers and older adults alike”
“Chelsea Falin is a great story-teller. With her clear descriptions of the characters, settings and dialogue, it was not difficult for me to imagine the characters and to picture every scene.”
Great Strides
Growing Roots Book 3
Publication Date: April 1, 2014
Willie has finally found her father, and he’s welcomed her with open arms. Now she must forge a relationship with the man she never even knew was alive. It isn’t just him, however, Willie must also find out how she fits in with her step-mother and half-siblings. Left in Alabama with no close-in-age peers, Willie makes great strides in finding out who she is as an individual without a group of close friends to rely on.
Alabama offers many firsts for Willie. The most notable in her own mind is her first relationship. There are other firsts in store, however, and a whole new cast of characters to get to know. How will Willie handle this newest experience? Will she handle it in the mature the way she has always handled change? Or will this be the point in which Willie loses herself?
“Genetics are a tricky business at times, and you just never know what you’re going to get when you throw two ancestry’s together.”
-Willie’s Mamaw
Personal Growth
Growing Roots Book 2
Publication Date: March 18, 2013
Willie, despite a rough start, has become immersed in the culture she should have been born into. As she grows in her own knowledge of her ancestral roots, she also grows in who she is as a person. All things are now within her reach, and all she must do is put forth a little effort. With all of this in mind, Willie has decided to dedicate herself towards her own ‘Personal Growth.’
“Our heritage might be bloody, but that’s no reason not to be proud!”
-Spike
~~~
‘Personal Growth’ is the second installment in the fairly popular indie series, Growing Roots. It is the sequel to ‘Less Than Humble Beginnings.’ Here is what people have said about the series:
“The characters are believable and realistic.”
“Chelsea used concise descriptions of her characters which made it very easy to imagine their interactions.”
“Chelsea Falin is a great story-teller. With her clear descriptions of the characters, settings and dialogue, it was not difficult for me to imagine the characters and to picture every scene. With her excellent weaving of words, the world of Willie came alive as if I’m watching a movie.”
“Being a teenager is never easy, and Willie’s internal struggles were easy to relate to.”
Less Than Humble Beginnings
Growing Roots Book 1
Publication Date: November 24, 2012
Willie and Babette have long, long been shielded from their own culture and heritage by their mother. When circumstances change, the girls are thrown into what they were once shielded from – only to find it is nothing like they once believed.
While Babette adjusts easily, Willie finds herself much more hesitant. While she struggles to find her true self, Willie is forced to learn she is not the only one suffering from “Less Than Humble Beginnings.”
“Try to remember everyone here has their demons, but we put those demons to good use. Make ourselves better, stronger, wiser.” – Jack
Chelsea Falin is the 25 year old independent author of well over ten titles. She began writing with intents to publish in 2006, at age 16, and finally published in 2009, at age 19. Chelsea writes in a variety of genres, including but not limited to: romance, young adult, comedy, cooking, poetry, and dramatic fiction. Professionally, Chelsea is also a freelance blog/article writer, web designer, and book blogger.
In her personal life, Chelsea is the mother of a six year old daughter. In her free time, she enjoys reading, writing, fishing, hiking, biking, traveling, and spending time with her friends or family.
$20 Amazon
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Figments and Fragments: Dark Stories by Deborah Sheldon Genre: Dark Horror, Crime Stories

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Figments and Fragments: Dark Stories
by Deborah Sheldon
Genre: Dark Horror, Crime Stories
Publisher: IFWG Publishing International
Publication Date: November 18, 2019
Brutal. Compelling. Sinister.
From wheat farms, roadhouses, caravan parks and beaches to quiet suburban streets and inner-city apartments, award-winning author Deborah Sheldon tells distinctly Australian stories about violence, loss, betrayal and revenge.
Figments and Fragments includes three new stories written especially for the collection.
I’m an award-winning author from Melbourne, Australia. I write short stories, novellas and novels across the darker spectrum.
My latest releases, through several publishing houses, include the horror novels “Body Farm Z”, “Contrition”, and “Devil Dragon”; the horror novella “Thylacines”; the crime-noir novellas “Dark Waters” and “Ronnie and Rita”; and the dark fantasy and horror collection “Perfect Little Stitches and Other Stories” (winner of the Australian Shadows Best Collected Work 2017).
My short fiction has appeared in many well-respected magazines such as Quadrant, Island, Aurealis, SQ Mag, and Midnight Echo. My fiction has been shortlisted for numerous Australian Shadows Awards and Aurealis Awards, long-listed for a Bram Stoker Award, and included in various “best of” anthologies. I’m also guest editor of this year’s edition of Midnight Echo.
Other credits include TV scripts such as Neighbours and Australia’s Most Wanted, feature articles for national magazines, non-fiction books published by Reed Books and Random House, and award-winning medical writing.
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Daughter of Rage and Beauty Berserker Academy Book 1 by Amy Pennza Genre: Urban Fantasy Romance

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Daughter of Rage and Beauty
Berserker Academy Book 1
by Amy Pennza
Genre: Urban Fantasy Romance
Publisher: Scribble Pretty Books
Publication Date: November 4, 2019
The sagas claim you can’t fight fate. I’m determined to prove them wrong.
They say your twenties are supposed to be the best years of your life.
Clearly, they don’t know what they’re talking about.
Because right now, my life is in shambles. As the daughter of one of the most powerful berserkers in the world, I should be taking my place among the noble guild of berserker assassins. By now, I should have mastered my emotions and conquered my rage—all the better to use it as a weapon when called upon to kill.
But I’m not just Harald Berregaard’s daughter. My mother was a nymph, which makes me a magical mutt. When I was born, my father thought I might possess the best traits from both races.
He was wrong.
Now he’s shipping me off to the Berserker Academy, where the unofficial motto is “graduate or die.”
Nice, huh?
With the stakes this high, I can’t afford to get distracted. Too bad the academy’s headmaster keeps showing up at the most inconvenient moments, reminding me how much I suck at magic. And fighting. And basic conversation.
It doesn’t matter that he does it with a smile. Or that his eyes fire silver when he’s amused . . . or aroused. Hauk Sigridsson has his own problems. He’s not going to be one of mine.
On the other hand, he’s offered me a way to accelerate my studies and make it out of the academy alive. I just have to help him steal a priceless rock and defeat one of the most powerful immortals to have ever lived.
No big deal.
I’m in way over my head, but I’m determined to survive. They say you can’t fight fate. I’m going to show fate exactly what I’m made of.
Amy Pennza has been a lawyer, a soldier, and a copywriter. She’s worn combat boots and high heels in the same 24-hour period–and she definitely prefers flip flops. Actually, she prefers going barefoot while writing steamy romances about strong women and alpha men with hearts of gold. After years in Tornado Alley, she now makes her home in the Great Lakes region with her husband, kids, and more baskets than any one person should own. (You can never have enough.)
Keep up with new releases, news, and giveaways by visiting www.amypennza.com
Want free books and other fun stuff? Sign up for Amy’s newsletter at www.amypennza.com/subscribe
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Sleepless Nights 168 Horror, Mystery, Thriller, and Suspense Short Stories by Tobias Wade

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Publisher: Haunted House Publishing LLC
Publication Date: February 1, 2019
The news said 33 miners were trapped when the mine collapsed.
And why wouldn’t they? 33 people were pulled out of the ground.
The men were buried 700 meters below the surface. There was no way in or out.
But the miners who were rescued all said the same thing:
They said there were only 32 miners during the cave in. That they counted and they counted—every day—every few hours to make sure everyone was taken care of.
Then one day they count again, and there were 33. A stranger was in their midst.
Something escaped from the earth during that rescue that never should have seen the light of day.
Demons, monsters, psychopaths, undead, mad-experiments, and terrifying paranormal encounters.
The last confession from a serial killer will take your breath away.

Why should you be afraid to leave an audio-recorder on overnight?

What could go wrong if you meet the Devil on Tinder?

Why does your reflection smile more than you do?

The Grim Reaper’s scythe isn’t to harvest you. He’s there to protect you from what’s waiting on the other side.

Early readers are saying:
“As a huge horror nut I love being freaked out of my mind, being taken for a dark spin, and then being left with goosebumps dotted on my skin.”
★★★★★ Review
“From the first story to the last, this book was enjoyable in that spine-tingling kind of way. It’s been a very long time since I’ve read anything that has wormed its way into my brain and had me thinking about it hours or days later.”
★★★★★ Review
“I swear there isn’t a clunker on here. You’d think even a solid compilation would have one or two lame ducks, but every last story in here is thrilling and terrifying and fantastic.”
★★★★★ Review
Fast, exciting, satisfying stories, filled with compelling mysteries and shocking twists.
Mega-collection with 168 chilling stories, over 700 pages include Amazon-Bestselling Collections 51, 52, and 53 Sleepless Nights, as well as 12 bonus tales from Brutal Bedtime Stories.
Easy to fit in a story during the day, or to keep you awake all night long.
Grab a copy now.
Former neuroscience researcher, born again horror writer. During my studies, it struck me as odd that I could learn so much about why humans behave without understanding the intricacies of human nature. It occurred to me that I learned more about the depths of human experience from reading Dostoyevsky than I ever had from my text books, and I was inspired to write.
Download my horror collection for free and see all my publications at:
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Rogue’s Holiday Agents of the Crown Book 5 by Regan Walker Genre: Historical Romantic Adventure

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Publisher: Regan Walker Publishing
Publication Date: November 7, 2019
Robert Powell’s work as a spy saves the Cabinet ministers from a gruesome death and wins him accolades from George IV. As a reward, the king grants him a baronetcy and a much-deserved holiday at the Royal Pavilion in Brighton where he thinks to indulge in brandy, cards, good horseflesh and women.
But when Muriel, Dowager Countess of Claremont, learns of Sir Robert’s intended destination, she begs a favor…to watch over an “errant child” who is the grandniece of her good friend living in the resort town. Little does Robbie know that Miss Chastity Reynolds is no child but a beautiful hoyden who is seemingly immune to his charms.
Chastity lives in the shadow of her mother and sisters, dark-haired beauties men admire. Her first Season was a failure but, as she will soon come into a family legacy, she has no need to wed. When she first encounters Sir Robert, she dubs him The Rogue, certain he indulges in a profligate lifestyle she wants no part in.
In Brighton, Robbie discovers he is being followed by friends of the conspirators who had planned to murder the Cabinet. Worse, they know the location of Chastity’s residence.
Regan Walker is an award-winning, #1 Amazon bestselling author of Regency, Georgian and Medieval romances. She writes historically authentic novels with real historical figures along with her fictional characters. Among the awards she has won are the International Book Award for Romance Fiction, the San Diego Book Award for Best Historical Romance, the RONE Award for her medievals and the Gold Medal Illumination Award.
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