Month: January 2020

via Article in Retirement and Good Living on how writing saved me

An Unexpected Gift by Krista Grayce

Published on by mariacatalinaeganLeave a comment
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Women’s Fiction
Publication Date: November 25, 2019
Janie Nolan’s future had never been more uncertain, she was just learning to live with the loss of her mother from cancer, she suddenly finds herself jobless after an unexpected diagnosis with autism at the age of fifty-five. The thought of moving back to her childhood home in the idyllic town of Cape May, New Jersey to assess her future is a daunting proposal. It is in that sleepy shore town that she must reconnect with her abusive father. Now ailing, he has handed over control of the family business, a failing small theater, as a possible means for a fresh start. However, Janie is uncertain as to what his true motives might be.
Alec Ryan, a handsome, former intern of her father’s and now a successful Broadway producer and director arrives from New York carrying his own tumultuous past with plans to assist Janie in restoring the theater to its former glory. Along the way, Alec discovers qualities in Janie that prove she is more than just her diagnosis and resolves to help restore Janie as well, simultaneously putting his own demons to rest and learning to love again.
But when the small town gossip mill begins to buzz about Alec and a piece of jewelry left by her mother is revealed, Janie learns of a secret that may take things in another direction could change the course of her life forever.
HI! Just to tell you a bit about myself. I have lived in Seattle, WA most of my life however I was raised in New York and spent summers in Cape May, NJ. Most of my work is set on the beaches and beach towns of the Jersey Shore. I wrote my first novel when I was thirteen years old and continued to write poetry and short stories for the following years. I have had articles and papers published as well as photographs that were published in a book entitled “Rock and Roll Memorabilia II”.
I hold an AA degree in Business Management. I never obtained a degree in Literary Arts or Writing per se but I feel I come by my writing talent organically as William Shakespeare is my 1st cousin 12 times removed.
“An Unexpected Gift” is my debut novel. Like Janie, the main character in the novel, I was diagnosed with High Functioning Autism at the age of forty-eight however I am proud to share this diagnosis with Ralph Waldo Emerson and Emily Dickenson as well as many others. I see my autism as a gift from God. It has given me a high intellect and innate talent that I use as a tool to enlighten the rest of the world to the plight of adults with autism.
Like many people on the spectrum, I never married or had children which is sadly my greatest regret. I currently live with my wonderful sister Kendra and my three cats Tyler, Tabitha and Teddy in Spokane, WA. I am planning to move back to the New Jersey Shore as soon as possible.
$25 Amazon
Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

 

Eagles Hunt Wolves by ROBERT CRAVEN

Published on by mariacatalinaeganLeave a comment

For fans of John le Carre, Mick Herron, Ian Fleming, Phillip K Dick and Alastair Maclean – meet Eva Molenaar.
1946: The guns have fallen silent over Europe.

For now.
 
Searching for her lover Nicklaus Brandt after a mission three years earlier with the French Resistance in Lyon, Eva finds herself in lawless war-torn Berlin.
 
Reunited with her old MI6 handler, Henry Chainbridge, she finds Brandt in a secret holding cell for Allied Intelligence in the British Sector of Berlin.
 
He has information vital to the Allies.
 
Hitler’s last offering; a vengeance weapon of frightening capabilities is now in the hands of the reclusive American billionaire Edgar Halidane and his cadre of fanatics.
 

Under the aegis of Allied command, Eva is dispatched to investigate and finds herself battling with old enemies who have taken the embers of Hitler’s vision and plan to re-ignite a divided Europe.

 
And pays a heavy price on her last mission.
 
It began with Get Lenin and now ends with Eagles Hunt Wolves.

AMAZON UK

AMAZON US

KOBO

This is the 5th adventure in the Eva series. It is set a year after WW2 in the ruins of Berlin. It draws on many sources, capturing the spirit of the blockbuster page turner. It has elements of horror, adventure and conspiracy. It is an alternative history; Churchill makes an appearance, he offers his armoured train to assist MI6.

Researching the codes I laised with Dr Yossi Elran at the Weismann Institute to fine-tune codes that the allies have to crack,  www.weizmann.ac.il His help was invaluable.

Eva is a strong female character, not passive to the action but propels the story forward. It is through her eyes that the chaos is revealed. Her journey will appeal to women readers as the action unfolds.

I was inspired by Lionel Davidson, Stephen King, Peter Benchley and Grahame Greene. This is the espionage of dead letter drops, written codes and secret messages. The action swings from the coast of Spain to the far reaches of Russia where an experiment recreated from the bowels of Hitler’s bunker causes widespread destruction and a clock is set ticking to stop its devastation at the heart of Europe.

It started with the publication of Get Lenin in 2011 and finishes here in January 2020.

Get Lenin

Zinnman

A Finger of Night

Hollow Point

Eagles Hunt Wolves

cover 2 FINAL.USE (1)

The Fall of Endurance Under a New Sun Book 1 by R.L. Blalock

Published on by mariacatalinaeganLeave a comment
Genre: SciFi Adventure
Publication Date: September 30, 2019
A starship’s sirens scream into the void. Can a highly trained protector fight for peace on an unfamiliar world?
It’s elite soldier Laure’s duty to protect the last of humanity. Four hundred years after Earth fell to alien invaders, she’s only known life on a colonization ship searching through space. But when the vessel is forced to crash land for emergency repairs, Laure comes face to face with a new breed of enemy.
Struggling both to battle aliens and rescue her colonists, Laure never expects to find her other half on the strange planet. As her telepathic and physical bond with the alien grows, she’s horrified to discover the people she’s sworn to protect turn on her and consider her inhuman.
Torn between two species, can Laure defend humankind from extinction?
The Fall of Endurance is the first book in the futuristic Under a New Sun science fiction series. If you like alien encounters, high-stakes action, and strong heroines, then you’ll love R. L. Blalock’s riveting saga.
Buy The Fall of Endurance to join the colonists in the stars today!
**On Sale for only .99 cents!!**
The Burden of Endurance
Under a New Sun Book 2
Publication Date: October 18, 2019
They survived the fall, but can they adapt to life on an unknown planet?
After a human and alien form a telepathic link, the commanders of the Endurance have a special mission for Laure and Kuna: Create an elite class of warriors connected with the alien Chroins.
They must lead a group of volunteers into the primeval forests of an unexplored planet as they search for beasts like Kuna that are strong, fast, and lethal.
But the Chroin aren’t the only threat. Not all colonists want to welcome them, and some will stop at nothing to get rid of them.
Can Laure and Kuna bring their two species together? Or will they tear each other apart?
The Burden of Endurance is the second book in the futuristic Under a New Sun science fiction series. If you like alien encounters, high-stakes action, and strong heroines, then you’ll love R. L. Blalock’s riveting saga.
The Strength of Endurance
Under A New Sun Book 3
Publication Date: November 6, 2019
The bond that made them more than human will become their death sentence.
An unlikely pair. Laure, an elite soldier trained to protect the last vestige of humanity. Kuna, an alien hybrid akin to a wild animal. Telepathically linked and confused about what they’ve become, they must hunt for answers about their origins.
However, knowledge can be more damning than ignorance. As forces work to create distrust between the aliens and colonists, an “accident” is all they need for tensions to boil over.
On the run for their lives, Laure and Kuna must find a way to create peace between their people or be hunted down and executed.
The Strength of Endurance is the third book in the futuristic Under a New Sun science fiction series. If you like alien encounters, high-stakes action, and strong heroines, then you’ll love R. L. Blalock’s riveting saga.
The Peril of Endurance
Under A New Sun Book 4
Publication Date: November 26, 2019
Humanity is not alone on its new home world.
The creators disappeared from the planet long ago, abandoning cities and deserting their protege. Commander Laure Higgins and her bonded Chroin, Kuna, are sent on a special mission to investigate the ruins and learn more about Iotova’s inhabitants.
Not everything is as it appears. As mysteries unravel around them, Laure and Kuna find themselves in a frightening spiral as they try to escape the creations left behind.
Can Laure and Kuna uncover the origin of the Chroin and protect the remnants of humanity?
The Peril of Endurance is the fourth book in the futuristic Under a New Sun science fiction series. If you like alien encounters, high-stakes action, and strong heroines, then you’ll love R. L. Blalock’s riveting saga.
The Edict of Endurance

Under A New Sun Book 5

Publication Date: December 30, 2019

A battle for the Endurance will threaten all of humanity.
One by one the Chroin’s allies are dying. With colonists flocking to
her cause, Corline finally seizes control of the Endurance and
plunges the colony into chaos.
Laure and Kuna must find their people and protect them as Corline rampages
through the sprawl. As the death toll rises, they are running out of
time. Everything that humanity has worked centuries for is in peril.
Including its future.
Can Laure save the colony and humanity? Or will Corline purge the Chroin
from the Endurance once and for all?
R. L. Blalock’s love of reading started young, but her love of zombies started later in life. In 2008, when R. L. Blalock first watched the remake of Dawn of the Dead she instantly fell in love with the genre.
Born and raised in Sacramento, California, R. L. Blalock now lives in St. Louis, Missouri with her loving husband, precocious three-year-old daughter, two dogs, and a bird.
Stay connected with R. L. Blalock at rlblalock.com and receive a free prequel short story called The World Eater when you subscribe to her newsletter!!
10$ Amazon gift card, The Fall of Endurance key chain, and mini book bookmarks
Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

 

Set New Writing Goals for the New Year

Published on by mariacatalinaeganLeave a comment

Our guest today has fabulous tips for our 2020 writing Goals. Please welcome  Author Kelli A. Wilkins

www.KelliWilkins.com

Happy New Year!

It’s January and everyone is talking about making changes and setting goals for themselves. And why not? We have brand-new calendars hanging on our walls that are filled with unexplored days yet to come. But do you find yourself gazing at your new calendar and wondering, “How is it 2020? Where did last year – or decade – go? I had all
those plans…”
If so, don’t stress out. Not everyone accomplishes every goal they set for themselves. Take some time to look back at what you achieved last year and start thinking about this year.
Evaluating your writing goals and setting reasonable action steps now will help you get on target for 2020.
Keep in mind that everyone’s writing career and writing goals are different. Think about what you want for you. Do you want to finish the novel you started last year (or haven’t started yet)? Send out a dozen short stories? Enter a contest?
If you write magazine articles, are there any major publications you’re targeting? Start brainstorming ideas now, make a list of places to send queries, and check out potential markets for their latest submission guidelines. (It’s also time to be thinking 3 to 6 months ahead and plan those spring and summer articles.)
Is the writing part going fine, but you need to develop (or enhance) your online profile and/or marketing? Are your blog, website, and author page(s) up-to-date? Should they get a refresh (or a major overhaul) for the new year?
Make a list of all you want to accomplish in the next few weeks and months. Having a list of projects and priorities will help keep your writing objectives on track.
If you’re determined to write a new book, make a timeline for research, character development, plotting, etc. Give yourself a deadline for when you want to start writing and stick to it. Decide how many pages or chapters you want to finish each day/week/month. Little by little, your book will take shape, and you’ll be amazed at your
progress.
No matter what your writing goals are, a little pre-planning will help you focus and allow you to flow from one writing project to another. Preparation also keeps you motivated
and fends off writer’s block, because you always have “the next thing” to work on.
If you want to learn more about the writing process, why not check out my online writing class? Fiction Writing for Beginners is designed for anyone who is interested in writing and needs practical advice on how to get started, PLUS motivation and encouragement to keep writing.
Thirteen easy-to-follow classes cover the writing process from start to finish. You’ll
learn where writers get ideas, how to create characters, get expert tips on writing your story, and find out how to submit it for publication. Everything you need to know to start writing is wrapped up in this comprehensive and fun course.
If you’ve always wanted to write, Fiction Writing for Beginners gives you all the tools you need. Visit the course page and enroll here: https://kelliwilkins.teachable.com/
Not interested in an online course? On a budget? How about an ebook? Check out my non-fiction writing guide, You Can Write—Really! A Beginner’s Guide to Writing Fiction. It’s only $2.99.
The book is designed for writers who need a boost of motivation and simple instructions on how to get started. Each chapter targets a specific aspect of writing and includes tips and fun exercises.
If you’re ready to write, order your copy here: Amazon
All other platforms
Enjoy the New Year!
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 also authored Fiction Writing for Beginners through Teachable. These courses are perfect for anyone who wants to learn how to write. 

Visit: kelliwilkins.teachable.com for more details.
Not just an author, Kelli is also an amateur photographer. Visit her pages on Shutterstock  and iStock  to view her photos.Kelli posts on her Facebook author page: .facebook.com/AuthorKelliWilkins and Twitter: @KWilkinsauthor.Visit her website/blog www.KelliWilkins.com to learn more about all of her writings.

 

Queens of Wings & Storms A Limited Edition Fantasy & Urban Fantasy Collection

Published on by mariacatalinaeganLeave a comment
Print Length: 1022 Pages
Publication Date: November 20, 2019
with stories by
Angela Sanders, Tina Glasneck, Claire Davon,
Adrienne Blake, Kyndra Hatch, D. C. Gomez, Jenn D. Young,
Kat Parrish, AJ Gala , Susannah Shannon, Angela Kulig
Searching for myths and magic?
Queens of Wings and Storms in a fiery collection of fantasy and urban
fantasy tales from today’s bestselling and the hottest new authors.
Fly with dragons, witches, and burn whole kingdoms to the ground as you
explore one new fantastical world after the next. From urban fantasy
streets to forgotten lands, our heroines and queens are poised to
rule it all.
One click today, before the fire is snuffed out
on this limited time offer.

 

Books by:
Angela Sanders
USA Today Bestselling Author Tina Glasneck
USA Today Bestselling Author Claire Davon
USA Today Bestselling Author Adrienne Blake
USA Today Bestselling Author Kyndra Hatch
USA Today Bestselling Author D. C. Gomez
Jenn D. Young
Kat Parrish
AJ Gala
Susannah Shannon
Angela Kulig
**scroll through the slideshow to find out more about the authors!!**
Follow the tour HERE
for exclusive content and a giveaway!

 

Grown Enough For Love by Chelsea Falin Genre: Contemporary New Adult Romance

Published on by mariacatalinaeganLeave a comment
Publication Date: December 13, 2019
Savannah is a rich girl who comes from a troubled, loveless family. To make her childhood bearable, she was always tagging along with her older brother, Jay, and his best friend, Gabriel. After getting out of town for four long years while attending an out-of-state college, Savannah is back and the old schoolgirl crush on Gabriel she thought had dampened flames right back to life.
Gabriel grew up on the wrong side of town, in a poor Mexican family who may not have had money, but always had plenty of love to go around. Although he’s always thought of his best friend’s little sister as a little sister of his own, things have changed. Gabriel can’t help noticing Savannah is all grown up now. Single for the first time in years, with a two-year-old son in tow, Gabriel decides that maybe, after all these years, Savannah is grown enough for love.
Chelsea Falin is the 25-year-old independent author of well over ten titles. She began writing with intent 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.
$10 Amazon Gift Card
Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

 

Bottle Toss by Howard Odentz Genre: YA Horror, Thriller, Suspense

Published on by mariacatalinaegan1 Comment
Publisher: Bell Bridge Books
Publication Date: October 29, 2019
A beer bottle thrown carelessly at the windshield of a passing car sends the vehicle careening off the road, and the lives of high school seniors Denny Ford, his foster sister Jen McKnatt, and her sometimes boyfriend Brody Erwin, spinning out of control.
Over the next several days as the three experience increasingly bizarre, frightening, and seemingly unrelated events, they are forced to examine the ramifications of their actions and how their lives have been irrevocably altered.
What they’ve done can never be undone.
After all, it only takes one bottle toss to turn their world cockeyed forever.
Praise for Howard Odentz
“A simmering psychological thriller bolstered by a dynamic narrative voice and a few unexpected twists.” —Kirkus Reviews on What We Kill
“This author has a real knack for the weird and the wonderful.” —TheMostSublime.com
Author and playwright Howard Odentz is a lifelong resident of the gray area between Western Massachusetts and North Central Connecticut. His love of the region is evident in his writing as he often incorporates the foothills of the Berkshires and the small towns of the Bay and Nutmeg states into his work.
In addition to The Dead (A Lot) Series, he has written the horror novel Bloody Bloody Apple, the short story collection Little Killers A to Z, and a couple of horror-themed, musical comedies produced for the stage.
Amazon gift card
Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

 

King Arthur’s Sister in Washington’s Court by Kim Iverson Headlee

Published on by mariacatalinaegan2 Comments
King Arthur’s Sister in Washington’s Court
by Kim Iverson Headlee
Genre: SciFi Time Travel Fantasy
How sick are you of US politics? How doomed is the world because of who has claimed the Oval Office throne—er, chair?
Refresh your spirit by laughing along with what Mark Twain might have written about today’s political falderal.
“Solidly entertaining.” —Publishers Weekly
WINNER 2016 IBPA Benjamin Franklin Gold Medal for Science Fiction & Fantasy.
Morgan le Fay, sixth-century Queen of Gore and the only major character not killed off by Mark Twain in A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, vows revenge upon the Yankee Hank Morgan. She casts a spell to take her to 1879 Connecticut so she may waylay Sir Boss before he can travel back in time to destroy her world. But the spell misses by 300 miles and 200 years, landing her in the Washington, D.C., of 2079, replete with flying limousines, hovering office buildings, virtual-reality television, and sundry other technological marvels.
Whatever is a time-displaced queen of magic and minions to do? Why, rebuild her kingdom, of course—two kingdoms, in fact: as Campaign Boss for the reelection of American President Malory Beckham Hinton, and as owner of the London Knights world-champion baseball franchise.
Written as though by the old master himself, King Arthur’s Sister in Washington’s Court by Mark Twain as channeled by Kim Iverson Headlee offers laughs, love, and a candid look at American society, popular culture, politics, baseball… and the human heart.
Mark Twain began work on A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court in 1879—the same year the Yankee Hank Morgan departed for his sojourn in sixth-century Britain. The first edition was published in 1889 and features more than 200 illustrations by the man who later would become founder of the Boy Scouts of America, Daniel Carter Beard. These illustrations are now in the public domain, and a handful have been incorporated into King Arthur’s Sister in Washington’s Court as an artistic homage to this classic edition of the first time travel story in all literature.
**On Sale for only 99 cents!!**
Video Trailer
Kim Headlee lives on a farm in southwestern Virginia with her family, cats, goats, Great Pyrenees goat guards, and assorted wildlife. People and creatures come and go, but the cave and the 250-year-old house ruins–the latter having been occupied as recently as the mid-twentieth century–seem to be sticking around for a while yet.
Kim has been a published novelist since 1999 with the first edition of Dawnflight (Sonnet Books, Simon & Schuster) and has been studying the Arthurian legends for nigh on half a century.
$20 Amazon
Follow the tour HERE for exclusive content and a giveaway!

 

Ghosters 3: Secrets of the Bloody Tower by Diana Corbitt

Published on by mariacatalinaeganLeave a comment
 
My Review 
Maria Catalina Egan
4.0 out of 5 rs Clowns, Ghosts, Adventure, and Travel.

January 2, 2020

Format: Kindle Edition
This is a great book to read with your tweener or younger sophisticated child. It is filled with elements that are sure to broaden a young mind, in knowledge and possibilities, the best part? They’ll just think it is F-U-N.
The main characters, Theresa, Joey, and the book’s narrator Kerry are adventuresome but respectful. They are interesting because they are young people filled with curiosity.
Family illness leads to more freedom to pursue their goals to help their new friends, young ghosts. The book reads fast-paced, like a fun thriller in a present-tense voice.
As a mother who enjoyed reading with my son when he was young, I wish this fun book had been around then.
If you fear clowns—Coulrophobes; should avoid this book, all others are sure to enjoy it!