via Smorgasbord Cafe and Bookstore – New Book on the Shelves – The Old Gilt Clock by Paulette Mahurin
Truth and Dare: The Dangerous Allure of the Horror Story
The disco zombie from Studio 54
My middle daughter, who’s fifteen, is pretty crackerjack at horror make-up. Ever since going to theater camp when she was eleven and taking a special FX class, her Halloween costumes have been killer.
But it’s my twelve year-old daughter who really loves horror. She binge-watches anything from Twilight to the Halloween franchise, devours Stephen King, and writes her own stories all the time – often from the point of view of some deranged, but charming psycho. Nothing goes too far or is off limits for her. Not demonic possession or vomit-inducing gore or heinous monsters or wicked cults. And she sleeps like a baby at night. Go figure.
This girl is fearless.
I watch her with a mix of envy and awe. I’ve always been fascinated by horror. The sneaky way in which it toys with our psyches, revealing even the most oh, so…
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Sweet Talkin’ Lover A Girls Trip Novel by Tracey Livesay Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Avon
Publication Date: December 30, 2019
Tracey Livesay delivers the first novel in her sexy new series about lifelong friends and unforgettable love stories.
When everything is on the line,
surrendering completely to love is your only choice…
Marketing manager Caila Harris knows that the road to success in the beauty industry doesn’t allow for detours. She’s forsaken any trace of a social life, working 24/7 to ensure her next promotion. When grief over her grandfather’s death leads to several catastrophic decisions, Caila gets one final chance to prove herself: shut down an unprofitable factory in a small Southern town. But as soon as she arrives in Bradleton, she meets one outsized problem: the town’s gorgeous mayor.
Wyatt Bradley isn’t thrilled about his nickname, Mayor McHottie. He’s even less happy to learn that his town might be losing its biggest employer. If he has to, he’ll use some sneaky tactics to get Caila on his side. Yet even as he’s hoping she’ll fall for Bradleton, he’s falling too—right into a combustible affair that shakes them both with its intensity.
Two stubborn people, torn between loyalty, ambition, and attraction. But when you’re willing to give it your all, there’s no limit to how far love can take you…
Tracey Livesay’s latest release is Love Will Always Remember. She writes smart, sexy and emotional contemporary romances where strong, successful heroines find love with powerful, passionate heroes. She’s past president of Virginia Romance Writers, volunteers on several national committees for Romance Writers of America and is a member of their Published Author’s Network. She’s been featured in Entertainment Weekly, The Washington Post and on CBS This Morning. A former criminal defense attorney, she finds crafting believable happily ever afters slightly more challenging than protecting our constitutional rights, but she’s never regretted following her heart instead of her law degree. Tracey lives in Virginia with her husband-who she met on the very first day of law school–and their three children. When not answering the call of wife, mother or author, she runs marathons and daydreams about designer purses.
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Retaliation The Oceanstone Initiative #2 by Haley Cavanagh Genre: SciFi Romance
Publisher: Covey Publishing, LLC
Publication Date: December 27, 2019
One doctor, one alien lover, one botanist, and one engineer on a desperate mission to save earth from human destruction.
Sakota saved Astraeus and her friends from certain death, but in doing so, she gained the attention of the Oreck, who will stop at nothing to destroy everything in their path.
With their ship severely damaged, Sakota and her crew land on a nearby planet and seek sanctuary while they make repairs to return home. But nothing on this perfect planet is as it appears, and Sakota soon learns they’ve traded one danger for another.
Hunted and targeted, will Sakota be able to carry out her mission, or will everyone she cares about be destroyed?
Astraeus
The Oceanstone Initiative #1
Publisher: Covey Publishing, LLC
Publication Date: October 12, 2018
One pre-apocalyptic Earth. One desperate space mission to find a solution. One unexpected alien.
When Dr. Sakota Thorell signed onto the mission to scout out a new, habitable planet, she knew discovering extraterrestrial life was always a possibility. But she never expected to find an alien adrift in space, nor for that alien to be so intriguing. Sakota feels an instant and undeniable attraction to Astraeus, but he represents a million possibilities, and just as many threats.
There are others hunting Astraeus, and his rescue may cost Earth its last hope.
Book Trailer
Haley Cavanagh is a military veteran, wife, and mother. She is an alumna of Columbia College, a musical theater nut, and she loves to dive into any book that crosses her path. Haley resides with her family in the United States and enjoys spending time with her husband and children when she’s not writing. She loves to hear from her readers, and encourages you to contact her via her website and social media.
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Stella of Akrotiri: Diana An Ancient Greek Tale of Immortals Book 3 by Linda Rae Sande Genre: Epic Fantasy, Romance
Publisher: Twisted Teacup Publishing
Publication Date: December 25, 2019
Born an orphan, raised as a warrior princess, desired by men. Can an Immortal claim her heart?
The first adopted daughter of Stella and Darius, Diana has been raised as if she were one of the fabled Amazon princesses. Her mornings are spent training with Darius at the agōgē, her skills as a warrior matched only by a few of the Deminon army recruits. Her afternoons are spent with Stella as she learns the art of diplomacy and the importance of service to others.
Never does Diana wonder why her parents are so devoted to one another, or why they seem to speak of the past as if they lived in it.
The curious stares aimed in her direction by the agōgē’s doctor, Antony—even when she’s not in the circle of battle—has Diana on edge. Learning she has a much older adopted brother—one who seems to youthen as he ages—has her questioning her origins.
So the arrival of Augustus of Assyria seems fortuitous. Her father’s oldest friend is welcomed with open arms even as he is followed by a threat to the future of Deminon. With his intimate knowledge of her parents, perhaps he’ll have the answers Diana seeks. Or will the Roman senator’s revelation about her only complicate matters? For his attentions are far more intense than those of Antony—and far more arousing.
Stella of Akrotiri: Deminon
An Ancient Greek Tale of Immortals Book 2
Publication Date: December 25, 2018
Love can last a thousand lifetimes when you’re an Immortal… or so they thought.
What’s become of the Immortal Darius? His wife, Stella, worries about his fate as she rules over their city-state of Deminon, especially when she learns he’s been the victim of treachery. She’ll do anything to get him back.
Enslaved as a traitor to Rome, Darius is forced to fight gladiators as part of the funeral rites of powerful Romans. His years of experience on the battlefield serve him well in the arena—until he’s forced to fight Marcus—a younger, stronger gladiator who is unaware of his own immortality.
Sure he’s about to suffer a defeat by the hand of Marcus, Darius is forced to make a decision that will change his future and Stella’s—preserve his essence by allowing his body to die so that he can live on in Marcus. His two-thousand years of memories and life experiences should be powerful enough to overcome the essence of the untested Immortal. Allow him to return to Stella and resume their life together, even if she won’t immediately recognize him.
But Marcus isn’t giving up so easily. Especially when he meets Stella.
Will Marcus help Darius take revenge on the one whose deceit led to his arrest on charges of treason? Or will Darius’ essence slowly be subsumed, the memories of his nearly two-thousand-year lifespan—and of Stella—fading away in the mind of Marcus?
These Immortals once had all the time in the world. Now it’s suddenly of the essence.
Stella of Akrotiri: Origins
An Ancient Greek Tale of Immortals Book 1
Publication Date: June 28, 2019
Immortality can be a lonely existence, especially when the world is about to implode.
For over six hundred years, Darius of Agremon has fought wars on behalf of those who needed his skills in combat. As a lechagos on Strongili, he spends his days commanding the Minoan coastguardsmen against pirates and marauders. His nights are spent alone, for despite having had wives in the past, he has watched them all grow old and die, childless, as he continues to live.
So when he senses immortality in an olive farmer’s young daughter, Darius bargains to take her to wife when she is old enough to marry.
A foundling, Stella works in her adoptive father’s orchard above Akrotiri, climbing the ancient trees to prune and to harvest the strings of pearls from their branches. She fears invaders when she watches flaming arrows arc in the sky, a sign the island is under attack. She worries about how the ground quakes beneath her feet and steam erupts from cracks in the ground. She wonders at the odd tingling she experiences whenever Darius of Agremon is near, a sensation not unlike the one she feels when spending time in the oldest trees.
Unaware of the arrangement her father has made with the lechagos, Stella thinks she has been sold into slavery when Darius comes for her. Her youth has been spent admiring the man who helped her father’s business thrive. Now she has only contempt for him and his hard-headed manner, despite the pleasures he incites whenever he claims her body.
While the earth trembles and a volcano threatens to destroy the island of Strongili, these two will have to forge a relationship that will last far longer than a lifetime—one that must endure an eternity and the disaster that’s about to wipe out the only home Stella has ever known.
A self-described nerd and lover of science, Linda Rae spent many years as a published technical writer specializing in 3D graphics workstations, software and 3D animation (her movie credits include SHREK and SHREK 2). An interest in genealogy led to years of research on the Regency era and a desire to write fiction based in that time.
A fan of action-adventure movies, she can frequently be found at the local cinema. Although she no longer has any fish, she follows the San Jose Sharks. She is a member of Novelists, Inc. (NINC) and makes her home in Cody, Wyoming.
$25 Amazon gift card
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An Unexpected Gift by Krista Grayce
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.
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Eagles Hunt Wolves by ROBERT CRAVEN
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.
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
The Fall of Endurance Under a New Sun Book 1 by R.L. Blalock
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.
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.
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?
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!!
Website * Facebook * Facebook Reader Group * Twitter
Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads * Newsletter
10$ Amazon gift card, The Fall of Endurance key chain, and mini book bookmarks
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Set New Writing Goals for the New Year
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…”
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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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.
M.C.V. EGAN ❧Defining Ways❧ 