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"Ella Quinn has a wonderful writing style and the ability to weave a captivating and intriguing story. She endows her heroines with extraordinary intelligence, confidence, self-determination and competence." — Goodreads review The Secret Life of Miss Anna Marsh Now available in print for the first time, USA Today bestselling author Ella Quinn's second installment in The Marriage Game series is a witty, romantic historical tale about a young lady who must choose between her head and her heart... Since she was a young girl, Anna Marsh has dreamed of Sebastian, Baron Rutherford asking for her hand in marriage. But that was in another life when her brother Harry was alive, before she vowed to secretly continue the work he valiantly died for. Now as Sebastian finally courts Anna, she must thwart his advances. Were he to discover her secret, he would never deem her a suitable wife... Sebastian has always known Anna would become his wife someday. He expects few obstacles, but when she dissuades him at every turn he soon realizes there is much more to this intriguing woman. Somehow he must prove to her that they are meant to be together. But first he must unravel the seductive mystery that is Miss Anna Marsh... Amazon | Kensington | Barnes & Noble | BAM! | IndieBound | Target | Walmart Add to Goodreads Enjoy an excerpt from The Secret Life of Miss Anna Marsh Anna had never before been so thankful for country hours. Rutherford had joined them for dinner and tea, and she was still in her room by nine o’clock. Lizzy helped her out of her evening gown and in to bed until she had to dress again. The few months before Christmas were always the busiest for her smugglers. She woke two hours later, scrambled into her habit, and slipped down the back stairs through the side door to the stables. Humphrey’s head was swathed in bandages. “Did the doctor remove it? “Yes, miss, he took out two. Warned me not to wait so long the next time. Said there was a woman he saw that let it go so long she died of the infection. Right glad I am you made me see him, miss. I’ll be good enough tomorrow or the next day.” “You need to rest. There is no reason at all for you to worry about me.” “Master Harry . . . ” Anna sighed. “Humphrey, Master Harry is no longer here. I’ll be fine.” Anna led Thunderer to the mounting block. Once on the large gelding’s back, she turned him toward the meadow and the sea. After changing at the cottage, Anna arrived at the cliff with time to spare. She descended to the beach to wait. Kev was the first to arrive. “We’re going to be later than usual. Got word of a patrol.” “How’d that happen?” “One of our men was in a tavern in Dover. He heard talk.” Anna could just make out his grin. “They expect to be back in by midnight.” That was a relief. Harry had given her a contact in the event they were ever caught, but she’d never had to use it and didn’t want to now. “Good. That won’t put us off by much.” “I sent word to Lizzy that you’d be late.” Anna nodded. “Have you received the information for the next few shipments?” “Yes, Mr. Arnold.” Kev gave the dates for the next couple of weeks. Once the men were assembled and the delivery signal given, Anna climbed back up the path. Excerpt Copyright © Ella Quinn. "The characters are interesting and engaging, and there are lots of friends and family that surround the main couple. The scenes are rich with humor, pathos, passion and honor. The villains drive the plot and provide the right catalyst for the evolution of the relationships. Ella Quinn delivers an excellent historical romance." — BookMaven , Goodreads review The Author USA Today bestselling author Ella Quinn's studies and other jobs have always been on the serious side. Reading historical romances, especially Regencies, was her escape. Eventually her love of historical novels led her to start writing them. She is married to her wonderful husband of over thirty years. They have a son and two beautiful granddaughters, and a Great Dane. After living in the South Pacific, Central America, North Africa, England and Europe, she and her husband decided to make their dreams come true and are now living on a sailboat. After cruising the Caribbean and North America, she completed a transatlantic crossing from St. Martin to Southern Europe. She's currently living in Germany, happily writing while her husband is back at work, recovering from retirement. Learn more at ellaquinnauthor.com. Ella loves when friends connect with her on Facebook and Twitter . Title: The Secret Life of Miss Anna Marsh Genre: Historical Romance/Regency Series: The Marriage Game , Book 2 Publisher: Zebra Re-Release Date: December 1, 2020 Content Note: 4 Hearts View our rating system TOUR GIVEAWAY Ella Quinn will be awarding a $25 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn winner. Giveaway ends 11:59 pm on December 11, 2020. Must be 18 years or older to enter. Void where prohibited by law. This giveaway is sponsored by the author and hosted by Goddess Fish Promotions. Thank you for visiting and reading! Feel inspired? Want others to experience the book magic? We hope you'll support this author by sharing with your friends. Have you read the book? Let us know your thoughts!

"This book was utterly hilarious." — Amazon reviewer The Villainous Viscount An appreciative satire of the cliches of traditional Gothic. When Clarissa Greendale inherits the fortune of disreputable uncle she hardly knows, she does not expect to find herself forced into marriage with an aristocratic fortune hunter and wild, brawling, debauched social outcast. Still, she has always found Harley Venn set off the most unmaidenly tinglings in her; that is one consolation. Yet neither did Clarinda expect to inherit the legacy of evil from half a century before. For the wicked if beguiling Lord Venn seems to have inherited a family curse, which, having dispatched the main perpetrators of the old crime, now moves on to their heirs, who are just as wild a set of rakes as their elders. There are rumours of violent deaths preceded by appearances from an inexorable hooded spectre, of inexplicable strikes of lightning, and of haunted mirrors. The light-hearted Harley Venn dismisses all these as conjuring tricks. He even hires a drunken charlatan of a professional magician to prove it. Clarinda is far from sure that there is any rational explanation. Still, it would take more than an enforced marriage to an incorrigible pugilistic libertine or persecution from malevolent spectres to damage her steely nerves and sense of the ridiculous. This lively Gothic comedy, written as a good natured satire, gives the reader a kind and courageous heroine, a rascally but beguiling anti-hero and an authentic historical background to the delightfully over-the-top adventures, a cast of wholly believable characters, an engaging love story and many chills on its way to its tumultuous conclusion. AMAZON US | AMAZON UK | BARNES & NOBLE In the author's words . . . Interview with Lucinda Elliot There's an interesting story behind this book. Will you tell us a little about it? When my family lived in the Clwyd Valley in North Wales, my mother often came by old books through buying job lots at auctions. One of these was by a best-selling author of romantic melodramas of Victorian and Edwardian days, Charles Garvice, called ‘The Outcast of the Family’ (1894). When we were snowed up for some days one winter, I read it. It was perhaps the worst book I have ever read up to now, written with total absence of irony and wildly far-fetched. It was all about a wicked, drunken and pugilistic ne’er do well viscount who goes about dressed as a costermonger to annoy his relatives. After two conversations with the virtuous heroine, he resolves to reform... Remembering it and re-reading it a few years ago, I decided to depict an anti-hero who shared some of the amusing characteristics of Garvice’s character, but transposed from the late Victorian to the end of the Regency era. The ‘Villainous Viscount Or the Curse of the Venns’ is also based on a family curse, an idea which has always fascinated me since I first read ‘The Hound of the Baskervilles’ at twelve. However, mine is spoof gothic, with the family curse treated as darkly comic, featuring a haunted castle, a hooded spectre who always appears in a crack of lightning, secret passages and much else. Tell us something we may not know yet about Venn and Clarinda. I have tried to depict Harley Venn as an incorrigible but likeable rascal, and full of wicked fun. Having spent most of the fortune he inherited from his uncle, he is looking for an heiress to marry. Naturally, when he proposes to the female lead, the no-nonsense Clarinda Greendale, the cloaked and hooded spectre that has lately haunted him appears in its inevitable flash of lightning. Venn, although villainous, has a generosity of spirit. For instance, he allows his widower valet’s impossible children to live in the house, which was unusual in that era (even if he does encourage them to pour water over debt collectors). Over the course of the story, he starts to become fond of them, and they of him. Like the anti-hero of Garvice’s ‘The Outcast of the Family’, Harley Venn is softened by women and children, but unlike in that novel, I avoid portraying that sentimentally. Clarinda Greendale seems to be the opposite of Harley Venn, except in delighting in the ridiculous. Her own late uncle was Harley Venn’s late uncle’s steward, who made a fortune through dubious means. She has scruple about inheriting it, which her ambitious brother and sister-in-law find bizarre. Clarinda – whose appearance is unremarkable, which makes her cynical about the admirers she acquires as an heiress in London – has no wish to come for a season to make a good match. She wants to return to the country to live with her younger sister, and help to improve the lot of the poor, not that of the good for nothing Lord Venn. Her fate, however, is going to be very different as she ends up trying to save him from the curse that has destroyed his late uncle and his group of friends… -Which scene or chapter in the book is your favorite? Why? I think my favourite chapter in the book is the ridiculous one where Harley Venn proposes to Clarinda with a speech full of high flown and ridiculous sentiment (in fact, borrowed from the planned proposal by Charles Garvice’s hero). He tells her: ‘I know I am unworthy to address you, unworthy even to touch the hem of your robe. Yet if you would consider linking your fate to that of a man who is an outcast from much of decent society, and to be my good angel, I would be eternally in your debt and your slave…’ Clarinda finds this laughable: ‘I cannot accept your flattering proposal, Sir.’ Tempted to add, I cannot believe that I was second or even third on your list, she said instead in a friendly tone, ‘I am far from angelic, and the idea that a girl of twenty-one could be a guiding light for a man of the world several years her senior is preposterous to me.’ Harley Venn argues, but he is interrupted by the cloaked and hooded skeletal figure appearing, accompanied as usual by a clap of thunder. Clarinda remarks calmly, ‘We saw that oddity before...’ What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment? I have had some negative reviews from readers who seemed not to take in my descriptions of my books as ‘spoofs’ and ‘satires’ of the historical gothic genre. Mine are fairly gentle spoofs, not disrespectful to the genre, and it is possible that the fact that these readers did not realize that they are to be read tongue-in-cheek. Disappointing reader expectations is of course, a hazardous business and usually leads to bad reviews. Also, being dyslexic, I do find it difficult to notice and remove every typo. My Beta readers are invaluable, and I hope that I keep the said errors to a minimum, but somehow I always miss a handful, and a minority of readers have noted them. I hope yet to be able to afford a professional copy editor. On a happier note, I’ve had many wonderful reviews from readers who love my writing. This makes it all worthwhile. All authors want readers to enjoy their books. For instance, here are the ones I got when ‘The Villainous Viscount’ was awarded a BRAG medallion for outstanding self-published fiction, and a very generous one of it from writer Jennifer Macaire. ‘Wonderful fun book! I have read others of MS Elliott's books for indieBRAG and this one did not disappoint. This is a creative and witty turn on a historical romance. Please keep them coming - I'm ready for more Lucinda Elliott books!’ — Jennifer Macaire Books & Benches: Great interview and a behind-the-scenes look into The Villainous Viscount . Congratulations, Lucinda, on what sounds like a really fun book. The Author Lucinda Elliot loves writing Gothic style stories, which isn’t surprising because she was brought up in a series of big old isolated houses which her parents were refurbishing (it wasn’t so fashionable back then). After that, she lived, studied and worked in London for many years and now lives in Mid Wales with her family. She loves writing about strong women to complement gung-ho males. Her interests do include weight training and body shaping, and she was once a champion Sportsfighter, but apart from that her interests are quite geeky. Reading classic novels, conservation, gardening, and even names and their meanings (bring on the carrot juice). She loves a laugh above anything. For more information, please visit Lucinda’s website . You can also find her on Facebook , Twitter , and Goodreads . Genre: Fiction/Satire/Gothic/Romance Type: Novel Release Date: February 24, 2017 Content Note: R1 View our rating system Enter to win a $10 Amazon Gift Card Open to US only. By entering the giveaway, you are confirming you are at least 18 years old. Void where prohibited by law. This giveaway ends December 16, 2020. This giveaway is sponsored by the author and hosted by Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours. Good luck everyone! Thank you for visiting and reading! Feel inspired? Want others to experience the book magic? We hope you'll support this author by sharing with your friends. Have you read the book? Let us know your thoughts!

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for Deadly Amish Reunion by Dana R. Lynn, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours ! "This is a romantic suspense that will keep you up until you’ve read the last word. This beautiful story is interweave with suspense, romance, finding renew faith and peace." — The Suspense Zone Deadly Amish Reunion Separated by amnesia… reunited by a lethal holiday threat. Jennie Beiler’s husband was supposed to be dead, so she’s shocked when he rescues her from an attacker. Although Luke has no memories of his Englisch wife, it’s up to him to protect her from someone who won’t stop until she’s dead. Can the peaceful Amish community he returned to after losing his memory shelter them and their son this Christmas when danger strikes again? From Harlequin Love Inspired Suspense: Courage. Danger. Faith. Amish Country Justice Series Book 1: Plain Target Book 2: Plain Retribution Book 3: Amish Christmas Abduction Book 4: Amish Country Ambush Book 5: Amish Christmas Emergency Book 6: Guarding the Amish Midwife Book 7: Hidden in Amish Country Book 8: Plain Refuge Book 9: Deadly Amish Reunion Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Book Depository | IndieBound | Christianbook | BookBub Enjoy excerpts from Deadly Amish Reunion Excerpt from Chapter One A moment later the cord around her neck went limp and the Santa was pulled away by two Amish men rushing through the open door. The Santa bounced off the wall with a vicious yell, his white beard lying on the floor of the apartment. She’d never seen him before in her life. Her eyes rose to meet his briefly. A shiver ran through her at his cold glare. He tore his gaze away before turning and bolting from the apartment. His heavy footsteps thundered down the stairs. She was too shocked to care. Her world shrank down to the man standing in front of her, staring at her with confused eyes. Eyes she saw every day when she looked at their son. Luke, the man she’d mourned for nearly five years, was standing in front of her, looking at her like she was a complete stranger. Excerpt from Chapter Two “Luke.” She was dazed, confused. It was Luke, wasn’t it? His face was altered. A long, jagged scar ran the length of his right cheek. His left profile, though, was the same as she remembered. His hair was longer than he’d worn it while they were married. It was still blond and curly but was in the typical bowl-cut style she’d seen on the Amish men in the surrounding area. A chill swept through her. What had happened to him? How was it that the man she’d loved and mourned was standing before her dressed like an Amish man? He’d left that life behind when they got married. Excerpts Copyright © Dana R. Lynn. "WOW! This was a book that kept me at the edge of my seat from page one! It has constant suspense and danger and you're always wondering if a new attack is coming and from where! This is a story I definitely recommend! Romantic suspense at its best and with an inspiring message that will leave you happy at the end." — Amazon review The Author Dana R. Lynn is a USA Today bestselling author who believes in the power of God to touch people through stories. She met her husband at a wedding and married him nineteen months later. Today, they live in rural Pennsylvania with their three teenaged children and enough pets to open a petting zoo. She is a teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing by day and writes stories of romance and danger at night. Dana is an avid reader, loves cats and thinks chocolate should be a food group. Dana is a Selah Award winner, a Holt Medallion Finalist, and a New England Reader’s Choice Award winner. She is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of the Steve Laube Agency. She enjoys engaging with readers and can be found on social media or contacted via her website www.danarlynn.com . CONNECT WITH DANA: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram Title: Deadly Amish Reunion Genre: Inspirational Amish Romantic Suspense Series: Amish Country Justice #9 Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense Release Date: December 1, 2020 Content Note: 2 Hearts View our rating system TOUR GIVEAWAY One winner will receive a $10 Amazon gift card plus an e-book or print (US only) copy of Deadly Amish Reunion ! Must be 18 years or older to enter. Giveaway ends 11:59 PM EST on December 14, 2020. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law. This giveaway is sponsored by the author and hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours. Thank you for visiting and reading! Feel inspired? Want others to experience the book magic? We hope you'll support this author by sharing with your friends. Have you read the book? Let us know your thoughts!

"I found the book to be so engrossing that it was hard to put down. I kept finding myself wondering what would happen next. I was wrong every time. Do order She Sees Ghosts . It is a special book and a very meaningful and enjoyable read!! " — Amazon review She Sees Ghosts A blazing fire killed her family and devoured her home. A vengeful demon haunted her. Ghosts of the Revolutionary War needed help that only she could provide. A young woman languished, desperate to survive, and teetered on the edge of sanity. Mehitable grew up in a freshly tamed town, carved from the primeval forest. Family, friends, and working at the mercantile filled her days and warmed her heart. For Mehitable, life was simple and safe, until tragedy struck. When her family perished in their burning home, she retreated into a world of her own making. As a young girl, she had seen glimmers, glimpses, and flickers of the spirit world. She closed her eyes. She turned her back. She ignored the apparitions that she never spoke of, desperately hoping they would leave her in peace. She was mistaken. Grief-stricken, Mehitable withdrew from the human world. Ghosts were everywhere. They became bolder. She could no longer turn her back on the spirit world. Her friends feared for her survival. Nobody understood her. She would have to find her own way. Fans of TV’s Ghost Whisperer and Long Island Medium will especially love She Sees Ghosts. This historical novel features memorable characters and delivers bone-tingling, spine chilling goosebumps. It stands on its own and it is the next installment in the Adirondack Spirit Series by the award-winning author of Wanders Far-An Unlikely Hero’s Journey. David Fitz-Gerald delivers a historical novel with a bittersweet ending that you won’t see coming. Would she save the spirits’ souls, or would they save her? Only time would tell. Available at AMAZON In the author's words Q&A with David Fitz-Gerald Books & Benches: We're thrilled to welcome David Fitz-Gerald, and to learn more about the story behind She Sees Ghosts , which sounds like a fascinating book. For those of us who enjoy a good ghost story set in beautiful locales, it will be one not to miss. Since the author knows the work best, we'll move right into his own words . . . What is your favorite scene in She Sees Ghosts ? Chapter 19. I shouldn’t say too much about this chapter since it occurs three-quarters of the way into the book and I don’t want to spoil it, but maybe I could say a little something about it. The location of the scene is a small, unspoiled lake named Copperas Pond and it is a location that I love to write about. That’s its real name and it is located a short distance from Lake Placid, New York in the Adirondack Mountains. I use it as my background in Zoom meetings. I think readers will be surprised to find a romantic storyline at this point in this book, and be surprised by our protagonist in this situation. I always had this scene in mind for this point in the story, yet for some reason, it was the hardest one for me to write. I’m grateful for the suggestions that my collaborator made and I love the way it turned out. Aside from advancing the plotline, I think it adds a welcome respite from the ghostly elements in the rest of the book. Who are your main characters, how do you name them, and what makes them tick? She Sees Ghosts stars Mehitable Munch, a fictional character that grew within my head while I wrote Wanders Far―An Unlikely Hero’s Journey . At the beginning of her story, Mehitable is a gregarious, happy young lady, immersed in planning a town-wide celebration at the turn of the century in 1799. The celebration party coincides with her sixteenth birthday, a birthday that takes a fateful turn. On a night that should be enchanted, simple, perfect, Mehitable is shaken when she is visited by ghosts―ghosts who demand her attention. The celebration begins as a night to remember and becomes a tragedy that Mehitable will never forget. Mehitable’s closest friends are Polly Lewis and Polly’s husband, Reuben Sanford. The Lewis and Sanfords families in She Sees Ghosts are actual founders of the real town of Poultney, Vermont, where I live. Reuben and Polly moved in the early 1800s to what is now Wilmington, New York, near Whiteface Mountain and Lake Placid, home of the 1980 and 1932 winter Olympics. I was excited when I found this connection since my mother’s family resided in Wilmington for many generations. I enjoy giving fictional characters unique first names and simple last names. I found some great monikers in the census from the early 1800s and within family trees. Sometimes as a reader, I have trouble keeping track of characters with ordinary names, and that’s why I was drawn to give my supporting characters names like Coriander Bump and Thankful Bull. I had to be careful with Coriander, because there was a risk that she would take over the story! I think Anson Smudge is an excellent name for a ghostly villain. Are there particular themes or motifs in your stories? Absolutely. She Sees Ghosts is a historical novel about the soul, reincarnation, and timelessness. The one word that I hope describes this book is ethereal. I didn’t set out to write a horror novel, like Stephen King, or a book that would cause recurring nightmares for decades, like the 1980 movie starring George C. Scott, called The Changeling . Mehitable helps many troubled souls cross into the spirit world. The brief stories of real soldiers and fictional townspeople connect the theme to the historical fiction genre. Other motifs in She Sees Ghosts include sheep, prayer, cemeteries, dead babies, a spiral medallion, and Anson’s tricorne hat. I think symbolism is subjective. Perhaps I’ve used some often enough that they became motifs. Here are a couple of symbols used in the book: a black cat; peppermint; sage; salt; a butterfly; squirrels; pigs; the virginal (a musical instrument), sheep sheers, pinecones, a spyglass, and paths into the woods. What do squirrels symbolize? They’re energetic, playful, and also hardworking, and they portray vitality. Be on the lookout for an amorous pair of squirrels in Chapter 19. Does this story have a soundtrack? A playlist that inspired you while writing it? Yes. As I was writing She Sees Ghosts , new wave music was resurgent on my playlists. I think I’ve listened to Erasure, Pet Shop Boys, New Order, Yaz, and the Thompson Twins more in the last two years than I did in the 1980s―also, Tammy Wynette. I’m sure that Spotify is counting, and I can’t imagine that anyone has played The Essential Tammy Wynette album more than I have. When I listen to very familiar music repetitively, I find it helps me to get in the zone. Writing from the perspective of a young woman was a new challenge for me, and I think that Tammy’s body of work helped me in that regard. Her 1969 album titled Inspiration is my “go-to.” When I hit play on that, my brain knows that it is time to write. If I were to fantasize about a soundtrack for She Sees Ghosts, the first track would be Tammy’s version of “You’ll Never Walk Alone.” The last song would be the one my nephew wrote and performed especially for She Sees Ghosts. You can hear some of Kyle’s song in the book trailer. Thank you, Kyle Hughes! Does each book in the series stand on its own? What do you plan to write after She Sees Ghosts ? I want each book within the Adirondack Spirit Series to stand on its own and be a complete story. Of course, I hope that readers will want to read them all. What connects the installments are four things: DNA, supernatural elements, natural history, and locations in the Adirondack Mountains of New York state. This series is a multi-generational family saga. I’m working on a prequel to the series set in AD 550, and on the back of the book, I ask, “Are supernatural tendencies hereditary? If you guessed yes, maybe you are descended from old souls too.” In addition to the prequel, I’m almost done with the follow-up to She Sees Ghosts, which is set in the 1830s and focuses on Mehitable’s son. Mehitable’s son has a big problem. He often finds himself transported in his sleep, and he finds himself in awkward, uncomfortable, and sometimes dangerous situations. Perhaps it’s a thin line between supernatural and paranormal. The Adirondack Spirit Series tiptoes across that line from time to time. Sometimes readers ask me how many installments the series will include. I don’t have a grand plan, but I have future family members in my head and they’re insistent that I write their stories too. Enjoy an Excerpt from She Sees Ghosts Mehitable stood in the cemetery beside her family’s marker. It was the first time she had returned to the cemetery since the funeral, four years earlier. She had dreaded going to the cemetery and had to force herself to look upon the words carved into the stone. Though she felt a sense of loss every day, New Year’s Day was always particularly hard for her. The painful memories cascaded around her like snow dropping from heavily laden branches on a sunny winter morning. She brushed the tears from her cheeks with a wet mitten and inhaled. She was glad that she visited the cemetery after all. Soon she would move away with Polly and Reuben, and she might never return to Poultney again. Other than the fact that her toes were cold, she realized that the visit to the cemetery was quite peaceful. As she began to leave the cemetery, something caught the corner of her eye. It was a man. Not just a man, but a soldier. She walked slowly toward the road and cast her vision to the ground in front of her, where she planned to place her feet. Even with her eyes diverted, she was able to watch the man whose path she was certain to cross. She couldn’t remember ever having seen a soldier before. As she got closer, her pulse quickened. He was an imposing figure of a man. The closer she got, the more intriguing he looked. Every couple of steps he stopped to look off into the woods or turned to look back down the road behind him. He put his fingers in his mouth and sent a shrill whistle trumpeting down the intervale below. Then he put his hands to his cheeks and called out, “Pendennis!” Mehitable walked slowly toward him. Normally she would have walked briskly but she tarried along because she was fascinated. She felt drawn to him. He had a certain magnetism, though he seemed somewhat distracted. She wondered if he was looking for a child, or perhaps a dog. The man looked to be in his mid to late twenties. He was tall, significantly taller than most men, even taller than Reuben. His shoulders were broad and his waist was narrow. Instead of a red coat or a blue coat, like the soldiers she had heard of, the man wore a dark green jacket with bright gold buttons that matched the tassels that dangled from epaulets at his shoulders. He wore a tricorne, beaver skin hat with a cockade that resembled a chamomile flower. His waistcoat was tight, like his jacket and matched the color of his snug breeches. His neatly tied white cravat and ruffled jabot adorned his neck and chest. His tall black riding boots looked immaculate. Mehitable had never seen such a well-dressed man. She was working up the courage to politely say, “How do you do?” when the man began to fade. She gulped and hurried her pace. The air smelled strangely of woodsmoke, horse manure, and pomander, that intoxicating scent of an orange spiked with rare and exotic cloves. It had not crossed her mind that the man was a spirit. She wondered at the strength of his presence. She chastised herself for getting all out of sorts over a dead man. Yet she couldn’t resist stopping and turning to look when she heard his voice again, calling. “Pendennis!” When she turned, he stood at attention and stared straight into her eyes. Then he removed his hat, bowed deeply, sweeping his long arm dramatically behind him before returning his hat to his head. Mehitable turned and hurried away as quickly as she could. Finally, when she could only hear his call far off in the distance, she turned to look one final time. He appeared as a tiny green dot surrounded by white snow on the top of the hill. Despite his flamboyance and the fact that he was dead, she couldn’t help having romantic thoughts about him. Thoughts she hadn’t entertained about living men or boys, except Reuben, briefly and occasionally before sending those thoughts from her mind. As she hurried up Lewis Road that afternoon, she compared the man to Reuben. He was a bit taller, more muscular, and his facial features looked strong and boyish at the same time. She tried to put the man out of her mind, but she couldn’t shake a feeling of sadness over his loss, and she felt a desperate need to know what or for whom he was searching. Excerpt Copyright © David Fitz-Gerald. The Author David Fitz-Gerald writes fiction that is grounded in history and soars with the spirits. If you’re looking for the atheist activist author by the same name, keep looking—this book is definitely not for you! After a chaotic day as a business person, Dave enjoys getting lost in the settings he imagines and spending time with the characters he creates. Writing historical fiction is like making paintings of the past. He loves to weave fact and fiction together, stirring in action, adventure, romance, and a heavy dose of the supernatural with the hope of transporting the reader to another time and place. He is an Adirondack 46-er, which means that he has hiked all of the highest peaks in New York State, so it should not be surprising when Dave attempts to glorify hikers as swashbuckling superheroes in his writing. She Sees Ghosts-A Story of a Woman Who Rescues Lost Souls is the next installment in the Adirondack Spirit Series. Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | BookBub | Instagram Genre: Historical Fiction Type: Novel Series: Adirondack Spirit Series Release Date: October 29, 2020 Content Note: PG-13 View our rating system Follow the Tour One lucky reader will win the Grand Prize Giveaway which includes a candle, Coffee Mug, chocolates and a signed copy of She Sees Ghosts ! Other Giveaways: 1 Coffee Mug, 3 Paperbacks, 5 eBooks The giveaway is open to US residents only and ends on December 26, 2020. You must be 18 or older to enter. Void where prohibited by law. This giveaway is sponsored by the author and hosted by Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours. Thank you for visiting and reading! Feel inspired? Want others to experience the book magic? We hope you'll support this author by sharing with your friends. Have you read the book? Let us know your thoughts!

“The perfect stocking stuffer for the romance reader on your holiday list.” – Kristin Hannah, author of The Nightingale From New York Times bestselling author Kat Martin comes an inspiring and romantic duo – two heartwarming, feel-good stories. Teddy Winters was eight years old that Christmas, too young to understand all the undercurrents swirling around him in the tiny Michigan town of Dreyerville. He wasn’t able to value that Christmas for the miracle it truly was. Teddy only knew he wanted to buy the beautiful Victorian clock in the window of Tremont Antiques as a gift for his grandmother, Lottie Sparks, a woman desperate to find him a home before her rapidly progressing Alzheimer’s left him an orphan. Everything changes for Teddy that year when he meets Sylvia Winters and Joe Dixon. Amazon | Goodreads THE AUTHOR Currently living outside Missoula, Montana, Kat Martin is the New York Times bestselling author of over sixty-five Historical and Contemporary Romantic Suspense novels. Before she started writing, Kat was a real estate broker. During that time, she met her husband, L. J. Martin, an author of Westerns and high-action Thrillers. Kat is a graduate of the University of California at Santa Barbara where she majored in Anthropology and also studied History. She spends her winters in Arizona. "I love to travel and especially like visiting the places where my books are set," Kat says. "I love history and enjoy spending time in museums and art galleries. My husband and I often stay in out-of-the-way inns and historical houses. It's fun and it gives a wonderful sense of a by-gone era." To date, Kat has over seventeen million copies of her books in print. Visit the author at katmartin.com. Genre: Holiday Romance Type: Novel Duo Publication date: December 9, 2020 Publisher: Wolfpack Publishing

"I am giving Christmas in Bayberry a very well deserved five plus stars." —Amy from Locks, Hooks and Books Christmas in Bayberry She’s trying to save the family candle company. He’s trying not to fall for Bayberry—and her—again. Kate Taylor knows what she wants in life: to one day run her family’s candle business, which is at the heart of the close-knit community of Bayberry, Vermont. But the company isn’t doing well. Wesley Adams is on the fast track to be an assistant vice president at his financial firm in Manhattan. Before the promotion is announced, he’s sent to this small town from his past to do an analysis of the candle company. He doesn’t expect to bump into his childhood crush, Kate, and when he does, sparks fly. As he spends time in Bayberry, he falls for the town’s Christmas traditions—and for her. But he has a responsibility to submit an honest report. Will it extinguish Kate’s dreams…along with any chance they have for a future together? This heart-warming romance contains a free Hallmark original recipe for Cast Iron Beef Stew. Amazon | B&N | Apple Books | Kobo | GooglePlay Goodreads | Book Depository | Bookshop | Target | Walmart Enjoy an Excerpt from Christmas in Bayberry He entered the very spacious corner office. The two outside walls were glass, giving a jaw-dropping view of the city. Right now, though, Mr. Summers had his full attention. Why did Chad think he was taking over Wes’s accounts? Wes stepped up to his boss’s very large oak desk. “Here’s the file you requested. Everything should be in there.” “Thank you.” Mr. Summers took the folder, then gestured to the two charcoal gray chairs in front of his desk. “Take a seat.” Wes was torn between doing what the president of the company wanted or speaking up about his pending meeting. After all, Mr. Summers had the final say on who got the promotion. Wes had to stay on the man’s good side, but he also had to get his work done. Wes’s mouth grew dry. He swallowed hard. “Sir, I’m expected in the conference room on the twelfth floor right now.” Mr. Summers leaned forward, resting his elbows on the large oak desk. “They can wait.” His gray brows drew together in a formidable line. “This is important.” Wes had no idea why Mr. Summers was so worked up, but he couldn’t help but wonder if this had something to do with the promotion. Was Chad being promoted over him? He took a seat, perching on the edge. Then realizing he needed to appear wholeheartedly interested in what Mr. Summers said, and not ready to rush out the door at his first opportunity, Wes slid back in the chair. Mr. Summers got to his feet. “Can I get you something to drink?” “No, thank you.” “Well, I think I’ll get something.” The man was certainly not in any rush to get this conversation over with. Maybe the promotion had been decided upon early. And if it was bad news, he didn’t think Mr. Summers would waste time with pleasantries—in fact, he was quite certain of it. He wasn’t one to draw out bad news. “Sir, I want to tell you how happy I’ve been here at Watson & Summers for the past nine years.” “Has it been that long?” “Yes, sir. I’ve learned a lot.” “That’s good to hear.” Mr. Summers turned with a glass of sparkling water in his hand. “I know you’re up for the promotion.” “Yes, sir.” He sat up straighter and smiled. “It’s an amazing opportunity.” “You do know there’s only one spot open and a number of strong candidates.” Wes could feel the promotion slowly slipping from his grasp. After being uprooted numerous times as a kid, moving from town to town, crisscrossing the States, he liked the thought of staying in one spot for the rest of his life. There was something to be said for putting down roots. But if he didn’t land this promotion, he was going to have to rethink his plans. Manhattan wasn’t the cheapest place to live—far from it. As of right now, he didn’t have a Plan B. Mr. Summers took a drink of water. He set the glass aside. “I have a way for you to gain an edge over the competition.” Wes couldn’t help but be suspicious. Mr. Summers had never showed any favoritism toward him before, so why now? Still, he shouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth. “Thank you, sir. I appreciate this—” Mr. Summers held up a hand to stop him. “You haven’t heard the plan just yet.” Wes had a feeling there would be no chance of turning down Mr. Summers—not unless he also wanted to say goodbye to his bright future at the company. And that was not something he intended to do. “I need you to go to Vermont.” “Vermont, sir?” “Yes. Bayberry, Vermont, to be specific.” “Bayberry?” Wes tried to process this turn of events. First his mother, now his boss. “Have you been speaking with my mother?” “Your mother?” Mr. Summers’ forehead creased. “Why would I speak to her?” Wes cleared his throat. “What do you have in mind, sir?” Excerpt Copyright © Jennifer Faye. Read more excerpts from the book at Hallmark . Enjoy an Audio Sample The Author Award-winning author, Jennifer Faye pens fun, heartwarming contemporary romances with rugged cowboys, sexy billionaires and enchanting royalty. Internationally published with books translated into nine languages. She is a two-time winner of the RT Book Reviews Reviewers' Choice Award, the CataRomance Reviewers' Choice Award, named a TOP PICK author, and been nominated for numerous other awards. Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Pinterest | YouTube | Bo okBub | Newsletter Genre: Contemporary Holiday Romance Type: Novel Publisher: Hallmark Publishing Release Date: July 7, 2020 Content Note: 2 Hearts View our rating system Tour Giveaway One winner will receive a $50 (USD) Amazon Gift Card. By entering the giveaway, you are confirming you are at least 18 years old. Void where prohibited by law. This giveaway ends December 13, 2020. This giveaway is sponsored by the author and hosted by Prism Book Tours. Bonus: Grab Christmas in Bayberry for a discounted 99¢ in e-book at all retailers through December 13th! Good luck everyone! Thank you for visiting and reading! Feel inspired? Want others to experience the book magic? We hope you'll support this author by sharing with your friends. Have you read the book? Let us know your thoughts!

"An awesome culmination to a great western romance series." —Fresh Fiction Once Upon a Mail Order Bride An outlaw falls for his mysterious mail order bride in this sweeping western epic by beloved author Linda Broday. Accused of crimes he didn't commit, ex-preacher Ridge Steele is forced to give up everything he knew and make his home with outlaws. Desperate for someone to confide in, he strikes up correspondence with mail-order bride Adeline Jancy, finding in her the open heart he's been searching for. Upon her arrival, Ridge discovers Addie only communicates through the written word, but he knows a little of what trauma can do to a person and vows to stand by her side. Addie is eager to start a new life with the kind ex-preacher and the little boy she's stolen away from her father—a zealot priest of a terrorized flock. As her small family settles into life at Hope's Crossing, she even begins to find the voice, and confidence, she'd lost so long ago. But danger is not far behind, and her father will not be denied. While Addie desperately fights the man who destroyed her childhood, a determined Ridge races to the rescue. The star-crossed lovers will need more than prayers to survive this final challenge...and find their way back to each other again. Goodreads | Amazon | Apple | Kobo | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound In the author's words . . . I loved the "heart" and pure grit that Adeline Jancy showed. She had every reason to give up but she kept on fighting even when she had no more strength to do so. An Interview with Ridge Steele from Once Upon a Mail Order Bride I’m so excited! The outlaw Ridge Steele is dropping by and my heart is pounding. I got a glimpse of him several years ago when he was riding with old friend Jack Bowdre and I almost walked in front of a steam locomotive. For the record, I think dark haired men are most handsome. Their dark looks add to the element of danger wafting around them. As if Ridge needs that. (Books & Benches: We already want to take this outlaw home with us!) Oh look, there he comes! His boot heels are pounding the wooden boardwalk like bullets from a Gatlin gun. “Hello Mr. Steele. I’m glad you could take a minute to talk.” He removes his Stetson. “It’s my pleasure. But call me Ridge and keep this short. I told Addie I’d be back to give her shooting lessons.” I clear my throat. “Why does she need lessons? You’ll most likely be with her.” Ridge holds the door to the newspaper office for me. “Her father’s sent men out to hunt her down and they might catch her when I’m nowhere around.” He gives me a tight smile and I don’t feel that comforted. “And a woman needs to know how to handle a gun.” “I see. Have a seat at my desk. I promise this won’t take long.” “If you don’t mind, I’ll stand.” He moves to the window and glances out at the street. I notice the sharpness of his eyes, the length of his denim clad legs, and the Colt hanging from his holster. I say a prayer of thanks that I’m not in his sights. “Let’s get started.” I lift a pencil and poise it over a pad. “Tell me what you thought the day Addie came to marry you.” “She was as pretty as a spring meadow after the rain.” He gets a far-off look in his eyes and the lines of his face soften. “Golden hair and the greenest eyes I’ve ever seen. I wouldn’t have cared if she was missing an arm or leg. I wanted her.” He paused then added quietly. “I still do.” “Was it difficult with her being unable to speak?” He turns, his dark eyes on me. “There are other ways of talking without using words, ma’am.” A flush rises up my neck. His meaning is clear. “I understand you have a high price on your head, Mr. Steele. Does that hinder your duties as mayor of Hope’s Crossing or your job at the land office?” The outlaw gives a soft snort. “I’m always aware of my surroundings, no matter where I am or what I’m doing. I know a bullet can come at any minute from anywhere and make Addie a widow. But the danger is lessened as long as I stay close to Hope’s Crossing, ma’am. Lawmen tend to give us a wide berth. They’d have to have an army to come in and then they have a big battle on their hands. We’re pretty protected both strategically and in sheer numbers.” Deciding I’d asked enough about that, I turned to questions about Addie. “Tell me why your wife’s father is so hell-bent in getting her.” “The man’s a lunatic and when you put someone like that in a position of power, he thinks he can do whatever he pleases. He set up a whipping post in the middle of town and anyone who displeases him or dares to criticize gets a certain number of lashes. Everyone’s attendance is mandatory. Jancy calls himself the new Messiah and his word is law.” “So Addie somehow crossed him?” I’m trying to figure this all out. “My wife did what she thought was right and he didn’t like it. That’s all I’m saying.” The set of Ridge’s jaw told me to drop it. I’m a smart woman. “I understand you had a tornado hit your place. Tell me what that was like.” “It caught us in open country. Our horses bolted and left us afoot.” Ridge runs a hand across his eyes. “I didn’t think we’d live to tell about it. If it hadn’t been for a ravine for us to jump into, we’d be dead. It was close.” “I’ve had the experience myself so I know what you’re talking about.” I jot down some notes and look up. “Tell me about Bodie Nix.” “He’s a fifteen-year-old boy that bounty hunters were taking to Mobeetie to jail. They’d stopped on my land for water when I found them. We had a shootout and I killed one. The other got away. But I was able to free Bodie then I asked him to work for me. Never knew a more deserving kid.” “He became part of yours and Addie’s family?” “Yes, ma’am.” Ridge put his hat on. “I hate to be rude, but I need to go. Just tell everyone to read the book.” I watch him stride out and get on his horse. Such a strong, honorable man. “Folks, if you want to know more, pick up a copy of Once Upon a Mail Order Bride and follow along with Ridge and Addie. Better have a firm grip of the reins though or you’ll end up on the ground.” (Books & Benches: Do you think Addie will share?) Read an excerpt >> The Author I'm a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of 30 full length western romance novels and short stories. Watching TV westerns during my youth fed my love of cowboys and the old West and they still do. Here in the Texas Panhandle on land the American Indian, Comancheros, and early cowboys once roamed, I can often hear their voices whispering in the breeze. I love research and looking for little known tidbits to add realism to my stories and quite often make a nuisance of myself at museums and libraries. Learn more at lindabroday.com. Connect on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter Title: Once Upon a Mail Order Bride Genre: Historical Western Romance Type: Novel Publisher: Sourcebooks Release Date: November 24, 2020 Content Note: 4 Hearts View our rating system Thank you for visiting and reading! Feel inspired? Want others to experience the book magic? We hope you'll support this author by sharing with your friends. Have you read the book? Let us know your thoughts!

"...a fascinating blend of mystery, thriller and the supernatural. A richly drawn cast of engaging and sympathetic characters transport the reader into an intriguing and rewarding journey." — Gary Morgenstein, author of A Mound Over Hell Serpent Rising Serena Mendez is haunted and she is hunted... ... Haunted by trauma—terrified and scarred as a young child, when a secret initiation into an ancient order of Lightbringers went horribly wrong. Unaware of the power latent in her blood, she is haunted by a life out of sync with her true identity. At twenty-one, she is abrasive, jobless, in debt, and addicted to sedatives. Haunted by her past, she knows nothing of her destiny. ... Hunted by an enemy—ruthless and powerful, a Brotherhood that has been pitted against the Luminarian Sects for thousands of years. An ancient struggle continues—The War of the Two Serpents—a saga extending back to the dawn of civilization, to the time of the second breaking, when the elite sought dominion over the masses. Those serving truth and light opposed these dark forces. In return they were persecuted, burned as witches, suppressed and nearly defeated by the powers of darkness. But the flame was not extinguished. An old Navajo dream-walker had a plan to open the seven chakras mystically binding Serena’s power. To fulfill her true destiny, to unleash the latent power within her blood, Serena journeys to six continents where she uncovers the truth of who she is, and what she must do. A warrior stirs, a Lightbringer. She is Serena Mendez. She is awakening. She is a Candelaria… Serpent Rising is a story of unfulfilled destiny, discovery, transformation, and courage to embrace the truth. Amazon ~ B&N ~ IndieBound ~ Kobo ~ Apple ~ Audiobook “Author Victor Acquista has opened a pandora’s box of adventure in his new breath-taking thriller, Serpent Rising . I was swept away from the first page in this wonder-filled, mystical, and compelling novel. Cleverly plotted with a female protagonist, Serena Mendez, that is truly original in ancestry, yet very 21st century-real, with personal problems that she manages to set aside to pursue the very truth of her being. We join her in this a non-stop rush that mixes equal parts of history, myth, and lore that I didn’t want to ever end! I’m already looking forward to more of Serena again and again. Acquista is the obvious heir apparent to the globe-trotting, can’t-be-put-down-novels such as The DaVinci Code and The House Of Secrets . Move over Dan Brown and Brad Meltzer, you have deserving company at your table with Serpent Rising !” —Patrick Kendrick, award-winning author of American Ripper: The Enigma Of America’s Serial Killer Cop. Enjoy an Excerpt from Serpent Rising CHAPTER ONE Impact…crash…darkness. The bedside table lamp and shattered light bulb lay on the floor, but Serena remained unmoved, without will or inclination to clean up the mess. She stared at the ceiling of her tiny efficiency apartment, lit solely by the eerie neon-green from the alarm clock’s LED. The glass fragments glittered, taunting her to get out of bed. Instead, she pondered the much larger mess of her life. She lay still, in a familiar paralysis of apathy. Somehow, a glimmer of hope broke through her complacence; she reached over and forced herself to set the alarm. Tomorrow she had another job interview. Desperation crowded out the apathy. Constricted by overwhelming inner and outer darkness, Serena’s breath became shallow. Her dry mouth and mounting anxiety muted her scream at life’s injustice into a muffled croak. Tomorrow would come…nothing would change. Survival. A day without struggle followed by a night of peaceful rest—why did achieving this seem so elusive? Agitated, she threw the bedcovers aside. How much longer could this torture go on? Awake and staring overhead, she felt every bit as broken as the glass shards. Her light within had all but extinguished itself, not unlike the fragile bulb. Could tomorrow be her first step out from the deep dark hole that hollowed her insides? Tomorrow she had another job interview. She double-checked the alarm setting. Serena’s fingertips ached as she desperately clung to the possibility of change. Reaching into her bedside drawer, she randomly pulled out some meds and dry-swallowed two pills. Serena didn’t look to check what they were; she kept four or five different sleep meds stashed there. Not that it mattered. None of them worked. Serena needed to speak to Dr. Jenkins about that. Sleep did not come easily to the twenty-one-year-old woman afflicted with anxiety, plagued by PTSD, her life in shambles. Sometimes it seemed better to stay awake. Steadily worsening vivid nightmares had been infiltrating her dreams. She tossed and turned, trying to stave off the inevitable, trying to deceive herself that tonight the meds would work. Ensnared between apathy and hope, Serena nestled into a crevice of momentary comfort. Her breathing slowed; the cadence of soft snores interrupted the green stillness. It felt cold in the cave. Even lying on the sleeping rug, the rock floor was hard. She shivered, more from fear than the cold. Why did her great aunt, her shibízhí, insist she sleep here alone tonight? She remembered her shibízhí saying with no moon the cave would be black. Serena blinked, but it didn’t matter whether her eyes were open or closed; she couldn’t tell the difference. Repeating and following her aunt’s instructions, she crawled to the edge of the pool then stood up to her knees in the still water. Keep your eyes open. Keep your eyes open. Her shibízhí had said that was the most important thing, not to close her eyes. But she couldn’t see anything. She wanted to be brave; she didn’t want to disappoint her shibízhí, but she was scared. It was so dark. That’s when she saw something. It was just a blur, a smudge of light. Something glowed and slowly took shape—long and curved, it moved toward her. Immersed in blackness, water up to her knees, the creature moved closer. Wavelets rippled against her small trembling body. What was it? The creature glowed with the shape-shifting form of something. She strained her eyes. It looked like a… “No!” she screamed, shutting her eyes and not daring to move. “Shibízhí, shibízhí, help me!” There was no response, and then it touched her skin, curling around her leg. Serena bolted up, heart pounding and sweating as she reached to turn on the bedside table lamp, but the broken light with its shattered bulb still lay on the floor. Partly yelling, partly sobbing, “Damn dream! Goddamned dream! Goddamned aunt! Eleven years and you still haunt me!” She steadied herself by taking two more pills. Wide awake, lying in near total darkness and still terrified, she tried to fall back to sleep. Jaws clenched tight, trying in vain to stop her teeth from chattering; she shivered, gooseflesh covering her arms held close against her chest. It touched me. It touched me. That’s never happened before… Excerpt Copyright © Victor Acquista. Shared with permission for blog tour. In the author's words . . . Q&A with Victor Acquista What makes Serpent Rising special or unique to you? Can you give us a little story behind the story? For me, incorporating social messaging is an important element in creating fictional stories and characters. I want to expose some aspect of the human condition and have readers engage in thought provoking ways while still enjoying an entertaining story with memorable characters. Humanity has difficulty distinguishing truth from falsehood; this leaves people vulnerable to propaganda and other mind control techniques. I wondered about why this reality characterizes the human condition. Although fake news and media spin are very much in the news lately, I realized that the battle between truth and falsehood has been present throughout human history. This led to my conceptualization of the great War of the Two Serpents. In this fictionalized battle, the forces attempting to control information and keep the masses of humanity in the dark have largely been victorious against the opposing factions that want information to be freely available. In a sense, this is also a battle between light and dark. I wanted the main character to be a champion for truth, and I wanted a female character to further characterize this War of the Two Serpents as also a battle between opposing masculine and feminine aspects of humanity. Readers familiar with suppression of the divine feminine will understand why I wanted a woman as my champion for truth. Mythology and esoteric teachings are areas of personal interest. Blending these with the social theme I wanted to explore, and the protagonist I envisioned, all provided the ingredients for a rich and detailed narrative. Tell as a little about what makes your main characters tick. Serena Mendez is a deeply flawed protagonist. She experienced a traumatic event in her childhood that led to PTSD. This event was actually a botched initiation into an order of Luminarians. When readers are first introduced to her, Serena’s childhood trauma acts as the backdrop for her dysfunction and accounts for some of her snarkiness. But it’s her excuse to run away from her destiny. In truth, she has genes tracing back to the Candelaria sect of truth warriors and Luminarians. They carry the flame of truth to dispel darkness and battle against the venomous lies of the enemy. This explains the series title, The Saga of Venom and Flame. But Serena is unaware of her role in this War of the Two Serpents. Until she recognizes and embraces her destiny, she will remain dysfunctional. Serena’s journey is one of discovery and transformation to eventually become a fully realized Candelaria. Although she is a reluctant heroine, she finds the courage to venture into the unknown on a quest to complete her training. All the time she is supported and encouraged by her friend, Bryson Reynolds. He is a genius with a photographic memory as well as a geeky hacker and expert in cyber security. Bryson has an interesting backstory including the mysterious death of his parents and their apparent involvement with the Illuminati. He is trying to understand how his father and his uncle are wrapped up in an apparent conspiracy and how Bryson’s story intersects with Serena’s. What type of hero do you like best? I’m partial to flawed heroes and heroines and I want them to have interesting backstories that account for the character flaws. I think perfect characters who have no flaws or weaknesses are boring. I find a character arc that includes confronting and/or overcoming their flaws to be appealing. Superman is boring even with his weakness to kryptonite. His bigger “weakness” is the conflict that is wrapped into his feelings towards Lois Lane. On top of this, he works to conceal his identity. He also has a soft spot for protecting innocent people. These character traits and how he wrestles with them are what make him interesting. I can’t talk about heroes without talking about villains. I like villains who have characteristics that people can relate to and the villains also need good backstories to explain why they are the way they are. The villains must also be reasonably matched or even somehow superior to the hero. Superman vs. ordinary bank robbers is not interesting, but battling criminal mastermind Lex Luther he is matched against a worthy opponent. In addition to a flawed hero that is interesting. The hero/heroine needs to be relatable. I want to be able to relate to the challenges and trials they are faced with. I want to route for their success but also feel their pain along the way. Are there particular themes or motifs wrestle with or address in your book? As mentioned previously, the main theme has to do with truth/falsehood and our collective vulnerability to mind control and manipulation. A secondary theme embedded into the novel relates to realizing one’s full potential in spite of being damaged. Yes, Serena Mendez is a flawed heroine, but she is capable of extraordinary accomplishments. In life, we are all the heroes and heroines of our own stories, our own personal narratives. How can we each maximize our full potential? This is something I want readers to ponder as they join Serena on her Circle training and quest. Perhaps readers will feel inspired by Serena as they travel with her on a journey of self-discovery. I believe in extended human capacities and want to encourage readers to be all that they are. My mother used to remind her seven children that, “A man’s reach must be further than his grasp.” I would like readers to believe their reach is much, much further than they realize. In Serpent Rising I introduce concepts related to DNA, chakra openings, kundalini, and esoteric teachings. It’s my hope that some readers will explore these concepts further, especially with respect to uncovering their full potential. Finally, I hope readers will be motivated to be truth seekers and Lightbringers in their own lives. What else have you written? I write cross-genre in both nonfiction and fiction. I’ve written two self-help books themed around health, wellness, and wellbeing: Pathways to Health—An Integral Guidebook and Health Wise–Integral Lessons in Transformation . These relate to my background as a primary care internist and my deep interest in Integral theory. Both books are easy reads and incorporate many holistic principles and practices. They both contain spiritual elements as I believe at our core we are spiritual beings. To exclude spirituality from discussions about health and wellbeing seems to me to be a serious oversight. I’ve authored a science fiction novel Sentient . This novel is about two highly advanced telepathic species with very different social structures. One is highly competitive and uses telepathy to gain individual advantage, the other is structured as a collective consciousness. When they collide, it results in near total genocide of one race. Their struggle to survive and how this relates to humanity’s evolution are all important story elements. The second novel in The Saga of Venom and Flame, titled Revelation , is set for release in 2021. This is the continuation of Serpent Rising and follows the efforts of Serena and Bryson to prevent the Illuminati from establishing a New World Order. I have five published short stories, three are in anthologies and two are stand alone. Finally, I recently completed the manuscript for a satire. The Author Victor Acquista has become an international author and speaker following his careers as a primary-care physician and medical executive. He is known for "Writing to Raise Consciousness." His multi-genre works include fiction and nonfiction and often incorporate social messaging to engage readers in thought-provoking themes. He is a member of the Authors Guild, the Mystery Writers of America, the Florida Writers Association, Writers Co-op, and is a Knight of the Sci-Fi Roundtable. When not pondering the big questions in life and what’s for dinner, he enjoys gardening and cooking. He lives with his wife and dog in Ave Maria, Florida. Visit him at victoracquista.com . Connect & Follow Twitter | Facebook Title: Serpent Rising Genre: Mystery/Suspense/Thriller/Contemporary Fiction Type: Novel Publisher: BHC Press Content Rating: PG View our rating system Thank you for visiting and reading! Feel inspired? Want others to experience the book magic? We hope you'll support this author by sharing with your friends. Have you read the book? Let us know your thoughts!

Voting is open for the December 2020 book cover contest. View the finalists and c ast your vote on the cover contest page.

Congratulations to Richard Buxton, author of The Copper Road , winner of the November 2020 Readers' Choice Cover Contest! Thank you to all those who participated and voted. Vote in the new contest .

" Simple Gifts turned out to be an utter delight. The characters and the storytelling were simply superb and lifted this book out of the ordinary into the unforgettable." — All About Romance Simple Gifts Christmas promises to be anything but merry for Robin Matthews who is waging a losing battle to keep her ranch and her family together. So when rugged ex-Marshal Nathaniel Hollister grudgingly agrees to help her run the Rocking M temporarily, he appears to be the answer to her prayers. But with Christmas fast approaching, Robin is going to need a miracle to keep from losing everything, including her heart to this kind but bitter man. Though his attraction to her is growing by the day, Nathaniel knows he is too world-weary for a decent young woman like Robin. Once the most infamous lawman in the West, he turned in his badge after a tragedy left him guilt stricken and disillusioned. And yet Nathaniel is about to discover that the magic of Christmas has a way of making the impossible possible... and turning wishes into simple gifts that can last a lifetime. Amazon | B&N Nook | Kobo | Smashwords The Author Anna DeForest wrote her first book-length piece of fiction in fifth grade. She taught history at the Colorado Heritage Center and a Denver private school. She was thrilled when Leisure Books bought her first historical romance, GOLDEN DREAMS. She was actually watching Sesame Street with her four-year-old when she received the good news call from her agent, but she managed to tear herself away from Big Bird long enough to listen to the terms of her new contract. Growing up in Colorado gave Anna a lifelong taste for outdoor activities such as hiking, riding and skiing. She also enjoys gardening, which is currently quite a challenge because armadillos keep rooting around in her garden in Dallas. Anna has always tried to write the kind of romances she likes to read—stories about warm, caring people who pursue their lives and loves with passion. These days, Anna is excited about offering four of her previously published romances to her new readers, along with three romances that have never been published before. Learn more at annadeforest.com Genre: Historical Holiday Romance / Western Type: Novel Series: High Country Marshals, Book 3 Release Date: November 3, 2020 Content Note: 2 Hearts View our rating system Thank you for visiting and reading! Feel inspired? Want others to experience the book magic? We hope you'll support this author by sharing with your friends. Have you read the book? Let us know your thoughts!

"Five sisters, five stories and five fantastic authors that created this amazing series." — Goodreads review Montana Wedding Can a fake date Become the real deal? Triplet Georgie Harrison will do anything to keep her family—including her newfound Blackwell relatives—from worrying about her. Which is exactly why she’s enlisted way-too-charming rodeo cowboy Zach Evans to be her fake boyfriend for her sister’s Montana ranch wedding. The problem is that Georgie’s not just tempted to fall for her own ruse…she’s also falling hard for the roguish cowboy she can never have. The Blackwell Sisters Book 1: Montana Welcome by Melinda Curtis Book 2: Montana Wishes by Amy Vastine Book 3: Montana Dreams by Anna J. Stewart Book 4: Montana Match by Carol Ross Book 5: Montana Wedding by Cari Lynn Webb Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Target | Book Depository | Harlequin Apple Books | Google | Kobo | BAM | IndieBound | Walmart Enjoy an Excerpt from Montana Wedding MY BOYFRIEND. GEORGIE just jumped in with both feet. Never mind that the last time she’d jumped in with both feet had been at summer camp in seventh grade. And she had ended up with a concussion and a broken arm. She strained to find her most convincing smile. Beside her, Zach wheezed as if he choked on air. “Pleasure to meet you all.” She was going to owe him. Big-time. “We’re pleased to welcome you to our home.” Dorothy clasped her hands together. “Let’s get your things inside and get you two settled.” “Zach, I’m not sure if Georgie explained that the guest cabins and the main guest lodge have been winterized,” Lily said, unaware that Georgie hadn’t explained anything. “Hadley and Ty Blackwell manage the guest ranch. They like to save on electric and utilities by closing down the guest cabins and rooms while it’s only our family at the ranch.” “Simon and I are in Lily’s former one-bedroom cabin. It’s the only one not closed for the winter.” Fiona’s words tumbled out in an excited rush. “But you two will have your own suite, with a bathroom and sitting room, here at Grandma Dot and Big E’s private home.” “That’s generous.” Again, Zach sounded winded, like he still hadn’t recovered from his air hiccup. Or Georgie’s outburst. Georgie wrapped her arm around Zach’s waist and searched for balance. “I’ll show you to your room. Zach can get your things later.” Dorothy led the way into her house. “Then I have to get my sewing supplies together. Georgie, we need to get you fitted for your bridesmaid dress before dinner.” “Grandma Dot is our seamstress.” Lily beamed from the entryway. “Fee and I need to run to Hadley’s to pick up the faux fur stoles she found for all of you. We’ll be right back for Georgie’s fitting.” “Be careful, you two.” Dorothy closed the thick oak door. “Come in. Come in. Help yourself to anything in the kitchen.” Georgie would race in there right now if she thought the pantry held the answers to what she should do next. The truth wound around her, ready to be spilled. Grandmother. Dorothy. It’s not what... “We want you to feel right at home.” Dorothy led them into the great room. A stone fireplace dominated one wall. Monogrammed stockings hung from the mantel, while lights twinkled in the lush holly-berry garland and wreath above it. Windows extended from the first floor up into the second story toward the vaulted ceiling and framed the snow-covered forest and frozen creek outside. A Christmas tree joined the kitchen and great room. A pie and holiday cookies waited on the granite countertops. Candles burned on the island. Vanilla and cinnamon scented the air. Fleece blankets and throw pillows, announcing joy and glad tidings, covered the oversized couch and love seat. The padded bar stools around the island invited guests to sit and stay for a while. Georgie felt instantly warm and welcomed inside Dorothy’s home. And ready now to confess. “Thank you for letting us stay here.” “You’re family and will always have a place here,” Dorothy said. Maybe not. Not once her grandmother learned the truth about their deception. Speak now or forever hold your peace. Zach wasn’t Georgie’s groom, only a fake wedding date. Excerpt Copyright © Cari Lynn Webb. Shared with permission for the blog tour. The Author Cari Lynn Webb lives in South Carolina with her husband, daughters and assorted four-legged family members. She's been blessed to see the power of true love in her grandparent's 70 year marriage and her parent's marriage of over 50 years. She knows love isn't always sweet and perfect, it can be challenging, complicated and risky. But she believes happily-ever-afters are worth fighting for. She loves to connect with readers. Visit her at her website. Learn more at carilynnwebb.com Connect on Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram Genre: Contemporary Romance Type: Novel Release Date: December 1, 2020 Series: The Blackwell Sisters, Book 5 Content Note: 2 Hearts View our rating system One winner will receive a $50 Amazon e-Gift Card and a Holiday Goodie Bag, to include holiday books, an ornament, and candy. Open to US only. By entering the giveaway, you are confirming you are at least 18 years old. Void where prohibited by law. This giveaway ends December 11, 2020. This giveaway is sponsored by the author and hosted by Prism Book Tours. Good luck everyone! Thank you for visiting and reading! Feel inspired? Want others to experience the book magic? We hope you'll support this author by sharing with your friends. Have you read the book? Let us know your thoughts!