Spotlight: Excerpt from Tall, Dark and December by Tracy Sumner

 

In a city where every scandal and secret counts, iron-willed inventor Weston Witaker’s world is turned upside down by Lady Penelope, leaving him determined to win her heart. Readers who love Kathleen Ayers, Lisa Kleypas, and Sarah MacLean will devour Tall, Dark and December by Tracy Sumner, a steamy, reverse age-gap, My Fair Lady retelling.

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USA Today bestselling author, Tracy Sumner, crafts her signature sizzling style into an emotional, witty, standalone romance. An American scoundrel falls for his etiquette teacher in this steamy Regency romp!

- Reverse age gap
- Hero falls first
- My Fair Lady retelling
- Brothers & bromance!
- STEAM

In the frosty heart of Regency London, American engineer Weston Whitaker has arrived with a singular purpose: to perfect his steam-powered inventions. But his reckless disregard for England’s stifling social codes earns him a notorious reputation as “Tall, Dark, and December”, putting his project—and his prospects—in jeopardy. Bound by blood to a powerful duke, West is reluctantly drawn into society’s gilded web, where every glance and rumor can make or break him.

Tasked with taming this brooding American is Lady Penelope, London’s sharpest etiquette tutor and a woman who embodies the very aristocracy West disdains. Yet, beneath her proper exterior, Penelope is as fierce and unconventional as he is, and West finds himself captivated by her bold mind and dangerous wit. As sparks fly between them, Penelope battles to remain detached, unwilling to fall for a man who could so easily unravel her carefully constructed life.

When West’s secrets threaten to shatter their budding love, he must decide to confront the family he never wanted or leave England—and the woman he’s falling for—forever. In a city where every scandal and secret counts, can this iron-willed inventor win the heart of the woman who’s turned his world upside down?
 

 
 
Excerpt
Copyright 2024, Tracy Sumner
Where a lady recalls what desire feels like.
He was a mess. A grand, gorgeous mess.
One she’d been hired to clean up.
Penelope stood in the entryway of the warehouse’s sprawling main room, the box she’d brought for their lessons filling her arms. She’d agreed to this location without initial consideration of the fact that none of the items she needed for instruction would be housed in a working space. Place settings, cutlery, and the like. Hence, her arrival a day early to ensure they were prepared to start tomorrow.
Plus, she’d been too bloody curious to stay away another minute.
Her breath slowed as she sighted her erstwhile pupil leaning over a partially disassembled engine, a wrench in his hand as he adjusted a part. He was dressed more carelessly than any man she’d seen since her downfall, thin cotton stained with sweat clinging wonderfully to the straining muscles of his arms and shoulders. His midnight hair disheveled, his trousers rumpled and being held on his lean form by braces that cut a sharp, incongruent crease down the center of his back. Light blazed from an assortment of lamps and fixtures, a brilliant burst raining over him.
It was quite the presentation.
Pulling her attention away before she was too taken by the scene, Penelope lifted her gaze to the detailed sketches and calculations tacked to the wall, and the books tumbled around his feet, pencils jammed in the open folds as if the reader had taken flight during the browsing. The collection spoke of intellect and industry, passion and progress, a life being led without compromise.
For the first time in years, Penelope Anstruther-Colbrook seized temptation simply because…
…she wanted to.
Leaning against the scarred doorjamb, the sounds and scents of Weston Whitaker’s world flowed through her. In Limehouse, of all places, a realm she’d never seen and certainly never been invited to, this time purely due to commerce. The acrid odor of heated oil mixing with a salty brine straight off the Thames danced across her nose, the thrum of spinning cylinders and the soft burst of steam presenting a strangely calming murmur. In the distance, shouts from the dock and the bang of goods being unloaded whistled through gaps in the warehouse’s planks.
Nothing was as it should be here, and she’d be lying if she said she wanted it to be.
She shifted the box in her arms with a shiver of expectation, the penny in her skirt pocket warm against her thigh. Her life had become incredibly staid by design while the man across from her was more vibrant than a post-squall sunset—bursts of color like those she spilled across repurposed canvases in an effort to save her purse and calm her mind.
The moment spoke of revelation, one she couldn’t define.
Stretching to reach a section of the engine, Mr. Whitaker’s untucked shirttail rode high, revealing a sliver of skin above his waistband—a moment’s view, quickly lost. The leanness of his body wasn’t a surprise, nor was the sight of firm muscle at his hip. It was the contrast with Neville’s flaccid outline that had her sighing in regret.
And appreciation.
For a brief summer, she’d investigated the male form in all its glory. Shocking to some, perhaps, but she’d liked her research. Memories, new and old, swept past. She feared her spectacle lenses fogging from her rapid breaths if she didn’t calm herself.
Startled by a sound, Mr. Whitaker looked up as the wrench twisted in his hand. Muttering a curse, he let the tool slide free and brought his curled fist to his chest.
Then, she noticed the blood trailing down his wrist.
Penelope was across the room before either of them had time to utter a syllable. Placing her box atop a crate, she dug around until she came up with a napkin. Starched linen with her family’s initials embroidered in the corner, but it would do.
“It’s just a scratch,” he said, though he winced when he flexed his hand.
Rolling her eyes, she pointed to the barrel at his side. “Sit.”
Her firm tone prompted a flashing grin that only made him more attractive, she was vexed to note. Nonetheless, he complied, perching his bottom on the rusted iron rim, his hand cradled between his spread legs. “Do your worst, then, Penny, me gal.”
Sighing, she stepped gingerly over strips of leather, an errant nail, and various tools she had no name for. “Lady Penelope if you please.”
His penetrating gaze cut her way, taking her apart and putting her together again like one of his mechanisms as the seconds ticked away. “What if I don’t please? Has any Englishman in history ever been courageous enough to ask?”
 
About Tracy Sumner

USA Today Bestselling author Tracy Sumner’s storytelling career began when she picked up a historical romance on a college beach trip, and she fondly blames LaVyrle Spencer for her obsession with the genre. She’s a recipient of the National Reader’s Choice, HOLT Medallion, Golden Leaf, and Georgia Romance Writer's MAGGIE. When she's not writing sizzling love stories about feisty heroines and their temperamental-but-entirely-lovable heroes, Tracy enjoys reading, snowboarding, college football (Go Tigers!), yoga, and travel.
 
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Review: Christmas with the Lords by Hannah Langdon

Author: Hannah Langdon
Publisher: Blackstone Audio
Publication Date: September 2023

 URGENTLY a nanny for Christmas . Seeking an adventurous nanny to work for the aristocratic Lord family at their country estate. Must love naughty dogs, mischievous children and have a high tolerance for Christmas chaos. Room and board provided. Penny Windlesham is stunned when her long-term boyfriend suddenly dumps her, leaving her with a broken heart just in time for Christmas . At a loose end, she accepts a job as a short-term nanny to a family she’s never met. Climbing aboard a train bound for the Dorset countryside, a tear rolls down her cheek. 

Alone, working and amongst strangers… could her Christmas be any less magical? As she crunches up the family’s frost-covered drive, Penny’s spirits lift when she glimpses her home for the next an enormous manor house, its windows glowing with firelight and festooned with twinkling holly. And, as she settles into her role caring for the adorable Lord children, she finds herself surrounded by a quirky cast of characters, including loveably frazzled Spanish chef Pilar and the children’s grouchy uncle, Lando Lord. Despite Penny’s attempts to avoid him, the darkly handsome Lando seems to be everywhere – hanging around like Scrooge amidst the happy present-wrapping and gingerbread baking. Apparently he wasn’t always this way… is there some secret reason he’s so cranky at Christmas? 

When Lando is commissioned to carve a beautiful new Nativity scene for the local church, Penny blushingly agrees to be his model, and a sudden spark flickers between them. But it’s not long before the past comes knocking, and Penny discovers exactly why Lando left his old life behind… A heartwarming and feel-good holiday story full of Christmas magic! Fans of Beth Moran, Donna Ashcroft and Trisha Ashley will love Christmas with the Lords .

Christmas with the Lords was an over the top, quirky romance that really disappointed me.  I was hoping for a cute and cozy Christmas romance.  I'm not sure where the romance was in this book.  There was zero chemistry between Lando and Penny.  I'm not sure when they fell in love.  I mean they didn't kiss and Penny is thinking marriage after sitting for him twice for his sculpture. It was like a week or so after getting dumped by her boyfriend.  Don't get me started on the ridiculous scenario where they both exes show up and cause issues.  The rest of the family and characters were all "quirky' almost to exhaustion.  And you know they are unusual because everyone in the town will tell you they are. I would have been tired of working in the house.  I don't really recommend this one.  It probably should have been a DNF.

Review: Winning Her Duke by Allison B. Hanson

Author: Allison B. Hanson
Publisher: Blackstone Publishing (audiobook)
Publication Date: February 2024

When Gia Landon is tricked into a London season by her father, she is pleased to have found a friend who shares her love of horses in the Duke of Roxburghe. The surly Scot enjoys living in London and hates the country, while Gia despises everything about society.

Hale knows Gia has no intention of marrying. She is simply biding her time until her father gives up and allows her to return to the country. Which means there is no danger in spending his days in her company discussing their one true love…race horses.

But soon, their shared love of all things equine begins to grow, and a friendship they thought was safe tempts them into crossing the line into scandal.

In Winning Her Duke,  Gia never wanted a season. She just wants to take care of her horses and live in the country.  She hates London society.  Hale has no desire to marry either. Although he does enjoy the city and a good ball.  Their unexpected friendship and love of horses poses a perfect solution to keep the suitors at bay.   I thought this was  a really adorable romance.  I enjoyed watching Gia and Hale fall for each other. They were really cute as they fought their attraction. Their friendship first made it all the more sweet when they got to their HEA.  My only real complaint was the "miscommunication" toward the end.  It was unnecessary and frustrating.  This is the first in a series, so I will be continuing with the next book soon. 

Review: The Five Year Lie by Sarina Bowen

Author: Sarina Bowen
Publisher: HarperAudio
Publication date: May 2024

She thought it was love. Then he vanished.
On an ordinary Monday morning, Ariel Cafferty's phone buzzes with a disturbing text message. Something’s happened. I need to see you. Meet me under the candelabra tree ASAP. The words would be jarring from anyone, but the sender is the only man she ever loved. And it's been several years since she learned he died.

Seeing Drew’s name pop up is heart-stopping. Ariel’s gut says it can’t be real. But she goes to the tree anyway. She has to.

Nobody shows. But the text upends everything she thought she knew about the day he left her. The more questions she asks, the more sinister the answers get. Only two things are clear: everything she was told five years ago is wrong, and someone is still lying to her.

The truth has to be out there somewhere. To safeguard herself—and her son—she’ll have to find it before it finds her. And with it, the answer to what became of Drew.

The Five Year Lie was a pleasant surprise. In it, the father of Ariel's son disappeared 5 years before.  Right around the time of the death of her father occurred.  One day she gets a text from him to meet up.  This sets off a quest to figure out what really happened five years earlier.

I initially thought I had it all figured out as there is one part of the reveal that is pretty obvious. But there was a twist that I didn't see coming.  It ended up being something completely different than what I thought it would be.  I loved Ariel's character.  From flashbacks, you can really see growth she went through to get to where she was in the present day.  I liked that she didn't give up in trying to figure out what happened to Drew.  I won't spoil the book for you.  Instead I will definitely recommend it to you.

Spotlight: Excerpt from When Stars Fall by W. Million

 

When I got my first big break, I was thrilled to be co-starring with Wyatt Burgess and thought I could handle life with him. But, when his best friend overdoses outside a nightclub, Wyatt spirals deeper into his addictions. After ten years of heartache, I’m content with the life I created and the last thing I expected was to see Wyatt on TV, telling the world his biggest regret is losing me. Readers who love second-chance romances will consume When Stars Fall by Wendy Million, a forced proximity, celebrity romance.

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He's the most famous movie star in the world, and now he's on my doorstep begging for a second chance.
When I got my first big break, I was thrilled to be co-starring with the Wyatt Burgess–former childhood star, charismatic, sexy as hell–and heavily dependent on drugs and alcohol.
I thought I could handle life with him, and I did for a while. But after his best friend overdosed outside a nightclub, he spiraled deeper into his addictions. Desperate, I gave him an ultimatum: the lifestyle or me.
After ten years of heartache, I’ve carved out a life that makes me feel stable and content. The last thing I expect is Wyatt Burgess on my television screen, telling the whole world his biggest regret is losing me.
Now he’s standing in front of me, forcing me to choose between the comfortable life I’ve created and the passionate whirlwind that allowing him back into my life could bring.
But I wasn’t one hundred percent honest when I left, and I fear he’ll never forgive me. 

 
Excerpt
Copyright 2024, Wendy Million

Wyatt
Present Day
I’m sweating. Profusely. It’s disgusting. I tug at the collar of my freshly pressed shirt and loosen my tie. I’ll tighten it before I go on set.
Leaning forward on the couch, I grab my water from the coffee table. Bottles of alcohol line the bar to the right. A sign encourages everyone to help themselves. There is nothing worse than wanting a drink, being surrounded by alcohol, and not being able to have any. I need to be sober for this interview. Ellie will see it.
I grab some candy off the table and pop it into my mouth, chewing slowly. The greenroom is a weird shade of lime. Whenever I’m in a green waiting area, I’m always disappointed. We’re in a creative business—lime isn’t creative; it’s just hard on my eyes. Jackson Billows, the host of the late-night program, probably thinks the color is hilarious.
I wiggle my back along the too-stiff couch. Maybe I’ve been doing this whole scene too long. Few things in the entertainment business surprise me anymore. Of course, having this big a stage, a platform for my announcement, is helpful. Surprises may be few and far between for me personally, but I can still deliver a couple.
“You’re on in five, Mr. Burgess.” A dark-haired man pops his head into the room.
I nod. Say nothing. Check my phone again. The few people who understand my plan are reluctantly on board. A last-minute Break a leg text rolls in. I turn off my ringer, readjust my tie and collar. My suit jacket is stifling, but she used to like me suited and booted. Every advantage is necessary. I’m about to blow up her life.
For ten years, Ellie has been coordinating her projects and schedule to avoid me. We’ve developed an unspoken agreement to keep each other and Isaac, my best friend, out of the press. The weight of his death has remained ours to carry.
Jackson enters from the hidden side door. “You all right, buddy?” He perches on a chair across from me.
“Sweating like a pig.”
“It’s been ten years, man. This will be great television, don’t get me wrong, but Ellie is going to eat your nuts for breakfast tomorrow.”
“I picked you for a reason, Jack. Don’t let me down.” I drain the rest of my water and wish the liquid was something much stronger.
“We could have booked you both on the show. Left you here in the greenroom to sort out your issues in private.” Jackson stands.
“She’d have canceled. Whenever she’s gotten wind I’m in the area, her cavalry rides to the rescue. I even flew to Bermuda and not one person—not one,” I say, holding up a finger, “would tell me where she lived.”
“What makes you think she’s going to take any notice of you this time?” he asks.
“She’ll have no choice.” Certainty washes over me, and I point to my phone. “Finally got her address. I’m headed to the airport as soon as we’re done.”
“Ten years and you’re just going to show up on her doorstep? Do you need the public spectacle first?”
He has a point, but if I go without the spectacle, she’ll slam the door in my face. “I’m trying to make it impossible for her to say no.”
“I hope that doesn’t make it hard for her to say yes later.” Jack arches his eyebrows.
Truthfully, I haven’t thought that far in advance. All I’ve done is organize Operation Get Her to Talk to Me. The rest will fall into place. A long time ago, I was her kryptonite. God knows she’s always been mine.
The doors split as we walk toward the set. Jack heads to the stage and I stand in the wings, waiting to make my entrance.
By midnight tonight, she’ll realize I’m done with our unspoken truce.
I’m coming for you, Ellie.
Jackson gives his rambling introduction, then I strut onto the set. The crowd goes wild, and I drop into my seat. I adjust my jacket and wave to the audience as the screams die down.
Jackson’s right about one thing: Ellie will not take this well.
 
About Wendy Million

Wendy Million is an award-winning author whose contemporary romances about strong women and troubled men have captivated her loyal readers. She is the author of the contemporary second-chance romances, When Stars Fall and Miss Matched. Writing as W. Million, she is the author of the Bellerive Royals series, the Tucker Billionaires series, and the Little Falls series. When not writing, Wendy enjoys spending time in or around the water. She lives in Ontario, Canada with two beautiful daughters, two cute pooches, and one handsome husband (who is grateful she doesn’t need two of those).
 
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Spotlight: Excerpt from Bleeding Heart by Tricia T. LaRochelle

 

Danger lurks in the shadows as Sara and Scott's idyllic holiday takes a sinister turn. With a violent convict named Randy Meyers on the loose, every moment becomes a battle for survival. Will their love withstand the looming threat, or will it crumble under the weight of uncertainty? Readers who enjoy romantic suspense and strong heroines will devour Bleeding Heart by Tricia T. LaRochelle, the fourth installment of the Sara Browne series.

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Sara Williams yearns for a tranquil existence as she embraces her new life as a teacher and wife. Her ultimate desire is to cultivate a sense of security and simplicity alongside her husband, Scott.
But the escape of a notorious convict, Randy Meyers, disrupts Sara's and Scott’s newfound stability, unleashing a wave of fear and uncertainty.

While danger looms, Sara is offered an unforeseen opportunity that threatens her future with Scott. Amidst the chaos of Christmastime, Sara and Scott's love is put to the ultimate test. With each twist and turn, they must decide: will they let fear dictate their destiny, or will they embrace the unknown with open arms?

The heart that beats the hardest is the one that refuses to bleed out hope. Dive into Sara’s world and witness the true mettle of the Christmas spirit.

 
Excerpt
Copyright 2024, Tricia T. LaRochelle
 
I awoke to the light of the moon filtering in through the plantation blinds, our room quiet as a mouse. The measure of Scott’s breathing told me he was out cold. I turned over to face my clock that flashed 2:33 a.m. with its neon-blue digits. Why was I awake? A dry mouth answered me. Thirst. I did eat a lot of pizza, and I did have two cosmos. I sat up, trying to rouse my mind enough to head to the bathroom to get some water.
All at once, a noise came out of nowhere. What was that?
I froze. Was it the wind hitting the house? The forecast had called for high winds, the enemy of outdoor Christmas decorations. Plus, this house was new, and I needed to get acquainted with its creaks and gentle moans. A nearby oak cast its shadowy branches across my window, and I found myself imagining it waving hello.
I lowered my feet to the floor and stood, my body suddenly cold. After making love, I often slept naked next to Scott, but in the winter, my shoulders had a way of chilling the rest of my body. Realizing this, I shuffled over to my closet and grabbed a nightshirt and pants made of brushed cotton.
Another sound came from … upstairs? I gazed at the ceiling. Was it a scrape or …? I struggled to process.
And then bang.
My heart practically leaped out of my chest.
Okay, that wasn’t the wind. And that wasn’t a tree, either, unless one was coming through our second floor right now. I crept over to Scott and shook his shoulders. “Scott, I heard a noise upstairs.” Terror engulfed my senses, making it difficult to breathe.
All I could think was is it the escaped convict, Randy?
 
 
 
About Tricia T. LaRochelle

Since she was a little girl, award-winning author Tricia T. LaRochelle has been obsessed with tragic love stories. No beach reads for her. Bring on the grit with a double side of turmoil. She likes to feel the character’s anguish as they fight to overcome obstacles to be together. Growing up in central Vermont, she has seen her share of tragedy but remains a hopeful romantic. She now lives in central Virginia, where she continues to foster the possibilities of how love can conquer all.

Flickering Heart, part of her Sara Browne series, won a Gold Medal in the 2023 Readers’ Favorite Contest for New Adult and was a first-place winner in the 2022 Incipere Awards for romance. Revive received an Honorable Mention in the 2022 Incipere Awards for romance in the same series. Her stand-alone contemporary, Sun in My Heart, won second place in the 2024 Bookfest Awards for Romance-Contemporary Romance-New Adult and a Bronze Medal in the 2024 Readers’ Favorite Contest for New Adult Fiction. Her next installment in the Sara Browne Series, Bleeding Heart – A Holiday Romance launches December, 3^rd 2024.

Subscribe to her newsletter at tricialarochelle.com and receive updates and opportunities to win prizes or follow her on X, Threads, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, or Pinterest.
 
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Blog Tour: Guest Post form George Almond, Author of Even Higher Then Everest

Author: George Almond
Publisher: Paragon Publishing
Publication Date: October 26, 2018
Pages: 274
Genre: Historical Fiction/Adventure Fiction/Biographical Fiction
  
EVEN HIGHER THAN EVEREST is a vastly entertaining, fact-based, yet dramatized story of a London cockney heiress who, in the 1930s, sent a small fleet of double winger biplanes on a daring and remarkably dangerous mission to fly over Mt. Everest and film the world’s highest and most famous mountain peak.
 
Author George Almond met the Himalayan heroes (Sherpa Tenzing and Lord Hunt), who explained how the first aerial photographs, taken in 1933, assisted their heroic ascent of Everest in 1953. Captivated by this dazzling and little known tale, the book - Even Higher than Everest - is a dramatized recount of the tenacity of the heiress Lucy Houston and her team of prestigious aviators whose five aircraft flew to the world's highest mountains. 

A short 1930s film from footage of Houston’s flight, titled Wings Over Everest, won an Oscar in 1936 from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wings_Over_Everest 
 
Commenting on his work, author George Almond says: “Inspired by true events of that first flight over Everest, the novel Even Higher Than Everest follows skilled personnel in finance, diplomacy, media, filming, engineering and aviation, all aiming for a shared objective. How these characters blended successfully, overcoming constant setbacks and challenges, was in itself a major accomplishment. I have followed the truth, tweaking just a few elements, in recounting the event.”

The Inspiration Behind Even Higher Than Everest

By George Almond

Being a serial adventurer myself, I was immediately drawn to the story when Lord Hunt and Norgay Tenzing (the first man to successfully climb Everest) revealed how they had examined aerial photos taken by the pilots in 1933 to identify the best routes to the top.  Due diligence came no higher! 
After spending time on square-rigged ships, I was impressed that the heroine of my story, Lucy Houston, had bought the beautiful steam yacht Liberty which had been built for Joseph Pulitzer, one of Americas's enduring and prominent leaders. 
My lawyer in Century City advised me write the story and then Oscar winner screenwriter Julian Fellowes (Downton Abbey) added valuable impetus because his relative had led the 1933 flight expedition.
Once I started on my archive hunt, there was no stopping me.  I went to all the original locations: Houses of Parliament, Westland aircraft factory, RAF Museum, Kinrara (Lucy Houston's priceless estate in Scotland), the Maharaja of Jodhpur's hunting lodge, the Terai jungle and then the foothills of Everest. In the photographic archive of The Times in London, I found a box of precious photographs which described the rest of the story. 
From a junkyard for retired RAF aircraft, we found the wreck of the only surviving biplane which is helping us finalise manufacture of a new Everest-enabled biplane (Lucy2). For this associated venture, I am supported by highly experienced professional British and American pilots who agree, like many of the world's 500,000 pilots, that touring the Himalayan peaks in a single engine open double winger riding invisible currents as wild as Hawaiian surf is no place for scaredy-cats!
Along the fascinating turns on my journey, many significant film professionals have urged me to continue. Sadly I'm no natural author. I did not study English when I was at Oxford University so the finer points of literature may be missing in my text, but hopefully the story will give great credence to those who can admire the 35 men under Lucy Houston's patronage who created a unique moment in Everest's history.
I turned to Amazon for publishing my novel and am pleased that I did so.

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About the Author
 

George Almond, the grandson of a Wyoming horse rancher, enjoys revisiting great adventures. Born in London and educated in France and Oxford University he has ridden horseback 1500 miles across Europe, worked for Calgary Stampede's Champion Chuck Wagon driver,  sailed two oceans with the world's most experienced square-rig sea captain, taken the Flying Scotsman steam train from Boston to Houston where he was hired by Neiman Marcus. These days Almond makes his home in Europe, working on other books, including one about Jack Rackham and his two lady pirates who formerly sailed the Caribbean, preying upon merchant vessels.

Spotlight: Voices From Beyond by Fran Lewis

VOICES FROM BEYOND

by Fran Lewis

December 9-13, 2024 Book Blast

Synopsis:

As the book unfolds, each person you meet is given a chance to repent or suffer the mirror's unique form of hideous justice. Be careful doing wrong because the mirror waits for you...

Here are seven stories that will bring chills down your spine and make you wonder: what lies behind the stones? Who lives here? Each voice you will hear has been silenced by the evil of others. Rosie and many others in the camps were tortured and enslaved, and not allowed to speak out at all. Bertha’s voice was never heard by her aunt, who used her for cooking, cleaning, and even servicing men for money.

Next is a teacher who believed that children should be seen and not ever heard, and their opinions were off limits. Sarah Jones knew the secret that her cousin Benita was hiding, and what she had done to her mother. Sarah would bide her time and take on not only Benita but others, too. This is the story of how Sarah Jones decided to fight back. But did she succeed?

Finally, there are several who have wronged so many, and these last three remain behind stones that barely stand straight, where their names are engraved but covered with mud and soil so that no one will ever give them the honor of saying a prayer over them or mourning their deaths. These three come from different walks of life: one is a lawyer, another an accountant, and the third a judge. What are they guilty of? Read their stories as they tell them, and you decide if their fates were just or not, as they blackmailed and threatened so many whose voices, you’ll learn, were silenced in fear.

Within this world, many gain wealth by taking what belongs to others. There is a catch to this, as I will decide the fate of each person as they spend time in my special mirrors facing what they have done. If they show remorse, they have one fate. If not, they will belong to me!

Book Details:

Genre: Psychological Thriller
Published by: Royal Flush Publishing
Publication Date: October 28, 2024
Number of Pages: 60
ASIN: B0D1QM7Y9Z
Book Links: Amazon | Goodreads

 

Author Bio:

Fran worked in the NYC Public Schools as the Reading and Writing Staff Developer for over 36 years. She has three masters degrees and a PD in Supervision and Administration. Currently, she is a member of Who's Who of America's Teachers and Who's Who of America's Executives from Cambridge.‬‬

‬

Fran is the author of more than 14 titles including three children's books. She has written several books on Alzheimer's disease in order to honor her mom and help create more awareness for a cure. These include Memories are Precious: Alzheimer’s Journey; Ruth’s Story and Sharp as a Tack and Scrambled Eggs Which Describes Your Brain?. She also wrote A Daughter’s Promise about her walk through the disease with her mother. ‪Fran is the author of the Faces Behind the Stones series, a middle school series featuring stories growing up in the Bronx with her sister and MJ magazine. Voices from Beyond is her latest book which was preceded by Mirror Image, What If?, Population Zero, and Accusations.‬

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Spotlight: Excerpt from The Greatest Lie by Jillian Cantor

 

Jillian Cantor
ISBN: 9780778387312
Publication Date: November 6, 2024
Publisher: Park Row Books

A young actress receives the role of a lifetime—playing a famous romance writer in a major biopic. But when she discovers a shocking secret about the author’s past, she realizes her own participation in the biopic is no coincidence. Perfect for fans of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo.

Fledgling actress Amelia Grant is at rock bottom when offered the opportunity of a lifetime: to play world-renowned romance author, Gloria Diamond, in a biopic. To prepare for the role, she'll spend a week with Gloria at her secluded Washington estate. It's a chance to get out of L.A., away from her cheating ex-boyfriend, and to make her recently deceased mother proud, who was Gloria's biggest fan.
Amelia's excitement is short-lived, however, once she arrives at the estate. Gloria is cold, verging on rude, and so different than her public persona – a widow-turned-romance writer who used her own whirlwind love story as inspiration for her books. But when Amelia stumbles upon a secret from Gloria's past, she realizes Gloria's life story is more fiction than fact, and Amelia’s own participation in the biopic is no coincidence.

Told in alternating points of view—Amelia in the present day and Gloria in the past—the novel examines what it means to be a woman and an artist, and what lengths a woman will ultimately go to protect herself and her passions.
 
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Excerpt:

Prologue

Amelia

Sometimes the end of everything sneaks up on you when you least expect it. 

I read that once, in a Gloria Diamond novel. Only she was referring to an asteroid. For me, the end came as a 32 DD red lace bra. 

It happened on a rare rainy day in LA, two months after my thirty-third birthday. Two days after my mother had died. 

She had collapsed quite suddenly in her garden, my mother. And forty-eight hours later, I found myself numb and standing in the open doorway of my walk-in closet in my underwear. I knew I needed something to wear to the funeral home to discuss arrangements, but I couldn’t figure out how to step inside the closet and choose what that should be. Young woman with newly dead mother. It was a role I didn’t yet understand and didn’t want. I stared at all my clothes blindly, as if I’d never seen any of them before. 

“How about this?” Jase stepped around me, walked into the closet and pulled out a hanger with a simple black shift dress. Was it mine? I had no memory of buying it. The tags were still on. 

“She hated black,” I reminded him. My mother had been in love with color, from the pink azaleas in her garden to the color-splattered abstract art she made in her studio to the bright orange plates she’d serve us brunch on each Sunday. 

Jase raised his eyebrows, and I took the dress from him, ripped off the tags and quickly slipped into it. I glanced at myself in the floor-length mirror. The dress was shapeless, and I looked pale and powerless. 

Jase walked up behind me and hugged me, whispering one more apology over not being able to accompany me this morning. His shooting schedule was intense. The director would get mad if he called out last minute. 

“It’s fine,” I told him, again. Work was work. And he had fought so hard to get this far. It wasn’t like I could be mad he hadn’t planned ahead. No one could’ve expected my healthy fifty-eight-year-old mother to collapse in her azaleas when shooting schedules had been made. I’d just wrapped shooting on a supporting role in an indie film, so luckily my schedule this week was clear. My mother always had impeccable timing. 

“Are you sure?” Jase released the words slowly, tickling my ear with his breath. When I nodded, he spun me around, planted a gentle kiss on my forehead. He took a step back, nodded approvingly as he glanced over the blah black dress, then flashed what I knew by then was his TV-doctor sexy grin. The smile was an apology, or a promise, or maybe by then it was more like a tic. Since he’d taken on the role of heart surgeon/ heartthrob on the überpopular Seattle Med last year, my boyfriend’s face had become familiar to every woman in America. But it had come to feel strangely unfamiliar to me. 

“I’ll be okay,” I heard myself saying. And in spite of everything, I was still a good actress. I sold it. 

“I know,” he said easily. Then he shouted after me as I walked out: “Call me if you need anything, though.” 

“I won’t,” I yelled back. 

But it turned out, I did need something. 

Halfway to Pasadena on the 10, I realized I hadn’t grabbed my wallet, and I called Jase to see if he had time before the shoot to drop it off, or if he could at least text me a picture of my credit card so I had the number to pay. But Jase didn’t pick up, and if he’d already left for his shoot, he’d be no help. 

I sighed and got off the next exit on the freeway to circle back. I knew I would be late for the appointment now; my mother had abhorred lateness and, more, she had never understood what she termed my spaciness—a lifetime of forgotten wallets and missing socks. But then it hit me, she would never know about this. A dead woman couldn’t get angry. And suddenly I had to pull off to the side of the on-ramp because I couldn’t see the road through my tears. 

By the time I made it back to our apartment again, my face was puffy from crying, and I clutched a crumpled tissue in my hand as I unlocked the door. I was blowing my nose as I walked inside, so I almost didn’t notice that random red bra strewn across the floor until my foot caught on it in my path to the bedroom. 

And even then, I disentangled it from my foot, picked it up and tossed it aside. I couldn’t process what it was, why it was there. I kept on walking like an idiot to my bedroom; all I knew in that moment was that my wallet was still sitting on my dresser. I opened my bedroom door and suddenly everything—and nothing—made sense. Jase was lying on our bed completely naked, a blonde woman with too-bronze skin, also completely naked, straddling on top of him. 

“Jase?” I ran toward the bed and said his name like I was in some stupid movie of the week, and I was too naive to understand what was happening. What had been happening, right in front of me. 

The naked woman turned at the sound of my voice and then I recognized her: Celeste Templeton, Jase’s gorgeous twenty-two-year-old Seattle Med costar. 

I had this weird moment after she turned where I was nearly eye level with her breasts, and I found myself wondering if they were real. They couldn’t be. No one had authentic breasts that large and that perfectly symmetrical. Did they? 

“Shit, Melly. It’s not what you think,” Jase said. But he didn’t move right away, and neither did she. Until she finally shifted off him to grab a blanket and I noticed her breasts barely moved. Definitely fake. I was trapped inside some awful cliché, and all I wanted to do was run. I had to get out. 

“I forgot my wallet,” I finally heard myself saying, my voice coming from somewhere far away, above me, apart from me, the way it did when I auditioned for a role. I grabbed my wallet from the dresser and tore out of the room, then out of our apartment. 

Just as I stepped outside, it started to rain. It had been raining on and off all week, and rain had been forecasted for today too. But I stood there, letting the water wash over me because, of course, I’d forgotten my umbrella too. And there was no way I was going back inside for it now. 

Water flattened my curls and ran down my face, pelted my arms and soaked my ugly dress. My skin felt both numb and raw at once. But I stood there, in the rain, as the understanding hit me, that everything I was and everything I thought I knew, suddenly it was gone, just like that.

Excerpted from THE GREATESE LIE OF ALL by Jillian Cantor, Copyright © 2024 by Jillian Cantor. Published by Park Row Books, an imprint of HarperCollins.

 
About the Author:

Jillian Cantor is the USA Today and internationally bestselling author of eleven novels for teens and adults, which have been chosen for LibraryReads, Indie Next, Amazon Best of the Month, and have been translated into 13 languages. She has a BA in English from Penn State University and an MFA from the University of Arizona. Born and raised in a suburb of Philadelphia, Cantor currently lives in Arizona with her husband and two sons.

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Blog Tour: Review & Giveaway of Grammie and Pupa's House by Daisy Butterfield

 

Category:  Children's Fiction (Ages 3-12),  72 pages
Genre: Children's Fiction
Publisher: Daisy Butterfield Press
Release date:  September 30, 2024
Content Rating:  G:The story follows Daisy during an afternoon at her grandparents house making snacks, planting the garden, playing cards, and enjoying the warmth and love of her grandparents.

Welcome to Grammie and Pupa's House!

The door is always open and everyone is welcome in as the smell of fresh baked pies and cookies lingers in the kitchen air. So, pour a cup of tea and sit down and relax. It is my pleasure to share with you a day in the life of Grammie and Pupa as seen through the eyes of their granddaughter, Daisy.

Buy the Book:
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My thoughts:

Grammie and Pupa's House is an adorable children's book that follows the adventures of little Daisy as she spends a day with her grandparents.  From gardening and putting up the US flag on the flag pole to  learning the fine art of making tea and cooking with Grammie, Daisy's day is full of fun and adventure.  As an adult, this story brought back fond memories of time I used to spend at my grandparents house every summer when I was little.  This is a wonderful story and would be a great way to talk you your own children about their grandparents and the adventures they have when they visit.  The illustrations are colorful and packed with many things for children to look at.  If my kids were still small, I would definitely get this for them.

 

GRAMMIE AND PUPA'S HOUSE by Daisy Butterfield Book Tour Giveaway

Meet the Author:

I was born in a small New England town. Growing up I lived just two houses away from my grandparents, and spent countless days hanging out with Grammie and Pupa playing games and gardening. I loved flowers, and still do. I would roam the fields picking wild Lupine, Queen Anne's Lace, and, of course, Daisies. This book is a legacy to my grandparents, a way of saying thank you for the sweet memories. May you make sweet memories with your little ones as you read this book with them.

connect with author: website ~ facebook ~ instagram ~ goodreads
Tour Schedule:
Nov 1 - @michellegodardricherauthor * - book mail
Nov 7 - @book_withquotes * - book review
Nov 16 – @ira_reads_4 * - book review
Nov 18 - Cover Lover Book Review – book review / giveaway
Nov 18 – @Leannebookstagram – book review
Nov 18 - Liese's Blog – book spotlight
Nov 19 - @acourtofspinesnpages * - book review
Nov 19 - @kiv_coffeeandpages * - book review
Nov 20 – @adeela_books * – book review
Nov 20 - @onceuponafrida * – book review
Nov 20 - @bookscape__ * - book review
Nov 20 - @speedreadstagram * - book review
Nov 20 - @jilljemmett * - book review
Nov 20 - @bearyintobooks * - book review
Nov 20 - Frugal Freelancer – book review / guest post / giveaway
Nov 21 – Cheryl's Book Nook – book review / giveaway
Nov 22 – @Junebug_reads – book review
Nov 22 – @Alyssas_book_obsession * - book review
Nov 22 – @joannasbookshelf * - book review
Nov 22 – @adriftinfictionalworld – book review
Nov 22 - @michellegodardricherauthor * - book review
Nov 26 – Gina Rae Mitchell – book review / guest post / giveaway
Nov 26- Library Lady's Kid Lit – book review / giveaway
Nov 26 - Library Lady's Kid Lit – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
Nov 27 – Country Mamas With Kids – book review / author interview / giveaway
Nov 29 -@stars.and.embers * - book review
Dec 1 - @Enjoyingbooksagain – book review
Dec 3 - @Paws.Read.Repeat – book review / giveaway
Dec 3 – My Reading Getaway – book review / author interview / giveaway
Dec 4 – @nissa_the.bookworm * - book review
Dec 6 – Reading is My Passion – book review / giveaway
Dec 6 - From the TBR Pile - book review / giveaway
Dec 9 – @readsandmusic * – book review
Dec 9 - FUONLYKNEW - book review / giveaway
Dec 10 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book review / giveaway
Dec 10 - @just_another_mother_with_books * – book review
Dec 11 – Sandra's Book Club – book review
Dec 11 - @bookameme * – book review
Dec 12 – Faith And Books – book review / giveaway
Dec 13 - Books for Books – book spotlight
Dec 13 - Reading Authors Network - book review / giveaway
Dec 13 – @this.human.reads * – book review
Dec 13 – @lizzies.reading.recs * – book review
Dec 13 - @thisreadergirl * - book review
Dec 13 - @onceuponamaltesereader * - book review