WAGGING TALES PRESS

Feel like your career is going nowhere fast? Has your spark fizzled out? The brilliant authors behind Resparking Creativity may have a perfect solution for you in their new book. We had an opportunity to sit down with the author(s) and discuss some of their suggested techniques and takes on fueling the creative fire. Please enjoy the excerpt and interview below, and don’t forget to take part in the giveaway for a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble gift card. Book Details: Resparking Creativity by Fatemah Mirza & Sumayyah Rafiq Haider Publication Date: July 9, 2023 Genre: Nonfiction / Career Guide Synopsis: Accelerate your marketing career by learning concrete strategies to reignite your creative spark and build a compelling case for your promotion to director. From creating a standout project portfolio to evaluating your skills to salary negotiation, networking, and interviewing best practices, this book equips ambitious marketing professionals with the tools necessary for long-term success. EXCERPT As a marketing leader, you also play a vital role in elevating the standard of living. Thanks to government regulations, marketers cannot make false or misleading claims. This means that you help consumers make informed decisions on the basis of marketing. They can be made aware of major changes in ownership or products, what new features are being developed, and which brands to trust. This comes together to create brand value and loyalty towards trusted companies. At a company level, organizations cannot survive without marketing. You cannot establish a business and expect people to find you. There is simply too much competition and information bombarding society. For businesses to survive and thrive, they have to develop effective marketing strategies. And for this, they need experienced professionals like you with highly creative mindsets. But it is difficult to contribute in this way to an organization or society if you feel burned out, uncreative, or feel an inability to work at your full potential. If you feel the same way then this book is for you. I’m going to show you how to be at the forefront of driving demand, understanding consumer needs, and providing critical contributions to your career growth. And to get there, this book is going to help you address: • Being underpaid • Being dictated to • Burn out • Intellectual disengagement • Uncertainty about what steps to take Interview Tell us a little about yourself. I’m a Certified Resume Master who has been helping job seekers with their resumes since 2010. I’m the owner and CEO of CareerTuners, which is a small team of skilled professionals from various industries who specialize in providing a lot of career-related services. We help ambitious professionals land their dream jobs and achieve their career goals. What works best for you: Typewriters, fountain pen, dictate, computer or longhand? I’m a big fan of using the computer. Not only because that’s the medium I am not familiar with but I am also a very fast typer once I’m in the zone. We once tested everyone’s typing speed in the company and me and my co-author were the only two people who scored over 110 words per minute! So, yeah. Computers all the way! How hard was it to sit down and actually start writing something? Honestly? For me, it was not that difficult because I was providing strategic oversight on this project and making sure that we were hitting the right mark for our audience. I wasn’t doing the writing part. I helped extensively in shaping the book, editing it, and stuff like that. That said, because I was working closely with Sumayyah, I know that she did have a tough time in some spots. Early on, we had worked out what the book would be about so, there were parts where it felt like an uphill struggle to complete a certain section or topic. But she took it once sentence, one page at a time and here we are. Do you aim to complete a set number of pages or words each day? A lot of my work involves writing in one way, shape, form, or another. So, the way I measure things isn’t in terms of words. My goal is more to complete a certain number of tasks per day. So, it’s less about “I need to write X amount of words for the email campaign.” And more like, “I need to write an outline for this speaking engagement and then write the rough draft of the content we’ll be using for the Y email campaign.” I find that is the most productive way for me to write. What, according to you, is the hardest thing about writing? The hardest part about writing is not allowing writers block to stop you. That is the toughest part about writing. I believe in overcoming writers block by fighting my way through it. I might write 10 words in an hour but every word is progress. It might slow the speed at which the writing is happening but it’s moving forward. Are there any books that you are currently reading and why? I’m currently reading “An Introduction to C++” because I want to understand how to better link our services to different language models using programming. I know it’s a bit of a dull answer but I’m really enjoying learning about something new! Is there anything you are currently working on that may intrigue the interest of your readers? Yes! I’m ’m working on the Careertuners.ai project. I want to take our services, combine them with AI, and use the results to help students in underprivileged countries. The goal is to help uplift as many people as possible with the resources available to me. My goal right now is to reach 10,000 students in the global south using CT.ai by the end of 2023. Do you have a day job other than being a writer? And do you like it? Yes. My day job is to head my company, CareerTuners and I love it. It’s incredibly fulfilling work to help people with their careers. And I’m also very lucky to work with a team of super talented individuals who work hard and have a great sense of humor. Every day brings new challenges that keep me on my toes! Do you think it’s true that anyone can be a writer? Absolutely. I think anyone can be a writer but you have to commit yourself to a lot of practice, learning, and polishing. Writing is a skill like any other. That means that if you want to improve, you’ll need to put in that time. But that’s not strictly “necessary” if you’re writing for fun. In both cases, you’re still a writer. Author Bios: Fatemah Mirza is a Certified Resume Master and a highly sought-after speaker and coach who helps ambitious job seekers find higher-paying, more fulfilling jobs. She’s been helping job seekers since 2010 when she founded CareerTuners, which is a small team of skilled professionals from various industries who specialize in providing professional resumes, cover letters, LinkedIn profiles, and many more career-related services to help ambitious people land their dream jobs and achieve career goals.She has created free resources that have seen more than 160,000 downloads, helped hundreds of clients increase their pay, and built a network of more than 3000 recruiters. Sumayyah Rafiq Haider is an experienced author and career mentor with a passion for helping individuals excel professionally. With an MBA in Human Resource Management and SHRM-CP certification, Sumayyah has assisted numerous clients in their job search, providing guidance on resume writing, LinkedIn optimization, cover letters, interview skills, and career direction. Author Links: Website: http://www.careertuners.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/careertipsfromct Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Fatemah-Mirza/author/B0C781LXCS Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Sumayyah-Rafiq-Haider/author/B0C781ZBXN Amazon Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C73VXSHL THIS BOOK IS AVAILABLE TO READ FOR FREE ON KINDLE UNLIMITE #businessbooks #bookstagram #businessbook #business #selfhelpbooks #books #successbooks #nonfictionbooks #reading #selfhelpbook #booklover #personaldevelopment #entrepreneur #entrepreneurbooks #businessbookstagram #businesstips #nonfiction #selfhelp #businessattire #successbook #businessbookclub #bookworm #readersareleaders #businessowner #businessbookshelf #businessbooksummary #book #businessbookreview #businessbooksnquotes #bookstagrammer

If your favorite flavor of romance is dark and haunting, check out Bea Northwick's new title, The Cruel Dark. If you dare peek beyond the veil, read the snippet below, and join in the giveaway for a free, autographed copy of the book! Book & Author Details: The Cruel Dark by Bea Northwick Publication Date: October 31 ,2023 Genres: Adult, Gothic, Romance Synopsis: Millicent Foxboro is haunted. Not by ghosts, but by the anguish of her past and the uncertainty of her future. After all, even in the progressive year of 1928, most people would balk at hiring a woman who’d spent two months in a mental ward for traumatic amnesia. So when an uncommon assistantship to a reclusive Professor of mythology falls into her lap with an ungodly salary attached, her desperation for stability overrides her cautious nature. To Millie’s dismay, the widowed Professor Callum Hughes and his estate, Willowfield, are more than she bargained for. The once magnificent home, known for its sprawling gardens and dazzling parties, is falling to pieces after the death of the professor’s fragile wife. What’s more, the staff has been reduced to the only three people not frightened away by rumors of ghosts, leaving the halls empty and languishing in bitter memories. The professor himself is a grim, intense man with unclear expectations, unpredictable moods, and hungry eyes that ignite Millie’s own dormant passions. The closer she finds herself drawn to Professor Hughes and his strange world of flowers and folklore, the more the house closes in, threatening to reveal her secrets. But the professor is keeping secrets of his own, and the most dangerous of all is hers to discover. Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/181977823-the-cruel-dark Purchase: https://amzn.to/45c5AER EXCERPT I’d never questioned the presence of my wits more than the moment I stood in the frigid morning air and watched the hired car arrive. The vehicle, sleek and ostentatious, was said to be capable of going fifty miles an hour, and I pretended it was the prospect of that speed making my stomach do somersaults. The car pulled to a smooth stop, and a tall, ruddy driver unfolded himself from the front seat, introduced himself briefly as Joseph Dempsey, and went to collect my bags. It was short work; I had only one. I wasn’t a woman of means. As the gentleman loaded my valise into the trunk, I ran my bare fingers along the smooth deep sea blue of the wheel hull. This was, undoubtedly, the worst decision I’d ever made, but there were few options, and this was by far the least evil of them. I glanced over my shoulder to the doorway of the little bookshop I’d come to know as home, where the stooped owner, Mr. Helm, had appeared, his blue eyes uncharacteristically red-rimmed. I’d never seen him on the verge of tears, and my heart constricted painfully. I rushed to him, pulling a thin cotton handkerchief from my pocket. It wasn’t in his character to embrace, so he enveloped both of my hands in his. They were large hands, covered in the ink stains of his trade as an antique book restorer, a business he had been teaching me for the past year despite his once firmly held belief that restoration was not for women. Mr. Helm had been a tall man in his youth, but the war and many years hunched over a workman’s table had scuttled his stature. I didn’t need to lift my chin to look at his face, which was working to arrange itself into something less aggrieved. I was glad for his trying, because I would call off everything if even one tear rolled down his cheek. Author Bio: Bea Northwick is a lover of magical, spooky, and romantic things. She owns too much perfume, can’t pick an aesthetic, and loves 80s movies. She lives with her husband, children, dogs, and a black cat in the sunny American South where she dreams daily of Irish cottages and rain swept Scottish castles. The Cruel Dark is her debut novel. Author Links: https://www.instagram.com/beanorthwick/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/authorbeanorthwick/ https://www.bookbub.com/profile/bea-northwick?list=about https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/40737388.Bea_Northwick #gothicromance #gothic #gothicbeauty #gothicstyle #dark #bookstagram #gothicgirl #goth #darkness #victoriangoth #darkromance #gothicfashion #gothicmodel #gothicworld #victoriangothic #paranormalromance #gothichorror #gothicsoul #romance #gothicdecor #darkbeauty #romanticgoth #victorianstyle #immortal #gothicarchitecture #gothiclolita #immortalgothic

Forget the dial. Meet the new adventure you're destined for with bestselling author Tamara Grantham's Harleigh Sinclair and the Raiders of the Lost Ankh! Join the adventure with the excerpt below and use your bullwhip to try and snag the $25 Amazon gift card and free eBook in the giveaway! Book Details: Harleigh Sinclair and the Raiders of the Lost Ankh by Tamara Grantham Publication Date: October 17, 2023 Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance Synopsis: Getting confessions from notorious serial killers? Easy. Stealing priceless Egyptian artifacts? No problem. Doing it with a cocky, too-handsome-for-his-own-good bad boy? Impossible. My name is Harleigh Sinclair, and I’m a Neotact. That’s a fancy word for a person who has special powers using touch. My special power? I can touch a person, see into their mind, and find any object they’ve physically contacted. Comes in handy when you’re employed by San Antonio’s wealthiest entrepreneur who’s in the business of finding lost relics. However, my job description does come with a few hitches. My most recent client is a man named Jagg Ransom. He’s arrogant and too attractive for his own good. My mission is to purchase an ancient Egyptian ankh from him and deliver it to my boss. Sounds easy, right? But Ransom refuses to cooperate, so I have no choice but to break into his apartment and steal the location of the amulet from his mind. Bad idea. Like, really bad idea. I find out that this relic happens to be the relic that gave five percent of Earth’s population Neotact powers. I also learn that Ransom isn’t who he says he is, and I’m forced onto a path that will take me from my home in Texas to a hidden dungeon of a Scottish castle, and then into the heart of a deadly Egyptian desert. Finding the ankh is hard enough. Fighting my feelings for Jagg Ransom is worse. If I can’t find the ankh in time, not only will I be out of a job, but I’ll lose everything I value—including my own life. Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/197614269-harleigh-sinclair-and-the-raiders-of-the-lost-ankh Purchase: Amazon: https://amzn.to/3tMIkzv EXCERPT 1: I’m afraid of the usual: heights, snakes, dirty toilets. Crazy psycho serial killers? Maybe I should’ve been more afraid of them as I walked through the halls of San Antonio’s max security jail. Detective Mendoza marched alongside me, her stilettos clicking with each step. Her penciled eyebrows didn’t flinch as she stared straight ahead. Generously applied makeup couldn’t hide the wrinkles lining her eyes or the creases around her mouth. She stayed quiet as we paced behind the guards, which clued me in to her current mood. Pure panic. Nothing else would’ve made her speechless. Wild guess here, but I imagined trying to get a confession from Texas’s most notorious serial killer was a tad bit stressful. Harsh lights gave the linoleum floors a sterile feeling. I had to suppress a shiver as we passed by the cells. Lean, hungry eyes fixated on me from behind the bars. One of the inmates, a bald man with a tattooed face, glanced at my hands. His eyes widened. My red leather gloves creased as I flexed my fingers. I stifled the jolt of electricity coursing through my veins. Yeah. Neotact here. Keep your distance. I was used to the stares by now. We reached a room barricaded by a steel door. Keys jangled as one of the guards unlocked the latch. “I won’t force you to do this,” Mendoza said. “Leave now and I won’t blame you.” “I’ll be fine.” After everything life had thrown at me, it took more than a little to scare me. She gave me a shrewd glance. “I’ve already warned you about him. You know what’s at stake, and what he’s accused of…” She trailed off, and though unwanted, the bodies of the mutilated teens intruded on my memories. Beheaded. Their hands surgically removed. I took a deep, cleansing breath and pushed the images away. “Don’t let him get into your head whatever you do,” she finished. I flexed my hands. “I’m not planning on it.” “Fine.” Her eyes flicked to the door. “Just be careful in there, all right?” “Aren’t I always?” I said with an overconfident smile. She sighed with annoyance. “Sinclair, he’s not like the others. You understand that?” I gave her my best stern glare. “I got it.” Mendoza stood tall and ran a hand down a crease in her jacket, returning to her usual demeanor, all business in her navy suit, her hair pulled back in a tight bun with enough gel to make it shine. “I’m counting on you to get a confession. Otherwise, he walks.” “Trust me, Mendoza. I got this.” “You’d better.” She narrowed her eyes, then nodded to a guard, and he opened the door. Through the open doorway, I spotted the prisoner. Not that I was scared or anything, but this guy gave a serious creepy vibe. A single bulb buzzed overhead. Metal clasps pinned his hands to the tabletop where he sat, and cuffs linked his ankles to chains bolted to the floor. Gray streaked his unwashed blond hair. Dark eyes peered from a pockmarked face, boring into me with a hatred I could feel from here. Like I said. Creepy. 2: When I shut the door, I sank into the seat. The dark interior of the car surrounded me. Cool air hummed from the vents. My restlessness eased, the great knot in my chest slowly shrinking. Gael grunted and steered the Escalade out of the parking lot. “You look like shite.” “That’s because I feel like shite,” I answered, mimicking his Scottish accent as I rubbed my forehead where a headache pounded. Using my gift always came with its side effects. “What happened?” he asked. “I helped find the girl’s body, but… it was weird. This guy, Darrell Brownstein, he knew about my record. Knew about my dad, too.” He scratched his bushy red beard. Gael was five-and-a-half feet of solid muscle and grit. I wouldn’t go up against him on my best day. There was a reason Greyson trusted the man as one of his top bodyguards. “He probably dug into your files,” the Scotsman said. “If you know where to look, you can find it.” He shook his head. “Can’t say I didn’t warn you,” he said with a sigh. “You shouldn’t be wasting your time at the PD with weirdos like that. Do you listen to me? Nay. Of course not. Why would Harleigh Sinclair listen to her manager?” “I listen to you all the time, Gael.” “Aye, but do you take my advice?” I crossed my arms. “Sometimes.” “Well, you’d better listen this time. You’ve got a case this evening. Seven o’clock. Downtown. Bohanan’s.” I groaned. Bohanan’s meant formal attire. No exceptions. “Why can’t we ever set up a meeting at McDonald’s?” “Because the type of people you’re interviewing don’t eat at McDonald’s.” “Not true. Everyone eats there. You can’t be classified as American if you’ve never eaten fast food.” Gael chuckled. “Maybe true. Still. You’re eating at Bohanan’s tonight, and you’d better be prepared. This is a high-profile client. Mr. Greyson himself set up the meeting.” I tilted my head. “Greyson set it up?” “Aye. Says this is a meeting he can’t afford to screw up, so he’s sending you.” “What’s the case?” “You’re meeting with a man named Jagg Ransom. Might’ve heard of him. He’s a collector. Minor league. But he managed to acquire the Amulet of Amon-Ra.” I whistled. “The Amulet of Amon-Ra?” “One and the same.” “Damn,” I said under my breath. “It’s classified as a level one relic. One of the five original talismans. How’d he get it?” “As far as we can tell, he bought it from the Cairo Museum.” I almost laughed. “You’re not serious.” He steered us onto the freeway. Semis zoomed past, and the radio played a soft background noise against the roaring traffic. “Dead serious,” he answered. “And Mr. Greyson is interested in purchasing it.” “Do you think Ransom will sell it?” Gael chuckled under his breath. “That’s why Mr. Greyson is sending you. Ransom is keeping the amulet’s location a secret, but if you managed to shake the man’s hand, well then… we’d know where he kept it, wouldn’t we?” “Gael,” I chided. “You know that’s illegal. I can’t just shake his hand.” I held up my gloved hands. “Why do you think I wear these?” “Then you’ll have to get creative.” “Fine.” I sighed. Outside my window, skyscrapers towered. Thunderheads blossomed with bursts of lightning far in the distance. The horizon seemed to stretch forever, as if I could see across the globe, to Egypt, to the Valley of the Kings, where the ankh had been found, an artifact that had changed the course of history. 3: I waited near the bar at Bohanan’s, clenching my gloved hands, resisting the urge to move the strands of hair tickling my cheeks. Lexi had curled it in flowing waves, then styled it in a loose knot at the back of my neck, carefully arranging a few curls to fall down my face. The scent of hair product—natural botanical leave-in-conditioner, as Lexi had informed me—left a light fragrant scent lingering in the air. You had to give it to my sister, she was a genius when it came to fashion and beauty. As I pulled at my skirt, my exposed legs felt cold in the air conditioning. Sitting here waiting was wearing on me. He was supposed to be here ten minutes ago. Where was this guy? Jagg Ransom. Sounded like a con-artist or some rich schmuck. If he’d purchased the amulet, he must’ve been. I groaned under my breath. This evening couldn’t get over soon enough. The host approached me. “Miss Sinclair, I have your table ready, if you’ll follow me.” Nodding, I sauntered appropriately while wearing heels. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t know how to walk in them. Doing previous jobs for Greyson had given me a certain amount of training, and I’d learned my way around a pair of stilettos. Didn’t make me comfortable in them, but I could hold my own. Soft conversations came from the people sitting around the tables covered with white cloths. Lamps centered on each surface gave a muted light to the space. The host stopped near a table by the back wall, but I politely cleared my throat. “Would it be too much trouble to be seated by the window?” I pointed to an empty spot near the wall of glass overlooking Houston Street. “No problem at all. This way.” I followed him, then sat in the cushioned chair as he placed a menu in front of me. I ordered breadsticks and a water. When he left, I peered out the window. Round bulbs glowed around the historic Majestic Theater sign across the street, and tall buildings rose in the distance against a dark evening sky. A few people walked past. It took something out of me to sit here and pretend to be someone I wasn’t. Get the amulet’s location, I reminded myself. That’s all that matters. My basket of breadsticks arrived, and I nibbled on one as I watched people walk past outside. Ransom should’ve been easy enough to notice. I’d spot his ride first. A Porsche or Lamborghini. Maybe a Lexus. I’d know for sure when he stepped out of his car. Most likely he’d be wearing a tailored suit. It wouldn’t be store bought. That wouldn’t be his type. He’d wear a sensible monochromatic tie. Nothing too flashy. His shoes would be the giveaway. They’d be recently polished, no scuffs, no marks, nothing that would hint at spending any time outdoors or walking through mud puddles. His shoes would tread only on the marble tiles of billion-dollar estates. A shadow loomed. My gaze wandered up to a mammoth of a man standing over me. “Sinclair?” he asked, his voice deep and laced with a dangerous edge. I gave him a shrewd glare in an attempt to hide my surprise. “Ransom?” I stood, berating myself for not recognizing him. “Yeah,” he said casually, his tone bored and uninterested. “We meeting tonight?” “We were meeting,” I answered. “Twenty minutes ago.” He shrugged, looked past me, and grabbed a breadstick off the table. “Damn I’m starving,” he said as he ripped off a bite with his teeth. I watched him eat with one-part shock and another part disgust. Who was this idiot? I stood tall and placed my hands on my hips, though the top of my head barely reached his chin. He must’ve been part Tongan or Samoan. His deeply tanned skin hinted at a life spent outdoors. Bleached brunette hair had been braided into cornrows that hung down to his shoulders. His frame rivaled any bodybuilder, and his suit hugged his muscles so tightly, I was surprised the seams hadn’t ripped. He wore no tie, and beneath his purple suit jacket with leather elbow patches, he sported a Hawaiian shirt. When I glanced at his feet, my shock deepened. He wore a pair of orange flip-flops. A drop of anger simmered in my chest. Being so incredibly wrong about someone didn’t happen often, and annoyance clawed at me that I’d let it happen now. He grabbed a chair, spun it around backward, and sat. Every eye in the place focused on him, drawing a few frowns, though most of the women’s glances lingered a little longer. One woman even dared to wink at him. He gave a broad grin and winked back, then propped his elbows on the seat back. “You ordered yet?” “I haven’t.” With a forced smile, I sat and took a deep breath, trying my best to hold on to the last of my composure. Gael could’ve mentioned this guy was a complete buffoon, but he’d conveniently forgotten that tidbit of information. Author Bio: Tamara Grantham is the award-winning author of more than a dozen books and novellas, including the Olive Kennedy: Fairy World MD series, the Shine novellas, and the Twisted Ever After trilogy. Dreamthief, the first book of her Fairy World MD series, won first place for fantasy in INDIEFAB’S Book of the Year Awards, a RONE award for best New Adult Romance, and is a #1 bestseller on Amazon with over 200 five-star reviews. Tamara holds a Bachelor’s degree in English from Lamar University. She has been a featured speaker at multiple writing conferences, and she has been a panelist at Comic Con Wizard World speaking on the topic of female leads. For her first published project, she collaborated with New York-Times bestselling author, William Bernhardt, in writing the Shine series. Born and raised in Texas, Tamara now lives with her husband and five children in Wichita, Kansas. She rarely has any free time, but when the stars align and she gets a moment to relax, she enjoys reading fantasy novels, taking nature walks--which fuel her inspiration for creating fantastical worlds--and watching every Star Wars or Star Trek movie ever made. You can find her online at www.TamaraGrantham.com. Author Links: https://tamaragrantham.com/ https://www.facebook.com/tamaraclairegrantham https://www.tiktok.com/@tamaragrantham https://www.instagram.com/authortamaragrantham https://twitter.com/TamaraGrantham https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8086515.Tamara_Grantham #paranormalromancefans #paranormalromance #paranormalromancebooks #paranormalromancereaders #paranormalromancenovels #fantasyromance #urbanfantasy #reverseharemparanormal #reverseharembooks #reverseharem #reverseharemreads #fantasyromancenovel #magicalromance #urbanfantasyromance #urbanfantasyseries #whychooseromance #amysumida #fantasyromancebooks #whychoose #kickassheroine #magicalrealismwriter #dragonromance #paranormalromancereads #paranormalromanceauthor #romancebooks #urbanfantasynovels

There is no tango rhythm here...that rhythmic thudding you hear is the frantic thud of your own heart as author M. Lachi invites readers to dance through a horror-laden futuristic New York. We had a chance to sit down with the author and ask a few questions about the writing process. Read the interview and the excerpt...if you dare. Then be sure to take a chance in the giveaway of a $25 Amazon or Barnes & Noble gift card. Happy reading! Book Details: Death Tango by Lachi Publication Date: October 2, 2023 Genre: Science Fiction/Horror Synopsis: In a Utopian twenty-third-century New York City, where corporations have replaced governments, AI dictates culture, and citizens are free to people-watch any other citizen they choose through an app, this horror-laden Sci-Fi Thriller follows four mismatched coeds as they attempt to solve the murder of an eccentric parascientist. Only someone or something able to navigate outside the highest levels of crowd-sourced surveillance could get away with murder in this town. If the team can't work quickly to solve the case, New York City will be devoured by a dark plague the eccentric had been working on prior to his death, a plague which, overtime, appears to be developing sentience. INTERVIEW Thank you for joining us today. We're excited about your new novel, but you may be new to some of our readers. Tell us a little about yourself. My name is Lachi. I’m a record producer, novelist, touring performer, and public speaker using music and storytelling to advocate for identity pride and bring light to disability and difference. What a great way to use your personal power and gifts. How important is research to you when writing a book? I believe reading is research, especially in Science Fiction, so you are knowledgeable of what’s already out there—what Sci-Fi fans have already experienced in order to build upon it. I also believe knowing as much about the scientific or innovation topics tackled in your Sci-Fi novel is imperative so you can bend the rules adequately. I want to give a nod to National Chemistry Week. I found myself doing heaps of stoichiometric research and falling in love with chemistry the way Death Tango chose to define it. I completely understand. Research is one of my favorite parts of a project, too. But then comes the actual writing. How hard was it to sit down and actually start writing something? I wrote ‘Death Tango’ in two months. The story was there, waiting to be told, waiting for me to sit down and spawn it. What, according to you, is the hardest thing about writing? Having a great idea, concept, or dialogue, and having to hold it in your mind until you get a chance to write it down! What would you say is the easiest aspect of writing? For me, it’s clever, quippy dialogue. Snark is my favorite language. Tell us. Have you ever experienced “Writer’s Block”? Any tips you would like to share to overcome it? For me, writer's block is remedied by reading, watching the news or a trending film, listening to music, and allowing the world outside of my internal pressures to inspire me. EXCERPT It is nine years ago. I stand alone on an unstable rock. Beneath that rock are a few precarious slabs of granite. Beneath the granite lies a hundred feet of air, of silence, of potential bone-shattering death. Surrounded by a dusk sky, Mount Venom—the cliff aptly named for the lives it has claimed—stretches endlessly beneath my quivering legs and far beyond my blurring vision. Through the blaring wind, I hear several SOIs—School of Intelligence kids—hurl down demoralizing insults from the cliff’s edge. “She’ll never make it!” “Fall and die, swine!” Each year the SOIs goad us TFs—Testing Facility subjects—into scaling the cliff. If successful, the TF is accepted as an equal, putting an end to constant ridicule and torment. There is little sympathy for those who accept the challenge and fail. I tell myself to reach for the next stone along the slope, to keep my hands steady, to breathe. I near the finish line. Every inch of my body tastes it as much as my mouth tastes it. Get there; say nothing; feel no pride. My face wet with tears and mucus, my fingers slippery with blood, I feel around for my next grip and pull on my burning calves. I have only two heaves left. Two heaves, and no more being treated like trash. I notice a small gap between two large stones above me. As I place my dampened hands into the hole for leverage, the rubble on which I stand gives out. My legs dangle freely. I have the willpower to lift my body onward, but my concentration is broken by a pair of black-gloved hands that pop out of the fissure above me. Someone is hiding behind the rocks. Tech Sports knitted in thin red stitching on each glove slides into view. My body ignores the anxiety presented by this new predicament, and I continue to lift. The gloves grab both my forearms and yank. I am now dangling by the grip of those hands; I am now at their complete mercy. “Friend or foe?” I manage to growl between pained gasps, the wind forcing hair into my mouth. “You’re so close,” replies a male voice I can hardly distinguish. “I know! I know! Help me up!” I yell. My legs work uselessly to find hold. Receiving no verbal or physical response, I wriggle my shoulders. “Hey! Help me up!” “Beg me!” the voice demands, barely audible over the blood rushing in my ears. I fend off a rapidly growing well of despair. Despair is a choice, a manifestation of surrender. “Please!” I bark, the word taking with it all of my remaining willpower. I look up wide-eyed at the gloved hands, ignoring the falling stones as I await my fate. “This is for putting in the application!” he yells, and with a quick jolt he lets go of my arms. I fall. I keep my eyes open, desperately hoping for something to grab, but all I see are a mix of gray sky, red rock face and my flailing arms. I hear my bones smash against the jagged teeth of Mount Venom and scream one long uninterrupted exhale, silenced only by the jarring collision of the back of my skull against the cold, hard pavement. I don’t feel the fracture. I only hear it between my ears. Pop. I lie at the foot of Mount Venom, looking up at dark clouds, a metallic taste oozing over my tongue, a harsh pain working its way down my neck. A thick puddle coalesces under my head as onlookers gather. My vision snaps away instantly with a blink. Surrounding echoes fade slowly as the internal sound of my curtailed heartbeats takes over. Suddenly I feel cold and heavy. I am motionless, no longer taking in oxygen. After an onslaught of euphoria, I feel my brain flatten. I hear its slight gummy movements of deflation against my last few heartbeats. And somewhere between no longer feeling the ground beneath me and no longer feeling the air around me, I realize I am dead. I perceive only a black vastness about me. Like an autumn leaf I float in the Cartesian circle that is the keen awareness of my nonexistence. A mix of bliss and terror. I try to hold on to something physical, something I can understand. “You are safe. You are safe,” I repeat, exercising the remnants of my inner monologue. Then I begin to see things. A single bright blue diamond, about the size of a fist, appears five feet before me. It is soon joined by two more on either side, followed by two more still, until a string of blue diamonds surrounds me. I realize I can see my entire periphery, no longer limited by physical eyes. A light source switches on behind me, revealing that I am floating at the center of a rotating diamond-rimmed disco ball. Trying to locate the light source, I push my perception upward, downward, left, right, only to find that I, myself, am the source of that light. The speed with which the disco ball spins steadily increases, faster and faster, until all is a blur of spinning frenzy. Suddenly thousands of quick snapshots of familiar faces speed toward me: my friends, my bullies, the dark skin of my estranged father, the Spanglish ravings of my drunken mother, their parents, their parents’ parents. Images of a cottage in France, a village in Africa, past wars, ancient discoveries, tree scavenging, gasping air, breathing ocean, swimming in gas, feelings of remorse, loss, shame, excitement, immense love, bitter anguish, and a desperate need for acceptance. Every imaginable emotion ravages me whole. I experience my consummate past. A massive rewind that stops at a sweeping explosion. A sphere of white fire so bright, it could hardly be described as fire. I am an endless wave of raw emotion drowning in the unyielding flames. And in that eternal instant I understand everything. Again, all fades to black, the warmth, the understanding. And though the blackness around me is infinite, I sense a presence. I am not alone. “Look around you,” the presence communicates to me, not through sound, sight or touch, but through direct understanding. I am certain it is—at least in part—a being other than myself. I hold fast to my mantra. “Do not fear,” the presence continues. I allow the mantra to fade. “Do you see how far the blackness reaches, stretching beyond infinite horizons? That is how much you do not know, how much you’ve yet to learn.” A brief silence. “Fear is the great enemy of knowledge, and you, Rosa, are the switch between them.” “Me?” I manage to convey through the slivers of my consciousness. “Us.” “Us? How? Why? What do you mean?” My figurative words come childlike and excited. “You already know how,” the presence responds as it fades. “You already know why.” I feel a growing bitter loneliness as the presence drifts away. “Wait!” I yell. The blackness around me congeals to a bumpy dark brown. “Come back!” The glistening euphoria gradually declines as my flattened brain begins to restructure. A physical atmosphere swiftly surrounds me, and a palpitating sensation starts beneath me, causing me to rise and fall. The pulsing sensation reveals itself to be my heart grappling for a pulse. A crashing ocean of white noise fills my head. I feel that I have a head. A body. Arms. A face. My face. I open my eyes as the rush of noise fades to the sound of an open room. I am lying on a bed in the infirmary, surrounded by the school nurse and Dr. Ferguson himself, their blurry faces examining my head wound. Dr. Ferguson bends forward. “You had a very nasty fall, Ms. Lejeune. Do you remember that?” He watches a nurse as she dabs a cloth at my face. “You’re lucky to be alive.” Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here: https://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2023/09/virtual-book-tour-death-tango-by-lachi.html Author Bio: Lachi is an internationally touring creative artist, writer, and award-winning cultural activist living in New York City. A legally blind daughter of African immigrants, Lachi uses her platform to amplify narratives on identity pride and Disability Culture. In her public life, Lachi has helped increase accessibility to the GRAMMY Awards ceremonies as well as create numerous opportunities for music professionals with disabilities, through her organization RAMPD. Lachi also creates high-quality content amplifying disability. She has hosted a PBS American Masters segment highlighting disabled rebels and releases songs such as "Lift Me Up" and “Black Girl Cornrows” that elevate disability and difference to the pop culture market. Named a “new champion in advocacy” by Billboard, she’s held talks with the White House, the UN, Fortune 100 firms, and has been featured in Forbes, Hollywood Reporter, Good Morning America, and the New York Times for her unapologetic celebration of intersectionality through her music, storytelling and fashion. In her free-time Lachi writes sci-fi and fantasy novels with diverse, headstrong characters, focusing heavily on atonal world-building, quip-ridden character development, likable villains, and psycho-spiritual discourse. Author Links: Website:www.lachimusic.com Twitter: twitter.com/lachimusic Facebook: facebook.com/lachimusic Instagram: instagram.com/lachimusic Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Death-Tango-M-Lachi-ebook/dp/B0BLGYMCQ7/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0 #scifihorror #scifi #horror #sciencefiction #scifiart #scififantasy #horrormovies #scifibooks #scifimovies #scifiworld #alien #scifigeek #scifiartwork #aliens #horrorfilm #scifidaily #horrorcommunity #scifimovie #scifibook #scififilm #horrorfan #scifinovel #scifiinside #scififan #shorror #sciencefictionbooks #scificomics #horrormovie #scifinerd #xenomorph

Halloween may be over, but there are still sooooo many treats...like the cover reveal for Kara H.L. Chen's upcoming novel, Asking for a Friend. This charming YA rom-com follows a strong-willed, ambitious teen as she teams up with her childhood frenemy to start a dating-advice column. Perfect for fans of Emma Lord and Gloria Chao. Book Details: Asking for a Friend by Kara H.L. Chen Published by: HarperCollins, Quill Tree Publication Date: July 23rd, 2024 Genres: Comedy, Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult Synopsis: Juliana Zhao is absolutely certain of a few things: 1. She is the world’s foremost expert on love. 2. She is going to win the nationally renowned Asian Americans in Business Competition. When Juliana is unceremoniously dropped by her partner and she’s forced to pair with her nonconformist and annoying frenemy, Garrett Tsai, everything seems less clear. Their joint dating advice column must be good enough to win and secure bragging rights within her small Taiwanese-American community, where her family’s reputation has been in the pits since her older sister was disowned a few years prior. Juliana always thought prestige mattered above all else. But as she argues with Garrett over how to best solve everyone else’s love problems and faces failure for the first time, she starts to see fractures in this privileged, sheltered worldview. With the competition heating up, Juliana must reckon with the sacrifices she’s made to be a perfect daughter—and whether winning is something she even wants anymore. Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/199531908-asking-for-a-friend Pre-order: Amazon: https://amzn.to/3sgQDmP B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/asking-for-a-friend-kara-hl-chen/1144214047?ean=9780063237889 Author Bio: Kara H.L. Chen is a Taiwanese-American writer who received her MFA in fiction from Brooklyn College. She is the author of LOVE & RESISTANCE (Quill Tree/Harper Collins, 2023) and ASKING FOR A FRIEND (Quill Tree/HarperCollins, 7/23/24). Author Links: https://karahlchen.com/ https://twitter.com/hl_kara https://www.instagram.com/hl_kara/ https://www.facebook.com/kara.hl.chen/ https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22046781.Kara_H_L_Chen #coverreveal #bookstagram #comingsoon #contemporaryromance #romancebooks #bookworm #romance #bookstagrammer #books #preorder #booklover #darkromance #bookish #booklove #readersofinstagram #authorsofinstagram #reading #bookaddict #booknerd #coverlove #kindleunlimited #bibliophile #cover #booklovers #enemiestolovers #nowlive #booksofinstagram #bookcover #read

Book Details: Moonflower: Vampires of Los Angeles by Heather Ewen-Foster Publication date: October 31, 2023 Genres: Adult, Urban Fantasy Synopsis: Sonia, a 250-year-old Australian vampire, thought she had found peace in the quiet neighborhood of Whitley Heights, Hollywood. But when a mysterious creature starts slaughtering young vampires, Sonia is thrust into a deadly game of cat and mouse. With her friend Sunny targeted by an ancient monster, Sonia must uncover the truth behind these brutal attacks. Desperate to save her friend and end the bloodshed, Sonia navigates the treacherous politics of the vampire world. Along the way, she finds herself torn between her irresistible attraction to Alex, the enigmatic human journalist helping in her investigation, and her deep bond with sexy and charismatic Sunny, Alpha Vampire extraordinaire. As the sinister plot unravels, Sonia’s race against time becomes a pulse-pounding battle against an impossibly powerful foe. Will she uncover the truth before more lives are lost? And what sacrifices will she have to make to protect those she loves? Moon Flower is a spellbinding urban fantasy that will leave you breathless. Heather Ewen-Foster’s suspenseful tale immerses you in a world of danger, romance, and mythical creatures. Get ready for an electrifying adventure that will keep you turning the pages late into the night. #vampire #kindle #darkfantasy #amreading #paranormal #instabook #author #bibliophile #bookaddict #ebook #booksbooksbooks #urbanfantasyart #amazon #urbanfantasystories #vampires #steampunk #writer #fantasyromance #writing #amwritingfantasy #paranormalromancebooks #magic #bookaholic

There is a reason we fear the darkness... Prepare yourself for jarring thrills from bestselling author Martha Sweeney in her new title, Petulant Shadows. Read the excerpt below and enter the drawing for a $25 Barnes & Noble Gift Card and a signed copy of the book below! Book & Author Details: Petulant Shadows by Martha Sweeney Publication Date: October 17th, 2023 Genres: Adult, Romance, Supernatural, Thriller Synopsis: There is a sinister evil hidden in the shadows. Some do not know of its existence yet others are haunted by it every waking moment and every sleepless night. The legends say that it arrives quiet like the wind, lurking in the shadows as the darkness sets upon the earth each night. It leaches into towns through the smallest of cracks and festers, growing like a fungus that makes everything rot in its path. A sudden opportunity to flee presents itself to Paisley. Something within her commands her to run. As if guided by the hand of God, she finds shelter in the town of Biernhard and through a man named Grayson. As Paisley begins to come to grips with her past and embrace a new life for herself, the shadows creep back into her life and the town she calls home. Will this darkness conquer Biernhard and claim Paisley once again, or does the town have its own fortitude against the darkness that it is rumored to have battled and defeated many generations before? Dedicated to: Those who have been abducted, trafficked, abused, and murdered; the families who have lost someone; and the sheepdogs who fight to save them. May your souls find peace. Excerpt: “It’s so pretty!” a child squeals, rushing past Paisley, almost colliding with her. She watches the children, wondering what they’re on about. “Ooh,” several people chime in unison, stopping and glancing at the sky. Paisley’s gaze follows theirs, and the second she sees the deep red splashed in the clouds, her mouth gapes and a sinking feeling pulls at her gut. “What’s wrong?” Ida asks, coming up alongside her friend. “Huh?” she hums, not bothering to look at the woman. “What’s wrong, Paisley?” she repeats. “Is everything okay? It’s as if you’ve seen a ghost.” Her hand extends up to the sky, shaking as it rises. “Blood moon.” A few women shout, calling some names, but Paisley barely notices. “I ain’t ever seen the sky like that,” Ida says. “It’s…eerily beautiful.” “It’s an omen,” Eloise states, coming up alongside them. Paisley’s head bobs as she gawks at the sky. The rest of the women who are outside join them, standing all in a row, staring at the clouds and moon. Several whisper comments, but they drift with the wind, not affording Paisley the chance to catch what’s been said. It wouldn’t matter if they were audible. Paisley’s too far in her thoughts to have heard them away. A low voice calls out in the distance, but none seem to hear it but Paisley. Her eyes shift across the way, wondering if they might be close by. The shadows dance when the trees sway with a breeze, sending a shiver down Paisley’s back. The voice continues, sounding as if there are others with it but it does not gain in volume. The conversations that were inside the church and traveling beyond the door soften as many more townsfolk make their way outside. Bernard steps behind his wife, Grayson with Paisley, Hollister with Sybil, Otto with Ida, and every other man with a wife does the same. “Lock your doors,” Paisley warns in the now silent night, curling her arms around herself. “What?” Otto asks. “Lock your doors tonight,” she states. “Why?” Ida asks. “It’s a blood moon,” Eloise states. “A full-blood moon.” “What does that mean?” Sybil inquires. “It means the bears will be protecting Biernhard tonight,” Evelyn says, making her way to her friends. Several snicker in reply. “Laugh all you want,” Evelyn says with a huff. “Paisley and Eloise are right. It’s a blood sky. It means blood will be had tonight. The darkness desires a soul.” Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60433973-petulant-shadows Purchase: https://amzn.to/3tDwaZx Author Bio: Martha Sweeney is a BESTSELLING author who writes in a variety of genres: romance (contemporary, romcom, suspense, paranormal and historical), suspense, fantasy, thriller, coloring books, and soon, science fiction. She strives to push herself as a storyteller with each new tale and hopes to push her readers outside of their comfort zone whether it be genre or the stories themselves. With a B.S. in Psychology, Martha utilizes her knowledge of human and animal behavior successfully in the business world and in her writing to present realistic characters and situations. She's been creative since she was little, always drawing, coloring or making crafts, so her venture into being an author was a natural transition. Author Links: https://www.marthasweeney.com/ https://www.instagram.com/marthasweeneyauthor/ https://twitter.com/MSweeneyAuthor https://www.facebook.com/AuthorMarthaSweeney/ https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13453575.Martha_Sweeney #thrillerbooks #bookstagram #thriller #booklover #books #bookstagrammer #bookworm #book #reading #booknerd #booksbooksbooks #booksofinstagram #bookaddict #bookish #readersofinstagram #bibliophile #mysterybooks #bookreview #bookrecommendations #thrillers #thrillerreads #bookblogger #bookcommunity #suspense #mystery #instabook #horrorbooks #bookshelf #psychologicalthriller

If your kids were anything like mine, bedtime was always an adventure. Trying to get five children under the age of 8 to brush their teeth, get in their jammies, and settle under the covers was a Herculean task at best. I always had one fool-proof tool in my back pocket, however—one that stopped the sibling bickering, quieted the nervous energy, and held them enrapt, sending them off to slumber with images of fun and adventure...a good book. If you are searching through your spyglass for another treasure to add to your chest of goodies, try Summerton Thompson Connor's bedtime tale, The Adventures of Captain Jimmy Jams. Review a brief excerpt below and check out the whimsical artwork. Then take your chance at a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble gift card in the Rafflecopter giveaway! Book Details: The Adventures of Captain Jimmy Jams by Summerton Thompson Connor Publication Date: March 18, 2023 Genre: Children's Fiction Picture Book Synopsis: A bedtime storybook for parents to read to their children, depicting the excitement for possible adventures in dreams and the sensation of letting thoughts wander as you drift off to sleep. Meant to invoke soft imagery and imaginative thoughts of adventure and fun, it's a relaxing read for pleasant sleep. Excerpt Book Links: BN: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-adventures-of-captain-jimmy-jams-summerton-thompson-connor/1143262205 Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0228880785/ref=x_gr_bb_amazon Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Adventures-Captain-Jimmy-Jams/dp/0228880793 Author Bio: I am a father to a baby girl and hope to read to her just like I was read to when I was little. I grew up with a love of stories and creative settings and views. This gave me a love of adventure and appreciation for great imagery that I hope can be experienced by many parents and their children someday. It gave me a lot of happy memories and I hope to give the same happy memories to at least one child. #childrensbooks #kidsbooks #bookstagram #books #illustration #picturebooks #kidlit #childrensbookillustration #kidsbookstagram #reading #booksforkids #picturebook #children #raisingreaders #childrensbook #childrensbookstagram #kids #booklover #bookworm #art #storytime #childrensliterature #book #kidlitart #illustrator #author #kidsbookswelove #read #readaloud #usbornebooks

It's a rare individual today who doesn't have someone in their life, if not themselves, who has been touched by cancer. Losing hope, hair, faith, a sense of feminine identity...just a few of things this awful disease can take from us or our loved ones. We treat it with chemicals, surgeries, casseroles, and platitudes. But what do cancer patients truly want? What do they really need? Hear from Lynda Wolters, a "thriving warrior" herself, in her book, Voices of Cancer, as she and other warriors share their insights on what people go through once the diagnosis is made and how you can support them in ways that can truly bring comfort and strength. Be certain to read the excerpt below and take advantage of the gift card giveaway to support recognition of this important book. Book Details: Voices of Cancer by Lynda Wolters Publication Date: October 1, 2019 Genre: Non-fiction Synopsis: "I don't know what to say" and "I don't know what to do" are common responses to a life-threatening diagnosis. Voices of Cancer is here to help. Every cancer story is different, but there is one commonality: both patients and the people supporting them often struggle to properly articulate their wants and needs through particularly challenging and in many cases, uncharted territory. Lynda Wolters knows firsthand: she was diagnosed with stage 4 terminal mantle cell lymphoma in August of 2016. Voices of Cancer offers a candid look into the world of a cancer patient, informed by Lynda’s own story and conversations had with dozens of patients weighing in on their needs, wants, and dislikes as they navigate the complex world of diagnosis, treatment, and beyond. With comprehensive and accessible insight from people who’ve been there, Voices of Cancer helps educate, dispel fears, and start positive conversations about what a cancer diagnosis truly means, while shining a light on how best to support a loved one on their own terms. Excerpt: Voices on Thoughtless Words There is no perfect thing to say to someone with a devastating disease, but honest conversation and true statements are better than fluffy words that are best suited for use as a slogan. It’s okay to let the patient know you don’t know what to say. It’s okay to let them know you are afraid of offending them or making them feel sad with your words or your personal fear of what they are going through. And it’s okay to just sit with them, cry with them, listen to them vent, or just share space. Some of my most comforting times were when people just shared space with me. Every time I was hospitalized, my dear friend Michelle would bring all her “gadgets”—cell phone, laptop, etc.—and work from my hospital room. Sometimes staying an hour or more, often not speaking but just sitting with me and working on her laptop, she shared space and her love. Book Links: KINDLE: https://www.amazon.com/Voices-Cancer-What-Really-Want-ebook/dp/B07YLZKSTX/ HARD COPY: https://www.amazon.com/Voices-Cancer-What-Really-Want/dp/1645430391/ AUDIBLE: https://www.amazon.com/Voices-Cancer-What-Really-Want/dp/B0839PK3GJ/ Author Bio: Lynda was born and raised in a tiny farming community of 400 in northern Idaho. She worked on the family farm, with her first job being picking rocks out of the fields and ultimately graduating up the ladder to driving a grain truck and combine during harvest. Following high school, Lynda continued her education in Las Vegas before she moved back home to Idaho to raise her three sons. Lynda still resides in Idaho with her husband and their peekapoo, Max. Lynda has worked in the legal field for 30+ years and enjoys ballroom and swing dancing, horseback riding, kayaking, and river rafting. She has a heart for people and enjoys regularly volunteering. She spends the bulk of her spare time reading and writing. Lynda was diagnosed with terminal stage 4 Mantle Cell Lymphoma (MCL) in August 2016. She touts herself as being a thriving warrior of the disease. Lynda has completed two books of nonfiction: Voices of Cancer, released in October 2019, and Voices of LGBTQ+, released in August 2020. The Placeholder, Lynda’s debut novel, was released in November 2022. Lynda has published the following articles: Navigating the Workplace with Chemo Brain, February 23, 2020, Elephants and Tea. and When Masks Weren’t Popular, March 24, 2020, Patient Power. She has spoken on several podcasts, been a guest on a local talk show regarding Voices of Cancer, and given interviews for other outlets and print. Jane Brody wrote up Voices of Cancer in the New York Times, her article entitled What to Say to Someone with Cancer, on January 13, 2020, with a follow-up on January 20, 2020, entitled, When Life Throws You a Curveball, Embrace the New Normal. The Chinese translation rights of Voices of Cancer have been purchased by a grant to offer the book to medical students in Taiwan. Lynda donates Voices of Cancer books and a portion of its proceeds to Epic Experience, a nonprofit camp for adult survivors and thrivers of cancer located in Colorado. Author Links: Website: https://www.lyndawolters.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lynda.wolters24 Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/lyndawolters1 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lyndawolters/ Twitter: @Wolters_Lynda #cancersupport #cancer #cancerawareness #cancersurvivor #cancersucks #cancerfighter #cancerwarrior #breastcancer #cancercare #cancertreatment #cancerresearch #beatcancer #cancercommunity #cancerfree #cancersurvivors #chemotherapy #childhoodcancer #oncology #childhoodcancerawareness #fightcancer #breastcancerawareness #pediatriccancer #chemo #hope #leukemia #health #gogold #survivor #kidsgetcancertoo

Doom scrolling. Disheartening headlines. Finding the silver lining these days is becoming a Herculean task. Yet, now and again, a guiding light shines to help you see your way through the storm. Find a light to guide you toward your highest and best with the memoir and self-help tome from Dr. Nancy Angel Doetzel. Enjoy an excerpt, and be certain to join the giveaway of a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble Gift Card below. Book Details: An Eye for the Highest and Best by Dr. Nancy-Angel Doetzel Publication Date: May 1, 2022 Genre: Memoir/Self-Help Synopsis: Living in this world of such disruption and uncertainty can result in us facing despair. How can we attune to the rainbow after a storm, and create hope and happiness? How do we develop an eye for the Highest and Best, when faced with what appears to be the worst? What steps should we take to reconnect with our ability to be resilient? In this book, Dr. Doetzel shares some important insights gained from her own experiences of teaching university, battling cancer, being a journalist, travelling worldwide, dealing with grief, and facing the global pandemic. Along the way, she introduces her readers to fresh ways of viewing their lives, by applying an Appreciative Inquiry lens that inspires the practice of a more conscious way of living, resulting in discovering serenity. Readers may start to re-examine their own challenges, while discovering their own gems that warrant gratitude. The reflective questions and stories suggest ways of removing blocks to happiness and constructing healthier relationships. The book is also an ideal tool for educators to apply to teaching Appreciative Inquiry as a qualitative research methodology. Excerpt: So, when she travelled to Mexico during the Christmas season, she booked herself to swim with the dolphins. She was very excited to become like a playful child swimming with them and feeling uplifted. At the time, her leg was still healing from a recent car accident, and she believed that swimming with the dolphins would assist the healing process. Angel enthusiastically jumped into the cool waters to prepare for her dolphin swim. Before joining her in a shared swimming venture, the dolphin kissed her on the cheek and then he stood straight up and started to dance with her. She was laughing and anticipating a great swim, when suddenly the dolphin took off swimming beyond the pool and grabbed Angel’s arm with his teeth. Her arm was momentarily in his mouth before she started to scream and to pull it free from his grip. With blood spurting out, she was terrified to check out what had happened. Author Bio: Dr. Nancy-Angel Doetzel has been teaching in the Sociology Faculty of Mount Royal University since 2006, and as a seasonal sessional instructor in the Faculty of Education at the University of Calgary since 2005. An award-winning scholar, journalist, and musician, she won a Distinguished Dissertation Award for her doctorate dissertation, leading to the publication of her two books: Cultivating Spirituality in Education: Synergizing Heart and Mind and Old Heart Child's Eyes: A Diary of Miracles. In 2017, her students at Mount Royal University honoured her with a Teaching Excellence Award. In 2018 her students also acknowledged her for promoting wellbeing and good health within the classroom, and for being a good mentor. She received her MA, HBA, HBSW, and BA degrees from Lakehead University. She received her PhD from the University of Calgary in 2004. She studied Intuitive Medicine in Vancouver and received a professional certification (I.C.A.D.C) from the Canadian Council of Professional Certification. She also was awarded a Broadcasting Radio and Television diploma from Confederation College. She encourages her students to examine the world through different lenses, exercising altruism, promoting social justice, and learning to be a good sociologist. Her Mount Royal University blog is titled, Debunking Deceptive Myths. In addition to her recently published books, she has also authored and published eight scholarly articles in her field. In February 2020, the Calgary Herald, rated one of her books (a pre-amble to this one) as a local best seller. She is currently conducting research about complementary medicine and continuing to teach at Mount Royal University. Aside from teaching and conducting research, Dr. Doetzel has hosted a radio show "From the Heart," airing on AM 1140 High River, for the past 10 years. She has recorded four albums of her own original songs. Author Links: Website: https://drnancyangeldoetzel.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.nancyangeldoetzel/ Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Eye-Highest-Best-Practicing-Appreciative/dp/0995992339 #selfhelp #selflove #selfcare #mentalhealth #motivation #love #inspiration #mindfulness #personaldevelopment #selfimprovement #personalgrowth #healing #mindset #lifecoach #anxiety #selfdevelopment #quotes #meditation #positivity #success #mentalhealthawareness #spirituality #loveyourself #motivationalquotes #happiness #psychology #selfhelpbooks #life #selfawareness #positivevibes

In today's constant barrage of negative headlines, doom scrolling, and "Karens," do you ever feel like the quest for happiness is an insurmountable mountain? Author Amal Indi plots a new course to help you climb the Happiness Mountain, and reach your peak in his upcoming self-help book. Sample the excerpt below and don't forget to enter the author's giveaway for a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble Gift Card! Book Details: Happiness Mountain by Amal Indi Publication Date: October 12, 2023 Genre: Self-Help, Non-fiction Synopsis: Happiness is the most important experience that we as human beings seek throughout our entire lives. Yet there is no one clear definition of happiness in the world today. How, then, can we expect to be happy to our fullest if we do not know what happiness is? Everyone has happy moments in life. Suppose you are awake sixteen hours a day after eight hours of sleep—how much time are you truly happy in these sixteen hours? If you are happy only 20 percent of your day, you will not feel truly happy in life. If you are happy 50 percent of your day, you will feel like you have an OK life. If you are happy 60 percent or above, you are living a happy life. If you are happy 80 percent and above, you’re living a phenomenally happy life. What if you could change the times that you are not happy to happy moments? If you want to get better at something, you must study and become proficient in that subject. You do not know what you are missing if you do not learn. The same principle applies to happiness. If you want to be happier, study what happiness is. If happiness is important to you, master it. By knowing happiness, you can consciously live a happier life. You can minimize the external factors impacting your happiness. You can get happiness under your control. Irrespective of where you are in life today, by reading this book and following the happiness definition, philosophy, and methodology, you or anyone can live a happier life. EXCERPT The Happiness Philosophy We as human beings find happiness in different ways: money, family, travel, meditation, exercise, material things, alcohol, pets, work, etc. We look for happiness from various activities while living busy lives with work, family, and other responsibilities. We all have times when we are unhappy and suffering while doing daily activities. We tend to look at happiness and daily activities as distinct moments of life. Daily life is a collection of experiences from when you wake up to when you go to bed. By changing the philosophy of happiness to make every experience a happy experience, you can genuinely live a happier life. If you make every experience happy, naturally your whole day will be happy. If you focus on happiness daily, your entire life will be happy. You do not need to wait for something to happen or some future activity to be happy. You set the intention to be happy in the present moment, in every experience. To live in this new happiness philosophy, you need a good understanding of happiness. Happiness Mountain’s happiness definition, philosophy, and methodology will help you with that. Why is a methodology critical? A methodology can be followed by anyone, and they will gain results. You do not have to reinvent a methodology for happiness. Instead, follow the Happiness Mountain methodology with ease. Irrespective of where you are in life today, by reading this book and following the happiness methodology, you or anyone can live a happier life. Author Bio: With over 20 years of experience working for financial institutions as a Solutions Architect, Amal set out on a mission to find true happiness. After researching happiness for many years, he is ready to share a definition, philosophy, and methodology for happiness so that anyone can follow and find true happiness with inner peace, joy, and fulfillment. He has written an incredible book called “Happiness Mountain – Make every experience a happy experience”. Amal is also a father of two kids and lives in beautiful Vancouver, Canada. Amal’s mission is to heal the world and allow everyone to enjoy true happiness. Author Links: Find out more on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CBSXPNHM Or visit www.happinessmountain.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/amal-indi-6874064/ https://www.facebook.com/happinessmountain.inc/ https://www.spreaker.com/show/happiness-mountain https://www.instagram.com/happiness_mountain/ #selfhelp #selflove #selfcare #mentalhealth #motivation #love #inspiration #mindfulness #personaldevelopment #selfimprovement #personalgrowth #healing #mindset #lifecoach #anxiety #selfdevelopment #quotes #meditation #positivity #success #mentalhealthawareness #spirituality #loveyourself #motivationalquotes #happiness #psychology #selfhelpbooks #life #selfawareness #positivevibes

Step back in time and enter the turbulent world of Rundell Ingram and Sarah Greer. As the country trembles on the edge of Civil War, two strong-willed young people discover there is even more to fight for in this award-nominated historical fiction piece from Hawk MacKinney. Sample the excerpt and enter the giveaway for an Amazon or Barnes & Noble Gift Card, and discover the "traces" loves leaves on the heart in Moccasin Trace. Book Details: Moccasin Trace by Hawk MacKinney Publication Date: July 4, 2023 Genre: Historical Fiction Synopsis: It is July of 1859, a month of sweltering dog days and feverish emotional bombast. Life is good for widower Rundell Ingram and his hazel-eyed, roan-haired son, Hamilton. Between the two of them, they take care of Moccasin Hollow, their rustic dogtrot ancestral home, a sprawling non-slave plantation in the rolling farming country outside Queensborough Towne in east Georgia. Adjoining Ingram lands is Wisteria Bend, the vast slave-holding plantation of Andrew and Corinthia Greer, their daughter Sarah and son Benjamin. Both families share generations of long-accepted traditions, and childhood playmates are no longer children. Against this rustic idyll of hard work and gracious living comes inflexible discord and divided loyalties that mutilate ties of blood and bond, tearing at their lives as smoke and battle no longer so faraway crashes and maims ever closer. Ahead of the on-coming ranks of Blue, foragers and bumlers burn, loot, scavenge and kill. Hamilton faces agonizing sacrifices with dreadful consequences. With little else than his wits, he tries anything to protect Sarah, their unborn child, his sickly father, and Sarah's family. EXCERPT Rundell liked munching raw potatoes. He favored the smaller fresh-dug ones he called new potatoes. He'd use the bent kitchen knife that'd lost its handle on the withered moldy ones that hadn't been taken. Sometimes he didn't peel them, just rubbed off the dirt and gnawed away. The Hollows had been spared, but damn little else had. Growing up a gangly towhead on the sprawling acres of Moccasin Hollows, Hamilton never gave much notice to outside goings-on. On his seventeenth birthday near four years ago, he got his first notion of the world beyond. Rundell usually kept his feelings close to home, seldom using strong language, but that day his disgusted papa'd remarked, "Damn few prudent heads among the lot of them," as he flung down the Augusta newspaper. "Constitutionalist editors and those pigheaded politicians. They couldn't get off a water moccasin if it was chewin' on their big toe. Fools got no idea what they're stirrin'. Most likely don't care neither." "What happened?" Hamilton had never seen a turmoil fret his papa so. "I suppose it's gettin' to me more'n I thought. Benson Crouder stopped by, that's what. All gussied up in his top hat and new attire like some up-town Beau Brummell, that fancy rig of his hitched with his matched bays, their mane and tails all curried. Cain't figure some folks. Let them get money in their pockets, they act like their sweat don't stink. All fired up, heading into Queensborough for the big meet, asked if I was going. I told him I didn't see no point to another meetin'. Far as I could tell too many done decided they were finished with talk." Not many days went by before Rundell swallowed his distaste for politics and got knee-deep in the middle of the commotion at the capital in Milledgeville. Hamilton harnessed and hitched the buggy for him. Reins in hands, Rundell looked at his son. "Don't figure my bein' there'll make much difference. Suppose it cain't do no harm neither." "I'll handle things. Things'll be fine here however long you need to be gone." Hamilton would remember that day, watching Papa drive off, and how at the time the day hadn't seemed different. When he thought back, he could think of no one thing which seemed to've change, except he recalled the yellowish-orange morning light seemed sharper with a change to the air. For way too many folks stench and fear rode the breezes, carrying the smell of char and ashes. Each day had become a hunt for food and shelter. Tending the meager gardens at the Hollows barely managed enough food, but it was food. The lawless churning mayhem, moving far and near, sometimes too close to the Hollows for Hamilton's liking--his wife and son, their unborn, Papa, Mother Greer and Sarah's brother, Benjamin. Gaunt chimneys haunted the ashes of Wisteria Bends, Hamilton's second home, the grand plantation manor where Sarah and Ben had grown up. Without money there was no point going into town. Except for land speculators, gold jingling in their pockets, there wadn't that much food to be had in Queensborough nohow. A blizzard of thunder and hell-hot hate had smashed most homes in the countryside around Queensborough Towne. With Sherman and his army gone, worse than carpetbaggers and a lot more dangerous were the lawless bands of white trash infesting the countryside. No questions asked, easier to kill anyone that happened in their way, and get on with the stealin'. Human locust pillaging what they could get their hands on, torching homes, farms, what was left of the Queensborough courthouse. With parish land records in ashes a fair number of low-lifes claimed land which was never theirs. Author Bio: In addition to professional articles and texts on chordate neuroembryology, Hawk MacKinney has authored several works of fiction—historical love stories, science fiction and mystery-thrillers. Moccasin Trace, a historical novel nominated for the prestigious Michael Shaara Award for Excellence in Civil War Fiction and the Writers Notes Book Award, details the family bloodlines of his protagonist in the Moccasin Hollow Mystery Series: Hidden Chamber of Death, Westobou Gold, Dead Gold, Curse of the Ancients, and Blood of the Dragonfly. Hawk’s science fiction novels include The Bleikovat Event, Vol I in The Cairns of Sainctuarie Science Fiction Series, followed by Vol II, The Missing Planets, and Vol III, Inanna Phantom. Hawk MacKinney served in the US Navy for over 20 years. While serving as a Navy Commander, he also had a career as a full-time faculty member at several major state medical facilities. He earned two postgraduate degrees with studies in languages and history. He has taught postgraduate courses in both the United States and Jerusalem, Israel. He now makes his home in Augusta, Georgia, where he writes full-time. Author Links: Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/698008.Hawk_MacKinney Website: https://www.hawkmackinneyauthor.com/ Buy Links: https://www.amazon.com/Moccasin-Trace-Hawk-MacKinney-ebook/dp/B0CB24VY52 https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/moccasin-trace-hawk-mackinney/1008084042 #historicalfiction #bookstagram #books #booklover #bookworm #bookish #bookstagrammer #fiction #booknerd #bibliophile #booksofinstagram #history #reading #book #readersofinstagram #booksbooksbooks #historical #historicalromance #bookrecommendations #bookaddict #writersofinstagram #historicaldrama #authorsofinstagram #romance #amreading #novel #fantasy #read #bookcommunity