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Please welcome our guest reviewer today! Let’s see what she has to say. Take it away, V.B… Thank you! ♥ Requiem for Barbara by Branka Čubrilo  https://books2read.com/u/3JelNA This book tells the story of a daughter’s journey to understand her impressively complex mother who died too young, and frankly lived life too hard. Through a series of letters and visits with her father, her mother’s parents, and her mother’s lost love, Lora gets a taste of her mother as a person. But, getting her questions answered didn’t help her as much as she’d hoped. The writing enabled me to take the journey with Lora in an never ending pursuit of truth through knowledge. At the end, she got what she thought she wanted, only to learn this did not give her the results she’d hoped for. Finding our place in this world is hard. And the only way to get there is to experience situations like Lora’s. I found the book cathartic and confusing at times…which was how I think Lora must have felt. Meanwhile, it helped define what a true identity crisis can feel like. And it gave me a taste of the immigrant experience. NOTE: I was provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I give this book 4 stars because it was full of complex people and reflected true living.  Image by Tammy Osaokia from Pixabay. Book Blurb: When Barbara dies in Sydney, Australia, her daughter Lora finds a series of hidden letters addressed to her estranged father, Ted. Upon reading the letters, Lora realizes that she never really knew Barbara, except as a mother. She uncovers family secrets, sad and hurtful lies, and an array of fascinating people she never knew had made an impact on her mother’s life. Spurred by these new facts and discoveries, Lora decides to travel to Europe, to her mother’s hometown. In a chance encounter, she meets Davor—a world-famous, yet mysterious figure who was the cause of both Barbara and Lora’s happiness and sadness, as these emotions emerge entangled, intertwined by his story and fascinating past. The novel traverses Sydney, London and Düsseldorf, where the characters grapple with identity, belonging, and how we find solace amongst life’s biggest challenges and questions. Universal Reader link: https://books2read.com/u/3JelNA Here’s an excerpt from the book… My mother has died. For days after her burial, I did not know where to turn to. I am eighteen years old. I only had her; she died believing so. She left me a small apartment, furniture, paintings on the walls, a computer desk, and the computer on it. My first thought, my first impulse, was to sell all her belongings, to liberate myself from the unbearable pain. The pain sat on my chest and shoulders and in each moment, it seemed to me that mother was going to step into the living room from her study, deprived of sleep. The pain never lessened, but I understood that all around me was what was left to me after her passing away. Whatever I looked at, it spoke of her. Soon after her death, I sat at her desk in her study. My mother was a writer, and that was the way she tried to make our living. I always believed she was the best writer in the whole wide world . . . but she didn’t have much success. She published several short stories in women’s periodicals, a collection of poetry . . . she was far ahead of her time. Sitting there at her desk, I started to pull the drawers out to examine their contents. The contents in the drawers were in perfect order―which was not typical of my mother. She was not the victim of any kind of order. In the lowest and widest drawer, I found a cardboard folder tied up with a yellow ribbon. On the folder was written ‘Letters to Ted’. So, it looked like―she still remembered Ted. It was quite a thick folder as it contained numerous sheets of paper. I started to read the papers in the order they were placed. Hi Ted, It was raining on the day you walked out. Miserable, it looks like rain accompanies all separations. I can’t even call it separation, as you left without a word. Lora came in and asked me what was written in the letter I was holding in my hand. I said, “Ted’s gone”. She fell silent. In her angelic eyes, I saw sadness. She did not cry, her petite, narrow face battled with a wild storm of emotions. Then, she said quietly, “He’s gone for good.” She knew that you had gone forever this time. I nodded my head. I could not utter a word, I was afraid of my own voice. She never cried for you, Ted. You coached her how to handle her emotions. After a while, they called me from her school. They told me her marks had dropped; her eyes were red and teary, often. I explained that her father had left us. Her father, Ted. You (who would doubt it often), you are her father. There were too many discrepancies between us, Ted. When we got married, I was already pregnant. I conceived a child with you. When you left, I did not know whether that was better or worse for Lora. We were teaching her different things, constantly. The things that were valuable and honorable in my culture and tradition were unimportant and cheap to you. You had contempt for tenderness, calling it weakness; you mocked sincerity, calling it indiscretion. The things she had to hide from you she would whisper in my ear at night when I would come into her room to tuck her in. You would say, “Why are you covering her five times every night? You will spoil her, make her weak. Let her toughen up.” Why did you allow her to walk the streets barefoot in winter? It used to horrify me. It used to horrify me! You never asked me anything about my country nor about my past. Why? Were you afraid I might ask you the same questions? It all was below your interest, below your level. And so, my own past was suppressed in some strange liminal space where I had sealed the doors tightly shut. (They were sealed with padlocks, one thousand tons heavy, a thousand tons of silence, a thousand tons of concrete . . . with padlocks that seemed as if they would never be unlocked, or broken, with padlocks rusted like the ones in the stories of locked princesses . . . like the ones in the stories with a tragic end, because the main protagonist fell ill of a rare illness that came from a silence weighing one thousand tons . . .) But look, now I want to tell you: I had my country, and I had my past. Even though it looks like a dream now, dreamt long ago (which I dreamt when I was very young), but the one I still remember. You hid your past, for you were not proud of it; it was not ‘good enough’ for you; therefore, you narrated a different one. I could not talk about my past because you were not interested in it (as if it were shameful). But I was proud of it. My first and only love was a painful affair. I left because of him, believing (still too young to understand) that I would forget him. Six months have passed since you left. Lora has never asked about you. Since you left, she has been very quiet, her self-esteem has been very fragile. She has completely lost interest in the violin. When I ask her, what would make her happy, she only shrugs her shoulders and says, “I don’t know.”’ That’s how the first letter my mother wrote to Ted ended. I did not know were these copies of the letters she sent to Ted, or were they letters Ted never received? Letters never sent. My mother was unhappy. I understood that from the first letter. Anyway, I always felt her sadness. (She carried me inside her!). I believed that her sadness came from Ted’s departure and the difficulties of finding a publisher for her novels. But I was wrong. She was not sad because of Ted’s leaving. I was sad because of it. I felt that in these letters, all her life was contained―the history of her hometown, her family, and the history of one love. I put down that letter and with trembling fingers, I took another. I slid my fingers down the sheet of paper. All her letters were written on the same date―on the second day of June every year until the last one. Every year on my birthday, she wrote him a letter about me and about her. And about Dado – her first love. Why did she do it? Barbara was sad. Her sentences were heavily colored with cynicism. I never knew her being cynical. If she did not love him, why did she reproach his departure so much? Wounded ego? Or was it because he left her without any money? Or was she so sad because of me? Tears were rolling down my cheeks while I picked up a new letter. The letters danced in front of my teary eyes. BOOK INFO: AUTHOR: Branka Čubrilo TITLE: Requiem for Barbara GENRE: Literary Fiction, Drama, Family Literature RELEASE DATE: May 25, 2023 PUBLISHER: Speaking Volumes ISBN/ASIN: B0C6FSWFDD OUR RATING: 4 stars REVIEWED BY: V.B. “Can Do Indie Author” Guest Blogger/Reviewer Bio:  V.B. is an indie author who writes romance and Sci-Fi, and voraciously reads anything (with some limits). When she’s not reading and writing, she’s working a day job to pay for her truck habit and puttering around her house. Great! Thanks for this review, Virginia, and for stopping by the blog! :) Check out our latest Writing in the Modern Age blog post here. 
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Please welcome our guest reviewer today! Let’s see what she has to say. Take it away, V.B… Thank you! ♥ One Visit by George Veck  https://books2read.com/u/bMVAM8 Grit. Drugs. Sex. Muck. Bleak. Hopeless. Death. Prison. This book holds back no punches. What is life really like when chemicals overtake us? Dark and dreary, yet honest, this book shares the truth of the worst of us. I don’t see this as a crime story. It’s more like the dark side of humanity relating to drug use. The cops are as brutal as the “crooks.” And the brothers try, but cannot overcome their circumstances. I liked the ending, though. I hope Dazzler wins. I hope Frankie survives. But realistically, it’s death or worse coming for them. If Frankie doesn’t OD, he’ll have to get clean. Then what? What hope can he have? What about Dazzler? His options are fewer. If you’ve not been an addict, this book may scare you. If you know an addict or an abused person, this book may give you a taste of how bad things were for them. If you have survived something like this life, this book may give you a cathartic emotional journey, or even trigger you. Finally, this book is functionally hard to read. Welsh, slang, and Welsh-English don’t always make sense to this Yank. The POV shifts between all characters all the time. You may get lost or confused. However, if I were stoned out of my mind, life may feel that way to me, so I wonder if the author made it confusing on purpose. NOTE: I was provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I give this book 4 stars because it was viscerally hard to read. No one should live like this, but we do.  Ranking Vectors by Vecteezy. Book Blurb: In sleepy, rural North Wales, Frankie Gibbs, a recently laid off, aimless twenty-year-old on Universal Credit, wants nothing more than to keep his younger brother out of the care system. He single-handedly takes this upon himself while their alcoholic, cocaine-addict, single-parent father, Guy Gibbs, heaps misery on their lives through systematic abuse and his never-ending wild parties. After Guy is sent to prison, Frankie is coerced into opening his home to Justin, an acquaintance from his school days now turned drug dealer, while his own addiction and self-worth spiral beyond recognition. Trigger warnings: One Visit contains themes of mental and physical abuse, rape, and drug use. Universal Reader link: https://books2read.com/u/bMVAM8 What are other people saying about One Visit? “One Visit is an astonishing debut. It's raw, shocking, disturbing, insightful, and dark, pretty much from start to finish. There are flashes of wit but, in the main, it's a full-frontal assault with the truth of physical, psychological, social, and political deterioration in a beautiful part of Wales.” – Persiflage O'Brien, Amazon ''Thought-provoking, shocking, and engaging, author George Veck’s ‘One Visit’ is a must-read crime drama. The horrors that the protagonist and his brother endure as the narrative descends further and further into chaos hone in on the growing problem of drug abuse and violence as a whole around the world, and will speak to readers on a very distinct level. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!'' – author Anthony Avina’s blog “One Visit makes you think while you are reading. It opens your eyes because these characters grow on you and you hope that somehow Frankie and Dazzler will escape their life, while realizing they are too far in for help.” – Karen Lee, Goodreads “The author has passion, feelings, and descriptive writing to a tee.” – Mark Fearn, Goodreads “I really enjoyed the honest look into the life of drug users and the dealers. Yes, at times, it was a difficult read, but the uniqueness of both the plot and the characters kept me intrigued and wanting to read on. I thought the characters were well done. They felt realistic, and although there were some unlikeable characters, I couldn’t help but feel sorry for them.” – Books by Mani blog ''One Visit is a raw, uncompromising novel exploring a grimly compelling and contemporary world of drug addiction with its predators and prey. A brutally good read that’s well worth a look.” – Rose Auburn, Goodreads “There is a strong substance abuse theme throughout the book written in a real way. I recommend this book and approach it with an open mind as the author gives us a look at what many people face daily, the burden of addiction.” – Stuart Brkn Johns, Goodreads “Every little detail in the narrative, the use of slang native to drug users, (I was thankful for a few of the footnotes) all works to blend in this documentary-style book. As a reader, you are invested in a story but still remain a spectator. You can see what they cannot, frustrating as that might be, because you know the outcome of it all won't be sunshine and rainbows.” – Michelle, Goodreads Here’s an excerpt from the book… Frankie Gibbs' sunken eyes burst open. His underweight, sweaty midriff springs upwards and leans against the bed frame, panting and gasping for air. He's safe this time, although it takes him the thick side of sixty seconds to realize. He stretches over to his stale bedside half pint of water to sooth his parched throat. A desperate orange piss level of parched, amplified by shutting his stuffy room’s windows to both keep spiders and next door’s rotten month-old garden bin bag stench out. Dread seeps in, not helped by his first sight of the day, a plethora of grubby beer cans and pot noodle packets varying in age littering the dim room. To add insult to injury, a familiar warm sensation around his crotch area becomes increasingly apparent, a stinging itch on the thigh. An absolute disaster, the level of sting means only one thing, it happened early in the night. Leaving more time for the piss to penetrate the plastic protection sheet and seep into the springy mattress. A peak under the covers at his drenched Primark pajama bottoms confirms all suspicions, it's happened again. Undoubtedly, the chugging of eight pint cans of Galleryx lager to get through a Film4 Steven Seagal marathon headlined by 'On Deadly Ground' played its part. Frankie gazes over to the corner of the room and grimaces, his clean sheet pile's as bare as his stomach. Barring a miraculous end to his father Guy Gibbs' five-year housework hiatus, it'll be a sheetless night tonight. Frankie's unproductive, leisurely bedroom-bound night on the piss all but guarantees that no washing was done. He strips the sheets off the bed so roughly that it shreds down the seam. About time one would say, given its ancient cult status within the family after being passed through two generations. But with a three week wait until his next universal credit payment and left down to one currently dirty sheet, it couldn't have happened at a worse time. Frankie wraps the manky sheets forcefully into a ball and heads authoritatively for the bathroom. A door downstairs clatters and he freezes in the hallway, the location of a catalogue of septic foot wounds caused by the perilously high pointing nails sticking out of the uneven floorboard. Nobody comes up the stairs, all clear. He storms for the bathroom. Off come the damp pyjamas, but his trousers, seemingly glued to his legs, prove far from a breeze to rip off. Stuffed in head first with all of his might, the dirty laundry initially fits in the washing basket. But after Frankie collapses onto the shower cubicle floor without noticing, it slowly expands and ends up hanging out of the open lid, dripping with piss and sweat. He stuffs his head into his hands as tears trail between his fingers. An unnerving racket from the disastrously unsafe shower fitting, that's at least ten years overdue for replacing ensures his anonymity in the paper thin walled terraced house where most is heard between rooms. Horizontal fresh razor wounds on his right shoulder partially open up and ooze out a touch of blood. Meters away down in the living room, Frankie's long-time friend Alfie Fenner stands leaning his elbow on an enormous snooker cue case. Caked in Dax wax, with slicked back hair and wearing a grey suit jacket, he's way out of place in these most unglamorous of surroundings, the presentability of which isn't helped by the unofficial house servant’s self-imposed night off on the piss. Guy's stain-ridden high vis jacket, sported at last night’s heavy pound-a-pint session down at the local, is of stark contrast and befitting to the houses disarray. His supervisor role on a building site, which he's casually two hours late for today, allows him the privilege of washing it as he feels. Guy's youngest son Dazzler makes the most of his teacher shortage enforced half school day by gloomily pursuing Premier League and European glory with Liverpool on Fifa career mode. An epic challenge given his recent ascent in game difficulty up to legendary. ''Space with us, should you be after some proper match practice!'' Guy proposes. ''Full squad I thought?'' Alfie mutters dismissively. ''I'll sack any of the ten journeyman fucks on the squad off, any of them!'' Guy passionately declares in his desperation to sign Alfie, an elite player at local level, up for the pool team that he captains. ''Tuck, tuck, all fucking night! All you past it never had it mugs do.'' Alfie mockingly imitates the delicate type of shot required for tucking someone up. ''You haven't a scooby of our impenetrable dominance in the Bangor league.'' "Maybe if the standard was in the slightest bit stimulating.'' With respect to the Bangor pool league, its standard proves a stimulating challenge to those outside of the sport’s professional ranks. Boasting a plethora of international and county level players, its one frame shoot-out format ensures a challenge for any player to remain unbeaten over an entire twenty match season. Fearing his reputation as a budding professional snooker player will bring out the best in his opponents, Alfie finds it safer to pretend he's above that level. ''Div one champions last year, Fenner boy, I'll have you know.'' Guy proudly reminds Alfie of the pinnacle of his eleven years as captain. ''Not just on about the pool though, am I, rammed full of janky munters that club of yours.'' ''No way! More student p*ssy down there on a Wednesday than you could fucking fathom.'' Indeed, it is a hot spot for 'student p*ssy', not that Guy stands even the slightest chance of pulling a single one of them, which consecutive calamitous failed attempts has proven. Despite the fortune of a relatively handsome face and strapping physique, Alfie's dirth of pulling power, subsequent inferiority complex, and anger towards women has lately developed into a baseline curiosity in the incel community. ''Oh, right yeah, let's say it is. Why then is it you skulk off to Vietnam, fucking flower seeking.'' Alfie jabs Guy in the crotch with his cue case. ''That grubby little chode of yours senseless, for your entire month of paid holiday, every bastard year?'' Guy's vigor diminishes, all but crushed by the damning summary of his rigid optimization of leisure and free time. ''Yeah well, that's not all I do out there, is it?'' Other than the hotel’s two-star hygiene rated kitchens all-you-can-eat buffet, where he stocks up on energy for the following day’s conquests, it is. ''Won't mind taking Dazzler with you then?'' Alfie optimistically asks. Guy shudders at the mere thought. Brothels that know him on first name terms, narrowed down to his favorite three that he rotates for daily visits on his trips, wouldn’t let the boy through the front door, not like the unregulated good old days. ''Fearful all the birds will have me instead.'' Dazzler sarcastically chimes in without taking his eyes off a crucial Fifa EFL cup semifinal clash with Huddersfield that he holds a slender one nil lead in. Deep down, Guy knows his womanizing peak was over at nineteen after putting on four pounds of flab following a futile attempt to quit his half gram a day cocaine habit. ''D'you think the other reason I piss off for is?'' Alfie fails miserably to restrain the urge to groan. ''Frankie stuck here babysitting again!'' That puts any late night best of nineteen frame slogs, an inevitable ten nil win for Alfie more often than not, out of the question for an entire month. Not just any month, but the last month of practice before his first pop at snookers Q school. A grueling tournament held once a year, that's the only gateway into the professional ranks. It has been assumed that Frankie will serve as his semi willing full time practice partner, should he pull Q school off against the odds. A decision in itself that puts Alfie's slim chances of sustained success into peril, given Frankie's comparatively lackluster ability. BOOK INFO: AUTHOR: George Veck TITLE: One Visit GENRE: New Adult, Crime Drama RELEASE DATE: November 6, 2022 PUBLISHER: Indie Published ISBN/ASIN: B0BLMDGLQD OUR RATING: 4 stars REVIEWED BY: V.B. “Can Do Indie Author” Guest Blogger/Reviewer Bio:  V.B. is an indie author who writes romance and Sci Fi, and voraciously reads anything (with some limits). When she’s not reading and writing, she’s working a day job to pay for her truck habit and puttering around her house. Awesome. Thanks for this review, Virginia, and for stopping by the blog! :) Check out our latest Writing in the Modern Age blog post here.  Please welcome our guest reviewer today! Let’s see what she has to say. Take it away, Robin… Thank you! ♥ Haunting in Hartley by Janice Tremayne  https://books2read.com/u/m2ElDR I received this book for free. This does not impact my review in any shape or form. Haunting in Hartley, by Janice Tremayne, is a gothic horror novel about a young woman who must overcome a malevolent entity that threatens to destroy her loved ones. Clarisse and her husband, Harry, are currently visiting Hartley in Australia. They decide to take a tour with Paranormal Jack, an eccentric man who, much like his name, takes an interest in ghosts and other nightmarish beings. After Harry and Jack run into the supposed ghost of Father Grimaldi, Jack suddenly dies. With time running out, and Harry’s life on the line, Clarisse must find a way to defeat this evil entity that gleefully wants to destroy them all. I’m not going to lie, I definitely empathize with the phantom. We’ve seen the victims he’s gathered, people who have experienced loss, trauma, and grief. Although he was parasitic, I could understand how he was able to lure them in; after all, everyone wanted a safe place to belong, somewhere where they can’t be hurt again. It made sense for Eleanor and Little Charlie. But even so, Tremayne reminds us of the phantom’s darkness, that at the end of the day, it doesn’t care about anyone else but itself. It wants to lure people in, people who have a certain innocence to them, if only to be corrupted. Perhaps the devil behind it feels that the more light it consumes, the more likely it’ll get into heaven. The same could be said with the Catholic Church. Despite the facade it puts up, it nourishes sin more than forgives it. And while so many, like Father O’Hara, may seek said forgiveness, in the end they’re lost. They can’t hope to find it, no matter how many times they lie to themselves. It’s the same with the phantom. I also enjoyed the concept of the chest being a sort of Pandora’s Box intertwined with a Faustian contract. It promises you everything. It lets you see into the future, bring wealth and power beyond your wildest imagination, and yet at the end of it, you’d be lost to it. I’m not going to lie; there are a lot of people right now who would give anything to have that kind of power, what with the economy and all. Moreover, the fact that we’ve seen how corrupt religious institutions can be, regardless of affiliation, can definitely push us into that direction. It’s why we have to have strong morals, why, no matter what tempts us, we need to keep moving forward. The editing could definitely use a lot of work, especially since I felt there were more than a few repetitive phrases. The sentences could’ve flown smoother, and there are times when I felt the author was telling me what was going on, rather than showing me. Despite that, I absolutely loved the plot. I liked how intricate the details were, as well as the descriptions of the ghosts. I would’ve preferred the ending be more fleshed out, but nonetheless, this was a solid book. As such, I would give this book a 3.5 out of 5 stars.  Image by Starline on Freepik. Book Blurb: A town under siege. A malignant force plaguing its people. Can this warrior for good cleanse the sickness before they all fall prey to darkness? Clarisse Garcia walks the arduous path of a spirit hunter. Arriving in the small Australian township of Hartley for work, she immediately senses the area is mired in a centuries-old curse. And when a local paranormal expert shares his evidence, the prescient woman finds herself face to face with a malevolent demon. Flirting with danger, Clarisse engages in a battle of wits with the wicked creature. But even as she fends off the foul manifestation’s attempts to sour her faith, she fears she may never escape her high-stakes parlay with evil incarnate. Can she maintain her grip on sanity before the tight-knit community is doomed? Haunting in Hartley is the second standalone book in the spine-chilling Haunting Clarisse supernatural horror series. If you like pulse-pounding tension, scarily dark corners, and thought-provoking dilemmas, then you’ll love Janice Tremayne’s unsettling story. Buy Haunting in Hartley to outsmart a devil today! Universal Reader link: https://books2read.com/u/m2ElDR Here’s an excerpt from the book… Before Father Grimaldi took another step, he heard screeching on the wall directly in front of him. He gulped while his heart started thumping harder. It had been an ominous sound, designed to grab his attention. He took a deep breath and held it while looking disconcertingly toward the wall. A misty haze of light captured his attention with speckles of dust forming patterns of floating particles. The incandescent light came from nowhere, as there were no windows in this room. He lifted his lamp above shoulder height to improve his view in finding where the uncanny sound had come from when, out of nowhere, an icy hand tapped him on his right shoulder then patted him on his back. He stood frozen and tense as he gripped his hands into fists, his heart racing and eyes glued directly in front of him. He shook his shoulders more than once as a tickle went up his spine. It had a skeleton-like feel, devoid of any life or tenderness. It was the hand of a dead man, but with the metaphysical qualities to touch. He turned around sharply to confront the phantom, almost losing his grip on the lamp, to find nothing but darkness in front of him. Was it playing games to appease itself? To control the emotions of others wary of its presence? “They send a man of God to do their dirty work?” said the phantom in an old English accent. “Well, speak up, man of the robe … Announce yourself!” Father Grimaldi turned toward the voice next to the cobalt blue chest. However, the sound filled the room like an echo chamber in a stereophonic tone. “Yes, it is I … Father Grimaldi. And who may you be?” “I am whatever you want me to be … Sometimes, I am something, and other times, I’m nothing … a transient soul, my dear Father, caught up in a sinister game of trickery by the devil.” A faint image of a phantom appeared above the chest—a bearded, middle-aged man with a vintage baker boy cap and a dark grey, double-breasted coat. The phantom was not steady, phasing in and out, but one thing was for sure: it was like looking through a glass window. “I don’t understand this game you are talking about?” said Father Grimaldi. The lamp was trembling in his right hand, and he gripped the brass skeleton key with so much zeal that it left a red imprint on the palm of his left hand. “I am here because I have the power to see everything … before, now, and into the future. But it’s seeing the future that torments my soul the most.” The phantom looked toward Father Grimaldi and pointed at him. “You will not find an ornate cross here, my dear priest.” “You know why I am here?” Father Grimaldi was surprised. “And if you think that was just good fortune, I also know why Father O’Hara sent you here … like he did with all the other priests—to cover his filthy tracks.” There was an excruciating silence, and then … “You know of Father O’Hara?” “Oh, do I know him? More than you think. And if you thought the devil was my only embodiment, have a look at your flock where he lives behind the robe to cover up his dubious deeds.” “So, why did he send me here if there is no cross?” Father Grimaldi asked. “I am not your advisor, my dear priest; I only tell you the way it is. He knows you are a troubled man of the Church, and he fought against your transfer to this orphanage.” The phantom stood up, six-foot-tall, and transformed above the chest effortlessly, looking toward Father Grimaldi with vicious red eyes and sabre-like teeth. “I seek no quarrel with you, evil spirit. I am here because I was sent to fetch an ornate cross and will leave you be.” The phantom rattled in anger with the howl of a wolf, blowing so strongly that it elevated Father Grimaldi off the ground, a foot into the air, then slammed him back onto the dusty cobblestone floor. “Nobody leaves this den of dark souls unless I say so!” The phantom was angered by Father Grimaldi’s proclamation. The door behind Father Grimaldi slammed shut, the echoes vibrating and filling the room with a thumping clap. Everything shook, even the floor beneath him. Father Grimaldi placed his hands over his ears to limit the noise. Then he got off the ground, heart racing and thumping, and dusted the grime off his cloak. Father Grimaldi did not want to show the phantom that he was intimidated by his outburst. “So, what do you want? I assume you are seeking something from me, if you won’t let me go freely.” “You are a clever man, dear priest, but don’t get too ahead of yourself. Better men have tried and failed, and now they grace the fires of hell, ripped into an everlasting dance of the inferno.” The dark spirit hesitated for a moment, gathering his thoughts. “I have a proposition for you, my dear priest.” “And what might that be?” “It is foretold that on the eighth day of the eight month, you will be stricken by a mysterious illness. It will be a condition that your doctors cannot diagnose because they are looking in the wrong place. On the eighth day, you will slip into a coma.” Father Grimaldi swallowed and clenched his hands as he stood up straight, looking directly at the phantom. “You are predicting my death? That is impossible.” “My dear priest, I don’t need to predict because I already know.” The phantom wavered as his apparition disappeared and reappeared again, faintly, as it struggled to maintain a consistent presence. “On your death bed, you will beg me to save you. I do not need to do anything now. It will happen, I guarantee you. But I will ensure the good doctors find the right diagnosis to spare your life.” “And for what? What do you seek in return?” Father clutched the skeleton key stronger than ever before. A trickle of blood dripped from his palm and onto the pebble stone below. “You are a man of faith and believe in the everlasting. You await your God at the gates of heaven when your body passes from the physical state to the spiritual. And like all mortal souls, you will fear death as you reach your final breath and cling to life any way you can.” “I have no fear of death. I will embrace it when my time comes, unlike your fanciful explanation.” Father Grimaldi stood fast and lifted his lantern to get a better view of the apparition. “Ha-ha … Think what you like. When your time comes, you will beg me to save your life. In return, you will become the keeper of my powers, as contained in this chest of everything before it. You will agree to release me from my life of misery in favor of your life.” The spirit of dark souls pointed toward him with his right arm bending slightly. “You will live on and on, with new wisdom never imagined, wealth, power—anything you want!” “So, you brought me here to negotiate my life with you,” said Father Grimaldi. “Do you think I will trade my soul with you, a spirit of dark souls?” “Imagine the power you will have, to foresee any future events, unlimited and only contained by your lack of imagination. You can be anyone you want to be in return. All you need is to become the keeper of the cobalt blue chest.” “You make it sound attractive, but I’m aware you spin your words like a salesman. It’s the devil’s work, and I won’t be convinced by your enthusiasm for the benefits of this dastardly life you inherited.” Father Grimaldi’s rejection angered the petulant phantom. In a split-second, the face of the spirit appeared directly before him with clown-like eyes, bolded in dark eyeliner, and a white face, with sabre teeth, and the fury of a wild dog. Red droplets of blood fell from its mouth, and its tongue dangled in and out like a ferocious animal sucking its lips. His head was so close to Father Grimaldi that his pointed nose touched the priest’s forehead and thick, green saliva dripped onto his cheekbone like icy-cold slime. Purplish, protruding veins covered the fearsome expression, bulging out with every taunt of anger. The smell was like rotting corpses, making Father Grimaldi cough profusely. The handkerchief that covered his face could not stop the caustic odor from penetrating his lungs. “Do you believe me now, my dear priest? Don’t mock me again, or I will unleash the strength of a hundred demons to devour your purified soul.” BOOK INFO: AUTHOR: Janice Tremayne TITLE: Haunting in Hartley GENRE: Paranormal Thriller, Horror RELEASE DATE: May 31, 2020 PUBLISHER: Millport Press ISBN/ASIN: B0819YTL24 OUR RATING: 3.5 stars REVIEWED BY: Robin G. Guest Blogger/Reviewer Bio:  My pen name is Robin Goodfellow. I fell in love with reading after I picked up Fallen by Lauren Kate. I am currently a licensed substance abuse counselor and LPC-A (although I hope to be an LPC soon). I was also a former math and special education teacher. Although I tried going to medical school, it didn’t work out. On the bright side, I’ve got more time for reading and writing! Mental health is a personal passion of mine, as is crochet, and annoying my husband. Awesome. Thanks for this, Robin, and for stopping by the blog! :) Check out our latest Writing in the Modern Age blog post here.  Please welcome our guest reviewer today! Let’s see what she has to say. Take it away, Virginia… Thank you! ♥ Rosemary's Beach House by Linda Heavner Gerald  https://books2read.com/u/4EEd6o I wish I knew what work this book was based on or mimics. I would classify it as suspense or romantic suspense. Rosemary grew on me over time, and Malcom was a charmer. Lucy and Josh are notable characters as well. I enjoyed watching Rosemary and Malcom’s romance grow while the mystery and tension grew. The first three-quarters of the book are about Rosemary’s life and then her life with Malcom. The last quarter covers her devastation after Malcom’s death. The suspense starts when she and Malcom marry, and the danger is only revealed when the “intruder” finally comes to finish Rosemary off. The mystery is solid. Bountiful clues and foreshadowing keep you guessing. The characters feel real and play their parts well. Also, there was a lot of referring to God, and a thread of Him keeping Rosemary safe by “closing her mouth,” but I wouldn’t call this an inspirational mystery. I recommend reading this book for the story—just to see how it turns out in the end. The writing was a bit tedious for me to read. The MC tells us the whole thing. Only the dialogue feels natural. The rest is a narration. The one POV we never get is Malcom’s. We get his words and actions, but I’m not really sure he loved Rosemary. I think he did, and she “said” he did, but we get none of his thoughts. This could be my bias. I was so busy looking for clues in the mystery that I became suspicious of the love story. Finally, I’m tired of vilifying mental illness by making the murderer “crazy.” Anger, betrayal, and jealousy are all good enough reasons to kill. That said…I know that plenty of “craziness” causes death, but using a diagnosis to explain “why” cheapens the worth of those diagnosed as such. NOTE: I was provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I give this book 3 stars because the MC survived awful events with her soul intact, and supported those around her.  Image by Masadepan on Freepik. Book Blurb: Rosemary Lewis divorced her husband after she discovered him with another woman. Suffering from depression at her loss, the young woman threw herself into work as a registered nurse. Then, she met Malcolm Beach who represented her dream. Together, they did enjoy a perfect life. Devotion from her new husband thrilled her as they traveled all over the world. Sailing became their pastime until the sudden death of her love. Once again, Rosemary found herself devastated and alone. Suddenly, an unknown foe threatened her very life. Why did this begin after the death of her husband? Slowly gleaning bits of information, she discovers that Malcolm's previous lover was insane. Is this the one who makes her life hell? Now, a wealthy widow, Rosemary must fight to survive in the beautiful home named 'Rosemary's Beach House'. Universal Reader link: https://books2read.com/u/4EEd6o Here’s an excerpt from the book… Although I attempted to appear as confident as I looked, my hands shook. Before Malcolm arrived, I cut fresh flowers to display on the foyer table. They were beautiful. My problem was I forgot to lay the scissors down, so I held them in my left hand. Just as I opened the door with my right hand, my left one tried to hug Malcolm. Instead, the scissors became entwined in the strap of my dress. Panic overcame me. Spastically, I pressed the blades of the scissors together cutting the strap of my new dress. It was slightly large on me. The entire right side of the stunning dress fell exposing my nakedness. I didn’t wear a bra. Since the outfit was strapless, my breast glowed innocently at Malcolm from my red doorway. My prince looked from my face to my right boob in shock. Moments passed as we stared at each other unsure of the correct response. “Oh, well, I say, RM, you have a welcoming way about you. Never, in my life did I receive this sort of welcome! It is the best! Way to go, RM! I have to say that your boob, which you seem proud to display, looks as succulent as my gift to you. This was a joke, my bag of onions, but your boob outdoes my meager attempt at humor. I mean, I guess this is supposed to be funny, right?” Gently, he smiled while thrusting a huge bag of Vidalia Onions in my face. I knew that I should have closed the door and let this relationship melt away. We weren’t meant to be. Instead, I threw both arms around the good doctor’s neck. Malcolm smelled faintly of intoxicating cologne. Staggering into him with the scissors still in hand, I jabbed them into his right temple. Not very far, mind you, but enough to nick the skin. Now, his beautiful white shirt displayed pinpoints of bright red blood. Will he still smile at me? Dumb as this sounds, that was my thought. I pulled from Malcolm’s embrace to see him hesitate. Oh, no, this is it. My dream is going to walk away. Not knowing what else to do, I cried. This brilliant man was not only famous and accomplished, but he was kind. “Now, now, RM, these things happen. Don’t cry. Someday, we will laugh at all the drama.” Did he say someday? Do we still have a future? I promise not to make another mistake. BOOK INFO: AUTHOR: Linda Heavner Gerald TITLE: Rosemary’s Beach House GENRE: Mystery/Suspense RELEASE DATE: January 9, 2019 PUBLISHER: Lime Pie Publishers ISBN/ASIN: B07MM67SCH OUR RATING: 3 Stars REVIEWED BY: V.B. “Can Do Indie Author” Guest Blogger/Reviewer Bio:  VB is an indie author who writes romance and Sci Fi and voraciously reads anything (with some limits). When she’s not reading and writing, she’s working a day job to pay for her truck habit and puttering around her house. Awesome. Thanks for this, V.B., and for stopping by the blog! :) Check out our latest Writing in the Modern Age blog post here.  Please welcome our guest reviewer today! Let’s see what she has to say. Take it away, Jamie… Thank you! ♥ Miscreants, Murderers, and Thieves anthology - organized by Samuel W. Reed  https://books2read.com/u/boqXR1 A little suspense, a little tiny bit of romance, a lot of plot twists, a little sci-Fi maybe. This anthology has a little bit of everything for everyone. Lots of didn't-see-that-coming moments too. Quick short stories. I did feel as if some of the stories left out some important details and may have been rushed to "finish". NOTE: I was provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I give this book 4 stars.  Image by Mohamed Hassan from Pixabay. Book Blurb: Take a tour through the minds of thirteen of today's most talented independent authors in a crime anthology like no other. Miscreants, Murderers, and Thieves hosts a cross-section of indie writers from all across America in a unique compilation of diverse voices set to take you on a journey beyond your wildest imagination. From aging detectives trapped in a magic house of hell, to a doctor with a fascination for the macabre, to New Century City, where superheroes and supervillains battle it out for supremacy, this is a genre-bending short story collection guaranteed to thrill. Featuring contributions from award-winning authors, screenwriters, and wordsmiths such as Don Bapst, David Beeler, Shawn D. Brink, Dori Ann Dupre, Gabriel DiDomenico, Dane G. Kroll, Ethel Lung, Casey Mensing, Suzanne Crain Miller, Samuel W. Reed, Katherine Tomlinson, Will Wallace & Nicholas Zeman, with illustrations by Jared Sloger. Universal Reader link: https://books2read.com/u/boqXR1 Here’s an excerpt from the book… With a last look around, Jonathan exhaled a sigh and trudged back up the walkway to the front door. He was mildly surprised to find it wouldn’t open. One of the first things he’d done when he and Kaye had moved into the house was change the lock so it would shut but not latch unless turned with a key. Probably it’s just frozen in the cold, Jonathan decided. It’s an old house. But after he jiggled the handle and pulled and tugged, it became clear that the door was, in fact, locked. Jonathan was irritated, but not yet concerned. They kept a spare key to the front door beneath a fake rock hidden in the rose bushes that bracketed the front porch like a pair of parentheses. It took him a while to find the fake rock and he scratched himself on the thorny branches of the winterized rose bushes in the process. When he reached down to pick up the phony stone one of the thick, hard thorns embedded itself in his forearm, drawing a single tear of blood, which he ignored as he stared below at the cold, bare dirt. He was puzzled at first, but that soon gave way to a feeling that he identified as … panic. He patted the pockets of his robe, unconsciously searching for a phantom key but finding only a random cough drop wrapped in sticky paper. “Fuck,” he said out loud, closing his robe a little tighter. He considered lobbing the fake rock at his bedroom window but knew Kaye would never hear it. She was a heavy sleeper and she’d been snoring when he left their bedroom. Jonathan climbed the steps back onto the porch and considered his options. The house was at the end of a cul-de-sac, small enough that he and Kaye knew all their neighbors. But the housing crisis had taken its toll on the neighborhood and only two of the houses were occupied. Their nearest neighbors had gone to visit their children for the holidays and the man who lived in the house across the street worked the night shift. Jonathan sighed. The windows on the first floor of his house were all covered by iron security grates. Even if he managed to break the glass, it wouldn’t do him any good; the openings were too small to wriggle through. He walked around the house toward the garage, wondering if he could pry the roll-down door open wide enough to crawl under it. He knelt on the damp, cold concrete to get some traction on the door handle but couldn’t budge it more than an inch. Fuck, he thought again, and then, it’s getting cold. In fact, it wasn’t actually getting colder, but the wind had picked up significantly, making it feel like it had. Jonathan stamped his feet to warm them up, and then tried jumping jacks to get the blood flowing in the rest of his body. The exercise didn’t help. He began to shiver, at first imperceptibly and then so violently that his teeth began to rattle. He started next door with the vague notion of breaking into the neighbor’s house, but halfway across the lawn he tripped on one of the pop-up sprinklers that kept their grass green in summer. He fell heavily and by the time he’d gathered himself, he’d forgotten his plan and returned to the house. He was beginning to have a hard time thinking straight. A few minutes later, it seemed like a good idea to shuck his robe and kick off the slippers, which were now loose on his cold, shrunken feet. By the time he stepped out of his boxers, he was feeling light-headed and calm. He didn’t even see the shadow lingering in the window. *** Inside the house, which she kept heated to 78 degrees against the Minnesota winter, Kaye watched as her husband peeled of his boxers in what she had learned was known as “paradoxical undressing.” It was a sign that the body and mind were starting to shut down in the cold, a symptom of extreme systemic distress. It was 23 degrees outside and the forecast called for sleet and possibly snow before the night was over. The wind was from the north, sweeping down from Canada and dropping the perceived temperature to somewhere around minus 15. That was cold, but not spectacularly cold. Kaye had read that in parts of Siberia empty plastic bags would freeze within minutes in the frigid temperatures; freeze and then crack like glass. She’d seen movies where people were flash-frozen by liquid nitrogen and then shattered like fine china. She’d have liked to have seen Jonathan break into a million frozen shards. But that might have looked suspicious to the police. Better to keep it simple. A lot of people simply freeze to death every winter. She’d looked it up. There’d be no reason for the police to question her story that she’d found him dead on the front lawn after he’d inexplicably wandered out into the cold. They’d find the 25-year-old scotch in his belly in the autopsy and nod knowingly. Most cold-related deaths involved alcohol, Kaye had read. Jonathan always had a drink or two before bed. She knew it was the only way he could stomach lying so close to her night after night. The police probably wouldn’t check his cell phone but if they did, it would be a bonus. The text had come from a burner phone Kaye had picked up the day after their last anniversary, the anniversary where he’d gotten her a $50 gift certificate to Bed, Bath, and Beyond. It had been easy enough to schedule the text to arrive in the middle of the night. The number wouldn’t track back to Lila, of course, but Kaye had attached one of the nude pictures she’d found in Jonathan’s computer. Lila’s skanky face had been clearly visible. It wouldn’t take the police long to find her and to ask her why she’d enticed her lover out of the house on such a cold night. Kaye had watched a lot of Forensics Files. The police wouldn’t find the photo on Jonathan’s computer. Kaye had replaced his hard drive after duplicating everything on the system except for the pictures and the incriminating emails. It had taken her close to a month, but she was nothing if not patient. Kaye really didn’t bear her rival any ill will, but if Lila was implicated in Jonathan’s death, well, it’d be gravy. At the thought of gravy, Kaye's stomach growled. Maybe I’ll make some ham and red-eye gravy, she thought. Once all the commotion dies down. Maybe some biscuits, too. Something that’ll stick to my ribs on such a cold morning. Kaye smiled as she turned back to her cozy cotton bed. She had always loved the cold. BOOK INFO: AUTHOR: Samuel W. Reed (editor, organizer) TITLE: Miscreants, Murderers, and Thieves GENRE: Crime Fiction Anthology RELEASE DATE: January 25, 2020 PUBLISHER: Reed Press ISBN/ASIN: B0846Y2J51 OUR RATING: 4 Stars REVIEWED BY: Jamie M. Guest Blogger/Reviewer Bio:  My name is Jamie Manous. I am a single mom with two adult kids, both in college. I also have three fur babies, two dogs, and one cat. When I am not working or caring for my family, I spend my downtime reading and writing reviews for books and products I like. I like reading because it allows me to escape the world for a couple of hours and destress. I have done countless reviews for Amazon, and I have reviewed many authors including Michelle Major, Jo McNalley, Eva Moore, and E.M Shue. Most of the authors I review write Romance/Harlequin. But I enjoy reading genres like Romance/Harlequin, Murder Mystery, True Crime, Historical Nonfiction, and Historical Fiction. On very rare occasions, I read Fantasy Literature like Harry Potter or Twilight. I have reviewed for many years and still prefer a good ole paperback any day and own a personal library with about 7,000 books. Awesome. Thanks for this, Jamie, and for stopping by the blog! :)  Please welcome our guest reviewer today! Let’s see what she has to say. Take it away, Virginia… Thank you! ♥ The Me Too Girl by Lance and James Morcan  https://books2read.com/u/b5WWp6 This is an intense and short read that reflects the #MeToo moment. I recommend it to those who need to better understand those affected by sexual abuse or for those who are suffering or have suffered sexual abuse. It’s especially helpful to help those not abused to better understand some victims’ issues dealing with abusers who have almost omnipotent power over them. Too many victims have no hope or alternative of something else outside or beyond their abusive situation. It was awesome to experience how Suzie found some other way than giving in. There should always be a way out, an alternative, a “something better than this.” Unfortunately, this is not always possible. But Suzie found a way, even using new allies. Though it would have been nice for this to be a true story, this book had to be fiction, because few victims achieve the freedom and peace that Suzie did. This story should remind us all to notice better those around us, to reach out and actually assist those who have no advocate, and to stop abusers whenever they are found. I’m fine with the story being short. Too long or more detail could traumatize readers, especially ones who have lived a life like Suzie’s. The only downside of this book for me was that I wondered whether the authors were trying to advocate for victims or were trying to capitalize on a hot topic at the time. NOTE: I was provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I give this book 4 stars because the MC overcame abuses and addictions that destroy more humans than not.  Ranking Vectors by Vecteezy. Book Blurb: Young Los Angeles public relations exec Suzie Fox is being blackmailed for sex by a bad cop, a senior officer of the LAPD no less. Suzie fights back the only way she knows how, and, in the process, unwittingly becomes a beacon, a shining light, for America's Me Too movement and for abused women everywhere. But will justice be served? Universal Reader link: https://books2read.com/u/b5WWp6 Here’s an excerpt from the book… The first I became aware he was waiting for me was when I crossed the street. I was about to enter the building when the patrol car’s passenger door opened and the passenger stepped out, blocking my path. I recognized him immediately despite the fact last time I saw him he wore the uniform of a police officer. Holy shit! Hector Williams, or Heck to his associates, was the LAPD’s Deputy Chief of Police. He was also kind of hard to forget. A hulking specimen, the forty-nine-year-old Williams stood six foot six and towered over all but a rare few of the passersby currently using the sidewalk outside my apartment. That wasn’t the main reason I remembered Deputy Chief Williams, however. We had a history of sorts. A history I’d rather forget. Williams smiled at me as he ran his eyes over my body and made no attempt to hide the fact he liked what he saw. His was a cruel smile and there was no affection in those cold, gray eyes. Glancing at the security camera above the building’s entrance, he smiled again as he flashed his ID card and, turning his face away from the camera, he said, “Hey little Suzie, remember me? I’m now Deputy Chief Hector Williams.” I shuddered involuntarily. I remember you alright. “What the hell do you want?” “Now, is that any way to greet ol’ Heck?” Williams took me gently but firmly by the arm and escorted me a little way along the sidewalk. Whether it was because of the presence of the security camera or the close proximity of his fellow officer in the nearby patrol car I wasn’t sure. Knowing him, it was probably because of both of those things. As we walked, my mind was racing. When I’d last seen Williams I’d been using another name and residing elsewhere in this city – in Venice, to be precise. That was three or four years ago now. Since then, I’d adopted a complete change of lifestyle, reverted to using my real name and relocated to new premises at least three times. In doing so, I believed I’d never see the man again. At least I prayed I’d never see him again. How in God’s name did you find me, Hector? BOOK INFO: AUTHOR: Lance and James Morcan TITLE: The Me Too Girl GENRE: Crime Drama RELEASE DATE: November 5, 2019 PUBLISHER: Sterling Gate Books ISBN/ASIN: B08137BDGH OUR RATING: 4 Stars REVIEWED BY: V.B. “Can Do Indie Author” Guest Blogger/Reviewer Bio:  VB is an indie author who writes romance and Sci Fi and voraciously reads anything (with some limits). When she’s not reading and writing, she’s working a day job to pay for her truck habit and puttering around her house. Awesome. Thanks for this, V.B., and for stopping by the blog! :)  Please welcome our guest reviewer today! Let’s see what she has to say. Take it away, Ginny… Thank you! ♥ Raising Kane by Susan Lynn Solomon  https://books2read.com/u/bPLJNz We start our story with reporter Libby Bridgeman going to interview a one-time star Alicia Kane, who has been in seclusion for many years. Her boss wants her to fly out to do an interview in person. However, Libby does not want to go. She would rather do the interview over the phone and get it over with. She gets ahold of a friend who does some digging into Alicia’s background and finds out that she was arrested during a student riot during the 60s. So, she thought that she had enough information, and she could just fill in the gaps with a phone call. When she arrived at the house, she was greeted by a very happy to see her older woman whom she was not expecting, but she was ready to get the interview over with so she could be on her way. Alicia wasn’t interested in talking about the one topic that Libby was ready to start with and it made her feel uneasy. She was there to do a job and Alicia was not making it easy on her. She got her interview back on track and they continued. After she had returned home, she was sitting on her bed getting all her interview notes in order when she got a message to call the Niagara Falls Police Department. She was not prepared for what she was about to hear on the other end of the phone conversation. The detective that she spoke with gave the news of Mrs. Alicia Lawrence’s death and how they did not expect foul play. Though Libby was warned by several people – including her family – to let this investigation go, she kept researching it and was set back by what she had learned of this mysterious woman, whom she had met once. I was able to finish this book in one day, it was a great, easy read that held my attention the entire time. I recommend this book without a doubt.  Image by Mohamed Hassan from Pixabay. Book Blurb: Libby Bridgeman, a stringer for the Village Voice, balks when Max Howard, her editor, insists she interview Alicia Kane. Though, campus rebel, a rock superstar and an icon in the 1970s, Kane hasn’t been heard of in forty years. A Brooklyn court case involving a Black Lives Matter protest seems far more relevant. But you don’t say no to Max Howard. While writing the article about the interview after meeting Kane, Libby receives a call from a detective—Alicia Kane is dead. Accident or suicide, the detective tells her, but Libby believes she was murdered. When Max insists that she drop the story, she’s certain he knows more than he’ll tell her. In Greenwich Village, Chicago, Niagara Falls, a Manhattan recording studio, Libby interviews people who’d known Kane. Like Max, each seems to hide something. A connection to her family? Then, one tumultuous night she learns Alicia Kane’s complete story, and this flips her world. Universal Reader link: https://books2read.com/u/bPLJNz Here’s an excerpt from the book… “A lioness of the 60s and 70s,” I said with a sardonic laugh as I sat before my make-up mirror. I have a habit of thinking out loud. In fact, some- times words fall from my mouth before I realize they’re in my brain. This can be embarrassing—not lady-like, my mother often told me. While in my mind, I listened to my mother chastise me for this untoward trait, I had another idea. “Ira!” I picked up my phone and punched in the number of a friend who worked at a collection agency. Phone, gas, electric bills, charge accounts, speeding tickets, arrests, even most birth records—every bit of a person’s life seemed to be logged in some computer’s database. My friend had access to those. After a few minutes on hold, listening to Latin music, he came on the line. “Ira?” I said. “What do you want now?” “Do I have to want something to call an old high school pal?” “You always want something,” he said. “I give, you take, and I don’t hear from you again until you want something else.” I sighed. This was definitely not one of my better days handling men. No surprise. I’ve never handled them very well. I tried again. “I just thought maybe you could find me a little background on―” “Giving you a little background could get me fired.” “Ira, don’t be this way,” I said in the most helpless voice I could muster. “I don’t need anything as deep as last time. No bank records. I’m really stuck for a place to start on my new assignment. You’re the only one I can turn to.” BOOK INFO: AUTHOR: Susan L Solomon TITLE: Raising Kane GENRE: Mystery/Suspense RELEASE DATE: January 18, 2022 PUBLISHER: Solstice Publishing ISBN/ASIN: ISBN: 979-8404780031/ AISN: B09QQ9YCJK OUR RATING: 5 Big Amazing Stars REVIEWED BY: Virginia (Ginny) Frick Guest Blogger/Reviewer Bio:  I am a military wife, a mom, and a Gigi. All of which I would never change. I have a deep love for reading, and if I was given the opportunity, I truly believe I could do it all day. I decided to start reviewing books one day while I was reading some posts and thought, I can do that. So I commented on a few posts and next thing I know, I am reading some pretty amazing books. My cousin and I started a review blog (www.cuzweread.wordpress.com) and a bookstagram (@cuz.weread.books). Awesome. Thanks for this, Ginny, and for stopping by the blog! :)  A List of Worthy Rom Coms for Valentine's Week
With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, I thought I’d take a moment to do a romantic post…
I must admit, I have a weakness for good love stories. Girl meets boy, and then romance ensues. Or girl-girl, boy-boy, et cetera. Maybe even a bit of reverse harem. Who really cares, as long as you’re happy? Recently, I perused the top new releases in Romance on Amazon. Then, I couldn’t decide which subgenre I should focus on. Yet, what could be better, more uplifting and such, than a decent rom com? Steamy or clean romance, I’ve included both types and a few different themes. You decide which works better for you. I’m adding them below. Enjoy! Romance Books to Discover
https://books2read.com/u/bW0pQG
https://books2read.com/u/bMNzY7
https://books2read.com/u/mV0DRA
https://books2read.com/u/mqeNwe
https://books2read.com/u/mvyNW6
https://books2read.com/u/bxrNQP
https://books2read.com/u/bzKnZ9
https://books2read.com/u/3nDN2o
https://books2read.com/u/bzKnZE
https://www.amazon.com/Valentines-Day-Proposal-Alpha-Billionaire-ebook/dp/B0BSLC36YC/
https://www.amazon.com/When-Farmer-Met-City-Girl-ebook/dp/B0BSP37YR7/
https://www.amazon.com/Snows-Prince-Silver-Spoon-Underworld-ebook/dp/B0B27JFLJG/
https://www.amazon.com/Serving-CEO-Him-Book-ebook/dp/B0BSF5C2TG/
https://www.amazon.com/Just-Another-Chance-Alpha-Billionaire-ebook/dp/B0BRHZ2JL8/
https://www.amazon.com/Dirty-Devil-single-romance-Nashville-ebook/dp/B09V3FB1SF/
https://www.amazon.com/Icebreaker-Novel-1-Maple-Hills/dp/1668026031/
https://www.amazon.com/Desert-Island-Paradise-Castaway-Couples-ebook/dp/B0BT5VHZ5L/ https://www.amazon.com/Until-Saw-You-Dianna-Roman-ebook/dp/B0BNPRNZ1Z/
https://www.amazon.com/Turnabout-Regency-inspired-Sydney-Salier-ebook/dp/B0BSCGKX9N/
https://www.amazon.com/Malones-Heart-Haven-Texas-Book-ebook/dp/B0BMJPP9KP/
https://www.amazon.com/Hot-Mess-Wedding-Accidental-Romance-ebook/dp/B0BTTQJT7L/
https://www.amazon.com/Scandalous-Secret-Spinsters-Charming-Rogues-ebook/dp/B09S9XJ7H5/
https://www.amazon.com/Xaviers-Kitten-Curvy-Girl-Romance-ebook/dp/B0BFJZ77J4/
https://www.amazon.com/First-Fall-Romantic-Comedy-Bookshop-ebook/dp/B0BN4TV5ZR/
https://www.amazon.com/Rocked-Bayou-Badges-bodyguard-rockstar-ebook/dp/B09ZH1GYDJ/
https://www.amazon.com/Crushes-Confections-Holiday-Hollow-Jarica-ebook/dp/B0BKTTKLWY/
https://www.amazon.com/Love-Rescheduled-Jennifer-Peel-ebook/dp/B0BSKB24JL/
https://www.amazon.com/Baby-Grumpy-Billionaire-Surprise-Pregnancy-ebook/dp/B0BSYSV1V2/
https://www.amazon.com/Wicked-Bed-Wayward-Woodvilles-Book-ebook/dp/B09MZF69M6/
https://www.amazon.com/Audible-A-Long-Time-Coming/dp/B0BR62F8XV/
https://www.amazon.com/Life-Worth-Living-Monica-McCallan-ebook/dp/B0BT56M3Z2/
https://www.amazon.com/Husband-Hoax-Accidental-Love-Book-ebook/dp/B0BKZJLTXX/
https://www.amazon.com/Stripe-Left-Paranormal-Dating-Agency-ebook/dp/B0BR2QQF6S/
https://www.amazon.com/Love-We-Make-Harper-Bliss-ebook/dp/B0BRL9PBLN/
https://www.amazon.com/Silver-Fox-Boss-Daddy-Billionaire-ebook/dp/B0BTP7BC2J/
https://www.amazon.com/Wood-You-Mine-Lumberjack-Lumberjacks-ebook/dp/B0BP2W9F8H/
https://www.amazon.com/Stay-You-Whisper-Lake-Brothers-ebook/dp/B0BSSHY563/
https://www.amazon.com/Strictly-Pleasure-romantic-Salinger-Brothers-ebook/dp/B0B5JJFFKJ/
https://www.amazon.com/Right-Move-Windy-City-Book/dp/B0BTRSXLMZ/
https://www.amazon.com/Shootout-Steam-Warriors-Hockey-Romance-ebook/dp/B0BP7XKHZ2/
https://www.amazon.com/Not-Resume-Age-Gap-Lesbian-Romance-ebook/dp/B0BSGLTRX6/
https://www.amazon.com/Doctor-Everything-Daddys-Friend-Romance-ebook/dp/B0BSNZGJVQ/
https://www.amazon.com/Georgie-All-Along-Kate-Clayborn-ebook/dp/B0B17NP4N7/
https://www.amazon.com/Display-Me-MM-Romance-Bears-4-U-ebook/dp/B0BM6T1FRY/
https://www.amazon.com/Chick-Magnet-Emma-Barry-ebook/dp/B09Y5HHZ6G/
https://www.amazon.com/Royal-Coronation-Contemporary-Romance-Entanglement-ebook/dp/B0BJCL3Q8T/
https://www.amazon.com/Change-My-Ticket-Non-Famous-Romance-ebook/dp/B0BTHWZVNH/
https://www.amazon.com/Bosses-Benefits-Reverse-Harem-Romance-ebook/dp/B0BTZ4ZMSQ/
https://www.amazon.com/Double-Love-Drama-Bisexual-Collection-ebook/dp/B0BTJCFHSB/
https://www.amazon.com/Between-Them-Bisexual-Reverse-Collection-ebook/dp/B0BTW38ZH5/
https://www.amazon.com/Our-Ride-Forever-Honeywood-Book-ebook/dp/B0BMFHTRW3/
https://www.amazon.com/Cupid-Can-Suck-Relationship-Romantic-ebook/dp/B0BJGJFB43/
https://www.amazon.com/Landing-One-Enemies-Lovers-Romantic-ebook/dp/B0BQB84XK8/
https://www.amazon.com/My-Secret-Valentine-Friends-Teacher-ebook/dp/B0BVCL8WPB
https://www.amazon.com/Meet-Hate-Enemies-Lovers-Romantic-ebook/dp/B0B9CKYJ61/
https://www.amazon.com/Grumpy-Boss-Enemy-Enemies-Romance-ebook/dp/B0BT689DGC/
https://www.amazon.com/Breath-Magic-Lennox-Book-ebook/dp/B0BSC81RQD/
https://www.amazon.com/Tuppeny-Dreadfuls-Professor-Ballantyne-Romantic-ebook/dp/B0BSCSV8JW/
https://www.amazon.com/Pick-Right-Valentines-Novella-Shared-ebook/dp/B0BLP76KYB/
https://www.amazon.com/Your-Place-Mine-enemies-lovers-ebook/dp/B0BGGP3T6F/
https://www.amazon.com/Fake-Fianc%C3%A9-Next-Door-Billionaire-ebook/dp/B0BSHF8C75/
https://www.amazon.com/Heart-Dixie-second-chance-romantic-ebook/dp/B0BSTLZSLY/
https://www.amazon.com/Sweet-Tea-Second-Chances-Inspirational-ebook/dp/B0BSTTK6SK/
https://www.amazon.com/Taking-You-Down-Enemies-Lovers-ebook/dp/B0BRCGQSRV/
https://www.amazon.com/Extreme-Heart-Makeover-friendships-heartwarming-ebook/dp/B0B37VW3PP/
https://www.amazon.com/Off-Limits-Cowboy-Sweet-Small-Romance-ebook/dp/B0BSNX8QF7/
https://www.amazon.com/Larsson-Sibling-Omnibus-Contemporary-Romantic-ebook/dp/B0BSRLK165/
https://www.amazon.com/Only-Girl-Rockstar-Romantic-trilogy-ebook/dp/B0BP3PSKK4/
https://www.amazon.com/Falling-My-Roommate-Friends-Romance-ebook/dp/B0BBS8KB8D/
https://www.amazon.com/Meet-Hate-Love-Enemies-Romantic-ebook/dp/B0BSS7768H/
https://www.amazon.com/Rock-Star-Cupid-Valentines-Rockstar-ebook/dp/B0B9WRXFH8/
https://www.amazon.com/Wedding-Wolfman-Paranormal-Romantic-Monsters-ebook/dp/B0B9MN1623/
https://www.amazon.com/Wilder-Last-Steamy-Romantic-Adventures-ebook/dp/B0B3QRLD43/
https://www.amazon.com/Rockstar-Bosshole-Enemies-Surprise-Pregnancy-ebook/dp/B0BT1ZHNC6/
https://www.amazon.com/Drained-Vampire-Plumber-Romantic-Romances-ebook/dp/B0BSRCNCH6/
https://www.amazon.com/Fixing-Flirt-Small-Town-Romantic-Blossom-ebook/dp/B0BKYKTLD9/
https://www.amazon.com/Meet-Dare-friends-benefits-romantic-ebook/dp/B0BQF2G1V4/
https://www.amazon.com/Nanny-Lion-Daddy-Shifter-Needs-ebook/dp/B0BJZ22PFR/
https://www.amazon.com/My-Gingerbread-Ever-After-Fantasy-ebook/dp/B0BTQXPD3P/
https://www.amazon.com/Vampire-Billionaires-Secret-Baby-Cats-ebook/dp/B0BQ2DPNLL/
https://www.amazon.com/Top-Key-Romantic-Comedy-Alabaster-ebook/dp/B0B7GR48R4/
https://www.amazon.com/41st-Disaster-Sweet-Romantic-Comedy-ebook/dp/B0BSFXN8TX/
Well, that’s about it. Now, this list isn't an exhaustive list. It doesn’t encompass all of the new releases in romantic comedy on Amazon or any other bookseller. That would be impossible. I only included some. Feel free to look over the aforementioned titles or find one that suits you.
The point here is to enjoy Valentine’s week with a good romantic read. Pull up a chair, get comfy, and fall into the fiction world. 
Amanda Vick, Unsplash.
As always, happy reading! ♥
Writing in the Modern Age Annual Post/Year in Review: New Beginnings with 2021 and a Flashback of 2020
Hi, readers! I hope your Christmas was enjoyable, and you’re all staying healthy and safe.
The more I think about New Year’s Eve this time, it becomes apparent that we could all use a reset, so to speak. Rather than making the usual resolutions – which most people tend to ignore anyway – we should look at 2021 as an opportunity to start over. A new beginning.
Let’s definitely think more positive in the coming year. And with any luck, the chaos with this pandemic will calm down (especially with the arrival of the vaccine).
Try something new. Pursue the dreams you were afraid to chase before. We often regret the actions we didn’t take rather than the ones we went for.
In any case, it’s time to reflect a little on what happened on the Writing in the Modern Age blog in 2020. We made so much progress! Though there were only 46 posts this year, with all the featured giveaways, articles, book spotlights and interviews, we managed to amass a total of 174 guests or participating authors for our events, along with 483 prizes handed out. Plus, this is our 579th post overall on the blog. That means we'll quickly reach a 600 post anniversary sometime in 2021.
Woo! That’s awesome!
So, let’s take a closer look at our annual review, shall we? I’ll include this year’s featured writers/authors with their latest book or relevant work below. Also, you will find a main website URL, Amazon author page, and the general region where each individual lives. Afterward, I’ve listed all the blog posts we had, divided by respective category. Sound good? □
Noteworthy Writers/Authors on WritModAge in 2020
Tina Proffitt Romance and Mystery Author Home – South Carolina Website: https://tinaproffitt.wordpress.com/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Tina-Proffitt/e/B007RGB3XS/
Universal Reader Link: https://books2read.com/u/ml2GyA
Kaya Quinsey/Kaya Quinsey Holt Author of Romantic Comedies and Women’s Fiction Home – Canada Website: https://www.kayaquinsey.com/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/kindle-dbs/entity/author/B07CBR7JJL
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/mdnA2X
Stefan Vucak Multi-genre Author Home – Australia Website: www.stefanvucak.com Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Stefan-Vucak/e/B005CDD1RY/
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/bzgA8q
Duncan Brown Erotic Humor Author Duo Home – England Website: https://www.facebook.com/John-Hunter-105543347570521/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/John-Hunter-little-what-fancy/dp/1705468667/
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/mgZEz6
Faye Hall Historical Romance Author Home – Australia Website: https://fayehall.com.au/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Faye-Hall/e/B00DPIMSMW/
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/mVwLY6
L.A. Clayton Espionage Thriller Author Home – Missouri Website: https://www.facebook.com/authorlaclayton/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/L.A.-Clayton/e/B0842P1XWY (insert 41HBo9rSz9L pic) Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/b5kgR6
Sharlene Almond An author of Historical and Conspiracies Combined with Modern-Day Psychological Thrillers Home – New Zealand Website: https://sharlenefreelancewriter.wordpress.com/ Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Sharlene-Almond/e/B00K3ZK2ZA/
Janet Elizabeth Henderson Romance Author Home – New Zealand Website: https://janetelizabethhenderson.com/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/janet-elizabeth-henderson/e/B009NR5RHM
S. W. Stribling Airman/Legionnaire/Teacher/Writer Home – Mexico Website: https://www.wstribling.com/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Steven-Warren-Stribling/e/B07VQ4NCTC
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/boDNNV
Heather Flood Children’s Books Author Home – England Website: http://www.fantasyadventurebooks.com Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Heather-Flood/e/B00G8P7YEG
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/49MMkw
Janice Tremayne Supernatural Suspense Author Home – Australia Website: https://www.janicetremayne.com/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Janice-Tremayne/e/B07X25Q8Q9/
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/47lLLA
Rhonda Cratty Women’s Fiction/Family Saga/Hobby and Education Author Home – Colorado Website: https://acreativespin.com/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Rhonda-Cratty/e/B00J29HQI4/
Isabel Jolie Bestselling Indie Author Home – New York Website: https://isabeljoliebooks.com/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Isabel-Jolie/e/B082LVT5PM
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/bPXllr
Liz Butcher Author of Horror, Dark Fantasy and Speculative Fiction Home – Australia Website: https://www.lizbutcher.com.au/ Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00X6XN5O6
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/bMXN2G
Kathrin Hutson International Bestselling Author of Dark Fantasy, Sci-Fi, and LGBTQ Speculative Fiction Home – Colorado Website: http://kathrinhutsonfiction.com Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Kathrin-Hutson/e/B016N498BS/
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/4NXlpo
Miranda Oh Author of the 'Chin Up Tits Out' series Home – Canada Website: https://www.mirandaoh.com/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Miranda-Oh/e/B01BQYYSGU/
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/4Dg2gP
Jenna Greene Author of the acclaimed Young Adult Fantasy series, 'Imagine!' Home – Canada Website: https://www.jennagreene.ca/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Jenna-Greene/e/B07MFR13KY/
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/mdnPxl
J.E. McDonald Writer of rom coms with a paranormal twist, romantic suspense, and far-future romance Home – Canada Website: https://www.jemcdonald.net/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/J-E-McDonald/e/B08BXD1R2P/
Book Purchase Link: https://cityowlpress.com/product/ghost-of-a-gamble/
Jessica/J.L. Smith English professor, tutor, and literacy program developer/Author of children’s and middle-grade books Home – Undisclosed Website: https://queenjreads.com/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/J-L-Smith/e/B08B1XPH4C
Sandra C. López Author of Latina chick lit & the Single Chicas series/freelance graphic designer and illustrator Home – California Website: www.sandra-lopez.com Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Sandra-C-Lopez/e/B002VN0T8C/
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/4DWaXO
Richard DeVall Multi-genre Author Home – Virginia Website: https://www.facebook.com/richard.devall.5 Amazon Author Page: https://amzn.to/2WT9FfG
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/mZal82
A.B. Funkhauser Dark Humor and Satire Fiction Author Home – Canada Website: https://abfunkhauser.com/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/A.B.-Funkhauser/e/B00WMRK4Q4
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/m0wdNP
Hayley Zelda Writer/Marketer Home – California Website: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hayley-zelda-628469186 Helpful Article from WritModAge: http://marielavender.blogspot.com/2020/07/steps-to-write-the-story-which-is-calling-you-a-guest-post-by-hayley-zelda.html
Marie Lavender Multi-genre Author Home – Indiana Website: https://marielavender.com/ Amazon Author Page: https://amzn.to/2yFx62c
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/UYR
Pamela Ackerson Multi-genre Author Home – Florida Website: http://www.pamelaackerson.com/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Pamela-Ackerson/e/B00QY1ARI4
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/mvnzpJ
A.R. Breck Dark Romance Author Home – Minnesota Website: https://www.facebook.com/arbreck/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/A.R.-Breck/e/B07NZWG14W
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/bOXldK
Jenn D. Young Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy Author Home – Arizona Website: https://www.jenndyoung.com/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Jenn-D.-Young/e/B0818ZPR6H
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/bPXoyA
Christina Bauer Fantasy Author Home – Massachusetts Website: http://monsterhousebooks.com/authors/cbauer Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Christina-Bauer/e/B002BMCI28
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/4EP9LA
R.J. Blain Author of Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy, Humor, and Fantasy Home – Canada Website: https://www.thesneakykittycritic.com/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/kindle-dbs/entity/author/B00EA5VH6M
Cheryl Owen-Wilson Southern Gothic Fiction Author Home – Louisiana Website: https://shadowspinners.wordpress.com/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Cheryl-Owen-Wilson/e/B08B52L2F7
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/mKzvYv
Anne Kane Science Fiction and Paranormal Romance Author Home – Canada Website: https://annekane.com/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Anne-Kane/e/B004FXZSQ4
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/b6KgVp
Ja’Nese Dixon Romance Author Home – Texas Website: https://www.janesedixon.com/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/JaNese-Dixon/e/B003TC39YA
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/mYAWxV
Scarlett St. Clair Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy, and Fantasy/Mythology Author Home – Oklahoma Website: https://authorscarlettstclair.tumblr.com/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Scarlett-St-Clair/e/B07HKJ1ZVY/
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/bOXWjo
Lindy Miller Romance Author Home – Undisclosed Website: https://www.lindymillerromance.com/ Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20373238.Lindy_Miller
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/bzjYND
Michelle Pace Multi-genre Author Home – Texas Website: https://www.michellepaceauthor.com/index.html Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Michelle-Pace/e/B00AD65TMU
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/4AKNVp
Brianna Hale Romance Author Home – England Website: https://briannahale.com/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Brianna-Hale/e/B071KSY8DG
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/mdnQPd
Alice La Roux Erotica and Fantasy Author Home – Wales Website: https://www.facebook.com/asmadasAlice/ Amazon Author Page: https://amzn.to/34ZR8CO
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/3n8QG5
Logan Fox Dark Romance Author Home – South Africa Website: https://www.facebook.com/loganfox.author/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Logan-Fox/e/B01GX7KYB8%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/4AKNVp
Abigail Davies Author of Angst, Drama, and Romance Home – England Website: https://www.abigaildaviesauthor.com/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Abigail-Davies/e/B01GUGJIWS
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/4XLWE7
Samuel W. Reed Writer • Director • StorytellerHome – California Website: http://www.samuelwreed.com Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Samuel-W-Reed/e/B072QKQM1F/
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/mBgOOM
Zen King Multi-genre Author Home – England Website: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20309925.Zen_King Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Zen-King/e/B089DHJCNC/
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/b5kzgO
Fiona Tarr Fantasy Author Home – Australia Website: http://atime2write.com.auAmazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Fiona-Tarr/e/B00KOL7XI2/
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/4DgN9O
Melanie Robertson-King Multi-genre Author with a Recent Focus on Romance Home – Canada Website: https://melanierobertson-king.com/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Melanie-Robertson-King/e/B008SQFS9Q/
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/4DgNzD
David Boiani Psychological Thriller Author Home – Rhode Island Website: www.authordavidboiani.com Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/David-Boiani/e/B01C0PRCK8
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/bQdWXv
Lance Morcan Multi-genre Novelist and Screenwriter Home – New Zealand Website: https://morcanbooksandfilms.com Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Lance-Morcan/e/B005ET3ZUO/
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/4N9nyW
Caroline Beauregard Author Home – Canada Website: https://carolinebeauregard.mailchimpsites.com/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Caroline-Beauregard/e/B086HYJL4T/
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/4XX5Dg
Ellen Mint Author of Adorable Cinnamon Roll Romances Home – Nebraska Website: https://ellenmint.blog/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/ellenmint
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/ml2QzZ
Lashanta Charles Romance Author Home – Washington Website: https://www.facebook.com/authorlashanta Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/kindle-dbs/entity/author/B0083HO95Y
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/mZaWD2
Gemma Snow Erotic Romance Author Home – Tennessee Website: https://gemmasnow.com/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Gemma-Snow/e/B01F6KW736
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/3RnWgv
Devika Fernando Romance Author Home – Sri Lanka Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/bK6AzL Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/kindle-dbs/entity/author/B00ISH0RD2
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/bOXW7K
James Morcan Actor/Writer/Producer Home – Australia Website: https://morcanbooksandfilms.com/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/James-Morcan/e/B005EPOU48/
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/bxj0Dl
Annabelle Anders Romance Author Home – Colorado Website: https://www.annabelleanders.com/ BookBub Page: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/annabelle-anders
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/boD0zR
Emily Bex Paranormal Romance Author Home – Virginia Website: https://www.emilybex.com/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Emily-Bex/e/B07NYB7WPB
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/mdnQeZ
Kayelle Allen Art • Sci-Fi • Space Opera • RomanceHome – Georgia Website: https://kayelleallen.com/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Kayelle-Allen/e/B003ZRXVN8
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/bzgJND
Rebecca Hefner Paranormal Romance and Fantasy Author Home – New York Website: https://www.rebeccahefner.com/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Rebecca-Hefner/e/B07KPKM5TZ/
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/bPXoMJ
Sierra N. Terry Artist/Writer/Illustrator Home – Virginia Website: https://www.instagram.com/sailorfrill/ BookBub Author Page: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/sierra-n-terry
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/m2Mn5r
Viviana MacKade Romantic Suspense, Contemporary, and Fantasy AuthorHome – Florida Website: http://www.viviana-mackade.blog/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Viviana-MacKade/e/B01KKY6WLQ/
Tanya W. Newman Author Home – South Carolina Website: https://www.tanyawnewman.com/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Tanya-W.-Newman/e/B01E1LG26E/
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/4XLWM6
JoAnne Keltner YA | Paranormal Author Home – North Carolina Website: http://joannekeltner.com/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/JoAnne-Keltner/e/B00B5UXZ0Q/
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/bwv8qy
Aoede/Lisa A. Sniderman Singer and Inspirational/Memoir Author Home – California Website: https://alightinthedarkness.info/ Amazon Page: https://amzn.to/3rKZCYi
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/3yEPg6
Leslie Hachtel Historical and Romantic Suspense Author Home – Florida Website: https://www.lesliehachtel.com/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/kindle-dbs/entity/author/B00HCRZBRG
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/31YdA6
E.J. Frost Author of contemporary mystery, space opera, fantasy, and paranormal romance, all with a decidedly kinky twist Home – England Website: https://emmafrostuk.wordpress.com/ Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00KEXE97S
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/b6KgDJ
Justin Robinson Multi-genre Author Home – California Website: https://www.facebook.com/weirdnoirmaster Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Justin-Robinson/e/B008HTMYIC
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/mq0Q22
Katherine Eddinger Smits Fantasy and Romance Author Home – Florida Website: http://katherineeddingersmits.weebly.com/ Amazon Author Page: https://amzn.to/2JJPCgS
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/bMX05A
Amelia Foster The author, the reader, the hopeless coffee addict Home – Pennsylvania Website: https://ameliafosterauthor.com/ BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/amelia-foster
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/3n8QoR
Tina Donahue Amazon and international bestselling novelist in erotic, paranormal, contemporary and historical romance Home – Undisclosed Newsletter: https://tinadonahuebooks.blogspot.com/p/newsletter.html Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Tina-Donahue/e/B001IZPJXO
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/38RLKB
Jasmine Gold Dark Romance Author Home – Undisclosed Website/Blog: https://m-adws.blogspot.com/?zx=32dfabb6da4a43f5 Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Jasmine-Gold/e/B07VM7875B/
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/b5kzNA
Linda Lee Williams Romance Author Home – Illinois Website: http://www.lindaleewilliams.com/lindaleewilliams/Home.html Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Linda-Lee-Williams/e/B00CB1K7SG
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/bQdWLw
Chrys Fey Author blending romance, crimes, and disasters Home – Florida Website: https://chrysfey.com/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Chrys-Fey/e/B00GWLZJ8O/
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/3RnWAp
Elaine Kaye Multi-genre Author Home – Florida Website: https://elainekaye.com/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Elaine-Kaye/e/B06X42CV9R
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/3JXWdQ
DJ Swykert Former 911 operator writing fiction, with nine titles in print – literary fiction, romance, and crime. Home – Kentucky Website: http://magicmasterminds.com/djswykert/ Amazon Author Page: https://amzn.to/2X5pqjV
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/bzgJEL
Kat Schuessler Erotic Romance Author Home – Ohio Website: http://bit.ly/KatFBPage Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Kat-Schuessler/e/B00WTCQPZQ
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/3LYJPD
Isobelle Cate Paranormal and Contemporary Romance Author Home – England Website: https://isobellecate.com/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Isobelle-Cate/e/B00E5OD27K/
Kate Hill Author of erotic, historical and paranormal romance Home – USA Website: https://www.kate-hill.com Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/kindle-dbs/entity/author/B002BLS7OW
Lynn Stevens New Adult Romance Author Home – Missouri Website: https://www.instagram.com/lstevensauthor/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Lynn-Stevens/e/B072C947B9/
Giulietta M. Spudich Fiction Author Home – England Website: https://elementgirls.org Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/kindle-dbs/entity/author/B008D2MSTS
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/mgzwrX
Maggie Blackbird Author of Steamy Multicultural Romance Home – Canada Website: https://maggieblackbird.com/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Maggie-Blackbird/e/B07KQP1FFG
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/bw7LYv
Diane Merrill Wigginton Author of Adventure, Suspense, and Historical Romance Home – Montana Website: https://www.jeweleddaggerpublishing.com Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/dianemerrillwigginton
Book Purchase Link: http://bookShow.me/179400369X
Dr. Bob Rich Storyteller/Writer/ Editor (formerly professional grandfather/mudsmith/Research scientist/Nurse/Association Director/Psychotherapist) Home – Australia Website: http://bobswriting.com Books Page: https://bobrich18.wordpress.com/bobs-booklist/
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/ml29e7
Amber Daulton Romance Author Home – North Carolina Website: https://amberdaulton.wordpress.com/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Amber-Daulton/e/B00ALQITWY/
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/3n81nK
Carole McKee Contemporary Romance Author Home – Florida Website: https://www.facebook.com/Carole-Mckee-Author-218075198224440/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Carole-McKee/e/B0082D3810
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/4EPgME
Seelie Kay Author of Legal Romance, with a dash of kink Home – Wisconsin Website: www.seeliekay.blogspot.com Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Seelie-Kay/e/B074RDRWNZ
Remy Marie Romance Author Home – Virginia Website: http://remymarieromance.blogspot.com/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Remy-Marie/e/B077YL6734
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/bWPe9M
Gayle M. Irwin Author, Writer, Speaker, and Animal Welfare Advocate Home – Wyoming Website: https://www.facebook.com/GayleMIrwin/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Gayle-M-Irwin/e/B008J5KJSQ
Kathryn Troy Novelist, Novice Baker, and Weird Historian Home – New York Website: http://ladybathoryscloset.blogspot.com/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Kathryn-Troy/e/B06XNJNH7Z
Skye McNeil Author of Romantic Suspense and Contemporary Romance novels that are smart, sexy & sassy Home – Iowa Website: http://www.skyemcneil.com/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Skye-McNeil/e/B017Y63B6C/
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/bQdXA6
Valerie Cullers Christian Fiction/Non-Fiction Author Home – Idaho Website: https://valeriecullers.com/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Valerie-Cullers/e/B00WFQOV6Q
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/4A7MvN
Kaitlynzq Poet, Narrator, and Audio Artist Home – Undisclosed Website: https://kaitlynzq.com/ Newsletter Sign-up: http://eepurl.com/dN-AFj
Dianne Hartsock Author of paranormal/suspense, fantasy/adventure, M/M romance,m and anything else that comes to mind Home – Oregon Website: https://diannehartsock.wordpress.com/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Dianne-Hartsock/e/B005106SYQ/
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/3yzXWZ
Richard Quisenberry A transformation life coach, entrepreneur, author, father, husband, best friend, child of God, lifetime learner, but also as a modern brand acting as a force for the greater good Home – Undisclosed Website: https://CoachRichardQuisenberry.com Books Page: https://www.coachrichardquisenberry.com/store/
Purchase Link: http://bookShow.me/B08R6GR9Q5
Laura Tolomei Author of Erotic Romance with an edge Home – Italy Website: https://LallaGatta.com Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Laura-Tolomei/e/B002DBFPDQ
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/ml2zMY
Holly Bargo Romance Author Home – Ohio Website: https://www.henhousepublishing.com/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Holly-Bargo/e/B00JRK6VGQ
Dee Carver Author/Reviewer/Freelance Publicist/Website Designer/Owner and CEO of Personalized Marketing Inc. Home – Undisclosed Website: https://authordeecarver.blogspot.com/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Dee-Carver/e/B081QQHHMM
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/38ZDR7
Lynn Chantale Author of Contemporary Romance and Romantic Suspense, with a knack for Erotica Home – Michigan Website: http://www.wlynnchantale.com/ Amazon Author Page: https://amzn.to/3s2X2Nz
Dana Littlejohn Author of Sensual Erotic RomanceHome – Indiana Website: https://www.danalittlejohn.com/
Amazon Author Page: https://amzn.to/3q4qwIS
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/bOXdKQ
D. Thomas Jerlo Author of dark fantasy, speculative fiction and everything in between Home – Canada Website: www.dthomasjerlo.com Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/D-Thomas-Jerlo/e/B00N57OJWU
Steve Soderquist Writer, Editor, Formatter, Distributor, Teacher, and Co-founder of Foundations Publishing Company Home – Mississippi Website: https://www.stevesoderquist.com/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Steve-Soderquist/e/B00D9PBPTI
Laura Ranger Author/Dreamer/Owner and CEO at Foundations Book Publishing Company Home – Mississippi Website: https://www.lauraranger.com/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Laura-Ranger/e/B001KML74K
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/bov6j0
Angela Ford Romance and Suspense Author Home – Nova Scotia Website: http://www.angelafordauthor.com/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Angela-Ford/e/B00EAYZBYM/
Dick Denny Paranormal and Science Fiction Author Home – Undisclosed Website: https://www.facebook.com/dick.denny Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Dick-Denny/e/B079VJR8D4
TK Lawyer PNR writer of Contemporary & Steamy-Scorching-Hot, Shifter and Angel romances Home – Undisclosed Website: http://www.tklawyerauthor.wordpress.com Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/T.K.-Lawyer/e/B00OXD3CR8/
Barb Jones Paranormal Thriller AuthorHome – Florida Website: https://www.thebloodprophecy.com/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Barb-Jones/e/B0058W93RQ/
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/bprkzk
Gisela Grey Indie author of erotic paranormal & contemporary romance Home – Undisclosed Website: http://giselagreywrites.wordpress.com Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Gisela-Grey/e/B07B5YDYMD/
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/mYA5Zw
Vicki-Ann Bush Storyteller of the Strange & Unusual Home – Nevada Website: https://www.vickiannbush.com/ Amazon Author Page: https://Author.to/Vicki-Ann
Susan Lynn Solomon Author of Mystery, Paranormal, and Historical Fiction Home – New York Website: https://www.facebook.com/susanlynnsolomon Amazon Author Page: amzn.to/1mVKpl5
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/bprkal
Robert Eggleton Retired children's psychotherapist/Debut novelist Home – West Virginia Website: http://www.lacydawnadventures.com Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Robert-Eggleton/e/B007K012ZK/
David Russell Novelist Home – United Kingdom (exact country undisclosed) Website/Blog: http://davidrussell-author.blogspot.co.uk/Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7182827.David_Russell
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/me7anA
Laurel Richards Author of Sci-Fi Romance, Paranormal Romance, Fantasy, and Mystery Home – Undisclosed Website: http://author-laurelrichards.blogspot.com/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/kindle-dbs/entity/author/B00KFFYW1S
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/mBoRwO
Allie Ritch Author of sizzling sci-fi and paranormal romanceHome – USAWebsite: https://allieritch.wordpress.com/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Allie-Ritch/e/B007NL8FMO
Nicole Garcia Contemporary & Paranormal Romance Author Home – New York Website: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorNicoleGarciafanpage Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Nicole-Garcia/e/B00HHWRUNY
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/47lqyL
Leigh Podgorski Founder of Violet Hills Productions, Writer, Director, and Producer Home – California Website: https://www.facebook.com/leighpodgorskiwriter/Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Leigh-Podgorski/e/B005P57NEQ
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/3LYq2X
Cindy Tomamichel Multi-genre Author Home – Australia Website: www.cindytomamichel.com Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/kindle-dbs/entity/author/B07148BH5Y
Claire Buss Sci-fi & Fantasy Author Home – England Website: https://clairebuss.co.uk/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Claire-Buss/e/B01MSZY649
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/4A7PjK
Jane Jago Multi-genre Author Home – Undisclosed Website/Blog: https://workingtitleblogspot.com/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Jane-Jago/e/B01CYLND2O/
Yvette Bostic Author of urban and historical fantasy Home – West Virginia Website: https://Yvettebostic.com/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Yvette-Bostic/e/B0762SKN1V
Sophie Kearing Writer Home – Illinois Website: https://twitter.com/SophieKearing Amazon Author Page: https://amzn.to/3jxGJDF
Leo McBride Journalist/Editor/Author of Fantasy, Science Fiction, and Horror Home – Bahamas Website: http://www.alteredinstinct.com/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Leo-McBride/e/B01AZJGDWE/
Margena Adams Holmes Multi-genre Author Home – Colorado Website: https://jedianegram.wixsite.com/margenaadamsholmes Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Margena-Adams-Holmes/e/B009GRP3EQ
Ian C. Bristow Illustrator/Author Home – Washington Website: https://www.facebook.com/iancbristow/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Ian-Bristow/e/B00WT9OV14
Holly Rae Garcia Editor/Art Director/Writer of Horror, Sci-fi, and Dystopian Stories Home – Texas Website: https://www.hollyraegarcia.com/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Rae-Garcia-Holly/e/B07XY6J9T3/
A Stump Multi-genre Writer Home – Pennsylvania Website: https://spillwords.com/author/astump/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/a-stump/e/B08HX7C7HL
S Shane Thomas Sci-fi Fantasy Author Home – Undisclosed Newsletter Sign-up: http://eepurl.com/cQc861 Website: https://sciencefantasyhub.com/public_html/
Ricardo Victoria Science Fiction Fantasy Writer Home – Mexico Website: https://ricardovictoriau.com/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Ricardo-Victoria/e/B01L0K1A02/
Eliot Grayson M/M Romance Author Home – Undisclosed Website: http://eliotgrayson.com/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Eliot-Grayson/e/B07NL54KNF/
E M Swift-Hook Author of Sci-fi and Dark Space Opera Home – England Website: https://twitter.com/emswifthook Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/E-M-Swift-Hook/e/B01FL8FMI0
Medeia Sharif Multi-genre Author Home – Florida Website: www.medeiasharif.comAmazon Author Page: https://amzn.to/2KdL42p
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/bw7Ory
Brent A. Harris Author of SF and Alternate History Home – Italy Website: https://brentaharris.com/Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Brent-A-Harris/e/B01L0I22OM
Jami Gray Writer of kick ass dark romance Home – Arizona Website: https://jamigray.com/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Jami-Gray/e/B006HU3HJI
H. M. Gooden Author of Young Adult Fiction Home – Canada Website: https://www.hmgoodenauthor.com/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/H.-M.-Gooden/e/B078JXQZQR
Anna J. Stewart Author of Sweet to Spicy Pulse-Pounding Romance Home – California Website: https://www.authorannastewart.com/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Anna-J-Stewart/e/B00M79FNAY
Marianne Petit Romance Author Home – New York Website: www.mariannepetitbooks.com Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Marianne-Petit/e/B002BLOT7G
SF Benson YA/NA Romantic Fantasy Author Home – Georgia Website: https://www.authorsfbenson.com/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B01DI9Z58Q
Jennifer Conner Romance Author Home – Washington Website: http://www.jenniferconnerbooks.com/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Jennifer-Conner/e/B0042850FG
A. Silenus The erotica-oriented pen name of an author who writes in several genres, both fiction and non-fiction Home – Arizona Website: http://asilenus.blogspot.com/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/A.-Silenus/e/B005W3XCK0
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/me7VlV
Chris Karlsen Historical Romance and Suspense Author Home – Pacific Northwest (USA) Website: https://chriskarlsen.com/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Chris-Karlsen/e/B005HYTQQI/
Gary W. Wietgrefe inventor, researcher, military intelligence veteran, economist, agriculturalist, systems developer, societal explorer, and author Home – Undisclosed Website: https://www.thriftbooks.com/a/gary-w-wietgrefe/3417769/ Amazon Author Page: https://amzn.to/3d5VB9R
Beverley Bateman Author of Romantic & Western Suspense Novels Home – Canada Website: https://www.beverleybateman.com/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Beverley-Bateman/e/B008M01F5E
Shari Elder Author of Science Fiction and Fantasy Romance Home – Washington, D.C. Website: http://sharielder.com/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Shari-Elder/e/B01IMME7K6
Sable Hunter New York Times, USA Today bestselling romance author Home – Texas Website: https://sablehunter.com/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Sable-Hunter/e/B007B3KS4M/
Diana Rubino Historical and Paranormal Novelist Home – Massachusetts Website: www.dianarubino.com Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Diana-Rubino/e/B005C4ZSHO
David Kouri Author Home – Texas Website: https://www.davidkouri.com/ Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20273311.David_Kouri
Amber Anthony Romance Author Home – Nevada Website: https://www.amberanthonywrites.com/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Amber-Anthony/e/B077NR47LS/
Mark Iles Kindle International Bestselling Author of Science Fiction, Science Fantasy, and Horror Home – England Website: http://www.markiles.co.uk Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Mark-Iles/e/B004YZBP3I/
Rachel Carrington Freelance Writer & Fiction Author of Fantasy Romance, Paranormal Romance, Romantic Suspense, and Young Adult Tales Home – South Carolina Website: www.rachelcarrington.com Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Rachel-Carrington/e/B002BLL758/
Debbie De Louise Reference Librarian and Award-Winning Author of the Cobble Cove Cozy Mystery Series Home – New York Website: https://debbiedelouise.com Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/kindle-dbs/entity/author/B0144ZGXdfsPW
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/m2MDK6
Debby Grahl Author of Mystery, Magic, and Romance Home – South Carolina Website: www.debbygrahl.com Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Debby-Grahl/e/B00B34HM26
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/bprx19
J.R. Wirth Forensic and child psychotherapist & Best-selling/award-winning Author Home – California Facebook: www.facebook.com/Author.JRWirth Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/J.R.Wirth/e/B00R9SDSR8/
Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/31YoB7
Tony Flood Former Journalist, Theater Reviewer, and Author Home – England Websites: http://www.celebritiesconfessions.com Amazon Autor Page: https://www.amazon.com/Tony-Flood/e/B004P9V0D8/
Wow, that’s great! Let’s check out our blog posts from this year…
Author/Character Interviews http://marielavender.blogspot.com/2020/02/interview-with-author-tina-proffitt.html http://marielavender.blogspot.com/2020/02/interview-with-author-duncan-brown.html http://marielavender.blogspot.com/2020/04/interview-with-author-faye-hall.html http://marielavender.blogspot.com/2020/04/interview-with-author-sharlene-almond.html http://marielavender.blogspot.com/2020/04/interview-with-author-s-w-stribling.html http://marielavender.blogspot.com/2020/06/interview-with-author-heather-flood.html http://marielavender.blogspot.com/2020/12/interview-with-author-liz-butcher.html http://marielavender.blogspot.com/2020/12/interview-with-author-kathrin-hutson.html http://marielavender.blogspot.com/2020/12/interview-with-author-miranda-oh.html http://marielavender.blogspot.com/2020/12/interview-with-author-jenna-greene.html http://marielavender.blogspot.com/2020/12/interview-with-author-j-e-mcdonald.html
Relevant Service Interviews http://marielavender.blogspot.com/2020/06/service-interview-with-jessica-aka-j-l-smith.html http://marielavender.blogspot.com/2020/09/service-interview-with-sandra-c-lopez.html
Articles
Blog Tours
Featured Books/New Releases http://marielavender.blogspot.com/2020/03/book-feature-epic-sci-fi-thriller-race-by-karma.html
Special Giveaways
Nice! There were so many featured guests and books, as well as additional info that readers and aspiring writers could use throughout the year! □ Many thanks for all the donations which were provided for our contests, and Writing in the Modern Age would be nothing without all the hard work from those participating authors. Also, of course, the blog would mean very little without the fans who stop by all the time. Thanks for visiting this blog!
As always, I wish you loads of success in all your endeavors. Stay safe, take care, and have a wonderful, healthy life in 2021. Happy New Year and happy reading!
Writing in the Modern Age 2018 Year in Review
Hi, everyone! For our 472nd post, I’d like to take a moment to offer an overview regarding some of our blog’s events during the year.
Since its guest inception in 2013, Writing in the Modern Age has taken on a real life of its own! What began as a haven for writers at any stage of their careers to seek out advice and encouragement in their endeavors has also evolved into a place where readers can potentially find their new favorite author in any genre. We still offer writing tips, of course, but through interviews (author or character), special blog events and our Author’s Bookshelf Feature, readers can discover ever more about the authors and books featured on the blog. With 55 posts this year and nearly 70 participating authors, I’d say we’ve accomplished a lot!
Thank you all so much for visiting the blog in 2018, whether as loyal followers or newcomers! It was such a pleasure to have you here!
Also, many thanks to our great writers, service companies, and talented authors who wrote guest posts, visited in interviews, or participated in giveaways and book features!
Below I am including information about all the guests or authors featured in 2018. Each author/guest blogger will be listed with a link to the most relevant site or page to discover more information about their work. You’ll also find each author’s latest book cover, as well as his or her location in the world. What reader hasn’t wondered where his or her favorite author calls home? The covers will be accompanied by a purchase link. Additionally, I will add links to the blog posts in which each individual contributed this year. You can view any posts you might’ve missed!
Sound good? Awesome, let’s get started. ;)
Without further ado, here are our guests from 2018!
Nermin Bezmen - New Jersey and Turkey
Character Interview
Bry Ann - Texas
Post: Character Interview
Kayelle Allen - Georgia
Post: Author Interview
Character Interview
CJ Warrant - Illinois
Post: Author Interview
Mary Martinez - Utah
Blog Tour Feature/Giveaway
Post: Author Interview
Post: Giveaway Feature 1
Giveaway Feature 2
Post: Guest Post
Post: Guest Post
Post: Guest Post
Post: Book Series Feature
Post: Guest Post
Post: Service Interview
Post: Author Interview
Post: Guest Post
Post: New Release Feature
Post: Book Feature
Post: New Release Feature
Post: New Release Feature
Post: New Release Feature
Post: Author Interview
Post: New Release Feature
Post: Author Interview
Post: Blog Tour Feature
Sam Boush – Oregon
Post: Blog Tour Feature
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