IWSG + Zanzibar's Rings--Cover Reveal

 

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer - aim for a dozen new people each time - and return comments. This group is all about connecting! Be sure to link to this page and display the badge in your post. And please be sure your avatar links back to your blog! Otherwise, when you leave a comment, people can't find you to comment back.

Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!

Our Twitter handle is @TheIWSG and hashtag is #IWSG.

 

 

Since I'm still in Nepal (but have returned safely to Kathmandu, and by the time you are reading this may be on my way home, depending on what time zone my computer thinks in), I'm not doing a full post. But I am delighted to participate in the cover reveal for Jemima Pett's Zanzibar's Rings, which completes her Viridian System series--a wonderful science fiction trilogy! I've had the privilege of reading the MS, and am so excited it's coming out at last! If you haven't read the first two books, get started now so you'll be ready for this one in February :)

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Zanzibar’s Rings (Viridian System #3)  

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A galactic crisis: the entire comms system destroyed. How will spaceships in flight get home? Dolores is stuck in warp with a very dangerous passenger, Pete gets his shuttle home on manual. How come anything in close contact with orichalcum fixes itself? Just flying through Zanzibar's Rings solves the problem, as the Federation's Fighters find, as they invade the Viridian System's settled planets. 

This is the final book in the Viridian System series. 

Publication date: February 22nd 2022, ebook and paperback 

Pre-order from most of these places now! Amazon ~~~ Apple iTunes ~~~ B&N (Nook) ~~~ Kobo ~~~ Scribd ~~~ Smashwords 

Check out the other books in the series: The Perihelix, and Curved Space to Corsair.

About Jemima Pett 

Jemima has been writing stories since she was eight, and published The Princelings of the East in 2011.  That led on to a ten-book series of the same name, written for older children (9 and up). Jemima reckons she read all of the science fiction in her local library, and most likes alternative universes, time travel, consequences of social change and unusual ideas surrounding alien species.  Her favourite authors included Anne McCaffrey, Fritz Lieber, Poul Anderson, John Brunner, Robert Heinlein and Arthur C Clarke. These days she likes Becky Chambers, Lindsay Buroker, Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Clare O’Beara, M T McGuire, Jennifer Ellis…  She also loves series – once involved with characters she loves to read their continuing adventures. She has degrees or diplomas in maths, earth sciences and environmental technology and would most like everyone to use their natural resources sustainably, since we only have the one planet to support us. 

Jemima’s ebooks are published by Princelings Publications through Amazon, Smashwords, iTunes, B&N, Kobo and more. Her paperbacks are distributed from Blurb by Ingrams. 

Follow Jemima Pett on her blog – jemimapett.com  – or on Facebook, Twitter and other social media.

Spotlight: Nightmare on the Bike Trail

I couldn't do a review this time because of my travel schedule, but I can say that I read and reviewed the first in this series, The Killer Outdoors, and found it a fun premise.

 
Nightmare On The Bike Trail (A Southwest Exposure Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
4th in Series
Independently Published (November 9, 2021)
~180 Pages
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B08L2JFWDW

 

Welcome to Bushwhack, New Mexico: home to tourists, the great outdoors, and murder…

Andie Sullivan, adventure guide in the mountain community of Bushwhack, NM, is gearing up for the annual bicycle race hosted by her tour company. When a ghost from her and sheriff Zac Mars’ past registers to participate—her suspicions are raised.

And then a gun goes off deep in the wooded forest along the trail, leaving her and Zac to fight for their future by revisiting past grievances. With lives at stake and secrets opening old wounds, Andie must piece together the clues to solve a decade old case she thought was closed.

But time isn’t on her side and sometimes even the best sleuth can miss a piece to the puzzle. Especially a cold case clouded with jealously and pain. Will she spot the clue this time or is it too late to make amends?

 

About the Author

Jodi Linton is an author of several romance novels and cozy mysteries. She pens funny, romantic, whodunnits during her days in between being a carpool mom. She lives in Texas with her husband, with who she runs the family day business with and two kids. When she isn’t writing her next page turner, she likes to delve into her hobby of finding all the cool, new makeup products to buy.

Author Links

• BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/jodi-linton
• Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Jodi-Linton/e/B00IWG4KCI/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_ebooks_1
• Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55141578-raiders-of-the-campsite
• Website: jodilinton.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JodiLintonBooks
• Newsletter: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/s2j2k6
• Facebook reader group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/JodiBookCorner

Purchase Link: Amazon  B&N    Kobo     iBooks

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

November 10 – I’m All About Books – SPOTLIGHT

November 11 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT

November 12 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT

November 13 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT

November 14 – I Read What You Write – REVIEW

November 15 – Nellie’s Book Nook – REVIEW

November 16 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

November 17 – Novels Alive – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

November 17 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

November 18 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW

November 19 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW

November 20 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

November 21 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

November 22 – The Ninja Librarian – SPOTLIGHT

November 23 – BookishKelly2020 – SPOTLIGHT  

 ©Rebecca M. Douglass, 2021

 As always, please ask permission to use any photos or text. Link-backs appreciated.

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Book Blast: Keep Writing With Fey

On this "Writer's Wednesday," I'm pleased to announce Chrys Fey's new writing book, Keep Writing With Fey: Sparks to Defeat Writer's Block, Depression, and Burnout. The copy I bought has just landed in my Kindle, and I look forward to reading it. I've followed Chry's blog for some time, and gotten good tips from her about working through burnout, depression, and more. So take a look...

Catch the sparks you need to conquer writer’s block, depression, and burnout!

 

When Chrys Fey shared her story about depression and burnout, it struck a chord with other writers. That put into perspective for her how desperate writers are to hear they aren’t alone. Many creative types experience these challenges, battling to recover. Let Keep Writing with Fey: Sparks to Defeat Writer's Block, Depression, and Burnout guide you through:

 

·        Writer's block

·        Depression

·        Writer's burnout

·        What a writer doesn’t need to succeed

·        Finding creativity boosts

 

With these sparks, you can begin your journey of rediscovering your creativity and get back to what you love - writing.

 

 

BOOK LINKS:

 

Amazon / Nook / iTunes / Kobo

 

Goodreads

 

AUTHOR’S NOTE:

When I shared my story about depression and writer’s burnout, I received many emails, comments, and Facebook messages from other writers thanking me for my bravery and telling me about their own trials. That really put into perspective for me how many people suffer from depression and/or burnout in silence. I had no idea those individuals were impacted by these things, just as they hadn’t known that I was, because my outward presence to others was always happy and smiley and bright.

After the supportive response and upon realizing how many writers in my online circles were struggling, too, I wanted to do something to help. I was candid with my experiences and blogged about the things that assisted me through the rough times in the hope that it would aid others.

During this time, I recognized the need for writers to receive support, guidance, tips, reminders, and encouragement during their writer’s block, depression, and burnout. That’s how I got the idea for this book. A book not just about depression or only about writer’s block, but both, and much more.

Since you have picked up this book, that means you may need assistance with one or all of these areas, and I sincerely hope you find what you need here…that tiny spark to get you through whatever you are going through.

As always, keep writing.

Keep believing.

Keep dreaming.

Chrys Fey

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Chrys Fey is the author of Write with Fey: 10 Sparks to Guide You from Idea to Publication. She is also the author of the Disaster Crimes series. Visit her blog, Write with Fey, for more tips on how to reverse writer’s burnout. https://www.chrysfey.com/

 

 

Cozy Spotlight: Out of Options

Cozy novella spotlight!

Out of Options: A Century Cottage Cozy Mysteries by Dianne Ascroft

About the Book

 

Out of Options: A Century Cottage Cozy Mysteries  

Cozy Mystery Prequel Novella  

Independently Published (April 28, 2019) 

Paperback: 126 pages 

ISBN-10: 1096163373  

ISBN-13: 978-1096163374 D

igital ASIN: B07R4GQWQN

 

Out of Options is a prequel novella to the Century Cottage Cozy Mysteries series, and introduces Lois Stone and her companions, Raggs and Ribbons, a pair of perceptive calico cats.

A dry district, a shocking secret, a missing person. When Lois Stone’s friend, Beth Darrow, arranges to meet her to reveal an astonishing discovery, Lois’s curiosity is piqued. Then Beth doesn’t keep their lunch date and Lois becomes worried. What has happened to her friend?

Middle-aged widow Lois is settling into life on her own in her neighbourhood and in the library where she works, and she is just about coping with her fear of strangers after her husband was mugged and died in the park at the end of their street. But her quiet existence is rocked when her friend and fellow local historical society researcher, Beth, arranges to meet her to reveal an exciting and shocking discovery she has made about the history of prohibition in West Toronto Junction, the last dry area in Toronto, and then goes missing before she can share her secret with Lois. There isn’t any proof that Beth is missing so the police won’t actively search for her. Only Lois and Beth’s niece Amy are convinced that Beth’s disappearance is very out of character, and they are worried about her. Where has Beth gone? Is she in danger? And, if she is, who might want to harm her and why? Lois knows she must find the answers to these questions fast if she wants to help and protect her friend.

And so begins a weekend of skulking in the park, apple and cinnamon pancakes, familiar faces staring out of old newspapers, calico cats, shadows on the windowpane, and more than one person who might want Beth to disappear from the quiet, leafy streets of the historic and staunchly dry West Toronto Junction neighbourhood.

About the Author

Dianne Ascroft is a Torontonian who has settled in rural Northern Ireland. She and her husband live on a small farm with an assortment of strong-willed animals. She is currently writing the Century Cottage Cozy Mysteries series. Out of Options is a prequel to the series.

Her previous fiction works include The Yankee Years series of novels and short reads, set in Northern Ireland during the Second World War; An Unbidden Visitor (a tale inspired by Fermanagh’s famous Coonian ghost); Dancing Shadows, Tramping Hooves: A Collection of Short Stories (contemporary tales), and an historical novel, Hitler and Mars Bars, which explores Operation Shamrock, a little known Irish Red Cross humanitarian endeavour.

Dianne writes both fiction and non-fiction. Her articles and short stories have been printed in Canadian and Irish magazines and newspapers. When she’s not writing, she enjoys walks in the countryside, evenings in front of her open fireplace and folk and traditional music.

Author Links

Website: http://http://www.dianneascroft.com  
Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/DianneAscroftwriter  
Twitter: @DianneAscroft
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1357575.Dianne_Ascroft  
Newsletter Sign up: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/y1k5c3  

Purchase Links:  

Amazon 
Barnes and Noble   
Kobo

a Rafflecopter giveaway  

TOUR PARTICIPANTS 

July 8 – I’m All About Books – GUEST POST
July 9 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
July 10 – Babs Book Bistro – SPOTLIGHT
July 10 – The Ninja Librarian – SPOTLIGHT
July 11 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST
July 12 – Socrates Book Reviews – REVIEW
July 12 – A Wytch’s Book Review Blog – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
July 13 – Baroness’ Book Trove – REVIEW
July 14 – LibriAmoriMiei – REVIEW
July 15 – Sapphyria’s Books – REVIEW
July 15 – A Blue Million Books – GUEST POST
July 16 – Here’s How It Happened – REVIEW
July 17 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
July 17 – Island Confidential – SPOTLIGHT
July 18 – The Book Decoder – REVIEW
July 19 – Brooke Blogs – REVIEW
July 19 – Read Your Writes Book Reviews – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
July 20 – The Avid Reader – REVIEW
July 21 – Literary Gold – REVIEW

Have you signed up to be a Tour Host? Click Here Find Details and Sign Up Today!

 

YA Spotlight and Guest post: Ronel Janse van Vuuren

I'm happy today to be promoting Ronel Janse van Vuuren's YA novella, Dark Desires.

Title: Dark Desires

Author: Ronel Janse van Vuuren Publication Info: June, 2019. 5000 novella
Publisher's Blurb: 
Iron and fae aren’t friends. But Tasha has no choice but to be in the human realm: her very life is at stake.

High School isn’t much safer than Faerie, though. Cliques, falling in love and navigating day-to-day activities are dangerous enough without the added dread of being unmasked as being otherworldly.
But when something happens and everyone reveals their true selves, Tasha has a choice to make: will she save them from the curse upon them and reveal her true nature, or will she let them die and stay safe? 

My Review:
Ronel was kind enough to send me an electronic copy of the book to review, and at 5000 words I was able to find the time for it (longer works are causing me trouble, so this was perfect!). Dark Desires is a YA romance, which puts it rather out of my usual area, but the author has made an interesting story by combining elements of teen romance with the mythology and even the terror of the faerie world. Although the story is short, it does an excellent job of conveying a sense of a complex world that we can only glimpse. It also presents us with a heroine who turns out to be a great deal stronger than anyone expects! 

This is a strong story--strong enough that even though I'm usually too cynical for YA romance (indeed, any romance stories), I was quickly engaged in this one and read it with interest and enjoyment.

Now, author Ronel Janse van Vuuren has dropped in to talk about the story and being yourself.

Born this Way 
Everyone feels insecure about who they are at one point or another. Even the fae.

Tasha feels insecure about her looks. She had tried to be shorter, rounder, mortal. She believes that it is her barely disguised otherworldly looks that causes the other girls to dislike her.

And it’s most probably true: who wants to be around someone who is physically perfect?

Which leads back to everyone being insecure about who they are.

When masks fall away – the event that pushes Tasha to face herself – everyone gets to be free and happy about who they are. For the first time they can all embrace who they are, who they were born to be. The repercussions of this event isn’t examined in this story… Mm, maybe a sequel should follow?

The lesson, though, is that we all try to hide or change things about ourselves that we feel insecure or ashamed about, but we should remember that we were born a certain way and that means we are on the right path.

Something which empowers Tasha and helps her to accept herself and those around her by the end of “Dark Desires”.

Lady Gaga knows this powerful truth – she sings it in “Born this Way”. Tasha knows it. And now you do, too.

About the author:
Award-winning author Ronel Janse van Vuuren mainly writes for teens and tweens, though she is known to write mythology-filled short stories for anthologies aimed at older readers. Her dark fantasy works, usually full of folklore, can be viewed on her website and on Goodreads.

Ronel can be found tweeting about writing and other things that interest her, arguing with her characters, researching folklore for her newest story or playing with her Rottweilers when she’s not actually writing.

All of her books are available for purchase from major online retailers.

Sign up to be notified of new releases, giveaways and pre-release specials – plus get a free eBook – when you join Ronel’s newsletter. 

Connect with Ronel online:
Twitter
Pinterest
Goodreads
Instagram
Amazon author page
Ronel the Mythmaker, Website of Dark Fantasy Author Ronel Janse van Vuuren:  



 

Middle-Grade Book Spotlight: Some Very Messy Medieval Magic

Fellow Tick Tock Anthology author C. Lee McKenzie has a new book out, and it looks wonderful! I haven't had time to read it, but I want to share it now to help out the release, and I'll do a review when I read it. I just love that title :)

Title:  Some Very  Messy Medieval Magic (Book 3 in the Pete and Weasel series)

Author: C. Lee McKenzie
Publisher: Dancing Lemur Press, May 15, 2018.

Pete’s stuck in medieval England!

Pete and his friend Weasel thought they’d closed the Time Lock. But a young page from medieval times, Peter of Bramwell, goes missing. His absence during a critical moment will forever alter history unless he’s found.

There’s only one solution - fledgling wizard Pete must take the page’s place. Accompanied by Weasel and Fanon, Pete’s alligator familiar, they travel to 1173 England.

But what if the page remains lost - will Pete know what to do when the critical moment arrives? Toss in a grumpy Fanon, the duke’s curious niece, a talking horse, and the Circle of Stones and Pete realizes he’s in over his young wizard head yet again...

Release date – May 15, 2018

Juvenile Fiction - Fantasy & Magic/Boys & Men

$13.95 Print ISBN 9781939844460

$3.99 EBook ISBN 9781939844477

About the Author:

C. Lee McKenzie has a background in Linguistics and Inter-Cultural Communication, but these days her greatest passion is writing for young readers. When she’s not writing she’s hiking or traveling or practicing yoga or asking a lot questions about things she still doesn’t understand. http://cleemckenziebooks.com

Purchase Links: 

Barnes & Noble - https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/some-very-messy-medieval-magic-c-lee-mckenzie/1127622061?ean=2940154648575 
Kobo - https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/some-very-messy-medieval-magic
iTunes - https://itunes.apple.com/ca/book/some-very-messy-medieval-magic/id1324257652?mt=11

Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/Some-Very-Messy-Medieval-Magic/dp/1939844460/

Kindle - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079V72G8R

Foyles - http://www.foyles.co.uk/witem/childrens/some-very-messy-medieval-magic,c-lee-mckenzie-9781939844460

Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/37537343-some-very-messy-medieval-magic

Book Spotlight: Beeline to Murder

I missed Monday's post, thanks to a busy and tiring weekend, but I think I'm back on track now. With an easy one--a spotlight tour stop for a new mystery. I want to read this one, but it didn't work out to do it in time for the tour (note: I far prefer to read and review, in order to give my readers some input. But sometimes it just doesn't work out!).  So...take a look at...

A Beeline to Murder
(A Henny Penny Farmette Mystery)
New Cozy Mystery Series
Hardcover: 288 pages
Publisher: Kensington (September 29, 2015)
ISBN-13: 978-1617739095


From peacekeeper to beekeeper…

After an injury forced her to leave the police department, Abigail Mackenzie started a second career as a farmer. Raising chickens, harvesting honey from her bee colony, and growing heirloom vegetables on her farmette in the beautiful Bay Area town of Las Flores, Abby has embraced all the benefits of a peaceful life.

But when she attempts to deliver her trademark honey to local pastry chef Jean-Louis Bonheur and finds him dead in his shop, her old investigative instincts kick in. After the coroner rules the death a suicide, the chef’s handsome French-Canadian brother insists on hiring Abby to find out who really killed Jean-Louis.

With the patience of a farmer and the industriousness of a bee, Abby sorts through a swarm of suspects, including the chef’s landlord, his protégé, an eccentric homeless woman, loan sharks, and a brawny biker. But as she closes in on the truth, she’ll need more than her beekeeper suit to protect her from a killer’s sting…

Includes farming tips and delicious recipes!

About The Author –

Meera Lester is the author of nearly two dozen nonfiction books and the proprietress of the real Henny Penny Farmette, located in the San Francisco Bay area in Concord, California.  Meera co-founded Writers Connection, a Bay Area organization of writers and publishing professional.  Readers can visit her blog at hennypennyfarmette.com.

http://meeralester.com/mlls/
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24388455-a-beeline-to-murder

Purchase Links:
Amazon
B&N   


What the Critics are Saying:

Beeline to Murder
by Meera Lester

With a tight plot, and a strong cast of characters, A BEELINE TO MURDER held my attention and captured my imagination.
~Lisa K’s Book Reviews

I enjoy meeting a character for the first time who is strong and smart…Her strength shines throughout this story.~Socrates’ Book Reviews…
 
Lots of drama, romance, action and suspects.
~readalot 

A Beeline to Murder will have you buzzing with excitement as you open this debut story. The characters are charming , witty and fun and the story line is so strong that you will feel like you are part of it from the start. 
~Shelley’s Book Case​
 
This debut mystery novel has so many wonderful elements that keep cozy readers coming back for more.
~Laura’s Interests

This was an engaging read, giving us a realistic look at the day to day life of a farmer… 
~Musings and Ramblings

And, of course, a Rafflecopter Drawing for a free print copy of the book!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Participants
October 7 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews –  Review
October 8 – Socrates’ Book Reviews – Review
October 9 – Griperang’s Bookmarks – Interview
October 9 – readalot – Review
October 10 – Laura’s Interests – Review
October 11 – Shelley’s Book Case – Review
October 12 – Musings and Ramblings – Review
October 13 – Kaisy Daisy’s Corner – Review
October 14 – The Ninja Librarian – Review
October 15 – StoreyBook Reviews – Review
October 16 – Brooke Blogs – Review, Interview
October 16 – Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews – Spotlight
October 17 – Book Babble – Review
October 18 – LibriAmoriMiei – Review
October 19 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – Review
October 20 – Girl with Book Lungs – Review