From time to time I have the opportunity to point my readers and followers to a few new authors and a few new books. In honor of the holidays, I have a slew of them!
Click on the pictures and ENJOY!
The books here represent a variety of genres.
It's Okay. It is.
A cup of tea…and a moment of peace.
There are so many unimaginable things going on around us today. It is difficult to take it all in, let alone focus on it for extended periods of time. It saddens me to know that several of my friends feel guilty about not being able to watch the news all day, or go to every rally, or even stay on FaceBook and chat with their friends about world events.
But it’s okay. It really is. You don’t have to overload yourself with news to the point of hopelessness or stress. You DESERVE to binge-watch Cloak & Dagger and lose yourself in their quest. You are WORTHY of the respite that comes from taking a long walk, or sitting in nature watching the birds. And you are entitled to give your self a break, make a cup of tea (or the beverage of your choice) and escape inside a book.
So take a step back from the insanity and find a few new reads. Here are some free (or pretty cheap). Just click on the picture.
Be well.
Myth and Magic, Free EBooks for Fantasy Lovers
Sexy Short Reads, EBooks $4.99 and Below
Welcome to My World, free fantasy and SciFi EBooks
The Busiest Time of the Year—and Free Stories!
It’s a hectic time of year, isn’t it? For me, it starts at Thanksgiving, really gets rolling at grading time, and then barrels through Christmas and New Years Day.
Except for grading, it’s mostly fun. Decorating the trees and the house. Holiday crafting. Making cookies. Oh, and people watching at the mall. Good times.
It’s also time to do some reading and relaxing. In case you’re looking for some new books and stories, here are a few promotions—Click on the picture. Happy Holidays!
Enjoy! Happy Holiday and Happy Reading!
Paying it forward: Three Tips from a Writer's Retreat
A woman writing on a laptop, coffee at the ready. What else do you need for a writing retreat?
Writing is hard. Lest you think differently, ask any writer you know to tell you the honest truth. Sometimes, telling a story well feels like you’re bleeding on the page, even if you’re working on a light comedy. From having a good idea to turning it into something engaging, it can be a grueling process.
Don’t get me wrong. There is joy in the process, too. Finding the right word, the right tale, and taking beloved characters on an important journey is exhilarating. And when readers find you…and “get” you…Well, nothing beats that.
But writing is hard. And try doing it, as so many of us must, with day jobs and busy families and in my case, needy, senior pets and NaNoWriMo.
Recently I was fortunate enough to participate in a brief retreat with a segment of my writer tribe. It was to be a full day and two halves of getting some much needed rest, as well as an opportunity to network and learn with and from my peers. All was accomplished. My love of the process was rekindled, and I even gained a few surprisingly helpful pointers.
Writing sprints ARE hokey, but they work. The first evening after grabbing a quick bite and an even quicker nap, I joined a few authors for a writer’s sprint. I was skeptical about participating as I am usually a comparatively slow writer. When the organizer announced the first sprint would be for 10 minutes, my heart sank.What was that going to be, 5 words for me? But it wasn’t. I wrote around 150 words. Say what?? During each subsequent sprint, my word count increased.
Margins matter. I attended a micro-workshop on book formatting. As a hybrid author, I know there is much I need to learn about formatting—especially covers—so attending seemed a good use of time. The presenter showed examples of self-published books where the words were difficult to read because the author/publisher hadn’t used the minimum required measurements for the inside margins. The presenter noted, “This screams amateur.”
I had two books waiting for me when I arrived home, delivered by Amazon. Traditionally published by two of the Big Five New York publishers. Guess what? HORRIBLE MARGINS. One was a coffee table book in which the margins bisected the pictures. Excuse me, the pictures are the point. The other one, a novel, had inner margins so off I could not open the book wide enough to read entire pages without ripping the book apart to read it. I returned the book.
Marketing is a necessary evil that you CAN master. One of my favorite authors and all around kind person Jamie K. Schmidt gave two presentations on marketing. One of the things that makes her presentations so cool and so helpful is that she shares her successes and failures and actual numbers with us, in terms of cost and results. Most presenters don’t. I gained some knowledge about Facebook ads/boosts. Basically, the most critical step is selecting your audience, and that seems to be largely a matter of trial and error. Simply understanding that is enough to give it a reasonable try. Oh—that and limit the amount you want to spend or Facebook will keep going, and going and going.
In the second, more informal talk, Jamie spoke about marketing and shared a relatively new tool with us: StoryOrigin. OMG this is a wonderful site that facilitates newsletter swaps and group promotions for sales and list building. I only just started to use it, but I am happy to share my results as I experience them. Stay Tuned!
Dress Up/Dress Down Wednesday with Kryssie Fortune
Please join me in welcoming Kryssie Fortune to Living After Midnight.
Congratulations on your new release, Kryssie! Tell us about your hero’s or typical style of dress. What is the condition of the clothing?
My book is set in the Regency era. When he first meets my heroine, he’s wearing a black topcoat and muffler. The topcoat would be thick and warm, probably pure wool. It’s not mentioned, but I imagined it with short black capes that hung from the shoulder and fell around his arms. His muffler is basically a wool scarf. Since he’s riding, he’d wear glossy top boots. My hero, Viscount Stonehurst has his specially made to disguise his false lower left leg. He’d be wearing black leather goods, but he chooses not to wear a hat.
What does the choice of clothing tell us about him?
He’s a power dresser who likes to be in charge whatever the situation, especially in the bedroom. Nowadays, we’d call him a dom.
What happens when or if he wears the opposite style?
He wears anything with swagger and panache. Even in London, he wears plain clothes, all black. It’s his way of keeping the costs down since his wardrobe always matches.
How do his or outfits set your hero apart from other characters?
Regency men were peacocks. Stonehurst isn’t, but he can dress up if need be. For a special occasion, he wore black pantaloons and black cut away tailcoat. Pantaloons were high waisted trousers with a buttoned flap at the front for convenience. They fell to just below the knee. He’d tied his neckcloth in the Trone d’amour style. A neckcloth is wide strip of fabric that can be tied in various ornamental ways. The Trone d’amoure style is austere. The cloth goes around the neck with the centre at the front, in a wide starched band. The ends are tied in neatly at the front. The wearer puts one single dimple in the wide band at the front.
He sounds awesome. Now tell us about the book!
Blurb
![theviscountspet_full[37103]-1.jpg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b2d51762487fde977e02596/1571081520282-EV3CKPM4VZFYZDMWUVIH/theviscountspet_full%5B37103%5D-1.jpg)
When her brother tries to force her into a marriage with a detestable baron, Julianna Halstead flees the family estate she has helped manage since the death of her parents. But as she makes her escape late at night, Juliana’s carelessness nearly results in her being trampled by a galloping horse, and the steed’s handsome rider takes it upon himself to correct her right then and there.
Though having her bottom bared and soundly spanked on the side of the road leaves Juliana blushing crimson, the punishment arouses her intensely and her body’s helpless response cannot be hidden. To make matters worse, the gentleman over whose lap she was so firmly chastised turns out to be none other than Viscount Stonehurst, someone she has known since childhood.
When Stonehurst learns of Juliana’s predicament, he decides to make her his bride. She will be no ordinary wife, however. She will be something much more shameful. But even as she is leashed, collared, and put on display in a cage wearing only a tail, then brought out to be used in ways no proper lady should enjoy, will Juliana come to love her new life as the viscount’s pet?
Publisher’s Note: The Viscount’s Pet is a stand-alone novel which shares the Regency-era setting of Wickedly Used and His Innocent Bride. It includes spankings and sexual scenes. If such material offends you, please don’t buy this book.
Buy links
Excerpt
As they rode, her brief spark of anger faded into despair. She never made a sound, but tears flowed down her cheeks.
“Damn it,” Stonehurst muttered under his breath, “don’t cry.”
Despite the balmy summer night, she couldn’t stop shivering. He tightened his arms, pulling her toward him. When he buried his face in her hair, she thought he inhaled in her favorite floral perfume. She hoped it pleased him. His citrus and herbal cologne certainly delighted her.
When he reached the rose garden, the musky scent of the flowers lingered, heady and intoxicating. Despite his wooden leg, he slid easily from the saddle and helped her dismount. His hands rested a few seconds too long on her waist. She relaxed and leaned toward him, but his severe expression condemned her. While her past actions deserved his scorn, it still crushed her.
As if he couldn’t stop himself, he tugged her against him. His mouth slammed against hers, claiming, dominating, and possessing. A soft moan flowed from her. When she nestled into his embrace, her heart told her she’d come home.
He tangled his hands in the loose strands of her hair and anchored her lips to his. As his tongue traced the seam between them, she opened for him. He tasted of fresh lemons and spearmint. His kiss was all-consuming and addictive, a sinful delight that flooded her soul with joy.
The longer he held her, the more she relaxed. Everything about him made her feel sheltered and safe. Deep down she knew it was an illusion. He’d already sided with her brother, and her ribs would suffer for it.
Confused by the feelings he roused in her breast, her grip on reality faded, and she responded with unexpected eagerness. Wrong or not, she’d savor this moment of pleasure. Something hot and sensual sizzled between them. Unable to resist, she slid her arms around his neck, and ran her foot up and down his right calf.
When he crushed her against his chest, the added intimacy made her heart pound and her knees weak. Only, given their past, they could never have a future.
About Kryssie Fortune
Kryssie Fortune writes the sort of hot sexy books she loves to read. Her paranormal heroes are muscular werewolves, arrogant Fae, seductive vampires or BDSM loving dragons.
Kryssie likes her contemporary heroes ex-military and dominant. Her Byronic and brooding Regency men are troubled survivors of Waterloo. When it comes to women, she writes kick ass females who can hold their own against whatever life - or Kryssie - throws at them.
Kryssie's pet hates are unhappy endings, and a series that ends on a cliff hanger.
Her books are all stand alone even when part of series. Plot always comes before sex, but when her heroines and heroes get together, the sex is explosive and explicit. One review called it downright sensual.
Special Edition: Dress Up/Dress Down with Lyndell Williams
Please join me in welcoming best-selling author Lyndell Williams to Living After Midnight!
Marcus Kent’s Closet
In the urban romance, Sweet Love–Bitter Fruit, Harlem lawyer, Marcus Kent wakes up each morning before the crack of dawn. He kisses his sleeping wife snuggled next to him and slips out of the bed, heading into his walk-in closet. The small room contains a spectrum of clothes reflecting the professional and personal activities filling his busy life.
The first thing Marcus does is slap on some sweatpants, tee shirt and hoodie before grabbing a pair of running shoes at the bottom of the wall filled with high-end sneakers. His morning run ensemble complete. He passes walls of designer business suits and ties. Everything in its place, just the way he organizes the rest of his life. Carrying his sneaks, he brushes his lips against Toni’s cheek, quietly stepping to the apartment entryway before putting them on and heading out the door.
After running through the New York City streets, Marcus returns home for a quick shower and to change into one of his tailored suits before going to work at the community center he opened and is the executive director. A muscular Black man who is well over six-feet tall, he doesn’t have the luxury of shopping at just any store. Not that he would ever do so. He puts a lot of stock and money in making sure his clothes make the right impression. He has a list of tailors in his cell phone that he uses to construct a professional appearance that shows he is all business and success.
After breakfast, he grabs his gym bag and goes to work as a community organizer. Throughout Sweet Love–Bitter Fruit, Marcus’ clothes serve as a motif for the layers of social demands on a person. His wife, family, friends, employees and community have expectations for him to be what they need. Additionally, because the clothes hang on a character impacted by some of the same stereotypes as real people in society, he has to be constantly aware of what he wears.
The realities of assumed criminality when someone like him dons a hoodie remain in the back of his mind. He is a large Black man in America. A Gianni Campagna won’t keep people from being bigoted. He encounters a lot of people who reduce him by the color of his skin, but he doesn’t let it stop his flow. Whether he is shrugging into a Thomas Pink dress shirt or playing ball with his friends in a pair of IconX Joggers, Marcus is unapologetically himself.
After a long day of fighting for social justice, Marcus returns home, slips on a pair of pajama bottoms and makes sure to prepare the next day’s attire. He likes to walk around the apartment and hold Toni in the bare minimum, one of the reasons why everybody knows not to have the nerve to stop by unannounced. At home with his wife is where he finally gets to be relaxed and vulnerable, shutting out the demands and stresses of the world. It is his peace and when he gets to decompress, making a bare chest and feet a must. Whatever he wears, Marcus Kent is the quintessential alpha, who will be strong for those around him and gentle with the woman he loves.
Check out some of Marcus’ clothing choices at the Sweet Love Bitter Fruit novel inspirations Pinterest board.
Sweet Love, Bitter Fruit
Blurb – Harlem lawyer Marcus Kent fights for justice while preserving a stable, passionate marriage with wife, Toni. Smart and confident, he has it all together—that is until his world turns upside down.
Not only is someone stalking his sister, but an intern at work is also getting too close for comfort.
On top of all of that, Toni’s renewed infertility obsession causes them to continually argue, adding more strain and cooling off their steamy union.
Struggling with insecurities and yearning to have a child, successful psychologist Toni Kent looks to her husband for support. Unfortunately, relentless distraction and stubbornness prevent Marcus from being there when she needs him the most and jeopardizes their happy home.
After multiple failed in vitro attempts, Toni is ready to try again, but Marcus is done. He doesn’t want another headache or more heartache.
Will a baby-making impasse tear this dream couple apart?
From the author of My Way to You, a new novel about keeping the flames of love and passion burning in a world determined to snuff them out.
Enjoy this excerpt:
~~~~~~~~
Marcus sipped some cold coffee from a mug. Toni didn’t do the jealous wife. Probably because he worked his ass off to make it clear she was the only woman who held his interest. Only an idiot would take a good woman like her for granted because there was always another man ready to snatch her up. “What are you doing with the rest of the afternoon?”
Toni shifted in her seat. “Well, I have an appointment with Dr. Algiers.” He slammed the mug down on the desk, making her jump. “Marc.”
He tossed the rest of the burger on the open wrapper. “So that’s what this little lunch visit is about? The in vitro. I thought we settled that.”
“No. We just never talked about it again. I haven’t taken it off the table.”
He rubbed a palm against his aching jaw. “What do you need?”
“I was hoping you would come with me. We can talk some more on the way there.”
He wiped the coffee off his hand and desk. “I’m not doing that. I’ve said all I’m going to about this.”
Toni pushed the stack of files and leaned across the desk–her mouth twisted into a scowl. “Well, I haven’t. I’m ready to start treatments.”
He pinned her gaze. “You do what you want, but I’m not signing up for another fertility sideshow.” It was his turn. He flinched as the stapler crashed through the window. Sounds of the city seeped through the hole it left. “What the hell, Toni?!” The door opened. Marcus glanced up and jabbed his finger. “Out!” Whoever was on the other side never appeared. It closed with a soft click.
Toni’s glare burrowed right into him. “I told you before that this isn’t only about you. What about what I want?” She paced in front of his desk. “I’m there for you, Regina—everybody. When are you and everybody gonna take their heads out of their asses and give a shit about what I want?”
He opened his mouth when the phone went off again. “Son of a—Marcus Kent.”
“Hey, man,” Faisal’s tense voice shot into his ear and plucked the nerves down his spine. “We have a situation.”
Author Bio
Lyndell Williams (Layla Abdullah-Poulos) is an adjunct instructor, anti-racism and gender equity advocate and a cultural critic.
She is the founder and managing editor of the NbA Muslims blog on Patheos and a cultural contributor for Radio Islam USA. She is a contributor to the online publications About Islam and Haute Hijab.
Williams is the lead content editor WriteType Editorial Services and mentors aspiring writers across genres.
She’s had numerous short stories published in collections and enjoys a growing list of subscribers to her Layla Writes Love online short story series.
Williams self-published her first interracial romance novel My Way to You. The novel made it onto four Amazon bestsellers lists its premiere weekend.
She is committed to the traditional use of literature as social commentary to affect positive social change.
Williams is married and the mother of six children.
Website - https://laylawriteslove.com/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/laylawriteslove/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/laylawriteslove
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/laylawriteslove/
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWpN2YTkr9cGO9Z7-AB8xNw
Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/laylawriteslove
Amazon - http://amazon.com/author/laylawriteslove
Soundcloud
iTunes
Google Play Music
Spotify
https://open.spotify.com/show/4G0FXyBdBJUol2ixhQtYta
Newsletter http://bit.ly/2keDszX
Dress Up/Dress Down Wednesday with Patricia Preston and Darlene!
Hi ! Thanks for stopping by Living After Midnight! I’m excited to hear about your clothing, Darlene but I admit, my mouth is already watering to learn about your cookbook!
Thanks for featuring Darlene from “Darlene’s Redneck Recipes.” She is always ready to run her mouth and Darlene loves clothes. So straight from the 50’s, here’s Darlene Higginbottom, who is going to use the name Darlene Durand when she becomes a movie star…
“I’m just so happy to be talking about clothes and not cooking. I can tell y’all right now that clothes are my favorite thing. I mean, what’s more important to a girl than looks? Beauty is my priority, especially since I plan to be a movie star/sex symbol. I mean, me and Marilyn Monroe are practically twins, honey. If Elvis and Marilyn can make it in Hollywood, I know I can.
Back to my clothes. Well, I learned when I was sixteen the importance of tissue paper and padded D-cup bras. I’d wear one of those beneath my pink twin set and the boys would be falling all over themselves. I never had to carry a book. That’s because I’m enterprising and every enterprising gal knows how to manipulate a man.
Back to my clothes. I just love a wiggle dress. They fit every curve just perfect. I have a red one that I wear with black heels and of course, I always have the seams on my stockings straight. Honey, when I wiggle down the street, I can’t count the wolf whistles. Like everybody else, I have swing dresses and circle skirts. What I love to wear under those skirts, besides a frilly garter belt, is a can-can trimmed in lace. So every now and then, the lace peaks out from beneath the hem of your skirt. I’ve known men to miss their mouths with their coffee cups. What a mess. Anyway, I think wide cinch belts are fantastic with circle skirts and a knit top. Those belts, pulled really tight, make your waist look tiny. Of course, you may can’t breathe, same as with a girdle if you can manage to get the sucker on. But they do trim up the belly.
One more note on being chic, wear a neck scarf. Are they not the cutest trend ever? Just tie it in a bow on the side of your neck. I’ve got white chiffon neck scarf and I love it.
Now I will tell you I’d never be caught dead in one of those flowery dusters that old women, like my granny, loves. Maybe I’ll love them when I’m old as dirt, but not now. It’s like this: while I’ve got it, I’m gonna flaunt it as every woman should.
Darlene’s Redneck Recipes~Humor and Home Cooking
Over 200 mouth-watering and simple-to-make recipes narrated by Darlene Higginbottom, 50’s movie star wannabe and comic character from “Laid to Rest.”
Although Darlene’s no expert in the kitchen and hates cooking, she’ll be sharing down-home recipes that are favorites with her family and friends. She’ll also provide a hilarious commentary on Southern foods and traditions such as why the cornbread skillet is sacred, picking poke sallet, and frying everything. From cornbread to fried chicken, it’s all about comfort food that Southern mommas have cooked for generations.
Full of butter, fat, and everything that’s bad for you but tastes so good that Darlene promises you’ll be swooning and asking for seconds.
“If you’re a cook or if you have one on your Christmas list, this cookbook is a must-have, especially when it comes to the pie recipes.”~Darlene
Amazon links:
Kindle https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Z1DJVMF
Paperback https://www.amazon.com/dp/1688547436
About Darlene’s creator:
Award-winning author Patricia Preston writes single title contemporary and historical romance and Southern humor. She is represented by the Seymour Agency and currently has several titles available online. Her writing awards include the Lone Star Writing Competition for Historical Romance, Harlequin’s World’s Best Romances Short Story Competition, and William Faulkner Award for Short Fiction. Besides writing, she also enjoys photography, graphic design, movies and trips to historical sites. Please check out her website at www.patricia-preston.com where you can find out more about her available titles, sign up for her newsletter, follow her on social media, and read her blog. She appreciates all her readers and she is always grateful for reviews.
Dress Up Dress Down with Author Cheryl St. John #giveaway
Join me in welcoming Cheryl St. John to Living After Midnight! Cheryl will randomly pick winners to receive a copy of her ebook Dancing in the Dark. All you have to do to be eligible is comment on this post!
Cheryl, tell us about your heroine, Kendra!
A redhead, Kendra Price doesn’t shy away from pinks or reds, but shines in those colors. She chooses red, coral, pink or turquoise for most of her clothing, and she always carries a signature orange bag. After a challenging childhood and a traumatic end to her relationship with her first love, she left Spencer, Colorado with her sights set on a dance career. Her talent has earned her success and a monetary payoff, so she can afford to buy herself nice clothing. Her attire gives her confidence.
Because she dances every day, she has a wide assortment of dance attire, leotards, shorts and stretchy midriff tops. She has never kept her costumes, but offers them to dance schools and students. She has a passion for teaching growing teens not only dance, but how to care for their bodies and avoid injuries.
While on her travels, she has shopped in department stores across the country, so her clothing is unique and of good quality. She would probably never wear something ordered from a catalog, because she likes to shop and try on her ensembles.
One of Kendra’s favorite things to do is spend a day fishing from her aluminum runabout on Twin Owl Lake and on those days, comfortable shorts, a summer top, tennis shoes and a sun hat are her go-to outfit.
Here is Cheryl’s Pinterest board showing Kendra’s clothing:
https://www.pinterest.com/cheryl_stjohn/dancing-in-the-dark/
BIO:
Cheryl has always loved the exciting and diverse worlds available between the covers of books. As a child she wrote stories & drew covers, then stapled them into little books. She cut all the tiny images from the book club advertisements in the Sunday newspaper & glued them to bits of cardboard so Barbie® had a full library. She is the married author of more than fifty books, both historical and contemporary. Her stories have earned numerous RITA nominations, Romantic Times awards & are published in over a dozen languages. One thing all reviewers & readers agree on regarding Cheryl’s work is the degree of emotion & believability. In describing her stories of second chances & redemption, readers & reviewers use words like, “emotional punch, hometown feel, core values, believable characters & real-life situations.”
The author lives in the Midwest, USA. When she’s not writing or spending time with her family, she’s checking out garage sales, flea markets & antique malls. Among her collections are teacups & teapots, roosters, chicken kitchen timers, vintage spice tins, wooden recipe boxes, Barbies®, charm bracelets, vintage jewelry, Kokeshi dolls, white stoneware, Delftware, souvenir spoons, Goebel birds, Royal Copley planters, vintage hankies & BOOKS. Cheryl admits she’s a bargain hunter with the heart of a hoarder, trying to live as a minimalist. The struggle is real.
Cheryl kicked off the Aspen Gold Series with Dancing in the Dark. She and her critique group devised a continuity series, filled with diverse and entertaining characters.
Readers are loving the books: "The Aspen Gold Series is by far the best series I have read in a long time" and "Love the series and love not having to wait 6-12 months for the next book," are common praises on the Aspen Gold Facebook page: https://www.aspengoldseries.com/
Aspen Gold Newsletter: https://www.subscribepage.com/n9n7p3
SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:
Newsletter Signup: http://eepurl.com/bqCji9
email Cheryl at: SaintJohn@aol.com
amazon author page: https://tinyurl.com/y6js92y8
Visit her on the web: http://www.cherylstjohn.net/
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/cheryl-st-john
Like her Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/CherylStJ
Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/y6js92y8
Twitter: https://twitter.com/_CherylStJohn_
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cherylstjohn/
She's a Pinterest junkie! https://www.pinterest.com/cheryl_stjohn/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/24516.Cheryl_St_John
EXCERPT:
He opened the screen door, closed it behind him and walked across the porch, taking the stairs two at a time. I hate it when you leave, but I love to watch you go. That backside and those long legs in a pair of jeans could stop hearts. An elusive memory came into focus. He was fourteen or fifteen, tall and lanky, his shoulder-length hair bleached from the sun as he walked toward his dad’s old Mercury, turning back with a grin to wave at her. The image was so clear that she felt the same peculiar sense of loss and longing she experienced every time he’d left to go home. But today Dusty didn’t turn around…or grin…or wave. He put his toolbox in his truck, climbed in, and turned the vehicle around in the drive.
She watched the truck until it reached the road and stared after it long after the vehicle had disappeared behind the trees. He had never married. What did that mean? He was probably liked by everyone in Spencer, and he was a catch. Surely there were women who’d gone after him. He couldn’t have held out, thinking there was still hope for the two of them. She’d made that crystal clear.
This wasn’t the life she’d planned. She didn’t want to be bitter or unforgiving, but here she was, watching him go. She missed what-could-have-been so badly that she lived with an empty ache. But she had dance. She had determination. She had self-respect.
What she didn’t have was the man she’d wanted with her whole heart.
UNIVERSAL BUY LINK:
Dancing in the Dark: https://books2read.com/u/mKx2B9
#Review: The Good Place
Sometimes, entertainment comes from the most unexpected places.
When I saw a promo for The Good Place, I thought there was no way it could be anything but stupid. I continued on, hopping around #Neflix and as is often the case, 247 clicks later I hadn’t found anything that I wanted to see. Desperate, I took a deep breath and returned to The Good Place. I’m glad I did.
The premise of the series is that after we die, we experience one of two possibilities: We either go to The Bad Place and endure a hell made especially for us, or we go to The Good Place where whatever we desire is available to us. The story centers around Eleanor, convincingly played by Kristen Bell. She lands in The Good Place, only to realize she is there by mistake. Ted Danson also plays a pivotal role, but it is an ensemble cast with no weak players.
To my great surprise, the show is Laugh Out Loud funny. The humor is witty, with a humorous take on the human condition. I laughed because I could relate. It is also an emotional journey, with characters who are flawed, broken, with deep wounds that impact their choices and their beliefs more than they have realized. Moreover, the story arcs are creative and unexpected in that, “ did that really just happen” sort of a way, while still being true to the characters personalities.
I hope Netflix renews the series. I’m already addicted. 5/5 Stars
New Release! #anthology #RomanceBooks
I am excited to announce my curvy girl rockstar romance, Rock and Cinnamon Roll It’s in the newly released anthology Dangerous Curves Ahead (published by Riverdale Avenue Books and edited by Rachel Kenley). It’s available at all major outlets. You can find the links here: Dangerous Curves
Spawn of Lilith—A Review 4/5 stars
Spawn of Lilith—A Review
4/5 Stars
I recently finished Spawn of Lilith by Dana Fredsti. I liked this book and would recommend it to others. It seems to follow none of the “rules” we have come to expect in books. There is no inciting incident (or ordinary world, I couldn’t tell which was missing), no rising action. Most of the book is simply Lee, the main character, doing things. Lee buys beer. Lee take a job on a bad movie. Lee takes another job with another bad movie. Although she’s a stunt woman, I’m not sure any of those scenes are necessary for the story. In fact, I wasn’t sure what the story was until the end of the book.
According to Lee, the movie industry is full of supernatural creatures. But they are not on the page, at least not in a way that impacts the plot or characters’ development.
So why do I like the book enough to recommend it? I like the characters. They were well developed and engaging. I like Lee. I like Lee’s friends— Eden, an actress, and Randy, a stuntman and a shapeshifter who never shifts. In a roundabout way, they help her grow and become more independent. I might have found Sean and Seth (her father and pseudo-foster brother) more interesting if they had been around more.
I’d put the book back on the shelf several times because one of the blurbs described Lee as snarky. I hate snarky characters, but eventually I decided to give it a try. I did NOT find Lee snarky. Snarky is just bitter and angry, which Lee isn’t. She had humorous moments that were well done.
All in all, I couldn’t put this book down. I’m looking forward to reading Lee’s next adventure.
Click on the cover to go to Amazon.
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