Thursday, February 18, 2021

War of the Squirrels by Kirsten Weiss


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Kirsten Weiss will be awarding a signed, paperback copy of War of the Squirrels, an "Ever Vigilant" squirrel notepad, a squirrel wish bracelet, and a squirrel baseball cap (black) (US ONLY) to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Helicopter parents, suspicious squirrels… and murder.

All Susan wants is to get through this visit from her controlling parents without tumbling down a black hole of despair. But galactic forces are colliding at her whimsical B&B, Wits’ End, and her parents have plans of their own.

When two men die on the same day, both mysterious deaths are tied to her mom and dad. Meanwhile, a squirrel scofflaw is riling up the tiny mountain town of Doyle, and Susan realizes she’s the only person who can stop the madness. And if this B&B owner can’t put these crimes to rest fast, her carefully organized life may come crashing to earth.

This fast-paced and funny cozy mystery is book four in the Wits’ End series. Packed with quirky characters, small town charm, and murder, it’s perfect for fans of Jana Deleon, Tricia O’Malley, and Charlaine Harris.

Buy War of the Squirrels and start this hilarious caper today.


Read an Excerpt

If there’s anything worse than walking in on your parents in the throes of disposing of a body, I don’t want to know what it is.

But I’m getting ahead of myself.

Earlier that day, unaware of the disaster unfolding, I bent my head toward my reception desk and pretended this was a normal day.

“Susan,” Arsen said gently.

I drew careful diagonal lines through the completed tasks in my planner.

“Susan,” my boyfriend said again. “Now you’re starting to freak me out.”

At my feet, Bailey woofed in agreement. The aging beagle sat on my sneaker to punctuate his argument.

I set down ruler and pencil and straightened in the creaky swivel chair. “What am I supposed to do? My two ex-jailers are arriving any minute. They’re going to be watching me like hawks. Any signs of weakness, and…”

He sat on the desk and grasped my shoulder. “First, you’re not weak. Second, you’re not a teenager anymore. You’re an adult. There’s nothing they can do if you don’t let them.” He smiled, his hazel eyes crinkling.

Normally, crinkling hazel eyes would make me melt. This is especially true when they’re accompanied by an easygoing personality, square jaw, and killer smile.

But not today.

About the Author: Kirsten Weiss has never met a dessert she didn’t like, and her guilty pleasures are watching Ghost Whisperer re-runs and drinking red wine. The latter gives her heartburn, but she drinks it anyway.

Now based in Colorado Springs, CO, she writes genre-blending cozy mystery, supernatural and steampunk suspense, mixing her experiences and imagination to create vivid worlds of fun and enchantment.

If you like funny cozy mysteries, check out her Pie Town - http://www.kirstenweiss.com/pie-town-mysteries, Tea and Tarot - https://www.kirstenweiss.com/tea-and-tarot-mysteries , Paranormal Museum - http://www.kirstenweiss.com/the-perfectly-proper-paranormal-mus-1 and Wits’ End - http://www.kirstenweiss.com/doyle-cozy-mystery-series books.

If you’re looking for some magic with your mystery, give the Witches of Doyle - http://www.kirstenweiss.com/doyle-witch-cozy-mysteries, Riga Hayworth - http://www.kirstenweiss.com/riga-hayworth-paranormal-mysteries and Rocky Bridges - http://www.kirstenweiss.com/rocky-bridges-mysteries books a try.

And if you like steampunk, the Sensibility Grey - http://www.kirstenweiss.com/sensibility-grey-steampunk-suspense series might be for you.

Kirsten sends out original short stories of mystery and magic to her mailing list. If you’d like to get them delivered straight to your inbox, make sure to sign up for her newsletter at http://kirstenweiss.com.

Feel free to follow her on Pinterest at KirstenWeiss, or on Bookbub - http://www.bookbub.com/authors/kirsten-weiss, get in touch on Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/kirsten.weiss, post a picture of this book to Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/kirstenweissauthor and tag her @kirstenweissauthor, or send her an email. She’ll answer you personally…which may be a good or a bad thing, depending on your perspective.

Email: kweiss2001@kirstenweiss.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/kirsten.weiss/
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/KirstenWeissAuthor
Bookbub: http://www.bookbub.com/authors/kirsten-weiss

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Thursday, February 11, 2021

Piper's Song by Sara E. Tall



This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Sara E. Tall will be awarding a $15 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Why do you write juvenile fiction? What draws you to it?

YA fiction was what I really fell in love with growing up, so I knew that was what I wanted to write. I think a lot of us love YA because humans grow and change so much in their teenage years. Most fiction is about character transformation, but with YA there’s just so much room for transformation. I also think teenagers make great protagonists because they are smart enough to deal with adult situations but dumb enough to deal with kid situations, if that makes sense. There’s just a lot of freedom in the type of story you can tell and the types of things that can happen.

Pretend your protagonist is at school and opens his/her locker – what will we see inside?

Billie’s not the most organized person, so it will probably be a mess. They’ll definitely be some anime cut-outs and maybe even a couple comic books. Front and center will probably be a gothic doll, with porcelain skin and blood red eyes, because they make her feel secure. Her schoolbooks and important homework assignments will probably be dumped unceremoniously at the bottom, forcing her to dig through them any time she needs anything important which almost always makes her late to class. Does that inspire her to be more organized? Not in the slightest.

What books were your favorite as a youth and why?

Harry Potter, of course. When I was younger I loved the Bailey School Kids and Nancy Drew. I was also a big on Percy Jackson, the Mortal Instruments, anything by Jim Butcher, and anything by Sarah Dessen. I have a tendency to get attached to characters, so I prefer series over stand alones, and the longer the better. I think I’ve always had appreciation for authors that could combine humor and drama so effortlessly together. I definitely tried to emulate that style in Piper’s Song.

What superpower would you love to have? Why?

This is so cliché, but I honestly think I just want to fly. I probably wouldn’t use it for good and evil or anything, I’d literally just fly all over the place. Teleportation might be kind of fun too, so I could save on travel expenses.

What book is on your nightstand currently?

I currently have three… which is pretty typical. Fiction-wise I’m reading The Ravens by Kass Morgan and Danielle Paige. It’s about a Witch Sorority, which is right up my alley. I’m also reading Idylls of a King by Alfred Lord Tennyson for research purposes. I’m on an Arthurian legend binge. Save the Cat! Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody basically lives on my nightstand. I highly recommend that book for all novel writers. It really breaks down the reasons behind story structure elements rather than just telling you what they are. Really gives you complete control over your storytelling.

Favorite TV show from your childhood?

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. My siblings and I could not get enough of that show. There were four of us so we each identified with a Ninja Turtle and then would act out their shenanigans in our basement. I honestly want to go back to being a kid just so I can relive those memories. Our game was that fun.

You’re stranded on a desert island—which character from your book do you want with you? Why?

Lucian, just because he’s got that practical survival instinct thing going so he could figure out a way to get us off the island. He’s also full of random information which could provide entertainment if we were stuck for a while.

Which one of your characters would you most like to meet IRL? Why?

Sedna Nightlock. She’s sort of a villain sort of not but she knows that she’s my favorite anyway. She’d probably spend the whole time terrorizing me, but I’d deal just to get to interact with a real life version of her. Sedna is also that person who sees the truth of things. She’s incredibly blunt, but it would be interesting to get her perspective on me.

Billie thinks stopping her fellow students from committing murder and almost getting kicked out of the Realm is as bad as it gets, but she should know better. Not only are seven of the most powerful students out for her blood, but Sedna —her former enemy turned ally— turns her enemy again when Billie refuses a part in her revenge scheme. What’s more, Alpha Administration’s refusal to address the injustice in their school is sparking a full-on rebellion, and a lot of innocents are going to be caught in the crosshairs. It isn’t just the school either, the Realm itself is overrun with violence and hatred, which will have deadly consequences. Lucian, her self-imposed magical guru, insists Billie’s extraordinary magic is the key to stopping the flood of violence coming their way. Billie knows her magic is extraordinary, but she also knows its destructive power. It might do more harm than good.


Read an Excerpt

“Leave her alone.” The words were out of my mouth before I could stop them. It took about a half a second for everyone’s eyes to swivel towards me, Sedna’s included. She looked like she wanted to tear my limbs off, one by one. I gulped.

And then she chuckled. “Billie, the hero, is here to save the day.”

I ignored the flush in my cheeks as I said coolly, “We both know she’s not the one you are mad at.”

And just like that, the smirk slipped off her face as her glower returned, like my candor had reminded her how much she hated me.

“It’s really cute how protective you are of your roommates,” she said coolly. “There’s one you might want to be a little more concerned about. She’s in the hospital. Her name is Artemis.”

I could swear my temperature dropped at the icy way she said Artemis’ name. I also couldn’t stop myself from looking down. My voice was small as I said, “I’m sorry for what—”

“Don’t,” her voice sliced through mine like a knife, “you dare apologize to me.”

For a moment, I really thought she was going to tear my limbs off, but she seemed too angry to move. No one else dared move either, even her friends. They just stared between the two of us, waiting to see who would break first.

It was me. “You want to pick a fight with me, fine.” I lifted my chin, trying to look more confident about that statement than I felt. “But leave her out of it.”

About the Author:
Sara’s enjoyed creating fantastic stories since she was old enough to hold a play sword, around the time she learned how to walk. Gradually she learned to direct her creative energy into writing, and it’s been a downward spiral ever since then. When she’s not writing she’s probably either dancing or reading Batman comics. She also loves running away to the mountains of Utah and Montana. Nothing gets more fantastic that those views.

Website: https://saraetallbooks.wordpress.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SaraETall
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SaraEatough
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saraetall/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18726933.Sara_E_Tall
Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/Pipers-Song-Alpha-Academy-Book-ebook/dp/B08KFP25FW/
The book will be $0.99.

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Wednesday, December 16, 2020

A Curse of Mayhem by Sunayna Prasad



This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Sunayna Prasad will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Why I Chose to Write Fantasy


I have always enjoyed fantasy more than most other genres. I read the entire "Harry Potter" series in my early teens. In fact, at that time, it was the only thing I would read for pleasure.

I have always been attracted to magic, fantastical elements, and supernatural ideas, for as long as I can remember. I am a highly imaginative person who likes to create and brainstorm.

The idea of my book's main character dates back to when I was in elementary school. Then she returned to my mind in my adolescence and I developed everything about her from there.

One thing about fantasy is that you can have more freedom with your stories since there is worldbuilding involved as well as other enchanted elements. Of course, the literary devices should still be believable and make sense.

When I first published the sequel of my "Magical Missions" series in 2016 as "Wizardry Goes Wild," there were still a lot of flaws, including with credibility. One struggle involved having my characters react to magic in a believable way.

After pulling the original edition from the market and fixing the issues, I decided on a change. Instead of trying to get the characters to react to extreme situations more credibly, since I still had trouble with it, I made certain situations milder, as long as they didn't need to be severe. For example, there is a scene with a magical robotic bee. But that was originally a fake shark that functioned like a real one.

Basically, I just love fantasy and being very creative, which is why I like to write in that genre. I probably wouldn't try horror or science-fiction, though. Horror scares me and science involves more research as well as math. Yet, with fantasy, I have more freedom along with fun.

History, like magic, has a habit of repeating itself

It’s been six months since thirteen-year-old Alyssa McCarthy left magic behind for good. Or so she thought…

Then the enchanted objects that protected her disappear. Now a skeleton named Errol has cursed her with magical powers that keep getting her in trouble. Suddenly strange things are happening with disastrous effects, and if Alyssa can’t remove the magic, she will lose everything she holds dear.

In order to get rid of her unwanted wizardry, Alyssa will have to boost her bravery and confidence and determine who Errol really is. But every time Alyssa uses an enchantment, Errol is one step closer to getting his flesh back and becoming alive, and he will do anything to achieve his goals…even if it means destroying Alyssa’s happiness.

Originally published in 2016 as “Wizardry Goes Wild” and “The Unruly Curse” in 2019, “A Curse of Mayhem” is book two in the exciting and suspenseful “Magical Missions” series.


Read an Excerpt

Lilac-colored smoke poured in through the slight opening under Alyssa’s bedroom window. Alyssa leaped back. She swore the window had been closed when she’d come in here a few minutes ago.

The gas clouded into her room, blocking her sight. It washed onto her, causing her to squint and lean back. She coughed, rubbed her eyes, and opened them. The smoke faded. Someone must’ve pulled a prank, and not just any kind—one that involved…wizardry.

Alyssa’s breathing sped up. She shut the window and gazed at the huge yard and long driveway. No one was outside—not even Alex, her godfather and legal guardian.

Perhaps the trespasser had escaped or had hidden somewhere—maybe behind the tree on the lawn or somewhere else on the property.

Alyssa hurried out, brushing ash from her muted purple shirt. She entered the ground floor and opened the front door. “Hello?!”

There was no answer.

“Whoever set that smoke off, it wasn’t funny!”

The silence continued.

Despite the freezing air this autumn evening, Alyssa stepped onto the front porch. A piece of paper appeared out of nowhere, making her jump. She picked it up, anyway.

Welcome back to magic.

Her chest tightened. She hadn’t encountered a single instance of wizardry in six months! Plus, she had two objects that were supposed to protect her from such encounters.

She dashed back up to her room and opened the closet door. Tape hung from a shoebox, and the items that she had left in there…were missing.

About the Author: Sunayna Prasad enjoys writing fantasy books for children, as well as cooking, creating artwork, watching online videos, and blogging. She has also written The Frights of Fiji, formerly titled as From Frights to Flaws. She is passionate about modern life, fantasy, and world-building. Aside from her website, she also has a blog about different creative and entertaining topics, including fiction and writing, called “Sunayna Prasad’s Blog”.

Sunayna has graduated from college in May 2017. She lives in Long Island, NY.

https://www.sunaynaprasadbooks.com/
https://sunaynaprasadblogs.com/
https://twitter.com/SunaynaPrasad
https://www.amazon.com/Unruly-Alyssa-McCarthys-Magical-Missions-ebook/dp/B07SGLLF8W
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-curse-of-mayhem-sunayna-prasad/1136458117
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/a-curse-of-mayhem

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Wednesday, November 11, 2020

Apophis by Raj Anand



This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Raj Anand will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

January, 2022: A dark monstrous twin-headed apparition – Apophis – feverishly races past the expanse of the Milky Way galaxy and bolts to the edge of the solar system. Recklessly accelerating, the sinister rock-dyad enters the gravitational keyhole of the blue planet and continues its resolute inebriated journey – to soon arrive with an apocalyptic impact on Earth.

December, 2012: Five sentient beings born in different cities – New York, Hong Kong, New Delhi, Azores Islands and Istanbul, discover amongst haunting memories of their phantasmal past lives, that it is their destiny to save humanity from the evil forces unleashed by the alien fiends – the Skyllats.

And now, the reincarnated 9-year-olds must rely on their shared, ancient wisdom to prepare humanity for the war across the galaxy that is imminent.

A Note from the Author:


Writing Apophis over these past five years, has been a cathartic inner-journey that rippled across my life. It extracted all of my patience, diligence and life-learnings of my past 52 years lived on this orphic blue bubble, as it floats across a conscious Universe.

Now its journey complete, it was launched a few days ago on several platforms across the world. And I am left exhausted, numbed and humbled by this Initiation.

I acknowledge that it is a book that I have NOT written, for it was willed from me – by the Universe. And now, it is like a child set free – floating away – ready to choose its own path, life-journey and future.

Where it goes from here?

It is for the Universe to decide.

I did, what was willed of me to do…

All I can promise the reader is a book imbued with a magical wisdom. A restlessly paced story that transports you across time, teamed up with five children along their phantasmal, breathtaking journeys.

These 9-year-olds the reincarnations of ancient philosophers, including Confucius, Plato, Buddha, Ptah Hotep and a mysterious another.

Happy Reading!

Read an Excerpt

30.45506N, 130.48804E
Isso Town, Yakushima Island, Japan
January 19, 2022 (0700 hours)
“Peter, what is their present position?” the 1.7-meter-tall Claire with a sharp nose and radiant blue eyes inquired, “Quelque chose d’autre a signaler – do you have anything else to report?” She adjusted her glasses, pushing back her long brown hair.

“Herodotus has crossed into the belt, and is travelling at a speed of 346,000 kilometers per hour,” Peter replied, seated next to the astrophysicist, “I am amazed, Claire, how well the mission has progressed so far.”

Their Command and Control Centre located in a narrow peninsula, beyond Mount Yahazudake on Yakushima Island was housed several floors below an old island home that camouflaged its true purpose.

“You really doubted them? Incroyable!” smiled Claire, when she was interrupted by her secretary with an urgent message.

“It is my job to question and doubt,” grinned Peter and turned around. But Claire had already stepped into a high-speed elevator, climbing seven levels up.

A stoic Colonel Yoshimoto dressed in a dark gray suit and a black tie, stood inside a glass partitioned conference room, studying a large photograph of a Mongolian shaman staring ardently at the moon. The rustic house with rice paper screen walls or shoji, that separated the inner office from the outer living area, was capped with a gray shingled sloping roof supported by polished wooden trusses.

Colonel Yoshimoto bowed when Claire entered and addressed him, “How are you, Koki San? I don’t believe we had a meeting scheduled. In fact, I was about to leave for a connecting flight to New York from Kagoshima.”

“We are aware of your flight to New York, Claire San.” Colonel Yoshimoto spoke apprehensively. “So, I shall be brief. About two days ago we received an unexpected signal from the Sentinel Observatory. We have modelled it several times and have arrived at conclusions…that we frankly find deeply disturbing.”

About the Author:

Savinder Raj Anand is an architect and has been teaching Architecture & Design at various Universities in India for more than 12 years. A long-distance runner with a wanderlust to explore the world, and write stories that traverse across diverse cultures. He lives in Goa with his daughter, a dog, and two cats.

Inspired by his then 18-month-old daughter – when she quoted Socrates – while they together sat in a children’s bookstore in Bangalore (LIGHTROOM) in early January of 2015, he has completed this – his first book – as she turns 7 years old.

Website: https://www.rajanandbooks.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rajanandbooks/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rajanandbooks/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXPA0eY42VQ

The book is FREE November 5 to December 5.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Apophis-Folds-Darkness-First-Chronicles/dp/1648508979/ref=sr_1_1
Amazon IN: https://www.amazon.in/Apophis-Folds-Darkness-Raj-Anand/dp/1648508979/ref=sr_1_1
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Apophis-Folds-Darkness-First-Chronicles/dp/1648508979/ref=sr_1_1
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/apophis-into-the-folds-of-darkness
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Raj_Anand_Apophis_Into_the_Folds_of_Darkness
Notion Press: https://notionpress.com/read/apophis-into-the-folds-of-darkness-1339326
FlipKart: https://www.flipkart.com/apophis-into-folds-darkness-first-book-kleos-chronicles/p/itm7dbd182022818

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Monday, November 2, 2020

Pine Island Home by Polly Horvath



This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The author will be awarding a print copy of the book *US only* to a randomly drawn winner via the Rafflecopter at the end of the post. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Four sisters search for true family in this story of resilience by a Newbery Honor author.

When the McCready sisters' parents are washed away in a tsunami, their Great Aunt Martha volunteers to have them live with her on her farm in British Columbia. But while they are traveling there, Martha dies unexpectedly, forcing Fiona, the eldest, to come up with a scheme to keep social services from separating the girls - a scheme that will only work if no one knows they are living on their own.

Fiona approaches their grouchy and indifferent neighbor Al and asks if he will pretend to be their live-in legal guardian should papers need to be signed or if anyone comes snooping around. He reluctantly agrees, under the condition that they bring him dinner every night.

As weeks pass, Fiona takes on more and more adult responsibilities, while each of the younger girls finds their own special role in their atypical family - But even if things seem to be falling into place, Fiona is sure it's only a matter of time before they are caught.

Written in Polly Horvath's inimitable style, gentle humor and tough obstacles are woven throughout this story about the bonds of sisterhood and what makes a family.

Read an Excerpt:

THE McCready sisters, Fiona, fourteen, Marlin, twelve, Natasha, ten, and Charlie, eight, were raised in a missionary family. They had been happily and safely moving from pillar to post all over the world when their parents, taking their first vacation ever, having come into a small sum of money from an aging uncle who “felt it strongly” that they had never had a honeymoon, invited them to Thailand, where he ran a small hotel. The three of them and the hotel were swept away in a tsunami. The four girls were, at the time, living in Borneo, in a small cottage far back in the jungle without benefit of internet or phone service, being seen after by a visiting church volunteer who couldn’t continue to take care of them as she had other plans. So the church had a Mrs. Weatherspoon from Australia come to stay with them until someone in their family could step forward. That took a year.

Mrs. Weatherspoon sent out appeals to all the relatives she and the girls could find except for a great- aunt, Martha McCready, who lived off the coast of British Columbia. The girls’ mother, when opening Martha’s annual Christmas card, called her “that peculiar woman hiding in the woods.” Mrs. Weatherspoon said they would save her as a last resort. But surely someone more suitable would respond first. There were aunts and uncles in Tampa, Florida; Lansing, Michigan; Shreveport, Louisiana; and Kingsport, Tennessee. That was the lot. It took a while for the responses to Mrs. Weatherspoon’s appeal to trickle in. The mail pickup and delivery in the jungle was unreliable and slow. After receiving the appeal, the relatives then had to think about it. These were their sister’s or brother’s children, it was true. But there were four of them. Fitting four children into an already- established household was no small matter. Some of them wrote to ask Mrs. Weatherspoon to write them if no one else had come forward. When Mrs. Weatherspoon did, they had to think about it all over again. This took time. And none of them had met the McCready children. Mr. and Mrs. McCready had become estranged from their brothers and sisters many years before when they had made what the siblings considered a “very weird choice,” joining a church that none of them had heard of and of which, for some reason never explained to the girls, they all disapproved.

About the Author:
Polly Horvath has written many books for children including Everything on a Waffle, a Newbery Honor Book; The Canning Season, a National Book Award winner; and The Trolls, a National Book Award finalist. She lives in British Columbia with her family. Visit her at www.PollyHorvath.com.

Website: http://www.PollyHorvath.com
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Polly-Horvath/e/B001IU4S6S/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_ebooks_1

Buy Links:

Publisher: https://holidayhouse.com/book/pine-island-home/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Pine-Island-Home-Polly-Horvath-ebook/dp/B082S1VSJZ/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/pine-island-home-polly-horvath/1135275323

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Friday, October 30, 2020

Merlin Raj and the Drones of Sleepy Hollow by D.G. Priya



This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. D.G. Priya will award a $20 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly chosen winner via Rafflecopter. Please click the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Mom's Choice Gold Award Winner
"...the more conceptual discussion of algorithms is well done, and the story is satisfying and emotionally resonant." -- Kirkus Reviews

My name is Merlin Raj and I live in Sleepy Hollow. Legend has it that a Headless Horseman haunts the town. Usually, I only have to worry about helping my boy, Matthew, to walk at school. But during the spookiest time of year, we’ll tackle the scariest creature of all—big brother.

Boo!

Will learning conditional logic save this family’s Halloween from certain doom?

Appealing to readers of all ages, Merlin Raj and the Drones of Sleepy Hollow is an ILLUSTRATED chapter-book. From artists to astronauts, the jobs of the future will deal with computers. But do kids want to read a coding book? Not as much as dog stories.

With a Computer Science degree and a passion for preparing kids for the future, author D. G. Priya blends technology with animal stories to stimulate a desire to read.Each book in the series introduces a new programming skill. If you or your child like delightful dog tales that explores universally positive themes, including empathy, kindness, dedication, and the importance of being true to one's self, then you'll love D. G. Priya's tail-wagging adventure.

Read an Excerpt

After a rousing “Trick or Treat,” Matthew got some sticky taffy. He plunked it into the pumpkin-shaped plastic bag. He’d also put a second sack on my back, in case he ran out of room. We expected to knock on a lot of homes.

Peter marched up to the front door. He flew the pumpkin-head drone ahead of him. It had a small net hanging from it. Peter reached the lady giving out the candy. He drove the drone in front of the candy bowl in her hands and declared, “Trick or treat!”

“What?” Matthew muttered at my side. “He got two pieces.”

As he walked back toward us, Peter smirked. “Guess who’s going to win?”

“You cheater,” Matthew said.

I nodded in agreement.

“It’s not cheating if I’m just smarter,” Peter said.

About the Author:
D. G. Priya is the bestselling author Priya Ardis. She obtained her Bachelor's of Science in Computer Science from the University of Texas at Austin, #6 in the world (Academic Ranking of World Universities, 2014) and #8 (US News, 2020) in Computer Science. Her advocacy of early education in computing and the challenges of childhood disabilities come from her experience as a parent and volunteer. Her love of dog stories comes from the antics of her own golden retriever.

Shelley Hampe is an author-illustrator. She is known for her work with Harvard University, illustrating a ground-breaking social-emotional learning program for children. She has a master's in studio art and has taken part in world-recognized artist residencies in the United States. When she isn't busy solving problems, Shelley can be found teaching STEAM principles to elementary aged kids. Shelley's dog Beau, helped solve her problem of cold-feet while illustrating this book.

Author website: http://www.dgpriya.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dgpriya.author
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/priyaardis
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20125405.D_G_Priya
Follow on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/D.-G.-Priya/e/B085P2NMKD
Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/priyaardis

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/D.-G.-Priya/e/B085P2NMKD
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/%22D.%20G.%20Priya%22
Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/us/author/d-g-priya/id1501769549
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/merlin-raj-and-the-drones-of-sleepy-hollow
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/D_G_Priya_Merlin_Raj_and_the_Drones_of_Sleepy_Holl

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Thursday, October 29, 2020

Silent Scream by Marcia Colette



This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Marcia Colette will be awarding a $15 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Psychokinetic teen Phaedra Thorne is back! Her life consists of balancing her high school and college courses while trying to keep the peace between her older brother Kurt and little sister Nadia. On top of that, their schizophrenic and psychokinetic mom remains locked away in the attic. Believe it or not, things are better than they have ever been.

Those "better times" go up in flames when the only sanctuary the Thornes have ever known--their home--is burnt to the ground. With Kurt severely injured and their mother missing, Phae and Nadia have been left in the hands of the supernatural foster care system. Just as the Thorne sisters start to settle in with her temporary family, a blast from their horrific past comes to their foreboding rescue. Phae has good reason to be apprehensive about the new arrangements, considering many supernaturals want to buy the burnt out husk of a home and have taken a liking to her psychokinesis and Nadia's uncanny prowess. There's only one thing Phae can do. Find their mother.

Having been kidnapped, assaulted, and sold to the highest bidder, Phae will have to learn how to trust other members of her estranged family, if she has any hopes of saving the immediate one she loves.


Read an Excerpt

“Phaedra if the house is on fire, you can’t go back inside. Just wait, okay? Wait until the fire department gets there. Hell, wait for me to get there. If nothing else, I heal a lot faster than you.”

“I can’t. The fire looks like it started in the attic and at least a third of the roof is smoldering. One way or another I’ll be blasting my way out of there with my mom and my brother in tow.” I handed the phone to Nadia who was shivering, eyes filled with tears. “Mason’s coming for you. You don’t leave this yard without him, do you understand? If the cops come, don’t scream. Just stay here unless they find you first. I’ll be back. That’s a promise.”

“Phae,” she pleaded. “Don’t go. Stay with me. I’m scared.”

Oh my god. My gut wavered. Why did she have to go there? I pulled her into another tight hug and kissed her head hard enough to leave a mark. Tears filled my eyes until they washed down my cheeks. I hated leaving her. Hated it more than anything else in the world. But there would be at least one guaranteed dead body up there if I didn't get to Kurt before our mother did. She was a rabid animal when she was in crazed-rage mode. Add fire to it and there was no telling how far her psychotic personality would go to rip him apart. My powers were as strong as hers, so I knew I could take her. The only problem was my powers were just as sporadic as her psychosis. Anything was possible, but my family’s chances were non-existent if I did nothing.

About the Author: I'm Marcia Colette and I love to write urban fantasy, YA, horror, and paranormal romance. Since I was never a voracious reader until later in life, I try to write stories that I like to read, and for readers who don't have a lot of time in their busy lives.

My first published novel started with Half Breed (formerly known as Stripped) and my fantasy life took off from there. My next novel was a paranormal romance entitled Unstable Environment and I also released Bittersweet (YA), Hazardous Environment (Paranormal Romance), The Spider Inside Her (Urban Fantasy), and Deadlier by the Dozen (Urban Fantasy). I have sold several short stories and novellas to Mocha Memoirs Press and I continued my Alexa York series with Purple Sword Publications.

When I'm not reading or writing, I live my best life in the real world as an IT Manager and enjoy getting into trouble with my manga-loving daughter. I can't draw, so she's out of luck with that one. However, I always write a little piece of her into each of my characters.

And before I forget, I also write science fiction under another pen name.

Website: http://www.marciacolette.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marciacolette/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/marciacolette
Blog: https://marciacolette.wordpress.com

Amazon Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08K7NPYMN

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