Monday, July 21, 2025

Release Blitz ~ The Plight of the Pudgy by Tammy Waldoch

 



Health & Fitness Diet & Nutrition / Weight Loss Humorous Memoir

Date Published: 07-29-2025

Publisher: BookBaby



Studies have shown that laughter and music are proven ways to facilitate healing. Author Tammy Waldoch uses this potent secret sauce in her book Plight of the Pudgy: Stories, Inspirations, and Preposterous Parodies for the Slim at Heart. From weight loss drugs, chronic diets, and toxic body shame, the book is an open invitation to connect authentically with someone who deeply understands the plight. Her own pilgrimage to finding self-love and a place to "fit in" includes a near-death car accident, a bipolar diagnosis that turned her life upside down, and a lifelong struggle with poor body image.

Waldoch authentically pours her heart and soul into sharing raw stories and songs filled with deep faith, side-splitting humor, and a resounding message that we are all perfectly made in God's eyes.

Tammy writes this book not only as a testimony of her faith but also to share her private path of redemption and healing.

Among the pages, readers will also enjoy fiction stories designed to encourage laughter and reflection, along with some preposterous (and creative!) parodies that provide a backdrop of humor to lighten the burdens of The Slim at Heart.



Early Review

Heart Felt And Honest - This book will make you laugh and cry. The lament of women who struggle with body image applies to a good majority of women.



About the Author


Tammy Waldoch is an imaginative author/singer/songwriter/painter with a degree in Liberal Arts from the University of Wisconsin, Lacrosse, emphasizing Aesthetic Education—teaching using the creative arts. She did just that in The Plight of the Pudgy, combining musical parodies with literature to teach others how to overcome obstacles and rise above adversity. She is actively involved with the Writer’s Well at the White Bear Center for the Arts and gathers with other inspiring writers of all ages to explore their creativity. She also consults with the Springboard Center for the Arts in St. Paul, MN for further resources.

She and her husband of 38 years share a dynamic love for better for worse, in sickness and in health, that has endured all things.

She is also a proud parent of two sons and has two beautiful daughters-in-law who share life’s joys and challenges. Her faith is at the heart of everything she does, and this book is a testimony of her Lord and Savior’s incredible loving kindness toward her. Gilda Radner once said, “Life is full of delicious ambiguities.”

Tammy invites everyone to share those ambiguities with her!


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Saturday, July 19, 2025

Book Blitz ~ Running HOtt - Hott Springs Eternal by Serena Bell

 

Running Hott
Serena Bell
(Hott Springs Eternal, #4)
Publication date: July 14th 2025
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance

A jilted bride. A jaded divorce lawyer. A full tank of gas. What could go wrong?

Rhys: As a cutthroat New York City divorce lawyer, it’s my job to end marriages. Lifetime commitment? It’s for the birds. I do everything in my power to avoid it…until my grandfather’s will says that to save our family’s land, I have to become a wedding planner.

Worse, my first client is Eden Becker. She’s the sunshine-y disaster whose ex-husband I represented a few years ago in their divorce. Eden’s first marriage was a nightmare, so why does she think another one is a good idea?

Turns out, I’m not wrong. Her jerkwad fiancĂ© jilts her, and as her wedding planner, I’m also her getaway vehicle. Now we’re on the road together—and all my complicated feelings about this beautiful, naive optimist are in the car, too. Along with a wild attraction I’ve been fighting since we first faced off across a conference table.

If this road trip goes on too much longer, I’m going to do something I’ll regret forever.

Like fall in love.

A spicy, grumpy-sunshine, jilted bride, enemies to lovers, standalone road trip romantic comedy set in the beloved small town of Rush Creek.

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EXCERPT:

I reach for the sound system.

His hand snakes in and blocks mine. “Driver controls the radio.”

“No, dude. Everyone knows the passenger controls the radio. Besides, if you won’t let me drive at all, that’s not fair. I had to listen to ninety-seven minutes of your dirge list and way too much sports ball. We need a mood change.”

I cue up my playlist and set it on shuffle. “What I’ve Been Looking For” from High School Musical comes on. Rhys groans.

“What?” I demand.

“This is from a kid’s movie.”

“Which you must have seen, if you know that.”

“It was one of Hanna’s favorites. We watched it a thousand times. Which was a thousand times too many.”

“What I’ve Been Looking For” is followed by “Surface Pressure” and “All You Wanna Do,” and Rhys says, “Please tell me this isn’t all from musicals and Disney movies.”

“This isn’t all from musicals and Disney movies,” I say as Taylor Swift’s “You Belong with Me” fills the car.

Rhys’s jaw ticks. His eyes roll. His shoulders twitch.

“What’s wrong with this one?” I demand.

He heaves a long-suffering sigh. “He obviously doesn’t belong with her. Let’s look at the facts: She’s clearly not his type. He wants someone who wears short skirts and high heels, and she’s not comfortable in those clothes. If she keeps trying to convince him he belongs with her, they’re both going to end up miserable.”

I stare at his way-too-good-looking profile in the dimly lit car, agog. “Are you serious?”

“Would you argue with anything I’ve said?”

“It’s a friends-to-lovers song!” I cry. “They’re obviously going to end up together and be super happy. Because she sees him! And understands him. He’s happy when he’s with her, and that isn’t true with the short-skirts-and-high-heels girl.”

“I thought you were swearing off love and marriage.”

“Just because I’m personally swearing off love and marriage doesn’t mean I wish ill on other people who have found their perfect matches.”

This,” he says. “This is why so many marriages end in divorce. Because we hear what we want to hear. And two people can hear the same song and find completely different meaning in it. Imagine if you were with a guy and this was your song, and every time you heard it you thought about how cool it was that he’d finally seen you for the awesome bleachers girl you are, and he thought about his ex-girlfriend and her short skirts and high heels and how he wished you’d get some personal style.”

“Grim!”

“Realistic,” he corrects.

One of his hands leaves the wheel. Settles briefly near his knee. Creeps into my Cool Ranch Doritos bag.

“What are you doing?” I shriek.

“Stress eating,” he says. “Your playlist has driven me to it.”

I do everything in my power not to crack a smile. “You don’t eat junk food,” I point out.

“That was before I realized that despite being divorced by a sociopath and jilted by a personality potato, you still believe in true love.”

I can’t help it; I snort at personality potato. “I’m the one who has the stress. I’m the one who got jilted. And if I’d known I was going to have to share my precious Cool Ranch, I would have gotten a bigger bag.”

I sneak a peek at him. He’s definitely trying not to laugh. And unfortunately, it looks good on him. I let him have the Doritos.

“God, these are disgustingly tasty,” he says.

“Right?”

We’re both quiet for a moment, worshipping at the altar of fake food. He quietly licks Cool Ranch flavor off his fingers, and I absolutely, one hundred percent, do not wonder how his tongue feels licking up the inside of his finger and across the tip of his thumb. How it would feel rasping over my own fingertips, drawn into the heat of his mouth.

Oh, hell.

I’ve tumbled into a sexual fantasy about a man who disassembled me like a kid’s discarded playset.

We make our way through Maroon 5’s “Memories” (“Memories of how I cribbed this entire song from Pachelbel’s Canon,” Rhys says grumpily), past Lake Street Dive’s “Hypotheticals” (“Now this is actually a great song; you’re one for, what, a hundred?”) to “Try Everything.”

“That’s shitty advice,” he says. “‘Try everything.’ I mean, no. There are a lot of things that are straight-up bad ideas. Bull-riding. Free solo climbing. Base jumping. Heli-skiing. Recreational fentanyl.”

“She doesn’t mean literally everything,” I say.

“See?” he says. “And there we have it. Two people, same song, totally different interpretations.”

I roll my eyes. “I don’t see how that’s somehow a refutation of marriage. You’re so—”

“Pessimistic? Cynical? Misanthropic?”

“All of the above. You ready to tell me what childhood wound made you this way?” I ask, half-teasing…half…not.

He shrugs.

“Yes, Eden,” I say, pitching my voice low to roughly imitate his. “Since we have another five and a half uninterrupted hours of being stuck in this car together with absolutely nothing else to do, I would love to tell you all about my childhood.”

Rhys is quiet for a moment. Then with a sigh, he says, “What do you want to know?”

Author Bio:

USA Today bestselling author Serena Bell writes contemporary romance with heat, heart, and humor. A former journalist, Serena has always believed that everyone has an amazing story to tell if you listen carefully, and you can often find her scribbling in her tiny garret office, mainlining chocolate and bringing to life the tales in her head.

Serena’s books have earned many honors, including an RT Reviewers’ Choice Award, Apple Books Best Book of the Month, and Amazon Best Book of the Year for Romance.

When not writing, Serena loves to spend time with her college-sweetheart husband and two hilarious kiddos—all of whom are incredibly tolerant not just of Serena’s imaginary friends but also of how often she changes her hobbies and how passionately she embraces the new ones. These days, it’s stand-up paddle boarding, board-gaming, meditation, and long walks with good friends.

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Book Blitz ~ How to Date A Prince by Hayden Stone

 

How to Date a Prince
Hayden Stone
Publication date: July 15th 2025
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance

What happens when the British Crown Prince falls in love with an American man who opposes the monarchy?

Prince Auggie swears he’s no kind of dashing prince: daydreamer, private—and also secretly very gay. He’s instantly horrified when his father, reality TV addict King James, signs Auggie up for a reality TV show to promote the monarchy, where the man with the most talents wins—and to help find Auggie a bride, the very last thing Auggie wants. But duty calls.

When Auggie finds out his co-star is irritatingly gorgeous Thomas Golden, the charismatic dual American-English heir to the Golden hotel fortune, it’s another step too far. There’s at least one problem: Prince Auggie’s already recently crossed paths with Thomas Golden one disastrous night in a London club. Plus, there’s that whole second not-so-small, not-so-secret problem—the Golden family wants to get rid of the monarchy.

Once Auggie and Thomas arrive on set in the English countryside, it’s already unapologetically hate at first sight. It’s going to be a very long summer of filming…until sparks fly behind the scenes, leading them to make a searing heatwave all their own. But soon, real reality strikes, and Auggie must choose between the life he’s destined for as the future king—or dare risk everything for love.

An enemies-to-lovers, opposites-attract, feel-good gay royal rom-com.

For fans of Red, White & Royal Blue, Boyfriend Material, and The Unlikely Heir.

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EXCERPT:

In my next life, I’ll be reborn as Harry Styles. Or maybe as the reincarnation of Taylor Swift. I’ll still be famous if I must, but I’ll be famous due to my talent instead of my chance birth as a royal. I’m quite sure I’m a negative ten on the talent-o-meter.

Everything else is just genetics. And training.

It’s Friday night in London, and Mayfair glitters. When I step out of the black SUV, straightening to my full height, I pause in the drizzle for the cameras on the red carpet at the charity ball. Snapping shutters echo, and a familiar blinding flash dazzles my eyes.

I give my best public smile and stop in a flattering pose, then strike another pose for my best angles like the Danish prince once taught me during a secret fling. Work it, babe, Prince Theodor coached me then as we drank spicy margaritas, which incidentally led to more spice.

More confidence, more sultry. Hand on my hip and a three-quarter turn to the cameras.

The crowd cheers their approval as I’m blinded by the lights. I wave, smile broadly, and carry on, mindful of not tripping over my own feet.

“Prince Auggie! Over here!”

“Prince Auggie—where’s Katie? I’ll be your date!”

“Prince Auggie, come back!”

Tonight, I’m shamelessly selling the image of charming Prince Auggie, future British monarch. I’d like to meet him too, to be honest, because he’s great in the press. Cool guy. From the outside, he has it together. The media and public are fascinated, so somehow, I must be doing something right. Or quite possibly, I’m doing something wrong enough that the media sticks to me waiting for my next mistake.

I’m all kitted up in an edgy mohair tux that an up-and-coming London designer sent over to me. I’m at least looking the part of the dashing prince, even if I can’t get over the idea that the dashing prince is supposed to be me.

To be fair, I do look good enough, taking after my mum—see genetics above—though I wish I loved crowds like she had. The looks balance out the panic, my friend Gav told me. He said it’s heaps of fun not knowing what I might blurt out next. For him, maybe. Meanwhile, I try to keep my mouth shut as a preventative measure in case something messy accidentally spills out.

“Prince Auggie, is it true you’re still single?”

“Prince Auggie, would you take a photo with me? It’s my birthday!”

I pause and go to the young woman at the barrier for a photo taken by her friend. The paparazzi goes wild. We both grin, and for a moment, I pretend I’m carefree. “Happy birthday,” I say, on my best behavior as she gives a small curtsy. “How do you do.”

She blushes, too tongue-tied to speak.

My father, the King, told me not to be too extra tonight, as if he can sniff out rising rebellion like the dawn breaks each day. I’m kind of horrified that he knows what being extra means. And that he’s applied being extra to me, specifically. Nothing good can come of that. Especially when I’ve been on my best behavior the last few months.

Which is why I asked the stylist at the earlier magazine shoot I’m coming from to give me a smoky-eye look for evening, after we bonded over our favorite makeup. She tousled my medium-length, light reddish-brown—blond if you’re generous during the summer—hair with product. Plus, a touch of contouring never hurt anyone. Use those cheekbones for the good of the kingdom, she told me, because it’s your royal duty to the people.

Author Bio:

More animal than mineral, Hayden Stone is a writer of fun queer fiction, especially with kissing. He currently lives in Victoria, Canada, and has previously lived in Vancouver, Canada and London, UK. He likes strong coffee and is owned by two cats. You can find out his latest news on Twitter or Instagram, or at his website: haydenstonebooks.com

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Book Blitz ~ Rachel's Deadly Inheritance - Rachel Remington Saga by Jean-Pierre Blackwood

 



Mystery/Romance

Date Published: April 18, 2025



Rachel’s Past

In a city plagued by hidden crime, Rachel Remington is a solitary investigator haunted by her family’s tragic past—her mother’s murder and her father’s assassination. At 26, her obsession with finding their killers drives her into a dangerous confrontation with a shadowy underworld of illicit drug trafficking.

Will Rachel Get Her Revenge?

As hope emerges through the enigmatic Detective Trent, Rachel's life spirals into chaos. As they join forces, she discovers hidden agendas and dark secrets threatening to consume her.

Games, Betrayals, and Love

Caught in a perilous game of trust and betrayal, Rachel must uncover her family’s past while evading those determined to silence her. In a thrilling tale of revenge and unexpected alliances, will Rachel uncover the truth, seize her chance for redemption, find love, or will the shadows of her past cost her everything?

 

About the Author


It’s never too late to make my dreams come true. I was lucky to be born on the southern shores of the Mediterranean Sea, specifically in Alexandria. My summers were spent on the beach, enjoying the sunshine, the original surfboards/paddle boards, and the game of sand pickleball before it even made it to the US.

Not having TVs, I read many books, especially wartime ones, Ian Flemings’s early James Bond novels, John Le Carre, Agatha Christie, Maurice LeBlanc (Arsene Lupin), and other detective/mystery-type books. For school, we had to read all the French Classics. I was always intrigued by how the characters always managed to resolve their problems.

At the Age of 19, I came to California as a foreign student. After graduating with an engineering degree, I was able to obtain my permanent residency. I never looked back. My mother was able to join me, but unfortunately, my father passed away.

Once I graduated with a Mechanical Engineering degree, I joined an International Engineering and Construction Company and spent all my working time with them. What was great is that the company moved me to many work projects around the world, where I spent an average of a couple of years on each. My wife joined me on some of these assignments.

But my love for writing was always with me. During my stay abroad, I wrote a philosophical book and many articles for local newspapers and the Laguna Beach weekly issues, comparing life in Laguna Beach with life in Indonesia. I wrote articles for the company’s monthly newsletter, as well as for other publications.

I recently decided to use a “nom de plume”/pseudonym for my writings. My real name is Jean-Pierre Zacaropoulos. Having a last name starting with a “Z” had me called upon in classes either as one of the last ones or one of the first one. It was always a guessing game. But usually having an A or B will push you to the top (Ha! Ha!). So I decided to choose a “B”

Now, I have a little bit more time, so I decided to make my long-time desire come true. I wrote my mystery/romance novel, which will be followed shortly after by a sequel.

 

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Book Blitz ~ The Forged Empire - The Kingdom Within by Samantha Gillespie

 

The Forged Empire
Samantha Gillespie
(The Kingdom Within, #3)
Publication date: July 15th 2025
Genres: Historical Romance, Young Adult

She married a prince. She loved a soldier.
Now she must decide what she’s willing to sacrifice to save them all.

As the specter of war looms, Meredith Ethan, and Connor are thrust into a final, desperate struggle for freedom. With Stonefall reclaimed and the plague’s grip finally broken, they must now race to forge new alliances before Theros-the ruthless King of Talos-brings his twisted vision of an empire to life.

But Theros’s ambitions run deeper than conquest-and Meredith is at the heart of his plans.

As betrayals mount and loyalties are tested, she finds herself caught between the prince she married and the soldier she never forgot.

And beneath the weight of destiny, Meredith must decide who she truly is:
a queen who must learn to believe in her own strength… or a pawn in a game she can no longer control.

In a war where survival means sacrifice, the price of freedom may be everything.

The final battle is here. And only one legacy will endure.

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EXCERPT:

A tremor starts in my hands again, subtle but insistent. I clench my fists, willing it to stop.

“My lady?” Anabella appears near the foot of the staircase, her wide eyes fixed on me, worry plain in her gaze.

My pulse pounds harder in my ears, and the air feels thick, suffocating. A bead of sweat traces a line down my temple, and I lift a trembling hand to brush it away. The motion betrays me. My uncle’s eyes narrow, alarm darkening his expression.

“You’re quite pale,” he remarks, his voice softer now but no less authoritative. “Sit down before you fall.”

“I’m fine,” I say, gritting my teeth. “It’s just a dizzy spell—”

The room wavers, and a sharp pain lances through my temple. I dig my nails into the carved wood of a nearby table, struggling to stay upright. Voices fade into a muffled roar behind the pounding in my ears. My legs threaten to buckle, yet I take a step forward . . . feeling as if the crown itself is dragging me down.

“Meredith!” Anabella cries out, her fear breaking through decorum. She rushes forward, but someone stops her—a hand grabbing her arm, likely my uncle’s.

“No one is to approach her!” The command explodes from my uncle’s throat like a war cry, freezing everyone mid-step. “She was inoculated this morning—she could be infected!”

Infected.

Understanding dawns like poison spreading through my veins. They think the inoculation failed. They think I’m a walking plague, a vector of death.

Am I?

My knees buckle as the implications cascade through my mind. The room warps and tilts, faces stretching into grotesque masks of fear and revulsion.

“Please, let me help her!” Anabella’s voice cracks with desperation, cutting through the growing pandemonium. “She’s fainting—she needs—”

My uncle stops her. “Stay where you are, woman, or I’ll have you restrained!”

I struggle to form reassurances, denials, anything. But my tongue lies thick and useless in my mouth. The marble floor begins its inexorable rise to meet me, my legs folding like paper beneath my weight. Colors bleed together, the world smearing into an impressionist nightmare.

“Get the physician! Now!” My uncle’s bellow seems to come from very far away, echoing down a tunnel of gathering darkness.

I’m falling—but suddenly strong arms encircle me, crushing me against a chest that thunders with someone else’s racing heartbeat. The scent of leather and pine fills my fading senses, achingly familiar.

“Get away from her!” the duke roars. “You fool—you’re putting yourself at risk! Guards, pull him back!”

“Try it.” Connor’s voice is a low growl. “See what happens.”

The threat hangs in the air, electric with promise. Even through my fading consciousness, I feel the tension ratchet higher, guards hesitating at the challenge in his tone.

Through the narrow slits of my barely-open eyes, I see Connor’s face swimming above me, those midnight-blue eyes fierce with determination. His jaw is set in stone, daring anyone to test him. His lips move urgently, forming words that reach me only as distant whispers, lost in the roaring tide of unconsciousness.

The last thing I register is his arms tightening around me, unyielding as iron, before the darkness swallows me whole.


Author Bio:

Samantha Gillespie writes the kind of romantasy novels she loves to read: stories packed with forbidden love, slow-burn tension, and just enough angst to keep you up way past your bedtime.

She lives in Houston with her husband and their ever-expanding menagerie—cats who've crowned themselves royalty, a dog with strong opinions about the weather, and chickens whose sole mission is acquiring treats and destroying the yard. When she's not breaking hearts through fiction, she thrives on copious amounts of coffee, sharp wit, and the delicious tears of her devoted readers.

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Thursday, July 17, 2025

Book Tour ~ Dangerous Times - Book One by William Kinsolving

 




Fiction

Date Published: May 1, 2025

Publisher: Manhattan Book Group


 

This book's background is the prophetic but overlooked decade of American history, 1846 to 1856, from the Mexican War to the presidential election of James Buchanan. The decade was a foreshadowing of our national cataclysm. Underlying every social aspect was the nation's fatal flaw, slavery, that perverted the Constitution on which the Enlightenment ideals of a "United States" were based. And on every day, similarities to the distortions of the present decade are obvious.

I chose a Southern ethos, finding an unexpected woman to suffer and survive the decade; and three brothers, each of whom carves a unique path through it, one as a fugitive unjustly accused of murder and slave-stealing, one as an enigmatic operative across the jagged spectrum of antebellum party politics, and the eldest who inherits his family's storied tobacco plantation as its lands burn out.

The story is told chronologically, the fiction adhering to the history. Should a question arise as to which is which, any event of historical significance - no matter how bizarre or implausible -- did indeed happen.

The novel echoes ethnic truths as they were at the time. I write of intimacies as well as horrors found in historical records. Both public and private relations were often infused with their own destruction -- as were the expanding "United States" in that decade, and I fear in this one.

 

DANGEROUS TIMES is a novel of historical fiction! It tells of the years 1846 to 1851 in the 30 states that made up our nation. It’s an overlooked time, called “antebellum” or “before the war,” our Civil War which justifiably gets most of the attention from scholars, historians, literary writers, critics, -- and inevitably: film studios.

It was a hell … of a war.

  But my interest was: how and why it happened, because when I started work on this book, the United States was beginning a long progress of crises. They were leading to where we are now: the threatened loss of our political, legal, and societal institutions, and our standing in the world, among other disasters. In wondering how far these crises are going to go, I became increasingly curious about what had happened in mid-Nineteenth Century America that had driven the nation to the self-destructive extreme of civil war.    

As a result, my research started with diving into the fractious years during which the “United” States began its slide toward that violent division. I start the book with a popular-turned-bitter foreign war, followed by the inexorable fraying of politics, economy, and culture.

Sound familiar? In 1846, it was a war with Mexico; now it’s Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan – take your pick. Time and time again, behaviors, convictions, decisions, and passions of those antebellum years are the alarm-bell-tollings that are reverberating today. Therefore, to me – and I hope to you as you’re sitting there – these antebellum times are suddenly of vital interest!

You may well ask: If those years are so important, why be distracted by some fiction of it, by stories that push the real history into the background? As a reader, why not just get the facts?

I’m so glad you asked! Full disclosure: I’m not an historian or a scholar. And any number of agents and publishers will tell you: I ain’t literary. I’m a storyteller. As to which is best for the telling, fact or fiction? It’s an endless debate, one that I always win with myself because “fact” seems to me to be a restricted perspective. To me, when chronicling events, the footnote-bound, meticulous scholar has to overlook a lot of the heart-beating, breathing, emotive, sensate life of any whole historical moment. And what in the world does the historian do about: imagination?

 The great historical fiction writer Andrea Barrett suggests that “…research creates the bones of the story, and imagination provides the breath and the blood.” As a storyteller, I’ll go with that any day!   

Toni Morrison – who wrote some pretty astonishing historical fiction – has a fine riff on this: “The crucial distinction is not the difference between fact and fiction, but the distinction between fact and truth. Because facts can exist without human intelligence, but truth cannot.”

I’m one who believes that telling a fictional story allows a fuller truth to be revealed than by pure history. Don’t get me wrong: to write each one of the six books I’ve published, I read history voraciously. But that’s only the beginning.

 And with me, the process releases “The Big Surprise”! When I read enough history, characters start coming off the pages and are simply there. I cannot suppress them – not that I’d want to! When I begin to tell the story, I don’t always know what they’ll do, where they’ll go. Certainly, as we go along, history leads us; but by allowing imagination to have its way with us, I have to hope that history will tolerate, within its dogged boundaries of time, endless possibility.

Let me introduce you to some of the characters in DANGEROUS TIMES who wandered, charged or leapt off those pages of history. There’s a young woman, Elizabeth Musten, who’s already shattered basic foundational rules and is facing a lifetime of punishment; and the three Fairfield brothers, each of whom will splinter many more conventions as their worlds sink under their feet. There’s a freedman, Daniel, whose father owned his mother; and a slave, Jubile, who barely escapes having his big toes cut-off so he can’t run away again. Be assured that they and others struggle through war, peace, sex, violence, romance, money, revenge, evil and good – among other thrilling enjoyments! 

     I’ll read you a scene that’s about something more -- well, dangerous: Politics! It’s the spring of 1850. One of those brothers, Will Fairfield, is trained in the law but disdainful of its practice. Instead, he’s driven to become a vital wunderkind to the Whigs, the political party ascendent in Washington at the time. He’s done pretty well so far…. 

         

About the Author

After a questionable academic career at Stanford (I mean, how practical is a double major in Drama and Far Eastern Theology?), Kinsolving fled to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival to play Richard II. He then attended The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art for polish. Returning to New York, he appeared as an actor under-, off- and on Broadway, as well as a saloon singer in foul Greenwich Village nightclubs. For creative diversion during these years, he acted and/or directed back in Oregon, at the Stratford (CT) Shakespeare Theater, Harvard, Dartmouth, Café La Mama, then went out and won the Best Actor of the Year award from the San Francisco Chronicle for performing at the Berkeley Rep.

Ineluctably transitioning to a second career, Kinsolving wrote a play with 84 speaking roles, was awarded a Ford Foundation Playwriting Grant, and had the play produced by the Stratford Ontario Shakespeare Festival. This led to the first of some 54 films on which he worked for every major studio (and several distinctly minor ones) in Los Angeles, London and Rome (ask him about Zeffirelli sometime) as screenwriter and script doctor. Suspecting that such a life was leading to the utter corruption of his soul (not to dare mention his body), he retreated to Carmel to write the first of five novels (a NY Times best-seller, a couple of Literary Guild Main Selections, he adds humbly, but only if asked).

While serving on the Board of Trustees of the California Institute of the Arts, he regressed happily to nightclub and fundraising performances, accompanied by the likes of Peter Duchin and Emmanuel Ax, singing at the Algonquin Hotel’s late lamented Oak Room and for one of the late Brooke Astor’s better birthday parties among many other less name-dropping venues.

Last year, he directed a musical for which he wrote the book and lyrics in the nave of San Francisco’s Grace Cathedral about Johann Sebastian Bach and his family. Bach provided all the music, and proved to be very easy to work with. THAT WEEK WITH THE BACHS had the best voices in the Bay Area, including the ineffable Frederica von Stade.

He began work on the historical novel DANGEROUS TIMES between the diversions above. He knew the history, but even so, was startled by how constant the similarities are in that destructive time to what’s going on in this one.

 

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Cover Reveal ~ Never Lost by Aaron C. Anderson

 

 


General Fiction

Date Published: October 23rd, 2025

Publisher: Acorn Publishing


Zane Carter and his sons, eleven-year-old Ty and thirteen-year-old Joseph, venture one hundred miles into the Idaho wilderness with only a knife and the knowledge of their Nez Perce ancestors. Danger awaits at every deadfall and lurks in every snowy shadow as the boys hunt, fish, make weapons, and build shelter, learning to survive, taking only what they need from the land, and leaving no trace.

During their eighteen-day journey, Zane’s determination to fulfill a promise to his grandfather, an Indigenous warrior who exemplified the tenets of a wise and spiritual existence, is thwarted by a fatal encounter that transports Zane into an ancient realm as he straddles the thin line between life and death.

He wonders what has become of his boys. Have they learned enough patience, resourcefulness, and courage to complete this rite of passage? Will they make it out of the wildlands alive? Or will the unforgiving forces of the natural world take them too far from home to ever return?

 

About the Author


After high school, Aaron Anderson set out to see the world, embarking on adventures through North America, Europe, and North Africa. He enjoyed traveling as a bicyclist, motorcyclist, train passenger, and even as a hitchhiker, reveling in the excitement of the unknown.

At the age of twenty-two, Aaron returned to the US and worked on oil rigs in Wyoming. He later became a carpenter and eventually a real estate appraiser. However, his true passions have always been writing, developing powerful friendships, and exploring new country.

During the 1980s he and his two sons hunted, hiked, and camped throughout the western states. Here, his love for the natural world and respect for Indigenous people prompted him to write his second novel, Never Lost.

 

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Part One


Sci-fi Manga

Date Published: January 25, 2025

 


Recycled Brain delves into a world where humanity has unlocked the ability to create custom life forms, including Pegasus or Dragon. The story follows Hayate Yamano, a guide in a unique "theme park" where visitors can interact with fantastical creatures.

However, the idyllic setting is shattered when a group of cultists launches a surprise attack, sparking a conflict that threatens civilization itself. As tensions rise and hidden truths come to light, Hayate finds himself at the forefront of a moral and existential crisis.

As civilization teeters on the brink of chaos, Hayate and his friend, Vine, must grapple with profound ethical questions and make decisions that will shape the course of humanity's future. "Recycled Brain" expertly blends cutting-edge scientific concepts with thrilling narrative twists, offering readers a thought-provoking exploration of the boundaries between science, ethics, and human nature.

Recycled Brain is a must-read for fans of science fiction and speculative thrillers, offering an unforgettable journey into a world where the line between reality and imagination is blurred. Be prepared to be immersed in a riveting tale of adventure, discovery, and the power of choice.

 

About the Author


Ph.D. Takahiro Yonemura is a creator and author from Tokyo, Japan. He founded Inazuma Corporation while in graduate school and earned a Doctor of Engineering degree from Kindai University Doctoral Program (Completed).

- Takahiro has authored over 68 published works, including technical books, science fiction, and articles. He has received recognition for his work, including the Wakayama City Mayor's Award for game design and selection as a recommended work for the 10th Cultural Media Arts Festival.

- In addition to his creative endeavors, Takahiro has focused on scholarly work and has a paper on AI that has been published and presented in 2022.

- He is also the author of "The Metallic Dragon and I" and the graphic novel "Beast Code," which was released in the United States on November 2022. A second album (under the name A-Rumenoy Musicians) was released in 2023. In 2024, it began publishing online articles about AI technology.

- In 2025, the graphic novel “Recycled Brain Part One” will be released; Part Two is scheduled for 2026. A contribution on AI was published in the Journal of the Society of Arts and Sciences. March 2025 : An article about the author and my book appeared in the newspaper "News Wakayama."

- His hobbies include mineral collecting and tropical fruit gardening.

 

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Wednesday, July 16, 2025

Preorder Blitz ~ Black Leather Night and Other Tales by Will Okati

 

 


Vampire Romance, Gay

Date Published: July 18, 2025




Dante’s World. A dystopian off planet colony where life is hard and the supernatural exists side by side with everyday drama -- or not so everyday. Joy and pleasure must be paid for at a high price, and to feed from a human means death -- or worse.

But sometimes the line is crossed, and vampires fall in love with mortal men -- or men lose their hearts to the nightwalkers. Anything can happen, and often does…

 

Publisher’s Note: Black Leather Night and Other Tales includes the previously published novellas Black Leather Night, Into the Shadows, The Hunter, Tale of the Night, Memory, Don’t Look Now, Sixty-Nine Reasons, and Missing Pieces.

 


EXCERPT

 

Gods damn it.

It was, so far as the vampire Robhain could tell, very early in the evening, barely past dusk, yet his human employees, Del and Byrne, had already arrived for business. Del, yawning widely enough to show off all his white teeth, clutched a cup of the expensive cafe imported from Terra, likely bought from a street vendor. Still laughing a little at some joke the boy must have made, Byrne shrugged off his street jacket to hang it on the post by his desk.

Watching the pair, Robhain knew he should only be proud of them. They were, after all, expecting an important shipment of magical artifacts at any time that night, and they needed to be ready with both warding spells and records of what they'd netted. But watching them from his office, behind a tinted window -- protection against occasional bursts of light as day approached -- Robhain's teeth began to grind.

Let the gods have mercy. Byrne! He wore his favorite pair of ass-hugging leather pants for the second night in a row. Hurrying to arrive early enough, he must have taken his motorcycle to the stores and left it parked up top, above the basement showroom.

Watching him, Robhain's expression soured. Byrne. Fresh off the street and every inch a contradiction with his prim, rimless glasses and helmet-mussed hair, starched linen shirt and painted-on pants… didn't he realize how tight they were? Molding as they did to his legs and the too-damn-perfect curve of his shapely ass? Leaving nothing to the imagination?

Especially when, as a vampire, Robhain could smell what he'd been doing, wearing them.

Who was she? he seethed. Some bit of blonde fluff from one of the flesh-parlors, all dazzling smile and tight ass or generous tits? Even across the room, he could smell that Byrne reeked of come.

Robhain's mouth worked, and he swallowed. By rights, that come should belong to him. Should flow into his mouth alone. But what was he but a coward? Unable to approach his very human mage-employee, or to make but the meekest suggestions that were blithely misunderstood as innocent… Fool. As if a vampire could ever be innocent.

His molars were beginning to creak ominously and his small, pointed fangs cut into his lips. Reluctantly he loosened his jaw. Facts were facts. Humans did not mingle willingly with the vampire-kind. It stood as miracle enough that Byrne worked with him in the business. Likely it caused him no little loss of caste in human society.

Not for the first time, he wondered why Byrne chose to work for him. The man's talent could have secured him a place in the Suzerain's palace. Instead he chose to work as mage and record-keeper in a secondhand artifact store, where lesser magicians and warriors came to buy enchanted goods.

Robhain would never, on that level, cease to be grateful for Byrne's assistance. Able to detect the slightest nuance of malicious spell-craft on a weapon or artifact, he was damned good at what he did. Robhain could not do without him -- most such charms were made to harm those of his bloodthirsty ilk, and did not care whether he drank blood fetched from the slaughterhouses or from the hot human vein. With his magics, Byrne had saved his hide a hundred times over.

Watching him, Robhain laid a hand on the glass, as if he could touch the man as he flipped through papers on his overloaded cubby desk. Not that he had never felt the warmth of that skin before, of course -- their hands had brushed, their hips had bumped -- just enough contact to entice him, to send him to daylight slumber with his cock so hard and ready that barely a touch brought him to a scorching completion.

And then, other times, they had actually embraced in relief when a spell turned out a success. Hip to hip, pounding one another's backs. Each time, holding that slender body to his, Robhain had burned for more. To take that slim face between his hands, tilt it just so to one side, and press their lips together…

Well. Byrne was the sort of temptation that could cause a centuries-old creature to shame himself by soiling his own trousers with a climax as soon as he reached the safety of his office.

Not for the first time, he tried to puzzle out why. Byrne was nothing special. An ordinary man -- but ah, with such an extraordinary face, his eyes blue as the sky Robhain had not seen for so long, blue as the ocean, blue as lapis lazuli. His smile -- rarely seen, for he was seriously-natured -- warming as the long-forgotten sunlight on Robhain's skin. To luxuriate in those eyes and smile were more than he dared dream on.

And ah, such an impossible dream. For a vampire to force himself on an unwilling human meant death from those who handed down laws saying what a vampire could or could not do. They must not drink from the vein. They must not antagonize the humans. And not to be forgotten, they must not molest the humans in any way. Their tolerance was zero and justice swiftly delivered. While he knew Byrne to be faithful and fond of his employer, he was also a proud and powerful man. No doubt he would never suffer unwanted advances without immediate retribution.

Yet he taunted Robhain constantly, unconsciously, with his very presence, and in particular on days when he wore those thrice be-damned leather pants.

Crossing the room, Byrne glanced at him behind his window and threw up his hand, smiling in greeting. Robhain nodded in return and discreetly, behind his back, snapped a stylus in half.

That man would be the second death of him.

 

It was too early for customers as yet -- they rarely came until full dark -- so Robhain chose to remain in his office, going over letters and transmissions informing him of possible new sources of booty. Mercifully Byrne sank out of sight behind the piles of paper on his desk, rummaging around with his beloved books. Still, he could hear that warm, human-accented voice calling snips of information out to Del, diligently dusting and polishing braziers and daggers.

Del. A handsome lad, with ebony hair far too long and eyes far too bright green. Robhain was certain he had some Fey blood in him. Perhaps third or fourth generation. He passed as human, at any rate, but would certainly stand on their outskirts. Reason enough for him to be glad of a job with Robhain. He did well enough at it, though he was flightily-natured.

More than once, he had considered bedding the boy instead of fruitlessly aching for Byrne. He would likely be willing, and given his heritage, there would be no repercussions. But though he tried, he could barely raise his staff to half-mast over the thought of Del's nimble flanks and flashing grin. Not when there was Byrne.

Neither paid him any attention as they went about their business, thank the gods that holy men claimed had long since turned their backs on Robhain.

Determined, he returned to the business at hand, ignoring the men as they ignored him. Ignoring Byrne, and those leather pants. Leather. The stylus slipped from Robhain's hand and bounced heedlessly on the floor as he stared out, hoping to catch a glimpse. Really, the man showed shocking ignorance or tremendous nerve to wear them a second day. Once was bad enough. Robhain could control himself and his shock over the pants one day at a time. But two days running of the slick, soft leather, black as night, clinging to Byrne's shapely ass…

Leather called to him. It sang a bewitching melody that brought out his inner beast. Life had been given for that fabric, and when Byrne wore it, the sound became a siren's song.

His cock jumped and twitched within his own linen trousers, wanting to play.

Behave, he told it sternly.

Unfortunately it was not in the mood to listen.

Come what might, it would be better for him that day if he remained inside his office. Yes, hiding, and what of it? Hiding behind his good, solid desk. With a book on his lap. A heavy book. To be on the safe side. Yes.

But as he settled the book into place, Byrne stood and stretched, leather clinging to his thighs. Robhain's stubborn prick, with a mind of its own, swelled half-hard. Perhaps sheer willpower could…

Of course. And he could also fly.

He propped the book in front of the impromptu tent in his trousers to conceal it, and with a great effort, he composed his expression. If Byrne were to come in, he wouldn't be able to smell Robhain's arousal, but surely he'd notice the ravenous look on his face.

Calm. He had to calm down. This was lust. Not unlike the blood lust he sometimes felt when he forgot to feed. This was leather lust. Nothing more.

But as he began to read the tiny script of the heavy book, his mind -- evil thing -- drifted away, sketching out dream after delicious dream. Taking Byrne up against that bookcase in the showroom. Pinning his wrists above his head. Nuzzling deep into his neck. Rubbing his dripping cock between the cleft of Byrne's ass. Or Byrne, bent over the desk, Robhain dragging that leather down over his ass. His hands scrabbling for purchase as Robhain stroked, cupped, and pinched. Sliding his hand deeper and brushing against a cock hard as…

… his own.

Robhain groaned, shutting the book. So much for that plan.

 

About the Author

Willa Okati (AKA Will) is made of many things: imagination, coffee, stray cat hairs, daydreams, more coffee, kitchen experimentation, a passion for winter weather, a little more coffee, a whole lot of flowering plants and a lifelong love of storytelling. Will's definitely one of the quiet ones you have to watch out for, though he -- not she anymore -- is a lot less quiet these days.

 

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Publisher on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok: @changelingpress

 

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RABT Book Tours & PR

Book Blitz ~ Once Upon A Blue Moon by Avery Arujo

 




Paranormal Romance/Mystery

Date Published: July 1, 2025



Magic, mystery, and enemies-to-something-much-sweeter collide in this cozy paranormal romance full of heart, humor, and hexes.

 

Hazel Thornton is a small-town witch with a knack for brewing potions, botching spells, and annoying her grumpy werewolf neighbor, Blake Carter. But when a magical mishap leaves them trapped in each other’s bodies, they’re forced to work together—awkwardly, sarcastically, and very much against their will.

To make matters worse, Moonridge is on edge. Wolves are acting strange. Magic is going haywire. And beneath Hazel’s apothecary, something old and dangerous is waking up. As Hazel and Blake stumble through spellwork, supernatural politics, and a suspiciously perfect wellness guru with a shady agenda, one thing becomes clear: this body swap isn’t their biggest problem.

As Hazel and Blake race to reverse the spell, they uncover secrets that could tear the town apart. But the deeper they dive into the mystery, the more they realize their biggest problem might not be magic... it might be how much they’re falling for each other.


About the Author


Avery Arujo is the pen name of a neurodivergent, painfully shy, and proudly introverted writer who has finally decided to dip her toes into the chaotic world of self-publishing.

Though she’s been quietly writing for years (mostly through anonymous fanfic and enthusiastic encouragement for other writers) this marks her first official foray into paranormal-romance-mysteries. (ParaRoMystery?) It was the quiet days of the COVID pandemic, the persistent voices of the Moonridge characters in her head, and the gentle (okay, sometimes pushy) insistence of family and friends that nudged her toward publishing.

Avery lives in the northern U.S., where it’s cold more often than not, with two opinionated dogs, and a significant other who is equal parts grumpy and lovely. When she’s not writing, you’ll find her watching trashy reality TV or reading with a blanket, a cup of coffee, and at least one pet trying to prove that they are more interesting than her book.

 

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Tuesday, July 15, 2025

Cover Reveal ~ The Manwhore Series by Apryl Baker

 


Title: The Manwhore Series

Author: Apryl Baker

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Publication Date: July 22, 2025

Hosted by: Lady Amber’s PR


Blurb:
A past tragedy has left Lily Holmes burdened with a devastating secret...

Since the death of her twin sister, Lily can't bear to be touched. Not accidentally, not casually...and certainly not intimately. This makes it impossible for her to confess to her best friend Adam Roberts that she's in love with him. She can't give him the sort of relationship he needs, so she watches in silence while he plans his wedding with someone else.

Enter Nikoli Kinkaid, the campus manwhore...

Nikoli is a self-proclaimed connoisseur of women, and he wants to add Lily to his list of conquests, but she wants nothing to do with him-until he makes her an offer she can't refuse. He'll teach her to enjoy human contact again, giving her a chance to win over Adam, while Nikoli uses all his considerable charm to seduce her.

But Lily raises the stakes...

Lily loves cars. Her late father was a racer, and she grew up under the hood of a car and on the racetrack. Nikoli has a limited edition car she covets, so she informs him the terms of their deal also require he not sleep with anyone for six months. If he does, she'll win the car. If she surrenders and ends up in his bed, his beloved 'Cuda is his to keep.

In an intricate dance of control and surrender, a reluctant friendship becomes something more. Lily begins to crave things she never believed she could, and Nikoli realizes there is more at stake than his reputation.

If Lily overcomes her phobia, will she crave Adam's touch as she's starting to crave Nikoli's? Or will she only find pleasure from the touch of a semi-reformed manwhore?


 

Blurb:
~Kade
I fucked up.
She was the best and worst mistake I ever made.
I took the coward’s way out and ran.
Now I have a chance to make it right, but she's being stubborn. It used to be cute, but this time it can get her killed.
Boston's latest serial killer has his sights set on the only woman I have ever truly loved, and I will keep her safe even if it pisses her off, even if she hates me for it.
All bets are off this time. I want her. He wants her. Only one of us will win.
And I never fucking lose.

~ Angelique
He left me broken, shattered. Pain unlike any I’ve ever felt filled me in the wake of his absence.
Six years later, I thought I’d finally gotten over him and moved on. But Fate is a tricky bitch. She likes to torture us.
She brought Kade back to me, but I won’t ever hurt like that again.
I just have to stay out of his bed until this is over.
Fate is a cruel, cruel bitch.


 


Blurb:
Dimitri—
I admit it. I’m a manwhore…and proud of it.
But I’m not a total asshole. The women always know where they stand. They’re a booty call—nothing more. Everything out in the open. That’s my way.
Except I have a secret, one that could ruin my career. A man who writes romance novels has to be perfect, like the men in the books. It’s what fans expect.…and I’m not.
It could all come out at Southern Book Bash, one of the biggest author signings of the year. There’s only one person I can trust, one person who will help me do what needs to be done and keep my secret hidden from my readers. My best friend and personal assistant, Rebecca Rhodes.
But when I ask her to put her issues aside in favor of mine, she flat-out refuses, quits, and throws my world upside down.

Becca—
I’ve been in love with Dimitri since I was fifteen years old. Yes, I know what he is. I’ve never had expectations from him. He’s my best friend, and I’m okay with that.
Besides, I have my own secrets. I haven’t left my apartment in two years—and suddenly my boss and best friend demands I leave my safe zone and accompany him into my own personal idea of hell.
But though it means drowning in panic, in the end, I can’t deny him. I have to help him. He needs me.
Dammit.

Can Dimitri and Becca heal each other and find a love they’ve both longed for? Or will an ex from Dimitri’s past ruin it all?

 


Blurb:
Mason Kincaid is a player.
He learned from the best—his brothers. He knows he’s a good-looking bastard and isn’t afraid to use his baby face on the ladies. Life is sweet until he receives a call from his best friend begging Mason to look out for his baby sister, Josephine. A babysitting job is not on his list of things to do, but Keith is like a brother to him, and he can’t say no.
Then he meets Josephine and feels like a fifteen-year-old fanboy. Josephine isn’t just Keith’s little sister—she’s Mason’s favorite YouTuber, and Keith damn well knew it. The bastard probably laughed his ass off.
Celebrity crush or not, he takes his role as her fill-in big brother seriously, and he immediately understands Keith’s dislike of Jo’s self-centered boyfriend. The more time Mason spends with her, the harder it is not to beat the asshole black and blue. And the harder it is to guard his heart. Before long, the player is played. He falls in love with a woman who is not only taken, but seems to truly love her boyfriend.
But Mason is a Kincaid, and Kincaids don’t back down. He’s determined to change his manwhore ways and show Jo what it means to be treated right, cared for, and loved, even though she fights him with every breath.
But can he convince her to listen to her heart before it’s too late—and they lose the one thing they’ll never find again?

 



So who am I?

Well, I’m the crazy girl with an imagination that never shuts up. I LOVE scary movies. My friends laugh at me when I scare myself watching them and tell me to stop watching them, but who doesn’t love to get scared? I grew up in a small town nestled in the southern mountains of West Virginia where I spent days roaming around in the woods, climbing trees, and causing general mayhem. Nights I would stay up reading Nancy Drew by flashlight under the covers until my parents yelled at me to go to sleep.

Now, I live in a small town in West Virginia where I entertain my niece and nephew and watch the cats get teased by the birds and laugh myself silly when they swoop down and then dive back up just out of reach. The cats start yelling something fierce…lol.

I love books, I love writing books, and I love entertaining people with my silly stories.

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