Thursday, October 30, 2025

Book Tour ~ Unholy - Heart's True Desire: Book Three by Kathryn Amurra

 

 Book Tour

Unholy

Heart’s True Desire Series: Book Three

By

Kathryn Amurra

 

About the Book:

Genres: Paranormal Romance / Vampire Romance

Publisher: Wild Rose Press

Publication Date: October 20, 2025

 

In her last semester of college, Beth D’Angelo has one goal—to get her thermodynamics experiment to work so she can graduate. But everything changes when she nearly runs over a mysterious stranger with her car—a man whose hauntingly handsome face fills her with an inexplicable sense of dread. Suddenly, her failed experiment becomes the least of her worries. Strong, alluring, and centuries-old, Thomas Callahan is a vampire whose powers are as dangerous as his secrets. After Beth nearly runs him over, her sweet nature and innate fear of him become an irresistible challenge—to corrupt her innocence. As they spend more time together, Beth’s fear dissipates and becomes something Thomas finds himself craving more than blood. Knowing it is only a matter of time before she discovers what he truly is, and with two hunters on his trail seeking vengeance, Thomas must decide if loving Beth is worth risking both their lives.

 

 

Purchase Links:

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Excerpt:


As she stood there, looking up at Thomas, his magnificent appearance struck her again. A bit taller than her five feet four inches, he was easily six feet tall. His dark hair was on the long side of clean-cut, and the cold wind had made it just messy enough to look incredibly sexy. His nose was straight and perfectly placed on his strong, masculine face, and his eyes were a beautiful dark brown. Perhaps it was his dark lashes and eyebrows, or perhaps something else, but Beth couldn’t help feeling that there was something ominous behind those eyes. It was almost as if his eyes held a warning, even while his mouth invited her to draw closer.

 Before Beth realized she was staring at Thomas’ mouth, his lips parted and he spoke again. “Well, I don’t mean to brag, but damsels in distress are my specialty.”

Blinking free of her trance, she shook her head. “Well, I’m not a damsel. In distress, I mean. I don’t need your help.”

He pressed his lips together and nodded slowly. “I understand. In that case, perhaps you can help me instead.”

“Me help you? With what?”

He smiled smugly again. “I’m thirsty.” He paused, almost long enough to allow her to speak, before continuing. “Come have a drink with me.”

She could feel her eyes grow wide with shock even as she told herself to act casual.

“I’m not a big drinker.” At least her voice sounded calm, even if her hands were fidgeting inside her coat pockets.

“Coffee then?”

“I don’t drink coffee after four o’clock. It would keep me awake all night.” She realized as the words left her mouth how much like an old lady she sounded. Lin was right—she may as well have told the guy that she had to get home to soak her dentures.

Though her responses should have completely put him off from pursuing any further interaction, Thomas simply replied, “Then how about some chamomile tea? I’ve read that’ll help calm your nerves and get you in the right mindset for bed.”

The way the man said “bed” sent Beth’s heart racing, and she couldn’t help but wonder if the innuendo was intentional.

“Maybe some other time,” she managed to utter.

He took a step closer to her, and her breath caught.

“I will remember you said that.”

 

What Readers Are Saying:

“Ms. Amurra brings deep, interesting characters that she developed them so well from the beginning of the book and throughout the story. Even the vampire was realistic, and Ms. Amurra created such a unique story line that I was intrigued and captivated until the very end.” –Kelly Barr

 

“I’m not a fan of vampires. With that being said. After reading the first two pages I was hooked.” –Jean

 

About the Author:

Kathryn Amurra is the author of sweet and sensual love stories. Her debut series, Soothsayer's Path, is a historical romance series of standalone books set in Ancient Rome around 115 CE. Her new series, Heart’s True Desire, is a paranormal romance series of standalone books published through The Wild Rose Press. Kathryn has been making up stories for as long as she can remember and writing since grade school. Against the advice of her 12th grade English teacher, she studied Mechanical Engineering in college, then worked as an Engineer for a few years. After finding and marrying her own hero, she and her hubby went to law school together. They currently live in North Carolina with their three girls.

 

Contact Links:

Email - kathrynamurra@gmail.com

Website: https://www.kathrynamurra.com

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/kathrynamurra/

X – https://x.com/AmurraKathryn

Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20280375.Kathryn_Amurra

BookBub - https://www.bookbub.com/authors/kathryn-amurra

 

Giveaway:


 

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Book Blitz ~ Book of Me - An Autobiography by Kevin Hipes

 




The Life and Times of Kevin Hipes, the New York Forrest Gump


Memoir

Date Published: July 24, 2025



From the streets of Queens to the deck of an oil tanker in the Caribbean—meet Kevin Hipes, the real-life New York Forrest Gump.

Book of Me is not your average memoir. It’s a laugh-out-loud, tear-in-your-eye, one-of-a-kind true story collection from a man who has lived more lives than most of us can imagine. Factory worker. Hippie. Banker. Entrepreneur. Rockstar (sort of). Preacher. Politician. Oil tanker owner. Cancer survivor. Bipolar truth-teller. Kevin Hipes has worn all these hats—and more.

Told with warmth, humor, and heart, Kevin’s stories come alive in this unconventional autobiography. Originally recorded as a series of YouTube episodes on his channel Planet Hipes, these 66 episodes have been transformed into a compelling, easy-to-read book that invites you to laugh, cry, reflect, and recognize a bit of yourself along the way.

What you’ll find inside:
✅ Hilarious tales from childhood in Queens
✅ Life lessons learned the hard way—and the funny way
✅ Private struggles and surprising triumphs
✅ A faith-driven journey of self-discovery and humility
✅ A reminder that we’re all “special” in our own unique way

Whether you're looking for a good laugh, a touch of inspiration, or a wildly entertaining ride through 70 years of true-life adventures, Book of Me will leave you smiling, thinking, and maybe even saying, “Hey, I’ve got a story like that too.”

📺 BONUS: After reading the book, head to Kevin’s YouTube channel Planet Hipes and experience the stories told by Kevin himself—animated, real, and unforgettable.

Because life’s not about the destination—it’s about the journey. And Kevin Hipes has one hell of a story to tell.


About the Author

 

 Kevin Hipes is a born storyteller, lifelong entrepreneur, and proud New Yorker with a personality as big as the adventures he's lived. Often called “the New York Forrest Gump,” Kevin’s life has taken him from the streets of Queens to the pulpit, to business boardrooms, and even to the deck of his very own oil tanker in the Caribbean. As Kevin often says “Forrest owned a shrimp boat, but I owned an Oil Tanker and my story is true!”

With no formal writing background, Kevin still managed to turn a lifetime of unbelievable experiences into a heartfelt, hilarious, and deeply human book—Book of Me. Rather than writing in the traditional sense, Kevin recorded over 100 personal episodes for his YouTube channel, Planet Hipes, then compiled them into a unique memoir filled with wit, wisdom,determination, and raw truth.

As an uneducated street kid from Queens, Kevin has lived many lives from factory worker to Hippie, to rockstar (almost), banker, preacher, restaurateur, politician and more. He shares not just the ups and downs of a seven-decade journey but speaks intimately about being a cancer survivor who also struggled through and dealt with a bipolar disorder, keeping the high energy manic side while overcoming the devastating depressions that plagued him through most of his life. You will find Kevin’s faith in God, unrelenting positive mindset and sense of humor make for a powerful story boldly told in his own words.

Kevin currently lives in Orlando, Florida, where he owns and runs HCB Real Estate, a retail commercial brokerage and development firm. Book of Me is his debut memoir and a testament to the power of authenticity, faith, and self-deprecating humor.

Follow Kevin’s stories on YouTube: Planet Hipes and experience the animated storyteller in action.

 

Contact Links

Website

YouTube

TikTok


Purchase Link

Amazon


RABT Book Tours & PR

Wednesday, October 29, 2025

Week Blast ~ Toil and Trouble

 



Romantic Horror Anthology

Date Published: 09-22-2025

Publisher: DCL Publications



The brew is hot and bubbling over with romance and terror in this twistedly beautiful anthology that welcomes the darkness of horror and the temptation of love's veiled promises. Six remarkable tales from six incredible authors fill this book of dark shadows and ancient whispers.

 

Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble - by Jennifer Patricia O'Keeffe: Enchanted pastries and spell-brewed coffee make Esmerelda's sugar-dusted counter the city's most coveted haunt—until a dangerously charming newcomer slips into her shop, immune to her magic and unraveling her carefully guarded world. As his witch-hunter heritage threatens to burn her legacy to ash, Esmerelda finds herself torn between the threat of revenge from the witch hunter's ancestors and the intoxicating truth of the connection that they share.

 

Silverwood - by Lynn Hubbard: A lonely rancher's daughter finds her isolated Wyoming homestead upended when an amber-eyed stranger ignites a mud-splattered passion that defies reason—until his supernatural secret and the vengeful ranch hands hunting her force her to choose between the man who saves her and the monster who might destroy her. Torn between fierce protectors and forbidden desire, she must trust the very darkness that could shatter her world to survive the wild frontier's deadliest threats.

 

Ivy, Lichens and Wallflowers - by James Ryan: Marketing executive Hilda finds solace from her stifling corporate life and overbearing past in the quiet companionship of Miriam, a mysterious 19th-century marble statue in a city micro-park, only to discover their connection transcends stone when Miriam begins answering her handwritten notes through cryptic poetry left in return. As their forbidden connection deepens into an intoxicating dream-bound romance, Hilda uncovers Miriam's supernatural secret: she's a cursed thaumaturge sustained by stolen life force, forcing Hilda to confront whether love can survive the devastating cost of keeping her alive.

 

A Mirror to Die For - by Cindy Lewis Smith: A desperate woman finds solace in an antique mirror that whisks her nightly to 1880s Arizona, where a charming outlaw named Johnny Ringo fulfills every fantasy—until her jealous fiancé shatters the glass and vanishes, leaving her trapped in an asylum screaming that he is the real monster, a man who shouldn't exist: Dr. John Henry Holliday, the gambler who killed Ringo a century ago. Now, with "MPR" carved into her cell walls and time itself unraveling, she'll stop at nothing to prove her sanity by proving time travel is real—even if it means unleashing the very darkness that destroyed her.

 

Flight 1031: Cosmic Turbulence - by Julian Christian: Diplomatic courier Sarah Martinez boards Flight 1031 expecting routine turbulence, not a Halloween dimensional rift that strands her at Germania International Airport—where the Greater German Reich has ruled since 1943 and perfected technology to harvest souls from parallel realities through consciousness-scanning machinery that pulses with seventeen-beat rhythms. Now trapped in a terminal that breathes like a living organism, Sarah must navigate a world where every passenger hides a secret and her resistance could either save her timeline or doom infinite versions of humanity to eternal enslavement in a Reich that spans all dimensions.

 

Dream a Little Dream - by Jae El Foster: After a near-death car crash rewires her brain, Sarah's nightmares bleed into reality: sugar on the counter forms glyphs, bats appear out of nowhere in broad daylight, and her own hands betray her—while the velvet-eyed stranger from her dreams appears in her waking hours, his urgency growing as Halloween's veil thins. Now, with her reality twisting into something surreal and an ancient language hijacking her voice, she must confront a dark truth: her soul isn't hers to keep, and the man who saved her in death is the very entity hunting her in life.

 

Excerpt


From ‘Dream a Little Dream’ by Jae El Foster

 

Sarah didn’t know where to run, where to hide, where to breathe. She drove until the city’s skyline dissolved into cornfields, until the morning thickened with minivans and convertibles carrying families on "ride in the country" escapes. Each passing car—a Jeep with muddy tires, a sedan with bike racks—anchored her to reality, the rubber soles of her sneakers still tingling with the phantom sensation of earth either holding her up or crushing her down.

A flash detonated behind her eyes: the muffled thud of dirt hitting wood, shovel after shovel, sealing her inside a coffin. She couldn’t see it, but she smelled it—the cloying stench of decay merging with rain-damp soil, the suffocating darkness pressing against her eyelids as the weight piled higher. The scent of worms and wet pine needles flooded her throat, thick as grave mold.

The vision snapped just as her car veered toward the shoulder. She wrenched the wheel hard left, tires screeching, a horn blaring from the sedan she’d nearly broadsided. Her hands locked on the steering wheel, knuckles bleaching bone-white, as she fought to drag air into her lungs. Slow. Nervous. Don’t die twice. The wreck’s ghost clawed at her ribs—she wouldn’t invite it back.

Ahead, a billboard loomed: MEMORY LANE. Beneath the town’s name, bold letters promised: Step into Memory Lane, where new memories are made! Sarah’s foot hovered over the brake pedal, ready to U-turn from the omen of that name, but her ankle refused to bend. Cemented. Her other foot slammed toward the brake—stuck. Panic surged as she crossed the town line, tires crunching over the painted border, but then the landscape unfolded: manicured lawns, white picket fences gleaming like fresh bone, and 1950s bungalows painted in cheerful pastels. A sigh escaped her—enchanted.

Chicanery, she thought, scanning the dollhouse-perfect homes. Porches draped in wisteria, hydrangeas bursting from flower beds, rocking chairs swaying in phantom breezes. It felt less like a town and more like a dream staged for tourists—a nostalgia trap with price tags hidden in the shutters. She gripped the wheel tighter, the vinyl seat sticky beneath her sweat-slicked thighs.

The yards deepened in their perfection: hedges trimmed to geometric precision, roses blooming in impossible symmetry, each white picket fence identical down to the last splinter. No cracks. No weeds. No life. The fences stood sentinel around empty yards, guarding homes with spotless windows that reflected nothing but sky.

She passed a brick schoolhouse with a rusted swing set, a park with a merry-go-round frozen mid-spin, a diner with "OPEN" glowing in neon, a barber pole coiled in red-white silence, a post office with mailboxes gleaming under noon sun. No children. No joggers. No bicycles leaning against fences. Since crossing into Memory Lane, she’d seen exactly one living thing: a crow pecking at a roadkill squirrel, its beak crimson.

"Where the hell is everyone?" she muttered, her voice raw as she scanned porches, windows, the empty stretch of road ahead. The only sound was the hum of her engine and the thump-thump-thump of her pulse in her ears.

Sarah’s hands left the steering wheel, fingers trembling as she tried to turn into a driveway for a U-turn. The wheel refused to budge—cemented. She settled back into the seat, watching it steer itself with unnatural precision. Her foot lifted from the accelerator, but the speed held steady, unwavering, until the car slowed on its own for a sharp right-hand turn onto University Boulevard. The road’s grip on her feet had vanished, yet the vehicle moved like a thing alive, hungry for the town square.

To her left, manicured university grounds sprawled beneath flowering trees, grand homes lining the boulevard like stage sets. Roses bloomed in impossible symmetry, hedges trimmed to razor edges. Sarah groaned at the street name—University Boulevard—its banality a slap in the face. Two blocks down, the car turned right onto Main Street, the tires whispering over asphalt that felt less like road and more like skin.

Ahead, the town square unfolded: businesses glowing with "Open" signs, windows spotless, a gazebo planted dead-center like a tombstone. No cars. No pedestrians. Not even a stray cat to break the silence. The air hung thick with the scent of cut grass and something sharper—ozone, like before a storm that never breaks.

Sarah’s car rolled into a parking spot near the gazebo. The seatbelt loosened with a hiss, the engine dying as the driver’s door swung open unbidden. "I don’t like anything about this…" she muttered, stepping onto pavement that felt unnaturally warm beneath her sneakers. The keys stayed in the ignition, but fear of theft never came—who would steal from a town with no one to steal?

The door shut behind her with a soft click, sealing her in the square’s suffocating quiet. She forced her breath slow, scanning the storefronts: two restaurants, a beauty parlor, a bank, antique shops, a used bookstore, and a theater dominating the square. Its marquee blazed in vintage bulbs: DREAM A LITTLE DREAM and SHE RISES AT NIGHT—titles she’d never heard, yet they hummed in her bones like half-remembered screams.

She turned toward the right-hand restaurant, heels clicking on the pavement. Instantly, its "Open" sign flickered and died. She froze, then pivoted toward the left restaurant—same result. The sign went dark as if snuffed by an invisible hand.

Sarah took a step forward, pulse hammering against her ribs. The air grew heavier, pressing into her lungs like wet soil. She didn’t need to test it again. The square wasn’t empty. It was waiting.

"What in the living hell…?"

Every storefront Sarah scanned flickered dark—the "Open" signs dying like snuffed candles—but the theater’s marquee blazed relentless: REEL AFTER REEL. Its sign burned bright despite the empty ticket booth, the glass doors yawning open onto blackness. Sarah’s skin prickled. Memory Lane felt wrong, but the theater pulsed with something hungrier, something that made her stomach drop like a stone in a well.

She stared at the theater, arms crossed tight against the chill. The marquee’s promise—DREAM A LITTLE DREAM / SHE RISES AT NIGHT—curdled in her gut. Of all places, this was where she never wanted to set foot. Yet the longer she stood frozen, the more the building breathed. Orchestra strings swelled—violins sawing a tune from silent-film days—though the theater’s modern facade held no projector room. Then came the chatter: phantom voices lining up for tickets, laughter echoing off empty pavement.

"Nope…" she muttered, squaring her shoulders. "Fuck this." She bolted for her car, sneakers slapping the pavement. The driver’s door handle wouldn’t budge—locked, keys glinting in the ignition like a taunt.


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Book Blitz ~ Pity Please - Pity Series by Whitney Dineen

 

Pity Please
Whitney Dineen
(Pity Series, #7)
Publication date: October 25th 2025
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance

She had a foolproof plan. He thought his future was sealed. Neither of them imagined life would take them down a different path …

Allie

I never planned to live in Elk Lake again, but here I am. I was going to get married, have a great family and career, and then I’d get my happily-ever-after stamped on the passport of my life.

But Brett cheated and got his mistress pregnant with quadruplets. Karma was my consolation and believe me when I tell you, I couldn’t have been more satisfied by the outcome.

Just as I was busy with my fresh start, Noah Riley walked back into my life. I’ve always worshipped my best friend’s older brother, but he never noticed me.

Until that one day …

Noah

What coach gets demoted after taking their high school basketball team all the way to third in the state? Me, that’s who.

I could have gotten any other job in Chicago, but my anger and hurt pride caused me to accept a position at my alma mater. That’s right, I’m the new basketball coach of the Elk Lake Crappies. Don’t think the irony is lost on me.

My goal is to make a splash with my new team, and then have my old school beg to hire me back. Of course, I won’t accept until there’s an appropriate amount of groveling, along with a substantial pay raise.

When I moved to Elk Lake, I never expected to run into my sister’s best friend from childhood.

Who knew Allie Rogers would make me reconsider my dream?

Goodreads / Amazon

EXCERPT:

Instead of agreeing that I should be the captain of my own ship, my mother laments, “I always thought your life would turn out like one of those delightful romcoms from the nineteen nineties. You know, single girl meets the love of her life in a quirky, yet totally believable way …”

I’m not sure which movie she’s thinking of as I’ve grown up watching them all with her. On repeat.

“Which Julia Roberts character did you envision me being? If it’s Vivian Ward in Pretty Woman, I’ll have to move to LA and become a sex worker first.” My mom pushes out of my arms and stares at me in horror.

Instead of letting the subject drop, I feel a burst of indignant steam start to build. “If you want me to be like Anna Scott in Knotting Hill, I’ll also have to move to LA, but this time I’ll have to figure out how to become a movie star. Then I’ll need to find an abusive boyfriend so I can cheat on him with a bookstore owner in London.” How does she find these to be believable scenarios?

Hurt tinges her voice as she responds, “What about Jules Potter in My Best Friend’s Wedding?”

“She didn’t even wind up with the guy!” I shout.

“How about the Runaway Bride?” This woman is relentless.

“I would have to get engaged three times so I could dump three men before my true love showed up to write an article about my chaotic life,” I remind her.

My mom’s face screws up in an agonizing expression like she’s painfully wracking her brain. “Maybe not a Julia Roberts movie then. What about Sandra Bullock? Her romcoms were more girl-next-door, which is exactly what you are.”

Raising my hand into the air, I start ticking off fingers. “While You Were Sleeping would involve nearly killing someone in a train accident so I could lie to the victim’s family and fall for his brother. In Miss Congeniality, I’d have to be an FBI agent masquerading as Miss New Jersey. Hope Floats would get me that husband and child you so badly want me to have but said husband would have to dump me on national television before running off with my best friend. Do you want me to go on?” I demand.

Confusion riddles my mom’s features resulting in my feeling an unexpected wave of compassion for her. “I don’t want any of that for you. I just want you to have a beautiful and happy ending to your story.”

“My story is a long way from being over, Mom.” I’m not going to tell her that my vision of the future is nothing like what she’s hoping for. As in, I’m pretty sure I’ll never let myself be vulnerable enough to give love a second chance. I know for certain I will never have my own children. Three lost pregnancies are enough for me to take the hint.

My mother inhales deeply before telling me, “I’m not good at leaving things in the hands of fate.”

“No, you’re not. You’re the worst control freak I know, but that doesn’t mean you’ve been appointed God and get to make all the decisions for my life.”

“I don’t want to make all the decisions. I just want you to start living again!”

“I’m enough on my own, Mom. I don’t have to be a wife to have value.” I can tell I’ve hurt her feelings again, but what else can I do? It’s like we’re two different species with zero understanding of how the other works.

With hands on hips, she demands, “What’s your five-year plan?”

“To still be breathing,” I tell her honestly.

“Do you ever want to get back into publishing?”

I offer a brief shrug. “Can’t say.”

“Do you plan on working at Rosemary’s for the rest of your life?”

“Would there be anything wrong with that? Would you not be able to love me anymore if I don’t get the Hollywood ending you’ve always imagined for me?”

My mom’s face turns bright red, which is a sure indicator she’s about to lose her cool. But instead of screaming at me, she merely turns around and strides out of the dining room like she’s on her way to execute a military coup. Napoleon had nothing on this woman.

I take her reaction to my question to mean that her love is dependent on my capitulation to her vision. Well, too freaking bad, Margaret. I’m not going to try to make you happy when I don’t even know what will make me happy.

My phone pings before I can stand up and clear the remnants of my uneaten breakfast. Picking it up, I click on the message notification and read a text from Lorelai.

Lorelai: Noah is driving me crazy! I’ve been asking him to put my navy-blue cashmere sweater in the mail for a week, and he hasn’t done it. Would you mind going over to my parents’ house and sending it? The key is under the mat.

My nervous system responds by causing me to break out into a cold sweat. I do not want to see Noah Riley. To be honest, I hate that he’s moved back to Elk Lake. There is no place in my life for my childhood crush. He’s part of my past and I will not go out of my way to run into him again.

Having said that, Lorelai is my best friend, and she never asks for anything. Shoot! I’m going to have to do it. I’ll just have to make sure to go when Noah isn’t there.

Author Bio:

Whitney loves to laugh, play with her kids, bake, and eat french fries -- not always in that order.

Whitney is a multi-award-winning author of romcoms, non-fiction humor, and middle reader fiction. Basically, she writes whatever the voices in her head tell her to.

She lives in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with her husband, Jimmy, where they raise children, chickens, and organic vegetables.

Gold Medal winner at the International Readers' Favorite Awards, 2017.

Silver medal winner at the International Readers' Favorite Awards, 2015, 2016.

Finalist RONE Awards, 2016.

Finalist at the IRFA 2016, 2017.

Finalist at the Book Excellence Awards, 2017

Finalist Top Shelf Indie Book Awards, 2017

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / X / Instagram


GIVEAWAY!

Pity Please Blitz


Book Tour ~ Corporate Almighty: 2098 by James Owens

 


 

Political Satire/Fiction

Date Published: October 28th, 2025

Publisher: Acorn Publishing



At the turn of the next century, a corporate oligarchy rules America with an iron fist. Commercial jingles have replaced the Top Forty, babies come from factories, and the race captivating the nation isn’t between political candidates. It’s the cutthroat competition to find the formula for No-Sog Stay-Crisp Cornflakes.

The battle pits cereal titan Todd Swindell, head of Flakes Alive Incorporated, against Chad Scandalman of the Great American Flake Company. When Scandalman hires a diminutive assassin named Twinkle to bump off his rival’s top chemist, it sparks a war of the flakes that makes the bloody feud of York and Lancaster look tame by comparison.

But not everyone in the Cornflake capital of Domino, Indiana, is happy with the status quo. Ziggie Wexler, an unemployed pipefitter and all-around average Joe, knows that something is deeply wrong with his country.

All history prior to 2040 has been banned, but old-timers whisper about the days when people still voted for their leaders. After Ziggie posts fiery polemics against the state to the Clandestine Journal, he becomes a marked man. But in a world built on lies, there’s one truth he’s sure of. Somebody needs to fight back.

 

 Chapter 1 - The Fly Trophy

Printed on a large, rectangular piece of manila paper, the following text could be found in every post office where drones drop off the mail, every school bulletin board that nobody likes to read, and on the front page of every newspaper in the country.

It also hung next to the window of Todd Swindell’s office at the Flakes Alive Incorporated (FAI) headquarters, where the wily Mr. Swindell served as chief executive officer (CEO). The proclamation marked the beginning of a new phase in stricter governance of the States of the Union.

January 1, 2098

The New America stands poised to prosper. Our new government boasts The Big Seven, that is, seven of the most skilled Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) in the business arena, to guide America through good times and crises as well. This establishmentarian ruling body has aided us in assimilating the good and expelling the bad of previous systems. Just look at the results of fifty-eight years of governing excellence. The loathsome prison system has been abolished, as the new way of serving time involves laboring assiduously for an assigned corporation, while improving oneself for future endeavors.

Meanwhile, we have practically eradicated the black-market drug trade, creating safe places where one can recreate with substances while under laboratory supervision and with the knowledge that an antidote stands ready to be administered any time the user has a bad experience. We have eliminated big religion, with its plethora of money beggars, releasing its grip on politics and business. We have done away with the presidency, political parties and that annoying part of government that spends half of its time on campaigning for the next election instead of tending to its duties. Now the government serves you the full four years of each term. And those four years are ruled over by The Big Seven, who were appointed by the final president of the United States, Ghant Wackersham.

Over the fifty-eight years of Mother Earth’s existence, we have removed many distractions from the workforce and the workplace, such as sports and sex. The banning of the latter has ushered us into an era where less than one-half of one percent of the population has a sexually transmitted disease. Soon, STDs will be completely eliminated.

This modern America will shine like never before, as people live productive lives and help the corporate government build for the future. Now then, let the pages of your lives turn, my friends, and experience the New and Improved America here in the year 2098. At the bottom were the seven CEOs’ signatures, as well as a spot for the signature of whomever posted the document—in this case, Todd Swindell, FAI CEO.

Look! There’s Todd now! He’s having coffee while perusing the pages of the Wall Street Digest. Whoops! A fat fly just buzzed past Todd’s thin nose. Angry Todd grabs a flyswatter from a hook on the wall and WHAP! He nails that ornery sucker! The tiny creature’s brown guts make a smear on Todd’s office window.

***

“I refuse to clean that spot until the day Flakes Alive Incorporated overtakes the Great American Flake Company (GAFC) in flake sales,” declared a raspy-voiced Todd. “I’m tired of second place, goddamnit! Let those guts rot on that window until we make number one! Let them be a testament to our perseverance here at Flakes Alive Incorporated.”

The thin, hollow-cheeked, goatee-wearing Swindell brushed the three scrawny hairs that tried to cover a lot of naked real estate on the top of his bony head and uttered a plaintive sigh. On his office wall, a picture of a sword made in the year 2040 hung proudly. His secret collection of antique swords was only on display in his sumptuously furnished home, out of sight from any earthling who might care to turn him in for withholding merchandise made before 2040, which was against the law. But the rich could bend and stretch the rules a bit.

Todd’s office was cluttered with unopened boxes of cologne, candles, chocolates, and other assorted items, the result of job candidates groveling for recognition by bringing gifts when they interviewed. The gifts were carelessly stacked on shelves and on the floor. In the adjoining room sat larger gifts—an umbrella that shouted at you if rain was in the forecast, ultrafast microwaves, and even a fancy new quantum TV.


About the Author


Retired IT professional, James Owens is a trained computer engineer and technical documentation specialist who earned an A.A.S. in computer programming and a B.A. in English from Purdue University.

Immensely curious about human behavior, James spent the 1970s hanging out on the streets to observe people, many of whom became inspirations for his fictional characters. Later, he worked in cube farms at conservative insurance companies, where the idiosyncrasies of corporate personalities sparked his imagination.

James has spent the last decade reading and writing offbeat fiction about bizarre protagonists. Corporate Almighty: 2098, a dystopian tale about the rise of the corporation and the fall of democracy, follows his first two novels, Animal Candy and Pods of Bubbledumb: A Study in Mass Depravity.

Born and raised in an industrial suburb on the south edge of Chicago, James lives with his wife Sue and four cats in Evansville, Indiana.


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Book Blitz ~ The Accelerates Forty Days to Dust by Tak Salmastyan

 




Science Fiction

Date Published: April 24, 2025



In a world ravaged by a viral apocalypse, fifteen-year-old Ethan Mercer lives for one purpose: to protect his brother, Leo. Born from GeneCorp’s failed experiments to defeat death, Leo is a one-year-old whose body ages at a terrifying speed. Unlike the savage Accelerates, children transformed into predators by the virus, Leo clings to a fragile thread of humanity.

Together with Mia and Clara, two survivors altered by the same catastrophe, Ethan crosses a landscape of ruins and relentless danger. As they struggle to stay alive, Ethan faces the devastating truth that Leo, the last hope of redemption, may also be the instrument of humanity’s final collapse.

In a final act of sacrifice, Leo confronts his inevitable fate, altering the course of history in ways no one foresaw.

Years later, survivors gather in Leoland, a sanctuary where sunflowers grow in the rubble and memories remain alive. There, hope endures beyond all loss, proving that even in devastation, love can take root again.


About the Author

 

 Tak Salmastyan (b. 1963) is an Armenian American artist, educator, and author based in Los Angeles, originally from the Lori province of Armenia, where he was born Takvor, meaning “The King.” Admirers later called him “The King of Spiritual Hooligans,” a title that reflects his refusal to be confined by boundaries. His work has been exhibited internationally from New York to Tokyo and includes the creation of Autoplasticism and BinArtism™, approaches that merge automatism, neoplasticism, and binary code to explore the tension between technology and emotion. He has taught widely across Southern California, received numerous awards for art and film, and authored Window to Freedom, The Accelerates: Forty Days to Dust, and Echoes That Suffocate.


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Tuesday, October 28, 2025

Release Blitz ~ A Vicious Love Burns - House of Croft by Sophie Barnes

 

 


House of Croft, Book 5

 

Murder Mystery Romance

Date Published: October 28, 2025



Danger isn't just coming—it's personal…

 

Adrian Croft has sacrificed everything to protect his family. But when a brutal string of murders rock London, he's briefly distracted from the ruthless heir of an Irish crime lord—an enemy with ties to Adrian's darkest past. With Bow Street floundering and innocent lives at stake, Adrian steps back into the fray… and the cost is more than he ever expected.

Five months pregnant and desperate to be by her husband's side, Samantha Croft returns from her wintry retreat in the country—only to find herself in the crosshairs of the man determined to destroy her husband. Finn O'Leary doesn't care who he has to break to bring Adrian down, and Samantha may be his most valuable target.

 

House of Croft Series


A Vengeful King Rises

House of Croft, Book One

 

A Tainted Heart Bleeds

House of Croft, Book Two

 

A Ruthless Angel Weeps

House of Croft, Book Three

 

A Deceptive Game Ensues

House of Croft, Book Four

 

A Vicious Love Burns

House of Croft, Book Five

 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CKHWD83L

 

 

About the Author

USA TODAY bestselling author Sophie Barnes writes historical romance novels in which the characters break away from social expectations in their quest for happiness and love. Having written for Avon, an imprint of Harper Collins, her books have been published internationally in numerous languages. With a fondness for travel, Sophie has lived in six countries, on three continents, and speaks English, Danish, French, Spanish, and Romanian with varying degrees of fluency. Ever the romantic, she married the same man three times—in three different countries and in three different dresses.

When she’s not busy dreaming up her next swoon worthy romance novel, Sophie enjoys spending time with her family, practicing yoga, baking, gardening, watching romantic comedies and, of course, reading.

 

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Cover Reveal ~ Alice Adrift - A Novel by Susan Bacon

 

Alice Adrift
Susan Bacon
Publication date: November 4th 2025
Genres: Contemporary, Women’s Fiction

Alice Adrift is an intimate human drama about loss and recovery, coupling and uncoupling, and a child caught in the turmoil.

It’s the 1990s. The Fishers—Alice, David and their two sons, Tobias and Jeremiah—live in the upper Northwest quadrant of Washington DC, home to an urbane mix of journalists, academics and professionals. Alice is a composer and music professor. Her husband is an architect of some note. The economy is booming. Life is good. But their seemingly perfect existence is shattered when Jeremiah, their youngest, dies suddenly of an unidentifiable illness.

In the years that follow, Alice and David seem to lose their bearings. When Toby appears to be struggling, they move him to an alternative school with a baffling curriculum (“They don’t even teach reading, Mom”) and a peculiar set of rules (“Absolutely no television!”). Alice doesn’t seem to fit in, but David is drawn to everything about the place including, Alice eventually realizes, one of Toby’s teachers, the striking woman with the long, tangled red hair.

Not long after David moves out of the house, a group of young men move in next door, ingratiating themselves to Alice. She finds herself attracted to one of them, which sets her further off-kilter. How will she find her way back? How will Toby emerge from all this disruption? And what on earth will happen to David?

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Author Bio:

Susan is best-known for her award-winning mysteries — THE HISTORY TEACHER and its sequel THE ART COLLECTOR. Her latest novel, ALICE ADRIFT, is a bit of a departure. An intimate human drama about loss and recovery, coupling and uncoupling, and a child caught in the turmoil, it is slated for release on November 4, 2025.

A graduate of Barnard College with a degree in history, Susan is a former journalist, copywriter and ghostwriter whose credits include an international best seller. She grew up in Wilmington, Delaware and has lived in New York City, Washington, DC, and Memphis, Tennessee, all of which serve as settings for her novels.

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Book Tour ~ Full Phoenix Rising by Duncan Robinson

 

 


Real Time Grace at the Speed of Jesus


Religion / Nonfiction / Christian Living / Spiritual Growth / Humor

Date Published: August 5, 2025

Publisher: Lucid Books Publishing


 


 What do a Russian in gold hot-pants, a cow-pat fight, and real-time grace have in common? They all show up in this wildly funny, deeply heartfelt exploration of what it means to live out faith in the mess of real life.

Full Phoenix Rising is not your typical Christian inspiration book. It’s part memoir, part stand-up comedy, and part soul-reflection, told by a black-sheep pastor with a knack for getting into trouble—and finding Jesus there. Duncan invites readers into his most awkward moments, spiritual insights, and hilarious disasters to remind us that God’s grace isn’t reserved for the polished and perfect—it’s for the ones still wiping off the cow poo and reaching for hope.

If you’ve ever felt like you don’t quite fit in at church, questioned your worth, or just needed permission to laugh at how weird this whole faith thing can be, this book is for you. Come for the cow-pats, stay for the grace.

 

 


About the Author


Duncan Robinson—the Pastor of Disaster (his words, not ours) and Australia’s first Black Belt Pastor in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu—currently leads a small but mighty church in the Northern Beaches of Sydney.

Before stepping into full-time ministry, Duncan spent years waking up Sydney with wisdom, wit, and questionable life choices as the host of one of the city’s most popular Breakfast Radio Shows.

With over 20 years of pastoral experience in Australia and the USA, he is fluent in both “G’day Mate” and “Bless your heart.” He’s married with two kids and an American Chocolate Labrador, who is convinced every sermon should include belly rubs.

Equipped to handle both heresy and headlocks, Duncan takes pastoral care very seriously—though whether a theological debate ends in grace or a grappling match depends entirely on the situation.

He proudly refers to himself as a Professor, purely to annoy actual academics. What can we say? He’s a man of many talents.


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Book Blitz ~ Snoodles in Space - Escape from Zoodletraz by Steven Joseph

 




Children's Book

Date Published: October 28, 2025

Publisher: Enigami Publishing



Strap in, because the Snoodles are back and things are about to get… weird. In this third out-of-this-world adventure, Droodle the Poodle and Doo Doo Kidoodle are in big trouble. They’ve broken the one rule on planet Zoodle — no pets. Now Droodle and another poodle named Schmoodle are locked up in Zoodletraz, the most escape-proof prison, this side of the Milky Way. Think Alcatraz, but with more tentacles and fewer lawyers.

Enter a cast of brilliantly bonkers heroes: noodle-powered scientists, intergalactic musicians, talking cats with trash can drum kits, and a villain so cranky he reads self-help books about revenge. There’s also a Jalapeño Popadoodle Noodle, a flying Balloonadoodle, and something called a Cloakadoodle Swoodle Car. Don't ask, just roll with it.

This wackadoodle tale is packed with vibrant art, making it perfect for young and old readers who love silly stories, bold visuals, and absolutely zero boring parts.

Whether your kid’s obsessed with noodles, aliens, or saying the word “Groodle” over and over again, Snoodles in Space: Escape from Zoodletraz! is the laugh-out-loud ride you’ve been waiting for.

Time to get ready for your NEXT GREAT ESCAPE!

  


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