New Release Spotlight: "Christmas at Blue Hydrangeas" is Now Available on Amazon

I'm pleased to announce my latest story "Christmas at Blue Hydrangeas" is now available in the Amazon store for Kindle.

C@BH, as I like to call it, is the prequel to "Blue Hydrangeas, an Alzheimer's love story." So many readers said they were enchanted with Jack and Sara and their bed and breakfast that I was inspired to write more stories about the Harmon's and their welcoming home.

It’s Christmas Eve, and while Sara waits for Jack and their son David to arrive home to Blue Hydrangeas, their Cape Cod bed and breakfast, a blizzard threatens to close the bridges, stranding all travelers to and from the Cape. As she prepares for the holiday, a few unexpected visitors arrive at the inn, all sharing the common bond of grief. Sara is determined the storm and sadness will not spoil Christmas, and that Santa will find his way to two fatherless children far from home. A sweet slice-of-life story about loved ones and strangers coming together to share the spirit of Christmas.

I must admit it took me a very long time to write this story, which consumes all of 49 pages. Many obstacles got in my way: My chronic repetitive strain issues which prohibit writing on a regular schedule, and caregiving for my mother and stepfather, which came to its own natural end. Perfectionism also held me up because I wanted this story to be as special as "Blue Hydrangeas," to be "beautiful," as so many readers said it was. I hope I have succeeded.

I love the short story form. It's a challenge to include all the details of the plotline and qualities of the characters and tie it up tight in a few pages, which may also be a reason that it took almost two years to complete this one. My last book, "Swim Season," weighs in at two 2 pounds, 593 pages and took five years to write. Hopefully I'll get a little faster in 2019.

Purchase C@BH here.

New Release Spotlight: Krista Noorman's "Another June with You," Contemporary Romance

She's the wedding photographer. He's the best man. They were high school sweethearts, but she suddenly walked away. He wants the truth, but will it keep them apart forever?

Shannon McGregor never expected to run into her high school sweetheart, especially not as the best man of the wedding she's photographing. But Micah's back, as handsome and charming as she remembered, and pressing her for the truth about why she ended their relationship--a truth she'd rather keep to herself.

Life is good. Micah Shaw has a job he loves, great friends, and a wonderful girl by his side. But seeing his first love again opens his eyes to the charade he's been living without her. He never really got over Shannon or the dreams they had for their future--dreams she seemed to casually brush aside when she broke things off a decade ago without much explanation.

As wedding events unfold, avoiding Micah is impossible, and with their connection as strong as ever, Shannon finds herself battling the desire to tell him everything. How long will they circle the truth before Shannon admits defeat? And what does it matter when he'll be gone by Sunday?

A sweet, clean second chance romance. The first book in the McGregor Family series.

Purchase Another June With You

New Release Spotlight: "The Nameless Soldier," a Young Adult Fantasy by Annie Douglass Lima

The Nameless Soldier is book 4 in the Annals of Alasia young adult fantasy series. Haven't read all (or any) of the others? That's okay! The books can be read in any order, and each one can stand on its own.

Blurb:

What do you do when you’re the only survivor?

Nineteen-year-old Tarvic bears the name of a mighty hero from Alasia’s past. However, the young soldier feels anything but heroic when he regains consciousness to find himself the lone survivor of a brutal attack by invaders from the neighboring kingdom.

Forced to leave his identity behind, Tarvic is thrust into civilian life in the role of protector to three war orphans. When the four of them encounter a mysterious stranger, he must choose between keeping the young girls safe and taking on a mission that could help free his kingdom. Can Tarvic live up to his noble name and find a way to balance his duty and his dreams?

New Release Spotlight: Halcyon, YA Sci-Fi and Fantasy Fiction by Caroline Akervic and Ruth Rankin

It’s hard enough to always be the new girl at school for Hailey Schick. She’s managed to irritate the ruling clique and Trevor, the boy she sort of likes, is a total social outcast. 

Nothing is as it seems at University. Preston and Chelsea rule the school with an iron fist and are obsessed with stomping out all nonconformity. There is more going on here than the usual cutthroat high school games.

Eternally young sentinels from the parallel universe of Halcyon have infiltrated their school and plan to use it as a launching pad for a planned takeover of Earth. Hailey and Trevor may be all that stands between Earth and a takeover by the militaristic Juventus.

New Release Spotlight: "Chasing Love," YA Fiction by Kayla Tirrell

Professional wallflower Nicole Andrews can’t wait to get out of Marlowe Junction. With only one year to go, she is eager to become the best college applicant at Rosemark High.

There’s only one problem: she still hasn’t found a niche to make her appear more well-rounded.

When a chance encounter with hottie-extraordinaire Chase Saunders pushes her in the direction of cross country, Nicole thinks she’s finally found her answer. If only she could focus on her race times, and stop getting distracted by Chase.

Will joining the team be enough to make Nicole stand out from the crowd? Or will she lose her heart in the process?

New Release Spotlight: "Because...Anonymous", Contemporary YA Mystery by Diana L. Sharples

On the run from an abusive father, Noah Dickerson is supposed to be laying low and staying out of trouble.

Mistake #1, falling in with a group of anime fans who aren’t as harmless as they seem.

Mistake #2, crushing on a beautiful girl who isn’t fooled by Noah’s good looks and charm.

Mistake #3, being in the wrong place when she receives disturbing notes in her locker.

But the biggest mistake, Noah learns, is when his mother escapes North Carolina with him. Because, it turns out, transporting a minor over state lines in the middle of the night is a felony.

Purchase Because...Anonymous

New Release Spotlight: You Can Lead a Horse to Murder, Cozy Mystery by Tara Meyers

There’s a killer in Sanctuary, and the prime suspect is a horse.

When spirited Ember Burns is led back home to open her own veterinary practice, her first client lands her in the middle of a mystery. It starts as a desire for Ember to clear her name, and turns into a personal entanglement in a rapidly unfolding story of lies and deceit.

The small mountain town of Sanctuary has always had its secrets. Who can be trusted? It’s been ten years since Ember lived there but roots run deep. Discerning friend from foe isn’t an easy task. Relying on her intelligence and instinct, Ember tries to piece the clues together as the town gears up for its centennial celebration.

New Release Spotlight: Primordium by Mario Loomis

My guest today is Dr. Mario Loomis, whom I had the privilege to work with during my years as a hospital nurse and case manager. Dr. Loomis has written two young adult sci-fi novels, and I'm pleased to feature his latest release on my blog. Welcome to my adventures in publishing, Mario! 

If you’ve had trouble finding “clean reads” that were thrilling enough to hold your attention or your teenager’s, try Primordium, one of Dr. Loomis’s debut novels.

New Release Spotlight: Meet Me There, YA Fiction by Judy Corry

A dark Chemistry lab. A fake British accent. It's all fun and games until somebody falls in love.

Ashlyn and Luke have been at war since last spring. What started as sabotaging each other's recipes in Foods class, has now turned into "boyfriend wanted" ads all over the school and Icy Hot in a jock strap. But could there be more to this war than meets the eye?

New Release Spotlight: Rafferty Lincoln Loves...Young Adult Fiction by Emily Williams

Rafferty Lincoln doesn't like horses. Not one bit. But when the popular high school girl of his dreams, Liberty Ashburn, pulls him into a world of lead ropes and horse brushes, who is he to say no?

Except this isn't any old horse. This is the missing racehorse, Profits Red Ridge. The horse Rafferty and three of his friends are hiding from the world. And Liberty Ashburn isn’t just any ordinary high school girl. How far will Rafferty go to win her over?

An intense, witty, and powerful coming of age story with startling consequences.

New Release Spotlight: "When Tomorrow Starts Without Me," by USA Today Bestselling Author Stacy Claflin

This week's new release is from one of my favorite authors, Stacy Claflin, who always seems to have a new book coming out. How does she do it? I so admire her drive and productivity. Her latest is When Tomorrow Starts Without Me, and you'll be sucked in to the story from the first scene.

Welcome to Adventures in Publishing Stacy!

About the Book

He’s on the road to fame. She’s at the end of the line. A chance meeting will change everything.

Kenna Mitchell grew up despised and mistreated by those who should’ve loved and protected her. Now homeless and alone, with pain too heavy to bear, she’s ready to end it all.

Enter Rogan Scott, an up-and-coming rock star with one focus—his band. Out in the woods, looking for song inspiration, he comes across a beautiful girl seconds from ending her life.

New Release Spotlight: Silently in the Night, by Clayton Graham

A collection of tantalizing tales with more twists than braided hair!

This week's new release comes from fellow Books Go Social author Clayton Graham. Here you will find mystery, murder and mayhem – plus a moment of romance. All the stories will make you stop and think, even question your role in the world and the universe. Just what are we doing here, and where are we going? Easy questions with problematic answers.

This anthology of sixteen short and thrilling tales of unusual, extraterrestrial and conspiratorial stories is the latest compilation from Clayton Graham, the author of science fiction novels Milijun and the soon to come Saving Paludis. The characters in this eclectic collection are mostly ordinary people whose reactions to their fears and to unexpected events will have you guessing at every turn of the page.

New Release Spotlight: "The Timelost," SciFi by Guest Blogger Chris Turner

This is a little different for the blog. I don't usually spotlight SciFi, but this new release looks intriguing, so I'm turning the blog over to fellow Books Go Social author Chris Turner. Welcome to Adventures in Publishing Chris!

Human vs Alien

A pilot stranded on a faraway planet, timelost. An alien seeking symbiosis.

Visceral alien battles, planetary wars. Experience the adventure...along with edge-of-the-seat SF audio in this Star Wars meets Alien thriller.

In 2014, I started sequencing original SFF to audio using the Booktrack free studio tool, and it offered up a unique, creative experience. I was amazed at how the placement of some well-crafted audio, synced by word, sentence or paragraph could make a story come alive—in the same way a soundtrack makes a movie come alive. To date, I have produced a few dozen, text-and-audio renditions of my stories, drawing on the wide variety of sound clips from the Booktrack audio library.

The Timelost, my most recent production, is a gritty, dystopian foray into the macabre.

The world-building was intense, as I tried to incorporate elements of ‘galactic empire’, the theme of ‘a few struggling against many’, and extraordinary alien adversaries. I also wanted to develop the concept that an ordinary person, the pilot Miko, when plunged into a hostile, colonized, or uncolonized world with chilling advanced alien technology, could become a hero. And not just by circumstance.

Cover Reveal! The Time Rift, by Liwen Y. Ho and David H. Ho

Today's Guest Blogger is fellow Clean Indie Reads author Liwen Y. Ho, who has co-written a book with her husband, David H. Ho. This is what happens when a sci-fi enthusiast and a romance author merge their talents.

By Liwen Y. Ho

There were many things I looked forward to when I married my hubby nearly 17 years ago. I had hoped we’d have lots of fun together (check!), travel to warm destinations together (check!), start a family together (check!), and grow up through all of life’s ups and downs together (double check!). What I never expected us to do though was write a book—together. Yep, that’s a lot of togetherness in case you couldn’t tell. But that’s what marriage is all about, right? (Haha, gulp!)

So, the story goes (our story, not his story, which we’ll get to soon), hubby enjoys sci-fi movies, and about five years ago, he came up with his own idea for one. And since he doesn’t like to read or write (did I tell you we’re opposites?), he asked me to write it. Now, this is where I double checked the vows I made on our wedding day. Even though I hadn’t promised “to have and to hold and to write a book together”, I agreed to do so because I love my hubby.

New Release Spotlight: "Good Luck Charm," Second in The Holiday High Series by Kellie McAllen

Connor is Kerri’s good luck charm, but is he lucky enough to win her heart?

Basketball star Kerri “Killer O’Connor” knows she’s bad luck, and she's tried everything to keep it from ruining her life -- a rabbit's foot, a horseshoe, her dad's lucky shirt -- she's never without one.

When her dad gets hurt in a freak accident on Friday the 13th, Kerri is sure she’s to blame, but then a boy shows up wearing her father’s old sweatshirt, and Kerri’s luck suddenly does a 180.

Convinced that Connor Murphy is the talisman she needs to change her fate, Kerri begs him to be there for her while her dad is recuperating. Connor doesn’t believe in luck, but he’d do anything to win the girl of his dreams, even if that means spending all his time with Kerri.

Connor never expected to fall for the kooky girl with the crazy superstitions, and Kerri’s convinced that Connor wants someone else. But when luck turns to love, can Connor convince Kerri that he’s more than just her lucky charm?

Purchase Good Luck Charm 

Blog Tour: The Caselli Family Series by Ta'Mara Hanscom

Ta'Mara has published her Caselli Family series before, but she is now relaunching the series starting with The Pretender and Pit of Ambition!  Join this super fun blog tour and find out more about the first two books (of five). Also, make sure you check out the great giveaway!

About the Books

The Pretender: A Blackguard in Disguise is the first volume of 5 in the family epic series The Caselli Family Series. 

It begins in South Dakota in 1975 where eighteen-year-olds could order 3.2 beers in a bar and loaded guns were kept under the counter. Frankie Valli sang My Eyes Adored You, and American soldiers returning from Vietnam struggled with their new reality.

​It’s within this tumultuous season of American history that Tillie Caselli meets Noah Hansen, and they are never the same again. Their lives were mysteriously intertwined – and had been for many years – yet they had no idea. 

​From the moment they met, Tillie and Noah wanted to spend the rest of their lives together, but a deliberate omission will keep them apart – and that same omission will be responsible for the escape of a murderer, and a bride’s deception.

​These compelling stories are interwoven with Biblical truths and light-hearted, real life events from the author’s own past. Easy to understand and relate to, as well as encouraging.

New Release Spotlight: "The Sins of Maggie Black," by Howard Petote

This week's New Release Spotlight is Howard Petote's The Sins of Maggie Black. Howard is a fellow Books Go Social Author. Here he tells us about the inspiration and motivations behind his novel. Welcome to Adventures in Publishing Howard! 

Origins: An Irish Girl Named Maggie

By Howard Petote

In 1968, the state of Missouri was blessed with the arrival of a baby girl, a one-year-old lifted from the arms of nuns in the west of Ireland. Her name was Maggie, and her adoptive parents— strict Catholics—wanted her to be perfect. But Maggie Black was not perfect, she was merely human—an earthy, feral child who one day realized she would never earn their love. Drifting into drugs, con artists and petty crime, she becomes a single mother stuck in the gritty world of door-to-door sales—dangerously tied to a bad man.

New Release Spotlight: Angel Leya's Short YA Fantasy "Marked," Book 4 in her Running Toward Illumia Series

This week's New Release Spotlight is Marked, Book 4 in the Running Toward Illumia series, short YA fantasy by fellow Books Go Social Author Angel Leya. Welcome to Adventures in Publishing Angel! 

Hi, I’m Angel Leya, and I write clean young adult stories with (at least) a touch of magic and romance. My latest story in the Running Toward Illumia series is Marked, Astrea’s tale of finding herself while running from the one thing she wants most: To find her sense of belonging.

Astrea’s lived in the Mist all her life, and she loves it there. In fact, she’d do just about anything to feel like she fits in with her Rudan people, even hunt a unicorn to feed her starving tribe.

Illumia is the first city beyond the Mist, just past the Dragon Range. Astrea’s come up with 10 reasons to never go to Illumia. I’ll let her tell you more.

Top 10 Reasons NOT to Travel to Illumia

New Release Spotlight: "Five Days Five Kisses," a YA Sweet Romance By Guest Blogger Angela Carling

This week's New Release Spotlight is from Angela Carling who wants to tell you all about her new Young Adult sweet romance Five Days Five Kisses. Welcome to Adventures in Publishing Angela!

Hi everyone! Angela Carling here, writer of sweet romance and award-winning paranormal suspense. I'm so excited to tell you about my latest book, Five Days, Five Kisses and three best friends you'll want to hang out with long after you've finished the book. Their names are Nikola, Maya, and Liberty. Eventually each girl will have her own book, but Five Days Five Kisses is Nikola's story, and it's all about the awkwardness of a bad breakup. If you read on, you'll learn about my worst break up.

Do you like the cover? It was custom made by a very talented cover artist that I will definitely use again for the other two books! I love how it captures the vibe of this fun feel-good romance!

Here's a teaser:)

New Release Spotlight and Giveaway: Summer's Squall by Amy Schissler

Do you like winter? A lot of people don’t, like me, who perseveres through it longing for beach days and hours spent by the pool. Fortunately, summer is coming. Yes, it’s about seven months away, but we can still celebrate it. And today, Amy Schliser is on the blog telling us all about her new book, Summer’s Squall.