Monday, December 21, 2020

Book Video Teaser: LAST GIRLS ALIVE by Jennifer Chase #bookvideo #bookteaser @jchasenovelist

9:00 PM 0 Comments


LAST GIRLS ALIVE
Jennifer Chase
Crime Thriller



Half-buried in the muddy earth and surrounded by puddles of water lies the naked body of a beautiful young girl. Her pale skin looks like porcelain in the early morning light. Her fragile arms bent and crooked like a broken doll.

When Detective Katie Scott is called to the discovery of a young girl buried on the grounds of a former children’s home in Pine Valley, California, she’s hopeful it’s the end to a devastating cold case she’s been working on. No one has seen Candace Harlan since she ran away from Elm Hill Manor five years ago. Her death will be a tragedy, but it will also bring peace to those who miss her most. But the girl in the ground is not Candace.

The victim is almost identical to Candace in every way, but fear grips Katie as she takes in the black ink that decorates the girl’s back—a terrifying message tattooed on her skin after she drew her last breath.

Forcing down traumatic memories of losing her own parents, Katie is certain someone mistook this poor soul for Candace, and that this crumbling home for lost girls is at the heart of this terrible crime. She sets to work digging into the tragic history of the owners who lost so many children of their own and tracking down the last six residents and the staff who cared for them—but no one wants to talk, let alone remember.

The next day, as second girl’s body is found down by the creek at high water, the same words etched into her skin. Katie’s worst fear is confirmed: someone is picking off the last of the Elm Hill girls one by one. But what does the tattoo mean? And what monster would target these innocent girls who have already been through so much?

Katie must dig deep to confront her own fears and protect the vulnerable—but as the body count rises further, will there be anyone left to save?

An absolutely gripping, dark, and totally unputdownable serial killer thriller that will keep you racing through the pages all night long. Fans of Lisa Regan, Rachel Caine and Melinda Leigh will read in one sitting!



"This novel is about Detective Kati Scott, Kati is a detective for the Pine Valley department. Her and partner work on solving cold cases together.  Kati hasn’t had an easy life but things will be getting worst for her before getting any better.  Kati has a lot of anxiety but she makes it work.  She and her partner are put on a case where a girl from the past is found on the property of a former children’s home in Pine Valley. and it’s up to her and her partner to figure out who the killer is.  This novel was so good. I was hooked from the start, I couldn’t stop reading I just need to find out what happens next with Katie and the case. Katie is a total badass. She is one strong lady. She is a very good female lead.  I loved the story soo much it was full of suspense and mystery.  I loved how it wasn’t very predictable. Things could change at any time and the ending was perfectly full of action. I really enjoyed this book. The writing was perfect and it flowed very well. This is my first Jennifer Chase book, I will definitely be looking for more. This book had everything I like action/mystery/romance/ suspense."

– 5 Star Review NetGalley

“A nail biting, suspense packed action crammed thriller that keeps you on edge…”

– 5 Star Review Amazon




Amazon → https://amzn.to/3nQSoAe





 






Jennifer Chase is a multi award-winning and USA Today BestSelling crime fiction author, as well as a consulting criminologist. Jennifer holds a bachelor degree in police forensics and a master’s degree in criminology & criminal justice. These academic pursuits developed out of her curiosity about the criminal mind as well as from her own experience with a violent psychopath, providing Jennifer with deep personal investment in every story she tells. In addition, she holds certifications in serial crime and criminal profiling.  She is an affiliate member of the International Association of Forensic Criminologists, and member of the International Thriller Writers.

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:

Website: https://authorjenniferchase.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JChaseNovelist

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJenniferChase

Wednesday, December 9, 2020

Book Video Teaser: THE KISS THAT SAVED CHRISTMAS by Elysia Strife #bookteaser #bookvideo @elysialstrife

9:00 PM 0 Comments

 


She doesn't want to fall for him. He can't help but fall for her...

The Kiss That Saved Christmas

By Elysia Strife

Claire’s husband passed away two years ago this Christmas, leaving her alone and in charge of a beautiful and overwhelming cabin venue in the Montana mountains. She’s low on cash, the truck won’t start, and fewer people are calling in event requests.

Every past assistant has been problematic and disappointing. With one final wedding scheduled for the year, Claire is desperate to make a good impression and needs the property in top shape. Only one candidate remains: Zach.

Zach is prior service, down on his luck, and shamed by the town for the actions of his youth. Even after a decade of service, he can’t escape the gossip.
Claire has no option but to entrust him with the future of Briar Ridge—her future. She just wished he didn’t have to remind her so much of her late husband. Yet Zach is different, bringing with his burdens an unexpectedly sweet side.
Zach is full of surprises.

She doesn’t want to fall for him.

He can’t help but fall for her.

A sweet holiday romance with a few curses and some violence.



Chapter 1

Claire lay sprawled out on the leather sofa in the timber-framed great room, feeling a kinship with the skeleton of what should’ve been something beautiful and full of life. The stone fireplace crackled softly before her. At its heart, flames cast the only light and warmth in the empty lodge. Floor-to-ceiling windows exposed the brewing winter storm outside Briar Ridge, snowflakes piling up against the glass like the guilt in her stomach.

She hated the notion she needed to hire a man. Ignoring the ache in her hands from working on her husband’s old truck, she gathered his worn flannel shirt beneath her head. Briar Ridge was her late husband’s dream, and she didn’t want to lose her last piece of him.

Claire had taken time off from her second job, a remote position writing articles for an online newspaper, to focus on the venue. There were still too many things to prepare for her last scheduled wedding of the season to do everything alone. Mr. Carver was her only applicant, and she couldn’t wait. The lodge wouldn’t pay for itself.

Mr. Carver was her last hope.

She drew in the last breath of her husband’s piney, metal-slag scent. Then it was gone—like footprints in the sands of a honeymoon in Hawaii. Claire clutched the fabric of his shirt. Her body ached, wishing to lie next to him once more. Despite her fluffy wool socks, her feet were cold. Nothing could combat the chill that followed that phone call. She had to love a soldier.

“I'm not ready.”

The loss of their child only made her heartbreak harder to bear. Ghost pains crept through her core. She forced herself to focus on the future of Briar Ridge. Two weeks to the wedding. Two weeks after, Christmas—the day her dreams crumbled.

Weddings gave the lodge life and a chance to survive while keeping her mind occupied. She refused to let Briar Ridge go under without a fight. Stanly deserved that much, at least.

Tori, her last assistant, had stolen her husband’s Purple Heart from the desk in their old bedroom. Sheriff Riviera had returned Stanly’s medal, but the violation of that respect boundary broke Claire. He’d died for his country, and no one cared but her. Not even his family.

She clenched her teeth and stared into the fire. Tori had the code to the safe. Cash regularly disappeared in small amounts. Claire couldn’t seem to catch Tori with it. Five thousand dollars had gone missing in less than eight months.

Forehead throbbing, Claire rubbed the spot between her eyebrows to push back the ache. Firing the young woman had made her feel better, but Claire never found the money.

Her arms quivered in protest when she pushed herself up. Claire wiped the moisture from her cheeks and laid Stanly’s shirt tenderly in her lap. The ad for a new venue assistant she'd placed in the local newspaper sat on the oak coffee table in front of her. Regret made her pick it up.

The rustle of paper echoed throughout the empty house. “Forgive me, Stanly. I need someone who can do the heavier stuff I can't.” I’ve lost my appetite recently. I don’t know how much longer I can go on without you, out here, alone.

Her interview with Mr. Carver was scheduled for the next morning.

Tossing the ad back on the table, she raked her hands through her hair and leaned forward. She'd tried to eat dinner but lost interest. Her stomach did flips over the idea of another man being in the building, even if it was just for work. I’m not trying to be unfaithful to you, she thought, hoping Stanly was listening.

The last two years had taken fifteen pounds from her. If she didn't make a change, she was bound to end up with her husband.

She didn't always fight the idea.

At night she dreamt of little feet thundering through the halls like they had always wanted, the reason he built the lodge. 

“It's for family, my big family!” He'd take her on a tour now and then, stopping by each of the twenty rooms. Stanly would tell her who could stay where for the holidays and which room would be the nursery. “You can decorate it however you want. I don't even care if you paint the wood pink.” His nose would wrinkle in mock disgust, and she'd giggle. 

Claire laughed once to herself but lacked the strength to smile. Collecting his shirt from her lap, she trudged down the hall to their old room and padded across the wood floor to the closet. She freed a hanger from the rack, deftly slipping it inside the shoulders of the red and brown plaid shirt with cold fingers. Claire clenched her teeth and hung the shirt back with the rest. 

His scent had faded from the others. They hung like fabric ghosts of the man he once was.

Falling in against the soft pillow of his shirts, she buried her nose in the flannel again. Claire drew in only a musty whiff of old cotton and dust. 

“I'm trying to do what you made me promise.” She shivered. “Fill this home with life, with love, and never give up on what I want. It's hard without you.” You’re what I want.

Claire pressed a trembling kiss above the chest pocket of a shirt and forced herself to back away. Her body felt weak, her joints complaining at every movement.

I have to be strong—for him. Claire strained to steady her muscles. The effort was exhausting, and she decided to save her energy for the morning. She didn’t want Mr. Carver to think she was a pushover or fragile. Claire couldn’t afford to be taken advantage of again.

She wondered what his personality would be like. Claire had fired the last three girls. She’d considered an age requirement in the ad, though it wasn't always a sure indicator of maturity in her mind. 

Releasing a weighted breath that puffed out her cheeks, she flopped back on their bed. Claire tucked her feet beneath the comforter and replayed the phone call. 

His name was Zach. He had mechanical skills and could lift over 100 lbs.

Good for him.

But could he be polite with guests? Could he stay clean and drug-free? What was his work ethic like? Was he trustworthy? Or would he take advantage of her like the other assistants? Steal like Tori? Get caught in the shed with a significant other like Amber? Be lazy, worthless help like Gretchen, who preferred her phone to guests?

Claire rubbed her face and groaned. Tomorrow was going to be more stressful than hosting a wedding with a runaway bride.



“A beautiful, gentle story with believable characters that have heart, feelings & Christian values.” – Danica McMahon (Goodreads Review) 5 Stars


https://amzn.to/37PqSx1














An optimist and opportunist, Strife is a self-made author, cover designer, and editor. Best known as Elysia Strife, who writes primarily sweet holiday romance, she most loves writing dystopian science fiction fantasy novels under the pseudonym variation E. L. Strife. She is an upcoming author of young adult fantasy as Elysia Lumen and looks forward to diving deeper into the world of magic.

Strife has toured castles, haunted houses, frozen caves, lava tubes, and concentration camps. She’s a hopeless empath who needs the quiescence of hiking in the Cascades, camping, and snowboarding to recharge. She also enjoys reading on rainy and snowy mornings with a fire going, even if it’s just the fake one in her RV. She craves learning new things, like how to work on her 1981 Corvette, her jeep, and the four-wheeler that just won’t budge.

Strife lives with an amazing man who can build anything he puts his mind to and a rescued dog that steals socks and chases the vacuum. Together, they travel the country—from the golden plains of North Dakota to the warm ocean of the southern Texas coast and back to the green valleys and vineyards of Oregon. Anywhere is home as long as they’re together.

If you’d like to know when Strife’s next books will be out, and to ensure you hear about her giveaways, visit her website: elstrife.com and subscribe via the links on her homepage.

 


Website: http://www.elstrife.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ElysiaLStrife

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ElysiaStrife






http://www.pumpupyourbook.com

Shamanism by Victor Acquista @victoracquista #Guest #Shamanism

9:00 PM 8 Comments

Victor Acquista has become an international author and speaker following his careers as a primary-care physician and medical executive. He is known for “Writing to Raise Consciousness.” His multi-genre works include fiction and nonfiction and often incorporate social messaging to engage readers in thought-provoking themes.

He is a member of the Authors Guild, the Mystery Writers of America, the Florida Writers Association, Writers Co-op, and is a Knight of the Sci-Fi Roundtable.

When not pondering the big questions in life and what’s for dinner, he enjoys gardening and cooking. He lives with his wife and dog in Ave Maria, Florida.

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:

Website: https://victoracquista.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/VictorAcquista

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/victoracquistaauthor/

SHAMANISM 

By Victor Acquista

 

            The word “shaman” originates from the Tungus tribe in Siberia. It can be translated as, “one who knows.” The word usage has spread far beyond these Siberian roots and is broadly applied to practitioners of shamanism across many different ethnic and cultural groups.

            The specific types of activities and the characteristics of practitioners of shamanism vary among different cultures but often include the following:

·         Healing rituals and practices

·         Use of botanicals and entheogens (As noted in Wikipedia: “An entheogen is a psychoactive substance that induces alterations in perception, mood, consciousness, cognition, or behavior for the purposes of engendering spiritual development in sacred contexts.”)

·         Divination, communication with spirits

·         Accessing altered states of consciousness themselves and/or guiding others into these altered states

            Among many peoples, shamans function as priests/priestesses, wisdom keepers and holders of sacred knowledge and traditions, sages, and oral historians. Evident in these characterizations, shamans function in many important ways and are usually respected and sometimes feared. In some ways, they seem to have powers and abilities beyond those of ordinary men and women.

            The purpose of this brief blog post is not to provide a comprehensive exploration of shamanism so much as to highlight some of the features and attributes associated with shamans and the roles they play in their respective societies and cultures.

            As characters in stories, shamans often play a crucial role in plot and story line. They are sometimes featured as main characters but often act as influencers of other characters and may have a significant impact on the character arc of another figure in the story.

            In my novel, Serpent Rising, there are three different characters who meet the description of shaman. Serena’s Aunt Ooljee is a Navajo shaman. She is a dream-walker, a possible shape shifter, a healer, and has some powers of divination. I never provide much description about what is in the pouch she gives to Serena to burn in the cave, but it likely induces an altered state of consciousness accompanying the chakra opening.

            The Australian shaman, a Koradji in his indigenous Aboriginal language, is a wanderer of both the spirit realm and the dream world where he communicates with spirits. His chakra opening ritual of Serena’s third chakra involves drumming and rhythmic dancing, both known to induce altered states of consciousness.

            Finally, the Peruvian hermit is also a shaman. He is a shape shifter who navigates two realities (the seen and the unseen), a dream interpreter, and a master at using hallucinogens to guide both Serena and Bryson in experiencing transformational altered consciousness.

            Interested readers can learn more about shamanism by researching on the web. There is quite a lot of information readily available. I hope the brief highlights I have offered about the characters in my novel help you to better understand what they represent and how their roles are authentically portrayed. Although they each utilize different shamanic tools, they all help to advance Serena along in her journey of self-discovery and transformation.

  
About the Book:


SERPENT RISING
Victor Acquista
BHC Press
304 pp.
Mystery/Suspense/Thriller/Contemporary Fiction

BOOK BLURB:

Serena Mendez is haunted and she is hunted…

… Haunted by trauma—terrified and scarred as a young child, when a secret initiation into an ancient order of Lightbringers went horribly wrong. Unaware of the power latent in her blood, she is haunted by a life out of sync with her true identity. At twenty-one, she is abrasive, jobless, in debt, and addicted to sedatives. Haunted by her past, she knows nothing of her destiny.

… Hunted by an enemy—ruthless and powerful, a Brotherhood that has been pitted against the Luminarian Sects for thousands of years. An ancient struggle continues—The War of the Two Serpents—a saga extending back to the dawn of civilization, to the time of the second breaking, when the elite sought dominion over the masses. Those serving truth and light opposed these dark forces. In return they were persecuted, burned as witches, suppressed and nearly defeated by the powers of darkness.

But the flame was not extinguished.

An old Navajo dream-walker had a plan to open the seven chakras mystically binding Serena’s power. To fulfill her true destiny, to unleash the latent power within her blood, Serena journeys to six continents where she uncovers the truth of who she is, and what she must do.

A warrior stirs, a Lightbringer. She is Serena Mendez. She is awakening. She is a Candelaria…

Serpent Rising is a story of unfulfilled destiny, discovery, transformation, and courage to embrace the truth.

PRAISE

  “Author Victor Acquista has opened a pandora’s box of adventure in his new breath-taking thriller, Serpent Rising. I was swept away from the first page in this wonder-filled, mystical, and compelling novel. Cleverly plotted with a female protagonist, Serena Mendez, that is truly original in ancestry, yet very 21st century-real, with personal problems that she manages to set aside to pursue the very truth of her being. We join her in this a non-stop rush that mixes equal parts of  history, myth, and lore that I didn’t want to ever end! I’m already looking forward to more of Serena again and again. Acquista is the obvious heir apparent to the globe-trotting, can’t-be-put-down-novels such as The DaVinci Code and The House Of Secrets. Move over Dan Brown and Brad Meltzer, you have deserving company at your table with Serpent Rising!”

— Patrick Kendrick, award-winning author of American Ripper: The Enigma Of America’s Serial Killer Cop.

ORDER YOUR COPY

Amazon → https://amzn.to/3inT9gU

 Barnes & Noble → https://bit.ly/3k1RqOK

BHC Press → https://www.bhcpress.com/Books_Acquista_Serpent_Rising

 



Sunday, December 6, 2020

Hellalyle and Hildebrand Book Blast #medieval #romance #bookblast

9:00 PM 0 Comments


HELLALYLE AND HILDEBRAND
Tagai Tarutin
Silverwood Books
Medieval Romance

Hellalyle and Hildebrand, were drawn into a relationship engineered by those same unseen forces who had selected her bodyguard; their purpose, to thwart the devil, incarnate in Prinz Paulus, in its attempts to kill the princess.

A downs-syndrome girl of mysterious origins, named Ethla, emerges out of the wildwood. She is taken care of by Princess Hellalyle. and plays a crucial part in the narrative.

The king, while away, learns of the developing relationship between his daughter and the leader of her bodyguard, and feels betrayed by the English knight, and so dispatches his champions – his seven sons, and Paulus – to arrest, and execute Hildebrand, and confine Hellalyle until the king`s return.

The eleven, remaining protectors of the princess, leave the kingdom, believing their contract has been nullified by Thorstiens edict, leaving Hildebrand alone to face Hellalyle`s brothers and step-brother. The Englishman takes the fight to his adversaries, and slaughters all the unfortunate siblings of the princess, except Paulus, who after surrendering to Hildebrand, turns about and treacherously kills him, and then brutally, incarcerates his step-sister.

As these occurrences were unfolding, in another part of the continent, one of her bodyguards, the Teutonic knight, Karl von Altenburg, now living in a monastic order, experiences a vision, informing him of Hellalyle`s plight, and sets out to for Castle Preben.

Meanwhile, in her prison, Hellalyle gives birth to Hildebrand`s son, now sole heir, whom she names Hagen. On a fateful day, Ethla, at the princess’s urging, flees into the wilderness, taking to safety, the infant crown prince, to save him from Prinz Paulus, who, feeling outwitted mortally wounds the princess in revenge.



“A beautiful love story of a medieval knight and a noble princess written by Tagai Tarutin. The book allows us to go back in history and hear more about the exploits of the legendary Hildebrand and his beloved Hellalyle. The book is full of picturesque scenes of the events in Medieval Europe and it gives us the opportunity to immerse in the spirit of those times. It will be a good read for those interested in history, literature and romance…” – Alexandra Suyazova, Teaching Fellow of English, Saint Petersburg, Russia

“A fabulous story that could be easily transformed into a screen version, about a truly romantic relationship beyond any prejudice, driven by pure intentions at the times when the chivalry and nobleness made the difference in survival of a human life.” – Anatoly Leonidovich Rasputin, graduate in English from the University of Linguistics, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia.



Amazon → https://amzn.to/3mcbyi3

B&N → https://bit.ly/2TgAJnj






CHAPTER 26

In the great hall, Hellalyle, on hearing the news that her brothers were coming to arrest Hildebrand, pleaded with him to leave. “Hildebrand, you must leave – my father has dispatched my brothers to seize you. Our relationship has set in motion a fait accompli, and now your life is in great danger.”

However, Hildebrand, staring into the fire, was in no mood to listen to her pleading, saying, “Whatever the other knights decide to do, I cannot in all consciousness allow myself to abandon you to an uncertain fate, as I feel responsible for this dire situation.”

Hellalyle, in desperation, pleaded, “Will you, please, be sensible! You cannot defeat eight armed men! Remember, these are my brothers, and at the end of the fight you will lie dead, and so will most of my brethren, and for what end? My family destroyed, and

Prince Hildebrand ignominiously buried in a foreign field, which will be a tragedy for the English nation, and it will not end there, as I feel further calamity awaits those remaining at this fortress.”

“Fate must run its course!” exclaimed the defiant knight, raising his voice. “If you think I will deliver you into the hands of Paulus, you gravely underestimate me. No greater evil walks the land, and he will surely die on the blade of my sword! As for my remains lying beneath the woodland floor, that holds no fear for me, as you have introduced this knight to the beauty of nature, and honour awaits if wild creatures should walk across my grave!”

The soldier’s expose of his inner self prompted Hellalyle to gently grasp his forearm, in a gesture of empathy to his plight, with a pained expression etched on her face. The other bodyguards met to decide on what action to take considering the king’s command, knowing that they must not obstruct. All – save one – agreed that they should depart, convinced their contract with the monarch was severed by these unfortunate events. Von Altenburg, at first, declined to abandon his friend. He was fearful for the safety of the princess, but he eventually conceded, opting to join his comrades in arms.

News of their impending departure reached Hellalyle, who decided to visit them. In a fractured voice, she addressed the company.

“Honoured knights, whom I might almost regard as my brothers and such gallant men, warriors of the Christian church…my heart is about to break. I stand here now imploring you to persuade Hildebrand to leave at once with his fraternal fighters, for if he were to stay, I fear that some tragedy may befall him and my family.”

Her impassioned speech prompted the knight von Streitz to say, “He appears to be deaf to our pleading, Your Highness! What more can we do to sway him?”

Hellalyle, almost in despair, raised her hands to her face and burst into tears. All eleven knights, embarrassed, kept their eyes fixed on the ground before stealing past her prostrate figure, anxious to avoid an uncomfortable situation.

As they rode from the castle, von Altenburg lingered to pay one last visit to Hellalyle and Hildebrand. Entering a chamber, he observed them by the window, Hildebrand pacing up and down, stabbing the floor with his sword, in apparent frustration, the princess standing in sombre contemplation of the densely wooded prospect below. They were all alone as she had sent her staff to the safety of the kitchens. As they turned to face him, von Altenburg became struck by their dramatically altered demeanour. The once-resolute Prince of England now despondent and downcast; and Hellalyle, her face once so radiant now shut down, her eyes that brightly sparkled now eclipsed. She appeared almost lifeless.

 













‘Hellalyle and Hildebrand’ is Tagai Tarutin’s first completed novel.

There are two others of a completely different genre, that lie unfinished, awaiting inspiration.

He has worked most of his life in sales but has always had an interest in Arts and Humanities. Things that are beautiful and appealing play an essential part in his imagination.

Besides travelling in West Europe, he has journeyed to the far South Atlantic, and European Russia, anxious to see parts of the world that are for many mystical destinations on a historical map.

You can visit his website at www.hellalyleandhildebrand.com.




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