Monday, November 30, 2020

Incandescent Visions ~ Book Blog Tour Guest Post & Giveaway!


INCANDESCENT VISIONS
by Lee Hudspeth 

Genre: Adult fiction,18 yrs + 64 pages
Category: Poetry 
Publisher: George Lee Hudspeth, Jr.
Pages:  64 pages
Release date: December 2019 

Content Rating: PG-13. Curse words: Three total, of the “mild” variety (godd*mn, hell, sh*t... one use for each). No f-words. No violence, no sexual content, no drug use, no underage drinking.

 
Book Description:

Having written numerous works of nonfiction, this is Lee Hudspeth’s debut book of poetry. Incandescent Visions explores the meaning of the human experience, as the author encourages his readers to ponder the universe and their place within it, and to catalyze their own creative potential. From the sublime shores of the Mediterranean to the majestic expansiveness of deep space, this book contemplates nostalgia, perspective and the gift of love. Through five short yet powerful, thought-provoking chapters of contemporary poems—and a dash of elegant, evocative haiku—Hudspeth takes his readers on a journey across the inner landscape of struggle, triumph, self-realization, and imagination

BUY THE BOOK:


Guest Post 

Author Lee Hudspeth answers the question, "What tools do you use in your writing practice?"


The tools I use in my writing practice are simple yet powerful. 

I’ve been using Microsoft Word for a long time and over many versions, both on Windows and Mac operating systems. I’m so familiar with this application that I literally don’t have to think about activating a feature; my fingers know how to manipulate the keys and the mouse to accomplish what I want to do. Muscle memory! In other words, I have a strong bias for Word. That said, the one feature of Word that I highly recommend to any writer is Outlining. 

Not many people know about Outlining in Word, or if they do, they don’t realize how easy it is to use and how helpful it can be. You can easily turn it on and off, and I like the feature’s unobtrusiveness. By using some simple, built-in Heading styles you can instantly view a standard document in a hierarchical layout. These Heading styles are also helpful when you’re in standard (Print or Read) mode because they’re preformatted to make it obvious how your document is organized. 

Beyond changing views, you can easily drag and drop sections of a document to rearrange them, for example, put chapters into a completely different order, or promote and demote sections, all while preserving your formatting preferences. With one mouse-click you can show or hide a section’s underlying body text regardless of how much text is in that section. I like doing this because I can quickly get an uncluttered, organized view of my book, blog article or other document and then, if/as needed, drill down into the relevant section’s body text. You can also expand or compress the hierarchy of one “local” section or your entire document. I strongly recommend that you give Word’s Outlining feature a try. 

When it comes to journaling, use whatever medium works best for you: pen and paper, a voice memo on your smartphone, a typed note on your smartphone (I prefer my iPhone’s Notes app)... it’s up to you. Be ready at a moment’s notice to jot down ideas wherever you are. On more than one occasion I have had a story or poem idea but instead of writing it down, I told myself I would do it in a few minutes. Of course, I got distracted and an hour later remembered that I had forgotten to write down the idea. Sad. Whatever technique you choose, memorialize all your new ideas! 

I set a recurring reminder every week to look at my Notes and move the ones I want to work on to my laptop; plus I keep a copy on my home server so that no more ideas get lost. By the way, your journal doesn’t have to be in complete sentences; it’s definitely worthwhile keeping small fragments of ideas. I even keep a list of cool words, because a single word can blossom into a full-fledged poem or story.



Meet the Author:
Lee Hudspeth is a poet, writer, musician and fellow human being. Incandescent Visions is his first book of poetry. He is the co-author of ten nonfiction books in the field of Information Technology. He has written articles for professional journals like PC Computing and Office Computing. He is the author of over one hundred articles in the online magazine The Naked PC, which he co-founded and co-published. He lives in Southern California with his wife, two sons and their cat. Find out more about Lee, his books and his music at LeeHudspeth.com.

Connect with the author:






Enter the Giveaway:
THREE WINNERS! 
1ST: $50 Amazon Gift Card
2ND & 3RD: Autographed copies of INCANDESCENT VISIONS
(USA and Canada; ends December 11, 2020)


a Rafflecopter giveaway


Tour Schedule:

Nov 16 – Splashes of Joy – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
Nov 16 - Working Mommy Journal – book spotlight / giveaway
Nov 17 – fundinmental – book spotlight / giveaway
Nov 17 - Gina Rae Mitchell – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Nov 18 – Rajiv's Reviews – book spotlight / giveaway
Nov 19 – Jazzy Book Reviews – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Nov 20 – I'm Into Books – book spotlight / giveaway
Nov 23 – My Reading Journeys – book spotlight / giveaway
Nov 24 – Library of Clean Reads – book spotlight / giveaway
Nov 25 – Rockin' Book Reviews – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Nov 26 – Sadie's Spotlight – book spotlight / giveaway
Nov 27 – Stephanie Jane – book spotlight / giveaway
Nov 28 - Books lattes & tiaras – book spotlight
Nov 30 – Hall Ways Blog – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Dec 1 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Dec 2 – Westveil Publishing – book spotlight / giveaway
Dec 3 – She Just Loves Books – book spotlight / giveaway
Dec 4 – Deborah Adams – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway




Tuesday, November 24, 2020

The Adventures of Tom Finch, Gentleman ~ Audio Book Blog Tour Audio Excerpt!


THE ADVENTURES OF TOM FINCH, GENTLEMAN
BY LUCY MAY LENNOX
Narrated by Duke DeFoix, Duchess DeFoix, Olivia Featherton, Earl Tyrone 
Genre: Historical Fiction
Length: 14 hours 56 minutes 
Publisher: Lucy May Lennox 
Released: Oct. 10, 2020 
 

Monday, November 23, 2020

The Cowboy Who Saved Christmas ~ Lone Star Book Blog Tours Book Blitz & Giveaway!




The Cowboy Who Saved Christmas
by

Jodi Thomas,

Sharla Lovelace, and Scarlett Dunn

 
Genre: Romance / Adventure / Anthology
Publisher: Kensington Books
Date of Publication: October 27, 2020
Number of Pages: 336 pages
 
Scroll down for Giveaway!
 
The Lone Star State doesn't have to be lonely during Christmas time! 

Legendary author Jodi Thomas headlines a new holiday-themed Western historical romance collection featuring three Texas-set stories of romance and adventure. 

The Civil War is over, Christmas is coming—and it's time for three rugged cowboys to hang-up their spurs and settle down. These authors combine their talents and excel at creating atmosphere and complex characters which infuse these stories with Texas history and evoke the grandeur of a bygone era and the indomitable pioneer spirit of the region. 

Prepare to be swept off your feet by these heroic cowboys who will stop at nothing to make sure this Christmas is one to remember. Ideal for gift giving, The Cowboy Who Saved Christmas will be the fan-favorite collection of romance for the 2020 Christmas season!
 
 

PRAISE FOR THE COWBOY WHO SAVED CHRISTMAS:

"FATHER GOOSE is a warm, entertaining story, with Trapper and Emery starting with nothing, yet finding love and hoping for a future." 
-- Rose from Roses Are Blue   

"It was a pitch-perfect reading experience that left my heart bursting with joy. This story has become an instant classic in my holiday reading canon." 
-- PJ Ausdenmore from The Romance Dish   

"I love an anthology at this busy time of the year because I can read a complete story in a short time--this book hit the mark." 
-- Mary from Bookfan

CLICK TO PURCHASE
 
 


   
Jodi Thomas is a New York Times bestselling author and fifth-generation Texan who sets many of her award-winning stories in her home state, where her grandmother was born in a covered wagon. A multi-RITA Award winner and member of the prestigious Romance Writers of America Hall of Fame, she’s written over 50 novels with millions of copies in print. Her most recent releases are The Little Tea Shop on Main and the first book in her new Honey Creek series, Breakfast at the Honey Creek CafĂ©, which is out now.
 
WebsiteFacebookTwitter ║ ║ InstagramAmazon BookBub ║ ║ PinterestGoodreads




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GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!
One copy of THE COWBOY WHO SAVED CHRISTMAS 
signed by Jodi Thomas
Giveaway Ends Midnight, CST, 11/30/2020
(US only)

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FOR DIRECT LINKS TO EACH POST ON THIS TOUR.
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Friday, November 20, 2020

The Education of Delhomme ~ Book Blog Tour Spotlight & Giveaway!


The Education Of Delhomme
by Nancy Burkhalter

Historical Fiction
Release date: November 17, 2020
280 pages 

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Pre-order it here

SYNOPSIS

The Education of Delhomme

Beaulieu Delhomme, a piano tuner, faces the guillotine for committing treason against the newly elected French president due to his part in the bloody worker uprisings in 1848. The one person who could save him from this fate is his former arch-rival, the celebrated author, George Sand.  The plot leading to his imprisonment revolves around the triangle of composer FrĂ©dĂ©ric Chopin, his lover George Sand, and Delhomme, Chopin’s loyal piano tuner. Both Sand and Delhomme compete for the attention of Chopin, who fights a losing battle with tuberculosis. The president’s spymaster uses this triangle to lure cash-strapped Delhomme into exploiting his friendship with Chopin to spy on George Sand, whose fiery rhetoric threatens the new president. 

At first, before the uprisings that marked a tumultuous period out of which France’s Second Republic grew, Delhomme favors preserving the status quo because any policy changes might jeopardize his (and Chopin’s) wealthy client base. Sand wields her pen against the oppressive laws and ridicules Delhomme for his views. 

Delhomme changes his opinion of the monarchy when he sees how his nephew is abused as an orphan working in a piano factory in industrial London. Delhomme becomes a double agent, paid to spy for the president while secretly working for the resistance. Sand softens her contempt when she discovers that he has switched allegiances and now promotes workers’ rights. 

Delhomme is caught working for the resistance, jailed in Paris’ infamous Conciergerie prison, and faces a trial for treason. Even Sand’s testimony is not enough to trump that of the vaunted spymaster, but her fame may be enough to persuade the new president to pardon him.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

The Education of Delhomme_Nancy Burkhalter
Photo Credit: Austin Irving
Nancy Burkhalter is an educator, writer, journalist, linguist, and piano tuner. She holds a Master’s degree in journalism and English education, as well as a Doctorate in linguistics from the University of New Mexico. She has taught composition for many years in the U.S., Germany, Saudi Arabia, Kazakhstan, and Russia. Her overseas work led to an interest in comparative education, especially critical thinking. Both observations and research led to her book and blog, Critical Thinking Now. In 2019, she was a recipient of Go Back, Give Back, a fellowship through the State Department to train teachers in St. Petersburg, Russia. A resident of Edmonds, Washington, Burkhalter loves to travel, write, and learn languages. Follow the author’s page on Facebook Follow the publisher on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram Join their mailing list


***

5 WINNERS RECEIVE A COPY OF
THE EDUCATION OF DELHOMME
International giveaway, open to all!
Ends midnight, CST, 11/29/2020



Tweeting about the giveaway every day of the tour will give you 5 extra entries each time! 

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Tuesday, November 17, 2020

Back to the Burgh and Beyond ~ Book Blog Tour Review & Giveaway!




















BACK TO THE BURGH AND BEYOND
The Owl's Nest Mysteries
BY C.S. MCDONALD

Genre:  Adult Fiction, 208 pages
Category:  Cozy Mystery
Publisher:  McWriter Books
Release date:  Sep 10, 2020
Pages:  208
Content Rating:  G
C.S. McDonald's books are appropriate for YA readers
as well as adults--no bad language or sexual content.

Book Description:

Meet Alexa Owl. She's returned home to Pittsburgh after a divorce to start a new life and a new business, The Owl’s Nest Couturier Shoppe. Much to her surprise, she's getting more than she ever bargained for: Detective Bobby Starr, and he's no ordinary sleuth. Bobby is an angel who's returned to Earth in hopes of earning his way into the Guardian Angel Squad. He's been sent by none other than Saint Pete to acquire Alexa’s help to solve three cold case murders he left behind. Except, here’s the catch: he’s only been allotted four days to solve the first case! 

How in heaven’s name is she supposed to do that? Alexa is a professional seamstress—not a detective. Bobby insists the only way to solve the first case is to return to 1953, and Alexa’s not in love with that idea at all!

Buy the Book:

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Review:


HALL WAYS REVIEW:
When I read the book description and saw that the setting of Back to the Burgh and Beyond was set in Pittsburgh, PA, my interest was piqued. I lived just outside of the Burgh for seven years through junior high and high school, and some of my fondest memories and best friends are from those years. Add to that the fun cover and that it's a cozy mystery with a paranormal twist, and the deal was sealed.

From the very first paragraph, author C.S. McDonald's knack for description becomes apparent, and I was chuckling as our main character, Alexa, is experiencing pothole fatigue (a not-so-fond memory of Pittsburgh roads but spot-on). It is in the details that readers will find themselves immersed in the story. Whether it's in contemporary times with Alexa's exquisitely decorated apartment, or in the snappy dressing of the characters (living and deceased) in the 1950s, McDonald puts readers right in the story. 

"My stars, she's as clumsy as a drunken leprechaun."

Another place where McDonald's writing shines is in her characterization, particularly with feisty, quirky Winnie, who is by far my favorite character. McDonald constructs her dialogue so that readers hear Winnie's Irish lilt, and all are sure to get a giggle out of Winnie's turn of a phrase -- and her drinking habits. Since Back to the Burgh and Beyond is the first book in a series, it's clear that the regular cast is being introduced and each member is carefully sketched-out but not fully fleshed-out. But the characters and relationships are interesting enough that readers will want to know more. 

There's not a lot of scene-setting or build-up to the paranormal element being introduced, and when it happens, it's somewhat anticlimactic -- and the characters are all very accepting of it. But like the characters, readers will likely shrug their shoulders and go with it, which is exactly what I recommend. Back to the Burgh and Beyond is a light, fun, and quick read that has a nice, neat conclusion to the story's mystery, followed by an attention-grabbing little epilogue that assures I'll be reading the next ghostly installment. 

Thank you to the author and iRead Book Tours for providing me a print copy in exchange for my honest opinion -- the only kind I give. 


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Meet the Author: 

For twenty-six years C.S. McDonald’s life whirled around a song and a dance. Classically trained at Pittsburgh Ballet Theater School, The Pittsburgh Dance Alloy, and many others, she became a professional dancer and choreographer. During that time, she choreographed many musicals and an opera for the Pittsburgh Savoyards. In 2011 she retired from her dance career to write. Under her real name, Cindy McDonald, she writes murder-suspense and romantic suspense novels. In 2014 she added the pen name, C.S. McDonald, to write children’s books for her grandchildren. In 2016 she added the Fiona Quinn Mysteries to that expansion. She decided to write the cozy mystery series that everyone, including teens and tweens, can read and enjoy. Presently, the Fiona Quinn Mysteries nine books with a tenth slated for 2021. The books are also available on audio, narrated by Maren Swenson Waxenberg. Cindy’s newest venture is The Owl’s Nest Mysteries. Once again, she has set her cozy mystery in Pittsburgh. The female protagonist, Alexa Owl, is much different from Fiona Quinn. The Owl’s Next Mysteries has a little grit, a little time travel, a little romance, and a whole lot of cozy! Ms. McDonald resides on her Thoroughbred farm known as Fly by Night Stables near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with her husband, Bill, and her poorly behaved Cocker Spaniel, Allister.

Connect with the author:
 Website  ~  Twitter  ~  Facebook
 

Enter the Giveaway: 

Autographed copy of BACK TO THE BURGH AND BEYOND

(USA only. Ends November 27, 2020)



Tour Schedule:
Nov 9 – Rockin’ Book Reviews – book review / giveaway
Nov 9 - Instagram:. All Booked Up Reviews – book review
Nov 9 - Working Mommy Journal – book review / giveaway
Nov 9 - Splashes of Joy – book review / giveaway
Nov 10 – mowgliwithabook – book review
Nov 11 – StoreyBook Reviews – book review / giveaway
Nov 12 – Rajiv's Reviews – book review / giveaway
Nov 13 – Books and Zebras @jypsylynn – book review / giveaway
Nov 16 – Lisa-Queen of Random – book review / giveaway
Nov 17 – Hall Ways Blog – book review / giveaway
Nov 18 – Literary Flits – book review / giveaway
Nov 19 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book review / giveaway
Nov 20 - I'm Into Books – book review / giveaway


RELATED:
Click for Hall Ways Review



 

Monday, November 16, 2020

Mia and Nattie: One Great Team! ~ Lone Star Book Blog Tours Book Trailer & Giveaway!




Mia and Nattie: 
One Great Team!
by
Marlene M. Bell
 
Genre: Children's Picture Book (K-3rd Grade) / Farm Animals
Publisher: Ewephoric Publishing
Date of Publication: October 4, 2020
Number of Pages: 34 pages
 
Scroll down for Giveaway!
 
Nattie’s mouth was a little crooked. Her legs were a bit shorter than usual, and one horn was too straight, like a unicorn’s horn.

But Mia thought Nattie was perfect.

On a visit to her grandma’s farm, eight-year-old Mia discovers a newborn, orphaned lamb outside in the cold and takes her to the laundry room, naming her Nattie. As she tries to nurse the lamb back to health, Mia discovers that Nattie is different from the other lambs and struggles to fit in with them like Mia does with other kids her age.

When her grandmother says she will sell Nattie to a neighbor, Mia must come up with a plan to keep her friend around — one that will show the family just how special Nattie truly is.

  
  
 
MARLENE M. BELL is an award-winning writer, artist, and crazy sheep lady who resides in beautiful East Texas. Her renown sheep photographs grace the covers of many livestock magazines where she also writes newsy articles about raising sheep from her hands-on experience. Based on true events from the Bell’s ranch, Marlene offers the first of her children's picture books, Mia and Nattie: One Great Team! It's a touching story of compassion and love between a little girl and her lamb. Marlene is also the author of the award-winning Annalisse international mystery series, with the third book, Calico Raven to be released in 2021. Marlene shares her life with her husband and dreadfully spoiled horned Dorset sheep: a large Maremma guard dog named Tia, and cats, Hollywood, Leo, and Squeaks. The cats believe they rule the household—and do.
 
 
WEBSITEFACEBOOKTWITTER
AMAZONGOODREADSBOOKBUB
BLOG
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GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!
THREE WINNERS
GRANDPRIZE (US only):
Signed copy of Mia and Nattie, Nattie Plush, Nattie Mousepad, and a Nattie pendant
2ND PRIZE (US only): Signed copy of Mia and Nattie
3RD PRIZE (US only): Signed copy of Mia and Nattie
Giveaway ends at midnight, CST, 11/25/2020
 
RAFFLECOPTER
a Rafflecopter giveaway
FOR DIRECT LINKS TO EACH POST ON THIS TOUR, UPDATED DAILY,
or visit the blogs directly:

11/16/20

Review

That's What She's Reading

11/16/20

Character Spotlight

Book Fidelity

11/16/20

Review

Jennifer Silverwood

11/16/20

BONUS Promo

Hall Ways Blog

11/17/20

Review

Forgotten Winds

11/17/20

Sneak Peek

The Clueless Gent

11/17/20

Review

Momma on the Rocks

11/18/20

Review

Story Schmoozing Book Reviews

11/18/20

Top 5 List

All the Ups and Downs

11/18/20

Review

Missus Gonzo

11/19/20

Review

Book Bustle

11/19/20

Excerpt

Max Knight

11/19/20

Review

StoreyBook Reviews

11/20/20

Review

Chapter Break Book Blog

11/20/20

Character Interview

Sybrina's Book Blog

11/20/20

BONUS Promo

Sybrina Publishing

11/20/20

Review

The Adventures of a Travelers Wife


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