Wednesday, March 27, 2024

The Location Shoot by Patricia Leavy



This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Patricia Leavy will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Welcome to It's Raining Books. Why do you write in your genre? What draws you to it?

Romance has become my genre of choice. I’ve fallen in love with writing about love. Romantic love, yes, but also friendship, love of art and creativity, and love of life itself for all the beauty and tragedy. There’s something so transporting, affectionate, and hopeful when you’re writing a romance. The love on the pages lives inside of you too. It gives me all the feelings. I can’t get enough of it.

What research is required?

It’s different for every book. For The Location Shoot, I did a little research about Sweden. Although I’ve been there many times, I wanted to make sure to get things right. I researched to make sure I was describing a private beach well. I also researched some local foods, which is always fun.

Name one thing you learned from your hero/heroine.

Life is incredibly short, so we best not squander our opportunities for happiness or stand in our own way.

Do you have any odd or interesting writing quirks, habits or superstitions?

I color code my edits. In my mind, each book I write “feels” like a certain color. During my many rounds of revisions, I’ll only use that color post-it flags to mark my edits.

Are you a plotter or pantser?

Kind of both, but if I had to pick, I’d say pantser. I usually know the characters and overall plot, often down to the last line, before I start writing. But I never know all the scenes and moments that will take me from A to B. I just start writing scenes, out of order, and see where each one goes. I love happy surprises. It’s an amazing process of discovery.

Look to your right – what’s sitting there?

My antique writing desk. It’s covered with a stack of novel manuscripts.

Anything new coming up from you? What?

I loved writing Ella and Finn’s love story so much, that I didn’t want to leave it. My next novel, After the Red Carpet, picks up where The Location Shoot ends. It comes out in September 2024 (She Writes Press). I’m also working on a series of romance novels that explore different dimensions of love. It’s a special project and I can’t wait to share it.

Do you have a question for our readers?

I love a story about a celebrity falling in love with an average—not so average—person. What’s your favorite trope?

Controversial filmmaker Jean Mercier is shooting a film on location in Sweden. While spending the summer creating his latest work of cinematic art, he lives in a nearby inn with his lead actors: Albie Hughes, British veteran of stage and screen; Charlotte Reed, British indie film queen; Michael Hennesey, American TV heartthrob; Willow Barnes, fallen former teen star looking to make a comeback; and Finn Forrester, legendary Hollywood movie star. Mercier invites his friend Ella Sinclair—a beautiful, bohemian-spirited American philosopher known for her provocative writing—to stay with them for the summer. When Ella arrives, Finn is instantly enchanted by her, and soon they fall madly in love. Finn wants to plan a life together, but Ella harbors fears and convinces him to wait until the film wraps to decide their future. In a case of life imitating art, the film they are creating explores “the big questions” and prompts the stars to reflect on the crossroads they face in their own lives. How will their experiences on location affect them when they return home? The answers won’t come until months later, when the cast and crew reconvene on the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival—but their revelation will make for one unforgettable night.

Read an Excerpt

Just then, Ella walked in wearing a black sundress and sandals, the chains hanging around her neck tinkling like wind chimes as she moved. Everyone turned to look. She cocked her head and furrowed her brow in confusion as she approached the table of men who were all smiling broadly.

“Well, good morning,” she said. “This is unexpected.” She and Finn exchanged a covert look as Jean scooched over to make room for her. She plopped down and asked, “So, how is everyone this fine morning?”

“I was just telling them about your book,” Jean replied. “Bloody thing kept me up all night.”

“That explains why you look a fright,” she observed.

“We must discuss your description of the erect cock.”

Michael had just taken a sip of espresso, which went flying out of his mouth. He grabbed a napkin to wipe it up. Finn’s faced turned bright red.

“Gee, give a girl a minute to wake up. I haven’t even had a cup of tea,” Ella casually replied.

Jean hollered at the waiter, “Tea!” and he pointed to Ella. He continued, “I’m serious, ma chérie. I’m utterly possessed thinking of it. Your description of hardness and thrusting on page 38 is haunting.”

She giggled and said, “I’m barely awake, Jean. Perhaps you could take it down a notch with the cock talk.”

Finn and Albie laughed.

“I don’t know how I’m going to concentrate on filming today. You’ve got my mind spinning. All I want to do is discuss blow jobs,” Jean said.

“And you wonder why Charlotte and Willow never come to breakfast,” Ella joked.

Finn cracked up.

“I’m serious,” Jean said. “It’s captivating.”

“Perhaps you shouldn’t have read the whole thing in one go. Swallowed more than you could handle, as it were. I warned you there’s adult subject matter,” she jested.

Finn, Albie, and Michael tried to muffle their laughter.

“Do you think that what you wrote about the half-hard, pity thrust is true? Do other women feel this way?” Jean asked.

“I don’t know. Let’s ask one of your three ex-wives,” she joked.

Everyone burst into laughter. Albie nearly fell off his chair. The waiter delivered Ella’s tea and asked, “Would anyone like breakfast?”

“We waited for you,” Finn said.

Ella smiled and said, “A soft-boiled egg and some fruit, please.”

“Same for me,” Michael said, winking at her.

“Oatmeal and berries, please,” Finn said.

Jean and Albie, having already eaten, shook their heads.

As soon as the waiter walked away, Jean handed her the manuscript and said, “I made some notes in the margins.”

“Thank you,” she replied. “You’re a good friend, lascivious though you may be.”

“The vignette about slut shaming was hysterical. I laughed out loud. Oh, but the funniest section was the part about group sex,” Jean said.

“Group sex?” Michael asked, his eyes like saucers.

“It’s very clever,” Jean said. “She wrote it as a scene in a satirical screenplay. At first, the director tries to give gentle, appropriate notes, but by the end he’s barking out vulgarities and ordering them to do outrageous things all while insisting they mind the camera. It’s wickedly funny.”

Ella giggled. “I thought you’d appreciate that.”

“So, Ella,” Michael said, his eyes fixed to her, “what made you interested in writing about sex?”

“She theorizes about pleasure. It’s not done in an effort to be scandalous or salacious. It’s intelligent,” Finn said. He glanced at Ella, who was smiling at him with her eyes. “She’s interested in things that people experience with a oneness or wholeness. Sex is just one topic. She also writes about art, food, and nature; she explores fundamental questions about how we as human beings experience pleasure, and by extension, how we may arrive at the true feelings of joy, peace, and belonging that so often elude us. Or so I imagine.”

Ella smiled softly and said, “Yes, that’s right. At least, it’s what I’m attempting to do.”

“Well, I can’t wait to read it,” Michael said. “It sounds, uh, enlightening.”

The waiter delivered their breakfast and the conversation moved on while they ate.

About the Author:
Patricia Leavy, PhD, is an award-winning, best-selling author. She was formerly Associate Professor of Sociology, Chairperson of Sociology & Criminology, and Founding Director of Gender Studies at Stonehill College. She has published more than forty books; her work has been translated into many languages, and she has received more than forty book honors. Her last novel, Hollyland, was featured on She Reads in “The Most Anticipated Romances of Spring 2023” and was the 2023 Firebird Book Awards 1st Place Winner in Pop Culture Fiction and 1st Place Winner in Summer/Beach Read. Patricia has also received career awards from the New England Sociological Association, the American Creativity Association, the American Educational Research Association, the International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry, and the National Art Education Association. In 2018, she was honored by the National Women’s Hall of Fame and SUNY-New Paltz established the “Patricia Leavy Award for Art and Social Justice.” Patricia lives in Maine. In addition to writing, she enjoys art, reading, and travel. Location Shoot: https://www.amazon.com/Location-Shoot-Novel-Patricia-Leavy/dp/1647425670
Hollyland: https://www.amazon.com/Hollyland-Novel-Patricia-Leavy/dp/1647422965

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Wednesday, March 20, 2024

Greystone by B.L. Ryan



This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. B L Ryan will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

All Mouse could remember about her father was sitting on his lap while he told her stories. She wished she could remember what he looked like. When she hangs a white pendant that belonged to her father in her bedroom window, this wish becomes the key to great adventure in another world. A gate appears with a dragon twirling in the air above a colourful garden on the other side of the gate. Zeeta, the royal dragon, greets Mouse and invites her into the garden. The garden is part of Sweet Water holding, home to Lady Jane, who is the seer for Prince Ruler Jared.

As Mouse and Zeeta struggle to complete a quest, Mouse searches for her father. Their journey takes them across the plains of Norlanda and south to the Border Mountains.

The seers have foretold that a far traveller will appear and lead Norlanda against its enemies. This does not seem likely, as Norlanda is prosperous and peaceful at this time. Meanwhile, dark forces gathered in the Border Mountains have recognized the presence of Mouse in the lines of destiny and have started to move towards her.

How will the presence of a child, a far traveller from another world, affect the destiny of this world?

Read an Excerpt

Six Turns Later

The sky was cast with bands of pink and yellow as the sun set. It was an exceptionally clear evening, and it was possible to see the Singing Mountains across the horizon to the north. As Jared gazed absently at the fringe of jagged peaks, Lord Ravenstock entered the room silently. He waited for Jared to address him.

Without turning, Jared asked, “What have my esteemed councillors decided?”

Lord Ravenstock’s eyebrows rose briefly. His face became an expressionless mask as he related the decision of the Council of Five.

“It has been six turns since the death of your father, King Henry. The Council has decided that the Prince Ruler must select a woman to be his Lady Consort or they will be obliged to select a suitable woman on your behalf.”

The Prince snorted. “They have already given me a list of women they deem suitable.”

About the Author:Born in Saskatchewan, Betty has lived in several areas across Canada, from Ottawa to Vancouver Island while growing up. Her fondest memory as a child is of her father building a tent trailer and her mother sewing yards and yards of canvas for the tent. The family travelled across Canada and down the eastern seaboard of the United States for several summer vacations.

Betty worked as a drawing office assistant in Oxford, England, for almost two years before returning to Canada to work as a topographical clerk in Edmonton, Alberta. She pursued a BSc. in Agriculture with a major in Horticulture from the University of Alberta. While raising her children, Betty worked as an Office Manager for a non-profit society and took writing courses at night school and from the Institute of Children's Literature, Connecticut.

The garden has always been a source of inspiration and joy for Betty, as are all the beloved cats and dogs who have walked into her life. Betty believes stories are the foundation of our life. The stories we enjoy, the stories we tell ourselves, our children and others, reflect how we view the world around us. She enjoys writing fantasy for the youth genre because she feels there is still so much of the wonder of life, and the attitude that anything is possible, from this age group.

Greystone is her first novel. She is currently working on the sequel, Greystone: A New Beginning.

Free to read on KU: https://www.amazon.com/Greystone-B-L-Ryan-ebook/dp/B0CQK3HB8R/ref=sr_1_1

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Monday, March 18, 2024

In All Things by Dr. John Neufeld

 



This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotins. The author will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

The issue of control is a central question of life. At work, in family, community clubs and schools, with the economy or international politics, the question is, "Is anyone in charge here?" Dr. John Neufeld demonstrates the Bible teaching of God's providence. We are assured that God's Hand is upon everything and everyone, without exception. Dr. John explores God's sustaining grip through the natural world and human endeavor, in pivotal matters or the seemingly trivial, the things we welcome and those we shun. He teaches the impact of God's sovereign rule upon our hearts, minds, work, worship, homes, and nation. We can live in the confidence that God is unfolding His purpose for time and eternity.

What people are saying about Dr. John Neufeld's teaching:

"This is such an important message for us today. Thank you, Dr. John, for your encouragement to view what is presently concerning us in the world from the perspective of God and His providence. That should take a huge weight off our shoulders!"


Read an Excerpt

Once we embrace God’s Providence, we find that nothing happens by accident. Not only is there no bad luck, there is no luck at all. The universe is not governed by fate or a bad alignment of the stars. Nothing just happens. Instead, all things are arranged by the providential hand of God, for his glory and the long-term good of those he has chosen, including the amount of rain we get and the silt that washes into the watershed. Once we embrace how God wisely arranges all things in our lives, we gain confidence in discovering how to grow in holiness, lean upon His grace and consider the needs of others before our own.

About the Author:Dr. John Neufeld, Bible teacher of Back to the Bible Canada, is well known both nationally and internationally for his excellence in expositional Bible teaching. Dr. Neufeld is passionate about bringing the truth of God's Word to life across Canada and beyond.

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BacktotheBibleCanada
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BTTBCanada
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/BTTBC
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/backtothebible.ca
Website: http://www.backtothebible.ca

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/All-Things-Gods-Providence-ebook/dp/B0CP8J2Y77/ref=sr_1_1

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Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Toothbrush Animal Hunt by Carleen Dehaney



This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Carleen Dehaney will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Embark on a delightful adventure with Toothbrush Animal Hunt, the perfect children's book to encourage daily toothbrushing habits in a playful and enjoyable way.

From a clapping sea lion at the beach to a cheeky squirrel in the forest, children will be fascinated as they learn about toothbrushing through the actions and antics of these charming creatures. And don't forget to spot the toothbrushes hidden throughout the pages, making this hunt, a delightful game of discovery.

Say goodbye to toothbrushing struggles and let the adventure begin!

Enjoy an Excerpt



About the Author: Meet the author, Carleen Dehaney! Carleen is a mother and wife. She hails from the UK but now calls Canada home. This enchanting book draws inspiration from a tenacious 2-year-old in need of some toothbrushing magic. Carleen embarked on a whimsical journey, incorporating playful animal sounds into her daughter's brushing routine, and thus, the idea for this captivating book was conceived. Today, her little one, who has since outgrown her toddler years, recites this tale back to Carleen, forging cherished moments between them.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Toothbrush-Animal-Hunt-Carleen-Dehaney/dp/0228877024/ref=sr_1_1

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Monday, March 11, 2024

Picasso's Lovers by Jeanne Mackin



This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Jeanne Mackin will award a randomly drawn winner a $25 Amazon/BN GC. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.






You know Pablo Picasso. Now meet the women behind the masterpieces. The women of Picasso's life are glamorous and elusive, existing in the shadow of his fame - until, in the 1950's, aspiring journalist Alana Olsen determines to bring one into the light and discovers a past complicated by secrets and intrique.




Read an Excerpt

Gazes from Pablo Picasso are like brushstrokes. Some are long, lingering, full of texture and pigment. Some are short, shallow, even accidental. His gaze on me now falls somewhere between the two.

Once, his gaze would have found enough for an entire painting. He would have seen flesh, and the bone and muscle under the flesh, the question or certainty of the eyes. He would have seen past, present, and future and painted them in a way that made time irrelevant.

Yes, that was how he pained me. Everything and at once, all the angles and geometry of the body, and he made of me something eternal and always beautiful. That is what an artists can do for a woman. When most men looked at me, all I saw in their faces was desire, the urge to possess. When Pablo looked at me, his face filled with wonder waiting to be translated to lines and brushstrokes.

Spring. The second year of the Great War. I wasn’t twenty yet, and had returned from cold, starving Moscow, where a loaf of bread coast as much as a silk dress…Back to Paris for me!

When Pablo first saw me, I was sitting on the rim of the Wallace Fountain in Place Emile, face turned up to the sun like a basking cat, enjoying the fine day and wondering what adventure I might find…It was early summer. I had stolen a bunch of cherries at Les Halles and a roll, but my stomach rattled.

About the Author:
Jeanne Mackin is the author of several historical novels, including The Last Collection, which has been translated into five languages, and The Beautiful American, which won a CNY award for fiction. She has taught in the MFA Creative Writing program at Goddard College and won journalism awards, and is currently at work on her next novel.

Website: http://www.jeannemackin.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JeanneMackinAuthor
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/JeanneMackin1
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/JeanneMackinAuthor

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Picassos-Lovers-Jeanne-Mackin-ebook/dp/B0C3C2J4FH/ref=sr_1_1

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Wednesday, February 28, 2024

Happy Harry by Barbara Lampert



This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The author will award a $30 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

In her dog memoir Happy Harry: A Magical Golden, psychotherapist Barbara Lampert, a lifelong dog lover, tells the story of her beloved Golden Retriever, Harry. Like her first dog memoir, Harry's story comes from her mostly uncensored daily journal and takes place in Malibu, California.

Harry was a genuinely free spirit - wild, and very wolf-like. Did all this contribute to his being exceptionally happy? Perhaps.

Harry was not only the happiest being Barbara's ever known, happy to the very core of him, but also the bravest. More than once in his life, Harry had to face true adversity, and each time, Barbara would look at him in wonder, not fully understanding how a being could be so brave and at the same time continue to be so happy.

Harry literally pranced through life, with a joyous attitude that made being around him like magic. Barbara fell in love with Harry. And as you immerse yourself in Harry's story, it's likely you will too! Happy Harry is unforgettable!


Read an Excerpt

Harry had a girlfriend for a while when he was about four or five years old. Probably for a couple of years. Oh he didn’t see her every day, but for that two year-or-so stretch maybe once or twice a week. …

Roxie, a one-year-old Yellow Lab – the taller, leaner hunting type – was beautiful, energetic, and happy. Just like Harry. Roxie lived a few miles from our house, on the Point in Malibu. …

When Harry knew he was going to see Roxie, he would get so excited. He would pant, start running around, tail up, and on the ride over he would stand or pace in the back seat the whole time. So eager, such joy. And when we got there, he would literally go flying out of the car, with David at the other end of the leash. Tail up, full steam ahead. And Roxie, being just a year old and still quite a playful puppy, would go equally berserk when she saw Harry. They would sniff and kiss each other through the openings in the fence. …

Sometimes they would chase each other or run together, with the fence between them. David would run with them, since he had Harry on the leash. A few times Roxie’s owner came out and opened the gate to let Harry and Roxie be together. More kissing, chasing, tails up, sniffing. Both not believing their good luck. Both always bursting with joy the whole time they were together. Such a sight. …

Barney didn’t get nearly as excited as Harry about Roxie and didn’t interfere in their relationship. This was Harry’s territory. And it appeared Roxie only had eyes for Harry. …

It was always difficult to leave, because the whole time we were there Harry and Roxie were inseparable. Whenever Roxie’s owner would come out, we’d talk and laugh about the two lovebirds. It was wonderful seeing Harry and Roxie so happy. How he loved her…

About the Author:
My passion is dogs! I’ve had dogs most of my life and hope to have at least one by my side always. Dog energy is the best!

I’m the author of two dog memoirs: Happy Harry: A Magical Golden and before that Charlie: A Love Story. Each about one of my Golden Retrievers. (I told you dogs are my passion!)

I’m a psychotherapist, licensed for over thirty years, specializing in relationships.

I was a flight attendant for nine years. And taught sociology at several universities. I have two master’s degrees and a doctorate.

Gardening is another love – not as much as dogs, but right up there! I see my garden as a work of art and garden as much as possible in my free time. I love being in nature.

I live in Malibu, California with my husband David and, you guessed it, our two wonderful Golden Retrievers, Oliver and Henry.

https://www.happyharryamagicalgolden.com/happy-harry-a-magical-golden
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CMTXK538
https://www.facebook.com/barbara.lampert.50/
https://www.facebook.com/barbaralampertauthor
https://www.tiktok.com/@barbara.lampert5
https://www.instagram.com/barbaralampert1/
https://www.pinterest.com/drbarbaralampert/

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Monday, February 26, 2024

Twist of Hate by T.E. Lorenzo



This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The author will award a $15 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

They love to hate each other...

Natalia is content with hating her co-worker, Adrian. The two can hardly stand being in the same room, despite having worked together for several months. When Natalia agrees to a trip out of town with a friend, little does she know that Adrian will be there, too. This is the time to crank up the hate, right?

The trip is not what Natalia thought it would be. Forced to spend time with her enemy, she finds there is more to Adrian than meets the eye. Will Natalia push aside her hatred and see the true Adrian?

With a twist of hate, just maybe...


Read an Excerpt

Last night wasn’t just any dream. It was a dream that left nothing to the imagination. In the dream, she had a room in the Venetian, where they had returned for a long night of intimacy. She already knew how his lips felt pressed against hers and applied that same sensation to the rest of her body.

She had woken at four o’clock in a drenching sweat, despite the house being freezing. The dream had felt too real, and the part that bothered her the most was that she enjoyed it. When she fell back asleep—after an hour—she wanted to return to that dream. Even though she had plenty of doubt that any of it could become a reality.

It’s not like we’re in a relationship, she had told herself as she drove to work this morning. He still has his little girlfriend, and I don’t even know where my life is going to take me. Why does this have to be so complicated? It was much easier to hate him before this got all messy.

About the Author:
TE Lorenzo is the debut author of A Twist of Hate. Having lived through his own enemies-to-lovers story, he believes love can come from the most unexpected of places. When he's not writing, TE is likely chasing his kids around, playing baseball, or relaxing with a good book. He is currently living out his happily-ever-after with his wife and three kids in their hometown of Denver, CO.

AMAZON LINK: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CP2TF94Z
BN: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-twist-of-hate-te-lorenzo/1144416094
KOBO: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/a-twist-of-hate
SW: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1485296?ref=5princepub
GOOGLEPLAY: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/T_E_Lorenzo_A_Twist_of_Hate?id=PbTlEAAAQBAJ

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