Books, Books, the Magical Fruit: January 2022

Friday, January 28, 2022

Zoey the Zebra Meets Lexi the Lion Book Blitz

Children's Fiction

Date Published: July 29, 2021

Will Zoey become lunch?What happens when a Zebra meets a Lion? Does the Zebra run? Does the Lion win? Find out what the future holds when this unusual pair meet for the very first time.This book will help your child realize we are better together... Our differences make us stronger!

About the Author

Jennifer lives every day with all things that sparkle. She is a girl Mom of two angels, Zoey and Lexi, and has been married to her hot firefighter husband, Daniel, since 2007. The Team Daly four-pack resides in the Dallas, Texas area with their hairy, 90 lb. German shepherd, Duke, who thinks he is a lap dog. Jennifer is a master level Certified Life Coach with an MBA, and founder of Cheering On Moms where she utilizes her background to encourage Moms to pursue their dreams. Jennifer knows she must walk the talk, so she stretches herself through pageantry and is the current 2021 Mrs. Diamond Universe, 2021 Mrs. Collin County, and held the title of 2018 Mrs. North Texas. Cheering from middle school through the professional level, Jennifer knows God has called her to keep cheering and specifically encouraging those in their faith! You can find her at CheeringOnMoms.com and @Cheer.Daly everywhere else.

Hailey Nelson is an artist and illustrator. She is the owner of Wild North Illustrated, LLC, an illustration and fine art company. Her illustrations and designs are inspired by nature and focused on providing beautiful artwork to authors, readers, and art lovers around the world. Hailey is a married mother of three boys living in western Wisconsin, where she enjoys spending time outdoors with her family. You can find Hailey at wildnorthillustrated.com. --This text refers to the hardcover edition.

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Snowball the Sherlock Rabbit Release Blitz

Children's Picture Book

Date Published: 02-01-2022

The Sherlock Rabbit, Snowball, is on the. case. He grabbed his Sherlock hat and cape and plans to search for the missing rabbit fur. How dare someone clip his fellow rabbits!

About the Author

Constance Meccarello-Gerson was born in Poughkeepsie N.Y. She is a graduate of Florida Southern College with a BA in Acting. She also attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. HB Studio, Actors Studio, in NYC. She is a member of SAG, Alpha Gamma Delta, Alpha Si Omega. Her MFA in Acting is from Brooklyn College. She has appeared on TV, film, and on stage in NYC. For 20 years she taught as a mentor and teacher of English and Theatre Arts for the New York City Department of Education and for the University at Santa Cruz. She also taught for ten years as a Speech Coordinator at Touro College. She was an executive at Bloomingdales. Her writing as appeared in Musings, also in the Best American Poets series. Currently she lives in NYC with her husband Alain, a parrot named Benji, and lots of fish. She has three books in the Hassle High Mystery series. This is her first Sherlock Rabbit children’s book.

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The Chasm - Cover Reveal

Young Adult Science Fantasy

Release Day: 6/24/22

THE CHASM: Book 2.0 of the Finding Humanity Series

They thought the biggest problem they faced was each other.

After Bleu, Rana, and their new friends narrowly prevent war between the star beings and humans, they hope the upcoming negotiation will secure the peace. Newly emerged from their subterranean haven, the Northern Haven humans are clearly not suited to Earth’s ice age, and require assistance from the enlightened star beings to survive long term on the Surface. But Commander Savas doesn’t trust the suspiciously kind star beings and their unexplainable abilities. When both sides reluctantly negotiate a joint mission to find the other Havens, Bleu must somehow cooperate with the manipulative commander to keep his friends safe.

As their team confronts unexpected dangers, Bleu and his teammates begin to suspect the star beings don’t know as much about the Surface as they claimed, while Rana is torn between remaining true to her nonviolent ways or becoming more human to survive. When an unnatural predator attacks, even the nearly all-knowing Kalakanya can’t explain it. Now the team must pull together or their new discovery will pull them apart, limb by limb.

About the Author

As a young girl, Branwen wanted to become an ambassador for aliens. Since the aliens never hired her, she now writes about them.

Branwen OShea has a Bachelors in Biology from Colgate University, a Bachelors in Psychology, and a Masters in Social Work. She lives in Connecticut with her family and a menagerie of pets, and enjoys hiking, meditating, and star-gazing. Her previously published works include:

The Calling: Book 1.0 of the Finding Humanity Series

The Cords That Bind: Book 1.1 of the Finding Humanity Series (novella)

Silence of the Song Trees (novella)

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Saturday, January 8, 2022

Blitz - 7 Benefits of FIA’s for Retirement

Retirement is a Rollercoaster, Are You Prepared to Enjoy the Ride?

Nonfiction

Date Published: September 2, 2021

Publisher: Mindstir Media

Imagine you are on a rollercoaster. The slight nervousness when you are in line waiting to board. The feeling of anticipation as you "clank, clank, clank" your way up to the top of the first peak, and then the rush of adrenaline as you accelerate through a feeling of freefall down the rails, followed by a jarring hard left turn followed by a jarring hard right turn. All this to stimulate your sense of danger and to create a true "thrill ride." The enjoyment of a rollercoaster can only be achieved when you know and trust that you are safe throughout the entire experience. If there was ever any doubt that you were safe, you wouldn't even think about riding.

Retirement for many Americans can be like a rollercoaster. We experience the ups and the downs, the jarring turns, and the panic-inducing plummets. However, we have no guarantees and no trust that we are going to be taken care of, so it creates fear and not enjoyment. Is that how we want our retirement to go? Does this sound like a "fun ride"?

Fortunately, you have a choice how you want to experience retirement. For most of us, we don't want it to feel like a rollercoaster, and for good reason! For those who want to feel some of the ups and not the downs, there is a solution, and that solution is a Fixed Indexed Annuity.

7 Benefits of FIAs for Retirement is a holistic and easy to understand retirement readiness book. It is written to benefit both consumers and professionals. This start to finish retirement education is concise and effective and is a must read for every American.

About the Author

Investor Advisor Representative (CRD #7201706) CEP, RICP, WMCP & National Social Security Advisor Certificate Holder, Sean A. Ruggiero's focus is on helping consumers, agents and agencies with holistic retirement readiness through the use of evolving FIAs, education, training and software. Sean's expertise includes retirement income planning, wealth management, SaaS, insurance, credit, automotive, mortgage and finance verticals. Voted by Life Health Pro as one of "Top 20 Most Creative People in Insurance" for 2015. DIA award winner in 2016 Barcelona. Listed Top 100 InsurTech Startups by Digital Insurance Agenda 2016-2018. Marketing consultant for two of the top 60 insurance companies in the United States. Founder of SafeMoneySmart.org, a non-profit dedicated to the awareness of alternatives to the stock market in retirement. Author of "7 Benefits of FIAs for Retirement".

Purchase Link

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Friday, January 7, 2022

Blitz - A Golden Thread

Fiction

Publication Date: August 2, 2021

Publisher: MindStir Media

A Golden Thread is a human odyssey of redemption, discovery, and revelation. From the beginning, the protagonist, Jonathan, near to rock bottom in his life. He is estranged from his wife and son. He will do anything to reunite his family. As he struggles to cope with his shame and regret, an inexplicable phenomenon has him in its grip; he is slipping back in time at increasing intervals. Along with this experience, there are the vivid nightmares that bring him back to relive recent past lives. Just when it seems there is no way for this situation to get more extraordinary, Jonathan learns the phenomenon is connected to even bigger things than he could have ever imagined, and he, having no memory of his part, is a key part of an epic struggle between two forces that in the end will determine the fate of humanity.

About the Author

Richard Norton grew up in Portland, Maine. He has spent 28 years in social work providing supports to individuals with Intellectual Disabilities. Richard is an artist, musician, and writer. He currently lives in Windham with his wife and son.

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Thursday, January 6, 2022

Release Blitz - Shut Up and Kiss Me by Kat Baxter

Title: Shut Up and Kiss Me

A Best Friend's Brother/Curvy Girl Romance

A Midnight Kisses Series Standalone

Author: Kat Baxter

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: January 6, 2022

BLURB

This soccer star has one night to win it all…or risk losing everything.

Ben Prescott

By most people’s standards, I’ve got it pretty good. I have a lucrative job playing my favorite game in the world: soccer. I get to live in my favorite city: Austin, Texas. I basically have it all. Except the woman I love. Why, you ask? Because she's my baby sister's best friend.

But when Stella and I both end up at my family’s lakeside cabin for New Year’s Eve, some secrets just can’t be kept forever. Especially when she shares some of her own. I won’t allow this curvy goddess to believe she’s undesirable when I all I ever want to do is pull her close.

One kiss turns into a heated night, but when my sister discovers us tangled in the sheets the following morning, I’ll have to prove that some promises are worth breaking.

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99c for a limited time!

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

Free in Kindle Unlimited

AUTHOR BIO

Kat Baxter writes fast-paced, sweet & STEAMY romantic comedies. Readers have dubbed her books “laugh-out-loud funny,” “hot enough to melt your kindle,” and “The Queen of Adorkable.” She lives in Texas with her family and a menagerie of animals. Kat is the pseudonym for a bestselling historical romance author.

Connect with Kat online.

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Cover Reveal - Quiet Power by J.L. Drake

Title: Quiet Power

Series: Quiet Mafia #3

Author: J.L. Drake

Genre: Mafia Romance

Cover Design: Deranged Doctor Designs

Release Date: March 24, 2022

BLURB

The time has come to take back the power and let the kingdom fall.

Sienna

It’s time to make my move. With solid proof on my finger, I leave my love and enter the gates of the enemy.

Ugo is by my side as we fall into their world and quickly discover the cracks in the Coppola family’s foundation.

I’m confident I’m protected by my father’s name, and though I’m welcomed by the some, I’m watched by the others.

I played my part well—maybe too well, because I think I just changed the future for us all.

Elio

Her mother’s lies blew up my entire world. How could the woman I love have the blood of a monster?

With all eyes intently on me, I turn my back on what is revealed and sink further into what I need to do.

I seek the cover of smoke and mirrors and force back the shadows that want to take me down.

But with any good play there comes a blind spot, and this blind spot might just come with an unexpected body count.

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EXCERPT

Sienna

Ugo gripped the top of my arm as I swayed in fear in front of a sign that read Dager’s Den.

“Why here?” I couldn’t look at him.

“Because,” I heard him rub his face, annoyed with my questions, “she’s like clockwork. She’d never miss a day to flaunt her power to the other men.”

Sweet Lord.

“I think I might faint.”

He cut me a quick glance then shook his head and cursed.

My entire body froze with fear, and my eyes went wide at the sound of the handle being pulled. The door opened to reveal a woman with eyes as black as coal in a face with skin so white it almost glowed. Her dark hair was pulled tightly back into a bun, and a pair of glasses hung from the collar of her blue blouse. Her perfectly ironed gray slacks stopped at her ankles just above her small-heeled boots. Both hands rested on a glass ball that sat on the top of her black cane. I felt like I had been transported directly into a nasty scene from a Disney movie.

“Ugo.” She only spoke his name then closed her eyes slowly, and when they opened again, they were on me. I stepped back, but Ugo pressed me forward, rooting me back in place. She was like a cobra only inches from my face. It made me want to run and scream at the same time, but my brain seemed to have shorted out at the simultaneous commands.

So, I just stared.

“Nonna Michele,” Ugo addressed her, and I felt him look down at me, “I want you to meet someone.”

A cold chill passed through my body, and I became lightheaded as my heartbeat pulsed in my ears. “This is Theo’s Alessia, your granddaughter.”

She lifted her eyes to stare at him for a brief moment then turned those black pools back to me. Her colorless lips pressed into a hard line as she tried to see inside my soul.

“Prove it.”

I stood frozen, completely unable to respond. She had awakened such a deep fear inside of me I was completely at her mercy.

Ugo reached for my hand and held it up to show her the ring.

She grabbed my hand between her icy fingers and held it close to her face. She closed one eye and twisted the band around and gave a low gasp.

“Impossible.”

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AUTHOR BIO

Author J.L. Drake was born and raised in Nova Scotia, Canada, later moving to Southern California where she lives with her husband and two children.

When she's not writing she loves to spend time with her family, traveling or just enjoying a night at home. One thing you might notice in her books is her love for the four seasons. Growing up on the east coast of Canada the change in the seasons is in her blood and is often mentioned in her writing.

Her books can be found in different languages around the world.

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Blitz - The Scandalous Vixen

The Duchess Society Series, Book Two

Historical Romance, Regency Romance, Steamy Romance

Date Published: January 6, 2022

Publisher: WOLF Publishing

In this enemies-to-lovers Regency romance by award-winning author Tracy Sumner, a bold lady and a ruthless duke realize they need to agree to an ardent alliance to get what they want.

He knew at first sight.

She knew at first kiss.

Helena Astley, Lady Hell to the ton, has plans. To control her father’s shipping business, to live her way, by her rules. Her plan is going remarkably well until one ill-advised kiss invites the duke she doesn’t want but cannot resist into her life.

Hardnosed Roan Darlington, Duke of Leighton, cares little for society or finding a duchess. The only person ever to challenge him is the incorrigible, infuriating Helena Astley. The one woman he’s never been able to forget. When they’re caught in a ruinous situation, Roan offers her an alternative. A sham engagement she can break off after Christmas.

As they discover a world of forbidden pleasure, Helena must decide if she can relinquish a heart she vowed to withhold from the only man powerful enough to seize it.

And Roan must decide if falling madly, passionately in love is worth the risk.

Other Books in The Duchess Society Series:

The Ice Duchess

Prequel to the Duchess Society Series

Release Date: July 22, 2021

A scandalous countess plays matchmaker…for a man she once longed to take for herself.

Georgiana Whitcomb, Countess Winterbourne, is known as the Ice Countess for her rebellious ways and refusal to marry again. But a scandalous Christmas wager fashioned by Georgiana’s childhood obsession changes everything.

The demanding duke needs a bride…

Dexter Munro, mere days from becoming the Duke of Markham, made a promise to his dying father to find a wife by the Twelfth Night. Except the only woman he’s ever desired has vowed never to marry again. Not even to become his duchess.

Georgiana and Dex share a sizzling attraction and a wicked past…but is their scorching passion enough to melt the Ice Countess’ heart?

If you adore sexy Dukes, feisty Duchesses, and a steamy second-chance romance set in the magnificent Regency era, The Ice Duchess is the romance novel for you!

The Brazen Bluestocking

The Duchess Society Series, Book One

Release Date: September 30, 2021

Publisher: WOLF Publishing

In this Regency romance by award-winning author Tracy Sumner, a willful bluestocking matches wits with a devilish scoundrel she never expected to desire with every beat of her heart.

A defiant society outcast.

A forbidding rogue who doesn’t believe in love.

And a passionate wager.

Daughter of an earl, Lady Hildegard Templeton hasn’t conformed to what society expects from a woman of her station. Industrious and unique, she’s created an emboldened organization for women on the cusp of marriage, The Duchess Society. Called a bluestocking to her face and worse behind closed salon doors, she vows to marry for love. And nothing but. Although the emotion has never shown itself to her. Until she meets him.

Bastard son of a viscount and king of London’s sordid streets, Tobias Streeter has spent a lifetime building his empire, and he needs the Duchess Society to find a suitable wife. An asset to expand his worth in society’s eyes. But he vows his search will have nothing to do with love and everything to do with vengeance. Until he meets her.

Soon, Tobias and Hildy’s plans are in turmoil as they choose between expectation, passion, and love.

The Wicked Wall Flower

The Duchess Society Series, Book Three

Publisher: WOLF Publishing

Coming Soon

Amazon

About the Author

Award-winning author Tracy Sumner’s storytelling career began when she picked up a historical romance on a college beach trip, and she fondly blames LaVyrle Spencer for her obsession with the genre. She’s a recipient of the National Reader’s Choice, and her novels have been translated into Dutch, German, Portuguese and Spanish. She lived in New York, Paris and Taipei before finding her way back to the Lowcountry of South Carolina.

When not writing sizzling love stories about feisty heroines and their temperamental-but-entirely-lovable heroes, Tracy enjoys reading, snowboarding, college football (Go Tigers!), yoga, and travel. She loves to hear from romance readers!

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Monday, January 3, 2022

Blitz - The Mystery of Frankenstein's Bride

Paranormal, Horror

Date Published: December 20, 2020

When love takes a turn, what are you willing to do to keep it?

Terra's love life is a monster so she sets out to see her old flame Nathaniel Johnston. But when she finds he is no longer living either, eternity is theirs. Bringing him back will get her a husband because of her passionate feelings for him.

Johnston is her new life, but when they are on their honeymoon in Germany things take a bad turn. The castle they stay in creates too much distance between the two.

Can she get closer to him before it's too late?

About the Author

Martha has studied writing with Writer's Digest and has an Associate’s degree in Social Services. She has also written poems and songs and even studied screen writing and horror. She still writes and likes getting writing prompts. Her favorite author is VC Andrews.

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Blitz: Bishop's War

Bishop Series, Book 1

Thriller, Action-Thriller, Military-Thriller, Crime Thriller

This fast-paced and action-packed suspense thriller introduces us to Special Forces Sergeant John Bishop, decorated war hero, and nephew of crime boss, Gonzalo Valdez.

After returning home from Afghanistan John’s hopes for a peaceful future are quickly shattered when he is catapulted back into the global war on terror through a succession of life-threatening events and corrupt intrigue. He battles against terrorist operatives in New York, a powerful Afghan warlord, and a psychopathic billionaire with powerful White House connections. When John’s uncle gets involved, he proceeds to treat John’s enemies to a bitter taste of mob vengeance. From that point on the ride speeds up and the reader will have to hold on for dear life. This is a thriller not to be matched for intensity and breathless excitement—not for the faint-hearted.

Other Books in the Bishop Series:

Bishop's Law

Bishop Series, Book 2

In his debut novel, Bishop’s War, author Rafael Amadeus Hines delivered a knock-out punch! The international bestselling action-thriller introduced us to former US Special Forces Sgt. John Bishop, his Spec Ops team, and John’s crime boss uncle, Gonzalo Valdez, as they united to take on terrorists, contract killers, a psychotic billionaire, and Afghan warlords. In the eagerly anticipated sequel, Bishop’s Law, the nonstop action continues with Bishop and his team battling against ISIS terror cells, a family of Pakistani assassins, and the Russian mob. Hang on for an action-packed and suspense-filled thrill ride! Once again—not for the faint-hearted.

Amazon

About the Author

Rafael Amadeus Hines is a native New Yorker with Panamanian, Jamaican, and Irish roots, who was born and raised on Manhattan's Lower East Side. Dipping into his early Alphabet City memories, he loosely based many of the characters in his first novel, Bishop's War, on the gangsters, cops, and combat veterans he grew up with, and adapted many of his own experiences into the book as well.

Rafael is a former Jazz club owner and restaurateur, and has worked in the financial and energy markets for over twenty years. On 9/11 he watched his office along with all the others in the Twin Towers come crashing down and, like many New Yorkers on that day, he anticipated follow up attacks to take place throughout the city. Years later he envisioned a lone citizen soldier preventing these attacks and the hero Sgt. John Bishop appeared on paper.

Rafael is the father of three and still lives in the New York neighborhood where he grew up. A voracious reader of suspense thrillers, his writing career was inspired by legendary artist-authors Elmore Leonard, Vince Flynn, John Sandford, Stephen Hunter, Walter Mosley, James Lee Burke, and Tom Clancy. He is currently working on the third novel in the Bishop series.

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