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Cover Reveal: Under the Cloud – B.R. Erlank

They call themselves The Settlement Bureau. A faceless, soulless organization coercing Americans with threats to expose their improprieties and vulnerabilities. Inhumanely persistent, they’ve secretly driven hundreds of victims into bankruptcy, despair – and several even to suicide.

But when this organization tries to blackmail IT expert Terry Reynolds, they make a serious mistake. Terry is down on his luck. He is penniless, divorced and in a dead-end job. Yet, the abuse of his personal information stirs Terry out of his lethargy and he fights back. He embarks on a digital game of cat-and-mouse with the cold, calculating minds behind The Settlement Bureau – and in doing so, uncovers a sprawling criminal conspiracy.

Under The Cloud is a chillingly plausible new thriller by B.R. Erlank. With a plot ripped straight from the headlines, readers warn this book delivers a “roller coaster ride right up to the final pages.”

Pre-order Publication Date – 15th September 2022

Boris Erlank grew up in Southern Africa and Namibia. He has lived and worked in places as diverse as Luanda, Cape Town, Singapore and San Francisco. Boris recently gave up his job as Global Privacy Manager with a Fortune 100 company to focus on writing full-time. 

He has an extensive background in IT, data privacy and cybersecurity, and has drawn on that experience to craft his latest novel, “Under the Cloud”. 

Boris lives with his family and two dogs in the foothills of Mount Diablo, east of San Francisco. In his spare time, he likes to cycle, hike, sing in a choir, and listen to audiobooks.

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Blog Tour: Julia Prima – Alison Morton

“You should have trusted me. You should have given me a choice.”

AD 370, Roman frontier province of Noricum. Neither wholly married nor wholly divorced, Julia Bacausa is trapped in the power struggle between the Christian church and her pagan ruler father. 

Tribune Lucius Apulius’s career is blighted by his determination to stay faithful to the Roman gods in a Christian empire. Stripped of his command in Britannia, he’s demoted to the backwater of Noricum – and encounters Julia.

Unwittingly, he takes her for a whore. When confronted by who she is, he is overcome with remorse and fear. Despite this disaster, Julia and Lucius are drawn to one another by an irresistible attraction.

But their intensifying bond is broken when Lucius is banished to Rome. Distraught, Julia gambles everything to join him. Following her heart’s desire brings danger she could never have envisaged…

Buying links for JULIA PRIMA: Ebook (multiple retailers) Paperback

Alison Morton writes award-winning thrillers featuring tough but compassionate heroines. Her nine-book Roma Nova series is set in an imaginary European country where a remnant of the ancient Roman Empire has survived into the 21st century and is ruled by women who face conspiracy, revolution and heartache but with a sharp line in dialogue. 

She blends her fascination for Ancient Rome with six years’ military service and a life of reading crime, historical and thriller fiction. On the way, she collected a BA in modern languages and an MA in history.  

Alison now lives in Poitou in France, the home of Mélisende, the heroine of her two contemporary thrillers, Double Identity and Double Pursuit. Oh, and she’s writing the next Roma Nova story.

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My thoughts: this was a really enjoyable, well written love story with a determined and intelligent protagonist in Julia – a princess from Noricum (now Austria and Northern Slovenia). She’s fallen in love with the son of a Roman senator and will stop at nothing to be reunited with him.

Accompanied by her body servant Asella and a centurion turned artist Aegius as their guide, she travels cross country, evading her father’s men and bandits, risking it all on reaching Rome. There’s another menace dogging her heels, one she’s not even aware of, that might prove truly dangerous.

I liked Julia, she was bright and engaged, her stubborn attitude keeps her going even when things get tough. I also liked Aegius and Asella – they were a great double act, keeping Julia from her more excessive ideas and guiding her in her decisions and journey.

I’ve read a couple of the later books in the series which feature Julia’s descendants so it was good to go back to where it all started with the first of the family.

*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.

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Blog Tour: Wasteland – Terry Tyler

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Author Terry Tyler has put her books on sale for all of her favourite readers, YOU! Wasteland, the sequel Megacity and even the prequel Hope are all on sale for $0.99/ 99p this week! 

123 cover Wasteland

Wasteland

Publication Date: April 22, 2020

Genre: Dystopian/ Psychological Thriller

“Those who escape ‘the system’ are left to survive outside society. The fortunate find places in off-grid communities; the others disappear into the wasteland.”

The year: 2061. In the new UK megacities, the government watches every move you make. Speech is no longer free—an ‘offensive’ word reaching the wrong ear means a social demerit and a hefty fine. One too many demerits? Job loss and eviction, with free transport to your nearest community for the homeless: the Hope Villages.

Rae Farrer is the ultimate megacity girl – tech-loving, hard-working, law-abiding and content – until a shocking discovery about her birth forces her to question every aspect of life in UK Megacity 12.

On the other side of the supposedly safe megacity walls, a few wastelanders suspect that their freedom cannot last forever…

Wasteland is the stand-alone sequel to ‘Hope’, the second book in the Operation Galton series, and Terry Tyler’s twenty-first publication. A third book, Megacity, is also now available.

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Available on Amazon US and Amazon UK

About the Author

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Terry Tyler is the author of twenty-four books available from Amazon, the latest being ‘Where There’s Doubt’, about a romance scammer. She is currently at work on a post apocalyptic series, which will probably take the form of three novellas. Proud to be independently published, Terry is an avid reader and book reviewer, and a member of Rosie Amber’s Book Review Team.

Aside from writing and reading, Terry loves The Walking Dead, South Park, abandoned and lonely places, history, the sea, and going for long walks where there are lots of trees. She lives in the north east of England with her husband.

Terry Tyler | Twitter | Goodreads | BookBub 

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Blog Tour: The Devil’s Chew Toy – Rob Osler

Perfect for fans of T.J. Klune, Becky Albertalli, and David Levithan, this hilarious, big-hearted LGBTQ+ mystery follows an unlucky in love—and life—gay relationship blogger who teams up with a take-charge lesbian and a fiesty bull terrier to find a missing go-go boy and bring down an international crime ring.

When Hayden McCall’s new crush suddenly disappears, the twenty-something gay ginger relationship blogger and middle-school teacher teams up with a take charge butch lesbian, a gentle giant, and a feisty bull terrier to find the missing guy. 

Driven by a belief that the police won’t take the crime seriously, the improbable crime fighters prove that friendship — fueled by a lot of caffeine — has the power to bring down a diabolic international crime ring.

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Prior to Devil’s Chew Toy, Rob Osler’s short story, Analogue, which was published in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, won the Mystery Writers of America Robert L Fish Award as part of the 2022 Annual Edgar Awards. Rob lives in California with his long-time partner and a tall gray cat. 

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Interview:

On writing:

How did you do research for your book?

As DEVIL’S CHEW TOY is a contemporary novel set in a city I’m extremely familiar with, there was not a heavy research task. Also, because the two main characters are VERY amateur sleuths, I could avoid needing to get a lot of police procedure right—though there is some police interaction. That said, it’s amazing how many little questions arise in every chapter that require a pause and some desk research. 

Which was the hardest character to write? The easiest?

The hardest character to write was Hollister—not that she was too challenging. I strove to be respectful of Hollister’s identity as a Black lesbian in America without going so deeply into her character that hers became a story that wasn’t mine to tell. 

The easiest character to write was Hayden McCall. Why? Because there’s a whole lot of me in him. We are both naturally shy and smaller of stature (though he’s shorter and slighter). I took Hayden on the type of adventure—with a bolder, stronger, and more courageous friend—that I would love to go on.

There are many cozy mysteries out there….What makes yours different?

My story features two extremely amateur sleuths, one mild-mannered gay ginger and one butch lesbian. I’ve heard from some reviewers and readers that while pairing a gay and a lesbian as the main protagonists is not unprecedented it is uncommon. Also, I intentionally wrote a story in which the queer characters are neither the villains nor the tragic victims. 

What advice would you give budding writers?

Understand that whatever amount of patience you have will be depleted and then some. Publishing moves in increments of months. It takes a long time—and a lot of collaborators—to bring a book to market.

Your book is set in Seattle. Have you ever been there?

I set the book in Seattle because it’s my “Spirit City.” I lived there for nearly twenty years and loved it. Given as much time as it takes to write a book, I wanted to return to Seattle and its neighborhoods and hills and waterways during the long writing process.

Do you have another profession besides writing?

I have been a marketing and branding strategist for many decades, both at agency/consultancies and at technology corporations. I think the general mind set of prioritizing activities that matter most has helped me with all aspects of writing and the navigating the publishing process.

How long have you been writing?

I actually started my professional career as advertising copywriter writing television commercials for Kellogg’s and Tropicana and Procter & Gamble. Fiction writing also uses words to communicate but that’s about the only commonality I’ve found! It’s the difference between landing one memorable message versus telling a compelling, captivating story over three hundred-plus pages. Trust me, a novel is way harder.

Do you ever get writer’s block? What helps you overcome it?

You know, I really never do. But then I’m not much of a procrastinator either—not that they’re the same thing. My biggest challenge is going off on a tangent with a character or a scene that needlessly complicates the story and “writes me into a corner.” I do a lot revisions.

What is your next project?

I have recently sold my second short story to Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine. It features a fifty-something cross-dressing whacky amateur sleuth named Perry Winkle who solves a murder at his Palm Springs condo community.

What genre do you write and why?

I write traditional mysteries because that has been the genre I have always most loved to read. And I feature LGBTQ+ main characters because I am gay and we need more books—of all genres—that represent the great and glorious rainbow of humanity. 

What is the last great book you’ve read?

Two spring to mind. The first: THE SAVAGE KIND by John Copenhaver, who also happens to be a very nice human being. This novel—no surprise—won the Lambda Literary Award for best mystery this year. The second: DEAD LETTERS FROM PARADISE by Ann McMan is sheer delight. Both books are truly terrific.

What is a favorite compliment you have received on your writing?

“I can’t wait to read the next one!”

How are you similar to or different from your lead character?

Both Hayden and I are gay, mild-mannered, quiet, but good for an occasionally humorous one-liner. We both play tennis and enjoy big personalities. As Hayden says, “we balance each other out.”

If your book were made into a movie, who would star in the leading roles?

The characters are so distinct in my head, I can’t picture a known movie star playing either Hayden, Hollister or Burley. However, I can see Della Rupert, the oddball proprietress of Barkingham Palace, played superbly by Melissa McCarthy.

If your book were made into a movie, what songs would be on the soundtrack?

Stanley Kellogg’s “Falling Hard,” of course! This song, which was made up along with the new country star himself, reoccurs throughout the story. Fun fact! After the book was published, a good friend, Ben Davis, and I completed the lyrics and Ben wrote the music and produced the track. It’s on my website. Check it out!

What were the biggest rewards with writing your book?

Hearing from readers that they enjoyed it. 

In one sentence, what was the road to publishing like?

Long.

What is one piece of advice you would give to an aspiring author?

Every time you are certain you’re done working on a book, know that you aren’t.

Which authors inspired you to write?

Agatha Christie and Armistead Maupin.

What is something you had to cut from your book that you wish you could have kept?

There’s a line that 91-year-old Jerry delivers in reply to Hayden’s question: “How did you get to be so wise old man?” Over the whistle of the kettle, Jerry replies, “I managed to live a long damn time.”  That “damn” was an Eff-bomb until the final edit. It was the only strong swear word in the book. By removing it the book avoided an R rating, if you will. But I still love the idea of Jerry saying the line with more gusto!

On rituals:

Do you snack while writing? Favorite snack?

No snacking. But I do try to drink plenty of water.

Where do you write?

I have a home office. I’ve never been able to do the coffee shop thing. I am too easily distracted.

Do you write every day?

Not every day. But I do write most days. 

What is your writing schedule?

I usually write in two- to three-hour spurts. In a mystery, context and pacing is so important I am not skilled enough to dipping in and out.

Is there a specific ritualistic thing you do during your writing time?

Nope. I just plop my butt down and starting tap, tap, tapping. I will say I find it very difficult to stop writing before I finish a chapter, even in the roughest draft form.

In today’s tech savvy world, most writers use a computer or laptop. Have you ever written parts of your book on paper?

No. But I do use notebook paper to scribble plot ideas before I write.

Fun stuff:

If you could go back in time, where would you go?

The seventies. The music was awesome. Though I’m still wary of bell bottom pants.

Favorite travel spot?

Switzerland.

Favorite dessert?

Raspberry rhubarb pie

If you were stuck on a deserted island, which 3 books would you want with you? 

The Mouse and the Motorcycle

Tales of the City

All the Light We Cannot See

What’s the most courageous thing you’ve ever done?

I set off for Alaska to work on fish processing barge after my sophomore year at college. If fish were running, the shift was 16 hours, every day until all the fish were processed. I still don’t know why I did it, but I returned two more summers. 

Any hobbies? or Name a quirky thing you like to do.

I have been life-long tennis player and watcher. I can usually name the top twenty men players—and often in order!

If there is one thing you want readers to remember about you, what would it be?

Rob Osler writes traditional mysteries featuring LGBTQ+ main characters. 

What is something you’ve learned about yourself during the pandemic?

We are social creatures who need human interaction.

What TV series are you currently binge watching?

Inventing Anna by Shonda Rhimes on Netflix.

What is your theme song?

“Sultans of Swing” by Dire Straits. 

What song is currently playing on a loop in your head?

“The Seaside” by The Lazy Eyes

What is something that made you laugh recently?

Jinx Monsoon’s roast performance on RuPaul’s Drag Race. Hi-lar-ious.

What is your go-to breakfast item?

Toast and yogurt with berries.

What is the oldest item of clothing you own?

I have a green argyle sweater I bought in Seattle thrift store about forty years ago.

Tell us about your longest friendship.

Twin girls, Kelly and Shelly. I grew up with them. We went to elementary, middle school, high school and then to the same out-of-state college! Just a few months back, I did a book event at the wonderful Boise bookshop Rediscovered Books. Guess who was in the front row?

Who was your childhood celebrity crush?

Willy Ames who played the role of Tommy on Eight is Enough.


My thoughts: this is a very funny book. I loved Hayden and Hollister, the world’s most ridiculous PIs, in their very recognisable car, hunting for their missing friend, ably assisted by the excellent Burley (who bakes, this book made me hungry!)

The characters are great fun, the plot completely bonkers at times and there’s an adorable dog in the mix too. It reminded me of How I Paid For College by Marc Acito (one of my favourite books) and several other highly entertaining capers I’ve read. I really want more of Hayden and Hollister solving crimes and getting in way too deep with things that are maybe best left to actual law enforcement.

*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.

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Blog Tour: Broken Screams – Sally Rigby

Scream all you want, no one can hear you….

When an attempted murder is linked to a string of unsolved sexual attacks, Detective Chief Inspector Whitney Walker is incensed. All those women who still have sleepless nights because the man who terrorises their dreams is still on the loose.

Calling on forensic psychologist Dr Georgina Cavendish to help, they follow the clues and are alarmed to discover the victims all had one thing in common. Their birthdays were on the 29th February. The same date as a female officer on Whitney’s team.

As the clock ticks down and they’re no nearer to finding the truth, can they stop the villain before he makes sure his next victim will never scream again.

Broken Screams is the twelfth book in the acclaimed Cavendish & Walker series and is perfect for fans of Angela Marsons, Helen H Durrant and Rachel McClean. 

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Sally Rigby was born in Northampton, in the UK. She has always had the travel bug, and after living in both Manchester and London, eventually moved overseas. From 2001 she has lived with her family in New Zealand (apart from five years in Australia), which she considers to be the most beautiful place in the world.

After writing young adult fiction for many years, under a pen name, Sally decided to move into crime fiction. Her Cavendish & Walker series brings together two headstrong, and very different, women – DCI Whitney Walker, and forensic psychologist Dr Georgina Cavendish. Sally has a background in education, and has always loved crime fiction books, films and TV programmes. She has a particular fascination with the psychology of serial killers.

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My thoughts: Walker and Cavendish are back. This is easily one of my favourite series around and it’s all because of the excellent writing, the great characterisation and the way the crimes are handled, sensitively but not squeamishly.

A series of horrific rapes and an attempted murder come to Walker’s attention and her team uncover a strange connection between the victims – they’re all leap year babies – born on the 29th February. And then a woman is murdered – another leap year birthday. Is this the thing that the killer targets? And if so how does he know so much about his victims, stalking them till he gets them alone.

There’s a few false starts in finding the suspect – including one man who appears to have been set up, or is he the killer? Some forensic evidence points his way, but more points elsewhere. Would a sting operation help them or simply put an officer in danger?

Elsewhere Cavendish’s personal life takes centre stage and Walker has to make an important decision about her relationship with Martin. Lots to consider.

Another enjoyable case in Lenchester – a thankfully fictional town as I think the body count would put me off!

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*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.

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Blog Tour: The Commoner’s Destiny – Fred Yu

Commoner'sDestiny copy

We are so thrilled to share the exciting follow-up to Fred Yu’s sword-slashing fantasy, The Orchid Farmer’s Sacrifice! Read on to learn more about The Commoner’s Destiny!

The Commoner's Destiny - eBook

The Commoner’s Destiny (The Red Crest Series #2)

Genre: Epic Fantasy/ Historical Fantasy/ Asian Fantasy

Publication Date: May 5th, 2022

His past is dark. His intentions are cloudy. When lies pull him out of hiding, can he fight off imminent destruction?

Ancient China. For Chen Han, honor sits above all. So when his name is unjustly slandered and his former brothers-in-arms rise against him, he doesn’t hesitate to counter the falsehoods. But his heart burns for vengeance after he learns his beloved father figure has been murdered by a hidden villain…

Joining forces with a beautiful archer, Han treks to a dangerous island only to spring a deadly trap. And as he discovers a plot that could drive the entire Middle Kingdom into civil war, he must become the very traitor he swore to destroy in order to save his people from slaughter.

Will he submit to disgrace to stop countless deaths?

The Commoner’s Destiny is the astonishing second book in The Red Crest Asian historical fantasy series. If you like emotionally wrought heroes, heart-pounding twists, and epic battles, then you’ll love Fred Yu’s sword-slashing story.

Available on Amazon

The Orchid Farmer's Sacrifice - eBook (2)

The Orchid Farmer’s Sacrifice (The Red Crest Series #1)

Publication Date: October 5th, 2021

Genre: Asian Fantasy/ Epic Fantasy

He was born of prophecy. If he can’t embrace his destiny in time, his country is doomed.

Ancient China. Spoiled and overconfident, eighteen-year-old Mu Feng relishes life as the son of an honored general. But when his sister is abducted and his friends slaughtered, he flees home. He soon discovers the mystical birthmark on his body has attracted an enormous price on his head.

Pursued across the Middle Kingdom, Feng finds allies in two fierce warriors and a beautiful assassin. When he learns his ultimate enemy plans an incursion with advanced weaponry, he must call on his friends and his own budding military genius to defend his country. His plan is desperate, and the enemy outnumbers him twenty-five to one…

Can Feng fulfill a duty he didn’t know he had and unite the empire against a terrifying force?

Available on Amazon

About the Author

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As a lifelong student of martial arts, and growing up watching martial arts flicks in the 80s and 90s, Yu decided early on that he would write in this genre. Inspired by George RR Martin’s work, he decided he would write a series in English in this centuries-old Asian genre. Yu has written three previous novels, The Legend of Snow WolfHaute Tea Cuisine and Yin Yang Blades. Yu has a BFA Film and Television from NYU Tisch School of Arts. He was born in Guangzhou, China, but presently lives in New York City.

Fred Yu

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Blog Tour: The Lighthouse Bookshop – Sharon Gosling

At the heart of a tiny community in a remote village just inland from the Aberdeenshire coast stands an unexpected lighthouse. Built two centuries ago by an eccentric landowner, it has become home to the only bookshop for miles around.
 
Rachel is an incomer to the village. She arrived five years ago and found a place she could call home. So when the owner of the Lighthouse Bookshop dies suddenly, she steps in to take care of the place, trying to help it survive the next stage of its life.
 
But when she discovers a secret in the lighthouse, long kept hidden, she realises there is more to the history of the place than she could ever imagine. Can she uncover the truth about the lighthouse’s first owner? And can she protect the secret history of the place?

My thoughts: this was a lovely book, with a mystery at its heart in the shape of the lighthouse’s secrets and past but it was also about the people in the village who loved the bookshop and wanted to preserve it rather than see it destroyed by selfish property developer Dora McCreedy (or McGreedy as I renamed her in my head).

Rachel and Gilly both find a safe haven in the bookshop and in the village. There’s romance in the air too. It’s such a sweet, gentle story, something I really needed and the lighthouse’s past was also lovely and a little sad. Perfect for a cosy evening reading.

*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.

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Blog Tour: The First Binding – R.R. Virdi

All legends are born of truths. And just as much lies. These are mine. Judge me for what you will. But you will hear my story first.

I buried the village of Ampur under a mountain of ice and snow. Then I killed their god. I’ve stolen old magics and been cursed for it. I started a war with those that walked before mankind and lost the princess I loved, and wanted to save. I’ve called lightning and bound fire. I am legend. And I am a monster.

My name is Ari.

And this is the story of how I let loose the first evil.

My thoughts: I get the comparisons to The Name of the Wind, I do, but this is a different beast. And it is a beast – my workout routine is essentially just reading big books and trying not to drop them on my face (reading in bed is an occupational hazard).

Influenced by the author’s cultural background, and with echoes of lots of stories that have come before – which makes sense when Ari is a storyteller, this is Ari’s story. His life, from theatre urchin to street thief and beyond. He’s been in so many stories himself, all of them with a hint of truth, but a lot of nonsense too. He’s trying to keep ahead of his ancient enemies, but the opportunity to tell his story to a mysterious and beautiful woman is too much to pass up.

The writing is engaging and the story draws you in straightaway, I wanted to know more about the mysterious man in the enchanted cloak with its many pockets. Trading stories for lodgings and food, enchanting audiences with tales they’ve heard before but in new skins.

This could be a truly epic series with adventures, stories, love, death, monsters and magic running throughout. Definitely worth getting a copy as it’s out now.

*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.

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Blog Tour: Hidden in the Mists – Christina Courtenay plus giveaway!

A love forged in fire lives on through the ages.
She stared at the man again. Was he real? Her mind returned to the ghostly figure by the shore and to her strange dream. No, he was not a figment of her imagination.
Skye Logan has been struggling to run her remote farm on Scotland’s west coast alone ever since her marriage fell apart. When a handsome stranger turns up looking for work, it seems that her wish for help has been granted.
Rafe Carlisle is searching for peace and somewhere he can forget about the last few years. But echoes of the distant past won’t leave Skye and Rafe alone, and they begin to experience vivid dreams which
appear to be linked to the Viking jewellery they each wear.
It seems that the ghosts of the past have secrets . . . and they have something that they want Skye and Rafe to know.

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Giveaway to Win a signed copy of Hidden in the Mists Viking tea-towel and Viking carved butter knife (Open INT)


Christina Courtenay writes historical romance, time slip and time travel stories, and lives in Herefordshire (near the Welsh border) in the UK. Although born in England, she has a Swedish mother and was brought up in Sweden – hence her abiding interest in the Vikings. Christina is a former chairman of the UK’s Romantic Novelists’ Association and has won several awards, including the RoNA for Best Historical Romantic Novel twice with Highland Storms (2012) and The Gilded Fan (2014) and the RNA Fantasy Romantic Novel of the year 2021 with Echoes of the Runes. Hidden in the Mists (timeslip/dual time romance published by Headline Review 18th August 2022) is her latest
novel. Christina is a keen amateur genealogist and loves history and archaeology (the armchair variety).

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My thoughts: slightly different to the previous books in this series – instead of one person journeying back in time to live with Vikings, this time two people dream themselves into the bodies of two actual people from the past. When Skye and Rafe meet, there’s an instant connection and with both of them wearing mysterious jewellery decorated with runes, they are transported into the lives of two Viking-era people who lived on Skye’s land years before. They experience the past in dreams but the things they see and feel are very real.

This was quite fun, I loved Skye’s dogs, Pepsi and Cola, even if they were a bit rubbish as guard dogs. I liked Rafe and Skye, they seemed like good, genuine people, both with things in their pasts they’d rather forget. I was less involved with the Viking story of Ata and Otturr – I just didn’t connect with them very much. Though I was glad their story had a happy ending, as both had suffered.

*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.

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Blog Tour: Lo – Bradford Tatum

LO copy

Welcome to the tour for genre-blurring novel, LO by Bradford Tatum. Read on for more details!

LO Front Cover

LO

Publication Date: June 7, 2022

Genre: Sci-Fi/ Noir Thriller

Publisher: Soft Moon Press

Willoughby, known back on Earth as “the East Hamptons of the Kuiper Belt,” is the first sustainable colony on Mars.

Built by the mysterious geneticist Carlo Yakamura this settlement encourages the rich to live as they please. They can enjoy decadent homes, physically modifiable partners, meals based on their best memories and even boutique children known on Willoughby as Builds.

Designed to impress even at the dullest cocktail parties, the Builds’ proprietary motive genes have been sourced from the DNA of some of the greatest artistic disruptors of the last several centuries. But even among a host of uniquely gifted Builds, Lo is unique. And uniquely unbalanced. So what would be the grisliest of murders back on Earth, is just an inconvenience on Willoughby. That is why Lo is sent to be “seasoned” by a man we come to know only as Cook.

Can Cook’s fatherly hand guide Lo to a deeper understanding of his potential and purpose or is Lo’s innate power destined to destroy all of Willoughby? Is Lo the key to Cook’s creative redemption or is he the cause of Cook’s worst nightmares? And once Cook learns the true purpose of Yakamura’s Willoughby will Lo or Cook find the colony worth saving at all?

LO is a sci-fi noir thriller, painted in more deeper shades of blue than black. It is also a story of fathers and sons, lost to one another through terrible compromises and found again through the limits of love. It is a parable of our possible future, a future that is doomed if we rely only on the digital representation of our present while forgetting the lessons and lore of our analogue past.

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About the Author

Bradford Tatum Author Photo

Bradford Tatum’s award winning debut novel I Can Only Give You Everything was published in 2010. His second novel, Only the Dead Know Burbank was published by HarperCollins in 2016 and received a starred review from Publisher’s Weekly. His book Gray Matters has been used as a text book in various college business communication courses.

Bradford began his career as an actor appearing in numerous television shows and movies such as 20th Century Fox’s submarine comedy DOWN PERISCOPE, Disney’s POWDER and HBO’s WESTWORLD. 

He was a staff writer for Dick Wolf on the NBC series DEADLINE and has written and directed two award winning independent features. He has won an Alfred P. Sloan grant for his written work as well as sold pitches to various production companies. 

 Bradford Tatum | Facebook | Instagram

Book Tour Schedule

August 15th

R&R Book Tours (Kick-Off) http://rrbooktours.com

@thebookcoverlover (Review) https://www.instagram.com/thebookcoverlover/

@alexis.reads__ (Spotlight) https://www.instagram.com/alexis.reads__/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y%3D

FUONLYKNEW Blog (Spotlight) http://fuonlyknew.com/

August 16th

Jessica Belmont (Review) https://jessicabelmont.com/

@gryffindorbookishnerd (Review) https://www.instagram.com/gryffindorbookishnerd/

B is for Book Review (Spotlight) https://bforbookreview.wordpress.com

I Smell Sheep (Spotlight) http://www.ismellsheep.com/

August 17th

@definitelynotreading (Review) https://www.instagram.com/definitelynotreading/

Nesie’s Place (Spotlight) https://nesiesplace.wordpress.com

@mels_booksandhooks (Spotlight) https://www.instagram.com/mels_booksandhooks/

Bunny’s Reviews (Spotlight) https://bookwormbunnyreviews.blogspot.com/

The Faerie Review (Spotlight) http://www.thefaeriereview.com

Cocktails and Fairytales (Spotlight) https://www.facebook.com/CocktailsFairytales

August 18th

Books + Coffee = Happiness (Spotlight) https://bookscoffeehappiness.com/

Reads & Reels (Spotlight) http://readsandreels.com

August 19th

@amber.bunch_author (Review) https://www.instagram.com/amber.bunch_author/

Rambling Mads (Review) http://ramblingmads.com

Liliyana Shadowlyn (Spotlight) https://lshadowlynauthor.com/

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