Friday, April 29, 2022

🏰 {BOOK TRAILER} THE ROAD TO ME BY LAURA DRAKE #booktrailer

 



BOOK DETAILS

Title: THE ROAD TO ME
Author: Laura Drake
Publisher: The Story Plant
Genre: Women’s Fiction

BOOK BLURB:

Jacqueline Oliver is an indie perfumer, trying to bury her ravaged childhood by shoveling ground under her own feet. Then she gets a call she dreads―the hippie grandmother she bitterly resents was apprehended when police busted a charlatan shaman’s sweat lodge. Others scattered, but Nellie was slowed by her walker and the fact that she was wearing nothing but a few Mardi-Gras beads. Jacqueline is her only kin, so, like it or not, she’s responsible.

Despite being late-developing next year’s scent, Jacqueline drops everything to travel to Arizona and pick up her free-range grandma. But the Universe conspires to set them on a Route 66 road trip together. What Jacqueline discovers out there could not only heal the scars of her childhood but open her to a brighter future.

“The Road to Me is an unforgettable story of self-discovery and survival, reconciliation and redemption.” — Barbara Claypole White, bestselling author of The Perfect Son and The Promise Between Us

“In The Road to Me, Laura Drake takes on the complexities of one family struggle to get over a lifetime of mistakes and misunderstandings, expertly blending the heartbreak of a grandmother’s past and a granddaughter’s reluctance to trust her. The Road to Me offers a fresh and entrancing take on reconciliation and forgiveness, a truly captivating story filled with wisdom and a whole lot of heart.” — Donna Everhart, author of The Education of Dixie Dupree

Book Information

Release Date: April 19, 2022

Publisher:  The Story Plant

Soft Cover: ISBN: 978-1611883251; 320 pages; $16.95; E-Book, $7.49

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3rLfg82

Barnes & Noblehttps://bit.ly/3oFFvdZ

Apple Bookshttps://apple.co/3BeUEIy

Book Depository: https://bit.ly/3subeQs

Indigo: https://bit.ly/3Js09GJ

IndieBoundhttps://bit.ly/3rGew41

Book Trailer: https://lauradrakebooks.com/2021/11/18/book-trailer-the-road-to-me/


Watch Book Trailer!



The Road To Me is available at:


https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Baby-Second-Chance-Stillwater/dp/1335456252/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8 

About Laura Drake


Laura Drake’s
 first novel, The Sweet Spot, was a double-finalist and then won the 2014 Romance Writers of America® RITA® award. She’s since published 11 more novels. She is a founding member of Women’s Fiction Writers Assn, Writers in the Storm blog, as well as a member of Western Writers of America and Women Writing the West.

Laura is a city girl who never grew out of her tomboy ways or serious cowboy crush. She gave up a corporate CFO gig to write full-time. She realized a lifelong dream of becoming a Texan and is currently working on her accent. She’s a wife, grandmother, and motorcycle chick in the remaining waking hours.

Her latest book is the literary fiction, The Road to Me.

Visit her website at: https://lauradrakebooks.com/ or connect with her on Twitter and Facebook.







Sunday, April 24, 2022

🏰 {BOOK TRAILER} THEY CALLED HIM MARVIN BY ROGER STARK #booktrailer

 


BOOK DETAILS


Title: THEY CALLED HIM MARVIN
Author: Roger Stark
Publisher: Silver Star Publishing
Genre: Historical Romance/WW2/Family Saga

BOOK BLURB:

18-year-old Pvt Dean Sherman goes to church with a friend in Salt Lake City. He meets 16-year-old Connie that will become his wife. After Pearl Harbor Dean applies for pilot training and is accepted. Dean joins Connie’s Mormon Church and they secretly become engaged.

By the time Dean has commissioned a pilot, Connie is 18 and they marry and are together for a year and a half before he ships out as an Airplane Commander of a B-29.  Connie is pregnant with their son, Marvin.

A Japanese family is introduced, the Kyoshis. She is an important member of the Community Council he is a builder of water guns used in fighting fires and is the neighborhood fire captain.  A son Reo will go off to war and train as a fighter pilot. 12-year-old Son Riku has a reappearing role in the story concerning the B-29’s bombing of Japan. They also have 6-year-old twin sisters that are sent to Hiroshima early in the story for their safety.

The crew of 44-69966 arrives in India after a month of flying. Letters start arriving for Connie. Discussion of the B-29s development of strategic purposes is explained.

In Japan Reo Kyoshi goes off to war and the Firebombing of Tokyo occurs. 15 Square miles burned down to the sidewalks. 100,000 casualties and a million people homeless. The Kyoshi survive the conflagration but lose their home.

Marvin is born. Dean returns to duty and his plane is transferred to the Marianna Islands in the Pacific. Some 67 love letters are exchanged between Dean and Connie.

Dean’s plane is shot down over Nagoya Japan, the crew is captured and sent to Tokai Army Headquarters. Connie keeps writing letters that cannot be delivered. She has no idea he is in a Japanese prison.

Prison conditions are horrible, beatings and interrogations constant. Connie receives the war department telegram listing Dean as MIA.

A sham trial is conducted the crew is found guilty and their sentence is carried out the next day.

Almost 50 years later, Dean comes to Connie in a dream/vision and confirms his love for her and that they will yet have a life together.

Book Information

Release Date: September 1, 2021

Publisher:  Silver Star Publishing

Soft Cover: ISBN: 978-0578855288; 333 pages; $17.43; E-Book, $2.99

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3BnQYnD

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3JsqVi1

IndieBound: https://bit.ly/3BnQYnD

Barnes & Noblehttps://bit.ly/3Lv4sD3



Watch Book Trailer!


 

They Called Him Marvin is available at:


https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Baby-Second-Chance-Stillwater/dp/1335456252/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8 

About Roger Stark

I am, by my admission, a reluctant writer. But some stories demand to be told. When we hear them, we must pick up our pen, lest we forget and the stories are lost.

Six years ago, in a quiet conversation with my friend Marvin, I learned the tragic story his father, a WW2 B-29 Airplane Commander, shot down over Nagoya, Japan just months before the end of the war.

The telling of the story that evening by this half orphan was so moving and full of emotion, it compelled me to ask if I could write the story. The result was They Called Him Marvin.

My life has been profoundly touched in so many ways by being part of documenting this sacred story. I pray that we never forget, as a people, the depth of sacrifice that was made by ordinary people like Marvin and his father and mother on our behalf.

My career as an addiction counselor (CDP) lead me to write “The Waterfall Concept; A Blueprint for Addiction Recovery,” and co-author “Reclaiming Your Addicted Brain.”

My next project is already underway, a memoir of growing in SW Washington called “Life on a Sorta Farm.” My wife of 49 years, Susan, and I still live in that area.

We raised seven children and have eleven grandchildren. We love to travel and see the sites and cultures of the world. I still get on my bicycle whenever I can.

You can visit Roger’s website at https://theycalledhimmarvin.com/ or connect with him on Facebook or Instagram.







🏰 Author Interview Featuring Winona Kent, Author TICKET TO RIDE #authorinterview #interview #puyb @winonakent @pumpupyourbook

______________

 I have a very talented lady here today to tell us all about her new mystery novel, Ticket to Ride. Her name is Winona KentEnjoy the interview but first, let's find out more about Winona and her hot new book...

_________

Winona Kent is an award-winning author who was born in London, England and grew up in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, where she completed her BA in English at the University of Regina. After moving to Vancouver, she graduated from UBC with an MFA in Creative Writing. More recently, she received her diploma in Writing for Screen and TV from Vancouver Film School.

Winona’s writing breakthrough came many years ago when she won First Prize in the Flare Magazine Fiction Contest with her short story about an all-night radio newsman, Tower of Power.

Her spy novel Skywatcher was a finalist in the Seal Books First Novel Competition and was published in 1989. This was followed by a sequel, The Cilla Rose Affair, and her first mystery, Cold Play, set aboard a cruise ship in Alaska.

After three time-travel romances (Persistence of MemoryIn Loving Memory and Marianne’s Memory), Winona returned to mysteries with Disturbing the Peace, a novella, in 2017 and the novel Notes on a Missing G-String in 2019, both featuring the character she first introduced in Cold Play, professional jazz musician / amateur sleuth Jason Davey.

The third book in Winona’s Jason Davey Mystery series, Lost Time, was published in 2020.

Ticket to Ride is the fourth book in Winona’s Jason Davey Mysteries.

Winona has been a temporary secretary, a travel agent, a screenwriter and the Managing Editor of a literary magazine. She’s currently the BC/YK/NWT rep for the Crime Writers of Canada and is also an active member of Sisters n Crime – Canada West. She recently retired from her full-time admin job at UBC’s School of Population and Public Health, and is now happily embracing life as a full-time author.

You can visit her website at http://www.winonakent.com and connect with her on TwitterFacebook and Goodreads.

__________


As a book bloggin’ and book luvin’ Princess, I’m always curious to find out how authors got the ideas for their books.  Can you tell us how you got the


idea to write your book?

It’s part of a mystery series, so I was always going to write about my main character, Jason Davey. I just needed to come up with a story. In the book just before this one—which is called Lost Time—Jason has to solve the mystery of a missing teenager while he’s rehearsing for a tour with his mother’s old band, Figgis Green. About halfway through writing that novel. I decided I had so much research and so much unused material that it would be fun to follow Jason and the band as they actually toured around England. So that’s where the idea for Ticket to Ride came from. As for the actual mystery that Jason has to solve…my research into my family tree has resulted in some interesting characters being discovered. Jason shares my passion for family tree research…and his own investigations result in some fairly surprising—and shocking—results.

Can you tell us a little about the main characters of your book?

Jason Figgis (professional name Jason Davey) is a 50-something jazz musician with an ongoing gig at the Blue Devil Club in London’s Soho. He’s also discovered that he has quite a knack for solving mysteries—usually to do with missing people or missing items. In Ticket to Ride, he’s taken leave of absence from the Blue Devil Club in order to go on the road with his mothers folky-pop band, Figgis Green.

Mandy Green is Jason’s mother. She’s in her mid-70s, and is one of the founding members of Figgis Green, which was popular in the 1960s and 1970s. The other founding member was Tony Figgis, Jason’s father, who died in 1995 after being struck by lightning on a golf course. Mandy is feisty and funny and, as this is the band’s farewell tour, she’s making the most of her time on the road.

The other people in the entourage include band members Mitch Green (bass guitar), Rolly Black (drums), Beth Homewood (fiddle) and Bob Chaplin (rhythm guitar), and road crew members Beaky Johns (bus driver), Neil Sparks (lighting), Tejo (sound), Freddie (tour manager), Kato (equipment manager) and Mary and Janice from Roadworks Catering.

There is, of course, a baddie. Several baddies, in fact (spoiler alert). But I can’t tell you who they are without giving away the very unexpected ending.

Brian Richardson (my publisher) and I have created a rather clever Figgis Green website which gives you the look and feel of a real touring band. Please do drop by and visit:

http://www.figgisgreen.co.uk

If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would that be?

Don’t let the crashing emptiness of your first failure get to you. The publishing world is about to change in ways nobody has ever experienced before. You don’t have to fear that your writing career is over. You will have more opportunities than you ever believed possible. It won’t look the same as it did when you were serving your apprenticeship as a writer in the 1970s and 1980s. But you will still be able to write, and get published, and, most importantly, you will never fail again. It’s all down to you—seize the moment, and never look back.

What would you say is one of your interesting writing quirks?

I guess it would be that with my Jason Davey Mysteries, I’m writing in the first person as a 50-something English male. Which I most definitely am not. I’m a 60-something female who was born in England, but I grew up in Canada and I no longer have my English accent. For some reason, I’m able to inhabit Jason’s brain and make him into a very credible character. I have no idea where it’s all coming from. Somewhere deep in my imagination, I suppose.

Do you hear from your readers?  What do they say?

I do have a very solid little core of fans and they love Jason and they love the stories I give him. He started out as an entertainer on a cruise ship in 2012 in the novel Cold Play, and I was encouraged to bring him back by my publisher, Brian Richmond, and to give him a new life as an amateur sleuth. It was the best decision I ever made, and I know my loyal readers have been happy with that decision.

What is the toughest criticism given to you as an author?

It was when I was very young, at university, and just starting to make my way as a writer. I was working with a Canadian author, Ken Mitchell, who identified, quite correctly, that I had an arrogance about my writing which was completely uncalled for and very annoying. He told me I had nothing to be arrogant about and that a good dose of daily humility would go far to make me into a better writer and a better person. I took his advice to heart, even though it was very difficult for me. And I’ve never forgotten that lesson. You do need confidence and you do need to be able to promote yourself, but there’s a difference between that and the assumption that you’re the best writer in the world and quite beyond accepting editorial advice and help from those who offer it.

What has been your best accomplishment?

I think probably creating my current Jason Davey Mystery series. He’s brought me so much contentment and opened doors for me that I never knew about or imagined. I have a passion for creativity and I need my daily “writing fix”. Jason’s stories fill that need in every imaginable way.

Do you Google yourself?

All the time. I’m the only “Winona Kent” out there.

How many unpublished and half-finished books do you have?

Probably five or six “practice novels” from my early years, before the publication of Skywatcher, in 1989. Including my Creative Writing Master’s thesis, which was a novel called The Sloughwater Chronicles. But it was really awful. Since then, every book that I’ve written has been finished and published.

Fun question – if you were princess or prince, what’s one thing you would do to make your kingdom a better place?

I’d make the study of Kindness, Unselfishness and Consideration of Others mandatory in schools from Kindergarten to University.

Do you have anything specific that you would like to say to your readers?

Brian Richardson (my publisher) and I have created a rather clever Figgis Green website which gives you the look and feel of a real touring band to go along with Ticket to Ride, the novel. Please do drop by and visit:

http://www.figgisgreen.co.uk


______________________________


In Lost Time, the third book in Winona’s Jason Davey Mystery series, professional musician / amateur sleuth Jason Davey was rehearsing for Figgis Green’s 50th Anniversary Tour of England. Now they’re on the road in Ms. Kent’s fourth book in the series, Ticket To Ride.

But when a fortune-teller in Sheffield warns them of impending danger, the band is suddenly plagued by a series of seemingly-unrelated mishaps.

After Jason is attacked and nearly killed in Cambridge, and a fire alarm results in a very personal theft from Mandy’s hotel room, it becomes clear they’re being targeted by someone with a serious grudge.

And when Figgis Green plays a gig at a private estate in Tunbridge Wells, that person finally makes their deadly intentions known.

Jason must rely on his instincts, his Instagram “guardian angel,” and a wartime ghost who might possibly share his DNA, in order to survive.

Book Information

Release Date: March 26, 2022

Publisher:  Blue Devil Books

Soft Cover: 978-1777329433; 230 pages; $15.70; E-Book, $3.93

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3i0xRqY

Barnes & Noble
Paperback
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ticket-to-ride-winona-kent/1141097853?ean=9781777329433
Ebook
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ticket-to-ride-winona-kent/1141097853?ean=9781777329426

Apple Books
https://books.apple.com/ca/book/ticket-to-ride/id1612423905

Kobo
https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/ticket-to-ride-17

Amazon Canada
Paperback
https://www.amazon.ca/Ticket-Ride-Winona-Kent/dp/1777329434
Ebook
https://www.amazon.ca/Ticket-Ride-Winona-Kent-ebook/dp/B09SZ2LRV6

Amazon US
Paperback
https://www.amazon.com/Ticket-Ride-Winona-Kent/dp/1777329434
Ebook
https://www.amazon.com/Ticket-Ride-Winona-Kent-ebook/dp/B09SZ2LRV6

Amazon UK
Paperback
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ticket-Ride-Winona-Kent/dp/1777329434
Ebook
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ticket-Ride-Winona-Kent-ebook/dp/B09SZ2LRV6


Thursday, April 21, 2022

🏰 Author Interview Featuring Tracy Shawn, Author FLOATING UNDERWATER #authorinterview #interview #puyb @TRACYSHAWN @pumpupyourbook

 

I have a very talented lady here today to tell us all about her new women's fiction, Floating Underwater. Her name is Tracy ShawnEnjoy the interview but first, let's find out more about Tracy and her hot new book...

__________


Award-Winning Author Tracy Shawn lives and writes on the Central Coast of California. Her debut novel, The Grace of Crows, won several indie book awards. Floating Underwater is her second novel. Tracy Shawn’s short stories have appeared in Literary BrushstrokesPsychology Tomorrow Magazine, and Steel House Review Literary Journal. She’s written numerous articles for print and online publications and is currently working on her third novel.

You can visit her website at https://www.tracyshawn.com/ or connect with her on TwitterFacebook, and Goodreads.

__________



As a book bloggin’ and book luvin’ Princess, I’m always curious to find out how authors got the ideas for their books.  Can you tell us how you got the idea to write your book?

I wrote Floating Underwater because I wanted to show how a protagonist deals with the gift of premonition (as I love a little magic) while she navigates the grief of miscarriage (I’ve endured two myself). Ultimately, I also had the idea that I wanted


to create a happy ending, as I believe we can all use more hope.  

Can you tell us a little about the main characters of your book?

The protagonist, Paloma Leary, has just endured her third miscarriage and wants to adopt a child, while her husband, Reed Leary, wants Paloma to try and get pregnant again. Paloma is highly intuitive, artistic, and empathetic. Reed, who is her exact opposite, is very analytical, practical, and restrained. Other main characters include Paloma’s best friend, Justine, who can be bossy and brash (but still cares), and an unstable neighbor named Serena, whom Paloma shares a deep connection with. 

If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would that be?

To be prepared for a lot of rejection!

What would you say is one of your interesting writing quirks?

When I’m writing dialogue, I sometimes get up and say each character’s lines out loud to make sure it sounds natural.

Do you hear from your readers?  What do they say?

Oftentimes readers tell me how they loved the imagery, can relate to the emotions my characters have gone through, and how they cried at the end (good tears, of course!).

What is the toughest criticism given to you as an author?

That the book is a bit too slow for some readers.

What has been your best accomplishment?

Besides having had two novels published, that I have dealt with severe anxiety and strive to help others with this debilitating condition. 

Do you Google yourself?

Of course! Is there any author that doesn’t?

How many unpublished and half-finished books do you have?

I’ve been working on my third novel and am having a tough time trying to decide which of the two stories to focus on that I’ve already started. Wish me luck J

Fun question – if you were princess or prince, what’s one thing you would do to make your kingdom a better place?

If I were a princess, I would love to wave a magic wand to get rid of all hate, war, and pollution forevermore. (I know it’s three things—but maybe that wand is super powerful!).

Do you have anything specific that you would like to say to your readers?

Yes! Hello Dear Readers, I hope that you will not only enjoy reading Floating Underwater, but that it also helps you feel more hopeful, as we can all experience joy even when we’ve had to endure loss.

__________


Part psychological fiction and part mystical fiction with a dash of magical realism, Floating Underwater follows a woman’s astonishing journey through the extraordinary and, ultimately, to her self-actualization and power.

Fearful that her lifelong premonitions not only predict the future but can also change its very course, Paloma Leary is devastated when her latest vision foretelling a third miscarriage comes true.

Falling into a mystifying world of increasingly bizarre phenomena, including a psychic connection with her mysterious neighbor, out-of-body experiences, and visits from her long-dead mother, Paloma grows desperate for answers. She is also desperate to start a family. But when a life-changing vision reveals a tragic secret from the past, Paloma learns to accept her gifts and embraces a far different future than she ever could have imagined.

“One woman’s mystical journey to move forward while confronting a troubled, mysterious past. Beautifully written; an ethereal, eloquent pleasure.” ~~Marlene Adelstein, author of USA Today bestseller Sophie Last Seen
 

“Mystical and magical realism permeates this women’s novel, and Amy Harmon fans would embrace Shawn’s adept storytelling. The author delivers spot-on dialogue, believable and enchanting characters, and surprising twists. It’s easy to imagine the novel as a talked-about book club selection (in fact, there’s a list of questions at the book’s conclusion). Poignant and beautiful, Floating Underwater leaves readers yearning for a sequel and another look at these captivating characters.” ~~Starred Review by Patricia Moosbrugger for BlueInk Review

“The writing is stunning…Paloma’s journey toward friendship, love in her marriage, and the realization that her fears have kept her eyes closed to everything happening around her is a journey worth following. This book will remind you to listen to the wind when it speaks and to look for what’s floating beneath the surface of the water.”~~Reviewed by Jenna Swartz for San Francisco Book Review

“A mystical journey that will take its readers on a whirlwind tour of beautiful imagery and meaningful life adventures, Floating Underwater is the story about a woman named Paloma Leary who learns that she has some very special gifts to share with the world…This book is wonderfully written in a lovely beach setting…Floating Underwater is the perfect book for someone looking for a bit of fantasy thrown into a realistic setting with realistic characters. Written with special attention to little details, this book is relatable, yet very special and is a one-of-a-kind read.” ~~Reviewed by Kristi Elizabeth for Manhattan Book Review

Book Information

Release Date: September 8, 2021

Publisher: Turbulent Muse Publishing

Soft Cover: ISBN: 978-1736664902; 312 pages; $10.99; E-Book, $3.99

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3GrO5TV

Amazon Kindle: https://amzn.to/3qA2EA3