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Monday, March 26, 2018

The Emperor's Seal Touching Time Book 1 by Amanda Roberts


The
Emperor's Seal
Touching
Time Book 1
by
Amanda Roberts


Genre:
Paranormal Fantasy Mystery

Peking,
1902



The
Emperor’s Seal – the divine symbol of the Emperor on earth – is
missing. The Empress will do whatever it takes to get it
back. 

Jiayi
has a gift – she can travel through time just by touching
historical artifacts. More than anything, she wants to escape the
clutches of the Empress and run away to a foreign land. Finding the
Emperor’s Seal could be her only chance at freedom, but is she
willing to risk the wrath of the Empress? 

Historian
and wannabe archaeologist Zhihao has no love for the Empress or the
Qing Dynasty, but when the Empress orders him to find the Emperor’s
Seal in exchange for funding China’s first history museum, he
cannot refuse. It is only after he accepts the assignment that he
realizes the key to finding the seal lies in the hands of a palace
slave. 

Civil
unrest and encroaching foreign powers threaten Jiayi and Zhihao's
mission and lives as they hunt for The Emperor's Seal.




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 Excerpt:
Do it,” the empress commanded.
Carefully, as if it contained a snake that could bite her, Jiayi pulled up the long sleeves of her robe
and took the box in her hands. She inhaled slow deep breaths as she closed her eyes. She never knew what to expect, so she had to be prepared for anything.
When she opened her eyes again, she was surrounded by running horses. People screamed as they ran for cover. The men riding the horses brandished weapons and they slashed and hacked at the people around them. Jiayi turned left and right, searching for a way out before she too was trampled. She had never died during one of her visions before, but she didn’t know what would happen to her in real life if she did. She didn’t want to take the chance. One of the riders stopped to skewer a man not far from her. He
screamed as blood shot from his body like a fountain. Jiayi was terrified, but there was nothing she could do for him.
She had to take care of herself. The stopped horse caused a break in the sea of galloping beasts. Jiayi had to run while she had the chance. She had no idea where she was going, why the box the empress handed her sent her to this place, this time, but she had to find it, the emperor’s seal.
Somehow this body, this woman she was inhabiting had a connection to it. She had to trust that this woman would lead her to the answer.
She ran as far as she could, away from the battle. Up on a hill, she saw a large tent and many men on horseback watching the fray below. Why they were only watching, she did not know. She looked down at her clothing and saw she was dressed in the clothing of a Manchu noblewoman. The men who were watching were also dressed as Manchu. At least she wasn’t running toward the enemy. She scurried up
the hill as quickly as she could.
“Please! Help me!” she screamed when she was within earshot.
The men looked down at her in utter surprise, as if they only just now saw her. It was possible. Jiayi had no idea what her manifestations in the visions looked like to other people.
“Lady Caigiya!” one of the men dressed as a general called out. He pointed to her and two of his men ran down to her side and helped her up. “What happened? How did you get down there?” the general asked when she finally made it to him.
“I…I don’t know,” she mumbled. “I must have been lost…”
The answer seemed to satisfy the general. He nodded again to his men. “Take her to the emperor. He must be worried about her.”
Jiayi doubted that very much. She had never known an emperor to worry over a woman, but she allowed herself to be led along. She was taken to a large tent, one big and grand enough to be an imperial residence at the Forbidden City. When the heavy curtains were drawn back, it was so dark inside she could see nothing. She was ungraciously ushered inside and the curtains were dropped closed behind her. The room was shockingly quiet. She could hear low voices of men talking but could hardly hear the sounds
of the battle raging just below so thick were the walls of the tent. After a moment, her eyes began to adjust to the low light of the braziers scattered throughout the room.
On the far side was a large table, and several men stood around it in heated discussion. Around the tent, along the walls were fashionably dressed ladies and many children. If the emperor was here, these must be his ladies—his wives and concubines—and his children, the princes and princesses. Why were they here, in the midst of a dangerous battle? Not for the first time Jiayi wished she knew something of history. Even names and dates would help her understand her visions so much more.
She took a few steps closer to the men in the middle of the room. The general had said she should be taken to the emperor, but did he just mean here, in this room, or to his side?
One of the men looked up at her and his face brightened.
“Cai!” he called out as he ran to her. “My beloved,” he cooed as he held her hand. “What happened to you?” he asked.
Cai! Of course. Caigiya was her full name, but she was more commonly known as Lady Cai, the most loved—and the most scandalous—of Emperor Daoguang’s women. She did not need a formal history lesson to know who she was now. Any woman who lived in the palace would know the infamous Lady Cai, the one who stole an emperor’s heart.
But there was no time for her to recite the legend of their love now. She needed to find the seal. If she failed again, the empress would be highly displeased…and no one wanted to be in the empress’s bad graces.
“I…I was lost. There were horses running and men were screaming…” she said.
“I am so sorry you got caught up in that. The rebels, they came upon us so swiftly. I was a fool to try to take my family to Jehol during such a time…” the emperor lamented.
Jiayi was putting a few pieces together. The emperor and his family must have been traveling from Peking to the Mountain Palace north of Peking in Jehol when they were sat upon by a rebel army. What rebels, she had no idea, but it did not seem important right now.
“I am fine,” Jiayi said as she tried to smile. “I am here with you now.”
The emperor smiled back and kissed her tenderly. She nearly pulled away. Such moments always shocked her. She had never been kissed in real life. She was an innocent maiden who had spent most of her life sequestered in the empress’s palace. But this was not the first time a man in one of her visions kissed her. Some had done more…She had learned to suppress her real feelings and let the body of her host take over. She needed to remain calm and pretend everything was normal. She needed the emperor to lead her
to the seal. It had to be here!
The emperor stepped back and smiled at her. “You are sure everything is fine?” he asked.
She nodded. “Of course. I was only worried for you. Is there any way I can help you?” she asked.
He reached up and playfully touched her nose. “It is as if you can read my thoughts,” he said. “Follow me.”
She did as she was told. The emperor took her hand and led her to the table surrounded by the other men. They looked anything but happy to have her in their presence, scowling and crossing their arms. They were not used to discussing important matters in the presence of a woman.
Jiayi could not help but smile to herself at that. In her time, only a couple of decades later, China was ruled by a woman.
“Your Majesty,” one of the men said. “Surely there is another way…”
“We must protect the seal,” the emperor said firmly.
“The seal represents the emperor—myself and every emperor who had come before me and who will come after until the end of time—and the Mandate of Heaven. We are under attack here! If the barbarians get their hands on it, they could use it to overthrow the Qing Dynasty! If I die today, they could find the seal and use it to claim the empire for themselves. It must be hidden, just for now.”
“But to trust a woman?” another of the ministers piped up.
The emperor laughed. “Women are the best at hiding things! Every chance they get they will spirit away a bit of money or a jewel or even a piece of fine clothing and you will never see it again. Why do you think you must always buy them new things?”
The other men joined in the laughter, but Jiayi blushed.
It was partly true. Most women could not earn their own money, so they often had to hide small amounts away for an emergency. A woman never knew when she might lose the favor of her husband or mother-in-law or other benefactor and have nowhere to go and no food to eat. Even in the service of the empress, Jiayi feared the day she would no longer be useful to her and find herself back on the street.
The emperor snapped his fingers. A eunuch ran up and placed a large box on the table. It was the same box that Jiayi was holding in her real hands—the box that contained the seal. The box was red lacquered with golden dragons painted on it. It was much larger than it needed to be, but the box’s interior had many layers of protective red silk to cushion the seal.
The emperor opened the box and reverently lifted the seal. The seal had been forged from pure gold hundreds of years ago. The base of the seal was square, but on the top there was an ornately carved dragon—the symbol of the emperor. The dragon’s eyes were set with rubies that glistened in the fire from the braziers. Each of the four sides of the seal had cloisonné images that were blue in the background
with two dragons—eight in all—reaching for a flaming pearl. The pearl symbolized wisdom, prosperity,
power, and immortality—all qualities the emperor possessed.
The beauty of the seal and the weight of its meaning took Jiayi’s breath away. She was so close. Her
hands started to tremble and sweat beaded on her forehead.
The whole room started to blur. As the emperor turned to her, it was as though the world had slowed
down. Jiayi realized what was happening—she was waking up! She was losing her grip on the vision and
would soon be back in the presence of the empress. She had to find out what happened to the seal before it was too late.
The emperor stepped toward her so slowly it was as if he was moving through thick mud. Jiayi tried to walk to him, but was nearly frozen in place. “My love,” she called out, willing him to hurry without causing suspicion.
“My dear Lady Cai,” he said as he held out the seal. “I need you to hide this for me. Do you promise to keep it safe and reveal it to no one but me when it is once again safe todo so?” It sounded as though he was calling to her through water.
“Yes, yes, my love. Of course,” she said. The world blurred further. She could no longer see the table, the
braziers, or the angry faces of the men nearby.
“Into your hands, I entrust all of China.”
She tried to hold out her hands, but she could not move quickly enough. The emperor released the seal and it slipped through her fingers, crashing to the ground.
“Jiayi…” she thought she heard the emperor say, but his voice sounded far away even though he was right in front of her.
“What?” she asked.
“Jiayi…” His voice was little more than a whisper as the world went black.
As Jiayi woke, she heard her name being called louder and louder.
“Jiayi! Jiayi, answer me! Did you find it? Do you know where the seal is?”
Jiayi opened her eyes and the empress was right in front of her. She started as the hard eyes looked deep into hers.
“Jiayi! Answer me! What did you see?”
“Lady Cai…” Jiayi said as she tried to recall the details of the vision. “The emperor gave the seal to Lady Cai.”
She heard other women in the room gasp. She looked around and saw the empress’s other ladies, her attendants and maids, all looking at her. While the empress kept Jiayi’s powers secret from her ministers and male counselors, she did not bother hiding Jiayi from her friends and ladies— her real advisors.
“You mean the Lady Cai? The one the emperor nearly
gave up the throne for?” one of the ladies asked. “He truly trusted her that much?”
Jiayi nodded. “He loved her,” she said.
“But what about the seal?” the empress snapped, grabbing Jiayi’s arm and shaking her.
She knew the empress would be angry when she found out Jiayi did not know where it was. But maybe she could give her enough information to temper her anger.
“There was a battle, on the road to Jehol. Some barbarians. I don’t know who…” she explained. “The emperor feared that they would kill him and steal the seal. He wanted Lady Cai to hide it, to protect it.”
“And?” The empress was shaking. She held her hands out as if Jiayi was in possession of the seal and could simply hand it over to her.
“And…I…I dropped it,” Jiayi said, tears forming in her eyes. “I’m sorry, but the vision ended before he could hand it to me. I don’t know where it is. But he certainly gave it to Lady Cai! If we know where the battle took place, she must have hidden it nearby and…”
The empress slapped her so hard across the face she thought her neck snapped. She held her breath, afraid to make the slightest noise and possibly invite more of the empress’s wrath. The room was completely silent. None of the other women dared to go to Jiayi’s aid. After a moment that seemed like much longer, the empress stumbled back.
Jiayi finally sucked in a breath as everyone else in the room audibly exhaled. She slowly straightened her neck, but kept her moist eyes downturned.
“So close…so close…” the empress muttered.
“We can try again,” one of the other women suggested.
She picked up the box and shoved it into Jiayi’s hands, but nothing happened.
“You know it doesn’t work that way,” another of the other women angrily whispered, slapping her hands away.
“But Jiayi was right,” Princess Der Ling said. “If Lady Cai had the box on the way to Jehol, that narrows the search considerably.”
The empress sat down in her chair, looking as worn and exhausted as Jiayi felt. She sat for a moment, as if considering her options. Finally, she nodded her head.
“Yes, it is time. Bring him to me…”




Amanda
Roberts is a writer and editor who has been living in China since
2010. Amanda has an MA in English from the University of Central
Missouri. She has been published in magazines, newspapers, and
anthologies around the world and she regularly contributes to
numerous blogs. Amanda can be found all over the Internet, but her
home is TwoAmericansinChina.com.





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Oath Breaker Legend of the Gods Book 1 by Aaron Hodges


Oath
Breaker
Legend
of the Gods Book 1
by
Aaron Hodges


Genre:
Epic Fantasy

A
century since the departure of the Gods, the Three Nations are now
united beneath the Tsar. Magic has been outlawed, its power too
dangerous to remain unchecked. All Magickers must surrender
themselves to the crown, or face imprisonment and death.



Alana's
mundane life has just been torn apart by the emergence of her
brother's magic. Now they must leave behind everything they’ve ever
known and flee – before the Tsar’s Stalkers pick up their trail.
Tasked with hunting down renegade Magickers, the merciless hunters
will stop at nothing to bring them before the Tsar’s judgement.

As
the noose closes around Alana and her brother, disgraced hero Devon
finds himself at odds with the law when he picks a fight with the
wrong man. The former warrior has set aside his weapons, but now,
caught between the renegades and the Stalkers, he is forced to pick a
side – the empire, or the innocent.

Grab
this all new epic fantasy novel by NYTimes Bestselling Author Aaron
Hodges.







Aaron
Hodges was born in 1989 in the small town of Whakatane, New Zealand.
He studied for five years at the University of Auckland, completing a
Bachelor’s of Science in Biology and Geography, and a Masters of
Environmental Engineering. After working as an environmental
consultant for two years, he grew tired of office work and decided to
quit his job and see the world. Two years later, his travels have
taken him through South East Asia, Canada, the USA, Mexico, Central
America, and South America. 

Today,
his adventures continue…







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the blitz HERE!





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Waiting For Aegina by Effie Kammenou

Author: Effie Kammenou

Narrators: Emily Lawrence

Length: 11 hours 2 minutes

Series: The Gift Saga, Book 2

Publisher: Effie Kammenou

Released: Feb. 16, 2018

Genre: Contemporary Romance


Book two in the Gift Saga: the continuation of Evanthia’s Gift....

In 1961, five little girls moved into a suburban neighborhood and became inseparable, lifelong friends. They called themselves the Honey Hill Girls, named after the street on which they lived. As teenagers, they shared one another’s ambitions and dreams, secrets and heartaches. Now, more than 30 years later, they remain devoted and loyal, supporting each other through triumphs and sorrows.

Evanthia's Gift follows the life of Sophia Giannakos. In Waiting for Aegina, the saga continues from the perspectives of Sophia and her friends as the story drifts back and forth in time, filling in the gaps as the women grow to adulthood.

Naive teenage ideals are later challenged by harsh realities, as each of their lives takes unexpected turns. Now nearing their 50th year, Sophia, Demi, Amy, Mindy, and Donna stand together through life-altering obstacles while they try to regain the lighthearted optimism of their youth.






Effie Kammenou is a first generation Greek-American who lives on Long Island with her husband and two daughters. When she’s not writing, or posting recipes on her food blog, cheffieskitchen.wordpress.com, you can find her entertaining family and friends.

Evanthia’s Gift: Book One in The Gift Saga was a 2016 Readers Favorite Awards finalist in the women’s fiction category. Waiting for Aegina: Book Two in The Gift Saga is Kammenou’s latest release. For updates on the release of Book Three, the conclusion of The Gift Saga, follow Effie on Twitter, Facebook or Amazon.

Website⎮Twitter⎮Facebook⎮Goodreads⎮Instagram⎮Pinterest
Narrator Bio


Emily is an actor and writer passionate about bringing stories to life. Her greatest strength as a performer is her ability to bring herself to the role, creating a wide range of emotionally resonant performances that leap off the page, stage, or screen. Her favorite characters are complicated, conflicted, and still searching for their inner truths. Emily's passion for her work is complimented by her persistence, resilience, and inexhaustible work ethic. She’s narrated more than 160 audiobooks, half of which were USA Today or New York Times bestsellers, and has also worked in film, television, and theater. Born and raised in New York, Emily moved to Los Angeles shortly after receiving her BFA in drama from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. She also had the privilege of living in London while studying at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA).

​Emily’s greatest loves are acting and reading, so narrating audiobooks is a dream come true. Her other passions include traveling, LARPing, aerial circus, and chocolate.

Website⎮Twitter⎮Facebook⎮Instagram


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Family Secrets Secrets and Second Chances Book 1 by Donna M. Zadunajsky


Family
Secrets
Secrets
and Second Chances Book 1
by
Donna M. Zadunajsky
Genre:
Mystery, Suspense



467
pages

Alexis
has had big dreams all her life, and she’s worked hard to make them
happen! After college, she married and had a beautiful baby boy,
living her dream as “Mommy” until Colton was safely entrenched in
grade school. She lands her dream job at NASA, and her supportive
husband, Jay, takes the lead on raising their son. The perfect
family, right?

Twelve
years later with no warning and no reason, Jay commits suicide.
Colton goes into denial and blames his mother; Alexis buries herself
in her work.

Seven
months later, Alexis’s biggest dream comes true. She’s going to
be on the next space shuttle! Her victory is short-lived when she
finds out she has breast cancer. As her health declines, Colton
delves into the dangerous circumstances of his father’s
death.
“Family
Secrets” crept into Alexis’s life when she wasn’t paying
attention. Will she and her son ever find out the truth? Or is it too
late?






Amazon
* B&N

 Excerpt:


One

Was life fair? Not in the least. Not when you worked your ass off for everything you’ve ever dreamed of and poof, in an instant, with one sentence…it was gone!
Life doesn’t always work out the way we want. No matter what you’ve done or how you’ve done it, something without a doubt gets in the way. You could spend days, weeks, months, even years working for the things you want out of life, only for it to be taken from you as if your dreams and schemes never existed. As if you had never tried at all…
It’s funny how life seems to work out the opposite of what we want. Why bother to dream at all if they never come to fruition? But, if we don’t have our dreams and goals to motivate and guide us, where would we be in this world? Lost, stumbling aimlessly, and not driven by desire, blood, sweat, and tears!
We’ve all heard the phrase, “Life isn’t fair,” so why are we so defeated when things don’t turn out our way? When everything seems to fall apart? Shouldn’t we just keep trying? “If you fall down, get back up, dust yourself off, and try again.”
But what if…just to be fair in this unfair world…what if we weren’t meant to have those dreams at all? What if they were only to teach us something we didn’t see in ourselves? What if there was something better than our dreams waiting for us on the path of life?
Two

Ever since Alexis Finley had been a young girl, she’d dreamed of becoming an astronaut. She’d wanted to explore the universe—do something meaningful with her life. She was mere inches from making her dreams come true. The grueling hours she’d spent at work; she’d practically lived there. All for this one unexpected moment in her life that destroyed everything. It was so unfair!
Time seemed to stand still in her heart. The seconds ticked away as she sat in the expensive brown leather chair, staring speechless at the woman in front of her. Suddenly, life as she’d known it came to a screeching halt!
It didn’t matter how many times she blinked, she was still sitting in the same chair in front of the same doctor she had known for years. They’d taken a class together in college, for heaven sakes.
Alexis tried to let the words spoken to her sink in, but it just wasn’t registering completely. She prayed a silent prayer deep inside herself that perhaps she had heard it all wrong. By chance, the test results were someone else’s, not hers. Doctors were known to make mistakes, sometimes picking up the wrong report or reading the wrong patient’s file. Had the lab made an error? That happened sometimes, too, a false positive. So why couldn’t this one time be just that?
Alexis would get a second opinion, that’s what she’d do! She’d say, “Thank you,” and get up and walk out the door. Yet, she couldn’t move, her body numb and her mind in denial from what the doctor had just said.
“Alexis, we have to start treatment immediately. It’s extremely important before your condition gets worse. Time and early discovery is your ally, but we won’t know about that until after the biopsy,” said Dr. Sarah Ramsey.
“Are you sure it’s breast cancer?” Alexis asked anxiously. Her mind was whirling. This made no sense at all! She’d been checking herself off-and-on for years, and she’d never found a single lump, not even suspected one. Had she examined herself wrong? Maybe she didn’t realize something might have been a lump; maybe she’d thought it was something else, but never cancer!  
Alexis had turned forty just last month, and now she’d have to have a mammogram every year for the rest of her life. “My life,” her mind repeated. How much time did she really have left? Panic was starting to set in.
“Yes, Alexis, I’m sure. I’ve checked your mammogram films and the ultrasound several times. I’m sorry, but the density of the images shows you definitely have breast cancer. There’s no mistake,” Sarah Ramsey stated firmly, yet warmly.
“I guess…” Alexis’s throat tightened and she swallowed. “This being my first mammogram and the additional ultrasound was just…just an initial precaution, ya’ know? ‘Cause it was my first…” she stammered. “I thought you wanted to see me about the results in-person as a courtesy and a baseline test for the future? It didn’t occur to me that anything was wrong.” The room was suddenly too warm, much too warm for her liking. Sweat rolled down the back of her neck, wetting the collar of her blouse. She twisted her long, wavy, brunette hair and clipped it into place on the back of her head, hoping it would cool her down.
“I wish I was wrong, Alexis, I truly do, but I’m afraid the results show you have cancer. I’ll call Dr. Brownski, an Oncology Surgeon at the Anderson Cancer Center in Orlando, to schedule a lumpectomy and a biopsy. He’s one of the best, Alexis. We’ll go from there,” Sarah Ramsey offered with an encouraging smile.
“Is there any other alternative?”
“I’m not sure what you’re asking, Alexis,” Dr. Ramsey frowned. “Until we have the biopsy—”
“Is there an option for a full double mastectomy?” Alexis interrupted. She watched as the doctor’s right eyebrow shot up. She had caught her off-guard, maybe even surprising her.
“Well, I wouldn’t suggest a mastectomy until after we have the results of the biopsy from the lumpectomy. I’m not even sure why you’d consider such evasive, extensive surgery without knowing what we’re up against. Most women don’t want their breasts removed because it takes away from their need to feel like a woman. As you know, a double mastectomy is done to remove both breasts. What I have seen from the images, the cancer is confined in the right breast. Most doctors won't consider a double mastectomy unless there is substantial evidence to do so. It’s also a very dangerous surgery with a long recuperation, therapy, and reconstruction. ”
“You know I work for NASA, right?” Alexis blurted out.
Dr. Ramsey nodded, placing a lock of her reddish brown hair behind her right ear. Her intelligent green eyes searched Alexis’s face as she waited for her to state her point, which the doctor couldn’t quite grasp at that moment.
“Well, NASA has been considering me for the next space shuttle launch. If they knew about the cancer, there would be no way in hell they’d let me go!”
“I see,” Sarah said, as she shifted in her chair.
“Do you?” Alexis’s voice rose, which caught the doctor extremely off-guard. “Because I have worked my ass off for this opportunity!” The anger stage was taking over much sooner than expected, but Dr. Sarah Ramsey had seen it all before.
“I can’t just sit and watch it pass me by!” Alexis shouted. She didn’t know where the anger came from. It wasn’t like her to jump down someone’s throat for no apparent reason. Although there was a reason, wasn’t there? Her dream was coming to a dead end. Thrown in the trash to be recycled. Never to be lived.
Dr. Ramsey cleared her throat. “Alexis, I know it’s a great deal to take in, but this is your health we’re talking about. I can’t lie to NASA or keep your records confidential from them in this type of instance. Besides, NASA will have their own doctors check you out before any such mission. There could even be legal repercussions for both of us by hiding this diagnosis. I understand being an astronaut is an incredible opportunity for you, but your health is more important than flying to outer space.”
Alexis grabbed her purse from beside the chair and stood up. She didn’t want to sit here any longer and listen to this doctor tell her she couldn’t live her dreams.
“Alexis, wait! Where are you going? We need to discuss, albeit prematurely, your options and schedule the lumpectomy!”
“I need some air.” Alexis turned and opened the door, then slammed it shut behind her. She knew she was being selfish, and that her health was important, but so was everything else she’d worked so hard to accomplish. Or maybe she was just in denial about the whole thing. She was only forty years old and had her whole life in front of her. Why did this have to happen to her? Why and how did she end up with cancer? She worked out and ate the right foods. All her physical exams had come back excellent until this one. So, why her, why now?
Three

Alexis rushed down the hall and stood in front of the elevator. She poked the arrow down button with her index finger. A bell dinged, and the doors opened. She dashed in—took a quick peek behind her to see if Dr. Ramsey had followed her—then hit the L for the lobby. She was so thankful there was no one else in the elevator. She needed to calm down and think about what Dr. Ramsey had told her.
She took deep, easy breathes, in through her nose and out through her mouth. As the elevator doors slid open; bright light blinded her. She raised her left hand and rubbed her eyes, feeling a headache starting to surface. She walked out of the elevator and through the lobby of the medical center.
The future woman astronaut of the United States of America left without giving her doctor the chance to change her destiny and her dream. “Just who am I trying to kid?” Alexis screamed silently to herself.
Sarah Ramsey—she was practically a friend because they’d known each other so long—Sarah wanted to help, but Alexis just wasn’t ready yet.
By the time she reached her car and sat inside, all the anger she’d taken out on her friend just minutes before came pouring out. Alexis Finley had always considered herself a strong person and didn’t let anything get in her way, but the cancer was beyond her control. She needed to sit and think about what the doctor had said and make some decisions, even if it meant postponing her dreams. How could she give up her dreams when she was almost there?
Alexis pounded the steering wheel with her right palm, accidently hitting the horn. It blared, abrupt and loud. She didn’t even glance around to see if anyone was looking at her. She didn’t care if they were. She finally realized she could either sit here and feel sorry for herself, dwelling over how life wasn’t fair, or she could do something about it. But what could she do?
Her dream had always been to explore outer space, and she was determined not to let anything stop her. She had to come up with a plan. There had to be something she could do and still live all her dreams, but she wasn’t sure what that plan was yet.
Searching for the keys in her lap, she found them and started the car, Alexis knew she didn’t want to go home, nor did she want to be around other people. She just wanted to be alone and think. It was time to come up with a new, temporary plan. After all, she wasn’t dying…yet…or was she?







Hidden
Secrets
Secrets
and Second Chances Book 2

231
pages

...
Hidden Secrets will leave you questioning everything you thought you
knew...




Carla
Michaels’s life isn't what she thought it was. She met her loving
husband in college. She had a career as a teacher. All she ever
wanted to complete her life was a baby. After five miscarriages,
Carla had almost given up hope of ever becoming a mother.
Then
a devastating tragedy strikes and everything she had ever loved is
gone—now she’s left torn and shattered, wondering if she can go
on with life.
Unexpectedly,
she receives an envelope full of books. Journals that were kept
hidden from her. A mystery starts to play out as secrets are
revealed. 
Will
she get a second chance at life? Will the hidden secrets destroy her?
Or will she find the strength to survive once she knows the
truth?

“Hidden
Secrets” will pull at your heartstrings until the very last page.
Some secrets are not meant to be hidden…








Twisted
Secrets
Secrets
and Second Chances Book 3

285
pages

Craven
Falls, Ohio, is a small town with twenty-eight hundred residents—a
town where everyone knows almost everyone else and where nothing ever
happens, until one day two children disappear. 



Ashley
Teodora spends her days juggling work, school, and her five-year-old
daughter, Lily. She receives a phone call from her best friend, Carla
Michaels, needing her to go to Illinois to help Carla who is going
through a tough time in her life. When Ashley returns home, she
receives horrifying news that turns her world upside down; her
precious Lily has been abducted!

Reece
Garran is released from prison after a five-year sentence. His
primary goal is to find the woman whose memory kept him alive all
those years while behind bars. This woman had captured his heart and
wouldn’t let go. When the transport bus pulls into the town of
Craven Falls, Reece thinks it’s just another small ordinary town
until he finds a reason to stay.

Catherine
Teodora, Ashley’s mother, loves crocheting, baking, gardening, and
spending time with her granddaughter, Lily. On a beautiful sunny
Sunday afternoon, Catherine’s world is torn to pieces. All she did
was look away for a split-second, and Lily was gone!

A
family pulls together in a time of need, but what happens when those
that are close to you are hiding behind twisted secrets? Will they
stand by one another and find Lily? Or will the secrets tear this
family apart?








Donna
M. Zadunajsky started out writing children’s books before she
accomplished and published her first novel, Broken Promises, in June
2012. She then has written several more novels and her first novella,
HELP ME!, which is a subject about suicide and bullying. 

Her
third novel Family Secrets, “Secrets and Second Chances”, which
is first in a series she is writing, was given a publishing contract
through California Times Publishing.







Follow
the tour HERE
for exclusive excerpts and a giveaway!






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VBT for Blooming Into Life by Kristie Booker


Blooming into Life
by Kristie Booker

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GENRE: Women’s Fiction

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BLURB:

Growing up on a farm in Brockville, Illinois, did not prepare Colleen O’Brien Adler to be the wife of a wealthy entertainment lawyer living in Chicago. It certainly didn’t prepare her to be Dinah Adler’s daughter-in-law. The stay-at-home mother of two has more than she’s ever wanted—a personal stylist, a prestigious country club membership, a multimillion-dollar home—but she finds herself not only struggling with depression and body image but also failing as a parent and fearing for her marriage. Her life is about to change when an invitation to a wellness meeting arrives in her inbox. With some coaxing from personal coach Kory Stone, she commits to a new beginning. But will she be able to overcome the things that are holding her back?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Excerpt Two:

“After several weeks on the medication, some weight loss is expected,” Dr. Bradley had assured her. She had weighed herself that morning. After she removed all of her clothing, emptied her bladder, removed her ponytail holder, blew her nose, emptied her bladder again, spit until she had nothing left to spit, she finally stepped on her brand-new Weight Gurus smart body fat scale. The digital number was as hateful as it had been a week earlier. Dr. Bradley told her to be patient. Colleen felt she was running out of time.

She unzipped the beige garment bag that held her social future. The hand-stitched embroidered silver stars exploded against the dark silk fabric. The two-toned navy silk gave the illusion of wide stripes draping down the skirt of the dress.

“The A-line cut and the tonal stripes create a wonderful slimming effect,” the sales associate had told her. If Colleen could jam herself into the reserve Raina Rose, she was going to stand out. For once, she would be better dressed than Ashley Barr and Victoria Heller. That night, Fouth of July, would be the day of reckoning. She would let Jay and Dinah and the entire club see how beautiful she looked. She would finally be socially accepted within the country club circle, and then she would confront Jay about the woman in Los Angeles. Dinah would think twice about sending Colleen’s invitation late next year.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUTHOR Bio and Links:


Kristie Booker is the author of Blooming Into Life, a blogger and a Wellness Coach. She enjoys coaching and inspiring women through her writing as well as in person. Kristie is a wife and mother of two sons. She grew up in rural Illinois, but now lives in Chicago.






Interview with Kristie Booker
1. Do your characters seem to hijack the story or do you feel like you have the reigns of the story?
I encourage my characters to hijack the story. When I release my grip and let the characters lead, my stories take shape and develop a life of their own. 

2. Convince us why you feel your book is a must read.
If you like wholesome stories that are uplifting and leave you feeling inspired, then you’ll love Blooming Into Life. All women will recognize something about themselves in Colleen. You will find yourself rooting for her the whole way through. Colleen’s achievements are powerful and honest.

3. Have you written any other books that are not published?
No, Blooming Into Life is the first book that I have ever written.

4. Pen or type writer or computer?
I do all my writing on a computer. 

5. Anything you would like to say to your readers and fans?
“I hope you enjoy reading Blooming Into Life. I hope it warms your heart, leaves you feeling inspired, and motivates you to boost your own inner confidence.”


~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GIVEAWAY INFORMATION 
Kristie will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.


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Hard Love by Shana Vanterpool


Hard Love
Shana Vanterpool
(Guns & Ink #2)
Published by: Swoon Romance
Publication date: May 22nd 2018
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance
When two people in pain collide, there is something intoxicating about drowning in the chaos of hard love.
Brando Hawkins is a detective with the Denver Police Department. The world should be his to take. He’s a dedicated officer with a promising career. But Brando’s got secrets. Dark, ruthless secrets. At twenty-six, he’s burned-out, and the sight of another body, one more unhappy ending, might just do him in.
Catherine Abbott is a woman who wars with her demons and guards her heart. Immersed in a world where people ink their lives on their skin, Catherine trusts only that which she can see. And, as a rape survivor, she finds comfort in control.
But Brando’s demons start to tangle with hers. They’re dangerous, like hers. But they’re beautiful too.
A spray of bullets brings them together, and the pain of their pasts collide with the lure of their futures. Cat wants to mend his heart and his wounds, but Brando’s secrets lay tucked away in a vault so tightly sealed, she can’t get through.
Everything around them is covered in the confusion of love and the burn of revenge, but no one ever said love was easy.
Hard Love is the next standalone installment in the Guns & Ink series by Shana Vanterpool, a world of tattoos, love, and redemption from Swoon Romance.


Author Bio:
When I walk into a book store I feel at home. When I smell the pages of a brand new book things make sense. When I read I am who I always wanted to be. I read to escape and I write so others can as well. My family, my actress dog Bella, coffee, and a steamy love story are a few of my most precious things.

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