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Friday, May 11, 2018

Ruthless by Dani René

Title: Ruthless
Series: Sins of Seven
Author: Dani René
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Release Date: May 28, 2018
Cover Designer: Raven Designs



I’m an asshole.

And I make no apologies for it.

My life has been spent drenched in the blood of my enemies.

Our family legacy, left only to me when my brother walked away.

Women are pawns in a game for pleasure. Nothing more.

Until her. Madison Parker.

I’m enthralled. Captivated.

But my past is far too dark.

Pushing her away is my only option.

Yet her stubborn, sassy mouth and beautiful eyes weaken me.

I save her as much as she saves me.

Then blood is spilled once more, and I’ll forever live with the guilt.

Can light find its way through my darkness?

Can she truly be the salvation for this ruthless heart?











Dani is an international bestselling author and proud member of the Romance Writer's Organization of South Africa (ROSA) and the Romance Writers of America (RWA).


A fan of dark romance that grabs you by the throat and doesn't let go. It's from this passion that her writing has evolved from sweet and romantic, to dark and delicious. It's in this world she's found her calling, growing from strength to strength and hitting her stride.

On a daily basis, she has a few hundred characters, storylines, and ideas floating around in her head. From the feisty heroines she delivers to the dark, dominant alphas that grace the pages of her books, she promises light in a world filled with danger and darkness.

She has a healthy addiction to reading, TV series, music, tattoos, chocolate, and ice cream.

For any inquiries, please contact me at info@danirene.com or my PA at danirenepa@gmail.com

Join my reader group - Dani's Darklings




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Thursday, May 10, 2018

Voice for the Silent Fathers by Eddie K. Wright



Voice for the Silent Fathers
by Eddie K. Wright


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


GENRE: Memoir


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


BLURB:


In his memoir, Eddie shares his story of becoming a father at 18 years old who realized his son was
showing ‘stereotypical’ signs of being gay while still in diapers. Spending most of his adult life engulfed
in the street gangster/hip-hop culture where this subject was not only hushed but deeply frowned upon,
he gives us the voice for what’s been kept silent for far too long, confronting almost every aspect of
this taboo topic. It took years for him to silently accept his son’s homosexuality himself, regardless of
all the signs. When his son was five years old, his favorite color was pink and there was nothing Dad
could do about it. By the age of fourteen; he was an internet sensation, dancing on YouTube building
his fan base to guarantee his success when performing as a drag queen a few years later. Eddie
addresses the questions most are scared to ask; Was there anything I could do to stop my son’s
homosexuality? When did I know my son was gay? What made him that way? Parents will find comfort
in reading that Eddie admits that his son’s feminine behaviors embarrassed him and he seriously
contemplated abandonment, a choice that too many fathers feel they have to choose.


He shares witnessing the desperation in the eyes of fathers, from all walks of life, who have pulled him
aside, away from listening ears wanting to know the answers to these frequently asked questions,
agonizing the possibilities that their son might be gay.

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



Excerpt Two:

Chapter One Excerpt:


…” My son Drew was born September 20, 1990. I don't know if homosexuality is a biological or mental condition. I never thought Drew would grow up making the conscious decision to be gay, the way other kids were making plans to become firefighters, police officers, or doctors.


When I would ask him what he wanted to be when he grew up, he would tell me all the normal kid choices, he never straight out said, "Dad, I want to be a gay ballerina dancer!" However, as a father with a keen street intuition, I sensed something abnormal was having an effect on Drew.

At a very young age, he began displaying mannerisms similar to his mother. He started sucking his teeth and rolling his eyes. He would tilt his head and alter his voice to imitate a girlish tone and it would get on my nerves. This was happening when he was around four or five years old, and I avoided paying too much attention to those signs for fear of re-reinforcing those flamboyant behaviors.

Around others, especially the women in Drew’s life, I was depicted as "Mr. Macho”. I was the bad guy who was always "over-reacting" when I addressed and attempted to correct certain mannerisms that just couldn't be ignored.

My "Gaydar" was active watching all his behaviors for a "Gayness Alert!" which would make me rush in, like the heterosexual swat team, to stop whatever he was doing and make it more boyish.”…



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


AUTHOR Bio and Links:


First time author Eddie K. Wright is a fitness trainer, Yoga instructor, spiritual motivational speaker and
an inmate at a federal prison.  His personal transformation upon realizing the Universal laws and love of
life, supports his conviction in his "Gangster to Guru" book series. The premier release "VOICE FOR THE
SILENT FATHERS" details the struggle and inner conflict with being the parent of a homosexual child
in the day, and a known connected gangster at night. Overcoming his "No son of mine" mentality, by
realizing the true meaning of unconditional love wasn't easy, but his deep insight, heartfelt honesty, and
'laugh to keep from crying' attitude, makes for a humorous read for anyone touched by this issue which
means it's for everyone!


Visit my Voice for the Silent Fathers website: http://voiceforthesilentfathers.com
Subscribe to my blog: http://eddiekwright.com
Friend me on Facebook: http://facebook.com/eddiekwright
Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/eddiekwright
Follow my GoodReads author page: https://www.goodreads.com/EddieKWright
Favorite my Smashwords author page: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/eddiekwright
Visit my Gangster Turned Guru Series website: http://gangstertoguru.com

Visit my Publishers website:  http://mwrightgroup.com


BUY LINK:  The Book will be FREE During the Tour


https://www.amazon.com/Voice-Silent-Fathers-Eddie-Wright/dp/0997490802


Interview with Eddie K. Wright
1. Do your characters seem to hijack the story or do you feel like you have the reigns of the story?
"Voice for the Silent Fathers is purposely character driven so that the reader comprehends the emotional thought process and feelings as if they are part of the story.  This is a memoir detailing the experiences of my struggle to accept my son's homosexuality. I want my characters to hijack the reader and pull them in so that by the time you read the last page, you'll feel as if you’re a friend of my family.
2. Convince us why you feel your book is a must read?
I'm a top expert in my field, being the father of the gayest don on this planet!  He put me through it, and I love and accept him unconditionally. More fathers need to openly show their support for their gay children.  Voice for the Silent Fathers is a must read, not only because I'm the first father to ever write about this topic, but because everyone knows someone who's dealing with this issue.  
How many fathers openly even admit that they have and accept their homosexual son?  Maybe a few, but defiantly not enough. Most fathers abandon their gay children, not because they don't love them, but because they allow their prejudices to supersede their intelligence.  Fear has that effect. Voice for the Silent Fathers, eliminates that fear with the power of unconditional love.
3. Have you written any other books that are not published?
Yes, I have a number of books to fill my "Gangster Turned Guru Presents", series.  "The Evolution Of A Gangster Turned Guru" is due to be published in 2019, followed by my Parenting From Prison handbook, writings on the Universal Laws of Attraction, Fitness and Wellness, Microwave Cookbook For Convicts and College Students, along with others to keep my readers entertained and spiritually educated.
4. Pen or type writer or computer?
Being in a Federal Prison, it cost me five cents a minute when I'm on the computer.  I write everything with my blue ballpoint Bic pen, until it's time to type it out in an e-mail to my publisher.  Learning how to type fast was mandatory.
5. Anything you would like to say to your readers and fans?

I just want to thank everyone for the love and support I receive.  The comments are super inspirational. If there is one book you need to take a chance on, "Voice for the Silent Fathers" is it.  Those that take the time to follow my writings aren't considered fans, but friends. Thanks again for all the support.



Thoughts from a reader:
These delicate father son issues, so implicitly captured in Eddie's writings, are relevant to a broad
spectrum of societal issues beyond the "No son of mine" father of a gay man experience.  In fact, the
book gets to the real substance of human conflict which is our inability to accept and appreciate
difference. The key word here is appreciation.  The book offers an opportunity to consider acceptance
in a way that extends grace, honor, support and recognition.  When we are ungrateful, we are critical,
blaming, and we use forms of rejection.  Eddie’s experience of coming to the acceptance of his son
provides hope for healing; a more practical response to conflict that allows dignity, respect and honor
which overcomes criticism, blame, bigotry, and ultimately rejection.  ~G. Holmes~


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


GIVEAWAY INFORMATION


Eddie will be awarding a $20 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter
during the tour.



Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here: 

Venetian Blood by Christine Evelyn Volker

Author: Christine Evelyn Volker

Narrator: Gabrielle de Cuir

Length: 12 hours 6 minutes

Publisher: Christine Evelyn Volker

Released: Mar. 27, 2018

Genre: Mystery


Struggling to forget a crumbling marriage, 40-year-old Anna Lucia Lottol comes to Venice to visit an old friend - but instead of finding solace, she is dragged into the police station and accused of murdering a money-laundering count with whom she had a brief affair. A US Treasury officer with brains and athleticism, Anna fights to clear her name in a seductive city full of watery illusions. As she works to pry information from a cast of recalcitrant characters sometimes denying what she sees and hears, she succeeds in unleashing a powerful foe bent on destroying her. Will she save herself and vanquish her enemies, including her darkest fears?

A captivating tapestry of murder, betrayal, and family, Venetian Blood is a story of one woman's brave quest for the truth - before it's too late.

"A riveting whodunit that makes full use of its dramatic setting." (Kirkus Reviews)







Christine Evelyn Volker became intrigued by foreign cultures at an early age, which propelled her to study Spanish, German, and Italian. After securing a BA in Spanish and an MLS at University at Albany – SUNY, followed by an MBA at UC Berkeley, she was drawn to international banking and became a senior vice president at a global financial institution. Her career brought her to Italy, where she immersed herself in the language and made frequent visits to Venice. Venetian Blood marks a return to her roots in the humanities, and just won the Sarton Women’s Book Award for contemporary fiction.


She is currently at work on her second international mystery, this one set in the rainforest of Peru.

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Narrator Bio


Gabrielle has narrated over 400 hundred titles specializing in fantasy, humor, and titles requiring extensive foreign language and accent skills. Her “velvet touch” as an actors’ director has earned her a special place in the audiobook world as the foremost choice for best-selling authors and celebrities. Short list of those directed: Anne Hathaway, Emilio Estevez, Wil Wheaton, Dr. Daniel G. Amen, Elijah Wood, Deepak Chopra, Eric Idle, Nancy Cartwright, Michael York, Ed Herrmann, and Joe Mantegna. She is the writer and director of the Award winning short film THE DELIVERY, which deals with an Alice-in-Wonderland version of audio books. She spent her childhood in Rome growing up with her wildly artistic and cinematic father, John de Cuir, four-time Academy Award winning Production Designer, an upbringing that her to be fluent in Romance languages and to have an unusual appetite for visual delights.)
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Q&A with Author Christine Evelyn Volker
  • Was a possible audiobook recording something you were conscious of while writing?
    • Yes. But it didn’t enter the choices that I made. If you’re a writer doing your job, you’re already making decisions based on the cadence of words, their sounds, how realistic your dialog is and how it would be spoken. All of these factors are critical for a good audiobook. After the first few drafts, I read the book out loud to hear how the words sounded and made changes if they didn’t work well together.
  • How did you select your narrator?
    • Gabrielle de Cuir auditioned, and I loved her voice – its pitch and expressiveness. She brought out the characters’ emotions while also creating interest in paragraphs of pure description. Once I heard her Italian pronunciation (I also speak it), I knew she could handle the super-challenging text I had written: lots of Italian and Spanish words, plus six types of accents in English. I checked her background. She had won awards, and was highly experienced. She didn’t have to learn the craft via my book. I used Audiobook Creation Exchange (acx). Despite the audition and the first fifteen minutes where the author listens to the narrator’s recording and provides feedback, going forward there’s a lot riding on faith. Faith that the rest of the voice actor’s work holds up to the standard of the first part. Given the linguistic and emotional complexity of my book it would have been easy for someone with less talent and experience to go astray.
  • How closely did you work with your narrator before and during the recording process? Did you give them any pronunciation tips or special insight into the characters?
    • We worked together very smoothly. I spent a lot of time at the beginning by preparing six pages of written character descriptions, including minor ones. I boiled the key characters down, their attitudes, what made them tick, and where important, how I thought their voices could sound. This allowed her to reflect before she started, to figure out how she’d breathe life into their words. Since Gabrielle grew up in Rome, I didn’t need to give her Italian pronunciation tips. That was a huge boost. We did have a back and forth, surprisingly to me, about the first name of the main character, Anna. I didn’t have to consider this at all when writing the book. But Anna’s name would sound different when pronounced by Italians or Americans (“Ah-na” vs. “Anna.”) This could confuse listeners. Gabrielle needed to nail it down. We decided on the “Ah-na” pronunciation, no matter which character was saying it.
  • Were there any real life inspirations behind your writing?
    • Certainly there’s my visceral love for Venice which becomes a character in the novel. I tried to bring out the city’s rich and storied past, its faded glory and its contradictions. Venice still exists, against all odds. Then there are bits of my own life hidden away in the pages. In 1992, I went to Italy for work but also to seek space from a troubled first marriage, so I fused pain with my love of Venice and the desire to create. The time period for the book is the same. Also, wildlife is a sub-theme in the book; nature and the future of the earth are important to me.
  • Is there a particular part of this story that you feel is more resonating in the audiobook performance than in the book format?
    • Definitely when there are two characters engaged in a suspenseful or moving dialog, like Anna being grilled by Detective Biondi, Anna and Pablo confiding in her about Sergio – the dead man, Anna, Margo and Agatha together later in the book when Agatha reveals shocking secrets. I’ve listened to my audiobook three times now, and its emotional punch is greater throughout. Whether it’s the fact that language is meant to be spoken, or that in our history, the spoken word came before the written one, or that many of us had the pleasure of hearing our parents tell us stories before we learned to read, or that listening is a more elemental pleasure than following dots across a page, or that hearing is something we engaged in before we were even born, or that it’s all of the above—I can’t say. But a well-narrated story is more gripping than the written one.
  • If this title were being made into a TV series or movie, who would you cast to play the primary roles?
    • This is a fun question. Anna: Rachel Weisz, Margo: Jennifer Connelly, Alessandro: Giancarlo Giannini, Detective Biondi: Daniel Craig (I think he can pronounce Italian well), Dudley: Gary Oldham, Agatha: Helen Mirren. Pablo: Javier Bardem or Edward James Olmos. I could go on, but I’ll stop there!
  • What do you say to those who view listening to audiobooks as “cheating” or as inferior to “real reading?”
    • Stop being so judgmental. Each has its advantages. Certainly, it’s important for all of us to be literate, so reading is a skill we all must master. Assuming we have, then a written book or a spoken book is a choice we’re free to make. Technology made audiobooks portable, and that means people who endure commutes to work can benefit, folks who exercise can get involved in a story as they’re on the treadmill, and even dreaded housework can be made more pleasurable while listening to a book. Everybody’s short of time and may not be able to just sit and read. I fail to see a problem.
  • Is your favorite food, song, or city referenced in your work?
    • Yes. Anna manages to savor a lot of food in my mystery. We’re talking about Italy – so how could I leave food out? One of my faves is porcini mushrooms crowning warm polenta. Outstanding. I first ate it in Verona, but it makes its way onto Anna’s plate in Venice. I can’t resist getting into wine. The first time I drank fruity and sublime Amarone was at the Hotel Metropole in Venice with my husband, Stephan. Of course, I had to feature it. A unique and moving song I love came out around the time of the book. Eros Ramazzotti sings the story of two dolphins, Missie and Silver, almost from their point of view. They were real dolphins, kept in a small tank in England, and eventually set free. One of my characters, Angela, listens to the song; it has a special meaning for her. My favorite city, Venice, infuses the entire book, even when I don’t mention it.
  • What bits of advice would you give to aspiring writers?
    • Reach high, get uncomfortable, and repeat after me: “I am the only one who can tell my story.”
  • What’s next for you?
    • Polishing my novel, Jaguar Moon. It’s a mystery based in Peru, with a Latina journalist. She returns to Cusco to find out what happened to her parents many years ago. On assignment, her photographer goes missing. Her journey takes her through Cusco’s cobbled streets to the lushness of the rainforest. Will she be as fearless as her father in seeking the truth?
Dream Cast
Christine Evelyn Volker's Dream Cast for Venetian Blood
  1. Anna Lucia Lottol: Rachel Weisz
  2. Detective Niccolo Biondi: Daniel Craig
  3. Margo Fruhling: Jennifer Connelly
  4. Count Alessandro Favier: Giancarlo Giannini
  5. Pablo Morales: Javier Bardem or Edward James Olmos
  6. Dudley Filbert: Gary Oldham
  7. Agatha Filbert: Helen Mirren
  8. Roberto Cavallin: Raoul Bova
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Fey Spy by Tiffany Shand


Sapphyria's Book Promotions presents a 1-week virtual book tour for Fey Spy, Tales of the Ithereal, Part 1, by Tiffany Shand. Follow the tour schedule below to visit spotlights and to read reviews and exclusive excerpts! https://saphsbookpromotions.blogspot.com/2018/05/virtual-book-tour-schedule-fey-spy.html

About Fey Spy:

A fey,

A world that’s against her,

A mission to save her people,

And a lost love.

Serafina Valeon fights to save her people by working in the resistance as a spy, in a world where she could be killed for being a fey. Only a scared artifact, the keystone, can help bring freedom to the fey. Sera must risk her life to recover the stone and venture into the mage city of Elmira.

Once there she stumbles across her childhood sweetheart, Bastian, who now works for the very people that hunt her race. Sera must find a way to work with Bastian, despite their differences and the forbidden desire between them. Will she be able to recover the artifact without revealing who and what she really is? Will Bastian be able to accept her, or will their love be the doom of her?

Book Details:

168 pages

Genres: Adult Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy

This book does not contain any sexual content.



Excerpt:
Sera tried not to wince. She’d never expected to join the hunters, or the guild as they were called, but her mission in working for the resistance now demanded it.
Bastian’s eyes narrowed as he let go of her arm. “Oh, we’ve met. Although your little stunt back there was impressive, why should I trust you?”
Because I was your wife and you loved me once, she thought, but doubted that would make a very good excuse. She tried not to sigh. Convincing Bastian to let her into his inner circle would be harder than she’d imagined.
“I proved I can be helpful,” she pointed out, not avoiding his gaze. “I don’t expect you to trust me – yet. Trust has to be earned. So give me a chance.”
Bas frowned. “Being a hunter isn’t an easy job. Why do you want to be one?”
Because I need a good excuse to get into the citadel. I’d never want hunt anyone, especially not my own kind, she thought. “I’m good at adapting to situations and with different magics. I know I can help your team,” she said with more confidence than she felt. “Let me prove myself.”
Bastian frowned. “Are you going to tell me why disappeared ten years ago?” He motioned Liana and Niall away.
Sera bit her lip. “It was a long time ago. Why does it matter?”
“Of course it matters! I thought the bloody fey killed you,” he snapped. “I looked everywhere for you the next morning, but I never found any trace of you.”


Meet the Author:



Tiffany Shand is a writing mentor, professionally trained copy editor and copy writer who has been writing stories for as long as she can remember. Born in East Anglia, Tiffany still lives in the area, constantly guarding her work space from the two cats which she shares her home with.

She began using her pets as a writing inspiration when she was a child, before moving on to write her first novel after successful completion of a creative writing course. Nowadays, Tiffany writes urban fantasy and paranormal romance, as well as nonfiction books for other writers, all available through Amazon and on her own website.

Tiffany’s favourite quote is ‘writing is an exploration. You start from nothing and learn as you go’ and it is armed with this that she hopes to be able to help, inspire and mentor many more aspiring authors.

When she has time to unwind, Tiffany enjoys photography, reading and watching endless box sets. She also loves to get out and visit the vast number of castles and historic houses that England has to offer.

You can contact Tiffany Shand, or just see what she is writing about at:

Tiffany’s Website

Tiffany’s blog

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