Follow on Bloglovin

Welcome to my place in the blogosphere!
feel free to explore the Flight Deck and check out my books and website.
Then fasten your seatbelts, sip a glass of something sparkling and let's chat awhile!
I hope you'll stop by again for guest authors and spotlights from time to time.

Beloved Enemy joined Starquest and Children of the Mist to continue the Destiny Trilogy and I'm thrilled to announce was shortlisted for the R.N.A. RoNA Awards 2017, awarded 2nd Runner up in the RONE Awards 2017 and was the winner in the SF/Fantasy category of the 'Best Banter Contest'.

Showing posts with label Blog Tour. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Blog Tour. Show all posts

Tuesday 10 January 2023

Maz Origin - Spotlight and #Giveaway

 

 Maz, Origin

by T.L. Ford 

GENRE: Science Fiction

BLURB:

Entering the witness relocation program after lawfully escaping a massive walled-in prison, teenage Merrill tries to


fit into our society. Her background and decisions may not let her.

 Maz, Origin is a story of growth and love, guilt and innocence, and changing goals. What is morally right and what is legally right? What's legal for humans may not be for aliens.

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

EXCERPT

I heard shots being fired from below.  They were aiming at the helicopter or the guy that landed on the scaffolding above me.  The sign offered some level of protection, but they'd move into position directly below shortly.  "It's ok, miss, we'll have you out of here in a jiff.  Are you hurt?"   

The man began to wiggle through the bars, which was no small feat because he was wearing some sort of heavy armor.

He reached down toward me, and I hesitated, terrified of grabbing that hand and leaving my life behind.  He clenched his teeth in frustration and urged me, "Come on, miss!  Just take my hand."

Gunfire from below decided for me.  I lifted my good arm, and he latched onto me.  As he jerked me upwards, pain shot through my shoulder and abdomen.  I gave up life and slipped into darkness.

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

AUTHOR Bio and Links: 

T. L. Ford is a programmer, writer, and artist. She spent most of her professional career supporting the
Patuxent River Naval Air Station in southern Maryland.  Her science fiction novels imagine possibilities while focusing on society and personal relationships and decisions.  Her fantasy novels are heavily influenced by Dungeons & Dragons and are light "weekend reads".  She's also created two art books, a thriller novella, and an interactive math iBook.  She enjoys sailing, hiking, and spending time with her family

https://cattail.nu/books/maz_origin/

https://www.Cattail.Nu

https://www.facebook.com/theresa.ford.52

https://www.instagram.com/theresa.ford/

https://www.amazon.com/T.-L.-Ford/e/B0034Q6Q2S

Buy link: https://www.amazon.com/Maz-Origin-T-L-Ford-ebook/dp/B0BBBXXC2J

~~~~~~~~~

INTERVIEW

 
What group did you hang out with in high school?

I was with the Creative Misfits who mostly did their own thing.


What are you passionate about these days?


Exercise and health (I spent too many years in a windowless office sitting in front of a computer), and I am passionate about the soul-wellness of those I interact with.
 

If you had to do your journey to getting published all over again, what would you do differently?

 
Nothing.  Each book came with lessons that helped with subsequent books.


Ebook or print? And why?


For me, reading needs to be an ebook for the larger text.  I have old eyes.  One of the greatest scents in the universe is an open book, so we have to keep those around, too.


What is your favorite scene in this book?


I really enjoyed writing the shift in power and status from the Jonde with its "typical overbearing person is put in his place" theme.  If only we could say the same for General Gemtry...

 Follow the tour HERE -

One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card.

  a Rafflecopter giveaway  









For insider news and subscriber-only info, subscribe to my occasional Newsletter. I promise not to spam and your in-box will only see an email from me every 3 or 4 months or so - unless of course I have something really Newsworthy to share! I also promise that I never have and never will share your information or email address with anyone or any organisation.  http://madmimi.com/signups/196357/join

Friday 26 August 2022

Hidden In The Mists by Christina Courtenay -Spotlight, Giveaway and Review


HIDDEN IN THE MISTS is a dual time story set in Scotland, featuring Vikings, ghosts and hidden treasure. Here is a short blurb:-

A love forged in fire lives on through the ages.
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. But echoes of the distant past won’t leave them alone, and it seems that the ghosts of the past have secrets . . . and they have something that they want Skye and Rafe to know. 

I'm thrilled to be part of this blog tour for Christina Courtenay's new novel Hidden in the Mists and to have been given the chance to review it. Thanks to Christina and Rachel's Random Resources.

I love Christina Courtenay's writing and have always had a fascination with Vikings and Nordic legends, so was looking forward to reading this book. I was not disappointed.The book follows two timelines and two sets of characters, each beautifully drawn and easy to relate to. One pair of characters live in the present time and one pair in a Viking settlement in the 9th century, and a clever touch is a gold bracelet that links the two timelines.  The action flows seamlessly from one timeline to the other and is easy to follow. The historical events, as well as descriptions of traditional crafts such as wool dying, spinning and weaving are obviously thoroughly researched and completely convincing.

There are several similarities between the two sets of characters and events which seem to mirror each other. There is also a hint of the supernatural, which is always in the background without being overdone. On one level, this is a ghost story, but not the blood-chilling scary sort, rather, there is a sense of eeriness and a hint of other-worldliness and maybe reincarnation.  Add to this, page-turning tension and a sense of mystery, not to mention the excitement of an archaeological dig with a possibility of buried treasure. Then, with not one, but two engaging romances, you have a gripping novel full of intrigue, that kept me turning the pages late into the night. For me, this is one of those stories that will remain in the memory long after the book is finished. (Five stars)

This is what the author says about her book:

I absolutely loved Scotland from the very first time I visited, and it has always felt like a magical place to me. The landscape, so often shrouded in mist, is stunning and atmospheric, and ideal as the backdrop for a dual time story. When I was casting around for new ideas for my next book during lockdown, it seemed perfect in more ways than one.


Normally, whenever I start writing a new book, I try to travel to the places where my stories are set, but obviously during the pandemic that wasn’t possible. As I’d been to Scotland before, it wasn’t strictly necessary. I also have a lovely friend who lives on the west coast of Argyll and she was willing to help me with the background details whenever my memory failed me. Add to that the fact that I knew the Vikings had once occupied large swathes of the West Highlands and islands nearby and everything started to fall into place.


The Vikings had already established themselves on Shetland and Orkney, and from there it was only a short journey to the Hebrides, or Western Isles, which was to the south. The Norsemen therefore called the islands the SuĂ°reyar – the South Islands – while after the mid-ninth century the Gaels apparently referred to them as Innse Gall – the Isles of the Foreigners. The Vikings would have set up raiding bases on the islands at first before they eventually became permanent settlements. It can’t have been long before they also established themselves on the mainland, which is where my story takes place.
In the end, I was lucky enough to make it up to Scotland for a visit after lockdown finally finished, so I was able to check the locations for myself. All in all, it seemed as though the Norse gods were with me and this story was meant to be.

Here is an extract from HIDDEN IN THE MISTS:-

 
‘Damn it all, move, you stupid thing!’


 Skye heaved with all her might, but succeeded only in shifting her rowing boat a couple of inches. It had been placed upside down on trestles the previous autumn and covered with a tarpaulin, but she’d recently made sure it was watertight by painting the hull with water resistant paint. However, all that work would be for nothing if she couldn’t get the annoying thing into the sea.


‘Come on!’ She tried one more time and managed to lift one end. If she couldn’t set it down carefully, though, chances were she’d smash all the bones in one or both of her feet, and then where would she be? This was useless.


‘There’s got to be a way,’ she muttered. She could try to push the trestles over with a broom handle, but what if the boat crashed to the ground too heavily? It would break, and she couldn’t afford to lose it. Either way, it was upside down and she still wouldn’t be able to turn it over. She needed it in one piece.


‘Would you like a hand with that?’ The deep voice came from right behind her, and Skye jumped and swivelled around, her heart turning somersaults inside her chest.


‘Jesus! Where did you spring from?’ She brought up a hand to push against her ribcage, where her heartbeat was going nineteen to the dozen.


A man stood a few metres away, glancing from her to the boat and back again. His expression wasn’t threatening, but he was tall, and the tight T-shirt he wore emphasised a powerful torso as well as muscular arms and shoulders. She swallowed hard. Calm down. Breathe! Visitors to her remote place were few and far between, but she had prepared herself for this eventuality. In an outside pocket of her combat trousers she carried a switchblade, in case someone arrived who wasn’t friendly. And she knew how to use the weapon; a former boyfriend had seen to that. He’d wanted her to be able to defend herself, should the need arise. Still, the reality of being confronted by an intruder was a lot scarier in real life than in theory only.


He held up his hands in a peace gesture, calming her a fraction. ‘Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you. I parked my van down the lane and walked the last bit. Don’t know if you’ve noticed, but your potholes are more like small craters.’ He gave her a disarming smile. ‘Wasn’t sure it was worth the risk to my tyres. Thought you heard me coming, but I guess you were busy.’


Down the lane? He must mean the rough mile-long track that led to her remote cottage. If he’d walked along that, his footsteps should have been clearly audible on the crunchy gravel. Where the heck were her guard dogs, and why hadn’t they barked to let her know someone was approaching? This was the second time in as many days they’d failed her, which was unheard of. Although she couldn’t really expect them to hear a ghost . . . She pushed that thought aside and whistled for them. They came bounding over, wagging their tails at the stranger, who stooped to pat them both in turn. The sight shook her, as it had never happened before. The traitors! They were normally wary of visitors, but this guy had them enthralled. Perhaps they had barked initially, but she’d been so focused on the boat she hadn’t noticed. Still, they shouldn’t be so friendly with anyone unless she told them to. This was worrying.


She stared at the man again. Was he real? Her mind returned – as it had done several times today – to the ghostly figure she’d seen by the shore yesterday. No, he was not a figment of her imagination. For one thing, he was too good-looking. Long golden-brown hair twisted into a messy man bun, big blue eyes under arched dark brows, a perfectly proportioned nose and a mouth surrounded by at least a week’s worth of stubble. The fact that his long-sleeved T-shirt was faded and his jeans ripped and worn didn’t matter – he’d have rocked any outfit, she was sure. The point was that he wasn’t dressed as a Viking, nor was he as insubstantial and shadowy as that woman had been. He couldn’t possibly be a ghost.


She tried to get a grip. She was clearly overreacting a wee bit here. Yes, understatement! But handsome or not, he was big and male, and she was all alone with him. Ghosts were one thing, they couldn’t hurt her, but this man most certainly could if he wanted to. Her hand hovered over the pocket that held the switchblade. The knowledge that it was there calmed her.


She cleared her throat. ‘Why are you here?’


His mouth twitched up further into a smile that made the corners of his eyes crinkle attractively. ‘Someone in the village said you might be wanting to hire some help for the summer months. I’m looking for a temporary job. Thought I’d come and ask in person.’


‘Oh. Who said that?’ She’d been careful not to tell anyone that Craig no longer lived here. It was safer that way. People talked, and it was a small community where everyone liked to know everyone else’s business.
The guy shrugged. ‘The owner of the village store.’


That made sense. Mr Fraser must have remembered that they’d hired someone last year to help out for a couple of weeks. God knew she could do with an extra pair of hands, but she couldn’t afford it.


‘This is Auchenbeag, right?’ he added. ‘Whatever that means. And I probably didn’t pronounce it correctly either.’


He hadn’t, and the way he’d massacred the Gaelic word made her want to smile, but she resisted the urge. She shouldn’t find anything about him charming. He was a stranger. Potentially dangerous . . . She shook her head. ‘Yes. It means “little field”, but sorry, I don’t—’


As if he’d read her mind, the man interrupted her. ‘I’m happy to work for nothing but food and free Wi-Fi. No salary necessary. And I brought my own accommodation, a camper van. That is, if I can get it down that bumpy track. But perhaps you need to consult with your husband? Or should I go talk to him myself?’
 

‘Um, no, that’s not . . . I mean, he’s not here right now. Family emergency. He might be a while.’
Yes, like for ever. But she couldn’t tell him that. And she shouldn’t have mentioned that Craig wasn’t here – now he’d know for sure she was all alone. What was wrong with her today?


‘Right. Well, would you like a hand with that boat, and then maybe we can talk some more?


‘And yes, please, I could definitely do with some help here.'


She’d be stupid not to accept his offer, because there was no way she’d ever get this boat off the trestles and into the water by herself.

 



Author bio:-

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).

Social Media:-

http://www.christinacourtenay.com

https://www.facebook.com/christinacourtenayauthor?fref=ts

https://twitter.com/PiaCCourtenay

https://www.instagram.com/ChristinaCourtenayAuthor/

Giveaway to Win a signed copy of Hidden in the Mists,

 Viking tea-towel andViking carved butter knife (Open INT)


*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize

 a Rafflecopter giveaway



 

For insider news and subscriber-only info, subscribe to my occasional Newsletter. I promise not to spam and your in-box will only see an email from me every 3 or 4 months or so - unless of course I have something really Newsworthy to share! I also promise that I never have and never will share your information or email address with anyone or any organisation.  http://madmimi.com/signups/196357/join

Sunday 15 December 2019

Spotlight on End of The Road Audio book

 

Author: Karen Michelle Nutt

Narrator: Kelly Jackson

Length: 9 hours 27 minutes

Publisher: Karen Michelle Nutt

Released: Sep. 24, 2019

Genre: Paranormal Romance


Synopsis

Lars Gunner, the frontman for Silent Plaids, died 23 years ago, and his death was ruled an unfortunate accident. Despite the fact that he can't recall what happened to him in his last moments of life, he is convinced that he was murdered. He has been trapped in limbo until his daughter Cecilia unearths his journal and is able to see him. She seeks help from Kaleb, a psychic, but as they resurrect the past, the secrets and lies surrounding Lars' rock-and-roll life just may be the death of them, too.

Purchase Options

Buy on AmazonAudibleiTunes


About the Author: Karen Michelle Nutt

Karen Michelle Nutt resides in California with her husband. Though her three children are grown and starting their own adventures, she still has a houseful of demanding pets. Jack, her Chorkie, is her writing buddy and sits long hours with her at the computer.
When she's not time traveling, fighting outlaws, or otherworldly creatures, she creates book covers at Gillian's Book Covers, "Judge Your Book By Its Cover".
Whether your reading fancy is paranormal, time travel or contemporary romances, all her stories capture the rich array of emotions that accompany the most fabulous human phenomena—falling in love.

.About the Narrator: Kelly Jackson


Kelly Jackson is a SAG/AFTRA-affiliated actor and comedienne, and as such, she loves idealizing characters in the books that she narrates.  Kelly and her sister are also bloggers known as The Midlife Gals Gone Gray. That’s how this whole thing got started. They choose a topic and then annihilate it through two hilariously disparate points of view.  Kelly wrote a book, A Texan Goes to Nirvana, and wanted to narrate it herself. That’s how that got started. When not writing and narrating, Kelly has a ‘death grip on the control panel’ as a Senior Executive Assistant/Girl Friday to CEOs.  Although a Texan by birth, Kelly and her sister live in Hawaii and enjoy a regular yoga practice, movies, swimming and oddbody watching at nearby beaches. Aloha!Proud member of SAG/AFTRA



https://gleam.io/yjKLh/end-of-the-road-giveaway-25-amazon-gift-card
End of the Road Giveaway: $25 Amazon Gift Card



Dec. 12th:
Southern Girl Bookaholic
Viviana MacKade

Dec. 13th:
Smada’s Book Smack
4 the Love of Audiobooks
Dec. 14th:
Dab of Darkness Book Reviews
Eileen Troemel
Dec. 15th:
Jazzy Book Reviews
All the Ups and Downs
 Romance that’s ‘Out Of This World’

Dec. 16th:
The Book Junkie Reads . . .
Dec. 17th:
Locks, Hooks and Books
Dec. 18th:
Teatime and Books
Nesie’s Place

Plugging you into the audio community since 2016.
Sign up as a tour host here.










For insider news and subscriber-only info, subscribe to my occasional Newsletter. I promise not to spam and your in-box will only see an email from me every 3 or 4 months or so - unless of course I have something really Newsworthy to share! I also promise that I never have and never will share your information or email address with anyone or any organisation.  http://madmimi.com/signups/196357/join

Saturday 31 December 2016

Happy New Year and the winners...



I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and will have a very happy and healthy and successful New Year

The winners of my recent Blog Tour were 
TRACI who wins the Amazon Gift Certificate and
JAMES who won a copy of download of one of my books

Congratuations, you should both now have received your prizes.

Sorry to be so late with this announcement -

The winner of the Highway Cafe Blog Hop was Tina Stedtler!  Congratulations Tina - let me know whether you'd like a download of Starquest or Dancing with Fate



See you all next year!

For insider news and subscriber-only info, subscribe to my occasional Newsletter. I promise not to spam and your in-box will only see an email from me every 3 or 4 months or so - unless of course I have something really Newsworthy to share! http://madmimi.com/signups/196357/join Every new subscriber will get a FREEdownload of my fantasy novella 'Dancing With Fate' (If this doesn't arrive within two days just email me at hywelalyn@btinternet.com)

Sunday 11 December 2016

A Sale and a virtual blog tour for the Destiny Trilogy.


I'm on tour with Silver Dagger Scriptorium
http://silverdaggertours.wixsite.com/sdsxxday! 

So exciting!


If you haven't read the first book in my trilogy - now's your chance to pick it up at a bargain price.  Yes it's just 99c for the length of the tour, from either my publisher The Wild Rose Press or Amazon.com or  99p from Amazon UK.  I haven't had it on 'sale' before so this is a unique opportunity - but hurry because it ends on 16th December! Although Starquest is the first book, it's complete and a 'standalone' as are the other two books - but they all feature some of the same characters, who all have their different adventures and dangers to face before finally getting their 'h.e.a.'

The Destiny Trilogy, Starquest Volume 1
BLURB
When Jestine Darnell is rescued from her sabotaged starship by the crew of the Destiny her only objective is to complete her mission and keep her promise to save a world from slavery. Love is the last thing on her mind. However, she has not counted on losing her heart to Kerry Marchant the ship’s second in command, who makes his distrust of her painfully obvious, despite the chemistry between them. The completion of her mission has consequences that neither of them could have foreseen.

Enter Dahll Tarron, who becomes involved in a long and dangerous quest to find the Destiny. Fates become intertwined, perils shared, culminating in the realization that sometimes love may be so close that there is a danger it will not be recognized until it is too late…

(292 pages) Sensual

EXCERPT
Kerry knelt beside Jess and groaned in anguish. There was nothing he could do to save her. His eyes misted as he lifted her into his arms. "It should have been me. That laser was meant for me--"

His voice faltered, and he shook his head to clear his vision. A smear of blood glistened on her lips ... a stain on perfection and evidence of his own negligence.

"Please..."

He should have prevented this. Somehow, he should have prevented it! He ran his fingers through the mass of flame-colored hair, golden highlights gleaming in the Phidian sunshine. He buried his face in its softness and held her close to his heart...


Follow the tour here:
Dec 5 – Mello & June
Dec 5 – VampyreLady's Lair
Dec 6th- Book Giveaways
Dec 7th- A Writer's Life
Dec 8 – The Author's Blog
Dec 9th- Echo's Tales – Review Beloved Enemy
Dec 9th- Shelf Life
Dec 14– Teatime and Books
Dec 14th- Books Dreams Life
Dec 15th- The Reading Spot
Dec 16th- Jazzy Book Reviews
For insider news and subscriber-only info, subscribe to my occasional Newsletter. I promise not to spam and your in-box will only see an email from me every 3 or 4 months or so - unless of course I have something really Newsworthy to share! http://madmimi.com/signups/196357/join Every new subscriber will get a FREEdownload of my fantasy novella 'Dancing With Fate' (If this doesn't arrive within two days just email me at hywelalyn@btinternet.com)