Tag Archives: blog tours

If The Light Escapes

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Today it is my pleasure to welcome author Brenda Marie Smith and her sci-fi post-apocalyptic novel, If The Light Escapes.

Author’s description

A standalone sequel to If Darkness Takes Us

 

A solar electromagnetic pulse fried the U.S. grid fourteen months ago. Everything’s gone: power, cars, running water, communications, all governing control and help—gone. Now northern lights have started in Texas—3,000 miles farther south than where they belong. The universe won’t stop screwing with eighteen-year-old Keno Simms.

 

All that’s left for Keno, his family and neighbors is farming their Austin subdivision, trying to eke out a living on poor soil in the scorching heat. Keno’s still reeling from the the death of his pregnant sister. His beloved Nana is ill, Grandpa’s always brandishing weapons, and water is far too scarce. Desperate thieves are hemming them in, yet he can’t convince his uncle and other adults to take action against the threat.

 

Keno’s one solace is his love for Alma, who has her own secret sorrows. When he gets her pregnant, he vows to keep her alive no matter what. Yet armed marauders and nature itself collude against him at every turn, forcing him to make choices that rip at his conscience. If he can’t protect Alma and their unborn child, it will be the end of Keno’s world.

 

If The Light Escapes is post-apocalyptic science fiction set in a near-future reality, a coming-of-age story told in the voice of a heroic teen who’s forced into manhood too soon.

 The Author’s Story

2018-10-18_Brenda Marie Smith

Brenda Marie Smith lived off the grid for many years in a farming collective where her sons were delivered by midwives. She’s been a community activist, managed student housing co-ops, produced concerts to raise money for causes, done massive quantities of bookkeeping, and raised a small herd of teenage boys.

Brenda is attracted to stories where everyday characters transcend their own limitations to find their inner heroism. She and her husband reside in a grid-connected, solar-powered home in South Austin, Texas. They have more grown kids and grandkids than they can count.

Her first novel, Something Radiates, is a paranormal romantic thriller; If Darkness Takes Us and its sequel, If the Light Escapes, are post-apocalyptic science fiction.

Find the Author

Website: https://brendamariesmith.com/
Twitter: @bsmithnovelist
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BrendaMarieSmithAuthor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brenda_marie_smith/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJlLSnORIyoaygvZ1j49ZKw
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52206957-if-darkness-takes-us

Buy the Book

Yes, there is a giveaway

The author will be awarding a $50 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

Enter here to win.

This post is part of a tour sponsored by Goddess Fish. Check out all the other tour stops. If you drop by each of these and comment, you will greatly increase your chances of winning.

My Favorite Excerpt

FROM CHAPTER 5:

“These northern lights bug the crap out of me,” I tell Alma. “What are they doing here? They’re supposed to be tied to magnetic poles. I saw this show a couple years ago that said the north pole was drifting north, not south. So how did they end up here? The poles can’t drift around randomly. That’s impossible.”

“I don’t know, baby. They worry me, too, but we need to be quiet.”

“They make me feel like something bad is gonna happen. What do you call that? Fore-something.”

“Foreboding?”

“That’s it. I’ll be quiet, now, and just stew in my foreboding.”

“Silly.” Alma reaches up and ruffles my hair.

When we patrol and we can’t cuddle on account of guns, Alma and I could talk all night. It’s not a good idea for us to talk much when we’re patrolling, though. We get all involved and forget to listen for anyone who might be sneaking around, hunting for food or water, or worse: getting ready to kill us for it.

We walk along with our rifles in the night. It’s cool out here, but not cold…

Alma stops and raises her gun.

“Hear that?” she whispers.

“No, what?” I’ve got my gun up, too, and I’m pivoting around, searching. I want to hide Alma, but she would never let me.

“Over there.” She points at the corner by the park. And I hear a jangly noise, like car keys. No one drives cars now, though…

Thank you!

Brenda Marie Smith — we appreciate your sharing your book If The Light Escapes with us! Best of luck with sales, and with all of your future writing.

Silent Pretty Things 

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Today it is my pleasure to welcome author O.J. Lovaz and his mystery/suspense novel, Silent Pretty Things.

Author’s description

A small town…a prominent family…a secret. Only two people know the truth, and their silence will have murderous consequences.

 

Anna Goddard has spent a lifetime being the Good Daughter. Polished and primped into sleek, blond perfection, Anna learned from an early age that being a Goddard meant presenting a flawless façade to the world. But all that changes when Anna stumbles upon a private correspondence that leaves her reeling. With the help of Michael Donovan, a shy but charming local historian, Anna embarks on a journey to find the one thing her family has always denied: The Truth.

 

Propelled by her mission to protect those she loves, the young woman experiences a tantalizing taste of freedom. But in the process of unearthing the past, Anna and her family will expose a new threat so dangerous it could ruin them all.

About the Author

O.J. Lovaz is the author of Silent Pretty Things—the riveting suspense, mystery, and thriller novel that will keep readers turning pages late into the night. His background in Psychology has offered Lovaz a compelling insight into the human psyche, the raw matter for rich character development.

O.J. might be found reading Dostoevsky or Stephen King; sipping a White Russian or a latte. He’s a fan of drama, dark comedy, and suspenseful movies. His perfect lazy day includes a Quentin Tarantino movie, a stand-up comedy special, and classic hard rock.

His life journey has taken O.J. to New York, Michigan, South Carolina, and Puerto Rico; each holds a special place in his heart. He loves to travel, explore, go on road trips; and tries to be the best possible husband to his awesome wife and father to his brilliant daughter.

Find the Author

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ojlovaz
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21611545.O_J_Lovaz
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ojlovaz/
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/O-J-Lovaz/e/B097QWSLQS/

Buy the Book

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/silent-pretty-things-oj-lovaz/1139740716
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/silent-pretty-things
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B097KTGH26/

Yes, there is a giveaway

The author will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

Enter here to win.

This post is part of a tour sponsored by Goddess Fish. Check out all the other tour stops. If you drop by each of these and comment, you will greatly increase your chances of winning.

My Favorite Excerpt

Anna got up and walked slowly first, then faster as she approached the steps. Michael was right behind her. She couldn’t be sure that her dad and Marlene wouldn’t be inside the house. That was another possibility, she thought suddenly, and gestured Michael to avoid making any noises.

They stopped and listened intently as they reached the dining room. Nothing. They went a little further. Anna peered up the dark stairs. They stayed motionless for a few seconds. Not a sound. They made it all the way back. The door was open. Anna carefully approached a window while Michael crouched by the open door. An aluminum screen door provided him some concealment from anyone looking in from the outside.

Anna couldn’t see a thing out there. It was pitch black. Michael motioned her to come over by his side. Anna tiptoed, crouched, and crawled her way to him. He pointed to a spot in the garden where something was moving. She stuck her face to the screen and peered into the darkness. In a few seconds her eyes adjusted, and she could make out two silhouettes under the very dim light of the quarter moon.

Thank you!

O.J. Lovaz — we appreciate your sharing your book Silent Pretty Things with us! Best of luck with sales, and with all of your future writing.

Death’s Curses

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Today it is my pleasure to welcome authors Becca Fox & Martha Agundez and their urban fantasy/romance novel, Death’s Curses.

Author’s description

After one screw up too many, Esmeralda Barnes is shipped off to Seattle to start her first semester of college while living under the strict guardianship of her great aunt. She’s prepared to serve her time in simmering silence when she meets Charlie Campbell, the only person worth talking to at the tiny community college she’s being forced to attend. His efforts to scare her away don’t work, not even when he lefts it slip that he has a psychic twin sister who helps their uncle—a police detective—solve murders. As the former member of a gang, Esmer’s confident she’s tough enough to take anything he throws at her in stride.

Then she has a near death experience. And Charlie is the first person on the scene. It turns out, his sister isn’t psychic but she does have a special connection to Death. She and Charlie both. So maybe this friendship will take a little more work than Esmer originally thought. But hey, it’s better than the gang. Even after being pulled into a string of grisly murder investigations, running with people possessing supernatural abilities, and dealing with the very real presence of a minor goddess, Esmer’s pretty sure hanging with Charlie is better than being back with the gang. Yep, pretty damn sure.

About the Authors

Becca Fox is a socially awkward introvert who loves to read and write, binge watch crime-solving shows and anime, and play video games next to her gamer husband. She also loves to bake, and plan trips she hopes to one day take. She has a toddler and a crawler, which means that her house truly is as messy as you’re imagining.

Martha Agundez has a BA in English from Sacramento State University. She worked as a tutor at the Sacramento State University Writing Center for two semesters and was a journalist for The State Hornet Newspaper for one semester. She was also the Calaveras Station Literary Journal Fiction Section Editor for a semester. She has worked as a 916Ink manuscript copy editor for three years and counting, while also offering her editing services as a freelancer.

Find the Authors

Blog: https://fanofthefiction.wordpress.com/
Website: http://becca-fox.com/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Becca-Fox/e/B076PTNPV9/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17274613.Becca_Fox
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Bears_Goose1?lang=en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beccajfoxauthor/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/beccajayfox/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rjagundez.5/?hl=en

Buy the Book

Buy Link:  https://www.amazon.com/Deaths-Curses-Becca-Fox-ebook/dp/B0949T79FL/

Yes, there is a giveaway

The authors will be awarding a custom made bookmark, a candle inspired by one of the characters in the book, and an eBook copy of the book, US only, to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

Enter here to win.

This post is part of a tour sponsored by Goddess Fish. Check out all the other tour stops. If you drop by each of these and comment, you will greatly increase your chances of winning.

My Favorite Excerpt

Charles

It was probably juvenile but I told myself there were worse things I could be doing than supporting the local rage room. Responsible enough for Uncle Vic, no one had to get hurt, and I could work out every toxic thought in my head for forty-five dollars. Win, win, win.

Wiping the sweat from my brow, I made my way to the locker rooms to change out of all the protective gear they’d forced me to wear. I was standing in line at my favorite taco truck maybe twenty minutes later. A couple was arguing nearby. Ordinarily, I would’ve ignored the grown-ass adults making a scene on the street, but the female’s voice sounded oddly familiar.

“Just because you gave me a beer doesn’t mean you own me, asshole!”

I turned to see a girl with short red hair, switchblade open and pressed against the throat of a rail-thin guy who looked about ready to piss himself. She wore a gray hoodie sweatshirt which was probably too thin to offer any warmth, ripped black jeans that clung to her slender hips and exposed her pale knees, along with well-worn neon pink sneakers. All she needed were rough tattoos and she’d look like she belonged in a gang.

“S-Sorry,” the guy stammered, stepping back. “My bad.”

I rolled my eyes and paid for my tacos before stepping away from the truck. Of course. Of course it was Esmer.

Her scowl stayed fixed on the guy’s retreating form as he hightailed it down the street with what appeared to be a six pack under his arm. Well, it was a five pack now.

Some of the onlookers whooped and cheered.

“Yeah, that’s what I thought.” Esmer snapped her knife closed with a flick of her wrist and shoved it into her back pocket.

Thank you!

Becca Fox & Martha Agundez — we appreciate your sharing your book Death’s Curses with us! Best of luck with sales, and with all of your future writing.