14 January 2023

Annihilation Archetypes by M.M. Gargiulo Book Blitz! #MM.Gargiulo #AnnihilationArchetypes #XpressoTours⁣⁣ @XpressoTours

 

Annihilation Archetypes
M.M. Gargiulo


(Annihilation Archetypes, #1)
Publication date: January 13th 2023
Genres: Adult, Fantasy

Born to siren humans to their watery graves, Nefertiti feels trapped in her life of violence. She leaves her home to venture on shore and falls in love with humans. Her duty brings her back to the sea, and fate tightens its hold on her from an unexpected source.

Goodreads / Amazon


Chapter 4

The next day Evgenís was eager to talk about my training. I was evasive, trying not to make eye contact with her. I thought the details of my night were too embarrassing to share with my proud sister, and I had no wish to relive them. I did not know if other huntresses took so long to learn how to walk, but Diana made it seem like they did not.

“Okay, you do not want to talk about it,” she sighed after a few minutes of this ensued. “Tell me this, did you learn something?”

I looked up into her beautiful blue eyes and found myself both comforted and sad. I wished I was better at walking, but Evgenís would still love me even if I was a terrible huntress.

“Yes, I absolutely learned lots of things yesterday.” I smiled at her, forcing myself to look excited and happy.

“Interesting,” she murmured under her breath. “I am glad,” she said at full volume.

“Okay, well do you have anything you would like to do today?” she asked me, her voice bright and cheerful.

“I think I am to meet with someone today.” Guilt washed over me again. Evgenís had given up living with me to come and live here, in isolation.

“Oh, no matter, I am sure I can find something to do while you are busy. Perhaps we can pick a night soon and go to our favorite wreck?” Her hopeful tone had me agreeing before I thought it over.

“I’d love to!” The wreck was a smallish fishing boat that had sunk off the coast of a tropical island. Many species of fish lived inside it, and coral grew off the outside of it. I was particularly in love with the spot because of the bright white sand. It seemed to be made of thousands and thousands of tiny corals, smashed and rounded by the tide and the wind. It was one of our favorite places to go. Evgenís always found it difficult to find fish while we were there. I had many happy memories of the two of us laughing and relaxing in the sand.

Evgenís smiled at my enthusiasm and kissed me on the cheek, excited at our prospective time together.

We ate some kelp together that apparently someone had dropped off in excessive amount while we slept. Things almost felt back to normal, despite our vastly different surroundings. I felt as though removing my tail somehow made me less of a mermaid than Evgenís.

When we were done eating, I bid Evgenís farewell and started to swim through the caverns and tunnels toward the surface to an area similar to the one where I met Diana. If my new teacher was anything like Diana, she would show up near the surface. I watched the moon move in the sky for hours, feeling my anxiety rise. Maybe I was supposed to go somewhere specific, but Diana forgot to mention it.

I was just starting to swim back and forth when I heard a voice.

“Nefertiti! How are you?” Santiago was swimming by, with two others.

“I am well, thank you.” My eyes drifted to the two others with him. One was a beautiful fair blonde female, the other a dark-complexioned male.

“Oh, this is Kane,” he said, gesturing toward the male merman. “And this is Danica.”

“Pleasure to meet the both of you.” I nodded my head in their direction. Kane bent at the waist in my direction.

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Huntress.” His deep dark eyes met mine.

“Lovely to meet you as well,” Danica said.

“We were going to visit a reef down in the tropics,” Santiago said. “Would you care to join us?”

“Thank you, but I am supposed to be meeting someone,” I said. I took note of Kane’s and Santiago’s eyes that seemed to linger, and Danica’s, which seemed full of contempt.

“Next time, perhaps.” Kane’s eyes were still locked on me.

“I would love to.” I smiled at Kane, and could feel Santiago stir slightly next to him.

“Farewell then, Nefertiti.” Santiago nodded his head, and the three of them turned and began to swim away. I watched them go with a pang of loneliness and wondered if there would ever be a time where I did not feel so isolated from my own kind. My thoughts turned to Evgenís, who probably had an even harder time with it than I did. Guilt flashed through me at the idea of Evgenís leaving everyone she knew to raise me on her own.

I watched the stars turn in the sky and thought about their stark and naked beauty. Not unlike our people, but less dangerous. I imagined the answers to all of my questions were up there, winking at me in some code I could not understand. I wished I could speak their language of light. I wondered if the Gods were there, Evgenís had told me they lived up in the clouds.

When the sky began to lighten, I gave up my quest. Perhaps my next mentor had forgotten about the time. Maybe Diana gave her the wrong name. I started to swim toward the castle, taking one last look back at the sky. Suddenly a massive hammerhead shark emerged from the haze in the distance. I paused on my journey back home to watch the magnificent creature swim. His gait was the most elegant thing I had ever seen. The way he swam back and forth was reminiscent of how the sea seemed to part for the king himself. I loved the movement of his tail fin.

The shark seemed to notice me as soon as I noticed him. He adjusted his path slightly so he was headed straight toward me. I reached my hand forward, not in the slightest bit frightened of him. He was the hunter equivalent to myself. Even his skin was made of the tiniest teeth. I would probably grow to be more dangerous than he was. At the last second he turned his giant head, swimming by me to allow my outreached arm to pet the length of him as he swam by.

I felt my heart stir at the scars that decorated his side. He was a beautiful creature, full of an ancient sadness. I wondered how anyone could ever hurt such a creature. My hand ran the length of him, ten times my own size, and I felt the rough, textured body under my delicate soft hand.

He circled me once, clearly as eager as I was to remain closely connected, even if it was for a short while. When he came by me a second time, I grabbed onto his dorsal fin and let the length of me rest on top of his body. He seemed pleased by the attention and slowed his pace, allowing me to feel the gentle sway of the giant beast as he moved his tail back and forth. My own body swayed with his movements, and I felt as though we were one. I traced the deep gashes of scars on his back with my fingers, wondering what had caused them. I rode atop him for longer than I should have, the sun starting to really shine on the top of the sea.

He circled back after quite some time of me lying on top of him and swam with dignity back to where he had first found me. I turned my head to kiss the top of his back, my hair swirling around my face.

“Goodbye friend, I hope to see you again soon.” I watched him turn and be swallowed up by the dark sea. Maybe I would never get to play with the other merpeople, but at least I would have shark friends. I turned tail, and made my way back to the cave, exhausted from lack of sleep the previous night. Just before I approached the entrance to the first tunnel, I was startled by a stunning woman waiting by the entrance to the hall.

She had waist length red and silver hair (I gathered she was a huntress), a green tail fin, and a fair complexion. Her giant blue eyes were staring, unblinkingly, at me. I assumed she was older due to the streaks of silver in her bright red hair, but it was difficult to tell, there were no lines on her face.

“Nefertiti.” It was not a question, and I tried to figure out if I had met this woman before.

“Yes, that is I.” I smiled at her, hoping she was less crass than Diana. “I apologize, have we met?”

“We have not, although I have heard tell of you.”

“Well it is truly a pleasure to be acquainted with you.” I nodded my head in her direction.

“Yes, it is, but there is no need to be so formal with me.” She tossed back her hair, and it shimmered out behind her with such finesse I felt a ping of envy. I wondered if I would grow up to be so beautiful. “I am Arianna.”

“Arianna.” Her name sounded like a story I had long forgotten.

“Come, let us go for a swim.” She smiled at me, and I noticed her teeth were not sharpened, but similar to Evgenís’s. Maybe she wasn’t a huntress after all. She reached out her tiny soft hand, and I put mine into hers.

“I am here to teach you the ways of those on land,” Arianna stated. “Much has changed since I walked up there, but I have the best understanding of humankind. I am one of those who brought the best of the land back to the sea.”

“May I ask how that is?” I wondered.

“You may ask, but I will not share that part of my story with you just yet. I am not the normal kind of huntress, nor am I the normal kind of mermaid.” She smiled at me again, and I noticed tiny smile wrinkles near her eyes, which along with the silver in her hair made me think again that she was older than she appeared.

“I apologize,” I smiled back at her and was hopeful I had not offended her.

“No need to apologize for curiosity,” She winked her light blue eye at me. “I am going to teach you everything from what they call a street, to anatomy, back to music, and onward to proper dining etiquette. Is there a topic you would care to start with?”

“I actually have a few questions, if you do not mind.” I was curious about so many things.

“Of course, that is natural.” We had stopped our swim and were perched at the edge of a reef I had seen growing nearby. Some fish were swimming delicately by, but there was not another merperson in sight. The sea seemed to be lightening in color, the sun beginning to warm the ocean.

“First, will these lessons always occur during the day? I was not aware that many of our kind enjoyed the sunlight.” I tried not to make my voice sound ungrateful, but I was extremely tired and having a hard time concentrating. The brightness really bothered my large eyes.

“Yes, our lessons will happen while the sun is up. We are going to adjust your sleeping cycle so you are able to sleep less. Sleeping is one of the luxuries young huntresses are typically low on. There is much to learn and not enough time to do so. The next full moon is about twenty-nine suns away, and you need to be better versed in mankind before you dance back on shore.”

I felt my heart sink a tiny bit at the thought of sleeping less. “Interesting,” I said because I was unsure how else to answer. “I did not realize huntresses were not well rested. How exactly are we chosen to be huntresses? I know King Titus looks for a sign, but other than that, I do not know.”

Arianna looked at me with wide eyes. “First of all, my dear, you are young and it is best to learn as much as you can for the next few years. About the huntresses, I thought you would have known this by now. Did Evgenís not tell you?”

I shook my head, hair billowing around me. Her stern look made me feel defensive for a moment and I sputtered out, “I never asked her; honestly I just tried to avoid the topic with her as much as I could.”

Her frown seemed to lessen as she looked carefully at my face before responding, “I was not criticizing. I understand why you might not have wanted to bring up the subject to her and vice versa.” She took a deep breath and her gentle blue eyes seemed to fall out of focus.

“Long ago, huntresses began when mankind were much weaker than they are now. Back then they worshiped gods and deities and built them massive structures to pay homage. There was one amongst us, Chleo was her name, who fell in love with one of the Kings of Land. She would shed her scales and walk on shore every full moon, a trick she discovered after watching crabs shed their shells that time of the moon. She had grown to love him from afar, watching him through the rivers. When she finally climbed on shore, she seduced him. He was a powerful man, almost treated as a god himself, hence part of his appeal.

“He did not know what she was, but thought her to be the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Her infrequent visits were full of passion and sex. When she left him in the morning he would grow angry. He wanted her to stay with him permanently, but alas, she could not. One morning Chleo was followed by her lover, and he saw her slip into the sea. She grew back her fins and scales, brighter and more beautiful than any of his gems, her dark purple coloring glittered in the sunlight.

“He became obsessed in her absence. He wondered what kind of creature she was. He thought she might be some sort of goddess. He wanted to keep her as his lover, but he also wanted to sell her to other royalty, knowing her scales would be worth much. He thought about what a trophy such a lover would be. When the next full moon arose, Chleo climbed onto the shore and walked into the palace where her king lived. He was mad with lust, and they had wild sex all night. When the sun began to rise, Chleo tried to slip away while he slept, but his doors had been barred. Trapped, she began to suffocate.

“Chleo’s scales started to grow back, and her legs fused together, but the nearest water source was a small pond the king bathed in. She climbed into it, desperate to wet her body. When the king awoke he was pleased that she was still there, and even more pleased that he had captured her. He climbed into the water and had sex with her. She obliged, more because she was afraid what he might do to her should she refuse, and less because she wanted to.

“He used her this way for many days. Chleo, trapped, had no choice. After a few days the king decided to sell her body to another royal who was passing through his kingdom. This was common at the time. She was used for their bodily urges every day during her imprisonment. She felt the moon grow fuller in the sky, and her heart grew full of hatred. She decided when she could walk again she would escape and bring doom to those who had wronged her. She spent every waking second plotting her revenge. When the full moon turned in the sky, her legs came back, and Chleo was alone in the king’s room. He was out on a diplomatic mission, but she knew he would be back soon enough. She seduced the man left to guard her and slit his throat while he was inside her.

“She ran back to the safety of her river and swam back out to sea. Her mental injuries took hold of her heart over the next month, and when she was able to walk on land again she went ashore and killed men. She never reached her king, who was too heavily guarded, but she spent the rest of her time killing those who guarded and protected him. Eventually she was able to kill his future wife when she bathed in the river. Chleo was able to pull the woman to her doom. Chleo’s sister, Cora, joined her in her efforts, furious at her sister’s plight. The two of them were our first formal huntresses, and from them, others joined, some with anger in their hearts, others who felt they had been wronged by those on land.

“Now, that does not entirely answer your question, but I thought it important for you to know,” Arianna said with a deep breath, her voice taking on a somber tone.

“It does answer a part of my question though,” I insisted. “So how did we continue to be what we are today?”

“Less time ago, King Titus was born. A merman with unusual powers granted by the sea. Some say he is Poseidon’s first born son. His influence united our people, and we all agreed to let him rule us. Shortly after being crowned he declared war on mankind. He was angered by their destruction of our world. I think the mistreatment of our race weighed heavily on his mind. He cast a spell, using his strange powers, that bound huntresses to him. When a new one was born, he would feel it, and another impression of a shark would be left on his very flesh.” Her monologue trailed off and I was left with more questions than I started with.

“How does he know?” I whispered, as if he could hear me.

“He can read the hearts of others.”

“How can he read the heart of a person just born? I thought their heart would be pure and empty, having not experienced the world yet.”

“That is a question better posed to him than me. I do not understand the powers he possesses, but I have seen them enough to know they are not to be disregarded.” Arianna looked deep into my eyes, seeing the turmoil that raged inside.

“Is he really Poseidon’s son?” I asked, my mouth slightly open.

“Only Poseidon knows that,” Arianna said, eyes twinkling at my interest.

“Have you ever seen him before?” I wondered out loud.

“I have,” Arianna said calmly.

“You have?” I asked, incredulously. “When? Where? How?”

“One thing at a time,” she laughed. “Has your sister not taught you much about the gods?”

“I know that Poseidon is our most active God,” I said. “I know that others exist and they live in the clouds.”

“Yes and no, child,” Arianna began. “Poseidon might seem more relevant than the rest, but that is because we live in his domain. Zeus rules the sky, the king of them all. Aphrodite brought forth love and beauty, she is the goddess of both. Apollo brings us prophecy, music, and knowledge. Ares is the God of War.”

I listened to Arianna, imagining the clouds filled with giant beautiful merpeople who were also gods. I wondered if they had tails or feet.

“Artemis visits the seas sometimes, as he rules all animals. Athena is the Goddess of Wisdom. Hermes is the messenger of the gods. Dionysus brings pleasures to life. Hephaestus brings fire to the land. Hades rules the dead.”

“Do they have tails or feet?” I mused.

“They have what pleases them most,” Arianna said. “They are very able to shed their scales or feet as they desire.”

“And they live in the clouds?” I asked, eagerly.

“That is what a lot of our kind believes,” Arianna said slowly. “I think they wander around the planet, going where they want. Maybe they do retire to the sky, but I have never seen where their home would be.”

“And you have really seen Poseidon?” I was amazed.

“Yes, he used to frequent here more often than he does now. It has been at least half a century since he has been to this grotto.”

“What does he look like?” I asked.

“Exactly how you would expect him to look,” Arianna smiled.

“Big, strong, and handsome,” I said.

“Yes, those words could all be applied to him.”

I was silent for a few minutes, my head filled with ideas of what the gods looked like.

“I would very much like to meet Poseidon,” I said.

“Not any of the others?” Arianna asked, the corner of her mouth turning up into a smile.

“I would be happy to meet any of them,” I said honestly. “I would especially like to meet the god of my home though.”

“Do you have more questions?” Arianna asked.

“Many, many more. I am unsure where to start with them all,” I said, overwhelmed with everything I had just heard.

“I understand. I have trained many huntresses, and they all start off in a similar way. Lost and slightly confused. You will find your place in the world, in both worlds. And you will see that you will become what you were always meant for. Everyone will be proud of the huntress you grow into.” Arianna smiled kindly at me.

“Thank you.” I was at a loss for words. My throat felt tight and I wished I could clear it without drawing attention to it.

“Thank you for all that you will do for us. It is a hard task you have been given, and one not many can handle. Your bravery will always set you apart from the others.”

I did not feel brave, but I acknowledged her compliment with a nod of my head. It felt like everyone expected me to be this fierce warrior, but I had grown up with Evgenís, playing with fish and giggling at the world. For a brief moment I wished she had not taken me away from everyone, perhaps I would not be as soft. Maybe I would grow to be fierce, but I felt small and feeble listening to stories of the gods.

“What could Chleo have seen in that human king?” I mused, not really expecting an answer.

“I would imagine there were quite a few things that drew her to him.” Arianna surprised me with her thoughtful answer. “He was literally treated like a god of sorts. They believed their kings to be deities, and they often proclaimed themselves reincarnations of the gods they worshiped. At that time, the masses of people did everything their king asked for. He would have seemed very powerful. Incredibly resourceful. I am sure he was sexually desirable as well. Sometimes, there is a chemistry that goes beyond reason. Chleo was drawn to him; it is a shame he did not see the value of continuing the way she wanted.”

“Now, we are going to start with the very basics of human anatomy . . .”

I spent the next five hours learning about human bodies. I was most interested in their lower halves, seeing how they differed from my own. Their tops seemed to be relatively similar to ours, but they lacked gills and a way of absorbing oxygen from the water. Their hearts were smaller than ours and beat faster. They did not seem to be as lean as we were. Arianna told me the majority of humankind were larger than they should be. Our muscles were typically easily visible, we did not have hair on our bodies either, which was different.

“I noticed the split in my legs was different,” I ventured when we started to talk about the lower half of humans.

“Yes, so humans have an external clitoris which gives pleasure, as well as the internal pleasure giver. When you transform you take on these aspects as well. Also, it will be perfectly normal if you see hair begin to appear just above your vagina. Humans sometimes remove this, but it is not necessary. Diana will show you how to better navigate your sex organs.” She glanced at me. “I am too old to give you a proper, enthusiastic, and energetic introduction. Eventually, you are expected to be able to seduce human men.” Arianna did not seem abashed to discuss such intimacies.

“When?” My voice cracked.

“Oh, Nefertiti,” Arianna smiled at me kindly, “you have many years of learning to do before that happens. Do not worry about this; it is not something to lose sleep over.”

I wondered if she was joking, seeing as she told me I was to begin sleeping less.

“That seems to be enough for today.” Arianna leaned down and kissed me gently on my lips. “You are tired and have enough to think about.”

“Thank you for your instruction.” I bowed my head and turned around, mentally and physically exhausted. My tail was still aching from having the scales ripped off and regrown. I never stayed up this far into the day and was feeling somewhat delusional.

I half swam and half let the current pull me toward the entrance to the large hall where I first saw Arianna. I found my way to my small sanctuary, and to my relief, saw Evgenís asleep. I lay next to her, and let the events of the day wash over me.

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13 January 2023

Snuffed Out (Magic Candle Shop Mystery) by Valona Jones Book Tour!

 

Snuffed Out (Magic Candle Shop Mystery) 

Paranormal Cozy Mystery 1st in Series 

Setting – Savannah, GA 

Crooked Lane Books (January 10, 2023)

Hardcover 304 Pages 

ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1639102051

ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1639102051 

Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09XM5PKP7

Twin sisters Tabby and Sage co-own a candle shop, but will it all go up in flames in Valona Jones’ series debut, perfect for fans of Amanda Flower and Bailey Cates.

30-year-old fraternal twins Tabby and Sage Winslow own The Book and Candle Shop in Savannah. Sage is hot-headed and impulsive while Tabby is calm and collected, making them the perfect partnership. When one of their customers is found murdered, from a blow to the head, that partnership is put to the test.

Blithe McAdam had been seen in a heated argument with shop clerk Gerard, which immediately makes him suspect number one. The twins are convinced of Gerard’s innocence and start digging into Blithe’s past. But no one is cooperating. The neighbor who found the body isn’t talking, medical examiner Quig won’t give any details about the autopsy, and nasty rumors begin surfacing about the drowning of Blithe’s father years earlier—evidence that could seal Gerard’s fate.

Tabby and Sage dig desperately for the truth. But it’s not only their friend who’s in peril. With the clock ticking, the twins find themselves in the grip of an unseen and deadly energy that has seeped into their midst—and in the sights of a ruthless killer.

Valona Jones writes paranormal cozy mysteries set in Southern locales. Her work blends mystery and the unexplained, along with a sprinkle of romance. A former scientist, she’s drawn to the study of personal energy. She sharpened her people-watching skills as a lifelong introvert and thankfully had a bank vault full of personal observations when she began to write fiction. Her forthcoming release, Snuffed Out, A Magic Candle Shop Mystery, is slated for January 10, 2023, release. She’s a member of Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime. She lives in coastal Georgia, where time and tide wait for no one. Visit her at https://valonajones.com

Author Links 
  GoodReads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22140872.Valona_Jones (Valona is not on twitter, Instagram, TikTok, nor Pinterest) 

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TOUR PARTICIPANTS

January 12 – The Book Decoder – REVIEW

January 12 – Maureen's Musings – SPOTLIGHT

January 12 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

January 13 – Celticlady's Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

January 13 – Jane Reads – AUTHOR GUEST POST

January 13 – Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

January 14 – I'm Into Books – SPOTLIGHT

January 14 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT

January 15 – Brooke Blogs – AUTHOR GUEST POST

January 15 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog – SPOTLIGHT

January 16 – Lady Hawkeye – SPOTLIGHT

January 16 – Ruff Drafts – SPOTLIGHT

January 17 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

January 17 – Christy's Cozy Corners – CHARACTER GUEST POST

January 17 – Mythical Books – SPOTLIGHT

January 18 – Literary Gold – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

January 18 – Sapphyria's Book Reviews – REVIEW

January 19 – Guatemala Paula Loves to Read – REVIEW

January 19 – StoreyBook Reviews – AUTHOR GUEST POST

January 19 – The Book's the Thing – CHARACTER GUEST POST

January 20 – Books to the Ceiling – SPOTLIGHT*

January 20 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW

January 21 – Melina's Book Blog – REVIEW

January 21 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST

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Misfire by Tammy Euliano Blog Tour! @therealbookgal @Bookgal

 

A device that can save a life is also one that can end it

Kadence, a new type of implanted defibrillator, misfires in a patient visiting University Hospital for a routine medical procedure—causing the heart rhythm problem it's meant to correct. Dr. Kate Downey, an experienced anesthesiologist, resuscitates the patient, but she grows concerned for a loved one who recently received the same device—her beloved Great-Aunt Irm.

When a second device misfires, Kate turns to Nikki Yarborough, her friend and Aunt Irm's cardiologist. Though Nikki helps protect Kate's aunt, she is prevented from alerting other patients by the corporate greed of her department chairman. As the inventor of the device and part owner of MDI, the company he formed to commercialize it, he claims that the device misfires are due to a soon-to-be-corrected software bug. Kate learns his claim is false.

The misfires continue as Christian O'Donnell, a friend and lawyer, comes to town to facilitate the sale of MDI. Kate and Nikki are drawn into a race to find the source of the malfunctions, but threats to Nikki and a mysterious murder complicate their progress. Are the seemingly random shocks misfires, or are they attacks?

A jaw-dropping twist causes her to rethink everything she once thought she knew, but Kate will stop at nothing to protect her aunt and the other patients whose life-saving devices could turn on them at any moment.

Tammy Euliano writes medical thrillers. She's inspired by her day job as a physician, researcher and medical educator. She is a tenured professor at the University of Florida, where she's been honored with numerous teaching awards, nearly 100,000 views of her YouTube teaching videos, and was featured in a calendar of women inventors (copies available wherever you buy your out-of-date calendars). 

When she's not writing or at the hospital, she enjoys traveling with her family, playing sports, cheering on the Gators, and entertaining her two wonderful dogs. 

Website: http://www.teuliano.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/teuliano

Twitter: https://twitter.com/teuliano

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teuliano/


Amazon link: https://amzn.to/3Chdv7t

Goodreads link: https://bit.ly/3Z8GTqu



How I came to become an author in my 50s

Once upon a time…I had been teaching medical students about anesthesia for many years and recognized a need for better reading materials at an appropriate level for them.  So I asked my mentor and he said, “Let’s write one.” So we did, just the two of us, and had an amazing time. After, neither of us wanted to end the collaboration so he suggested we start a mystery novel. Sadly, he fell ill and passed away before we made much progress, but he’d lit the spark and the stories began to flow. 

Except I quickly learned that academic writing resembles fiction writing about as well as my Pictionary version of a cow resembles any living creature (not at all). Though I loved to read, I’d never considered the craft of the books I love, which of course is the author’s intent. Point-of-view and head-hopping and passive voice and wow, the world of writing is no less dense than medicine. I went to trusty Amazon to find a book to teach me to write a book, which seemed kind of meta, and discovered there were pages and pages of great-sounding titles, and whole books on setting and character and theme…oh my, what had I gotten myself into? 

Using K.M. Weiland’s Outlining Your Novel I came up with an outline for the book that had been in the back (and often front) of my mind for several years, a book about a mercy-killer for hire and the surrounding implications. The idea of managing the end-of-life has fascinated me since way before any kid should think about such things, with a debate in my 5th grade class about the fate of a young woman in a persistent vegetative state. Medical technology and the ability to keep the body alive has far out-paced our ethical ability to deal with the implications.

The characters of Fatal Intent took up residency in my head, invading my sleep, and even my waking hours. It was time to give them a voice. I resigned my time-consuming administrative positions, wrapped up my ongoing research projects, handed off most of my teaching responsibilities to up-and-coming faculty who needed it for their resumes, and dropped to part-time at the hospital so I could begin my “encore career.” Now the characters have continued into book #2 Misfire and are still talking me into a third in the series. I’ve also written other books seeking a home and having a blast doing it.


Where do Characters Come From

I’m frequently asked where my characters come from. My protagonist, Dr. Kate Downey, started as a white-washed me and morphed into her own person. It’s such an odd thing. More advanced writers teach that the characters have a life of their own and will “tell you” if you’re trying to have them do something out of character (so to speak). To which I thought “You’re nuts.” Until it happened to me. I’ll try to write a scene and it just won’t work. The dialogue won’t flow, etc. Then I’ll have Kate, or another character, write me a letter in their own voice about how they feel about what’s going on. It’s so strange for my hands to write (I do this in long-hand) words that seem to flow without me really thinking about it. A different brain compartment maybe? Except my doctor self knows that doesn’t work (shut up, doctor self, it’s a cool analogy).

Many readers’ favorite character is Kate’s German, idiom-challenged Great Aunt Irm. She was a character my mentor, Dr. J.S. Gravenstein, wanted to use in a mystery we began years ago, before he fell ill and passed away. It was his own Great Aunt Irm from his childhood in pre-World War II Germany. I met her only through his stories, and mostly I elaborated from my experiences with him. She’s become quite vivid in my head. Her friend, Carmel, is my own Great Aunt Carmel.

Various people in the hospital are combinations of people I know, EXCEPT for the bad guys of course, they are all completely fictional…completely. Just like the hospital. University Hospital in a small town in North Central Florida is definitely NOT the hospital where I work. The similarities in descriptions and location are purely coincidental.

My Thoughts

Misfire by Tammy Euliano is a medical thriller and second in a series. Kadence is a new type of implanted defibrillator that corrects a heart problem called afib. This is an Automatic Implantable Cardioverter Defibrilator (AICD)

Dr. Kate Downey is an anesthesiologist and when one of her patient's AICD misfires, thus the title, and nearly causes her patients life she begins to get concerned. She along with the cardiologist, Nikki Yarborough they need to figure out what happened. Kate is doubly concerned as her Great Aunt Erm has one of these devices. It is kind of scary because I have a similiar device.

She is very concerned and long with another friend, Christian O'Donnell they find that these are not just misfires, they are done intentially, but why? As they investigate further, they realize that it is done out of greed and money. It is now a race against time to stop whoever is triggering the misfires. As time goes on everyone is in danger from the person or persons doing this.

As a side note Dr Kate recently lost her husband and newborn daughter, Christian also lost his wife and child, killed in an accident. These two are drawn together in their grief and there is a budding romance going on also.

I have always enjoyed medical thrillers, and this was a good one. Well written, lots of suspense and a surprise ending. Oh yes, did I mention Great Aunt Erm? What a character this lady is, very savvy and downright funny! I had not read the first book as some suggested but was able to get to know the characters from the first book. It did help that the author is a Professor of Anesthesiology, she knows her stuff!

I really enjoyed this book and intend to read the 1st in the series and look forward to the third one, if there is one.

I give it 5 stars!

I received a copy of the book for review purposes only.






Renegade by Laramie Briscoe Release Blitz! @laramie_briscoe

Title: Renegade (The Moonshine Task Force: Special Edition), #1 

Author: Laramie Briscoe

Genre: Small Town Contemporary Romance

Release Date: January 13, 2023 

Hosted by: Buoni Amici Press, LLC. 

From USA Today and Wall Street Journal Bestselling author, Laramie Briscoe, comes the special edition of a fan favorite series.

Nobody writes blue collar romance like Laramie Briscoe, and nowhere is it more apparent than in the Moonshine Task Force: Special Edition Series.

This edition includes a never-before-released short story, as well as all the slices of life scenes and text messages I've written for this couple.

When you fall in love with the most unexpected person, at the most unexpected time…

Ryan “Renegade” Kepler

I’m the type of man who knows what I want. I make up my mind and stay in my lane, never veering off the course I set for myself. Going into the military? Did it. Youngest member of the Moonshine Task Force? That’s me. Get my best friend’s older sister in bed? It was my pleasure. Age means nothing to me. I’ve seen and done things men twice my age never will. What I want more than anything is someone to share my life with and that person is my best friend's older sister, Whitney.

Whitney Trumbolt

Ryan is ten years my junior, but damn, being a cougar never felt as good as it did the night we spent together. Now I’m struggling with wanting things to either go back to the way they were or spend every night in his arms. Make my wedding planning company the best in the south? Did it. Ignore the way my body trembles when I see Ryan? Epic fail. Freak out when I see a positive pregnancy test staring back at me? Complete with mascara running down my face and clutching my pearls. Looks like things won’t go back to the way they were. There’s a man in my life that doesn’t take no for an answer. He’s the one who makes my blood run hot, cheeks turn red, and heart beat wildly within my chest. His name is Renegade.

AMAZON | APPLE BOOKS | NOOK | KOBO | LARAMIE BRISCOE DIRECT

Laramie Briscoe is the USA Today and Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author of over 30 books, with sales of over half a million copies.

Since self-publishing her first book in May of 2013, Laramie has appeared on the Top 100 Bestselling E-books Lists on Apple Books, Amazon Kindle, Kobo, and Barnes & Noble. Her books have been known to make readers laugh and cry. They are guaranteed to be emotional, steamy reads.

When she's not writing alpha males who seriously love their women, she loves spending time with friends, reading, and marathoning shows on Netflix. Married to her high school sweetheart, Laramie lives in Bowling Green, KY with her husband.

Preorder the rest of the series!

Tank, #2: Special Edition:

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Havoc, #3: Special Edition:

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Ace, #4: Special Edition:

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Menace, #5: Special Edition:

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Defy the Stars by @cathrinaconstantine6004 Book Blitz! #cathrinaconstantine #DefytheStars #XpressoTours @XpressoTours⁣

 

Defy the Stars
Cathrina Constantine


Publication date: January 13th 2023
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

Circus grunt. Charmer. Fire wrangler.
Growing up within the grind of the enchanted Circus Faire, Crew’s unique talents have blossomed. Though, he’s been warned that the King of Hawkswing is determined to eradicate a certain species, and for his own sake Crew must keep his formidable gifts under wraps.

Relations between interspecies caused an imbalance of power and now are strictly forbidden. Dolorans, like Sage and her sister, are being hunted and persecuted because of their intense powers, leaving them no choice but to run to escape the genocide of their kind.

She possesses a forceful energy for good and evil.
His untapped powers are growing stronger by the day.
Survival will demand they rely on each other.

When Crew learns a dark wizard is holding his brother captive, he enters into a deal with him in hopes of getting close enough to free those he has imprisoned. Yet, what he uncovers is far more sinister than Crew could ever imagine. Can Crew harness the strength within him to save his brother and Sage and all those in the wizard’s clutches? Or will he be trapped by the wizard’s wicked plan?

Goodreads / Amazon

EXCERPT:

“What a shame. Polk spoke highly of you.” Aerestol snapped his fingers and the sentinels redeployed, penning Crew in. While Crew was a head taller, the goons were packing revolvers tucked into the waistbands of their pants. “In my line of work, I can’t afford to trust anyone. Rumormongers are dealt with accordingly. My advice? Don’t become one.” He hooked his thumbs into his vest, and with his head down, turned toward the grand staircase.

“Now what?” Crew said. Was he done for? Were his goons going to take him out. Kill him?

Aerestol pivoted, and as if improvising a reply, his head slanted sideways. “So far, you haven’t impressed me, boy. You should have handed over the girl. Instead, I walk away empty handed. I can’t tolerate that.” He ran his fingers beneath his chin. “Perhaps Polk was speaking with a straight tongue. He never failed me. I tell you what, for his sake alone, your obeisance is most welcome if you want into my lucrative business.” His mouth spread. “If you make it out alive…you know how to reach me, through Dyke. Ingrain this into that thick skull of yours. No snitches. One bullet.” He jutted his chin towards the one-eyed goon. “Do it.”

The sentry pulled his revolver from his waistband and targeted Crew’s chest.

“Hey!” Crew barked, anxious to get Aerestol to look at him. The doctor swerved and Crew straightaway connected with his dark eyes. Gotcha! “So this is how we’re going to end our business arrangement, aye? A bullet to the heart?” he pitched his voice. Aerestol’s pupils enlarged. “I’m the only one who can bring the girl to you. Don’t waste me and my talents.” Crew blinked, terminating his connection, and the doctor squeezed his eyes and shook his head.

“His thigh,” ordered Aerestol. “It’s unfortunate that I can’t stay to watch how this performance ends.”

The orc lowered his gun and pulled the trigger.

White light sliced through Crew. And a blinding explosion of stars as intense pain ripped through him. His knees buckled.

I am blessed with a loving family and forever friends. My world revolves around them.

I grew up in the small village of Lancaster, NY, where I married my sweetheart. I'm devoted to raising 5 cherished children, and now my grandchildren.

I love to immerse myself in great books of every kind of genre, which helps me to write purely for entertainment, and hopefully to inspire readers. When not stationed at my computer you can find me in the woods taking long walks with my dog.

 

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GIVEAWAY!

$25 Amazon gift card

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The Captain’s Woman by Holly Bush Blog Tour!@hollybushbooks @cathiedunn @thecoffeepotbookclub #HistoricalRomance #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub

 


Book Title: The Captain’s Woman

Series: The Thompsons of Locust Street

Author: Holly Bush

Publication Date: 1/10/23

Publisher: Holly Bush Books

Page Length: 218Genre: Historical Romance



Meet the Thompsons of Locust Street, an unconventional family taking Philadelphia high society by storm…

 

1870 ~ Muireall Thompson has taken her duties seriously since her parents died on the family’s crossing from Scotland to America in 1854. As the eldest sibling, their death made her responsible for her family and left little time for a life of her own. But now her brothers and sisters are adults; even the youngest is nearly ready to face the world on his own. What will she do when she is alone, other than care for an elderly aunt and volunteer at the Sisters of Charity orphanage? Has the chance for a husband and children of her own passed her by?

 

Widower Anthony Marcus, formerly a captain in the Union Army, is a man scraping the bottom of his dignity and hanging on to his honor by the barest thread. Reduced to doing odd jobs to keep a roof over his dear daughter Ann’s head, he often leaves her with the Sisters of Charity while he is out seeking steady work with a decent salary that will allow him to move from their single-room living quarters.

 

After an initial meeting that finds Muireall and Anthony at odds, a tentative friendship forms as they bond over their mutual affection for Ann. As friendship leads to passion, can a wealthy spinster and a poor soldier overcome their differences in station to forge a future together? Just as Muireall finds the courage to reach for her own happiness, Anthony’s past rises up between them and an old enemy reemerges to bring the Thompson family down once and for all. Will the divide between them be insurmountable, or can they put aside pride and doubt for a love worth fighting for?


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Holly Bush writes historical romance set in the U.S.in the late 1800’s, in Victorian England, and an occasional Women’s Fiction title. Her books are described as emotional, with heartfelt, sexy romance. She makes her home with her husband in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.  Connect with Holly at www.hollybushbooks.com and on Twitter @hollybushbooks and on Facebook at Holly Bush.

 


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  https://thecoffeepotbookclub.blogspot.com/2022/11/blog-tour-captains-woman-by-holly-bush.html





Ascent by Cathie Dunn Book Blast! #Ascent #CathieDunn #HFVBT @hfvbt @cathiedunnauthor @cathiedunn @cathiedunnwrites

 


Ascent by Cathie Dunn

Publication Date: April 8, 2022
Ocelot Press

Series: House of Normandy, Book One
Genre: Historical Fiction


A brutal Viking raid heralds the dawn of a new, powerful dynasty – the House of Normandy
Neustria, Kingdom of the West Franks
AD 890

Fourteen-year-old Poppa’s life changes when Northmen land near Bayeux. Count Bérengar, her father, submits to them, and she is handfasted to Hrólfr, the Northmen’s heathen leader, as part of their agreement.

To her relief, Hrólfr leaves immediately in search of further conquest, only returning to claim her years later. In the face of retaliating Franks, they flee to East Anglia, where she gives birth to their son and daughter.

When Hrólfr and Poppa return to reclaim Bayeux, his new campaign strikes at the heart of Frankish power, and King Charles of the West Franks offers him a pact he cannot refuse. In exchange for vast tracts of land in Neustria, Hrólfr must convert to Christianity and accept marriage to Gisela, the king’s illegitimate daughter.

Poppa’s world shatters. She remains in Bayeux, with her daughter, Adela. When Gisela arrives one day, demanding she hand over Adela, to be raised in Rouen, Poppa’s patience is at an end. But Gisela makes for a dangerous enemy, and only one woman will survive their confrontation high up on the cliffs.

Will Poppa live to witness the dawn of a new era?

ASCENT is the first in a new series about the early women of the House of Normandy – women whose stories have been forgotten through time.

Until now!

Readers of Viking and medieval fiction will enjoy ASCENT, a fictional account of the life of Poppa of Bayeux, handfasted wife of Rollo the Viking.

Ascent is on sale for eBook for only $.99 across all Amazon platforms!

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Barnes and Noble


About the Author

 

Cathie Dunn writes historical fiction, mystery, and romance. The focus of her historical fiction novels is on strong women through time.

Cathie has been writing for over twenty years. She studied Creative Writing, with a focus on novel writing, which she teaches in the south of France. She loves researching for her novels, delving into history books, and visiting castles and historic sites.

At the moment, Cathie is working on two novels: Treachery, #2 in the House of Normandy series, about Sprota the Breton, handfasted wife of William Longsword, the son of Poppa and Rollo; and The Alchemist's Daughter, #2 in the Affair of the Poisons series. She also continues to plot a medieval murder mystery series set in 13th century Languedoc at the height of the Cathar persecutions.

Cathie's stories have garnered awards and praise from reviewers and readers for their authentic description of the past.

Cathie is a member of the Historical Novel Society and the Alliance of Independent Authors, and she organises historical fiction blog tours for The Coffee Pot Book Club.

After many years in Scotland, Cathie now lives in south of France with her husband, and rescued Charlie Cat and Ellie Dog.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | YouTube | Goodreads


Book Blast Schedule

Monday, January 9
Gwendalyn's Books

Tuesday, January 10
History from a Woman’s Perspective

Wednesday, January 11
Lisa Everyday Reads

Thursday, January 12
Historical Fiction with Spirit

Friday, January 13
Bookworlder
CelticLady's Reviews

Monday, January 16
Michelle the PA Loves to Read

Tuesday, January 17
Passages to the Past

Thursday, January 19
Reading is My Remedy

Friday, January 20
Coffee & Ink
Jathan & Heather

Giveaway

Enter to win a signed copy of Ascent by Cathie Dunn!

The giveaway is open internationally and ends on January 20th. You must be 18 or older to enter.

Ascent Book Blast


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