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Snafu Fubar: Nothing Heroic by Bob Dixon Book Blitz & Giveaway

6/16/2018

Adult Humor

Date Published: Oct 2016

*****WARNING*****

If you are easily offended, then this is NOT the book for you. Please put it down and back away slowly. However, if you have a warped sense of humor, please read on.

In the town of Lost Hope, Florida reside two heroes unlike any others. These champions of justice go by the names of Snafu Fubar and General Nuisance. Nightly they patrol their fine city to protect it from evil's grasp. And by 'patrol' we mean they sit on a porch, appropriately nicknamed 'The Fucking Nuisance Cave', drinking beers, smoking cigars, and talking about sex.

Excerpt

Meanwhile, across the street from the trailer park, in a convenience store that General Nuisance and Snafu Fubar frequented, a robber had just entered, brandishing a pistol. He pointed it at the clerk behind the counter, a young boy who had not yet reached legal drinking age and who still had a zit party in full swing on his chubby face. “Put your hands in the air and give me the money!” The clerk looked confused for a moment and then shrugged.

“I can’t do both.”

“Huh...what?”

The clerk rolled his eyes. “I can’t put my hands in the air and give you the money.”

“Fine. Put one hand in the air and hand me the money with the other one.” The robber gestured with the gun.

“OK, which hand?”

“Right…no, wait a minute. Left.”

“Left hand up or left hand get the money?”

The robber banged his head against the counter three times and glared at the clerk. “Left hand get the money.”

Ding Ding.

The robber and clerk both looked toward the store's door, through which a female customer had just entered. She was blond, with a great body and nice rack, but her face was ugly as sin. “Can I get twenty on pump five?”

The robber stepped towards her, motioning with the gun. “Lie down on the floor now!”

“What? Really? Have you seen this floor? I’d probably have a higher chance of survival if you just shoot me. I think I’ll take my chances!”

The robber glanced down at the floor. “OK. Point taken. Just sit on the floor.”

“Really wish I hadn’t picked today to wear stilettos and this damn mini skirt with no panties,” griped the customer. “I mean, if I’m going to catch an STD, I really wanted to do it the fun way.” She looked about as graceful as a giraffe on roller skates as she tried several maneuvers to get down on the floor without giving the clerk and the robber their own private peep show.

General Nuisance met Snafu in the parking lot of the convenience store. They did the handshake, the fist bump, the high five, the gang sign, the chest bump and the butt slap — to which they both said in unison, “NO GO HOMO!” This, of course, made it perfectly acceptable for two grown men to slap each other on the ass.

“Do you see what I see?” General Nuisance pointed into the convenience store that held his beloved beer.

“Yeah, some idiot sitting on a disease ridden floor. Hope she knows there are more enjoyable ways to catch an STD.”

“I agree, but I wasn’t talking about her. Look again…a robber!”

“Cool! You wanna hand out some Bronze Age justice?”

General Nuisance poked his friend in the arm. “I got one better...Iron Age justice, huh, huh?”

“Oh, that’s just stupid! What did the Iron Age have that the Bronze Age didn’t?”

“Really? Asia was smelting tin and brass by then…you can’t top that. What was your Bronze Age doing? Cave men were still circle jerking on dinosaurs' corpses.”

“That’s the Stone Age, you idiot.” Snafu shook his head. “You can be so dumb at times.”

While Snafu Fubar and General Nuisance debated over the kind of justice they were going to hand out, things inside the store took a bizarre turn.

“Man, my drawer is gonna be off. I’m gonna have to overcharge all my customers tonight,” the clerk whined as he looked down at his till.

“Shut up! Just get the money,” screamed the robber.

“I don’t feel so well,” said the female customer, whose face was now a sickly shade of green. She burped once then farted. A moment later, she puked all over the floor and shit herself.

“Crap! Now I’m going to have to mop the floor and man, I was really hoping to leave that for the morning shift. I mean I could kind of push everything under the candy counter. There’s a good chance no one would notice and I could just place a wet floor sign where she is at. Yeah…the more I think about it, I’m pretty sure that would work.”

“Oh my God! Why are you taking so long?” The robber pointed the gun at the clerk again.

The store's door swung open. Loud rock music blared as Snafu and General Nuisance entered the store. “I’m here to kick some ass and hand out –“, Snafu sighed, “Industrial Revolution era justice!”

“See?!? Was that so hard?” General Nuisance asked with a smile.

The robber grabbed the clerk by his shirt collar. “This is why you should have moved faster. Both of you get down on the ground now…or the clerk dies.”

General Nuisance and Snafu both looked down at the female customer who was now shaking and in the midst of some kind of convulsion. “Yeah, that’s just not going to happen,” Snafu said.

“Son, put the gun down.” General Nuisance spoke as calmly as a man being threatened with sitting on a disease-ridden floor could speak.

“How about I shoot you?!” screamed the frustrated robber as he pointed the gun first at General Nuisance then at Snafu.

“Yeah, shoot those costumed freaks!” chimed in the clerk.

“You stay out of this!” the robber yelled at the clerk.

“Why are you rooting for the robber?” asked Snafu.

“I don’t know…just seemed like we were connecting…I don’t get a lot of social interaction here.”

The robber looked back and forth between the costumed vigilantes and the clerk. “Shit! I don’t know who to shoot first!”

“Please God, let it be me! Bleck!” said the customer on the floor as she puked again.

“Well, while you decide that, I’m going to grab a Slushee,” Snafu said as he strolled toward the back of the store.

“Yeah. Me too. Let’s grab the beer and some beef jerky while we’re at it,” General Nuisance said as he patted the robber on the shoulder and walked past him.

The robber snatched the money from the clerk's hand and ran out of the store. “Ya’ll are fuckin’ crazy!”

The clerk, looking as though he'd just lost his best friend or a beloved pet, leaned over the edge of the counter.

“Call me...I mean if you want to hang out or something,” the clerk yelled as the robber made his escape. When he didn’t get a response, the clerk slumped back against his stool.

“They never call.”

About the Author

Bob Dixon is a two-time Guinness World Record holder for the World's Longest Cartoon Strip. He is the author and creator of a number of comic book titles for Pocket Change Comics, including Assassinette: The Mind Stalker, Psyco Duck, Jester's Dead, The Holy Knight, Riplash, Shadow Slasher, and Warzone 3719. Bob has written two children books, Rooty the Tree Troll and Holiday Bunny; two young adult books, Mouch and Company: The Dream Psychic and Rags and Ruins; An adult humor book Snafu Fubar : Nothing Heroic; and is the co-author of Will Jones' biography A Tough Call. Bob is also the Writer/Director of the movie Dr. Prozak's Office. Additionally, he is a certified special education teacher who works with children who have autism and intellectual delays.

Contact Links

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Twitter: @authorbobdixon

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Summer Reading Giveaway: A Song of Four Seasons by Helen H. Wu Book Review & Giveaway #SummerReading

6/16/2018

About the Book

Title: A Song of Four Seasons
Author & Illustrator: Helen H. Wu
Number of Pages: 40
Recommended Ages: Preschool
Publication Date: December 28, 2017
Summary: Four teddies take young readers throughout the year. Each season brings new surprises and happiness. The charming illustrations are the perfect complement to this dynamic and singable story to the wonders of the seasons.

Amazon

Take a peek inside the book...

My Review

A Song of Four Seasons is a delightful tale that teaches children about the seasons in an entertaining and engaging way.

The Bear family is eager to leave their home and enjoy all of the beauty of Mother Nature. Spring, summer, fall, and winter have much to offer and the Bear Family intends to experience it all.

The playful and vibrant illustrations are charming and little ones will love discovering the Bear Family fun on every page.

I recommend picking up a copy.

About the Author

Helen H. Wu, was born and raised in Hefei, Helen started to illustrate and write children's books in 2011. She has published more than 10 books and some of them are best sellers on Amazon. Currently she is a graphic designer and illustrator living in Des Moines, Iowa, with her family.

Website | Blog |Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter

A Song of Four Seasons eBook Giveaway
~ Open Worldwide ~

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Bounce Back by Dr. Bridgette Jenkins Blog Tour

6/15/2018

Write Now Literary is pleased to be coordinating a Blog Tour for Bounce Back: Tips for Overcoming Adversity, Life Challenges and Setbacks by Dr. Bridgette Jenkins. The tour will run June 4-29, 2018. Publication Date: May 19, 2018 Genre: Inspirational Non-Fiction

Bounce Back will encourage you to be intentional about facing adversity and challenges while staying positive about your situation. With practicality, wisdom and experience, Dr. Bridgette shares strategies and tips that can be used to help you Bounce Back from any negative life situation. After reading this book, and applying the practical Bounce Back tips, you will be able to withstand, recover from and overcome any challenge you might face in life.

Amazon eBook

Amazon Paperback

Barnes & Noble

Introducing Dr. Bridgette Jenkins

Dr. Bridgette is a doctorly prepared registered nurse who specializes in education and community health. She has a heart for nursing students and those struggling to reach their education and career goals. She serves as mentor and coach to nurses and nursing students as they matriculate through the nursing profession. She is the owner of Health Education Institute where she teaches lifesaving courses to healthcare providers and the public. She also offers a variety of courses to healthcare providers to help them stay current on updates and changes within the healthcare arena. Dr. Bridgette also speaks at churches and community events on various health issues that are prevalent among vulnerable populations. She is the CEO/President of the Houston Chapter of Black Nurses Rock, a nonprofit organization committed to changing the lives of the citizens in the Houston area and surrounding communities through service and education. Bridgette resides in Houston Texas where she’s actively involved in her church and community. She is a mother to three adult children and a miniature schnauzer named Dallas. She is also MiMi to two adorable grandsons. Connect Socially: Website

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Love, Alchemy by Eden Ashley Blog Tour & Giveaway

6/15/2018

Romance/Fantasy/Sci-fi

Date Published: July 1, 2016

Daveigh Little is preparing for college, planning to leave behind the tiny hick town she’s spent her entire life in once and for all. But plagued by troubles at home and school, Daveigh makes a series of bad choices that land her in hot water with a local kingpin. Suddenly, people around her are dying and Daveigh finds herself on the run.

And then there’s Ethan. Fresh out of the academy, Ethan Remington represents the authority Daveigh has come to despise, but she is inexplicably drawn to the handsome rookie of few words. From the first moment she laid eyes on him, Daveigh knew Ethan was different. She just didn’t realize how different. Reasons of his own have led Ethan into the tangled strands of danger within the town of Harpey…but those reasons aren’t nearly as mysterious as Ethan’s origins or the irresistible passion between them.

About the Author

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Beyond the Moon by R.J. Wood Blog Tour & Giveaway

6/14/2018

This is my stop during the blog tour for Beyond the Moon by R.J. Wood. This tour is organized by Lola's Blog Tours. The blog tour runs from 11 till 24 June. See the tour schedule here.

Beyond the Moon (The Voyages of Jake Flynn #2)
By R.J. Wood
Genre: Fantasy/ Science Fiction/ Sword and Space/ Space Fantasy
Age category: Middle Grade/ Young Adult
Release Date: June 1, 2018

Blurb:
Beyond the Moon picks up after the battle above the ice planet Nystal, where Earth-kid Jake Flynn and crew have recently escaped from the Crimson Cabal. Their voyages continue on the other side of the galaxy where magic has displaced technology and monsters are real. Jake continues to grow in his new abilities to channel energy and fly tall wooden ships in space, but struggles with having been named the Justicar, a prophesied champion of the light. Pushing forward, he sets course for new planets in search of allies who will stand with him and help stop the cabal from resurrecting a long dead queen. To succeed, Jake must learn more about channeling and how to balance his new and unwelcome responsibilities with the continued search for his missing parents and a way home to Earth.

Aided and mentored by the young Life Magian, Starla Silvertree, her aged protector, Ottomeyer Riversend, and assisted by veteran sailors Jehnna Marik and Captain Billy Goldbar, Jake must make heavyweight decisions with deadly consequences.

Unicorns, ghost ships, pirates, space battles, magi wielding lightning and fire, dinosaurs, and a Valkyrie – Jake must face them all in this epic sword and space adventure. By the end, Jake will take another step toward adulthood, discover truths about his parents’ fate, suffer the death of a comrade, and muster the courage to charge into a final showdown with the terrifying snake-woman, Celia Sable.

You can add Beyond the Moon to your to-read list on Goodreads

You can buy Beyond the Moon here:
- Amazon ebook
- Amazon paperback

Check out Destiny’s Gambit (The Voyages of Jake Flynn #1)!

A resourceful boy takes a glowing sailboat across the stars to search for his long-missing parents and becomes the target of pirates and an evil cabal with a sinister agenda.

You can buy Destiny’s Gambit here:
- Amazon
- Barnes & Noble
- Kobo
- Smashwords

About the Author:
R. J. Wood has been creating stories and adventures for others since 1979. A bard at heart, he trained in Drama (BA) and History (MA) while at university. He currently lives near Snoqualmie Falls in Washington State with his wife and children. There he does a little fishing, some adventuring, and of course, his writing.

Like everyone of my generation and beyond I have been heavily influenced by film. I like to think of my books as movies in my mind. I developed my creative writing through fantasy, science fiction, and paranormal RPGs. My degree in drama helps me with story, characters, and especially dialogue. Having an advanced history degree is excellent for plots and characters, but it also helps me with world building.

You can find and contact R.J. Wood here:
- Website
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Goodreads
- Amazon
- Instagram

Giveaway
There is a tour wide giveaway for the blog tour of Beyond the Moon. One winner will win a $25 Amazon Gift card.

For a chance to win, enter the rafflecopter below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Read an Excerpt

When Starla came up to the quarterdeck, a strange expression was on her face. She channeled, and a green glow surrounded her. She held a hand out fingers open and palm up toward the ship. Her hand began to pulse with green light a few times. Concern swept over her.
“We should go Jake, leave this place immediately,” she said and then turned to look at him, her eyes filled with concern. Otto raised an eyebrow. Cantor bristled and looked over at his maul that lay against the rail.
“Are you out of your mind!” Jehnna spat and rounded on Starla, her face a mask of anger. She jabbed her finger toward the derelict ship again.
“Members of my family could be over there. We have to help them!”
Jake empathized with Jehnna. He too wondered on the fate of his parents.
“Of course we’ll help,” he said and the tension drained from Jehnna a bit. “Why are you so concerned Starla?” he asked.
“I don’t detect any life over there,” she said in a solemn tone, “but there is…,” she paused to search for the right words, “…something.” The way she said it sent a shiver up Jake’s spine this time. Cantor made a low growl and picked up his maul.
“Are you blind?” Jehnna asked. “Someone just put a signal lamp in the window.”
“Nobody is signaling now and there is not a single soul on the deck,” Otto pointed out.
“Maybe they’re trapped below,” Jehnna said frustrated. “The ship looks like it’s been in a fight.”
Jake was not sure how she could tell in the ship’s dilapidated condition, but Jehnna had lived on such ships in the past. Still, if Starla said there was no life over there then it was foolish not to believe her. While Jake studied the Kestrel, a pale woman with blond-hair appeared with the lamp in the stern windows and beckon for them to come before she pulled away again.
Something settled in the pit of Jake’s stomach, something bad. They were close enough now that he could make out the ship’s name below the windows at the stern – Kestrel.
“Did you see that?” Jehnna asked. “Someone is over there and she needs our help. Maybe that strange thing you sense is blocking you from detecting her.”
“I don’t think–” Starla started to speak, but Jehnna pushed past her and ran back down the side of the ship. She jostled through a couple of Durian sailors engaged in their own discussion.
Jake let the Ruby Lion coast up until the two ships were abeam of one another, but kept far enough away that their air bubbles did not quite touch. The deck of the Kestrel was still clear, and the weak-blue energy from its bubble gave it an eerie glow. There was a crash as Jehnna pulled the Ruby Lion’s dinghy off the moors and it slid down into the deck. Then she began to pull it by the bow toward the side rail. The sailors looked up at Jake who nodded and they began to help Jehnna take the boat to the side. Jake brought the ship to a full stop and let the energy sails dissipate.
“Mind the wheel, Cantor,” he said as he left and made his way down to Jehnna. Otto and Starla did not follow.
“Don’t try to stop me Jake,” Jehnna warned as he approached. “You can just drop me off here if that’s your plan.”
Jake did not respond. Instead, he helped Jehnna and the Durians pull the boat over to the side. Jake powered up the dinghy and the oars began to glow. With a few thoughts he moved the boat over the rail and into position next to the Ruby Lion.
“I cannot go with you Jehn,” he said, “I have to stay here to move the ship in case an asteroid comes.” They made eye contact and Jehnna pressed her lips tight and gave one distinct nod.
“Thank you for being my friend Jake,” she said and then climbed up and over into the boat. “I’ll be right back, I promise.”
The words of his parents struck a chord in Jake and the tightness in his stomach got worse.
“Wait!” Jake cried, and his hands flew up to stop her. She hesitated, but then paused. He ran down the deck to gather a coil of rope and then came back. Quickly he tied one end to the stern of the dinghy. The other end he tied to the ship. “Just in case,” he said. Then he and the Durians gave the boat a push and it moved off toward the Kestrel.
Jake nudged the Ruby Lion sideways a little in his mind until the air bubbles touched right where Jehnna would cross. In an instant the bubbles joined into one large sphere and took on a green hue. Jake looked back at the quarterdeck. Otto watched Jehnna’s boat with interest, but Starla’s face looked as if she was fighting back tears. When her eyes met Jake’s, she shook her head. This made the feeling in the pit of Jake’s stomach turn to sickening fear. He looked back toward Jehnna. The dinghy had just reached the other ship and his friend stood up to climb the side to the rail.

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Blog Tour Wrap-Up: The Staircase of Fire by Ben Woodard

6/13/2018

As The Staircase of Fire Blog Tour comes to a close I want to take a moment and recap the tour and highlight what reviewers have said about Ben Woodard's newest children's novel.

If you missed any of the tour stops visit The Staircase of Fire tour page for a complete list of participating blogs.

About the Book

Title: The Staircase of Fire (A Shakertown Adventure, Book 3)
Author: Ben Woodard
Genre: Young Adult Mystery
Number of Pages: 276
Publisher: Miller-Martin Press
Publication Date: May 25, 2018
Summary: A quiet town in Kentucky explodes from a racial incident and fourteen-year-old Tom Wallace is in the thick of it. His past haunts him and now he’s witness to a horrific event leaving him devastated and afraid. He must escape his town and its memories. But leaving has consequences, too. He will have to betray his friends and his new love.

Nothing stops his nightmares. Not high risk activities or running away. But when his past returns, Tom is forced to confront his greatest fear and finally realizes he cannot escape himself. Now he has to take a stand that could change his life—or end it.

“…a highly recommended pick for teens looking for something different…”
D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review

Other books in the series...

A Stairway to Danger (A Shakertown Adventure, Book 1)

An eyeless body. A menacing stranger. And a tangled mystery.
It’s the summer of 1923 and two cousins hunting for hidden gold stumble on an decayed body. Fourteen-year-old Tom Wallace is convinced the death was murder and drags his older cousin into a harrowing struggle against a shadowy group. Not even attempts on their lives can stop the boys from relentlessly pursuing the mystery. But when their curiosity leads them to investigate a derelict barge, what they find is bigger and more dangerous than anything they could have imagined.

A STAIRWAY TO DANGER is a fun-filled thriller with humor and adventure in a Twain-like setting.

Winner! Orangeberry Hall of Fame Best Young Adult novel for 2013

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Steps Into Darkness (A Shakertown Adventure, Book 2)

Explosions, sabotage, deadly warnings, and a dangerous red-haired man. Imagine The Hardy Boys meet Tom Sawyer. Add a layer of teen angst and excitement plus a mysterious group stirring up racial tensions.

That’s STEPS INTO DARKNESS, the second book in the Shakertown Adventure Series by Ben Woodard.

Fourteen-year-old Tom Wallace again makes plans to escape the small town in the 1923 Kentucky countryside—the town that won’t let him forget his past, when a horrific event changes his mind. He teams with his cousin, Will, and young FBI agent Rick Sweeney to solve a perplexing mystery. Attempts on the boys’ lives and a bewildering list of suspects keep them on edge and confused until they discover the real villain—and then wish they hadn’t.

STEPS INTO DARKNESS is a fun, page-turning thriller with a hint of romance that delivers adventure and mystery while exploring the fears of a teen living with a frightful memory.

Amazon | Kobo | Barnes & Noble

Tour Recap

Promotional posts were shared by:
Letters from Annie Lima Douglass
Rockin’ Book Reviews

Several bloggers posted excerpts from the book:
T’s Stuff
Barghntress
Bookworm for Kids
Mel’s Shelves
Eloquent Articulation
Foreign Correspondant
Nothing But Books
Books Direct
Java John Z’s
Bound 2 Escape
Raising Kids of Gratitude

Here's what reviewers had to say...

"I didn’t read the other books in the Shakertown Series, but was able to dive right in without feeling lost. I like that the author keeps some secrets to himself which kept me reading to see what happened next. I really enjoyed The Staircase of Fire and am eager to go back and read the first two books. This is a good book for young adult readers." - Courtney Parker Blog

"I loved this book. Strong believable characters a reader can connect with. Tom must learn to face his haunting nightmares. Adventure. Mystery. I look forward to reading more books." - Kay LaLone - I Love Books

My Review

The Staircase of Fire is an absorbing mystery with intriguing characters and a captivating plot.

Tom and Helen witness a horrific crime, but know that if they go to the sheriff they will be endangering their lives and also the lives of anyone close to them. Distraught over what he saw and eager to get out of Shakertown, Tom hunts down the gold and heads north. It doesn't take Tom long to figure out that no matter where he lives the pain of what he's lost will haunt him. Unable to fight his conscience any longer Tom heads back to Shakertown to make things right, but at what cost? Can Tom gain forgiveness from those he hurt and more importantly can he forgive himself?

I have had the privilege of reading all the books in the Shakertown Adventure Series and have greatly enjoyed experiencing Tom, Will, and Helen's growth into young adults. Tom's maturity is evident in the decisions he makes about the gold, the racist crime he witnessed, and righting past wrongs. I love that the story takes place in the 1920's and the author has a way, through descriptive text and vivid details, of drawing the reader in keeping them hooked until the very last page. The Staircase of Fire is a definite must read.

I am looking forward to the next book and highly recommend checking out the entire series.

About the Author

Ben is a (mostly) retired amateur adventurer who has traveled across Tibet, climbed to 18,000 feet on Mt. Everest, and solo backpacked wilderness areas. Now his adventures come in the form of imagining stories, writing and telling them to kids and teens. He works with teachers, schools and literacy organizations spreading the word that books are vital—and fun.

Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads| Google+
Author's Website | Publisher's Website | Netgalley

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The Busy Moms Guide to Writing by Angela Castillo & Jamie Foley Book Blitz & Giveaway

6/13/2018

Self-Help

Publisher: Fayette Press

Date Published: 03/30/2018

Are you a busy mom who loves to write, but doesn't know where to start? This easy-to-read guide by two bestselling, award-winning authors will help you make your writing dreams a reality.

From finding time to write, to showing you how to get your kids involved, Jamie Foley and Angela Castillo (who happen to be busy moms themselves) will give you the resources--and the encouragement--you need.

This book will:

- Help you plan out your writing goals, time management, and financial budget

- Encourage you to enlist aid from the right people--critique partners, editors, cover designers, and more

- Guide you to making the best decision for you regarding independent and traditional publishing

- Give you questions to ask yourself at the end of each chapter to help you move closer to your writing dreams

- Steer you away from common mistakes

Excerpt

Supper should have been started half an hour ago, and a pile of laundry waits for you on the couch (well, it used to--now the kids have flung the clothes across the room in a free-for-all sock fight). Your baby is crying, and your oldest kid is yelling something about a science fair project being due tomorrow.

But what are you thinking about? A roving mercenary princess in your own made up land--the land of Flynn. You’ve dreamed about this land, pretended to live in it yourself. And more than anything, you want to write about it.

Your little girl grabs hold of your leg with sticky fingers. “Mommy, when are we going to have supper? I’m hungry, Mommy!”

If you’re feeling tempted to check your home for a hidden camera, the reason we know these things is because we are there. We have nights like this on a continual basis. Yet between both of us, we have fifteen published books (and three collections). These books help to generate an income to help with grocery money and even, sometimes, the mortgage payment. Writing and Momming can happen! At the same time!

What this book will do:

· Help you plan out your writing goals and time management

· Give you tools to do your personal best when it comes to writing

· Steer you away from mistakes we’ve made

· Encourage you to enlist aid from the right people--critique partners, editors, cover designers, and more

· Help you create a time budget, as well as a financial budget, so you don’t go overboard

· Guide you to making the best decision for you regarding independent and traditional publishing

· Give you questions to ask yourself (and hopefully answer!) at the end of each chapter to help you move closer to your writing dreams

What this book won’t do:

· Teach you how to write a New York Times bestseller (if you find a book that can do this, let us know)

· Tell you to neglect your family in order to write

· Expect you to have a ten-thousand-dollar budget for your first book

· Tell you how to come up with writing ideas. There are countless other writing prompt books available out there. We figure if you picked up this book, you probably have ideas buzzing around in your head already and are looking for a way to let them out.

· Give you a magic formula to make millions of dollars with your books (we don’t believe such a thing exists, but maybe. Of course, unicorns might exist too…)

About the Authors

Angela Castillo

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Angela Castillo loves living in the small town of Bastrop Texas, and draws much of her writing inspiration from life there. She loves to walk in the woods and shop in the local stores. Castillo studied Practical Theology and Music at Christ for the Nations in Dallas, Texas. She was home-schooled all through high school and is the oldest of 7 kids. Castillo's greatest joys are her little girl and two boys. Castillo has been published in The First Line, Aardvark's Ark, Heartwarmers, Thema, and several other publications, and also has works available on Amazon in paperback and Kindle format.

Jamie Foley

Jamie Foley loves strategy games, home-grown berries, and Texas winters. She's terrified of plot holes and red wasps.

Her husband is her manly cowboy astronaut muse. They live between Austin, TX and their family cattle ranch, where their hyperactive spawnling and wolfpack can run free.

Contact Links

Website

Blog

Purchase Link

Giveaway

photo a8077bfa-0e69-4bda-8d71-2fd7ed9dfca1_zpsxvyoui5j.jpg

Anyone who signs up for our newsletter HERE

will get a copy of “50 Websites Every Author Should Know”

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Model Marine by Sondra Sykes Meek Blog Tour Giveaway

6/13/2018

Literary Fiction / Military Fiction

Date Published: January 13, 2018

Molly Monroe had her future planned out for her. When she makes an impulsive decision to join the Marine Corps, her boyfriend breaks up with her, her brother bears the burden of guilt, and her mother feels betrayed. The people in Molly’s life have always tried to protect her, but she wants to protect herself.

As a Combat Camera Marine, Molly observes and records her environment from behind the lens, where image shapes day-to-day life. After she is wounded during a combat deployment, her dreams are frightening, and her memories are a kaleidoscope of scattered and chaotic scenes; a collision of past and present, real and unreal. Snapshots in time. Glimpses of war. Fragments of love: lost and found.

This story unfolds through multiple perspectives and as the negatives and positives develop, an image of the Model Marine is sharpened into focus.

About the Author

Sondra Sykes Meek is originally from Florida, but she has lived in several locations in the United States and abroad. She is a wife and mother of two, a retired Marine Corps Master Sergeant, and a Project Manager in the Defense Industry. She earned a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing, and has several stories in various stages of progress. She hopes to write full-time one day, but for now, she writes in the spare, quiet moments of her life.

Sondra wrote and published Model Marine: A Novel to reveal the courage and sacrifices of Marines and their families. She wanted to offer readers another kind of hero: someone who is not supernatural, immortal, or from the future. Although the events of this story are fiction, the setting and characters are influenced by her experiences as a Marine. The narrative is as authentic as it can be without excluding civilian readers. The protagonist is named after a Marine Corps icon, “Molly Marine.” This is especially relevant now, as 2018 marks 100 years since the first woman joined the United States Marine Corps.

Sondra hopes all readers enjoy this emotional journey of love, loss, and sacrifice. There are real heroes hidden within the pages of her debut novel. She invites you to meet them, love them, and remember them.

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Read an Excerpt

Poolee Molly Monroe
What was she thinking?
   Escape.
   The bus ride from Savannah to Parris Island was silent except for the low hum of the engine. The driver kept his eyes on the road and didn’t acknowledge the presence of the forty-or-so disheveled teenagers on his bus. Most of the stale-smelling and wrinkled travelers were too tired or too scared to speak. The air was thick with the musky scents of the Savannah paper plant, the Beaufort County marshes, body odor, and the hint of rain that wanted to fall but had not been granted permission. Apparently air conditioning was a comfort they didn’t deserve. Even though it was past midnight, the early-August breeze was hot and humid. The handful of open windows offered just enough draft to keep her skin from sticking to her clothes, but she could feel the sweat as it formed and pooled in the open spaces beneath her bra. She ignored the sweat inching its way toward her belly button; she sat motionless with her head pressed against the window.
   There were long stretches of darkness on the route from the airport to the island. She looked up hoping to see stars, but the sky was as black as the asphalt. For the first time in two months, the ice storm in her heart had thawed in bearable degrees, but now she could feel the ache in her chest—the pain that accompanies loss. She had finally done something that felt right, and it had upset everyone she loved.
   It was strange how one night could change everything.
   She could see how her actions had seemed rash.
   “You did what?” Her mother’s shriek was intensified by the clatter of breaking glass against the kitchen tile floor.
   Molly had moved quickly to pick up the pieces; her mother had stood still.
   “Molly, stand up and look at me,” she’d said.
   Molly had obeyed but had trouble meeting her eyes. Instead, she had focused on the small red dot that had begun forming a squiggly line down her mother’s left ankle. “Ma, you’re cut.”
   “What happened to our plans, your plans, for college?”
   Molly shrugged her shoulders.
   “Didn’t you think I might deserve consultation in a decision like this?”
   Molly nodded her head “yes.”
   “So what were you thinking?”
   Escape.
   “Answer me!”
   Molly closed her eyes against the tears. She couldn’t answer.
   “You do realize our country is at war, don’t you?”
   “But the recruiter said…”
   “The recruiter will tell you whatever he has to so you’ll sign your life away!” She had shouted and begun crying so hard she could no longer speak. She slumped into a kitchen chair, her anger apparently traded for despair.
   Molly sat in the chair next to her, hands in her lap, legs crossed at the ankles, her head bowed as if she were praying. She waited for her mother to calm down.
   “What’s going on with you, Molly? You haven’t seen any of your friends since graduation—and Beth? Have you spoken to Beth yet?”
   Molly shook her head “no.”
   “You need to talk to her, Molly. She is your best friend, no matter what happened between Nick and her.”
   “I don’t have time, Ma. I ship tomorrow.”
   Molly had kissed her mother on the cheek and run out of the kitchen. She could hear her telling her to “come back here right now” as she ran up the stairs. But she kept going and locked herself in her room. She simply had not known how to have that kind of conversation with her mother.
   The bus stopped. A big red sign, bordered by palm trees, greeted the newcomers; it announced the entrance to Parris Island. The driver opened the doors, and a military policeman spoke in hushed tones with him as another one boarded the bus. He walked the aisle from the front to the back and then to the front again, studying each of them as if they were criminals. The Marine didn’t speak. Then he got off the bus; the driver closed the doors, and they resumed speed.
   There was one road onto the island, and as they crossed the bridge, Molly could tell that the tide was out. She could see that there was only silt where she had expected to see water. The smell of the mud was overbearing.
   Her eyes had adjusted to the darkness, and she was long accustomed to the weight of humid air in her lungs. And it occurred to her then: she hadn’t really been trying to escape a place. It was her own skin she needed to crawl out of.

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