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Wednesday, May 13, 2026

Week Blast + #Giveaway: Eliza Waite by Ashley E. Sweeney @RABTBookTours




Historical Fiction

Date Published: 05-16-2016

Publisher: She Writes Press



Celebrating the 10th Anniversary

After the tragic death of her husband and son on a remote island in Washington’s San Juan Islands, Eliza Waite joins the throng of miners, fortune hunters, business owners, con men, and prostitutes traveling north to the Klondike in the spring of 1898. When Eliza arrives in Skagway, Alaska, she has less than fifty dollars to her name and not a friend in the world—but with some savvy, and with the help of some unsavory characters, Eliza opens a successful bakery on Skagway’s main street and befriends a madam at a neighboring bordello. Occupying this space—a place somewhere between traditional and nontraditional feminine roles—Eliza awakens emotionally and sexually. But when an unprincipled man from her past turns up in Skagway, Eliza is fearful that she will be unable to conceal her identity and move forward with her new life. Using Gold Rush history, diary entries, and authentic pioneer recipes, Eliza Waite transports readers to the sights sounds, smells, and tastes of a raucous and fleeting era of American history.


Excerpt

September 1, 1896


Cloudy, first fall chill. Deer in garden again. Need to mend fences.
 


“Good fences make good neighbors,” her aunt used to say.


Eliza examines her muddied property and stifles a snort. There are no neighbors, no cheery hellos or help at harvest time, no shared secrets or meals offered at the door when grief steals joy clean away. No, her neighbors are all gone from this windswept island plagued with relentless autumn rains that close in on the coming darkness.


Eliza removes her nightclothes and rushes into her undergarments, woolen skirt, muslin blouse, and thick socks. She gathers up her skirt, and pushes out through the cabin’s rickety door, inhaling wood smoke and counting her memories, both blessings and curses.


I do not know if I can endure another winter here, especially after what happened last year.


Before the epidemic there had been a store, and a post office, and a cannery, and a school. And—of course—a church. On those long ago Sundays, Eliza had squirmed each time Jacob mounted the stairs to the simple wooden pulpit at First Methodist on tiny Cypress Island, his pompousness preceding him. Eliza sat stiffly in the front pew with Jonathan close beside her. Jonathan’s delicate hands held hers and his small brown leather boots dangled over the front lip of the wooden bench. If she tries hard enough, Eliza can still hear Jonathan’s warbling voice stumbling over the words of the ancient hymns.


        After Sunday services, Eliza and Ida Lawson had poured weak coffee into china cups at opposite ends of the cloth-covered table in the basement of the church. They adjusted the china cups, filling in spaces when others were served. They checked the sugar bowls. They rearranged the teaspoons, and placed them symmetrically. They exchanged glances and shared private conversations in between parishioners.


Did you hear the foreman killed a Chinaman over at Atlas Cannery?


Another parishioner would interrupt. Pleasantries. Then another interruption. More pleasantries.


Did you see Sly Chapman walking Adelaide Winters home from school on Wednesday?


There was always scuttlebutt about the townsfolk, or the trappers, or the fishermen, or the loggers. And always about the Chinamen. In the kitchen, Eliza and Ida would mimic the Chinamen, taking small steps and bowing to each other. They stifled their laughter. Only once had they had an awkward and guarded conversation about the intimacies of marriage.


IDA’S COFFEE CAKE

This is one of the best of plain cakes, and is very easily made.

Take one teacup of strong coffee infusion, one teacup molasses, one teacup sugar, one-half teacup butter, one egg, and one teaspoonful saleratus. Add pinch of salt.

Add spice and raisins to suit the taste, and enough flour to make a reasonably thick batter.

Bake rather slowly in tin pans lined with buttered paper. Tops with cinnamon sugar and serve warm.

But those days are long past. Now all Eliza has is a heap of gravestones to visit.
 

 

About the Author

 


 Multi award-winning author Ashley E. Sweeney’s fourth novel, The Irish Girl, released December 2024. Her previous novels, Eliza Waite, Answer Creek, and Hardland, have won a total of 20 awards, including the Nancy Pearl Book Award, Independent Press Award, WILLA Literary Award, and New Mexico-Arizona Book Award. Sweeney, a native New Yorker and graduate of Wheaton College in Norton, Massachusetts, spends winters in Tucson and summers in the Pacific Northwest.

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RABT Book Tours & PR

Teaser: Tales of the Quiet Kitty by Camille Anthony @RABTBookTours @changelingpress



Sci-Fi Fantasy Romance, LGBTQ+

Date Published: May 15, 2026



These futuristic sci-fi tales are anything but quiet.

Board the Quiet Kitty Waveship and travel with Brant Sel, a Sh'Bahkyr Tygyr and his crew: Bevel-leveB, a Medusoid Jenari with a sentient cock, and Willa, a Sprite from the wounded planet Sparkle.

Brought together by fate, these three have common goals -- to rescue and gather their lost peoples so they can take down the corrupt, brutal Corporation, run by the most evil beings in the three Galaxies... Humans.

Publisher's Note: This box setcontains the previously released Quiet Kitty novellas Under the Cat's Paw, Dancing with the Devil, Holiday Dreams, Naked Secrets, and Cat Scratch Fever.

 

 


EXCERPT

 

Excerpt from Under the Cat's Paw

The door opened and the sensor controlled walkway winked out beneath her weighted feet. Almost sorry to reach her destination -- she so rarely had a chance to see daylight -- Willa plodded heavily into the interview room, her small ankles locked into a pair of slaver's cuffs. Head down, neck bowed, she flicked her eyes about in quick, furtive forays, taking in the room's sparse furnishings: a six foot long cushioned slab and a straight-backed, armless chair. Noting the absence of tweezers, whips, electronic probes and other sadistic devices with a thankful sigh and a renewed sense of hope, she dared to sneak a quick glance at the room's other occupant, determined to somehow influence him to take her with him. A harsh, swift breath lifted her full breasts and set her covering plumes to fluttering.

Before her stood a grey-skinned bi-pedal Being lounging at ease, his long slender hands resting on the upper horizontal bar of a tall-backed chair. He faced her, his nude body -- tall, slim and muscular -- displaying a total lack of self-consciousness. A thick mop of unruly platinum hair waved in the brush of an unseen -- and unfelt -- breeze, falling over his forehead to obscure his sightless silver eyes. His mouth hung open, allowing a nineteen-centimeter tongue, coated with cilia, to protrude slightly.

She identified the Being as a Jenari. A member of a race powerful enough to stand up to the Corporation, his kind usually did not travel in Corporate Space. Jenari rarely mingled with other races, remaining a mystery rarely seen among the Corporation's citizenry. Because of this much speculation abounded regarding their peculiar genetic makeup.

She had heard enough about the genetically blind, Medusoid race to know the Jenari's tongues served as their true "eyes." With their tongues, they "tasted" the air, able to sense their environment more accurately than could most sighted persons.

Currently, the naked alien appeared nonchalant and relaxed. His posture broadcast his sense of control, his power over her in this private chamber, obviously unaware how easily that privacy -- his privacy -- had been breached. The so-called secure interrogation cubicle was anything but, her master having ordered it wired for video and sound, rendering it accessible and easily monitored by him.

The Jenari cocked his head toward her now, giving the impression of eyeing her askance, locating her so accurately, she almost doubted his sightlessness.

"Sso... you are Willa. Your masster tellss me he hass had you trained ass a SSexengineer... capable of keeping a Dinyar-classs Wavesship and a medium number of crew in tip-top orgassmic condition."

The male's sibilant words slid from his lips. He framed his sentences oddly, their cadence broken and rendered choppy by the repeated extrusion of his tongue. The cilia laden appendage darted out between every several words, sipping the air in her direction.

"You look much too fragile for ssuch sstrenuous work. A female of your delicassy sshould be cossseted and cared for... your cunt well conditioned with frequent usse... your ssweet cream churned with a long thick sspoon..."

Willa felt the Jenari's thick voice, his dulcet tones, flowing over her, calming her jangling nerves. Her pussy, long denied any easing, dewed in response to the pictures his words painted. A strong compulsion beat at her, making her want nothing so much as to loll at his feet in adoration.

Strange, how clear his words are, given that he speaks using that crowded appendage... Oh, Drasarka -- not so strange when he is attempting to mind-thrall me!

"Sparkle!"

With a negating shake of her head and an inward surge of disgust at the endless power-games of males, she threw up her mind blocks, easily winning free of the subliminal influence. Angered beyond thinking, she verbally blasted the alien, incensed he would try such a trick on her. "Your mind speak will not work on me, Jenari."

She tossed her head, meeting his renewed mental challenge with a sneer. "I am a Sprite. I cannot be compelled by your voice, nor can your honeyed words thrall me."

The alien's wide mouth spread in a practised movement that aped a smile. "You are a fressh ssassy baggage! I can ssee why your masster ssayss you invite beatingss, sslave!" His lips closed in a thin line, concealing his tongue.

She cringed, damning her mouth and her loss of self-control. By Sparkle! When would she learn to keep her comments to herself? What would she do if her unruly anger lost her this chance of escape?

It had taken too long to convince her master she truly wished to serve his plans by spying for him. She had spent the long, grueling years learning about ship propulsion units, drive flux capacitors and other diverse technical entities for just such a chance as this: escape. During that time, she'd swallowed her gorge and taken the physical abuse and so-called sexual cruelties Lord Avron had doled out, never letting on how his milder tortures ignited her carnal hungers. She'd only slipped up once, but that lapse had proven costly.

Avron had somehow learned she needed his release -- any partner's release -- inside her, needed the life-giving fluid of come washing the walls of her sex in order to flourish and grow a healthy set of pinions and fronds. Since that time, he'd kept her at the minimum edge of physical and psionic sexual starvation, taking pleasure in gauging what lengths she would go to, the degradations she would endure in order to receive a few drops of come.

Years of maneuvering, of posturing and subterfuge had paid off. Lately, unrest and political furor had escalated within the Corporation. Due to financial setbacks and personal miscalculations, Lord Avron had lost respect among his peers. The other Corporation Lords, like canker-phish -- more deadly than the great blalor-sharks of Trofu that devoured their own young -- hovered about, sniffing around his weakness, waiting for his failure. Her master had been forced to regroup, jettisoning some of his plans for advancement just to maintain his present lofty position among the powerful despots.

Unwilling to go outside his private power base to obtain help and whatever information he sought, it had been easy to convince him of her willingness to win the position as Sexengineer aboard the Quiet Kitty Waveship and garner information from its crew to transmit back to him. Why he had become obsessed with this vessel, she neither knew nor cared. All that concerned her lately was finding her scattered people. Sparkle called for her and its other children, its summons an imperative she could not ignore. Time was fast running out for her. If she messed this interview up, she knew Avron would kill her.

Belly roiling with resentment, she averted her face to hide her grimace and abased herself before the alien -- probably her last chance at freedom. "I offer apologies to you, Gentle-Being. I beg you to take no offence."

"Be at easse, Ssprite. I tesst all who sseek to sserve aboard my vesssel. No one sso eassily controlled iss welcomed aboard my Quiet Kitty. Let uss begin anew..."

One long arm extended palm up, in the manner of greeting peculiar to her slavers, the alien stepped from behind the chair, unerringly approaching Willa. "I am Bevel, masster of the Quiet Kitty Waveship."

She choked, eyes riveted in desperate immediate hunger to his newly revealed sex. Obviously, her information loop had seriously failed to include some pertinent data...

Standing before her, hands extended, awaiting her acknowledgement of his greeting, the alien was an impressive sight. Or rather, the impressive sight was his more than ten inch penis swaying lazily between his grey muscular thighs. A darker grey than the rest of his skin, the Medusoid cock undulated back and forth, its serpent-like moves hypnotic, compelling, drawing her fascinated gaze.

 


About the Author

A funny thing happened on the way to the grave... In 2006, Cammy was diagnosed with Pulmonary Sarcoidosis and given two weeks to live. She promptly discharged herself AMA -- Against Medical Advice -- since, as she stubbornly informed her doctors, she could die at home far more comfortably than at the hospital. But then... she got an idea for a new story. Then another, and another...

Fifteen years and dozens of fantastic tales later, Cammy passed quietly in her sleep, at home, as was her wish. We miss her. Her work lives on, and we hold her in our hearts. Cammy decided many years ago that upon her passing, she wished to donate her royalties to The Quiet Kitty fund, which helps authors with emergency medical expenses. We do, to keep her in our hearts and minds.

 

Find Camille’s other works at Changeling Press


Publisher on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok: @changelingpress



RABT Book Tours & PR

Virtual Book Tour + #Giveaway: RJ's Adventures in Temecula by Eva Legre Zigre @GoddessFish



This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Eva Legre Zigre will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.


Blurb: 

If you've had a chance to visit Temecula, California, you'd be one of many who have had the privilege of watching hot air balloons take flight during sunrise and descend at sunset, walking the grounds of one of the most beautiful rose gardens in California, and visiting a rare and noble tree that looks to have stood the test of time. You will find some of the most popular and heavily visited sights in Temecula, beautifully illustrated and captured in child-like conversation.

RJ’s Adventures in Temecula is a vibrantly colored board book featuring thirteen of Temecula’s most visited attractions. The illustrations jump off the page, offering children fun images to look at while learning more about Temecula, California’s historic sights.

Beware. Your child may ask to visit some of the attractions presented in this 20-page book, such as Professor Pennypickles' Workshop or the Sugarplum Zoo and Chocolates. Come visit for a week, but first, do your research and take this adventure around Temecula, California with RJ.

Read an Excerpt

Hello Friend!

My name is RJ.

Welcome to the beautiful and sunny city of Temecula. Today is a great day to show you around!

Are you ready for an exciting tour?

Interview with Eva Legre

Could you tell us about any research trips you took for this story? Which places did you visit, and what made them essential to your writing?

I made numerous research trips around the City of Temecula, first without my photographer and again with my photographer after I took places off my list.

After the first cut, I still had a list of 30 places I wanted to feature in RJ’s Adventures in Temecula and had to cut it down to 12 to stay within my budget.

I ended up with 13, and I am pleased with them all.

Each place had something unique and extra special to share with children and the family which is why I chose them.

One place in particular is extremely unique. The Great Oak on the Pechenga Band of Indians Reservation is a rare find. In fact, there is a one-year wait for a permit to visit the grand old tree to preserve its roots and structure. I was given a rare opportunity to visit and have my photographer take pictures. It is majestic, and while standing in the shade of its leaves, you can feel the energy of the ages it has been standing. It was an awe-filled moment.

What's the strangest thing you've ever had to research online for your book?

I researched how many ducks might be at the Duck Pond in Temecula during certain times of year so that we had a good chance of getting a shot of the pond with ducks in it. You can’t have a duck pond with no ducks in a children’s book. Of course, my illustrator could draw them in but I wanted my photographer to give the illustrator as close to the finished product as possible.

What research (history, mythology, science) goes into your world-building?

Some of my research is done on the internet, but quite a bit of it involves getting to know the people in a community, having discussions with the visitors’ bureau of each town, and poring over maps and brochures for hours. I research the city’s history, the cultures, founding families, and businesses, as well as family-friendly attractions and places.

Have any of the people you've known, past or present, left a lasting impression on your writing journey? If so, we'd love to hear about a memorable experience that stands out to you.

My son, for both obvious and not-so-obvious reasons, has left a lasting impression on my writing journey. He is the inspiration for RJ’s Adventures in Temecula. Seeing life through his eyes is a blessing and wanting to show him as much of this world as possible is what drives me to have RJ travel around the world.

Do you write in the same genre all the time?

Right now, yes. Since the birth of my son, children’s books have my attention. There are so many subjects that give me new ideas for children’s books. A children’s book series focused on adventures in travel seems endless right now. I have so many places and stories I want to cover, I will be writing children’s books for a long time to come.

If so, have you ever consider writing in another one?

Before my son, I considered writing a self-help book, but that will wait until inspiration hits.

Which character, supernatural or human, do you enjoy writing the most and why?

Right now, it is RJ. I love to hear him laugh and play in my mind. I can hear him gasp with surprise and giggle with delight. He is rambunctious, curious and loves to play hide and seek. He reminds me to think like a child.

About the Author:

Eva Legre-Zigre is a children's book author passionate about writing stories that reflect the beauty of communities. Inspired by years of experience as a nanny and a volunteer teacher, she crafts engaging stories that encourage creativity and wonderment in children. Her passion for community, culture, and finding beautiful differences in various states throughout the country gives her the desire to share those unique and exciting places with children.

A resident of Temecula, California, known for its wineries, Mrs. Legre-Zigre was inspired by her own child to find and highlight family- and child-friendly attractions in her city. Some of these attractions are featured in her debut book.

Connect with Eva Legre Zigre

Instagram ~ Website


Giveaway:



$25 Amazon/BN GC





Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning.


Tuesday, May 12, 2026

Book Tour + #Giveaway: Death and Life in the City of Dreams by Nicholas Deitch @RABTBookTours

 


Literary Fiction

Date Published: April 16th

Publisher: Acorn Publishing



Jaded city planner Townsend Meadows looks out across Evermore Valley with the ghost of his dead friend by his side. “Do you ever wonder,” Fen asks, “what this city will look like five hundred years from now?”

Their city is teetering on the brink of collapse, and the mayor’s answer is a gleaming new auto mall at the valley’s edge. For Townsend, it’s the death of everything a city should be. Struggling to regain his passion and forced to choose between compliance and conviction, he must risk his career to fight for a more hopeful and verdant future.
From an architect’s vision at the dawn of the twentieth century, to a rancher’s dynasty scarred by violence and greed, to a city founder’s hidden message of hope, this story about the rise, fall, and reawakening of an American city reaches far beyond the present. A timely, sweeping novel of memory, corruption, and resilience, Death and Life in the City of Dreams asks, “What legacy will we choose to leave for our children?”

 

 

Interview with Nicholas Deitch
Death and Life in the City of Dreams

Could you tell us about any research trips you took for this story? Which places did you visit, and what made them essential to your writing?

I have been researching for this novel across my career. As an architect and city planner, everywhere I go I see the fruits and mistakes of our efforts, of cities that are glorious and humane, and cities that are choking and bleak. The most inspiring cities I have visited include Los Angeles, where I was born, Boston, which is one of the oldest American cities, and Paris, which embodies a thousand years of urban evolution.

What's the strangest thing you've ever had to research online for your book?

So many strange things . . . Derringer pistols, dime novels, airships, whale-bone corsets, Multiple Scleroses, Parkinson’s, healing qualities of herbal teas. Writing about things unknown is an invitation to its own kind of adventure. The key is to enjoy the ride, and then bring it back home.

What research (history, mythology, science) goes into your world-building?

I love world building. It’s a process of discovery and I often approach it as someone stepping off of the bus in a new place, simply seeing and discovering where I am. As the lens begins to focus, this is a good place to pause and dig a little deeper. What is this place, its era, it’s social construct. In a new story, I’m researching aspects of my own origins, of Jewish ancestry—which I have no present knowledge of. So, I find myself discovering the realm of Jewish mysticism. And it’s fascinating.

Have any of the people you've known, past or present, left a lasting impression on your writing journey? If so, we'd love to hear about a memorable experience that stands out to you.

I attend the Santa Barbara Writer’s Conference each year. It is a wonderful community of passionate writers from all walks, and at all levels. My first few years I worried that I want good enough. I was a novice and still discovering my voice. When I showed up one year, with a collection of short stories to share, I was stunned—and elated—by the response. These were deeply human stories, emerging from places of my own struggle and vulnerability. And I was deeply moved at the end of the conference, to find that one of those stories received the honor of Best Fiction for that year. For someone who came feeling unsure and unqualified, this was a transformational moment.

The lesson learned? Write from your heart, from your difficult places, and your truth will find resonance in others.

Do you write in the same genre all the time?

I write in a literary voice, whether it’s speculative, historical, mystery. I often mix them up to tell stories that are difficult to classify. Magic realism often finds its way into my narratives.

If so, have you ever consider writing in another one?

I don’t focus on genre. I’m not really writing for a ‘marketplace.’ I’m writing to discover who I am. The genre emerges through the story.

Which character, supernatural or human, do you enjoy writing the most and why?

I often write about people who live on the fringes of society, who might not be noticed, or might even be shunned. I am drawn to the timelessness of our predicament, that across the ages we humans have grappled with the same challenges, of fear, love, jealousy, loneliness. My very human characters will sometimes take on ‘supernatural’ characteristics, of vision, insight, the capacity to heal. I enjoy writing about self discovery and transformation, which in themselves can be acts of the supernatural.

Thank you for letting me share of my writing journey.

Nicholas Deitch - nickadeitch@gmail.com

You are welcome. We appreciate your visit with us today!



About the Author

 

Nicholas Deitch is a writer, architect, and advocate for social justice whose fiction explores the intersection of cities, history, and human resilience. His passion for storytelling began when a colleague recognized the emotional depth of his nonfiction work. Since then, he has honed his craft, publishing short stories in Litro Magazine, Club Plum, and Santa Barbara Literary Journal. His short story “Grace Eternal” won Best Fiction at the Santa Barbara Writers Conference (2019).

Death and Life in the City of Dreams, his debut novel, is deeply influenced by his experiences in nonprofit leadership and the design of inclusive communities and urban places.

Originally from Los Angeles, he now lives in Ventura, California, with his wife and creative partner Diana.

 

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RABT Book Tours & PR

Book Blitz: Alive for a Reason by Jaiden Jackson Smith @imalive4areason @RABTBookTours


What You Don’t Know Will Kill You and It’s Not the Pandemic: Julia’s Story


Nonfiction / Biographies / Health

Date Published: December 23, 2024



You don’t have to die… like Julia almost did.

This gripping memoir tells the true story of a sudden, devastating illness—thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP)—a rare blood disorder with a 90% mortality rate if left untreated.

Through a deeply personal and conversational narrative, Jaiden Jackson Smith brings readers into Julia’s world:

● A body turning against itself

● A mind navigating fear, confusion, and altered reality

● A spirit clinging to faith and purpose


What You’ll Discover

● The hidden dangers of undiagnosed illness

● The link between stress, trauma, and autoimmune disorders

● The reality of hematological conditions and platelet disorders

● The emotional and spiritual battle of survival

 

About the Author


Jaiden Jackson Smith is an award-winning author, advocate, and storyteller whose work centers on truth, healing, and human resilience.

Her debut memoir earned the 2025 International Impact Book Award, marking her as a powerful new voice in inspirational nonfiction.

Jaiden holds a Master’s degree in Law and Public Policy in Nevada and is committed to continuing her education to advocate for:

● Individuals with intellectual disabilities

● People with disabilities

● Senior adults

Her life is guided by three core values:
Integrity. Loyalty. Determination.

Beyond her professional achievements, Jaiden finds joy in:

● Spending time with her husband

● Enjoying music—especially Earth, Wind & Fire

● Writing and creative expression

● Bringing light into the lives of others through kindness

Her mission is simple yet profound:
To remind people they are seen, valued, and never alone.

 

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RABT Book Tours & PR

Book Blitz: Voyagers: Homeland to Heartland by D. L. Norris @RABTBookTours



Biographical Fiction

Date Published: March 26, 2026



Voyagers: Homeland to Heartland is a sweeping, multi-generational saga inspired by true family history, tracing a Norwegian immigrant family's journey from the rugged valleys of Norway to the windswept prairies of Nebraska.

Rooted in the author's own heritage, the story follows Kittil and Marte Dyrebu as they leave behind everything familiar-family, language, and homeland-to chase the promise of opportunity in America. Their passage across the Atlantic is only the beginning. What follows is a lifetime of perseverance: carving a home from raw prairie, enduring devastating storms, profound loss, quiet joys, and the relentless demands of frontier life.

Told through richly detailed vignettes, Voyagers weaves together the lives of parents and children, siblings and spouses, revealing how love, faith, and tradition are carried forward even as circumstances change. From intimate moments around a family table to life altering crossroads shaped by duty, sacrifice, and longing, each generation faces its own tests-yet remains bound by shared memory and resilience.

At its core, Voyagers is a tribute to storytelling itself: the way stories preserve identity, heal grief, and connect past to present. It is a novel for anyone drawn to historical fiction, immigrant journeys, and the enduring power of family legacy.

Both tender and unflinching, Voyagers honors the courage of those who came before-and the stories that continue to shape who we are.


About the Author


Award-winning author and motivational speaker, D. L. Norris is widely recognized for her insightful contributions to literature and personal development. With a prolific career spanning several decades, Norris has explored themes of health, emotional wellness, family dynamics, and cultural history, earning her a devoted readership. Her acclaimed novels, "The Long Way Home," "Where the Heart Is," "Old Books and Faded Dreams: Collector's Edition," "Field of Memories: A Tapestry of Heartwarming Short Stories," The Intercessors: They Walk Among Us," and "Voyagers: Homeland to Heartland"—are celebrated for their vibrant, oft-humorous stories and authentic portrayal of real-life events and mindsets inspired by her beloved Scandinavian heritage.

Norris's writing is characterized by its warmth, wit, and ability to capture the complexities of human relationships, drawing from her own experiences and family traditions. Through her work, she invites readers to reflect on the importance of resilience, hope, and unconditional love, weaving together narratives that resonate across generations.

She and her husband, Quincy, reside in the picturesque city of Hartford, Connecticut, where they continue to inspire others through their commitment to storytelling and community engagement.

 

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Review: Tangled in Magic (Crystal Beach #9) by Karen McSpade

Tangled in Magic

Crystal Beach #9

by Karen McSpade

Published: November 21, 2023

Publisher: Newcastle Media Publishing

Genre: Animals, Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Mystery, Psychics, Suspense, Paranormal, Witches, Magical

 

Blurb:

Quirky characters. An enchanting town. A cat that talks. This magical mystery series has it all, like you've never read before!

Welcome to Crystal Beach, an enchanting town with a dangerous secret.

As Sidney and her magical felines search for a new place to call home, a peculiar creature roams the beach under the cover of night, setting Sidney's supernatural senses tingling. And more disturbing trouble is heading this witch's way.

A woman close to Sidney's heart vanishes without a trace, leaving behind a chilling puzzle. Is there a connection between her disappearance and the enigmatic beach creature? To find out, Sidney must harness her own magical abilities, as even Ada-Mae's spells are no match for the task at hand.

As the mysteries deepen, an old seafaring ghost emerges with a forewarning, hinting at an impending catastrophe that threatens Crystal Beach. History may be doomed to repeat itself unless Sidney can piece together the cryptic clues in time.

Can this gifted psychic witch untangle the web of strange events, connect the dots between a baffling death, a woman's vanishing act, and the elusive beach creature, and decipher the ghost's ominous prophecy before it's too late to save her beloved town and the people she holds dear?

Join Sidney, her talking cat, and the unforgettable residents of Crystal Beach in Tangled in Magic, the ninth installment of the Crystal Beach Magic Mystery Series.

Get cozy and immerse yourself in this spellbinding mystery adventure today!

Goodreads ~ Amazon ~ BookBub


My Review:

Sidney Grace and her magical cats return in the ninth book, Tangled in Magic, part of the Crystal Beach series by Karen McSpade. This story is highly entertaining and leaves you eager for more with every page turn.

It includes everything: magic, talking cats, ghosts, a creature that enjoys walking on the beach at night, mystery, suspense, and much more that makes it truly enchanting.

Sidney’s father is being released from prison, and someone very close to her, her dad’s girlfriend, has gone missing. With the help of her grandmother, Ada-Mae, her mother Julia-Mae, and other witches, Sidney works on a spell to find the missing woman.

Sidney starts to question whether the missing woman, the creature on the beach, the ghost, and her father’s release from prison are all connected. If they are, how?

Tangled in Magic is a fantastic addition to the Crystal Beach mystery series. The world-building is magical and among the best I’ve seen. I’m excited to read more stories from Crystal Beach.

I highly recommend Tangled in Magic to all fans of magic and talking cats! Get your copy today for another exciting adventure with Sidney, Mojo, Ada-Mae, Julia-Mae, and all the wonderful characters of Crystal Beach!

Check out all the books in the Crystal Beach Series I’ve read.


Dog Gone Troubles 0.5

Goodreads


Cat Scratch Murder #1

Goodreads

Amazon

BookBub


Feline Like A Suspect #3

Goodreads

Amazon

BookBub


Witch Under Pressure #6

Goodreads

Amazon

BookBub


Tangled in Magic #9

Goodreads

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Blurb Blitz + #Giveaway: The Secret Cottage by Kate Ellington @GoddessFish



This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Kate Ellington will be awarding a $20 Amazon gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Blurb: 

Isabel Tate yearns for the simple pleasures she took for granted before scandal rocked her family two years ago. On May Day, she's determined to forget her troubles and enjoy herself at the Claremont family's annual festival. Meanwhile, Robert Claremont steels himself to begin courting the haughty heiress next door, but his bashfulness is only one obstacle to winning her hand. Despite a deep sense of family obligation, he dreams of choosing his own bride. Captivated by each other from the moment they meet, Robert and Isabel are kept apart by a misunderstanding until a chance encounter leads to friendship and more. With opposition on all sides, they must overcome inconceivable odds to claim happiness.

 

Purchase The Secret Cottage on Amazon

 

Read an Excerpt


Isabel turned her horse into the woods, directing him to a gurgling stream under a canopy of trees. The forest was quiet but for the splashing of the water, bird songs and the rustle of branches. They hadn’t been there long when Isabel heard a new sound. Hoofbeats and muffled voices. She urged her horse closer to the road, and easily heard the riders' conversation.

“What makes you think she came this way?” a man asked.

A deeper voice answered, “Merely a guess. It seemed as good a place as any to look, but I'm thwarted again.”

“Let's turn back, we can look for her tomorrow.”

“I'm sitting for the portrait tomorrow.”

Isabel's pulse quickened as she recognized the deeper voice. Robert Claremont. So he’d been looking for her. Why hadn't he come to the house? She started back toward the stream, but suddenly reason left her and she guided her horse through the trees, emerging just as Robert and his companion rounded the bend going in the opposite direction. They hadn't seen her.

Isabel paused for a moment, thinking what to do. Go back home and hope he came to the house soon? Or seek him out for herself? Her reckless side won. Spurring her horse to a gallop, she chased after them. Robert turned in his saddle and Isabel was delighted with the look of shock on his face as she sped past him and who she could now see was Mr. Kensington.


About the Author:


Kate Ellington grew up in a woodsy New England town where summer days at the lake seemed to last forever. She read her first historical romance at age eleven when a teacher challenged her to find a book in the library written by an author she’d never heard of. Thus began a life-long love of love stories.

After graduating from college with an art degree she settled in the Pacific Northwest, where she currently resides with her family.

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Giveaway:



$20 Amazon/BN GC





Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning.


Monday, May 11, 2026

Book Tour + #Giveaway: To Die For by Audrey Steidl @Books_by_Audrey @RABTBookTours




Young Adult

Date Published: April 10th 2026

Publisher: Acorn Publishing

 


To Die For is a harrowing look into the life of a narcissist who refuses to take accountability for the damage she inflicts.

High school senior Dei Fields appears completely harmless, but she has a keen instinct for manipulation. When she first sets eyes on hot star athlete Mika St. John, she’s determined to have him … and Dei always gets what she wants. There are only three obstacles: Mika’s friends, his family, and his girlfriend. But Dei isn’t afraid to destroy relationships to satisfy her fantasies.

In a matter of weeks, she love-bombs Mika into thinking he has found his soulmate, but when Dei’s plans go awry, everything changes—including her identity. Will Dei get what she wants this time? Or will she finally get what she deserves?



Interview with Audrey Steidl

Could you tell us about any research trips you took for this story? Which places did you visit, and what made them essential to your writing?

Most of the action takes place in San Diego, where I have lived for the last few decades, so I didn’t need to do specific research on that area. For the Florida chapters, I relied on research as well as the input of friends in that area, who were able to tell me specifically what it was like to survive Hurricane Ian in September 2022. Fortunately, they applauded my descriptive accuracy!

What's the strangest thing you've ever had to research online for your book?

I wouldn’t call it “strange,” but I had to dig deep to find out the specific smells and types of wreckage in the aftermath of a major hurricane, including the difference between water and wind damage.

What research (history, mythology, science) goes into your world-building?

“To Die For” was very much grounded in the real world of high school and suburban life until the story moves to Florida, when a major hurricane devastates the Naples and Fort Myers area.

Have any of the people you've known, past or present, left a lasting impression on your writing journey? If so, we'd love to hear about a memorable experience that stands out to you.

I was an actor before I was a writer, which made me acutely aware of the power of words, whether on stage or on the page. In particular, I was privileged to see Judy Dench on stage in London, and I am still in awe of the depth of emotion she could bring to a single phrase.

Do you write in the same genre all the time?

No. My first book “The Fallen” is considered literary fiction-mixed genre and won the International Impact Award for the “Best Fantasy, Mystery, Thriller” of 2025. It also won the American Legacy Award for the Best Paranormal Romance. My second book, “To Die For,” has no supernatural elements and is an exploration of what happens when a narcissist sets about destroying the lives of those around her to get what she wants.

If so, have you ever consider writing in another one?

I’ve just finished writing the sequel to “The Fallen” so I will stay in that genre for the time being.

Which character, supernatural or human, do you enjoy writing the most and why?

I don’t want to give away any plot points, but one of the characters I most enjoyed writing about in “The Fallen” was an angelic being who demonstrates great compassion and healing power. In “To Die For,” I got a chuckle out of one of the supporting teen characters, who was refreshingly irreverent in the midst of all the drama, and another who gets that you DON’T peak in high school.

 

About the Author

 

Audrey Steidl is the award-winning author of the romantic thriller The Fallen. Her passion for storytelling began at an early age when she wrote scripts and performed them with her neighborhood friends in full costume and makeup. This love blossomed into a career as an actress and as a producer for cable television.

Now, when she’s not writing page-turners, Audrey is a hotel travel executive, a pilates fiend, and a lover of travel and art. A long-time San Diego resident, she shares her home with her husband Jamie and their mischievous Pomeranian Loki. Her latest novel, To Die For, is inspired by those who have the courage to walk away from narcissists and emotionally abusive relationships.


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