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Wednesday, April 22, 2026

Book Tour: THE SIREN OF PARIS BY David LeRoy @pumpupyourbook

 


A soul seeking peace after his failures in finding love during World War II.


Journey through the dark, violent, and haunting landscape of World War II in Paris and beyond – Take on a harrowing tour through the depths of human depravity, exploring themes of love, loss, guilt, and redemption in this gripping historical tale.

Marc Tolbert, a young French-born man from a prominent American family, takes off to Paris for a fresh start after a breakup in 1939. Pursuing his dreams of attending a prestigious Parisian art school, he soon makes friends with some of history’s most notable figures, including Sylvia Beach and William Bullitt. Falling in love with an art model from one of his classes, he is blinded to the escalating violence around them as the war inches closer to the City of Lights.

What started as an adventure quickly becomes a nightmare as the war worsens, and Marc is faced with choices that will change his life forever.

When he finally faces the reality that he must leave Paris, fate deals him a cruel hand. Surviving the sinking of the RMS Lancastria, Marc is haunted by the deaths of his friends and the regret of not leaving sooner.

Returning to Paris, Marc is drawn into the resistance movement, risking everything to help those trapped behind enemy lines. But after being betrayed, he is captured and sent away to face the horrors of war and the guilt of his past mistakes.

The Siren of Paris is a powerful and emotional story that will keep you on the edge of your seat. With its compelling plot-driven narrative, vivid scenes, and intense action, this novel will transport you to the heart of war-torn Paris and leave you contemplating the weight of human choices and their impact on others. Whether you’re a fan of historical fiction, war stories, or symbolic themes, this novel will captivate and intrigue you from start to finish.

The Siren of Paris is available at Amazon.


╰┈➤Book Details

  • Genre: Historical Fiction
  • Sub-genre: Magical Realism
  • Language:English
  • Pages: 352
  • Paperback ISBN: 978-0983966715


╰┈➤Here’s What Readers Have To Say!

“The soul of this book is found in LeRoy’s analysis of human nature through the main character. There really is nothing like a life-or-death situation that can split human nature so cleanly and show us what being human really means. The author shows us how a person can be completely changed from this experience, how in a few short years, in a few short moments, or even in a split second, everything can become drastically different. This book is suited for those with a love for history and those with a love for fiction alike. This novel brought tears to my eyes and left me with a more enlightened heart, so it is with absolute pleasure that I say The Siren of Paris is highly recommended.” – Boyu Huang, Allbooks Review Int.“I’ve just finished reading Siren of Paris by David LeRoy and it’s a story that will stay with me for a while. It has a complex, well developed plotline and presents the story in a tantalising way. I’ve read quite a few books set during the Second World War… this one especially gripped me.” – Dianne Ascroft Ascroft 


╰┈➤Read if you love…

📜Thrilling Historical Novels

🎭Dramatic Sagas

🗼Paris During WWII

💣Psychological War Narratives

💧Brings Tears to Your Eyes

❤️Love, Loss, Guilt, and Redemption

*****

Excerpt: 



September, 1967—Saint-Nazaire, France

“May the Lord be with you,” the priest’s voice rang out to all gathered at Marc’s graveside. It was September 1967.

The cloaked man stood taller than all others gathered, self-luminous with the hood of his smock pulled over his head. In his right hand he held a staff with a round clock mounted on top.

Marc stood beyond the gathering, gazing back upon his grave. He saw his only sister, Elda, surrounded by all his other friends from France. The body of his soul beamed a reddish-golden light, as he anticipated the final moment he would leave in peace. He strained to see the face of the priest obscured from view under the hood.

“And also with you,” Marc whispered, looking toward the release from his life.

“Let us pray,” the priest said softly. With a rush, the first eleven souls appeared around him. They had come from the graveyards of Angoulins-sur-Mer, Les Fortes, Saint-Charles-de-Percy, Saint-Clément-des-Baleines, Saint-Palais-sur-Mer, Chatelaillon- Plage, Saint-Sever, Traize, Brest, Saint-Hilaire-de-Talmont and Saint Pancras. They wore drab olive-green uniforms, kit bags ready for war. They were soaked to the bone. Only a few had boots. The dial on the clock stopped as a moment of Marc’s life flashed before him.

“I no longer want to see you, Marc. It is finished.  It's over,” Veronica stood shivering outside his dorm room.  Winter, 1939. He dropped out of medical school after that. He decided to run. Marc’s soul turned a dark red. The pain came back, searing.

“O God, we pray you lead us to truth, deliver us all from violence, battle, and murder, and from dying suddenly and unprepared,” the priest said as he glanced up from under his hood, then down again before Marc could catch his face.

Twenty-two more souls gathered by the grave. They came from the graveyards of Bretignolles-sur-Mer, L’Aiguillon-sur-Mer, Port-Joinville, Les Sables-d’Olonne, Nantes Pont du Cens, Sainte Marie, Yves, Piriac-sur-Mer, Olonne-sur-Mer, Coulac and Charroux. Among the soldiers stood one woman dressed as a nurse, a Belgian boy and little girl, all with no name

Again, the clock stopped. Another memory surfaced. 

“I can watch out for myself, you know. I am not small anymore. You should go,” Elda was only eight years old at the time. Marc could see she blamed herself. His soul constricted. The hands of the clock moved again. His light turned blue.

“O God, we pray for those who suffer in silence with guilt, and for those who suffer with shame, regret, and remorse.”

“I've seen enough,” Marc cried out to the priest. Thirty-three souls arrived from the graveyards of La Couarde-sur-Mer, La Turballe, Saint-Denis-D’oléron, Sainte-Marie-de-Ré, Olonnes, Bouin, Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie, Aytré and Barbatre. The clock stopped.

“One-way ticket, first class, June 14, crossing on the Normandie, please.” Marc’s soul recoiled from this moment. He knew why he had left. The hands on the clock resumed. His light turned a dark purple.

“Please, let this go, it is just the past,” Marc called out to keeper of the clock. The staff remained steady.

“O God, our time is in your hands. Look upon us with favor as we, your servants, begin another year of life.”

Sixty-five souls appeared in a flash from the graveyards of Le Bois-Plage-en-Ré, Château-d’Olonne, Saint-Hilaire-de-Riez, Ile d’Yeu, Beauvoir-sur-Mer, Saint-Georges-D’oléron, Ars-en-Ré, La-Barre-de-Mont, Dolus, Saint-Trojan, L’Épine, La Plaine-sur-Mer, Noirmoutier-en-l’Ile, L’Herbaudiere, and Le Clion-sur-Mer. Again Marc felt the weight of time pulling him backward.

“Happy birthday, young man. Better get a move on it. You have a ship to catch today,” his mother handed him his hat the morning he left for France. The words pierced him. She drank herself to death from worry in the spring of ’42.

“Why must you show me this? Is this my judgment?” he cried again. His light turned dark green. The clock bearer looked up briefly from under his hood. The clock began to move.

“O God, whose glory fills the whole of creation: Preserve and protect those who travel from every danger and bring them in safety to their journeys’ end,” the priest intoned.

233 souls, men, women, children and soldiers from the graveyards of Saint-Nazaire-sur-Charentes, Les Moutiers-en-Retz, Prefailles and La Baule-Escoublac gathered around Marc. Time compressed. The clock slowed to a stop. Dread replaced fear.

“When you get to Paris, let Ambassador Bullitt know you are in town. He would be glad to see you. We were classmates back in college before the war.” His father pulled the car up to the French Line Pier. The image flickered before Marc in the fading light. His father never took art school seriously. The pain of these last words to him before a heart attack killed him in ’44 brought Marc to his knees. Two eyes peered from under the hood as Marc’s face twisted in anguish. The clock dial started to spin.

“O God, we pray for those who have died. May your love and light keep them eternally yours in peace and life without end.” Everyone who had gathered whispered a name. Marc swallowed hard. 370 souls gathered from the graveyards of La Bernerie-en-Retz and Pornic to join the other souls. The clock stopped.

“You should have left Paris, Marc, and never returned,” she said before the Gestapo officer read the charges. Marc groaned under the weight of this most painful moment, feeling regret and shame. His light turned dark as obsidian and the clock began to run.

“Make this stop. I have forgiven her,” he pleaded. The priest removed his hood and bared his face.  Marc recognized him instantly: the betrayed priest he had known during the war. Yves. 

O God, the Father of all, who commanded us to love our enemies: Lead us both from hatred and revenge and, in your good time, enable us all, who are known unto you to stand before you in eternal peace,” the priest looked directly at Marc. The words ripped through him in shock waves, fracturing him on his side three times, and once down the middle. The clock stopped spinning. Marc noticed that the second hand now moved steadily forward with temporal time.

An unknown number rose from the sea, the beaches, and ditches to join the 859. Marc, overwhelmed, stared in disbelief at the priest’s face before him. With all his strength, he strained to whisper, “Why?”

“Why, you ask?" the priest voice thundered through the sky in a quick response. "Your marker reads ‘Known unto God!’ That is why,” Yves voice reverberated back to Marc, his face staring back in shock.  “Those are souls who died without last rites, final confession, or do not even realize that they are dead, just waiting in limbo until they can be found,” Yves said, his voice booming and vibrating with a strange undulation as he raised his eyes towards the assembly that had gathered.  

“I am the soul collector of the lost and forgotten of this war.  This is my calling.  Behold the assembly of those ‘Known Unto God,’” Yves said, his voice clear, natural and crisp. His form glowed as he raised his arms towards the assembly that rose high into the sky, looking back upon Marc and the Priest.  He struck his staff once on the ground.  

“I will not treat you any differently than I have any one of them who now lie in wait until the time arrives to stand before the Lord,” Yves said as he stood in the center of a Dodecagon of souls of number unknown. He rapped his staff a second time on the ground.  Marc's eyes snapped into focus on the staff with a nausea of anticipation.  

“The life review is to examine your conscience for sin and prepare for your final confession,” Yves said with a stoic glare.  Marc glanced at the clock on the staff to read the time. Yves struck the staff a third time. A shockwave emerged from the clock traveling in all four directions. “The clock is now set," he said, "May the Lord Be with you.”  

The clock reached June 18, 1939, eight thirty at night. A fear greater than the judgment of hell filled Marc, as he realized he would now watch his life during the war all over again.

***

 June 18, 1939—East Bound Atlantic Ocean

The S.S. Normandie’s bow parted the sea as she carried her passengers toward France that Sunday. Marc dressed for dinner in his finest tuxedo. Before taking the last dinner at sea, he entered the chapel of the ship for his evening prayers.

“And may you, my Father in heaven, keep my family in your protection. I pray for my mother, Lynette, my father, Eldon, and my little sister, Elda. Amen,” Marc knelt alone in the chapel. He made the sign of the cross as he rose to leave for dinner.

– Excerpted from The Siren of Paris by David LeRoy, David Dribble Publishing, 2012. Reprinted with permission.


Interview with David LeRoy

David LeRoy is an author and avid explorer of the intersection of philosophy, psychology, and art. His debut novel, The Siren of Paris, is a poignant work that emerged from personal family research he undertook in 2010 to locate missing persons of WWII.

LeRoy’s fluency in French and two-year sojourn in France afforded him unique insights into the French culture he deftly weaves into his literary work. With a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and Religion, an MBA from California State University Sacramento, and an MSc. Applied Data Science from Paris, France, LeRoy is a polymath with diverse interests and an insatiable curiosity for knowledge.

He currently resides in California, where he continues to write and pursue his creative passions.

Can you tell us a little about yourself? Are you a full time author?

Today, I am just an average Middle Age American Male. I once worked in Telecommunications in various management roles. My formal education is in Philosophy and Religion from a small private Christian college named Point Loma Nazarene College. I also hold an MBA from California State University of Sacramento and a MSc. in Data Analytics from France. My interest in writing stories came later in my life. Instead of a degree program, I attended workshops to advance my story crafting abilities. I adore the study of depth psychology of Carl Jung.

Can you tell us about The Siren of Paris?

The story follows a soul’s transition after death and the war is treated as a life review. This point of view makes the story unique and adds the magical realism elements to the plot. Most of the World War Two Genre is a hero’s journey and treats the war as a testing ground where heroes are made against the evil Germans. Romanticized stories have dominated the fiction of the war in the past twenty years. The Siren of Paris is a story of betrayal within a world of utter moral chaos. This is the second edition, with small minor edits to scenes to sharpen the moralistic tone. The question which the work addresses is the following: Can a soul find rest after such a war?

Can you tell us a little about the characters?

Marc Tolbert is the lead protagonist. He was born at the end of World War One. His family was wealthy and he chooses to study in Europe after a nasty break from a girlfriend in 1938. He is common as there were 1000’s of Americans traveling back and forth between Europe at the outbreak of the war. Once the war began, most found themselves trapped by the circumstances with many never surviving. The characters of the Siren are historical people, some famous at the time, operating within the normal context of the war. This also includes all the animals which appear in the story, most of all the white Angora rabbit on the RMS Lancastria.

Where is this book set and why did you choose that location?

I was involved in missing person’s research of the war for my family. Most of the facts of the war presented in The Siren of Paris I had no idea of when I started my search. Our stories of the war are mythic and often focused upon military campaigns. The facts that I undiscovered when searching revealed a war that was a moral apocalypse of unimaginable scale. As an example, as before the fall of Paris, the city was inundated by fleeing refugees of Belgium and Netherlands. This included live stock in the form of sheep, cows, pigs and goats. Paris was bombed with leaflets promising to close all banks sending the public into a panic. Everyone became a target including a traveling circus on the road leaving Paris.

How can people benefit from reading The Siren of Paris?

There are several benefits to reading The Siren of Paris. First, it is the only novel that I am aware of that treats certain acts of the war, such as the sinking of RMS Lancastria realistically. Romanticized stories of the war are entertaining however are not accurate representations of the true chaos, moral failures of people, and events of the war. The story appears to have a healing effect of closure for those with family members who have experienced tragedies.

Is The Siren of Paris your only book?

Today it is the only work in public, but I am currently in editing phase of a second novel title The Flower of Chamula. The new story addresses the topic of generational trauma, war, and massacres of the innocents. It is set during the Mexican uprising of the Zapatista during the 1990s.

Thank you so much for this interview, David. What’s next for you?

I have started research into a new historical horror fiction work of the 1970’s. A few of the books that provide the research materials are rare and several hundred dollars. The zeitgeist of the period is one of political and social uncertainty. The protagonist is a young FBI officer who finds himself among a group of Western Ranchers seeking to protect their cattle at night from a terrifying force. The accounts are fascinating as well as government documentation. Every cow multination was given full autopsy. Everyone wants to know, but also has a direct interest in covering up the truth.

Where to purchase the book: https://www.amazon.com/Siren-Paris-David-LeRoy-ebook/dp/B0088CA098

Where to find David: https://www.facebook.com/david.leroy.735



About the Author

David LeRoy is an author and avid explorer of the intersection of philosophy, psychology, and art. His debut novel, The Siren of Paris, is a poignant work that emerged from personal family research he undertook in 2010 to locate missing persons of WWII.

LeRoy's fluency in French and two-year sojourn in France afforded him unique insights into the French culture he deftly weaves into his literary work. With a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and Religion, an MBA from California State University Sacramento, and an MSc. Applied Data Science from Paris, France, LeRoy is a polymath with diverse interests and an insatiable curiosity for knowledge.

He currently resides in California, where he continues to write and pursue his creative passions.

Connect with him on social media at:

╰┈➤ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesirenofparis

╰┈➤ Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/14760740-the-siren-of-paris?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=v6UbhLIMmb&rank=1

 

Sponsored By:

Book Tour: If Jesus Was a Project Manager by Shawna Calhoun @RABTBookTours




Faith-based Leadership in a Results-driven World


Religion / Christian Living / Nonfiction

Date Published: November 4, 2025

Publisher: Lucid Books Publishing

 


If Jesus was a Project Manager: Faith-based Leadership in a Results-driven World launches a groundbreaking seven-book "Faith at Work" series that bridges biblical principles with modern workplace excellence.

What makes it unique:

This series provides the first comprehensive, role-specific integration of Christ's leadership model with proven professional methodologies. Unlike generic "faith in business" books, each volume tackles specific roles—Project Manager, Scrum Master, Product Owner, and Business Analyst—showing exactly how biblical principles translate to daily responsibilities.

The series masterfully connects timeless spiritual truths with secular frameworks, such as Covey's Seven Habits, creating practical tools that work in any organizational culture. It goes beyond inspiration to provide concrete frameworks and actionable behaviors for immediate implementation, while maintaining professional credibility.

Key differentiators include character-driven performance that produces excellent results, crisis leadership integration addressing layoffs and entrepreneurship scenarios, and practical frameworks that help team members discover their God-given purpose.

The complete series creates transformed lives, stronger teams, and workplace cultures that reflect kingdom values through excellence, integrity, and genuine care for others' development. It culminates in the On-the-Job-Sword-Training (OJST) devotional workbook, which reinforces daily spiritual disciplines alongside workplace excellence.

 




Interview with Shawna Calhoun

Do you have a routine or something you do to get you in the mood to write?

I wake up early, usually between 4 am and 4:30 am, and my daily first fruits are to God. I begin with prayer and praise, spend at least 20 minutes doing a devotional and Bible Scripture study, and meditation. Sometimes I’ll be inspired to watch or rewatch a sermon or a teaching. Derek Prince's sermons are some of my favorites. But I let the Holy Spirit guide me through dreams, visions, or unction on what my morning focus will be. I also draw a lot of inspiration from my doctoral research at Liberty University and from my volunteer work with the Project Management Institute (PMI), PMI chapters, and University PMI Student Clubs. I especially love hearing and being inspired by other people's overcomer stories that I can personally relate to.

It all connects so beautifully.

Do you have a special song, drink, or food you enjoy while you are writing?

Coffee and tea with monk fruit sweetener in different flavors. Variety is the spice of life, and I like to try different combinations.

How do you know what to write?

After praying about it, I will draft an initial outline with high-level concepts and ideas for case studies and relevant testimonies. Over time, I just follow the Holy Spirit flow. And then there are real-time testimonies I receive from people, or new circumstances that I experience (tests that I overcame), that I have to include, which help shape the final manuscript. By the time I’m done, I have zero doubt that the Holy Spirit inspired all of it, and I pray the final results are good fruit and that I’ve been a good vessel for the glory of God.

What does a typical writing day look like for you?

My morning spiritual routine sets the tone for everything. After my first fruits time with God (prayer, praise, devotional, meditation, and Scripture study), I transition into whatever the day holds professionally or academically. Writing for my books happens in the margins, intentionally carved out. I might spend time reviewing contributor testimonies I've received, integrating a new overcomer story, or refining a chapter based on something I encountered in my doctoral research or project management work that week. I don't force it. When the words come, they flow. When they don't, I pray and wait. I've learned to trust the process — and the Master Author behind the process.

Do you do anything special to celebrate after writing “the end”?

Honestly, my first response is always gratitude — I get on my knees and thank God, because I know I didn't do it alone. After finishing If Jesus Was a Project Manager, there was this quiet, overwhelming sense of awe that what started as a nudge from the Holy Spirit had become something real and tangible in the world. I don't think I did anything extravagant. It was more of a sacred exhale. I may treat myself to a nice cup of tea and sit in the stillness of it for a moment — just grateful to have been a vessel.

How long does it take you to write a book?

It depends on the season God has me in. If Jesus Was a Project Manager was years in the making in my heart before a single word hit the page — the life experiences, the professional lessons, the spiritual growth all had to accumulate first. The actual writing process was more condensed, but the book was really being written long before I sat down to draft it. I've found that's true of most meaningful work: the living comes first, then the writing. Book 2, If Jesus Was a Scrum Master, is following a similar pattern — it's being shaped by real-time testimonies from contributors and by my own ongoing journey, so it will be done when it's done and not a moment before.

What is the most difficult part of writing a book?

Vulnerability. Deciding to share your real story — the hard seasons, the failures, the moments where you had to choose faith over fear — and trusting that it will help someone else rather than just expose you. There's also the challenge of honoring other people's stories well when they've trusted you with their testimonies. I take that stewardship seriously. Beyond the emotional weight, there's the practical tension of writing alongside a full professional and academic life. Finding the time and protecting the creative space is a discipline in itself. But God has been faithful every step of the way, and that's ultimately what I want readers to take away — not that I had it all together, but that He does.



About the Author

Shawna Calhoun is a seasoned project management professional with over 20 years of experience across healthcare, biotech, education, and a brief venture into oil and gas. Currently serving in a remote leadership role for a major healthcare organization, she blends technical expertise with spiritual insight to lead with clarity and purpose. Holding a bachelor’s in IT, an MBA in Project Management, PMP certification, and multiple Agile credentials, Shawna is also a respected instructor, consultant, speaker, and mentor. She volunteers with PMI, contributes to university advisory boards, and is pursuing her DBA in Project Management. Born again in 2019, Shawna’s testimony is one of perseverance—overcoming personal trials including trauma, divorce, job loss, and profound betrayal. She’s gifted in “connecting the dots,” often drawing connections between Scripture and professional principles, such as those found in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Her leadership encourages others to live a fruitful faith-forward life with wisdom and grace in Christ.


Contact Links

Website

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Purchase Links

Amazon

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RABT Book Tours & PR

Release Blitz + #Giveaway: Who Will Name the Bees? By Sarah Church Vosburgh @SCVosburgh @RABTBookTours




Memoir

Date Published: April 22nd

Publisher: Acorn Publishing


When memory fades, what remains?

 

Sarah Vosburgh has often felt misunderstood by her mother, a woman who lived a quintessential suburban life. But when her mother is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, Sarah’s world unravels, and she must confront a disease that will only worsen. As roles reverse between mother and daughter, Sarah faces the guilt of making decisions she hopes are the right ones while also carrying the grief of losing her mom bit by bit everyday. She navigates a labyrinth of health services amid the heartbreaking, and at times darkly humorous, realities of caregiving.

There are the white lies and midnight phone calls, the misbuttoned blouses, and the second slice of chocolate pie that tastes just as good as it did the first time. And then there’s the quiet awe at the persistence of connection even when language falters and names are forgotten.


Told in finely wrought prose and lyrical fragments of memory, Who Will Name the Bees? is a daughter's unflinching love letter to the flawed, fierce, and unforgettable woman who raised her.

 


About the Author

It was never in Sarah Vosburgh’s plan to be an author or to write a memoir. As a busy mom, wife, and psychologist, she always saw her life as full (sometimes overfull). But in the dark of night, memories knocked on her brain, compelling her to commit them first to paper, then to bits and bytes.
Sarah is a member of the International Memoir Writers Association and San Diego Writers, Ink. Her work has been published in A Year in Ink and numerous volumes of Shaking the Tree: brazen. short. memoir. A native New Englander, she now lives in San Diego with her husband, her daughter, her granddog, and a most extraordinary feline.

 

Contact Links

Website

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Amazon

B&N




 RABT Book Tours & PR

Book Blitz + #Giveaway: The Bric-a Brac of Mickey Mack by Mickey Mack @RABTBookTours




Poetry /Comedy Satire Gift Rhyme Millennial Humor Silverstein Memory

Date Published: 04-15-2026

Publisher: The Tink and Tank Press



A wry poetry collection that captures the jarring sink-or-swim leap into adulthood. This book honors the limbo of exiting youth, a unique period where responsibility suddenly smashes the youthful optimist, crushing it under the crippling weight of adulthood. Twenty-somethings scatter across life's spectrum with some jobless and couch-surfing, while others marry, become parents, and buy a house. Everyone eventually finds themselves old enough to fight in foreign wars but too young to rent a car. It's the fast, brutal shift to an unguarded world, to bowling without bumpers. You've entered a chaotic soup of competing ambitions and subterfuge, where one hand offers help while the other conceals a knife. You're expected to be an adult without ever having been one, like seeing the ocean from afar and suddenly wrestling its waves. This book highlights the inevitable sense of crushing defeat and loss, but reveals the importance of laughing anyway. After all, life is a game of avoiding the consequences of your own actions. The Bric-a-Brac of Mickey Mack will hand you a mirror and dare you to laugh at its reflection.


About the Author


Mickey Mack is a world-weary traveler and obsessive collector of life’s absurd talismans and trinkets. After years of eavesdropping on bar-stool confessions around the globe, he distills the Suffering Olympics of modern adulthood into witty, rhythmic heroic couplets.


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https://mybook.to/BricaBrackMickeyMack 

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RABT Book Tours & PR

Teaser + #Giveaway: The Man In The Middle by Julie Lee Williams @RABTBookTours

 



A Tapestry of Tangled Lives


Family Saga / Fiction / Based on True Lived Experiences

Date Published: April 6, 2026

Publisher: Serapis Bey Publishing, Arizona, US www.parulagrawal.com

 


A story of human connection between twins, between lovers, between comrades in war, set against the shadow of the evangelical religion and its judgments."

 

Based on a childhood of shadowy secrets surrounding her parents’ marriage and the rigid judgment of the Evangelical religion, the author attempts to find her truth. A work of historical fiction and romance, it spans the era of WWII and beyond, weaving the story of her father, mother and aunt (her mother’s twin sister). The unexpected twists and turns mirror those of our own lives, and readers can empathize and identify with the characters’ humanity as they struggle with their flaws. The power of religious judgement is explored along with the strength and resilience of individuals challenged by the ethics of life. This is also a fascinating study of the complexities of being twins. With the strongest of bonds that overwhelms their very different personalities, their love for the same man creates a gulf between them that threatens their entire adult relationship. It is also a story of a man and how he navigates his own journey after love and loss. When his WWII experience takes him to countries he has never dreamed of seeing, and opens him to the excitement of new cultures, he finds new meaning. At the same time, his bonds to his comrades in arms and their shared experiences of battlefield traumas leaves him with emotional scars. A story of secrets and the power of love, the themes of self-doubt and second chances are embedded in the narrative, along with the acceptance of one’s actions following painful choices.

A story of human connection between twins, lovers, comrades during World War 11, families, and generational trauma, set across the United States and Europe and against the shadow of the Evangelical religion and its judgments. A family saga of secrets, shadows, and unspoken enduring love, and its impact across three generations, based on a true story of lived experience. A work of romantic, historical fiction, The Man in the Middle; A Tale of Tangled Lives is based on the true story of the author’s parents. It follows their youth in the early 1900s in US, through the years of WWII in Europe, and after, and their lives as friends, lovers, parents, and elderly individuals.

This is a story of love and its many forms. There are no heroes or demons, only people dealing with their humanity. Or maybe there are heroes: Luke, as he navigates his life honourably and responsibly, while harbouring feelings for more than one woman; Anna as she comes to terms with her selfish impulses and attempts to overcome them; Pierrette, who recognizes and accepts that she cannot give Luke the life he wants, and that their love is not enough. Karoline is perhaps the true heroine of the book. A victim of the religious beliefs she is trapped by, she finds it impossible to love herself. Instead, she spends her life feeling inferior to her sister and undeserving of Luke’s love. At Luke’s passing, she finally receives the confirmation of her worth and her place as the love of his life.

 

Excerpt

“Do you want to talk about it?"

"It's over," Anna said flatly. "Nils and I are getting married. Luke and I are finished .... All he said was 'I don't want an explanation. I want my ring back.'.... He stood there waiting, staring at me with repulsion. I handed it to him and he left. He hates me now and he doesn't even know I'm pregnant."

Her body dissolved into a mass of despair.

"I've made such a mess of everything!"

Karoline melted..... She grieved for her.... She could only try to reassure her.

"It's done now, Anna. You've made your choice....."

Karoline's mind swirled in a maze of conflicting thought, one especially.

Who's comforting Luke?

About the Author


"The author lives half-time in San Diego, CA, and half-time in a small village in Southern France. This is her exploration of the unexplained secrets that shadowed her childhood and the consequences that haunt all our choices."

“I wrote this book to come to terms with my past. I wanted to understand the people who raised me, through the fictional characters of Karoline and Luke, who represent my parents and my mother’s twin sister, Anna, who represents my aunt. My childhood was full of love, but as I watched the individuals around me, I sensed a drama that excluded me. I knew my father had been in WWII and experienced Normandy, the Battle of the Bulge and much more during the four years he spent in Europe. The way he talked about the world he had discovered there intrigued me and I knew there was more to tell, which he never spoke about. My mother adored my father, but there was a tension in the room when my aunt was present. A connection between my father and my aunt was obvious despite their effort to hide it. Through the years, there were inadvertent comments that hinted of a previous relationship between them, but it wasn’t until the end of my father’s life that conversations took place that enlightened me. I didn’t ask, but they each wanted to tell their story, their truth about what happened. This book is my truth, my experience in living with them and loving them. It is my attempt to honor them by exploring their humanness and accepting that we are each a complex entity.”

 

Contact Links

Instagram: @julie.lee.williams


Purchase Link

https://mybook.to/TheManintheMiddle

Amazon



RABT Book Tours & PR

Tuesday, April 21, 2026

Book Tour + #Giveaway: DEVIN AND THE DEVIL by Judith S. Cohen @RABTBookTours




Romantasy

Date Published: March 16, 2026



Anita was a timid college student who dreams of love and adventure. By chance she meets Devin a handsome and charismatic man with dark secrets of his own. Together with family, friends and a spirit they must face fears and challenges, doubts and danger. This book is a true Romantasy, it is a love story and a fantasy. Order on Amazoon.com, in eBook and soft cover. I think you will fall in love.





Interview with Judith S. Cohen

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?

Anita meets Devin in a Starbucks on long Island. Sadly leaving New York and growing up in The Bahamas is a fantasy my imagination has taken me. I have dreamt about school in England and being wealthy enough to live the life Devin and his family had.

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

Being a fan and avid reader of science fiction, imagining an alien like Mr. "D" and ability took some thought and research. I loved the old Star Trek and Star Wars, they do influence my thinking.

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

I am now studying A.I. and the dangers associated with it. The future does not paint a secure and happy merge for humanity. The more I read the more frightened of A.I.I become. Mr. "D" and his alien would is a connection to what A.I. might become/

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 Father, Frank Haratz has left in my care three unfinished novels and a short book about his time as a prisoner of war in Germany. I am working on his story for my next book.

Do you write in the same genre all the time?

No my first book, "Standing st Heaven's Doorstep" was a series of short stories of fantasy and science fiction. My second short book , "Teaching children To Read and Write", is a learning book. Finally "Devin And The Devil" is a Romantasy.

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

My Fathers war book will be historical non fiction..

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

I fell in love with Devin and his cousin James. Devin was so romantic and his cousin, such a scoundrel. I enjoyed them so much.


About the Author

 

I am a retired teacher, parent, wife and Grandmother of four. Stormy my Havenese dog is 19 years old, and I think of him as my fur child. I enjoy writing science fiction, fantasy, and stories about my life. Devin and the Devil is my third book, and my favorite. I hope it is yours too.


Contact Link

Website


Purchase Link

Amazon




RABT Book Tours & PR

Book Tour: Deconstructing America by G. H. Spears @RABTBookTours




Political Nonfiction

Date Published: January 21, 2026

Publisher ‏: ‎ Seacoast Press



In recent decades, most of us have witnessed increasing social and political strife, tearing apart the very fabric of American society. This polarization stems from decades of shifting ideologies, moving from a foundational center-right perspective toward the left. Acknowledging the root causes of this cultural shift and recognizing the depth of the problem is the first step toward addressing it.

The divide we see today is largely driven by ideas that contradict the founding principles of the United States. Deconstructing America explores these forces through a series of interconnected, fact-based narratives, revealing the key moments and influences that have contributed to America's decline.


 

About the Author


After a long career as an entrepreneur working in the cycling and fitness industry managing, owning, and consulting for numerous retail establishments, it became natural to study the people, cultures, and social environments in and around my working life. Once retirement became imminent it afforded me the time and vigor to completely immerse myself in the social sciences, including anthropology, sociology, social psychology, and history in furtherance of understanding and writing about the complex world issues that humanity faces.


Contact Links

Website


Purchase Links

Amazon

B&N


RABT Book Tours & PR

Book Blitz + #Giveaway: A Chatter of Bones & Baby’s Breath by Suzanne Phillips @XpressoTours

A Chatter of Bones & Baby’s Breath
Suzanne Phillips
Publication date: April 21st 2026
Genres: Young Adult

From acclaimed author Suzanne Phillips comes this compelling novella collection–gritty coming-of-age stories in narrative and verse that Kirkus Reviews calls “haunting and heartbreaking. . .an unflinching look at surviving trauma.”

A CHATTER OF BONES
Kaitlyn has come to rely on Olivia, the woman who rescued her from human trafficking, but is learning to trust her instincts and lean into her hard-earned strength. All of this will be challenged when a monsoon bears down on their remote spread, a mountain lion, flushed out of the surrounding hills by the weather, attacks, and human visitors push Kaitlyn to face her deepest fears.

BABY’S BREATH
Teen poet bares the geography of her heart and the “no care” foster care system as she mourns the mother she lost, releases dreams of reunification, and accepts that the only life she can live is the one in front of her.

Recommended for readers age 16+

Goodreads / Amazon

EXCERPT (Baby’s Breath):

TRAFFICK
The world is not safe for girls
Broken
Beaten
Forgotten
Sweetened
The world is not safe for girls
Not in twos
Or with mace
Not screaming for help
Or stony-faced
The world is not safe for girls
With pretty hair
Or pocked skin
With muffin top
Or perfect teeth
The world is not safe for girls
Not in your home or mine
Not in school
Or after
Not with two parents
Or none
There’s someone
Always waiting.
Stroked
Or snatched
Held by the hand
A picked flower
Sold
Bartered
Rented by the hour
Always someone waiting
In the shadows
Or under street lights
In the school cafeteria
At the family BBQ
A friend’s father
Favorite uncle
Colleague
Cop
Neighbor
Father
To prove
The world is not safe for girls.

Author Bio:

Suzanne Phillips is the author of YA fiction, the Nicole Cobain mystery series (writing as Emery Hayes), and upmarket fiction. For a peek into the writer's life and updates on book releases & events check out her website.

Website / Instagram


GIVEAWAY!

A Chatter of Bones & Baby’s Breath Blitz