Book Tour and Giveaway: Mysteries and Strange Events by Drew Jones

Mysteries and Strange Events – Nine Short Stories

by
Drew Jones

Genre:
Mystery 

Mysteries and Strange Events Volume One brings together an evocative debut collection of nine short stories from the author Drew Jones. They are fantastically wide ranging in subject, and includes Jaguar cars, railway accidents, strange salvage operations, commercial espionage, greed, science fiction and ghosts - and every reader will find a favourite within the book. They will all make him stop, think, and question. This amazing mix is completed with some light humour as the flamboyant sleuth – Mr Theodore Halfpenny, makes his first appearance.

This irresistible book will be your perfect companion as you commute to work, struggle through a long haul flight, or just to keep at the side of the bed after a long day.

Goodreads * Amazon

My name is Drew Jones and enjoy writing about mysterious and strange events. Some of my ideas are derived from my interest in classic cars, military airfields and the paranormal. I normally write in my study in Wales with my Labrador dog Monty at my feet, and many ideas and plots are thought through on our walks together in the woods. There are lots of ideas buzzing in my head, many involving our sleuth Theodore Halfpenny, who will appear in Mysterious and Strange Events Volume 2 - which I hope to start work on soon!

I have really had fun putting this collection together – so I hope you have enjoyed them too. Perhaps you have read them on your commute to work, on a plane as you travel towards your holiday, or as a quick read at the end of a long day.

As with all authors, I would be grateful if you would leave a review on Amazon – it only takes a second, and is always much appreciated.

It would be very nice to hear from all my readers, so if you would like to contact me personally, please email at: Andrewjones888@btinternet.com

Follow on Goodreads 

Hi - I’m Drew Jones, and I live in the wilds of West Wales! I have a wonderful golden Labrador called Monty – who usually lays at my feet while I write in my study. He is great company and many plots and stories are conjured up while we walk in the woods together.

I have quite diverse interests including collecting military memorabilia, cars, and British Cinema. These, combined with meeting equally diverse people from my work at a university and in the security business, have all combined to give me a wonderful library of characters and ideas for my stories.

In Volume One of Mysteries and Strange Events, I have introduced the character Theodore Halfpenny. I have great ideas and plans for him – so do watch out for him as he will be making another appearance soon.

As my work is in the form of short stories, it is difficult to imagine them as a movie – but I think A Sign of Danger might make an exciting movie and Solitude perhaps a more intriguing piece. Not forgetting the wonderful Theodore of course – I think you could have a lot of fun with him in a movie.

Win a £10 Amazon voucher!

Follow the tour HERE for exclusive content and a giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour and Giveaway: Einstein's Compass by Grace Blair and Laren Bright

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for Einstein's Compass by Grace Blair and Laren Bright. This blog tour was organized by Lola's Blog Tours. Read on for more information about the book, an excerpt, a guest post, and a tour wide giveaway with 13 prizes! Check out the other stops on the tour for more excerpts, guest posts, interviews, reviews, and more. Enjoy!

--

Title: Einstein's Compass
Authors: Grace Blair, Laren Bright
Genre: Time Travel Adventure/ Historical Fiction/ Science Fiction
Age category: Young Adult
Release Date: January 1, 2019

~

What if young Albert Einstein had a magical compass that inspired his theories of relativity?

In Einstein's Compass: A YA Time Traveler Adventure, a young Albert is given a supernatural compass that allows him to travel through time and space, and find wisdom in other dimensions, including the lost city of Atlantis. But evil forces seek the power of the compass, including a monstrous, shape-shifting dragon from a different age. Can the compass protect Albert from such villainy?

Goodreads * Amazon * Audible * Bookbub * Barnes & Noble * Kobo

---

BOOK TRAILER:

---

EXCERPT:

Albert dangled a brass object on a silver chain, Johann’s eyes grew large. “Wow, what is that?”

“It’s a compass. My father gave it to me. Have you ever seen one before?”

Albert closed his eyes and held his precious gift to his chest. “Oh, I love my compass, and I love my Papa, who gave it to me.” The compass tingled against Albert’s chest. From inside the compass, a shimmer of light burst then radiated out about ten inches all around Albert’s hand. Albert felt the unexpected warmth and opened his eyes to find a rainbow projecting from the gems. Above the compass floated a three-dimensional number 33. Johann, struck with wonder, squealed, “Look at that!”

In a dank underground cavern deep below Basel Germany’s the Black Forest, Raka stirred. The instant the number 33 had appeared above Albert’s compass, the power emanating from the device had awakened him from his centuries of slumber. Not since the fall of Jerusalem had the twelve-foot angel of darkness smelled such power. “The Shamir Stone! It’s been so long...”

---

Listen to a sample of the audiobook here.

---

AWARDS AND PRAISE FOR EINSTEIN'S COMPASS:

Einstein’s Compass was a finalist for the 13th annual NATIONAL INDIE EXCELLENCE AWARDS. See all the finalists here.

Einstein’s Compass is an Award-Winning Finalist in the Fiction: Young Adult category of the 2019 International Book Awards. See all finalists.

"Under Grace Blair and Laren Bright's hands, Einstein's Compass is more than just another time travel story, but one of soul searching, enlightenment, and classic struggles between good and evil. During this journey, young Albert embraces the threat of death and world-changing perspectives. Indeed, Albert will change the world, one day. But the roots of his knowledge and endeavors take a different turn in a riveting fantasy about soul-searching and growth which will keep young adult readers engrossed to the end." ~Midwest Book Reviews Diane Donovan, Senior Editor

"I was impressed with how the authors managed to incorporate the known information on the lost continent of Atlantis, Light Workers, souls, reincarnation, time travel and the early years of Albert Einstein before he became famous, into a mesmerizing work of fiction readers will have difficulty putting down." Doug Simpson, Author of "We Lived In Atlantis"

"I recommend Einstein's Compass as historical fan-fiction, the magic, and fantasy built on top of the factual world of Albert Einstein. Although it is intended for a Young Adult audience, it is well suited to adults who enjoy fictionalized history with a wide-ranging epic theme and a Harry Potter-esque plot." Jacqui Murray, Author of Ask a Tech Teacher

"The extended combination of history and magic was an unexpected mix, which pulled me in from the beginning, captivating me all the way to the surprising ending. This novel takes you from the early childhood of Einstein, which includes an illness that may have contributed to his perspective on the world around him as he grew older. It is refreshing to find a combination of history, religion, and folklore told in such a compelling manner with just the right amounts of magic and suspense." Rox Burkey, Author of The Enigma Series

"Albert Einstein was fascinated with time and space from an early age, but what inspired him? Receiving a magical compass from his father, Albert sets off on a journey to learn more than math and science offered to understand even time and space. Unfortunately, an ancient evil from the days of Atlantis also seeks his compass and will stop at nothing to have it. Can the Agents of Light protect Albert from the shape-shifting dragon and help him achieve his destiny, or will he fall prey to the dangers of his day and lose the powerful device before he completes his mission? The combination of science with the supernatural is a winner, and the good vs. evil fight is interesting, making this a good book for YA readers." InD'Tale Magazine, Sarah E Bradley

"Einstein's Compass exhibits a solid writing style and dutifully hits Einstein's developmental and educational milestones while weaving in an imaginative backstory and unique antagonists' perspectives. The what if of Albert Einstein developing his landmark scientific theories through the aid of spiritualism and time travel, all the while battling an immortal dragon-person from Atlantis, is certainly a unique concept." Booklife Magazine a division of Publisher's Weekly

---

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Grace Allison Blair is an award-winning self-help and motivational author, and podcast host, who has assisted thousands to find their spiritual wisdom to solve everyday challenges.

Throughout her adult life, Grace became a serious student of the spiritual. She found that, often, psychological principles and practices were incomplete, but could be filled out by adding the missing spiritual component. Her approach was always to see practical applications for what she uncovered in the mystical. It was through immersing herself in this field of study and experience that she came up with her idea for her book, Einstein’s Compass.

Grace is a successful award-winning author, modern mystic, wellness consultant, business development advisor, marketing coach, and workshop facilitator. She has faced many life challenges, including a life-threatening disease, and used what she encountered as a stimulus to gain greater happiness and fulfillment.

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Bookbub * Goodreads * Amazon * Instagram * Instagram Einstein’s Compass

---

GUEST POST:

- Which time period would you love to travel back in time to and why?

The time period I would like to visit is Atlantis 25,000 BC. before the destruction.

As I write in Einstein's Compass, Atlantis was an advanced technological society who harnessed energy to run our planet. The people were high spiritual beings who lived for hundreds of years without disease.

If you want to know more about Atlantis read, "We Lived in Atlantis" by Doug Simpson. He writes books based on the Sleeping Prophet, Edgar Cayce. I used Mr. Simpson's book for the Atlantis in Einstein's Compass. The Atlantis in Einstien's Compass is real.

- What is Albert Einstein best known for? 

Albert Einstein: Inventions and Discoveries. As a physicist, Einstein had many discoveries, but he is perhaps best known for his theory of relativity and the equation E=MC2, which foreshadowed the development of atomic power and the atomic bomb.

- What did Einstein say about time? 

Albert Einstein, in his theory of special relativity, determined that the laws of physics are the same for all non-accelerating observers, and he showed that the speed of light within a vacuum is the same no matter the speed at which an observer travels.

- Why was Albert Einstein significant? 

He received the 1921 Nobel Prize in Physics "for his services to theoretical physics, and especially for his discovery of the law of the photoelectric effect", a pivotal step in the evolution of quantum theory. Einstein published more than 300 scientific papers along with over 150 non-scientific works.

- Who thought first of time travel? 

Time travel is a widely-recognized concept in philosophy and fiction. The idea of a time machine was popularized by H. G. Wells' 1895 novel The Time Machine. It is uncertain if time travel to the past is physically possible.

- How did Atlantis get its name? 

We first read of ‘Atlantis’ in the writings of the philosopher Plato many hundreds of years ago. He retells a story of a Greek conversation in their Senate on the subject of an ancient paradise or idyllic land and ‘Atlantis’ was mentioned as real history, long before Egypt. This is not the only time it is mentioned if you consider variations of the name as it was changed by many people and much time. ‘Aztlan’ was known to the Mayas and Aztecs. We also have an old Indian carving of the destruction of a large island in the Atlantic Ocean. Even the name of the ocean reflects the name Atlantis as well as places like the Azores, Antilles, etc.

- Where was Atlantis located; how big was it?

There is a map of 13 locations for Atlantis that oddly form what has been called a ‘World Grid.’ It simply means there is a pattern to these most ancient sites. What exists there are mysteries; some strange thing that goes against a normal view of history. A few are very famous sites like the Great Pyramid, Stonehenge and Easter Island. Others are lesser known, yet remain as oddities to researchers. These 13 sites were really Cradles of Civilization, which means the human race emerged from them…in a prehistoric pattern. India, England, Australia, Zimbabwe, Sahara Desert, Russia, Easter Island, South America, Brazil and a few other spots show evidence of an early civilization that was not primitive. My view is unusual because I stand back and see a connection between these positions and the strange mysteries that exist there.

Atlantis was as big as the entire planet; a global grid, in my expert opinion. Atlantis was the origin of the INDIAN civilizations. After a great war which sank a large island in the Atlantic Ocean and their power source, survivors fled to other Atlantean colonies that were already established around the globe. Asian races have their legendary Lemuria (Mu) in the Pacific Ocean. I believe that Atlantis took over the planet after Lemuria’s time was over in the Pacific, yet Atlantis gave its Japanese outpost to what was left of the Lemurians or Asian peoples.

- Who were the people of Atlantis?

WE were and are the people of Atlantis. In my opinion, Atlantis explains the ancient mysteries between the Egyptians and Incas. Atlantis was where we came from and should be thought of as real history. To account for incredible constructions like (impossible) titanic pyramids or the giant statues on Easter Island or massive fortresses in the Andes Mountains…many have assumed ALIENS with advanced technology were responsible. Life out there surely exists, but I believe it is a mistake to believe aliens helped prehistoric (primitive) humans build the wonders of the past. That view contradicts an even more incredible possibility IF TRUE: Our HUMAN ancestors could have built a utopia or EDEN here long, long ago…and we are just not giving the early humans the credit they deserve.

---

GIVEAWAY:

This is a tour wide giveaway for the blog tour of Einstein’s Compass. These are the prizes you can win:

- 1 signed Einstein’s Compass hat (US Only)
- 1 compass (US Only)
- 5 e-copies of Einstein’s Compass (International)
- 5 audiobook copies of Einstein’s Compass (International)
- 1 Amazon gift card $10 (International)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Blitz and Giveaway: Vampire Detective Midnight (Vampire Detective Midnight #1) by JC Andrijeski

Title: Vampire Detective Midnight
Series: Vampire Detective Midnight #1
Author: JC Andrijeski
Publication Date: June 27th 2019
Genres: Adult, Urban Fantasy

~

Vampire with a past and homicide detective, Naoko “Nick” Tanaka just got transferred to the NYPD, where he works as a “Midnight,” or vampire in the employ of the human police. Like all state-registered vamps, he gets his food delivered to his door, lives in government housing, and basically can’t sneeze without the U.S. government knowing about it.

Still, he’s determined to play by the rules. More than anything, he just wants to be left alone, to finish out his immortality in peace… but he’s barely there two weeks when things already start to go sideways.

It starts with a weird case involving inexplicable paintings that predict murders before they happen.

Between his mystery painter, a bunch of dead hybrid-humans, a conspiracy involving the richest families in New York, and a school principal who has an unsettling effect on him, Nick finds he can’t get personally uninvolved with any of it.

Instead, he gets sucked in even deeper, until he’s pretty sure he’ll end up forcibly reprogrammed by his human masters — assuming they don’t just rip his heart out of his chest and be done with it.

VAMPIRE DETECTIVE MIDNIGHT is book #1 of a gritty, romantic new series set in a futuristic, dystopian New York, involving vampires, humans and psychics trying to rebuild their world after a devastating race war that nearly obliterated all of them.

Goodreads * Amazon

—

BOOK TRAILER:

---

---

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

JC Andrijeski is a USA TODAY and WALL STREET JOURNAL bestselling author who writes paranormal mysteries and apocalyptic fiction, often with a sexy, romantic and metaphysical bent. JC has a background in journalism, history and politics, and loves martial arts, yoga, meditation, hiking, swimming, horseback riding, painting… and of course reading and writing. She grew up in the Bay Area of California, but travels extensively and has lived abroad in Europe, Australia and Asia, and from coast to coast in the continental United States. She currently lives and writes full-time in Bangkok, Thailand.

Current series include: Vampire Detective Midnight, the Bridge & Sword series, the Quentin Black Mystery series, The Morph series, and the Alien Apocalypse series. She’s also written a number of standalone novels, novellas and short stories, as well as nonfiction articles and essays.

Website * Facebook * Facebook Group * Twitter * Newsletter * Amazon * Instagram * Bookbub

---

GIVEAWAY:
Win a $30 Amazon gift card!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Tour and Giveaway: Silent River by C.M. Weaver

Silent River

by
C.M. Weaver

Genre:
Psychological Thriller

A gripping psychological thriller inspired by true events.

Robert Collins is Portland’s best investigative detective. When the Stevens family goes missing, he goes to work. As he uncovers clues the family may have been targeted for a professional hit by organized crime, it gets personal.

Too personal. Can he face down his inner demons before he loses himself?

He confronts the mob and police bureaucracy to find the missing family. Jake, partner and friend, thinks he's spiraling into obsession, when Robert's taken off the case but refuses to give up the investigation.

Can he get past this shameless tragedy and his own past to move on with his life?

Silent River is a fictionalized version of a real investigation in the late 1950s in Portland, Oregon, a time when money and power ruled the city. This story will appeal to fans of true crime and detective fiction alike. Readers who enjoy Ann Rule, Rex Stout, and Mary Higgins Clark will love CM Weaver.

Goodreads * Amazon

I live and work in the Pacific Northwest. I’m married and take care of a challenged rescue dog, Ariel. I love writing, but don’t write in one particular genre. I do gravitate more to mysteries as I’m always asking “What if?”

Amazon * Goodreads

- What are your top 10 favorite books/authors?

Christine Feehan, Anne Rice, Katherine Woodiwiss and Dan Brown (limited)

- What book do you think everyone should read?

Deception Point by Dan Brown, by far his best written book, then Davinci Code.

- How long have you been writing?

Since I was a teenager. Then I didn’t write for many years as I read too much. I picked it up and wrote two books on of which became Silent River.

- Do you prefer to write in silence or with noise? Why?

Quiet. I don’t mind the TV on, I just don’t pay attention to it. I’m home alone a lot so it’s quiet.

- Pen or typewriter or computer?

I love this question. I write long hand. I keep notebooks and write scenes and plots at any time. It’s too hard to carry a computer around all the time. When I saw the word typewriter I had to smile. I joined a Jerry B Jenkins newsletter and watched some of his writing videos. On the first one I saw, there was something on the desk that pricked my interest. It was an old fashioned typewriter, but it was smaller and in front of a monitor. I zoomed in and saw it was indeed a replica of an old Underwood style typewriter. Reaching for google I found it after a few dozen sites. It’s a Qwerty typewriter. It is on my wish list if I ever get to be a popular author.

- What advice would you give new authors?

To become a good writer, put your ego away. Write whatever you feel then when it’s critiqued take the honest response to your writing and rewrite it. Even if it has to be done a number of times.

- If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?

Start taking classes and reading writing books earlier in my life. I know that I wasn’t in a place to do that. I’ve found I don’t read as often as I write. I’m more interested in writing than reading. I couldn’t catalog all the books I’ve read in my lifetime. I think I have a good base of book reading to call from.

Win a $50 Amazon gift card!

Follow the tour HERE for exclusive excerpts, guest posts and a giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Blitz and Giveaway: High School Queens (The High School Queens Trilogy #1) by Zachary Ryan

Title: High School Queens
Series: The High School Queens Trilogy, #1
Author: Zachary Ryan
Publisher: Kingston Publishing Company
Publication Date: March 21st 2019
Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult

~

They all thought they did a masterful job of keeping their secrets close to their chest. These stupid fools thought they were the high court of this kingdom, but they had no clue who was really pulling the strings. You might wonder to yourself, who would be that heartless to make them backstab their friends, expose other’s secrets, and lose their morals? You don’t need to know who I am, but you better remember my name, The Marked Queen.

Danielle, Andrew, Delilah, Aman, and Jasmine all are now faced with a mysterious villain whose one goal is to ruin each of their lives. They must protect their secrets at all cost, or they’ll be the next victim on Marked Day. They know what’s at stake, and they’ll stop at nothing to continue being: the rich spoiled girl, the normal teenager, the girl who isn’t banging the principal, the straight vlogger, and the girl who isn’t her dad’s punching bag. What happens when The Marked Queen changes up the game just in time for prom? Will each of our favorite puppets survive? Or are they willing to backstab each other just to keep up their personas? The only thing lost at this prom wasn’t going to be their virginity.

Sex, Lies, and High School Queens explores the major theme of self-acceptance. Can they learn to accept all their flaws or pray victim to The Marked Queen? Each chapter continues to fill your sweet tooth until the climactic moment at the prom where you get to have that final bite of the bitch cake you’ve been dying to consume.

Goodreads * Amazon * Barnes & Noble * iBooks * Kobo

—

EXCERPT:

For every girl’s big day, they say ‘something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue.’ At Johnson Prep, a girl’s big day was something sinister, something designer, something sexy, and something red. It was the day you were marked by The Marked Queen. A package was delivered to your house, and you were supposed to be a good servant as you were a messenger of the Queen now.

Jasmine opened her package that morning, and squealed for joy because she had been dreaming of this day. She had always wondered when she would be marked by the Queen, and when her day to stroll down the hallway in a red leather dress would come true. She pulled out the dress, and saw her black devil pin was under it.

Jasmine, you’ve been marked. We know how you’ve waited for your day to wear the prized red dress. I did make it a little loose for you, because no one wants to see your back rolls. You better wear the dress with pride, or you will go downhill. Have a fun day being my bitch. We know how much you love being in the spotlight. -The Marked Queen.

She looked at the note that she was supposed to spread, and she couldn’t have been happier. She was marked, and she got to take down her least favorite person in the world. It was a day she would never forget. Yes, most girls would think their wedding day was their biggest moment, but for Jasmine, it was when she was marked.

---

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Zachary Ryan grew up in a black-and-white box in Maryland, before moving to Chicago to start a new life. There, he found that he was accepted for his misfit status--and learned that it's perfectly normal to spend your twenties feeling lost and confused.

After a disastrous sexual encounter, Ryan stumbled on a group of true friends, or "soul cluster," that he connected with. Through his writing, he hopes to help other broken souls out there find comfort amid the chaos.

Website * Goodreads * Facebook

---

GIVEAWAY:

Win a signed copy or eBook of High School Queens by Zachary Ryan.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Tour and Giveaway: Gavin Goode by David B. Seaburn

Gavin Goode

by
David B. Seaburn

Genre:
Literary Fiction 

“I don’t know how, and I don’t know why, but I think I died today.”

So begins the complex and mysterious journey of Gavin Goode and his family. What happened to Gavin and why? What secrets will emerge along the way? Frankie, his wife and a dress store owner, feels guilty, but why? His son, Ryan, who owns an ice cream parlor, and daughter-in-law, Jenna, who is a bank manager, are expecting their first baby. How will this trauma affect them? And what of Rosemary, Frankie’s best friend? Or Ben Hillman and eleven year old, Christopher? How are they implicated in the events that unfold around Gavin’s misfortune?

This is a story of despair and hope, dreams and reality, uncertainty and faith, humor, secrecy, forgiveness and beginnings. As in his previous novels, David B. Seaburn demonstrates his in-depth understanding of the human experience and his storytelling mastery.

Goodreads * Amazon

In 2010, David B. Seaburn retired after having been the director of a public school based free family counseling center.

Prior to that, David was an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Family Medicine at the University of Rochester Medical Center for almost twenty years. During his tenure there, David taught in a Family Medicine Residency Program, practiced Medical Family Therapy and was the Director of a Family Therapy Training Program.

In addition to this, David is a retired Presbyterian minister, having graduated from seminary (Boston University) in 1975. He served a church full-time from 1975-1981 before entering the mental health field permanently. David is married and has two adult daughters and two wonderful granddaughters.

David's educational background includes two master's degrees and a PhD. Most of his career was as an assistant professor of psychiatry and family medicine at the University of Rochester Medical Center. There he wrote two professional books and over 65 papers and book chapters.

In addition to long fiction, David writes personal essays, many of which have been published in the Psychotherapy Networker magazine.

David also writes a blog, "Going Out Not Knowing," for Psychology Today magazine.

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

My Writing Process
by David B. Seaburn

When I start writing a new novel, I never know how it’s going to end. I trust that the impetus to move forward, usually a feeling that is difficult to articulate, will be enough to I get the journey started. Although I am going out not knowing exactly where I’m supposed to go, I am not going blind. I have well-developed character profiles and life circumstances in which to put them that will stimulate the kind of conflict that makes for good narrative.

In the process, I discover what the themes are that I am working with. This may seem counter-intuitive, but I often don’t know what I’m writing about until I start writing. The writing process is always one of discovery. And this purposeful not-knowing gives writing an energy and serendipity that is remarkably generative. I feel like I am not just the creator, but the created, changing through the writing process as much as my characters change.

It is exciting to know that for the next 14-18 months I will sit alone with these characters and wrestle with issues, dilemmas, and conundrums that are important to me, and, I hope, to the reader. The beginning phase is expansive as the characters develop and their options are wide. Somewhere past the midway mark, though, those options narrow, as it become clear that there are some thing the characters would do and some they would not. In a sense, the characters exert as much influence over the story as I do. The end of the story comes to me first as something intuitive, a feeling, a sense that I am on the final leg of the journey even though I may not yet have words for what it will be. Often it is in the last fifty pages that the end will take form and words will coalesce into final scenes, paragraphs and sentences.

Of course, that is not the end. Editing before publication may go on another year or more. The drafts get shorter, tighter and more to the point.

In terms of my writing routine, I don’t write every day, which is to say I don’t sit in front of my computer every day. But when I am working on a novel, I feel like I am always writing; that something is at work in my mind even when I am not trying to put it down in words. I often edit as I go, reworking sentences, paragraphs, scene choreography, even characters. I like to have a well-crafted chapter before I go on to the next, even though the whole thing may change later. I have an office downstairs where I am surrounded by books and quiet. In the summer, though, I prefer to write on our screened-in porch.

I rarely have writer’s block. I think this is because I have accepted that I not only don’t know, but I don’t have to know where I am going in order to write productively.

Win a $25 Amazon gift card!

Follow the tour HERE for exclusive excerpts, guest posts and a giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Review: Spin by K.J. Farnham

Title: Spin
Author: K.J. Farnham
Publication Date: April 11th 2019
Genres: Suspense, Young Adult

~

Sixteen-year-old Jenna Kemp is a typical high school girl, complete with a loyal group of friends and a seemingly understanding boyfriend. But when the demons from Jenna’s childhood resurface, she’s suddenly spinning out of control–drinking, partying–anything to numb the pain of the past. After distancing herself from her friends and befriending an outcast, her friends and family start questioning and judging her choices.

But when Jenna doesn’t come home one night, her friends and family realize it’s more than just adolescent rebellion. Jenna’s mysterious disappearance proves that there’s more on the line than they realized. As they sift through a series of her personal diaries, the truth becomes terrifying. Will Jenna’s final diary entry reveal the greatest mystery of all–her whereabouts?

Goodreads * Amazon * Barnes & Noble * iBooks * Kobo * Google Play

---

MY REVIEW:

The synopsis for Spin by K.J. Farnham really grabbed my attention. I had to know why Jenna was acting out. Plus, I liked how the synopsis mentioned that diary entries would be involved. Luckily, I was not disappointed one bit.

Jenna is a 16 year old high school girl. She's the picture of perfection. She's beautiful, popular, makes good grades, athletic, and is a great friend and daughter. However, when a certain person from her past moves back to her town, Jenna's painful memories of the past resurface. When it all becomes too much, Jenna acts out by drinking, taking drugs, and other bad behaviors. One night, on the way to confront her abuser, Jenna disappears. Through Jenna's diary, her point of view, and the points of view from her friends and family, we are able to piece together what happened to Jenna during her childhood and leading up to her disappearance.

I found the plot for Spin to be very interesting. Although it has been done many times before, Farnham was able to keep it fresh as well as fascinating. The plot leaves no cliff hangers and every question I had was answered. The one thing that was a little annoying was that in the same chapter, in a few parts of the book, the tense would switch between past and present. This was obviously missed in editing since the whole book is written in past tense. Other than that, Spin was written beautifully.

I really did enjoy the characters in Spin. Jenna was very likable, and I felt bad for her. I wanted things to go back to normal for her throughout the book. She was so vulnerable, and I hated how her events of her childhood had robbed her of all she had going for her. Keeley and Delaney, Jenna's best friends, felt realistic. Their actions regarding Jenna's behavior seemed like what most friends would be like at that age. I enjoyed reading things from their point of view. Dustin, Jenna's boyfriend, was also a great character. I hated how Jenna was treating him. I understood why she was acting the way she was towards him, but I just hate that he never knew the reasoning behind her actions. It still wouldn't have made it right, but at least Dustin would have had some insight. Leighton was my favorite character in Spin. Even I wanted to be friends with Leighton. I love what a great friend she was to Jenna and how loyal she was. Yes, Leighton did make some bad decisions, but her love for Jenna was admirable. I do wish Bonnie, Jenna's mom, would have read more of her diary. My heart went out to Bonnie especially when she felt like it was her fault after reading an entry in Jenna's diary before she went missing. I did feel that Bonnie was a little strict with Jenna especially when it came to Dustin. I felt like the character of Joseph was written perfectly. Was he truly a changed man or was he still sick?

The pacing for Spin was fantastic. Not once did I feel like the pacing was too slow or slowing down. It was never too quick either where I became lost. This book held my attention throughout. I was buckled up to go wherever Spin wanted to take me!

Trigger warnings for Spin include underage drinking, drug use, sexual situations (although not graphic), rape, attempted rape, child and teen sexual abuse, incest, profanity, and death.

All in all, Spin is a great read with a fantastic set of characters and an enthralling plot. Yes, it is a dark and emotional read, but it will not be a disappointing one for sure! I would definitely recommend Spin by K.J. Farnham to those aged 16+!

Blog Tour and Giveaway: The Moment We Fell by Kelli Warner

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for The Moment We Fell by Kelli Warner. This tour was organized by YA Bound Book Tours. I have a teaser for you as well as the tour wide giveaway if you'd like to enter! Be sure to follow the rest of the tour. Enjoy!

~

Title: The Moment We Fell
Author: Kelli Warner
Publisher: Wave Runner Publishing
Publication Date: June 25th 2019
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Romance

~

Nothing good happens when people keep secrets.

Paige Bryant’s dreams of becoming a professional ballet dancer died along with her mother. Drowning in grief and plagued by guilt, Paige is blindsided by a provision in her mother’s will that sends her to live with the father she never knew. Forced to start over in a new town and at a new school where she's now the principal's daughter, Paige is convinced that her life can’t possibly get more complicated—until fate throws her into the path of the only boy her guardian tells her is off-limits.

Despite two years on the straight and narrow, Cade Matthews can’t escape his time as a juvenile delinquent. With his dad behind bars, Cade’s feelings of anger and betrayal are as relentless as the rumors he’s trying to outrun. The only person not listening to the gossip is the new girl with her own set of troubles, including a father who will never give Cade a fair shake.

As Paige tries to adjust to her new life and an uncertain future, a set of unopened journals reveals a dark family secret. When tensions rise to a boiling point, can Paige and Cade make peace with the past before it destroys them?

Goodreads * Amazon

---

---

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kelli Warner writes humorous and relatable young adult and contemporary romance novels, the kind of stories that get your insides so wound up in an ooey gooey mess that you forget about the un-fun stuff in life. She's passionate for a good cup of coffee (even a bad one on a desperate day), enjoying time with friends and family, and spending lazy Saturday mornings watching the Food Network. Kelli and her husband live in Oregon with their two teenaged children and an outstanding border collie named Lucy.

Website * Facebook * Goodreads * Instagram * Twitter

---
GIVEAWAY:

Win a $50 Amazon gift card, a wooden sign that reads: "Coffee: because adulting is hard", a coffee mug, and a decorative candle. To enter the giveaway, visit Kelli's website here.

Blog tour organized by:

Book Blitz and Giveaway: Unexpected Commander (Unexpected #3) by Layla Stone

Title: Unexpected Commander
Series: Unexpected, #3
Author: Layla Stone
Publication Date: June 24th 2019
Genres: Adult, Romance, Science Fiction

~

She’s shy and timid. He’s unsocial and arrogant.

Yon’s past hardened him to the point that he speaks the raw truth without thinking about the consequences. He’s always been that way, but if he’s not careful he’s going lose more than the sweetest female he’s ever known, he’s going to lose a potential mate.

Yelena’s past conditioned her to be obedient and silent. She’s always been a loner, but when she meets Yon in the cages of Brica, she’s drawn to him and his strength. If only he’d notice she’s not as weak as he thinks she is.

Yelena has a chance to help find the Numan who turned her skin luminescent. During the mission something goes wrong and she has to rely on Yon once more… or is it Yon who has to rely on her?

Goodreads * Amazon

—

---

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Layla Stone is a Sci-Fi Romance author who is passionate about writing and reading romances. Her books are a blend of science fiction, romance and action adventure.

A business coordinator by training and a bookworm at heart, Layla makes her home in Southern California, where she lives with her husband, two children, and a trio of fur babies.

You can find more information about her characters and their races on her website.

To learn more about Layla, her life and writing process, join her monthly newsletter.

Website * Goodreads * Facebook * Twitter * Newsletter

---

AUTHOR INTERVIEW:

1. Are there any secrets from the book, you can share with your readers?

I don’t want to ruin it for anyone, but I will suggest to pay attention to Ansel in this one.

2. Can you share a snippet that isn’t in the blurb?

“Are you always like this?” 

Yon placed her on the bed, took a pillow, and handed it to her. “Keep the foot elevated. And, no, I’m not always like this.” 

She held up her hand, hoping he wouldn’t leave her yet. She wanted to understand him better. “And when you say, ‘not always like this,’ do you mean you don’t knock people unconscious a lot?” 

His head tilted slightly. “No, I meant I don’t usually come down to the planets I hate just to find a specific female and bring her back safely.” 

It took a half-second longer than it should have for her to process that. “You came for me?” 

“You shouldn’t have been down here in the first place.” 

Yelena didn’t know what to say to that. 

“Good thing you didn’t like Lotus Adaamas, because it was the last time you’re going to see it.” Yon was still holding out the pillow. His tone didn’t sound angry, more matter-of-fact.

She took the pillow and said, “Is it because of my skin? Or because of something else?” 

“All of that and more.” 

“What else could there be?” 

“I will write you a list.”

3. Does one of the main characters hold a special place in your heart? If so, why?

I’ve meet males like the hero before and I’ve always wanted to see him with a happily ever after, but more often than not, he can’t soften enough to be in a relationship.

4. What do you hope your readers take away from this book?

I hope they are interested in the next book, to be honest.

5. Can you give us some insight into what makes the hero tick?

He’s got a chip on his shoulder a thousand miles high, brought on by upbringing.

6. What were the key challenges you faced when writing this book?

It was hard to soften the hero enough to make him a character my readers would enjoy instead of hate. I re-wrote this book three times just to get the romance right.

7. What was the highlight of writing this book?

My favorite part of writing is sending 2-3 chapters to my beta reader and getting her thoughts via marco-polo app.

---

GIVEAWAY:

Win a $25 Amazon Gift Card, a VistaPrint Mug that Layla designed that says "Sarcasm: Because Murder Charges are Expensive", and Sweets Bite Gift Bag with 5 of the yummiest Lemon Blueberry and white chocolate cookies

a Rafflecopter giveaway