Blurb Blitz and Giveaway: The Light Catcher Murders (Kate Atherton Mysteries #1) by Jo Cassie McRae

Welcome to my stop on the blurb blitz for The Light Catcher Murders (Kate Atherton Mysteries #1) by Jo Cassie McRae. The blurb blitz was organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. On my stop, I have an excerpt from the book. There's also a tour wide giveaway for a chance to win a $50 Amazon or Barnes & Noble gift card. Be sure to check out the other blogs participating in the blitz for more content. Enjoy!

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Title: The Light Catcher Murders
Series: Kate Atherton Mysteries #1

Author: Jo Cassie McRae
Publication Date: August 28th 2020
Print Length: 235 pages
Genre: Cozy Mystery

~

Nestled in the scenic Texas Hill Country, the cozy town of Wheaton Creek seemed an idyllic place to escape the world’s increasingly harsh realities. At least, that’s what Kate Atherton thought.

Kate once enjoyed a long, successful career with a specialized, highly secret federal intelligence agency. Crises in both her personal and professional life drove her to early retirement and, ultimately, to Wheaton Creek, the perfect place for her and her former-military husband to escape what had come to feel like a world made up of wars, hatred, fear, and untimely death. And, at first, the escape was all Kate had hoped for. Then murder came to Wheaton Creek—a crime that a corrupt county sheriff seems determined to pin on Kate’s photographer friend, Lucy Celek.

Lucy’s work has been chosen to appear at a prestigious photography festival, a festival that could take her from amateur to professional standing. All goes well until the gallery displaying her work is broken into, and one of Lucy’s photographs is vandalized. A week later, the man Lucy suspected of destroying her photograph—a fellow photographer who was angry that his own work was not chosen by the festival committee—is murdered. Faced with a sheriff who shows little interest in expanding his list of suspects beyond Lucy, Kate feels she must dust off her puzzle-solving skills to find the real killer. Murder is just the beginning, though, as Kate’s amateur sleuthing begins to reveal a tangled web of crimes that go beyond anything she could have imagined.

Goodreads * Amazon

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EXCERPT:

Picking her way through the broken glass again, Kate slipped up behind Lucy. She gave the beleaguered deputy a sympathetic smile and gently took hold of Lucy’s elbow. “Lucy, dear. Do you think you might want to calm down? This officer is going to do his best to find out who did this and why. He isn’t the bad guy here.”

Lucy wheeled on her. “He doesn’t have to look far to find out who did this. If he’d just listen to me and quit asking irrelevant questions! I’ve been telling him that it has to be Stewart Wilson. You saw how Stewart behaved after the festival. He’s a horrible, angry, vindictive man! Did you see how he ripped into my mural? The bastard! If I could get my hands on him, I swear I’d rip into him the same way!”

The deputy’s eyebrows shot up, and he shifted uneasily, his pen hovering over his notepad. Kate’s grip on Lucy’s elbow tightened, as did the smile she showed the deputy. “I’m sure Ms. Celek didn’t mean that, Deputy Green,” she said. When Lucy started to disagree, Kate squeezed her arm so tightly that Lucy let out a little yelp of pain. “She’s understandably distraught. If you have more questions for her, might I suggest that you give her some time to collect herself? I’m sure she’ll be more helpful when she’s feeling a bit more rational.”

“Rational?” Lucy flinched again under the renewed fierceness of Kate’s grip and did not finish what she had been about to say.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jo Cassie McRae is a native Texan who has lived near Austin on the edge of the Texas Hill country for over 30 years. In addition to writing, McRae loves to read, garden, and cook. Like Kate Atherton (The Light Catcher Murders), McRae’s bookshelves overflow with history books, biographies, historical fiction, and mystery novels. Unlike Kate, McRae does not have a mysterious, secret former career, having worked instead as a rather ordinary legal assistant at an Austin law firm.

Website * Amazon *
Email * Facebook * Goodreads

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GIVEAWAY:

Jo Cassie McRae will be awarding a $50 Amazon or Barnes & Noble gift card to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter after the blitz. To increase your chance of winning, leave a comment at a different stop on the blitz each day. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Blitz and Giveaway: Dead to Me (Grave Talker #1) by Annie Anderson

Title: Dead to Me

Series: Grave Talker #1
Author: Annie Anderson
Publication Date: September 29th 2020

Print Length: 197 pages
Genre: Urban Fantasy

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There are only three rules in Darby Adler’s life.

One: Don’t talk to the dead in front of the living. 

Two: Stay off the Arcane Bureau of Investigation’s radar. 

Three: Don’t forget rules one and two.

With a murderer desperate for Darby’s attention and an ABI agent in town, things are about to get mighty interesting in Haunted Peak, TN.

Goodreads * Amazon
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EXCERPT:

It was not a good feeling to have a homicide less than a block from my house. The last thing I needed in my general vicinity was more ghosts.

And only J would think we didn’t need to drive the half-mile up the steep incline. Haunted Peak was at the base of a mountain, and J and I lived in a newer development in one of the foothills. As fit as I was, I still wasn’t hiking up that hill if I didn’t have to.

“You want to be sweaty and slow, be my guest. I’m driving.”

I needed to get there before whatever idiot the FBI sent tramped all over my crime scene or scared off my source. And by source, I meant the deceased. It was always tough when they were new. Their deaths were so fresh, they were still reeling from the transition. Hell, most of them didn’t even know they were dead. 

I didn’t blame them for being out of sorts. If I’d been killed in a super-weird way, I’d probably be a little messed up, too. But explaining that no one could see them but me, and they were dead? Ugh. Not my favorite way to spend a morning. 

Plus, if J and I were being called in, the case was not just weird. It was weird. 

Those were the only cases we got nowadays. Add in Hildy’s description of being carved up and well… I already knew I was about to have a rough one.

Climbing into my Jeep, I waited the three-point-five seconds for J to get his ass in gear before cranking the engine. He slid into the seat beside me just as I threw it in reverse, barely managing to close his door before I peeled out of the driveway. The trip took less than a minute, but that was still far too long for me. Had J told me there was a Fed on my scene before I wasted time getting dressed, we’d have been there already—bad breath, pajamas, and all.

“What do you know? What am I walking into?”

J ran a hand down his face as he let loose the mother of all sighs. “It’s bad, D. It makes those fake Satanists we busted last year look like fluffy bunnies and rainbows.”

Those “Satanists” we’d busted last October weren’t Satanists at all. They were a bunch of fledgling witches with an ax to grind against their coven leader. I’d seen many a witch and warlock in my day that weren’t even the least bit homicidal. Those chicks were straight-up lethal and aching to get into the dark stuff. It’d taken a boatload of legwork, a promise to the new coven leader that I wouldn’t be dragging the whole coven into it, and a binding spell the size of Texas to get those girls cornered.

Not that J knew that.

He’d lost his mind when he’d learned my secret. I couldn’t blow up his narrow world view any more than I already had. What was I gonna say? I know you don’t like to think about the ghosts that are crawling all over the planet, but you might want to start worrying about the shit that’s actually alive. AKA, the sh*t that can kill you.

Yeah, I didn’t see that going too well. It would make his fool brain explode, and then I’d be out a best friend.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Annie Anderson is a military wife and United States Air Force veteran. Originally from Dallas, Texas, she is a southern girl at heart, but has lived all over the US and abroad. As soon as the military stops moving her family around, she'll settle on a state, but for now she enjoys being a nomad with her husband, two daughters, an old man of a dog, and a young pup that makes life... interesting. 

Website * Goodreads * Facebook *

Twitter * Instagram * Pinterest

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GIVEAWAY:
Win a $50 Amazon gift card - two winners!

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Virtual Book Tour and Giveaway: Neurogarden (NeuralTech Rising #) by Bryon Vaughn

Welcome to my stop on the virtual book tour for Neurogarden by Bryon Vaughn. This book tour was organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. On my stop, I have an excerpt from the book as well as a guest post from the author. There's also a tour wide giveaway for a chance to win a $50 Amazon or Barnes & Noble gift card and a signed copy of the book. Be sure to visit the other stops on the tour for more content. Enjoy!

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Title: Neurogarden
Series: NeuralTech Rising #1
Author: Bryon Vaughn
Publication Date: August 2nd 2020
Print Length: 218 pages
Genres: Science Fiction, Techno Thriller

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Where can you run when there is no place to hide?

Brenna Patrick is a brilliant technologist specializing in neural-cognitive functions and AI. She has cracked the code to solve one of the most troublesome problems in the field, and turned that into the multi-billion dollar NeuralTech Corporation.

Working quietly with the U.S. Department of Defense, NeuralTech is poised to leapfrog the competition with a revolutionary system for tracking people, starting with the world’s most wanted terrorists. But there are only so many terrorists in the world, so who’s next?

When a pair of Columbia graduate students, Jenny and Leo, stumble on the dark secret of NeuralTech’s success, it kicks off a tense game of cat and mouse. As they fight to defeat the powerful forces arrayed against them, nothing less than the fate of humanity hangs in the balance…

NEUROGARDEN is a roller-coaster ride of a thriller, one that will have readers pondering the nature of memory, and of reality, long after they've read the last page.

Goodreads * Amazon *
Book Depository * IndieBound

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EXCERPT:

Settling into a location near the bottom of the dome, the zone transitioned to red. She pointed toward the red node, and up popped Henry Alan Foster's mugshot, coupled with his current location. The crowd murmured, their faces masks of disbelief.

"What say we send the authorities to pick up Mr. Foster?" Brenna outstretched her arms with her hands giving a "thumb's up" sign as if to ask for the crowd's approval, answered by a rise of clapping and a smattering of cheers. At that moment, Jenny saw how much Brenna enjoyed being not only the center of attention, but the person with all the power. It was a look she had seen earlier in Brenna's office, but in the moment she’d thought it was a look of infatuation, or perhaps love. Now, however, it was clear to Jenny that Brenna relished control more than anything else.

Brenna scanned the viewers at The Podium glass. "Or should we send a bullet?"

The crowd roared its approval, and with that, Brenna turned her thumbs downward as she nodded to her engineer. After a few taps, and about ten seconds, the mugshot of Henry Alan Foster disappeared from the dome and the room erupted in resounding approval.

Jenny watched Brenna bask in the glow of this moment, and while she was still in awe of the majestic raven-haired figure before her, her stomach lurched as if she were dropped out of an airplane. At this moment she wanted nothing more than to be wrapped in Leo's strong arms and to forget this whole day happened.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Ever since reading Douglas Adams back in my formative years, I have had an interesting relationship with humor, science fiction, and technology. My first computer was a TI-99/4A, so yeah, I’m old, but only until scientists have cracked the code on transplanting our brains into shiny new vessels.

My body may be showing signs of wear, but I’m keeping my brain tight.

When I am not dreaming of far off worlds and writing, I am living a semi-normal life working in New York City, and watching movies with my wife and her spastic cat, Moss.

Website * Amazon *
Facebook * Instagram * Twitter

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GUEST POST:

The Inception of Neurogarden

Inspiration can come from anywhere.

I have spent the last twenty years wanting to write a novel, but I could never come up with an idea that made me feel like it was worth the blood, sweat and tears that I knew it would take to complete it. That is, until one evening in class at Columbia. Our professor had a scheduled speaker for this week’s lecture. His name was Pranav Yadav, founder and CEO of a company called Neuro-Insight.

He came to tell us about the work that his company was doing in monitoring the brainwaves of consumers as they watched marketing and helping to improve the messaging based on the study of their biological reactions. While that is fascinating, it was a single slide in his presentation deck that started me down the path of Neurogarden. It was an image of Serena Williams zoomed in very tight to show only the inner area of her face. The point of the slide was to show how the emotion of a face out of context could be easily misinterpreted. The tight shot looked like she was angry, but zoomed out she was clearly excited. A computer would see anger 100% of the time, but a person would know the right emotion immediately.

It was such a small thing, but on the walk home from class my mind was abuzz about the possibilities for a story based on that underlying premise, and from there Neurogarden was born. I don’t want to give away too much of the story, but I knew that solving the problem of facial recognition by helping technology with biology would be a solid foundation that could support a story. In fact, as the story evolved, it became clear that it was actually enough for a three book series.

My advice is to always be on the lookout for inspiration. It can truly come from anywhere.

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GIVEAWAY:

Bryon Vaughn will award a $50 Amazon or Barnes & Noble gift card or a signed copy of Neurogarden to two randomly drawn winners via Rafflecopter after the tour. To increase your chance of winning, leave a comment at a different stop on the tour each day. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Blitz and Giveaway: Snowball's Christmas by Kristen McKanagh

Title: Snowball’s Christmas
Author: Kristen McKanagh
Publisher: Kensington
Publication Date: September 29th 2020

Print Length: 240 pages

Genre: Contemporary Romance

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The Purrfect holiday awaits…

Snowball–an aptly named bundle of feline fluff–is thankful to be spending her first Christmas in the comfort of Weber Haus, the Victorian B&B run by Miss Tilly. Emily Diemer, who cooks for the guests, dotes on Snowball, but she’s not thrilled about another new arrival at the B&B: Miss Tilly’s nephew, Lukas. Which is odd, because Snowball’s animal instincts tell her that Lukas and Emily should definitely be friends.

Everything Emily needs is in this quaint community–including, she hopes, the chance to open her own bakery one day. She doesn’t think much of Lukas for leaving his aging aunt to struggle while he jets around the world taking photographs. But now that he’s here, helping to spruce up the property and getting mixed up in Snowball’s antics, she begins to soften a little. Until she learns what he has planned…

Lukas is going to sell Weber Haus so that Miss Tilly can retire. But Snowball is certain that this B&B, and these people, are supposed to be her forever home. Somehow she has to get these stubborn humans to see things through the wisdom of a cat’s eye and a kitten’s loyal, loving heart…

Goodreads * Amazon * Barnes & Noble* iBooks * Kobo * Google Play—
EXCERPT:

The sight that greeted his curious gaze upped the kitchen a few more notches in his estimation.

Christmas music piped softly from a cell phone on the counter, an oldie, painting images of cold winter nights and cozy fires . . . and family.

He ignored the familiar, old pinch in the region of his heart that seemed to get worse this time of year and focused on the woman humming to herself.

Emily stood at the large butcher-block table in the center of the room. She had her back to him, but her long dark hair, pulled back in a ponytail, was unmistakable. Not to mention those legs. Encased in jeans and topped with a formfitting, pale blue sweater, the woman was a knockout in that freckled, sweet, girl-next-door way that managed to hit the right chord with him.

Except she didn’t like him. At all. For a reason he had yet to unearth.

Meow.

He’d forgotten the darn cat, who now sat at his feet.

“Morning, Snowball—” Emily turned with a smile on her lips that froze the second she spotted him.

Jack Frost had nothing on Emily Diemer for chill factor.

“What are you doing here?” she asked. Granted, she attempted to rearrange her features to a more neutral expression, but the pinching around her lips didn’t ease any. Amusement and the strangest urge to win her over had Lukas affecting his most charming smile. “Good morning, Emily.”

She lifted her eyebrows, visibly unmoved. “Not for any decent person,” she commented wryly with a pointed glance at the microwave clock. “I came down to bake and get ready for the day. Plus, Christmas Eve isn’t that far off, and we’re hosting a large group, which takes early preparation. I’m freezing a few things ahead of time. What about you?”

Lukas didn’t want to explain that Snowball had woken him up and insisted he come down here. He’d sound crazy. “This is my house.”

The second the words left his lips he wanted to snatch them back out of the air. Definitely not the right way to go.

Emily turned her back on him, returning to the dough she was kneading, but not before he caught her scowl. “Technically, it’s Miss Tilly’s house. You moved away years ago,” she pointed out.

She mumbled something else that sounded a bit like “And haven’t bothered to come back all that often.”

Was that what she was holding against him? Because he would’ve sworn she’d been interested in the parking lot when they first met. But the second she walked in the door and figured out who he was, she’d been frostier than the North Pole. Might as well get it out in the open. “I get the impression you don’t like me much.”

She paused, hands sunk deep into the dough. “I don’t know you.”

Right. An evasive answer if he’d ever heard one. “After you flirted in the nicest way at the sledding hill—”

She jerked her head up. “That was not flirting.”

“That’s too bad,” he murmured, earning a scowl before she went back to her dough. “But then you found out my name, and, poof, no more flirting.”

“I wasn’t flirting,” she grumbled.

He hid a smile and crossed his arms. “But you don’t like me.”

Emily blew out a frustrated breath.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Sweet contemporary and Amish romance author Kristen McKanagh grew up consuming books and exploring the world through her writing. She attempted to find a practical career by earning a degree in English Rhetoric (Technical Writing) and an MBA. However, she swiftly discovered that writing without imagination is not nearly as fun as writing with it. Kristen also writes award-winning steamy contemporary romance as Kadie Scott, and award-winning paranormal and YA fantasy romance as Abigail Owen. No matter the genre, she loves to write happily-ever-afters that shine with home, heart, and humor. Kristen currently resides in Austin, Texas, with her own swoon-worthy hero husband and their two children, who are growing up way too fast.

Website * Goodreads * Facebook *Twitter * Instagram * Newsletter * Bookbub

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GIVEAWAY:
Win a $25 Amazon gift card!a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Book Blog Tour and Giveaway - The Diary of Asser Levy: First Jewish Citizen of New York by Daniela Weil

THE DIARY OF ASSER LEVY

First Jewish Citizen

of New York

by

DANIELA WEIL

Genre: Historical Fiction / Middle Grade / Jewish / Colonial America

Publisher: Pelican (Arcadia Publishing)

Date of Publication: March 9, 2020

Number of Pages: 128

  Scroll down for the giveaway!

For twenty-four years the Dutch colony of Pernambuco in northeastern Brazil was a safe haven for Jews who had escaped the Inquisition in Europe. Recife, its capital, was known as “Colonial Jerusalem,” and it was from this religiously tolerant town that Asser Levy tells his story. When the Portuguese recaptured the territory in 1654, they brought the Inquisition and its torments with them, forcing Asser and his family and friends to flee to Holland. About fifteen ships arrive safely in Holland; Asser’s ship does not. 

Through imagined diary entries based on real events, Asser tells the harrowing story of the Jewish refugees who arrived on the island of Manhattan and of some of the first court battles fought to allow religious freedom in America.

Amazon || Barnes & Noble || IndieBound || Bookshop

YouTube

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PRAISE FOR THE DIARY OF ASSER LEVY:

“The book breathes life into a little-known yet important Jewish figure of early New Amsterdam and New York. Through a series of diary entries based on fact and the author’s creation, the author brings out the emotion, drama, and conflicts of Asser Levy’s turbulent journey to a new land in search of religious freedom. ... The book will add color to classroom lessons on early US history and on Jewish immigration.” —Paul Kaplan, author of Jewish New York: A History and Guide to Neighborhoods, Synagogues, and Eateries 

"What an extraordinary amount of research went into it! And what a creative way of combining historical fiction and contemporary pictures. Kudos!” —Cynthia Levinson, author of The Youngest Marcher 

"What a fine job [Daniela] did with this story! ... The diary-style keeps the pace moving, and the adventures make it exciting. Lots of setting details bring the scenes alive, and the dialogue engages the reader in the plot. I can see how it will be easy for a young reader to identify with Asser, worrying about how (and if) he’ll succeed in his quest.” —Gail Jarrow, author of Fatal Fever

Asser Levy’s Top Ten List from The Diary of Asser Levy 

by Daniela Weil

1. Favorite music: Yiddish Klezmer songs played by my original townsfolk

2. Favorite possession: the knife set my father gave me

3. Favorite memory: birds singing at sunrise in the tropics

4. Favorite food: my mother’s potato latkes

5. Favorite place: The peaceful shores of Recife, Brazil

6. Favorite person: my wife, Miriam

7. Biggest fear: having to flee again

8. Pet peeves: lazy people and intolerance

9. Best talents: negotiating, law, and butchering 

10. Best weird-but-true stories: surviving a pirate attack

Daniela Weil was born in Brazil. She attended the International School in São Paulo, where she was surrounded by people and cultures from around the world. It was also there that she developed a passion for nature, art, and writing. After earning a BA in biology from Brandeis University in Boston, Weil became a field research biologist. She participated in various whale projects, including illustrating the first field guide for whales and dolphins in Brazil. 

 
Being a mother rekindled her desire to share her passion about the natural world. She joined the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and attended workshops on writing nonfiction and science for kids. After writing several articles on science and history, she ventured into books. Weil attended the Texas Library Association annual conference with her SCBWI group and met the folks from Pelican, who were intrigued by her middle-grade book idea. As the project developed, her research took her back to Brazil and across the world, chasing Asser’s experiences. 

 
When not on the hunt for new experiences, Weil makes her home in Austin, Texas, with her husband, Erik, and daughter, Lucy.

 Facebook ║ Website ║ Jewish Book Council

 Instagram ║ Goodreads ║ Amazon ║ Twitter 

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GIVEAWAY:

Win a signed hardcover of The Diary of Asser Levy by Daniela Weil!

September 22-October 2, 2020

(U.S. Only)

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CLICK TO VISIT THE LONE STAR LITERARY LIFE TOUR PAGE

FOR DIRECT LINKS TO EACH POST ON THIS TOUR, UPDATED DAILY. 

Or, visit the blogs directly:

9/22/20	Book Trailer	Chapter Break Book Blog
9/22/20	BONUS Post	Hall Ways Blog
9/23/20	Author Interview	Max Knight
9/24/20	Review	StoreyBook Reviews
9/25/20	Sneak Peek	Texas Book Lover
9/26/20	Review	Reading by Moonlight
9/27/20	Author Interview	Story Schmoozing Book Reviews
9/28/20	Top Ten	All the Ups and Downs
9/29/20	Review	Librariel Book Adventures
9/30/20	Scrapbook Page	The Adventures of a Travelers Wife
10/1/20	Review	Book Bustle

   

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Virtual Book Tour and Giveaway - Fly Twice Backward: Fresh Starts in a World of Troubles by David S. McCracken

Welcome to my stop on the virtual book tour for Fly Twice Backward by David S. McCracken. This book tour was organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. On my stop, I have an excerpt from the book as well as a guest post from the author. There's also a tour wide giveaway for a chance to win a $25 Amazon or Barnes & Noble gift card. Be sure to follow the rest of the tour for more content. Enjoy!

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Title: Fly Twice Backward: Fresh Starts in a World of Troubles
Author: David S. McCracken
Publication Date: October 14th 2019
Print Length: 726 pages
Genre: Science Fiction

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You wake back in early adolescence, adult memories intact, including ones that could make you very wealthy now. Your birth family is here, alive again, but your later families are gone, perhaps forever. What has happened, what should you do about coming problems like violence, ignorance, pollution, and global warming? You realize one key connects most, the fundamentalist strains of all the major religions, disdaining science, equality, and social welfare. You see that there are some things you can change, some you can’t, and one you don’t dare to.

Fellow idealists help you spend your growing fortune well--such as an artistic Zoroastrian prince in the Iranian oil industry, a rising officer in the Soviet army working to find a way to destroy his corrupt government, a Bahai woman struggling against Islamic brutality, a Peruvian leader working for a liberal future, and a snake-handling Christian minister, grappling with doubts, sexuality, and destiny. They are supported by an ally who develops essential psychic powers. The group faces familiar-looking corrupt politicians, religious leaders, and corporate czars, but there is an ancient force in the background, promoting greed, violence, hate, and fear.

This exciting, emotional, thoughtful, humorous, and even romantic sci-fi novel weaves progressivism, music, movies, and literature into a struggle spanning the globe. Vivid characters propel the action back up through an alternative history toward an uncertain destination. Experience the unique story and its novel telling.

Goodreads * Amazon

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EXCERPT:

“Up in the mornin’ and off to school!” plays in my head as I hear the latest hits on WVLK, while we eat breakfast on this third school day. Chuck Berry actually won’t be along with those words in “School Days” for several years, but I’m enjoying what is coming over the radio. Old friends. This morning I’m surprised to hear “Jambalaya.” I didn’t realize our station played anything so country/Cajun. Listening to these songs reminds me that back then, well, now, we all listen to pretty much the same songs, except for those of us who are very country or African American. A shared culture. People are starting to watch the same TV shows, too, though not my family.

I am so eager to start band today. First thing in the day, though, is the whole school going to the cafeteria to watch the film, Duck and Cover. How chilling to see the atomic war message made realistic. Especially in our room full of largely unaware children, surprisingly quiet: “We must always be ready for an atomic explosion, no matter where we are, no matter what we’re doing.”

Unfortunately, my very first band class is mostly consumed by a bomb drill and discussion of it. Thank goodness, I know the Cold War does end before any bombs fall: Wish I could tell everyone not to worry, now and for the next forty years. Wish I could say we can go ahead with band and our lives, worry-free!

The film that made it even more personally real, later? Oh, The Day After. I still remember vividly the horror the citizens of Lawrence, Kansas, felt when they saw the missiles based around them erupting from the ground, knowing the war was on, and hostile missiles would be coming back at them. The pathos of a survivor finding his way back to his home, trying to take possession of the rubble, from other survivors picking through it for anything that would help them survive. A woman with kindness and embarrassment, offering him an apple she’s found. What an impact on me now, remembering the innocent opening scene of it, in a band class . . . . Maybe it was the lack of having seen the later film that made the earlier Duck and Cover film pass unremembered, or perhaps I just wasn’t mature enough to be scared.

But how many of these boys around me will too soon die in the jungles, mud, and rot of Vietnam?

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

David McCracken was born in Louisville, KY, in 1940. Raised mostly in Winchester, KY, he now lives in Northern Virginia, with his third and final wife. He has three children, two stepchildren, and six grandchildren.

After three years in the U.S. Navy following a lackluster academic start, he graduated from the University of Kentucky in 1963, in Diplomacy and International Commerce. He then worked as a Latin American country desk officer in the U.S. Department of Commerce until he returned to school to earn an M.A. in Elementary Education in 1970 from Murray State University, having always been intending to teach. Eventually realizing his children qualified for reduced-price lunches based on his own teaching salary, he studied computer programming at Northern Virginia Community College and worked as a programmer until shifting back into elementary teaching.

He began working on what became Fly Twice Backward in 1983 and finally finished it in 2019! At 79, David strongly doubts he'll be doing another novel of such scope and complexity, but is preparing to work on a children's science fiction novel with a progressive bent, being a devout progressive in politics and religion, as well as a lover of learning.

Website * Amazon

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GUEST POST:

- Do you believe in parallel universes? Why or why not?

Well, in my novel, there is at least one posited: the template of types, posited by Plato, “that other place” in my novel. It was convenient to the story, but not something I believe in. For the branching of timelines used by several time travel authors and scientists, they too are convenient, like there being a god to start everything, which both makes sense and doesn’t. I’d have to say I’m agnostic on both topics.

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GIVEAWAY:

David McCracken will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes & Noble gift card to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter after the tour. To increase your chance of winning, leave a comment at a different stop on the tour each day. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway