American Odyssey by Michael DeStefano

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Night to Dawn Magazine & Books will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Welcome to It's Raining Books. Why do you write in your genre? What draws you to it?

The time of our lives we call "coming-of-age" tends to stay with us; the effects that peers had on us, and the times that shaped us, travel far into our lives, sometimes farther than we realize.

Name one thing you learned from your hero/heroine.

It's strange to think that one can learn from a character they created. But characters don't come from thin air; they're an unconstrained vision of a romantic past and hopeful future, a butterfly to our caterpillar reality. With Addison Caldwell, I learned that we are no less fragile on our best day than we are on our worst, and that no matter what life throws our way, there's always room for humor.

Do you have any odd or interesting writing quirks, habits or superstitions?

As far as the process of writing is concerned, I’m very disciplined; I begin at 5:00 a.m. and conclude at 8:00 a.m. As for the actual writing? It’s quite quirky. I have a love affair with irony.

Are you a plotter or pantser?

I have a vision for my novels concerning what I want to say, but I don't care much for plots; I like it when a story feels as unpredictable as life itself.

Look to your right – what's sitting there?

To my right is what I hope to see when I turn to my left: The better angels of my nature.

Anything new coming up from you? What?

I have written a sequel to "American Odyssey." It's the same core character ten years later. The inspiration came from reading John Updike's "Rabbit" series.

Do you have a question for our readers?

Will today's readers ever learn the art of reading between the lines? It used to be that matters of social consciousness were encrypted novels; subtle gradations immersed in powerful narratives were what passed as excellent writing. Nowadays, we're told beforehand who the oppressors are, who the marginalized are, where we're supposed to stand, and what conclusions we're supposed to draw.

Set in Philadelphia in the mid-1970s, American Odyssey chronicles the coming-of-age journey of Addison Caldwell, Cillian James, and Joey Brosco. In their quest for independence, our trio encounters the recently widowed Leila Bennett, a former prostitute turned farm owner. For Leila, a sultry summer blossoms into an odyssey of hope and healing; for the boys, work and awakening. Leila—a girl discarded and rescued—teaches the threesome that virtue does not lie in the struggle for independence or what one must sacrifice for its behalf but in love that reinforces enduring friendship.

Read an Excerpt

Joey emerged from the fields and Cillian from the kitchen. We tossed our bags in the bed of Leila’s behemoth pickup, and off we drove. Skipping the bus ride, we headed straight for Pittsburgh and the train station, blasting rockabilly music with the windows rolled down and enjoying our final time of what Leila called “hellraisin’.” As the train chugged west to east through Pennsylvania, I repeatedly asked myself: Who was Leila Bennett? Could she have been just a girl, any girl? Was Leila as common as any one of a million buttercups clustered in an open field and just as forgettable, or was she a four-leaf clover, a rare specimen who, over and over, would compel me to search for her in every crowd everywhere? Was she a young girl in a grown-up girl’s body or a grown-up girl as lost as any child would be when set to wander the vastness of the universe? Air and space: they can prove fickle entities. Not enough of each can kill you, and too much can kill you even faster. But whether we blossom in a vast field or cottage garden, in a way, we all want the same thing: the opportunity to strive for independence while enjoying the strength and comfort of unity. Leila had experienced that aspect of human desire for a time with Aunt Pearl, then later on, for a much briefer spell, with Uncle Dave. I hope, sooner than later, she finds just the right amount of air and space that allows her to bask in the beauty of youth while flourishing as a woman.

About the Author:

Michael DeStefano runs a hairstyling salon, where he has spent the past four decades beautifying the super people of Philadelphia. His past titles include the historical family saga The Gunslinger’s Companion, the comedy/tragedy Waiting for Grandfather, and The Bohemian. You can find these novels and other writings such as his love essays and perspective pieces at his blog site Michael’s Corner.

Blog: http://www.michaelscorner.blog
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michael.destefano.1654
Twitter: https://x.com/xMichaelsCorner

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/American-Odyssey-Michael-Stefano/dp/1937769895/ref=sr_1_4
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/american-odyssey-michael-de-stefano/1147324924

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Lucky Secrets by B.T. Polcari

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

Welcome to It's Raining Books. Why do you write in your genre?   What draws you to it?

I absolutely love mysteries. Readers of mystery generally fall into two categories – seekers and solvers. Seekers are reading the book for entertainment, just along for the ride and not really trying to find the killer or solve the puzzle before the end of the book. Solvers, however, are determined to solve the mystery before the end of the book. The sooner the better. As a mystery reader, I am a bigtime solver. I even tag pages with different colored stickers where I think there is a pertinent clue or twist I might want to return to as I work to solve the mystery. And this is why I write cozy mysteries the way I do, because they provide an entertainment value that allows the seeker to chuckle (and at times, laugh out loud) and let the story carry them along, yet also provides the solver with a complex plot that can be solved if they pay attention along the way. The clues are there, just not always obvious. 

What research (or world-building – for fantasy/paranormal/Sci-fi) is required?

I research everything, and I mean, everything. No detail is too small. For example, in my second book, Fire and Ice, I even researched pre-1600s Atlantic hurricane seasons. I do this because I never want someone coming up to me or leaving a comment that something I wrote isn’t correct or possible or remotely feasible. That is my biggest fear every time one of my books is released. So, in the very early stages of the plotting process, I create a “Research” folder to hold all the articles, photos, maps, and similar that I come across as I build out the plot in a document I call my “blueprint.” Some of this research never makes it into the plot or ends up just being background info, and some of it forms the very basic building blocks of the plot. I spend weeks and weeks researching as I lay out the story. For Lucky Secrets, my research folder holds 169MB of data (97 files) plus a second folder with 60MB of photos I used to help visualize the various rooms and spaces of the El Sueño estate where the story is set. For Fire and Ice, the research folder holds 396MB of data (I had a TON of planning to do for this story – read the book and you’ll understand – I can’t say why without giving some things away.) 

Name one thing you learned from your hero/heroine.

Trust your instincts and believe in yourself. 

Do you have any odd or interesting writing quirks, habits or superstitions?

I play music on a CD player when I’m working. When the music stops, I pick up the remote and hit play. Again. And again. And… Yep, I’ll play the same CD for days and usually weeks at a time. The only time I switch out CDs is when a particular song starts playing in my head away from the office, or if I’m no longer as productive with that CD. Then I’ll switch it out and start all over. In fact, today I finally switched out Jet’s Rare Tracks for Eric Clapton’s Unplugged. I played the Jets CD for easily a month. I suspect I’ll switch Clapton on sometime in August. I’ve already hit the play button twice while responding to these questions. 

Are you a plotter or pantser?

I’m a hardcore plotter. I began as a pantser, but after too many dead ends, I switched to detailed plotting. My process starts with weeks of brainstorming and research—sometimes months—then I create my detailed “blueprint” with plot points, subplots, characters, and turning points mapped out to the percentage. I also build a chapter layout and calendar timeline. The blueprint can run 50 pages before I write a single word of the manuscript. Once the structure is in place, I write quickly—sometimes up to 3,500 words a day. 

Look to your right – what’s sitting there?

One of my two white boards on the wall. Beneath it is a desk return connecting my corner computer table with the desk (it is a red-maple desk unit that spans two walls and also includes a credenza). On the return is a Mac laptop (I write on an all-in-one desktop on the corner computer table). 

Anything new coming up from you?  What?

I have several projects under different stages of development. One is a YA book for boys that an agent has expressed an interest in if I write a compelling story. Another is me spinning off my favorite character in the Mauzzy & Me Mystery Series, Mrs. Majelski, into her own mystery series. She’s a blast to write. Think of Elizabeth in Richard Osman’s The Thursday Murder Club series, and then amp up her energy level. That’s Mrs. M. I’m also working on Sara’s next adventure, which will have her hanging out a shingle as a private investigator and opening a whole new world of fun, laughs, and mysteries! 

Do you have a question for our readers?

I have too many to ask. What makes for a compelling mystery? Does there have to be a body? Can there be too much description of a scene (building, room, space) or a character in a mystery? What’s more important – great writing or a great plot?

College student Sara Donovan is in the homestretch of graduating when a mysterious package arrives with an invitation to an exclusive contest. One that will drastically change the winner’s life. Included are unsettling photographs from forgettable chapters in her life and a threatening note strongly suggesting she participate.

With no good options, Sara enters the contest and finds herself at a fabulous mansion up against eight formidable opponents, each with a dark secret and all racing to solve seven levels of riddles and puzzles.

After a contestant’s body is discovered, Sara contemplates dropping out when another package arrives, its chilling contents making clear she’s at the center of a dangerous game with deadly consequences if she quits. But what it doesn’t say is—what happens if she wins?

Read an Excerpt

Karsh Azarian’s pretentious voice came from the end of the table. “It would appear I am now the only courageous one going it alone.” He held a glass of red wine aloft in our direction, a smug grin splashed across his stupid goateed face. “As it should be, I suppose. Fair play and what not.”

Across from me and next to Olivia Fantucci, Scooter Jablonsky’s attention bounced between Karsh, Jimmy, and I. Then he pointed with his half-full drink glass toward Frederick Volkov and Rod Toft, who were seated on our side of the table to Azarian’s right. “Hey, Freddie boy, y’all been quiet tonight. Whatsa matter, your contest off like a herd of turtles?”

Volkov fixed his hound-dog eyes on Scooter. “Quite the contrary, Burl. Tell me, have you and Spencer made it out of your rooms yet, or are you still wrasslin’ with that devilish first clue?” Volkov finished with an amused laugh and clinked glasses with Toft. “Cheers, my friend.”

Scooter was about to blow when Spencer Fernsby inserted himself in the conversation. “Frederick, throughout my career, I have seen your kind come and go. Usually to prison for insider trading and fraud, I might add.” He raised a water glass to his lips. “My goodness, it would be quite difficult to win the contest from a jail cell, don’t you think?”

Volkov jumped to his feet. Even from my vantage point, I could see the blue vein throbbing in his forehead. “Are you threatening me, Fernsby?”

Fernsby smiled warmly, a contrast to his suddenly stone-cold blue-gray eyes. “That certainly wasn’t my intention. My respectful apologies.”

Jimmy whispered in my ear, “The plot thickens.”

About the Author:

B.T. Polcari is a graduate of Rutgers College of Rutgers University, an award-winning mystery author, and a proud father of two wonderful children. He’s a champion of rescue pups (Mauzzy is a rescue), craves watching football and basketball, and, of course, loves reading mysteries. Among his favorite authors are Richard Osman, D.P. Lyle, Frederick Forsyth, and Michael Connelly. He is also an unapologetic fantasy football addict. He lives with his wife in scenic Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Website: http://www.btpolcari.com/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/btpolcari
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/btpolcari/
X (Twitter): https://x.com/btpolcari
Goodreads Profile: https://www.goodreads.com/btpolcari

Signed Copies: http://www.btpolcari.com
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Lucky-Secrets-Mauzzy-Me-Mystery/dp/1509261427/ref=sr_1_1
Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/us/book/lucky-secrets/id6744645288
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/lucky-secrets-b-t-polcari/1147214891
Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/p/books/lucky-secrets/41569b963e658847

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Pyjama Boy by Steven Murphy

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Steven Murphy will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Steven Murphy spent his formative years in Sydney's Redfern.

Abandoned by his mother when only weeks old, his father left him in the care of a cruel, alcoholic stepmother while he himself was in jail. Unbelievably, the child they dubbed the "Pyjama Boy" fought his way through life to achieve his ultimate goal. His story is a poignant and haunting one that captivates its reader from the very beginning and remains long after the book has been closed.

AN INSPIRATIONAL TALE OF SUCCESS AGAINST THE ODDS

Read an Excerpt

There was something odd about the woman driving the yellow station wagon. Her eyes darted around suspiciously. Steve watched her from his patrol car. Her 1988 Sigma moved off from his right at the green lights, to enter the late-night traffic. She had a passenger, a young man with a wispy beard. As they moved, the man looked across at the police car waiting third in line at the red light and then glanced momentarily over his shoulder into the back seat. Sparks spat along the dark surface of the road as he tossed his cigarette out the window of the car.

‘Nervy little punk, ’ remarked the older police constable next to Steve.

‘There’s something odd about both of them in that Sigma...,’ said Steve.

‘Yeah, I think we should have a chat with them.’

As lights turned green and when they were clear of the intersection, Steve pulled past the two vehicles in front of them. The Sigma had increased its pace and was nearly out of view as it turned left almost without slowing. Steve’s pulse rate rose with the revs of the police car. They swung into the side street and passed the Sigma with Red and blue lights flashing, then slowed in front of it. The older policeman put his arm out his window, indicating that the Sigma should pull up at the curb.

While the woman searched a handbag for her licence, Steve noticed that there was someone lying on the back seat of the car. Shining his torch through the window, Steve realised with a jolt that the passenger was gagged, with a tee shirt twisted and pulled tightly into an open mouth. The arms were pulled back and bound at the wrists with a leather belt.

Within minutes a second patrol car had arrived at the scene and the couple were taken into custody, their bound and gagged passenger found to be dead. Steve looked at the victim, a man in his mid-thirties and recognised the face of one who had recently ‘helped him in his enquiries.’ Soon there were detectives and forensic officers examining the car and, as the body was being removed, Steve received orders to drive to an address in a nearby suburban street.

About the Author:

I've never thought of myself as special-just someone who has lived through life's challenges like everyone else. But over time, I've come to see that by sharing my journey, with all its imperfections, I might offer something meaningful to others. Life moves so quickly, and the choices we make shape everything. My hope is that by being honest about my experiences, others might find encouragement or even a little clarity for their own paths.

Speaking at Schools and events across Australia has been an unexpected privilege. These moments aren't about presenting a perfect image; they're about connecting with people on a real, human level. I bring photos, videos, and documents to show the truth of my story-not to impress but to connect. When I speak openly, sharing the vulnerabilities and lessons I've learned, something powerful happens: the audience feels it, and suddenly, it's not just my story-its something they can see themselves in, too.

If you would like to have Steve speak to your School, group or organization he can be contacted through email: stevenmurphy_11@bigpond.com

You can connect with Steven Murphy through a number of platforms to learn more about his story and work.

Website: https://thepyjamaboy.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/stevenmurphyauthor
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/56696685.Steven_Murphy

Book Trailer" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUopXLOFQU4

Visit his website to view the one bedroom flats he uses to live in and show his living conditions as described in the book.

Feel free to reach out — Steven is always happy to connect with readers and share more about his journey.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

My Bully, My Aunt, and Her Final Gift by Harold Phifer

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Harold Phifer will be awarding a $15 Starbucks gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Aunt Kathy made his childhood miserable—now her funeral might just set him free.

In this wickedly funny and deeply honest memoir, Harold Phifer revisits the chaos of growing up under the thumb of a domineering aunt who ruled with twisted wisdom and unpredictable wrath. As he plans her awkward memorial, Hal finds healing in the most unexpected place: her absence. My Bully, My Aunt, and Her Final Gift is a heartfelt journey through trauma, truth, and the strange gifts we inherit from those who hurt us most.

 

Read an Excerpt

The closer I got, the more definite the sounds of dishes breaking, kids playing, and infants testing their lungs, and TVs watching themselves became. Jerry and his wife had separated some time ago. Regardless, he was left with four adult daughters still in the nest. Obviously, the girls brought kids of their own to the mix. But everything unfolding before me appeared chaotic on the other side of that threshold. That entire scene grew larger and more intimidating with every timid step I took.

About the Author:

Harold Phifer was born in the rebellious South of Columbus, Mississippi. As a kid, he worked the streets, hustled the neighbors, and bused tables at bars he didn’t belong in. After graduating from Caldwell High School, he went on to earn degrees from Mississippi State and Jackson State Universities. He became an Air Traffic Controller in Memphis, Tennessee, but after 23 years, he sought purpose elsewhere—working as an international contractor alongside soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan. After narrowly escaping the Taliban takeover in 2021, he took refuge at Guantanamo Bay and resumed his writing while continuing his work as a controller. In 2024, he returned to the Middle East, where he continues to write about life, love, and the human spirit.

Twitter: https://x.com/hephifer
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harold-phifer-093b4091/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HaroldPhifer2024
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/haroldphifer2024/
Website: https://riseandread.com/

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Theirs Until Always by Mae K. Knight

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Mae K. Knight will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Adam:

Men like me don’t get happy endings.
When my demons talk to me, I talk back.
I heeded their call when they demanded my parents’ death.
I even listened when they ordered my own.
And they nearly won.
Until her.
One night changed my life. Then I lost it all. I lost her.
Now, I’ll do anything to get my sunshine back.
But can a sinner like me be willing to share after learning I’m not the only one craving her light?

Jordyn:

When a man shows you his red flags, run.
But running from Adam is easier said than done.
When he re-enters my life, my world implodes with the secrets he’s keeping.
Can I forgive him and learn to live in his shadows? To be the light he thinks I am?
Or will his darkness consume me?

Abel:

Witnessing your twin nearly die, hardens something in you.
I’ll do whatever it takes to keep Adam breathing.
As kids, he’d protected me, even though that was my job as the older brother.
Now, it’s my turn to protect him.
You can run little sunshine, but you won’t get far.
If Jordyn’s what my brother needs to keep his demons at bay, then I’ll claim her for us.
She’ll be ours, always.

Read an Excerpt

This place really does serve a mean cup of Joe.

I lift the delicate-looking porcelain cup to my lips, letting my lashes flutter against my cheeks as I take another hearty sip of my mocha latte. Licking my lips, I glance around the bustling coffee shop, sunlight bathing my fellow caffeine fiends, kissing the glass enclosure showcasing treats and the checkered tile flooring. Behind the green counter, four uniformed bodies move in sync to crank out orders as people filter in and out of the building.

I wait, settling back into the booth I’d snagged early, only moments after the shop opened. I know Jordyn will be strutting her bubbly self through the frosted glass doors at any moment and there’s not a damn thing Adam can do about me intercepting her, unwilling as he is to blow our cover.

But I am fixing this, dammit.

I’ve wiled the hours away on my phone, gathering intel on the next assignment I plan to take as soon as things are cleared up here.

A vacation with your twin and girlfriend wouldn’t be a bad idea.

I freeze, sucking back air as the woman in question strolls in, oblivious to my position at the back of the shop and at the turn of my own thoughts.

My girlfriend?

No. Jordyn is Adam’s. He’s said so, and I’ve respected that, chalking up my moments with her to brotherly duties. My twin needed me and… God, look at the way that dress rises and falls from the delicious jiggle of her ass. I swipe at my mouth in the event drool slipped past my lips.

About the Author Mae K. Knight is a self-published author based in Louisiana, who enjoys writing “trauma boys” as her readers coined them, BIPOC FMCs that look like her and fast, smutty stories that leave you craving for more. When not writing, she’s reading monster romances penned by her fellow indie authors, studying for her nursing degree, or lifting heavy weights in the gym to feel like a bad bitch on a competition platform.

If you want to read more of her work, check out her website: https://maeknight.carrd.co, buy signed paperbacks directly from her: https://mackandmae.shop or go directly to her Amazon page for her KU titles: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Mae-K.-Knight/author/B0D3674KWR. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560507610143
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/49729390.Mae_K_Knight
Threads: https://www.threads.com/@maek.knight
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@maek_knight

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Free Book or a $150 Amazon gift card!! Cinematic Destinies by Patricia Leavy

Patricia Leavy is giving away copies of CINEMATIC DESTINIES, her upcoming romance from She Writes Press. How to get yours? It's easy... just complete the Rafflecopter below and you'll receive one from the author! Plus, one lucky entrant will receive a $150 Amazon gift card!

So, what's the book about? Here's the info:

For fans of Tessa Bailey and Hannah Grace, Cinematic Destinies is a feel-good, contemporary romance about a trio of adult children searching for love and beauty in the shadow of their parents’ legendary Hollywood fairy-tale romance.

Legendary actor Finn Forrester and his wife philosopher Ella Sinclair Forrester met on the location shoot for Jean Mercier’s film Celebration. The world has been captivated by their fairy-tale romance since Finn famously proposed on the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival. As the couple now prepares to celebrate their thirtieth wedding anniversary, they wonder if their children will ever find love.

Eldest daughter Betty is excelling in a medical residency program in New York City—and has convinced herself that distancing herself from emotions is the path to success. Youngest son Albert, a recent college graduate, is trying to find his footing in Boston as he struggles with his identity. Free-spirited Georgia, her mother’s spitting image and an actress following in her father’s footsteps, has been cast in Jean Mercier’s final film, mysteriously titled Beauty. When she arrives on set in Iceland and meets her costar, sparks fly. Is history repeating itself? How has growing up in the shadow of the world’s most iconic love story affected each of the Forrester children?

Reviews

“If you’re a romantic with a brain and a heart, this is your jam . . . I closed the book with a full heart and a goofy grin.” Literary Titan, 5-star review

“Cinematic Destinies is a stunning and poignant celebration of romance, the magic of movies, and life itself. The exotic Icelandic film set, well-drawn characters, and smart writing make this book impossible to put down . . . This is a gorgeous novel.” —Laurel Richardson, author of Lone Twin

“Overall, the writing, the characters, the little nods of sizzle, and the brilliant family dynamic make this book a winner. Very highly recommended.”—Readers’ Favorite, 5-star review

“Leavy’s latest must-read novel features a trio of romantic storylines about the quest for love and identity in the shadow of a Hollywood fairy tale . . . Cinematic Destinies is a spellbinding ode to love, art, and what it means to live.” —Mary E. Weems, author of Blackeyed

About the Author:

Patricia Leavy is an award-winning, best-selling author. Formerly Associate Professor of Sociology and Founding Director of Gender Studies at Stonehill College, she has published more than fifty books; her work has been translated into many languages, and she has received more than one hundred book honors. Her most recent novel, Shooting Stars Above, was featured on People “10 Romance Books to Read After Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry.” She has also received career awards from the National Art Education Association, the American Creativity Association, the American Educational Research Association, and other organizations. In 2018, she was honored by the National Women’s Hall of Fame and SUNY-New Paltz established the “Patricia Leavy Award for Art and Social Justice.” In 2024 the London Arts-Based Research Centre established “The Patricia Leavy Award for Arts-Based Research.” Patricia lives in Maine. In addition to writing, she enjoys art, reading, and travel.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Cinematic-Destinies-Novel-Carpet-Romance-ebook/dp/B0DWNGNM1Z/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0

Patricia Leavy will award a free digital copy of her upcoming book CINEMATIC DESTINIES to the first 7500 people who enter the Rafflecopter and one lucky entrant will receive a $150 Amazon gift card.

a Rafflecopter giveaway   

Seed by Shelly Campbell

 

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

Welcome to It's Raining Books! Why do you write in your genre? What draws you to it?

I’ve always liked to plunk realistic characters into unrealistic worlds. That makes horror, fantasy, and science fiction a natural fit for me. They’re the types of books I was drawn to as a kid, and they still draw me in now. As an adult, it’s not lost on me that sometimes it’s safer to examine real world issues through the lens of ‘What if this was happening in a world far, far away?’ With all of the technologies and horrors that are happening in the world, sometimes it can feel like we’re living in a horror or sci-fi story, but I’m still drawn to these types of fiction, because they’re still an escape. And it’s cathartic, because I can write characters who tackle excruciatingly hard issues that I feel helpless tackling in real life. My main characters are far braver and wiser than I am, that’s for sure.

What research is required?

ALL THE RESEARCH!!! Kidding—kind of. It’s really easy to fall down the rabbit hole of research and forget that you have to eventually stop world-building and start making this world feel lived in. I love reading realistic sci-fi, but I’m not smart enough to understand any of the complexities of general relativity, astrophysics or quantum mechanics. I did read up a bit about relative velocity and time dilation--and it made my head hurt. Some of the concepts about how differently time passes in the dimensions my main character travels between are based on the physics of what happens to relative time when objects are travelling at close to light speed. I am the furthest thing there is from a scientist. Let’s hope I didn’t butcher it too badly!

Name one thing you learned from your hero/heroine.

Sometimes it’s okay to be invisible. Quiet people can save the world too.

Do you have any odd or interesting writing quirks, habits or superstitions?

I have a beautiful writing nook set up in my master bedroom, with a little desk, a lovely window to look out, inspiring art, the coolest retro-typewriter-looking keyboard ever, just a beautiful set up, really. But most often my writing happens when I find myself plunked in a recliner chair with my laptop on my lap or curled over my phone in a car waiting to pick up kids from sports practices. I rarely write in my beautiful little writing nook. Perhaps it just needs a comfier chair?

Are you a plotter or pantser?

I’m a plantser. Plottser? A mix of both. I will write a bare-bones outline so that I know generally where my books are going and how I’d like them to end. Then I start writing. Sometimes my characters and I follow the path I made, and sometimes we go crashing through the bush instead. Both are fun.

Look to your right – what’s sitting there?

An old comfy couch. That’s what’s beside the comfy recliner I’m currently nesting in. Even now, I’m not using the beautiful writing nook!

Anything new coming up from you? What?

I’m currently working on book 3 in my Sol Survivor series. It’s a YA solar flare post apocalypse set in near future Canada with a main character who has ADHD. If that sounds up your alley, you can check out book 1 Knowledge Itself or book 2 Madness of People.

Do you have a question for our readers?

What was your last favourite read and why? I’m always looking to add to my TBR pile!

Thanks so much for having me on the blog. I really appreciate the chance to connect with new readers.

You are so welcome! We are happy to have you here.

Glitching between dimensions wasn't supposed to be my life, but sometimes you have to dance with the darkness.

I should be dead. Shot twice through the chest. But the Embassy saved me because I’m a one-of-a-kind freak who blips to worlds they can’t reach. Now I’m their personal mule, raiding collapsing planets to fatten their coffers. Lucky me.

And things have gone from bad to worse. My old team is being held hostage, my family’s in danger, and the darkness hunts me across realities. My one shot to end this living hell? Take down the Embassy, save Charlie, and torch the whole rotten system. Simple, right? One misstep though, and we’re toast. Alien breach. Apocalypse. End scene.

If I fail, the darkness won’t stop until it swallows us whole.

Read an Excerpt

Heaviness blankets me. A childish part of me wanted to hang onto the idea that I was an instrumental part of saving the universe. More than that though, I’d hoped that Cory slipped me his wedding ring so he could save me. For a single stupid moment, I thought this was about me. Why do I keep doing this? Falling for the idea that people care about me for who I am and not what I can do for them? The only people who loved me like that are my family, and I can’t ever reach them again without inadvertently siccing the darkness on them. I take a deep, hollow breath before asking, “What do you want, Cory?”

About the Author

At a young age, Shelly Campbell wanted to be an air show pilot or a pirate, possibly a dragon and definitely a writer and artist. She’s piloted a Cessna 172 through spins and stalls, and sailed up the east coast on a tall ship barque—mostly without projectile vomiting. In the end, Shelly found writing and drawing dragons to be so much easier on the stomach. Shelly writes speculative fiction ranging from grimdark fantasy, to sci-fi and horror. She’d love to hear from you.

Website: http://www.shellycampbellauthorandart.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ShellyCFineArt
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shellycampbellfineart
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shellycampbellauthorandart
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@shellycampbellauthor

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Seed-interdimensional-Science-Fiction-Horror-ebook/dp/B0F79Q1GML/ref=sr_1_1

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Among Us by V.G. Harrison

 

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. V.G. Harrison will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

She's in the most dangerous place in the world.

Prof. Meridia Vail, a member of the Bridgeway Space Station, has escaped the government stronghold and is on a mission among the human population of this "new" Earth. She needs to find scientists, engineers, researchers, anyone who can help her and her crew get back to their derelict space station that has crossed over into a different dimension. The sooner the better, too. The Bridgeway is in a decaying orbit and has the potential to kill millions, if it crash lands on the planet.

Trusting anyone in this New Earth is going to be hard to come by. The authorities have branded her as a maniac who has escaped from a mental hospital. For the past five years, multiple countries have colluded in declaring no survivors from the Bridgeway Space Station incident. When Meridia's finally able to convince a university professor, Dr. Dana Haden, of who she is, Prof. Vail realizes she's not home-free yet. She has to convince the entire world who she is and expose the lies nations have been telling their citizens. Will governments be forced to free her crew so they can work the problem...or will they take their chances and nuke the station from orbit to bury their secrets?

Read an Excerpt

“Is there supposed to be something good in this fridge?” I asked, staring at the food lining the shelves.

Dana glanced over my shoulder. “Your guess is as good as mine, but I’m betting Decker keeps the good stuff in here.”

“It depends on what your definition of good is.” All I saw were containers of leftovers that were various shapes, sizes, and colors. Everything screamed of unhealthiness to me.

“How about we start simple?” Dana placed her hand on my shoulder and ushered me over to a nearby stool where I sat at the counter. “We have this thing on our Earth called a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.”

“I know what peanut butter and jelly is.” I paused. “It’s not that crunchy kind, is it?”

“Oh my God.” Giggling, she went through the cabinets until she found an unopened jar of strawberry jam. “What’s wrong with crunchy?”

“It’s…crunchy.”

“So it’s the texture.”

“You could say that. Everything is calm and serene when it comes to chewing the soft bread and gooey jelly…but then you hit the crunchy peanut butter that shatters the peace like a baseball going through a glass atrium. It’s barbaric.”

Dana laughed as she opened up the bread sack next. “So I guess there’s no crunchy peanut butter in your world.”

“Oh, there’s crunchy peanut butter for those who want it. I’m just not that savage.”

“Oh, stop.” Beaming, Dana threw a slice of bread that hit me in the face.

I laughed. “You must like crunchy then. I rest my case, savage.”

“You’re a real piece of work, you know that?”

We both laughed.

About the Author:Amazon best-selling author, V.G. Harrison enjoys creating smart heroines who are more comfortable dealing with things like Fine-structure constant and quantum entanglement than the fallout from their conflict. She loves to write stories that leave her audience so engaged they can't sleep at night, thinking about the possibilities.

V.G. holds a Bachelors in Biomedical Engineering and a Masters in Information Technology. When she's not writing, she's an IT manager for software company.

Her ever-growing list of hobbies include astronomy, attending comic cons, keeping an eye on the cryptocurrency and stock markets, hydroponics gardening, hiking, and connecting with her daughter on a cool level. Building Lego sets at night with milk and cookies on the side come in handy for that.

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/booksbycoletteandharrison
Bluesky: http://www.bluesky.com/vgharrison.bsky.social
Author website: http://www.vgharrison.com
Blog: https://www.vgharrison.com/blog-1

Publisher Buy Link: https://mochamemoirspress.com/product/among-us/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Among-Us-Dyson-Bridge/dp/1962353257/ref=sr_1_1

a Rafflecopter giveaway