Book Spotlight - The Last Savior - Book 1 @moreaboutme

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The Last Savior

Book 1

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I welcome author, Jalleh Doty, onto the blog today. 

 It is about a person that is chosen to save humanity from itself in a world that has decayed beyond repair where people have lost hope. The beginning deals with his mother as to who she is and what kind of nurturing she does to help her child take his place as the last savior.

The Savior fosters his own teachings merging science with spirituality as he confronted with the unknown as to how people will perceive him in the world of modern religion.

Some think he is the reincarnation of Jesus, Some people think he's a profit, some will hate him. But he is not alone in the world as he meets people who help him on his Journey, to be his support to accomplish what he must. To give humanity hope, To redefine what God is and so much more.

Where can I purchase The Last Savior?

Lulu 

About the author 

 This is the first full length story book that I have created with Paricher Adli called The Last Savior book 1. Jalleh Doty is a previously published author, whose works have been seen in the Iliad press and Poetry and satire for the avante garde. Paricher Adli has previously published essays in Psychology. 

Book Spotlight - Thumbs @SamDallas #booksgs

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Hitchhiking Home

Thumbs

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Thumbs is coming of age adventure that takes place on a 3,000-mile hitchhiking journey from Portland, Oregon to Dallas, Texas. Lessons learned along treks of this nature are often learned the hard way, not because we are dumb, but because we are not as smart as we think we are. And, there is a difference. There are many examples of this miscalculation. As a matter of fact, most of this story is a miscalculation of one sort or another.

It’s funny, scary and everything in between, but most of all it’s funny.

 ***

Book Extract 

Even though I was fully clothed, I felt as naked as Lucy Ball. As I watched her chase Dewayne down the road, it occurred to me that I had never seen a woman completely naked like this, head to toe. I had panted through plenty of magazines; I had even seen a stag film, and on limited occasions had caught glimpses of soft white flesh in the back seat of a car. But face-to-face full-frame nakedness—this definitely was a new experience.

About twenty-five yards down the road, Lucy ended her chase. Dewayne had fired the afterburners, and the '57 Chevy and Lucy's clothes were headed out of sight, still gaining speed. She put her hands on her knees and dropped her head, trying to catch her breath. I walked slowly towards her, not knowing exactly what to say. Without raising up, she turned her head and said, “You know, Dewayne probably thinks we're still in the car." Now she started to giggle; then I started to giggle. It was a great relief to know I didn't have a hysterical naked woman on my hands.

"I guess this means you guys are divorced," I said. Now in a full guffaw, it really was a silly-looking scene, and the fact that we were falling down laughing made it even more so. Slowly, we gained control.

"Would you like some clothes to put on?"

We walked back to where I had dropped my shoulder bag.  Lucy was brushing dirt off her behind as I dug through my wardrobe, trying my best not to look directly at her nakedness. "All I have are jeans."

Lucy slipped one leg and then the other into my jeans. My eyes followed the material closely as it slid over her upper leg, paused briefly, covered her round bottom, then zipped up and snapped shut. Next came the shirt, and I watched her breasts disappear behind each button. Since I only wore size 8 1/2 shoes, the white basketball shoes I gave her weren't too awkward. Maybe it was the road, or seeing her in the raw, or the pull of the moon, or a combination of all this and more, but she looked kind of cute in a Mickey Rooney-Boy's Town sort of way.

Through all of this strangeness, it struck me that she had never been embarrassed; that's O.K., because I had been embarrassed enough for the both of us. Maybe she never quite understood what was going on, or maybe I didn't.

I picked up my bag and said, "What now?"

She looked up with a smile that almost instantly turned to disgust. "Don't worry; I'm not moving in."

She had seen a familiar look on my face. The old "It ain't my job to take care of you" look. I had learned the look and tone of voice only recently from my brother when he suggested that somewhere else might be a better place for me to be—anywhere else. Lucy had decoded the message almost before I realized I had sent it.

She stood at the edge of the road and looked both ways. There were no tears. She gathered herself, then turned and walked south. I followed, desperately searching for an emotional band-aid. “You want to go to Texas?" I blurted. Obviously, this was more of an emotional tourniquet than a band-aid, but overcompensating had always been my downfall.

"Screw you," she said without turning to face me.

"No, really, you're welcome to come along. I don't have any place to stay yet, and I've only got about thirty-five dollars, but I've got lots of friends," I said, now speaking in a tone that begged for forgiveness. "Where are you going?"

"Seattle," she snapped.

"You're going the wrong way," I said, pleading for a smile.

"Then I'm going to California."

"Maybe I'll just tag along, O.K.?" I said, still looking for relief.

Suddenly, she stopped and turned to face me. The hardness in her voice had eased just a bit. "Listen, down this road is a town. In that town is a bar. I will have a job in that bar before the sun goes down. I don't have a problem; at least I don't have a problem I can't handle." She wheeled away and continued to walk and talk. "We've known each other for an hour. I don't expect you to marry me. Hey, I knew I wasn't going anywhere when I got in Dewayne's car last night.   Nothing changed except you, and you ain't going nowhere either." She paused and looked at me. Now she looked twice her age. "When a person's going nowhere, they don't need someone like you hanging around and pointing out the shortcuts. I know the way."

Where can I buy this fabulous book?

Amazon

About the author

My name is Sam Johnson and I am a retired advertising man, and a fifth generation Texan. I have two very successful grown children (who never ask me for money) and a wife who is the love of my life (who has all my money). I live on a small ranch in the hill country of Texas, southwest of Austin. I eat too much barbeque and Mexican food and drink a little red wine, mostly pinot noir, on occasion. All-in-all, life is pretty good.

When I was an Ad Guy I use to write about soap, cereal and the likes. Now I write just for fun. I write the way I talk, which is not always an asset. I try to write about real things disguised as fiction, but I guess that’s what everyone tries to do. In any case, I hope you find it interesting.

     As time goes by I'll tell you more about myself, but for now all you need to know is that one day I was fifty and at the top of my game and the next I was 65 and wondering where the time went, and as stupid as that sounds, that’s pretty much how I became a novelist. 

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Author Interview - Courtney Shepard : @CAShepard76 #booksgs

It is with the greatest pleasure that I welcome Courtney Shepard onto the blog today.

But before we crack on with the interview, let's take a quick look at her book.

 

Asha is fire. 

Every generation four sisters with power over earth, air, fire, and water are born to fight against a fanatical, secret faith. The Order exists only to sacrifice the sisters for their power. With each success their strength and control grows. They have never failed, for their rule depends on it. 

The sisters, separated at birth, are unaware of what hunts them...but they are coming. 
A handsome stranger discovers Asha in hiding, and swears allegiance to her cause. She falls for him; though he is not who he says he is. Betrayed and imprisoned inside the Order, Asha is without her power for the first time in her life. 

As the war heats up haunting secrets and true motivations are revealed, but the sisters must unite and override their instincts and trust the untrustworthy if they are to fight their terrifying destiny.

***

    MY: Hi Courtney, could you tell us a little bit about your journey to becoming a published author.

CS: I always wanted to write, but I never thought I could do it, not in a million years. I should have just tried, but life and doubts made it difficult. Then when I had my baby I finally had some time. I realized it was now or never. Once I started I couldn’t stop. It was incredibly fulfilling, exciting, and fun.

After I finished my first draft I had difficulty finding an agent, so I went the indie publishing route. I found a small press and ebook publisher interested, and the day I signed the contract was one of the best of my life. Champagne Book Group took me on, and they published Unbalanced as an ebook. I am hoping to go to print in the next year.

MY: What does your average ‘writing day’ look like?

CS: I am back to work and a ‘writing day’ is rare. I have a toddler and I don’t often get a full day to write. I usually write for a couple of hours after he is in bed. But if I do get a full day, then it starts with a pot of coffee. I sit on my couch with my laptop on my lap and dive in. It doesn’t matter if I don’t feel it. Those opportunities are too precious to waste. It usually takes me a few hours to get into a rhythm, but once I’m there I will write for hours. I can barely stop for food or bathroom breaks because a roll is a roll and they feel awesome.

MY:  Are there any authors that you particularly admire? And if so, why?

CS: I love to read and I am not a critical reader. I respect and admire all authors. I used to only read the classics. So I love the usual writers. Jane Austen, Fydor Dostoyevsky, the Bronte sisters, and Shakespeare. Then I read the Harry Potter series and stopped being such a literary snob. Now I read everything, and I love everything I read. I appreciate rich, expressive language and conflict, but a story with strong women is my new niche. I love Toni Morrison and her fully developed characters. She is a genius.

MY: What are you currently working on?

CS: I am currently working on Unbent, Book 2 of the Unbalanced Series. Unbalanced was Asha’s story, and Unbent is Mere’s story. Unanswered questions and plot motivations are explained and further developed.

MY: If you could give advice to an aspiring author, what would it be?

CS: Don’t give up. I never thought I could do it. But I tried and I made it. Sometimes I still can’t believe it. So I understand everyone has doubts but if writing is what you love and want to do then don’t give up. Rejection will come, but if you can deal with it and persist you will succeed.

MY:  Authors are often portrayed as being cat owners who drinks a lot of  coffee. Is this true for you?

CS: Coffee yes, but no cat. I have a child, and he is more than enough to look after. But as a cat does, my son gives me love and snuggles and maybe one day I will get him a cat. LOL.

MY:  If you could meet anyone from the past, who would it be and why?

CS: Emily Bronte. Wuthering Heights is one of my favourite books. I was drawn to the complexity of the characters and the rollercoaster love story. I was so obsessed with Heathcliff I named one of my characters after him. I would love to know more about how she created such an amazing story. I would also like to meet Tom Petty because he fascinates me. His music is amazing, but I also think he would be a really interesting guy.

MY: Where do you see yourself in five years?

CS: In five years I hope to have completed the Unbalanced Series and see it in print. I currently live in Vancouver, but I would love to live in a smaller town and have a little farm/B&B away from the city’s hustle and bustle. We all have our dreams and chickens and a slower pace are mine.

Book Extract 

Asha scanned the field. Just go now. The battle chaos was her only chance for cover. The ground shook again, harder this time.

Clay swiveled to his brother. “Rio?”

“It’s not me.”

Forget cover, go now.

With a crack and rumble, the ground surrounding the cabin broke apart and water burst from the earth. It sprayed as strong as any fire hose up and over the cabin. The pounding force was like a waterfall in reverse and the flames sputtered and died.

She had never seen anything like it, an enormous water fountain extinguishing fire burning that hot. The cabin door, charred and still smoking, flew off its hinges and onto the flooded grass.

Three figures ran out into the early morning glare. Asha took off her helmet and slouchy hood, but her eyes weren’t playing tricks. She could see them clearly, even across the distance, and her stomach dropped. They stopped short, facing an army with guns raised. No.

“Fire.”

“Stop!” Her scream was too late; the soldiers fired. She didn’t have time to act; they were sitting ducks. She prepared for their thrashing bodies, but like a swarm of hovering locusts, the bullets stopped in mid-air and dropped.

What? She couldn’t get her mind around the scene unfolding before her. She’d lost control of her body. Her muscles wouldn’t move.

“Hold your fire,” Clay shouted, but the soldiers continued shooting. His brothers were the only ones not attacking. They had to be as shocked by the falling bullets as she was. She couldn’t blame them. She was as still and as useless as a rock, unable to move or act, only watch in growing disbelief. Three young women stood against an army.

“Asha,” yelled one of the girls, her eyes were even brighter green than Clay’s. “We’re your sisters. We’ve been looking for you.”

Where can you buy this fabulous book?  

Amazon

B&N

iTunes
Champagne Book

About the author

Courtney Shepard is a new indie author who writes paranormal and fantasy romance. After studying journalism she turned to fiction writing, publishing the first book in her four book series with Champagne Book Group. Courtney lives in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Other links you would like to include such as your website, Facebook  etc..

Website: www.unbalancedseries.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/unbalancedseries/?ref=br_rs

 

 

Book Review - Dare to Dream by Kate Lattey

I had the very great pleasure of reviewing Dare To Dream, by YA author, Kate Lattey.

Let's take a look at the book... 

Saying goodbye to the horses they love has become a way of life for Marley and her sisters, who train and sell show jumpers to make their living. Marley has grand ambitions to jump in Pony of the Year, but every good pony she’s ever had has been sold out from under her to pay the bills.

Then a half-wild pinto pony comes into her life, and Marley finds that this most unlikely of champions could be the superstar she has always dreamed of. As Marley and Cruise rise quickly to the top of their sport, it seems as though her dreams of winning the Pony of the Year might come true after all.

But her family is struggling to make ends meet, and as the countdown to Pony of the Year begins, Marley is forced to face the possibility of losing the pony she has come to love more than anything else in the world.

Can Marley save the farm she loves, without sacrificing the pony she can’t live without?

 

***

What did I think of the book?

How can you dare to dream when…

Your parents are dead,

Your eldest sister is your guardian and she has to contend with thinly veiled threats from the social worker because you, can’t concentrate at school,

The bank is calling in the mortgage and the debts are spiralling out of control,

The best hope of wining Pony of the Year has got caught up in a barbed-wire fence and his future is now uncertain,

and... you may be falling in love with your best-friends brother?

But amid all the uncertainly and worry, Marley finds herself drawn to an unbroken pinto pony called Cruise and the two of them form a bond stronger than anything Marley has ever experienced with a pony before. But, Marley knows the score, their farm trains horses and sales them on for a profit – it is that or eviction. Marley vows to fight tooth and nail to keep this one pony forever.

Set in the beautiful backdrop of New Zealand, and based on a true story, Dare to Dream is a riveting and beautiful page-turner. I commend Lattey for writing so exceptionally well and about such a diverse range of emotions - she really does describe them all - making her characters not only very well fleshed, but real in the telling. They had my sympathy, but also they inspired me – they never gave up, not once, even when everything seemed so hopeless.

The story itself was incredibly well crafted, with enough twist and turns to keep me engaged. This isn’t just another pony book – believe me, you haven’t read this one before. I really, really liked it and I have absolutely no hesitation in recommending this book to anyone. I shall certainly be looking out for more from this author. Highly Recommend.

***

Where can I purchases a copy of Dare To Dream?

Amazon US  

Amazon UK

About the author

Kate Lattey lives in Waikanae, New Zealand and started riding at the age of 10. She was lucky enough to get her first pony two years later, and went on to compete regularly as a teenager before heading to university.

In the years since, Kate has never been far from horses, and has worked in various jobs including as a livery yard groom in England, a trekking guide in Ireland, and riding school instructor in New Zealand, and has spent five wonderful summers in the USA as a camp counsellor at Road's End Farm, NH. During her time there Kate wrote several short stories about the farm's horses, which were a huge hit with the campers.

Kate is the Head Coach at her local Pony Club, judges at shows in the local area, and enjoys training her horse JJ for show hunter (hunter jumper) competitions. She has been reading and writing pony stories ever since she can remember, and loves being able to share them with readers from all over the world.  

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Book Spotlight - Signs of (a) life @liamsamolis

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✶ Signs of (a) Life  ✶ 

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Let's give a warm welcome to author, Liam Samolis.

 

Much like his beloved – and somewhat decrepit – cars, Liam Samolis (NOT his real name; that was changed in order to protect his wife and children from ridicule on the off chance some of their friends will read his work) is hurtling towards 50 with the brakes failing. The painful loss of his father leads Liam to look back at his life as he contemplates the legacy he is leaving his own children; resulting in a hilarious, often self-deprecating, and ALWAYS brutally, side-splittingly, honest glimpse at the path that has lead him to become the man that he is. With stories about growing up as a painfully shy child in England, going to an all-boys’ school, and what can only be described as the most uproariously hysterical bar scene EVER written, Liam also recounts his days as a police officer, the births of his children, and saying goodbye to his father. What began as a legacy to his children will send readers into peals of raucous laughter, likely leading them to tears and other unexpected bodily functions. If you read one book this year, Signs of (a) Life should be it – nowhere else will you be so moved by a man simply living. 

***

Let's delve into the covers of this book and look at a brief extract.

My dancing - and I'm using the term ‘dancing’

loosely here - was learned mostly at disco dances at

my local rugby club. Therein lies a clue to my choreographic

expertise...Most male rugby players tend

to be reasonably large, and if not corpulent, rather

muscular. Now, while a strong/fat/muscular frame

used to be a useful asset in playing the glorious

game, it is by of course no means the whole package;

and as demonstrated by most of my worthy fellow

players, tends, among other things to not result in

the most supple or acrobatic of dancers. I’m being

kind, of course - what really needs to be said is that

rugby club dancing (for the male members at least)

generally involves a rather subdued shuffling of the

feet, half a pace to each side and almost, but – and

this is the crucial part - not quite, in time to the beat.

Accompanying this, by hunching one’s shoulders,

the hands are raised halfway to the waist level where

they hang nervously and awkwardly, waiting in vain

for something to do, and somewhere else - anywhere

else - to be.

It’s an attractive picture isn’t it? No...not really, I

know. In fact; not at all. I was of course aware that

such indolent mooching around the dance floor

achieved little, except perhaps to reinforce Mr.

Darwin’s assertions upon the evolutionary process, and maybe to propose a whole new (and ongoing)

ending to the theory of Neanderthal Man’s ‘demise’.

However, despite this issue being something that I

was familiar with, I was doomed by my training to

perform this same strange ritual of sliding around the

floor without apparently lifting my feet. Occasionally,

when dancing with my girlfriend - or if not a girlfriend,

the latest in a short line of deeply unfortunate

dance partners - I would try to vary my ‘moves’ (or

more honestly: spasmodic twitches) with what I considered

to be hilarious and endearing gyrations of the

arms and, for some inexplicable reason, the face. Yep;

sexy. I was sometimes (usually with the aid of liquid

intoxicants) able to kid myself that I attained some

level of dancing proficiency above the standard rugby

club level, however I’m forced to admit that in reality

all I ever managed to create was a vague impersonation

of an immature baboon having some kind of

seizure while trying to remove a parasitic insect from

its crotch.

Immune from such reservations on this night,

however, I launched myself upon the dance floor

and the tender mercies of the delightful ladies in the

immediate vicinity who until that moment had been

enjoying themselves. It was a tactic which had the

same effect as throwing a fresh cow turd into the midst

of a gathering of germophobes. At the sight of my

‘dancing’, women scattered in every direction; some

hugged their friends, some ran away looking over

their shoulder in open alarm, and some simply burst

into tears on the spot. A full, busy dance floor almost

instantly became an empty wasteland, across which

blew an occasional tumbleweed (well; a napkin). It

took me a little while to notice of course - just long

enough, that is, for me to look like a complete pratt,

shuffling and gyrating quite alone around the parquet

square in blissful, alcohol-assisted ignorance of the

effect upon my surroundings. Once I did notice what

was going on, of course, my stomach leapt up into

my mouth, my heart fluttered, and I began to panic. I

was faced with the classic dilemma - whether to get

out of sight immediately or bluff it out in the hope of

people returning to the vicinity...

 

Where can I buy this fabulous book?

Amazon US  

Amazon UK 

Friesenpress 

About the author

Liam Samolis was born and grew up in the North west of England, where he lived until 2002. Having served for eighteen years as a 'British Bobby', Liam moved to Canada with his young family, and set out to look at life from a new and different perspective.

With a wealth of enormously varied experiences behind him, Liam draws upon his past, both in England and Canada, as he finds himself gravitating towards the humorous side to almost every facet of life. Despite - as a younger man - having tried quite hard to do so, he finds it impossible to take himself -or indeed life in general - very seriously. This is partly fuelled by the fact that an old friend recently confided in him that the first impression he created thirty years ago was of "...a big dope with a grin." It's hard to ignore feedback of that order.

Liam has published his first book, 'Signs of (a) Life' - a selection of short, and at times distressingly true stories scavenged from the treasure chest of life happenings and is actively engaged on a number of projects, including his reminiscences of English school life in the 1970s, and a dark, crime-driven work of fiction set in a remote BC community.

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