Anything You Can Do by B R Maycock / #Interview #BlogBlitz @rararesources @BRMaycock

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What would you do if the stars aligned to put everything right in your home?

If Roles Were Reversed …

Caroline and Noel Morton are two people who need a change. One wants to escape the rat race while the other hopes to join it!

When Noel is asked to begin working from home he’s quick to say yes. More time with his three children? How could he not? Meanwhile Caroline is considering starting a new job. How amazing would it be to hit goals and targets and have people actually thank you for a change? And when she receives an offer from the failing Eden Street box company, an organisation in chaos, she’s ready to change the world!

But is an organisation brimming with employees who are tired, disillusioned and waiting to be let go what she really needs? And can Noel work from a chaotic home with three children, an obsessed work colleague and a disillusioned mother ready to thwart his plans at every turn?

Join Caroline and Noel as we return to Riverside to see if everyday changes can guide a relationship back to solid ground or if they’ll further tear it apart!

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Q&A

Did or do you like to read comic books/grapic novels? Which ones?

Oh my god growing up I lived for comics, there was Dandy, Beano, Whoopee, Whizzer and Chips, Bunty, Mandy and Judy and I had the worl’d biggest stack, which sadly I think I handed over to a book fair (I never give up searching Mum’s house just in case I didn’t!!)

Whom did you inherit your love for books/reading from?

Ah my dad was a journalist and then editor of a magazine and reading was a given, Friday night we went to the bookshop and Saturday morning the library.

When you need a murder victim or someone you can diagnose with a serious disease or someone who is involved in a fatal accident do you sometimes picture someone nasty you have met in real life and think ‘got you’ LOL?

I’m lucky I write rom coms so the worst I do is have a ‘baddy’ fall over or nearly knocked down or something.

How do you come up with the names for your characters?

They just kind of come to me. Saying that if I’m ever told by my editor to change them (if their name sounds like another in the book for example), I’m bereft, as it’s really hard to picture the character with a different name!

Do write other things beside books (and shoppinglists 😉 )?

Not really, unless you count the odd diary entry I’ve written to put in my kids’ boxes for when they’re older. Oh and I’m a list maker. I love ticking things off a good ‘To Do’ list!

If a movie or series would be made from your books, would you be happy with the ‘based on’ version or would you rather like they showed it exactly the way you created it?

Ooh, great question. I think I’d have certain marks they’d need to hit and some jokes I’d want in, but other than that, fire away!

Who would you like/have liked to interview?

J K Rowling, not for any political reasons, just to find out about her processes etc.

Do you have certain people you contact while doing research to pick their brains? What are they specialized in?

I have contacted different industry people for different things, eg in Pushing Her Luck (always free on Kindle, Apple, Kobo and Nook), which is about a lottery winner who wants to save the town of Abbeyglen, I had to find a financial planner and also contact the actual Irish lottery!

Is there someone you sometimes discuss a dilemma with?

Ah I’m so lucky I belong to a number of chick lit and writing groups where people are only to happy to help you out!

What is more important to you : a rating in stars with no comments or a reviewer who explains what the comments they give are based on (without spoilers of course).

Oh I hate no comments, especially with a low rating more because as a reader I go to the low stars to see if they resonate with me, so if a person says they like gore etc in a crime thriller and I want none, bam, I’ll buy. If they say it was too slow burn, again, I’m in!

So that’s me, thanks so so much for having me, much appreciated!

Thank you, B R Maycock and Rachel’s Random Resources

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About the author 

Hi Readers, I’m Berni and I’m a rom-commer!

My start: Enid Blyton, Roald Dahl and the entire contents of our local library, then Sweet Valley High, Point Horror, Babysitters Club and The Saddle Club before drifting into adulthood where I found Jenny Colgan, Marian Keyes, Patricia Cornwall, Stephen King and John Grisham.

I am now an absolute chick lit, rom com, and thriller addict and former book blogger (you might know me from B R Maycock’s book blog).

My goal is always to give someone something they can settle down with for a bit of escapism and a laugh with small town series, ‘mom lit’ books and sparkly standalones.

Then there’s the official line…

B R Maycock (Berni to all you lovely people!) writes romantic comedies that are warm, sparkly and fun. She can be found in Co. Westmeath, Ireland with her brilliantly out there husband, Keith, their four epic little men, and four cats She has one goal and that’s simply to make readers smile and/ or laugh (a splutter rates highest;)).

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Author Links 

BRMaycock’s book Blog  https://brmaycock.wordpress.com

Twitter (@BRMaycock)  – https://twitter.com/brmaycock?lang=en

Bookbub  – https://www.bookbub.com/profile/b-r-maycock

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/brmaycock/

 Facebook  – https://www.facebook.com/BRMaycockWriter/

Goodreads  – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14023632.B_R_Maycock

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Book Links

 https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B09HP376ZX

Germany

https://www.amazon.de/Anything-You-Can-Do-Riverside-ebook/dp/B09HP376ZX

AU

https://www.amazon.com.au/Anything-You-Can-Do-Riverside-ebook/dp/B09HP376ZX

US

 https://www.amazon.com/Anything-You-Can-Do-Riverside-ebook/dp/B09HP376ZX

The Chosen Twelve by James Breakwell / #Extract #BookTour @lolasblogtours @XplodingUnicorn

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​ There are 22 candidates. There are 12 seats.

The last interstellar colony ship is down to its final batch of humans after the robots in charge unhelpfully deleted the rest. But rebooting a species and training them for the arduous task of colonisation isn’t easy – especially when the planet below is filled with monsters, the humans are more interested in asking questions than learning, and the robots are all programmed to kill each other.

But the fate of humanity rests on creating a new civilization on the planet below, and there are twelve seats on the lander. Will manipulation or loyalty save the day?

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Extract

First part of chapter 13

SIGMA SHOOK OUT her arms and legs at the starting line. This was going to be her year. Not that she had any idea what year it was or when that year might have started.
The annual Not the Death Race wasn’t so much “annual” as semi-random. Sigma hosted it whenever she felt like it had been long enough since the last one. This time, it felt like it had been several lifetimes. In a way, it had. She spent her days living and dying in a virtual world dominated by homicidal kangaroos. The race would be a nice change of pace. It offered the mere possibility of death as opposed to the absolute certainty of it in the simulations. Even real death beat another day at the Table.
“On your mark!” Kappa said.
Sigma crouched in the starting position. She had to be fast off the line. If she wasn’t, Iota might catch her and lock her in a utility closet—again. The first rule of the Not the Death Race was: anything not expressly
forbidden was implicitly allowed. The second rule was: know how to break out of a utility closet.
Kappa raised his arm. “Get set!”
Beta put his toe on the starting line. Iota leaned forward.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Epsilon asked.
Sigma sighed. She had picked this start time specifically because Epsilon was supposed to be busy at the Table.
She must have gotten her civilization wiped out faster than usual.
“It’s not what it looks like,” Sigma said.
“Super,” Epsilon said, “because it looks like the Not the Death Race.”
Despite making the organics face their simulated mortality at the Table on a daily basis, SCASL had forbidden them from engaging in real-life risk-taking behavior, which included roaming the outer halls, whistling while chewing, death races, and—after reviewing Edubot’s files—Not the Death Races. That made Sigma want to have one all the more.
Epsilon looked at the three runners, who were clearly ready to start a race, and Kappa, who was about to send them off.
“What would you call this?” Epsilon asked.
“The Not the Not the Death Race,” Sigma said.

Thank you, James Breakwell and Lola’s Blog Tours

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About the author

James Breakwell is a professional comedy writer and amateur father of four girls, ages ten and under. He is best known for his family humor Twitter account @XplodingUnicorn, which has more than a million followers. He has published three comedy parenting books that explore hot button issues like the benefits of doing as little as possible and the best ways to protect your child from zombie attacks. His fourth book, Prance Like No One’s Watching: A Guided Journal for Exploding Unicorns, teaches kids to find humor in the world around them while also avoiding the undead. The Chosen Twelve will be James’ science fiction debut. He lives in Indiana, US.

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Author Links

Website: http://explodingunicorn.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ExplodingUnicorn/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/XplodingUnicorn

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16416312.James_Breakwell

Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/xplodingunicorn/

Instagram: https://instagram.com/James_Breakwell

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/jamesbreakwell

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Book Links

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Chosen-Twelve-James-Breakwell-ebook/dp/B09JKSX616/

Amazon paperback: https://www.amazon.com/Chosen-Twelve-James-Breakwell/dp/1786185172

B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-chosen-twelve-james-breakwell/1139744986?ean=9781786185198

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ebook/the-chosen-twelve

Rebellion Publishing: https://rebellionpublishing.com/product/the_chosen_twelve/

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Giveaway

– 3 paperback copies of The Chosen Twelve

– 3 ecopies of The Chosen Twelve

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/1000e4f1392/

 

 

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Phoenix’s Touch by Tai James / #Extract #BookTour @lolasblogtours

 

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Soul Bonded in the Stars #1

What do you do when the man of your dreams is real?

Kiera Wade never thought the man she had been dreaming about was anything more than a figment of her imagination. On a mission to save her crew, Kiera crash lands in hostile Atlantean territory, where she finds out her dream lover, Phoenix, is real and claims she is his destined soulmate.

Phoenix Vasilakis, a prominent Atlantean orator and the unwilling leader of change, is willing to risk everything to help Kiera, even though it could mean death. He has a secret, though, one that could jeopardize it all for him and Kiera.

Stranded and held at the mercy of the Atlantean council, Kiera has to find a way to help her people before Scavengers kill them, but when things heat up between her and Phoenix, she discovers that’s easier said than done. With so much at stake, will Phoenix and Kiera embrace their growing feelings for each other, or will everything fall apart?

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Extract

“Phoenix.” His name came out as a happy sigh on her lips.

It was silly, but Phoenix always made her feel better even though he wasn’t real. She was flooded with an almost euphoric pleasure at seeing him. There was always pleasure, but it was stronger today, almost overwhelming. Him. A voice in her head screamed out. He was staring at her, wide-eyed, as if he was experiencing the same euphoria she was.

She needed to escape, not moon over her imaginary lover. It was hard to think with him around. Phoenix was even handsome in the harsh lighting of the room. The stark cheekbones that were too pronounced for a human but gave him an almost elfin quality stood out against his sea-green skin. His full lips were pressed into a thin line of worry. Frown lines creased his brow as he looked down at her. When he knelt beside her, his long hair shifted across his arm. The silver beads woven into his braids clinked softly against the intricate armband that encased a toned bicep.

Her imaginary lover reached out his hand, and a long finger ran a silver claw across her cheek. It was unnervingly solid. Usually, his touch was feathery, light, and surreal. The claw scratched gently against her skin. Goose bumps broke out over Kiera’s body. His touch did things to her that made her want to tear at his clothes. Her clothes too. Just the light touch sent her body melting. This couldn’t be happening right now. She must have hit her head in the crash to be hallucinating like this.

Kiera slapped his hand away from her face. His hand was warm and real. She must have hit her head really hard. “Later, boy toy. I’ve got to get out of here.”

She gave the apparition a wink and a smile to temper her rejection, then laughed at herself for worrying about hurting a nonexistent person’s feelings. Pushing herself up to her feet was more

difficult than she thought it would be. Imaginary Phoenix rose and helped her get up. Interesting how an apparition can be so helpful.

“Boy toy?” Phoenix’s voice was laced with disdain, and his hands were still wrapped around her waist. Usually, she would have pulled away from anyone touching her by now. If he moved his hands upward, they would touch the beginning of her scars. But this was Phoenix. His touch didn’t bother her. “I’m not a boy, nor am I a toy.”

Kiera swayed and then righted herself as she finally got her legs to cooperate. “I’m sorry, Phoenix. You’re right. You’re not my boy toy.” She patted his sea-green cheek. It was slightly prickly like there was a little stubble coming in. That was new. “You’re the best damn lover I’ve ever been with, even if you aren’t real. Now I have to get out of here before the Atlanteans find me. Who knows what they plan on doing to me. So, unless you have an escape route planned, you need to poof out of my mind for now. Pretty please? I gotta think.” Her fingers left his cheek to travel down to his chest, and almost involuntarily, she squeezed the firm flesh she found there.

He didn’t disappear.

Thank you, Tai James and Lola’s Blog Tours

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About the author

When Tai isn’t writing about happiness and hijinks-with some hot alien men thrown in for good measure she can be found catering to her four neurotic cats or touring the latest haunted house that rolls into Austin. Along with the aforementioned cats Tai has a wonderful husband and very sweet geriatric dog named Marley. Tai loves to hear from her readers!

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Author Links

Website: https://www.taijames.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TaiJamesAuthor

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taijamesauthor/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21959494.Tai_James

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Tai-James/e/B09DD7BSCN/

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Book Links

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/phoenix-s-touch-soul-bonded-in-the-stars-book-1-an-alien-fated-mates-romance-by-tai-james

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09D8HMNXW

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Giveaway

– a $25 Amazon gift card and a signed paperback of Phoenix’s Touch (US Only)

– a $15 Amazon gift card (US Only)

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/1000e4f1394/

 

 

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Find the Girl by Helen Phifer / #Review #BooksOnTour @bookouture @helenphifer1

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Detective Morgan Brookes #5

The tent door flutters in the warm breeze, opening towards the silent woods beyond. A silk eye mask lies on top of the empty sleeping bag, blood-red spots ruining the cream fabric…

When a woman disappears from Forest Pines campsite, Detective Morgan Brookes scrambles a search party. Sara Fletcher has never missed a lunch date with her best friend and when Morgan finds a large rip in Sara’s tent, she knows that something terrible must have happened. About to lose hope after hours combing through the acres of dense forest, the excited bark of a tracker dog leads Morgan to female remains, partially covered by leaves and dirt – but the bones don’t belong to Sara.

Morgan trawls through missing persons files until she finds three cold cases with chilling similarities – three other victims dating back twenty years who were taken from campsites while they slept, by a killer the police called the Travelling Man. The post-mortems indicate he kept them alive for 72 hours, meaning every second is crucial to find Sara alive.

Morgan’s team is terrified that this twisted murderer has returned. But Morgan also can’t ignore the fact that a merciless killer from her own past has recently escaped from prison… Could they be chasing the wrong man? If she’s correct, how deep will she have to dig to save Sara and other innocent women like her before time runs out for them all?

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Review

OMG I just love Morgan Brookes!

Although she seems to have a sixth sense where danger is concerned, she does not hide. She feels the fear, but catching a killer is the most important and if she has to throw herself in for of a speeding train, namely a vicious killer, she is the first to volunteer trying to make them come out of hiding.

On the other hand killer like her. Well, they would like to kill her more precisely. They will have to stand in line though, because Morgan will each and everyone of them a lesson.

She does not come out of the battle unscathed unfortunately, but that does not stop her either. The next time, for the next case she will be as determined.

And then there is Ben. Poor man. Every time Morgan suggests one of her dangerous ideas, he dies a little. He is often angry at her, but that of course has an underlying reason. Maybe it’s time they sit down and talk… 😊

I cried a little. My heart melted. Blood definitely is thicker than water.

A book I enjoyed a lot. 5 stars

Thank you, Helen Phifer and Bookouture

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About the author

Helen Phifer’s love of reading began with Enid Blyton, before progressing on to Laura Ingals Wilder and scaring herself with Steven King. If she can’t write for any particular reason she finds herself getting itchy fingers and really irritable. She loves reading as much as writing and is also very fond of chocolate, Prosecco, The Lake District, New York, white Zinfandel wine, her children and grandchildren, her friends, porn star martini cocktails, Stephen King, watching scary films, Marilyn Monroe, Melissa McCarthy, Idris Elba, Simon Baker, Spandau Ballet, The Munsters and coffee. In no particular order.

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Author Links

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/Helenphifer1

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/helenphifer

Twitter:      https://twitter.com/helenphifer1

Website:     https://www.helenphifer.com

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Book Links

Amazon: https://geni.us/B09JZTZHDDsocial 

Apple: http://ow.ly/QFCT50Gz4rt 

Kobo: http://ow.ly/prZA50Gz4pc 

Google: http://ow.ly/UZjK50Gz4sw

Audible: 

US: zpr.io/LdEEpPkPFDBa

UK: zpr.io/a8nQVKZVnuim

 

https://soundcloud.com/bookouture/find-the-girl-by-helen-phifer-narrated-by-alison-campbell

That Certain Spark by Isobel Hart / #Interview #BlogTour @rararesources @IHartauthor

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A one-bedroom apartment with creeping damp.

Depressed cat, complete with litter tray.

​Neither was part of Claire’s five-year plan.

Nor, for that matter, was divorce.

Left with a comfort eating habit that’s costing her a small fortune in ice-cream, and panic attacks flooring her in front of the supermarket meals-for-one, Claire turns to her mum and Mindfulness in the hope that one of them can help her find real happiness.

She thinks she’s cracked it… but then her past comes creeping back.

Now she has to work out what really makes her happy or risk a life where Ben & Jerry are the only men who matter

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Q&A

– When and where do you prefer to write?

It used to be in the office I have at home – but since Covid came along and forced us all to work from home, I now find its association with my day job stifles my creative juices. I like writing in my lounge, with a lap tray I rest my laptop on. It’s probably terrible for my back and my husband interrupts me a lot, but there you go. Writing is squeezed into evenings and weekends mostly.   

– Do you have a certain ritual?

No, no ritual at all. I quite like doing a morning exercise class so that I know if I don’t move for the rest of the day when I’m totally in the zone I don’t need to feel guilty about it, but it’s not a necessity. Coffee at regular intervals helps. I’m what writers call a ‘pantser’. I know where I want my story to go when I start writing it, but how it will get there is not always clear.

– Is there a drink of some food that keeps you company while you write?

Coffee, as I said, and any sweet snacks are always good. Having said that, when I get into a flow, I don’t want to stop for anything – even food.

– What is your favourite book?

I must read about three books a week, sometimes more. I also listen on audible so I usually have one book on my kindle and one audio book on the go at any time. Recently, I loved Where the Crawdad’s Sing by Delia Owens. That stayed in my memory, which is half the battle when you read a lot. I also enjoyed Matt Haig’s The Midnight Library. Mhairi McFarlane’s books usually make me laugh. Oh, and I loved Elinor Oliphant is Completely Fine. I read romance through to thrillers through to just about anything else really. I just love a good story with relatable characters.

– Do you consider writing a different genre in the future?

I already have – I’ve written six contemporary romances. This was my first foray into chick lit and women’s fiction. I also have a YA I want to write. I go with what gives me energy.

– Do you sometimes base your characters on people you know?

Yes – a lot. Including bits of myself in many characters. Luckily, with That Certain Spark I could take inspiration from the wonderful women I know. The lasagne bit happened to a dear friend of mine. I loved that story so much I always wanted to use it in a book.

– Do you take a notebook everywhere in order to write down ideas that pop up?

I mostly capture things people say and I use my phone a lot these days – especially if they say something that makes me laugh.

– Which genre do you not like at all?

I lack the attention span for historical fiction. I tried Wolf Hall and gave up, even thought I knew it was probably good for me. Too many Thomas’. I can just about manage them if they have a romantic storyline and are more character driven.

– If you had the chance to co-write a book. Whom would it be with?

Ooh – good question. Margaret Attwood probably. I loved Handmaid’s Tale and The Testament. She knows how to write a darn good story and make it literary. I think I could learn a lot from her.

– If you should travel to a foreign country to do research, which one would you chose and why?

I grew up in the Middle East and was lucky enough to travel a fair bit when I was young. I’d say the USA is appealing – but not the well-known bits. I’d like to see some of the smaller towns. I just want them to tell me they love my accent.

Thank you, Isobel Hart and Rachel’s Random Resources

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About the author

Born in London, Isobel Hart’s childhood was spent in the Middle East before being sent to boarding school. It meant she had a lot of time to read. Now based in the UK, she writes about what she knows – real women, with flaws.

A romantic at heart, happily married for nearly twenty-five years, her novels focus on relationships – good and bad – and the women at the heart of them. She is ever hopeful others will find their happy-ever-afters or Happy-For-Now’s too.

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Author Links

https://www.facebook.com/isobelhartbooks

@IHartauthor

http://www.isobelhartsbooks.com

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Book Links

US Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08Y7WKY4R

UK Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08Y7WKY4R

Only 99p for a limited time

Raid of the Wolves by Donovan Cook / #SpotlightPost #BookTour @maryanneyarde @DonovanCook2

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Ormstunga Saga, Book 2

The only thing that kept him going were the voices of his ancestors, screaming for blood…

Ulf and his shield brothers are sent on a raid against an old enemy — Francia, a mighty king-dom to the south, now ravaged by civil war. During the perilous sea voyage, Ulf can only fo-cus on one thing. He demands closure: to find the man who slaughtered his family — Griml.

A hidden enemy stalks Ulf and his warriors through Francia, striking mercilessly when they least expect it. Soon the hunters become the hunted. The Norse warriors must make the ulti-mate choice between defying the king or angering the gods. Both could end in fury.

But there is another threat lurking in the shadows. One that Ulf could never anticipate.

Ulf is not the only one who wants vengeance.

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Spotlight Post

Thank you, Donovan Cook and The Coffee Pot Book Club

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About the Author 

Even as a young child, Donovan loved reading stories about Vikings and other medieval war-riors fighting to defend their homeland or raiding in distant lands. He would often be found running around outside with nothing other than a wooden sword and his imagination.

Now older, he spends his time writing about them. His novels come from his fascination with the Viking world and Norse Mythology and he hopes that you will enjoy exploring this world as much as he did writing about it.

Born in South Africa but raised in England, Donovan currently lives in Moscow, Russia with his wife and their French Bulldog, where he works as an English tutor. When he is not teach-ing or writing, he can be found reading, watching rugby, or working on DIY projects. Being born in South Africa, he is a massive Springboks fan and never misses a match.

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Author Links

Website: http://www.donovancook.net

Twitter: twitter.com/DonovanCook20

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DonovanCookAuthor

BookBub: http://www.bookbub.com/authors/donovan-cook

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Donovan-Cook/e/B08PC3BDRX

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20887374.Donovan_Cook

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Book Links

Available on #KindleUnlimited

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09JN4DRQB

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09JN4DRQB

Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B09JN4DRQB

Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B09JN4DRQB

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/raid-of-the-wolves-donovan-cook/1140547105

Waterstones: https://www.waterstones.com/book/raid-of-the-wolves/donovan-cook/9781838300821

The Prisoner of Paradise by Rob Samborn / #Extract #BookTour @maryanneyarde @robsamborn

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The Paradise Series, Book 1

The world’s largest oil painting. A 400-year-old murder. A disembodied whisper: “Amore mio.” My love.

Nick and Julia O’Connor’s dream trip to Venice collapses when a haunting voice reaches out to Nick from Tintoretto’s Paradise, a monumental depiction of Heaven. Convinced his delu-sions are the result of a concussion, Julia insists her husband see a doctor, though Nick is ada-mant the voice was real.

Blacking out in the museum, Nick flashes back to a life as a 16th century Venetian peasant swordsman. He recalls precisely who the voice belongs to: Isabella Scalfini, a married aristo-crat he was tasked to seduce but with whom he instead found true love. A love stolen from them hundreds of years prior.

She implores Nick to liberate her from a powerful order of religious vigilantes who judge and sentence souls to the canvas for eternity. Releasing Isabella also means unleashing thousands of other imprisoned souls, all of which the order claims are evil.

As infatuation with a possible hallucination clouds his commitment to a present-day wife, Nick’s past self takes over. Wracked with guilt, he can no longer allow Isabella to remain tor-mented, despite the consequences. He must right an age-old wrong – destroy the painting and free his soul mate. But the order will eradicate anyone who threatens their ethereal prison and their control over Venice.

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Extract

Angelo eyed the boat. He had already been forced to flee danger twice in three days. The mere notion of abandoning Venice without so much as a goodbye to his friends and family grated his core. He’d never set foot on the mainland and was now told to traverse it. A most uncertain future lay beyond the horizon. How could he help Isabella from across the oceans, idling for years with a handful of ducats to his name?

“No,” Angelo said. “I cannot leave my home.”

“You should have considered that before seducing a married woman.”

Angelo seethed. “She’s the love of my life. Not some wanton mistress. I’ll join your cause and fight them here.” He grasped the rapier at his hip.

“Your prowess with the blade is well known.” The nobleman laid a gentle hand over Angelo’s and guided the sword into its sheath. “But how will you fare against a hundred men?”

“I shall die fighting.”

“Death is but the first consideration. And then your beloved will indeed be lost forever.”

Angelo conceded and released the hilt. He accepted the letter and coin purse, tucking them into his doublet. “To what purpose do you aid me? Answer that, I pray you.”

“Mutual adversaries. You may be the key to their demise. I’ll send word when it’s safe to return. When we can free Isabella and the others. Now go.”

With a reluctant nod, Angelo untied the small boat, then clasped his collaborator’s hand. “Thank you, sir. Tell me. How can I save her?”

“We need to—”

A whiz through the air was followed by the sickening thud of penetrated flesh and bone. The nobleman gazed at the blood pooling around the tip of the arrow jutting from his right shoulder, then at Angelo, with a mouth agape and befuddled eyes.

A second arrow embedded itself in his collaborator’s thigh. Cries of anguish slipped from the old man’s sagging lips. He dropped to his knees. The sight of yet another person’s blood inches

away was too much for Angelo to bear. Like all Venetians, he was accustomed to injury and death, but never like what he’d witnessed recently. Never so sadistically.

“Go,” the man ordered, straining to utter the command. “You’ve seen what happens if they catch you alive.”

Angelo crouched and examined the arrow.

“There’s nothing you can do.”

Shifting to the wall, Angelo peeked around the corner. Two hulking men dressed in dark garb—one winding a crossbow, the other loading a bolt into his, stood thirty paces away.

“How? How can I save her?” Angelo asked in a whisper, crouching close to his collaborator. If he didn’t learn now, he’d likely never learn.

“Love of God, Mascari.” The man gripped Angelo’s collar. “What are you waiting for?”

Footsteps ambushed them.

Angelo squeezed the nobleman’s uninjured shoulder, then drew his rapier. “Wrongs shall be righted. Starting now.”

The attackers reached the corner. Both wore hoods obscuring much of their faces. A scar spread from the larger one’s eye to his mouth. The shorter of the two, though taller than Angelo, had an unruly brown beard.

“Run, you fool,” the nobleman shouted as he slunk into the canal, just below the bearded man’s swipe. The nobleman struggled to swim away, but the assailant caught his cloak and hauled him back onto the ledge.

The larger attacker charged. Angelo was ready. He lunged his rapier at the man’s crossbow, inducing an errant shot. The arrow ricocheted off the wall. In a flash, the man dropped the weapon, drew a short sword, and unleashed an assault. He pressed Angelo without remorse, driving the bout down the length of the narrow fondamenta.

The strikes were relentless and crushing, but the attacker’s shoddy technique exposed a weakness—his arm remained stiff, his wrist lacked rotation. Angelo parried the hacks, anticipating the right moment to riposte. It soon arrived. He angled for a side-cutting stroke, but an arrow flew through the flesh between his knuckles, cleaving a lump of skin from the back of his hand and spraying his arm with blood. The bearded assailant, while kneeing the nobleman to the ground, had shot with remarkable aim. Angelo gritted his teeth; his scorching right hand would be useless in this contest.

In one fluid motion, Angelo parried a wild swing from the attacker, tossed his rapier to his weaker left hand, and pivoted, dodging another blow. The switch drove his opponent off balance. His blade scraped the wall.

Angelo circled the man’s short sword with his rapier and squatted, completing his move with a slice through both thighs. The man dropped to his knees, writhing in agony. Angelo kicked his chin, then booted him into the canal.

Isabella was not yet lost.

He rushed to aid his collaborator but stopped short. From the alley, the commotion of an untold number of men, yelling and running toward him, reverberated off the adjacent walls.

At the corner, the nobleman’s eyes grew wide at the fast-approaching mob. “Go,” he screamed to Angelo with his remaining strength.

Death is but the first consideration. His collaborator’s words tolled in Angelo’s mind.

He spun, stomped on the scarred man’s fingers gripping the fondamenta edge, and raced for the skiff. An arrow zipped over Angelo’s head as his horsehide boots met the boat’s bottom, his impetus propelling the craft forward. He thrust the oars into the murky water.

Half a dozen men, all in black, rounded the corner. The first gave chase, dashing along the canal edge. Angelo paddled with all his strength, an excruciating task with a mangled hand.

At the canal’s edge, the pursuer tossed his empty crossbow on the cobblestones and dove for the boat. He caught the gunwale, nearly capsizing it.

“The Order will take you,” he cried as he climbed in.

Angelo yanked an oar from its rowlock and swung it into the attacker’s cheek, knocking the man into the water. Resuming his frantic paddling, he glimpsed the far end of the fondamenta. As the bearded assailant pressed the nobleman to the ground, the old man stretched for his boot, retrieved a dagger… and slid the blade across his own throat.

Stunned, Angelo rested an oar to cross himself.

An arrow struck the skiff. Another flew past from his ear. As more arrows landed in the water, Angelo hunkered and rowed furiously to the wider Rio di San Girolamo canal, which led to the open waters of the Venetian Lagoon.

Guilt roared through him—his collaborator’s death was on his hands. A vision of Isabella flashed in his mind. ‘Mòre mio. I failed you.

One day, he vowed. One day, her captors will feel a pain far more severe.

Thank you, Rob Samborn and The Coffee Pot Book Club

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About the Author 

In addition to being a novelist, Rob Samborn is a screenwriter, entrepreneur and avid traveler. He’s been to forty countries, lived in five of them and studied nine languages. As a restless spirit who can’t remember the last time he was bored, Rob is on a quest to explore the intrica-cies of our world and try his hand at a multitude of crafts; he’s also an accomplished artist and musician, as well as a budding furniture maker. A native New Yorker who lived in Los Angeles for twenty years, he now makes his home in Denver with his wife, daughter and dog.

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Author Links

Website: https://robsamborn.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RobSamborn/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RobSambornAuthor

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-samborn/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robsamborn/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/robsamborn

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/the-prisoner-of-paradise-the-paradise-series-book-1-by-rob-samborn

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Rob-Samborn/e/B09FQ4HCBY

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21829341.Rob_Samborn

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Book Links

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B09F8RYG2M

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09F8RYG2M

Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B09F8RYG2M

Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B09F8RYG2M

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/the-prisoner-of-paradise-1

iBooks: https://books.apple.com/gb/book/the-prisoner-of-paradise/id1593897696

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-prisoner-of-paradise-rob-samborn/1140407539

Eloping With the Laird by Jeanine Englert / #Extract #BlogTour @rararesources @JeanineWrites

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A man she can trust…

With her life…and her heart?

Ordered by her father to choose a husband by the end of the Highland Games—or he will select one for her—widow Moira Fraser hastily elopes with Rory McKenna, Laird of Blackmore. But they soon discover neither is free of the past. Rory has a price on his head, and needs an heir as soon as possible, and Moira’s horrible first marriage has left her afraid of letting her new husband close…

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Extract

Context: In the opening chapter of the book, widow Moira Fraser is out walking the meadow with her brother Ewan during the Tournament of Champions. She has been tasked with selecting a husband before the games are over, otherwise her father will select one for her. Her brother has told her of a few possibilities for a husband as they watch the men compete. When she sees Rory McKenna and hears of his illness and impending death, she decides he might be the perfect husband for her and wishes to speak to him then and there. Driven by her urgency, she walks absentmindedly into a practice field. 

Excerpt from Chapter 1 

‘Hold fast!’ Laird McKenna called, thrusting out an arm to halt Moira’s advance a few paces away.

Confused by his call she carried on, unburdened by his words. Alarm lit his features and he ploughed into her as an arrow hissed by her ear. They hit the ground hard. She gasped, unable to take in air, as he lay atop her. The weight of his muscular body a reminder that he was strong and formidable, despite what Ewan said.

‘What were you thinking? You could have been killed,’ he stated.

When she struggled for air, he moved off her but kept hold of her hand. A soft prickle of awareness as his warm, calloused fingers wrapped around her own travelled along her arm and she shivered. She pulled her hand away. His touch sparked an odd, unfamiliar sensation she hadn’t felt in ages: safety. She shifted away from him. She knew far better than to believe such.

‘Give it a moment. You had the breath knocked out of you, is all.’ His grey eyes were hard and unflinching. His voice commanding and certain. She believed his words despite not knowing him at all, which was ridiculous. ‘Take one slow breath in,’ he ordered.

Air rushed into her lungs, and she coughed and sputtered. A crowd formed around them. Their faces peered down at her. ‘Are you well enough to stand?’ he asked.

Indeed, she was well enough to rise…and die from embarrassment. Her face flushed with heat and she nodded. He stood and offered his hand. She hesitated, but accepted it, as she couldn’t gain her footing on her own. Pulling her up easily alongside him, he muttered, ‘Here, sit a spell.’ He gestured to a nearby timber. He attempted to guide her by the elbow, but she shifted away from his touch, and his arm fell back to his side.

‘Give her some air,’ he commanded, his clear tone cutting through the throng of people with authority.

The crowd dispersed. Ewan stood back, watching. He began to approach, but she shook her head to stave him off before glancing away.

She struggled to regain her composure, her thoughts and her voice. Her heart hammered in her chest and her back ached from the fall. Her lungs brought in uneven breaths, and overall she was plain startled by what had happened. She could see they had moved the target now. How had she failed to notice earlier? She had never been so careless before during a tournament. What had come over her?

She frowned. Her urgent desire to find a suitable husband had blocked out her reason. If he hadn’t intercepted her, she’d have an arrow through her chest, or worse. She rubbed her arms.

‘Is this your first time here as well?’ he asked, glancing over. He leaned forward on his elbows, assessing her.

‘Nay. I have been at these as long as I can remember. I am Mrs Moira Fraser, daughter of the Laird of Glenhaven.’

His face paled. ‘Whom I have just tackled unceremoniously to the ground.’ He cringed. ‘My apologies. I’ve never attended the tournament before and arrived only today due to an unexpected delay. I’ve yet to meet everyone. I’m Rory McKenna, Laird of Blackmore.’

‘You saved my life. I should thank you.’

His brow crinkled. ‘So, if you know a great deal of tournaments and shooting, why did you charge headlong out into the practice field where the targets were? You could have been killed.’ He held her gaze awaiting an answer.

‘Honestly, I wished to speak to you, my laird. Urgently.’

‘Oh? Why is that?’

‘I wished to ask you to be my husband.’

Thank you,Jeanine Englert and Rachel’s Random Resources

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About the author 

Jeanine Englert’s love affair with mysteries and romance began with Nancy Drew, Murder She Wrote, and her Grandmother’s bookshelves full of romance novels. She is a Golden Heart ® Finalist, Silver Falchion, Maggie, and Daphne du Maurier Award Winner in historical romance and mystery. Her Scottish Highland historical and historical romantic suspense novels revolve around characters seeking self-acceptance and redemption. When she isn’t wrangling with her characters on the page, she can be found trying to convince her husband to watch her latest Masterpiece or BBC show obsession. She loves to talk about books, writing, her beloved rescue pups, as well as mysteries and romance with other readers.

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Author Links

FB: http://www.facebook.com/JeanineWrites

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JeanineWrites

Website: https://www.jeaninewrites.com

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55922667-the-highlander-s-secret-son

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/jeanine-englert?list=about

Instagram: jeaninewrites

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Book Link

https://books2read.com/u/31KKBl

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Giveaway

Cozy up with a beautiful cashmere scarf made in Scotland, some book swag, and a Scottish Blessings bracelet while you read my latest Highlander romance, Eloping with the Laird! I hope you enjoy this first book in the Falling for a Stewart series! Happy reading! 

*Terms and Conditions –UK & US entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/33c69494468/?

 

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They Called Him Marvin by Roger Stark / #SpotlightPost #BookTour @RRBookTours1 @author_RStark

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A History of Love, War and Family

Young lovers trying be be a family, but duty called, interrupting them.
He answered. She, with child was left behind.
The war did end, but he never returned.

“They Called Him Marvin” is a history. A history of war and of family. A history of the collision of the raging politics of a global war, young love, patriotism, sacred family commitments, duty and the horrors and tragedies, the catastrophe that war is.

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Spotlight Post

Thank you, Roger Stark and R&R Book Tours

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About the Author

I am, by my own admission, a reluctant writer. But there are stories that demand to to be told. When we hear them, we must pick up our pen, lest we forget and the stories be lost.

Six years ago, in a quiet conversation with my friend Marvin, I learned the tragic story his father, a WW2 B-29 Airplane Commander, shot down over Nagoya, Japan just months before the end of the war.

Bill Clinton has famously said: “They were the fathers we never knew, the uncles we never met, the friends who never returned, the heroes we can never repay. They gave us our world. And those simple sounds of freedom we hear today are their voices speaking to us across the years.”

Such a man was Marv’s father. A father he never knew. The telling of the story that evening by this half orphan was so moving and full of emotion, it compelled me to ask if I could write the story. The result being “They Called Him Marvin.”

My life has been profoundly touched in so many ways by being part of documenting this sacred story. I pray that we never forget, as a people, the depth of sacrifice that was made by ordinary people like Marvin and his father and mother on our behalf.

My career as an addiction counselor (CDP) lead me to write “The Waterfall Concept; A Blueprint for Addiction Recovery,” and co-author “Reclaiming Your Addicted Brain.”

After my counseling retirement, I decided I wanted to learn more about the craft of writing and started attending classes at Portland Oregon’s Attic Institute. What I learned is that there are an mazing number of great writers in my area and they were willing to help others improve their skills. I am grateful to many of them.

My next project is already underway, a memoir of growing in SW Washington called “Life on a Sorta Farm.” My wife of 49 years, Susan and I still live in that area.

We raised seven children, and have eleven grandchildren. We love to travel and see the sites and cultures of the world. I still get on my bicycle whenever I can.

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Author Link

https://theycalledhimmarvin.com/

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Book Links

https://silver-star-publishing-llc.square.site/

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0979K67SX/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_BN9ZYKJGZKAYP0D0DTF3

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Giveaway

win a a signed copy of the book

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/0e7c6a8f332/

Hunter’s Rules by Val Penny / #Extract #BlogTour @rararesources @valeriepenny

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Edinburgh Crime Mysteries Series #6

When best-laid plans go awry…

Hunter and Meera’s romantic plans come to an abrupt end when they stumble into the scene of a crime.

A young woman was attacked in a hotel lift. She has traumatic injuries, but she clings to life. Hunter notes that her wounds are like those inflicted on two other women, who died from their ordeal.

Can Meera keep the injured woman alive long enough for her to identify the assailant? Is the same person responsible for all three crimes?

When Hunter is identified as a suspect, can he establish his innocence and lead his team to solve the crime and keep Edinburgh safe?

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Extract

Hector is interviewed by Oskar and Neil

Hector had never been in a police interview room before. He was horrified by how musty it was. It made him gag. The tables and chairs were metal, and bolted to the floor. There was a recording device on the table, and that was bolted on to it. High on the wall was a camera. He stared at it. Could somebody see him now, he wondered.

A policewoman stood by the door. Hector looked at her and thought, in other circumstances, he might have had a shot. She was quite pretty. He moved around on his seat to see the wall behind him. The only window was there, but it was too high up to see out of it and it had bars in front of it, as well as the cobwebs. He had never seen any that thick. They seemed to form a net curtain over the window. This place smelled bad too. He gagged again and sat with his head in his hands until Andrew Barley came back into the room.

Oskar and Neil walked back in shortly afterwards and thanked Hector for his attendance.

“I just want to get things sorted,” Hector said. “Ask me anything you want. I’ll tell you the truth.”

Oskar thought he was planning to ask what he wanted and that it would be a refreshing change to get honest replies, but he didn’t say so. He asked Hector about the weed in the bathroom cupboard.

“I don’t know if it’s John’s or Katy’s, but I know it’s not mine. I don’t do drugs.”

“John seemed to think it might have been left there by a friend of yours. Could that be right?” Neil asked.

“Unlikely. I rarely bring anybody back there. John and Katy make such exhibitions of themselves. You never know what you’ll witness. I wish he’d get his own place.”

“What about the substance we found in the sugar container in the kitchen? It looks more like cocaine than sugar. Is that yours?” Oskar asked.

“Bloody hell, not again. I’ve told him I don’t want that stuff in the house. You have extremely blue eyes, inspector. It’s rare to see such a distinctive colour.”

“Indeed. Now, John has admitted that the small amount of cocaine found in his desk at the office was his, but he was a little vague about how the ten thousand pounds came to be in the desk at reception. Can you help us with that?”

“A client wanted to pay a deposit in cash, but I said we couldn’t take that much without knowing where it came from. He left it with us while he went to get a certificate from his accountant.”

“Interesting. That’s not what John said. And an accountant’s certificate wouldn’t be enough for your professional money laundering requirements, would it?” Oskar asked

Thank you, Val Penny and Rachel’s Random Resources

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About the author 

Val Penny’s other crime novels, Hunter’s Chase Hunter’s Revenge, Hunter’s Force Hunter’s Blood and Hunter’s Secret form the bestselling series The Edinburgh Crime Mysteries. They are set in Edinburgh, Scotland, published by darkstroke Her first non-fiction book Let’s Get Published is also available now and she has most recently contributed her short story, Cats and Dogs to a charity anthology, Dark Scotland.

Val is an American author living in SW Scotland with her husband and their cat.

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Author Links

www.valpenny.com

https://www.facebook.com/Authorvalpenny

http://www.facebook.com/valerie.penny.739

www.facebook.com/groups/296295777444303

https://www.facebook.com/groups/167248300537409

https://twitter.com/valeriepenny

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17300087.Val_Penny

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Val-Penny/e/B07C4725TK?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1611574956&sr=1-1

https://www.bookbub.com/profile/val-penny

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Book Links

UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hunters-Rules-Edinburgh-Crime-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B09JWKCF9W

US – https://www.amazon.com/Hunters-Rules-Edinburgh-Crime-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B09JWKCF9W

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Giveaway 

Win a PDF of Hunter’s Rules by Val Penny 

*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/33c69494467/?