Following Your Heart by Toby Negus – Guest Blog and Giveaway

March 29, 2022 By 6 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Toby Negus will be awarding a $15 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Following Your Heart

It has been said that the greatest regret of the dying is that they wished they’d been truer to themselves. As if there is a life’s purpose in being who we are. As if who we are is a purpose. But where within ourselves do we go to find this truth, this thing of who we are that makes life worth living? Where is the source of our authenticity and what would truly make us happy, for they are intricately linked? We can never be happy without living the truth of ourselves. It is the heart that holds the answer because it knows us intimately; our dreams, our hopes and our loves. It is where we will always go to know what is truly important to us, what it is that we would not want to live without. But the heart is no place of shallow emotions or vain morality. It is the source of a passion and power that has created all the lights of the world. All great art and all the acts of humanity have been born from the heart because all beauty is created from the idea of love. Love is the heart’s purpose and our unique loves of life are its signature. Without its love, hope has no home, courage no direction, and fortitude no purpose. The heart is the home to the deeper dream of who we love to be and is the companion that is loyal to our purpose of life. When we follow our heart we have no regret because the heart’s wish is for our happiness.

This is a thought-provoking and enlightening exploration of spirituality and perception. The text functions as a guide to self-improvement, with a mixture of autobiographical elements and snippets of universal wisdom. The speaker provides accessible solutions to life’s difficulties, and an outlook of optimism applicable to any circumstance. The illustrations and graphics are thoughtfully chosen, and the interactive textual elements give this work an originality that sets it apart. The speaker’s own experiences and conclusions are at the heart of this fiction, and the first person narrative voice creates a sense of proximity between author and reader. The text describes itself as ‘a journey to the heart’, and this truthful discovery of the self is reflected in the speaker’s revelation of his whole self through the text. The narrative often presents a dichotomy between positive and negative outlooks or voices.

For example, the speaker includes sections in which his self-doubt speaks, ‘you’ve got no proper education, you can’t spell properly, you’re dyslexic and your grammar is crap. You’re not really a writer’. This negative voice directly opposes the sense of self-belief the speaker builds within the narrative. He uses examples such as this to remind readers that the journey to happiness is complex and that flaws or setbacks are natural. The negative separation or fragmentation of the self is prevalent in the lines, ‘I do not love the grumpy me, the sad me, the hostile me, the parts of me that act as if I do not care’. The act of writing represents a unification of the self and an attempt to reframe the speaker’s life into coherence. The frequent use of direct address and rhetorical questions promotes an active reading experience, in which the author opens up a dialogue with the reader. The text includes prompts and activities for the reader to engage with and learn from. Encouraging readers to take part in the text is emblematic of their journey to self-fulfilment and love, in which they must take responsibility for actively creating their own happiness.

The speaker depicts his process of enlightenment as a framework for others to emulate, and the format of the text demonstrates the transfer of agency to those who take part in the speaker’s challenges at the end of each chapter. This work ultimately teaches us that ‘we are the cause of what is’ and thus sheds light on the crucial idea that every individual has the power to create themselves and their world positively.

Enjoy an Excerpt

Real learning is not what we expect.
If we could expect it, it wouldn’t be learning.

I looked in the mirror today and saw more than who I thought I was; within the eyes was a million years of purpose. I saw the depth of the universe and felt its unfaltering love. It was as if I had seen the divine within myself, the truth of who we are. The us that never dies, the custodian of our purpose, the love of our life.

This wasn’t what I expected and was somewhat sobering. There was no blinding light, no sound of trumpets, and no big handshake with an almighty. But it was as profound as if there had been. For it seemed I was touching an eternal part of myself, an authority within that could create my heaven on earth, that was already in heaven on earth! It was a glimpse of something other than the me I thought I was. Its light questioned the lack of self-care and love I held for myself. And its presence would eventually crack and then dissolve my view of what I thought it meant to be human.

Doing a spiritual journey and tackling self-development issues can give many profound perceptions, and I have had my fair share of them. But this was different, this was personal. It was my eyes that were looking at me, something that I could not escape from. It could not be brushed off as a ‘perhaps’ or a nice perception that subsided over time. Its truth seemed to embed itself into my very soul.

About the Author:Toby Negus has studied and taught spiritual and personal development in the UK and around the world for over two decades. He is qualified in advanced counselling, as a life coach and as a Cognitive Behaviour therapist. He is an Amazon best-selling author of a collaborative Conscious Creators book and has illustrated and self published two books on the subject of self-awareness and the spiritual journey. He is also a published author of a children’s book The Boy Who Dreamed in Colour. He has given talks and run workshops in support of his published work within the UK.

In the last few years, he has created many pieces of artwork that are a reflection of his spiritual journey. These have appeared in magazines and have been exhibited in the UK.

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Find Your Way Back by Javacia Harris Bowser – Spotlight and Giveaway

March 28, 2022 By 2 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The Literary Lobbyist will be awarding one $25 and one $50 Amazon or B/N GC to randomly drawn winners via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Award-winning freelance journalist Javacia Harris Bowser is convinced that writing is a superpower. She sees her life as proof of it since writing has helped her navigate marriage, crisis of faith and body image issues. It also helped her to beat cancer.

As a Black woman from the South, Javacia has used the written word to explore issues of gender and race as well as religion. Find Your Way Back is a collection of essays that demonstrate how Javacia has used writing to achieve some of her wildest dreams such as being a public speaker, having her own column, and being her own boss. The book also explores how writing, self-love, and faith helped her overcome her worst nightmare: a cancer diagnosis in 2020. Javacia’s goal is to show readers how writing can transform their lives as well. The book includes prompts throughout to help readers start their own writing journey.

This book is for the woman who has wanted to write since she was a girl but struggles to find the time or the courage to put her words on paper. Find Your Way Back, shows that instead of putting writing on the back burner when life gets turned upside down, we should turn to it to help life make sense again.

Enjoy an Excerpt

– from “How Does a Feminist Fight Cancer?

I was in my early twenties when I started calling myself a feminist—long before Beyonce’s song “***Flawless” made feminism cool. It was in my early twenties that I finally learned that—despite popular opinion—feminism had nothing to do with hating makeup, marriage, or men.

In the song “***Flawless” from Queen Bey’s 2013 self-titled album, we’re given a clear-cut definition of what being a feminist means courtesy of a snippet from Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s TED Talk, “We Should All Be Feminists.”1 Feminist: the person who believes in the social, political, and economic equality of the sexes. Merriam-Webster also defines feminism as “organized activity on behalf of women’s rights and interests.”2

But for me, those definitions only scratch the surface. Yes, I call myself a feminist because I believe in women’s rights and the equality of the sexes. But I also call myself a feminist because simply put, I’m obsessed with women, and I’m obsessed with being a woman. That’s why as a freelance journalist, I mostly write stories for and about women. That’s why in 2011, I started a website and online community for women who write and blog called See Jane Write. And that’s why I believe in sisterhood—for real.

I feel an inexplicable kinship to nearly every woman on the planet, regardless of her age, race, or religion. It doesn’t matter if she’s a CEO of a company on the Fortune 500 list or a cashier at my local supermarket struggling to make ends meet. Whether she’s a princess or a pole dancer, in my mind, we are inextricably linked.

But after being diagnosed with breast cancer in January of 2020, I found myself wondering if being a woman was as wonderful as I’d always thought it to be. My oncologist told me early on that after chemotherapy and radiation treatments, I would have to take the drug Tamoxifen for five to ten years. The tumor found in and removed from my left breast turned out to be “ER-positive.” That means the cancer cells grow in response to the hormone estrogen.

When explaining why I needed medication that would essentially push me into early menopause, my doctor said, “Estrogen tried to kill you.” Those words stunned me more than, “You have cancer.”

Learning that the thing that makes me a woman—biologically, at least— was the very thing threatening to end my life caused the earth beneath me to shift. As an ally to the trans community, I understand intellectually that gender is much more than biology. But emotionally, I felt betrayed by my body and by my womanhood.

Despite the sexism that women can face at work, home, church, and even while walking down the street, I have never seen being a woman as a cross to bear. Of course, I was aware of the horrific oppression faced by women and girls in some countries—including the United States. But these stories and statistics only made me more fiercely feminist. I wanted every woman to feel like womanhood was a blessing. But now, all of a sudden, it felt like a curse.

For months I tried to keep my diagnosis a secret, only telling a few close family members and friends about the lumpectomy I had in February of 2020. But as I got closer to my first day of chemotherapy, I knew I’d soon have to share the news with more people because soon I’d be bald.

There was no chance I’d run into friends at a networking event or at my favorite restaurant or wine bar. The COVID-19 pandemic had us all confined to our homes. But because of See Jane Write, I do live broadcasts on Facebook, and I post pictures and videos to Instagram often. I knew eyebrows would raise once people noticed I no longer had any. I knew I would have to go public with this fight against cancer, and I knew I would have to fight like a feminist.

But how does a feminist fight cancer? First, she makes a playlist because every battle needs a fight song. Of course, Destiny Child’s “Survivor” is at the top of my list.

But just as there’s no one way to be a woman, there’s no single way to be a feminist. And likewise, every cancer warrior must fight in their own way. Being a writer, I decided I would fight with words. As a friend of mine, who’s also a writer, once said, “I fight with my fingertips.” That mindset shifted how I approached every aspect of my battle with cancer.

During cancer treatments, I wrote from my body and for my body. I wrote as if the sentences could replace the locks of hair that fell into the shower after my curls became a casualty of chemo. I wrote as if the syllables could dry my tear- stained face. I wrote and pretended the dark spots on my tongue, fingernails, palms, and the bottoms of my feet were splotches of ink.

I wrote as if adjectives could restore my taste buds, allow me to know spicy, savory, and sweet once again. I wrote as if vowels and consonants could calm my constantly queasy belly. I wrote even when hand-foot syndrome made it nearly impossible to hold a pen or touch my fingertips to a keyboard.

When facing a disease like cancer, fighting for your life isn’t simply about fighting to stay alive. You’re not only trying to keep your heart beating from one day to the next. When you feel like cancer is taking away every goal and every dream, you’re fighting to remember who you are.

So, I write. With Beyoncé’s “Find Your Way Back” playing in my ears, I write in journals, essays, poetry, blog posts, and even in the Notes app of my phone.

I write my way back to myself, and I share my words with my sisters so that they—no matter what battle they’re fighting—can write their way home too.

About the Author

Javacia Harris Bowser is an award-winning essayist and journalist and the founder of See Jane Write. A proud graduate of the journalism programs at the University of Alabama and the University of California at Berkeley, Javacia has written for USA Today, HerMoney.com, and Good Grit magazine. Named one of Birmingham’s Top 40 Under 40, she believes we can all write our way to the life of our dreams.

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My Take on Critique Groups by Andrea Matthews – Guest Post and Giveaway

March 25, 2022 By 5 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Andrea Matthews will be awarding an Ebook copy of books 2 and 3 in the series to one randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

My Take on Critique Groups

Just like anything else, critique groups can vary from wonderful experiences to a waste of time, depending on the group. You have to do your research and maybe even experiment a bit, but don’t lose heart. The right group is out there for you somewhere.

On one side of the spectrum are large online groups that allow you to post chapters for others to read and critique in return for you doing the same for someone else. The pro side is that you have an enormous pool of prospective readers. Unfortunately, many of these groups don’t yield helpful results, since there is no real checks and balances, and a large number of those posting are primarily interested in receiving critiques and fail to offer any in return. I did manage to find one that broke that mold, however. A site called Scribophile requires you to earn karma by reading the work of others before you can post a chapter of your own. The result is that you do receive crits, and because there are a multitude of genres to choose from, a majority of the critiques you receive are insightful and geared toward your own. It works great, and I developed some fantastic critique partners and writing friends. Everyone critiques, and eventually, you can develop a following. I highly recommend a group like this for anyone starting out, who wants to learn more about their craft and create a network of excellent authors. It also had the opportunity to read some tremendous stories, many of which have since been published.

On the other side of the spectrum are the small face-to-face groups, which for the most part work well, as long as you find like-minded authors. If you write romance and join a group where most of the other members read or write science fiction, a lot is going to be lost in the translation. Both genres have their own distinct tropes and styles. To get the most helpful critiques, you need someone who understands your genre. That’s not to say, those outside your genre can’t give useful critiques. It just means they may be less likely to enjoy your work and give you an insightful critique.

Either way, there’s always value in having someone to discuss your writing with. The key is to find a good fit in critique partners that not only enjoy your genre, but who will give you an honest appraisal that can help you improve your writing and ultimately your work.

Maggie Armstrong grew up enchanted by her father’s tales of blood feuds and border raids. In fact, she could have easily fallen for the man portrayed in one particular image in his portrait collection. Yet when her father reveals he was himself an infamous Border reiver, she finds it a bit far-fetched—to say the least—especially when he announces his plans to return to his sixteenth century Scottish home with her in tow.

Suspecting it’s just his way of getting her to accompany him on yet another archaeological dig, Maggie agrees to the expedition, only to find herself transported four hundred and fifty years into the past. Though a bit disoriented at first, she discovers her father’s world to be every bit as exciting as his stories, particularly when she’s introduced to Ian Rutherford, the charming son of a neighboring laird. However, when her uncle announces her betrothal to Ian, Maggie’s twentieth-century sensibilities are outraged. She hardly even knows the man. But a refusal of his affections could ignite a blood feud.

Maggie’s worlds are colliding. Though she’s found the family she always wanted, the sixteenth century is a dangerous place. Betrayal, treachery, and a tragic murder have her questioning whether she should remain or try to make her way back to her own time.

To make matters worse, tensions escalate when she stumbles across Bonnie Will Foster, the dashing young man in her father’s portrait collection, only to learn he is a dreaded Englishman. But could he be the hero she’s always dreamed him to be? Or will his need for revenge against Ian shatter more than her heart?

Enjoy an Excerpt

Will Foster crouched behind the crumbling stone wall, watching the Armstrongs approach over the opposite hilltop. They pulled up before what he could only assume was a small foraging party, for the strangers traveled on foot. But where had they come from? Moments before, nothing but harebells and thistle had filled that field. He scratched his head. Perhaps they’d walked from a nearby village. Not too clever with the Armstrongs on the prowl. Then again, maybe they were of the same clan, though he certainly didn’t recognize any of them. The Armstrongs, however, he knew all too well, and he thought it best to stay out of their way.

As he peered around the broken wall, one of the strangers turned. An angel amongst a pack of wolves, no doubt. But one of the men tugged her back to his side before Will could determine if she was their hostage. Though he was certain she’d seen him, she didn’t cry out, so perhaps she
hoped he’d rescue her.

He inched a bit closer, staying low to avoid detection. Though he still couldn’t make out much of their conversation, the breeze did manage to catch a few words that caused his ears to perk up. “So, he’s a cousin to Archie, is he.”

Will scurried amongst the trees, coming to rest behind an ancient pine. He caught sight of the bonnie wee lass once more, standing off to the side this time. Instinct caused him to grasp the hilt of his sword. If he moved quickly, he could run out and rescue her before the Armstrongs realized he was there. Then one of the men spoke again, his words taking Will by surprise.

“’Tis me daughter, Maggie,” the stranger said.

About the AuthorAndrea Matthews is the pseudonym for Inez Foster, a historian and librarian who loves to read and write and search around for her roots, genealogical speaking. She has a BA in History and an MLS in Library Science and enjoys the research almost as much as she does writing the story. In fact, many of her ideas come to her while doing casual research or digging into her family history. She is the author of the Thunder on the Moor series set on the 16th century Anglo-Scottish Border, and the Cross of Ciaran series, where a fifteen-hundred-year-old Celt finds himself in the twentieth century. Andrea is a member of the Romance Writers of America, Long Island Romance Writers, and the Historical Novel Society.

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One Helluva Gig by Kevin R. Doyle – Spotlight and Giveaway

March 24, 2022 By 6 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Kevin R. Doyle will be awarding a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Rob Jeffers has it all: fame, money, and the life of a rock and roll star. Frank Peters is a regular guy, a newspaper reporter who just happens to have a passing acquaintance with the Great Jeffers. As Jeffers’s career shoots up, Peters’s fortunes follows in his wake.

And when Jeffers passes away at the height of his fame, Peters’s life begins a steady unravelling. Until a chance encounter on a minor story gives him a new outlook on the celebrity lifestyle, and new hope for his own future.

Enjoy an Excerpt

Off to my right, a slight, average-sized guy came running along. He was wearing the pants and vest of a denim leisure suit, a garish, flowered polyester/Hawaiian shirt with the first five buttons opened up and sandals. Skidding to a stop in front of me, he looked about as confused as I felt at the moment.

“’Scuse me,” he said, “is this the place for the concert?”

I looked around at all the people flocking in our direction, listened to the squealing of the collection of cuties on the other side of the door.

“Yeah,” I said, “but good luck getting in. The place is packed.”

“Really? Cool!” He took off his mirrored sunglasses, and for the first time, I saw the eyes that, in years to come, would stare out from a billion or so album covers.

“Hey,” he said, “you a student here?”

“Yeah, but…”

“You think you can show me how to get in? Like there’s a service entrance or something, isn’t there? I’m with the band, and I’m running late.”

I clenched up. One of the oldest con lines in the world is “I’m with the band.” But something in the man’s look told me to take a chance.

“I think I can get you in, but I need something in return.”

“Yeah?” Now the “guy with the band” seemed uneasy. “What’s that?”

“Well, you see,” I said, “I’m with the student paper…”

About the Author A high-school teacher, former college instructor and fiction writer, Kevin R. Doyle is the author of numerous short horror stories. He’s also written three crime thrillers, The Group, When You Have to Go There, and And the Devil Walks Away and one horror novel, The Litter. Recently, he’s begun working on the Sam Quinton private eye series. The first Quinton book, Squatter’s Rights, was nominated for the 2021 Shamus award as Best First PI Novel. The second book, Heel Turn, was released in March of 2021, while the third in the series, Double Frame, is due out March of 2022.

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Lady Wild Fowl by Ivana Hoxha – Spotlight and Giveaway

March 23, 2022 By 7 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Ivana Hoxha will award a $20 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Lady Wild Fowl is an unusual, self-developing story, that analyzes the deepest repressed feelings and emotions, narrated from the romantic mindset of a twenty-six years old lady, who has never had a man in her life.

Nicole has been raised in a society that teaches her nothing about the value of the woman and her feelings, and she leaves home to accept a job offer in China, where she meets Benjamin. In the messy, unpredictable, and, at the same time, exciting Shanghai, Nicole and Benjamin see life from another perspective. While Nicole is facing the lies on which she based her life, revealing secrets she had kept hidden, embracing all the new unknown feelings blooming in her heart; Benjamin has to face the loss of important relationships and fight not to lose himself along with them, as he discovers how stubborn and deep love can be.

Discovering other perceptions of life and love, facing the unknown feelings that come along with them, and fighting the patterns of the social definitions on relationships, will they be able to discover who they really are? And maybe, experience love on the way?

Enjoy an Excerpt

“We realize time after time, – I spoke to fill that deafening silence, – how small and powerless we are. When we think we have it all figured out, something happens to change everything we know. And we lose balance and we lose control, and there is nothing we can do, but surrender. And this is what hurts the most. Knowing that you would be able to do anything for that love, but seeing that the other person doesn’t have the same intention with you. And you realize that this is your battle only, because the feeling is only yours.”

I wiped a tear off my cheek because that period still hurt, and I got the pillow he handed me. This had become a ritual. It was our therapy session; his understanding and my healing.

“Oh my God, Nicole, – I saw his eyes were filled with tears as well, and I hated witnessing his vulnerability. – How can you find the words for everything?”

His hand was trembling as he put it above his heart. I had never wished to see him like that.

“Because I’ve felt it Gem,” – I had no courage to look him in the eye because I didn’t want to make him feel guilty, but it was true.

I knew it all because of him.

About the Author My name is Ivana and I am from Albania, but I am a citizen of the world. I have studied languages and literature, and I currently speak 5 languages.

3 years ago, I decided to move to China and I lived there until Covid started. After that, I transferred to Bali, where I lived for almost another year. Currently, I am traveling around Europe.

As you can see, I love traveling, and this is where I find my inspiration to write. I write about experiences, people I meet, and everything that impresses me. People become my characters, and places I live in, become the book’s environment because there is nothing more beautiful than finding meaning in the everyday life. I have combined my love for writing with my experiences and brought to life “Lady Wild Fowl” which is the book I am publishing right now in the women fiction genre.

I have also published two books in the Albanian language some years ago, titled “Nje mengjes ndryshe” (A Different Morning) and “Nen shiun e vjeshtes” (Under the Autumn Rain) both of them in the genre of teenage fiction.

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Are You Okay, Elliott Hart? by Kate S. Martin – Spotlight and Giveaway

March 22, 2022 By 5 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Kate S. Martin will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

“You keep it on the inside because that’s the safest way to hide.”

Fifteen-year-old Elliot ‘Matchstick’ Hart spends his days caring for his mum and hiding from the school bully.

Fifteen-year-old Josh McBride spends his days tormenting Elliot and avoiding his abusive stepdad.

Hoping to save his mum, Elliot embarks on an adventure inspired by a picture in an old newspaper. Little does he know that Josh has decided to join him.

On their journey, strangers and surprises force them to look at each other in a different light. As secrets are revealed, will they reconcile their differences or will the secrets tear them further apart?

Enjoy an Excerpt

I’ve spent the last few years making myself invisible. Many teenagers are blessed with unique talents—speak multiple languages or belch the alphabet backwards. Me? I’ve spent the last few years perfecting my own superpower: the ability to make myself disappear. Over the years, I’ve adapted to my surroundings and taught myself how to vanish, like an animal being hunted in the wild. I’ve fine-tuned techniques like staring at my shoes, hiding in the school toilet, and burying my head in a book. Right now, I’m practicing the art of staring at a notice on the wall while I wait for my appointment with Mrs. Spencer, the school counsellor. “Matchstick!” I’m knocked sideways, and Josh McBride’s leering smile is in my face, the same mocking expression mirrored by his friend, Lewis Pretty. Their laughter echoes down the corridor as they slope off. It would be fair to say that my invisibility training still needs work. “You okay?” Felicity Hooper has appeared to my right, studying the same notice from the drama department. There’s a play every year, and every year I dream of auditioning, but I don’t even have the confidence to hold a conversation with the girl standing next to me. The really pretty girl standing next to me, to be specific. “You’re in my history class?” “Yes. It’s Elliot. Elliot Hart.” Who do I think I am? James Bond? “Well, Elliot Hart, are you okay?” She grabs the pen attached to the board and scribbles her name on the audition sheet. Felicity Hooper is amazing, so it’s a damn shame I morph into a bumbling idiot around her.

About the Author:

Kate grew up in a small town in Lancashire, England with her mum, dad, and two older brothers. A bit of a tomboy, she loved nothing more than going out for adventures with her brothers, as long as she was back before dark.

She studied English at Reading University and gained a teaching qualification at Manchester. Nowadays, Kate spends her days teaching English at a local high school in Cheshire and her evenings are spent writing stories close to her heart.

She believes teenage years can be particularly difficult and wants to create stories that show empathy and hope for her readers. She lives with her husband, two children, and Jessie, the miniature schnauzer.

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Does music play an important role in your writing? by Michael Leon – Guest Blog and Giveaway

March 22, 2022 By 13 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Does music play an important role in your writing?

I often listen to music to inspire me. Surprisingly, I don’t mind noise around as I write. A lot of my first drafts are penned in public places, such as cafes, beaches and parks. However, music that is special to me, summons some of my best creativity. I often say to myself and other writers, if what you write draws out strong emotions in you, it is usually good writing. All art can have that effect on me, writing, music, film and theatre.

Listening to music is a wonderful way to tap into your creativity. I cannot imagine a day without music or film to entertain and motivate me creatively. Writing Chandelier, I mainly listened to the operas by Guiseppi Verdi.

Music is a great way to evoke mood and thus enhance the dramatic impact of scenes. There were also a number of contemporary songs as well as operatic that influenced how I wrote Chandelier. Here are my top three.

The song that most impacted on my novel, Chandelier, also influenced the name of the novel! I listened to an Australian version of the hit song, Chandelier by Damien Rice and immediately imagined the scene where Benny is playing to an audience in a nightclub. Click on the link to hear the song.

Another haunting song by Melodie Gardot allowed me to imagine the finale where Viola is singing at the Garnier. It evoked emotions of a life that soared early but felt the bumps of tragedy and loss, then rebirth. Click on the link to hear the song.

Of course, Verdi’s opera of La Traviata was the backdrop for the whole novel. I chose that opera because it told the story of the downfall of a strong woman, Violetta. The atmospheric prelude evoked just the right emotions for my novel. Click on the tour banner to hear the song.

CHANDELIER is the genre-bending sci-fi/fantasy-romance novel follow up of Michael Leon’s 2019 fantasy-romance book, PHANTOMS. A century has passed since the fabled Phantom ruled the Garnier Opera House. Technology has advanced, and AI has evolved beyond human knowledge. They reside in a virtual Earth, free from the ravages of an environmentally damaged Earth where humans and post-humans live under AI’s qualified governance. CHANDELIER follows one AI sentient’s journey, Benny, whose loyalty for a famous opera singer, Madame D’Arenberg, sets him on a dangerous course, entangling him in The Phantom of the Opera’s deadly web.

Enjoy an Excerpt

A human whistling sound, distant but growing louder permeated the chill of the room. An unearthly chilled breath wafted over his face. He opened his eyes and looked up to its source, but he was alone, until light formed on the wall behind Gaston’s bed. Shapeless light swirled as if blown by that same breeze. The foggy disturbance slowed, allowing the swirling shape to take form. It was human but completely covered in black, bar the shape of a smooth ghost-like face. As the contours sharpened he realised it was a mask. Was he looking at the phantom? If he was, Gaston’s stories had all been real!

Fear gripped him to the seat. He wanted to flee but dared not move. Before the apparition suddenly looked Flynn’s way, turning his fear to terror.

“Who are you?” He asked feebly, but the apparition remained silent.

Flynn went to stand but a second shape appeared from behind him. A man dressed in white walked toward Gaston’s bed, making no sound as it glided across the room. Both apparitions studied the body for a time, ignoring Flynn before vanishing through the bedroom wall, leaving Flynn alone. He immediately stood and left the room, fearful they may return, not daring to look back. Whatever he witnessed, he didn’t wish to see again. Flynn was a scientist who staunchly refuted Gaston’s ramblings about ghosts as the product of a vivid imagination. They had spent many years arguing over their existence. Perhaps this was his friend’s final wish, to show him that everything he had written and said was true.

About the Author:Michael Leon is an explorer, writer and author of the new novel, Sentient. Professionally trained in international trade, Michael has spent the last decade reading and writing SFF novels about new worlds to be explored in the future. His latest work, Sentient, imagines Earth in the year 2120. His next novel, Chandelier, will be released in 2022. Michael has travelled extensively around Europe, walking the paths of his characters, from the famous European opera houses in Phantoms to the mountain tops of Switzerland in Emissary.

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How to Handle Negative Criticism by Sandie Gascon – Guest Blog and Giveaway

March 21, 2022 By 4 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Sandie Gascon will be awarding a $15 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

How to Handle Negative Criticism

This is a great topic as negative criticism aka fear of judgement is a fear that stops many people in their tracks. It keeps them from ever creating because they are afraid people won’t like it and even more afraid someone will say they don’t like it publicly. All criticism, whether positive or negative is just feedback. Feedback is just new information. Most people, when they get positive feedback love the ego stroking. It makes us feel good. It is a very instinctual emotion rooted deeply in attachment. We want to be loved and accepted. We want to be able to share ourselves and still be loved and accepted. Most of us growing up were praised when we did things that were good. If our parents, teachers, and other adults in our lives felt what we did was bad we were not praised and we were usually punished. This causes us to believe we are only loved if we are good. So, we try very hard to be good and we fear that punishment and lack of approval if we don’t measure up. When we understand this instinctual aspect of fear of judgment, we can move past it. We can choose to transcend our instincts. We can also teach our own kids that they are loved regardless of their behavior. That way they learn there is no failure. There is only new information helping us grow. We can also teach them and ourselves how to respond to feedback. When you get negative feedback, these are the most common responses. People cry, feel hurt and give up. People get angry and defensive and throw back insults, People ignore it and pretend it isn’t there. None of these are great responses. When you get negative feedback allow yourself to feel what comes up. Ask yourself, “Where does this come from?”, “What belief do I have about myself that is being mirrored through this person?”, “Is the feedback true?”, “Is something from my childhood being triggered where I didn’t feel loved?”, “How can I learn from the feedback and improve?”. When responding to feedback it is important to wait until after you have felt and moved through the emotions. Then respond from peace. Say thank you for the feedback, try to see it from the other person’s perspective. They may be hurt, and it may be the only way they know how to communicate. I always try to provide helpful resources if I can and respond with kindness.

The body wants to return to balance. It just needs the tools to do so. Heal Yourself ~ Body ~ Mind ~ Spirit ~ helps you discover the messages your body is sending, and it also shares the tools to aid your body in healing itself.

“Part One: Body” covers Sandie’s whole-body approach to healing: rebuilding and rebalancing the body, removing stress, and addressing the root causes of chronic illness. All key systems in the body are covered, including functional laboratory test analysis to determine what support your body needs, and the forms of supplements that are right for you. Because everything in our body is connected, we must also focus on our mind and spirit in order to heal. When we change our negative thoughts, beliefs, and responses to ones that serve us, we remove a huge burden of stress from the body.

“Part Two: Mind” dives deep into all areas of personal growth, from empowering language to the Laws of Attraction, building healthy relationships to wealth consciousness, and so much more.

“Part Three: Spirit” is focused on meditations to help further your spiritual journey. Through meditation, you learn to become the observer of the body. From here suffering becomes optional, allowing you to shift to a vibration of peace where the body, mind and spirit can heal.

Enjoy an Excerpt

One of the most common questions I receive is, “What is the root cause of my illness?” Everyone wants to blame something: Lyme, candida, mold, root canals, antibiotics, medication, and so on. I have found the answer to be that there is never a single root cause of illness. We all start out with a reserve. I think of these reserves as our bodies’ “bank accounts.” Genetics and the health of our mother will determine how much of a reserve a person has in the beginning of their life. Through pregnancy and after birth, any stress we encounter makes withdrawals from the bank account. Stress includes emotional stress, physical stress, and chemical stress. Emotional stress is pretty straightforward. Physical stress will include things like injury and exercise. Chemical stress includes toxins, metals, and pathogens. Our world is a stressful place.

The majority of people eat a Standard American Diet (SAD). Kids grow up lacking nutrients. Moms are nutrient deficient, which creates more genetic mutations being expressed from the womb and beyond. If a mom’s detoxification pathways, in particular methylation, are not functioning optimally, it will mean less detoxification capability for the baby. Formula fed babies start out with a propensity for leaky gut. Moms are now getting vaccinated while pregnant, and babies currently being born have the most vaccines in history.

Withdrawal after withdrawal is happening from our bodies’ bank account, which quickly becomes depleted. Once the person hits zero balance and goes into debt, symptoms start occurring. The further in debt they get, the more symptoms appear, and eventually, disease is inevitable. It is no wonder we are seeing illness in increasingly younger individuals, and the rate of all diseases continues to climb. The amount of stress we face is outrageous.

By the time you start showing symptoms, the last event is what most people correlate with their symptoms and illness. In reality, it is just the straw that broke the camel’s back. If it were not that case of food poisoning, for instance, then it would have been the next stressor.

That is why I don’t focus on pathogens or metals in the beginning, and I do not recommend strict diets. Both of these end up stressing the body further. We need to stop making the withdrawals, or at least reduce them, and start making deposits. Deposits are supplements, herbs, and foods that fuel us.

Deposits include fueling our souls with passion, purpose, joy, and love. Stopping the withdrawals is done by removing chemicals in our environment, reducing emotional stress through mindset work, eating clean, whole foods, and in time, removing metals and pathogens. Rebuild and rebalance, repair detoxification pathways, and remove stress; these 4 Rs are critical to replenishing our bodies’ bank account.

About the Author Sandie Gascon is a Health Coach who has helped guide hundreds of people from over twenty-five countries on their healing journey. After suffering severe side effects from medications during her twenty-year battle with chronic migraines, when she was diagnosed with Lupus she committed herself to healing naturally. Through her experiences, she developed a whole body, mind, and spirit approach that addresses the person in a truly holistic manner. She takes the guess work out of the equation by running functional lab work to see what the body needs. She healed herself of migraines, depression, lupus, interstitial cystitis, and cystic acne. Her purpose is to help educate others on the importance of shifting focus to rebuilding and rebalancing the body and removing internal and external stress so the body can heal itself.

Sandie lives in Ontario, Canada, with her husband Eric and son Kaiden. She has a passion for riding horses and spends much of her free time at the barn with her horses Bee and Vala. She loves playing with Kaiden, spending time with family and friends and hiking with her dogs.

Sandie is available for speaking engagements, workshops, and personal coaching..

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The Corpse Princess by Jayce Carter – Spotlight and Giveaway

March 18, 2022 By 2 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Jayce Carter will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Karma is a bitch—but then again, so am I.

Ten years ago, a group of men murdered my mother and thought they had killed me. I’ve spent every day since planning revenge against the man behind the attack—my father. As the head of a powerful crime family, he won’t be an easy target, but nothing matters more than making him pay for what he’s done.

Now, I return in disguise, only to end up on the radar of the Quad—the four most dangerous men in the city…men I’ve been desperately in love with since I was a teen. I have no idea if they were in on the plan to have me killed, but I can’t stop myself from craving their taste, their bodies and their rough, domineering touches. Even though I know the risks, I keep falling deeper into our twisted relationship.

My plan is simple—find and get rid of the people who carried out the attack, kill my father…and don’t fall in love with the men who might have betrayed me.

This world already killed me once—let it try again.

Enjoy an Excerpt

“Well, damn,” he muttered, the end of his stick tapping against the floor. “Guess I didn’t need to give you a handicap, did I?”

I picked my glass up again, taking another sip, before leaning a hip against the edge of the pool table. “I might have let you play if you hadn’t called me sugar.”

“That name sure doesn’t fit you, does it? Not so sweet.”

“I don’t know about that.” A new voice stopped me in my tracks, made me hang my drink in the air a breath before the edge touched my lip.

It can’t be…

“I had this coffee drink one time called The Desert Dog, and it had a mix of brown sugar and cayenne pepper—sweet as hell but with a kick. What I learned was that cowards need sugar without the spice—for the rest of us, we’re just fine with a bit of heat,” the new man finished, his lips pulled into a smile that twisted my stomach.

I pressed the glass to my lips and sipped my whiskey as a way to hide my reaction while I stared at Dane, who looked so much the same even after ten years. His hair was still short and messy, and he had that five-o’clock shadow that always made him appear disheveled.

And his silver tongue was every bit as talented, if his little pick-up line said anything.

About the Author:

Jayce Carter lives in Southern California with her husband and two spawns. She originally wanted to take over the world but realized that would require wearing pants. This led her to choosing writing, a completely pants-free occupation. She has a fear of heights yet rock climbs for fun and enjoys making up excuses for not going out and socializing.

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Character Creation by Lauren Wagner – Guest Blog and Giveaway

March 18, 2022 By 3 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Lauren Wagner will be awarding a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Character creation

Dragons. Who doesn’t love dragons? Dragons play a crucial role in Awaken. At the start of the story. Natalia refers to the dragon as her “keeper.” He was her protector of sorts while also her captor. The dragon needed to be large enough to prevent her from escaping the caverns of Argentina and magical enough to make a lasting effect on the story. At the time, my mind had placed Natalia in the cavern, knowing I wanted a “sleeping beauty” type of scenario. The dragon needed to be on her side, but in ways that she couldn’t yet comprehend. Therefore, the dragon couldn’t talk or communicate very clearly with Natalia. But he did need to share with her somehow, so his body language became important. To try and understand how dragons move, I spent a lot of time analyzing how lizards moved. I also needed something “magical” to put Natalia into a deep sleep. Their scales became the obvious choice. The dragon disappears when it is safe enough for Natalia to wake up but leaves with no sign or indication of how he left. I needed to keep the dragon as mysterious as possible.

Natalia has embraced the choice of her people. She is honored to have been chosen as their human sacrifice and will surrender her life to the Gods. She awaits the call of her people for that final moment, living a life of solitude until it’s time. But then her death is stolen from her—she is kidnapped by her own guards and forced into an eternal slumber.

Hundreds of years later—now—Natalia is woken in a world that’s completely unfamiliar. The archaeological team was not looking for her. They were looking for Estancia, the lost city of gold, and Natalia agrees to guide them.

While they journey through the treacherous jungles of Argentina, Natalia stumbles upon the alarming truth of her past. Her life’s prophecy must be fulfilled to restore balance to her people, but only she can decide whether that balance is worth her death.

Enjoy an Excerpt

They groomed me as a child. They taught me how to look, how to listen, and even how to die. They prepared me to live entirely for others. Die for others. I am destined to be the queen of Estancia, to live in a noble house filled with my own personal court and guards sworn to protect me at all costs, right until the moment of my death. Even as they tear me from my bed in the dark of night, I must remember this is their purpose, just as much as it is mine.

“May I say goodbye to my father?” The confidence in my voice covers the fear trembling in my gut.

“No, milady. There is no time.”

The guard throws a musty cloak over my soft linen nightclothes. The stale smell overpowers the eucalyptus of the lotions on my skin, making my eyes water in disgust. I feel no better than a horse being led by the reigns.

I grip my golden slippers and run out of the house. My bare feet touch the wood of the floor and memorize the soft pitter-patter that vibrates in response. The same guard places me on top of the nearest horse. Black as midnight, silky as the hidden clothes under my cloak. My hands fumble for the reins as I lean forward and fight for my balance. I am not accustomed to riding horses.

About the Author:Lauren Wagner’s love for reading started as a young adult after discovering her town’s public library. After carrying out piles of books at a time, and re-reading them over and over again, she discovered her love for writing. She writes fantasy and science fiction as well as post-it notes about her future stories. Awaken is her debut novel.

She grew up in the western suburbs of Chicago where she presently resides with her husband and two children. She currently teaches upper elementary students to love and obsess over written works of art.

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