Thursday, July 25, 2024

Book Trailer Blast: The Painted Lady by Avery Sterling

 

Title: THE PAINTED LADY
Author: Avery Sterling
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Pages: 368
Genre: Historical Romance




BOOK BLURB:

Aspiring artist Delaney Harper sails to New Orleans after her mother’s death. On the night of her arrival, she’s welcomed by a masked stranger who steals one breathless kiss. Alderic Beaumont is a fallen aristocrat. Once a corsair and now a smuggler, he’s a force to be reckoned with. On the night of his friend’s celebration, he’s captured by an irresistible beauty. He kisses her, promising to find her come morning. By then, Delaney’s world has crumbled—the truth about her mother reveals Delaney now owns a brothel. With Alderic, Delaney embarks on a path of intrigue and passion. Her wit and artistic skills help conceal her identity and restore the once-prestigious bordello...but her deceptions could cost her Alderic’s heart.

The Painted Lady is available at Amazon.


EXCERPT:

  

“This door was locked.”

Alderic was perched on her pillow, one arm resting behind his head. “No lock can keep me out of something I wish to explore, Madame,” he replied. He swung his legs off her bed and stood up in one swift motion.

She lifted her chin at him. “You are out of character this evening, monsieur.” 

“Why the shroud, Madame? Are you covering a terrible wart of some sort? Scars from the pox, perhaps?”

She grinned. “Maybe.”

He used both his hands to flank her, trapping her between his body and the vanity. “Or maybe you know what an arousing enigma it makes you?”

“You are prying, monsieur,” she said. “I wish you to leave now.”

  “I can do that,” he said, the corner of his mouth upturning just a bit, “as soon as I collect my winnings.”

It was difficult to appear unmoved as his hand lightly grazed the line of her jaw. “Why did you not collect earlier? That would have been far more appropriate,” she said.

He chuckled. “You speak of propriety in a bordello?” Then his humor faded as his thumb fiddled with the diamond dangling from her ear. “You were shaking. You are frightened of me, Madame.”

“Monsieur Beaumont.” Delaney scoffed. “I am a madam, and I’ve known many men. I do not fear you.”

  “You are only playing Madame,” he said as his eyes captured her, searching hers for a long moment. “What is underneath all that color, I wonder.”

 

 
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:



Avery Sterling's love for the romance genre began in her teen years when she picked up her first novel. She was captivated by the sweeping scale of emotions brought about by the words. The experience catapulted her towards learning the art of wielding a breathtaking adventure, with a love that felt authentic. Wanting to inspire people with her own thoughts and words, she finished her first novel at sixteen. It was a step towards understanding the essence of what she wished to create.

Most of her youth was spent traveling, searching out the romance and beauty in her everchanging world. From the waves that crashed against the rocky shores of Downeast, Maine, to the warm breezes of the Caribbean, she discovered that love was universal, apparent in its grandest and simplest of forms. Her goal is to write novels an audience can relate to, one that conveys the truth and nature of love… with all that steamy romance. 

Author Links  

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Tiktok | Goodreads | Bookbub

 


10 Things You Might Not Know About Lindy S. Hudis

 


Nick Savage was supposed to be the next sexy Hollywood heartthrob, until he turned up dead…

Title: Hollywood Underworld

Author: Lindy S. Hudis

Publication Date: August 4, 2021

Pages: 203

Genre: Crime Thriller

Nick Savage was supposed to be the next sexy Hollywood heartthrob, until he turned up dead…

His personal manager, Dani Foxx, is a seductive former actress with spunk, guts and a take-no-prisoners attitude. She lives in the Woodland Hills section of the San Fernando Valley with her teenage daughter. They must survive and protect each other in the world’s most glamorous and sin-filled city. Then an unidentified body discovered under the Santa Monica pier is found to belong to the up-and-coming young actor.

Dani’s partner, the dashing and charismatic A.J. Tarentella, is the son of a mob boss, raised in a ruthless crime family. He now is the proud owner of the Tarantella Agency, a Private Investigation Company located in the heart of Beverly Hills. He used his father’s work ethic, connections and family ties to build his powerful business empire, and now he is always there to help those in need.

When another gorgeous nubile actress on the brink of getting her breakout role mysteriously vanishes as the body of a beautiful young girl is discovered in Runyon Canyon Park in the Hollywood Hills, Dani realizes this is no coincidence. Who is targeting young Hollywood stars? And more importantly, how can Dani stop them before the next body surfaces?

Together, A. J. and Dani find themselves tangled in a web of organized crime, Hollywood secrets, and a vengeful faded movie star with a lethal vendetta.

5.0 out of 5 stars Tinseltown’s Seedy Underbelly Exposed

PRAISE:

“They say Hollywood is a dream factory, and having worked in the film business myself, I can say that can be true. But the reality behind the facade can sometimes be the stuff of nightmares. For every big break, there’s a thousand broken dreams. And for every actor hustling to land a role, there’s another who decides the compromises required just aren’t worth the damage it does to a person’s soul. This novel is about reality, the pain, the moral compromises, the crime, and the shattered lives that litter the streets behind the scenes. This book, though fiction has a lot of truth in it, and the novelist pulls no punches. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!” – Amazon

Hollywood Underworld is available at Amazon.

Book Excerpt:

Los Angeles, California

Spring

“Kill her.” The irate and imposing male voice bellowed into the phone.

“Who?” The nervous - and not too bright - hitman swallowed hard and butted out his cigarette.

“Who do you think, moron?”

“Uhm…. I don’t….”

“Dani Foxx.”

“Oh, of course…Whatever you need, boss, I’m all over…”

“And I want it taken care of today, do you understand me?”

“I understand.”

“Don’t screw it up again, I want this problem solved.”

“Don’t worry, boss. The bitch is as good as dead.”

 “She better be!”

“I’m on it, boss.” He reached for his shoulder holster and checked his gun.

 “Then get on it. Now!” The angry boss slammed down the phone.

“Yes, boss.” The hitman pulled on his coat and dashed out of his North Hollywood apartment.

 – Excerpted from Hollywood Underworld by Lindy S. Hudis, Project X Publishing, 2021. Reprinted with permission.



                      10 Things You Might Not Know About Lindy S. Hudis


1)  I studied drama and creative writing at NYU/Tisch School of the Arts – Class of’91!

2)  I am featured in a documentary called “Girls of Married With Children” because I appeared in the “Frat Chance” episode that aired in April of 1992.

3)  I Live in Santa Monica by the beach and pier.

4)   My husband, Stephen Hudis, is a former child star and appeared in the movie “The Cowboys” with John Wayne.

5)   I’m a Chihuahua lover!

6)   My husband and I have written several screenplays and one of our scripts, CRASHERS (also one of my books) is in development with Face-to-Face productions.

7)   Wrote, produced, and directed an award-winning short film called THE LESSON, it’s currently playing on YouTube.

8)   Was born in Miami, grew up in Memphis, went to college in NYC and now live in LA. I have moved around quite a bit!

9)   Love my cup of coffee in the morning and a glass of Merlot in the evening.

10)  I have two kids, one an aspiring filmmaker and the other an aspiring musician (drummer). We are an artistic family all-round.


About the Author

Lindy S. Hudis is an award winning filmmaker, author and actress. Lindy is a graduate of New York University, where she studied drama at Tisch School of the Arts. She also performed in a number of Off-Off Broadway theater productions while living in New York City. She is the author of several titles, including her romance suspense novel, Weekends, her “Hollywood” story City of Toys, and her crime novel, Crashers. Her latest release, “Hollywood Underworld – A Hollywood Series” is the first installment of a crime, mystery series. In addition, she has written several erotic short stories, including “The S&M Club”, “The Backstage Pass”, “Guitar God”, “The Guitarist”, and “The Mile High Club”. Her short film “The Lesson”, which she wrote, produced and directed, has won numerous awards, including ‘Best Short Film’ at the Paris International Film Festival, The Beverly Hills Arthouse Film Festival and the San Fransisco International Film Festival.

She is also an actress, having appeared in the indie film Expressionism, the television daytime drama “Sunset Beach”, also “Married with Children” , “Beverly Hills 90210” and the feature film “Indecent Proposal” . She and her husband, Hollywood stuntman Stephen Hudis, have formed their own production company called Impact Motion Pictures, and have several projects and screenplays in development. She lives in California with her husband and two children.

Website & Social Media:

Website/Blog ➜  https://lindyinparadise.wordpress.com/

Twitter ➜ https://twitter.com/Lindyscribe

Facebook ➜ https://www.facebook.com/LindyScribe/

Instagram ➜ https://www.instagram.com/lindys.hudis 

Goodreads ➜ https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6470478.Lindy_S_Hudis 


Sponsored By:




How Punk is Your Candle? by James Calbraith

 


In the ruins of a fallen Empire, the first ever female pilot takes part in a flying boat race to free her people from the foreign oppression…

Title: The Flying Barons of Negriponte (The Aether Empire Book 1)

Author: James Calbraith

Publication Date: September 20, 2023

Pages: 134

Genre: Historical Fantasy/Candlepunk

They killed her father. They took her ship. But nothing will stop Ikaria's vengeance.

Forty years since Constantinople fell to the Venetian flying citadels, high-altitude Aether racing is the favoured pastime of bored, wealthy Latin nobles. Ikaria, proud daughter of a legendary Aether engineer and one of the best racing pilots in the Aegean, is determined to uncover the truth behind her father's mysterious disappearance at the end of the last Grande Regatta of Negriponte.

Driven by the thirst of vengeance and pursuit of engineering excellence in equal measures, Ikaria vows to win the next Regatta herself - and to find out what really happened to her father. But there's a catch: a new Imperial edict bars her, and anyone not of noble blood, from taking part in Aether races. To her rescue comes Sire Mikhael of Chiarenza - an enigmatic handsome young Greek turncoat in the service of new Latin masters. His motivations unclear, the source of his funds and supplies a secret, Ikaria nonetheless agrees to accept his help: together, they set out to challenge the supremacy of the six Hexarchs, the infamous Flying Barons of Negriponte.

Pick up your copy of The Flying Barons of Negriponte at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CJKXXQB1 .



Book Excerpt:

A black-headed gull landed on the bowsprit. It glanced around, confused as to why a small, sleek sailboat suddenly appeared in its path in the middle of a billowing cloud hundreds of feet above the surface of the sea. Its eyes met Ikaria’s; the bird squawked in indignation and spread its wings as if to protest this sin against God and nature. A sudden, violent gust pushed it off the spar. Still squawking in disgust, the gull continued on its way while the boat pushed onwards, deeper into the cloud and out the other side.

A white-washed dot of Saint Elijah’s chapel appeared among the rocky outcrops, marking the eastern end of the Chalcis Pass. Ikaria reached under her tunic and took out a small brass key, inlaid with a piece of ruby glass, hung on a silver chain at her neck. Gingerly, she inserted it into a slot in the side of the Caput Chamber and turned it a quarter to the right. A conduit linking the Inhibitor Retort with the Tribikos Manifold hissed, indicating a forming air gap. She turned the spigot in the nozzle, releasing half a dram of the Inhibitor into the Sublimation Aludel. It took another few moments for the reaction to start. She turned to the Hygroscope and observed the four liquids behind the pane of rock crystal: a mixture of quicksilver, aqua fortis, brine and fish oil, each coloured with a different hue of vitriol, indicated the proportion of gaseous Quintessence – the Naviferous Aether – in the air under the hull. The liquids bubbled behind the crystal, reacting to a sudden change in pressure, then stabilised at the new levels, layer upon layer, at their respective measuring notches carved in the crystal pane. And then – a new layer emerged where there shouldn’t be one: a fifth, ruby-coloured liquid filled out the unmarked space between the quicksilver and aqua fortis.


– Excerpted from The Flying Barons of Negriponte by James Calbraith, Flying Squid, 2023. Reprinted with permission.



How Punk is your Candle?

From its origin, the term ‘steampunk’ was tongue-in-cheek. A play on ‘cyberpunk’ invented only because cyberpunk was a popular genre at the time (early 1980s), it was always more about the ‘steam’ component – the aesthetics and fashions of Victorian industrial era, the steam engines, the top hats, the airships, the pipes, valves and pulleys, the brass, leather and glass – than the actual ‘punk’.

The ‘punk’ of cyberpunk had a clear meaning: anarchy, evil corporations, dystopian collapse, sex, drugs and rock’n’roll amid a cyber future. Not so much steampunk: moral dilemmas and philosophical musings often give way to simply looking cool and having romping adventures in a steam-powered mechas or fighting gothic monsters in a moody mansion. The importance of aesthetics over story could be the reason why steampunk, unlike cyberpunk, is better represented in visual media – animation, graphic novels, video and tabletop games – than literature.

That’s not to say there’s nothing important that steampunk can tell us as a genre. The Victorian era was the time when our modern world was being forged; women fought for their rights, as did the working classes; slavery was finally abolished in the West, but exploitative colonial empires thrived; the entire world became truly interconnected for the first time, with steamers plying the oceans from Tokyo to San Francisco and from Cape Town to Vladivostok; revolutions were slowly brewing that would soon bring the downfall of empires that had lasted for centuries. These are all themes that a good steampunk story should, and will, explore, in all its top-hatted, be-goggled glory.

And then there are all the other ‘-punks’. Like the Watergate building giving a part of its name to all the political scandals since, so did Steampunk help to define all the genres that emphasised retrofuturistic aesthetics. Clockpunk for Renaissance and Da Vinci-inspired mechanisms. Dieselpunk for the 1940s era, with combustion engines replacing steam and black leather trenchcoats instead of frocks. Decopunk for Art Deco. Atompunk for the 1950s – think Fallout, Bioshock. For the age before Clockpunk, the High Middle Ages – in which my new book, “The Flying Barons of Negriponte” is set – no single good term has yet been invented. There’s Candlepunk, which I prefer to use myself, but I’ve heard of Castlepunk, Monkpunk and even Dungeonpunk. Once again, all these terms focus on the aesthetics of the setting: the source of power is alchemy and primitive clockwork; the fighting is done with swords, crossbows and, depending on the fictional century, early gunpowder; the mood is dark, foggy and brooding, all hooded monks in candle-lit rooms and armoured knights sinking in the bogs. But if you can’t find enough of the ‘punk’ element – dystopian social commentary – in the era of crusades, heresies, plagues, robber knights and peasant revolts, are you even trying?



About the Author

James Calbraith is a Poland-born Scottish writer of history-adjacent novels, coffee drinker, Steely Dan fan and avid traveller.

Growing up in communist Poland on a diet of powdered milk, “Lord of the Rings” and soviet science-fiction, he had his first story published at the ripe age of eight. After years of bouncing around Polish universities, he moved to London in 2007 and started writing in English. Now lives in Edinburgh, hoping for an independent Scotland.

His debut historical fantasy novel, “The Shadow of Black Wings“, has reached Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award semi-finals in 2012. “The Year of the Dragon” saga sold over 30,000 copies worldwide.

His new historical fiction saga, “The Song of Ash” has been on top of Amazon’s Bestseller lists in UK for months. 

Connect with James:

Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads | Bookbub | Wattpad | Quora

 




Friday, July 19, 2024

Raising Jess: A Story of Hope by Vickie Rubin

 




Raising Jess: A Story of Hope is the powerful story of one family’s survival when faced with adversity. Written with compassion, honesty, and humor, it tells of a family changed forever by the birth of a child with a rare chromosome deletion and their courageous decision to choose hope. Facing the challenges of caring for her daughter, marriage struggles, and the question of having more children, Vickie Rubin gives a glimpse in the world of her family and transformation while raising Jess. This beautiful, gripping memoir will delight and leave you wanting more.

  

This Will Make You Stronger

 

This will make you stronger; you just don’t know it yet. Ahh, hindsight, that 20-20 vision was spiraling in the wrong direction. When the doctor told us that our baby daughter was delayed in every milestone and would never walk or talk, the news was so shocking that the idea of getting stronger was not even in our thoughts. If somebody had told me, “This will make you stronger,” I may have clobbered them to show my strength! But that’s when the “You just don’t know it yet” comes into play.

What is this Rash?

Our teeny-tiny first child was born on April 11, 1982. Jessica weighed 4 pounds 11 ounces at birth. A week before delivery, I complained to my doctor about a rash, and for a week, he said to me, “The baby is settling, not to worry.” I truly wanted to believe it was nothing. And then my water broke… We arrived at the local hospital, and I told a few doctors about my rash; each dismissed it until finally, an astute nurse (probably an experienced mother) told me my rash looked like “chicken pox”! My mind went into overdrive, racing with the thoughts of: “What? How can this be?” Hadn’t I already had all the childhood diseases?” A physician had to do a biopsy of my rash to confirm if I had chicken pox. I clearly remember labor pain and a scalpel on my blister happening simultaneously. This would make me stronger; I just didn’t know it yet.

Chicken Pox

A biopsy of the pox verified what any experienced mother would have suspected: I had chicken pox. The hospital quickly responded by discharging me, without any medical transportation, to the local children’s hospital. My husband gathered me in the car and drove the twenty miles by car and 1000 miles measured in the stress route. I was a first-time mom and didn’t know how fast the baby would arrive – was the highway going to be listed on the birth certificate as place of birth? Would my newborn start her life with chicken pox? How dangerous was this for my yet-to-be-born daughter? And where the H@#$ did I get chickenpox? This journey was filled with fear and uncertainty, but little did I know it was making me stronger.

Isolation

Once we arrived at Children’s, the medical staff isolated me from everyone and assured us we would be fine. I felt relief from their confidence and was ready to deliver my first child. I labored for ten hours before our little princess was born. The desire to bond with my newborn was strong, yet I was unable to embrace our baby because of the risk of transmitting my disease. With tears and so much sadness, I let the nurse take my daughter to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) for monitoring. My Mom hormones were screaming to hold my newborn while the physicians reminded me that I was still contagious. The isolation and the longing to hold my baby were making me stronger, even though I didn't realize it at the time.

Chicken Pox Free

I was released from the hospital within 36 hours but was unable to see our baby or bring her home until a pediatrician in the community declared that I no longer had chicken pox.

The Actual Diagnosis

Jess did not have chicken pox that day. We would later find out that she had a rare chromosome deletion and would always need total assistance for all daily life skills. In retrospect, it was evident that Jess had unusual facial features and other anomalies. Still, as first-time parents, we were somewhat clueless, and the doctors did not say anything to us. This, too, would strengthen both of us; we just didn’t know it yet.

2024

It is now 2024, and our beloved Jessica is 42 years old. My husband and I went on to have two more children. We found strength, but not immediately. There were many bumps along the way, from medical emergencies and financial strains to marriage struggles and the stress of caring for a child with significant needs. We discovered our strength by watching our eldest daughter take on each day with a smile, a giggle, and a hug. My husband and I found courage as our confidence and experience expanded. The support of our family, friends, and the medical community was invaluable in our journey. Jessica showed us that although things aren’t what you planned, that’s OK. We learned the value of resilience, the power of love, and the importance of acceptance. Before Jessica, I didn’t know what my future would bring. I didn’t think I would find a career that would help me empower other families of children with special needs. Or that I would write a hopeful book about raising Jess and our family. I didn’t know that April 11 would change the course of our lives and that we would not only survive but thrive.

We are Stronger

Our path differed from many of our friends and neighbors. But our opportunities and experiences changed our lives for the better. We looked at everything through the lens of how we would do this rather than how we couldn’t. Raising Jess made us stronger, and now I know it!

 

 


About the Author

Vickie Rubin, M.S Ed. is a three-time award-winning author of the inspiring memoir Raising Jess: A Story of Hope. The memoir encompasses overcoming marriage struggles, having more children, and the sibling experience. Vickie's debut memoir won the 2022 Readers' Favorite Gold Medal Award for Non-Fiction and was a Finalist in the Best Book Award and Books Excellence Award for inspirational memoir. She is an experienced public speaker and passionate advocate for families of children with disabilities. Vickie's essays are published in Newsweek and featured in the Buffalo News and guest blogs worldwide. She is a frequent Podcast guest sharing information about raising a child with a disability, inspiring hope, family dynamics, education, and advocacy. Her blog, Vickie's Views, gives a heartwarming and humorous view of everyday life, including raising a child with a disability, observing daily life, family, marriage, and RV travel. Before writing her book, Vickie was the director of the Early Childhood Direction Center (ECDC) for Oishei Children’s Hospital, Kaleida Health, a New York State Education Department grant-funded program. Vickie and her husband Mitch celebrated their 44th wedding anniversary in 2023. They have three children, three grandchildren, and two very active dogs. 

You can follow the author at:

Website: https://vickierubin.com/

Vickie’s Views: https://vickierubin.com/blog/

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

Instagram: @vickierubin.author

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vickie-rubin-aa1a09177/

Twitter/X: @vickierubin

Wednesday, July 10, 2024

Eight Things You Did Not Know About Author Anoop Judge


Not just an author of four books and counting, Anoop Judge is also a writing instructor and former TV host. Find out more by visiting Anoop's website https://anoopjudge.com/

 


Eight Things You Don’t Know About Me

I Grew Up Among Books and Bollywood: My childhood in New Delhi was a vibrant blend of literature and Bollywood. My love for storytelling was nurtured by the rich narratives of both the written word and the cinematic world. Whether it was reading classic novels or watching the latest Bollywood hits, these early experiences deeply influenced my passion for writing and creativity.

A Litigator by Day, Writer by Night: Before I fully embraced my writing career, I spent seven years as a litigator in the United States. Balancing the demanding legal profession with my passion for writing was no easy feat. Late nights were often spent drafting stories and working on manuscripts, a practice that kept my creative spirit alive amidst the rigorous demands of my legal career.

The Fear Factor: I am deathly afraid of cockroaches and there’s a story behind it. Read it here: https://scars.tv/dirt/dirt161nov-dec18/Hurricane_Katrina.htm#Cockroach          

The Travel Bug: Travel is a significant part of my life. I’ve visited over 20 countries, from Santorini to Vietnam. But after I attended a writer’s residency in Noyers Sur Serein in Burgundy, France at Le Porte Piente in a crumbling medieval castle, I’ve modified my bucket list of must-see tourist spots to going off the beaten path, and staying in small villages where the locals are uber-friendly, and the produce is always fresh and fragrant. These adventures not only fuel my creativity but also deepen the authenticity of the characters and settings in my stories.

Rom-Coms are my Jam: I love to watch rom-coms although I don’t read romantic novels. I like to read what I write which is book club fiction also called upmarket literary fiction, but my guilty pleasure is watching shows like Bridgerton and movies like The Idea of You.

Languages are the Death of Me: I’m bad at languages. I am fluent in English (acquired through my convent school education) Hindi and Punjabi (my native tongues) but other than that, I struggle with languages whether it be the French I took as an elective subject in college or the Spanish I continue to fail in, despite going to Mexico many times a year.

I Have a Real Passion for Zoos: I love visiting zoos. Zoos are fascinating places that offer the opportunity to observe and learn about a wide variety of animals from around the world. I truly believe that appreciating the beauty and diversity of the animal kingdom is a natural and enriching interest, and there is no age limit to enjoying such experiences. I took my children to the zoo on weekends and holidays and instilled in them both a similar love for zoos.

Favorite Cuisine: While I enjoy a wide range of cuisines, and I hail from Punjab, which is the Northern part of India, yet, South Indian food holds a special place in my heart. From crispy dosas and fluffy idlis to spicy curries and flavorful chutneys, South Indian food reminds me of my childhood and family gatherings with my mom and dad.

I hope these insights give you a deeper understanding of who I am beyond my professional achievements and creative endeavors. Life is a tapestry of experiences, and these facets of my life have shaped me into the person I am today.