Wednesday, May 31, 2023

Top Ten Things You Might Not Know about Peter J. White & The Ghost Hunter Series

 


When the ghostly victims of a small-town crime lord find him, ex-special forces soldier Max Sinclair realizes the only road to peace is to serve them the justice they crave. But the Bannister clan has tentacles that reach from Eastern Washington into Mexico, trafficking women across the border and into their brothels. Haunted by visions of the dead, Max burns a swath through the Bannister empire, doing his best to set the dead free, but odds are he'll be joining them before he's done. The Hollow Men is the first novel in the Ghost Hunter series about a vigilante who sees the dead—Max Sinclair. Haunted by visions and longing for justice and redemption, Max hunts down evil incarnate—his soul hanging in the balance as he walks the line between the dark and the light.

 

Top Ten Things You Might Not Know about
Peter J. White & The Ghost Hunter Series

1) I lived in Thailand 1984-1990; this has informed almost everything I’ve written since.
2) I started out writing screenplays (almost all horror) and am currently turning my
screenplays into novels. In fact, the first screenplay I wrote for my Master’s became
the Ghost Hunter series.
3) The Ghost Hunter series is inspired by true events. I’ve also created a version of the experience that features Max Sinclair.

4) I grew up in SE Alaska. Sitka, to be precise.
5) Max Sinclair is based on a real guy, a friend of mine.
6) I was a kickboxer for 10 years and had my first kickboxing fight at the age of 55.5
against a 24-year-old. (I kicked his ass.)
7) I climbed Mount Rainier twice.
8) My father was a general surgeon and pilot. He had a Pitts Special in which he flew
complicated aerobatic routines. When he was 80 years old, he took me up and did
such a rigorous routine I passed out.
9) I have a video of him shooting a charging bear dead.
10) Every arcane and supernatural practice in the Ghost Hunter series is based on true
events. My website and newsletter provide more insight into these.
11) (bonus) I answer every email I get. PeterJWhiteAuthor@peterjwhite.net

 


Peter J. White was born in Colorado and raised in SE Alaska. He has degrees in Education, French, and an MFA in Creative Writing. He taught ELL in Bangkok, Thailand for six years, and currently teaches high school English in Washington State. Hobbies, past and present, include writing, bicycling, mountain climbing, kickboxing, MMA, and yoga.

Website: https://peterjwhite.weebly.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100088706454075

Sunday, May 21, 2023

Creating a Book You Love by author Patricia Eckerman Ambas

 



As a writer you pour your heart into your work. But what happens when you get to the end - all the way to publication - and it’s no longer the book you love? Somewhere along the way it was tweaked until it morphed into a new creation - one that you didn’t even like. I published a book in December that I was not comfortable promoting; I didn’t want to share about it personally or professionally. It took some reflection to figure out what was blocking me from the zeal I had held for it leading up to its release, and looking back, I noted that the children’s book had been postponed so long that by the time everything was set, I just wanted to get the book out. Any misgivings or doubts I had were pushed to the side in order to rush through the release before the new year began. But those doubts didn’t leave, and instead, they grew until I realized that it was the book cover that was not attractive to me and some of the art on the pages left me unimpressed. I found myself discrediting the book cover whenever I met a new reader to let them know that I didn’t like the cover, as if to tell them it was okay if they didn’t either.

 To create the book I actually loved, I needed to make changes. So, while the book was out as a less-than-attractive version, I was at work behind the scenes with a new cover designer. Then came the interior work. Months later I had a book that I loved. It is so easy to share the book that had been in my heart all along, but it just needed some adjustments. This makeover allowed me to finally present the book I had imagined.

 One of the benefits in reflecting on why I didn’t love my book was that I could make changes to the second book in the series to ensure this wouldn’t happen again. When I Can’t Wait to Love You Forever: A Big Sister Book released this month, this time, I was incredibly proud to promote it. If you find yourself no longer in love with your book, it may just be a 'you' thing, but it may also be a universal feeling that needs to be addressed. As much as we want to rush the process, slow it down to compose a book that you love. And don’t be afraid of a little modification; it may just be what makes it rework its way into your heart and into the hands of others.


 

About the author: Patricia Eckerman Ambas was inspired by her son’s inventive game when she wrote I Can’t Wait to Love You Forever: A Big Brother Book. At the request of readers, she followed it up with the big sister version in the similarly titled book in the series, I Can’t Wait to Love You Forever: A Big Sister Book. Her experience as an educator prompted her to weave in the important aspects of social and emotional learning and positive parenting into the books. Always surrounded by her three young children, you can find Patricia on the lake catching sunrises or at her family business, Manila Resto. Keep in touch by following her on FB and IG at @PatriciaEckermanAmbas or send her an email at AuthorPatriciaEckermanAmbas@gmail.com. 

 Website: https://www.PatriciaEckermanAmbas.com/

Free Resources: ICantWaitToLoveYouForever.com

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

InstaGram: https://www.instagram.com/PatriciaEckermanAmbas/

Publisher: https://www.WordLifePress.com/

 

Wednesday, May 17, 2023

Book Spotlight: The K-Frost Caper by James Blakley

 


Daring insurance investigator Luna Nightcrow and cosmopolitan cop Tiago Toussaint match wits and wiles, in an attempt to find out when anyone has last seen Frost, Kelvin Frost (one of perhaps 3 cold-blooded criminals), in Miami…
 

Title: The K-Frost Caper
Author: James Blakley
Publisher: The Powers That Be Publishing
Pages: 206
Genre: Mystery/Suspense/Romantic Tension 

A cold case heats up when Kelvin Frost, believed to have drowned in Alabama, returns from the dead to apply for more life insurance. Or has he? When a body-a dead body-identified as Kelvin Frost, turns up in Miami, murder complicates matters. Enter Luna Nightcrow, the insurance fraud investigator whose “smartphone never sleeps.” After recovering a valuable Cherokee relic, Nightcrow accepts Charmed Life Mutual Insurance’s offer of $50,000 to sniff out and close down the K-Frost Caper. But it won’t be easy with so few leads or clues. Paired with cosmopolitan cop Tiago Toussaint, the two match wits and wiles, in attempt to find out when is the last time anyone saw Frost … in Miami?

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3zru92q 

B&N: https://bit.ly/3KrkJdx 

Books-a-Million: https://bit.ly/3MssXnl 

Walmart: https://bit.ly/3MazR0j 

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3nFV8Vp 

BookBub: https://bit.ly/3GePsIf

 

Book Excerpt  


Excerpt from The K-Frost Caper

Southern Comfort Flight 213 landed smoothly at Miami International Airport around 6 pm. Luna left the plane and walked to the baggage area. While she waited for her luggage to arrive, her first thought was to call Hector Luz’s cell. But, if he was corrupt, Luna’s call—even if she tried to hide her number with a star 67 code—might tip him off that Charmed Life increased its search for him. So she didn’t call.

     When Luna’s luggage finally arrived, it wasn’t hard to find. Nor, it appeared, was she.

     A dark-skinned man in a tan cotton suit and black tie spotted her. He folded the newspaper he’d watch Luna from behind and rubbed his goatee thoughtfully.  Then he began to move. 

     Luna gathered her laptop, slung her purse, and extended the handle of her rolling duffel bag. Just as she was about to start up, the man with the goatee slowed her down. 

     “Luna Nightcrow?” the man asked.

     “Yes,” she answered.

 
 
 
 More...






About the Author

James Blakley was educated at Missouri Western State College and Washburn University. While at MWSC, he was a local and national award-winning columnist and section editor of “The Griffon-News.” Blakley worked 10 1/2 years as a page and as an Assistant Librarian for the River Bluffs Regional Libraries of St. Joseph, MO. He currently lives in Topeka, KS where he worked for The Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library and several years in clerical and customer support capacities for international computer companies, such as EDS and HP. Additionally, Blakley has worked in information gathering and analysis for various government agencies and programs.


 

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Monday, May 15, 2023

Finding Love in Rescues, Shelters, and Fosters by author and dog lover Carmen Leal


For every pet parent who knows there's no such thing as 'just a dog,' this collection of uplifting glimpses into the lives of ordinary-turned-extraordinary dogs and the people who love them is a tail-wagging good read. Thanks to the rescue dog who saved her life after a traumatic brain injury, Carmen Leal went from saying she'd never have a dog to becoming an advocate for man's best friend. Carmen volunteered at the local rescue shelter by writing bios and social media posts, applying for grants, and helping to save and re-home over 6,500 dogs from a high-kill shelter. This endearing anthology includes stories that celebrate the bond between canines and humans including Buddy the beagle who went from living chained under a porch to becoming the town's only therapy dog, Heavenly Joy, the frightened Chihuahua who changed the life of a grumpy old man, Bogey, an abandoned mixed-breed trained by prison inmates and adopted by his forever family. I Chose You is a collection of memorable, beautifully written stories of dogs rescued by people and, ultimately, people rescued by dogs. If you like four-legged friends and happy endings, you'll love Carmen Leal's touching collection of heart-warming stories. I Chose You is a feel-good book that resonates with anyone who has ever loved a dog. 

 


Finding Love in Rescues, Shelters, and Fosters

You can’t buy love, but you can find it in rescues, shelters, and foster groups around the country. When we started looking for a dog, I was absolutely clueless. We had relocated only a few months before, so we didn’t know many people and had no idea where to begin. The local Humane Society website popped up first when I did an online search using the words “rescue dog.” They had spotty hours and my husband’s work schedule made it hard to get there when they were open.

Next, I stumbled on an organization that had dogs for adoption that were being fostered. This was the first time I heard the term “foster” applied to dogs. People who foster take a puppy or dog into their home and give it love, care, and attention. Fostering can be for a specified amount of time, to help them to reach a certain health or training goal, or until the dog is adopted to its forever family. Many groups do not have a brick-and-mortar facility, even if they are licensed to rescue and find homes for dogs. In these cases, the group depends on people opening up their homes to care for dogs until the right family is found. Those I found online didn’t have set hours and when no one returned my phone call, I kept searching. The place I finally found was at the bottom of the second page of the results and was where we found our dog that first day. They met all my criteria—and some I didn’t know I should have had.

People use the terms “shelter” and “rescue” interchangeably but there is a difference. Most cities or counties will have a shelter or a fee-for-service contract with someone like the Humane Society to take in stray and owner-surrendered dogs. These organizations take in homeless pets within a specific community and are often a great place to find a pet. Rescues can be housed and cared for in a building or they can be foster-only without a physical location. They both identify areas that have stay dog problem and overflowing shelters. They often partner with a specific shelter in a high-need area and transport dogs who would likely be euthanized to other states that have people who choose to adopt instead of buying from a breeder. Rescue groups, always short-staffed and often volunteer only, rescue in the truest sense of the word. According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, over 1.6 death row dogs are saved every year through adoption.

Every dog deserves a good home. Every family that wants to be a responsible owner deserves a good dog. There are many, many dogs and puppies in need of homes. When you adopt a pet, you are saving a life.

Please visit Carmen’s gorgeous site for more details on her book! Wag Away Publishing – Imperfectly Perfect Rescue Dogs and Their Humans