Tell us about yourself? I grew up in the lower east side of Manhattan and Cambridge, MA. I am retired and live in Southern Oregon. I enjoy writing and love spending time with my six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing? I grew up on the east coast. My writing began when I was babysitting as a teenager. One little boy wanted me to “tell him a story out of my mouth”, not to read from any of the books he had heard before. I did, which influenced my writing later in life.
Do you have any unusual writing habits? No unusual writing habits. I just sit with the laptop on my lap and I write whatever “The Spirit” brings or gives me.
What authors have influenced you? I grew up on the east coast. My writing began when I was babysitting as a teenager. One little boy wanted me to “tell him a story out of my mouth”, not to read from any of the books he had heard before. I did, which influenced my writing later in life.
Do you have any advice for new authors? Advice for new authors would be not to discuss their writing or story ideas with others while they are writing. If you have a trusted friend, you can talk with them. Keep them to yourself.
What is the best advice you have ever been given? The best advice I have been given was from my great-grandmother whom I spent many summers with growing up. She always told us to learn to rely on God and not this crazy world we live in.
What are you reading now? I only like to read spiritual books. Daily I enjoy reading ACIM and the Bible often, but one of my favorite authors is Dr. Wayne Dyer.
What’s your biggest weakness? My writing weakness is that I sometimes get carried away with an idea and then I receive a correction and have to erase the run-on stuff. I am grateful that I can laugh at myself when that happens.
What is your favorite book of all time? I would have to pick the bible.
When you’re not writing, how do you like to spend your time? Of course, spending time with my big family… (Lol). When I am not writing I either draw, paint, or sew. Those are very relaxing endeavors for me. I sew more than anything else. The process of creating something takes me away from the craziness of the world.
Do you remember the first story you ever read and the impact it had on you? The first story that I read that had an impact on me is a tough question. I read many books when I was a kid that had an impact on me, but no single book stands out as the most impressive at this time.
What has inspired you and your writing style? I just enjoy a freestyle flow of writing and whatever the spirit of the lord sends my way.
What are you working on now? I have several new book projects I am writing in various stages to completion.
What is your favorite method for promoting your work? I have hired an exceptional book marketer who now handles all of my book promotions through social media, mainstream media, and literary sites.
What’s next for you as a writer? I hope to have another book published soon.
How well do you work under pressure? It has never been a problem for me.
If you could share one thing with your fans, what would that be? My desire is for readers to take a chance with my new book release titled “Forever Kind of Love” and I think fans will be pleasantly surprised with the story.
“A random statement made in response to a loving question turned out to be prophetic, unknowingly. If you read the story you will find out how. You will rejoice, you will laugh, and you will cry. You will be amazed, and you will be disappointed. But isn’t that what happens in our real lives?
Bad things do happen to good people, and people of faith seem to persevere and ultimately experience a good outcome. This story has many life situations that are very challenging, but because of the love the two main characters have for each other, they were able to persevere and prevail.
After becoming empty nesters for only a short time, a surprise they never would have anticipated came to bless their lives more than they could have imagined. Sharing their life with someone else’s children because of their misfortune was heartwarming and a blessing for all concerned. Illness has a way of wiggling into our lives, often without warning, but it does not have to defeat us. These situations can end up making us stronger in faith than we were before.”
Happy endings are always encouraging. Read and enjoy!
Ms. E. Ann Brown is an American author and influential writer of literary fiction after retiring as a primary school educator. The author released her first book, ‘Forever Kind of Love,’ in Jan. 2023, and available on Amazon in both e-book and paperback versions.
Ms. Brown’s formal education background was in the field of education, but she considers herself a lifelong learner and has studied many other areas and interests. Brown is a spiritually oriented person who sees the world from a positive perspective and conveys her perspective in her writings.
She is a proud mother who has raised four beautiful grown children as she home-schooled them and went on to a home-school consulting business where she developed chosen curriculum plans for other families. Writing has been a natural part of her life since she was an adolescent babysitter making up stories while babysitting on the spur of the moment. She has always been a storyteller throughout her life.
When she is not writing, she enjoys spending time with her family as she is a loving grandmother and great-grandmother. Born and lived many years on East Coast, she now resides in the beautiful Pacific Northwest in Southern Oregon.
ASIN : B0BJ7TQYQQ Publisher : Elizabeth Alleyne (October 14, 2022) Language : English Paperback : 178 Family Life Fiction (Books) Literary Fiction~ New E-Book on Sale at $1.99
A random statement made in response to a loving question turned out to be prophetic, unknowingly. If you read the story you will find out how. You will rejoice, you will laugh, and you will cry. You will be amazed, and you will be disappointed. But isn’t that what happens in our real lives?
Bad things do happen to good people, and people of faith seem to persevere and ultimately experience a good outcome. This story has many life situations that are very challenging, but because of the love the two main characters have for each other, they were able to persevere and prevail.
After becoming empty nesters for only a short time, a surprise they never would have anticipated came to bless their lives more than they could have imagined. Sharing their life with someone else’s children because of their misfortune was heartwarming and a blessing for all concerned. Illness has a way of wiggling into our lives, often without warning, but it does not have to defeat us. These situations can end up making us stronger in faith than we were before. Happy endings are always encouraging. Read and enjoy!
The Mystic Swords of Love and Innocence is a book I wrote more than a decade ago, but one in which I still contemplate the words and wisdom therein. I have continued to revise it as I have continued to revise my own life. And yet, in a way, this book has taken on a life of its own beyond even my own thoughts and revisions in its own determination to express its unique spirit.
While some may profess that as adults we have lost our innocence, and with it, our ability to love in its purest form, I have come to realize that we never truly lose the essence of either within our soul and spirit. The profession of such a loss is actually an illusion, or a fabrication that has been drummed into us once we reach adolescence, as it has through eons of history and religion, convincing us that true love and innocence is only a gift to be experienced by the very young.
Consider, for example, how we often hear in our youth, that once we become sexually active, we have lost our innocence?
With our innocence now gone, what have we now become? Can we ever attain innocence once again? Is the innocence that we thought we have lost still in our hearts?
The answers and more are within the pages of this book. . .
~Elizabeth Upton Exceprt From The Mystic Swords of Love and Innocence
*** About The New Release on Pre-order Sale At Amazon ***
The Mystic Swords of Love and Innocence: Reclaim Your Magnificence
ASIN : B0BSJ7T1M1
Publisher : The Silver Woman of Fire Press; 1st edition (February 10, 2023)
Publication date : February 10, 2023
Language : English
Book Description
Today’s busy, noisy, and the fast-paced world can be full of challenges that stress us out and bog us down, sometimes to the point of leading us down a path of despair, desolation, and depression. The Mystic Swords of Love and Innocence: Reclaim Your Magnificence is the complete guide to discovering how to slow down, reset the mind, and achieve the love, innocence, peace of mind, and resilience we once enjoyed as children.
Based upon her years as a contemplative nun, a probation officer, and a counselor, author Elizabeth Upton shows us how to achieve clarity in order to live the magnificent life we were meant to live right now
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About the Author
Elizabeth Upton is an American Author and an influential writer of fiction and nonfiction spiritual books.
Her best-selling books, “Secrets of a Nun: My Story” and “The Silver Woman of Fire” helped set her firmly on the world’s literary map. With many novels to her credit, she released her newest fiction book in June 2022 titled ‘Lovers’ Secrets and Revenge’ book three to her “John Callahan” Novel Series. Now, her new non-fiction is titled “The Mystic Swords of Love and Innocence.” Elizabeth’s favorite she enjoyed writing is, ‘The Shaman and The Mafia,’ as she shares, “The creation of this story has been an exciting journey. If possible, I would love to meet all of the characters in this book in real life.” Elizabeth’s books and novels are available on Amazon online, Barnes & Noble, and featured on fine literary book sites and magazines.
Elizabeth was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA., until the age of sixteen, when she entered a New York State Convent and became a nun for twenty years, but she yearned for a more authentic spiritual life. Elizabeth left the convent and chose to attend and receive her B.A. from Syracuse University. Moving back to her native state of California, she attended and received her M.A. from Chapman University in psychology. The Author began working for over thirty years in family counseling as a social worker and probation officer working with troubled teens and abused children. She is a speaker, spiritual mentor, and advisor.
Elizabeth is happily married and enjoys writing books for her reader fans around the world. When the Author is not writing, she works out with a personal trainer to stay fit and healthy; she loves spending time on long walks on the beach with her husband and dog. Her favorite colors are blue, green, and gold. She enjoys reading good books by some of her favorite authors like Geraldine Brooks, Hanh, Jerry Archer, Joseph Murphy, and Michael Connelly. Elizabeth and her husband reside in Santa Barbara, California.
Now, what a way to kick off a brand new year for Author Barbara Daniels Dena!
Her second book titled “One Soul’s Journey” Book Two of ‘The Soul Series’ is currently on pre-order and available on Amazon to release on Jan. 25th, 2023. >> http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BR1ZTKJQ<<<
And that’s not all! She will celebrate her new release by offering Book One of the series titled “For The Soul” for a free giveaway that will begin on JAN. 20th, 2023 and run through JAN. 25th, 2023!
More amazing news? Barbara’s new book has just been awarded a Reader’s Favorite 5-Star editorial book review before it has even been released which I’ll be sharing next.
It will give my reader’s a good insight as to how delightful her second collection of short stories is!
The Reader’s Favorite 5-Star Book Review for “ONE SOUL’S JOURNEY” Book Two
For immediate release:
The author’s new book receives a warm literary welcome.
Readers’ Favorite announces the review of the Fiction – Anthology book “One Soul’s Journey” by Barbara Daniels Dena, currently available at http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BR1ZTKJQ.
Reviewed By Pikasho Deka for Readers’ Favorite
“One Soul’s Journey is the second collection of short slice-of-life stories by Barbara Daniels Dena. Containing both fictional and autobiographical tales, this anthology is an original piece of work covering decades of the author’s life experiences. The book begins with Dena sharing anecdotes from her childhood, witnessing the Jim Crow laws in effect during the late 50s and early 60s in Arkansas.
Some of the other tales include a little girl and her mother losing her baby sister with chaotic ramifications, the life of an Irish Setter at a dog rescue center, a mother and son volunteering as dressed mascots at the local zoo, striking up a burgeoning friendship with her first customer at the flower shop, delivering flowers to the wrong address, and many more.
If you love to read heartwarming and wholesome short stories, One Soul’s Journey is a must-read for you. Barbara Daniels Dena’s smooth prose and skillful storytelling style make the narrative a breeze. Complemented by some truly fascinating tales, it makes for a fantastic reading experience. Dena has a way with words that will have readers engaged from the outset, and some of the stories have revelations thrown in along the way that will leave you pleasantly surprised.
These stories have underlying themes of compassion, kindness, and love and highlight how helping others can go a long way to making you feel fulfilled. I had a wonderful time reading the book and recommend it to anyone who is looking to raise their spirits through a relaxing read.”
Barbara Daniels Dena is an American best-selling author and influential writer of her eclectic short stories in ‘The Soul Series.’
The author’s stories are almost a memoir and are a unique collection of inspiring short stories of ‘good ole fashioned living,’ along with many past and present memories and life experiences that tug on the heart, warming stories, and fictional tall tales and doggie tails delighting readers worldwide. The books are available on Amazon Books, Kindle, and many fine online book sites.
Barbara began writing at an early age as a lover of “Make-Believe.” Today, her writing has developed from memories of family experiences, various compilations of events in her life, and her love of animals. She is willing to admit that her vivid imagination plays a role in her stories. The author is an Illinois native who has lived in many places; as Barb says, like a free-spirited “Gypsy,” she has lived and worked in Illinois, Washington, Idaho, and Georgia, but Ultimately, comes home settling back in the Quad Cities area of Illinois.
She is a proud mother of two grown children. She was a business owner, ran a Temp Agency, transitioned into her passion for floral design, and opened, owned, and ran several floral shops. Her favorite flower is the “Casablanca Lily.” Her favorite color is Red, and when she isn’t writing, Barbara spends her free time oil painting and enjoys quilting, knitting, and reading.
Her favorite book is “Death Be Not Proud” by John J. Gunther. Her first love will always be playing with her fur baby; a little Yorkie named Zoe. She continues to write from her cozy nook as she gazes over a pond full of geese and ducks. On many days it is more gazing than writing.
The author’s new book receives a warm literary welcome.
Readers’ Favorite announces the review of the Fiction – Literary book “Pearly Everlasting” by Claudia Ricci, currently available athttp://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BNW9R185.
Readers’ Favorite is one of the largest book review and award contest sites on the Internet. They have earned the respect of renowned publishers like Random House, Simon & Schuster, and Harper Collins, and have received the “Best Websites for Authors” and “Honoring Excellence” awards from the Association of Independent Authors. They are also fully accredited by the BBB (A+ rating), which is a rarity among Book Review and Book Award Contest companies.
~Reviewed By K.C. Finn for Readers’ Favorite ~ Dec. 2022
“Pearly Everlasting is a work of fiction in the literary style and family drama subgenre. The work is best suited to the mature adult reading audience owing to its potentially distressing subject matter and the inclusion of explicit language and sexual situations. Penned by Claudia Ricci, this harrowing and heartfelt interpersonal drama follows the meeting of protagonists Salvia Fischetti and Morgan Pochyrus. A painter wracked with guilt and a biker poet find more than just their artistic souls connecting as they battle to save an infant from a terrifying illness, and what develops is a series of emotional challenges that will bring them both closer to one another, and closer to the healing they’ve always desired.
Claudia Ricci has a keen sense of character that lends itself to this style of storytelling, so much so that you begin to feel that you know Salvia and Morgan personally within just a few pages of meeting them. I enjoyed the close narration and craftwork in the dialogue, which gives each character their distinct parlance but never loses the artsy stylistic edge that reminds you of the beauty of the author’s wordplay.
Plot-wise, there’s much to enjoy, with a slow-burning start that contextualizes Salvia’s great loss and deep pain. There are some heart-breaking parallels drawn and difficult moments later that echo back perfectly to the opening chapters to leave readers feeling satisfied with the journey of growth and healing that’s taken place.
I would not hesitate to recommend Pearly Everlasting to fans of artistic and literary writing that also digs deep into human emotion and connection.”
You can learn more about Claudia Ricci and “Pearly Everlasting” at https://readersfavorite.com/book-review/pearly-everlasting where you can read reviews and the author’s biography, as well as connect with the author directly or through their website and social media pages.
Readers’ Favorite LLC Media Relations Louisville, KY 40202 800-RF-REVIEW support@readersfavorite.com https://readersfavorite.com
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OTHER NOVELS By Best-Selling Author Claudia Ricci
Brand New Book Release of Pearly Everlasting E-book On Sale For Only $2.99!
By some extraordinary coincidence, my new novel, Pearly Everlasting, is coming out in the very same week that my beautiful new grandson, Monte, arrived in Denver! As I sat down to try to figure out what to say about this, my fourth book, I remembered two words that my chiropractor said to me this week: Baby Love.
There is nothing like the love a mother feels when her baby, usually purply blue and slippery, is placed for the first time on her chest. There is nothing like the outpouring of love that explodes from mom and dad to family and friends after that baby is born!
Well, so, you could say this book has at its core Baby Love. Because it is Baby Love in the end that captures the protagonists and wraps them in a blanket of redemption.
At this season 20 years ago, I had just finished a grueling four-month treatment for Hodgkin’s Disease, a type of lymphoma that – very thankfully – is curable. I suffered enormously that year during chemo – an experimental treatment that involved five IV cancer drugs each week for 13 weeks – followed by eight weeks of radiation. But as my oncologist said at the end, “I was a poster child” for triumphing over the disease. I am continually and forever grateful for my good health.
Not long afterward, my very good friend Karen Jahn said to me, “So now you’ve proved it, Claudia, you can get through anything!”
I looked at her and felt my breath catch. I felt my stomach sink. “No,” I said, shaking my head back and forth. “Absolutely not. I know for sure that’s not true. There’s one thing I just cannot imagine how I would get through…losing one of my three children.”
And so, I suppose it was this deep fear that led me to write my fourth novel, Pearly Everlasting. The main character, Sal – short for Salvia, an Italian name that means “safe, secure, healthy” — loses her teenage daughter Sofie in a car accident. Sal, who feels responsible, sprang to life in my imagination with a wound so deep that she begged me to stay with her, to keep her company in her lonely struggle to overcome her endless grief.
When the story opens, it’s been four years since Sofie’s passing, but memories are everywhere and they always land Sal in an ocean of tears.
I know that my fictional character is just that. A character in a book. I know, too, that there are many, many fine non-fiction books written by parents who have lost their adored children. Books that can help others deal with this unspeakable grief.
I don’t pretend to think my book falls into that category. It’s just a story. A story with a very redemptive ending. But sometimes I have wondered, do I have the right to produce a fictional account of one woman’s unspeakable sorrow? When I haven’t had to endure that sorrow myself?
And then I hear and see Sal, and she is whispering to me, “Yes, please, this story is important, vital,” because it shows how life can go on in unexpected ways after the gut-wrenching loss of a loved one.
With that in mind, I offer readers Pearly Everlasting, which follows Sal into an unexpected relationship with a young woman who is pregnant. And also, into a relationship with a man – poet Morgan Pochyrus — who is also grieving the loss of a friend. Guilt reigns for both Sal and Morgan.
Light emerges in the book, however, as the two of them are forced to care for an infant with a life-threatening illness. It makes me feel good to know how the characters land at the end.
I hope you will give it a try! ~Claudia Ricci
Order the paperback or ebook from Amazon. Or email me at claudiajricci@gmail.com if you want a signed copy. And you can read the first chapter on Amazon by going here.
Hello and Welcome, Avid Readers, Are You Looking for some Fantastic Reads?
You won’t go wrong by purchasing and reading these sweet reading treats written by many of the fine authors we represent at ‘Lyon Literary Services.’ Cat loves sharing books and ‘The Why’ you should read them when they have these exceptional editorial book reviews like the ones below. With the Holiday Season almost here, they would make great gifts too. and all books are available on Amazon, and most are within Kindle Unlimited Membership! …Enjoy!
The Shaman and the Mafia is a work of fiction in the mystery subgenre. It is suitable for the general reading audience and was penned by author Elizabeth Upton.
Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers’ Favorite
The Shaman and the Mafia is a work of fiction in the mystery subgenre. It is suitable for the general reading audience and was penned by author Elizabeth Upton. The book follows former nun Marietta Collins as she is dragged into the aftershock of a tragic murder when her friend Joseph is killed in what looks like a mob hit. As Marietta becomes romantically involved with both Joseph’s brother and the FBI agent investigating the death, the past refuses to stay buried for all involved as the FBI hunts the mafia boss believed to have ordered the hit whilst the police search for the killer directly.
While the mystery of Joseph Gleason’s murder lies at the center of this novel and provides the core narrative around which the characters gather, the significant contribution to the story the death makes is to act as a catalyst for an in-depth and intriguing character study of those involved in Joseph’s life.
Author Elizabeth Upton has created a cast of colorful characters, each of whom has had life breathed into them by her stunning prose, and it’s a treat to turn each page and find the direction in which the narrative events will push them next. I particularly enjoyed the development of Detective Riley as she is forced to confront the harsh reality of corruption in an institution she has served for years. Beautifully blending the trappings of a love story and a thriller, The Shaman and the Mafia uses the best of both genres to tell a story unlike any other, which will stay with readers long after the final page is turned.
This Is Me Trying: Navigating Through A Lifetime of Trauma is a work of non-fiction in the memoir subgenre. It is aimed at mature readers and was penned by author Wilsdaryon Prescher.
Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers’ Favorite
The book follows the author’s recovery from the abuse he endured in his youth, a journey made possible by the power of music. Throughout the rocky road of escaping the abuse, developing coping mechanisms that hindered more than they helped, and encountering the biases that people hold against abuse survivors, the power of music provides a tool for the author to rediscover their authentic self and move forward into adulthood.
I’m always in awe of any author penning a memoir, especially one willing to show sincere emotional vulnerability to their readers, but sometimes an author leaves nothing off the table when describing the upsetting and painful parts of their lives. Such an author is Wilsdaryon Prescher, whose willingness to frankly portray some of the most challenging situations a young person can live through is matched deftly by his skillful prose in doing justice to the depiction of those moments.
This book is an emotional journey that readers will be moved by as they experience the hardships of the author’s younger years and the rocky road to happiness that came with adulthood. Overall, This Is Me Trying is an honest depiction of the never-ending struggle toward recovery and a book that frankly depicts mental health issues and the journey to better mental and emotional well-being, wherever your starting point in life may be. Highly suggest reading!
(Book Three – John Callahan Series)By Elizabeth Upton Lovers’ Secrets and Revenge is a crime mystery romance novel by Elizabeth Upton.
Reviewed by Pikasho Deka for Readers’ Favorite
Lovers’ Secrets and Revenge is a crime mystery romance novel by Elizabeth Upton. It’s been ten years since John Callahan had last seen his grandmother, Annabella O’Sullivan. Upon a visit to her sprawling estate in Dublin, Ireland, John is delivered a striking blow when his grandmother dies, and he is her sole heir.
His grandmother’s death and the unexpected murder of an employee force him to hire private security guards for himself and Morgan Gallagher, Annabella’s lover. Additionally, his recently inherited estate has a break-in by an armed man. Meanwhile, John starts falling for an Irish woman named Sara O’Boyle. But when one of his own employees becomes his stalker, John must find a way to protect himself and his loved ones. Who is the killer? Is John’s life in danger?
An absorbing murder mystery filled with romance, suspense, and intrigue, Lovers’ Secrets and Revenge is a cozy book to spend your evening with. Author Elizabeth Upton spins an intricate yarn full of dramatic moments that have you eagerly turning the pages in anticipation of what will happen next. The narrative will especially appeal to fans of telenovelas or soap operas, with the constant twists and turns of the plot leaving you asking for more. The characters have defining traits that pop out of the pages. John is one of the more fleshed-out characters, and his romance with Sara is one of my favorite aspects of the book. If you enjoy romance and crime stories, this is what you’re looking for.
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A Crime Story A Mother-Daughter Cozy Mystery~ By Richard E. LaMotte
A Crime Story: A Mother-Daughter Cozy Mystery by Richard E. LaMotte is a light-hearted thriller about a mother and daughter...
Reviewed by Antoinette Wessels for Readers’ Favorite
A Crime Story: A Mother-Daughter Cozy Mystery by Richard E. LaMotte is a light-hearted thriller about a mother and daughter who get stuck in a small town with a murder mystery on their way to Hollywood. Clair and Mindy decide to start investigating the unsolved murder of Samantha and write a crime story to pass the time.
They soon realize that everyone in town has their theory about what happened, but Mindy is set on uncovering the truth in memory of Samantha. It doesn’t take long for their snooping to start annoying the wrong people, and accidents start to happen. Will they be able to answer the unanswered questions, or will Samantha’s murder always stay a small-town mystery?
Richard E. LaMotte wrote A Crime Story in a way that will have anyone, even readers who don’t enjoy thrillers or mysteries, loving this light-hearted mystery immensely. It is not overly elaborate, is easy to read, and even easier to enjoy. The theme which stuck with me as a reader was the relationship between a mother and a daughter who needed to find each other again.
They grew as characters while they were investigating the murder, and through this, they could also reconnect. The pace of the story is gentle. I enjoyed the fact that the book wasn’t more than two hundred pages, but it never felt rushed.
I would recommend this book to any reader who wants a quick, enjoyable fall read with adventure and a little suspense.
Dark Secrets of the Bayou is a work of fiction in the murder mystery genre. It is aimed at all ages and was penned by author Kim Carter.
Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers’ Favorite
Dark Secrets of the Bayou is a work of fiction in the murder mystery genre. It is aimed at all ages and was penned by author Kim Carter. The novel follows the homecoming of attorney Tink Mabry as she visits Kane, Louisiana, with a co-worker to deal with the dilapidated homestead she’s just inherited from a family she barely knows. No sooner has she arrived than she ends up as the prime suspect in multiple murder investigations. As Tink explores her new surroundings, she realizes that the family secrets that plague her inheritance may hold the key to exonerating her, though some things are best left in the past.
Author Kim Carter has crafted a sinister and spine-tingling work of dark mystery fiction, an ideal read for a cold winter’s night. This story combined many elements and genres that I adore, from the historical references to the 19th century and the creepy, dark expanses of the Louisiana bayous, to chilling, horror, and family drama elements. The complex plot interweaves all of these factors seamlessly, delivering a smoothly-told narrative with sharp, exciting deviations in the mystery plot.
It certainly kept me guessing until the end, and the close narration of Tink and her emotional journey really got me rooting for her (and fearing for her) as the story developed. Overall, I would highly recommend Dark Secrets of the Bayou for those who enjoy a dark mystery with lots of horror elements and a spellbinding atmosphere. This was a worthy introduction to an author worth reading again and again.
365 Inspirational Guides to Grateful Living By Deborah L. Perdue
Daily Gratitude Reflections Volume 2: 365 Inspirational Guides to Grateful Living is a work of non-fiction in the new age, spiritual, and self-help subgenres.
Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers’ Favorite
Daily Gratitude Reflections Volume 2: 365 Inspirational Guides to Grateful Living is a work of non-fiction in the new age, spiritual, and self-help subgenres. It is suitable for the general reading audience and was penned by author Deborah L. Perdue. The book lays out a year-long series of prompts to allow readers to reflect on their lives and feel gratitude for their positive things. This shift in focus away from negativity is shown to have a transformative effect on how a person perceives their life and leads to a more positive outlook and acceptance of happiness.
It often feels that cynicism is the dominating force in this world, and it is a negative mindset that seeps its way into every aspect of our lives if we give it the opportunity. Leading the charge against this force are writers like author Deborah L. Perdue who recognize that the daily practice of gratitude can push back against negativity and the adverse effect that it has on our lives. Perdue, in particular, is an outstanding practitioner in this field, demonstrated by this essential book which helps readers to take daily, manageable steps toward a lifelong change for the better.
The daily exercises on reflection and positivity are easy to pick up but provoke deep thought and contemplation about our lives, the perfect exercise for encouraging gratitude in our lives. Overall, Daily Gratitude Reflections Volume 2 follows its predecessor in giving readers an invaluable toolset for pushing their mindset in the right direction and making long-lasting changes for the better in their lives. I highly recommend it!
An Epic Historical Novel of Love and Revenge By Richard E. LaMotte
The Song of Ramon and Maria by Richard E. LaMotte is an epic romance novel set against the backdrop of the Mexican Revolution at the dawn of the 20th century.
Another New Release and 5-Stars for Richard!
Reviewed by Pikasho Deka for Readers’ Favorite
The Song of Ramon and Maria by Richard E. LaMotte is an epic romance novel set against the backdrop of the Mexican Revolution at the dawn of the 20th century. Despite misgivings from her family, Maria Duranthon marries the love of her life, Ramon, an Indian cowboy, in the small Mexican town of Rosario. But when Ramon is drafted into the Mexican army, and Maria’s father is unexpectedly murdered, the two lovers will diverge toward very different paths in life.
After suffering a harrowing assault by a despicable captain, Maria leaves for Mexico City, realizing, to her horror, that she is pregnant. She is forced to beg on the streets until she finds refuge in the bordello of a European madame. Meanwhile, Ramon joins the revolutionaries while being hunted by the federal forces. Can Ramon and Maria find their way back to each other?
A sprawling tale of love, loss, and betrayal, The Song of Ramon and Maria never lets you take your eyes off the pages. Author Richard E. LaMotte weaves an epic yarn filled with romance, tragedy, and political intrigue that keeps you on your toes with a string of twists and turns you never see coming. This story is full of heartbreak, where our heroes sacrifice themselves for the greater good.
Ramon and Maria are two star-crossed lovers who find themselves separated from each other due to extraordinary circumstances they have no control over. If you love to read epic romance sagas or historical fiction, I can’t recommend The Song of Ramon and Maria enough.
Cat Lyon's Reading Den ~ Where Readers & Authors Gather 