From Amazon: Hollywood called her White Heat because that’s the hottest kind. In 1955, screen siren, Daphne Marlowe, is known for being Hollywood’s White Heat. Her unparalleled beauty and smoldering sensual allure has cast her as a legend before her time. The jealousy and envy of women toward her has been matched by the lust and desire of men obsessed by their fantasies of possessing a silver-screen goddess. With Los Angeles being known as the city of angels, Hollywood has become a dark beacon for devils. A string of tragic deaths has plagued recent screen idols and celebrities. What’s all the more troubling is that Daphne finds herself linked to each of these untimely deaths. Coincidence…or perhaps a killer’s obsession toward her. As the darkness hidden so well behind the movie screens begins to shadow her world, the danger she faces edges closer and closer. Fans of Hollywood love a compelling murder mystery. Could Daphne be the next victim? READER ADVISORY: Dare to return to the glamorous days of the 1950s when blonde goddesses ruled Hollywood’s silver screens. PUBLISHER NOTE: 1950s Noir Romantic Suspense. 37,600 words. All characters depicted in this work of fiction are 18 years of age or older.
My Review: I loved this book as it is set during a golden age of theater and it is easy to fall into one of the characters yourself. Completely film noir and I felt for characters who were used. Jaded people are just that. No every new actress wants to be on the casting couch of a director or producer. Due to the undertones and themes, probably best for those age 16 and up.
From Amazon: The much-anticipated sixth story in the Baker’s Rise Mysteries series brings more of the cosy humour and quaint village life which make Baker’s Rise such a special place to visit! Wedding preparations are well underway at The Rise, and there is a growing sense of excitement about the place. While Flora is feeling hot flushes, however, the flush of love seems to be eluding her. When the lady of the manor makes the choice to hire wedding caterers, Reggie isn’t the only one whose beak is out of joint! Will it be tiers or tears where the wedding cake is concerned? Frustrated at not being the centre of attention, the feisty little bird starts sticking his beak where it’s not wanted. As things start to go missing, could he really be the culprit? With ghosts from the past appearing and bringing with them their own heartache, will everything still be rosy on the big day? Packed with twists and turns, colourful characters and more than a sprinkle of romance, this new mystery will certainly leave you hungry for more! Note from the author: Since the same quirky cast of characters feature in each instalment of the Baker’s Rise Mysteries, the books are best enjoyed when read in order!
My Review: This novel is chock full of romances and only a few murders. Will they marry or not? Why are they “marked” as a hit from a gang leader? The Rise has much more than this going on and you will be able to make a iced loaf cake when you get to the end.
From Amazon: In December of 2016, Kenneth Louis Suttner shot himself with his father’s handgun after enduring relentless bullying. This memoir takes a look into his life, the circumstances surrounding his death, and the bullycide that made headlines across the nation. Written by his mother, Angela Suttner has now dedicated her life to spreading awareness on both suicide and bullying prevention as well as advocating for kindness and acceptance in the school and workplace. It is her hope that this book offers a glimpse into the fatal effects bullying can cause in addition to honoring Kenny’s life through prose.
My Review: This book hit home with me. I was bullied by other kids in the 60s and not one thing done. With the advent of social media, bullies are able to hide behind a screen and bully at will. Fake accounts contribute to even more bullying. The cruelty kids and adults inflict on others is nuts. Kenny was and is a beautiful soul. I wrote a picture book for early readers on bullies and have read that book in preschools and lower grades. My middle son was bullied by many, and I did all I could to stem the vile flow of words. My son is now 39. He lives. But his brothers do not. Shane was strangled on his cord before birth. Sammy died after a horrid cancer battle age five years. The age or cause of death matters not to a parent. The loss is the King of Loss.
My Review: What a soul touching book of poetry this is, indeed. Not only is the poetry meaningful, but each artwork depicts in an abstract manner of life and each tiny spec all of our senses can detect. That’s poetry! From haiku to words that flow with meaning in each word alone, not knowing the next words or where those words will take you.
From Amazon: Secrets and Lies – Secrets and lies bind three women together. Jenna, the beautiful yet fragile wife of the heir to the Montgomery fortune. Bridget, the wily housekeeper who carries out her duties with diligence and guile. Lucy, the jewellery designer living an almost reclusive life. ~ Oak Ridge is the mansion where the heinous Montgomery family reside. A place where subterfuge, blackmail and murder have become the order of the day. Challenging the Montgomery family is never an option – defeating them impossible. All three women are forced to take them on. But only one of them is confident of victory because she’s watched and learned from the masters themselves.
My Review: This was a mind-bending romance novel with twists and turns in every chapter. True love prevails yet so does murder and suicide. Oftentimes, a man will grab a woman when she is vulnerable, and those men are users and evil. All in all, a truly twisty romance with bits of evil tossed in for good measure.
Ulf is like a storm, slowly building up its power, he grows more dangerous with each passing moment. And like all storms, he will eventually break. When he does, he will destroy everything in his path.
Ulf is one of a long line of famous Norse warriors. His ancestor Tyr was no ordinary man, but the Norse God of War. Ulf, however, knows nothing about being a warrior.
Everything changes when a stranger arrives on Ulf’s small farm in Vikenfjord. The only family he’s ever known are slaughtered and the one reminder of his father is stolen — Ulf’s father’s sword, Ormstunga. Ulf’s destiny is decided.
Are the gods punishing him? All Ulf knows is that he has to avenge his family. He sets off on an adventure that will take him across oceans, into the eye of danger, on a quest to reclaim his family’s honour.
The gods are roused. One warrior can answer to them.The Son of Anger.
They were halfway through their breakfast when the horn blew. The men looked up from their bowls and at each other. It was time. Snorri looked around at the seven men he thought of as friends and brothers.
“My brothers,” he said with a smile, “I will see you after the battle or in Valhalla.”
“After the battle or in Valhalla,” they echoed. Ulf felt oddly comforted by the words, the surety behind them that they will meet again. As they went to their tents to get their spears and shields, Ulf wondered if his friends felt as nervous as he did.
“Drumbr!” Thorbjorn shouted over his shoulder. “If you get to Valhalla before me, make sure you leave me some of the mead.”
“No need to worry about that. The mead in Valhalla is endless,” Brak Drumbr responded.
“Not with the way you drink. You’d drink old Heidrun dry before any of us got there,” his brother quipped. The men laughed as they got their spears and shields.
Ulf saw that Vidar wasn’t in the tent when he went in. He thought that was strange. Maybe Vidar was already outside, but then why had Ulf not seen him? Ulf took his spear and shield and went out to meet the others. When he got to the hill, Thorgils was busy giving the orders.
“Snorri, I want you and your men on the right flank. Amund, you will be on the left flank.” He looked at the two men and was satisfied with their nods. “Now, where in Odin’s name is Ragnar?” Ulf realized Ragnar was not with the jarl, which was also strange.
“Ragnar?” Snorri asked, also seeing that his father’s champion wasn’t there. He knew the champion would want to be nowhere else right now.
“Yes, I sent him to my tent to fetch my helmet and to get Thorvald. He should be here as well.”
Snorri shrugged. “I’m sure he is on his way. Maybe he had to take a piss first.”
“Snorri’s right,” Jarl Amund answered. “I will get my men ready,” he said and walked away. Ulf saw him look at his son, Oddi, and give the briefest of nods as he did so.
“Perhaps,” Thorgils said. “Snorri, you do the same.” The two of them clasped hands. “After the battle or in Valhalla.”
“After the battle or in Valhalla, Father,” Snorri responded and walked to his men.
“Ulf,” the jarl said before Ulf could follow Snorri. Ulf turned and looked at the jarl. “May Tyr be with you today.” Ulf was surprised by the words. The jarl had never liked him, or so it had seemed. Ulf nodded his thanks and went after Snorri.
He was surprised not to see Vidar waiting for him by Snorri’s men. “Anyone seen Vidar?” he asked as he planted his spear into the ground to put his helmet on.
“No, thought he was with you,” Asbjorn said. He had been less hostile towards Ulf after they had seen Griml, but Ulf still felt some distrust from him.
“He wasn’t in the tent when I got there.”
“He’ll be here,” Snorri said, smiling at him.
Ulf nodded and made sure his helmet sat firmly. The enemy line formed up opposite theirs. They were close enough so he could see the individual faces of the men who wanted to kill him. Their line was longer than Thorgils’, but they had expected that. Griml had more men. A ripple ran through the line near the centre, the way wheat fields parted when walked through, and Ulf saw him. It was hard not to, he was at least two heads above the rest. He walked through his cheering men with his arms raised in the air, filled with arrogance and preening like a prized cockerel showing off its flamboyant plumage. Only, a prized cockerel wasn’t so ugly, or as frightening.
Griml stood in front of his men and looked along the line of Thorgils’ men like he was searching for something. Ulf did not feel the shock he had felt when he first saw Griml outside his hall, but he felt the same fear and uncertainty run through him. Griml carried on searching along the line until he found what he was looking for. Ulf. He locked eyes with him and an arrogant grin spread across his ugly face, revealing a mouth of rotten teeth. Ulf could only stare back, caught in the emptiness of the giant man’s eyes. The path to Hel, through the bloody marshes of his dreams. Griml walked along the line of his men, his eyes still fixed on Ulf. He didn’t seem to care about the two hundred other men. He didn’t seem to be afraid of them. But then, fear was probably a feeling Griml had never felt before.
“What’s he doing?” Snorri asked, but got no response. All around him men muttered the same question, like Snorri, not understanding what they saw.
Ulf had visions of his dreams again as Griml came closer and it took all his will not to shudder in fear. Finally, Griml stopped, directly opposite Ulf.
“Maybe he’s trying to insult your father?” Oddi suggested.
“Or he wants us. We did kidnap his bride,” Thorbjorn suggested.
“No, he’s looking at Ulf. He wants Ulf, not us,” Snorri said, frowning as he tried to understand.
When Donovan is not teaching or writing, he can be found reading, watching rugby, or working on DIY projects. Being born in South Africa, he is a massive Springboks fan and rarely misses a match.
Count your nights by stars, not shadows ~ Italian Proverb
Winter in Renaissance Venice
Mia Caiozzi is determined to discover her destiny by studying the science of astronomy. But her stepmother Giulia forbids her to engage in this occupation, fearing it will lead her into danger. The ideas of Galileo are banned by the Inquisition, so Mia must study in secret.
Giulia’s real name is Giulia Tofana, renowned for her poison Aqua Tofana, and she is in hiding from the Duke de Verdi’s family who are intent on revenge for the death of their brother. Giulia insists Mia should live quietly out of public view. If not, it could threaten them all. But Mia doesn’t understand this, and rebels against Giulia, determined to go her own way.
When the two secret lives collide, it has far-reaching and fatal consequences that will change Mia’s life forever.
Set amongst opulent palazzos and shimmering canals, The Fortune Keeper is the third novel of adventure and romance based on the life and legend of Giulia Tofana, the famous poisoner.
‘Her characters are so real they linger in the mind long after the book is back on the shelf’ – Historical Novel Society
NB This is the third in a series but can stand alone as it features a new protagonist. Other two books are available if reviewers want them.
Trigger warnings:
Murder and violence in keeping with the era.
The Fortune Keeper Tour, for When Angels Fly Blog.
The inspiration behind The Fortune Keeper
by Deborah Swift
Where does inspiration for a book come from?
For me, it’s a mingling of research, interest in the era and a vision in my head that has probably come from years of looking at paintings, films and theatre productions.
The Fortune Keeper is the third in a series, though it will also stand alone as an introduction to my novels. It is though, the first book I’ve ever written which is set in Venice at the end of the Renaissance.
I also loved to watch films or documentaries about Venice, both old and new, and to take guided online tours. One of the best tours I did online was with GirlTravelTours.com.I also enjoyed various youtube videos like this one which gave me some idea of masked balls and the carnival.
Much of my inspiration came from books though, and one of my favourites was the heavily illustrated ‘Venice from the Water’ by Daniel Savoy, which alongside the drier research such as academic papers provided me with visual imagery and also a description of the different rituals that used to take place on the water.
Deborah Swift is a USA TODAY bestselling author who is passionate about the past. Deborah used to be a costume designer for the BBC, before becoming a writer. Now she lives in an old English school house in a village full of 17th Century houses, near the glorious Lake District. She divides her time between writing and teaching. After taking a Masters Degree in Creative Writing, she enjoys mentoring aspiring novelists and has an award-winning historical fiction blog at her website www.deborahswift.com
Deborah loves to write about how extraordinary events in history have transformed the lives of ordinary people, and how the events of the past can live on in her books and still resonate today.
Recent books include The Poison Keeper, about the Renaissance poisoner Giulia Tofana, which was a winner of the Wishing Shelf Readers Award, and a Coffee Pot Book Club Gold Medal, and The Cipher Room set in WW2 and due for publication by Harper Collins next Spring.
1. Please introduce yourself to those reading this blog post.
My name is Bob Gonzalez. I grew up in Northeastern PA where the most popular outdoor sport was whitetail deer hunting. I moved to Florida in my twenties where I began to indulge in my passion for deep sea fishing. Which led to the creation of this book.
2. Has writing always been part of your life and when did you “know” that it was time to start writing your first book?
I have always enjoyed writing but net realistically considered publishing a book until recently. And I am so glad that I did. Readers are really enjoying the tales inside of “A Flicker in the Water”.
3. How difficult was it writing your first book?
Writing a book is not an easy undertaking. The best approach for me was to take it slow until I had it exactly the way I wanted it.
4. Have you ever wanted to give up and what stopped you?
Sometimes giving might cross your mind but just like in fishing if you fight through the frustration eventually whatever your writing will take shape.
5. Who is the most supportive of you and your dream to be a writer?
I have supportive family & friends who helped me stay motivated.
6. Anything specific you want to tell your readers?
Fishermen & non-fishermen alike can enjoy “A Flicker in the Water”.
7. What is the best advice given to you (book or otherwise), and by whom?
My publisher told me to take my time.
8. What is your target audience and what aspect of your writing do you feel targets that audience?
Readers who enjoy stories will enjoy the book & hopefully some of the educational & spiritual aspects about our oceans & its inhabitants conveyed in the book.
9. Did the cover evolve the same way, or did you work with someone to make it come together for you?
I knew immediately I wanted the cover as is. It is a picture of a Goliath grouper. The largest grouper in the grouper family.
10. What are you working on now? Can we get a peek, an excerpt?
Currently I am writing comedy poems that I may release sometime in the future.
11. Any last words before we wrap things up?
Thank you for this sneak peek into “A Flicker in the Water” I hope you will enjoy going (Inside the Tales).
From Amazon: Ambushed, Texas Ranger Jake Fontaine’s a dead man until a Kansas spinster raises her shotgun in his defense. Despite the rogue lawman’s obsession to bring in his brother’s killer, duty demands he escort her to the next town. Kat Collins is a thief, though an honorable one. She’s on the run from controlling kin and aims to escape her past. Traveling with Jake offers the perfect cover—until her uncle finds them sharing a campfire and imposes his own kind of justice—a wedding. Marriage will cost Jake his freedom, but refusing may cost him his life. Kat figures he’s bound to recognize her on a wanted poster. Would sharing passionate nights in his arms be worth the peril?
My Review: Deters has written a lovely old west romance mostly in Texas. The main characters love each other, yet a certain amount of mistrust keeps on popping up. Add to this mix cattle wranglers, hired guns, Texas Rangers, businessmen, cheats, thrives, dust devils and more rounds out this novel.
At times a common bloodline is something of a curse—or so Robert FitzStephan discovers when he realises his half-brother, Eustace de Lamont, wants to kill him.
A murderous and greedy brother isn’t Robert’s only challenge. He and his wife, Noor, also have to handle their infected relationship with a mightily displeased Queen Eleanor—all because of their mysterious little foundling whom they refuse to abandon or allow the queen to lock away.
Eustace is persistent. When Robert’s life hangs in the balance, it falls to Noor to do whatever it takes to rip them free from the toothy jaws of fate. Noor may be a woman, but weak she is not, and in her chest beats a heart as brave and ferocious as that of a lioness. But will her courage be enough to see them safe?
Trigger Warnings: There is some sexual (consensual) content. Also some violence
Had Anna been allowed to choose, she’d have become a time-traveller. As this was impossible, she became a financial professional with two absorbing interests: history and writing. Anna has authored the acclaimed time travelling series The Graham Saga, set in 17th century Scotland and Maryland, as well as the equally acclaimed medieval series The King’s Greatest Enemy which is set in 14th century England.
Anna has also published The Wanderer, a fast-paced contemporary romantic suspense trilogy with paranormal and time-slip ingredients.
Her Castilian Heart is the third in her “Castilian” series, a stand-alone sequel to her September 2020 release, His Castilian Hawk. Set against the complications of Edward I’s invasion of Wales, His Castilian Hawk is a story of loyalty, integrity—and love. In the second instalment, The Castilian Pomegranate, we travel with the protagonists to the complex political world of medieval Spain. This latest release finds our protagonists back in England—not necessarily any safer than the wilds of Spain!
All of Anna’s books have been awarded the IndieBRAG Medallion, she has several Historical Novel Society Editor’s Choices, and one of her books won the HNS Indie Award in 2015. She is also the proud recipient of various Reader’s Favorite medals as well as having won various Gold, Silver and Bronze Coffee Pot Book Club awards.
Find out more about Anna, her books and enjoy her eclectic historical blog on her website, www.annabelfrage.com
Life on Molly is a travel and lifestyle blog. I am a normal girl with many passions. I am an explorer of new places, a learner of new languages, creator of my ambitions, blogger, and a good pal. This blog is my little corner of the world where I am able to share my adventures with you and inspire you to live a life full of purpose.
When Angels Fly 