Onyx Webb Book Tour @Onyxwebb @teddyrose1

Onyx Webb

by Andrea Waltz and Richard Fenton

Publisher: Courage Crafters Inc. (March 17, 2015)
Category: Paranormal Suspense, Paranormal Romance, Supernatural Thriller
Tour Date: August & September, 2015
ISBN: 978-0990751816
ASIN: B00VIP8KLC
Available in: Print & ebook, 264 Pages

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The Onyx Webb series follows the unusual life of Onyx Webb along with a central group of characters in various locations and times. The billionaire Mulvaney family, piano prodigy Juniper Cole and her brother Quinn, paranormal show hosts Cryer and Fudge, and a few others make up the core of the series.

Written like a book version of a supernatural soap opera, each character’s story moves forward with most every episode. It may appear that the characters are entirely unrelated and yet episode by episode, the connections will become clearer. Like being an inch away from a spider web, with each book, the web will move further and further away revealing the full story of every character and most importantly, the stunning conclusion for Onyx Webb herself.

Lake Ponchartrain, Louisiana

September 1927

The first event was the Great Flood, a disaster that decimated the bayou and surrounding area for hundreds of miles, setting in motion a mass exodus—including many of Onyx’s friends and neighbors—cutting the region’s population in half.here were three events that made 1927 a memorable year for Onyx Webb.

The second thing was an explosion of artistic creativity that possessed Onyx with a constant need to express herself—writing, drawing, painting, poetry, photography, singing—and any other art form imaginable. It was exactly what Onyx’s mother, Jofranka, said would happen.

“Onyx is half-ghost, Andre, the child of a human and a ghost,” Jofranka had told Catfish. “When the time comes, her need for energy will be insatiable—you must help her feed that need every way you can, for creative energy is the source of life.”

Catfish Webb did not want his daughter to be a half-ghost, whatever that would entail. He wanted Onyx to be 100 percent human—100 percent alive—like him.

Though he’d been warned, Catfish found himself in an ongoing state of denial, as if ignoring the truth would not make it so. So, when—at the age of twenty-nine—Onyx began begging Catfish to buy her pencils, paper, and other art supplies, he balked at the requests.

“A young woman needs to be out of doors,” Catfish told her, “in nature, child, not cooped up inside.”

“That’s the thing, Papa! I want to draw trees and deer and streams and rocks and birds and glorious sunsets!” Onyx exclaimed, twirling in circles in the old houseboat. “I want to capture every beautiful thing in all its majestic glory, Daddy, please please please please please!”

Catfish continued to avoid his daughter’s requests until one day she began ranting about wanting a piano.

“Fine, fine,” Catfish said. “I will get you some paints and a drawing canvas or two, but there’ll be no piano. A heavy thing like that could fall right through the floor into the swamp.”

There was something else that happened in 1927 that would have a profound impact on Onyx…

She met Ulrich.

Onyx was sitting on a stool with a canvas and her paints, directly across from the Tchefuncte River lighthouse on the northern shore of Lake Ponchartrain, when she saw him. Even from forty yards away she could tell the man was handsome, his bronzed muscles gleaming in the southern sun.

He was also suspended a hundred feet in the air from a rope tethered to the railing atop the lighthouse, a bucket of whitewash hanging by his side. The irony that they were painting the lighthouse at the same time—even if painting it in different ways—was not lost on her.

“I’ve blossomed into a woman of marrying age, Daddy!” Onyx had declared to her father years earlier. “It’s time for me to find a man, bear children, go places, and have a life of my own.”

Every time Onyx broached the subject, Catfish simply put her off.

“What’s the rush, child? The right one’ll come along, and when he does, you’ll know. The right one just ain’t appeared yet is all.”

Onyx felt she’d waited long enough.

This was the one.

She just knew it.

“There isn’t a page that doesn’t hold our attention.“-Grady Harp, Amazon Reviewer Hall of Fame

“There’s only one problem with the book Onyx Webb – it was over too soon. When I finished the last word, I was ready for the next book, but it’s not out yet – bummer for me and all the other readers who enjoyed this story!
The authors’ writing style is descriptive and visual, which makes the story flow well, and the characters are interesting and well developed. The author does a good job of capturing the essence of each time period so that the reader knows where and more importantly when the characters are living. The story so far covers the 1900s, 1970s and 2000s, so there are marked differences in most aspects of the characters’ lives. Even with the different years represented it’s not confusing for the reader, possibly because each character is so distinct, which lets the reader identify character with time period.
While this is billed as a ghost story, it’s more than that since the characters are so interesting, and I think this will appeal to a wider reading audience than just ghost story lovers or mystery lovers.
I will be eagerly awaiting the next installment to this compelling story.”- Robin Surface, Amazon Reviewer

“I loved this book! Couldn’t put it down. Great writing and totally believable characters. The story lines move along so well and in some form or fashion begin to tie into each other. I am anxiously awaiting the next book.”-Alicia, Goodreads Reviewer

“Wow! That’s an understatement, though. Onyx Webb is one of those books that you just don’t want to put down because it grabs you from the beginning and keeps you wanting more. Not only do you get one story, you get three! And they are all told in different times, like the 1900s, 1970s, and in the current, 2000s. So you get three different points of view, and at first you’re thinking “What does this have to do with that?” But then you see it, and it’s like, WHOA! Of the three different story lines, they all connect in some way, and it’s pretty cool to see how it does.
This is such a good book!! You just have to read it. It’s really cool how authors Waltz and Fenton bring all of the story lines that span over time, together to all fit.
I highly recommend this book! And it’s just Book 1, so I’m really hoping Book 2 is already in the works because I am anxious to see what happens next!!”-Ella Marie, Reading Is a Way Of Life

“Amazing! This is one of the best books I’ve read in a long time!“-Melanie, Fang-Freakin-Tastic Reviews

Richard Fenton & Andrea Waltz are best known as the authors of the #1 Amazon Sales & Selling book, Go for No! They are professional speakers who travel internationally speaking to audiences about how to overcome fear of failure and rejection. Although they have written several business books over the last fifteen years, Onyx Webb is their first fictional series.

They are married and manage to write to together while staying happily married, a fact they are very proud of. Richard and Andrea live in Central Florida along with their cat, Courage.

Website: www.OnyxWebb.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/OnyxWebbSeries
Twitter: www.Twitter.com/Onyxwebb
Pinterest: www.Pinterest.com/OnyxWebbSeries
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5835138.Andrea_Waltz

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Teddy Rose Book Reviews Aug 4 Tour Kick Off & Giveaway

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SolaFide Self-Publishing and Book Blog Aug 6 Guest Post

Books, Books, and more Books Aug 8 Review

Mallory Heart Reviews Aug 10 Review

Elizabeth McKenna Romance Author Aug 11 Interview

What U Talking Bout Willis? Aug 14 Guest Post

Deal Sharing Aunt Aug 18 Review & Giveaway

Penny For Them… Aug 19 Review

Open Book Society Aug 21 Review

JBronder Book Reviews Sept 2 Review

Fundinmental Sept 3 Review

fuonlyknew Sept 8 Review, Excerpt & Giveaway

Infinite House of Books Sept 9 Interview & Excerpt

Totally Addicted to Reading Sept 10 Review, Excerpt, & Giveaway

Room With Books Sept 18 Review, Excerpt, & Giveaway

My Tangled Skeins Reviews Sept 21 Review & Guest Post

Sunshine book Promotions Sept 28 Review & Excerpt

Sonar the Cyclone Book Tour @BrandyTruly @TeddyRose1

Posted by Patricia S Green

Sonar the Cyclone

by B Truly

Publisher: Kindle Publishing (July 17, 2015)

Category: New Adult, Fantasy, Sci-fi/Romance, Space Opera

Available in: eBook, 271 Pages

Is your destiny determined by what the future has foretold? Or is fate deemed in the hands of what you behold?

The Royal 4 are now back on their home territory of Nazari, determined to get things back to normal. Syira’s forbidden love is being held captive. She is hell-bent on fighting for him despite the immense obstacles. She must find a way to convince her race that Kadeem is not dangerous. Their threat lies from deeper within.

Shiray has accepted her past and is moving forward with her life, but it comes back to haunt her tenfold. That all changes when she stumbles across the truth. Now, she must pick up the pieces of her shattered life.

They are in the calm but know when they approach the dirty side of the Cyclone storm, terrible things will unravel. The future is revealed and they get a glimpse of Fate’s course. Time is not on their side. They must attempt to change their destiny or their world will be doomed.

Hydrocesis Cyclone

Sonar The Cyclone

Chapter 22 (Excerpt #4)

The storm came upon us swiftly. We barely got our net up. The ship staggered. It was hard to comprehend that the tides were forming so high. Then another element doomed us. Three Polar ships hovered above.

“The Polars are here!” I screamed.

“What!” Kadeem yelled and the golden glow around his irises pulsated. Nazar began firing our ship’s lasers at them.

It was almost impossible to move with the ship rocking so hard from the pressure of the wind. Conan activated the force field. We received a few hits as we waited for the shield to go up. We hadn’t managed a direct hit to them, but their shields were up. This was an endless dance with the ship’s force shields. We needed to fire our laser canyon, which had more power to break through it. The fire canyon was activating too, but we didn’t have time to use it. Within seconds the storm came in full force. A huge tsunami plowed toward us. Nazar tried to dodge it, but he wasn’t fast enough.

“Holy…!” Was all I could get out as the wave slammed into us and took us down. The gravity from the fall made everyone somersault. I couldn’t grab on to anything.

“Syira!” I heard Kadeem shout. Once we hit the water we started to sink. Kadeem fired the laser he retrieved from his waist at the dashboard. Conan and John joined in. After a few blasts the windshield gave. I understood the logic of this, but my stomach was in knots.

“Everyone, prepare yourself,” John commanded.

My eyes were bulging. The water would be freezing. The windshield cracked, then the lilac-colored water gushed inside at an accelerated rate. Kadeem dashed to my side. I cringed as I saw blood seeping from his head wound. The water circled around my feet and ankles. It was just as cold as I’d imagined.

“Everyone get through the opening in the windshield now!” John yelled.

Then the water consumed us as we descended further into the ocean. Kadeem grabbed my hand and I took a deep breath. I clutched Kadeem’s hand as we swam through the opening. It was a scary sight as I took one last look at my ship continuing down. I kicked hard and we headed for the surface. Kadeem was a strong swimmer and pulled us upward.

It seemed to take forever to reach the top. I gasped for air once we finally did. I hoped all of my crew members had made it out. Another wave hit and ricocheted all around us. I lost the grip on Kadeem’s hand and went under. I was pushed down several feet and fought my way back to the surface. Kadeem pulled me closer to him as we treaded to stay afloat.

“Are you all right?” Kadeem asked.

“I’m okay,” I choked. The tides were fierce and coming non-stop. Nile’s ship lowered its net.

“They lowered the net. Get to it quickly!” I yelled. As we started to swim toward it, another gigantic surge manifested. It was so high that it took one of the Polar ships down as it lurched into them. When they hit the water the force of impact caused the waves to rise up and took several of us under. I tried to hold on to Kadeem’s hand but couldn’t. This seemed hopeless. I was beneath the freezing water again and my powers were useless. I managed to get to the surface. I saw August, Nazar, Conan, and John.

“Where’s Kadeem!” I screamed.

“I don’t know!” they yelled.

“We have to get to the net. The cyclone won’t hold at bay much longer,” John shouted.

Some of the Polars surfaced, but I still didn’t see Kadeem.

“I have to find him!” I yelled. “Get to the net. I’ll meet you guys there.”

Before anyone could object I dove under. I turned on the light on my holster belt to see clearer. I searched for a while, but there was no sign of him. I went back to the top for air. This time I swam further down. My heart raced. Please God, help me find him.

“Oh my gosh! This book is definitely a must read. I loved the whole story. The whole plot was completely interesting and kept me on the edge of my seat and biting my nails. The guys in this book were completely and utterly swoon worthy and the romance was satisfying!”- Robin Hartloff, Where Books Lead Us

“This was a wonderful book full of action and romance. I couldn’t seem to read it fast enough. This is one of those books that the rare moments you put it down, you are wondering what’s next. I am so excited for the second book. This being the author’s debut novel was shocking. I am not only looking forward to the next book in this series, but the many other books this author should (and will) undoubtedly write.”- Melissa, Amazon Reviewer

“This is a great book! If you love Sci-fi and romance I highly recommend. It is an easy read once you get into the story I was done with the book in 3 sittings. At the end of the day it’s a great story and I cannot wait until the sequel to find out what happens. The author is a wonderful storyteller with a lot of potential and I cannot wait to see what else she has in store for her readers and fans.”- Deana Simpson, Goodreads Reviewer

About B Truly:

B Truly has wanted to be an author since she was fifteen years old and grateful to have accomplished this dream. She has very vivid dreams and a wild imagination. She likes to read, watch tons of TV shows, and movies. She is addicted to romance and get a thrill out of action and suspense. She writes New Adult Fantasy, Sci-fi, and Paranormal-Romance.

In the Sonar series, B Truly said “it was fun to explore different elements of Sci-fi romance and create various realms of powers for my characters. I want to show my readers that Sci-fi can be fun, but also traumatic. I hope you guys enjoy the Sonar Series.”

B Truly has three wonderful children and a husband who defines the person she is today. She works full-time as an Ultrasound technologist in Sugarland, Texas.

Website ~~ Goodreads

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Inspire To Read Sept 18 Excerpt

Deal Sharing Aunt Sept 22 Interview

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Monday, Sunday Blog Tour with Giveaway @fentongraceus @teddyrose1

Posted by Patricia S Green

Monday, Sunday

by Fenton Grace

Publisher: Hanover Press (May 4, 2015)
Category: Women’s Fiction, Literary, Contemporary, with a Noir edge
ISBN: 978-0-9961534-0-9
Tour Date: August/September, 2015
Available in: Print & ebook, 287 Pages

Set in a small town in Colorado, Monday, Sunday tells the enthralling story of Laney Secord. She is a 32-year-old single mother who finds herself attracted to a 16-year-old Eagle Scout, Christopher. Unable to accept her feelings, Laney becomes involved with Christopher’s father, Bill. In the course of a week, a romantic triangle envelops the trio and changes their lives in ways in which none of them could have imagined.

A gripping story of a complex woman at a crossroads in her life. A woman who is determined to rediscover herself. She becomes powerfully aware that every decision she makes could mean life or.. death.

“In this beautifully written and compelling novel, author Fenton Grace explores the consequences of flawed choices, the nature of betrayal and forgiveness, and the boundaries of sexual attraction.” Noah, Book Reviewer

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Fenton Grace was born and raised in New England. She graduated from Brown University with a degree in French. She enjoys playing piano, tennis, and keeping in shape with Pilates. She’s worked in the entertainment industry at several television and movie studios in a variety of business services roles. Happily married for 17 years, she is the proud mother of two kids and currently lives in beautiful Southern California. Monday, Sunday is her first novel.

Website: www.FentonGrace.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/fentongraceus

One (1) print or ebook of Monday, Sunday is available as a prize and is the giveaway is open internationally. Please register for the newsletter here on Room With Books and leave a comment below. One winner will be drawn by random.org. The contest is open until September 19, 2015.

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Writer In Progress Sept 24 Review & Giveaway

At the Sharp End of Lightening Book Tour

Posted by Patricia S Green

At The Sharp End of Lightning

by NR Bates

Publisher: NR Bates (January 30, 2015)
Category: Epic Fantasy, Magic Realism, Literary Fiction, Celtic Mythology, History
Tour Date: May/June, 2015
Available in: Print & ebook, 239 Pages

AT THE SHARP END OF LIGHTNING is the tale of family, of loss and sacrifice, of unexpected gifts and coping with disability and new abilities set against the backdrop of climate change occurring across parallel worlds.

The intertwined worlds of Oceanlight and Earth are no longer hidden from view of each other. In one realm, Yalara Narika, a winged Sea Sprite, searches for her family and she encounters a deadly blue haze at sea. Escaping the poison makes her realize that her world, Oceanlight, is experiencing sudden and catastrophic environmental change.

Meanwhile, in the safe suburban normality of North Wales, Einion Morgan Alban, a restless youth with haemophilia, is nearly murdered by a man in a white suit who intentionally shoves him off a cliff. If Yalara and Einion don’t uncover the connections between their worlds and near-deaths, it will have dire consequences for the worlds they live in. Book one of the OCEANLIGHT series.

Amazon ~~ Barnes and Noble

Praise for ‘At The Sharp End of Lightning’ by NR Bates

“What a fantastic book, the author takes you into another realm. I couldn’t put the book down, a real page turner. Seeing as this is book 1 I can’t wait for the next one to be written.”-Scotialassie, Amazon.UK Reviewer

“British author NR Bates makes his novel writing debut with AT THE SHARP END OF LIGHTNING, Book 1 of the OCEANLIGHT series. He has indeed written extensively which explains why his command of the medium is so secure: he has published more than one hundred and twenty scientific papers on ocean chemistry, climate change and ocean acidification as a Senior Scientist at the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences and Professor of Ocean Biogeochemistry at the University of Southampton, UK. Bates’ passion for the ocean and environmental sciences has proven a successful driving force in both his scientific mind and his fantasy creative mind. The result, as we read it here, is `true’ Science Fiction fantasy!

Bates opens his book with a map/diagram called The Interfaces – the meaning of which will be explained throughout the novel, but whose information offers hints and suggestions of codes to be solved. And at the end of his book he discusses Welsh history that informed this story as well as the biology and biogeochemistry of the Sargasso Sea, further influences. The author provides an outline of the story that assists the reader immensely: `The interwoven fantastical tale of family, of loss and sacrifice, of unexpected gifts and coping with disability and new abilities set against the backdrop of climate change occurring across parallel worlds.

Bates’ writing style can only be called `elegant’ – he is unafraid to challenge the reader with a rich vocabulary that somehow enhances the characters we encounter. This is obvious form the opening paragraph:

`As the streamer of lightning harmlessly discharged through her body into the palm of her hand, Yalara Narika noticed many things at once. There was fright and surprise as adrenaline raced through her body. The words “I’m alive” came to mind, accompanied by an overwhelming relief when the forked sharpness passed out of her. Then came the reflex response– her call to Calymene, Mother Earth– that she had despite her doubt. A hurried glance brought the reassuring thought “I’m still in the sky.” Simultaneously, she returned to her search– for the “lost”– which was set against the immensity of the seas. And interwoven amongst these reactions were thoughts of that moment in the distant future, at the end of her life, when she’d fly up into the tumult, clad in a cuprous woven fabric, and upon the flash of electrica, her constituent parts would disassemble in an instantaneous coruscation of energy.’

This is our first encounter with being struck by lightning.

As with most fantasy/sci-fi books it takes a while to adjust to the strange names and the references to places of origin, but Bates’ language makes that journey of discovery a rewarding one. He does offer a helpful Sprite Glossary and Human Glossary at books end. This is a strong debut, well worth the investment of mental energy.”- Grady Harp, Amazon Hall of Fame & top 100 reviewer.

Ambitious and enchanting, At The Sharp End Of Lightning by author N R Bates proves a rich and original foray into the realms of fantasy fiction. Compelled by a commanding narrative that readily enthrals the imagination, the magical intrigue simmers throughout as Bates renders his fantasy world in rich hues. A world parallel to our own yet retaining a time worn familiarity that makes it feel immediately authentic. It’s an intricate, intrigue-laden telling, which plays to the best in this popular genre and it’s clear from the start that Bates is in his element.

“There’s certainly much to enjoy here. From cleverly contrived and vibrant scenes to a captivating blend of magical mysticism, he ably manages to avoid prescriptive tropes whilst a certain descriptive economy and a tight word count brings a penetrating levity to his dialogue. Both timely and well observed, he notably avoids the trite mutterings of mediocre characterisation to create genuine depth and emotive resonance, which in turn ensures the reader becomes fully invested in the trials and tribulations of his characters.

Beautifully written and undoubtedly the start of an exciting new series, At The Sharp End Of Lightning proves a fine example of fantasy fiction. Definitely deserving of a place on your bookshelf, it is recommended without reservation!”-Book Viral

Extract. CHAPTER FOUR

He was resolutely careful when climbing the quarry’s cliff face—three limbs were always firmly connected to the rock face, only one arm or leg moved at a time, and he always made sure there was a firm footing or handhold. He was always careful, remembering the danger and the newspaper reports of a cliff fall by a teenage boy off the Little Orme. Unfailingly, there were one or two of those accidents each year. Such pursuits of seabird-egg trophies were crazy, Einion thought.

“It’s too soon to go home,” he said quietly, and he deviated from the path and made his way to a cliff within the wood. It was an outcrop he knew very well and only ten feet high—if that. The diminutive cliff was limestone and had a wealth of cracks and fingerholds and toeholds. He’d even climbed it, in his able state, a few days before, between bleeds. His knee felt fine, and he wanted to feel the touch of the rock in his hands. Climbing in miniature reminded him of freedom and escape—of possibilities. Besides, the cause of his most recent knee bleed coincided with his last visit to this small cliff. He was stubborn—the cliff needed to be overcome again.

He climbed up and down the short cliff a couple of times. The problem happened on his third climb up. Einion nearly reached the top when a man in a white suit with a white tie and a white hat suddenly appeared, standing at the top. The man, his pale-blue eyes shining, held out his hand, proffering it as an offering of aid for Einion to complete the short climb. Einion reached out to grasp the man’s hand and then felt an immediate sharp blow to his shoulder. He felt himself tumbling backwards, and the next moment, he lay on his back in a pile of leaves and twigs. A large piece of the outcrop came to rest next to him, and his wrist twisted awkwardly beneath him. A sharp pain infused his knee, which had borne much of his falling weight and twisted on impact. He looked at the loosened rock beside him—it had been the firmest handhold that jutted out from the rock face—and grasped it. As he did so, he winced with pain. Stunned, he felt sharp pain in this knee again. He lay back and glanced upwards to see the man in the white suit.

“F__k,” he said angrily at the man.

The man in the white suit at the top of the cliff grinned, and then, without warning, he jumped down into the hollow of the quarry where Einion lay. It shocked Einion. The man jumped down ten feet, and he landed gracefully—like a ballet dancer—almost without a sound. Einion was astonished, but then he caught sight of what the man held—a glint of steel. Einion found a long blade pointed at him. He couldn’t move—he was defenseless. He hastily threw the piece of rock at the man in the white suit but missed his target. He felt the acute and penetrating kick of a boot into his abdomen, and he turned a little in pain. The man laughed, and when he tried to kick Einion again, his foot deflected as Einion twisted to avoid the blow. Einion started to scramble away, but he felt his arm suddenly wrenched out from beneath him and his palm held up into the air by a gripping hand. Einion and the man stared at each other.

“I will have what is mine,” hissed the man in the white suit. A surprisingly smooth, taut, stretched face and piercing blue eyes were Einion’s instantaneous impression of the face of the glaring man.

“What the hell are you doing?” came a shout. As Einion and the man in the white suit turned their heads in response, an elderly man, breathless and wheezing, ran along the path towards them, a waving stick in hand. A small dog trotted at his heels. “Leave him alone,” the newcomer said in a loud and aggressive voice.

The man in the white suit swore at Einion and at the approaching man. As Einion freed his wrist from the vice-like grip, his good leg found a purchase on the ground, and he retreated from his attacker. He saw the man in the white suit hesitate. The man yielded his stance and, as he withdrew a few steps, swatted at a shimmer in front of him. He retracted his arm quickly as blood emerged from a wound in his wrist.

“I’ll see you again; don’t worry about that.” He swore at the elderly man, who had nearly reached them; then he picked up his hat with his injured arm, turned around, and ran off along the path with the little dog chasing him. He disappeared into the greenery, and the sound of his flight through the woods diminished to silence. The dog soon trotted back, as if satisfied, and sat next to its master. It growled in the direction of the disappeared man in the white suit.

NR Bates was born in London, grew up in Wales, and lived in Canada and Bermuda. He shares his life with his wife,seven cats, one dog and the tropical wildlife of lizards, wolf spiders and ant colonies that seek out a better life indoors. He is an oceanographer and scientist, and has published more than one hundred and twenty scientific papers on ocean chemistry, climate change and ocean acidification.

He is a Senior Scientist at the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences and Professor of Ocean Biogeochemistry at the University of Southampton, UK. His novels focus on epic fantasy and magic realism, and inspired by his deep love of the ocean and environmental sciences.

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Pleasant Day Review Tour

Posted by Patricia S Green

Publisher: Moonshine Cove Press (February 1, 2015)
Category: Contemporary Fiction/ Women’s Fiction/ Southern Fiction
Tour Date: February-March, 2015
Available in: Print & ebook, 285 Pages

With murder in common friendship is inevitable.

As fifteen year old Pleasant Day struggles with her mother’s distance, her father’s infidelity and the death of her best friend, she draws closer to Clarissa, an older woman with the secrets to heal her. But Clarissa has struggles of her own as she faces betrayal and seeks to come to terms with old wounds. With her unpredictable but psychic ability to ‘read people’ Clarissa uncovers the answers to a deadly crime and to Pleasant’s true identity. In the end, both Pleasant and Clarissa’s worlds are transformed by the truths they’re forced to accept.

“Absolutely unputdownable, a real page turner. Be prepared to clear your schedule for the day. You’re going to read this one straight through! This is Vera Jane Cook’s best one yet!” – Wall to Wall Books

“A beautiful blend of past and present with loveable, memorable characters and a page turning pace, I was sorry I couldn’t read it in one sitting.” – Jenn Doyle, Books & Life.

“A beautiful piece of southern fiction…a great page turner…this book is filled with delightful characters, charm, warmth, love and last but certainly not least, wonderful humor.”- Arlene Uslander, Editor and writer.

It is my pleasure to once again read a work by Vera Jane Cook. Thank you to Ms. Cook and Virtual Author Book Tours for the chance to read and review Pleasant Day.

What a pleasant day to sit back and read a nice book with a very pleasant name, right? Wrong! Pleasant Day by Vera Jane Cook is a murder mystery filled with plot twists that will keep you on your toes. And “Pleasant Day” isn’t what you’ll experience, but who as she is a very complex character. So often I “had it all figured out” only to find that I was having to rearrange my thinking to fit with the newest piece of information.

Ms. Cook is a very skilled author and utilizes her talents to write believable characters with great depth. Pleasant has seen too much during her limited years and it leaves her with a story that needs to be heard. Clarissa is the older woman who befriends her and with her psychic ability she will take us on a journey to solve the mysteries of Pleasant.

With a unique style of writing, Ms. Cook has once again scored big with me and I give Pleasant Day five steaming hot cups of coffee and I highly recommend Pleasant Day to those who enjoy a great murder mystery!

©April 14, 2015

Winner: Eric Hoffer Award for publishing excellence and the Indie Excellence Award for notable new fiction!
5 Star Clarion ForeWord Review!

Vera Jane Cook, writer of Award Winning Women’s Fiction, is the author of The Story of Sassy Sweetwater, Lies a River Deep, Where the Wildflowers Grow, Dancing Backward in Paradise and Annabel Horton, Lost Witch of Salem.

Jane, as she is known to family and friends, was born in New York City and grew up amid the eccentricity of her southern and glamorous mother on the Upper West and Upper East Side of Manhattan.

An only child, Jane turned to reading novels at an early age and was deeply influenced by an eclectic group of authors. Some of her favorite authors today are Nelson DeMille, Calib Carr, Wally Lamb, Anne Rice, Sue Monk Kidd, Anita Shreve, Jodi Picoult, Alice Walker and Toni Morrison. Her favorite novels are too long to list but include The Story of Edgar Sawtelle, Cheri and The Last of Cheri, The Picture of Dorian Grey, Wuthering Heights, Look at Me, Dogs of Babel, The Bluest Eye, The Art of Racing in the Rain, Body Surfing, Lolita, The Brothers Karamazov, She’s Come Undone, Tale of Two Cities, etc., etc., etc.

Vera Jane Cook’s Website: http://www.verajanecook.com/

Vera Jane Cook on Twitter: https://twitter.com/verajanecook

Vera Jane Cook on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vera.j.cook

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Fluency Book Tour

Posted by Patricia S Green

Publisher: Blue Bedlam Science Fiction (June 18, 2014)
ISBN: 978-0990479826
Category: Science Fiction: Space Opera, First Contact, Action-Adventure, Alien, Romance
Available in: Print & ebook, 373 Pages

NASA discovered the alien ship lurking in the asteroid belt in the 1960s. They kept the Target under intense surveillance for decades, letting the public believe they were exploring the solar system, while they worked feverishly to refine the technology needed to reach it.

The ship itself remained silent, drifting.

Dr. Jane Holloway is content documenting nearly-extinct languages and had never contemplated becoming an astronaut. But when NASA recruits her to join a team of military scientists for an expedition to the Target, it’s an adventure she can’t refuse.

The ship isn’t vacant, as they presumed.

A disembodied voice rumbles inside Jane’s head, “You are home.”

Jane fights the growing doubts of her colleagues as she attempts to decipher what the alien wants from her. As the derelict ship devolves into chaos and the crew gets cut off from their escape route, Jane must decide if she can trust the alien’s help to survive.

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Book Depository ~~ Indie Bound

“Author Jennifer Wells’ writing genius comes from her vast knowledge of the highly technical subject matter and her ability to put the reader in the middle of it without losing him/her in technical jargon while creating characters that seem completely natural and believable.”– Jean Fisher for Independent Publisher News

“With her first novel, Jennifer Wells adds a fresh voice to the sci-fi genre and distinguishes herself as an author to watch.” –Theresa Kay, author of Broken Skies

“One of the runaway sci-fi hits on Amazon this year has been Jennifer Foehner Wells’ space thriller Fluency and quite frankly it’s a welcome addition to the genre.
Fluency moves at a breakneck pace in a very cinematic fashion, the narrative mostly linear with some minor flashbacks to fill in gaps in the back story. Wells does a fine job of dealing with the technical side of proceedings without resorting to complicated jargon (I know I know, some geeks love the jargon but not this one!) The human technology is believable and the alien technology while advanced, is also impressively practical.
While the strong female character has become a bit of a cliché in sci-fi over the past few years, it’s worth noting that many of these female characters have been written by men. What makes Fluency so refreshing is that Holloway’s character develops in a much more believable fashion given her circumstances. Sure she has to eventually toughen up and fight, but she’s much more than that. She’s a brilliant mind faced with a life-changing event and not just her life but the entire planet’s and her decisions will have monumental consequences. Her ability to focus is paramount and though it may seem she is being manipulated at times, she quickly takes control of her relationship with Ei’Brai. As the story reaches its gripping conclusion it also lays the groundwork for an exciting continuation of this rapidly unfolding saga.
Littered with plenty of nods and winks to classic sci-fi and some clever pop culture references, Fluency is a thrilling, bumpy ride that rarely falters and firmly cements Jennifer Foehner Wells’ standing in the indie scene as an innovative and refreshing new voice in modern sci-fi.”– Eamon Ambrose, Eamo The Geek

“A book that is just as appealing to women as it is to men. I’ll admit, I saw the beautiful cover and thought it was going to be old-school, hardcore sci-fi with lots of technobabble and women in service roles rather than command ones. By the time we got into space I was hooked, and only got more engrossed the further I went.
There’s no flab in this book. It starts out strongly and each scene is carefully considered in how it develops the characters and advances the plot. The pitch rises gradually until leveling off at the end, just as it should.
The prose is straightforward and lets the reading just flow. Dialogue made sense and there weren’t too many narrative sequences. Again, Jennifer Foehner Wells has taken care in crafting a balance of elements.
This is a pretty special book. It’s a modern take on sci-fi, and has a lot to offer. There’s a light romantic subplot, a first-contact scenario, and a high-stakes situation that seems unclear, then clear, then unclear again. This story isn’t predictable and it doesn’t rely on any timeworn tropes. Fluency is something new in fiction, and that always excites the hell out of me.”–Zen, Women of Badassery

My review of Fluency by Jennifer Foehner Wells will be added at a later date. ~ Patricia, Room With Books

Name: Jennifer Foehner Wells

Age: 42

From whence do you hail? I grew up in rural downstate Illinois. Now I live in Indiana.

Tell us about yourself (ie: education, family life, etc).

I went to college at a small liberal arts college in rural Illinois, called Monmouth College. I studied biology, chemistry, and Spanish while there. After college I worked as a lab technician for a while and then helped manage the store of a locally owned greenhouse for a few years. After that I stayed home to raise children for over a decade—by far the hardest of the jobs I mentioned. When my youngest was getting close to being old enough to go to school full time I had already started using the extra time I was beginning to have to write. I decided at that point that if I could make the same amount of money writing that I would make at a part time job while my kids were at school, then I’d rather stay home to write. That gamble worked. I’m now a full-time writer.

What is your latest news?

I just released a novelette called The Grove. It was originally published in an anthology called The Alien Chronicles. The Grove is a prequel to another book I’m writing called Druid (hopefully that will be out in early 2016). I also was recently asked to write the foreword for an anthology of some up and coming scifi authors called No Way Home. That anthology was released in early March.

When and why did you begin writing?

I’ve been writing all my life. Who knows why we are compelled to do such things. I think it’s just innate sometimes. I’ve always dreamed of being a writer, but kind of always thought that was just a pipe dream. For years I searched for creative outlets. I had moved away from writing and tried several different textile arts, but when I returned to writing a few years ago, that was when I realized that it was my true creative home.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

When I was obsessively writing every day, I considered myself a writer. That would be in late 2010, early 2011. I didn’t consider myself an author until Fluency began to sell well.

What inspired you to write your first book?

Boredom. I was a stay at home mom and I was going absolutely bonkers. I created dishwasher loading protocols and laundry sorting rules…just to cope with the day to day mindlessness of the never ending chores. One day I realized I had to find something else to occupy my brain during the long days at home with small children. I needed an intellectual pursuit, something really challenging, to make me happy. That was how it began. I began writing a story that day and I haven’t stopped four years later.

Do you have a specific writing style?

I would say that I do. I wouldn’t know how to classify it myself, but I’ve been told many times by various unrelated people that my writing has a cinematic quality to it. I’m not sure what that means, but it works for me.

How did you come up with the title?

I honestly don’t remember. I think it just came to me very early in the conception of the book and it never changed. It seems to have worked well.

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

We are all capable of heroism. We can all rise to whatever challenges we face.

How much of the book is realistic?

Some parts are based in reality—the astronaut food, the size of the capsule, the training. All of their wearable gear: from the adult diaper, to the cooling suit, to the Nomex flight suits, were all based on current NASA gear. The orange space suit I describe was one that had been in development for the Orion program that was originally intended to go to the Moon. At the time that I was writing, that mission had been scrapped. It has since been revived but I don’t know if that suit is back in the mix now.

Some of Jane’s backstory is loosely based on a real linguist. Some of her backstory was taken from internet searches of news articles.

There were some areas where I took liberties in order to make the story more interesting. For example, astronauts are generally unflappable, patient and always reasonable. Therefore I felt a story about 6 real astronauts, all with very similar personality types, would not have been exciting—a bunch of people being very cautious, never losing their cool, and never making mistakes makes for some dry reading. So I had to make my crew deviate from reality in that sense.

What book are you reading now?

I’m reading Foundation by Isaac Asimov right now. This is really a book of ideas and there’s a bit more political stuff than I usually prefer. There isn’t much focus on character. But I’m staying the course. It’s a classic for a reason and I suspect I’ll be pleasantly surprised by the end.

Are there any new authors that have piqued your interest?

I have several indie authors that I’m watching with interest now. Autumn Kalquist, Susan Kaye Quinn, and Lucas Bale are the first three that come to mind. I expect that all three of them will be hitting it big sometime in the next few years.

What are your current projects?

Right now I’m working on the sequel to Fluency. It’s called Remanence. I’m hoping to have it done by June 2015, but this winter has been really hard on my writing schedule.

Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members.

The biggest support that came from outside of my family was my local speculative fiction based writing group called Working Title. I joined this group of about 12 writers in December of 2012 and they have been a source of encouragement, inspiration and excellent critiques of my work. I’m very luck to have them.

Do you see writing as a career?

Writing is most definitely my career now.

Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?

Speed. I hear of other writers that write as much as ten thousand words a day. I push and push myself but I can’t seem to produce more than a couple of thousand words per day at most. They are good words. But I wish I could get more speed going.

Do you have any advice for other writers?

If a career at writing is your goal, you have to be willing to work harder than anyone else. That means writing every day. Writing lots and lots of words. It’s true what they say about thousands of hours of practice being required to become good at anything. Talent isn’t enough. If you only write when you’re inspired, you’ll always be a writer, never an author. Authors write every day no matter how they feel.

Do you have any hobbies?

I have had a lot of hobbies over the years. I have made homemade soap. I’ve knitted, quilted, sown, and made hand-hooked wool rugs. Some drawing, painting in watercolor and acrylic. Origami. I gave nearly all of that up to write full time. I’ve been trying to get back into knitting a little bit, just to relax more.

What TV shows/films do you enjoy watching?

We don’t watch a lot of television. What we do watch normally has an element of SciFi or Fantasy. Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead are two that we don’t miss. We regularly go see whatever SciFi films are playing no matter the ratings. Jupiter Ascending was the most recent film we enjoyed. Interstellar was an epic tale that we really enjoyed too.

Favorite foods/ Color/ Music?

My favorite foods include sushi and Thai green curry.

My favorite dessert is my own homemade chocolate/butterscotch chip cookies.

My favorite color is purple.

My favorite music is in the category of Electronic Dance Music. I like to listen to it when I’m working.

If you were not a writer what else would you like to have done?

In another life I can imagine myself as a food scientist.

Do you have a blog/website?

Yes! http://www.jenniferfoehnerwells.com

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

Thank you for the support!

It has been my pleasure hosting you here on Room With Books, Jennifer.

Jennifer Foehner Wells lives an alternately chaotic and fairly bucolic existence in Indiana with two boisterous little boys, a supportive husband, a mildly unhinged Labrador retriever, and three adorable pet rats as housemates.

Having studied biology, Jen’s possessed with a keen interest in science and technology. She’s 100% geek and proud of it.

FLUENCY was Jen’s debut. It spent weeks in the Kindle Top 100, going as high as number 4. It remains prominent in several Science Fiction categories. It has garnered 848 five star reviews, to date.