22 Wednesday Jan 2020
Posted in Promotions, street team
This week on Streets Ahead it’s the turn of Anita Dawes’ paranormal thriller ‘Secrets‘:
SOME SECRETS WILL KILL YOU…
and some are about someone who is already dead.
A mother must find the truth before the secrets destroy her family…
Review by ‘Bargee’: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/customer-reviews/R1B5IVOQ8E1QWZ
15 Wednesday Jan 2020
Posted in Promotions, street team
This week on Streets Ahead we’re promoting Colleen Chesebro’s ‘Fairies, Myths and Magic: A Summer Celebration’, which is a collection of poems and short stories.
Step into a world where fairies, dragons, and other magical beings converge in a collection of poetry and short stories inspired by the celebration of Litha, the Summer Solstice.
Meet Drac, a dragon cursed by his own poisonous deeds, and two pixies who help an old man remember a lost love. You’ll meet a pair of fairies with a sense of humor, and a young girl who fulfills her destiny after being struck by lightning. Learn what happens when a modern witch’s spell goes terribly wrong. Meet the Sisters of the Fey, a group of Slavic Witches who sign a pact with the Rusalki Fey to preserve their magic for the good of all.
Atmospheric and haunting, the prose and poetry, will rewrite the mythologies of the past bringing them into the future.
5 star review by D.W Peach:
The tagline on this book is A Summer Celebration, and what better day to read it than on the summer solstice. Chesebro’s book is a collection of poetry and short stories that celebrates not only the presence of summer, but the connection of spirit to the Earth that is ancient, new, and eternal.
Some of the selections are playful like the mermaid bedtime story “A Fish Tale,” or endearing like “Just What the Doctor Ordered,” in which two pixies get soused in a pitcher of mojitos. Others like “The Healer” take on mythic proportions and read like ancient legends.
But most delve into the mysterious and magical nature of the world around us and our journey through it. The theme of rebirth and self-discovery appear in both story and poem form, and these were perhaps my favorites because they felt both personal and universal. “The Rebirth” is a gorgeous haibun/tanka poem. “The Fairy Spider’s Lair” is full of Earth magic, and “The Pond” is a story that spoke to my soul. Just gorgeous.
I could go on and on, but you’ll have to pick up this book and read them yourself.
10 Friday Jan 2020
Posted in Promotions, street team
This week on Streets Ahead we’re promoting Robbie & Michael Cheadle’s cookery book ‘Sir Chocolate and the Baby Cookie Monster Story and Cookbook‘:
Book 2 of the Sir Chocolate series: Sir Chocolate and Lady Sweet find a lost baby cookie monster. Join them on an adventure to return the baby to its mother and learn how to make some of their delicious recipes at the same time.
5 star review from L. Carmichael:
What does one do when their gingerbread gate suddenly has crumbs… it means something has been nibbling. That’s a no-no in Chocolate Land, so Sir Chocolate must investigate. And that’s when he learns there is a baby cookie monster causing trouble. So… personally, I’m on the baby cookie monster’s side in this caper. The poor little creature was hungry. I’ve been there. It makes total sense. If the books weren’t so adorable, I’d deduct a few stars for saying it’s bad to steal cookies. I say steal all the cookies and give them to me!
Okay, I’ll be serious now. This is a fun series, and I recommend it as one for parents and kids (or friends and kids) to read together. Make a day out of it. Use the wonderful illustrations and words to share a beautiful story with kids. Make up voices for all the recurring characters. Follow the online videos to make your own fondant art together as a family. Robbie and Michael Cheadle, and other members of their family, have pulled together a plethora of afternoon activities to make food, learn lessons, read books, learn new skills, and eat tasty desserts.
There’s a poem at the end about a girl at the beach, and a recipe for sausage rolls – another fave of mine. This was another winner, and I am thrilled to share my latest review for the series. I just want to know… how do the Cheadles ever get to write the books when all these beautiful food art is on the table in front of them?!?!?
21 Saturday Dec 2019
Posted in Promotions, Re-blogs, Stevie's New Books
Thanks to Sally Cronin at Smorgasbord. As well as Jacquie Biggar and Mary Smith’s books, Sally has given a big shout out for my new thriller novella ‘Examining Kitchen Cupboards’.
Since the middle of November I have featured all the authors in the Cafe and Bookstore with a recent review and since we have a few days left, I will now share more up to date reviews that have been posted.
USA Today Bestselling author Jacquie Biggar provides an abundance of romance in her Christmas themed Mistletoe Inn
About Mistletoe Inn
Fall in love this holiday season!
A grieving man finds the greatest gift is love in this heartwarming holiday romance.
Molly McCarty is in need of a new beginning after a disastrous divorce. When the opportunity to invest in a bed and breakfast appears online in Christmas, Michigan she’s intrigued.
A snow storm derails her travels and leaves her at the mercy of a grim stranger- who turns out to be her new partner!
Noah Kincaid loses his parents in a tragic fire that leaves him scarred inside and…
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10 Tuesday Dec 2019
Posted in Promotions, Re-blogs, Reviews, Stevie's New Books
Thanks to Anita Dawes and Jaye Marie for this great 5 star review of my new suspense novella ‘Examining Kitchen Cupboards’.
Jill Hayes discovers that not all is as it seems in her new post as a college examinations administrator. When she turns whistle-blower and tries to report her findings to the authorities, she is horrified to discover that some people will stop at nothing to ensure her silence.
Our Review
Starting a new job is always fraught with tension, you worry whether you will be liked, and more importantly, are you able to convince them of your competence?
Jill Hayes is met with total disdain from her new superior, so when she questions something that doesn’t seem right, she is met with hostility on many levels.
If you discover something is wrong, could you be a whistle-blower, or would you hope that someone else would do it instead?
This story has it all, corruption and greed, and an interesting cast of fascinating and true to life characters. Although Examining Kitchen…
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09 Monday Dec 2019
Posted in Promotions, Re-blogs
Thanks to Sally Cronin at Smorgasbord for the shout-out for my new thriller ‘Examining Kitchen Cupboards’.
Welcome to this year’s Christmas book fair where I will be sharing the books of all the authors on the shelves of the Cafe and Bookstore with their most recent review in the last six months. I will be selecting authors at random so that there is something for everyone in the post.
The first author with a wonderful selection of romantic novels that would make excellent gifts is P.C.Zick. With new fabulous covers and the final book in the series with recent reviews. Love on Holiday – (Book 7 – Rivals in Love)
About the book
The couple who started the whole Crandall clan face a crossroads as their fortieth wedding anniversary approaches. As their six children plan a surprise party, the couple struggle to stay together through the holidays.
Nolan and Sofia Crandall have remained in love and together for forty years despite their differences. He’s Irish…
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07 Saturday Dec 2019
Posted in Promotions, Re-blogs, Stevie's New Books
Thanks to Jim Webster for his entertaining reminiscences and for his promotion of my new book ‘Examining Kitchen Cupboards’ which is based on something I discovered when working in the Exams Department of a college back in 1999. It’s a suspense novella mostly created from my own imagination, except for that one question you will come across which is very real!
Thanks also to D.G Kaye for the 5 star review.
Teaching is my families other profession. My mother, sister and various cousins all taught for a living. So by adding their memories to mine I’ve seen schools evolve from 1948 to now. The world my mother entered is probably unrecognisable now. At teacher training college after the war, the college held one dance per term. The RAF officer cadets from a nearby training school were invited.
Young ladies sat along one wall of the dance floor, young gentlemen sat down the opposite wall. The RAF officer commanding and the Lady College Principal sat on the stage, each with their second in command to act as a runner. Should a gentleman wish to dance with a lady, he would go up onto the stage, ask his officer commanding, who would in turn ask the principal, who would send her second in command to collect the young lady in question. They would…
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04 Wednesday Dec 2019
Posted in Promotions, street team
This week on Streets Ahead we’re promoting Adele Park’s fantasy novel ‘Wisp:
Edra; a world where magic flourishes and where dark secrets are concealed by those who rule. Secrets which can get the innocent killed without a thought.
When the body of an elf is discovered in a treacherous area of the city, Wisp a young Law Enforcer is assigned the case. He soon realises the case is far from simple. As soon as he finds one thread another one leads him to unravel a tapestry woven from lies, secrets, corruption and evil. When friendship turns to love, Wisp`s life, as he knew it will completely change.
What started out as a murder case ends in a grisly battle which Wisp and his companions seem to have no chance of winning.
Review by Colleen M. Chesebro:
Meet Wisp, a law enforcer in the land of Edra, where magic is encouraged to flourish and is often needed for sheer survival. A mages council rules Edra compared to the neighboring area of Finah, who prefers humans to control their resources. After a bloody civil war, many years ago, the two lands exist beside each other in a fragile peace.
Wisp is a marsh fairy with raven hair and pointy ears pierced with silver earrings. Marsh fairies are rare and possess special powers. Wisp keeps his real identity under wraps, known only to his superiors. Abandoned as a child, the “Senior” Law enforcement officer raised him ensuring his survival.
In a desolate area filled with putrefying rubbish, Wisp comes across the body of a High Elf, a member of the Thorns, who was a high-ranking council member found murdered in the circle. The elf’s throat had been brutally cut. Wisp sets out to solve the murder not realizing he is to play an integral part in solving the mystery.
Wisp meets Finn Redhaven, the lover of the murdered elf, Sammiel Thorn, and feels an immediate attraction to him. Wisp and Finn fall in love and discover a wealth of magical abilities enabled by their relationship. And, they are going to need all the help they can get to battle the evil that has descended on Edra.
As fantasy novels go, Wisp stands out to me in its originality and political intrigue. Ms. Park creates a world where love is considered to be one of the greatest powers of all. I enjoyed that the two main characters were male and embraced their love and desire for each other, which was a refreshing approach to solving a mystery in a magical land. The reader discovers along with Wisp the extent of his abilities which I anticipate will increase over time.
I’ve added Wisp to my list of favorite fantasy novels. I loved the story and the characters. The ending is a cliffhanger, and I can’t wait for the next volume to find out what happens to Wisp and Finn. Hopefully, Ms. Park won’t keep us in suspense for long.
25 Monday Nov 2019
Posted in Funny, Promotions
Tags
One of my books, ‘The Pilates Class’, is featured in BookFunnel’s ‘Satire, Sarcasm and Funny Fiction‘ promotion organised by Holly Tierney-Bedord, which runs through to December 15th. You can find a whole wealth of funny books there as well as mine by clicking the link below. Check it out!
https://books.bookfunnel.com/sarcasmbooks/e5mi8hrb6j
22 Friday Nov 2019
Posted in Promotions, street team
This week on Streets Ahead we’re promoting Marjorie Mallon’s fantasy novel ‘The Curse of Time’. If you would like your book promoted and are prepared to promote other members’ books too, please click on the link above to join the group:
A unique, imaginative mystery full of crystal magic-wielding, and dark elements.
Fifteen-year-old Amelina Scott lives in Cambridge with her dysfunctional family, a mysterious black cat, and an unusual girl Esme who’s imprisoned within the mirrors located in her house. When an unexpected message arrives inviting Amelina to visit the Crystal Cottage, she sets off on a forbidden pathway where she encounters Ryder, a charismatic, but perplexing stranger. With the help of a magical paint set, and some crystal wizard stones she discovers the truth about a shocking curse that has destroyed her family’s happiness. A magical YA/paranormal fantasy with dark elements set in Cambridge, England.
Goodreads’ Reviews:
“The Curse Of Time by M.J. Mallon is an intricate fantasy novel with unique supernatural and magical elements which serves as a highly entertaining read. I had a great time reading this novel and exploring the magical world of Amelina full of magic crystals and enchanted mirrors.”
“This novel would be great for teenagers, or young adults and it follows the magical story of teenager Amelina as she steps into a world of crystals, magic and wonderment. There are some likeable and not so likeable characters and both are really well written. The book weaves a story of the main character learning new skills and you see her personal growth throughout the story. Nothing is what is seems and you want to find out how Amelina will use her enchanted gifts and learn who she can trust. A book packed full of intrigue, believable characters and poetic verse.”
“This is a brilliant book for young adults interested in magic, supernatural, paranormal, fantasy and myth. I found it highly readable and the author’s imagination is phenomenal, as is the fluency of her language and the dazzling way she describes the curious events and characters in her story. I loved the idea of Esme, the girl trapped in the mirror.”
“Beautifully written and poetic fantasy novel that perfectly sustains mystery and drama throughout the pages. The characters are very vivid and the world is rich in detail and atmosphere. Marjorie is excellent at painting imaginative and believable scenes with words and magic. A fantastic debut! Looking forward to her next book.”
“The overall world-building creates a wonderful, spiritual atmosphere.
There’s a bit of poetry at the start of every chapter, a nice touch which leads us into the action.
The story bravely tackles issues of mental health and self-harm, but in such a sensitive way that it can only help improve understanding.”
“This delightful book will appeal to teens and young adults who love stories filled with magical crystals, dark family curses, and mysteries waiting to be solved around every corner. Each chapter leads you on a journey of discovery where Amelina earns the right to use three wizard stones to reset the balance of time and finally break the curse that holds her family hostage. A captivating tale!” – Colleen M. Chesebro
