Cameron & Rylan by Valerie Ullmer (Release blitz and review).GBP ADULT title

RELEASE BLITZ

 Cameron & Rylan 

A Chance Meeting Novel Book One

ADULT title

by
Valerie Ullmer

Publisher: Self-Published

Cover Artist: Valerie Ullmer

Genre/s: Contemporary Gay Romance

Heat Rating: 4 flames

Length: 66 000 words

Release Date: March 26, 2019

 

Blurb

Cameron Hayes believed himself to be a dedicated friend and a good son but destined to be alone. Because in his twenty-one years, he’d never fallen for anyone. Dating never appealed to him when he would rather spend a night at home. Despite his friend’s best intentions for Cameron to find a hookup for the night, he stayed at the bar as he nursed a beer. And that’s when Cameron spotted him and everything he knew evaporated with one look.

Rylan Ellis wanted one night out without complications. To forget about his overwhelming responsibilities and stress at home. He loved to lose himself in the music and ignore everyone around him. But when he happened a glance at the bar and spotted the tall, broad, and sexy-as-sin man, he felt drawn to him.

Soon, Cameron and Rylan learn about each other and establish their lives together. They also have to deal with a group of well-meaning friends, loving parents, and unexpected friendships. But most of all, a dangerous threat that could tear their lives apart.

Will a chance meeting turn into something more?



This novel contains heavy attraction at first sight and first-time gay sex between two men. There is no cheating or cliffhangers and ends with a happily ever after.

*Contains a brief mention of a prior sexual assault and violence in later scenes.



Excerpt


“Would you like to dance, Cameron?”

He couldn’t help his pause at the question. “I would love to, but I’ve never had a lot of rhythm and I’ll trample you.”

Rylan laughed and Cameron liked the scratchy, tinkling sound. He gifted him with something precious and rare because Cameron smiled as he realized Rylan’s laugh matched his soft, masculine voice.

“Don’t worry. I’ve got you.” Rylan slid his hand into Cameron’s bigger one and he allowed Rylan to pull him onto the dance floor.

As the other man led the way, Cameron’s gaze roamed over Rylan’s form. He loved how his hair, even when damp from the exertion of dancing, looked soft. He wanted to run his hands through it to see if it was as downy as it looked. The blond of Rylan’s hair was a little darker than his own, but it brought out the color in his eyes.

Rylan’s skin shimmered under the lights and Cameron had the strong urge to lean down and lick a swath along his delectable neck, tasting him. Because of his thoughts, he flushed when Rylan turned back to him and moved his hands to Cameron’s hips.

“Close your eyes.”

Cameron, trusting this man he’d met, he complied with his request. Cut off from one of his senses, sensations thrummed through him when Rylan tapped out a beat with his fingers against his waist. He’d somehow burrowed his hand underneath his tee and Cameron could the pads of his fingers on his bare skin.

“Are you paying attention?” Rylan laughed when Cameron’s head jerked up and caught his gaze.

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About the Author 

Valerie writes romances.

Contemporary, Paranormal, Erotic, and Gay.

She lives in Denver, Colorado with her wonderfully supportive husband and their funny and wise black lab, Maddie. Valerie is addicted to coffee, crime shows, and reading and writing character-driven romances.

As a voracious reader, she’s believes that all writers are rock stars, and she hopes that people enjoy her stories as much as she loves the romance novels she’s devoured over the years!

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My review:

3.5 out of 5 stars

Cameron & Rylan by Valerie Ullmer is a new adult contemporary gay romance that features Cameron Hayes as he discovers a life-changing attraction that is reciprocated by Rylan Ellis. The two of them joyfully embark upon a relationship, but must find a way to deal with a darkness from Rylan’s past that threatens the happiness they have found together and the future they are working toward.

This story is the first book in the ‘A Chance Meeting’ series and is a celebration of the joy of new love and whirlwind romance. The relationship moves very fast, so one has to be willing to accept insta-love/lust, which flavors the entire story, and accepting of the almost fairytale aspect of some of the elements. I like that the two were supportive of each other and patient with insecurities and it’s so great that they have supportive friends, but there were a few things that bugged me, including, Rylan’s instant forgiveness of someone who should have been much more supportive and Cameron’s folks not being offended at being excluded even though they're supposed to be such a close-knit family. There are plenty of sizzling scenes, lots of “awww” moments, and a bit of danger that all combine to make this a fun quick read.

A copy of this title was provided for review

 

The Girl from the Lighthouse by Willard Thompson (VBT, guest post, excerpt, and GIVEAWAY) GFT

I have the pleasure of sharing a guest post by author Willard Thompson, who answers my question...


ELF:  What do you think is the strongest attraction about the genre you like to write in?

WT:

I am unashamedly a writer of historical fiction. My first published novels, The Chronicles of California series: Dream Helper, Delfina's Gold, and Their Golden Dreams, each covers a different period of California's history. My newest novel, The Girl from the Lighthouse, is a historical romance set in the Paris of the 1870s, the start of the Belle Èpoque, the beautiful time. But it was also a time of strife, so the novel depicts the Franco-Prussian War and the Paris Commune uprising, and their impact on my characters.

In each of my novels, I bring together historical figures with my fictional characters and they interact. The reader gets a real feeling for the important people of the time. In The Girl from the Lighthouse, you meet Monet, Renoir, Degas, Berthe Morisot, and other famous artists as well as high fashion designer Charles Frederick Worth and world-class actress Sarah Bernhardt. All of those historical figures are well researched by me to give my readers a real sense of the time and place.

Without a doubt, the most consistent comments I receive about my historical fiction writing is that my readers feel they have been well educated about the period I have written about, as well as entertained. What better way to learn history, while at the same time reading a great literary novel.

I think the historical novelist bears a heavy burden of accuracy. To my mind, a lot of what is marketed as historical romance is heavy on the romance and woefully light on historically accuracy. Readers may get a good buzz from a book like that, and that's fine, but they should beware that what they have read is not necessarily the true story. That's not the way I write. My readers can be sure the story is historically accurate. For example, my first novel, Dream Helper, told the real story of the mistreatment of California Indians at the Franciscan missions; Delfina's Gold, the second, revealed that gold was known to be in the Sierra Nevada foothills long before the "discovery" in 1849; and the third novel, Their Golden Dreams, covered the efforts by southerners to involve California in the Civil War on the Confederate side.

Historical fiction authors, in my opinion, can't be formulaic writers who turn out yearly books. They must take each subject as it comes to them, respect the historic basis, do the research and find creative ways to work their plots into the historic setting. No two stories should be the same.

The idea for The Girl from the Lighthouse came to me one afternoon when I was in the Santa Barbara Art Museum with my wife, standing in front of a painting by Berthe Morisot, one of the characters in my novel. The painting was titled View of Paris from the Trocadero. In it, two women stand with a small girl looking off into the city of Paris far in the distance. The women are blocked from moving forward into the city by a wooden fence that cut diagonally across the painting. It isn't a strong barrier, more symbolic. Because I have done a lot of research and writing about the history of the Victorian era, I was struck by how the painting represented the restricted status of Victorian women, and I got the idea to write about a woman of that era who was strong and independent, and in no way indoctrinated about women's roles.

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The Girl from the Lighthouse

by Willard Thompson

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GENRE: Historical Literary Romance

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BLURB:

The Girl From the Lighthouse tells the compelling story of Emma Dobbins.

Abandoned by her mother at an early age, she was raised by her father, a lighthouse keeper at Point Conception in California, where early on she discovers her artistic talent.  At the age of 17, Emma travels to Paris with a chaperone, to attend art school but is separated from the chaperone when the woman becomes ill. Emma arrives alone in Paris with no money, no language skills, and no friends. A chance meeting with a young working girl in the train station becomes her first Parisian friend.

The setting is Paris in the 1860s-70s, the start of the Belle Èpoque. France soon is involved in the Franco/Prussian War and the Commune Uprising; difficult times for Emma and all Frenchmen. Initially rejected by art schools, her determination keeps her moving toward her goal in the art world, where the Impressionists are starting to change the world. Frenchmen fall in love with her beautiful face and lustrous dark hair. Some wanted to paint her, others to court her, but either way, she does not abide by the rules they try to impose on her because she never learned them. She grows into an accomplished artist but never gives up her own principles... even when someone steals something precious to her and she fights to get it back.

The story is told in the first person, present tense, allowing the reader to enter the story and feel a part of it as it unfolds, sharing with Emma her highs and lows, loves and rejections, all focused in the art world of Paris.  The novel is filled with vivid characters, both fictional and real people, and the story unfolds gracefully from the 1870s until 1912, just prior to the start of WWI.

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EXCERPT

The next morning, I go to the orchard with my easel and a canvas to capture the early light and the dew on the leaves of the apple trees. I set up the easel midway between two rows and concentrate on getting the perspective just right, as the trees appear to merge in the distance. It is delicate, tedious work, but the charcoal pencil I sketch with comes alive in my fingers, eagerly welcoming the challenge. In my mind's eye, I see myself in solitude on the bluff looking out at the headlands of the rugged California coastline merging into the mist.

"That is a very brilliant thing you have done to capture the complexity of the apple orchard fading into the distance," the voice over my shoulder says around mid-day.

When I look up, I see Lamar scrutinizing my morning's work. "The flowers are so delicate," I tell him, "So hard to get right. Tomorrow my challenge will be to reproduce in oil what I've sketched." I pause then ask, "How has your morning been, mon cher?" I wait for his reaction.

"Well enough, I suppose. I've read my mail and a couple of newspapers that came with it. What do you say we drive into the village for lunch? I'm ready."

"Can you wait just a few more minutes?"

"Ah, but Emma, I am hungry now."

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Willard Thompson is an award-winning historical fiction and romance writer living in Montecito, California with his wife Jo. His newest historical romance, THE GIRL FROM THE LIGHTHOUSE was published in early 2019. His previously published three novels of historical fiction DREAM HELPER DELFINA'S GOLD, and THEIR GOLDEN DREAMS are part of his CHRONICLES OF CALIFORNIA trilogy. The Independent Publishers 2009 Book Awards selected DREAM HELPER for a gold medal as the best fiction in the Western/Pacific Region.

Thompson is a past president of the board of directors of the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum. He is a native of Manhasset, New York and a graduate of Colgate University in Hamilton, New York

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The tour dates can be found here

Sun Storm by Marlow Kelly (Spotlight, excerpt, review, and GIVEAWAY) GFT

Sun Storm

by
 Marlow Kelly

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GENRE:   Romantic Suspense

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BLURB:

In Montana to prove her portable solar panel can solve the world’s energy problems, naïve scientist, Dr. Marie Wilson must first fight to survive, and then expose the powerful businessman intent on destroying her life’s work. 

Ex-special forces soldier, David Quinn is haunted by the horrors of combat, and yearns to be left alone with his beehives, but agrees to do one last job for his old mentor.

When the scariest man she’s ever met becomes her savior, Marie discovers a heart of gold beats beneath his surly demeanor.

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EXCERPT

“You’re the one who broke into my cabin. I didn’t make you associate with criminals. And for the record, my life hasn’t been all sunshine and flowers since you crashed through my door,” she shouted back, shocked by her own reaction. What was wrong with her? She never argued, raised her voice, or confronted anyone. David was making her crazy. It was the only explanation. For some reason, she had no problem arguing with him. Maybe it was because he was so aggravating. 

She pointed a finger at him. “And I’m really sick of you forcing me into cars.” It was as if all her fear and stress were curled in her chest waiting for an outlet, and he was it.

“What?”

“I’ve known you for less than twelve hours, and you’ve pushed me into a vehicle three times.” She knew she was being unreasonable, but couldn’t stop.

He rolled his eyes. “Where are my manners? The next time someone’s trying to kill you, I’ll just politely ask if you’d like to get in my truck. Do you want me to curtsey while I’m at it?” He shouted the last part.

“There’s no need for sarcasm.” She sat straight, folding her hands in her lap, hoping if she gained control over her body, then she would gain some much needed restraint over her emotions.

“I think there is, and do up that window. It’s freezing in here.”

She did as she was asked, but only because her fingers were numb with the cold.

Amazon link

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

After being thrown out of England for refusing to drink tea, Marlow Kelly made her way to Canada where she found love, a home and a pug named Max. She also discovered her love of storytelling. Encouraged by her husband, children and let’s not forget Max, she started putting her ideas to paper. She enjoys writing suspenseful, fast-paced romance stories that always feature strong women. 

Marlow is an award-winning author and a member of the Romance Writers of America.

For more information about Marlow’s books check out her website.

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GIVEAWAY

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The tour dates can be found here



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My review:

4 out of 5 stars

Sun Storm by Marlow Kelly follows inventor and scientist, Dr. Marie Wilson, as she struggles to finally have her work validated, only to discover that her portable solar panel may be worth killing for. Forced to escape with a man whose loyalties are questionable, Marie must quickly determine who to trust with her very life, with a fatal outcome if she’s mistaken.

This romantic suspense story is the first book in ‘The Gathering Storm’ series and provides an exciting tension-filled read. There are delightful twists and I liked the way clues are gradually revealed, plus the hero is a war-wounded ex-military man who backs into the role of rescuer but is definitely up for the challenge. I was less impressed with the naivete of the brilliant scientist who can come up with such wonderful ideas yet has no idea about certain major issues in both her personal and professional lives. Many of the secondary characters are almost caricatures but I would definitely be interested in learning more about a certain couple of FBI agents. For me, the mysterious arch-villains seem a little over the top, and although I liked that one of the bad guys got his comeuppance, the scene strayed into territory that felt better suited to a 007 story. Despite these minor irritants, I enjoyed the story and the sometimes madcap interactions between the main characters and I recommend it to anyone looking for an exciting adventure.

A copy of this title was provided to me for review

The Green Soldier by J. Edward Gore (Spotlight, excerpt, review, and GIVEAWAY) GFT

The Green Soldier

by 

J. Edward Gore

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GENRE: YA Historical fiction

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BLURB:

John Gore is eighteen years old in 1862 rural Kentucky. He has struggled his entire life with stuttering and the ridicule associated with it. Unable to speak well, he has focused on writing. Seeing the opportunity for advancement in the military—and with it, respect—John joins the Union army. Unfortunately, his stuttering prevents him from warning a friend of an enemy attack and John watches his friend die. He is racked with guilt and the fear that others saw him fail at the key moment . . . a fear that proves prescient.

John soon meets a girl but they must forge a friendship and then courtship through letters, allowing him to express to her what he can’t say in person. Meanwhile at home, John’s impetuous younger brother causes trouble with garrisoned Union troops angry at Southern sympathizers.

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EXCERPT

There’s been some light fighting every day with the rebels close behind us, and especially once we settled into Knoxville. There were some rebel sharpshooters who dug a rifle pit just outside our walls and they were picking off some of our soldiers now and then. A boy would be talking or looking around and then he’d either scream or just fall back dead. A regiment with the Second Michigan was ordered to take care of those sharpshooters. Our men ran out, but they were fired upon, and when they got to the pit they found more than they’d bargained for. The Johnnies were in the woods waiting for them and fired without mercy. Less than half of our soldiers came back alive. Now their sharpshooters target our officers. Three days ago a lieutenant was giving out orders and in the middle of his talking he just fell over. Graveyard dead. He never knew it.

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Edward purposely avoided history classes in college because he felt they were boring. Years later he read the Shaara trilogy, opening his eyes to how fascinating the Civil War could be. He recalled as a boy his grandmother telling him of his ancestor, John Gore, who fought for the Union. Visiting battle sites and participating in reenactments has made the Civil War more than just pictures and words. Instead he could feel the fear, excitement, grief and anger.

Born and raised in central Kentucky, not far from John’s birthplace, Edward currently lives outside of Nashville, TN with his wife, two kids and a goldendoodle.

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My review:


 

3.75 out of 5 stars

The Green Soldier by J. Edward Gore is an epistolary novel that tells of young John Gore’s experiences as he joins the Union army and learns to be a soldier in the war between the States. Hampered by his stutter, John strives to advance, but the realities of war force him to reevaluate his goals.

This historical novel is told completely through letters between the main character and his younger brother as well as a young woman he develops a relationship with. The three viewpoints of the Civil war give different perspectives on the privations, dangers, and horrors attendant on war and humanize the struggle. The realism portrayed is gut-wrenching as the author conveys some of the price paid by so many, who often had no personal understanding of the plight of those they are fighting to free. This is a very dark and sobering tale, and I was very unhappy with the ending, although I know it is realistic. It is a tribute to the author’s technique that I became invested in the main characters and winced as I turned the pages, fearing the worst at every turn. The author’s disclaimer at the end is a bit confusing, especially in light of the picture that comes before it but I think that those who are in search of a stark story that brings to life the Civil War from the perspective of Union supporters should consider this one.

A copy of this title was provided for review

The Next to Last Mistake by Amalie Jahn (VBB, excerpt, and GIVEAWAY) GFT

The Next to Last Mistake

by

Amalie Jahn

Blurb:

Tess Goodwin’s life in rural Iowa is sheltered and uncomplicated. Although she chooses to spend most of her free time playing chess with her best friend Zander, the farm-boy from next door, her skills as a bovine midwife and tractor mechanic ensure that she fits in with the other kids at East Chester High. But when her veteran father reenlists in the Army, moving her family halfway across the country to North Carolina, Tess is forced out of her comfort zone into a world she knows nothing about.

Tess approaches the move as she would a new game of chess, plotting her course through the unfamiliar reality of her new life. While heeding Zander’s long-distance advice for making new friends and strategizing a means to endure her dad’s imminent deployment to the Middle East, she quickly discovers how ill-equipped she is to navigate the societal challenges she encounters and becomes convinced she’ll never fit in with the students at her new school.

When Leonetta Jackson is assigned as her mentor, she becomes Tess’s unexpected guide through the winding labyrinth of cultural disparities between them, sparking a tentative friendship and challenging Tess to confront her reluctant nature. As the pieces move across the board of her upended life, will Tess find the acceptance she so desperately desires?

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Excerpt

Mom smiles sympathetically and glances up, realizing I’ve stepped into the room. “Tess, did you know Alice’s family keeps a plot of farmland down the road on the other side of Spring Lake? You said you grow soybean and sorghum and cotton?”

Alice nods.

“Tell Tess about the farm’s history. It’s fascinating.”

I can’t imagine Alice, with her chewing gum and chic hairstyle and fitted slacks working on a farm. I slip onto the empty chair beside her as she begins to explain.

“The land was my great-great-grandfather’s, bought with his own wages after the emancipation. He was a butcher, not a farmer, but he kept the land planted every year for his kids to harvest. By hand, of course. Said he didn’t want them to forget where they came from. Said he wanted to make sure they had a physical connection to their past. Anyway, when he died, he passed the land and the tradition on to his kids, and my great-grandfather and great uncles did the same with their families. To this day, my dad plants every spring and my brother and I harvest every fall. It’s a small plot. Not nearly as big as the one my dad and his brothers and sisters picked, but still, it’s enough to get your muscles burning.” She holds out her hands, and I can make out scars on her fingertips. “My cousins are secretly plotting to sell their portion of the land once it’s our time, but who knows? I might join the Black Cotton movement.”

“Black Cotton?” I ask.

“Yeah, there’s this amazing fifth-generation cotton farmer here in North Carolina who started this company, Black Cotton, as a way for other black, small-acreage cotton farmers to sustain profitability. But they don’t sell the cotton to the clothing industry; they sell it as décor, like in bouquets and stuff.” She narrows her eyes at me. “Have you ever seen real cotton before? Like still on the stalk?”

I shake my head.

“Most people haven’t,” she says, smiling. “It’s actually quite beautiful. Maybe you’d like to help us with the harvest in the fall and you can see it for yourself?”

That Alice is willing to share this part of herself with me fills my farmer heart to overflowing. “I’d love that,” I tell her.

Smiling satisfactorily to herself, Mom backs out of the room. “I guess it’s a good thing Alice asked about our farm back in Iowa,” she says, revealing the origin of their conversation. “Kinda cool you both know a thing or two about agriculture.”

There’s a tug. The pull of an invisible connection strengthening the bond between us. I wonder how many threads it will take to seal our friendship and how many connections we’ll discover as the days go by. Surely there are others.



 Buy links:


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About the Author:

Amalie Jahn is a USA TODAY bestselling author of more than 8 young adult novels, including The Next To Last Mistake, her latest release (Light Messages Publishing 2019). Amalie is the recipient of the Literary Classics Seal of Approval and the Readers' Favorite Gold Medal for her debut novel, The Clay Lion. She is a contributing blogger with the Huffington Post and Southern Writers Magazine, as well as a TED speaker, human rights advocate, and active promoter of kindness. She lives in the United States with her husband, two children, and three overfed cats.

When she's not at the computer coaxing characters into submission, you can find Amalie swimming laps, cycling, or running on the treadmill, probably training for her next triathlon. She hates pairing socks and loves avocados. She is also very happy time travel does not yet exist. Connect with her right here in the present day at these social media sites:


Website and Light Messages website
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Visit her website to join Amalie’s FREE Readers Group and in addition to receiving promotional discounts, sneak peeks, and monthly newsletters, your membership will now grant you exclusive access to bonus material (shorts and novelettes) delivered right to your inbox!

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GIVEAWAY


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Amalie Jahn will be awarding a $20 mazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. 


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The tour dates can be found here

Please keep Nebraska in your hearts and good thoughts

Image by Gerhard Gellinger from Pixabay

This picture is to remind me that not everyone is as dismayed by snow as I am (0;

On a very somber note, I thought I'd share this since I (with my limited attention to news) have heard NOTHING about the tragedies in Nebraska. Please keep the folks there and in all of the areas being hit hard by the terrible weather in your thoughts and prayers.

...the state of Nebraska is a mess.  On the western side, we had blizzards so bad that the interstate from about two hours west of here all the way to Wyoming was closed for, I believe, well over a day (not sure closed and open exact times).  An Amtrak train was stuck for 30 hours with people stuck on it.  And there are reports of missing individuals.

 

On the east side, we had so much rain that we are flooding.  We had a blizzard first and then a rapid increase in temperatures so we got to rain.  The ground is frozen so there is nowhere for the rain and melting snow to go.  We have whole towns that are under water. Levees and dams have broken.  Bridges and roads are gone.  People have lost their lives, including a first responder. Cattle men have lost a large portion of their herds, either in drowning or because they are stranded on sand bars and no one can get to them or are completely surrounded by water and cut off.  More than one water supply system have gone down in a couple of towns south of Omaha which means limited water for the people and waste water is dumping right in the river.  They are sandbagging the local nuclear power plant.  I discovered that Omaha has flood gates (this was news to me) and they have been put up.   Our governor is saying this is some of the most catastrophic damage this state has seen in over a half century. 

 

The stories I am hearing just break my heart.  One more mature woman they just had on the news had come into Omaha early this morning from just west of town for a doctor’s appointment.  Shortly after lunch, she went to head home and discovered the road is gone.  She is stuck in Omaha with her car and her purse.

 

Anyway, thank you guys for lifting prayers if you are so inclined.  I’ll be fine without a doubt but what’s happening here is going to impact far beyond Nebraska.  There is a lot of really good farm land which is now under water and they are saying it could be months before it fully drains.  This could very well mean no planting or more difficult planting.  Cattle that people depend on for multiple reasons are gone.  We are also in calving season and losing this year’s new births can cripple a farmer.

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These links were provided to me by another person, so please use due diligence before donating.

OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — People wishing to help victims caught in the path of floods throughout Nebraska and Iowa can now do so with a simple text.
United Way has set up a relief fund for flood victims in Nebraska and Iowa.
You can donate by texting FLOODRELIEF to 41444

2.  https://journalstar.com/news/local/how-you-can-help-nebraska-flood-victims/article_5a604cf9-2c5e-540e-b419-09a93e42d081.html

All Souls Near & Nigh by Hailey Turner (Spotlight, Q&A, excerpt, and review) ANT ADULT title

All Souls Near & Nigh 

by 

Hailey Turner

Series: Soulbound 2

 ADULT title

Publisher: Self-Published

Release Date (Print & Ebook): March 19, 2019

Length (Print & Ebook): 104,100

Subgenre:  LGBTQ Urban Fantasy

Reader Warning:  This book contains on page sexual assault.

Book synopsis:

You can’t bargain with death if you’ve already sold your soul.

Special Agent Patrick Collins has been reassigned by the Supernatural Operations Agency to New York City. Learning to navigate his new relationship with Jonothon de Vere, the werewolf he’s now soulbound to, is nothing compared to dealing with territorial disputes between the vampires and werecreatures who call the five boroughs home. But the delicate treaties that have kept the preternatural world in check are fraying at the edges, and the fallout is spilling into the mundane world.

Manhattan’s club scene is overrun with the vampire drug known as shine and the subways have become a dumping ground for bodies. When the dead are revealed as missing werecreatures, Patrick and Jono find themselves entangled in pack politics twisted by vampire machinations.

Learning to trust each other comes with problems for both of them, and the gods with a stake in Patrick’s soul debt aren’t finished with him yet. Bound by promises they can’t break, Patrick and Jono must find a way to survive a threat that takes no prisoners and is stalking them relentlessly through the city streets.

Old and new betrayals are coming home to roost but the truth—buried in blood—is more poisonous than the lies being spun. Trying to outrun death is a nightmare—one Patrick may never wake up from.

All Souls Near & Nigh is a 104k word m/m urban fantasy with a gay romantic subplot and a HFN ending. It is a direct sequel to A Ferry of Bones & Gold, and reading the first book in the series would be helpful in enjoying this one. Please see the disclaimer in the Look Inside for content some readers may find triggering.

Author Hailey Turner says All Souls Nigh &Near is: An exciting sequel that builds on the series plot and will keep readers wanting more!

The action, mystery, and heat are kicked-up another gear in this second installment of Turner's addictive, original and immersive Soulbound series.

— Layla Reyne, author of the Agents Irish and Whiskey and Trouble Brewing series

Nobody writes like Hailey Turner. Her world building is extraordinary, as are her edgy action scenes. However, she never loses sight of her central relationship, or her razor sharp and witty characters.

This series is amazing. 

— Bestselling author,  Lily Morton

Q&A with Hailey Turner:

What comes first, the plot or characters?

This is like the chicken or the egg question. For me, it’s a mixture of both. I feel my characters play off the plot, but I need the outline of the book and series to really create a character and their motives. Characters and plot are pretty intertwined when I create a book, so I can’t say one comes first above the other.

Describe a typical writing day.

I usually write in the morning and evenings around work on weekdays, and for a block of hours on the weekend around errands and time spent with friends and family. On weekdays, I get up early in the morning (I’m talking 5:00am here) to get some writing in before work. I try to make time to write every day otherwise it would be difficult to finish a book if I didn’t.

How do you come up with the titles to your books?

I like to have themes with my titles and they tend to have the same sort of word structure for the entire series. For my Metahuman Files series, the titles spoke to the missions in each book. For Soulbound, every title has a hint of the mythology I’ve incorporated into that particular book. It varies with every series but I honestly can’t start a book without a title.

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Excerpt

“Bloody hell, mate,” Jono swore, reaching for Patrick. “What happened?”

Patrick kicked the door shut behind him, which was fine with Jono because it gave him something sturdy to shove the other man up against. Gently, though, because Jono didn’t know what other injuries Patrick sported besides the ones on his face. Jono framed Patrick’s face with his hands, staring at the slightly swollen nose with a strip of medical tape arching over the freckled bridge and faded bruises around bloodshot, tired green eyes.

“I took a potion. I’m fine,” Patrick said, blinking at him.

Jono rolled his eyes before sliding his right hand down to Patrick’s throat, discreetly scent-marking him. The stench of travel, of too many bodies packed too closely together, clung to him. Beneath that was a hint of forest and blood, neither of which stopped Jono from worrying. Beneath all that was the familiar, bitter scent that was Patrick’s alone, and it felt like coming home to Jono.

“Fine doesn’t look like you took several punches to the face.”

Patrick’s mouth quirked at the corners. “Gonna kiss it better?”

“Cheeky. Could’ve just asked rather than go out looking for a fight.”

“Hazard of the job.”

“Bollocks.”

Jono shook his head before leaning down to gently press his mouth to Patrick’s. Those familiar plush lips immediately parted, letting Jono in. The quiet sigh he drank down told him more than words how tired Patrick must be. The mage wasn’t one to show weakness, even amongst friends, but Jono had started to learn the little quirks and half-hidden actions that spoke of Patrick’s true feelings.

Patrick was still a hard read on the best of days, soulbond or not, but Jono was figuring him out.

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About Hailey Turner:

Hailey Turner is big city girl who spoils her cats rotten and has a demanding day job that she loves, but not as much as she loves writing. She’s been writing since she was a young child and enjoys reading almost as much as creating a new story. Hailey loves stories with lots of action, gritty relationships, and an eventual HEA that satisfies the heart.

Newsletter link:  You can keep up with Hailey's future projects by joining her newsletter, where you can instantly download two free Metahuman Files short stories and the Soulbound short story Down A Twisted Path 

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My review:

4.5 out of 5 stars

All Souls Near & Nigh by Hailey Turner is the second book in the ‘Soulbound’ series and continues to follow the adventures of federal agent Patrick Collins and werewolf Johnothon de Vere. Their lives continue to be complicated by the gods meddling in politics and territory disputes and there is still a possibility that Patrick will have his typical effect on his new home city—chaos and destruction—but this time he has backup.  

This gay urban fantasy story is a nonstop adventure and kept me mesmerized by the believable conflict, engaging characters, and amazing combination of pantheons who meddle in the lives of their followers. I think it’s better to have read the first book in the series, A Ferry of Bones & Gold, in order to get to know some of the major characters, but the action will probably draw you in even if you don’t know all of the backstory. There is a list of the cast of characters in the back of each book that will come in handy but I think it is just as fun to jump right into the story and get to know all of these engaging characters, including the gods masquerading as federal agents! Those with triggers should read the introductory warning very closely and those who are squeamish are advised that there are plenty of gory scenes since the were-creatures, vampires, various allies, gods, and, of course, the two main characters, are not shy about fighting their way through whatever obstacles are impeding their progress.

This series evokes the feelings of glee I get from reading Jim Butcher’s and Faith Hunter’s books and I found myself cheering for the good guys and groaning at the capriciousness of the gods involved while booing at the machinations of the villains. I am still a little puzzled about the hierarchy of the paranormal creatures within New York City and bemused at the turf wars between the various human factions even as I slowly absorb the complicated rules governing Patrick’s use of magic. I love books that are multi-layered and unpredictable and this one definitely has some nice surprises, including a understandably sullen teen who threatens to eat his hosts out of house and home plus the lovely romance that is continuing to unfold between Patrick and Johnothon who are learning to trust one another even as the heat between them continues to be incandescent.

I am so thankful I got a chance to read and review this series because I have found a new favorite author to follow and I look forward to reading more of her imaginative and exciting stories (and seeing how the “kid” progresses)!

A copy of this title was provided to me for review

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(1st book in the series)