April 2023 – Page 2 – Author D.L. Finn

In the Tree’s Shadow – “Stranded” @gmplano #writingcommunity #bookrelease #readersoftwitter #shortstories #paranormal

Hi,

Today I’m visiting with Gwen Plano to talk about the short story “Stranded” here.

Below includes my review of Gwen’s latest book, “Redemption,” and the tour schedule. There is a chance to win an Amazon gift card too! I will add stops as they become available.

Gwen M. Plano, aka Gwendolyn M. Plano, grew up in Southern California and spent most of her professional life in higher education. She taught and served as an administrator in colleges in Japan, New York, Connecticut, and California. Gwen’s academic background is in theology and counseling. Recently retired, she now lives in the high desert of Arizona, where she writes, gardens, and travels with her husband.

Gwen’s first book is an acclaimed memoir, Letting Go into Perfect Love. Her second book, The Contract between heaven and earth, is a thriller fiction novel, co-authored by John W. Howell. It has received multiple awards and is an Amazon Best Seller. The Choice, the unexpected heroes is the sequel to The Contract. It is also a thriller, involving the attempt of an unfriendly nation to take over the world. The third book in the series, The Culmination, a new beginning is an action-packed military thriller that spans the globe and involves multiple Heads of State and the threat of World War III. Only love can change the fate of humanity.

When Gwen is not writing, she’s often in the beautiful Red Rocks of Sedona, where she finds inspiration.

Hooked me from the very first page!

“Redemption” is a fast-paced thriller that hooked me from the first page. Lisa came home to visit her parents. She had a bad feeling when the doorbell rang, but she couldn’t stop what happened next. With her father dead, her mother fighting for her life, and her brother, Trace, in another country, she struggles to figure out what happened. Lisa quickly realizes she needs to be careful whom she trusts because her world is turned upside down as the truth slowly unravels. Luckily, her brother and his friend, Ryan, come to her aid. I love how they are there for each other, while Lisa’s strength, love of family, and intelligence are inspiring. She bravely stands by her mother while trying to understand her father. I found this book hard to put down with all the twists weaved into a family’s story. The research put into this mystery made it even more chilling because of the possibility that it could happen. The themes of redemption and forgiveness tugged at my heart, and I highly recommend this suspenseful family drama.

Here is the tour schedule.

A link will be added to the list as each stop becomes available. There will be a post with the link and author information included here for each stop.

Three winners will be randomly picked from the tour comments for a $20, $10, or $5 Amazon Gift Card on May 16th!

Since it’s a short story collection, each stop will be different.

In the Tree’s Shadow Pre-order Tour:

Tuesday, April 4^th –Robbie Cheadle “Book Video.”

Wednesday, April 12^th – Sally Cronin “Pre-order Book Promotion.”

In the Tree’s Shadow Release Tour:

Monday, April 17^th – Gwen Plano, “Stranded.”

Tuesday, April 18^th – Joan Hall, “The Dolphin.”

Wednesday, April 19^th – John Howell, “Lyrical Dragon.”

Thursday, April 20^th – Staci Troilo, “It’s Only a Dream.”

Friday, April 21^st – Craig Boyack, “In the Shadows.”

Monday, April 24^th – Harmony Kent, “The Boy.”

Tuesday, April 25^th – Jan Sikes, “End of the Road.”

Wednesday, April 26^th – Stephen Geez, “The Day the Ground Moved.”

Thursday, April 27^th – Beem Weeks, “A Day at the Lake.”

Friday, April 28^th – Sandra Cox, “In That Moment.”

Monday, May 1^st – Jacquie Biggar, “The Bench.”

Tuesday, May 2^nd – D. Wallace Peach, “Effervescent Potion.”

Wednesday, May 3^rd – Mae Clair, “When the Lights go Out.”

Thursday, May 4^th – Jacqui Murray, “Faith.”

Friday, May 5^th – Yvette M. Calleiro, “The Bike.”

Monday, May 8^th– Miriam Hurdle, “Playdate.”

Tuesday, May 9^th– Marcia Meara, “Alone.”

Wednesday, May 10^th– Annette Rochelle Aben, “Deadline.”

Thursday, May 11^th – Karen Ingalls, “The Bonsai.”

Friday, May 12^th – Judith Barrow, “Last Ride of the Night.”

Monday, May 15^th – Balroop Singh, “Man on the Pier.”

Continue reading “In the Tree’s Shadow – “Stranded” @gmplano #writingcommunity #bookrelease #readersoftwitter #shortstories #paranormal”

In the Tree’s Shadow Pre-order Stop 2! @sgc58 #writingcommunity #newrelease #paranormal #preorder #readersoftwitter

Hi,

Today I’m visiting with Sally Cronin to share the good news of an upcoming release and pre-order here!

Below includes my review of Sally’s latest book, “Variety is the Spice of Life: A blend of poetry and prose,” and the tour schedule. There is a chance to win an Amazon gift card too! I will add stops as they become available.

Sally Cronin is the author of sixteen books including her memoir Size Matters: Especially when you weigh 330lb first published in 2001. This has been followed by another fifteen books both fiction and non-fiction including multi-genre collections of short stories and poetry.

As an author she understands how important it is to have support in marketing books and offers a number of FREE promotional opportunities on her blog and across her social media. The Smorgasbord Bookshelf.

Her podcast shares book reviews, poetry and short stories Sally Cronin Soundcloud

After leading a nomadic existence exploring the world, she now lives with her husband on the coast of Southern Ireland enjoying the seasonal fluctuations in the temperature of the rain.

My blog is https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com

And for more information on my books listed here at Amazon please visit

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/my-books-and-reviews-2019-2021/

For those who love poetry and stories that make you feel.

“Variety is the Spice of Life” is a wonderful collection of poetry and short stories. The poetry is presented in the first half of the book. It was moving and thoughtful, as each word was carefully crafted. The short stories in the second half were my favorite part. Each story had its gift to offer us, but I wiped away a tear or two with “Mrs. Lloyd’s Robin.” “The Healer” left me with chills wondering what-if. What connected the stories and poetry to me was their humanity—or heart of them. A must-read collection for those who love poetry and stories that make you feel.

Here is the tour schedule.

A link will be added to the list as each stop becomes available. There will be a post with the link and author information included here for each stop.

Three winners will be randomly picked from the tour comments for a $20, $10, or $5 Amazon Gift Card on May 16th!

Since it’s a short story collection, each stop will be different.

In the Tree’s Shadow Pre-order Tour:

Tuesday, April 4^th – Robbie Cheadle “Book Video.”

Wednesday, April 12th – Sally Cronin “Pre-order Book Promotion.”

In the Tree’s Shadow Release Tour:

Monday, April 17^th – Gwen Plano, “Stranded.”

Tuesday, April 18^th – Joan Hall, “The Dolphin.”

Wednesday, April 19^th – John Howell, “Lyrical Dragon.”

Thursday, April 20^th – Staci Troilo, “It’s Only a Dream.”

Friday, April 21^st – Craig Boyack, “In the Shadows.”

Monday, April 24^th – Harmony Kent, “The Boy.”

Tuesday, April 25^th – Jan Sikes, “End of the Road.”

Wednesday, April 26^th – Stephen Geez, “The Day the Ground Moved.”

Thursday, April 27^th – Beem Weeks, “A Day at the Lake.”

Friday, April 28^th – Sandra Cox, “In That Moment.”

Monday, May 1^st – Jacquie Biggar, “The Bench.”

Tuesday, May 2^nd – D. Wallace Peach, “Effervescent Potion.”

Wednesday, May 3^rd – Mae Clair, “When the Lights go Out.”

Thursday, May 4^th – Jacqui Murray, “Faith.”

Friday, May 5^th – Yvette M. Calleiro, “The Bike.”

Monday, May 8^th– Miriam Hurdle, “Playdate.”

Tuesday, May 9^th– Marcia Meara, “Alone.”

Wednesday, May 10^th– Annette Rochelle Aben, “Deadline.”

Thursday, May 11^th – Karen Ingalls, “The Bonsai.”

Friday, May 12^th – Judith Barrow, “Last Ride of the Night.”

Monday, May 15^th – Balroop Singh, “Man on the Pier.”

Continue reading “In the Tree’s Shadow Pre-order Stop 2! @sgc58 #writingcommunity #newrelease #paranormal #preorder #readersoftwitter”

April Book Reviews Part 2! @PatFurstenberg @judithbarrow77 @Sandra_Cox #writingcommunity #whattoread #mustreads #readersoftwitter #readersoffacebook

As Good as Gold: A dog’s life in poems

By Patricia Furstenberg

“As Good as Gold” is a wonderful collection of poetry for the young at heart to share with the children in your life. It gives us a glimpse of the world through an animal’s perspective. There are several themes, including seasonal and a great insight into what a dog might be thinking. Different styles of poetry are showcased, each a tiny slice of a dog’s life. It’s hard not to smile when looking through a dog’s eyes. This is a beautiful collection for dog and animal lovers of all ages who enjoy poetry.

Sunset

By Sandra Cox

Eighteen-year-old Gillian has wealth, beauty, and a stunning house, but she also lives with a curse. During the night hours, she and her best friend, Merrick, the cat, can do anything they want, but at sunrise they are whisked into a big chuck of marble to spend the day. It was a genie’s tradeoff for all her ancestor’s riches. The other catch to this wish, after falling in love, the first-born daughter dies after giving birth to their first-born daughter. Gillian lives with this, especially avoiding interaction with young men. That all changes when she saves a young girl, and realizes her caretakers have hired the handsome older brother. Gillian is determined to find the genie and break the spell, while someone means her harm. I love the relationship between Gillian and Merrick, the talking cat, and her loyal caretakers. She is a strong young woman who wants to make changes while fighting her feelings. A read that was hard to put down and I can easily recommend it, especially to those who love a good paranormal romance.

Yes I Can!

Bobbi Dot

“Yes I Can!” is a whimsically illustrated young reader’s book with a positive Christian message. It is great for parents to read with their young children or beginning readers. Its theme is not only believing in yourself, but God. This is ideal for parents and even Sunday schools that want to get that message across. A fun and meaningful debut by Ms. Dot.

Sisters

By Judith Barrow

Angie and Mandy are ordinary teenagers until a horrible tragedy tears their lives apart. It’s heartbreaking, and I wondered if the family would survive what’s happened. They don’t. Mandy takes the blame and is sent to live with her aunt and uncle. Here she becomes Lisa and finds some understanding. Angie, who doesn’t step up and do the right thing, can’t live with her guilt. She runs away, only to find life hard and survival harder. It’s at a funeral that the two girls meet again as adults. This is when pain and anger collide with a touch of love and forgiveness. Right or wrong, each character deals with the pain and loss in their own way. The past was gone and mishandled, but these broken people had the present moment. That’s when hope came into the story and brought back something that seemed impossible. I was taken on a journey through all my emotions. “Sisters” was a hard story to put down, and I highly recommend it.

Return to Silverhills

By Sandra Cox

I read and loved the first book, “Silverhills,” and was excited to see there was going to be a sequel. “Return to Silverhills” captivated me just like the first book did. There are many memorable characters, and revisiting the ones from the first book was like a joyful family reunion. Brandon and Alex return home with a larger family and a new friend, Lisa. Jeff, Brandon’s younger brother, is set to make a cattle run, but their cook has injured his arm. Lisa volunteers to go along and help. There is immediate chemistry between Lisa and Jeff, but she has sworn off men after what has happened to her. I love the grandfatherly relationship between Lisa and Cookie, and the sweet baby calf, Lucky, that thinks Jeff is his mother. The scenery is beautifully described, and I could easily imagine riding on the Chisholm trail with them. Lisa’s a strong character searching for her inner strength and a way to heal. As the group tries to survive the elements and cattle thieves, there is someone close to them to deal with. A fantastic western romance with healing, survival, family, trust, and love that I highly recommend.

I only post my 4 & 5-star reviews here! If I don’t like the book, I won’t finish it. It wouldn’t be fair to leave a review for an unfinished story, and life is too short not to enjoy my reading journey!

NOTE:

Book reviews and regular posts will be back May 16th after the Blog Tour.

You may have noticed more books in my review posts. This is what I’m doing now since I want to bring in other topics but don’t want to add another day other than my challenges, new releases, or updates.

One idea floating around is Finn’s Forest. This would vary from poetry, local lore, interesting animals facts to strange orbs. Plus, I can venture out into other nature areas too.

Embrace your inner child, and read a good book! D. L. Finn

In the Tree’s Shadow Pre-Order Blog Stop! @bakeandwrite #booktrailer #writingcommunity #bookrelease #preorder #paranormal

Hi!
Today I’m visiting Robbie Cheadle for a pre-order stop to share my book trailer here!

Below includes my review of Robbie’s latest book, “When a Lion Screams,” and the tour schedule. There is a chance to win an Amazon gift card too! I will add stops as they become available.

Award-winning, bestselling author, Robbie Cheadle, has published thirteen children’s book and three poetry books. Her work has also appeared in poetry and short story anthologies.

Robbie also has two novels published under the name of Roberta Eaton Cheadle and has horror, paranormal, and fantasy short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.

The ten Sir Chocolate children’s picture books, co-authored by Robbie and Michael Cheadle, are written in sweet, short rhymes which are easy for young children to follow and are illustrated with pictures of delicious cakes and cake decorations. Each book also includes simple recipes or biscuit art directions which children can make under adult supervision.

Robbie’s blog includes recipes, fondant and cake artwork, poetry, and book reviews. https://robbiesinspiration.wordpress.com/
My Book Review for “When a Lion Screams”

5.0 out of 5 stars A creative collection for animals lovers!

“Lion Scream” is a creative collection of poetry, photos, information, links, and a short story. The poetry tells a story of the wildlife in South Africa. It is not always a pleasant narrative with the loss of their habitat or cruel hunters maiming for profit. I learned a lot about the animals and found all the poems fascinating on many different levels. Ms. Cheadle discusses the Sixth Mass Extinction and Climate Change effect on animal life through her visits to wildlife reserves and personal interaction. She shares extra reading through links to learn more, which I appreciated. This was a meaningful way to bring the plight of animals to people’s attention. The short story, at the end, tackled another important subject of our youth’s mental health and the medication used. I won’t pick out my favorites because the message is too important. A book not to be missed by those who love animals and the world we share with them.

Here is the tour schedule.

A link will be added to the list as each stop becomes available. There will be a post with the link and author information included here for each stop.

Three winners will be randomly picked from the tour comments for a $20, $10, or $5 Amazon Gift Card on May 16th!

Since it’s a short story collection, each stop will be different.

In the Tree’s Shadow Pre-order Tour:

Tuesday, April 4^th – Robbie Cheadle “Book Video.”

Wednesday, April 12^th – Sally Cronin “Pre-order Book Promotion.”

In the Tree’s Shadow Release Tour:

Monday, April 17^th – Gwen Plano, “Stranded.”

Tuesday, April 18^th – Joan Hall, “The Dolphin.”

Wednesday, April 19^th – John Howell, “Lyrical Dragon.”

Thursday, April 20^th – Staci Troilo, “It’s Only a Dream.”

Friday, April 21^st – Craig Boyack, “In the Shadows.”

Monday, April 24^th – Harmony Kent, “The Boy.”

Tuesday, April 25^th – Jan Sikes, “End of the Road.”

Wednesday, April 26^th – Stephen Geez, “The Day the Ground Moved.”

Thursday, April 27^th – Beem Weeks, “A Day at the Lake.”

Friday, April 28^th – Sandra Cox, “In That Moment.”

Monday, May 1^st – Jacquie Biggar, “The Bench.”

Tuesday, May 2^nd – D. Wallace Peach, “Effervescent Potion.”

Wednesday, May 3^rd – Mae Clair, “When the Lights go Out.”

Thursday, May 4^th – Jacqui Murray, “Faith.”

Friday, May 5^th – Yvette M. Calleiro, “The Bike.”

Monday, May 8^th– Miriam Hurdle, “Playdate.”

Tuesday, May 9^th– Marcia Meara, “Alone.”

Wednesday, May 10^th– Annette Rochelle Aben, “Deadline.”

Thursday, May 11^th – Karen Ingalls, “The Bonsai.”

Friday, May 12^th – Judith Barrow, “Last Ride of the Night.”

Monday, May 15^th – Balroop Singh, “Man on the Pier.”

April Book Reviews Part One and Vocal Challenge! @bakeandwrite @Sandra_Cox @katharinewrites @vocal_creators #writingcommunity #whattoread #mustread #readersoftwitter #bookreview #vocalchallenge #poetry

Lion Scream: Syllabic Poetry About Southern African Wildlife

By Robbie Cheadle

Black Opal Amulets #3

By Sandra Cox

“Black Opal” is the third book in the Amulet series. Sabina is a famous singer who has the power amulet. While singing on stage, she is almost killed but is saved by Adam Morelly, the nephew of a mob boss. There is an immediate attraction between them that she chooses to ignore because of his relatives. Yet, he is determined to keep her safe from someone trying to kill her. Seeing Maureen and Bella back from the first two books is fun. I love their friendship and how they are there for each other no matter what. At the same time, a killer on the loose wants everything these women have, including Adam. There is a sweet moment when Adam also finds a kitten, Bones, in the garbage and takes it in. An excellent addition to the series that can be a standalone read, but I enjoyed reading it from the beginning! A book and series I can easily recommend.

Tall, Dark and Undead

By Sandra Cox

Suzanne gets attacked by three men in an alley on the way home. A kickboxer, she can usually take care of herself, but this time she was overwhelmed. A hero appears, a handsome mystery man with strange eyes with unusual abilities, and saves her. He gets her to the hospital, where she recovers. A strong woman who has made her job as an assistant at the hospital her entire focus, finds herself drawn to two men, one a cop and one a vampire. I love the developing relationship between her and Adrian. He is a vampire with a conscience and a vegetarian, or he doesn’t feed on humans anymore. He is as torn as Suzanne as feelings grow between them. I adore the connection between Suzanne and her fatherly boss, Kess. A paranormal love story that I can easily recommend.

Lily Adler Mystery #4

Murder at Midnight

By Katharine Schellman

“Murder at Midnight” is the fourth book in the Lily Adler Mystery Series, but I could easily follow along once I got through the first couple of chapters. Set in 1816, some guests attending a ball can’t make it home because of a sudden heavy snowstorm. The host, Lady Grantham, offers her hospitality, but they wake up to a murder. Lily is one of those guests. She is a young widow who attended with her family and is known for solving mysteries. Lily immediately becomes involved in this one. Gossip and innuendos can ruin a young woman’s reputation and put a family friend, Amelia, right into the suspect’s chair. Amelia’s brother, Jack, was Lily’s husband’s best friend and is now hers. There are developing relationships, and hidden motives interweaved into this story, along with solving a murder. This is for you if you enjoy historical mysteries with a strong female character.

UPDATE:

I wasn’t going to do this Vocal Poetry Challenge but in one of my I sleepless moments, it came. I did a tanka poem 5/7/5/7/7 and made each word start with the same letter which turned out to be F. The challenge was that all the words start with the same letter. I’d love for you to stop by to like, comment and/or share it. Here is the link:

https://vocal.media/poets/forest-fairies

Embrace your inner child, and read a good book! D. L. Finn