September 2024 - A Life Through Books

Thursday, September 12, 2024

Book Blitz: The Cats' Museum by Viviana Falleti #childrensbook #rabtbooktours @RABTBookTours
10:00 PM1 Comments

 


Children's Books / Cats


 

 

The Cats' Museum - Mom’s Choice Awards® Recipient!

 

HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF CATS WORKING AT A MUSEUM ???

 

Catherine the Great, in 1766, recruited stray cats to protect her beloved Hermitage Museum from rodents. Generations later, to this day, cats are still working there, protecting the artwork and doing their zany mischief…tune in for a splash of fun!

Award-winning author Viviana Falleti has a new book out The Cats’ Museum. This spunky, historically-based book contains illustrations from the world-famous artist, Victoria Fomina. Victoria has just recently won an international award for the illustrations in this book. Publishers Weekly / Booklife and Kirkus have given The Cats’ Museum great reviews, and it has received the Mom’s Choice Award.


Just for your info, this is a high-quality, hardcover, oversized book (11” x 10.5”). This larger size makes the exquisitely-detailed illustrations even more beautiful.

Little Feather Press is becoming the go-to place for the parent who is “hungry for wholesome.” Happy reading!

 


About the Author

Viviana Maria Falleti is a woman of faith, an insightful children’s storyteller, a lover of all things cats, and an aficionado of splendidly-illustrated books. She aims to produce only the highest quality books, containing wholesome and engaging stories every child is sure to love. The talented world-famous artists she employs bring her wondrous books to life even more.

Viviana created Little Feather Press for the parent who is ‘hungry for wholesome’. Every book ordered from Little Feather Press can be presented to a child with the assurance that the child’s innocence and the beauty of childhood are respected. The stories entertain in the magical world of a child’s mind, without any corrupting influences.

In her childhood in Germany, Viviana would never tire of listening to storybooks that her mother lovingly read to her. She draws inspiration from those memories.

Viviana was born in Germany but has lived most of her adult life in America. She has a lovely daughter Ashley and son-in-law Brent, two wonderful nieces Maria and Maria Luisa, and a suave Italian husband Gino. Her current residence is in Southwest Florida.

 

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Purchase Link

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Virtual Book Tour: Cayman Conundrum by Stacy Wilder #blogtour #cozymystery #mystery #interview #giveaway #rabtbooktours @RABTBookTours
4:00 AM 3 Comments

 



Liz Adams Mystery Series, Book 4


Cozy Mystery

Date Published: 06-28-2024

Publisher: Wild Hawk Press


 

Sun-kissed sands and sinister secrets. A honeymoon in paradise turns perilous in this riveting seaside mystery.

A tropical vacation transforms into a web of danger and deception when an author and his manuscript vanish. Is his thriller about money laundering in the Caribbean too close to the truth?

With the stakes high and time ticking, Private Investigator Liz Adams and her new husband, Brad, along with their truth-sniffing Labrador, Duke, partner with the local authorities to unravel a multitude of crimes. As they search for clues, the newlyweds explore the delights of the island, including a hunt for buried treasure.

Will they unearth the clues in time, or will the honeymoon end in heartbreak? Set against the backdrop of the stunning island of Grand Cayman, this cozy mystery will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end.




INTERVIEW


What is the hardest part of writing your books?

Initially editing, but I’ve grown to love the editing process. It’s where the story really comes to life. Plotting was also a challenge since I’m more of a by the seat of your pants author. Over time, I’ve discovered a rhythm and balance. I take the story as far as I can carry it and then plot out the next moves. Since the books are set in real life locations, I dive into a lot of research which can be fun and immersive. Now, I can’t really say any of it is hard because I enjoy it so much!




What are your most played songs?

That’s a tough one – since I don’t track that, I honestly have no idea.

However, I can share my favorite song in the playlist for each book. In Charleston Conundrum, “I Heard It Through the Grapevine,” by Marvin Gaye. The song is also in one of my favorite movies, The Big Chill. In Carmel Conundrum, “I Knew I Loved You,” by Savage Garden. I was disappointed when this Australian pop duo broke apart. For A Christmas Conundrum, “O’ Little Town of Bethlehem,” by Aaron Neville. This was one of my grandfather’s favorite carols and the song is performed by one of my favorite artists. And lastly in Cayman Conundrum, “Jammin,” by Bob Marley and the Wailers, a song that instantly brings me back to a bucket list trip to South Africa, where I listened to a band play it live at a winery.




Do you have critique partners or beta readers?

I have the best beta readers! My beta readers are a diverse group – different ages, backgrounds, and perspectives, which helps me fine-tune the stories. I was especially lucky with Cayman Conundrum to have an expert in the field of money laundering give me feedback. His insights were invaluable in making the plot more believable.




What book are you reading now?

A Villa in Sicily: Cannoli and a Casualty (A Cats and Dogs Cozy Mystery—Book 6), by Fiona Grace. I really enjoy the characters and the settings in this delightful series.




How did you start your writing career?

I’ve always been an avid reader, but I didn’t start writing until later in life. After working through Julia Cameron’s, The Artist’s Way, I reconnected with my creative side and started to write stories and poetry. My first cozy mystery, Charleston Conundrum, took me almost twenty years to complete. As a milestone birthday approached, I set some goals - take classes, join a writing group, and enter contests. I joined what is now the League of Romance Writers and entered their Emily contest which is open now through October 2 The Emily Contest. The feedback was valuable and encouraging. The competition even helped me discover that my genre was not romantic suspense as I’d thought, but cozy mystery!



Tell us about your next release.

My next release is A Camping Conundrum, a novella. Private Investigator Liz Adams and her husband, Brad, along with their truth sniffing Labrador Retriever take a camping trip to Poinsett Park, South Carolina, where they discover a dead body. The book will be released in early 2025.

I’m also working on a prequel to Charleston Conundrum which will be available as a free download. For the latest information, please visit my Facebook page Stacy Wilder or sign up for my newsletter via my website www.storystacy.com.


About the Author

Stacy Wilder writes mysteries, children’s stories, short stories, and poetry. Her mission is to deliver a delightful story to readers of all ages while benefiting a larger community. She donates a portion of the proceeds from the sales of her books to causes that help the homeless, both people and pets.

Beyond writing, Stacy is deeply devoted to her faith, family, and her beloved Labradors. She is also enthusiastic about the causes she supports, the beauty of art, the serenity of the beach, and the joy of reading.

She and her husband live in Houston, TX with a totally spoiled Labrador named Eve. www.storystacy.com

 

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Purchase Link

https://mybook.to/CaymanConundrum

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Wednesday, September 11, 2024

Book Blitz: Big Tex by R R House #humor #rabtbooktours @RABTBookTours
10:00 PM1 Comments

 

Adult Picture Book

Date Published: July 22, 2024


 

This satirical tale disguised as a children's book follows an aspiring drag queen with dreams of dazzling stages and glittered wigs eager to shine in a world determined to hold him back.

Convinced that the tough buckaroos in the neighboring town of Ruff Ridge, known for their rugged cowboy way of life and home to the clothing brand Ruff Ryder, will hinder his glamorous ambitions, he devises an ingenious plan to win their acceptance. With courage, creativity, and a pair of chaps, he embarks on a journey to turn his dreams into reality.

Inspired by real events, this clever, funny, and heartwarming tale explores identity, ambition, and community. The story celebrates individuality, courage, and the transformative power of being true to oneself, all while providing a thought-provoking reflection on the politics of our times.


About the Author

Roger Rittenhouse is a former stand-up comedian originally from Denver, Colorado who began his career in the 80s, appearing on The Arsenio Hall Show, The Dennis Miller Show, and Jimmy Kimmel Live. Notable writing credits include Bill Maher's Politically Incorrect and the Comedy Central Roasts. An armchair cartoonist turned author and illustrator, (after finding a digital drawing tablet on Craigslist) Roger brings his comedic antics to picture books intended for big boys and girls.

 

Contact Links

Website

Threads

 

Purchase Link

Amazon


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Tuesday, September 10, 2024

Book Blitz: Soundtrack of a Misfit by Rachel Wills #memoir #nonfiction #rabtbooktours @RABTBookTours
11:00 PM1 Comments

 

Adventures in ADD & Addiction


Memoir


 

This is a coming-of-age saga that highlights the perils and peaks of living with misdiagnosed ADHD, learning disabilities, dysfunctional family dynamics and rock and roll. It's equal parts funny and frenetic. The author weaves in the way she documents periods of her life through eclectic music, as she takes you along with her on bittersweet, misadventures. Get lost everywhere (GPS wasn't a thing yet), including in Jamaica, Israel, and Canada and learn what it's like to grow up missing social cues, not getting sarcasm, misplacing and replacing entire wardrobes, and navigating life smart but spacey.


About the Author

Rachel Wills is a Licensed Professional Counselor who specializes in working with adults with ADHD and co-occurring disorders. After living on both coasts' multiple times, she returned to her home state of Maryland and set down roots. She's active in her local long-term recovery community, synagogue and neighborhood. However, she used to admittedly, be 'all over the place' and couldn't choose just one profession and stick with it if her life depended on it, which it did. Ms. Wills was told by a child psychologist that the severity of her 'minimal brain dysfunction' (now commonly referred to as ADHD) would preclude her going to college. Yet, she completed two vastly different graduate school programs (the first while backpacking throughout the country and living in a consensus-based community).

Her constant sense of feeling 'different' and 'other-than' which once led her to abuse substances and job hop became her greatest asset - empathy. Today, Ms. Wills is proud to call herself a wildflower among orderly roses. She's still not the most organized but is fervent about helping others learn to become their own best advocate and embrace themselves for who they are.

 

Contact Links

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Purchase Links

Amazon

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Book Blitz: Blues Jam by Stephen Rice #fiction #comingofage #rabtbooktours @RABTBookTours
10:30 PM1 Comments

Fiction / Coming of Age

Date Published: June 10, 2024



 


A young woman battles loss and addiction growing up in Saint Paul and finds her way to live her dream of becoming a Blues drummer.

 


About the Author

Stephen was born and raised in Henderson, NY. He moved to Saint Paul, MN to attend Hamline University. After working a variety of jobs, he began a career as a computer programmer. An interest in writing words preceded his interest in writing code.

 

Purchase Link

Amazon



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Book Blitz: Treasure Hunting in the Underworld by Lillian Moore #selfhelp #nonfiction #rabtbooktours @RABTBookTours
10:00 PM 2 Comments

 

A Guide for Healing and Claiming What's Yours

 

Self-help, personal development, psychology, spirituality, trauma healing

Date Published: August 5, 2024

 

 

Everything you want: all the riches of the world, the depth, beauty, the fun.

Everything you want is in the underworld of your psyche.

This is where our capacity to experience lives.

Yet, most of us barely know what is happening in our own mind and are at least a little terrified of who we might really be.

Just as our wishes and dreams live in the underworld of our psyche, so do our worst fears, the things we desperately want to run from. This is the treasure.

Our traumas, patterns, addictions, seedy desires, and repressed memories once welcomed and transformed by the light of our consciousness give us our greatest power, creativity, and magnetism.

This is your guidebook to your underworld that you might claim everything that you are.



About the Author

Lillian is a co-founder of Mindlight and the Mindlight Institute, which has trained thousands of people to integrate trauma. She has been studying and practicing the healing arts since she was a child. She was a volunteer for the Stress Project that helped veterans heal from PTSD, has led trainings for Google Vitality Labs and SXSW.

 

Contact Links

Website

Instagram


Purchase Link

Amazon


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Virtual Book Tour: Simple Rich People by Shekhar Chopra #blogtour #interview #nonfiction #rabtbooktours @RABTBookTours
12:07 PM0 Comments
 

Self-Help Personal Finance

Date Published: 4/3/24

Publisher: Mindstir Media


 

Have you ever wondered how people become rich? They keep it simple!

Business dealmaking veteran Shekhar Chopra dispenses wealth wisdom for dreamers, thinkers, renegades, mavericks, and do-gooders in this indispensable roadmap to building financial success and personal well-being.

Simple Rich People explores fundamental principles and practical scenarios to build wealth and leverage money as an effective resource to live a fulfilling life. It's time to simplify becoming wealthy and feeling wealthy.

Are you ready to feel rich? It's simple...once you know how!





INTERVIEW


Introduce yourself and tell me about what you do.

I have twenty plus years of experience in procurement and business negotiations at Fortune 500 companies. I have built wealth from ground zero with discipline, courage, and experimentation. I did not create a new software, invent a new drug, or sell investments in Wall Street. I’d like to share the methodology, and frameworks on how this was accomplished, to guide others in their journey.

I am devoted to elevating financial literacy in our communities and help people of all backgrounds to live richer, simpler lives, and improve quality of life outcomes.

The potential to expand financial literacy for readers of all socio-economic backgrounds, and generate self-belief and self-reliance is my “mana”.





Tell me more about your journey as an author, including the writing processes.

Simple Rich People is my first published book. Prior, I wrote a screenplay that one day I hope to see on the silver screen in the future. I am currently writing my second book, a compilation of fictional short stories.





Tell me about your Book

Simple Rich People emphasizes financial education and a mindset shift towards our financial health and habits. This book challenges conformist views on money and encourages readers to think differently about financial independence and wealth accumulation.

This book culminates years of research and personal and professional experience in business negotiations, coaching and leadership. This book shows a path to wealth.

The book universally applies to seekers of financial and mental well-being. It does not assume any previous financial knowledge. The topics here are self-contained. It is not a large manuscript of intimidating proportions. The size of the book itself is intended to be inviting to anyone willing to invest their time.



Major topics covered in the book

§ The benefits of pursuing financial empowerment

§ Simple Metrics to Measure and Manage Wealth

§ Behaviors of Simplicity

§ Save to Invest Philosophy

§ Techniques for managing Debt

§ Strategic Decision Making to improve financial empowerment and improve quality of life outcomes

§ Budgeting Process

§ How to Develop and Manage Spend Categories

§ Impact of money on relationships

§ Wealth in a Woman’s World

§ Artificial Intelligence: The New Frontier




Any message for our readers

Building wealth, and feeling rich to boot is accessible to all by applying personal finance principles shared in this book. In a nutshell, the book simplifies becoming wealthy and feeling rich. Processes and metrics for building wealth are clearly laid out and do not assume any prior financial knowledge.





What are a few adjectives you’d use to describe your book to a stranger?

Life-Changing, Persuasive, Transformative, Informative, Inspirational, Cerebral, Motivational, Eye-Opening, Thought-Promoting, Empowering, Enlightening, Insightful, Educational, Engaging, Revolutionary, Simple, Concise, Lucid, Practical




What about your book makes you the most excited?

The potential to expand financial literacy for readers of all socio-economic backgrounds, and generate self-belief and self-reliance.



 

 

About the Author

I have twenty plus years of experience in procurement and business negotiations at Fortune 500 companies including Deloitte Consulting, Yahoo, eBay, Kaiser Permanente, Splunk, and Novellus. I have built wealth from ground zero with discipline, courage, and experimentation. I did not create a new software, invent a new drug, or sell investments in Wall Street. Simple Rich People shares the methodology, and frameworks on how this was accomplished, and to guide others in their journey.

I am devoted to elevating financial literacy in our communities and help people of all backgrounds to live richer, simpler lives, and improve quality of life outcomes. The potential to expand financial literacy for readers of all socio-economic backgrounds, and generate self-belief and self-reliance is the mana.

 

Contact Link

Website

 

Purchase Links

Amazon

B&N


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Monday, September 9, 2024

Release Blitz: The Bookshop Ladies by Faith Hogan #womensfiction #releaseday #giveaway #newbooks #rabtbooktours @GerHogan @RABTBookTours
11:30 PM0 Comments

 

Women's Fiction

Date Published: 09-10-2024

Publisher: Aria Fiction


 

 

Bestselling Irish writer, Faith Hogan, has created another gripping saga of friendship, betrayal and secrets in this story of a widow in search of answers to a shocking confession by her dying husband.

 

Joy Blackwood has no idea why her French art dealer husband has left a valuable painting to a woman called Robyn Tessier in Ballycove, a small town on the west coast of Ireland, but she is determined to find out.

She arrives in Ballycove to find that Robyn runs a rather chaotic and unprofitable bookshop. She is shy, suffering from unrequited love for dashing Kian, and badly in need of advice on how to make the bookshop successful.

As Joy becomes entangled in the daily dramas of Ballycove, uncovering the secrets behind her husband's painting grows increasingly challenging. When she finally musters the courage to confront the truth, her revelation sends shockwaves through the tight-knit community she's grown to love.

 


About the Author

Faith Hogan is an award-winning, million copy best selling author. She is a USA Today Bestseller, Irish Times Top Ten and an Amazon UK Number 1 Best Selling writer of ten contemporary fiction novels. Her books have featured as Book Club Favorites, Net Galley Hot Reads and Summer Must Reads. She writes grown up women's fiction which is unashamedly uplifting, feel-good and inspiring.

Her new summer read The Bookshop Ladies is out in June 2024 and it's a great big welcome back to Ballycove for her readers.

She writes twisty contemporary crime fiction as Geraldine Hogan.

She lives in the west of Ireland with her family and their Labrador named Penny.

 

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Purchase Links

https://mybook.to/TheBookshopLadies

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Release Blitz: Scattershot by Larry Chrysler #newrelease #giveaway #memoir #nonfiction #rabtbooktours @RABTBookTours @PublishingAcorn
11:00 PM0 Comments


 My Journey from the Projects to Paris to Rodeo Drive


Memoir

Date to Published: September 10, 2024

Publisher: Acorn Publishing


 

Larry Chrysler’s life takes a dramatic turn when a chance encounter with a mysterious stranger disrupts his day. From that moment, the son of a bipolar mom and a homophobic dad decides he must follow his heart and forge his own path to success if he is to achieve his fashion design dreams. Armed with only a high school diploma and “angels on his shoulders,” Larry befriends wayward princesses, dresses A-list actors and rock music royalty, and embarks on jet-setting adventures his younger self hardly could have imagined.

Scattershot: My Journey from the Projects to Paris to Rodeo Drive tells the unforgettable story of a Jewish gay boy who leaves the oppressiveness of the Minneapolis projects to pursue a glamorous career in design among elite fashion circles in America and Europe. At times funny, wise, and heartfelt, this is a story of coming out during the repressive 1950s and of eventually finding true love. In this wryly candid and inspirational memoir, Larry proves that no dream is impossible with a little daring and panache—and, of course, a fabulous wardrobe.



About the Author

Larry Chrysler was raised in the bi-racial projects of 1930s Minneapolis before pursuing a career as a dress designer in New York and Los Angeles. He eventually established himself as a distinguished menswear clothier on the iconic Rodeo Drive. Currently, Larry lives in Beverly Hills with his husband Matthew. Scattershot: My Journey from the Projects to Paris to Rodeo Drive is his first book.

 

Contact Links

Facebook: Larry Chrysler 

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Book Blitz: Savage Champion by Carla Swafford #darkfantasy #fantasy #rabtbooktours @carlaswafford @RABTBookTours
10:30 PM1 Comments

 

Dark Fantasy

Date Published: April 23, 2024

 

 

From bestselling author Carla Swafford a new genre for fans of her gritty romantic suspense books.


When a private investigator tracks down a client's lost sister, he discovers she's not lost or the client's sister. The woman is a vampire on a campaign of vengeance. Somehow he must stop her killing spree and protect her at the same time.


TORI AMHERST

I died years ago.

In my savage new life, I revenge the helpless.

But a hunter came. A human. A former cop. Now a private eye.

His body, his blood, and his wounded soul are perfect.

Then I discover I'm not a champion, but a terror.


RONAN MICHAELS

I died in her arms.

But I woke to a new life full of hate.

She hides a truth. I hate secrets.

I crave her body, her blood, and her lost soul.

Then I discover the lies.

I will get my revenge and she will be mine.

 


About the Author

Carla Swafford loves romance novels, action/adventure movies, and men, and her books reflect that. And on top of it all, she’s crazy about hockey. So, it’s no surprise she writes spicy romantic suspense filled with mercenaries, motorcycle one-percenters, and southern criminals. And in the last few years, she’s included sexy hockey players in books without suspense, except for the kind that asks, how will they ever find their happily ever after?

 

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