A Life Through Books

Monday, June 10, 2024

Book Blitz: Prayerful Warrior Mom by Tracy A. Ripley #promo #christian #nonfiction #memoir #rabtbooktours @RABTBookTours
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Christian Living, Non-fiction Christian, Memoir, Non-fiction Inspirational

 


⭐️ 2024 Eric Hoffer Grand Prize Award Finalist


Unlock the secrets to living a balanced, joyful life through faith and forgiveness with Prayerful Warrior Mom by Tracy A. Ripley.

In this inspiring story of faith and resilience, Tracy Ripley takes you through her son's battle with congenital heart disease and her journey of faith, hope, and resilience. Tracy compellingly narrates the evolution from mourning the life envisioned to embracing the life bestowed and chronicles the lessons learned along the way.


What’s included in the book:

-Strategies for setting healthy boundaries and overcoming adversity

-Inspirational life lessons to help you find balance and fulfillment

-Practical tips for releasing guilt and embracing forgiveness

-Faith-based guidance on how to turn burdens over to God and trust in Him

-Empowering techniques for focusing on what you can control and asking for help


In Prayerful Warrior Mom, Tracy Ripley shares her intimate prayers to God, demonstrating how faith serves as an anchor through life’s toughest trials. This heartfelt story isn’t just about survival — it’s a testament to resilience and finding purpose amidst pain.

Tracy’s journey, particularly resonant for career moms, offers insight into balancing professional responsibilities with caring for a sick child. Supported by her family, friends, and church community, Tracy discovers the strength to endure. Her story illustrates faith’s transformative power, offering solace and guidance to mothers walking a similar path.


Get a copy now to discover the power of faith and resilience in overcoming life’s challenges.

 

About the Author

Tracy Ripley is a wife, mother, and stepmother to four children. Her youngest was diagnosed with congenital heart disease (CHD) in 2013. Tracy is a child of God and attributes her strong faith to the trials she and her family have endured throughout her youngest son’s battle with CHD. Her testimony of faith has helped shed light on the world of CHD, spreading awareness and providing hope to other families faced with a different path for their infant child than they may have ever dreamed.

After dedicating 27 years to a career in accounting and finance, Tracy made the courageous decision to pursue a childhood dream of becoming a published author. She and Rob, her loving husband of 24 years, live in Northeast Ohio. Tracy finds fulfillment in actively engaging with her community, contributing to the Christian Ed group at her church, and cheering at her children’s sporting events.

Tracy finds solace and tranquility in Taekwondo. She earned a black belt in 2019. If she could put the books down and take a break from her writing, she would love to return to Taekwondo to continue her journey of learning and advancing her skills.

 

Contact Links

Author website

FB Page

IG

 

Purchase Link

Amazon link



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Thursday, June 6, 2024

Book Blitz: What Once Was Promised by Louis Trubiano #comingofage #fiction #rabtbooktours @RABTBookTours
10:00 PM1 Comments

 

Coming of Age Fiction

Date Published: May 6, 2024

Publisher: MindStir Media


 

He came for a better life, but it didn't turn out to be an easy one.

Sixteen-year-old Domenic Bassini sets out alone for America from his small village in Italy in 1914. He falls in love during a brief onboard affair with the beautiful Francesca, the wife of a man with Sicilian Mafia connections. But he loses her and arrives in Boston instead with an orphan stowaway named Ernesto Lentini in tow.

Domenic and Ernesto stay at the home of old family friends in Boston's Italian North End neighborhood, sharing a room with their son, Joe. Domenic becomes like a big brother to Joe and Ernesto, who become inseparable friends.

As the years and decades pass, youthful rivalries and fateful decisions lead to unpredictable and sometimes unsavory outcomes. Between moments of joy and great tragedy, the three friends' lives take very divergent paths amidst the turbulence of factions vying for power in the early 20th century Boston where the lines between politics, crime and policing are blurred.

But after all that has kept them apart, can Domenic, Ernesto, Joe and even Francesca, come together to settle the score with those who have spent a lifetime fighting against them?


About the Author

LOUIS TRUBIANO spent over forty years in the advertising industry, most of it as president of his own firm. Born and raised in Quincy, Massachusetts, he earned his bachelor’s degree from The University of Rochester and a master’s degree from Boston University’s College of Communication. He and his wife live in Canton, Massachusetts and have three daughters, six grandchildren, and one spoiled dog.

 

Contact Link

Website

 

Purchase Link

Amazon


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Wednesday, June 5, 2024

Book Blitz: Forever, Now by Haleh Shahrzad #drama #fiction #rabtbooktours @RABTBookTours
10:00 PM1 Comments

 

Drama / Fiction

Date Published: May 19, 2024

Publisher: Mindstir Media


 

Marriage was supposed to be happily ever after, but it turned out to be anything but.

Darya's life takes an unexpected turn when she marries a man despite her intuition, believing in the promise of a happy and everlasting future. However, the façade of their seemingly-perfect life begins to crumble when her husband's infidelity and lies come to light, leaving their home and hearts shattered.

As Darya grapples with the pain of a broken marriage and the responsibilities of motherhood, she embarks on a quest to find her own happiness and purpose. Navigating through a heart-wrenching journey of betrayal, loss, and rebuilding, Darya learns hard-fought lessons about the world and herself.

 

Forever, Now is a tale of resilience, self-discovery, and the enduring power of love and determination. It explores the depths of human emotions and the indomitable spirit of a woman who finds her way back to happiness despite life's most painful setbacks.


About the Author

Haleh Shahrzad, the author of Forever, Now, was born in Tehran, Iran. Her journey began with a challenging experience in her homeland when she faced obstacles to higher education due to improper hijab and her absence at Islamic Friday prayers, despite passing the entrance exam and gaining acceptance to Tehran University. Determined to pursue her dreams, she made the courageous and harrowing decision to leave Iran.

As an Iranian-American, Haleh offers a unique and powerful perspective in her storytelling. She adeptly integrates her rich cultural experiences into her narratives, creating compelling stories that resonate with readers. Currently residing in California, she shares her life with her husband and son.

 

Purchase Links

Amazon

B&N


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Virtual Book Tour: Red Kingdom by Rachel L. Demeter #blogtour #interview #giveaway #historicalromance #historical #rabtbooktours @RachelLDemeter @RABTBookTours
4:00 AM0 Comments

 

 

Fairy Tale Retellings, Book Two (standalone)


Historical Romance (Medieval)

Date Published: 04-10-2024

 

 

Little Red Riding Hood reimagined with a dark and realistic twist.

Princess Blanchette’s world shatters when the Black Wolf tears apart her castle and everything she holds dear. All she clings to is the vow she made to her grandmother on her deathbed.

Hailed as the people’s champion, Sir Rowan Dietrich liberates the capital in a quest for vengeance. He takes Winslowe Castle with an army at his back and his wolf, Smoke, at his side.

United by a shared cause and powerful attraction, Rowan and Blanchette embark on a journey of self-discovery and redemption—a path filled with loss, transformation, and ultimately, the healing power of love.

Can Norland’s resplendent princess, with her captivating beauty and spirit, tame the fabled Black Wolf?

Inspired by the fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood, Red Kingdom is a passionate historical romance about the enduring quest for love and the longing for a world at harmony.

*Red Kingdom is a standalone installment in a series of reimagined classic fairy tales. Due to adult content and themes, it is not intended for readers under the age of 18. 


What you can expect from Red Kingdom... 

Dark, Medieval Setting

Enemies to Lovers

Slow Burn

Broken Alpha Hero

Strong Heroine

Wolf Companion

He Falls First

Redemption

Warring Kingdoms




INTERVIEW


What is the hardest part of writing your books?

 

That’s a great question! I’d like to say it’s the many rounds of rewrites, fact-checking, hours upon hours of research, and self-editing… but the truth is, the most difficult part of the process, time and again, is that nagging self-doubt.

 

Every book I write, I experience intense moments of “This isn’t good enough. No one will want to read this. My other books are so much better. What’s happening to me?” And so on.

 

I believe this feeling is universal to creatives. Writing a book (or making a painting, etc.) is an incredibly vulnerable endeavor. Not only are you weaving pieces of yourself into your work, but the process itself has such highs and lows. Creating an engaging plot and characters happens in layers—not overnight, and not even over weeks—and the first draft is almost always crap. But hey, crap makes great fertilizer.

 

How do I push through those moments of self-doubt? I remember why I started and always, always believe in myself and the story I’m telling.

 

What are your most played songs?

 

It depends on the book I’m working on and what vibe I’m going for! But for Red Kingdom, I pretty much played the Game of Thrones soundtrack on a loop. If you read the book, you’ll see why. 😊

Red Kingdom is now FREE to read on Kindle Unlimited!

 

 

Do you have critique partners or beta readers?

                                         

My amazingly talented husband—who is also an actor/creative—is not only my biggest support while I’m writing but also my springboard! He also served as inspiration for Rowan from Red Kingdom. Can you see the resemblance? 😉

 



 



 

What book are you reading now?

 

I’m ALWAYS reading… usually multiple books! I’m re-reading Jurassic Park and reading A Court of Mist and Fury for the first time (at the insistence of my book babes) and The Pillars of Earth.

 

 

How did you start your writing career?

 

I’ve always known I was going to be a storyteller! Before I physically learned to write, I would tell my mom stories, and she would record them for me. I went to Chapman’s film school and earned a B.A. in Screenwriting. My professors loved my characters and stories, but I’d often receive the feedback, “This reads like a novel!”

 

That’s when I knew my heart lay in book writing. I completed my first book during college, queried dozens of publishers, and had it picked up by a small press. And, as they say, the rest is history.

 

Now, five books later, I voluntarily publish as an indie author; I love the creative control, and you can’t beat those 70% royalties!

 

Tell us about your next release.

 

My next two releases will be more dark, standalone Fairy Tale Retellings! Hint: the MMC in book three is a character in Red Kingdom. I won’t spoil which fairy tales!

After that, I will immerse myself fully in my roots with a ”Gothic Retellings” series, which will include stories like Phantom of the Opera (my all-time FAVORITE), Wuthering Heights, Dracula, and Frankenstein.

 

Thank you so much for interviewing me today!

 

Lovely readers, if you enjoy dark fairy tale retellings, please check out Beauty of the Beast and Red Kingdom on Kindle Unlimited!

Also, please give me a follow on
Instagram or TikTok. I’d LOVE to connect with you!

 

RachelDemeter.com

 


About the Author

I live in Sunny California with my dashing husband, who inspires my romance novels every day!

Writing has always been an integral part of my identity. Before I physically learned how to write, I'd narrate stories to my mom, and she'd record them for me.

I graduated from Chapman’s film school, where I often received the feedback on my scripts, “Your stories and characters are great, but this reads like a novel!” That’s when I realized my true calling.

In my free time, I frequent reptile expos, lift double my body’s weight, and indulge in dinosaur trivia.

I'm passionate about writing stories that explore what it means to be human and to be loved. My books focus on hope, courage, and redemption in the face of adversity.

 

Contact Links

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Blog

Goodreads

Pinterest

Instagram

TikTok

 

Purchase Links

Read FREE on Kindle Unlimited

Amazon


 

 

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Monday, June 3, 2024

Release Blitz: I Sleep Around by Sue Ann Jaffarian #nonfiction #travel #humor #newbooks #rabtbooktours @harborlanebooks  @RABTBookTours
10:30 PM1 Comments

 

The Humorous Memoir of a Nomadic Writer

 

Nonfiction, Travel Memoir, Personal Memoir, Humorous.

Date Published: 06/04/2024

Publisher: Harbor Lane Books, LLC.


 

"If you are looking for an engaging travelogue filled with travel suggestions, RV tips and dos and don'ts - then I Sleep Around is it. With a humorous undertone at times, Sue Ann honestly writes about her dream of traveling solo and the challenges, both mechanically with her RV, and psychologically it has been. It's a rewarding tale of living her dream and sharing so others can do the same." - Kelli Harms, Marketing and PR Manager, Winnebago Industries

 

With no camping or RV experience, author Sue Ann Jaffarian decided to chuck her life in Los Angeles for a life on the road in a van. Newly retired from her long-time career as a paralegal, she got rid of most of her belongings, packed up her laptop, and embraced a new adventure of traveling the country and writing full-time, adding travel writing to her career as a popular mystery novelist.

Not always sunshine and unicorns, her experiences gave her more self-reliance, a new appreciation of nature, and a love for the quirky, interesting, and thought-provoking. I Sleep Around chronicles her first two years on the road and the time leading up to taking this bold step. All while her friends and family thought she had lost her mind.

 


About the Author

Sue Ann Jaffarian is the critically acclaimed author of three mystery series, various short stories, and novels. In addition to being a writer, Sue Ann is a full-time RVer, a contributor to Winnebago’s WinnebaGoLife blog, and a sought-after motivational speaker.

 

Follow the Publisher on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook - @harborlanebooks 


Purchase Today



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Teaser Tuesday: Cressida's Agents by Mikala Ash #steampunk #comingsoon #excerpt #rabtbooktours @ash_mikala @RABTBookTours @ChangelingPress
10:00 PM1 Comments

 

Steampunk

Date to be Published: June 7, 2024

Publisher: Changeling Press


 

 

Replete with all the trappings of an alternate world -- airships, steam powered aircraft, automatons, moon bases, and witches with psychic powers -- Cressida’s Agents is a steamy thrill-a-minute ride in a universe of what could have been.

Cressida Troy, after being mesmerised into betraying humanity, is now the wife of Mon Ilson, the alien leader, and is crowned Empress of Space. While pretending to be the love of his long-life, Cressida is desperately seeking a way to redeem herself, and somehow save human civilization from destruction at his hands. Then her former fiancé, Jacob, is captured and brought to the moon. Can she earn back his love, or has her seeming betrayal hurt him too much?

Meanwhile on Earth, Marjorie, in the guise of brothel madam and casino owner is acting as an agent of Mon Ilson. Her goal is to learn from him the secret of immortality, and for now she must do his bidding. A violent assassination attempt on her airship Fortuna brings her into the strong arms of handsome Squadron Leader, Sir Christopher “Kit” Colby. Her attempt to uncover the mastermind behind the plot leads them both into deadly danger.

 

 

 

Excerpt

 

Bauble-like, the Earth shone down on ash-hued desolation, embarrassing the barren scene with exuberant fecundity. Patches of white lace speckled the deep blue of the oceans and brushed the rich ochre of North Africa. Above was Europe and, if I squinted my eyes, I fancied I could see my island home, the lush green of England.

My breast ached with a fervent yearning.

My husband, Mon Ilson, the self-anointed Emperor of Space, drew me closer and kissed my neck. “It will all be ours, my love.”

“When?”

“In due time, my darling.” He pulled me to him, and I snuggled against his muscular chest. “Do you miss it so?”

I thought a moment and shook my head. “Not when I am with you.”

His lips brushed my earlobe. “We will return soon. I promise. Our plans advance by the day. Once again you will walk upon the green grass and feel fresh air upon your cheeks.”

I turned my head and returned his kiss, deepening it, allowing the stirring in my quim to mask the confusion of my thoughts. As homesick as I was, did I really want to go back? Could I conquer my guilt? I feared that with the first step the grass beneath my feet would turn to cinders as dead as the lunar dust.

Much had happened to me in the year since I’d left the world of my birth. I was no longer the same woman, the naive and selfish Cressida Troy who’d been fooled into betraying humanity. That silly girl had become Nil Ilson, Empress of Space, wife to Mon Ilson, and co-leader of the Lunarians. I was no longer responsible only for myself. Thousands now depended upon me, be they hideous goblins, or those who’d “adopted” human bodies.

In the deepest recesses of my mind, where I was safe from mental probing, I knew that I’d been possessed, mesmerised into being a traitor to humanity, deceiving my fiancé, Jacob McLeary, and then killing the two greatest threats to Mon Ilson’s plans, Fleur and Horatio Cumberland.

The problem was only the agent of my apparent treachery knew that. The spirit of a murdered girl, Marjorie Gilbert. She had taken over my mind and had deluded me into believing I loved Mon Ilson, and deceived him into believing it too. She’d also tricked him into giving her advanced knowledge of witchcraft. My anger at her was tempered by the realisation she had not done this to me out of maliciousness, but so she could regain her body which had been stolen by Mon Ilson’s goblins. Because she loved me, Marjorie had confessed this, and passed on all the magical powers and knowledge Mon Ilson had given her, including the ability to hide my deepest thoughts.

That was the past. I had committed myself to saving humanity from enslavement at my husband’s hands. How I would accomplish this I did not know. I was impatient. Biding my time waiting for an opportunity to present itself was both frustrating and dangerous. Not only could I be discovered, but I ran the greater risk of letting my growing love for Mon Ilson blind me to the chance if it arose, and then could I bring myself to exploit it? That I had come to love him no longer surprised me. Over the last year I’d learned his dreams, ruled alongside him, and shared his bed. I’d seen firsthand what an extraordinary and charismatic man he was, and in other circumstances I would have unreservedly given him my heart and soul. However, those benign conditions did not exist. The reality was Mon Ilson was a murderer.

A moan escaped my lips as Mon Ilson caressed a hardening nipple. We were lying on a couch in the top deck of the royal barge, he behind me, with one leg draped over my hip. In the crease of my posterior his cock stirred.

I wiggled against him. “Make love to me,” I murmured.

“That was my intention.”

My husband deftly lifted the hem of my robe and pressed the swollen head of his cock against my quim. He gently nudged apart the moist lips and effortlessly slid inside. With a slight adjustment of his hips the tip of his cock touched that especially sensitive flesh on the roof of my cunny. Pure pleasure flooded my system.

Mon Ilson was over a thousand years old, and with countless sexual liaisons behind him he had developed techniques that ensured a woman’s complete satisfaction, and men too. He used sexual magic to bond his people to him after he transferred their spirits from their goblin bodies into the vacant husks of murdered humans, a process they termed Adoption.

When Marjorie had occupied my mind she would stimulate my senses from the inside, maximising my pleasure, and bonding me even more tightly to Mon Ilson’s influence, and made him even more convinced of his devotion to me. He had been trapped in Marjorie’s web of deceit just as tightly as I had. His hold over his people was not just through sexual magic, but the promise of eternal life. Only he could give them that. Only he could transfer their goblin souls into human bodies. That was why Marjorie stayed his servant, hoping to learn the trick. Though she had possessed me, she didn’t know how. That was the one secret Mon Ilson did not share with her. Marjorie wanted so much to live, over and over again, that she would do anything for him.

Now that she was gone from my mind, my physical reactions to his lovemaking were under my control. To overcome my natural aversion to him -- a murdering megalomaniac goblin in a human body -- I used magic to bury my repugnance, project lustful thoughts, and intensify my physical reactions.

“Fuck me harder,” I encouraged him.

His technique, with my magic, quickly filled my body with the pulsating energy that took me to the precipice of climax, a cliff edge from which I gladly launched myself, and was lifted like a skyrocket to an explosive culmination.

My response caused him to reach his own conclusion, and he filled me with his copious essence. He wanted children, and my tardiness to provide the gift was, from his perspective, the only negative aspect in our relationship. Not that he put any pressure on me -- he loved me too much, but I’d felt his need. The reality was that any unnecessary delay would need to be explained and defended. I knew of no reason to defer the inevitable any longer. Though I had control of my fertility, when and by whom I became pregnant, it was not something I expected to enjoy despite my intention to use magic to remove the more onerous aspects that plague many women. At most it would be awkward. Being with child might give me the leverage I needed to control Mon Ilson’s ambitions and hopefully mitigate the worst excesses of the invasion, if not avoid it completely.

My husband’s kisses became more fervent, and he resumed his lusty thrusts. He used his own magic to remain hard, and he fucked me to another shattering climax. Another glut of his seed filled me to overflowing, and those fireworks exploded in my head once more. We lay in each other’s arms, his cock still rigid, while our ragged breathing slowly returned to normal.

“My Lord,” Gloria said diffidently. While we recovered, she had waited by the bed, head bowed, her hands clasped before her shaven quim. Gloria had befriended me after I’d been first kidnapped. She was blonde, with caramel eyes, and a deliciously curved mouth. Like all Lunarian women who’d adopted a human body, Gloria was not only beautiful with a spectacular bosom and narrow waist, but she was also obsessed with sex. I gave her a smile, and she nodded acknowledgement. “Nil Ilson, I am so sorry to interrupt. The humans have sent a vessel beyond the atmosphere.”

Mon Ilson sat up. “Have they really?”

 


About the Author

Aussie Mikala Ash used to be a mild-mannered training & development consultant by day, and a wild sci-fi and paranormal adventure writer by night. Now she is a brazen full-time writer and nature photographer who is concentrating on having among other things, “… bags, and bags of fun!” Mikala can be found on Facebook and on Twitter.

 

Contact Links

Author on Facebook

Author on Twitter

 

Publisher on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok: @changelingpress

 

Preorder Today



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Sunday, June 2, 2024

Book Blitz: Who's Your Daddy by Jacqueline Francis #romance #rabtbooktours @RABTBooktours
10:00 PM1 Comments

 

 

Second Chances, Book 5

 

Romance


 

Peter Danahay is a playboy. Peter Danahay is a commitment-phobe. Peter Danahay is the last person I would ever consider as a lifelong partner. He’s a philanderer, the kind of guy my mother would’ve warned me about and my dad would’ve stopped me from dating. Trouble is written all over his face, yet women can’t seem to resist him.

I’m ashamed to admit it, but I, too, was unable to resist the alluring charm of Peter Danahay. I fell hard, and I fell fast…straight into bed with him. It was just supposed to be a one-night stand, a quick roll in the sack. A day that was filled with verbal jabs and little white lies led to an amazing night filled with unbridled passion.

We were never supposed to see each other again, but Fate had other plans. One minute I’m trying to get my life back on track, and the next I get a curve ball thrown at me at supersonic speed. Two pink lines change our lives, and now Peter Danahay is going to be my lifelong partner, whether we like it or not.

Maybe we can make it work…that is until those little white lies fester into something that isn’t so little anymore.


The Second Chances series

 


It Just Had to be You

Second Chances, Book 1

 

My Debacle with De Lorenzo

Second Chances, Book 2

 

My Infatuation with Isabella

Second Chances, Book 3

 

It Should Have Been Me

Second Chances, Book 4

 

Who’s Your Daddy?

Second Chances, Book 5

 

Purchase Today


About the Author

Number cruncher by day, raging romance novelist by night; Jacqueline’s creative inspiration stems from romance and all its literary and rom-com depictions. Matters of the heart are what fascinates her, because ultimately, what makes a life out of - what would ordinarily be a typical existence - is Love

 

 Contact Links

GoodReads

BookBuzz

 

Purchase Link

Amazon


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