*Old flames burn hotter the second time around…*

It’s been four long years since McCrea Coldiron watched Eleanor Mackenna
walk out of his life. He wasn’t ready for the marriage noose then and never
thought he would be. Single, free to do as he pleases, and running the
Promise Point Horse Rescue Ranch are the things that make him sure he was
right to let Eleanor go… This is until she comes back to town with a
daughter he never knew about in tow.

Eleanor knows just how badly McCrea can burn a woman and how persuasive
he can be when he wants something, so she’s more than cautious about
his charming words and cocky grin when she comes home to arrange the
sale of her grandparents’ ranch. But when a flat tire in a thunderstorm
introduces four-year-old Sophie to her daddy, Eleanor knows McCrea’s love
for his daughter is genuine. Can she trust it will be the same for her? As
the icy walls around her heart begin to melt, Eleanor must find the courage
to trust her heart or run away from the man who has always owned it.

Being shown what he lost is a wake-up call for McCrea and he isn’t about to
let Eleanor or Sophie walk away. It’s time to prove he’s a man who believes
in love and happy-ever-after.

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About Mina Beckett

 

ZOSMA IS A POWERFUL PRE-APOCALYPTIC SCIENCE FICTION STORY EXPLORING THEMES OF TRUTH, RESILIENCE, AND DIVERSITY

Zosma opens the series on Earth in 2052 A.D. as Allister Adams, a young superhuman, begins his search for the planet’s possible savior: Zosma Caster. Zosma is an intergalactic refugee and the vessel for an otherworldly energy source from the Andromeda Galaxy. The rogue organization C20 has been interested in Zosma’s power, but are its intentions entirely pure? Allister’s search for an alien becomes a search for truth as the walls, literally and figuratively, are closing in.

Zosma is the first in the series The Lost Children of Andromeda. Inspired by his personal journey of self-discovery, Jason Primrose has created a world in which even superhumans are challenged by the effects of greed, fear, and natural disasters. The apocalyptic tale explores the themes of reality vs. perception, human extinction and climate change, diversity of thought, and resilience.

https://www.lostchildrenofandromeda.com/pre-order-zosma/

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Zosma-Children-Andromeda-Jason-Primrose/dp/1643071858/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1535552955&sr=8-1&keywords=lost+children+of+andromeda

Barnes & Noble:  https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/zosma-jason-primrose/1129430202?ean=9781643071855

Mascot Books: https://mascotbooks.com/mascot-marketplace/buy-books/fiction/science-fiction/lost-children-of-andromeda-zosma/

About the Author

Jason Michael Primrose has been creating alternate worlds and characters since childhood. For nearly ten years, he has used his unique storytelling gift to impact the entertainment, fashion, and tech consumer product industries. His experience spans brand strategy, creative direction, retail merchandising, and influencer/celebrity partnerships.

www.lostchildrenofandromeda.com

https://twitter.com/lostchildrenofA

https://www.instagram.com/lostchildrenofandromeda/

#zosma #lostchildrenofandromeda

Read our interview

Try to describe your book in one sentence.

Zosma, the first novel in the Lost Children of Andromeda series, explores the detrimental impact of humanity’s current choices thirty years in the future, and is told through the lens of a young superhuman named Allister Adams and an alien refugee named Zosma Caster.

When did you decide to become a writer?

I believe I was born a storyteller. I always used to make up stories, but there was this distinct moment in grade school when writing took hold of my spirit and wouldn’t let go. We used to have this cool thing where you could draw pictures on paper and type the stories up on a computer. They’d print and bind the books for you. I “published” about five, all of which I still have. (Thanks mom!) The most promising I guess was Dragon Wars, a 15-page illustrated short story. It grew up into the Lost Children universe.

Do you read reviews written about your book?

Yes, I do! I’m all about self-improvement and I love constructive criticism. I know what I set out to accomplish with the theme, the message, and the characters. When readers pick up on that, it’s an amazing feeling. When they don’t, I know that I have a lot more work to do.

Do you have any advice for unpublished authors?

Never give up. Try to have fun. Try not to take yourself or your work too seriously. Continue to grow and always be open to learning and the right kind of criticism. Try alternative methods, be daring, be brave. Celebrate every milestone, no matter how small. Be patient. Let fear bring you courage, not doubt.

What is it you love most about writing? What’s the hardest part of writing for you?

The thing I love most about writing is the process. Building worlds, crafting characters, unveiling universes, it’s all so much fun to me. I tend to really enjoy initial draft free writing, then I tend to loathe the middle of the revision process, then I fall in love again at the end as the finished product is coming to life. The hardest part is the revision process. I normally go scene by scene connecting the dots and linking plot threads. Continuity can be exhausting.

What was your favorite scene?

There’s a scene in the novel where Allister does something completely out of character. Seeing him in that moment, feeling so trapped and helpless that he’s forced to turn against his own values, was very humbling. It made me think about what we compromise for what we think we want and how that can permanently effect our life journey. He’ll never be the same. Neither will I!

How did you come up with your premise for your books?

I was inspired by my love of Dragons and astronomy to build a universe where Dragons were caught in an intergalactic war between two advanced civilizations in the Andromeda Galaxy. Dragon Wars was the original name of the series, and I wrote 8 books out of the 10 I’d planned to write. Leesa and Neight have been consistent characters throughout the 24-year development as have the alien race known as the Uragonians. I changed the title and many of the characters’ names when I decided to rewrite the series back in 2011.

What book is currently on your nightstand? Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi.

Absolutely loving it so far, and her personal story is amazing!

How important do you find the communication between you and your readers? Do you reply to their messages or read their reviews?

Community building is essential. I read reviews. I always reply to messages. And, forgive me for the terrible cliché but, “I’m an open book” when it comes to sharing in person. I love one on one or small group conversations. I want to hear about people’s challenges, their questions, and their aspirations. Otherwise, I’m a pretty private person. I don’t engage in social media quite as deeply as I should, so I’m working through that. It just feels like whenever I share I’m shouting through a bunch of noise, asking the world to pay attention to me bragging about my average life. (LOL)

Do you ever run into someone who says “You write WHAT?”

Yes, all the time. I spent so many years as a marketing professional in fields like Fashion and Technology, it’s become quite a surprise that I write anything, let alone science fiction/fantasy novels. People expect me to be a stylist or something like that.

How many more books can we expect in this series?

I have planned for 6 more novels in the Lost Children of Andromeda series. Another is in the works now!

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In their hometown in Ireland, thirteen-year-old Colton and his best friend Jade spend their free time investigating a local urban legend about an old abandoned house which seems to be genuinely haunted. At the same time, Colton has developed a crush on American foreign exchange student, Dylan, who is visiting his aunt. Turns out, Dylan isn’t your average American kid–he’s a werewolf. When Dylan’s aunt disappears through a portal inside the house Colton and Jade have been investigating, the three of them set out to save her from the magical realm on the other side of the doorway.

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“I have loved haunted houses for as long as I can remember,” recounts Bentley-Tales. “When I was kid I was hooked on the Scooby crew who were always going into haunted castles, houses, amusement parks, museums. Heck, you name it, it was haunted!” These sweet-scary childhood memories fueled Bentley-Tales’ storytelling in this book, his first YA horror story. And certainly, developing the story through the eyes of a young gay boy allowed the author to offer a special, inclusive point of view. And while masterfully creating tension and fear through the dark fantasy conflict, the navigation of young love is another great strength Bentley-Tales displays. “There’s a part in the story where Erin wants to make Colton jealous by telling him how much attention Dylan is giving her. I get a good chuckle when I re-read it, as it’s such a typical young love triangle!”

Author Website: http://brycebentleytales.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YALGBTauthor/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/rotville?lang=en

Read our interview

Tell us a little bit about your book.

Thirteen-year-old Irish-Asian Colton barely has time to enjoy his new friendship with the American exchange student, Dylan, whom he also has a crush on, before he discovers Dylan is not just a werewolf, but his aunt is a witch and stranded in a dark realm whom they are going to rescue.

Have you published before?

That’s a tricky question. Yes, I’ve published before – and that includes self-publishing and traditional.

I started out self-publishing stories in 2014, but the catch is that since 2017-2018, I’ve been taking those books down. First books, I’ve been told and now I’ve come to see, are not always your best works, and the amount of investment you need for good editing to make a decent story good, can bankrupt you. And I invested a good chunk of funds in those early books which really hurt the bank, but when you’re a brand new writer, that investment needs to be really substantial for it to work out in your favor and clear out all the “new writing bugs”. If you’re on a string budget, then it’s going to be a rough road.

With time though, taking notes from other writers, I’ve started to get the knack of this writing venture and it’s starting to be more fun and smoother. I published an adult gay book with BookStrands in 2016, and then my adult horror book, Wehr Wolff Castle was also published in 2016 by NineStar Press.

Are you currently working on anything else?

I have three upcoming works – one is my nonfiction work Queer Sense, a guidebook to help us understand how we form attitudes towards LGBT people and gives insight into why we identify within the spectrum of sexual orientations and gender, regardless of whether we’re heterosexual or a variant of the rainbow.

The second is an adult story, a LGBT Sci-Fi Thriller titled Perceptesis and completely finished. Well, I say finished as it’s been professionally edited, but still it’s not ready. It needs to tweaked and reworked in a few places – but the book follows Muslim-American Gavin Rashid who is a specialized elite American soldier who soon finds he has a strange new ability, he can bend other people’s perceptions and he must use it to save his country from bio-terrorist group.

The last story is a YA LGBT Sci-Fi book with a working title of Orion: The PreRobo Era Boy.

Orion is from the year 2221. He and his robot, Blake, fly through a portal that propels Orion into the future, to the year 3021 in fact. Earth is governed by a new species of synthetic humanoids called roboman. Cybernetic humans known as humbots are second class citizens, and humans are an endangered species and most of them are feral animals, with no rights. Not surprising, Orion soon find himself at odds in this new society and luckily crosses path with a roboman, named Kylik, whom he forms a friendship with and even forms a crush on. Orion soon discovers though he shares some odd connection to Kylik that is rooted to a dark ancient history of the robomans.

As far as when these all come out, good question. A tight budget has always been my biggest obstacle. I am taking my time with the YA plot and I’m wanting to outline all of the entire series before I edit and rewrite book one. We will see what 2019 brings.

What is your favorite writing snack?

Pretzels! They’re salty and not horrible in terms of being lots of calories. I normally though just have a bottle of water nearby.

What gets you in the mood to write?

Night time is the best time for me to write.  I’m naturally a night owl. Even so, most of my writing has been at day time and whenever I can sneak in typing several paragraphs while I’m at work. I’ve noticed if I have a good exercise regimen and have socialized with several people, then I’m in much better frame of mind.

Writing is an isolating venture and while I was accustomed at being more solo in my younger life, I also discovered that part of that was because I had been gay during my late teens and young adulthood but never told anyone because of fear of rejection, and such things can cause you to feel alienated. So, in my current life, I try to balance socializing with writing, and I won’t lie, it’s tough.

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INCOGNOLIO by Michael Sussman

Bewildered but lovable author, Muldoon, is trapped in the dreamlike narrative of his own surrealistic novel. Beginning with just a title—Incognolio—he enters a bizarre fictional realm that plunges him into an identity crisis of anguishing proportions. Is he writing a story in which his stillborn twin sister has come to life, or is he the one who died at birth and it’s his sister who’s writing the novel? Guided only by the whims and dictates of his subconscious mind, Muldoon must unravel the mystery of Incognolio and write his way to freedom or succumb to madness.

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Bio:

Abandoned by a cackle of laughing hyenas, Michael Sussman endured the drudgery and hardships of a Moldavian orphanage until fleeing with a traveling circus at the age of twelve. A promising career as a trapeze artist was cut short by a concussion that rendered him lame and mute. Sussman wandered the world, getting by on such odd jobs as pet-food tester, cheese sculptor, human scarecrow, and professional mourner while teaching himself the art of fiction. He now lives in Tahiti with Gauguin, an African Grey parrot.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michaelbsussman
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MichaelBSussman
Author Site: https://www.michaelsussmanbooks.com/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/470851.Michael_Sussman

Interview with author Michael Sussman

• Can you tell us about your new release?

I call Incognolio a psychological thriller, however it also contains elements of mystery, science fiction, and fantasy. More importantly, it’s a page-turner!

When a strange title for a novel hijacks his mind, Muldoon traverses identities, planes of reality, and the dark recesses of his psyche in an effort to grasp the enigmatic Incognolio. Is he writing a story in which his stillborn twin sister has come to life, or is he the one who died at birth and it’s his sister who’s writing the novel? Guided only by the whims and dictates of his subconscious mind, Muldoon must finally face his demons and write his way to freedom or succumb to madness.

Eight years ago, the nonsense word incognolio popped into my mind. It sounded like a story title. For four years, every idea I tried went nowhere. Then it occurred to me to proceed without any plan at all. I wrote the first draft without thinking or censoring, starting simply with a protagonist who writes a novel based only upon a title.

Over the course of several years, with the help of freelance editors, I reworked the material into a much more coherent and accessible form, although I think it retains much of the intensity and outlandishness of the original draft. The result is a novel that’s both funny and disturbing, delving into themes and situations that I could never have predicted.

• If you wouldn’t be a writer, what you would be?

I have worked for many years as a clinical psychologist, which informs my writing. In addition to writing, I am also a musician, painter, and devoted karaoke performer.

• When did you begin writing?

Starting around the sixth grade, I began writing short stories. In my late teens and early twenties, I filled a couple dozen blank journaling books with my writings and drawings.

• Do you have any advice for unpublished authors?

The main thing is to keep writing: the more you write, the better you get. Most published novelists have at least two or three manuscripts that never saw the light of day. It is imperative to receive lots of feedback on your writing, whether it’s from a critique partner, writer’s groups, or paid freelance editors.

• What’s the hardest part of writing a book?

In writing Incognolio, the hardest part was committing myself to radical openness: accepting whatever emerged from the depths of my psyche. At first, this was exhilarating, freeing up my imagination. But over time, the process took on a darker cast as I was compelled to explore disturbing themes and parts of myself that I typically repress.

• What inspired you to write, you took any ideas from other books, movies etc?

Regarding the structure of Incognolio, my two main models were Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn and Lewis Carroll’s Adventures of Alice in Wonderland.

Regarding the style and content of the novel, my greatest influences included Italo Calvino, Jorge Luis Borges, Vladimir Nabokov, Paul Auster, Haruki Murakami, Kurt Vonnegut, Kelly Link, Tom Robbins, Aimee Bender, George Saunders, and Christopher Moore.

I found inspiration in these authors’ creativity, originality, inventiveness, black humor, absurdity, profundity, emotional honesty, fearlessness, and how they consistently break the mold.

• What are your favorite books and authors?

Some of my favorite authors include Lewis Carroll, Mark Twain, Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, Kafka, Poe, Steinbeck, Salinger, Borges, Nabokov, Virginia Woolf, Harper Lee, Tom Robbins, Margaret Atwood, Toni Morrison, Italo Calvino, Paul Auster, David Foster Wallace, Haruki Murakami, Ann Patchett, Christopher Moore, Kelly Link, Steven Millhauser, George Saunders, and Aimee Bender.

The books I love the most include The Shrinking of Treehorn, Charlotte’s Web, The Adventures of Alice in Wonderland, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, The Brothers Karamazov, The Idiot, Lolita, Nine Short Stories by J.D. Salinger, East of Eden, To Kill a Mockingbird, Song of Solomon, Italo Calvino’s t zero, Paul Auster’s New York Trilogy, Bel Canto, Brief Interviews with Hideous Men, and George Saunder’s CivilWarLand in Bad Decline.

• Where can readers find your books?

Incognolio is widely available online as a paperback. The eBook is currently available exclusively at Amazon.

• If you could visit any place in the world or a place created by a book, where would you visit?

The Garden of Eden.

• What projects are you currently working on right now? Would you mind sharing them with us? 

I’m working on a sequel to my children’s picture book—Duckworth, the Difficult Child—which will be published in 2019 by Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster. I am also writing a comic sci-fi Middle Grade novel.

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“Your son’s brain function is severely abnormal. I would recommend you begin saving for his group home care as an adult.”

Any mom would be crushed by this dire pessimistic prediction, but Bonnie did not let this UCLA neuropsychologist’s edict determine her son’s fate. Combining relentless determination with research, learning and in-depth discussions with professionals, Bonnie found ways to help him progress from ‘severely abnormal’ to honor roll student.

In the Special Ed Mom Survival Guide, Bonnie leads you through the vital steps necessary to survive as a Special Ed Mom. From learning how to manage the emotional overwhelm, to figuring out how to get the school to say yes, Bonnie presents a roadmap that leads you through this confusing obstacle course. Sharing tried and true methods, Bonnie teaches you to find your own inner compass so you can gain the ability and confidence to make decisions that bring results for your child. Based on personal and professional experience, Bonnie will help you to:

• Create the Right Mindset
• Take Care of Yourself
• Take Care of Your Child
• Understand the Special Ed Process
• Take Charge of the Special Ed Process

“If only I had had a guide to help me navigate all the challenges,” Bonnie says. “Then I could have focused more on my child and less on learning how to get help.” Every Special Ed Mom needs this guide to help make the journey easier!

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Bonnie has spent the better part of 25 years as a graphic designer and artist. Always a lover of psychology and the forces that influence behavior, it was a natural transition for her to begin working to resolve her oldest son’s special education challenges. When he was six, a neuropsychologist said he was beyond help, and to plan for his group home care as an adult. Bonnie could not accept that nothing could be done, and she set on a path to find solutions to help her son. He is now an honor student and destined to live a typical life.

Having been through the special ed system as a mom, and now as a advocate and counselor, she saw the need for support for the parents who carry this challenging burden. She has helped parents who struggle with districts who refused services, and she has coached parents in finding ways help their child succeed against the odds. Bonnie knows the fear a mother feels when her child’s future is uncertain, and that is why she chose to shift her life focus into educational consulting. She has a thriving practice as an  educational consultant and advocate for parents who find themselves struggling with the special education journey.

She is the author of Special Ed Mom Survival Guide: How to prevail in the special ed process while discovering life-long strategies for both you and your child. She is also the creator of Grounded for Life: 52 Exercises for Daily Grounding, and co-author of Same Journey, Different Paths: Stories of Auditory Processing Disorder. She has a masters in educational counseling and another in spiritual psychology. Her bachelors degree is in architecture. She lives in Ventura County, California with her husband, two boys and their two furry felines.

Find out more:

www.SpecialMomAdvocate.com / / Facebook / Twitter / Pinterest / Instagram / linkedin / Google Plus

Interview

How would you describe your book in 20 words or less without using the blurb? It is aimed at special needs mom who want ideas and encouragement for helping their child find success in school and in life.

Try to describe your book in one sentence. It is a reference book for every mom who wants to learn how to get the best support and solutions for her child and not be overwhelmed by the process.

If someone else wrote a blurb about your book what would it say? This determined mom turned advocated has created the ultimate resource for helping parents navigate the often-discouraging special education system. Filled with ideas for moral and emotional support for mom, as well as how to look outside the school for solutions, this is a timeless resource that every special needs mom will want on her bookshelf.

Tell us about your new release? This book is everything I learned when I had to fight the schools to get my son support. The primary message is that mom needs to step up and take charge because without her leadership, the schools are not going to do what is necessary to help her child be successful. Getting school support is just a start, but looking for solutions outside of school can often create permanent improvement. My son was 6 when a neuropsychologist told me he would need group home care as an adult. He is now 15, an honor student in high school, totally independent, gifted and destined to live a typical life. I want to help other moms learn how to navigate this system so their children can find the success they deserve.

What’s the hardest part of writing a book? Editing was very difficult for me. My mother, a psychologist and former editor of a psychological journal, did my editing. I thought it was so well structured, but she showed me that I would use too many words, and she would often take 5 words out and replace them with one. It was painful to discuss sentence after sentence, analyzing how it could be structured better.

Did you know the title before you started writing? Yes. The title was the first thing I thought of. The title is the only thing that never changed from start to finish.

What’s the hardest part of writing a book? Editing was very difficult for me. My mother, a psychologist and former editor of a psychological journal, did my editing. I thought it was so well structured, but she showed me that I would use too many words, and she would often take 5 words out and replace them with one. It was painful to discuss sentence after sentence, analyzing how it could be structured better.

Did you know the title before you started writing? Yes. The title was the first thing I thought of. The title is the only thing that never changed from start to finish.

Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest? My latest obsession is Brene Brown, a social worker who has moved into research on shame and vulnerability. I think her books are insightful and can help us all understand how to be the best we can be despite the challenges life has thrown at us. She uses story telling to get her point across. I am currently reading her book Rising Strong, and I find it witty as well inspiring.

If you could write outside your genre what would that be? I have always had a dream of being a romance novelist. I have never attempted one, but I have read many a romance novel, and I have always thought it would be wicked to be known for writing steamy stories.

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