​BLURB:
 
He thought Alaina loved him, but now she’s found someone else. A tidal wave of loss and grief swept over Henry Gallant, leaving him undecided about what to do next, or how to move forward.
 
Despite his sorrow, he goes on a dangerous mission to an invading aliens’ home world in the Gliese-581 star system. There he uses a neural interface to penetrate their communication network and steal a high ranking alien’s identity. Through this artifice he learns about their history and society, and discovers a way to hinder and possibly defeat them.
 
A side-effect of linking into the alien network—which was created for autistic savants—is that Gallant’s mind was stimulated and enhanced to the point where he begins to experience superintelligence abilities.
 
Upon returning from his mission, there is concern that Gallant might pose an even more serious threat than the aliens. While he struggles to fend off those who doubt his loyalty, he fights to win back Alaina.
 
This is the fourth book of The Henry Gallant Saga, but it can be read as a standalone story.
 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:
 
As a scientist and author specializing in technology innovation, H. Peter Alesso has over twenty years research experience at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). As Engineering Group Leader at LLNL he led a team of scientists and engineers in innovative applications across a wide range of supercomputers, workstations, and networks. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy with a B.S. and served in the U.S. Navy on nuclear submarines before completing an M.S. and an advanced Engineering Degree at M.I.T. He has published several software titles and numerous scientific journal and conference articles, and he is the author/co-author of seven books.
 
You can visit his Web site at: http://www.hpeteralesso.com/Default.aspx
_______________________________________________
 
Author Social Media:
Author Web site at: http://www.hpeteralesso.com/Default.aspx
 
Goodreads Address: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/413852.H_Peter_Alesso
 
YouTube trailer for Henry Gallant Saga: http://youtu.be/2eciKOBFBSM
 
 Facebook for Henry Gallant Saga: https://www.facebook.com/TheHenryGallantSaga/
 
Amazon link for the Henry Gallant Saga: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B011M9O9RC/ref=series_rw_dp_sw
​

INTERVIEW 
Q: What would we find under your bed?
A: Nothing except for some dust for I have a low bed.
Q: What was the scariest moment of your life?
A: My mom was with me when I had my daughter and then after a month she had to go back to India. The first night on my own taking care my newborn daughter was the scariest. I was so scared that I might do something wrong or not understand what the baby needs. I was up the whole night literally just watching her.
Q: Do you listen to music while writing? If so what?
A: I do listen to music while writing and it’s a long list - hip hop, Indian, country, movie tracks and whatever else I might be in the mood for.
Q: What is something you'd like to accomplish in your writing career next year?
A: I would like to be able to write the sequel to Only Wheat Not White and hopefully see Only Wheat Not White reach more readers.
Q: How long did it take you to write this book?
A: I started in early 2013. It took me four to five months to write the first draft and then several more months to edit. From start to finish, it took me about a year and a half to write this book. However, some personal issues kept me away from promoting this book for nearly a year.

 AUTHOR Bio and Links:
 
Varsha Dixit is the best selling author of four successful contemporary romance books. Her debut book, Right Fit Wrong Shoe was a national bestseller for the year 2010. Varsha was a part of the Indian Television Industry and worked as an assistant director and online editor. She considers herself a dreamer who thinks deep but writes light. Even though creativity is gender free, Varsha feels blessed and enriched to be a woman. Currently, with her family, Varsha resides in CA, USA.
 
Website: www.varshadixit.com
 
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Only-Wheat-Not-White/705660732873230?fref=ts
 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Varsha20
 
Amazon link:

http://www.amazon.com/Only-Wheat-White-Varsha-Dixit-ebook/dp/B00KQNNHVA
 
Amazon UK:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Only-Wheat-White-Varsha-Dixit/dp/0990388409/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1437532786&sr=8-1&keywords=only+wheat+not+white
 
Nook link:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/only-wheat-not-white-varsha-dixit/1119700059?ean=2940046357653
 
Nook UK:
http://www.nook.com/gb/ebooks/only-wheat-not-white-by-varsha-dixit/2940046357653
 
Kobo link:
 
https://store.kobobooks.com/search?Query=only+wheat+not+white
​

BLURB:
What if following your heart means failing your family? Eila Sood leaves India for the U.S., hoping to unite her family and mend fences with her estranged older sister. She soon learns that her sister’s intercultural marriage, which outraged their parents, has hit rock bottom. To help pay the bills, Eila accepts an accounting job at a strip club, working for the fascinating yet infuriating Brett Wright. As their friendship and mutual desire builds, Eila chooses keeping family peace over following her heart. After Brett misinterprets her fears and accuses Eila of prejudice, his ex-girlfriend steps in to offer solace. Eila realizes that whichever choice she makes will rip her life apart. What will Eila choose? Love of her life or a life ruled by tradition? Fall in love with love, in this steamy saga from a best selling romance author.



Excerpt Five:
 
Miserable, Eila bobbed her head not looking at Brett. Walking away from you again is killing me.
 
For her part, Eila began a new phase of her life with the strictest of rules.
 
Rule number 1: Always take big portions of dessert after dinner. This will eradicate the craving for comfort food later when you are up the whole night.
 
Rule number 2: Do not look at couples. Better still, glare at them or imagine them as incestuous siblings. Yuck!
 
Rule number 3: In public, as in with anyone other than yourself, keep your lips stretched and show teeth.
 
Rule number 4: Thanks to Rule number 3, always keep lip-gloss handy, for dry lips are painful to stretch. Also, horde ice packs and tea bags for under the eyes dark circles.
 
Rule number 5: Avoid anything that begins with the letter B, be it bread, biscuits, baseball or bayonets. Also make sure to personally shred napkins, pages, office memos and toilet paper filled with doodles of HIS name.
 
Rule number 6: Say NO to Italian food.
 
Rule number 7: In the near future – we are talking about the next twenty years – try and reduce the number of times you view HIS social networking page, which has not been updated for over ninety days.
 
Rule number 8: Seriously, only read the bestselling books in horror and self-help genres. The former will help you kill time by making you sweat, shake and fear your own reflection, thereby distracting you from HIS thoughts. And the latter will help you fall asleep faster than any over-the-counter sleeping pills.
 
Rule number 9: Remember you are not a teenager, so you are too old to hate your parents.
 
Rule number 10: Always remember to breathe in and out and put one foot in the front of the other.

BLURB:
 
Jeff Blue-the victim of a time-travel conspiracy-wakes up trapped in the year 2095. The only familiar face is J0; a robotic copy of the wife he left behind in 1981. But can she be trusted?
 
J0 could be the only key to unlock Jeff's journey home, but it will require her to do something against her programming-something human.
 
During Jeff's perilous journey through the future, he will have to discover the truth about J0's origins, and solve the mystery behind how he wound up in 2095, in order to uncover the reality of his own destiny.
 
Armed with a one-way ticket to the moon, Jeff must race against the clock to seize what might be his last chance to return home to his time. A time without hover cars, Justice Computers, or TeleSkins-a time over one hundred years ago.
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 Excerpt One:
 
The Xanadu moonliner taxied to the launch pad. I didn’t realize how terrified I was until that moment. This was really happening. I was gripping the arm-rests so tightly that my knuckles had gone ghost-white. I tried to loosen my grip, but my palms would not let go.
 
“How long is takeoff?” I asked in a whisper.
 
“About eight minutes.”
 
“All right. I think I can handle eight minutes.”
 
The Xanadu moonliner propelled us heavenward toward a frontier I could have never, in my wildest dreams, imagined I would be visiting. Takeoff was smooth and effortless. I had experienced worse turbulence when I would let Julie drive the Thunderbird back in 1981 than I did from blasting through the Earth’s atmosphere in the moonliner. During the time it took for us to get from the ground to outer space, passengers were going about their normal business just like any other commute. I slowly allowed my knuckles to regain some of their natural color.
 
As smooth as liftoff was, I could still tell when we broke through the exosphere. Outer space! Even though I was strapped in by my five-point harness, I immediately felt the weightlessness of my body hover slightly in my seat. Bruce made eye contact with me just long enough for him to smile. This was it. We were really going to the moon.

REVIEW ****

Brian Paone is an original voice is a world of writers modeling themselves off popular writers. No wonder his latest book, Yours Truly, 2095 crosses genres. It blends time travel, science fiction, and conspiracy theory. There is a lightness and flow about Mr. Paone's work that makes it enjoyable and easy to read.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:
 Brian Paone was born and raised in the Salem, Massachusetts area. An award winning author, his love of writing began through the medium of short stories at the young age of twelve. After almost 20 years of consistently writing short stories for only his friends and family to read, Brian’s first full-length novel, a personal memoir about his friendship with a rock-star drug addict entitled, “Dreams Are Unfinished Thoughts,” was published in 2007. Brian’s second novel, “Welcome to Parkview,” was published in 2010 and is a macabre journey through a cerebral-horror landscape. Brian’s latest novel, “Yours Truly, 2095,” was published in 2015 and follows a man who wakes up one morning, trapped in the future, to discover he’s been the victim of a time-travel conspiracy. Brian is married and has 3 children. Brian’s wife is an Officer in the US Navy. He is also a self-proclaimed roller coaster junkie, and his favorite color is burnt-orange.
 
www.BrianPaone.com
 
www.facebook.com/BrianPaonesNovels
 
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=brian+paone&rh=n%3A283155%2Ck%3Abrian+paone

Writer Wonderland – Promo December 9 – S. B. Redstone
 
 
Tell us about yourself:


No controversial life. No mysterious lifestyle. From the time of my youth, I had a desire to express my imagination and creativity, but attaining a well-paying career took precedence. With only a twenty-four hour day as my parameter, I completed college, attained master’s degrees in clinical social work and school psychology, then a post-graduate education in psychoanalytic psychotherapy, while being employed as a protective services worker, saving children from the horrors of parental neglect and abuse. Family came next. Remodeling my homes. Working days at agencies and then schools, and eventually nights, and weekends in my private practice. In my forties, with some free time, I became an accomplished artist, wrote short stories, and then attempted a novel. That stopped when I decided to write a psychology/personal improvement book, Taming Your Inner & Outer Bullies: Confronting Life’s Stressors And Winning, which was published by New Horizon Press Books. I have been featured on radio programs, write articles on human nature and relationships, and do lectures. Finally, after more than a half a century, I write novels full time. With my kids grown, with their own families, I reside with his wife, computer, and golf clubs, tennis racket, and bowling balls in New York and Florida.
What was your first book? 
 
My first is a horror novel, as Stephen King was like my mentor, titled Succubus Resurrection, which has been revised a hundred times, has not been accepted by a worthy publisher.

Describe your first break.

A sad story with a happy ending. A Sinister Obsession, my mystery thriller, was sent to literary agents. No interest. It was sent to some publishers. No interest. To my joy, it was accepted by an independent publisher. They went bust a week later. To my joy, it was then accepted by another independent publisher. Lies. More lies. The worst—total embarrassment as they did no edits as promised. Took my novel away from them. Finally, it was accepted and published by Black Opal Books and all that they promised came true. A Sinister Obsession has received great reviews.  
 
What is your favorite genre to read? To write?

I will read any book from horror, to suspense thriller, to mystery to romance including the classics as long as there are wonderful characters and a unique plot. I was first interested in writing horror as it allowed me to develop the skill of using graphic language and expressing powerful feelings. Demented characters and horrifying scenes were fun to create. But, now I’m more interested in love.   
 
Are Happy Endings are must in your stories?

Yes and no! My heroes and heroines have happy endings. But, for the villains, they can’t have their diabolical, narcissistic dreams come true. No happy endings for them.
 
What makes a protagonist interesting?

The protagonist must drive the story and battle against the main hero or heroine’s hopes and dreams. The protagonist must be the antithesis of the theme of the story and the battle must be expressed in the highly emotional dialogue. In Stardust Dreams Lance Forrester’s protagonist is his travelling companion Sage Saint Charles. They battle each other throughout the novel, which brings out the best in each of them. However, the protagonist is not a stagnant figure. People can change. It’s an amazing interchange with many surprises.  
 
What is the best thing about being a writer?

Expressing your imagination, creativity, and seeing it come alive on blank pages. If I sell a few books, that is just the icing on the cake.


What is the worst thing?

Marketing my books. Spending more hours designing and engaging in promotions than writing. I am no salesman or marketing specialist. For all the efforts, success is more often than not fleeting.

Pantser or plotter?

I am both a plotter and pantser. I don’t put any words on a computer screen until I’ve written the entire book in my head first. I need to know the beginning, middle, and ending to see if the story is feasible or not. The main characters, in general, are designed in my head as well. Once I have everything in place, I make a chapter by chapter outline to give me a foundation to build a great story. Then, I let my unconscious run wild, letting it develop the details and the in-depth personalities of the characters. I just go along for the ride.
 
 
What do you see the direction of your future writing taking? What can we expect next? Give us a little taste.

For the time being I am thinking romance. Senior romance. I just completed a new genre. I wrote a comedy drama, similar in nature to a Neil Simon play, Plaza Suite. It is about a magical fifty-five and over retirement community where its ensemble of residents have the opportunity to live their earlier lives over again. It examines the real life issues of seniors: infirmities, depression, lost dreams, and relationships. Grand parenting is highlighted. Some residents will find their happiness and others will reject it.
 
Just for fun

Cat or dog person?

I am a dog person. Your best friend who is willing to help without reservation. I’m no loner. I’m the life of the party.
 
Favorite food?

Steamed lobster
 
Favorite book?

This is hard. There are so many. Okay. I’ll pick. Wuthering Heights. It represents all those individuals who will foolishly throw away true love, like Scrooge, for meaningless reasons,  while others will never give up their desires for true love, no matter the struggle.
 
Favorite movie?

If my favorite book was hard, this is impossible! The Magnificent Seven. I’ve seen it a hundred times. Good against evil. Some of my favorite stars: Steve McQueen, Yul Brenner, James Coburn, and Charles Bronson are in it.
Favorite holiday?

Hanukah. Lots of gifts to give and receive. Family closeness. Great food.
 
Would you rather be the prince or the villain? Why?

I could never be the villain. Villains want to achieve their happiness through the suffering of others. That could never be me.

Who has more fun, orcs or hobbits?
 
Orc’s have more fun. Since they are not hampered by guilt, shame, or morality, they truly love killing and causing mayhem. In addition, since there are so many of them sex must be a real passion. 

BLURB:
 
Lance Forrester is a dreamer. After a celebrated career as an astronaut and engineer, he and a friend build a secret spacecraft to seek their destinies in the stars. But his friend dies and Lance is diagnosed with terminal cancer. Desperate not to succumb to his fate, he convinces an acquaintance, ailing actress Sage Saint Claire, whom he hasn’t seen since high school, to join him on his quest to reach an advanced alien civilization which can heal them both.
 
Unfortunately, true life is not a Hollywood movie, as much as Sage might want it to be, and problems abound. Mistakes in the past have turned Sage into a bitter old woman, and she turns out to be a less-than-perfect traveling companion which no amount of optimism, youth, or good health can cure. Can these two intrepid octogenarians-turned-immortals overcome the emotional scars of their pasts and achieve true happiness, or are they doomed to suffer for their mistakes, no matter how far from Earth they go?
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Excerpt One:
 
I knew that the truth in my heart reflected in my old, weary eyes. “Yes, I do. Look, I’m no slick-talking salesman, as you can see. I’m just a scientist and engineer, but I truly believe there is a statistical probability of success. But even if I’m wrong, and our voyage ends up to be pointless, so what? Think of the fun you’ll have. Imagine the excitement and wonders of space travel that come before our long sleep.”
 
 I paused to dramatize my resolve and let a burst of quixotic energy erupt from me. “Cherish the adventure!”
 
It wasn’t her fears that I was battling against, but a lifetime of distrust. My confidence in a successful mission collapsed.
 
“Of course, you have no reason to believe a word of what I’ve told you. You don’t really know me, except through my noted accomplishments. But I can’t disappoint you because I’m only offering friendship and hope.” I pushed my point harder.
 
“Sure, we can die here on Earth. We can die in space. Or we can awaken on a remote and caring world that saves us! We are the captains of our fate, not the Grim Reaper—yet!”
 

​​AUTHOR Bio and Links:
 
Steven Rosenstein, penname S. B. Redstone, had a career as a school psychologist and private practice Licensed Clinical Social Worker on Long Island. Always seeking the truths of human nature, he wrote a personal improvement book, Taming Your Inner & Outer Bullies: Confronting Life’s Stressors And Winning, published by New Horizon Press Books. He has written articles on human nature and relationships, given lectures, and appeared on radio shows. Always having a vivid imagination, he first became a successful writer of short stories. His mystery thriller, A Sinister Obsession, was published by Black Opal Books. As an expert in the field of human psychology, he has an exceptional ability to develop realistic and exciting characters in his novels. Many of my characters have been taken from his clinical experiences. Stardust Dreams is his first romance novel, although romantic relationships stand out in his other works. He is a member of the International Thriller Writers Org and Romance Writers of America. He resides with his wife in New York and Florida.
Social Media Sites
http://sbredstoneauthor.com
https://twitter.com/sbredstone
https://www.facebook.com/steven.rosenstein1
https://www.linkedin.com/hp/?dnr=R9edkGJYR_ZoaLFGR9iocL3vQ3ZFzLg5XD3e&trk=nav_responsive_tab_home
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5336425.S_B_Redstone
https://plus.google.com/u/0/112531054226952285537/posts
Buy Sites
http://www.amazon.com/Stardust-Dreams-S-B-Redstone-ebook/dp/B00XBJBET8/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1431982975&sr=8-5&keywords=stardust+dreams
http://blackopalbooks.com

 BLURB:
 Morgan le Fay, 6th-century Queen of Gore and the only major character not killed off by Mark Twain in A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, vows revenge upon the Yankee Hank Morgan. She casts a spell to take her to 1879 Connecticut so she may waylay Sir Boss before he can travel back in time to destroy her world. But the spell misses by 300 miles and 200 years, landing her in the Washington, D.C., of 2079, replete with flying limousines, hovering office buildings, virtual-reality television, and sundry other technological marvels.
 
Whatever is a time-displaced queen of magic and minions to do? Why, rebuild her kingdom, of course—two kingdoms, in fact: as Campaign Boss for the reelection of American President Malory Beckham Hinton, and as owner of the London Knights world-champion baseball franchise.
 
Written as though by the old master himself, King Arthur’s Sister in Washington’s Court by Mark Twain as channeled by Kim Iverson Headlee offers laughs, love, and a candid look at American society, popular culture, politics, baseball...and the human heart.
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Excerpt One:
(Preface)
 
I’M GIVEN TO understand some of my posthumous critics have intimated that I was jealous of Jules Verne—that maybe I even felt threatened by him. I have never heard such cocky popping beetle dung in my entire death.
 
Verne was a hack of the First Order whose publisher (engaged after he had inflicted two decades of the most unengaging whining and pleading, pining and wheedling upon all the other High Lords of Bookdom) viewed it necessary to transform his dyspeptic drivel into something within shouting distance of palatability for the reading public. Jules Verne didn’t invent science fiction; his publisher, Pierre-Jules Hetzel, did,—and I’m sorry I wasn’t born a couple of decades sooner to save everyone the time, trouble, and confusion.
 
As for this book, here I confess it’s long past overdue. I buried one clue in the joined opposites of Hank Morgan, Technology-Wielder, and Morgan le Fay, Magic-Wielder. Furthermore, Mrs. le Fay was the only important character in A Connecticut Yankee whom I didn’t kill off, of the thousands I did lasso, hang, shoot, electrocute, explode, drown, torpedo, and otherwise murder. Unfortunately, certain Weightier Matters contravened my intent, and I never put pen to parchment to commence the duologue’s conclusion within my lifetime. That nobody acted upon my clues in the hundred years since my sadly unexaggerated demise, speaks to the fact that I’ve been waiting till I’m well and truly dead before whispering my words into the quick and able ear of my chosen Ghost-Writer. For the matters depicted herein, of course, are things which ought to be settled. I don’t have anything else in particular to do in eternity anyway.

3.5/5  REVIEW

King Arthur’s Sister in Washington’s Court is a take-off on Mark Twain’s beloved classic, A Yankee in King Arthur’s Court. Only in this case a medieval woman time travels forward into the future with complications resulting.

The author pretends to channel Mark Twain and writes in a way that seems to be similar to Twain’s and a medieval manuscript. She also includes lovely illustrations and clever chapter titles. The book is an amusing read for those familiar with the original Twain Tale. If not familiar, then slide on over to Cliff notes to better understand the novel. The amusement comes from knowing the original.

 

BLURB:
 
After conflicts in Korea, Pakistan and the Middle East turned nuclear, the world stood on the eve of destruction. Realizing that we only have this one precious planet containing all of humanity, the United Nations pulled us back from the brink, and started a new, multinational effort to conquer space. Many years later, the peak of achievement for any young person is to be admitted to the Space Academy. Previously available only to a precious few, it has recently opened enrollment to anybody who can meet their strenuous entry criteria. Space Cadets is the story of the first African-American girl, Aisha Parks, to enter into the academy, where she learns that the more some things change, the more they stay the same, and despite the honorable intentions of the academy, there are some dark secrets being kept – secrets that could be the end of us all.
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Excerpt One:
 
Training
 
It never failed to give her a thrill when she saw the moonscape rush by underneath her ship, and the blue curve of Earth rise above it. Aisha smiled at its beauty.
 
Down there, girls her age were wondering about homecoming dances, and what dress they’d wear, or which boy would ask them out. She was much happier here, piloting her ship, zipping at breakneck speeds across the Moon, and getting ready to break into deep space.
 
“I think I see them,” said David, her navigator and co-pilot, sitting in one of the wing pods to her right. “Two-seven-zero karem one-nine-eight.”
 
“Confirmed,” came the clipped voice of Soo-Kyung, her gunner. Aisha glanced to the pod on her left and her eyes met Soo-Kyung’s. The Korean girl smiled and nodded.
 
Aisha always wanted a visual confirmation. Comm lines could be hacked and voices faked. Soo-Kyung knew this instinctively. That’s what made them a great team.
 
“Okay,” said Aisha. “Weapons hot. Let’s check them out.”
 
She punched in the coordinates, and the ship turned towards their target.
 
“Visual range in five seconds,” said David.
 
“I see them,” Aisha replied. Her heads up display started to light up with targets. Squares projected on her canopy, wrapping tiny dots that could easily be mistaken for stars to the naked eye.
 
“That’s a lot of ships,” she said, awe sneaking into her voice.
 
“That’s a bloody awful lot of ships,” said David.
 
Soo-Kyung was business as always. “Orders?”
 
“Can you confirm ship type?”
 
“They are mostly type-three fighters. About eighty of them.”
 
“What else?”
 
“A single mothership. That’s the target.”
 
“No other fighters?”
 
“A couple of type-ones, but hard to tell with all the movement.”
 
The fighters were moving around the mothership, following what looked like random patterns, making it hard to get a radar lock.
 
“Are they moving to intercept?”
 
“No, sir.”
 
“David, probe the edge of their defense shield.”
 
His gentle voice sounded in her earpiece. “Yes, Sir.”
 
David took the ship forward slowly, while Soo-Kyung watched the behavior of the enemy fighters. They knew from experience that these ships could turn from defense to offense in the blink of an eye. If they didn’t react, they could find themselves surrounded and destroyed in seconds.
 
“We are at the edge of previous attack ranges,” said Soo-Kyung. “Recommend that we hold at this position.”
 
“Do it.”
 
The ship halted, and they floated in space, watching the enemy.
 
“Any update on ship types, David?”
 
“The best I got is maybe two or three type-ones, the rest are definitely type-three.”
 
She wished she had read the spec books more closely, but was glad David was there. “Turning radius of type-threes?”
 
“Two hundred degrees,” he answered, almost in reflex.
 
“Distance of fighters from the mothership?”
 
“Average about three hundred clicks.”
 
Soo-Kyung raised an eyebrow. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”
 
“Yes,” said Aisha. “Full frontal assault, all shields on front.”
 
“If we leave our back exposed--”
 
“Hopefully they won’t get a chance. Maximum throttle, straight at the mothership, direct all energy to front shields.”
 
“Including lasers?”
 
“Including lasers. We’re on bullets and torpedoes. Can you do it?”
 
She heard the smile in Soo-Kyung’s voice. “Done.”
 
“Good. And fire at will.”
 
“Roger.”
 
“David. Punch course in.”
 
“Course, aye.”
 
“Manual control to me.”
 
“Roger.”
 
“Here goes nothing!”
 
Aisha punched the program, and she felt the craft lurch as they accelerated forward. She continued its burn, getting faster and faster as they approached the enemy ships.
 
“Ships turning to intercept.”
 
“Acknowledged.”
 
She saw the enemy ships swarming to intercept. Suddenly their random patterns stopped, and they turned, almost as one, bearing down on her. They opened fire, but the forward shields held.
 
“Intercept in five seconds,” said Soo-Kyung. Aisha marveled at her ability to stay calm, and it seemed the more stressful the situation, the calmer she was.
 
And just like that they flew through the squadrons of enemy fighters, on a course straight for the mothership.
 
“They’re turning to intercept.”
 
Time seemed to slow down in her mind. The mothership approached weapons range at a painful crawl. The enemy fighters, now behind her, were slowly turning to follow them, with a clear shot at Aisha’s tail. She’d turned off their lasers, directing their energy to the shields, so they’d need to be close for ballistic weapons to be effective.
 
It was going to be tight. Once the enemy fighters had turned around, the back of Aisha’s fighter was exposed. The lead ones had almost turned, and were ready to open fire.
 
But then Soo-Kyung had her target locked and opened up with everything she had on the mothership. Direct hits, but the ship stayed intact.
 
A hit on their right wing made the ship lurch.
 
“Now would be a good time, Soo-Kyung.”
 
Aisha looked to her left, seeing her friends’ face deep in concentration. Another torpedo launched, hitting a module to the rear of the mothership's bridge. A small explosion was followed by several large ones, but before the ship was destroyed, Aisha’s ship was hit again. This time right in the engines.
 
Aisha felt her ship lurch. Red lights all over her console. The reactor had taken a direct hit. It was about to go critical. Her heart was beating hard. She reached for the eject buttons, hesitating long enough to see the mothership go up in a ball of flame.
 
The moment’s hesitation was enough.She felt the ship lurch as the reactor gave out. Her mind slowed as the white flash enveloped them. She had enough time to realize, with resignation, that she was dead. Both co-pilots too.
 
The simulator door opened, and Captain Simms’ craggy face looked in at her.
 
“You’re dead. All of you. Again,” he said. Disapproval in his voice. “I thought you guys were better than that.”

AUTHOR Bio and Links:
 
Laurence Moroney is the author of more books than he’s prepared to admit. After several best selling programming books, his first Young Adult novel “The Fourth World” became a #1 book on Amazon Kindle, spawned two sequels “The Million Year Journey” and “The Legend of the Locust”, and is currently being shopped around studios for a potential movie. “Space Cadets” is his latest, a cutting edge science fiction novel, based on real science that starts a new series charting out humanity’s course to the stars. He’s presently working on the sequel “The Quiet World”, which he hopes to finish in 2015. For his day job, Laurence works as a Developer Advocate for Google, where he is constantly counting his blessings for being part of the best workplace in the world…
 
Find him here:
Space Cadets Blog:  http://join-the-cadets.blogspot.com/
Space Cadets Website: http://www.join-the-cadets.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/lmoroney
Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Laurence-Moroney/e/B001ILFKMS
​

As some of you know I’ve been traveling or more correctly put tagging along with my husband as he conducts business. I’ll share some of my experiences with you and the concept of travel reviews.

Our first stop is near Ramstein to visit my son and daughter-in-law. My big surprise was to leave a wet Indiana to arrive in a rainy Germany. We have almost the exact same weather. Even when it turned to snow, it was snowing back in Indiana. The real eye opener was the autobahn. I should say eye closer.

My son took full advantage of it to drive fast while chatting to me, drinking his energy drink and fussing with the GPS. I offered to help navigate anything to get him to slow down. A Friday evening traffic jam eased my mind a bit. German drivers are a polite bunch that let others in and refrain from honking, and move out of the lane when a fast car enters it. Anyone can report another driver be obnoxious by copying down the license number. Road rage results in a heavy fine. The entire country impressed my husband so much; he was almost ready to move except for the expense and language.

My culture shock moment came when I entered a grocery store in an effort to find my son and daughter-in-law and tried to exit out the front door as opposed to the checkout lane. I set off the alarm. Call me embarrassed. All the natives standing in line calmly pointed out an empty checkout lane I could have used. Oh well, at least I received some apple streusel cheese kuchen out of it.

German food was a revelation because I didn’t think I would be a big fan. Still, I forced myself to be adventurous. We stopped at a local diner near the base. When we entered, about a dozen older men were crowded around one table yucking it up while packing away the food. In the name of curiosity, I ordered stuffed pork stomach. Two patties came out perfectly round rather like salmon burgers with a crispy exterior. They were tasty and firm. I even shared them with my husband who also liked them. He was kind enough to share his liver dumpling with me, which was also surprisingly enjoyable. The server brought us all shots of schnapps at the end of the meal. It was an older tradition that believed the fiery schnapps gave the food a jumpstart on digesting.

We tromped through the rain the next day too going to see a botanical park, Palmengartern. Even though most of the exhibits were inside, we ran from greenhouse to greenhouse. A little wet didn’t discourage the Germans. Several people huddled under table umbrellas at small cafes chatting and sipping their hot beverages. We headed into a traditional eatery named Romer Bembel. It was busy even when we ducked in there at almost four. Service was efficient and friendly, although this time my taste for the exotic led me only to apple wine and a breakfast special.

Join me next time for the practical side of the German experience.

BLURB:
 Victoria Carson never expected love. An American heiress and graduate of Lady Grantham's finishing school, she's been groomed since birth to marry an English title--the grander the better. So when the man chosen for her, the forbidding Earl of Dunnley, seems to hate her on sight, she understands that it can't matter. Love can have no place in this arrangement.
 
Andrew Hargrave has little use for his title, and even less for his cold, disinterested parents. Determined to make his own way, he's devoted to his life in Italy, working as an archaeologist. Until the collapse of his family's fortune drags him back to England, to a marriage he never wanted and a woman he doesn't care to know.
 
Wild attraction is an unwanted complication for them both, though it forms the most fragile of bonds. Their marriage of convenience isn't so intolerable after all--but it may not be enough when the deception that bound them is finally revealed.
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Excerpt One:
 
It was too good to be true. The heir to a duke and also unspeakably beautiful. For so long, she’d struggled to avoid thinking about the physical aspects of marriage, since for her, it might have involved Sturridge or someone equally odious. But looking at Lord Dunnley, it wasn’t at all a trial to imagine that part. Perhaps it wouldn’t be a humiliating indignity to be endured. At the moment, surprising as the thought was, she couldn’t imagine disliking anything about submitting to this man’s attentions.
 
Then Lord Dunnley’s fierce eyes landed on her and she couldn’t breathe. He was so handsome, and to feel his regard on her, to see those eyes looking straight at her, seeming nearly to look inside her, shook her right to her core. The power of it pooled low in her belly. She’d met her share of handsome men, but this immediate and powerful attraction was all new. All her social training fled her as her pulse beat frantically in her throat. As they stood locked in some sort of unspoken communication, she was helpless to do anything but stare at him as he stared back.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:
 
Amanda has loved romance since she read that very first Kathleen E. Woodiwiss novel at fifteen. After a long detour into a career as a costume designer in theatre, she’s found her way back to romance, this time as a writer.
 
A native Floridian, Amanda transplanted to New York City many years ago and now considers Brooklyn home, along with her husband, daughter, two cats, and nowhere near enough space.
 
Contact Me:
 
Website: http://www.amandaweavernovels.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amanda.weaver.167527
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AWeaverWrites
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/AWeaverWriter/
 
A Duchess in Name links:
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26308949-a-duchess-in-name
Amazon: http://tiny.cc/qyox4x
B&N: http://tiny.cc/5zox4x

BLURB:
 
Halifax, North Carolina, 1783.
 
Captain Stuart Monroe returns home from the Revolutionary War to find Thornton Hall threatened by a peacetime foe: debt. He knows the location of a treasure amassed to pay for the capture of Benedict Arnold that would restore his manor to its former glory. The catch, it's hidden in the graveyard, and coveted by old enemies.
 
Hettie Fairfax inherited the Sight from her Cherokee ancestors, and her otherworldly visitors warn her, and Stuart, away from the buried treasure. Half-dead from fever, she delivers a message: the treasure is cursed. But will he believe a girl half out of her mind with illness? Even when a very real enemy attempts to poison her? Stuart soon wants to marry Hettie, but she fears her "odd ways" will blemish his reputation. The spirits have their own agenda, however, and the battle against darkness tests everything the couple holds dear, including their love for each other.
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 Excerpt One:
 
Halifax, North Carolina, 1783.
Captain Stuart Monroe returns home from the Revolutionary War to find Thornton Hall threatened by a peacetime foe: debt. He knows the location of a treasure amassed to pay for the capture of Benedict Arnold that would restore his manor to its former glory. The catch, it's hidden in the graveyard, and coveted by old enemies.
 
Hettie Fairfax inherited the Sight from her Cherokee ancestors, and her otherworldly visitors warn her, and Stuart, away from the buried treasure. Half-dead from fever, she delivers a message: the treasure is cursed. But will he believe a girl half out of her mind with illness? Even when a very real enemy attempts to poison her? Stuart soon wants to marry Hettie, but she fears her "odd ways" will blemish his reputation. The spirits have their own agenda, however, and the bat“Turn back. A man watches you.”
 
Again, the warning carried from the unseen source.
 
What man, and how did she know Stuart was observed? He could barely discern anything.
 
“Who are you? Show yourself.” Uneasiness lent indignation to his demand.
 
Through the haze, he spotted the figure of a young female dressed all in white. A death shroud?
Pray God, it wasn’t. His gut knotted, and he stood staring at her.
 
Ethereal, ghostly, she seemed to float toward him, but must have walked.
 
Must have.
 
A cold shiver stood the hair on the back of his neck on end. Was she flesh and blood, or spirit? Had she crossed the divide between the two worlds?
 
He scarcely dared to breathe.
 
Still, he stood rooted to the trail. And not only from fright. Fascination. Despite fear of being haunted, an aura about her drew him.
 
He waited, every muscle taut, poised betwixt heaven and earth, the scent of crumbling leaves in his nose. At least, that was real.
 
Whiteness swirling around her, she neared.
 
Then he spotted it, an ivory coverlet draped over her head and around her slender shoulders pinched together in front with pale fingers.
 
No shroud.
 
The blanket reached to her ankles and trailed behind along the ground. Mist muted the flowers stitched into the cloth. This accounted for him not spotting her sooner. She’d blended in with the vapor.
 

​AUTHOR Bio and Links:
 
Married to her high school sweetheart, Beth Trissel lives on a farm in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia surrounded by her children, grandbabies, and assorted animals. An avid gardener, her love of herbs and heirloom plants figures into her work. The rich history of Virginia, the Native Americans, and the people who journeyed here from far beyond her borders are at the heart of her inspiration. She’s especially drawn to colonial America and the drama of the American Revolution. In addition to historical romance, she also writes time travel, paranormal romance, YA fantasy, and nonfiction.
 
For more on Beth visit her blog, One Writer’s Way, at: https://bethtrissel.wordpress.com
 
Connect with Beth on Facebook: Author Beth Trissel
https://www.facebook.com/bctrissel?fref=ts
At Twitter: https://twitter.com/BethTrissel
 
Visit Beth’s Amazon Author Page where all her books reside: Amazon Author Page  (http://www.amazon.com/Beth-Trissel/e/B002BLLAJ6/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1435416800&sr=8-1)

Barnes and Noble:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/traitors-curse-beth-trissel/1122733638?ean=2940150924161

Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Traitors-Curse-Beth-Trissel/dp/150920153X/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

Buy Links:
 
GENRE: Contemporary romantic suspense
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
BLURB:
 
Boxed Set: The Adventures of Anabel Axelrod Series: Special Holiday Collection
 
Meet Anabel Axelrod, a smart, sassy, and sexy small town bookstore owner. She’s also a control enthusiast with quirky ideas, decided convictions, and firm rules for the men who want to date her. When Anabel meets Luke Drake, she is appallingly fascinated to be attracted to the mysterious alpha male like no man before in her extensive dating career. Anabel is right to be wary because Luke does not play by any rules. What do you get when you mix together a witty, confident woman who is a magnet for trouble, a dangerously seductive man with a secret agenda who is not too tall, not too handsome, and definitely dark, fun loving friends with their own set of problems, and a few crazy relatives? The Adventures of Anabel Axelrod! An ongoing series that is part steamy romance, part suspenseful mystery, and always laugh-out-loud fun!
 
This eBook boxed set of The Adventures of Anabel Axelrod (Volumes I-V Special Holiday Collection) is available for purchase November/December 2015 only and contains the full-length books: A Date with Fate, Courted by Karma, In Love by Design, Adieu to Destiny, and Family & Fortune.
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
Excerpt One:
 
“Look, Luke, if I break my rule about being picked up can you promise not to dismember me on our first date or worse yet, bore me?”
 
Pushing the door open, Luke casually shrugged a shoulder. “Anabel, I never make promises I can’t keep. You may prove irritating.”
 
I blinked in disbelief. By the time I recovered to retort, I was talking to the screen door. Stunned, I realized Luke really had left. After a moment of taking this in, I started laughing in rare enjoyment. Our first date could prove very interesting indeed.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:
 Tracy Ellen is happily married and lives with her family in the suburbs of St Paul, Minnesota. She loves writing and living dangerously through the lives of her characters. Tracy’s a firm believer that smart + confident = sexy as hell. But she hopes that’s the only formula you’ll ever find in her unique, steamy, witty, suspenseful, and sometimes incredibly funny romances featuring sassy, independent heroines and their seductively alpha heroes.
 
Website and Newsletter Sign Up:  www.tracyellenink.com
Twitter Handle: TracyEllen01https://twitter.com/TracyEllen01
Twitter URL:  https://twitter.com/TracyEllen01
Facebook Page URL:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tracy-Ellen/426785400717429
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Tracy-Ellen/e/B009EFU5XY/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1444475905&sr=8-1  (the boxed set will go on sale on October 26)

Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Box-Set-Adventures-Axelrod-Collection-ebook/dp/B016MSY2R0/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
Apple/iTunes   https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/box-set-adventures-anabel/id1049591970?mt=11
Smashwords:  https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/584919
BNnook:    http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/box-set-tracy-ellen/1122797577;jsessionid=78B879264EB573944C7C712C0C18C0E2.prodny_store03-4?ean=2940152409031