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An Adoption Story

Memoir

Date Published: October 22, 2024

Publisher: Double Entendre Ink

 

 

A twin herself, Lisa Crawford Watson believes she has the insight needed to
mother twins. Mounting obstacles impede the adoption process, and she
examines whether such setbacks are signs that she shouldn’t adopt. But
when identical twin infant sisters in need of a permanent, stable home come
into her life, she falls in love with them and knows what she must do.

Adopting premature twin girls who were born drug- and alcohol-addicted, and
jostled, separately, from foster home to foster home, creates one hardship
after another. Lisa quickly learns that raising children is a feat of
sacrifice and unpredictability, and caring for children born into trauma may
be more difficult than she ever could have imagined. Over the years, the
twins wreak havoc on every relationship within the family and on
Lisa’s heart. Has adopting the girls caused more harm than good?

What We Wished For: An Adoption Story shares a woman’s quest to build
a loving family. It is a tale of courage, perseverance, and what remains
when things don’t go as imagined. This memoir speaks to anyone who has
ever struggled with a life-altering decision, one from which there is no
turning back.

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EXCERPT

 Given the chance, I believe she would have done it. Would have hit hard and fast, burying the knife deep. Friday night typically meant cheese pizza, washed down with two-percent milk, and poking at green salad, followed by vanilla ice cream with sprinkles. It was “Girls’ Choice Night,” and my twin girls, then thirteen, invariably chose the same menu.

Hayley had just dug into her ice cream, shoving way too much into her mouth with that first bite even before she’d cleaned her plate, but I didn’t comment. On this night, it was her choice. I took a bite of my salad and wondered if she was going to get brain freeze from that much ice cream. I glanced at her sister, Hilary, holding a slice of pizza near her mouth but not eating as she watched her twin, and felt a smile tug at my lips as I absorbed the peaceful, maybe even happy mood around the dinner table.

In retrospect, I sometimes wonder if that moment was just too good for Hayley. Rather than filling her spoon with more ice cream, she threw it at me. As I dodged, and it clattered against the tile floor, she shoved back her chair, tipping it over, and looked at me with a rage I hadn’t seen in months deepening her chestnut eyes. Poking her finger toward my face, she yelled, “Fuck You, Mommy! Fuck you!” Then she ran out of the room and down the hall, into the refuge of her bedroom, and slammed the door.

The moment hung on the air. Heat radiated across my face as I looked at Hilary, her eyes on me, perhaps silently wondering, as was I, what had just happened, and what I was going to do about it. I had believed in the seemingly idyllic moment we were sharing, had counted on it, really. A happy time ’round the table I could paste into memory. The pizza, mixed with a sour mash of sadness, fear, and a heaping spoonful of disappointment, lay heavy in my gut as I got up from the table, invited Hilary to finish her dinner, and departed the dining room to check on her sister.

By the time I followed her down the hall and slowly pushed open the door to the room she shared with her sister, Hayley had already found the pink Swiss Army knife her Auntie Linda had brought her from Europe for that Girl Scout camping trip—something I thought I’d confiscated—and was doggedly knifing her bed to death. Her flannel sheets lay in ribbons, draped off each side of the mattress, whose gored center had freed a burst of memory foam.

She paused just long enough to glance up at me, brandish her knife, and say, “You’re next.”

 

About the Author

Lisa Crawford Watson

A fifth-generation Northern Californian, Lisa Crawford Watson has published
seven books and thousands of articles in local and national newspapers and
magazines. She earned a bachelor’s degree in sociolinguistics from the
University of California, Davis, and a master’s degree in education
administration from California State University, Sacramento. She currently
teaches communications, writing, and journalism at California State
University, Monterey Bay.

Lisa lives with her husband in Carmel on the legendary Monterey Peninsula,
where she focuses on fitness, family, and philanthropy. As a resident of the
“Canine Capital of the Country,” Lisa has a devoted following
for her weekly dog column, for which she has profiled more than
seven-hundred furry friends.

Contact Links

Website: lisacrawfordwatson.com

Facebook: Lcwcarmel

Instagram: @lisacrawfordwatson

Substack: Lisa Crawford Watson

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Memories of MK-Ultra Blitz

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Coming of Age / Psychological /Historical Thriller / Metaphysical

 

 

Memories of MK-ULTRA traces the development of three siblings from their
early childhood—marred by harrowing mind control experiences in the
CIA’s MK-ULTRA program—through their coming of age during the
turbulent 60s and into their early adulthood in the 1980s. As the story
develops, an incredible chain of events uncover the dark forces shaping
their lives . . . until an unexpected source of light appears.

 

 

About the Author

Bill Yarborough

Bill Yarborough has enjoyed writing for many years. Manhattan Book Group
will publish his debut novel, Memories of MK-ULTRA, in September 2024. The
story is inspired by repressed memories from his young childhood where he,
his brother, and his sister recall undergoing experiments of the CIA’s
MK-ULTRA mind control program. Bill is also working on a sequel to his first
novel, and his short story “Night Mother” was published by
Prolific Press in an anthology of short stories, Jitter Issue # 8. Bill also
co-authored emotional health articles in The Diablo Gazette Magazine, and he
and his wife, Inge, are working on a book entitled EFT on Steroids.

 

Contact Links

Website

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Purchase Link

Amazon

 

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Dreams Eclipsed Teaser Tuesday

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Sci-Fi, Futuristic Romance

Date Published: November 8, 2024

 

 

Janet’s orgasms are earth-shattering. At least they are when she’s Dreaming
in the Zodiac, a virtual reality world created by Dr. Archer Tate. The
problem is that, technically, a system shutdown shouldn’t be possible,
especially not from a mere cyber-orgasm. Gamely, Janet reveals every
intimate detail of her Dreams for the team’s troubleshooting analysis but
several weeks later, the cause of the anomalous malfunction remains a
mystery.

Archer blames Janet for the Zodiac’s glitch. He just can’t figure out how
she’s triggering it. Doesn’t help that listening to her reveal her
lusty Zodiac Dreams, orgasm by orgasm, is driving him insane with lust for
her. For the sake of the project and his sanity, he decides to Dream with
her so he can catch her in the act and put this business to rest.

There’s more to Janet’s orgasmic Zodiac Dreaming than mere mechanics. It
takes someone who knows Janet’s heart as well as her mind and body to create
the disruptive orgasm. When the team psychologist, Liam, insists he’s better
suited for the job, Archer realizes he could lose something more precious to
him than Zodiac. Will sharing Janet with Liam solve their problems, or will
he lose her forever?

 

Dreams Eclipsed tablet

EXCERPT

 

Janet Widgeon sauntered into the smoky jazz club, her stiletto heels
clicking on the varnished wood floor. Notes of sweet, sassy blues rolled
down the dimly lit hall to welcome her. She was early, far earlier than she
normally arrived at the Zodiac Club, but pacing in her apartment
hadn’t lessened her anxiety.

Is he as excited about tonight as I am? Is he already here, waiting for
me?

The burly bouncer stationed at the entrance greeted her.
“Evenin’, Miss Janet.” His thin black lips curved slightly
upward as he took in her skintight, siren red dress. High praise coming from
the stoic man.

Though she wore three-inch heels, she had to stretch to kiss the beefy
man’s cheek. “Evening, Trent. How’s the mood
tonight?”

“Hotter than Maria’s gumbo.”

Janet chuckled. “Don’t let her hear you say that, or her next
batch will violate our fire code.”

Trent ducked his head in agreement. “True that.”

She fingered her slim, sequined purse — it was the same shade as the dress
and shoes — as she surrendered to her curiosity. “Any messages for
me?”

“None of the friendly sort, if that’s what you’re
asking.” Even in the dim light she could see his brown eyes sparkle
with amusement.

With a nod, she deftly spun on the points of her shoes and headed toward
the bar’s crowded interior.

“Going to your office, Miss, or should I ask one of the girls to
bring a glass of white wine to your table?”

Her gaze roamed the dim interior as she considered her answer.
“I’m far too restless to concentrate on paperwork tonight. I
think I’ll mingle first, and then find a seat when Jim begins his
first set.”

“You have yourself a fine evening then, Miss Janet.”

Janet penetrated the hazy atmosphere where a broad mix of patrons
congregated around small tables in front of the stage. Tonight’s
headlining act was a real coup for the club. Jim Byrnes owned a nightspot in
Vancouver and rarely played anyplace else. How her manager had sweet-talked
him into taking a trip to her little place in bayou country was a secret
that man wasn’t telling.

A relatively new kid on the national jazz scene, Chris Thomas King was
currently warming up the room with good, old-fashioned songs. Janet hummed
along with his rendition of the old Blues classic John Law as she circulated
through the crowd, exchanging pleasantries with old and new friends.

Jim’s name was a big draw, and Janet was pleased to see her staff
keeping up with the clientele’s high demand for fresh, full glasses.
Most of the customers wouldn’t want a meal so late at night, just a
few Cajun snacks to keep the alcohol company. Janet noted that Maria and her
kitchen staff seemed to have those requests under control as well.

There was only one question remaining on her mind. By the time she
completed a full circuit of the room, Janet had that answer too. He’s
not here.

Instead of being disappointed, a tremor of excitement rippled along her
spine. He wasn’t here. Yet. But he would come. She was sure of
it.

Janet signaled for a barmaid to bring over a drink as she sat down at an
empty table, the one reserved for her exclusive use, in a dark corner at the
right edge of the stage. Usually, she invited others to join her, but not
this time. The only person whose company she desired now knew where to find
her — and would, sometime before the night was over.

It had been exactly a month ago that she’d first met him, a friend of
a friend who shared her fondness for delta blues and late-night
conversation. They’d talked until dawn threatened to cross the line
from speculation to fact. He’d left her with a passionate kiss and a
promise to return the following Saturday.

In fact, he’d come back again and again to the Zodiac Club, never
staying beyond closing, never asking if he could take her home or inviting
her to his place. But after their last encounter, she knew their next
meeting would end differently. The sexual tension between them had hit a
boiling point. Next time, they’d either turn up the heat until their
rising passion was finally given a chance to burn, or they’d shut off
the gas for good.

And now that night had arrived.

Janet sat alone and waited for him to appear through the blues of Chris
Thomas King and then Jim Byrnes’ opening set. She enjoyed both
musicians thoroughly, yet part of her remained aware of the lingering
emptiness beside her.

As Jim’s second set began, Janet succumbed to a trickle of doubt. Had
he forgotten about their date? Lost interest? Met someone else? Normally she
didn’t allow the presence or absence of a man at her side to cast
doubt on her self-worth, but this man was the exception to every personal
rule she had about dating. She’d been so sure he felt the same way and
now…

“Why do you wear such a sad face, cherè?” a rich,
masculine voice asked from the shadows behind her.

She gasped in surprise. She’d never heard him approach, but somehow
he stood beside her, a living advertisement for sin.

Inside the dark club, his face looked chalk white. The rest of him was
encased in black from neck to toe. A lightweight ribbed turtleneck tucked
into a pair of pleated pants. A sports coat hung over one arm, the opposite
hand rested in his pants’ pocket. So much the man she remembered,
still more shadow than substance. The only part of him that vibrated with
life was the pair of quicksilver eyes which now pierced her soul.

Irritated that he’d made her doubt herself, she snapped,
“You’re like a damn ghost.”

“You didn’t answer my question,” he pointed out, moving
to her side.

Janet knew his courtly manners wouldn’t allow him to sit in the empty
chair until it was offered. She’d keep him on pins and needles for a
few more seconds to satisfy her moment of pique. “You’ve missed
most of the show. Jim Byrnes, for heaven’s sake!”

“Is this transgression so severe you’d rather I go?” His
whisky-smooth voice whispered against her ear.

Pure lust snaked down her spine. How could she be inches away from orgasm
just from the sound of his voice?

 

About the Author

Kira Stone has been around the block…the writer’s block, that
is.

From vamps and witches to historical heroes, from futuristic scientists to
paranormal corporate executives, from Canadian werewolves to off-world
shifters, Kira has written about them all. Manlove has sparked hot and heavy
in many of her plots, but Kira also finds a lucky lady to keep the sexy
heroes company from time to time. While Scotland remains her favorite place
in the world, Kira is constantly in search of new adventures to add to the
creative primordial ooze where her best stories are born.

 

Author Links

Author on Facebook

Author on Goodreads

Author’s Website

 

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

 

Pre-Order Today

 

 

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Maggie the Cat Loves Pip’s Thanksgiving Surprise Blitz

 

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Maggie the Cat Book 2

Children’s Book

Date Published: October 15th

Publisher: Jan-Carol Publishing, Inc.

 

 

Wonderful illustrations bring us back up to Grandpa’s mountain farmhouse
for a Thanksgiving homecoming. Pip will soon have a Thanksgiving surprise,
but what exactly will it be? Will it have to do with the treats in the oven?
Pecan pie with oatmeal? Cornbread? Dutch apple pie? Mmmmm, they all smell so
good!

Will it have to do with a new park for all of the children to play in,
being built at a neighbor’s farm? Wow! A brand new park where everyone, and
I mean everyone, is working very hard. Will it have to do with little Barney
who is the littlest goat ever and who is really working hard and chomp chomp
chomping away to make the park soft and free of brush?

Or finally, will it have to do with Pip’s best friend ever, Maggie? Read
along, and let’s find out together. We don’t have that long. Thanksgiving is
coming very soon!

 

About the Author

Julia Russo

Julia Russo spent many winters in the mountains along with her little dog,
Chloe, and her sweet husband, Kent. She continues to live in Atlanta but her
heart is really in those woods. 

One of her favorite things ever was hearing her first graders read aloud.
She sometimes wrote for the government and companies, and later wrote
descriptions of homes. She even spent time as what is called a
roustabout!

After her debut book, Maggie the Cat Who Came Home for Christmas, released
in 2023, Julia is excited to continue the series. She visits her
mountainside cabin often. One of these days, she’s hoping to get a
little goat.

 

Contact Link

Goodreads

 

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Everything I Know About the Universe Virtual Book Tour

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Meditations on Reality and Spirituality from a Doctor, a Patient, a
Scientist, and a Reluctant Believer

 

Nonfiction

Date Published: June 29, 2024

 

 

Written from the perspective of a doctor and scientist, Everything that I
Know About the Universe is a selection of essays explaining why we need to
rethink some of our basic assumptions about science and theology and how the
two fields of thought can coexist. The need to ask where we came from and
why we’re here is a fundamental part of being human. This text seeks to take
those two questions and reframe them to show how they can be scientifically
answered, but spiritually informed, with appeals made to evolutionary
biology, quantum mechanics, cosmology, and large number theory. Along the
way, the author lays out definitions for the mind, consciousness, and
spirituality, and shows that even if we can’t have definitive answers to the
big existential questions of life, asking those questions is one of the most
important things that we can do. The essays also delve into some of the most
important critiques of traditional religious and scientific perspectives on
the universe.

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Purchase Link

Amazon

EXCERPT

Quote –

While seeing people helped by the sciences has been intellectually satisfying, witnessing how we deal with disease has deepened my own spiritual curiosity. On the frontlines of diagnosing and treating disease, I’ve witnessed various relationships manifest between spirituality and suffering. During and after periods of suffering, we are often more likely to ask the bigger questions of life. With all the trials and hardships that we endure, we ask ourselves, what is it all for? In our darkest moments, it’s an even more compelling question.

 

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