Tag Archives: FICTION

A Golden Thread: Yesterday’s Tomorrow Virtual Book Tour

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A Golden Thread: Yesterday's Tomorrow cover

Fiction

 

Publication Date: August 2, 2021

Publisher: MindStir Media

A Golden Thread is a human odyssey of redemption, discovery, and revelation. From the beginning, the protagonist, Jonathan, near to rock bottom in his life. He is estranged from his wife and son. He will do anything to reunite his family. As he struggles to cope with his shame and regret, an inexplicable phenomenon has him in its grip; he is slipping back in time at increasing intervals. Along with this experience, there are the vivid nightmares that bring him back to relive recent past lives. Just when it seems there is no way for this situation to get more extraordinary, Jonathan learns the phenomenon is connected to even bigger things than he could have ever imagined, and he, having no memory of his part, is a key part of an epic struggle between two forces that in the end will determine the fate of humanity.

A Golden Thread: Yesterday's Tomorrow tablet

About the Author

Richard Norton grew up in Portland, Maine. He has spent 28 years in social work providing supports to individuals with Intellectual Disabilities. Richard is an artist, musician, and writer. He currently lives in Windham with his wife and son.

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Sloppy Blitz

 

Sloppy cover

Fiction, Romance, Contemporary, Coming of Age

 

Release date: January 11th, 2022

Classic preacher’s kid, Roxanne felt like the oddball in her environment.

By age 22, she found herself compromising and settling in various avenues of her life- including love.

Will Roxanne be brave enough to end her relationship with a man who ails her? Will she take the path towards her purpose no matter how sloppy it looks? Or will she allow the world and her family to dictate right and wrong?

Sloppy Tablet


About the Author

Jasmine Farrell

I’m an author, poet, freelancer and professional snack eater. Licorice, cookies and funyuns, ya’ll!

I’m an old soul, a late bloomer and I bask in my un-coolness.

The words I put to the page, come from the heart and demonstrate the journey I’ve made to nurture and grow my spirit.

Wrote a few guest blog posts, worked at a magazine and wrote some posts for webizines.

Six published poetry collections demonstrate how my life experiences have shaped me. They begin with my first collection, My Quintessence, which was released in 2014. It includes poems from my teenage years and past life as a Christian. My second poetry collection, Phoenixes Groomed a Genesis Doves, was released a year after I de-converted from Christianity in 2015.

I’ve had to tackle a lot of tough topics in my life, but as I reveal my heart, my hope is that I inspire others to pursue their dreams with confidence in being who they are authentically.

My realization is reflected in my third release, Long Live Phoenixes, as well as my latest poetry series, (3 micro collections in total) Release.

I’m currently working on my first novel and telling my cat to get off the computer desk.

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A Golden Thread Blitz

 

A Golden Thread cover

Fiction

 

Publication Date: August 2, 2021

Publisher: MindStir Media

A Golden Thread is a human odyssey of redemption, discovery, and revelation. From the beginning, the protagonist, Jonathan, near to rock bottom in his life. He is estranged from his wife and son. He will do anything to reunite his family. As he struggles to cope with his shame and regret, an inexplicable phenomenon has him in its grip; he is slipping back in time at increasing intervals. Along with this experience, there are the vivid nightmares that bring him back to relive recent past lives. Just when it seems there is no way for this situation to get more extraordinary, Jonathan learns the phenomenon is connected to even bigger things than he could have ever imagined, and he, having no memory of his part, is a key part of an epic struggle between two forces that in the end will determine the fate of humanity.

About the Author

Richard Norton grew up in Portland, Maine. He has spent 28 years in social work providing supports to individuals with Intellectual Disabilities. Richard is an artist, musician, and writer. He currently lives in Windham with his wife and son.

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The Last Rhino War Blitz

 

The Last Rhino War cover

 

A Journey of Survival

Fiction, Adventure with Romance

 

Publisher: BookLocker

This is a story of one man, Mike Delport, a professional hunter, and his journey as he is caught up in in the unspeakable violence of the illegal rhino horn trade to his redemption through love and newfound commitment to conservation. At his hunting ranch in South Africa, times are tough. Hunting of rhino has just been banned, cutting off Mike’s income. Rhino poaching is on the rise just as his income is falling. Mike is forced to consider illegally selling the horns to a crime syndicate himself, out of desperation. His quest for survival takes him deep into the murky underworld and he meets Eva, herself struggling for survival from her life on the Cape Flats, and they fall in love.

Can this love blossom amid the savagery of the international rhino horn poaching gangs and their own very different cultural upbringing? Can Mike persuade Eva to share his devotion to his endangered rhinos and make a way forward to ensure their safety from extinction as a species?

This is a journey of survival for both man and the animals and one cannot help be drawn into the battle.

The Last Rhino War standing book

 

 
Excerpt
1
 

 

Vientiane, Lao People’s Democratic Republic

In a smoke-filled, darkened room five men sat circling a naked, kneeling man, his hands and ankles tightly bound. A single bulb hung from the ceiling, affording the only dim light in the room, yet still strong enough to attract a myriad of moths that danced around it in a suicidal orbit.

Like a nervous tic, Johnny Wang stroked his thin mustache and curled the straggly greying tip into his lower lip. As he watched the man on the floor, beads of sweat formed on his brow despite the blast of cold from the air conditioning unit laboring against the relentless humidity of midsummer in Laos.

Somehow out of place in the old French Colonial villa, the tick-tock of an antique grandfather clock punctuated the silence. It was one of Johnny’s prized possessions—a gift from a desperate British diplomat who had developed a taste for opium.

Gentlemen, we have a decision to make. We offered Nguyen a partnership in the Red Lotus Triad. He ran our affairs in China, Vietnam, and Southern Africa with great skill. I was surprised when we discovered he was running an operation that was skimming our profit—a cardinal sin, as you all know, in our triad.”

On hearing those words, the kneeling man strained against his bonds and uttered a muffled wail, silenced against the gag stuffed deep into his mouth. Johnny continued, ignoring him: “Whatever is the fate of Nguyen here, who has betrayed our trust, we have to regroup to keep the supply of rhino horn flowing to the fools, and social climbers, out here in the Orient who believe the horn has medicinal powers. So, I’m open to ideas. Let’s hear from you. Remember, each horn is worth several million to us. It’s much more valuable than ivory, opium, hardwoods—just name it.”

Now that legal hunting avenues have closed, we have to resort to illegal hunting—poaching, I think they call it, Honorable Master,” said Costas.

Yes,” agreed General Syvongsay of the Lao People’s Army, “the African game reserves are full of rhino. It doesn’t take much to kill a rhino. Believe me, I’ve done it. All you need is a decent rifle and you can almost walk right up to them—they can’t see you until it’s too late for them. It should be easy to equip some hunters, under guidance from a local coordinator. They could be in and out of a reserve before the authorities could even wake up.”

The four men nodded in assent and murmured, “Yes, Honorable Master. It is so.”

So, gentlemen, our time is precious. We agree we must search for someone to replace Nguyen in Southern Africa, as we need to keep this valuable trade in our hands. As for the fate of Nguyen, you know the penalty for betrayal is death. Does anyone recommend clemency? What’s your decision?”

A low keening sound came from the bound man, piercing the silence in the room.

Johnny’s penetrating gaze shifted to the four men seated around the kneeling figure. Costas was first. The Greek sea captain, long a loyal member of the Red Lotus Triad, shifted uncomfortably on his seat. He raised his hand and signaled thumbs down. The next man, Major-General Syvongsay, raised his fist and mirrored the gesture. The other two men followed suit.

Jin,” Johnny mouthed into the darkness.

A lithe form flitted from the shadows and swung a meat cleaver—honed over days to the sharpest perfection—severing the neck of Thanh Nguyen. His head bounced and turned, eyes still open in surprise, looking at his impassive jurymen. Nguyen’s body remained kneeling and motionless for a few seconds as a small fountain of bright-red blood pulsed out onto his chest. His body slumped over and, as if by design, lay supine next to his severed head as if nothing extraordinary had happened.

Jin called out softly, and two men came in and lifted Nguyen’s body and head. They left as silently as they came. Jin retreated into the shadows, only to return and serve each of the men a small cup of steaming green tea. Despite being the executioner, Jin never forgot he was Johnny Wang’s manservant, before any other task.

Johnny Wang sipped his tea, sighed, and turned again to his men.

Jin, have his body delivered, in plain sight, to his family. It will send a signal to them and all those who worked for Nguyen that they shouldn’t cross the Red Lotus.”

Jin bowed respectfully and vanished into the shadows.

About the Author

Rory Johnston

Rory Johnston grew up in the photo-safari business in Africa, and has planned and led expeditions throughout his life. On one such expedition to raise funds for Madikwe Game Reserve Anti-Poaching Unit, Rory witnessed a recently poached rhino mother and calf. The savagery of that totally unnecessary death prompted him to write this novel. It has taken many hours of research to ensure the novel, although in a fictional setting, is factually correct. It is vital to help educate the world to the unfolding tragedy taking place in Southern Africa, and to save the rhino for future generations.

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Burning Desire Virtual Book Tour

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Burning Desire cover

 

The Psychopath and the Girl in Black Prada Shoes, Part I

 

Fiction, Drama

 

Publisher: ‎Xlibris

Mary, is an established woman. Her lifespan is a petrifying mess. This is about dating a truly creepy sociopath, one who swindled himself through life. A self-absorbed, lying person using people.
He presents himself with a public persona of normalcy. She could not see what lay behind the dark shade of Drake Lucifer Bates. He was inappropriately flirting with her; he was a doctor and she was his patient. During a treatment session, he goes too far. Does he get hard when he treats patients? It was too late for her to escape. 

 Unintended she becomes captured in his mean spider web. Drake won her compassion with his enormous intellect and glimmering charm. Something vastly magical happened around him. She begins a passionate love affair with him. Their life seemed blissful on the outside. Behind his malicious plan, it was chilling. 

 Trusting him with her fragile life, she don’t see he is like Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. Believing him was fatal. Swindle wealthy patients, was his primary target. His manipulative behavior and scams, ends disastrous for Mary. She is a character in his horror movie. He sinks into his mania of deceives and lies. He is a predator! She don’t know anything about psychopaths. How does she figure out what she can expect from such people? Her life was never the same, but she learned from his evilness.

Burning Desire tablet

 

 

Other books in the Burning Desire Series:

 

 


Burning Desire Fades cover

Burning Desire Fades

The Psychopath and the Girl in Black Prada Shoes – Part 2

Publisher: ‎Xlibris

Part 2 presents the continuation of the maliciously agenda of Doctor Bates and will leave you in a trance of shock with its vigorous narrative. A moment ago, it seemed, it was yesterday full of happiness. Tomorrow it is a matter of survival for Mary as her life is on the brink of insanity to her Knight in Shining Armor. Loving him was all she ever had.

As she meets Drake again she becomes a slave in the madness of love. Before Mary notice the dangerous life, she gets deeply trapped in Drake’s dodgy mesh. It’s too late for her to escape. Fraud, lies, dominance, torment and the complexity of an abusive relationship evolve, and will unexpectedly be a new part of Mary’s life. Drake’s sinister betrayal sneaks slowly in as he lures Mary like a ravenous wolf in sheep’s clothing.

Mary will experience love, hatred and deception; however, will she continue to be Drake’s victim in his mystiques and hefty deceptions he gets during the nights? On the outside, it seems Drake is loving and has a high IQ, above normal. On the inside, he is a devious psychopath. The story will drastically unfold to a complexity of a love drama, crime, fraud and Drake’s delusions of grandeur.

At a secluded area outside Hong Kong, the mafia attempt to kill Drake. We will follow the two sweethearts in how they try to escape from the difficulties with the Asian Mafia. With lightning speed, three creepy guys and the mafia boss run into the Hotel to search for Drake.

Not only once, but several times the two lovebirds are on the run in the shadowy darkness of the night, because Drake steal and frauds his business associates.

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EXCERPT

I N T R O D U C T I O N

The Shady Lizard and the Woman 

It is my ambition to say in ten sentences what others say in a whole book. 

—Friedrich Nietzsche

It’s more than difficult to get this all down on paper, because I want it to be authentic. I wish to rationally sense life as Mary experienced it with her ‘lounge room lizard’. All the names of the characters, the establishments, and the places have been changed. The story is fictional, but it contains ideas based on real events. 

There is merely one problem! How to tell it in ten sentences? It can’t be told in a few words. Sorry, friends! However, ten sentences might be easy to read. So, let’s jump to it. A wise man once wrote, ‘Screw it. 

Let’s do it.’1 So I did it! In my new process of life, I can add one more quote by the same man: ‘Do not be embarrassed by your failures. Learn from them and start again.’ Thank you for the push. It gave me a new beginning. 

Living near the beach and walking it day and night, is my dream. 

Falling peacefully asleep with the windows open to the gentle sound of the waves crashing on the beach. Letting the blue moonlight shine through the window and watching the glittering stars in the clear night sky, while relaxing in my bed. My decision to finish the story began when I moved into my new apartment, in the first row of homes facing the impressive sea of the English Channel. It provides a striking view from the vast balcony and is barely fifty metres from the dark blue sea and the golden sand, presenting its many small colourful typical British beach huts. Each hut has its own precise shade ranging from burnished orange to icy blue, to depict a ‘sunrise to sunset’ scheme. 

The first night is wonderful peaceful and as I wake up to a warm August summer morning on the south coast of the United Kingdom. 

The Sun is shining through my window as it awakens me at ten o’clock in the morning, while I’m still resting in my silky white sheets, warmly tucked around my naked body, and stretching my limbs as a lazy cat, because I have no desire to get up. After rubbing my eyes, I sit upon my bed to let the blood flow through all my veins, and I look around in the room in confusion. Oh, my goodness! Boxes in every corner. The balcony door is open, and I sense a pleasant fresh and cool sea breeze sneaks into the room, while I’m listening to the sound of the crashing waves reaching my inner ear with a pleasing calmness, and I think, Why not? 

Leave the boxes and start writing a new book or finish the other ones I’m working on. I know my life is rather unreal, because I was heartbroken for a long time, and have not had the time or psyche to finish them. Being loved one day and completely upset the next turned my life drastically upside down. The man I love often tells me, ‘Trust me. I love only you. We are meant to be’ or ‘We will be together for the rest of our lives’. I’m devastated because it’s not as he promised. It’s all a lie! The many red flags slipped past my attention about him being a dangerous person. It’s difficult to imagine and comprehend if I’m going to have a life without him, because he is the best thing that I believe has happened to me. Too late, I figured out the meaning of the phrase 

‘lounge room lizard’, but I believed him and trusted him with my life. 

That could be the biggest mistake I ever made in my life, pondering if he behaves like this to every woman he meets on his path. What gruesome things will I eventually be able to reveal? 

Why is it so important to use the expression ‘lounge room lizard’? 

This expression is usually a reference to lounge musicians, but most often in a negative sense. Such a person has the character of a medieval, ordinary man, who looks charmingly good, and resembles a dehydrated, oppressed lizard, which romantically is involved with a wealthy woman. 

He is typically shown as a well-dressed man and frequents surroundings where the rich and famous gather. He is the type of man who will seduce a wealthy woman with his flattery and deceptive charm. Oh, golly gosh! Do you believe it? He has so much charisma and is extremely convincing and pretends to be a first-class trustworthy charming person. I have never met any person so full of good ideas as his. It’s amazing how the chap can captivate people in front of an assembly, by being so enchanting with his skills and high energy. 

Trust me! 

Those were the main words during our time together. Later, various problems began to arise, with his many calculating plans, when his professional approach or his projects usually started to awaken a great deal of speculation—though often, it was too late to see through the disguise. So, did I do all my research too late? Was I excruciatingly conned, because I loved him blindly? A Russian proverb says, ‘Love is evil. You can fall in love with a goat.’ In other words, love is so blind, and the pretty headless chick becomes blinded. 

The phrase ‘lizard’ presumably relates to the cold and insinuating quality of the reptile. It has sharp claws like an eagle, which is unscrupulous when snatching the next victim. It’s usually a distressed woman, whom he wants to lure into marriage, and maybe Mary was such a sorrowful pretty little doll. He eagerly tries at the early stage to seek some benefit from her, because he never married the previous one. Will he succeed? The woman usually has valuable possessions and money that the lizard man can profit from, and the more naive, unhappy, and helpless she is, the better for him. Then he strikes with his nasty sharp claws into her vulnerability and misuses her to the last drop, without any empathy or remorse. He chillingly torments her until she is severely wounded, like a helpless animal lying in the gutter, abandoned and helpless in its misery! Why does such a person so? Will she discover if he is a maliciously cunning narcissistic artist, an evil psychopath? A bloodsucking leech who sucks the last blood out of others. Has he done so through his entire life? Some say he is a person who completely lack of self-discipline and respect for obligations, rules, and social norms. Others say his speech patterns are repeated lies, with mood swings that are almost impossible to see through. Though, Mary trust this stunning man, even she sometimes sees that he has the flawless ability to bend the facts, and often he says it always someone else’s fault. That is his best play, so no matter what, that’s how it’s done. 

It’s never his fault! 

About the Author

M. L. Stark

M. L. Stark has been married for over 20 years and has adult children and grandchildren. She based certain elements of the story on real-life events. When Stark was middle-aged, she underwent a divorce and met a new man who mentally abused her. These experiences and her survival have empowered her to write stories about surviving cruelty and abuse.

“I am telling the story not of what I thought I was meant to be born into, but as the survivor I have become after abuse. I am also hoping to connect with people and deter them from facing a toxic relationship in their lives by sharing my own real-life events.” Stark says.

M. L. Stark dares to discuss what it is like to be in an abusive relationship, and shows the power in embracing the experience, prevailing and ultimately recovering from the abuse, escaping the psychopath and helping others tap into their empathy and prevail over similar hazards.

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