Sandra C. Lopez's Blog

 

FABRICATED

Nicole Givens Kurtz

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GENRE:  SciFi Mystery

 

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BLURB:

 

CybilLewis, a private inspector in futuristic D.C., now The District, begrudginglyworks with the Territory Alliance agents to track down an escaped violator,Nico Mars. Almost immediately, Cybil is tossed into the District's grittyunderbelly of political ambition, drugs, and betrayal. This case will take herand Jane deep into the reaches of The District's notorious Sector 12, wherelife is cheap and currency is king. When her investigation leads back to thoseresponsible for protecting citizens, Cybil discovers she's in danger. She'sreminded once again that everything can be fabricated.

 

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ExcerptTwo:

 

If it’s one thing I’ve learned in my nearly forty years isthis—trust your gut.

 

If I had, things would’ve gone much more smoothly.

 

Who am I?

 

I’m Cybil Lewis. Private Inspector licensed in The DistrictTerritory. July felt like an oven left on high. The sun’s rays rebounded offthe pavement, fiberglass, and metal, back into people’s faces. An energynightmare, certain neighborhoods suffered frequent electrical and computer gridbreakdowns, leaving thousands stranded without air conditioning, automaticdoors, and other necessities. Bots stopped working. Generators and recyclablebatteries helped. Still the more tech-rich you were, the greater the potentialfor damage.

 

Venture outside at your own risk. Summer snatched victimsinto its greedy hands and swallowed them whole. Each year an ever-increasingnumber of people died because they became trapped in their residences withoutcool air when the grid responsible for controlling the electric crashed or whenthe generators melted.

 

Which was why I was leaning over the air conditioning unitwhen the doors to my office yawned open. In walked two women, one whom Irecognized the moment her sleek, dark blonde hair crossed the threshold. I gotup to meet them before they came too far into my lobby. Midwest TerritoryAlliance Agent Lynn stopped. Despite wearing make-up, pockmarks spoiled herattempt at flawless. Cold blue eyes stared out. She grinned, calculated, andcool.

 

We had a complicated history due to a shared case not toolong ago. She tried to get me shot, killed, and sent to the cradle forviolations I didn’t commit. The entire experience left a bad taste in my mouth.

 

You can imagine my joy at seeing her again.

 

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Topic: What makes your bookdifferent from any other book in this genre?

 

I wrote Fabricated: A Cybil Lewis SF Mystery, becauseI wanted to tell a story about the complexities of being in law enforcement,about wrongful incarceration and the lingering effects of death violations[murder] to those who survive. The novel isn’t just science fiction. It’ssituated in the subgenre of cyberpunk. It’s also a mashup of cyberpunk andnoir, established vintage noir that subverts traditionally genre stereotypes.

What sets this novel apart from other cyberpunk stories isthe fact it’s told from a Black woman’s point of view. Cybil follows her ownmoral compass, but she definitely doesn’t work alone. She has a partner, Jane,and now Kimmila. In the future, the District, the former capital, District ofColumbia, has become its own territory. In fact, the entire country has dividedinto territories with their own governing practices, laws, etc. But unlike thenoir stereotype of the lone PI, she has an active partner in Jane and a solidgroup of secondary characters who aren’t all white men.

Additionally, I write to make her world be as realistic aspossible as it take place in a near-future world. It’s a cyberpunk noir type ofstory so there’s lots of high technology, but low-value attributed to humanlife. For this reason, suspense, strong emotions, and genre bending come intoplay.

Fabricated: A Cybil Lewis SF Mystery breaks themold on old, dusty PI stories and provides a well-rounded, inclusive,fast-paced mystery set against the backdrop of a gritty but hopeful future.

 

 

 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

NicoleGivens Kurtz has been called “a genre polymath who does crime, horror, andScience Fiction and Fantasy (Book Riot).” They’ve named her as one of the 6Black SFF Indie Writers You Should be Reading, 30 Must-Read SFF Books by BlackAuthors, and The Best of the West: 8 Alternative History Westerns (Sisters ofthe Wild Sage). She’s a two-time Atomacon Palmetto Scribe Award winner. Withover 20 years in publishing, She’s written for Pseudopod, Apex, Fiyah, WhiteWolf, The Realm, Baen, Subsume, and MV Media. Nicole has over 50 published short stories, including her story, “TheWay Home,” in Marvel®’s Captain America: The Shield of Sam Wilson anthologyfrom Titan Books. Nicole is the author of the Cybil Lewis and Death Violationscybernoir series as well as the Kingdom of Aves fantasy mystery series.

Shehas conducted workshops for Writer’s Digest Online, Clarion West online, SAGA,and is the owner of Mocha Memoirs Press. She’s the editor for thegroundbreaking SLAY: Stories of the Vampire Noire and co-editor of BlackenedRoots: An Anthology of the Undead anthology. Nicole is professional levelmember of SFWA and HWA. You can find her at www.nicolegivenskurtz.net

 

SocialMedia Platforms

Instagram- @mochamemoirspress

TikTok-@mochamemoirspress

BlueSky-@nicolegkurtz.bsky.social

Facebookfacebook.com/nicolegkurtz

BuyNicole a coffee at Ko-fi/nicolegkurtz

 

 

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GIVEAWAY 

NicoleGivens Kurtz will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawnwinner.

 

LOVE IGNITES PEACE

Paige Farrington

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GENRE:  Nonfiction Self-Help

 

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BLURB:

 

Are you ready to move beyond turbulent times intopeace?

 

Nineteen years ago, received a message that would alter the course of her life: LoveIgnites Peace. That message sparked a profound transformation—one that awakenedthe power of her self-awareness, taught her the essence of unconditional love,and revealed that peace is not only possible, but accessible.

 

Now, she invites you to begin your own journeyrooted in the message Love Ignites Peace.

 

Through heartfelt storytelling, practical tools, anddeeply human insights, Love Ignites Peace: Our Next Evolution offers a roadmapto help you identify what’s holding you back, shift the self-beliefs that keepyou stuck, and see life through an expanded lens. No matter what you’renavigating, this book provides universal tools to help you reconnect with yourtrue essence.

 

With vulnerability and compassion, Paige guidesreaders through personal stories and self-discovery—offering clear, actionableways to bring Love Ignites Peace to life in their own experience.

 

This is more than a book—it’s an invitation to alignwith the energy of your unlimited potential and become an agent of love in aworld ready to evolve.

 

You are the ignition. Love is the way. Peace is theoutcome.

 

 

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ExcerptThree:

 

Love, not a specific set ofbeliefs, is the glue that unites everyone in our collective human experience.Love Ignites Peace is not associated with any religion, but this story keptcoming to mind as I was writing this section. As Jesus was hanging from thecross, he famously said, “Forgive them for they know not what they do.” He wasoffering those who hurt him and others forgiveness, because he understood thehuman experience. We are all responsible for our own actions and our soul’sgrowth, but the ability to take responsibility lies in a person’sself-awareness. We are all at different places on our self-awareness journey.If you are reading this book, then self-awareness is something you areexploring. Not everyone is as self-aware as you are. They don’t understand thecomplexities of the human experience, empowered by their soul’s choices, norhave they taken the time to discern the whys of their feelings and behaviors.They will get there when we allow them to find their way, in their own timing.In the meantime, we can offer them forgiveness because we understand.

 

 

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Topic: What do you hope readers will get from this book?

 

Have you ever felt weighed down by life’s challenges or even by the stateof the world itself? You are not alone. Love Ignites Peace: Our NextEvolution and its Companion Journal were born from the belief thathope, practical tools, and a fresh perspective can help you choose love as anaction, ignite peace, and spark change from the inside out.

The mission is simple: to equip every reader with the tools for a morepeaceful and empowered life. This book is my offering to remind you that evenin the midst of struggle and heaviness, there is another way.

Because the truth is this: every change–from yourclosest relationships to shifting global consciousness–starts with you. Theprocess of Love’s 6 Actions holds your hand and your heart as you gaindeeper self-awareness. Old patterns that once held you back and perpetuatedyour hurt begin to loosen, and a new perspective takes root–one that allows youbuild healthier, more loving relationships with yourself and with others.

 

Like a single candle lighting thousands without everlosing its own flame, your words and actions hold the power to spreadendlessly.

 

My hope: As you step into this work, you’ll ignite peacein your own life, and in doing so, add your energy to a growing movement ofchange. My promise: This book and its companion journal are not just ideas, butpractical tools: the “how-to” for choosing love in your everydayinteractions.

 

Choose love. Ignite Peace.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

Thirty-three years ago life transplanted Paige from her rural Iowaroots 5,280 feet closer to the bluest skies she’d ever seen. Now calling CastleRock and Grand Lake, CO, home, she finds inspiration in nature’s peacefulgrandeur, which provides the backdrop for both her work and play. Paige’s lifetook an unexpected turn in 2008 when, out of thin air, the words Love IgnitesPeace landed in her conscious mind. This profound moment became a catalyst,shifting her path from successful business owner to student of love—the root ofhuman potential. Mastering the deep meaning and embodying the wisdom in thestatement Love Ignites Peace now guides her daily life. Paige’s insights inLove Ignites Peace: Our Next Evolution invite you to return to the love thatyou truly are – awakening your highest potential and transforming the way youexperience life. Paige is also the author of Love Ignites Peace: Our NextEvolution, The Companion Journal. You can listen to Paige and her daughterAshlyn on their podcast Love Ignites Peace #Bathtub chats. More information canbe found at LoveIgnitesPeace.com/podcast.

 

Love Ignites Peace: Our Next Evolution has won theInternational Impact Book Award in the Self-Help, Emotional Resiliencecategory.

 

Website: http://www.LoveIgnitesPeace.com

 

Social:

@LoveIgnitesPeace

 

Amazon Link:

https://www.amazon.com/Love-Ignites-Peace-Next-Evolution/dp/B0CLMXTCCP/ref=sr_1_1

 

 

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GIVEAWAY 

PaigeFarrington will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawnwinner.

 

Book Details:

Book Title:  Two Lefts Don't Make A Right by Dan Romanello
Category: Adult Fiction (18 +), 283 pages
Genre: Contemporary Thriller
Publisher: Sanitas Publishing
Publication Date: September  2025.
Content Rating: PG-13Book Description:

WHEN POWER CORRUPTS,
JUSTICE TAKES AN UNEXPECTED TURN

When Florida investor and real estate developer Dylan Tomassi attends the opening of a major addition to a private Connecticut school he funded through his charitable foundation, publicity from the event draws the ire of a powerful teachers’ union leader determined to extinguish all forms of private school expansion. While she forges an unlikely alliance with a corrupt environmental activist to embezzle funds earmarked for education Dylan becomes the victim of a series of mysterious attacks against him and his business interests. 

After being shot at and brutally assaulted, Dylan decides to disappear with a former flame who has unexpectedly reentered his life, while his lawyers and the police investigate. The couple rekindle their relationship as they explore various corners of the country from California to the American heartland. As the investigations unfold, it appears the culprit may never be discovered until a series of events within the alliance result in a shocking turn of events.

Two Lefts Don’t Make a Right  is a highly entertaining tale of corruption, mystery and reprisal. BUY THE BOOK:
AMAZON 
B&N ~ BAM ~ Bookshop.org
add to goodreads Meet the Author:

Dan Romanello is an Amazon #1 Best Selling Author. He worked in the newspaper industry before attending law school at the University of Florida. After serving as an assistant state attorney, he spent more than 20 years as a partner in a boutique firm, running the trial practice group. An accomplished trial lawyer, he has litigated cases in courtrooms throughout the state of Florida. After retiring from the active practice of law, he wrote the first book in the Dylan Tomassi series,  Paperboy.  He resides on Florida’s gulf coast.

connect with the authors: website ~facebook ~ x/twitter ~ bookbub ~ goodreadsEnter the Giveaway: TWO LEFTS DON'T MAKE A RIGHT Book Tour Giveaway

 

Plot was too confusing in this.Not that much good stuff in it. I think we had a Poison Ivy in this one withwhat she did to the guy when they were doing it. Not that great.

 

Rating:2 stars

 

What’s the worst thing you cando to someone? Give them to Zoe, the whacked-out little girl, for sure!

 

The illustrations were justawesome! The blood that the little girl unleashes. She won’t hesitate to chopyour head off. Glad these images were in black and white. If they had been incolor, I would undoubtedly have been sick.

 

Will the girls catch a serialkiller…with a killer already in their hands? A good read!

 

Rating:4 stars

 

Rachel and Jet were poisoned,but they didn’t die. Of course!

 

I didn’t really get thehistory. Was that Rachel’s memory from when she was lying dead?

 

For once, the little girlredeems herself and spares the dog…but then she runs down the dog owner. Well,that was cool…as long as the dog was alright.

 

Such action. Such violence.The violence can get pretty gruesome. Makes me glad that this was in black andwhite. A good read!

 

Rating:4 stars

 

Again, I didn’t get the story.There’s too much going on in the panels. This series was just toodisappointing.

 

Rating:2 stars

 

More destruction and injury. And,of course, I had no idea what was going on. Seems like way too much was goingon. This was not a clear good one.

 

Rating:2 stars

 

The first story was all abouta guy finding out that his wife had been cheating on him for the last 10 years.The whole time he tries to get a divorce from her and it was a long process.Wasn’t quite what I was expecting. Not enough sex.

 

The second story had a littlemore sex with a woman sleeping with her stepsons.

 

Stories were okay reads, butthey were just not what I was expecting. Not enough heat.

 

Rating:3 stars

 

Winning at this casino can be HELL

Roll Them Bones

by Danielle Gomes

Genre: Supernatural Thriller, Horror

A gripping supernatural thriller where the house alwayswins—unless you’re willing to burn it all down.

When Lilith Umbra flees Las Vegas for a fresh start at theGolden Sands Casino in Atlantic City, she thinks she’s escaping her tragicpast. But some fates can’t be outrun.

Strange occurrences plague the crumbling casino: phantomsounds, impossible shadows, and visions that feel disturbingly real. Localjournalist Sharp insists the building is cursed, while her charismatic bossAmon dismisses such claims as nonsense.

But when Lilith uncovers a mysterious book detailing therituals of a powerful occult organization, she realizes the truth is far moresinister than any ghost story.

As ancient prophecies collide with modern ambition, Lilithdiscovers she hasn’t stumbled into evil’s path—she’s been guided there. Withallies who may be enemies and time running out, she faces an impossible choicethat will determine not just her fate, but the fate of humanity itself.

Perfect for fans of supernatural thrillers who loveunreliable narrators, shocking twists, and stories where nothing is as itseems.

Some games are rigged from the start. But sometimes, theonly way to win is to change the rules entirely.

 

EdgeweaverBooks * Amazon * Apple *B&N* Google* Kobo * Bookbub* Goodreads

 

Danielle Gomes is an accomplished author, freelancejournalist, and brand development specialist known for her dynamic, cinematicstorytelling and ability to blend real-world themes with suspensefulnarratives. She holds a Master of Arts in Journalism and Media Studies from theUniversity of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), a foundation that supports her diversework in nonfiction, fiction, and media. Gomes gained recognition with Hit Me!Fighting the Las Vegas Mob by the Numbers, a gripping true crime book co-authoredwith Jay Bonansinga that chronicles her father’s efforts to dismantle mobinfluence in 1970s Las Vegas. She later ventured into science fiction withEVE-0 and Lucien, a high-stakes thriller series exploring genetic engineeringand global pandemics. Her work has earned critical acclaim, including a TellyAward and a Videographer's Award of Excellence for a documentary short onhomelessness. She is a member of the Authors Guild, International ThrillerWriters, and Horror Writers Association.

 

Website * Website * Facebook * Facebook * X * Instagram * Instagram * Bookbub * Goodreads

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

Roll Them Bones