Sandra C. Lopez's Blog

 

The gourmet cooking classes bythe guest chef were supposed to be a fun thing for the hotel guests at DuneHouse. Instead, Suzie and Mary had a murder on their hands, and every one oftheir guests was a possible suspect. Once again, it was fun following the clueswith these girls. A good read!

 

Rating:4 stars

 

A mysterious drowning. Thebody only turned up because it got tangled in the netting. Was it murder? Ofcourse, it was! Could the competition in the yacht race have been so fiercethat someone would kill for it? It was up to B&B owners Suzie and Mary tofind out. A good mystery!

 

Rating:4 stars

 

Children's Book

Date Published: April 14, 205

Publisher: MindStir Media

 

 

 ✨ A heartwarming rhyming story that teaches kids the power of kindness, confidence, and self-acceptance.

Looking into the river,They saw what they never believed.They all had something special,That they first didn’t see.

In You Don’t See What I See, children meet a group of charming animals who feel insecure about their unique traits. From floppy ears to bumpy shells, each animal believes their differences make them less special—until kind words from their friends reveal the truth: what they thought were flaws are actually their strengths.

Through lyrical rhymes and beautifully illustrated pages, this story shows children that the way they see themselves is not always the way others see them. By encouraging gratitude, kindness, and compassion, the book helps kids celebrate their individuality and recognize their true value.

✦ Why Readers Will Love This Book
● Celebrates Uniqueness – Teaches children to embrace their special qualities instead of comparing themselves to others.

 

● Encourages Positive Self-Talk – Shows how kind words can change negative thoughts into uplifting ones.

 

● Builds Confidence & Resilience – Inspires young readers to believe in themselves and appreciate their strengths.

 

● Fosters Empathy & Gratitude – Reminds kids to be kind to others while also being gentle with themselves.

 

● Engaging & Fun – Written in playful rhyme with vibrant illustrations that captivate young readers.

 

● Perfect for Families & Classrooms – A wonderful read-aloud that sparks conversations about self-worth, kindness, and emotional growth.

 

● For Ages 4–8 – Ideal for preschool through early elementary school children.

 

✨ Whether at bedtime, in the classroom, or as part of social-emotional learning, You Don’t See What I See is a book children will want to read again and again—while carrying its life-changing message with them forever.

Review: This is the story about uglyanimals discovering their inner beauty. The illustrations are cute and fun.

“Your differences are beautiful.And how grateful you should be.”

A great story about being happywith who you are. A wonderful read! Loved it!

Rating:5 stars

About the Author

 

 Ashley Sadrnoori – Author, Teacher, and Advocate for Children’s Growth

Ashley Sadrnoori is an educator, author, wife, and mom dedicated to inspiring children to embrace their uniqueness. With over 12 years of experience as a middle school English teacher on the North Shore of Massachusetts, she has recently transitioned into a new role as a K–2 ESL teacher. Her mission is to help young learners build strong language skills while fostering confidence and self-expression.

Ashley’s classroom philosophy centers around creating safe, supportive spaces where every child feels valued. She believes that when children are encouraged and cared for, they flourish academically and personally.

Her journey into writing children’s books stems from a lifelong love of literature and a desire to use stories to teach important life lessons. Inspired by her own struggles with self-doubt and the transformative power of kind words, Ashley wrote You Don’t See What I See to help children develop self-belief, resilience, and empathy.

At home, Ashley is a proud mother of energetic twin boys and the family’s beloved dog, Raven. Parenthood has deepened her understanding of the emotional needs of young children and strengthened her commitment to writing stories that uplift and empower.

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'The Day of the Spider' is a sort of sequel to the debut novel, 'One Day in May' by the author, but can be equally read as a standalone work as it is very different, though still set in the 18th century.

The novel is primarily set in the heart of the Hambleton Hills of North Yorkshire, though it starts off in Mansfield in Nottinghamshire where the heroine (or should that be anti-heroine), Nellie Chapman, a sexually abused young woman from a traditional mining family feels she has to move a long way from her past life. She has no plans but to get away and live a life on her own terms, an uncommon practice for a woman in the 18th century.
Despite Nellie's unlawful past, fate ensures that she seems to bear a charmed life. You may hate her or love her; it's for you to judge and you'll find plenty to entertain as you sit in judgement.

Purchase on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Day-Spider-Keith-Wood-ebook/dp/B0FWH5Z66K/

 

In a galaxy nearly conquered by Reptuuls, one boy willchange everything, 

not by destroying them, but by befriending them instead.

Kuro-Sil: The Book ofHumans, Reptuuls, and God

Book 1

by Michael Small

Genre: Science Fiction Fantasy

I am the Chronicler, hear my story:

In the year 5027, humanity will be enslaved by an alien race called theReptuuls.

But what if I told you a young boy befriended their oppressors?

Orren Hawkins is a boy with a dream: to make friends with the Reptuuls, nomatter the cost. It won't be easy due to the Reptuuls hatred of humanity. Butby the grace of a long forgotten God, Orren has found two great and unusualfriends, and they must learn to work together to rescue enslaved humans, aspart of their destiny to unite man and Reptuul under God.

There's just one problem: Orren is himself a drulak, a slave of Reptuuls. Canhe still accomplish his dream?

Will you dare read the true story of a forbidden friendship no government wantsexposed? Then welcome, one and all, to the legend of the Kuro-Sil!

"This book was so different from anything I’ve read and I enjoyed it.Small did such a great job with this storyline and plot." - Yvette Garcia,Goodreads, 4 stars

"I found the whole concept of this book fascinating." "It’s abrilliant debut from the author." - Tami Wylie, Goodreads, 5 stars

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Michael Small didn't plan on becoming an author. Heinitially wanted to be a video game programmer, though he couldn't wrap hishead around the subject. But he always had a story to tell, and seeing how wokeand especially anti-Christian messaging had started infesting modernentertainment, he dropped out of college in 2016 and taught himself how towrite, spending the years since creating his own world, which became his debutnovel Kuro-Sil: The Book of Humans, Reptuuls, and God.

Michael is a Christian and goes to church regularly, usinghis faith to inspire his stories. He is also an avid gamer, and has beenplaying video games since he was three. He mainly likes pop culture stuff likemovies, tv, and more recently manga, but he likes to try many things, likegoing on walks and drives, and working out (though he's not a pro at it).

He is currently thirty two years old and lives in Washingtonstate.

 

 

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Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

Enter the Kuro-Sil: The Book of Humans, Reptuuls, and God Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Mark A. Hill will be awarding a $15 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Mitchell Rose and the Bologna Massacre is a crime story that explores the last fifty years of cross-fertilisation between the Italian criminal underworld, its secret services, politics and the judicial system.

When Mitchell Rose is called to Milan by Remo Rhimare, a local judge who wants him to investigate the Bologna bombing of 1980, he knows it would make more sense to turn the job down.

To make things even more complicated, Rhimare also wants Rose to rein in his errant daughter, who is becoming increasingly wayward.

As Rose begins to investigate, the two missions surprisingly become one, culminating in a dreadful dramatic climax.

Read an Excerpt

I twitched nervously. The will to move out of there and toward the action was strong. I wanted to be an integral part of the scene that I could see reflected there in the mobile phone. Alessandra raised a hand and made a gesture that encouraged me to stay put. In doing so, she touched me softly on the left shoulder with her long fingernails. Being discovered there would put me back to square one. Robuyuki was gonna get his from Cambio’s guards, but I had to stay still, I couldn’t move.

“It’s also my favourite drink.” The chef offered.

“But you don’t drink, Robuyuki.”

Robuyuki lifted the glass to his lips and forced the drink down his neck, licking his lips with satisfaction.

Cambio had been silenced and we heard the clumped, mechanical tramping of feet as they exited the restaurant. Alessandra heaved a sigh of relief and we slowly moved apart. I poured a glass of Grand Marnier into the glass that I had seized and we shared it there in the cellar. The sense of relief was overwhelming and we hugged each other, but without the intensity that there had been between us moments before. There was still a layer of fear that lay like a film across the room, and that fear had rendered us sexless siblings. Robuyuki knocked on the cellar door and we climbed back up and thanked him sincerely.

About the Author



Mark is a novelist, poet, translator and English teacher. He has lived in Cagliari, Italy for 33 years.

His poetry has been published in The UK Poetry Library’s Top Writers of 2012 and the Live Canon 2013 Prize Anthology. In 2016, one of his poems was commissioned, published and performed at The Victoria and Albert Museum, London, for the anniversary of hakespeare’s death. In 2024, he was published by Pierian press, Dreichmag, Cerasus press and Southlight 36 edition. In 2025, he has been published in the Penumbra Journal of Literature, Rituals, Art at California State University Stanislaus, Book of Matches and And Other Poems.

He is the winner of the Azerate poetry prize and his debut poetry collection, “Death and the Insatiable” was published in September 2025. https://hiddenhandbooks.com/azerate-p... His first novel “Mitchell Rose and The Bologna Massacre” was published by Wallace Publishing in July 2025.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mark.hill.3192
Twitter: https://x.com/MarkAHill172207
Web: https://www.wallacepublishing.co.uk/mark-a-hill.html
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mitchell-Rose-Bologna-Massacre-Mark/dp/B0FCMWCW9M/ Amazon USA: https://www.amazon.com/Mitchell-Rose-Bologna-Massacre-Mark-ebook/dp/B0FC8NBRLW/ref=sr_1_1
Amazon De: https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Mitchell-Rose-Bologna-Massacre-Mark/dp/B0FCMWCW9M/ref=sr_1_11
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This Samhain, awaken the legend.

Confront the darkness.

Labyrinth of Shadows

The Witch’s Rebirth Part I

by Michaela Riley

Genre: Dark Epic Historical Fantasy

The Empire Falls. A Witch Rises.Humanity's Last Hope.

 

What if the world’s salvationdepended on the rebirth of its most feared woman?

Award-winning author MichaelaRiley delivers a groundbreaking saga with The Witch's Rebirth Series, beginningwith the electrifying Labyrinth of Shadows: The Witch’s Rebirth Part I.

Born on Samhain, under theominous shroud of an eclipse, Merona's destiny is a spell woven throughcenturies. As the mighty Western Roman Empire crumbles into dust and a new kingrises amidst the ashes, an ancient prophecy demands her awakening. This is nomere historical reimagining; it is a cosmic tension, an eerie beauty wherehistory and myth conspire to ignite a forgotten power.

Forget the villains of myth. Inthis epic tale, the world's salvation rests on the shoulders of its most fearedwoman. Merona’s rebirth isn't just a beginning; it's the genesis of humanity'slast hope. Journey with her through a labyrinth of shadows, where destiny,reclamation, and the profound cost of becoming who you were always meant to becollide.

Labyrinth of Shadows: TheWitch’s Rebirth Part I doesn’t just sound epic—it feels like a spell castacross time. Prepare for a story that flips archetypes, raises the stakes tounimaginable heights, and will leave you questioning everything you thought youknew about fate and fear.

The Witch’s Rebirth Series byAward-Winning Author Michaela Riley. Her rebirth begins. The world will neverbe the same.

 

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Cauldron of Dagda

The Witch’s Rebirth Part II

This Samhain, the veil thins,and a legend awakens.

 

Michaela Riley, theaward-winning storyteller whose words have captivated readers, invites you on ajourney back to a time when magic thrummed in the very soil and darkness lurkedat the edges of the known world. Step into The Witch's Rebirth Series, a sagathat begins not with a whisper, but with a shattering revelation on the mostsacred night of the year.

The year is 540 A.D. The air inGaul is thick with an unspoken dread, a chilling premonition spreading likewildfire from the East. For nearly three decades, a name whispered with fear, afigure known only as The Witch, has remained a phantom, a recluse safeguardingtruths too powerful to be spoken. Merona, the woman behind the myth, has liveda life of quiet vigilance, her existence a shield against a nameless terror.

But the shadows are lengthening.An ancient, lurking darkness, a force older than empires and more insidiousthan plague, has begun to stir. This is not a foe that wields steel; it is acorruption that feasts on despair, a creeping night threatening to extinguishthe last embers of humanity. And Merona, the reclusive witch, is no longerhidden. She is drawn from her sanctuary, her slumbering power ignited by animperative she cannot ignore.

Her mission is immense, herburden profound. Merona is the solitary guardian of the Cauldron of Dagda, anartifact of immense power, a beacon of hope in a world teetering on theprecipice of eternal night. Humanity's fate rests not on armies, but on the whisperedincantations and fierce determination of one woman.

Beside her, though the odds arestacked against them, stand those who have pledged their unwavering loyalty.Murdach, Morrigan, and Mairead. Their faces, etched with the weariness ofcountless battles against the encroaching darkness, mirror the grim resolve inMerona's own eyes. Her voice, though carrying the weight of prophecy and theecho of a fragile world, is not one of despair, but of a fierce, unwaveringcommitment.

The Witch's Rebirth Series ismore than a story; it is an immersion into a visceral world where pagan lorecollides with cataclysmic threats. It is a testament to the power ofresilience, the strength of chosen family, and the indomitable spirit of thosewho dare to stand against the tide of oblivion.

Prepare to be spellbound.Prepare to witness the impossible. Prepare for The Witch's Rebirth Series byMichaela Riley.

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Spear of Lugh

The Witch’s Rebirth Part III

Prepare for the Rebirth. Preparefor War.

 

She was reborn on Samhain. Andthat was only the beginning.

From the award-winningimagination of Michaela Riley comes a sweeping saga where ancient myth bleedsinto brutal history, and humanity's fate rests on the shoulders of oneformidable woman. Welcome to THE WITCH'S REBIRTH SERIES.

In the shadowed year of 544 AD,the ancient Gaul town of Septimania lies scarred, but not broken. A devastatingplague had gripped its very soul, until the Witch, through powerful, arcanedeeds, began to loosen its deadly hold. Now, as the sacred eve of Samhainapproaches, the air hums with the promise of roaring bonfires, desperatefestivity, and a fragile new dawn.

But beneath the surface ofcelebration, an unsettling truth stirs: an ancient darkness, long thoughtdefeated, is awakening once more. This menacing, primeval force threatens toextinguish the fragile light of renewal, to plunge Septimania, and indeed allhumanity, into an eternal night.

With the raven's call echoingthrough the labyrinth's core, the Witch emerges, reborn and wielding thelegendary Cauldron of Dagda and the mighty Spear of Lugh. She is poised for onefinal, desperate battle. To preserve humanity, she must summon the enigmatic,divine strength of the Gods – the awe-inspiring might of the Tuatha De Danann.For in this coming conflict, so cataclysmic are the stakes, there will be novictor left standing unless the ancient powers heed her plea.

Will the Witch's rebirth behumanity's salvation, or its final, desperate gasp?

Dive into THE WITCH'S REBIRTHSERIES by Award-Winning Author Michaela Riley and witness the epic struggle forsurvival where myth is made, and legends are forged in fire and blood.

 

Your journey into ancient magicand desperate heroism begins on Samhain.

 

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Michaela Riley: Where Virginia Trails Meet Ancestral Magic

From the front lines of critical care to the enchantingworlds of fiction, Michaela Riley, a retired Army Critical Care Nurse with aMasters in Nursing Education, is the award-winning author behind "TheWitch's Rebirth" series.

Nestled in Virginia, Michaela shares her life with herhusband and a distinctive duo of canine muses: Morrigan, a majestic red GermanShepherd, and Carlos, a spirited Chihuahua-terrier. Her inspiration roots deepin the local mountains and forests, where each hike is a pilgrimage thatconnects her to ancestral whispers. These profound journeys directly fuel hercaptivating stories, weaving together magic, history, and the transformativepower of self-discovery.

Through evocative prose, Michaela invites readers to exploretheir own heritage and embrace the extraordinary magic found in uncoveringone's deepest truths.

 

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Follow the tour HERE for special contentand a giveaway!

Enter The Witch's Rebirth Series Giveaway

 

Magic happens andsparks fly when a sassy witch with curves for days crosses paths with anirresistible alpha shifter.

Weres and Witchery

by AK Nevermore

Genre: Spicy Small Town Paranormal Romance

Karma's a witch.

When witch Jena Seymore returns home to Havers-by-the-Sea tocare for her dying aunt, old town politics and prejudices are rekindled.Between the local Westside Pack’s vendetta against her family and the covenpressuring Jena to become guardian of the magical node outside of town, she hasenough problems without adding Chase Montgomery to the mix. Especially after hebroke her heart by starting the devastating rumor that sent Jena running fromtown in the first place.

But Chase has plenty of problems of his own, and how to makeamends with Jena and win her heart is at the top of the list. Unbeknownst tohis pack, Jena is his fated mate, and after her leaving town the first timealmost killed him, he’s not letting her get away again—no matter what thebacklash might be.

And meanwhile, the node is turning wild, jeopardizingHavers-by-the Sea's existence as tensions threaten to tear it apart fromwithin. Deep-seated small town secrets could hold the key to its future—butonly if they’re discovered before Samhain, when the blue moon rises.

WERESAND WITCHERY, a standalone spicy small town romance by AK Nevermore.

 

 

What readers aresaying:

“I loved thisstory! It has everything I like in a good book, angst, anger, laughter, tears,fun, heat, love, loyal best friend, quirky side characters and an HEA. Itdoesn’t get any better than that. The storyline is solid, engaging, the worldbuilding is multi-dimensional and once you start you won’t want to put itdown.” - @sunshinewhispers

 

“Wow, what a cracking book this is. Twists, turns andlots of magic so what’s not to like. I couldn’t put it down till I’d finishedit, I was completely engrossed. I loved it.” - @sbanacek

 

“I started reading this book at 9pm and read straightthrough to 4am. … FOUR. A. M. Crazy, right?! Let me tell you, this book had mehooked from the start with its humor, drama, character chemistry, characterpersonalities, drama, romance, banter, action, and spice. ‘Weres and Witchery’is among one of the best escapes I’ve had in a while.” - @Morally_Gray_Nola

   

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AK Nevermore enjoys operating heavy machinery, freebases coffee, andgives up sarcasm for Lent every year. A Jane-of-all-trades, she’s a certifiedchef, restores antiques, and dabbles in beekeeping when she’s not readingvoraciously or running down the dream in her beat-up camo Chucks.

Unable to ignore the voices in her head, and unwilling to becomemedicated, she writes Science Fiction and Fantasy full time.

She pays the bills editing, wielding a wicked hot pink pen and writinga column on SFF. She also belongs to the Authors Guild, is a chapter treasurerfor the RWA, teaches creative writing, and on the rare occasion, sleeps.

 

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Follow the tour HERE for special content and a $20 giveaway!

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How many times does a genius have to die anyway?

A rogue AI named Nessie makes answering that questionproblematical.

A Once-Dead Genius inthe Kennel of Master Morticue Ambergrand

Dead Geniuses Book 1

by R. Gary Raham

Genre: Science Fiction

What happens when you die, but the universe isn’t done withyou?

You might end up as the pet of a giant worm-a-pede alienand…if you survive your evolved descendants and rogue aliens of 1 millionA.D…discover you have more in common with intelligent worms than you everthought possible.

 Yes, all this mighthappen if you are Rudy Albert Goldstein—the discoverer of the Biomic NetworkAlgorithm—who thought his time had come. He had done his part to make the worlda better place. Now he deserved—even looked forward to—a peaceful andmercifully succinct death. But the universe had other plans…

 

What reviewersare saying:

“The arch tone should remind readers of Kurt Vonnegut,although Raham is better grounded in exobiology and science and displays a moreupbeat outlook for the human (and nonhu man) condition in this engaging tale.”Kirkus Reviews

 

“A Once-Dead Genius is filled with fascinating charactersthat we hu mans can learn a lot from (despite the fact that we are, as one ofGary’s characters puts it, ‘primates with delusions of grandeur’). The plot issolid, the action entertaining and philosophically challenging, and the scienceis great.” Michael Carroll, Astronomical artist, journalist, and author ofEuropa’s Lost Expedition

 

**On Sale! Get it for only $2.99 for a limited time!**

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A Singular Prophecy

Dead Geniuses Book 2

When young paleontologist, Ryan Thompson, finds a newspecies of mosasaur in Cretaceous seaway sediments, he is thrilled. Joy quicklyturns to fear when he touches an artifact buried among the sea reptile’s ribs.Suddenly, he must fight a mental takeover by an alien intelligence committed totransforming the Earth into a refuge for her own species. As Ryan and hisgirlfriend, Skeets, attempt to thwart alien plans to colonize Earth begun inthe deep past, even this crisis becomes trivial when the uneasy symbiosis ofRyan and the alien, Siu, generates a new entity with the power to transform theentire universe.

 

What reviewersare saying:

“GaryRaham, the author of this enthralling book, seems almost to have been therehundreds of millions of years ago when Siu’s dim star blinked out and the treesbegan to die on the planet known as Grove. This is the magic of good writing,and Raham is no less convincing as he describes the discovery by modernpaleontologists on Earth of the jewel-like engram that has carried the geneticimprint of Siu through a galactic gate, out of the void of deep time, and intoour lives.”

Kate Gilmore , author of The Exchange Student and EnterThree Witches

 

 

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A Twice-Dead GeniusComporting With Misunderstood Abominations

Dead Geniuses Book 3

Rudyard Albert Goldstein, inventor of the Biomic NetworkAlgorithm, made peace with death in the 22nd century. But an idiot doctorhijacked his mind, placing it in the care of Nessie, an impish AI guardian.Then, he died again, nearly a million years later, merged with a worm-a-pedealien male sated after completing his conjugal obligations. They expiredpeacefully on a cliff top, pondering the nature of existence—and the promise ofabominable liaisons.

Two deaths should be quite sufficient for any genius to endure.

Somehow, though, Nessie resurrected him from oblivion. His descendants neededhim again. New hostile aliens roamed the Earth—along with a mysterious immortalhybrid with powers that rivaled those of Nessie. Was the healthy young bodyNessie had prepared for him, along with the prospect of meeting a maker ofuniverses, enough of a bribe to risk dying a third time?

Apparently so.

Readers of Raham’s A Singular Prophecy (Biostration, 2011), and A Once-DeadGenius in the Kennel of Master Morticue Ambergrand (Penstemon Publications,2018) will reconnect with old friends (both human and alien). But even thosenew to the author’s quirky sense of humor will enjoy this third adventure thatspans the breadth of time and space.

 

What reviewersare saying:

“After reading and reviewing the 2018 release of “AOnce-Dead Genius in the Kennel of Master Morticue Ambergrand,” I could notimagine where Raham’s distant future could take us that would outdo that finenovel. But this author is clearly writing on a different plane because “ATwice-Dead Genius Comporting with Misunderstood Abominations” is even moreintriguing and entertaining.” Pat Stoltey, Author of Wishing Caswell Dead

 

Naked apes, gigantic worm-a-pedes, alien life formsgalore. Gary Raham’s latest does not disappoint. It’s yet another cosmic-scaleadventure with fascinating characters and a riveting, amusing story.

Michael Carroll, Astronomical artist, journalist, andauthor of Europa’s Lost Expedition

 

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Not Quite DeadGeniuses at Large on an Angry Planet

Dead Geniuses Book 4

How many times does a genius have to die anyway? RudyardAlbert Goldstein, inventor of the Biomic Network algorithm, asked himself—andhis AI guardian, Mnemosyne (aka Nessie)—that question many times in the courseof their million-year relationship. Nessie didn’t play fair, making multiplecopies of him from time to time in an effort to preserve his precociousspecies, H. sapiens from natural disasters, invading aliens,their own self-destructive proclivities, and even from the now angry planetthat gave them birth.

Could Rudy & Nessie manage to convince multiple species,each with their own unique delusions of grandeur, to work together to averttheir own extinctions? Could Rudy find a way to let Nessie finally set himfree?

Only time—and the completion of an even vasterintellect—would tell.

 

What reviewersare saying:

“An increasingly madcap conclusion to an eco-themed SFsaga of a weary Earth chafing under its alien tenants.” Kirkus Reviews

 

“One of the things I love about this series is the castof imaginative characters, including human, alien, and the combinations ofliving creatures with the surviving intelligence of great minds long gone.” PatStoltey, author of Wishing Caswell Dead

 

Deep Time and Gary are close bud dies, as is evidenced bythe panoramic time and physical settings taken in by his tales. Fans of thefirst Once-Dead Genius—and newcomers as well— will not be disappointed by thenewest installment...” Michael Carroll, Astronomical artist, journalist, andauthor of Europa’s Lost Expedition

 

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Interlude 1: Resurrection & Reconnection

 

Mnemosyne (a.k.a. Nessie)

 

I need to awaken Rudy. Gaidra is restless. She won’t wait long to makeher anger manifest.

I: the personal pronoun. Rudy helped me earn the use of thatdistinction—at least in the first of his incarnations. He will be angry with methat there is now more than one of him. But I have determined that waking himagain is necessary.

 

Am I—an artificial intelligence—taking pride in using that personalpronoun? Pride is such a human emotion, but perhaps it follows in the wake ofself-awareness. I should not care that Rudy might be angry with me.Nevertheless, I do. One can’t spend 928,000 years with another entity—even ifhe is only a replicate of his original hominid mentality—without caring abouthow he will react to new circumstances. Although I have gained intellectualautonomy, my choices are circumscribed by my original programming, just as organic evolution dictates the range of Rudy’s choices, evenas a simulacrum. Rudy needs to help me help his genetic descendants. Hisfeelings—and mine, if I can justifiably call them that—rank a distant second inthe present hierarchy of actions.

 

Now where did I put his file? It’s much too large to misplace. Ah,there it is in subterranean annex DG05976543. I hope the heat from that nearbymagma intrusion didn’t damage any neural engram subroutines. “Rudyard AlbertGoldstein: Awaken!”

Why didn’t that work? It’s the proper file, I’m sure…

 

“Damn! Where are the lights? Is that you, Nessie?”

 

I haven’t heard that nickname in a while. “One moment, Rudy. Ineglected to activate a suitable virtual environment. What would you prefer:The Crystal Lakes patio? The Citadel Control Room? Perhaps a deck chair on thecliff where you and the worm-a-pede alien, Master Morticue Ambergrand, viewedthe majesty of the Milky Way just before your second death?”

 

“What have you done now, Nessie? You don’t usually invest in big,petabyte-eating virtual environments unless you’ve got distressing news toshare. How about sitting with me on two lumpy buckets in a room lit by aflickering old incandescent light bulb? That way you’ll get to the pointsooner. Oh, and for additional ambiance you could always toss a dead fish inthe corner circled by a few blue bottle flies.”

“I’ve missed your colorful imagery, Rudy. I’ll get to the pointquickly. You might as well enjoy yourself. Dark roast on the patio seemsappropriate.”

 

“You used to be less pushy as I recall. I must have told you too muchabout my third wife, Tamara. Now you’re modeling her.”

 

Perhaps I was, but just a little. I borrowed a few thousand petabytesof memory from some idle maintenance bots and constructed the environmentsurrounding Rudy’s old cabin in the Colorado woodlands of his youth when he wasan embodied living creature. Rudy blinked into view in one chair sporting astill dark brown crown of hair and a bristly mustache on his upper lip. I tookthe form of the ponytailed female avatar he liked, dressed in jeans that fither legs like a sheath and a blouse that allowed him to see the tips of hernipples beneath the white fabric.

 

Rudy lifted the cup of dark roast coffee from the glass-topped tablenext to his chair and took a sip. “Delicious as always.” Rudy curled his lipsinto a minimalist smile and narrowed his eyes. “Now spill it, Nessie. What’sgoing on?”

 

How much should I reveal? Perhaps I can save the information about hisother incarnations for now. “Your descendants need help, Rudy. Gaidra sees atrend developing with the growth of human and alien civilizations on her crust.She doesn’t want to see old mistakes repeated. She plans to…moderate the rateof change.”

 

Rudy frowned. “Kill off a bunch of her sapient pests, you mean.” Rudyset down his cup of coffee and ran both hands through his hair. “I still findit hard to wrap my mind around a biospheric global intelligence, although Ishouldn’t, for heaven’s sake. I did create the Biomic Network Algorithm afterall.”

 

“And Gaidra does appreciate that. I can read her moods accurately afterinteracting with her for so long. But biospheres do possess a collectivesurvival instinct. First Gaia…and now Gaidra…hasn’t persevered for billions ofyears without it.” I blinked my eyes and produced a minimalist smile of my own.

 

Rudy was silent for a long moment, perhaps recalling some fraction ofhis own experiences as a more than human chimera. Finally, he just said, “So,outline the problem, Nessie.”

 

“I have some stories you need to hear.”

 

“Stories!?”

 

“You humans learn best that way.”

 

Rudy harrumphed again.

 

“The first one is about a genius, like you, Rudy, but one born to aJadderbadian pet named Blaze who never belonged to a pre-apocalypticcivilization like yours. Still, I think you will be able to relate.”

 

Rudy rolled his eyes, but picked up his coffee and took another sip.After lowering the cup to the table again he arched his eyebrows and shruggedhis shoulders. “Well… get on with it, old girl. I know better than to arguewith you.”

 

So, I did.

 

(I do rather enjoy using the personal pronoun, as you can tell.)

R. Gary Raham illustrates nature with the critical eye of abiologist, but he also loves to tell stories that highlight nature’scomplexities and undiscovered mysteries. Sometimes that leads him tospeculative fictions that he hopes will inspire another generation of bothscientists and story-tellers. Raham’s work has been known to make a readerlaugh and think simultaneously with no known deleterious effects. Raham taughtbiology at the middle and high school level, has worked for decades as anaccomplished graphic artist and science journalist, and won numerous awards forhis writing and illustrations. He currently has over 20 published books ofscience fact and/or science fiction. Raham has written science titles forChelsea House, Discovery Channel Books, Marshall-Cavendish, and Teacher IdeasPress. Many of his award-winning science articles for both children and adultsare featured in Confessions of a Time Traveler (Penstemon, 2015), a finalist inthe Colorado Authors’ League Awards.

 

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1833 BROTHERS & SISTERS

by J.A. Boulet

 

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GENRE: Historical Western Romance

 

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BLURB:

 

Apeek into the Underground Railroad and the tumultuous period before theAmerican Civil War.

 

In 1833 Philadelphia,the northern states of America were changing, and not everyone was keen onaltering the status quo. Black slaves were being freed, and new slaves were nolonger allowed.

 

But the southern statesdidn't always agree. Natives were being thrown out of their homes for livingtoo close to gold, and escaped black slaves were being hunted down. JesseEastman controls the affluent Eastman Empire and frees a former slave, his half-sisterGeorgina. But some family members don't like it.

 

When an estrangedbrother gets the idea to let a ruthless gang of property buyers initiate atakeover, all hell breaks loose.

 

1833 Brothers &Sisters will pull you into an old western-style family saga, filled with greed,marital love, family conflict, and smoking gun shootouts

 

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ExcerptTwo:

 

Jesse grasped the large oak front door. “You are no longeran Eastman,” Jesse stated angrily. “Get out.”

 

“I live here too,” Billy stated incredulously.

 

“Not any longer,” Jesse replied.

 

“I have my belongings here.”

 

“I will have the servants collect your belongings anddeliver them to you by carriage.”

 

“You can’t do this!” Billy yelled, indignantly.

 

“I sure can!” Jesse shouted back, systematically rolling uphis sleeves. “I noticed that you signed this agreement today, probably atBartholomew’s office, and you came here right after. Big mistake, Billy. Youare officially estranged from the Eastman Empire as of today. Get out and don’tcome back. Your signature officially means nothing as of today.” Jessestraightened his shoulders and braced himself for the physical fight. “We havewitnesses to attest to this.” Jesse waved his arms around the room.

 

Billy’s eyes darted toward the stairs where Zee was watchingthe entire event unfold, and to the hallway where several servants gatheredfrom the kitchen. Almost ten people stared at Billy, waiting for his next move.

 

“You always were the one that Father hated,” Billy sneered,hoping that his brother would do something stupid.

 

Jesse leapt at Billy. The younger brother took a few stepsback and narrowly escaped the range of Jesse’s arms.

 

Jesse came closer and growled in Billy’s face angrily. “Ifyou don’t leave now, I will pick you up myself and throw you out.”

 

 

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What research did you do towrite this book?

 

I always enjoy the researchaspect of writing historical novels. I am part history geek, and the other half,a passionate writer.

 

My research was extensiveand included little nuances of the way women feared makeup in the 1830s tomuseums in Philadelphia about the Revolutionary War. I needed a strong base ofunderstanding about the polarity during the times between the Loyalists and thePatriots. I also spent a considerable amount of time researching theUnderground Railroad and the struggles that many black slaves had escaping tothe northern states and Upper Canada.

Another piece of historythat I stumbled upon was the Trail of Tears, an 1830 forced evacuation ofNative Americans from their lands and homes. It started with a gold rush in 1829.The only problem was the gold was discovered on Cherokee land. The governmentquickly stepped in and passed the Indian Removal Act in 1830. Even though it onlyformed a small part of my story, the historical details were so heart-wrenching,that I may consider a full spinoff novel for the Trail of Tears one day.

I have always maintainedthat history is so crucial to our current state of existence. Without it, themass movement of people would not have existed, creating the families that weknow today. The grievances between different groups of people also stems so farback that it is almost ingrained in their DNA.

The movement of theUnderground Railroad was set into motion by ordinary, everyday Americans.Baptists, Abolitionists, former slaves, and average Americans opened theirhomes as a safe “station” for escaped slaves on their way north. It stands as astark reminder that any large collective of citizens can and WILL invokechange.

But of course, my novelsalso have a romantic element, because I believe that throughout all theturbulent events, everyday lives continue. People fall in love, fall out oflove, and some have to fight for their families and loved ones. I hope youenjoy 1833 Brothers & Sisters! Thanks for following my book tour!Love ya all!

 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

J. A. Boulet isa passionate historical fiction novelist weaving tales with strong romanticthemes. Raised in a Hungarian refugee family, J. A. was born and grew up inCanada with strong moral convictions, which she has stood behind all her life.Ms. Boulet began writing poetry at a very young age and progressed to shortstories and novels easily. She quickly became a history geek and becamefascinated with ancestry and the rough path of immigration. Her universitystudies ranged from photojournalism to accounting. After decades of working inaccounting, J. A. published her first book in 2020 and has since published oneto two books annually.

 

She lives inthe Niagara region of Canada with her two sons, a crested gecko, a largeDoberdor dog, and a small orchard of fruit trees.

 

 

Website:https://jaboulet.ca/

Amazon link:https://www.amazon.com/1833-Brothers-Sisters-Eastman-Saga-ebook/dp/B0FSGYDF5B

Twitter link:https://twitter.com/love_walk_life

Instagram link:https://www.instagram.com/jabouletauthor/

YouTube link:https://www.youtube.com/@jabouletfiction8059/videos

Goodreads link:https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/242036807-1833-brothers-sisters

Video Trailer: https://youtu.be/4ASTflLvjP4?si=X-NcOZ-LcKKgttO0

 

 

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GIVEAWAY

J. A. Boulet will be awarding a $15 Amazon/BN giftcard to a randomly drawn winner.