Tag Archives: Literary Fiction

Paul Byers, Author of Arctic Fire: On Tour

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This post was most recently updated on October 18th, 2013

Publisher: Fortress Publications  (July 1, 2011)
Category: Thriller, Action Adventure,  & Literary Fiction
Tour Date: September, 2013
ISBN: 978-0615504070
Available in: Print & eBook,  412Pages

Wealthy entrepreneur Nigel Cain has devised an efficient new way to bring the earth’s most precious resource to the masses – clean water – by transporting massive man-made icebergs from the frigid arctic and delivering them literally to the doorsteps of millions.

Gabriel Pike works at a small engineering firm that has been awarded the task of giving the final safety approval to pilot the first gigantic block of ice into New York harbor.

A consummate showman, Cain has built a fabulous 5-Star hotel and casino high atop the iceberg so his celebrity guests and media elite can cover this spectacle from beginning to end. Pike is whisked away from his work-a-day world and dropped into the lap of luxury where he’s expected to simply rubber-stamp his inspection.

A brutal winter storms ravages the iceberg and exposes structural inconsistencies and hidden agendas that fill Pike with serious doubts about the true intentions of the project.  But a grisly double homicide on the ice puts the inspections on the back burner and sends Pike’s life spiraling out of control when he’s accused of being the jealous murderer in a lover’s triangle.

But Pike soon discovers that there is far more at stake than just his life. He uncovers a conspiracy more heinous than anything he could have imagined – a plot that will level a city, change the political face of America, and whose shockwaves will be felt around the world. Fate rests in his hands – if he can survive long enough to take action…

Praise for Arctic Fire:

“A madman’s insatiable quest for power could level a major American city and kill thousands, ushering in a New World Order.  Arctic Fire is a thrill-ride that will leave you breathless.” – Jeremy Robinson, bestselling author of INSTINCT and THRESHOLD

“Audacious and ambitious, Arctic Fire burns with action, and chills with the possibilities of what the future may hold. A thriller not to be missed!” – Sean Ellis, author of INTO the BLACK

 “A new twist on a classic battlefield ploy finds an iceberg controlled by a megalomaniac on a collision course with NYC. A provocative blend of fact and fiction that explores issues surrounding a critical natural resource, fresh water, Arctic Fire is bound to leave readers thirsty for more.”-Rick Chesler, author of kiDNApped and WIRED KINGDOM

“We’re running low on fresh water. What do we do? Let’s move an iceberg! I love the premise!! From the opening pages until the thrilling end, Arctic Fire is a heart-pounding adventure filled with risks, action and suspense. With engaging characters and a compelling plot, you will be hard pressed to put this novel down. Just when you think you know what is going to happen, with who and what, the author delivers another surprising twist that will keep you on the edge of your seat. The character are concealing and manipulative, yet believable. The rush of adrenaline is well-rehearsed with each operation, leaving the reader frantically turning to the next page, desperate to find out what is going to happen next.
This is the first work I have read of Paul Byers, but he reminds me a lot of Clive Cussler with a twist of Brian Freeman – which is an excellent pairing! Arctic Fire is a novel that showcases his effortless feel for narrative as well as his flawless instincts for suspense. I can’t wait to see what Byers has in store for us next. I definitely won’t want to miss it!”- Mindy Hines, Minding Spot Website

“When I was first asked to review Arctic Fire I laughed out loud. I’ve always wondered why someone didn’t just do this exact same thing to help the countries that go through droughts so I was really looking forward to reading this one and I wasn’t disappointed. Arctic Fire is a fast paced read that I finished in just one day. I fell in love with Gabriel Pike from the first chapter and was dying to know just what sinister plot Cain had in mind. I highly recommend this one for anyone who loves suspense thrillers.” – Monie,  Reading With Monie Website

“An awesome mystery/thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat. I really liked all the characters in this book and the mystery of a homicide. Wonderfully written! If you like a mystery with lots of thrills, you will love this book.”- Sherrie Plummer, Sherrie’s Books Website

About Paul Byers:

Paul grew up in Oregon on the shores of the mighty and mysterious Columbia River, and spent endless hours daydreaming on the beach in front of his house, making up stories about the ships from exotic ports all over the world that steamed up the river – what secret cargo might they be carrying; did they harbor spies who were on dark and exciting missions?

Later in adult life, he moved to another mysterious and provocative city – Las Vegas, just outside the famous Nellis Air Force base. After work he would sit on his porch and watch the fighters take off and land, igniting his imagination with visions of secret missions and rich speculation about what could possibly be hidden at Area 51.

After moving back to his native Pacific Northwest, Paul worked for the Navy and took every opportunity he could to speak with veterans from WWII to the Gulf War, listening to them swap stories and relate the experiences of a lifetime.

So it is this combination of a passionate love of history, a vivid “what if” imagination, and a philosophy of life that boils down to the belief that – there are few things in life that a bigger hammer won’t fix – that led Paul to become a writer of exciting, fact-based action-thrillers. His greatest joy is leaving his readers wondering where the facts end and the fiction begins.

Author Website: http://www.paulbyersonline.com/

Paul on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Paul-Byers-Authors-page/139119899459356

Paul on Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/535909.Paul_Byers

Buy Arctic Fire:

Amazon
Barnes and Noble

Follow the Tour:

So Many Precious Books Sept 2 Review & Giveaway
Green Mountain People Sept 18 Review
She Treads Softly Sept 4 Review
Books, Books, & More Books Sept 5 Review
Books, Books, & More Books Sept 6 Interview & Giveaway
Cheryl’s Book Nook Sept 9 Review
Butterfly-o-Meter Books Sept 10 Spotlight
Butterfly-o-Meter Books Sept 11 Guest Post
 My Shelf Confessions Sept 13 Review
 My Shelf Confessions Sept 13 Interview & Giveaway
Room Without Books is Empty Sept 16 Review
Thoughts in Progress Sept 18 Guest Post & Giveaway
Romance & Inspiration Sept 19 Review
The News In Books Sept 23 Review
The News In Books Sept 24 Guest Post
Sweeps4Bloggers Sept 24 Review & Giveaway
Tales of a Book Addict Sept 25 Review
Joy Story Sept 26 Review
fundinmental  Sept 27 Review & Giveaway
DWED Oct 1 Review
So Many Precious Books Oct 4 Interview & Giveaway

Lisa D. Ellis, Author of Finding Lily: On Tour

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This post was most recently updated on June 12th, 2013

Publisher: Soul Mate Publishing  (January 22, 2013)
Category: Women’s Fiction, Literary Fiction, Relationships, Touching on supernatural
Tour Date: Mid May, 2013
Available in: eBook, 180 pages

Sometimes the ties that bind people together can also tear them apart. In FINDING LILY, first-time novelist Lisa D. Ellis explores that delicate balance that exists in all relationships and tries to find meaning in a world that is sometimes kind and sometimes harsh.

Her narrator Claire, who is reeling after the unexpected loss of a newborn baby Lily, walks the fine line between love, loss, heartache and healing. Unable to cope with her grief, which seems magnified by her husband Jim’s colder coping style, Claire leaves Jim behind and runs away to live in a lighthouse she had fallen in love with as a child.

At first all Claire wants is an escape but slowly, the lighthouse sheds new light on her situation and helps her reimagine her life in a new way, sometimes with her feet on the ground and sometimes lifting up beyond the boundaries of reality to help her reconnect with Lily. Claire’s memorable journey to the lighthouse — and back again — is a story of hope and of possibility.

Readers will fall in love with Claire and with the rich images and rhythmic tones that Ellis masterfully weaves from the very first page through to the satisfying conclusion of FINDING LILY.

Praise for Finding Lily:

“In Finding Lily, Lisa D. Ellis offers up a lyrical–yet practical–first novel that so accurately depicts not only a woman’s first love, but her first loss as well.  As the narrator grapples with the death of her infant daughter, Claire slips between the surreal gossamer world of devastating grief and the unknown turf of the inevitable marital discord that accompanies the death of a child–as represented by that  “invisible line in the bed” between Claire and Jim.

Her husband is an attorney, she knows that–but she is still horrified that, even while her “arms still felt the shape of Lily in them,” Jim tells her to be “reasonable,” saying between forkfuls of homemade cake, “We can have another child soon.”

Although she is aware of what she calls “the grateful way he looks at me when he thinks I am asleep,” Claire’s anger incites her to retreat–alone–to the  lighthouse in the cold of winter.

Her thoughts and feelings about Jim are further clouded when she sees an image of Lily “suspended inches above the frozen sand in the cold air, like a dancer caught at the end of a leap from which she can never land.” The real question here is whether Claire’s grief–and the apparition of her daughter–will create another loss:  the loss of her marriage.         

In the end, Claire must decide whether her ethereal child is more real and permanent than the foundation of her marriage.  In so doing, Claire’s journey to the lighthouse resonates with the voices of women everywhere who simply want to love, and to be loved, even within the cold grasp of tragedy.  Like Virginia Woolf’s To the Lighthouse, a novel more concerned with lyrical introspection than predictable plot points, Finding Lily is a must-read for anyone who has ever pondered the vagaries of human existence–as defined by both men and women”. –Karen E. Peterson, Ph.D., author of WRITE:  10 Days to Overcome Writer’s Block 

About Lisa Ellis:

Lisa Ellis is a writer whose short fiction has appeared in a number of literary journals and magazines. FINDING LILY is her first novel. She has a master’s degree in journalism from Boston University and provides health content regularly for hospitals and websites in New England and the tri-state area.

Lisa’s Website

Lisa D. Ellis on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lisadellisauthor
Lisa D. Ellis on Twitter: https://twitter.com/LisaEllisauthor

Buy Finding Lily at:

Amazon
Barnes and Noble
SoulMatePublishing

Follow the Tour:

So Many Precious Books May 15 Review & Giveaway
My Life One Story At a Time May 16 Review
My Life One Story At a Time May 16 Guest Post & Giveaway
Mom in Love with Fiction May 16 Review & Giveaway
Peeking Between Pages May 17 Review
JoyStory May 21 Review & Giveaway
Bookworm  Brandee May 22 Review & Giveaway
A Booklover’s Library May 24 Guest Post
Reading With Tea May 24 Review & Giveaway
From Isi May 28 Review
Rainy Days & Mondays May 30 Review
A Booklover’s Library May 31 Review
Rainy Days & Mondays May 31 Guest Post
Wall to Wall Books June 3 Review
DWED Blog June 4 Review
The Book Diva’s Reads June 4 Interview
I’d Rather Be At the Beach  June 5 Review & Giveaway
Midnight Musings June 6 Review
Books, Books & More Books June 7 Review
Every Free Chance June 7 Interview & Giveaway
Of Books & Reading June 10 Review
Reviewing Novels on Line  June 11 Review
Raging Bibliomanania June 12 Review

Margo Krasne, Author of Appearances and Other Short Stories: On Tour

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This post was most recently updated on March 26th, 2013

Publisher: Wasteland Press, October 23, 2012
Category: Fiction- Short Stories, Literary Fiction, Relationships
Tour Dates: March, 2013
Available in: Print, 160 pages

In this debut collection, Krasne wields insightful irony and cathartic black humor to illuminate her themes of loss, yearning and survival, bringing to it a biting female perspective. An adept stylist with an ear for dialogue and an eye for personal foibles, Krasne cleverly captures the distinct voices of her characters as they strive to negotiate the subtle and not-so-subtle minefields of family obligation and personal conflict. She has a knack for getting inside her characters’ heads as they strive to keep up appearances. Readers will most surely recognize themselves, their friends and family members in all of these beautifully rendered stories.

Praise for Appearances and Other Short Stories:

“Margo Krasne’s collection of short stories (“Appearances”) cuts right to the core of love, loss, disappointment and survival. Reading this book will be a cathartic experience for anyone who has had those less-than-perfect-but-oh-so-real family relationships. My own childhood could not have been more different than the Wallachs (an Upper West and later Upper East Side New York Jewish family) — but the emotions are so true and so piercing that I felt every single one. A truly magnificent collection.” Jeff Johnson, author of ‘Things Your Dog Doesn’t Want You To Know’

“Margo Krasne’s premiere short story collection, “Appearances”, is not to be missed. Krasne invites her readers to step inside the minds & hearts of her characters, resulting in a truthful, proactive, and emotional journey in each of her beautifully crafted stories. The stories will remain with readers long after they put “Appearances” down– each story is nothing `short’ of magnificent and illustrate female ‘appearances’ with real honesty. “Appearances” is truly a phenomenal accomplishment of shorts that leave readers hoping Krasne will soon release her next body of work!” Hillary Megroz’s, Goodreads Reviewer

“Margo Krasne’s first published collection of short stories is a gem. Full of irony, black humor and snappy dialogue, Krasne draws readers into her world and invites them to stay a while as her characters negotiate the subtle and not-so-subtle minefields of family obligations, relationships and personal conflicts.” J. Z. McBride, Amazon.com Reviewer

”I really loved these stories, a lot of humour and emotion. I enjoyed all of them and would like to read more written by this author.” Dorothy Greenberg, Amazon.com Reviewer

About Margo Krasne:

Margo Krasne, born and raised in Manhattan, has always led two lives. As a radio advertising producer, she sculpted; as a sculptor, she was an extra in commercials, and for the past 24 years, as a communications coach and author of Say it with Confidence, she writes fiction whenever possible.

Margo Krasne on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Margo-Krasne-Author/377090689031636?fref=ts

Buy Appearances and Other Short Stories at:

Amazon.com
Barnes and Noble
The Book Depository

Follow the Tour: 

So Many Precious Books Mar 4 Review & Giveaway
Love at First Book Mar 5 Review
Love at First Book Mar 6 Interview & Giveaway
Walk on Words Mar 7 Review
Walk on Words Mar 8 Giveaway
West Metro Mommy Mar 11 Review & Giveaway
She Treads Softly Mar 12 Review
Raging Bibliomanania Mar 13 Review
Sweeps for Bloggers Mar 15 Review & Giveaway
Reading for Sanity Mar 18 Review
Lost in Books  Mar 19 Interview & Giveaway
Saving for 6 Mar 20 Review & Giveaway
Joy Story Mar 21 Review
In This World of Books Mar 22 Review & Giveaway
Bookworm Brandee Mar 25 Review
Bookworm Brandee Mar 26 Interview & Giveaway