Publication Date: November 2016

Genre: Historical Fiction/Literary

1442: The Ottoman Turks are advancing through the Balkans with Vienna in their sights and Constantinople, the Orthodox Greek capital, within their grasp. Dracul, ruler of Wallachia (present-day Romania), will pay almost any price to save his country, but he will not surrender to the blackmail of the cardinals of Rome; he will not betray the Greeks.

When Vlad, his middle son, begins to show signs of the ancestral sickness, Dracul vows to deliver him into safety. But time is running short. To some, Vlad Dracula is a strigoi, the worst of all evils; to others, he is the son of a righteous man. Confrontational, charismatic and manipulative, he tests family and enemy alike. Surely he is destined for power, but of what kind?

As the Ottomans plot to take Constantinople, the future of Vlad Dracula becomes a weapon for those who would preserve the Golden City of the Eastern Church. The Catholics are afraid of him; the Greeks hold the scrolls that tell of his past. And when the Sultan calls for the services of a soothsayer, even the shrewd teller of fortunes is unprepared for what he learns.


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Review: 

The year 1442, the land of Wallachia is situated in an advantageous place for the upcoming capture of Constantinople by the Ottamans.  Wallachia is ruled by Dracul and might seem like an impenetrable stronghold.  Dracul believes himself and his middle son, Vlad to be cursed by the malady of the stirigoi causing them to have periods of sickness and then increased strength along with restless nights.  Upon visiting the court of Murad II, the Ottaman Sultan, Dracul is forced to leave his Vlad and his youngest son, Radu as hostages under the watchful and vehement, vengeful eye of Murad's son, Mehmet.  While under Mehmet's roof, Vlad becomes stronger in janissary training, but his affliction becomes more apparent; to some this makes Vlad appear weaker, however to others this makes him more powerful and to be feared.  While Mehmet dreams of conquering Constantiople to Vienna, his dreams are seen differently by his father's soothsayer and one man stands in Mehmet's way. 

Everyone knows the story surrounding Vlad Dracula, however the real history of how he came to be so revered and feared at the same time is just as interesting.  I had no idea of Wallachia or his childhood going into the story, so this part of the history was very interesting to me as Vlad really was kept as a vassal of the Ottoman empire.  The characters of Dracul, Vlad and Radu can be seen as very real characters going through very difficult circumstances.  Of course, Vlad was brought to life the most for me as well as his adversary, Mehmet. Through these two men, the internal and external struggles of good vs. evil are highlighted throughout the story.  The myth of the strigoi combined with the tale of Zalmoxis was very intriguing to me and I loved how it intertwined through the story from a fear that the farmers of Wallachia seem to have, to a possible medical condition carried through the Dracul line, or a curse placed upon the family; the reality of the condition is kept in the dark, but places the possibility of the supernatural just enough to keep you wondering.  Overall, a wonderful story combining historical fiction of the conquest of Istabul and the rise of Count Dracula. 



​

About the Book: 
Lost Diaries of Elizabeth Cady Stanton
by Sarah Bates
Publisher: Booklocker.com, Inc. (February 15, 2016)
Category: Historical Fiction, Historical Romance
Tour Dates: Oct/Nov, 2016
ISBN: 978-1634910262
ASIN: B01D6YS52G
Available in: Print & ebook,  420 Pages


From award winning author, Sarah Bates, Johnstown, New York, 1823: It is a time when a wife’s dowry, even children, automatically becomes her husband’s property. Slavery is an economic advantage entrenched in America but rumblings of abolition abound.
For Elizabeth Cady to confront this culture is unheard of, yet that is exactly what she does. Before she can become a leader of the women’s rights movement and prominent abolitionist, she faces challenges fraught with disappointment. Her father admires her intellect but says a woman cannot aspire to the goals of men. Her sister’s husband becomes her champion–but secretly wants more. Religious fervor threatens to consume her.
As she faces depression and despair, she records these struggles and other dark confidences in diaries. When she learns the journals might fall into the wrong hands and discredit her, she panics and rips out pages of entries that might destroy her hard-fought reputation. Relieved, she believes they are lost to history forever.
But are they? Travel with Elizabeth into American history and discover a young woman truly ahead of her time.

Review:
We all know Elizabeth Cady Stanton as a fearless abolitionist and crusader for women’s rights.  However, I did not know a lot about her early life and how her youth was able to shape the woman that helped to change history. I have been fortunate enough to visit her house and the Women’s Rights Museum that accompanies it, so reading The Lost Diaries of Elizabeth Cady Stanton was a treat for me.  Elizabeth’s diaries begin when she is a young child listening in on her father’s sessions with young lawyers and takes us through the time when she met and married Henry Stanton. 
 
First of all, I do love books written with diary entries.  They always make me feel as if I am getting a super intimate look into someone’s life.  This was written mostly from Elizabeth’s point of view with a short diary entry at the end of each chapter, therefore the diary entries generally just summed up the chapter.  However, I did really enjoy the childhood and young adult character for Elizabeth that was portrayed: determined, curious, engaging, and adventurous and always learning.  Elizabeth was a constant challenge for her parents and also challenged the roles of race and gender roles from a young age.  I love that she fought for her education and took every chance she could to better herself.  It was also very interesting to see all of the people that she came into contact with throughout her life thanks to her family ties, Henry Thoreau, a young Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass and the Astors to name a few. I was most impressed by her unwillingness to marry a man who did not agree with her views on abolition and women’s rights.  However, I wish the book didn’t stop at her marriage to Henry; I really wanted to continue to read about her campaigns with women’s rights and gender equality.  Overall, an interesting look into the early life of a very interesting woman.
 
This book was provided for free in return for an honest review. 

About the Author: 
​
Sarah Bates worked as an advertising copywriter for ten years then as a freelance writer.  Her clients included a book packager, the local chamber of commerce, a travel newsletter and a weekly newspaper where she covered business and schools.

Her short fiction has appeared in the Greenwich Village Literary Review, the San Diego North County Times (now the Union-Tribune) and the literary magazine Bravura. She is the author of Twenty-One Steps of Courage, an Army action novel published in 2012 and co-author of the 2005 short story collection, Out of Our Minds, Wild Stories by Wild Women.

She is the winner of Military Category, for Twenty-One Steps of Courage, Next Generation Indie Book Awards (2013) and 2nd Place Finalist, The Lost Diaries of Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Unpublished Novel- Category, San Diego Book Awards (2015)

Bates was an English Department writing tutor at Palomar College in California for ten years. She continues to privately tutor both academic and creative writing students and is writing a new novel. Sarah Bates lives in Fallbrook, California.

Website: http://www.sarahbatesauthor.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/bateswriter
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sarahbatesauthor/
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/108133638718869926894/posts

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Read an Excerpt:
Lost Diaries of Elizabeth Cady Stanton Excerpt

Charles Grandison Finney whose evangelical revivals swept America has Elizabeth in his emotional control. Vulnerable and weak, she faces the consequences.

Elizabeth couldn’t shake the bleak mood that seemed to hold her in its clutches. No matter how hard she tried, Finney’s terrifying words describing the lost souls who’d died without Jesus grew louder each time she recalled them. Yet by Sunday, the opportunity to listen once again to the excitement of his powerful oratory drew her like a magnet. She resisted, promising herself she would not go, not listen again to his warnings about the evil she knew with certainty lurked within her. Yet, at the last moment, she grabbed her bonnet and raced down the stairs to squeeze into the last wagon headed for the revival. Now so confused about the fight of good versus evil within her, she listened enrapt, certain he singled her out for his message of salvation. Perhaps if she were more pious, her father would recognize her strength and intelligence. Would he accept her then? Could a strong belief in God be the difference between how men and women were treated?
      Within a week, Finney’s evangelical revivals were so popular he arranged to conduct daily prayer meetings at Troy Seminary after the evening meal. Nothing had united the girls like this so far, Mrs. Willard had told them. She was delighted when he said he would come to the school. Now with the revival preacher steps from her room, nothing restrained Elizabeth from filing into the dining hall with the other girls. In fact, schoolwork sessions diminished into a series of brief lectures so the girls could attend the revival meetings.
      No matter how illogical the preacher’s commentary, its fiery purpose captivated Elizabeth until she succumbed to his artful pleas. Finally, feeling desperate and limp, she ignored her courses, consumed little food and withdrew from the day-to-day gossip of her friendships with Mavis and Camille. Even Amy Lee’s giddy chatter couldn’t cheer her. The twins pounded on Elizabeth’s door demanding to come in one day after a Finney prayer meeting. They found her curled up on the bed, her open Bible beneath her cheek.
      “Lizzy, we are worried about you. This has gone on too long,” Camille said as sternly as she could. Their strict Baptist upbringing embraced revival meetings, but even they never heard anyone as convincing as Finney. The two sisters no longer attended the meetings, but fear for Elizabeth’s welfare brought them to her door.
      The circles beneath Elizabeth’s blue eyes were now nearly purple. “You do not understand,” she said. She pulled her disheveled hair away from her collar. The pins that kept her curls in place lay strewn on the bare floor. A pair of soiled stockings hung draped over the chair by her desk and a half-eaten shriveled bit of bread lay on the windowsill.
      Mavis bustled around the room righting its contents after throwing open the window to let in the warm afternoon breeze. She hummed to herself as she worked.
      “Do not do that,” Elizabeth said, struggling to rise from her bed.
      “You must not go back to that man,” Camille said with a note of finality in her voice. “We will not let you, right Sister?”
      Mavis nodded.
      “I am going back. Tomorrow,” Elizabeth said. “The Reverend said repent and I will become an angel.”
        “That is nonsense,” Mavis said. “No one is an angel. Not till you are dead, that is.”
      “Well, I am going nevertheless.”
      “Then we will go with you,” Camille said.
      The next day, Elizabeth rushed into the dining hall to get a front seat with Camille and Mavis trailing behind her.
      By the time the revival preacher reached the midpoint of his sermon and began to stride back and forth in front of the girls and their teachers, shaking his long black hair about his head with each gesture, drops of spit flew from his mouth.
      “Ye shall repent, or forever be sentenced to eternal damnation. The Devil’s disciples are waiting to usher you into a Hell so hot, so full of burning embers ye shall never escape. Do you see them now?”
      He stopped to point into the crowd and at that moment Elizabeth rose to her feet expecting to see the wretched people.
      Mavis pulled her down into her chair. “Lizzy, it is all right, do not fret so.”
      “I must find out how to repent,” she said, brushing her friend’s hand from her arm. Her heart pounded and when Finney stopped to take a breath, winding up his message, she dashed to the sidelines of the stage.
      She waited while the man ended his sermon and left his pulpit to shake hands with the crowd as it emptied from the dining hall. While Camille and Mavis hovered in the background, Elizabeth approached Finney.
      “Sir, I am profoundly changed by your messages,” she started. “And wish to repent, but I do not know how or what that means.”
      Finney stared down at her, his blue eyes narrowed. When he clapped a hand on her shoulder she trembled.
      “Repent of your sins and believe in Jesus Christ child, that’s all there is to it,” he said.
      “But I have done that and I’m still besieged with dreams of evil and terrible images.”
      “Believe in Jesus and He will bring happiness to you,” Finney said, turning to gather up his Bible and his sermon notes.
      “When does it happen?” She asked of his retreating back.
      “Believe, my girl,” Finney called as he closed the dining hall door behind him.
 

About the Book: ​
Title: The Protector Bug: The Tryouts
Author: Jason Reid
Genre: Children’s Books
"This amazing new addition to The Protector Bug series not only has new illustrations, but a fun new adventure for children of all ages to enjoy. In “The Tryouts” two best friends Sheldon, the ant, and Jared ,the mosquito, overcome challenges as they are both on their own journeys to becoming the newest Protector Bugs. The wonderfully illustrated children’s book is full of adventure and great moral lessons of overcoming self-doubt and helping those in need. The unexpected surprises of these two best friends will keep you and your children on your toes and wanting to read more!"

Review: 
The Protector Bugs are an elite group of bugs that protect children from things that go bump in the night.  Jared the mosquito and Sheldon the Ant want nothing more than to join the troops and help out.  However, three big beetle brothers stand in their way. On the day of the tryouts Jared and Sheldon learn what it really means to be a Protector Bug.

A fun story that highlights the importance of making the right choices and that the right choices can be the hardest.  First of all, I love the idea that the bugs we usually perceive as being annoying or hurtful are presented as protectors of children.  This is a great way to introduce the importance of bugs to kids.  In addition, Jared and Sheldon show qualities of  kindness, friendship, determination and sacrifice.  Bright, bold and fun pictures will be sure to keep children's attention.  While my son was a little too young to grasp the message of the story, this book is perfect for children aged 2-7.  

​This book was received for free in return for an honest review. 



​

Author Bio

Jason Reid is an entrepreneur by trade and a dad by passion. He currently lives in Murrieta, California with his wonderful wife and amazing four children.  Over the years he has written numerous business books and a novel, but finds he is most excited about his children’s The Protector Bug book series



Links
 
www.theprotectorbug.com
 
www.facebook.com/theprotectorbug
 
Amazon:

About the Book: 
Title: One of Windsor: The Untold Story of America’s First Witch Hanging
Author:  Beth M. Caruso
Publisher: Ladyslipper Press
Pages: 358
Genre:  Historical Fiction

Alice, a young woman prone to intuitive insights and loyalty to the only family she has ever known, leaves England for the rigid colony of the Massachusetts Bay in 1635 in hopes of reuniting with them again. Finally settling in Windsor, Connecticut, she encounters the rich American wilderness and its inhabitants, her own healing abilities, and the blinding fears of Puritan leaders which collide and set the stage for America’s first witch hanging, her own, on May 26, 1647.
This event and Alice’s ties to her beloved family are catalysts that influence Connecticut’s Governor John Winthrop Jr. to halt witchcraft hangings in much later years. Paradoxically, these same ties and the memory of the incidents that led to her accusation become a secret and destructive force behind Cotton Mather’s written commentary on the Salem witch trials of 1692, provoking further witchcraft hysteria in Massachusetts forty-five years after her death.
The author uses extensive historical research combined with literary inventions, to bring forth a shocking and passionate narrative theory explaining this tragic and important episode in American history.

Buy the Book: 
Amazon | Barnes & Noble​

​Review: 
Alice began life in England and is soon orphaned, left to be raised by her mother’s family, the Tinkers.  Alice and her mother shared a gift of intuition and prophetic dreams, although Alice never found a way to help anyone with her knowledge.  As Alice grows, Mary Tinker attempts to find a place for her.  The Holman family on their way to Massachusetts Bay Colony in need of help with their children offers a perfect opportunity.  Alice is saddened to leave the only family she knows, but enjoys the Holman children and Winifred Holman’s company.  Once in the colony Winifred and Alice learn the medicinal plants and healing arts from the Native Americans.  Alice reunites with the Tinkers once again when they move to the Colonies.  She takes an offer of marriage and settles near the rest of the Tinker clan.  When illness strikes the town, Alice does her best to help her neighbors and family with her knowledge of herbs. However, in the winter her stores run dry.  When the illness passes, neighbors and friends are grieving their losses and turn on the person who tried to help.

When most people think of witch trials in America, they automatically think of Salem.  However, the very first person to be tried and hung as a witch has been almost forgotten to history.  With compassion and much digging through historical records, Beth Caruso has reimagined the life of a woman so far only known as “One ---- of Windsor.”  Now thought to be “One Alice Young of Windsor,” her life and path to being an accused witch is brought forth in vivid detail.  I was very impressed by all of the historical period detail.  Life in the new Colonies was rough and Alice’s experience reflected this.  I enjoyed reading about her relationships with the Native Americans and appreciated the honest way that most Colonists saw them.  Furthermore, I thought the tension created from religion, the unknown and fear of a new land created a perfect storm for accusations of witchcraft.  As the story progressed, I fell for Alice and the injustices that were quickly spiraling out of control around her; however, I also knew that she was hiding something.  I loved that Alice’s story was told through and then, after her downfall, the truth and secrets were revealed.  One of Windsor did a fabulous job of recreating the life of someone that history tried to forget as well as tying in the fears and hysteria of the time that people still try to use today in order to oppress groups of people. 

About the Author: 

Beth M. Caruso grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio and spent her childhood writing puppet shows and witches’ cookbooks. She became interested in French Literature and Hispanic Studies, receiving a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Cincinnati. She later obtained Masters degrees in Nursing and Public Health.
Working as a Peace Corps volunteer in Thailand, she helped to improve the public health of local Karen hill tribes. She also had the privilege to care for hundreds of babies and their mothers as a labor and delivery nurse.
Largely influenced by an apprenticeship with herbalist and wildcrafter, Will Endres, in North Carolina, she surrounds herself with plants through gardening and native species conservation.
Her latest passion is to discover and convey important stories of women in American history. One of Windsor is her debut novel. She lives in New England with her awesome husband, amazing children, loyal puppy, and cuddly cats.


WEBSITE | FACEBOOK​

Read An Excerpt:

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS BAY COLONY, 1692
 
The elderly reverend knew it was crucial to stop Satan. As if in unison with the Dark Lord’s latest antics, tremendous bolts of lightning and deafening thunder heralded the ensuing rainstorm of that early autumn day in Boston. The reverend’s dedicated son would have preferred that he stay home by a fire and rest. Still feisty in his later years of life, he refused. He was fervently determined to discuss pertinent matters at hand concerning the witchcraft calamities in Salem and surrounding towns. As a minister, albeit a retired one, he felt responsible for guiding younger ministers, such as Cotton Mather, to make their congregations understand the menacing threats of witchcraft.
The aged minister was someone who had personally suffered through a de- monic incursion in Windsor, a river town of the Connecticut Colony, back in 1647. He was fully cognizant of its evil impacts. Satan had infiltrated Windsor through a consort and witch whom he knew all too well. The Great Demon had been stealthy in his trickery. But this time, the respected pastor hoped to arrest the Devil’s mischief before the same level of destruction and harm could occur. Accordingly, he was there to offer his assistance to Cotton Mather in dealing with witchcraft presently taking hold in Massachusetts Bay towns and villages. The young minister welcomed him into his home.
 “Good day, dear Reverend. You must come in quickly out of the rain and take comfort by the hearth. I will have my servants bring you my fin- est cider and freshly baked, delicious cakes to eat. I have so much to share with you. By your experience, you have been the inspiration I have needed to start the work that we were speaking of the other week,” spoke Cotton Mather.
“Thank you, Cotton. It will warm my body as well as my heart to sit by the fire and hear of the inspirations that took hold of your soul. I hope it helped you to do the honorable task of warning our people of the great wrath of Satan,” replied the elderly reverend.
With that pronouncement, the old reverend took off his soggy cloak and sat down at a table next to the hearth. He paused and grew distinctly somber before continuing.
“Satan must not be allowed to advance further into our New England wil- derness, for we have painstakingly worked at taming it over the years. Yet our young people lapse into disobedience of the commandments of Jesus Christ. Our current admonishment by the Lord through the events in Salem and be- yond act to bring us back to the righteous path,” explained the aged pastor as the rain poured down.
He looked wide-eyed and serious at Cotton.
Cotton Mather nodded at the old reverend in agreement and replied, “You see, honored Reverend, by your histories of the very earliest acts of war first waged upon these colonies by Lucifer, I have been able to put the current dif- ficulties in Salem into a broader view of understanding for our present govern- ment. I hope it will aid those justices that would weigh their opinions upon such cases of bewitchments. It is also for the benefit of younger generations. I know you prefer not to be mentioned by name, but hear what it is that I have reiterated concerning those times,” he implored.
Cotton quickly pulled out a satchel full of papers written upon with a righteous and eloquent hand and requested, “Please tell me what you think, Reverend. This is from the introduction of my commentary. These words were taken directly from our lengthy conversations of what is transpiring now at Salem and in our congregations in relation to the Devil and his armies’ frustration of
defeat in Connecticut so many years ago. I am naming this commentary Wonders of the Invisible World.”
“Wonders of the Invisible World,” nodded the old reverend, speaking loudly over the storm.
A servant came in and poured warm cider for the two ministers. At being interrupted, the elderly pastor pursed his lips, staying silent, but met Cotton’s eyes with a secret understanding. They waited until the servant left before con- tinuing their discussion.
Cotton continued, “This is part of the Introduction, Enchantments Encountered”.
He read, “We have been advised by Credible Christians still alive, that a Malefactor accused of Witchcraft as well as Murder, and executed in this place, more than Forty years ago, did then give Notice of An Horrible PLO T against the country by W I TCHCR A F T, and a foundation of Witchcraft then laid, which if it were not seasonably discovered, would probably Blow up and pull down all the Churches in the Country.”
“ Yes. Yes!” agreed the agitated old minister, and added, “ The young people need to know how, if we had not ferreted out the witch that spawned all oth- ers on the shores of the Great Connecticut, all of our churches in the colonies would have failed indeed. Nothing would have pleased Satan and his legions more than to see those intent on building a godly and pure Utopian state in this wilderness beaten down and forced by evil to return to England. We, the people of Windsor, agonized much in bringing to light of day the bewitchments brought upon us by a naughty and wayward woman. She who made a pact with the Devil allowed him to nearly destroy us. By the Grace of God he did not, thanks to the watchful vigilance of God’s dedicated and steadfast servants!” he howled with the tempest.
The aged pastor continued, enraged, “No one likes to speak her name. She deserves no recognition for her defamation of this country by unleashing devils that would dare claim this corner of the earth for their own in an affront to the Lord Jesus Christ. By her hand, a great pestilence of disease infiltrated the daily life of the fledgling colony of Connecticut, especially in the town of Windsor. We had settled into our homes only about twelve years when the Devil was over- come with venomous jealousy that we had claimed formerly heathen territory and tamed wilderness for our Lord Jesus. Satan saw a prime opportunity to permeate and upset our small community through the wickedness and unfaith- fulness of that woman,” he spoke as the sky rumbled.
The old reverend took a sip of cider, wetting his dry lips.
“Such was the power that Satan infused her with that a great many people died, including many young children, for the Devil has no conscience and no compassion. Upon her death, she did swear in a fit of lies that she was innocent. She cursed those whose testimonies and swift actions led her to the hangman’s noose. The good Reverend Thomas Hooker was presiding at the First Church in Windsor for the Reverend John Wareham during the time of her bewitch- ments,” recounted the old cleric.
He clenched his fists as he took a deep breath.
“He helped to expose her and was touched by her wickedness in such a way that he died less than one month later of the same dreaded disease that she helped to proliferate and use to kill other devout soldiers of Christ,” the old reverend said.
Cotton Mather spoke again intensely, “Yes, I understand, Reverend. I pref- ace the first reading I recited just now with this...The New Englanders are a People of God settled in those, which were once the Devil’s Territories; and it may easily be supposed that the Devil was exceedingly disturbed, when he perceived such a People here accomplishing the Promise of old made unto our Blessed Jesus, that He should have the Utmost parts of the Earth for his Possession.”
Cotton continued, “I believe that never were more Satanical Devices used for the Unsettling of any People under the Sun, than what have been employed for the Extirpation of the Vine which God has here Planted, Casting out the Heathen, and preparing a Room before it, and causing it to take deep Root, and fill the Land, so that it sent its Boughs unto the Atlantic Sea Eastward, and its Branches unto the Connecticut River westward, and the Hills were covered with the shadow thereof. But in all those attempts of Hell, have hitherto been Abortive and Having obtained Help from God, we continue to this Day. Where fore the Devil is now making one Attempt more difficult, more Surprising, more snarled with unintelligible circumstances than any we have hitherto encountered.”
The senior cleric nodded his head approvingly. Their conversation contin- ued for the better part of two hours. The time was interspersed with prayers
as well, imploring the Almighty Father to empower them in their fight against the Prince of Darkness. Cider was refilled several times. They discussed the importance of weeding out all of Satan’s imps and witches in Salem and other nearby villages and towns so that New England could be as pure again as that first generation of godly wayfarers who led the ultimate religious Utopian ex- periment into the wilderness.
When the conversation eased, the thoughtful and grave old minister stared into the fire. He wondered if she were burning in hellfires in that very moment. And what of the souls of the family who had forever fractured in their defense or blame of her, the first colonial witch? He was becoming quite old now. Soon, he hoped to be called to God’s kingdom. Until that time, he would continue to be of service to the younger generations of ministers trying to guide their lost flocks away from Satan.
Abruptly, there was a knock on the door that jerked the ministers from their pious imaginings. It was the elderly reverend’s son. He had come to re- trieve his father. He paid his respects to the Reverend Cotton Mather and then gently guided his father out into the streets of Boston, newly drenched from the rain. The elderly pastor turned around and shouted to Reverend Mather.
“Please feel free to call for my assistance again. For an old man such as I delights in nothing more than making his last acts upon this earth ones that are dedicated to bringing God’s people closer to Him and away from the wretches of the Devil. I shall be honored to continue to help you with your mission,” of- fered the old cleric.
“Thank you, honorable Reverend,” answered Cotton with a slight bow.
 

​October starts out warm and sunny, but this is the month when everything changes. Mornings grow frosty, leaves change colors, and the breeze takes on a bite.
Summer dies.
 
It's a time for harvest celebrations. A boy loans a girl his coat. She snuggles a little closer and takes his hand. A riot of autumn splendor accompanies the farmer's market where they stroll.
 
But the vibrancy of daylight doesn't compare to the darkness of night. Is that chill on your neck the breeze or something else?
 
You walk a tad faster and look over your shoulder. The trees creak when the wind whips through their branches—at least, you hope that noise came from the undulating bows.
 
You check under the bed and inside the closet before climbing under the covers. Sleep doesn't come easy. The old house groans its complaints, and the night magnifies every innocuous noise until terror paralyzes you—because you know nefarious things go bump in the night.
 
Welcome to the Paranormal Bar & Grille Blog Tour
 
...where you can rub elbows with everyone from a gargoyle or vampire, to a creature from urban legend, to the ghosts from realms of myth. Step up to the bar, grab a booth. You never know what’s on the menu, or if you might end up there yourself.
 
Sound like your kind of hangout? Then you’ve come to the right place. We're a group of five authors who love nothing more than to trigger the chill that crawls up your back, the nervous glance tossed over your shoulder. We invite you to discover outstanding books and check out our awesome tour prizes.
 
Enter our $30 Rafflecopter giveaway here, then visit our blog StoryEmpire.com to participate in a scavenger hunt. Fifteen prizes are up for grabs on Story Empire, three from each author. You have the opportunity for 10 Amazon gift cards ranging in value from $15 to $10, plus ebooks from the participating authors. 
 
Just be careful of what the bartender serves you. That heady brew may not be a beer, and witches can't be trusted to provide effective antidotes.

About the Book: 
Mystery/ThrillerDate Published:  November 2014
 
“Readers who like to curl up during the long winter evenings and feel the delicious chill of fear running up and down their spines need only turn to The Glade to have all their expectations fulfilled.


The Glade is a horror story in the mould of Stephen King, and rendered the more so by its faint echoes of Pet Cemetery and the even stronger resonance of the pervasive malignancy of It.”—Review by Brian O’Hare



This gripping, edge-of-your-seat mystery/thriller will have you thinking twice about booking that idyllic cottage in the country. Nothing in this woodland paradise within the Forest of Dean is what it seems. 

The Wenstrops have it all: health, wealth, and happiness. Until everything falls apart. Helen gets arrested for murder, and yet is either unable or unwilling to give a defence. During her detention, vital evidence goes missing and tensions run high.

Meanwhile, in the woods, malignant forces gather power. 

This sensational second novel by acclaimed author Harmony Kent will have you alternately laughing, crying, and gripping the edge of your seat as this roller-coaster ride of a plot unfolds. It will keep you guessing through its many twists and turns, and hijack your attention right up until you turn the final page. This book has it all: murder, intrigue, the supernatural, a broken marriage, a love affair, courage against impossible odds, suspense, and high drama. 

“Expertly written, the book keeps you guessing at every turn. What can I say? You really have to read this book ... if you're brave enough!”—Review by Fantasy Queen

The Glade is an IndieB.R.A.G.Medallion honoree, and an Official Selection for the New Apple Book Awards 2015. 
Purchase Links
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Review: 

Helen and Geoff plan for a nice weekend at a cottage in the Forest of Dean.  During their stay, they find an idyllic setting with a small cottage foundation that they villagers call ‘The Glade.’  Helen and Geoff are pulled towards the Glade and want to build a home there.   They are warned off from the area by everyone in town, but Helen and Geoff proceed anyway, especially when Helen learns of her terminal diagnosis.  Their country cottage was supposed to be a place where Helen went to die; instead she is one of the few left alive.  Everyone told her that the Glade wanted something from her, but Helen could never imagine what exactly the cost would be.

This is a fast paced mix of murder mystery, horror, and thriller.  From the very beginning we know that Helen has somehow killed Geoff and the chapters go back and forth between the events leading up to the murder and Helen being arrested.  This made me extremely interested in what exactly had happened to get to this point.  At first, it seemed to me that the mystery of the Glade was pretty clear cut and I was having trouble seeing how its powers were a bad thing.  However, the Glade moves quickly and little by little things begin to turn for the worse.  The writing builds suspense masterfully as inklings of something wrong comes to you from every direction up until the very end.  With strong scenes of violence, gore and overall weirdness, this may not be for everyone, but it worked for me.

About the Author: 
Harmony Kent is famous for her laughter, and has made quite the name for herself … she’s also, um, a writer … and fairly well known for that too. She’s even won a few awards. Harmony lives in rural Cornwall with her ever-present sense of humour and quirky neighbours and refuses to admit to her age.
If you catch her at work, you’ll see that she also offers editing, proof reading, manuscript appraisal, and beta reading services. Not to mention being passionate about supporting her fellow authors.
 
Contact Links
Website: www.harmonykent.co.uk
Facebook: www.facebook.com/HarmonyKentOnline
Twitter: @harmony_kent 
Blog: www.harmonykent.co.uk/Dissonance
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/HarmonyK

About the Book: 
How to Raise a Smart Ass is a funny, witty, rollicking ride through the joys of early parenthood. The so-titled “Best Butt Wiper in the World” delights audiences by recounting tales of ninja nurses, naughty knights, and super-duper poopers. Whether you’re a proud parent or you aspire to populate the world with tiny terrors of your own someday, this book will have you laughing out loud, or at a minimum buying lots of sanitizer. Kids are messy.

Buy the print book:  Amazon ~ Blurb

Buy the eBook: Amazon  ~  Barnes & Noble  ~ iBooks ~
​                          Kobo ~ Google Play

Review:  
As a new parent, I have enjoyed reading other's parenting memoirs.  When the opportunity to read "How To Raise A Smart Ass"  came around, I thought 'perfect!'  This book details Lucia's adventures through childbirth to the toddler years with her two girls and soon to be baby boy as she moves around the country following her husband's work.  Each chapter is a short anecdote taken from her hectic life, which is perfect for reading when you have a baby of your own. The stories chronicle everything from trying to pass the bar exam while throwing up from being pregnant to her children asking her to eat penis candies.  

​The stories are humorous, heartfelt, but most of all they are extremely real- which is what actual parent want to read about, the funny stories, almost failures and small victories of everyday life.  I was pleasantly surprised to see that the author briefly lived in Rochester and that her favorite thing about our city was the hockey (Go Amerks!).  Other favorite stories included trying to go to the bookstore with children, adventures in the public bathroom and turning chores into live video games.  A great read for new parents or parents to be.

This book was provided by iread book tours. 

​About the Author: 
​
Lucia Walinchus is an award-winning journalist, author and ice hockey addict. She has written more than 500 articles for various publications throughout her career and was recently named to the 2016 Fulbright Berlin Capital Program. She has been featured as a guest speaker on CNN and is a contracted freelancer for the New York Times. Walinchus currently lives in Oklahoma because she enjoys wide, flat golf courses that make her think she isn’t actually that bad.




​Upcoming event:  Lucia Walinchus will be a the Enid, Oklahoma Public Library at 11AM on Saturday, November 12th.


Connect with the author: Website ~ Twitter