Beasts and Butterflies by Wendy Beasley

Beasts and Butterflies

by Wendy Beasley

Something had always seemed strange, a bit odd, unspeakably scary about her best friend Jess' father. At thirteen years old, Rachel didn't know why he made her so uncomfortable, why she feared him. Then one day he viciously attacked, and lives were forever changed. He threatened her never to tell anyone, and she didn't. She kept the sad secret even after she discovered she was pregnant. She never told the secret when her adoptive parents told her she was a disgrace and threw her away. Never underestimate the beauty of a person's inner strength that's honed to a fine mettle. This is the story of Beasts and Butterflies. Share the journey of a young girl forced to struggle, and make tough choices. When she eventually returns to face her past, will she prevail? After hiding in the cocoon she weaves, will she emerge and spread her wings in strength and beauty?

After the attack, Rachel changed immediately from a confident, bubbly extrovert to a morose teenager. Her friendship with Jess was broken. And soon after, she was thrown out of her home by her callous, adopted parents. She felt fortunate to have a refuge with her Nan, her adoptive grandparent, who lived in a different city. They became a new family, and her baby son Tom became their bright new addition. Their lives together moved forward, but the secret laced everything with a darkness. Despite some distance from the beast, the ramifications of the secret festered.

Hard work and courage are Rachel's defenses in the mysteries of life, but she's also responsible for her young son Tom's life. As Tom grows, so does the trouble he finds for himself. Rachel begins to have grave concerns for his future. An opportunity presents itself for them to start over again, but it's back in the village where she grew up. Could she do that for her son? Could she face her old neighbors, her past friends, the beast himself who is Tom's secret father? Could Rachel wrestle her inner demons and finally put them to rest? Would it be possible to find happiness? As she moves forward, she has no idea the mystery that also awaits her.

The author, Wendy Beasley creates such memorable characters. Some will steal your heart, and others will fill you with outrage. Rachel carries a heavy secret, but she's not the only one. This story weaves in layers of personal motives and revelations that reflect life's complications, surrounded by raw human emotions. The author skillfully shows you the ripples peoples' actions cause in each other's lives. A heartwarming story of a strong woman and not only the people who surround her, but also the loyal, eager pup who adores her.

After many years as a columnist and freelance writer, this is author Wendy Beasley's first venture into the world of fiction and the book she'd always promised herself that she would write. It's such an inspiring and heartfelt achievement. Wendy Beasley is an ardent dog lover and when she's not out walking or working her well-trained dogs she enjoys writing. Take a look at her website at wendybeasley.uk to learn more about this charming author and her children's book as well. You can also hear directly from the author herself on YouTube's podcast, A Novel Talk with Wendy Beasley

Discover - The Secrets of the Ravine

 

Secrets of the Ravine

By Brenda Whiteside

    Shop keeper Magpie MacKenzie's emotions are in turmoil questions surface once again about an unsolved murder, and the disappearance of her teenage love from the Ravine decades ago. Will the mystery behind this tragedy in the Ravine finally be solved?  Is the answer of what happened to her first love, lost to her with no explanation, about to surface and shock town residents? What ominous revelations will come from answers revealed? For family members who secretly harbored doubts about each other possibly being a murderer, will the truth be what they've feared the most? Is one among them the murderer?

    The same day skeletal remains are found on the edge of town, a tourist keeps people talking about his striking resemblance to the ill-fated, long missing young man named Mark. Magpie Mackenzie was stopped in her tracks at the sight of this lawyer who so looks like a matured Mark. As investigation into the unsolved murder is reopened, Magpie finds that this lawyer, Zack wants to help her. He's eager to do what he can for her, and he's also curious about the strange feelings of deja vu he's feeling. Together they uncover clues to what happened that tragic night in the Ravine. What they discover is darker than ever suspected, and puts both Magpie and Zack in grave danger.

    While they partner in this investigation, Magpie struggles not only with the mystery but also with her feelings toward Zack. As she gets to know him, are her romantic inclinations due to the reminders of Mark, or truly what she sees in Zack? And if her feelings are true, what is it that he feels for her? Could they have a future together, or is their connection only fleeting?

    The people who live in the Ravine remain devotees of a hippie lifestyle. The author presents an intriguing picture of this community of characters, skillfully comparing and contrasting their present day to their past. The Secrets of the Ravine are destined to finally see the light of day, no matter the consequences.

    Author Brenda Whiteside tells a page turner story that weaves mystery with romance, building tension on all fronts. In her series, the MacKenzie Chronicles, she took her interest of legendary mining communities and the '60's subculture to create stories centered around the MacKenzies, a family who live in the contemporary and reportedly haunted city of Joshua, Arizona. It's a mining town, turned ghost town, turned hippie community, turned tourist town. Find out more about this author and her books on her website brendawhiteside.com.

The Night She Disappeared

The Night She Disappeared

By Kevin O'Brien

What happened last night? Anna Malone is a Seattle TV reporter. Viewers rely on her to be observant, know the facts on a scene, and report clearly. Today it's the morning after. She's in pain, uneasy, thinking through a brutal hangover. She can't remember last night. At one point she was at a dinner with her lover and his wife. Talk about an awkward situation. How she ended up at that table is an odd enough story on its own. All memory of what happened after dinner is gone. And today so is her lover's wife.

Award winning author Kevin O'Brien has written another chills up your spine, lock all the doors, riveting suspense thriller. Where is Courtney? Why has she disappeared? Is she alive? Who knows what happened? Whoever knows, will they say Anna's lover did something wrong to his wife? Will they say Anna did it? Are you on the edge of your seat yet? You will be, as you read more and more about the mystery, the suspects, the motives and events leading up to The Night She Disappeared. You may want to check on your own alibi.

Set in scenic Seattle, Anna tries to work through what could have caused Courtney to disappear. As clues start point back in her own direction, threatening her TV ratings, her job, her secret affair with Courtney's husband Russ, and her sanity, Anna is determined to investigate on her own. She will clear her name, she fervently hopes. Maybe Courtney will turn up and end this torment.

Like the lake Anna's houseboat home floats on, Courtney's life under the surface is teeming with surprises. Other suspects with intriguing motives create disturbing twists and turns. Thankfully Anna has some friends she can lean on. She also has TV network competitors who delight in launching sensational attacks against her personal reputation. It's disgusting and alarming, and since Anna still can't remember it's terrifying. And there's someone out there who keeps contacting her with messages that they know what happened The Night She Disappeared.

This is truly a thriller of a story. The characters are all so well developed and credible. You get time with every suspect so you can make up your own mind on guilt or innocence. The Seattle setting can't be beat and certainly contributes a scenic contrast of beauty against danger in our region. This author know Seattle so very well, and those details greatly enhance the excitement of reading about the events in the story. Kevin O'Brien weaves a tremendous action-filled plot that's driven by spellbinding characters.

New York Times bestselling author Kevin O'Brien grew up on Chicago’s North Shore, the youngest of six children, and studied Journalism at Marquette University in Milwaukee. He moved to Seattle in 1980. His railroad job took him all over the Pacific Northwest, and he wrote most of his first novel in Best Westerns and Red Lions. He's now working on his twenty-third novel and continues thrilling his many fans. Find out more from the author himself on YouTube's podcast, A Novel Talk with Kevin O'Brien. And visit the author's website at kevinobrienbooks.com

Sweet Dreams At The Palace Hotel

 

Sweet Dreams

at The Palace Hotel

By Stella Jayne Phillips

Do spirits in a haunted hotel show glimpses into the future, or merely reenact the past? It's a question posed in the first book, Sweet Dreams at The Palace Hotel of the paranormal Creekside Dreams series by author Stella Jayne Phillips. With a mix of excitement, fear, and great anticipation, brand new hotel owner Nikki Benton reopens the historic Palace Hotel. When asked, why the Palace? Nikki answers, “Three reasons, Creekside's cooler than the desert. Price was good . . . It's haunted. How cool is that?” For readers, it's very cool.

The influence of the spirited past on the present can sometimes be chilling, and sometimes illuminates an emotional nostalgia, and sometimes simply reveals the unknowns of what has come before. Nikki is one of those people keenly attuned to the paranormal. And she has lots of exposure to it, with the resident ghosts at her hotel. That's not all that's keeping her busy. Guests checking in and out offer a steady stream of new faces and new stories. Nikki is also close to family and many friends. Sometimes she's called to support and aid them, and sometimes she can use a hand herself.

The small town community of Creekside provides a beautiful backdrop for these characters. Romance is in the air for Nikki when she meets police chief Alex Stark. There are some unexpected bumps ahead for the two of them. It's funny how talk spreads throughout the town, friendly gossip. These town characters present great glimpses into this small town's life, and sometimes drama.

Author Stella Jayne Phillips is an Arizona native. The strong women from her own lineage, willing to risk it all for family, are inspiration for the female lead characters in the paranormal Creekside Dreams series. Her spirited books Sweet Dreams at The Palace Hotel and her newest, Promise In A Dream keep readers turning pages. When not writing at home or in a hotel lobby, Stella can be found enjoying her active life with yoga, line dancing, reading, cooking, traveling, volunteering and spending time with family and friends. She lives in Scottsdale, Arizona with her husband and small white dog Candy. Find out more from the author herself on YouTube's podcast, A Novel Talk with Stella Jayne Phillips. And visit the author's website at Stellajaynephillips.com

Enjoy A Fashionable Fate

 

A Fashionable Fate

By Ileana Muñoz-Renfroe

Take a vacation to lovely Colten Island. It's just north of Key West, a cozy, scenic, residential home of a couple of hundred intriguing characters. Enjoy your stay while shopping and walking the beach, but be on the alert because intrigue lingers on the balmy breezes. Rosa lives on the island. She's a thirty-five year old Cuban-American psychic and couture fashion designer, and one of her models for her runway show has just been murdered. The killer is somewhere loose on the island, and may kill again

Rosa is on the case. She has amazing skills at amateur sleuthing and she has special insights from her psychic capabilities. She's teamed up with her spirit guide, a truly free spirit and ghost Raul. She also has some help from her eclectic group of friends she refers to as the cubanitas. Rosa is going to need all the help she can get in solving this mystery. Her Nana has seen something ominous while reading the tarot cards. Rosa will need to be careful. Everything is not what it seems.

The author Ileana Muñoz-Renfroe creates a fun plot puzzler for readers to try to solve. There's a few interesting surprises throughout the story, leading all the way up to the heartwarming ending. The characters are so fun, and this author will even have you believing in ghosts. The delightful Cuban style, culture, and setting certainly enhances the story.

For years Ileana Muñoz-Renfroe wanted to be an author. After raising two children and owning numerous businesses, she decided to take the plunge. Since two of her passions are the paranormal and high-end fashion, she found a way to combine them and created Rosa The Cuban Psychic Mysteries. This series brings together her Cuban and American cultures to make for a fun cozy mystery story. You can learn more about her works at her website imrenfroe.com and find her Facebook group – Cozy Mystery Village. If you'd like to hear from the author herself she's interviewed on YouTube's A Novel Talk with Ileana Muñoz-Renfroe

The Eidola Project Super!Natural Read

 

The Eidola Project

By Robert Herold

Eidola is an ancient Greek word for ghosts. In this exciting, sometimes ominous novel, The Eidola Project team forms in the late 1800's to investigate ghosts, and that definition was just their starting point. They expanded their scope to include the presence of all things supernatural. Treat yourself to this super read that explores and reveals for your own observation an opportunity to immerse yourself in an adventure of paranormal events. You'll find that this fictional team is strained by the challenges they encounter. Will they be able to save those terrified people who have called on them, desperate for help? Or when confronted, will they succumb to the dangers and temptations of the hunt?

It's an unusual and fascinating group of stray personalities drawn together in this endeavor. Each reveals distinct flaws that have driven them from society's norms. Rejected by those around them who have chosen more prescribed lifestyles, these individuals have both a passion and a respect for the paranormal. They slowly begin to find from within a strength, and some unique powers or skills they never realized before. They are up against grisly threats however, that the strongest person would run from. Although they don't want help, they cannot take on this work as individuals. They need to learn how to work together as a team, and use their talents for their common purpose. But can they unite before they are defeated, or are they too busy fighting among themselves as sparks fly?

The critical scenes of other wordly events and creatures are all absorbing and draw the reader in with nerves taut and holding your breath. The suspense is compelling. The fated events manifest when least expected, and in extraordinary ways. The historical setting is well researched and presents some interesting dimensions and perilous challenges within the plot.

The award winning author, Robert Herold has been haunted over the years by an interest in the supernatural. Happily for readers he decided to write The Eidola Project based on an idea he'd had as a teenager. You can learn more about his works including the sequel at his website robertheroldauthor.com and if you'd like to hear from the author himself he's interviewed on YouTube's A Novel Talk with Robert Herold

Dementia Home Care - A Comprehensive Guide

 

Dementia Home Care

By Tracy Cram Perkins

This book is going to help a lot of people care for people who are dear to them. Here is a comprehensive guide from a caregiver who has lived the experience and accumulated tremendous advice for caring for someone with dementia. Just as valuable is her advice to help you home caretakers too. You need to find out how to help take care of yourself when your world has changed. From the time dementia is diagnosed, your loved one and you are on a journey, a unique one. This is the guide book with the help you're looking for, showing where you're headed and so many helpful tips for preserving your humor, stamina, and emotional connections along the way.

Dementia Home Care is well organized for reading from beginning to end, and it's also a handy reference where you can quickly access information as you need it on specific topics. As you see the breadth of the subjects, you'll be impressed. From recogizing the first symptoms and how to cope with the following stages, to preparing the living environment, to personal care, for important recipes, regarding long term care, including the end of the journey, and so much more. Advice is clever, creative, innovative, and outlined in a practical way. So many tips and chapters cover information you may not even realize can lessen your load.

The author shares from her personal experience, and her writing also includes notes of citations from formal professionals, reflecting her impressive research. The chapters show you what can be helpful for you, and there's an extensive appendix of resources from A to Z and how to access those when you need to. This book offers the life hacks of home care to add some ease to your daily to-do's. It's amazing to find out that raising your awareness to situations can lead to doable solutions that can ease life for caregiver and also the one they care for. And very important to always remember a good laugh a day soothes tension away. An underlying good will basis of humor laces the text of this important resource book.

Author Tracy Cram Perkins's twelve years of caregiving for her parents with dementia and an uncle with mild dementia created the base for this book. Caring for her family, she learned the depression, anxiety, and guilt that comes with dementia care. You can find out more, and see news about Tracy's upcoming books as well by going to her website tracycramperkins.com.