Literarily Speaking

Friday, April 30, 2021

First Chapter Review: HIS KILT DROPPED HERE by Kathleen Shaputis @nwauthor #Scottish #Romance #firstchapterreview

thewriterslife April 30, 2021 0 Comments

Thanks for visiting Literarily Speaking! Today's post is a first chapter review of HIS KILT DROPPED HERE by Kathleen Shaputis. First, a little about the book....

Title: HIS KILT DROPPED HERE: A MAGICAL REALISM SCOTTISH ROMANCE
Author: Kathleen Shaputis
Publisher: Clutter Fairy Publishing
Pages: 170
Genre: Magic Realism Scottish Romance

BOOK BLURB:

Rogue Bruce enjoys running a Scottish castle turned bed-and-breakfast with her Aunt Baillie from America. They specialize in hosting romantic Elizabethan-themed weddings, complete with resident ghost, Lord Kai. But love is something Rogue is not the least bit interested in. Content with her work, she requires no male accompaniment for happiness.

A new delivery service brings Bruce MacKenzie, a Thor look-alike in plaid and denim, fetching more than the usual number of groceries from town, while Jonathan Olson, a snobbish, dark, Rhett Butler type, arrives at the castle to administer a writing seminar for aspiring authors. With two men after the heart she’d thought safely locked away, Rogue is flattered and confused. But when things start to take a sinister turn, danger befalls Rogue and those dear to her. The musical soundtrack of Rogue’s life flares from complacent, to dizzyingly romantic, to heart-thumping scary in this sizzling triangle.

FAVORITE QUOTE FROM FIRST CHAPTER:

His baritone voice tickled her ears, causing the breath to catch in her throat as the heat from his grasp flushed in a wave across her face. All she could handle was a weak nod. Staring at his serious face framed with shaggy blond hair, a chill breeze lifted the bangs from his ruddy forehead. His oddly green eyes blinked above a well-freckled nose and broke the spell.

BOOK COVER:

Loved the cover! That has to be Rogue out of her period costume and even the stance greatly epitomizes her sassy attitude.

FIRST CHAPTER REVIEW:

First of all might I say I absolutely am in love with Rogue as a name for a woman character. Just the name alone tells me she's a spitfire. I could be wrong, but that's my first impression. This first chapter tells me I am so on the money. This first chapter opens with Rogue dissing everything - her heels, her Elizabethan wear, everything uncomfortable in her life that day. Like I said, spitfire. See, she helps run a bed and breakfast castle and the costume she has to wear is for a good cause - money in the bank from theme-oriented loving customers. If anyone has ever worn a period costume with layers and layers of cumbersome skirts, petticoats, dresses, what have you, you would understand her discomfort. While she probably has been wearing her costume for awhile and certainly must be used to it by now, something tells me today is just one of those days for her. So, she goes to trip and falls into the arms of a dashing hunk of a man. Turns out this is Bruce who works for a delivery service in town. He's just checking last minute things. She feels he's getting a little too personal with his questions and scoffs him off although deep inside we know where this will eventually go. Or hope to go. Praying for this to go.

This right here:

"The sight of his retreating backside in tight jeans sent a warmth of fiery hormones cloaking her against the dampness of perspiration."

Okay! Was I right?

KEEP READING?

Well I definitely will! Shaputis has impeccable writing skills and imagination. I was totally caught up in it just by reading the first chapter. First, I love bed and breakfast type of settings but it was a haunted castle? I hope there are ghosts along the way, but even not, there is no doubt in my mind that I wouldn't want to be caught up in this wonderfully written Scottish romance.

Pick up your copy!

Amazon → https://amzn.to/3oSL72D

Meet The Author

Kathleen Shaputis, author/ghostwriter, lives in the glorious Pacific Northwest with her husband, Bob, a clowder of cats, two pompously protective Pomeranians with little social aptitude, Brugh and Miss Jazzy, and an overgrown adolescent blue tick coon hound, Juno.

If not writing during her lifestyle in an acre of forest, she keeps busy reading from her never-ending, to-be-read pile and watching romantic comedies. Her hygge in the woods.

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:

Website: http://www.kathleenshaputis.com

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/NWAuthor

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/KathleenShaputisAuthor

# First Chapter Reviews

Tuesday, April 27, 2021

5 Things You Should Know About the Guinevere Trilogy @ccarpinello #5Things

thewriterslife April 27, 2021 0 Comments

5 Things You Should Know About the Guinevere Trilogy

1. Merlyn’s insightful words: Even though you try to protect the people you love, often the choices they make put them in danger.

2. More than the story of a princess, the Guinevere trilogy is about each of our struggles to come to terms with what is expected of us.

3. Discover the importance of friendship and unwavering loyalty.

4. If you are one who thinks first with your heart and not your head, then you know how difficult this can make your life. The young Guinevere is such a person.

5. Discover why you don’t see the Unicorns living in today’s world.

About the Author

Cheryl Carpinello taught high school English for 25 years. During that time, she worked with numerous students who didn’t like to read for a variety of reasons. However, she discovered that even the most reluctant readers became engaged in the classroom and in reading when she introduced units on King Arthur and the works of ancient world writers. Upon retiring, she set out to write fast-paced, action-filled stories in these setting to encourage young readers to read more. When not writing, you can find her reading, spending time with family, and traveling.

Cheryl’s books:

Guinevere: On the Eve of Legend (1)

Guinevere: At the Dawn of Legend (2)

Guinevere: The Legend (3)

Guinevere Trilogy ebook only

The King’s Ransom (Young Knights of the Round Table)

Sons of the Sphinx

Tutankhamen Speaks

Grandma/Grandpa’s Tales 1

Grandma/Grandpa’s Tales 2

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ccarpinello

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cheryl.carpinello1

Series Description:

Title: GUINEVERE TRILOGY
Author: Cheryl Carpinello
Publisher: Silver Quill Publishing
Pages: 371
Genre: Middle Grade / Teen / Young YA

BOOK BLURBS:

GUINEVERE: ON THE EVE OF LEGEND

Princess Guinevere dreaded her upcoming thirteenth birthday. It signaled the beginning of her official role as the Lady of her father’s castle.
No more adventures in the forest with Cedwyn. No more explorations outside the castle walls. No more excitement. No more danger. No more fun.
Cedwyn—her companion for as long as she remembered—viewed her circumstances differently.
A Medieval coming-of-age story relevant today.

GUINEVERE: AT THE DAWN OF LEGEND

Ancient Stones. Mystical Stones. Autumnal Equinox.
Down upon a wide plain the yellow orb shines strong.
Racing side by side, the two laughingly ride.
A mist descends. The laughing stops.
A dangerous Medieval tale of two friends. Of a loyalty not often seen.

GUINEVERE: THE LEGEND

Fiercely loyal, Cedwyn always rushes to Guinevere’s defense. Stubborn to a fault. Always there for her. A future Knight? His one and only hope. A hero? Not what Cedwyn strove for, but it sought him.

Guinevere rarely thinks with her head. Just the opposite. Thinking with one’s heart: a recipe for trouble. And trouble finds Guinevere, all too often. Stubborn, she refuses to abandon those depending upon her. Even when ordered by her father, the king.

And so these two—both on the edge of Legend—barrel forth in this deadly dangerous and riveting Arthurian adventure.

Guinevere: The Legend is the concluding entry in the Guinevere trilogy by Cheryl Carpinello, a compelling Arthurian tale with strong characters and a story that explores the themes of friendship and loyalty against the backdrop of a society rocked by a crisis. The little children have been kidnapped, and Cedwyn is with them. Guinevere has made a vow to rescue Cedwyn and she leaves home without telling her father, an act that fills her with guilt. But she doesn’t know her bravery might put Cedwyn in harm’s way. She is just fifteen. And eleven-year-old Cedwyn trusts her absolutely, considering her as his queen. He is certain that she’s coming for him and the children. Can she save them from the renegades who hold the children captive? Traveling across the dark waters to the land beyond, Gaul, is perilous. In spite of the grim tales she’s heard from the old wizard Merlyn, will she continue?

This is a beautifully written story with fascinating characters, set in medieval England, and featuring characters of legend like the legendary King Arthur and Merlyn. In this novel, the author deftly develops a tale of adventure that revolves around Guinevere as a young girl and her loyalty to those she loves. The reader encounters her at the very start of the story, poised and on the go, determined to save her friend. Cedwyn is a richly developed young character as well and I enjoyed the way the author develops his friendship and devotion to the protagonist. The writing is filled with strong imagery, including elements of the setting like the rugged landscapes. The author’s unique ability to unveil the strong emotions of the characters and to keep the story realistic is a great addition to the strengths of the novel. The medieval era is reflected in the unique style of conversation and in the beliefs of the characters. Guinevere: The Legend is a gripping tale that keeps the reader turning the pages until the very last one…Reviewed by Christian Sia for Readers’ Favorite

Amazon → https://amzn.to/30jhehD

Check out my book at Goodreads!

Wednesday, April 21, 2021

Book Spotlight & Blog Tour: Operation: Jade Heart by Ashley Fontainne

thewriterslife April 21, 2021 0 Comments

When the game begins, everything changes…

By Ashley Fontainne

Title: OPERATION: JADE HELMET
Author: Ashley Fontainne
Publisher: RMSW PRESS
Pages: #314
Genre: Christian Fiction/Suspense/Futuristic

BOOK BLURB:

Eager fans around the world played Operation Red Helmet for years, making it the highest-grossing virtual reality game ever sold, and the designers, The Talladav Group, are the richest company on earth.

After an oppressive, unrelenting worldwide heatwave hits, daily life grinds to a halt around the globe. People retreat to their homes, afraid to go out as violence and chaos erupt in the streets. The game temporarily shuts down as the world grapples with the fallout of civil unrest and critical infrastructure breakdowns, forever altering society.

When governments take over control and infrastructures are replaced and back online, the top players of the previous version receive a mysterious box marked, Operation Jade Helmet. The new version is the first-ever total immersion VR experience and inside each box is a free headset and personal code to play a week before release to the general public. The lucky winners don their newest obsession and impatiently wait for the game to begin. Unfortunately, they are about to discover Operation Jade Helmet is unlike any other game, and when the game begins, everything changes.

“Ashley Fontainne takes the genre of Christian Paranormal Thriller to the next level in Operation Jade Helmet. Signs of the end-times are upon us in a not-so-distant future as the world is experiencing a cataclysmic heatwave and society as a whole is addicted to social media and gaming like never before. Bringing in some of her well-known characters from her Legion Novella Series, Fontainne weaves together multiple and terrifying plot-lines as this story comes to a nail-biting head in a vivid spiritual and physical battle that will hit close to home for many readers.

Fans of Fontainne’s Legion Novella Series will recall the boy, Tyler Tidwell, and his battle demons. Well, those demons are at it again, and Tidwell, while he doesn’t take center stage in this story, does play a crucial role as a retired and faithful pastor who stands against the darkness that even resides in his church, while threatening his family. Less I give the impression that’s all there is, there are many other memorable characters whose storylines weave and arc together in this complex and intricate story.

From page one, Fontainne immediately thrusts the reader into the action of this story, adding dark intrigue with a mysterious figure that even the supposed “bad guys” seem to fear. Truly, I remained on the edge of my seat to the very end of this story, even enjoying the didactic aspects of this story. Much like Frank Perretti’s This Present Darkness, Piercing the Darkness and Prophet, Fontainne’s Operation Jade Helmet is a cautionary tale that feels far too real to be read as mere allegory. Indeed, it is written as a prophetic glimpse of a future five years hence – one that is far too vividly captured to be passed up as mere speculation. “

– Readers’ Favorite, 5 stars

Amazon → https://amzn.to/3kmxHKS

B&N → https://bit.ly/2NvARQL
Apple → https://apple.co/3kmyqvA
Kobo → https://bit.ly/3aUPR3n

Check out my book at Goodreads!

Award-winning and International bestselling author, Ashley Fontainne, is an avid reader, becoming a fan of the written word in her youth, starting with the Nancy Drew mystery series. Stories that immerse the reader deep into the human psyche and the monsters lurking within us are her favorite reads.

Her muse for penning the Eviscerating the Snake series was The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. Ashley’s love for this book is what sparked her desire to write her debut novel, Accountable to None, the first book in the trilogy. With a modern setting to the tale, Ashley delves into just what lengths a person is willing to go to when seeking personal justice for heinous acts perpetrated against them. The second novel in the series, Zero Balance, focuses on the cost and reciprocal cycle that obtaining revenge has on the seeker. Once the cycle starts, where does it end? How far will the tendrils of revenge expand? Adjusting Journal Entries answers that question—far and wide.

The short thriller entitled Number Seventy-Five touches upon the dangerous world of online dating. Number Seventy-Five took home the BRONZE medal in fiction/suspense at the 2013 Readers’ Favorite International Book Awards.

The paranormal thriller entitled The Lie won the GOLD medal in the 2013 Illumination Book Awards for fiction/suspense. A movie based on this book, entitled Foreseen, is currently a feature film available on video-on-demand from Amazon.

Ashley delved into the paranormal with a Southern Gothic horror/suspense novel, Growl, which released in January of 2015. The suspenseful mystery Empty Shell released in September of 2014. Ashley teamed up with Lillian Hansen (Ashley calls her Mom!) and penned a three-part murder mystery/suspense series entitled The Magnolia Series. The first book, Blood Ties, released in 2015 and was voted one of the Top 50 Self-Published Books You Should Be Reading in 2015 at www.readfree.ly.

Whispered Pain released in October of 2015, and Night Court released December 13, 2015.

Tainted Cure, Tainted Reality, Tainted Future, and Tainted World are the four books in the post-apocalyptic/zombie genre, The Rememdium Series, all released to rave reviews for a fresh take on the zombie genre.

Ruined Wings is about a young woman’s descent into drug addiction and is currently a short film. The movie is free to watch and share with others in hopes of starting a positive dialogue regarding addiction. https://ruinedwings.com/

Fatal Agreements won the 2019 Independent Audio Awards for best female narrator, Andrea Emmes.

The Legion Series ~ Many ~ Madness ~ Mayhem released in 2019-2020 and delves with the struggles people face with demonic entities.