Today, I have a memoir to share!  Check out Better Lucky Than Good, learn about author Dale Arenson,  and be sure to enter for a chance to win a prize in the book tour giveaway at the end of this post.

 

Memoir

Date Published: 09-13-2022

 

 

Can you build a successful life by taking the less traveled path? Yes, you can, and Dale Arenson’s incredible journey attests to it.

After seven years of living on the edge as a member of Hangmen, of the most popular outlaw motorcycle clubs in the US, the young school dropout needs a radical change. His soul wants something else; as long as he can preserve his freedom to do what he loves, he is ready to give up the gun violence, wild rides, and loud parties.

Dale Arenson walks away from the only life he knows to embark on a path that many people would deem too hard to even think about it. He bounces back from his poor start in life, bad choices, and costly mistakes and builds an exceptional career in aviation as a commercial pilot.

"Better Lucky Than Good" is the gripping account of this journey. A natural storyteller, the author vividly depicts his unorthodox path from outlaw biker to construction worker and salesman and, finally, to his dream life and his incredible adventures that nearly got him killed. Wildly entertaining, the book will keep you at the edge of your seat while inspiring and motivating you to follow your dreams and forge your own path in life.

 

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about the author

Dale Arenson is a bestselling author of gripping memoirs inspired by his risky and unconventional life. A high-school dropout in sunny Southern California, he found the supportive family he always craved in the biker community. After many run-ins with the law and brushes with death as a member of the famous Hangmen Motorcycle Club, Arenson gave up his dangerous lifestyle and reinvented himself as a commercial pilot. An admirer of Plato, Hemingway, and Marcus Aurelius, Arenson is now taking his turn at writing books that entertain, inspire, and stand the test of time.

 

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This morning, I have a dark supernatural thriller in our book blitz spotlight!  Check out Climate of Monsters, Book One from the Friulian Son series by Mitchell Sanders!

 

Climate of Monsters Series, Book One

Suspense, Dark Fantasy, Supernatural Thriller, Horror

 Published: June 28, 2022

 

 

Climate of Monster is a book of two incredible but unlikely heroes that intertwine to fight legendary mythical monsters and new creations that are rampant due to climate change. Our heroes include a young Italian master swordsman, and a dangerous Swedish woman who is both a special forces expert and medical doctor. Book 1: Friulian Son features incredible monsters that are larger than life: from biker werewolves, sea monsters, anthropomorphic squirrels, and a human hybrid cuttlefish (among many others).

 

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Book Two Climate of Monsters: Breath of Fire is due out later in 2023.

 

about the author

Mitchell Sanders is just another ordinary individual. As a scientist and serial entrepreneur, in his spare time he enjoys reading and writing horror books. His inspirations come from his lovely wife and best friend, Elisabeth, and three children and three grandchildren, who encouraged him to write and finish his first book. Mitch spent a good portion of his life studying biomedical sciences and advanced wound care. He has a BA in biology from Boston University with a minor in Latin language and literature, and an MS in molecular biology and a PhD in biomedical sciences, both from Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI). Mitch did two postdocs at the Whitehead Institute / MIT, a world-renowned nonprofit research institution dedicated to improving human health through basic biomedical research. Mitch is a worldwide expert in wound repair and regeneration. Mitch was formerly founder and chief executive officer (CEO) of a diagnostic company for sixteen years and is currently the chief scientifi

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This morning, I have a historical romance novel in our book release spotlight!  Check out Captain of Second Chances and learn about author Jennifer Monroe!

 

Historical Romance, Regency Romance, Clean & Wholesome

Date Published: January 26, 2023

 

In this sweet Regency romance by USA Today bestselling author Jennifer Monroe, a young woman fights for a second chance with a former captain who is haunted by his past.

 

 

A Captain lost at sea

After a devastating shipwreck kills several of his crewmen, Captain Luke Bannerman has sworn off all aspects of his former life—including Miss Ruth Lockhart, the flaming-haired beauty he once loved. Now working for the Bow Street Runners, Luke is sent to the small village of Chatsworth to investigate a decades-old murder in-volving the headmistress of the very school Ruth attends. Although he has a duty to fulfill, the old feelings he has shut away resurface, mak-ing him reconsider what he has cast off…

 

Her love will bring him home

Miss Ruth Lockhart once dreamed of marrying Captain Bannermann and sailing the high seas. But a heartbreaking letter brought that dream to a crashing end. When the handsome Luke unexpectantly reappears, Ruth finds the strong and gentle man gone, replaced by one who is broken and lost. Although her heart yearns for a second chance, Ruth knows the cost of having her captain returned to her may prove to be more than she can pay.

 

Only the truth will calm a storm of secrets…

Suspecting a second chance is on the horizon, Ruth aids Luke in the search for the truth. But as the investigation unfolds, Ruth realizes her own secrets may be the very thing that will keep them apart.

As for Luke, he must decide which man he wants to be—the brave captain Ruth once knew or the Bow Street Runner who uncovers an unsettling truth that could ruin their chance at happiness…

 

about the series

Sisterhood of Secrets Series

 

#1 Duke of Madness

#2 Baron of Rake Street

#3 Marquess of Magic

#4 Earl of Deception

#5 Knight of Destiny

#6 Captain of Second Chances

 

about the author

USA Today bestselling author Jennifer Monroe writes Regency romances you can’t resist. Her stories are filled with first loves and second chances, dashing dukes, and strong heroines. Each turn of the page promises an adventure in love and many late nights of reading.

With over twenty books published, her nine-part series, The Secrets of Scarlett Hall, which tells the stories of the Lambert Children, remain a favorite with her readers.

 

 

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This morning, I have a memoir in our book spotlight.  Check out A Flicker in the Water, read an excerpt from the book and learn about author Bob Gonzalez.

Nonfiction / Memoir / Fishing

Date Published: ‎June 26, 2022

Publisher: ‎Mindstir Media

 

If you're yearning for tales about adventure and fun on the open sea, look no further!

The crew welcomes you aboard the Twister, one of the finest fishing vessels in the Gulf of Mexico, as the search is on for the big ones that legends are made of. Blue marlin, yellowfin tuna, swordfish, and more are waiting to be caught, just so long as Bob and his friends have the strength to reel them in.

Told in a fun, engaging style, this book combines elements of drama, heroism, and skill with humor and some educational points about the sea and its inhabitants, with plenty of surprises along the way.

The stories will make you feel like you are out on the water yourself getting ready to land that next great catch you'll be talking about for the rest of your life. Experienced seamen and land lubbers alike will enjoy this peek into one of the good parts of life with all of its promises and perils.

The use of the word Tales in the subtitle is a play on the word "Tails" that matches the Goliath Grouper on the front cover. When you look into the mouth of the Grouper, we hope you'll want to look inside this exciting collection of tales. 

 

read an excerpt

 

Inside the Tales

The water was brightly lit, reflecting the Tuna’s iridescent colors off of their elongated muscular bodies as we arrived at sunset. Getting to the offshore oil rigs, our fishing destination had been no easy journey.

An eight-hour trek through an unpredictable yet calm sea. On the way we had managed to land a bull dolphin. In Spanish they are called dorado. An apt name that perfectly captures the golden essence of their beautiful mul-ticolored skin tone with differing vibrant shades of blue, green and striking yellow capped off by a flat squared bulging head creating a color combination as diverse and beautiful as any fish in the sea. Most know them as mahi -mahi, a Hawaiian term that means “very strong.” The bull, a male had a companion with him, a female called a cow. Male lions are the kings of the jungle, but in the world’s oceans females wear the crown, reigning supreme. Captain Mike had made the trip many times before, but even an experienced seaman cannot help getting those little butterflies in the pit of his stomach as the departure time draws closer. The excited anticipation of what could happen good or bad when leaving the dock is a different-yet-no-less-satisfying feeling than a successful trip’s return. Filling the coolers with ice, rigging bait, setting the rods and reels to the proper length and drag are all necessary tasks to be done ahead of time, because as any fisherman knows you want to be ready when you get that make-or-break strike. Which as every fisherman who has ever told tales also knows happens each time you put your baits in the water. Doing these required tasks for the Twister’s crew team would be Troby (known as Drawbridge to his friends). Drawbridge was an experienced fisherman who had more stories to tell than Popeye the sailor man, only he did not derive his strength from spinach. Drawbridge was a jovial fellow with the look of an experienced fisherman written on the lines of his face, who like many seamen had an unquenchable thirst for the suds, which often led to some amusing and at times not-so-amusing circumstances. There was never a bridge Drawbridge did not want to cross or a fish he didn’t like to eat (once comparing the taste of a tiger shark’s liver to a chocolate bar). Drawbridge’s father had been an airline pilot for a major airline, before becoming an early settler in Destin while it was still known as the “World’s Luckiest Fishing Village.”

Drawbridge spent a lot of his childhood traveling the world through the air.

Choosing for himself as an adult to travel by water. Also joining the crew was Gary, a local kid who had grown up fishing the local waters. Bob Jr. a former ballplayer who enjoyed all aspects of the seaman’s experience from preparation to scrubbing the boat down after a long run. Bob Jr.’s favorite baseball memory was of a home run he hit in a championship game. “I still don’t know how that ball traveled so far. It felt like the ball slipped off the bat, it must have gotten caught up in a favorable wind current.” In baseball like at sea it’s better traveling when the currents are in your favor.

Bob Jr. hailed from the mountains of Northeast Pennsylvania. He and Bob Sr. fished for bluefish off the coast of New Jersey every summer. Bob Jr. likes to retell the story that brought him of age as a fisherman, the first Bluefish he reeled in by himself at age nine. The warrior in him came alive, refusing to hand the rod off. “It was going to be the fish or me,” he likes to say. Bob Jr. had taken a renewed special interest not wanting to call it outright pride in his gaffing. Line up the gaff to the fish then give it a quick short snatch instead of lunging at the fish. He would say, “You won’t get them all but your batting average will definitely improve. His love of gaffing was born out of a near miss of a 100lb. wahoo that had somehow managed to slip off the hook after repeated gaff attempts (by others), the shockwaves of which felt like a harpoon had lodged itself in his heart, needing to be carefully removed. Bob Sr. was the boat’s principal owner. Bob Sr. is not your typical sit in the chair, content to reel in the fish kind of a boat owner.

Bob Sr. likes to get his hands dirty with everyone else. He once caught a giant albacore tuna off the shores of Barnegat Light New Jersey on an old party boat called “Doris Mae” that won him the day’s pool prize. The pool prize was a potluck all the day’s fishermen contributed to before heading out for the day. Barnegat Light was known for their catches of bluefish in the summer and cod in winter. Bob Sr. had been on such a hot streak of late.

He caught a 42 lb. red snapper three pounds shy of the Florida state record and a 60 lb. grouper all within ten minutes of each other. Having grown up in Cuba, Bob Sr. spent much of his childhood on the ocean; he learned how to swim before he could walk. In the tradition of fishermen of that day he started fishing with an old school hand line. The crusty fishermen, many of whom made their living with their hand lines developed hands so calloused they felt like sandpaper to the touch. But their hands were really tender when it came to working a fish. As a ten year old in Santiago de Cuba, Bob Sr. caught his first fish on a hand line, a tarpon who at the time weighed as much as he did 80 lbs. within view of the EL Morro Castle, the stately looking fort sitting at the mouth of “La Bahia de Santiago.” Bob Sr. put a rope through the fish’s gills, threw the fish over his shoulder, the fish’s tail dragging on the ground behind him. The experience would come in handy (literally) years later when he had a three-sided treble hook get stuck in his finger when he brought a kicking bull mahi on board. Each time the mahi kicked the treble lodged itself deeper and deeper. After subduing the fish, we used a wire cutter to slice the steel hook pulling it out of his finger. Bob Sr. didn’t flinch. We bandaged his finger, applied some ointment with a dose of hydrogen peroxide, and continued fishing without skipping a beat.

Little did Bob Sr. know his recent hot streak was about to continue. This was no ordinary bottom fishing trip they were embarking on. No, sir, this time around they were after one of the sea’s toughest competitors. Tuna are known as being finicky feeders, and on this day they lived up to their well deserved reputation. Arriving at dusk you could see their stout bodies pro-truding from the water in a way that said, “yeah, we know you’re here. Now see if you can catch us.” Tuna are so unpredictable many times they don’t even let you approach them without going under water, losing themselves in the depths without a trace to be seen. There hasn’t been a depth finder made yet they haven’t been able to outrun. To catch them, we tried, then tried, then tried again. Nine long hours had passed since the tuna began teasing us. Up to now they were winning the battle of wills in the depths of the 5,000 feet we were fishing. They gave us no indication that they were even still around, seeming to have disappeared. In the interim a few cases of beer, which would have tasted much better with some freshly caught raw tuna fish as a side dish, had been consumed. Innate in the fishermen’s nature is the pleasure of believing the fish always tastes better when it’s caught with his own hand, the pursuit accomplished.

Drawbridge had on a past voyage had a harrowing experience with a boatload of beer. Drawbridge was commissioned with delivery of a vessel from Destin Florida to Cabo San Lucas in Baja, California, where he and his team were going to fish in a marlin tournament. In years gone by Drawbridge had won first prize in this tournament, leading the pack weighing in a grander blue marlin. The boat’s owner was a builder who built condominiums all along the Gulf coast. Drawbridge was always proud, not boastful, just proud the winning grander he landed was measured by girth and length being hung in the entrance way of the first condo his boss built. He could be heard saying from time to time, “Oh yeah, when my dad helped settle Holiday Isle, he never dreamed his son would leave a lasting legacy to carry on his family name.” On this current excursion things would take on a decidedly different twist. No one really knows how or why, but legend has it the boat Drawbridge commandeered was loaded with cases of beer from bow to stern with only enough space to walk from the bridge to the bathroom through a narrow aisle down below. He and his girlfriend Gail set sail in what was thought to be balmy, ideal conditions, feet up enjoying a brand new day’s sunrise. As is often the case, Mother Nature makes plans of her own on short notice, rarely if ever consulting anyone about them. Crossing the Florida Straits at nightfall can be delightful with a following sea allowing tired hard working engines a temporary reprieve.

The vast current propelling the boat forward. Going against those same currents can often be a challenging if not downright horrifying experience, as Drawbridge and Gail would soon find out.

EL Morro Castle overlooking the bay of Santiago de Cuba. Santiago was once the capital city of Cuba. The fort was built to protect the city from pirates in the 1600s. Today it is used as a museum, culminating each day at sunset with a ceremonial firing of the cannon. This is where Bob Sr. caught his first tarpon with an old fashioned hand line.

The view overlooking Santiago de Cuba from atop from El Morro Castle.

According to UNESCO, it is the best preserved and most complete example of Spanish-American military architecture. The view is not too shabby either!

Bob Jr. displaying his gaffing skills. He was able to get this one through the mouth, saving all the wahoo’s tasty meat in the process. 

 

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A FLICKER IN THE WATER (Inside The Tales) is my second published work. The first one being a book of poems called “Eagle Claws For Freedom’s Cause”. The latter being so well received it provided the impetus to write this second book. I have always enjoyed the outdoors especially deep sea fishing and wanted this book to focus on those stories. I was born in New York City and raised in Northeastern Pennsylvania where the most popular outdoor sport was Whitetail Deer Hunting. Maybe I will write about those stories in a future book. I now live in Florida, where I still enjoy sports of all kinds. Hopefully one day soon I will get to see the Tampa Bay Rays win the World Series. But for now, I will keep myself busy pursuing then writing about landing the “Big Ones”.

 

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Today, we have a business memoir in our book blitz spotlight!  Check out No Limits:  A True Story of Challenge and Courage Across Three Continents and learn about author Nick Haritatos.

 

A True Story of Challenge and Courage Across Three Continents

 

Non-fiction, Business, Business Memoir

Date Published:

Launched: November 17, 2022

Released on Amazon:  November 11, 2022

Published: November 5, 2022

 

Opening during the Nazi occupation of Greece, best-selling No Limits is a true-life adventure story of Nick Haritatos. From his humble beginnings in war-torn Greece to southern Africa, Haritatos began a remarkable journey to success, buying his first business at sixteen and creating a portfolio of successful companies in Rhodesia, South Africa, and the United States.

Buffeted by winds of sweeping political and cultural changes, Haritatos pledged to make his own destiny, regardless of any obstacles. Haritatos lived a life of adventure set amidst dirt roads in tribal lands in Africa, harrowing days of the Rhodesian Bush War, numerous board rooms, and one-of-a-kind ocean-view homes.

With a foreword by Jack Canfield, No Limits gives readers a glimpse into the experiences and mindset of a man who faced numerous obstacles with unwavering confidence and a unique ability to build relationships with people from every walk of life. These relationships, coupled with the determination, passion and focus that he cultivated, gave Haritatos opportunities to build multi-million-dollar businesses, become a successful pilot, walk the 1,200-mile California Coastal Trail from the US-Mexico border north to the Oregon border, create a beautiful family and circle of friends, and achieve almost every other goal he set for himself.

No Limits will both entertain and inspire you. It is full of heart-warming relationships, drama, intrigue, and achievement, set against a background of tumultuous change. Woven into the text and highlighted in the appendix, No Limits includes Haritatos' pillars of business and personal success.

If you want to become the architect of your own destiny, regardless of your circumstances, this book is for you.

about the author

Nick Haritatos is a successful entrepreneur, soccer player, pilot, and devoted family man whose life experience has spanned four countries on three continents. From his humble beginnings in war-torn Greece to southern Africa, Haritatos began a remarkable journey to success, buying his first business at sixteen and creating a portfolio of successful companies in Rhodesia, South Africa, and the United States.

Buffeted by winds of sweeping changes, Nick pledged to make his own destiny, regardless of any obstacles. He lived a life of adventure set amidst mud huts and dirt roads in tribal lands in Africa, harrowing days of the Rhodesian Bush War, numerous board rooms, international trips to over forty countries, and one-of-a-kind ocean view homes.

His business career stretches across twenty-three companies and over fifty years in manufacturing, retail, service, and commercial, retail and residential real estate. With a knack for spotting untapped potential in businesses and people, Nick treasures his vast network of friends as intensely as his financial success. He loves to celebrate life with music and dancing whenever possible.

Early on, Nick developed a unique and flexible lifestyle model that allowed him to oversee multiple businesses simultaneously while devoting plenty of time to his wife and children. With his decision to create his own destiny, Nick maintains control over his life and his future even under challenging circumstances, when most others followed tradition.  His motto is “I make events. Events don’t make me.”

An avid athlete, Nick has played and coached soccer for most of his life. Nick has team members who’ve played soccer with him for nearly twenty five years in San Diego. As of the writing of this book, he’s played in more than 2,500 matches, as well as completed several marathons. He plans to be playing soccer when he is eighty years old and beyond.

Outside of his family, one of his proudest achievements was hiking the 1,200-mile California Coastal Trail.

Today Nick uses his considerable business and life experience to mentor and inspire a new generation of entrepreneurs and business leaders, when he isn’t on the soccer field or planning his next walk.

Nick is available to speak to groups interested in business and personal success. For more information on his speaking and mentoring work, visit his website at www.nolimitsbynick.com

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This morning I have a collection of humorous short stories in our book release blitz!  Check out One Soul's Journey, learn about author Barbara Daniels Dena & be sure to enter for a chance to win a prize in the book tour giveaway at the end of this post.

 

Second Collection of Short Stories Book 2 of The Soul Series

Fictional Humor Short Stories

Date Published: 01-25-2023

Publisher: Magic Zoe Publishing

 

One Soul's Journey is an eclectic and extraordinary collection of short stories.

The ingredients: imagination, a dash of real life, inspiration, and lots of love. If you've read and loved her first collection, “For the Soul,” this book will delight you.

Praise for The Soul Series

5.0 out of 5 stars

“Delightfully charming short stories”

“Excellent book. A must-read”

about the author

Barbara Daniels Dena is an American best-selling author and influential writer of her eclectic short stories in 'The Soul Series.'

The author's stories are almost a memoir and are a unique collection of inspiring short stories of 'good ole fashioned living,' along with many past and present memories and life experiences that tug on the heart, warming stories, and fictional tall tales and doggie tails delighting readers worldwide. The books are available on Amazon Books, Kindle, and many fine online book sites.

Barbara began writing at an early age as a lover of "Make-Believe." Today, her writing has developed from memories of family experiences, various compilations of events in her life, and her love of animals. She is willing to admit that her vivid imagination plays a role in her stories. The author is an Illinois native who has lived in many places; as Barb says, like a free-spirited "Gypsy," she has lived and worked in Illinois, Washington, Idaho, and Georgia, but Ultimately, comes home settling back in the Quad Cities area of Illinois.

She is a proud mother of two grown children. She was a business owner, ran a Temp Agency, transitioned into her passion for floral design, and opened, owned, and ran several floral shops. Her favorite flower is the "Casablanca Lily." Her favorite color is Red, and when she isn't writing, Barbara spends her free time oil painting and enjoys quilting, knitting, and reading.

Her favorite book is "Death Be Not Proud" by John J. Gunther. Her first love will always be playing with her fur baby; a little Yorkie named Zoe. She continues to write from her cozy nook as she gazes over a pond full of geese and ducks. On many days it is more gazing than writing.

 

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This morning, I have a mystery novel in our book blitz spotlight!  Check out Dark River Rising from the Winston Radhauser Mystery series, learn about author Susan Clayton-Goldner and be sure to enter for a chance to win a prize in the book tour giveaway at the end of this post.

Winston Radhauser Mystery, Book 13

 

Mystery

Date Published: 01-24-2023

Publisher: Tirgearr

 

When Detective Winston Radhauser’s phone rings in the middle of the night, he knows something terrible has happened. On this night, a homeless man, rummaging for food in a local dumpster, finds the body of a severely beaten young woman. On scene, Radhauser estimates the victim to be in her early twenties. He's overcome when he learns the forensics reveal she is the girl whose disappearance has haunted him for three years--Ava Cartwright.

In broad daylight, Ava's bicycle had been found parked with the kickstand down near a wooded area. Search parties inched their way through every portion of those woods, the neighborhood, nearby Lithia Park, and along miles of railroad tracks, but there was no sign of the little girl.

Where has she been all this time? And why was she dumped on the eve of her thirteenth birthday? There must be something, some tiny detail, he missed that will give him a lead. This time, Radhauser won’t quit until he finds it.

 

about the author

Susan Clayton Goldner became fascinated with books and writing as a young child. Her first publication came when she was ten. It was a poem on the back of a church bulletin. Perhaps seeing her name in print prompted her to pursue that love and become a novelist. Susan shares a life in Grants Pass, Oregon and Tucson, Arizona with her partner, John Carter, her fictional characters, and more books than one person could count. When she isn’t writing—which isn’t often—Susan likes to make stained glass windows and quilts. She says it’s a little bit like writing—telling stories with fabric and glass.

 

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