Archive for April, 2024

Magpie Maggie Takes The Wheel ~ A Longhorn Trucking Mystery by Katherine H. Brown

Posted: April 2, 2024 in Cozy Mystery, giveaways
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Magpie Maggie Takes the Wheel (Longhorn Trucking Mysteries)
by Katherine H. Brown

 


Magpie Maggie Takes the Wheel (Longhorn Trucking Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – Texas
Independently Published: (March 27, 2024)
Print length ‏ : ‎ 100 pages
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0CVV3D972

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Margaret (Maggie) Cumberland lives to shop; her father died with debts.

Before she can get her inheritance, Maggie finds out the will comes with certain stipulations. She has to get a job.
Not just any job, though. Nope. Dear old dad put in the will that she had to make three deliveries for the family business.

Sounds simple. Should be simple.
It’s anything but simple.

Maggie suddenly finds her pink convertible repossessed, her condo being foreclosed on, and her every minute spent studying for a CDL to pass a test that will allow her to drive an eighteen-wheeler truck across the state. Oh wait, not to mention that someone is apparently out to get something from her father’s trucking company, even if they have to go through her first.

Can Maggie steer clear of danger long enough to make her first delivery deadline or will there be more roadblocks than she can handle?

About Katherine H. Brown

Katherine H. Brown is a Texas author, mom, wife, lover of Jesus, devourer or books, and writer of stories. She loves words and revels in weaving them together to create a fun adventure and characters that make you smile. She loves the color blue, the splendor of the ocean, and the quiet of naptime with a toddler in the house. It is her hope that with each story she writes, more readers will find the joy, adventure, and escape that draws her to book after book as a reader as well.

Author Links: Instagram / Goodreads / BookBub / Facebook / Amazon / Newsletter

Purchase Link  – Amazon

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TOUR PARTICIPANTS

March 27 – Mystery, Thrillers, and Suspense – SPOTLIGHT

March 28 – Boys’ Mom Reads! – REVIEW

March 28 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

March 28 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT

March 29 – Literary Gold – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

March 29 – Reading Is My SuperPower – AUTHOR GUEST POST

March 30 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW

March 31 – Sarah Can’t Stop Reading – REVIEW  

April 1 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – REVIEW, AUTHOR GUEST POST

April 2 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

April 2 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

April 3 – Teatime and Books – SPOTLIGHT

April 3 – Maureen’s Musings – REVIEW

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

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Mei’s Mermaid Mission by Crystal Z. Lee ~ Author Interview And Giveaway

Posted: April 1, 2024 in Children's books, giveaways
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Book Details:

Book Title:  Mei’s Mermaid Mission by Crystal Z. Lee
Category: Children’s Fiction (Ages 3-7), 42 pages
Genre: Children’s Picture Book
Publisher: Balestier Press
​Publication Date: Mar 1, 2024.
Content Rating: G

Book Description:

The mission of the Mermaids International Rescue Alliance (MIRA) is to guard the ocean and protect the sea creatures. There are many mermaid members in MIRA from all over Asia, such as Princess Hwangok (Korea), Roro (Indonesia), Jiao (China), Ningyo (Japan), Songkhla (Thailand), Duyung (Malaysia), Sovann Macha (Cambodia), Sirena (the Philippines), and Mei (Taiwan). Mei’s Mermaid Mission is an exquisitely illustrated picture book that follows Mei as she travels all over the Asia Pacific region to gather the team of heroic mermaids in order to stop the pirate from polluting. Can Mei and the MIRA mermaids stop the pirate in time? Over twenty sea animals and over twenty locations in Asia are introduced in this story, as well as Asian mermaid mythologies in the book’s backmatter. Children and adults will delight in this cultural story emphasizing empathy, friendship, collaboration, and environmental protection.

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Author Interview

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  1. Mei’s Mermaid Mission references names from mermaid mythologies in Asia. Tell our readers about some of them.

 

In Cambodian and Thai mythology, Sovann Macha was a golden mermaid who led a pack of mer-warriors.

In Korean lore, there is a love story between King Eunhye and a mermaid princess, Hwangok. Princess Hwangok lived at Busan and patiently kept vigil for Eunhye by the shore.

My book references names from mermaid mythologies that have permeated the Asia Pacific region, some of them for centuries. I’ve always been fascinated with the underwater world so writing this book was a wonderful journey.

 

  1. Your book can also be a resource for children interested in animal science, since it mentions nearly thirty animals! Which ones stand out for you?

 

  • Giant pacific octopuses are highly intelligent creatures that have nine brains; they have been known to recognize and hug people.
  • Dugongs are gentle marine mammals that help our earth’s climate by protecting seagrass meadows.
  • Komodo dragons are native to Indonesia and some scientists believe they are the closest living relatives to dinosaurs.
  • Saolas are one of the world’s rarest mammals and are also known as Asian unicorns. They resemble antelopes are native to Vietnam and Laos.

 

Mei’s Mermaid Mission highlights some of the rare animals and sea creatures that call Asia Pacific home. They are all unique and I hope my book can be a conversation starter on animal protection.

 

  1. Have you been to some of the places mentioned in Mei’s Mermaid Mission? Which is your most memorable trip?

 

I’ve visited over thirteen countries in the Asia Pacific region, so yes, I’ve been on many trips in Asia! I grew up in Taipei, lived in Shanghai for years, and took annual trips to Japan and Singapore. I loved traveling to Korea’s Jeju Island, hiking the forests of Borneo, boating in Phuket, seeing historic relics in Vietnam

  1. There is also a sprinkling of history in your book. Tell us about the historical figures that make an appearance.

 

  • Zheng He: A Chinese mariner and diplomat from the 15th century Ming dynasty, Zheng He (also known as Cheng Ho) commanded over 300 ships that sailed as far as Africa. Zheng He led grand expeditions about a century before the European maritime powers. At the time, Zheng He commanded the largest, most advanced fleet in the world. Today, there are statues and monuments dedicated to him in Malaysia, China, Indonesia, Taiwan, Oman, etc.

 

  • Madame Ching: Also known as Ching Shih, Madame Ching is recognized as history’s most successful female pirate. Roaming the South China Seas over 200 years ago, Madame Ching commanded hundreds of ships and at one point entered into conflicts with major world powers such as the Portuguese empire, Chinese Qing dynasty, and the East India Company.

 

Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres to read in so I almost always add a bit of history in my books!

 

  1. There are some specialty ships mentioned in your story. Can you share them with our readers?
  • Turtle ships were armored battleships used from the 15th-19th centuries in Korea. The ships resembled turtles with their fully covered plates.
  • Dragon boats have been around for more than two thousand years! They are traditional paddled long boats with decorative dragon heads and tails. Today they can be found all over Asia, such as in Taiwan, Cambodia, Japan, Malaysia, China, Laos, the Philippines, etc.
  • Moon boats are traditional Bangladeshi fishing boats with a distinctive crescent moon shape.

 

  1. There is an environmental protection message in this book. What do you hope your readers can takeaway from Mei’s Mermaid Mission?

If humans do not curb our marine pollution, current estimates predict that by the year 2050, ocean plastic will outweigh all of the ocean’s fish. That means there will be more plastic than fish in our seas. We can all do our part in helping the animals and creatures we share this earth with. One of the simplest things is recycling, reducing plastic waste, and reading and learning about marine environment protection.

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Meet the Author Crystal Z. Lee:

Crystal Z. Lee grew up in a bilingual household in Taiwan and in California. She is an avid traveler and has visited over thirteen countries in Asia. Her favorite travel memories include hiking the forests of Borneo, boating in Phuket, cruising down the Yangtze River, chasing butterflies in Taiwan, attending literary festivals in Hong Kong, and visiting family in Singapore. Crystal is the author of children’s books A Unicorn Named Rin and Kai the Dancing Butterfly. Her poetry was recently included in the UK anthology, Tabula Rasa. She is also the author of a novel, Love and Other Moods.

​connect with the author: website ~  instagram ~ goodreads
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Meet the Illustrator:

Allie Su was born and raised in a village in Yunlin county, Taiwan. She attended Nanhua University in Chiayi city, majoring in Visual Arts. Allie once lived in Korea for some time, volunteering in the area of animal protection. She loves kimchi, Korean saunas, Incheon’s snowy winters, and taking boat rides to Yeouido. She believes in bringing joy to people through art. Allie has worked as a children’s art teacher and a professional illustrator. She also illustrated a picture book about Taiwan, Kai the Dancing Butterfly.
 
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MEI’S MERMAID MISSION by Crystal Z Lee Book Tour Giveaway

 

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For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

Fast Times, Big City by Shelly Frome

Posted: April 1, 2024 in Cozy Mystery, giveaways
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Fast Times, Big City
by Shelly Frome

 


Fast Times, Big City
Publisher ‏ : ‎ BQB Publishing (February 27, 2024)
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 284 pages
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8886330267
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0C92RW97K

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Like most people, Bud Palmer felt this was just another day. Though the era was drawing to a close, he assumed his life as a sports columnist in the subtropics, in keeping with the benign fifties itself, would go on as predictable as ever. But that particular autumn morning he was thrust into a caper that was totally beyond him, forced him to leave Miami and take the train to Manhattan, and suddenly found everything in this restless “Big Apple” was up for grabs, on the brink, at a dicey turning point.

Enjoy this peek inside:

The looming billboards were so massive, in contrast the Times Square sign jutting out of the lamppost was totally eclipsed. As if it might have been a relic from a long-ago era before everything had given way. Here, high above the rooftops to Bud’s right, was a massive Pepsi bottle doing its best to block out the sky, not to be outdone by an equally outsized bottle top on its side. Further ahead as the Square verged into a tip of a triangle, other billboards joined the fray, starting with a domineering Admiral Television and Appliances sign, topped by a Canadian Club whiskey sign, topped by a Chevrolet sign.  All but eclipsed, a lesser billboard around the corner advertised the musical West Side Story—the very same black-and-white logo with the girl ecstatically racing by the tenements pulling her boyfriend along. Other logos and marquees took part by marking the street entrances to buildings so that the Statler Hotel sign didn’t stand a chance.

At the same time, fighting off the prospect of becoming overwhelmed, Bud couldn’t help wondering if Amy had been among the rushing pedestrians who had gotten off the buses and trains. Had they too gotten wind of small town dreams—that legendary call of the lady carnival barker promising never-ending opportunities?

About Shelly Frome

 Shelly Frome is a member of Mystery Writers of America, a professor of dramatic arts emeritus at UConn, a former professional actor, and a writer of crime novels and books on theater and film. He also is a features writer for Gannett Publications. His fiction includes Sun Dance for Andy Horn, Lilac Moon, Twilight of the Drifter, Tinseltown Riff, Murder Run, Moon Games, The Secluded Village Murders, Miranda and the D-Day Caper and Shadow of the Gypsy. Among his works of non-fiction are The Actors Studio: A History, a guide to playwriting and one on screenwriting, Fast Times, Big City is his latest foray into the world of crime and the amateur sleuth. He lives in Black Mountain, North Carolina.

Social Media Links: Website / Facebook / Twitter/X / LinkedIn / Goodreads

Purchase Links – Amazon  B&N  Kobo  Bookshop.org

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TOUR PARTICIPANTS

March 25 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

March 26 – Mystery, Thrillers, and Suspense – SPOTLIGHT  

March 27 – Literary Gold – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

March 28 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT

March 29 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee – SPOTLIGHT

March 30 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT

March 31 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

April 1 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

April 2 – The Mystery Section – SPOTLIGHT

April 3 – Ruff Drafts – SPOTLIGHT

April 4 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

April 5 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

April 6 – Guatemala Paula Loves to Read – REVIEW

April 7 – Teatime and Books – SPOTLIGHT

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

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