The Insecure Writer’s Support Group and In Darkness: The Alien’s Release!

It’s time for another edition of The Insecure Writer’s Support Group, founded by Ninja Captain, Alex J. Cavanaugh.

The question for today: What turns you off when visiting an author's website/blog? Lack of information? A drone of negativity? Little mention of author's books? Constant mention of books?

An author’s website should focus on his/her books and what they are currently doing. However, a blog should not be just about one’s own books. I’d go far as to say not even just about writing those books. (Especially if the author is struggling, because readers do NOT want to hear that.)

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I’m a day early because the final chapter of my In Darkness series is out!

In Darkness: The Alien
By L. Diane Wolfe

Souls shrouded in darkness…
Abducted from her research station, Liz’s life is flung into chaos. Sold into servanthood for her knowledge of planetary mining to a race called the Stren, she discovers her problems go far deeper. She is to marry her alien master, Krist, after enduring a procedure designed to eradicate her emotions.
Desperate, Liz persuades the Stren to grant her the duration of a short voyage to change his perception of emotions. But how can she convince someone lacking feelings of their value? Is there a means of accessing the emotional side of Krist?

Romance-Science Fiction / Science Fiction-Alien Contact / Romance-Paranormal
eBook ISBN 9781939844972 $3.99

Links: Amazon / iTunes / B&N / Kobo / Goodreads

Blog Tour:
Jan. 31 – C. Lee McKenzie - why I write the genre I write
Feb. 2 – Sandra Cox - review
Feb. 5 – H.R. Sinclair - interview
Feb. 5 - Steven Rose, Jr. - interview
Feb. 6 – Rebecca Douglass - feature
Feb. 6 - Reading Nook - excerpt
Feb. 7 –Alex J Cavanaugh alien/human romance movies
Feb. 7 - Susan Gourley - top 5 good and bad aliens
Feb. 7 - Diane Burton - guest post
Feb. 7 - Paranormal Romantics - guest post
Feb. 7 – IWSG Anthologies - guest post

And now that the series has wrapped up, I have exciting news – all four stories will appear in one print and eBook volume!

Coming March 5th!
In Darkness
Print ISBN 9798988625148 $17.95
eBook ISBN 9798988625155 $8.99

Pre-order: Amazon / iTunes / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / Gardners

What turns you off an author’s blog/website? Ready for some paranormal romance with a sci-fi twist?

Creepy Underground Catacombs!

I’m thrilled to announce the release of the third book in this series from Dancing Lemur Press, L.L.C., Bubba and Squirt’s City of Bones!

Bubba and Squirt’s City of Bones
By Sherry Ellis

Creepy Underground Catacombs!

Bubba and Squirt are back for another rousing quest as they travel through the mysterious vortex to Paris, France. It’s another wild adventure as they track down art thieves, encounter terrifying monsters, and discover the whereabouts of their missing father.

Will they make it out alive or join the rest of the skeletons in the City of Bones?

Juvenile Fiction - Action Adventure / Fantasy & Magic / Legends, Myths, Fables - Greek & Roman $8.95 Print ISBN 9781939844989 / $3.99 eBook ISBN 9781939844996

“Much like The Magic Treehouse, each book in this series builds upon the last and incorporates pieces from previous installments. This series is a positive addition to library collections for confident young readers.” – Mary Lanni, author

“‘City of Bones’ could be used to start discussions on French history with a lesson on the Catacombs. There could be lessons on French vocabulary and art and even geography. I cannot wait to see what happens in the next installment.” – Book Room Reviews

“Highly-recommended for middle-grade readers who are fans of fantasy, adventure, and historical fiction stories. The author has filled this story with the rich history of France by blending fact with fiction.” - June McCrary Jacobs, author

“A little fantasy, a little culture, a little history...and tons of mystery and adventure. The adventure is exciting, packs tons of tension, and keeps the reader guessing until the end.” – Bookworm for Kids

Sherry Ellis’ Bubba and Squirt’s Big Dig to China won the Reader’s Favorites Silver Medal for the Children's Grades 4-6 category.

Links: Amazon / iTunes / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / Gardners / Goodreads

Sherry Ellis is an award-winning author and professional musician who plays and teaches the violin, viola, and piano. When she is not writing or engaged in musical activities, she can be found doing household chores, hiking, or exploring the world. Ellis lives in Atlanta, Georgia. Website / Bubba and Squirt site / Facebook / Twitter - X

Follow Sherry on her book tour:

January 14 Unleashing Readers

January 16 The Children's Book Review and Author June McCray Jacobs

January 17 Icefairy's Treasure Chest and J.Q. Rose’s Recipes and Reads

January 18 The Momma Spot

January 19  Life is What it's Called

January 22 Crafty Moms Share

January 23 Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers

January 24 Barbara Ann Mojica's Blog

January 25 A Blue Box Full of Books

January 26 One More Exclamation

February 5 The Fairview Review

February 6 Country Mamas With Kids

February 7 Twirling Book Princess

February 8 My Reading Getaway

February 9 Cover Lover Book Review

And the first book is now on audio!



Purchase it at Amazon or Audible

Plus there is one more surprise - the cover reveal for the fifth book in the series:

Have you read the first two books in this series or ever visited Paris?

The Insecure Writer's Support Group

It’s time for another edition of The Insecure Writer’s Support Group, founded by Ninja Captain, Alex J. Cavanaugh.

The question for today: Do you follow back your readers on BookBub or do you only follow back other authors?

I confess, I am not on BookBub. Again, too busy with DLP authors and work to take care of stuff related to me. I do need to sign up, though.


I’d like to take this moment to do a couple shout-outs.

First is to my cousin Patti. She lives in California with her mother, my Aunt Mary, who is 97. Tragedy took her fiancé a couple years ago and Patti has struggled since. But she is my biggest fan—she has purchased and loved my three In Darkness books and can’t wait for the fourth one next month, The Alien. Patti, thank you. The last time I had a family member or friend this excited was my mother, who loved my The Circle of Friends series and purchased them for everyone in the family. I treasure having that kind of support again.

The second shout-out goes to Sherry Ellis, whose book, Bubba and Squirt’s City of Bones, comes out in two weeks. Sherry is so dedicated to this series and such a hard worker when it comes to promoting her books. She has a tour lined up and a fantastic program for schools planned. The next book, Bubba and Squirt’s Shield of Athena, comes out in May, and the final installment, Bubba and Squirt’s Legend of the Lost Pearls, comes out in October. The series is also getting an audiobook treatment and the first one, Bubba and Squirt’s Big Dig to China, will be available on audio soon.

Who do you follow on BookBub?
Do you have a fan like my cousin Patti?
I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and holiday season.

The Insecure Writer's Support Group, Rattlesnake, and Conduction

It’s time for another edition of The Insecure Writer’s Support Group, founded by Ninja Captain, Alex J. Cavanaugh.

The question for today: Book reviews are for the readers. When you leave a book review, do you review for the Reader or the Author? Is it about what you liked and enjoyed about your reading experience, or do you critique the author?

I confess, I don’t do a lot of book reviews. For the past ten+ years, that’s been in part because most of my reading involves Dancing Lemur Press titles and submissions. (Little unethical to leave a review for a book published through my company.) The past two years have involved reading my own new titles, too. Ultimately, I don’t have time to read much outside of those areas. I have been reading a lot of cookbooks, so I do need to get on the stick and review some of those.

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Now, here’s C. Lee McKenzie and her new book:

Rattlesnake wasn't my first tittle. I think I had three others before I settled on that venomous sounding one. Each previous title had ghosts included—No Such Thing As Ghosts, Ghost Dreams, and one other that must have been so bad I can't remember it. I think the word, Gulch, was involved. Fortunately, I dispatched all of these, and once I settled on Rattlesnake, I was happy. It had the flavor of the desert, a hint of the old west, and it was also ominous.

What the book called Rattlesnake is about:

The desert town of Rattlesnake isn't a destination. It's a last resort. Seventeen-year-old Jonah Guthrie's aunt sold their home in New England and fled to this place to escape the humiliation of his dad's indictment for embezzlement and subsequent disappearance.

While their late uncle left them a house and a silver mine, the house is a shambles and the mine is defunct. They're almost out of money, so they have no choice but to stay in Rattlesnake. And then Jonah discovers they've inherited something else. Her name is Catherine, and she's been dead for over a hundred year. Now, she needs his help.

Excerpt:

For a moment, the sun balanced on the tip of the tallest peak, then slipped behind the mountains, turning them black against the sky. They were out of options all except for going back to Old Cemetery Road and dealing with the property. From somewhere far out in the desert came the loneliest sound Jonah had ever heard. That high-pitched yowl caught him at the center of his stomach. Suddenly, he felt eyes on him from every direction, and the shadows grew teeth.

Buy Rattlesnake at Amazon / Smashwords / Kobo / B&N

Find Lee at Website / Substack / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram / YouTube / LinkedIn

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And Tara Tyler has a new book!

CONDUCTION by Tara Tyler
Sci Fi Detective Thriller or Techno Thriller
Book 4 in Pop Travel series
Preview of MAGNETRON, Book 5 included

In 2085, cutting edge technology is the most valuable currency, and the black tech market offers high pay-offs for diamond-level code. Jared Nertz is an easy-going ex-juicer gone legit working for Pop Travel Technologies, and just when he finishes his long-awaited Conduction project--the process of storing data in the brain--someone immediately steals it and kills his mentor, framing him for the murder. Now it's up to his lawyer/wife Miki and their resourceful friends, Geri and Cooper to prove Jared's innocence by recovering the stolen tech before the criminal killer sells it. But that's only the beginning, as they discover a darker threat when they dig deeper into the case.

Find Tara at her blog

And Conduction on Amazon



Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!