Straight Browsing from the Library: SEAL Watch by Petie McCarty

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Petie McCarty will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

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Someone is watching Cory.
She can feel it in her bones . . . but why?

Navy SEAL Sean MacKay's teammate is murdered after stealing a deadly nerve gas formula from Syrian terrorists. Naval Intelligence believes MacKay's teammate was a traitor and shipped the stolen formula to his sister in the States for safekeeping. MacKay is ordered to find the sister before the terrorists do and to recover the stolen formula at all costs.

Foreclosure looms for Cory Rigatero as she struggles to keep her rustic resort near Mt. St. Helens afloat after her brother abandoned her to join the SEAL Teams. Cory's whole world plummets into a tailspin when Sean MacKay shows up at her resort with news of her brother's death and the shocking suspicion that her brother sent her traitorous classified documents.
r> No way will Cory ever trust MacKay—the man who once seduced her and then vanished into the night without a trace.

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Cory stopped in the kitchen on her way outside. “I thought I’d go out front and see if Vern needed any help.”

“He’s all done,” Cookie told her and handed Garth a dog biscuit from the jar on the counter. “He had a boy out front helping him when I peeked out the window a bit ago.”

“A boy? You mean Jasper?”

“No, I’ve never seen this one around here before.” Cookie went back to stirring her pot. “Handsome, though,” she added. “They headed for the barn.”

“I'd better go see who it is,” Cory said, already striding for the back door.

She called out as soon as she reached the open barn doors, and Vern hollered from the small office that doubled as his shop. Cory threaded her way through all the equipment in the back half of the barn. Cookie’s stranger stood up when she appeared in the doorway, and Cory froze.

This was no boy. This was a man. All man. And he literally stole Cory’s breath away. She had read that in novels before. Never believed it to be possible.

Until now.

Shaggy hair and dark brown curls, perfectly teamed with a matching beard, were her first thought. Her second thought was broad—really broad—shoulders beneath his black flannel shirt, and hips so narrow that his black jeans sagged a smidge on his tall, muscular frame. His sleeves were rolled up, and those forearms and biceps belonged to a working man.

Good grief! Stop staring, Cory!

She caught herself before she licked her lips and jerked her gaze back to his face. Blue eyes that snared her gaze like a predator traps unsuspecting prey. Those blue eyes sparkled with just enough mischief to send a wicked flutter through her belly. Blue eyes that looked startlingly familiar.

. Maybe she just wanted them to look familiar, so she could already know this handsome man.

“Mac here is our new help.”

MEET THE AUTHOR

Petie spent a majority of her career at Walt Disney World—"The Most Magical Place on Earth"—where she loved working in the land of fairy tales by day and crafting her own romantic fairy tales by night, including her series, The Cinderella Romances. She eventually said goodbye to her "day" job to focus on her stories full-time.

These days, Petie spends her time writing new tales for her Cinderella series, her new paranormal-romantic-suspense series, The Watchers, sequels to her Regency time-travel series, Lords in Time, and more standalones like Any Fin For Love and Ambush in the Everglades.

Petie shares her home on the Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee with her horticulturist husband and an opinionated Nanday conure named Sassy, who makes a cameo appearance in Christmas Watch, Book 2 of The Watchers series.

Visit Petie at her website, http://www.petiemccarty.com, or her Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/petie.mccarty, to get to know her, learn about her current projects, and discover her other published works.

http://www.petiemccarty.com
https://www.facebook.com/petie.mccarty
https://x.com/authorpetie
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6094579.Petie_McCarty
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/petie-mccarty
http://www.amazon.com/author/petiemccarty

https://www.amazon.com/SEAL-Watch-Watchers-Book-3-ebook/dp/B0FW5QPSB5/ref=sr_1_1

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Straight Browsing from the Library: Watch Things Grow by Jay L. O'Callaghan

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Jay L O'Callaghan will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

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Curious brothers Zack and Liam love healthy food—but they've never grown their own! With help from Mum and Dad, they learn how tiny seeds turn into fruits and vegetables. They discover the magic of plants, the power of patience, and why nature matters.

But will their plants really grow? And what surprises will the garden bring?

Watch Things Grow is a fun and engaging story that inspires young readers to connect with nature, get their hands dirty, and see the world in a new way. It's the first book in an exciting series that explores the wonders of nature, creativity, and the joy of learning through hands-on adventures!

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Shrubs, bushes and trees carry oxygen from their leaves, which is distributed through the breeze.

Fruits and vegetables contain fibre, vitamins and minerals, which sustain our bodies and help us grow for an active life on the go.

Brothers Zack and Liam love growing organic fresh food because it gives them heaps of energy and a balanced positive mood.

They live on a three-acre block with fruit from their trees available around the clock.

MEET THE AUTHOR

Jay O'Callaghan has been crafting stories through writing, directing, and producing for over 15 years. With a Digital Media and Film & Television Production diploma he co-founded 4word Thought Entertainment in 2007, bringing narratives to life through music videos, corporate films, advertisements, and short films.

A career highlight was designing the graphic interface for the Kids B Safe smartphone application and directing its promotional campaign. Away from the screen, Jay spent 15 years as a chef in the aged-care industry, mastering the art of nourishing body and soul.

A storyteller at heart, Jay has transitioned from film to full-time writing, developing a captivating children's book series inspired by his own kids, and other books for young readers. His work blends imagination with rich storytelling, drawing from his deep interests in philosophy, history, and antiquities. Beyond writing, he is an illustrator, painter, and avid gardener, always exploring creativity in various forms. With a passion for promoting a healthy and balanced lifestyle, he brings thoughtfulness and depth to every project he undertakes.

Website: https://jaylocallaghan.com

Amazon: https://amazon.com/dp/1764140311

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Straight Chatting from the Library: Colin Sephton

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Colin Sephton will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

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What makes you love a book?

I can love a book for a variety of reasons. It may be a story that really appeals to me. It could be because it’s by a familiar author. Or it might simply be the cover artwork that draws me in. I am a sucker for a good piece of artwork (I am an artist and paint fantasy art). Usually, but not always, the cover conveys something about the contents of the book, so if I like the cover I will probably like the story. They say you should never judge a book by its cover, but I think that’s untrue a lot of the time. The secret is knowing which books first started a trend of cover designs, and which have created a similar design. Usually when a book is successful, other publishers start to create similar designs. Those books I keep well clear of. If they have nothing original to offer on its cover, chances are they have nothing original within their contents. The marketing department are just trying to appeal to readers with something that looks familiar. But that’s just my opinion!

Favorite reading snack?

My favourite reading snacks are chocolate and coffee. To me there’s nothing more satisfying. I will make a strong coffee in the espresso machine, steam the milk and pour it into my favourite large wide coffee mug. I will eat any chocolate, but my absolute go to is dark chocolate, the darker the better. Something like 85% or 90% coco bean! I tried some once that was 100% coco bean, I didn’t like it. It was tasteless and claggy! Ughh.

How often do you agree with critics about a book?

I never pay any attention to critics. I sometimes read their reviews, but I prefer to make up my own mind. There’s been lots of times, for example, when a movie review says a movie is awful, only to find when I watch it, I really like it. It’s all a matter of taste, and that’s the same with novels. I am also finding that social media is littered with people reviewing books and when you see their reviews they are all five stars! That’s impossible. It’s because the review has been paid for, so I pay no attention. I’ll decide what I like or dislike.

The most money I’ve ever spent in the bookstore at one time?

The most I have ever paid was £50, on a single book in Blackwell’s, back in 2005, so that would be a lot more in today’s money! It was The Oxford Guide to Arthurian Literature and Legend by Alan Lupack. When I lived in Oxford, I went though a phase where I was devouring everything I could get about King Arthur and the Holy Grai, with a view to writing my own book. I still have an unfinished manuscript somewhere.

Do you like to keep your books organized?

My books are very organized. I have a lot of fantasy novels which are all organized by author and grouped by series. I also have a lot of art books which are more loosely grouped, but fantasy art are together and traditional fine artists are grouped together. Then there are the speculative books, the grail, Atlantis, the pyramids, theosophy, they are all in a separate section but grouped by topic. My analytical ex-engineer mind must inject some sort of logic into my bookcases.

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Ignatius and Indigo find themselves struggling mentally to come to terms with the complex nature of the cosmos and their newfound supernatural powers obtained through their prior encounters with gods and demons. In their quest for another relic from the Creation, they are aided by the secretive thirteenth Chapter of the Union Jacks. In search of the secret of the Flaming Celestial Pearl, they must travel to Tibet in the great airship, HM Spirit of the Empire.

Pursued by fanatical knights sworn to protect the relic, they must reluctantly call upon the Charon, the seven merciless demons from the underworld to assist them. Piecing together the map that will lead them to a fabled city hidden deep within the Himalayas, they must defend themselves from air pirates, a previous foe from Oxford, mountain beasts and elementals.

Discovering the correct path through the mountains, Indigo realises her soul may never be the same again. Regardless, they enter the Great Void where using the Sword of Wisdom, they discover the truth about the cosmos.

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An icy chill ran down her spine. She took hold of the sword and her whole being was filled with a warmth like she had never felt before. Her arms tingled and she grew lightheaded as a myriad of stories and knowledge began to run through her mind. She thought her head would explode; she couldn’t keep up. The Sword of Wisdom had chosen to divulge the knowledge it had absorbed from Manjushri, knowledge that originated from the Librarian’s bookcases beneath the Administorium in Oxford. Ignatius stood by, not knowing what was happening.

Indigo began to glow with an aura that constantly changed colour at lightning speed. Indigo began to cry, then laugh, then sob again, then horror showed on her face, then she laughed again. She could feel her heart racing, pounding in her chest and she thought it would give way. Tears continued to flow and eventually she fell to the floor, exhausted but strangely invigorated. Composing herself, she looked at Atman then Adonai with contempt.

“I hate you both! You need to see to it that I don’t send you back to Limbo permanently, given my powers here seem to outweigh yours.”

Darshan, who was always the gentlest towards Ignatius and Indigo, placed a hand on her shoulder to comfort her. Indigo grabbed it and threw her aside with remarkable strength.

“Leave me be, you demon whore! After this, whatever this quest is all about, I want nothing to do with any of you, even if that means through my own demise.”

She looked around, finding Ignatius to see if he took that to mean him also, although even she wasn’t sure if it did.

MEET THE AUTHOR

Colin was born in Coventry and worked in the automotive industry for over twenty years before becoming an Engineering teacher. Obtaining his first library card at the age of thirteen, he became an avid reader of Fantasy and the mysteries of the Universe. He has an inbuilt curiosity for lost knowledge and ancient texts that may help to unlock the secrets of consciousness and the universe. Living in Oxford for many years, he has now moved back to his home county of Warwickshire where he enjoys creating and working with his wife on their garden in which he writes and entertains their two grandsons. He has always been an artist and writer and is inspired by the worlds created by Robert E Howard and Michael Moorcock, with the artwork of Frank Frazetta. Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/timeslayers
WEbsite: http://www.colinsephton.com

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Soulslayers-Colin-Sephton-ebook/dp/B0FN4DVMV9/ref=sr_1_2

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Straight Browsing from the Library: Hippie Mermaid by Joanne Guidoccio

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Joanne Guidoccio will be awarding a $10 Amazon gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

From sea to shore, betrayal follows her wherever she goes.

On Christmas Eve, psychic Kendra Adams reveals the secret she’s hidden for decades—she was once Rosina, a mermaid torn between sea and shore. Betrayed in her ocean kingdom and desperate to escape banishment, she persuades a politician to smuggle her into the human world. But freedom on land comes at a cost, as she soon finds herself ensnared in another web, this one spun by the politician’s power-hungry sister.

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A smile crept up on Aunt Lina’s face. “We have seven days to captivate your human.”

“What…How?”

“I heard all about the excursion from the Ettas,” Aunt Lina said. “They couldn’t stop talking about the attention you received from those four men. And that, my dear Rosina, is why Annabella is determined to get rid of you. She doesn’t want any reminders of a competition she didn’t win.”

“But I wasn’t competing. I said nothing and let the others pick their humans.”

“Ah, but the humans wanted you. And the one called Blake was not too happy when Annabella claimed him.” Aunt Lina spoke more briskly, “You made a good impression. You stayed much longer than the others, and you risked your life for a man.”

I shook my head. “I forgot about the time.”

“Something you cannot afford to do when you go up there tomorrow night.”

“I can’t go up there.”

“Did La Bella forbid you?”

“No, but I don’t want to upset her any further.”

“If she has mentioned Crete, she has already decided. You need to find a way out of this disaster. Go up there each night until you connect with the human. Persuade him to take you with him. If a human desires you, La Bella will not interfere. She will expedite the process.”

I tried to recall scattered bits of the conversation with Lloyd. At one point, he did mention wanting to take me with him, but there was uncertainty in his voice. He already had issues with the two women in his life.

“Cry,” Aunt Lina advised. “Humans cannot handle our tears. And if necessary, beg him to take you away.”

“His life is already complicated.”

“And yours is not?” Aunt Lina grabbed my shoulders. “This human is your only way out of this mess.”

About the Author:

Joanne Guidoccio enjoyed a rewarding career teaching mathematics, business, and co-operative education courses before retiring to pursue writing. A member of Crime Writers of Canada, Sisters in Crime, and the Women’s Fiction Writers Association, she writes paranormal romances, cozy mysteries, and inspirational stories from her home base of Guelph, Ontario.

Website: https://joanneguidoccio.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/joanneguidoccio
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/joanneguidoccio.bsky.social
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest. jca/guidoccio
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorjoanneguidoccio
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7277706.Joanne_Guidoccio
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joanneguidoccio
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Joanne-Guidoccio/e/B00FAWJGCG

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Hippie-Mermaid-Joanne-Guidoccio-ebook/dp/B0FVHQ2T3N
Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/Hippie-Mermaid-Joanne-Guidoccio-ebook/dp/B0FVHQ2T3N
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0FVHQ2T3N
Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0FVHQ2T3N

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Straight Browsing from the Library: The Tomato Jam Murder by Meg Benjamin

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Meg Benjamin will be awarding a $15 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

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Roxy’s spending her summer with burros and jam, but there’s a murderer in the mountains.

It’s burro racing season in the Rockies, and Roxy Constantine is all for it. Now if she can come up with a good recipe for tomato jam, her summer will be complete. But when Roxy finds a body on the burro race course, she’s suddenly plunged into a murder investigation. And when her innocent friend is accused of killing her ex, Roxy must challenge a corrupt police chief who wants to shut her up. Now she needs to find the real killer and save a neighboring town from a plot to ruin its mountain magic.

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Kennedy leaned close, eyes bright with malice. It’s hard to loom over someone as tall as me, but he was giving it his best shot. “You don’t get it, do you? This is none of your business. You don’t even live here. And you sure as hell don’t have any right to be sticking your nose into a police investigation. If I find out you’re stirring things up around here, I’ll throw you in a cell so fast your head will be spinning when you hit the floor.”

I was pretty sure he couldn’t do that legally. On the other hand, if he threw me into one of his cells, it might take me quite a while to get out of it. Logic argued for caution. Still, I hate being pushed around by guys who don’t have any right to push me around.

“All I’ve done is pass along information I’ve heard to people who might be interested. So far as I know, that doesn’t break any laws.”

“You. Don’t. Live. Here.” Kennedy snarled. “Like I said, this is none of your business. Keep out of it and keep your mouth shut.”

I gritted my teeth as I stared at him, trying to think of something to say that wouldn’t get me into deeper trouble.

Kennedy straightened, his gaze still burning, then swept one arm across the surface of the counter, sending jars of jam flying in all directions. I glared at him, furious and horrified.

The corners of his mouth edged up ever so slightly. “Oops.”

MEET THE AUTHOR

Meg Benjamin is an award-winning author of romance and cozy mysteries. Meg’s cozy mystery series, Luscious Delights from Wild Rose Press, concerns a jam-making sleuth based in the mythical small town of Shavano, Colorado. Her Konigsburg series is set in the Texas Hill Country and her Salt Box and Brewing Love trilogies are set in the Colorado Rockies (all are available from Entangled Publishing and from Meg’s indie line). Along with romance and cozies, Meg is also the author of the paranormal Ramos Family trilogy from Berkley InterMix and the Folk trilogy from Meg’s indie line. Meg’s books have won numerous awards, including an EPIC Award, a Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award, the Holt Medallion from Virginia Romance Writers, the Beanpot Award from the New England Romance Writers, the Carly Crown Jewel of Books from the Mid-America Romance Authors, and the Award of Excellence from Colorado Romance Writers.

Personal Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/meg.benjamin1
Author Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063609878239
Instagram:http://www.instagram.com/meg_benjamin
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@meg_benjamin
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/meg-benjamin.bsky.social
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2869971.Meg_Benjamin
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/meg-benjamin
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/megbenjamin
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Meg-Benjamin/author/B0030F12FY
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@megbenjamin1396
Website: http://www.MegBenjamin.com/

Amazon buy link: https://amzn.to/4oj93e5

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Straight Chatting from the Library: p.m. terrell

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. p.m. terrell will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

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What is the favorite book you remember as a child?
I read In Cold Blood by Truman Capote when I was about nine years old, and I was captivated by his style. I knew then that I wanted to be a writer.

Tell us about your current book in 10 words.
A historian rents an isolated lighthouse haunted by a Scotsman.

When do you do most of your reading?
I do most of my reading while I am on my treadmill, which I use six days a week. It makes the time fly! I also carry my iPad with me wherever I go, so I get a lot of reading in while in waiting rooms.

Favorite genre?

I am fascinated by the human journey, so I enjoy reading mysteries or suspense where the main character transforms through their trials and tribulations. I am also a sucker for ghost stories. I love them!

Do you loan your books?
I used to loan my books when they were in print, but don’t now that they are all contained on my iPad.

Favorite book to recommend?
There are so many! I read anything written by Martha Dunlop or Wendy Webb. They both are fabulous at creating believable, paranormal worlds.

What would make you not finish a book?
A book has to grab me from the first chapter, the characters have to be believable, the plot must be compelling, and the book must be well-written and well-edited. When I read a book that requires editing, all my years of writing and editing move to the forefront, and I can’t get into the plot because I am busy picking out errors.

Keep books or give them away?
I used to purchase paperback or hardcover books, but discovered I had amassed thousands of titles. I was planning an extended trip to Europe, and it would have been very costly to move them, so I gave almost all of them away. I replaced them with eBooks, and I try to purchase any new titles in eBook format. It means I can move all of my books in the palm of my hand, no matter where I travel.

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While researching her next book, historian and author Hayley Hunter rents a lighthouse in Southeastern North Carolina. The modern lighthouse and vacation home replaced an original wood structure that only functioned during the Revolutionary War. The old lighthouse may be long gone, but the lightkeeper’s ghost remains.

Hayley becomes increasingly obsessed with finding why the spirit of Jonathan Corbyn lingers between realms. Joined by her lover Shay MacGregor, her search will take her into a world of spies, double agents, and espionage at the dawn of American democracy.

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As the waitress returned with our meal, I said hesitantly, “I’ve been experiencing some activity.”

“Activity?” Shay repeated, puzzled.

As we leisurely consumed our meals, I told him of the white German shepherd, the Native American, and my discovery of Beckett Dikshita outside my door. I held back from mentioning the disembodied voice I thought I’d heard. For some reason I couldn’t explain, I felt that discussing Jon was a betrayal of him. He might have died over two centuries ago, but he felt very much alive to me.

When I was finished, Shay’s eyes were narrowed in thought. “I’m relieved you changed the locks and set up the cameras,” he said thoughtfully. “I think we should make it a habit for the locals to see us together, don’t you think? Give them the impression that there are two of us there. As isolated as you say it is, I don’t fancy the idea of the village folk believing you’re there all alone.”

“I agree, though the locals so far have consisted only of Argo and Beckett Dikshita.” I didn’t want to ask exactly how long he would remain before he was due back in Ireland for his job at the university. It seemed that doing so would hasten his departure. “And what do you think of the—unexplained—” I hesitated.

“Ghosts?” he offered. “Apparitions? You didn’t believe a Native American and disappearing dog would get past me, did you? Well, you’ve come to an expert on that as well.”

“Oh?” I chided. “You’re an expert?”

He chewed his food thoughtfully before becoming serious. “The Irish have a different mindset when it comes to spirits, they do,” he said, his voice softening. He cleared his throat. “You Americans have such a physical approach to life; you tend to think that when a person’s body ceases to function, their soul is taken away as well.”

MEET THE AUTHOR

My full name is Patricia McClelland Terrell, and I have been writing under the pen name p.m.terrell ever since a publisher presented me with my first fiction book cover. The graphic designer had also entered my name in lower-case letters; my editor hated it, and I loved it. It’s been p.m.terrell ever since.

I began writing when I was nine years old, inspired by a schoolteacher and elementary school principal. Scott-Foresman published my first book, a computer instructional for universities, in 1984. Scott-Foresman, Dow-Jones (Richard D. Irwin branch), Palari Publishing, Paralee Press, and Drake Valley Press have published 26 books to date.

Before embarking on a full-time writing career, I founded McClelland Enterprises, Inc. in the Washington, D.C. area in 1984, specializing in computer instruction for employees in the workplace. I opened another business, Continental Software Development Corporation, in 1994, which focused on custom application development, programming, website design and development, and computer crime.

I was honored to be the first female President of the Chesterfield County/Colonial Heights Crime Solvers. I also served as the Treasurer for the Virginia Crime Stoppers Association. Since moving to North Carolina, I served on the Robeson County Friends of the Library and Robeson County Arts Council.

I launched The Book ‘Em Foundation with Waynesboro, Virginia Police Officer Mark Kearney, and assisted in Virginia, New Hampshire, and South Carolina events before establishing the Annual Book ‘Em North Carolina Writers Conference and Book Fair, chairing it for several years before turning it over to Robeson Community College in Lumberton, NC.

Website: https://pmterrell.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pmterrell.author
Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-misremembered-lighthouse/id6749962807
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-misremembered-lighthouse-pm-terrell/1148042055
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FM4D9YTB
All other eBook formats: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1832068

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Straight Reading from the Library: The Nameless Land by M. Laszlo

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. M. Laszlo will be awarding a $15 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

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This metaphysical novel, like its predecessor, Anastasia’s Midnight Song, is a mix of stream of consciousness narration and imaginary happenings. Mystical and mysterious, The Nameless Land follows the misadventures of Rupert Lux and Anastasia T Grace.

Rupert, a young New Zealander working as a night clerk in a hotel in Sinai, is beset by a daemon that in habits his eye. His delusion is much the same as Anastasia’s was when she was tormented by the Arctic fox and the diadem spider in the earlier book.

Anastasia, now blind, travels to Sinai at the behest of a Spiritualist Society to seek hidden treasure by dowsing. She longs to find someone she can heal and love. Perhaps Rupert is the one she can save and thereby save herself.

But Rupert is plagued by females who seem to blend into one another and appear and disappear at will. Traumatised by childhood abuse, he worries that he is not worthy of love. He races headlong through many strange encounters, while Anastasia maintains a calmer stance, though troubled by what she is being coerced into doing. She has been urged to find lost Egyptian treasure and, though reluctant, manages to do so. A sense of menace attends the discovery.

Both protagonists are troubled by wild imaginings and beset by odd visions, smells, sounds, and touches as the pair descend into hallucinatory madness. This is a fast-paced metaphysical adventure, the events hiding many layers of emotional turmoil and insanity. The reader is whisked through a dreamlike landscape, disoriented, and made to experience a kind of madness themselves.

READ THE REVIEW

The Nameless Land, the second volume in Anastasia’s story and a follow-up to Anastasia’s Midnight Song, continues the author’s exploration of the fragile boundaries between dream and reality. While familiarity with the first book provides a deeper understanding of Anastasia’s character, this novel can be read and appreciated on its own.

Now blind, Anastasia falls prey to a circle of spiritualists who exploit her in their pursuit of hidden treasures. Her deepest longing is freedom—yet each time she escapes one form of captivity, she finds herself ensnared by another. Rupert Lux, a hotel clerk in Sinai who has long admired Anastasia from afar, hopes to be the one to set her free. However, he too must confront his own inner daemon, a presence that blurs the edges of perception and plunges him into visions and hallucinations.

Mr. Laszlo weaves a narrative that is both lyrical and unsettling, inviting readers into a landscape where madness and clarity coexist. Beneath its dreamlike surface lies a profound meditation on loneliness, desire, and the enduring scars left by past abuse. Both Anastasia and Rupert struggle not only against external forces but also against their own fractured psyches.

The Nameless Land is not a light read, but it is a rewarding one—beautifully written, richly layered, and deserving of multiple readings to appreciate its full depth. Readers who enjoy psychological complexity, atmospheric prose, and an undercurrent of the gothic will find much to admire here.

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Rupert awoke to the sound of panting coming from outside. For a moment, he wondered if the party in question might be an excited dog. A strong gust rippled through the rooftop, and the heavy breathing grew louder—as if the creature had dared to draw near. Sure enough, a swift, elongated silhouette passed by the sick tent’s east wall. And the visitor boasted a cone-shaped horn. I’ll be damned, Rupert thought. He wondered if the entity might be some mythical beast. When he sat up, he checked to see if anyone else were awake. No, I’m the only one. He rubbed his right eye for a while before creeping outside—where the wild nighttime breeze played through his nightshirt.

At last, he dragged himself around the corner: the mysterious presence proved to be a jackal. He focused on the anomalous horn itself and made the sign of the cross. It’s a miracle. What a beauty, too, the extraordinary beast: it had a pelt that shone a creamy gold streaked with magnolia white. Awestruck, Rupert bowed to the godlike animal. ‘Hello.’

The jackal twitched its long, pointed ears. As if enthralled, the creature shook and shivered. Had it detected the presence within Rupert’s eyeball? Before long, the jackal retreated down the moonlit path before pausing to shoot him a backward glance.

He twitched his moustache. ‘You wish to show me something? Or maybe you wish to teach me the laws of the jungle. Or maybe you wish to bring me to a proper field hospital, eh?’

The jackal emitted a lonesome howl, soon answered by a distant chorus of howls. When the others grew quiet, the jackal panted anew and guided Rupert far beyond the sick-tent grounds.

MEET THE AUTHOR

M. Laszlo is the pseudonym of a reclusive author living in Bath, Ohio. According to rumor, he based the pen name on the name of the Paul Henreid character in Casablanca, Victor Laszlo.

M. Laszlo has lived and worked all over the world, and he has kept exhaustive journals and idea books corresponding to each location and post.

It is said that the maniacal habit began in childhood during summer vacations—when his family began renting out Robert Lowell’s family home in Castine, Maine. Rumor has it he still possesses those childhood diaries and plans to release a trilogy set in the Pine Tree State.

The habit continued into the 1980s when he lived in London, England (the summer of 1985.) The idea books and journals from that summer inspired his first work The Phantom Glare of Day published by the hybrid Spark Press in 2022.

The habit continued into the 1990s when he lived in the Muslim Quarter of Jerusalem and worked as a night clerk in a Palestinian youth hostel. In recent years, he revisited that very journal/idea book and based Anastasia’s Midnight Song and The Nameless Land on the characters, topics, and themes contained within the writings.

At the end of the decade, M. Laszlo attended Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, New York and earned an M.F.A degree in poetry. During his time in New York, he kept the idea books and journals that formed the basis of his second release, On the Threshold, published by the acclaimed Australian hybrid now known as Alkira. That house released Anastasia’s Midnight Song on 17 January 2025. The Nameless Land serves as a stand-alone sequel and releases on 5 December 2025.

M. Laszlo has lived and worked in New York City, East Jerusalem, and several other cities around the world. While living in the Middle East, he worked for Harvard University’s Semitic Museum. He holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Hiram College in Hiram, Ohio and an M.F.A. in poetry from Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, New York.

ENTER THE GIVEAWAY