Monday, June 16, 2025

Straight Chatting from the Library: The Measure of Life by Judith Works



This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Judith Light will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

READ THE INTERVIEW


What is the favorite book you remember as a child?

My favorite book was an old adventure story, Enchanted Vagabonds, belonging to my father. It was a memoir written by a couple who paddled from Southern California to Costa Rica in the 1930s when conditions in coastal Mexico were very primitive. They had more adventures than Rober Louis Stevenson could have dreamed up. Despite its long-outdated story at the time I read it, it resonated with me as a child and as a result I became a world traveler. I’ve visited over 100 countries and lived in Italy for ten years but never kayaked like they did.

Tell us about your current book in 10 words.

Cappuccino with her Italian tutor turns Nicole’s life upside down.

What are you reading right now?

My book club decided to read the American Classic, On the Road, by Jack Kerouac. It’s a wild story written at a time when young men were on the loose and seeking adventure after World War II. There seemed to be no repercussions for their actions – not a story that could be written today.

E-Reader or print? and why?

I prefer print books. There is something satisfying to hold a book in my hands, to look at the cover and back, assess the typeface, and to read the author’s bio or dedication with ease.

One book at a time or multiples?

I often read two books at once – one fiction and the other creative nonfiction.

Dog-ear or bookmark? (don't worry—Librarian Judith won't hold it against you—much)

Bookmark definitely – I have a collection from places I’ve traveled and visited local bookstores. I try to smooth out any dog ears I find.

Least favorite book you've read this year?

I had a hard time with Bright Objects by Ruby Todd. It was too long. I gave up halfway.

Favorite book you've read this year?

I have lots of favorites: one was Burma Sahib by Paul Theroux. It is a fictionalized biography of George Orwell’s time as a young man in colonial Burma which turned him into the author of such books as 1984 and Animal Farm.

When do you do most of your reading?

Usually in the evening.

Favorite place to read?

I have both a cozy armchair and a daybed in my office not far from my bookcase. Very tempting indeed.

Favorite genre?

I’m omnivorous – if it has good plot, setting, and characters, I’m in!

Do you loan your books?

Once in a blue moon to someone I can trust to return it.

How do you keep your books organized?

I have my old travel guides on one shelf including the 1904 Baedeker Handbook for Travellers in Central Italy, the 1912 Baedeker Handbook for Travellers in Palestine and Syria, the first English edition of the Michelin Green Guide to Italy published in 1959, and an 1868 Views in Jerusalem. The Italian history, novels, and memoirs are together. Art books are on the bottom shelves. Everything else is random which makes for a challenge when I want to find a book I just know is there but hiding. But sometimes I find something better.

Re-reader or not?

Seldom. Too many new books I want to read.

What would make you not finish a book?

I will stop if the characters don’t engage me.

Keep books or give them away?

I donate books to our local library for resale once in a while when I have to curate my bookcases because they are overflowing, and books are stacked on the floor. It’s painful though.

READ THE BLURB


A story of love and loss, lies and truth, begins in Rome when Nicole shares a cappuccino and cornetto with her Italian tutor. The meeting sets off a chain of events that upends the course of her life. While Rome also brings deep friendships and immersion into a sumptuous food scene there is no escape from acknowledging the consequences of her actions. In search of forgiveness and healing, she moves to an island near her childhood home in Seattle only to find the way to reunite the remnants of her family and discover her true path is to return to Rome and face the past.

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A nearby rock invited me to perch to wait for the men to return. Tiny wild pink cyclamen flowers poked between the grasses and fallen pine needles carpeting the ground. With petals facing backward like the tail of a comet, I always saw cyclamens as shooting stars. I picked one but it had been partially eaten by some hungry insect. I let the flower fall not wanting to make a wish on an imperfect star. A local poet, another expatriate American, had recently published his latest work in a slim chapbook. I’d bought a copy when he did a reading at the bookstore Primrose formerly owned. I’d taken time from packing my things to attend and still had the chapbook in my shoulder bag. Uncertain what to do while I waited for the men, I read to pass the time. The first page I turned to held the perfect poem to suit my mood.

We could have shared a glass today but now you’re gone.
I wonder what the day will bring with its gray and lowering clouds.

On the opposite page was a woodcut of a wild cyclamen, the flower I’d picked moments ago. The words raised bittersweet memories.

MEET THE AUTHOR


After I earned a law degree in midlife, I had the chance to leave the Forest Service in Oregon and run away to the Circus (Maximus). In reality my husband and I moved to Rome where I worked for the United Nations Food & Agriculture Organization for four years as a legal advisor to the director of human resources. I could see the Circus that had hosted chariot races during the Roman Empire from my office window.

My husband and I reluctantly returned to the US after four years. But we pined for the land of pasta, vino, art, and sunny piazzas. Then the gods smiled and offered a chance to return to Rome with the UN World Food Program. Six more years or food and frolic in the Eternal City passed much too quickly. The indelible experiences living in Italy and working for the UN were the genesis of my memoir Coins in the Fountain.

Website: https://judithworks.net
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/judith.works.5
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/worksjudith
Threads: http://www.threads.com/WorksJudith
BlueSky: http://www.bluesky.com/WorksJudith

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-measure-of-life-judith-works/1146224295
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Google: https://play.google.com/store/search?c=books%q=9781509257805
Itunes: https://apple.com/us/book/the-measure-of-life/id6673911691
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Measure-Life-Judith-Works-ebook/dp/B0DGQP2RDH/
Books a Million: https://www.booksamillion.com/p/9781509257799

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Tuesday, June 10, 2025

Straight Browsing from the Library: Perfect Vengeance by Tee O'Fallon



This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Tee O'Fallon will be awarding a $20 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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Trusting him could save her...or destroy her.

Robin Hood meets the Sopranos…an insanely dangerous scheme Gina Perot and her friends hatched to steal from the mob and donate the loot to a worthy cause. Successful Wall Street investment banker by day, cat burglar by night, Gina leads a double life. But she's never forgotten how the mob and the FBI destroyed her family and ripped her life apart. Now it's time for payback. Charity and revenge all rolled into one. Perfect. Until Gina's scheme sends her crashing headfirst into a major FBI investigation and facing heavy-duty federal obstruction charges. And, the hottest, most frustrating man she's ever met.

Stop stealing from the mob or else…is the order FBI Strike Force Special Agent Jack Gates gives Gina. But Jack quickly learns he can no sooner control a force of nature like Gina than he can control where a tornado sets down. Facing a court-ordered deadline, Jack needs Gina's cat burglar skills to help him bring down a powerful Mafioso. He makes her an offer she can't refuse: go to jail or work for him as an FBI cooperator. When the mob learns Gina's been ripping them off, Jack is determined to keep her safe at all costs. Even if that means confessing his terrible secret and losing her forever.

READ AN EXCERPT


Gina pulled open the man’s jacket, looking for an inside pocket. A wicked-looking gun stuck out from a black leather holster on his belt. Odd that he carried his gun in a holster and not stuffed in his pocket or waistband the way criminals did.

She shook it off and continued her search. “Don’t just stand there, help me. But be careful. I don’t want to hurt him.”

“Little late to worry about that, dontcha think?” Kinsey began patting down his chest. “He’s got great pecs.” Her roving hands had hiked up his knit shirt, and she let out a low whistle. “Whoa, nice abs.”

“This is no time for groping.” Gina lifted the back of his jacket. “Check his pants.”

Kinsey ran her hands over his rear jeans pockets and let out another whistle. “And what a great ass.”

“Kinsey!” Margo threw her an impatient look. “We’re not at a strip club. Hurry up!”

“Okay, okay.” Kinsey tugged a black wallet from one of his pockets. She flipped it open and held it in front of the Charger’s headlights, illuminating the laminated ID.

Gina’s heart skipped a beat. Then another.

Margo gasped.

“Holy shit,” Kinsey whispered.

For several seconds longer, none of them said another word.

Gina continued gaping at the man’s wallet as everything fell into place.

His words: You have no idea what you’ve walked into here.

Why he didn’t want to get caught in Rocco’s apartment.

Why he didn’t shoot her on the spot, and why he was chasing her down as if she were a common thief. To him, she was.

MEET THE AUTHOR




Tee O'Fallon is the bestselling, award-winning author of the K-9 Special Ops, Federal K-9, NYPD Blue & Gold Series, and FBI Strike Force Series. Tee spent twenty-three years as a federal agent conducting complex, long- and short-term criminal investigations, including undercover operations, across many agencies at the federal level, and four years conducting multi-state investigations as a police investigator. It felt only natural to combine her hands-on experience in the field with her love of romantic suspense. Tee has lived in New York State most of her life with a five-year stop in Colorado. When not writing, Tee enjoys cooking, gardening, chocolate, lychee martinis, and all creatures canine.

Buy Link: https://teeofallon.com/perfect-vengeance/

Website: https://teeofallon.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/teeofallon
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Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Tee-OFallon/e/B01FYTINXM
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15197736.Tee_O_Fallon
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@teeofallonauthor

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Monday, June 9, 2025

Straight Browsing from the Library: A New Life by L.J. Ambrosio



This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. L.J. Ambrosio will be awarding a $20 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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From America to the streets of Paris, A New Life follows two friends as they navigate grief, love, and self-discovery in a city filled with history and hope.

A New Life is a story that lingers long after the last page.

READ AN EXCERPT


They rushed out of the hotel and stopped short of the Lyft; they gazed in wonderment at the outrageously small size of the car. Reluctantly they climbed into the car. It was like the Mouseketeer’s car; it was so small and they were so tall. They wondered if they should try another Lyft but there was not enough time. As they pulled away, they smelted gasoline or oil burning. Louie shot Ron a silly look, then smiled.

Ron hit the ceiling with every bump; his head bounced almost out of the taxi. Louie held his hand up to avoid suffering the same fate. The roads were rough all the way to the Air France Terminal. Louie told the driver he should sell his car to an amusement park.

Ron decided to travel with just a carry-on bag. He had no desire to check bags after remembering a few of Michael’s airline horror stories of his lost luggage. Michael, his mentor and friend, truly taught him the right way to travel safe and as a gentleman; they might give you an extra drink if you're nice.

As Ron approached the departure gate, he tried to put the thought of leaving Rhonda behind out of his mind but not his heart. He wondered what Michael would say to him about this incident with Rhonda. He would tell Ron to smile; Rhonda was in a better place.

MEET THE AUTHOR




Louis J. Ambrosio ran one of the most nurturing bi-coastal talent agencies in Los Angeles and New York. He started his career as a theatrical producer, running two major regional theaters for eight seasons. Ambrosio taught at seven universities. Ambrosio also distinguished himself as an award-winning film producer and novelist over the course of his impressive career.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ljambrosioauthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/authorlambrosio
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/louis.ambrosio
Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/ljambrosio
Blog: https://ljambrosio.blogspot.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCI2XkCETDOj_VUtCFcB74ig

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Life-Reflections-Michael-Trilogy-Book-ebook/dp/B0F9YPJZQ3/ref=sr_1_1

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Tuesday, June 3, 2025

Straight Chatting from the Library: Dacy Alex

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The author 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.
READ THE INTERVIEW


Can you describe your dream home?

Hmmmm. Something on the Upper East Side of NYC so I can live my Gossip Girl dreams. Oh, and with some servants in French maid lingerie. That part is definitely not in Gossip girl.

If we were to come to your house for a meal, what would you give us to eat?

You better hope it’s something from Door Dash because eating food cooked by me is akin to eating the poison apple.

What is the hardest part about writing?

Coming up with a purposefully lousy joke can be just as hard as coming up with a great joke. The worst feeling in the world is when I think I nailed a bad joke, and someone laughs at it instead of groaning or rolling their eyes.

Who designed the book cover for the book you are touring?

My good friend, Jibbie! And she’s not just my good friend because she gives me discounts on commissions, hahaha.

Tell us about the absolute BEST fan letter you have received.

I haven’t received too many fan letters, but I’ve gotten messages on Discord praising me and my characters. That’s so nice of people. Keeps me motivated, keeps me charged, and keeps my tank full! Feel free to send me mail at dacyalexandria@gmail.com!

READ THE BLURB


Hell on Heels and Death by D Cup
This raw and naughty book brings together the first two Splendificent novels in one ENORMOUS package…

Not that type of enormous package!

I swear.

Splendificent 1:

California cutie Giselle Nyfall arrives at the Big Apple to attend liberal arts college, Hemera University. But, when a computer glitch lands her with four extraordinary young women as roommates Giselle’s sheltered world is blown away.

These Hotties are supernatural aristocracy, the magical one percent: an elf princess who decapitates as well as she pirouettes, the B.B. gun-toting daughter of the Tooth Fairy, a glamorous and gold-digging fox spirit with thickness in all the right places, and a vampire-succubus hybrid with a bad gambling problem and a blood-soaked family tree.

This Hot Squad uncovers a demonic curse threatening New York City’s human elite orchestrated by denizens of the Christian Hell. The only cure? The five stunners themselves!

Splendificent 2:

The Hot Squad members must battle supernatural mercenaries, contend with a portal to the underworld, avoid demonic death traps and thwart a nefarious prince hellbent on fulfilling an ancient prophecy and bringing on the death of one Squad member who happens to be his sister. All difficult assignments when they’re constantly losing their skimpy clothes and falling into the arms of hot studs and each other!

Will Giselle and her voluptuous companions come together to triumph over the forces of evil? Does the family that slays together stay together? Find out in the sexy, hilarious and politically incorrect Splendificent 2!

WARNING:

This book is absolutely not for anyone under the age of 18! You, Mister 17 years and 364 days old? Move along, son, move along.

READ AN EXCERPT


This was going to be difficult.

This was going to be a violation of trust.

But it needed to be done.

Giselle stood in front of Stuart in his messy-even-though-he’s-only-been-there-a-couple-days-dorm, and she stood with pride.

Stuart was hammering away on Final Fantasy XIV on his gaming computer with his glowing green mouse and blue glowing keyboard.

"Stuart, I am special," Giselle announced with a Princess Magalinda worthy dramatic voice.

"Big facts," Stuart responded, “Look at those boobs on you! They’re mad huge! And you can make a lot of money off being special. Just don’t be like my cousin Joey Numbers. It starts with you stripping for old bitches. You get that easy side money, so you justify it. Then you start fucking those old bitches for extra cash. Cool? Then you’re the go-to guy in the old bitch pussy circle. The Steph Curry of fucking old bitches. Then their husbands offer more to watch. Then it turns into threesomes."

"Eeep!" Giselle squealed.

Stuart continued, "Then they offer you a large sum to have gay sex, and you justify it again. Now you're making big money. But at what cost, Giselle? At what cost?"

"At no cost because I’m not a guy, and I’m not a prostitute! Listen to me, Stu."

She wasn’t supposed to tell anyone about this, but she was being swallowed by her secret. And if anyone could give her some outside the box thinking it was Stuart.

"I’m kinda wrapped up in something dangerous," she said, clasping her hands.
MEET THE AUTHOR




Dacy Alex is an author that has also taken home several screenwriting awards under a different name. Dacy loves the possibilities of the supernatural but also the inherent weirdness of the everyday world and likes to combine the two whenever possible. Dacy likes to focus his stories on new adults, which might explain why he can subsist on a steady diet of classic CW shows. The 100 and The Originals are the best ones don’t argue with me plz k thx bye. Dacy’s an avid video gamer; Dacy’s favorite games are Final Fantasy X-2 and Persona 4: Golden. I’ll be a contrarian and say I’ve never played a Dark Souls like game and I don’t wanna! Oops, I forgot I was doing this in third person

US Amazon: https://kdp.amazon.com/amazon-dp-action/us/dualbookshelf.marketplacelink/B0BC2JY1KX

UK Amazon: https://kdp.amazon.com/amazon-dp-action/uk/dualbookshelf.marketplacelink/B0BC2JY1KX

German Amazon: https://kdp.amazon.com/amazon-dp-action/de/dualbookshelf.marketplacelink/B0BC2JY1KX

Japanese Amazon: https://kdp.amazon.com/amazon-dp-action/jp/dualbookshelf.marketplacelink/B0BC2JY1KX

Canadian Amazon: https://kdp.amazon.com/amazon-dp-action/ca/dualbookshelf.marketplacelink/B0BC2JY1KX

Website: https://dacyalex.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/roxy_kitten/

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Friday, May 30, 2025

Straight Browsing from the Library: Diving into the Beloved by Lark Compton



This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Lark Compton will be awarding print copies of the book to ten randomly drawn winners. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

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Diving Into the Beloved is a mesmerizing collection of poetry that plunges into the realms of love, spirituality, and the soul's longing. Each poem is a profound reflection of the sacred dance between the lover and the Beloved, capturing the essence of divine connection and human vulnerability. Compton's words invite readers to explore the depths of their own hearts, making this book not just a literary work but a spiritual experience—an invitation to embrace the love that resides within and around us. With a youthful, modern interpretation of the path to enlightenment, this collection reminds us of the ecstatic poets like Rumi and Hafiz, yet Compton's voice remains distinctly his own, weaving together concrete details and bold imagery that will leave a lasting impression.



READ AN EXCERPT


The Beloved I have not seen

The unnameable is wrenching my poor heart apart

trying hard to capture the mystery that came before

Beauty stunned all with her supreme nakedness in the magical garden of feelings

grace exploding,

petals on a rose

A fragrance whose secret escapes momentarily to the inebriates in the tavern

I am writing love letters and prose to the beloved I've not seen

A master of mine once said:

"It is so secret -
two cannot walk abreast there. Not even one.

I want to see that secret that mystery face-to-face
I want to kiss him,

to kiss her

I am in love with someone...
But the beloved I have not seen
because I have not seen a beauty like this beauty anywhere on the face of this planet."

You who read this are rowing your leaky boat in an ocean of wine singing praises to the night.


Or maybe you are spinning wildly through infinity

Love orbiting itself

playing coy playing hide and seek?

in Laneakea (Hawaiian for immeasurable heaven)


A place I have visited and lost and now pine for from the very depth of my being

I am so alone Beloved

So alone

Standing on the shores of your infinity



MEET THE AUTHOR



Lark enjoys being a hermit and staying out of the limelight.

He has been known to accidentally bodysurf with turtles at play.

He leaves them alone and they leave him alone.

Everyone's happy.

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/53108042.Lark_Compton






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Thursday, May 29, 2025

Straight Chatting from the Library: Patricia Leavy



This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Patricia Leavy 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.

READ THE INTERVIEW


What is the favorite book you remember as a child?
The Madeline books.

Tell us about your current book in 10 words.
A romance between wounded souls who help each other heal.

What are you reading right now?
A book about the artist Wanda Gag.

Do you have any bad book habits?
I buy far too many books. I have stacks and stacks of books waiting to be read.

One book at a time or multiples?
One at a time. I like to get fully immersed.

When do you do most of your reading?
In the summer.

Favorite place to read?
The beach.

Favorite genre?
Romance and women’s fiction.

Do you loan your books?
Yes, although I’ve had some that were never returned.

Keep books or give them away?
I keep books, but I give away extra copies of my own books. Sometimes as gifts to long-time readers, or I raffle them on social media, or I donate them to prison book programs or charities like Operation Paperback which gives books to military personnel and their families.

READ THE BLURB


For fans of Colleen Hoover comes an emotionally charged contemporary romance about a internationally best-selling novelist and a federal agent fighting to heal past wounds.

Tess Lee is a world-famous novelist. Her inspirational books explore people’s innermost struggles and the human need to believe that there is light at the end of the tunnel—but despite her extraordinary success, she’s been unable to find personal happiness. Jack Miller is a federal agent working in counterterrorism. After spending decades immersed in a violent world, a residue remains. He’s dedicated everything to his job, leaving nothing for himself.

The night Tess and Jack meet, their connection is palpable. She examines the scars on his body and says, “I’ve never seen anyone whose outsides match my insides.” The two embark on an epic love story, but old traumas soon rise to the surface as Jack struggles with the death of a loved one and Tess is forced to confront her childhood abuse. Can unconditional love help heal their invisible wounds? Together, will they be able to move from darkness to light?

READ AN EXCERPT


“Hello, Butterfly,” Omar said, kissing the top of her head.

“These are for you,” Clay added, handing her a large bouquet of pink flowers.

“They’re beautiful, thank you. This is Jack,” she said, touching his chest. “And this is Omar and his better half, Clay.”

Omar shot her the side-eye.

“Nice to meet you,” they all said, shaking hands.

“Let me take your jackets. Brunch is in the living room, please go sit,” Tess said.

Jack sat on the couch, and Omar and Clay took the chairs. “What can I get everyone to drink?” Tess asked.

“Well, it’s brunch, Butterfly. There bloody well had better be cocktails,” Omar joked.

“Of course. What would you like? A mimosa?”

Omar nodded.

“Make it two, please,” Clay said.

“When in Rome,” Jack added.

Tess went to retrieve the drinks while the men chatted.

“Tess has told me a lot about you guys,” Jack said.

“Likewise,” Omar replied. “In the twenty years I’ve known her, she’s hardly shown any interest in the many would-be suitors who have tried to catch her eye. Now I’m getting a dozen texts a day about you. I must say, I was dying to meet you.”

Jack blushed. “Tess is quite a woman.” He glanced over to the kitchen. “I’m still waiting to wake up from this dream, because she’s perfect.”

“Oh, well I’d be happy to tell you about her many flaws. Let the nightmare begin,” Omar jested.

“I heard that,” Tess called, carrying four champagne flutes on a tray, three with mimosas and one sparkling water, which she placed on the coffee table.

“I’m impressed, Butterfly. If this writing thing doesn’t work out, maybe we can get you a job at a saloon.”

“I do love a good peasant skirt,” she said, knuckling the top of his head and tussling his hair.

“Now I’m going to have bad hair all day,” he complained.

“Serves you right,” she said, plopping down beside Jack.

“We were just getting ready to tell Jack about your flaws,” Omar said. “Where shall we begin?”

“Clay, was I this terrible when I first met you?” Tess asked.

“No, you weren’t. You were the epitome of grace and kindness,” Clay replied.

“I’m just teasing,” Omar said, smiling at Tess. He turned his attention to Jack. “Truly, we’re so happy to meet you.”

“Tess said that you two have been friends since college, but she didn’t mention how you met,” Jack replied.

“Everyone, please take some food,” Tess interjected.

They all helped themselves to the artichoke and tomato frittata and green bean salad.

“Tess and I met on our first day of college. It was orientation day, where they put you in groups and try to force you to bond. Then there was a cookout. At the end of the compulsory festivities, a bunch of kids decided to go hang out on the football field. Tess and I both ended up there. Someone was blasting music and most of the kids were smoking pot, but since that wasn’t our scene, Tess and I wandered off together and lay down at the other end of the field, looking at the stars. We didn’t even know each other, but we just started talking and something clicked. She told me that she was writing a novel and that I was the only person she had told. And I swear to you, she was barely eighteen years old, but I knew she was serious, that she was the real deal. I remember telling her the novel was going to be extraordinary.”

Tess leaned against Jack and he rubbed her arm.

Omar continued, “And then I revealed that I was gay and that she was the only person I had ever told. In my family and culture, it’s a crime. She said that life is so unfair and it’s especially hard with family because even when they disappoint us to the core, we still long for their love and approval. Then she said I was a beautiful person and deserved to live my life fully and authentically. So strange to think about it now, how much trust we had for each other in a matter of moments.” Omar watched Tess and Jack with a soft smile on his face. “Sometimes it happens quickly, I suppose. We just know who the good souls are.”

MEET THE AUTHOR


Patricia Leavy, PhD, is an award-winning, best-selling author. She was formerly Associate Professor of Sociology, Chairperson of Sociology & Criminology, and Founding Director of Gender Studies at Stonehill College. She has published more than fifty books; her work has been translated into many languages, and she has received more than one hundred book honors. Recently, her novel The Location Shoot was featured in Ms. Career Girl's “10 Perfect Books to Get Your Fall Reading List Started” and She Reads in “Novels to Read if You Love Classic Movies” and was the 2024 Best Book Awards First Place Winner in Women’s Fiction. Patricia has also received career awards from the New England Sociological Association, the American Creativity Association, the American Educational Research Association, the International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry, and the National Art Education Association. In 2018, she was honored by the National Women’s Hall of Fame and SUNY-New Paltz established the “Patricia Leavy Award for Art and Social Justice.” Patricia lives in Maine and serves on the board of the London Arts-Based Research Centre. In addition to writing, she enjoys movies, art, reading, and travel.

Website: https://patricialeavy.com/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Shooting-Stars-Above-Celestial-Romances-ebook/dp/B0CYJ76ZXK/ref=sr_1_1

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Tuesday, May 27, 2025

Straight Chatting from the Library: Robert Bruce Adolph



This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Robert Bruce Adolph will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

READ THE INTERVIEW


Where are you from?

I was born in Massachusetts, but because my dad was in the military, I was raised all over the US - the eldest of nine children. At last count, and due to my Army and United Nations assignments, I have lived and worked in 17 different countries in Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, many of which were in crisis. These varied assignments inform much of my writing. I think it is fair to say that my perspective might not be mainstream.

Tell us your latest news?

The second edition of my book “Surviving the United Nations.” Has just been released. It’s the true story of my humanitarian and peacekeeping missions for the United Nations I dealt with child-soldiers, blood diamonds, a double hostage-taking, an invasion by brutal guerrillas, an emergency aerial evacuation, a desperate hostage recover mission, tribal gunfights, refugee camp violence, suicide bombings, and institutional corruption. My UN career brought me face to face with the best and worst of human nature and I share it all in this book.

When and why did you begin writing?

I published my first article while serving in the Army as a young captain of military intelligence. I wrote that piece because I had never done so before. Trying new things is something of a passion for me. I liked the responses to my first article, so I wrote another, and another, and I am still at it over four decades later. At last count, I have published over three hundred articles, commentaries and book reviews. My works have appeared in over fifty newspapers, magazines, and journals, in the US, Europe, and Asia.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I am not sure. Perhaps I began to understand I was a writer when others began to refer to me in that fashion. One of the things about writing and publishing is that other people will let you know how they feel about your work. Sometimes they are complimentary, sometimes not. You must be prepared for either response without taking offense. Writing is not for the faint of heart. I have received considerable hate mail for my political writings. Thick skin is beneficial if you intend to write about US politics these days.

What inspired you to write your first book?

I was deeply angry and hurt. There were twenty-two dead and over one-hundred fifty wounded in a jihadist vehicular suicide attack in Baghdad. The people that were to blame never faced accountability for their lack of action. I had to set the record straight by telling the truth, no matter the personal cost. I felt the call to action because nobody else would. I had never felt so alone and utterly vulnerable in my life.

what would you like my readers to know?

Writing is now and has always been the most rigorous form of thought. There is no better exercise for the mind than writing. If your readers hope to be one day better, they should write. If they hope to influence others, they should write. If your readers hope one day to build a legacy, they should write. Bottom line – of all the things that I have accomplished in my many years, and aside from saving lives, I am most proud of my writing history.

READ THE BLURB





This is the astonishing true story of a US Army Special Forces soldier who became a warrior for peace. In his humanitarian and peacekeeping missions for the United Nations he dealt with child-soldiers, blood diamonds, a double hostage-taking, an invasion by brutal guerrillas, an emergency aerial evacuation, a desperate hostage recover mission, tribal gunfights, refugee camp violence, suicide bombings, and institutional corruption. His UN career brought him face to face with the best and worst of human nature and he shares it all here.




READ AN EXCERPT


I had accomplished an area study on the country before departing Sarajevo—an old habit instilled in me by military training. You see, if time permits prior to the deployment of a Special Forces team on mission, the unit would enter isolation for as much as a week prior in preparation. During that period an area study would be developed among the twelve members of the team. Essentially, an area study examines all aspects of a country or region that might impact mission accomplishment. Knowing the history of a country is often key to understanding its future.

Sierra Leone had been established on the west coast of the African continent in 1787 by Great Britain as a home for freed slaves. It is about half the size of the American state of Illinois and became a crown colony in 1808. From that time until 1961, when it became an independent nation-state, the country was ruled by the British. In retrospect, the native population was not well prepared for self-rule.

There was a succession of coups. Government changed hands several times. In 1991, Corporal Foday Sankoh, a former soldier of the Sierra Leone Army, began a military campaign (insurgency) against the national warlord of the moment, Major General Saidu Momoh. Sankoh led what came to be known as the Revolutionary United Front (RUF). The RUF generally focused its attentions on the inland—controlling diamond-producing areas, and the Sierra Leone/Liberia border area in the east and south.

MEET THE AUTHOR


Robert Bruce Adolph is a retired UN Chief Security Advisor & US Army Special Forces Lieutenant Colonel. He holds master’s degrees in both International Affairs (Middle East Studies) from American University’s School of International Service and National Security Studies and Strategy from the US Army’s Command and General Staff College.

Adolph served nearly 26-years in multiple Special Forces, Counterterrorism, Psychological Operations, Civil Affairs, Foreign Area Officer, and Military Intelligence command and staff assignments in the US and overseas. He also volunteered to serve on UN peacekeeping missions in Egypt, Israel, Cambodia, Iraq and Kuwait.

After he retired from active military service in 1997, he began a second career as a senior UN Security Advisor. Among his positions he served as the Chief of the Middle East and North Africa in the UN Department of Safety and Security.

Website: https://robertbruceadolph.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-bruce-adolph-904597a/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robert.adolph

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