I saw something funny on Facebook recently. The writer said (I’m paraphrasing) that her book contains no ex-boyfriend suddenly showing up from the past, no finding old letters and no old mansion for sale, or words to that effect. I laughed when I read it because so many of the book descriptions I read  are about those very things. Maybe there are readers who enjoy those books, but when I choose a book, I like one that takes me to parts unknown, tugs at my emotions and leaves me thinking about the characters long after I’ve reached THE END. So because I love to read those books, I try to write similar ones.

In Part 1 of this topic, I said there were many reasons to read In The Wilderness, Book 2 of the Egypt series, and the first reason I gave was:

No graphic scenes of sexual abuse

But before we get to that, here’s a short synopsis of the book:

When Marva accidentally kills her father while trying to protect her younger sister June from him, she anticipates a new beginning far from “Egypt” where they once lived. But her new life is not what she envisioned. The strain of trying to elude the detective who suspects her of the murder, cope with her rebellious younger sister and hold down her job in a man’s domain drive her to drink. When Cicely, her former teacher, intervenes and leads the girls to Christ, Marva finds some measure of peace, but guilt over her crime and the desire to save June from disgrace force her to contemplate suicide. Fortunately, a serious accident derails her plans, and both Marva and June discover their true calling – to serve God, and others, with all their heart and with all their strength.

Many people, myself included, are turned off by scenes of a child’s body being violated. I have started reading many books – some quite popular – and have put them down at the first hint of abuse. The content of In The Wilderness and its prequel Coming Out of Egypt focuses on the psychological effects of the abuse. The stories are clean and wholesome, but suspenseful. Marva and June occasionally reflect on how much their father hurt them, but for the most part, they confine  those painful memories to the back burner of their minds.

And speaking of graphic scenes, I believe the most graphic is in the beginning when Marva and June dispose of their father’s body.

Thunder rolled again, and Marva swallowed against the tightness in her throat. Summoning all her strength, she pulled. This time the body gave and slid over the smooth linoleum floor. Beads of perspiration ran down her face and fell on the dead man’s khaki pants. Once Marva got to the door, she had no choice but to let his head drop the one step to the ground outside.

Senses alert, she stopped and listened. The storage door still rattled and the wind rustled through the leaves like whispering ghosts. A shiver ran through her. It was unlikely that hunters, or any of their father’s laborers, would come through their property on a night like this, but one never knew. With June sticking to her like a shadow, they took the familiar path down the slope leading to the river. Swish-swish went the corpse as Marva dragged her father’s lifeless body over the carpet of dry leaves.

Notice, there’s no blood and gore, neither do I show how the murder took place. This, I believe, leaves the reader to wonder what is going on, how did all of this happen. This is not a crime or murder novel even though murder is involved.

You can get a further glimpse into Book 1 – Coming Out of Egypt by clicking on the form below. You will get to read the first five chapters so you can decide if you want to buy the book. Or if you have already decided you want to buy the book, click here:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FNJ5EIU 

http://authl.it/ B01FNJ5EIU

Prefer print? http://amzn.to/2qCJsQA

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Tomorrow is the day. If you’ve been following my posts, you will know that tomorrow 8/17 is the day In the Wilderness makes its grand entrance on the world stage. I am excited to say the least. This book follows on the heels of Coming Out of Egypt which received a five-star rating from Reader’s Favorite and other reviewers. I expect ITW to do just as well. And because I want you to be able to get your hands on this book with little expense, I’m making it available at the same preorder price of 99c. Aren’t I sweet?

Before you click on that link, here’s a one-line premise of In the Wilderness:

A young woman, torn by guilt over her secret crime, chooses suicide in order to protect her sister from shame.

Now here’s a little snippet to whet your appetite even more:

Marva’s fingers twisted the end of the sheet. June’s words made sense. Why spoil things for everybody? Because she wanted to be a martyr?

She lay down and pulled up the sheet. “You’re right, Junie. Please turn off the light.”

June hesitated. “Promise me you’ll stop worrying.”

Marva smiled. What a sweet child she was. “I promise.”

The light went off and June settled quietly next to her. Long after her snores confirmed that she was asleep, Marva lay mulling over what was the best way to make her confession. She could not bear the guilt any longer. She had to tell someone that she was the person who had killed her father.

Want to know what follows?  GET IT NOW

Sometimes when I browse Amazon or other book sites and read blurbs, I realize that there are other books whose subject matter is similar to mine. I have read some of those books, but in all honesty, I don’t like reading about child abuse, especially sexual abuse. Really? Then why did you write about it, I can hear you scream. The question is justified, and the answer is simple. I think it’s something that needs to be spoken about, exposed, denounced until the world ceases to turn a blind eye to this scourge in our midst. So, I’m not  knocking other novels that portray sexual abuse. They all have their place, although I cannot read graphic details about horrible things done to a child. In this series of articles, I will show you why I think you should read my Egypt series.

First, take a look at the short synopsis:

When Marva accidentally kills her father while trying to protect her younger sister June from him, she anticipates a new beginning far from “Egypt” where they once lived. But her new life is not what she envisioned. The strain of trying to elude the detective who suspects her, cope with her rebellious younger sister and hold down her job in a man’s domain drive her to drink. When Cicely, her former teacher, intervenes and leads the girls to Christ, Marva finds some measure of peace, but guilt over her crime and the desire to save June from disgrace force her to contemplate suicide. Fortunately, a serious accident derails her plans, and both Marva and June discover their true calling – to serve God, and others, with all their heart and with all their strength.

In the next post, one reason why you should read the Egypt series:

No graphic scenes of sexual abuse.

Book 2 In the Wilderness is now on preorder for 99c. until 8/17. Get your copy now by clicking https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072WB8N25

If you have not yet read the first book and would like to do so, you can click  here.

And don’t forget to sign up below for my monthly newsletter where you can get updates on my books, giveaways and more.

The statistics are overwhelming, the facts disturbing, the reality frightening. What am I talking about? I’m talking about child sexual abuse – a topic that is whispered about at best, shunned at worst.
Look at some of these statistics: provided by Darkness to Light

One in ten children will be sexually abused before the age of eighteen. Notice I said children – boys are as much at risk as girls are.

90% of child sexual abuse victims know their abuser.

Child sexual abuse increases the chances of a child dropping out of school.

Only 4 – 8% of reports of child sexual abuse are fabricated.

Use of alcohol and drugs can be indicators of child abuse

However, there is hope. Parents, teachers, pastors, everyone needs to be able to recognize the signs of sexual abuse in their charges and know what to do when they see these signs. That is why I wrote this novel Coming Out of Egypt: to create an awareness of what still remains hidden in too many instances and grows in the dark like a fungus until it has spread and poisoned the whole system.

Why a novel? Why not a self-help, non- fiction book? Because many victims may shun the idea of reading a book that puts them under a microscope and makes them feel like a statistic. A novel like Coming Out of Egypt presents fully- fleshed out characters with whom the reader can identify and who can help her understand why she feels and acts the way she does.

The story inspires hope. At the beginning of the story, the characters’ situation appears hopeless. Marva and her sister are orphans. Their mother died a year before the story began, and now their father is dead, and they are trying to cover their tracks and elude the police. They have little money and dare not tell the only relative they know that Marva just killed their father while trying to protect June from his abuse.

The journey out of Egypt is fraught with difficulties and trials, but by the end of the story, Marva has a job, June is in school and they are pretty well settled. But Marva’s crime still hangs like a noose over her head. Will she find the love and forgiveness she craves or the punishment she deserves?

Want to know more about the story? Sign up on the form below to receive a free preview and other updates. I know you will be blessed.

Now on preorder for just .99c until it is released: In The Wilderness, the second book in the Egypt trilogy. See what happens to Marva and June after they have “come out of Egypt.”

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072WB8N25

If you love dystopian romance, you would be sure to love An Impossible World, a new novel
by S.P. Cervantes.
AUTHOR BIO:
S.P. Cervantes is the author of the acclaimed contemporary romance A BROKEN FAIRY TALE series. The series allows you to connect with a group of friends and their triumphs over tragedy. “Dust to Dust” is a suspenseful stand-alone romance that introduces readers to this close knit group of loyal friends. “Wished Away” is an emotional romance that should be read before the Bad-Boy romance, “His Jar of Hearts”.

S.P. highly acclaimed romance called “The Wife” is now available.

S.P. is also the author of the highly rated Young Adult Romantic Fantasy trilogy Secrets of Shadow Hill. “Always and Forever”, “The Prophecy”, and “War of Wizards” that has been described as “Twilight Meets Harry Potter”. It’s not your typical romantic fantasy.

Book & Author Details:

An Impossible World
by S.P. Cervantes
Published by: Amber Leaf Publishing
Publication date: July 25th 2017
Genres: Adult, Dystopian, Romance

Synopsis:

What would happen if terrorism spread and hate took over? What would the world become?

Isabella (Belle) Grey trained her entire adult life to protect those around her––training that would prove invaluable in her quest to make a new life. Forced to live in an impossible world, terror was not only outside the walls of her protected community but also raged behind the walls of her very own home.

No longer willing to put up with her husband’s drunken abuse, Belle made the desperate decision to run away from the safety of her community and escaped alone into the broken world beyond.

Chased by death as bombs exploded in the distance, her next decision could not only save her life but could potentially bring light back into her darkened soul.

When faced with the impossible, Belle found strength in an unsuspecting stranger who set her path in a new direction––one she never considered.

Fear. Love. Revenge. Strength … all come together in this epic tale of fate and survival.

S.P Cervantes lives in Orange County, California with her husband and three children, where she is a teacher. She enjoys spending time with her family, writing, reading, and running, but is always thinking of an idea for her next novel.

Author links:
http://www.spcervantes.com/
https://www.facebook.com/SP-Cervantes-101496710001043/
Tweets by spcervantes
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6579291.S_P_Cervantes
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35145949

Purchase:
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2tlUpY5
B&N: http://bit.ly/2snLMPh
iBooks: http://apple.co/2so32nD
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/an-impossible-world-1

The author is offering an exciting giveaway which ends July 27th.
Blitz-wide giveaway (INTL)

Signed paperback of An Impossible World, swag, and a $25 Amazon gift card

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/d04251231908/

I just want to wish you and yours a safe, happy and satisfying Fourth of July. As you celebrate with family and friends, take a moment to reflect on what makes this country great. Courageous men and women, boundless blessings from our Creator and – books. I couldn’t help throwing that in because I love books. I can’t imagine a world without them. So today, I salute my fellow writers and readers everywhere. After you’ve swallowed that last piece of barbecue and said good-bye to your last guest, make a little time to curl up with a good book. es

Here are two suggestions: Coming Out of Egypt – Book 1 in the Egypt series – a story of a beautiful young woman trying to rise above her crime and forge a new life for herself and her sister. You will read about her teacher who believes in her, her childhood friend who loves her, and a detective who wants to arrest her. Get it here.

In the Wilderness – Book 2 – Marva has to decide. Should she kill herself to avoid going to prison and shaming her sister? Preorder now.

Today is the grand SIAFBB happening we’ve been talking about all week. What is it? It’s the Support Indie Authors Free & Bargain Book event. This is an event in which SIA members offer temporary discounts or freebie promos, and combine our collective marketing resources to showcase our works to a larger readership.

I will be promoting Women For All Seasons, my Christian non-fiction book based on women of the Bible. To know more about it you can go here. I will also be talking about my new Egypt series, Book 1, Coming Out of Egypt and Book 2 In The Wilderness, which is now on preorder.

This is your chance to get Women For All Seasons FREE and Coming Out of Egypt for only 99c. But just for today, so don’t miss this opportunity. And while you are there, please opt-in to my subscribe box so you can get updates on my books, author events and giveaways. So please pass the word on to your friends. The event starts at 8.00 a.m and goes on all day. I will be on at 3.00 p.m. Hope to see you there.

Here’s another cover reveal to help with your reading selections this summer. This offering is from Carolyn Anthony, author of the Shattered Boundaries series. It is written in the adult, contemporary romance genre and will be released on Jul. 3rd 2017.

Twenty-Four Hours
by Carolyn Anthony

Synopsis:

The second chance that might never happen…

Eve Luccio waited years for her first love, but somehow their lives were never quite in sync. Now, at thirty-six, her only focus is completing the final year of her PhD. The last thing on her mind is the honor-driven former Navy SEAL who stole her heart as a teen and left her unable to love any other man since.

When Jake Theron walks back into Eve’s life, his presence shatters her walls of self preservation. He unleashes a dark sexuality that Eve never imagined she would experience, much less come to crave. All he wants from her is a day of her trust—twenty-four uninterrupted hours before she crosses the country for her Post Doctorate position in New York. But letting down her guard for even twenty-four hours with Jake might just destroy her.

For Jake Theron, Eve was always “the oone that got away,” except even after two decades, she’s still under his skin. When Eve finally agrees to see him, Jake vows he won’t let her slip through his fingers again.

But nobody knows better than Jake what a vicious bitch fate can be. When his life gets in the way, he realizes he may have to let Eve go once again—this time for her own good.

All he has left are the next twenty-four hours. One day and night in a seaside hotel, after which he has no choice but to let her walk out of his life with no guarantee he’ll ever see her again. The problem is, now that he’s had a real taste of the woman who should have been his twenty years ago, he’s not sure he’ll have the strength to let her go.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35429365-twenty-four-hours

AUTHOR BIO:
Carolyn Anthony is a sucker for a dark romance with a dominant, tattooed, alpha badass man at the helm.

Her characters deal with real life issues: the painful, the tragic, the damaging sort of life events that leave both external and internal scars, because she’s been there.
Her heroines are strong women at the core who will always find what’s been lost, taken or exploited: their strength, their self-worth, their identity, their innocence or their love. She writes about women exploring their sexuality, owning that sexuality and enjoying it. Along for the ride, the hot-ass men who prove worthy enough to be on that journey with them.

Book one in the Shattered Boundaries Series, Twenty-Four Hours, will be available to buy on July, 3, 2017. Each book is a stand alone with a well earned HEA. Book two coming soon as well as Phoenix, the first book in a Contemporary second chances trilogy.

Feel free to stalk me everywhere!

Author links:

Home

Tweets by AuthorC_Anthony
https://www.facebook.com/AuthorCarolynAnthony/
https://plus.google.com/101299893988603458132

https://www.instagram.com/authorcarolynanthony/

Summer is here, and for many that means lazy days at the beach, the park or going on road trips. All wonderful places for you to take along a few books to pass the time. Well, this coming Saturday Jul. 1st, you have a chance to pick up some free and discounted books to slip into your tote. But in addition to adding to your bookshelf, you will be supporting independent authors. This event is the 3rd anniversary of the Support Indie Authors Free & Bargain Book Event. There will be over 75 Free and 99¢ books available from more than 25 Indie Authors.

It’s all taking place on Facebook and starts at 8.00 a.m EST so you can join in in your PJs or lounge on your patio. I will be among the many authors who will post about our books and you will be welcome to interact with us, ask questions and get to know us. I, of course, will be talking about the first books in my Egypt series, so you have an opportunity to learn more about them.

So head on over to https://www.facebook.com/events/15679

Thanks again for supporting Indie Authors!

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I am pleased to bring you this exciting cover reveal for  Elodie Nowodazkij’s new novel See Me, See Me Not.

Book Details

See Me, See Me Not
by Elodie Nowodazkij
(Gavert City #2)
Publication date: August 29th 2017
Genres: Romance, Suspense, Young Adult

Six years ago, Tessa Gardner’s sister, Mellie, disappeared. Despite lingering guilt and the never ending desire to find her, seventeen-year-old Tessa works hard to keep it together. Her grades are decent, and thanks to her part-time job, she can help pay her family’s bills. But when her childhood crush, seventeen-year-old Luke Simon, rolls back into her small Texan town, he threatens to topple the delicate balance she created. She’s drawn to him—and the way he makes her smile. He’s the only one who seems to understand her, but he’s got a dark past of his own. Even the fake psychics who swear Mellie is still alive tell Tessa that Luke will cause her pain.

Luke Simon knows a thing or two about guilt. He moved in with his uncle to escape his past, but memories threaten to eat him alive. He does what he can to keep his anger in check—quieting his thoughts by making out with one meaningless girl after the next. Tessa, and her long legs and her hard-earned smiles and her kindness is the only girl who’s ever mattered. She’s the one untainted memory he has from his childhood and he could talk to her for hours. He could do anything with her for hours. But the truth about his past might send her running. Or worse.

While Tessa and Luke try their hardest to live in the present, their pasts lurk in the shadows, more intertwined than they could imagine. When the bodies of the fake psychics are found, Tessa realizes that the truth about what happened to Mellie is right around the corner—and it may be too late to save her sister—and herself.

Want to read bonus scenes? Sign up for her newsletter (http://bit.ly/1Ddrft5) to get them!

You can also join her Facebook fan group (http://on.fb.me/1J2SYl1) for early excerpts of her upcoming books, giveaways or to just hang out with her.

Elodie Nowodazkij was raised in a tiny village in France, where she could always be found a book in hand. At nineteen, she moved to the US, where she learned she’d never lose her French accent. Now she lives in Maryland with her husband, their dog and their cat.

She’s also a serial smiley user.